January 30,2023 by The Free Press

THE FREE PRESS

January 30th, 2023

Vol. 54

ISSUE 6

Inside: Surviving a Snow Day pg. 3

Iranian Women Demand Change pg. 4

WMPG Year in Review pg. 11

Editorial

InteRIM eDItoR-In-ChIef Kelly ledsworth

neWS eDItoR doug Banks

ARtS & CultuRe eDItoR Ben reed

CoMMunItY eDItoR dakota eddy

SPoRtS eDItoR

Web eDItoR deklin fitzgerald

StAff WRIteRS Cayley Bowman, Kayla hoggard, Melanie Wiggins, a a Watson

CoPY eDItoRS

eDItoRIAl boARD: Kelly ledsworth, Kyle Mercier, Ben reed, doug Banks, deklin fitzgerald, dakota eddy.

buSIneSS MAnAGeR lucille siegler

dESiGN aNd PHotoGraPHY

DeSIGn DIReCtoR Kelly ledsworth

DeSIGneRS

DIReCtoR of PhotoGRAPhY Kyle Mercier

StAff PhotoGRAPheRS Cammie Breuer

FaCUltY

fACultY ADvISoR adVErtiSiNG

ADveRtISInG MAnAGeR

Cover by Deklin FitzgeralD

to advertise, contact our advertising Manager at 207.780.4080 x3 and look at out advertising rates on our website. We reserve the right to reject advertising. We will not accept discriminatory ads. in complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine system does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, veteran or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. the University provides reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. the University will regard freedom from discrimination and discriminatory harassment as an individual employee and student right which will be safeguarded as a matter of policy. any employee or student will be subject to disciplinary action for violation of this policy. retaliation against anyone who makes a complaint of discrimination or harassment or who is involved in a complaint process will not be tolerated.ttY 711 (Maine relay system).

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Kelly Ledsworth Editor-in-Chief

Welcome back everyone, the spring semester has arrived! I hope you all had a restful winter break and got to spend time with the people you care about. I did get to spend some time with friends I haven’t seen in awhile, as well as seeing bits of my family in Massachusetts.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the people I care for, and I think this all really hit me around my birthday. I turned 23 and I don’t feel much older, but this past year went by so fast. I feel older in the sense that my body is cracking more than it used to, but I don’t think that is a sign of getting older. In the past, my birthday was always acknowledged and celebrated, but not like this year. I had friends remember, and not just because of a Facebook reminder. Friends that planned things with me and made a point to make me feel cared for. All the important people in my life made sure they were able to spend a piece

I Won’t Plan My Life Away

of time with me throughout the week. It made it feel like a birthday week more than just a day. Some of this was an in-depth phone call full of sweet memories of the past. Others celebrated with me with cake and presents, or a nice meal shared. I had a handmade gift from my friend Emma who made me a crochet shrimp! Another notable moment was after my last class of the day on my birthday, my friend Annika and I went on the hunt for mica, a type of mineral. We went on a trail behind USM’s Gorham campus, even dipping our hands in the freezing cold water to find small bits of rock. We are still unsure if any of it was actually mica, but it was so fun I don’t know if it matters at this point.

This is also the beginning of the end for me. I had my last first day of undergraduate school. To quote my niece, Amber, who is graduating high school this year, “This is one of the most important times in my life and it’s all happening so fast, I can’t believe where the last four years went.”

It was nice to have us both stop and

realize we are at the same point, but a different timeline. I have plenty of friends who are feeling a similar way but it does feel like something special to have my niece in the same boat. Her and I have always been able to relate to one another but she seems to feel put at ease to have someone close who is feeling the same ache.

I’m already starting to make plans for after graduation, and I find it hard to not start planning my whole life away. I’m worried about overworking myself like I did last year. I need to remember to live in the moment, when I make too many plans I have less of an opportunity to be spontaneous. I find that I fight this fine line of wanting to do and see everything I can, versus letting things happen naturally. I am always so thankful for the amazing opportunities I get, but I need to find time for myself. In the spirit of having time for myself, I have officially decided to not go to grad school immediately after undergraduate. I have been in school for so long, since the earliest memory I have was in school. I’m ready to live some life that is not having my worth feel like it’s tethered to a grade in a school culture designed for neurotypical people.

I’m glad to still have this excitement for this semester, even if it is mixed with a nauseous feeling of it all being over far too soon.

