So I don’t even know where to start. I was in a relationship that ended in a full dumpster fire, allegedly “mutual.” About three months later, I was casually informed by, let’s put it lightly, a drama queen that my ex was talking to someone new. His friends were my friends, or at least I thought they were, and when I asked them if it was true, they denied it profusely…
From, Dumped in a dumpster fire
Response:
There’s no better advice than telling you to appreciate the fact that your intuition was spot on and your ex was talking to someone new. Sometimes there’s no better feeling than clarity.
Obviously this raises questions about your ex’s friends — who you thought were also yours — and the actual timeline of things.
After getting the news from the “drama queen,” you were right to pick up the phone and call his best friend. But from here on out, you need to completely distance yourself. He showed who his loyalty really belongs to — and it wasn’t you.
More often than not, I’ve seen friend groups fall apart over one relationship not working out. Unfortunately, things won’t be the same as they were before this drama-filled breakup.
On the bright side, if your ex is as shady as he sounds, his friends probably are too, and it’s for the better that they’re out of your life.
Coming across that photo, even months later, would’ve made my heart instantly sink. No matter how moved on you truly were at the time, that had to hit hard.
What would bother me the most, if I were you, is if you naively maintained a friendship with his friends after they blatantly lied to your face.
Now, I’m a very confrontational person, but I have to tell you not to confront them for lying. No matter how badly you might want to. His friends are in too deep and confronting them just opens the gate for more lies. And it makes you look like you care.
As for the downgrade, all you can do is sit back and laugh. Liars tend to go for people with similar traits, and clearly he hasn’t grown up at all. Be glad you got out when you could.
In the end, you should feel really good about your situation. Your ex took a major downgrade, you know who to trust and you sound like you’ve moved on from the situation.
You should give a big thanks to the “drama queen” in your life too, she was a real one.
Hurricanes football returned to Greentree March 24 with spring practice getting underway.
With the battles for playing time, and mix of youth and upperclassmen, returners and transfers, camp will be exciting to watch, culminating April 18 in Miami’s 2026 spring game.
It’s time to find the diamonds in the rough and answer the questions about how Miami reloads to attack next season coming off a national championship appearance.
Mirabal rebuilds his wall
With weapons galore across the skill position, the only major question mark right now for this UM offense is how it can rebuild an offensive line losing four starters.
While plenty more shuffling could happen, as of the first day though it looks like Miami’s tackles decision may be set.
Following practice, redshirt junior Matthew McCoy hinted at the staff’s plan for him.
“I’m just focused on trying to play right tackle, getting better, getting my group better and leading,” McCoy said.
With his experience mainly at guard, McCoy will need to pick up the position fast, especially given he’s likely lined up across from true freshman five-star Jackson Cantwell at left tackle.
Both are going to be tested all spring long, something they’re used to.
“Rueben [Bain] and [Akheem] Mesidor were his baptism by fire at the end of the season,” Coach Cristobal said of freshman Jackson Cantwell who participated in scout team drills last January as an early enrollee.
On the interior, the picture isn’t as clear.
Samson Okunola and Ryan Rodriguez are two names that come to mind, but with Rodriguez’s injury history Miami has some young guys fans should keep an eye on in the rotation.
Max Buchanan and SJ Alofaituli, two second year players, are going to make a push.
Buchanan brings size and physicality to maul opponents on the interior while Alofaituli was a top-100 recruit in the 2025 class and earned time last year in some jumbo sets for Miami.
Time will tell as this group shuffles and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal finds a group that gels.
Photo Editor Brian Mulvey // Junior offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa and freshman offensive lineman Seuseu Alofaituli jump in celebration during Miami’s victory against Ohio State University on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
Key to the defensive secondary
In the College Football Playoff, Miami asked a true freshman to step into an injured corner room to defend one of the most explosive offenses in college football against Ole Miss.
Jaboree Anotine not only did that but played impressively.
With another offseason he could find himself with a bigger role, especially considering the injury history of Damari Brown and OJ Frederique.
