Lush: Spring 2020 Print Issue

EDITOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SPRING PRINT 2020

FASHION

EMBRACE THE END OF OWNING CLOTHES

Why it is time to start renting your clothing

MODA’S DENIM GUIDE

Tried-and-true denim across body shapes and sizes

CAN MONEY BUY FASHION SENSE?

How fashion is used to “flex” wealth

CULTURE

LUSHCIOUS LOCKS

Perpetuating Western standards of body hair causesw us to groom women’s bodies

ALL FOR THE ‘GRAM

Neo-colonialism is hiding under the mask of volunteer tourism

CULTURE OF SUCCESS

Our concept of success is shaped greatly by our families and cultures

EDUCATION THROUGH A GREEN LENS

Learning about climate change can benefit everyone—regardless of your degree

BUILD A LUSH LIFE, NOT A LUX LIFE

The importance of living a life based on more than money and career

LIVING LARGE & LOATHED

Addressing the hoarding of large amounts of wealth by few people

LIFESTYLE

IS LUSH IT?

Are Lush products really worth all the hype?

POWERFUL & PROUD

Excerpts from interviews with women leaders at different stages in their lives

GO GREEN!

How to make green and hazel eyes pop with makeup

TOUCH, TASTE, SEE, SMELL, HEAR

Capture your day through mindful sensory experiences

ARTS

THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE SLEEP DEPRIVED

How The Nap Ministry, an artistic and community-driven organization, is resisting through rest

KINGS & QUEENS OF THE DIGITAL JUNGLE

What does it actually take to reign supreme in the void of the Internet?

MUSIC FOR THRIVING

Playlists to make your soul feel whole

LOSS AND LOVE

The human experience and creative healing

FEATURED

MAGNIFIQUE

letter from the editor

Dear readers,

y now, we’ve all come face-to-face with the ideology that you should never, under any circumstance, take anything for granted. When we planned the theme of our spring print issue we wanted to pay homage to the feeling that springtime gives us. We wanted to harbor not only a feeling of livelihood but one that’s so potent it’s overwhelm ing — it’s luscious. As we neared the end of production and were met with negative news surrounding the world and this se mester, I could see and feel the light in our staff dim. For all of us, Moda Magazine is a primal source in our lives we can count on to inspire a deep sense of truly, authentically living.

For a long time, I struggled to sit down and write this opening letter because, candidly, it fostered feelings of utter sadness. It felt wrong to preach about how vibrant life can be when I was met with bad news everyday. It felt wrong to fake feel ings of excitement over my last print issue as Editor in Chief when our plans to print and celebrate were torn out from beneath our feet.

I’ve realized, I’m wrong.

As we think about all of the facets of our lives that we might have previously taken for granted, we are met with a luscious image of ourselves truly living. We reflect on even day-to-day cher ishes and happenings that brought us joy, ease and warmth. Though sometimes it feels sad to think about the could-have-beens, even acknowledging the life we previously knew is an act of confronting all the reasons we have to live. We now have more time to do this. We now have the time to do more; to do all of the things life presented but we might not have had the time to pursue — make art, tell and hear great stories, listen to music that moves us, sleep and rest in ways you only dreamt of before... The list goes on for an eternity.

More than that, life brings us the potential to be empathetic. I truly believe that one of the mean ings of life is to move throughout with a deep desire to be as empathetic as you can with one another — to challenge yourself to be vulnerable with not only yourself but in connecting with others. Life is full when we confront our darknesses, and help others’ to do so too. Life is rich when we consciously work towards replacing band-aids in our relationships (both with others and our selves) with stitches to completely heal.

It’s easy to see how the world is less than thriving right now — that it’s actually quite the opposite. I think that, while things right now seem less than promising, there’s always a reason to reflect on what we’re grateful for and how we can heal moving forward. Take this time to be kind to one another and yourself. That’s all we can really do. Compassion and empathy are so much more powerful than we think; they are true sources for living a luscious life.

Cheers,

Lauren Chung, Editor-in-Chief

“And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.” - Kitty O’Meara

IS LUSH IT?

ARE LUSH PRODUCTS REALLY WORTH ALL THE HYPE?

By Kelly Rampolla, Fashion Editorial Assistant Molly Jacobs photographed by Jessica Tenenbaum, Staff Photographer

Ok, I’ll admit it. I have never tried any Lush products. There, I said it. Lush is a widely known bath and body care brand, famous for their bath bombs, lotions and face masks. The stores are full of bright, vibrant colors, entic ing aromas and cheerful sales associ ates. This all begs the question: is Lush worth the hype?

I decided to put the brand to the test. As someone who has always struggled with dry, sensitive skin, as well as ecze ma, I care deeply about skincare. So, I tested five of their most popular prod ucts to see for myself: The Ocean Salt and Face Body Scrub, Scrubee Body Butter, Intergalactic Bath Bomb, Sleepy Body Lotion and Mask of Magnaminty Face and Body Mask.

THE OCEAN SALT FACE AND BODY SCRUB

The Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub is made up of sea salt, coconut oil and av ocado to exfoliate and soften, as well as lime oil and limes to brighten and tone. Let me tell you: these ingredients do their job extraordinarily well. Although the product carries a bit of a higher price tag, a little bit goes a long way—I only needed about the size of a quarter for both of my legs. Exfoliants have always been hard for me to use because they usually irritate my skin. Before I rinsed it off, my skin started to itch, which wor ried me that this was going to be anoth er product that doesn’t work for me. As soon as I began to rinse off and rub it into my skin, I couldn’t be more wrong. It felt so soothing and refreshing—I hon estly felt my skin take a breath.

SCRUBEE BODY BUTTER

Scrubee Body Butter is the cutest little bar of soap you will ever see. The bar is shaped like a little bee and the pro ceeds go towards bee conservation.

The bar contains fair trade organic co coa butter, honey and ground almonds. Initially, my only expectation was to be left with great smelling skin after using it. The Scrubee Body Butter exceeded my expectations to the max. Not to be dra matic, but I felt like a new woman after using it. Not only does it smell fantastic, but it deeply moisturizes and replenishes your skin, leaving it smoother than ever. After using this product once, all of my dry skin was completely gone and my eczema did not feel irritated at all. Even after a couple of days of only trying it once, my skin continued to feel soft and supple. Another plus is that this product made my skin glow. Who doesn’t want that? My only complaint is how fast the bar shrunk. It is the size of a normal bar of soap but after one use it was about half the original size.

INTERGALACTIC BATH BOMB

Having never tried a bath bomb before, I was especially excited to try out this next product. This bath bomb contains peppermint oil, popping candy and ce darwood oil. It is known that the more fizz the bath bomb has the better it will be for your skin. Once I saw the colors dissolve in my bath water, like a glittery rainbow exploded in my bathtub, I un derstood all the talk surrounding bath bombs. I was a little nervous that the glit ter would be a complete mess to clean out of my tub and off of myself, but sur prisingly, it wasn’t a hassle at all. I sat in the tub for about 30 minutes and rinsed off in the shower after. While the bath bomb was very relaxing and quite the experience, it didn’t do anything to help my skin. It simply felt like I took a regular bath and showered after. If you want to have a relaxing night in with a book and a glass of wine, I totally recommend it. If you want something to transform your skin, I would opt for something else.

THE SLEEPY BODY LOTION

The Sleepy Body Lotion is intended to be used right before you go to bed. It is made up of lavender water, fair trade or ganic cocoa butter and Tonka Absolute. This lotion has a sweet and candy-like scent. It also has a little glitter on top which makes your skin shine the first time you put it on. You can put it all over your body or focus on specific areas. I have been applying it on my hands, low er arms and neck. I usually have trouble sleeping, and after using this lotion for three nights, I definitely saw a change in my sleeping habits. I fell asleep faster and had more deep sleeps.

MASK OF MAGNAMINTY FACE AND BODY MASK

Most of the face masks I have done are typically peel-off or thin cleansers. The Mask of Magnaminty is the complete opposite. This mask is mostly made up of honey, peppermint oil and ground aduki beans. It has a green and chunky consistency that smells minty, leaving a cooling sensation after you wash it off. The directions say to leave it on for 15 minutes and then massage the product into your skin while rinsing it off. I left it on for a bit longer to allow it to ful ly dry. After washing it off, my face felt completely different. It was smooth, soft and glowing. I will definitely use this mask more!

After not being too familiar with the brand, I am now obsessed and wish I would’ve tried out Lush earlier. If you need more convincing, another cool feature about the company itself is that they do not test on animals, and their suppliers or third-parties do not either. We love a company that cares about an imal rights. After testing these products and researching the company, I have one thing to say: Lush is it.·

magnifique

Isha Senghore photographed by Annika Ide, Photography Director and Molly Jacobs, Staff Photographer

Directed & styled by Sarah Troy, Fashion Director Makeup by Katie Hayes

POWERFUL & PROUD

EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEWS WITH WOMEN LEADERS AT DIFFERENT STAGES IN THEIR LIVES

By Jessica Katz, Lifestyle Editorial Assistant, & Jamie Randall, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Abbey Meyer, Associate Arts Curator

What defines a woman? More impor tantly, what defines a boss woman? By interviewing women of all ages, we found proof that any woman can be powerful. Success doesn’t have to start at a young age. Whether it’s designing a clothing line at 19 or in troducing a small consumer product business in your 40s, women have proven that no challenges can block their path to success.

We reached out to three women of different ages and career paths to ask them what being a powerful woman means to them.

