YA // Young Adult

YA young adult vol. 1 // Issue 1 // Jan/Feb 2014

YA CONTENTS IN EVERY ISSUE Contributors Letter from the Editor

FOOD Healthy Eating Under a Dollar Spice Up Your Mac ‘n Cheese HOME Insanely Clever Things Your Small Apartment Needs DIY Fleece Tie Blankets FITNESS Why Dudes Should Do Yoga ENTERTAINMENT Read. Watch. Listen.

FIVE MINUTES WITH Danielle Ortiz

FEATURES

Home Is Where the Heart Is 12 Things to Remember When You’re on Your Own for the First Time

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YA CONTRIBUTERS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Dominiak CREATIVE DIRECTOR Pam Farmen WRITERS Abbie Sunier Justin Vance Laura Schewarlt Hannah Dominiak Peggy Wang Chris Freytag Jen Lamourex PHOTOGRAPHERS Max Catterson Abbie Sunier Rachel Giese Hannah Dominiak

YOUNG ADULT YA is a lifestyle magazine aimed toward the young adult living on their own for the first time; it serves the creative reader who is eager to live their life with substance. YA is produced as a Ball State University magazine design class project for the Spring Semester of 2014.

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YA EDITOR’S LETTER

Y

oung Adult is a project that is something I will cherish forever. What started off as this weird brain-child in my head has turned into something truly fantastic--something I didn’t even know I had in me or was capable of producing.

For me, Young Adult is everything I want to strive for in life: creativity, passion, love and a sense of home.

It is a collaboration between myself and friends and every time I look back on the experience of creating it, I am filled with a sense of excitement. This magazine is everything I find entertaining online—things on Pinterest, various blogs and inspiring posts from my friends. Young Adult helps to remind me of the things closest to me—my friends, family and my dreams.

This magazine is for everyone who is living on their own for their first time so they know that they’re not alone. It’s for the

creatives, the dreamers, the doers, the lovers and the fighters. It is for my friends who are finding themselves now and in the years ahead. It’s for my family who have taught me so much and have raised me well. These years—the years were we are first on our own—are some of the hardest of our lives, but it’s the friends you keep close to you that help you get through it.

The long nights working on this project have certainly paid off: this is Young Adult, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it.

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YA FOOD

y h t l HeaEATING UNDER A DOLLAR Stroll smart down the grocery aisle and choose feel-good foods that are great for the body and even better for our budget. Below is a list of nutritious (and delicious) foods that cost less than $1 per serving, from edamame to pumpkin. story// laura schwecherl

PROTEIN Eggs, $0.19 per egg, about $2 per dozen When in need of some protein, eggs are a quick, delicious, fix.

Scramble with veggies for a filling breakfast, add to homemade fried brown rice, or make a frittata!

Pumpkin seeds, $0.50 per 1oz serving, about $5 per pound Move over birds, these seeds are for us humans (and not just on Halloween)! Filled with essential vitamins and minerals, along with protein and iron, sprinkle these in a salad or roast with spices for a healthy, crunchy treat.

Canned salmon, $0.75 per serving, about $1.50 per can No need to splurge on a salmon filet to enjoy this Omega-3-packed seafood. Grab the canned version for some protein power without dishing out the big bucks.

kernels in the kitchen and add spices. Movie theater popcorn ain’t got nothin’ on this!

Whole-grain pasta, $0.37 cents per ½ cup serving, about $3 per box Move over, white stuff; the whole wheat version of pasta is full of fiber, antioxidants, and protein, and may help lower risk of heart disease.

Enjoy its nutty flavor with stir-fried veggies and hearty marinara sauce.

Brown rice, $0.18 per ¼ cup serving, about $2 per pound Listen to our manifesto: Choose brown rice over white (especially at Chipotle). The wholegrain version is full o’ fiber and may cut the risk of diabetes.

