Slope Magazine Fall 2017

SLOPE

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Contents

Fall 2017

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Magazine Staff Letters from the Editor & President Transition to “Adulting” Humans of Slope Mag What’s Wrong With “Basic” A Break-Up Letter to My Bed Humans of Slope Mag Identities Turning on a Dime How Cornell Shaped My Jewish Identity Do Ask, Do Tell Humans of Slope Mag Entrepreneurship at Cornell New Year, New You A Senior Year Reflection Big Red, Going Green Humans of Slope Mag Break Free from Gender Norms It’s Time for TV Heroines to Have the Spotlight Where Is the Place for Politics?

In Defense of Reading The (Black) Elephant in the Room Humans of Slope Mag

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As Cornell’s multimedia powerhouse, Slope Media Group is a leader in Cornell-related media and entertainment, delivering a creative, student perspective on everything that matters to the Big Red community. Slope is for students, by students.

Fall 2017

EDITOR IN CHIEF Nicole Biton CREATIVE DIRECTORS Joseph Hines Grace McBride PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR Alessandra Piccone

Magazine Staff

DESIGNERS Arleigh Parr Alex Rosenberg Isabella Zhou PRESIDENT Jeremy Candelas VICE PRESIDENT OF CONTENT Hadley Parker WRITERS Emily Agnew Nicole Biton Priscilla Blum* Jeremy Candelas Madeline Day* Kate Fehrenbaker Alanna Fichtel Emily Friedman Nikita Forrester Olivia Heim*

Raegan Loheide* Amanda Madenberg Liza Mansbach Kim Murstein Via Romano* Evan Shields Colleen Sorge* Ali Spandorfer Dominique Turner *copy editor

PHOTOGRAPHERS Chiara Fontaine Lucia Gomez Joseph Hines Nicole Jourdain Helena Lam

Grace McBride Sam Moser Alessandra Piccone Adam Riesenfeld Annie Wang

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Letter from the Editor NICOLE BITON

When I joined Slope at the very tail end of my freshman year, I never imagined what an integral part it would become to my college experience. I was shy, quiet, and still struggling to figure out where I belonged in the sometimes labyrinthine academic and social environment that is Cornell. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to write, to have some creative outlet outside my academic studies that wasn’t inevitably stunted by the tyranny of curricula or grades. I wanted find a community that was as passionate about writing as I was and was as dedicated to building a platform where anyone could say anything. In Slope, I found so much more.

After four years and four semesters as Editor-in-Chief, I cannot imagine what Cornell would have been like for me without Slope. I’ve gotten to work with so many incredible writers across all schools, each of whom cultivated their own unique ideas and passions through the content they contributed. I’ve had the privilege to work with over fifty different student organizations for whom Slope could serve as a platform for their causes. I’ve learned the responsibilities and intricacies involved with being a leader, the difficulty of straddling the line between being an editor and being a friend.

Of course, this wasn’t without many sleepless nights and approximately twelve mental breakdowns, but I wouldn’t trade it for a thing.

Most of all, I’ve gotten to see Slope grow from just a lifestyle website to a full-fledged publication, with thoughtful and engaging content in addition to the funnier, lighter pieces we’ve become known for. In a world where the obsession with “fake news” so often obscures real issues, the necessity for open forums of free discussion and expression has never been more critical. Slope allows students to be a part of larger conversation surrounding issues pertinent to both Cornell and the world at large, and I am and always will be so proud of the content that this magazine creates.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the phenomenal team of writers, editors, designers (led by Grace and Joey), photographers (led by Ally), and e-board members who have devoted so much time to making this magazine so amazing. I say this every semester, but I am continually humbled by the talent, dedication, and intelligence that each one of these individuals exhibits on a daily basis, and I am so grateful to them for imparting some of that onto the magazine.

Thank you so much for helping to create this beautiful product and for making the last two years such an incredible journey.

And with that, I leave you to enjoy the latest and greatest print edition of Slope Magazine 2017! In its pages I hope you find an expression of what makes Cornell so great.

Fall 2017

Letter from the President JEREMY CANDELAS

When I first sat down to write this, I had radically underestimated just how difficult it would be to put my thoughts into words, and those words onto paper. I joined Slope Media Group in the spring of my freshman year simply because I wanted to try something new; I didn’t have any real experience in writing, or photography, or marketing, or much of anything for that matter. My first few articles weren’t anything spectacular—to be honest, they were pretty below-average—but for some reason or another, they let me stick around. I’m glad they did.

Looking back, I never could have expected Slope would become as ingrained into my life as it has today. For three years, I have been able to discover new passions and befriend the most incredible people I have ever met because of Slope. It has afforded me countless opportunities for which I am incredibly grateful. I have been especially blessed to have served as President for two years. Truly, the honor and the privilege of working with such a group of incredible individuals has been mine.

Since I joined Slope freshman year, the quality of our content has increased tenfold.

Together, we have built a more meaningful and

purposeful organization, and I am proud of everything we’ve accomplished. In particular, Ali and Nicole deserve special recognition for their work. Their passion for the work they do and their drive and determination have allowed for the bulk of our transformation as an organization. They’ve been an incredible source of support, but they have not been afraid to challenge me either. I encourage the incoming Executive Board to imitate their example: if you have a vision for the organization, pursue it relentlessly.

And now, as my time as President comes to a close, there are but two simple words I want for each and every one of our members to hear: thank you. Thank you for every article written, every photo taken, every video created, every playlist crafted, every design illustrated, every event orchestrated. Without you, there would be no Slope. Thank you for everything you’ve done to make the past three years the best moments of my college career. I can only hope that in some small way, I have been able to help you make the best of yours.

With all things said and done, I am proud to present to you the culmination of this semester’s work: the Fall 2017 issue of Slope Mag.

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Transition to “Adulting” DOMINIQUE TURNER

In our childhoods, we were accustomed to depending on our parents for almost anything.

But as we grew older and smarter and more capable, this dependency felt more and more uncomfortable. Whereas in your youth you didn’t think twice about asking for a $20 to see a movie, as you got older you realized that it felt more uncomfortable to ask your parents for a twenty here or a twenty there. You got your first job, babysitting for your neighbors kids, or working at the store down the street, and while you realized it made asking your parents for money less necessary, the feeling of spending money you earned yourself was unrivaled. This was likely the beginning of your adulting journey.

To be honest, “adulting” is hard and most often pretty annoying. We groan about scheduling and going to the doctors by ourselves, shopping for groceries, budgeting our own money, and--worst of all--trying to understand what taxes are and how they work. Of course, the tasks associated with “adulting” can be somewhat satisfying, such as making your own meals, paying for your own rent, or not turning your laundry a different color. “Adulting,” in a way, describes our fading youth, the transition from relying on our parents to relying on ourselves to get everyday tasks and obstacles done.

