2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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MAY 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
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JUST JUMP! YOU’RE STANDING AT THE EDGE OF SOMETHING GREAT. DON’T PLAY IT SAFE. THE (INCOMPLETE) GUIDE TO GROWING UP, P16
LETTER
FROM THE EDITOR
FEEDBACK LET’S HEAR IT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
DON’T SPEND IT ALL IN ONE PLACE 3 THINGS TO GROW FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
GROW ON! When I was a kid, I had horrific growing pains. I remember the pre-dawn crisis well: Me and my legs howling in pain. My mom or dad sleepily rubbing their eyes with one hand, holding my hand with the other and walking me back and forth through the living room. That was the only cure, they said. You have to walk it out. If you stop moving, it will only hurt worse. And I haven’t stopped moving since. I’m a constant traveler and wanderer, and I feel my best when I’m going somewhere on the road. Thinking back to those early growing pains, I realize that growth, for me, is about moving with a purpose. To stop moving is to stop growing, and that is just not an option for me. Even if it hurts to move — and, I can tell you, moving can hurt a lot — you can only grow by continually challenging yourself and constantly pushing onward. Sometimes that means leaving things behind. Sometimes it means doing things you never thought possible. But, if you stick to it, it will always be rewarding, and you’ll become a better person because of it. Welcome to the “Grow” issue of SET! In this issue, we’ve interpreted “Grow” in a lot of different ways. Some of our readers have just graduated college and high school. Both groups are about to enter periods of extreme change and growth, and everybody needs a little help sometimes. To offer some thoughts, our main feature is dedicated to personal stories or how-tos written by people who have experienced some profound personal growth. We’ve also got money talk, local artists and some Harry Potter thrown in the mix.
ART ISN’T DEAD. IT’S ALIVE. A FESTIVAL CELEBRATING ONE OF A KIND ART. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
FROM AN RV TO HAITI CONNECTING HEART AND HOME. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
ABROAD REACH FROM THE SHOALS TO HAITI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
CROSSROADS IN SUN DROP COUNTRY A TALE OF TWO TOWNS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 If this is your first time picking up SET, we’re glad to have you! Keep reading, because I’m sure you’ll find something you like. We’re a magazine intent on providing a voice for you, focusing on things you may enjoy: music, movies, art, technology and finance. We’re also full of special features that tell stories, profile nonprofits and highlight hometown heroes. If you don’t find anything you like, you can write it yourself! We’re always looking for new writers and photographers who want to lend a hand in making SET what it is. We’ll even pay you for your contributions. You have a voice. Use it! I hope you enjoy May’s edition of SET. If you have any thoughts, complaints, or new ideas, throw them to me! Email me at feedback@getsetmag.com. The only way to grow this publication is to hear how you like it and what you think we could do better. Let me know, and we’ll make it happen.
CH-CH-CH-CHIA! THE SUPPLEMENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IS RIGHT “CHIA”. . . . . . . 11
THE (INCOMPLETE) GUIDE TO GROWING UP SURVIVING THE “REAL WORLD”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-20
CALENDAR WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23
SPOTLIGHT SET READERS IN ACTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27
MEMOIRS OF A FORGOTTEN WIZARD GROWING UP BETWEEN THE PAGES OF WORLDS . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
FREESTYLE HOW DO YOU GROW? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
BY ANDY THIGPEN, EDITOR
SET is a publication by and for local young people dedicated to lifestyle, finance, technology and community. It is published by Listerhill Credit Union as
part of its ongoing mission to promote the credit union philosophy of cooperation and financial literacy. It is a platform for 15-20 somethings in the community and it is free.
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4 CONTRIBUTORS
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SET CONTRIBUTORS AUSTIN PEACOCK Bridgeport, AL
RACHEL RUSSELL Leoma, TN
NIKKI MESSER
ALEX RICHEY
Florence, AL
Russellville, AL
CAMERON GRAYBILL
NATASHA THOMAS
Florence, AL
Florence, AL
KALI DANIEL
PAIGE MCCAY
EMILY OWNBY
JOHN VEAL
Murfreesboro, TN
Locust Fork, AL
Muscle Shoals, AL
Hazel Green, AL
LUKE SMITH
LIZA HARRISON
COURTNEY TULLY
JAMES THIGPEN
Florence, AL
Leighton, AL
Rogersville, AL
Killen, AL
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MAY 2015
MONEY 5
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Meal plans can help cut down on food spending.
Watch out for overdraft fees — they’ll eat you alive!
Nationally, students spend over $5 billion on clothing.
DON’T SPEND IT ALL IN ONE PLACE might cover (entertainment, travel and the like) and the expenses your parents may help with (tuition, housing, meal plans and so on). Once you have all that set up, implement a monthly allowance on yourself. How much money can you spend on things that aren’t really necessities like going to see a movie or having a night out bowling with your friends? I myself have set a limit of $25 a month toward things that would be classified as “entertainment,” but that will be different for everyone. The hardest part of having a budget is maintaining it. Set aside 30 minutes at the end of each day and allow yourself to update your budget to make sure you are keeping yourself on track!
WORK IT
3 THINGS TO GROW FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY It’s the moment you have been waiting for since you stepped through the doors of high school. You have now graduated and are a few months away from going off to college and living on your own. You’re away from your parents, and you get to make all your own decisions. Most importantly, now you get to choose whatever you want to do with your money. There are good and bad ways to manage your monies, and we have a primer here to get you on the right track.
BUDGET IT
Creating a budget may seem like a task you imagine your pennypinching father to do — your eyes have probably glazed over already. But a budget can pay tremendous dividends in the long run. While you may be off on your own, working your own job, you will more than likely still be receiving some financial help from your parents. Have a meeting with your parents before you head off to school and decide who is going to pay for what. Discuss what you
Playing sports for four years in high school, I never had the opportunity to hold a job for an extended period of time. Once I reached college and was living on my own, I made a stunning realization: you have to have money if you want to buy or do things! I come from a family where my parents believe you earn every dollar you have, so I was expected to do the same. Getting a job either onor off-campus can help offset your day-to-day expenses. The big advantage of a job is obvious: you make your own money. A part-time job also offers you the chance to learn and develop real world skills you will eventually need once you graduate and get out in the real world. An on-campus job allows you to make connections and meet people who also work within the university. Most on-campus jobs also put a cap on how many hours you can work an hour to make sure you are getting enough hours in the day to study for your classes. Part-time jobs also have their disadvantages. For a job off-campus, you may have to work over fall or spring break or during other vacations in the school year. For an off-campus job, a limited number of hours also means a limited amount of pay. Most importantly though, talk
to your parents before you decide to apply for a job and make sure you will be able to balance the work load of both a job and school.