MOLLY DOERRER, Founding member of Millennial Action Project & member of Federal Reserve Challenge

“I think a boss woman is someone who is not intimidated by a masculine pres ence, and one that uses that as motiva tion to express her opinion. I also think that a boss woman feels compelled to be a part of spaces that don’t have a female presence. I think that being a boss woman can come across in many different ways; on a micro-level just by raising your hand in class and making a point when others aren’t, or starting an organization and being the only wom an that has decision-making power.”

“I used to think that using my voice be cause I was confident to help others who are silenced was the way to go

about things, but then I realized that that’s a part of the problem as well and that I don’t necessarily need to speak on behalf of women. But, by putting myself in spaces that women are not present, it motivates other women to do the same. So, when I went to the kickoff meeting of the Federal Reserve Challenge and everyone was in suits and everybody was a white man. I was like, ‘No. Come on.’ That is what motivated me to be a part of the organization.”

DANI ARSENDORF, member of Stu dent Retail Association & founder of Dani Capri

“To me, a powerful woman is some one who does not restrict herself. She is a driven person who sets goals and works to achieve them, no mat ter how impossible they may seem. It means conquering fears, being confi dent and even simple things like be ing kind to others.”

“Fashion has allowed me to be more assertive and display leadership skills. Especially when I created my clothing line and displayed it during Los Angeles Fashion Week. This was the one specif ic moment where I felt most powerful because I was in charge of every aspect of the show, but I also feel powerful ev ery day in many different ways.”

“Right now I am focusing on making custom made clothing for students at

Madison. I am hoping to sell my stuff online as well, preferably Depop, and market it to a larger audience.”

JOANNA REIN, Entrepreneur, Owner of Soggy Doggy, a dog doormat and bed business

“I always wanted to start my own busi ness. I went back to business school. I didn’t just want to communicate about the organization I worked for — I want ed to learn the nuts and bolts of how to run it. After business school, I worked in brand management for a personal care company. As a brand manager, you sort of run your own business…it was this work experience that gave me the confidence and inspiration to launch my own business. Although, truthfully, once I started my own business I realized I knew just a little about all of these func tions, not a lot!”

“I think a powerful woman is someone who is confident and secure, not afraid to say what she thinks or believes. She uses that strength and confidence to communicate and influence in a positive and inclusive way, building cohesion and collaboration not dissent and divi sion. She’s also someone who puts her money where her mouth is — takes risks, surmounts obstacles and setbacks... just gets things done. She makes things happen and makes people feel good who are along for the ride.”

·

GO GREEN

HOW TO MAKE GREEN & HAZEL EYES POP WITH MAKEUP!

By Kate Lawless, Lifestyle Editor Hannah Curley & Elise Andersen photographed by Audrey O’Neill, Assistant Photography Director Makeup by Riley August and Lizzy O’Leary

Green eyes are a rarity. Only 2% of the global population naturally has this eye color, so if you’ve got it, flaunt it! Here is Moda’s guide to helping our green and hazel-eyed friends take their makeup to the next level!

One general rule of thumb is to contrast the heat tone of your eye color. Green is usually a cool-toned shade, so use warmer colors like pinks, reds, purples and browns to draw attention to your eyes.

BROWN CREASE

If you like a more subtle eye look and want to make your eyes appear deeper set, use a brown eyeshadow with cool undertones to deepen your crease. This will make your eyes look larger and give more structure to your face.1

PINK

For a spring daytime look, start by laying down a neutral base across the whole lid. Then, use a soft pink or peach shade and sweep it across the lid to brighten your eyes. Use 1 “How to Make Green Eyes Pop with Makeup.” L’Oreal Paris. Accessed March 26, 2020.

a corresponding or white highlighter shade in your inner corner to open up your eyes.2

BURGUNDY

Directly across from green on the color wheel is red. Reds, burgundies or other shades with red undertones can help compliment the natural green in your eyes.3

PURPLE

Another classic color to pair with green is purple. Whether you like to use lavender hues or bold royal pur ples, this is sure to be a great contrast with your natural eye color.4

BROWN SMOKEY EYE

Switch up the classic smokey eye by using ash-toned browns, charcoal or silver-toned eyeliner. These colors help bring warmth to the look.5·

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

LUSHCIOUS

LUSHCIOUS

LOCKS

LOCKS

PERPETUATING WESTERN STANDARDS OF BODY HAIR CAUSES US TO GROOM WOMEN’S BODIES

By Katie Herrick, Culture Editor Illustrated by Courtney Cotey

It was around seventh grade when I finally shaved my legs for the first time. I remember it distinctly because I didn’t actually want to, I just wanted everyone to stop making fun of me. The girls in my grade all started shaving their legs in fifth grade so they were silky smooth. Mine, on the other hand, were covered in coarse, dark hair. What really tipped the iceberg for me was two events.

My best friend at the time and I were sitting on top of the play ground when she said “Katie, why don’t you shave your legs yet? They’re so hairy and gross.” A few months later the boy I was hope lessly in love with made a seemingly small joke about how hairy my legs were. It was clear to me then that I had to do something about the atrocity that was my leg hair.

But, I was scared of shaving—I was afraid that I would shave my skin off with the hair. I didn’t like the idea of Nair either, I didn’t want to burn my skin off. Instead, once a month for three months I begged my mom to shave my legs for me. After that, she said if I wanted to shave my legs I would have to do it myself.

The thing was, I didn’t really want to shave my legs—the actual hair didn’t bother me and the act of shaving was horrifyingly scary to me. Rather, I wanted to fit in, and shaving my legs seemed to be the only way to do so.

When I was in ninth grade my aunt—who’s only a year old er than me—made a joke about how only nasty girls don’t shave their vaginas. I was only 15 years old and had yet to discover what a penis was, let alone consider grooming my own genitalia. She looked at me and asked, “You do though, right?” There were boys in the room she was try ing to impress and I was too embarrassed to say I didn’t

in front of said boys, so I nodded. I im mediately attempted to shave the next time I showered.

My mom never taught me how to shave my pubic hair because she didn’t shave hers. She told me once, “If a man wants a bare vagina then he wants to have sex with a child, and I am not a child. I am a woman.” I dis missed it at the time because I didn’t understand it—I thought you had to shave your vagina if you wanted to be desirable or attractive.

In seventh grade, one of my close friends shaved her arms because she thought she was “supposed to.” She didn’t realize that the removal of hair on women’s bodies was only meant for legs, armpits and genitals. Honestly, how was she supposed to know?

Today, it is more acceptable for wom en to have ungroomed or visible body hair compared to when I was growing up. Having armpit hair is cool and not shaving your legs is your choice. Yet, I still find myself plagued with ideals that we were taught when we were younger. I have to shave because there is a boy coming over tonight. It’s Val entine’s Day, so I need to shave my legs for my boyfriend. I can’t have any pubes if I’m in a relationship.

Who made these rules? Who decid ed what body parts you’re supposed to shave? What parts you aren’t sup posed to? When should you shave? For whom? It seems like these are questions you should answer for yourself, but for many of us, the an swer is instead enforced through so cietal norms.

For women, it has often been taught that you should have shaved legs and armpits as well as a hairless face and vagina in order to be attractive. Today, even when women choose not to shave they are made fun of for being “dirty” or accused of being “gay.” Why? Be cause it makes men angry that they are rapidly losing control over what parts of women’s bodies they can police.

In the past, women used Lysol to make sure their genitalia smelled nice and clean and always made sure to wax or

shave or Nair away any hair that could make them any less valuable to their husbands.1 As time evolved, women no longer needed to depend on a man to survive economically. As a result, wom en began to shed away all the oppres sions that men have enforced upon us for years. Body hair and grooming are just some of these oppressions.

It may seem like a stretch, but there is a reason the little voice in the back of my head nags me to shave and lotion my whole body if I know that I might have sex. Yes, part of it stems from wanting to look nice, but why is shav ing the only way I feel like I can look nice? Because I have been conditioned to believe I am only attractive or valu able if I am presented a certain way.

This is bigger than body hair—there are tons of beauty ideals forced upon women. Women need to have long, straight hair. We need to have perfect ly manicured nails. We need to have makeup on. We need to be dressed up. We need to keep a smile on our face and seem happy. We can’t have tat toos or piercings. When I got my nose ring all I heard was: “why did you ruin your beautiful face?!”

The topic of policing bodies is prev alent in conversation when we talk about access to abortion or gay rights, but it doesn’t often come up for topics like body hair and grooming. Though small, grooming and body hair are part of the presentation of your body— something critical to your existence and an essential part of being a human. To be or feel unable to present your self how you want is damaging to your mental and physical health.

Billie, an indie razor brand, recently released a commercial that showed both pubic and body hair, affirming women’s choice to shave, trim or just be natural. It was met with outrage and disgust. How could they show this? 2

There is a reason that men can show their nipples and women can’t. Wom en’s bodies are inherently sexualized and viewed as vehicles solely for child

1 C. Bologna. “This Early Use For Lysol Is Wild.” HuffPost. April 3, 2018.

2 B. Cacciatore. “This Is the First Razor Ad to Ac tually Show Pubic Hair.” Glamour. June 26, 2019.

birth and male plea sure. There fore, when a woman choos es to groom her self how she wants she is breaking this vision. She is no longer doing what makes her the most “attractive” to men. She is doing what she wants to do with HER body.

Why is the gut reaction to a wom an with pubes “gross?” Dig deep and really think about why it is gross for a woman to have pubic hair. Most women have been with a man with so much pubic hair it felt like flossing, yet, we still make sure to shave, or at least apologize for not doing so ahead of time.

