Editor's Letter December 2021
Written by: Eric Seitz
The end of the year warrants reflection — reflection on what we lived through, what we did, who we were and where we are now. As 2021 wraps up, the year’s themes are beginning to become clear.
As the (mostly unexpected) second year of the pandemic, 2021 was perhaps not the healing year many hoped it would be. It was, however, a year to reclaim what was once ours.
In the most basic way, the general populace reclaimed their sense of normalcy in 2021. Many returned to in-person working, in-person shopping and in-person socializing. Then, some reclaimed their sense of normalcy through adjusting to a new way of life — permanently working from home, moving out of the city or changing careers.
Even popular culture saw celebrities reclaiming what was once theirs. Taylor Swift released re-recorded versions of two of her albums to give herself full ownership of the songs after her former recording label refused to sell her the originals, and Britney Spears ended her father’s unrelenting conservatorship over her career and life.
The Cleveland State community reclaimed the halls of campus this year, as most classes returned to an in-person format. We at The Vindicator even reclaimed our own office from the eccentric mouse that had taken up residence in the ceiling tiles.
In this issue, new contributor Meher Akshay Bundellu chronicles the experiences of international students at CSU in “A Cultural Change” on page XX. Another new contributor Andrea Brazis highlights growing interest in foreign entertainment in “Squid Game: The Rise of Foreign Media.” In one of our features “All-Gender Inclusion” on page XX, copy editor Lynn Nichols dives into the relevance of Cleveland State’s first gender-inclusive multi-stall restroom.
As we head into 2022, we thank 2021 for all that came out of it — both the victories and the challenges. Notably, 2021 brought The Vindicator our arts editor Courtney Byrnes, who is graduating this semester. Courtney, you’ve served as a stellar addition to our team for the past year, and we wish you the best as you head out into the real world. Read her final article “The CSU of Instagram” on page XX.