Content and contributors
Table of Contents
pg. 4-7 NETFLIX REVIEW
pg. 8-9 Battle of the boba pg. 10-11 84th street pg. 12-13 Life Hacks pg. 14-15 Do Space
pg. 16-19 Midtown Crossing pg. 20-21 Body Image pg. 22-23 Chocolate Caramel Brownies pg. 24-25 Global Depression pg. 26 Petty Fights pg. 27 The No-Wifi Playlist
PETTY. 02
Who are we?
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he four of us who work on Issue Magazine are actually four eighth graders from Omaha who have never made a magazine before, and decided to do their first publication all on their own in less than a month. Sure, there were some hitches along the way, but we put in all we had to come up with “Petty Problems”, the first segment of Issue. The whole purpose of Issue Magazine is to shed light on everything that comes with the Information Age, and to have content that is both relevant to our lives , and educates about others. So “Petty Problems” was born. Our definition of petty problems is, “problems of little to no importance”. We live in a world where there are many other other bigger, more important problems than, say, having 2 bubble tea shops in your whole city (Pg. 8). But from looking at the silly and dumb problems in our lives, bigger issues always arise. We hope you enjoy our take on this!
Ramya Iyer
Virginia Jansen
Abigail Schreiber
Mina Testolin
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REVIEW: Netflix
The best shows and films new to Netflix that you can watch right now!
review.
Written by Abigail Schreiber and Ramya Iyer. Design by Ramya Iyer
I have literally nothing decent to watch, and everything good has already been taken off of Netflix due to that dumb copyright thing or whatever‌ Why can’t I just watch Clueless for the thousandth time?
Petty Problem No. 1
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Master of None
A Series of Unfortunate Events
9/10
8/10
“A Series Of Unfortunate Events” was a staple series to my childhood, and I’d read the books with morbid fascination, and slight amusement, over and over again. The series follows three orphans who have an evil actor on their heels trying to steal their fortune. When I first heard that there would be a live-action show coming onto Netflix, I was a bit uncertain. I questioned if it was even possible to translate the dark humor and delightful sarcasm of the books into a show. But I definitely was not let down, because not only did the show capture the essence of the books, but it was able to heighten it through amazing cinematography and quirky acting. I’ll definitely be waiting for the second season!
Aziz Ansari’s awkward and hilarious story about an American-Indian actor trying to find his way in life, Master of None was just as funny as it was thoughtful to watch. The show had a refreshing rhythm, timed with not-quite slapstick humor, and with insight sprinkled in unexpected places.This show is for you if you’re tired of picture-perfect plots that always have a conclusion, because in real life, that’s just not the case. But still, after watching it, there’s a sense of comfort. Dev, the main character, is beautifully relatable, with his average relationships, rocky career, and multiple failures, but he still manages to discover the good things in life. Being able to watch a show, and think, ‘huh, maybe I can be really happy without being perfect’, is reason enough to fall in love with Master of None.
TV SHOWS
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Santa Clarita Diet
9/10
8/10
Usually I’m not into gory shows, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt but I loved Santa Clarita Diet. is the type of show that you’ll finish in one sitting. Tina This series follows the adventures of a normal family after Fey did not disappoint me at all when I was watching the mother dies and comes back as the undead, having this sitcom, which shows the life of Kimmy Schmidt in an extreme hunger for humans. It was mysterious and New York City after she is rescued from a doomsday cult. insanely hilarious. At the beginning the plot can be hard Almost every episode had me crying from laughter. I can to understand, but if you keep watching, you won’t regret get dull at some points, but it always brings you back in it. Although if you are sensitive to blood, vomit, or a large with its witty balance of humor and satire. It’s impossible to amount of dead bodies, Santa Clarita Diet probably won’t not sing along to the theme song. Once you watch this, it be your thing. There are very few scenes where somebody will constantly be embedded into your brain. This show is isn’t eating fingers like carrots. And disclaimer, it will get everything that a Netflix sitcom should be, and I can’t wait very awkward if you watch it with your parents. for another season.
