ISSUE #5
JANUARY 2016
the happiness issue
Local Riot is a collaborative magazine created by two girls who wanted to provide an outlet for the creative souls world to share their work, of the thoughts and opinions. It is a magazine for young people by young people and is a place to come together, a place to be free of ridicule, a place to make friends, a place to educate yourself, a to express yourself, a place to be place heard.
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MAN Y THAN KS TO: Caroline for the cover and contents photos. Zelda for the interview. Everyone who helped with Happy Places and Your Say. All those who submit work.
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CONTENTS
CLASSIC S: monthly mixtape monthly favourites your say: this is what happy looks like pursuit of positivity creative corner - ZELDA judging a book by its cover
FEATURE S: ellie connor-phillips my personal pursuit of happiness little happy moments the happiness climb new year, new me love your self(ies) made in italy
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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS
Hey Riots! We hope the holidays treated you well and would like to take a moment to wish you all a very Happy New Year! Local Riot is back for the New Year and ready to take on 2016, so we thought why not start the year on a positive note? That is why today we present to you, the happiness issue. Scattered throughout these pages are people's personal experiences of happiness, their happy places and how they believe that happiness can be achieved. We did our very best to touch on all aspects of happiness, in the hopes that each one of you will relate to the words and photos that our team have put together for you. We hope it allows you to reflect on your own experiences, turmoils and triumphs. We hope this issue brings a smile to your face and gives you a warm, sunshine-y kind of feeling. We hope 2016 brings you nothing but magic. Let it be a year full of new challenges, opportunities and celebrations. Consider this issue a New Years gift from us, to you. It's the first issue of the year, but it won't be the last. Love always, Ailish and Maisie
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Get to Know the January Team REGULARS MAISIE EVASON: Twitter: @thebrkfstciub Instagram: @thelittlemermais
issue five – HAPPINESS // january 2016 Social Media
localriot.weebly.com twitter: @localriotmag
Co ntact
localriotblog@gmail.com
Co -owners
Ailish Delaney Maisie Evason
Graphic Desig n Ailish Delaney
Co ntributing Writers Ioana Florescu Lily Midgett Ellie Connor-Phillips Maile Edwards Sam Passman
Co ntributing Photograp hers Zelda Neve Caroline Gadsby Grace Strong Caroline Gadsby Sohana Melwani
AILISH DELANEY: Twitter: @probablyailiish Instagram: @ailish.delaney Tumblr: lazyplum.tumblr.com LILY MIDGETT: Twitter: @LilyMidgett Instagram: @lilymidgett Tumblr: lily-the-nefelibata
IOANA FLORESCU: Twitter: @preachitjessie Instagram: @isthatioana Tumblr: deliriumdreamin CAROLINE GADSBY: Twitter: @CarolineGadsby_ SAM PASSMAN: Instagram: @samstarkid Tumblr: silverflutes
RIOTS MAILE EDWARDS Instagram: @maileinthewild ELLIE CONNOR-PHILLIPS Twitter: @elliecp Instagram: @elliecp_ GRACE STRONG Twitter: @uptownniall Instagram: @_gracestrong SOHANA MELWANI Instagram: @sohana.m ZELDA Instagram: @junebsphoto NEVE Twitter: @njhplants Instagram: @nevedaisy Want to see your work here?
If you’re a creative soul and want to see your work, whether it be art, modelling, writing, poetry, photography, etc, just email it to us at localriotblog@gmail.com
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JANUARY MIX HAPPINESS
1. Grace Kelly // MIKA 2. New Soul // Yael Naim 3. Be Okay // Ingrid Michaelson 4. I Lived // One Republic 5. Dog Days Are Over // Florence and the Machine 6. Walking On Sunshine // Katrina and the Waves 7. Brave // Sara Bareilles 8. Suddenly I See // KT Tunstall 9. Bad Day // Daniel Powter 10. Don’t Stop Me Now // Queen
11. Don’t Worry Be Happy // Bobby McFerrin 12. It’s Nice to be Alive // Ball Park Music 13. Anyone Else But You // The Mouldy Peaches 14. The Show // Lenka 15. Fight Song // Rachel Platton 16. God Help the Girl // God Help the Girl 17. My Girl // The Temptations 18. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go // Wham 19. Take On Me // AHa 20. Mr Brightside // The Killers
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POLAROIDS I bought an instax Polaroid camera about two years ago but never really used it. However, I've found myself reaching for my Polaroid camera multiple times over the summer holidays to capture a quick snap and savour a new memory. Because the film is expensive it's not something I use every day, but when I'm spending a day with friends or there's a pretty sunset, nothing feels better than holding the Polaroid in your hand and snapping a quick photo and knowing memories may fade but the pictures won't. LOKAI BRACELETS For those of you who don't know, a Lokai has one black bead and one white bead on opposite sides of the bracelet. The black bead holds mud from the Dead Sea, reminding you that sometimes you hit rock bottom but you must remain hopeful. The white bead holds water from Everest, reminding you that sometimes you're on top of the world but you must remain hopeful. The beads in between represent the rest of your life. It's sounds incredibly cheesy, I know. But my best friend bought me one for my birthday and I have to say, it's comforting. I'll glance at the bracelet and I'll remember what it represents. I remember that there is good and bad in this life, but I must make the most of it. LEATHER BAGS I have never been much of a bag person but on my trip to Melbourne in 2014 I saw the cutest faux leather satchel from H&M and I just had to buy it. From there my collection grew, my handmade Italian leather bag from Florence being the stand out. They're a super cool addition to any outfit because they match with everything!! You can find relatively cheap ones, as I recently purchased two vintage bags online and it cost me $20 for both of them. - Maisie
