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Personal Favorites!

A collection of pieces that mean the most to me

Lessons from abroad — and beyond | Maia’s Inner Monologue

I’m back.  
Technically, I never left. I’ve been writing a lot — just not here. 
As a journalism student, is it surprising that I used to hate journaling? 
My therapist swore by it. TikTok claimed it was the cure-all — self-care, clarity, better sleep, etc. Every time I journaled, my hand would cramp up and my thoughts would race faster than my pen could keep up. I didn’t get it. But turns out there’s something to it. 
Last semester, I studied abroad in London and it wasn’t anything like I expec...

Rules for the week | Maia’s Inner Monologue

Dear readers,
This week’s article is going to be a bit of a departure from the usual — I’m channeling inspiration from one of my all-time favorite digital creators, the fabulous Eli Rallo.
Some may be asking, “Who’s that?” Well, if you’re a theater-loving, gossip-craving, self-care enthusiast like me, you better believe you know exactly who she is. She’s my ultimate inspiration, my muse, the person I want to be when I grow up.
My admiration for Eli stems from our shared love for theater and her...

An ode to Fudge | Maia’s Inner Monologue

I grew up with a dog named Fudge — Fudgie Bunny Penzer to be exact. My family got him when I was three, and had him until about a year ago.  
15 years of Fudge. 
You may be wondering, why the name “Fudge”? All I can say is that 3-year-old Maia and 7-year-old Rachel, my sister, thought that it was the best idea ever. To be quite honest, I would do it again. The name Fudge encapsulated who he was. I don’t think there was a better name for the man.  
Fudge’s birthday was Valentine’s Day. Well, we a...

A boy won’t log out of my Netflix account | Maia’s Inner Monologue

Dear readers, 
We’re taught from an extremely young age that sharing is caring. And you know what? Until about a month ago, I agreed.  
It all began innocently enough. I went to hang out with this boy who I’d been talking to on Hinge. He had what I called the “trifecta”: he was extremely tall, intelligent and kind — all of which are qualities I look for in a boy. Despite the fact that he is not Jewish, which is not my usual preference, I decided to break my rule just this once — the Jew guilt is...

11 Black alumni entrepreneurs turning their passion into purpose | Alumni & Friends

BU has a long history of graduating entrepreneurs, trailblazers, and changemakers. For Black students, succeeding at a predominantly White institution (PWI) like BU brings unique challenges. Students of color at PWIs report lacking a sense of belonging, lack of representation, feelings of isolation, and experiencing harmful interactions and micro aggressions. Despite the obstacles they have encountered along the way, BU’s Black alumni entrepreneurs...

Zodiac signs as winter activities: Which one are you? | Maia’s Inner Monologue

After Thanksgiving, it’s time to dive headfirst into the holidays. You know the unspoken rule — the day after Thanksgiving marks the unofficial start of Christmas or, in my case, Hanukkah! 
To welcome in the holiday season, I have a ritual: I cozy up in PJs, indulge in Trader Joe’s hot cocoa and settle in to watch “Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas!” while the fire warmly crackles beside me. 
There are many different types of winter activities to enjoy, and my suspicion is that they correspond w...

Dissecting my highest-rated movies | Maia’s Inner Monologue

I’ve never been much of a film girlie. I’m more of a 20-minute sitcom girlie.
My attention span is not too long — I blame TikTok. After a taxing day of classes and schoolwork, “Modern Family” or “How I Met Your Mother” are my go-to choices for winding down.
20-minute sitcoms.   
I might even indulge in some “SpongeBob SquarePants” if I really need to rot. And yes, I genuinely believe it’s a masterpiece. Do I have the personality of a 13-year-old boy? Maybe.  
Movies require too much brainpower f...

Growth and stuff | Maia’s Inner Monologue

Dear readers,
Let me be real with you. When I first sat down to write this article, I had a completely different vision in mind.    
I had initially intended to craft a guide on experiencing a classic Long Island, New York summer. However, as my thoughts poured onto the page, I realized that what truly resonates with me for this final edition of Maia’s Inner Monologue is the theme of growth. 
For those who knew me in high school and middle school, it’s evident that I’ve undergone significant cha...

