Pop To It Issue Three

Letter Fr m The Edit r After putting out a couple issues of Pop To It, I have a better picture of what I want this Zine to be.

This Zine belongs to the creators behind it. I created this project to shine a light on the talented art my friends were cre-

ating. They are the most important part of this. With that being said, I urge and encourage you to submit content for our next issue.

If you have art that you want to share, send it our way.

This Zine is for you.

Send all of your submissions to poptoitmag@gmail.com

- Ashley Hoffman

c o n t e n t s 1

Pop To It Crew

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Learn about the editors, designers, and contributors involved in issue three of Pop To It

Rebecca discusses her tips for landing your dream intership 5

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Jane lists the podcasts 14 DIY you need to be listening Ashley provides some to right now tips and tricks on 13 Erin writes about living altering your favorite in a world that seems band tee bleak 9

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Pop to it Ashley Hoffman

Adele Sakey

Ashley Hoffman is an Atlanta peach in Boston. She is currently studying Journalism and Public Relations at Emerson College.

You can most likely find Ashley with her French bulldog, Petunia, browsing record shops and sipping on overpriced lattes.

Co-Creator, Editor-in-Chief @ahoffz

Adele Sakey is a 17 year old Taurus who, despite constantly using the word “y’all,” is from the northeastern city of Boston.

In her free time she like to watch unrealistic reality televison and contemplate the inner workings of Sufjan Stevens’ mind.

Co-Creator, Editor-in-Chief @mangolakos

@sah.key

Portia Melita

Christina Casillo

Resident Artist Portia Apple Melita is a public relations major and art minor. In her free time she likes to write music, sing, draw, and interact with bees in any way she can. @portiaapple

Social Media Coordinator

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Christina Casillo is a senior communication and design major at Elon University who loves social justice and Harry Styles. @chrisrosecas

Caroline Macari Caroline Macari is probably crying at a party, gushing over Harry Styles, thinking about missed connections, or loving science without the math. @carolinemacari @caromacari

Lilly Duran

Madison Sharp

Rebecca Gibbons

Lilly Duran is a Gemini born and raised in southern California. She lives for live music and cute dogs. @lillyduranphoto @spoookylilly

Madison Sharp is an Atlanta native with a passion for music and film. If she’s not taking photos of a show she’s probably watching Bob’s Burgers.

Rebecca Gibbons, a music junkie and coffeeholic, is an advertising & marketing communications major at FIT. @rebeccag17

@sharpnado22

Jane Seidel

Kate Klassa

Jane Seidel is a college student captivated by the world of media. When she’s not in the newsroom or pouring lattes, she is probably sleeping. @jane_seidel

Kate Klassa is an international studies major and economics minor at NCSU who is obsessed with cats and compulsively buys more books than she can ever hope to read. @bluejacketgirl

Ashley El Jachi Ashley El Jachi is a 19 year old avid concert goer, animal lover, and theatre production major from Toronto. @makeiight @eljachia

Taylor Muñoz

Erin Christie

From Los Angeles, Taylor Muñoz is a second year communications major and journalism minor at Seattle Paific University. @adifferentship

Erin Christie is an aspiring journalist from Connecticut who has a deep passion for music, social justice, and film. @eerinchristie

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A GALLERY BY JANE SEIDEL FEATURING MEGAN STITT

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All That

t Glitters

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Five Tips to Landing an Interview WORDS BY REBECCA GIBBONS

After a rigorous application process, including a hefty cover letter and perfecting a resume, you get the call! You've landed yourself an interview. The interview is one, if not the most, crucial step in the application process. Here are a few tips on helping you get through it:

RESEARCH Before heading into an interview, research the company! You want to know as much as you possibly can about the place you could potentially be working.

You want to be fully prepared for anything the interviewer may ask you about their company.

KNOW YOUR RESUME Make sure you are honest about your experience and skills that you list on your resume. Your resume is the foundation of an interview so be ready to discuss it. Talk about your previous projects and work environments. Don’t be afraid to share negative experiences with them and how you overcame them.

Everyone goes through tough situations at some point in their career and interviewers like to see that experience.

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KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS & WEANESSES

This question comes up in about 99% of interview situations. Come prepared with a few of each. Everyone has different skills, so be honest in your answer. Do NOT say you don’t have any weaknesses. When mentioning your weaknesses, always turn them into something positive. For example, if you’re not very good at managing multiple projects at once, you could add that you prefer to give full attention to one thing at a time because you are detail driven. Show how you can work on and overcome your said weakness.

ASK QUESTIONS

Before the interview, prepare some questions you would like to ask the interviewer. Asking questions not only prepares you for what you may be getting into, but it also shows them you are truly interested in the company and how they work.

THANK THEM ALWAYS follow up the interview with a thank you to your interviewer by the end of the day. Thank them, show your interest in the company, and let them know what you learned. It shows you are proactive, interested, and serious about working with them.

