The Quill

May 7, 2025

Coachella Fashion

Coachella 2025 showcased a vibrant array of fashion, with celebrities flaunting bold styles and nostalgic trends.

Megan Thee Stallion grabbed attention in a Y2K-inspired look, complete with ultra-low-rise jeans and a denim bikini top, marking the return of the “whale tail” trend. ​

Jennie from BLACKPINK enchanted fans in a Western-inspired ensemble featuring red shorts, a cowboy hat, and vintage Mugler pieces, such as jewelry or shirts. Even when faced with a wardrobe malfunction due to a tight leather jacket, she elegantly managed the hiccup, revealing a chic cutout tank top and cape underneath.

Lady Gaga made a striking appearance in a red Victorian-themed outfit that served as both clothing and performance art, merging high fashion with theatricality.

Tyla (pictured above) embraced early 2000s pop aesthetics with a green bikini and zebra boots, shaking off comparisons to Britney Spears.

Charli D’Amelio, the TikTok sensation turned multi-talented star, made an impression with her numerous appearances and performances and significantly impacted the festival’s atmosphere.

Coachella 2025 celebrated the creativity and diversity of celebrity fashion, showcasing looks from Western styles to futuristic designs, reinforcing the festival’s reputation as a vital moment in the entertainment fashion calendar.

May 7, 2025

Wandering Wikipedia: The Whisky War

This week, I was feeling a little silly, so I pulled up an article on one of the silliest wars in history: the Whisky War. (Note: The beverage’s spelling depends on its country of origin; American-produced
varieties such as Bourbon, rye, and Tennessee, as well as Irish spirits utilize the “whiskey”
spelling, whereas spirits from Scotland, Canada, and Japan utilize the “whisky” spelling.)

This was a lighthearted conflict in which no casualties were incurred. The conflict itself arose from an agreement all the way back in December of 1973 between Canada and Denmark to place a border on the continental shelf between Greenland and Canada. Unfortunately, an island by the name of Hans Island was split almost directly in half by this border. At the time, however, they agreed to settle the territorial dispute of Hans Island at a later date.

Jump to 11 years later, in 1984. Canadian soldiers visited Hans island, planting a Canadian flag, and left a bottle of Canadian Whisky. Later the same year, the Danish minister of Greenland affairs came to the island with the Danish flag, which he carefully and respectfully used to replace the Canadian flag, before leaving a bottle of Danish Schnapps and a letter saying “Welcome to the Danish island.” Thus began the almost 40-year-long Whisky War. This war was entirely peaceful, and simply involved countries arriving on Hans island, replacing their flags with all due respect, and leaving behind various items of significance, such as Danish stone cairns, Inuit cairns called Inukshuk, or bottles of liquor. (Pictured above: Cdr. Per Starklint hoists the Danish flag on Hans Island in 2003 during the Whiskey War.)

The war came to an end in June of 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The two countries came to a peaceful agreement, where they simply divided the island between the two. This was meant to show other nations, namely Russia, that disputes can be settled peacefully.

And that’s all the random knowledge we’ve got for you this week. Tune in next week for the next edition of Wandering Wikipedia.

May 7, 2025

Meme of the Week: The Minecraft Movie

We have had a lot of memes spring up from the first chunk of 2025, and most of them have been hit or miss. Like most memes, one second a meme shows up and becomes popular, and in the next second, it’s gone like the wind. But a slew of popular memes sticking around are crafted from one particular source: A Minecraft Movie (2025).

As someone who has played Minecraft a total of two times, I don’t know much about the game. All I know is that one day, my socials were full of memes from the recently released movie. After reading reviews and getting opinions from friends, I realized why this movie has taken off the way it did. Is it because the movie was in production limbo for over 10 years? Is it because the director of this movie, Jared Hess, made Napoleon Dynamite? Or maybe it’s the next Citizen Kane? No, it’s none of those things.

The Minecraft movie is mid, but it’s a cinematic experience.

