It’s just the beginning of September, but so much has already happened this Fall semester. Put aside classes, homework, and studying for a second… The last few weeks have been chock full of surprising events in pop culture.

Let’s take a look at some of the top stories you should know about if you want to even consider yourself well-versed in popular culture. 

1. The untimely end of Robin Williams. Many of us either heard or read about the graphic details of the actor’s suicide in disbelief. While this tragic event brings up an opportunity to spread awareness of depression and other mental illnesses, we should also try to remember who Robin Williams was, apart from his illness. He was an incredibly talented actor who could play nearly any type of character with virtually any type of voice or accent. People who knew and worked with him have detailed accounts of his genuine kindness and compassion for others. The outpour of love to Robin Williams and his family reveals how highly the people who knew him thought of him. He touched thousands of lives, even those of people who never met him— I mean, don’t we all have a favorite Robin Williams movie? He will forever be eternalized in the characters he and his talents brought to life. Rest In Peace, Robin Williams, we will always be amazed by you.

2. The passing of Joan Rivers. The candid, often politically incorrect comedian went into cardiac arrest during a recent elective vocal cord surgery, and slipped into a medically-induced coma. Soon after hearing that she was reliant on life support, we learned that she had passed away. The 81-year-old Fashion Police host was one of the first women to break ground in the world of comedy, and made strides for women in the entertainment industry. Known for her blunt sense of humor and fashion-centered style of interviewing on the red carpet, Joan watched pop culture evolve over time and evolved with it. Daughter Melissa Rivers honored her mother’s memory by providing her with the Hollywood-style funeral Joan wanted and described in her 2012 book, I Hate Everyone… Starting With Me. Star-studded red carpets everywhere will forever feel a bit empty and we will never hear an interviewer ask a celebrity the iconic “Who are you wearing?” question without thinking of you, Joan. RIP.

3. BRANGELINA GOT MARRIED! Yes, two of the most attractive people on the planet finally tied the knot on August 23rd. I’ve literally been waiting for this since Mr. & Mrs. Smith came out in 2005. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony in France with their children Maddox (13), Pax (10), Zahara (9), Shiloh (8), and twins Knox and Vivienne (6) all taking part in it. Jolie wore a white Versace dress decorated with colorful, embroidered designs conceptualized by her children. Apparently, Brad forgot his tie and had to borrow one of his son’s. Anonymous sources, who are actually just figments of my imagination, claim that he was so excited about the upcoming nuptials that he straight up forgot to pack the tie. The notably philanthropic couple used their long-awaited wedding as an opportunity to raise funds for the less fortunate. They received $2 million for their wedding pictures, all of which they donated to charity. In a world where celebrity breakups/divorces are as common as college students gulping down hunch punch at a frat party, it's nice to see a couple reaffirm their love for each other after nearly 10 years.       

4. Hello Kitty isn’t a cat. I'm not even kidding. My apologies to crazy cat ladies and future crazy cat ladies everywhere. This comes as a shock to basically anyone who has ever heard of or seen Hello Kitty. Here’s how it all went down: in honor of Kitty’s 40th birthday, there’s a Hello Kitty exhibit coming to the Japanese American Museum in Los Angeles, in addition to the first-ever Hello Kitty Con at the LA Museum of Contemporary Art. Helping with the creation of the exhibit is Christine Yano, an anthropologist who has been studying the marvel that is Hello Kitty for years. Upon reading her script for the exhibit, representatives from Sanrio were indignant that Hello Kitty not be referred to as a cat. Yano reported her findings back to the LA Times:      

"Hello Kitty is not a cat. She's a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat. She's never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature." 

So there we have it. Kitty White (if that is her real name) is an incredibly feline-looking 3rd grade student who lives in London with her parents and twin sister. Fun fact: her star sign is Scorpio. What will she surprise us with next? I guess in regard to what type of animal she is, the cat’s out of the bag.