During a pivotal point in the production of BritPop, the band Blur formed in 1988. With nine albums, the band proves to remain incredibly popular after their peak in the 1990s in Great Britain. The most recent album, “The Ballad of Darren,” was released eight years after the bands break up. Encapsulating sounds and mixed genres, Blur manages to capture all types of listeners from the screaming fangirls to the hardcore headbangers. Even more so, they somehow managed to alter their sound so much throughout their heyday. 

Blur was made up of frontman Damon Albarn, who now is the main mastermind behind the animated band Gorillaz; guitarist Graham Coxon; bassist and cheesemonger Alex James; and drummer/former Labor Party councilor for Norfolk county, David Rowntree. The band had incredible chemistry at the start. However, like many popular bands, they soon dissipated over the years due to creative differences. Coxon left the band before the release of their album, “Think Tank.” Hence why the album’s lack of guitar and more experimental sound. Despite that, they managed to console their differences and came back in 2015 with the release of “The Miracle Whip.”

Albarn, the band’s lead songwriter, brought themes of warning, pride and success into beautiful ballads like “Running to Stand Still” and powerful alternative rock bangers like the popular “Song 2.” There are also pop songs like “Country Song” and funky Gorillaz-like sounds like “Crazy Beat.” The albums, “Parklife,” “The Great Escape,” and “Modern Life is Rubbish” are the bands peak BritPop phase. Groovy dance tunes like “Girls and Boys,” “Charmless Man,” and “For Tomorrow” capture the fun of being young in London and the culture of the 90s through the eyes of the band. As described by Coxon, “Country Song” reflects the band heading down the image of a caricature. However, the public viewed the song as a fight against Oasis’s “Roll With It” for number one on the charts. The public also found the Blur song to be worthy of the winner of the Battle of BritPop, creating a “rivalry” within the media between the two bands. 

The band returned in 2023 with two concert dates in London, England that sold out with fans of all ages seeking to see the band perform once again. Images from the performance are a rather interesting sight since it is a sea of people coming out to see a band who are no longer as relevant as they once were. But, to the audience, they are. Blur is the kind of band that shows the impact that smaller music groups have on people. Their more popular songs are no match to the band’s fans who enjoy the wilder, experimental side of the group. A lot of people can recognize the sound of “Song 2’s”  infamous “Woo Hoo!” and sing along to it. However, not a lot of people can recognize the name of the band or what the song is called​​—a worldwide influence, reduced to a single song to be remembered by. A deeper dive into the band’s discography can introduce listeners to a whole other world of music variety that might be a new enjoyment to those who dare to try them out.

It is interesting to see if the band will continue to make music, as the latest album takes a rather somber approach, and the members are all doing their own projects. However, through all their projects they came back together so who knows, they might surprise us all again.

Maybe it was because Gorillaz’s last album was not the greatest, and they needed something to make up for Albarn’s time being spent towards Blur once more. Either way, it’s nice to see something new remind many of the old they continue to love. 

You can find Blur on any streaming service.

As I get closer to graduating from this fine establishment, the job market has never felt more confining. As a high school student, finding a job consisted of a lot of tears. As a college student, in my first year, the world was my oyster, but I don’t particularly enjoy seafood. As a college student in my final year, it’s back to tears. However, the difference now is that I have more experience than I had in high school. I am at that point in my college semester where I am so close to graduating and the busiest I have ever been. I feel as if I don’t have time for a job right now, but I desperately need one by the time I am out of the safety and stability of a college campus.

In high school, I was particularly picky with what I wanted to apply to. These high expectations of not wanting to work at a fast food restaurant or a customer service job left me with nothing for a long time. I was frustrated I did not have experience, but I needed a job to get experience. I was mad at that concept more than anything else. I also wasn’t really applying anywhere because I was a stuck–up child. I finally got a job at a customer service position, which was horrifying. Holiday help at a popular retail store known to have an abundance of “Karens” forced me to figure my shit out really quickly. Luckily, I was in the back of the store with stock and fulfilling online orders, which was fun. When it got busy, it was all hands on deck, and I had to interact with people. I soon left that seasonal job and took up dog house watching until college.