BROOKLYN NINE-NINE Brooklyn Nine-Nine is a comedic cop TV show set in Brooklyn, New York. I remember watching nine episodes on a plane flight (I can’t remember where to but that doesn’t matter) and I was hooked, but for some reason it stopped there. Only recently have I rekindled my love with this show as I binged watched the 2 seasons and am currently up to date on season 3. It’s a humorous show with loveable characters, though there definitely are a few that I find unbearable, and I recommend it to you. Nine-Nine! SPOTIFY Personally, I’ve never been one to use Spotify. I’m not entirely sure as to why; iTunes seemed to work perfectly fine for me. However, recently I have taken a leap into the world of Spotify and really enjoyed it. It’s definitely on my monthly favourites as the playlist I am listening to as I type this is thanks to Spotify, and my great music taste. Nearly everyone who reads this probably already uses, or at least knows about, Spotify so I’m sorry I was behind on the trend, but I’m here now and ready to jam out. JOURNALS I’ve always loved journaling. I find that writing is incredibly stress relieving and helps me to understand my thoughts better. I’ve had the same journal for over a year now (maybe more) but I’ve never used it too frequently. This month I’ve found myself writing and doodling more often and thought it was a good idea to share it in my monthly favourites in case others were looking for something to relieve stress. I’ve recently had a lot going on and I think that keeping a record of it and writing about how you’re feeling in that moment is good for reflection as well as uncluttering your mind. - Ailish
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Happiness by definition is “feeling pleasure” or “feeling content” but there are multiple ways to be happy. Happiness is different for each individual and can be brought on by a variety of people, places and situations. Individual happiness has something in common within each person; it’s a good feeling that reminds us why it’s nice to be alive. Feeling happy is one of the best things in the whole world, and this is because it allows us to appreciate life and feel satisfied with everything at that moment in time. Happiness is a light shining at the end of a dark tunnel, it picks us up when we are feeling down and wraps us up in a warm blanket offering a cup of tea. Happiness is the friend that everyone loves and has, the one who is kind to everyone and everything. The feeling of happiness is within everyone, it’s in everything; you just have to look hard enough. Sometimes all you need to do to find it is to step back from the situation, take a few deep breaths, and look at it from a different perspective. Is what you’re fussing over going to stop you from achieving your goals? Is it going to cause you to fail school? Is it going to dramatically change you for the worst? Will it matter in the morning? In most situations the answer will be no and though the matter may seem significant at the time it won’t impact you in the long run. No matter how stressed you are, no matter how upset you feel; happiness will help you through it. Since happiness is such a range of different things we took to social media to ask strangers and those we know about their thoughts on being happy. Inspired by the text “This is What Happy Looks Like” by Jennifer E. Smith (hence the header), they were asked the following question: “What does happy look like to you?” and these were the responses.
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WHAT DOES HAPPY LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
“How the city looks like after the rain, the stories/memories each person created, the little things in life.” – Anonymous
moment; when the satisfying things are dominant in your mindset that will cause a feeling of happiness.” – Steph
“Happiness to me in everyday life? I guess seeing friends, food when you’re hungry, finishing assignments/the school year and seeing my dog Bailey.” – Anonymous
“An orange tree in a potted plan on the sun terrace against the blue sky of Spain. Vibrant colours, like blue and orange, represent happiness to me.” – Anonymous
“Happy looks like when the sun hits the grass in the morning and shines through the window onto crinkled sheets. Happy looks like when your cheeks are red and covered with freckles. Happy is a held hand. Happy is light.” – Anonymous
“Firstly happiness is Taylor Swift. Secondly I think to be happy in life you first need to be happy with yourself. Only then you can move on to the other aspects of your life. Happiness is physical looks like smiles, laughter, joy, sharing stories and even just talking. To me happiness means being happy with yourself. On a broader scale it’s like happy with your life and friends.” – Anonymous
“I think happy is being content in the course your life is taking.” – Katie “Happiness to me is when a flower transforms from a bud to a blossom. When I see my three teenage daughters actually laughing and having fun together. Seeing a beautiful rainbow. Seeing shells along the shoreline.” – My mum “I think happiness is when you’re content with how things are at that specific moment. It does not imply there’s nothing wrong in your life to be sad about at that
“Puppies is all I can think of.” – Anonymous, 18 “To me happy looks like someone in a place where they feel like they belong, for instance whenever I attend a concert. Sometimes I stop singing and dancing and look around me. I'll stand there and I'll see people, people just like me singing
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and dancing and having the time of their life. I see their faces glow as they smile from ear to ear whilst watching the artist or band they have come to see perform. It is a moment like that when I see someone just like me, enjoying themselves and truly being – happy” – Anonymous, 18 “Happy, to me, looks like waking up on the weekend with a smile on my face, knowing that I have no plans for the day and can do whatever I feel like. Also being able to be as carefree as I wish without the slightest chance of anything going wrong, and just being able to enjoy the moment.” – Anonymous, 16 “To me, happy looks like catching up with old friends after a long time and knowing that nothing has changed. Happy sounds like the buzzing in my ears when I'm landing in my hometown; coming back from whichever foreign land I had jetted off to. Happy tastes like my grandma's butter chicken, which she force-feeds to my entire extended family every Christmas. Happy feels like home.” – Pratz, 17 “The feeling of soft skin and warm air.” – Olivia, 15 “Happy to me looks like the way people’s eyes scrunch up when they smile and when they get old and have lines on their face because of having smiled like that so often.” – Ivy, 15 “Happy to me looks like when I’m with my
