Issue 42 // November 2020 // Surviving Finals
COOGLIFE // November 2020
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November 2020
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Comic Corner: Studying
6-7 Overcoming imposter syndrome during exam season 8-9
Excercising more, stressing less: how some UH students use fitness to fight exam stress
10-11 Tools for studying smarter, not harder 12-13 Opinion: Pros and cons of distance learning 14-15 ‘P.S. I miss you.’: the joy of penpalling 16
Books to wind down with post-finals
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Playlist: Happy times have come again
18-19 Anime series you should watch this fall 20
TV recommendation: “The Untamed”
21-22 “The Haunting of Bly Manor”: a review 23
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COOGLIFE // November 2020
A breakup letter to the fall 2020 semester
EDITOR’S LETTER Hey there reader! Can you believe we’re already almost done with the fall 2020 semester? I for one feel like ... this one semester has somehow been at least five. Just earlier today I was reminiscing about something funny that happened in March as if it was a distant core memory I had to dust off. Even though it’s been a long ride, I am at least happy that it’s brought us to our last Cooglife Magazine issue of the semester. I am especially proud of this collection of advice, entertainment recommendations, stories and more, and I think this issue is the perfect way to, as the theme says, survive finals. Even though I’m in graduate school now, finals still give me just as much anxiety as they did my first semester of undergrad. All of the different project due dates, exams to study for, and all-nighters are ... stressful to say the least. I deal with imposter syndrome and anxiety a lot already, so finals season can definitely add to that existing pressure. However, there’s no better feeling than the euphoria of submitting that last paper or walking out of that last class knowing you are DONE. Well, done until you get home and panically check Blackboard for the next few weeks. But to distract from that, this issue is packed with movie, TV show, book and other entertainment recommendations to ease those post-finals nerves. For how crazy this semester (and year) has been so far, I’m proud of each and every one of you for getting here.Yeah yeah I know it’s about the journey and not the destination, but in this case the journey was HARD, so let’s celebrate the destination a little.
EDITORIAL
Autumn Rendall, Executive Editor cooglife@thedailycougar.com
COVER
Juana Garcia, Creative Director of The Cougar ame@thedailycougar.com
WRITING
Haya Panjwani Claudette Vega Sofia Gonzalez Santiago Gaughan Anna Baker Sydney Rose Yidan Ren Michael Taggart
ADVERTISING
csmadvertising@uh.edu
-AUTUMN RENDALL Executive Editor COOGLIFE // November 2020
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COOGLIFE // November 2020
COOGLIFE // NOVEMBER 2018
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Studying A comic by Santiago Gaughan
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You’re not a fraud, I promise: Overcoming imposter syndrome during exam season WRITING BY AUTUMN RENDALL & ART BY JUANA GARCIA
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ave you ever been taking a test, working a job, studying in school and you just feel like a fraud? Not as in you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities or that you lack certain skills or qualifications — but that you don’t even belong at your school or job in the first place? If this feeling is an all too familiar one, you might have experienced imposter syndrome. This phenomenon appears in high achievers who are not able to accept and internalize their success, according to the American Psychological Association (APA). People with imposter syndrome often believe their accomplishments are because of luck and not ability, and they fear being outed as a fraud to their fellow students, teachers, coworkers, etc. When they received praise, they might feel like it’s just because people are trying to be nice — and not that they actually deserve it, according to health psychologist Shilagh Mirgain for UW Health. Their feelings of inadequacy can run so deep that no success or achievement can change them. Imposter syndrome can have difficult interferences with school, work, and self-doubt, and it can be accompanied by anxiety or depression. However, if you feel this way, you’re not alone. Roughly 70 percent of us feel this way at some point in our lives, according to UW Health. If you experience imposter syndrome, here are a few ways from APA and UW Health to overcome this phenomenon: Remember what you do well Suzanne Imes, a psychologist who first described imposter syndrome in the 1970s along with Pauline Rose Clance, suggests writing down the things you’re good at along with areas that might need work. This can help you make a realistic assessment of your abilities while recognizing what you’re doing well and what could use improvement. Stop comparing yourself with others With the amount of time we spend on social media looking at how “great” everyone else’s lives are, it’s easy to feel like others are doing better than us. Shilagh Mirgain, for UW Health, reminds us that social media is curated, and it doesn’t create a real or whole picture.