In a sense, however, the notion of “adulting” inheres privileged undertones as well. If one is “adulting” and participating in “adult” behaviors, they are actively opting in to be an adult. This stands in stark contrast to the many young adults who bore the burden of responsibility early and subsequently had to grow up much faster. For such individuals, there was not necessarily an “adulting” phase to go through, because the processes of adulthood were imposed upon them

without choice. Yes, we may pay our rent, but we don’t worry about our phone bill or our health insurance because our parents still foot the bill for those necessities in our life. It’s important to understand that the reality behind “adulting” may be less glamorous for some students and young adults than it is for others.

This then elicits the question: why doesn’t “adulting” include the big milestones in our lives in addition to the tedious ones? Why do we only post about cooking food that is not ramen as adulting, but not landing an awesome wellpaying job? Most of the time, we’re afraid to have confidence in our great and well-deserved achievements, and instead only choose to advertise and appreciate our achievements in a more shallow sense. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an accomplishment when we are able to budget our time and money really well, but it’s also a great “adulting” moment when we make gains in our professional lives. “Adulting” encompasses more than just the simple and everyday tasks that make us no longer teenagers or dependent upon our parents. Being an adult is also being able to apply all the life and educational skills you’ve learned throughout your childhood to your present life and taking pride in that progress.

Whether you are 22 and living in collegetown or 26 living in New York City, becoming an adult and making that transition to being independent and self-reliant is difficult. There is never a right way to go about it, and as much as we wish there was a book called “Adulting for Dummies”, it’s something that we have to learn ourselves as we live on. No matter how hard it may get, and how many of your white shirts may turn pink, it’s always comforting to know that no one truly understands how taxes work.

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Cover Feature

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AKUA KWAKWA ‘20

“What is your favorite sound?” “My favorite sound is the sound of an orchestra tuning up before a performance.

Each member is playing their own instrument, and if you close your eyes and sit still enough, you can pick out each one as it plays. You can hear each of the instruments competing with the others but also working alongside them.”

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CORDELIA DING ‘19

“What does making a difference in the world mean to you?” “Making a difference in the world means taking that extra step forward when no one else will. This semester, I am working with Letters Against Depression, an organization dedicated to providing letters of hope and support to people who are struggling with their mental health. Writing letters is therapeutic for me, and through hosting Letters, I have found a way to challenge my own mental health and to offer an outlet for people to talk more openly about mental illnesses and mental health.”

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What’s Really Wrong With Calling Someone “Basic”

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EMILY FRIEDMAN

“Basic” became a trendy invective around 10 years ago, and we still can’t seem to shake it. What exactly does “basic” mean? Even with its persistence, the definition remains elusive. According to Urban Dictionary, “basic” is used to describe someone “only interested in things mainstream, popular, and trending.” This relatively benign definition doesn’t give us much insight into the heavily connotated meaning of the term, but we can all conjure up the image of the typical “basic bitch” in our lives.

She wakes up in the morning, puts on her leggings and Uggs, gets in her white Jeep and blasts Taylor Swift while she drives to Starbucks and then orders a pumpkin spice latte. While sugary coffee drinks have become the symbol of the basic bitch, basic-ness cannot be captured by a checklist of qualities and preferences. It is about lacking that easy coolness, about trying just a little too hard. We can’t figure out exactly what it is that makes someone basic, but if you have to ask, then you are probably beyond redemption.

The term has permeated our music, memes, and lexicon. Although there are definitely worse things than poking fun at privileged, upper-middle class white girls, who by very definition meet the expectations set by mainstream culture, this term has insidious

undertones, and basically, it has got to go.

The most ironic thing about using basic as an insult is that it has become such a “basic” thing to do. You laugh at the girl listening to the top 40 pop songs because you think it reveals how unoriginal and uncool she is, how she is a mindless slave to consumerism and conformity.

All the while, you’re sipping your off-brand coffee, wearing your thrift store sweater, and listening to a band that no one else has ever heard of, smugly satisfied by your superior taste. What you don’t realize is that your insult of choice is “basic,” a ten-year old slang term that has been painfully overused, and is just as trite, lazy, and thoroughly unremarkable as the person it censures. If you are going to criticize someone for their lack of originality, please at least pick a more creative insult. It also doesn’t make any sense to try to extrapolate deeper personality traits from tastes in music, food, clothing, etc. Does your preference for sugary drinks over bitter black coffee reveal anything about how shallow and vapid you are? Of course not. Not only that, but those who throw this label are often the people who go out of their way to avoid all things mainstream. What is more uncool than changing what you actually like to prove how cool you are?

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Besides the fact that it makes no sense to criticize people for liking things that are popular, the insult carries with it an inherent misogyny that makes it dangerous as well as ridiculous. The fact that the term is almost followed by “bitch” should be a clue. This is not a term we use to describe men, and if we do it’s a form of emasculation. “Basic” is an intrinsically gendered term, and there really isn’t a male equivalent (basic bro doesn’t really have the same connotation). Often, women are referred to as bitches for exhibiting the very traits we value in men: assertiveness, independence, unapologetic confidence. We loathe certain books, music, movies, and foods simply because of their popularity among young women, as if this alone is enough to make them inferior.

The most mind-numbingly frustrating part is that we have spent centuries telling women that they must meet a certain definition of femininity to be valued, and we spend billions of dollars marketing products to women by playing off of their insecurities, calling them “nasty” when they dare forget their place. Knowing they are seeking a sense of security and building a market that would rope them into a certain persona.

But then we label them boring and unworthy for committing the

very offensive act of just being an “average” woman when they inevitably submit to the consumer system. The shallowness we have associated with the consumer culture has translated into an expected shallowness of the basic bitch. It’s all a game.

There must be a reason this obsolete word has stuck around for so long. What is really behind it?

Deep-seated existential anxiety.

More than anything else, we are terrified of being ordinary, of dying without leaving something unique and meaningful behind. Maybe we are expressing our dissatisfaction with society more than with any one individual--our dread of the increasingly inescapable consumerism that tells us what to like and what to buy, our distaste for the encroachment of Starbucks and for retail chains that are replacing cafes and small stores. It is becoming harder and harder to express our individuality in a standardizing world. But like any stereotype, we mostly use it to distance ourselves from other who we deem inferior, to ward off our insecurities, and to make us feel better about our own lives.

At best, it is outdated and annoying, while at worst it is a sexist stereotype. Either way, we need to stop using “basic” to insult women.

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A Break-Up Letter to My Bed AMANDA MADENBERG

Almost for as long as I can remember, adults have told me that it’s important to get enough sleep. Parents emphasize strict bedtimes and encourage their children to get to sleep early, especially on school nights. When I was 8 years old, my mom came into my room one night to find me sprawled on my carpet along with many toys and books. It was 10:30 P.M., and “past my bedtime.” Even at a young age, long before I had school work and other stresses to keep me up late in college, I was resistant to sleep, as much as I knew I needed it. It’s nothing personal, Bed; although I love my fuzzy pink blanket, I’d simply rather be out and about doing anything but sleep. To this day, the same is true.