Iconic Boston University Restaurants: Then and Now | Alumni & Friends

Returning to Boston University’s Charles River campus after many years can stir up a flood of nostalgia—bringing back memories of late-night study sessions, early morning classes, sports games, hangouts, and the local restaurants that became go-to spots in between. For many alums, these off-campus restaurants played a significant role in shaping their college experience. You might remember some of these restaurants as places where you laughed wit...

3 Remarkable Ways Mary Kate Morrissey Defied the Odds in the Theatre Industry

The 50th episode of Quincy and Kevin's Sentimental Men is finally here, and it features the incredibly brilliant star, and one of the “most requested guests”, Mary Kate Morrissey. Morrissey played the role of Janis on the Mean Girls National Tour, Elphaba on the Wicked Munchkinland 2nd National Tour, Sheila on the Hair US/Canada/Japan tour, and many more wonderful Off-Broadway and Regional roles. During the Covid-19 pandemic shut down, MK and Ginna Claire Mason founded the Double Name Witches vo...

Knuffles and me | Maia’s Inner Monologue

Knuffle Bunny.    
Yes, from Mo Willems’ children’s book, “Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale.” To me, it’s always been pronounced “Nuffle” not Kuh-nuffle.  
There I was, a wee little tot with my mom, perusing the kids’ section inside Barnes & Noble: the best store ever — I still stand by that, by the way.                 
Then, I noticed him perched alongside about fifty doppelgängers on a shelf. Oh, the celebrity and star he was. He was the guy I’ve been reading about in my kindergarten class,...

Jake Pedersen Will Be Broadway’s New Boq in WICKED

Lemons, and melons, and pears, oh my! It has been announced that Jake Pedersen will join the Broadway company of Wicked as Boq beginning Monday, August 14.. Michael Wartella will play his final performance as Boq on Saturday, August 12. This isn't Pedersen's first visit to Oz! Pedersen previously played Boq on the Wicked National Tour earlier this year. Other theatre credits include Parade on Broadway and the Escape to Margaritaville National Tour.   Jake joins Alyssa Fox as Elphaba, McKenzie Ku...

Alarming antisemitism in 2023: Neo-Nazis protest outside of ‘Parade’ on Broadway | All Things Theater

Last Tuesday night, a group of Neo-Nazis protested the revival of the musical “Parade,” which follows the story of a falsely convicted Jewish man who was lynched in 1915.    
If this was happening during WWII, it might make more sense to me — but in 2023? This is not something I would ever have imagined in my
lifetime.    
Leo Frank, a Jewish manufacturing manager who is wrongfully accused of killing a 13-year-old, is the subject of the theatrical production “Parade,” which is based on a true st...

Reviews

‘The Band’s Visit’ at The Huntington

Dear readers,
I’m in love.  
I know, what a dramatic way to begin this article. But it’s true. This love has been with me for nearly my entire life. It is not a love defined by gender, nor is it a living being. What I’m madly in love with is live theater.  
Picture this — the lights gradually dim, the overture begins and the instruments begin to play. A wave of excitement rushes through me, and the anticipation of the night ahead fills me with an unmatched thrill.   
Getting ready for such an oc...

Featured Articles

A social media identity crisis

I open my spam account on Instagram, ready to post a picture of myself that I actually like — a rarity.    
My hair looks good, my skin is cooperating and the lighting is doing exactly what I need it to do. I even like my smile — not too forced, not too casual.   
It’s the kind of picture that makes me think, wow, I should be perceived more often, but only under very specific lighting conditions — and from the right side.  
But then I pause. 
This is a good picture — like, suspiciously good. It’...

My love-hate relationship with beauty trends

For the past few weeks, I’ve been diving deep into sustainable beauty for my reporting class, trying to tear apart the ridiculousness of overconsumption. Do we really need ten different lip oils? Do we need a 15-step nighttime skincare routine? Do we need to buy that new concealer just because it went viral on TikTok?   
Spoiler alert: no, we don’t. But also…yes, we do?    
Let’s talk about the “morning shed” trend on...

Beauty gems of March

Whether it’s sinking into a bubble bath after a tiring week at school, filling my room with the calming aroma of candlelight or simply applying my everyday skincare regimen, self care has been ingrained in my routine since childhood. 
I owe much of this mindset to my mom and sister, who instilled in me the importance of taking time for oneself. Whenever we travel as a family, we make it a point to carve out time for a “spa night.”  
I put “spa night” in quotation marks since it’s essentially a D...