FRUITS Bananas, $0.20 to $0.50 per banana, about $0.60

DAIRY Yogurt, about $1 per 6 oz cup Skip the bagel and pick up a quick treat that’s filled with protein and calcium! Enjoy for breakfast with some granola, or as a post-workout snack. Just beware of flavors loaded with extra sugar, and remember that low-fat varieties will be lower in calories (if you’re counting).

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WHOLE GRAINS Popcorn, $0.30 per ½ cup serving, about $1 per pound for plain kernels Snack attack? Pick a lowcalorie snack that’s also a good source of fiber.Pop

YOUNG ADULT

Photo: Caitlin Covington

SPICE UP YOUR MAC & CHEESE

Shrimp, feta & fresh herb INGREDIENTS 1 lb. pasta shapes 1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled & deveined, cut in half 10 oz. feta cheese, crumbled and divided Zest of 1 lemon, divided ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped, divided 5 tbsp. butter, divided 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour 3 cups milk 2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped 8 oz. Gruyere cheese, shredded (about 2 cups) ½ tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. ground black pepper DIRECTIONS 1. Cook pasta. Drain well; set aside. Add the Photo: Perry Santanachote Photo: Wikipedia

per pound or $2 per bunch It’s time to go bananas for… bananas. Filled with fiber and potassium, these 100-calorie “snackpacks” may even help with that hangover.

Enjoy sliced with peanut butter, or impress friends with banana ice cream!

Grapes, $0.75 per 1 cup serving, about $1.50 per pound These sweet little treats are high in antioxidants, which may help reduce cholesterol. They’re a perfect snack when that sweet tooth rolls in; freeze them for a fresh alternative for popsicles!

VEGGIES Edamame, $0.50 per ½ cup serving, $3 per 10oz package (frozen) This star legume is filled with fiber and protein and makes a great afternoon snack. Skip the chips and enjoy with a touch of salt for a

quick, nutritious treat.

Kale, $0.50 per cup (raw, chopped), about $2 per bunch Popeye was missing out.

Kale is the antioxidant king among all fruits and veggies, and contains vitamins A, C, and K, fiber, calcium, iron, and potassium (phew!). Plus... kale chips.

Broccoli, $0.50 per ½ cup serving, $2 per bunch Need another reason to go green?

Broccoli has remarkably high levels of folate and vitamin C, which may help reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease.

DRINKS Tea, $0.10 per tea bag, about $5 a box (varies based on type) The varying health benefits of tea are a-plenty, ranging from their antioxidant powers to helping maintain a healthy weight. Skip the sugary stuff and try brewing iced tea at home, and opt for green if looking to maximize antioxidant intake.

Water, free. (Well, kind of.) Head to the nearest faucet — our bodies depend on it. Water keeps us hydrated (shocking), flushes out toxins in the body, and helps when trying to lose a few pesky pounds. *Prices may vary depending on location and store; we averaged price based on multiple sources. Find the full list of 44 items under $1 at greatist.com Source: greatist.com

raw shrimp to warm pasta and toss together.

The heat from the pasta will partially cook the shrimp.

2. Preheat the oven to 400˚. In a bowl, combine a handful of feta, a pinch of lemon zest, panko, 2 teaspoons of parsley and 1 tablespoon of butter (melted). Toss with a fork to combine; set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in flour to form a paste. Cook 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until light golden brown. Whisk in the milk and stir until it bubbles and thickens, for 5 minutes. As soon as the sauce thickenes, remove heat and stir in remaining feta, Gruyere, parsley, lemon zest, dill, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the pasta and shrimp.

4. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle the breadcrumb-feta mixture evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and bubbling. Cool 5-10 minutes before serving. Source: annieseats.com

YA FITNESS

k l a t bro

WHY DUDES SHOULD DO YOGA

Find out how the popular women’s workout is attracting more and more men story// chris freytag

When people think yoga, they often associate it with women. For some men, the thought of going to a yoga class is about as inviting as seeing the latest chick flick (if you like both of these things — more power to you!). But in the 12 years I’ve been teaching yoga, I’ve noticed an encouraging trend — more men are showing up.