However, there is a catch-22 with this mentality. Sleep is vital to daily functioning, and you, bed, are where I can receive my best rest. Sleep provides us with time to regroup and recharge for each day, and allows our bodies to reap the benefits of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep. Sleep keeps us from becoming rundown, and even helps to prevent the development of chronic illnesses later in life.

Sleep also helps us feel good. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood institute, sleep improves our performance on any task we complete during our awake hours. It also helps our brains and bodies to process anything we learned during the previous set of awake hours. Getting enough sleep reduces our chances of obesity and heart disease, and limits the occurrence of strokes.

Lack of sleep can cause detrimental immediate effects on our lives as well, such as by increasing the likelihood that you’re involved in a car crash.

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With all that said, somehow sleep often falls to the wayside, as people manage different aspects of work, relationships, and engagements with the world. Especially for us college students, there is so much to do on a given day: classes to attend, people to see, meals to eat, events and activities to explore. Sometimes it feels like 24 hours is a sufficient amount of time to accomplish everything on a to-do list. As a result, we sacrifice what our bodies crave the most: a solid night’s sleep. Again, nothing personal, Bed. While it is sometimes difficult to do, I prioritize sleep as an important activity every day. I try to get into bed at least seven or eight hours before my alarm is set for the morning—the recommended minimum amount of sleep for younger adults, according to the National Sleep Foundation. After a long and busy day, I like catching up with you, Bed. Some people can manage with minimal sleep, but I only have enough energy when I get an adequate amount. Bed, you re-energize me, after all. When it comes down to it, I don’t want to prevent myself from doing things during the day because of a lack of planning at night. As part of my planning, I don’t nap so that I can fall asleep more easily when it’s actually time for bed, and so that I can maximize my hours awake. It’s important to note that there is such thing as too much sleep, and I do not like the feeling of waking up late in the morning and thinking I wasted a good portion of the day. I want to get enough sleep, but no more than that.

Even if I put sleep amongst my greatest priorities, I still have the childish attitude of wanting to stay up and do things for as many hours of the day as possible, whether that’s getting work done, hanging out with friends, or going to some event on campus. What can I say? I’d rather be doing something than sleeping.

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SPENCER HOUSTON ‘19

“What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?” “The best advice I was ever given was from the late Father William Hayes, S.J., during my high school’s opening freshmen year address. I remember this almost ancient man appearing out of the dark and coming into the light of the stage. His chin sagged over his clerical collar as he placed both hands on the podium. I remember his sharp blue eyes darting back and forth and reprimanding two kids talking directly behind me. He began his speech by whispering, “If I could give you all one piece of advice, it would be to show up. Simply show up.” He went on to explain how this did not mean just to be there physically, but to show up to events prepared, ready to participate and be involved. I have lived my life by this ever since. Go to the optional meeting, sign up for that club, and come ready to participate.”

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JAI MALHOTRA ‘20

“What reminds you of happiness?” “Wendy’s always reminds me of happiness. In high school we’d race there for lunch and back in like 25 minutes. One time we went to Burger King and it took an hour and a half. It just wasn’t the same.”

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Identities Turning on a Dime Quarter Life Crises at Cornell

Fall 2017 MADELINE DAY

Every college has its reputation: some might be known for parties, others for sports, and still others for their intellectual challenges and academic rigor. To those of us who have spent a few of our prime years in Ithaca, Cornell is one school that has all three. It’s full of people pursuing their own unique interests, from international politics to physics to ultimate frisbee. (“Any Person, Any Study,” right?). It’s the time in our lives where we’re supposed to figure out who we are, what we want to do, and what we want to remember from these four years spent ‘far above Cayuga’s waters’.

But as Millennials, we might be the most indecisive and unrooted generation that Cornell’s ever had the challenge of bringing to fruition. In a sea of unique and intelligent individuals (sports team captains and newspaper editors and Greek life presidents) it can be unthinkable to determine just one ‘identity’ for yourself in the crowd, a single major or activity to define yourself. And yet, the American media and ‘college culture’ simultaneously incriminate Millennials for not knowing their precise life purpose the moment they arrive on campus.

Perhaps one of the most accurate media portrayals of Millennial identity struggle is that of Aziz Ansari in Master of None, when he’s standing alone in a bookstore and debating his future in the words of Sylvia Plath: “I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked. One fig… was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another... I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose. I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest.” While Plath’s The Bell Jar might be a little remote for many Millennials, her sentiment accurately encompasses the modern college student struggle. People expect us to decide what we want right now--join the project team or the literary magazine? Become a doctor, or a musician or designer? Anything to avoid

being the “narcissistic” and “indecisive” generation that the media claims we are.

But each year Cornell offers more than the next to push the boundaries of students’ identities, and each year many feel that they’re drowning in decisions to be made.

Even among thousands of uber-directed students, it’s important to acknowledge that the future is unknowable. At the same time we’re caught between prelims, we’re also trapped between the naivete of childhood and the relentless approach of ‘reality’: adulthood.

This is where college really comes in; it’s practice. Cornell is Touchdown-theBear replacing teddy bears; it’s four years of Big Red training wheels. Looking at life this way, we’ve already taken the first step. We’re starting to succeed as “emerging adults,” or what developmental psychologists determine to be people our age, that, “having not yet entered the enduring responsibilities that are normative in adulthood… often explore a variety of possible directions in love, work, and worldviews.” In this way, our generation is inspiring an entirely new stage of life itself. Cornell students are breaking the rules-- we’re redefining the limits of what we learn and do. As our late President Elizabeth Garrett said in her Inauguration in 2015, “We expect more of Cornell. Cornell, in order to be conservative in the sense of being true to its traditions, must be radical and progressive — for that is the way that it started.”

In other words, we’re progressive not because we refuse to adhere to a strict life plan, but because we do not conform to the generations preceding us. As Cornellians-as many people with many studies--we know that there is simply more out there than what meets the eye. Arguably, what we’re encountering at this point in our lives isn’t a “Quarter Life Crisis;” it’s an expansion of the mind. Unlike Sylvia Plath, Millennial students have figured out how to preserve the figs on the tree. At least in college, before reality strikes, we’re allowed to pick more than one.

And Cornellians, you should enjoy every bite.

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How Cornell Shaped My Jewish Identity

LIZA MANSBACH

Growing up in a liberal leaning suburb north of San Francisco, I was the most religious person I really knew. I went to religious school every Sunday, went to Hebrew school on Mondays, and had a bat mitzvah followed by big party the weekend after I finished seventh grade. My Jewish identity was defined not just by what I did, but also by what I did not do. My family did not celebrate Christmas, nor did we send out holiday greeting cards because they were deemed by mother as too “goyisha.”

Easter, similarly, was just another Sunday.

Like many young Jews, I mainly stopped attending synagogue after my bat mitzvah. However I continued to be part of the Jewish Community, in a way that much more “community” than “Jewish.”

