the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
december 2016
ENTER THE
the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
december 2016
WITH IT
the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
december 2016
the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
december 2016
FINDING
R EF UG E
INSIDE THE SYRIAN REFUGEE CRISIS
the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
december 2016
ENTER THE
WORK HARD. PLAY HARD. WALK HOME TO RED ROAD COMMONS
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DECEMBER 2016
THE GUIDE
ENTER THE WILD
FASHION
6 Poolside Retreats
24 No Planet B
46 Heat Wave
Isabella Savini
8 To Meat or
Not to Meat Ceara Manship
10 ‘Tis the Season Lindsey Bornstein
IN THE LOOP 11 Roll With It Maria Hernandez
16 Inked Denise Ozturk
19 The Non-
Exchangeable Gift Brianna Commerford
Marissa Vonesh
28 Trailblazing Theo Willson
31 In Critical Condition Adrianne Babun-Chavarria
36 The Dirt on Camping Unico Li
Jade Simmons, Lauren Gimpel & Vivian Braga
54 Clean Up Your Act Joshua Dempsey
56 Basel Fashion Shellie Frai
57 Bringing Back the ‘90s
39 Beauty & Cruelty
Olivia Stauber
Mukta Vibhute & Marissa Vonesh
58 Something Blue
40 Know Your Roots Jael Labrie
42 Chasing the Sun Margarita Destillo
HEALTH & WELLNESS 44 Crystal Healing Gina Fleites
45 Essential Oils Rx Gabby Rosenbloom
Olivia Stauber
MAIN EVENT 61 Finding Refuge Asmae Fahmy
68 Code Red Chelsey Sellars
73 Sleepless Chelsey Sellars
76 Guide to Finals Lizzie Wilcox
78 Through the Lens Lizzie Wilcox
Letter
december 2016
from the
distractionmagazine.com
WHAT COULD YOU NOT SURVIVE IN THE WILD WITHOUT? Editor-in-Chief_Asmae Fahmy Executive Editor_Marissa Vonesh “Allie.” Managing Editor_Olivia Stauber Art Director_Allie Pakrosnis & Jamie Shub “Jamie.” Photo Editor_Valentina Escotet Assistant Art Directors_Alexa Aguilar, Ana Gonzalez & Lindsey Bornstein Assistant Photo Editor_Hunter Crenian, Maxx Pollack & Sidney Sherman Assistant Copy Chief_Jessi DiPette & Noah Vesey The Guide Editor_Lauren Flaumenhaft In The Loop Editor_Gina Fleites Enter the Wild Editor_Carmen Wilson Health and Wellness Editor_Lizzie Wilcox “A Camera.” Fashion Editor_Jade Simmons Assistant Fashion Editors_Lauren Gimpel & Vivian Braga The Main Event Editor_Maria Hernandez “Conditioner.” Public Relations Manager_Carmen Wilson Assistant PR Manager_Gabby Rosenbloom “My Dog.” Business Manager_Kyle Kingma Assistant Business Manager_Neha Baddam Faculty Adviser_Randy Stano
“My Sister.”
DISTRACTIONMAGAZINE.COM “Unlimited Oreos.”
Online Editorial Coordinators_Alina Zerpa & Thalia Garcia Online Copy Chief_Tori Cameron Culture Editor_Teresa Lee Entertainment Editor_Jorge Chabo Associate Entertainment Editor_Teddy Wilson Online Fashion Editor_Melissa Cabral “Uber.’” Student Life Editor_ Sofia Dacharry Travel Editor_Lizzie Wilcox Sports Editor_ Alexander Goldman Online Photo Editor_Keying Cheng “Peanut Butter.”
ASSISTING FACULTY Alex Heria & Bruce Garrison
CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Schoening, Designer Emma Michiels, Photographer Vanessa Gonzalez, Photographer Jordan Abrams, PR Elizabeth Pozzuoli, PR Isabella Cueto, Copy Editor
Chelsey Sellars, Writer Margarita Castillo, Writer Jael LaBrie, Writer Mukta Vibhute, Writer Unico Li, Writer Theo Willson, Writer Joshua Dempsey, Writer
Shellie Frai, Writer Adrianne Babun-Chavarria, Writer Brianna Commerford, Writer Denise Ozturk, Writer Ceara Manship, Writer Isabella Savini, Writer
When it comes to contributors, we’re not picky. Whether you’ve found your niche in a bio book, you’re notorious for doing “nothing” at the comm or business school or you’re halfway into your college career and still wave that “undeclared major” flag, we want to hear what you have to say. Distraction is an extracurricular/volunteer operation made for students, by students, and covers the full spectrum of student life here at The U. If you want to get involved or have any questions, comments or concerns email our editor-in-chief, Asmae Fahmy, at distraction@miami.edu. The magazine is produced four times per year, twice a semester. City Graphics and Bellack Miami printed 8,000 copies of the magazine on 8.5 x 11 inch, 60-pound coated text paper 4/4. The entire magazine is printed four-color and perfect bound. Most text is nine-point Minion Pro with 9.8 points of leading set ragged with a combination of bold, medium and italic. All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite CC software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in Photoshop and Illustrator. For additional information, please visit distractionmagazine.com. Questions and comments can be mailed to 1330 Miller Drive, Student Media Suite 202A, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, dropped into SSC Student Media Suite Suite 200 or emailed to distraction@miami.edu. All articles, photographs and illustrations are copyrighted by the University of Miami.
EDITOR
This time of year has always been my favorite. From the (almost) cold weather Miami receives to the cinnamon-infused everything, December symbolizes relaxation and rejuvenation – after finals, of course. Take the time to enjoy this break. Buy a non-exchangeable gift for the picky friend (page 19) or dip your toes into one of our poolside retreats (page 6). However, with more free time comes more time to focus on important issues. For once, I will say this: no more distractions. With climate change restructuring our city’s layout and endangered animals in critical condition, we need to actively start getting involved. Read more about these issues in our Enter the Wild special section (page 23). One thing that’s incredibly important to me is the story on page 61 (and not just because I wrote I it). The Syrian refugee crisis may be something we catch glimpses of on our newsfeeds or in the background of political banter, but to the inspiring and brave people I spoke to, it is everything. My grandma hails from Syria, I have met plenty of people from the country and I can tell you with absolute certainty that it is an issue that needs to be addressed not just on a political level, but on a humanitarian one, too. There are people behind the statistics. They did not to come here to rewrite our culture – they simply had their world torn from its roots and want a second chance. On a slightly less serious note, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge Valentina, our inhumanely talented photo editor and one of my best friends, who will be graduating this December. I’m still in denial that I’ll no longer walk into the office to find you braced with pistachios and a joyfulness that makes even the worst of deadlines bearable. Thank you for dedicating so much to this magazine and for being a strong source of creativity and encouragement. Go take on New York, and remember that we will always be your biggest fans. As for everyone else, take this time to really think about what matters to you and how you can add your own touch it; even if it’s as simple as spending more time with your family or catching up on some much-needed R & R. I know I will. Until next year,
THE ELEMENTS THE COVERS: THE DECEMBER ISSUE art direction_valentina escotet, jamie shub & allie pakrosnis. photo_valentina escotet. Getting up close and personal with endangered animals, our Photo Editor Valentina Escotet explored the Zoological Wildlife Foundation (ZWF). Valentina interacted with everything from a lar gibbon monkey dubbed “Mr. Chung” (who she seemed to have a spiritual connection with)
to Sam the toucan. Valentina trudged through the torrential Miami rain to capture some of the world’s rarest animals. After a five-minute photo session with a baby spotted jaguar cub, Valentina had the shot that would melt all of our hearts. The animal is comprehensive in representing our special section.
art direction_valentina escotet & allie pakrosnis. photo_valentina escotet. We wanted to capture Miami’s endless summer with bold colors and trendy beachwear – and of course, the beach itself. Halfway through November with temperatures still reaching 80 degrees, our fashion team headed to Crandon Park to experience our version of a winter photo shoot. Wading in the
waters of Biscayne Bay, our model Emily Berkowitz posed while Photo Editor Valentina, pushed by a series of waves, took pictures on her GoPro. The hectic pattern of the water proved challenging and knocked Valentina with walls of water numerous times before she finally got the perfect picture.
art direction_valentina escotet, allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy & jamie shub. photo_valentina escotet. Given that (almost) everyone on our team loves sushi, it’s no surprise that we’d go out of our way to incorporate it into the magazine. We originally arranged a sushi platter from Kokai Sushi and Lounge into a square shape on a wooden board. However, we then figured that what better to
represent sushi than a fish itself? Using maki rolls for the body, sashimi pieces for the fins, ginger for the lips and a dollop of wasabi for the eye, our fish creation came to life. The hardest part? Not eating the sushi after the shoot, but after four pairs of hands had played with it, we’re kind of glad we didn’t.
art direction_valentina escotet, allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy & jamie shub. photo_valentina escotet. Using a Mexican refugee camp as the setting, our photo editor used objects destroyed by fire, sandpaper, spray paint, dirt and duct tape to metaphorically symbolize the heartbreaking story of war-torn Syria. The life vest, drenched in water, was used to represent the struggle of Syrian refugees
escaping by boat. Either through turbulence or lack of room on a boat, countless refugees have drowned while crossing the Mediterranean. In 2016 alone, roughly 2,500 refugees lost their lives to the sea over a four-month period. The single life vest is a metaphor for these refugees, they aren’t forgotten.
BEHIND THE SCENES:
ART DIRECTOR ALLIE WRITES HEADLINE FOR FINALS OPENER.
ART DIRECTOR JAMIE HOLDS UP LIGHT FOR SUSHI PHOTOSHOOT.
NATURE OPENER IS MADE ON FOAM BLOCK.
PHOTO EDITOR VALENTINA PREPARES TO TAKE AN AERIAL SHOT OF OUR FASHION MODELS.
P LSIDE RETREATS words_isabella savini. photo_sidney sherman. design_lindsey bornstein.
The University of Miami is lucky enough to have year-round sunshine, 80-degree temperatures and a pool in the center of campus with lounge chairs for students to tan on between classes. Still, if you scroll through your Instagram and Facebook feeds, odds are you will see no less than 10 different pictures of students at hotel pools all over Miami. Whether you’ve never been to an off-campus pool or you’re trying to add another luxurious spot to your list, we’ve got your weekends covered from Christmas until Spring Break.
Fountainbleau
THE BILTMORE
The W South Beach
4441 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach
Although it might be the priciest of all SoBe pools at $175 a day, the Fontainebleau is the quintessential luxury poolside getaway. The layout encompasses a total of 10 pools within a few feet of each other. All pools are shallow enough for students to show off their new swimsuits while sipping cocktails. If you’re looking to indulge, purchase the “A Day at the Fontainebleau” package which includes a 50-minute spa treatment, a pricefixed lunch and access to the pools, beach and gym.
The glamorous yet tranquil scenery at the W South Beach provides the perfect setting for the winter Instagram picture to make your friends back home jealous. You will be waited on hand and foot by poolside attendants serving all-natural cocktails and cold-pressed juices. As if going to school in Miami isn’t enough. The only catch: you must be a guest of the W to spend the day here, so book it for the weekend if you really need an escape from reality.
6
DISTRACTION
The Guide
Delano 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Although the palm trees and luxurious white cabanas that line the 7,000-foot infinity pool at the Delano South Beach make it feel exclusive, anyone can relax in this modern, tropical paradise. The whimsical “Alice in Wonderland” theme and underwater speakers are signatures of the Delano’s Sunday pool parties. These “Privileged Sundays” feature some of Miami’s most famous D.J.s, with daybed and cabana rentals starting at $1,000. You might want to text your promoter for this one.
1 Hotel 2341 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach It took no time for the 1 Hotel to rise to the top of the list for best South Beach poolside hangouts. With three separate alluring pool decks, it’s every bit as luxurious as you would hope for. Take the elevator 18 stories up to unwind among the clouds while enjoying drinks and quick bites. Relax in the center deck pool or venture to the south pool, which overlooks the beach front and insures all-day sunshine for the tanning-savvy.
Highbar 1111 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach The Highbar pool at the Dream Hotel is the definition of chic. A rooftop lounge with white and gold decor, lush plants and panoramic views of the Atlantic makes your cabana feel like a throne. This rooftop pool is open to the public, so unlike many other popular South Beach poolside hangouts, there is no cover to get in. That’s right, the Dream Hotel’s pool is both a royal retreat and free of charge, so why wouldn’t you spend a Sunday or two here poolside with your friends?
Highbar pool and bar sits on top of Dream Hotel in the heart of Miami Beach. Residents enjoy drinks and a panoramic view of the city.
The Biltmore 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables The Biltmore is known for its 23,000 square foot pool – the largest in the country. The hotel was popularized in the ‘30s by Hollywood royalty, eventually becoming the grand, upscale resort that it is today. The Biltmore does not offer day passes, so guests wishing to enjoy this luxurious retreat must be a member or book one of its elegant poolside cabanas equipped with flat-screen TVs, chaises and a love seat nestled by the world-famous pool.
Mondrian Hotel 1100 West Avenue, Miami Beach This iconic crescent-shaped escape has staff members reserving chairs for hotel guests on a first-come, first-served basis. Cabanas, daybeds and lounge chairs are available to non-guests for a $50 food and drink minimum. The hotel’s location gives loungers a gorgeous vantage point of the sunset descending over Biscayne Bay and downtown Miami. Make sure you don’t miss the Saturday and Sunday crowd when notorious South Beach D.J.s host wild daytime pool parties. December 2016 DISTRACTION
7
Meat Meat
TO
OR NOT TO
words_ceara manship. photo_emma michiels. design_jamie shub.
Home to some of the best restaurants in the country, Miami has dozens of vegan spots that even die-hard carnivores need to try. As good as the dining hall’s tofu scramble may be, off-campus options are necessary for spicing things up every now and then. From all-you-caneat veggie plates to guilt-free cupcakes, we have everything you need for a meatless Miami.
0.5% of the U.S. population is vegan Vegans have a
62% lower chance of developing Type 2 diabetes
Americans consume
1/6 of the total meat consumed worldwide
Dirt
Roots Juicebar
232 Fifth St., Miami Beach
8530 S.W. 124th Ave., Miami
Don’t let the name fool you, Dirt is a café full of clean eating options with vegan, gluten-free and paleo menus. As avid believers in the farm-to-table movement, the chefs at Dirt cook almost everything using locally grown food. Dirt is best known for its fruit bowls filled with acai, dragon fruit and hazelnut chia seeds.
Previously the home of a popular cupcake shop, Roots Juicebar is now an organic cafe with cruelty-free practices. You can usually find them serving a variety of cold pressed juices and smoothies. As one of the few healthy stops in the Kendall area, Roots has become the perfect place for sustainable and nutritious food.
Eden in Eden
Della
1248 S.W. 22nd St., Miami
56 N.W. 29th St., Miami
If you’re looking for healthy eats with a French flare, Eden in Eden is the place for you. Accommodating a completely vegan palate, this brasserie manages to create French favorites without the butter, cheese or eggs. Staple menu items include organic crepes and quiches, and, of course, the famous croque-monsieur made with vegan cheese and ham.
For health food on the fly, look no further than the Della food truck in the Wynwood Yard. All produce is grown right behind the truck, so customers can see where their food is coming from and get it served quickly. Each meal is customizable with signature “healthy bowls of happy” which have an assortment of rice, beans, veggies and sauces that are bound to put a smile on your face.
Choices Café 2626 Ponce De Leon Blvd., Miami With six different locations around the city, Choices Café is one of Miami’s greatest and most accessible vegan stops. While the menu has many strong Latin flavors, the food has global inspirations, diversifying the featured vegan options. Make sure to end your meal with their signature maple “bacon” donut – with bacon made from a tree rather than a pig.
