May 2016: The Big Issue

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may 2016

may 2016

PUT AWAY YOUR SARONGS AND FLIP-FLOPS , BECAUSE SUMMER IN MIAMI IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOT.

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THE BIG ISSUE

THE GUIDE 5 The Best of Miami Distraction Staff

10 Food Trucks

APRIL 2016

HEALTH & WELLNESS 38 Energy, Au Naturale Sabrina Saccente

FASHION 48 Electric Summer Hollie Pollak & Miguel Rodriguez Clark

Jamie Servidio

11 One-Tank Roadtrips Diana Rodon

12 UM Bucket List Distraction Staff

14 H2O Sports

Morgan Meehan

15 Apps to Make Bank Asmae Fahmy

16 Bike Trails Morgan Meehan

CAMPUS CONFESSIONS 18 Confessions UM Students

IN THE LOOP 26 Best Cities For Post-Grads

Kendall Eisenberg & Lexi Williams

29 Looking Good On The Job Rori Kotch

32 How to be One with Nature in Miami Marissa Vonesh

34 Your Guide to Subscription Boxes Maria Hernandez

36 Is This Too Cheesy?

Rori Kotch

39 Wake Up Flawless Asmae Fahmy

40 Decoding Herbs Marissa Vonesh

43 How to Build the Perfect Burger Lexi Williams

45 Run. Rest. Repeat.

Alina Zerpa

46 Body Talk Emmi Velez

MAIN EVENT 63 The Sinking City Asmae Fahmy

69 Feminism Mercedes Espina

74 No Pain. No Game.

Rori Kotch

79 Dogs of UM Rori Kotch & Lexi Williams

85 Who Runs This Campus Olivia Stauber & Marisa Vonesh

92 Guide to Europe Diana Rodon & Jamie Servidio

96 Shacked Up in College Lexi Williams

100 Distraction Speaks Distraction Staff

104 Endnotes Sidney Sherman

February 2016

Letter EDITOR from the

distractionmagazine.com

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET OBSESSION? Editor-in-Chief_Rori Kotch -30“Adventure Time” Executive Editor_Lexi Williams -30Managing Editor_Asmae Fahmy Art Director_Claudia Fernandes‐Hernandez -30Photo Editor_Valentina Escotet Assistant Art Directors_Jess Clavero, Celeste Escotet -30- & Christina Riccardi Assistant Photo Editor_Sidney Sherman & Olivia Stauber Copy Chief_Chelsey Sellars Assistant Copy Chief_Diana Rodon -30“Avocados” The Guide Editor_Julie Harans In The Loop Editor_Chelsey Sellars Health and Wellness Editor_Mary Selep -30Fashion Editors_Miguel Rodriguez Clark -30- & Hollie Pollak -30The Main Event Editor_Jamie Servidio -30“Dance moms...”

Public Relations Manager_Hannah Bursack Assistant PR Manager_Kyla Thorpe Business Manager_Kyle Kingma Faculty Adviser_Randy Stano

DISTRACTIONMAGAZINE.COM

Online Editorial Coordinator_Renee Perez -30Online Managing Editor_Veronica Lopez -30Online Copy Chief_Chidera Anugwom -30Online Culture Editor_Alina Zerpa Entertainment Editor_Jorge Chabo “Say Yes to the Dress!”

Associate Entertainment Editor_Jonathan Johnson Associate Copy Editor_Victoria Cameron Online Fashion Editor_Nicole Echevarria -30Co-Associate Fashion Editor_Melissa Cabral & Mary Spiegel Student Life Editor_ Kamila Knaudt Travel Blog Editor_ Thalia Garcia Associate Travel Editor_Lizzie Wilcox Sports Editor_ Alexander Goldman Videographer_ Christian Ferrarie Online Photo Editor_Seoyi (Evelyn) Choi Social Media Editor_ Maggie Secor Associate Social Media Editor_Teresa Lee

ASSISTING FACULTY

Bruce Garrison, Ileana Oroza , Sam Terilli & Tsitsi Wakhisi 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 e-mail our editor-in-chief, Rori Kotch, 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.

Lately I have been asked to reflect upon my time at UM more times than I can count.

Being asked the same thing 200 times is less than favorable. So, to answer everyone all at once, here’s my short and sweet reflection.

I started here as a pre-med biology major and after taking the intro biology class, I realized medicine wasn’t my thing. So, I transferred to the art school and took up photography. In one of my classes, I met this girl, Raquel. She got me interested in joining the campus magazine and before I knew it I was on staff as the assistant photo editor. The next year, I stepped up to co-photo editor and then the following year I served as editor-in-chief. But one time just wasn’t enough, so I served as editor-in-chief for a second year– and here we are, at the end of the road.

Long story short, I have been involved with distraction for four full years. This magazine has turned into a passion and these people have turned into my family. So without sounding sappy, I’d like to thank everyone who helped along the way.

Jonathan and Ashley, thank you for believing in me even as a weird little freshman.

Raquel and Ivana, you’re my role models and my friends. I don’t know if I would be here today if it wasn’t for you two. Claudia, you are seriously the most talented person I know and you have made this magazine incredibly beautiful. Thank you for letting me watch you work until the wee hours of the morning. If just a shred of your talent could rub off on me, I would be lucky. Valentina and Celeste, you are the Latina sisters I never knew I needed, but I am so blessed to have. I love you my Tuttis. Asmae and Chelsey, you’re going to kill it next year I am so proud of how far you’ve both come. Last but not least, Lexi. How do I even start? Not only are you my partner in crime, but you’re also one of my best friends. I love you boo.

It all sounds maudlin and emotional, but these people have molded me into the person I am today, and for that I am grateful.

As I am writing this letter, there are exactly 34 days until graduation, needless to say, I’m terrified (grad school here I come).

However, I know that these people I’ve met along my journey will always be there for me as I will always be there for them.

So, to all my loyal readers, get out there, have some fun, and as always, #getdistracted.

THE ELEMENTS THE COVERS: THE BIG ISSUE art direction_claudia fernandes. typography_claudia fernandes. photo_valentina escotet. may 2016

Got a secret? We can’t keep it. But actually, we never promised we would. We wanted this cover to be all about our confessions special section, so we did a neo-noir Hitchcock-esque cover. The breezeway by the library is one of the most populated places, and we’re sure it’s been the setting for quite a few spilled Untitled-1 2

secrets. We had our executive editor, Lexi, pose for the shot, and our art director, Claudia, photoshopped the image of campus inside. Our own confession– we may or may not have submitted some of our own stories inside. You’ll just have to read and see. Let the guessing games begin.

4/7/16 9:43 PM

art direction_celeste escotet, claudia fernandes & rori kotch. typography_celeste escotet. photo_valentina escotet. may 2016

Yes, we burned a bra. We taped a string to a concrete wall outside of Orion Photo Studio and attached a bra to light it up. At first, we tried lighting it on its own, but it wouldn’t catch fire, so we doused it in Purell and, again, it wouldn’t catch fire. Who would have thought burning a bra could be so hard? After

multiple failed attempts, we drove across the street to buy lighter fluid for trial number 15 and walla– flames. The whole ordeal lasted about 10 seconds before the string caught fire and the bra fell to the ground (luckily our editor-in-chief was waiting with a bucket of water), but we got the shot just in time.

art direction_claudia fernandes & rori kotch. photo_valentina escotet. may 2016

For our fashion shoot we decided to embody the true spirit of summer and shoot in downtown Miami at night. The gorgeous outfits were provided for us courtesy of Karma by Marcia Arocha, thank you Marcia! Our photo editor, Valentina lit up the night with an external flash and captured the most perfect

shots. In fact, they were so perfect we chose one for the cover. By day you can find students chilling by the pool, laying on the beach and just generally relaxing. But at night, everything changes. The stakes are higher, the clothing is couture and the electricity surges through the summer night.

PUT AWAY YOUR SARONGS AND FLIP-FLOPS , BECAUSE SUMMER IN MIAMI IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOT.

BEHIND THE SCENES: FASHION EDITOR, MIGUEL RODRIGUEZ CLARK ADJUSTED PRYO’S COLLAR BEFORE PHOTO EDITOR, VALENTINA ESCOTET TOOK PHOTOS.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, RORI KOTCH ARRANGED THE FROZEN LETTERS BEFORE PHOTO EDITOR, VALENTINA ESCOTET TOOK A PHOTO.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, RORI, POURED LIGHTER FLUID ONTO A BLACK BRA TO MAKE SURE PHOTO EDITOR, VALENTINA ESCOTET COULD CAPTURE THE MOST FLAMES POSSIBLE.

AFTER THE SHOOT WRAPPED UP THE CORE STAFF JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND TOOK A SELFIE. #PHOTOCEPTION #SELFIE

8 TRAINERS 8 DISCIPLINES 100 MINUTES

STAY TUNED FOR OUR

NEXT EVENTS SOON ON CAMPUS

P @onyxsignaturegym WWW.ONYXSIGNATUREGYM.COM

Interested? Email our Editor-in-Chief, Asmae Fahmy, at a.fahmy3@umiami.edu for more information. All positions are open and no prior experience is required.

FRATELLINO RISTORANTE

THE GUIDE

words_distraction staff. photo_valentina escotet & rori kotch. design_claudia fernandes.

Miami is a multicultural city filled with mouthwatering eateries and delicious options from north to south.

Choosing the best places isn’t easy, especially since everyone’s taste buds and cravings are different. From pizza to ice cream to healthy smoothies, Miami has it all. Distraction’s staff has picked out the best noms in the 305 to make the selection process a little smoother.

ITALIAN: FRATELLINO RISTORANTE 264 Miracle Mile, Miami There are lots of options when it comes to Italian food, but if you’re looking for a quality mom-and-pop meal, Fratellino Ristorante is the place to be.

Fratellino is owned by Beto DiCarlo, chef and thirdgeneration restaurateur. In case you couldn’t tell, the restaurant is family owned. Just take a look at the walls, which are lined with family photos.

With one taste of the calamari ($16)– which isn’t doused in grease but is still perfectly crisp– you’ll know that this restaurant is one that takes pride in its food. If you’re looking for pasta, there is a whole list of options to enjoy.

Distraction’s pick: Gnocchi quattro formaggi– homemade ricotta and potato gnocchi with a four cheese sauce ($19) The Big Issue

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TO DO Lunch: Whisk 7382 S.W. 56 Ave., South Miami When homesickness strikes or you just need a dose of Southern love, Whisk Gourmet is the place to go for lunch in South Miami. The menu has an extensive selection, from bright, fresh plates like the marinated shrimp and avocado salad ($13.95) to heartier, more indulgent dishes like the grilled filet mignon sandwich ($14.95). Whisk also features daily specials that take advantage of seasonal ingredients and Chef Brendan Connor’s creativity. No matter what you order, it’s hard to go wrong– every item incorporates comforting, familiar Southern flavors with a signature modern spin. Plus, the restaurant is right around the corner from campus near Sunset Place, so it’s perfect for a quick bite in between classes.

Distraction’s pick: Fried green tomato sandwich with pimiento cheese, bacon and arugula ($10.95)

WHISK. Fried green tomato sandwich with pimento cheese, bacon and arugula.

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BRUNCH: CONTINENTAL 2360 Collins Avenue, Miami Brainchild of powerhouse restaurateur Stephen Starr, the Continental serves some of the best food in the Magic City.

It’s a casual, yet top-quality restaurant with a cool, retro feel inspired by the ‘60s. Though it opened less than a year ago, it’s already making a big mark on the local culinary scene.

The Continental shines brightest during brunch, combining classics such as a smoked salmon benedict ($19) and buttermilk pancakes ($15) with imaginative and playful plates such as the cheesesteak eggroll ($17). And for those especially indecisive days, this Miami Beach eatery has you covered, offering breakfast, lunch and even dinner-style dishes on the brunch menu.

Distraction’s pick: Avocado toast on ZTB multigrain bread with poached eggs and crispy potatoes on the side ($14)

Coffee: ETERNITY COFFEE ROASTERS 117 S.E. Second Ave., Miami Let’s face it: we’re getting sick of Starbucks. Luckily, at Eternity Coffee Roasters, owner Chris Johnson cares as much about what goes in your cup as you do. He even co-owns the Colombian farms and micro-lots where the beans are grown, and flies there regularly to keep a close eye on them. All that hard work translates into bold, sophisticated brews, served at Eternity’s downtown location on Second Avenue. New to the coffee scene? Not to worry– the baristas are far from the stereotypical condescending coffee snobs and are more than happy to help guide customers to the right drink.

LOKAL

INEXPENSIVE FARE: LOKAL 3190 Commodore Plaza, Coconut Grove LoKal, pronounced “lo-ka’l,” has been serving up the juiciest burgers in town since December 2011. Located in Coconut Grove, LoKal is owned by Matthew Kuscher, who takes the restaurant’s commitment to quality seriously. LoKal sources from local farms, dairies and breweries for dishes unparalleled by any other burger joint in town. The best part?

LoKal is the first restaurant in Miami-Dade County to use 100 percent renewable energy from wind and solar power.

Distraction’s pick: Frita By Kush– burger topped with guava jelly, melted gruyere, stuffed with potato sticks, crispy bacon and a LoKal sauce, pressed down and cut in half ($12)

RED KOI

Distraction’s pick: Dirty Chai ($4.85)

GROCERY STORE: WHOLE FOODS 6701 Red Road, Coral Gables We hate to be basic, but Whole Foods really is that good.

Other natural grocery stores can’t compare, especially when it comes to prepared items. The buffet offers a wide range of dishes with cuisines that span the globe, from Indian to Chinese. For the less adventurous eaters, the mac and cheese is just as impressive. Though it’s not the best option for grocery buying on a budget, head to Whole Foods for a healthy lunch, specialty items or a cool cup of iced coffee, brewed in-store.

SUSHI: RED KOI

Distraction’s pick: Vegan oatmeal raisin cookie ($1)

317 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables

MEDITERRANEAN: MAROOSH

Miracle Mile in Coral Gables is synonymous with wedding dresses, fine restaurants and now, Japanese food. You can find some top-notch sushi at Red Koi Lounge, where you can have dinner downstairs or chill out with friends upstairs in the relaxing candle-lit lounge. The menu boasts a whopping 33 choices of just sushi rolls, and that doesn’t even include the sashimi and entrees. Make sure to go hungry, because you’ll definitely want them all.

223 Valencia Avenue, Coral Gables For an authentic dose of the Middle East, Maroosh is the perfect place to bite into baklava or binge on baked kibbehs.

Unlike other Arabic joints, there’s more to this menu than just hummus and kababs. Order grape leaves stuffed with rice, parsley and meats or vegetables, then add on a plate of shawarma served with french fries and hummus. Of course, don’t leave without dessert. The options are endless. For a truly exotic experience, finish off your meal with a Turkish coffee– it’ll put your regular latte to shame.

Distraction’s pick: Kiwi roll– Krab salad and avocado topped with spicy tuna mix and kiwi, served with kimchee sauce and spicy mayo ($15)

Distraction’s pick: Nakanek- Lebanese sausage appetizer ($7.95)

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DELIVERY: MY CEVICHE 5900 S.W. 73rd St., South Miami My Ceviche planted its roots in South Beach back in 2012. Now with four locations, including one in South Miami, fresh seafood cuisine is always just around the corner.

A typical go-to order is the My Ceviche Bowl, which includes a protein choice of fish, shrimp, octopus or chicken.

It also comes with coconut-jasmine rice or cilantro quinoa, mixed lettuce, red onions, fresh cilantro, jalapenos, tomatoes, sweet potato and yellow corn. No time to sit and dine? Put in the same order, but as a burrito. Heads up– the restaurant offers student discounts on Tuesdays and delivery is only $3, a much better deal than Postmates, if we do say so ourselves.

Distraction’s pick: Shrimp and fish ceviche bowl tradicional over coconut-jasmine rice served with red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, tomatoes, sweet potato and yellow corn ($11.95+)

MY CEVICHE. Shrimp and fish ceviche bowl tradicional over coconut-jasmine rice served with red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, tomatoes, sweet potato and yellow corn

SNACK: JUGOFRESH 6701 SW 57th Ave., Coral Gables Good snacks don’t always have to be deep-fried and loaded with cheese (despite our weakness for mac and cheese bites at the Rat). Sometimes a sweet, colorful trip to Jugofresh is more than enough. The quaint juice bar and smoothie shop has two convenient locations: one across the street from campus, the other in Miami beach.

The products are also available all over town. We love it for its array of flavorful acai bowls, which come overflowing with fruits, coconut shavings, granola, almond butter and chia seeds, among other ingredients. Probiotic and protein parfaits are also available, as well as healthy juices.

Distraction’s pick: Summer chia juice with pineapple, orange, strawberry, ginger and chia seeds ($9.50)

SPLURGE: ALTER 223 N.W. 23rd St., Miami Chef Brad Kilgore, finalist for not one, but two James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards is cooking up some of the finest food in the heart of Wynwood. We like to start with a pre-dinner drink, something refreshing like the Alter Gimlet, which is made with Grey Goose, lime sour and culantro from the garden. It’s basically, summer in a glass. According to Alter’s servers, one appetizer and one entree per person is enough, but we say to go big or go home and spring for the chef ’s tasting menu for a steal of $65. We promise you won’t regret it.

ALTER. Shaved Cobia with vetrano olive snow, rice masago, green mustard oil and garlic dashi

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Distraction’s pick: Soft egg with sea scallop espuma, chive, truffle pearls and gruyere ($14)

INDIAN: RAJA’S INDIAN CUISINE 33 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Take your taste buds on a trip to South Asia and enjoy some Indian cuisine at Raja’s. This restaurant serves up some delectable flavors in the middle of downtown Miami. All menu items are less than $10, so it’s a serious deal. Vegetarian?

No worries. There are scrumptious veggie samosas and vegetarian versions of their lunch meals. Don’t forget to order the naan or roti bread to complement the dish. Newbie foodies be warned: Indian food is packed with intense flavors and spices.

Distraction’s pick: Chicken tikka massa with veggie rice and chana or chickpeas ($8.99)

BEER: CONCRETE BEACH 325 N.W. 24th St., Miami If you’re a fan of a good beer, Concrete Beach Brewery is the place to be. Located in Wynwood, Concrete Beach offers a classier alternative to our usual Natty Lite. Not only is this brewery getting us buzzed, but it’s also teaching us how the beer masters brew their beer through tours. In a rush? Pick up a growler to go and drink in the comfort our your own home.

If you can’t make the pilgrimage all the way of to Wynwood, Concrete Beach’s beer is sold right across the street from campus at the Whole Foods in South Miami.

Distraction’s pick: Tropic Of Passion Wheat Ale ($6)

CUBAN: ENRIQUETA’S 186 N.E. 29th St., Miami In the land of authentic Cuban food, it’s not hard to find tasty pasteles or a satisfying cafe con leche. Sure, there’s always Versailles, but unless you want to be mistaken for a tourist by the loyal Cubanos who frequent the joint, hit up Enriqueta’s for fast, delicious Cuban fare. The cafeteria-style eatery serves up hearty breakfasts and lunches from its modest Design District location. All the staples are served: think empanadas, medianoches and tostadas. Just don’t spill the beans about this local favorite, entiende?

Distraction’s pick: Special steak sandwich with tomato, onion, potato sticks and cheese ($4.85)

FAST FOOD: GROWN 8211 S. Dixie Highway, Miami Conceptualized by Miami Heat player Ray Allen and his wife Shannon, Grown is a newly opened fast food eatery that will help you say goodbye to McDonald’s forever. Serving “real food, cooked slow, for fast people,” Grown has fused mindful eating with convenient service. The dishes are made with locally sourced, organic ingredients, some of which even come straight from the restaurant’s rooftop garden. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner, Grown’s got you covered.

Distraction’s pick: Grilled, wild caught salmon with roasted garlic Brussels sprouts and a Mediterranean quinoa salad ($17)

LUNCH SPECIAL: SAMURAI 8717 S.W. 136th St., Miami With a hibachi grill surrounded by a table that seats up to 10 people, Samurai offers an interactive dining experience that does more than just satisfy palates. The Japanese eatery tends to be on the pricey side around dinnertime, but on Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the lunch special features almost the same dishes for half the price. Order the hibachi shrimp, which is grilled in front of you and served with a Japanese vegetable broth, vegetable fried rice and an assortment of onions, zucchini and mushrooms ($9.75). For a few extra dollars, binge on scallops, filet mignon, shrimp, calamari and beef julienne with the same sides. Make sure to order extra shrimp sauce, a creamy, succulent dip that is mildly addictive and goes well with everything. Bonus points if the chefs throw shrimp tails in their hats and profess their love for you with heart-shaped fried rice.

Distraction’s pick: Hibachi shrimp grilled with butter and lemon ($12) CONCRETE BEACH. Tropic Of Passion Wheat Ale. The Big Issue

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TO DO words_jamie servidio. photo_gammon koval. design_jamie shub.

Food Trucks .

The food truck scene is a staple in Miami. These trucks serve up some of South Florida’s most inspired and mouthwatering dishes. But don’t mistake the trendiness for short-handed service. These trucks produce delicious, gourmet food ranging from gelato bars to decadent grilled cheeses. Because of their obvious mobility, food trucks cover a lot of ground. The easiest way to keep up with your favorite truck is on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The typical food truck can range from 10 to 26 feet long and can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $200,000 depending on customizations. @MsCheezious

Ms. Cheezious is easily one of the most sought after food trucks in Miami. This truck serves up artisanal grilled cheese sandwiches like the grilled blue and bacon with bacon, blue cheese and green onion on sourdough bread, and the grilled harvest with sliced apples and havarti cheese on multi-grain bread. The baby blue food truck gained such a following that Ms. Cheezious opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Miami’s MiMo District and recently announced it is opening a Coral Gables location.

@PurplePplEatery

The Purple People Eatery truck specializes in what they describe as fresh, freaky street food. Try the mac n jack, which is herb-crusted broccoli macaroni and five cheese, or the mahi Miami tacos, with beer-battered mahi-mahi on red leaf lettuce and corn tortilla topped with chipotle mayo and pineapple-jalapeno salsa.

The Crispy Chicken Pita from a local food truck.