Think about how far you’ve come According to Mirgain, it’s important to focus on the journey and not the destination. Think about everything you’ve accomplished so far in life and the process you took to get to where you are now. Understand that no one is perfect It’s incredibly cheesy, but everyone makes mistakes. Mirgain said mistakes are always learning opportunities, and though they can be uncomfortable to take on they can be the start of something new. Also, who we are is not solely established by our mistakes. Work to break your negative thought process Mirgain recommends incorporating some key strategies into your life to break a pattern of a negative thought. First, when you speak to yourself, speak kindly. Have an affirming mantra ready that you can repeat to yourself when needed to interrupt negative thoughts. If you need a reminder of how far you’ve come, create a list of your accomplishments to have handy. Also, question your negative thoughts. When they occur ask “Is this true?” Mirgain says to recognize that feelings are normal, but they aren’t true. Sometimes we can replay our negative thoughts over and over again, but with time and energy, we can work towards stopping that cycle. Share your feelings with a mentor Talking about how you feel with someone that makes you feel safe can help calm down an overwhelming amount of negative thoughts, according to Mirgain.Verbalizing your feelings helps you critically analyze the reality of those feelings. A mentor can be someone in your life that you admire and can be honest with that will share their successes, challenges, and failures with you to provide some insight. Talk to a mental health professional Seeking out help from a therapist or psychologist can give you the tools you need to work towards overcoming imposter syndrome. Talking things out, especially with a professional in mental health, can help you step outside of your own fear and anxiety with someone that’s trained to help you. Even though it takes time, energy and effort, there are ways to rewire imposter syndrome thoughts. In the meanwhile, remember this: you deserve to be here.
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Exercising more, stressing less How some UH students use fitness to overcome exam stress by Sofia Gonzalez
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ith finals around the corner, students are bearing the brunt of stressful schedules and multiple exams a week. Some UH students have tried implementing fitness into their regular routine, and they’ve felt less of the stress that exam season brings. “When you exercise, you get your heart rate up, oxygen goes to your brain, endorphins are released; you’re going to feel better,” said Audrey Fogle, UH alumna and former certified personal trainer. How fitness relates to stress According to an article from Walden University, fitness has been proven to directly affect a person’s mental health, such as by relieving stress and boosting brain activity. Fogle said she uses her fitness routine as an outlet to recover from stressful situations. “If I don’t work out, I notice I’m in the worst mood ever,” Fogle said. “I’m mad, I’m angry, all my emotions are pent up. I don’t want to do anything. I’m in a terrible mood.” Taking a break from exam mode Fogle says students should try to find time during their day to work out—especially during finals season. By working out, students can improve their memory, reaction times and decision making.
Finding the time UH student Kameron Wilkerson, a junior majoring in marketing, also uses fitness as a way to release stress from exams. “I used my workout plan, my fitness, as a way to relieve stress from finals,” Wilkerson said. “Just by each day staying consistent with it, that helps you stay consistent with your studies and the things you’re doing in life.” Wilkerson found that by implementing fitness into his everyday schedule, he reaps the benefits within his mental health. “For me, when I get really stressed out, I like to go workout, sometimes even twice a day just to get out all my stress,” Wilkerson said. “Eventually, once I tire myself, I don’t even stress about what I was stressing about anymore.” Saad Shaikh, a junior majoring in Economics, uses fitness and time-management to help his mental health. He takes time to map out his homework and workouts each week. “Some days, I wake up at 4:30 a.m. to have a 5 a.m. workout, it gives me mental clarity for the rest of my day,” said Shaikh, “Working out this midterm season helped reduce my stress levels significantly.”
Using time-management, Fogle decreases her stress while increasing productivity in the gym. This has not only helped her feel better about herself but also helped her feel more prepared for exams when she was in school.
Something to work for Working out while dealing with finals season may be hard, but according to Fogle, finding time and an internal motivator helps.
“I always tried to study a few days before, so I would study a little bit each day and then work out every day leading up to it, so I wasn’t overwhelmed,” Fogle said.
“Even when everything goes away at the end of the day, you have to have something driving you no matter what,” Fogle said.
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Pictured left: Audrey Fogle (photo courtesy of Fogle) “(In this picture) I killed my workout and had finally gained the confidence to start wearing crop tops in the gym, which I had only ever done twice,” said Fogle. “I felt strong. ... I had a charlie horse the entire workout and threw up, but I pushed through. I’ll never go to the gym to look good though, only to feel confident, keep my head down, and put in work.”
Pictured below Kameron Wilkerson (photo by Sofia Gonzalez) “In this picture I’m doing dumbbell presses which is part of my Monday ‘chest day’ routine -- which an essential part of my workout,” said Wilkerson.