Blue Collar 6730 Biscayne Blvd., Miami Blue Collar is the perfect place to dine with your meat-loving friends. The restaurant is known for its various ribs, Parmesan and braised beef specials, but it has a veggie chalkboard with more than over 20 varieties of meat-free specials for only $6. Customize your veggie plate by choosing items from the board such as spaghetti squash, sautéed kale and waffle cut sweet potato fries. CHOLADO FROM MANNA LIFE
8
DISTRACTION
The Guide
THE PROS & CONS OF
Veganism
Veganism is an entire lifestyle switch with both its ups and downs. Some pros of the animal-free diet are that it can help you lower your cholesterol and blood pressure levels and increase your antioxidantintake due to the high volume of fruits and vegetables in this diet. Veganism can also promote weight loss if done right (meaning you sadly can’t engorge on vegan cupcakes everyday and get this result). The way of life is also more environmentally sustainable, and that’s always a pro. On the other hand, veganism prohibits the intake of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B12 and iron. There is also the embedded issue of a lack of protein that comes with abstaining from meat. However, this can always be counteracted by supplements and vitamins. Moreover, the strict habits the diet entails can make it difficult for people to maintain.
Manna life food has plenty of options for the vegan in everyone. Many people visit the eatery for its nutrient-rich superfoods.
Plant, Food + Wine 105 N.E. 24th St., Miami This plant-based restaurant by chef Matthew Kenney offers various vegan alternatives to burgers, pizza and other classic American favorites. Along with your meal, be sure to check out the extensive bar serving an assortment of juices, detox beverages and cocktails. Of course, don’t forget to try its vast variety of dessert options to top it all off.
Bunnie Cakes 2322 N.E. Second Ave., Miami Having a hard time satisfying that sweet tooth with a dairy-free diet? Bunnie Cakes offers a variety of signature cupcakes and other vegan sweets such as tasty cinnamon rolls and gelato. The shop’s colorful decor makes it a perfect place to sit, indulge and capture that Insta-worthy pic.
Manna Life Food 80 N.E. Second Ave., Miami In the heart of downtown Miami, Manna Life Food is the place to go for a colorful plate when you want to “eat the rainbow.” Every organic dish is jam-packed with nutrients. There are many gluten-free options as well. If you can’t make it into the store, visit its online shop to choose from a variety of superfood juices and juice shots, each with their own array of health benefits.
Sweet Records 5505 N.E. Second Ave., Miami Inside this Indie record store is a delicious vegan coffee shop. Sweet Records serves organic Panther coffee with soy or almond milk and offers an assortment of vegan treats as well. Several nights a month, guests are treated to in-store events such as live music and movie nights. Be sure to try the Unicorn Love Bomb; a double shot of espresso topped with vegan marshmallows. CROISSANTS FROM EDEN IN EDEN
AVOCADO AREPA FROM MANNA LIFE
“BIGGER BURGER” FROM CHOICES CAFÉ
December 2016 DISTRACTION
9
THE
Season
(WITHOUT SEASONS)
words_lindsey bornstein. photo_asmae fahmy. design_alexa aguilar & lindsey bornstein.
Ah, holiday season…it’s only the first part of December and you can already hear those sleigh bells ringing because it’s time to let it snow. Except it’s not. Not in Miami anyway, where the temperature might just drop below 70 – if we’re lucky. While you’re mourning the absence of Frosty this December, Miami still has plenty of events to get you in the holiday spirit.
iHeart Radio Jingle Ball
Nutcracker Ballet
Along with the usual presents (or coal, if you’ve been a little bit naughty this year), Santa Claus also brings us the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball as an early gift. Widely anticipated as the biggest concert of the year, this year’s lineup headlines Diplo, Meghan Trainor, The Chainsmokers, Fifth Harmony, Nicky Jam, Alessia Cara, Charlie Puth, Tove Lo, Lukas Graham and newcomer Hailee Steinfeld. If you haven’t already snagged your Dec. 18 tickets, your best bet is StubHub – and you should probably move quickly, since the base price starts around $70 per ticket.
For those looking for a little more culture, look no further. The Miami City Ballet will be performing a handful of showings of its annual Nutcracker Ballet. The show features 10-year-old Clara as she ventures through a magical world with friends. Performances will be held from Dec. 17 to 24 at the Adrienne Arsht Center. Tickets can be purchased online starting at $25.
601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
Santa’s Enchanted Forest 7900 SW 40th St., Miami If you’re from Miami, then you’ve probably already heard of Santa’s Enchanted Forest. For those of you who aren’t locals, let us be the first to inform you about the biggest Christmas bonanza in all of South Florida. This all-in-one carnival, amusement park and light show attracts locals of all ages throughout most of November and all of December. Trust us, it’s worth the trip just to see the 100-foot Christmas tree to bring some traditional holiday cheer. Tickets are $32 for adults
10 DISTRACTION The Guide
1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
InterContinental Hotel 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami
To bring you some holiday cheer, the InterContinental Hotel in Miami is setting up a Holiday Ice Rink overlooking the beautiful Biscayne Bay. The hotel is yet to announce the date for this year, but make sure to be there for the one day a year that Miamians can pretend they’re at New York’s Rockefeller Center, and not sweating their butts off. Tickets are $15 per hour and skates will be provided.
Winterfest Boat Parade Intercoastal Waterway, Fort Lauderdale South Florida residents can head to the Fort Lauderdale area on Dec. 10 to experience a holiday boat parade. For only $5, you can enjoy a colorful holiday parade complete with music and Mr. 305 (Pitbull) himself as the grand marshal.
Holiday Spirits As December rolls around, UM breaks into a rousing holiday spirit – or spirits, if we’re being honest. If you’re ready for a break from the overdone vodka and cranberry, we’ve got some holidaythemed drinks that are cause for celebration.
CANDY CANE Ingredients: 3/4 ounce SKYY Berry vodka 3/4 ounce Peppermint Schnapps 3/4 ounce white Crème de Cacao 1/4 ounce grenadine 1 candy cane 3/4 ounce half and half 1/4 ounce grenadine Instructions: 1. Pour the vodka, Peppermint Schnapps, white Creme de Cacao and grenadine into a cocktail shaker and add ice. 2. Shake well. 3. Pour drink into a cocktail glass rimmed with crushed peppermints. 4. Fill with half and half. 5. Garnish with a candy cane.
THE GRINCH Ingredients: 2 ounce Midori 1/2 ounce lemon juice 1 teaspoon simple syrup 1 maraschino cherry Instructions: 1. Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. 2. Shake well. 3. Strain into a punch or cocktail glass. 4. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
words_maria hernandez. photo_valentina escotet. design_allie pakrosnis & jamie shub. December 2016 DISTRACTION 17
One word, five letters: sushi. Some people love it, others can’t stand it. But what exactly is it? You may think that sushi is just raw fish rolled in flavorless rice, but this popular Japanese cuisine is more. With a variety of fish and rice combinations, seasoned with salt, sugar and vinegar, sushi will always satisfy.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF S U S H I Apart from being a delicious dish, some sushi rolls are surprisingly healthy. Seaweed wraps are high in iodine and wasabi contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Depending on the type of roll, the nutritious benefits of vitamins and minerals vary. If you are watching what you eat, a fried tempura roll might not be the ideal choice and be cautious of high-sodium soy sauce. MADRE E HIJO
TERMINOLOGY Trying to understand sushi menus can get a little complicated. Sometimes being overwhelmed with fancy terms makes us go with the simplest roll we see (ahem, California roll) or order sushi we actually despise. The basic terms you should know for your next Japanese feast are here.
TAKO OCTOPUS
ABURA BOUZU OILFISH
FOGU PUFFERFISH
FUTOMAKI
IKIZUKURI
KAMABOKO
OVERSIZED ROLLS
PREPARATION OF LIVE FISH
IMITATION CRAB MEAT
TEMAKI-ZUSHI
NETA
HAND ROLL
FISH PLACED ON TOP OF SUSHI RICE
12 DISTRACTION In The Loop
CHIRASHI VARIETY OF FISH OVER RICE
NIGIRI SLICED FISH ON TOP OF RICE
NORI SEAWEED WRAPPER
C L A S S I C ROLLS Some people prefer the safe route – we don’t blame you. Once a classic, always a classic. These are our favorite rolls when you want to stick to a safe experience.
CALIFORNIA ROLL Crab, avocado and cucumber
RAINBOW ROLL California topped with tuna, salmon, whitefish and shrimp
CATERPILLAR ROLL
E X O T I C
ROLLS
If you are more adventurous, don’t hesitate to explore the exotic sushi rolls. These sauces, spices and meats will make your mouth water.
GODZILLA ROLL Salmon, cream cheese, avocado, and krab tempura fried and served with aioli, garlic jalapeño and eel sauce
EMPEROR ROLL
Tuna, salmon, krab, shrimp Cucumber, fish cake, crab and and avocado rolled with nori avocado and breaded with panko and served with spicy aioli, DRAGON ROLL masago and eel sauce Cucumber, avocado, eel and PERFECTION ROLL eel sauce Crispy shrimp, cream cheese, real crab, avocado and PHILLY ROLL tempura flakes topped with Salmon and cream cheese spicy mayo and eel sauce
SPICY TUNA ROLL
STEAK ROLL
Tuna and scallions topped with spicy mayo
Avocado, cucumber, mixed greens and sautéed steak served with spicy mayo
MAKI SUSHI ROLLED USING BAMBOO MAT
TOBIKO FLYING FISH EGGS
UNAGI FRESH WATER EEL
ADEREZO DE ATUN
December 2016 DISTRACTION 13
ADEREZO DE ATUN
ROLLING S T E P S While sushi is a treat we all love to indulge in during a night out, it’s also fun to make at home. Feeling creative? Follow these steps and thank us later. All you need is a bamboo mat, rice and your desired ingredients. 1. Lay out the bamboo mat with plastic wrap on top. 2. Place the nori, with the rough side facing upward, and evenly spread the rice. 3. Add the desired ingredients in the center. 4. Lift the edge of the bamboo mat and slowly start rolling the sushi while slowly applying pressure.
P O P U L A R SUSHI RESTAURANTS Now that you’ve mastered the terms, it’s time to dig into some delicious rolls. Miami has plenty of restaurants to satisfy.
KOKAI 9036 N.W. 25 St., Doral Kokai has managed to create unique fusion rolls in Doral with an image of uniting cultures. For more than 20 years, Kokai has focused on fostering a unique dining experience with quality food and friendly personalized service. Combining edgy Japanese techniques with exotic Latin flavors, Kokai crafts the art of innovative, flavorful sushi dishes. The menu clearly details the ingredients used in the dishes and all the nutritional information such as protein, calories and fiber. Kokai even has an alternative menu with healthier rolls and salads options for those counting calories. Try the Ebi Kani, a classic roll with a great mixture of flavors that will be an instant hit. Another favorite is the Alejandro Roll, which is inspired by the owner’s son and has an unusual ingredient on top: fried sweet potato with a delectable special house sauce.
14 DISTRACTION In The Loop
DORAKU IZAKAYA AND SUSHI 1104 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach Doraku means “road to happiness” in Japanese, and that’s exactly how you’ll feel after you’ve stepped inside and tried the sushi. Though the restaurant has one of the most extensive sake, or rice wine, menus in Miami, we promise it’s worth it. Doraku is a mustsee, especially with the daily happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. that includes creative drinks, appetizers and more delicious treats. With $5 sushi rolls and sake, or wine and beer for $4, you can count us in.
AKASHI 5830 South Dixie Highway, Coral Gables This small and cozy restaurant serves delicious sushi rolls and other specialties. Located in Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, the interior decoration has simple black tables and dimmed lighting that sets an intimate mood for any occasion.
5. Once the rolling process is over, cut roll into small pieces. 6. Serve promptly with soy sauce, wasabi or ginger and garnish as desired.
Kokai is known for its diverse sushi selection. The Doral-based restaurant incorporates Latin elements into the classic Japanese dish.
December 2016 DISTRACTION 15 21
FAMILY You might question what compelled sophomore Drake Bower to get his tattoos. According to Bower, some people are quick to judge, but if you ask him the story behind his body art, you might find yourself with chills running down your spine. Bower is an accounting major from Pennsylvania and has five tattoos that all relate to his loved ones. His grandfather played a crucial role in his life and after he passed away in 2015, Bower realized what was most important: family. “Until next time” is tattooed on his arm because Bower’s late grandfather always used those three words instead of “good bye.” Arguably the most prominent of all of Bower’s tattoos is the skull wrapped in an American flag on his shoulder, which honors his father who served in the army for more than nine years. Bower believes that his father instilled many military values onto him. “He influenced me to be the man I am today,” Bower said. “I think [tattoos are the] most extreme way to express yourself because you are committing to ink that is on your body for the rest of your life. It’s an intimate way to express yourself.”
SUPERSTITIONS Numbers tend to be a tattoo choice that people opt for, whether they’re big or small. Kaan Karahan is a prime example of this. Karahan, a senior majoring in management, is a firm believer in the number 13. He has 13 tattoos and the Roman numeral for 13 on his ankles. The number has significant meaning for Karahan. Karahan was born on Feb. 13, his basketball locker was number 13, his athletic jersey number was 13, his freshman year dorm room number was 13 and, coincidentally, he lived in apartment 2506, which adds up to 13. Somehow, this number is always present in his life. Karahan also has a smiley face on his ankle and a crow on his ribcage.
Rachel Gurnets displays a watercolor tattoo on her thigh through her ripped jeans. She has always been obsessed with skulls and incorporates them into her clothes and accessories.
16 DISTRACTION In The Loop
words_denise ozturk. photo_vanessa gonzalez. design_allie pakrosnis.
We all have that one friend who is obsessed with tattoos – or maybe you’re the obsessed one – and can’t fight the urge to stop a student on campus with a sick arm sleeve. Throughout this defining part of our lives, we are encouraged to find ourselves and discover our passions. A part of this growth involves becoming more independent and free. Our fellow Miami Hurricanes are no exception when it comes to sporting unique tattoos.
WATERCOLORS Painted with ink that resembles brush strokes, junior Rachel Grunert’s tattoo looks like a replica of a vivacious masterpiece. She has two watercolor style tattoos on her body in addition to a classic black-and-white one. Grunert, from the liberal and open-minded Long Island, had no hesitations about getting a tattoo. She is obsessed with skulls in every way possible from skull-covered clothes and accessories to tattoos. The skull on her leg, embroidered with watercolors and flowers, was actually inspired by an Instagram photo. She found the design on the social network and asked her tattoo artist if he could copy it while incorporating lilies into it as well. Lilies are symbolic for Grunert and remind her of her beloved pet cat.
I THINK TATTOOS ARE THE MOST EXTREME WAY TO EXPRESS YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU ARE COMMITTING TO INK THAT IS ON YOUR BODY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
BASIC TATTOOS We have all seen the infamous anchors, butterflies and infinity signs, but another tattoo trend that is sweeping pop culture is simplistic, small icons. Many people have itty-bitty tattoos that are hidden on non-visible places on our bodies. Small tattoos are placed on fingers,
behind ears, on wrists and on ankles to name a few. Some of the most common, simple designs are shapes such as hearts, triangles and stars. More often than not, the most basic tattoos usually consist of black ink and can be completed in 15 to 20 minutes.
December 2016 DISTRACTION 17
YOUR MOVE. Introduction to Game Design (CIM 310) is about non-digital game design, theory, and development. Learn how to analyze and apply principles used in the design of existing popular casual games, social impact games, and indie games.
