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Category: Opinion

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Opinion Sports Opinion

The NHL isn’t invited to the cottage: The league’s mixed response to ‘Heated Rivalry’ success   

February 10, 2026February 10, 2026 Irena Mesa

Photo courtesy of IMDb. By Irena Mesa If you haven’t heard, “Heated Rivalry” is a LGBTQ romance TV series based on books from the “Game Changers” series written by Rachel

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Opinion

Is this show about us? USFSP students reflect on representation in “Heated Rivalry” 

February 5, 2026February 4, 2026 Julia Birdsall

Students are hopeful that “Heated Rivalry” inspires a new wave of LGBTQ+ media that does not rely on harmful tropes like queerbaiting and Bury Your Gays, instead allowing LGBTQ+ characters

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Opinion

Is queerbaiting the best representation fans can expect?  

February 4, 2026February 4, 2026 Ashley Pena

Will Byers (left) and Mike Wheeler (right) in the final season of hit Netflix series “Stranger Things”. By Ashley Pena  After four years of anticipation, “Stranger Things” released its series

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Opinion

Brainrot: trend or tradition? 

February 3, 2026February 3, 2026 Julia Birdsall

Brainrot was first used in Henry David Thoreau’s 1854 book “Walden” to describe how one’s ability to think declines while focusing on trivial matters. Photo by Makenna Wozniak | The Crow’s

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Opinion

The world can be your oyster with USF’s study abroad programs  

October 29, 2025 Julia Birdsall

Learning about another country’s history and culture while being immersed in the location is an experience that can’t be replicated through reading a textbook or watching a lecture at home.

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Opinion

Is Tampa Bay Pride cooked? USF students don’t think so 

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025 Julia Birdsall

From parades and markets, to drag bingos and galas, St. Petersburg’s pride events happen all year round, not just in June.  Photo courtesy of Cat Foster By Julia Birdsall Loud

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Book Review Opinion

‘Sunrise on the Reaping’ is great, but cannot overcome feeling like fanfiction 

October 21, 2025October 21, 2025 Rebecca Poltorak

Photo courtesy of IMDb By Rebecca Poltorak Normally, there would be a spoiler warning on a book review; however, since “Sunrise on the Reaping,” written by Suzanne Collins, is a

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Editorials

The Crow’s Nest stands by free speech 

October 20, 2025October 30, 2025 Crow's Nest Staff

Photo by Aubrey Carr | The Crow’s Nest By The Crow’s Nest Staff Freedom of the press is part of the First Amendment. It allows journalists to report the news

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Opinion

New provider, new problems for The Nest  

September 25, 2025 Julia Birdsall

New and returning students adjust to Chartwells’ menu in the first weeks of the semester.  Photo courtesy of Kendall Bulkiewicz By Julia Birdsall McDonald’s has a new competitor for broken

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Opinion Sports Opinion

Not the norm: Female motorsport fans reflect on the misogyny that runs deep within the sport  

September 14, 2025September 14, 2025 Irena Mesa

Photo by Irena Mesa By Irena Mesa In 2025, IndyCar saw a 72% increase in viewership of women aged 18 to 24. When James Hinchcliffe, an IndyCar commentator and former

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Heading into the 2026 Indy NXT Firestone Grand Pri Heading into the 2026 Indy NXT Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, 17-year-old Gulfport-native Nikita Johnson was optimistic. 

“I’m super thrilled, it’s such a tough category, so to be in [Indy NXT] again and for my first full year is amazing. Hopefully we can pull off a few wins,” Johnson told The Crow’s Nest at the Grand Prix Kickoff Street Party on Feb. 25. 

Johnson got his first win as a full-time Indy NXT driver earlier than expected. Starting from P2 after exceeding expectations in qualifying, Johnson overtook grid leader Max Taylor on the race’s initial turn and led the rest of the way. 

“I saw there was an opportunity coming into turn one, so I went for it and stuck it,” Johnson said during the post-race press conference. “After that — I don’t want to say smooth sailing — but I had it pretty controlled. It was still a little bit tough. Max was right there all the time behind me.” 

📲 Click the link in our bio to read the entire story.

✍️ Story by Dominic Feo

📷 Photos by Makenna Wozniak

🎨 Graphic by Olivia Young

#usf #usfsp #stpete
In a repeat of the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St In a repeat of the 2025 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Álex Palou parked his No.10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in victory lane on March 1. He grabbed the lead in Lap 42 out of 100 and didn’t let go until the checkered flag waved. 

