Do you want to know a secret? No? That’s unfortunate, because I believe I’ve stumbled across the best $4 bottle of wine I’ll find, and I have no one to tell.

If I could tell someone about Don Simon tempranillo, I would tell them the wine’s deep aromas of cherries, blackberries and vanilla, preceded by sharp overtones of peppercorns, currants and burnt wood hold the nose in a warm and loving embrace.

If someone wanted to know how this wine tasted them I would likely offer a resounding, “good,” in efforts to ward them off so I could keep the bottle to myself (which, in fact, I did do).

But in reality, this wine is an explosion of intense jammy flavor. Flavors of fat, juicy berries erupt in the mouth as hints of bergamot come to the front in a surprising twist. The wine has a long, tannic finish with bursts of vanilla, clove and soft spices that linger in the mouth post-glug. This tempranillo’s label states, “ripe strawberry and cherry flavors burst forth from Spain’s signature Tempranillo grape.” While I don’t pick up on strawberry flavor, I sense the subtle sweetness that would be provided by the fruit.

The tempranillo grape, whose name means “little early one” for its tendency to ripen early, does not have a high natural acidity and can sometimes produce wines with flat flavors if grown in dry, hot conditions. With Don Simon tempranillo, this is somewhat the case.

The fruit-forward flavor packs a punch, this cannot be denied, but the mouthfeel leaves some to be desired. Not rounded, the flavors of the wine come in waves and do not blend as they should. This wine would fail its own field sobriety test — it lacks balance.

I cannot say this wine is completely deterred by its lack of body or balance. Its big, bold flavors more than compensate for what it lacks underneath.

I must apologize to readers, however, especially to those residing in Orono. This wine was purchased in Chicago at a Whole Foods, the only market in which this wine is available. Its maker, Don Simon, is quite elusive, having no information available online. It is almost as if this wine seems to have just appeared on store shelves, showing itself to shoppers who prove themselves worthy of its presence.

And, apparently, I was worth it.

If you’re wondering what food to pair with this wine, Don Simon keeps it classy by suggesting pizza, burgers and other fried foods. Normally, I would tell you that you are above mediocrity, that you should serve this wine with a hearty bolognese, a fat steak or roasted vegetables.

But, you know what? C’est la vie. I have another secret for you: sometimes, mediocrity is okay. Splurge if you want, but this wine would make the perfect accompaniment to a slice of cheap pizza or some good fried chicken. I mean, an excuse to eat pizza and drink wine? To quote the great Ina Garten, “who wouldn’t love that?”

If you’re wondering, Don Simon also produces a Chardonnay and a shiraz, but this tempranillo is really all you’ll need. This is a wine I can come home to and be proud to call mine. I can look at this wine and say, “wow, how did I get so lucky?” This wine is a treat, so if someone asks if they may try it, tell them no. It’s all yours. And, at $4 a bottle, they can get their own.

Don Simon tempranillo is available at Whole Foods markets at $4 for a 750-milliliter bottle.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or at least it would be, had Starbucks not ruined everything good that comes along with Christmas.

By now you most likely know Starbucks has removed patterns and images from its famous red holiday cups, a move that has prompted a vicious online response from some Christians saying the coffee chain has fundamentally uprooted the meaning of Christmas. The hashtag #MerryChristmasStarbucks continues to trend on Twitter, and the sentiment has been echoed in in Starbucks locations across the U.S. as angry patrons have passive-aggressively given the hashtag to baristas when asked for their names.

It’s easy to understand the frustration with the coffee giant’s move to minimize their cups — taking away the adornments on the cups devalues the authenticity of the Christmas story. Without snowflakes and sleigh bells, Santa busts and spruce trees, there can be no accurate depiction of Jesus’ birth (the true reason Christmas is celebrated).

This belief is maintained by those in protest despite overwhelming analysis which indicates Christ was born in the summer — in Bethlehem, of what is now Palestine, no less — in which snow would not fall, and where spruce trees do not grow.

