It can be an exhausting time of the year, from seeing people cling to their partner on your walk to class, to that obnoxious one-month anniversary post that makes you go, “What’s the big deal about four weeks of dating?” You can’t help but pity your single self.

While it’s usually seen as an achievement to get “cuffed” before the winter months, recent popular culture counters this idea, with a recently viral Vogue article reading, “Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now?” You might be better off facing the winter alone.

Although there is inevitable shame in not securing a boyfriend for the winter, these films will make you feel grateful for not falling into the obsessive trap that is love.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

You can’t help but think of the picturesque image of a lover saving you from your loneliness, but this film shows how it can bring disaster.

[Guillermo del Toro gives new life to ‘Frankenstein’ in latest adaptation]

Protagonists Clementine and Joel form a bond in their mutual distaste of life’s hardships, only to end up in a fatal heartbreak, culminating in a life-changing procedure to even attempt to move on from one another.

Seasonal depression is made a lot tougher while holding grudges against everyone who managed to secure a partner. But the thought of being enamored with someone to the point of needing all memories of them erased when it’s over is a little excessive, embarrassing even.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)

Nothing spells out yearning more than Bella Swan staring out her window as fall passes into winter with a panoramic view of her depressing bedroom, Edward Cullen nowhere in sight.

While uncomfortably relatable, a post-breakup Bella was the most down bad anyone has ever been in film history. I mean, she literally jumps off a cliff because she wants to be with Edward again.

While being single is nothing less than difficult during cuffing season’s peak, you’ll always be better off than Bella screaming every night in her sleep because her vampiric boyfriend left her. Her dad even told her she needed to move out!

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

No character more perfectly depicts the deadweight of boyfriends than Andrea Sachs.

She let her insecure loser chef boyfriend make her feel bad about … being employed!

[2026 Grammy nominations signal Recording Academy’s disconnect from pop culture]

Imagine working for the top fashion magazine under the final boss of micromanagement, wearing off-runway clothes to work every day and getting front row seats to Paris fashion week — all for your boyfriend to deem it laughable and claim you’re losing yourself to some vain industry.

Talk about traditional sexist standards.

Lost in Translation (2003)

It’s all smiley faces, loving hugs and dinner dates under ambient lighting for the couples on your Instagram feed, or is it?

While there’s no denying some people might truly find their soulmate, this sentiment is likely untrue for everyone. It’s definitely not true for just recently married Charlotte, whose insomnia is caused by nothing more than her insecurity in her relationship.

Unimpressed by the culturally immersive and scenic sights of Japan, Charlotte mopes around, letting her ignorant and workaholic husband ruin what could’ve been an amazing vacation.

Slightly biographical of how Sofia Coppola — the queen of sad girl films — felt in her first marriage, her storytelling excellently depicts uncertainty when Charlotte holds back tears while phoning a friend, trying to pretend she’s happy and unable to be honest about the mess that is her life.

Honestly? Not an entirely rare experience for those in relationships.

The pieces Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor and Enigma were conducted by bands director Michael Votta Jr., and Rain on It and Ma Mère l’Oye (“Mother Goose”) Suite were conducted by orchestras director David Neely. 

The wind orchestra began their set with Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor by J.S. Bach, a piece dominated by the organ. Beginning slowly, the haunting melody rises dramatically, before capturing the audience in its awe and darkness. 

The piece used continued non-chord tones to create a vivid dialogue between various instruments, the performance striking in its unpredictability.

Arushi Srinivasan, a junior computer science and math major, praised the Wind Orchestra’s performances.

[‘Pretty girl humor’ trend is another excuse to bully people online]

“What struck out to me a lot about the Passacaglia were the question-answer phrases between the different parts of the orchestra,” Srinivasan said. “[There is] a very beautiful pattern that was established by Bach fugues, and I thought they did a really wonderful job articulating that.”

David Biedenbender’s Enigma similarly began with a soft, whimsical tone before surprising the audience with transitions into an intense melody comparable to a score out of Harry Potter.

