This review touches on topics of rape and sexual assault which may be upsetting or disturbing for some readers.

5 out of 5 stars

“Unbelievable” is an eight-episode Netflix miniseries that is one of the streaming channel’s newest shows. It is based on the true story of a sexual assault victim who overcomes hardships in the face of adversity and fear. Hard to watch at times, and anger-inducing, this series created quite a stir in the feminist community and received a wave of reviews.

Released to Netflix on Sept. 13, 2019, the show is based on a 2015 article titled “An Unbelievable Story of Rape.” The article was a part of a joint project that ended up winning a Pulitzer Prize and inspired the creation of this new series centered around controversial topics and sensitive material.

The series begins with the retelling of actions and incidents that occur in the life of Marie, the main character of the story, played by actress Kaitlyn Dever. Marie is a young woman who is raped early on in the series. She decides to tell the police after feeling like her life is being threatened. Instead of providing comfort and reassurance, the police badger Marie with questions and ask her to repeat her jarring story over and over again. This leads her to redact her statement that she made and question everything she thought about police ”keeping people safe.” She gets upset at the station and eventually tells the police that she lied and made up the story, sending her life into a downward spiral. 

This story is one we have seen often in the news and the media over the past 10 years when memories and true statements resurface after being swept under the rug for years and years. Victims are forced to suffer in silence because they feel as if they “won’t be believed;” these cases are very real. Marie’s story is one of many; the series was created to shed light on the reasons behind her “lie” and why some women feel as though they cannot share the truth with the world after being raped or harassed.

Marie is ridiculed, made fun of and harassed throughout each episode of the series because of her alleged lie to the police. She becomes known as “the girl who cried rape.” What other characters in the show don’t know is that everything she said about the rape was true. This causes us as the audience to root for the main character while spending much of the series being angry and upset at the injustice we know is being done to Marie.

This series is haunting, aggravating and thought-provoking in the best way. It forces us to listen to a story that was swept under the rug by the police and having a feeling of hope when all hope could be lost. While I watched the show, I found myself frustrated for Marie and wishing for justice to finally find her. The people she goes to for help and guidance continually fail to provide her with the relief and the necessities she needs to feel comfortable and safe. This series shows us that people end up taking back their statements or lying to cover up an incident for reasons other than to make trouble for the police. Marie is an example of a woman who felt like no one would believe her story, even after facing obvious emotional and physical trauma. 

Now more than ever, women are being told to make their voices heard and to share their stories despite not being listened to or ignored at first glance and this series could not have been produced and released to Netflix at a better time. With the political climate heating up in our country, and the #MeToo movement still in full swing, true stories such as this one that shed light on the injustice done to women in America.

For resources related to sexual harassment, assault or rape, please contact the University of Maine Counseling Center at 207-581-1392, the University of Maine Police Department at 207-581-4040, or Culter Health Center at 207-581-4000, or for an off-campus confidential resource contact Rape Response Services at 1-800-310-0000 or Partners for Peace at 1-800-863-9909. 

Pat’s Pizza and Orono House of Pizza (OHOP) are food staples of the University of Maine community. From breadsticks and free pizza deals on weeknights, to endless specials and great customer service, these restaurants are known for their food and popularity among students. Now, with a local pizzeria setting up shop as well, new competition is arising in Orono for the best pizza in town. Here’s a rundown of some options to help you decide where to grab a pie this week. 

Outta The Ordinary, otherwise known as OTO, is a family-owned restaurant located on Main Street in Old Town. The pros of OTO range from its menu to the environment. Upstairs, OTO resembles a casual take out or dine in pizza place; you order at the counter and can take your food with you or eat at one of the tables there. But a strength of this new restaurant is the full bar located downstairs with various games to play, including a pool table. OTO will also soon be running the concession stands table at the Alfond Arena, making their pizza and snacks accessible to UMaine students on campus. They take pride in both their pizza and burgers, and offer dozens of family-friendly deals and promotions to bring gourmet food to college students on a budget.