January 30, 2023 | THE FREE PRESS 2

the free press 92 Bedford s treet, p ortland, Maine 04101 (207) 780-4084 www.usmfreepress.org

Kelly ledsworth / Design Director A walk with my friend Annika Kelly ledsworth / Design Director A crocheted shrimp made by my friend Emma

Surviving a Snow Day

Warnings and tips to get through the rest of the winter season

Dakota Eddy Community Editor

can check your email, USM’s Facebook and Twitter, the USM website, or USM’s emergency/storm line (207-7804800) will have updates on if classes are canceled. Your teachers may also decide to still hold classes remotely, so be on the watch for updates like that. Don’t let yourself worry about the dining hall, either. Brooks Dining Hall won’t close on snow days and will be open their normal hours. USM keeps Brooks Dining Hall hours up-to-date on their website, including for holidays and breaks. If, for some reason, Brooks was closed, it would be updated on

The Husky Line runs independently of the University, so it’s possible the Husky Line could still be running on a snow day, or it could be not running when it isn’t a snow day. The Husky Line is a part of the Greater Portland METRO, so be sure to check the GPMETRO site as well for any updates if you need the Husky Line for transportation.

On the topic of transportation, if you have a car on campus, pay attention to parking bans - you will get towed if you are parked in the wrong lot. These parking bans are put in place so it’s possible to plow the lots and pathways. Tuition is already expensive, let’s not add any more fees to

If your car is stuck in the snow, the Facilities department has shovels that can be checked out at the Facilities Management building. Having ice scrapers and snow brushes should be an essential tool to keep in your car. If you need to go out, plan ahead and be safe. Be aware of the late-night plowing. Campus needs to be kept safe at all times, which means there will be staff plowing walkways and roads throughout the night, which can get a little noisy, unfortunately. Be patient and kind with these staff members. They don’t want to be up that late either, but they’re keeping us

Cars covered in snow while it is still precipating

all safe.

Most importantly, have some fun! If you live on the Gorham campus, take advantage of all the hills around and go sledding. Stock up on hot chocolate packets from Husky Hideaway and make a warm cup. Get ahead on homework. Do some self care activities with your roommate. Just use the day to rest and recharge.

All storms pass, and winter won’t last forever either, so you might as well enjoy the moment while you’re here.

USM saw its first snow day of the 2022-2023 school year on the 20th. If you’re an out-of-state student from somewhere warmer, you may have been under-prepared. If you’re used to the snow, you could be wondering why it took this long to see so much snow. It’s January, and there hasn’t been a good amount of snow that lasted longer than a few days yet.

December brought a couple storms, but the weather had reached temperatures around 50°F, melting the snow within a week. Talking about the current state of the climate has been harder to avoid when our New Year’s are relatively green and warm. My grandmother said we were being “spoiled”. I would say we’re approaching danger.

While there isn’t an immediate solution that’s possible

for college students that would solve the climate crisis, there are ways to make your snow days a little easier.

The winter season is just starting, and more snow storms and snow days are just waiting to hit. Make sure to check your email daily. If you’re not signed up for text alerts, you

THE FREE PRESS | January 30, 2023 3--

deklin fitzgerald / Web Editor A bench and tree covered in snow the the USM Gorham campus. Cammie Breuer / Photographer The snowfall after our first storm on the USM Portland campus deklin fitzgerald / Web Editor

“My grandmother said we were being “spoiled”. I would say we’re approaching danger. ”

- Dakota Eddy Community Editor

Iranian Women Demand Change

Iranian people who tirelessly seek a free and democratic Iran

enthusiasm of some women in Iran for the revolution has turned into disappointment and anger that we witness in streets of Iran.

Though February is the shortest month of the year, it looms large in our hearts and minds because it marks several significant annual occurrences. For one, it is Black History Month, and it includes Valentine’s Day. February happens to be when the 1979 Iranian Revolution took place giving birth to the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Since its creation, the Islamic Republic of Iran has ignited the hopes and fears of the Iranian people as well as those of Iran’s regional onlookers. After Iran’s monarch abdicated power upon fleeing the nation, Ayatollah Khomeini returned from exile with promises of independence, freedom, democracy, and a classless society based on Islamic teachings. Since then, Iranian women have witnessed Muslim feminists voluntarily donning revolutionary hijab as a show of solidarity with the young revolution and Islamic identity, women voting, enrolling in university, becoming doctors, engineers, civil servants, all the way to the office of the vice-president, teachers, and even cab drivers.

Nevertheless, the Islamic Republic of Iran also disenfranchises Iranian women. Initially there was the repeal of the Family Protection Law which legally rectified women’s rights in the context of divorce and child custody. These days, under the Islamic Republic of Iran’s legal system, a woman’s legal worth is half that of a man’s; a woman must wear compulsory hijab; a woman cannot neither sing nor dance in public; a woman who seeks the company of the opposite sex risks punishment if it is outside the bounds of marriage; a woman who would leave Iran for any reason requires permission from either her father or husband. As such, the initial

In the decades since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Iranian population has engaged in war with neighboring Iraq, witnessed wars in neighboring countries, endured privations from trade sanctions, addressed their rulers with grievances, sought their dignity at the ballot box, petitioned for referendums and reform to shape their society to their liking or emigrated to other nations generating the largest Iranian diaspora in all of Iran’s thousand-year history. For all these reasons and more, Iran is again erupting with protests for change and a revolution.