FOOD TRUCK MEET UPS Food truck meet ups happen regularly and are a perfect opportunity to try something new with your foodie friends.

Wynwood Art Walk

Second Saturday of each month on the corner of N.W. 23 St. and N.W. Second Avenue, Miami. @marliesdelights

Food Truck Invasion

Fourth Friday of each month at the Miami Street Food Court in Tropical Park– 7900 Bird Road, Miami.

Miami Beach Food Truck and Music Fest Fourth Wednesday of each month at the North Shore Park band shell– 7275 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.

TheGuide Guide 10 DISTRACTION DISTRACTION The 10

@sakaykitchen

This is Sakaya Kitchen on wheels. Inspired by owner Chef Richard Hale‘s backpacking travels through Asia, the cuisine is made from all-natural meat and poultry, organic vegetables and dairy. Try the loaded tater tots topped with spicy, cheesy kalbi beef or the pork belly bao buns made with sweet chili sauce.

Marlie’s Delights will cater to your sweet tooth with a wide variety of freshly baked desserts. The truck serves both baked and frozen goods, including maple bacon cake with caramelized bacon in maple syrup, brown sugar and local honey on top of vanilla bean cake or cherry shaved ice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

@HipPOPsTruck

The Hip Pops truck is definitely worth stopping for. The truck serves up handcrafted pops of gelato, sorbet or frozen yogurt, your choice of a chocolate dip, and toppings like crushed pistachios, hazelnuts and more.

words_diana rodon. design_christina riccardi.

Miami can seem like just about the worst place to start a road trip. It can take nine hours just to get out of Florida if you’re going west. That’s a lot of time, gas and money that college students just can’t afford to spend. Luckily, there are many mini road trips UM students can embark on from Miami for little cost. With the average car traveling about 450 miles on one tank of gas, there are plenty of possibilities for some onetank road trips. Here’s what distraction suggests.

MIAMI TO HOBE SOUND (102.3 MILES) As soon as you get there, you’ll wonder how you never heard of Blowing Rocks Preserve before. This is a little known beach spot not too far from Miami. After driving about an hour and a half up north, you’ll find this secluded spot. Calling it stunning would be an understatement. However, don’t go with your bikini or swim trunks; the giant limestone rocks make swimming dangerous.

These rock formations line the shore, and during high tide, large waves crash into them to create “blowing rocks.” A big enough wave will forcefully shoot water through holes in the limestone like a geyser. If you visit during low tide, walk along the shore and explore the caves of rocks instead. Whenever you decide to visit, Blowing Rocks Preserve will definitely be a memorable experience that will leave you with plenty of gas in the tank for your next adventure.

MIAMI TO KEY WEST (164.6 MILES) A road trip to Key West is a unique experience. Nowhere else in the U.S. can you take a three-hour road trip that is essentially just island hopping. Before you hit your main destination of Duval Street, make stops along the way. Grab some strawberry milkshakes and cinnamon rolls at Knaus Berry Farm as you fly

by Homestead. Once you get off the mainland, try to stop at each key and in that ocean smell, but be careful not to trail any sand back to your car. When you finally get to Key West, watch the street performers at Mallory Square, hear the Cuban chatter at Southernmost Point, visit Harry Truman’s Little White House and take a tour of the Hemingway House.

MIAMI TO ORLANDO (235 MILES) With the main attractions being Disney World and Universal Studios, trips to Orlando can get expensive. You’ll usually spend a pretty penny just to ride a few rides and go home exhausted after a long day. But there’s more to the Orlando area than overpriced tickets to the theme parks. If you still want the magic of Disney but can’t afford the ticket prices, take a trip to Disney Springs (formerly known as Downtown Disney). The area is filled with shops and restaurants, many Disney-themed. And if you’re craving the rides, try DisneyQuest– a huge indoor interactive arcade– before it shuts down for good.

Not everything cool in Orlando is attached to the theme parks, though. Winter Park is a charming little town in Orlando with good shopping, cute cafés and an exceptional farmers’ market on Saturdays. When you’re strolling around this quiet town, you won’t feel like you’re in Florida anymore. Before you head home check out The Cloak & Blaster Pub near UCF; just a 15-minute drive east of Orlando. It’s a geeky bar with board games for you to check out and play with your friend group as you sip on “Hunger Games” and “Harry Potter”-themed drinks.

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words_distraction staff. design_claudia fernandes. photo_sidney sherman.

TAKE A PICTURE AT THE “U” STATUE

PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER IN THE STACKS

While this is one of the simpler tasks on the UM Bucket List, it’s essential. Many students take advantage of this photoop as visiting high school seniors after they’ve made their decision to attend the greatest school on earth. It is also mandatory to take the same picture four years later in a cap and gown.

If you didn’t pull an all-nighter at least once, did you really ever go here? While the stacks can be a bit intimidating, they are the perfect place to focus if you have an entire night’s worth of studying ahead of you. We all know that pulling all-nighters isn’t great for your health– you lose brain cells, you don’t retain as much information and so on– but let’s face it, we’re all super busy, and sometimes 3 a.m. is the only time to get started on that 10-page paper.

Remember to bring a water bottle, snacks and make a pit stop at Starbucks: you’ll need it.

SNAP A SELFIE WITH SEBASTIAN Sebastian is undoubtedly one of the most badass mascots around (may we never forget the time he almost got arrested at FSU in 1989). Just by watching his moves on the football field or the basketball court, it is easy to tell that this ibis has some swag. He’s a campus-celeb, so make sure to take a selfie with Sebastian when you can.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER AT THE END OF THE FIRST QUARTER Speaking of Sebastian, he has the honor of “extinguishing” all the Canes in the student section. It looks awesome from both the student section and from afar, and it also cools down anyone within spraying distance. It gives students the extra push they need for the second quarter before making a run to the buses at half time. Few students are given the opportunity to partake in this tradition, but when else do you have the chance to spray your friends with a fire extinguisher and not get fined?

12 DISTRACTION The Guide

ENJOY PITCHERS #ATTHERAT Remember rushing to class on a hot Friday afternoon, envying the seniors with pitchers upon pitchers in front of them? Those days are finally over.

Missing class to spend your 21st birthday at the Rat should be an excused absence. Your friends may only stop by for an hour or so, but clear your schedule, stay from open until close and make sure the pitcher is never empty.

LIV IT UP Clubbing at LIV on your 21st is a must.

How many people can say they partied at an exclusive, celebrity-frequented club in SoBe to celebrate the big 20-fun? You will always remember (well, maybe not) fist bumping until 5 a.m. at one of the best clubs in the country. Major key: D.J. Khaled stops by and buys you a drink.

DRINK A MILKSHAKE FROM THE LIGHT The baseball stadium’s milkshakes are seriously life changing. No offense to the team, but most people go to the games for the shakes (but stay for the game, obvi). The line will probably be hella long, but any alum will tell you that you’re missing out on the experience of a lifetime if you don’t endure the wait.

PLAN A FARMERS MARKET PICNIC Here at the U, we’ve got it good, and one of the biggest perks is the farmer’s market every Wednesday where you can score fresh food on the go. Grab a few friends, pick up some of that famous kettle corn or some freshly made Zak the Baker bread, sit on the Green and let the day just float by.

GROVE, GROVE, GROVE Every college town has its typical college bar scene, and for us, that’s the Grove.

Tuesdays and Thursdays bring out our crazy sides as we let loose and take some $1 shots. But don’t be turned off by sticky floors and annoying drunks; the Grove is also full of great restaurants and boutique shops. So, if chugging some beers at Cudas isn’t your scene, there’s definitely still something for you.

TAN AT THE POOL

HIT UP A HEAT GAME It may not be where it was a few years ago, but the Miami Heat is still a damn good basketball team. Combine that with rowdy fans and the nonstop party atmosphere of this city, and you’ve got yourself a fun date night, girls’/guys’ night out or business meeting (if you’re fancy like that). If you’re ballin’ on a budget, there are seats in the upper sections that won’t break the bank.

AIRBOAT RIDE IN THE EVERGLADES Did you just LOL? Because this is not a joke. If you think airboating is just for hicks, you’ve clearly never experienced the thrill firsthand. The Everglades is a beautiful piece of land that’s thankfully preserved by the government, and the best way to explore it is to hop on a little boat propelled by a giant fan. Not only are you closer to the wildlife than you’d ever be on an actual boat, but there’s just something about grinning goofily while the wind bringing tears to your eyes that makes it such an authentic experience.

We know, we know: we live where everyone vacations. Prove it to your out-of-state friends with a series of pool Snapchats in that new swimsuit you just bought. Caption it “hot dogs or legs” for that added touch of wit and sarcasm.

We’ve waited endless months for the construction on the pool to be over, and now it’s time to make the most of it.

HAVE A WYNWOOD PHOTOSHOOT

Sophomore Alli Villane shows cane spirit by throwing up the U. The U statue was unveiled in 2012 by former president Donna Shalala. The entire statue weighs upwards of 32,000 pounds.

TRY CUBAN COFFEE Cuban coffee may be one of the best creations of all time, and it’s a shame that it’s only a big deal in Miami.

Warning: if you’re one of those people who claim they like coffee, but go to Starbucks and order a caramel mocha latte or a Frappuccino, this isn’t for you.

Cuban coffee is strong and hits you fast, which makes it perfect for college students. One shot before class and you’re ready for the day.

Students take Miami’s art and culture scene for granted. Wynwood is rapidly becoming one of the cultural hubs of the country, yet we only see it as a cool place to drink on Saturdays. Show all your friends why your city is the best with a photoshoot featuring the dope art found in the area. Sure, it’s basic, but it’s kind of a must if you’re a student. Just ask the people with hundreds of Insta likes.

GO TO LATIN NIGHT @ANYWHERE Miami is basically a gateway to Latin culture. See what all the fuss is about and head to any Latin night you can find. We suggest Baru in Brickell or El Patio in Wynwood. Extra points if you order a mojito and salsa dance the night away with a mysterious stranger.

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TO DO

words_morgan meehan. design_rori kotch. photo_josh liberman.

Since we live in Florida, the beach sometimes seems to lose its cool factor. However, this summer, ditch the volleyball and flying disc matches for some headgear and life vests. Miami is no stranger to the watersports scene, and you shouldn’t be either. Here are our top five watersports and the places to try them.

JETPACK FLIGHT Jetpack flight has become a popular water activity. Jetpacks shoot water from your feet, allowing you to soar into the air or dive into the water. They are strapped to your back and have handles to direct the way you fly. Thirty minutes will cost you anywhere from $135 to $150, and most places will charge about $200 for an hour.

Miami Watersports 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami Relentless Watersports 1099 MacArthur Causeway, Miami

JET SKIING If you’re seeking speed and a thrill, Jet Skiing is the right water sport for you. It allows you to control the speed of your watercraft as you rip through the waves. Rental prices range from $85 to $160 per hour or $75 to $85 per half hour at most places in Miami. There are also watersport rental companies that offer guided tours to show off the best views. In most cases, you must be at least 18 years old to operate such a watercraft, but some places require riders to be 21 or older.

Miami Watersports 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami

14 DISTRACTION The Guide

Freshman Maxx Evan defies gravity after launching off a ramp at the Miami Watersports Complex.

PARASAILING Go parasailing and look down at the beautiful turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. While you are flying high, you will be sitting back and relaxing while taking in views of South Beach, the Miami skyline, Key Biscayne or even Coconut Grove. You can experience this flight by yourself or with a partner. Parasailing in Miami costs anywhere from $75 to $80 for a 12-15 minute session.

Miami Watersports 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami Water Sports Miami Beach 5225 Collins Avenue, Miami

STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING Before you head into those gnarly waves, be safe and check your local forecast using these weather apps:

Accuweather free

FLYBOARDING Not only does the Flyboard let riders glide through the air and dive into water, but it also provides the option of giving up control to let the professionals do the work. A lot of beginners will let an instructor control the throttle while they focus on operating the board. If you have great balance, you will likely be out of the water in minutes. The Flyboard will cost you $150 for 30 minutes and $250 for an hour.

Miami Water Sports 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami Miami Flyboard 1635 N. Bayshore Drive, Miami

1 WEATHER $0.99

Eye in the sky $2.06

Stand-up paddle boarding has become a popular activity over the past few years, thanks to the fact that it’s a great way to have fun while getting in some core and arm exercises. Plus, there’s no better way to perfect your balance than by paddling along breathtaking views of the water and landscapes.

Whether you paddle board in South Beach or Key Biscayne, the background is sure to be Instagram-worthy, once again making your hometown friends wish they went to school in Florida.

Most places in Miami offer paddle board rentals for about $25 per hour with or without an instructor.

Sailboards Miami One Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne Miami Watersports 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami

FIELD AGENT (IOS) Serving as the grown-up version of our gawky teenage scavenger hunts, Field Agent gives you two hours to venture to your local grocery store or nearest fast-food chain to perform a task. This app operates on a firstcome, first-served basis, so users have to compete with other locals who are doing the tasks, too. Thankfully, this version doesn’t ask you to sing an offpitched Britney Spears song in public or humiliate yourself in front that cute girl in calculus. You simply gather photos and product information for clients. It’s a way for businesses to do those tiresome tasks they may not have time for or simply don’t want to do.

Though job postings can sometimes be infrequent and inconvenient, the pay is anywhere from $2-12, depending on the task.

MOBEE (IOS/ ANDROID) Essentially an app that pays users for what they’re already doing, Mobee pays users to complete surveys for the local restaurants and stores that they frequent. Join their team of “mystery shoppers” and acquire points that turn into gift cards or cash (plus, if your feedback is valid, you’re contributing to the quality of the places you frequent). If the idea of being paid for being a critic draws you in, this is probably the app for you. Users can earn anything from $1.50 to $30. However, there are a few downfalls to the app. According to its App Store reviews, locations are limited and submissions sometimes fail to be processed. Be warned.

GYMPACT (IOS) Need even more of an incentive to stop by the Wellness Center? GymPact will actually pay you to work out. The app establishes a health and fitness community where users commit to a weekly workout schedule and earn 5075 cents for each 30-minute workout.

If positive reinforcement doesn’t work, you pay a small fee each time you pass on a scheduled workout, which will then circle to another user’s earnings. Though not a perfect system– some people have been able to hack into it– your progress is confirmed by gym check-ins, an accelerometer and a GPS.

GIGWALK (IOS/ANDROID)

words_asmae fahmy. design_claudia fernandes.

Go grocery shopping, take a picture, eat at a restaurant, go to the gym. Sounds like the rundown of a mundane day, but there are actually apps that pay you to do all of this. It makes sense to start profiting from our smartphones, given how much time we spend on them. Granted, your earnings will not cover your tuition, but they may at least secure your next Starbucks run.

Gigwalk offers an amalgam of jobs and assignments around the city.

With this app, you’ll be able to assist businesses with local tasks, take photos of store displays, test apps and delivery systems and conduct mystery shopping.

Job notifications appear when a gig is available in your area, so you can finally fill that spare hour between classes with something more useful than Netflix.

Plus, you can earn anywhere from $6-$220 from this app, which will fully make up for gas costs. The more gigs you do, the more “street cred” you build, which unlocks more high-level and high-paying tasks (yes, please). The app has been featured on platforms such as Forbes and CNN; Nokia, Red Bull and eBay are among the companies listed as using it. It allows for a local, temporary fix to unemployment. Disclaimer: some users have complained about poor customer service, failures in getting paid and low pay.

SLIDEJOY (ANDROID) This one is best suited for those willing to turn their phones into personal sporadic billboards (and who, admittedly, possess a high level of patience for ads). Slidejoy converts your home screen into a stream of relevant ads, many with deals and content designed to echo your interests and preferences.

Swiping right will take you to your home screen and allow you to dismiss the ad, while swiping left opens up the ad and shows more details. Either way, the pay is $5-$10 a month, based on how many times you check your phone. “I think that ads are everywhere in our everyday lives, so you might as well make money off of viewing them.

I would download this app,” said junior journalism major Kelly Brody. You can retrieve the money through PayPal, gift cards to your favorite stores, or you can even opt to have the money donated to a charity instead. Reviews for this are pretty high: it has a 4.1 rating on Google apps. Phone addicts, this one’s for you.

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TO DO

words_morgan meehan. design_claudia fernandes. photo_josh liberman.

The endless summer weather is one of the most attractive things about living in Miami, but the never-ending need for a hot summer body is not. Step out of your boring workout routine and get some fresh air. From beginner to advanced, we’ve got you covered with our favorite bike trails in Miami. So pump those tires, tighten that helmet and get ridin’!

Senior Jorge Dominicis cruises down a staircase in Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park. Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park is about a 30 minute drive from campus.

Virginia Key Mountain Bike Trail Arthur Lamb Jr. Road, Miami

The Virginia Key Mountain Bike Trail is the perfect trail for first-timers. It is considered one of the easier trails, but even experienced riders can enjoy a great workout here. You can complete it in just 30 minutes, so it’s relatively short compared to other trails. Still, it’ll keep you on your toes as it zigzags through the marsh, winds through the forest and spins around the beach. Head’s up: there’s a $6 parking fee.

Rickenbacker Trail Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne

This one is 8.5 miles long and overlooks Brickell and Key Biscayne. One of the most picturesque trails in Miami, it will keep you looking around and marveling at the gorgeous views the whole way. Rickenbacker also takes you through Crandon Park, which has cute picnic areas and coastal dunes.

Shark Valley Trail 36000 S.W. Eighth Street, Miami

Shark Valley is a 15-mile paved loop that will always keep you guessing– in a good way. The ride takes you deep into the heart of the Everglades, where you’ll see all kinds of animals.

Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for a lookout tower, where the views are breathtaking. Head to Shark Valley Trail to escape our hectic city and become one with nature.

Commodore Trail Commodore Plaza, Miami

The Commodore Trail will take you from South Miami Avenue to Bayshore Drive, and then down Miami Highway and Douglas Road. This trail is about five miles long and is a combination of shared road, paved path and sidewalk. You can even stop at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens along the way.

16 DISTRACTION The Guide

Virginia Key Mountain Bike Park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. The park provides riders with a variety of trails ranging from novice to advanced. Extra plus: this trail offers stunning views of downtown Miami.

C R I T I C A L

M A S S

A 20-mile bike ride around the Magic City: are you up for the challenge? Miami Critical Mass brings together local cycling lovers for a monthly ride and serves a dual purpose of reminding car drivers to share the road. Held the last Friday of every month, bikers gather in Downtown Miami by the Government Center train station located on 150 N.W. First Street.

The group gathers at 6:30 p.m. and departs at 7:15 p.m. Though it began as a movement to encourage bike safety, there have been many injuries and even deaths reported in the past, so extreme caution while riding is always advised. No registration is required to join in; just bring a bike of any kind, a good attitude and knowledge of road rules. Invite your friends!

Oleta River State Park

3400 N.E. 163rd St., North Miami Beach

Bike riders of all experience levels will get a great workout after completing this 14-mile, multilevel path. Choose from navigating either an off-road terrain or a low-impact ride.

Heads up, though: there is a $6 fee per vehicle and a $2 general park access fee.

Old Cutler Trail

Old Cutler Road and S.W. 224th St., Coral Gables

This trail is located in Ingraham Terrace Park in Coral Gables.

The 11-mile path is fully paved and encompasses the southern portion of Route One. The trail winds around the most beautiful parts of Coral Gables from Old Cutler to Matheson Hammock Park. Old Cutler is lined with trees and nature, so maintaining a leisurely pace is the best way to avoid bumps from tree stumps.

Amelia Trail

401 E. 65th St., Hialeah

The Amelia Trail is a favorite for mountain bikers because of the off-road experience it provides and the local vegetation that covers it. It’s located in the Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah and has a $7 parking fee on the weekends. A balance of challenge and comfort, this path is ideal for riders of any skill level. The seven-mile trail is the perfect way to escape from reality and enjoy some nature.

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Earlier in the semester, distraction opened up a form for students to anonymously submit their most embarrassing or downright weird stories, and the confessions rolled in. After receiving more than 100 submissions, we’ve narrowed it down to the juiciest. If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that UM is full of freaks. Are you one of them? Note: some of these may be offensive to sensitive readers.

I'VE NEVER PROOFREAD ONE OF MY PAPERS IN COLLEGE. I GO TO CLASS DRUNK ALL THE TIME BECAUSE I JUST DON’T CARE ANYMORE.

*Distraction has edited these confessions for clarity and profanity.

Last semester, a random drunk girl was passed out in front of my door in Red Road Commons.

She burst through my door when I opened it and ran straight for the bathroom. After taking a 20-minute dump, she stood in the doorway, looked at me and my roommate and said "See ya never bitches, ** is what I amma" and threw her arm up. Then she walked out and I never saw her again. If you are reading this, I have your belt. You know where to find me.

18 DISTRACTION Confessions

I’m graduating in May, but I’m terrified of leaving college life and going back home. I feel as though I don’t have many good friends at home anymore and the thought of stressful job hunting and zero social life gives me anxiety.

I stopped drinking coffee for a while, but a few months of no caffeine later, I end up needing to cram for an exam. So I go on over to Starbucks near the library, get my normal drink and huddle up somewhere to study for the exam.

I realize too late that my body is no longer used to caffeine. I almost make it to the bathroom, but alas, I peed my pants in the library.

I had a terrible roommate, so to get quiet revenge, I've been giving her email address out to as many junk email sites as I can.

I dropped out of a class because the time conflicted with when I wanted to watch "The Bachelor" with my friends.

I have a crush on a friend, but all of my friends hate them.

I'M ABOUT TO GRADUATE AND HAVE STILL NEVER HAD SEX OR ANYTHING CLOSELY RELATED TO SEX. I CAN'T TELL IF THE PROBLEM IS ME OR IF IT'S THE COLLEGE CULTURE, BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S NOT SOMETHING I'M PROUD OF.

I took Adderall to write a paper and have had breathing problems ever since. Prescriptions drugs are not a joke.

I can hear my roommate masturbating in her room once a week while I'm in the kitchen and she has no idea.

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One time, my parents walked in on my ex and I having sex on our pool table. It was like a childhood experience, except the opposite.

I always poop in the SAC THIRD floor bathrooms.