GIVE ME SOME CREDIT
My dad has always told me, “No credit is worse than low credit.” Credit is what will eventually be the key to getting a loan for a house or a new car. Entering your first year of college, this is normally where most people start to build their credit. Talk to your parents about signing yourself up for a credit card. The biggest part of owning a credit card is making sure your balance is paid in full and on time each month. A credit card is a huge responsibility, especially for college students. Make sure you aren’t exceeding your balance or maxing out your credit cards unless you know for a fact you can pay them off. NerdWallet.com is one of the best websites out there for college students and parents with questions concerning credit cards. NerdWallet gives you all of the details of credit cards including the Discover it Card for Students and the Journey Student Rewards card from Capital One so you and your parents can decide which one is best for you. Being financially responsible isn’t easy, and it takes some time to adjust. Find out what budgets and plans work best for you and stick to them. You can make it out of this alive — and you may even have some money in your wallet!
STORY BY AUSTIN PEACOCK
6 ART
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Nick Walton
Miracle Osborne
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needs. The Hill is a full service, student-run Listerhill Credit Union location in The Commons at UNA dedicated to helping students reach their full financial potential.
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ART 7
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Handmade art from cultural traditions is called “folk art.”
Cornhusk art has been around for over 1,000 years.
ART ISN’T DEAD. IT’S ALIVE. A FESTIVAL CELEBRATING ONE-OF-A-KIND ART Ellen Goode, Florence local, is a folk artist that got her start at Arts Alive nearly 27 years ago. Goode started out as a special education teacher who incorporated hands-on art into her classroom. She didn’t always know that she wanted to be an artist; she just knew that loved to create things. After 15 years of juggling a teaching career and an increasingly demanding role as an artist, Goode decided to retire early and focus on her art career. Goode was inspired by her mother and sister who were clay artists and create one-of-a-kind pieces using organic materials. “My biggest inspiration is nature,” Goode said. “We often see patterns in nature, but I like to see the abstract.” Goode uses everything from cornhusks to twigs, acorns to vines and even beach glass in her art. Her favorite materials, though, are cornhusks. While Goode used to grow her own corn, she found that it was too labor-intensive. She now travels far and wide to collect the perfect cornhusks. “Cornhusk art is a traditional art that originated with the Native Americans,” Goode said. Cornhusk art is a form that starts with collecting the right husks, wetting them, dying them, weaving them into objects, and then tying them before they dry into place. “There is no pattern with the cornhusk. That’s what I love about it.” After the death of her mother in 2009, Goode took a break from Arts Alive. This year is her comeback. At Goode’s exhibit you can expect to see “an extra special-touch” in her hand-woven baskets, jewelry and scenic pieces. In addition, Goode will be demonstrating how to make one-
of-a-kind cornhusk pieces to show the public the beauty of organic, traditional art. Goode said she finds new inspiration every day. Many of her pieces are thought to be out of proportion and somewhat random-looking. That is her goal: to create abnormal pieces that make you question what you see. “The human body is not necessarily symmetrical,” she said. “Just like art, it can be wild-looking.” The next step for Goode is teaching art to the next generation. Alongside a partnership with Court Street Market, Goode started teaching hands-on art workshops for children ages 9+ in April 2015. Some of her upcoming classes are “Natures Wind Chimes” and “Flower Pounding.” She is seeking local artists to teach additional workshops. If art is up your alley of interests, check out Arts Alive May 16 - 17 to see artists like Goode. Arts Alive is an annual, family-oriented festival hosted in Wilson Park in downtown Florence. You can expect to see local artists alongside a handful of traveling artists of varying genres. “You’ll see very unique pieces as well as Southern, traditional pieces,” Good said. “That’s the cool thing about Arts Alive. I love seeing the spectrum of art that is featured.” This is the 29th celebration of Arts Alive. Michelle and Jeff Eubanks, the festival’s chairs, say this event is set to be among the best as they build the festival to year 30. “Our committee has worked throughout the past year to create an event that will be memorable, fun and a true festival of the arts in many of its forms,” said Michelle Eubanks. This year, locals can expect to see two new components of the festival:
FOLK IT UP AT ARTS ALIVE! a hands-on tent for children and live music. Can it get any better? Yes it can. Admission is free to the public. That’s right: free entrance, free music, free children’s activities and free fun. “Basically everything is free except for food and any art you want to take home,” Eubanks said. In addition to exhibits that are shown in tents, select artists will be featured in the Kennedy Douglass Center across the street from Wilson Park. Although the featured artists have already been chosen, the artists themselves have not been informed, so we don’t want to spill the beans and ruin the surprise. The event wouldn’t be possible without the hard work of Michelle and
Jeff Eubanks. “I love how they treat the artists. They have true southern hospitality,” said local artist Marian Baker. The Eubanks’ and the festival committee have successfully made Arts Alive a one-of-a-kind experience for fans and artists alike. If you are an artist that creates handcrafted art, apply next January to become a part of the festival that represents a part of the rich culture of the Shoals and the South.
STORY BY NIKKI MESSER
8 HERO
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Haitian Creole & French are Haiti’s official languages.
MAY 2015
Visit The610project.org to get involved.
FROM AN RV TO HAITI CONNECTING HEART AND HOME Melissa Daniel Bain is no stranger to SET: she was our Hometown Hero way back in December 2012. Back then, this Muscle Shoals native was working with a nonprofit called Soles4Souls that helps fight poverty across the world by distributing shoes and clothes to communities in need. As a volunteer, she took her first trip to Haiti in 2010, and she went “begrudgingly.” But it was on that trip that she fell in love with service and the Haitian people. “It was overwhelming and also amazing at the same time,” Bain said. After volunteering, she and her husband Heath were offered jobs as
RV spokespersons. They spent the next two years traveling all over the U.S. in an RV, spreading the word about Soles4Souls. After Heath’s passing in 2012, she moved into an international position with the organization. “I knew what my life would be if I didn’t take the chance and go for [the job],” she said. “If I just came back here, I knew what to expect, and I didn’t really like that.” “I also knew the idea of international travel for me was terrifying, so, because it was scary, I felt like I needed to give it a shot.” Since then, Bain has led multiple
trips of volunteers to varied corners of the world and found a deep love for community-driven charity work and the change that she believes it causes in people’s lives. “On every trip, what I saw again and again, no matter the country, no matter the people or where [the volunteers]
came from, I saw a transformation of spirit,” she said. When volunteers went on these trips, she said, they came thinking they were bringing something to impoverished people and communities. What the volunteers found, however, was that the people in those destitute areas brought so much more to them. “Watching that transformation, someone who can come in one way and leave a trip, after serving someone else, completely different, it’s beautiful,” she said. That’s the sort of transformation she wants to create here, now, with The 610 Project.