A false culture of Christmas has been created and upheld by those who claim to be Christians, but who fail to recognize the fallacies in their beliefs. This season, instead of donating to the poor or feeding the hungry, those who express anger at Starbucks are instead marching to its stores, spending egregious amounts of money on ill-sourced coffee, shaming innocent workers and taking pictures and posting them, encouraging other like-minded individuals to do the same.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump has gone so far as to suggest a boycott of Starbucks. However unlikely this may be, the question begs to be asked: How can any true Christian have the peace of mind knowing that, if thousands of workers don’t receive paychecks this holiday season because of a boycott, at least Christ will be kept in Christmas?

Starbucks should be applauded for its new design. Instead of continuing to perpetuate the false ideology of Christmas, Starbucks now allows its customers to remember what Christmas is actually about, and what it is to truly be a Christian. Christmas is not about Santa and it is not about snowflakes. It is about being good to others, treating each other with respect and dignity, and reconnecting with good faith.

The recent events in Paris, Beirut, Baghdad and elsewhere prove the senselessness in this discussion. The “war” on Christmas, as some Christians are calling the movement toward an increasingly non-denominational retail industry, is in reality a myth. The “myth” of Christmas is the comfort found in a jolly man who exploits child labor to produce toys for other, “more deserving” children. The myth of Christmas is the snowflake that only allegedly falls until Dec. 25. The myth of Christmas is that it is the “season of giving,” when most people just take, but don’t give what is needed to those who need it. It is inappropriate to utilize the word “war” in discussing Christmas when people around the world are fighting and living in actual wars, feeling actual pain and watching their loved ones die. Meanwhile, in America, we are arguing about a coffee cup.

Editor’s Note: “Through the Grapevine” is a semi-regular wine review where I discuss all things on the topic of different affordable wines.

Rating: C

“Oh no, I’m turning into my mother,” I thought, as I stood in the store holding a bottle of pink wine.

And not just any pink wine, no. This bottle was fuschia. Normally I would walk past bottles that remind me of the porchlights of the Red Light District. However, I figured that, at this point, I’ve reviewed both a white and a red, so I should cover all my bases. I swallowed my pride and purchased a bottle of Broadbent vinho verde rose.

Vinho verde is unique. Most wines are named after their respective grape varietals — cabernet sauvignon, pinot gris, riesling — but vinho verde is not a grape varietal. Rather, the style of wine known as vinho verde comes from a region of the same name in northwest Portugal, and the grapes used in the wine may vary. The wine’s name translates from Portuguese to “green wine,” or “young wine,” for its grapes are typically harvested early. Most vinho verdes are light, crisp, fruity and low in alcohol, thanks to their early harvest.

This wine has deep familial connections. The wine’s beautiful label is adorned with a bright red, painted rose against a white backdrop. The back label says the rose was painted by the importer, Bartholomew Broadbent’s, niece, Alice — a reminder of how deeply cultural wine can be.

But wine can also be deeply deceptive. Opening the bottle — a twist-off, bless their souls — an overwhelming aroma of honey and florals reminiscent of springtime flowers, which is beyond off-putting (and completely inappropriate) in November, hits the nose. At first whiff, it is assumed this wine will be cloyingly sweet.

And sweet it was, with dominant flavors of strawberries and lemons taking precedence. A much-welcomed tartness of apples cuts through the saccharine complexion, but not nearly enough to balance the glass.

Many vinho verdes are characterized by a light effervescence, as the sugar from the young grapes continues to ferment in the bottle. This numbs the sweetness as well and provides palatable interest, but this enjoyable quality fades the longer the glass sits out. Most vinho verdes possess an acidity because of the early-harvested grapes, as well, but this is also not apparent in Broadbent’s rose.

Mostly, the wine lacks body. It’s incredibly light, a desirable quality in some instances, but lacks a significant mouthfeel. In my review of Gnarly Head’s cabernet sauvignon, I mentioned that wine lacked solid tannins but retained its strength. Broadbent’s vinho verde rose, on the other hand, does in fact taste like grape juice.

It’s hard to find food to pair well with a wine like this. A wine this sweet requires salt and umami flavors in addition to lighter fare. Pair with smoked fish, like salmon; light pastas with vegetables and citrus; good parmesan cheese; and Asian dishes.

