Main Street Magazine - Spring 2016 by Main Street Magazine

MAIN STREET MagAzine Spring 2016

The Secret Life of Pets on Campus pg. 42

Editor’s Note Spring is here! And so is the newest issue of Main Street Magazine! I hope that everyone is staying warm and enjoying the sight of green grass! This issue welcomed a lot of new writers and everyone did an excellent job of creating content that is not only creative and interesting but also relatable. In this issue you can read about what it’s like to be and be on many different things. By that I mean you will find stories on what it’s like to be in an open relationship, what it’s like to be bi-polar, and what it’s like to be on Kava, a Fijian root. I know it can be difficult to get back into the swing of things after spring break, so take this time of transition to sit back and read the magazine. Thank you to our wonderful writers, photographers, and designers; it seems hard to make every issue better than the last but they always seem to do just that. Also, I want to thank our adorable and cooperative cover models Captain and Morgan! I’m sorry that you were a little scared to be hanging over the edge of a wagon, I hope all the treats helped. -Morgan

Morgan Cutolo, Editor-in-Chief Jack Shea, Content Editor Liz Haas, Content Editor Corey Scarano, Content Editor Claire Cortese, Photo Editor and Contributing Writer Lilly Radack, Contributing Writer Amy Rixon, Contributing Writer Ally Couture, Contributing Writer Larissa Claar, Contributing Writer Fallon Greene, Contributing Writer Beccy Anderson, Contributing Writer Alli Weseman, Contributing Writer Kyle Kittredge, Contributing Writer Jamie Smith, Contributing Writer Annika Anderson, Contributing Writer Domenic Paolo, Contributing Writer Jenna Ward, Contributing Writer Zoe Parsons, Contributing Writer Rebecca Ma, Contributing Writer Carina Mossman, Contributing Writer

Find Main Street mainstreetunh.com facebook.com/mainstreetmagazine @mainstreetmagazine MUB room 134

Main Street Magazine Spring 2016, Issue 3

Featured Article

Confessions of a UNH Tour Guide “Although parents don’t always directly ask about booze, sometimes a crushed beer can on the sidewalk or an eerily silent Saturday morning speaks for itself.”

Page 28

Features 13 Relationship Status: It’s Complicated 20 Fijian Kava Ceremony 25 Feel the Bern 34 Your Body is a Battleground

Local 26 The Secret Life of an Extra 32 The Dynamic Duo 38 Day Hikes Near Durham 42 The Secret Life of Pets on Campus

Reviews 6 Music 8 Film 10 Book 11 Restaurant

Opinions & Satire 24 Party of One 30 Tales of Intrigue: Florida’s Worst Superhero 31 What They Don’t Tell You About Casual Gay Dating

25 Printed by our friends at UNH Printed Services, 10 West Edge Drive, Durham, NH The opinions expressed within Main Street are solely the opinions of the attributed writers and are not necessarily shared by Main Street Magazine, Student Press Organization, SAFC, the University of New Hampshire, or anyone else, for that matter.

Main Street Magazine is funded entirely by your student activity fee, and we would like to thank SAFC for continuing to fund this publication. www.mainstreetmagazine.com @mainstmagazine

Contributors In order by row: Zoe Parsons, Claire Cortese, Jack Shea, Annika Anderson, Liz Haas Larissa Claar, Beccy Anderson, Amy Rixon, Alli Weseman, Lilly Radack Fallon Greene, Rebecca Ma, Kyle Kittredge, Jenna Ward, Jamie Smith Domenic Paolo, Carina Mossman, Corey Scarano, and Ally Couture

Staff Picks

Things MSM Staff Love Right Now

Salt Rock Lamps- I got one of these as a Christmas present and I’m completely obsessed with it. They’re natural ion generators, so they clean the air and eliminate allergens. They’re known for supporting overall wellness, improving mood, and balancing chi. - Claire

The Office- I watched all 9 seasons of The Office in under 8 weeks. I may have lost on average 3 hours of sleep a night binge watching these episodes but if you’ve seen the series you know how hilarious and genius it is. I now have repeating dreams that I work at Dunder Mifflin in Scranton. It is probably a good thing I finished the series so that I can move on with my life now, but I will forever cherish these past 8 weeks of my life. - Corey

David Bowie- “There’s a starman waiting in the sky” RIP legend - Jack

My Internship at Heinemann- This semester, as part of my major requirements, I’m doing an internship at Heinemann Publishing in Portsmouth. I go three days a week and I’m in love! It’s a pretty cool feeling to finally start applying what you’ve studyed for so long in the real world. - Morgan

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) Workouts- It’s hard to find the time and motivation to hit the gym. But with the power of Fitness Blender YouTube videos and 20-seconds on 10-seconds off sets of burpees and jump squats, finally I can feel good about myself for doing a 20-minute workout. The best part? I never have to leave my room. - Liz

Music Reviews

St. Lucia

Halsey under the lights

Panic! At The Disco

St. Lucia “Matter” Columbia Records

Overall Rating: 9.5/10 Halsey “Badlands” Astralwerks

St. Lucia, a South-African via Brooklyn indie pop outfit, is ready to start their trek to the top with the release of their sophomore album “Matter.” Being three years since their debut release, the band has been touring and working hard on this new album. This album is full of upbeat energy, chilling synth melodies reminiscent of 80’s pop, and lyrics that are arena-crowd worthy. Sounding similar to other on-the-rise acts such as Walk The Moon, Bleachers, and Passion Pit, this is not a band to pass on. “Matter” starts off with Do You Remember, a track full of vivacious male-and-female vocal harmonies while showcasing the feel-good synth power that this band has. This album also features their biggest song to date titled Dancing On Glass, which can be heard on “hipster” restaurant and store playlists, like Abercrombie, Applebee’s, etc. It’s virtually impossible not to smile to this track, as it’s full of life, balanced perfectly for fans of anything happy, and is a track that people are bound to belt the lyrics to at parties soon enough. Other tracks, such as the Earth, Wind, and Fire soundalike Physical, the brooding and brassy Winds Of Change, and the summer glazed melodic adI had no idea who Halsey was before a friend told me about her set at Boston Calling. She’s a singer who is famous on various social media platforms for her offbeat style of pop music. My first impression was that she is an eccentric pop star with electric blue hair. I had high hopes, but, unfortunately, I was disappointed. To me, Halsey is one of the most cookie-cutter singers that I have ever come across. She tries too hard to be an indie dream darling, and she ends up being nothing but a manic pixie. For me, none of her songs have stuck. They’re all easily forgettable with the same general pattern: She wants to portray a dystopian future, a “badland” kind of place.

Overall Rating: 2/10 Panic! At The Disco “Death of a Bachelor” Fueled By Ramen

Overall Rating: 8/10

She starts the album off with “Castle.” The lyrics are obvious as she tries to establish herself as the queen of her own castle and someone of power and influence. Later comes one of her top singles, “New Americana.” It’s one of the whitest songs I have ever heard. It’s a march where our generation is an army of sorts and is about how this generation is shaping America. But every new generation Panic! At The Disco is not an unknown name in the world of music. They have built a fan base from both their original classic punk sound and their new commercial pop rock based tunes. However, as aforementioned, their sound has evolved into a more eclectic and radio friendly approach, with their most recent album “Death Of A Bachelor” broadly sounding as if Frank Sinatra wrote alongside Fall Out Boy and All Time Low. Brendon Urie, the now sole member of the band, has one of the most powerful and stand-out voices out there today. This is evident in the opening track titled Victorious, which is also the lead single from the album. This song is highly reminiscent of the band’s original sound, with heavier melodic guitar lines and choral-based harmonies throughout. Next up is Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time, the most party friendly track on the album, with lyrics based on nothing but those great nights that one could never forget over sliding piano chords, western-style guitar lines, and the sensual tenor voice that cuts through the soul. The title track, Death Of A Bachelor, does the best when it comes to providing the old-style vinyl jazzy brass

venture Help Me Run Away stand out among the many great tracks that have been released thus far in 2016. St. Lucia also has a passionate side, when Love Somebody hits a listener right at heart. Although the lyrics in the track are simple at the surface, they’re deep in context and the song itself is slow and sensual, something that can really be felt on the inside. The album ends on Always, with the constant repetition of “I’ll remember you,” something that could be said about the album as a whole. It’s a cliff hanger, with chords that feel good yet provide an essence of ending, and the overall focus is on the frontwoman versus the front man. It’s satisfying, yet saddening, completing on such a firm note, signifying the end to the album. This album is not just for enjoyment, it’s for experience. There isn’t anything as unique as this band and their talent, and their passion and energy is unlike any other. This album will be at the top of people’s lists for album of the year, and this band is sure to be a much more common name in commercial music soon enough. Be sure to check out “Matter” as soon as possible! -Domenic Paolo does that. It’s not new or innovative. “Colors” has so much potential. It is a much better and coherent pop song but is ruined when she decides to have an interlude where she talks about being lilac. Overall, she tries too hard to be different, and it doesn’t work. She tries to evade the typical pop songs and create a new kind of story that is more about the individual rather than a relationship, which is respectable, and she is consistent, which can be a good thing in an album, but the songs start to sound the same after a while. She has created her own generic pattern of songs that start with a discordant, almost clockwork, sound and then transform into an electric pop song. She’s similar to Ryn Weaver with a touch of Lana Del Rey. However, her sound doesn’t impress me nor did it change my life. Maybe I’m biased because I hate dystopian themes. Maybe I’m biased because I hate suburbia. Maybe it’s because secretly I’m that old man at the park who feeds pigeons. But what Halsey is doing isn’t working for me. She’s trying to go for that trendy breathy vocal that is full of more buzzwords than meaning. -Rebecca Ma section over a vocalist showcasing his unbelievable range and belting vocal slides, all done over some clean and quick electronic percussion. Other tracks worth checking out on the album include the teen angst anthem The Good, The Bad, and The Dirty, the swing-tempo brass-rasp Crazy = Genius, or the easy-to-sing-along piano show-off House Of Memories. Other than those tracks, however, the rest of the album is rather amateur or not worth noting. Impossible Year is a cheesy, slowed back track that could use a lot more of the brass section and Urie’s stellar vocal ability; on the other hand, Hallelujah becomes a bit much with the power-chugs of the guitar and the over-done vibrato in the verses. “Death Of A Bachelor” is a solid release overall, satisfying day one fans of the band while also propelling the band into new territory, which also scored the band their first number one album ever, which is truly a remarkable feat for a band that has been around for almost twelve years. Although there are going to be a few tracks worth skipping over, the other tracks make the album worth checking out. -Domenic Paolo

Film Reviews S potlight B :A A y

nnika

2015

nderson

“Spotlight,” released November 6, 2015, and starring Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, and Michael Keaton, is an incredibly well-done and riveting film. The movie is based on the Boston Globe Spotlight team’s investigation and revelation of the Catholic church molestation scandal. The team began their investigation by reaching out to stubborn and strong-willed lawyer, Mitchell Garabedian. Garabedian believed Boston’s (now former) Archbishop, Cardinal Law, was aware of the sexual abuse that priest John Geoghan was committing, but took no action against it. After working with Garabedian, the Spotlight team continued their investigation and discovered a pattern of abuse committed by several different members within the church. The movie follows the team as they reach out to victims and piece together the scandal. “Spotlight” depicts Boston through its chic cafes in the South End, sophisticated office buildings in the Financial District, and the journal-

ists’ apartments and Boston Globe headquarters in Irish-rooted neighborhoods like Southie and Dorchester. The movie is incredibly emotional and hard-hitting—especially during scenes of McAdams’ walk and talk in the park with a victim as he recounts his abuse near the church it occurred in and Ruffalo’s interview with a victim and heroin addict whose scars are visible on his arms. Set in 2001, many audiences will be able to sympathize with the team when they rush into work on the morning of September 11, only to huddle around a tiny TV together in shock and fear as the Twin Towers are taken down by terrorists, and have their urgent story put on hold. The depicted late nights the team spends writing away in their apartments and early mornings in the office policing the very busy abuse hotline they set up are inspiring scenes for any aspiring journalist. “Spotlight” is a mustsee for its expository nature.

S tar Wars: The Force Awakens B :A W y

lli

eseman

It’s been ten years since the last Star Wars movie was released. Directed by J.J. Adams, it is set thirty years after the defeat of the galactic empire and Luke Skywalker has disappeared. The galaxy now faces a new threat from Kylo Ren and the First Order who are bent on destroying the Resistance. The Resistance, backed by the Republic and led by General Leia Organa, Luke’s twin sister oppose the first order and are trying desperately to find Luke. In order to get a map to Luke’s location, pilot Poe Dameron meets with a village elder on the planet Jakku. Under the command of Kylo Ren stormtroopers destroy the village and capture Poe. Poe’s droid BB-8 is able to escape and meets Rey. Stormtrooper FN- 2187 finds himself unable to kill for the first order, releases Poe, and they escape in a tie

FB :oodfight ! R M y

ebecca

2015

fighter. After evading the first order, Poe gives FN2187 a new name Finn. They crash land on Jakku and Finn realizes that he may be the only survivor after Poe goes missing. He meets Rey and BB-8 and escape the first order in a Millennium Falson, unknown to both them. Rey and Finn join forces with Han Solo, Chewbaca, and the Resistance to defeat the First Order and find Luke Skywalker. The film continues on where Star Wars Return of the Jedi left off and introduces new characters that have ties to the original characters. This movie is excellent even for people who don’t like Star Wars. It will have you guessing the whole time even at the end and may make you shed a tear.

2012

To be clear, this is a terrible movie. The animation is shit, the script is awful and the entire movie is really weird. You have to tripping to get something out of it. That being said, I loved it. I love terrible movies, and this one is truly one of the worst. I can’t tell if it’s the lagging animation, interspecies sex, horrifying images or the Nazi imagery, but it’s everything I’d want in a movie—nothing short of a masterpiece. I recommend it to everyone I know when I have the chance. They managed to cast Christopher Lloyd, Eva Longoria, Hilary Duff and the ever wonderful Charlie Sheen as voice actors for one of the shittiest movies out there, but a few drinks in it is one of the best pieces of entertainment.

tragically disappears.

