Vol. 03 Issue 2
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL
MAGAZINE
SEASON
W/S 2021
SZN MAGAZINE est. 2018
EDITOR IN CHIEF Erin Huston DEPUTY EDITOR IN CHIEF Jack Boardman DIRECTORS MERCH & STYLING: Varsha Anand CREATIVE DESIGN: Kameryn Moore EDITORIAL: Swarna Gowtham FINANCE: Hali Lucas MARKETING: Connor Garcia COMMUNICATIONS: Lily Friedrich PHOTOGRAPHY: Lucas Bishop MERCH & STYLING Anna Gebhardt Clara Lietzke Neely Branham Arianne Dora Autumn Brandt Bella Conner Julia Rusyniak Kate Mojica Mikaela Blackwell Caitlyn Soegiantoro Shaya Abbaspour Delaney Parker Georgia Manges Sasha Sears Yvonne Harmeyer Zee Brown Carley Divish Delaney Nidiffer CREATIVE DESIGN Katelyn Clemow Jade Kern Skye McLaughlin Ethan Moore Kameryn Moore (Director) Melanie Roberts Jordan Wallman EDITORIAL Michaela Bruns Sofia Goldstein Mansi Mamidi Kayla Pallotto Nidhee Patel Bailey Roulo MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC RELATIONS Larissa Bernstein Arianna Weisberg DATABASE MANAGER Hali Lucas EVENT PLANNER Stanlee Yurks SOCIAL MEDIA Emily Kelley Lucille Pietri Chloe Foster-Storch CONTENT CREATOR Caterina DeSantis Anne Pfaff Veronica Rooney GRAPHIC DESIGN Jannica Seraypheap Lydia Yong WEBSITE MANAGER Maeve Billings
2 |
PHOTOGRAPHY Lucas Bishop (Director) Meredith Ho Aanya Jain Reagan Jones Sarah Qu Courtney Shultz Lilly Thomas Isabelle Trusty
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL I
n this past year, we have endured enough chaos to last a lifetime. It’s easy to look at all the things gone wrong and dwell in pity for the generations to come. However, the best part about the human race is we are all hard wired to be optimistic. During these times of uncertainty and injustice, we still hope. Troubles of the world can bruise us in ways we would never show, but our uncontrollable hope puts smiles on faces and brings joy to the world. Who would ever want to lose this? Waking
up every day and letting dreams become reality makes this world a better place. As poet Alexander Pope once said, “hope springs eternal in the human breast.” Even in our bleakest moments, our natural desire to dream of positivity makes us relentless creatures. Child-like innocence is one of the most beautiful aspects of our species, so let’s stand together and strive to never let go of our natural optimism.
Maeve Billings, website manager
letter from the editor
T
ime spent in self-reflection is one thing many of us have to be grateful for from this past year. Although when we reflect we think about our own lives, struggles, successes, etc., during discussions with the Season team I noticed that many of us had come to similar realizations during our abnormal time spent in isolation. Realizations about the things that are most important to us and bring us the most happiness: community, love, friendship, family, and connection. As the light at the end of the tunnel
becomes more and more visible, we decided to focus on these ideas within this issue. It’s been a rough year for everyone, to say the very least. For many, a year spent alone. However, it has been an important reminder of what matters most in this world. With hope on the horizon we wanted to do what we can to express the absolute, unbridled joy inspired by humanity and human connection. The unabashed hope for the future expressed by my team has been inspiring to me, and I hope it is to you as well.
Erin Huston, editor in chief
special thanks to: Faith Geiger, Valerie Grant, Emma Wagner, Hot House Market, Cherry Canary Vintage, Jeff’s Warehouse
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 SALAD DAYS 10 UNRELENTING AFFECT 18 FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH 24 GRIM FAIRYTALES
30 TO BE PERCEIVED 40 SELF NURTURE 50 SEASON SISTERHOOD
|3
SALAD DAYS Although youthful bliss strays further with age, there’s power to finding joie de vivre BY NIDHEE PATEL in the everyday.