MY FRIENDS AND I HAVE A RUNNING COMPETITION BASED ON WHO HAS THE MOST SEX ON CAMPUS. One time, I was so ridiculously hungover, I ran out of my lab to the nearest restroom, barely got the door open and threw up all over the floor. I didn't even make it to the toileT. After this whole commotion, as I'm washing up, a girl walks in and says "EW! Who would do that?" I responded, "Oh my god.

I don’t know. So gross." I made it back to my lab smiling and feeling 200 times better. I am so sorry to whoever had to clean up my mess!

20 DISTRACTION Confessions

I had never seen “Frozen” before, but I was rebounding from a breakup and sleeping with a considerable number of people. In a matter of a few weeks, I managed to sleep with a Hans, a Sven and a Christopher. I told my roommate of my conquests and she bought be a celebratory pitcher at the Rat for sleeping with every character from Frozen.

(Hmu if your name is Olaf)

I hit a car in the Eaton parking lot and drove away immediately...

I've al ways wanted to have sex in the stacks but the guards there freak me out.

I fart at the gym all the time while I'm running on the treadmill. I've noticed I can run better when I'm simultaneously releasing gas.

I smoked pot for the first time on the top floor of a parking garage on campus. Parking garage shall not be named.

I've had sex at 12 different locations on campus.

To name a few: the stacks, the arboretum, the roof of the music school, the statue on the green... oh yeah, and #attherat.

I had a lofted bed when I lived in the freshman dorms. One time during sex, my whole bed fell to the floor and broke my mini fridge and microwave. Needless to say, my roommate was upset.

I can't have sex without socks on. My feet get cold. >

ONE TIME I SNEEZED AND MY TAMPON SHOT OUT. I WAS WEARING A SKIRT. The Big Issue

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My phone was dead in South Beach and all my friends left me, so after a night of clubbing I talked to a random guy on the street. We went back to his place and I made out with him just so he would pay for my Uber ride home.

I abandoned my bicycle on campus because the lock broke and they could never fix it.

I am tired of the Half Moon empanadas.

I think the comm school should consider a new food option.

One day, I noticed my cr ush wasn’ t in class so I decided to pull up his Facebook pa ge to see if I could find out where he was. I star ted scrolling through his pictures when I heard giggling behind me. It tur ns out my cr ush was in class.

I tur ned around to see him sitting with a g roup of gir ls. They had been watching my computer screen the whole time.

One time my Chipotle fell on the floor for like two seconds and I still ate it.

I ALWAYS CHOOSE 8 A.M. CLASSES BECAUSE I KNOW COFFEE MAKES ME USE THE BATHROOM AND I PREFER GOING TO THE ONE AT SCHOOL THAN AT HOME. SO AFTER CLASS ENDED, I WOULD QUICKLY GO TO MY USUAL SPOT AND TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.

22 DISTRACTION Confessions

I NEVER READ MY PROFESSOR’S EMAILS BECAUSE I AM TOO SCARED TO OPEN THEM.

I go to my professor's office hours in the secret hope that we might have sex. I know it’s never gonna happen though.

I was once dancing at a party when my favorite song came on. I got so excited I started moving backwards to let more people on to the dance floor while "getting low."

I ended up backing into a coffee table, tripping and sitting directly on it as well as my own beer bottle that was resting on it. I had a perfect circle bruise on my thigh for three weeks.

My parents were visiting one weekend and my boyfriend decided to invite us all to his house for dinner. My parents were really excited to meet him and see his place. After we parked and started walking toward the front door, his neighbor approached my parents. They asked if my parents knew the people who lived in my boyfriend’s house. After they said yes, the neighbors continued to tell my parents that they could see directly into my boyfriend's shower. Their grandma was watching us have sex in it every morning like it was porn.

Sometimes I want to punch my roommate in the face.

I still sleep with a security blanket.

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I

T O O K

A

S * * *

I have dated and slept with tons of my older brother’s friends. #whoopS I had sex with a guy I met on Tinder the first time we met.

I SLIPPED WALKING OUT OFF CLASS AT DOOLY ONE DAY AFTER IT RAINED. IT WASN'T LIKE A REGULAR SLIP AND FALL, THOUGH. I TRIED TO STAY STANDING AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND THE WHOLE PROCESS OF FALLING TOOK ME A GOOD FIVE SECONDS. NOT ONLY WAS IT EMBARRASSING, BUT ALSO MY BUTT SUSTAINED A NASTY BRUISE.

24 DISTRACTION Confessions

I N S I D E

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T E A C H E R ’ S

I FARTED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EXAM AND EVERYONE LOOKED BACK, SO I LOOKED BACK, TOO, AND BLAMED IT ON ANOTHER KID. IT’S THE DARKEST THING I'VE EVER DONE.

P O D I U M .

One time I was bored while driving so I flashed the guy who was next to me at a traffic light. He stayed frozen for about 20 seconds even after the light turned green.

I was making out with this guy and it was getting really hot. But then things went south, real fast, when my hair extensions came out in his hands. He screamed and ran away.

On my birthday, I went to have a few pitchers at the Rat with my boyfriend, my brother and our close friends.

We were playing pool when I noticed that there is a family restroom inside the Rat on the second floor. I've had a senior year bucket list of things I must do before I graduate, and with graduation around the corner, the clock was ticking. On that list was “have sex somewhere on campus.” With that in the back of my mind, I had this it’s-my-birthday-I-do-what-I-want mentality and asked my boyfriend if he wanted to get it on in the bathroom.

Of course he said yes. I lead him into the bathroom and we went missing for 20 minutes. Birthday sex? Check. On campus? Check.

I FEEL MATURE EVERYTIME I ASK F O R V E G E TA B L E S W I T H M Y F O O D.

I'm forever scared of Uber because once, I saw a car that was the same exact model as the one picking me up with its hazards on and parked on the side of the road, so I decided to open the door. A not-so-friendly man screamed at me for invading his private property and continued to scream at me with his windows rolled down as he drove away.

I hide everyone but my crush from my Snap story so I can post slutty pics that only he can see.

Is that bad?

Oops.

Every time I’m with my boyfriend I lie to my friends about where I am because they hate him.

It was my first time sleeping with this guy.

Right in the middle of sex, I start hearing yelling right outside his door. It turns out, his frat was having initiation and he forgot all about it. For a second I thought I would have to escape out the window. I was terrified.

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FOR RECENT G R A D words_kendall eisenberg & lexi williams. design_claudia fernandes & marissa vonesh.

Figuring out where to move after college can be a tough choice. There are tons of factors to consider, such as rent, the cost of living and the ability to get a job. As far as the social aspects go, you also need to think about nightlife, the average age of the people in the city and what kinds of activities are available. As you say goodbye to your college friends and open up the next chapter of life, you’re probably asking, “Where to next?”

Quite a few well-known companies that attract college grads are based in Seattle, including Amazon, Nordstrom and Starbucks.

The city’s biggest employer is Boeing, an aerospace company. Other major industries include health care and biotechnology. As of August 2015, the unemployment rate was a low 3.3 percent.

As far as nightlife goes, Seattle is a notorious hipster hotspot. From distilleries to dive bars, there’s no shortage of cool locations to get your drink on. No matter the field or the interests, Seattle is a great place to be after leaving the U; if you don’t mind the rain.

HOW TO STAY ACTIVE IN AN URBAN CITY 26 DISTRACTION In the Loop

Houston is a top destination for recent college graduates. Home to several large energy companies, this city attracts STEM majors looking for work. Additionally, Houston has very low unemployment rates, which pairs nicely with the city’s low cost of living.

Good sports teams, nationally recognized parks, fine dining and the overall Texan charm make Houston a great place to call home.

Nightlife in Houston varies depending on what you’re looking for. You can get rowdy at a sports bar, sip some Merlot at a low-key wine bar or dance the night away at a high energy nightclub. No matter what, you’re guaranteed to meet some friendly folks while out.

In a concrete jungle, staying Dancing active may not be easy Pop, lock and shake off those to do. Having that gym membership is great and all, extra pounds. Move to your favorite playlist for an hour and a but sometimes we want to half and you’ll burn 500 calories. try something new. Here is a To make things more interesting, list of fun ways to stay active pull out your old Dance Dance Revolution game and get moving. in your urban city:

UATE S Minneapolis is home to many of the name brands millennials love– Target, General Mills and PepsiAmericas. Major industries in the city include milling, machinery, medical products and electronics. It also has an unemployment rate of 3.3 percent in April 2015, recent grads won’t have much trouble finding a job in this up-and-coming city.

The city is the winner of USA Today/10Best. com’s Best Local Food Scene 2015. It also has world-class museums and gorgeous architecture.

Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, United Parcel Service and Home Depot are among Georgia’s biggest companies. While Atlanta had an unemployment rate of 6.3 percent as of April of 2015, 10 of the 14 biggest companies in Georgia are housed in Atlanta.

“Hotlanta,” was nicknamed by the rappers who live there for the fun times and the cultural diversity that thrives there today. For instance, in Atlanta you can visit the home of Martin Luther King Jr. and see the cultural impacts left by many different residents of the city.

Known as the “Wall Street of the Rockies,” Denver has jobs for mortgage specialists, security and commodity brokers, but it is best known for air transportation, telecommunications, aerospace and manufacturers.

After that grueling nine to five, residents can hit up a legal dispensary to get rocky mountain high, then take in the scenery or visit Mile High Stadium to watch the Denver Broncos. Denver is the place to be for any sports fanatic or nature lover, assuming you can handle the snow.

Walking dogs

Ice Skating/Rollerblading

Running

Going for a walk might not seem fun, but going with a friend of the fluffy variety can change that.

You’ll burn about 140 calories an hour and your pup will get some exercise too.

Dust off your old skates and hit the streets; rollerblading burns 827 calories an hour. This timeless activity will help you stay active while exploring your new city.

Go solo or join a running club.

Just because there may not be beautiful and scenic trails lining the city doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find a nice park or bridge to get the job done.

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O YP O

Virtual Reality Storytelling is about creating immersive environments and narratives where people can experience documentaries or narratives in an completely new way. This hands-on production course focuses on new immersive storytelling technologies, approaches and techniques in a production environment.

The student is encouraged to be both filmmaker and theorist to develop the new ways these new digital tools demand, encourage or make possible a new visual language.

For more information visit http://interactive. miami.edu

28 DISTRACTION In the Loop

NS

Navigating the office dress code can be a daunting task. What in the world does “business casual” actually mean? Here, distraction has pulled together various looks for guys and girls that will display your fashion sense while making you look like you actually have your s*** together. words_rori kotch. design_claudia fernandes. photo_valentina escotet & sidney sherman.

FLOUNCY & FLIRTY Have you ever just felt like not wearing pants for a full day? If you answered yes to that question, then a dress is a comfortable and easy option for you. Extra plus– dresses make you look like you’re actually trying. #Blessed.

We love this A-line, form flattering dress that looks awesome solo or paired with a black blazer.

Match it with a statement necklace for an extra pop of color or add bright heels if you want to explore your more adventurous side.

CHIC & EDGY Strut your stuff into the workplace looking like the “it girl.”

Pull out your chicest black pleather pants (or black slacks depending on your workplace) and pair them with a crisp white collared shirt and top it with a patterned sweater.

MODERN & CLASSIC A simple look can still be cute (and no one will even suspect you pushed snooze about five times). Slick your hair back into a high ponytail and add a swipe of bright red lipstick for an instant dose of color to up the ante on this black and white look.

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POWERFUL & PUT-TOGETHER Exude power with a more modern take on the classic powersuit. Pick a patterned buttondown and tuck it into neutral slacks. Top it off with a mismatched blazer and black shoes for a look that is both stylish and workplace appropriate.

CLEAN & LAID-BACK Casual Fridays shouldn’t be synonymous with jeans and plain T-shirts. Take a new spin on the weekly occasion by choosing a pair of colored jeans and a chambray short-sleeved shirt. Add a pair of brown leather shoes and a brown leather belt, grab your messenger bag and head out the door with a cup of coffee in hand.

COOL & COLORFUL Pick a colorful printed jacket, put it on top of a clean white button-down shirt and add an unexpected accent color with a bow tie. Match that color with sneakers. Our advice: wear this outfit to work and then head straight to happy hour.

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SENIOR WEEK KICK-OFF

N I O E R S 6 D 1 A 0 Y 2 AT THE RAT April 18th 4-8pm Class of 2016 Whether you are an undergraduate, graduate, medical or law school senior, this day is for you!

Donate $25 and as a thank you receive the following:

PROCEEDS GO TO THE SENIOR CLASS GIFT SCHOLARSHIP FUND

PRE-ORDER at

Miami.edu/SENIORS

#SeniorDay16 Thank you for your contribution. As a token of our appreciation, you will receive a commemorative Class of 2016 pitcher. We estimate the value of the pitcher to be $4.00. We are required to inform you that your federal income tax deduction for your contribution is the amount of your contribution less the value of the gift.

SPONSORED BY: Any questions please contact:

Matthew Fernandez

Assistant Director, Annual Giving Young Alumni & Student Philanthropy

P: 305-284-2046 E: m.fernandez73@umiami.edu

words_marissa vonesh. design_claudia fernandes. photo_josh liberman.

Miami is known for its high-rise hotels on the beach, bikini-clad bombshells, luxurious nightclubs and perfect weather. The allure of the city is its high-class atmosphere. Nature in Miami may seem like a little-used term, especially for a place that is known for its urban landscape, but it’s a lesser-known equal to the shops, restaurants and bars.

Matheson Hammock Park is a home for Monarch butterflies.

This butterfly most likely migrated South to Miami for the winter months.

32 DISTRACTION In the Loop

The warm sun glowing on your skin, the smell of fresh grass and salty water blowing in the air, the song of tropical birds– this is what nature in Miami provides, a moment to step back and relax.

“It’s an escape from the outside world. It’s a place where you can just relax and meditate,” freshman Caroline Zimmerman said. “It’s also just absolutely gorgeous to just sit there and watch fish in a stream, or anything really.”

However, aside from the breathtaking scenery of Lake Osceola and the breezy palms that line our pathways, sometimes it is difficult to experience nature in Miami’s urban landscape.

Miami’s nature scene is characterized by beaches, bays, mangrove forests and wetlands. The landscape remains relatively flat, which limits the types of outdoor adventures to be had.

“For those that like the outdoors, Miami is obviously not the place to be,” Mario Martinez, president of Canes Outdoor Recreational Program, said. “The ocean is nearby, but the waves are not good for surfing. However, Miami is a great place to cycle, as the weather is nice year round. Perhaps the most exhilarating thing you can do in Miami is Jet Ski. And if the winds are in your favor, then there’s kite boarding.”

Although limited, the natural oasis in Miami can help quench your desire to be one with nature.

The prime ways to escape into the wild environment of South Florida are watersports, camping and nature trails.

With the ocean extending at our fingertips, calm bays lining the coast and lengthy rivers spreading throughout the land, water is a great

A greenhouse long-abandoned sits quietly in the shade of Matheson Hammock. This greenhouse allowed many tropical plants to grow before they were planted throughout the botanical gardens.

Best

HIKING & NATURE Trails Matheson Nature Trail 1.4 miles

This trail first winds through the rugged hammock with excessive shade before opening up to an open meadow. The nature trail wraps around a pond covered in reeds and ends in a scenic neighborhood.

Bear Cut Preserve, Crandon Park 3.5 miles A hike consisting of three loops, Bear Cut Preserve has footpaths through woods and a paved back-trail through cleared trees. The end of the trail has a view of downtown Miami and overlooks a fossil reef.

Cape Florida Nature Trail 1.5 miles source of outdoor adventure. Snorkeling and scuba diving are akin to hikes underwater; kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding are exhausting physical outlets with rewarding scenery; boating and swimming allow for the ideal combination of relaxation and thrill.

Miami has different equipment rental businesses to help engage you with the water, such as Miami Watersports in Coconut Grove or Miami EcoAdventures, which is scattered throughout Southern Florida’s parks. For boating, swimming and purely taking in the warm sun, Miami’s different beaches foster an array of different moods, from a family environment (Matheson Hammock Park), to a remote nature escape (Key Biscayne), to a mix of the outdoor and urban lifestyle (North Shore Open Space Park Beach).

For an overnight getaway and the chance to catch a few shooting stars, camp in the rugged terrain of Biscayne National Park, the Everglades or Oleta River State Park. Traditional camping means completely disconnecting from the chaos of the world and truly getting into nature. Campsites offer opportunities to bike, hike, swim, fish and simply sit and enjoy the landscape. Furthermore, many of

the parks offer areas for cabin or RV camping if you fear mosquitoes.

The easiest way to engross yourself in the environment is walking along the different nature trails of South Florida. Most Miami-Dade parks have a simple walking trail, and UM even has one wrapping through the Gifford Arboretum. Pause and take in the beauty of the mangroves, palm trees, ocean and animals along the small strolls.

Other areas might have strenuous backpacking trails, rock climbing and dangerous rapids, but Miami has its own nature niche. Being in nature means underwater trails (accessible to brave snorkelers and divers), expansive bike paths and short moments of peace by a palm tree to escape the busy city life. Even in this bustling city, there are always opportunities for you to find your peace.

Walk along an old Jeep trail between hammocks and marshlands to explore the southernmost tip of Key Biscayne. The trail overlooks the ocean at points and brings you to the historic Cape Florida Lighthouse.

87 acres Filled with a variety of plants and animals, Fairchild is perfect for an eclectic dose of wildlife.

David Fairchild collected a range of tropical and flowering trees and other plants from all over the world. Stop by the garden cafe after you explore for a refreshing smoothie.

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CHEESY? words_rori kotch. photo_rori kotch. design_rori kotch.

PERCENTAGE OF PIZZA CONSUMED BY MEAL More than half of the total pizza consumption happens at home, but during which meal?

DINNER The ultimate treat yo’self dinner is a pizza all to yourself.

We might not all prefer the same toppings, but we can all agree that pizza is delicious.

In fact, we’re so crazy about it that Manchester Metropolitan University has even partnered up with Pizza Hut to create 1,500 apprenticeships for its students. Clearly you picked the wrong major.

Our love for pizza is vast and deep, but how much do we actually know about it?

BREAKFAST We think there’s nothing

better than a cold slice of pizza to greet you in the morning. Apparently, two percent of Americans agree.

LUNCH Pizza was often served at our elementary school lunches. It can commonly be found in an endearing circular disc or a Sicilian-like square. To us, though shape doesn’t matter; it’s all about that taste.

SNACK

Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Pizza Today,” GE Appliances, National Organization of Pizza Operators (NAPO), National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, The Washington Post, The Huffington Post

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Pizza as a snack?

You read that right.

Eleven percent of Americans are chowing down on our favorite treat throughout the day.

Talk about a pick-meup in the form of a hot, oozing slice.

THE BIG THREE

LOCAL FAVORITES

There are tons of pizzerias in the U.S., but chains always seem to be the most prevalent. Here are the three largest ones.

Yeah, the pizza chains are fast and cheap, but what about supporting our own local businesses? Here are a few local spots to grab a slice at.

1 2 3 4 5

The world’s largest pizza was made in Rome on Dec. 13, 2012. The pizza, named “Ottavia” was gluten-free and was 13,580.28 square feet, which is roughly the area of four school buses.

Joe’s Old School Pizza 1232 S. Dixie Highway, Coral Gables Gables Pizza & Salad 1558 S. Dixie Highway, Coral Gables Harry’s Pizzeria 2996 McFarlane Road, Miami New York Roma Pizza (“Grove Pizza”) 2985 McFarlane Road, Miami Big Cheese Pizza 8080 S.W. 67th Ave., Miami

As you can see, there are many choices, and this isn’t even all of them.

Got a favorite? Let us know! Tweet at us @DistractionUM.

INTERNATIONAL LOVIN’ As much as you might like your regular pepperoni and extra cheese, there are other toppings out there.

We know, shocker.

Some of the popular toppings from around the world range from coconut to green peas, and of course, bacon.

THE FOLD Fold edges over and eat slice hot dog-style.

SANDO STYLE Place slice A on top of slice B.

THE FLIP SIDE Turn upside down. Eat crust first.

REFINED DINER Put pizza on plate. Cut small bites.

BURRITO Roll pizza into burrito from end to the crust.

CRUSTLESS Cut crust off of slice, dispose of it. Enjoy.

The Big Issue

NO SHARE Order large pizza. Sit on couch.

Consume.

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ALCOHOL

SUBSCRIPTION BOXES Taster’s Club:

gives you the choice to pick your favorite whiskey, rum or tequila. Each month, you will receive a bottle of your chosen liquor. Prices vary from $50-$69 per month.

Craft Beer Club:

sends 12 amazing craft brews from around the globe to your home for $39 per month. All the beers come from small, independent brewers who use traditional brewing ingredients.

Shaker and Spoon:

is for those who don’t really know how to make extravagant cocktails. Each month, the company sends you new flavors and combinations to make your same goto drinks differently each time. Each month, you’ll receive a box with three ingredients and recipes for 12 drinks with all the necessary ingredients for $40.

THE GUIDE TO words_maria hernandez. photo_olivia stauber. design_celeste escotet.

Subscription boxes have become the modern way to shop. This new retail trend handpicks, curates and ships items straight to your door. Operating them is pretty simple. First, choose the type of box service you want to indulge in. There are hundreds of options to choose from– beauty, toys and even food. Second, complete a survey to determine your taste and style preferences to make each month’s box as unique as possible, and to ensure that you like what you’re sent. Third, patiently wait each month to be surprised with new, awesome products carefully selected just for you. It’s like your own personal shopper arriving at your doorstep with goodies.

There’s a subscription box out there for everyone, regardless of preference.

DRINKS

For the booze aficionados, Club W is the right community to join. It’s the world’s only personalized wine club. Six simple questions and the completion of the Palette Profile will let you know which bottle is the perfect match for you. Each month, a group of wine connoisseurs will suggest a bottle that suits your style.

Next thing you know, you’ll get three wines from the vineyard shipped straight to your door. You can also easily skip a month or swap a bottle of wine for another on the app.

