American Eagle and GAP Jean Ad War

In late July, the internet exploded when actor Sydney Sweeney collaborated with American Eagle to promote their jeans. In the ad, Sweeney says, “jeans are passed down from parents to offspring” and that “her jeans are blue.” The ad ends with a narrator stating that Sweeney “has great jeans.” With an obvious reference to actual genes, the ad sparked negative reactions: saying a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes has great genes is problematic. Weeks later, GAP released a captivating jean ad starring the new girl group KATSEYE. Featuring the viral song “Milkshake,” GAP’s ad reached over 55 million views on YouTube and was praised for its diversity. Showcasing a group with members of Asian, African, European, and Latin American descent, this ad–although filmed before American Eagle’s ad released–felt like a clapback and showed how anyone can and does look good in jeans. (Sydney Keck)

Wicked Memes

With the release of  Wicked: For Good came the press tour. Last year’s Wicked press tour was full of hilarious moments and 2025’s was no different. One of the funniest moments from this year was Michelle Yeoh’s obsession with saying “M M, flip it around, Wicked Witch!” She was comparing her character’s, Madam Morrible, initials to the wicked witch. What made this funny, though, is the fact that she brought it up in almost every appearance that she made, and the accompanying hand movement created a hilarious meme. Another moment that became funny came out of when someone ran up to Ariana Grande and scared her. Cynthia Erivo was quick to protect Ariana –quicker than the security guards–and wrap her arms around her. People pointed out their closeness and laughed at their obsession with one another. (Isabella Montanari)

Chicago Sports

For the first time in years, Chicago sports fans are starting to feel optimism. For starters, the Chicago Bears are now 10-4, leading the NFC North and clinching second in the NFC. Any long time fan of the Bears has been through predictable losses, so, with new head coach Ben Johnson switching the dynamic and capitalizing on quarterback Caleb Williams, the Bears have been able to have some last minute comebacks and hope to make a solid run in the playoffs. The Chicago Blackhawks have also started to gain a winning culture. Although still developing, with young center Conner Bedard becoming more confident in the NHL, the Blackhawks are able to continue to rebuild and show flashes of potential. The Chicago Cubs finished with a 92-70 record, gaining a wild card spot after winning their Wild Card Series against the Padres. They eventually lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, but got Chicago fans excited about possible post season success. (Phoebe Silver)

Trump’s Inauguration

President Donald Trump was inaugurated into office on Jan. 20, with the ceremony held in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. After being sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts, Trump delivered a nationalistic speech titled “The Golden Age of American Begins Right Now.” He vowed to end the nation’s state of decline, and addressed key issues such as immigration, the economy, and gender related social policies. Several executive orders were signed, including ambitious proposals like renaming the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.” Since his inauguration, President Trump has taken influential and effective strides toward changing the country. (Camille Brincat)