Need sustenance for your fall weekend plans? Just down the street from the University of Maine, the Donut GroVe is a new vegan specialty donut shop. Owners Tiffany Harris and Tracy Vassiliev have been selling their creations since 2020, offering a variety of flavors made with locally sourced ingredients. Located next to The Local and across from OHOP, the Donut GroVe is a go-to spot to satisfy any palette. 

Harris and Vassiliev’s business began as a humble pandemic project. Harris, particularly, was intrigued by specialty donuts, which often include intricate toppings and unique flavors. She was inspired by certain donuts found in major cities like New York and Boston. There was just one problem: Harris was vegan, and many of these donuts were not. Taking matters into her own hands, she began crafting her own vegan recipe to share with friends and family. Tracy Vassiliev, who has known Harris since high school, began helping her make the donuts. Soon afterward, Harris and Vassiliev began their successful business at farmers’ markets in Bangor. 

“We’d sell out, we couldn’t make enough donuts,” Harris said. 

Although vegan specialty donuts might not be Bangor’s most popular food item, interest in their farmer’s market booth helped the pair realize that there was a niche market for them. The two recall one vegan customer who had just finished hiking Katahdin, overjoyed to try their donuts after an exhausting trip. 

Although business was steady at the farmers’ market, Harris and Vassiliev ultimately wanted something more permanent. The construction process for their future shop proved to be harder than expected. Harris and Vassiliev described their learning curve as being almost vertical. Renovation of their space took eleven months.

“We thought we would be open in March…we didn’t finally open until September,” Vassiliev said. 

Their opening day, although hectic, proved to be rewarding. 

“We had no idea what to expect, and we thought we could just make donuts during the day, but we just couldn’t meet demand…we sold out by nine,” Vassiliev said. 

Especially around opening day, the pair were grateful to their friends and family for their unwavering support. 

“There’s no way we could have done this with just the two of us,” Vassiliev said. 

Although the pair still encounter challenges, they aren’t easily discouraged. The Donut GroVe is their “passion project,” a dream they’re fulfilling for themselves. Both Harris and Vassiliev work during the week, so their weekend commitment to the business is a testament to their steadfast dedication. 

“It’s just what we do. We love it. It is almost cathartic when you come in, and it’s early in the morning, and it’s quiet,” Vassiliev said. 

Harris and Vassiliev are aware of the negative opinions that some hold against vegan food. The underlying preconceived notion is that vegan food simply does not and cannot taste good. The Donut GroVe’s treats are evidence against this outlook. The pair don’t want the vegan element of their food to discourage customers from trying it. 

“Our goal is to sell to everyone and have them not know that they’re vegan,” Harris said. 

It really is hard to tell that the donuts are vegan. They have fluffy interiors and crispy, fried exteriors. Flavors are numerous, including molasses, potato, sweet potato, vanilla and chocolate. Seasonal flavors, like pumpkin and ginger, are crowd favorites. Other popular flavors include peanut butter chocolate and lemon poppyseed.

It’s obvious that these donuts are hand-crafted specialty items. Each component tastes original. 

“Everything that’s made — every jelly, jam, every topping…we make it all…so it takes time. So they’re really specialty items,” Harris said. 

The two have realized that they can utilize their specific strengths to run their business smoothly. Harris works on creative endeavors like creating new donut flavors, while Vassiliev works on the business aspect. 

“Tiffany is a wizard at social media. She’s the one that takes these gorgeous pictures and comes up with witty sayings,” Vassiliev said. 

The Donut GroVe is currently open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The pair hope to extend their hours in the upcoming months. They are located at 153 Park St, Orono, Maine. The Donut GroVe’s Instagram account can be found at https://www.instagram.com/the_donut_grove/?hl=en.

Oliva Rodrigo’s highly anticipated sophomore album “GUTS” was released on Sept. 8  2023, preceded by popular singles such as “vampire” and “bad idea right?” The 12 track album tackles the turmoil of difficult romantic relationships, personal struggles and raw, unfiltered rage. 