There is no right way for a woman to look. There is no right way for a wom an to groom. I remember admiring the confidence of one of my classmates in high school for just shaving up to her knee. Look how confident she is. I want to be like that. I never thought less of her appearance. I thought high er of her confidence and strength.

For a lot of women, that is what body hair is about—reclaiming your con fidence and showing your strength. It’s about grooming your mustache, eyebrows and pubes in the way that makes you feel most beautiful and at tractive.

There is nothing wrong with a clean-shaven body and a waxed face. There is also nothing wrong with a unibrow, a full bush and ungroomed legs. What matters is whether or not you feel comfortable and most like yourself. For some, that means hav ing no pubes. For others, that means minor trimming. And for others, that means keeping it all-natural. None of these are wrong.·

REVOLUTION

Will Not Be Sleep Deprived

HOW THE NAP MINISTRY, AN ARTISTIC AND COMMUNITY-DRIVEN ORGANIZATION, IS RESISTING THROUGH REST

By Josie Brandmeier, Arts Staff Writer Illustrated by Allyson Konz, Art Director

Hymns and meditations mix with the sound of the wind softly blow ing. White curtains hanging from the altars shift in the breeze as voic es breathe peacefully, resting in the center of the bed fixtures. This per formance art installation, called “A Resting Place,” is located in Ponce City Market.1 Once a site for heal ing, the land’s natural spring was believed to cure illness and provide rejuvenation. However, not everyone had access to these healing waters. Signs reading “Whites only” prevent ed Black people from having access to the sacred space. Today, as part of a live art installation, Black Atlantans rest in a public, unified and radical moment of self-care. This is The Nap Ministry’s revolution.

It is scientifically undisputed that people need sleep. Prolonged sleep deprivation can impair judgment, in crease chances of depression and even increase the risk of developing heart disease.2

As a society, we glorify busyness and overworking ourselves—whether it’s a young professional posting on Linked In about their “hustle,” or a college student bragging about pulling an all-nighter in the library. Compared to this work-intensive behavior, people might think napping is lazy.

Even top figures of society support the idea that obsessive working is key to success. Elon Musk tweeted “no one ever changed the world on 40 hours a week” and claimed that he works 120 hours a week, often sleeping at the of fice. This narrative implies that anyone unsuccessful should simply sleep less and work more, which is a dangerous and untrue message. While Elon Musk may be a very successful man in terms of his business, the only guaranteed outcome of chronic sleep deprivation is exhaustion.3

Those that do celebrate sleep are of ten still viewing sleep as a means to

1 “A Resting Place,” Flux Projects.

2 “Sleep Deprivation,” Johns Hopkins Medicine.

3 Elon Musk, “There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.” Twitter, November 22, 2018; David Gelles, James B. Stewart, Jessica Silver-Green berg and Kate Kelly, “Elon Musk Details ‘Excru ciating’ Personal Toll of Tesla Turmoil,” The New York Times, August 17, 2018.

be more productive rather than a moment for genuine self-care. Bil lionaire Jeff Bezos celebrates nap ping because it’s a way to increase his productivity and ability to make good decisions in the workplace.4 Headlines such as “How to take the perfect nap to be more productive” are a dime a dozen. By this line of thinking, naps are a commodity to invest in; they are a means to make more money and work harder, not a means to rest.

Founded in 2016, The Nap Minis try addresses the permeation of grind culture by posing napping as a subversive act. With philosophical roots in Black liberation and wom anism, their goal is to examine naps as a means of liberation, especial ly among Black communities where sleep deprivation is a large issue.5 A 2015 study found that Black people were five times as likely to get less than six hours of sleep in comparison to their white counterparts.6

The Nap Ministry recently shared an image on Instagram reading, “This notion of ‘if it don’t make money, it don’t make sense,’ is a false narrative created by a capitalist strategy that believes your entire existence should be measured by money and produc ing. Resist. Go live for the sake of be ing present. Go rest, daydream. Take a nap.”7

Through performance art, site-specif ic installations, social media presence and immersive workshops, the orga nization centers around using rest as a tool for healing.

Tricia Hersey is the organization’s founder and official Nap Bishop. A Chicago native residing in Atlanta, Hersey has over 20 years of expe

4 Emmie Martin, “Why Jeff Bezos Prioritizes Something Other CEOs Don’t,” CNBC, April 21, 2017.

5 “The Nap Ministry,” The Nap Ministry, January 3, 2020.

6 Xiaoli Chen, MD, PhD, MPH, Rui Wang, PhD, Phyllis Zee, MD, PhD, Pamela L. Lutsey, PhD, MPH, Sogol Javaheri, MD, Carmela Alcántara, PhD, Chandra L. Jackson, PhD, MS, Michelle A. Wil liams, ScD and Susan Redline, MD, MPH, “Racial/ Ethnic Differences in Sleep Disturbances: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA),”

Academic, June 1, 2015.

7 The Nap Ministry, “Photo of quotation from the Nap Ministry.” Instagram, February 8th, 2020.

rience working with communities as a performance artist, poet and com munity organizer.

The Nap Ministry also employs their message through performance art, like the “Resting Place,” at Ponce City Market or “Reparations: Live!,” a one-woman show featuring Hersey sleeping on a bed-altar. Everybody was invited to watch, or bring their own pillow and blanket to sleep as well. The idea behind this per formance was not just to watch a woman nap, but to watch a woman enter what The Nap Ministry calls a “dream-space,” a place to envision a new future and to liberate oneself.8

Other events by The Nap Ministry include community-napping events and workshops. At the communi ty-naps, participants bring their own pillows and blankets to enter a dream-space together. As they sleep, Hersey reads poetic medita tions. Workshops focus on depro gramming grind culture mentality.

The power of the Nap Ministry is in its community, as is the power in any resistance. People often lose sleep because they want to beat the competition and they’re afraid they aren’t doing enough. The Nap Ministry writes, “This oppressive cul ture wants us to believe in a scarci ty model. Resting resides in a model of abundance. We are enough and there is enough for all. You can rest.”9

When a group of people gets to gether to breathe, meditate and rest they actively decide to opt out of a system that demands they be pro ductive at all times. They also invite others to opt out too. While The Nap Ministry understands the value in the early bird getting the worm, they want people to know that there are enough worms to go around. Together, through community, the members of The Nap Ministry uplift each other, daydream together, rest together and resist together. ·

8 “Naps As a Vision Space for Healing,” The Nap Ministry, January 5, 2020.

9 Ibid.

All for the

NEO-COLONIALISM IS HIDING UNDER THE MASK OF VOLUNTEER TOURISM

By Ariana King, Culture Editorial Assistant Illustrated by Channing Smith, Arts Curator

Imagine this: you’re off in an exotic land but you can’t enjoy it because you’re jet-lagged and exhausted. Someone squeezes your hand.

You look down at a smiling child who seems to be telling you everything is alright. You smile back. You remem ber why you’re here: to help these poor souls. Kids that will grow up in a third-world country where things are so backwards it’s like the dark ages.

If that sounds more like an advertise ment filled with explicit paternalism than a true-to-life travel narrative, then you’d be right. It does. It is an imitation of discourse about a phe nomenon coined as volunteer tour ism, or voluntourism.

Volunteer tourism is a form of vol unteering, but it’s not “great” or “charitable” like we’re led to believe. Instead, volunteer tourism is travel ling—usually internationally—with the intention of doing charity work for some high-and-mighty cause. While people may go into this with “pure” motivations, volunteer tourism has disastrous and devastating effects on the very communities these volun teers and agencies seek to “help.”

This is oftentimes because volunteers don’t go through sufficient training. Very rarely do they have any knowl edge of the local culture, languages or beliefs. Because of this cultural ignorance—as well as internalized Western superiority—agencies and volunteers often patronize locals as “poor people” who “need” their help. (See white savior complex here.)1

Moreover, even well-intended con struction projects, like building wells or homes, often don’t yield their de sired effects. For one, agencies fre quently impose their ideas on thirdworld communities without asking the people what they actually need.

That’s exactly what happened when foreigners came in and gave folks

1 A. Freidus. “Volunteer tourism: what’s wrong with it and how it can be changed.” The Conver sation. Nov 8, 2017.

anti-malaria mosquito nets in highrisk places such as East Africa and the Philippines. Food insecurity was a much larger priority for these com munities, so they started using the nets to catch fish instead. 2

Even when locals and volunteers do collaborate on projects like building schools or teaching math and history, they are taking away jobs from locals. Large amounts of money go further in most third-world countries and the sum used to send a volunteer over seas could easily pay the salaries of hired locals to do the same work.3

Perhaps one of the most damaging forms of volunteer tourism is that which targets orphans. To start, there is a lot of ignorance and manipula tion when it comes to orphan statis tics. The third-world isn’t as full as or phans as many people believe—many parents put their kids in orphanages in the hopes that they will receive better care than they could them selves provide. Thus, many “orphans” aren’t actually orphans.4

This doesn’t matter, however, to the multiplicity of volunteer agencies who use dramatic and false language to draw people to the cause of “help ing’’ these “orphans.” They capitalize on people’s desire to “do good” in or der to make money in a process that often exploits children.

Going on a two-week trip to a thirdworld country to take selfies with kids and maybe teach them some English creates attachment issues for the children. These children aren’t ploys to advance your own image as a “good person” on social media.