Enigma, meaning riddle in Greek, signifies the piece’s dramatic progression as the supposed theme of the piece is revealed gradually through instrumental development.

Junior sociology major Genevieve Reineke said she liked the second piece’s organ accompaniment and highlighted Votta’s conducting.

“I really enjoyed seeing [Votta’s] movements and how that translated into the playing of the piece,” Reineke said.

Following the intermission, the performance switched to the Symphony Orchestra.

Rain on It by Kristin Kuster is a contemporary piece exploring feelings about the passage of time. In the event’s program, Kuster describes her resonation with rain, having often watched storms with her dad growing up in Boulder, Colorado. She wrote that rain feels like a “transition-time.”

In the piece, the dwelling and enraptured emotions that represent rain are drawn out through sequences of intense instrumentals. With fast-paced notes and rhythm, the piece takes the audience through a whirlwind of emotions until its sudden stop.

Evangeline Chen, a freshman biochemistry and music performance major, said they were surprised with Kuster’s piece.

“I’m not a big fan of contemporary pieces, but this one was actually really good,” Chen said. “I could get the feeling that the composer was talking about, the feeling of raining.”

Next was Maurice Ravel’s Ma Mère l’Oye (“Mother Goose”) Suite, a five movement piece that tells a different story each movement, including “Pavane of Sleeping Beauty” and “Conversations of Beauty and the Beast.” The piece, meant to evoke feelings of nostalgia, was refined in composition, making each movement slow and steady yet meaningful in its story.

The first movement, “Pavane de la Belle au Bois Dormant,” or “Pavane of Sleeping Beauty,” suspends time with the repetition of simple and quaint notes meant to awaken the princess.

[Guillermo del Toro gives new life to ‘Frankenstein’ in latest adaptation]

Every movement explores its stories through subtle and particular instrumental combinations, specifically “Le Jardin Féerique” or “The Fairy Garden.” With its celestial chimes, the orchestra proceeded into triumphant notes and bells that left a quiet but powerful impact on the audience with its childlike reminiscence.

Chen, who plays the viola, says the piece resonated with them because of past experiences playing the suite.

“It was definitely nostalgic hearing all of this again,” Chen said. “It was very mystical.”

Premiering Sunday, I Love LA begins with witty storylines of toxic friendships, insecurity and the vanity of social climbing. According to Sennott, Gen Z has “been through it.”

With a killer cast starring Josh Hutcherson, Leighton Meester and Odessa A’zion, relatable comedy and an overall ode to the Los Angeles experience in the social media age, Sennott’s depiction of influencers and it-girls alike is hilarious and uncomfortably real.

[‘Bugonia’ is another success from Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone]

Beginning on main character Maia’s 27th birthday, the first episode sets the scene for what seems to be a difficult friendship after her old friend, Tallulah, surprises her from New York.

Their close proximity is only made more difficult when the possibility of the two living and working together again becomes real. It spells disaster considering Tallulah’s infringement on all of Maia’s birthday weekend plans. 

With a conflict at the end of the episode between the two, their friendship is revealed in depth by their confessions of struggles in life — Maia with her job and Tallulah being broke despite her luxurious and cool image on social media.

Sennott sets up what is sure to be a tumultuous relationship through classic Gen Z behavior —  gossiping and seemingly becoming friends after the session. With her combination of humor and serious moments, Sennott’s portrayal of complicated friendships and the struggles of the social media realm becomes all too real. 

Included in the premiere’s promising storylines are Maia’s job and her insecurity as she struggles with being ignored by her boss.

In one scene, Maia attempts to secure a promotion but her boss can’t do as much as look away from the pedicure she’s getting at the same time. It’s exaggerated, but still realistic to the audience in the ridiculous workplace environment Gen Z is growing integrated with. 

With simple comedic scenes of not being able to get a reservation at a popular restaurant and failing at skipping the line at a club, Sennott shows Maia’s uneasiness with Los Angeles and being ignored at her job contributes to Maia’s insecurity — setting up an inner conflict of knowing her self worth in a city of social climbers. 