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REVIEW: Netflix
MOVIES
Coraline
Boyhood
The first time I watched Coraline, Netflix On Demand wasn’t really a thing, and I was so young that I couldn’t watch the movie without being terrified of a doll with buttons appearing under my bed. Now that I’m older and hopefully wiser, and because Coraline is now available on Netflix to stream, I decided to give it another chance. I really enjoyed re-watching the film from a new perspective, and I thought that the plot is very engaging, especially paired with beautiful animations. Coraline is about a girl who moves into a new house, and fed up with her parents, decides to take matters into her own hands. She goes on to make some interesting new friends, and gets caught in a parallel universe. Unfortunately, besides the intriguing plot, the whole film lacked the story-line intricacies that I typically want to see, and I found myself kind of bored with the predictability. But yet, it was still fun to watch and I’d recommend that you see Coraline if you want something dark but oddly comforting at the same time.
A 2015 Oscar nominated film, Boyhood was the sort of movie that I wanted to watch in theaters, but never actually did. So when I saw it in my “recently added” queue on Netflix, I was pretty excited. It follows the life of Mason, from his early childhood, to teenage years. My favorite part about the film was that the actor playing Mason was actually growing up while the film was being produced. In fact, all the actors played their roles over a span of 12 years, which makes the films message even more poignant. The message being, that there’s no point in anything we do, and more importantly, there doesn’t have to be. Boyhood follows Mason caught in a whirlwind of abusive stepfathers, drugs, and broken relationships, but the movie doesn’t dwell on any of that. Instead, Boyhood focuses on carrying on. As I watched the film, I realized that the only way its characters succeeded was by moving forward, without being caught up in the little intricacies of life, and that’s something we can all do less of.
9/10
6/10
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Ten Things I Hate About You
Frank 10/10
Wow. I never thought that a movie about a knockoff Ed Sheeran joining a band of weird indie musicians and a guy named Frank who always wears a paper-mache head would actually be amazing. This was definitely the strangest movie I have ever seen, but I don’t regret watching it. It starts out as a comedy, but the tone becomes very serious towards the end. I’ll admit that I did shed a few tears when it ended. Overall, Frank is a very unique movie, but is absolutely fantastic.
8/10
This is by far my favorite 90s teen romance movie. The mixture of comedy, drama, and an amazing performance of “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” makes it perfect. I am a huge fun of cliché classics, especially when they involve paint ball and super feminists. I was absolutely hooked while watching this movie. By the time Kat read her poem at the end, I was sobbing. The acting made me feel like it was something that I have never seen before, even though it is just like every other 90s film. Hopefully, people will never forget this classic romance.
(Pink dot reviews are by Ramya Iyer and blue dots are by Abigail Schreriber)
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REVIEW: Bubble Tea Bubble Tea is a Taiwanese-based drink invented in Taichung in the 1980s. It usually consists of a tea base mixed or shaken with fruit or milk, to which chewy tapioca balls, fruit jelly or popping boba are often added. To many this unique taste is strange when they first taste it but many people (including me) have grown to love it. I thought that I could spend an afternoon answering the question on everyone’s mind right now: What is the best bubble tea place in Omaha? Get ready for...
Battle of the BOBA. Written by Virginia Jansen. Photographs by Mina Testolin. Design by Ramya Iyer.
Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a bubble tea expert and do not really know anything about bubble tea except that it is delicious.
Thirst-Tea Cafe
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he first place I tried was the Thirst-Tea Cafe. This Omaha based company is mainly bubble tea and other Pan-Asian snacks. It is located in Midtown Crossing, what I think is a pretty decent location because it is easy to reach from many places in Omaha and has threehour free parking in its garages which gives you plenty to drink some bubble tea and take a walk around the pleasant Turner Park. The inside of Thirst-Tea has a very modern feel to it with furniture and design. It also features a vibrant mural of fruity goodness which helps get you into the spirit of bubble tea. There is also plenty of room for you to sit and enjoy. The service is quick and helpful. I tried the coconut milky tea with plain tapioca bobas and in the past have tried the Grinch which has green apple, kiwi and lychee green tea and green apple popping boba. I ordered a regular and both and received an ample amount of both tea and boba. The coconut milky tea is rather sweet but not so much that it over powers the flavor of the boba. It tastes exactly like a coconut jelly bean. The boba itself tasted good and had a good texture (squishy on the outside and a little bit chewy on the inside).The Grinch is a more unique flavor combination which makes it a little bit of an exciting experience. The popping boba featured in it are much easier to meld with the drink to make the journey of eating it much easier then the consistency clash between the liquid tea and chewy tapioca, they also add a new dimension of flavor. The Grinch is a little sour for my taste but not unbearable. Overall the Thirst-Tea CafĂŠ is a great place to stop for a wide range of bubble tea options. With a great environment around it, great drinks and the bonus of snacks to match The Thirst-Tea Cafe is a great contender in this FIGHT
TO THE DEATH.