Listen up, yoga-skeptical men: Yoga is a full-body workout, albeit in a different (and often necessary) kind of way. It isn’t all about sitting, chanting, meditating, talking about feelings, or any other stereotypes.

According to some scientific research, yoga can build strength, increase flexibility, and improve balance, stability, sleep, and relaxation.

If you still think that yoga is too girly, consider how many athletes are jumping on the yoga bandwagon.

Jocks around the country are turning to yoga for functional strength, injury prevention, and mental preparation. In a USA Hockey Magazine article, Florida Panther goalie and 2011 Stanley Cup Champion Tim Thomas describes how he includes yoga in his training

routine. And many NFL players do yoga to become better athletes too. For regular weekend warriors, yoga can help with muscle soreness while improving focus and boosting overall energy level.

NO BROS: WHY DUDES DON’T DO YOGA A recent Yoga Journal survey found that only about 18 percent of the 20.4 million people who practice yoga are men. Such was not always the case — if you go way back in the historical archives, evidence suggests that yoga originated in India about 5,000 years ago and was originally designed to be practiced by men. So why is yoga not as popular among the hairier, deeper-voiced set these days? The myths and stereotypes about yoga are one of the major turn-offs for many men. Dudes often claim that yoga is too touchy-feely, too feminine, or too New Age. In addition to being too hippy-ish, some men don’t consider the stretching, poses, and deep breathing exercises a “real” workout. What they don’t realize, of course, is that yoga is exercise of a different stripe. Not every workout has to be a butt-kicking rush of adrena

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YA FITNESS

line, like boot camp classes or CrossFit. The focus and intention of yoga is different — it’s all about the connection between mind and body. Yoga enthusiasts go to class to shift their energy and find inner peace.

But that doesn’t mean yoga can’t make you break a sweat. Yogis build power and heat while “flowing” (aka moving through a series of poses), they discover strength in warrior and plank poses, and they challenge themselves with balancing, inversions, and other body-twisting advanced poses. And all that’s done with mindfulness, a sense of stability, and a deeper connection with oneself.

Men commonly avoid yoga because they claim to lack flexibility. That’s a lot like saying you don’t want to lift weights because you don’t have big muscles or you don’t exercise because you’re overweight. Even if the first few practices are a little challenging, lack of experience is no reason to avoid down dog-ing. Like any form of exercise, becoming a confident yogi takes time, effort, and plenty of practice.

ASANA AWESOMENESS: NOT JUST FOR LADIES It’s a shame that yoga is often considered a girls-only

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club, since yoga is good for everyone. Studies suggest practicing yoga can lower heart rate and blood pressure, relieve anxiety, depression, and insomnia, as well as improve overall strength and flexibility. Other studies indicate a link between yoga and a reduction in lower back pain.

There are also specific benefits just for men: Yoga can be an outlet to release mental and physical tension, especially for men who have a tendency to internalize stress and anxiety. It can also help stretch hip flexors and hamstrings, areas where men (or anyone unaccustomed to stretching) often have tightness. Yoga can be a wonderful complement to a fitness and mental health regimen — for everyone. So dudes, don’t get intimidated or put off by the Lulu-clad ladies filing into your yoga class. Anyone can practice yoga and reap the benefits, even from the first pose.

Chris Freytag is a nationally recognized health and wellness expert with over 20 years of experience. Freytag is an American Council on Exercise (ACE) certified group fitness instructor ACE health coach, personal trainer, and published author and speaker. The views and opinions expressed herein are hers and hers alone. Follow Freytag on Twitter or check out her website for more information. Source: greatist.com

Adventure is out there.

