SHEI Digital // Vol. 7 Iss. 6

Volume 7 | Issue 6

who’s on staff? editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Natalie Guisinger CREATIVE DIRECTOR Evan Parness PRINT FEATURES EDITOR Deirdre Lee DIGITAL FEATURES EDITOR Melina Schaefer PRINT FASHION EDITORS Nick Farrugia Juan Marquez DIGITAL FASHION EDITOR Jacob Ward DESIGN EDITORS Carly Lucas Mackenzie Schwedt PRINT PHOTO EDITORS Katie Corbett Ryan Little DIGITAL PHOTO EDITOR Rita Vega STREET STYLE EDITOR Lucy Carpenter MANAGING PHOTO EDITOR Alex Andersen VIDEO EDITOR Kendall Ka

business PUBLISHER Colleen Jones MARKETING DIRECTOR Kira Mintzer OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Drisha Gwalani FINANCE COORDINATORS Alex Chessare Deesha Shah EVENTS COORDINATOR Alex McMullen HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR Julia Napiewocki

DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Alex Sterchele

PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATORS Mackenzie Fleming Gillian Yang

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Hannah Triester

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Liz Haley

ILLUSTRATOR MACKENZIE SCHWEDT

SHEI /’sh(ay)/ Magazine was founded in 1999 as an Asian Pop Culture Magazine and became affiliated with University of Michigan Student Publications in 2013.

Our Digital Magazine, known as SHIFT at the time, was launched in 2015. Since then, SHEI has grown to campus wide recognition as a publication that students can come to for fashion, art, and culture commentary and inspiration.

who’s on staff?

contributing members DIRECTORS Josie Burck Karly Madey Claire Manor Sarah Ory STYLISTS Lauren Berman Josie Burck Kailana Flora Dejoie Ivy Li Karly Madey Courtney Mass Noor Majed Moughini Olivia Mouradian Abby Rapoport Dhruv Verma WRITERS Tahani Almujahid Ben Decker Lucy Perrone Sureet Sarau Ava Shapiro

PHOTOGRAPHERS Lauren Berman Gabby Ceritano Korrin Dering Hanna Dong Isabelle Fisher Frances Gu Devon Kelly Youmna Khan Anders Lundin Gabrielle Mack Becca Mahon Sam McLeod Madison Patel Sureet Sarau Ed Tian Rithi Vaithyanathan VIDEOGRAPHERS Grant Emenheiser Sam Rao GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Camille Andrew Helen Lee Sophie Levit Tung Tung Lin Gabi Mechaber Yuki Obayashi Emma Peterson Taylor Silver

WINTER 2021 PRINT

COMING SOON

in this issue

MASTHEAD LETTERS RE I KNO LO

THE D UN

D 02 S FROM THE EDITORS 08 ECONSTRUCTION 12 OW WHAT THE CAGED BIRD WEARS 16 OOKING INWARD 20 SPEAK IN REVOLUTION 28 SOLA 30 DUALITY OF DENNIS RODMAN 36 NRESTRAINED 40 FRIZZED OUT 44 ROLLER DERBY 46 PERI’S CRYSTAL EARRINGS 50 STREET STYLE: STUDENT ATHLETES 52

letter from the editor

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Imagine one figure whom you look up to.

Maybe you’re inspired by their creativity, their work ethic, or perhaps their courage.

For me, I look up to my grandmother.

Raising two kids as a single mother at the age of 18, she gave up the opportunity to attend college, but nevertheless worked tirelessly her whole life. She raised my mother to go out into the world and make the most of it and strive for excellence. Knowing that I come from a tenacious, matriarchal lineage has pushed me to become my strongest self.

In Fortitude, we examine the different ways in which courage and bravery are within us. We interpret personal strength, as well as portray the persevering physicality of fortitude.

As March Madness continues, basketball brackets are on the forefront of many students’ minds. Some place bets on teams they’ve been critically studying during the entire basketball season, whilst others (like me) haphazardly choose which team reigns supreme and lands on the center of the bracket map based on how appealing the teams’ colors are (with Michigan winning it all, of course).