A few months later, Dex decides to retire from being a crime fighter and run a hot and sleazy nightclub instead. The nightclub is full of a combination of the name and off-brand mascots that fill the supermarket. One night, a new character enters and instantly grabs everyone’s attention: Lady X, the mascot of X brand, the brand to end all brands. She instantly bonds with Dan under the ruse that she loves chocolate and then tries to seduce him with a badly rendered plaid outfit. As the movie goes on, it becomes clear that Lady X wants to take over Marketopolis, intending to allow only X brand products to be sold. It is up to Dex and Dan to save Marketopolis from a symbol of communism The movie is set in Marketopolis, a fictional and fascism and solve the mystery of what hapsupermarket that turns into a city at night for the pened to Sunshine Goodness. mascots of the various brands of food they have This movie is full of numerous adult themes in there. As with any city, there is crime running rama way that doesn’t make sense at all. It’s the perpant in and around Marketopolis. Luckily they have fect conglomerate of thrill, mystery, love, product Dex Dogtective to single-handedly fight crime. He placement, comedy, animation and drama. It has is joined by his chocolate squirrel best friend and the clear message of teamwork saving the day comic relief sidekick, Daredevil Dan, and the love while also being reminiscent of American propaof his life, Sunshine Goodness. On the day Dex is ganda during the red scare. This is a movie that about to propose to his cat person girlfriend, she you’ll never forget.

Book Reviews “Wildflower” By: Drew Barrymore

rew Barrymore, child actress turned devoted mother, has collected memories and stories from Hollywood and otherwise to fashion a book of her life. While the book delves into meaningful friendships, motherhood and career; it seems to lack a depth that is necessary for a memoir. When writing about her childhood and the emotionally challenging parts of life, she is vague. It is very much a people-pleasing book, which seems to be a true personality trait of hers, but as an author she should have faith her readers. There is nothing more special than a book that brings you in and whispers to you secrets and stories, and sadly I did not find that to ring true. Her book does, however, highlight some interesting Hollywood relationships. She describes the beginning of her magical friendship with Adam Sandler, long-time comic actor and producer. Barrymore even describes Sandler as her “cinematic soul mate.” She reveals that for years their movie projects flourished because of their individual teams’ ability to function as a family. The moments that she expands on bonds such as this or describes Hawaiian Ping-Pong meetings, her experi-

ences come to life. Early in the novel, Barrymore raves about her godfather, Stephen Spielberg. The legendary director worked with her closely when she was filming for his movie “E.T”. While these relationships are charming, the book as a whole focuses too much on other people and not enough on her sense of self. In most of the chapters she highlights the joy of motherhood and the love she has for her daughters. This is special, however, it became repetitive and unnecessary by the end. It is evident that she wanted to keep this book light and fun, but I think this is a disservice to her story. Barrymore’s lack of depth in her memoir made it an okay read, but nothing I would recommend to someone, unless they were a huge fan of hers. -Beccy Anderson

“The Stand” By: Stephen King

tephen King is renowned for his thrilling tales of horror and science fiction. In 1978, early in his career, he wrote “The Stand,” a book he says is “an epic Lord-of-the-Rings-type story in an American setting.” In 1990, King released a new uncut version of the book, now a total of 1,152 pages compared to the original 823-page version. I suggest reading the uncut version. It is worth the extra length; I promise. The premise is that a deadly virus, nicknamed “Captain Trips,” infects the country and kills approximately 99.4 percent of the population. The story then follows the survivors as they attempt to come together and form a new society. However, a man named Randall Flagg appears to cause humanity’s unfinished destruction. Through each of his characters, King highlights the emotional responses that widespread destruction and loss causes. Woven through these character’s stories is an over-arching adventure of epic proportions that delves into the basic struggle between good and evil

while life still goes on for the rest of humanity. What makes “The Stand” an interesting book is that King is not afraid to use vulgarity and explicit content or kill off characters. He also doesn’t cover up the grittiness of the post-apocalypse world. There’s torture, violent deaths, murder and more. The book speeds through the adventure that takes characters across the country’s wasteland, but, once they settle down, new horrors start to stir up. The action takes quick turns, going from everyday dialogue to explosive moments. While the middle may become boring at times, the scenes you wait for give the novel its reputation as a classic work of Stephen King: building tension and a false sense of hope, consequently torturing the reader. Goodreads appropriately gives the novel a 4.3 out of 5 stars. If you’re interested in the horror, science fiction and adventure genres, check this book out, especially if you are a Stephen King fan. -Kyle Kittredge

Restaurant Reviews By: Larissa Claar and Fallon Greene

Laney and Lu Cafe 26 Water Street Exeter, NH 03833 As someone who is always on the hunt for healthy restaurant spots, I think it’s safe to say I was a little too excited to hear about the grand opening of Laney and Lu Cafe. Located right in the heart of the charming downtown Exeter, it is tucked behind the popular gift shop, Serendipity. The trendy cafe opened toward the beginning of this past school year, and is quickly becoming a hotspot.

My favorite smoothie is called Sweet Green, which is a blend of kale, spinach, banana, mango, ginger, cinnamon, and almond milk. To some the combination may seem slightly bizarre, but it truly comes together to make one big cup of harmony. Just sweet enough with a thick consistency and slight tang from the ginger. It is wonderful to also know how many gluten-free options they offer, one day for breakfast I was able to order gluten-free toast with a generous spread of almond butter and thinly sliced banana, all topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon. I could live off of this combination; the warm bread slightly melted the almond butter creating an irresistible meal.

Pharmacy. From the moment you walk through the door, the homey atmosphere and warm greeting offer the feeling of ease- and the stress of papers and tests just melt away. In the warm months, which may as well include winter now, dining is offered outside under a pergola lined with vines, the food being served on wrought iron tables and chairs. When the cold does come, seating is offered at the C-shaped bar or candle-lit tables arranged in an array across the one-roomed restaurant. When I first walked in, it was not the details that caught my attention, but the smells of the food. The menu is a casual-American, but let me tell you, it is delicious. For an appetizer, my friends and I decided to go for the calamari with the chipotle mayonnaise on the side. That was finished in less than five minutes with zero crumbs left on the plate. For dinner I ordered the chicken parmigiana over pasta and absolutely loved it. Chicken parmigiana is always my go to when I got out to eat, and this may have been the best one I have had to date. Everyone seemed to agree in regards to their own meal, because no one came up for air until their food was finished. For dessert, we decided to split a piece of chocolate peanut butter pie. Basically it was a warm Reese’s melting in my mouth and the perfect end to a great dinner.

Another one of my favorites is the Colorful Curry bowl. It is an explosion of flavor made up of curry infused rice (or quinoa), spinach, shredded carrots, red and yellow pepper, purple cabbage, green onions, almond-miso sauce, sunflower seed veggie burger (which they make in a dehydrator, cooked on low heat to preserve nutrients), sliced avocado, Thai-spiced cashews and raw sesame When I visited the café for the first time I was seeds. instantly pleased by my surroundings because it This place is an experience within itself. The has clean, contemporary, and an overall pleasant environment. Although the café itself is quite small, service is always wonderful, so helpful and kind. with only about 5 small tables to sit at, the high Although for us broke college students it may ceilings eliminate the feeling of cluttered space. seem a little pricey, it’s a great place to go if you When the sunlight shines through the windows it are willing to splurge a bit for a healthy wholesome Overall, Bella’s offers a reasonably priced dining turns into one of the coziest spots in town with a meal. I would go here every day if I could –it’s just experience with excellent food. If you and your that good! vibe that speaks to a wide range of costumers. friend’s are looking to go out to eat, I highly recommend Bella’s. Trust me, as I waddled out of there, The menu is a whole different story. Everything I didn’t regret it. from coffee and tea to salads, wraps and bowls. Bella’s Casual Dining They serve breakfast and lunch, and meals to go if anyone is craving a spectacular meal for dinner. 5 Mill Road They have smoothies and smoothie bowls, desserts, Durham, NH 03824 and even snacks-on-the-go. I’ve tried something from every part of the menu, because it’s just that good. Bella’s is a quaint little restaurant located right in the Mill Plaza, placed right next to the Rite Aid The owner, Jennifer Desrosiers made it her goal to supply her customers with food in the purest form as possible. They are partnering with local farms to supply vibrant, whole foods and even organic whenever possible. Most of the meals offered are prepared raw without chemicals, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

Balancing Multiple Hats: UNH Edition By: Lilly Radack

here are approximately 15,398 students enrolled at UNH, each balancing academics, sports, relationships, hobbies and social lives. I found that many of the people I know have been overwhelmed recently, feeling that their schedules are too much to handle. The question is how do we do this and still have an ounce of sanity left? Drinking may be the obvious answer for some people, but really the trick to having it all together is the simple fact that realizing that no one does. And that’s okay. Take, for example, me and my life. I am an English/Journalism and Political Science dual major, I play soccer on the UNH Women’s Soccer team, I had a job working for a Campaign during the fall semester and somehow threw into the mix some friends and a social life. I survived on 5 hours of sleep a night and found that a lot of the time I

was completely stressed out. Whether it was about a paper I hadn’t started or if I would make it to practice on time, every moment felt like a process. I was a giant stress ball all of the time. It wasn’t until recently that I realized this is not how I want to live through college. I needed some perspective. The truth is that there are thousands of other students on campus who have harder schedules than I do, and feel that they need to re-evaluate, re-organize and structure their lives. I’m writing this article to say this: don’t.

get the chance to notice that I wasn’t living the one I have right now. Jobs, internships, classes, teams, clubs are all there to fulfill every student’s college experience, not to stress you out. This is easier said than done, of course. At times, everyone gets stressed out, and that’s not your fault. My challenge for you would be to notice each time you find yourself heading down that path to stop and rationalize your thought process. If we go through life worrying about the next feat we have to accomplish in our day, we will never appreciate what the experience in each moment brings. Yes, there will be times that there are other obstacles out of our control, things that are hard to get through, but that’s what life is all about. Staring the hard times in the face and knowing that tomorrow is a new day.

College is about figuring your shit out. No one is sitting behind your shoulder and judging your D on the exam you didn’t have time to study for (although my parents might). We truly are our worst critics. So my thoughts are to chill out and let it go. I’m so tired of worrying about what I’m Don’t have it all together, let yourself off the hook, going to do with the rest of my life that I didn’t because life is messy and too fun to watch it fly by.

Relationship Status: It’s Complicated By: Carina Mossman

y partner and I have known each other since we were in kindergarten. When he asked me out at recess in the fifth grade I said no. I said no again in high school. To his credit, he was persistent and in our senior year of high school I finally opened up to him. I explained to him that I didn’t want to be committed because I don’t believe in monogamy. Eighteen years of refusing to hold somebody’s hand on the playground, refusing to steal kisses in the cafeteria, refusing to bring a date to prom because I’ve never wanted to be anybody’s “girl”. We decided to try an open relationship. It is safe for me to say that it is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Although I don’t believe in monogamy for myself, I can’t speak for every couple’s relationship even if it is non-monogamous. Over the course of four years our relationship has morphed into something I would have never imagined at eighteen. Every person I know who is in an open relationship does it differently. But a similar trend I am finding is that many people are not talking about it. It somehow came as a surprise to me when four of the closest people in my life came out to me as non-monogamous. My partner and I approach our relationships in different ways. My relationship with my partner has been centered around laughter, trust and communication. My partner prefers to have closer connections with his other partners. He will see people

more consistently and will arguably form stronger bonds. My relationship with many of my other partners tend to hold sex before all else and I am more likely to have one night stands. I have created lasting relationships and have learned important things from these relationships; I’ve learned about myself and my own growth as well as the things that my partners are passionate about like psychedelic funk music or how to make vegan nacho cheese. More of my relationships are closer to friends with benefits rather than intimate or romantic partners.

The emotional trust is never immediate and cannot be assumed to be so. It was important for us to create a strong base before moving forward.

Before my partner and I parted ways for our first year of higher education we had a haphazard conversation about staying together. We agreed that sex is personal and knowing about each other’s experiences could make us jealous or angry or upset. We wanted to stay in touch but we did not want to know anything about each other’s sex lives. We tried to recognize the love we shared and took steps An open relationship is individualized to you to continuing to share that love without inhibiting and your partners. I’m still learning about myself it. As a result, we continued our romantic relationand the people I choose to sleep with. Similarly, ship but we stopped talking about our sex lives. my relationship with my partner is also a learning When he returned for a long weekend in Ocprocess and what keeps my partner and me close tober we realized that our conversation had not is what makes any of our other relationships posbeen thorough enough. We were confused about sible: trust and communication. The trust we have where we stood. We were unsure if the other was for each other and open and honest communicaeven having sex and then we were concerned that tion are forces that remain central and consistent. one of us was having more sex than the other and Trusting another person is difficult. Trust- it was messy and weird. At that point we began ing someone with your emotional well-being, talking about safety and making sure the other your sexual health and safety, and your social person was practicing safe, consensual sex. We reputation is not an easy task. Giving multi- stopped lying to each other but we still were not ple people your trust can be frightening and ex- telling each other the truth. In hindsight, we needhausting. It’s similar to putting everything about ed to set boundaries and communicate them and yourself into a cardboard box and throwing it be clear on our expectations. We were still uncominto the ocean, hoping the waves won’t collapse fortable sharing the intimate details. As a result, init before the sogging cardboard reaches shore. securities appeared and we realized that overcoming socialized jealousy is, in a single word, hard. Creating a strong bond with someone that is centralized around trust is a bond that is built My partner took a gap year during my sophtogether over time. For me, it would be is impos- omore year. At this point in our relationship we sible to be vulnerable to multiple people at once. focused on each other. We stopped seeing oth-

er people and spent almost every day together. met because I felt as if I had nothing to lose. explore his sexuality further and we’ve been able to talk about this as well. It is often the case that After our first years at school we felt as if we The relationships that I’ve acquired since bepartners will have sexual needs that another parthad spent too much time away from each other. coming “open” have taught me more about myself ner cannot satisfy. An open relationship allows Because of this, we truly focused on our lives to- than I would have ever expected. I’ve found my partners to have holistic sexual gratification withgether. Practicing monogamy during this time so- voice – I’ve been able to talk more to my experiout judgment or shame. Not being tied down to lidified our trust and created a stronger base to go ences and my expectations and who I am than ever a single person is sexually liberating because we forward with our open relationship. We worked before. I am unafraid to ask someone I’ve just met don’t have to conceal our kinks or meet in the through the problems of being together almost if they’ve been tested… and in the odd occurrences middle when we just want to go separate ways. every day. Spending so much time together led that I’ve received a negative reaction I’ve been able us to miscommunicating in different ways and to tell them about the importance of knowing of I’ve grown from the experiences I’ve been able to forced us to learn how to understand each other your STI status. Just recently I received a text from talk to my partner about. I’ve had positive and negmore honestly. The drastic changes in our space someone I had been hooking up with earlier in the ative experiences and we’ve been able to integrate and living situation changed how we interacted year that said “I’m negative!” It made me laugh and the positive into our relationships and sex lives. I’ve with each other and encouraged strong individual reflect on how far we’ve come. Being responsible also found that talking about the weird sex I had growth as well. The person I was at the end of about my sexual health is empowering. I more free- last weekend to my best friend is ten times more remy first year at school was nobody close to the ly engage in good, safe sex and I often find myself lieving when I get to cleanse my pallet after I vent. person I was at the beginning of my junior year. in control of social situations. If someone had told We also talk about the romantic and emofirst-year me I would feel this way now I would A monogamous relationship was not sometional aspects of being with different people. have been embarrassed and defensive. I’m radicalthing I ever really wanted. It was an imWhen you’re on your own it can be overwhelmly more confident now and have a comprehensive portant experience because we built genering to decipher strong emotions or relations beunderstanding of myself and my relationships. al relationship skills that translated to open tween people that exist. If anything makes us relationships and really, all relationships. I am also more comfortable with myself and feel uneasy or anxious we can find the root of who I am. I’ve experienced a lot of growth within the trouble together. We are able to hash out, It wasn’t until my junior year of college the past four years. My understanding of my own together, how to proceed and how to be sure that I experienced the freedom that I desired. sexuality wouldn’t have come about if I hadn’t that each person we are with is safe and happy. I openly flirted with others and allowed myhad the experience to have sexual encounters with self to feel lusted after. I began making friends Being in an open relationship has encouraged me different people. My partner has also been able to in social groups I wouldn’t normally have to be more outgoing and take more chances socially.

