The University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem is home of the “Fighting Pickles,” which should give you an idea that their student body doesn’t always take itself too seriously. Adding more evidence to this notion is the video that was posted to their official Facebook page earlier on Monday, in which many enthusiastic orientation leaders welcomed the incoming class of freshmen by collaborating on a lighthearted (mostly) lip-synched cover of Smash Mouth’s infamous / famous “All Star.” (There is a spot where four singers belt out the familiar chorus line “all that glitters is gold” in their own operatic voices.)
If you’re a technical person, you’ll notice that the video is full of continuous shots — perhaps an indication that the director was inspired by the cinematography of Birdman or that highly acclaimed single-shot scene from True Detective, and also that the dancers, clad in ’90s-inspired clothing, really had to nail their choreography. The lip-syncing isn’t the best (is it ever, though?), but the dance moves are on point and it certainly serves as an upbeat, warm welcome to young people who are moving away from home for the first time.
Also, it might remind you that the late ’90s earworm — which was written around the time that these incoming freshmen were born — isn’t actually that terrible, although, be warned that you will be humming it for the next three days or so. Honestly though, “your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb” never felt more true than it did freshman year of college, so maybe they’re on to something.