The album kicks off with “all-american bitch,” an intense track which violently oscillates between fast and slow beats. Rodrigo’s angry sarcasm hangs heavy over each verse, clear through lines like “I don’t get angry when I’m pissed / I’m the eternal optimist / I scream inside to deal with it, like, ‘Ah.’” The song closes with Rodrigo knocking on a door, greeting the person who answers at the beginning of the next track “get him back!” — a witty end to the first track of a witty album. 

Although the title “GUTS” implies that the album’s contents might be vibrantly bold, many fans were still surprised by the assertive yet honest quality of some lyrics. In “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” Rodrigo complains about the discomforts of appearing awkward in social settings. She sings, “Thought your mom was your wife (Ah) / Called you the wrong name twice (Ah).” Rodrigo’s ability to seamlessly combine the humorous and the upsetting is well-exemplified in this song. The instrumental mimics the sentiments expressed in the song — sporting jarring, thunderous and twisted sounds. 

Other tracks on the album lack such excited, peppy tones. Rodrigo’s song “‘the grudge” deals with the inner turmoil of being in an emotionally taxing relationship. She sings, “And I try to understand why you would do this all to me / You must be insecure, you must be so unhappy.” The background music is a mellow, simple piano melody, reflecting the melancholic tones of Rodrigo’s lyrics. Her ability to touch the hearts of her listeners through both chaotic and calm songs is one of her strong-suits. It allows for variety in her albums—a song for every kind of listener.

Rodrigo frequently makes use of repetition to emphasize her emotions, often with phrases such as “You lied” from “logical” and “I’ve tried” from “the grudge.” She uses these kinds of techniques to voice experiences with relationships, insecurity, anger and guilt. Rodrigo’s use of oxymorons, such as the lyric “I am light as a feather, I’m as stiff as a board” from “all-american bitch” highlights her conflicted and complicated feelings. These kinds of convoluted emotions seem to be relatable to many of Rodrigo’s fans. 

While expressing her own emotions, Rodrigo simultaneously expresses those of many others. Her music’s sudden rise to popularity is both a testament to how much her fans relate to her lyrics and how important it is to share these experiences and emotions with others, even if that experience is simply screaming the lyrics from “get him back!” in the car with your friends. 

Five days after the release of her “GUTS,” Rodrigo announced the “GUTS” World Tour, which includes shows in the nearby cities of Boston and New York.

“GUTS” can be listened to at https://genius.com/albums/Olivia-rodrigo/Guts and on streaming platforms. 

What distinguishes a good self-help podcast from a bad one? “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” is a podcast dedicated to personal growth and self-improvement. With a variety of content as well as varying formats for episodes, Shetty’s podcast has gained significant prominence in the self-help world. He’s hosted a variety of incredibly well-known interviewees on the podcast, including President Joe Biden, actress Idina Menzel and reality star Kim Kardashian. 

In an episode from July titled “Tom Holland ON: How to Overcome Social Anxiety & Beneficial Life Lessons You Can Learn From Family,” Shetty interviews actor Tom Holland. In the two-hour-long episode, they discuss sobriety and the natural world. Interview-style episodes such as these almost don’t feel like an interview, but rather a conversation between two people. Shetty asks incredibly interesting questions and cultivates a space where the interviewees feel comfortable enough to share honest answers. Some of the content from the interview circulated around social media platforms, as many felt they could relate to what Holland and Shetty were discussing. 

Shetty isn’t solely a podcast host, and also has a career as an author. He has released several books including “Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day” and “8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let it Go.”

Many enjoy and feel that Shetty’s podcast is beneficial because of its interview-style formatting. The podcast contains both interview-style episodes as well as episodes focusing on a certain topic. These varying types of episodes give the listener options for different listening experiences. Furthermore, Shetty’s podcast likely gains listeners from having interviews with celebrities and well-known public figures. Some might be interested in hearing the episode with Kim Kardashian, while Spider-Man fans might gravitate towards the episode with Tom Holland.