In The Duality of Dennis Rodman, Ava Shapiro describes how the 6’7 basketball icon wasn’t just known for his aggressive rebounding abilities, but also his defiance of gender norms. Rodman is a stellar example of shameless self-expression, and “with the stigma of gender in fashion fading away, Rodman’s style can now be appreciated as ahead of his time.”

Within our Street Style portion of Fortitude,

student athletes on the Football and Twirling teams shed light on their fashion inspirations and how they style themselves on a day to day basis. Our fashion shoot titled Looking Inward enlists models from Cadence Dance Group and celebrates the beauty and strength of bodily forms. Shoot Director Claire Manor explains that “we emphasize the movement and abilities of human strength when determination and perseverance are applied.

The clothing was an intersection between traditional dance wear and fashion.”

In addition to the physical nature of fortitude, we also examine how personal strength leads to making oneself whole.

In I Know What the Caged Bird Wears, Lucy Perrone addresses how women are faced with contradicting opinions of how they should dress and express themselves.

Regardless of how “alt” or “basic” they frame themselves to be, women are, and will always be, authentic beings actively making decisions of self-representation. Perrone asserts that, “The criticisms that exist on all the fronts of female expression only further necessitate strength and resilience.”

As you read through this issue, I prompt you to recognize the fortitude within you.

Although I am grateful for the privilege of attending college, a privilege many people including my grandmother didn’t have, it’s important to celebrate the resilience we had this year by completing a year of school amidst a pandemic. As my mother always tells me, “It’s not about the problem itself, what matters is how you respond to it.”

Natalie Guisinger Editor-In-Chief

fortitude Before physical strength, before endurance, before the triumph over adversity and the conquering of obstacles, there is a decision. There is a choice made that puts a person in pain and suffering and difficulty and subjects the body to discomfort. What’s so fascinating about humanity is its ability to be aware of these challenges, and to still decide that the outcome is worth the price.

Fortitude is the space of mind where these decisions are made. It’s the place where all the consequences and pains exist as possibilities, and where they are set aside for a greater outcome. Fortitude is the mindset in which all desires are possible.

In the academic world, we don’t often think in terms of bravery and courage. Aren’t those words reserved for war heros and fairy tales? However I challenge you to look in your own life, all the times you persevered through the slog of homework or had a hard conversation with a friend. Especially with COVID, staying positive sometimes feels like a valiant act. Doing the hard thing, knowing that you’ll suffer for it but doing it anyway, requires fortitude. It’s in these decisions that your own fortitude shines through, in all those times you almost gave up but didn’t. And the fruits of that fortitude are everywhere if you just take a look-maybe in a class you passed or a piece of art you created or a relationship you fought for.

As you can see from the very cover of this digital, fortitude doesn’t always manifest in brawn and bulk and physical strength. Fortitude can be beautiful in places where beauty is smothered-it can be a voice in places where dissent is silenced. As you’ll see throughout the features works, fortitude is the act of defiance of the norm. As Tahani Almujahid put it in her piece Speak in Revolution, fortitude is the bravery to “dream radical dreams”.

In reading this digital, my hope is that you can see the many faces of fortitude, and recognize it within yourself. Look at the life you’ve built around yourself and appreciate the strength and effort it took to get there. Realize that you’re capable of an incredible power, a power dredged up from your deepest and most ardent desires which you propel with your own personal strength of mind.

Melina Schaefer Digital Features Editor

reconstructed

Belt - Izod Blue Blazer - Levine Classics White Button Down - Trademark White Dress - Painted by Karly Madey Blue Jumper - Painted by Karly Madey White Jacket - J.R. Nites, Painted by Karly Madey

DIRECTOR KARLY MADEY STYLIST KAILANA DEJOIE KARLY MADEY MAKEUP ARTIST YOUMNA KHAN PHOTOGRAPHERS ALEX ANDERSEN GABBY CERITANO GABRIELLE MACK RITA VEGA GRAPHIC DESIGNER TAYLOR SILVER MODELS AABI LA’AL GABRIJELA SKOKO

