On June 3, 2017, Alex Honnold climbed 3,000 feet above the floor of Yosemite National Park without the protection of ropes to secure him to the natural stone wall he was climbing. He became the first person to dangerously “free solo” the famous El Capitan wall, meaning he didn’t have any gear except climbing shoes and a chalk bag tied around his waist.

Over a year later, Free Solo, a National Geographic documentary about Honnold’s journey, was released and captivated both the climbing and non-climbing worlds. The film chronicles more than a year of Honnold’s life preceding the famous ascent, revealing a great deal about his motivations, personal relationships and complex emotions surrounding the ascent. Impressively, the film has kept audiences gripped with anticipation for all 97 minutes of its run time, even with most viewers knowing how it will end.

“Free Solo” was featured at the Toronto International Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival and the LA Film Festival earlier this year. It premiered in Atlanta at AMC Phipps Plaza and the Midtown Arts Center on Oct. 12.

The film was created by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, two filmmakers known for their stunning work in adventure and climbing documentaries. The filmmakers themselves were necessary characters in the documentary. Many scenes featured them discussing the very real possibility that Honnold would fall to his death while they recorded, powerless to help.

Other scenes focus on Honnold and his girlfriend, Sanni McCandless, sitting in a van outfitted as a kitchen, bedroom and workout space. They discuss McCandless’s fears and Honnold’s stubborn tenacity. These scenes highlight Honnold’s mindset, which is so foreign to most of the film’s viewers; he chooses to climb without protection and at great heights because it makes him feel most alive, and no emotional relationship will hold him back.

On all sides, “Free Solo” skillfully shows the complex emotion involved in the attempt of such a formidable feat. It is not just a movie about an athletic endeavor; it is about the tangled threads of athleticism, artistic desire and personal relationships involved in doing something that has never been done before.

Paired with these emotional scenes were sequences of Honnold’s training, which involved endless repetition of moves on the route. The audience sees him fall over and over, even when secured by a rope. Tension builds with each fall during training, as everyone watching knows that any such slip will be catastrophic when Honnold climbs the route without protection.

There was considerable mental preparation on Honnold’s end as well. A visualization takes viewers through the different sections of the route as Honnold’s voiceover shows that he can recite each and every move from memory.

The last twenty minutes of the film take viewers through Honnold’s actual ascent of Free Rider, the route that winds its way up the El Capitan wall. There is palpable tension in the air of the theater, as everyone watches Honnold execute moves he has practiced hundreds of times. The audience laughs with relief and cheers when he finishes a move that had given him trouble before. Beautiful shots of Honnold, climbing utterly alone with tree tops thousands of feet below, take the audience’s breath away.

The anxiety of the audience is mirrored in the scenes which follow the filmmakers themselves, some of whom have to physically turn away from Honnold as he completes certain tough sequences. A collective exhale shudders through the entire theater as Honnold finally, finally steps onto level ground at the top of the daunting, sheer face, his task done.

It is a mark of Chin and Vasarhelyi’s excellence as filmmakers that “Free Solo” is able to entirely envelop an audience full of people who already know how the movie will end.

Earlier this fall as I was doing a routine scroll through my social media and emails — when I should have been doing something more productive — I realized that it was World Mental Health day. Seeing Facebook events and emails about this day had me begin to look back on my experiences with my own mental health and how those experiences shape the way I go through life today.

Two years ago in the fall semester of my sophomore year, I was faced with one of my most mentally and academically challenging semesters. I was taking 15 hours in an attempt to regain my HOPE scholarship as quickly as possible, I was taking on leadership roles in a few organizations and I was trying to maintain my relationships and a healthy social life. All of the effort and stress that came along with doing those things became overwhelming for me and put me in a state of depression and anxiety where I would spend most of my days either asleep or in my bed constantly thinking about how I was failing on all fronts in my attempts at a well-rounded life.

After a tough semester where I failed my first class and attempted to hurt myself in front of my friends, I gathered the courage I had and went to a psychiatrist. I had made a post on Reddit dumping my feelings and thoughts about my situation and so many people were quick to hear me, comfort me and advise me. One of the suggestions was to reach out to a counselor, therapist or psychiatrist.