I was very lucky at college. Incredibly lucky. I somehow landed a front office assistant work study job before the start of my first year, and I worked at the job until it could no longer serve me what I needed. It was a wonderful job to have with great people. It was a perfect job for someone who needed to make enough money to feel comfortable but without the added stress of needing to pay for rent, food and gas. It was perfect for those nights I wanted Pad Thai instead of York Hall, as well as feeding into my concert and clothing addiction. As a summer job, I found myself at a kennel learning how to be around 60 to 70 dogs at once and care for other fur babies, but not humans, which was nice at times. Still, I lacked the important customer service skills. It became incredibly stressful very quickly since dogs aren’t humans, and not all are as sweet as you think they are. You make a list of dogs you don’t want after that job. The next summer, I landed a job at a shoe store, and loved every minute of it. I learned I am a people person, one who and I could handle a busy store at its peak and not get stressed out. Pressure is a privilege, as they say. 

I also landed the job of culture editor at this newspaper at some point. I loved it. However, I became incredibly busy, and I wanted my Sundays off for a time before I would never have the luxury again. Hey, I’m still writing, just as a contributor, which is much more manageable for me at the moment. After all these odd jobs, I really needed something that was more suited to my major. I landed a research assistant job that I love, and found what I wanted to do with my life because of it. 

Life started to pick up. I had not worked a job that fit the field of either of my majors. Car, apartment, fancy Europe trip…those all add up rather quickly, which my mother warned me of. It felt like a gunshot to the heart. All those savings are gone in an instant. I remember my sister going through college. She lived off campus for the majority of her college career. She left job after job and moved around a lot. At one point, she slept on friend’s couches and worked as a nanny. Her financial instability scared me. She was in poverty for a time while in school. That is not something I wanted to find myself in. She bounced around from job to job, but she’s finally at a stable place. I wish I could find that, but these things take time.

I can’t compare myself to my roommates who work these high–profile STEM jobs, who have damn near 4.0 GPAs and find the time to look great while doing it. Living on campus has helped me maintain the finances I have at the moment, but I’ll be on my own next year. Student loans are haunting my dreams. I’ve started applying around, and thankfully, people are responding. I’ve had three job interviews this week, hopefully one being something. I’ve applied to coffee shops, retail stores and admissions positions at colleges, hoping something will land. Ideally, I want a nine to five and a salary, but I can’t be too picky. Plasma donation doesn’t sound that bad right now, but that’s not a stable career. 

I really hope someone will give me a chance. On the outside, during interviews, I have my most confident self. On the inside, I feel like a spaz. I haven’t lost hope yet. I’m just now learning how brutal the job market is. It’ll be even worse when I throw myself into the academic job pool. I’ve heard that it is cutthroat there, and you take what you can get. So exciting. But, for now, I just need something that’ll help my major or, at the bare minimum, be fun, not demeaning and pay for my rent. 

If anyone wants another show that will rip their heart out and put it on a plate, Apple TV’s production of “Lessons in Chemistry” is just the show for you. 

Based on the book by Bonnie Garmus, the story follows chemist Elizabeth Zott as she navigates being a working woman and mother in the 1960s. The show tackles sexism in the workplace and the role of women in a society in which gender roles were extremely defined. Zott begins to inform the women around her of the endless possibilities women can have regardless of what the men around them think.

Garmus got the idea for the book from her own experience in a male dominated workplace and a particular idea being stolen by a male co-worker. 

The show begins with Zott working as a lab technician at Hastings Research Institute where the women at the institute either work as secretaries or lab technicians. We learn that Zott was on her way to earn her Ph.D. in Chemistry, but after being sexually assaulted by her advisor, she was expelled from the program and is extremely cautious about being alone with men behind closed doors due to the trauma of her experience. 

Zott has a particular love for cooking, often trying a variety of different variables and trials to create delicious and healthy recipes. She is asked to unwillingly participate in the institute’s pageant as the rest of the women at the institute are dismayed by the way Zott holds herself. However, Zott attracts young successful chemist Calvin Evans. The two begin working with each other on the science of DNA and eventually become romantically involved. 

Zott has made it very clear at this point that she does not want to get married because she wants her work to be her own and recognized for it, not for her husband to be the one who would receive the credit. 

After a traumatic loss, Zott falls into a deep period of grief and is particularly hit hard with denial. Amongst her denial, she finds that she is pregnant. Due to the nature of workplaces in the 60s, she is fired from her job and begins to raise her child, Mad (named for the mental state in which she was feeling when Mad was born). Zott raises Mad alone, with support from her attorney neighbor Harriet Sloane, who is fighting for the end of the construction of the highway through their backyards. She earns money by quietly doing the math work of Hasting employees.

Zott learns that one of the scientists at Hastings plagiarized her work and claimed all the credit for her research on amino acids. 

Several years later, Mad, who, like her mother, is incredibly bright, befriends a lonely girl in elementary school. Mad begins giving the girl her lunch. Zott finds out and approaches the girl’s father at his work, a television station, and he offers her a cooking television show. She accepts the job and is quickly popular among housewives for her empowering words and blunt persona. 

