Every student hears this at the start of every school year, “Hey, how was your summer?” Although repetitive, it does pose an interesting question: What did I do this summer? Most students catch up on movies, TV shows, or the latest music, so as the semester starts, let’s get a look at what Andrews University students enjoyed!
Moises Reyes (senior, mathematics and religion)
“This summer, I got to watch the movie “Princess Mononoke.” It covers heavy themes of death, the effects of war, the cycle of hatred, and prejudice. It masterfully tells a story of how even just one person willing to put aside generational prejudice as a result of warfare can work hard and make a difference in melding back the relationships between people groups. It struck me profoundly and was a beautiful story.”
“Princess Mononoke” (1997) tells the story of Ashikata, who is infected by an animal attack and searches for a cure. Through this, he gets involved in the war between the gods of the forest and the humans who take their resources.
Ashley Daluz (junior, speech pathology)
“This summer, I watched the movie “Barbie.” It covered thoughts about how women are portrayed in the world and allowed people to see how women are better than society thinks we are. It was a movie that women can relate to.”
“Barbie” (2023) is a movie about the one and only Barbie and her friends living a perfect life in the seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. But when they get the opportunity to go to the real world, they learn about the happiness and dangers among humans.
Salena Rodgers (junior, social work)
“This summer I watched “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” It was very interesting and definitely has a shocking ending. I don’t want to spoil it but there is an interesting love triangle for sure.”
“The Summer I Turned Pretty” (2022-) is the latest coming-of-age romance drama about a girl and two brothers in a love triangle. This story is a perfect representation of a teenager’s first love, first heartbreak, and the magic of that one perfect summer.
Felipe Navia (sophomore, business management and Spanish)
“ This summer, I watched “Peaky Blinders.” The 6-season show was very good. You can see that in the first two seasons, the quality wasn’t as good and in the later seasons they were very good. It’s a very interesting show about gangs and England and changed your perspective on your idea of gangs. It was an overall great show!”
“Peaky Blinders” (2013-2022) is a TV crime drama based on the real-life existence of the gang called Peaky Blinders. This story is centered around Thomas Shelby, the gang’s leader, and his notorious family and their build-up from street gangs to organized crime. This show is based in Birmingham, England in 1919, just after World War I.
Amir Peña (junior, aviation)
“This summer, I listened to one of the most anticipated albums from most hip hop fans in a long time: “Utopia.” The sound was different from what Travis Scott usually makes and you could definitely see the influence of Kanye’s production in many of the songs such as “Sirens” and “Circus Maximus,” which I was a fan of.”
“Utopia” is Travis Scott’s 4th album, which features other artists like Drake, SZA, 21 Savage, and more.
Maddi Vath (sophomore, English)
One of my favorite books that I read this summer was “We Free the Stars.” This duology happens to be one of my favorites because it’s filled with Middle Eastern culture but also very new. There is great tension between the two main characters, a great amount of feminism, and a great morally gray villain (for the booktok girlies.) I love reading fantasy books that have different cultures in them because representation is important.
“We Free the Stars “ is the second book in Hafsah Faizal’s duology “Sands of Arawiya.” This young-adult fantasy book is inspired by the magical folklore of Saudi Arabia and tells the story of two warriors who are driven together with different goals to retrieve an ancient artifact.
Amelia Stefanescu (junior, history and English)
“This summer, I read “Throne of Glass.” It was a very fun and complex story that happens in a fantasy world with lots of parallels with today’s society and relatable characters. It’s a book series that can capture a person’s attention and heart, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of fantasy, complex world building magic, and girl-bossing.”
“Throne of Glass" is the first book in Sarah J. Mass’ epic fantasy novel series “Throne of Glass.” This story follows Celaena Sardothien, a teenage assassin, and her journey through a corrupt kingdom as she works as the King’s Champion.
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.