I went into an appointment with a psychiatrist thinking that my lack of concentration throughout the semester was because of ADD, but I soon came to an understanding that it was because of my depression; there was an imbalance of chemicals in my brain that affected my life negatively. From there, I chose to start taking antidepressants to help with my illness and dropped my leadership positions so that I could focus more on myself and my recovery. As a result, the effects in the following semester were great: I was going to the gym routinely, I wouldn’t get triggered into a depressive episode as easily and I was socializing more with my peers.

However, as time passed through a summer semester abroad into the fall of 2018, I started to notice that the effects of my medication were weakening. I would spiral into a depressive train of thought including thoughts of suicide and anxieties about my social life. After doing some research about my situation, I found that this was such a normal occurrence that there were names for it: tachyphylaxis, also known as “Prozac Poop-out”. After hours of Googling suggestions and anecdotes on similar situations, I chose to quit my medication because I personally did not want to be dependant on the drug to live a happy and fulfilling life. The semester then became a journey in which I learned how to embrace my own company and enjoy being alone.

I spent a majority of my time in the fall 2017 semester alone in my apartment with my thoughts. Though I underwent symptoms of quitting antidepressants — including relapse of depressive episodes — I also began to become more comfortable spending time alone while not feeling lonely.

The idea of being alone became something that I found comfort in rather than one I feared. It’s freeing: I found ways to confront and process whatever thoughts go  on in my head and enjoy the time I had with myself as a method of self-help. From meditation and exercise to going to the movie theaters alone, treating myself has definitely proven helpful in recovery from my depression. Don’t get me wrong, I also enjoy spending time with others. I just learned how to enjoy spending time with myself as well.

Being at Tech is hard. We have to balance our social lives, our academics and our career paths. Juggling all of these aspects of our lives leaves little time for us to check up on our mental well being. But don’t settle for the “it really do be like that sometimes” solution. Find ways to cope with your thoughts whether it be through exercise, meditating or doing whatever it is that you feel like doing.

Figuring out which self help techniques works for you is a journey and can be trying at times, but it is worth it. Let World Mental Health Day and this editorial be a reminder to be aware and mindful of your own — and others’ — mental health.

Tech is often slow to act upon reports of inclement weather that may impact campus operations. Historically, the school will not announce closings — or the lack thereof — until the day before, often in the afternoon. This poor communication can cause several issues for both students and instructors. Students who commute may need to have more advance warning of campus closures, while instructors often need to reschedule office hours, change the covered material or even move test dates.

Because emergency cancellations have such a large impact on the campus community, it is important that Tech communicates with the campus in a timely manner when these events arise. In the past, Tech’s slow response speed and lack of effective communication has led to students and instructors being left in the dark about campus closures until the last possible minute.

During the fall semester of 2017, an unexpected amount of snowfall caused Tech to send home all non-essential personnel during a day of final exams. Since Tech announced this closure on the day of those exams, both students and instructors were still expected to attend the regularly scheduled exams. Not only was the cancellation late, it was inconsiderate: Tech considered it too dangerous to keep non-essential personnel on campus, but still expected its academic members to arrive and leave campus during the inclement weather.

Earlier in the same semester, Tech announced a campus closure during Hurricane Irma. In this case, Tech sent out the announcement the night before the first day of the campus shutdown. Even though this was still very short notice, it allowed campus members to adapt their plans for the next two days and did not force anyone into a potentially unsafe situation by having them remain on campus.

A large part of the problem with these situations is that campus members often hear about inclement weather before Tech has a chance to make any announcements on the situation. This leads to a large period of ambiguity as to whether or not Tech will remain open during the event, largely due to Tech’s historical tendency to announce closures at the last minute. Tech needs to be more responsive during these hazardous weather conditions and actively communicate to the community as they arrive at the decision to keep the campus open or to shut it down.

Tech did a fairly good job at communicating during Hurricane Michael. As the hurricane was touching down, the official Office of Emergency Preparedness (OEP) Twitter account has posted: “Regarding whether classes will be cancelled or business operations altered, we are not anticipating making that recommendation based on the current threat. Any changes will be communicated via GTENS and official Institute social media.”

This announcement is exactly what Tech should strive for in all emergency weather situations: make it clear to the community what the current expectations are and provide information on where and why any changes to the current decision would be announced.