YA HOME

y l e n a s n I CLEVER THINGS YOUR SMALL

APARTMENT NEEDS story// peggy wang

2. The Toilet Paper and Magazine Holder in One All other toilet paper roll holders should just go out of business. Buy it here for $39.

4. A DIY Shelf Bar If entertaining guests means anything at all to you, then you will make this happen.

5. Slide-In Spice Rack You can have your marjoram and eat it, too. Get it at stacksandstacks.com for $9.

6. Over-the-Fridge Snack Caddy You can either call up PBteen and beg them to re-release this product, or you could easily sew one together or create one by cutting up a shoe organizer.

8. All-in-One Cabinet that Swivels It’s a mirror! It’s a bulletin board! It’s a coat rack! Finally, a piece of furniture that is all things to all people. Available for $249 from Solutions.

10. A Hot Iron Holster One hundred percent essential for anyone with a pedestal sink. Get on Amazon for $34.99.

12. Corner Dish Rack For those with achingly precious counter real estate. Get it at betterhouseware.com.

15. Cord Balls They’re like little hungry munchkins that will “eat” up to five feet of cable to keep your media centers and office spaces free of clutter.

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16. An Over0the-Faucet Shelf for Toiletries Your tiny sink will look at you and wonder how you never thought of this before. Buy it at Walmart for $15.

17. Ikea-Hacked Wall-Hung Lamp Using a corded lamp and a wall shelf bracket from Ikea, you can make a wall-hung lamp that doesn’t take up any floor or table space.

19. A Cabinet Wastebasket You can’t call yourself

f o-it-yourselTIE dFLEECE BLANKETS Make comfy cozy blankets with this easy step-by-step process step one

STEP ONE

Lay the two pieces of fleece fabric evenly on top of eachother

STEP TWO

Begin to cut the fabric for ties. To do this, cut strips along one edge of the two pieces of fabric that are about an inch and a half long.

step two

story// abbie sunier

step three

STEP THREE

When done cutting the strips, begin to tie the pieces of fabric together. Double knot the ties for security.

step four

MATERIALS NEEDED

STEP FOUR

Scissors and 2 pieces of fabric (at least 2 yards each; patterns of fabric will vary; sizes may vary as well)

Photos: Abbie Sunier and Hannah Dominiak

Walmart: $7/yard and up Joann Fabrics: $2.99/yard and up

Repeat Steps Two and Three for the next three sides of fabric.

WHERE TO BUY

is it super functional and space-saving, but it looks like a cross-section of the world’s most beautiful Gobstopper. Get the set digtheshop.com for $30.

28. The Hook-On Balcony Desk Just tell your boss you’ll be working from home FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. 29. An All-in-One Over-the-Sink Cutting Board It even doubles as a produce-washing station. You will never look at a cutting board the same way again.

Get it here for $45.

33. A Fold-Up Cheese Grater ISN’T IT GRATE. Get it on Amazon for $15.

Read the full list of thirty-three items on buzzfeed.com

a minimalist and keep your trash out IN PLAIN SIGHT. Buy it at organize.com for $13.

20. A Ceiling-Hung Garment Rack So much better than one of those janky free-standing garment racks.

21. Shower Rod Hooks This almost stupidly simple concept will make you wonder how you never thought of this before.

22. A Shower Curtain with Pockets Buy this as a passive-aggressive gesture toward your roommate who keeps her 13 different shampoos all around the rim of the bathtub. $14 from casa.com.

23. An Upholstered Storage Headboard If you are an adult, it’s time to get that bed off the floor and invest in an awesome headboard.

27. Nesting Bowls with Measuring Cups Not only

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YA ENTERTAINMENT

READ

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green story// hannah dominiak

The past few years have seen a buzz about young adult novels being turned into films. One particular YA novel has been captivating teens and adults everywhere since its release in 2012. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green is heart warming story of two teens that fall in love in spite of the unlikely circumstances that surround their lives.