In honor of the recent women-centric revolts in Iran, the Women and Gender Studies Program at USM will present a free teach in, “Woman, Life, Liberty: Voices of Women in Iran and Beyond.” This student-led event will feature some hor d’oeuvres, a panel discussion followed by open discussion, art as activism with the Gender Studies Student Organization, and multimedia all of which are either from or about Iran. The panel will comprise members of the Iranian diaspora and moderator Mostapha “Stav” Aghamoosa, a nontraditional nursing student at USM and former professional scientist from the human diagnostics and biotech industries of Southern Maine.

The event will take place Friday February 3rd, 2023, in 133 Wishcamper on the USM Portland Campus from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Cosponsors include the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, the USM School of Nursing, the Office of Intercultural Student Affairs, the USM Libraries, the USM Gender Studies Student Organization and Sodexo.

January 30, 2023 | THE FREE PRESS 4

Stav Aghamoosa Contributer

Financial Goal Setting

Tools and resources for you to spend smartly

Abshiro Ali Contributor

According to the American Psychological Association, a survey conducted in 2017 on what most Americans stress about indicates that 62% of Americans stressed money. Another survey by the Federal Reserve Board indicates, almost half of Americans could not cover a $400 emergency bill without borrowing money or selling something. These are scary statistics to digest.

I do not know about everyone else, but I do not recall having a single lesson on personal finances throughout my high school and college academic years. How can we expect people to succeed financially? In this short article, I will provide briefly overview financial literacy and financial goal setting.

Financial literacy is the ability to understand and manage money in our day-to-day lives such as need to budget our spending, investments, and savings.

Financial wellness, on the other hand, is a state in which an individual is financially secure in meeting their financial obligations currently and in the future.

Everyone deserves to have enough money for food, to pay their bills, and have financial freedom. Financial wellness is crucial to a good quality of life. Hence, it is essential to have a basic understanding of financial literacy before starting on financial goal setting such as budgeting, being debt free, establishing an emergency fund, educational funding for child/ren, investing and saving. At the University of Southern Maine students are in different stages of their lives. Everyone reading this article can benefit regardless of where you are in your life.

What is financial goal setting? Financial goal setting is prioritizing what you want

to achieve by a particular time period, such the end of the year or before retirement. Depending on where you are in life, this will look different for everyone. The most important aspect of financial goal setting is understanding what you want to accomplish financially. For example, do you want to save for a down payment for an apartment after graduating from college, save for a down payment on a new vehicle, or buy a home? Having a financial goal provides you with seen of directions, just like the G.P.S. on your phone.

One tool you can use for financial goal setting is the S.M.A.R.T. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. The SMART goal setting was developed by Doran, Arthur, and Cunningham in 1981. SMART is to make goal setting easier to understand and achieve. SMART goals are clearly understood by you and others. It must be measurable; how will you measure your goal? It must be attainable. What tools will you use to reach your goal? It must be relevant/ realistic, how you can meet the plan, and it must be timely, meaning the goal will be complete within a reasonable time frame.

Here is an example, I want to set up a financial goal of starting an emergency fund. My goal is I want to save two thousand dollars in my Emergency fund by December 30, 2023. How can I achieve this goal?

What would this look like in the next 12 months? I will need to review income to expenses. I can divide 2000 by 12 months, which equals 166. Therefore, to achieve my goal of saving $2000 by December 30, 2023, in my Emergency Fund, I will have to save $166.00 per month. So, this goal is specific, measurable, realistic, and timebound. You can use the same strategy for paying down credit card debt and saving

for a down payment on a car or a house. When setting up a financial goal, it is essential to understand that goal setting is a landmark to getting to your destination, and action relates to the plan. Financial goal setting should be simple and flexible. There should be flexibility to accomplishing this goal. The other important thing is setting one or two goals at a time, to avoid become overwhelmed.

You can set a short-term goal or longterm financial goal. What are some examples of goal-setting ideas monthly budgeting for yourself, reducing credit card debt by x amount of dollars by the end of 2023, student loan repayment, and setting up an emergency fund?

The University of Southern Maine contracts with a few companies iGRAD and ECMC Solutions to provide financial wellness resources to students to help provide supporting in achieving your personal financial goals. iGRAD offers short courses on personal finances, such as budgeting, banking, getting out of debt, student loan repayment, and more. ECMC solutions provide federal direct student loan repayment counseling. Both services are accessible to students, alums, and faculty staff, free of charge.

I have added Q.R. codes for iGRAD and ECMC solutions; they are great resources for educating yourself about budget setting, banking, student loan repayment options, and understanding your financial status. There are apps can help with budgeting and savings; I will list a couple as references.

Budgeting Apps (not free)

THE FREE PRESS | January 30, 2023 5

Mint Rocket Money

Read the rest online: usmfreepress.org

The Husky Hub

A new online platform for communication, engagement, and community building

Doug Banks News Editor

On Tuesday, January 24th, a school-wide email was sent out from Director of Student Engagement and Leadership David Lewis about a new online community called The Husky Hub, introducing a brand new platform to USM with the plan of connecting people across all majors and locations to help everyone find commonalities with their fellow peers.