In Nepal, UNICEF found that 85% of the children in Nepali orphanages have at least one living parent. While the parents hoped the orphanage would give their kids an education,

2 D. Carrington. “Global use of mosquito nets for fishing ‘endangering humans and wildlife’” The Guardian. Jan 31, 2018.

3T. Rosenberg. “The business of voluntourism: do western do-gooders actually do harm?” The Guardian. Sept 13, 2018.

4 Ibid.

the kids spend much more time with inexperienced volunteers than actu ally learning. Often times, the volun teers don’t even go through a back ground check, putting these kids at risk for sexual abuse.5

Even if all these other issues didn’t exist, going abroad to take selfies and play tic-tac-toe with “orphans”’ doesn’t even address the roots of the problem. Voluntourism doesn’t sup port parents in taking care of their own children. It doesn’t tackle pover ty, sexism, classism and all the other systems of oppression that lead par ents to put their kids in orphanages in the first place, nor help the very few real orphans out there.6

Unfortunately, volunteer tourism is really something much more sinister than it seems to be. Volunteer agen cies and charities actively exploit third-world countries to generate this volunteer industry. They prey on third-world communities desperate for aid and Westerns’ unconscious need to “be the hero”—not to actu ally help someone but to feel good about themselves.

Simply put, volunteer tourism is neo colonialism. It’s a new form of ex ploitation that subjects the global South to abuse, damage and implicit— or explicit—paternalism that reinforc es ingrained feelings of inferiority.7

If you want to do genuine good for “orphans,” donate money to sup port local childcare or families them selves. A $2,000 plane ticket to go visit a child for a week could pay for a local school teacher’s salary for four months and get kids the education their parents put them in the orphan age for in the first place.

8

At the end of the day, you can make a change. You just have to have the diligence to make sure it’s a posi tive one.

·

5 B. Withrow. “The Hidden Dangers of Volunteer Tourism.” The Daily Beast. Feb 23, 2019.

6 Ibid.

7 Ibid.

8 Ibid.

KINGS AND QUEENS OF THE DIGITAL JUNGLE

WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY TAKE TO REIGN SUPREME IN THE VOID OF THE INTERNET?

By Amanda Jentsch, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Lauren Chung, Editor in Chief

From the looks of it, a YouTuber lives the absolute dream life: modeling in photoshoots to get gorgeous shots for their Instagram, receiving tons of free products from PR packages that com panies send them and making a living by simply picking up a camera and re cording their daily lives. But, what is it like to actually live this dream? What does it take to get there?

Many seem to think that an influenc er’s life is a breeze. In reality, it involves a lot more than simply picking up a camera and hitting “upload.” Jess and Gabriel Conte, a married couple with 3.2 million subscribers on their shared YouTube channel, posted a video dis cussing the details of their careers as Internet personalities, including the time commitment and steps involved in the creative process.

According to the couple, filming typi cally takes up a full day of their week. After their content is filmed, they send it off to a professional editor so that they have time to focus on other as pects of their brand. Jess, meanwhile, spends two days a week editing vid eos for her own channel, which con sists of 2.3 million subscribers.1

In addition, they both run companies of their own: Conteam, a clothing brand, and Harper and Willow, Jess’ stationery, desk supplies and apparel company. The couple also has meet ings that often take up an entire work day. On top of all that, they negoti ate brand deals and decide on which brands to market to their sizable fol lowings and how much to charge.2

While simply sticking to the You Tube platform already seems like a lot of work, many successful You Tubers have branched out beyond video content. HBOMax, a stream ing service set to release in May, announced that they recruited two YouTube stars to host their own kids’ competition series.3

1 “The Truth About Being Youtubers.” Youtube video, 25:05, “Jess Conte,” 15 May 2019

2 Ibid.

3 Geoff Weiss. “HBO Max Taps YouTubers Lau rDIY, Michelle Khare, To Host Kids’ Competition Series.” Tubefilter. 10 Oct 2019.

The first, Lauren Riihimaki, also known as LaurDIY, has nearly 9 million sub scribers and now hosts a crafting competition show called “Craftopia.” The other show, “Karma,” puts kids through physical and mental chal lenges while focusing on humility, in terpersonal connection and patience. The host: former Buzzfeed star, now with an independent channel of her own and 1.8 million subscribers, Mi chelle Khare.4

Riihimaki and Khare aren’t the first to make the leap from a YouTube chan nel to a TV channel. Lilly Singh, whose subscriber count reaches nearly 15 million, now hosts her own late night show, “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” on NBC.5

Clearly, the days of casual, informal vlogging are over. Today, many view ers want quality content with a pur pose. As Gabriel Conte discusses in a video regarding their careers as You Tubers, “YouTube now is that you have to have something of value to give, whether it’s information or strong en tertainment value.” Jess adds, “The ones who go really big... have a very specific style.”6

Shane Dawson, whose channel has 23 million subscribers, is one example of a platform-changing signature style. Dawson is one of the pioneers in delv ing deeper than face-value on social platforms, especially on YouTube. His documentaries follow other YouTu bers’ lives, showing the side of life that often gets left off-camera. In doing so, he revamps the relationship between viewer and creator; now, there’s a de sire to see the details that make the person in front of a camera human, rather than the Instagram-perfect in fluencer. This makes content news worthy—with a purpose, something to say and significant entertainment value—rather than a planned outing merely for cheap entertainment.7

4 Ibid.

5 Liz Shannon Miller. “Can an online star really make it in Hollywood?” Vox.com. 3 Jan 2020.

6 “The Truth About Being Youtubers.” Youtube video, 25:05, “Jess Conte,” 15 May 2019

7 Julia Alexander. “Shane Dawson’s new docu mentaries crack Youtube culture’s Kardashian problem.” Polygon. 3 Aug 2018.

From Shane Dawson’s documenta ries to the more vulnerable discus sions about anxiety, eating disorders and other heavy topics, YouTubers are stepping up their game to keep their audiences happy and expand their platforms. In a platform that is so saturated with content—over 400 hours of video are uploaded every minute—creators have to push them selves to go deeper in order to rise above the noise.8

Zoe Sugg, known online as Zoella, has over 11 million subscribers. Sugg was one of the first to open up about the scrutiny of being an online celebrity and remains committed to her mis sion to promote mental health above all things. This traces back to 2012, when she posted a video about pan ic attacks and anxiety, saying, “So I guess the point of this video is to let you guys know that you are not the only person that feels this way.”9 Sugg testified that she receives daily mes sages from people that feel the same way—both influencers and members of the general public.

To see YouTubers and people who have major Internet followings be more open and real with viewers is a refreshing trend—it proves that there are creators who seek to establish a true connection with their audience. These are the YouTubers that are be coming more successful than the sur face level vloggers of the past.

In the world of numbers, where do we define success? Is it at 100,000 sub scribers? 1 million? Is success purely in making the trending list, going vi ral or hitting the next big number? Or, as the pressure to produce valuable content seems to build, is the mea sure of success based on putting out a quality product which impacts even a few people?

How do you define success online? ·

8 Kit Smith. “57 Fascinating and Incredible You Tube Statistics.” Brandwatch. 21 Feb 2020.

9 Sabrina Barr. “Zoe Sugg opens up about feeling ‘suffocated’ on Instagram.” Independent. 7 Jan 2019.

Olivia Austria-Kemble photographed by Annika Ide, Photography Director & Emma Gray, Staff Photographer

Directed by Maria Dayneko, Creative Director, Nina Waech, Creative Assistant, and the Creative Team: Amanda Liebmann, Kate Colby, Katie Hayes, Samantha Starks, & Shannon McManus

Culture of SUC CESS

By Gylf Forsberg, Culture Staff Writer

When people ask me about my drive and motivation, I credit not myself, but my family. I speak of my great-grand mother, a child of immigrants, who graduated with the first class of women at the University of Michigan. I think of my grandmother who continuously challenged the status quo and fought for her rights, as well as for those around her. I think of my cousins who set the bar so high for me, urging me to work just as hard—if not harder. I think of my mother, the strongest person I know, the single mother

who gave up so much to ensure I had no obstacle in the way to my success.

Success and the way in which we view it is inextricably linked to the culture we are surrounded by. The beliefs and attitudes we hold about our existence are shaped by our past experiences.1 These beliefs and attitudes then become integrated into our personalities; in turn, 1 P. W. Wamimbi. “Cultural Values Shape Our Lives, Society.” Daily Monitor. Feb 7, 2017.

OUR CONCEPT OF SUCCESS IS SHAPED GREATLY BY OUR FAMILIES AND CULTURES

they influence others around us, like ly shaping their personal beliefs and thought hierarchies.

This interplay of beliefs and influences contributes to a shared societal cul ture of perceptions and understand ing. This shared culture molds our perceptions of the world—concepts of body language, familial structure and gender norms. Culture shapes the way we perceive the world, and therefore the way in which we per ceive success.

We shape our concept of success by internalizing both active and passive influence from our family members as well as others in our lives. In “Hillbilly Elegy”—the breakout bestseller from J.D. Vance—the author describes how his concept of success was defined to him by his family’s social position as well as those around him.

“...I identify with the millions of work ing-class white Americans of ScotsIrish descent who have no college degree. To these folks, poverty’s the family tradition. Their ancestors were day laborers in the southern slave economy, sharecroppers after that, coal miners after that, and machin ists and mill workers during more re cent times.”2

With this quote, Vance shows how his preconceived notion of success was outlined by his ancestors’ hard work, as well as the work ethic they passed down through generations. Like many others, his success cor related with carrying the family tradi tion. Vance initially viewed his trajec tory in life as the same as his family members, thinking that success was only possible if he took his place in the family occupation.