Hazel meets Agustus Waters while at a cancer support group. TFiOS is an unconventional love story, but Green’s charismatic and witty writing pulls readers in, almost making them forget the inevitable fate these two sarcastic and humanly beautiful these teens face.

TFiOS brings a new kind of love story to the YA market because it captures what many other teen books can’t fathom: the raw beauty that is teenage love. Green shows his readers that every type of teen is capable of love.

Hazel and Gus have cancer, and that doesn’t stop them from falling hard and fast in love. Green writes, ““I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.” It’s this kind of writing that is bringing YA fiction back, and it’s better and more popular than ever.

Come June, Green’s best selling novel will be hitting the big screen—a first for the author of three other beautiful YA novels. It will star some of the film industry’s most promising young talent—Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort. Just from the trailer, fans of TFiOS see the life Woodley and Elgort bring to Hazel and Gus. TFiOS is ironically uplifting, remarkably beautiful, and incredibly written.

Okay? Okay.

Ansel Elgort and Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Gus in The Fault in Our Stars, out June 6.

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WATCH

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER CBS Mondays, 8 p.m. story// hannah dominiak

CBS’s hit comedy is drawing to a close at the end of March.

After nine season, How I Met Your Mother fans will hear the ending to the epic tale in which Ted meets the mother of his children.

With only three episodes left until the series finale, the heartstrings of HIMYM fans everywhere are being pulled in every direction. After the episode entitled ‘Vesuvius’, fans questioned the fate of the mother, and look into the why Ted is telling his children these stories. It is seemingly probably that the reason Ted is telling hs children this story is because their mother passed away. Cue the fandom crying everywhere.

Could this really be a thing? Does the Mother have a fatal disease that will prohibit her from seeing her children grown up? What. Is. Happening?

There’s no telling that fans will be emotional during the finale, regardless of the fate of the mother. HIMYM is one of television’s longest-running sitcoms after Friends, and there’s a special place in the hearts of fans everywhere.

(above) The cast of How I Met Your Mother film a scene during the final season; (inset) Cristin Miliotti, best known for her role as Girl in Broadway’s Once the Musical, was cast as the Mother at the end of season eight. Photos: cbs.com

Tune in to CBS on Monday, March 31 at 8pm ET for the hour-long series finale of the mother of all comedies to find out the ending to Ted’s nine-season long story.

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YA ENTERTAINMENT

LISTEN

ALL OF ME // JOHN LEGEND

A beautiful piano ballad with heartfelt vocals.

SAY SOMETHING // A GREAT BIG WORLD

This indie pop duo had their breakthrough performance on the Voice with Christina Aguleria and have since kept their debut record on the charts.

POMPEII // BASTILLE

An emotional foot-tapper with amazing vocals and lyrics about staying positive in trying times.

GOODBYE //AARON TVEIT

From Broadway’s ‘Catch Me If You Can’, this song, sung by the wildly talented Aaron Tveit (best known for his role in 2012’s Les Miserables) is a feel-good show tune with a positive attitude about living life.

JUSTIN’S TOP TUNES

Justin Vance is a sophomore acting major in the Department of Theatre and Dance at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. Check out the songs he’s currently obseessed with.

FALLING SLOWLY // ONCE THE MUSICAL

Sung by Cristin Milloti and Steve Kazee, this song from Once the Musical is emotionally driven.

ALMOST LOVER // SARA BAREILLES

A cover from A Fine Frenzy, Sara Barellies brings her indie vibe to an already beautiful song.

RUN AWAY WITH ME // MICHAEL ARDEN

A Broadway native, Arden delivers with this emotional song about finding love.

GRAB YOUR HEADPHONES Check out the tablet version of Young Adult to listen to each of Justin’s Top Tunes. The digital version of YA is available in the App Store and the Google Play Store.

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Twenty-four months. Five states.

Two continents. One Home. story & illustrations// hannah dominiak photos// max catterson

M

oving has been a major part of Julie Fornaciari’s life since she began her college education. In the past year and a half, she has lived in four different states.