Price: $39 per month

CLOTHES

For the guys who hate shopping but need to update their wardrobe, The Gents Pack is the way to go. The process is very simple: you choose your underwear, sock and grooming style and the rest is up to them. Each month you will be surprised with products ranging from sexy underwear to woo your lady, socks to make your classmates smile and shaving cream for your next big presentation. It’s like going shopping without having to deal with the salesperson. You can choose to receive all the offers or customize it to fit your individual needs.

Price: Ranges from $20-30 per month depending on the products chosen You don’t have to be an A-list celeb to have a personal stylist pick out your clothes. Trunk Club allows you to fill out a survey with your style preferences, weight, height, size and favorite shopping locations so that a stylist can create a trunk of clothes for you. After the website puts you in touch with one (we got Susann), they call you to ask for more information and then email you with a list of potential options. Let them know what you think and then your customized new closet will be mailed over. The service is available for both male and females, but be wary that you only have 10 days to return the box or you get charged for everything in it. Dressing well without having to actually go to a store? Sign us up.

Price: Clothes prices range from $100-$300 and there are no membership fees or shipping costs

PETS

BarkBox is a distinctive monthly box of goodies tailored to your doggies. Each box contains fun toys, healthy treats and cool gadgets to make your dogs happy according to their size, breed and temperament.

Price: $21 per month

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SUBSCRIPTION

BOXES

MAKEUP

Birchbox is a beauty company based in New York City. The company sells beauty tools, gadgets and lifestyle products. Each box sent has five samples uniquely designed for each subscriber. Most of the products offered come from start-up companies. This gives the customer the chance to try new products that have just entered the market before they become trendy.

Price: $10 per month Ipsy is a beauty product retailer. Each month, subscribers receive a gorgeous makeup bag, called the Glam Bag, with deluxe samples and full-sized beauty products. Ipsy puts a lot of focus on incorporating makeup products into these Glam Bags, which are all carefully filled by a group of stylists.

Price: $10 per month

GROOMING

For a hassle-free shaving experience, the Dollar Shave Club is the ideal subscription option.

Understanding the diversity of blades can get confusing, but the Dollar Shave Club makes it easy.

Once joined, you’ll receive monthly four stainless steel blades and four cartridges. Personalize your box by deciding which type of blade you prefer. You can always change your options each month if you want to try new things.

Price: $6 per month

FOOD

Bacon can be delivered to your door each month. This is not a drill.

With Bacon of the Month Club, you get two flavors of gourmet, thick-cut bacon sent directly to you. There’s hickory smoked bacon, smoked maple bacon, honey barbecue– even vanilla Bourbon country bacon for some creativity.

You also get a “Bacon is Meat Candy” T-shirt so you can profess your love of bacon in style. Each pack is 14 to 16 ounces, so you can either make breakfast for your suitemates or keep it all to yourself.

We’ll go with the latter.

Price: $145.95 for three months, $269.95 for six months, $475.94 for the whole year For the healthy foodies, there’s Blue Apron. Blue Apron’s goal is to make cooking fun and easy by sending weekly recipes with fresh, hormone-free ingredients already measured to facilitate the cooking process. All the ingredients conveniently arrive in a refrigerated box on the date the customer scheduled the delivery. If you are a picky eater you can easily skip a recipe, so no worries. Each box includes food items for three recipes with enough food for two.

Price: $59.94 per week

CELEBRITY SUBSCRIPTION BOXES Jessica Alba was searching for the safest and most effective products for her family and decided to create her own. The Honest Co. creates non-toxic, eco-friendly, biodegradable, organic bath and skin care products. Bundles can be completely personalized. Choose which products you need and decide how often they will arrive at your home. Bundle prices start at $35.

Kate Hudson loves working out and created an affordable athletic clothing line called Fabletics. Take an online lifestyle quiz in which you will be asked about your favorite way to sweat, where you love to get fit, sizes and style to get a personalized outfit each month. The first month costs $25.

Pharrell Williams is a musician and entrepreneur who wants to inspire young minds using music, fashion and art.

Every three months, Quarterly delivers a curated themed box filled with items chosen by Pharell himself. Each box has a secret theme that is never fully revealed, but hints are always given. With the box also comes a note from Pharrell describing the theme and meaning behind each object. Each packages costs $50.

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don’t have gum for a test, I get nervous I won’t do as well.”

It is best to choose a mint-flavored gum because mint stimulates nerve fibers, similar to the sensation of splashing cold water on your face.

Turn on the lights words_sabrina saccente. design_isabel da corte.

Many students wake up every morning believing that if they don’t have their daily cup of coffee, they won’t be able to function later on. Without this dose of caffeine, the day seems to drag on longer than it should. Others believe that Red Bull is the ultimate solution to relieving tiredness. However, studies have shown that coffee and energy drinks aren’t the best ways to energize, so we’ve compiled a few alternative methods that don’t use harmful ingredients or cause jittery effects.

Have some fresh fruit

Drawbacks of Caffeine We’ve all been there. It’s 2 a.m. and you know that there is no possible way you are pulling this all-nighter without four shots of espresso. However, this might be hurting you more than you think. High levels of caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness and a rapid heartbeat– aka the feelings you got before your first date all over again.

It also addictive if consumed daily, making it so the more caffeine you have, the more you will need in the future. That one cup just won’t do it for you anymore. On the more serious side, it can create blood clots that can cause a heart attack later on, so maybe just do that all-nighter sans coffee. Or just not at all.

38 DISTRACTION Health & Wellness

Fresh fruit, such as apples, oranges and bananas are high in natural sugars.

Therefore, they are a great way to jolt your body into gear. These natural sugars and other carbohydrates can help stabilize your blood sugar and supply you with the necessary energy to survive your 8 a.m. class. Combine these fruits with your favorite granola or cereal for a well-rounded breakfast that consists of sugars, carbohydrates and protein. This hearty breakfast will leave you feeling full and ready to take on your day.

Exercise in the morning Although it might not be the ideal situation for the typical college student, exercising in the morning is a great way to wake up and feel more alert throughout the day. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which make you feel more alive and prepared for the rest of the day’s endeavors. Exercise does not have to involve running a half marathon– a simple jog or abdominal workout will suffice.

Chew gum Chewing gum is not only beneficial for freshening your breath, but also helps to raise your heart rate, which increases blood flow to the brain.

“I chew gum during all of my tests because I feel that it makes me focus better,” freshman Abby Lloyd said. “If I

It is important to wake up and get ready in bright light, whether it be from sunlight or light bulbs. Bright light awakens your brain and makes you feel more alert. Darkness and bedtime go hand-in-hand, hence why you feel gloomier when the lights are off. Starting off your morning with a stroll in the sunlight or even having breakfast in a brightly-lit kitchen can help make you more alert for the rest of the day.

Go to sleep 20 minutes earlier Most college kids can relate to studying until the wee hours of the night and racing to complete last-minute homework assignments that were left to the last minute. However, this habit disregards the fact that sleep is a very important aspect of feeling energized throughout the day. By going to bed 20 minutes earlier, you can receive that extra bit of sleep you need to get your body running in the morning.

Talk to a friend Studies have shown connections between chatting and feeling more alert.

Being socially disconnected can provoke negative thoughts and decrease levels of productivity. A simple phone call or breakfast with a friend can pique your interest and keep your mind attentive.

“I try to have lunch with my friends in between classes because talking to them relieves stress and makes me feel better,” said freshman Julia Kohl.

Meditate Meditation has become very popular in the mainstream over the past couple of years. It is proven that practicing visualization exercises while meditating can bring you closer to achieving your goals. The mind is a powerful tool and simply visualizing yourself feeling positive and energized can actually change your mental and physical awareness.

KEEP HYDRATED This applies to both your skin and your body. Make sure your cleanser isn’t stripping your skin of natural oils (a fragrance-free or all-natural one might be the way to go) and exfoliate once a week to shake off any stubborn skin cells.

Moisturizer is something most people tend to opt out on, but it’s essential for that glowy look. And if you didn’t already have an incentive to, water has been proven to impact the texture of your skin, so keep a bottle of it close by.

As Miamians, we all need our skin to look #flawless and beach ready.

These are some of our favorite products. Got a favorite?

Tweet it at us @ DistractionUM.

DE-STRESS

Peter Thomas Roth CC Cream

Notice how your skin always seems to flare up around finals? It’s not really because of your poor sleeping habits and substantial coffee intake (though those play a strong role, too). The effects of stress go beyond your mental sanity and leave a physical imprint on your skin. Cortisol, the stress hormone, increases your skin’s oil production, which can lead to whiteheads and clogged pores. Try to incorporate stress-reducing activities into your daily agenda such as warm baths, long runs, massages, Netflix binges– whatever does it for you.

SWITCH TO SILK No one wants their face to be contoured by their pillowcase. Forgo your rough cotton pillowcases and trade them in for silk ones. Traditional fabrics lead to those much-detested morning lines and creases, which is the equivalent of painting on wrinkles.

Make sure you select 100 percent silk cases, (though those can usually get expensive) and wash your pillowcases at least twice a week.

USE SUNSCREEN

words_asmae fahmy. photo_rori kotch. design_rori kotch.

Healthy skin does not require a $400 trip to the dermatologist or a facial that feels like Edward Scissorhands is taking a jab at your epidermis. You don't have to forgo chocolate forever and you can definitely pass on the Proactiv. However, it does require a commitment, but with a few alterations to your regimen and some habit adjustments, it’s possible to attain it. While there is not a universal skincare system for everyone, there are methods we can all adopt.

Products We Love

This one seems pretty self-explanatory, but it can't be emphasized enough.

We live in Miami, where the sun’s rays seem to hit a little harder and everyone always wants to be tanner. You might be sporting a bronze, dewy look one day, but in time, that glow will fade into dark spots and wrinkles. So sunscreen is necessary; preferably one over SPF 30 and that’s non-comedogenic so it won’t clog your pores.

EAT CONSCIOUSLY Treat your skin from the kitchen; no overpriced moisturizer required.

Some skin problems are triggered by nutritional deficiencies or poor eating habits. Add fish to your diet, especially salmon and sardines, which are packed with antioxidants and fight inflammation. Vegetarians or picky eaters can also incorporate a fish oil vitamin and reap the same benefits too.

This CC cream is meant to keep your skin looking fresh and luminous all day long, and it has SPF 30 to protect your skin from the sun’s rays.

Eos Lip Balm Lip protection often falls by the wayside when it comes to skincare. Our favorite product is Eos lip balm; they come in all sorts of flavors and they’re small and handy.

Burt’s Bees BB Cream Great skin doesn’t mean breaking the bank.

This BB cream is not only hydrating, but it also has SPF 15 and is tinted to conceal any blemishes.

Extra plus: it can be found at your local drugstore.

The Big Issue DISTRACTION 39

DECODING words_marissa vonesh. photo_valentina escotet & rori kotch. design_claudia fernandes.

Cooking in college is difficult. Sure, we have left the nest knowing how to add salt and pepper, but how do we make our dishes come alive? What is it that turns an ordinary piece of chicken into a culinary masterpiece? The answer is herbs.

Herbs are plants that add some welcome flavor to a dish.

They differ from traditional culinary spices because they are generally made from the leafy part of a plant. Herbs are valued not only for their savory attributes, but also for their medicinal and aromatic qualities. Whatever dish you are making, an herb can always be added.

GROW, DRY, PRESERVE

Most kitchen herbs can be grown in little pots on your windowsill. Some herbs do not require drying and can be used fresh, such as basil. Other herbs (such as sage and thyme) are more frequently used dry. Cut these herbs, clean them and find a warm, dry spot where you can hang them. Tie them securely with a rubber band or twine and hang for one to three weeks.

Once the plant crumbles in your fingers, it is ready to be taken down. Keep them fresh in glass jars or Tupperware and keep them away from sunlight.

Herbs are used in dishes to add personality. Some herbs taste better with different foods, but keep in mind that herbs complement your personal taste. Find what you like and use it as your go-to flavor booster.

DILL

PARSLEY

CILANTRO

Dill is a feathery herb that has a strong flavor. Most of the time, dill is used for pickling, but the herb also supplements salmon, salads, butternut squash, carrots, stews and cottage cheese. Dill mixes well with numerous other flavors including mustard, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, chives, parsley and pepper. It is an herb than can be cooked or used fresh.

“Dill has a truly unique flavor. I only use it for happy dishes,” said freshman David Lancester, who started DK Culminary Ventures, “use dill for an unexpected punch on any type of salad, on a goat cheese and cucumber sandwich, or as a stellar garnish for any flavor Jell-O shot.” *Boosts digestive health, helps insomnia

A light herb that tastes grassy, parsley is often used to supplement fish, chicken, potatoes, pasta dishes, soups and eggs. The leafy herb works well with basil, chives and tarragon and can be used as an addition to any type of salad. Recipes from all over the world are garnished with parsley, making it one of the most commonly consumed herbs. It is best used when fresh and you can grow it right in your kitchen. *Helps with flatulence and bad breath

Cilantro adds a fresh bite of flavor to Caribbean, Latin American and Asian dishes.

Cilantro might be the missing ingredient in that guacamole or your latest fish taco recipe.

Although used and celebrated by many, this small herb is often recognized as the “weird uncle” of herbs.

Up to 14 percent of the population find cilantro repulsive and soapy to taste. Your love or vehement hate for cilantro is dependent on genetics, according to Charles J. Wysocki of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. If you choose to use the controversial ingredient, make sure to use fresh cilantro or incorporate it toward the end of the cooking process to preserve its taste and texture. *Natural cleansing agent

The Hipster

THYME

The Overachiever Thyme is categorized as having a pungent, woodsy flavor and is often used as an all-purpose flavor enhancer. Thyme is multifaceted and used with eggs, lamb, grilled fish, roast beef, turkey, pork and beans. Rosemary, oregano, marjoram and cilantro are other herbs that often accompany thyme. This catch-all herb is best used fresh.

Try adding thyme to your green beans next time you are making a side dish. Some thyme, minced garlic and lemon added to your veggies can transform their flavor, changing your attitude from eating your beans for pure nutrition to running back to the kitchen for a second helping. *Reduces infection and helps with indigestion, congestion and coughing

40 DISTRACTION Health & Wellness

The Go-with-the-Flow

MINT

The Refresher Mint leaves are both crisp and fresh, giving an energizing boost to a dish and your day.

Mint is versatile, acting as a deodorant, a drink, or a stimulating zest to a dish. The leaves can be used in sweets such as frosting, jelly, cake, chocolate and pies, but also offer an intense flavor to pork, potatoes, peas and different fruits.

Mint is commonly paired with cayenne, ginger, cumin and chamomile. There are numerous varieties of mint, including the well known spearmint and peppermint as well as catmint, lemon mint (commonly known as bergamot) and apple mint. The leaves can be used dry for teas or fresh for cooking. *Relieves upset stomach, freshens breath

The Controversy

THYME

CILANTRO

MINT

PARSLEY

DILL

The Big Issue DISTRACTION 41

CHIVES

BASIL

Onion-like and easy to use, chives offer an alternative for any dish that would typically call for an onion.

Chives work especially well with sour cream for baked potatoes and on top of eggs. They offer a fresher taste than onions and are a never-ending herb. Simply cut the chives with clean scissors or a knife, and continue to let the stems grow afterward.

“I love chives! They remind me of my grandma because her favorite thing to eat is French onion soup and chives,” sophomore Trish Vega said. *Low in calories, nutrient-rich and dense in fiber

Basil is a perfumed leaf with an earthy, licorice-like flavor. It is a staple herb that complements white meats, roast beef, turkey and lamb. It can be used in pesto pasta dishes, salads and sandwiches. Basil also works well with tomatoes, lemons, fresh cheeses, avocados and peaches. It is best to pair basil with thyme or oregano for additional herbal flavor.

“My wife and I use basil on a lot of different things,” said Richard Beckman, professor and director of the graduate program for journalism and media management. “We grow and dry it ourselves and hang it in the garage. We like Italian food, and basil is one of the main herbs in Italian food.”

Basil is one of the most common herbs used, and is difficult to mess up. It is safe to say that basil can be your “old reliable.” But beware of cooking basil, especially when used in tomato sauce, because it will become bitter to taste.

Wait until the end to top off your dishes with this sweet herb. *Helps with flatulence, lack of appetite and healing cuts

The Taste-a-Like

ROSEMARY The Savory

Rosemary is strong and has a woodsy taste to it. The rich herb is best matched with grilled fish, pork, grilled meats, cauliflower, potatoes and eggs.

Rosemary is the perfect herb to stuff into poultry before cooking, or to add to a sauce to create a subtler taste. The herb best complements oregano, thyme and garlic. Rosemary can be dried or used fresh depending on the recipe.

Cook rosemary to make the herb’s texture more delicate and to bring out its layered flavors. *Aids memory and concentration, improves mood and helps bad breath

The Go-To

*=Health benefits

Make Your Own Herbal Tea Making herbal tea does not require a tea bag.

To do it, simply break off a piece of a fresh herb (mint, thyme or rosemary, for starters) and add some citrus or spice into your mug (such as cinnamon or cloves) then boil water, steep, cover, pour and drink up!

Echinacea Tea Echinacea is a flower that is used medicinally to fight infections, treat snake bites and relieve pain. It has also been used to soothe coughs and sore throats. Echinacea is the herb “cureall.” You can buy dried Echinacea or grow and cultivate your own. If you have a small patio, plant the flowers. After the flower head has been in bloom for a while, cut the flower and hang it to dry. You can use the whole plant for the tea.

Bring the water to a boil and add the dried Echinacea. Cover the pot and let the water simmer for 15 minutes. Once the time is up, strain the water into a cup, add more honey and enjoy!

Relaxation Tea -Mix equal parts basil, chamomile and lavender together.

-Portion two teaspoons of herbs to every six ounces of water.

-Combine the herbs into boiling water, let it steep while covered. Strain the herbs and pair the mixture with some lemon and honey.

CHIVES

ROSEMARY SAGE

BASIL

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Constructing the perfect burger is a lost art. In the age of McDonald’s and Burger King, a 99 cent sliver of fake meat has become the norm. Well that ends here. Whether you’re a meat lover or a veg head, here’s how you can get the perfect burger– drive-thru not included.

THE BREAD As the ingredient that holds everything together, the bread you choose is crucial to your burger success. A sturdy ciabatta roll is perfect for those ultra juicy concoctions, but if you’re going the traditional route, sesame seeds are the way to go. Want to combine decadence with utility? Firm and chewy pretzel buns are a solid choice, too.

THE FATTY FACTOR

Anyone can slap some meat on a bun and call it a burger, but if you really want to impress, you need to go the extra mile. Adding something fat-filled (aka delicious) right at the top of the stack will not only look visually appealing, but it will create an explosion of flavor as soon as you take a bite.

Bacon, avocado or an onion ring are all surefire ways to amp up your stack.

THE VEGGIE

Just like people, burgers are made up of different parts, and that’s what makes them unique. The types of vegetables you choose to add to your burger will depend on the flavor you’re trying to create. If you like the classic taste, stick with a tomato. But if you’re going for a more “health god” vibe, throw on some cucumbers for a surprising yet refreshing crunchy garnish.

THE CHEESE

This layer can either make you or break you. Sure, all cheeses are delicious, but you must choose wisely. Everyone knows you can’t put blue cheese on a Southwest-inspired burger. And if you abstain from cheese, don’t even talk to us.

THE SPECIAL SAUCE

Much like the cheese, the sauce can really dictate the flavor profile of your burger. Ketchup and mustard are always fan favorites, but if you’re going to build a burger you’d better go all-in. Truffle aioli will make you seem fancy AF, while a dash of hot sauce will add an unexpected zing.

THE PATTY

Ah, the pièce de résistance. There are so many delicious options for your patty. If you like your meat a little rare and don’t mind the extra calories, always go for the beef burger.

If you still want the feel of a traditional burger but are a little more health-conscious, go with a turkey or bison burger patty. For the vegetarians, a homemade veggie burger can be just as flavorful as a meat option. No matter what you choose, make sure you season it well and don’t overcook it!

THE VEGGIE (AGAIN)

You had some veggie before the patty, now you have to add some after. Pick a leafy green to put under the meat (or meat substitute) to catch all of the juice that will surely be oozing out. Your mom will be proud.

THE SECRET INGREDIENT

No good recipe is complete without a little bit of mystery.

This final layer of your burger should be flavorful enough to complement your burger, but not overpower it. We suggest one of the following: a fried egg, caramelized onions, homemade jam, a dollop of chili or sautéed mushrooms.

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44 DISTRACTION Health & Wellness 1 SOUTHWEST 129 AVE. SUITE 302, PEMBROKE PINES, FL 33027

The Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center has many options for working out.

Students enjoy group classes that range from Zumba, HIIT training and spinning.

Miami is known for the incredible lower bodies seen all over the beach, so why not get ready for summer in the hottest city in the world? Although there are cardio bursts, weight exercises and ab workouts, the purpose of the Gutts-n-Butts class is to make sure your legs are so sore that climbing stairs is going to hurt for a few days. Expect a ton of squats, along with other booty-toning moves using equipment such as Bosu balls and individual steps. Those who have gone to the class, like junior Kayla Derby, know to expect a difficult workout that will bring about sore muscles.

“It’s a really intense class that gets you sweating,” Derby said. “I’ve never heard anything bad from this class. All the girls that go love it.”

Junior Robert Renfro enjoys the classes more than working out alone because of the routine it creates.

“I feel like it’s a very judgment-free zone and everybody is there for a common goal: to become a healthier individual,” he said. “It allows me to not think about the next exercises I have to do.”

RUN. REST. R E P E AT. THE BEST CLASSES AT THE WELLNESS CENTER words_alina zerpa. photo_sidney sherman. design_christina riccardi.

The University of Miami has a lot of really underrated features. We’re talking about The Pit (one of the best spots to study on campus), the gorgeous piece of nature that is the Gifford Arboretum and the grilled cheese special at the Rathskeller. Atop that list sit the fitness classes at the Wellness Center.

With various times, rooms, teachers and target areas, the group exercise classes are perfect for anyone.

Whether you’re getting your abs ready for swimsuit season, taking a break from studying or starting a healthy habit, the workout classes are a fun and convenient way to reach your goal.

The group exercise classes are all an hour long, unless otherwise specified, and are taught by nationally certified professionals. They’re free for UM students and all needed equipment is provided.