Meanwhile, Mad’s character arc extends as she begins a search for who her father was and unlocks the secrets of who the recluse Calvin Evans was. 

Award-winning actress Brie Larson portrays Zott and brings the bluntness and brilliance of the troubled woman into her character quite well. She manages to capture Zott’s phase of grief with fervor and creates a sense of anxiety and uneasiness with the audience as we navigate her loss with her. 

Lewis Pullman portrays Evans rather well. He manages to capture the awkward and “too intelligent” for his own good man. Kevin Sussman, known as his character Stuart in “The Big Bang Theory,” has a nice change from the comic book loving geek to a stressed out television executive, Walter Pine, who is also a single parent. 

Aja Naomi King plays Sloane with strength and dedication radiating as the woman who has no time for nonsense but all the time in the world to support those she loves. Rainn Wilson guest stars as a big time TV executive (and plays a dick personality rather well) alongside Marc Evan Jackson as Dr. Leland Mason, who, in my opinion, does not act and plays the same character in everything he does. 

The show manages to encompass the 60s and gender roles a little too well, as well as racism during the Civil Rights movement. It also tackles the religion v. science argument, as many characters either struggle with their faith or are willing to accept differing beliefs all together. 

The heartwarming show is no stranger to the ability to tug on heartstrings, of course, after the rather energetic and happy opening song of “Wham Bam Rebop Doo.” 

Beautiful lake scenes and the ability to make Los Angeles look better than it actually is make the show picturesque and cinematically pretty. The show leads the audience through a variety of stories that intertwine creating the story of Zott. Since the show does kind of mess with the audience’s trust issues early on, it keeps the audience guessing and on their toes. However, it maintains their presence as it makes up for its actions by the end. 

You can find the limited series of “Lessons in Chemistry” on Apple TV+.

I waited a few days to process the film to decrease whatever bias I may have had for the picture. As difficult as it may seem, there are fragments of that remaining in this review. So proceed with caution, and see the film if you like, regardless of my criticism.

On March 1, 2024, Director Denis Villeneuve and Warner Bros. Studios released the concluding sequel to the 2021 release of the movie Dune. The first movie was years in the making, with fans of the books patiently anticipating its release. A stacked cast of the likes of Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Josh Brolin brought a rather eventful and stunning first film. The CGI was quite mesmerizing as the captivating world of Arrakis was projected onto the big screen. Most certainly a drastic change from the 1984 classic starring Kyle MacLauchlan in his first role and Sting from the Police. The film is hokey by today’s standards, but nonetheless, it is an amazing movie for those who are fans of science fiction and books. Yet, the three-year wait for the 2021 sequel made all those feelings of anticipation and love for the book dissipate.

If it is not already obvious, I like the book. I dragged my boyfriend out to the theater with me, under the promise that he would get perhaps the best piece of marketing for a film ever: the popcorn bucket.

I have probable cause to believe that the popcorn bucket brought the mass wave of people to go see the film because, without it, I don’t think the film would have reached as large of an audience or gotten people talking about it.  The 2-hour and 46-minute movie was worth the free ticket students get at the Black Bear Cinemas in Orono, ME, on Wednesday, but I would not have spent the regular $12-15 ticket price.

The first half of the movie was decent, so to speak. The fine line of creative liberties was being plucked like a wash basin bass. The second half of the book is quite short. There is a time jump of three years, which would make the movie an hour and 30 minutes rather than nearly three hours. The second half of the movie felt like three years and could have ended on four separate occasions. It followed more of the book than the first half did, but the movie’s actual ending was stupid. For one, Lady Jessica never gave birth to Alia, Chani was never pregnant with Paul’s son Leto, and a good portion of the film never happened in the books. I did not hate all of it. The fight scene between Feyd-Ratha and Paul was pretty cool, except for the open-mouth heavy breathing. That was hilarious and downplayed the entire scene. Other than the well-choreographed fight scenes and the sandworms, I wasn’t really impressed. Hans Zimmer always manages to create the perfect eerie sci-fi music to capture a moment.

I would not have been upset with the creative liberties if there were not so many, but I guess the director wanted more Zendaya and turned Lady Jessica into a frightening, evil villain character. I also think it was an interesting choice to introduce Feyd-Ratha, one of the leading villains, HALFWAY through the second movie in an unsettling black-and-white scene, once again with creative liberties and having a fun time pressing the limits of the book. I think the movie relied too much on its cast to attract audiences. It felt like the who’s who of the millennial film industry. All the actors and actresses who are popular and big right now were in this movie. The aforementioned Chamalet and Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, Austin Butler, and the cherry on top is a cameo appearance by Anya Taylor Joy that made me yell in the theater to create a new type of the  “Rat Pack” the “That Pack” (because they’re all that).