While the expectation is for Boston College transfer Omar Thornton to replace Keionte Scott in the slot, freshman JJ Dunnigan is another name to watch.
Last year’s nickel back Keionte Scott showed off his blazing speed during pro day and according to Zachariah Poyser, Dunnigan is the fastest player on the team.
Those similar traits to chase and tackle could earn Dunnigan a spot whether that’s at safety or in the slot.
Rise of young front seven
With veteran Ahmad Moten out for the start of spring “dealing with some stuff” according to Cristobal, Miami has plenty of guys to watch throughout spring.
Justin Scott, Marquise Lightfoot and Armoundo Blount will aim to take the next step in their development as juniors. Each year the former five-stars have rotated in spurts and impressed, but now they will have the chance to establish themselves as 3-down players for the Hurricanes.
Canes’ fans have to keep an eye on their highest rated recruit from the 2024 class, Hayden Lowe.
As a freshman, Lowe’s size, strength, and motor would have earned him playing time had he not suffered a season ending injury. Now fully healthy, Lowe can make the jump into what Blount and Lightfoot have been on the edge for Miami.
In the linebacker room, Chase Smith and Mo Toure returning are the expected duo, but watch for Kellen Wiley. The second-year linebacker has an NFL frame at 6-foot-4, 235 pounds and has the skills of hybrid edge/linebacker. How he puts it together this spring will be fun to watch.
Photo Editor Brian Mulvey // Sophomore defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot celebrates against Ohio State University on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
Receivers battling for playing time
This room could be the most fun to watch all spring long. Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate are likely locks as starters but the rest will be a war.
“The receiver room will be the most competitive it’s been since we’ve been here,” Cristobal said.
West Virginia transfer Cam Vaughn made a statement with his downfield contested catch ability and could slot into a true deep-threat receiver role for Miami. But, the Canes’ underclassmen will have something to say about that.
Milan Parris stands at 6-foot-5 and Samourian Wingo stands at 6-foot-2, both are very fluid and speedy for their size.
Overall though, sophomore Joshua Moore is the one that could impress the most.
From the opening game last season, Miami showed confidence in Moore when he recorded a couple of catches against Notre Dame. With his phenomenal game against USF, Moore, when given an opportunity, showed the ability to make plays with the ball in the air and could easily be the guy to look for in this receiver room.
Miami is looking to find its way back to the national championship and there is no better place to start that spring practice, where the season truly begins.
Brian Mulvey Assistant Photo Editor // Freshman wide receiver Josh Moore catches a touchdown versus USF on Sept. 14 2025
The University of Miami women’s tennis team (10-3, 6-1 ACC) were handed their first conference loss of the season against the No. 15 Virginia Cavaliers (13-4, 6-0 ACC), 4-1 on Sunday at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.
Virginia opened the match up earning the doubles point, with UVA’s Melodie Collard and Vivian Yang winning 6-3 over Raquel Gonzalez and Dominika Podhajecka on court one, while Isabella Lacy and Katie Rolls defeated Maria Vargas and Daria Volosova won by the same score on court three.
The Hoos would then win back-to-back singles matches to go up 3-0. Kaitlyn Rolls would earn a straight set victory 7-5, 6-3 on court three over Sebastianna Scilipoit, and No. 81 Yang defeated No. 101 Sofia Rocchetti 6-3, 6-4.
Raquel Gonzalez would pull the Canes back with her highest ranked win, a 6-3, 6-3 victory over No. 32 Annabelle Xu, but it would be too little too late.
No. 108 Lacy would earn a 4-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Jaquelyn Ogunwale to seal the match for the Cavaliers.
Miami will be back in action on Friday in Atlanta as they take on Georgia Tech.
The University of Miami Debate team faced off against The Irish Times Debate champions in a St. Patrick’s Day showdown on Tuesday, March 17.
The topic of debate was social media regulation. The official motion read, “This House Would Hold Social Media Companies Liable for Spread of Misinformation,” with the Irish debating as the government and Miami as the opposition.
The Irish Times Debate is Ireland’s prestigious, longest-running debate competition for students in higher education, established in 1960. The competition begins with around 300 competitors and concludes with three winning speakers.