He finished 12.4948 seconds ahead of Scott McLaughlin, who took pole in qualifying on Feb. 28, for the largest margin of victory in the history of the street circuit. 

“[Palou] uses guard base and gets track position,” McLaughlin said in a post-race press conference. “Obviously, I think the correct decision today was probably to start with red tires, but we didn’t know that going in.” 

📲 Click the link in our bio to read the entire story.

✍️ Story by Irena Mesa

📷 Photos by Makenna Wozniak and Irena Mesa

🎨 Graphic by Olivia Young

#usf #usfsp #grandprix
Have you checked out Dave Crow’s participation a Have you checked out Dave Crow’s participation at the Grand Prix? You can find it on our latest print issue! 

🎨 Comic by Kaila McEwan

#usfsp #usf #stpete
📲 Click the link in our bio to read the entire 📲 Click the link in our bio to read the entire story.

✍️ Story by Matthew McGovern and Julia Ferrara

📷 Photo by Matthew McGovern

🎨 Graphic by Kaila McEwan

#usf #usfsp #stpete
Social media and protests are some of the main way Social media and protests are some of the main ways that people get involved in activism today. 

However, not everyone does this with selfless intention. 

Performative activism is when one involves themself with a social movement in a way that benefits them but not the movement they claim to support. 

“When it’s performative, it can come off a lot more like self-serving, or it can come off a lot more like you’re just here for the flashiness, but there’s no real work happening after,” said Harrison Lundy, the public policy director for Voices of Florida and a volunteer for 5051 Florida.  

It’s like putting on a mask, Elise Prophete, junior political science and sustainability major and Governor of the University of South Florida St. Petersburg’s student government, told The Crow’s Nest. 

When engaging in performative activism “we’re not allowing ourselves to be vulnerable and be at risk for the things we care about,” Prophete said. “We’re not allowing ourselves to truly care about them.” 
Performative activism has the effect of boosting one’s own social credit while devaluing a social movement.

✍️Story by Julia Birdsall
The poet laureate usually holds their position for The poet laureate usually holds their position for the mayor’s term and Johnson-Greene will join a distinguished body of poets who previously held the role, including Peter Meinke, Helen Wallace, and more recently, Gloria Muñoz.  

His reaction was one of surprise and astonishment.  

“I think I began to babble something like Courage the Cowardly dog,” Johnson-Green told The Crow’s Nest.  

Johnson-Green’s experience with poetry began about eight years ago, but he still considers himself new to it. He stayed away from the art form for a long time because of the sad connotations it carried.  

This changed when he attended a poetry open mic at Studio@620, a local visual and performing arts venue in downtown St. Petersburg.  

“The walls were a passionate red, the seating was cool and raised up like a theatre, and the poets were everyday people; the oldest around sixty-three and the youngest was about seven,” said Johnson-Green.  

✍️Story by Julia Ferrara
February was a month full of fun festivities. Here February was a month full of fun festivities. Here’s a look back at all the great events that happened on and off campus.

📲 Click the link in our bio to view all the photos.
The Nascar Craftsman Truck Series came to the stre The Nascar Craftsman Truck Series came to the streets of St. Petersburg for the first time this weekend and the on-track action did not disappoint. 

Layne Riggs started the race 28th after rain cancelled the practice and qualifying sessions that were scheduled for Friday afternoon. At the end of the first 20-lap stage, he already gained 21 positions and was 7th at the beginning of the second 20-lap stage. At the end, he was first. 

However, it was a three-way battle between Riggs, Ty Majeski, and Ben Rhodes in the closing laps of the race. Riggs wasn’t sure that he’d have enough fuel to even finish the race, let alone defend against Ty Majeski who finished in second. 

Riggs held on and captured his first win of the season. The Nascar Craftsman Trucks Series picks up again on March 20 for the Buckle Up South Carolina 200 in Darlington. 

📸 Photos by Makenna Wozniak and Irena Mesa | The Crow’s Nest.

#usf #usfsp #grandprix #nascar
Dom and Irena stopped by the GP Party in the park Dom and Irena stopped by the GP Party in the park and asked some questions to the drivers! 

#gpstpete #usfsp #usf  #indycar

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