October 31,2022

THE FREE PRESS

October 31, 2022

Vol. 54

ISSUE 3

Inside: The Queer Craft Autumn Fest pg. 5

Minding Your Own pg. 8

Movie Talk - Halloween Ends pg. 11

You are Capable

Kelly Ledsworth Interim Editor-in-Chief

Editorial

InTERIM EdITOR-In-CHIEF Kelly ledsworth

nEwS EdITOR

ARTS & CUlTURE EdITOR Ben reed

COMMUnITY EdITOR

SPORTS EdITOR

wEb EdITOR

STAFF wRITERS CAYlEY bOwMAn

COPY EdITORS

EdITORIAl bOARd: Kelly ledsworth, Kyle Mercier, Ben reed

bUSInESS MAnAgER lucille siegler

dESiGN aNd PHotoGraPHY

dESIgn dIRECTOR Kelly ledsworth

dESIgnERS

dIRECTOR OF PHOTOgRAPHY Kyle Mercier

STAFF PHOTOgRAPHERS

FaCUltY

FACUlTY AdVISOR adVErtiSiNG

AdVERTISIng MAnAgER

Cover by Kelly ledsworth

to advertise, contact our advertising Manager at 207.780.4080 x3 and look at out advertising rates on our website. We reserve the right to reject advertising. We will not accept discriminatory ads.

the University of southern Maine is an eeo/aa institution and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. the following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: director of equal opportunity, 101 Boudreau hall, University of Maine, orono, Me 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, ttY 711 (Maine relay system).

Life has a funny way of showing you that you are more capable of doing things than you thought you were. Sometimes that comes at a cost, like mental health. I have realized this month that if you need a break go ahead and take it because you have the power to stop yourself from imploding. I have a tendency to push myself to my limits, partially as a coping mechanism and partially because I don’t want to have to deal with the rest of my life. I’m glad I’m aware of this because in the past I’d be far be-

yond my breaking point till I fell apart, and sometimes you need to fall apart and that’s okay. Learning to manage and be kind to myself is hard, being an adult is hard, especially in this crumbling world. I’d usually just suck it up, cry before or after class and pull myself together till a school break, when I had at least 2 or 3 days to just wither away. Some of this is seasonal depression but shockingly winter break is my jam, it’s just enough time to reset, perfect when you factor in a new semester. All that being said I’ve rediscovered my new limits this month and learned to prioritize my needs, I say as the dirty laundry basket haunts me. The days I’ve given myself this break involved naps, singing, redying my hair, petting my rabbits, and being gentle to myself. The best part is once I’ve accepted I’m giving myself time for the day it’s like I’ve taken my first deep breath in weeks. I unclench my jaw, breath and it feels so good, like life got a little brighter for a second.

I enjoy what I do, art, teaching, creating things for my small business and school. In or around art I hear a lot of “Oh I could never do that” or “You’re so talented, what a gift” or “wait, you made this?”, I’m aware this is usually meant as a compliment but it kind of hurts to hear. These phrases are invalidating because it is HARD WORK!

It’s fun, sure it looks cool, but it took me a good chunk of my life to get here and I struggled to be good at my craft that I’ve fine tuned. At this point I think I can say I went to school for it, which mentions I spent years on it and worked to earn a grade. I hope when someone pictures me in college they envision late nights of uncertainty, countless bad art history grades, and strength. Even if there are so many days I don’t feel strong or confident in what I do, I suppose a lot of people feel this way in college.

I know when I talk about college or life like this it must freak my 17 year old Niece out. Which it should, if it didn’t scare her I’d honestly be concerned. She is in the process of starting applications and planning her whole future, a very big task for anyone let alone for someone who is still confused by subsidized and unsubsidized loans, even though I still have to look it up because I confuse the two. I feel in a similar spot with Grad school, expensive big decisions when I could buy a car or a down payment on a house. I will say investing in myself is the best decision, whether it’s taking time off to give myself time to breathe or pursuing more school, I’d support my Niece if she needed to take time off right after high school.

the free press is a weekly student–run newspaper paid for in part with the student activity fee. one copy of the free press is available free of charge. Up to 10 additional copies are available for 25 cents each at the office of the free press, 92 Bedford st., portland, Maine.

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director

Cammie Breuer contributer

Homecoming Weekend A fun time with family and fall festivities

to Rhode Island College for their Saturday game. Three goals were scored by #6 Julia McKenna, #21 Catriona Gould and #10 Aly Veilleux. Goalkeeper Breanna Atwood made five successful saves, and allowed no goals in leaving the Huskies victorious with an ending score of 3-0. This win marks their 6th consecutive victory in the LEC, leaving their record 6-0-0.

Also playing at Rhode Island College was the women’s volleyball team who faced a tough loss of 0-3. Down in Boston both men’s and women’s cross country ran at the Suffolk University Invitational. The men’s team ended with a rank of 4th of 22, and the women’s team with a rank of 11 out of 22.