All of the major memes that came from the movie have rippled from audience enjoyment. Being in a theater filled with excited kids to watch their favorite game on the big screen can lead to very interesting experiences. When the main character Steve (Jack Black) says “Chicken Jockey!” everyone yells in unison and cheers. When a Minecraft reference is on screen, everyone is happy to see it. It’s a movie made for fans, who want to share these experiences with the world by celebrating every familiar reference.

I honestly kind of respect A Minecraft Movie for being a silly, fun time. Critics don’t like this movie for multiple reasons, such as the story and characters. But that’s not the point of the movie. This movie is a celebration of the game, and Minecraft is more popular than ever. I haven’t even seen the movie, but I catch myself quoting “I am Steve” or singing the Flint and Steel song. It’s a pop culture moment, and it’s not going away anytime soon.

Now, I’m heading to the theater to watch this stupid yet endearing movie in all its glory.

May 7, 2025

Fantasy Fight Club: Jessie vs. James

Welcome back to Fictional Fight Club, where two fictional characters FIGHT TO THE DEATH! Last week, we had heroes battle it out. But this week’s battle is with villains. Our first two competitors are usually a packaged deal, causing mischief wherever they trek. After attempting and failing on capturing Pikachu, these two are at their wits end and ready to take it out on each other. Prepare for trouble and make it double! It’s Jessie and James from Pokemon!

Both of them are goofy goobers with one goal in mind: capturing Pikachu to give to their boss, Giovanni. Even though their goals are similar, they come from completely different backgrounds. James grew up rich but neglected by his parents, while Jessie was poor and rejected from being a Pokemon nurse. Both of their motivations and charming personalities lead them to be a fun duo, but it can cause arguments and eventual battles.

Speaking of which, it’s battle time! Starting off, Jessie throws out an Arbok, a poison Pokemon. James retaliates with Inkay, a dark and psychic Pokemon. After dealing out a Poison Fang from Arbok, Inkay strikes back Hypnosis. While asleep, Inkay hit Arbok with a critical hit, leaving the Pokemon to faint. Jessie wasn’t done though, as she pulled out another special Pokemon, the ghost & fairy Pokemon, Mimikyu.

Mimikyu came out swinging, hitting Inkay with an Energy Burst. Taking a lot of damage, the Pokemon fainted, leading James to change course. He throws out Growlithe, the fire Pokemon, attacking with a Flash Fire. Both Pokemon were fighters, each dealing devastating hits one after the other, healing in between. They head towards each other in fury, crashing against one another.

After the smoke cleared, Jessie and James realized that both of their Pokemon had fainted at the same time. Before throwing out another Pokemon, Meowth, their third, came prowling in, bashing their heads together. After yelling at them for being stupid, the two of them apologized to each other. With their petty squabble out of the way, they are now off to try to capture Pikachu once again. Now, for the main event, giving it up for Joker and Harley Quinn!

May 7,2025

Fantasy Fight Club: Harley Quinn vs. the Joker

Are you ready to rumble?

This week, we have an absolutely iconic pair of challengers, both of which hail from the dark, gritty city of Arkham. They both

belong in a mental asylum, and neither of them know mercy.

In the red and blue corner, or perhaps the red and black corner, if she’s feeling retro, is Harleen Quinzel, more commonly known as Harley Quinn. Standing at 5 foot 7, and 140 lbs., She’s durable, quick, and insanely lethal. She’s got an entire arsenal of weapons that are always down to clown; however, her favorite is her signature  oversized mallet. If her opponent isn’t careful, he’s sure to get squashed.

In the purple and green corner is none other than Jack Oswald White, otherwise known as the Joker. While he may not have any superhuman abilities, he’s been known to be crafty and a master of chemical engineering. This is why his arsenal consists of poisons, razor-tipped playing cards, lethally strong joy buzzers, and lapel flowers that spray acid.