I entered a high-school program that was based on fundraising and philanthropy with the idea that you could recruit caring yet un-religious Jewish teens by luring them with the essential Jewish value of “Tzedkah” (repairing the world.) All of this activities and non-activities gave me the impression that I was pretty Jewish. Then I came to Cornell.

Jews represent about 30% of Cornell’s population, which sounds low until you realized that less 2% of American are Jews. I met for the first time people who kept kosher, people who truly observed Shabbat, and people who went services every friday night and every saturday morning. I’m pretty sure the rabbis in my temple at home didn’t even reach this level. All of a sudden, my sense of Jewishness was shook. It made me realized how little I truly knew about my own religion and really my own people.

More than just ignorance, I felt like I had lost something unique about me.

All of this was in contrast to the development of my social circle, which to this day consists almost entirely of others Jews. As I was realizing how far I was from living up to religious ideals, my daily life was becoming more and more full of people from my same religion.

Even before I arrived here, I talked to a variety of different potential roommates on the notorious “Find A Roommate”

Facebook group but eventually choose to live with a Jewish girl from westchester.

Although my freshman floor was filled with a diverse set of people from a variety of places, I gravitated towards the other two Jewish girls who lived in the room next door. Later, I joined a Jewish sorority which further increased the amount of Jews I hung around and befriended.

I found myself at a crossroads. On one hand, for the first time in my life, I was surrounded by those who had incredibly similar religious backgrounds to me. On the other, I had to face those who were far more religious and who inadvertently made me feel a little inferior. A central feature of the college experience is cultivating your own identity, and for me this involved some soul-searching and recognizing which experiences were meaningful to me, and which were not.

What I landed on what something akin to what I had experienced growing up, except now I was the one making the decision whether to fast on Yom Kippur or skip Shabbat dinner.

The sharpest probe at my self-created Jewish identity came during my semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain. I lived with a host family.and, although they were no strangers to hosting Jewish students, they still found my religion intriguing. One day at dinner my host father asked me if I would only marry another Jew. I told him I wasn’t sure. Then, he asked me whether I would convert to another religion for a potential husband. Although I had never been asked that question before my answer was immediate and visceral: of course not. I realized in those moments I had truly come to terms with what about my religion was important to me and what was not.

As I trod through my senior year and get closer to graduation I realize my Jewish identity will likely being going through another transformation. In the real world, I will no longer be invited to facebook events celebrating various Jewish holidays and likely not be surrounded by this many Jews. However, no matter where I end up I know that I will have a strong sense of identity honed through my time at Cornell.

Do Ask, Do Tell OLIVIA HEIM

Collegetown culture is a convenient and exciting component of Cornell life. What other college student can say that they have an almost entirely exclusive town, practically on campus and dedicated to enhancing their college experience? We are able to work, eat and go out all within a two-mile radius, making Collegetown essentially a part of Cornell’s grounds. Aside from its proximity, the majority of people that you will meet in Collegetown are coming from Cornell or are part of the 46% of students living off campus. It is so strategically placed that it seems as though someone way back in the day wanted to ensure the campus had literally every component of college life within ridiculously easy access.

When all goes right, Collegetown becomes a projection of Cornell’s wise and inspired community; a vibrant and prosperous population composed of creators of apps, minds of medical innovation and writers of beautiful literature. Optimistically, the town may be viewed as the nightlife location for motivated souls waiting to be met and to share their spirits in an open, nonpressured environment. For the most part, this interpretation is true. There are so many thoughtful conversations and acts of care that take place every weekend. For these reasons, it makes it that much harder to talk about the negatives. The “don’t ask, don’t tell” attitude has become too normalized in the dynamic between Collegetown and the Cornell Community.

The increased occurrence of hate crimes and hate speech has cast a dark light has been cast over Collegetown this past semester, all while reports of sexual assault continue. Cornell is a microcosm of our society, where unfortunately issues like these are just as common. Instinctively, our minds protect us from the pain of loss and anxiety by acknowledging the events in a reality unique to our own. This is a natural process that ultimately allows us to live our lives without fear. Unfortunately, the initial drive to change the norm after an act of hate gradually becomes muted by the logistics of our system and society. There seems to not be enough time in our lives to process the immensity of these events, let alone conceptualize how to confront them. Human nature begs us to expect the best in all people, a tendency that connects the spirits of communities and populations. This expectation, however, is not degraded by the necessary recognition of those who treat the world with hate. The collective confrontation of the bad will ultimately result in a unification of all that is good.

Let us get down to the truth of the culture that has been enabled by the students and the administration. A defining part of the college experience is the night scene. We know it, the administration knows it and the town knows it. There is clarity in the unspoken acceptance of alcohol’s presence, yet obscurity in what occurs under this blanket of tolerance. Students don’t want to talk about it and the administration doesn’t want to ask.

And while that may be okay when talking solely about the act of drinking, the unwillingness to admit or talk about drinking has blurred the line of communication between Collegetown and Cornell and has allowed all of the events of night to be blurred within the same category. College nightlife is far different than the crimes that have occurred and cannot be treated in the same way, yet we have opted to keep doors of communication closed in fear of losing all of the light hearted joy and fun that occurs

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95% of the time during nights out. However, a few weekends in Collegetown are proof that college stigmas are very real; girls are on guard, men struggle to get into parties, and no matter their gender, people are unpredictable. The presence of alcohol is inevitable, so let us and the administration accept this and then move further to confront the ceaseless occurrences of racism, sexual assault and discrimination. This process can start with the redirection of the wisdom, drive and unity of the Cornell community to address issues within our town.

Every weekend, hateful words are heard, horrible acts are witnessed and painful emotions are felt, but few conversations are dedicated to expressing these experiences. Opening up discussion about these incidents amongst students will eventually spark the attention of the administration. A collective consciousness that is unanimously unaccepting and intolerant of hateful acts will shift the standard. Currently, there seem to be no expectations of proper behavior. While I wish that trust could be set merely on our faith in humanity, without any regulation the rules become flexible and victims become unsure of their rights.

This issue is particularly important to Cornellians because Cornell housing, for the most part, goes only until the end of sophomore year. With dorm life comes the liability of the school to regulate safety and the students’ obligation to respect their building. By junior year, this responsibility torch is passed solely onto the students. As the upperclassmen walk by the comforting sight of CTB, they know that they are entering into the real world. With this comes a lease, grocery expenses, and, most importantly, vulnerability. While Cornell may not be signing leases with their students, they are a part of the relationship. An affiliation between Collegetown and Cornell demands a collective expectation, yet we have enabled a relationship that is defined by geographical location, rather than united principles. This disassociation, on a deeper psychological level disconnects students’ apartment lives and school lives. If the Cornell standard carried past the CTB benches, maybe the Collegetown dynamic as a whole would shift. It’s a matter of clarifying the connection with the Cornell population that lives beyond the borders of the campus, and with those who spend their weekends in town. Ultimately, regardless of the geographical terms, the students’ actions are the actions of the school.

