I hope that you are all doing well. You may have noticed that I am a new editor for this issue of the University Times school newspaper. I will be one of three new editors as the semester continues its journey until May.
As the nineth week of the semester approaches us, students may be having more challenges. As a first-time editor, I have felt a little out of my element. The motivation that pushes us past these challenges, however, is not slowing down. Instead, our motivation is becoming more concentrated from all we have learned. And if that is not actually the case, we still have spring break to count on.
Stay strong, folks, and remember to make your own fun along the way!
Luddite: noun–a person against new technology or ways of working. Though this term typically has a negative connotation, teens are turning that around. They are using it as a tool for self-improvement, inspiring many others to do the same. Flip phones are the new trend in alternative culture. Luddite is the new punk.
Are you tired of playing with snow when it is below freezing? Do you wish to play in the snow and be warm? On Feb. 16, UMPI held an event where people were able come in and create their own snow globes. It went from 5 to 8 p.m. and was a one-time event. The snow globes were made with small jars, glitter, water, felt and plastic animals. All materials were provided for free. The Snow Globe event was open to all students.
Wieden Hall Reopens for UMPI Basketball Home Games
When the final buzzer sounded on Feb. 15, 2022, Wieden Gymnasium would not see action for another 11 months. In March, huge renovations began on Wieden Hall. This included a complete overhaul to the aging building’s roof. Constructed in 1960, the building was in major need for upgrades to meet the demand of UMPI athletics.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle was honored on Thursday, Feb. 2, to have guest speaker and novelist Cathie Pelletier join us in the multipurpose room to read from her latest book “Northeaster: A Story of Courage and Survival in the Blizzard of 1952.” Cathie’s book is more than just a story about a storm. Cathie’s story captures the lives of several different people. Her work is creative nonfiction inspired by Maine people –who had experienced this nor’easter all those years ago—and the lives they lived. “The story is not just about them, or the storm or Maine. It’s about who they were as people,” she said.
Don’t pass up the chance of free money and help with school expenses
Do you worry about going into debt or not being able to afford school supplies? Sometimes not having a lot of money can cut you off from experiences. At the University of Maine at Presque Isle, they give you many opportunities to get “free money.” Even if you are not in debt, there are scholarships that can still help with school supplies such as books. The UMPI Foundation scholarships can be a good help to get money to help with school. These scholarships have been helping students since 1972. Each scholarship is named after a person to honor them or in their memory. All current students who will be attending UMPI the following year in traditional onsite or online classes are eligible to apply. Students in the YourPace program are not currently eligible. The scholarship application is very easy to access. It is in a Google form. It should take only 15 minutes to complete. The deadline to apply is Feb.1, 2023, 4:30 p.m. Normally two weeks before starting your next semester you get notified through the mail if you have won any scholarships. Many UMPI staff try to do as much as they can to provide scholarships for the students. Dr. Deborah Roark, Executive Director, University Advancement & External Affairs, said, “It is free money. Why wouldn’t you want to apply?” When you are looking through the scholarships that apply to you in some way, such as your major or where you live, you will find that there are so many scholarships that you are almost guaranteed to get something. There are scholarships for everything, even red hair. Even the smallest amount of money can help you. Students even push one another to apply for scholarships. Cassie Morrell is a sophomore at UMPI who works as an assistant in Deborah Roark’s office. Cassie has applied for multiple
scholarships during the two years she has attended. She said, “Ever since I started working here, I push others to apply, too: like my roommate.” She is close with the people she encourages to apply. She said, “I always say, ‘Girl you need to apply. I have a scan code right here.’” Cassie and many other students at UMPI have benefited greatly from the foundation’s scholarships and can help you just as much. This is your chance to take 15 minutes to apply. A nice thing is that sometimes you get a renewable scholarship. Cassie said, “Making the dean’s list helped me get a $4,000 scholarship that is renewable.” Being on the dean’s list is a plus when applying for scholarships. But even if you are not on the dean’s list, you still have a good chance of getting some money.
Some students travel from different states or countries to attend UMPI. Others could travel everyday.
Have you ever rolled out of bed at 7:55, frantically looked for something to wear, run out the door with your shoes untied and still made it to your 8 class on time? For some college students this may seem like a regular thing. But average commuter students wouldn’t make it past their driveways.
For many college students, making the decision to live on or off campus involves multiple factors. Some people might assume that the cost is the only one. The cost of college for everyone is dependent on what major you are going for, how long you will be in school and whether financial aid covers most of the cost. The news is filled with information about debt and the struggle that many people have paying off their student loans. Students must learn how to make better financial decisions earlier than ever.
Mackenzie Tracy, a first-year student from Caribou, “chose UMPI because it’s close and affordable,” making it a better choice for her than going away to college. Not only is it affordable, but Mackenzie feels a sense of security in her own home and community.
Ellen Billings, a college first-year student from Mars Hill, also made the decision to commute to UMPI instead of living in the dorm at UMaine Orono. She prefers the sense of security she has by living in her own home and how familiar her community is to her. “Having my own private space, being close to home and friends is the reason I choose to commute.”