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A GALLERY BY LILLY DURAN FEATURING SIMONE RITCHIE

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Swim

WORDS BY TAYLOR MUÑOZ You bleed but you don’t seem to notice.

Run faster, I tell you.

They’re after us.

We grab hands and take off.

No one really pays attention to us but it’s as if all eyes are on us.

We climb up hills and pant but the view mends our broken bodies.

I breathe.

For the very first time.

The air was muggy before you swam to me but together we breathe.

I lay down and take a breath and reach my hand up at the sky.

You don’t question it and I prefer it that way.

My back tickles from the dew but if I stop now they’ll never be able to hear me.

I am in the midst of a hospitable storm and I move my arms up and down.

Up and down.

Until I can only tread water.

I am safe.

I touch a glacier.

A tulip.

I touch your slicked back hair.

I touch my eyes.

Breathe carefully now.

The best of the storm is yet to come.

Can you hear me?

Are you tired?

Are you?

Lean on me.

We are entering into something beyond the both of us.

mming

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Podcasts WORDS BY JANE SEIDEL VISUAL BY PORTIA APPLE MELITA

How 2 Listen During the time you normally listen to music on your way to class and in the car, you can listen to podcasts. Use the podcast app on your phone! It’s one of the only helpful built in apps that Apple forces you to keep.

This summer I had a 35 minute commute to my internship, so I burned through quite a few episodes a week. If you live alone, listening to podcasts while cooking dinner is fun.

Some mornings, I listen to a light hearted podcast as I’m waking up to help get my brain going and to put me in a good mood.

What 2 Listen 2 A few of my favorite podcasts -- I am almost always binge listening to one of these.

THE CLASSICS

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Serial. It went viral in 2014 and essentially made podcasting mainstream. One story told week by week. Season 1 details the murder of a high school girl and begs the question if her accused killer is actually guilty. Season 2 is less interesting.

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Radiolab. Self described as “a radio show and podcast weaving stories and science into sound and music-rich documentaries.” Scroll through their many episodes and pick something that sounds interesting.

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FUN & EASY LISTENING

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Gilmore Guys. Anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes around me has heard me preach of my love for this podcast - it’s so fun. It’s 20% Gilmore Girls discussion, 80% silliness between two dudes in their twenties.

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HEARTFELT

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Beautiful/Anonymous. Comedian Chris Gethard has a one hour conversation with an anonymous caller, and their conversations jump from religion to succulent gardens. It’s heartbreaking yet heartwarming, and a nice reminder of our humanity.

Not Too Deep (with Grace Helbig).

Listening to this podcast feels like hanging out with really funny, inclusive friends, without the pressure of having to keep up a witty conversation.

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Call Chelsea Peretti. Comedian Chelsea Peretti yells at callers and then hangs up. It’s a super-niche kind of humor and can get a bit exhausting, but there are gems in each pod that make me laugh out loud. Bonus: find the episode where I’m a caller.

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Modern Love. An audio version of the New York Times Modern Love column. Short stories read by famous people. Heartbreaking, heartwarming, your heart will probably feel something after listening.

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Monocycle. Created by ManRepeller, this pod features the founder of the humorous fashion and culture site. She talks about stuff like feelings, burnout, inspiration, and more.

These are really quick episodes, so it’s a low commitment thing (cheers).

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Crybabies. A podcast about what makes us cry. It can be a bit emotional, but the hosts keep it lighthearted. This pod makes me feel less weird for being prone to crying a lot and also because I get to hear what makes some of my favorite artists cry!

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Reminiscence WORDS BY CAROLINE MACARI

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The driveway at my first house fostered a collection of my most cherished and memorable sensations. In the early twenty-first century, I remember gathering there with the other neighborhood kids. A congregation of us raced down my long, twisty, and treacherous driveway that seemed to stretch for miles, as if through a maze. We ran, we rode our scooters; we let the wind kiss us. At age eight, we sketched our dreams with pastel pieces of chalk, drawing images of ourselves and other universes. When I turned eleven, I enjoyed other activities on that driveway. I remember sprawling out on the pavement and letting the warm air seep into my skin and inflate my lungs. The dark clouds above and their still warmth signaled a storm- a storm that’s tenacity escalated audibly through the Queeney’s dancing wind chimes. In response, my eyes would close, my breathing would calm, and my ears would absorb the twinkling sound. The earth was changing.

Adolescence settled in, and with it a heightened awareness of my insignificance.

It left me speechless. Every evening at 6:30, I’d retire to the driveway after dinner. The sky burst with blues, pinks, lavenders, and oranges as the sun fell asleep. One tree stood against this natural watercolor. I

never forgot it. I consider myself lucky to have lived near the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, a hub of travel and activity. Most evenings, airplanes flew across a path directly above my home. They became silhouettes against the watercolor, along with the tree. I would imagine myself, a third silhouette, living in a world of color above the cold ground with them.