STORY BY ANDY THIGPEN
MAY 2015
NONPROFIT 9
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Follow The 610 Project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABROAD REACH
A COUPLE OF HAITIAN STUDENTS GOT THEIR NAILS DID.
FROM THE SHOALS TO HAITI The country of Haiti is probably not a place most of us think about too often. But for Melissa Daniel Bain, she can’t get it off her mind. Bain is currently developing The 610 Project, a community-driven nonprofit focused on bringing the Shoals and Haitian communities closer together. By partnering people of the Shoals with the Haitian American Caucus (HAC) — an outreach organization dedicated to improving the life of Haitians — she hopes to empower developing communities through education, vocational training and microenterprise. First, however, she has to get it going. At press time, Bain was in the process of securing 501-c3 status. But that doesn’t mean she has been idle: she has a lot of ideas for projects and growing support from the Shoals community. The Spinning Spoke, a new bicycle shop in downtown Florence, has offered to donate used and refurbished bikes to 610’s cause. So far, they have donated three bikes with the plan to turn it into a long-term project. Bain also wants to start a backpack
donation project with a pen pal twist: children here will donate their old backpacks with a personalized letter. That connection, Bain said, is vital to The 610 Project. “Stories are a big part of this for me,” she said. “I see it being in every aspect of 610. If we can go beyond giving a simple backpack to actually giving a backpack and creating a human connection between two very different cultures, that’s ultimately my goal even with just a backpack drop.” In addition to bikes and backpacks, she also hopes to secure musical instruments for an HAC orchestra. While all of these are ideas right now, Bain is determined to make them realities. The ultimate goal, she said, is to change both communities for the better. “What I would love to do with 610 is not only change the Les Cayes community… but to also change our own community here in the Shoals and to unify people from across the party lines and regardless of race or sexual orientation or political views or religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs, or any of that stuff,” she said. “What if we all came to together and unified as a community to empower another community?” That’s the very question she wants to answer.
STORY BY ANDY THIGPEN
10 SPECIAL FEATURE
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A mule is the offspring of a male donkey & female horse.
THE FIRST WEBCAM WAS MADE TO WATCH A COFFEE POT.
MAY 2015
John Paul White’s favorite drink is Sun Drop.
CROSSROADS IN SUN DROP COUNTRY A TALE OF TWO TOWNS At the intersection of highway 43 and Tennessee highway 31 stands a billboard displaying a giant bottle of Sun Drop and a message that reads, “This is Sundrop Country.” Located at the crossroads between Spring Hill and Columbia, Tennessee, this area is the last place to catch your breath from the miles of back roads and speed traps before funneling into the interstate connected to Nashville. Turn left and you head toward Spring Hill, a small community sprawling off highway 31 filled with numerous chain restaurants, Lowe’s and giant suburbs containing rows and rows of houses. Turn right, and within a few miles you’ll find yourself in the heart of a real life Mayberry, complete with courthouse and town square. For years, I passed this little neck of the woods with the ultimate goal of some other destination. I had never given much thought to actually exploring either of the two, but on the eve of Mule Day in Columbia, I decided the time to explore was now. Mule Day, an annual celebration of all things breeding and trading mules has been around since the 1840s. What started out as a single “Breeder’s day” for farmers to get together and sell mules and other vital farming resources has now grown into a four day festival that attracts some 200,000 people every year to this small town. Aside from all things equine, this little town just a mere 45 minutes from downtown Nashville has enticed many creatives and entrepreneurs with low start-up costs and prime location. The Old Curiosity Book Shop opened in late 2012 as an indie bookstore/hangout and has since started a wave of other businesses in the same vein to pursue their dreams. This “indie scene” is one
that is hard to define, but describes this generation’s fascination and ambition to create a community around a creative lifestyle and craft goods. As I walked into Muletown Roasted Coffee, I caught owners Chris Winnegar and Matt Johnson sketching out caricatures on a notepad to go with the quirky little song they were writing about the local “grumpy old cop that will give ‘ya a six dollar ticket.” The smell of coffee roasting reaches to the courthouse across the street and has lingered in the town square since Muletown opened up shop in 2013. Winnegar gave me a tour of the rest of the downtown businesses and introduced me to a few of the other key people in the scene that’s steadily growing. As Winnegar and I cross the street, he began to explain his love affair with Columbia. He didn’t even need to tell me in words, I could see it in his face as he waved to a man driving by in a pickup and shook hands with the people we ran across. “I grew up around Birmingham, but it wasn’t until I discovered Columbia that I realized this was a place I could live,” he said. “This was a place I wanted to invest my life and my family in. I knew great things could happen here.” Not even knocking, Winnegar and I bust into the office of Rick Clark, music supervisor for film and TV productions such as “Up In Air” and “Hell on Wheels.” I was immediately awestruck by the immense collection of CDs that Clark uses to help with his work. This overwhelming volume of music was meticulously arranged on shelves that rivaled even the Library of Congress. Clark, a native of Memphis, has lived in Columbia for the last few years and shares the
THINGS ARE WAKING UP AND SHAKING UP IN SUN DROP COUNTRY. same love for Columbia and drive to add to the community as Winnegar. Looking out his second story office window down to the town square, Clark sips a giant mug of hot chocolate piled high with marshmallows and talks with Winnegar about their upcoming plans for a Muletown Music Festival set for the beginning of October. The festival plans to incorporate many other downtown Columbia businesses by temporarily transforming them into music venues. One is not to say that many exciting things aren’t happening in Spring Hill, but perspective is everything. Spring Hill has seen its own boom in population and development. The 2000 census records state a population of over 7,000, but now, that number has quadrupled. The city built many new schools to accommodate the influx of a growing population, as well as numerous new commercial spaces, shopping centers and restaurants. However, the trend of growth in Spring Hill seems to lean itself — in contrast to Columbia — toward a more
franchise-oriented atmosphere. Although both communities can often feel one-in-the-same by having the same relative distance from surrounding larger cities, the two have their own distinct appeals and personalities that draw their respective crowds. The same can be said about the communities’ respective growth, but again, each have their quirks and characteristics for the success they both share. Next time you catch yourself traveling down, tip toeing past all the speed traps and dodging Amish buggies, you may find that you’ve landed in Sun Drop Country. Take a trip off the path in either direction — the worst that could happen is the acquisition of a delicious citrusy beverage.
STORY BY ALEX RICHEY
MAY 2015
FOOD 11
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One ounce of chia seeds provides half a day’s fiber.