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The Tea Smith The Tea Smith is also an Omaha based tea shop, with one location on 78th and Dodge and one on the Old Market. I visited the 78th and Dodge location which had a nice community environment but a less distinct style, it has plenty of tables with room for lots of people. This stop is more focused on all tea rather than just bubble tea or Asian tea like Thirst-Tea. Because it is focused more on hot teas and different leaves, there are less choices for Bubble Tea. I tried the passion fruit tea with strawberry popping boba and have had a mango tea with tapioca bobas in the past. One thing I really liked about both these teas was the vibrant fruit flavor. It felt fresh but not overpowering which is really hard to do. The strawberry popping boba had a nice taste and good texture which melded with the tea to make a unified drinking experience. The tapioca boba seemed well cooked to me but it packed less traditional flavor than Thirst-Tea. The total experience was pleasant with the fresh fruit flavor and friendly workers and area this shop is worth a visit.
Although both of these Bubble-Tea stops were great on their own ways their can only be one winner in the Battle of the Boba! Based on all of the things I observed at each of these places I declare Thirst-Tea Cafe the champion!!! It is so hard to figure out which bubble tea shop to go to in Omaha. I mean there's only two but which one should I choose? Petty Problem No. 2
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Opinion: 84th Street
My house will look like a mullet until 2018. ((Not so) Petty Problem No. 3
84th Street. Written and photographed by Abigail Schreiber. Design by Ramya Iyer.
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ering how much money this project is costing. As the days went on the probabilities went higher and higher. After last summer we thought it wasn’t going to happen because that was when it was supposed to start. But it did happen, and it won’t end for another year. All that we hope for this year is to not have much more destruction. Even though it feels like they have already ripped apart our neighborhood, there is more damage to come. I know that soon enough it will be rebuilt and we will have nice sidewalks and no more ditches, but it will still be empty. Looking down our street without seeing our trees feels like something is missing. Our home is now the mullet of the real estate world; urban in the front, forest in the back. Not everything about this project has been bad, though. There won’t be leaves for me to rake in the fall until I’m in college. I never have to worry about being late to school anymore because we don’t have to wait in our driveway for traffic to pass by for ten minutes. Also, I won’t have to risk getting stuck in a ditch every time I get the mail. This project feels like a burden to our street, but my mom and I often forget that this is for the benefit of Omaha. It may not be beautiful now, but soon enough it will feel like home again.
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remember when they first started talking about redoing 84th street. My mom hated it from the first meeting that they held at Swanson Elementary. She’s spent countless hours yelling at non-existent construction workers and city council leaders. I don’t like it either, but I don’t think that I’m as passionate about it as her. Neither of us want our yard to be ripped apart. It took my mom over a month to even decide whether we should sell our part of our property to the city or not. We really didn’t have much of a choice; the main waterline is right in front of our house. In the end, she did sell it for the money, but it’s very clear that she regrets it every time we get in the car. Every time we pull into our driveway all she can talk about is what our street used to look like. She is constantly complaining about it, and she isn’t going to stop until mid-December when the project ends. Even after that she probably won’t stop. I imagine her saying, “Why would they take away our freaking trees just for some dang sidewalks?” This process has been much slower than I thought, even though the construction only started about a month ago. It started as an idea to make our street look better. At the time it probably wasn’t even going to happen, consid-
"Our home is now the mullet of the real estate world; urban in the front, forest in the back."
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DIY: Life Hacks
My rug keeps slipping under my feet.
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Attach Velcro strips to prevent kids/pets from constantly moving your rugs.
To clean your blender, put soap and water in the blender, blend, rinse and your done!
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When I try to clean my blender, I stab my hands with the blades.
Literally everything in my life is a mess. What am I supposed to do about all of the crazy things ruining my life? I actually can't handle this. Petty Problem No. 4
LIFEfor lazyHACKS people. Written by Virginia Jansen. Design and graphics by Ramya Iyer.
My computer is burning my legs off!