High school brought love, anguish, joy, and angst. I found solace in perching myself on the driveway and writing; hearing the same wind chimes, feeling the same warm wind, seeing the same watercolor sky. Beauty bombarded my senses and drove my thoughts to paper. It was how I coped. The bottom of the maze became a meeting spot for midnight strolls. Dates and dances brought boys and their cars to my driveway, but each guy was sure to park at a safe distance near the bottom. The distinct ones would lock our hands together and walk me through the maze to my door and greet my father with a smile. I, too, would smile.

Two weeks after my sixteenth birthday, I hopped in a car and drove away. Upon reaching the end of the driveway, I turned my head, smiled fondly, and proceeded forward. It was my final memory there. At some point, you just have to move on.

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Battling a World That Seems Bleak WORDS BY ERIN CHRISTIE

On most days, the world around me appears as though it is trapped in the coiling embrace of a rain cloud: the wet, salty tears of this nimbus above us flooding the vast map of streets and towering houses with utter sorrow and contempt, the sun hiding in shelter from the heartache that is to ensue in its absence. I have grown to find comfort in the nighttime, the cool stillness of the black enveloping my ribcage, my heart pounding in time with the steady and consistent fall of raindrops bouncing around the walls of my skull, ricocheting throughout my consciousness.

My sneakers are constantly water-logged, the army of puddles under my feet reigning victor in my poor attempt to find a piece of dry, safe space where I can rest from the downpour. I have always searched for some kind of solace and peace in this metaphorical raincloud ridden world that plagues me, and though it seems like a nearly lost effort, I continue. Is it possible to find hope in an environment that seems anything but hopeful? How can one return from darkness when there is no match or candle to be found? Is unhappiness a monster able to be slain?

In regard to all of these questions, the same answer applies: one can hope.

Finding motivation and a sense of purpose while combatting such a daunting “raincloud� is a feat not easily conquered, a statement coming from personal experience.

In trying to find true happiness and content within a world that seems too dreary to

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survive in, it is so incredibly important to find at least one small thing that can make your days at least somewhat worth living, and whatever that one thing may be, you must make sure to hold onto it like a life ring, keeping you afloat within the turbulent waves of the storm crashing around you.

In attempting to survive the trials that come with a life that feels equivalent to that of spending time with a hungry bear in a locked cage, small rays of hope can oftentimes be found in the smallest of places (but you must be willing to look)! Whether from the sweet trill of a melody, the loved ones around you, offering constant support and words of encouragement, or the dusty smell of an old book, filled with words of wisdom and clarity that can allow you to escape the dilemma entangling you in its grip, a world that seems dark can suddenly feel whole and full of light once you find something that makes life seem worth living. In discovering what makes you truly happy, no matter what that thing, person, or pastime is, it may constantly be there like a security blanket, keeping you warm and secure eternally, which is of such importance.

If you can, I encourage you to write down, remember, and hold close what is dearest and most important to you, and I sincerely hope that in battling a world that seems bleak, that you may survive and find what really makes you feel alive with their help, for you truly deserve that. Once the rain clears and the downpour ceases, the sun may completely return, only to cradle you in its rays.

DIY

Altering Your WORDS AND VISUAL Band Tees BY ASHLEY EL JACHI

Wearing tees from your favorite bands and musicians is a great way to promote your favorite music while looking cute. Once in awhile, you’ll come across a band tee that would be absolutely perfect if it was more flattering or if it came in your size.

With some diy tips and tricks, you can transform your oversized and not so flattering band tee into something more wearable.

what you need a band tee a pair of scissors a sewing needle and thread (alternatley: fabic adhesive) a fabric marker (alternatley: a regular marker)

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Cut it. This allows you to customize the tee to your height or body type. I personally like to cut my tees just above my hips so that I can wear them with high waisted pants or shorts without tucking them in.

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Fray the bottom of your tee. Turn your tee inside out and draw a straight horizontal line across the bottom to mark where you want to start the fray. Next, cut Cut along the neckline. This allows you up from the bottom of your tee to the line to branch out from the normal style of a tee. in strips.

You can wear it over the shoulder, no shoulder, or v neck. This is a small step that makes a big difference.

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Roll the sleeves. Fold them up a few times and solidify with either your sewing skills or adhesive. These sleeves can be more flattering than the longer, baggier types of sleeves that band tees normally have.

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Cut the sleeves. You can easily turn your plain band tee into a muscle tee! Simply cut off the sleeves of your tee along the stitch line. You can also cut longer than the stitch line to make the arm holes longer and give the tee a more revealing look on the sides.

These DIY tips and tricks can transform your bland and not so flattering regular band tees into something more stylish.