Follow the music to the second floor of the Wellness Center to check out any of the 14 classes offered from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

“It’s a way to engage people and reach out to them. We bring a group together and it becomes more of a social activity,” said Michelle Kasparian, Zumba instructor and associate director of Group Exercise and Community Classes. “It’s fun and it’s another way to approach wellness.”

With this city’s musical diversity, it’s difficult not to gravitate toward a workout class that is dedicated dancing to upbeat songs. However, with Zumba, the intensity can vary depending on the instructor. Intensity ranges from simple side-to-side moves, to not being able to keep up with the sweat dripping down your face. Although it has a reputation for being more of a fun dance class than a workout, it’s guaranteed that a water bottle and a towel are needed to keep you pushing throughout the whole hour. Ironically enough, although it is a difficult class, you’ll finish saying, “That was only an hour?”

Zumba regular and junior Jackie Safstrom enjoys going to the classes for its unique experience.

“It’s really engaging and it’s an upbeat activity,” she said. “It’s wonderful for all levels of physical fitness.

Zumba is an awesome way to let loose and partake in something stress relieving.”

TRX CIRCUIT While walking by Multipurpose Room B, have you ever noticed the weird looking black and yellow bungee cords on the wall? That’s for the TRX class. Although the name sounds intimidating, it’s definitely worth a try.

This class works out every part of your body, especially your arms. Not only does the class require the use of weights and other equipment to work out, but it also uses the cords to add an extra component to the routine.

Whether you’re using them for mountain climbers or for pull-ups, you’re guaranteed to leave the room feeling like your arms and legs are going to fall off.

Sophomore Rachel Mesa’s first experience with the group exercise classes began with TRX circuit and, since then, she has experimented with other classes, as well.

“I’m not really one to go to the gym, so the class made working out fun,” Mesa said. “I feel like some people have a misconstrued perception that the classes don’t count as working out because you’re not doing any heavy lifting, which isn’t true.”

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Let’s be honest, we’ve all wanted to read someone’s mind at some point in our lives– whether you wanted to analyze an awkward first date or figure out if your roommate was lying to you about eating your leftovers. Since falling into a vat of radioactive goo to gain mind-reading super powers isn’t a realistic option, learning to read someone’s body language is the next best thing. Chances are, you’re pretty good at reading body language already.

You’ve been doing it subconsciously your whole life. But if reading people doesn’t come naturally to you or you just want to hone in on your skills, here are the basics. words_emmi velez. photo_valentina escotet. design_claudia fernandes.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Eyes give away the most information when interacting with others. They often tell us more than words can.

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Facial expressions aren't always what they seem (think back to when your aunt bought you that horrible sweater for your birthday but you smiled through the pain).

When someone is genuinely smiling, their eyes are just as involved as their mouth: the eyelids and eyebrows turn upwards, along with the corners of their mouth. When we fake a smile, our eyes remain expressionless. Keep a look out for a subtle squint, even if it’s fleeting, as it could indicate that someone is doubting what you’re saying. It could imply either curiosity or suspicion. A smirk is typically a tell-tale sign that a manipulator has gotten their way with you, or that someone thinks they’re above you. Another thing to look out for is pursed lips. They’re a dead giveaway that someone is uncomfortable or suppressing anger. Also, if someone answers a question with a no but is nodding their head, or vice versa, ignore what they’re saying and go with their head movements: it most likely shows how they really feel.

POSTURE This seems like a given, but if someone is crossing their arms, it can mean they’re defensive or uncomfortable.

Standing straight can mean someone is confident and powerful.

“When I recruited for my sorority sophomore year, our recruitment chair really stressed the importance of excellent posture when making a first impression– we had a whole workshop about it,” senior Mary Selep said.

If someone is shifting their weight from foot to foot, it can mean they’re impatient, excited, scared or even intimidated. Most of the time we focus on keeping our faces and upper body under control, leaving our feet to reveal more than we think they do. If you’re in a conversation with someone and their feet are pointing in a different direction than you’re standing, it might mean they aren’t interested in talking to you. On the bright side, that also means someone whose feet are pointed to you is most likely very interested in you.

EYE CONTACT The whole “the eyes are the window to the soul” theory may ring true. If someone avoids eye contact, it can say as much as if they were making strong eye contact. This evasion can mean they’re ashamed, embarrassed or dishonest.

Persistent eye contact can be an attempt to intimidate, lie or assert dominance. When someone’s pupils get noticeably larger when you’re talking to them, it can mean that they are interested in talking with or even attracted to you! Here’s the coolest part: we can’t control what our pupils have to say, so there’s no hiding how you really feel. So liars, beware.

VERBAL CUES Ever said one thing when you really meant to say something else?

The phenomenon has been dubbed a Freudian slip and refers to when your unconscious takes control of your vocal chords. Presidents, princes and popes have all done it, and the people around you most likely do too. If your boyfriend or girlfriend accidentally says their ex’s name instead of yours, it could be a sign that they’re still on their mind. Such gaffes might be deemed innocent enough, but they typically denote a secret desire or thought.

What you say during an interview is important, but you should also focus on how you say it, too.

Your body gives off more cues than you think.

Sit all the way back in your seat, good posture is an automatic sign of confidence.

Nod your head while listening.

This makes you look attentive and really interested in what your interviewer has to say.

Don’t overdo the eye contact.

Instead, try to look at different parts of their face (eyes, nose, mouth), rotating every few seconds.

Hiding your hands can be seen as a sign of dishonesty or nervousness.

Using hand movements when speaking will make you seem more engaged.

Freshman Olivia Stauber bites her finger. This is usually a sign of nervousness or feelings of discomfort.

Freshman Olivia Stauber twirls her hair.

It is shown that most women do this in playful or flirtatious situations when trying to gain the attention of the opposite sex.

HOW TO TELL WHEN SOMEONE IS LYING

FLIRTING

They use their hands to cover their mouths when they speak. We learn this in childhood, as if to prevent ourselves from lying.

Their voice drastically changes pitch.

They keep fidgeting: If they keep touching their hair or fixing their shirt it can mean guilt or anxieties are making them restless.

They say phrases that assert their honesty, such as “To tell you the truth” or “to be completely honest.”

They avoid eye contact or make too much eye contact.

They jerk their head quickly.

Their breathing changes: they may pant or seem out of breath.

Head tilting: When someone tilts his or her head, it is a subconscious effort to seem sympathetic.

Strong eye contact: If someone is making an effort to maintain eye contact with you, chances are they are interested and want you to know it!

They “mirror” your actions: When we really like someone we subconsciously find ourselves mirroring their actions to show we are similar and compatible (i.e. when they laugh, you laugh or when they change their posture, you do too).

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Bold colors, ringing ear drums, blinding lights and a sizzling summer ambiance. Escape the heat of a Miami day with the electricity of the night.

Bright whites, elongating silhouettes and reflective fabrics will amp up your summer wardrobe. From getting ready to going out, every part of the process is charged.

photo_valentina escotet. design_claudia fernandes. styling_ hollie pollak & miguel rodriguez clark hair & makeup_ celeste escotet. models_ courtney bess, rebekah chung, clark rosen & christian schaeffer.

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On Rebekah: Top, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; pants, TopShop; shoes, Jeffrey Campbell; handbag, Buffalo Exchange. On Clark: Tuxedo, H&M; dress shirt, Topman; pants, Zara; boots, Aldo.

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On Courtney: Dress, Zara; shoes, Stuart Weitzman. On Christian: Blazer, Dsquared2; pants, Zara.

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On Clark: Tuxedo, H&M; dress shirt, Topman.

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On Christian: Dress shirt, Topman; pants, Club Monaco; shoes, H&M.

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On Rebekah: Crop top, Brandy Melville; fringe skirt, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; pumps, Aldo.

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On Clark: Tuxedo, H&M; dress shirt, Topman; pants, Zara; boots Aldo.

On Christian: Blazer, Dsquared2; shirt, Topman; pants, Zara.

54 DISTRACTION Fashion

On Courtney: Dress, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; choker, Topshop; heels, Topshop.

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On Courtney: Jumpsuit, Forever21; necklace, Buffalo Exchange; heels, Nasty Gal.

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On Rebekah: Top, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; pants, TopShop; shoes, Jeffrey Campbell; handbag, Buffalo Exchange.

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On Courtney: Dress, Zara; shoes, Stuart Weitzman.

On Rebekah: Skirt, Topshop; crop top, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; heels, Charlotte Olympia. On Clark: Shirt, Diesel; pants, Zara; boots, Aldo.

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On Courtney: Blouse, Gant; sequin midi, KARMA by Marcia Arochar; heels, Steve Madden; necklace, stylist’s own. On Clark: Dress shirt, Topman; sequin pants, Isabel Marant for H&M; shoes, Nike Air Max.

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On Courtney: Blouse, Gant; sequin midi, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; heels, Steve Madden; necklace, stylist’s own. On Rebekah: Crop top, Brandy Melville; fringe skirt, KARMA by Marcia Arocha; pumps, Aldo.

On Christian: Blazer, Zara; shirt, Topman; pants, Zara; shoes, H&M. On Clark: Pants, Isabel Marant for H&M; dress shirt, Topman; shoes, Nike Air Max.

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T

here is not an invisible dam separating us from the moment it happens. There is no buffer between us and the upcoming invasion. There is no army standing at the edges of the city, armed and capable of stopping the waves that will eventually devour the infrastructure we call home.

There is just us waiting in a halfhearted attempt to push away a future that is as inevitable as the past that led to it. Denial can only stand as a barricade for so long before reality starts to leak through the cracks until slowly, steadily, soberingly– it all comes pouring in.

And that moment may occur sooner than we think.

The Big Issue

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The sea has been rising, and no place in the U.S. will feel the effect of that advance like Miami will.

Despite the half-baked, sugarcoated reassurances that certain politicians often numb our minds with, sea level rise is not conjecture or pseudoscience.

According to the World Recourses Institute, the average increase in sea level between 1993 and 2010 has nearly doubled since that from 1901 to 2010.

Southeast Florida faces the worst of this swell; compared to the rest of the world, Miami comes in second with regards to assets susceptible to sea level rise, right after Guangzhou, China.

I’ve lived in Miami my entire life and have always found a sanctuary in the briny blue tones that outline this city. The idea that Miami would be inundated by something so beautiful startles me. To understand what’s happening, I spoke to Dr. Shimon Wdowinski, a research associate professor at UM’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences.

Wdowinski has been zeroing in on the rising seas since 2013. His office, located on the Virginia Key campus, is only a street away from Biscayne Bay. He and his colleagues have been keeping a record of the sea’s height over the years.

The results are troubling, to say the least.

According to Wdowinski, sea levels will most likely grow by six to 10 inches by 2030, 14 to 26 inches by 2060 and 31 to 61 inches by 2100. Some scientists predict the intensity to be even higher, projecting the numbers at 10 to 30 feet by the end of the century. To put that in perspective, UM’s campus is only at a 12-foot elevation. Most of Coral Gables sits at seven feet. Miami Beach is a meager five feet above inundation.

“The way the climate has always been changing is that it is constant,” Wdowinski said while shuffling through papers on his desk. “But what we see over the last 30 years is that the change is in one direction, that it’s getting normal and it’s going in a very fast rate, much faster than it used to be.”

In some areas of Miami, you can already witness the effects of this metamorphosis in small waves– greenery peeking out of shallow pools, submerged sidewalks outlining the streets and deteriorating edifices in certain neighborhoods. All of these are seemingly small yet evident changes in our city.

Last October, during the king tides, I was walking down a street in Miami Beach that was so immersed in murky water you could almost grab a flowing piece of wood and paddle through it. I

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“SEA LEVELS WILL MOST LIKELY GROW BY SIX TO 10 INCHES BY 2030” instantly regretted wearing flip-flops.

“You get used to it,” a nearby resident told me as he watched me struggle to maintain my balance amidst the shrubbery and spare trash. It was clear I was not from the area.

“Is it always like this?” I asked while dodging a branch on the road.

“Sometimes it gets really bad, other times it’s normal. These days, it seems like there’s more good than bad days, and no one really knows where it’s coming from.” He stopped sorting through his mail to look across the street then up at the frame of his house.

I saw a flash of regret in his eyes. I’m guessing they don’t disclose these things when you’re purchasing real estate.

We know sea level rise is not the overarching issue. It falls under a subset of problems spurred by climate change; something humans have been crafting for decades. As water heats, it expands in a process known as thermal expansion. Though it sounds complicated, it’s something that scientists can at least understand and predict; something that can be graphed out and plotted, outlined and arranged.

But then there’s Greenland.

Greenland’s ice has the potential to increase seas by 20 feet, a rise that no amount of levees or pumps could hold back. The ice caps in the region have been melting at a rapid rate. Some scientists, according to Wdowinski, theorize that this influx of fresh water is weakening the circulation along the U.S. Atlantic coast. While this is a naturally occurring process, it’s no coincidence that the increased version of it correlated with the 2005 rise of temperatures in Greenland. The problem is that with more weakening comes more water. Water that flows

rapidly attracts more water, but slower moving water spreads its fingers out to touch the shores. Or worse.

“In Miami, we have the local and the global effects,” Wdowinski said.

“Global sea level rise is different in each place, but if we look at the average, the forecast is that it’s going to rise and go even faster toward the end of the century with the acceleration of ice melting, but here we have the additional regional effect of circulation, too.”

On the surface, we may feel equipped to handle the situation. We have been conditioned to feel invincible, like the Poseidons of the modern world.

Water still flows out of the surfaces we expect it to and drains out of the surfaces we don’t want it to be in. It’s simple to assume we’ll be able to build something that will withstand anything.

Many places, such as the Netherlands, are also at low elevations and are able to flourish without as much of a threat of sea level rise as Miami displays.

There’s more beneath the surface, though. The city we know, along with the majority of Florida, was built on limestone. Chalky, white and full of holes, most of this groundwork stores water, making Miami a particularly fragile coastal city. This layout amplifies the concern. We’re not only worried about water that flows in from the outside, but also water that seeps out from the inside through overflowing storm drains. Levees can potentially guard our land’s border, but when our floors carry water too, where is the line between land and sea?

With sea level rise comes an abundance of saltwater that contaminates our freshwater reservoir.

This unwelcome intrusion into our aquifers has already caused some places, like Hallandale Beach, to shut down drinking wells. Our porous limestone supplies us with 90 percent of our drinking water. The irony of an influx of water draining our current water supply is not lost on many UM students. Some still see hope in our odds, while others recognize the bleakness of our situation.

“Have you heard the phrase that humans are like a virus, and Earth is the host?” said freshman engineering student Tumi Lengoasa. “Climate change is like the Earth trying to get rid of humans, like how the body heats up to try to get rid of viruses. We are talking about climate change like it’s the end of the world. It’s not the end of the world, it’s the end of humans.”

Miami is prone to sea level rise due to its low elevation and limestone foundation. This map projects what Florida would look like with about 20 feet of flooding. Miami would be completely submerged. Our campus would cease to exist (though that would only require 12 feet of flooding). The scariest part? Many scientists estimate that this could occur by the end of this century.

Florida isn’t the only state to be affected by rising sea levels.

Other places around the U.S. face similar threats such as New York, California and Texas.

GLOBAL AVERAGE SEA LEVEL RISE

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Glaciers and polar ice caps naturally melt during the summer, but snow in the winter formed by evaporated seawater typically balances out water levels. However, there's recently been an excess amount of melted snow. Mix that in with later winters and earlier springs and you have an unbalanced cycle that generates more water surface in the sea.

The Big Issue

Sources: Union of Concerned Scientists and the Polar Seeds project.

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FIGHTING THE FLOODS Miami Beach is struggling to keep its head above the surface. The city has invested a hefty amount– $500 million– to ensure that its architecture is protected during its recurrent flooding episodes. When high tides roll around, many of the streets become submerged, echoing the seriousness of sea rise. The plan is install 60 pumps around the city and to raise roads and seawalls. In Sunset Harbour, this has already been implemented with a street and a sidewalk that’s perched on a two and a half foot tier that looks down on nearby businesses. The move is an engineering feat, but many doubt its ability to withstand the currents.

With the way sea level rise is projected to increase, it might just be money down the drain.

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Beyond groundwater salinization, sea level rise also affects the impact of extreme weather events such as tropical storms and hurricanes; something this district is prone to. In storm surges, strong winds push the ocean higher, strengthening the waves’ effects on land.

Deeper seas designate deeper damage.

Plato once wrote that necessity is the mother of invention. How we move forward from this point depends on when the public (especially the politicians that shape public opinion) recognizes climate change and decides to do something bold about it. Efforts have already been undertaken by Miami Beach Mayor Phillip Levine to build 60 underground water pumps that would drain water off the streets and pour it into Biscayne Bay. The mayor was elected into office after a campaign video featured him on a boat paddling to work. Combating sea level rise has been a dominant part of his agenda.

Other Miami residents are pulling their resources to fight the rising tides.

Stephen Cain, a UM graduate student studying marine affairs and policy, was involved with the Citizens’ Climate Lobby and ended up on the steps of Capitol Hill advocating for House Resolution 424, which reinforces the notion that climate change is real and that efforts should be taken to halt

it. Cain was successful– much to his surprise– by managing to convince Republicans to co-sponsor and support the resolution.

“The big buzz word to come out of this is resilience,” Cain said. “How we are going to be resilient in the face of climate change and sea level rise, how we are going to make coastal cities stand up in the face of what is happening with regards to city planning.”

None of this should come as a shock. We’ve spent too much time releasing greenhouse gases into the ozone layer, too much time pouring phosphorous and nitrogen into our oceans. Yet nature has survived most of these damages so far. Despite land degradation, despite deforestation, despite desertification, it has withstood our cruelties and continued to blossom all around us. But it can’t do that forever.

What the melting of the ice caps tells us and what the scorching ocean temperatures tells us is that the more we start to pull at the thread, the more the fabric that shapes our reality will be permanently altered. You can’t toy with something and expect it to work the way it did before. You can’t continuously mistreat the Earth and not leave a mark.

“As the science around climate change is more accepted, as people start realizing that even today you can put a

“IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE, I WANT YOU TO VOTE FOR PEOPLE WHO AT LEAST BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND WHO WANT TO FIGHT IT.” price on the damage that climate change is doing– you go down to Miami and when it’s flooding at high tide on a sunny day, fish are swimming through the middle of the streets, you know, that– there’s a cost to that,” President Obama said at the climate change conference in Paris last December.

If that statement tells us anything, it’s that society as a whole needs to push for change. The Maldives, another place that has the potential to succumb to the sea, is ardently pushing for climate change policies to be rewritten on a global level.

Many think it’s too late and that our only option is to retreat. We know we can’t rip the city from its roots, layer on a film beneath it and then add a wall around it. But we do have other options.

“We have this tendency to get caught up in this bubble that is the U, but one of the things that my experiences have done for me was change my stance on government. Now I’m invested and see the beauty in community organizations,” Cain said. “Here in Miami, you have this amazing opportunity to get involved and put your skills to use with groups who need it– groups like Citizens’ Climate Lobby. At the very least, if you do nothing else, I want you to vote for people who at least believe in climate change and who want to fight it.”

After speaking with Wdowinski, I drove down the street to Crandon Park. It was a lively afternoon, with the ocean blazing a brilliant blue. Families and couples were scattered along the shore, some lounged on blankets with picnic baskets; others faded into just silhouettes deep in the water. Despite the dreamlike glow to the scene, parents always kept one eye on any child who strayed too far into the ocean. People held

their breath when incoming waves threatened to steal their footing. We are always wary of holes in the sand, and we would be lying if we denied that there isn’t something chilling about a rumbling ocean at night.

That should not deter us from finding our foothold between the magnificent and the menacing. We need to start by taking a step forward and accepting the blame. We did this.

We burned fossil fuels until the Earth’s nails were rimmed with black, and if we want a fighting chance, we need to halt our current use of it in every way we can. Our carbon footprint needs to be reduced. That means adopting carbon-free power sources such as solar and wind energy; carpooling, using public transportation and walking; lowering our consumption of red meat; using energy-efficient appliances; recycling as much as possible and always being conscious of our effect on the environment. We might not be able to halt sea-level rise completely, but we have the potential to slow down its progress. If we don’t step up, we’ll have no choice but to walk away.

This city may currently be sinking, but that doesn’t mean we have to go down with it.

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The Miami Hurric

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e @MiamiHurrican

ricane @TheMiamiHur

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nother word has entered the lexicon of terms that have the power to make many people uncomfortable.

This term, however, does not need to be written with any letters blurred out and won’t be censored out of the next Oscars speech. It has rocked the world as of late, causing separation among the masses and social media trends that have stirred quite the frenzy.

The word, however, isn’t an insult or a diatribe, but rather a representation of a movement that serves to empower women and bridge the gender gap.

This word, which isn’t new at all, is feminism. Feminism is a movement that has elicited a lot of attention, attracting immense amounts of support from both men and women alike.

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ven though feminism calls for equality for women, an obviously necessary and long-awaited move, many dissenters still flock together in order to compare feminism to misandry. But this comparison couldn’t be further from the truth. Confusion about what the term really means is restricting the movement from gaining full support. Luckily, understanding feminism isn’t nearly as complicated as it may seem.

Currently, there’s a lot of speculation as to what feminism actually is, leading people to dismiss it almost entirely in some cases. Feminism is not a movement that claims that women are better than men. True feminists are not “man-haters” or supporters of misandry. Rather, feminists are striving to bring about equal rights for all.

TRACING FEMINISM TO ITS ROOTS Originally, the feminist movement started as a political reform movement looking to bring attention and policy changes to areas that impacted women. This included reproductive health, women’s suffrage and equal pay. The roots of feminism trace back to as early as the 15th century– yes, women have been fighting for equal rights for that long– but the feminist movement is separated into three waves.

The first wave started in 1848, but it didn’t reach its peak until the 1920s with the introduction of women’s suffrage. It was characterized as a time when women decided to question established societal rules, with an emphasis on sexuality and how they dressed. Women started wearing pants and shorter skirts, smoking cigarettes and going out more often. They were challenging hard-set traditions regarding sex and reproductive health.

It was one of the critical turning points in women’s history and was considered a major win in an uphill battle.