Some may view this cycle of repeti tion, where children will occupy the same societal roles as their parents, as the opposite of success. They, in stead, view a catalyst for success as the breaking of this cycle, leaving your family’s culture behind for something they view as more successful. We see this trope throughout various popu

2 J. D. Vance. “Hillbilly Elegy: a Memoir of a Fam ily and Culture in Crisis.” Harper Collins Publish ers. 2018.

lar stories—”The Great Gatsby,” “The Pursuit of Happiness,” “Little Miss Sunshine”—the protagonist views their current position in society as a starting point for the rise to success rather than a place to stay.

In this way, some use their cultur al and familial identity as a juxta position of success, looking to the opposite of where they came from and finding success in the rebellion against their familial norm. Individ uals may view their family’s position as less than ideal and believe that the process of subverting this position and becoming something they per ceive to be greater as the only way to reach success.

Others reach for success as a means of making their seemingly absent family listen, “Look, I’m the valedicto rian...I graduated cum laude...will you pay attention to me now?” Individu als may set a focus for their success as calling attention to themselves by making changes that disrupt the sta tus quo of their family.

These views of an inherent social structure and hierarchy are very American in idea, but the perception of success can become a complicat ed idea when you have an interplay of different cultures at once. This in terplay is incredibly prevalent in im migrant and blended families in the United States.3 Lauren Chung, Edi tor-in-Chief of Moda Magazine and a senior at the University of Wiscon sin-Madison, describes her concept of success as being heavily influenced by her family and their experiences.

Chung shares that her concept of success is molded by her Chi nese-American heritage. Her moth er’s family fled communist China to Canada when her mother was just 5-years-old and later came to the U.S. when her mother was in high school. Her paternal grandfather was grant ed a special scholarship to study in the U.S., and stayed in the States as a United Nations translator.4

3 A. Sutherland. “Why Young Adults with Immi grant Parents Are Doing So Well.” Institute for Family Studies. April 26, 2016

4 Lauren Chung, interview by Gylf Forsberg, Mad ison WI. Feb 14, 2020.

Chung grew up hearing the stories of her grandparents’ struggles and experiences and recognized the priv ilege that those struggles granted to her—privileges that allow her to achieve her goals. Chung describes being in gymnastics as a child, an ac tivity her mother always wanted to do but wasn’t financially able to.

“My mom was ecstatic...I was excited too, I loved [gymnastics]...[but] as competitions and skills became hard er, I not only felt the general pressure to do well in sports but also the pres sure to allow my mom to experience what she never got to.”5

These pressures can shape our ideas of success, causing one to internalize their parents’ goals as their own. Chil dren may feel a sense of accomplish ment in seeing their parents’ goals realized, affecting their overall under standing of success.

The idea of providing a life better than what you had for your children is a common theme of success across the board, but is especially preva lent in immigrant and first- and sec ond-generation American families. As Chung said, “I can get behind the jokes that poke fun at [this] dynam ic, but deep down I know it’s because so many sacrificed so much to start a family in America.”6

Success is a hard concept to quanti fy, especially with our understanding of success constantly morphing and shifting trajectory. However, success has deep roots in the understanding of our experiences, our family’s ex periences and our overall shared cul tures. We feel pressure from our fam ilies, whether active in scolding about bad grades or passive in the deafen ing silence of ambivalence.

Whether we acknowledge it or not, our concept of success is inextrica bly linked to all levels of the culture in which we are surrounded—our fa milial, ethnographic and our national and international culture. ·

5 Ibid.

6 Ibid.

EMBRACE THE END OF OWNING CLOTHES

WHY IT IS TIME TO START RENTING YOUR CLOTHING

By Talia Abbe, Fashion Staff Writer Erin Schuster and Kat Krska photographed by Josh Redfearn, Staff Photographer

People today live by the unspoken rule that they cannot wear the same outfit twice. They go out and buy the latest trend, take a picture in it for Ins tagram and then leave it to sit in their closet until it is time to give it away. Because of this, there seems to always be a need for more clothes and more ways to show off style while keeping up with trends. Not only do people not want to be caught in the same outfit twice, but in a time where many young women are moving, changing jobs or traveling, having the option to change up your wardrobe whenever you please can be refreshing.

No one wants a closet full of cloth ing they’re never going to wear again, and no retailer wants to deal with customers wearing something once and leaving the tags on only to return it a few days later. Rented clothing is a great way to fulfill a temporary fash ion fad that is quickly moving in and out of style.

One party dress can be rented by mul tiple people, giving the dress a much longer lifetime than it would have if it was purchased by one person, left to collect dust in a closet after being worn once. The statistics of clothing waste are jaw-dropping: around 300,000 tons of clothing end up stuffed away in the attic of someone’s house each year, with about 80% of this incinerat ed and 20% sent off to a landfill.1

College students especially benefit from the new trend of renting cloth ing, especially for occasions such as formals, interviews or parties. When 1 Helen Horton, “Renting clothes will replace fast fashion, entrepreneur says as young people turn backs on throwaway dresses,” The Telegraph, August 27, 2019.

renting pieces, students can rent four designer dresses that would typically be, on average, $500 each, for $90 in total.2 Renting clothing can help col lege students find new, trendy outfits for every event while still staying with in a tight budget. It also takes the guilt away from purchasing something they might only wear once.

Rental companies like Rent the Run way, Armoire, Gwynnie Bee, Style Lend, Le Tote and Nuuly work towards being environmentally friendly and rid ding the guilt of one-time wear.

Rent the Runway is the most praised rental website in the world. The com pany is worth one billion dollars and it has more than 150 designer labels to choose from.3 Like many other rental services, they offer monthly membership packages. They offer three different types of packages: Reserve, RTR Update and RTR Unlimited. Reserve is for a onetime order while RTR Update and RTR Unlimited are monthly packages.

Rent the Runway has its own app and web site, making it seamless to update your pieces whenever, wherever. Af ter creating an account and choosing a member ship option, customers can have their garments delivered in garment bags to their doors in a matter of days. Upon return, the cloth ing can be zipped back up in the garment bags they came in, making sending it back

nearly effortless. Rent the Runway takes care of all of the dry cleaning for you, so no need to worry if you get a piece dirty. If you happen to fall in love with your items, you have the option to purchase it for a reduced price. If you get something you don’t like, just send it back and you can choose something else in its place.

The future of fashion is rented cloth ing, and although it may never surpass fast fashion, it definitely challenges it. Save money, be sustainable and look more trendy than ever by renting your clothing rather than buying it.·

TOUCH, TASTE, SEE, SMELL, HEAR

CAPTURE YOUR DAY THROUGH MINDFUL SENSORY EXPERIENCES

By Kora Quinn, Lifestyle Staff Writer Kora Quinn photographed by Meghan Vieth, Contributing Photographer

As mental health is increasingly rec ognized as an important aspect of our overall well-being, we have the opportunity to find new and unique daily practices to care for ourselves. A beloved friend of mine recently intro duced me to a key component in ap preciating our everyday lives—the sim ple act of recounting your day through the five senses.

Using the senses in terms of reflecting is something I’d previously never con sidered. I have always done my reflec tion through journaling about what’s on my mind because it provides a physical release of emotion that’s hard to express any other way. When I be gan to implement the five senses into my daily reflection, I noticed consider able differences in the way I perceived the world. My outlook became more positive due to the perceptive way I began to see everything. Minor de tails stood out and I could remember conversations I had in passing more vividly. Every night, I would recall the events of the day and think something such as:

Today, I tasted an incredible jasmine tea, the warmth and light floral aro ma lingering on my tongue for a while after. I heard a new song that made me want to dance for hours, and the scent of walking into my favorite cof fee shop was like gazing upon heav en for the first time. I got to witness the first snowfall of the year, and I couldn’t help but notice the pleasing

way it delicately outlined each and every tree. At the end of my day, the feeling of cuddling up in bed was the most comforting, inviting touch.

In truth, it can be difficult to come up with something for every sense every single night. I often find myself strug gling to pinpoint where in my day I experienced something memorable enough to include, and sometimes events from previous days would over lap. Jasmine tea was my favorite smell for a few days, just as the chill of the snow was my most memorable touch for days on end.

Yet, oddly enough, that can be the best part of the experience. We are constantly surrounded by noise and input that can be hard to sort through. To take the time to recall each and ev ery sensory experience offers a new insight into your life.

A beautiful piece on the process of reflection reads, “By understand ing who you are now and who you’d like to become, you help identify the steps you need to take on that jour ney. Reflecting upon how you behave and what thoughts enter your mind in response to events in the world around you allows you to see what you need to work on.”1 Being mindful of what your senses are allowing you to experience and reflecting upon how you react to those moments

1 A Conscious Rethink, What is Self-Reflection and Why is it So Important? (A Conscious Re think, 2019).

gives you a better understanding of the steps necessary for improving your mental well-being.

I’ve repeated this process in various ways, and I encourage exploring what works best for you. That can be writing moments down in a journal and may be going so far as asking yourself why these moments were special: I love feeling the touch of my sheets after an exhausting day because it’s like a reward for working as hard as I could, and that breath of fresh air means a lot to me. When done with another person—a partner, roommate or close friend—this process has the potential to be even more meaningful. You gain a sense of closeness with someone else when you experience the day through their eyes—details and knowledge that are unique to them that they are will ing to share with only you.