Although OTO offers a wide variety of specialty pizzas and family discounts, Pat’s Pizza and OHOP have already developed their reputations, and are known for their staple specials during the week that almost every hungry college student can memorize and recite. For example, both of the Orono pizza joints offer a breadstick deal. At Pat’s Pizza, if you order pizza after 8 p.m. you receive free cheesy breadsticks (either small or large) if you pick up or deliver. Pat’s breadsticks are warm, crispy and full of delicious pizza cheese, and the style of them is slightly different than typical breadsticks; rather than the cheese being on top, Pat’s layers the cheese inside, and folds their crisp buttery dough over it, so they’re stuffed with cheese rather than covered in it. OHOP, on the other hand, has their own version of a breadstick deal, offering a large order of breadsticks for $5.95 on Tuesdays from 4-9 p.m.

Even though OHOP’s breadsticks aren’t free like at Pat’s Pizza, OHOP doesn’t fail to deliver in the departments of taste and quality. OHOP also has other good deals that make ordering from there worth it, even if some consider their pizza to be a little pricey. On Mondays, customers can buy a large or small pizza and get another free. This is a popular deal for college students who are looking to order pizza on a budget. From 4-9 p.m. on Wednesdays, OHOP wraps are $4.95, which is another popular deal amongst students in the area.

Pat’s Pizza is the cheapest choice out of all three restaurants as even their delivery fee is cheaper than it’s competitors’ by $1. Their pizza dough is light, crisp and almost a little sweet, which pairs perfectly with their sweet sauce. It is also a thin-crust style. This differs greatly from OHOP’s signature thicker, cheesy, greasy pizza that has a hearty flavor and savory sauce — great for a late night order after a night out. OHOP’s pizzas are usually a little bigger than Pat’s and come completely loaded with cheese and toppings. This is why they tend to be a little pricier than Pat’s and OTO. A major strength of OHOP? Their mac & cheese pizza. You don’t know how bad you need it until you try it. 

OTO’s pricing is similar to Pat’s, but their pizzas take a totally different route. Unlike a typical pizza restaurant, none of OTO’s signature pizzas have a pizza sauce base. Instead, they incorporate just about any other meal you can think of into a pizza, from Italian to Asian cuisines to shepherd’s pie. Some of these include the Plain Jane Pizza, Crab Rangoon Pizza and Loaded Mashed Potato Pizza. Students who have tried some of OTO’s unique pizzas, and even their more normal ones, have rave reviews and confirm that it’s worth the trip to Old Town.

Despite the competition, Pat’s Pizza will always reign true as Orono’s staple pizza joint. It’s been around the longest, here in Orono since 1931, and has developed a devoted fan base – not just in Orono but all over the state of Maine. Pat’s always makes sure the food is hot and great quality, their recipes have been around forever, and if there is ever a mess-up with an order, they will always fix the mistake and be eager to help resolve any issues. The environment is also great for any mood – there’s casual dining upstairs with an old-time vibe, thanks to the wooden booths and old-fashioned ice cream parlor-style stools at the counter, but there’s also a small bar downstairs for a more lively evening. 

With all this said, it’s ultimately up to the students to decide which pizza place they’re going to make their go-to for a Friday night, and which one might be a consistent Wednesday night dinner. To do so, you’ll have to try them all out for yourselves. Happy eating!

Fall in New England is a time of year that many residents of Orono and students at the University of Maine look forward to. The crisp leaves and end to the humid summer weather bring people out of their houses to enjoy the outdoors. One of the many popular activities for students in the fall at UMaine is to go to local farms like Treworgy Family Orchards. Treworgy Family Orchards, located in Levant, has a host of affordable fall activities to participate in. 

“I went to Treworgy farms recently to go apple picking, and we had a great time. We were able to pick our own apples, and also pet the goats and see the other animals they have,” fourth-year athletic training student Nick Soper said. “Along with that, we got a chance to buy fresh apple cider donuts, which are probably the best ones you can get in the area.” 

Some of the activities Treworgy Family Orchards offers include apple, blueberry and raspberry picking, a corn maze, free hayrides and an in-house gift shop and ice cream stand. The farm also sells pumpkins, hot apple cider, homemade desserts, fresh fruits and vegetables, and festive holiday decorations. Conant Orchards in Etna, and Sullivan’s Orchard in Charleston are also popular destinations for fruit picking and outdoor fall activities.

“I am planning on going apple-picking this weekend and I am really looking forward to it,” first-year English graduate student Nick Weller said. “I haven’t been apple picking since I was like five years old and [I] am excited to kick off fall.”