4 |
HEADLINE
T
he memories of dressing up in sparkly princess costumes with Lip Smacker lip gloss? Reruns of iCarly? Field trips to the aquarium? The childhood that we experienced seems to have a universal feeling of happiness and joy. The similarities in our childhood that we experienced to bring out a united understanding of how the difference between our state of being now compares nothing to our state of being back when we were younger. Happiness is a state of being. Something that we constantly look forward to feeling. The question arises when we try to be in a constant state of joy and fulfillment. Getting older means distancing ourselves from that
feeling because we start to see the world in a different filter. Growing up living in a constant state of bliss, we always felt hopeful and had so many goals that we set for ourselves. Becoming a ballerina and performing at the ballet. Putting out fires every day as a firefighter. These were all dreams that we held at one point in our lives. It seemed so possible and the path to get to that would be so easy. However, we start to experience the tensions of the world around us. The things we hear from our parents about educating ourselves in a traditional college or school is the only way to provide for ourselves. Or how the traditional family is the golden key to
success. These pressures begin to push us into thinking of what society wants is right. The dreams we have of being a ballerina or firefighter are pushed deeper down the drain because we fall into the outline of society’s storybook. We ourselves become entangled in the world that those older than us have introduced us to. When we are young we want to be older, but when we are older we want to be younger. We hang onto the happiness we experienced, and us not letting go becomes our purpose while we get an education, find a job, and build a family. The two become wrapped together and we get stressed at the thought of having lost out on |5
happy and young days. This stress is brought together with this dreadful worry of getting good grades, landing the job, making sure other family members are taken care of. Our purpose becomes aligned with the happiness of others and not ours. We start to lose ourselves and forget to take care of ourselves. The constant longing to be connected to our younger carefree selves becomes even more opaque in our minds. The pressure consumes us, this pressure to make your parents happy by getting a college education or the pressure to get a normal 9-5 job in order to make sure that the dream that your parents
laid out for you when you were born comes true. We have started to find ways to bring back that state of pure happiness we felt during our childhood. Rewatching tv shows like Hannah Montana or Big Time Rush brings back that carefree feeling we had coming home after school to turn on the tv. Now the hours of work and school drag us away from that feeling. The eternal happiness that we strive to get back from our childhood has become a way to blind us from the present. We continuously regret the current by longing for the past. But we never would seek the
photographed by: Regan Jones head stylist: Varsha Anand modeled by: Neely Branham, Max Galoozis
moments of joy and contentment without understanding the struggles and stress that we go through. We would never understand what happiness feels unless we went through the good times and the bad times. According to researchers in an article published in Psychology Today, achieving a constant state of happiness means experiencing rainy days. Putting on a new mentality means going through hurdles of not knowing what your life’s purpose is. The stress of finding a way to be a part of society’s carefully constructed army or to not be a part of it is all included
|7
in finding the path towards your own joy and content. The same article discusses the ways one can find happiness, one of them is finding your life’s purpose. Doing so is a personal journey and something that we look out for through whatever experiences that we take the opportunity of. Going out into the world and seeking the wonders that are around us and going through the struggles are all a part of our happiness that leads us to our purpose. Finding our purpose in life is an individual pursuit just like happiness. We get to choose what our purpose is and who or what keeps us happy.