The next step for Tech is to make these communications more widespread. Currently, the bulk of updates on hazardous weather come from the official OEP Twitter account. These announcements are often extremely helpful for informing the community about Tech’s current status during these events. It would greatly benefit both Tech and the campus community if this account was made more visible or even if some of the updates were summarized in a daily email.

Because Tech has had historical problems with communication during inclement weather events, it needs to prove to the community that it is making improvements in its process. Tech has shown a strong first step with their handling of Hurricane Michael but should improve its process by making updates more visible to the community. This would lead to a safer community and to more reliable information on campus cancellations.

In the medical field, donning the white coat is a lifelong dream and symbolic of a great deal of respect and knowledge. However, it is no secret that achieving this dream requires years of dedicated study, hard work and intense focus, and one might wonder why someone would choose such a difficult path, one that is especially so at Tech. For almost everyone, it is the chance to make someone’s life better.

Able to offer unique insight into this are Pre-Health Peer Advisors Sirwoo Kim and Rocio Zaragoza. Both are fourth-year BME majors on the pre-health track, and these two know what it is like to balance the rigors of Tech’s curriculum with the requirements of applying to medical school. In their roles, they regularly work with students who are interested in the pre-health program or who are already on the track. Students from majors across campus, from liberal arts to chemistry, choose to pursue a career in the medical field. Kim and Zaragoza have a unique understanding of why people choose to pursue pre-health at Tech.

“I think students are drawn to healthcare fields because they want to help people and change someone’s life. Everyone has their personal path and reasoning, but it still comes down to their passion to building patient relationships and bring them back to optimal health,” Zaragoza said.

For third-year BME Omar Ahmed, this statement rings true. Ahmed, who hopes to become a cardiothoracic surgeon, has dreamed of becoming a doctor since he was young and is now making strides toward this goal along the pre-health track here at Tech.

“While there are many noble professions, I’ve always felt a particularly strong calling toward the field of medicine and I cannot imagine doing anything else. For me, the idea that I can directly improve the lives of those who are suffering sounds extremely fulfilling and is what continues to drive me to pursue this path,” Ahmed said.

While this motivation is powerful for those who wish to pursue fields in health, it is but one piece of the puzzle. Motivation, along with perseverance, leadership, humility and time management are required in order to reach the end goal. Without these, balancing the many late nights, tests and extracurriculars, along with professional development and the many other parts that make up a successful application to medical school, is simply not possible. At least in the opinions of the pre-health advisors.

“Perseverance and humility are the top two characteristics that help people succeed in pre-health. They should persevere in that they shouldn’t be afraid of failure, and they shouldn’t be afraid to keep going. And I think a dash of humility usually fuels this as students are less likely to overestimate their success and, consequently, become discouraged from continuing to try,” Kim explained.

Furthermore, one must be wary of the common struggles that can knock one off track and cause a loss of focus. As Zaragoza explains, a narrow focus on grades simply will not suffice.

“It sometimes takes getting a B or C to realize that everything will be fine and to keep pushing forward. Pre-health students overcome failure by learning from their mistakes, and doing better the next semester,” Zaragoza said.

However, this narrow focus is not just limited to grades. Having a narrow focus in life can lead to mismanaging time and losing the balance that is key to finding success and enjoyment along the way.

“Students initially struggle with time management, since they have a newfound freedom due to being away from home. Trying to balance a life by getting the appropriate amount of sleep, feeding and caring for yourself and also having enough time to study and socialize with friends poses a struggle for some,” Kim said.

Given all the traits and skills that one must have to pursue pre-health, why would someone choose to further challenge themselves by attending Tech? For many, it is this very challenge that draws them.

“I knew that coming to Tech would provide me with an education that would go beyond the regular pre-medical education that I would have received elsewhere. Tech teaches you how to think about and solve complex medical problems in applied situations, which goes to enhance the versatility and effectiveness of future medical professionals,” Ahmed explained.

Furthermore, opportunities for research, proximity to hospitals and the rigorous curriculum motivate people to study at Tech.

“Tech is home to a variety of research, shadowing and volunteering opportunities. We’re close to many hospitals for students to get hands on clinical experience. We also have a rigorous science program that helps prepare our students very well for standardized tests and their transition to professional school,” Ahmed said.

Despite all this, some students might still wonder if it is the path for them. For Kim, it boils down to the “why?”