Although a standout series premiere, some characters felt a little unpolished. Maia’s boyfriend, played by Hutcherson, seems to be a reflection of Maia’s character and not much was done throughout the episode to give him depth beyond Maia’s pet.

The same can be said for Maia’s other friends, Charlie and Alani, as they seem to be parts to fulfill Maia’s life.

[Florence + The Machine’s ‘Everybody Scream’ is a bewitching view into personal trauma]

It’s no surprise the show would center around her, but in similar shows built on the classic arc of a friend group living and discovering themselves in the city, such as Girls and Sex and The City, most characters immediately announce their personality to the audience, setting the stage for further development.

Sennott’s dedication to humor and focus on her character’s storyline doesn’t leave much room for other points of the show to stand out. More dedication to other characters throughout the rest of the season would be the aspect to take the series from good to spectacular and something I hope improves with the coming episodes. 

Time will tell how the series pans out, but with an exciting new HBO Sunday show, Sennott promises an exciting and distinct series that promises to be a standout show.

From inter-collegiate competitive leagues to laid-back tournaments, the club’s different playing styles allow every member to find their place.

Christopher Nagel, a sophomore aerospace engineering major and co-leader of the club, said the club participates in online collegiate leagues, where students from other colleges form their own teams with their club members and compete head-to-head.

“[Students] start up these leagues. They invite schools to play along, and each school just forms a team, and then we all organize and play,” Nagel said. “There were 80 [schools] last year that participated, so that’s a pretty big crowd.”

The club played in Division 1 status last semester. This university has been a fierce competitor, winning against teams from colleges like the University of California, Los Angeles.

Although all members strive to be tournament champions, for some students, the club is a hopeful reminder to push through the week for rewarding gaming time on Friday.

Senior computer science major Andy Diep said playing Mario Kart can bring back fun childhood memories.

“[It] can really bring the feeling of nostalgia,” Diep said. “[It helps] remind yourself that college is not just all about schoolwork,”

[Students are nuts for UMD’s squirrel watching club]

Instead of competing at his house, he’s now one of many students bringing their skills to Mario Kart club’s weekly tournament. By Friday evening, Stamp’s Baltimore Room is filled with the sight of huddled players, wide monitor screens and combative energy fueling the fire of the tournaments. Students scramble their fingers across joysticks trying to pass their opponents.

Anyone can join in, from those just dabbling with the game to people playing since childhood. The winner earns the title of tournament champion until the next meeting.

Arvin Oruganti, a junior computer science major, said everyone can find their own level of commitment in the club.

“Mario Kart club has everything. You have both the competitive side, but you can also show up here as more of a casual thing,” Oruganti said.

[UMD community members gather to celebrate annual Diwali festival]

Juan Leon, a sophomore economics major, said the club’s competitive side is thrilling, where members are ready to take each other down.

“It’s a solo game, so you want to win,” Leon said.

Oruganti said he sees the club as a means of advancement by building connections and learning through casual competition with fellow members.

“It’s not about competing. For me personally, it’s more about improving myself,” Oruganti said.

Nagel said he’s played Mario Kart since childhood, starting on a Nintendo Wii and DS. The club appeals to a lot of different students because of the connections it forms, he added.

“It’s fun to come out and meet like-minded people who also enjoy this game … just having a blast,” Nagel said.

Conducted by music director and cellist Jonathon Heyward, the orchestra played three compositions — “Israfel,” “Violin Concerto No. 2” and “Symphonie fantastique.”

Heyward, originally a musician in the orchestra, sought to acknowledge the rich history behind these pieces and translate them to a new audience. He emphasized the importance of expressing emotion without words in a manner that translates effectively to the audience.

“That’s the power of relatability within the classical music art form,” Heyward said in a Q&A after the performance. “That … is the beauty of what we get to do.”

For audience members like Eashana Subramanian, a senior landscape architecture major, Friday’s concert was their first exposure to these orchestral pieces.

“This is the first time I’m actually going to an orchestra symphony performance, so I’m really excited,” Subramanian said.

