it's magazine | issue no. 4

it’s I SSUE NO.4 | PE R S ONAL | NOVEMBE R 201 9

3

letter from the editor

4-9

it’s me

10-17

it’s important

18-27

it’s our home

28-37

it’s what we wear

38-42

it’s what helps us glow

43-50

it’s being in good health

51-62

it’s where we go

63-76

it’s real

77-79

thank you

table of contents

it’s my birthday.

This month, I’ve really pushed myself hard, in both directions. I’ve been at my worst, but I’m slowly climbing out.

I won’t lie and say it hasn’t been difficult. There have been a lot of days where I’ve struggled to just get out of bed. My appetite is nearly gone. Class is getting to me. Graduation couldn’t come sooner, but I’m nervous to see what my move after that will be.

But it’s also a bit easier to keep going, strangely enough. I’ve been very fortunate to have a strong support system after all that has happened. It’s very normal for me to repress what has happened and move on immediately, but this time, I had to face what had happened head on.

I know I’m being ambiguous, but this leads me to my next point: issue 4. After it happened, I was extremely motivated to do work on this magazine, In the past, it just feel like another thing on my to do list, but this month, I was back to staying up late emailing people for features and waking up at 3 a.m. to finish a spread before class. I really struggled with picking this month’s feature, because I felt like it was hard for me to take in someone else’s story when I was still processing my own.

So this month, it’s me. I’m sharing what has happened to me in the past few weeks, and what led up to it. This is a small part of my own story, but it gives you a better idea of who exactly is creating the magazine you decide to read each month.

As for the rest of the content, this month was SO fun to get together and design. I wanted to branch out and do more illustration work, and my surprisingly large amount of motivation made that possible. I think it’s is finally becoming closer to what I envisioned it to be.

As always, thank you for reading. This one is more personal for me, and I think more fun for you to read. Also a little less text heavy, I know if you’re in school, you probably don’t want to be reading much more of anything else.

Enjoy issue 4!

a i r r a v a h C - Jen Edi tor-I n -Ch i e f

M

e

“It’s been hard, and while everyone loves to talk about the before and after, no one ever talks about the during,”

“On Oc t o b e r 30th, I spent the night i n a h o s p i t a l for suicidal ideation.

Now h ow did I end up here?”

“The earliest memory I have of self-loathing was in kindergarten. My mom would do my hair before I left for school each day, usually in little ponytails. I hated it, mainly because all the “pretty girls” had their long hair down. So, each day I would get off the bus with messy hair because I took my ponytails out to match the other girls hair.

Elementary school was full of insecure moments, like when I wore a long skirt and turtleneck to school and felt absolutely hideous so I wouldn’t talk or even look at a boy all day. But I was never openly sad or anti-social, I still had a lot of friends, guy friends too. I was always bubbly and energetic, and often the teacher’s pet. Fourth grade is when things started to change, and my personality completely shifted.

A few years ago I found a diary I kept during that time. I read an entry I wrote about a life-changing experience for me. Girls were always trying to find out about their friend’s crushes to play the match maker, they quickly found out about mine. For two years, I liked a certain boy, and when he was told at recess, he said he’d rather commit suicide than be my boyfriend. I stopped writing in my diary after that.

At a very young age, I learned that I was ugly. Fat. Too quiet. Unworthy of love. It was unknowingly reinforced at home as well. With diet culture, severe anger issues, and mentally scarring relationships consistently surrounding me since I could remember, I never once questioned if this was a healthy way to live.

Middle school just kept getting worse. I was constantly forcing myself into the “popular” friend groups that didn’t want me there, because I thought the attention would save me. My self-esteem was non-existent at this point, and I started to first think suicidal thoughts in 8th grade.

The summer going into high school was the absolute worst, as I dealt with extreme pressure due to family issues. I had to make a hard decision that to this day, I have no idea if it was the right one. Regardless, it allowed me to continue life as I knew it.

High school was similar to middle school, except I was able to gain a few friends that were supportive. My depression came and went, but mostly it had to do with how distracted and busy I was. I was at my “best” when I was drowning in homework, band practices, and other social events. If I didn’t have time to think about myself, then I was okay. There were a few concerning moments, I vividly remember breaking down in front of my mom before leaving for a school dance because I felt disgusting, fat, and ugly. On top of all this, it didn’t help that I desperately wanted to be in a relationship because I felt that it would help solve all my issues as well.

That relationship with my significant other was eye-opening, but so painful. It did kickstart my journey for me though.

Now enter college, the first time I started to learn what self-love was. My freshman year was pivotal, and I made sure it would be. I dropped all my friends except a small few, left a toxic relationship, started to develop a new positive attitude, and was working out and eating in a way that I thought was healthy at the time. This is also when my Instagram learningfrombalance was born.

Learningfrombalance was something I never knew had the potential to grow in the way it did. It was an idea to help fuel my disorder Orthorexia, which I had no idea I had at the time. I wanted to hold myself accountable with eating

healthy and working out, so I made an account to prove to the world that I was doing so.

The first 8-10 months, learningfrombalance didn’t play a big part in my self-love journey, and it showed. Freshman year is when I surpassed my physical goals, like losing inches off my waist, hips, and thighs; but it’s also a time I would happily ditch class or a coffee date with a friend for a workout. I was obsessively tracking every food I ate, and I was so stressed and anxious, I lost my period for almost a year.

I was also such an awful person. I was judgmental as fuck. I was rude. I was selfish. I existed solely to “better” myself. But, I never ever ever questioned my thinking to this point until learningfrombalance.

Not to sound cliche, but learningfrombalance literally saved my life. The more active I was online, the more I learned about the unhealthy habits I had developed. I also learned that though so many people share similar thoughts and a similar journey, that doesn’t mean it should be a permanent thing,”

“Not to s ound cliche , but learn in gfromb alanc e literally save d my life. T h e more a c tive I was onlin e , the more I learn ed a bout th e un h ealthy habits I had d evelope d.

I also learned that th ou gh so m any p eople share similar thou ghts and a similar journey, that d oesn’t me an it shou ld be a p erman ent thing,”

“I spent my whole life thinking I was the definition of normal. I thought it was normal to suck in my stomach all day to appear thinner. I thought it was normal to never be satisfied or content with how I looked and acted. I thought it was normal to favor running for hours on a treadmill over eating. I thought it was normal to question my existence if I felt like I’ve been taking up unnecessary space for too long.

I thought it was normal to hate myself. I wanted to learn how to love myself.

It’s been hard, and while everyone loves to talk about the before and after, no one ever talks about the during.

I think it’s because it’s not pretty. Though my good days felt fucking amazing, my bad days literally made me want to die.

There are so many days I would go into the bathroom at work just to cry. Some days, I couldn’t even get out of bed to go to class. The feelings of guilt I still occasionally had when eating chocolate made me feel like complete shit. I battled with myself on weight gain because of the binge-eating disorder I developed when trying to get my period back naturally.

I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder and my medication caused me to get so depressed, I was hospitalized for suicidal ideation.

Healing is not pretty. It’s not linear. You shouldn’t expect it to be.

So this is how I got to be here, writing my story on my laptop just a day after being discharged from the hospital.

Though my family has been a big source of stress, they are also my biggest support system. We have all grown together, and I am grateful to say we are all in a better place. I place no fault on my suicidal ideation on anyone. Not one person. It was a weak moment for me, and I knew the only person who could force myself to get the help I needed was me.

That whole experience was surreal. I still can’t believe I actually ended up there, but I’m happy I did. I was so scared as I walked into the ER, and it didn’t hit me that I was doing what I was doing until my roommate, who accompanied me, told the receptionist ‘my friend is suicidal and needs help.’

That about sums it up. I am suicidal and I need help.

Originally, they suggested a new therapist and handed me sheets on coping mechanisms for depression. I was so frustrated, as I had already been to two therapists, and I was at my breaking point. I requested to stay in their inpatient program, and that’s when things shifted for me.

On that floor, we were all treated equally, dressed the same, and were as transparent as can be. It wasn’t odd to hear a nurse ask someone down the hallway ‘lunch was good today, so have you had any suicidal thoughts lately?’

There was no stigma there at all. It was the first time I actually felt the phrase ‘you are not alone.’

In between multiple blood work calls from when I went to bed, into the early morning, I spent that night looking back at how the fuck I ended up there. I realized the whole time, I was just putting band-aids on my issues.

I quickly and unknowingly found out how much “happier” I was when I was busy. With my Instagram, podcast, magazine, YouTube, school, and work, I could easily bury myself in all of it. I also thought about how deeply rooted self-loathing was for me. It’s all I’ve ever known, and I wasn’t giving myself a fair fight by

expecting to change my mindset overnight. Once I questioned my choices and actions, I found out how unhealthy they became. It overwhelmed me. This is how I ended up here.

Then at 1 in the morning, I found out my parents were there, at my hospital, wanting to see me. Visiting hours weren’t until the following evening, but the fact that my dad left work to get my mom so they could drive down 4 hours to see me was touching. I fell asleep thinking ‘I will fight. For them, and for me.’

My doctors, nurses, social worker, and psychiatrist all went over my plan for discharge. I set up two appointments with my current therapist and a new therapist. I had a follow-up appointment with my doctor for my new medication, which I got prescribed to help with my depression. I was told to use the following weekend as a time to completely rest and worry about school and work later, that following Monday.

Everyone, and I mean everyone, wanted nothing but the best for me. Even complete strangers there told me congratulations when they saw me in my normal clothes. I left the hospital determined to better myself, taking it day by day.

Medication is something I was always against, but it’s saving my life right now. I have developed multiple disorders to the point where things like yoga, exercise, or simply breathing can no longer do much more than keep me calm for a few moments. Don’t fear medication, it can help you literally keep yourself alive as you work with a therapist and psychiatrist to develop the tools you need to cope. Eventually, you can discuss coming off your medications, if they think you are ready. Medication isn’t a permanent fix, but it is a big help,”

“Life has some meaning again for me.

Though I’m still in awe as to how long it took for me to get here, I’m glad I got here.

I’m glad you’re here too,”

a i r r a v a h C n -Je i j e n .ch ava r r i a

it’s

IMPORTANT

FEMALE ATHLETE LET’S TALK ABOUT CARBON OFFSETTING ANXIETY RISING AMONG TEENS

FEMAL E ATH L E TE

The term female athlete carries around a certain weight, one that makes it seem like there is a drastic difference between male and female athletes.

At the root of gender equality in sports is Title IX, a federal law applying to educational institutions that states no person should be excluded from or experience discrimination based on gender in educational or recreational activities.

The law was signed in 1972, and since its creation, educational institutions have been forced to give equal rights and access to all students regardless of gender identity.

Specifically, Title IX is applied to athletics under three main categories: scholarships, participation, and other benefits. For athletics, both men and women must have equal participation opportunities, scholarship allotments, and resources. Title IX has allowed for a massive growth in sports participation among women, however, more still needs to be done. For example, it is believed that when athletic scholarships are awarded, men receive upwards of $100 million more each year than women do (Athnet).

Title IX is often a topic of debate, as lines can be blurred and crossed that reduce the athletic equality at educational institutions. Recently, Title IX has come up in discussion surrounding Kent State’s cancellation of a field hockey game between Temple University and the University of Maine in order for the Kent State football team to have pregame celebrations. The game between Temple and UMaine, which was hosted by Kent State, went the entire regulation and the first overtime period with no score. Instead of playing a second overtime period, as would happen in every other NCAA field hockey game (field hockey games cannot end in a tie), Kent State officials told both coaches that the game would be declared a “no-contest”. This was to allow the Kent State football team to set off pregame fireworks (on a completely different field than the field hockey field, by the way).

While the teams were notified ahead of time that there would be a hard-stop time, there were no official plans for what the next step would be if the game reached the hardstop time without being completed. Temple’s head coach Susan Ciufo summarized the situation perfectly, by saying “I know we’re not a big-revenue sport, but to make young women feel what they did for 70 minutes doesn’t really matter, what are we telling young female athletes about what it means to be an athlete?” (The Washington Post).

How is this a fair opportunity to compete? How is this okay? Declaring the game as a “no-contest” just to allow the football team to go through their festivities demonstrates, whether intentionally or not, that a male athletics team is being prioritized. It’s 2019, and situations like this are still telling the young girls that are watching that their athletic accomplishments don’t matter as much.

This situation was just recently ruled as not violating Title IX. Kent State officials and school administrators found no gender-related bias in the situation, therefore not being in violation of Title IX. However, this ruling was made without any input from the athletes who had their game cut short.

Their opinions were ignored in the decision-making process.

While this may not necessarily be a Title IX violation, it clearly shows the problems that exist with athletics equality and inclusion.

Beyond this incident, Title IX violations and problems are popping up across the country. Recently, colleges have been cutting sports programs for budgetary reasons, and it seems that it’s always the women’s sports teams being cut first.

Recently, the University of the Pacific cut their field hockey program, and it is believed that small, liberal arts schools will be affected by budgetary cuts the most. According to Inside Higher Ed, these issues and Title IX violations are coming at a time “when government investments in higher education are dwindling and colleges and universities are shrinking their budgets and eliminating athletics programs” (IHE).

Budgetary issues also make it difficult as many men’s sports teams are unfairly cut as well. Moving forward, amendments need to be made to Title IX to allow men and women to have opportunities despite economic restraints. Beyond just equal opportunity and resources, schools often violate Title IX by failing to implement the law into investigations of sexual assault among athletes.

While men’s teams do have issues with Title IX, it is the women’s teams that face the most trouble with Title IX. It is not a question of whether Title IX has benefited women, it’s a question of how can we continue to improve the athletic experience for women.

Girls go through the same academic rigors, recruitment processes, injuries, time commitments, etc. as boys do. We’re tired of hearing how wonderful our school’s football and men’s lacrosse programs are, when the women’s volleyball and women’s lacrosse teams are also making national tournaments. We’re tired of not getting the same recognition. As a “female athlete” myself, I feel like strides need to be made to better bridge the gap of gender equality in sports.

