Author: Jessica Rivas

Entertainment

Local trio produce, star in web series ‘Yikes’

Jessica Rivas

“Yikes” is a comedy-drama web series created and set in Corpus Christi that premiered in October 2020. Roommates Ryan and Ricky get into unexpected situations while dealing with early adulthood turbulence. Their friend, Cris (whom they do not like very much), both helps and worsens these situations while also having his own side quests. The show features a heavy amount of what it is like to be a young adult. You learn to deal with things on your own. Phones complicate dating and dwelling on old pictures you should have deleted months ago is easier than ever. Your friends become…

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Jessica’s Journal: Prepare for, but don’t worry about, future

Jessica Rivas

Pushing myself to work faster feels like dry heaving. I need to work on an essay, but nothing comes out. When something does come out, everything gets done incorrectly. Nuanced mistakes begin to liter the pages as I carve out a short three-page essay. The spelling errors, incorrect grammar and gibberish mirror my brain. When did this become commonplace? Pushing ourselves until we cannot make heads or tails of our thoughts, our productivity takes a steep decline, and our bodies beg for rest. Burning out has almost become a badge of honor. We wear it to show we put our…

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Jessica’s Journal: Don’t just swipe right, swipe responsibly 

Jessica Rivas

My curiosity got the best of me in 2019. I was on a lunch break at work the first time I swiped through different men on Bumble. Their profiles displayed pictures of them at their graduations, hanging out with friends, or… holding a dead fish they caught. Needless to say, I treaded lightly. I knew what most people were really after; it was what I was after some nights too, so who was I to judge?  My endeavors in online dating were plentiful, but mostly bleak. I did not mind the lack of substance or chemistry though, it was all…

Entertainment

One hit wonder television: Coming of age, then gone in a season

Jessica Rivas

Television shows create a long-term relationship between the audience and characters. They continue for years, showing the inner workings of the characters. The audience’s attachment to the show’s fantasy world becomes comforting and familiar. As the show progresses, viewers get to know their protagonist or antihero on a level that feels personal. Appreciation for a series doesn’t take long though. Afterall, the first season has to entice us enough to get us to keep watching. Many shows fail after the first season. They get canceled due to low ratings, likely from a boring or out-of-touch script. Sometimes, a great series…

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Jessica’s Journal: Less procrastination, more determination

Jessica Rivas

Grinding gears and shotgunning beers. College is all about burning the candle at both ends, right? RIGHT? Have I been doing this all wrong? Maybe I have, but I thought my time in college was supposed to be a chaotic whirlwind. All I want to do is hang out with my friends. However, I also have to get my four discussion posts, two essays, three worksheets and a speech done by next Monday. That sounds taxing, but simple enough — this is college after all.  The real problem is that the rest of life is still happening. I have to…