Saturday, October 15th marked the start of the university’s 2022 homecoming weekend on the Gorham campus. Husky athletes and fans were busy this weekend with around-the-clock games. Men’s soccer kicked off the day with a tough game against Rhode Island College that ended in a 0-0 tie, making it their third tie in the Little East Conference. While the men’s team was busy at home, women’s soccer went down

Back at home, women’s field hockey celebrated senior day and honored senior Sam Ellis, and her many accomplishments for the team. USM beat out UMass Dartmouth with an astounding score of 10-0. Goals were scored by #11 Brooke Carson (2) , #5 Sam Ellis (3), #6 Hannah Banks, #17 Ginny Twitchell, #22 Jordan Cummings, #18 Chloe Arsenult, and #7 Adelle Surette. Assists were made by Arsenult, Banks, Carson, and Chartier. After her stellar perfor-

mance in this week’s games, Carson was named LEC’s offensive player of the week.

To finish off the first day of fun the Student Engagement and Leadership hosted a casino night in the Lower Brooks student center. Students were able to play classic casino games such as roulette, Poker, Blackjack and more with the chance to win chips and exchange them for big prizes.

On Sunday, men’s soccer played again at home, this time against Maine Maritime. #17 Edwin Bonilla scored the only goal of the game, securing the Huskies a 1-0 win. After a very successful week for men’s soccer, goalkeeper Hayes Estrella was made Little East Confrence’s Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time this season.

On the Gorham campus, the Student En gagement and Leadership hosted their an nual Octoberfest on Sunday. Students and their families were able to enjoy all the games, food, and activities that it had to of fer. The petting zoo had a wide variety of adorable animals including goats, bunnies, alpacas, and miniature ponies. There was something for everyone at the festival, such as an axe throwing pit, a rock wall, and a mechanical bull for those with an adventur-

ous spirit. Carnival games, cornhole, and minigolf for those with a more competitive spirit. There were several local food trucks present, including our own “Hungry Huskies” food truck, and others from the community whose food was sponsored so participants could eat free of charge. Every fall, the homecoming weekend is a great opportunity for students, their families, and the community to come together to cheer on our student athletes, partake in a wide variety of fun activities, enjoy some great food and of course, make lasting memories.

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

Mini golf and munching on food on USM Gorham campus

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

More activities and a very tall rock climbing wall

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

A bleating goat inside the petting zoo pen

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

A flurry lion head rabbit

The Queer Craft Autumn Fest

Local artists and LQBTQIA+ Community gather for art and fall fun

For the LGBTQ+ community, being able to have a space to get together and share common interests is extremely important. That is now a possiblity with the Queer Craft Market hosted by Queer Craft Maine. On October 16th, at the Portland Gear Hub, multiple different small businesses and artists made an appearance to share their love of art. Queer Craft Maine’s misson is to provide spaces for queer artists in Maine, while also providing opportunities to connect with fellow artists, and assisting them in pursuing their goals.

Walking up to the event, it’s easy to feel anxious or overwhelmed seeing all the different people and tables available, but once you get to start talking with the different artists, you will become immersed in the welcoming and safe atmosphere that they build. Not only were snacks and water supplied, there were pumpkins to decorate,

and even a table with supplies to make a small ghost friend. The artists were all an absolute delight to talk to and they’re more than happy to share more about their crafts. Some artists made and sold pottery, stickers, coloring books, clothes, jewelry, and many different sorts of decorations.

These markets seem to have succeeded in providing a safe space not only for their artists, but for the people visiting as well. A survey is sent out to the artists after every market, and majority of the responses say they made average to above average in sales. It’s impossible not to walk away without buying something as there was something for everyone. “I think the key is to find what makes your art unique and run wild with it,” said Charlie Hindall, the Director of Queer Crafts Maine as well as the Director of Rainbow Arts Collective, the umbrella organization that Queer Crafts Maine falls under.

Charlie Hindall, alongside the Assistant Director River Nation, started Queer Crafts Maine about a year ago, and they have grown rapidly in that one year. So far, their

plan has to hold a craft market once per season, while the Rainbow Arts Collective also hosts a Queer Craft Club and Lavender Choir. Both groups make an effort to be as inclusive and beginner-friendly as possible, advertising that anyone at any skill level can participate, and both meet weekly at the Equality Community Center (ECC) at 15 Casco Street, Downtown Port-

land. The ECC has also hosted the previous Winter and Spring Queer Craft Markets. Queer art markets have grown in popularity recently that Queer Crafts Maine is not the only market being put on, such as R Nichole Studio that helps organize a Queer Makers Market at Congress Square Park.

“Not everyone is in a position where they can safely be loud and proud about their identity, be a queer-rights advocate, or vote in ways that support the LGBTQIA+ community- but everyone can show up to a free, outdoor market, and just show that they are there for these artists, that they want to hear their voices and see their artwork,” Hindall told me. “It feels incredibly joyful and powerful.”

More information about their groups, markets, and how to participate can be found on their website rainbowarts collective.org, or @rainbowartscollective on social media. You could also contact Charlie Hindall directly at charliehindall.com or @ charlie_hindall on Instagram.