Mount your phone to the airplane seat in front of you with a plastic bag.
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It takes so much energy to hold my phone up on an airplane and watch Netflix! 12
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Put an egg carton under your computer on your lap to keep it from getting too hot.
When I have a pizza next to me on the passengers seat, the toppings move to one side of the pizza and it gets cold.
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It's so hard to clean my microwave.
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Whenever I take off my boots, they fall over!
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Put a bowl full of water in your microwave for 2-3 minutes. The steam will loosen the food particles, so you can easily clean it.
I can't clean my keyboard.
Put pool noodles in your tall boots to keep them from limping and falling down.
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My pillow is so flat!
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Prevent the toppings on your pizza from shifting by placing a plastic water bottle in the crevice of your car seat and leaning your pizza on it. You can also turn the seat warmer on to keep it heated.
Use the ticky part of a post-its note on your keyboard to get rid of dirt. Put some old newspaper at the bottom of the bin to absorb liquids.
When I bring out my trash, liquids drip to the ground.
Put a pillow in the sun for 30 minutes to absorb moisture and plump up your pillow.
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LOCAL: Do Space
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DO SPACE
Your local tech library. Written, desgined, and photographed by Ramya Iyer
aving access to technology is something many of us take for granted, from wailing away time on social media, to completing assignments for school. I personally have spent a lot of time frivolously on various gadgets, and I haven’t given much thought to it. Technology is just something so prevalent in my everyday life, and looking back, I never truly did it any justice. That was until Do Space, a self described “community technology library”, opened next door, and it completely changed my perspective. Do Space is a public library where instead of books, there are the best innovations in technology available today, all of which are free to access. At Do Space, you can 3D print bracelets, laser cut a chess board, work wth professional tools using high speed wifi, and much more. And in order to do all of this, all you need to do is walk into Do Space and request a membership card. The whole purpose of Do Space is to have everyone in Omaha have the means to do something great. No matter your level of experience, or what you’re interested in, Do Space has something to offer, and that inclusiveness got my attention. Because I use technology so much, it’s hard to manage my life without it. How would I research my papers after school? How would I apply for academic opportunities? How would I be educated about the topics I care for? Information doesn’t just travel by pure word of mouth anymore. We rely on our devices to share with, learn from, and alert one another. This is not a bad thing though, as humans are more connected than ever. But what happens when you live in a city like Omaha, and don’t have any technological resources? According to the U.S Census Bureau, about 17% of Nebraskans don’t have computer access of any kind in their household. This is a relatively high statistic compared to the rest of the country, but there’s been found to be a huge difference in access due to income divides in specific areas. As technology starts becoming a necessity though, it’s now more important to bridge this divide than ever. I had the chance to volunteer at Do Space for a few months, and while I was there, I could see Do Space’s clear efforts to give more people the technological access that they need. I personally remember helping an elderly lady who got access to a laptop for the first time, but had absolutely no idea how to use it. She came in and asked if
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someone could help her get started with it. We sat be able to use. For some, that could be using the down, and while I walked her through turning it newer technology like the 3D printers, for others, on, she started talking about this dress that she it’s just setting up an email account so they can was supposed to see on the screen. As I proceeded contact family across the country”. Lastly, Sawer to show her how to get wi-fi access, and open up would like to “see technological libraries becoma web browser, I finally understood that she was ing prolific”. She made it clear that Do Space is a looking for an online shop. We laughed together very unique facility, and that it’s important to have after the realization, and I soon learned that she more like it as we move through the digital age. was buying a wedding gift for her niece who had It’s definitely true that Do Space would it on her gift registry. We chatted a bit more about be an anomaly in any community, but it’s been what she could do with her laptop, and the lady able to contribute a lot to ours, from catering to left teary-eyed, amazed with the possibilities that everybody’s needs to encouraging everyone that came with just one piece of they really can do something technology. “Seeing people stepping out of their great. Since Do Space’s open I was also able to ing, I have laser cut beautiful comfort zone, and using technology talk to Andrea Sawer, a but practical wooden objects, that they never thought they’d be taken advantage of their meetvolunteer at Do Space, who works as a “3D Guru”. ing space, gone to a compeable to use. “ Sawer says that she helps tition hosted there, and met people in the 3D lab, which includes various 3D some amazing mentors. And all of that and more printers, and that she also mentors one-on-one was new and fascinating to me, even though I’m with the laser cutter. While discussing the impact privileged to be anyways surrounded by technolof facilities like Do Space, Sawer mentioned that ogy in my day to day life. But, like Andrea Sawer people having access to all types of technology, had said, I got to try something I wouldn’t have and being able to build their skills and experience been able to otherwise, and I learned a lot from off of them was really important. Sawer also said it. That’s why I go to Do Space now, why I plan that the most inspiring thing to her was “Seeing to keep on going there for a long time, and why I people stepping out of their comfort zone, and think you should too. using technology that they never thought they’d
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LOCAL: Midtown Crossing
Why can’t I just eat some quality cake? Like that’s all I want in life.. Petty Problem No. 5
an evening in
Midtown Crossing Written and photographed by Abigail Schrieber and Ramya Iyer. Design by Ramya Iyer Ah Midtown Crossing, a small and very luxury neighborhood that has many interesting things to do. We decided to spend an evening in Midtown, and review everything that we did, from eating some not so good cake, to enjoying a few fantastic bowls of ramen.
