In a sport that has been played professionally for 105 years, there is rarely an opportunity for history to be made. The Kansas City Chiefs, however, had that opportunity to make history on Sunday, Feb. 9, by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they would end up one game short of history, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in a game that wasn’t as close as the final 40-22 score would suggest.

Going into the game, the oddsmakers favored Kansas City in a near toss-up, despite the Eagles having the better overall roster. Considering the recent postseason history of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, it is clear why the Chiefs were favored. Over the past three seasons, Mahomes has led Kansas City to nine straight victories, often against seemingly superior teams, including the Philadelphia Eagles two years prior. Going into the contest, most of the skepticism was aimed at Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts. He, however, silenced the critics with a Super Bowl MVP performance, accounting for three total touchdowns.  

The Eagles’ greatest asset was their defense, which gave up only six points through three quarters to one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and forced three takeaways and a pick-six. While some audiences found the game to be a dud, others basked in the dominance of the Eagles.

“It was pretty entertaining because that might be one of the best NFL defenses I’ve ever watched,” John Brown University senior and avid NFL fan Harrison Milhem said.

The game proved a critical moment in the GOAT debate between Mahomes and Brady, but it also was a defining moment in Hurts' career. This Super Bowl gave him his first title and delivered the city of Philadelphia its second Super Bowl win.

“Jalen Hurts played the best game of his career. It was master class,” Milhem said.

Hurts’ teammates felt the same way.

“He played incredible… He was poised the whole game, he was in control, he made checks and he threw dimes. He just gave us opportunities, and when we were covered a little bit, he took off running – he used his legs,” Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown said on Hurts' performance.

For some the most shocking aspect of the Super Bowl was Mahomes’ uncharacteristic performance, throwing for two crucial interceptions, resulting in 14 points for the Eagles and fumbling deep in Kansas City territory on a strip sack that resulted in three more points for the Eagles. He was also sacked a career-high six times, but not everyone thought that he was to blame.

“The offensive line was the most to blame for the Chiefs loss,” Milhem said.

The Chiefs’ inability to protect Mahomes from pressure forced their defense to stay on the field too much, and Mahomes’ turnovers put Kansas City into a hole they couldn’t climb out of.

Despite the lopsided score, the game was still the most watched Super Bowl to date, peaking at 137.7 million viewers and averaging 127.7 million, according to ESPN and Nielsen. The Chiefs and Ravens have opened as the favorites to win next year’s Super Bowl, with the Eagles close behind in third.

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In recent years, more and more people have been finding new creative outlets. One of the outlets that people are turning toward is upcycling. Not only is upcycling helping people be creative, but it is also helping them adopt more eco-friendly practices.

While some could argue that upcycling has been around for a while— as people have been making new things out of old for centuries—it has recently reached new heights. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were quarantined in their homes and thus looked for new hobbies to spend their newfound free time on. While some chose baking bread, others began upcycling. Whether furniture flipping or redesigning thrift clothes, upcycling has gained new popularity in recent years.

One of the ways that upcycling’s popularity rose was through TikTok and Instagram. Creators such as @poppyluclothing and @111.threads focus on flipping thrifted textiles while @fieldandvineyard @refurbishedish upcycle furniture. Maggie Nelson, the face behind @poppyluclothing, often features different tablecloths and vintage blankets she has found before transforming them into a brand-new item of clothing. Nelson’s videos in particular stand out from the crowd due to the way she throws each piece of the item together before adding a tag that includes her signature phrase, “Something old, something new, say hello to Poppy Lu.” While Nelson’s account has become very popular, she has only been making clothes for a little over three years after teaching herself to sew during COVID-19.

Christina Mimm, also known as @fieldandvineyard, has also become a popular account for those interested in DIY furniture flips. Mimm walks viewers through how to restore different thrift finds and makes videos highlighting different techniques that budding DIY-ers may need to learn. While Mimm’s page is mostly focused on upcycling furniture, she also shares home decor and renovation tips.

Although some are worried about the potential overconsumption of thrifted items leaving those in need with few options, upcycling has had many benefits for the environment. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that roughly 11.3 million tons of textiles are deposited into landfills. So, by upcycling, people can help diminish this figure in some way, either by buying thrifted pieces to make them into something new or by upcycling old clothes that they would have thrown out.

Whether it’s by giving new life to an old shirt you thrift or restoring an old bookshelf to its former glory, try upcycling today! 

Photo Courtesy of Chloe Evans on Unsplash

In recent years, people have begun to celebrate “Galentine's Day” on Feb. 13 in addition to Valentine's Day. Many attribute the origins of Galentines to a “Parks and Recreation” episode that aired on Feb. 11, 2010, where Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, throws a party to honor the female friendships in her life. While Galentines parties can take any form — from a lovely brunch to a meticulously planned event — sometimes it can be nice to have a night in and watch a movie with those you care about the most. There are many movies over the years that have not only culturally impacted women all over the world but also displayed the importance of female friendships and sisterhood. These are just a few:

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

Four best friends, Tibby, Lena, Carmen and Bridget, find themselves in the charity shop one day with the perfect pair of pants: a pair that will fit each of them perfectly. As each friend goes their separate ways that summer, they decide to send the pants to each other so each can have a turn, writing of their adventures with the pants. While each girl is inexplicably different, they are close friends. As they learn of each other's troubles and worries throughout the summer, they comfort each other and help to make things right again. Originally a book, the story of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” is one of strong female friendship that transcends conventional barriers.