If someone asked you to describe Cornell and the night scene, most likely, you would emphasize the fulfilling experiences it brings, and would avoid mention of the more negative events that do not define our town, but happened within it. But when do these random events begin to actually become part of Collegetown’s description? It’s important to realize that acknowledging the negatives and upholding the love and beauty for a place are not mutually exclusive. In order to make effective change, the underlying negatives of Collegetown have to be recognized and confronted with the intention of enhancing the positives. We are a liberal institution flourishing with minds that will bring the innovation, unifying spirit and change that our world needs. We have also endured hateful crimes that are completely at odds with the values of our institution. We cannot say “it is not us” because ultimately these events are happening at Cornell. It is time we acknowledge these crimes without fear of them defining us, but with the courage necessary to redefine the town as a whole.

21 Slope Magazine

ZHUN CHE ‘18

“How has Cornell shaped your identity?” “Cornell has definitely shaped my identity to become more of a global citizen. Coming from a small town in Westchester, 90% of my life was framed in two square miles. After coming to Cornell, it’s exposed me to so many different people and perspectives that have truly opened my eyes to the greater U.S. and world community. Through Cornell, I’ve also found my passion in international development, which was a field that four years ago, I had no idea I would be passionate about. Through my IARD major, I have been afforded opportunities to travel to countries such as Zambia, Myanmar and Ethiopia and these experiences have truly allowed me to explore my identity as a global citizen.“

Fall 2017

ANIKA EXUM ’18

“What excites you about the future?” “What excites me about the future is finally pursuing what I love. Honestly, although I’m a senior, I only recently discovered that I don’t need to follow what everyone else here sees as success.

I’m happiest while I’m doing what I love, which is connecting with people, learning about their experiences and hopefully sharing that with others (with their consent of course). Our identities are so diverse and beautiful and I think I want to produce content that showcases this in my future career. Let’s see how this goes...”

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23 Slope Magazine

Entrepren KIM MURSTEIN

Cornell’s culture of entrepreneurship is flourishing this year with various start-up companies founded by students across campus.

This entrepreneurial spirit is foregrounded by the university-wide program, Entrepreneurship at Cornell, which supports students who have a business-minded drive and knowledge. If you embark on a project all on your own, especially as a full-time student, it can be a lot of work. That’s why Entrepreneurship at Cornell assists students with an Advisory Council of over 100 members in all twelve participating Cornell schools. With so much to offer-including financial support, mentors, and more--why wouldn’t you use this incredible opportunity to follow your business passions? From food to fashion to technology, the start-ups on campus are reflective of the diverse student body from every college and every field.

The student start-ups featured in this article are created by current undergraduate students in their developmental stages that have found Cornell’s environment to be essential to networking and creating a community of buyers. These three are killing the game! CEO/Founders, Rob Karp (Miles Ahead), Eliza Lesser (ee • ly • zuh) and Jenna Martinez (Açaísy) gave Slope Media exclusive interviews on their newly flourishing companies.

MILES AHEAD ROB KARP: FOUNDER AND CEO

WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO? MilesAhead is a luxury travel concierge. Whether you want plane tickets or a full itinerary we will book the best version of your travel for you. We specialize in point optimization, which means we will go above and beyond to maximize your existing airline, credit card, or hotel points. On top of this, you will get one of a kind experiences for the best rates available. We travel the world and develop close relationships to find you the best places to visit.

This also means that you shouldn’t be surprised if you receive VIP upgrades or a complimentary breakfast out of the blue!

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO CREATE YOUR COMPANY? I was fourteen when I turned my passion for airlines and travel into a travel concierge. I began helping my father with his business travel and realized once I was helping my father’s friends and

colleagues with planning their own trips to their individual needs that I could turn it into something greater. Originally, I didn’t like the idea, but my family and friends encouraged me to form what is now MilesAhead.

WHY IS IT SPECIFIC TO THE CORNELL COMMUNITY? MilesAhead team members frequently find themselves working in the offices of eHub of the Entrepreneurship Lab in Cornell’s collegetown. A majority of the team consists of current Cornell students, but there are travel advisors up and down the East Coast. While MilesAhead clients are not uniquely current Cornell students, many of our relationships have come from people we met as a result of being a part of the Cornell community.

WHAT MAKES CORNELL A GOOD ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR YOUR COMPANY? HOW HAVE PEOPLE ON CAMPUS RESPONDED? We have found Cornell to be a unique environment to run a business from. One one hand, it is very difficult being a fulltime student and working 40 hour workweeks during prelim season. But, the Cornell community has been benefitted us in indescribable ways with access to mentors, clients, advisors, and employee-turned students.

CHALLENGES AS A START-UP? There are many challenges that come from being a start-up.

However, everyone that works for MilesAhead loves what they do and is very passionate about our work. So we find our biggest challenge is just reminding ourselves that we are still college students and that sometimes we need to turn off our emails and leave room for friends and free time.

EE • LY • ZUH FOUNDER AND CEO: ELIZA LESSER

WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO? ee • ly • zuh features accessories designed and assembled in NYC for men and women. With an urban aesthetic, pieces are designed with style, wearability, and quality in mind.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO CREATE YOUR COMPANY? As a fashion student I am incredibly interested in getting involved

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eneurship Fall 2017

At Cornell

in the industry. While interning this summer, I decided to start my own business so that I could learn more about the responsibilities and intricacies of starting a business.

WHY IS IT SPECIFIC TO THE CORNELL COMMUNITY? My business is not Cornell specific but my friends in other majors have been incredibly helpful, giving me advice on topics related to owning and running a business that they are learning in their respective classes.

WHAT MAKES CORNELL A GOOD ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR YOUR COMPANY? HOW HAVE PEOPLE ON CAMPUS RESPONDED? Cornell is a great environment for my company because I can talk with other students for business, networking, and advertising advice. Furthermore, many of my sales have been to Cornell students so I am also gaining monetary profit from being a business in the Cornell community. Being so close to customers allows me to acquire direct customer feedback as well as support from my friends and growing clientele.

CHALLENGES AS A START-UP? My challenges relate to the fact that I am the only person working on my company so I must manage, produce, advertise, and still be a full-time student.

AÇAÍSY FOUNDER AND CEO: JENNA MARTINEZ WHAT DOES YOUR COMPANY DO? Açaísy is one of the first companies to bring açaí into Ithaca and the first to deliver it straight to you.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO CREATE YOUR COMPANY? I came up with the idea when I was in Miami (my hometown) working over the summer. I had eaten an açaí bowl every day and wondered where I could get it in Ithaca. After looking it up, I came up with no results. I proposed the idea to my brother who helps small companies grow as a living, and he helped me get it started.

WHY IS IT SPECIFIC TO THE CORNELL COMMUNITY? It’s specific to the Cornell community because my target

audience is women ages 18-23, especially busy students who want easy access to healthy food.