I KNOW WHAT THE CAGED BIRD WEARS

I think we’ve all made some fashion choices we regret. I can confidently say the Justice brand T-shirt, gray skinny jeans, and side ponytail I wore to Justin Bieber’s My World 2.0 Tour in 2010 was not my best look, and unfortunately did not propel me into stardom as his next girlfriend. Through the twists and turns of women’s fashion, we’ve truly seen it all. The mid-2000s witnessed the rise of the hipster: a flannel, glasses, and combat boot wearing, Tumblr and mustache-loving woman always on the hunt for the most expensive small-batch coffee. This has since evolved into the e-girl, categorized as a woman who is obsessed with being unique and appealing to the male gaze through layers of chain necklaces, funky eyeliner, and little crop tops with big pants. The e-girl contrasts the VSCO girl which made her way onto the social media fashion scene around the same time due to the rise of TikTok and photo editing app, VSCO, and is known for her scrunchies, Hydroflask, Birkenstocks, and big T-shirts. Though these might just seem like simple fashion choices, these trends in reality are yet another way society tries to control women through subordination.

WRITER LUCY PERRONE GRAPHIC DESIGNER YUKI OBAYASHI

In Marget Frye’s piece titled “Oppression,” famous in the feminist theorist community, she describes how women’s lives are shaped by systemic barriers that “penalize motion in any direc1 tion.” Frye outlines women’s oppression as analogous to a birdcage because at first glance from the bird’s perspective there is just one vertical bar on the cage blocking it from flying away. However, when looking at the bigger picture, the bird is actually trapped by many bars and is unable to move. Women’s oppression seems like a singular issue with a singular solution when in reality, it’s a complex and multifaceted system. Another way to unpack this oppression is through analyzing the “double-bind” in which women are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. In work settings, women are socialized to always smile and maintain a calm demeanor. However when we adhere to these boundaries we are seen as docile and complicit, and when we don’t we are seen as frigid and hard to work with. With regards to style, on social media, those who participate in the aforementioned e-girl and VSCO girl trends are regarded as “basic” and mocked for their choices

1 Frye,

“Oppression,” 121

while those who don’t are ostracized for not falling in line with mainstream trends. However, the idea that women’s interests are vilified and boiled down to either being a pursuit of admiration or an unseemly rejection of it is, unfortunately, nothing new but rather a timelessly applicable concept.

By ignoring the assumptions made about them through their clothing choices, women who follow these trends are demonstrating both strength and resistance to the patriarchy. The stereotypes attached to e-girls maintain that they dress the way they do for male attention. Apparently, the possibility of women dressing to make themselves feel good is far-fetched. The irony is that many aspects of the e-girl style originate in bi-sexual and gay culture, where women are in fact not looking, at least exclusively, to appeal to men. For VSCO girls, the assumption surrounding their attire is that they’re putting on a facade to appear cool and low maintenance. They tend to be judged for their performativity when in reality who’s to say whether their style and demeanor is authentic or not? It certainly shouldn’t be dictated by randoms prowling through TikTok comments.

The criticisms that exist on all the fronts of female expression only further necessitate strength and resilience. By choosing either an “on trend” aesthetic or dressing for your personal taste or comfort, a woman opens herself to different but equally harmful ridicule.

A look back at the most popular fashion trends for women in the past decade reveals a pattern of mocking both those who follow such trends and those who don’t. The criticism surrounding these trends doesn’t only come from men, but also from other women. I know I have fallen victim to ridiculing trends from Twilight to VSCO girls several times. But is that because I actually hate these trends? No! I likely own all the things that “make” a VSCO girl, and I have certainly binged the Twilight series a few too many times; sadly, society has created this pesky little thing known as internalized misogyny in which women sub-

consciously project sexist ideas that have been ingrained in our culture onto other women and themselves. There is a very fine line that is impossible to straddle for most women, and this is because this criticism of women’s style is fundamentally rooted in a social hatred of women.