The second wave of feminism stepped away from politics in order to address women’s role in society.

Kicking off in 1963 with the help of American writer and activist Betty Friedan and journalist Gloria Steinem, the wave started by addressing the perception and definition of a woman’s role at the time. Friedan’s bestselling book, “The Feminine Mystique,” tackled the issue of women in the kitchen. She questioned the true value and impact of the perfect family, arguing that a woman’s place was not at home but out in society. This book came out almost in tandem with Steinem’s exposé on life as a Playboy Bunny waitress, in which she cited the blatant exploitation of women for male gratification.

Both of these steadfast feminists helped guide the movement, which eventually served to determine milestone decisions such as Title IX, which prevented sex discrimination in public schools, and Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortions.

The third and most recent wave started in the ‘90s and includes what we see as feminism today.

This wave can be best described as a blend of the first and second waves. It emphasizes the political and social issues women continue to face despite years of fighting for change. Third-wave feminists want to directly address and change society’s stringent and long-standing definitions of women, gender roles and sexuality. Movements such as “Free the Nipple” and “Riot grrrl” have aimed to bring women’s sexuality and emotional expressivity

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into the conversation, questioning why women are held to such different standards than men. Some celebrity feminist icons from this wave include Beyoncé, Rihanna, Emma Watson and Taylor Swift. They are outspoken about the struggles and pressures women face on a daily basis and the need for society to embrace change.

FEMINISM AT THE U The University of Miami is making strides toward becoming a more progressive campus, including efforts to establish gender-neutral housing.

But do these progressive actions include promoting gender equality on campus?

“I think UM does a great job in allowing women to explore and own their personal feminist identities,” said Mikayla Farr, chair of the 2016 Women’s Leadership Symposium and the co-chair of Social Justice Week.

As of right now, several school clubs exist that encourage women to come together as a group.

These groups include the Yellow Rose Society and girls4good, both of which serve to empower, educate and discuss the issues that women face, as well as how to fix them. The Yellow Rose Society is a group that welcomes all students wishing to work toward a sense of unity amongst females.

Girls4good is an all-female service organization that does more than just serve the community. The club’s goal is to empower others through “intelligent discussion, local engagement and global action.” UM is lucky to have its own chapter of the pro-feminism organization right on campus.

Outside of strictly feminist organizations, other groups, such as the women’s club rugby team, show women how to be more empowered through sports. Sports are an area in which women are typically discouraged from participating in or ignored when they do. This might be because sports are mostly male-dominated and have been built around that reputation for centuries.

FEMINIST MOVEMENTS Most people are familiar with “Free the Nipple,� the campaign that took over social media and empowered women to fight against female oppression and censorship of non-sexual body parts. Here are some other feminist movements to follow that can empower the masses and promote feminism.

STOP

#EffYourBeautyStandards

#YesAllWomen was a social

#HeForShe hopes to bring men

promotes body positivity and

media activism campaign

into the circle of feminism by

proves that women are more

that allowed women to openly

giving them a forum to discuss

than the ridiculous body

discuss the sexism and

why they are feminists and why

standards that society holds

misogyny that they have faced

feminism is important.

them to.

by strangers as well as those closest to them.

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SO, WHY DO WE NEED F E M I N I S M ?

Feminism calls for equality– that’s it. Women are not looking to create a society in which they are greater than men. Rather, women are aiming to live in a society in which they can have the same opportunities as men, without any of the double standards that currently exist.

Right now, a woman is paid 77 cents to a man’s dollar. Not only does that put women at a disadvantage when it comes to being self-supportive and independent, but it continues to emphasize society’s rigid ideas of where women lie in the social hierarchy. If women can do the same jobs as men, why aren’t they offered the same pay? Currently, the United States women’s national soccer team is filing a lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation for equal pay. This is the same team that recently won the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. According to the team, the female players were paid four times less than their male counterparts, even though the men’s team has never won a world cup. Tennis champion Venus Williams also fought a similar battle from 1998 until 2007, when equal pay between the male and female Wimbledon champions was officially instated. Unfortunately, equal pay is not the only form of bias that women face.

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When it comes to reproductive health, women are almost completely left out of the decision-making process. Most of it lies in the hands of men. Women are living in a world where Viagra is medically covered, but birth control and abortions are only covered sometimes.

States such as Florida, Wisconsin and Ohio have recently stopped funding Planned Parenthood, an organization that is widely misunderstood. It is made out to be a shady, mysterious place that is used for abortions and abortions only, but in reality, it provides affordable healthcare for both women and men.

Even worse, legislators are working tirelessly to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case.

But again, these decisions are being made without women in mind. Women are often shamed for breastfeeding in public, something critical to a child’s physical and psychological development.

The system currently forces women to be sexualized for aspects of their body that serve no biologically sexual function. But because breasts have become so hypersexualized, people forget that their purpose is actually to sustain life.

“When it comes to feminism, I look to the words of Audre Lorde, ‘there is no hierarchy of oppression:’ to me this means that we must understand how our struggles are interconnected, and should all be fought against,” said senior Hulya Miclisse-Polat.

The media are huge perpetrators of these double standards. The stereotype of the “slutty” party girl is a favorite in films. Women are sexualized in commercials for anything from bath soaps to cheeseburgers. Female athletes can win championships and be the best in the world and still get questioned about their outfits and sex lives rather than their triumphs. When Serena Williams played Roberta Vinci in the 2015 U.S. Open, the camera focused on her boyfriend, Drake, rather than her.

Amal Alamuddin is a prominent civil rights lawyer, activist and author, yet she has recently reached household fame for being George Clooney’s wife. Comedy powerhouses Amy Poehler and Tina Fey get negatively compared to men despite their extreme successes. Even Kim Kardashian is a victim: she is constantly shamed for her sex tape despite the fact that she’s a successful entrepreneur.

“Nothing will be right until women are treated the same as men. It's unfair that women are usually not paid the same as men, not hired for certain jobs, and still get catcalled,” said graduate student Allison Adams.

These examples of gender bias only touch the surface of issues faced by women. The problem lies not only in society’s deeply embedded patriarchal

tendencies, but also in the lack of awareness of why feminism should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Giving women equality will not trigger an apocalypse or the cause the downfall of society, but rather, it will open up society to new frontiers and opportunities thanks to the contributions made by women. A society with equality among its genders can only bring success.

BEING A WOMAN & BEING A FEMINIST Being a woman in 2016 is a notion full of both beauty and difficulty. While women have the right to vote, play sports and go to school, they also have to live a life of double standards.

“Being a woman means being Superwoman in a society that will only honor, praise and uplift Superman,” said senior Briana Scott.

Right now, women live in a society in which the gender balance is greatly skewed. The biases range from the pay gap, to employment issues, all the way to their appearance.

Women face beauty, educational, aspirational, occupational and

behavioral standards constantly. They are so deeply embedded in society that they often trigger a fear of repercussion for non-compliance. In 2014, Mary Spears of Detroit was shot and killed by a man she refused to give her phone number to. This is not uncommon in our society.

“There are so many women that are afraid to say no [to sexual advances] because people are out here getting shot,” said junior Alexis McDonald, a member of the Yellow Rose Society.

“People are getting shot just for saying no to some guy out on the street.”

While these problems cannot be overcome in a day, feminism allows them to be addressed and acknowledged, rather than shoved under the rug. Though being a woman is still sometimes a struggle, it also means being powerful, educated and independent citizens.

“Feminism is important because it empowers women to have the confidence to react to the world and have an impact,” senior Alie Spera said.

Feminism does not claim that females are the better sex– instead it emphasizes that women are just as capable, just as wise and just as powerful as men.

(A lack of) Feminism around the world

The feminist movement in the United States is far from perfect, but we’ve taken the steps to ensure that women are not totally stuck at the bottom of the social totem pole. In other countries, however, this just isn’t the case quite yet.

In Yemen, a woman cannot leave her house without her husband’s permission. She can leave in some emergency situations, but even those are closely monitored. In legal situations, a woman’s testimonies are often not taken seriously unless there’s a man to back up her claims. In fact, Yemen was even voted as the world’s worst country for women in the World Economic Forum’s 2014 Global Gender Gap Report.

India is the second largest country in the world, but times are difficult for women there. Approximately 68 percent of women will suffer from domestic violence and that number is only growing. Women are also are discouraged from giving birth to girls– something that is completely out of their control.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has a reputation for being a dangerous place for women to live. Rape and sexual assaults are common problems, a result of military efforts to intimidate and threaten communities.

Female genital mutilation has also remained a very common issue faced by women in this country.

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A Lat Ceph x-ray is a lateral (or side) view of the face. These x-rays are typically used to diagnose and treat orthodontic problems.

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words_rori kotch. photo_josh liberman. design_claudia fernandes & rori kotch.

Ericka Koenigsberg had no idea she was about to have the worst day of her life.

She started the day normally with a 5 a.m. wakeup call for her 8 a.m. horseback riding competition.

She got dressed, climbed into the car and drove out to Wellington, Florida for the Winter Equestrian Festival.

She was halfway through the second course of the day when she realized her horse was jumping abnormally, but after a while she pushed her worries aside and focused on her maneuvers. She trusted her horse, and her horse trusted her– but then it happened.

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“Since I was shallow [in my jump], I was too long for the next jump,” Koenigsberg said. “She [my horse] then second-guessed herself and we skidded into the jump and fell face forward. I hit my right shoulder against the rail on my way down and then fell headfirst on my right side, down into the ground at around 30 miles per hour. All the velocity from my horse just went into me.”

Right after the fall, Koenigsberg was transported to the hospital where her computerized tomography (CT) scans came out clear. She felt fine. She was, however, sent home in a sling due to a minor shoulder injury. Thinking all was well, she went home to get ready for a party. Koenigsberg was sitting at a table when someone noticed that all of the color had drained out of her.

“I was having this really interesting conversation, but I don’t even remember it . . .

I was there, but my body and brain were above me floating.”

“I was having this really interesting conversation, but I don’t even remember it,” she said. “I just know I was having a conversation. I don’t know what I was doing; I don’t know what I was saying.

It was just that I was there, but my body and brain were above me floating.”

She was displaying classic signs of a concussion: dizziness, nausea and general discomfort. And then it got worse.

“Symptoms of a concussion can be very subtle; many people are unaware that they even have one,” said Paige Kalika, a UM doctor specializing in osteotherapy. “The earliest and most common symptoms of a concussion are confusion and amnesia, [including] loss of memory of the actual injury and often of some time before and after the incident. Loss of consciousness is possible, but does not happen in most concussions.”

Only 18 hours after her fall, Koenigsberg was experiencing double

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vision, a lack of coordination, sensitivity to light and disorientation. She was not able to sit upright or recline fully; she had to sit at a 45-degree angle to avoid discomfort. Koenigsberg suffered the effects of her concussion for more than 10 months, and completed her senior year of high school from bed, working about 40 minutes each day. She also attended physical and occupational therapy twice a week to try to recover from her injury.

“The American Academy of Neurology defines a concussion as a trauma-induced alteration in mental status that may or may not involve loss of consciousness,” Kalika said. “Most concussion symptoms resolve within seven to 10 days, but some people have a more protracted course (post-concussion syndrome) and have symptoms that linger for up to three months.”

Concussions are a common occurrence among many athletes.

According to ESPN and the National Football League (NFL) the total number of reported concussions for the 2015 season was 271, a striking 31.55 percent increase from the 2014 season. This data includes all concussions during preseason, regular season and practices since the start of training camp.

However, the NFL as a whole has not been quick to admit its faults. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell recently admitted that concussions do, in fact, lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease often caused by repetitive brain trauma. This admission only came to light just two weeks after Jeff Miller, the NFL’s senior vice president for health and safety, admitted to the link between football injuries and brain disease.

One case in which CTE was discovered was in the brain of the late football player Junior Seau, who committed suicide on May 2, 2012, by a gunshot wound to the heart. It has been speculated that Seau chose his heart over his head in order to preserve his brain for research. Seau spent 20 seasons as linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots. However, according to ESPN, Seau was never documented as having had a concussion during his time with the teams.

This is not an isolated case. Other football players have chosen to end their lives this way. On Feb. 17, 2011, Dave Duerson also committed suicide via a gunshot wound to the heart.

According to an article in the Chicago Tribune, Duerson’s ex-wife received a text message stating, “I love you. I always loved you. I love our kids,” he wrote. Then she received another message that said, “Please, see that my brain is given to the NFL’s brain bank.”

After Seau’s death, his brain was studied at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Washington under the leadership of Dr. Russell Lonser. In 2013

OTHER INJURIES Sports injuries can range from broken bones, sprained joints, torn ligaments and more.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common in the NFL. These injuries often happen with sudden twisting of the knee. They can be treated with surgery or rehabilitation including stretching and exercises.

Tommy Johns surgery is necessary when the ulnar collateral ligament is either stretched or torn. Surgeons take a tendon from somewhere else in the body and replace the damaged tissue with tendon. The success rate for Tommy Johns surgery is 85 to 92 percent.

Lonser told ESPN that the study of Seau’s brain was what they call “blinded.” Neuropathologists from outside the NIH were given three unidentified brains, one of which belonged to Seau. One of the two remaining brains was affected by Alzheimer’s disease and the other belonged to a person who had no reported history of brain trauma. The study showed that Seau’s brain had signs of CTE, which included a protein called “tau” that forms in the brain. With CTE, large amounts of tau form into neurofibrillary fibers in a very unique fashion that is specific to this disease.

Kevin O’Neill, former Miami Dolphins head athletic trainer, worked with Seau during Seau’s three years with the team. O’Neill and Seau spent time together both on and off the field and O’Neill described their relationship as “pretty close.”

“He was a true leader of the team. He had what I call the most incredible love for the game of any player I have ever had,” O’Neill said. “ A

lot of players love the game, but he was incredible about how much he loved it. He stood up and professed it to the team on more than one occasion and told them, ‘Love this game. Don’t treat it like work, don’t treat it like a drudgery, love this game because it could do so many great things for you.’”

Despite the NFL’s past oversights regarding concussions, the organization has added some precautionary protocols.

In 2011, the NFL also introduced spotters after Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy sustained a concussion but was not pulled out of the game. According to the NFL, the team’s trainers did not see the helmet-to-helmet impact as they were tending to other players. After the game, McCoy was diagnosed with a concussion. Just a short two weeks after this occurrence, the league added spotters, certified athletic trainers who quite literally “spot” concussions during the game. Every stadium has two spotters, a primary and a backup.

30 of 160 NFL players surveyed by the Associated Press from Nov. 2-15 replied that they have hidden or played down the effects of a concussion.

The Department of Veterans Affair’s brain repository posthumously studied the brain tissue of 128 former football players, about 80 percent showed CTE. Overuse of muscles is the second most common injury in football after concussions. More than 40 out of 90 players on a team have been treated for both concussions and muscle injuries.

model_emery shiffraw.

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While football is notorious for leading to concussions, any type of sport presents the risk of brain, neck and spine injuries. Baseball, for example, is not technically categorized as a collision sport, yet sometimes a ball does hit a player in the head, which can cause serious injuries. In 2015, Major League Baseball (MLB) decided to ban home plate collisions, citing health concerns, namely concussions.

Joseph Maroon, a professor of neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a team neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers told NBC News that there should be concern about any type of head injury.

“These certainly do occur in baseball, but not with the frequency as they do in football, soccer, hockey or even field hockey. We know that

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CONCUSSIONS IN THE NFL

number of injuries

Head injuries have been on the rise in the NFL for years now, and here are the numbers to prove it.

year

MCL INJURIES IN THE NFL The Medial Collateral Ligament is in the knee. Better cleats can help prevent injuries in this area.

number of injuries

“It’s almost like a nuclear war button and I say, ‘medical stop, number 17 has to come out of the game for examination’ and the game stops right there.”

multiple blows to the head may lead to prolonged problems,” he said.

Cliff Floyd, former MLB player for seven teams across 17 seasons in the MLB, is trying to prevent some of the concussions that happen in baseball with his new product, the Ball Cap Liner (BCL).

The BCL is a headpiece made to prevent concussions in baseball players that comes in two models– one with temporal protection and one without.

The BCL weighs a light 4.3 ounces and utilizes D3O technology, which is based on a soft and flexible polymer that stiffens and distributes force upon impact. The greater the impact, the more the molecules stick together, which means more protection.

The BCL is endorsed by Cal Ripken Baseball, Babe Ruth Baseball and Babe Ruth Softball. Floyd is marketing the BCL to little league, high school and collegiate level players.

“I know what direction I’m going, I know that these kids need to realize how important it is to have it on their heads,” Floyd said. “It’s not about me making $100 million, it’s about saving that one kid. I think that’s important.”

Floyd is in the process of altering the design of the BCL to make it even more comfortable and to accommodate glasses. In addition to this, he is developing more models of the BCL for watersports.

“I am in the process of having one made for swimming. I had no idea that there are a ton of head injuries on the water,” Floyd said. “Heads hitting the water, cranial bleeding. It is scary.”

King Henry II of France, whose eye was gouged out in a jousting accident, experienced the first documented concussion according to “The Tale Of The Dueling Neurosurgeons.” This was in a time in which people still believed in medical astrology and bloodletting. Needless to say, we have made countless medical advancements since then. However, retired athletes affected by head injuries will tell you that more needs to be done.

“I think we could all do a better job going forward with it,” O’Neill said.

“I think the key to it is getting the best, accurate information so that we can make the most informed and knowledgeable decisions.”

year

ACL INJURIES IN THE NFL Ligament tears can be caused by sudden twisting motions of the knee. Symptoms include swelling and nonstop pain.

number of injuries

and a backup.

NFL spotter and former head athletic trainer for the then-called Florida Marlins Larry Starr calls himself “lucky” to not have seen that many concussions during his time with the NFL and the Miami Dolphins.

“It’s an interesting gig,” Starr said.

“It’s a different perspective of how you watch the game.”

While he is spotting, Starr sits in the press box and watches two screens: one broadcasting the live game, and one showing what viewers see at home, which is delayed 17 seconds for censorship purposes. Starr also listens to both television and radio sportscasters in order to make sure all incidents are documented and checked out.

“The one thing that makes our job even a little more dramatic is that we now have the ability to stop the game if we think a player has a head injury,” Starr said. “The way I do that, and the way anybody in my position does that, is that we have a direct line to the head official and we press one button. It’s almost like a nuclear war button and I [say] ‘Medical stop, No. 17 has to come out of the game for examination,’ and the game stops right there.”

year

Source: the NFL

DOGS

OF UM

words_rori kotch & lexi williams. photo_rori kotch & ryan morgello. design_celeste escotet.

ABOUT THE OWNER: Ryan Jello is a junior studying business management with a minor in chemistry.

WHAT IS YOUR DOG’S NAME? “Orbit or Orbie.”

HOW OLD IS ORBIE? “Four months old.”

WHEN DID YOU GET ORBIE? “In February. I got him at eight weeks.”

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRING ORBIE TO CAMPUS? “Almost every day that I come to campus.”

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF OWNING A DOG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT? “It’s difficult. Today I was at the health center and my friend was watching him, but she had to go to class so I had I had to leave the health center. Since he's young he can only be alone for five or six hours so I kind of have to plan my day around that. It's also expensive.”

If there’s one thing we love about UM’s campus, it’s the small, furry visitors we see running around. If you’ve ever stopped a stranger to compliment and/or pet their dog, you’re not alone.

Distraction did just that– except we took pictures too, because, well, we just really love dogs.

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT ORBIE? “Everybody just comes up to him. When I first got him, I kept him in the kitchen and he was so little that he could fit right through the gate.”

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E L L I C U L Y B RU ABOUT THE OWNER:

Natalie Agramonte is a senior majoring in biology.

WHAT IS YOUR DOG’S NAME?

“Ruby Lucille.”

HOW OLD IS RUBY? “Two years old.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD RUBY? “A year and a half.”

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRING RUBY TO CAMPUS? “Every now and then– probably about five times total.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ABOUT OWNING A DOG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT?

“She’s very playful and sometimes people get annoyed with that.”

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT RUBY? “She’s my emotional support dog!”

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NAUGHT

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRING NAUGHTY TO CAMPUS?

ABOUT THE OWNER:

Dong Weihan is a junior studying mechanical engineering.

WHAT IS YOUR DOG’S NAME?

“Naughty.”

HOW OLD IS NAUGHTY?

“A year and eight months.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD NAUGHTY? “A year and five months.”

Y

“Once a week– every Wednesday for the farmers market.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ABOUT OWNING A DOG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT?

“It’s tough because you have to go home to take them out two times a day.”

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT NAUGHTY?

“She gets along with my two cats very well.”

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MASO ABOUT THE OWNER:

Ceece Schieffelin is a junior majoring in finance and management.

WHAT IS YOUR DOG’S NAME? “Mason.”

HOW OLD IS MASON? “Nine months.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD MASON? “Eight months.”

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRING MASON TO CAMPUS? “One or two times a week, basically whenever I have time.”

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N

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ABOUT OWNING A DOG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT?

“I don’t think it’s really a challenge.

You just have to be responsible and plan out your time.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY STORIES ABOUT MASON?

“My boyfriend brought him in to my sorority’s chapter to visit and he went to the bathroom on the floor. I told him to take him for a walk beforehand!”

CHONGO ABOUT THE OWNER:

Nico Delao is a freshman majoring in advertising.

WHAT IS YOUR DOG’S NAME? ”Chongo.”

HOW OLD IS CHONGO? “12 years old.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD CHONGO? “Since I was seven years old.”

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRING CHONGO TO CAMPUS?

“Every week either me, my sister or brother will bring him to campus.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ABOUT OWNING A DOG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT? “You have to be able to handle the responsibility because sometimes you get caught up at school.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY STORIES ABOUT CHONGO?

“Once he got off his leash on campus and I had to chase him all over campus.”

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RELISH ABOUT THE OWNER:

Dane Silva is a senior majoring in anthropology.

WHAT IS YOUR DOG’S NAME? ”Relish.”

HOW OLD IS RELISH? ”Six years old.”

HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD RELISH? ”Four years.”

HOW OFTEN DO YOU BRING RELISH TO CAMPUS?