As fall brings new activities and places to visit, the University of Maine’s campus also has an array of available sports games and campus events that kick off the fall season. Sororities and fraternities on campus are hosting a variety of philanthropy and fall events, including haunted houses, pumpkin carving and craft-making activities. 

“I am really looking forward to our haunted house this year and all the Halloween activities that will be going on in the Union,” fourth-year parks, recreation and tourism student Kimberley Stoddard said. “Fall is such a fun time of year to be on campus and it definitely brings everyone together. When the winter hits, it is hard to spend time with your friends outside around campus, but fall is a nice in-between season where you get to do that.”

UMaine offers various festive events free to students throughout the season. Pumpkin carving, painting and decorating, and trivia nights are just a few of the planned activities available throughout the months of October and November. If you are looking to get off campus, the Orono Bog Boardwalk, Acadia National Park, downtown Bangor and other places in the local area offer seasonal events and hours to accommodate the students and families who are looking to get immersed in the fall season.

“I love this time of year because of the fun and positive atmosphere. There are so many things to do in Maine during the fall season. The new school year brings with it the changing of the leaves and the smell of pumpkin candles, which are my favorite,” third-year civil engineering student Claire Klaus said. “I also really love going on hayrides through corn mazes and doing things like apple picking with my friends.”  

Whether you are staying in the local Orono area to enjoy everything that fall has to offer or taking a road trip to see a festival or sight, fall is a time that everyone can enjoy.

3 stars out of five

Weird, quirky and strange, “IT Chapter 2” does not fail to surprise Stephen King fans as the second and final installment of the “IT” movies. Based on King’s horror novel set in the fictional town of Derry, ME, “IT” follows the return of seven friends to their hometown to kill Pennywise, a clown that lures children to the sewers of Derry to eat them, once and for all. Twenty-seven years have passed and Pennywise has returned to get revenge on the group and to wreak havoc on the town once again. 

The movie’s running time is a whopping two hours and 50 minutes, which might be a factor that has been keeping some people from enjoying the flick. Although lengthy, the film includes enough interesting action and plot development that keeps you interested in the story. The last hour of “IT” is almost entirely dedicated to an elaborate and lengthy climax that drastically differs from any of Stephen King’s other horror films. This is the reason for such a long running-time. 

The cast of “IT” includes many familiar horror film faces such as Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh, Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough, Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise and Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom. King himself makes an appearance as a secondary character in the film, playing an antique store owner who Bill bought his old bike, “Silver,” from. 

Overall, the costumes and sets were the most well-done aspects of the film. Each character wore clothing that well reflected their personality and age, and there was quite a contrast between what each character wore in present-day versus when they were kids. Pennywise’s character was a mixture of funny, strange and horrific. This was reflected in his balloon-like 18th-century clown costume and his over-the-top head, lips, and red wig. His character looked cartoonish in the scariest way. This was done purposefully in order to create a child-like creature that would seem the ablest to lure in and scare children. Actor Bill Skarsgard also uses his lazy eye and bottom lip to create an even more interesting and terrifying look and sound. 

The movie was overall a mixture of scary and creepy because of the jump scares and precarious situations that the seven friends found themselves in. A few parts of the movie that shocked me and other members of the audience were the more vulgar and R-rated scenes that involved a naked old woman, a spider with a human head and other King-inspired weird and awe-inspiring twists. I really enjoyed the fact that the movie included the characters as both kids growing up in the past, and as adults 27 years later in the present day. 

I enjoyed the movie thoroughly up until the chaos at the end, but if you are looking for a horror movie that scares you to the bone throughout its entirety, this isn’t the flick for you. I found the jump scares usually more humorous than scary because of their weirdness and interesting looking characters, and I heard laughter in the audience instead of screams. I also recommend going to the bathroom before the movie starts, because it is in fact almost three hours long. 

Studying abroad is a unique opportunity for University of Maine students to get out of their comfort zones. On Sept. 19 in the Memorial Union, students and faculty gathered together to participate in the annual Study Abroad Fair. The event continued in the New Balance Student Recreation Center that evening to give students another chance to gather information. 

Many different study abroad programs and organizations were present at the event, both from groups that are affiliated with UMaine and outside independent programs. Some of these included CIS Abroad, University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC), UMaine Office of Major Scholarships, School for International Training (SIT), Academic Programs International (API) and UMaine International Programs. 