“If someone were to come to me unsure of what to do, I would give them all the information that I know of. I would tell them the struggles that I’ve faced, but also the positive aspects of being pre-health and let them decide for themselves. I’d ask why they’re pre-health ­- is it for them? Is it for their parents? Is it for their pride? Who is it really for?” she said.

Once the answer to this question is set, the rest can fall in place even if there is some wavering. Struggling is not uncommon for those on the pre-health track, but for one who might be struggling, Zaragoza offers the following advice: “Keep your head up and stay focused on the end goal. So many times I would start to lose track of why I was doing so much. All it takes is to take a step back from academia and go volunteer or shadow at a clinic. Interacting with patients reminded me of why I want to become a dentist and why I’m striving to be the best that I can be,” she shared.

For students interested in the pre-health track, visit prehealth.gatech.edu for more information, or to schedule an appointment with an advisor.

Tech hoops in the “Pastnerball” era has been arguably the most popular team on campus, if for no other reason than the two-year period’s alignment with some of CPJ’s worst seasons in his tenure at Tech. Josh Pastner, named ACC Coach of the Year in his inaugural season, is a branch off the old Lute Olson coaching tree at the University of Arizona that has flourished since his arrival in 2016. Pastner’s first year surprised many as the Jackets wildly overperformed in comparison to the preseason projections that had Tech going winless in ACC play — with an upset over No. 5 UNC in his first conference game, Pastner’s squad racked up four top 25 wins over the course of the year, ending 8-10 in ACC play.

Pastner’s second season came with some seriously readjusted expectations for what a “successful” season meant. While going from a 21-16 to 13-19 overall record was far from what was anticipated going into the year, the combination of stymieing losses to clearly inferior opponents — like Grambling State, Wofford and Wright State — and the extended absences of key contributors, including then-freshman guard Jose Alvarado, senior guard Tadric Jackson and sophomore forward Josh Okogie was enough to derail a promising young team’s season from the start.

This third year sets up an opportunity for Pastner to truly begin implementing his system with the players he recruited as opposed to the ones he was handed when taking the coaching position, and when looking at the trio of freshmen infused to the team this offseason, the first thing that sticks out is just how small they are. Granted, most people wouldn’t describe the 6’8, 200-pound freshman forward Kristian Sjolund as a diminutive figure. But when comparing him in a unit along with the other true freshmen 6’6 forward Khalid Moore and 6’3 guard Michael Devoe to the graduating frontcourt presence of 6’10” graduating center Ben Lammers and the 6’5” first-round athletic phenom Okogie, there’s a clear drop in the average height of the roster, which indicates a shifting offensive philosophy in the upcoming season.

Tech finished in the bottom 15 in the NCAA for three-pointers attempted the past two seasons, an unsurprising statistic given the “grit and grind” slow-paced offense Tech had utilized with moderate success that led to lower possession counts while primarily scoring through high-percentage Lammers shots. This year, however, Lammers is gone, and with no true “big body” inside to fill his shoes and pound the boards on both sides of the floor, the guard-heavy Jackets roster will likely find themselves in small-ball lineups for the majority of their games, using junior Abdoulaye Gueye as a stretch-five starter to space the floor alongside more polished shooters.

While Tech’s new freshmen recruits may not have the physicality of their predecessors, the offensive tools each of them brings to the table unlocks a world of potential in an era of spacing. Devoe, the four-star recruit headlining the recruiting class, shot 42 percent from deep last season at the elite Montverde Academy. Devoe ran the American Athletic Union (AAU) scene impressively, leading his high school team in scoring en route to the national championship. Sjolund, an international prospect slightly undersized for the three, has an offensive toolbox that allows him to carve up defenders, and with Moore acting as a defensive anchor with a freakishly long wingspan, it is not unreasonable to believe that all three freshmen will see significant playing time together.

A potential lineup is Devoe and Sjolund or Moore starting alongside floor general Alvarado, rim protector Gueye and a fully healed 3-point assassin sophomore Curtis Haywood. While that unit would give up plenty in size, the hope is that it would be able to compensate for its diminutive nature with athleticism and scoring, the latter of which has been something of  a challenge for Tech basketball.