A large portion of open, honest communication is talking about what makes us angry or jealous or upset. Some of these conversations have been the most difficult conversations I’ve ever had in my life. Opening myself to another person makes me vulnerable and overwhelms me with a sense of insecurity that I would typically hide from. But understanding one another and talking about these feelings is crucial to overcoming them and reducing the chances of them happening in the future. It would be a lie to say that I haven’t fucked up in our relationship. An open relationship is a learning process in which it is normal to stumble and make mistakes. I once broke my partner’s trust and was unable to gain that back for many weeks. Differing expectations about romantic or sexual relationships can result in heartbreak. That is why it is so important to be preventative, understanding, and willing to talk about every aspect of your relationship. Being in a long distance open relationship has allowed us to explore our sexual and romantic selves. It’s also forced us to trust each other, ask questions, be truthful, and to put the other first. The growth I’ve experienced with my partner and other partners has translated to my academic and professional relationships as well. When you first begin working with someone new it’s natural

to do a dance, test the water and try to be aware of the other person as much as you’re aware of yourself. Being completely transparent with someone so close to me has forced me to understand that even when I think I’m on the same page as someone else, it’s necessary to check in and ask. When there are disagreements or misunderstandings it is necessary to come at a problem from different angles. When you’re stuck, take a break and come back to it later. But always make sure to come back to the problem again. Pushing any dilemma aside and lingering when bringing up issues between people are killers of relationships. It can be easy to not talk about an issue, but lingering tensions may eventually force one person to buckle and break down. Then it becomes even more difficult to work through because one side has collapsed because of an invalidation of their feelings. I am often faced with stigma when I share that I’m in an open relationship. Many people wonder if we truly love each other because we chose to open ourselves, physically and emotionally, to others. It’s true that someone may be able to pleasure him in different ways than I am. Someone else may be more knowledgeable about his interests. We have talked about how my partner wants to have children in the future and I do not. Even with all of this, I am never afraid that my partner will “find someone bet-

ter” or will consider leaving me for someone else. We don’t believe that there is a scarcity of love. Similarly to how there are many people in your life that you love in different ways, such as your best friends, your parents or a respected mentor, I share different degrees of love with some of my partners. Over the course of my relationship with my partner I have begun to explore my polyamorous identity. I can’t speak for the polyamorous community, but I have found that open and honest communication is just as critical in polyamorous relationships as it is in non-monogamous relationships. As long as I am sharing my growth with my partner, he doesn’t feel upset or insecure with how I chose to live my life. When we look toward the future we need to consider all aspects of our future and, especially if he plans on having children, we may need to consider long term relationships with other people as well. At times it is still be hard for me to understand what I want. It’s become easier for me to be honest with other people but sometimes it’s still hard for me to be honest with myself. I’m still trapped and confined by the socialization I’ve been subject to my entire life but being in an open relationship has allowed me to work through it with people I love.

Gymtimidation By: Kyle Kittredge

’ve attempted to workout almost every se- and so I call it quits and end my first day at the gym. mester but failed. This time is different; I It’s kind of ironic. The reason to go to the gym think. My goal is to go to the gym at least is to look and feel better about your body, yet here three times a week and build muscle, alI am, doubting myself to go to the gym based though so far it’s not going well. on the fact that I’ve hardly even started. When I feel like all eyes are on me as I walk into the I was younger, I used to do track, and I still ski Hamel Recreation Center. While glancing into the every winter, so I’m not completely inactive. Yet window of the equipment room, I see tons of the gym is different. And others feel the same. tough students deep into workout mode. I awk“I’ve definitely experienced it,” junior Akaylah wardly look at a girl on the treadmill for too long, Glidden said. “Even after already having four-plus and she ends up looking at me, slightly confused. I years of powerlifting and endurance training under quickly avert my eyes from her gaze and decide to my belt from being a high school athlete, I rememget started on lifting weights after a pathetic cardio ber walking into the Hamel Recreation Center for attempt where I only ran a fourth of a mile. I nerthe first time and being overwhelmed by the numvously glance at the crowd of students filling up ber of people as well as the number of machines.” the weights space. It’s mostly guys here, with a few girls mixed in. The awful pop music that is playing Glidden is a double major in nutrition and wellness above my head doesn’t help. I scroll through my and gastronomy. She is also an online fitness coach. phone and throw on a random Foo Fighters song to “What’s important to understand is that, whatdrown out the music and help me relax. I also check ever level you are at, what you’re doing is so immy notes to see which exercises I should be doing. portant,” Glidden encouraged. “I emphasize It’s arm day, hence the weight lifting. I go over the word ‘you’ because exercise in all forms is to pick up some 15-pound weights. They’re heavier such an individualized experience. Especialthan I thought. Anxiety overcomes me as I struggle ly if you’re new at something, you can’t just with these puny dumbbells compared to everyone jump right in and expect to be amazing at it or else’s 75, or even 125, pounds. After a few sets my be able to match those who have years of expearms are strained. They feel like heavy Jell-O, and rience. It’s just not realistic. But that’s not to say I didn’t even complete the set I was on. I decide to you can’t work up to it. We all grow at different give up and run a few more laps. But that goes the paces and have to start somewhere. That person same as earlier, a few laps ending in a tired mess, benching 250 pounds most likely started at 50.”

Glidden overcame the gym intimidation that others experience by trying out different types of workouts and taking it slow. “I already had a knowledge of several different strength and conditioning techniques and knew I could always depend on either some interval training or a long slow distance cardio day,” Glidden explained. “But it still took me a while to work out in my mind what I wanted my time at the gym to look like. I started planning my workouts ahead of time to cut back on worry-time and allow myself to go in with a focused plan and get back out in no time.” Most ed gym vated if mats or

students feel intimidated by the crowdat UNH. It can be harder to stay motiyou can’t find a spot to workout on the are waiting for a machine at a busy time.

“Even though kids know the gym is packed, there are still so many kids you can’t do anything; it’s kind of a pain,” senior Kyle Lockwood said. Lockwood works at the front desk of the Hamel Recreation Center and notices when the “regulars” come in. “Those that come at 6 a.m. when [the gym] opens, it’s the same people,” Lockwood commented, “which is awesome, cause you pretty much count on the same people being here at the same time.” Lockwood said the gym is most crowded between 6 and 8 p.m., while mornings and the ear-

ly afternoon are often less busy, except for MonAccording to UNH kinesiology professor Dr. “No one should feel uncomfortable days, which are always crowded with students Timothy Quinn, a lack of knowledge about work- when it comes to going to the gym,” Agumaking up workouts they missed on the weekend. ing out also contributes to gym intimidation. irre said. “No one cares what you look like or if it’s your first time going to the gym.” I experienced this Monday fitness craze on my “People who are just starting an exercise prosecond trip to the gym. I could barely find room gram go into a facility like the Whitt where Travis Lavway, a junior business major, goes to sit on a mat on the opposite side of the bas- there are a lot of people all the time,” Quinn to the gym four to five days a week and has ketball courts and do simple push-ups and sit-ups. said, “and they say ‘how am I going to do been for the past six years. He started by gowhat I need to?’ or ‘how do I go about it?’ that ing with his buddies who played football and I had made a list of all the exercises to do for comes up and makes them feel intimidated.” then stuck with it. Having friends to workout each body area ahead of time. For some warmwith kept him motivated and led him to creup stretches and exercises, I looked up YouTube Dr. Quinn used to run the UNH Cardiac Rehabilate his own workout plan, which he still uses. videos, which are great because they show you itation Program, a recovery program for victims of what you should be doing. I got the rest of my strokes and heart attacks and those who have had However, even gym regulars like Lavway still routine from an app someone had told me to open-heart surgery. Quinn said many of his patients have moments of intimidation and have to fight download: Sworkit. I’ve gone through dozens of were scared to start out. Fortunately, they are taught excuses not to workout. They too have to remind useless fitness apps, but this one is good because how to properly do exercises and use equipment. themselves that personal progress is the goal. it shows you bodyweight only exercises—ones “I think a large part of it is if you get started “It’s not about where you are,” said you don’t need weights for—so I wouldn’t have correctly, you’ll keep coming back,” Quinn added. Lavway. “It’s about where you were comto wait for a machine or feel nervous about being He also suggested that working with a trainer, go- pared to now. I think everyone really recin the weights section all the time. Unfortunately, ing with a friend or taking classes can help a lot. ognizes that. Or at least they should. I do.” that anxious feeling of being stared at persisted. When Kassandra Aguirre, a junior marketGoing back to the gym for a third try, I became I also felt nervous that I was doing the exing major, first walked into the Hamel Rec Cen- much harder on myself. For cardio, I wouldn’t stop ercises wrong. I thought, “that guy looks like ter, she felt overwhelmed and like she was be- until I had ran at least four laps, and I plan to run he’s doing a better job, maybe I’ll copy him.” ing judged for having no idea how to use the outside once it’s nice out. When lifting weights, I Although that didn’t help; since, he was much equipment. It took her a while to come back. just concentrated on looking down at my feet inbetter and much more experienced than me. stead of at the numerous mirrors reflecting the Today was abs day, so I started with crunches. To overcome her gym intimidation, Aguirre went fit gym veterans around me. I reminded myself with a friend and worked with a trainer who taught The guy near me was doing crunches with his feet that they probably started out this way. For abs her how to use the different types of equipment. hovering off the ground, but, when trying to copy day and other body-weight only exercises, I’ve him, I couldn’t get my sneakers off the mat. I heard “It took a while,” Aguirre said, “and I may made the commitment to go first thing when I people laughing and immediately assumed they not ‘look’ like the most in shape person, but I wake up on the weekends; that way it won’t be as were laughing at me, even though they probably feel comfortable going to the gym, and I get crowded, and I’ll be able to settle into a routine, weren’t. I stopped trying to copy people after that. so into my workouts that I don’t even realize hopefully becoming a “regular” at the gym one there are other people working out around me.” day. My killer Foo Fighters pump up playlist helps. I hurriedly finished and decided to get a head start on homework for the next day. AlI’m not saying I’m there yet, but it’s a work in progress. Now Aguirre even teaches a zumthough, by rushing my workout, I know I end- ba class once a week at the gym. ed up not getting in the proper exercise routine.

The Waiting Game By: Amy Rixon

hen I came home from studying abroad, I held my boyfriend’s face in my hands like I had just lost my vision. I knew that my eyes were looking at him, but I did not believe it. I could see his new haircut and his freshly ironed shirt. I could see his eyes and kept looking deeper into them. But somewhere between my eyes and my brain, our reunion became an underwater dream. My thumbs moved up and down my boyfriend’s cheekbones while I held his face and he held me. I felt like I was on drugs. His face was not two-dimensional. For months, I had gotten used to the FaceTime version of him. I was expecting his face to buffer or have the word “connecting” flash over his nose. But here I had the real deal, and it caught me off guard. “Honestly, I didn’t recognize you” he confessed to me later.

For about a half hour, our reunion was nothing but hugs, mumbles of “hi, I missed you,” and a lot of jet lag. Those hugs were the most satisfying part of coming back because they were what I missed the most. I was homesick for a lot of things, like bagels and snow, and hugs were by far the hardest to be away from. I met dozens of new people and made a handful of friends, but I was not going to hug my friend Molly like I would my boyfriend. Our relationship could not be substituted or replicated while I was away, so I all I could do was wait. This waiting game was so fake. We would lie to ourselves by saying “see you soon!” because no matter what way you put it, four months is not soon. I saw it as a way to be optimistic because maybe if I said it, I would start to believe it. Optimism is difficult but it is necessary in a long distance relationship. Fellow long-distancer Courtney (‘16) and her boyfriend Zach live in a relationship of optimism. Zach graduated from

UNH last year and lives in Boston. She is able to visit him about once a month, but that distance is still too long for them. To stay positive, they create fun dates for every time she visits, like going on a hike, doing a bar-crawl, or seeing the Boston Ballet. This way, they have something special to look forward to, which she said makes it easier. Another long distance Wildcat Mckenzie (‘16) agrees that something to look forward to makes the long distance relationship (LDR, as she calls it) worth it. Mckenzie told me that in order to make LDRs work, you have to have a time frame of when you are going to “close the gap.” She met her boyfriend, Nick, while studying abroad in Ireland this past summer. While she fell in love with the Irishman, she also fell in love with Ireland in general. She only applied to graduate schools in Ireland and plans to move there in August. She is moving there for the culture of the country but admits that Nick is a pretty big perk. Hav-

ing that date makes it easier to look ahead realistically and rationally, she said. I agree with this because the fact that I knew that I would see my boyfriend on exactly 05/01/2015 at approximately 2:00 pm gave me motivation and hope. For those who are lucky enough to be a partner in a successful long distance relationship, most will say that absence truly makes the heart grow fonder. This is a motto that Courtney lives by. She also thinks it makes herself fonder. When she and Zach are apart, the person she focuses the most on is herself. When they were both at UNH, Courtney and Zach spent a lot of time together. But when Zach is in Boston, she is not spending time trying to impress Zach or other men. In her long distance relationship, Courtney’s main goal is to impress herself. She focuses on school, spending time with her friends, and being more independent. Her long distance relationship has helped strengthen her and her relationship. “Long distance relationships suck but they’re worth it” Mckenzie said. “It makes you appreciate your partner for who they are.” I found that my time apart from my boyfriend helped me appreciate our relationship altogether. I know that my boyfriend does not just like me for sex, because he feels obligated to, or because it is the cool

thing to do. I know that he cares what I have to say and who I am as a person, because that is all we had for four months. There was no physical gain from our long distance relationship and no arm candy to brag about. Those four months confirmed that our relationship is strong because we want to be together, and no other reason. “If you’re willing to have a relationship with them without seeing them everyday, it says a lot about who you are as a person” Mckenzie said.