When 2014 draws to a close, she’ll have lived on two different continents.

Just clocking in at twenty years old, she has learned that life can pull you every which way, and you have to dive in head first to get the most rewarding experience possible.

sight,” she said. “It just felt right.”

Through many opportunities offered by Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, Fornaciari was able to receive a research experience for undergraduates (REU) at North Carolina State during the summer of 2013. She was able to live in Raleigh for ten weeks and had the summer of a lifetime. She continued her education for the fall 2013 semester at Pitt, and then was offered a co-operational at Lubrizol Corporation in Cleveland as a chemical engineer.

It is through each of these places that

“When I was looking for colleges, I knew two things: I needed engineering and I needed to not be where a lot

Fornaciari has found a home. She has learned that home is wherever the heart is, and that it is the things you do and

Are you going to be the hipster? The prep? The jock? The playa? The artist?

The freak? The engineer? Or are you just going to be a girl or guy doing what they love to do? of people I knew were going to be,” Fornaciari said. “I didn’t want to be stuck

the people you surround yourself with that help a heart find a home.

with the same people and not grow as a person.”

She wanted to gain different friends and a different life for herself. After graduating from Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, Indiana, the Chicago native packed up all her belongings to pursue a degree in engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.

“I fell in love with it. It instantly felt like home even though it was eight hours away with no one I knew anywhere in

“Your first home will always be a favorite,” she said, “but you don’t have to stay in your hometown to feel at home.”

Living on her own is a very satisfying experience. “I know I am making my parents proud, I know my grandparents are always there for me, and I’m proving to my brothers that I can do this,” Fornaciari said. “My family is so important. If I didn’t have them, I don’t know what I would be.”

Family is so essential in life and no

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Check out the tablet version of YA to see photos of Julie Fornaciari’s travels across the United States.

matter where you go they will always be there for you. Fornaciari has learned this, and has learned that your family continues to grow when you gain friends from all over the world. It is through these friends that she has gained a plethora of wisdom on living a life with substance, which is something she had decided to do after her research program in North Carolina.

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She learned that traveling is her passion, and it’s something she wants to continue to do throughout her life. “[Traveling] and making an impact on people is something I’m passionate about. I love it and thrive for it,” Fornaciari said. “By living out this passion, I get the most out of my travels, which is why wherever I am I find a home.”

Fornaciari believes that living your passion will always make you happier, healthier, and more okay with being alone with yourself because you are finally being true to who you are.

Another thing that helps Fornaciari feel like every place is home for her is by taking three things with her everywhere she lives.

“I always, always, always surround

myself with photos in each place I home for her is by taking three things with her everywhere she lives.

“I always, always, always surround myself with photos in each place I live,” she said. “They remind me of where I have been and also motivate me to take more to show where I am going.”

In addition, she has a lot of wall art that from her dad and friends from

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Chicago that goes everywhere with her, and a Cat in the Hat stuffed animal. Cat is her travel buddy that was given to her by her mom, and it reminds her that she has a strong support system at home.

This summer, Fornaciari is heading to Austrailia for study abroad experience after a session of summer classes at Pitt. While spending some time down under, she is earning six credits in engineering courses that focus on energy, which is what Fornaciari hopes to focus on in her career. In addition to classes, Fornaciari will get to experience Austrailia and its culture. “the top of my bucket list items will be achieved.

Its amazing,” she said. “I am excited to put myself out of my comfort zone and dive head first with Aussies and learn so much from them.”

Austrailia is just one place Fornaciari is crossing

Your first home will always be a favorite, but you don’t have to stay in your hometown to feel at home. off her bucket list; there are many more places she wants to travel to so she can keep learning about life, cultur and herself.

But, by far, the most important thing Fornaciari has learned by moving around that you ask yourself alot about who you are going to be.

“Are you going to be the hipster? The prep?