Maybe sparkle-infested Justin Bieber T-shirts was not our best collective fashion statement, but the hate the wearers of these and many other new mainstream trends encounter has become excessive. So I applaud all the women out there who wear what they want no matter how mainstream, trendy, basic, or otherwise because in the eyes of our oppressor, we will never do anything right.

Women’s fashion is now inherently intertwined with resilience because to be a woman is to be labeled and mocked. News flash: it’s f*cking hard being a woman!

looking

inward

DIRECTOR CLAIRE MANOR STYLISTS IVY LI NOOR MOUGHNI DHRUV VERMA PHOTOGRAPHERS KORRIN DERING VIDEOGRAPHER GRANT EMENHEISER GRAPHIC DESIGNER CARLY LUCAS MODELS ZACH MORRIS ISABEL RIEDEL

My first shift as a Multicultural Lounge Assistant in the Nikki Giovanni lounge located in Mosher-Jordan went like this: I set up my seat with my name card, a friendly Hello-my-name-is-Tahani, waiting for the freshmen to rush in to take their seats. I am there to check if their “ResponseBLUE’” profile gave them the okay to be on campus, assuming that they showed no symptoms of Covid-19. The lounge has a capacity of six students, but I found that no one knew it was open. Alone, I would discover this hidden treasure, close-read the poem on the wall that struck my eye: “Revolutionary Dreams.” I think about what it means to “dream radical dreams.”

In entering, Giovanni’s biography takes up a good portion of the plain, dull walls. I was shocked to find how I have never read her poetry—not even in classes that spoke about how words played in times of revolution. Yet, I stood awestruck by her life story, and then, the poems I was able to read on the rest of the walls. She was known to address race and racism in her poetry and took on a unique style—using lowercase letters and colloquial speech. This was seen as “militant”1 for its denunciation of America’s racism towards its Black citizens. At the time, no one would publish her because of her so-called “militant poetry.” So, Giovanni published herself, printing her first book and distributing it to some book stores as well as selling it directly in order to break-even.

Because publications did not want to invest in a Black writer’s “radical” work, Giovanni took matters into her own hands. Writing against these evils allowed Giovanni to advocate for equality for Black people in America, but it also created a communal understanding in which words could express our experiences and the world around us. This, in turn, gives us strength. Her words echo through future generations because the fight against racism is a continuous revolution in opposition to the systems of power that have perpetuated it.

Her words speak in revolution.

That day, I found myself thinking about the written word, and how it has survived, how it’s passed on through generations as a means of

WRITER TAHANI ALMUJAHID GRAPHIC DESIGNER CARLY LUCAS

coping and healing from the traumas of racism, colonialism, and other evils and opposing forces. Giovanni’s words spoke to me in revolution, similar to how I’ve seen my people pass down their knowledge and understandings of the world through song, lyric, and oral tradition. In Yemen, this is mostly passed through proverbs, timeless stories, and poetry. My mother often refers to proverbs in times of crises, contemplation, and reflection because there is always a lesson to learn from what was passed down to us by our ancestors. This allows us to fight against these forces in our day-to-day lives. These words give us strength, knowing that our people had undergone and overcame similar challenges. They kept these proverbs to keep us safe, to keep us alive.

In Arabic, there is a saying that was used during the Sudan Revolution in 2019 that took a word—“awra” (meaning taboo), and changed one letter, making the word “thawra” (meaning revolution/revolutionary.) “Sawt al Mara Thawra” (A woman’s voice is a revolution) was painted on walls around the country2. Sudanese diaspora and those standing in solidarity were posting it on social media. I think of this phrase often, how it was women who were leading the revolution, and their voices passed through the streets calling for change. By changing just one letter, the phrase that was meant to conceal a woman’s voice transforms into something that is revolutionary -and that, to me, is powerful. These words stick with me similar to how the oral tradition in Yemen has persisted and preserved our culture, the way we live and think, because of the power of our voices.

I wonder if my words, like Giovanni’s, could ever reach the mountains.