CampusGroups, the private community platform company that The Husky Hub software is built by, was started back in 2005 by Yorick Ser while he was a student at New York University. CampusGroups has since garnered attention as a genuine community platform software and according to the CampusGroups website, is currently being used by over 150 schools across the world which includes Yale, MIT and USC.

The Husky Hub platform is meant as a way of communication for faculty and students to get connected to clubs and events that circulate through our three separate campuses. To make an account, an individual must first either go to their myCampus homepage, download the CampusGroups app and look up University of Southern Maine, or scan The Husky Hub QR code that will be going around campus. Once an account is created, all within just the homepage of The Husky Hub, a student can join a group, suggest an event, see what the Husky Line bus schedule is, and look into what events are happening on campus. That isn’t even half of what is offered on the homepage, and just scratches the surface of what this new platform can offer.

This ambitious plan to bring the USM community closer together has been in the works long before the January 24th email, and even when it was first publicly announced at the November 14th Student Senate meeting. According to David Lewis, the idea that would later become The Husky Hub started back during the 2021-2022 academic year, when classes began to move back in-person after COVID had moved them all online. It was then that he realized that the student clubs and organizations were severely impacted by COVID. “We had about 100 different student

groups prior to the pandemic. Going into last academic year, we were at about 30,” according to Lewis. This came from the fact that the pandemic caused a lot of groups not being able to create events, and students who held high positions within clubs graduated causing a ripple effect that ultimately led to these clubs fading away.

It was then that Lewis, along with the former Vice-Provost of Student Affairs Damien Madena, began researching the different possibilities that would help alleviate the issue at hand. After coming across CampusGroups, they soon contacted the University of Maine, who was also intrigued in the use of the software. From there, Lewis and his team did demos of the CampusGroups software, and soon decided that there is potential in what this could bring to the table. They brought it to the Student Senate and their groups to get their feedback on what this software could do to enhance the groups abilities and presence in the USM community. From there, it took until November of 2022 to sign the respective contracts and get the go-ahead to put the use of this software into motion.

Now, less than a month into both the Spring 2023 semester and the official launch of The Husky Hub, students and staff are beginning to see the potential a platform like this could bring to the schools’ clubs and community at large. “It’s going to be really revolutionary for the campus, I think,” said Student Body President Brianna Demaso. “All of the student groups that are run by students will have access to put all their information out there, but also staff has access to it, like Residential Life and Orientation, can do different programs on there. SEAL [Student Engagement and Leadership] can do different programs as well.”

Student Body Vice President Justice Michaud believes that this software will take the hassle out of contacting people who are either interested in joining a group, or simply just want more information on a group: “We honestly do have a hard time finding the perfect way to communicate with our cabinet, so I think this will make it easier to connect and find groups that you can become a part of. I’ve been asked before, ‘You’re Student Body Vice President, how do I get involved in a group?’ I can’t wait to just

say, ‘Go on Husky Hub and find it there,’ because it’s such a hard process to actually sign up for things if you’re not on this.”

One of the main goals behind the implementation of this software is to turn things from being deemed a hassle, to being simplistic. At the software training back in January, a majority of the club leaders, Student Senate, and some staff members were in attendance and were shown stepby-step how to set up a personal profile, a club profile, how to upload club documents, and the ins-and-outs of how to use the software. An important thing to note is that because all of these people were in attendance, they were able to create the clubs in the software, and input “officers” into the club pages, who can easily invite and add people to the group; which means, for example, if a student showed interest in the American Sign Language (ASL) club, they wouldn’t be sending a request to join their club down an empty well, they’d get a response from someone who is actually involved in the club.

It’s also worth noting that the January 16th training was cut short due to the snowstorm coming in that early afternoon, luckily most of the important aspects of the training were completed, one of which being a presentation to demonstrate tools for clubs to keep track of their expenses in a much easier fashion than before. Chair of the Student Senate Chance Gagne stated that the software, “will help clubs budget stuff along the lines of creating a spreadsheet, making a checkbook of the different costs and expenses, and teaching event management.” Brianna Demaso mentioned how Assistant Director of SEAL Christine O’Brian, “provided a ledger for different student clubs and organizations to keep track of their money and it was a cool thing to look at, because ours is very different from hers so it was neat to see.” The software isn’t meant to be a digital wallet or a place where the club’s finances are held, but it does help the respective members of the club stay on the same page at all times when it comes to some of the most important operations within the club.

January 30, 2023 | THE FREE PRESS 6

Koos Mohamed, a student who is a TRIO Peer Leader and Mentor, the President of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), and a member of the Black Students Union (BSU) talked about when she first came across the new software by saying: “As peer leaders, we meet every other week and someone brought up the app, and they went through it with us, and it was really cool to see all the organizations because I’m also part of BSU and MSA, and it was easier for people. Instead of constantly sending emails. It was easier for them to just find the club, and if they wanted they could go and sign right up.”