WHAT MAKES CORNELL A GOOD ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR YOUR COMPANY? HOW HAVE PEOPLE ON CAMPUS RESPONDED? Cornell is a good environment for my company because it has this exact target audience. Between my sorority and women on the track and field team (I used to run here), Cornell provides me with the perfect target audience. Cornell was supportive in my endeavor mostly through my friends. Between my sorority and friends on the track team, they were always more than willing to help me with the company, whether it was with logistics or just moral support. People on campus have responded really well to Açaísy and it has helped me meet a lot of new people. It’s such a great feeling when customers tell me they love the company and that it’s a great idea!

CHALLENGES AS A START-UP? Challenges as a start-up is mainly that I’m trying to balance it with school work. Our hours are 11-4 which is when I have class, so it’s definitely stressful whenever my driver texts me to tell me we ran out of açaí bowls because then I need to stop what I am doing to go home and make more. However, it is really great to see how much it is growing and while it is stressful, I love the excitement of knowing that demand for Açaísy is growing!

Hopefully these students inspire you to pursue your business ideas by using the intellectual and creative capacities that Cornell has instilled in us. Rob, Eliza and Jenna show us that seemingly anything is possible if you have the support of the Cornell community and an interest in your craft. If you are interested in joining a startup on campus, see Entrepreneurship at Cornell or start developing your own! Cornell students, as part of a land grant institution, have an inherent desire to become active citizens and emphasize public engagement in their endeavors.

The variety of schools and subjects at Cornell, as well as the vast extracurricular opportunities, provide students with empowering hands-on possibilities that promote positive social change. If this isn’t enough incentive, think how getting involved and helping others will help you improve your four years on campus!

25 Slope Magazine

New Year, New You KATE FEHRENBAKER

As we reach the end of fall semester, we also near the end of 2017. The coming New Year, while rung in with champagne, fireworks, and festivities, also drags in an endless laundry list of unrealistic resolutions. These goals for the coming year set impractical expectations that are typically impossible to achieve.

As Cornell students, we strive to reinvent ourselves for the coming semester, promising to hit the gym everyday and skip the Hot Truck after a Saturday night out. These goals may start out manageable, but such big goals quickly become unrealistic. Even something as simple as changing your sheets more often becomes hard to manage once your normal routine picks back up again.

The idea of New Year’s - or New Semester’s - resolutions is effective and beneficial if the goals are attainable. For example, instead of vowing to trek to the gym every single day, maybe promise to go at least three times a week. The best resolutions, however, are those that make dramatic shifts and changes in one’s character or outlook on the world. For instance, making a conscious effort to expand your social circle and meet new friends is a solid start.

Even though Cornell is made up of 14,000 undergraduate students, one’s social circle becomes very small, very quickly. And while we all want college to last forever, our time here is limited, and with that, our opportunities to put ourselves out there. Cornell’s campus and community is constructed to facilitate social interaction between students. By interacting with people with backgrounds

far different from one’s own, the broadening of one’s view on the world is inevitable. What began as a mere bullet point on a list of goals for the new year, may end in a new friendship.

Another plausible resolution is to take a class totally outside your comfort zone- for real this time. Personally, I have always been a total humanities person, yet I have been curious about computer science and too afraid to try it out. However, this is going to be the semester where I finally put it in my Student Center shopping cart. What’s the worst that could happen? After all, we have add/drop for a reason. Show up. If you are beyond confused after the first lecture, you never have to go back again.

On the other hand, how unfortunate would it be to wait until your spring semester senior year to try and intro class and fall in love with it? Had you had the guts to try it earlier, your major might have been completely different, and you would have been able to take more classes in that area of study.

Looking to spring semester, don’t create unrealistic expectations for yourself. A 4.0 GPA and being the president of six clubs isn’t happening. Instead, by creating smaller, viable goals, you are more likely to see actual, long term change. If you set the bar too high, you will probably start the semester off a great foot, but burn out after a few weeks, even days.

2018 - we’re coming for ya!

A Senior Year Reflection

Fall 2017

ALANNA FICHTEL

Whether you have been here four years or only four months, you have likely developed a certain sense of familiarity with Cornell. For each each student, our campus has a unique place, group of people, or just a feeling, that you currently or eventually will be able to recognize as home.

For seniors like me about to complete our final year at Cornell, we’ve had some time to find this sense of belonging, or what it is that makes campus feel like our home away from home. The moment we find our place is different for each of us, and not always recognizable--it may have come to us without us even trying.

The beginning of freshman year was admittedly hard for me. It was a while before I felt I could call Cornell home. I had never lived away from my real home and had a difficult time adjusting to dorm life and living on my own. I was lucky in that I found a group of friends who I quickly became close with, but even so, I still didn’t feel like I had found my place.

I felt lost both physically and emotionally.

Like many freshmen, I had to walk around with a map on my phone for a little longer than I would like to admit. Prelims the first couple months added even more stress because I couldn’t figure out which of the numerous study spots on campus best suited my learning habits, let alone how to study for prelims.

But as the weeks went on and I fell into a routine, things got easier. I suddenly realized I no longer felt homesick, because Cornell had become my home. I figured out the best times for me to shower, eat, study, and do my laundry. I found my go-to study spots on campus, my favorite eateries, and my place in the Cornell vibe. The chimes of the clock tower no longer startled me while studying in the stacks of Olin. I got used to the walks around campus, and almost enjoyed trekking around the scenic yet hilly area (until the snow came, of course).

I found comfort in the fact that I was surrounded by people just as motivated as me, who put their studies first but could easily relax on a night out.

However, each fall as I returned to Cornell a year older and hopefully wiser, things

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were different. I was faced with new living arrangements, harder classes, and more responsibilities, and the transition was not always easy. I found myself not as into the things I had loved as a freshman--I realized food on campus wasn’t actually as good as I had thought and walks to campus when living off-campus were less than ideal. As I struggled to choose a major and became an upperclassman with real choices that would define my future, Cornell became more real. I yet again felt unsettled and lost.

Let’s face it--Ithaca is cold, prelims can be hard, and sometimes we feel like there isn’t anything to do around here. But instead of giving up on Cornell, I began to focus on the things I did love about this school. I used to think attending college in such a rural area would not be for me, but the beauty of Cornell and Ithaca has proved me wrong.

Many of us find comfort in the small town feel and constant surroundings of nature.

When we feel discouraged or overwhelmed by stress, a seemingly simple view of the sunset on the slope can change it all. Trips to the Commons and Farmer’s Market make us appreciate Cornell’s location, allowing us to experience the close-knit Ithaca community.

Cornellians tend to be under a lot of pressure to challenge ourselves in our studies and still succeed while participating in as many activities as possible. But the camaraderie on campus makes dealing with our stress easier, and the rigor of the university worth it. A trip to the Dairy Bar with friends can turn a bad day around. Seeing a friendly face in the library and commiserating about our stress can help; we find comfort knowing we aren’t the only ones struggling, and that we have a friend to study or compare notes with.

Cornell is a unique campus, one that many of us probably take for granted too often.