Although many of Shetty’s episodes are interview-style, some focus on one or two specific topics that Shetty explores. In his episode “7 Signs You’re a People Pleaser & 7 Methods to Break This Habit,” Shetty discusses people-pleasing habits that can turn negative. He talks about how some people become so preoccupied with pleasing others that they stop taking care of themselves in the process. One practice that could help a people-pleaser, Shetty highlights, is learning to say no and understanding that it’s okay to say no. These kinds of episodes can help listeners who are struggling with similar situations feel less alone. 

“On Purpose with Jay Shetty” is a podcast that has something for every listener. Shetty interviews various public figures, as well as covers an extensive variety of topics pertaining to mental health and personal growth. Other episodes cover discussions around shame, social media, stress, love, productivity and more. It is an easy and inexpensive way to understand more about yourself and grow as a person. 

“On Purpose with Jay Shetty” is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other streaming platforms. His website can be found at https://jayshetty.me/podcast/. 

The app Yik Yak, largely popularized by college communities, is a social media app where users can interact with their peers in a completely anonymous manner. There are no usernames, no biographies and no followers. Content on the app ranges widely, creating a unique online environment. University of Maine students often take to Yik Yak to complain about various things pertaining to campus, academics or their personal lives. 

“It’s almost like a parasocial relationship with gossip and I like to know what my fellow students complain about on campus. Right now its loud neighbors, the heat, and the lack of building AC.” said fourth year student Lucca Hamina.

Many students feel a convoluted sense of connection to their peers on Yik Yak, despite the app’s often superficial content. It’s a place where students will have an immediate audience, one that will personally understand and likely agree with their comments and grievances. Even something as simple as a joint complaint about a fire alarm or a noise problem in a dorm can make students feel understood. Still, lack of identification on the app prohibits any sort of meaningful connection. 

“It’s a sense of community in a really shallow way,”  third year student Pierce Varneke said. 

Sometimes, however, students do take to the app to discuss serious and important issues. 

“…it is mostly centered around the hot weather and lack of AC, but complaints about student working conditions and stressful course work also come up,” Hamina said. 

Many students download Yik Yak simply to understand more about their peers’ thoughts and concerns. Some students use the app on a frequent or semi-frequent basis, while a select few have never downloaded it. 

“My main reason was initially curiosity, but now I’ve been using it to get a better idea of what student’s grievances are for the campus and the university,” Hamina said. 

Aside from frequent complaints or pessimistic comments, students sometimes take to Yik Yak to advertise social gatherings. 

“That could impact people socializing in a better way or worse way,” Varneke said. 

Although some might use Yik Yak to find social engagements or clubs to join, the overall consensus is that Yik Yak hasn’t changed the UMaine community in any concrete way. It’s a small facet of modern college life rather than an important part of it. 

“I haven’t felt any type of major impact,” Hamina said. 

Yik Yak college communities, such as the official UMaine section, seem to be utilized more frequently by those living on-campus. This is due to the nature of student complaints—many pertaining to things like dining hall food, campus activities or clubs. It allows students in different dorms to easily and efficiently connect. 

However, many grievances voiced about the app itself centered around the overly pessimistic qualities of most comments. 

“The worst thing about the app is that people use it to be overly negative and start rumors,” Hamina said. “I’ve seen a few things of people complaining about issues that they would do better to talk to an RA about.” 

Yik Yak users, especially those on college campuses, ought to be prepared to encounter spur-of-the-moment and impulsive comments from their peers. 

“They say a lot of things that we don’t want to say out loud,” Varneke said. 