Chia seeds lower the risk of heart disease.
CH-CH-CH-CHIA!
WHILE YOU COULD GROW YOUR SEEDS TO CREATE OBAMA’S AFRO OR A GNOME BEARD, CHIA SEEDS ARE PACKED WITH PROTEIN AND FIBER, MAKING THEM A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR DAILY DIET.
THE SUPPLEMENT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IS RIGHT “CHIA” When visiting home, I wake in the morning to my mother’s Power Ball Cookies. These protein-packed sweets are covered in tiny black and white dots that I believed were purely decorative. Little did I know these were chia seeds, critical to offering a nutritious boost to keep me going in the mornings. While many may not see the point of eating what once was a ‘90s toy/garden experiment, chia’s nutritional values can’t be denied. Chef Alan Phillips, proprietor of The Red Clay Epicurean in The Shoals, said using chia seeds can be a supplement to a variety of dishes. “The high fiber content is beneficial as well as the omega-3 fatty acids,” he said. “People worry about mercury and other toxins from eating too much fish, especially pregnant women, so this is a good way to supplement those.” When Florence, Alabama resident
Danielle Patten met with her physician in 2013, she was informed she would need to change her diet. Patten said she began a 90 percent raw diet and included chia seeds. “I found that chia seeds are a great source of protein, so into [my morning] smoothies they went,” she said. “I eventually started to add them into my oatmeal for an extra crunch and protein boost.” Everyone uses chia seeds differently, said University of North Alabama (UNA) coordinator of fitness Glenda Richey. “I’ve put them in salads before,” she said. “I’ve put them in yogurt. It adds a crunch. But some people are big on not eating them the way I eat them.” Richey eats the seeds raw daily, using a three-tablespoon portion. “I think of them more like a supplement in that I think they’re good
for me and I’m just trying to get them down,” she said. “It’s like I would take a vitamin E pill or something.” Phillips said chia seeds also work well soaked. “I like to brew natural teas such as ginger, mint, chai, etc. [So I] soak the chia seeds in the cold tea overnight,” he said. “They expand, releasing nutrients and feel like tiny boba when you drink it. I like to add a little coconut milk and sweetener as well.” Knowing chia seeds expand in fluids, Richey said the chia seeds keep her feeling full. “The thing is, they’re doing in my stomach what they will do in water,” she said. “They’re going to take up more room in my stomach. I won’t eat quite as much and they keep me fuller longer. A lot of people use them for weight loss.” Because of the water intake of the seeds, those who eat them raw must remember to stay hydrated, she said. Madison, Alabama resident Alain Alonzo, however, said he does not experience the full feeling after eating them. “I was told by a lot of people at the gym that they help control appetite, but
they never seemed to do anything for mine,” he said. Phillips said he frequently uses chia seeds in his dishes. “I toast and slightly grind them for dirty rice or quinoa,” he said. “They are also good for adding as a topping to hummus or baba ganoush. You can also add them to muffins or breads, especially zucchini or carrot bread.” Alonzo frequently uses chia seeds as toppings. “I eat them in shakes and salads,” he said. “Sometimes I throw them in eggs and on top of waffles.” While the seeds are high in fiber and protein, UNA sophomore Jasmine Fleming believes eating an entire serving at once would seem unhealthy, no matter how it is incorporated into a diet. “I think people should focus more on having a well-balanced diet than getting so much of a nutrient from one food source,” she said. “I wouldn’t want that much fiber from one food item.” Richey agreed with Fleming and said while chia seeds do have high nutritional value, they should not be relied on solely for fiber. “I believe in variety,” she said. “All of your fiber shouldn’t come from any one thing whether it be prunes, whole grains or flaxseed.” As with many clean eating foods, the seeds can come at a high cost, Richey said. “Chia seeds haven’t always been on my radar to tell students about,” she said. “One thing that does bother me is that they are a little bit expensive. I found some cheap places online, but if you just go get them at Wal-Mart, I think they’re a bit expensive to be honest. But that goes for a lot of eating clean type things.” Patten said she has been able to find small bags at Wal-Mart for a dollar. Whether you’re looking to add fiber to your diet, begin clean eating or simply consider a new supplement to your diet, ch-ch-ch-chia is more than a pet — it’s a lifestyle.
STORY BY KALI DANIEL
12 FEATURE
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Kahri Member Since 2013 Abby Member Since 2013
Drew Member Since 2013
Rebecca Member Since 2013
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14 FEATURE
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MAY 2015
YOU’RE MOVING OUT! TRICKS OF THE TRADE OF MOVING INTO YOUR OWN DIGS AND LIVING YOUR OWN LIFE Well, you’ve made it. You’re finally free from living under the rule of your parents and you’re about to strike out on your own on this amazing journey called life, to use the cliché phrase. If you’re reading this and about to move into your own place for the first time, you may be a wayward, soon-to-be college freshman unsure of how to navigate the world that lies beyond the gate of your childhood home. Luckily, many of us have been there, and here are a few ways you can use this amazing opportunity to grow. First things first: find out where you want to live. As they say in the real estate business, location is everything, and you’ll want to nail down the best location for your future house/ apartment/igloo, etc. Be sure to find a reliable place that is close to campus while also not too far from what’s going on in town. You don’t need to be far from work or from play.
Many of you reading may be in college or just out of high school, so this is likely the first time you’ve ever been on your own. For the last 18 or so years of your life, you’ve lived with your parents, who probably assumed most of the responsibility in your household. Not anymore. It’s your household now, and you’re the one about to assume the responsibility. This comes with pros and cons. On one hand, you have more control of your life and can make your own decisions. On the other, you don’t have your parents to rely on as much, so a degree of trial and error is to be expected. For example, if you want to ball outta control 24/7, you can. But what if you’re in school and/ or working, and have to get up at an ungodly hour every weekday? You have a ton of freedom when you move out, but you have to be smart about it. Sure, you should have fun with your new freedom, but you should also be responsible when making choices, because the choices you make at this stage of your life can have a long term impact on the path your life takes. When you move out, you gain a sense of independence. You are shaping your life and
TIME TO GET OUT OF MOM AND DAD’S HOUSE AND ESTABLISH YOUR OWN DOMINION.
crafting the way you want to lead it in the future, and you have the most influence in your life that you’ve ever had. At this point, you alone are in charge of yourself. No one else is. That’s a major responsibility, though it may not seem like it at the time. When you’re first out on your own, you’ll have triumphs and failures. Be happy with the triumphs and don’t be discouraged by the failures. These are just parts of life. For those starting college, this is for you. When you begin your college career, you’re going to grow in many ways, some of which you may never have expected. You need to know that college isn’t like high school. It’s far more rigorous and time-consuming. You’ll likely need to triple the amount of studying you did in high school and
learn to balance your time. Balancing time is crucial. You should learn to divide your time so that you’ll have enough for every objective on your list. You’ll need to budget your time to complete all of your homework and assignments, especially if you’re working as well as going to school.