Our school becomes home through the people we meet, the places we frequent, and the memories we make. It may sound corny, but it’s hard to deny you’ve never gotten the feeling that this is what college is about, and what you always hoped it would be like. If you only have one semester left, or if this is your first, remember that Cornell will soon become and forever will be a home to you.

27 Slope Magazine

Big Red, Going Green

Fall 2017 VIA ROMANO

In recent years, talk of sustainability and green energy have pervaded the national conversation.

Multiple countries have revealed plans to phase out the internal combustion engine, California is fighting for better fuel efficiency standards, and Cornell has a plan to be completely carbon neutral by 2035. But what’s all the hype about? A lot of it has to do with global warming, a (literal) hot topic that’s become almost as contentious as whether Jack could have fit on that door with Rose at the end of Titanic.

However, global warming is happening, and we’re already dealing with its effects in real time. The 2017 hurricane season has been record-breakingly brutal with Harvey, Irma, and Maria slamming the United States and the Caribbean. Harvey, the season’s first storm, caused catastrophic damage when it came ashore in Texas as a Category 4 and had a death toll of about 70. Unfortunately, it was a harbinger of things to come. Irma followed, devastating St. Martin and Barbuda before hitting Cuba’s Northeast coast as a monster storm and walloping Florida as a Category 4. And when Maria hit Puerto Rico, its insane winds were just 2 mph shy of it being a Category 5, knocking out almost all the power in the country. It’s also important to note that this hurricane season wasn’t just unusually active, it was unusually strong too. Irma broke record when it maintained 185 mph winds for twenty-seven hours, and became the strongest hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin.

Environmental justice is especially important for marginalized communities and countries as they have the most to lose when it comes to global warming. Puerto Rico has received minimal aid despite the magnitude of the disaster Maira was, and islands like Puerto Rico and Cuba are threatened by rising seas. Additionally, countries like Bangladesh and much of Southeast Asia are threatened by flooding and agricultural fallout.

Scientists have linked warmer sea surface temperatures to the recent increases in hurricane and tropical storm activity. They also predict that global warming might change where hurricanes come ashore and agree that global warming produces more extreme weather phenomenon. However, hurricanes aren’t the only effect of global warming that we’re currently suffering from: This July, an iceberg the size of Delaware broke off the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica. Closer to home, global warming has also worsened the erratic Ithaca weather we’ve been experiencing as the seasons switch over and causes all that disgusting humidity due to excess water vapor in the atmosphere.

So, why sustainability? By working towards a more sustainable society, we can reduce the causes of climate change and build a future where these catastrophes won’t be normalized.

One of the main players in this game is the government because it can enact or discourage policy that would help the environment and encourage sustainability. The government can also take steps to work with other countries on mitigating climate change. The second is corporations like Tesla that are spearheading the green energy drive and working to make renewable energies like solar and wind more accessible.

Even though companies and the government have to do most of the heavy lifting in the environmental department, there are definitely steps that you can take to be more green and have an impact as well. You can do simple things to be more sustainable and reduce your carbon footprint like using a reusable water bottle and reusable bags instead of getting new ones to cut down on your plastic consumption. The truly intrepid could go meatless one day a week in the spirit of sustainability, but if you can’t give up your burgers, no judgment here! You can also thrift or donate old clothes you were planning to get rid of instead of throwing them out. In addition to giving your clothes a second life, you also get tax deductibles.

And in the spirit of being sustainable while saving money, you can turn off your lights when you leave your room and replace your lightbulbs with CFLs or LED lights which use less energy and last longer than regular fluorescent bulbs so you don’t have to buy as many. You can also save the environment while saving on your heating bill by not blasting the heat and AC as often. And to the people who live on campus in dorms without AC, congrats, you’re already rocking this one. Also, this is Cornell! You can use the bike-sharing service on campus to cut down on driving, or join one of the many clubs the focus on environmentalism and sustainability if you’re interested.

Although there are a lot of things that you can do to be more sustainable, don’t kill yourself trying to do all of them. If hot showers are your way of de-stressing, then enjoy your shower. If you love meat and you want to eat it every day, have your bacon. The most important thing you and anyone can do to live sustainably is to make sure you’re consistent in the actions you take and not overloading yourself with too many things to consistently do. And make sure to spread the message, activism is always helpful. Here, a little bit of change can go a long way.

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29 Slope Magazine

SOFIA KEANE ‘19

“What’s your creative outlet?” “I definitely find my creative outlet within all the nature that Ithaca offers me.

Without being able to escape into the gorges and listen to my favorite songs, and draw or write whatever comes to mind, I would not have found the solace I did in this place throughout my time here. I am so thankful for the location of this incredible university, because every beautiful crevice of this place has served to be not only a place of solace, but also a place where my creative juices flow.”

Fall 2017

KESHARA SENANAYAKE ‘18

“What’s your favorite Cornell memory?” “My first week here I went to a frat party in really tight pants and ripped them while dancing. The worst part was that I hadn’t done my laundry in a while so everyone saw my Spongebob underwear. That’s pretty representative of my Cornell experience so far - you gotta keep dancing.”

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31 Slope Magazine NIKITA FORRESTER

Model status declares that you’re either hot or you’re not. In order to be the “ideal” woman, society says you should have the perfect body, know how to cook, and dress to a specific standard. Whether they are explicitly stated or subconsciously entrenched through internalized pressures, stereotypes restrict women from a young age.

When I think of the word “woman” I think of someone capable of doing and achieving

meant to specify or distinguish genders.

Society makes it difficult to express your true self by creating rigid social roles. In order to combat these absurd stereotypes it is important to be true to who you want to be. Sign up for the class that was typecasted to stray men from taking it or explore your fashion with the latest male romper. If your heart desires something, nothing should stop you from doing it.

Human success is a product of using our minds and heart to make an impact; there is no reason why men should have look or act a certain way to avoid second glances

to the list of adversities we must overcome to become our best selves on campus.

No matter what gender, sexuality, or race you choose to identify each has its own pressure to control how you live. We need to be cognizant that everyone is striving to be better versions of themselves and by being empathetic we can curate a safer, more open-minded community.

Tolerance is key to our advancement on campus. No one is asking you to change your own beliefs, but rather to understand our differences and give people the space

Break Free From Gender Norms anything. There should be no limits or boundaries, nor should there be any social norms that we are forced to adhere to. The overwhelming and overlapping voices of peers, family members, and institutions are constantly trying to coerce women to conform. Often, they imply or directly declare that we must follow an endless societal list of gender roles to be a “proper” women. The fashion industry commonly uses exclusively thin models of a specific race to depict their “beauty” standard.

However, this system fails to represent the vast array of beautiful women in the world. Whether you were born a woman or choose to identify as one, there are no characteristics or qualifications you must fulfill to be a woman. All to be expected is that you live the way you want to live.

Gender is a social construct that torments both women and men. From the blue colored toy sections in stores to the stereotypical machoness depicted in commercials, boys are told that they should act in certain ways. Society tells men that in order to rise in the social standing, they need to be emotionless, physically strong, and dress in a way that enhances their masculinity. But if you wanted to start crying after you get your first prelim grade back, there should be nothing stopping you. Emotions are what distinguish us as humans, they are not

and trash talk.

