To the uninitiated, franchises like Star Trek and Star Wars may seem expansive, inflated, and mystical. There are a thousand different worlds, names, events, books, TV shows, lore bits, and who knows what else? To those who aren’t experienced in the extensive lore of space science fiction, it’s confusing. And to those who have friends who know about these franchises?
Well, good luck trying to keep up in conversation because you know as well as I do that said conversation will stop making sense in T-minus two minutes.
However, to those who know these franchises—the stories they hold and the characters who shaped them—being a fan is nothing short of a miracle. It’s a world and a genre in which one can dive into the unknown, explore worlds with hundreds of fantastical little differences, and a way to escape from our own lives into the experiences of people with epic gadgets, powers, and conflicts.
So when a Community Fellow and Dr. Lobasz organized an event where we would watch Galaxy Quest, a 1999 movie that can affectionately be called a spoof of Star Trek, I was beyond excited! I had grown up watching Star Wars, yes, but the feeling of excitement, of exploring the unknown, and of seeing stories in worlds no one has ever seen before—it all came back to me! And when I arrived, I found a quiet Brown lounge, with snacks in the corner and coloring sheets near the TV, and friends all sitting together, watching the movie.
And honestly? It was one of those movies you enjoy the most with friends. This semester has been the semester of reconnection, of meeting everyone we’ve seen for so long on Zoom, and of finding people who make us feel happy. And sitting with those people, surrounded by the people I love… It made even the silliest of movies into one of the greatest experiences of my time at UD.
The best, and perhaps one of the key parts of all of this, is that this was an Honors event, with a group of people from the Social/Science Fiction colloquium, taught by Dr. Lobasz. And because of the community and fun we shared last semester, when the character Guy was afraid that he would die because of his role as the security guard that always died, we all laughed together, and I felt proud to know where that tradition came from in Star Trek history.
With the fall semester coming so rapidly to a close, I am truly amazed we have all made it so far. It has been both a blessing and a struggle to have so much to do and face. But with such amazing event planners, awesome faculty, and an incredible community, we, as Honors students, have a lot to hope for and a lot to be excited about!
So the next time you see your friends or revisit your favorite stories, take a good, long look at them and be proud of them. Your friends are the ones who let you be who you are, no matter the circumstance, and your favorite stories, movies, and worlds are the sources of happiness that can only make you better, happier, and more hopeful for the future.
Image Source: Galaxy Quest (1999) Poster