friends I love, laughing and cutting up, and I realize that life is so so great and full of so much love and that I’m going to be okay.” – Meagan, 15 “To me, happiness is when I have a fun plan ahead of me and no responsibilities to take care of. When there's nothing "adult" in my way and I can be with people that understand me.” Anonymous “Happy looks like blood rushing to your cheeks and dimples beneath your eyes accompanied by a huge toothy grin, along with a crinkled nose.” – Anonymous “Smiling so hard my eyes squint and I can barely see.” – Anonymous “Happiness looks like someone who makes you feel warm and makes your life flow easier. When you see people being happy, soft and warm, and laughing either together or alone. Just being free and light. A really good book. When you feel like you’re in love with the world. When you're laughing with someone who's really nice, kind and interesting. When you're watching a great movie and you love the robots (coughs bb8).” – Janelle “Dancing and jumping all around my room and a perpetual smile on my face.” – China, 16 “Happy looks like laugh-lines; crinkled eyes; twinkling eyes; wrinkled noses atop
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seemingly permanent, toothy grins; heightened brows; vibrant, blushed cheeks; open palms; waving palms; bubbly, jittery movements; tighter hugs; warm hugs. Happiness is symbol of being alive - truly, freely, undeniably alive.” – Morgan, 16 “Happiness
is bruised lips and warm hugs and being warm and comfortable. It's bubbly laughter that you can't keep in and smiles so wide your face hurts. It's a state where negativity doesn't exist.” – Anonymous “Happy is when I get home from school and my dog wags his tail so hard that his whole body shakes.” – Josie, 18 “When you laugh so much your stomach hurts, but also the calmness some people
make you feel. It's the colours that autumn brings and my yellow raincoat when it rains.” – Anonymous “Happiness is when the first snow starts falling and I step outside and hear the fresh snow squeaking under my shoes.” – Anonymous “Happiness for me would be, walking on my on and the warmth from the sun touching my skin as I think of the people I love and smile to myself.” – Anonymous “Happiness is waking up to the wagging of your dogs' tail and knowing that at least one creature will love you no matter what.” – Anonymous “Happiness is love.” – Anonymous
Happiness means something different to everyone. Each community has an idea of what makes them happy and every individual knows what makes them smile. The key to happiness is love, towards yourself and others. Once you’ve mastered this happiness can come easily. Something to remember when you’re feeling down, if we didn’t have sadness how would we be able to distinguish what happiness truly feels like and how would we tell the good times from the bad. Next time you have a moment or two alone ask yourself, “What does happy look like to me?”
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Photographer: Neve
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Concerts - Gee
I love gigs because while I’m there nothing else matters, I can leave everything at the show. It doesn’t matter how stupid I look signing and dancing, it feels so good to be surrounded by people that love the same thing as you and to be a part of something bigger than just yourself.
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By Ailish Delaney
“Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.” 60 Reasons to Stay Alive. The new year has just begun and it’s provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on all the aspects of life that make it worth living. For some, their reflection may seemingly be filled with negative memories and they may feel like their life isn’t worth living anymore. Whenever you have a bad day or life pushes you down it gets harder and harder to continuously try again and stand back up. Eventually, it begins to seem like it’s not worth getting back up for in the end. Sometimes all you need is a bit of help, a hand to pull you up, because things will get better in the end and there is so much out there to live for. I’ve compiled a list of 55 things that I personally think make life worth living and make me happy. I hope they’ll be able to influence your mindset, make you smile and realise that life truly is a wonderful gift, and recognise all the good in your life that there is to live for.
1. Seeing your favourite bands or artists in concert 2. Books you can’t seem to put down 3. Finding a talent that you never knew you had 4. Travelling to new places 5. Seeing an old friend after a long time and rekindling your friendship 6. Watching the sunrise 7. Books you adore becoming movies in the future 8. Staying up all night talking with your friend/s 9. The sound of rain on your roof as you fall asleep 10. Discovering new things 11. Amusement parks 12. New art to create 13. Learning the rap sections of songs and feeling pretty badass 14. Swimming on a hot day 15. Building forts 16. Trying new foods 17. Laughing until your stomach starts to hurt and tears stream down your face 18. Bucket-lists to complete
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19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56.
Your best friend Watching the sunset Random acts of kindness Picnics Winning stuffed animals Christmas morning People texting you first New seasons of your favourite TV show Learning how to play an instrument Hugs Someone could be falling in love with you and your smile 7 billion people you haven’t met Finding something you believe in Fears to conquer A hot cup of tea (or coffee!) Life can be beautiful You’ve already made it this far Finding money in your pocket Smiling at strangers Strangers smiling at you Art to see Rules to break You’re a unique individual The excitement you feel when a plane takes off Smiling in a kiss Overcoming obstacles Bonfires New traditions to be made Dancing until your heart is content Accepting yourself Crying due to happiness and feeling overjoyed Road trips with people you love Lazy days Adventures Clothes fresh out of the dryer when they’re all warm and you feel cosy Discovering yourself Defending what you believe in Impacting peoples lives
“Be in love with your life, every minute of it,” – Jack Kerouac 57. 58. 59. 60.
Star gazing Recovery Surviving You’re not alone and there are always people who will understand what you are going through and who love and care about you.
I hope that these impacted you in oneway or another and that you are able to help spread positivity and love to others. You deserve to be alive and I hope that you know it. I hope that you can turn to these reasons when you’re feeling low and think of your own reasons in your personal life.