But for many commuters, the decision is based on comfort, convenience, anxiety and fear about campus life. Students who have lived close to UMPI all their lives are more likely to commute from home to school. They know their community and they feel more comfortable being at home rather than in a dorm with someone they have never met.
There is a downside to commuting, however. Commuter students may get all the comfort they need. But there is still something missing from being in college. When you commute, you go to school, go to classes and then go home. This leaves not much time to socialize. But socializing is a huge part of the college experience: meeting new people creates another form of community if you interact with the people on campus.
Mackenzie feels as though living on campus is the only way she would be able to socialize. “It would be easier if I lived on campus. I feel kind of closed off from other students.” Since she does not live on campus, she feels there is no way to connect with others.
But there are many ways to get yourself out there. UMPI tries to help students feel involved by having many different activities to pick from that suit you best. There are events going on around campus constantly. There is a commuter’s lounge located in Folsom Hall on campus. And joining a club is also a great way to communicate with others. Finding time can be hard. But once you start including yourself, it won’t be difficult to find your own community here at UMPI.
Hallmark Magic is the core to Christmas traditions.
Many people have holiday traditions they do every year. For some, it is watching the classic Hallmark movies. The classic storyline to each movie is alike while giving you a different magical story every time. But why do we watch them and never get bored? Some people say that they are overrated because they all have the same storyline. But what Hallmark movies are truly about is love for Christmas and never having a bad ending. Each movie has a special place in people’s hearts. They bring Christmas magic right to your home.
One of the best things about Hallmark movies is that there are multiple types. They range from Royalty to Hotel magic. One of the top-ranked Hallmark movies, “A Royal Christmas,” focuses on a woman who falls in love with a prince. This genre of Hallmark movies usually starts with the women trying to find out the secrets of the prince. There are many Hallmark movies like this. They all focus on the royal and citizens doing the unexpected on Christmas.
There are many types of baking-based Hallmark movies. They often base them on competition or even something you would not expect. An example is the classic “A Gingerbread Romance,” one of the many movies that focuses on the competitive part of baking. The best thing about baking-related Hallmark movies is it is a different type of competition. Sometimes they do not even focus fully on the baking aspect of the movie. The normal storyline is still there. Most of the time there is some type of suspense by making you think there is no chance they will be together. But somehow they find their way back.
Another of many favorites is a story based on a hotel. There are many kinds of Hallmark movies that are based on this as well. Each movie starts in a different hotel. But some things are different such as whom they fall in love with and where. The Hallmark movie “Christmas at the Plaza” tells a story that is everyone’s favorite. Each of these movies brings the viewers the unthinkable. While few people would think they would fall in love when going to a hotel for Christmas, Hallmark makes it possible. These movies give you a sense of Christmas Magic.
While all Hallmark movies have the same storyline, they still bring Joy to people who watch. Overall, the best thing about Hallmark movies is that they bring comfort, the love of Christmas and sometimes the unexpected. For all these reasons, we continue to go back and watch the most loved Hallmark movies. And many get excited for the new Hallmark movies coming out in the following years.
There are many special traditions that bring people together during the holiday season. The significance of it has followed our families and communities for centuries. With so many amazing ways to celebrate the season, it is up to us all to share our traditions that have been passed down to us with our kin.
In the form of a children’s book, Patricia Polacco reminds many people about Christmas in the U.S. during the Great Depression. During this time, people struggled. But they still found ways to celebrate. This started the tradition of the Christmas orange. “The oranges are the highlight of Christmas for the children,” Patricia wrote.
Patricia’s book, “An Orange for Frankie,” is based on a real family. The main character –Frankie – is the youngest of nine children. “Frankie was the heart of the household – especially at Christmas. That was when the whole family came together to celebrate and gather boughs of greens to put on the mantel. Then they placed apples, dried flowers, cookies, and nuts in the green, and finally, as the crowning touch, the oranges. Nine of them! One for each of the children born to the Stowell clan,” Patricia wrote.
Frankie is Patricia’s great uncle, and the Christmas orange is her family tradition. “Every time I peel an orange and inhale the scent of it and feel the mist that sprays from its skin, I think of a very special Christmas and a flaxen-haired boy who lived many years before I was ever born. That boy was Frankie, my grandmother’s youngest brother,” she wrote.
In the story, Frankie accidentally loses his orange. He is devastated and reminded of the lengths his father went to in order to get the fruit for them. “Pa has driven a several day trip with the horse and buggy to get supplies and the prized Christmas oranges for the mantelpiece,” Patricia wrote.
Despite Frankie’s despair, his holiday is not ruined. The orange is symbolic because it represents our ability to share what we have. During Frankie’s Christmas, he gets surprised with eight loose segments of orange tied together to form a whole fruit. All of his siblings took a segment from their own oranges to surprise their brother.
An illustration by Patricia Polacco of the Stowell family on Christmas morning.
It’s difficult to put into words the effect Aaron Marston had on everyone he encountered. But if words don’t suffice, perhaps an enormous crowd of blue and gold can help.