“Israfel,” originally a poem by Edgar Allen Poe, praises an Islamic tradition in which an archangel blows trumpets that signify the end of the world. Composed nearly two centuries later in 2015 by Mark Simpson, the piece seeks to capture the same emotions Poe wrote about. The orchestra’s performance marks the first time the piece was played in the United States.

The composition featured a range of instrumental pitches. Shifting from light-hearted melodies in the first section to intense rhythms in the second, it evoked the triumphant and chaotic feelings of the original poem.

[‘She Loves Me’ musical brings rom-com shenanigans to The Clarice]

“Violin Concerto No. 2,” inspired by Russian folk music, sought to stir dramatic feelings in the audience.

Violinist Francesca Dego said during the Q&A that the piece is meticulously conducted, requiring focus and a strict adherence to the sheet music.

“It is almost like dialoguing with a living composer,” Dego said. “It’s so intricate and detailed … that you have to listen all the time.”

Through speedy rhythms, loud notes and instrumental techniques such as pizzicato, or plucked, strings, the orchestra only escalated Dego’s frantic solo.

Valeska Zitta, a junior chemistry major and former violinist, expressed her admiration of Dego’s performance.

“[Dego is] so impressive. It was amazing,” Zitta said

“Symphonie fantastique” articulated a five-movement act composed by Hector Berlioz. It tells the story of a protagonist infatuated with a beautiful woman, leading to misery and his eventual demise.

[The UMD dorm experience is the same decades later]

To preserve the originality of the tragic story, Heyward ignored the usual repetition of the opening, just as Berlioz did when premiering the piece.

“My gut feeling was he never really wanted it, but he was thinking actually about mocking the symphonic tradition to do the sonata form,” Heyward said in the Q&A.

With dramatic sequences and playful melodies, the orchestra told this story using only sound.

Zitta said she enjoyed the orchestra and called its music and performance “beautiful.”

During the Q&A, Heyward highlighted the importance of performances like the orchestra’s, which provoke unity in difficult times. He emphasized the need for people to participate in the arts as a learning experience.

“What matters is actually being able to dedicate yourself to the arts in a meaningful and intentional way so that you all leave a bit more whole in such a fractious world,” Heyward said.

With the colder months approaching, opportunities for stylish layering, unique accessories and fun shoes are all within reach. Add these unique pieces to your fall wardrobe, and you will be put on the dean’s list for most fashionable — whenever that becomes a thing.

Peacoats

The more frisque sister of the classic trench coat, peacoats offer a flexible and non-committal essence to your outfit. The shorter length, wool construction and big statement buttons offer a pleasing visual addition to any look. Paired with sleek pants and a clean shoe, you’re bound to have the chicest essence as you walk across campus.

An opportunity for bold coloring or clinging to neutral fall style, peacoats will fatefully enhance your fall wardrobe. As the viral Lily-Rose Depp meme would have it, make sure to button to the top to brave the chill morning breeze.

Boat shoes

I know what you’re thinking, the typical shoe for a future millennial Buzzfeed employee could never come back. Hear me out, though — boat shoes are more than their unfortunate stereotyping, and a versatile fashion weapon for the fall season.

With their brown color, boat shoes pair well with proper neutral tones. Perhaps a maxi skirt and wool sweater can add a funky yet admirable boost to your fashion compared to the current sea of Sambas, New Balances and loafers we’ve seen so far in recent years.

[UMD students weigh in on simplified Halloween costumes]

Baggy dress pants

Who doesn’t love a nostalgic business casual fashion flashback to prime 2010s Gossip Girl style? But baggy dress pants offer a grunge twist to this tradition. This clean look gives a relaxed aura to your outfit, complete with dress pants and a loose style.

The versatility is unquestionable, pairing with coats, sweaters and jackets. A baggy dress pant will complement anything already in your closet for this fall. Different from your regular pair of jeans, baggy dress pants will have you catching intrigued looks as you strut throughout campus.