This wine’s biggest fault is its lack of personality. With this wine it’s almost as if the first date was okay, but just okay, and you can’t envision a second. I couldn’t talk with this wine; the conversation was forced. And, although I truly want to see myself pouring a glass of this rose, turning on reruns of “Sex and the City” and asking myself if I’m a Carrie or a Samantha, I likely won’t be anytime soon.

Broadbent vinho verde rose is available at The Store Ampersand in Orono for $8.99 for a 750-milliliter bottle. If you enjoy sweet wines, this is the one for you. If you don’t, then keep shopping.

Fall and winter were always my favorite seasons.

The crimson embrace of autumn provided more comfort than just in its beauty; it was the time of year I could throw on a jacket, cover my stomach and hide myself from the world.

If you met me in college, you might not know my story. Weighing in at 137 pounds, I’m a fraction of my former self.

Before my junior year of high school, I weighed 219 pounds, but my struggles with weight and body image long precede this time.

In third grade, I was the only student in my class of 25 to break 100 pounds. I know this because of an assignment in which we were weighed in front of the classroom, our numbers written down for our peers to see. Everyone else had double digits associated with their bodies. I had three.

I was called fat. I knew people talked about me.

In fifth grade, I wore a down vest each day in an effort to shield my peers from my appearance. For this, I was horribly teased and had to seek alternative methods for covering my stomach: a sweatshirt. I wore a sweatshirt throughout most of middle school. During my Goth phase, it was either a vest or some kind of suit jacket.

After two years of high school, I was dared to join the Track and Field team. As a result, I began to see the value of working out and eating right, and the pounds began to shed. Within four months, I had shed 40 pounds. By my graduation in June of 2012, I weighed 142 pounds.

And I was proud. I was happy.

Everyone would say, “You look so great,” or “How did you do it?” And then they didn’t believe me when I told them I did it healthily, that all I did was diet and exercise. They insisted I had a problem and needed help. I was once asked if I were bulimic.

The answer to that question was no, and that I had in fact done it the “healthy” way.

But things turned sour in college. A semester of using the gym had taught me supposedly how men were supposed to look and how they were supposed to eat. The men I saw at the gym didn’t have loose skin on their stomachs. The men I saw at the gym didn’t have skin and fat come over the top of their jeans. No, they were lean and toned and, for lack of a better word: perfect.

Come the end of September 2012, my breakfasts consisted of yogurt and berries. I started eating the dining halls’ (horrible) tabbouleh everyday for lunch. Dinner was a plain chicken breast or a small salad. I didn’t snack in between classes. I would wait until I felt like passing out before eating again. I ran so much that my legs cramped.

People’s concern for me didn’t matter, and it only made me feel worse because I knew they were right. This was it. My breaking point.

To this day I still struggle, but I’ve largely abandoned my unhealthy eating patterns.

So consider this my confessional: By day, you know me as the Culture Editor for this publication. By night, you now know I’m a fanatic worrier, a calorie counter, a disordered eater.

Please do not worry. I am largely better off, now. I have sought out help for my struggles, and have mostly accepted my body as it is. Unfortunately, the thoughts are still there: “If I eat this, I need to skip my next meal;” “I can eat this, but I need to run six miles later;” “Damn it, I missed the gym again.”

Anorexia is defined as a “relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy weight,” according to the National Association of Anorexia and Associated Disorders (ANAD).

People with anorexia have an intense fear of gaining weight and have a distorted body image linked to body weight, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. An estimated 30 million people in the U.S. struggle with anorexia or another eating disorder, according to ANAD.

About 10 to 15 percent of those are male, and very few seek help.

It is important to remember that eating disorders affect men, too. According to ANAD, fewer men seek help for their eating disorders because there is a perception that they are “women’s diseases.” While it is important to remember just how many women suffer from these disorders, it is equally as important to promote body positivity and healthy discussion among all genders to break down the stereotypes about these diseases.

This past week was Delta Phi Epsilon’s eating disorder awareness week held in association with ANAD, and it has taught me that it’s okay to be honest about myself. It’s okay to tell others. If we don’t talk about these kinds of (seemingly invisible) issues, we allow them to perpetuate.