Dakota Eddy contributer

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

41 small bussinesses tabling in the Gear hub

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

Front of the Gear hub with artists

Cammie Breuer / Contributer

More artists and food trucks in the back

Beats, Spunk, & Soft Spirit

Alain Igiraneza’s journey as a Maine musician

Kayla Hoggard contributer

We know that USM students are known for being talented academically, But this student has a creative side he is passionate to share. Alain Igiraneza is a student here at USM who creates music as an outlet of creativity, and hopefully soon as a career. I hadn’t heard his music until the day of the interview. When I asked to hear a sample I’m going to be honest, I was not expecting to hear what I heard. An amazing ballad with so much character and spunk in his voice. I couldn’t wait to hear more. The more I sat with Igiraneza and listened to more samples, the more I knew that he was not your ordinary artist. I wanted to get straight into getting to know who he was!

Igiraneza had a soft spirit, just like his melodic ways on the tracks I had heard before the interview. I had so many questions I didn’t know where to start so I decided to ask him where he was from for starters. Igiraneza is from the city of Bujumbura, the capital city of Burundi in Africa, “I moved here when I was 11 and the transition was actually pretty hard because I didn’t know the language. I didn’t know anybody really so it was difficult knowing people building relationships but as time went on you got better.”

As our conversation flowed he explained to me when he knew that music was what he wanted to do, He explained to me that it was his music teacher that got him started in music in the first place when he was just six or seven years old!

“ He asked me if I wanted to join the chorus and since then I’ve been singing. Music is something I love doing. It’s something I want to do for the rest of my life. Ever since then I’ve been creating music seeing where I guess music takes me. “ Igiraneza stated.

When I listened to Igiraneza’s music I couldn’t help but get Afro Beat vibes and R&B vibes, from the soul melodies to the different beats. However when I asked Igiraneza about what genre he believed his music belonged to his answers were not only surprising but it really opened my eyes to see that a natural born creative was sitting with me at that very moment. “Honestly I don’t even know I just create whatever comes up in my mind. Yes I may be in the category of R&B and Afro beats but I feel like I can create all the categories of music so I guess

just wait and see.” This answer showed me that he doesn’t limit himself or tie himself to one category of music.

When it came to producing music, Igiraneza gave his opinion on the process of making and producing music he explained how when he has a vision, he needs the people that help produce his music to have the same vision, As a hands on worker Igiraneza definitely doesn’t settle.He states: “So I just tried to find the music producer’s people that can record my music and see my vision the way I see it. So it just took time but I started getting the hang of it overtime and see what works well with me because there’s a lot of music engineers that couldn’t work the way I work. I’m more hands on And a fast worker and a lot of people can’t do things the way I need to to be done so it really took time but now I can say I’m somewhere more grounded to where

I have the right people doing my own work.”

I know that with a lot of artists the way they connect to their music is what gives them their creativity so I asked Igiraneza what his relationship with his music was. He described it as being able to be selfless and step into someone else’s shoes such as a friend, and being able to describe emotional experiences through song.

Igiraneza stated:“If I’m writing about a break up story I could relate it to a friend’s break up story . They will never know I’m writing about them but from me seeing their break up story I can get inspired by it and write the song based off them so there’s a lot of things that I get from life experiences I guess if it’s a sad story about something that has happened

With his compelling unique sound, I thought there would have had to have been someone in particular that influenced him as an artist. This answer was one of my favorites. Mainly because it screamed individuality, and that is one of my favorite qualities for an artist to have.

“There’s a lot of artists, I get inspired everyday so I don’t think there is a particular artist that inspires me. I used to listen to everything Sam Smith, Mary j Blige,Beyoncé, some South African singers too, so I’m all versatile! I listen to everything so there really is no specific artist that has inspired me to do what I do there’s multiple of them.”

This answer told me That Igiraneza does not duplicate or replicate anything., I was also very intrigued because a lot of male singers wouldn’t give Beyoncé any credit. And that in itself showed me that he is a true artist because of his ability to see the inspiration behind any artist no matter the gender or genre.

Igiraneza stood out to me as an artist because he lives in Maine–there’s not a huge music industry as far as record labels, studios, or music producers. Knowing this, I was intrigued as to where Igiraneza wanted to take his career, He explained how he definitely wants to go all the way with his music career as far as international reach, and listeners. As far as the idea of moving, Igiraneza knows that home is where the heart is.

“I hope people see the potential I have and want to work with me and see themselves work with me. I want to work with the biggest artists out there!” he states.“Hopefully I can help other artists do what the artists in California do here. It’s still hard to find opportunities here but I hope to stay here. I know they say to have multiple plans or don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Maybe one day I can move back and forth from California to here but I will always keep Maine and Portland as my main place to stay.” I was truly amazed by his response because it’s not what you would expect to hear from someone with this much talent or ambition.

to me I can write it in a way that can also relate to everybody else not just my story. That’s how I write my music, I write about things that relate to others, not just to me.”

His answer was really touching to me because I am a very emotionally inclined person and I know that with a lot of artists that’s how a lot of people are able to get a following. Actually being able to relate to their audience and what they’ve been through, I see it as a talent to be able to write about other things that people you know have been through.