“happy” and “frustrated.” These tend to be popular ones among long distance relationship participants, creating one huge emotional roller coaster. I would get extremely sad and discouraged so I would call my boyfriend. We would FaceTime for a while and as long as I could hear his voice and see his face, I was the happiest girl in the world. Then, when we would have to hang up, I was back in the blues. I would tried to enjoy myself, but my boyfriend always lingered in the back of my mind. When I would let myself think about him, it was all I thought of and my sadness was amplified. None of this drama compared to the complete and utter elation I felt when I saw him again. Four months of sadness built up an emotional capacity for me to be the happiest I have ever been in my life, as twisted as it may seem.

I am crazy enough to say that I only knew my boyfriend for a few months before I jetted off to Europe. In the first year that we dated, we spent more time apart than we did together. When I say it out loud, it sounds so ludicrous to me. But when I think about it, there was no other option. Mckenzie was in the same boat. “I liked Nick enough to know that I would regret it big time if I didn’t at least try” When I was abroad, I had one nosy roommate she told me. “Being in a long distance relationship tell me that the reason I was so homesick was beis not ideal,” she explained, “but I do not regret it.” cause I talked to my boyfriend too much. I was offended by this comment because the only people Travis (‘18) summed up the general consensus that know my relationship are my boyfriend and I got about long distance relationships: “They are myself. We worked as a team to make it through bad because you miss them but good because it the distance and came out stronger and happimakes you happy when you are together.” This is er that we had in the months previous to my dean important concept in long distance relationships parture. I love my boyfriend for who he is and I because as Mckenzie pointed out, all emotions are am confident that he feels the same because afamplified. For her, it is largely the emotions of ter what we went through, we can do anything.

Got Kava? By: Jack Shea

ll across the globe, human beings have historically sought out different substances to inebriate themselves or to alter their consciousness. Different cultures have different ways of doing so for both recreational and spiritual purposes, and, whether it bethrough daily marijuana use in Jamaica or South American ayahuasca-fueled rituals, some cultures place a highly-religiousvalue on substances that others might consider harmful ordangerous. Here in America, very much like other Western societies, we love alcohol. We may not have an explicitly spiritual relationship with it, but it is still deeply intertwined with our society even on a commercial and industrial level. We value booze for its powerful relaxing properties and its ability to act as a social lubricant so much that most adult social gatherings arguably involve some level of drinking—it has even become a staple of the ever-glamorized “college experience” (which somehow leaves out the misery of finals week or perils of student debt). But as most of us know, alcohol can be dangerous and, in extreme cases, can lead one to waking up naked behind bars in a pool of their own urine. Yes, drinking too much can feel a lot like kicking your future self in the temple, but it also has several long-term risks. It’s terribly addictive, and continued use can lead to a variety of serious health issues. According to the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism, roughly 88,000 Americans die from alcohol-related deaths each year, making it the third most common cause of death in the United States. Yet despite all of these negative aspects, we continue to poison ourselves for the sake of a good time. After thinking extensively of our culture’s tangled relationship with alcohol, I wondered how typical friendly gatherings would play out if alcohol were substituted for something…different. When I travelled to Naviti, Fiji, last year, I experienced my first authentic kava ceremony. Kava is a crop of the South Pacific islands that is used to create a drink with sedative, anesthetic and entheogenic properties, meaning that it creates a state of bodily relaxation and is often used to create more spiritual states of consciousness. It is widely used to calm stress, anxiety and restlessness and is even sold in pill form in some places. In Fiji, the roots of the plant are ground to a powder that is mixed with water in a large bowl to produce a mirky-looking liquid that looks and tastes like dirty water and is drunk by islanders during kava ceremonies. The Fijians were some of the warmest and most welcoming people I have ever met, and hardly went without a smile on their face. Their lifestyle

is probably best represented by the emblematically Fijian phrase “bula,” which is perhaps the most-used word in the Fijian language; its direct translation is “life,” but it is used as a sort of universal word similar to the Hawaiian “aloha.” Everywhere I went on the island, I was greeted by a big smile and an enthusiastic “Bula!” that reminded me that I was in an absolute paradise.

was pretty entertaining; kava tastes like absolute shit and makes for some pretty entertaining involuntary facial expressions (see pictures). After the first bowl, everyone agreed that they felt a tingly, numbing sensation in their mouths and throats that grew more intense with each round. A few bowls later, most of us were beginning to feel a slow-growing relaxation in our bodies that was both subtle and soothing—the kava’s sedative properties were kicking in, and we felt great. But, because stubborn college students are unable to drink ANYTHING in moderation, we pressed on in the name of science.

After returning home and telling friends about my experiences, I realized that there was considerable curiosity about kava among my friends, so I thought about organizing a small, makeshift kava ceremony in my apartment as a sort of social experiment. After all, this is college, the intersecA few more bowls and I began to feel exhaustion tion of adolescence and adulthood during which creeping up on me, and I began to feel heavy and lewe’re supposed to experiment, try new things thargic. The volume of conversation had settled to and take reasonable risks—and learn, of course. a dull roar as we all settled into a deep kava-induced Now, I should say that kava consumption isn’t stupor, and the already-small crowd began to thin totally free of health risks. Some reports have out, leaving only a few of us melting into our spots linked kava to hepatoxicity and liver damage, and it on the floor. After coming to grips with my exhaushas been banned in Switzerland, Canada and Ger- tion, I decided to pull the plug and get some sleep. many. If you’re ever going to try kava for yourself, While we all experienced the same general feelI suggest that you do some research and educate ing during the ceremony, some of us experienced yourself on the risks and benefits before diving in. different, but powerful,aftereffects later that night After doing some research, I came across sev- and the next day. One friend of mine said that eral online kava vendors across the country. I he fell asleep right away and managed to sleep an compared prices (kava is kind of expensive), com- extra hour past his alarm, nearly missing his first pared different strains and ultimately ended up class. I, on the other hand, experienced the polar ordering two pounds of Fijian Waka Kava from opposite effect. Shortly after cleaning up and reBulakavahouse.com for a whopping $80.00. I was tiring to my mattress, I was overcome by a strong expecting a lengthy guest list, but, after changing feeling of physical unrest; my body trembled from the date several times, I was left with a dangerous- its core, and I felt my stomach churn like a cely high kava-to-person ratio, the crowd consisting ment truck as I tossed and turned deep into the only of myself, my roommates and a few friends. wee hours of the morning. After catching a short glimpse of sleep, I awoke early the following mornBy the time everyone came over, I had already ing with a slightly milder version of the anxious brewed a couple dozen eight-ounce doses of kava sensations I had felt the night before coupled in a blender and strained them into two large with a crippling exhaustion that I carried throughbowls. The lights in the room were low, and I had out my entire day. I was experiencing my first everyone sit in a circle on the floor as I explained kava hangover, and it wasn’t any better or worse how the ceremony would work. I wanted to create than some of my worst post-alcohol experiences. the closest thing I could to a real Fijian kava ceremony without utterly disgracing or making a mockWhile my friends and I agreed that we would be ery of the tradition, so I stuck to the basic practic- totally satisfied if we never drank kava again, we es without going too over the top. One by one, I recognized our experience as a regret-free cultural would pour a bowl of kava, pass it to someone in learning experience. Maybe drinking a lesser amount the circle, and they would raise it up, exclaiming would have made for a better experience, but, like “Bula!” All other members of the group would alcohol, a certain level of trial and error is involved clap once, and the kava drinker would quickly chug with determining personal limits. I’m a firm believhis bowl. Once he or she was finished, everyone er that experience is the best teacher and that life is would clap three times. Typically, there are more all about taking risks, experimenting and adventurdetails, blessings and regulations involved in kava ing in capacities large and small. I may not be such a ceremonies, but I left them out for simplicity’s sake. huge fan of their choice beverages, but could definitely use a dose of the Fijian mindset from time Seeing everyone’s reaction after their first taste to time. For now, though, I’ll stick to beer. Bula!

Nassau, Bahamas Photos by Claire Cortese

Party of One By: Jamie Smith

ull disclosure: the moment I put forth my desire to write this piece, I began coming up with reasons not to write it, or at least ways to half-ass it. When thinking about the tasks that I set for myself, the laundry list of things I’d rather be doing—doing my laundry was quite literally on my list—became so enormous that I was nearly talked out of it. But I went through with it, and here’s how it went.

ing to the movies. I chose a Saturday afternoon, prime movie-going time. I didn’t tell a soul where I was going, in case I chickened out and later felt forced to explain myself. When I got to the theater, I circled in my car for a spot, convincing myself that if I didn’t find one reasonably close, I’d just bag the whole afternoon entirely. Admittedly, I was almost disappointed when I actually did find a spot. There was no turning back now.

I really like being by myself. Sometimes I am even struck with the thought I like it too much. I relish in the idea of a dinner at HoCo on my own terms, or the drive to the Coffee Station in Newmarket with nothing but my podcasts to keep me company. I never bother to find friends to go to the library with, or generally plan my day around others. In a phrase, I do my own thing.

I bought my single ticket for Room. I grabbed my ticket out of the dispenser and proceeded to the concession line for some popcorn. My seat was nestled between two middle-aged couples, in a larger sea of middle-aged couples. It appeared I was the youngest and loneliest person there.

In the sphere of college, this is alright—in fact, it seems that there are two kinds of people: people like myself who enjoy their alone time, and people who’d rather starve than eat a meal by themselves. Yet the idea of doing these things outside of UNH, outside of my Durham safety net, petrified me. Sure, I’d do the things I needed to do by myself, going to Trader Joe’s or buying a sweater. But I would never do something so decidedly social and pleasurable—like eating out, going to the movies, shopping for shopping’s sake—by myself. On the surface, the fears I had about doing these activities were linked to embarrassment. What if someone I knew saw me? Or worse, what if the people I didn’t know judged me? But deeper than those fears were my beliefs about how quickly things can transcend from being alone to being lonely. When I do things around campus by myself, I enjoy them thoroughly—in fact, I find such alone time intoxicating. I’m introverted, certainly, and prefer the quiet time to indulge in my own interests. But doing things in Durham still feels private.

The movie itself was excellent, though perhaps not the best one to see by oneself. See, I’m one of those pop-culture addicts who likes to talk about, or at least exchange glances with someone about what she is watching as it happens (though I promise I’m not a movie-talker). Room was very dark and emotional, so I left feeling somewhat deeper into my self-created loneliness than I had entered. I thought I would find the experience of seeing a movie by myself as rewarding, see it as a new way to treat myself and plan my free time around doing things I want to do regardless of others. Yet the experience instead left me in a place of wondering whether I could have gotten anyone to go to the movies with my if I had tried.

The more intimidating of the two alone-time events, dining out, was one I never expected to conquer, let alone do so before this article went to print. Working in a restaurant, I’ve interacted with many solo-diners, be they those who head right for the bar to eliminate having to stare at the other empty chairs at their table, or those who ask for a table specifically, typically to “spread out” with their reading materials. All of them seem quite comfortable in their solo status, though I have to As I said before, the thought of trying to conwonder if that comes naturally or through practice. quer this fear felt too large, and I’m sure I could have filled pages of this magazine with hypothetPersonally, I have done all that I could in the past icals. I could cite the growing research that those to not eat alone, whether it be waiting in my car unwho are afraid to do such hedonistic activities, yet til my dining partners have arrived or getting food still do them, actually enjoy themselves. I could pre- to go when really craving a certain cuisine. In an dict what might happen if I did one of these activi- act of hunger desperation a few weeks ago, I was ties. Or I could actually bite the bullet and do one. forced to have a bite at a Portsmouth restaurant while waiting for some of my friends to join me for I decided on the less-extreme option of argua drink. It was a loud Saturday night, and the restauably the two biggest do-it-yourself activities: gorant-bar was hopping. I had planned to saddle up

to the bar itself, grabbing an inconspicuous seat in the corner, but given how busy the place was, I was forced to get a table. The host brought me to a table for six (literally the roomiest table in the joint) in the middle of the restaurant. It was like my worst dining nightmares had come true. As a host, I know how much of pain it can be to not seat a table with the maximum amount, and as a woman, I apologize for literally everything, so I squeaked out an apology to the girl forced to clear the remaining five place settings. She adamantly told me not to apologize, as if people must do this all the time. A few minutes later, some servers pulled away a two-top connected to the table to seat another couple. Now I only had to stare at three empty chairs. That decidedly does not count as my first solo-dining experience. I was mired in an amount of embarrassment even I didn’t think I was capable of. No, my first solo-dining rendezvous had to be more organic and less depressing. And thus, while putting the finishing touches on this article, I had my opportunity. I had just gotten through security at Logan Airport, catching a flight to visit my sister, when I saw a Legal Sea Foods outpost. As an oyster-lover and a nervous-flier, I knew I could use some bivalves and booze in my system. Without a second thought, I walked over, looked the host and decisively said that I was headed to the bar. Over the course of the next hour, I unashamedly crushed a dozen oysters and two glasses of the house Sangria. Around me, diners came and went, some by themselves, some in twos or fours, yet none of this visibility in this very public place phased me. Perhaps it was the distance from Durham and its surrounds, where I feel like people “know me” (inflated sense of self, much?), or perhaps it was my desire to do something other than the homework I had brought but was avoiding. True reasons aside, I ventured into the unknown world of dining on my own, and I enjoyed it. In the end, I have mixed feelings about choosing to try these activities out, rather than writing in the hypothetical. Surely, doing them was the more journalistic thing to do (whatever that means), but I believe it forced me to deal with some thoughts I have about myself and the thin line between being alone and being lonely that maybe I wasn’t ready to think about yet. Despite all of that, I now at least know that if I want to see a movie or have dinner by myself, I can do it without crumbling. And that is enough for right now.