I may be okay, but what about those men who can’t be so honest with themselves or others? When will their voices be heard? When will it be too late?

[/media-credit] Protestors of violence gathered to march for their beliefs in Bangor’s West Market Square, Sept. 19, 2015.

By Chloe Dyer

Downtown Bangor’s West Market Square was adorned with banners, enthusiastic marchers holding signs and speakers atop a stage overlooking a crowd, Saturday, Sept. 19.

Their reason for being there? To end violence.

The End Violence Together march sought to work toward ending violence on multiple issues, ranging from poverty, war and the environment. This is the second annual march, which began last year.

The idea for the march came from Mary Ellen Quinn, a longtime advocate of peace and nonviolence awareness, and member of Pax Christi Maine. Last year, she approached Izle Petersons, who has been the program coordinator of the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine for 21 years, and the planning took off from there.

“After years of organizing the HOPE festival, [the End Violence Together march] seemed like a natural thing for the Peace and Justice Center to do,” Quinn said.

Last year, the event drew about 200 people. The event coordinators worked harder to reach out through media this year, and hoped to reach more children and families, as well as young people in universities.

”It is the young people who inherit this world,” Petersons said.
This year’s event was larger than last year’s, featuring music, local speakers and children’s games and activities preceding the march.

“We really do want to reach out to the young adults at the university and elsewhere,” Quinn said.

Petersons emphasized that people often feel that they cannot do anything to help make the world a better place.

“You don’t have to do it all. We can see that our efforts are part of a larger movement,” she said.

“It really helps us to see that we are all working towards the same goal to create a culture of nonviolence and peace,” Quinn said.

Two groups from University of Maine were among the 40 co-sponsors for this year’s event — the Student Women’s Association and the Maine Peace Action Committee (MPAC). This is the second year that MPAC students have come from university to participate in the march.

Hilary Warner-Evans, a fourth-year anthropology student at UMaine, has been involved with MPAC since her sophomore year, and is the treasurer of the group. She participated in the march last year and attended again this year.

“Last year it had kind of a hopeful feeling to it. I guess you can see all these people coming together to support a common cause even though they all have separate interests within that cause,” Warner-Evans said.

Dan Shorette, also a fourth-year anthropology student, is interim president of MPAC. Both he and Warner-Evans went to the People’s Climate March in New York City last fall, with buses full of students who went down from UMaine. Shorette has been involved with MPAC since his freshman year at the university.

“It is a huge community event. We have all these different groups to focus on one big goal,” Shorette said.

Over the course of each academic year, MPAC puts on several events throughout campus, depending on what their focus is at the time. Every year they are involved with the HOPE Festival, and also hold a film series each spring.

MPAC also has tables in the Memorial Union to hand out pamphlets and engage students who are interested in peace and activism. A few years ago, they put on a one-act play about the cost of college and student debt.

Douglas Allen has been a professor of philosophy at UMaine for 42 years, and has been an advisor to MPAC since 1974, his first year teaching at the university.

“It shows that we are all interconnected and support each other,” Allen said. “[The march] provides a lot of positive energy and alternatives. Things don’t have to be this way. We can create relations that are much less violent.”

Cara Oleskysk, a nontraditional student studying sustainable agriculture at UMaine, has been active in several peace groups in the area. She is a member of Food AND Medicine, the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine and co-founder of the Bangor Racial and Economic Justice Coalition.

“The End Violence Together event is in celebration of nonviolence. We are doing a national week of social justice action,” Oleskysk, one of four speakers at the march, said.

Dan Fleming, of Brewer, Maine, attended the event Saturday because he works with the Shaw House in Bangor, which helps homeless and at-risk youth in the area. Fleming said that many of the youths were victims of lifelong violence and discrimination, and that the Shaw House supporting this event just made sense.

“This is an event that is near and dear to us. This is just something we come out and try to support,” Fleming said.
Warner-Evans and Shorette emphasized that MPAC was open to any students with a “progressive mind”, and that they were an open-minded group. For interested students, MPAC meets Wednesdays at 3 p.m. in The Maples.

By Delaney Fitzpatrick

The Common Ground Country Fair, one of the biggest fairs in Maine, is home to 30 different fairground areas, each with a different theme ranging from folk arts to Maine Indian basket making.