“She’s my service dog, so she’s with me every day.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE ABOUT OWNING A DOG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT?

“Since she’s a service dog, it’s difficult when people want to pet her, because she’s working and she can’t be distracted.”

WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT RELISH? “Relish keeps me calm.”

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words_olivia stauber & marissa vonesh. photo_valentina escotet, rori kotch & olivia stauber. design_isabel da corte & claudia fernandes.

You’ve probably heard of the clubs and activities, but you may not know the people behind them. With Student Government, Ibis yearbook, Homecoming, athletics and other school clubs, a lot goes into the making of this campus.

Distraction got behind the scenes to see who is making it all happen.

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UNIVEN’S CO-PRESIDENT Distraction: Tell me a little about your background.

Isabel Da Corte: My name is Isabel Da Corte. My grandparents migrated from Spain and Portugal during the time when dictatorships were ruling their respective countries. Throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s, Venezuela received a large amount of immigrants. Its promising economy made it a popular destination for those seeking a better future. They stayed in Caracas, where they were able to have a fresh start.

My father got involved in the marketing of the family business, which eventually influenced him to pursue a degree in that area. I would say my father has been an important part in my desire to get a major in marketing. The economic and social crisis surrounding Venezuela influenced my getting involved in the Venezuelan Organization at the University of Miami.

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DM: How are you involved on campus?

ID: I am currently the president of the Venezuelan Students Association (UNIVEN). I am also designing for distraction.

DM: What does being a leader mean to you?

ID: Being a leader for me means having a vision and sharing it. It means being able to delegate the right tasks, guide and inspire people with good intentions in order to achieve a common goal. It means being able to communicate, have the courage to represent your team and make their voices as loud as possible.

DM: What do you hope to change on campus or leave behind at the university?

ID: I would love to get people from other corners of the world involved in the Venezuelan culture, which is the result of a country with a welcoming attitude towards any immigrant, and one that celebrates the expression of their traditions. I’d like to find a way to make the process of “learning different cultures” an interesting and didactic journey. I would also like all the Venezuelans to be part of this organization so they can meet new Venezuelans and always stay in touch with our homeland.

DM: Who or what inspires you, and why?

ID: So many people! But my dad is my number one inspiration. He is an incredible leader who has been able to find the balance between a strong character and an inclusive attitude to bring the most out of his workers.

Maria Corina Machado, an important politician from Venezuela, has also been very important in shaping how I picture women in power.

DM: Describe yourself in one word.

ID: Cheerful!

DM: How have you developed as a person since you’ve been at UM? ID: Now, I am a more friendly and outgoing person. UM gave me a broader perception of the world, it helped me understand how different societies are intertwined and the pain of one can materialize in the suffer of many. Dealing with so many different personalities has also improved my social skills. I also improved my aspirations, my lifestyle and I got to know myself better.

Distraction: What is your background?

Morgan Owens: I was born in Tallahassee, but I moved here when I was six, so I basically have grown up in Miami. I am double majoring in political science and women and gender studies. My first involvement on campus was Spectrum and I am still involved with them. I’ve also worked on Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee (SAFAC ), Unity Roundtable, Association of Greek Letter Organization (AGLO) and Delta Lamda Phi (DLP). I am the treasurer right now for AGLO, DLP and Spectrum but I’ve also served as the fresh person representative for Spectrum as one of the support group chairs. I was president of DLP last year, and I was the vice chair of SAFAC. DM: What does being a leader mean to you?

MO: I think it is the ability to help people around you, because individual success and the ability to do things you want to do is important, but I don’t see that as being able to lead. I have always seen leading as being able to take the perspective of your community, of your group, and trying to advance that rather than just advance yourself.

DM: Do you have a personal inspiration? If so, who and why?

MO: It’s really corny, but my inspiration for the longest time has been both of my parents. They’ve worked incredibly hard ever since my brother and I were small to make sure that we could do things like come to UM. And even now, as I am pretty much an adult, they still do so much and they are always working hard.

Whenever something is difficult for me or I am trying to figure out the right thing to do, I usually try to fall back on that and try to think of what my parents would do.

DM: What do you hope to change on campus or leave behind for younger students as you enter your final year here at UM? MO: In general, I have always had the goal to make UM a better place for my fellow LGBT students. Arriving as a freshman was difficult because I grew up in Miami. This city is a wonderful place for people like me, but UM is not Miami– it is different. There are all sorts of people from all over, and I struggled with how different from Miami it was.

But over time, I started to get used to it and decided I should try to improve it.

INCOMING STUDENT BODY

TREASURER

Specifically, as the new treasurer of Student Government, I really saw that there is a lot of money here and resources that don’t always make it to the students. So my personal mission as treasurer is for the money and resources to make it to the students as much as possible.

DM: Describe yourself in one word.

MO: Compassionate. It kind of goes back to freshman year where I felt unwelcomed, and I don’t want anyone to feel that way. It’s in everything that I do. I never want to belittle or demean other people’s problems or complaints. I have found that conflict resolution or trying to solve arguments goes a million times better when you use compassion and try to see the other person’s point of view.

DM: How have you developed as a person at UM? MO: I’ve definitely been forced to go out of my comfort zone. A lot of that has come from Greek life. I certainly wasn’t the kind of person expecting to join Greek life, but I found DLP and loved it. As much as DLP differs from a lot of Greek life (it is the international fraternity for gay, bisexual and progressive men), it is still a Greek organization. It does other stuff that Greek organizations generally do. Having to do a fundraiser on campus, getting people to buy products at a bake sale, a simple silly example– I had never done something like that before. I never had to ask strangers for something like that. Getting to know new people has really changed me a lot.

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INCOMING STUDENT BODY VICE PRESIDENT NEW CANES CAN JOIN STUDENT GOVERNMENT THROUGH

FLC

Through FLC, new freshmen help execute projects delegated by the SG President and Vice President to hone their service and leadership skills.

Distraction: What is your background?

Ashley Pittaluga: I am from Miami.. I am a double major in marketing and psychology. I am a junior and have been involved with student government since my freshman year. I was in Freshman Leadership Council (FLC) and I have been a project coordinator for that organization for the last two years. I have also been a part of Homecoming as a committee member my freshman year, then I was a vice chair my second year and now I am the chair for Homecoming 2016. I have been the undergraduate representative for the board of trustees on the academic affairs committee for the past few years. I am also a Cane Buddy currently.

DM: What does being a leader mean to you?

AP: To me, being a leader is more about how you act, not what you say. In the leadership positions that I have been a part of, I haven’t treated it as, “I am in charge and everyone else is my subordinate.” I just like to work with people, see what their strengths and weaknesses are, what they are good at and help others excel. Being a leader, a part of that is not only improving yourself but helping those you work with to improve in their skills and abilities as well. This is why mentoring programs are one of the things that I have really enjoyed.

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PITTALUGA HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SG FOR ALL

4 YEARS OF COLLEGE.

DM: Do you have a personal inspiration? If so, who and why?

AP: I wouldn’t really say there is one person. I think it’s just a combination of the people who have been around me my whole life. So like my mom, I obviously look up to her a lot, in her strength and her “no BS” personality.

My sister is the same way, so that is someone I have always looked up to as well. Then here in school, just the leaders I have been around. My friends, most of which are really involved and leaders in their own respects, and the leaders who have been in charge of me as I started here. I take things I have learned from them and put them into my own life and leadership styles.

DM: What do you hope to change on campus or leave behind for younger students as you enter your final year here at UM? AP: Something that I have worked for the whole time I have been here, especially with FLC, is leaving behind the best leaders for our campus. It’s one of those things where you want to leave our school better than you found it. So putting all your energy and work into mentoring and guiding freshman, sophomores and juniors into becoming the best that they can be...being able to guide and lead those people to make it their own and leave the school the best that it can be [is what I want to do].

DM: Describe yourself in one word.

AP: Determined. It applies to me because no matter what happens I am determined to keep going and get the results I was looking for in whatever I put my mind to. I am not going to let a fallback or someone telling me that I can’t do it or anything like that stop me.

DM: How have you developed as a person at UM? AP: I think I am a completely different person than when I started here. I used to be reserved and kept to myself. I didn’t really think that I would get involved here or do a lot. Clearly that did not happen. I think that I have grown and matured, but that just comes with age. But I have learned a lot more about myself. I have really learned who I am and became confident with who I am.

DM: If you had one thing to say to your high school self, what would it be?

AP: It would be to be yourself no matter what and to not care what anyone else thinks.

INCOMING STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT Distraction: What is your background?

Vikesh Patel: My name is Vikesh Patel. I am from a small town outside of Tampa called Tarpon Springs. I am studying biomedical engineering and looking to obtain a minor in business law. I started in student government through the Freshman Leadership Council, went to UOutreach Committee and currently serve as a member of the Campus Liaison Council for facilities and security. Outside of that, I am part of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and served as their treasurer for the spring semester as a new member then became president the year after as a sophomore. I have been part of Orientation for the past two years as an Orientation Fellow. I have served as the vice president for the transfer student association and was a co-founder of it as well (fun fact: I am not a transfer student). I’ve been part of the Tunnel of Oppression since freshman year, when I was a volunteer. Sophomore year, I was on the build committee with the Butler Service Center. I have been on the Homecoming Executive Committee. I have been on the Greek Week Executive committee for the past two years as the treasurer. I am currently serving as the Association of Greek Letter Organization’s Vice Chair and I have been one of the two representatives for the Florida Resident Access Grant at the University of Miami. I am also the new president elect.

DM: How do you time manage all your responsibilities?

VP: Either people are really impressed or they are like, “how do you do it?” That is a question that always pops up. But I also get a lot of negatives for being so involved and doing so many things. When it comes to it, I guess I just know how to manage my time. I put everything on a list and my goal is just to get it done.

DM: What does being a leader mean to you?

VP: I guess being a leader is many different things. It is more of making sure that everyone around you is heard and listened to and that you’re bringing everything they want to the table.

You are really mediating the conversation and moving forward. I don’t think it’s possible to move backward. People say that, but even if you are moving backward you are still moving in a direction of trying. Being a leader on this campus is really about having fun and getting involved. Everyone and anyone can be a leader. You just have to find your place, find your niche and just work off of it.

DM: Do you have a personal inspiration? If so, who and why?

VP: That’s actually a funny question. I know it’s always going to pop up and people keep asking me the same question, and I honestly don’t have an answer. Well, I do have an answer. It is not a single person, it’s actually every single person around

He won the election for student body president on Feb. 17, 2016

me. The reason I guess is I keep moving, keep doing so many things. And I am able to do it because the people around me give me that motivation, give me that reason to get so many things done. And everyone has a story, everyone has advice, everyone has feedback– whether it is positive or negative– and everyone has criticism, and giving me that inspires me to move forward.

DM: What do you hope to change on campus or leave behind for younger students as you enter your final year at UM? VP: At the very least I want it to be a fun year for everyone; that is the first and most important thing. They need to enjoy their college experience, whether you are in the faculty, staff or a student. And hopefully I can change the outlook and make sure people get involved and enjoy their time here.

DM: Describe yourself in one word.

VP: Crazy/Psycho. One of my friends calls me psycho, and I call her psycho, too. And I guess I am, and it is a good kind of crazy. I know I go out there and do the strangest things and put together the strangest things. And crazy isn’t always good, and I am not always good. I know I am not perfect.

DM: How have you developed as a person at UM? VP: I have seen a lot of different things and I have been involved in a lot of different situations and I guess it has changed me. It has improved my character and my personality. It sometimes has built me to be heartless, which is hard to say. But it has also built me to make sure everyone is heard and everyone is understood and everyone is taken care of.

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PRESIDENT OF UNITED BLACK STUDENTS

Distraction: Tell me a little about your background.

TeQuan Taylor: I am currently a senior from Atlanta. I am majoring in international studies, religious studies and have a minor in healthcare administration.

DM: How are you involved on campus?

TT: I’m the president of United Black Students (UBS), the president of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, a student co-chair for the Standards Committee and a part of the National Association of Black Accountants. Most of my time is devoted to UBS, Alpha Phi Alpha and my student co-chair position.

DM: Why did you want to be so involved in campus?

TT: I didn’t want to lead a mundane, typical lifestyle for college students– class, partying, sleeping, class. I knew that in order to get the most out of my college experience I needed to go above and beyond.

DM: What does being a leader mean to you?

TT: Being a leader gives you a certain set of skills that give you an opportunity once you are out of college. Leadership gives you an opportunity to hone your skills in a safe environment; college teachers and administrators can be a safety net for you.

Your skills build on top of each other over your time in school and when you grad-

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uate, you know what works and what doesn’t.

You will be able to adapt easily to whatever situation you are in.

DM: What do you hope to change on campus or leave behind at the university?

TT: I want my legacy to be as someone who helped those students younger than me. I want to be a positive role model, someone they can keep in contact with even after college. If they are having trouble with something, anything, I want them to realize that I probably faced those same troubles at some point in my life. I want those who look up to me to realize that I am not a perfect student leader; there is no such thing.

Imperfection is beauty.

You are going to mess up sometimes and life is about learning from those mistakes.

DM: Who or what inspires you, and why?

TT: One of my fraternity brothers, Mischael Cetoute, was a sophomore when I came to the U. I noticed how invincible he was. I remember really wanting to emulate him. It was because of him that I ran for the freshman liaison position for UBS. One memory that really sticks with me of him was a trip we took to Home Depot. He was the treasurer of UBS at the time. As soon as we got in the car he was blasting music, singing and driving; I was so surprised. He taught me that to be a student leader, you have to be your authentic self. You don’t have to mold yourself.

He was really himself and I truly noticed it in the car. Ever since that day, he has inspired me to to better. We still keep in contact to this day.

DM: Describe yourself in one word.

TT: Passionate.

These students are on the ball, and you can be, too. Campus has a plethora of student organizations and clubs that are pretty simple to get involved in.

Looking for that right extracurricular to join can be tedious, so here’s a list to get you started: The Butler Center If you’re into providing service and giving back to the community, the Butler Center has more than 40 service-based organizations to choose from. Some include SPARK, Relay for Life and Big Brothers,Big Sisters. Stop by the Shalala Student Center (SC), room 204, to get involved.

Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) To help spread diversity and enhance your cultural awareness, a visit to this office can help. Groups like United Black Students and Alliance of Latin American Students are advised by the MSA. In Rhodes House, room 37-A, you can get all the details on all the culturebased groups.

Orientation and Commuter Student Involvement This team aims to welcome in baby Canes and help commuters feel one with the rest of the UM community. Visit the SC, room 203 to join.

Distraction If you want to write, design, take photos, join the business/PR or throw ideas around, we take in new members with open arms. Email a.fahmy3@umiami.edu for more information.

Distraction: What is your background? Where are you from, grade, major, etc? What are you involved in on campus?

Emily Eidelman: I was born in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in Glencoe which is about 25 minutes north of the city. I decided to come to Miami because it was new and different. Coming from the suburbs, I was excited to move to a diverse city. I also loved the Canes spirit that I could feel from the moment I first visited campus. I am a print journalism major with minors in visual journalism and music business. I was a student-athlete for my first two years on campus as a coxswain (yes, the little girl who sits in the back and yells, but I promise we’re not saying “row”) on the division one rowing team. I joined Chi Omega as a charter class sister in the fall of my sophomore year. I’ve also been involved with student media all four years.

I started by freelancing for the Miami Hurricane, distraction magazine and the Ibis Yearbook. Now, I’m proud to say I’m the editor-in-chief of the yearbook.

DM: What does being a leader mean to you?

EE: Being a leader means being committed. I’ve been fortunate enough to have held many leadership positions in most of my involvements. It’s really made me enjoy those involvements that much more because I’ve had to devote myself to them. I think that when anyone devotes themselves to their commitments, it benefits both them and others involved. If you haven’t become a leader yet, showing that devotion will give you the opportunity.

DM: Do you have an inspiration? If so, who and why?

EE: My inspiration is Audrey Hepburn.

I absolutely love her and I’m slightly obsessed with her. She is the image of elegance and poise to me. Sure, she’s classically beautiful, but more importantly, she’s lived a life of serving and making others happy. I try to embody her in every decision I make, whether it is something small like what I wear or something more important like how I act in difficult situations.

DM: What do you hope to change on campus or leave behind at the university?

EE: When I came to UM, I was eager to have a classic college experience. I’ve had all the fun I could’ve hoped for– the parties, the beach days and especially the tailgates have been as great as I’d imagined. I’m sure my peers can look back and see the same, but I’m lucky to see so much more. I’ve had countless experiences that I will never forget. This school has given me everything. I’ve met so many people, whether it be in class or outside activities, that have inspired me greatly. I’ve formed an amazing group of friends who have pushed me to become

Last year, the Ibis was

IBIS YEARBOOK EDITORIN-CHIEF the strong woman I am today. There really isn’t one thing I would change about our campus; I love it just the way it is. But I do hope I can leave a mark. I want future generations of Canes to enjoy their experiences as much as I have. I want to leave it in a better place than what it was when I came here, because it has certainly made me a better person.

DM: Describe yourself in one word.

EE: Authentic.

DM: How have you developed as a person since you’ve been here at UM? EE: I am so lucky to say that I am a happy, confident and strong woman. Everything I’ve done at UM and all of the people that I’ve met along the way have attributed to that. My experiences here are priceless and they will have a lasting effect on who I am.

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words_diana rodon & jamie servidio. photo_allie pakrosnis. design_claudia fernandes.

So you want to be cultured and travel the world, but you are undeniably broke. #TheStruggleIsReal.

Don’t fret, young adventure-seeker! Traveling on a limited budget is extremely doable and, dare I say, even more fun than a mega-Euro trip funded by your parents. Shocker, right?

Don’t let your big, adventurous vision be crushed by the confines of a small budget. With a little creativity and tips from well-seasoned travelers, those frugal dreams can become a reality.

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The Somerset House is a popular tourist attraction in London. It has been visited by many UM students who have studied abroad.

opular movies, television shows and novels have glamourized traveling through Europe, but in reality it’s a little bit different. There are many components to consider when planning a trip, such as duration, lodging, means of transportation and, of course, budget.

Last spring, while I was sitting on a bench in the middle of King’s Cross Station in London, my funds were running low but my wanderlust was at an all time high. I had just stepped off the MV Explorer, the ship that carried Semester at Sea voyagers around the world in 112 days.

After adapting to constant change in geographies, time zones and currencies, I wasn’t quite sure what my next move would be as I ventured off into London. I did know, however, that I needed to be conscious of my spending, as my dwindling bank account kept reminding me.

When traveling to a foreign country, it is important to remain patient. Your day might not always go exactly as you have planned on your itinerary. That’s okay. You will learn to adapt and make the best of the situation.

It’s important to remember that when you’re on a budget, time is money. It is vital to try to spend your time doing what you want to, because you never know when you will be back to the place you are visiting.

Though tourist attractions like the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are staples in many European countries, it is also important to spend time meeting locals and asking what they recommend you do while visiting their home country. People will teach you so much more about the area you are visiting than any brochure will.

Also consider taking the time to plan out your excursions, it saves money and allows you to see more of the things that you want to see.

All in all, traveling can be as transformative as you want it to be. Having a positive attitude and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone is essential to maximizing the benefits of exploring a new place.

As cliché as it sounds, sometimes you need to get lost to really find yourself. There are endless opportunities as an anonymous stranger in a new place.

What are you waiting for? Grab your backpack and go.

7- Travel overnight. Rather than wasting an entire day on a train or bus, traveling during the night saves time.

Also, it combines the costs of transportation and lodging, as oftentimes sleeper cars are available. As always, practice caution and have a buddy if possible.

8- Bring your student ID. Many of the tourist attractions throughout Europe offer discounts for students. Senior Jaymi Swill suggests packing your CaneID even if it’s expired. Saving a couple bucks on museum tours can add up.

9- Limit how often you eat out. A wise traveler once told me that all you need to survive in Europe are salami, cheese and baguettes. Cut your spending down by making and preparing your own food for day-to-day ventures.

10-Pay attention. Some of your favorite travel experiences will come from sitting and watching everyday life happen around you.

W H E R E T O S T AY 1- Do your research. There are a lot of countries in this world and currency exchanges vary from place to place.

2- Save before you go. Cut back on your spending prior to your trip. You will never regret extra cash when traveling. It all adds up.

3- Pack lightly. Country hopping is much less convenient when you’re lugging around suitcases twice your size. Only bring the essentials– you definitely don’t need three different pairs of black boots and six pairs of jeans.

4- Make copies of all forms of ID. Keep digital and physical copies of your passport, visa, driver’s license, birth certificate, health insurance card and important phone numbers. Save them in a separate and secure place; you never know when you might need them.

5- Take pictures, but also enjoy the view. Photos are a great way to share your experiences with others but make sure you don’t spend all your time behind the lens.

6- Take local transit as much as possible. Cab drivers can spot a tourist from a mile away and may raise their fares if they can sense you are not from the area. Obviously, always keep your safety in mind, but granted, if the locals are doing it, you can too.

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Hostels There are countless hostels all over Europe that provide cheap accommodations for travelers in cities, towns and the countryside. Just be sure to bring shower shoes!

Airbnb Hostels are great on a budget, but Airbnb is a website that allows people to list, find and rent lodging. It’s available in 190 countries and 34,00 cities.

Couchsurfing Couchsurfing connects travelers with locals in the same area who have space in their home. This service is free and a great way to meet locals, but also a bit riskier than booking a space through hostels or Airbnb.

The European Backpackers Index is a must-have for every frugal traveler. It ranks 56 of Europe’s most popular cities from the cheapest to the most expensive.

The costs for each city per day are based on a combination of: one night in the cheapest bunk at the least expensive hostel with a good location and good reviews, as well as two public transportation rides per day.