Feel the Bern By: Alli Weseman

f you look around the University of New Hampshire, you will see students and faculty discussing the upcoming presidential election. Walking around campus, you see volunteers out in the rain or shine discussing why their candidate would make a better president. Some people walk right past them or grab free stuff from their tables in the MUB, while few take the time to actually stop and hear what each candidate stands for. If I told you that one of those people who will stand out in a snowstorm handing out free t-shirts or trying to get people to help volunteer is me, a student who thinks that politics are boring and doesn’t understand what is happening in Washington D.C.-would you believe me? How government works has always confused me and left me with more questions than answers. I would often take the side of the candidate who I believed could make the most difference. The person who I felt would make my voice heard. I noticed that when I moved to New Hampshire, I would finally have a voice and be able to learn more about politics. The way it worked and why government acts how it does. I would take part in the first primary in the country to help decide the next president. The stage would be set and all eyes would be on New Hampshire.

the power to override the bill and it will just sit on the president’s desk until he decides what the next course of action will be. That is where society’s unhappiness with government comes into play. Once I moved to New Hampshire, I found that I was able to understand government and become a well informed voter. I wouldn’t vote for any candidate who promised to change America for the better because in my opinion that is all of them. I would vote for a candidate who has a consistent track record that matches their campaign promises. This lead me to research the candidates who were running and which one I feel would make an excellent president. The candidate who I felt understood the issues I was concerned with was Senator Bernie Sanders. With the little knowledge that I knew about him, I decided to volunteer for his first rally at UNH that happened in October. The most important thing I learned that day was that without volunteers, Presidential rallies would not take place. Volunteers are the lifeline of the campaign and the workers depend on us. We are responsible for helping with manual labor such as organizing buttons, posters, and stickers, setting up tables, signing people in, leading the press to their designated area, and helping with crowd control.Once our hard work is finished, volunteers are able to see the impact that they had on people and the importance of their help. Nothing compares to that smile on your face and the way your heart races a little when you see your favorite candidate come on stage and speak about the issues that you care about. This experience opened my eyes about how politics works on college campuses.

Coming from California, I was raised in a liberal household and all I knew about government was what I had learned in my high school Advanced Placement US Government class and even then I was still confused. The only thing that had stuck with me was that the president can’t be blamed for everything, the conflicts mostly reside in Congress. Often times the president has to deal with a After my involvement in helping with his first divided Congress and use Executive Order to get rally, I became obsessed in a way with helping stubills passed. If this happens then Congress has dents understand why Bernie Sanders would make

a better president. This lead me to Students for Bernie, an organization that was dedicated with helping Bernie Sanders win the New Hampshire Primary. I have not have been involved at lot before or over winter break with Students for Bernie but I was able to help them once school was back in session. I was out on the front lines so to say, campaigning on campus for Bernie Sanders. This involved balancing classes with volunteering which is no easy task especially when you are sick. Instead of resting, I was out in a snowstorm handing out t-shirts and informing people about the “Commit to Vote” concert featuring Bernie Sanders and Special Guests. When I was done with that job, I was able to get involved in a different job that was a little bit harder. This time I had to try and get people to volunteer to help on Election Day. The only problem was that people didn’t have the time to volunteer and that attending the concert and seeing Bernie Sanders speak was what they were doing to help. While I understand that not everyone had time in their schedules to help volunteer, I think that they missed out on opportunities that I was able to participate in while volunteering. This included being interviewed by the Concord Monitor and ITV news, a British television network. I was able to share my opinions about why I supported Bernie and what issues mattered to me. Without getting involved in Students for Bernie, I probably would not have experience any of this. In the end though, all of the hard work that I had put in paid off when Bernie Sanders won the New Hampshire Primary. I was able to get involved with a campaign and see all of the activity that surrounds UNH every four years. I also learned more about politics and that people actually do have a voice, it just depends on how they want to use that voice.

The Secret Life of an Extra By: Corey Scarano

ou may have seen her on the big screen in movies like Ted 2, Grown Ups, Shutter Island, and Bride Wars- or you may have just seen her in some of your classes’ right here at the University of New Hampshire. Mackenzie Hawe, a junior Journalism major at UNH, has been acting in Hollywood movies for over a decade now. Hawe started her acting career at the age of five in Boston, Massachusetts, at a local theatre company. Because Hawe’s mother acted in high school, she knew it would be a perfect fit for her daughter too, and “She was right!” says Hawe.

meeting Hawe though. A sister in the sorority Although the experiences are priceless, Hawe of Alpha Xi Delta, an English major, Commu- says, “Acting has taught me to take a lot of critinications minor, and a part-time waitress, she cism because you have to be open to people telling is the epitome of a zealous, down-to-earth col- you that you’re great one day and to quit the next.” lege student. But her success at college doesn’t But she hasn’t quit yet and doesn’t plan to. Hawe hold her back from her second life of acting. says she has always pictured doing something with “Balancing it [acting] with college isn’t that her acting career after she graduates college. “I hard! If I get called to do a movie in Boston, could possibly see myself moving to California which is usually pretty short notice (1-2 days),” and giving it a shot, or perhaps writing a screenplay Hawe says, “I just hop on a train or if I have since I really love writing,” she says, “Honestly, if my car, I’ll drive there after I get the call. I work I can just play some sort of character on Law and the next day or two and then drive back up.” Order SVU I will be totally happy with my career.”

Hawe has lived some experiences that many of can only imagine. She has had the opportunity to meet and act with Matthew McConaughey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Anne Hathaway, and Adam Sandler to name a few. Hawe says that for the most part all the actors are very nice. She even got acting tips from McConaughey one time when she was nervous. Another time, Anne Hathaway bought her and the other kids pizza because they worked such long hours. She has worked with Adam Sandler on Now at the age of 21, Hawe has her own both Grown Ups 1 and 2, and says, “I love him, all IMDB page and has acted as an extra in over around a really awesome and fun guy to work with.” 15 movies. One would never guess this when Hawe got her “first big break” when she was around 7 years old, when a casting call came out for the movie, Mystic River, in need of the youngest daughter for Sean Penn. Hawe got within the top 5 girls to be casted, but ultimately it was decided that she was too young at the time. Instead, Hawe got a smaller part in the movie, “and that’s how it all began,” she says.

But Hawe’s passion go further than just acting. She also loves writing, singing, and playing the guitar, which she taught herself in high school. Hawe says, “I’d like to explore more into those passions as well as I get older.” Whichever way Hawe decides to go with her future, she surely has plenty of doors open. But for now, she remains content with her last two years in college, this semester she is studying abroad in Florence, Italy and “having a blast”. Although she says she is definitely missing Durham, she is certainly not missing the cold weather.

Grown Ups 2

Teen Wolf

Shutter Island

The Departed

Mystic River

Confessions of a UNH Tour Guide By: Jenna Ward

alking backward, exclusively showing off the attractive parts of campus and unapologetically leading herds of visitors into high-traffic areas are a few of the uglier stereotypes tour guides receive every now and then. However, student guides, more specifically UNH Student Admissions Representatives, are so much more than one might believe. UNH Student Reps not only lead tours for prospective students visiting campus, but they are essentially responsible for representing the overall brand of UNH. Tour guides give life to the college selection process by providing a student perspective of the UNH lifestyle. I can guarantee this because, as of this semester, I am officially a UNH Student Admissions Rep. Sharing our own unique stories about the UNH community, answering the important questions of a concerned parent and basically convincing visitors that UNH is the greatest school on earth is all of part of this exciting, yet imperative, job. Students who see Reps leading tours have reactions that range from “That’s such a cool job; I would love to lead a tour” to “Wow, that’s a really hard job; I give them a lot of credit.” The job is a heavy one because our main goal is make everyone feel welcome when they walk onto campus, while also squeezing as much information as we can into

90-minute tour sessions. We make it known that other guide, Emily Fontaine, a copy of his mixtape. we are here for YOU (the visitor), and we want And then there are those unavoidable awkward you to feel the Wildcat pride just as much as we do. moments on the job that we will never forget. Student Reps are a diverse, passionate and over“Last semester I was giving a weekend tour of all dedicated group of people. We come from all campus to a group of prospective students and different backgrounds, academic years, majors their parents,” Luke Morenz explained. “We had and lifestyles. Some are totally extroverted, while made our way through most of the tour and arothers are introverted yet illuminate with enthurived at the residence hall, where we normally show siasm while giving a tour. As someone whose a dorm room to the group. This particular day, voice shakes and who turns red in the face while however, the room was not available. Knowing that speaking to a crowd, strangely enough, somesome people were a little disappointed, I thought thing about guiding a tour of inquisitive visitors it would be a good idea to show them one of the puts me at ease. No matter what type of person common area lounges instead. Boy, was that a huge you are, if you love UNH, you’ll love the job. mistake! As we were walking into the lounge, I So what’s it like to give multiple campus tours was busy answering a question a parent had asked. throughout the semester? From time to time, When I finally stopped in the lounge and turned sticky situations may arise, and tour guides are my attention to the entire tour group, I was greeted forced to think on their feet to keep the show by the horrified and disgusted faces of the parents moving. To get a full view of what it means to be starring [at something] behind me. I quickly turned a UNH Student Admissions Rep, I asked a few of around and, to my horror, the most graphic, exmy fellow guides to share their stories with me: plicit porn scene was playing on the big screen TV right behind me. I have no idea how I didn’t no“One time I had a psychic on my tour who tice it walking in. I quickly looked around for the told me a lot of changes were coming up in remote and turned it off, but the damage had almy life and to ‘not let men rule what I want ready been done. One parents said ‘Well, welcome to do,’” said senior Megan Hourican. “She to college I guess!’ I nervously laughed it off and gave me her card, and I might visit her sometried to crack a quick joke, ‘Well, here at UNH we time this semester to see what she means.” have great cable programming that has just about Hourican has also had a visitor give her and an- ANYTHING you want to watch, whether that be

the Disney channel or more grown up entertain- answer you actually want to give is ‘in bed sleep- tween colleges, and we love it even more when ment.’ I had never been more embarrassed in life.” ing off their hangover like we would rather be!’” we feel we are making a positive difference. Tori Barnaskas, the Training Coordinator of Other times, visitors are more blunt about the Admissions, also experienced an uncomfort- subject. able encounter while giving a tour this semester: “A dad looked at his son, looked at me and asked “This family and I were having a swell time on tour: ‘what’s the biggest party dorm? Because my son relaughing, telling jokes, bonding about New Jersey,” ally likes to party,’” recalls Barnaskas. “His son was Barnaskas recalls. “She tells me she was accepted, nodding his head in agreement. Another time, a so I catered my language to that. They then peace mom said to me, ‘now I know the drinking age in the to go check out Hewitt Hall instead of going back U.S. is 21, but what is it at UNH?’ in all seriousness.” to Smith Hall, and only then do I find out she was Tour guides not only have to be prepared for not accepted, and looking back at everything I said the unknown with visitors, but they also need to made that one of the most uncomfortable tours.” be prepped for interaction with other people on New guide Liliana Daly recently had a campus. Whether it’s rowdy students relentlesslaughable moment with a younger guest: ly beeping and shouting “COME TO UNH” or pedestrians passing by who could not be both“I was talking about discovery courses when I ered by a massive tour group, UNH Student Reps brought up how cool the class ‘Making Babies’ is,” have to expect the unexpected from everybody. Daly said. “A younger sister on my tour, about 7 years old, immediately looked horrified and cov“I was stopped at Murkland talking about ered her ears for the rest of my academic spiel.” academics and some lady was apparently trying to get by me,” said Emily Fontaine. “RathVisiting parents always have questions centered er than go between me and my group, she came around drinking on campus. Whether they’re up to me, said ‘excuse me,’ grabbed my sides all for partying at college or completely against and physically moved me out of the way so she it, it’s one of those difficult subjects that never could go between me and the wall instead.” fails to come up. How does a guide properly respond to a parent inquiring about party culture Katie Welch also experienced an unanticipatthat you know is present on campus? Contrary ed interaction but with a different type of visitor. to popular belief, we tell them the truth, but we “I once spoke about academics outside of Demerremind them that students may face severe conit Hall next to a hawk sitting on one of the benchsequences if they get caught in illegal activity. es,” recalled Welch. “It stayed there the entire time Although parents don’t always directly ask about I talked. Definitely my favorite memory on a tour.” booze, sometimes a crushed beer can on the sidewalk The occasional bumps in the road aside, the or an eerily silent Saturday morning speaks for itself. greatest part of being a Student Rep is seeing “Sometimes you wake up for those early bird how excited people get when they know UNH tours on the weekend and get the parent that asks is the school for them and want to know every‘where all the people are on campus,’” explains thing about the campus. We love the feeling of senior guide Elizabeth Faircloth. “And the only relating with high school students choosing be-

“After my tour, two ladies (parents) were really happy with my tour, and I guess liked me a lot. After telling them that I was applying to be an RA, they asked me if it was possible to call and give a recommendation,” says sophomore guide Viti Phann. “I told them that that wasn’t really an option, but it made me really happy that they would consider doing that. Also, last year I remember giving a tour and this girl said she ended up loving UNH a lot, and then asked me to bring her to Business Services so she could pay her deposit.” “I saw a girl at HoCo with the UNH pamphlet they give to the tours,” said Emily Dambach, a new guide as of this semester. “I asked her if she had any questions. Turns out she was interested in my major, and I ended up having lunch with her and talking about my experiences here. After lunch she told me that our conversation made UNH her top choice.” The Social Media and Diversity Coordinator of Admissions, Corey Adams, had a similar story: “I once had a two hour conversation with a kid about my major. This really helped me realize why I actually love my hard science major. And he asked all the really cool stuff about it and made me feel like I knew way more then I already do.” Being a UNH Student Admissions Rep is not always easy, but the memories and impacts made on other people’s lives make it more than worthwhile. There wouldn’t be 100 of us if it weren’t one of the greatest volunteer positions on campus. We are proud to be Student Reps just as much as we are proud to be part of Wildcat Country. Today’s a great day to be a Wildcat…(You know what comes next).