“We have tents set up ranging from where you can learn and talk to people who do traditional skills to tents that have organizations for social, political and environmental missions,” April Boucher, director of the fair and employee of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA), said. “We also have a farmers’ market that has certified organic produce and that also is in addition to working livestock demonstrations,”

MOFGA helped start the fair in 1977, marking this year as its 39-year anniversary. Back when it all started, the fair was held at the Windsor fairgrounds.

Years passed, and as the fair started to gain more popularity and attention, it grew to be too big for the Windsor fairgrounds. In 1997, the current fairground land was purchased in Unity and, in 1998, the fair had its first round at the Unity fairground.

Along with all the tents, the fair is also home to more than 700 talks, hands-on workshops and demonstrations available to all fairgoers.

“[The demonstrations] range from learning traditional skills, learning how to pick out your goat to learning how to do beekeeping in urban areas. You also can get involved in particular movements like the Appalachian Trail club or herbs for stress reduction. There is a really wide gamut of things to participate in,” Boucher said.

The fair brings in about 60,000 people every year — people from all backgrounds, cultures and places.

“This fair brings a lot to Maine. We are a center of community, where people come from all different walks of life. Everyone is welcome and everyone finds a way to connect with other people. It is a place to see old friends, make new friends and learn and improve yourself with knowledge,” Boucher said.

The fair doesn’t just bring in people. It brings in money for local Maine businesses.

“This fair is important to rural living because it captures Maine’s culture. It is also good for the economy. We are [primarily] for Maine businesses and Maine farms. That is one of the main focuses of the fair, that we normally only have Maine businesses,” Boucher said.

With the 40-year anniversary of the fair on the horizon, some things have changed, but a lot has stayed the same.

“I think that many of our values are the same — dedication, certified organic and local Maine farms and businesses. But the size has changed over the years in the fact that more people with great ideas are coming. We have had every area grow in size,” Boucher said.

As the fair has grown in size, the need for volunteers has grown as well. This year, over 2,200 people have offered to volunteer at the fair. Volunteers spend their time performing a range of tasks, from directing parking to helping with garbage and the composting process.

Many of the volunteers are college students.

UMaine second-year and sustainable agriculture student Alexis Strain is excited to volunteer for a second year.

“Last year I collected tickets and this year I will be working on the recycling and composting team. We take garbage and the compost and sort them and put them where they belong,” Strain said.

Another UMaine student seen at the fair is Grace Kavanah, a second-year nursing student who has an eye for art.

“I’ve been attending the fair since I was born, so this will be my 19th year, but I have never volunteered before,” Kavanah said. “I used to babysit a little girl and, last year, she ran something in the children’s tents and I figured, ‘if she could do it, I could.’ So this year, I will be face painting little kids and I am going to rock it.”

For Kavanah, she rocks a potato suit.

“My favorite part has got to be the vegetable parade and my favorite costume is this potato and it is actually structurally a potato that you put over your body. It has actual eyes painted on it to represent the real eyes of a potato. The vegetables hold signs that say things like ‘No GMO’ and it’s all just really awesome and really funny,” Kavanah said.

The Common Ground Country Fair runs from Sept. 25 to Sept. 27. Gates open at 9 a.m. with vendors closing shop at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and at 5 p.m. on Sunday. The fairground is located at 294 Crosby Brook Road in Unity, Maine and tickets are being sold at local stores. In Orono, tickets can be purchased at The Store Ampersand. In Bangor, tickets are available at The Bangor Wine and Cheese Company, Bookmarks, Briar Patch and Central Street Farmhouse. Tickets are also available online through Brown Paper Tickets.

Those who don’t want to buy a $10 ticket but still want to go are allowed to sign up for the fair’s clean up weekend, which guarantees free entry into the fair in exchange for helping clean the fairgrounds on Oct. 3 and 4.

The Common Ground Fair has something for everyone. Whether it be great, organic food, animals, informative environmental procedures or all of the above, the opportunities are endless.

By Kate Berry

The first theatrical auditions of the semester for the University of Maine School of Performing Arts are underway. This semester’s production is “The Cherry Orchard.”