Winners not only gain recognition, but win an all-expenses-paid tour of the United States. Wu, Carew, and finalist Roisin McCormack are currently on tour. Their most recent stop: UM.
Representing UM were freshman Yolanda Del Pino, senior Joe Thiesan and fourth-year architecture student Parker Osth.
The debate followed a format similar to British Parliamentary style, which includes audience participation and an audience vote. The debate took place in the student senate room in the Shala Student Center, where nearly every seat was filled.
The audience voted the Irish champions winners with a score of 27 to 19, all in the spirit of friendly competition.
“Well honestly, I think the audience just voted us because we were guests and they wanted to be nice,” Wu said with a laugh. “I think the opposition did a really good job.”
For both teams, the debate provided an amazing opportunity to discuss an important and timely topic. For the Irish team, the visit provided a chance to step into life at an American university.
“It’s so surreal, I think that we all watch movies about the U.S. so we think that we know a lot about it and we think that movies are kind of a caricature of what university is like” Wu said. “But all the people are so nice … we haven’t met a single mean person.”
UDebate promoted the event across UM’s campus, expressing that this opportunity was very special for them.
“I’m very honored and blessed that I was chosen,” Del Pino said. “It’s such a cool thing to have in your life to be able to say that you debated the Irish national champions on St. Patrick’s Day.”
Both teams embraced the experience, spending time together before and after the debate.
When the Irish landed, UDebate coach Dave Steinberg took them to Greenstreet Cafe, a popular restaurant in Coconut Grove and showed them around campus.
After the debate was over, both teams were seen leaving with smiles and laughs and went to Monty’s, another popular spot.
Before continuing their tour to Tennessee, the Irish champions went to UDebate’s weekly debate meeting, where they judged a practice round and soaked up more Miami culture before heading to Tennessee, including visiting Wynwood, South Beach and even got to try Cuban food at the legendary Versailles restaurant.
Alpha Epsilon Pi wrapped up its Rockathon fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, after one of its members was rocking in a chair for 56 straight hours.
The event was held on Lakeside Patio, where sophomore Lorenzo Cavallino spent the entire time in a rocking chair to raise money for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry, a national nonprofit dedicated to curing blood cancer through cellular therapy.
The event began on Wednesday, March 18, and drew steady crowds of fraternity brothers and supporters who stayed with Cavallino around the clock.
Rockathon co-chair Jimmy Koch said the chapter passed its $60,000 fundraising goal around 3 p.m. on Friday, with donations continuing to come in after the event’s official end.
By the final tick of the clock at 6:30 p.m., the fundraiser had raised a total of $67,722.
Last year’s total was just over $50,000, marking an increase despite a week of wind and rain.
Koch said the Lakeside Patio proved to be a major improvement from last year’s location outside Richter Library, even with the weather challenges.
“It’s a much better spot for visibility,” Koch said. “People walking by stop, ask questions and donate. Even with the wind and the rain, everything came together really well.”
Koch added that Cavallino’s commitment drew attention across campus. “He’s the most popular guy on campus right now,” Koch said.
Cavallino, who had just over an hour left when interviewed for this article, said the marathon felt surprisingly manageable.
“Feels like hour one, [I] feel amazing,” Cavallino said. “The people around me keep me going.”
He added that he never spent a single moment alone during the 56 hours.
“I haven’t been alone for one second, even guys sleeping over here with me,” Cavallino said, noting that the support was entirely voluntary.
He said the overnight stretches were easier than expected thanks to improvised comfort strategies.
“I definitely have gotten better sleep than I thought I would,” Cavallino said. “Last night, I just bundled myself up in a bunch of pillows and blankets, put my feet up and then relaxed.”
The most‑asked question of the event — how he handled bathroom breaks — was the only one he refused to fully answer.
“I knew that was coming,” Cavallino said, laughing. “All I’m gonna say is, we make it work.”
As the clock hit 56 hours, the event closed with a full AEPi mosh‑pit to “Get It Sexyy” by Sexyy Red, a preview of the fraternity’s party later that evening that featured the artist herself.