Last but not least, you’re free. Free to do whatever you want, whenever you want and however you want. This could be the best time of your life, but only if you keep your feet somewhat firmly planted on the ground. Not too firmly, but stable enough not to get swept away by the wave you’re about to ride. When you finally move into
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your own place and start your next chapter, go out there and expand your horizons. Meet new people, study interesting subjects, try sushi if you haven’t before and just get out of your comfort zone. If you keep your head and an open mind, you’ll grow in more ways than you can imagine. And you’ll be glad you did when you’re ready to start the next phase of your life.
STORY BY LUKE SMITH
SHIFT HAPPENS LEARNING TO LET THINGS GO
Throughout the first 18 years of our lives, while we still live at home, we tend to find guidance through our upbringing. However, when the time comes to finally begin our lives, we are find we can mold our own set of guidelines on how we approach life. Sometimes, however, things from our past tend to drag along. Both values and relationships are sometimes not able to go with you when you inevitably change. In February of this year I found myself facing the end of a long-term relationship. I was approaching a time in my life when I had to start letting things go in order to be the person I wanted to be. Every time I imagined the future, the relationship was not there. I struggled with it for weeks, constantly wondering if it was just a phase and hoping to get over it. Unfortunately, I never did. I was always left with that same sinking feeling that something just was not right. When the time finally came, it was a surreal experience. Such a comfortable and reliable thing in my life was suddenly gone, and I was in free fall. I felt empty and drained for days, but I am here to
LET IT GO! LET IT GO! YOU'LL NEVER SEE ME... AHEM, SORRY.
tell you it did not last forever. I got back on my feet — even when I didn’t feel like it — because I knew this was all a part of the process of growing. Friends surrounded me, believed in the decisions I was making and helped me gain a sense of confidence. If anyone out there is in a similar situation, just know that it is OK for you to let things go that may be holding you back. No matter how hard it may
be, cutting things out of your life that have you tied down is a natural part of growing up, and you must be confident in yourself. Through this journey, I’ve gained a lot more confidence in the decisions I make and in myself. I have come to a point in my life where I have realized life is too hard already to not do things that make you happy. Now, I go for what I want when I see it, because that is what life is all about.
STORY BY JOHN VEAL
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MAY 2015
SEIZE THE INTERNSHIP!
YOU TOO CAN MAKE THE CLIMB FROM COFFEE TO BRASS AND GLASS!
WANT A JOB? INTERNSHIPS CAN BE STEPPING STONES! I found out pretty quickly after applying for goodness-knows-how-many jobs that my piece of paper telling the world I graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Alabama wasn’t going to land me my dream job. So, like any good English major, I slung coffee for a year. Luckily, one thing led to another, and I soon found myself sitting at a conference table with a group of seasoned writers, editors and
graphic designers at the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) who were willing to take me under their wings. I interned for six months — while brewing the Shoals’ best coffee at Rivertown — before I was offered a paid position. But after it was all said and done, that first check was only a stamp of approval on a few lessons I learned during my time as an unpaid writer.
for another. Then ask to contribute research for a larger article. Did a good job? Ask to write your own article. Finished with this week’s work? Find out how you can get a jump on next week. Gaining respect takes time, but you won’t regret earning your mentors’ trust. The one who is faithful in little demonstrates faithfulness in much.
LESSON 1: Do better than your best.
You’re standing at the edge of something great. Don’t play it safe. Just jump! An internship gives you the opportunity to grow and take risks without repercussions — at least not lose-yourjob-and-can’t-pay-the-rent bad. This one time, a mentor assigned me a feature article. “Run with it,” she said. So, as a good English major with
OK, that’s a platitude. But I mean it. Don’t just show up and do your work. Do more than is expected. Your drive and self-motivation tells your mentors that you’re willing to step up to the plate, and over time it instills a work-ethic to be reckoned with. Finished that editing job? Ask
LESSON 2: Just jump!
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I'd rather go to the vet. LESSON 3: Make your mark.
an overinflated desire to impress, I wrote an epic (see both Classical and contemporary usages) introduction referencing an ancient Hebrew celebration, prophesying great things for farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. “We can’t publish this,” she said, deflating my ego, “Try something else.” I learned an unforgettable lesson that day. Take the risk; it could be worth it. If you fail, there’s nothing wrong with starting over. In the end, I wrote a tighter and much more compelling piece — without having to channel Homer.
Create something during your time that you can call your own. This will set you apart. Produce something that makes you invaluable to the company. At IFDC, we were celebrating our 40 anniversary, so I developed an interactive historical timeline. I pitched the project — this time with great success. With the full-time writers and artists on board, the manager gave us his blessing, and we saw the project through. As the project neared completion, my manager sat me down and offered me a job — if I was interested. Yup, I was. My friends, get an internship (with IFDC if you want!) and seize its every opportunity! You truly never know where you’ll end up.
STORY BY JAMES THIGPEN
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MAY 2015
GROWING ABROAD MY EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA I had always wanted to cross the Big Pond to the mighty continent of Africa, so when the opportunity arose in 2013 I jumped on without hesitation. I planned, prepared and patiently waited for the day to come. But nothing, and I mean nothing, could have prepared me for what I would experience when I stepped off that plane.
I worked for 10 days in South Africa. The weirdest thing about the country is how Western it is, and yet poverty and sickness still thrive literally minutes from areas populated with men and women in suits going to work. Slums dressed the back roads into the mountains. Orphaned children set up camp on the side of the road. Mothers work hard for a better life before catching a sickness that would later kill them because they cannot afford to travel to a doctor. I worked with the Zulu people living in the mountains and valleys. We spent a lot of time in preschools and day cares in the middle of these villages. I still smell the cattle, rotting food, dirty feet and sickness to this day. One day we were in a day care on the edge of a mountain village full of orphans. These little ones walked all alone among the diseased farm animals roaming the streets in hopes they will be fed that day. I picked up one of the babies, just beginning to walk, and I felt a hard lump on his behind. I went into the crumbled building to change his diaper only to find hardened, rotting waste eating his flesh and no diapers or spare water to clean him. Another day we visited an AIDS hospice. Dying people slaved to their deathbeds with no family and no hope. We spoke with them, prayed with them, sang for them and touched them just so for that one morning they had some hope and love.