“I think one of the most vital parts of going to college is learning how to interact with other people and to be a good employee,” Beth Maberry, coordinator for summer program development in the division of lifelong learning said. “A lot of our study abroad courses and programs are tailored to specific programs or majors, and we also offer travel study general education courses as well. These give you a chance to really learn something new, and add an interesting topic to your resume that can help you later in life as well.” 

UMaine staff were present at the event to introduce upcoming travel courses that are offered and to answer questions about financial aid, scholarships and other areas of university life. The travel study program at UMaine is something that gives students the opportunity to study abroad without having to stay out of the country for a full four-month term. These courses are regular classes that are offered during the regular spring semester and give students a chance to experience another country in a shorter amount of time for a more affordable price. 

“Regardless of your major and what you are studying, I think it’s important to learn about other cultures and different perspectives so that you can be a better participant in the world after you leave,” Maberry said. “One of the best ways to do that is to study abroad. Whether it is a full semester or one of the short term courses over the summer that we offer, it really gives you a chance to see a different point of view on things and learn about how people live.”

Some of the current travel courses offered through UMaine include Biology 309 with a trip to the Bahamas, Anthropology 477 with a trip to Croatia, and English 429 with a trip to Cuba. There are also many ways and opportunities to study for full semesters abroad, either with a university program or outside organization. 

“I think it is so important to encourage people to study abroad and for our school to help make that happen,” third-year nursing student Kenzie Farrell said. “There is so much more to the world than Maine, and some people won’t ever really get to understand that until they leave. It’s nice to go to a school that encourages studying abroad and that helps provide resources for us.”  

Students were able to sign in at the study abroad fair and provide contact information that could help get them connected to more study abroad events and information sessions. They also had the option of signing up to receive fliers and information about specific programs or talk to representatives at those tables. Many of the tables handed out pamphlets, snacks, candy and other free treats for students to enjoy as they learned about all of the different study abroad opportunities. 

“Studying abroad will definitely put you somewhere out of your comfort zone,” Farrell said. “Once you get out of that comfort zone, you come to realize that you have to rely only on yourself. We currently have more girls studying abroad than boys at the university, and we hope to change that by holding fairs like this one and getting students to be more open. In order to experience something amazing and new, you have to leave the environment you are comfortable in, but it is so worth it.” 

Microblading is a new form of art that is capturing the attention of women all over the country. The act of microblading is a progressive trend that provides job opportunities, heightens morale and boosts confidence. It is a process much like tattooing that involves using a tool to put dye on eyebrows in order to create a darker, fuller look. The dye is considered semi-permanent and can last from one to three years. Now more than ever, this trend is catching on and has spread to the Bangor area.

For Dalalyn Demmons, inspiration to start her own microblading business came from Instagram microblading technique and trends videos. From there, Demmons attended a microblading class at Ibrow Studio in Portland. Once she became certified, she started her career by renting out a room in Milford at the Aqua Hair Studio. Her business is called Brows By Dalalyun. 

“I first got started when I reached out to a girl who was microblading on Snapchat. She was looking for models to get their eyebrows done for free, so I decided to go for it and see how they would look. After my first time, I was shocked at the difference it made to my face shape and my appearance, and I considered trying to do it myself,” Demmons said. “I have a background in art and drawing so I was happy to discover something that I could use my artistic background for without going to beauty school.”

Another new microblading artist who has recently set up shop locally is Jill Burke, the owner of Highbrow Studio in downtown Bangor. She opened her studio on May 1, 2019 and accepts clients by appointment. Both professionals are certified, have creative art backgrounds and were first introduced to the idea by friends and social media. 

“I heard about microblading through a grapevine of sorts,” Burke said. “I majored in fine arts in college, so I spent many hundreds of hours reading about and studying beauty and aesthetics from that perspective. I also have a few thousand hours of academic drawing experience under my belt, so the transition to drawing careful, delicate hair strokes was quite natural for me.”

Demmons and Burke work with clients of all ages in their studios and continue to practice techniques and learn new styles and tips over the years. Hearing feedback and getting positive responses from customers who have received microblading is what makes these women love what they do.

“The before and after photos are my favorite part of microblading, and you can find them on my Instagram page,” Demmons said. “It is so satisfying to see the transformation, and it is so rewarding to see how shocked and surprised my clients are with the end result. It is such a confidence booster and you get to see how something you created can change how someone thinks about themselves.”