Auditions for this year’s University of Maine School of Performing Arts production “The Cherry Orchard”  are under way.

Written by Anton Chekhov, “The Cherry Orchard” was the playwright’s last play written before he died in 1904. The play was directed in the Moscow Art Theatre by Constantin Stanislavski.

Marcia Douglas is directing the University of Maine’s production of the show. She chose this particular Chekhov play because of a past director she met in college.

“I started as a dancer and received a scholarship to go to Colorado State University in performing arts. There was no dance major. There was a theater major. So I thought, “that’s what I’ll do,”” Douglas said. “The very first play I was in, I met this new faculty member in the theater department. He was directing The Cherry Orchard and he cast me. I had never had to talk onstage. It was terrifying, but it was life changing. That was 50 years ago, and he just died this spring.”

Douglas’ favorite playwright is Chekhov, but this will be her first Chekhov play that she directs. There is a reason behind why she has not yet directed one of his plays.

“This is really tough stuff. It’s tough acting-wise,” Douglas said. “It’s just time for me to do this play. I really hold it dear and I’m really excited for it.”

The play not only has special meaning for Douglas, but back in the early 20th century, “The Cherry Orchard” changed theater forever.

Before Chekhov, the theater used the “star” system — one main actor while the others disappeared in the background. Chekhov believed in making acting more honest and connecting with truth. He focused on the ensemble, meaning everyone involved makes the play work and not just the star.

“You can’t do a production without everybody,” Douglas said. “The big parts and the small parts, backstage technicians and designers — it takes everyone together to make a theatrical piece. This was a new idea at the time.”

“Everybody’s creativity is involved. The result of that kind of work is way more than any one person could do.”

Auditions for the play took place on Wednesday Sept. 9 and Thursday Sept. 10. Since this particular play is considered tough for actors, Douglas looked for certain attributes in the auditioners’ performances.

“They need to be honest in the moment and bring the words to life,” Douglas said. “I’ve asked them to prepare a Chekhov monologue. Can an actor make the words their own? The whole point is making it your own. You can’t guess what the director wants. I know it when I see it.”

John Logan, a third-year mass communication and theater student, chose to audition because of his love of acting. Although he has never performed in a Chekhov play before, he read “The Cherry Orchard” over the summer while he was at the Theater At Monmouth. He loved it.

“I’m obviously excited about potentially getting cast, but more than that I’m excited to get to audition,” Logan said. “Auditioning is such a rush. It’s interesting because no matter how good you think you are or how many shows you’ve been in, you are always forced back to square one, where you have to come in completely prepared to show the director your dedication to being part of their vision.”

Alan Estes, a third-year theater student at UMaine auditioned for “The Cherry Orchard” for a number of reasons.

“I am auditioning purely due to the challenge of Chekhov’s text,” Estes said. “He was renowned for setting a play where the actors needed to have created a submerged character within the text. It’s something I’ve always thought about trying, but now I have the opportunity to audition and possibly act in a Chekhov play.”

Estes also auditioned because of the positive past experiences he has had in the theater program at the university.

“The group of people we have here are quite the community, and I try to insert myself as much as possible in order to feel a part of said community,” Estes said. “It truly is an amazing experience, even to watch.”

The Cherry Orchard is set to be performed on Nov. 7 from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Hauck Auditorium. Tickets are $10 each or free with a student MaineCard.

By Chloe Dyer

On a typical Monday night, the common room on third floor of Kennebec Hall at the University of Maine is busy with students comparing homework answers, lounging out on couches, playing music and chatting. Third floor, along with fourth floor, comprise the transfer student living community at the university. This provides opportunities for students to bond those who are in a similar situation.

David Vitali, a fourth-year student who transferred, is in his second year as a Resident Assistant (RA) for the fourth floor.

“Being a transfer student is kind of like being an upperclassman but also being a freshman,” Vitali said. “Being on a floor with other students going through the same gives a shared experience and is helpful to students.”

Vitali, who is from Freeport, Maine, transferred from the University of New Hampshire. Some of the RA programs he runs for transfer students each year include the ice cream social at the start of the fall semester and the brick painting social, which allows students to decorate doorstops and encourages people to leave their doors open and allow for more social interaction.