I’m not a “female athlete”, I’m an athlete.

Treat me as such.

CHECK OUT THE WOMEN’S SPORTS FOUNDATION HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ADVANCING THE LIVES OF WOMEN THROUGH SPORTS + PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.

Sources: https://bit.ly/2C6g3Wo https://wapo.st/2NvcxKJ https://go.teamusa.org/2JGJHpn

https://bit.ly/36plkWZ https://bit.ly/2C2wZNs https://bit.ly/2r52Z1s https://bit.ly/3246eTv

https://bit.ly/2JBSCIT https://wapo.st/2WBwDXz https://bit.ly/323oOLH

Contributing Writer: Gabrielle Guzdek | i honestly_gabby

LET’S TAL K AB OUT CARB ON OF F SE TTI NG Carbon offsetting. A word on every person’s lips lately, making it seem like we can do whatever we want as long as we offset our emissions, right? Well, there’s more to unpack here.

At checkout after making an online purchase, you see the option “click here to pay __ to offset your shipping emissions.”

When buying airplane tickets, you see they give you an option to purchase offsets to bundle with your ticket. As you read an article, you find out an unsustainable company is now investing in carbon offsetting.

But carbon offsetting isn’t the answer to the climate change problem.

Carbon offsetting is essentially investing in eco-friendly projects around the world to balance out the emissions you had just released, typically from things like driving and flying. Individuals to giant corporates can offset their emissions. Usually these projects are set in developing countries, and most aim to reduce future emissions as well.

The price varies, depending on the particular offset. For example, a flight from Indianapolis to San Antonio will cost you $17 to offset your emissions. Another example is shipping an online order from Illinois (roughly) to the Indianapolis area costs $0.26 to offset.

So all in all, not crazy expensive to do so, which is why so many people do so. However, it still remains a controversial topic for many reasons, but I’ll talk about three: scamming, actual benefits, and the bigger picture.

First, scamming. Why are we paying for something the government should be funding to do? Is this just a way for people to profit off of our climate guilt? Are we actually reducing our own carbon footprints? Lots of good questions with no certain answers.

For starters, it is a good idea for the government to step in and help regulate offsetting. This gets us closer to the results we want, and quicker too. However, in today’s political climate, we are not sure how likely that would be, especially in America, as we prepare to leave the Paris Agreement.

Now, companies most likely do have their own agenda when it comes to these programs, and there’s a good chance it might be closer to profit over people than the other way around.

Let’s take the disaster over in the Vatican, for example, when a promoter presented them with offset certificates for millions of trees that were never planted. Follow the money, people!

There are businesspeople using our climate guilt as a way to get more money. Offsetting your emissions is like taking

a breath of fresh air. It does come at a cost, but most people don’t care if they can ease their conscious a bit. The offsetting market is growing bigger and bigger, so do your research to support those that can actually show evidence that what they are doing is for the common good.

As for reducing your own footprint, it all depends. If you rely on solely investing in projects to lower your footprint, there’s a chance you’re 1) investing in a sketchy program or 2) just canceling out your footprint, not reducing it. The only way you can guarantee you are reducing your own footprint is by living an active sustainable lifestyle.

Second, does it work? We can’t really tell yet. Currently, these projects are for future results, so we can’t really know for certain what will happen by then. There are a few standards, like the VGS and the VCS (I’ll explain later) that were made to attempt to answer these questions by setting more rigorous regulations. These certified projects are more credible, but still cannot produce a definite answer. It’s a waiting game at this point.

Thirdly, let’s look at the bigger picture, and honestly, let’s get real here. You are paying someone else to lower their emissions so you don’t have to. Don’t feel too bad, because a lot of us are in the same boat, plus, it’s better than doing nothing. However, if you are seriously considering investing more in carbon offsetting, take a step back and look at your own lifestyle.

Drive less. Fly less. Utilize public transportation. Keep your home at a constant temperature. Eat more plant-based.

Buy food package-free. Use less single-use plastic. Recycle.

Buy products made from recycled items. Vote. Invest in a few quality purchases from sustainable brands. Thrift more. Buy only what you need. Use what you have.

These are perfectly good and affordable ways to lower your carbon footprint, purchasing carbon offsets should just be an additional thing when you really have no other option in that situation.

So carbon footprints: good or bad? Like everything else, it depends. Research the programs you want to purchase offsets from, but it might be better to start with lowering your own footprint. Regardless, purchasing offsets is much better in the long run than doing nothing.

WHAT’S THE PARIS AGREEMENT? It’s actually called the Paris Climate Accord, but we all know it as the Paris Agreement. The United Nations created this international agreement in 2015 to plan to reduce climate emissions, slow the rise of global temperatures, and help the countries who are victims to climate change. 171 nations have originally signed.

The goal is to limit the rise in global average temperature to 2 degrees C or more ambitiously, limit it to only 1.5 degrees C. To do this, countries must set their own targets for reducing emissions by 2020. $100 billion has also been set aside per year to help developing countries switch to greener energy as well as adapt to the effects of climate change. Finally, every 5 years, the deal is to be reevaluated to make sure we reach our goal.

So that’s the gist. To read more about the rest of the goals, check out this NPR article that goes into way deeper detail.

CARBON OFFSETTING CERTIFICATIONS So I mentioned VGS and VCS in the introduction article, but there are a few more. When purchasing offsets, see if they are certified by one of these: Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) • Rigorous global standards for voluntary GHG emissions reductions. Ensures real environmental benefits.

Verified Gold Standard (VGS) • Audited according to the rules laid out in the Kyoto protocol and must show the social benefits for local communities.

Green-e Climate • A global carbon offset leader recommended in leading environmental standards like LEED, TCR and B corporation.

Climate Action Reserve (CAR) • Regulates standards in North America for development, quantification, and verification of GHG’s.

American Carbon Registry (ACR) • The leading carbon offset program recognized for high environmental standards and transparency.

The Standard (NCOS) • A voluntary standard to manage GHG’s and to achieve carbon neutrality, introduced by the Australian government

There’s a lot of certifications out there, so always do your research to make sure your money is going where you want it to go. It’s very easy for greenwashing to exist and for people to want to profit off of us, as digusting as this sounds.

“I often talk to people who say, ‘No, we have to be hopeful and to inspire each other, and we can’t tell [people] too many negative things’ . . . But, no — we have to tell it like it is. Because if there are no positive things to tell, then what should we do, should we spread false hope? We can’t do that, we have to tell the truth.”

Greta Thunberg, Climate Activist Sources: https://bit.ly/2q02TYz https://bit.ly/2NYCJgN

https://on.nrdc.org/32yas63 https://bit.ly/34EUqca

https://cbsn.ws/2PZWAiu https://bit.ly/2NYFZsx

ANXIET Y RISING AMONG T EENS Anxiety disorders affected around 31.9% of American adolescents and is still one of the most prevalent forms of mental illnesses there is.

Fear is something so normal and prevalent like hunger for humanity. During ancient times, fear helped us stay alive, as a form of biological emergency signal (Morschitzky 2009). Nowadays, even though the world changed quite a lot, fear still alarms us; from fire, thunderstorms or dark alleys, to overcrowded places or a flight overseas; fear wants to keep us safe and alive.

But fear is not only the urge to stay alive, it can also be overwhelming, overpowering, completely unnecessary or sickening.

You might already know that I will start a ramble on anxiety disorders from here on.

Most scholars distinguish the terms anxiety, fear and panic, where anxiety does not have an entirely clear object of fear and is related to an unidentifiable situation, and fear can be connected to a directly feared object. Panic at last is an overwhelming feeling, which can come up out of a sudden and can be felt mentally and bodily.

Fear and anxiety can easily develop into a disease, for instance, if the intensity of fear felt is not on an adequate level in relation to the situation that is experienced or if a person constantly worries about possible but unlikely future situations.

People that have those diseases put a lot of thought and effort into their anxieties and align their life to them which can for example lead to avoiding situations, barely leaving the house or neglecting social interactions.

To understand what I am talking about, I compromised the most important anxiety disorders in the following:

GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER (GAD) Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can be summarised as an excessive worrying or anxiety an individual feels at the majority of days over a span of at least six months. Those worries and anxieties can be quite universal, ranging from family situations, to money or work, friends or acquaintances and other aspects of one’s private life. The thoughts an individual puts into that are usually not justified to the actual events happening or not even related to those. Those worries can influence a person’s private and social life immensely and around 3,1% of the US population are affected. The risk of a generalised anxiety disorder is highest for children or adolescents

PANIC DISORDER A panic disorder basically describes recurring and mostly unexpected panic attacks (defined as “sudden periods of intense fear”) combined with the fear of getting those attacks. This fear can lead people to avoid situations that could trigger a panic attack. Most panic disorders come up after the age of 20 and around 2-3% of American citizens experience panic attacks. Panic disorder is closely linked to agoraphobia.

AGORAPHOBIA Agoraphobia can result out of a panic disorder but does not necessarily have to. This anxiety disorder leads people to avoid places, people and situations where an immediate escape might be difficult or impossible, for instance, public transportation, crowded or even enclosed places like cinemas or elevators. A prevalent thought of people dealing with agoraphobia is that they don’t want to show symptoms of anxiety or panic in front of others which leads to avoiding situations and, in a severe form, can lead people to be housebound. About 1,3% of American citizens experience agoraphobia at some point in their lives.

SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER Social anxiety disorder can also be called social phobia where people fear what others might think about them, especially in social situations. Therefore, situations where anxiety or embarrassment can come up and where an individual could be (negatively) evaluated by others might be avoided. This form of anxiety disorder affects around 15 million American adults.

STATISTICS AND PREVALENCE

50% OF ALL LIFETIME CASES OF MENTAL ILLNESS BEGIN DEVELOPING BY AGE 14.

AN ESTIMATED 31.9% OF ADOLESCENTS HAD ANY ANXIETY DISORDER.

THE PREVALENCE OF ANY ANXIETY DISORDER AMONG ADOLESCENTS WAS HIGHER FOR FEMALES (38.0%) THAN FOR MALES (26.1%)

2018 ACHA-NATIONAL COLLEGE HEALTH ASSESSMENT

WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, 25.9% OF STUDENTS AND THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE WERE AFFECTED BY ANXIETY.

WITHIN THE LAST 12 MONTHS, 62.3% OF STUDENTS FELT OVERWHELMING ANXIETY, 69.2% OF FEMALES AND 47% OF MALES.

Sources: https://bit.ly/2NbgCod https://bit.ly/2N7AAAe

https://bit.ly/2r7MSAc https://bit.ly/33baQZt

https://bit.ly/2pAeP3b https://bit.ly/2C5pDc2

Morschitzky, Hans. Angststรถrungen. Diagnostik, Konzepte, Therapie, Selbsthilfe. 2009. Springer-Verlag, Wien

https://bit.ly/36wXby6 https://bit.ly/32bMYnh

https://bit.ly/34qiJdC https://bit.ly/33baXEn

https://bit.ly/2NGqlCi

W HAT TO DO AND W HE RE TO GE T HE LP Find a therapist by clicking here, and you can find out who can help you by clicking here.

• • • •

Psychiatrist: medical doctors, diagnosing psychiatric conditions, can provide psychotherapy but also prescribe medication (“psychopharmacotherapy”) Psychologists: Completed post-graduate training, non-medical doctoral program, do not prescribe medication but offer therapy and diagnostics Therapist/Counselors: completed post-graduate training, provide psychotherapy and counseling, can have different focuses in their work Social Workers: Masters of social work or licensed clinical social worker, provide treatment often times based on own recourses of the patients and empowerment and related to interpersonal and societal problems. Largest group of mental health service providers

W HAT YOU MI GHT WANT TO ASK W HO E VE R I S HE LPI NG YOU Find out more information by clicking here, but here are some common questions you can ask: • • • • • •

Is your insurance accepted by this professional?

What treatment approach does the professional use and are you okay with this approach?

Will this professional prescribe you medication if needed?

What training does this professional have?

How will the professional structure your specific treatment?

How can you be involved in the treatment?

Breathe.

Breathe.

Breathe. (a reminder).

Contributing Writer: Hannah Achtert | i mariuhannah

it’s

OUR HOME

A LOW-WASTE COLLEGE STUDENT PLANNING A LOW-WASTE WEDDING SURPRISINGLY SUSTAINABLE BRANDS BIODEGRADABLE VS. COMPOSTABLE

a low-wast e c olle ge s tuden t I began my journey towards sustainability out of coincidence; I was originally very passionate about natural living and making my own skincare, hygiene, and cleaning products after learning about the harmful chemicals going onto and into our bodies. As I began this journey, though, it made me realize how much less plastic I was sending into our landfills by making my own products. It all started there, and has really evolved since.

- Allison Zobrist i

s us tai none pl anet

sc h o o l i n g I am f i n ishing u p my fina l seme s t er a t Va nd er b il t U niv er s it y s t ud y ing Med ic in e , Health, a nd Society w hich is a v er y b r o a d m a jo r t ha t s t ud ent s c a n t a il o r t o t hei r i n te r es ts. I persona lly decided to t a k e a b unc h o f c l a s s es a b o ut o ur c ur r ent f o o d s ys te m, nu trition, a nd ou r hea lthc a r e s y s t em (s t ud y ing it s c o m p et enc ies a nd flaws ) . Very broa d, right?! Bu t I l o v e t he o p p o r t unit y it s giv en m e t o ex p l o r e my i n te r es ts a nd rea lly focu s in on w ha t I w a nt t o d o w it h my c a r eer.

I ar r i v ed a t Va nderbilt freshma n y ea r w it h l it t l e c l ue o f w ha t I a c t ua l l y w a nt ed t o do , s o I ju st chose the typica l pre-m ed r o ut e a nd d ec id ed t o m a jo r in b io m ed ic a l en g i n ee ring. I ha ve cha nged my m ind (m a ny t im es s inc e! ) a nd ha v e f ina l l y ar r i v ed a t w ha t I a m tru ly pa ssio na t e a b o ut : d iet et ic s a nd t he s us t a ina b il it y o f o ur f o o d system.

