Even if you’ve had your wheels for a while, things change whenever you own your own car. Whether you’re buying your vehicle from your parents or venturing into the world of dealership lots, there’s plenty to keep in mind once you have a car in your name. Fortunately, with a little bit of research and…
By: Lydia Libby, Web Editor Celebrating 40 years of granting life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses is not only amazing, but truly inspiring. In late January, I sat down in my seat in my Service Learning Practicum class and realized I needed to find a non-profit to collaborate with. Luckily for me, my mother…
By: Keith Danner, Counselor, LCPC LADC Thoughts matter as they are a defining part of who we are. They are essential to survival by helping us identify risks and rewards. They can be simple or sometimes complicated and conflicting. They can be automatic and habitual, sometimes subtle. Thoughts can influence our relationships regarding how we…
By Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer After Easter weekend marked the release of Selah and the Spades, a new streaming title on Amazon Prime. This private high school drama sets up an interesting world, but its format doesn’t allow it to flourish properly. While there are stellar performances from the main cast, it is not enough…
By: Cristina Kerluke, Academic Support Program Specialist Final exam week is almost here. With the pivot to online learning, your final exam week likely looks different than you had originally anticipated. For some students, taking an online final exam may be a new and perhaps daunting experience. While the online environment does present some differences…
By: Asha Tompkins, Staff Writer Some were in the Navy, some in the Army, others on aircraft carriers and submarines. These are the people who are grudgingly familiar with living a lockdown lifestyle. With such experience, they’ve provided a reassuring haven for students during Covid-19. “The Veterans Resource Center [VRC] serves to support USM students…
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer It is no secret that COVID-19 has displaced the spring semester, let alone the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the globe. Students living on campus were sent home and courses were forced to create an alternative online curriculum. While this epidemic has strained students and faculty alike,…
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer Last week, longtime producer Alan Yang released his sixth directorial release. Tigertail is a Taiwanese film that tells the story of an immigrant through multiple points in his life, slowly revealing his dramatic plots. While this is a competent film, at points it feels like it has bitten off more…
By: Asha Tompkins, Staff Writer According to an update on March 23, students who planned to join the fall study abroad program were informed of the decision to pause applications in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. “We, along with our colleagues both domestic and abroad, continue to closely monitor the situation,” said Emily Zider, the…
By: Asha Tompkins, Staff Writer While students across the map are thrown for a loop in their academic careers, USM continues to remind its own students that valuable resources have been established in these times of crisis, specifically the Student Emergency Fund. This fund is available for “students facing immediate financial crises, from unforeseen travel…
By: Kate Rogers, News Editor Two students in the mechanical engineering program with the guidance of Assistant Professor Asheesh Lanba are using USM’s Maker Innovation Studio (MIST) to make personal protective equipment to send to hospitals in need. Daniel St. Peter, a junior, and Berkeley Elias, a sophomore, helped Lanba to make more than 28…
By: Lillian Lema, Staff Writer Accepting oneself can be a very long and exhausting journey, but the outcome is freedom. USM student Prashiddhi Pokhrel opens up about her struggles with coming to terms with her appearance and mental illness. Growing up in Kathmandu, Nepal, Pokhrel felt like the odd girl out. She despised her image,…
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer Last Weekend, Netflix added another exclusive comedy feature to its streaming catalog. From director Michael Dowse comes Coffee & Kareem, a lackluster buddy cop movie with an adult sense of humor. While the cast is experienced enough, its linear and predictable story and characters make for a mediocre film….
Even if you’ve been tooling around in your own or your parent’s car since the day you turned 16, it never hurts to remind yourself about how to become a more confident driver. Preparation is Essential Get to know your car thoroughly before you go anywhere. On an afternoon when you aren’t scheduled to do…
Maine is a beautiful state. There are plenty of places to wander and to seek and find beauty. With the current pandemic, it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of constantly seeing darkness; it can feel like a struggle to find the light and beauty around us. If you’re still in the…
By: Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor March 26 was supposed to be Opening Day in Major League Baseball (MLB), the beginning of a 162-game season of America’s pastime. Instead, every sport across the world has come to a standstill due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The NCAA Tournament March Madness would have been heading to…
By: Max Lorber, Arts and Culture Editor Whole Foods employees in Portland are concerned for their safety. These workers, along with many Whole Foods workers throughout the country, do not believe they are being adequately protected or compensated by their employer. Whole Foods employees throughout the US have tested positive for COVID-19, but the stores…
By: Emma J. Walsh, Staff Writer Information regarding the coronavirus is constantly changing and evolving. A practice that is of great importance to prevent the spread of the disease is social distancing. Devon Mulligan, USM Campus Safety Project Coordinator, refers to this concept as “physical distancing” instead of “social distancing.” She said it is an…
By: Cullen McIntyre, Sports Editor Chancellor Dannel Malloy announced in a statement that all May commencement celebrations would be canceled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The statement, issued last Monday, said: “It is with a sober sense of responsibility that our Presidents and I have therefore decided that we cannot proceed with our planned in-person…
By: Cormac Riordan, Staff Writer Self quarantining? Already ran through the selections on your favorite streaming sights? Here are a few lesser-known gems to keep you from going stir crazy in these isolating times. Arthouse streaming on a schedule, Mubi only ever has thirty movies available. Every day a new film comes on the site,…
By: Cormac Riordan, Staff Writer Like a lot of us, one solace in this new era for me has been Animal Crossing: New Horizons. This peaceful world of foraging and animal pals is both escapist and rewarding, something that has united my recent film, music, and book selections. From the island paradise of Portrait of…
By: Ryan Farrell, Staff Writer Disney Pixar’s newest film Onward was released into theaters in early March, however preventative measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic closed theaters and prevented many from viewing it. As a result, Disney made a historic move and added it to their streaming service Disney+ less than a month after…
Times are a little strange right now, to say the least. Colleges are moving classrooms online or canceling classes altogether; some colleges are even closing the dorms. Not to mention, companies and restaurants are closing until further notice. In other words, it’s time to dive into that show you’ve been wanting to watch or get…
Due to COVID-19, students at the University of Southern Maine will have to resume the rest of the spring semester online. Moving to strictly online classes can be quite an adjustment for many. To ensure that you remain on the path of success, here are some tips for taking online classes. 1. Avoid Distractions One of the hardest adjustments…