24 DISTRACTION The Guide
words d. _brianna commerfor . photo_ nis valentina escotet. ros k a design p _lauren gimpel & allie
December 2016 DISTRACTION 19 25
20 DISTRACTION In The Loop Shopping for the your outdoors-y dad or uncle and don’t know what to get? Let them chose! Bass Pro Shop is the spot for anyone into hunting, fishing, camping or any related outdoor recreation. Whether you’re spending a day in the Keys or a night in a log cabin in North Florida, Bass Pro has exactly what you need.
Looking to give your recipient access to the best quality running shoes, fashionable workout attire, and sporting goods? Nike can DO IT for you. Nike provides top performance and sportswear styles. Gift cards can be purchased as a digital or physical gift in any Nike store.
Get “The Perfect Fit” for your gift recipient. Let them choose between a variety of the nation’s best activewear brands. Available in any amount from $10 to $500, a gift card here can be used online, on the Foot Locker mobile site, by phone or in stores.
FOOT LOCKER
Although it is not as cheap as TJ Maxx, Macy’s has deals nearly every week that anyone with a gift card could take advantage of! Macy’s will provide your gift receiver with a range of good deals on quality products. Your shopper can choose from the biggest selection of the most popular makeup products and brands such as MAC, Chanel and Estée Lauder. She can also shop some of the most desired clothing labels such as Calvin Klein, Charter Club, Estée Lauder, Michael Kors, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger.
The fashionista in your life will love the wallet-friendly prices and trendy clothes at TJ Maxx. The store, although overwhelming, has an endless amount of shoes, pants, skirts, shirts, dresses and accessories to shower your gift receiver. For those shopping on a budget, TJ Maxx has appealing clothes for even more appealing prices. The clothes are much cheaper than designer originals, while still maintaining an expensive, classy look.
BASS PRO SHOPS
MACY’S
TJ MAXX
The Fashionista
NIKE
The Jock
How many candles, perfumes, scarves and socks can we give without overdoing the same gift? If you struggle with gift giving, there is one simple solution: a gift card. One plastic card can make all the difference in your stressful shopping escapades during the holiday season. If you are worried that a card will look like you lacked sincerity, customize the card for a store that fits your recipient’s personality – or show them that gross sweater you were about to buy.
SEPHORA This fashionista could be dressed to kill, but no one’s outfit is complete without killer hair and polished makeup! Pamper her with a gift card to the place that has it all! Sephora sells 300 different brands of makeup, skincare, body, fragrance, nail color and hair care. Any girl would love to take a break from her busy work schedule and treat herself to a Sephora product.
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SUBWAY A gift card here will get you healthy fast food for good prices. The $5 Footlong and FebruANY deals are plenty reason for a gift card purchase. Chose from different wheat bread and a variety of vegetables to construct a healthy sandwich. There will be no greasy fries or heavy milkshakes that will tempt your purchase – just delicious cookies included in the meal.
FANDANGO These gift cards can be bought online or in person at movie theaters. Fandango also has a nifty little app that you can download onto any smart phone, which allows you to check out movie times in theaters near you. Then, grab the gift card, buy a large popcorn, and enjoy the show.
ITUNES
Give your gift recipient apps, music, books, TV shows and more with an iTunes gift card! iTunes gift cards are super easy to give, as they are sold at any Apple store and hundreds of other retailers. With this gift card, the gift recipient can buy anything they want. Every card can be used in the App store for their devices and also in the iTunes store and iBook store.
The Online Shopper
Cheesy bread, cinnastix, thin crust, thick crust, hand-tossed crust, pan crust and Brooklyn style crusts. Say no more. Whether you are just grabbing a quick slice for lunch or indulging in some late night bingeeating, this fast, but delicious, food menu will make any foodie’s mouth water.
DOMINO’S
The Foodie
Aside from a healthy variety of Amazon’s own patented electronics such as the Amazon Fire, this treasure trove is a one-stop shop for any online shopper. With this gift card, your recipient won’t even have to leave the comfort of their home. Amazon Electronics is always in stock and you can always browse conveniently.
AMAZON ELECTRONICS
With a storefront on practically every corner, Starbucks is the perfect spot for a convenient, grab-n-go breakfast or lunch. As if coffee and tea weren’t enough, Starbucks has food too, from pastries to full sandwiches. A gift card here is a must for the busy foodie. This busy foodie can purchase his or her fav frappe, coffee or tea accompanied by a bistro box.
STARBUCKS
BARCELONA Photography & Visual Workshop June 26-July 20, 2017 • Six hours credit Contact Professor Jim Virga, jvirga@miami.edu or Professor Randy Stano, rstano@miami.edu
CONGRATULATIONS, VALENTINA! Thank you for all you’ve done. You will be so missed.
Love, the
distraction
team
design_ valentina escotet, allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy & jamie shub. photo_valentina escotet.
From camping trips to wilderness trails, we need to realize how much we rely on the great outdoors and that there is no planet B to fall back on. This is nature – wild and powerful. December 2016 DISTRACTION 29
NO words_marissa vonesh. photo_hunter crenian. design_allie pakrosnis. illustration_ana gonzalez.
24 DISTRACTION Enter the Wild
Sea levels are rising. Coral reefs are dying. Forests are being depleted. Deserts are expanding. Weather is becoming unpredictable. The world as we have known is changing. It doesn’t seem to matter whether the shift is triggered by human activities or is entirely natural – now 97 percent of climate experts agree that climate change is real and that climate change is happening.
A
fter being inundated with Facebook posts, tweets and angry protesters on the street, living through the stickiness of wet socks from trudging through puddles and being lectured about meat consumption, hybrid cars, organic food and clean energy, have we become desensitized to the problem at hand? We can plan for college, prepare for our future jobs, start saving for retirement, but we have failed to invest in the most important thing on which all this depends: our planet.
SINKING CITIES Climate change is demonstrated most dominantly by sea level rise. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) fifth report in 2013, the last three decades have been successively warmer at the earth’s surface. Much of the globe’s warming can be connected to greenhouse gas emissions. In IPCC’s report, levels of carbon emissions were the highest in recorded history from 2000 to 2010. The extra greenhouse gases in the atmosphere interact with radiation from the sun, causing the solar radiation to be absorbed by the atmosphere and produce heat. Instead of fostering a safe, livable climate, the additional human-induced gases produce more heat from the sun. This heat leads to the continual warming of the atmosphere, oceans and surface of the earth. According to Dr. Harold Wanless, chair of geological sciences at the University of Miami and a leading sea-level rise expert, climate change is warming, expanding and acidifying the
CHANGE WILL DIFFER
ocean. Wanless describes the melting of ice as an accelerated process, not a linear one. Models detailing sea level rise state that by the end of the century, the ocean water will have risen four to six feet. Wanless predicts it will be bigger than that. “What we have in the atmosphere today could lead to 70 to 90 feet of sea level rise. The last time CO2 levels were this level, sea level was 90 feet higher than it is now and that is where we are headed,” he said. Moreover, many of the models describing climate change do not factor in desertification, where sand dulls the white of the ice and melts the ice sheets due to a lack of heat reflection back into the atmosphere.
HUMAN ROOTS However, sea level rise is only one component of climate change. Beyond it, the IPCC notes that drought, torrential rainfall and heat waves will become more commonplace, oceans will become more acidic – killing coral and influencing sea life – and storms will only intensify. “There are profound changes happening to the world system that will alter the way the world looks and the way the land appears,” Dr. Gina Maranto, a professor and director of ecosystem science and policy at the University of Miami, said. “Land mass will be covered by water, animals and plants will move.” Maranto claims sea ice will be melted within 30 years, leading to a great northward shift of the boreal forests, the thawing of methane induced permafrost and the expansion of desert areas.
Just because climate change is caused by average global warming levels doesn’t mean that the whole world will become warmer. Each region of the world will face different issues and adaptations. According to the International Panel on Climate Change, Central and South America will have regional shifts in precipitation, creating a loss in crop production, and will no longer have glaciers. Australia and New Zealand will face drought in their desert areas and increased rainfall and flooding in their tropical areas. For Africa, drought will drastically devastate food production. North America will experience more hurricanes and heat waves as well as harsher winters and more rainfall in the northern regions. In Europe, heat waves will become more prevalent. Finally, Asia will experience fewer cold spells, increased heat waves, decreased crop production and, in some southern areas, intense precipitation.
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GETTING TO THE M E AT O F T H E M AT T E R
60 LBS.
1 LB.
27 LBS.
SALMON
1 LB.
26 LBS.
1 LB.
15 LBS.
1 LB.
0.4 LBS.
TOFU
PORK
BEEF
1 LB.
CHICKEN
One way to reduce your carbon footprint is to lower your consumption of meat. The choice to become a vegetarian or vegan is a personal one, but if you can’t resist giving up that double cheeseburger, consider taking into account how much carbon is in your daily meals.
26 DISTRACTION Enter the Wild
There is evidence that supports the idea that change in climate is an anthropogenic change, meaning we are the problem. If we know this, then why aren’t we doing everything in our power to stop it? In a survey done by the Pew Research Center prior to the United Nations Climate Change Summit in Paris of 2015, the countries with the highest levels of carbon dioxide emissions per capita, namely the United States and China, expressed less anxiety about climate change than those in nations with lower emissions per-capita. Only 18 percent of Chinese and 45 percent of Americans, compared to the global average of 54 percent, identified climate change as a very serious and important problem. Everytime we turn on a light, use our phone or type on our laptop, we are contributing to carbon emissions. Every time we drive a car, take a flight, cook, tweet, connect to wifi, we are contributing to carbon emissions. We add to the climate change process every time we choose beef, buy new items, throw away trash. We always want more, we need more. We are fueling our current consumption culture at the risk of our future world. Culture, politics and money
intertwine as roadblocks to progression with climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. One issue is the human inability to prepare for the distant future. “We are not very good at thinking of the future as human beings. We evolved from small bands and we had limited horizons,” Maranto said. Furthermore, culture influences people’s personal ideological positions. We can only think about so many things. People in well-developed societies will have a different perspective of imminent needs than people in under-developed communities. “If you are poor, you are concerned about rent and food. Your worries are going to be very different than a person who lives in a gated community,” Maranto said. Personal upbringing can additionally contribute to cultural perspectives of climate change. People who have contact with wildlife growing up form a better bond with the environment, according to Maranto. Adults who grew up in an inner-city environment have a different relationship with nature than adults who grew up in wealthier households and had opportunities to explore the environment, whether it be their own backyard or on vacation. Politically speaking, governments subsidize oil companies and oil
companies pour money into the public sphere to stop the public from believing in climate change. A dominant aggressor, Koch Industries – a multinational corporation with subsidiaries involved in manufacturing, trading and investments – donates millions of dollars to political action committees, think tanks and politicians to keep oil as the world’s main energy source. Cheap, efficient energy is money, and people who have power and money will do everything they can to keep it that way. The issue is also related to political parties, according to Wanless. Both men and women of all political parties have often failed to represent the public in issues regarding climate change. “We have politicians that are no longer representing the people they represent. They have purely sold themselves to somebody with money,” Wanless said. Furthermore, many politicians, much like basic human nature, are concerned with their elected term only. The public and governmental institutions are not well-suited to make decisions about what will happen in 50 years from now, and often a politician’s mindset can revolve around when the next election is, according to Maranto.
A D A P TAT I O N Despite the daunting news and reluctant waves of change, change is happening. Obama introduced the Clean Power Plan, California has started a carbon cap and trade agreement and for the first time in history, nations across the globe set attainable goals to curb carbon dioxide emissions in the Paris Agreement of 2015. There is hope for the future, but lifestyle changes are still necessary. Especially with President -elect Trump’s plans to dismantle the Clean Power Plan and disavow the Paris Agreement, we need to see our roles. Climate change mitigation, or reduction, and climate change adaptation are both necessary to preserve the planet. We need to admit there is a problem at hand and prepare for the future. “The best thing we need to do is realize it [climate change],” Wanless said. “It will start to hit home when you tell them their house cannot be sold, then people will realize the mess we are in.” Miami specifically needs to adapt
mitigation and adaptation policies. The current mayor of Miami beach, Philip Levine, has invested in infrastructure to combat rising water levels, such as saltwater pumps; however, according to Wanless, there will be a point where projects will cost too much. Wanless suggests that politicians begin to look at relocation plans to adapt to climate change. With the projected sea level models, Wanless believes Miami should be planning for inundation.
WE ALWAYS WANT MORE, WE NEED MORE. WE ARE FUELING OUR CONSUMPTION CULTURE AT THE RISK OF OUR FUTURE WORLD. Globally, many countries still see the carbon consumption culture as the only means of advancement. When the priority of a country is development and bringing people out of poverty, often coal is placed as the solution and climate change is shoved to the wayside. However, the most vulnerable people on the globe will be impacted the most by climate change. In a study by The World Bank, researchers found that increased droughts, storms and heat waves will influence crops and create widespread famine in poor agricultural communities. Food safety is matched with water scarcity. Furthermore, small island communities could be wiped out entirely. Presently and even more so in the future, climate refugees will increase and people will fight over resources. The impact of climate change has the ability to destabilize nations and lead to war, according to Wanless who identifies this trend with the current political situations in Yemen and Syria. “Global stability should be a priority,” Wanless said. The future may look grim, but policies are coming into action and will continue to come into action. Yet, it is important to realize that policies alone will not save the earth. A lifestyle change, a cultural and psychological change,
is necessary to adapt to climate change. The luxurious American lifestyle is feed by carbon emissions. Our whole life we have been able to eat whatever we want, buy whatever we want, use whatever we want without any question. This cannot continue in full. “We are asking to fundamentally change the very way people are living,” Maranto said. As a society, a new collective conscious needs to be adapted. In small steps, such as reducing red meat consumption, employing reusable resources, voting for representatives that value the environment and purchasing energy efficient products, we can reduce our carbon emission. “Small actions can add up,” Maranto said. By realizing climate change is a problem, we can begin to prepare for the future. “For any student, look at climate change as a mega opportunity to do something and have a huge impact on the world. It doesn’t matter if you are law or architecture, the seriousness of what is happening has made it the center of attention,” Wanless said. “There are unbelievable opportunities to do incredible things, from how to get carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to redefining property rights.”
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BLAZING EXPLORE MIAMI’S DIVERSE TERRAIN words_theo willson. photo_hunter crenian. design_ sarah schoening & lindsey bornstein.
Miami isn’t the first city that comes to mind when you think of hiking. Despite Miami’s flat and tropical terrain, hiking isn’t ruled out. Miami Dade County and the surrounding areas offer plenty of beautiful hiking trails to help you get in touch with nature. The scenery may differ from that of the mountainous North, but Miami provides one of the country’s most diverse ecosystems. With nature trails located right in our backyard, there’s no need to book a flight away for a little bit of fresh air.
Alice Wainwright Park 2845 Brickell Avenue, Miami This park is a little slice of nature tucked away from the hecticness of Brickell. With hiking paths running parallel to the water, this is a great place to take a nice relaxing walk with great views. It is even better to check out this park in the early hours of the morning.
Amelia Earheart Park 401 E 65th St., Hialeah If you’re looking to do some hiking without dying from the heat, this park is lush with an abundance of trees, providing much-needed shade from the Miami sun. What makes this park even better is that it is completely dog friendly, so bring your pup to go on a walk or lounge in the trees’ shade.
28 DISTRACTION Enter the Wild
Bill Baggs State Park
Matheson Hammock Park
1200 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne
9610 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables
This park is locally recognized as “that one beach with the awesome lighthouse.” The park is home to the Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest standing structure in South Florida. Anything that would be considered “so Florida” can be found here, including the beach, camping grounds and cycling, fishing and kayaking options. Also on site is a hiking trail which winds through mangrove wetlands, making it impossible to get tired of this beautiful and calming environment.