Yours sincerely, Ailish
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“Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is.� – Mandy Hale
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Photographer: Neve
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BY ELLIE CONNOR-PHILLIPS The turn of the new year has given me a real drive to think deeper about what I want from life – with University courses to choose, places to go and people to meet, it seems that this year has the potential to shape my future in a number of ways, so long as I make the right decisions. I’ve been trying to work out how I can get the most out of 2016, and how I can make myself (and those around me) the happiest, but I have been finding this particularly hard to work out. In my art class the other day I was reminded of one of my favourite Marina Abramović pieces, entitled “Rest Energy.” It was performed by herself and co-artist Ulay, and featured the pair pulling apart a bow and arrow with their bodyweight, the tip of the arrow aimed at Marina’s heart. The intention of the piece was to suggest tenuous relationships, safe when balanced but potentially fatal. To me, it encapsulated almost everything I had been wondering – in order to love, as Marina and Ulay loved (the pair were a couple for most of their works together) is it inevitable that your heart must be put on the line? In order to be happy, must we risk ourselves in the process? I wanted to explore this question deeper, as it seemed to be the root of all my worries about the future. Take University for example – I could choose to stick to a more traditional academic course, study for three years then end up in a stable job – or, I could be a little more risky, choose a degree (or just try and jump straight in to a career) that is more competitive, creative and will really push my limits more, such as menswear or textile design. Would the ‘safe’ option make me happy, or can happiness only really be achieved by taking the ‘risky’ option, working myself to the absolute maximum, sacrificing sleep and more in order to make it work, and hopefully then succeeding – albeit with a large risk of potential failure (represented by the potential of a fatality in “Rest Energy.”) This issue crops up again and again – would staying at home be better than trying to live a new life abroad? Would moving out for University be less fulfilling than moving out, even though I would have a struggle affording a place? After carrying out a bit of research, I narrowed down part of the issue into being the concept of “multipotentialism”. The term refers to the ability to exceed (one’s potential) in multiple fields. As humans, with the ability to learn, it can be argued that
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we are all multipotentialites to some degree – we have our natural skills, for example you might be a good drawer, quick at mental math, interested in biology…we then have our parents and situational links, for example your parents may be able to teach or encourage you to follow a certain career path, or you may have access to a certain type of skill or industry through family or friend’s jobs. We also have Internet access, and can learn most things using online how-to videos or pages. With this in mind, it’s easy to see that in our modern world we all have the potential to do most things, and it is mostly our own choice that will dictate the path we follow. The issue with this is, it makes us consider our options, and then begin to experience the all too familiar ‘Fear of Missing Out’ that occurs whenever one has to decide between two or more scenarios. This made me question the way I had grouped the possibilities I had previously looked at. I had assumed, that in order to be happy, you had to choose between the ‘risky’ or the ‘safe’ option, however the idea of multipotentialism presents our options as being much more general, with each option involving the element of risk as by choosing it, you are sacrificing the other possibilities. Therefore, is it possible that whatever choice you make, it will always have an element of risk, as you have had to let go of the other options which might have been easier, or worked out better. Looking back at Marina Abramović’s work, I thought about this new idea and it made sense – “Rest Energy” does not necessarily represent the ‘risky’ option, but the ‘safe’ one too; to be in any relationship, to put yourself forward and choose any option, is equally dangerous – whatever you decide, you have risked your potential happiness (represented by her risking her life for the piece) and it is, inevitably, up to you to maintain the safe balance and make the most out of the choices you make. In short, it seems that the act of choosing, the act of doing, always involves an element of risk, but it is not this that results in happiness, but rather your reaction to that risk, and how well you can mould the decision to work in your favour. For example, jumping into a crazy new career or slipping into the family business would both be equally risky, and it is only your actions and attempt to succeed that will result in your happiness, rather than the actual option itself. This realization has comforted me; knowing that it doesn’t matter what choices I make this year – none are better than the others, or will make me more happy…the only thing that can do that is myself and my effort to make best of my situation. It’s quite nice to know that we all have control over how happy our choices make us, instead of having the fear of choosing the option that will make us less happy than the others.
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Photographer: Grace Strong
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Photographer: Grace Strong
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Point Hill, Greenwich - Anna “On top of Point Hill, you can see the entire London skyline, from the West to Central to the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf in the East. It's an incredibly quiet area that allows me to take a deep breath and pause the city's hustle and bustle for alocal while.� riot magazine //24
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Perth Zoo, WA - Taylah “The Zoo is my happy place. I love it because it's a place where I am able to see all different kinds of creatures, big and small. I love animals, everything about them, the way they manage to survive, the way they take care of each other and even the way they look at you, like the gibbon in the picture. The gibbon saw us and made its way up to the glass and watched us, it's so interesting how we watch them but at the same time they also watch us. I find it intriguing and exciting, it makes me happy.�
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My Personal Pursuit of Happiness Lily Midgett
I used to exist in this world that was only in my head that no one else could see unless they had special powers. It was this world that was very dark and sad and lonely and empty. Now this is a world that I hope no one has to experience. All this to say, I didn’t start getting better or understand until after I went to a mental hospital, and to date, that is the best thing that ever happened to me. My parents started taking my depression and I more seriously. I was in in-patient for about a week, and then I was an out-patient for 3 weeks. After I was discharged I didn’t go back to school and had frequent dreams of going back to public school and/or the hospital. While in the hospital, I met this boy who I really came to like and we came very close to developing a relationship, because we were both feeling better and not very suicidal anymore, after that ended poorly, I relapsed again and got really bad for about a month. During all of this bad, there was some good that I like to reflect on as much as possible. For example I had Tumblr, my friends, music, internships, jobs, books, and Sofia Coppola films to keep my mind busy. I’m starting to experience a more constant form of happiness and this has been the best I have felt in a long time, if ever. I have a good job, good friends (that I still don’t really see that much), and a creative imagination to entertain myself with. I know that I have started to fathom myself getting happy again and I can’t wait to see how this person I am turns out.
