Issue 4

houzine issuefour

opinion: why are rom coms not the same anymore?

welcome toour summer issue 3

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houzine team editorin chief

carol mora

andrea reyes houzine photographer

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the insider

scoop fourth edition

whatisgoingoninsummer?

SunsetPainting-MinerCanyonCourtyard Wednesday June24th, 8:00PM-9:00PM Nothing is more relaxing than an evening to let your creativity thrive by painting and socializing with other residents. The painting should be your own interpretation of the sunset. Enjoy some snacks and beverages while you create, we hope to see you there!

ChalktheWalk-MinerHeightsCourtyard ThursdayJuly9th, 6:00PM-7:00PM You don't need to bring anything for this event, just bring a friend and enjoy a fun evening with other residents while you chalk the walk!

IceCreamSocial-MinerVillageCourtyard WednesdayJuly22nd, 6:00PM-7:00PM MV residents! If you're in the mood for something sweet in this hot summer weather, join us for our Ice Cream Social and make some new friends!

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SUMMER IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS CAN FEEL SLOW, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO.

r e m m u S t s i l t e k c bu HERE ARE TEN THINGS TO KEEP YOU GOING WHEN YOU'RE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR DAY:

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1.Go for a walk. Even a short one can do wonders for your mood.

2.Read a new books. Pick something you've been putting off or something completely random.

3.Binge watch a show. No explanation needed, you deserve it.

4.Have a picnic. Grab some snacks, find a nice spot outside and enjoy the moment.

5.Bake something from scratch. It's a great way to pass time and the reward is delicious.

6.Take pictures of things that made you smile or use it as a chance to practice your photography skills. You'll be surprised how much beauty is around you.

7.Attend outdoor concerts. Check your local listings, there's usually something going on during the summer.

8.Watch the sunrise. Set that alarm just once. It's worth it.

9.Rearrange your room. A new layout can genuinely make your space feel brand new.

10.And most importantly, take care of yourself. Rest, hydrate and check in with how you're feeling. Summer is a great time to reset.

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whyare romcoms notthe same anymore?

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Do you ever miss that unique but joyful feeling you used to get every time you watched rom-coms from the 2000s to 2010s? They still hit differently today.

The unfortunate truth is that recent romcoms are hardly easy to finish watching, which would not happen before, as we used to have gems like How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Notebook, The Proposal, 50 First Dates, and more. Here are a few reasons I believe rom-coms have changed over the past decade: Missing relatable protagonist. Yes, they can be a little silly most of the time, but that was honestly part of the charm. The protagonists in older rom-coms felt like real people you could root for. They were clumsy, funny, a little chaotic and deeply human. Today's rom-coms tend to lead with characters who feel overly polished or whose storylines are so dramatic that it becomes hard to connect with them.

We want to see ourselves in the main character, and that feeling has slowly faded.

Streaming platforms have changed everything. There was something about a rom-com being a movie theater event that made it feel special. You dressed up, you bought popcorn, you cried in public and didn't feel weird about it. Now that most rom-coms go straight to streaming, they lose that sense of occasion. They also tend to get lost in a sea of content, which means less budget, less buzz and less of that magic that made us fall in love with the genre in the first place.

The silliness is gone. This might be the biggest one. The best rom-coms were never afraid to be ridiculous. A woman pretending not to love someone for a magazine article?

A girl who loses his memory every day? A wedding planner falling for the groom?

Absolutely unhinged, and absolutely perfect. Somewhere along the way, romcoms started taking themselves too seriously, and in doing so, they lost the lighthearted joy that made them so easy to love. We don't need every love story to be a deep emotional exploration. Sometimes we just want to laugh, swoon and feel good for two hours.

Here's hoping Hollywood remembers what made us fall in love with love stories in the first place.

photo courtesy of IMDB

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S G N O S

WE D E LOV S I H T H T N O M

2000'S EDITION 12

1.Promiscuous by Nelly Furtado 2.Toxic by Britney Spears 3.2000 Watts by Michael Jackson 4.Buttons by Pussycat Dolls 5.Sweet Escape by Gwen Stefani 6.Can’t Get You Out Of My Head by Kylie Minogue 7.SOS by Rihanna 8.Complicated by Avril Lavigne 9.You Rock My World by Michael Jackson 10.Irreplaceable by Beyoncé

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seeya later. follow utep housing and residence & life on social media: @utepreslife UTEP Housing and Residence Life

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