This urban park preserves Coral Gables’ true wildlife and natural splendor. The walking trails throughout the park intertwine between secluded forest areas, and the park’s popular atoll pool brings in chilled water from the Biscayne Bay. The sea breeze also allows walkers to cool off during their hikes.
Everglades National Park 40001 State Road 9336, Homestead
Looking to make the most of your outdoor adventures? This national park is the perfect place to go. Tours can be booked with professional guides who know the ins and outs of the wetlands – plus, they are resourceful and can answer your questions (no, the alligators won’t eat you). The tour will take you through exotic flowers and colorful wildlife unique to this marshy, southern environment.
Ad Barnes Park 3701 SW 72nd Ave., Miami The Nature Center at AD Barnes Park is the perfect location for hiking, offering more than eight acres of land to explore. The area’s vegetation is ideal for migrating birds, making it a favorite for bird watching. If you’re looking to escape the city – or happen to be a bird enthusiast – venture to the nature center and see what you can find as you trek through the scenic hiking trails.
Oleta River State Park 3400 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach Located on Biscayne Bay, this park is Florida’s largest urban park. There are many activities to choose from, but the park is best known for its extensive off-road biking trails. Guests can select which trail to take based on its level of difficulty. The paths range from beginning to expert levels. Cruise through South Florida’s famous mangroves and enjoy the wildlife. Matheson Hammock Park is one of Miami’s ideal spots to go on a scenic walk or bike ride. The abundance of shady trees offer a quiet destination away from the city’s hustle and bustle.
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words_adrianne babun-chavarria. photo_valentina escotet. design_ jamie shub.
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A
ccording to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which evaluates threatened species, an animal must be at an “extremely high risk of extinction in the wild” to be listed as endangered. The increase in extinction rates are frighteningly eye opening. Before, one to five species would become extinct per year. Now that’s changed – dozens are dying off everyday. The IUCN declares that 211 species are in critical condition and 276 species are in a state of endangerment in the United States alone. Globally, 3,000 species are listed as endangered. If that wasn’t enough, the current rate of extinction is 100-1,000 times higher than it should be, according to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF). Heartwarming commercials of baby leopards and elephants may pull at your heartstrings for a moment, only to fade into the background of your mind, but animals are on the brink of extinction close to home too. Diminishing, native animal populations live relatively nearby the U, such as manatees, Florida panthers, piping plovers and loggerhead sea turtles. Furthermore, animals essential to human survival, such as bees, are diminishing. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife listed seven bee species from Hawaii as endangered in October of this year. This is the first time these species have been listed in this category, but it’s not an isolated event. Colony collapses are scattering the nation, most notoriously in Oregon, where landscaping companies undertook a genocide-like bee eradication mission and managed to rid the area of an estimated 25,000 bees. It doesn’t end there. The U.S. uses clothianidin pesticide in over two thirds of domestic crops: the use of this chemical is traced to higher
32 DISTRACTION Enter the Wild
“
AS WE MOW DOWN WILD AREAS TO MAKE ROOM FOR OUR OWN HABITATION, AND FOR OUR OWN AGRICULTURE, COUNTLESS SPECIES ARE LOST FOREVER.
“
We can no longer afford to write off the state of our planet anymore. We have only just begun to understand the harsh realities of animal extinction and the destructive global impacts that come with it.
rates of colony collapse disorder – the phenomena where a poison-induced disorientation leads to bees dying away from their hives. Moreover, 40 percent of invertebrate pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are on a straight path to extinction. These seemingly insignificant creatures impact our lives monumentally. The loss of bees would compromise 75 percent of the food crops that depend on pollination as their principle means of reproduction. This would mean countless ice cream Sundays without cherries, tea without honey and Chipotle burritos without guacamole. Try living that life. Aside from pesticide use, clearing land for development and agriculture has lead to a massive loss of natural habitat. The loss in genetic variation in animals by inbreeding, overhunting and overfishing has harmed animals’ ability to reproduce, adapt and survive in their environment. Combined, these components are chipping away at the earth’s biodiversity. One of the most controversial impairments to endangered animals is poaching. Over $25 million of African revenue is lost because of elephant poaching. Ivory trade is an illegal $20 billion industry. Research from Cambridge estimates that a whopping 20 to 30 thousand elephants are killed per year as a result of poaching. For this reason, Obama traveled to Kenya in 2015 to talk about the restriction of African elephant ivory sales and propel the global fight against poaching. He also expressed concern over the fact that the United States has grown to be the
second-largest consumer for poached ivory. Through Obama’s Endangered Species Act, Americans are still allowed to sell ivory across state lines, but “only if it meets the strict criteria of the antiques exemption listed in the act.” According
to Daniel M. Ashe, director of the Fish & Wildlife Services, the U.S. is among the world’s largest consumers of wildlife, both legal and illegal. To combat this, different measures are in place to help rehabilitate animal communities, including metacommunity breeding – which is where individual species disperse between populations. This creates breeding havens and connects high-performing communities with low-performing communities. Not all animals can benefit from this mechanism. In many cases, it is up to preservation organizations and concerned citizens to fill the gaps and mobilize the effort. Wildlife organizations such as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services, WFF and Zoo Wildlife Foundation help aid threatened species by permitting or disabling interactions between humans and the environment, preventing wildlife crime and catalyzing technology for wildlife conservation. Policy is also established to help. Because of the lobbying taking place at the grassroots level and the passing of pro-environment laws such as the Endangered Species Act and the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, conservation initiatives have paid off, and the future of these local species appears hopeful. Animals have benefited from rehabilitating techniques, passionate conservation agencies and environmental laws. The Amur leopard, reigning from Russia and dubbed the rarest cat in the world, has doubled in captivity population in the past seven years – but there are only 30 left in the wild. The grandiose Indian elephant, a staple of India’s heritage that is consistently targeted for its ivory, is rehabilitating in numbers but is still left with about 20,000 in the wild. Finally, after previously identified as extinct, the forest owlet – also known as the smallest member of the owl family and critically endangered due to deforestation – is up to 250 in the wild. Despite teetering on the edge of extinction, these animals have emerged extinction-free thanks to the substantial conservation strategies embraced by activists and scientists. Individuals have power too. First, we need to recognize that we contributed to this loss. Animal endangerment is perpetuated by our emitted pollutants, our waste disposed and our careless recreational activities that harm wildlife, such as off-roading or illegally hunting. The accidental introduction of non-native species is another human contribution to animal endangerment. The invasive species take more resources
LOCAL AID Miami’s Zoological Wildlife Foundation (ZWF) is a local organization that is dedicated to rehabilitating endangered species and educating the public. With an accredited team of trainers, veterinarians, tour guides and curators, ZWF has grown to become a main refuge for wildlife. Most of the animals are brought to the foundation through a rescue mission. Leopards, alligators, lemurs, pythons, armadillos, lions and more are currently inhabitants of the Foundation. Once on site, ZWF helps animals rehabilitate and reproduce. ZWF’s has partnered with awareness programs such as International Tiger Day in August or Walk for the Animals – the Humane Society of Greater Miami’s annual spring awareness race. Furthermore, ZWF works with a global network of conservationists to support ground programs that aid animals in their wild habitats. Visitors have the opportunity to explore the zoo through guided tours.
and end up depleting the susceptible animals. Namely, habitat destruction is the main human harm. Forests are depleted for farmland, infrastructure and construction projects, leaving animals with no place to call home. “As we mow down wild areas to make room for our own habitation and for our own agriculture, countless species are lost forever,” said Dr. Dana Krempels, a professor of biology at the University of Miami. By ignoring our own impact, we ultimately place the survival of a variety of species at risk, thus creating a dismal-looking, less diverse world. “I feel we’re not doing enough,” Ana Patin, a senior on the preveterinarian track, said. “At this point, we need to make more moves to work against climate change. We can only do so much to save individual species while literally the entire planet is working against us.” At first, individuals can be empowered by learning about specific endangered species in their area, connecting with nature by visiting a national wildlife refuge, recycling, avoiding pesticides, stopping others from harassing wildlife and refusing to purchase products made from endangered species. “Prevent habitat destruction by doing the unthinkable: Consume less, have fewer children, and be mindful. Everything you do, every cup you use, every piece of paper you waste costs energy and must either go to a landfill or be recycled. If you don’t really need it, don’t use it…don’t buy it,” Krempels said. There’s a caveat with regard to our ecological activism: Often, when one individual reduces, another ends up taking more, according to Dr. Chris Searcy, an assistant biology professor at UM. Government oversight might be the only way to ensure uniformity; we should “vote for people who value the environment and will make policies that force private industries to do the right thing,” Seary said. With activism in science, organizations, individuals and politics, the future doesn’t have to be ridden with bad news. We have the opportunity to ensure future generations will experience wildlife the same way we do. “Live lightly on the earth, and this thin film we call the biosphere might just be livable for humans for a bit longer than it would if we keep this destruction train going full-speed, as it is now,” Krempels said.
BENGAL TIGER CUB
December 2016 DISTRACTION 33
BENGAL TIGER CUB
AMERICAN ALLIGATOR
CITRON CRESTED COCKATOO
RED LEMUR
THREE-BANDED ARMADILLO
LAR GIBBON
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TOCO TOUCAN
LAR GIBBON
JAGUAR CUB
RED FOOTED TORTOISE
SPECTACLED OWL
PEACOCK December 2016 DISTRACTION 35
THE DIRT ON words_unico li. photo_valentina escotet. design_asmae fahmy.
The Guide the Wild 42 DISTRACTION Enter 36
Ever wonder what to do for a quick vacation? As the winter break approaches, it’s time to get a head start on planning the perfect getaway trip. For those who love the outdoors, Miami is full of possibilities. Embrace them by taking a camping trip. New to camping? No worries, we’ve got the dirt. To begin, you will need to find a suitable camping site. Luckily, here in Miami, you have a surplus of options. National parks, such as the Everglades and Biscayne, can provide some of the best opportunities for you to enjoy the wilderness. These areas offer unique experiences with Florida’s lush ecosystem and both inland and marine wildlife. In fact, more than 90 percent of the Biscayne National Park is underwater. The state parks should also be considered as a possible destination. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Oleta River State Park and Greynolds Park provide additional glimpses into Miami’s nature scene. If you are itching to book a camping spot, use the Internet wisely to help research and reserve locations. Be sure to book in advance, especially if you are planning to camp during November and April.
Once you have your ideal campground chosen and reserved, it’s time to pack. Make a list before hitting the stores and make sure to include clothing, camping gear and food supplies. A shopping list saves time and ensures you are prepared. For clothing, bring anything you would consider comfortable. Old T-shirts and shorts are necessary for physical activities and a sweatshirt or jacket can come in handy at night when the temperature drops. Don’t forget to bring long pants or jeans to protect you from mosquitoes and other insects and remember to take hats and sunglasses. Also, pack some rain gear, like water shoes or rain boots, as you never know when it will pour in Miami. Camping gear is, of course, vital for a camping trip. If you are planning to stay the night and want to sleep in tents rather than the more luxurious RV, snag a large tent, some sleeping bags and a few pillows (or an air mattress if you are feeling glamorous). Also, a goodquality tarp is necessary to protect your tent from any rain seeping in. As far as tools go, headlamps and lanterns can be useful at night and a hammer or an easy-use toolbox will help you in an emergency. The most mouth-watering part of the packing process is, no doubt, the food. Plan out your camping menu beforehand and chop up fruits and veggies before packing. In addition to the actual food, you are also going to need an ice-filled cooler and tools to make your meals over an open fire.
When you actually arrive at your destination, get ready to get dirty. Find an open, flat area and begin setting up. Lay a tarp down on the ground before putting up the tent. Then, read the directions – yes, actually read them. Identify the bottom of your tent and with that side down, place your tent on top of the tarp. Find the best orientation of the windows and tent entrance for your personal preference. Next, connect the poles and insert them into the corresponding flaps. Finally, have some friends help raise up your tent. When you get to the end of the tent set-up, remember to use the hammer and stakes to secure your tent to the ground. Most importantly, remember to put down your phone and other technological devices and enjoy the outdoors! There are tons of things you can do that do not involve the Internet. The benefit of the South Florida location is that it is surrounded by water. Fishing, swimming and kayaking are great ways to get out, explore and relax while you are camping. Even if your campsite is inland, you can play games such as volleyball, have water balloon fights, play soccer or Frisbee or go on a bike ride. If you’re a little more adventurous, try finding trees to climb. For less physically demanding activities, try reading, coloring, playing card games or simply going on nature walks. Nature is one of the best ways to escape and camping gives you the full experience of a mental release. Grab your tent, a cozy blanket and your favorite people, adventure is out there.
A campfire brings light to Oleta River State Park, a 1,043-acre state park on Biscayne Bay. Florida offers many unique places to enjoy the wilderness overnight.
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FIRE EATS From warm fruits to roasted steaks, cooking over a bonfire can give your food a unique taste. Try these to embrace your caveman roots.
Steak and Chicken Steak and chicken are made for being cooked them over an open fir. Cook them BBQstyle or kebab-style!
Vegetables For the health conscious, veggies are essential. Glaze your peppers and tomatoes with olive oil and spices. Make sure you roast each side equally.
Fruits Slice up the fruit and coat with spices such as cinnamon, then pierce them with a skewer for a kebabstyle dessert.
Marshmallows have always been a camping favorite. Whether you enjoy them between graham crackers or right off a stick, you should always pack them as a camping essential.
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BEAUTY AND
CRUELTY words_ mukta vibhute & marissa vonesh. photo_ olivia stauber. design_ana gonzalez.
We may not always realize that our beauty products have an impact on animals. Many organizations dedicated to animal rights have pushed cosmetic companies to issue statements asserting their use (or lack thereof) of animal testing and products. However, in most countries, companies are still required to meet industry protocol to prove that their products are not harmful to humans. Sadly, this means animal testing may be one of the only ways to ensure the safety of the products. Here are some offenders. MAC Vibrant colors pressed into pigment pots and eyeliner may look appealing, but like many cosmetic companies, MAC continues to test its products on animals in order to sell them. Also, a variety of MAC products use cochineal. Cochineal, which can also be listed as carmine, is a pigmented red dye found in lipsticks and several blushes. It is collected from female cochineal beetles that feed on red cactus berries in Central and South America. About 70,000 beetles must be crushed to produce only a pound of this dye. Think about that next time you pucker up.
OLAY Olay is widely known for its moisturizing products, but many don’t realize what makes its’ lotions so nourishing. Many of Olay’s moisturizers contain glycerin, which is a syrupy liquid extracted from the fat and oil of animals and plants. Because Olay does not specify its extraction, it’s assumed that the product is derived from an animal. Furthermore, Olay uses cetyl alcohol which is made from either plants or the oil of whales or dolphins. If Olay were using plant extractions they, would label it as such.
L’ORÉAL The massive French cosmetic company is questionable on many topics relating to animal rights. L’Oréal has admitted to testing its products on animals, primarily so its merchandise can be sold in China, which requires animal testing. If testing isn’t enough of a harm, L’Oréal also uses collagen – a fibrous protein from animals – in its anti-aging products. Keep in mind, this massive company owns other brands such as Maybelline, NYX, Urban Decay, Garnier, Essie, so one can most likely assume similar practices.
COVERGIRL CoverGirl has climbed the ladder of successful brands among the shelves of cosmetics. While the brand has mass appeal, it was once was one of the largest companies to take part in animal testing. Owner Proctor & Gamble stated they have eliminated 80 percent of animal testing and no longer test finished product on animals, but the company still tests the individual ingredients that are being used.
Many cosmetic companies have been accused of animal testing. The information on it is murky as companies tend to not disclose their practices.
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KNOW YOUR
words_jael labrie. photo_ maxx pollack. design_alexa aguilar.