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Tools to study smarter, not harder, outside of class BY YIDAN REN & ART BY JUANA GARCIA
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f you’re studying for final exams and you’re nervous about your overall understanding of a subject, there are many resources online that you can use to help. Here are a few websites and apps where you can test yourself and study up for a variety of subjects: YouTube
a goal tracker, where a little checkmark will appear once you complete your goal for the day. This is a great strategy for motivation because some of us love to see that little checkmark at the end of the day. Digital notetaking
On YouTube, OG educational channels such as Crash Course and ASAP Science exist to teach students who might have a hard time following along in class. You can pretty much learn anything on YouTube, and there are plenty of educational channels out there to help you.
If you’re the type of person who hates having anything to do with paper and pen because it’s such a hassle, you might want to turn to digital notetaking. Digital notetaking isn’t all about typing out bullet points -certain programs allow the user to physically write on the device to get that hands-on experience (and hey, writing things down is better for memorization).
Coursera
Microsoft OneNote
This is an online course provider founded by Stanford University in 2012 where you can watch lectures affiliated with other universities and complete subjects for free. Coursera is set up like an actual course where you can watch lectures and complete homework/reading assignments under a certain period.You can also receive a certificate as proof to show completion for a small fee, but that is always optional.
Something that we all have free access to as UH students is the Microsoft Office suite. Microsoft OneNote allows users to annotate and highlight directly on your device, which can save time and trees needed to print out documents.
Skillshare or Master Class Skillshare is an online learning community with educational videos, and the primary method of learning is by subscribing to unaccredited courses and completing a project at the end. The platform offers 7 day free trials, and you can find longer free trials for it on the web. Speaking of deals, Master Class recently launched a student discount where you can access a one-year subscription for only $1 compared to the usual $180. Memrise or Duolingo An app that I picked up during quarantine is Memrise, a free Spanish learning app. Similar to Duolingo, you can learn anything from daily vocabularies to sentences from native speakers. They also use spaced repetition of flashcards to increase the rate of learning.
Notion Notion is another digital note-taking system that has gained my attention recently. It’s like an all in one for to-do lists, habit tracker, planner, etc… It’s an online bullet journal that you can use for both school and personal life. One thing I like about this application is the notetaking process, you can easily hide your text under a toggle (kind of like a bullet point), so it’s an excellent way to test your memorization skills. There are numerous free templates you can choose from, and you can create your own to suit your needs. Essential studying tips: • Use your time wisely • Schedule out time in advance for studying for final exams • Find what study method works best for you. Do you like music playing in the background? Complete isolation? Whatever works best for you!
One thing that I like about this app is that they have COOGLIFE // November 2020
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OPINION: PROS AND CONS OF ONLINE LEARNING BY ANNA BAKER
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or the past semester and a half, we’ve all been stuck in online classes due to the coronavirus pandemic, and if you’re anything like me — you’ve developed some opinions about them. Online learning isn’t all bad though, here are some pros and cons to our virtual education:
Cons: Discussion posts To make up for the lack of class meetings in asynchronious classes, professors assign weekly discussion posts. However in my opinion, weekly discussion posts aren’t good replacements for real in class discussions. When discussing in class, you don’t have to worry about being super grammatically correct and can just speak honestly about whatever you’re thinking. In addition to that barrier caused by writing and grammar mindfulness, a lot of posts just feel like busywork, so students don’t want to do it. Expectations as if there was no pandemic Some teachers have been very understanding through online learning, but that hasn’t always been the case. Some teachers are assigning even more work to make up for missing class time as though that helps anyone. Some teachers are unfortunately just piling on busy work which definitely does not help kids who are already suffering from burnout. Also, some aren’t understanding of bad internet connections and late assignments either. There’s a pandemic which is affecting all of us in very different ways, and teachers should definitely be more understanding of student shortcomings. Harder to make friends It’s hard to make friends in general but online classes are definitely not helping. It feels so much less natural to try to strike up a conversation with someone on Groupme than it does in real life. Especially for freshmen, I imagine this is very difficult. Talking with classmates is also just more fun in general. In online classes, we typically only listen to the teachers. It’s definitely been harder this semester to interact with
classmates.