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The Afternoon 3157 Farnam St, Suite 7101
This beautiful and super hipster gift shop was the perfect place to get out of the rain and spend some time browsing. I really enjoyed the range of the goods that they had there, and all of the merchandise was very unique. The whole ambience of the shop was also really nice, with very thought out displays and showcases. I also appreciated how casual and pleasant the workers were, as they happily let us take pictures and answered all of our questions. I’d definitely want to return and buy some of their awesome things!
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LOCAL: Midtown Crossing
Délice Cafe 3201 Farnam St #6112
I loved the chill vibe of this café, but I wasn’t as into the food. I ate a crème brûlée, but it should have just been called crème because there was no brûlée. The top was soft and fluffy, not solid like it should have been. At least it was better than Ramya’s cake, which was probably the most disgusting cake I have ever eaten. She chose if because it looked pretty, but it didn’t taste even close to how nice it looked. The one thing that was good were the drinks. The hot chocolate was delicious. I’d probably only go back there for that.
Marcus Midtown Cinema 3201 Farnam St #6111
I really enjoy watching movies at this theatre, especially when it’s completely empty! The chairs are huge and spin, and it’s a dining cinema, so there’s a lot of space. The chairs did get a bit awkward when we went and watched Beauty and the Beast, as it was very crowded, but it was still a pretty nice experience. I really loved the food that was served, and the fries that I had were well portioned for two people, and tasted pretty good. It’s also nice that when you get served, because the rows are raised so that the server doesn't get in the way of the screen. Overall, the theatre is spacious and comfortable, with fast, quality, service.
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Ugly Duck 3201 Farnam St #6107 This is my new favorite restaurant in midtown. I was disappointed at first when they said that they only sold the fries that I wanted to eat at lunch, but the ramen was brought out and it got my hopes up again. It was hard to eat at first since I had no idea how to eat ramen that didn’t come from a box, but I persevered, and it was delicious. They also had very tasty vegetarian ramen, which Ramya thoroughly enjoyed. Also, it was impossible for me to take my eyes off of the wall behind our table. The mural on that wall was one of the strangest, psychedelic, but also the coolest thing I have ever seen. Overall, the meal and atmosphere of the restaurant was wonderful and I definitely want to go back.
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LIFE: Body Image
Written by Mina Testolin. Designed by Ramya Iyer.
Body image issues are something that can often be overlooked, especially in teenagers. Most brush it off as “teen problems”, but people with negative body image have a greater possibility of developing eating disorders and suffer with depression, feelings of isolation, and low self-esteem. The way we see ourselves and others can greatly influence how we behave. People do not produce their own body image by themselves, they’re influenced by the people that they’re surrounded with and their culture. For example, if your parents are enthusiastic about exercise, then you’re more likely to pick up on that habit. On the contrary, if your parents criticize the way you look, then you may feel negatively about yourself. Another way individuals come up with their body image is by looking at how the media portrays women, men, and everyone in between. Women are especially criticized in the media. Celebrities that are featured on the covers of magazines are seen as the ideal woman, and anyone different from that just isn’t good enough. “Thin-ideal media” refers to images, television shows and movies that contain very thin female leads. This is something that comes up a lot in fashion magazines, clothing catalogs and pop culture television shows. Thin-ideal media highlights the idea that thinness is a good and desirable thing to be, even if it is to a level that is potentially damaging to a one’s health. Eating disorders almost always come from a negative body image.