“Personally as a transfer student I didn’t want to be made to feel different than anyone else, and I try to take that into consideration,” Vital said.

As a first-semester transfer student, he made the decision to apply for RA of Kennebec while a resident there himself.

“As a transfer student I felt that I could help other transfer students in Kennebec,” he said.

Connor Terison, a new transfer student who is a second-year business management student from Cumberland, Maine, says he transferred from Husson University because he didn’t like the feel of a small school. Terison has only good things to say about UMaine, as he noted that people are welcoming, he has had no problems meeting anyone and that he hasn’t been bored with his experience.

“I felt like for me, it was pretty easy.  I knew people already coming in,” Terison said of the transfer adjustment.

Terison also joined intramural football, and has been trying to keep busy.

For some students, the adjustment may be tougher than others, depending on how late into college a transfer occurs. Sasha McLean, a fourth-year chemical engineering student, just made the transfer from UNH last semester, but says she now feels much more comfortable at the school. She said one good thing about UMaine is that classes are smaller than at UNH.

“I’m from Maine, so I knew a lot of people already,” McLean, who is from Chebeague Island, Maine said. “My engineering classes were really small so I was able to find people to study with.”

For many in-state students, the reason to transfer is finances, which was the case for both McLean and Vitali. McLean added she also switched for UMaine’s renowned engineering program.

“Everyone has been pretty friendly,“ McLean said. “At UNH everyone was really materialistic. I feel like it is a bit different at UMaine. People don’t judge you as much for what you wear.”

McLean also added that she felt the hockey team was better than at UNH.  She says that coming back this semester has been much easier.

“I have been able to meet so many more people here and run into people on campus. At UNH it was harder to see a familiar face,” McLean said. “I know now that it was definitely the right decision to transfer here.”

Brianna Russo, an early childhood education student from Hampden, Maine, also just transferred from the University of Maine at Farmington for her second year of college.

“My roommate and I decided to transfer because we would be closer to our hometown.  We didn’t feel at home in Farmington,” Russo said.

“I really like UMaine’s atmosphere overall. I feel the school spirit more so than UMF,” Russo said. “I like that there is a lot more going on on campus. The atmosphere is a lot busier in a good way.”

By Chloe Dyer

The first floor of Estabrooke Hall was lined with tables featuring colorful poster boards, glossy brochures and enthusiastic travelers encouraging students to participate in exchange programs at the University of Maine Study Abroad Fair, held this past Thursday, Sept. 10.

The biannual event, held at the beginning of each semester, typically attracts a couple hundred people, mostly prospective students eager to travel.

The fair offers students opportunities from a number of different exchange programs including UMaine direct exchange, Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) abroad, USAC and many other programs that make it possible for students from all majors and backgrounds to go abroad.

While many students feel that they cannot go abroad for differing reasons, UMaine Study Abroad Advisor Amy Kumpf assures that this is not the case.

“I think it is one of our best outreach opportunities for students,” Kumpf said, adding that it gives students the opportunity to get a perspective on what it is like to study abroad.

Michael Bore, a second-year student, hopes to travel somewhere in the Middle East for his study abroad experience. As an international affairs student who is also in the National Guard, this is ideal for his future after college. He said he hopes to learn about the culture while abroad.

“I think [the study abroad fair] lets students know the different opportunities. Everyone is going to offer something different,” Bore said.

In addition to learning about programs from study abroad advisors and peers, UMaine students had the opportunity to hear from actual exchange students.

Laura Stewart, a third-year student from the United Kingdom, is abroad for the year at UMaine. She volunteered at the UMaine direct exchange table, advising students about the Direct Exchange program that UMaine has with the University of Birmingham. She said that, last year, UMaine students were the ones encouraging her to go abroad, and now she is giving back by doing the same.

This academic year, there are 115 students already abroad or planning to go in the spring semester, and 140 went from UMaine last year, according to Kumpf. The most popular destinations for UMaine students are the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain, but Kumpf assured that there were about 700 programs, and only a couple require language proficiency before going abroad, even if the country is not English-speaking.