Pillbox hats

Headwear is an understated essential for the colder months in your everyday outfit. From earmuffs to beanies and baseball caps, it’s all been done every year.

A pillbox hat, however, is an underground classy finisher to any fall outfit. The 1960s Jacquliene Kennedy classic combines class and excitement for both neutral looks and colorful statements. It yearns for a comeback into the mainstream fashion world; it seems to have been its own victim of the Kennedy curse.

Sport this hat and you’ll undoubtedly become niche amongst your peers.

[Students are nuts for UMD’s squirrel watching club]

Column skirts

While the great migration from mini skirts and jean shorts to full-length jeans and dresses is a seasonal occurrence, a bridge between full-length style and traditional skirt coverage spices things up. Column skirts, which hem around the mid-calf, provide comfort and a sleek look to any outfit.10

A unique replacement to the usual fall legwear column skirts are practical for colder weather. Their simple yet chic design is sure to spawn your own personal admirers around campus.

Shouldn’t the loss of a friend, someone you share a deep bond with, be a major topic for art and entertainment? These connections can sometimes run deeper than those with a romantic partner ever could.

Whether your friendship ended in a big blowout fight or a gradual drift apart, the feelings are all too hard to cope with. A few songs can help soothe the pain.

“Now That We Don’t Talk,” Taylor Swift

A flashback to 1989’s re-release in 2023, Swift’s vault track encapsulates the feeling of seeing your old friend change after growing apart.

Maybe it’s their Instagram story with new friends you remember them disliking, or hearsay of what they’ve been up to. It ultimately comes down to losing the concept of who you thought they were.

“You grew your hair long / You got new icons / And from the outside it looks like you’re trying lives on,” Swift sings.

Listening to this, you can’t help but feel like you can see through the façade your former friend now puts on, especially considering the history you had.

[Taylor Swift enters her flop era on ‘Life of a Showgirl’]

“The Grudge,” Olivia Rodrigo

When you’re stuck in the moment everything fell apart, Rodrigo’s song relates the feelings of anger, resentment and incapacity for forgiveness after being done wrong.

“I try to understand why you would do this all to me / You must be insecure you must be so unhappy,” Rodrigo sings.

This song can help you understand what they did to you is a poor reflection on their part, not yours.

“Hold No Grudge,” Lorde

Speaking of grudges, Lorde’s underrated bonus track on 2021’s Solar Power will be there to comfort you like a soothing breath of beachy air after finally getting out all the rage and resentment of the breakup.

“Hold No Grudge” is an ode to growing older and wiser, reflecting on the situation without the fog of anger. This song brings clarity to the mind and welcomes moving past old situations as you progress into a better place in life.

“No, I don’t keep a list, can’t hold a grudge / Don’t you think that we both might’ve done some growing up?”

It’s not easy to release all the grudges you once held. It might take a million listens to get all the anger out. There will come a day when the bitterness will be replaced with appreciation for the positive changes following the split.

[Lorde stuns with powerful visuals, energy at the ‘Ultrasound’ tour]

“White Flag,” Clairo

The nostalgic fall feel of Immunity reminds you of your hometown, but “White Flag” hits the spot when reminiscing about your high school BFF. Capturing the realization of your past, Clairo puts you in your feelings about how you were treated. Fearing isolation, you settled for dissatisfaction in the friendship.

“Laughing at me, you kick me when I’m down / Oh, how can you pretend you didn’t say that now,” is a lyric that makes you grateful you have more now than that one person you felt wronged you.

From his Broadway debut at age 7 to a career of iconic roles, including Gus Fring in Breaking Bad or Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian, Esposito’s cold, villainous roles have earned him a cult following.

Kicking off the new academic year, Esposito spoke about his career and recounted the lessons he learned along the way, hoping students watching would apply them to their own lives.

Rowan Bruck, a freshman computer science major, was looking forward to Esposito’s lecture for a while as an admirer of his most prominent roles.

“I’ve always been, like, a really big fan of his work,” Bruck said. “This is definitely something I’ve been looking forward to for a while.”