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Photographer: Neve
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Photographer: Neve
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Little Happy Moments Sam Passman
There is a little happy moment when I'm looking for it. It is the moment when I'm looking up at the stars on a clear night. It is the moment when my sister flips and twists and turns across her bed in an acrobatic display with her best friend. It is the moment when my cat snuggles up to me and releases a tiny, discrete purr. It is the moment when the sun kisses my shoulders or shines gently on my face. It is talking to my best friend after she returns to me. It is the crinkling of my favorite book pages. It is the twinkle in a stranger's eye when I compliment them. It is the first blossoms of spring and the autumn leaves multitude of hues. It is a restful sleep. It is a puppy's yawn. It is listening to a song that I like. It is woven in the melodies of different voices. It is the collection of vivid butterfly wings. It is the gliding of a pen across paper, creating words and drawings that are special to me. It is the stream in the summer, when the cool moss is under my toes and the current pulls across my feet. It is meeting someone for the first time. It is the crackling fire in the dead of winter. It is a calm heartbeat of a loved one, or a loved pet, or the sky, or the sea, or the trees and the forest and the stars and the sun. It is not focusing on the big pieces of happiness, but a collection of little things. It is the seashells brought home from the beach. It is a box of good times and smiles and gentleness. It is a breath of relief saying; "There is still something good".
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Zelda is a photographer from London. We caught up with Zelda to find out more about the person behind the photos and the following piece titled ‘Alice’. Connect with Zelda here for more photos: Instagram: @junebsphoto Wordpress: junebsphoto.wordpress.com Local Riot: Tell us a bit about yourself. Zelda: My name is Zelda. I'm 16, and I live in London, but I'm Japanese American originally. My passions are psychology, history of art, drama and film. I love film, my favourite is American beauty – beautiful and thought provoking. I'm very interested in psychopathology, and the biological side of mental disorders. Being a neuropsychologist is a dream, but a rather difficult one. My all time idol is Bill Cunningham who is such an inspirational person and photographer. LR: How did you get into photography? Zelda: I've grown up in a family built in the film business, so I have always had a fascination for visual arts. It all started when I found my grandfathers old Minolta 100. Film shooting was fascinating but very frustrating, and I was determined to crack good photography. I read lots of books, Annie Leibovitz being my favourite , and followed lots of blogs and zines (including of course Local Riot!). LR: What do you usually shoot with? (Camera wise.) Zelda: I normally shoot with a Canon T5 LR: What is the title and story behind this particular shoot? (You can talk about how it's part of a larger series of photos too) Zelda: The title is Alice. It's supposed to be a modern take on 'through the looking glass' touching on social media. It's part of a larger series called Spirals, which is about the idea of being sucked in. LR: What inspired it? Was it a particular event?
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Zelda: It was always a feeling I’d love to capture, especially after the frenzy of friends quitting social media due to Essena O'neill. What I found most interesting was how their breaks were never permanent, and everything returned to how was. I also noticed this unhealthy trait in myself. I really wanted to create the feeling of this obsessive attachment we have to social media, and how dramatically it exaggerates and effects our emotions. LR: What's the purpose of the photos? Zelda: The main thing I wanted people to take from my photos is awareness, hopefully followed by self-reflection. I want to bring attention to the addiction people have to their phones and their online presence. People believe their social media, how many likes or friends, dictates self. Social media can bring great highs and great lows. My message is not to call a halt to social media, but to inspire a distance; to make people see how destructive social media can be if you let it. The extreme emotions of despair we feel as a direct result of social media are completely unnecessary and avoidable. We need to stop investing so much into our online presentation because at the end of the day, it's not really us. I want to inspire people to not seek constant validation. Alice here sees her life through the looking glass of her phone, instead of embracing herself and the world around her for they truly are. Basically – don't let yourself get sucked into the rabbit hole.