Koch called the fundraiser a success, saying the new location came with challenges but ultimately ran smoothly.
“There are always growing pains with a new setup,” Koch said. “But everything came together really well, especially with keeping him on stage the entire time.”
Skilled songwriter and cancer researcher at the Miller School of Medicine, Dr. Theodore Lampidi, released a new ‘Canes Fight Song on Jan. 16, after five years in the making.
Every football game is marked by the beating of the drums, the cheering crowds and the Miami U How-Dee-Doo — the Hurricanes’ decades-old fight song that is as much of a tradition as the Alma Mater.
Dr. Lampidis felt like it was time for a change.
Inspired by the promise of a “comeback” in 2022, Dr. Lampidis composed a new fight song, appropriately titled “Miami Hurricanes.”
“They’re back to the old days where they were winning championships,” Lampidis said. “But what got me to do the song originally is just my love for UM.”
In the beginning stages of the song, the singer was his eleven-year-old daughter and had a softer arrangement. After the original version of “Miami Hurricanes” aired on Local 10 in 2021, he got some feedback from the station.
“I was told that the song should be done by a male,” Lampidis said. “And that it should be arranged differently.”
The new version was recorded with Sam Rawls, a singer and music engineer, whom Dr. Lampidis met through other projects.
This was not the first time Dr. Lampidis wrote a song — songwriting had been his hobby since childhood. He finally connected with the music industry after composing a piece inspired by “Marathon Man” in 1976.
“As I was writing the song, and I was getting to where I wanted to get to, I decided to call Paramount Pictures,” Lampidis said.
The song was not finished yet, but he had gotten the contact for Marvin Cain, former president of Famous Music Corporation, Paramount Pictures’s music publishing division.
With the help of a band of bar musicians, Dr. Lampidis put together a demo. Even though it was never published, his passion for songwriting did not waver.
Almost a decade later, another one of his projects, “Close My Eyes,” appeared in an 80s coming-of-age comedy series called Red Oaks.
Because of his brief history with the industry, Dr. Lampidis knew that the best way to get his fight song out there was to pick up the phone — or, in this case, start sending emails.
“If you wanna do something, go work for it,” Lampidis said.
Since its re-recording, Dr. Lampidis shared the song with broadcasters, radio stations and UM staff.
Erica Arroyo, associate vice president for engagement at UM, even shared it on the University’s official Instagram. According to Dr. Lampidis, she later sent him an email expressing her intent to keep using the song during events.
Dr. Lampidis recalled an email from President Echeverria with a similar sentiment, saying the song “was excellent,” but it still had a “long way to go.”
In his last exchange with Dr. Craig McKenzie, the director of athletic band at UM, Dr. Lampidis said that Dr. McKenzie thought the fight song was a “cool idea” that the Frost Band of the Hour could “play in the future.”
According to Dr. Lampidis, there are currently no plans to implement his fight song as The Hurricanes’ official chant.
Those were not the only comments Dr. Lampidis received. He also received feedback from the people to whom he sent the demo.
Jim Berry, anchor at CBS News Miami, interviewed Dr. Lampidis about his song during the 7 p.m. news broadcast on Jan. 16.
Two radio stations, WVUM 90.5 FM — UM’s station — and WQAM 560 also aired the song during the football team’s playoff run.
Despite already reaching a wide audience, the song still “belongs to the students,” and was designed for the UM community to support the Hurricanes.
For Dr. Lampidis, the piece is more than an expression of his love for UM. It is proof that a person is not constrained by their profession or a singular interest.
“People are people, they have many capabilities, and they should never label themselves,” Dr. Lampidis said.
If you would like to listen to Dr. Lampidis’ work, the song is titled “Miami Hurricanes by Ted Lampidis” on YouTube.
A new initiative in an effort to manage the demand for on-campus housing allows residents of Lakeside Village to move into University Village before the end of the school year, which guarantees housing in UV for the upcoming school year.