I plan to a ttend gra du a te school s t a r t ing nex t f a l l t o b ec o m e a d iet it ia n, a s w el l as plan on interning a t a su sta ina b l e f a r m t his s p r ing. Ther e I p l a n o n l ea r nin g mo r e ab ou t possible fa rming met ho d s t ha t w il l need t o b e im p l em ent ed go ing fo r war d a s w e figu re ou t how to s a v e o ur f o o d s y s t em f r o m it s c ur r ent d o w nhil l ,

eco - c o n s c i o u s We human s ha ve grea tly pollu ted o ur ea r t h a nd w e need t o d r a s t ic a l l y c ha nge t he way we ar e living a nd a cting before it’s t o o l a t e. To o l a t e, m ea ning m a s s ex t inc t io n o f s ea li f e , corru ption of the w orld’s f o o d c ha in, a nd env ir o nm ent a l ha v o c . A l l o f whi c h i s alrea dy ha ppening, by the w ay.

S o , we n ee d to a ct fa st. The good th ing is t ha t y o u c a n m a k e a d if f er enc e b y m a kin g c han g e s to the w ay you live you r d a il y l if e! E v en t ho ugh it m ay s eem a s t ho ugh o n e pe r s o n c an not possibly ma k e a diff er enc e, ev er y s ingl e p iec e o f p l a s t ic s a v ed f r o m the o ce an cou nts. Anne M a rie Bonnea u, a z er o w a s t e c hef, p er f ec t l y d es c r ib ed t his b y s ayi n g , “We don’t need a ha ndful o f p eo p l e d o ing z er o w a s t e p er f ec t l y. w e need m i lli o n s o f people doing it imperfec t l y.”

af fo rda b l i l i ty Be i n g s usta ina ble is TRULY, 100 % C H E A PE R t ha n no n-s us t a ina b l e ha b it s t ha t o ur s o c i ety ha s come to view a s the c hea p es t o p t io ns . I f y o u d o n’ t b el iev e m e, s t art a b udg et a nd see the sa vings for y o ur s el f !

Maki n g you r ow n D.I.Y. produ ct s , c hea p er. B uy ing gr o c er ies in b ul k : c hea p er.

Opti n g for more su sta ina ble ha bit s l ik e s l o w f a s hio n o r w a l king t o p l a c es y o u n e ed to g o: chea per! Su sta ina ble l iv ing o f t ens get s t he b a d w r a p o f b eing ex p ensi v e b e caus e so ma ny people think tha t t hey s t il l need t o b e b uy ing p r o d uc t s t o get thr o ug h life. Bu t in rea lity, this is jus t w ha t b us ines s es ha v e b r a inw a s hed o ur g en e r ati on to think w e need to do.

To m e , s u sta ina ble living mea ns m o v ing p a s t t his c o nc ep t a nd em b r a c ing m i n i m alism instea d. We ca n red uc e t he a m o unt o f p r o d uc t s w e b uy a nd r el y m o r e o n ou r ow n skills a nd cra ft s m a ns hip t o m a k e t he t hings t ha t w e need . A nd whe n i t comes to things tha t w e w a nt , l ik e c l o t hes o r f ur nit ur e, w e c a n s ho p f r o m the mi lli ons of pieces tha t a lrea dy ex is t o n t his E a r t h. S us t a ina b il it y is m o r e than b uying the la test trendy su st a ina b l e s w a p , it is a l if es t y l e s hif t t ha t w il l ulti mate ly sa ve ou r w a llets a nd our p l a net .

so m e t i p s • Reduce you r food w a ste a s muc h a s p o s s ib l e! C ur r ent l y, t his t ip is s up er n e ar a nd dea r to my hea rt. Aft er d o ing r es ea r c h f o r o ne o f t he c l a s s es I a m c ur r e ntly in, I discovered that f o o d w a s t e is m o r e ha r m f ul t o o ur c l im a t e t han plas tic w a ste. Therefore, buyi ng f o o d w r a p p ed in p l a s t ic is a c t ua l l y b et t er f o r o u r environment tha n pu rc ha s ing f o o d s w it ho ut p l a s t ic w r a p if w e end up letti n g this food go to w a ste. Tha t is t he k ey her e: p l a s t ic p a c k a ging is o nl y b e tter for the environment if i t p r ev ent s p r o d uc e f r o m r o t t ing a nd end ing up i n o ur la ndfills! Beca u se of this , I ha v e b een m uc h m o r e m ind f ul o f my gr o c er y s ho pping ha bits. I only buy p r o d uc e t ha t I a m 10 0 % s ur e I w il l c o ns um e b ef ore i t g o es ba d. If I a m not 100% s ur e, I eit her p a s s it up a l t o get her o r o p t f o r a f r o z e n ba g, k now ing tha t even t ho ugh I m ay b e us ing a l it t l e b it o f p l a s t ic , I wi ll u ltima tely be sa ving fo o d f r o m r o t t ing in o ur l a nd f il l a nd p r o d uc ing h ar m fu l greenhou se ga ses. • S av e gla ss ja rs a fter you finis h up w ha t ev er f o o d w a s ins id e o f t hem a nd r e pur pose them for bu lk shop p ing t r ip s a t t he gr o c er y s t o r e! B uy ing in b ul k i s pr o b a bly one of the most su st a ina b l e s w it c hes I ha v e m a d e t o d a t e. A l l s o r t s o f f o od comes w ra pped in plas t ic p a c k a ging no w a d ay s s o I l o v e hit t ing up t h e b ulk food section a t my loca l gr o c er y s t o r e a nd l ea v ing k no w ing t ha t I s a v ed s o m uch pla stic from ending u p in t he l a nd f il l . • D ab b le in ma king you r ow n hygiene p r o d uc t s ! B a t hr o o m s a r e f ul l o f p l a s t ic b o ttles or tu bes w e u se everyday ; t he b a t hr o o m is o ne o f t he m o s t w a s t ef ul ar eas of ou r hou seholds. E ven jus t r ep l a c ing o ne o r t w o p r o d uc t s w it h p l a s t icf r e e a lterna tives ca n grea tly r ed uc e y o ur c a r b o n f o o t p r int ! I m a k e my o w n to o th pa ste, sha mpoo, conditioner, f a c ia l t o ner, c ha p s t ic k , l o t io n, d is h s o a p , an d la u ndry detergent! E a ch o f t hem o nl y ha v e t w o -t o -t hr ee ingr ed ient s a nd a re jus t as effective, if not more ef f ec t iv e, a t get t ing t he jo b d o ne s inc e t hey a r e so n atura l! Sea rch for simple rec ip es o n p int er es t o r hea d o v er t o my ins t a gr a m : @s us ta inonepla net, to find a l l o f t hes e s im p l e r ec ip es + m o r e s us t a ina b l e t ip s !

pl a nni ng a low wast e wedding Weddings are known to be elaborate and extravagant,but what about all the waste, like food, decorations, and more, that comes with this special day? Katelyn took a more eco-friendly approach to save money and resources.

WHY PLAN A LOW WASTE WEDDING There were two big reasons: 1. I know weddings in general can be pretty wasteful. We often see people buying a ton of new items that will be used for one day only. This seems really silly to me! It makes a lot more sense, and is a lot healthier for our planet, to search for secondhand items that had a life before me and useful pieces that can be used again!

2. The second major reason was to save money! It was way cheaper to buy mason jars at Goodwill instead of buying new! Borrowing things from family and friends saved so much money compared to buying a new item. Keeping our wedding sustainable through secondhand pieces and overall simplicity saved us a lot of money!

THE DECORATIONS • • • • • • •

For the centerpieces on the tables I used mason jars that were all picked up secondhand from Goodwill! The jars sat on wood circles that were borrowed from a friend. Now, all the mason jars are used in our home as vases, drinking glasses, or food storage!

I found a large picture frame on Facebook Marketplace that was used as a welcome sign at the reception.

I also picked up a couple of baskets from goodwill to hold things like cards.

We were gifted the aisle runner used at the ceremony from a friend who used it at her wedding.

I found the arbor on Facebook Marketplace. We were able to rent it from the owner for a couple of weeks. We used it as decor for the ceremony and the reception!

I purchased secondhand drink dispensers from Facebook Marketplace to hold water, iced tea, and lemonade.

We had candy at our reception. I purchased the jars from Goodwill also and now I store baking ingredients in them!

OTHER WAYS WE TRIED TO BE MORE SUSTAINABLE • • • •

My mindset when it came to food was if we run out of something, it’s not the end of the world! I’d rather run out than have a lot of wasted food The wedding cake was make by a local bakery that is mostly zero waste!

We sent out a simple 1-piece invitation and guests RSVP’d online or via text rather than mailing something back.

We used what was available to us. We asked family, friends, and our venue to borrow and use things rather than purchasing new. Our tablecloths didn’t all match and neither did the tables but that didn’t really matter at the end of the day.

Looking back, there were things we could have done differently that would have been more sustainable, but I’m happy we took some simple steps to make our wedding more environmentally friendly!

- Katelyn

su r p ri singl y s ust ainable brand s We know of the most sustainable brands like Patagonia, Madewell, and Everlane, but I bet you had no idea some of your old favorites are taking steps forward to be more sustainable.

REEBOK Do you know they made a plant-based shoe out of corn and cotton? This brand is actually owned by Adidas, which we all know is one of the leaders in the sportswear sustainability game. Let’s take a look: • •

They are on track to meet their target of 15% emissions reduction on 2015 levels by 2020.

They share similar memberships as their parent company, as they are members of the Better Cotton Initiative, the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and partially certified by Bluesign.

• •

They received the top score for their Supplier Code of Conduct, as they trace almost all of their supply chain at all levels.

They do not use fur, down feather, or anything else from exotic animals, except for wool.

H&M They’ve been the leader of fast fashion for years, but are now adopting a sustainable business model by 2030. Though they are still under A LOT of criticism, here are some positive steps forward: • • •

Pledge to use 100% recycled or sustainable materials by 2030.

They are a member of the Better Cotton Initiative.

They have a recycling program where customers can drop off old clothes in exchange for a discount.

• •

They received a high score for their transparency and ability to trace most of their suppliers.

They offer a Conscious collection that is meant to be more sustainable and eco-friendly compared to their regular collections.

VANS Not quite where we’d like them to be, but this is a brand starting to commit to being more sustainable. Here’s what they have been doing so far: • • •

They are a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

They pledged to consume 100% renewable energy by 2025.

They use down accredited by the Responsible Down Standard.

• •

They do not use fur, angora, or other exotic animal skin or hair.

They uses a small amount of eco-friendly materials.

CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE BRANDS? Check out this directory to search and see their overall environmental and worker ratings.

Keep in mind, these are brands just starting to be more sustainable, however, there are others (and probably better ones) to support with your money instead.

We should recognize those who are finally adopting a sustainable business model!

b i o d egrad able vs . c om pos tab l e Many companies are beginning to promote their programs as either biodegradable or compostable, but these are not able to be used interchangeably.

b i o d e grad abl e T he se ca n b e t hings l ik e p a p e rs , b o x e s , b a g s , b a s i ca lly anything c r ea t ed w it h t he a b i li ty to s lo wly b re a k d o wn .

T he se a re br o k en d o w n b y li v i n g o rg a n i s ms li k e fu n g i or b ac te ria . T his p r o c ess c a n o ccu r wi th o r wi th o u t a i r, s o aer obica lly o r a na er o b ic ally.

So u nds lik e a go o d t hing ri g h t? We ll ki n d o f. Te ch n i cally, everyth ing b io d egr a d es, e v e n p la s ti c, i t j u s t ta k e s a wh i le .

T he re’s no sp ec if ic t im e fra me fo r w h e n th e y’ ll co mp le t e ly b r eak down . W hen so m et h i n g i s la b e le d b i o d e g ra d a b le , i t’s i m porta nt t o k no w w her e th i s i te m s h o u ld g o to qu i ck ly b i o degra de.

Org an ic wa ste i s bro ke n d ow n t o c re at e c o m p o st , w it hout re leasing a ny tox i ns i nt o t h e a ir. T h is c o m p o st is u s ed t o fe r tilize t he so i l . It g o es a n a e ro b ic p ro c e s s , w h ic h m eans it ca nno t bre a k d ow n in la n d fills w it h o u t releas ing met han e. It ta ke s a pprox im at e ly 1 8 0 d ays t o b re a k d ow n, a n d this ti m e f ra me i s a c h ieve d w h e n o n e d is p o s es t heir comp o st at a pro pe r fa c ility t h at u s e s h e at t o break it down. Ho m e o pti o n s a re ava ila b le , b u t t h ey m ay t ake longer.

Comp ost i ng i s the be tt e r o p t io n , b e c a u s e it b re a k s d ow n wit hin a m uc h sho rter t im e fra m e t h a n b io d e g ra dables , pl us i t g ive s b a c k n u tr ie nt s t o t h e ear t h.

c om pos ta b l e

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WHAT WE WEAR

KIANA’S THRIFTED OUTFITS #YOUCANDOANYTHINGINADRESS ECO-FASHION YOUTUBERS THRIFTING DIFFERENT COATS

or tie!

kia n a’s th rifte d ou tf its

“I get all of my thrifted items from Goodwills, and hole in the wall thrift stores I see while driving and think I just HAVE to pull in there for a minute- can’t miss out on a good vintage pair of mom jeans or a coat! Thrifting takes patience- a lot of it. It also takes a lot of failed trips where you walk out empty handed and discouraged. One of my favorite pieces I’ve ever found while thrifting has to be this pale green slip dress with the droopy neck. I saw it on one of those days I felt discouraged for finding NOTHING. As I was walking out the door, I turned to my left and it caught my eye. I turned around and bought it without even trying it on. $5 later and rushing back home to try this on, I fell in LOVE. I love thrift shopping because not only are you saving money, but it’s better for the environment. [Most] fashion always makes its way back. I’ve already raided my mom’s closet for some jeans and a button up cardigan.