Pros: Teachers can be more understanding Although some teachers haven’t been, I’ve noticed many teachers being very forgiving in terms of things like where to turn in assignments and grace periods. This style of learning is different to all of us, including teachers, so it’s nice to see our professors understand where we’re coming from when we ask for extensions and whatnot. A lot of the platforms we’re using are new to us as well, so sometimes people don’t turn in assignments correctly. Some teachers haven’t been forgiving but many have, and I hope that leniency continues even after quarantine. No commute This is an obvious one. With online classes, commuters don’t have to worry about being in the car super early in the day to beat traffic. They also don’t have to worry about getting gas for their car which I’m sure that people commuting an hour each way, as many commuters do, have to worry about. Even if you live on campus, you don’t have to worry about long walks to class. Definitely, we can be more relaxed in our classes now. Optimized learning experience One of the great things about online lectures is that they are often recorded, so you can go back and listen to them again to review material. Sometimes professors can talk really fast, and it’s hard to write down what they’re saying let alone write what’s also on the board. With recorded lectures, you’re able to review what you need to without even having to ask a question. You can also speed up lectures too, which is nice if a professor is droning on and on and losing your attention. So, online semesters haven’t been all bad. I of course hope to be back in classes in-person when it’s safe again, but in the meantime, we can at least enjoy the little things in our online classes. COOGLIFE // October 2020
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‘P.S. I miss you’: the joy of penpalling BY CLAUDETTE VEGA & ART BY AUTUMN RENDALL
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COOGLIFE MAGAZINE UNIVERSITY OF HOU. HOUSTON, TX
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LOVED ONES 42 HOME ST. HOUSTON, TX
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ave you ever received a letter in the mail? Not junk mail, a random coupon book, or online order, but an actual letter? No? Well, why not take these socially distanced times as an opportunity to send some love through the mail? I’m sure you’ve heard or read this before, but being socially distant does not mean you should be emotionally distant from those you love. Letters are a way in which you can send your friends or family a personal physical item made just by you.You can customize your message to fit each person in your life, or you can just write a simple note to your friend. The fact that you took the time to write something on paper is the only thing that matters. A break from the screen We are bombarded by the instant gratification of social media, the internet, iMessage, Facetime, etc. One of the most popular apps this year is one that features one-minute videos for you to scroll through. In addition, school is online which makes getting off your computer way harder than it used to be. Writing down your thoughts on a piece of paper could be a nice break from the constant screen time our brains are subjected to. Even the fact that you have to wait at least two weeks to get a letter in return could be a nice reminder that not all things are instant. Relationships take time to build like a letter takes time to make it to its recipient. Infinite possibilities between the lines I’m sure you’ve heard about the love letters sent during World War II -- how soldiers would keep in contact with their wives through these letters full of metaphor and emotion. Even in these hard times, letters brought people together. Going forward to more recent times, social media posts where two people meet through written messages have gone viral. One person even documented his journey on TikTok of home-sending a letter to the girl in front of his apartment. I saw another video recently of a boy sending a note to the girl across the road from his house. Who knows maybe your soulmate lives next door and is only one letter away from you finding him or her?
What I’m trying to say is that letters have infinite possibilities, and if you’re not too afraid to explore them you could surprise yourself in the process. What if you reconnected with an old friend who lives far away? What if you wrote to an author whose book you adore? What if you wrote to someone you found on the internet (safely) and got to know them through being pen pals? Or what if you just wrote to your grandma because you know she would really appreciate a handwritten letter? In my experience, I have written letters for all of the above: to reconnect, get to know, send love, and send birthday wishes. I have written to one of my previous high school teachers as a way to catch up. I have written birthday cards to friends who I will not see until who knows when. I have written to a friend who moved away. I have also written to a pen pal I met through a discord group. Five years ago, I even wrote to an author, and I got a reply! An important lesson learned What newfound wisdom have I acquired from letter writing you might ask? Well, I’m no expert by any means. Honestly, one of my friends could earn the prize for the cutest crafted letters in the world. I am also not the most eloquent of my peers since two of my pen pals are English majors. But, I have learned this: though it is not my favorite means of communication, there is something that allows you to be vulnerable when writing on paper. Sometimes our thoughts get filtered through the fear of judgment, but when we put them down on paper there is something freeing that lets our thoughts run wild. I could tell you that I will treasure these pieces of paper forever because it is a physical representation of someone’s love for me. Not romantic love per se, but a love that lets you think of someone else. A love that is vulnerable with you and treats you as a friend, reminds you that you are someone worth caring about -- someone worth receiving paper love.