With a lineup of Alvarado, Devoe, Haywood, Sjolund or Moore and Gueye, Tech would be doing a full pivot from the defensive intensity that has been the backbone the program’s success for the past decade. Alvarado’s high motor leads to a healthy amount of steals and Gueye has been a serviceable interior presence in years past, but to expect the freshmen to come in and be immediately prepared to defend at the next level with an increased net athleticism level and pace would be foolish. The effort may be there, but it is unlikely that their inexperience will do them any favors on the defensive end, particularly against freak athletes and grizzled veterans in conference play.

That being said, the pieces are in place for Pastner to finally begin molding the Jackets in the image of his old Memphis teams that ran a high-scoring offense that carried the team to 4 NCAA tournament berths in his 7 years as head coach. Change will not happen overnight, but it begins here.

Roughly two years after its groundbreaking, the doors of the Van Leer Interdisciplinary Design Commons (IDC) were finally opened on Sept. 27 for its official ribbon-cutting ceremony.  

President G.P. “Bud” Peterson welcomed several major donors and personnel into the 50,600-square-foot makerspace. Once an auditorium, the IDC now houses three levels of cutting-edge technology open for use by students of all majors. It is located directly north of Tech Green and retains the original rotunda’s iconic circular structure. 

At the event, corporate donors, such as Texas Instruments, General Motors, Harris Corporation and Keysight Technologies, were able to cut opening ribbons for their respectively dedicated wings of the makerspace. 

Several of the Institute’s faculty spoke alongside Peterson and graciously acknowledged the corporate sponsors that made the nearly $11 million renovation possible. Special thanks was given to Harris Corporation, the first company to commit to the renovation, and Keysight Technologies, much of whose equipment lines the rows of the IDC second floor.

“This is going to be a place where our students will be able to dream up and create things in robotics, in telecommunications, in analog devices … and truly, truly push the state of the art in terms of what a modern engineering program would look like,” said Magnus Egerstedt, school chair of the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. 

The IDC will be run by The Hive, a student-led organization dedicated to helping other students in the space. 

“Our vision is to help any student, regardless of major and technical background, to come in with an idea and leave with a prototype that they built. We provide them with equipment, assistance and most importantly, a friendly community to collaborate and create with,” Hive President Randy Deng said.

The Texas Instruments Makerspace, located on the second floor of the IDC, is home to equipment donated by Texas Instruments and Keysight Technologies. Each workbench provides students more access to high-level electronics technology than any other place on campus, as well as ample natural light and open space. 

Hiba Murali, director of logistics for The Hive, confidently led guests downstairs and provided a tour of the new machinery.

Murali showed that students have access in the workshop to sand blasters, laser cutters, 3D printers, drill presses and a massive plasma cutter. Under the supervision of trained Peer Instructors (PIs) and Master Peer Instructors (MPIs), students can do anything from working on a major woodwork project to creating a Harry Potter wand, according to PI Binit Shah.

Although PI applications are currently closed, they will soon reopen for the spring semester. William Cuthbertson, director of finance for The Hive, said students who wish to apply for a PI position for Spring should  come see the IDC and become acquainted with the environment.

Currently, the IDC is open weekdays from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Students of all majors, even those with no experience in making things, are invited to visit. 

On Oct. 2, John Legend came to campus as part of a tour across metro Atlanta universities to promote Stacey Abrams’ gubernatorial campaign. 

The Technique was able to privately field Legend questions after his talk concluded.

Technique: Out of the slate of issues that Abrams’s campaign addresses, what do you feel are the most important issues to you, and what particularly drew you to this election, to come to Georgia to help push for Stacey?

Legend: Well, out of the ones I mentioned today that I think are important, I think making higher education affordable and debt-free for Georgians is going to be a huge deal for so many people. So many people are dealing with debt from college and it’s a really difficult thing to do because we tell everyone that you need to go to college to have upward mobility and be part of the American dream, but it’s so unaffordable for so many people. And they’re saddled with debt for such a long time that it’s really difficult for them to thrive. So I think that’s a big deal. 

I think expanding Medicare for 500,000 Georgians is a massive thing. Just think what having 500,000 more people with access to healthcare will mean for this state. I think it will mean the quality of life will improve significantly. And I think it’s important that she’s going to reform the criminal justice system. All of those things I think are critical. She cares so much about investing in education. She cares so much about investing in Georgia, and making sure Georgia is on the right path. I think she’s going to do a great job for the state, and I’m happy to support her.