Capturing your day through sensory experience forces you to pay attention to the small things in your life. You start to gain a new appreciation for day-today activities you previously would have glanced over as unimportant—it gives them a sense of value, even if it’s as simple as admiring the sun filter ing through the trees or enjoying your walk to class. It can be crucial to create self-awareness to better understand yourself through your habits, words and actions so that you can translate your perception of the world, and how you function within it.·

MODA’S

DEN

GUIDE

TRIED-AND-TRUE DENIM ACROSS BODY SHAPES AND SIZES

By Emily Fleming, Staff Writer Emily Fleming, Stella Douglas, Sabine Hansen and Calder Day photographed by Seth DeGier, Staff Photographer

Every woman understands the struggle of shopping for jeans. Personally, I avoid jean shopping as much as possible by wearing my trusted denim until the seams rip and I phys ically cannot button them anymore. There are few better feelings than wearing a pair of good quality, comfortable and well-fitted jeans.

The path to finding such gems, however, can prove to be very difficult. Everyone’s body is different, and it can take a lot of trial and error to find what is perfect for you. Across a variety of body shapes and sizes, I’ve rounded up denim advice and best-kept secrets to take with you during your hunt for the perfect pair of jeans.

SABINE

BODY TYPE: Curvy

BRANDS: GAP, American Eagle, Levi’s

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: I have a big butt [and I] get that weird gap in the back. I don’t like jegging material—I like real denim material. There was a weird push from 2010-2016 of jeggings and I don’t like those, and if you buy online, it’s hard to be able to tell what material it is.

CUT: I like mom jeans now because it’s in, and I like jeans that taper at the leg—slim cut but not full-on skinny jeans.

RISE: High-waisted, always.

CALDER

BODY TYPE: Long and Lean

BRANDS: All the jeans I wear I buy at thrift stores. Usually, I’ll go to Goodwill, or any other thrift stores I can find, and I try on any Levi’s I pass, any Steve and Berry’s and LL Bean. If I want some thing more mainstream/stylish, I like Pistola (which they usually have on sale at Bloomingdales).

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: For me, my legs are really long. I’m 5’9, so it’s hard to find jeans that look proportional. A lot of times [jeans] fit my legs but [are] huge on the waist... so my style is “my jeans always kind of look too big on me,” but I just roll with it. Or, some times I’ll buy jeans that are too big and crop them myself. Since the jeans I buy from thrift stores usually don’t fit me

perfectly, sometimes I’ll hem them and then fray the ends so it looks intention al. Sometimes I’ll paint my jeans.

CUT: For my body type, I go for boy friend jeans or more masculine-style jeans—sometimes I buy men’s jeans. It’s more flattering for me [and] makes my legs look longer. I feel like [jeans] are more comfortable when they’re loose. I’m not a huge skinny jeans girl, I’d rather wear looser jeans with a tight shirt.

STELLA

BODY TYPE: Petite

BRANDS: BDG (especially for a loos er, boyfriend-fit), Free People Denim, TOPSHOP, Abercrombie + Fitch

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Because I’m a dancer, I’ve always struggled to find jeans that fit my butt, thighs and calves without being too big at the waist. I hate the “gap” that happens when your jeans fit your legs, but are too big on the waist. I always try on jeans before I buy them in order to find that one tried-and-true pair that will last.

CUT: Skinny jeans and jeggings work best for me and make me feel the most confident, but I do love a good baggy/boyfriend pair. I always look for jeans that have a little stretch, and are form-fitting and flattering.

RISE: My favorite is high-waisted.

EMILY

BODY TYPE: Curvy and tall

BRANDS: I AM GIA, Frame, Revice, Good American

BIGGEST CHALLENGE: My biggest challenge when it comes to jeans is that it might fit on my hips and my butt, but then gaps at my waist.

CUT: Boot cut/flare styles always work for me—they’re incredibly slimming and accentuate my curves. Stretch is a curvy girl’s best styling trick because it allows the fabric to highlight your best features without being too tight in all the wrong places.

RISE: [I like] high waisted or midrise if it hits at the right spot, be cause it cinches at my waist and doesn’t gap. It also gives a lift to the booty which is always a plus. Since I have bigger thighs, I love to empha size my waist and add a fun belt to get the cinched look!

LENGTH: When it comes to length, that’s another tricky aspect for me. At 5’9 most of the “tall” jeans are too long, but the “regular” jeans are too short. It’s all about brand trial-and-er ror to see what works best.

Although shopping for jeans comes with it’s struggles, there is always go ing to be the perfect pair just waiting for you to find it. With the right pair of jeans, every woman can feel comfort able. There is no one type of beauty— just like there is no one-size-fits-all for jeans—and the most important way to rock whatever clothes you’re wearing is to wear it with confidence.

·

EDUCATION THROUGH A GREEN LENS

LEARNING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE— REGARDLESS OF YOUR DEGREE

By Olivia Peters, Culture Staff Writer Illustrated by Riley August

For my dad, nature is church. He grew up on a farm and bought coun try property as soon as he put roots down in our hometown. I ran around a pasture with lambs during elementary school, planted hundreds of trees on the weekends during middle school and helped my dad restore prairie habitats all throughout high school.

My head is never as clear as when I’m sitting in the grass with no buildings in sight. The environment’s prevalent role in my childhood instilled a love of nature into my heart, as well as a strong interest in conservation in my mind. This interest only deepened when I reached high school and start ed to learn of the disastrous effects of climate change.

Though I was passionate about the environment and knew I’d always be an advocate for conservation, I wasn’t sure if it was something I wanted to study in a classroom setting. To test the waters, I signed up for an intro ductory course in environmental stud ies—specifically about the multiplicity of social perspectives surrounding cli mate change—during my first semes ter of college.

Instead of playing into my expec tations and telling us what to think about climate change, we analyzed different perspectives on multiple en vironmental issues.

The focus of the course was “Living in the Anthropocene”—the period of time we’re currently in—where eco systems and climate are changing because of human influence.1 Human destruction and pollution are impact ing ecosystems, weather patterns and landscapes in a way that is unsustain able for long-term human survival. There is a fast-approaching deadline of when we must change our behavior in order to stop devastating environmen tal repercussions.

While environmental studies isn’t something I see myself pursuing in the long run, I’ve come to realize that classes through the Nelson Institute of

1 “Anthropocene.” National Geographic Society. June 5, 2019.

Environmental Studies can add value to any degree or field of study.

The Nelson Institute’s goal is to bridge classrooms and communities, foster environmental conversation and de velop tomorrow’s leaders and innova tors of climate change mitigation.2

As society evolves, influenced by the effects of pollution and high emission levels, “climate change” has become a household phrase. Our friends and coworkers urge us to stop drinking out of plastic straws. Our parents and roommates shout at us to turn the water off while we brush our teeth. However, we often don’t get the chance to learn about the reasons for these demands, such as the slow chemical decomposition rate of plas tic or worldwide water shortages.

Environmental studies is not an over whelmingly liberal or purely scientif ic curriculum as it’s stereotypically thought of. Rather, it’s the combina tion of several multidisciplinary ap proaches to the same issue. It’s the social and cultural aspects of the chemistry behind and the politics sur rounding our Earth and its systems.

Not only am I properly informed of prevalent environmental issues, but the Nelson Institute’s environmental coursework encourages and teaches students a political ecology approach to studying environmental justice. This mainly consists of viewing all in formation regarding environmental issues as inherently influenced by the power relations in environmental gov ernance and the economy.3

Usually in a college lecture hall of 400 students what the professor says is law—no one dares to question the claims they make as false.4 As we learn, we accept a professor’s views as the “truth” since we are not given the opportunity to learn the subject from any other point of view. In all three of the environmental studies classes

2 “About Us.” The Nelson Institute. 2020.

3 B. Fath, “Political Ecology.” Encyclopedia of Ecology. 2019.

4 J. Freeman. “Opinion | Most U.S. College Stu dents Afraid to Disagree with Professors.” The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company. Oct 26, 2018.

I have taken, my professors present ed an issue to the class and then dis cussed both sides of each topic, often never stating which side is “right” or what the “correct” solution is.

All of these professors have challenged me to solve problems for myself, as well as form my own original and informed thoughts. I am reminded weekly to not take anything I read in the news or in a scientific report at face-value and to always dig deeper to reveal biases and wrongly framed data—something that is very applicable outside of environ mental studies.

The Nelson Institute allows students of all aptitudes to learn about the issue of climate change. No matter the course, you will walk away with a wealth of knowledge about issues that are regularly discussed in the news today. Not to mention that you’ll be encouraged to think freely and form your own opinions.

Environmental studies is no longer just another major at UW—it is an in tegral part of each of our future ca reer paths. The information these classes introduce will be forced to the forefront of culture and politics at some point in our lifetimes, hopefully as a result of our generation leading the way to finding a solution. So, you may as well get ahead and enroll in a course now.

When I get time off from school I go home to escape the concrete of Mad ison and the bustle of a college town. I sit outside and breathe deep. I have lots of long conversations with my dad, and tell him about some of the things I’ve learned. It makes me smile to think back to my dad and I walk ing in the prairie together when I was a little girl. I am so grateful for those formative times with him, when I was taught my first of many lessons about why the Earth is everything. Getting any form of environmental education changes how you view everyday life. Seek this type of learning out and give the green lens a try. ·

MUSIC FOR THRIVING

PLAYLISTS TO MAKE YOUR SOUL FEEL WHOLE

By Paige Olson, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Channing Smith, Arts Curator

To me, thriving can take place wherev er you are—sitting on the public bus, in your room or even in class—as long as you are listening to some great mu sic. It’s the simple activity of putting on your headphones that has the power to make you cry, smile, dance or feel nostalgic. Some of my favorite songs and albums have changed my life for the better. Here are three of my per sonal favorite bands and albums that have done just that.