To me that means you’re really able to connect with other people’s feelings and emotions as well which is a good trait to have not only as an artist but as a person.

One thing that stood out to me about Igiraneza is that his originality and drive to be his own person is expressed through his passion and his dream to expand his town’s music industry. Touching on how he exudes individuality, Igiraneza explained how his uniqueness lies not only in his music, but also in his personality. He states that he wants to be known for more than just being a musician: “I always say I don’t need people to see me as ‘Alain the Musician.’ I want people to see me as me, and see my personality through the music and to get impacted by that. That’s why I always play around with my music, even being goofy in the music, because I feel like people can relate more to me in those situations because I’m not a big talker, I don’t talk a lot, I want people to see me for who I am and see themselves in my music because I think I can relate to a lot of people.”

Alain Igiraneza said he is working on some upcoming work that he is very excited about, and has some tracks already recorded! Follow his instagram @alain_igir to know when his next album is about to drop in 2023!

A headshot of Alain Igiranez

Photo courtesy of Alain Igiraneza

October 17th Student Senate Meeting

October 17th Student Senate Meeting: Inactive Clubs, Possible BSO Committee Restructure, and talks of a new Committee to bridge communication between USM First Responders and USM Students

On the October 17th Student Senate meeting, a great deal of time and concentration within this two hour meeting was spent with the Board of Student Organization (BSO) attempting to correct and fix their own constitution to coincide with the ever-changing landscape of the University of Southern Maine’s students interests and the schools financial abilities and inabilities. Of the five sections and subsections within the BSO’s constitution that were brought to the Student Senate’s attention, three of them were approved. Even though three out of five proposals passing is a high percentage, a common concern from the Student Senate among most of these BSO proposals was about “wording” issues and a need for more “workshopping”.

A major problem the BSO committee was attempting to resolve, or begin the process of resolving, the amount of clubs under the BSO that are inactive. Out of all of the clubs the BSO have under their supervision, around 25 of them are “active”; around 26 of these clubs are considered “inactive” with 15 of them not even having an advisor at the head of the club. It takes two to four years of inactivity and lack of participation, either in the schools community or within the club itself, for a club to be considered inactive. Even though a club could be deemed inactive, that club can still have money in their account just sitting their being unused. The highest total, according to the BSO committee, is $1,200 sitting in one of the inactive clubs accounts. A big concern for both the BSO committee and the Student Senate was how this unused money could be used to help others, especially the active clubs, but also not taking away the possibility of clubs that are categorized as inactive of being able to pursue a chance to become more prominent within USM.

With this in mind, the BSO brought to the Student Senate a proposal to help correct the issue of these unused funds. Part A of the section titled, “Retrieval of Unused Funds” had to do with the clarification of what will hap-

pen if a club does not use the funds given to them by stating that, “every two semesters that an active group does not use their funds, 15% of their overall budget will be returned to the BSO at large budget to be redistributed for other student groups either through special projects or G.O.B.” while also adding that groups will have the opportunity to appeal with a formal write-up explaining on a case-by-case basis why they haven’t used their funds during that time period directly to the Executive Committee. Part B of this section dealt with the same problem, with the only changes coming from the time period the clubs have to use their funds, one semester instead of two, and how much of a percentage the clubs have to give back if the club does not use their funds, 20% instead of 15%. Added to this proposal, instead of needing to write an appeal to the Executive Committee, if an inactive club is “actively” working towards becoming considered an active club, then a grace period of only one semester is granted to the group.

By the time this came to vote, the BSO committee first asked the Student Senate if part A and part B can be voted on separately, which was approved. In the official vote, part A didn’t pass; three yes, four abstained, two no. Part B did pass. While part B of the “Retrieval of Unused Funds” section did pass, the Student Senate did express concern over the wording. One concern being with what will now be considered an active and inactive club, and another concern being what if a club is saving money and does not tell the BSO committee. These concerns are still up for conversation and workshopping since many of the ideas brought to the Student Senates attention were sent back the BSO’s direction with problems due to wording. Even though there was civil discourse between these two groups, many of the things discussed in the meeting kept coming back to the BSO’s wording issues.

Aside from the BSO’s constitution and student club restructuring, new budgets are being rolled out. Even though the total number of dollars was not said at the time of the meeting, within the allocated funds portion of USM’s budget, David Lewis said that it is “very low right now.” USM does try to keep around $100,000 in case of a “rainy day”, and to make up for a lack of student fees for a quarter of the year that also coincides with the new fiscal year, as well as to pay USM employees. This also comes

with the rumor of cuts, and a legitimate conversation was had in the meeting of the BSO vice president position being cut out of the committee. Although this particular conversation was never put to vote, there was obvious reservations against this possibility from the BSO’s president who defended his vice president’s importance to the BSO committee, and her capabilities as the vice president.

To close out the meeting, Senator Goulding shared his proposal that was originally sent back in September to form a “collaborated committee” of “military veterans and public service” to help build a bridge, and a “funnel point” between the first responders within USM, and the students here at USM. The goal in mind is to take away the disconnect that has splintered overtime between the USM student community’s perception of first responders, and to educate the first responders on the students’ concerns and the students’ individual problems with past situations.