Living a life fueled by our own conditions allows us to remind ourselves what it feels like to have our childhood eternal joy back. We forget to really look back and evaluate the reason for our being and what it is we want to do. What experiences have we felt the most ourselves in? Have we even done all the things that we want to experience? Evaluating all of this brings together what life looks like to you. Accomplishing all the goals you chose to set for yourself and establish our guiding principles in making your own path and figuring out what you want. The saying “new year, new me”
springs this idea of starting fresh. Forging a new path and redefining your own purpose by ensuring that all the things that make you happy are on it can guide the new beginnings that many hope for in a new year. The coming of spring brings together new thoughts and new trends and styles. The hope of doing what you want springs new beginnings and new forms of happiness and experiences. Following the experiences that fuel your unguided path and lead to eternal happiness is something we choose for ourselves.
|9
UNRELENTING AFFECT “You don’t even need help from nobody else, all you got to do now, express yourself.” BY BAILEY RUOLO
10 |
| 11
photographed by: Meredith Ho head stylist: Georgia Manges modeled by: Zee Brown, Bryce Colón, Sasha Matsuki | 13
14 |
I
t’s a tale as old as time. We find ourselves wanting to be accepted by others and to do that, many times we are told we have to change ourselves to receive platonic or romantic love from someone. In a perfect world, everyone could be who they wanted to be without criticism. This goes beyond a singular person’s belief. It is widely known that people are discriminated against based on gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation and the color of their skin. Although most fairytale stories of changing yourself for acceptance are based on appearance, it goes so much deeper than that in reality. It isn’t as superficial as people would like to think. Someone may say they want someone to dress differently, do their makeup differently, or change what we would call their “aesthetic” to suit someone’s perfect version of what they like and think is acceptable, but even with the change of looks, the attitude of someone changes. Many people use their fashion and look to help express their personality so if they are asked to change that to fit someone else’s version of who they should be, that changes not only the physical appearance but the mental and emotional expression that someone relays. Everyone is constantly trying to figure out what they are in this world and it takes time to truly understand who you are as a person. In 2019 the Met Gala’s theme was “Camp”. Like most people, I didn’t exactly know what that meant, but after doing some research I found out that camp, in a simple explanation, is to be intentionally extra. This theme expressed fashion at its most overthe-top moments. The theme communicates that meaningful fashion that is not always what society deems acceptable. One of the more outstanding moments of the 2019 Met Gala was Lady Gaga’s four-part fashion moment. Starting off in a stunning pink almost princess-like gown, she continued to take layers off until she was in matching underwear set with fishnets and extreme heels. Lady Gaga has never been one to shy away from fashion moments that turn heads. She has been criticized throughout her entire career for the way she presents
herself, yet she chooses not to listen. Her genuity makes her one of the most successful singers in the industry on stage and off-stage. Someone else who has undergone plenty of criticism for their looks is Jaden Smith, a victim of the media at a young age. Growing up in a well-known family can be extremely difficult as every little thing you do is exposed to the public. In 2016 Jaden Smith caused quite a bit of controversy after he became the face of Louis Vuitton’s womenswear — he had shown the world he was not afraid to express himself through fashion in the public eye. He did not back down when people attack him for simply being who he was. He continued to stick to his beliefs as people continued to attack him because of his choices in fashion. More recently, TikTok has given many people an outlet to express themselves and their unique style where people will not criticize them for being who they are. Many creators on TikTok have created platforms that show people they can be who they are without fear of rejection from society. TikTok gives people who don’t have the support of a fanbase a chance to feel like they can be genuine with who they are. It can be the people who are closest to you that tend to criticize you the most and platforms like TikTok have given everyone a way to be accepted for who they are whether it be for their fashion or more personal things like gender identity or sexual orientation. It’s hard to stand your ground when you feel like everyone is against you, especially when it’s for just being you. As much as we all want to live in a fairytale where there is no judgement based on self-expression, there will always be faults we find in ourselves. With newer generations, there seems to be a more accepting mindset of others. There’s a realization that self-expression is key to self-acceptance. People are ultimately attracted to others because of who they are. In the words of Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Rhythm Street Band, “You don’t ever need help from nobody else, all you got to do now, express yourself.” | 15
16 |
photographed by: Sarah Qu head stylist: Shaya Abbaspour modeled by: Nina Castro-Sauer, Vania Castro 18 |
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Society teaches us to fear getting older, but there is bountiful beauty in aging. BY KAYLA PALLOTTO
I
n Hollywood, it seems like you get more press when you’re dead than being a woman in your forties. The silver screen seems to only care about silver foxes, not their female counterparts. We go to theaters to get lost into the velvet seats, yearning to connect with the tangible emotions from the 2D screen. But what’s the appeal when your story isn’t even being told? According to AARP, grownups 50 and older make up more than 30 percent of all moviegoers.
