Tag: pandemic

Study Hal: Week 28 – Cabin Camping

Leila Mullison Leave a comment

To start the break off right, Hal took a trip to northern Michigan this weekend. He stayed in a cabin with Sparky. Of course, he followed public health procedures in any remotely public spaces, but in the off-season, the campground was practically abandoned. The unseasonably warm weather, though, meant that Hal could be outside all he wanted. Isn’t it neat to watch the sunrise over a lake?

Hal hasn’t slept outside of his childhood bed since January. It’s weird for a college student to stay in the same place for so long, isn’t it? Hal and I agree, though, that we’d rather be feeling weird staying put than putting others at risk by moving around.

Hal, Sparky, and I would like to wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Remember to take care of your mind and body over the break, even if that means eating some comfort food and catching up on homework. 🙂

If you’re new here, Hal is a U-M student who’s been studying remotely since January, and who will be remote next semester, too! If you’d like to see more, come back next Tuesday, or search the “Study Hal” tag for more.

Looking Forward: MUSIC Matters

Lucy Freeman Leave a comment

Happy Friday, arts, ink!

I hope you’ve been getting through the week alright – we’re practically on break already! Today I wanted to talk to you guys a little bit about MUSIC Matters, a student organization on campus that I am fortunate enough to be co-president for this year. 

MUSIC Matters’ mission is to utilize the unifying power of music to drive social impact in the community. This is usually achieved through a variety of events each year, including local talent showcases, battle of the band competitions, and our capstone April event, SpringFest, which features live music, food trucks, student organizations, corporate activations, and more. In addition to these events, MUSIC Matters spearheads three of their own social ventures: the CoMMunity Partnership grant program, the Michigan Overnight Experience for Detroit-area highschoolers and the Big Thinkers Scholarship.

In response to the context of the past few months, MUSIC Matters has adjusted much of its programming. Over the summer, we made donations to the Henry Ford Hospital and to a campaign through another student organization, Heal Move Shift, to help first responders during the COVID Pandemic. In support of the protests against police- and government-sanctioned violence against BIPOC, they arranged a benefit concert and donated the proceeds to the Detroit Justice Center. They have also pivoted our local talent events to be virtual, utilizing Instagram Live to stream these performances. As for SpringFest, the MUSIC Matters team is working extremely hard to make it the best it can be while prioritizing the health and safety of everyone involved. Stay tuned for updates by following our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. 

If you want to get involved in MUSIC Matters, you can still join! Go to our website, then under the “About Us” title go to the “Get Involved” tab. Here, you can find the application for 2020-2021, as well as check out more information on each of the committees and initiatives. 

That’s all for this week! Hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving week (even though it may look a little bit different this year) and find some time to reset. 

 

Stay well + stay safe!

Lucy

Study Hal: Week 27 – Indoors

Leila Mullison Leave a comment

Hal likes to read his book outside in the mornings, but today, he woke up to frost and snow on the ground… It’s officially too late in the season to take breaks outdoors! Lucky for him, there are a lot of cozy chairs and great houseplants around here. It’s not quite the same as the fresh air outside, but it’ll do.

As far as books, Hal is almost done with Neil Gaiman’s American Gods! I’ve been trying to get him to read Coraline, but he says it’s too scary… (With his love of horror movies, I thought it would be perfect!) Anyone got any good new recommendations for him? He’s going to need them going into the long winter break.

If this is your first time here, welcome! Hal is a U-M student studying remotely through 2020. Check the Study Hal tag to see all of his exploits, or come back on Tuesdays for more!

Study Hal: Week 26 – Refreshed

Leila Mullison Leave a comment

Like much of the United States, Hal spent last week waiting for election results by constantly refreshing the vote map. When the news came in about our new president-elect, Hal actually felt relieved and refreshed… But it only lasted about 10 seconds. Then he realized how much work piled up while he was worrying about the election results.

It’s been really hard to balance schoolwork with the stress of modern issues. The fight for equal rights and a more democratic and unified country are far from over, but us students have 30 pages of reading and five essays due next week… Hal would like to remind you to be kind to yourself in the coming weeks. He’s working hard to get back on track, but even if it’s slow, it’s amazing to be doing any work at all in a time like this. To all of the students trying to hang in there: amazing job so far, and you’ve got this going forward!

In case this is your first time here, Hal is a U-M student who’s studying remotely for 2020. He’s back on Tuesdays with new adventures, but you can check out all of the previous weeks on the Study Hal tag.

Study Hal: Week 25 – Election Day

Leila Mullison Leave a comment

Hello from the polls! Hal’s been pretty stressed about the election. But, that anxiety inspired him to be an election official, to help folks vote in person! It’s a good cause, but, like the rest of the election inspectors in Michigan, he had to get up early. (Early enough to be at his precinct at 6 AM!)

If you can vote and you haven’t already submitted an absentee ballot, please try to get out to the polls today! Folks like Hal are there to help you make your voice heard as quickly and safely as possible. Check out The Michigan Daily for info on in-person Ann Arbor precincts, and be sure to get in line before 8 PM in Michigan! On that note, please be kind to your election officials, too! They’ll probably be working until after 10 PM to ensure everything runs smoothly.

In case you’ve missed it, Hal is a U-M student studying remotely this semester! Check out the Study Hal tag to learn more, and see more clips here every Tuesday!

Study Hal: Week 24 – Costume Party

Leila Mullison 1 Comment

Hal is gearing up for Halloween this weekend! In his excitement (and to procrastinate on school projects…) Hal made costumes for him and his dog Sparky! They’re based on his D&D campaign, where he plays a wizard named Ignatius Lightshield with a dragon companion called Smokey.

Despite their fun outfits, Hal and Sparky are staying home this year. It’s unsatisfying to get all dressed up with nowhere to go, but it’s better to keep everyone safe! They’re watching scary movies instead, but, I think Hal likes the scares more than Sparky does… What about you? Are you a horror movie fanatic like Hal? Or would you rather be watching cartoons like Sparky?

In case you’ve missed it, Hal is a University of Michigan student taking remote classes this semester. He’s back on Tuesdays to share his experiences. Check out the Study Hal tag for more, or check back next week (preferably after you’ve voted)!