Happy thrifting everyone!”

- Kiana Hanaoka

i keek s i ts i mpl e

or tie!

# Yo uCan D oAnythingI nADr es s Let’s talk about Dressember, and it’s more than just a dress or tie. During December, it serves as a symbol against modern slavery and human trafficking. Olivia Oster helps break it down and gives us some facts to back it up.

I have been participating in Dressember for 1 year. I say one year because it is not just throughout December that I am participating. While I only fundraise during December, my daily actions reflect the reason I participate in Dressember. This includes sharing knowledge and spreading awareness every chance I get. It also includes the brands I choose to support and how often I shop. I am very excited to embark on my 2nd year of Dressember, I have been waiting a whole 11 months for this December 1 to come around.

This year I have the honor of being Indian University’s Dressember ambassador.

This is the first year that Dressember has created the “University Dressember Ambassador Program” so it is new for everyone participating. We are going to be equipped with all the tools we need to spread awareness around campus. This will include graphics that we can insert our school’s name in, ways to fundraise on campus, and ideas on how to get as many students at the school involved. I am most excited to meet other students my age with my same passion through this opportunity.

- Olivia Oster

i olivia_os ter

WHAT IS MODERN SLAVERY? There are an estimated 40.3 million slaves in the world today. Modern slavery looks much different than the type of slavery that was abolished in the 19th century. Modern slavery is classified as the following: forced labor, debt bondage, human trafficking, sex trafficking, child slavery, and forced and early marriage. Within each of these types of slavery, humans are forced to work, trapped, dehumanized, and physically and mentally abused. Those who are exploited and enslaved are innocent people who lack freedom.

WHAT IS DRESSEMBER? WHY A DRESS? Dressember is a non-profit organization that envisions a world without slavery. In 2009, Blythe Hill, the founder of Dressember, started by simply wearing a dress each day of December to challenge herself after discovering the awful truths of modern slavery. Blythe wasn’t a lawyer, doctor, or social worker - but she was interested in fashion, and therefore she used one passion to fight another. She never planned on doing it again until her friends asked to join in the next year, and then their friend’s friends joined the year after. In 2013, Blythe knew she was onto something. People around the globe started to participate in her one-man challenge. In 2018, Dressemeber raised 2.4 million dollars and more than 7,100 people participated.

Blythe is an active advocate and has inspired me in many ways. She has made it clear we wear dresses because “Dressember is an opportunity to reclaim and reappropriate the dress as a symbol of freedom and power; a flag for the inherent dignity of all people.” Therefore, we raise our dresses as our flag worldwide throughout December. For those of you who live in a place where December is cold, you understand the statement a dress makes. For those of you who know me, you know the statement any article of clothing that is not joggers and a sweatshirt makes. It gets people’s attention and it serves as a conversation starter to everyone you come across throughout your day.

HOW IMPORTANT IS DRESSEMBER FOR YOU? Let’s just say when I type December, my phone autocorrects it to Dressember. But seriously, it is easy to think that modern slavery doesn’t affect you or there is nothing you can do about it, but actually, that is not true at all. When I found Dressember I felt empowered and I realized there is a lot I can do to help. I learned how important it is to stay educated and spread knowledge. I learned the sad truths of my favorite brands. I heard real-life stories of kids and women being trafficked.

Then, I watched my friends tell their friends and share their knowledge. I stopped shopping for brands that don’t treat their workers like humans. And I followed along with stories of women and children being rescued and their lives restored with the money Dressember raised. Dressember changed the way I think about everything, so I would say, it’s pretty important to me.

OKAY, HOW DOES THE MONEY YOU RAISE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

$25 $40 $105 $150 $320 $900 $3000 $6719

AFTERCARE KIT A package to show love and cared for during their transition out of exploitation.

MEDICAL CARE Nutrition & Medical Care TRIAL FEES An opportunity for survivors to testify against their abuser. Justice.

TRAINING Protecting survivors from re-exploitation.

AFTERCARE SERVICES 8 hours of therapy for one survivor.

EDUCATION

Imperative for survivors so they don’t get re-exploited. This could provide vocational training for a teen.

CASE MANAGEMENT

Case Managers are an important part of the recovery process. They nurture, advocate, and assist the survivor.

FULL RESCUE OPERATION

All the way from investigations to aftercare, this is the estimated cost of one rescue.

Dressember is a platform for raising money, but the people of Dressember do not go out and rescue and restore the lives of survivors. They simply grant the money raised to their 15 grant partners.

Dressember’s two biggest partners are International Justice Mission (IJM) and A21. When you go on IJM’s website, the text reads, “We know where people are enslaved and we have a plan to rescue them.” IJM has rescued more than 49,000 people, they work with law enforcement, and they serve justice to slave owners. You can find stories from survivors here. Above, you can see how expensive this process is, but even the smallest donation will eventually add up to a fully restored life.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO GET INVOLVED! You don’t have to wear a dress or tie all 31 days in order to help advocate.

First, start by educating yourself. Share your knowledge. Be a conscious shopper.

Donate to others who are participating. Lend them dresses.

These are just some ways to get involved, but in my opinion, the best way is to dive right in and join a team!

OLIVIA’S TEAM

JEN’S TEAM

HUMAN TRAFFICKING GENERATES $150 BILLION A YEAR

24.9 MILLION PEOPLE IN FORCED LABOUR

99% OF PEOPLE TRAFFICKED FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITED ARE WOMEN AND GIRLS

4 0.3 million peo p l e a re i n h u ma n traffic kin g a ro u n d th e world

15.4 MILLION PEOPLE IN FORCED MARRIAGE

10 MILLION CHILDREN

4.8 MILLION IN FORCED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

“ Hum an traffick i n g i s d estroy in g lives,

b u t fre e d om w i l l have th e f i n a l wo rd�

eco- fashion youtuber s Need to subscribe to some more Youtube accounts? Check out these eco-fashion Youtubers who are bringing awareness to slow fashion.

BESTDRESSED | ASHLEY She’s known for her quirky unfiltered video style, as well as a sustainable sense of fashion. Whether it’s thrifted clothing or new clothing purchased sustainably, she uploads plenty of lookbooks, hauls, and styling videos to get some inspiration going.

ELENATABER | ELENA She’s a frequent traveler who tries to live as sustainably and natural as she can while on the god. Her videos are calming and aesthetically pleasing, and she uploads travel vlogs, outfit ideas, and more.

WEAR I LIVE | JENNY She checks all the boxes when it comes to a natural, sustainable, plant-based, and ethical lifestyle. She uploads thrifting hauls, styling videos, what I eat in a day, and more.

DIANACHAMOMILE | DIANA She’s a biiiiig thriftaholic and consistently posts haul videos and lookbooks. She also uploads a lot of morning/night routine videos, favorites videos, and room tours.

THERE SHE GOES | ANNA From Toronto, she’s a thrifter and vintage shopper. There’s a huge amount of videos of lookbooks, styling videos, thrifting hauls, vlogs, and more fashion related content.

OLIVIA AIMES | OLIVIA Another Toronto Youtuber, she’s a traveler sharing videos on sustainable living as well as thrifting at wherever she is at that day. She uploads styling videos, vlogs, and what I eat in a day videos.

LETITIA KIU | LETITIA She does a little bit of everything but focuses on thrifting and DIY’s, as well as travel vlogs. She uploads videos on thrifting hauls, DIY videos, vlogs, and travel diaries.

HANAGRACE | HANA She’s a sustainable Youtuber who focuses on low waste living, as well as eco-conscious fashion. She uploads styling videos, thrift flip videos, and other videos on sustainability.

KAILEEMCKENZIE | KAILEE She focuses on sustainable fashion brands as well as finding discount designer brands, and has a minimalistic style. She uploads sustainable fashion hauls, thrifting hauls, and more fashion related content.

t h rifti ng different c oats Why spend hundreds of dollars on a new jacket when you can thrift ones for 1/4 of the price? Whether it’s leather, suede, or denim, here are the things you should know before and after buying.

LEATHER JACKETS Thrifting is a GREAT place to find $200-$300 leather jackets for around $10. These require a little more care, but it’s a very affordable investment to make to gurantee the lifetime of your new favorite leather jacket. Here are some tips for clean + care: • • • •

If you can, take it to the dry cleaning after buying to fully ensure it’s clean and polished properly.

This should cost around $45-$55.

Purchase saddle soap, it’ll help clean the leather. Leather conditioner can also help revive older leather and keep it from getting so dry that it cracks.

When in doubt, check to see if there’s a tag with the manufacturer’s instructions. This can also tell you what kind of leather it is, or if it’s faux leather.

If it gets wet, hang it to dry, then condition the jacket. Take care of it!

SUEDE JACKETS It’s a tricky type of material, because it’s so delicate and difficult to protect, unlike regular leather, which is a bit easier to take care of. Stains can easily ruin the whole jacket, so keep that in mind if you see a stain already on your jacket. But if it’s in good condition, run, don’t walk, to the cashier! Here are some tips for clean + care: • • • •

If you can, take it to the dry cleaning after buying to fully ensure it’s clean and polished properly.

This can also cost around $45-$55.

Steam cleaning may help remove stains from jackets, just don’t oversteam! Try hanging it in the bathroom instead after a hot shower.

Purchase a suede protector, it acts as a barrier against dirt and water. A suede brush can help brush off excess dirt and fuzz.

Try to keep it as dry as you can, this material is 100% not suitable for wet weather, as it can really damage the jacket.

DENIM JACKETS These are staples in anyone’s closet and timeless, which is why you should learn how to properly clean and care for them. Luckily, these are fairly easy to clean. Here are some tips for clean+ care: • • • • •

You don’t necessarily need to take them to dry cleaners, you can easily get the job done at home.

Wash them in cold water, this prevents shrinkage, and it also uses less energy which saves you money and is good for Momma Earth.

Air dry these instead of throwing them in the dryer, it also helps against shrinkage and just damage in general.

Every once in a while, try washing them with a cup of white distilled vinegar, it can help soften the fabric for a more comfortable fit.

Check the manufacturer’s tag to see what kind of material is used, sometimes it can contain added fabrics like polyester. A high quality denim is ideal.

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WHAT HELPS US GLOW

CADIE’S NON-TOXIC BEAUTY ROUTINE NATURAL MAKE UP REMOVERS CURRENT BEAUTY TRENDS DO IT YOURSELF BEAUTY PRODUCTS

ca d i e’s non-t oxic be a u ty r ou tine “It all started as a young teen, when I had made the decision to start eating a more healthy diet and for me, it all went hand in hand with a clean living lifestyle - inside and out - from food to hygiene to beauty! First came food, then came hygiene/household, then came beauty and skin care.. the road to sustainable living did not come over night!”

i nat ura l l yc ad i e

Wh at’s yo u r mornin g an d n ightt im e routine ?

My n i g h t ti me rou tine is pretty ba sic , I w a s h my f a c e w it h c l ea n w a r m w a t er, r ins e w i t h a c le an s i n g o i l if I a m removing ma k eup , a nd f inis h o f f r em o v ing a c c es s m /u w it h c o co n u t o i l, th e b e s t all na tu ra l ma k eu p remov er na t ur e c a n p r o v id e! Then p a t d r y, no t r ub , a s t hi s can cause irrita tion, a nd spray w it h my ho m e m a d e t o ner a nd f a c ia l s er um a k a m o i s tur i z er ! Ta da & I’m rea dy for bed !

Q&A

Wh at a re you r favorite p rod u cts and brands?

S o me o f my fa vou rite cf a nd pa ra ben f r ee b r a nd s inc l ud e, Ma r c el l e f o r m a s c a r a & b ro w l i n er ! S we et Le La ni for tinted moistur iz er a nd highl ight er b y Ka ni! I f I ’m f eel ing a l i t t l e e xtr a I wi ll u se u rba n decay na k ed neut r a l ey e s ha d o w p a l l et a nd a m a t t e nud e l ip li n e r NYX, whi c h a re tota lly cru elty free but o nl y s el ec t it em s a r e p a r a b en f r ee! I us e a n a n g l e d b r us h an d b r ow n or bla ck pow der to c r ea t e ey e l iner, c r ea t ing 2 in o ne p r o d uc t !

D o yo u h ave any staple DI Y ’s?

My to p s taple DIY ’s inclu de my fa cial s er um , t o ner, s a l t s c r ub & d eo d o r a nt ! A l l r ec ip e s a re l i s te d o n my Insta gra m pa ge :) I hope t o ha v e a n eb o o k r el ea s ed s o o n w it h a l l my f a vo u ri t e D I YS ! I lo v e a nything tha t requ ires a s l it t l e p r o d uc t a s p o s s ib l e!

Any ti p s?

I wo uld de fi nitely say to sta rt trying t o m a k e t hings y o ur s el f, it’s s o r ew a r d ing! Yo u a l w ay s k n o w what’s in it, you ca n cu stomize it , p l us y o u c a n s a v e o n p a c k a ging a nd m o ney a s w ell! I pe r s o na lly think it’s su per im p o r t a nt t o s ho p c r uel t y f r ee, a s y o u c a s t y o ur v o t e o n w hat’s ac ce pta ble w ith every produ ct y o u b uy ! A s f o r p a r a b ens a nd c hem ic a l s , y o u mu s t rem e mb e r th at everything is a bsorbed int o t he s kin a nd c a n c a us e s o m e a w f ul ef f ec t s, n o t j us t to pi c ally! Try not to get overw hel m ed a b o ut m a king t hings y o ur s el f, y o u’d b e s u rp ri s e d a t h o w e as y & rew a rding it is!

n atural make u p rem ov er s When it comes to skincare + makeup, we got natural alternatives to spare. But what about at the end of the night, when it’s time to take it off?

LUMI BASICS STRAWBERRY CLEANSING SERUM | $32 This serum removes makeup while moisturizing and hydrating your skin. It contains strawberry seed oil, tea tree oil, and grapeseed oil, and is non-toxic. They use sustainable packaging, all their products are handmade, and are vegan.