Hollywood is not only shutting out a huge demographic, but they’re taking a stance on a much larger issue: your story expires after 40. Anti-aging creams, youthful heroines, and marketing campaigns create parallels between confidence and being young. Use our products to make you look young, so you can be confident, glowing, and radiant. But why is being old and confident mutually exclusive? Novels after novel, and film after film, support
the cliche of a turbulent adolescence. We struggle through our teen years and twenties to attain the wisdom that only comes with age. How can the quest for self-fulfillment and purpose be idealized in our culture, when we marginalize the groups who have attained it? Hollywood has tried to plant a seed in our minds that fine lines and wrinkles indicate a weathered and stale existence. It’s time we reclaim the process of time. In a report by the University of
| 19
20 |
Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, out of 48,757 characters in film and television studied, only 31.8 percent of speaking roles went to women - and less than a quarter of those roles went to women older than forty. Hollywood has to do better than to rotate Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman through the same typecast “middle-aged woman” roles. We turn towards film and literature to fortify our knowledge and experiences outside our own personal reality. Certain stories are being barred due to not being “marketable” enough. Being young should not be “more profitable” than being old. It’s time the media acknowledges them as two separate spheres, instead of inverses of each other, no longer deriving negative connotations for one and position connotations for the other. Vera Wang started her empire at 40. Ava DuVernay didn’t pick up a camera until she was 32. Viola Davis won an Oscar at 44. We have women that have broken the glass ceiling, shattering the restraints of ageism. But we need to stop treating their success as an anomaly, instead of fighting the system that makes them an anomaly in the first place. Although we have made incredible strides in the past decades, the attitude towards aging women in Hollywood needs to shift. Brushed under the rug, their stories are compiling dust to make room for the tired rom-com plot that’s been done one too many times. For an industry so hyper obsessed with being young, Hollywood is old-fashioned in the worst way. The fountain of youth promises to reverse the aging process to anyone who baths in it or drinks it, washing over the effects of time. According to veneer cladded Cover Girls and glossy magazine ads, the elusive fountain lies in the drugstore makeup section at a CVS. The fountain of youth isn’t a small retinol cream from L’Oréal. It isn’t a Spanx suit to smooth over the curves that come with living. True vitality lies in the comfort of aging, the acceptance of time, and the acknowledgment that value is not linked with your crow’s feet or your college graduation year. | 21
GRIM FAIRYTALES
Real life fairytales don’t always have a happy ending. BY SOFIA GOLDSTEIN
W
e grow up with fairy tales. They’re in our bedtime stories, on our televisions, on our board games, on our lunch boxes — they’re everywhere. Fairy tales have become such an accepted part of our lives that we don’t even realize their effects. But the truth is, the strong messages of fairy tales have been ingrained into us since a young age. The problem with fairy tales is that they all seem to tell the same story. A helpless girl feels lost without a purpose and then is saved by a boy, the savior who guides her through her troubles. As a result of this common storyline, many women have grown up thinking that they will be saved from their hardships by a man, similarly to how Jasmine was saved by Aladdin and Ariel was saved by Prince Eric. You might assume we outgrow fairy tales as we get older, turning to more adult storylines. However, the theme of male saving female — the “strong” saving the “weak” — has become so timeless, it’s been recreated in countless more recent plots. After outgrowing our Disney lunch boxes, we bought lunch boxes depicting the cast of High School Musical, a franchise about a popular male athlete who encourages a shy, studious girl to come out of her shell. Then, we got into romantic comedies. Sixteen Candles, a 1980s classic that our parents would encourage us to watch, is about a high school girl who worships the popular boy and spends the movie thinking that if, by some miracle, she could get him,
24 |