One of my favorite bands—one that was second nature for me to put on during my drive to high school—is Fleetwood Mac. Led by female vocal ist Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac has put out 18 studio albums and nine live albums.1 Their first studio album was released in 1968, and they only grew from there. Fleetwood Mac was widely popular throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s and continues to stand out today due to their unique sound and Stevie Nicks’ iconic voice. My favorite compilation of songs comes from their “50 years–Don’t Stop” album, released in No vember of 2018.2 When I first discov ered their music, I was on a bus with my high school band traveling around Spain, driving from Madrid to Valencia to Granada. These school trips always featured kids playing Mafia behind me 1 Stephen Erlewine, “Fleetwood Mac,” All Music, 2020.

2 Alexandra Pollard, “Don’t Stop: 50 years on, Fleetwood Mac are still rising from the ashes of their own self-destruction,” Independent, 2018.

and cards in front. I blocked out the rowdy noise with great music to ac company the mesmerizing landscape we drove through. As I listened to “Dreams” I watched Spanish vineyards stretch endlessly as the winding roads followed the dream-like sound of the song. The song’s calming sound al lowed me to reflect on the trip and the memories I created. Listening to the song now incites the same memories.

While on the way to school on bright, sunny mornings I listen to the “La La Land” soundtrack. After seeing the movie a few years ago, the music from the film has become a staple in my life. It is truly a fun and enlightening playlist about heartache, heartbreak and wonderful times in Los Angeles. Jazz lovers will agree with me when I say the “La La Land” soundtrack is one to remember. Songs such as “An other Day of Sun,” “Someone In The Crowd” and “A Lovely Night” are great for dancing in your room or blast ing at full volume in your car. “City Of Stars,” “Planetarium” and “Audition” depict more of a mellow and nostalgic mood. These songs go along beauti fully with scenes from the movie. The soundtrack also includes ensembles consisting of solely jazz, like “Herman’s Habit,” which is one of my personal fa vorites. This song has a big band with swing and sass. If you want to get into a good mood, clean your messy room,

finally get some laundry done or start on some homework, the “La La Land” soundtrack is perfect.

The third band that has brought a lot of joy to my life is a classic: The Beatles. This British band published 12 albums spanning the years 1963 to 1970.3 The Beatles have a light-hearted tone throughout most of their music that’s great to listen to anytime and anywhere. Some of the more popular songs—“Yellow Submarine,” “Let It Be” and “Here Comes The Sun”— are clas sic oldies and crowd favorites. “Hey Jude” and “Come Together” are a cou ple of my personal favorites because they remind me of the summer my friends and I stayed up north in a cabin for a few days. We spent one particu lar day laying on the dock, occasionally dipping into the refreshing water, but mostly resting, talking and, of course, listening to The Beatles all day. One of the most relaxing summer days of my life was all thanks to The Beatles.

Ultimately, music is an aspect of life that is luscious and thriving. There is always new music to listen to and old music to reflect back on. It is an indus try and an art, and its power is signifi cant across the lives of many. ·

3 “The Beatles’ albums - complete list,” The Beatles Bible

BUILD A LUSH LIFE, NOT A LUX LIFE

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING A LIFE BASED ON MORE THAN MONEY AND CAREER

By Gabrielle Gronewold, Culture Staff Writer

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

I can’t tell you how many times I was asked this question growing up, and I know I’m not the only one. It is so in grained in our culture to start planning for our future at a young age.

For me, I always dreamt of being a dance teacher. Then, one day, I decid ed it was a bad idea. I decided it wasn’t realistic and that I wouldn’t make enough money.

How do our dreams of being an astro naut or the president quickly dissolve when considering how much money we will make?

More than ever before, high school stu dents are feeling an incredible amount of pressure to fit into a certain mold of success. High pressure from parents and teachers, matched with college admissions’ push for high test scores and a complete pack of extracurricular activities, has caused students to lose sight of themselves—to feel lost.1

These burdens are a product of a deeply ingrained cultural tone we have been spoon-fed since birth: the American Dream. Represented by up ward mobility and material wealth, the American Dream has served to shape a culture of mass production and ex treme fiscal stress.2 Rather than living a dreamy life of bliss and inner en lightenment, we’ve been shaped into a production line whose only goal is keeping capitalism alive.

1 E. Kessler. “Performance Anxiety: High School ers Under Pressure.” Smart Kids with LD.

2 H. Wyatt-Nichol. “The Enduring Myth of the American Dream.” International Journal of Orga nization Theory and Behavior. 2011.

Yet, the all-encompassing, very prom ising American Dream works wonders to keep many out of its actual bene fits. Many Americans have been led to believe success comes from work eth ic and dedication, when in reality the American Dream is a privilege that of ten only reaches those with resources, marginalizing many.3

This marginalization begins with un equal access to opportunity and wealth disparity. A Pew Research Cen ter report shows a clear distinction between the levels of accessibility to the American Dream for black versus white Americans. 65% percent of black people in the United States are born at the bottom of the income ladder, com pared to just 11% for white Americans.4

Furthermore, it is increasingly harder for Americans to make more money than it was for their parents. For ex ample, people born in the 1940’s had a 92% chance of earning more than their parents, whereas people born in the 1980’s had about a 50% chance.5

Though younger generations do have the opportunity to make more than their parents, it’s proving to be more and more difficult. People who are led to believe that the American Dream is a shiny, gold toy that is close in reach may be distraught to learn the growing difficulty many individuals face.

It is quite disappointing that the fluff of limitless opportunities and futures that showered us as kids is just a hoax that divides many. There is nothing

3 Ibid.

4 “Pursuing the American Dream.” Pew Research Center. 2012

5 R. Chetty. “The Equality of Opportunity Project.” National Bureau of Economic Research. 2016.

lush about the systematic trouble the ideal of a “perfect” career and loads of money has caused.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s great to dream big dreams, set goals and se cure the bag, but the dreams we aspire for should focus on achievements out side of monetary and social gain.

There is so much more to the human experience than your occupation. The talents and abilities we encapsulate are rich in creativity and innovation. Yet, too often are our talents de fined by a résumé and plans to earn a six-figure salary.

When reflecting on my own life, I con sider the things that bring me joy and make me feel good about myself out side of meaningless things like ma terial goods and my GPA. Filling my days with activities that bring me joy increases my quality of life and builds me up.

Rather than putting overtime in at work trying to get a promotion at a company you hate, Americans should have the space and ability to do joyous things outside of the pursuit of money. A lush life is one with thought-provok ing days and enriching experiences. The human mind’s capabilities are far more vast than monetary production.

So, why isn’t it that we ask kids what kind of person they want to be when they grow up? Or what traits they want to develop? Causes they want to sup port and places they want to see? By fixating on human production we are deteriorating our capabilities and hurt ing our quality of life.

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LIVING LARGE & LOATHED

ADDRESSING THE HOARDING OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF WEALTH BY FEW PEOPLE

By Shannon McManus, Culture Staff Writer

I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t be happy with a little more money to make my life easier. I’m willing to bet you would say the same too.

Not only do we want material things to live more comfortably, but we also want to show off our possessions. We live in a society that flaunts our lives, especial ly on social media.

Constantly scrolling through post after post of luxury and extravagance on In stagram is exhausting. Yet, we still keep up with it. The reason influencers and celebrities stay rich is because we use their products, watch their shows and react to their lifestyle. Celebrities flaunt their wealth to maintain their popular ity, and, in turn, maintain their wealth.1

Headlines break when wealthy people donate money to help others—espe cially if the donors are also famous. News outlets cover stories of the ce lebrity’s overwhelming “generosity” and the public goes crazy—either with praise or distaste at the amount being donated. Despite this, I believe society isn’t truly helping each other out enough.

The wealthiest people have more than enough money to spend and donate, yet more often than not, they keep it to themselves. I understand not want ing to give your life’s earnings away, but for people like Jeff Bezos, donating $690,000 to the Australian wildfires is mere pocket change when he has bil lions to his name.

After receiving criticism for not donat ing to the Australian wildfires, Kim Kar

1 J. Becker. “7 Reasons We Buy More Stuff Than We Need.” Becoming Minimalist. Joshua Becker. July 23, 2019.

dashian told her social media following that she did not have to tell them ev erything about her. Yet, she stars on a reality television show where she tells everyone who watches basically every thing about her life.

No one is telling these billionaires that they have to donate millions of dol lars, but in times of hardship, there is no reason not to. The affluent can eas ily make a couple thousand or even millions of dollars in a short amount of time. To causes like the Australian wildfires, that money and time makes all the difference.

While the wealthy do not have a respon sibility to improve the general public’s welfare, their immense wealth-hoarding can create a sentiment of frustration and resentment. It doesn’t help that the wealth gap grows wider every day.2

A centuries-old quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau is repopulating, as it’s now more relevant than ever: “When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.3

First heard during the French Revo lution, this phrase allowed citizens to express their frustration with the roy als’ excessive spending at a time when many were too poor to eat. It was this irresponsible use of wealth that led to the fall of the French monarchy—an irresponsibility and frustration we see mirrored today.