Miami is known for diversity in everything from its residents to its food. One unexpected example of this is in the ecosystems that make up the city as well. With trees from all over the world casting shade and supplying oxygen, it is hard to say a drive through the city is ever boring.
BANYAN TREE It’s the second year in a row that UM has been dubbed “Tree Campus USA.” UM’s tree society permeates the grandiose experience of our campus life. The intricate Costa Rican Banyan fig trees (Ficus benghalensis) nurture the existence of exotic wildlife on campus. In the Hindu religion, this tree is known as Krishna’s peaceful resting place. The Banyan’s elliptical roots sit visibly on the surface near Lake Osceola where they form puzzling arrangements from the tops of the trees all the way down into the earth.
WHERE TO FIND On campus behind the Rock and across from Stanford and Hecht. The Guide the Wild 46 DISTRACTION Enter 40
VANILLA TREE YLANG YLANG TREE Ylang Ylang Tree (cananga tree) is an Indonesian gem that produces the heavenly aroma found in Chanel #5 and other aromatic oils. In the spring and summer seasons, dainty yellow or green flowers bloom in an enchanting spiral formation. When crushed, the leaves have properties that are used to heal wounds.
WHERE TO FIND The Gifford Arboretum on campus.
The fragrant Vanilla Tree (V. tahitensis,) hails from the Indies and is known as the most ideal tree for climbing. This tree harbors lovely yellow flowers which produce flavorful vanilla beans that help with digestion, nutrition and relaxation. Vanilla is an international staple product, and you might have even had it in your morning coffee.
WHERE TO FIND The Fairchild Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables.
BALD CYPRESS Everyone needs a shaded canopy spot here in Miami where it’s just too hot in the blistering sun. Towering above all other trees in Florida, the Bald Cypress tree (Taxodium), also known as the “Southern Swamp Tree,” can grow to be 120 feet tall. Their peculiar looking “cypress knees” work as mineralizing stabilizers for oxygen intake. The decorative waterproof wood is utilized for water resistant floors and fancy designer walls.
WHERE TO FIND Pinecrest Gardens, 5855 S.W. 111th St., Miami.
TALIPOT PALM The flowering Talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera) is known for having the largest inflorescence (flower head) in the world. Stunning cream flowers bloom in the spring season, adding beauty to the treetops and producing the sap used to make delicious palm wine. The Indian Talipot palms are a crucial aspect of Miami’s bizarre agricultural evolution. These trees solidify the originality of Miami’s landscape.
AVOCADO TREE Brace yourselves: guacamole production in Miami is at dire risk. A shocking 500 million avocado trees have perished in Miami-Dade County due to a type of fungus carrying beetles. We can only hope that the mouthwatering powers of avocados will lead to a local comeback.
WHERE TO FIND
WHERE TO FIND
Pinecrest Gardens, 5855 S.W. 111th St., Miami.
Fairchild Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables. December 2016 DISTRACTION 41 47
words_margarita castillo. photo_allie pakrosnis. design_lauren gimpel & lindsey bornstein.
Vibrant, diverse and packed with attractions – welcome to South Florida. Although the area is best known for its pulsing nightlife, there is no shortage of excitement in the daylight. The peninsula’s unique geographical location gives tourists and its residents spectacular views of the skies. Explore these destinations to see for yourself how the Sunshine State got its name.
SOUTH BEACH
CRANDON PARK
1458 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
6747 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne
The skies of South Beach paint beautiful sunrises. Start your day off with yoga or a meditation session to get you relaxed as the shore lights up. Work up an appetite then walk across the street to grab some breakfast food at Ocean Drive’s iconic Front Porch Café.
Catch the sun ascending over the eastern shore at Crandon Park. The park offers tennis courts, picnic huts and a boardwalk, and is perfect for a day of activities after watching the sunrise. However, you might want to try going on a weekday unless you are comfortable with the heavy weekend crowds.
BILL BAGGS CAPE STATE PARK 1200 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne Head farther south on Key Biscayne for a morning run on the beach trails that line the shore of Bill Baggs Cape State Park. Watch the soft colors of the dawn hit the Key Biscayne Lighthouse and take a moment to reflect or take a few Insta-worthy pictures.
WEST PALM BEACH
INTERCONTINENTAL 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami Share a spectacular view and an unforgettable stay with your friends at the InterContinental Miami. Located on the shore in downtown Miami, the InterContinental provides a sunrise that gives the perfect “good morning” greeting. Stay cuddled in bed and still be able to watch the sun welcome the day.
SOUTH POINTE PARK One Washington Avenue, Miami Beach South Pointe Park offers some of the best views for the sunrise in Miami. Located at the tip of South Beach and right on the water, the spot offers ideal postcard views from sunrise to sunset. Bask in the morning rays of light as you walk on the cool sand of the beach. DOWNTOWN MIAMI
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MAURICE GIBB MEMORIAL PARK 18th St. & Purdy Avenue, Miami Beach Maurice Gibb Memorial Park’s Sunset Harbor speaks for itself. Relax alongside the rocking sailboats as the day comes to a beautiful end. Take comfort in the fact that you witnessed one of the best sunsets in the South.
EVERGLADES 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami
CORAL GABLES
Get in touch with your outdoorsy side by visiting Everglades National Park. Take a hike, catch a boat tour or wade in the swamps in a kayak until the golden rays hit the wild land of South Florida. Make sure to stay after the sun dips into the horizon, because the Everglades has some of the best stargazing views in Florida.
RUSTY PELICAN 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne End your day with an appetizing meal from the Rusty Pelican’s Sunset menu while you watch a stunning view of the skies. Located in Key Biscayne, the Rusty Pelican pleases you with a good meal and an even better view.
CORAL GABLES
PÉREZ ART MUSEUM 1103 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami Head over to Museum Park in downtown Miami for some cultural enrichment. Once the “golden hour” hits, make your way to the swinging vines of the Peréz Art Museum and watch the Magic City say goodbye to the day. The museum might have some beautiful pieces of art, but nothing will compare to the sunset painted by mother nature herself.
BRICKELL KEY 900 Brickell Key, Miami Take a drive to Brickell to see a spectacular sunset that stretches across the landscape of the cities luxurious condos. The sky casts a soft glow onto the buildings, creating a silhouette of the cities. After, if you are feeling adventurous, head to Brickell Key, a man-made island off the coast of the mainland. The small island consists mainly of condos, so feel free to roam around and pretend you live there!
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI
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ESSENTIALOILS RX words_gabby rosenbloom. photo_emma michaels. design_sarah schoening & lindsey bornstein.
Whether it’s anxiety about a big test, muscle tension from hunching over a desk or pounding headaches from long nights at the Grove, sometimes a cup of coffee or two Advils just don’t do the trick. Try essential oils instead – they are natural extracts from different plants, so there are no side effects, only healing.
Lavender
For all you essential oil newbies, lavender is the perfect oil to get you started. Put two drops on your wrists or your neck to reduce anxiety, or rub it into your temples to relieve a headache. This oil also smells amazing, so mix it with water, put it in a spray bottle, spritz your room and breathe deeply. You’re welcome.
Thieves is a multipurpose oil suppliment great for taking the edge off. It is the natural option for organic and quick stress relief.
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Melaleuca
Melaleuca, commonly known as tea tree oil, is known for its antiseptic properties. The fresh oil has natural healing abilities that kills strains of bacteria, viruses and fungi. Plus, it helps with acne. Use it for everything from face wash to homemade cleaning products. Break out your Pinterest and look up the easiest recipes for this all-purpose oil.
Peppermint
Peppermint has a general cooling and calming effect on the body. Massage the oil into your muscles to relieve pain and soreness. Inhaling peppermint oil can also help you clear sinuses and deal with a scratchy throat when you’re recovering from a long day of tailgating.
Lemon
No time to make a cup of coffee? Use lemon on your wrists for a jolt of energy. Put a drop in your water bottle and chug to relieve a cough or rub some on your ankles to keep bugs away #zika. Pro tip: this one also smells amazing.
Thieves
For one of those days where you honestly have no clue how you are going to get out of bed, spray some thieves, inhale and get going! This oil is perfect for making soaps and lotions because not only does it smell awesome but it also enhances your immune system.
Orange
Orange oil is basically a Purell that doesn’t smell like a hospital. Rub a drop under your nose, on your wrists, or on your hands to fend off cold and flu viruses. Orange is also calming, so if you’ve had a really stressful day and you just need to relax, spray your room with it and close your eyes.
Crystal Healing words_gina fleites. photo_sidney sherman. design_alexa aguilar.
At the turn of the 19th century, some scientists started to find that everything in the universe is a form of energy with its own frequency and vibration. Even human beings radiate their own unique vibe. This concept also applies to crystals, which are used today by many to heal, alter and align the vibration of cells in the body. Some people swear by crystals, while others are dubious.
ORIGINS Crystal healing is a pseudo-scientific alternative to traditional therapeutic methods that involves placing crystals, rocks and minerals on or near the body. This form of healing is an ancient belief that has been practiced for over thousands of years with the intent of drawing out negative energy and adjusting it to a desired intention. According to The Encyclopedia of Crystals, minerals have been used to enhance emotional, physical and spiritual balance. In ancient Rome, they were used for enhancing health, attracting desirable outcomes and providing protection in battle. For 5,000 years, the Chinese used crystal-tipped needles in acupuncture and Pranic healing sessions, which use breathing and bioenergy to restore the life force in the body. The Egyptians were the most prominent users of crystals – Cleopatra wore lapis lazuli (a deep blue semiprecious stone) in the space between her eyes to promote enlightenment and awareness, dancers wore rubies on their belly buttons to enhance their sex appeal and many wore crystals over their heart to attract love or over their heads to awaken their third eye.
USES Crystal healing is not a method of the past. If you have a huge exam coming up but no motivation or focus to start studying, you can hold a calcite in the palm of your left hand – it is believed to increase memory and enhance motivation. If you and your significant other recently called it quits and you’re having a hard time dealing with the breakup, sleep with a rose quartz under your pillow – it has properties that help your heart heal and move on. Physically, certain crystals are able to assist in healing, meaning that a number of stones have metaphysical qualities that can help relieve pain and provide
positive energy. Even though they can’t and shouldn’t replace conventional medical treatment, their vibration can help enhance the alleviation of physical pain. Issues such as stomachaches or headaches can be helped through crystal healing. To feel the effects, rub the stones in the area where you feel pain and concentrate on the energy. Medical student Kiara Lowell believes in crystals and their unique healing powers. “Whenever I have a stomachache, I hold a citrine on the area where it hurts. After a few minutes, I forget that my stomach even hurt in the first place,” Lowell says. Because emotions create energy that can positively or negatively affect physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing, there are gemstones that can be used to balance out feelings, promote self-confidence and instill peace. When focused on their energy, crystals can help heal deep emotional wounds, such as scars of resentment, anger, abuse, guilt or envy. For instance, if you’re entering a new relationship and you’re having trouble trusting your partner, carry a ruby zoisite with you to help ease those feelings and open you up.
CLEANSING When using crystals, you must be sure to cleanse them due to their absorption of other’s energies. It is essential to make sure that your crystals are programmed to your specific vibration. You can cleanse them by leaving them out during a full moon, charging them with a selenite or by simply holding them in your left hand, setting the intention that they’re being cleansed with “Divine” love and light. Make sure to hold them in your left hand to be able to receive its energy – your right hand is your transmitting hand, so when you hold one in your right hand and focus on its vibration, you give those energies to others rather than receiving them.
WHERE TO BUY Here in Miami, there are many stores where crystals can be found. Even at the UM Farmers’ Market every Wednesday, you can smell the burning incense of the spiritual tent located next to Starbucks. If you’re looking off-campus for crystals, Five Sisters has an abundance of gemstones, as well as sage for energy cleansing, metaphysical books, candles and jewelry. If you find yourself around Lincoln Road, Alton Road also has an array of crystals and other spiritual books, art, tapestries and candles. Finding the perfect crystal is easy – whichever one you pick up first is the one that immediately attracts you and matches your vibration. Junior Maria Benitez experienced this pull first-hand. “I stopped by Five Sisters coincidentally at the time while I was going through depression. I was immediately attracted to a lepidolite without knowing its use, which is a crystal of change and improves one’s life from depression to joy. I knew it was meant for me,” says Benitez. However, senior Lars Cohen thinks crystal healing is simply a placebo. “There’s no way rocks can make you feel a certain way unless you believe that they can. It all has to do with having faith, but I don’t think that crystals have any special powers,” Cohen said. “They could be selling fake crystals and people will still feel their ‘energy’ when there isn’t any.” Regardless of whether people believe in crystal therapy, the tradition of the alternative healing has helped people all over the world.
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46 DISTRACTION Fashion
On Brynne: bikini, Zingara; scarf, vintage. On Obi: boardshorts, Tommy Bahama.
Trade your winter coats for high fashion cover-ups and your boots for bare feet because December in Miami is hot. Stay on trend by playing with bold prints and colors paired with fun jewelry and sunglasses. Here, swimwear is never out-of-season.
photo_valentina escotet. design_allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy, jamie shub & valentina escotet. styling_jade simmons, lauren gimpel & vivian braga. models_brynne sullivan, emily berkowitz, michael harding, obi okolo & vedasta malley. hair & makeup_ellery jones. location_crandon park. December 2016 DISTRACTION 47
On Michael: boardshorts, Zumiez; jewelry, model’s own.
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On Emily: one piece, Zingara; necklace, Nordstrom. On Brynne: bikini, Zingara; necklace, Nordstrom.
On Michael: boardshorts, Tommy Bahama. On Emily: bikini, Zingara; purse, LF; sunglasses, ALDO; bracelets, vintage.
On Brynne: bikini top, Planet Blue; bikini bottoms, model’s own.
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On Obi: boardshorts, Zumiez. On Emily: bikini, Zingara; purse, LF; sunglasses, ALDO. On Brynne: jumpsuit, Zingara; sunglasses, Ray Ban. On Vedasta: bikini, Zingara; shorts, Zingara; bracelets, Nordstrom; blue sunglasses, Ray Ban. On Michael: boardshorts, Tommy Bahama.
On Obi: boardshorts, Zumiez; beach ball, Target. On Vedasta: bikini, Topshop; hat, Nordstrom.
On Brynne: jumpsuit, Zingara; sunglasses, Ray Ban; beach ball, Target.
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On Vedasta: bikini, Zingara; hat, Nordstrom; towel, Target. On Emily: one piece, Zingara; hat, Nordstrom; towel, Target. On Brynne: bikini, Zingara; hat, Nordstrom; towel, Target.
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On Emily: bikini, Everything but Water; sunglasses, Prada; bracelet, Nordstrom.
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On Vedasta: bikini, Zingara; shorts, Zingara; inner tube float, Target.
On Vedasta: bikini, Zingara; hat, Nordstrom; towel, Target. On Emily: one piece, Zingara; hat, Nordstrom; towel, Target. On Brynne: bikini, Zingara; hat, Nordstrom; towel, Target.
On Michael: boardshorts, Nicee; underwear, Calvin Klein.
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your act words_joshua rosen-dempsey. photo_sidney sherman. design_ jamie shub & maria hernandez.
From curly madness to gruesome ingrowns, untamed hair can be a pain. Distraction is here with an essential men’s grooming guide to help you answer all your grooming questions. So grab your razor, it’s time to clean up your act from head to toe.