The jock? The playa? The artist? The freak? The engineer? Or are you going to just be a girl a guy doing what they love to do?” said Fornaciari.

“Breaking down those barriers and saying, ‘Yes, I am studying engineering, but I really just want to learn how they think, but I am also a humanitarian, a traveler, a lover, a sister, a yogi, a friend, an electrically adorakable voyager still trying to find herself.’ You can be so much more than what you categorize yourself as.”

Fornaciari believes that it is knowing that you are worth every ounce of your being that helps you actually live life, and appreciate everyone and everything that comes your way.

Five Places to Call Home

At the end of 2014, Julie Fornaciari will be able to call five places home. Here’s a breakdown of each place she has lived.

CHICAGO, IL Why is it home?

Literally, it’s home. It’s where Fornaciari was born and raised and will always hold a special place in her heart.

PITTSBURGH, PA Why is it home?

It’s the first place she lived after graduating high school, and it instantly felt like home.

Here, she was able to find opportunities to help further her career in chemical engineering. She will return here for a summer semester in May.

CLEVELAND, OH Why is it home?

It’s the location of Fornaciari’s first co-op for her degree. She currently works four days a week as a chemical engineer at Lubrizol Corporation and has her own apartment. She will return here in fall 2014 for her second co-op rotation.

RALEIGH, NC Why is it home?

A summer research for undergraduate program at NC State led Fornaciari to call this place home. Here, she met friends to last her a lifetime and had the time of her life experiencing the nature and adventure of North Carolina.

AUSTRAILIA Why will it be home?

This will be Fornaciari’s home for twelve weeks during the summer of 2014. As a part of a study abroad experience, she will take part in a program where she will earn six engineering credits centered around energy and also travel around the continent.

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Don’t forget the little things when you’re on your own 26 YOUNG ADULT

story// hannah dominiak

things to remember when you’re on your own for the first time 1. Don’t take your parents for granted These people raised you. Calling your parents-actually calling them--is a good feeling. You call them, tell them about your life, just like you do with your best friend from home. You don’t have to call them every day, but they gave you your life: let them know you are doing fantastic things with it. Thank them. Love them. Miss them. Be appreciative when they send you cookie cakes, or that care package with toothpaste and quarters for clean clothes.

2. Still be a kid sometimes Cuddle with your stuffed animal you’ve had since you were six. Build a blanket fort. Watch Hannah Montana. Whatever it was that made you happy as a kid, do it again now. There is no pleasure like making some popcorn and having a Disney

marathon with your roommate in which you both inevitably recite each and every line. Eat macaroni and chicken nugs like it’s nobody’s business. Order a happy meal for the sole reason to get that stupid little toy.

3. If you’re having a bad day, just binge watch shows on Netflix Take your mind off things. Dive into the world of 90s television sitcoms. Watch those underground documentaries on the most obscure topics known to mankind just because it will broaden your knowledge of the world a little more. Rewatch the entire series of How I Met Your Mother just because you can. Then, go back to your work. You’ll feel better after a break, and you’ll have that awesome Marshall ‘lawyered’

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It is this little family, as dysfunctional and quirky as it may be, that teach us incredibly important things about the life we are living and the life we want to live. attitude where you feel like you can and will get anything done.

4. You learn a wealth of life hacks from the people you befriend in college The first time you are away from home, the people who you befriend become your family. It is this little family, as dysfunctional and quirky as it may be, that teach us incredibly important things about the life we are living and the life we want to live. Most importantly out of all the things you learn when on your own, these friends teach us about people—about individuals. They teach us about who people are, who they were, who they are going to become. In finding these people who help you learn that, they teach us that the people you latch on to in the first moments of orientation and welcome week aren’t always going to be the people with you in the end.

They teach us the importance of being there for someone when no one else is.

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They teach you that you really don’t know a person until it’s two o’clock in the morning. You find in them yourself as they help mentor you through this chapter in your life. You find a home when you are with them.