everything wrong in her life would be fixed. The ’90s film She’s All That tells the story of a nerdy girl who is saved by the popular boy with a makeover and a kiss. The Cinderella remakes of the 2000s center on a girl whose successful love story would be the answer to all of her problems. Though these movies are not classified as fairy tales, they have the same messages of romanticizing romance, only presented in a more accessible and realistic way so audiences can relate to them more easily. Transformation scenes are classic parts of romantic plots, rooted in Cinderella’s magical scene when she gets dressed for the ball. Vivian puts on her red opera dress in Pretty Woman. Toula does her hair and makeup in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Mia takes off her glasses in The Princess Diaries. These are the scenes when the girl is seen as beautiful for the first time, and the male love interest finally realizes that the girl is the only one for him. Such transformation scenes contribute to unrealistic expectations of what makes a woman both worthy and beautiful. Fairy tales have a large part in encouraging a uniform, heterosexual culture. Psychologist Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory explains that people model the behavior that they observe in others because they see that such behavior is acceptable. Therefore, when little children grow up reading and watching fairy tales, which then advances to absorbing more mature romantic storylines, they are encour-
| 25
aged to model the heteronormative culture in the stories. A common film ending is the girl getting the guy, a happy ending. Despite other themes that the movies might have, the fact that they end with the relationship forming conveys that attaining the boy is accepted as the ultimate goal. We’ve grown up thinking this, and this translates into our thinking that we haven’t achieved our own happy-ever-afters unless we end up in a relationship. The timelessness of the fairy tale story has resulted in the lasting theme that women need men. But what about the audiences that don’t want a man to save them, whether due to sexual preference or personal beliefs? What about the ones who don’t want the heteronormativity of fairy tales? Many fairy tales are rooted in dark stories that were made more magical and optimistic for the benefit of audiences. For example, the original tale of Sleeping Beauty did not end with Prince Phillip kissing Princess Aurora — it ended with the prince raping her. Clearly, the dark elements of fairy tales had to be changed for a young audience. So why weren’t the dark messages of strong men and helpless women changed as well? Just because the obvious danger was omitted from the stories does not mean they foster a safe way of thinking for impressionable people. We grow up with fairy tales, but fairy tales shouldn’t necessarily grow up with us. Don’t let the magic cloud your judgment. photographed by: Aanya Jain head stylist: Neely Branham modeled by: Cheyenne Figueroa, Ben Fong
26 |
| 27
28 |
| 29
30 |
TO BE PERCEIVED Who am I? Who are you? Who cares? BY MANSI MAMIDI
I
n 2013, Tim Krieder wrote in the New York Times about what he called the ‘mortifying ordeal of being known’ after he sent out photos of recent goat rentals to his colleagues, only to later discover that their excited emails back were nothing but polite fodder; they had sent out a separate mass email lamenting what they considered his incredibly odd decision to rent goats, accidentally including him in the chain. Krieder then goes on for another 500 some odd words spiraling about his decision to put himself out there to be wholly known, in hopes of being accepted and loved, only to be rebuked because he had effectively emailed the coworkers he made small talk with at the water fountain intimate details about his goat rental extravaganza. Clearly, Krieder has more deepseated issues for that ordeal to have inspired such agony in the NYT Opinion column, but he does happen to have a point. Being known, wholly and completely, is considered an ultimate goal in life by the omnipresent ‘they’ that dictate most social norms in our lives as inalienable truths that we must adhere to. After all, what is life without confiding in a long-term lover about far and away memories that you had
never dared to utter out loud before? Without best friends with whom to discuss the painfully politically incorrect thoughts and feelings, you had about a recent date that you wouldn’t dare tie yourself to publically? There is definite truth to these things; without people to spill to, our inner monologues and thoughts would plague our minds until we went stircrazy, so we have to have people that know us, truly know us as we are in full. But as things