One of the thoughts that flashed through my head was, “Are modern films supposed to be watched on drugs?” because it sure felt like I was on them watching this movie. Maybe it’s because attention spans have been cut in half. The constant explosions hiding actors in the dust and then popping up out of nowhere, barely seeing what is going on, mind-boggling CGI of airships flying and explosions hiding the ships in the dust and then popping up out of nowhere, and a few scenes where they kind of just ended without any explanation or follow up on them that could have been cut from the movie and made the 2 hours and 46-minute movie into at most 2 hours. For instance, there is a scene where Stilgar, played by Javier Bardem, tells Paul to cross the desert as a test, and he gets halfway. Then, the scene cuts to Chani teaching Paul how to use the windshields. So, did he finish the test? I couldn’t tell you. Most certainly, it was not necessary to have. Likewise, there was a CGI part towards the end of the movie that looked like the Death Star in Star Wars, although the CGI Star Wars looked better than that one scene.

I hate to say it, but I will. Christopher Walken was not the best choice for the role of the emperor. There had to have been someone else, for instance, to have Maclauchlan show up as a cameo as an homage to his first role, or even someone really big right now, such as Daniel Craig or Cillian Murphy. Honestly, the casting was so wishy-washy that I made a rundown of the actors and whether or not they were the best choice for the role:

• Chalamet as Paul: Absolutely not. The actor needs to be typecast as a Victorian child, like his role in Little Women.
• Zendaya as Chani: It’s Zendaya. She could play a monster, and she would be great.
• Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica: I think she did quite well. She embodied all aspects of the character’s motherly yet distant stern teacher role but should not have been as scary as she was.
• Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan: She was alright.
• Josh Brolin as Gurney Halick: A good choice; not much else to say about it.
• Javier Bardem as Stilgar: I loved him. He was a perfect choice, and he carried the movie.
• Stellen Skarsgard as Baron Harkonnen: I loved him. He was the perfect choice and carried the movie.
• Austin Butler as Feyd-Ratha: It was fine, but I could only see him as that kid from Zoey 101.
• Dave Bautista as Rabban: There was one part where all I could think about was his line as Drax: “My reflexes are so fast that nothing would ever go over my head.” Other than that, he was great.
• Léa Seydoux as Margot Fenning: She was kind of just tossed in the movie, not really needed. It made me think it was cast just because she’s popular right now.
• Charlotte Rampling as Gaius Helen: The character pissed me off, which means as an actress, she did it right

The movie received criticism and backlash for representing imperialism, which, from that perspective, the white man controlling a major colored population in the desert and treating him like a messiah can cater to that controversy. I remember someone calling it Arab propaganda” even though we have been in conflict with them for years.  However, if you know the context of the book, “Lawrence of Arabia” influenced Frank Herbert, the 1916 event turned 1962 movie when the book was published in 1965, yes which is the white man messiah trope, but also other moments in history that were not just relying on Islamic influences or imperialism. He also incorporated all religions into his book and was one of the early environmental and ecology commentators. I like to think about how the movie would have gone over if Freman had been played by white actors and actresses, like in the 1984 movie. Would there have been as much controversy, or would there be more since they are white and there is no diversity in the movie? His book was ahead of its time, and you would think society nowadays would appreciate it, but the movie leaves that out.

It’s interesting to see the contrast between the three films, 1984, 2021, and 2024, and how each, the same franchise, received different opinions just because of how it is portrayed. Creative liberties may help influence a movie, but nowadays, it seems they may hinder or force the message they are trying to portray. However, film can be a powerful tool with the right group of people, effects, and a moderate amount of purpose. I think that Dune II did not find the correct measurements for the formula, and it was not as good as it could have been.

I have had to take a step back from writing my column for The Maine Campus for a few weeks as my life has just started to take off. You think with everything everyone has taught you, what the media has told you, and what you think that it is going to be like, everything is not what you expected it to be. It is, however, a great ole slap in the face that lets you wake up from the safety of the school atmosphere and slingshots you into the world of student loans, taxation, and the fear that you will ever have fun again looming over your head. I have begun trying to find a career I want to spend my life doing, and all I have found is that I am lost. In the remainder of this article, I will discuss some of the things I have experienced that all college graduates will experience all too soon.