EMILY CHILLIN' WITH HER CREW IN THE SUN.
I could tell story after story, but the point is volunteering in Africa was not what I expected. There are images I will never un-see, smells I will never un-smell, and hugs and kisses I will never forget. My appreciation for my parents and what they provide for me became a tangible emotion once I saw how little some had. Before Africa, I was cynical and unmerciful towards people. After my trip, I cannot watch one of
those sad commercials without boo-hooing on my apartment floor. I want to help people because every person, no matter how much or little they have or how sick or healthy they are, deserve love, mercy and kindness. The blessings and love I received during my brief time abroad outweigh everything I have walked through to this very day. You have not lived until you pour out your life for someone in another land. Go international while you can. It will change your heart, mind, and soul.
STORY BY EMILY OWNBY
MAY 2015
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MAY 2015
GIVE YOUR SELF. GROW YOUR SELF. VOLUNTEERING ON THE HOMEFRONT In the two years I have lived in Florence as a student of the University of North Alabama, I have volunteered at seven different organizations around the Shoals area, with 57 hours and counting. In retrospect, volunteering has greatly influenced my personal growth, and it has helped me become the person I am today. Not only have I strengthened existing skills and developed new ones, but I have also learned some things about myself. Volunteering experience is just as important as vocational experience, and maybe even more rewarding. You get to enhance the skills and talents you possess, while also learning and developing new talents and skills that you aren’t so good at. While you grow and accumulate your human capital, you also grow spiritually and positively affect others. There is no better feeling than helping another person. When you volunteer, you are essentially
performing a well-needed task that helps out an organization or an individual without it costing them. There are no words that can ever fully explain the effect selflessness and service can have on one’s soul and personality. I believe volunteering has shaped me in ways I haven’t realized yet. The organizations I have volunteered for in the Shoals area have helped me when it comes to understanding what my strengths and weaknesses are and where my interests lie. For example,
having spent so much time volunteering with children between the ages of two and five, I have been able to build up my patience for working with small children. I also came to the realization that I would probably like to work more with children and teenagers between the ages of 7 and 19. I have the patience and skills necessary for working with younger children, but I learned that I usually just want to play with them! Discovering strengths and weaknesses is important when it comes to deciding what client base to work with within my future social work career. Volunteering has been a very influential part of my life because, not only did it show me how I want to spend the rest of my life, but it also shaped my identity. I encourage everyone to volunteer their time and effort in order to transform themselves and the community around them.
STORY BY NATASHA THOMAS
MAY 2015
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FEATURE 21
22 CALENDAR
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EVENTS
MAY 2015
PHOTO BY ANDY TENNILLE
MAY 1 - MAY 31 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
PATTERSON HOOD @ 116. E. MOBILE ST., FLORENCE, AL, MAY 8
MAY 1
FIRST FRIDAY @ Downtown, Florence, AL, 5pm SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCES, AN EXPERIMENT IN IMPROV. @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 8pm, $5 THE QUAD CITY MC GETDOWN SERVICE @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9:15pm, $5 ZAC BROWN BAND CONCERT @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 7pm POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm RAZZLE DAZZLE MAGIC SHOW @ The Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON @ Your Local Movie Theater SHE’S FUNNY THAT WAY @ Your Local Movie Theater HYENA @ Your Local Movie Theater REALITY @ Your Local Movie Theater FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD @ Your Local Movie Theater WELCOME TO ME @ Your Local Movie Theater
MAY 2
MAC MCANALLY @ The Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL YOUR BOYS CD FUNDRAISER @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL UNA DERBY DAY @ UNA, Florence, AL, 3pm
RAZZLE DAZZLE MAGIC SHOW @ The Center for the Arts, Murfreesboro, TN, 7pm
MAY 3
SHOALS SYMPHONY: SEASON OF REBIRTH @ Norton Auditorium, Florence, AL, 2pm THE WEIGHT CONCERT @ City Winery, Nashville, TN, 8pm
MAY 4
BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
MAY 5
BRETT ELDREDGE, THE ISAACS, & THE BLACK LILLIES @ Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH @ Iron City, Birmingham, AL, 8:30pm
MAY 6
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm HOZIER @ Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 8pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
MAY 7
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER @ Guin City Hall, Guin, AL, 12pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm JAY LENO @ Von Braun Center Arena, Huntsville, AL, 8:30pm
MAY 8
PATTERSON HOOD @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL, 8:30pm, $25 ADV, $30 Door GOODBYE SKYLINE, NOIR, LET’S MOVE MOUNTAINS @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 7pm, $5
MAY 2015
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GUIN MAYFEST @ Downtown, 7500 US Hwy 43, Guin, AL CULLMAN STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL @ Cullman, AL, 9am POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm HOT PURSUIT @ Your Local Movie Theater BEFORE I WAKE @ Your Local Movie Theater MAGGIE @ Your Local Movie Theater PREGGOLAND @ Your Local Movie Theater THE D TRAIN @ Your Local Movie Theater SKIN TRADE @ Your Local Movie Theater BRAVETOWN @ Your Local Movie Theater SOUL BOYS OF THE WESTERN WORLD @ Your Local Movie Theater HUNTING ELEPHANTS @ Your Local Movie Theater SAINT LAURENT @ Your Local Movie Theater 5 FLIGHTS UP @ Your Local Movie Theater NOBLE @ Your Local Movie Theater
MAY 12
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
THE CONNECTION @ Your Local Movie Theater SLOW WEST @ Your Local Movie Theater
MAY 13
MAY 16
MAY 8 – 16
FLORENCE RESTAURANT WEEK @ Downtown Florence, AL
BOXCAR VOICES @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9pm, Free TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
LIVE RECORDING WITH CRAWL TO THE MOON, GAGE GARRETT, LEVI JAMES, ASH OF EDEN, BIKINI ATOL, AND ST. MARY’S ASYLUM @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 7pm, $5 ELLIE’S RUN FOR AFRICA @ Percy Warner Park, Nashville, TN, 7am TOUR DE NASH @ Morgan Park, Nashville, TN, 7:30am NASHVILLE WALK TO CURE ARTHRITIS @ The Band Shell at Centennial Park, Nashville, TN, 9am UNA FRONT PORCH STORYTELLING FESTIVAL @ UNA, Florence, AL, 10am HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL @ The Beach, Gulf Shores, AL, 11am 2015 NASHVILLE WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL @ Riverfront Park, Nashville, TN, 12pm THE HATFEILD-MCCOY WEDDING RECEPTION @ Dave & Busters, Nashville, TN, 6:30pm