[SEE brings student performers, music lovers together for intimate ‘Cozy Concerts’ event]

Breaking from his Broadway career at 17, Esposito earned a degree in radio intelligence and communication, a pillar in his journey to success.

Esposito said he needed a backup plan before transitioning into television and film acting, with his degree providing the fundamentals for his directorial career through his work operating cameras and copywriting.

“That’s when I learned how to really shoot movies before I had even made a movie,” Esposito said.

Esposito highlighted the merit of pursuing higher education. Although he considered his time in college a fallback, his degree proved useful in his entertainment career, proving that education can apply to every aspect of life, even in non-traditional fields.

Connor Grabowski, a sophomore art history, chemistry and studio art major, reflected on his own hardships as an artist working in a competitive field. He resonated with Esposito’s determination, as he found success with similar grit.

“[Esposito’s] emphasis [that] you have to take the step and you have to just keep reaching for it, even if you’re inevitably going to reach failure, is really pertinent,” Grabowski said.

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Esposito later revealed that he saw more potential in his character Gus than the Breaking Bad producers. He ultimately pitched Gus as a recurring villain and the antithesis to protagonist Walter White.

He used this example to emphasize the importance of taking matters into your own hands. Without his effort, Gus would’ve been relegated to a traditional one–off villain.

“It’s like seeing what needs to be done … and doing it,” Esposito said.

Receiving widespread acclaim for Gus, fans like Grabowski believe he made the right choice.

“My main exposure to Giancarlo … was also through Breaking Bad [and] Better Call Saul,” Grabowski said.

Esposito told the audience to speak their mind and create a personal brand for success. It’s not enough to simply work hard at something, Esposito said, but success truly becomes yours when you are an active collaborator on a project.

But Esposito’s brand and vision often came with rejection.

Recounting times, roles and opportunities slipped away, Esposito initially felt jealous, but learned to trust the process. He believed certain roles were meant to be lost so others could have the potential to excel in.

“The key is to find the way that’s right for you,” Esposito said.

By the end of Esposito’s lecture, many students felt inspired, taking them out of the isolating feeling of searching for a career and aiming for success. Sharing his own takeaways from the lecture, Grobowski plans to apply Esposito’s work ethic to his own life.

“The most … pertinent thing to me was … you have to do it,” Grabowski said.

As the lecture came to a close, Esposito reminded the audience that although failure is challenging, it’s a necessary step in their growth. Through failure, they can discover their own pathway to success, he said.

“There’s not only one way,” Esposito said. “There are many different ways. The key is to find the way that’s right for you.”

The artist was catapulted into fame following her 2024 song “Messy,” which had a viral moment after topping U.K. charts. Seemingly unable to escape the hit, Young’s upcoming album promised listeners they would see more of her as an artist.

Since her debut in 2019 with “6 Feet Under,” Young’s vulnerability has bled into her music, covering topics such as addiction, sex and mental health. Her lyrics, dramatic but genuine, are even more blunt in her latest album; Young takes a chance and shows her authentic self to the world.

Her playful and candid style on I’m Only F**ing Myself breathes new life into the music industry, revealing the true self she’s been waiting to express. But this side misses more than it hits.

Discussing her imperfections in “why do i feel better when i hurt you,” Young displays self-destruction through lyricism. This track captures her failure to understand her behavior through her emotional sound combined with a quiet and comforting instrumental.

“Let’s not pretеnd we don’t find it hard / Just to accept the pеople we are,” Young sings. “Throw words like punches at you / Shove tables right across the room.”

While authenticity is important in an album, the production and lyrics keep people listening, and those qualities remain inconsistent from song to song.

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As a whole, the lyrics on I’m Only F**ing Myself lack meaning and feel repetitive. In “Penny Out of Nothing,” the chorus resembles word blabber without depth.

The lyrics, “Create a penny outta nothing, take a bullet out a gun / I’ll make a fool out of a man, I’ll make a man fall out of love,” are meant to have an impact, but Young fails to convey her message of coping with hardship through distraction.