KRAKOW, POLAND Currency: Polish Zlotych Cheap hostel: Flamingo Hostel (35.23/night)

ISTANBUL, TURKEY Currency: Turkish lira Cheap hostel: Best Island Hostel (22/night)

SANTORINI, GREECE Currency: Euro Cheap hostel: Katerina & John Hotel (8/night)

ATHENS, GREECE Currency: Euro Cheap hostel: Pagration Hostel (10/night)

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY Currency: Hungary Forint Cheap hostel: Bazar Hostel (2510/night)

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC Currency: Czech krona Cheap hostel: Czech Inn (248/night)

LISBON, PORTUGAL Currency: Euro Cheap hostel: Go Hostel Lisbon (10/night)

MADRID, SPAIN Currency: Euro Cheap hostel: Hostel Era (13.90/night)

HOW TO GET THERE

W H AT T O D O

Eurail pass Non-European residents between the ages of 1225 years old can purchase discounted youth Eurail passes. These passes allow access to major cities across the continent, with varying degrees of access based on which pass you purchase.

The One Country Pass is the cheapest option that Eurail offers and is the best option if you wish to spend all of your time exploring one country.

The Select Pass is the next step. Travelers can visit up to four bordering countries by train.

The Global Pass is Eurail’s all-access pass that allows travelers to explore up to 28 European countries over varying amounts of time.

Write in a journal Photos are a great way to show where you’ve been, but writing while traveling will remind you how you felt. Your iPhone can’t capture the awe you feel as you look out at a breathtaking view, nor will an Insta accurately describe the pride you feel when successfully asking for directions in a foreign language.

So write it down.

BlaBlaCar Another option is BlaBlaCar, a transport network that connects drivers with empty seats to passengers looking for a ride. This is a cost efficient, eco-friendly way to travel in more than 22 countries.

The app is available on both iPhone and Android and has more than 25 million members.

Get outdoors Museums are full culture Inof every cityand you history, butsure make visit, make you get out of your comfort zone.

Observe a new

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Imagine waking up to the love of your life every single morning. You get to start the day gazing upon their smiling face and end it the same way.

You come home from a stressful day of classes and there’s bae, waiting to hear all about your problems with a glass of wine in hand. Doesn’t that sound…a little terrifying, tbh? As much as you may love your significant other, shacking up while in college can be as frustrating as it is fun, and there’s a lot to consider before making this gigantic life step. To examine the situation’s upsides, downsides and everything in between, we’ve spoken to real UM couples who know firsthand what it’s like to live together.

Juniors Jennifer Ferrante and Joal Swindells were together for more than a year when they decided to live together for the summer. The spring 2015 semester was coming to a close and Ferrante needed a place to stay before her new lease began in August.

Since they had previously discussed living together, they decided to take the plunge and test it out. For three months, the two then-sophomores shared one bedroom in Swindells’ three-bedroom rental home.

“I actually thought the most difficult part would be trying to not fight since we were literally sharing one bedroom, but we really didn’t fight that much,” Ferrante said. But it wasn’t all fun and games. “I guess realizing we both had to do chores was difficult.

Usually, if I stay over at his house he treats me like a guest, but since I was living there all summer, I had to help out, too.”

If you’re in a serious relationship, you’ve likely “played house” with your significant other. Whether you’ve spent an entire weekend holed up at their place or you regularly split household duties when hanging out, it feels kind of nice to pretend it could be like this all the time: you’re cleaning, she’s cooking, you’re both folding laundry side by side. It’s a pretty picture.

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While it’s true that living with your significant other should be a happy experience, the honeymoon phase will fade quickly.

Remember how much you initially loved your freshman year roommate? Sharing a tiny room in that cinderblock jail was a breeze when your cellmate was someone so awesome, right? Fast forward to midterms season and every little thing they did annoyed the crap out of you. This is what it’s like to live with your significant other, except you’re also sleeping with them.

You may realize you hate the way he chews. Or her stray hairs in the shower send shivers down your spine. Household squabbles are bound to happen, and they don’t ever really go away. How you handle these fights can make or break not only your living situation, but also your relationship. As in all cohabitation scenarios, compromise is key. If she buys Cottonelle but you’re a loyal Charmin user, at least give the brand a shot before adamantly refusing to change your ways.

Similarly, you can expect a little leeway when you forget to pick up your dirty laundry every so often.

While it is important to choose your battles (because nobody likes being nagged for every little thing they do), you should also be firm in the beliefs you feel strongly about. If you’re constantly washing all of the dirty dishes every time the sink is full, you have to speak up. Not only will it help establish better communication, but it will also save you both from a huge

blowup later on. Pushing your real problems to the backburner only postpones the inevitable, and when they finally do catch up, it may be too late to salvage your bond.

WHERE TO DO IT So you did it. You decided to shack up, and now you two have a place all to yourselves.

The first order of business (after signing the lease but before even thinking about unpacking) is to christen your new home.

And once you do the deed, keep this handy list for whenever you want to spice up your love life after things start to become a little too routine.

ON THE COUCH Sure, this seems pretty run-of-themill, but think about it: You’re having sex. In the middle of the living room.

Without worrying about anyone else walking in on you. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to watch Game of Thrones while simultaneously getting it on.

AGAINST A WINDOW Obviously, you don’t want the whole world to see what you look like during the sexuals (or you do; I don’t know your life). Whether you’re an exhibitionist or a bit more reserved, there’s something undeniably thrilling about having sex where you know you shouldn’t, especially with the added risk of being seen. That said, be kind to your neighbors and refrain from doing this when you know people are out and about.

ON THE FLOOR Let your primal instincts take over and get your lover to get down and dirty– literally. But why have floor sex when you can do the dirty in a soft, comfy bed? It’s simple– because you can. Gone are the days of sticky frat floors or judgment from your roommates. But make sure you don’t get so caught up in the moment that you end up hurting yourself (carpet burn is a b****).

ON TOP OF THE TABLE So you’re sitting down for a nice lunch and across the table is your hot roommate who you get to bang whenever you guys want. And you realize, you need them– right now.

Swipe everything off the table in one fell swoop (bonus points if you whip off a table cloth, too).

ON THE TOILET? Not telling you how to live your life or anything, but be careful with this one. Sure, it could be a naughty way to repurpose a rather mundane household fixture, but things could get, pun intended, real shitty. So if you’re venturing into this strange sect of sex, be prepared to laugh at yourselves and, for the love of God, keep the lid down.

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So keep your cool and realize that though fights will happen, you can get through them if you’re both committed to the relationship.

Something that young couples can’t afford to fight about, though, is money. One of the top reasons that couples of all ages break up is due to financial struggles. Whether you’re living it up in Miami thanks to “Bank of Your Parents” or you’re out there hustlin’ to earn your keep, it’s crucial that you and your partner discuss your financial plan before you even step foot into your new shared space. If you feel uncomfortable discussing money, you’re probably not ready to move in together, because sharing a bed will bring up conversations far more awkward than how you will be paying for things.

Many of our parents moved in together at our age (or even younger) because it was cost-effective. For current students at the University of Miami, this may seem less relevant than it did for our seemingly more independent parents, many of whom were paying their own tuitions. But it’s still a very real solution for those looking to save money. Living with the person you’re sleeping with on the reg means you can split a lot of the things you would normally have to purchase yourself.

“We split rent, which was nice and super cheap,” said senior Alex Piccirilli, who lived with her then-boyfriend for about six months. “Before we lived together, we practically shared everything anyway, so it was nice to split the costs of gas, food and rent.”

Though shacking up may seem like an easy solution for most of your problems, you shouldn’t choose this path just because you think it will make things easier. Unlike the random roommate you had while subleasing two summers ago, you actually have a relationship with this person, meaning you have to consider a lot more than just whose turn it is to take out the trash. If your list of reasons to move in with your partner include things like “cheap rent” and “less travel time between houses,” but lack things like “waking up to her singing in the shower” or “stimulating conversation whenever we want,” it may be time to revisit this decision.

As the saying goes, “Don’t f*** where you eat” (or something like that, right?).

Sometimes, live-in relationships can take a turn for the worse. Regardless of the situation, any kind of breakup is pretty much the worst possible thing to happen when you live with your significant other. Not only are

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you heartbroken, but you also have to deal with what comes next. Instead of sobbing into a carton of Ben & Jerry’s or drinking with your friends to forget your sorrows, you have work to do. Who moves out? What do you do with all the stuff you bought together? How are you supposed to continue to go to class and fulfill your responsibilities when you can’t even look at your roommate?

Junior Anna* had to answer these questions last year when she and her live-in boyfriend broke up.

“We felt really suffocated and, toward the end, very resentful of each other,” she said. “It was because we spent 24/7 together. We lived together, had classes together, did track together and had the same friends.”

Unfortunately for Anna, the timing couldn’t have been worse. The two decided to split right in the middle of finals, so on top of dealing with her emotions, she also had to stay on top of her studies.

“It was hard, because you love this person and you don’t want to never see them again,” she said. “But at the same time, you know leaving is inevitable.”

After reestablishing their own identities, Anna and her boyfriend were able to reconcile and are currently back together. For them, living together hindered the development of their relationship. But for others, it only brought them closer.

Senior Maria Jiménez Muñoz has been living with her boyfriend for 10

months and loves every minute of it.

Aside from adapting to her partner’s quirks, she has learned a valuable lesson that most couples don’t learn until much later on.

“I don’t necessarily need time without him to have time to myself,” she said, addressing the ever-present issue of finding alone time when living with a significant other. “I can be reading a book while he is sitting next to me watching a documentary and that’s fine.”

She makes a good point. As most college students know, after dealing with the stresses of class, work, extracurriculars and everything else that comes with being a new adult, sometimes you just need a good Netflix binge. Couples who can zone out and do their own thing without getting annoyed of the constant presence of another person are on their way to forming a strong relationship.

Speaking of “doing things,” one of the biggest appeals of shacking up has got to be the sex. Not only can you wake up next to your attractive lover every morning, but you can catch them for a midday quickie or even say “screw it” and let dinner burn in the oven while you get it on in the evening. In the mood but running late for work? Invite them in the shower with you…you know, to save water (wink).

However, every silver lining has a cloud. Living together certainly has a way of taking all of the mystery out of things. Though you’ll still find your

sweetheart just as attractive as you did before you guys lived together, seeing their naked bodies will become much more commonplace. Don’t forget why you love them and are attracted to them in the first place. And if all else fails, just ask them to “conserve water” with you next time you need to wash up in the shower (wink again).

Some people revel in the idea of getting as close with their partner as possible. Senior Jenny*, and recent UM graduate Mike* are loving the ball-andchain life.

“We are so busy that living together actually helps us find time to eat, binge watch TV and fall asleep together,” Mike said. As a very active college student, Jenny has to balance her social life along with her home life with Mike.

“I still want go to frat parties and

mixers, but it’s a little awkward getting dressed up and asking him if I look pretty before going out with other guys.

So sometimes I skip out on fun things because I want to hang out with him,” she said. “But he’s worth it. I love him.”

Obviously, there’s a lot to take into account when deciding to move in with your significant other. It shouldn’t be a rash decision based solely on convenience or pressure. If you think you’re ready for the real deal, though, talk to your partner about it and see where they stand. You’re young, you’re in college– you never know what can happen. But if you can glance at your snoring, drooling partner and smile and think to yourself, “Wow, I love this ridiculous mess of a person,” you’re probably on the right track. *Name has been changed to ensure privacy.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, yet arguably equally as trying, is the long distance relationship.

Instead of trying not to drive each other crazy, you’re stuck pining for a loved one who is miles away.

Here’s how to stay positive and keep the romance alive.

but there are still ways to keep each other satisfied without being physically present.

Whether it’s phone sex, naughty video chatting or sending erotic poetry via carrier pigeons, decide what you’re both comfortable doing and get your sexy on.

Avoid texting all day You may think that keeping in constant contact with your partner would make you both feel more connected, but it actually makes the relationship seem monotonous. Instead, try to schedule a phone call or video chat once a day to catch each other up on all the goings-on in your lives.

Don’t be sneaky If you’re doing something you wouldn’t do if your partner was there, you probably shouldn’t do it. Even if you think hanging out with your hot classmate will be innocent, that’s not a situation you should put yourself in. However, if it’s something simple like a guy’s night out, a simple heads up to your significant other that you’re going out is all it takes to ease her mind.

Get frisky, virtually So we all know the dangers of sexting (or, more commonly, Snapchat-sexting),

Be cheesy You’re not physically there to show your affection all the time, so it’s important to amp up the mushiness more than you would if you were able to give some lovin’ on the daily. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture.

Think about sending them a pizza when you know they’re up late studying or even writing a love letter to send in the mail.

It’s the little things that will remind both of you why you’re sticking this out.

Set some ground rules The most practical way to maintain your relationship during those long periods apart is to decide what is okay and what is not okay. Getting rid of the whole guessing game will put your mind at ease and also assuage any tension that could arise from insecurities.

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words_distraction staff. photo_valentina escotet. design_rori kotch.

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hen I first got to college, I cried almost every night for about a month.

I didn’t like my room, I wasn’t making close friends and I didn’t know how to do my laundry (#spoiledbymom). For the first few months I was also basically convinced that I wanted to transfer because I hadn’t found my niche.

Luckily, after a good three or four months, I found my footing, made true friends and found my passions (also I learned how to do my laundry).

As much as this story makes me seem “uncool,” I think it’s a run-of-themill situation for some of us here. I will admit that when starting school off fresh, it is hard to find your place, so for a while it’s about being independent.

So, what does independent really mean? To me, it means to be self-sufficient, which includes, but is not limited to, providing food, maintaining hygiene and socializing all while going to class and maintaining a decent GPA. The latter was the most difficult for me in the beginning of college (shout out to all the former STEM majors out there).

However, what I found from all of my experiences was that when I forced myself to say “yes” more often and tried new things and met new people, I was forced out of my comfort zone. Some of the new things I tried weren’t for me (rock climbing anyone?) but at least I met some pretty cool people along the way. Stumbling along a rocky path my first two years was tough, but along the way I was able to meet amazing people. I joined a sorority, started writing, learned graphic design (thank you, Ivana, Raquel & Claudia), and most importantly, joined distraction and eventually got the opportunity to oversee production.

My greatest advice is to push yourself and try new things. Yes, I know it’s difficult. Your bed is just so comfortable and it’s “easier said than done,” but it’s something we all need to keep in mind every day– who knows what you’ll do or who you’ll meet.

So now I am leaving this university as a woman who lives on her own in a quiet apartment building. I cook my own meals, I schedule my own doctor’s appointments and I keep a pretty decent GPA at the same time.

I know what you’re thinking, “what the heck should I take from this girl’s story?” Well, here are your answers– try to understand where other people are coming from; you may broaden your horizons and just get out there and do hoodrat sh*t with your friends. If you’re not too hoodrat, have no fear, there are chill places around this university and in this wonderful city that will accommodate a more slow-placed lifestyle– that being said, just go out, explore new things and #getdistracted.

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s I finish up my eighth and last semester at the University of Miami, I’ve made a point to look back on all of my accomplishments. As a freshman, I came in on a hefty merit scholarship due to my stellar academic record in high school. I joined an amazing sorority and held leadership positions in the Greek community in the following years. I have landed myself on both the dean’s list and the president’s honor roll, was tapped into various honor and leadership societies and even earned a few awards along the way. I now look forward to a graduation with (pending) honors and distinctions, and then even further to my dream job in New York City.

And every day I have to fight the notion that I don’t deserve any of it.

I don’t know how it happened, but sometime between my high achieving high school days and now, I stopped feeling deserving of my accomplishments. Maybe it’s because I came to

a school where everyone seems to be wealthy, hot and somehow also smart.

Maybe social media has skewed my perception of life. Or maybe my own insecurities have made me unable to appreciate my own abilities.

As executive editor here at distraction, I make a lot of decisions. I oversee copy, assist Rori in running the meetings and spend countless hours in the office putting together the final product. And yet even as I get ready to wrap up my final issue, I still wonder why anyone thinks it’s a good idea to listen to me.

When I start my career this summer, I can’t help but have this feeling of impending doom that I’m going to be found out, that the people who hired me are going to take one look at my writing and send me packing back to Florida. To be honest, I’m confused why I was even hired in the first place.

Recently I came to the realization that I’m not alone in this strange expression of self-doubt. This year, the term “impostor syndrome” has made its way into the mainstream lexicon, accurately

describing the feeling that you are not as talented/successful/authentic as people believe you to be. If you ever worry that you’re a fraud and that you’re going to be “found out” for pretending to be something that you’re not, you have impostor syndrome.

But don’t fret, because you’re in good company. No, I’m not just talking about myself; impostor syndrome can affect even (or maybe especially) celebrities. The late, great Maya Angelou, who is far better with words than I am (and that’s a fact, not my impostor syndrome speaking), said it best. “I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’”

If Queen Maya struggles to own up to her own brilliance, then how can we, mere mortals even attempt it?

Impostor syndrome is a byproduct of anxiety, something that, if not dealt with, can negatively affect all aspects of life. But getting yourself in the right mindset can help keep this ominous feeling at bay.

People have gotten into this habit of asking “why me?” every time something good happens. But imagine how much more we could accomplish if we asked “why not me?”

Instead of wondering why your professor chose your paper as the class example, or instead of wondering whom your parents bribed to get you a job, think about why you deserve it. Remember that even if you did have help, or you think things happened by chance, you still had to have played a role in your success.

It’s also important to realize that nobody knows what they’re doing. Even that girl in your stats class who rolls up in a blazer and heels with her homework printed (sans wrinkles or coffee stains) has days where she can’t even remember her Gmail password. Just because everyone else looks like they have their s*** together, it doesn’t mean that they actually do.

The thing is, you shouldn’t ever compare yourself to anyone else anyway. Sure, that sounds cliché, but if you want to be the master of your impostor syndrome, you have to get rid of the comparisons (#byeFelicia). What you can do instead, though, is record all of the nice things people say about you. I’m all for positive self-affirmation, but we all know that validation from a peer, a boss or someone else who isn’t yourself seems to carry a lot more weight.

I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “the first step is admitting you have a problem.” And even in this case, it’s true. Acknowledging that you have undeserved self-doubt will keep things in perspective. When you’re doing what you’re good at and the voice in your head starts nagging you, remind yourself why it’s there and how you can overcome it.

So yeah, I have impostor syndrome. But because I know that, I can work on it. Even as I write this editorial, I can’t help but wonder why anyone would want to read this and take my advice. And then I realize I should just shut the f*** up and write.

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here’s a word that people use, and it used to bother me a lot. People often use it to define me, but in the past, I never believed it to be true. It was only until a few years ago that I realized I didn’t have to take what others say into account. As I get ready to graduate college, I realize that I am okay with being “weird.”

The phrase, “you’re weird” has followed me for as long as I could remember, from kids in school noticing my notebook doodles to my friends questioning my bold fashion choices.

Even my family (lovingly) called me weird. They didn’t mean it as an insult, just an observation of my unique quirks and personality traits. See, they could have used a different word, but people tend to assign the term “weird” to anything that breaks the norm as weird.

I’ve always been that “weird” kind of kid. You know, the one that loves to learn new things, the funny one (even at my own expense), the extrovert, but someone who is also shy all at the same time. Unlike “normal” people, I can’t be defined by my interests and hobbies because they are too many and too varied to pigeonhole me as one certain type of person.

When I started art school, my weirdness bloomed even more. I was surrounded by people who weren’t like me, but they also weren’t like “normal” people, either. In a space full of creative people, our individuality was celebrated.

And I realized that a group of weird people can be like a community; there are so many people out there who are nothing like me and yet, because they don’t fit in with the rest of the crowd, they are defined under the same word.

You know other people who are weird? Astronauts. Saints. Nobel Prize winners. Scientists. People with hobbies you’ve never heard of or are afraid to try.

People who speak their minds. People with solutions, and problems (lots of them). People who are not like you. Being weird means being noticeably different. It means being or doing something that makes other people stare, or laugh, or applaud, or even feel uncomfortable.

But these are the people who are going to change the world. They’re not afraid to be themselves, meaning they are free to explore their own ideas and come up with something great. And it’s something we all need to embrace, because every one of us can be a little weird.

So the next time you find yourself in a situation in which you are not the “normal” one, where your ideas are different or where you shine more than others, embrace it! Be weird and be proud, because your uniqueness can be your greatness.

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am an international student, and like most graduating seniors, I did not know what I was going to do with my life until a month ago.

As an international student that wants to stay in the U.S., I can tell you that senior year was weirdly painful. The thing is that if you want to keep your “student” status, you have to decide between two things: applying for OPT (optional professional training) or going to graduate school. If you apply for OPT, you basically have a year after school to find a job or internship.

But it’s not that simple.

The company that hires you needs to sponsor you in order to obtain a working visa after your OPT, and as a result, you get to stay in the U.S. (YAY!). On the other hand, I had the option to continue my studies. After four years with bags under my eyes, greasy hair and trust issues with classmates, I had no choice. I decided to keep looking gross and keep learning.

After tirelessly debating with my pillow, I decided to go to grad school. This decision surprised many, and to be honest, it surprised me too. OPT seemed like the most reasonable way to go for an international student, so why did I choose grad school?

I might sound crazy, but if you have the opportunity to keep studying and expanding your knowledge, take it.

International students are always at a disadvantage when it comes to finding jobs and building a life in the U.S. So if you have the chance, why wouldn’t you choose the path with the most tools and resources?

That being said, I’m not saying that choosing OPT is the wrong way to go. Neither option is wrong– I’m just saying that you can’t be afraid of choosing one over the other. Do whatever you feel is the best and, most importantly, what will make you the happiest. Sacrificing your happiness for a career or a specific place to live is not worth it.

After all of this little speech, it might sound like I am reluctant to go to grad school, but that isn’t true in the least. Next fall, I’ll be studying communication design at the Pratt Institute in New York City. While this is definitely something I’m interested in, I’m nervous because I’m not used to living in the big city, but I am confident that I will find my way around. It will be a bit of a struggle at first, but everyone has to do it.

I also plan on getting involved in as many campus activities as I can so that I don’t feel lonely. I’ll also keep a positive attitude, and the food in NYC will definitely help me out in that department (Eataly, anybody?).

My advice to you is, ask questions and don’t procrastinate. Thinking about the future can be a scary thing.

Sometimes it can be a total mystery, but right now, you have the remote control. So just push the buttons and see what happens.

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H C I WH TY

I R B CELE LD YOU WOU N O I T C E L E

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“Justin Timberlake”

SAM PURNELL

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“

EMILY BAJALIA “Mindy Kaling”

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“Will Ferrell”

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“John Stamos

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