Tales of Intrigue: Florida’s Worst Superhero By: Zoe Parsons

hat do we think of when we cans hear about on a regular basis: Florida Man. talk about superheroes: CapReaching his peak in 2013, Americans began tain America? Wonder Womto hear more and more about this odd hero. As an? We’re forgetting one very time went on and the headlines continued, we important superhero Ameri-

learned more about this mysterious man and his motives. These are some of his most famous stories, when Florida Man only wanted to do the right thing at the moment, but didn’t quite work out.

“Assault with a deadly weapon: Florida man charged with throwing alligator into Wendy’s” Florida Man was driving at night, alone, when he happened to see an alligator on the side of the road crawling around. He pulled over, picked up the massive 3 ½ foot creature off the ground, and put it in his car, as you do in Florida. I’m going to prank Andy with this, he thought. He will totally get a kick out of it. Driving to the Wendy’s where his old friend Andy works, Florida Man started to panic a little. What if Andy isn’t working at the drive-thru window tonight? What if he’s working in the back kitchen, he won’t see the alligator! Florida Man pulled up to the drive-thru microphone. A gravelly voice greets him: “What do you want.” “Large coke.” he replied. Florida Man slowly pulls up to the drive-thru window. Instead of grabbing his drink, he took a deep breath, grabbed the alligator looking up at him in the passenger seat, and chucked it through the window. He drove away as fast as possible from the Wendy’s, not looking back at the restaurant.

“Man’s too busy yelling at traffic to notice tornado spinning by him” The wind started to pick up on the way home from work, making his car drift in his lane. Florida man grips the steering wheel; nothing fazes him. The thunder only got louder and louder as he drove on home. The highway traffic started slowing down, and one by one cars were pulling over to the shoulders or stopping in their lane. “Why is everyone stopping? It’s like they’ve never seen a thunderstorm!” he shouted as he sped past them. Looking ahead, he saw the wispy column of air spinning in front of him. He quickly decided it would be best to make a u-turn and take a detour. Huffington Post

Andy saw it. Andy definitely saw it. Florida Man thought to himself, smiling as he drove away. Washington Post

“Florida man caught on video dancing atop deputy’s cruiser Man claimed he was threatened by vampires, authorities say” After watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer with his family, Florida Man got a little worried for his neighborhood. Vampires could come knocking on his door at any moment, and what will he do when they come? The best way to protect against vampires is to prevent them from ever coming. Florida Man called the local police, but to no avail. “They keep calling me crazy!” he confided in his wife. Policemen came over to his house later that evening to check up on Florida Man. His wife answered the door, and tried her best to reassure them that Florida Man is doing okay, just a little worried after watching a scary TV show. Meanwhile, Florida Man snuck out the back door, and crawled on top of the police cruiser, ritualistically dancing and chanting about vampires. The police turned around to see Florida Man jumping around on the roof of their car, so they ran over to take him down. This Florida neighborhood can stay assured knowing that vampires will not plague their peaceful homes, thanks to Florida Man. Click Orlando

Every day, Florida Man tries to be the best citizen he can, more often than not this doesn’t work out in his favor. He never thinks through his plans, when it comes to meeting up with friend or even driving home from work. Florida Man is not the hero we need.

What They Don’t Tell You About Casual Gay Dating Experiences from Craigslist and a Lesbian Dating App By: Rebecca Ma

he last time I truly dated someone was three years ago. In short, it sucked. I liked him a lot, but our beliefs clashed. So we went on our separate ways. I then put myself in a temporary celibacy. However, long hours at the library and staying up for three days straight surviving on donuts and coffee can get quite lonely. For a change, I turned to social media to try to meet other women. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as looking for a hookup with a boy. I’ve found that there are a lot of bumps in the road that no one talks about when they talk about gay dating.

That was an immediate turn off. I don’t want to emails from couples asking for her to join their scream my own name in the throws of passion. threesome and that she was disgusted with it.

You might come across something with the same name.

ads.

The bisexual stigma is real.

The dating pool is small.

There were some ads in Craigslist that explicitly stated that they did not want a bisexual girl. They even voiced their disgust for them. This became more of a prominent problem the further I ventured into gay dating. I’ve found lots of stigma surrounding being bisexual. There is the notion that bisexual people are confused or don’t want to come out to their parents. That’s not always the case.

On Craigslist, people were from nowhere New Hampshire and other inconvenient distances from UNH. When using a lesbian dating app, I had to set my range to 84 miles. If anyone within 10 miles popped up on my feed, there was a good chance that I already knew her. If it was someone I didn’t know, she would be all the way in Boston or Portland. The dating pool around UNH has grown significantly in the recent months, but it still doesn’t And then there are the couple compare to looking for a male hookup on Tinder.

The number of couples wanting a threesome is And it’s weird. Unless you have an in- incredible. Even in the section of Craigslist strictcredibly unique name, it could happen. ly for women looking for other women, there I was talking with a girl from Craigslist, and we are always several ads by heterosexual couples had the same intentions. Neither of us wanted looking for an extra person to spice up their sex anything romantic; we just wanted sex. She lives life. Personally, it’s a turn off, and, in a section of in the seacoast area and has her own apartment: Craigslist where women are looking for women, Perfect setup for a hookup. However, as the con- having a guy in the mix isn’t going to go well. I versation went on and I formally introduced my- remember when I was talking to Craigslist Rebecself, she revealed that her name was also Rebecca. ca, and she told me that she has received many

In my short dating adventures, I’ve found that no matter what you’re into and what your intentions are, there are always bumps in the road. There will always be things that they don’t tell you about when it comes to dating. Someone could have furry kink. Someone could be incredibly sheltered and not know the meaning of 420. Someone could be a serial killer. However, despite there always being different challenges in dating, there should be more conversation about gay dating.

The Dynamic Duo By: Larissa Claar

n an unusually cold September night just this past year, 22-yearold James Anderson was having fleeting feelings of doubt when he realized what he had gotten himself into. He was in Keene, NH preparing to run the Clarence Demar Marathon just the next day. Running that full 26 miles gradually became less tangible to Anderson’s when he admitted to himself that he probably could have trained harder and longer for the event. Yet the uneasiness was swayed the second he saw his cousin Rusty rolling himself out of his hotel that next morning, with a smile larger than life. “At that moment I knew we were going to be fine,” said Anderson.

four years running on the track team. He saw out his four years with confidence in his accomplishments and said he would have been fine hanging up his track spikes after college and never racing again, if it wasn’t for Rusty.

the brain, often caused when the umbilical cord gets wrapped around the baby’s neck. This permanently affects the brain’s ability to send messages to the rest of the body, resulting in a life-long struggle of body movement and coordination.

“Rusty is an 18-year-old sports fanatic, full of animation and personality, and has been living with cerebral palsy since he was born.”

Rusty is unable to talk and do simple tasks that often are taken for granted. Brushing his teeth, eating, and getting dressed are just a few things that he needs assistance for day to day. However beyond the reaches of his neurological disorder, Rusty shares the same passions and feeling as any other 18-year-old.

Rusty Wilkins, Anderson’s cousin, was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy when he was born, and is now Rusty is an 18-year-old sports fanatic, full of Anderson’s trusted running partner. Anderson animation and personality, and has been living run’s behind Rusty, pushing him in a special wheel- with cerebral palsy since he was born. Cerebral chair, mile by mile, until they reach the finish line. palsy occasionally occurs when a young developing brain is damaged during birth or in the Anderson graduated last May from UNH womb, and in rare cases after birth. Very comwith a degree in Sociology and spent his full monly this happens due to a lack of oxygen to

“You know what he’s thinking,” said Anderson. “He can communicate his thoughts, you can tell by the expression on his face.” He can now drive himself around in his motorized wheel chair, something that he could not do at a younger age, a remarkable feat considering he even has troubles holding a cup to drink out of. He has an aide in school that helps him use a touch pad. He has learned to send emails and type out some of his thoughts, something that has made his personality shine even brighter.

“I’ve known him my whole life, but we’ve never really had a conversation explained. “So in a way sports have always been kind of a huge thing.” It works as another form of communication between Rusty and Anderson. Anderson explained that they always have something to laugh and smile about, because they share this passion for sports. Rusty watches every game for every Boston sports team, has been a team manager for High School teams, and has followed Anderson’s running career. In addition to this he has consistently supported his brother and sister by attending their sporting events. However Rusty has always wanted to be on the field, or a part of the action. His passion for sports was clear through his constant encouragement and enthusiasm. “He had never really had the chance to be the one competing,” Anderson said. “Which I think is really tough, especially for a guy like Rusty who has an athlete’s mindset. He has a huge desire to compete and win.” For many years Rusty’s love for sports seemed to be something that he could only love from a distance, however that all changed when he and his family learned about Team Hoyt. The Hoyt Foundation, a non-profit organization formed in 1989 by Rick and Dick Hoyt, has a stated mission to help America’s disabled young people build self-confidence in multiple ways, with a special focus on athletics. In a situation similar to Rusty’s Rick Hoyt was born with cerebral palsy, but his parents Dick

and Judy did not allow those limitation stop their figure by a landslide, and hope to continue raisson. Dick and Rick began running road races in ing money in the future eventually expanding to 1977. Dick ran behind his son, pushing him in a have the opportunity to donate to other causes. special wheelchair, and since then has completed Anderson says that although physically taxover 1,000 races, and as a result Team Hoyt arose. ing, Rusty makes every race worth it and that he The inspirational story of Rick and Dick, works hard just as everyone else does. He said that the pioneers of wheelchair duo racing, is what Rusty doesn’t get any advantages or participation brought new ideas upon Rusty and his family. medals, he just goes out there and endures it all With Rusty’s clear interest in the matter, and An- just like the other competitors. “He’s just a runderson’s pure love for running, together they cre- ner out there like every one else.” Anderson exated an unstoppable pair. Anderson realized that plained that they make a great team because Rusty’s this is something they could do too, and from enthusiasm shows that the sky is the limit. They there things took flight. So far, they have run always have something to bond over, and it has three 5K races, one 10k race, and a marathon. brought them to be closer than ever. The duo’s goal is to one-day race in the Boston Marathon.

“He’s just a runner out there like every one else.”

This past November Anderson, Rusty, and their family started a fundraiser to raise money for a customized racing chair for Rusty. The new chair will have custom cushions designed to fit Rusty’s body. The wheels are made of carbon fiber making it much lighter and more durable, in addition to this it will be red (Rusty’s favorite color) with blue handles. It will be his very first personally owned racing chair. Their initial goal was to raise about $5,000, but with endless support they have surpassed that

Anderson said that he definitely plans to do this for a while, supporting Rusty and the cause for as long as he possibly can. He said until Rusty decides he doesn’t want to do it any more he will continue with passion as well. Anderson believes that this is a huge part of his life now, and that if this could in some way become a career, he would be ecstatic. He loves that Rusty can be apart of something this big, and his confidence and smile pushes him to continue every day. Anderson said that Rusty is the most positive person he knows and he truly believes that they would not be where they were if it weren’t for Rusty’s eagerness and excitement in the sport.

Your Body is a Battleground By: Claire Cortese

he media holds an immeasurable amount of power in society. It dictates what we see and what we know; it forms ideas in our heads. This channel of information is flooded with images of “perfect” people, showing us what our bodies should supposedly look like. Magazine covers, Instagram posts, billboards and advertisements – everywhere we look, there are images; images of tall, gorgeous women with flawless bodies and perfect hair; images of men with perfectly sculpted, muscular bodies. After being exposed to these images for so long, people become envious; envious of their spotless, even skin, their shiny hair, their perfect figure, their perfect teeth. I’ll admit that I have fallen victim to the same green-eyed monster; I can’t count how many times I have aspired to look like the women I constantly see in the media. But here’s the problem with that: a lot of the people you see in those images don’t actually exist. Not in the way we see them, anyway. The models in those photos are often retouched to the point where their bodies are distorted to naturally unattainable ends. The problem affects both men and women – ideal body images are projected onto everyone. However, women tend to bare the greater brunt of the issue, as the female body has always been a battleground in society. The constant bombardment of unrealistic images

in the media is largely responsible for the destruc- by casting fake shadows in specific places on the tion of the greater female population’s self-esteem. body. Cue the fake six-pack abdominal muscles. A simple adjustment of exposure can make the modAllow me to take you through the process of el’s eyes look brighter. Finally, a carefully calculated retouching a photo in Adobe Photoshop, so you blur filter allows skin to be completely smoothed may understand just how drastic the transformaout, eliminating the body of any and all pores. tion is. Anyone with a decent understanding of the software can accomplish this; it’s really not Today, women in the media are retouched to that hard. However, my point here is not to teach look as thin as possible, with tiny waists, long legs, you how to retouch an image – it’s to make you large breasts and a shapely behind. Aspects such realize just how extensive the process is to get as glowing, flawless skin, shiny hair, and sparkling from a photo of a model with a normal appear- white teeth are also tossed into the equation. I ance, to the aliens you see on magazine covers. don’t know how society decided that this was the ideal figure of womanhood, but somewhere First of all, light and color are corrected. This along the way, this is what we ended up with. will probably involve adjusting the skin color of And these women – in magazines, on Instagram, the model to look more “radiant.” Then, the spot in advertisements or wherever else – are praised healing brush and clone stamp tools are used to for their beauty. After all, they are models. And if remove acne, wrinkles, stretch marks or any othwe take a closer look at that word, “model,” we’ll er imperfect blemishes. Next, the body and face is find the problem right there. The word “model” reshaped using something called the “warp” tool. literally means “a standard of example for imiThis is when legs and arms are thinned out, waists tation or comparison.” Whether they’re movie are pulled in to look skinnier, faces are stripped of stars or super models, they are publicly displayed any features that are too round, and breasts are enas the standard of beauty to live up to. They are hanced. It can also be used to make eyes and lips viewed as the most desirable women in the world. look bigger. Next, a simple brush and burn tool But the images of these “perfect” women that can be used to acquire that oh-so coveted conwe see throughout the media have created an untour effect on your face, as well as make your lips realistic model for all other women to aspire to. look fuller and glossier. These tools are also used to accentuate and digitally “tone” muscles, simply Upon seeing photos of these women – de-

void of stretch marks, scars, fat rolls, under-eye bags, wrinkles, cellulite, or any other imperfections – we say to ourselves “Wow, she is so perfect.” And then we turn to look in the mirror, where we proceed to pinpoint every single aspect of our body and appearance that is perceived as a “flaw” by society. When we take a photo with our friends, our immediate response upon seeing the photo is to make a quick decision whether or not we look good or bad in the photo – does my face look too fat? My thighs look huge. My smile looks weird. My hair is messy. And we retake the photo. And retake and retake and retake, hoping that in one of those photos, we will appear as gorgeous as the women on the cover of magazines. People tend to forget that the models in the media are not actually perfect. In fact, there’s no such thing as “perfect.” The people you see on the cover of magazines don’t actually exist. Nobody is completely devoid of any and all “flaws.” The human body is not made to look like a Barbie doll. Women, you are made of flesh, blood and bones. You are not made of plastic. Women put themselves through psychological, emotional and physical hell trying to look like the models on magazine covers. We routinely practice lengthy beauty routines and apply pounds of make-up, suffocating the pores on our skin. We go through extensive, painful hair-removal procedures. Some women diet to try and get thinner, and then some fall victim to eating disorders. A friend of mine recently received breast-enhancement surgery. She claimed that having a relatively flat chest made her feel unfeminine. “I don’t feel like a woman,” she told me. I supported

my friend on her personal journey, but I do not support the society that made her believe that her flat chest was unfeminine. It is the same society that made her believe that beautiful is a synonym for “thin” or “skinny.” And it is the same society that caused her to struggle with anorexia for many years in the pursuit of being “beautiful.”

