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Culture

REVIEW: ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ spectacularly soars above the competition

Spenser Willden | June 8

The list of legacy sequels that outperform the quality and craft of their original movies welcomed a new member memorial day weekend with Joseph Kosinski’s “Top Gun: Maverick” releasing in theaters across the world. With a careful story focusing primarily on character and relationships rather than franchise and easter eggs, Kosinski and screenwriters Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christpher McQuarrie created a film that builds on and lifts the original to greater heights.

Culture

PLAYLIST: Back to school slay-list

Maddie Pukite and Zara Roy | May 16

We’ve all been going through changes lately, but the transition to university can be a particularly frightening and singular challenge for many. Luckily for you, the struggle of change is a topic often obsessed over by many great artists. Editors from the Daily Lobo have come together to make a playlist to get you through both foul and fair weather as you move into your first year of college.

Culture

5 and Why: 5 mental health tips for new students

Annya Loya | May 16

With the end of the spring semester comes the end of our first year back to in-person classes after the COVID-19 pandemic. In anticipation of this upcoming fall semester, the University of New Mexico’s psychology department advisors came together to give us five tips to survive another post-pandemic year.

Culture

Ask the Editors: First-year advice

John Scott , Zara Roy and Natalie Jude | May 16

Heading into college, you’ve probably received countless bits of advice ranging from high school teachers advising you on behavior that college professors won’t tolerate to your parents or other adults encouraging you to take advantage of your youth and make the most of the college experience. Through all the noise, it’s hard to decipher what’s helpful from what’s not. Here, three Daily Lobo editors have compiled their best advice, student-to-student, for those just starting out at the University of New Mexico.

Culture

OPINION: Top 5 coffee shops near campus

Zara Roy | May 16

With a fresh batch of incoming freshmen making their way through Albuquerque for the first time, I’m certain one burning question remains on their mind: what is the best coffee place in town? In no particular order, here are five fairly walkable coffee spots near campus worth the visit.

Culture

UNM graduate to join New Mexico State Ethics Commission

Natalie Jude | May 9

After four years at the University of New Mexico studying international studies and political science, is anxiously awaiting her May 14 graduation. Musa’s mark on the University, specifically regarding the securing of financial assistance for New Mexico residents, will not be forgotten as she moves forward with a career in political media. Musa is already set to work as the communications manager for the New Mexico State Ethics Commission for a year following her graduation, and afterwards she hopes to continue her studies in political media with a master’s degree either at UNM or elsewhere.

Culture

OPINION: Why I don’t want to get an MFA in creative writing

Nell Johnson | May 9

In a letter to a friend written at the peak of Virgo season, Anton Chekhov wrote: “Medicine is my lawful wife and literature is my mistress.” Wikipedia touts that he is “considered one of the greatest writers of all time,” Russian or otherwise. But he was never a student of the arts; he spent his days watching human beings fall apart and doing what he could to reverse the human condition, something that is temporary, painful, and disgusting to look at. I graduate this week and people are very curious about what I’m going to do with my dual degree in English and Russian. Most people assume graduate school is the immediate next step, but studying what, they ask?

Culture

UNM grad helps writers and refugees

John Scott | May 9

Hot off the release of the 2022 edition of “Limina: Nonfiction Review,” former editor-in-chief and University of New Mexico graduate Indica Simpson has been busy celebrating her hard work and looking forward to her post-graduation plans. Simpson, graduating with a bachelor's degree in international studies and a double minor in Arabic and peace and justice studies, left her home town of Fallon, Nevada with her heart set on studying medicine at UNM. After her first year, though, Simpson realized that this wasn’t the field for her.

Culture

Acclaimed student journalist graduates, inspires with determination and heart

Natalie Jude | May 9

After five years of undergraduate work split between Champlain College in Vermont and the University of New Mexico, Shelby Wyatt, formerly Shelby Kleinhans, is preparing to graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in film production. The current winner of the Mark Holm photojournalism award, an annual award given to an exceptional Daily Lobo photographer, her work at the Lobo as a dedicated journalist and photographer will not be forgotten. During her three years at the Daily Lobo, Wyatt has had the opportunity to explore photographic and written journalism as well as, most recently, the position of multimedia editor. Like many other Lobo employees and alumni, Wyatt fondly recalls having “fallen into” journalism by way of the Lobo.

Culture

Eagle-eyed editor-in-chief ascends to professional journalism

Natalie Jude | May 9

After four intense years with the Daily Lobo, Megan Gleason is ready to move on from student journalism and step out into the world of professional journalism. Having served as a freelance and beat reporter, culture editor, news editor and editor-in-chief, Gleason is counting down the days until her graduation, when she will receive her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in music. Gleason began as a freelance reporter after a distasteful hiring process for the Lobo and “never would have guessed” she’d move up the ladder so quickly. “I initially decided I didn’t want to work at the Daily Lobo,” Gleason said. “But my sophomore year …

Culture

Award-winning photojournalist to graduate from UNM

Natalie Jude | May 9

Spring 2022 graduate Liam DeBonis began college with few clues as to what he wanted to pursue for a career. Following a random application for freelance photographer at the Daily Lobo, according to DeBonis, everything fell into place. Currently freelancing for the Albuquerque Journal, he is excited for graduation and the opportunity to focus all of his attention on his photojournalism career. “Honestly, school has kind of taken a back seat to my job as a photojournalist,” DeBonis said. “I’ve definitely put my heart and soul into the photojournalism aspect of my life.”