This committee that Goulding is proposing is for a “bridge of communication” where “people can funnel questions” with the hopes of “improving the life of how people are treated.” The intent for this possible committee is that it will be unfunded and to be formed under the student senate. Senator Goulding also wants this committee to be a place to issue formal complaints, along with the grievance committee and the committee on racial inequality, so when future complaints and concerns are brought to these committees, it can be directed to the correct entities at the student level without the fear of it being washed away without resolution. Goulding also brought up the possibility of the committee hosting luncheons with first responders, and students coming together to bring forth conversations and to discuss issues on a respectful and personal level.

A woman in the meeting did express how she has had, “ a lot of negative experiences with on-campus safety”, and Goulding responded by saying that those are the type of issues this committee hopes to, “resolve or address.” The Student Senate then decided to table the proposal to give them a chance to review it with plans to vote on it in an upcoming meeting.

The next Student Senate meeting will take place on the night of Monday, October 31st.

Doug Banks contributer

Minding Your Own How to ground yourself in college and life

Kayla Hoggard contributer

Students must have the key to keeping the equilibrium balanced! The amount of things we balance as one person is too high to count! From creating time for our family, to homework, tests, maintaining friendships, and making sure we don’t fall asleep early and miss dinner at the cafe. We are the kings and queens of the balancing scale. Things can get very stressful! Being stressed is not a good feel ing and I am sure many of us can relate. When it comes down to being a student a lot of energy is exerted every day. Whether it be on other people or simply just running after the metro. It’s easy to slip into ”worry mode” when it comes to deadlines, let alone trying to enjoy the present while simultaneously overthinking the future. With get ting lost in the everyday life routine oftending to others, working hard, and keeping our lives balanced: burnout becomes real!

Sometimes out of all the things we take care of we com pletely neglect ourselves! We mind everyone but our own. Minding your own consists of; learning what you can and cannot control, radical acceptance, meditation (or mind fulness practice) as well as solo time. When I first started minding my own it took a lot of practice. I am still learn ing, but here are just a few ways I put these tools into practice. Learning What You Can and Cannot Control We have all had the one situation that really inconvenienced us. A personal experience I had was when I missed the metro and I really had to be some where on time. I was walking from my apartment to the bus stop assuming I had time to stop at the store. I got to the store and picked out my things. I looked at the check out line which looked a little too long, but decided to stay. As I stepped up to the register for my turn the cashier hap pened to be moving at a slow pace. As the cashier finally handed me my receipt I looked out the glass doors and saw the metro leaving! At that moment I was absolutely distraught. I sulked outside and couldn’t help but blame the cashier for my missing the metro.

Looking back at this moment, I can truly evaluate the situation. Yes it was true that the cashier was very slow, and yes, and I did in fact miss the metro. But another metro was about to be on its way! Even though this meant I had to wait another 30 minutes, I was still going to get to my destination on time!

Things are not always going to go as planned or the way you want them to go. Even so, some things just can’t be controlled. I was so upset about the fact that I missed the metro because of the cashier but in all reality, she did not know that I had a metro to catch. Getting mad and angry with the cashier wouldn’t have changed the fact that I missed the metro.

Accepting what you cannot change will save you from the exhaustion of worrying, stress and even anger. Thinking about what you can control in every situation will help

the situation and look at it consciously from a different perspective.Radical acceptance is a tool that can prevent anger from turning into rage, sadness into misery, and pain

Meditation (or Mindfulness Practice)

Meditation and mindfulness are buddhist practices that have been another key to my triumphant journey in college as well. I use it to gather my thoughts and take the time to be with myself and my thoughts. Meditation is known to bring about self awareness by sitting in silence with self and one’s one thoughts. Self awareness is very important because it helps us know what we want in life, figure out how we feel versus what others feel, and it also gives us more awareness of our emotions. Meditation can also help you reduce stress by focusing on the thoughts that are stressing you and watching them instead of interacting with them. Easier said than done, but it can be accomplished. It can also help you to relax by giving you something calm to focus on such as your breathing, or the sound of slow rain drops. Meditation is important when it comes to minding your own because your mind is its key component. Solo Time

I believe that everyone needs a break from people every once in a while. We normally spend most of our time tending to friends, family and professors. Yes we sometimes have to be in a classroom full of people everyday,spend time at home ,and go out and have fun with friends, but you cannot forget the importance of solo time.