SHEABRAND WITCH HAZEL SPRAY | $14+ Witch hazel is a natural astringent and is anti-inflammatory. Sheabrand offers three different types: teafruit, lavender, and rose. Use a reusable bamboo cotton round and wipe up away your makeup with this spray.

ROSE WATER TONER | $20 Rose water works as a gentle way to clean and balance your skin. It’s antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hydrating. This one from the Package Free Shop is made with witch hazel as well, and comes in a glass bottle which you can reuse again.

NOURISHING FACIAL CLEANSER| $38 This one by Seed Phytonutrients is gentle enough to remove makeup without using any sulfates, harsh chemicals, or exfoliants. It’s naturally fragranced and vegan. This is also the first shower friendly paper bottle made from recycled paper.

Each paper bottle also contains a packet of heirloom seeds to encourage the preservation of seed diversity.

TRY A DIY Making your own makeup remover guarantees that you are using all natural ingredients on your face. Here are some popular DIY’s and products for you to try: • extra virgin olive oil + aloe vera water • pure honey • coconut oil • witch hazel + sweet almond oil + jojoba oil + avocado oil • witch hazel + olive oil + aloe vera gel + vitamin E

TRY TO DIY BEFORE BUYING ANYTHING NEW Look through your kitchen, back up beauty supplies, or raid your mom’s closet to find your new favorite all natural make up remover! This helps save you money and it’ll be as natural + clean as it gets.

current beau ty tr ends It’s hard to keep up with all the trends, so here’s a little list of everything that’s been trending so far this year.

d o i t yourself b eauty produc t s Why spend money on face masks, lip scrubs, or other beauty products when you can make them right at home?

COFFEE BODY SCRUB ground coffee + sugar + coconut oil •

1/2 cup of ground coffee

•

1/4 cup of brown sugar

•

1/4 cup of coconut oil

Mix and store in a container. Use to exfolitate in the shower a few times a week for best results.

LIP SCRUB sugar + olive oil •

1 tablespoon of sugar

•

1/2 teaspoon of olive oil

•

1/8 teaspoon of honey

Mix and store in a container. Use to exfolitate as needed.

BODY WASH honey + liquid castille soap + olive oil + essential oils (you pick!)

•

3 tablespoons of raw honey

•

3 tablespoons of soap

•

2 tablespoons of oil

•

10 drops of essential oils

Mix and store in a container.

FACE MASK (FOR DRY SKIN) banana + yogurt + honey •

2 bananas

•

1 tablespoon of honey

•

1/2 cup of yogurt

Blend in a blender and apply on your skin for 20 minutes before washing with warm water.

HAIR CONDITIONER apple cider vinegar + water •

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

•

1 cup of water

Pour into a spray bottle, shake, and apply in the shower after shampooing.

HIBISCUS FACIAL TONER hibiscus tea + water + vitamin c powder + witch hazel •

6 oz of water

•

3 bags of hibiscus tea

•

1 oz of witch hazel

•

1/2 teaspoon of powder

Make your tea by boiling to water and letting the bags steep covered for 20 minutes. Remove bags, add your ingredients than transfer to a spray bottle.

it’s

BEING IN GOOD HEALTH

MY B(R)E(A)ST REDUCTION MORE TO ADD TO YOUR PODCAST LIST CREATING AN ECOOKBOOK

my b( r) e( a) st re d u cti on “Boobs. Tits. TaTa’s. Breasts. Chest. Whatever you want to call them. I think no matter how big or how small, everyone has a time when they aren’t happy with them. My time lasted about 12 years.,”

z nata l i ero by n n n I started noticing that my breasts were getting bigger in grade 10, as in, they were significantly larger than 99% of the girls in my grade. Boys in high school are, well, boys in high school. We all know what that means. So my identity at the time kind of became “Nat with big boobs.” I hated how that was so closely associated with who I was. That was always more of an emotional/mental discomfort, but most frustrating was, of course, the physical discomfort.

Getting dressed in the morning or to go out with friends was always a meltdown. Especially between the ages of 1723. I’d never been one to show off my breasts or wear low cut shirts; I wanted to take away as much attention from my chest as possible. This meant I wore a lot of crew neck shirts/ hoodies, or anything that came up above my cleavage. These kind of clothes often resulted in a boxy look, if you will. I didn’t feel good about myself in anything that I would put on.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that nearly everyday I had tears in my eyes and anger in my heart when I got

“But I’m not being dramatic, and it was that bad—most days worse than what I’m vaguely describing here.

Anyone who’s undergone a breast reduction knows exactly what I’m talking about,”

dressed. I was angry that something physically on my body was making me so miserable all the time. And I want to make it clear that I actually wasn’t unhappy because of how I LOOKED, I was overwhelmingly unhappy with how I FELT deep down. I did not feel beautiful and I did not feel comfortable. In fact, I was almost always physically uncomfortable, and it’s hard to focus on anything else when you’re very obviously not comfortable. People would always joke about me having big boobs, and while I knew there was no bad intent, it just served as more reminders about how unhappy I was with my body, like “oh, I guess they see it too,” type of thing.

On top of this, working out proved to be very difficult.

I love to run, and running became having to wear 2 tight sports bras just to keep everything in place, sorry, wtf?! Same thing with burpees/jump rope/high knees; anything with a powerful, vertical jump was no bueno. Downward dog in yoga? Okay, sure, but my tits will be literally falling out of my sports bra so enter the room at your own risk, y’all. There was NO such thing as walking into lululemon or aerie to grab a bra. No. I was at the specialty stores dropping over $100 on ONE bra. And on a student budget, HAH. My back hurt all the time, especially when I was working out, and when I lost a significant amount of weight, my breast size remained the same and they began to sag (TMI? Probably stop reading here then lmao). This sucked and between all kinds of different daily pain, I was over it. And so was my body.

My chest size (which, by the way, was a FF) caused me many forms of discomfort and pain. And to people who don’t understand what it’s like, you might be thinking “you’re dramatic,” or “I’m sure it wasn’t that bad.” But I’m not being dramatic, and it was that bad— most days worse than what I’m vaguely describing here. Anyone who’s undergone a breast reduction knows exactly what I’m talking about. So now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get into the process of seeing my doctor about a consult all the way through to the surgery and recovery.

THE PROCESS In September of 2016, I first went to my family doctor to talk about my chances in being eligible for a reduction. He looked at my chest (bare, obvs), measured, asked my reasons for wanting a reduction and told me that he saw no reason for me to be denied. I was told that someone from his office would get in touch with me soon for more information. Fast forward 3 months and near the end of December, his receptionist called me asking for my BMI (body mass index). She told me that I could wait up to one year for a call from a surgeon. I waited over a year for that phone call, and in January of 2018, I got the call that I was most likely eligible for a reduction and I should come in to see the surgeon right away. My consult was three months later in April. My surgeon (shout OUT to Dr. Edwards, he is amazing—DO RESEARCH ON YOUR SURGEON, utilize the gift that is Google) mostly did what my family doctor did: looked at my chest, measured and then he showed me where they would cut and we went through some of the risks in getting the surgery (loss of feeling in nipples, inability to breast feed, etc.). He sent me home with the best news—I’d be getting my surgery within the year. A few weeks later, his office phoned me to book the procedure the following November (seven months later). So, overall, from the first appointment with my family doctor to the surgery, I waited just over 2 years. This is pretty standard; my best friend also got a reduction and she waited around the same amount of time (best friends who both got the same surgery? FRIENDS FOR LIFE).

I was lucky because this friend of mine got her surgery before me, so she prepped me on all that I needed to know beforehand. She had a really great experience, so I felt good about going into the procedure myself. In case you don’t have a best friend who went through it, I’m here to fill in as your bff and give you my take from my own personal experience. Here are the common questions people have before going into a breast reduction.

1 2 3

How long does it take?

This will differ depending on your breast size and if there are any complications, but typically it is a fairly short surgery. I got to the hospital at 6 a.m., prepped for surgery at 7:15a.m. and was on the table with the mask on my face to drift off into lala land by 7:30a.m. I was awake, with my boyfriend laughing at my incomprehensible sentences by 10a.m. That being said, the surgery obviously finished earlier than that, but I woke up 2.5 hours after I fell asleep. I was on my way home by noon. To sum: I was in the hospital for about six hours.

Does it hurt?

Well first of all, does what hurt? The surgery itself? No clue. I was high as a kite and asleep but cutting you open and stitching you up sounds like it’d hurt to me. Does it hurt afterwards? Not as bad as you might think. The nurse gave me a nice shot of morphine which is truly a G I F T. I think on the 7th day when God was resting from making the world, he probably was concocting some sort of potion which we now know as morphine. That, on top of other drugs, helped numb the pain for the remainder of that day. Later in the evening the numbing started to wear off, but they give you pain medication to manage it and it definitely helps a lot. I only took T-3’s for 2-3 days, after that I didn’t need them! There really isn’t a whole lot of PAIN, I would refer to the feeling more as very tender and uncomfortable. But I honestly never experienced true pain, so find hope in that!

What is the recovery process like?

I feel very fortunate to have had such a positive recovery. The day after my surgery, I went to the hospital and they removed my drains (this was the most painful part of the entire surgery/recovery but it only lasts maybe 5-10 seconds). The drains are where the blood go so that nothing clots. But like I said, they’re only in for 24 hours (at least this is true in my experience). After they unwrapped my chest and took the drains out, I got to look at my breasts and I cried instantly. Not from pain. Not from being kind of high. Not from anything other than pure relief and happiness that I could look down and see my toes. I couldn’t remember that ever happening. Of course they didn’t look excellent, I did just have the surgery 24 hours prior, but I could already see how happy I was and even though I was uncomfortable from the surgery, that discomfort was nothing compared to the years of emotional/ mental/physical discomfort I had every single day before. My surgeon came in to look at my breasts, make sure everything seemed good and then I was wrapped up once again and sent on my merry way. For two weeks I didn’t do a whole lot. I missed class and work and did everything from home, however after a week or so you can start going on small, short walks and going in the car. You aren’t supposed to lift anything more that 5 pounds, so that means no opening car doors or heavy doors, milk jugs, etc. My boyfriend was seriously such a blessing during those few weeks. He didn’t make me feel guilty for being essentially useless (we also had a puppy who had to be walked and tended to all the time) and he took really good care of me. I would encourage you to be in loving care for the next few weeks because you can’t shower alone (can’t lift your hands above your head), you will be sleeping on your back which means you’ll need help fluffing your pillows and getting situated, can’t go get groceries or do anything you might normally be able to do. Overall, the recovery process was completely manageable with the help of family & friends, and also not nearly as bad as I was expecting. I was back to myself in no time and the pain (***discomfort/tenderness***) was tolerable within the week.

4

Got scars?

I mean, I think it would be ridiculous to have a significant surgery and not expect to have some scarring. They cut your skin from the bottom of the nipple and all the way down to your under-boob, and then cut the under-boob all the way. Most times they will remove your nipple as well. If your surgeon is good, you shouldn’t have severe scarring. You can try all the oils you want, but at the end of the day, time heals. The scars will be red and obnoxious for a little while, but by the 10 month mark (that’s where I’m at right now), they will just be starting to fade. I am coming up on a year and you can still see where the incisions were made, and I imagine that there will always be faint lines there. Personally? Doesn’t bother me one bit. If that is something that you feel will bother you, I would consider the reality that you will more than likely always have at least a bit of scarring. You can sort of see the under-boob scar in the photo that is attached to this blog post for reference.

MORAL OF THE STORY !0 months later and I can confidently tell you that if I had to do it all over again, I would. Nothing about the surgery or recovery would scare me away from having it done again. I started out as a FF, and now my breast size is a comfy D. This might still sound bigger, but anything smaller would not be consistent with the rest of my body cause GURL, I’m curvy! I’ve experienced zero pain, discomfort, soreness or anything of that matter since January of 2019, so that means that mostly all the “pain” was gone within less than 2 months. And remember, it really wasn’t pain as much as soreness/tenderness.

There are many other things I could include in this post, but I think it’s important to be aware that everyone’s experience will be unique. For example, my friend who had her reduction done before me had to sleep on her back for a few weeks longer than I did. Another girl I know lost feeling in her nipples, I have most feeling back (not all, but most—beggars can’t be choosers).

It wouldn’t be realistic to outline each and every detail of my consult/wait period/surgery/recovery because it won’t be the same as yours. I wrote this as a guideline and for some (hopefully) helpful insight for you if you might be considering getting a reduction. I wish you the best on your journey & send you lots of patience in finding what will work best for you <3

w a h S e i l -Nata

m o re to ad d to you r p odcast l is t Bored on the bus? Tired of listening to the same music at the gym? Need a distraction while doing chores? Then this list is for you.

SLEEP WITH ME These are known as “bedtime stories to help grown ups fall asleep in the deep, dark night,” and are about one-to-two hours long. The host himself has struggled with insomnia and swears by this boring story-telling to help you fall asleep.

Here are some episodes: • Six Flags Magic Mountain with Ray • Scrabble Scramble

• • •

Oh What a Mountain A Bunny and Own Watch TV Real Time Broth

MEDITATION MINIS Maybe you just want something quick to wind down at night. These are about 10 minutes long, and are guided meditations for anxiety, stress, and sleep.

Here are some episodes: • Sunset of Calm • Fear to Fun Meditation

• • •

Meditation to Fall Asleep With Calm Renewing Green Energy Filling Up on the Light

THE PRAIRIE KWEENS Two millennials talk about their own views on different topics such as: the workplace, adult friendships, and breakups.

Completely unfiltered and always 100% real.

Here are some episodes: • Take a Hint (on Adult Friendships) • I hope this email finds you well (on work culture)

• •

But do you think I made a mistake? (on breakups) Jagmeet, call us (on politics)

EVERYTHING IS ALIVE This podcast is described as “an unscripted interview show” where the host interviews an inanimate object and tells its life story. Anything from a can of cola to a subway seat have been interviewed.