Mohamed also mentioned the complexity of communicating through her emails and how easily The Husky Hub could fix that: “You’re answering emails all week long and so they kind of get lost, whereas, if you have a separate app for a bunch of things like that, it helps with my work.”

The Queer Straight Alliance, a club that was once inactive due to the pandemic, is now an active club again, and has restored its 47 year-history as an organization, by being active. Bryan Spaulding, a key member within the Queer Straight Alliance stated that The Husky Hub, “is a huge resource for us, because we were doing everything by hand with sign-ups, and we have a huge both residential and commuter population. It’s going to be a huge game-changer for communication to get our events out there,

and be able to interact with students of all ranges.” Spaulding and the club’s hope for the new software is being able to connect with the students who don’t live on campus: “Our hope is to get that missing part of the community that we don’t have. We do a really good job in reaching out to the residential students because they’re here, and they’re always present, but I definitely think that engaging with the commuter students and getting them involved, and not having them feel left out is important.”

Ryan Mustapha, the Student Senate Clerk and an important member of USM’s Rugby Club, talked about how this new software will help reach a wider audience to bring in new members. “Let’s be real. Rugby, that’s not a popular sport here. You can’t just pop it on TV, really. I think the software will be a place if people are interested in watching a couple clips, see what the communication is with practices; and from a coaching standpoint, it will help people who are new to the sport give a nice easy intro for what you need to know. You can put film there, techniques, workout plans, and more. There is a lot this software can do, especially for sports.”

For this semester, The Husky Hub is being distributed as a “soft launch,” which is something that David Lewis and SEAL are very open about. He states: “We haven’t opened up all the different pieces of this, we haven’t offered everything The Husky

Hub and CampusGroups is going to be able to offer you. We’re trying it at about a 50% to 75% level, and we’re seeing how it works.

Then this semester into the summer, we’re going to build up the rest, and hopefully offer even more to the student clubs and organizations so that they can get bigger and better.” The plans according to Lewis is to use the crucial features of CampusGroups now to see what works, and what doesn’t, while also getting the clubs and upperclassmen involved as soon as possible, and once the new students come to USM in the Fall of 2023, that is when he hopes things will be in full swing with both the productivity of the app, and the usage by the students and staff of the community. Another situation this app will encounter is the greater population of commuter and online students, compared to the number of students who live on campus. According to the USM Admissions and Enrollment Management and the Board of Visitors Fall Enrollment Update on October 21, 2022, the total number of students at USM is 7,318 students. The Gorham Campus this semester, according to the previously stated document, is currently housing around 1,300 students at 109% capacity, which means that approximately 82% of the USM student population are commuter and online students. It makes sense; the Gorham Campus only offers a certain amount of

students a living space, and with the new Portland Commons opening in June of 2023, that will be offering 577 students a place to dorm, but the difference between on-campus and off-campus students will still leave the off-campus students with the much higher percentage. The Husky Hub will help each and every student and staff member to become involved in their own way with their own commonalities, no matter what their schedules are. Even for on-campus students who want to see what USM has to offer but they don’t know where to look; now they have a place to turn to.

The lives we lead here at USM are not the same as it was before the pandemic, and especially not during the pandemic. The residual effects that occurred almost three years ago are still felt today. One of the pieces that broke apart and hasn’t been put back in place, is USM’s sense of community. The Student Engagement and Leadership team did not create The Husky Hub to bring back a sense of community; they are building a real community.

For more information, contact the Student Engagement and Leadership office at usmstudentengagement@maine.edu or stop by their offices (Gorham: Brooks Student Center 119; Portland: Abromson 216).

THE FREE PRESS | January 30, 2023 7

SYPHILIS The Great Pretender INFECTIONS ON THE RISE

Call Health Services to request screening 780-5411

Syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI), is caused by a slow growing bacteria called Treponema pallidum. While it has been around for centuries, it’s been in recent news due to an increased number of cases nationwide, including Maine. Perhaps you’ve seen some of the headlines or Center for Disease Control (CDC) advisories:

From the Washington Post: Syphilis cases are surging: Should I be worried https://www.washingtonpost.com/well -

ness/2022/09/27/syphilis

From the Maine CDC: A Health Advisory https://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/ health-advisory.shtml?id=10134153

Last year Maine had 112 reported cases with more infections in young women and also a case of congenital syphilis. For these reasons, and because untreated syphilis can cause serious chronic disease, the CDC has now recommended testing for syphilis in all patients who seek any STI screening. You may know that the CDC guidelines advise annual screening in certain individuals but some folks should be screened more frequently. Are you higher risk? Go to this link to review risk factors.