In the past few weeks, I spent a lot of money on a new car (more on that later), an apartment, a vacation I planned for years, and on living. Everything sort of racked up, and eventually, the bank account went PEWWWWW. Likewise, I will probably be $20,000 in debt when I leave college, and that will take me at most 20 years to pay off. Not to mention the fear of hidden expenses of missing a credit card payment, the car breaking down unexpectedly, and not wanting to make dinner that one night of the week when you’re really craving Pad Thai. So, that is when the stress kicked in.

The stress got worse when my job cut back on my hours and made it known to me I was not really needed anymore because the semester was slowing down, and that’s understandable, so I resigned from that position because I needed the hours as you can see from the previous paragraph. I also resigned because, as nice as the job was to have for my first few years, it’s time I do something that relates to my major. I am a little concerned as well that I will fall victim to the “get rich quick” Ponzi or pyramid schemes that college students are quite often victim to. They have been going around campus for a bit now, and that was a bit worrisome and something students need to look out for. So, FYI, do not take a job if someone offers it to you without an interview first, if you are “your own boss,” or if you are selling knives.

Now, for the fun part. After three years of bumming rides off my fellow classmates, I have my own car. The registration process was incredibly easy through the town of Orono for anyone interested. However, the vehicle tax in Maine is a shock. Jesus Christ, that was a shock, but the roads are clear in the winter, which is nice. All that needs to be fixed now are those potholes so the car can drive without losing its muffler. The thing is, I bought a manual car. I don’t know how to drive a manual car, so now is the fun part of relearning how to drive a car, but I don’t need to do the driver’s test again, thank goodness. What better way to learn to stick than to be forced to do so? That was the common consensus with all the adults I’ve talked to about the car this week. But the good news is, the car will never be stolen. As my boyfriend puts it, it is “a natural Millennial anti-theft device.” I do love the car, though. It was definitely worth the purchase. I now feel that sense of freedom everyone talks about when you go to college once I get past the hill starts.

As much as I have been complaining about the cost of everything, I know it will all be worth it in the long run. Graduation is coming up, and that is frightening. The semester has gone fast, as they all say. But for some reason, I feel I wasted college a bit. I am not wrong in this statement. I definitely spent my first year cooped up in my dorm room because I was depressed and refused to get out of the shell of protection I made for myself. I spent my time focusing on my grades and work but not on job experience or things that would make me happy. I could have done more there. But, in my second year, I branched out and started to do more. I think I did too much because I felt like I had little time to do anything, but I made new connections and more experiences than I would have been afraid to do the year prior. Now, in my final year, I’ve never felt so much more stress, but I know it is all for the better. Hopefully, the chances I take this year will help me in the long run; I think that is what we all wonder when we get close to graduation. I also wonder, “Am I doing the right thing?” and “Is this warranted?” I have been asking myself those questions a lot lately, and frankly, after a lot of thought, I think I am.

I will find out soon enough.

It’s been a while since I’ve written a television review, so bear with me. Now, this has been a year for television. I could write about the series finales of “Ted Lasso,” “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Big Mouth,” or the shocking endings to “Barry” and “The Great.” Familiar favorites like “The Goldbergs” and “Shameless” have also concluded. Like I said, it’s been a year for television. 

However, there is one show that deserves special attention. The show is about a college student in her final year who has fallen victim to the dear old senioritis but would not let that define who she is because she has requirements to meet and expectations to follow. It is the age-old classic, TV-defining, career-defining, pop culture phenomenon…“Jersey Shore.” 

Ahhh yes, “Jersey Shore.” My generation grew up hearing about the show but knowing absolutely nothing about it except for the fist-pumping and spray tans. For me, “Jersey Shore” meant Snooki and the impersonation of Snooki by Bobby Moynihan in the Church Chat skit in the infamous Dana Carvey-hosted episode of SNL. If you don’t know it, the church lady says that Snooki is possessed, Bill Hader comes out as a priest to exorcize her, Moynihan laughs it off, he touches her hair, and Moynihan chokes him out as an act of possession. This is all of “Jersey Shore” that I knew about.

It was a shock for me to find out that it ran from 2009-12. For all I knew, it came out in 2004. Lemme tell you, I’ve discovered a whole other world that existed behind the recession of 2008 and came to define television for a generation. It turns out that this show is examined in university media classes around the country, and after having watched the show, I understand that it is a great choice for culture. 

If you don’t know what “Jersey Shore” is, I don’t know how you don’t, but if you don’t, it is a reality television show (there’s your hint) with eight roommates of Italian-American heritage, aka Guido/Guidette (which has come to be a derogatory term) living it up on the “Jersey Shore.” Not your average role models, but entertaining, for sure. 