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- Billie local riot magazine //34
“Be happy… not because everything is good, but because you can see the good in everything.” local riot magazine //35
THE HAPPINESS CLIMB Ioana Florescu
You know those articles that have catchy titles with no relation to the actual content? The proper term for it is ‘click bait’. Still don’t know what I’m on about? Those articles that lure you to click them and when you do, everything stops making sense. The only thing that could be more irritating than that are the articles that promise you almost impossible things. A good example of that is “Get a bikini body in a month”. Society is trying to deceive you into thinking that setting unrealistic goals is okay. Well, let me tell you, it’s not. Happiness is most often defined as a mood, or a state of mind. However, what the definition fails to tell you is the fact that happiness has a personal meaning for everyone. Instead of trying to come up with my own interpretation of the definition, I will compile a list of five steps on how to achieve happiness. First off, try to imagine yourself at the foot of the stairs. It can be anywhere, from your home, to school, even the library. Have you done that? Take a step forward. You’ve met your flaws. Whether you feel like you’re flawed physically, mentally or personality wise, stop obsessing over it. Be aware of your flaws. Give them a warm hug if you have to. Accept them with an open mind. All the little things that you hate about yourself are what make you an individual. Without them, you wouldn’t be you anymore. Breathe in. Breathe out. Now, take another step. Look at the sunflower growing through the cracks. This is gratitude. You’re breathing, living in the now. Be grateful for who you are and what you have accomplished. It’s just the beginning of a long and beautiful journey. You’re halfway through. You can do this. Now you’re facing another version of yourself. Her aura is shining brightly, almost blinding you. Her name is self-love. Cherish yourself; you’re all that you have. Take some time out of your day, stop trying to find ways to help others and just help yourself. Whether it’s a good book, or a run in the park, do something that brings you joy. You’re worth that much. Just a step stands in your way. You’re getting closer. A curtain of smoke clouds your horizon. Long weeds peek from the concrete stairs. That is toxicity. What you have to do right now, is cut the evil straight from the root. Let go of poor quality friendships. If you don’t harvest something good out of them, they’re not valuable. Finally, you reached the top. I know it was a long climb. But I promise you it wasn’t all in vain. Take another deep breath. Chin up, you’ve got this. Now, move on and don’t look back. You just got a second chance at a happier life. local riot magazine //36
Photographer: Sohana Melwani
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Photographer: Sohana Melwani
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Maisie Evason
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - Ken Kesey One flew East, one flew West, one flew over the cuckoo's nest. The line from an old children's folk rhyme that most people are familiar with, however there is nothing child-like about this book. It is heavy, it is emotional and it is brilliant. The story is told from the point of view of "Chief" Bromden, a patient at a mental hospital who pretends he is deaf and mute. Nurse Ratchet, the head nurse, runs a tight ship. That is, until the boat is rocked by the arrival of Randle McMurphy, a new patient who pretends to be insane to get out of going to jail. McMurphy is one of my favourite literary characters, the way Kesey constructed his character is nothing short of a masterpiece. He brings life into the book and in doing so causes the other characters to step out of the box that the hospital created for each of them. This allows us, as the reader, connect with these fascinating characters as they break free and learn how to have fun. When I chose this book, I wasn't thinking about the theme of our issue, I simply chose it because it is a magnificent piece of literature. But I think that, despite the fact this book is ultimately not a happy one, McMurphys character radiates happiness out of the book with his optimism and sense of adventure. I cannot fault this book and I will always recommend it. 5/5 STARS Happy reading Riots, Maisie.
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The Skhiathos Island in Greece - Ioana
“Greece has always felt like my second home. I am completely enamoured with everything in regards to it. The island was a lifetime experience because I had never been on a cruise prior to that. It was love at first sight, literally. There is something about it that screams serenity. This trip made me crave to explore like never before. It’s safe to say that all it took was one visit to call it my happy place, the place that I’d go to in a heartbeat, given another opportunity.”
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Photographer: Caroline Cadsby
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Photographer: Grace Strong
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Point Peron, WA - Chloe
“The beach is my happy place, particularly this beach. It’s my happy place because I realise that I am responsible and in control of where I end up. I have full power over the path I choose to take. The ocean reminds me that there is something more powerful and bigger than me and I need to remember to appreciate and respect everything around me. It keeps me level headed, it’s a bit of a reality check.” local riot magazine //43
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Finding happiness stems from accepting yourself and developing as a person. One way to do this is through setting goals and new years resolutions. Personally, I find I never stick to my resolutions and tend to find that I’ve forgotten about them before February is over. I’ve decided that 2016 is going to be a good year for me, a happy year. 2016 will be the year of change, development, success and finding myself. I can’t simply wait for this to happen, happy doesn’t come to you because you will it to, you must go out and find it in your life, grasp it with both hands. By setting goals (and preferably sticking to them), I hope to allow myself to change for the better this year. 10 of my goals for 2016 are: 1. Write more. I want to write more, capture moments and memories through words. I want to use my journal more consistently and bring it with me wherever I go. Hopefully by doing this I’ll find myself expressing my emotions onto blank pages rather than letting them build up inside of me. I want to develop my writing skills to become a better writer. It will allow me to become a more observant individual and help with finding a sense of inner peace (and with school work). 2. Exercise more. I want to work on my fitness, which seems to be a common goal or new years resolution for a wide range of people but it’s important nonetheless. Exercise, though I find myself complaining about it quite often, is incredibly stress relieving and satisfying. I want to exercise more, whether it be going for runs, cycling or joining a gym. Hopefully this is one goal I can achieve and stick to. 3. Have a healthier diet. Considering around mid last year I became a vegetarian, having a healthy diet is important to me (though it wasn’t really last year, but that’s because I was ignorant.) I need to put more effort into prepare and planning meals and stay away from eating too much junk food. I want to become a healthier version of myself for myself and myself only. I need to ensure that I am eating well and eating enough to avoid