What are the symptoms? Can’t I just watch for symptoms? Symptoms depend

on the stage of syphilis infection and can mimic other diseases – hence the Great Pretender nickname. Symptoms can be very mild, or more noticeable, and progress in a stepwise fashion: initially there may be a painless sore at the site of infection such as the mouth, penis, vagina or rectum that lasts for a few weeks. A rash and flu like symptoms may follow and last a few weeks. If not discovered and treated during this time, the infection invades other organs resulting in serious chronic disease. There is no vaccine against syphilis and immunity is not built up against it so you can get it more than once. Careful and consistent full screening is very important. Fortunately, syphilis is treatable with an antibiotic if caught early; but without treatment it becomes a chronic infection. Syphilis is also: preventable through risk reduction (such as 100% use of condoms, etc). detectable through a blood test which you can get at local clinics, through your PCP, and at USM’s Health Services on the Gorham and Portland campuses. Did you know that Health Services provides comprehensive care that includes sexual health care?

We offer: FREE condoms

STI screening, testing, treatment

Birth Control – education about methods; prescriptions; refills

Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV

Treatment of yeast infections, STI infections, vaginal infections

Pregnancy testing and counseling

Emergency Contraception counseling and referral

Pap Testing

Inclusive, equitable care to all

To request full STI screening, call us at 780-5411, drop by, or reach out to us at University Health Services - we are always happy to help.

For more information on:

Sexual health visit: https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/safer-sex-toolbox/ CDC guidelines: https://www.cdc.gov/ std/treatment-guidelines/default.htm

The Mayo Clinic STI information. Planned Parenthood https://www. plannedparenthood.org/learn/stds-hiv-safer-sex

January 30, 2023 | THE FREE PRESS 8

Lynn Howard FNFP-C

Crossword

Level of difficulty: Medium

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

Sudoku

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

Jump on board the fast train and see how far it takes you, aries. You will be surprised how far you can go with minimal effort.

Taurus (April 20 - May 20) flexibility is important today, taurus. take the relaxed, laid-back approach. trying to ram your ideas through isn’t the best tactic.

Gemini (May 21 - June 20)

things coming at you from all sides are forcing you to make a move, Gemini. try not to feel pressured into something you don’t want to do.

Cancer (June 21 - July 22)

lock into the practical, grounding force that is not only realistic but also flexible. attend to details and organize yourself, Cancer.

Word Search

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

Horoscopes

Leo (July 23 - August 22)

You will find what you seek, but it’s up to you to take the first step to going after it.

Virgo (August 23 - September 22) perhaps your mind is drawn to one person while your heart is drawn to another.

Libra (September 23 - October 22)

You’re apt to be in a romantic mood today, libra. Your whole being may revolve around love and romance.

Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)

Connect with the stable, grounding energy of the day, scorpio, but beware that tension may come in the form of fast talk and misguided information.

Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21)

the expansive feeling you might be experiencing is apt to be squelched today as you get the feeling that you’ve lost touch with reality.

Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)

Walk to the beat of your own drum, Capricorn. if you try to latch on to the glib, fast-paced information of the day, you might lose your voice in the crowd.

Aquarius (January 20 - February 18) alk to the person sitting next to you on the bus, quarius, or the one behind you in line at the store. hey may have a piece of wisdom to share.

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)

Your self-esteem may be challenged by a fast-paced talker or unpleasant situation, pisces. don’t accept things as they appear at first glance.

THE FREE PRESS | January 30, 2023 9

Avatar: The Way of Water

In 2009, James Cameron introduced audiences and movie lovers everywhere to the mesmerizing world of Pandora and its blue-skinned natives, the Na’vi, in his blockbuster hit Avatar. Since its release, viewers have confused the term “Avatar” to mean either The Last Airbender, or the tall, blue, Na’vi-human hybrids that the film encompasses. It garnered near-universal acclaim for its story and visual effects, and was nominated for a plethora of awards, including Best Picture at the Academy Awards. After being adjusted for inflation, Avatar is the second-highest-grossing movie of all time at the box office, behind Gone with the Wind. After the film’s massive success, Cameron was signed to produce four more sequels. Now, after 13 years of waiting, he has finally released the first sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water.

Already since its December release, The Way of Water has passed the $2 billion mark, and has been named by several film institutions as being one of the best movies of 2022. It has won numerous awards at various award shows this season, and has been nominated for Best Picture alongside three other accolades for the upcoming Academy Awards that are to be held in March, 2023. Due to discussion of major plot points, I caution readers who haven’t seen the movie yet with a spoiler alert.

The film takes place 16 years following the events of the first film, with Jake Sully, our protagonist, following being completely bonded into his Na’vi avatar in the first film, and has created a family with love interest Neytiri, and their five children. Where the story picks up, Sully is the chief of the Omatikaya clan on Pandora, and faces conflict when the Resources Development Administration (RDA)--the corporation Sully worked with to come to Pandora in the first place–returns to exploit the land and its resources for Earth’s gain. One of Sully’s adopted children, Kiri, was born from Grace Augustine’s (played by Sigourney Weaver in the first film) inert avatar, while his other adopted child, Spider, is a human child born on Pandora from Colonel Miles Quaritch, the late antagonist from the previous film. As the war against RDA worsens on his homefront, Sully is pushed to relocate his family to the water-centered Metkayina tribe, which forces every member of the family to adjust in some way to their new community, while evading the persistent threat of the RDA.