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Over fifty percent of 9 and 10 year-old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 18 percent of adolescents are actually overweight. About 80 percent of girls in this age group say that they have dieted in an attempt to lose weight. Because of thin-ideal media and insecurities, the weight loss industry is highly profitable and marketing firms know exactly how to sell products to people with the promise that their lives will be better if they lose weight. If negative body image alone caused anorexia then every person on the planet would develop anorexia, everyone at some point has felt self-conscious about their appearance. If someone is genetically predisposed to an eating disorder, dieting could trigger one. Changing the way the media portrays every day women is a long-term goal for many advocacy groups. Men have a different ideal body image. Usually, you hear a lot of the importance of a good body image in women, but insecure men need a healthy image, too. Men begin to develop their body image when they are children, based on what they parents have to say. When they begin start school, their body image develops further. Similar to women, the media also influences the development of the body image men have. Under ideal circumstances, men develop realistic body images and understand what a healthy body looks like. Like women, if men grow up with criticisms about their appearance, their body image will suffer. A study conducted by Psychology Today found that men believe their appearance is much more important to women then women report it is; for instance, men think that if they
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lose their hair women will not want to date them, even though many women say they are fine with dating bald men. Many males pay for surgical procedures, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but the procedures come with risks and they’re expensive. Not all men with poor self-esteem develop eating disorders, but the rise of eating disorders in males is concerning: the Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness reports that between 2.4 and 3.6 million men suffer from eating disorders today, and up to 20% of them die of anorexia. People need to acknowledge that men can be insecure, and that they can also have eating disorders. “It’s very hard to find information about a gender identity that many people refuse to
believe exists.“
It’s very hard to find information about a gender identity that many people refuse to believe exists. The issue many in the non-binary population face is dysphoria which can cause severe distress, anxiety and depression. The discomfort that they experience can become so severe that it interrupts their everyday lives. They may not be recognized for who they are, and called by something other than they feel they should be called. In an ideal world, everyone would be happy with themselves and how they look. Unfortunately, we live in a world where the media is overtaken by criticisms of anyone that doesn’t look how certain people say they should look. Being happy with yourself is more easily said than done, and being kind to ourselves and others can improve how everyone feels.
DIY: Chocolate Caramel Brownies
I want food so badly but I can't bake! Everything's way too complicated. Petty Problem No.6
Chocolate Caramel
Brownies
Written and photographed by Abigail Schreiber. Design by Ramya Iyer
INGREDIENTS: 14 ounces of light colored car-
amels2/3 cup of evaporated milk1 package of German chocolate cake mix12 tablespoons of melted butter (1 1/2 sticks)6 ounces chocolate chips
1. In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine the caramels and 1/3 cup of evaporated milk. 2. Stir occasionally over low heat until melted 3. In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cake mix, butter, and remaining 1/3 cups of evaporated milk until the dough is well mixed. 22
4. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan. 5. Press half of the cake mixture into the pan. 6. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. 7. Remove from the oven and pour the melted caramel over the cake mixture, spreading it evenly. 8. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel. 9. Pinch handfuls of the cake mixture together and drop pieces over the top. Spread it lightly with a spatula to cover as much of the caramel as possible. 10. Return to oven and bake for 20-25 more minutes. 11. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the refrigerator until it’s ready to cut into bars!
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Opinion: Depression
Global Depression Written by Virginia Jansen. Design by Ramya Iyer.
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taking over your entire life. Something else has happened recently to make many people insensitive towards depression. Adolescents all over the country are taking serious topics related to depression like suicide and turning them into jokes. Everywhere around at this school I hear people saying KYS (Kill Your Self) and this saddens me so much because there are so many people who get so depressed that they actually too. It’s like there are two ends of the spectrum, some people are dangerously unaware of the real, serious repercussions of depression and others are so comfortable with the thought they make jokes about it.