Legally Blonde (2001)

“Legally Blonde” was not only a groundbreaking film 24 years ago but has continued to inspire young girls and women everywhere. Women can be heard quoting Elle Woods iconic line, “What, like it's hard?” whenever they come up against someone who doubts them, showing just how much of an impact this movie has had. In the film, Elle is trying to win her boyfriend back by joining him at Harvard Law School. There she learns that he has already found a fiancée, Vivian Kensington. While Elle and Vivian should have been enemies, hypothetically, the two lift each other up and apologize for any way they have mistreated the other before actually getting to know them. Elle and Vivian are only one of the great examples of a healthy female friendship in the film, and they continue to show others the importance of not just helping each other grow but also not judging a book by its cover.

Mamma Mia (2008)

In “Mama Mia” Donna is preparing for her daughter Sophie’s wedding when Sophie drops a bombshell: she has invited the three men that may potentially be her dad to her wedding. Donna hasn’t seen any of the men since the summer she spent with them years ago and is understandably overwhelmed at the news. Donna’s friends, Tonya and Rosie, are not only there for her in that moment, but, as seen in the second film, have been by her side the whole time as she raised Sophie as a single mother. The two help Donna through her emotions at seeing the three men again and help her decide what she wants to do about the identity of Sophie’s real father. This film shows the importance of community and how important it is for each woman to not only invest in those around her but also the younger generations.

Miss Congeniality (2000)

For many years, people have looked on the pageant industry as something that hurts young girls and is overall detrimental. While “Miss Congeniality” doesn’t portray all the realities of the pageant industry, it does show how the unique community it can bring to young girls and women can be extremely uplifting. In “Miss Congeniality” Special Agent Gracie Hart goes undercover to stop a terrorist attack at the Miss America competition. There, she meets many other women who she first writes off as vain and out of touch. As she starts to interact with them, however, she sees the power in their femininity and how important a strong female community can be.

Little Women (2019)

Originally a novel by Louisa May Alcott, “Little Women” follows the four March sisters through their adolescent years into adulthood. While three of the sisters, Jo, Meg and Amy, have left home, they all come back when they hear that Beth has become ill. As they comfort their sick sister, they must come to terms with the ways they have treated each other. “Little Women” is a story of sisterhood, both the good parts and the bad. While Alcott didn’t shy away from the hurt that the four sometimes caused each other, this story has gone down in history as one showing the love and unique bond in sisterhood.

The Barbie Movie (2023)

Greta Gerwig’s critically acclaimed film “Barbie” follows Barbie, who seems to have the perfect life in BarbieLand. One day, Barbie starts to have new thoughts and feelings and learns that it means something is wrong with her owner in the real world. Barbie decides to travel there to see if she can make things better with Ken, played by Ryan Gosling. Once the two find themselves in the real world, they realize that it isn’t the perfect place that they thought they had helped influence it to be. Barbie decides to take her owner, Gloria, and her daughter, Sasha, back to BarbieLand to show them how great it is, however, once there, Barbie realizes that Ken has brought new ideas of the patriarchy from the real world to BarbieLand. As Barbie and her friends try to fix all that has gone wrong, they learn the powerful lesson of not being who you are and that you don’t need anyone else to decide what you are worthy of.

Oceans 8 (2018)

 “Oceans 8” is the newest installment of the Oceans franchise that was rebooted in 2001 with George Clooney playing Danny Ocean. While the older movies feature a star-studded all male cast, “Ocean’s 8” switched things up, following Debbie Ocean, Danny’s sister. The film begins with Debbie getting released from jail and unfolds as she starts to plan her next heist. As she selects each of the seven she needs to help her complete the task at hand, Debbie focuses on the skills that each might bring to the job. Debbie surrounds herself with an all-female crew, even with that not being her intention going into it. As viewers watch them work together to pull off the heist, they see the power in women standing up for themselves and working together to make the impossible happen.

Hidden Figures (2016)

“Hidden Figures” follows three African-American women, Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughn, and their work for NASA in 1961 during the height of segregation. As each of the three are given the possibility for a promotion inside NASA, they lift each other up to overcome the obstacles at work and home. Katherine, Mary and Dorothy can be seen pouring into one another not just in their personal lives but also in their professional lives. As the movie continues, the three also work in the hearts of their coworkers around them and help to unite the community within NASA under the common goal of winning the Space Race. This true story of female friendship and the power of working together is one for the ages.

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