Ellie Sennhenn:
For my final staff pick of the semester, and my final staff pick in the history of the Cigar, I will have to choose “Pool” by Samia. Specifically, the NPR Tiny Desk Concert version. Released in 2020, this beautiful alternative indie tune was a staple for me this month. The lyrics “How much longer (how long?) ’til I’m taller? / How much longer ’til it’s midnight?” produce such a specific type of yearning and nostalgia that fits my mood around the holidays. This bitter cold has nothing on an aching heart. A dear old friend reached out to me recently, and I played her this song to show how much she means to me. The traveling melody is as unforgettable as she is.
Maia Hembruff:
I’m emo – the semester is ending, my tenure as Cigar managing editor is coming to an end and the cold is settling in. This is a time I’m reflecting on those I love in my life, some new, some old. I’ve been listening to Pinegrove’s song “Old Friends” on repeat on my late-night drives home from campus the past couple of weeks. It’s made me so grateful for all of the friends I’ve made at URI, many of them being in the Cigar. I will miss all those graduating and am excited to continue in this next chapter of my Cigar life.
Katelyn Drenga- Peanut butter pairs well with jelly, ice cream with French fries and “The National” with a bottle of wine and an emotional crisis. The album “Trouble will find me” brings electronics, acoustics and heart wrenching vocals to craft a beautiful but moody soft rock. The album, which first found me in the depths of a looming internal storm, pushed me in deep into to the storm eye before pushing me out so that I could finally feel the peace on the other side. The emotional energy is especially prominent in “Pink Rabbits”, “I should live in salt” and “This is the Last time,” a few of my all time favorite songs.
Sadie Brandt: I’m not an especially sentimental person, as most of the Cigar editors know by now. Instead of using my staff pick to be sappy and gross, I’ll be playing the Cigar’s favorite song to blast when we need to focus past 11 p.m. If you ever find yourself in Room 125 of the Memorial Union after the place closes, you’ll probably hear us singing the guitar solo to “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Ella Gerdts: For my final staff pick as arts and culture editor, there’s someone who’s been on my mind all week. I want to once again dedicate this song to the person who has been the absolute best co-editor I could have asked for. David Okula, thank you for everything. Your kindness, patience and willingness to help, especially with my late-night sports questions and my occasional “oops, forgot to give you access” moments, meant more than you know. You made this job easier, brighter and a lot more fun. So for you, I’m choosing “Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young. I wish you nothing but the very best, and I hope you keep on rockin’ in the free world.
David Okula: I saved my best staff pick for last. For my final ever pick, I’m going with “Man or Muppet” from “The Muppets (2011).” This is an Oscar-winning song for a reason. Gary, played by Jason Segel, and Walter, voiced by Peter Linz, combine for a powerful, heartfelt number all about finding their true selves. This entire film is a masterpiece with incredible songs throughout, but this one stands above the rest, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I can recite every single word to it. As I prepare to graduate on Saturday, I’m left asking myself life’s most important questions, like “Am I a man or a muppet?”
Morganne Judd: My final staff pick for the fall 2025 semester is “Rainbow Connection” by Disney’s The Muppets. This song is dedicated to my fellow cigar staff who are leaving us this semester: Ellie Sennhenn, David Okula, Sully Cummins and Dustin Thodde. When I listen to this song, I think of chasing your dreams and finding yourself along the journey. This song brings me joy and happiness. Never stop chasing your dreams.
Nora Kelley: For my final staff pick of the semester, I am following in the footsteps of sports editor David Okula and making mine Red Sox-themed. “Rooster” by Alice in Chains has been on a constant loop for the past three weeks. This time of year, Alice in Chains always finds its way back into my daily rotation, and I’m not mad at it. Much like Garrett Crochet, David’s my ace and my GOAT.
Sully Cummins: For my last staff pick with the Cigar, I’m going to go with “Better Be Home Soon” by Crowded House. This song is super sentimental to me, and always makes me think about a much younger version of Sully. I think that I keep coming back to this song recently because I am graduating, and for the first time in my life, my days aren’t dictated by professors and assignment due dates. I’m excited to get back to what I loved when school wasn’t all I thought about, much like how I’ve been listening to this song a lot more recently.
Brigid Locke: For my last staff pick of the semester and of my senior year, I’m going to choose “Chasing the Good Times” by The Runarounds. I feel as if my washed-up senioritis self is chasing the high that is spending my last year of college in the beautiful state of Rhode Island.