TAME THE MANE Beards are easiest to control when they are cleaned, dried and tidied up, so that post-workout sweaty scruff is not the surface to shave down. Before grooming, make sure to wash your face. Then, comb down to see which hairs are in need of trimming. Make sure to keep your neckline in mind. To do so, measure about two fingers above your Adam’s apple and never shave above this line. But, don’t take it all off. Set your shaver two settings below what you would regularly use for your full beard to keep some of that sexy scruff. Once you’ve gotten your beard in shape, keep it fit. Many guys have the misconception that the hair on their face is the same as the hair on their scalp, but this is wrong. Spoil your beard with nourishing beard serums that grooming connoisseurs swear by.
FIVE O’CLOCK SOMEWHERE This edgy, low-profile shave is a perfect medium for guys who want to have a beard but not the responsibilities that come with it. But hey, why not try it out? This process is quick and simple. First step is to grow a beard, nothing too serious, about a quarter inch in length. Once your beard is at the appropriate length, it’s time to take out the electric shaver. Start off with the razor at its highest guard (so you don’t get too excited it cut it all off). If you want to shave off more, use a lower guard on your razor to get your desired fade.
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Once you start, pay attention to your neckline. You want your neck stubble to be shorter than the stubble on your face. Bring your razor down to the first setting, and shave from underneath your jaw to your Adams apple.
BARE IT ALL For most men, especially teenagers, chest hair is a test of manhood. Back in the day, shaving chest hair was a taboo subject and only acceptable for swimmers. However, more and more men are becoming open to the idea of having a smooth chest. At the end of the day, it’s your preference, but if you do decide to groom your chest hair, you need to do it correctly. Just like your beard, the first step is to trim your hair as short as possible with an electric razor. Then, it’s time to hop in the shower. The hot water helps soften your chest hairs while opening up your pores, resulting in a closer, less painful shave. After this, lather up with shaving cream to help lubricate your skin. Remember to use a fresh, sharp, manual razor. This will help you achieve a closer shave and avoid those awful razor burns. Pull your skin tightly during each glide to steer away from nicks and cuts. Once satisfied, the last step is to dry off your freshly-shaven chest. Make sure to use cold water to help close your pores. Though waxing is a more painful alternative, it is also viewed as more preferable by some. Waxing only hurts for a few seconds compared to the uncomfortable itching you may undergo after shaving. Waxing rips your hair down to the root and lasts several weeks before regrowth unlike shaving, which last only a few days.
ROCK A MAN BUN If you haven’t noticed already, manbuns have invaded the heads of men worldwide. In fact, Google announced that “how to grow a man-bun” was one of the most popular searches in their 2015 Beauty Trends report. So if you’re behind the latest fashion trends (or don’t care if it might go out of style), here’s how to rock the bun right. First, notice the texture of your hair. If you don’t have the hair to sport a man bun, don’t do it. Your hair must be fairly straight and have six to seven month’s of growth. Leave your regular hair routine behind because with more hair, more maintenance is required. Now this doesn’t mean wash your hair more; you should actually wash it less. Shampoo tends to take out the oils from your hair, while conditioner replenishes them These oils in your hair make it easier to put your hair up in a bun. Find new products. Man buns require only certain products such as styling cream or oils. These products will give your hair more definition. Once you accomplish all this, pull your hair back, fold it over in half and put a hair tie over the folded part and the look is complete. So whether you decide to join the man bun club or the boycott against them, make sure to follow our advice. Edgy or Dapper, the man-bun is all about how you rock it. So ignore the haters and wear your newest accessory with confidence.
THE MAN-UP KIT: 1. Marlowe Beard Oil – $11.99, Target
2. Aiken & Cash Beard Oil – $14.99, Target
3. Jack Black Beard Oil with Kalahari Melon Oil & Vitamin E - $24, Nordstrom
4.Dollar Shave Club -$11, Bundle
Junior Conor Morley lathers up his shaving cream as he begins to embark on his clean cut look. Morley demonstrates his cuttingedge technique for a clean shave.
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BASEL FA S H I O N words_shellie frai. photo_allie pakrosnis. design_lindsey bornstein & jamie shub.
S
ometimes even the most devout fashion enthusiasts have a love-hate relationship with their clothes. We instantly fall in love with the perfect slip dress and black choker that we see at Zara, only to quickly hate it once we see everyone walking around wearing it. Thus, we are eager to venture back to Zara, to look for something “new.” We are all victims of this vicious cycle. Fast-fashion stores like Zara, Forever 21 and H&M seem great because they are inexpensive and always on-trend. But, to those of us who truly want to express ourselves with what we wear, we are faced with a serious conundrum: where can we shop for clothes that embody our unique style and not just homogenized trends? Lucky for us, the answer is not out of reach. We live in Miami, a place riddled with creative freedom and diverse ideas. And, there’s no better culmination of our city’s abundance of art and lively culture than at Art Basel. The event, which takes place on Dec. 1 to 4, brings celebrities, millionaires and all-around fabulous people from
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every place imaginable to celebrate art, fashion, food and music. One of the best parts of Art Basel is that unique stores and designers from all over the world set up pop-up shops in different venues that feature items you normally can’t find anywhere else. Many of these shops are collaborations between two stores that are unexpected, but somehow perfect. Last year, Chrome Hearts and Laudree Macaroons teamed up to create a pop-up shop that resulted in a sugary wonderland for the punk rocker inside all of us. Here are some expected pop-up shops for this years Art Basel that will bring you wearable art to upgrade your usual style.
1
Vase Fashion Truck
Vase Fashion Truck is a boutique truck that carries a variety of clothing and accessories. The truck features local jewelers and artisans, high-end designer labels and its own LED light-up sneakers, VASE. Be sure to catch them and the moving trends as they park in different locations throughout Miami Beach during Basel.
2 3 4
Zuvaa Clothing
This popular African-inspired clothing and accessories shop carries clothes in bright colors and prints, perfect for a Miami girl’s wardrobe. Luvaa Clothing’s modern shapes and structured designs make them statement pieces that you will never find anywhere else.
House of Field
Patricia Fields, famous stylist for “Sex and the City” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” collaborated with eight artists to design a one-of-a-kind collection that merges fashion and art with made-toorder pieces such as colorful bombers and denim jackets.
Miami Flea Market
Basel takes over the original Miami Flea at The Wynwood Yard and displays unique crafts, designer jewelry and custom-made art. These include Zoom Bloomz flower crowns, Bossa and Co.’s handmade accessories and more. It’s like a one-stop shop for all things creative.
Bringing Back
THE
‘90s
words, photo & design_olivia stauber.
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Like it or not, fashion trends usually run in a cycle. Following suit, there has been a major comeback of all things ‘90s. Distraction is giving you a quick and dirty guide on how to stay on top of the trend.
3. NASA kind of had a “moment” in the ‘90s. The Hubble Space Telescope was erected in the beginning of the decade, and that was just one of the major events to occur. Celebrate NASA’s accomplishments with a rad, retro graphic sweatshirt. (Sweatshirt, Mighty Fine)
6. Another big ‘90s comeback is Tommy Hilfiger. Basketball jerseys, sweaters, or T-shirts sporting this recognizable logo will add a cool factor to any old pair of jeans. (Jersey, Vintage Tommy Hilfinger)
1. Layering a plain white tee under anything silk and strappy such as a slip dress is an easy go -to that you should pair with a choker or some Chuck Taylors. (Dress, Kendall + Kylie; T-shirt, Zara)
4. Overalls started having a moment again sometime last year. These versatile garments can be worn in many different ways and come in a variety of materials: denim, leather, cotton, you name it. Find a pair and see what you can do with them. (Overalls, Vintage)
2. White patent leather loafers or Oxfords are just one of the shoe trends that make us nostalgic for the decade of Lisa Frank and Pokemon. For an even more intense throwback, find a version with a platform. (Shoes, ASOS)
5. Calvin Klein has made arguably one of the biggest and best comebacks this last year. With #inmyCalvins trending, throwing on a matching set of Calvin underwear on is a sure win. (Bra, Calvin Klein)
7. The Pink Ladies may seem off-decade, but the light pink bomber is not. This throwover-everything style is simple and chic. You can find a large variety of colors and styles for whatever your mood. (Bomber jacket, Zara). Chokers, scrunchies, ripped jeans and flannels are other additions you can add to your closet to stay on trend.
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words_olivia stauber. photo_hunter crenian, olivia stauber and valentina escotet. design_lindsey bornstein.
With all these retro trends coming back, it’s only natural that our fashion taste makers are starting to dip into trends from the early 2000s as well. Denim on denim can work for both men and women, regardless of the decade.
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MIX UP THE JEAN POOL While we’ve just proven that you can pull of denim on denim, many looks are more likely to go wrong compared to this one. There’s a fine line between stylish and garish.
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s we all know, much of fashion is about reinnovating something old and adding a unique twist to make it new. You may ask: how on earth can I pull this off in my everyday life? Regardless of your gender, you can still make this work, and your street style will automatically be blog-worthy. A fun way to mix up your denim look is to play with proportions. Adding a giant oversized jacket with tailored jeans or shorts creates a balanced look. Loose, distressed boyfriend jeans paired with a white top and a tailored denim jacket is another trendy option. One easy way to rock the denim proportion look is to just wear a denim dress – it may technically be cheating because it’s just one piece, but it does the job. Guys have it pretty easy when it comes to layering denim. There aren’t many options in men’s denim clothing regarding what to wear; however, it is easy to play up denim looks with different washes and textures. “I think the best thing to own is a big Levi’s jacket, I wear it over whatever,” sophomore Hunter Crenian said. Aside from your basic denim options, patches and custom denim have been taking the world by storm. Something about denim makes an old worn-in pair of jeans or a jean jacket feel so personal. Why not make it even more so with custom writing or decorations? There is nothing more classic than a Levi’s jacket, but when you get one with a Budweiser logo embroidered on the
back, you bring something unique to the table. Between customizing your denim and playing with patterns and wash, a basic shirt and jeans can become transformed. The denim on denim look was inspired by Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears’ matching denim on denim outfits at the American Music Awards in 2001, and has since made a comeback like never before. While we can’t all have a red carpet waiting for us when we rock our ensembles, we can still do a pretty good job if we pair the right elements correctly. For both guys and girls, don’t hesitate to reach for those old jeans, you can end up looking completely flawless.
Some people take this too far and go shopping in the men’s section. Be subtle with your menswear choices. If you’re wearing a blazer, leave the suspenders at home. If you’re pairing a vest or buttonup shirt with slacks, make sure your choices are neutral and understated. A more relaxed fit will give the look some movement, instead of seeming like you’re heading in for your 10 a.m. meeting.
MIXING PATTERNS Normally this is understood as a general no-no in fashion. However, mixing patterns can be done – but generally by fashion-heavy weights only. You have to find the right balance between pattern sizes, colors and shapes of the actual clothing.
BOHO LUXE Everyone loves a good boho chic look. However, some people think this is a license to throw on the largest flowy dress they own, sling on the biggest bag they can find and add on the largest sunglasses possible. Go big or go home is not the motto to use here. In order to pull this trend off, you need to find a balance.
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BRANDING GUIDELINES
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9036 NW 25th Street Doral, FL 33172 305-477-2588 www.kokaisushi.com
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FINDING
REFUGE
words_asmae fahmy. photo_valentina escotet. design_allie pakrosnis.
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Then the sounds fractured the facade. Amal wasn’t sure which she heard first: the explosions or the screams. All she knew was that something terrible had happened, and if the ringing in her eardrums didn’t give it away, the cacophony of shattered glass, desperate pleas and restless feet did. In a string of mechanic movements that she would later only recall with shaking limbs and halfglazed eyes, Amal did the only thing that she knew how: picked up Ayah, cocooned her against her pregnant belly, clutched Sherif ’s arm until it was streaked with white – and ran. She ran as the stairs behind her collapsed from the impact of missiles, ran through the muffled pleas of her neighbors being crushed by cement, ran as her home – the place she moved into after marrying the love of her life, the place her daughter’s outgrown clothes were saved for her second child – became nothing more than a mass of broken furniture and burnt photos, an emblem of a life once lived. Similar to the country that housed the wreckage. “There was destruction Elements of a daily life have changed everywhere you looked,” drastically for Syrian refugees. Basic Amal said while Kareem, necessities such a food, shoes, toys and the baby she was pregnant education are sparse. with at the time, now two and walking, hugged her tightly. “When we went down, I was Amal had only two pressing concerns holding my daughter closely so that that night: make dinner for her husband if we were hit, I would die, and my Sherif and put her three-year-old husband was holding me so that if we daughter, Ayah, to bed. It was a quiet were hit, he would die.” day; a rarity in war-torn Syria. The sky Amal and Sherif consider themselves lucky. They survived. They found refuge wasn’t clouded in smoke. The smell of in the form of a three-bedroom house sulfur wasn’t as thick in the air. If one in the suburbs of Homestead and are focused only on the languid movements slowly redefining their lives. of her family of three, it would be hard to Others are not so lucky. You will find discern that the city outside the family’s them stranded in Syria or dispersed in the outskirts of bordering countries. You door was under siege. will find them bleeding on the streets while government troops barricade them from basic necessities. You will find them trapped in refugee camps on the fringe of salvation. You will find them smuggled into makeshift rafts and crowded cargo ships. This is the life of most Syrians today. This is the life families like Amal’s are escaping.
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The Syrian uprising was an echo of the Arab Spring, which started with Tunisia’s successful revolution in 2011 and spread to countries such as Egypt, Bahrain and Libya. While stories of war now dominate Syria, the uprising began with peaceful protests against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. However, violent undertones soon manifested after the dictator deployed troops into streets filled with unarmed civilians. Small rebel groups assembled to fight the army, and with this civil crossfire and political vacuum came the rise of the Islamic State (IS), a terrorist group aiming to create a state in the Middle East governed by a skewed interpretation of Sharia law. The growing presence of IS has taken a toxic toll on Syria. To the West, the group is known for beheading videos and for taking credit in mass killings. To people living in Syria, the group is ubiquitous, redefining the daily battles Syrians are forced to endure. IS members line crowded streets and leave a trail of bullets and blood in their shadow. Abductions, rape and murders are commonplace for them. Sherif ’s brother, Ahmed, was stopped on his way to a grocery store and ordered to join IS. When Ahmed refused, he was beheaded
A COUNTRY IN DISTRESS
Syrian refugees adjust to a drastically changing way of life. Survival becomes the top priority as they adapt to evolvin circumstances.
