It’s Thursday evening and our “Thumbs” are just being posted: Can you tell that it’s been that kind of week? With the start of midterms, fall break can’t come soon enough (and quite honestly, there’s so much between now and then that I can’t even see the light). It might be deceptively muggy outside, but believe us when we say that it is officially fall, workload and all! Here are our biggest ups and downs from last week:
Thumbs Up. “A Star is Born.” Last Friday, the film “A Star is Born” starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper was released after much anticipation. Social Media Editor Matty Brown was at the Senator Theater Thursday evening for the premiere, trading a night of fun at Alonso’s trivia night *ahem ahem* for music, passion, and intense artist-to-artist drama (but really, both Gaga and Cooper are stunners in their own regards: can we blame him?). Arts & Society Editor Alex Vigliotti also came to Sunday’s staff meeting raving about the film and said she especially loved the “twist ending.” The movie is currently playing at the Senator and other neighboring theaters, so get a group together, grab a bite at Belvedere, and treat yourself to a cinematic experience you won’t forget!
Thumbs Down. Study abroad deadlines. Your time studying abroad is arguably the most exciting time of your college experience (take it from the girl who literally won’t stop talking about Copenhagen EVER), but the lead up and preparation filled with anticipation and a bunch of deadlines (read: stress) is not as glamorous. News Editor Stefan Joyce let out a big groan at Sunday’s meeting, complaining about how much paperwork he has to hand in before he’s off to Athens next semester. This semester is also anxiety-inducing for sophomores who are scurrying from one info session to the other to try and find the perfect place for a life-changing semester.
Thumbs Up. The Greyhound office now has A.C.! So long are the days of stuffy, sweltering heat and panting our way through staff meetings. The “air conditioning” in the office has allegedly been on for a number of years now (and couldn’t be turned off), and was at a solid 75 degrees and higher (and couldn’t be adjusted). With our swanky T.V. and cool air, the space is shaping out to feel like ~real~ office after years of sitting on some questionable couches (don’t ask), and makes it that much easier to share it with the Yearbook Club.
Thumbs Down: Dan’s bank account. Between celebrating Parents Weekend, senior festivities, visiting friends at other colleges, and general ~life expenses~, I’m sure Opinions Editor Dan Ostmann isn’t alone in feeling like he’s sufficiently emptied his bank account over the past few weeks. Budgeting is hard, especially in college when classes and other extracurriculars makes it hard to balance a full work schedule. I personally spent two and a half years staying up into the wee hours of the night as a Desk Assistant to try to make some extra cash, and I can’t really say I miss it. Luckily, there are tons of jobs on campus that still allow for normal sleep schedules, and of course, the opportunity to replenish funds over Christmas break. Here’s to hoping that Dan isn’t penniless come finals weekend!
Thumbs Up. Play offs in baseball. Playoff baseball is back! The Division Series in the American and National League were full of great matchups from the Major League’s best. The playoffs showed a classic matchup between the baseball’s biggest rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. The Boston Red Sox made a strong case for being the World Series favorite by winning the series 3-1. The Milwaukee Brewers were able to make quick work of the Colorado Rockies sweeping them in three games. The Brewers also were able to outscore the Rockies 13-2. The defending World Series champion Houston Astros also had an easy time in the playoffs beating the Cleveland Indians by sweeping them in only three games. The Los Angeles Dodgers, being led by star Manny Muchado, were able to defeat the Atlanta Braves 3-1. The next round of the playoffs should have even better matchups with the red hot Red Sox facing off against the defending champion Houston Astros in the ALCS. In the NLCS the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers will be facing off.
Thumbs Down. Having to go to school on Columbus Day. It’s bad enough that our “fall break” is only three days long, but having to attend classes on Columbus Day makes the upcoming three-day weekend that much more appealing. I know I could’ve personally used an extra day to catch up with all the work that’s been piling up, but it’s also important to remember what Columbus Day actually stands for and the ideologies (read: colonialism, genocide, etc.) that we would inadvertently be supporting had the university chosen to celebrate the “holiday.” Mondays are rough but we all made it through, day off or not. Hopefully next Monday we’ll feel a little more energized after a weekend at home or even just an extra day to take a bit of a breather!
Keep on keeping on that grind, hounds. Even though it may be hard to tell, the light at the end of the tunnel is super close, and all of your hard work will pay off in the end. Remember to keep eating, sleeping, and taking care of yourself. It’s never a bad idea to check in with your friends too, and encourage each other as we chug along. Have a good rest of your week, and enjoy the weekend!