Hey Spartans! Once again, I’m Max Knight, an Editor-in-Chief here at Sword and Shield. Welcome to your second semester! With new classes starting up, Semester 1 DOL finished, and half of the year already behind you, hopefully your classes have relaxed for a time. If so, make sure to use this time to set yourself up for success in your second semester! You’re halfway through the year– you’ve got this!

Despite entering a less hectic month than January, there’s still quite a bit going on in the school and in the world, and Sword and Shield is here to keep you updated on all of it. In the realm of news, we’ve got multiple articles covering Donald Trump’s inauguration as President and its already major effects, alongside coverage of the TikTok ban and the Norovirus Outbreak. On the more lighthearted end of things, Arts and Entertainment is here with articles on Marvel, the Oscars, and VPM’s very own winter musical, Something Rotten, while Sports is here with recaps on both college and professional football seasons. As always, Opinions is serving up some hot takes on topics ranging from DOL to video games, whilst Student Life is getting historical with articles on famous African American figures for Black History Month and the history behind Valentines Day.