Although many comments might be frivolous and virtually harmless, Yik Yak has a rocky history with online violence. Almost immediately after its launch in 2013, Yik Yak experienced issues with threats of violence, bullying and harassment. The app shut down in 2017 and relaunched in 2021. It has been operating since then. 

The anonymity of the app often encourages students to post in an unapologetic and sometimes violent manner. 

“I think anonymity certainly changes how people use anything,” Hamina said. 

In the case of the UMaine Yik Yak community, current comments center largely around the start of the semester and new changes at the university. Many have been discussing the new Kiwibot food delivery system, air conditioning in campus classrooms and social gatherings. 

As a source for information and entertainment, Yik Yak is in the center of the online environment of students at UMaine.

Fourth-year art student Naomi Moynihan has been the Zillman Art Museum’s curatorial intern since August 2022. Her energy has been specifically focused on curating her own ominously titled exhibit “In the Shadows: Works from the Collection.” She selected the pieces, wrote information about them and assisted with the installation process. The unsettling theme of the exhibit was an intentional choice by Moynihan. 

“I feel like, in my own work, I like to do creepier, darker stuff, so I thought it would be interesting to do something in the same area,” Moynihan said. 

From the neighboring town of Bangor, Maine, Moynihan chose to attend the University of Maine for its close proximity to home and its stellar art facilities. 

“UMaine has a really nice print studio, so I spend a lot of time there,” she said. 

Moynihan’s eerie exhibit presents a stark contrast against the more lively, colorful exhibits throughout the rest of the museum. It creates variety and is often a shock to the viewer. She chose the theme simply by collecting pieces she was drawn to. 

“I haven’t really seen a show focused specifically on this theme, which I feel like makes it more interesting,” she stated. 

As a student majoring in studio art and minoring in graphic design, many of her own works mirror the sinister tone seen throughout “In The Shadows.” With concentrations in painting and printmaking, much of Moynihan’s own work is meticulously detailed. 

“In the Shadows” houses various different kinds of art, including etchings, prints and photographs. Each occupies an intentional space in the two-roomed gallery, revealing Moynihan’s tedious awareness of the viewer’s experience. One wall solely contains photographic images, allowing the viewer to compare and contrast between them. 

Though themes of darkness and fear are heavily prevalent throughout, Moynihan had trouble naming her exhibit. It was a daunting task to encapsulate the multifaceted emotions of several pieces of artwork into a few words.

“It was hard to come up with a title, to describe it, because I feel like all the pieces are based on the emotion of fear,” she said. 

Although Moynihan was not particularly drawn to museum work prior to the internship, she has quickly come to enjoy curatorial work. It has given her inspiration and experience which will be beneficial in her future career. 

She especially appreciated the behind-the-scenes aspects of museum work. As an art student, it was academically valuable and personally exciting to be surrounded by thousands of pieces of professional art. 

“One thing I really liked is just being able to see the whole collection. I think it’s over 4,000 pieces they have in the permanent collection,” Moynihan said. “It’s been really cool to see how many different pieces they have.” 

Although Moynihan has enjoyed the purely artistic aspects of her internship, she’s found value and enjoyment in the technical tasks as well. 

“I’ve gotten to help with installing and uninstalling the shows, which has been really interesting to see that side of the museum. I feel like that’s probably been one of my favorite parts,” she said. 

Her favorite piece in the exhibit is “Gates of Hell” by Michael Mannheim. It’s a photograph which exudes an incredible amount of fear, confusion and anxiety. 

“He took multiple exposures into one film slide. You can feel the movement and the emotion of it,” she said. 

The piece that Moynihan believes is the most unsettling is Robert Flint’s 2005 piece “Untitled.” 

“It’s like he’s being grabbed away, and also the way the bones and stuff are overlaid, it’s almost like you’re seeing through him,” Moynihan stated. 

Moynihan’s own artwork is currently on display in the Lord Hall Gallery. She is excited to graduate this spring and is hoping to move to a larger city. Her internship at the Zillman Art Museum has given her newfound inspiration for her future career. 