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Book recommendations to soothe the postfinals mind BY SYDNEY ROSE & ART BY AUTUMN RENDALL
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s the time of finals and stress approaches, it is good to do things that we enjoy that soothe our minds. Personally, I’m a fan of immersing myself in another world through books or TV shows, so if you are into consuming media as much as I am, here are some book recommendations to de-stress! For romance lovers… Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston This is quite possibly one of my favorite books. It is a standalone romance novel set in an alternate version of our world where the prince of England and the first son of the first woman president of the United States, spoiler alert, fall in love. This is one of my comfort books and I never usually re-read books like that, but I have re-read this book so many times or have just re-read scenes to get that same feeling of comfort all over again. It’s great not only for the LGBTQ+ representation and storytelling but this book legitimately takes away any bad thoughts or feelings I have before reading it and I love how comforting it is. For fantasy lovers… Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas This book is quite possibly part of my favorite book series of all time. There are six books in the series plus two spin-off type books to make it total up to eight novels. It starts off about an assassin being let out of prison to compete in a competition at the royal palace but turns into a much larger plot as the books go on. Besides just having all this material to read through and really put yourself in this world the author has created, there is so much character development over each chapter that you feel connected to the story. I love a good female protagonist as much as the next girl, but the female protagonist in this series is quite possibly the best perspective I have ever seen in a series, so this is my go-to recommendation for anyone. For contemporary lovers… Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky This book title is probably not new to anyone familiar with the indie movie scene, but I can strongly say the argument of the movie not being as good as the book really stands here. There are so many elements of the book that stand out and are not mentioned in the movie. Overall, it is a very quick read considering how short the book is, but you can really feel the impact this book leaves on you as it addresses real-life issues and scenarios that we all come across. 16
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There are some books that help you escape reality, but this one more so helps you address your reality head-on. For classic lovers… Animal Farm by George Orwell Out of all the assigned readings we are given throughout the school years, one of my surprise favorites was this book. Not only is it also a short and quick read, but the whole book being a metaphor is so fun to unpack and analyze. This was one of the few classics that I didn’t want to give up on and spark note the rest of for class and it actually became a re-read for me as I wanted to unpack every sort of “easter egg” that it had to offer with a new read through. For action lovers… Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo Another series, but only being a duology, these two books are set in another fantasy-type world and centers around a group of six people who are trying to pull off a heist all for different reasons. As far as character development goes, the author is not afraid to not make the characters “perfect” archetypes that you constantly want to root for and I kind of like how different that is from other books similar to this. This book builds anticipation as the heist goes on and has you on the edge of your seat wondering what happens next, which always makes for a good distraction from anything happening in the outside world. Overall, it is a book you can get lost in.
Happy times are here again: a playlist Congratulations! You’re done with finals! Here’s a celebratory playlist to get your happy on.
1. You Make My Dreams (Come True) by Daryl Hall & John Oates
9. You’re My Best Friend by Queen
2. I Eat Salads Now by Sidney Gish
10. Heart of Glass by Blondie
3. Sunflower,Vol. 6 by Harry Styles
11. Waterloo by ABBA
4. Photo ID by Remi Wolf
12. Master of My Craft by Parquet Courts
5. There’s Too Much Love by Belle & Sebastian
13. Superbike by Jay Som
6. Make Me Feel by Janelle Monáe
14. How Was Your Day? by Mellow Fellow, Clairo
7. I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You by Black Kids
15. Sunflower (feat. Steve Lacy) by Vampire Weekend, Steve Lacy
8. Juice by Lizzo
16. Alright by Supergrass
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Anime series you should check out this fall By MICHAEL TAGGART
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ey Coogs! With the pandemic still barrelling on in its 8th month (ugh … try not to think about that …) you’ve probably gone through most of your watchlists and backlogs of TV shows and movies by now. Thankfully, the new fall anime season is upon us, and with more than 40+ new shows hitting the market, I’m here to point out a few of the standout series that deserve your attention. Including a couple of new shows, a few returning favorites, and sadly a global phenomenon entering its final season. So, here are five anime shows I can’t recommend enough, let’s go!
shotgun blast of horror and adrenaline that is sure to make it a hit.
New Shows
Akudama Drive (First Season) The latest entry from Studio Pierrot is absolutely stunning to watch. Set in a futuristic Osaka, the world of “Akudama Drive” is a cyberpunk dreamscape filled with crime and every vice imaginable. Long ago a brutal war between two regions in Japan, Kansai and Kantou, resulted in the world splitting apart and a new policed state grew from the ashes. While trying to maintain order after the war, over-policing and a weakening political structure led to the rise of criminals. Criminals dubbed “Akudama” which now infest the city and fight to live their lives, their way.