Tweet us your DIY merch at #PopToItTees

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WORDS AND IMAGES BY KATE KLASSA

TAKE A TRIP TO...

Northampton, MA

Northampton is a lovely Massachusetts town two and a half hours from Boston and a mere 20 minutes from the college town of Amherst. The bustling downtown streets are lined with cafes, vintage clothing stores, and converted old buildings. For those not as city-inclined, Northampton is nestled in the Pioneer Valley and features a wide offering of outdoor hiking adventures.

Food

HERRELL’S ICE CREAM - The ice cream is mixed in front of you and is simply to die for.

WOODSTAR CAFE - A cute neighborhood cafe with plenty of lunch and coffee offerings.

HAYMARKET CAFE - A fun and quirky lunch spot for vegetarians and vegans.

THE GREEN BEAN - Quite possibly the best brunch around.

Shop

RAVEN USED BOOKS - Stacks on stacks of used books - be prepared for some unique finds.

BROADSIDE BOOKS - For brand new books with a more personal touch than the big name sellers.

URBAN OUTFITTERS - Northampton’s branch is located inside an old bank and it’s worth visiting if only for the design.

URBAN EXCHANGE - An eclectic consignment store that is well worth searching the racks.

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Y PORTIA VISUAL B

MELITA

See

SMITH COLLEGE BOTANICAL GARDENS - Founded over 100 years ago, the Botanical Gardens make for a perfect escape from the noise of the city.

HISTORIC NORTHAMPTON - Walking the streets is entertainment in itself, as the buildings are covered in murals.

NORWOTTUCK RAIL TRAIL - A 10 mile easy-going walking trail between Northampton and Amherst.

IRON HORSE MUSIC HALL - An intimate music venue where you can catch a touring band or a local artist.

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INTERVIEW BY ASHLEY HOFFMAN VISUAL BY PORTIA APPLE MELITA

An Interview With Suburban Living

Wesley Bunch, the man behind the indie rock band Suburban Living, answered some of Pop To It’s burning questions. Almost Paradise, Suburban Living’s first LP, was released October 7th on 6131 Records.

Congrats on the album!

I am loving it. How did Suburban Living start?

I started Suburban Living back in 2013 in my bedroom writing songs by myself in my hometown of Virginia Beach, VA. I started it with the idea of “I’m gonna write music I would listen to” and I’ve kept that phrase as the total backbone when writing stuff for Suburban Living. I posted some songs online, and it got some good traction from some blogs, so I assembled a live band and never really turned back. Here we are three years later.

Describe your sound.

I guess shoegazy? Loud.

Synthy. Polished at times, a little gritty in others.

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Where are you from? Do you think your sound stands out there?

Who are the people who join you to play live? How do you know them?

I’m originally from Virginia, but I live in Philadelphia now. There’s so many awesome bands and musicians here, its hard to say if we “stand out” at all. We have a lot of friends here who also create awesome art. Philly is so inclusive it feels like everyone works together. It’s awesome.

My band is Mike Cammarata (drums), Peter Pantina (bass), and Chris Radwanski (guitar). I met them pretty quickly through some mutual friends when I moved to Philly from Virginia two years ago. I’m so glad I met them, because I had a whole catalog of music to play live, but no band members to help me out. Soon after playing together we realized we gelled really well as musicians and friends, so we wrote a record together. The product is Almost Paradise.

Is it weird to have people play your music?

When the project originally started, yes.

Not so much now.

Any tours coming up? Dream band to tour with?

We’re doing some sporadic east coast tours and a tour out to Chicago in November and December. Bigger tours in the new year hopefully! Dream band to tour with is Sonic Youth, but that will obv never ever happen.

What have you been listening to lately? Preoccupations, Twist, Omni, WALL, Chris Cohen.

You can purchase and download Suburban Living’s first full length album, Almost Paradise, at their Bandcamp page! SuburbanLiving.Bandcamp.com

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Stellar Young PHOTOS AND WORDS

BY REBECCA GIBBONS

Creating a sound like no other in the indie scene, Stellar Young, a 5-piece “multi genre infused” indie rock group from Upstate, NY have been nothing short of busy. Formally known as The City Never Sleeps, the band released their first record, Madison, in 2011. Changing their name in 2012, the band has since released two full length LP’s, a live album, and most recently, a new EP, The Spark Caught (the first installment of a three part series.) The EP was written, recorded, mixed, and mastered in Dave Parker's (bass) apartment. The band has previously headlined New York’s largest one-day street festival, performed at the CMJ Music Marathon, Pinelands Music Festival, and more. They just wrapped up their first mini tour along the East Coast in support of The Spark Caught. This is definitely a band you need on your radar. www.stellaryoung.com

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KESHA PHOTOGRAPHED BY MADISON SHARP PWR BTTM PHOTOGRAPHED BY ASHLEY HOFFMAN

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