“I love when someone is really outwardly happy about their brows,” Burke said. “Sometimes I notice clients posting extra selfies afterwards and I can tell they feel confident and beautiful, and that’s a great feeling to be able to give someone.”

Demmons hopes to expand her work more into the permanent makeup world, and eventually tattoo lip liner and areolas. Burke has also made a name for herself in the professional world and enjoys working in a job that is hands-on and interactive.

“I love people in general, so it’s been great working one-on-one with clients. Over a two-hour appointment, you can really get to know a lot about someone. I love listening to their stories, the places they’ve been, or what’s happened in their lives,” Burke said. “People are fascinating, and women especially are very inspiring to me. I’m humbled that I can make them feel like super beautiful boss-babes.”

On Sept. 4 on the University of Maine Mall, hundreds of organizations gathered together to introduce themselves at the annual Student Organization Fair. The fair is held every fall in order to expose first-year and returning students to the many organizations available on campus.

“This is such a great opportunity to meet new people, no matter how long you have been at UMaine,” Tori Skidgell, a third-year communications student, said. “The fair also helps you figure out what you might be interested in doing during your college career, and to help you make connections and reach out to people you might not have necessarily talked to before.”

Some of the clubs and teams that appeared on the Mall included the Alpine Ski Club, Equestrian Club, Philosophy Club, Black Student Union, Crew Club, Gamer’s Guild, Maine Outing Club and dozens of others. Intramural sports teams also tabled on the mall alongside the different clubs, with sign-up sheets and information available for those interested in joining. Rowing, rugby, ultimate frisbee, softball, hockey and field hockey are just some of the intramural and club sports teams that UMaine has to offer. Each section was labeled to distinguish certain groups of organizations, making it easy to find specific groups or types of activity. 

“I enjoy seeing all the clubs putting their name out there and representing different facets of UMaine, it’s really special,” Gabby Sands, a third-year psychology student, said.

Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Robert Dana made an appearance on the Mall with many other UMaine faculty and staff to check out this year’s list of organizations. School mascot Bananas T. Bear also showed up to pose for pictures and provide school spirit. 

“The organization fair is a quick way to figure out just how many things are available on our campus to join. Looking online and seeing a list of the hundreds of clubs can be very overwhelming, but this is a solution to that,” Michaela Piatt, a second-year English student, said. “This is a relaxing and less-intimidating way of seeing what you can be a part of at such a big school.” 

Each table had a unique design, many decorated with colorful and encouraging posters, table cloths and signs. Students from each club handed out information pamphlets, pens, photos, contact list sheets, bags and other goodies. Some groups even had lawn games, such as spikeball and cornhole, available to play in the center of the Mall, allowing interested students to interact with those involved in the organizations. 

Also included in the fair were UMaine sponsored organizations and programs that shared information about going abroad, scholarships and other helpful resources. Another section of organizations were dedicated to fraternities and sororities involved in the Greek life at UMaine. Many of the members decorated their tables with wooden letters, composite photos and Greek Life memorabilia that introduced the incoming freshmen to their organization. A table was located in the center of the Greek life area where students could ask questions and sign up for this fall’s formal recruitment.

“It’s definitely a really great chance for freshman students to engage in extracurriculars and to be introduced to them in a comfortable environment,” Adam Boucher, a third-year mechanical engineering student, said. “Everyone is able to be together in the same place to share new information about what their group is about.” 

Many students strive to make themselves stand out during their time at university. Fourth-year student Claudia Johnson does just that by making sure she is involved in as much as possible, both inside the classroom and out. 

Johnson was born in Michigan and currently lives in Isleboro, Maine, a small island off the coast of Lincolnville. She is a contributor for Her Campus, a campus-wide online female writing organization. Johnson is also a member of Team Maine, a group of select students who provide campus resources, tours and information, and help run student orientations and other related events for incoming first-year students. 

“I joined Team Maine because I wasn’t as involved when I went to Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) as I wanted to be. I came to UMaine and needed an on-campus job, and was looking to do more to be a part of the UMaine community,” Johnson said. “I saw Team Maine at the summer orientation for transfer students and became interested in joining the team, and also talked with students involved at the organization fair.”   

