On Friday Sept 8, Millikin was graced with the talent of many of its very own. The first open mic night of the year was a huge success and many students came out to support their fellow classmates and step onto the stage themselves. Overall, it was a wonderful experience filled with great covers and original music as well as wonderful original poems. From songs like Steam Powered Giraffe’s “The Suspender Man,” to an acoustic version of Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen.” Students were thoroughly entertained, Einstein’s was the perfect place to have such an event, and the atmosphere was friendly and accepting. It was a wonderful and fun experience and UDB is the one to thank for taking the time to organize such a fun event.

One of the many students that performed that Friday night was talented sophomore Chris O’Grady, an acting major from the suburbs of Chicago, who performed his original spoken word poem “Just One More,” a poem read to the music of “Same Love” by Macklemore. Explaining his writing process, he stated, “I wanted to do something with ‘Same Love’ so I just sat down and listened to it and then I wrote the poem.”

The poem told the audience of his difficult struggle with depression during his junior year of high school and how he got through it. Chris had to go to counselors for a time and one of them told him that if he wore a color that made him happy it would help him. So he began to wear green, first every few days, then every other day, then every single day. Chris told the audience that things do get better and that they are better than they think they are.

“That is the most vulnerable I have ever felt.” Chris said. He had some stage fright, but he wanted to share is poem with his fellow students. His advice to those that relate to that poem is this: “live through the tough stuff, because if you don’t live through the tough stuff you won’t get to live through the happy stuff.” You can see Chris walking around campus wearing something green and with his lucky green beanie baby in his backpack. He’s always friendly and ready to give you a hug if you need one. Or if you don’t. He will be performing in the MU Talent Show during Homecoming Week.

MU Unplugged is a great way to get non-music and theatre majors to perform for their fellow students and show off their many different talents. It’s a way for students to make friends that you can perform awesome covers with! Hopefully students will see such a performance multiple times during the year, and even choose to participate in them. The next MU Unplugged will be the Friday during Homecoming Week at 8 pm so be sure to come and support your fellow students as well as participate in the many other activities that Millikin has to offer during the week.