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here’s a moment in almost every person’s life where they just feel worthless, and like they can’t do anything at all. It’s when everyone around them seems to be living crystal clear but their life is a big blur of sadness. Sharing these feelings with someone is like sharing the deepest, darkest piece of their soul. Then to have that person say that it’s just hormones or mood swings, that’s even more devastating. Anytime someone feels feelings like this it’s horrible for people to reduce them to nothing. Another big problem with peoples attitudes towards depression these days is that it’s selfish to feel that way if you are in a first world country. That so many “Many people know what depression is but people, especially those who are in third don’t really understand that it is a global world countries, have so much more to be depressed about and that people who live problem.“ in nice houses with loving families have no right to be. A common misconception on Although it sounds like I’m saying that no the opposite side is that depression only affects one is aware of what depression is and means, people in first world countries. That people in that is not the point I mean to get across. Many third world are so consumed with their hardships people know what depression is but don’t realthat they don’t have the time to be depressed. ly understand that it is a global problem. Many Neither of these stereotypes are true, and deprespeople think that first of all only people in first sion can affect anyone. world countries experience and they are selfish Depression is defined by the National or inconsiderate of all the people in the world Institute of Mental Health as “a common but sewith problems like starvation, hunger and disrious mood disorder. It causes severe symptoms ease. But in a different way they don’t believe that affect how you feel, think, and handle daily that any people face depression along with those activities, such as sleeping, eating, or working.” problems. According to the NIMH 350 million There are many different types of depression that people across the world suffer from some sort affect people differently. Because depression is so of depression. This is not exclusive to countries hard to officially diagnose many people discount with clean water, food and healthcare. People it thinking that most people affected by depreseverywhere are affected by it which brings us to sion are just agitated or (for the girls) on their an even bigger problem which is that very little period. Another reason people aren’t as aware of aid is provided to third world countries to help the seriousness of depression is because once it’s with depression and other mental illnesses. We diagnosed it either gets much better quickly with must be aware of these issues all over the world medication or never gets better leaving things and take action. And we must remember that if back to normal or with a newer and worse veryou know someone with depression or any other sion of normal. You either get out and continue mental illness, all they want is your support and with your life, or it’s like a never-ending cycle, it is important to provide that.
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Opinion: Parents
Clashing With Parents Part 1 of 3 Written by Mina Testolin. Design by Ramya Iyer.
Petty Fights.
G
rowing up is hard, especially when you’re trying to be independent but your parents don’t think you’re quite ready for everything you want to do. Teens are too proud to admit they are struggling with something they find “childish”, and parents are holding on to their babies too tightly. Soon enough, the two opposing sides are yelling, crying or slamming doors. The conflict starts with a parent making sure their kid has a jacket, because it’s about 40ºF outside and definitely not summer. The teen feels offended because they’re trying to be independent with their choices. They want to make their parents change the way their relationship works, so that their parents will let the little choices like that left up to them, not the adult. The teen’s insecurities about who they are, complicated with the parent’s “Mother knows best” idea turns makes this hard for everyone involved. The real focus of petty fights about wearing a jacket are on a parent's acknowledgement
of a teen’s maturity and capability. Asking a teen, “Do you have your jacket?”, implies that a parent doesn't trust him to make his own decisions. And, in a teen's eyes, that's not only unfair; it’s embarrassing. This is implicated with the idea that you’re not able to look after yourself. Eventually, the fight escalates and the parent says that either they put their jacket on before they go out, or they don’t go out at all. The parent is upset because they’re just trying to help and their child that they’ve taken care of for years won’t listen to them. Of course, parents only want to take care of their children, and teenagers only want to be independent. It’s okay to rely on parents, not for everything though. As kids grow up, fights between themselves and parents will diminish, and the once-immature teenager will learn that their parents were always looking out for them. Sometimes, everyone gets a little dramatic and overreacts, being able to apologize and forgive is a necessary part of any healthy relationship.
I just don't want to wear a jacket! Like come on, it's not that cold outside. Petty Problem No. 7
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You have no-wifi, and all of your off-line songs are just bad. Download this playlist to mope and be dramatic to! Petty Problem No. 8
The No WiFi Playlist Playlist by Abigail Schreiber. Design by Ramya Iyer
Total Eclipse of the HeartBonnie Tyler
Mad WorldGary Jules Keep Holding OnAvril Lavigne Fix YouCold Play EverytimeBritney Spears
Rivers and RoadsThe Head and the Heart
Impossible YearPanic! At The Disco
Bad DayDaniel Powter Million Years AgoAdele Carry OnFun 27
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