“While Lakeside and Eaton residents had an opportunity recently to move into UV now and be guaranteed UV housing next year, a total of 140 students in Eaton and Lakeside took the offer to move,” the University said in a statement to The Hurricane.
The effort comes at a time when housing availability has tightened compared to previous years. The University is operating with 239 fewer beds this year compared to the last, further increasing the demand for housing. As a result, students are facing waitlist placements or looking for off-campus housing.
For the 2026-2027 school year, approximately 3,100 students completed the housing application. Out of those, about 2,000 received a housing assignment, leaving around 1,100 students without immediate placement. On the third day of the waitlist, 612 people were still without housing, demonstrating the demand.
Last academic year, everyone on the waitlist was assigned housing by June, according to the University of Miami.
“I explored off campus housing, but it was honestly very expensive and time consuming,” said Aaron Joe, a junior who lived in Eaton last year. “We lived in Eaton and then didn’t wind up getting UV next year, which was also extremely disappointing.”
THesis Hotel, which is across the street from the University, will continue to be used to temporarily house students while other accommodations are made. The goal is not to assign students to THesis for the whole year, but students currently living there will not be required to move back to campus mid-semester.
The Department of Student Affairs has emphasized its commitment to helping students who rely on campus housing, whether it be for financial reasons or a schedule that makes commuting difficult. Student Affairs is working to evaluate ways to prioritize these students while also balancing general demand.
Centennial Village, residential colleges three, four and five are scheduled to open at the beginning of August 2026 and will add approximately 1,150 new beds. Mahoney-Pearson Residential Colleges are both scheduled to close at the end of the spring 2026 semester. It is set to be replaced with a new complex called Gables Village with construction starting in the summer of 2026. The demolition of Mahoney-Pearson will result in a loss of around 1,400 beds.
Miami sells a dream. It is a city built on sunlight, nightlife and an image of effortless perfection. But in a place so deeply defined by appearance, that dream comes with pressure.
Unrealistic beauty standards in Miami are shaping a generation of young people who feel that changing their appearance is not just a choice, but a necessity. Scroll through social media or spend a day in Brickell or South Beach and you will quickly notice a pattern: sculpted bodies, flawless skin, designer outfits and faces that all seem just a little too symmetrical to be a coincidence.
Looking “good” no longer means being healthy or confident. It means fitting into a very specific aesthetic. Defined jawlines, plump lips, tiny waists and perfectly contoured features have become the norm rather than the exception. The rise of cosmetic procedures like lip fillers, Botox and body sculpting has made these features more accessible, but also more expected.
Miami’s image driven culture pushes unrealistic beauty standards that pressure young people to change their appearance, making cosmetic procedures feel less like a choice and more like a requirement.
For many college students, this pressure begins the moment they arrive.
Freshman influencer Julia Thomas said she immediately felt the shift when she moved from Texas to Miami. “When I first got here from Texas, I was overwhelmed by all the other girls around me,” she said. “I even ended up getting lip filler myself my first semester. It felt like something that everyone was doing, and of course I wanted to fit in.”
Young people, especially college students and recent graduates, are absorbing this pressure at an alarming rate. Appearance often feels tied to social status, career opportunities and even dating prospects, and the idea of “keeping up” can feel overwhelming.
Thomas said that expectation to constantly maintain a polished image can be mentally draining. “I think feeling like you have to be perfect all the time is exhausting,” she said. “We should all be accepting of everyone.”
It is not uncommon to hear conversations about saving money not for travel or experiences, but for procedures. The normalization of cosmetic work has shifted the mindset from “I want this” to “I need this to fit in.”
Social media only intensifies the issue. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok amplify a curated version of Miami life where everyone appears perfect all the time. Filters blur reality, editing apps reshape bodies and algorithms push the most visually striking content to the top.
What viewers often forget is that much of what they are comparing themselves to is not entirely real. Yet the emotional impact is real.
This constant comparison can take a toll on mental health. Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, and body dysmorphia are becoming more common, according to SOURCE. When the standard is perfection, anything less can feel like failure. For young people still forming their identities, this environment can be especially damaging. Instead of discovering who they are, they are trying to become who they think they are supposed to be.