Here are some episodes: • Ayo, Balloon • Paul, Tooth

• • •

Ana, Elevator Louis, Can of Cola Sean, Subway Seat

GO OFF, SIS The Refinery29 has a new sub-brand: this podcast. It’s described as an “unbothered video series that confronts that hard truths around being a Black woman in America.”

Here are some episodes: • My Black is Beautiful • Hot Girl Summer’s Not Cancelled

• • •

Corporate While Black Check your stress, Sis Black Women &Their Homophobia

cre ating an ecoo kb oo k I n 2 0 17 , my b r o t h e r - i n - l a w w a s d r a f t e d b y t h e I n d i a n a Pa c e r s a n d he wa s l o o ki n g f o r a p r i va t e c h e f a n d so m e o n e t o t a k e c a r e o f h i s n u tri ti o n a l n eeds .

A f t e r m u c h t h o u gh t , my h u sb a n d a n d I qu i t o u r jo b s i n L o s A n geles , C a . a n d m o ve d a c r o ss t h e c o u n t r y t o I n d i a n a p o l i s, I n . t o b e gi n t h i s j o urn ey.

I e ve n t u a l l y b e ga n w o r ki n g w i t h m u l t i p l e p r o f e ssi o n a l a t h l e t es , whi ch r e qu i r e d m e sp e n d i n g a r o u n d 10 h o u r s i n t h e ki t c h e n d a i l y ! As the a thletes’ m e a l s go t m o r e d e c a d e n t a n d n u t r i t i o u s, my o w n m e a l s b e ga n to lo o k mo re l i k e c e r e a l o r r i c e c a k e s w i t h p e a n u t b u t t e r + je l l y. O n e d ay, I rea li z ed tha t I d e se r ve d so m u c h m o r e t h a n t h a t . I k n o w l i f e ge t s h e c t i c , a n d I rea li z ed I w a s n o t t h e o n l y o n e t h a t h a d a f a m i l y t o t a k e c a r e o f, a c a r e er to b ui ld a n d h o b b i e s t h a t I d i d n’ t w a n t t o l e t go o f. T h a t i s e x a c t l y w h e r e thi s eC o o k b o o k idea came from.

i

rec ipe s 4 h ea lth

Q& A H ow d o e s you rs stan d ou t for all the othe rs?

I wan t to h elp everyone crea te a mea l in 3 0 m inut es f r o m s t a r t t o f inis h w it h l es s t ha n 1 0 i ng r e di en ts to prepa re. None of the mea l s c o nt a in s up er f o o d s , t hey a r e jus t b uil t o f f o f pan tr y s taples tha t I a lw ays ha ve on ha nd . My go a l is t o p r o v id e y o u w it h t he t o o l s a n d c o n fi de n ce to crea te a mea l w ith w ha t y o u ha v e. Tha t’s w hy t her e a r e s ub s t it ut io ns an d s w aps f o r e ach recipe to help you gra b w ha t ev er is in y o ur p a nt r y w it ho ut go ing a l l t h e way o ut to the store. [Also] spending l es s t im e in t he kit c hen b ut ea t ing m o r e d el ic iou s f oo d. I t’s 35 sta ple recipes you ca n u se t o m ea l p r ep , us e a s ent er t a inm ent d is hes , t a k e t o po tlucks , f e ed you r children, ma k e w it h y o ur c hil d r en, a nd b uil d f r o m . I f eel l ik e t h a t s what anyo n e needs to be a su ccessfu l c o o k . Jus t a f ew s t a p l e r ec ip es t hey c a n p ul l f r o m a n d r o tate.

D e sc ri b e you r ow n relation sh ip with f ood c urre ntly?

I pr acti ce i n tu itive ea ting w ith no la b el o n d iet . Fr a nk l y, I ha v e t r ied m o s t d iet s o ut t h e re f ro m pale o , v ega n, vegeta ria n, low ca r b , a nd w eight w a t c her s a nd I a l w ay s end ed up b i n g i n g after I w a s “done” w ith the d iet o r ha d go t t en t o t ha t ev ent t ha t I w a s p l a nn i n g fo r.

F o r ab o ut 3 y ea rs now I ju st try to li s t en t o my b o d y, no t f o l l o w a p a r t ic ul a r guid el i n e o f what to eat a nd w ha t not to ea t, bu t e a t f o o d s t ha t m a k e m e f eel go o d . Tha t is ex a c t l y w h a t I wan t to h elp tea ch w ith this eCook b o o k !

H ow d o yo u feel now th at the rele ase date is so c lose ?

E ag er, an xi ou s a nd excited! I w ent thr o ugh a b o ut a w eek b ef o r e t he l a unc h d a t e w he re I f elt s upe r s tressed w ith su ch a pressing d ea d l ine, b ut w it h t he hel p o f my f a m il y a n d t h o s e a r o un d m e , I feel mu ch more excited t ha n a nx io us no w ! !

I be g an wr i ti n g this eC ook book ba ck in May 2 0 19 . I t ho ught it w a s jus t go ing t o b e a qu i ck s u mme r p r oj e ct b ut i t tur ned ou t to be a mu ch la r ger p r o jec t t ha n I r ea l iz ed . I f y o u t hink a b o ut i t , t h e p r oc e s s i s as fo llow s ju st for one single rec ip e: • C r eate a m e n u of recipes to be inclu de d .

• T hi n k ab o ut the ingredients in ea ch rec ip e.

• Buy the i n g r e dients.

• Tes t th e r e ci pe.

• Retes t the r ec ipe to ensu re it w ork s cor r ec t l y.

• Ta ke a pho to of the food.

• Wr i te do wn the recipe.

• Add i t to an online templa te.

• P r o o f r e ad an d edit.

Wi t h that s ai d, i t w a s mu ch more difficul t t ha n I im a gined a s t his is my f ir s t t im e d o in g a ny t h i n g li ke th i s. Bu t I do feel lik e once it s o ut I w il l f eel s o m uc h m o r e p r o ud a nd a c c o mp l i s h e d o ve r c o m i n g th e difficu lties!

turm e r ic s p ic ed savory yogurt bow l makes 2 servings prep time: 10 minutes total time: 12 minutes

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup of spinach, packed • 3/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed and drained • 1/2 avocado, sliced • 1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil • 1/2 teaspoon Everything But The Bagel seasoning • 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS 1. Heat a non-stick skillet with avocado oil on medium/high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chopped bell pepper, chickpeas, pepper and turmeric. Sauté for about 5 minutes.

2. Reduce the heat to low, add in the spinach and lemon juice. Continue to sauté for another 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted and warmed through. Remove from heat.

3. Serve the sautéed vegetables on top of your yogurt. Add sliced avocado and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning on top.

4. Enjoy warm or chilled.

My very first eCookbook drops on November 17th.

• Only $12, so its great for a holiday gift!

• 35 recipes: 10 breakfast, 10 lunch and dinner, 10 desserts and 5 snacks.

• 46 pages of knowledge and fun.

• You’ll only need 10 ingredients and less than 30 minutes.

• All recipes are gluten-free, egg-free, refined sugar-free and soy-free. Most recipes are dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian or nut-free. However, all recipes can be customized to fit your dietary preference.

• Includes a specific grocery shopping list with all of the ingredients for all 35 recipes.

• Immediate download.

Head over to my website to buy your copy before it’s too late!

f a e L z z a J -

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

WHERE WE GO

SOLO TRAVEL AS A FEMALE TAMPA CITY GUIDE

so l o travel as a f emale In a world where stories of abductions, assaults, and getting taken advantage of are a terrifying reality for women around the world, solo travel seems like it could be one of the scariest conquests of a young woman. Famous influencers on Instagram make it look so easy and show us places we never knew existed and yet still, us women live in fear of solo travel. So, if you’re sick of daydreaming on Instagram and are brave and eager to see the world, as I have been, here are some tips I have gathered from my solo travels, to help make the leap of faith into the alluring world we live in a little easier.

i ke ll yxg o mez To preface my advice, allow me to re-introduce myself. *cue PSA by: Jay-Z* My name is Kelly and I have been solo traveling since high school. I am now a graduate of Indiana University and live in the most beautiful place in the world, Colorado! Solo travel has always been required of me because I was a competitive athlete in high school and college. I would travel by myself to and from the airport, on planes, on long road trips across America, and even stay in hotels by myself traveling upwards of 50+ times a year. As I got older, I started to become an “Instagram inspired” traveler, as I call it. Social media connects us to so many different people and places and makes screensaver worthy pictures seem attainable. So, I got sick of staring at the pictures on my phone and wanted to experience the world first-hand. My biggest solo travel (and my only travel gone wrong, to be revisited later) was when I solo travelled home from Europe to the United States.

Needless to say, I think I’ve mastered the art of ‘introverted travel’. Which brings me to my first question; why are you traveling solo? For me there have been a few different answers.

I ask t his b e c a u s e k n owi n g your w hy is t h e m o st v i t a l reas s ura n c e . I f yo u k n ow you r w hy, t h e n yo u’ l l b e a b l e t o cont in ua lly f u e l yo u r d o ub ts and fe a r s wh e n t h i n g s g e t hard be c a u s e l i ke a l l trave l , the re w ill b e i n c o nve n i e n ce s , delays , a n d h a rd s h i p s .

One, because it was required of me. Two, no one could go with me or was willing to spend the money. Three, I would solo travel to meet someone at the destination. And lastly, just simply needing to get away/wanting to see the world and not minding the peace of being alone. I ask this because knowing your why is the most vital reassurance. If you know your why, then you’ll be able to continually fuel your doubts and fears when things get hard because like all travel, there will be inconveniences, delays, and hardships. So before you book any flights or plan any trips, establish your why and make it something that you’re truly passionate about that aligns with your values.

Now that you know your why, let’s cover some basic communication strategies. A little motto I’ve always lived by when by myself in public whether I’m traveling or not, is to always be on offense. By this I mean you have the ball (your life, belongings, personal information, etc.) in YOUR court and you need to protect it under any circumstance. There’s a fine line that I encourage you to walk when solo traveling between having an open heart and mind to other people and places, but not being an open door for anyone to be able to ‘walk’ into your life and privacy. This is especially vital when exchanging conversation. For example, if you need to figure out how to get somewhere or if someone tries to make small talk with you, it’s okay to ask others and converse on a very beginner level. What is not okay is telling someone where you’re staying, telling someone you’re alone, or telling someone your plans; that is what I like to call advanced information. Determine what is your beginner vs. advanced information for your trip. If they ask, don’t be scared to lie.

Be as confident as possible and tell them you’re meeting your husband in a few minutes, even if you’re single, or that you live a few blocks away, even if you’re in a foreign country.

And above all communicating, ALWAYS be aware of your surroundings. I cannot emphasize this enough.

NOW THAT WE’VE COVERED YOUR WHY AND ESTABLISHED YOUR PERSONAL OFFENSE, THE FINAL TOPIC TO COVER IS WHAT TO DO WHEN THINGS DON’T GO ACCORDING TO PLAN BECAUSE LET’S BE HONEST, WHEN ARE THINGS EVER PERFECTLY SMOOTH IN TRAVEL? NEVER. SO LET’S BRAKE IT DOWN INTO STEPS!

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BE AS PREVENTATIVE AS POSSIBLE AND MAKE TRAVEL PLANS. A n d n o t on ly p lan s, b u t m ake a p lan A an d a p l a n B . B ecau se th e “I ’ll f igu re it ou t wh en I g e t t h e re” p h ilosop hy is n ot th e sm artest game p l a n w h e n it com es to solo travel. I .e. wh en b o o k i n g a h otel h ave an op tion A th at you f avo r a n d an op tion B, if you d on’t f eel saf e at o p t i o n A f or wh atever reason . Or b uy trave l t i c ke t s f o r op tion A tim es b u t h ave a list of o p t i o n B travel tickets in case you get d elayed f o r s o m e u n kn own reason .

NEVER PANIC Trust me, I ’ve le arne d f rom pe rsonal e xpe rie nc e . For this, let’s revisit my f orm e r m e ntion whe n I had a ba d exp erien ce trave ling home f rom Europe to A me ric a.

I was back pac king with my be st f rie nd in Europe f or two week s and on our f lights home , we would c onne c t Venice to L ondon f ollowe d by London to Orlando. At security my boarding pass be e pe d re d f or the f irst time ever not allowing m e to c ontinue onto bag sc re e ning and th is was whe n we re aliz e d that our boarding passes had the same e xac t f light num be r, c onf irmatio n nu mber, and time s, but mine was a day be f ore he rs, and th at d ay was ye ste rday. To say I was stre sse d would b e an unde rstate me nt. I had to le t he r go on t he flights we planne d be c ause I didn’t want to live with the guilt of he r f inanc ial e xpe nse s f or re booking, which I k new were awaiting m e . So, the re I was in Italy alo ne and p an icke d beyond be lie f. W hic h brings m e to som e very valuable le ssons I le arne d the ne xt 48 hours.

ALWAYS over e xpe nse m oney in your bank ac c ount f or travel emerge nc ie s. You c an always re loc ate the money b ack to you r savings afte r the trip is ove r. I had not do ne th is an d it co st m e way m ore anxie ty than ne c e ssary.

Whether you c an or c an’t c ontac t your f am ily in the moment, you will eve ntually be able to re ac h the m aga in.

Know th at at any point of trave l you m ay lose c ontac t w ith oth ers due to se rvic e , tim e dif f e re nc e s, e tc . and t hat is it O KAY. The re’s not m uc h they c ould do to he lp being so far away, a side f rom e motional support. I know it’s scary to feel c om ple te ly alone , but it’ll he lp sharpe n yo ur d ecision - mak ing and f oc us if you don’t have your f amily o r frien d s b low ing up your phone .

Always assum e no one will he lp you. In my c ase , I was so u sed to Am e ric an-base d airline c ustome r se rvic e that I assu med th e Europe an airline s would solve all my p rob lems for m e and happily re book my m istake s f or free — th is was n ot the c ase . I had to put on my big girl pa nt s an d figure eve rything out by myse lf. C ustom e r se rvic es , p h on e calls, we bsite s, plac e s to stay, trave l tim e s, c ust o ms ; every th in g!