To be fair, a few faces in the fashion industry have slowly started to make steps in the right direction. In 2014, Aerie, a lingerie branch of American Eagle, launched an ad campaign composed entirely of unretouched photos. Aerie released a statement saying that they were trying to “challenge supermodel standards.” The campaign is called Aerie Real, and has since grown into The reasons why women aspire to be physically something of a movement, featuring real girls beautiful are somewhat of a mystery. In the end, in all their glory – fat rolls and tattoos included. I think it comes down to something quite simple. Beautiful women are coveted. They are desired Sports Illustrated recently released their annual by men and envied by other women. Perhaps it swimsuit edition with “plus-sized” model Ashley is somewhat of a primal instinct, the want to be Graham. The release created a lot of hype, as it is coveted by men. Or maybe it’s an idea that soci- the first time Sports Illustrated has put a size 16 ety has drilled into our brains for centuries: you model on the cover. Many people believe that this must be beautiful in order to find a good husband; is a major leap in the pursuit of a society that is otherwise you’ll die an old shrew. The media has geared more towards body-acceptance and selfshaped not only women’s perception of beau- love. Graham is a huge advocate for positive body ty, but men’s as well. It creates an expectation in image; however, a lot of controversy has stirred the male brain – they desire the gorgeous wom- around the release of the cover. Though Graham en they see in magazines. Those women are the publicly stated that she is completely unretouched “hottest,” the most attractive. They are the women in the photos, many people are unconvinced. that every man wants. They are the most coveted. Though it appears the overall shape of her body has not been altered, there is not a single stretch Carol Conaway, a professor in the Women’s mark or inch of cellulite on her in site. In regards Studies department at the University of New to being featured on the cover, Graham stated, Hampshire, shared her view on the matter: “Men “To actually be on the cover, I didn’t think that are attracted to the images of “perfect women” Sports Illustrated was going to take that risk. But and begin to compare their partners to what they right now what they are doing is they are setting see in media. Media standards for “beauty” are the standard for what everybody else – magazines, shown to support various industries, such as the designers, people in Hollywood, should be doing.” fashion, hair products, and sex worker industries. None of these industries serve to enhance womI sat down with senior UNH student Sara Aybar ens’ self-esteem and self-worth. In media prod- and asked her about her thoughts on how womucts, there are no examples of realistic women. en are portrayed in the media, and the affects it has on our society. She chimed in on the Sports Illustrated controversy. “It’s fantastic,” she told

me. “It’s a giant step for women all over the globe. But when I see the photo – I also notice that she has no stretch marks, no scars from a scraped knee…no pores.” Both Sara and Graham are right – Sports Illustrated has taken a step in the right direction by featuring a model on the cover that is bigger than the size of a twig, and by allowing to Graham to flaunt the natural shape of her body. But we still have a long way to go.

brows were too thick? The media, and the societal norms that it creates, are most likely at fault here. Thin, shapely eyebrows are one of the many aspects commonly portrayed in images of women in ads and magazines. Exposure to these images, even at such a young age, probably convinced this girl that eyebrows really are meant to be thin and shapely. Consequently, that belief implies that thick eyebrows are ugly or unfeminine. We can’t entirely blame the young girl for her view of how a body Aybar shared with me her own personal strugshould be – like so many others, she was mislead gle with body image: “When I was in sixth grade, by unrealistic depictions of women in the media. a girl in my study hall turned around to me and said, ‘Wow. You really need to pluck your eyeIn regards to the impact of excessive and early brows.’ I’m Turkish, so yeah, I was naturally born exposure, Professor Conaway commented, “these with thick brows. I hadn’t thought too much about unrealistic images destroy women’s self-confidence it before. After that comment, I started plucking and self-satisfaction. Even young girls begin emulatmy brows. I started pulling at them when I was ing these images when they are before the age of ten nervous or excited – subconsciously trying to get years old. If women don’t have realistic role models rid of the ‘excess’ hairs, the imperfections. Af- they feel defeated and unworthy of praise or love.” ter years of doing this, my brows stopped growThis issue affects people of all ages – young ing naturally anymore. Now I fill in the spaces I girls and senior citizens alike. The problem is pulled or plucked too hard and no longer grow widespread – women of every shape, size and age back. To be honest, it makes me terribly sad that group are photoshopped for publication in the such a simple comment could encourage me to media. Thankfully, some women with powerful physically distort my natural image beyond repair.” voices are speaking out – actresses Keira KnightNow consider this for a moment – what exact- ley, Jennifer Lawrence, Jamie Lee Curtis, MMA ly convinced that sixth grade girl that Sara’s eye- fighter Rhonda Rousey, and super diva Beyonce

have all refused to be retouched for magazines and ad campaigns at one point or another. They often release original, untouched photos to fight back against images that have been retouched without their consent. These celebrities understand the negative impact that exposure to unrealistic, retouched photos has on the women in our society. Aybar left me with a powerful sentiment about the lengths to which women go through in the pursuit of being beautiful, “Shave. Wax. Trim. Cleanse. Wash. Paint. Pluck. Exfoliate. Moisturize. Curl. Straighten. Line. Fill. Color. Flatten. Tighten. Shrink. Stuff. Cover up. Fix. Adjust. Contour. Blend. Highlight. Matte. Gloss. Shimmer. Prep. Spray. Restore. Revive. Remove. And after all of that, you still don’t look like the girl in the magazine.” Well no, you still don’t look like the girl in the magazine, and you never will. Remember – she isn’t real. She is a fabrication of digital alteration. But you are real, and you are beautiful. And you are not beautiful despite whatever “flaws” you may have as dictated by society, you are beautiful because of every imperfection you have. Every scar, stretch mark, or blemish on your body makes you uniquely human. Your imperfections are beautiful, and so are you. Never let a magazine cover tell you otherwise.

Fighting Their Battle By: Ally Couture

e live the lives of the people we surround ourselves with, but it’s impossible to completely understand life through another person’s eyes. Although we all share feelings as humans, there is no exact way to fully grasp what an individual sees or how they might think. Having a loved one who is in a constant battle is something you will think you understand to completion because of these feelings, yet there is no amount of technology that will truthfully let you live like this person. Any person. We all have mutual emotional states. We all know what it’s like to be sad, mad, happy and annoyed. Most of us know what it’s like to feel insecure and self-conscious. We can relate to these sentiments and say, “I know exactly how you feel,” but we don’t live with them in the same way. Every person feels and sees differently. No two are alike. Some of us know what it’s like to live through a loved one and their emotions. Some of us relate to these feelings that coincide with the actions that are wearing our friends away. We still can’t understand, although our minds are telling us otherwise. Something my mind won’t fully let me recognize is Ed, an eating disorder my friend knows all too well.

We all get jealous when our friends find new people to spend their time with. I’m jealous of Ed. He’s not my friend, nor do I wish my friend was involved with him. He’s abusive. Demeaning. He has changed my friend’s ways. Her looks and her swagger change. Her mood is different. When I spend time with her, I also spend time with Ed. I’ve had very few face-to-face interactions with him, but because Ed is important to her, Ed is also important to me. All three of us have the same routine, sleep schedule and friends. I eat the same meals as them, exercise the exact same amount and go to the same classes, all while doing my own rituals, and this is only because she allows me that access. I’m there every time Ed takes her to the bathroom and orders her to stay in bed. Out of this dominant trio, only two of us are real beings and only one of them is living this life to capacity. I’m living through my best friend’s eating disorder, but I don’t know how it feels. We would do anything for our friends, and to see them go through mental obstacles is challenging for us as well. Mental disorders are in control. As for eating disorders, they take control of more of your peers than you realize. According to the National

Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Association Disorders, 20% of college students have eating disorders. This is just one mental disorder joining with the many other issues students in college can encounter. We all have something we are fighting through, and the spectrum is never-ending. Understand that you won’t fully be able to understand the thoughts of your peers. They’ll ask for advice, and they won’t take it. It’s not because you gave shitty advice, it’s because their pilot won’t let them. We can’t change them. We can’t tell them to not think or feel a certain way or stop some of their actions. We can’t understand why they don’t see through our eyes, and why they don’t understand our worry. We can’t change them. We can’t stop them. We can’t prevent them from being themselves. We can’t understand why they do the things they do, but we do know why we became friends with them in the first place. Know that your support really does mean something to them, even if they aren’t strong enough to make a change yet. No matter what war your friend is fighting, it is okay that you can’t win it for them. At the end of the day, just be there to pat their back, wipe their tears, and take them home.

Sweet Trail

Pawtuckaway State Park

Need Your Nature Fix? Day Hikes Near Durham By: Liz Haas

ver roll out of bed on a sunny Saturday morning and suddenly feel the urge to wander through the wilderness? Did you realize 15 seconds later that you’d slept in till 11:15 a.m. and therefore had no hope of finding your hiking boots, driving two hours north to the Whites and hiking a 4,000-plus footer before midnight? Did you then give up and settle for watching Netflix instead? You didn’t have to. No, I’m not suggesting you take yet another stroll around the College Woods loop, though that is an option within walking distance. Instead, you can grab a car and perhaps a friend and go on an adventure that’s within 30 minutes of Durham and will give you the nature fix and break from campus you’re craving.

Trail meanders four miles from Longmarsh Road in Durham to the Great Bay Estuary in Newmarket. With no inclines taller or steeper than Library Hill and white tin squares with blue arrows marking the way, walking the Sweet Trail is as easy as walking from HoCo to the Whitt. However, what it lacks in technical difficulty, it makes up for in ecological diversity. The trail winds around and through upland forest, tidal salt marshes and freshwater wetlands, with a myriad of opportunities for wildlife sightings along the way.

too much difficulty beyond fighting hunger for the last mile, and there are information plaques about local wildlife and the Great Bay and several benches along the way if you need a quick break. In 1973, according to the trail brochure, Aristotle Onassis, a shipping and oil tycoon, intended to build the world’s largest oil refinery on Durham Point, the trail’s home, with a pipeline running to the Isles of Shoals. However, local residents who wanted to protect the land for its aesthetic value, recreational purposes and unique habitat stopped the construction. Today, over 5,000 acres of land along the Great Bay is maintained, owned and protected by the town of Durham, The Nature Conservancy, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and private landowners.

The trail’s only drawback is its lack of loop options. If you’d like to traverse the entire trail, but an eight-mile out-and-back sounds like too much, you can try to round up a friend or two with cars so you can park at either trail entrance. Otherwise, you can stroll up half the trail from one side on your first outing and then see the other half on DIRECTIONS (Taken from the Sweet Trail your next hiking excursion. But, if you’re feelTHE SWEET TRAIL: Brochure): ing fit, go for the full eight miles. I’ve hiked the A 10-minute drive from campus, the Sweet full out and back in about 3.5 hours without From downtown Durham, take route 108

East and West Foss Farm

south for approximately 1.5 miles. Turn left onto Longmarsh Road towards the Town of Durham’s Longmarsh Preserve. The trailhead is located 2 miles down the road with parking on the left side just before the gate. Parking for the “easy” portion of the trail is located approximately 2 miles down Dame Road (off route 108 in Durham) on the right at the NH Fish & Game’s Great Bay Wildlife Management Area: Crommet Creek. Parking at the end of the trail is located at The Nature Conservancy’s Lubberland Creek Preserve in Newmarket. From Durham, travel route 108 south for 3.7 miles and turn left onto Bay Road. The parking lot is located 1.6 miles on the left, just past the Conservancy’s Great Bay Office. For more information about the trail, trail rules or protection of Durham Point and the Great Bay, visit http://www.greatbaypartnership.org/.

PAWTUCKAWAY STATE PARK: A 30-minute drive from UNH brings you to 5,500 acres of forests and ponds, three mountains, over 10 miles of loop and out-and-back trails, and the best outdoor rock climbing within an hour of Durham. The park is open for recreation year-round and is staffed full-time from May 1 to November 2, with canoe and kayak rentals available and a $5 charge for beach access

at the main entrance on Mountain Road. How- EAST AND WEST FOSS FARM: ever, if you’d just like to hike or climb some of A two-minute drive or short walk from campus, the classic boulder problems or traditional routes, the East and West Foss Farm trails are a great opyou can park at either the Round Pond Road or tion if you’re short on time, looking to save gas Fundy Road boat launch entrance free of charge. or don’t have access to a car. Both properties are Though none of the trails are especially dif- owned by UNH for research and educational purficult, and the tallest peak, North Mountain, poses and are open to the public year-round for hikreaches to only 1,011 feet, the park offers enough ing, biking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. loops and scenic marsh views for multiple outThe East Foss Farm trailhead is located 0.3 miles ings. South Mountain, at 908 feet, hosts a fire up Foss Farm road in Durham, and, with two miletower with 360-degree views of the park and long loops and several side trails, you can spend surrounding woodlands, and Boulder Field is 20 minutes or several hours exploring a variety of home to many glacial erratics, large boulders left habitats, from clear-cut forest to shrub swamps. when the glaciers of the last Ice Age receded. West Foss Farm begins just after the railroad Don’t have a ride or want someone to show tracks under Mill Road and hosts a mile-andyou around the park? Look for moonlight and/ a-half lollipop out-and-back, trails to UNH’s or day hikes around the park with the Hamel Thompson Farm and a lean-to midway for reRec Center’s Outdoor Adventures program. laxing, nature writing or studying on warm days. They’ll provide the ride to and from camWith little elevation gain, these trails are perpus, an experienced trail guide and other outdoor enthusiasts for you to adventure with. fect for mid-week runs, weekend strolls and learning to cross-country ski. Though some of For trail maps, directions and more infor- the less-traveled paths farthest from the trailmation about the park, visit https://www. heads become slightly overgrown by mid-sumnhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/pawtuck- mer, the trails remain easy to follow year-round. away-state-park.aspx. For more information about trips through Outdoor Adventures, visit http://campusrec.unh.edu/outdoor-adventures. For more information and trail maps visit

https://colsa.unh.edu/woodlands/properties.