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getting sick. 4. Read more. I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember and it’s such an important part of life. I want to read more this year and branch out into different genres that I would not normally read from. I want to continue to educate myself on life, past, present and future, fiction and non-fiction, earth and other worlds. I want to develop educated opinions and find things I am passionate about through reading. 5. Be happier. This is not to imply that I wasn’t happy last year, I was, but to be happy tends to be a daily goal for everyone. I want to be a happier person this year and nicer towards others. I want to be able to do what I need to do for myself to stay happy and positive, whether that be removing toxic people from my life or quitting a job. This is a year for me to learn to love myself, then others, to find my own sense of happiness and put myself first. I want to become a stronger, better and all-round happier version of myself because no matter what happens the only person who will truly be there for you is yourself and they deserve the best. 6. Learn the piano. Over the summer holidays I have attempted to teach myself some of the basics of playing the keyboard and I hope to continue this throughout the year. It’s important to have hobbies in your life and playing the piano is definitely a great distraction from everything and is fun. 7. Find the balance between work, school and leisure. This was never my strong point last year. I want to attempt to find the perfect balance between work, school and relaxation. 2015 was a year centred around work and school, attempting to fit sport, friends and a boyfriend in between. This left little time for me to relax and develop a relationship with myself and resulted in getting run down and sick on multiple occasions. By focusing on myself as well as school, work and friendships I hope to avoid this and maintain a good balance. 8. Stress less. I know that this year will be stressful, considering it is my final year of high school, but I want to try and stress less. I tend to put too much pressure on myself to perform and am a bit of a perfectionist. I want to take some of this unnecessary weight off of my shoulders, 2016 will be hard enough on its own I definitely don’t
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need myself adding to it. I need to learn to take some of this pressure off of my self and focus on my mental health first. 9. Survive year twelve. Slightly dramatic? Yes. Necessary? Also yes. 2016 will be my final year of high school and one of my goals is to make it through it. I want to achieve good results that I am proud of and that I deserve. 10. Use social media less and live more. I know that I definitely use social media more than I should. For 2016 I want to spend less time on my phone and more time being present. I want to live more in the moment and make memories that aren’t through a screen. I’ll continue to use social media but I want to use it less when around others and in general. I want to create more, go out more, and appreciate the world around me. There’s so much to see and do when you look up from your screen. These may not be life changing or the important goals you were hoping to read but they are mine and through achieving these throughout the year I’ll continue to develop into a happier version of myself. What are your goals for the New Year and how will you achieve them?
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Photographer: Sohana Melwani
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“Happiness is a journey not a destination.” – Ben Sweetland
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Photographer: Caroline Gadsby
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Seoul, Korea - Gabby
“It's a beautiful city because it mixes both tradition and modern aspects in their landscape. It's a city within mountains. They're so technologically advanced like their transportation system is insane. The food and shopping is
incredible. And despite the language barrier everyone is always willing to help and listen out to you. Everyone is just so respectful there like I never felt threatened once.�
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LA at night - Elle
“It’s my happy place because I often lose myself in my thoughts and going to the top of a building at night clears my head. It reminds me of how insignificant I am relative to just one city (never mind the whole universe). It keeps me humble and in my place. It’s beautiful. Seriously, LA at night is way better in person thanlocal through a picture.” riot magazine //51
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Love Your Self(ies)
Maile Edwards
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard someone shame Millennials, I could probably pay my entire college tuition. You know, the same college tuition that keeps going up every year? We’ve all had that same ‘Clueless’-esque eye roll and moment of, “As if!” when we overhear people talk about our generation. In fact, when you Google “millennials are,” the first couple suggestions are “selfish,” “entitled,” “vain,” and “lazy.” I’ve lost track of how many times that hippie guy I went to high school with has shared some nonsense article or political artwork on Facebook about how our phones have become our ball and chain. Our parents and relatives love to scare us by sending us links to news stories about young people wandering off the edge of a cliff because their phones distracted them. They easily forget that their generation has waged wars and invaded countries under false pretences, but we’re the idiots, right? Recently, a formerly famous social media star made headlines after slamming Instagram and Tumblr communities for tricking impressionable girls into believing that contrived images were reality, causing poor self esteem. This person also criticized women for profiting off of an Instagram post for promoting certain products, such as bikinis or clothing. This story went global. YouTubers and Instagrammers voiced their opinions on social media usage. I lost track of how many people I followed who were taking a break from social networking apps or deleting their accounts altogether. It seemed like everyone felt like they had to pick a side: to Tweet or not to Tweet? I can totally empathize with people who’ve dealt with feelings of sadness or loneliness after too much screen time. When the monotony of school and work get to be too much, I, too, find myself wishing I could just pack up and fly somewhere for a bit of adventure. I think everyone daydreams about that life – it’s human nature! These accounts not only present the “perfect” life, but also, for some, the
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“perfect” hair, skin, body, clothes… the list is endless! Girls are especially susceptible to comparison because the internalized misogyny that we’ve been socialized to believe tells us that our outward appearance is the only thing of value. The thing is unrealistic beauty/lifestyle standards are nothing new; they’ve just been incorporated into digital media. We still see ads about tropical vacations and weight loss supplements in our magazines and in TV commercials, but we’re also seeing celebrities and social media users with large followings promoting products and traveling around the world in a bikini. With the use of the Internet, it’s even more in our faces than ever before. While I understand where this person was coming from when they talked about not being happy on social media, I don’t agree that everyone in these online communities are con artists or technology zombies. I would not be the person I am today without social media. I follow so many talented artists, photographers, and writers and I’m inspired by their authenticity, honesty, and outlook on life. What I learned about intersectional feminism, the environment, and politics from blog posts and YouTube videos is more valuable than anything I learned in high school. Social media is fun, informative, and even empowering. Selfies have become a way for us to reclaim self-love in a society with rising college tuition and a narrow job market; in a society where women of colour are demonized for their features but fetishized for their sexuality; in a society where we’re constantly told we’re not good enough. The #bodyposi trend has helped people become comfortable in their own skin where they’re able to love their belly rolls, acne scars, and stretch marks. Young people are getting involved and using their voices to discuss things they’re passionate about. Millennials are SO much more than mindless, spineless, ghosts. We’re here. We’re getting things done. It’s easy to point the finger at online communities like Instagram when these underlying issues have been around long before the iPhone was invented. Criticize impossible standards of beauty, not that girl who posted that bikini picture. Everyone is in control of what they get out of social media, and if you don’t want to see supermodels and jetsetters on your newsfeed or dashboard, don’t follow them. You don’t have to “pick a side.” The key is to do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good about yourself. You can spend time in nature, and take photos of your breakfast that morning. You can follow a thousand people on Instagram, and still laugh with your best friends in real life. Whether you take 30 selfies a day or once a year for the family Christmas card, you’re human either way.