5. You are worth more than you realize Yes. You are. The world is a scary place full of people that will inevitably make you feel like crap, but there are equal amounts of people to help boost you up because you are worth it. That big test you’re freaking about it? You’re going to ace it. Your crush? Go ahead, ask them out. You have nothing lose. Knowing your worth is one of the most important things to know when you are on your own. You can do anything you set your mind to because you are an individual filled with creativity and drive. You are worth more than you think.

6. Don’t take the little things for granted

Seriously. You can never go wrong when you shut off your television and curl up on that Walmart futon with a good book and a blanket. Do a crossword puzzle to test your brain. Email with a friend from home to tell stories. Tell someone you appreciate them just because you feel like it. It’s the little things like this that can make yourself, and others, happy.

7. When offered free pizza, take it, no questions asked Actually, when given free food at any point in time, do not question it. The credit card machine at Cousin Vinny’s broke down when you were placing your

9. Your life is separate from everyone else’s You do you. Lead your life the way you want to.

10. Math is hard No matter what anyone says, the core math class most students are required to take their freshman year of college is the hardest math class you will take.

Ever. Especially if you’re a non-math or science major.

11. You lose touch with the people you’ll ‘always be friends with’ That group of ten guys and gals you

You find your people where you find yourself. order and the delivery guy says you won the grand prize and got a Big Ten special for free? Take the pizza and thank the free food gods for all the greasy goodness they just bestowed on you at no cost at all. You somehow got three extra cookies from Insomnia? Use some dining plus to dunk the sugary awesomeness in milk.

8. Get involved You find your people where you find yourself. It’s the truth. The people you will trust and care for most are the people you find where you most often find yourself. Getting involved in organizations pertaining to your major and others just for fun is the key to meeting and keeping some lifelong college friends.

swore you would always be friends with after you graduated high school? When was the last time you talked to them? Do you still know their major? Their dream job? It is inevitable that you won’t stay friends with every single person you were ever friends with in high school. You will be lucky to keep a few very close friends but you will get caught up in the whirlwind that is making new friends in college.

12. It’s okay to make mistakes Mistakes are going to happen. But each time you fail only gives you a better reason to stand up and try harder the next time.

YOUNG ADULT 29

YA FIVE MINUTES WITH

DANIELLE ORTIZ

WHAT SONG BEST DESCRIBES YOUR WORK ETHIC? “Keep Your Head Up” by Andy Grammar. It talks about how everything piles up and gets scary, but you will make it through.

And it’s okay to relax a bit.

A PENGUIN WALKS INTO THE ROOM YOU’RE IN AND IT’S WEARING A SOMBRERO. WHAT DOES HE SAY AND WHY IS IT HERE? He is there to give me a free taco and he says “happy monday, you can do it”

IF WE CAME TO YOUR HOUSE FOR DINNER, WHAT WOULD YOU PREPARE FOR US? For dinner, I would prepare spaghetti sandwiches. Most people have never had them and think they’re super weird but they’re actually delicious.

FAVORITE MOVIE? Probably Stick It. I always watch it when it’s on. Plus it’s hilarious and sassy.

BEST SONG TO JAM OUT TO? “I’m Gonna Be” by the Proclaimers. It always comes back around.

Road trips become way more bearable.

IF YOU WERE A KITCHEN UTENSIL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE? I’d be a fork. It can make eating noodles a lot easier, pick up small bits, and scoop like a spoon when it’s a large enough portion.

Danielle Ortiz is a nineteen-year-old Telecommunications/ Journalism major at Ball State University. She is from Schaumburg, Ill. and her dream job would be a host at Radio Disney. She loves Bagel Bites, mac ‘n cheese and Disney’s Alaadin.

30 YOUNG ADULT

Photos: Rachel Geise

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YA young adult vol. 1 // Issue 1 // Jan/Feb 2014

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