Don’t get me wrong, people do have to work to earn their wealth, but they are

2 S. McKernan, C. Quakenbush, C. Ratcliffe, E. Ka lish, and C. Steuerle. “Nine Charts about Wealth Inequality in America (Updated).” October 4, 2017.

3 J. Mangun. “‘Eat the Rich.’” Business Mirror. Jan 23, 2020.

not the only ones working hard. Work ers for large corporations are paid significantly less than the head of the company, even though they put in sim ilar or even higher amounts of work. The lack of balance between position and pay is overwhelming, especially when you consider that CEOs of large companies can afford higher pay and more reprieve.

Wealth also greatly contributes to the ease at which people can climb the corporate ladder, sometimes bypass ing the ladder altogether. Kylie Jenner was named “The Youngest Self-Made Billionaire Ever” by Forbes in 2019. While she was the founder of her com pany, I highly doubt she would have been able to do so without the wealth and influence of her familial connec tions.4 For regular people, becoming an entrepreneur is much, much harder.

There comes a point when there’s a dif ference between treating yourself and being excessive. People are allowed to use their money as they please, but when few people hoard a large portion of the world’s money, there is a need to help more than just yourself. Learning to balance purchasing material things with donating and helping others will contribute to everyone’s happiness, not just the wealthy’s.

We need a more unified culture that is not separated by wealth, but rath er brought together by using wealth for good. I believe that we as a human race can do so—some of us have al ready started. Until we can do that as a whole, I don’t blame people for saying, “eat the rich.”

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4 N. Robehmed. “At 21, Kylie Jenner Becomes The Youngest Self-Made Billionaire Ever.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine. March 7, 2019.

CAN MONEY BUY FASHION SENSE?

HOW FASHION CAN BE USED TO “FLEX” WEALTH

By Karissa Kroll, Contributing Writer Illustrated by Abbey Meyer, Associate Arts Curator

Picture this: Kim Kardashian just touched down in Los Angeles on her private jet. The paparazzi awaits her ar rival, as fashion tabloids are curious to see what new style she is wearing. Sud denly, Kim steps off of the jet sporting a yellow crop top from Forever 21.

Something about this scenario doesn’t add up. If Kim K isn’t wearing some thing from her own line, Skims, or from the newest Yeezy drop, she is certainly wearing some other thousand-dollar designer ensemble.

The fact that it is difficult to envision Kim Kardashian in a Forever 21 t-shirt shows just how big of a role influencer fashion plays in consumer culture. It is used as a symbol of wealth, or in other words, to “flex” what one can afford.1

Flex culture has always existed in some way, but with modern social media it has exploded. Social media influencers are often offered brand deals with highend brands, where they’re given items for free and paid to wear them. Some times they’re even invited to all-expens es paid designer fashion shows, such as YouTube sensation Emma Chamberlain. Chamberlain struck a brand deal with Louis Vuitton, which led to numerous additional opportunities in the high fashion community.

People often try to create a high fash ion persona despite not being able to afford a single thing Kim Kardashian owns. We see high fashion knock-offs and dupes everywhere. From fake Uggs to cheaply made Louis Vuitton’s, it’s al most too easy to get your hands on one of these pieces.

1 Tiffany Ferg, “The Dark Sides of Flex Culture”, Youtube.com, December 24, 2019

It’s astounding how quickly under ground manufacturers can knock off high fashion brands. Some companies manage to make their own versions of designer releases before the designer even releases them. This can be both ersome and even offensive towards the unique creators who made something high-quality and original, only to have it ripped off almost immediately. Not surprisingly, there will continue to be a demand for knock-offs as long as peo ple seek to have the look of luxury they see flexed on social media without the matching price tag.

For every expensive, popular brand, there are fast fashion companies that are trying to create an affordable alternative out of its pieces. Our society is so based on consumerism and materialism that it seems as if people don’t care what it takes to put on a wealthy persona.

Fast fashion brands have been under great ridicule for their poor means of production, but as the demand con tinues so will the supply. For some, fast fashion brands and their harm to the environment have caused a move ment towards more sustainable and higher-quality brands. Although not often discussed, the high price tags of designer items doesn’t always indicate high quality and ethical production. Just because those who have the mon ey to buy a whole wardrobe of designer pieces doesn’t necessarily mean they support sustainable and ethical pro duction practices.

Excess amounts of clothing don’t en sure one’s fashion sense. Those who are truly passionate about fashion can take designer clothing and make it into

a great outfit or two. However, many people get so caught up in buying whatever trendy, designer pieces they can that they stray away from the de velopment of their own fashion sense. They ultimately become a walking ad vertisement for the designer.

This kind of flex culture takes away from the value of art and true self-ex pression that designer items present. The infamous Gucci belt, for example, has become popular in high school and college communities. Overwearing this belt has caused it to lose its originality and reputation as a high fashion piece, despite its expensive price.

On the other hand, high-end pieces can also be used in a much more valu able way when not used excessively. For ordinary people who don’t own a full closet of designer pieces, sav ing up and “treating yourself” to your dream bag or pair of shoes can bring an amazing staple and defining piece into your wardrobe.

It may feel like we need to prove we have fashion sense by buying extreme amounts of designer items. In reality, having style is not defined by the fact that you own all designer names. A stylish outfit can be found at the lo cal mall or even at a thrift store. Many people have even experimented with capsule wardrobes and have done so successfully, proving that fashion sense can be maintained while living a minimalist lifestyle. In our material istic and consumer-based society, it would be refreshing if we could con tinue recognizing fashion as an art and not only as a way to flaunt wealth and preserve status.

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LOSS AND LOVE

THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND CREATIVE HEALING

Written and Illustrated by Arella Warren, Arts Editorial Assistant

As individuals, we lead unique and dis tinctive lives. These lives are shaped by personal values, beliefs and identities which distinguish “you” from “me”; yet, it is these same qualities that shape our experiences, allowing us to form con nections and sentiments across cul tures and time. Sure, we’re all different, but we’re all united by the human expe rience. A major part of this experience is loss.

In the case of loss, it doesn’t matter who someone is: how much power they hold or how much wealth they have, how admired they are. We’re all mortal, and part of our mortality means that our time is limited. We will all face loss as this time passes. This will hurt because it’s inevitable and unavoidable. People die, and we can’t stop that. Others will choose to walk out of our lives—for the better or worse—and we can’t always stop that either. We’re part of a fallible and emotional species. It hurts to think of someone as a friend, a family mem ber, a source of trust and comfort, and then to lose that.

I’ve experienced a lot of love, and, sub sequently, loss. I’ve seen and felt the range of emotions that come along with that. I’ve said goodbye to family members who’ve passed into a new di mension of existence, goodbye to little animals too sweet to know suffering and goodbye to a best friend. I’ve expe rienced the deepest sense of hurt from it all, and have wondered why I’d want to let myself open up and love anoth er person that I might just lose again. I know I’m not alone in this constant bat tle between pleasure and pain.

Every trauma we experience leaves an imprint on our mind and our body, in cluding the trauma of loss. When we don’t properly process these distress ing emotions, especially when we don’t recognize them, they continue to resur

face throughout our lives in the form of anxieties, stress, depression, lingering sadness and even physical pain. The body stores adrenaline and feelings as sociated with our experiences—good and bad—which can manifest later in a physical way even if those things aren’t on our mind.1

I’ve sought out various solutions for coping with trauma and even little stressors and anxieties, which brought me to realize the benefit of having a creative outlet. Traditional forms of therapy are often guided by talking, which helps us process our thoughts and clear the mind. However, this does not always help the body. It doesn’t al ways help us to feel “whole.”

As of more recent, creative therapies have begun to garner more attention, and for valid reason. Painting, draw ing, coloring, playing an instrument, song-writing and journaling are all ac tivities that connect the physical ac tions of the body with the cognitive workings of the mind. This allows us to work through our stored traumas and conscious perceptions of emotion si multaneously and effectively.

Such creative means tend to be adapt able, meaning you get to decide how to express yourself however you see fit, be it through a song or on a sheet of paper. They’re also relatively ac cessible, which suggests that anyone can use “creative healing.” Art therapy doesn’t require skill; it simply requires the choice to try, and say, “Yes, I want to feel whole again.”2

This is especially prevalent for our current generation as we’re going through challenges that come with this

1 Bessel Van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (New York: Penguin Random House LLC, 2015)

2 Sandra Bertman, Grief and the Healing Arts: Creativity as Therapy (New York: Routledge, 2017)

stage of life. Even though the majority of us face these experiences in some form or another, we’re not always taught how to deal with these traumatic situations in a func tional and accessible way. We can’t choose to avoid loss. But we do get to choose how to respond to it. We can choose to channel our losses into creative efforts, and, in so doing, we help our bodies and our minds to heal together.

I’ve used self-expression through vari ous creative outlets to process all that life has had to throw at me: the love, the heartbreak and everything in-be tween. Sometimes, I do let those feel ings of hopelessness get the better of me, and I become distracted by my imaginary landscape. But, everyday, I work toward channeling my energies in a healthier, more productive way. I’ll pull out my pens and watercolors, I’ll arrange some lingering thoughts into poetry, I’ll strum out an angsty bassline or turn to my keys, and slowly, I’ll start to feel like me again.

In the end, I always choose to keep going—to keep loving—because I think that’s what it means to really, wholly be alive. You have to be willing to engage all of the senses, to expe rience the hurt, and then to say, “I’m okay,” so that you can move forward knowing you’ll find happiness and wholeness again.

I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand or come to terms with those that I’ve lost, but I do know that finding those spe cial others and opportunities to love seem to make it worth it.·