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Photographer: Caroline Gadsby
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Photographer: Sohana Melwani
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Maisie Evason Italy. The country of romance, pizza and the language as beautiful as roses. It's no wonder Italy is where my happiness lies. In April of 2015, myself and 30 other students of the Italian language boarded an agonisingly long flight and found ourselves in the streets of Roma. We spent the next 19 days travelling through Italy, eating too much food and seeing sights we'd only ever seen in movies. It's hard to explain why those three weeks meant so much to me. Why, out of all the adventures I have been on, did this one replay itself in my head from the moment I woke, to the moment I fell asleep again? I don't think even I knew why for quite some time. Until someone told me that they had never seen anyone be as happy as I was during my time in Italy. I suddenly realised I wasn't really clinging onto the sights we saw, the people I was with, the memories I made. I was clinging onto that feeling I had. The feeling of adventure, the feeling of the world at my feet, the feeling of pure, unadulterated happiness. When we decided on happiness as a theme for this issue, I was at a loss. All these ideas running around my head but none of them seemed to feel right. They didn't feel like happy. Then I remembered that everyone has a different experience of happy. So today, I would like to share mine with you. On our first full day in Italy I awoke in the early hours of the morning, with the streets of Rome beckoning me. We caught the train and stepped out onto the platform at the Colosseo stop. I figured we'd have to catch a bus, or maybe walk for a few minutes to get to the Colosseum. But as we stepped out of the station it almost hit me in the face. There it was, in all its glory, standing a mere 50m away. I skipped a breath at its magnificence. I'd seen it in the movies and in photos and I'd read descriptions of it in books, but nothing could have prepared me for that moment. The blood rushed to my face as I tried to take in my surroundings, questioning whether this was real life. It's funny how something as simple as a building, brought life into my jet-lagged body. My first full day in Italy did not
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disappoint. Nor did the following days I spent in Rome, exploring the streets and seeing how many scenes I recognised from The Lizze McGuire Movie. I never found my Paolo, but I found myself happier than I had ever been. A day trip down the Amalfi Coast during our stay in Sorrento provided sights that you wouldn't believe existed until you had seen them with your owns eyes. The twists and turns of the coastal road led us to the tiny town of Ravello. The wind was wild and cold as we hid in the gaps between buildings for safety, hoping it didn't rain. But we got more than we bargained for when it began to snow. Living in Australia many of us hadn't seen snow; it had always been more of a distant dream. So when we saw those few drops of white snow juxtaposed against my friends black beanie, it was magical. Our hearts started beating as we screamed and took photos of what my teacher would later call "boring sleet.” The locals ran undercover whilst we ran into the open space with our hands out, attempting to hold onto the snow and that magical feeling for as long as we could. I realise now that we must have looked insane, squealing and running around the piazza instead of getting out of the cold. But now I understand what philosopher Freidrich Nietzsche meant when he said “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” Flash-forward a week or so and I found myself in Florence, the place I now call my favourite city. When our teachers gave us free reign of the streets and we found ourselves with oodles of free time to explore, Dee, Fran and I (aka the Italian Trio) decided that despite how unfit we were, we would climb the Duomo. 463 stairs didn't seem overly difficult until we were 100 stairs in and panting. Each steep stair and incredibly narrow stairway led us to the very top of the magnificent Cathedral. The view was indescribably beautiful, the streets of Florence and its collection of orange-roofed buildings seemed to stretch on forever. Oh, how I wish it did. I stood there and wished that the city never ended, that it would keep going no matter how far away I drove. Two of my best friends and I sat ourselves down in tranquil silence for a moment as I admired the city that breathed life into me again. Fran broke the silence by asking if we could believe that were actually there. Or maybe I broke it by commenting on the beauty of our view. Or maybe it was Dee complaining about how the man had taken a burst on her phone when we'd asked him to take a photo. I can't quite remember, but I remember sitting on top of a 700 year old building, laughing with my two best friends and thinking “This is the life. This is it.”
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When I look back on my time in Italy, it's a bittersweet feeling. I am so incredibly happy that I had the opportunity to go on the trip and do the things that I did, yet there is an omnipresent feeling of nostalgia. My first few months back in Perth I found myself rather depressed because I knew then what happiness felt like, and I didn't know if I'd ever feel like that again. It took me a long time to realise it, but I know now that this is life. It is happiness, it is good coffee and tears of laughter and Italy. It is also sadness, it is crying at 2am, tear-stained pillows and broken hearts. Then it's just life, monotonous routines of school and work. So you've got to hang on through the sadness, cherish every minute of the happiness and find excitement during the times in between. Dye your hair, kiss your crush, buy a oneway ticket to anywhere. You've got one life, let it be an Italy kind of life.
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“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone elses pocket.”
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Photographer: Sohana Melwani
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Cheynes Beach, WA - Grace
“This is my happy place because it is one where I can escape, relax and enjoy myself. It is a place where I can reflect on the past and refresh myself for the future. Also, the landscape is absolutely breathtaking.� local riot magazine //62
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