Johnson has been a part of Team Maine for one year and hopes to continue being on the team for the rest of her fourth year. She takes pride in the friendships she has made through Team Maine and the time she gets to spend with first-year and new students. Johnson leads multiple campus tours throughout the year and works during summer orientation to familiarize students with the campus and all of its resources. 

“I love Team Maine. I love talking to new people and the craziness and flexibility of the Team Maine schedule. We are a group of similarly motivated students who all are interested in academics and similar things, and we all love the school,” Johnson said. “This is a really rewarding job and you get to see the students you meet at orientation grow up and remember you from their first experiences at UMaine. Little moments like that make it so worth it.”

Johnson transferred to UMaine as a third-year in the fall of 2018 after she received an associate’s degree from SMCC. She is currently a political science student with a minor in philosophy at UMaine. After taking a government class in high school, Johnson decided that pursuing a career in politics and the government was the right choice for her. 

“I thought I would go into government policy up until my internship with Senator Susan Collins,” Johnson said. “After that summer experience, I decided to major in political science and use this degree as a route to law school in the future. My experiences in the political science and international programs departments at UMaine so far have been really great, and my professors have made significant impacts on my career interests.”

Johnson loves the study of people and has enjoyed all of the political sciences classes she has taken so far, as well as the professors. She is not only a student on campus who takes classes and works for Team Maine, but she is also involved with other organizations. She has been a member of the Phi Mu fraternity executive board since December of 2018. She has been a sister in the fraternity since fall of 2018, and she is also on the Panhellenic Circle of Sisters Philanthropy Board. She likes to hang out with her sisters and friends on campus, and travel when she has the chance. 

“Getting involved is really important to be successful anywhere,” Johnson said. “If you just show up to class and go right home after, you don’t feel connected to the community. By putting yourself out there and joining clubs and organizations, it helps to make UMaine feel more like home.” 

Johnson continues sharing her love for involvement and a sense of community through the organizations she has joined here at UMaine. 

On Monday, April 22 at 7 p.m., fifth-year theater student Callaghan Sue Carter took to the stage to announce the start of her capstone performance, “22- A Showcase on Mental Illness.” Sharing a piece of herself with each person in the audience, Carter used her monologues to open up about mental illness and the struggles of being a college student.

Seven students, along with Carter herself, performed the monologues she had written about various subjects. Each one ranged in length, style, emotion and topic. Hosted in the Al Cyrus Pavilion Theater, the intimate space allowed for a quiet and pensive environment for the show to take place.

“It was really cool to see my life played out on stage through the lens of other people. I got to see them perform and act out what I had written,” Carter said. “I wrote and directed the show myself, so seeing how the actors perceived and performed what I wrote really inspired me.”

Carter’s monologues centered around stories from her life and many hard to address topics such as mental illness, sexual assault, death, anxiety and depression. These monologues were written as part of Carter’s senior capstone project.

“I started writing these monologues in September and have been working on them since then, making sure to shed light on the things that are important to me,” Carter said. “We then started to rehearse for the show in early March and everything came together to get the show where it is today.”

Dressed in black, the actors in the show each walked up to the stage and performed their individual monologues. The actors included Lia MacLellan, Katie Luck, Sophia Crockette, Nellie Ickes-Coon, Keely Gonyea, Callaghan Carter and Owen Sinclair. Carter performed the seventh and penultimate monologue in her show, titled “That Kind of Love.” Her piece shared stories about being in love and working to cope with a long distance relationship.

“Sitting through this performance was very emotional. Everyone in the audience was completely silent as these actors poured their hearts out through Callie’s words.” first-year bio-premed and theater student Autumn Rogers said. “Although the event was short, it made a long-lasting impact on me and everyone who I went to see it with.”

The first monologue of the night, titled “Tuna Fish Sandwiches” talked about a story of divorce and the toll that it can have on a child’s life, and the trust issues that go along with it. After this monologue was performed, Katie Luck took the stage and recited her part of the show called “Some Days Are Better Than Others,” a short story about depression and hopelessness. Other monologue titles performed include “I’m Drowning,” recited by Nellie-Ickes-Coon, “Mine” by Keely Gonyea and “Dear One” by Owen Sinclair.

“Originally I wanted to direct a full-length play, but we didn’t have the time or money to produce another show in program. Being a creative writing minor and theater major, I wanted to find something that could combine the two, so I decided on this medium,” Carter said. “I have also always been a mental illness advocate, so sharing stories from my own life and about mental illness was really inspiring for me.”