Solo time is not only your time to have to yourself, but its a time to connect with yourself. It’s a timeo figure out what it is you want for yourself, to do things that only you like to do;o have that alone time to watch your favorite show that no one else likes like you do. Just to be away from all the protecting, perceptions, and judgements. This has been the most beneficial for myself as a student because I am benefiting from being able to figure out what it is I want from life and break down my thoughts and feelings as well.

something that tends to be used in situations that involve sadness and grief. Radical acceptance is also a good tool to use for hard life changes, a death in your family, a break up, even an injury. It is all about making a conscious decision to accept that this situation is happening but consciously remembering the good things that are here for you and use those things to help you do what you need to do to get through the hard time. Things such as people who love you, a place to live and food to eat. With radical acceptance we are able to choose our reality by being more radical in the way we look at our tough situation. We accept it for how it is and respond to it with less aggressive and impulsive emotions. Instead be able to evaluate

Solo time doesn’t mean cutting people out. It just mean making a boundary with the world so that you can check in with yourself to make sure that you are at peace mentally and physically. Checking in with all areas of your life and nourishing that part of you that may even need to recharge.

Overall I believe that the tools of minding your own are very useful and supportive tools to use when you realize that burnout is beginning to occur and you got lost in the busy life of being a student. Not only would I say that minding your own tools are supportive but I can also say that I’d have to give 50% of the credit to these tools for helping me get through my senior year of college.

Closing Chapters

Osher School of Music’s recital culture

Cayley Bowman Staff Writer

Here at the University of Southern Maine, music is highly valued. The Osher School of Music “offers a personalized and opportunity-based approach to educating musicians.” This includes providing a faculty filled with performers, teachers, scholars, and mentors. A stepping stone for the seniors in the Osher School of Music is their senior recital. They spend their entire time as undergraduate students preparing for their senior recital, some also participating in junior recitals. The senior recital allows them to showcase what they have been working on while being a part of their respective programs.

In the heart of Corthell, Gabriel Reed, from Dayton, Maine, recently performed at his senior recital. Reed is a senior with a major in PK-12 education and a concentration in classical saxophone. He began to play the saxophone in fifth grade, and

never gave it a second thought. The musician plays both the alto and soprano saxophone. Reed has been working towards his senior recital for all four years of his attendance here, working towards getting to the performance level necessary for a senior recital. “It is a culmination of all four

Barry Saunders, his private instructor.

Reed participated in a junior recital as well, a year prior. Although it is not required for music education majors, he feels as though he missed out on a lot of solo performance opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and wanted to better prepare himself for his senior recital by doing a junior recital. Each concentration has their own recital: instrumental (classical and jazz), vocal (classical, jazz, and musical theatre), and composition. Reed did an instrumental recital. The senior recitals are held primarily to assure that the students are fully prepared to go out and teach in the professional world outside of college.

ing for people who care about me,” says Reed. During his performance, he played “Sonata” by Henri Eccles, “Fantasy Piece” by Ronald Caravan, “Piéce Bréve” by Eugéne Bozza, and “Concerto” by Alexander Glazunov. Reed feels as though his senior recital was the closing of a chapter. “It was a big moment, it felt like all my hard work over the past four years came to a close,” Reed states

years of your private lessons, technically. I’ve been working for the past year on the songs I played at my recital,” Reed states. He prepared most for his senior recital with

“I felt a combination of excitement and anxiety. Looking up at a near full crowd of faces that are there just to support me felt amazing, but the anxiety of ‘what if I mess up?’ crept in my mind at the same time. As I finished my first piece, I started to feel more relaxed as time went on, and then eventually, thankful to be perform-

Reed feels as though he is ready for the next chapter of his life post-college. He will begin student teaching, and hopes to be able to perform here and there. “For me, performing is just another way I can share my passion to others in a meaningful way,” says Reed. Music is everything for Reed and he enjoys sharing it with everyone, just like he did at his senior recital. After graduation, Reed hopes to find a middle school band job in Southern Maine.

For more information on upcoming events and other recitals, you can find it on the Osher School of Music website.

Building Your Fall Health and Wellness To-Do List

Lots of things in our lives change with the seasons; activities, clothing, our mood, even the temperature of our beverages. Something we may not think of as seasonal is our emotional and physical self-care. Don’t get me wrong, this is a year round challenge. I find big challenges to be easier if I break them up into smaller chunks to tackle, don’t you? Let’s build a Fall Health & Wellness To-Do list.

Helping us out with this task are three new USM freshman who are living in a triple in Upton Hastings. Meet Bobby, Ethan and Ken who live in Health & Counseling Services’ waiting room at 156 Upton Hall in Gorham. They have been on campus for 7 weeks now and already have encountered challenges they have agreed to allow me to share with you. Bobby feels like he has been sick for a month with a runny nose, sore throat, coughing and an upset stomach. Just when he thinks it’s getting better, some

other symptom starts. He feels bad being around Ken and Ethan sounding so gross all the time. Ethan has not been going to classes and he’s a super busy music major who can’t afford to fall behind. He doesn’t hang out with the crew at meals or on the weekends and Ken and Bobby find him in bed A LOT. He just seems so down. Last but not least, there is Ken who is really enjoying being on campus and partying. He has met several new girls and is quite honest in admitting that condoms have not been part of his repertoire. Thanks guys. You have given us a great starting point for a simple Fall Health & Wellness To-Do list. 1. Get your Flu Shot. This To-Do is brought to us by Bobby who is battling cold virus after cold virus. His immune system is not working great with the stress of transitioning to college. Protect yourself and your campus from something worse Bobby and get a Flu Shot at Health Services. 2. Check in with your Emotional Wellness. To-Do #2 is from Ethan who is S-T-R-U-G-G-L-I-N-G. Bobby and Ken can tell he’s depressed but Ethan isn’t sure what’s up. He just can’t seem to get himself motivated to do work or be social. Luckily Bobby heard about USM Counseling Services and walked Ethan down to make an appointment. The counselor really helped Ethan feel validated that not only is transitioning to college stressful, but this time of year can be tough emotionally as we lose