Jujutsu Kaisen (First Season) Let’s start off with the biggest newcomer on the block, “Jujutsu Kaisen”. If you were ever looking to get in on the ground floor of a blockbuster anime phenomenon, this is it! The story centers around a high school student named he Itadori Yuji, who turns out to be extremely athletic and great at sports. However,Yuji doesn’t like playing sports, what he really loves is the world of the occult. One day while saving his friends from a Curse (demon),Yuji ends up swallowing a finger from a 4-armed demon. This allows the Curse named Ryoumen Sukana to take over Yuji’s body and then calamity ensues. Combining the supernatural along with fast-paced action, “Jujutsu Kaisen” is a 18
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Quick Show Plot: Think “Harry Potter” meets “Supernatural” When to Watch: Streaming now on Fridays @ 12:45 p.m. Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
The story centers around a young girl who happens to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time. She ends up surrounded by Akudama and pretends to be one of them to survive. The hyper-
stylized animation and nonstop action make for an incredibly great watch. Quick Show Plot: Think “Suicide Squad” meets “Blade Runner”, set in a cyberpunk Japan When to Watch: Streaming now on Thursdays Where to Watch: Hulu, Funimation
Returning Favorites Golden Kamuy (Season 3) Ever wonder what a post-war anime would be like if it was created by the Cohen Brothers? Then “Golden Kamuy” is the show for you! The intensity of this gut-wrenching drama is brilliantly laced with moments of levity. The story focuses on exsoldier Saichi Sugimoto, now turned miner hopes to strike it rich to help the widow of a comrade lost during the Russo-Japanese War. Through his journey, Sugimoto, or the “Immortal Sugimoto” as he was known during the war, befriends a young Ainu (the indigenous people of Japan) girl named Asirpa. The pair soon begin searching for a treasure trove of hidden gold stolen by a theft who killed Asirpa’s father during the process. To hunt down the gold they must find pieces of a treasure map tattooed on 24 different escaped prisoners by the theft that stole the gold in the first place. I know the plot is crazy, and it only gets better from there! Quick Show Plot: Think “National Treasure” set in Japan and directed by the Cohen Brothers
Quick Show Plot: Think the movie “Rudy” if he played on a volleyball team When to Watch: Streaming on Fridays @ 1:45 p.m. CDT Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Attack on Titan:The Final Season My last recommendation is incredibly bittersweet, Studio Mappa’s “Attack on Titan: The Final Season”. That’s right, the international smash hit that quickly gained notoriety for its vicious gore-filled fight scenes and the jaw-dropping plot twist is sadly coming to an end. In a world where giant humanoid creatures roam the earth, humanity was forced to build vast gated city-states to protect themselves from the onslaught of the terrifying man-eating giants aptly named Titans. The forces of humanity then created specialized units meant to track and kill the Titans. And after, witnessing the horrific death of his mother at the hands of a Titan, Eren Yeager then joined the Survey Corp in hopes of aid humanity in its fight for survival. The epic tale of Eren and the rest of the Survey Corps’ war against the Titans comes to a spectacular finish. Quick Show Plot: Think “Honey I Blew Up the Kid”, except the kid wants to murder and eat everyone!! When to Watch: Premieres December 7th Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
When to Watch: Streaming now on Mondays @ 10 a.m. CDT Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation Haikyu!! (Fourth Season) One of the most beloved anime series is back for its newest season, “Haikyu!!” returns for its fourth season continuing its To the Top arc. Shoyo Hinata, Kageyama and the rest of the Karasuno High School boys’ volleyball team are facing their toughest opponents yet in the National tournament. If you’re unfamiliar with “Haikyu!!”, this is not your average sports anime, the series focuses on the team members and their interactions on and off the court. Every missed point, every win, every loss, is beautifully animated and portrayed in powerful emotionally charged scenes. Watching Hinata the main character’s unbreakable spirit as he tries to become a “Little Giant” in a sport full of giants is simply inspiring. Be fair warned if you start this series you will need a box of tissues to make it through each season as you will find yourself emotionally invested in this amazing story of unyielding hope.
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The Untamed: The Chinese drama you should be watching
BY YIDAN REN
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the present time, Wei Wuxian (in the body of Mo Xuanyu) once again met Lan Wangji, the person whom he feels complicated about as they solve one mystery to the next to uncover the culprit.