Technique: As the first African American [nominee of a major party for governor], what do you feel that means for the future of Georgia, and also for like the country, in terms of having more diverse people [inside of state government]?

Legend: Well, I think [what] we’re seeing here in Georgia, here in Florida and other places around the country, we’re seeing more candidates of color elevating to some of the highest positions as nominees in the state. I think that’s another sign of progress for the country.  I think the country is becoming more inclusive despite, you know, losing charge. I think the country is becoming more inclusive and more diverse, and I think that’s a great thing for the country.

Technique: What important issues do you feel like students have the ability to tackle in the future, in terms of their personal activism, just as their role as students?

Legend: Well,  I think that each student is going to have to determine what they’re passionate about. I think there are plenty of issues to care about: we should care about environment, we should care about criminal justice reform, we should care about healthcare. There’s all kind of issues people can get excited about. 

And I think it’s up to the person to figure out what that is for them, and then take that passion and turn it into action. Do something. 

Whether it’s protesting, whether it’s campaigning, getting other people out to vote. The minimum I think to do is voting. And then beyond that, getting other people out to vote, and making your voice heard in other ways I think is important too.

Samuel Beckett’s classic absurdist play “Waiting for Godot” has become one of the best known works of 20th century theatre, engaging audiences of all sorts in a multitude of languages since its premiere at a Paris theatre in 1953.

This fall, the outfit at 7 Stages Theatre in Little Five Points is putting on its third production of Beckett’s play in the acting company’s 39-year history.

The production opened the night of Sept. 27 and will continue to run through Oct. 14, and though there is not much time left to catch a show, those who find the time for the outfit’s production of Beckett’s classic will not be disappointed. 

The play and one’s reasons for wanting to sit through it are difficult to describe to one who is not familiar with Beckett or the Theatre of the Absurd. Literary critic Vivian Mercier once called “Waiting for Godot” “a play in which nothing happens, twice.” In fact, to describe what happens in the play is essentially just to name its title; it is a two-hour production about two men waiting for the mysterious Godot. 

In the end, Godot does not even appear. Still, all of this is not to say that Beckett’s play is by any means boring. The members of the audience find themselves inexplicably glued to their seats, spellbound, confused and, above all, amused by everything happening on the stage before them.

Productions of “Godot” are often described as hilarious, but this is not quite the right way of saying it. Rather the play is humorous; the writing is witty and fast, and an excellent cast is required to perform it correctly. 7 Stages’ production of the play employed a cast of just five actors, and each actor did an excellent job of executing his role, no small feat when one considers the sheer difficulty of the work. 

The centerpiece of the play is undeniably its dialogue; the scenery and props help to set the tone, but the three main characters and their witty lines essentially carry all of the drama. 

Don Finney and Del Hamilton play Estragon and his friend Vladimir, two tramps who wait by the roadside for a mysterious man named Godot to arrive. They carry on a lively and amusing dialogue, and one cannot help but be impressed by Finney and Hamilton’s ability to recall and deliver complicated lines with speed and accuracy; the characters are far from easy roles. 

Finney and Hamilton are eventually joined on stage by Bart Hansard as Pozzo, a travelling gentleman who stops to eat and converse with Vladimir and Estragon, and Matt Baum as Lucky, Pozzo’s slave. Hansard plays his character excellently, keeping a distance from Vladimir and Estragon and creating a tension between himself and the two lowly tramps which highlights the themes of class which Beckett addresses in his play. 

One of the jarring features of Hansard’s performance is the brutality of Pozzo’s treatment of Lucky. Hansard makes the cruelty which Pozzo shows feel real, even making the audience feel somewhat uncomfortable about what it is watching.

Though Lucky is silent for the majority of the play, Baum exhibits his abilities in a brief outburst of dialogue when Lucky is instructed to “think” for Vladimir and Estragon’s entertainment. Lucky lets out a powerful stream of nonsensical ramblings. The flow of Baum’s dialogue feels natural and his delivery is striking and powerful, imbued with the desperation which Beckett intends Lucky to display. 