As I wait for the freshmen to enter the lounge, I hope that they read Giovanni’s poems on the wall, her biography. I want to know if their mother’s proverbs ever gave them comfort, what they have left of their ancestors. I want to know if they ever “dreamed radical dreams.” I want to tell the freshmen what I’ve discovered, what to me feels like a revolutionary awakening. Our words are inherited, passed down to empower us. What my body remembers, I wonder if the next will too.

”Biography.” Nikki Giovanni. Accessed March 04, 2021. https://nikki-giovanni.com/biography/.

Talebi, Tessa. “What Lies Beneath the Sands: Archaeologies of Presence in Revolutionary Sudan.” Project on Middle East Political Science. June 18, 2020. Accessed March 01, 2021. https:// pomeps.org/what-lies-beneath-the-sands-archaeologies-of-presence-in-revolutionary-sudan.

1 2

DIRECTOR SARAH ORY STYLISTS OLIVIA MOURADIAN ABBY RAPOPORT MAKEUP ARTIST ALIYAH TIA PHOTOGRAPHERS FRANCES GU YOUMNA KHAN ED TIAN VIDEOGRAPHER SAM RAO GRAPHIC DESIGNER HELEN LEE MODEL ALIYAH SMOOT

In the discussion of men defying gender norms, the first to come to mind are typically David Bowie, Harry Styles, or Prince. While these men are adequate examples, the boldest and baddest is almost always left out of the equation: Dennis Rodman. This 6’7 NBA Hall of Famer was most notable for his defensive skills and aggressive playing on the court. However, his identity off the court was that of a wild partier and extravagant dresser, donning sparkly crop tops and velvet pants on his way to the gay bar or to gamble in a Vegas casino.

On the outside, he was the epitome of not giving a f***, but the inside tells a different story, marked by a struggle to balance fame with his desire for acceptance. So, how did he become the badass, crazy, and flamboyant basketball star that we know him as today?

For starters, it’s important to note that he was not always one to draw attention to himself. He grew up with his mother and two sisters, both of whom were accomplished high school basketball players. Dennis, on the other hand, stood at only 5’6 and failed to make his high school football team.

After being kicked out of his mother’s house at 19, he spent his days working odd jobs and playing pickup basketball whenever he could. Following a major growth spurt and recognition from a college basketball coach, he became a successful collegiate basketball player. His talent did not go unnoticed, and soon enough, he was drafted to the Detroit Pistons in the 1986 NBA Draft.

Singer, Alan. Dennis Rodman gives Dave a new look on the Late Show with David Letterman. August 20, 1996 on the CBS Television Network. August 20, 1996. CBS. Getty Images.

THE DUALITY OF DENNIS RODMAN Agostini, Evan. Dennis Rodman signs his autobiography August 21, 1996 in New York City. Rodman arrived in a horse-drawn carriage dressed in a wedding gown to launch his new book called “Bad as I Wanna Be.” August 21, 1996. Hulton Archive. Getty Images.

Up until that point in his life, Rodman was desperate for acceptance and still unevolved in his style, basketball or otherwise. That all changed when he became a Piston, the team eventually dubbed the “Bad Boys” for their aggression and toughness on the court.

From this moment forward, Rodman’s public identity went from 0 to 100. The Pistons were winning games and he became a respected player, winning rebounding titles every year from ‘92 to 98.

After his quick launch into fame, he felt afraid that he would start to become a commercial product. As an act of rebellion, he decided to start behaving according to his own rules. This is where we see his attraction to fashion, filled with rainbow hair colors, crop tops, and every vibrant, shimmering, or outrageous article of clothing he could get his hands on. Basketball icon Dennis Rodman became, rightfully so, style icon Dennis Rodman.

In looking at some of his most memorable style moments, there are countless that come to mind: his lime-green hair that he lovingly bestowed onto David Letterman on The Late Show, the several appearances of a barely buttoned sleek blouse tied at his waist, or, and possibly his most iconic, his wedding dress worn to a book signing.

In viewing these unique fashion choices, it must be acknowledged that this kind of dress was rare for men in the 90’s, especially for a Black 6’7 power forward in the NBA. So, in today’s fashion ably progressive culture full of men wearing womenswear, why are Dennis Rodman’s contributions rarely credited?