Breath e, lau g h at yo u r s e l f, a n d e n j oy t h e j o u r n ey. W h e n eve r somethin g goes wro n g , my b e st a dv i c e i s t o t a ke a st e p b a ck from th e situ at i o n a n d l a u g h at yo u r s e l f. On c e yo u o p e n yo u r h eart and acce p t t h e re a l i ty o f t h e s i t u at i o n a n d st o p g e tt in g worked u p over wh at we nt wro n g , s o l v i n g t h e p ro b l e m wi l l c o m e easier. For me, I e n de d u p h avi n g t o re b o o k my wh o l e i t i n era ry to get from Ven i c e t o Or l a n do fro m s c rat c h , day o f trave l .

F irst I laugh ed a s mys e l f fo r b e i n g s o s i l l y a n d fo r c ry i n g i n an airport, then I c h a n n e l e d my i n n e r trave l a g e nt a n d g o t t o work ! I flew fro m Ve n i c e t o L o n do n b uy i n g a n a i r l i n e t i c ke t at the desk in Ven i c e a n d st aye d i n L o n do n fo r a n i g ht a n d g o t t o watch one of th e En g l i s h s o c c e r c l u b s (I do n’ t re m e m b e r whi c h one) win anothe r ro u n d o f t h e Wo r l d C u p i n a n En g l i s h p u b !

How cool! Then , wi t h t i c ke t s I b o u g ht o n l i n e i n t h e L o n do n Gatwick airp ort , I fl ew t o Ic e l a n d fo r a n i g ht s i n c e t h at wa s the ch eapest op t i o n , a n d g o t t o e x p e r i e n c e a wh o l e n ew c o untry for 24 hou rs, fi g u r i n g o u t c u r re n cy e xc h a n g e , t a x i s , a n d h o t e l s b efore finally fl y i n g h o m e t o Am e r i c a t h e n e x t m o r n i n g .

So, yes solo travel is scary and you never know what is going to happen but, from my perspective, you could die tomorrow driving to work so why not take risks?

To recap my tips: know your why, be on offense, and plan a lot/panic a little. Go pla ces, see sights, experience things you see on Instagram because I promise they’re always better in person!

All of my travel ‘mistakes’ have only made trips more memorable and made me smarter for my next travel so to quote my best friend on our Europe trip, ”you’ll always be able to work and pay yourself back for travel, but you’ll never be able to get back the experience and you’ll always regret saving money”. These words have stuck with me ever since and inspired so many good choices in my life (obviously within reason, be smart and save some money for more trips kids).

If you have any other travel questions or requests for future articles/advice/stories, I would love to share!

z e m o G y ll e K -

t a m pa c i ty g u i d e When speaking about Florida, one city comes to most peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s minds: Orlando.

However, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a city just over an hour away that deserves as much attention as the home of Disney. Being just an hour away from several beaches, having a theme park and waterpark of its own, multiple art districts, and a great food scene, Tampa is an underappreciated gem.

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BEACHES + STATE PARKS Being an hour away from Clearwater Beach and forty five minutes away from St. Petersburg, as well as more than a dozen state parks, Tampa is a prime location for nature lovers. Honeymoon Island is Florida’s most visited state park, and is less than an hour drive from Tampa. Lettuce Lake Park is in the University of South Florida area, and offers college students a cheap and fun day outdoors. The Tampa Riverwalk, although not a traditional park, offers visitors downtown a 2.6 mile walk along the Hillsborough River passing by spots such as the Straz Performing Arts Center and the Tampa Museum of Modern Art.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE DOWNTOWN Whether you like art, hockey, theater, or food, there’s something for everyone downtown. Downtown houses the Tampa Museum of Modern Art (free for students, hello!), the Straz Center for the Performing Arts (Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton both made appearances in the last year), Amalie Arena which is the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning Hockey team as well as a popular concert venue, and not to mention there’s Lowry Park Zoo and Raymond James Stadium on your way downtown. There’s something for every type of person to enjoy, and thanks to Instagram accounts like @stufftodointampabay there’s never an excuse as to why you can’t find something fun to do. As for food, there’s Eddie and Sam’s Pizza, Oxford Exchange for breakfast and lunch, Farmacy Vegan Kitchen, and Park & Rec, a social gaming bar, just opened in the Channelside district! One of my personal favorite pastimes is finding new restaurants to try, and my list is always growing.

SO MANY CUTE NEIGHBORHOODS “Tampa” can refer to so many smaller neighborhoods surrounding the downtown area, each with their own charm. There’s Seminole Heights, Ybor City, and Hyde Park, just to name a few. Each offers a farmer and arts market once to twice a month, house their own locally owned restaurants and businesses, and Ybor is home to Hamburger Mary’s and The HoneyPot, two fun LGBTQ friendly spots. Not to mention all of the murals to be found around, it becomes every Instagram girl’s dream. My personal favorite is the Hyde Park Sunday Market, that way I can get my fix of Goody Goody Burgers brunch and still people watch all of the hipsters shopping for plants and taking a photo at the fountain in the center of the market.

FOOD HALLS GALORE Two popular food spots in Tampa right now are Armature Works and the Hall on Franklin; two food halls offering customers numerous food options and place to spend their time. Armature houses over sixteen stands, and customers walk up to each individual counter and order their food.

They then can find seating inside, in a courtyard area in the center of the restaurants and event space, or out on the lawn facing the river. They hold weekend and weekday yoga, movies once a month, a monthly “Indie Flea” market, and different holiday events depending on the season. The Hall on Franklin is different in that customers are seated to a table and a waiter brings a menu with all of the available options, but there are still over five to choose from, including a “Freakshake” that changes monthly.

The newest addition is Sparkman Wharf, and it also overlooks the river and houses around ten vendors. There’s a bar, stage for performers, and games for the kids as well. Although the amount of options can be overwhelming, I’ve yet to try something I haven’t liked.

BUSCH GARDENS AND ADVENTURE ISLAND It wouldn’t be fair to leave out Busch Gardens and Adventure Island when talking about things to do in Tampa. Located closer to the University of South Florida than downtown Tampa, Busch Gardens is a thrill-lover’s paradise, as well as offering great shows and animals to see for those who aren’t fans of rollercoasters. One of the most popular coasters, Tigris, features an almost 90-degree drop, and the park holds an annual Howl-O-Scream event during Halloween that is easily comparable to Halloween Horror Nights at Universal. Coming in 2020, Busch Gardens is about to get a new coaster with a maximum height of 206ft, making it the tallest Hybrid Coaster in America.

Although not the go-to spot when thinking of Florida cities, Tampa has got a little something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for good food, an outdoor festival, or a musical to see, Tampa’s got something for you, your family, and your friends. As more and more places are starting to open and areas are being developed, I can only imagine what could be added to this list in a year from now. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go get a vegan BLT from Armature Works and head to the Riverwalk.

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REAL

STORY THE PRAIRIE KWEENS COLLEGE

Today in therapy we discussed my eating disorder and went way back in my memory to dredge up the details of that murky time.

I realized that I had unknowingly buried much of that time in my mind and recalling the specifics, the painful details, was hard.

I took us back to the beginning, when I was a carefree child worrying about my mom’s diagnosis of Breast Cancer and NOT about my body. I was bigger than most kids, with a lot of excess ‘skin’ from my love for food and no fucks attitude about my body and weight. I was happy and surrounded by friends, there was no need to worry about anything else.

One day though my mom and I were at the doctor’s office and they had me take that dreaded step onto the scale. The number didn’t bother me until I overhead my doctor say to my mom “she’s 15 lbs over the recommended weight for her age,” to which my mom said nothing. From that day forward my mom never said a single thing about my weight yet that number stuck with me, ‘15.’

Fast forward a year and my mom had died leaving me alone in this big scary world with a mind that wouldn’t shut up. The first 6 months after her death I buried my sorrows in food and netflix, anything to distract me and not let me think about ‘her.’

In school I’d scoff at my friends eating salad and say ‘you only live once, you should eat what makes you happy’ as I scarfed down my PB and J, chocolate chip cookies bar, chips, grapes, and capri sun lunch. I’d then come home and after taking the dog out for 10 minutes I’d sit and either get lost in a book or netflix for hours on end. Usually until dark, then I’d do homework, go to sleep, and start all over again. I hated life.

The second 6 months of that year was when I started to ‘wake up’ and feel all my emotions crash onto me. I’d be showering and suddenly have a panic attack when I realized my mom was DEAD, as in never coming back. I’d be sitting there watching TV and realize my mom was GONE, as in I’d never hug her again. I’d be eating a meal and almost choke as I realized my mom was in the GROUND, as in dead. It was a vicious cycle of thoughts for an eleven year old to be having.

This cycle of thoughts got me thinking though, ‘if mom died of breast cancer, and grandma did, then I must be next.’ Once that thought crept in there was no going back, I had found my new purpose: be so healthy that I NEVER ever get breast cancer and therefore would NEVER die so early like my mom did. That night my brother found me crying and I remember looking him in the eye and saying “Don’t you see, mom and grandma died of breast cancer and it’s genetic. That means I’m going to get it and that I’m going to die unless I get healthy.” He started crying and ran away from me, the damage had been done.

Reflecting upon those months following my realization, I see how it all unraveled. Needing to find information and inspiration to get healthy and beat cancer I did the sensible thing that any eleven year old would do and went to the internet (Pinterest to be exact), not my best idea. I searched: “How to beat Breast Cancer”; “How to get healthy”; “What foods beat Breast Cancer”; and last yet most critical, “How to lose weight” because no matter what article I read they all said that obesity leads to cancer. I was 15 lbs overweight (according to my doctor) and so that meant my number one priority was to lose that 15 lbs, consider it done.

For the next ye the most passio ar of my life I became the most dedicated nate little fitn , the most resi ess guru I ever forget the 3 lient, and d jelly beans aft id see. I tracke er lunch!); I w d ev calorie burned er y m or se or l ked out three I ; kept my littl times a day; tr ate (don’t e journal of w times a day; sl acked every ins and loses f ept 9 hours ev or the day; w ery night; and calories than I eighed myself most importan ate every sing three t: made sure I le day. It was beginning of m was burning mor a beautiful ch y demise. e aos; a sickenin It wasn’t long g perfection; an until clothes st d th e arted to hang paper doll. I d idn’t see this of f m y bo ne s of course, to and ‘unhealthy me my legs, stom and my body felt like a frag ’. I couldn’t ha ile ach, and arms ve excess body and so I kept still looked flab weight otherw working. People by is e I st m ar ight get Breas a compliment ted to notice or a rude com t Cancer and I always to ment, loving th ok hating the fact their words as e attention ye that they just either t ‘didn’t underst do this, they didn’t underst and.” I had to and.

The blow up m oment came w he grandparents sat me down in n my dad, aunt, cousin, and my grandpa’s bi room and said g coz they words I ne ver thought I’d y living you have an ea hear: “we thin ting k burst into tear disorder.” The moment they s because I KN said it, I E W it was true understand, I but they didn’ had to be heal t thy, I had to care for my re su rv iv e. T ason and for 5 year ing though, I was committed hey didn’t s after I could the next day n’t sit in that going up my sp room without ine. tingles The treatmen t center itself was a living he facility way up ll, a cold and in a tower. No sterile fresh air and a dim yellow lig old lighting th ht upon everyo at cast ne , making our m even worse. D alnourished skin ay by day I’d be look weighed and po be told to sit, ke to eat, to dri nk water. I was d and prodded. I’d scheduled to ne sche ver be truly al one. I was in he duled to pee and cast my mind ll. Because of outside of my this I body so that living in traum I could save m a and pain ever ys el f from yday. It was to second of ever o much, every y single minute single in every single hated myself, hour of every my life, and th single day I ose goddamn lig I knew that in hts. order to leave I’d be there f I had to manip orever. Whate ulate the syst ver they told em else with a grandeo m e to do I did an us en d I did it patients and to thusiasm. I gained weight qu icker than 80 ld them everyt % of their hing they wan weeks time th ted to hear fr ey deemed me om healed (!) and me. In two scary world. A released me ba very, very big ck into the bi mistake. g

ed of nutritionist Those next few weeks turned months turned first year home consist completely failed as I was too appointments, therapy, and my family’s watchful gaze, all of which , almost without realizing manipulative. I outsmarted them all and continued my habits in secret what I was falling back into. That was a mistake on my part. appointments and therapy and Those years following when they moved me on from nutritionist the restrictive habits weren’t my family quit watching me were when I spiraled again. This time treatment and to cleanse to fight off cancer, they were to fix my body that I hated from because I was aware that the myself of my past. And this time, this time I was ‘better’ at it slightest slip in front of my family and I’d be back in hell.

I battled silently with the It’s sad for me to think of those years, from age 12 to 16 when that I was unloved, and that I demons in my head telling me my body was broken, that I was fat, ies, and moments I missed out on was unworthy. It’s sad for me to think of all the events, memor can’t remember much from those because of my fear and habits. It’s sad for me to admit that I friends, or making memories years because I wasn’t focused on loving my family, or laughing with school, worked out, controlled my to last, instead I was focused on school and my body. I went to n. It wasn’t until the summer food, worked out, slept, and continued in that soul crushing patter away, it just transformed.” of 2018 that I realized, ‘holy shit, my eating disorder never went into modern media: orthorexia.