A show I highly recommend to anyone is the 50-episode Chinese drama “The Untamed.” I cannot use words to describe how much I love this drama — everything from the actors, costumes, CGIs, and even the soundtrack - everything is mesmerizing.
How the show tugs on your heart strings I guess I truly understood the meaning of “soulmates” after I completed the drama. The way how the two have different personalities, with Wei Wuxian’s cheerful and mischievous charm and Lan Wangji’s righteous and strict demeanor, they fit together like yin and yang - aka “opposites attract”.
fter pulling numerous all-nighters to review study guides for the upcoming exams, I like to reward myself by pulling all-nighters (once again) to binge-watch my favorite film series. The majority of the films I watch are either Chinese, Korean, or Japanese (I haven’t found a good Thai series to get me started) — pretty much all the Asian dramas.
The enticing plot Let me give you a brief synopsis to get you started. “The Untamed” is a 2019 fantasy/historical drama adapted from the novel “Mo Dao Zhu Shi”, a.k.a “The Founder of Demonic Cultivation”. The show follows our two main characters: Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, who are cultivators from different clans that pair up together to solve a series of mysteries and murders linked to a tragic accident in the past. As they go on with their adventure, they discover the evil mastermind from the Wen clan who is trying to destroy peace from the land because of his thirst for power. This story is indeed based on a romantic relationship between the two main characters, but due to the media censorship of LGBTQ+ portrayals in China, the drama simplified their relationship to be a “bromance” instead. In the present time, Wei Wuxian is known to be a practitioner of the dark arts, who had already died 16 years ago and was deemed too evil to exist. He is then revived in the body of Mo Xuanyu, who wants him to get revenge on his enemies. And in 20 COOGLIFE
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Wei Wuxian is what you would call an “anti-hero”. Even though he sacrificed so much for the good and the common people, he is labeled to be evil by those in power just because he practices the forbidden dark arts. After one misunderstanding leads to the next, the next thing you know the whole world is against Wei Wuxian and wants him to be dead. Catch it on Netflix This series is available on Netflix and YouTube with English subtitles, so you should check it out because it will not disappoint. If you’re interested in more, the original novel “The Founder of Demonic Cultivation” written by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu is also fully translated into English, so you can indulge yourself with a more in-depth approach to the two main characters’ relationship. I feel like I can’t even do this series’ justice with my explanation, but I highly recommend you watch “The Untamed” — the characters and the plot will get you hooked.
The Haunting of Bly Manor: a review BY MICHAEL TAGGART
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The Haunting of Bly Manor” is Netflix’s follow up to the critically acclaimed horror series “The Haunting of Hill House”. This time around, show creator Mike Flanagan (known for his horror films, which he has directed, wrote, and edited) beguiles us with his vision of the 1898 Henry James horror novella “The Turn of the Screw”. Unlike its predecessor though, Bly Manor trades in jump scares for captivatingly haunted storytelling. So be prepared for devastating revelations and heartbreaking tales of love and woe in this exceptional ghost story. (Shhhhhh!)
The Review “But I think you set it up wrong.You said it was a ghost story. It isn’t. It’s a love story.” This line from the series perfectly encompasses the entire twisting plotline as the story flips all your preconceived notions about the show on their head. If you go into this series expecting the same level of freight as you did in “The Haunting of Hill House”, you will be disappointed… at first. Then that disappointment washes away quickly as more and more of this gripping narration unfolds. While there are ghosts that pop up throughout the series, the show isn’t really about that. Instead of the high-intensity horror of Hill House, Bly
Manor slowly spoon feeds you creepy and unsettling tension. The story revolves around a young American woman named Dani Clayton played by Victoria Pedretti. Who, while on vacation in England, takes a job as an au pair to two orphaned children named Miles (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) and Flora (Amelie Bea Smith) who live in the English countryside. Creepy kids, a giant manor in the English countryside…I know it sounds like a plot for disaster. And you would be right, but it’s not the horror that will get you, it’s the stirring chronicles of those who stay in Bly Manor that will leave you absolutely gut-punched. As you would imagine, things start to get terrifying for Dani as the children begin acting weird, and she soon begins to see people that aren’t really there…people that shouldn’t be there. Pedretti’s portrayal of Dani shines as the heart of this dread-filled tale and the chilling performances by Ainsworth and Smith will have you running to turn on the lights while diving under your favorite blanket. Other returning cast members from Hill House include Henry Thomas who gives an exceptional performance as the uncle COOGLIFE // November 2020