The site of the event, the Al Cyrus Pavillion Theater, is often used to showcase small student and university performances, in order to create a specific mood and setting that goes well with each project. The stage was set up with a white backdrop, covered in framed colorful photos. One small chair was used as a prop by the some of the actors as they read their monologues, and the simplistic setting allowed the audience to focus their attention on the actors and their confessions. Callaghan designed the set herself and chose the theater space. The show was performed one night only.

“A word of advice – if you’re gonna write your capstone, don’t cram it,” Carter said. “I crammed mine in during my last year here, but if you’re really passionate about the topic you choose, it won’t feel like a ton of work, and you’ll learn from your experience.”

Friends and family of Carter stayed after the event to talk with her about the show and to celebrate her work. Carter used her capstone to advocate for and expose the struggles of mental illness and hopes to continue doing this with other projects.

On April 19, outside of Raymond H. Fogler Library at the University of Maine, students gathered together to participate in the annual SlutWalk. Sponsored and hosted by the UMaine Feminist Collective, SlutWalk is part of a series of events known as “Beautiful Week.”

“Beautiful Week and SlutWalk focus on celebrating your body and yourself, and is increasingly essential in the campus’ current conversation around adequate mental health resources,” Miranda Snyder, a second-year secondary education and English student, said. “They are contingent on being intersectional and celebrating everyone’s bodies, experiences, and identities, which is a celebration that ought not to happen only once a year, but be normalized into an everyday cultural practice.”

The other events held this week have included a “Self-Love Spectacular” on Monday, April 15, where students worked on self-care activities and crafts, and made friendship bracelets. On Wednesday, April 17, in the FFA room of the Memorial Union, the Feminist Collective held their first ever discussion on ableism. The week is meant to celebrate the beauty of all human beings and the celebration of our diversity and equality.

“The Feminist Collective is contingent on intersectional activism. That means that we take all aspects of identity, whether it be race, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, in our activism,” Snyder said. “We are working diligently to become more intersectional and aware advocates, and using whatever privilege we possess to boost other voices. Specifically, we have focused on and will continue to focus on current events, ecofeminism, reproductive justice, sex positivity, race, body positivity, ableism and more.”

The SlutWalk is an effort to make women feel empowered and comfortable in their own skin. Students met in front of the library wearing what made them feel confident. During the march, participants held up signs with phrases that criticize slut-shaming and other derogatory terms towards women. Many women were dressed in revealing clothing in order to take a stand against the belief that sexual assault occurs when attackers are provoked by the clothing women wear. The students marched around the mall while chanting and shouting words of empowerment.

“Being a part of the Feminist Collective has made me into the advocate, leader and friend I am today. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have been given via this group to create events and activist activities that are important to me, and am very proud of how they have turned out,” Snyder said. “However, my great experience wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible friendships and partnerships that this activist community has given me. I have learned boatloads about my internalizations about feminism, feminism as a whole, and how it can be wielded to help those who need it most.”

Many students turned out for the event and attended Beautiful Week activities in order to support the Feminist Collective. Organizations such as the Feminist Collective and the Women’s Resource Center have been created on campus in order to provide a safe space for students and to advocate for women’s rights and feminism.

“I always love to watch the SlutWalk when I’m walking to class every year,” Kimberly Stoddard, third-year parks, recreation and tourism student, said. “It makes me so happy to see women fighting for their rights and for what they believe in, we need more of that on this campus and in this world.”

SlutWalk is not only an event on UMaine’s campus, but is also a world-wide movement fighting to end rape culture and slut shaming of sexual assault victims. On April 3, 2011, the first-ever SlutWalk was held in Toronto, Ontario, with thousands of people gathering in Queen’s Park. This is when SlutWalk rallies started taking place after a police officer made a public comment about women needing to stop dressing in a revealing way in order to decrease sexual assault victim numbers. SlutWalks have taken place throughout the United States, Australia, Europe, Latin American and Asia, being termed other names like “La Marcha de las Putas” and the “Swiss SlutWalk.”

“It is vital to have events like SlutWalk on a college campus, specifically ours, since college campuses are oftentimes breeding grounds for rape culture,” Snyder said. “SlutWalk’s message that what you are wearing does not warrant assault is increasingly necessary with Betsy Devos’ revisions of Title IX policies.”