Over the past year, we’ve all lost little things in our lives. Restaurant dinners. Birthday parties. The hum of a crowded room. This episode of Offbeat is about all those smaller griefs. It’s about the year we’ve lost.

And in this month's question segment, Clara Longo de Freitas leads a roundtable on the pandemic's effects on mental health, inviting some Diamondback reporters and editors to share their experiences from this past year. If you or anyone you know is currently struggling with mental health, the university counseling center offers students free individual, group and couples counseling sessions, as well as drop-in hours and referral services to other resources nearby. Visit counseling.umd.edu for more resources. 

Our music this month is Just to Make You Happy by Jeff Draco and Skate Stance. You can find them on Spotify.

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

TikTok’s popularity skyrocketed as young people were stuck indoors because of COVID-19. And among the dances and viral challenges on the app, there’s a thriving queer community.

This month on Offbeat, we dig into LGBTQ TikTok. How has the app helped viewers and creators feel less alone? And, in this month's question segment: how does the TikTok algorithm determine what content goes on the For You page?

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

(We get the irony.)

2020 has been hard for everyone, and it can be hard to find the lighter moments. On this episode of Offbeat, we find some cool things University of Maryland students made or did in this weird time that brought smiles to our faces and ask how we take care of ourselves and our minds when happy moments feel few and far between?

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

No matter who you voted for or what party you favor, the week of the election was long. At the University of Maryland — less than 10 miles from Washington, D.C. — students sat in "election purgatory" for five days, waiting to find out who the next president of the United States would be.

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

--- music ---

Is That You or Are You You? by Chris Zabriskie http://chriszabriskie.com

Creative Commons — Attribution 4.0 International — CC BY 4.0

Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/Oi342ys

Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/mL8255oswZo

In the midst of a global pandemic, it’s hard to find love and relationships. But at the University of Maryland, some students are really trying to make it through this cuffing season. Listen to stories of love (and heartbreak) in the time of coronavirus.

On this episode of Offbeat, we answer your questions about another kind of public health precaution — STI testing — and safe sex on campus.

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

Apartments in Leonardtown have become home for many students who test positive for COVID-19. Students have stories of living in quarantine and isolation: the good, the bad and the boring.

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

For 110 years, The Diamondback has served as local newspaper for the University of Maryland and city of College Park. Now, it's moving online.

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

The promo for season 12 of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' is out, so we're here to break down the 13 queens' looks ahead of the season premiere.

For more than two years, Eugene Williams, 78, has been on a mission: get basketball teams across the country to play "Lift Every Voice and Sing" alongside the national anthem. He finally (somewhat) succeeded at the University of Maryland.

Welcome to Offbeat, The Diamondback's podcast where we go beyond our typical coverage to find the most entertaining stories from the University of Maryland’s campus and College Park.

Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/DBKOffbeat

Read more of our coverage: dbknews.com

Welcome back to The Dive, and happy Valentine's Day!

Instead of going on dates, we sat down and figured out what makes some on-screen kisses so good and others so, so bad.