“There is always a means to being able to study abroad,” Kumpf said.

She explained that there are hundreds of scholarships, financial aid from UMaine and host universities and plenty of direct exchange programs for students worried about finances.  This fall, nearly $134,000 was awarded in scholarships to students going abroad.

Sam Godenzi of Perth, Australia studied abroad this past academic year at UMaine.

“I wanted to participate in the quintessential college experience,” Godenzi said of her decision to go abroad.

Godenzi explained that university life in Australia can be quite different from the U.S., as many students commute. She also said one very different thing about the U.S. was the Greek Life.

“The overall atmosphere was exciting, full of spirit, and I felt like there was always something going on, I loved it!” Godenzi said of the school atmosphere. She added that people were always very welcoming, and curious to learn where she was from.

“The program was very accommodating. I always felt helped and acknowledged,” Godenzi said of the study abroad program at UMaine.

While this is Kumpf’s first year as study abroad advisor, she comes from a background of knowledge about exchange programs and living in other countries. Kumpf previously worked at a university in Ecuador. After finishing her master’s degree there, she was offered a job assisting students from the U.S. and other countries to come to Ecuador.

“It was a place I really connected with, and I enjoyed being around Ecuadorians,” Kumpf said of the experience.

Students who might be worried about their ability to study abroad are encouraged to come into the Office of International Programs, located in 240 Estabrooke Hall, as early as their first year, although this is not required.  At the office, students can find Kumpf, an enthusiastic world traveler with a passion for advising and helping students.

She encourages everyone to think about doing an exchange program.

“It definitely develops their cultural capacity,” Kumpf said about students traveling abroad.

Kumpf explained that employers will look for exchange programs, because it shows the ability to work with a “great diversity of people.”

“[Studying abroad] helps build your self confidence,” Kumpf said. “Being able to adjust to cultural and language differences are skills that you can learn abroad and transfer back to future employment and personal life.”

By Echo Turner

The University of Maine’s annual blood drive was held Sept. 8 and 9 in the Collins Center for the Arts. Put on by the American Red Cross through the Bodwell Center for Service and Volunteerism, students have now had the chance to donate blood for more than 10 years.

“Our total number of people that walk through is probably between 150 and 200 for each of the drives, which is a two-day drive,” Lisa Morin, coordinator of the Bodwell Center, said, “We have some community members that come in every time. We do have staff and faculty, but the majority of them are students.”

Walk-ins comprise the bulk of the donors the blood drive receives each year, with more than 50 percent of donations being walk-ins, according to Morin. The American Red Cross usually has a carefully planned schedule where they sign donors up in advance and get all the paperwork filled out before the day of donation. With such a significant populace coming in spontaneously, this particular event needs to be more flexible.

“After the military I saw how much they needed blood so I decided to give,” Mark Alexander, a UMaine student, said on giving blood. “I had to have a blood transfusion [while serving].”

Alexander gives what are called double red donations, or donations in double the amount usually donated, every 120 days.

According to Morin, UMaine usually sees about a dozen deferrals per donation period. A deferral is the term used for people that want to donate but are not able to because of some requirements that aren’t met, such as not weighing enough, not having enough iron in their system, and having donated too recently.

“I’ve donated [four times] before and I heard about it on campus and decided it was a good idea,” Marissa Lynch, a student from UMaine who even had a donation card to prove she’s a regular donor, said.

Lynch and many others read or heard about the blood drive on campus and had the free time to come in. There were even signs at the entrances of campus so that commuter students knew of the drive as well.

The process of donating takes about an hour, although the actual donation usually takes under 10 minutes. While it might be nerve-wracking to some leading up to donation day, it may help to know that one donation saves up to three lives, according to the American Red Cross website.

UMaine hosts a blood drive twice per semester. The Bodwell Center is always looking for volunteers to help with registering people to donate, facilitating walk-ins and handing out snacks. The next drive will be held in November, so anyone hoping to help out should keep an eye out for flyers and signs on campus around that time.

For those donating, it is important to remember to keep hydrated and avoid fatty foods before donating, and that in the event a donor feels sick or fatigued to contact American Red Cross and reschedule. All the rules of donating can be found on the American Red Cross website.