have changed in the past year, we don’t necessarily worry
so much about that. We seem to struggle more with something infinitely more isolating and harrowing: the mortifying ordeal of being unknown. Pre-pandemic, we were constantly surrounded by our material realities at every waking moment, with schedules that we can’t even fathom now. Wake up at 7 am, go to school. Spend the next eight or so hours surrounded by classmates and acquaintances, both those we were ecstatic to find we had class with, and those classroom friends we made out of necessity so we weren’t alone. Afterward, we’d hang out, have dinner, do homework, go out surrounded by people. Our lives were hectic, so we performed accordingly. We dressed for the fleeting glance of a passing stranger to perceive you the way you wanted, each moment we spent with another person was plastered onto social media so everyone else knew. We were actors for each other, performing in the right ways to get in with the right people, to | 31
32 |
have others ‘know’ you -- but only the way you wanted them to, so when your rom-com moment of being noticed without knowing came, you were picture perfect in how you wished to be perceived. Now, with no one to see and nowhere to go, we have no one to perform for. So, the question comes: who are we actually? Do we know ourselves wholly and completely, away from everything and everyone else? The late SOPHIE pondered this in “Immaterial”: “Without my legs or
my hair/ Without my genes or my blood/ With no name and with no type of story/ Where do I live?/ Tell me, where do I exist?” Without evidence of our existence (a Snapchat story, a yelled greeting across the lawn, excited hugs from people you haven’t seen in a long while), we exist, by ourselves, in this hyperreality. We are simultaneously extremely aware of the ways we behave -- like repeatedly checking whether our texts have been answered,
hoping for a response and annoyed with yourself for caring so much, only to realize it’s been two minutes -- and yet hopelessly unaware of the world shifting and moving around us (i.e., does anyone know what the date is today? Have you remembered to drink water in the past week?). Without real, material routines we can tether ourselves to, we all seem to be floating in the abyss while somehow still showing up for exam zooms. For a lot of people, the
| 33
insistent need for a tether of some sort has meant reverting to old, relatively embarrassing hobbies and interests, exacerbated by nostalgia capitalism coaxing us into binge-watching the entirety of Hannah Montana for the low price of $7 a month. But it isn’t embarrassing necessarily because they’re old or ‘cringey’, it’s moreso evidence of regression when we’re told on every angle that we’re meant to be progressing. At the beginning of this hellscape, everyone was convinced they would finally start working out, or read more, or finally get going on that hobby with all this time at home. But hopes like this, driven by capitalist propaganda that we’re machines to consistently get better, more efficient aren’t feasible. This is a deeply traumatic, grueling time. It’s hard to get to see people as 34 |
often as you’d like, big public spaces aren’t open and thrumming with activity, and everyone knows someone who has died of this parasitic disease. Rediscovering comfort is completely normal, even encouraged, considering how it makes us rediscover joy like it’s for the first time. There is no need to become the ‘best’ version of yourself, and no need to perceive ourselves as pathetic, lazy, or unmotivated. It’s a time for grace and calm in every way you can give it to yourself and for the community. For showing up for each other in every way we can while this country willingly allows for people to suffer from generational poverty, homelessness, unemployment, oppression, and state violence. We are behaving the way we should, as people, to get through a very difficult period of time. There’s more than
enough stress and worry to go around without us adding onto it to down ourselves further. In times of distress, unnervingly historic moments like these, we expect ourselves to be evolving like we never have before. But, as You’re Wrong About podcast co-host Sarah Marshall says: “In this fascist, apocalyptic epidemic, we’re still defined by being lonely and horny and wanting macaroni.” It’s just the human way. photographed by: Lucas Bishop head stylist: Arianne Dora modeled by: Esther Winterman, Saoirse Sikora
| 35
38 |
| 39
Personal wellbeing starts with our relationships, not our material possessions.