Why would a college student watch this show? Other than a very fun drinking game that was created by MTV, I know that I am actually not going crazy or will never be. The show centers your chakra. Mindless television of people with too much hair spray, a spray tan to put Ross Geller to shame, and blown out-of-proportion arguments that show either side not listening to the other is soothing. It makes you realize your life is better than you think it is. 

Only two of the cast members are confirmed to have Italian heritage. The show in itself is incredibly problematic. The toxic on/off relationship of Sammi and Ronni that goes on for six seasons, climaxing at the infamous note, aids you in recognizing that the relationships in your life are probably much healthier. The roommates showing up late to work or skipping work to drink isn’t the best advice, but yet again, they’re getting paid thousands for each episode. The constant fighting fueled by drugs, lying (Angelina in herself is a fucking headache), the occasional blurred private parts and backstabbing that somehow gets resolved by sleeping with one another creates the perfect cocktail of trash. 

On the other hand, it has produced moments of pop culture history that echo with time. Remember, “Come at me, bro?” Anyone who went to middle school/elementary school during this time can remember being told that by a kid on the playground. That’s from “Jersey Shore.” Snooki is getting arrested for being drunk on the beach and gets punched by a man in a bar. Pauly D yelling, “CABS ARE HERE.” Snooki and Deena get sent to Times Square as a prank. Some powerful one-liners like “You’re the Rob Kardashian of Staten Island,” “Cain wouldn’t have taxed spray tans,” “No, she died,” and the famous last words of “My only rule: never fall in love in the Jersey Shore.” New Jersey is forgotten as the garden state. For us kids, it is known as the shore state.

I am almost done with the show, I am on season four, where the gang goes to Italy. With wholesome moments of friendship and comedy, it’s not all trash. After all, reality TV nowadays is extremely questionable. All the dating shows, rich family shows, and home remodel shows are just products post “Jersey Shore” with still the same levels of extreme drama and a sprinkle of increased self-esteem for the viewer. It turns out I’ve met a lot of people who have watched the show. It’s an easy conversation starter that excites those who enjoy the show. It’s pretty incredible for something questionable in quality. That’s the beauty of television; occasionally, there’s a show worth discussing. 

“Jersey Shore” can be found on HULU alongside its current revival show on season 6.

I’m going to complain, and I hope you enjoy it. When I first decided to go to the University of Maine for college, everyone who lived in Maine or visited Maine or knew anything about the school never failed to inform me that the hockey games were the talk of the town. I was told stories of the lines reaching the mall and having to arrive hours in advance if I wanted a semi-decent seat, or any seat, for that matter.

Well, in my first year, I was depressed and never left my room. The second year, I started going and met a group of friends to go to the games with. I remember commenting on how empty the stadium was and hearing how, the year before, we were at the bottom of the table. Likewise, how lame some of the cheers and chants were, having come from a school that had a pretty extensive history with winning and fun chants. 

An upside of the games, though, was seeing the familiar faces around us, the regulars who dedicated their time to support, for an honest description, a lackluster team but were alongside them when they began their ascent to the top. 

As the season went on, our team started winning and climbed the table. The seats around us began to fill in. We watched as the stadium physically changed towards the end of the season, and when this year’s season began, we were presented with a new Alfond. We were excited to see where this year would take us, as we knew it would be a race to the top. 

But, some things have happened that, instead of creating a new atmosphere of success and glory, have made us angry and embarrassed.

In the first game of the season, we were introduced to this new addition to the student section, the Maineiacs. For $10, you can be the proud owner of a cheaply made t-shirt that is effectively a fast past into the stadium. So, while people are waiting in the cold for two to three hours, you can stroll up to the line when doors open and get in first. Now, there are two perspectives. The Maineiacs see it as a perfect opportunity. The rest of us see it as a big capitalist fuck you. All I hear are complaints about the concept. It’s like this new thing that happens at airports, where someone, when you pay an absurd amount of money, SAVES YOUR SPOT AT TSA, which to anyone who has flown in a major airport has to arrive two to three hours ahead of time to get through that line. If you know this, you understand how frustrating it is. If you don’t, just wait. What happens if a lot of people purchase the shirt and effectively make the student section no longer free because they have to pay for a shirt? One of the greatest perks of being a student is free entry into games and events. Why spoil that just to get into the game first?