Culture

Outgoing sports editor juggles journalism, computer science, passion for sports

Natalie Jude | May 9

Matt Salcido, the outgoing sports editor at the Daily Lobo, will soon graduate with a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the University of New Mexico. Having fallen into the position of sports editor with no journalistic experience following a back injury, Matthew has learned quickly to translate his extensive knowledge of college sports into journalistic writing. “For a few years prior to beginning as sports editor I was a basketball coach … I ended up hurting my back and I knew I was going to have to take a year off,” Salcido said.

Culture

Graduating Daily Lobo designer dedicated to digital art

Natalie Jude | May 9

Joseph McKee, an art history major and retiring director of design for the Daily Lobo, is awaiting their graduation from the University of New Mexico this spring. Having joined the Lobo three years ago, McKee’s designs for the paper over the years trace the evolution of their design styles and abilities. “I started at the Lobo because I really wanted to work in graphic design. I thought it would be really fun and interesting. I really enjoy collaborating with people and I enjoy design, too … I was looking for some sort of community or club that I could join on campus and it worked out pretty well, I would say,” McKee said.

Culture

Graduating ASUNM president leaves lasting legacy

Zara Roy | May 9

As the curtains draw closed on the final undergraduate semester of 2021-22 for former Associated Students of the University of New Mexico President Greg Romero, he still maintains the same passion and love for the school as he did when he first began his term. Still, he is ready to graduate with a liberal arts degree and a wealth of leadership experience. Romero came into the University with the intention of focusing strictly on his academic pursuits with little time for putting himself out there, but this plan soon fell by the wayside when he joined Alpha Tau Omega his freshman and sophomore years.

Culture

McKinnon Poetry Contest winners navigate identity, origins through poetry

Nell Johnson | May 8

The three winners of the 2022 McKinnon Poetry Contest hail from different hometowns and academic disciplines, but their poems all explore personal origins and their impact. The contest was coordinated by department head Diane Thiel, and winning poems were selected by faculty judges. In first place was senior Benjamin Tabáček with “Homesick;” second, freshman Ariel Menendez with “La Chicana;” and third, senior Indica Simpson with “Résumé.” The McKinnon Poetry Contest is an annual event involving cash prizes, which are awarded thanks to an $100,000 endowment from UNM alumna Karen McKinnon. Thiel praised her giving nature in an email.

Culture

‘We’re All Going to the World’s Fair’ is a creepypasta coming-of-age gem

Zara Roy | May 2

“We’re All Going to the World’s Fair,” directed by Jane Schoenbrun, is a dizzying, slow-paced horror that uses the language of internet urban legend as a springboard to showcase the supreme loneliness of adolescence. Released April 15, the film follows the reclusive Casey (Anna Cobb) after she embarks in an internet horror game called the “World’s Fair Challenge” and her subsequent mental decline. Clocking in just under 90 minutes, “We’re All Going to the World’s Fair” completely defied my expectations of the formulaic and tried found-footage genre (although, to be fair, this film cannot be neatly classified as found-footage) and showcased the versatility of a genre I previously thought to be a one-trick pony.

Culture

Ukrainian student takes pride in her homeland

Maddie Pukite | May 2

The day before Russia invaded Ukraine, Yuliia Kashuba, an international student at the University of New Mexico from Ukraine, gave a presentation to her class about the fighting that had been going on in eastern Ukraine against Russia, explaining that it was not a full-on invasion, not knowing what would happen in the coming day. “No one deserves to be killed in this way. There's no reason. We used to live independent, we (were), like, pro-European country with our own freedom of speech, freedom of expression. You (could) be wherever you want in Ukraine,” Kashuba said.

Culture

Loboscopes: May general predictions

Zara Roy and Nell Johnson | May 2

The transit of several key planets into Aries this month — Jupiter, Venus and Mars — will precipitate a wealth of ideas and physical blessings. The sun remaining steadfast in Taurus until the end of the month should give flashes of inspiration some staying power, as Aries isn’t known for its follow-through. A Mercury retrograde will begin in Gemini on May 10, adding fuel to the Aries fire burning in the heavens. Beware of backwards movement, like reverting to old habits and communicating with those you’ve left behind. The reckless Ram running rampant across the sky will make this difficult. How will you manage? Read on for more specific advice.

Culture

The Kooks have lost it, parsed release disappoints

Natalie Jude | May 2

Just over halfway through the quartered release of upcoming album “10 Tracks to Echo in The Dark,” there seems to have been little improvement since The Kooks’ 2018 album “Let’s Go Sunshine,” a tragic release save for two half-hits: “Picture frame” and “No Pressure.” In their earlier days, English rock group The Kooks were fresh. Their unpredictable melodies pulled from post-punk and the best of indie rock. Since the release of their fourth album in 2014, “Listen,” though, they seem to be steady in their decline. The losses of members Max Rafferty and Paul Garred could be to blame for at least a portion of the slump, but with longtime members Luke Pritchard leading vocals and Hugh Harris leading guitar, these recent and absolute failures should have been impossible.

Culture

Andrew Callaghan broadens journalistic endeavors

Maddie Pukite | May 2

Some say journalism is a dying industry; local newspapers often only have a fraction of the staff needed and broadcast journalists are suddenly largely multi-hyphenates. Mainstream channels like CNN and FOX don’t necessarily appeal to younger audiences and show hyperpolarized depictions of the news. The answer to these issues, according to Andrew Callaghan of Channel 5 Action News, is independent, civilian journalism. “The best way to consume media is (through) firsthand clips,” Callaghan said. “You saw that in 2020 the George Floyd video was more powerful than any news anchor bit could have been. (It) reached more people … Just make sure you're not consuming, you know, propaganda and misinformation; just try to be aware.”