Something I Need To Say By: Rebecca Ma

was recently diagnosed with Bipolar 2 disorder and have made the choice to be open about it. Bipolar 2 is a mood disorder in the bipolar category where a person goes through hypomanic, mixed and depressive episodes that have a range of emotions. These emotions are more turbulent than they should be, and it takes a significant toll on the person afflicted with the disorder. For me, it feels like I don’t have control over what I get to feel.

I’m not the only person with a mental illness in the world, and unfortunately having any mental illness is often seen as a sign of weakness and incompetence in modern society. This stigma keeps people from being open about having a mental illness and getting the help that they need. While whether or not and how a disorder is acknowledged is based on a person’s culture, it still exists and can significantly impact one’s life. I feel that by being open I can show people that it exists and it’s not that bad.

When I was initially diagnosed, I didn’t know what to do. I wondered what that made me and how the rest of my life would unfold. So far, I’ve been trying different combinations of medications that won’t make me throw up or stoned 24/7. I’m still trying to accept myself, so I’ve only been casually mentioning being bipolar to people around me if the conversation allows it. I’m trying to gauge how people react and what their feelings are.

For Everyone Else

I want to be embraced and accepted by others. I know that others’ opinions shouldn’t matter and shouldn’t be the only thing that measures my worth. I also know that not everyone will accept me. Wanting people to accept and understand me sounds petty and like my personality is dependent on what they think, but it’s much more than that. I feel that it’s something that the These are things that not a lot of people talk people I care about should know. I want to be about. There should definitely be conversa- closer to people and be a better person to them. tion about it, but it isn’t happening. We all have So far, when I’ve told people at UNH, they some sort of vague sense of what mental illhave been incredibly understanding. Their attiness is. It’s so different person to person that, unless you’ve had firsthand experience with it, tude towards me hasn’t changed. I feel that this it’s hard to really pinpoint how it works. My co- makes any relationship a bit better. By opening worker told me that I am the “complete oppo- up, I am a more trustworthy person and in turn site” of what she expected bipolar disorder to be. become more trusting of everyone else around me. It makes me feel better about the people I’m Since bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses with. I’m no longer afraid and wary of them. affect other people differently, being open about having one of these disorders might not be the best I Refuse to Be Weak option for some people. Whether or not someone I refuse to vulnerable. I refuse to make wants to be open about it is his or her own choice, this my weakness. I don’t want to live in and this is my personal choice regarding myself. fear anymore. I don’t want to make this This isn’t a piece on why people should be open my demon. I refuse to go out this way. about their mental illness but one about the main I have reached the point where hiding will kill me. reasons why I have decided to be open about it. If I keep it my weakness, it will bite me back in the future. I want to be in control. I refuse this make this To alleviate the stigma It’s no secret that there is a heavy and over- my biggest secret. I refuse to let it take over my life.

bearing stigma on mental illness. I want people to When I was initially diagnosed with Persistent be less afraid of it. I remember a professor told Depressive Disorder, I kept it inside. I didn’t tell me that the reason it’s so hard to come forward anyone because I was so afraid of how people with it is because, “they’re all so afraid of it”. would think of me. I couldn’t accept the fact that

I had it and that it significantly affected how I did in school and how I went on with life. When I kept my mental illness as my biggest secret, it killed me. To put on a happy face and to pretend like it wasn’t real was the most exhausting part in my life. Keeping it inside kept the shame alive in me. It made me weak and vulnerable to everyone around me. Being open and casual about it dispels the stigma for me; I’m not as afraid of it anymore. It’s scary on paper, but, by being open and acknowledging it, I’m not afraid. I can live with it.

For Myself At the end of the day, I need to accept myself. I need to come to terms with being bipolar. I’m not the monster hiding under the bed, and I’m not Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I can have a romantic relationship, scarf down 20 garlic knots and be the chatty Cathy in class. I am a real person, and I’m not going to start violently jumping people on the street one minute then cry the next. I like to consider myself a strong advocate for mental illness and awareness thereof. I am outspoken against the stigma of mental illness and believe in programs supporting the wellness of people. I believe that there shouldn’t be any shame in having a mental illness. It shouldn’t be hidden from view and feared; it should be embraced and helped. Being open about it puts it out in the open for me too. If I don’t acknowledge it and refuse to believe it, it will be more damaging. However, despite all of that, I can’t always say the same for myself. I once hated myself so much. I was afraid of myself and that part of myself. I still can’t help but sometimes shame myself for having this. While it’s not my fault, I often blame myself for having it and all the problems that come with it. I feel ashamed of myself. I feel ashamed that I can’t hold myself the same way that everyone else seems to. Coming to terms with my disorder is a process, and it will take lots of time and therapy, but I believe that opening up will help me come to terms with myself. By being open, I want everyone and myself to know that I’m a person, and I’ll be alright.

Evolving Ideologies A Political Transition from High School to College By: Jenna Ward

rom Millennials to Baby Boomers, tensions are high as the primaries are slowly determining each party’s Presidential nominee. This year has changed the game for politics with many new and old faces in the arena. It seems like a nonstop, chaotic parade of Hillary, Trump, Bernie and Cruz desperately trying to capture the Millennial vote, and young voters are ready to crash in and cast their ballots in order to finally be heard. Older people tend to quickly criticize younger voters, claiming that they are not experienced enough to heavily back a candidate. Some say that young adults are easily swayed by trends or don’t have the knowledge to decipher between a qualified or unqualified candidate. Yes, college students in particular are still learning and shaping their opinions. However, even though we are still learning does not mean we are incapable of coming to a credible political standpoint. The younger half of the Millennial generation is now over 18 and is consciously following various social and political topics. We can thank social media for this, allowing campaign updates, 24-hour news cycles and political hashtag trends to be streamed directly to our smartphones. Facebook, Twitter and even Snapchat have allowed us to view each candidate’s campaign directly. As young adults, we are viewing the electoral process in a completely different way than our parents did when they were in college. Unlike our parents who formed their views through centralized mediums such as newspapers and television, we have both Internet-based and social influences on our political leanings. Through access to these vast and new forms of education, we start to form our political opinions and standpoints. Recently, among the cluttered abyss of retweets and hashtags in the Twitter-sphere, there was one

tweet that really struck a chord as my eyes scrolled up and down my newsfeed. The face behind this tweet is a classmate from my high school graduating class—who will remain unnamed—someone who I considered a friend. The tweet read, “2 yrs ago you’re a libertarian now you support Bernie… You clearly only follow politics to look cool.” Ouch. I probably took this tweet more to heart than I should have, but I honestly believe I had a right to do so. Maybe it wasn’t intentionally directed at me, but something about this particular tweet made me very suspicious. It’s true; when I was senior in high school, I did hold some libertarian beliefs, and I would publically express them in my AP government class. Coincidentally, the friend who tweeted this passive aggressive comment was also in that class. We regularly discussed our viewpoints with one another, and I viewed him as an intelligent, well-rounded classmate. At the time, I thought Ron Paul was a cool, unknown guy with revolutionary, yet solid beliefs—kind of how many people now see Bernie—and I thought a small, hands-off government approach was best. But that was two years ago when my exposure to politics was mainly my Republican family and the libertarian and conservative news sources I followed on Twitter and Facebook. I was a somewhat out-of-the-box teen who thought it was more beneficial to support a third party ideology than a Republican or a Democrat.

mind a few years ago. This brings me back to why that tweet seemed to be sneakily directed at me. At first, I thought I should just swallow my pride and ignore the spiteful tweet that attempted to weaken the strong-willed progressive rhetoric present on my Twitter. Maybe I was just being paranoid. Then I paused and rewound back to my senior year of high school. My class was relatively small, and I could not think of anyone else who held libertarian views then and now openly supports Bernie Sanders. In light of that revelation, I fueled up my Twitter fingers and replied back with a subtle, yet direct tweet: “This is me,” I replied. It was not the cleverest response, but I figured it was direct enough to start a conversion. However, I didn’t get a response at all. From my own experience on Twitter, no reply means I caught him red-handed.

I’m not a phony person; my beliefs and intentions are true to what I express. Transitioning from a teenager to an adult comes with learning new things that change our opinions along the way. Nobody is born with developed thoughts and backed up ideas right from the start—that takes time, discussing ideas with others and viewing scenarios from different perspectives. We’ve all once held views that we look back on now and question what the heck we were thinking. And we’ve all possessed problematic thoughts simply because we were young and didn’t realize the impacting weight Here I am two years later with a much better un- behind them. This is all okay; it’s called growing up. derstanding of politics and its various ideologies. So, feel free to fulfill your duty as a productive Since entering college, I’ve met a more diverse Millennial by following Bernie on Snapchat, watchset of people, exchanged experiences with others ing Hillary’s videos on Facebook or retweeting and essentially learned more about the world. I Trump. There is no need to feel ashamed for the am now a registered Democrat, and, if you look views you’ve expressed in the past because college at my Twitter feed now, you’ll find a slew of more is about learning, discovering and taking on new liberally leaning tweets about feminism, race and ideas. As Winston Churchill once said, “To imclass inequality that wouldn’t have crossed my prove is to change; to be perfect is to change often.”

The Secret Life of Pets on Campus By: Beccy Anderson

ast night my fish died. Maybe I tempted fate by intending to write about college pets, but Duck passed away along with his bowl-mate, Fish. Even though the pair is gone, we still enjoy the company of our four remaining fish. Petunia is the O.G fish and the littlest one. Aster is a rescue who was previously kept in a Patron bottle and Goose swims around with Versace in search of goldfish flakes. We have a make shift aquarium which is really just four fishbowls on our television stand in the living room. They have incited many fish related conversations and along with adding a sense of responsibility, they provide comic relief at the very least. I have surrendered my fish care responsibilities to my other roommates. Although I can’t seem to keep a fish alive, plenty of students have pets that thrive on campus.

cilities. There are tricks to hiding these pets and some students have mastered the art of concealing their animals. One student living in an on campus residence is part of this unofficial secret pet club. Zhenka is a hamster in hiding that enjoys rolling in her ball and running around. Her owner recommends college pets because Zhenka is a great stress reliever when you are hung up on papers or exams. Secret pet club members beware; if your furry friend is caught they will be asked to leave. Many students have had to part with their sweet animals after a visit from a resident assistant. Student, Emily Vulgamore, also has a pet hamster and understands that having a pet while being a full time college student can bring about challenges. “The con of having her is mostly that she makes me feel guilty, if I’m gone all day or if I have to put her in my closet when I sleep, because her wheel is so loud, I always feel bad,” said Vulgamore. Her hamster, Binkie, is undoubtedly a responsibility, but this responsibility can also be a positive perk to pet ownership. Binkie is a positive responsibility and something for Vulgamore to take care of. It is nice for people to feel needed and pets are inherently dependent. I think a lot of college students like the responsibility of a hamster, kitten or puppy because they are counting on you. Not to mention they instantly make you smile.

Keegan Fecher, a student at UNH, had a kitten last semester while living in the Lodges on campus. The Lodges are one of the few locations on campus where students are allowed to have a pet other than a fish. His six-week-old kitten, Kya, made living away from home a little bit easier for Fecher. “I wanted to have a pet at college because they create a calming atmosphere,” said Fecher. This semester Kya stayed home in Connecticut because of Fecher’s busier schedule and his parents’ request to keep her. I don’t blame I was recently in Aroma Joes on campus and them one bit for asking to keep the fluffy kitten a girl and her teeny tiny Yorkie puppy walked in. for themselves. While Fecher was allowed to have Everyone turned to stare at it in her arms and Kya on campus, many students don’t have the luxsnap pictures. As she ordered her coffee the little ury of keeping their cuddly animal friend here. pup stood on the counter unknowingly making There is phenomenon on campus, secret pets. all that were around ooh and ahh. The customThey hide beneath beds and get concealed in dorm ers didn’t even need their morning coffee to perk room closets because they are not allowed in some up; the puppy was enough to start the day happy. accommodations on campus. Even though some There’s nothing better than coming home to a locations like the Gables, the Mills, and freshwagging tail or a cat that slinks over to snuggle. man dorms do not allow pets; animals continue Whether you are a dog lover, a cat enthusiast or you to bring joy to the residents at these housing fa-

have an affinity of the tiny species that require cages; the main draw to having a pet is the happiness they inspire. We look at them and just smile, even when they’ve emptied the trash when you step out for five minutes or if they’ve clawed up your clothes. Pets are a soothing counterpart to a bustling campus. Student, Madison Donahue, has a 16-monthold lab mix named Dozer at the Lodges. “As soon as I walk through the door, I forget about any type of bad mood I am in because he is so happy to see me,” said Donahue. Dozer is Madison’s partner in whatever she does on campus. He goes on walks, he’s her passenger for drives, and he’s always down for a movie night. Dozer is a devoted dog. Sometimes having a partner on campus eases the stress and anxiety that can creep up on you here. “I wouldn’t want to be here without him,” said Donahue. I know I’m sending out positive vibes for the college pet lifestyle, but it is a huge responsibility to consider. They need you even more than you need them and that’s important to keep in mind when you’re taking a spontaneous trip to the pet store. “It is simply not for everyone, and it definitely depends on where you are living,” said Fecher. “Having a pet in an apartment can be a lot of fun, but if it is your first time paying for your pet’s needs yourself, it can be costly and overwhelming,” Fecher adds. If you’re looking for some low-key responsibility, plants are a fun and beautiful alternative. They are less expensive and leaving them home alone for the day is recommended rather than negligent. As cute as kittens are when they’re purring on your chest, or a puppy playing in the snow for the first time, think before you take that leap of faith on owning another creature that has feelings and needs just like us. You might want to start with a fish in a Patron bottle, but what would I know? Mine died.

Gucci

Morgan

Kya

Binkie

Captain

Dozer

MSM