Into something new, into something just starting to find it’s way A hidden disorder. battle with obsessive So for the past 1.5 years I’ve been slowly recovering from this inward to ‘allergies’), (due food clean eating that involved bouts of exercise addiction, restrictive personal growth and turning emotional eating, food fears, and so forth. It’s involved a lot of e turning me to these inward to see where these emotions are coming from and why they’r years which sounds crazy but behaviors. I haven’t felt this free around food and health in 9+ in but 80% of the time I’m is true. Sure, I still have days where old thoughts and habits creep ts but do not let them control living with a new mindset around health. I acknowledge the though If I obsess over food I find me. If I fear a food, I eat it day by day until the fear is gone. take time off social media and something new to focus on. If i find myself comparing my body I reverting to an old behavior ground myself with nature, family, and friends. And if I find myself need to do this? Why do I think I stop myself with one question, “why?” As in why do I feel the through it? Because I know I can, this is okay? Why am I feeling this way? Why can’t I just fight I’m strong enough to reclaim my mind and you are too.

So no, my recovery isn’t over but that’s life, a constant state of change and growth. For the first time in 9+ years I’m acknowledging my thoughts, behaviors, and emotions and that is the first step. Own up to it and then decide what choice to make. It’s a step towards a better tomorrow and that’s where you start.

-Emily Feikls

meet The Prairie Kweens

“The Prairie Kweenz [podcast] was first and foremost born out of our friendship. We’ve been best friend’s/soul mates for ten years and we’ve always had these deep but hilarious conversations,” “The Prairie Kweenz is all about the millennial malcontent. It really is a space for both controversial and deep topics, with our usual flare of humor.

So far our topics have been escaping the typical 9-5 work culture that is so embedded into our identities, how to navigate breakups, ending toxic friendships, politics and polyamory/open relationships. Seriously! Everything from one end of the spectrum to the other.

Our conversations are un-filtered and raw, which can certainly be offensive and maybe crass to some people, but we want it to be something you can put on during your commute to work or during your workout that can make you think about things differently or see something in a new perspective.

And obviously we want you to laugh with us—a warning to monitor your headphone volume because sometimes our laughs are obnoxiously loud.

I (Natalie) thought “The Girl and the Gay” had a really fun, welcoming ring to it, and Brent liked it, too. But once we really got to the root of what we wanted to put out there and who we were as individuals, The Prairie Kweenz felt right. It pays homage to our Alberta prairie roots, and “Kweenz” is a play-on the word, Queen, obviously. We didn’t like the colonialism behind the traditional spelling of it, and the LGBTQ+ community, they put a spin on it with the “Kween” spelling, so we really found a comfortable home in the name.

It’s the conversation a lot of us are craving to have -- whether it’s with people from work, school, or in our relationships. Because of social norms we aren’t supposed to have them. Now, with our podcast in hand, you can feel like you know something about non-monogamy when headed into your conservative family Christmas dinner AND have an opening “would you rather joke” (Ep 4) for your next first date. Nailed it,”

“I want the podcast not [to] get swallowed up by fucking capitalism honestly. I don’t want to start running bullshit ads for Windex during my rants on patriarchy. I also want some cool guests on the show -we can’t do everything. People with stories of moving through pain I think would be great to be showcased. Too often narratives about toxic happiness fill up people’s heads too much... especially podcasts around self-help. Which ours interestingly got tagged as by Spotify. I like to think we are less self-help then we probably are,”

Natalie I’m 25 years old and I’m currently in my last year of my English Literature Degree.

I work for a non-profit that works to provide low-income children and youth in my community with positive mentors and role models. I’m from Edmonton, Alberta, a nice 3-4 hour drive from arguably the world’s most beautiful mountains and lakes (Banff &

So far my favorite episode that we’ve recorded is Episode 5: My Partner’s Partner which is all about polyamory and being in an open-relationship. It was our first episode with a guest on who is in a polyamorous relationship and we just all had so much fun talking. It was a really enlightening and interesting conversation as someone who is monogamist. I learned a lot from her.

Lately I have no idea what free time is but that’s okay because that means I have no time to think about my mental health lol! Just kidding. Sort of. Going for food (duh) or drinks with friends is a priority, binge a Netflix show with a bag of 5 cent candies or do a gym/sauna round that isn’t rushed. But mostly just be with my friends and family.

Anywhere. I don’t care.

Victoria is beautiful and it really brings out the best in me. I think the novelty of any place eventually wears off but for some reason I just feel super attached to the Island. I also love Seattle if we’re getting out of Canada. If I were to ever move from here, I would love to have home be in Seattle. It’s definitely a place for the creative and writers of the world, and I LOVE the coast! Plus, I hear it tends to be the least American city in America- I like that. Oops.

Brent in three words: hilarious, intelligent and affable.

Brent I am 25, I am a PhD student in Education at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and I also teach there as well -- a third year undergrad class on literacy & society. My research is on mental illness, social justice, and arts-based research. I’m from Edmonton (by way of Toronto, Ontario) but Alberta has and always will be home for me in the sun, snow, and mountains.

My favourite episode is the one on work. Lol. Or the one on Canadian politics.

Work and personal life are really blurred for me. Which is what I prefer. I usually never have to be in one physical place and the work I do is often contract based, even my teaching. So I write (“academically”), I drink and get McDonalds with high school best friends, I perform as a drag queen (called “Sarah Tonin’), I watch Workin’ Moms on Netflix, and flirt with guys on Tinder and never meet up with them (sue me). I also spend time with my family, who are all fucking awesome.

My favourite place is the mountains in Alberta -- like Banff or Canmore. I also really like Victoria, British Columbia on Vancouver Island. Oddly enough I am a pretty big fan of sunny winter days with lots of snow.. it’s some of my fav weather. Shit! Should I gave an American answer? I also like the Bay Area (hot guys and I always dreamed of going to Stanford).

My cohost in 3 words? hmm... Sincere, Nice Ass

Natalie + Brent

The Prairie Kweenz

“Every career I ever thought that I would succeed in was psychology-related. I wanted to be a school counselor for a long time. I also really wanted to be a forensic psychologist at one point in my life. So I’ve been lucky that I at least got that part right. I’m a person who struggles with self-doubt and I worry a lot about financial stability. Even though I know I would really like having those kinds of careers, I always freak out when I think about the job outlook or the salary that I would start out with. I would always talk myself out of the options that would make me genuinely happy. But at the same time, I kept telling myself I wouldn’t succeed as a doctor, either, because I’m not smart enough or I wouldn’t be able to afford medical school,”

“I study Psychology at Purdue. I’m 21 years old and yeah, I’m probably going to end up in grad school at some point.

I started my freshman year as pre-med. I’ve since learned that I don’t want to do that at all, but I really wanted to be a psychiatrist (hence, the psych degree).

Part of the reason I made that decision was definitely the financial appeal. Part of it was that I was genuinely interested.

I’ve always liked anatomy and neuroscience, so it just seemed like a logical career path. I was super obsessed with Grey’s Anatomy when I was in the process of applying for college, so that had a little bit to do with it, too. Most of it was my family, though. They’ve always told me that I should be a doctor so that I can make a lot of money and take care of all of them. My grandparents and my parents didn’t grow up with a lot of money, so I think they just wanted a career that they knew would allow me to live a comfortable life.

As a young person who didn’t really know what to do or who I was, I was pretty impressionable. When I realized that this was definitely not the career path for me, I kind of panicked. I spent the better part of three years trying to figure out what to do. I was so afraid of making any decisions, so I didn’t make any real choices for all of that time. It got to the point where I was at

“My whole life I had the idea in my head that I would go to college, finish my undergrad, start grad school, be in a relationship, graduate, get married, have kids, Etc... Basically it was a lot of factors coming from every direction in my life that overwhelms me, and I just decided to avoid making any decisions for a really long time.

the end of my junior year of college and I still have no idea what I wanted to do. I was terrified of making a decision that I would regret. I didn’t want to be behind financially.

My whole life I had the idea in my head that I would go to college, finish my undergrad, start grad school, be in a relationship, graduate, get married, have kids, Etc. I didn’t leave a lot of room for anything else and because I didn’t know what I wanted to do after undergrad. I felt really behind schedule. Basically it was a lot of factors coming from every direction in my life that overwhelms me, and I just decided to avoid making any decisions for a really long time.

Having a family is something that I really want to do, too, so I was really worried that spending all that time as an undergraduate, then in medical school, then completing a medical residency would really interfere with my ability to do that. There were a lot of reasons that I was scared to let myself go full force in any career direction, so I ended up doing a lot of nothing. There were a lot of reasons that I stopped myself from being happy for a really long time.

I’m a perfectionist. I’ve felt the need to get straight A’s and be super involved in extracurriculars and make all of the right decisions and never make any mistakes for as long as I can remember. Everytime I failed, whether it was a bad grade or even some stupid embarrassing thing that no one really noticed but I spent way too much time thinking about, I felt overwhelmingly stressed. I don’t know if that’s because my family has put that pressure on me or if I just feel like I need to set a good example for my sister or if it’s just my anxiety to strive for perfection and never feel embarrassed that I failed or if it’s a thing that happens to our generation. In actuality, it’s probably all of those things. All I know is, I’ve felt this way since I was really little and I didn’t realize it until recently.

It was never a question of if I was going to go to college, it was always where I was going to college. Even if I couldn’t afford it, even if I didn’t want to go, I never really had the option. I’m lucky because I do genuinely want to get a degree. I can only imagine how it must feel to not want to go to school but have your family force you to do it anyway. Same with graduate school.

But for me, I knew I wanted to go to school but I didn’t have a clear end goal in mind. I’m going into my senior year and I’m still not 100% sure what I want to do. I feel like I’m running out of time to make sure that plan happens. That makes me even more indecisive than I have been in the past because I feel like I should just rush into a decision and I’m so afraid that I’m going to make the wrong one,”

“I’ve had trouble sleeping for as long as I can remember. I’m an excessive overthinker. I can’t make any decisions without thinking about every possible outcome and consequence for at least two days. I don’t like any attention to be on me, because I just start thinking that something is going to go wrong and I’ll be judged for it. The worst part is that I know I’m being annoying and unrealistic. I know that no one thinks that much into it, because they’re all concerned with their own lives. But I can’t stop the thoughts racing through my mind at pretty much all times of the day.

That really affects my relationships, because I can feel people getting annoyed with me. And I get even more offended when they can’t understand that I’m trying so hard to stop but it takes all of my energy. I try to think in black-and-white terms, because it’s easier for my mind to handle and I can breathe a little bit easier. But explaining why I think the way I do is kind of a chickenor-the-egg situation. There is no simple explanation.

I don’t know if I’m anxious because of school-related pressures, or if my anxiety has caused me to stress about

independence. I feel like those values have actually helped me a lot, and I am proud that I have them.

Being an independent person and knowing that things don’t come easy really helped me when I went away to college, when I started working in the real world, and when I started to seriously think about what I wanted to do with my life. I wouldn’t have it any other way, and I want my kids to be the same way. I just hope I don’t pressure them too much.

In ten years, I hope that I’m happy. After all that I’ve been through and knowing that I’m the most indecisive person ever, I’ve come to terms with the fact that my life probably won’t turn out the way I planned it. I’m a person who likes the rigidity of schedules, but I realize that life doesn’t work like that. If in ten years I’m in a completely different career than I imagined, then I’m okay with that. As long as I’m happy and I have people around me that I genuinely trust. That’s another one of the big lessons that I’ve recently learned.

You may think the people you surround yourself with will always support you and have your best interests

“I do n’ t know if I ’ m a n x i o u s b e c a u s e of sch ool- re lated pre s s u re s , o r i f my a n x i ety has c a us ed m e t o stre s s a b o u t s c h o o l . I have a lo t o f s elf - d o u b t a n d i n s e c u r i t i es in every th ing that I d o , eve n i f I k n ow t h at I ’m comple t ely ca pa b l e o f d o i n g s o me t h i ng,” school. I have a lot of self-doubt and insecurities in everything that I do, even if I know that I’m completely capable of doing something.

I do want kids, and, like every other parent, I want them to be successful. Each generation of parents expects more and more out of their children and I don’t see that slowing down anytime soon. Especially because technology is progressing at a faster rate than ever and we, as a society, are working stop to make life as efficient as possible. Our society praises innovative, creative, and excessively intelligent people.

And I think we’re just going to expect our youth to be more competitive in a professional sense and that will absolutely lead to higher pressures, both external and internal.

I went through / am going through a lot to get where I want to be professionally and mentally. I was raised in a family that highly values hard work and

in their heart, but that’s not always the case. Looking back, the people who I took for granted were always the ones that genuinely cared about me. One of the hardest lessons to learn is that you can’t make excuses for people just because you want them in your life. You have to take a step back and wonder if they’re actually benefiting your life. If they’re aren’t, then you have to decide if it’s worth keeping them. Life is too short.

Whatever you have to do to ensure your own happiness, do it.

But if I was giving advice to my younger self, I would say just to breathe before overthinking everything.

Know that people aren’t paying that much attention to you, because they have so much going on in their own lives. You’re capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. And if you really can’t do something, you have the ability to look for the resources that will help you along the way,”

“Is everything that I’ve gone through worth all the mental health problems? Probably not. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It’s hard stuff to go through. You think that nothing you do will make your life better. You think that all of your friends secretly hate you. You are too scared of commitment, but too scared of being alone. It’s a really shitty way to live. But have I become a better person because of it? Yeah.

I’m the most stubborn person ever, and I have to learn things the hard way. I won’t listen to anyone else ever. I wouldn’t even let my dad teach me how to ride a bike when I was a kid. He would say, “just pedal faster!” and I would respond, “don’t tell me what to do!” I laugh at that now, but that really sums it up.

Going through everything that I have, I have learned resilience. I’ve gotten really comfortable with myself. I’ve learned how to turn the bad things into creative outlets.

I’ve finally learned how to have stronger relationships. I’ve learned that vulnerability is okay. I’ve learned confidence. I’ve become who I think I was supposed to become.

So yeah, my life has kinda sucked.

But it was worth it.

I’m ready for the future,”

u o y thank

FOR READING.

contributing writers

thanks to our features

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Hannah Achtert Nicole Coppage Kelly Gomez Gabrielle Guzdek Kiana Hanaoka

Cadie Jazz Leaf The Prairie Kweenz Allison Zobrist

i welcometoits

Katelyn Laura Mays Olivia Oster Natalie Shaw

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