The Catalyst

OPINION: Cig Chi: Cigarette Party Culture at CC

“Cigarette smoking has reached its lowest usage in 60 years, yet overall to***co use is offset by a 7.2 million increase in people who exclusively use e-cigarettes/vapes. For those in the age bracket of 18-24, exclusive cigarette smoking has fallen to just 1.2%, while e-cigarette use rose to 10.3%. Can the same trend be said for Colorado College? On a brisk Friday night, I set out to see what those who were going out thought about smoking culture at CC. 

Outside of Sigma Chi, many were willing to share their opinions, though for the sake of the subject, they asked to remain anonymous. One opinion rose above the rest: CC is definitely a cigarette school. But why?
For one, smoking is a social activity. 

“It’s one of the most bonding things that you can do outside of a Sig Chi party. You meet so many people bumming a cigarette, smoking a cigarette, someone asking you for a cigarette. Cigarette culture is what makes you friends at this school,” said one student.
The social culture of smoke circles was also cited. “I think, especially for, like, in the colder weather, it brings people outside to talk with people that they’ve never talked to beforehand.”

Others agreed that there is a difference between smoking at parties and in personal life. The idea that “drunk cigs don’t count” was vehemently agreed upon.”

📲 Link in bio for full story 
✍️ Story by Abigail Hill ‘29
🎨 Ellie Schwab ‘26

A&E: Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Make
 Red Rocks Feel Small

“Gillian Welch and David Rawlings performed at Red Rocks Amphitheater on May 2, with a setup that barely filled the stage: two microphones, a handful of instruments and an old patterned rug. Compared to the venue’s scale—9,500 seats terraced into ancient sandstone—the arrangement was markedly spare. Two voices in close harmony, moving with absolute coordination, transformed the amphitheater’s vast space into something unexpectedly intimate. 

The duo kicked off a double bill with Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. As the blue sky faded to twilight, their guitar lines and voices weaved around each other like the swallows catching insects above the stage. Rawlings felt his way through solos that danced up and down the fretboard, shaking flawless runs out of his guitar between phrases of harmony. By the fifth song, Welch had played the banjo and italicized the wistfulness of “Wayside/Back in Time” with harmonica, much to the crowd’s delight. 

When the song ended, Rawlings joked that they’d used up all their tricks. “You might take off your jacket,” Welch quipped with a smile.”

📲 Link in bio for full story 
✍️ Story by Asa Gartell ‘26
📸 Asa Gartell ‘26

FEATURES: A Reflection on Sophomore Year: Side Quests and Slumps

“Sophomore year is one of those in-between years. You have your friends, and yet social dynamics are still shifting. You know the campus, but maybe you haven’t found where you want to dedicate your time. You know what parties you enjoy attending, and yet you still might drink too much alcohol, doomed to spend your night over a trash can. 

In the name of honesty, I fell into a bit of a sophomore slump. However, I was not alone in facing this classic and well-known phenomenon. Many of my friends in my year also fell into this slump at least once. In part, I think it’s because the shiny, exciting atmosphere of freshman year is wearing off. I could list all the reasons why it was a hard year and sit in the slums of my emotions, but I’ve decided to shift the focus and change the narrative. When I look back on this year, the moments I remember are the random side quests, escapes off campus and the reminders that there was more to my year than the slump itself.

This year at CC began in its usual fashion. Classes started, time was spent reuniting with friends, and the leaves were a deep, gorgeous green. It was an early September weekend when my friends and I packed up the car and headed to the Union Peak Festival at Copper Mountain. It was chilly for camping, in the way it tends to be as summer comes to a close. And yet, the spot we found offered some much-needed solace away from campus.”

📲 Link in bio for full story 
✍️ Story by Megan Neton ‘28
📸 Megan Neton ‘28