Going into the movie, I knew it was going to be a knockout, albeit a three-hour-long endeavor. Cameron did a stellar job of communicating a novel, thrilling story with the original Avatar, paired with the extraordinary visual effects. After 13 years of waiting around for this movie, I figured as much that the waiting was all meant for something, and, boy, was it all worth it! Even with the three-

Event listings

february 1 - february 3

Framing Workshop

Robie-Andrews Hall, Gorham Campus

5 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Free

february 2 - february 4

Expedition Reef

Southworth-Planetarium Science Building, Portland Campus

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

$6 - $6.50

Sunday, february 5

Ed Reichert’s Winter Musical Theatre Studio Recital

Corthell Hall, Gorham Campus

2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Free

february 8 - february 10

Destination Solar System

hour runtime, I only found myself checking my watch a handful of times. The various storylines wove together almost seamlessly, and provided enough development with the characters and overarching storyline to keep me engaged the whole time. As someone who always listens for a good movie score, this one did not disappoint, even with a new composer, Simon Franglen, arriving on the scene after Avatar score composer James Horner’s death in 2015. The action scenes shown throughout were all so captivating, and had myself and my friends in the theater gasping out loud at some of the stunts performed. A rising theme of fatherhood becomes prevalent throughout the film, too, against the issue of trying to find belonging within a family unit, both shown through the struggles Sully and his children face as they navigate through new obstacles, both together and individually.

Overall, I would suggest that anyone who loves Avatar should definitely watch The Way of Water. Understanding that three hours is a bit daunting to sit in the theater for, watching it from the comfort of your home with friends is a just-as-good way to give this film a watch. Keeping audiences’ attention throughout the entire storyline, it certainly has anchored down my promise to watch the forthcoming sequels in the future, with the next installment being rumored to have a 2024 release date.

Southworth-Planetarium Science Building, Portland Campus

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

$6 - $6.50

february 9 - february 10

Visiting Artist Series: Richard Pearson

Thomas Master Class

Corthell Hall, Gorham Campus

9th: 3 p.m. - 5 p.m. / 10th: 2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Free

Saturday february 11

USM vs. Salem State University Womens’ Hockey

USM Ice Arena, Gorham Campus

General Admission $5, Non-USM Students

$3, Seniors (55+) $3, USM Students with Valid School ID & Children Under 12 are Free

Want to submit an event?

arts@usmfreepress.org

January 30, 2023 | THE FREE PRESS 10

Ben Reed Arts & Culture Editor Photo courtesy of IMDB.com

Campus Resources for Students The welcoming of new students to the university

Deklin Fitzgerald IWeb Editor

On Wednesday, January 11, the University of Southern Maine hosted a New Stu- dent Orientation for all transfer and new students who planned to attend for the spring semester. This event hosted twelve different campus groups and resources all wanting to help see success academically, financially, and socially. The groups included the University Credit Union (UCU), who have offices in Gorham in the lower portion of Brooks Student Center, and a building located close to the Portland campus. The UCU works to provide financial literacy skills to students about various aspects of banking, regardless of if they would like to open an account with UCU.

University Tech Services can be found on both the Portland and Gorham campuses, and have four dedicated groups of staff that specialize in helping with general questions for non-tech-savvy persons, card services, desktop troubleshooting, and media services.

The Free Press is located in 92 Bedford Street on the second floor above WMPG, and has been the official student newspaper of the University of Southern Maine since 1972, whose goal is to provide an account on all events related to both the campus and surrounding communities. Positions are available for students with work/study funds, or for simple volunteer experience,

as well as USM community members who would like to contribute.

University Libraries has Glickman library in Portland, the Gorham library in Bailey Hall, and the Lewiston-Auburn Campus (LAC) library. As part of their Learning Commons program, a staff of librarians in any of the libraries can assist students with their academic writing, or conducting research in the preparation for writing these articles. University Libraries also includes a peer tutoring program, in which every student has access to two free tutoring sessions with a fellow student who took the same class, per week, per class.

Student Engagement and Leadership, or better known as SEAL, is located in Brooks Student Center, and works to provide students–both on and off-campus–with event and group opportunities to get involved with their community through various student clubs and organizations. Students who want to create their own club or organizations within the USM community can do so by visiting the SEAL office in Brooks Student Center on the Gorham campus.

The Office of Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is located in Luther Bonney on the Portland campus, and allows students to earn academic credit towards specific majors if they have college-level learning from work, volunteering, or life experiences.

Sullivan Gym is located on the Portland campus, right off Durham Street, and believes that “whether you are new to the

gym, a current fitness guru, or looking to get back into a routine of exercise,” anyone should be welcome, according to their website.