Still, some students say stepping away from those expectations can lead to a healthier mindset. “As I accept myself more and care less about what people think, I’m realizing that I’m the happiest I’ve ever been,” Thomas said.
It is important to acknowledge that there is nothing inherently wrong with cosmetic procedures. People have the right to make choices about their own bodies. The issue lies in the pressure and expectation behind those choices. When individuals feel obligated rather than empowered, it becomes less about self-expression and more about conformity.
Miami’s culture does not have to be defined by unrealistic standards. There is space for a broader definition of beauty, one that includes authenticity, diversity and individuality. Real confidence does not come from fitting into a mold, but from embracing what makes someone different.
Changing this culture will not happen overnight. It requires a shift in what we celebrate and what we promote. It means being more mindful of the content we consume and share. It means having honest conversations about the pressures we face. Most importantly, it means reminding ourselves and others that we are more than how we look.
Miami will always be a city full of beauty. But beauty should not come at the cost of self-worth.
Colorful, flashing lights and epic guitar solos aren’t really what you’d expect to hear in a concert hall, but students at the Frost School of Music are no strangers to mixing genres. After all, they’re the ones making it happen.
Rock Symphonic is a student-run concert that combines talent from across Frost’s three departments: classical, contemporary and jazz. Five Frost artists are selected to play their songs live in Gusman Hall backed by a full symphony orchestra.
Last week’s performance marked the third time the Rock Symphonic Orchestra took the stage.
Brought to life by Frost students Winston Thayer and Dawson Fuss in the Spring 2024 semester, the project has far exceeded its creators’ expectations. Thayer is a senior and Fuss graduated in 2025 with a Bachelor of Music in Modern Artist Development and Entrepreneurship.
Thayer and Fuss were inspired by R&B artist Raye’s 2023 concert in the Royal Albert Hall in London with the Heritage Orchestra. Given Frost’s musically diverse student body, the two had no doubt they could pull off something similar at UM.
They originally wanted to have the concert in Victor E. Clarke Recital Hall, a 147-seat venue intended for intimate performances. The artists would’ve been accompanied by a small orchestra, with only one or two people per instrument.
That all changed after Fuss pitched the concert to Dean Shelly Berg after running into him at Frost’s special screening of “Mean Girls” in 2024. The dean loved their idea so much that he gave Thayer and Fuss permission to use the 600-seat Maurice Gusman Concert Hall instead.
With full faculty approval and a much larger space than they originally anticipated, the whole thing went from zero to 60 . “We were like, well, I guess we have to start getting together an orchestra to fill the hall,” said Thayer.
Rock Symphonic’s first year was easily its most chaotic. Thayer and Fuss initially split the work evenly as co-directors. Thayer took on the responsibilities of composing the arrangements of the artists’ songs and dealing with the orchestra and Fuss managed the artists and marketing.
Thayer quickly realized there was no way one person could compose 17 arrangements, so he brought in Jennifer Phan, also a senior at Frost. Together, the two developed a standardized system to keep the parts in order: making templates for the sheet music, booklets for each orchestral musician and numbering each song.
Featuring then-Frost students Brayton, Nep and Fuss himself, RS 2024 was a roaring success. Pulling it off was a lot of work, and the executive team was spread thin.
In its next year, Rock Symphonic became far more organized. Thayer and Fuss remained as co-directors, with Phan assistant directing. The three developed a formal application process for the artists, choosing bands based on feedback from faculty across Frost’s three departments.
Thayer and Phan also expanded the composing team, bringing in student composers from the Media Scoring and Production program.
The event’s second year also saw the expansion of its musical scope; it wasn’t only rock music anymore. The lineup included singer-songwriter Maeve, indie band rug, funk/soul/R&B band Puddley, girl rock band Skyrise and the indefinable Che AM.
This year Rock Symphonic came back stronger than ever. It was co-directed by Thayer, Phan and junior Mallory Gravitt, who will be taking over next year. Juniors Quinn Olson and Annakeesta Ironwood were assistant directors.