sunlight. 3. Get Tested for STI’s – sexually transmitted infections. Ken you are not alone in making some pretty intimate connections right off the bat when you come on campus. I just got to ask though, what is getting in the way of the condom buddy? Ken has been tested before for chlamydia and gonorrhea by his pediatrician. He knows he needs to get checked again and what better place to do that than right on campus at Health Services. Ken we will celebrate you coming in and make sure you get the screening and support that you need. And we have FREE CONDOMS. Just saying.

So there is a simple Fall Health & Wellness To-Do list. 1. Get your Flu Shot. 2. Check in with your Emotional Wellness. 3. Get Tested for STI’s – sexually transmitted infections. Bobby, Ethan and Ken are just regular college students like you who need some support and care and have found that at Health and Counseling Services. Let us help you too on your Health and Wellness journey.

Locations and Contact Info: Gorham Health & Counseling Center (Mon-Fri) – 156 Upton Hall – 207-7805411

Portland Health Center (Mondays and Thursdays) –

008 Sullivan Gym – 207-780-4701

Portland Counseling Center (Mon – Fri) –105 Payson Smith Hall – 207-780-4050

Website: https://usm.maine.edu/uhcs

Photo courtesy of USM office of marketing Corthell Hall in the fall

Amy Hinshaw FNP USM Health Services

Photo courtesy of USM Health Services A miniture dorm room diorama

Crossword

Level of difficulty: Medium

the object of a sudoku is to fill in the remaining squares so that every row, every column, and every 3 × 3 box contains each of the numbers from 1 to 9 exactly once.

Sudoku

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

You may think about mundane matters, such as how to increase your income, or more complex issues, such as the purpose of life.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20)

You’re no one’s servant, taurus. You’re entitled to enjoy yourself.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

You might wake up this morning and decide your home is a total wreck. the desire to spend the day cleaning and sprucing up your house.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

today you might spend a lot of time planning your next goal. a little ingenuity will definitely pay off here, Cancer.

Word Search

Theme: halloween Movies

Horoscopes

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

You might be more irritable today leo, remember you effect others in your life and might be needing guidance from someone outside of your circle.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) the october skies make you lucky in love right now as Jupiter enters pisces on thursday, moving into your partnership zone.

Libra (September 23 - October 22) a new opportunity could come your way today, libra. there’s no promise or guarantee, but there is an indication that if you devote yourself thoroughly,

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

a sense of duty toward family members, children, and your sweetheart may cause you to take on responsibilities today that you wouldn’t normally.

search for the list of words in the grid of letters. Grab a pen and circle each word as you find them.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21) emotions stemming from past experiences might cause you to assume undue responsibilities, particularly concerning family members.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

You might be needing a break today capricorn, You might be feeling like everything is going wrong, remember to take a deep breath.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) as a certain project been a drag for you lately, quarius? don’t be surprised if today you get your second wind.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

You will feel strong enough to take on just about any type of project. it’s possible that you might get started on the next one right away.

1. the nightmare Before Christmas 2. the addams family 3. Beetle Juice 4. hocus pocus 5. halloween 6. scream 7. dark shadows 8. Corpse Bride 9. twitches 10. edward scissorhands 11. halloweentown 12. sleepy hollow 13. the Witches 14. Coraline

Halloween Ends-Spoiler Alert

Ben Reed Arts & Culture Editor

The infamous 1978 slasher flick “Halloween”, directed by John Carpenter, has since spawned a lengthy franchise that has spanned almost 40 years. The saga has included various adaptations of Michael Myers and his rampage across 13 films, including two remakes, and now what finally appears to be its final installment. “Halloween Ends”, directed by David Gordon Green, acts as both the conclusion to a trilogy of sequels that began with “Halloween”, and “Halloween Kills”– released in 2018 and 2019, respectively–and as the finale to the franchise. Where I’ll be discussing a lot of intricate parts of the movie, I’d like to caution readers that major spoilers are ahead.