WRITER AVA SHAPIRO GRAPHIC DESIGNER CAMILLE ANDREW

In this “pre-woke” era, athletes were not encouraged to deviate from the norm. The expectations for athletes, especially people of color, were to maintain a squeaky-clean reputation, with no problematic behavior. Take someone like Michael Jordan, who was a teammate of Rodman’s. Jordan was considered the gold standard for how athletes should act. He wasn’t seen going out to parties, he steered away from politics, and he had a reputation for being a hard worker who dedicated himself entirely to the game of basketball. The only times he ever made headlines was when he was on the court, so his non-controversial reputation proved to garner him praise in a time where Black people were underrepresented in the media.

Rodman, on the other hand, was the opposite of clean-cut, with his wild partying antics and contentious behavior, mainly categorized by his gender expression and fashion choices. Being what was considered masculine at this time was crucial to the reputation of male celebrities, especially if you were a person of color. So, Rodman’s unabashed femininity was characterized as off-putting and even threatening,causing many to despise him regardless of his basketball abilities or team affiliation.

Despite criticism for his individualism, he continued to express himself how he wanted. However, his longing for acceptance did not go away, and he struggled throughout his life to be vulnerable.

It would make sense for someone who so desperately craves love to become a people pleaser, but Rodman went in another direction. Rather than

searching for the approval of the media, he devoted his energy to basketball, partying, and fashion.

By not caring about his public identity, he learned to accept himself through living on his own terms.

His lack of approval from the world may be a reason why he is so often left out of modern-day conversations about defying gender norms. At the height of his fame, he was condemned for his non-masculine style, and this criticism went so far that it continues to affect his reputation today. His identity as a Black athlete during this time caused the public to see him as someone so unhinged and radical that he should not be praised in the way that other basketball players were, even ones who matched his talent. He is still regarded as an influential figure in the basketball world, but his contributions to gender expression in the fashion industry cannot be swept under the rug anymore.

What held him back then as a fashion icon was the public’s perception of what masculinity should be, and with the stigma of gender in fashion fading away, Rodman’s style can now be appreciated as ahead of his time. Now that we live in a more accepting world, there is no reason why Rodman cannot reemerge as an inspiration for today’s fashion trends and a pioneer of gender expression, before it was mainstream.

Jackie MacMullan, “The complicated evolution of Dennis Rodman,” ESPN. May 13, 2020. https://www.espn.com/nba/ story/_/id/27570283/the-complicated-evolution-dennis-rodman 1

unrestrained

DIRECTOR JOSIE BURCK STYLISTS JOSIE BURCK COURTNEY MASS PHOTOGRAPHERS ANDERS LUNDIN SAM MCLEOD GRAPHIC DESIGNER EMMA PETERSON MODEL HATTIE BENEDETTI

I remember the summer before starting my first year of college. Nights where I would poke my head out of my friend’s sunroof, screaming the lyrics to Katy Perrys’ “Waking Up In Vegas” as we drive through the highway underpass.

Though my hair was flying through the wind and getting tangled, I didn’t give it a second thought. When I came back down into reality, it took just one run through with my hands to fix the mess. That summer my friends convinced me to dye it red… and a few weeks later purple. Whether it is drenched in salt water from night swimming or getting coated in bleach, my hair is a symbol for who I am and the people I attract.

I began my first year of undergrad riding high on this wave of summer euphoria. For four months straight my hair was as its healthiest, meaning I was surrounded by constant love, and my only worry was if my cat would be okay home alone while I get slurpees from 7/11. I figured things would continue going great and that making friends would be easy- but that idea soon started to frizz.

Reality hits you like a truck and I didn’t look both ways before crossing the street. People I met during welcome week started to fade out of my life. All of those friends I made on the Facebook page that “wanted to hangout as soon as we moved in” never followed up.

I didn’t click with anyone in the few clubs I joined. I was stuck watching other people’s groups blossom and wondering why I wasn’t the one growing.

When you see all these people starting to make friends and compare yourself to themyou can’t help but think you are the problem.