Singer-songwriter Nicole Emelie was one of this year’s artists. She has never performed with a symphony orchestra before, and after just the first rehearsal, she was amazed.
“I just felt so happy,” Emelie said. “I had a moment when I was listening to it that I was like, these are songs that I just wrote by myself in my bedroom, and now an orchestra is playing them.”
The 2026 concert also featured indie rock band Lawn, jazz singer-songwriter Lena Joy, newgrass band The Wire Jays and indie jazz rock band Nuclear Monkey.
“I think this should happen more often,” Emelie said. “The fact that this is student led and student created is very important. I think it shows that the students want this community and this connection.”
It is typical for the co-directors to engage with the audience throughout the show, introducing themselves, the artists and the orchestral musicians. This year was a little different, though.
Phan and Thayer delivered an extended and heartfelt thank-you to everyone who has made Rock Symphonic possible for the past three years. From the arrangers to the artists to the marketing team to the light and sound crew in the hall to the faculty mentors, no person involved left without a staggering round of applause.
Bending the traditions of orchestral etiquette, conductor Walker Klauda even had every individual section of the orchestra stand to receive their applause.
The concert ended with an epic instrumental medley of songs from each year of Rock Symphonic as a send off to its creators.
A live album with the songs from last week’s performance will be released sometime this summer.
Preparations for next year’s concert will begin in the Fall 2026 semester, and the incoming director has lots of ideas. One of the most important is to expand the team even more. Even as it has grown, the workload remains heavy.
“Being friends with Jen and Winston and Mallory has shown me how much work this thing is,” said assistant director Olson. “The amount of all-nighters that are pulled among that team is insane.
Born from two friends who just wanted to put on a cool show at their school, Rock Symphonic has since grown wings and soared. It is becoming a tradition among students, helping to strengthen the culture of connection, collaboration and just plain fun at Frost.
CaneStage is bringing the sci-fi horror musical “Little Shop of Horrors” to UM’s stage this month in a student-led production.
The show will run at 7 p.m. on March 20, 22, 27 and 29 at the Cosford Cinema. Performances are free and open to the public.
Freshman and director Erika Kato described the production as one that appeals to a wide audience.
“‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is a musical for everyone,” Kato said. “It has comedy, sci-fi and thrilling scenes and deaths, romance, dancing, puppetry and so much more.”
The cult-classic musical tells the story of Seymour, a shy florist who discovers a mysterious plant that promises him fame and fortune — but at a dangerous cost.
Producing the show with University students presented unique challenges. According to Kato, coordinating rehearsals among busy college students was one of the most difficult aspects of directing the production.
“We all have so many things going on at UM,” Kato said. “There will be some days where actors would not be here, so rehearsals for vocals and blocking was an issue, but at the end of the day they all took their own time to review and learn.”
Ava Stroshane Contributing Photographer // Elijah Corpuz plays the role of Seymour in Canestage’s production of Little Shop of Horrors at the Cosford Cinema on March 22, 2026.
As a first year student directing her first production at UM, Kato initially worried about leading performers who were often older and more experienced than she was.That concern quickly faded after the first table read.
“They all believed in me and supported me,”Kato said.
Throughout rehearsals, Kato said she has watched the cast grow significantly, particularly Valentina Carbonell, the actor playing Audrey — Seymour’s love interest.
“She has truly built her confidence in this role.” Kato said. “As an audience member, you cannot tell this is her first production.”
The show also features one of the musical’s most iconic elements: the talking plant, Audrey II, which is shown as a puppet. CaneStage’s production incorporates both a handheld and a large puppet while also featuring a performer providing the plant’s voice.
“We have our actress and voice of Audrey II walking around the puppet and interacting with the actors,” Kato said. “She has such strong stage presence that we wanted her visible and interacting with everyone.”
Despite balancing academics and rehearsals, Kato said the most surprising part of the process has been the sense of community among the cast and crew.
“We are all college students managing school and rehearsals, but everyone is here for each other,” Kato said. “Actors help each other with lines, dances and cues. It’s truly a strong community.”