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without a flicker of hesitation, leaving six kids without a father. “I raised the kids with my own kids,” Sherif said. “When we came to the States, we couldn’t bring them with us, and they sent me messages like ‘Why did you leave, why did you leave, why couldn’t you take us?’” For the past five years, Syria has been defined by untreated wounds and demolished infrastructure, by fear creasing the expressions of most faces and fire creasing the surface of most facades. 470,000 Syrians have lost their lives since 2011, according to PBS. That number is only slightly larger than Miami’s population. By this point, most Syrians see only two options: fight or flight. Yusuf is one of the people who ardently fought for political freedom. He told me his story in a video chat from a dark room in a Chicago apartment, with the only source of light coming from a circular lamp resting on his nightstand. He has blue, tired eyes that speak of a sage most men aren’t able to attain at 27. Half his face is coated in a dark beard and despite his experiences, or maybe because of them, his broad smile pierces through it. “I wanted to do something. I wanted to open people to the revolution, so I went to Homs, which was the center of the revolution, and created a few movements around the city with my
friends,” he said. This was when only the roots of the uprising had been planted, and Yusuf was still a medical student. Most doctors acquire years of experience before they have to take responsibility for a life – Yusuf didn’t get that liberty. Instead, he banded with a team of people, some doctors and some helpful commoners, to create a makeshift underground hospital given that medical centers are constantly targeted by the government. Yusuf was on his way to the hospital one night when his brother ran screaming to stop him. Special government agents had found the location. They had killed everyone inside. “We lost half our friends from medical school and half our neighbors,” Yusuf said with a splinter in his tone. Yet Yusuf ’s resolve only hardened. He started reaching out to more like-minded Syrians. He carried all his belongings in two bags – one with eight medical textbooks and the other with clothes – so that if he ever had to run, he would have his possessions with him. He ventured to Damascus, where the embers of the revolution hadn’t caught wind quite yet. There, he and his roommate garnered enough attention to start one of the first protests in the country’s capital. They had only accounted for about 50 people to attend, and Yusuf said they were shocked to see
the number of participants flow well into the hundreds. Later that day Yusuf awoke in a dark, L-shaped hallway with his back on a wall, his shoulders pinned tight between two unconscious men. He had been beaten with the spiked ends of chairs. His body was torn open at some parts, painted black and red at others. His lips were chewed up, face swollen, arms plastered with the fingerprints of electric shocks. Cigarette burns outlined his skin. Half his beard had been ripped off by an officer’s bare hands. Yusuf, like many Syrians caught in the turmoil, was arrested at the protest, where both the actively involved and the indifferent bystanders were equal targets. “Part of the police’s enjoyment is putting a few people on the ground and jumping on them; you might break your ribs, you might break your face,” he said. “They put you through six to seven hours of intense, non-stop torture.” Yusuf ’s experience is not uncommon. Prisoners of war are tortured in inhumane ways in exchange for information. 17,723 prisoners have been murdered since the start of the war – some of them in front of Yusuf ’s eyes. If no one outside your prison cell knows your whereabouts, you can be trapped for months. Yusuf, however, was able to escape five days later once his parents found a connection inside.
Children lose their childhood to the atrocities that come with war. 3.8 million children have been born during the Syrian war.
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I WAS HOLDING MY DAUGHTER CLOSELY SO THAT IF WE WERE HIT, I WOULD DIE, AND MY HUSBAND WAS HOLDING ME SO THAT IF WE WERE HIT, HE WOULD DIE. 64 DISTRACTION Main Event
An entangled Syrian flag sits crumbled on the ground. Refugees struggle to find peace and safety in a heartbreaking war zone.
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FLEEING THE FRONT LINE
After their home was destroyed, Amal and Sherif had no choice but to retreat. With no supplies and no extra clothes, they traveled by foot through Tell Shihab, a small village between Dara in Syria and Jordan, to a Jordanian refugee camp where they would remain for three years. About 4.8 million refugees have fled Syria and 6.6 million have been displaced within the country, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan have taken in most Syrian refugees, and select European nations such as Germany and Sweden have opened their borders to allow Syrians in as well. Still, many refugees are trapped in refugee camps, living in conditions that make squatter settlements look like castles. Despite international efforts to make the camps habitable, Amal recalls horrifying tales of abuse and neglect. She said the hardships don’t end outside Syria’s border. Syrian refugees are not allowed to work in Jordan, meaning no stable source of income flows in. They are stopped in every corner of the country and forced to show an ID, even for something as simple as entering a garden. Rights are limited and racism omnipresent, according to Amal. When it was time for Amal to give birth to Kareem, her second child, she said she was inundated with insults and disrespect from the medical staff. The stitches from her caesarian became infected, leaving her sick for months. But she was strong – she’d been through worse. It was her children who she was worried about. “All they ever saw was the dark. They were curious about the look of light,” she said. “I said, ‘Ok fine, I won’t have a life, but what about my kids? I won’t have a future, but what about their future?’” Ayah, Amal’s oldest child, was born around the same time as Syria’s first protest. Birthdays were replaced by funerals and tombstones of would-be moments came to define her life. While children in other parts of the world were hearing birds outside their windows, she and the other 3.7 million Syrian children born during war heard bombs. The majority of these children have little in the form of clothes, toys, food and education. They can hardly remember a life before the bloodshed. Ayah’s first words were “Ya wali, ya wali,” which translates from Arabic to “My tragedy, my tragedy.”
“Every time she saw someone cry, she would cry next to them,” Amal said. “When we left the house to escape the missiles, we stood next to my neighbor who had a boy around Ayah’s age. The missile struck the little boy and he fell right from his mother’s arms – it’s a sight I’ll never forget.”
LIFE AFTER
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In the wake of the exodus from Syria, President Obama pledged to take in 10,000 Syrian refugees in 2016, a decision that has been battled both in political debates and by federal governments. Thirty-eight Syrian refugee families are reconciling loss with liberation and trying to find a foothold here in Miami with the help of the Florida Refugee Assistance Committee, a Muslim relief organization that integrates refugees into society. Syrian-born Sali Abbarra, a member of the committee, works firsthand with families like Amal’s. Abbarra and her team do it all – furnish houses for the refugees, assist with rent payments if needed, secure jobs for adults, set children up in schools and support families with everything, from the taxing to the trivial. The committee works with five different agencies that alert them of a new families’ arrival two weeks beforehand. “We are with the refugees starting from the day they get here, supporting them emotionally and financially,” Abbarra said. “If we don’t go and see them, we are on the phone with them every day, sometimes every hour.” It’s not always an easy adjustment. Some refugees are unaccustomed to the extensive work hours required in the U.S. Many suffer from mental health issues, haunted by recurrent flashbacks. There is a significant language barrier and ever-changing laws they must accommodate to. “Imagine having a big house, living a big life, and all of a sudden you lose everything and you don’t have anything close to what you need to be able to live,” Abbarra said. “It’s so important to give refugees the chance to come here and start over.” There are also many social barriers that refugees have to grapple with – particularly how the American population will accept them. According to the Pew Research Center, 75 percent of Americans supported Obama’s plan to accept refugees when it was first proposed. Then the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks happened in Paris, and the unfounded identification of one of the terrorist’s passport as Syrian shifted
public opinion. Afterwards, more than half of Americans agreed that the US should stop accepting refugees from Syria. In many cases, it’s difficult to separate refugees from the stigma against them. “When you mention Syria to someone in the Middle East or to someone who knows about Syria, the first thing you think about is hospitality and warm hearts,” said Nader Abbarra, Sali’s son and a senior at UM. “Now when you think of Syria, you think of war and you think of poverty, and a false statement attached to refugees is they’re poor, helpless people … in reality, this person was a neuroscientist, an engineer, a fashion designer, a designer, but they lose all that once they become refugees.” Nader is helping his mother with her committee and working with a friend to create a school for Syrian refugees in Jordan. He said one of the most monumental issues facing refugees worldwide is a lack of education – almost one million Syrian children currently do not have access to any educational facilities. Without that education, they cannot work, cannot communicate in English, cannot integrate into Western society. Even in Miami, there are no programs tailored to refugees that compensate for the discrepancy between children’s educational level and their physical age. Nader’s school will double as an educational facility that trains students in technology and design, and a work facility where students can make use of these acquired skills. Nader takes on the international while his mother narrows in on the regional, but there are more ways to help the silently suffering refugees. According to Abbarra, donating to local or international committees that aid in assisting refugees, opening up job positions to them, or simply dissolving mental barriers by trying to listen – to understand – their stories is more than enough, or, at the very least, is a start.
FINDING THE LIGHT
When I went to meet Amal’s family, I was greeted by a small boy playing in the shrubbery outside. The door to their house stood open, with only a white sheet separating the living room from the front yard. Amal greeted me with a tray of Turkish coffee placed on a delicate floral platter, while her third child, five-monthold Hannah, sat on Sherif ’s lap clapping. Amal spoke only a few words in English – mostly learned from Ayah, who is now in Kindergarten – but we were able to find a middle ground of communication between her Syrian Arabic dialect and my Egyptian Arabic dialect. LIFE VEST AND FLAG Sherif was gearing for his night shift at a Middle Eastern restaurant. Ayah had not come home from school yet. She no longer cries whenever she sees someone else cry. Passing by the family on the street, one would never assume they were refugees. One would never realize the atrocities they’ve witnessed or tragedies they’ve endured. They made jokes, they laughed, they talked about troubling times with an air of resolve and determination, an air of procured peace. “We have to keep going because of the kids, we have to smile, we have to live. No more tears. No more sadness. We cannot keep crying,” Amal said. From his bedroom in Chicago, Yusuf said he wants people to know his past does not haunt him. He recalls his
BOOKS
TOY GUN
experiences as positive ones because they have given his life a purpose: he is a resident anesthesiologist at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, keeping himself from become too accustomed to the comforts of Western life so he can return to Syria to save the people he couldn’t save before. He had to live in a car for months when he first moved to Chicago, has jumped from couch to couch before finally settling down, and now goes on extreme camping trips with limited supplies in order to enhance his survival skills. Yusuf said this was the type of life he was meant to have ever since he got involved with the revolution, recalling the days he spent walking with two bags carrying all his belongings. “l don’t want to live spoiled, I don’t want to live in my comfort zone,” he said. “I would never complain because I’m surviving to reach the end of the tunnel and go back to the front line.” President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to deport all Syrian refugees. That would mean that families such as Amal’s would have to pack their belongings, pull their children out of school and return to a life of terrorism and turmoil. That would mean people such as Yusuf would have to abandon their efforts at reformation and return to makeshift hospitals and prison cells. That would mean that no matter how much progress these refugees have
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made, all of it can be taken away – a different kind of missile breaking through their homes. Still, Amal said she will keep the white sheet in place of a closed door to let the natural light filter in. After being trapped in a war and then a refugee camp for years, she wants her family to know that they are free. They are out of the dark. They understand that the culture will be different, but they want to work to embrace it. They are not terrorists, not operatives, not ideologically-driven by any dangerous agenda. They are just a family who held each other close while the foundation of their lives was torn apart, and they still hold each other close as they put it back together. They want us to know that despite their split roots, they can still blossom and grow – they just needed to find a place that lets in light. *Some names have been changed to ensure privacy.
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Sandy Hook Elementary School, Virginia Tech University, Orlando and San Bernardino – to name a few – are places in America that have been left scarred, broken and confused by the maltreatment of guns. For some, these names bring chills, goosebumps and a constant replay of violent memories. For others, these places, along with terms like mass shootings and gun violence, have little meaning after being regurgitated by the media. December 2016 DISTRACTION 69 75
Gun violence remains to be a controversial topic in American Society. Mass shootings continue to increase at an alarming rate.
According to statistics collected by the British Broadcasting Corporation’s Mass Shooting Tracker, 475 people were killed and another 1,870 injured in mass shootings in 2015 alone. This doesn’t even take into account the number of people killed in day-to-day crime or suicides. Although there is a huge public outcry for an end to the violence, the government has not found a definite solution to the problem. Do we take away guns? Do we intensify the screening methods used to release firearm licenses? How do we balance maintaining the Second Amendment with keeping the American public safe? At what point is enough really enough? The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identifies mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people are shot and/or killed within the same general time and in the same common vicinity. School shootings follow the same definition with the school as the shared location. Some of the worst shootings have happened in the last decade. In April of 2007, Seung Hui Cho shot and killed 32 students and teachers at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universiy. Cho, a senior at the university, began his attack around 7:15 a.m. on April 16. He started in a
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dorm with two handguns and two hours later entered a classroom building to continue shooting; 10 minutes into his second attack, he committed suicide. Later it was discovered that Cho had a history of mental health problems and wrote vehement letters about the rich “brats” at school. The guns he used were purchased and registered under his own name. In December of 2012, 20-yearold Adam Lanza shot and killed his mother before driving to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut where he proceeded to shoot students and faculty. The first bullet penetrated the front entrance of the school at 9:30 a.m. Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, Mary Sherlach and Natalie Hammond, the school principle, psychologist and vice principle, respectively, responded to the sound of the gun. Only Hammond survived. The other two were killed by Lanza’s semiautomatic rifle and two semi-automatic pistols. Lanza continued his attack and went towards two first-grade classrooms where he continued to fire at teachers and students. When the police arrived at approximentally 9:40 a.m., Lanza shot himself. The scale of the killing and the nature of its innocent, young victims, shocked the country. Police discovered
Lanza’s mother murdered in the home she shared with Lanza. A year later, a report revealed that Lanza had mental health issues, including obsessivecompulsive behaviors and a facination with mass shootings. Following the elementary school attack, President Obama declared a need for new gun-safety laws. The main point of contention called for an increase and expansion of background checks for gun buyers, but the U.S. Senate voted against it. “I live about 45 minutes away from Newtown,” said UM sophomore Heidi Steinegger. “I remember the week following the shooting, my English teacher decided she would dedicate the rest of the semester to the topic of gun violence. It was mind boggling to her that something like that had happened so close to our school, easily could have been us, but yet it wasn’t.” Gun violence continues to devastate the country. This past June, Omar Mateen opened fire at Pulse nightclub in Orlando at 2 a.m. – a peak hour. With an AR-15-type assault rifle and a handgun, Mateen set his first gun shots off at the club’s policeman and the arriving officers. He then proceeded to hold people hostage in the bathrooms, threatening them with explosives.
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By the time police were able to get in the club and control Mateen, 50 lives were lost and 53 were injured. In the following days, information about the killer dominated every headline across the nation. The FBI said they had interviewed Mateen twice in 2013 after he had told his colleagues about connections to the Islamic State. President Obama called the Pulse nightclub shooting an act of terror. None of these fears have been confirmed, but the loss of lives from the shootings have. The war between firearm ownership and gun control dates further back than the history of these massive shootings. In our nation’s constitution, the second amendment reads, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The wording in itself isn’t very definitive, making it hard to determine what our founding fathers actually had in mind. The phrase “the right of people to keep and bear Arms” grants citizens individual Constitutional rights. Therefore, restricting this right to the people would presumptively be unconstitutional. However, after analyzing the earlier part of the statement, “a well-regulated militia,” some argue that the writers of the Constitution intended that the right to bear arms as be a collective right rather than an individual one. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, legal residents
in Florida can purchase a shotgun or rifle at the age of 18 and a handgun at 21, and neither requires a background check. For a concealed carry license, you must complete a training course from an accredited establishment such as the National Rifle Association (NRA). Along with a clean criminal history and mental health, these individuals can carry a concealed weapon. Clearly, in America there are precautions and standards to be met before one can use a gun-or even own it. However, according to polls from Gallup, 38 percent of people believe the country needs stricter gun ownership laws, and 55 percent believe that laws covering the sale of firearms should be stricter. The counter argument is, “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Moreover, by restricting or removing guns from those that need them for protection, we are leaving them helpless to the real criminals. But in other gunstrict countries, like Japan, the crime rate is significantly lower. According to GunPolicy.Org, a comprehensive and accessible web source for published evidence on armed violence, there are more than 300 million privately-owned firearms in America, while Japan has roughly 700,000. To obtain a gun in Japan, citizens must attend an all-day class and pass a written test at the Public Safety Commission. Citizens are also required to pass a mental and drug test and tell police specifically where the gun and ammo will be kept in the home. Then, citizens go through a complete background check. However, Japan
will disqualify the possession of a firearm for several reasons. Even when all the exams and screenings are done, the police still inspect the gun once a year and citizens have to retake the courses every three years to renew the license. Though countries like Japan are doing well without guns, it is unknown if such restrictions can thrive in our own country. We are a nation with a long history of firearms, and perhaps citizens are not ready for such tight reigns. The United States in 1789 does not compare to the United States in 2016, and the needs of society have also shifted since. Under the transition of government powers in our country, we can only hope for the U.S. to be safer for all.
A WELL REGULATED MILITIA, BEING NECESSARY TO THE SECURITY OF A FREE STATE, THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED. –Second Amendment
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The purchase of fire arms and ammunition has proven to be a simple process. Many have associated this easy access with gun violence.
RESTLESS MINDS FACE RESTLESS NIGHTS
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Even though my classes may only run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can find me floating from one study room to the next before heading home at 9 p.m. to end my day. I get home, shower and quickly scan through my social media; it’s now 10 p.m.