40 |
| 43
SELF NURTURE BY MICHAELA BRUNS
44 |
W
e are living in a time in which taking care of ourselves is of the utmost importance. Since the start of the pandemic, people have been dedicated to building the best versions of themselves amidst the chaos. From home fitness routines to newfound hobbies, society has seemingly been able to redefine self-care. As we all try to navigate through the fog of our current existence, self-care has allowed people to feel a sense of peace and direction. Despite its positive effects for a sum of people, the prevailing narrative surrounding self-care has become synonymously linked to the idea that wellness requires a price. Social media romanticizes material culture, turning wellness into an exhibition of opulence via advertising and influencers. While the self-care industry makes products accessible to the average consumer, there is no doubt that the industry utilizes fantasy and envy as a way to increase sales. So, consumers become more captivated by the momentary happiness these products might be able to provide for them. Self-care requires perseverance, patiences, and ultimately, grit. Oftentimes we use self-care and materialism as a way to escape from the parts of our lives in which we lack contentment. However, self-care requires us to acknowledge the deepest parts of ourselves and to set boundaries. It is about delaying gratification, letting go of the instant pleasures and welcoming the unknown. It is about doing what is hard for the wellbeing of your future self, bringing you closer to the person you want to become. Arguably, society is obsessed with the idea of happiness, however, we tend to go about obtaining that happiness in seemingly all the wrong ways. What if we looked to the comfort of our communities rather than that of material possessions? Due to the abundance of social media, our relationships have grown broader, but they have also grown shallower. Today’s culture of instant gratification has deemed nearly everything in life as momentary and disposable. We have been conditioned to desire tangible items, rather than 42 |
honoring our longing for the innate and intangible aspects of life. Everyone desires community. It is why we pursue individuals, groups and organizations with similar characteristics and beliefs to our own. We want to be loved, valued, and accepted. Relationships shape nearly every aspect of our lives, from our health and wellbeing to our overall success. Andrew Root, an author of theology, once said, “We are our relationships: they are the very core of our existence, the source of life.” When we choose to minimize their importance, we hurt ourselves in the process. Studies by Harvard Medical School have shown
that creating and cultivating lifelong relationships can lead to less stress, a stronger immune system, a greater sense of purpose and a longer lifespan. In truth, self-care can revolve around many things. It is the act of physically, mentally, emotionally and socially providing for yourself and others. It is setting aside time to recognize the essentials in life. While skincare and fitness routines are important to maintain wellbeing, the ultimate form of self-care is the relationships we cultivate and care for in life. When we are proactive and pursue deeper connections, we naturally invite intimacy, empathy and open-
ness into our lives. By opening up, we can encourage others to be vulnerable too. Vulnerability allows us to better understand ourselves, including our thoughts, feelings, and ambitions. Thus, it allows us to more accurately and mindfully acknowledge our needs while giving us the ability to better care for ourselves and those around us. photographed by: Lilly Thomas head stylist: Bella Conner modeled by: Natalia Almanza, Ana Mercado, Emily Little
| 45
46 |
| 49
50 |
| 49
SEASON
SISTERHOOD 50 |
| 51
F
or so many of us at Season, our work at the magazine is a great source of joy and friendship. The pieces used in this shoot aim to represent that feeling. Members from all departments of Season used spray paint, glitter and embroidery to customize this suit and trench coat. The magazine takes a coalition of contributors to be whole and so did these thrifted pieces, modeled by Season Director of Styling Varsha Anand and Head Stylist Bella Conner.
68 |
| 69
56 |
photographed by: Isabelle Trusty head stylist: Carley Divish modeled by: Varsha Anand, Bella Conner | 57
66 |
SZN MAGAZINE est. 2018