There has to be something that deters people from you; maybe because all you do is talk about the same three female pop stars and bombard people with pictures of your gorgeous cat.

These self-doubts consume your life, and even though you provide this beaming smile on the outside, you keep falling down this rabbit hole

of loneliness within. Each day you are in it your hope of escaping dwindles, while your longing for change continues to grow.

Negative thoughts like these consumed me and stayed for a while, to the point where it began to show on the outside. As the semester progressed my hair got increasingly distressed and, like myself, completely changed. That carefree hair I had in the summer was unattainable; I knew I was lacking something severely but couldn’t figure out how to fix it. Eventually

I just gave up and let it frizz out, even though I resented the way it looked. From the moment I woke up, you could touch my hair and it would crunch, despite the fact I put no hairspray in it.

While I did not realize it at the time, my hair reflected exactly how I felt on the inside: I felt so dried out from not having any friendships of my own. My thoughts were frizz and I spent most of my time trying to go back to the person I was in the summer. Every solution someone suggested to me, whether it was about

fixing my frizz or my pursuit for a friendship, was a split end. When people told me to brush my hair, it would only get worse. When I tried to put myself out there for friendships, I would feel more alone than before.

Looking back on it now, I was desperately afraid of changing. When I got to college, I could feel that I was struggling and did not want my happiness to change- or hair for that matter. I put all my effort into replicating that summer I had and wanted to treat my fresh-

man year as its extension. I attempted to force friendships that replicated those who I spent summer with, but it all felt ingenuine. Instead of embracing my newfound hair texture, I tried to straighten it as often as I could and go with the familiar.

Ironically, this feeling did not fade until my freshman year was cut short because of the pandemic. Being sent back to my hometown, the one place that I desperately wanted to go back the whole school year, forced me to do

a lot of self-reflecting. Once again, being surrounded by the people who I love gave me the confidence to start reaching out to people I met freshman year, those I wanted to be friends with but was trying too hard. I began to make the most of the online semester, starting friendships with the mindset that it takes time to grow, being careful not to compare it to a friendship I have had for 5+ years. With this, it became easier for me to accept that, like myself, my hair was something new. I gave up on trying to go back the hair I had in the summer and updated my routine, using a product that turns them from frizz into bouncy curls. I spent that summer more connected with college friends more than ever, even though we were separated by quarantine.

My freshman year was the hardest time of my life, but everyday I think about how much better of a place I am in. I look back on my journal from last year and see how much pressure I was putting on myself- I feel bad for that little guy. Accepting change was something I struggled with everyday about a year ago, but it’s what I anticipate now. Instead of living in fear I shout out to everyone, “Don’t get stuck on the person I used to be because I am always evolving.” I live off the freedom that your entire life could change in a complete second, like meeting your future spouse by chance on the street as you both wait for the crosswalk to become clear. For me, this is what makes life exciting and what I was completely neglecting last year.

Even though I am still not at my strongest, I am getting closer to that person everyday. I am not afraid to accept that fact that I struggle. I learn my own lessons about change through the universe in distinct ways, and my hair is just one of them.

WRITER BEN DECKER GRAPHIC DESIGNER GABI MECHABER

DIRECTOR LAUREN BERMAN STYLISTS ISABELLE FISHER MADISON PATEL PHOTOGRAPHERS LAUREN BERMAN HANNA DONG RITHI VAITHYANATHAN GRAPHIC DESIGNER TUNG TUNG LIN MODELS ALYSSA ASMAR

Earrings – For Your Ears Only Orange Turtleneck – TopShop Pink Cardigan – Prada Maxi Skirt – Brandy Melville

Peri’s Crystal Earrings Peri’s Crystal Earrings is an online Depop and Instagram-based shop (@periscrystalearrings) run by senior Peri Macinic. She sells handmade crystal earrings and ensures to maintain contactless delivery for these earrings to customers in Ann Arbor and ships nationally. She can be seen modeling a few of her earrings in the photos provided.

How long have you been selling earrings for?

I’ve been selling earrings since September.