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’ve been waiting for this moment all day; the chance to sink into my mattress, lay still and be engulfed by silky sheets until the sun wakes me up for yet another day. However, all of this is just wishful thinking. 10:15 p.m., and I’m still awake. I could watch a movie until I get tired but that will surely backfire. Maybe I’ll read a chapter in my textbook. It’s 11:30 p.m., I’ve yawned a few times – I guess that’s progress. Wait, a soft playlist might do the trick. Several melodic compositions later, my playlist is over. I turn to shut off the hum of my speakers: it’s 12:45 a.m. I continue this read and music cycle only to realize it’s now 3:30 a.m. I have class at nine. I close the book, shut off the lamp, turn off the music but my mind continues to run. Even with closed eyes and the sleeping Earth aren’t enough to get me to dreamland. As I fight my thoughts of homework, friends I need to text back and laundry I should clean, the clock continues to click and suddenly, I get there. 7:30 a.m., just two hours after falling asleep, I am aggressively woken up by my screeching alarm beeping in my ear. This all may sound chaotic, but it’s just another night in the life of an insomniac. Insomnia, as described by the National Sleep Foundation, is the difficulty to fall asleep or stay asleep even when presented with the chance to do so. Once insomniacs sleep, they may feel symptoms of fatigue, low energy, difficulty concentrating, mood swings and decreased performance at work or school. For college students, eight hours of sleep is recommended each night, but sometimes that doesn’t feel doable. Sleep is essential part of our health; it helps to re-energize our bodies and consolidate the information we have acquired in the day. However, once insomnia has distorted this process, your body and mind can take a toll. There are two types of insomnia, determined by how long it lasts. Acute insomnia is the first classification that describes a brief insomnia that usually happens the night before a major exam or after hearing stressful news. This type lasts for no more than a month. Acute insomnia
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doesn’t require treatment and your body usually self-corrects itself. Chronic insomnia, on the other hand, is continual interrupted sleep that lasts at least three nights a week during a three-month span or more. It can be caused by unhealthy sleep habits, change in environment, medication or working at late hours. Sometimes, a simple treatment can help, but chronic insomnia can be linked to other clinical issues. Within these categories, researchers check the particular characteristics of the insomnia such as early awakenings, constantly waking up during the night or having extended sleep latency. “Sleep latency is the amount of time that it takes from the time you try to go to sleep to the time you fall asleep,” said Roger A. Alvarez, assistant professor from the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. Normal sleep latency takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Sleep involves five phases. Phase one, two, three, four and REM (rapid eye movement). Stage one is characterized by light sleep; it’s the stage in which it is easy to be woken up by sounds or light. When awakened, you can remember glimpses of images and experience sudden muscle contractions called hypnic myoclonia. In other words, this is that moment when you’re drifting off in class but suddenly wake up because you feel like you’re falling. Stage two involves the slowing down of brain waves and the stop of eye movement with the occasional spurts of rapid waves called sleep spindles. Stage three shows low brain waves, called delta waves, with a few fast waves. Stage four is almost exclusively delta waves. If you’ve ever woken up groggy or disoriented after a long night of sleep, it’s possible that you have woken up from a stage three or four of sleep. These stages are also called deep sleep. REM sleep includes changes in breathing patterns, eyes moving rapidly in all directions and limbs being temporarily paralyzed. The body’s heart rate and blood pressure will
rise as the mind starts to dream. REM is the most restorative stage of sleep. After REM, your body resets to stage one and repeats the cycle. The most common cause of acute insomnia is a disturbance in our sleep hygiene. Our brains have a normal circadian rhythm – a fluctuation of alertness throughout the day. This is regulated primarily by sensors in the brain that receive stimulus, which later respond as outputs for alertness. Of all stimuli, light is the main disturbance to circadian rhythm, specifically blue light (which is what the sun radiates). Blue light is also found in the daily devices we use at school and home. Our phones, laptops, TV screens and other technologies give off blue light. Our bodies naturally wake up and become alert in the presence of blue light. As college students, staring at blue lit screens all day is just part of the routine. We check our newsfeeds in the morning, but also at night. That blue light before going to sleep confuses the brain, which extends our sleep latency. “Now that smart phones are ubiquitous; you have that light from the smart phone. And basically, what that’s doing is telling your brain ‘it’s not time to fall asleep yet, it’s still daylight out.’ Your body’s cues can get mixed up and that can cause insomnia,” Alvarez said. Another cause related to sleep hygiene is dietary. Having caffeine during the day is fine, but after 5 p.m., that cup of coffee will be one you’ll regret later. Your alertness will be up, and your sleep time will also be pushed back. Of course, caffeine doesn’t affect us all the same way, but large portions of caffeine can dismantle the circadian rhythm. Some may try to take overthe-counter medications to help induce sleep, but doing so may ultimately worsen the insomnia. Late nights reviewing flashcards, though sometimes necessary, will push back your sleep time. Instead of going to bed at 11:30 p.m., now it’s 2 a.m. “So what does that mean in the morning? That means you sleep until 10
UM’s
HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
or 11 a.m. So what you’ve missed is that bright light in the morning that tells you it’s 7 a.m. or 6:30 a.m., it’s the beginning of your day,” said Alvarez. This shifts the start of your day and your entire rhythm; this is called sleep phase. Sleep phase contributes to chronic insomnia. The acute insomnia you once had is now going on for more than a week, bringing problems with sleep phase. Constantly waking up later can completely turn your biological clock around. At this point, avoiding bright lights ad caffeine won’t be enough to get you back on track. Instead of nighttime, your body thinks it’s five, so it’s not ready to go rest. Although it’s okay (and encouraged) to enjoy Miami after dark, Ubering back to campus at 5 a.m. after partying every night can take a toll on your wellbeing.
“
AS I FIGHT MY THOUGHTS OF HOMEWORK, FRIENDS I NEED TO TEXT BACK AND LAUNDRY I SHOULD CLEAN, THE CLOCK CONTINUES TO CLICK.
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“That’s probably the most common cause of chronic insomnia in the college age group; it’s delayed sleep phase,” Alvarez said. It’s clear that insomnia can sometimes be incited by the small choices we make in our daily lives, therefore a tiny change in our habits can re-sync our systems. However, it’s easy to assume that the cause of our sleeplessness comes from something greater; something that can’t be corrected by cutting coffee and going to bed early. We want to sleep, and we want to sleep now, so we look for a quick solution. Thus, we may seek
relief in medications and even alcohol. Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine that is found in over the counter allergy pills like Benadryl, which can cause side effects like sedation and sleepiness. Sleeping aids such as ZzzQuil or melatonin can also induce sleep, and although they are not physically addictive like Valium or Xanax, these aids are habit forming; creating a psychological dependency on them to fall asleep. “Alcohol is [also] a common thing people try to use to fall asleep, it is a sedative to a certain extent . . . but also messes with your sleep phases as you sleep,” said Alvarez. As a result, you lose your REM sleep and have early awakenings, feel groggy and have difficulty going back to sleep. Insomnia is fairly self-diagnosable; we know when we can’t get or aren’t getting enough sleep. The severity of it runs on a spectrum and most college students are sitting on the safest end of it. When you first encounter the problem, think about what life changes could be causing you to lose your circadian rhythm. Perhaps the stress of an ex-lover or heavy UM curriculum is refraining you from entering a restful sleep. Maybe the Netflix watching before bed needs to be cut in half. Keep yourself on a stricter schedule to avoid the need to “catch-up” on sleep. “Only use your bed for two activities: sleep and sex. You shouldn’t be reading or watching Hulu in bed because you’re creating an association in your brain that the bed doesn’t make you sleepy anymore; it’s just a place for entertainment,” said Alvarez. After exhausting these methods, it may be time to seek medical attention. At times, other medical problems can turn you into an insomniac without your knowledge. Depression, anxiety, nasal allergies or some non-visible issue can turn the hands of your biological clock. At some point in your college career, you will may be faced with some sort of insomnia, but staying aware and informed can keep it short-lived.
5. SLEEPING We place sleep as the last priority on our list. Once you’ve completed all other functions, then maybe you can get some shut eye.
4. SCHOOL Education is why we came to UM after-all. Hit the books, make those study sessions and stay on top of your work, it’s necessary to survive your college experience.
3. SOCIAL LIFE Social life is next priority. Although your studies will be on your mind, the devil on your shoulder will urge to “live college up.” Plus, that’s why coffee was invented, right?
2. NETFLIX So your stomach is satisfied, but your personal needs are not. Friends are not a priority, Netflix is. Cuddle up in a blanket and prepare for an eight-hour binge session of your new Netflix obsession.
POSTMATES,
1. UBEREATS
No one can deny our obsession with food. We can’t help if food is the number one thing on our minds, it is human nature after all. You aren’t fueled enough to move to get it and that is why these eating apps are the most basic necessity.
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(THERE ARE BETTER WAYS, THOUGH) words_lizzie wilcox. photo_valentina escotet. design_lindsey bornstein. illustration_ allie pakrosnis.
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Finals: this word alone can set students into a selfdestructing whirlwind of stress and anxiety. Whether it’s a test, paper, project, cumulative, or not, a final has the potential to make or break a semester. Major key alert: the best way to ace a final is to know which study habit works best for you, find a study spot – or study buddy – with minimal distractions and focus on the task at hand. This is the only time where we do not encourage you to #GetDistracted.
STUDY SPOTS
Everyone has different methods of studying. Some need the buzz of others around them while others cannot work unless there is absolute silence. If you can deal with the chatter of people, then you can pretty much study anywhere on campus. The first floor of Club Richter is pretty noisy, as this is where most students go to work on group projects or meet for study sessions. The music library, hidden in between the Frost School of Music and The Rat, is also a great place to crank out that 20-page research paper. The music library, however, has garnered a pretty large fanbase over the years, so there may not always be an empty desk. It also isn’t an option for late-night studying, as it closes at 11 p.m. Another option is the obvious: the Richter Library. The Richter library is open 24 hours once classes end, but if you’re trying to start the all nighters before then, the Kornspan Study Lounge in the Shalala Student Center is open 24/7 year round. Senior Shannon Cooney likes to take her studies to the classrooms in Dooley, where certain classrooms are left unlocked all night. On top of having the entire classroom to herself, she can also use the white boards. Studying outside is a nice alternative to the depressing walls of the library. Living in Miami, we have the luxury of being able to study for our fall semester finals outside. There are so many places around campus – gliders, the green, or the pool – to go if you want to cram for a test and simultaneously getting a tan. Who said multitasking was hard?
STUDY TIPS
State dependent memory should be used as your newest method of obtaining information. It’s the idea that memory retrieval is most efficient when you are in the same state of consciousness as when the memory was formed. According to Dr. Elyse Hurtado, a psychology professor at the University of Miami, current research on state dependent memory its looking at different effects of mental states such as alcohol, Ritalin, Concerta and Adderal with memory capacity. “If you study and you’re taking a lot of caffeine, the research does support that if you take a test, your performance would be better on caffeine,” Hurtado said. Some may believe that studying in the same classroom where you will take an exam will also aid memory retrieval, but this is not necessarily true. The only situation where physical setting has an effect on learning is in a “high distinctive room.” For example, if material is learned in a unique room, and a test is taken in that same room, the material is recalled more readily. Listening to music can make studying less awful, but sometimes you end up jamming out instead of getting work done. To avoid making Club Richter your personal concert venue, try listening to music without lyrics. Cooney prefers to listen to classical music, which is known to help students score higher on tests. “The Pride and Prejudice soundtrack is all classical music and it’s the best at getting me to focus, especially if I have a lot of reading to do,” says Cooney. Junior Courtney Milley has found what works best for her: video game
music. She discovered this study tip her freshman year when she was studying abroad in Rome. Her mentor suggested it to her when she was struggling to study. “It’s designed to make you focus, so it really helps to keep me from being distracted,” Milley said.
THE ‘PRIDE AND PREJUDICE’ SOUNDTRACK IS ALL CLASSICAL MUSIC AND IT’S THE BEST AT GETTING ME TO FOCUS, ESPECIALLY IF I HAVE A LOT OF READING TO DO. Junior Caroline Granger studies in blocks of three hours at a time. During those blocks, she studies 50 minutes on, 10 minutes off to avoid looking at social media when she’s focused. Granger has a lot to study, as she is preparing for the MCAT, so she likes to keep it organized. “Keeping a study schedule and planning out exactly when each day I’m going to do specific assignments has been helping me stay on top of everything and finish what I want to accomplish each day,” Granger says. Finals are rough, but it’s only a week. Remember that you are going to do fine, you’re smart enough to have gotten into the 40th best school in the country. Good luck ‘Canes!
SHAKE IT OFF Finding a way to release, or at least manage, finals week stress is crucial. While grades are without a doubt important, mental health should always be a priority. One way to blow off steam is exercise. According to a study done by the Donders Institute for brain, Cognition and Behavior at Radboud University in the Netherlands and the University of Edinburgh, exercise increases memory. Researchers also found that those who worked out a few hours after learning new
material, as opposed to immediately after, got better results on a test they were given. The intensity of the workout also matters. A short, slow walk won’t increase the biochemicals that influence how the brain learns, but an overly strenuous workout could be detrimental to acquiring knowledge. So shut the books for an hour and go for a run or go to soul cycle. You’ll feel better physically and perform better academically. December 2016 DISTRACTION 77
Quintessential
COLLEGE words_ lizzie wilcox. design_ana gonzalez.
We wanted to capture the culture of the U, and what better way to do that than with photos from you? From concerts to tailgates to beach days, here are some of the most “quintessential college” submissions we got via email and social media. Submit yours to distractionmagpr@gmail.com to be featured in the next issue.
1 The Chainsmokers play at the House of Horror at the Miami International Mall. The show was rescheduled after originally being set for during Hurricane Matthew. Image by Steph Topal. 2 Andrea Browndorf goes skydiving for the first time on her 20th birthday. She wrote “Sorry Mom and Dad” on her hands. Photo by Skydive Miami. 3 Lindsay Thompson swims through the waters of Captiva Island. The island is located off the southwest coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo by Lindsay Thompson. 4 Julia Chong and Sidney Sherman dress up as Annie James and Hallie Parker from “The Parent Trap” for Halloween. Photo by Julia Paccone.
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4 5 Alexa Mazzilli and Juliana D’Alleva wrap themselves in the Miami flag before heading off to the FSU game. The Canes fell to the Seminoles 20-19. Photo by Emily Cappucci. 6 Fireworks are set off over Lake Osceola as a part of the Homecoming festivities. The fireworks display is paired with a boat burning in the middle of the 7 Rob Beale and Hera Jamal tailgate lake. Photo by Kaitlin Castillo. 3 before a football game. The stadium changed its name this season from Sun Life to Hard Rock. Photo by Kaylee Van Deusen. 8 Rachel Mesa sprays the fire hydrant after the first quarter at the Homecoming game. The members of Category 5 established this tradition. Photo by James Perez.
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1 Julia Janecki attends a dinner for student leaders with President Frenk. They are referred to as “Julio and Julia.” Photo by Asmae Fahmy. 2 Emily Gossett, Millie Chokshi, Jessica Bayuk, Jared Sterlin and Dana Franco snap a photo with Josh Gad in the Breezeway. Gad was the voice of Olaf in the Disney movie “Frozen.” 3 The Public Relations Student Society of America visits RBB Communications. Members received advice from the agency’s top employees. 4 Gianna Nolte throws up The U in front of “Touchdown Jesus” at the University of Notre Dame. The Miami-Notre Dame rivalry has been dubbed “Catholics vs. Convicts.” Photo by Rich Nolte.
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Distraction Magazine @distractionmag @DistractionUM
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