MAY 9
MAY 15
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CHEAP THRILL DEVILLE, SAFE SECRETS PLUS TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL WATER LIARS // TYLER YOUNG @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL, 8:30pm, $4 UNA // $5 ADV // $7 Door GUIN MAYFEST @ Downtown, 7500 US Hwy 43, Guin, AL ART IN THE PARK @ Gamble Park, Jasper, AL, 9am SHONEY’S 5K FUN RUN, WALK, & FREE FESTIVAL @ Downtown at Victory Avenue, Nashville, TN, 7am CULLMAN STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL @ Cullman, AL, 9am ART IN THE PARK @ Gamble Park, Jasper, AL, 9am
MAY 10
MOTHER’S DAY PAWS IN THE PARK @ Wilson Park, Florence, AL, 9am
MAY 11
BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm THE WHO @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
MARTY O’REILLY AND THE OLD SOUL ORCHESTRA // SPENCER MURPHY @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL, 7:30pm, $4 UNA // $5 ADV // $7 Door POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm BETTE MIDLER @ Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA, 8pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm BACKSTREET BOYS: SHOW ‘EM WHAT YOU’RE MADE OF @ Your Local Movie Theater
MAY 14
CALIGULOVE, DOWN BOY, HIGH SOCIETY, AND US & THEM @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 8pm, $5 DANIEL ELIAS + EXOTIC DANGERS (EP RELEASE) // ISAAC @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL, 8:30pm, $5 UNA FRONT PORCH STORYTELLING FESTIVAL @ UNA, Florence, AL, 10am HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL @ The Beach, Gulf Shores, AL, 11am POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm MAD MAX: FURY ROAD @ Your Local Movie Theater PITCH PERFECT 2 @ Your Local Movie Theater GOOD KILL @ Your Local Movie Theater TIME LAPSE @ Your Local Movie Theater REALITY @ Your Local Movie Theater ABSOLUTION @ Your Local Movie Theater I’LL SEE YOU IN MY DREAMS @ Your Local Movie Theater EVERY SECRET THING @ Your Local Movie Theater WHERE HOPE GROWS @ Your Local Movie Theater
HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL @ The Beach, Gulf Shores, AL, 11am PARAMORE @ Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm
MAY 18
BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
MAY 19
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
MAY 20
CHISHOLM RIDGE PLUS TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9pm, $5 POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm TOMORROWLAND @ Your Local Movie Theater SPY @ Your Local Movie Theater SUNSHINE SUPERMAN @ Your Local Movie Theater THE FAREWELL PARTY @ Your Local Movie Theater ALOFT @ Your Local Movie Theater MCKENZIE LOCKHART, THE PRESSURE KIDS, THE SUN. THE MOON. AND ASHLEY WHITE MUSIC @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 8pm, $5 ALABAMA JUBILEE HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL @ Point Mallard Park, Decatur, AL, 6:30am-9pm DISNEY ON ICE: FROZEN @ BJCC Arena, Birmingham, AL, 3pm WEIRD AL YANKOVIC @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 8pm
MAY 24
MAY 30
MAY 23
ALABAMA JUBILEE HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL @ Point Mallard Park, Decatur, AL, 6:30am-9pm DISNEY ON ICE: FROZEN @ BJCC Arena, Birmingham, AL, 7pm
MAY 25
MEMORIAL DAY MUSIC CITY BLUES FESTIVAL @ Centennial Park, Nashville, TN, 10am BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
MAY 26
MAY 21
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
MAY 22
BELLE ADAIR // HARTLE ROAD @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL, 8:30pm, $4 UNA // $5 ADV // $7 Door
MAY 29
GREAT PEACOCK // DOC DAILY // HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL @ 116 E. Mobile, Florence, AL, 8:30pm, $4 UNA // $5 ADV // $7 Door TWO IF BY SEA PLUS TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL 8 BALL AITKEN @ Mayday Brewery, Murfreesboro, TN, 6pm STARLIGHT JAM @ Bowie Nature Park, Fairview, TN, 7pm POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm SAN ANDREAS 3D @ Your Local Movie Theater ALOHA @ Your Local Movie Theater BARELY LETHAL @ Your Local Movie Theater CLUB LIFE @ Your Local Movie Theater RESULTS @ Your Local Movie Theater
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
POET’S CORNER FEATURING BRENDA BUTKA @ Scarritt Bennett Center (Fondren Hall), Nashville, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
MAY 27
MAY 28
BOXCAR VOICES @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL, 9pm, Free TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
SHOALS YOGA: BEGINNER’S COURSE @ Wilson Park, Florence, AL, 10am SAILOR PLUS TBA @ the end. theatre, Florence, AL PURPLESTRIDE NASHVILLE 2015 @ Public Square Park, Nashville, TN, 6:30am THE HATFIELD-MCCOY WEDDING RECEPTION @ Venue Tenn, 117 W.7th St, Columbia, TN, 6:30pm
MAY 31
BEETHOVEN’S FIFTH @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN, 7pm
24 SPOTLIGHT
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SAY CHEESE!
SET READERS IN ACTION
MAY 2015
PHOTOS BY LIZA HARRISON AND COURTNEY TULLY
FIRST FRIDAY DOWNTOWN FLORENCE, APRIL 3, PHOTOS BY LIZA HARRISON
JUSTICE GILBERT, TIA NALL, SARAH JANE AND MARRY MURRAY
RETHEA POWELL, LUKE HYPEFREE AND ANDY GRIGSBY
CARRIE SPARKS AND REECE HIBBETT
SUMMER HINTON, CHASE CORNELIUS, TRENT PAYNE, TERRY HAYES AND CHRISTIAN CRANDALL
GRACE PIPER AND ALLIE URBANEK
JADA SHEEHY AND COLLENE SIMPSON
MAY 2015
SPOTLIGHT 25
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JOHN WISE AND ELISHA CRANDALL
LUPE MCGONIGAL AND ALEXANDER BOWING
MEGGY DE JONG AND JAMES MCKEE
BIKINI ATOLL // ISAAC 116 E. MOBILE, APRIL 4, PHOTOS BY LIZA HARRISON
DANIELLE GREMILLION, CIARA GREMILLION AND TYLER PEDEN
COLBY LANCASTER AND WILLIAM BALLARD
LUPE MCGONIGAL AND ALEXANDER BOWLING
BRYAN AUSTIN, JESSI VINES AND NICK DODSON
SCOTT GREER AND MARY BETH COATS
CLAIRE ELISE, BLAKE BRAGWELL AND KYLE BRAGWELL
26 SPOTLIGHT
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DUSTIN WILLIAMS AND ANDREW HAYES
JERRY SAYLOR AND JONATHAN OLLIE
MAY 2015
JUSTIN ARGO, KEVIN HOANG AND CALEB BILLINGS
SHOALS EARTH DAY FEST WILSON PARK, APRIL 4, PHOTOS BY COURTNEY TULLY
JORDAN, KATIE MULLANE AND KATIE ROCK
TEAH MONTANIQUE, BESSIE WHITE, DANIELLE KNOWLTON AND DEBORAH BARNET
REBEKAH MILWEE, TREY WILSON AND WESLEY HOPKINS
BECCA ARMOUR AND ISAAC SIMON
HALI PRATHER
STEVE TRASH
MAGGIE GRUBER, JUSTIN USERY AND HARPER RUSSELL
MAY 2015
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BROOKS HIGH SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL AMBUSH KILLEN, APRIL 10, PHOTOS BY COURTNEY TULLY
COLBERT HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL AMBUSH SHEFFIELD, APRIL 10, PHOTOS BY LIZA HARRISON
SPOTLIGHT 27
28 SPECIAL FEATURE
SET isn’t just a magazine looking for people to share their 2 cents. It is entirely comprised of content provided by the 15 - 29 year olds of our community. No one else writes the articles, no one else takes the pictures and no one else decides what runs. That’s why we need you. Attend our next editorial meeting, drop us a line or send us an idea for your story. We want your photography, art and music. Get on SET’s team.