What made you start selling earrings?

One night my roommates and I had a little “Shrinky Dink” night and we made earrings out of them and realized how to make jewelry. I started making earrings as gifts for my roommates and friends and people just started buying them, so I made it into a business.

What’s your inspiration behind these designs?

I kind of get inspired by the crystals and have them sort of tell me what to do.

How has your business been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

It was not too hard to start during a pandemic since things have been shifting online, and I have been just delivering

things contactlessly locally and sending things through the post office for my more national orders.

How has this pandemic taught you about strength, in business and real life?

Well the main reason that I did start my small business is because I did lose my job with COVID. This was a happy medium for me to make some money and not work somewhere where I might have to risk potential exposure to COVID. What lessons has this pandemic taught you?

I value working from home. I value working for myself. I value working on my own schedule and designing my own things.

Basically dancing to the beat of my own drum. My business gives me that freedom.

PHOTOGRAPHER SUREET SARAU WRITER SUREET SURAU GRAPHIC DESIGNER SOPHIE LEVIT

STREET STYL

student athlete edi

PHOTOGRAPHERS BECCA MAHON DEVON KELLY SUREET SARAU GRAPHIC DESIGNER MACKENZIE SCHWEDT

MODELS JARED DAVIS MARCY MILLER ADAM SHIBLEY

LE

ition

JARED DAVIS How would you describe your personal style?

I would say my personal style is a mix of athletic clothes with a classy touch. I try to dress up a little more and look decent, but sometimes I fall into the trap that comes with the comfort of more athletic clothes. Maybe I’ll go into the day trying to be classy and end up in joggers and a hoodie, but I do like to dress up so I try to do that here and there as well.

As an athlete and in general, what does strength mean to you?

People immediately think of strength as a physical attribute, but I like to think of it as more of a mental and emotional attribute. A lot of people try to find strength in the things that are in the current status quo, however I think that I see strength as people working to change the status quo for the better.

Some aren’t satisfied with the current status of how the world is today, so, I find strength in seeing people strive to make themselves better, make the world a better place, and not just settle for the bare minimum.

MARCY MILLER

How would you define your style?

I would define my style as expressive of my personality.

How has being an athlete influenced your sense of fashion?

My sport has a lot of sparkle and attracts an audience’s attention, so I feel like my style resembles that.

The theme of this issue is embodied by the word ‘strength.’ What does that word mean to you?

Strength means being able to continue every day through life with a positive attitude and find happiness in every situation.

From what or where do you find strength on a day-to-day basis?

Every day I find strength in my faith as well as knowing I am doing everything I can to be the best version of myself.

ADAM SHIBLEY Where do you get inspiration for your style?

I would say it’s a mixture of professional athletes and music artists like Travis Kelsey who grew up in Cleveland like myself and I’ve always looked up to him. I also gravitate towards athletes like Jamal Adams and Dennis Smith What types of style do you gravitate towards?

I feel like I usually go for streetwear and sometimes athleisure probably because of the influence that I see a lot of people in the media having wearing those clothes.

It gives me an idea of things that I like that I’m seeing in the media. I think my style is pretty versatile. I like brands like Nike, Zara, TopMan, G Star Raw, and Guess.

What does your day to day style/routine entail?

Well I would say that as an athlete, you receive a lot of sponsored clothing, so you’d always see me rocking with some Nike and that definitely plays into my style.

On the weekends I definitely like to dress it up and wear some more designer stuff that I just feel meshes well with my personality.

Would you say your sports life impacts your sense of style? If so, in what ways?

100% because I see a lot of athletes and their style and it just carries into mine and having a different body type than most people makes it so sometimes you need to get clothes that fit you differently than it would with others. If I was nott into sports I feel I would get away from the Nike branded stuff sometimes and be more into collared shirts or dress pants and plaid pants.

What are some of your favorite trends/streetwear looks in general?

I’d say this type of outfit. I really like tracksuits a lot and a really nice pair of sweats with a cool hoodie. On weekends, I like to wear Comme Des Garcons a lot, Guess, and G Star Raw.

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