Intercultural Student Affairs’ (ISA) mission is to serve as a resource for every student to engage in the rich education and growth found through active exchange across cultures and identities, both on campus and in our communities local and global. ISA hosts a study abroad fair every year, where representatives from various schools around the world are able to introduce USM students to programs offered year-round.

Located at 102 Bedford Street, along with Promise, JMG, and the Campus food pantry, TRIO offers services to students who are low-income or the first in their family to go to college. . Committed to “equity, empowerment, and community, TRIO College Programs advances a culture of belonging in which students can succeed academically, prepare for the future, celebrate accomplishments, and form meaningful connections,” according to their online mission statement.

Financial Services has an office on every USM campus, and pledges to help students learn the mechanics of how to pay your school-related bills and charges.

University Health Services has offices in both Portland and Gorham and works to “support and enhance the health and psychological well-being of the University of Southern Maine community through

clinical services, student training, and outreach,” according to their website.

Student Employment works to provide employment opportunities to students on campus.

Upon speaking with the Director of Orientation & First-Year Experience, John O’Connor, it was made evident that there were over 200 transfer and new students. O’Connor explained how although there have been ample versions of events meant to ween new students into feeling comfortable on campus, the idea of an actual “campus visit” is a version that is more recent as of May, 2021 and they are offered every semester for registered students. O’Connor stressed the importance of these events because of how they allow students to figure out the locations of their schedules yet also receive parking permits and their husky id cards.

Primarily hosted out of Hannaford Lecture Hall and the second floor of the Abromson Center on the Portland campus, this event proceeded rather quickly from 1:00-3:00PM. Nevertheless, the Orientation and First Year Experience staff were openly providing tours, to those who could attend, around the Portland Campus such as had been done for those willing on the Gorham Campus earlier that same day.

WMPG Year in Review 2022

Caroline Davis WMPG DJ

As 2022 comes to a close, we here at WMPG would like to thank our volunteers, business supporters, listeners, and the community of the University of Southern Maine (USM) for their support. It’s been a very successful year for us, and we could not have achieved everything we have without your support.

We’ve been very lucky to have had such a successful year for fundraising here at WMPG. We had hoped to raise $55,000 during our Spring Begathon, and $60,000 during the Fall Begathon. With the help of our very generous donors, we surpassed both of those goals! Thank you to everyone who called our on-air DJs, mailed donations, or stopped by in person to show their support for their local community radio broadcasters.

Renovations and updates to the radio station have been in the works for a few years now, but many of our plans were finally

realized in 2022. We got a new console, rearranged the setup of the main studio, and renovated our performance lounge, just to name a few of the updates. We were also lucky enough to have local artists Tom Lowell and Lee J Giles paint some new artwork on the doors of our live lounge and production room. Many thanks to them, to our technical director, Craig, and to everyone else who helped make these renovations possible.

Over the summer, WMPG hosted a series of catered neighborhood block parties with music, raffles, and other assorted entertainment. We were so pleased with the local turnout, and are so grateful for the support of our vendors– Quiero Café, Soul Food Paradise, and Leonardo’s Pizza– and our sponsors– Bangor Savings Bank and What Mama Wants podcast. Many thanks to Funtown Splashtown, Maine Wildlife Park, and everyone else who donated towards raffle prizes, and of course to our volunteer DJs – Jon, BC, and Luc for DJing at these events.

Our annual WMPG Record Sale returned after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic as a scaled-down driveway event! The usual LPs, CDs, and trinkets were received very well, and we were so pleased with the community support. We could not have pulled off the event without the help of our management team, volunteers, and work study students.

In partnership with USM’s Osher School of Music, WMPG did a live remote broadcast of the university’s annual Joyous Sounds for a Festive Season concert at St Luke’s Cathedral in Portland. DJs, Bill Audette and Rockin’ Rick , also interviewed OSOM faculty member Amanda Roswick on The Night Train Show ahead of the USM Jazz Ensemble’s winter concert, and the OSOM’s Alexandra Dietrich, Mary Holt, Dr. William Kinne, and Dr. Malinda Haslett were interviewed on Music and Me.

WMPG partnered with USM’s Recovery Oriented Campus Center (also known as the ROCC) in honor of National Recovery Month this past September for the ROCC

Open House. We spoke with Chris Colson about the organization, our very own Development Director, DJ Annella, played some tunes at the open house, and we did a live broadcast of the event for those who couldn’t make it to Gorham.

Our student DJs have kept very busy connecting their fellow USM students with WMPG through campus events. In addition to tabling at the various orientation and student engagement events, WMPG DJs, interns, and work-study students have also hosted performance events at Lower Brooks on the USM Gorham Campus. Between our monthly open mic nights and the spring Battle of the Bands, we’ve been so proud to help highlight the musical students of our student community. Many thanks to SEAL for partnering with us for the Spring Fling Battle of the Bands, to everyone in the WMPG family who helped organize and run these events, and to the USM community for coming out and supporting their fellow students and WMPG.

THE FREE PRESS | January 30, 2023 11