Naturally, “Waiting for Godot” is not for everybody. It is a challenging work, and not everyone will find its dialogue funny enough to really enjoy it. The contrast between the light-hearted tone of the play and its serious themes of existential doubt, loneliness and the mundanity of human life is also difficult for the audience to handle. 

Still, 7 Stages’ production of the play is excellent, and if ever one were considering a foray into the Theatre of the Absurd, this is an excellent opportunity to try Beckett’s classic out. 

The themes which Beckett addresses in the play are universal, and the dry and detached tone with which he treats dark ideas will feel familiar to Tech students who are often used to handling stress through comedy. “Waiting for Godot” is a production well worth checking out.

Over the course of Bryce Irvin’s “Post Mortem”, a nineteen-year-old writer dies, falls in love with his dead fish, comes to terms with a childhood tragedy and is later revived by the powers of a magical wishing system. 

Although this plot may seem a little absurd even for Dramatech, it offers much more to its audience than what is first absorbed during its performance. 

The play opens with Toby Olsen (Mikael Bucknavage) asleep across his desk, surrounded by a forest’s worth of crumbled notebook paper and books scattered accross the floor. He is soon visited by a certain Postman (Thomas Glenn) who wakes him and delivers the news that Toby is actually dead. It is later revealed that, pathetically enough, Toby died of a simple papercut — or rather, an infection from a papercut. 

After this storm of shocking information passes, the Postman attempts to cheer Toby’s spirits by introducing him to two new characters that are later learned to be anthropomorphized versions of Toby’s childhood pet fish. Romeo (Autumn Siebold) and Juliet (Alex Boulware) are betta fish, constantly fighting, and this adds to the royal confusion and chaotic humor of the play. 

Irvin’s underhanded use of irony also provides for great entertainment throughout the performance. For example, Toby’s obsession with promptness and constant worry that his library books are overdue is met with laughable confirmation by the Postman asserting that yes, Toby is dead and is of course “late.”

The actors themselves do a lovely job of fully presenting the personalities in Irvin’s writing. Each one exhibits a fully developed personality and expresses thoughts that drive the plot into well-rounded completion.

Bucknavage is a powerful lead, and his assured presence on stage is evident in the confident strength that rings in his voice. He fully embodies the character of Toby, and the audience is able to sympathize for him as he slowly reveals his character’s troubled past and the death of his parents.

Glenn plays an underworld-type Postman whose tendency to successfully carry out his “job” sometimes wavers during select points of the play. His relatable expressions of innocence and a desire to please others allows him to become an audience favorite as the play progresses. With the help of the sound team, his stage presence is greatly amplified by a classic and appropriate demon-style voiceover of his lines. 

Siebold demonstrates a highly determined Romeo who finally forces the truth out of Toby. Her acting is beautiful in the way that, even when her character is not the focus of a scene, she can be seen giving integral insight through her body language. It is impressive that “Post Mortem” is her first show with DramaTech, for she seems like she has been at home here for years.  

Similarly, Boulware plays a loveable and insightful Juliet whose innocence and lack of exposure to Toby’s flaws cause the audience to empathize with Romeo’s desire to protect her. Her monologue on the meaning of being a fish — with thumbs — provokes thought into the parallels of the meaning of all life. The genuineness of her spoken thoughts reaches the minds of the audience and allows them to make connections to life outside of the theater.

   It is the calculated mixing of such strong and contrasting theatrical personalities that makes this four-cast-member play so superior. Between the fighting, yelling, cursing, and other various antics, the audience learns more about the characters’ dynamics than is explicitly said. Irvin can be extremely proud of the manner in which his script is elevated to a living commentary on life’s value and offerings.

As far as the physical aspect of the play, the set resembles something that does not stray far from what can be seen in the dorms here at the Institute. The sight of crumpled papers with scribbled ideas is not unfamiliar to the audience, and it is effectively coaxed into the realm of the play. 

It should be noted that the entirety of the storyline takes place in Toby’s room. The use of such a small environment allows for the audience to feel as if they were there with the characters. This forces watchers to engage in the conversations being presented, and Irvin’s ideology becomes even more compelling. 

Massive kudos go to the designers and all of the off-stage members of the crew for this reason. Such purposeful use of characters, setting and design ultimately leaves no room for disappointment with the audience. 