“In the Shadows” runs through April 29, 2023 at the Zillman Art Museum in Bangor, Maine. Admission is free. More information can be found at 

https://zam.umaine.edu/in-the-shadows-works-from-the-collection/.

In an age inundated with addictive technology and distracting applications, it has become increasingly difficult to engage in simple activities. Focus and discipline have become elusive qualities. But with repetition and perseverance, we can rediscover the simpler aspects of life. An especially important practice that many have strayed from is reading. Although a seemingly simple task, the practice of reading is difficult in today’s climate of constant media consumption. 

But why is reading still relevant? Is it not an antiquated practice, unnecessary in this age of immediate information? Our culture heavily values the factual elements of life: scientific data, math and statistics. Within these disciplines, reading often becomes wholly irrelevant. The value of reading is then, in turn, diminished within our larger culture. Reading, however, teaches skills that are invaluable to all disciplines. It teaches sentence structure and grammar and can exponentially expand vocabulary. Literature can articulate multiple perspectives in disciplines such as history. Erik Larson’s historical non-fiction novel “Devil in the White City” provides the reader with a stunningly vivid image of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 while simultaneously following a plotline of murder and mystery. Additionally, reading can teach life lessons and, in the case of Jane Austen’s writing, simultaneously be amusing. Austen’s novel “Emma” follows a rich girl who readily engages in matchmaking schemes, making mistakes and learning from them along the way. Although the many functions of reading may not always be obvious, their value is irreplaceable. Reading is a skill that will always be important and should be practiced more readily. 

Following these simple steps might make this daunting task feel lighter: 

1. Find a book you’ll enjoy 

Pick a book you’ll actually enjoy reading. Although reading sometimes should be difficult, enjoying it first will increase the likelihood that you will stick with it. Begin by browsing genres online or in a bookstore and find one that catches your eye. If you like hiking, you might want to pick up Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” or Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail.” If you’re leaning more toward the self-help genre, Mark Manson’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***” is a good place to start. Perusing the ratings online can help you get a sense of the difficulty of your book, as well as if others enjoyed it. 

2. Obtain a hard-copy 

Although it can be tempting (and cheaper) to buy a book online, obtaining a physical book has irreplaceable benefits. It’s harder to get distracted if you’re not reading on a screen. With a hard copy, you can also write in the margins or highlight specific passages you enjoy. Many also opt to listen to audiobooks during their commutes, which is great in the interest of multi-tasking. 

3. Set a daily goal 

Even if it’s just for 10 minutes a day, set a goal for how much you want to read. It’s a good way to hold yourself accountable and will leave you feeling accomplished. Plus, once you start reading, it’s probable that you will become so immersed that you’ll end up reading over your goal. 

4. Read with friends 

Start a book club or jointly read with a friend. The practice of reading is much more engaging when there’s a discussion element included. You can compare ideas, share dissenting opinions, and ask questions. It’s fulfilling simply to point out a sentence you liked or dialogue you found amusing. 

5. Create a Goodreads account 

Goodreads is a free, online website that is dedicated to all aspects of reading. It allows you to track what books you’ve read, rate them, read others’ comments and ratings, set goals for yourself and more. It’s a great way to measure your progress. 

6. Take an English class 

If you’re a student trying to fulfill general education requirements, take a literature class. Not only will it give you a deeper understanding of an extensive array of literature, but the class discussions will allow you to further investigate your thoughts on the books. 

7. Challenge yourself 

Read books that you’ve always wanted to read but have not had the confidence to. As mentioned in Step 1, it’s good to start slow. Pick a book that isn’t too lengthy or difficult. Slowly you’ll be able to work your way up. 

Books can be checked out for free at Fogler Library at the University of Maine or at the nearest public library. Additionally, many libraries categorize books into specific sections or genres, which can be helpful when finding a book you want to read. Happy reading!