With the end of the spring semester right around the corner, most students can’t wait for all of the exams and papers to finally come to an end. But before heading back home for the summer and forgetting about having to set any early morning alarms, there’s still one thing left on just about everyone’s mind: Springfest.
This annual event brings University students together at the end of every year in an effort to give them a break from all of the time that they’ve spent studying and preparing for finals. Free food, games and t-shirts usually draw most students out to the event, but the main attraction is always the musical performance. At this year’s Springfest, Jordan Roseman, more commonly known as DJ Earworm, will be performing.
In the “About DJ Earworm” section of his official website, Roseman explains, “Basically, what I do is take a bunch of songs apart and put them back together again in a different way… I also DJ with my laptop.”
The editors of The Outlook seem to have mixed feelings about the news of Roseman’s performance. One editor said, “DJ Earworm sounds like an untalented ‘artist’ who just uses other people’s songs to become famous,” while another explained, “I think it’s interesting to have an artist come who is known for his mashups of other hit songs.”
Another editor commented that he/she simply was not expecting a DJ to be the main event at Springfest. “I would have much preferred having an actual artist… A DJ isn’t really what I think of when I think of the outdoor concert that Springfest is supposed to be,” he/she said.
Regardless of the mixed reviews about DJ Earworm’s upcoming performance at the University, one thing that The Outlook staff could agree on was the fact that other colleges and universities seem to have much better Springfest-like events. The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is expecting performances from Paramore and The Wonder Years, and New Politics is set to perform for students at Ramapo College.
One editor said, “Yes, Monmouth is a small school but it probably has a ton of money to work with. Where is my tuition going?” To ensure that students don’t raise questions of that sort about future Springfests, most of the other editors on The Outlook staff suggested that the University ask the students directly who they would like to have perform at the event.
“There should be a narrowing down process that takes place throughout the year,” stated one editor. “Start out with just letting students fill in the blank, then make a list from there and narrow it down depending on what is affordable,” he/she explained. “I’m unaware of ever even being surveyed.”
The Outlook is unaware of any data collection done in regards to the performer’s selection but would encourage this action. Student Acitivies Board (SAB) and Student Government Association (SGA) could not be reached for comment regarding Springfest.
“I would talk to the campus community,” added another editor. “I think we could do a little better work and research on bringing artists that the campus wants to see.”
If the editors of The Outlook were ever given the opportunity to run Springfest, potential musical acts would include Rebelution, Imagine Dragons, Vance Joy, Florida Georgia Line, Kool and the Gang, Kings of Leon, and DJ Carnage.
Some more general suggestions were made by other editors in regards to Springfest, but food appeared to be the second most important aspect of the event, falling in line right behind the musical guest. “There could be better food, maybe Chipotle or Mojo would be really good,” said one editor.
Other recommendations made by The Outlook staff included renting carnival rides for the students to enjoy, allowing students who are of legal age to consume alcohol on the premises, and even having Springfest occur on the beach as opposed to on the University’s campus.
“If they added more things, food, events, etc., for students to go to, maybe we would actually ‘fly together’ for once,” commented one editor.
Overall, most of the Outloook staff agreed that Springfest is meant to be a fun and exciting day for students to unwind and briefly forget about all of their coursework as the final days of the semester approach. However, the editors also agree that there is certainly room for improvement.