Newly gained perspectives on life, childhood and mending life’s wounds make “Post Mortem” go down as one of the reasons that DramaTech remains to be such an appreciated, essential piece of student life at Tech. 

A huge congratulations to all who contributed to the successful making of this play.

After three years of anticipation, Twenty One Pilots’ long-awaited fifth album, “Trench”, was officially released on Friday, October 5th. Upon first listen, “Trench” is an amalgamation of the band’s characteristic honest vocals, driving percussion, and catchy synth. However, further inspection reveals the album to be an extended allegory about mental illness told through the guise of a story centered around a character who must escape a walled city ruled by nine bishops. 

In the musical duo’s previous albums, lead singer Tyler Joseph was always candid with his lyrics, and “Trench” is no exception. With the content of each song ranging from “a call to action” for those struggling with depression to society’s inclination to glorify suicide, “Trench” explores the tribulations faced by people laboring to overcome mental illness. 

Before the official announcement of “Trench” on July 11, 2018, a mysterious website called “dmaorg” appeared, which revealed information about the upcoming album. The website alluded to the album’s story surrounding Clancy, who is attempting to escape the walled city of Dema. Dema is governed by nine bishops who control the citizens through their religion called “Vialism”. Clancy accompanies an alliance of rebels known as “banditos” who work to liberate people from the walls of the Dema and the clutches of the bishops. 

The banditos are symbolized by the color yellow because of the bishops’ inability to see yellow, which allows the banditos to utilize yellow jumpsuits to facilitate escapes. Despite the danger and difficulty of the quest, Clancy overcomes the challenges of Dema and is eventually able to free himself from the hold of the bishops.

The entirety of the city of Dema is a metaphor for mental illness, while its high walls exemplify the complexity of conquering depression. Clancy might be a representation of Tyler because of his own struggles with mental illness as well as his desire to save others from the grip of depression. The nine bishops symbolize symptoms of depression, and their religion, Vialism, signifies the feelings of hopelessness and isolation that can accompany depression. The banditos represent people who have overcome depression and are working to help those who still suffer from it. 

Not only do they utilize yellow as their symbol because the bishops are unable to see it, but it also connotates sunlight and hope. Because of the risk attached to escaping from Dema, not all who attempt to escape survive, which symbolizes the severity of depression as a serious affliction. 

The intriguing allegory told within “Trench” created tremendous hype, and the album did not disappoint. From the bass-heavy, angsty opening song “Jumpsuit” to the gentle piano and pleading vocals of the concluding song “Leave The City”, the album weaves an intricate tale about the challenges of mental illness through melodies and beats that make it perfect for mainstream consumers. Prior to the official release of “Trench” on October 5th, four singles were released throughout the months of July and August: “Jumpsuit”, “Nico and the Niners”, “Levitate”, and “My Blood”. 

The first two  singles, “Jumpsuit” and “Nico and the Niners” laid an excellent foundation for the lore of the album. Through the use of bold bass riffs and mellow vocals that grow in intensity to powerful growls by the song’s conclusion, “Jumpsuit” describes how the protagonist, Clancy, attempts to escape from Dema. 

In a style reminiscent of the popular “Lane Boy” from the album “Blurryface”, the bishops who rule over Dema are introduced. The subsequent singles from “Trench”, “Levitate” and “My Blood”, further tie in to the album’s allusions to liberating oneself as well as others from the confines of mental illness. 

With its dreamy synth tones paired with persistent percussion, “Levitate” breathes life into the vulture that graces the cover of the album. In spite of its quasi-danceable nature and alluring use of falsetto, “My Blood” is wrought with serious and heartfelt promises and earnest pleas for the singer’s “blood” — which can be interpreted in a multitude of ways — to stay with him.

Despite the growing commercial success of “Trench”, Twenty One Pilots’ Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are still focused on bringing the issue of mental illness into the public eye. The duo’s music is exceptional at achieving this goal because of their utilization of mainstream techniques such as lyric repetition and memorable melodies contrasted by their openness in discussing mental illness. 

Because of their presence in the mainstream radio and the home pages of music streaming sites, Twenty One Pilots is able to inform a broader platform about the obstacles of depression and suicide. These are topics that are not often discussed in mass media, but the band uses their presence in the hope that speaking openly about mental illness will encourage those who suffer to seek help as well as educating those who are uninformed to break the stigma.