Now, the fighters step into the ring. Harley’s got her hammer cocked over her shoulder, and the Joker is shuffling his deck. Harley takes a swing, and the Joker lets one of his razor cards fly. Harley watches as the Joker is easily thrown against the bricks but doesn’t escape the card, and it leaves a cut on her arm. The sudden pain seems to snap them out of it for a moment, and they realize how silly this fight is.

The Joker gets up, gives Harley a hug, and says “Let’s get out of here, puddin’.” Harley agrees, and off they go. So who wins? They both do. The crazy folks deserve each other.

And that’s tonights throwdown, no refunds. Thank you for coming, and tune in next week for the next issue of Fantasy Fight Club.

MAy 7,2025

The Hinterkaifeck Murders

Trigger warning: home invasion, mass murder, and child murder.

Unsolved homicides are one of, if not the most terrifying concept to come out of the true crime genre. Whether they occur within the U.S. or not, these crimes often leave many questions unanswered and keep citizens on edge for years, which only adds to their unsettling nature. Coming out of Waidhofen, Bavaria, Germany, our case this week, known only as the Hinterkaifeck murders, surrounds the gruesome slaughter of the Gruber family, a family of five, and their maid by an unknown assailant at their Bavarian farmstead on March 31, 1922.

On the evening of March 31, 1922, four of the six victims: Andreas Gruber (63), Cäzilia Gruber (72), Viktoria Gabriel (35), and Cäzilia Gabriel (7) were lured one by one into the family barn on the property and killed by the assailant who struck each of them in the head with a mattock (a small pickaxe). After murdering the first four members of the Gruber family, the assailant hid their bodies in the barn under a large mound of hay and moved into their home. Once inside, the assailant immediately located and killed two-year-old Joseph Gabriel with the mattock as he slept in his bassinet. After murdering Joseph, they silently crept into the bedroom of the family’s maid, 44-year-old Maria Baumgartner, and, with a few powerful blows to the head, murdered her in her sleep, as well.

Following the murders, the assailant lived in the home for three days with the six bodies of his victims hidden away in the barn right outside. During this time, they ate food from the fridge and around the house, fed the property’s barn animals, and started fires in the home’s fireplace. After the three days had passed, they simply walked off the property and were never located. German police wouldn’t launch any
investigation until days later when the bodies were finally discovered. They considered and investigated many suspects as a part of the search for answers; however, due to several inconsistencies between them and what was known based off the evidence from the crime scene, no one was arrested and formally charged in the Gruber family’s murders. To this day, this case remains unsolved and is considered to be one of the most gruesome and puzzling unsolved crimes in German history.

May 7, 2025

The Services an Ecosystem Provides

Many of the practices that degrade ecosystems and the environment are driven by short-term economic gain. For instance, it costs more money to selectively harvest a forest than it does to clear-cut an area, even though clear-cutting has severe environmental repercussions. However, ecosystems provide services that we use every day; we can, at times, overlook their value, because we have never lived in a world without them. Ecosystem services range from things that merely make our lives better to things that are essential to our survival.

Pretty much everyone can probably agree that nature is pretty. The joy you feel when going for a hike in a forest or watching birds at a feeder is an ecological service. The forest itself is an ecosystem, and the birds cannot survive without the ecosystems they rely on. Many people travel around the world to explore particular ecosystems; eco-tourism is a significant source of income for multiple countries.

Even more importantly, however, ecosystems provide us with clean air and water. Different ecosystems affect how water is evaporated, how it is moved from place to place as rain, and how it is stored in aquifers, rivers, and ice caps as fresh, drinkable water. Ecosystems, such as forests, not only filter carbon and other pollutants out of the air, but they also create the oxygen we need to survive. All terrestrial ecosystems help make and protect the soil we need to grow our food, through the accumulation of nutrients and protection from erosion.

We cannot survive without the services provided by ecosystems; scientists have estimated that these services are worth trillions of dollars to us. Since I’m only going to be writing one more article for this section, I thought this would be a good time to remind you why this is important. We are facing many large issues today — just remember that small actions matter even when it seems like they don’t. Something as simple as buying food from local sources, taking your own bags to the grocery store, or biking or walking somewhere instead of driving can have far-reaching effects. Every day, we have the ability to make decisions that lessen our impact on the environment; when we make the best choices available to us, we can reduce stress on the ecosystems that keep us alive.