“Halloween Ends” takes place four years after the events of “Halloween Kills”, with Laurie Strode now living with her granddaughter, Allyson, after the death of Laurie’s daughter and Allyson’s mother, Karen. Laurie Strode, our beloved final girl from “Halloween” (1978), has since healed a lot from the trauma endured at the hands of Michael Myers, and no longer spends her days preparing for his return–despite him still being out there somewhere. She spends a lot of time penning her experiences in a memoir as a way to process her trauma and losses, while facing backlash from her town of Haddonfield, Illinois for prodding Michael’s return in the previous two films. On the other hand, Allyson now works as a nurse, and crosses paths with Corey Cunningham, who becomes prevalent to this film’s narrative. The film opens with a flashback to Halloween night in 2019, where Corey Cunningham is babysitting a kid in the neighborhood. After the parents leave, Corey is pranked into being locked into a closet at the top of four flights of stairs by the child he’s babysitting. As the parents arrive home, Corey kicks the door open, which knocks the child over a railing, and he plummets to his death. When the incident is ruled a manslaughter, Corey’s reputation as a good neighborhood guy turns sour as everyone in Haddonfield recognizes him for what they think is an unjust ruling from the incident. After a physical altercation with a group of bullies, Corey is thrown into a ditch, and lands near a sewer grate. He’s dragged inside by none other than Michael Myers, who spares Corey’s life as Corey becomes further intrigued by him and his killing habits. Corey and Allyson develop a relationship, much to the chagrin of Laurie, who begins to see the same evil in Corey that she’s seen in Michael Myers. Her suspicions prove correct throughout the

a&C listings

movie when Corey begins carrying out his own homicidal spree himself. All of this culminates in a final showdown between Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, following Corey killing himself in an attempt to frame Laurie for his murder, and to turn Allyson against her grandmother. Michael Myers and Laurie Strode begin an epic fight around Laurie’s home, dur-

from this main principle can squander the quality of the film. Corey Cunningham’s involvement in the main storyline was offputting, especially where his relationship with Allyson felt so rushed and underdeveloped in the movie. Their relationship was built off a similarity of feeling isolated from their community for varying reasons, which while plausible, lacked depth. Corey’s arc in trying to become the new Michael Myers felt unnecessary and disorienting, where I thought his involvement might’ve been better suited for a minor protagonist role, and keeping the focus on Laurie and Michael’s rivalry.

I also felt that the film taking place four years following “Halloween Kills” stole away from any intensity and thrill that would have prevailed; having the movie start with Laurie finding out her daughter has died at the hands of Michael Myers could have built up the ferocity, desperation, and vigor for a final showdown more than it did in seeing Laurie loosen her grip on the past, only to reconnect with it over her granddaughter’s relationship. The final act of the film, including the final fight scene, was one of the only really enjoyable portions of the movie for me. Seeing Laurie and Michael battle it out reinforced my discontent with a lot of the movie prior, where I enjoyed their chemistry more than I did anyone else’s.

October 31, 2022 - december 9, 2022

Pulped Under Pressure

7th Floor Glickman Library & Gorham

Art Gallery

Free

november 4, 2022 - december 31, 2022

2nd Annual Clever Cup Maine Crafts Association

Portland

november 3, 2022 - november 19, 2022

The Thanksgiving Play Russell Hall

$8 Students; $16 General Admission; $12 USM Faculty and Staff

ing which Laurie pins Michael to a countertop, and finally kills him by slitting his wrists and neck. As Laurie and Allyson reconcile, the town converges to put Michael to rest by putting his body through an industrial shredder, which erases any possible chance he has of returning for another killing spree. Our film and franchise ends with Allyson finally leaving Haddonfield, and Laurie beginning a new life beyond Michael Myers once and for all.

So what did we think of this movie? Personally, I feel as though “Halloween Ends” follows in the footsteps of its predecessor, and doesn’t serve the franchise in the way I’m sure it was intended. While I think “Halloween Kills” and “Halloween Ends” each have some good plot points that would serve this trilogy of sequels well, the execution of them disallows them from having any positive effect on the franchise.

A growing theme throughout this trilogy has presented itself, in which evil isn’t just contained to Michael Myers, but can spread from person-to-person like a disease. I feel that at its heart, “Halloween” is a slasher franchise–an endless game of cat and mouse. If done incorrectly, adding too much substance to it that distracts the story

Shifting away from the more negative aspects of the movie, I want to touch on what I found to be quite pleasurable with the movie. For starters, Jaime Lee Curtis’ performance in this was nothing short of amazing. Even though I wish her character arc was different in this movie, Curtis brings a new level to the character of Laurie Strode–we finally see her moving towards happiness and joy as she heals from her past, and a budding romance with a neighbor grows. While we’re used to a hell-bent-on-revenge woman who’s concerned for her family’s safety, it was nice to finally see a different side to her character for once.

The final act of the film, and the way that the whole story has ended is also quite satisfying. The final fight is a sweet release from the buildup of tension that’s been at the forefront of the past two movies in the franchise. The aftermath and conclusion does its best to tie up the franchise in a neat, little bow, with laying the groundwork for our characters’ lives post-Michael–but thankfully, not for another movie. Ending the franchise after around 40 years is what I feel is needed to make way for newer, fresh ideas in Hollywood. At long last, one of the slasher genre’s inaugural final girls can rest.

november 12, 2022 - november 20, 2022

Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play Russell Hall

$8 Students; $16 General Admission; $12 USM Faculty and Staff

October 31, 2022 - december 28, 2022

Dinosaurs at Dusk!

Southworth Planetarium

$5.50 - $6

want to submit an event?

arts@usmfreepress.org

Photo courtesy of IMDB.com