getsetmag.com/contribute
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MAY 2015
MAY 2015
SPECIAL FEATURE 29
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“Expecto Patronum” means “I await a guardian” in Latin.
EVERY 30 SECONDS, SOMEONE BEGINS READING THE HARRY POTTER SERIES.
Rowling found Hedwig’s name in a book of saints.
MEMOIRS OF A FORGOTTEN WIZARD
CAPTURING HEARTS AND MINDS SINCE WAY BACK IN ‘97.
GROWING UP BETWEEN THE PAGES OF WORLDS I first read the Harry Potter series somewhere deep in the crevices of a middle school, unseen, awkward and, dare I say, not the most popular child.
What group of popular kids in their right minds would want to hang out with a small girl who hid behind her big glasses and even bigger books? Am
I right? I was a frequent visitor at the school library. One day while I was happily perusing the shelves, I found it. The first one, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” I started reading before I made it out of the library and haven’t stopped since. As nerdy as it may sound, it gave me friends at a time when I felt completely alone and didn’t know what true friendship was. It made me feel like there was somewhere I belonged, that maybe I wasn’t completely on my own. Though the characters were fictional, I knew they would always be there for me. That I could open those books at any time, fall into the pages and be somewhere else, someone else. Little did I know at the time that those books would someday be a bridge for so many people to come together, make connections and build a community that belonged to them. Did I stop there? No self-respecting Potterhead would dare do that — I read them again. The next time was in my upperclassmen years of high school, and the final Harry Potter movies were ready to make their debut. The only thing I was certain of in my young life was that I had to reread the books before the movies or risk not knowing every detail they left out. Which would be horrifyingly embarrassing. Armed with a few nerdy friends and seven heavy books, I set out on that magical adventure once again. For all of the excitement, I found myself at an immediate stop when I opened the first one: these weren’t the same books I had loved just a few years ago. These books were rampant with philosophical teachings, abundant with underlying meanings and riddled with symbolism! It was like I had never read the words or met the people. Everything was new. The truth of the matter wasn’t that the books were different. It was that I was different. I had grown and, although the pages held them still, so had they. I could see what the houses represented and began to see that I could be anything I wanted, could do anything I wanted. I had a say in the person I would become, just like Harry
had a say in the house he was sorted into (oops, maybe one spoiler). After the final movie ended and I cried all my heart-broken tears, I put the books down for a while. I had been properly Potterized, as had my whole generation, and I was ready to explore further. I ventured onto new reading endeavors and explored worlds through the eyes of utopian-societal heroines, daring mythical creatures and even the occasional eyes of an evil villain fueled by misconstrued intentions. All of these books helped me grow through their own unique paths, but nothing ever compared to Harry Potter. Soon, I was moving away for college. I felt out of place and completely disoriented. I was surrounded by new people in a new city starting a new life. It was terrifying. When some of my new friends invited me on a trip to Universal Studios, I knew my week would be spent in Harry Potter world, and, just to be certain the park was bibliographically accurate, I had to read the books through one more time. Somehow, I found myself in a new world once again, even though the pages held my handwriting and the bindings were coated with my fingerprints. These books were different. They opened up my perspective, showed me good and evil don’t always come with instruction manuals, and they don’t always stay on their side of the line either. Through the characters, I finally saw that my identity couldn’t be held inside a label my world gave me — we are more than what we are told to be. The Harry Potter series grew with me, and as nerdy as it may sound, those books helped me and many other people become who they are today. I’m not sure exactly who I am or who I will be, but one thing I have never doubted: I’m a Slytherin.
STORY BY PAIGE MCCAY
30 FREESTYLE
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FREESTYLE
HOW DO YOU GROW? TATE HIPPS
Everyone grows in different ways, as you can see in this issue of SET. To see how other people grow, we took to the streets and asked you about some ways you have grown over the past few years. Here’s what you said.
“My personality hasn’t changed, but my experiences have changed who I am. I’ve grown more knowledgeable about film and closer to God. I have learned that change is not to be afraid of when growth is its product.”
SAM OLIVER
“I have become a lot more outgoing and happier.”
ZACK HURST “I’ve grown a lot more than people expected me too, and I’m proud of that. Physically, mentally and spiritually. Most of that learning came from learning what NOT to do in life, but of course it made me who I am today. Although I might’ve broken a bone once or twice in the process.”
BRANDIE MONROE
“I have learned to be a servant, no matter the cost.”
DRAKE VACCARO
“I feel like I have grown as a person within the past semester. God works in mysterious ways and I truly found myself within the past year that has led to opportunities that are life changing.”
BRADY LUNSFORD
“I have learned to not be content with life and the comforts it offers me.”
DANIELLE STOKES
“In the last year, I got married and with that have learned not to be so selfish. Being married and attending school has shown me how to multitask and strive to do my best because I am being pushed.”
RACHEL WAMMACK
“In the last year I released my second album and was crowned Miss UNA. Through this I have grown in responsibility, interpersonal relationships and the importance of serving a cause that changes lives.”
MELISSA PARKER
“I got my black belt in Tang Soo Do and went back to college. I am 45.”
TAYLOR AUSBON
“I feel like I have become more accepting of others. I have branched out, tried new things, good and bad. I also drink more Starbucks.”
STORY BY ALEX RICHEY AND PAIGE MCCAY
MAY 2015
MAY 2015
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FREESTYLE 31