If you’re going to go to the student section, learn the chants and the cheers. It makes the section a lot more fun when a lot of people are dancing and cheering rather than doing nothing and sitting on their phones. Yes, it is a social event, but one where you engage with everything around you. Of course, it is your choice to do whatever you want at hockey games, but with the atmosphere and the people playing the sport, the whole experience is worthwhile if there is engagement. Athletes perform better when their audience is supportive and provides motivation. It hypes them up and makes the game worth playing. I don’t know where the Seven Nations Army chant came from, but it’s kind of dumb and unoriginal.

There’s a new crowd in town that thinks they own the place. What comes with success? More people. It is great to see the Alfond reach maximum capacity three games in a row when it is something that hasn’t been seen in a while. Season attendees are excited to see the old Alfond return to UMaine. Naturally, it comes with students who want to join in on the fun and watch as their fellow classmates battle it out on the ice. It is one thing when they come and make an effort to learn the ropes of the arena, but being assholes is unacceptable. Yelling “Fuck BC” during the color guard, throwing trash onto the ice, banging the expensive new electronic advertisement signs denying season ticket holders their seats, or giving them a hard time getting to their seats. Likewise, getting upset when people sit in their section that they sat in once when those people have been there for the season up to that point and claim it as their own and be dicks when those people are saving spots for their friends so that their friends can sit there instead. “Damn, bro, that sucks” is worth a punch in the face if you want to go there. You know, instead of being big shot tools, be happy to be with fellow fans instead of creating unnecessary turf wars. There are ways around it, but unless that’s not something that wants to be done, then let your decisions decide your fate, bitch. 

So much has been taken away from us at UMaine: Maine Day is on trial, and Bumstock is something we will never know; don’t let this be another thing we must worry about. The school is already in a rural area with little to do unless you have a car. This is something that we look forward to. Treat it kindly.

This Monday, my mom called me and updated me on a family friend who just started their first year at college. It’s not going well, is what she told me. Everything she said just kept hitting me blow after blow. It reminded me of how I felt my first year at college, almost to the tee. 

I reached out to them just to check in and the texts were few and far between. The stubbornness, the isolation, the hyper-fixation on school work— it was damaging. College is not just about a degree; it’s teaching you how to be a person with the independence sought at a young age. I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me, and from the conversations that I’ve had with peers, they were not informed of that either. It’s something that we have to figure out on our own. I don’t know if that is a good or a bad thing. Whatever it is, it Regardless, it kind of fucking sucks. The freshmen depression hits everyone, if not in their freshmen year, it’s gonna get you eventually.

I talked with many people to get their recommendations on beating freshmen depression. The overall consensus was to force yourself to get out and meet people. Clubs were the number one suggestion. Getting a job was another. Having someone who is an extrovert or an upperclassman adopt you and take you under your wing was another idea. Stay away from the RA events, but a few of the campus events can be very fun, depending on what they are. 

At our university, the sex mingo is very popular. School-sanctioned trips to big cities are a great opportunity to meet new people since you are kind of forced to spend hours with people in a car and in the city. What better way than that?

Of course, everything that I have suggested I did not do. Same with many of the people I talked to. For me, it was just kind of luck. Likewise, when you enter your second year, you tend to feel more confident and comfortable in your skin.  If you’ve ever been in that funk, you know how difficult it is to get out of it. It takes time; do not expect it to happen immediately. Of course, it is important to do well in classes, but they’re not everything. 

College is not going to be something to remember if you spend most of your time writing lab reports and papers. Time management is crucial; completing work in smaller chunks can really help in the long run. Meeting an assignment goal so that you can go hang out with friends can make things all the better.

But from someone who had kind of fallen out of the depression, go ahead and take these words with a grain of salt. But if you want your mom to continue to send you events on campus over text or have her make a post on the Facebook page asking for someone to be your friend, take the initiative and make the most out of your college career.

 Some people don’t go to college and find it very difficult to make friends outside of school. You’ve been handed a thousand-dollar ticket to make connections with people your own age. Likewise, the purpose of freshman friends is to ditch them immediately; they just help the process of making friends. The start is the hardest, but once it starts, it burns like wildfire, and then you’re on your way to making a fool of yourself in front of strangers, and that lab report isn’t everything anymore. 

The one-season Netflix series “The Society” follows the lives of the senior class of West Ham High School as they navigate life on their own after the sudden disappearance of everyone in their town. The students learn how difficult life can be on their own—not only in the context of survival but also in learning how to build and maintain a functional society. Equipped with spontaneous comedic relief, intense subplots and complex characters, “The Society” is a chaotic show you won’t be able to look away from. 