The Quill is written by students for students. This e-newsletter features news and entertainment articles written by and for students in the Applied Writing & English (AWE) department at UW-Green Bay. We’ll bring you tips for navigating life as an AWE major. And we’ll give you suggestions for entertaining yourself when you’re not reading or writing.

Student Editors

• Tiffany Jablonowski: Co-Editor-in-Chief
• Ginger Knauer: Co-Editor-in-Chief
• Sierra Nyokka: Marketing & Engagement Manager
• Sylvie Cavros: The Nerd Zone Co-Editor
• Clover Cicha: Local Favorites Editor
• Kendall Cox: TV Editor
• Shane Ewig: Anime Editor
• Jenna Fintelmann: Self-Care Editor
• Katie Frank: Video Games Editor
• Aiden Gervais: The Trash Vortex Editor
• Julia Hahn: The Nerd Zone Co-Editor
• Alex Lopez: Fictional Fiancé Editor
• Neesa Peak: Eco-Actions Editor
• Mia Perez-Behringer: The Quill’s Flame Editor
• Payton Rhyner: Music Editor
• Brooke Schoening: Book Quiz and Movies Editor
• Cheyenne Shull: Today’s Trends Editor
• Noah Spellich: Books Editor
• Seth Van Ess: True Crime and Sports Editor
• Karrie Wortner: Book Travel Editor

Copyeditors: Gavin Ayotte • Mia Bolyard • Zoom Coe • Brady Hurst • Autumn Johnson • Natalie Johnson • Vic Lyons • Jennifer Poull • Payton Rhyner • Karly Wigand

Faculty Advisor: Professor Tracy Fernandez Rysavy
The Quill Template Design: Kimberly Vlies

Interested in being on The Quill and Northern Lights staff? Enroll in ENG 224: Practicum in Literary Publishing, available every spring.

Questions or News Items? Contact The Quill’s advisor, Prof. Rysavy.

Come to the Northern Lights Launch Party: May 8th!

Northern Lights Literary & Arts Journal is excited to host its annual Launch Party on May 8, starting at 5 p.m. in the Phoenix Club. This special event celebrates the diverse voices featured in this year’s edition, including work from students and alumni. Guests can look forward to light refreshments, lively conversation, and powerful readings from contributors. Writers and artists will share insights into their creative process and bring their work to life through spoken word and storytelling. Whether you’re passionate about literature and art or simply looking for an inspiring evening, the Northern Lights Launch Party is a wonderful opportunity to connect with the campus creative community. All are welcome!

See our next issue of The Quill for news on the Spring 2025 Sheepshead Review launch.

—Ginger Knauer, Co-Editor-in-Chief

April 25, 2025

ENG 428: Practicum in
Community Engaged Writing

Looking to build your writing portfolio and make a real impact in the community? ENG 428: Practicum in Community Engaged Writing, taught by Dr. Kristopher Purzycki, is your opportunity to work directly with a history-focused organization — such as the Midwest Viking Festival (pictured right) or the Door County Museum and Archives — to produce meaningful, professional-quality writing for real-world audiences.

From promotional materials and press releases to museum signage, blog posts, editorial articles, and documentation, you’ll create a portfolio of work that goes beyond the classroom. The specific projects you take on will be guided by the needs of the client —  making this a unique, collaborative learning experience every time the course is offered. This course emphasizes professionalization skills, so for many students, it’s a first look into client communication and project management. You’ll practice navigating deadlines, feedback, and collaborative workflows — just like in the professional world.

ENG 428 is required for students in the BFA in Writing & Applied Art program with a Professional & Technical Writing emphasis. It is also a suggested option for those with a Community Storytelling emphasis, and it would be a fun and helpful class for any BFA emphases. The course is repeatable, which is great for sophomores and juniors looking to build leadership over time.