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of the two children, Henry Wingrave. Henry is plagued by his demons throughout the series as he can not stand to be in Bly Manor, after the death of his brother and sister-in-law. Also returning is Oliver Jackson-Cohen who plays Peter Quint, the right-hand man to Henry Wingrave. Carla Gugino and Kate Siegel also return in smaller yet impactful roles. Newcomers to the series are Tahirah Shariff (Rebecca Jessel), Amelia Eve (Jamie) who plays the gardener. Eve’s scenes alongside Pedretti are powerful and heart-rending but are also what drive the series. Also new to the series are T’Nia Miller (Hannah aka Mrs. Grose) who plays the housekeeper and Rahul Kohli (Owen) who plays the cook. Ahh…Rahul Kohli, with his giant bushy mustache, Doctor Who-esque wardrobe, and an endless supply of dad jokes (seriously they are so bad yet so good). He is the absolute gem of this series! Although he and T’Nia Miller’s character share a beautiful and gut-wrenching side story (which is my favorite), Kohli’s performance as Owen radiates wholesome charm and sheer goodness during this utterly macabre narration. As the tale of Bly Manor progresses, Flanagan lulls the viewer into a false sense that they might know where the story is going and then completely proves them wrong! It is in episode 5 of the 9-part series where you begin to see the fruits of Flanagan’s remarkable storytelling. The story kicks into high gear as he begins to reveal the true nature of Bly Manor and the ghosts that inhabit the gloomy grounds. Flanagan drops revelation after shocking revelation making the last few episodes and the series itself an undeniable must watch.
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The Breakdown: Flanagan masterfully weaves incredibly grievous tales of love and its consequences into a riveting ghost story which culminates into a captivatingly tragic end. While The Haunting of Bly Manor may score low on the jump scare meter, it will undoubtedly leave you feeling the emotional toll brought on by the melancholy conclusion. It offers hours of enthralling narrative storytelling and superb performances from the ensemble cast. Not to mention the theme song is a complete earworm and will give you goosebumps each time you hear it. “The Haunting of Bly Manor” may not live up to its predecessor in the fright department, but it surpasses Hill House in heart and storytelling. 8/10 - Great
Dear Fall 2020, we’re through. A breakup letter to the fall semester by Haya Panjwani Hey Fall 2020, It’s me, a Coog. We’ve been going at this for a while, and I think it’s time we finally took action. It’s been a few months, but I think it’s safe to say that we are straight up, not having a good time out here. We keep going back and forth; I keep saying “this can’t get any worse”, and you keep challenging that, saying “Bet, here’s some more bad news”. Alas, how much more can I deal with? You just keep throwing way too much at us and it’s getting difficult to keep up. I know this isn’t right, but I have to list out your grievances. Not because I want to call you out for it, but because I want you to learn. There is literally a pandemic I have voiced this before, and I will voice it again. This is something I already struggled to deal with because of my ex (Spring 2020). They blew it on us right when things were going great, and honestly, I saw a glimmer of hope in you. Turns out, you were just like all the others. Everything is online Okay, buddy. My blue light glasses can only block out so much eye strain. I would like just some physical interaction. I would like just one time in a week where I can hang out with my friends in an actual, outdoor setting.You KNOW that I am a hugger, and I cannot hug a single person (Zoom hugs don’t count). Physical touch is my love language, and frankly, I am not feeling the love. I am a waste of space and time because of you. When you first introduced me to your friend, Tik Tok, I
thought to myself “OH! A new friend, I can’t wait to get to know them.” Nevertheless, your friend did me SO. DIRTY. I cannot stop staring at Tik Tok. I have fallen into pits of office supply hoarding or tarotscope readings. I am discovering things about myself I never wanted to discover in the first place. All this, and I cannot let go. Every time I start being productive, 10 minutes later I’m watching Newt on Tik Tok top a brownie with parsley? Your friend has done me so dirty, and I will never forgive you for this. You took Ruth Bader Ginsburg THE AUDACITY?? This woman has done so much for me and my kind (women), and you really had to take away this wholesome spirit from our government system. I only hope that she rests in peace. Quite honestly, I see only one positive from our relationship, and it’s the release of the music video for Golden by Harry Styles. In conclusion, it’s not me, it’s you. I am leaving you for Winter 2020 where I can find cozy vibes, holiday spirit and hope for a new beginning. I would say it’s been a fun ride, but frankly, it hasn’t. I hope we do not stay in touch and that you find a solution to this mess. Sincerely, A tired Coog. COOGLIFE // November 2020
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