‘The Society’ begins by drawing viewers in through suspense and mystery. Not only does everyone in the town of West Ham suddenly disappear, but the teenagers soon discover that their previously suburban town is now completely isolated in seemingly endless woods. Roads abruptly end, and railroad tracks stop. Viewers are left feeling unsettled and nervous for what’s to come. 

A main part of the show centers around the high schoolers trying to establish a system of government. The teenagers struggle to implement something that is functional for their dire situation. It’s easy to get angry at some characters — ones who are openly defiant, unhelpful and harmful to the system. Other characters like Cassandra and Allie take on leadership roles to establish order. It’s interesting to watch how each character reacts to the implementation of certain governmental structures. Some become deeply offended by certain choices, while others don’t seem to care. 

At its core, “The Society” is a commentary on humanity. In the midst of a crisis, the citizens of New Ham discover that survival transcends the simple act of being physically alive. Human needs, understanding, love, community—are of equal importance. Some characters in “The Society” cultivate these intangible necessities by planning social engagements such as school dances and movie nights. Others lean on religion and spirituality, gathering in holy spaces on a regular basis.

Plot twists in the show are frequent and extremely dramatic. Cassandra, who willingly steps up to be the temporary leader of their new society, is murdered one night by an unknown killer. The tension and fear of the New Ham residents radiate through the screen. Ongoing worries and anxieties about running out of food permeate the season throughout. Even the partially happy ending—where an expedition party finds fields to farm and animals to eat—feels meager in comparison to the ever-increasing societal issues of New Ham. 

Although “The Society” is largely a show about a chaotic society with a weak structure, there’s comedic relief through character development. It’s easy for viewers to become invested in the characters and their relationships with one another. The show distinguishes their characters and their traits in obvious manners. Some are kind-hearted and quick to help others. The true intentions and personalities of certain characters are purposefully veiled, adding anxiety and mystery to the high schoolers’ already dire situation. 

Whether viewers look for drama, horror, comedy, or suspense, “The Society” has it all. 

“The Society” is available to watch with a Netflix subscription.

I haven’t been feeling myself this week. It hasn’t helped that the days have also been melding together. Through the stomach cramps and nausea, the scratchy throat and the flip between constipation and diarrhea, I have resorted to accept it for what it is, but I don’t really want to. The fear of weight gain haunts me as well, which is the main reason why I can’t let this go. I feel as if I am a member of a detective agency tasked with my final case before I get demoted to desk duty for too many fuck-ups on the job. I feel that if I don’t figure out the case in front of me I am doomed to let it haunt me. There goes my opportunity for employee of the month at the detective agency.

The combination of caffeine, which I swore to give up and made it a good 4-5 months of doing so, the lack of sleep I’ve been getting combined with a small amount of exercise, and underlying urge to look up every symptom I have on the internet haven’t been helping either. You know, maybe the case has been already solved; maybe I have my answer right here. But no, it has to be something worse. My mom, who has acted as an informant during this week, has provided some leads as to what is wrong but has also said to not worry much about it. 

So with this in mind, here are a list of possible things wrong:

• Stress
• Lack of sleep
• A stomach ulcer (this has been a possibility) 
• The overconsumption of greasy foods and the lack of proper exercise due to stress
• Anxiety fucking me in the ass because I read the news
• A cold that I caught from who knows where and that’s the kicker because I’ve been hanging with friends, who also have friends, who also have friends, who also have friends. That cycle doesn’t end.
• A cold that came from the cold weather
• Menstruation 
• Low blood sugar 
• Constipation
• Social anxiety, especially public speaking which can come from stress
• Is that a cold sore or acne on my lip?
• Covid-19
• Scabies or lyme disease 
• Allergies
• Homesickness
• The fact that I don’t have a dog and am very close to buying one
• Weight gain 

It brings some light into this case to know that I’m probably not the only one feeling this way. That’s how quickly anxiety can take control of the situation. But who else admits this? Not very many, and that makes me feel worse for even admitting it. Oh, but once it’s out there you can’t take it back and that’s when more anxiety kicks in. People so quickly claim you as an attention whore or some egotistical maniac who wants some sort of sympathy to feel better about themselves, or as some patient zero intent on purposely spreading their illness across the masses in order to fulfil their evil task for the day. Or at least that’s what you’re afraid of. Maybe I’m just making it worse than it is. Or maybe I’m not. 

But oh, the relief that comes from finally admitting how you feel to those around you and them not immediately judging or being quick to accuse you of being dramatic. Something that can make you feel better you want to cling onto until it finally becomes reality, the ideal leads to the never ending case. Yet I know that this feeling of sickness will go away soon, hopefully. But just like my urge to spend money on things I don’t need, such as a dog, it’s very difficult.