Nov 18, 2017 | News |
By Kelsey Dunn – Contributing Writer
Students were recently treated to a collaboration of UMF’s Lawn Chair Pirates (LCP), Bust A Move Beavers (BAM), and Clefnotes called “Pirates Bust a Clef” in Lincoln Auditorium. This collaboration has not happened in years, making the performance more surprising and enjoyable.
Each group is different in their own way and brings UMF an extra flare. BAM expresses themselves through dance styles such as tap, hip hop, clogging, and lyrical. LCP is UMF’s talented improv comedy group, bringing laughter to Lincoln Auditorium regularly. Clefnotes is UMF’s pop vocalist group, singing current and popular songs that students can all sing along to.
While students were filling up Lincoln Auditorium, some students sang along to the music that was playing beforehand. BAM members started to clap to a song and urged the crowd to join in. Soon, the room was filled with a rhythmic beat. The three distinctive groups were dressed in different colors; LCP wore red shirts, BAM wore black and Clefnotes wore their white club shirts.
“We spent a long time figuring out how this would all work out because we weren’t around when it happened in the past,” said Josh Beckett, a junior and co-leader of Clefnotes. “We spent a long time trying to figure out the order of who should perform, but LCP and BAM are easy to work with and really fun.”
“BAM was asked to do the event with LCP and Clefnotes,” said Paige Morrison, a senior BAM member. “Our dance routines were from the past semester dances, so nothing new was revealed before our upcoming shows.”
“Pirates Bust a Clef” started with BAM’s opening number, with the Pirates cheering them on and the crowd roaring in applause. The next performance came from LCP, who played three games; Four Square, Bachelor and Sniper. All three games made the audience laugh so much that they were crying. BAM then came back with a great performance, followed by Clefnotes performing seven songs back to back; Marvin Gay, Say You Won’t Go, Eleven Blocks, Say You Love Me, Counting Stars, Put Your Records On and Skinny Love.
The soloists captivated the crowd, including senior Krystal Livermore. “Most of their songs were really good,” she said, though she lamented one song where it was hard to hear the soloist.
LCP mixed some of their roles up, which threw Livermore off. “They mixed up the people who do their original skits. For example, in Sniper, Jonas [Maines] wasn’t the main guy like he usually is,” Livermore said.
“Pirates Bust a Clef” ended with Clefnotes singing Boondocks by Little Big Town and LCP and BAM joining them up on stage. Everyone was dancing and singing along; it was noticeable that both the audience and the performers had enjoyed their night.
Jonas Maines, a junior LCP member, believed the collaboration was a worthwhile experience. “It was a good experience to get three types of different artistic performances together,” he said. “It is to everyone’s benefit when three different styles come together to see what we all do.”
Livermore loved going to the event because she hasn’t been able to go to a Clefnotes showcase. “I loved the three in one because sometimes it’s hard to attend all of these events when we are so busy,” she said. “It was really great to get to see all three groups perform.”
Oct 13, 2017 | Opinion |
By Kelsey Dunn – Contributing Writer
The time has come when UMF students experience stress due to crunched and overlapped deadlines, mountains of homework and hours that seem to just zoom past. Stress can be overwhelming at times and make us want to just scream and give up, but we can’t. Are there ways to relieve stress?
Some UMF students have reported their ways to relieve their stress. Benjamin Cloutier, a junior at UMF, has to juggle his academics with his two jobs.
“I am usually stressed roughly six days a week. Saturdays are what I like to call my stress day off” said Cloutier. “When I become stressed, I go outside and try to take my mind off things.”
Like Cloutier, Elina Shapiro, a UMF senior, also enjoys being outside. Shapiro has a lot on her plate this year between her internship, planning for life after graduation, academics and a social life.
“I play the banjo for an instant stress relief. I also exercise and watch comedy shows” said Shapiro.
Dr. Natasha Lekes, an Associate Professor of Psychology, revealed that “students coming to college should expect to experience stress.” Dr. Lekes noticed that many students at UMF work long hours in addition to maintaining a full-time course load. Due to all the responsibilities that students have to endure, it is natural for them to feel overwhelmed. Dr. Lekes noted that many people turn to exercise, meditation, laughing or playing when stressed. She also said that students should seek help when needed.
“Students often wait to seek help and yet there are many people willing and wanting to provide it at UMF, [such as] advisors, mental health counselors, professors and career counselors,” said Dr. Lekes.
Tessa Walsh, a junior at UMF, experiences social anxiety, which along with her schoolwork, triggers her stress. “I get stressed roughly four to five days a week. When I do get stressed, I listen to music, watch TV or I simply switch to a new activity to get my mind off things” said Walsh.
Students are not the only ones who experience stress on campus. “We need stress in our lives!” said Dr. Lekes, who also experiences stress in her daily life.
“You will likely find that the things that make your life worth living also cause you stress,” Dr. Lekes explained. “For me, that’s being a parent, a professor, a wife, a friend. Yet, I wouldn’t want to change my work or family life. Students may find that their relationships, their area of study, their work and being involved in sports brings meaning to their lives, and yet these activities likely also bring stress into their lives,” said Dr. Lekes.
To view UMF’s counseling page go to the following link: http://www2.umf.maine.edu/counseling/
Sep 23, 2017 | News |
Kelsey Dunn – Contributing Writer
UMF students, faculty and staff have mixed reviews about the University Store’s new Virtual Bookstore.
Some students said their experience went smoothly, while others are experiencing frustration and anger towards the new modernization of the campus bookstore.
George Miller, the Director of Advising, sent out a student body email recently stating, “I’m hearing from quite a few students that they are having trouble getting their books in time to get their work done, or don’t have money for books.” He also urged students to get in contact with their professors if they still do not have their books as soon as possible.
Linda Leiva, a practicum lecturer, and supervisor of student teaching has had similar observations.
“I’ve noticed that students have not bought texts due to costs and feeling that the teacher won’t use the book as much in class as they say they would,” said Leiva. “Therefore, they either purchase used books that are cheaper or they borrow a book from their friends.”
Katie Grout, a freshman, describes her involvement with the Virtual Bookstore as being something she would not like to endure again.
“I don’t like the virtual bookstore at all. It took me a week and a half to get one book and my next textbook was ordered on August 28 but was not shipped until September 8,” she said. “I was very angry with this and I felt helpless because I couldn’t do my homework.” Grout, had ordered some of her books through the virtual bookstore and the others were through Amazon.
Amber Chesley, a UMF sophomore, was puzzled when she first attempted to order her books through the virtual bookstore. “[Ordering] got easier due to previous experience ordering online. I heard from first-year students that it was confusing for them,” she said.
Chesley ordered all of her textbooks through the virtual bookstore this semester, although one of her textbooks was incorrect for one of her classes.
“I got the wrong book for one of my classes. All my books were delivered separately; two came in two weeks later than my other two books,” she said. “The books were in good condition.”
Aimee Degroat, the University Store manager, realizes that there are some problems with the first year of the Virtual Bookstore, but keeps a positive outlook.
“Although some orders were delayed due to hard findings, some books were back ordered at the publisher,” Degroat said. “The initial feedback from the community was well.”
Last year, the Flyer reported on the University Store using different business strategies and were considering turning to a virtual bookstore at the time.
To visit the Virtual Bookstore, go to www.umf.ecampus.com