When envisioning this pop-rock style of songs, I think back to Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts as a perfect example of loud and blaring songs that connect with listeners. The direct lyricism allows for a more refined track with similar production, but simpler and more appealing.

It feels like Young is trying to recreate this sound but falls short, with her lyrics lacking clarity.

The song’s production attempts to tap into the listener’s inner rage. The loud vocals on the chorus and dramatic instrumentals make it the type of song to belt to, but vague, tangential lyrics leave nothing to resonate with.

On the other hand, slower ballads like “who f**king cares?,” provide a more resonating song without the pressure of conforming to a rock-like production.

The verses in “who f**king cares?” show vulnerability that makes people feel seen through music, delving into feelings of depression, substance abuse and loss of hope. Featuring softer vocals, the track has the emotional impact of a demo. It doesn’t get lost in production to overshadow poor lyricism.

Lyrics such as “And am I happy? / Truth is, I don’t really know what that means anymore,”express Young’s hopeless, desensitized feelings, opening a window into the artist’s mind.

[Be the main character on the way to class with these 5 songs]

“Post Sex Clarity” finds Young lost and uncertain in the haze of love. Drawing metaphors between the parallels of physical and emotional love, Young shows her discomfort showing vulnerability — a depth lacking in other tracks.

“When I’m lyin’ in bed, got post-sex clarity / I still love you, and I don’t know why,” Young sings. “Cause every other man didn’t mеan a God damn to me / When I finish, it’s not the еnd of you and I.”

Time will tell whether this album will garner the mainstream attention of “Messy.” Although the pop-rock sections had pitfalls, Young’s raw lyrics excelled in its quieter moments, creating some playlist-worthy tracks.

But the unpolished lyricism and inconsistent sound hinder the chance to cement herself further in the music industry.

The installation showcases the work of multidisciplinary artists through film, interactive pieces and visual art. Their pieces explore memory in a multi-faceted way, provoking self-reflection from the viewer.

Art history graduate student Júlia Sodré helped curate the collection and said her intentions were to center on the idea of “memory as fiction,”3  bringing together a group of artists to do so. 

“My hope is that [students] can learn … what the artists of their local region are doing,” she said.

[UMD students discuss their European summer escapes]

One striking painting by artist Lolo Gem, “The Human Mind Can Stand Just So Much,” is a jumble of bright colors, cartoon references and classic comic book-inspired drawings. This style can be some people’s first exposure to art at a young age, Gem explained.

She said her pieces are a reminder that “we’re all doing this together” — an exploration of nostalgic comforts amid the chaos of adult life. Gem hopes her work encourages her audience to pause and reflect on their own feelings. 

“I know that the feelings I’m putting in it are universal,”  she said. 

Similarly, artist Jiangshengyu Nova Pan’s film “like, don’t know which word will blurt out next.” incorporates her experience migrating across the world as a young adult. The premise follows two actors — one being the artist — through a conversation about their struggles with transformation and embracing difficult changes.

Projected onto the gallery wall, the black and white film follows two actors spending time together over food and wine as they discuss entering a new phase of life. They reveal challenges and find comfort in their joint experiences. The film portrays their struggle to verbally communicate as a symbol of cultural immersion barriers. 
Originally from the southern Chinese city Hangzhou, Nova Pan said she gained a greater sense of the world through her travels. Her focus on depicting migration as a means for people to unite and accept differences shines in the work.  

A notable moment in the piece is when the characters discuss their living arrangements. They both differ in their preference of having a roommate, representing their adaptation to migration. 

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“If you see the world more … you will start to embrace the differences more than confront why we are so different,” she said.  

College students often have similar feelings of transition. Cultivating a sense of self, expanding horizons and growing by embracing new experiences are all results of overcoming the challenges of transformation in life.

“My hope is that the students could come here, [and] have some moments of reflection, either learning about other people’s experiences … or finding a sense of community,” Sodré said.“Lights off at 8pm,” is more than an opportunity to observe phenomenal artwork. It’s also a space for self-reflection. The exhibit is open until Oct. 11.