You’re in your discussion class with a brilliant idea and are rudely interrupted by a student in the back who thinks their opinion is more important than yours; when you are attesting to your own point of view, do not let anyone speak over you. Demand respect and the listeners attention. This problem is especially prominent for women who are often misunderstood as bossy, rather than confident. Remember to hold your own because you have earned your spot-on campus and you deserve to be heard.

A girl in your major just got an internship and a research spot with one of the best professors on campus. Your friends claim that she does not deserve it and, caught up in envy, you all begin to belittle her character. Rather than bringing her down, try appreciating the work she has done and be more uplifting. Work at your own pace and focus on yourself. Women are so unjustly pitted against one another in the media and in our daily lives. Who wore it better? Who’s plotting against who?

We are neither competitors in life nor on campus. We are peers and colleagues meant to encourage and empower each other. With so many stereotypes and unfair connotations, we do not need to add unhealthy comparisons and competition

to express their gender identity and sexuality as they see fit. Let’s be honest, as students in our late teens and early twenties we are all still trying to figure ourselves out and get a grasp on the world.

You’re at one of the greatest institutions in world; the world is your oyster. Family and friends sometimes have this ideal image of your future based on what they think you should be doing or what career track you should be on. They want to choose your major, frown down upon your extracurriculars, and beg you to live your life the way they envision. Don’t let others dictate what you should be studying or what career path you should follow.

Choose what you want for yourself and ensure that you are making your decisions because you want to, not because it is the social standard for success.

At the end of the day, your campus experience is what you make of it and should not be affected by neither what others have to say, nor the pressure they may put on your success. Exploration and freedom are what college is all about. Find out what you do and don’t like and make sure you are doing it for you. If you limit yourself to what society says that you should do, you’ll be missing out on the best, most beautiful version of yourself.

Fall 2017

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It’s Time For TV Heroines To Have The Spotlight ALISON SPANDORFER

Like many students, I quickly grew obsessed with Stranger Things when the first season came out last year. But it was about halfway into the season that I realized how much I saw Eleven as a role model. There are no limits to Eleven when it comes to demonstrating her fearlessness and her loyalty to her friends. She is willing to use every last bit of her strength to defeat her enemies, and save her new friends. Then it occurred to me, throughout the entire first season of the show, Eleven barely speaks. She might be the most bad ass middle schooler ever to grace my computer screen, but throughout the season, she barely utters a word. Eleven’s emotions are expressed by the other (predominantly male) characters in the show. Unfortunately, this is neither new in the film and television industry nor in a woman’s life. As we approach 2018, why must women still fight to be viewed as the leaders, inspirations, and heroines they truly are?

Of course, there are television women like Peggy Olson of Mad Men who seem to break the norm of the two-dimensional female character. Initially a timid, quiet secretary, Peggy rises to the occasion and shows off her intelligence, while also paving the way for other women in the early 1960s. But despite her success, Peggy’s career achievements do not reward her the same way as her male counterparts.

If there is anything her journey shows, it is how hard women must fight to be acknowledged and taken seriously. While Mad Men takes place during a different era, this issue currently affects women nation-wide. By skimming over these

challenges, Hollywood depicts an unrealistic image of the life of a woman.

Where do catcalling a n d slut-

shaming play a role in television? Why doesn’t Hollywood depict the fear that comes along with walking home alone in the dark?

Luckily, there has been positive strides to depict successful female leads in television. Game of Thrones, for example, highlights the many virtues of women, including their bravery, but also the cruel expectations that society imposes on them. After being forced into marriage by her brother, Danaerys quickly learned that she must fend for herself in order to get what she wants: the iron throne. She is a conqueror, a seducer, a role model, and a manifestation of bravery. In contrast, characters like Sansa demonstrate how easy it is for women to become used as pawns in a man’s game. She is manipulated by the Cersei and turns on her family just to marry into power. Ultimately, her actions backfire as she falls victim to Cersei’s evilness. Danareys and Sansa are examples of the further advances that television has made to display women as the heroines they are, but also examples of the progress that is needed.

With a show like GOT, it is clear that if a woman wants to rule the world she can do so, with work. Still, there will always be challenges facing women when it comes to striving for equality. But with positive television role models, perhaps there will be fewer barriers preventing women from achieving all that they are capable of.

With that, ladies (and gents), here’s to turning on Netflix and watching women kick ass and take names.

33 Slope Magazine

Where is the Place for Politics?

COLLEEN SORGE

In today’s political climate, where few places seem to be exempt from politics, it has become increasingly difficult to stay neutral. This widespread politicization, especially in the entertainment industry, has sparked an outcry from some Americans for whom television, sports, and the theater offered a welcome break from the inherently divisive political scene.

Gone are the days when our favorite programs existed in a vacuum and chose not to address current events unless it was to throw in a pop culture reference.

At the forefront of this shift into the political spotlight are late night talk show hosts such as Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers. The renewed political emphasis showcased by Colbert and Meyers is not entirely surprising, as they have never hesitated to address politics head-on. Jimmy Kimmel, however, illustrates a more pronounced shift from the norm.

Kimmel has become the face of the movement to save affordable health care, lobbying for the protection of those with pre-existing health conditions since his son was born with a heart defect. While all talk shows hosts risk censure for taking on controversial issues, Kimmel in particular has since been the target of criticism for speaking about issues that, according to Congressman Bill Cassidy, “he does not understand”. However, he has continued to encourage his viewers to communicate with their representatives in support of better healthcare, remaining undeterred by this criticism. Kimmel even singled-out congressmen who voted against anti-gun legislation prior to the massacre in Las Vegas on his show, infuriating many viewers in the process.

In contrast to Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon has always made it a point to keep The Tonight Show on neutral ground.

Yet his ratings have suffered because of his unwillingness to take a strong stand. Fallon was forced to issue an apology after a playful interview that he conducted with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump turned his viewers against him. In one particularly controversial clip Fallon laughingly rumples Trump’s hair to prove it’s not a wig. Many of Fallon’s viewers then accused him of looking past moral issues with the presidential candidate.

The nationwide debate about politics in entertainment has since spread from late-night television. Sports

organizations were pulled into the political mosh pit when players knelt during the National Anthem to protest racial injustice in America. In the wake of Trump’s tirade, roughly 200 NFL players knelt, sat, or raised a fist during the National Anthem while most others locked arms in solidarity. Their actions were met with mixed reactions from the public. While some applauded the players’ initiative, others resented the mixing of sports with politics and boycotted the games because of ongoing protests. In response to President Trump’s inflammatory comments condemning this action, players, celebrities, and citizens alike have also expressed their takes on the president’s words. We’ve seen similar controversy before, like when the cast of Hamilton took on Vice-President Mike Pence or when Meryl Streep went on an anti-Trump tirade at the Golden Globes.

So where does the problem lie? Are Americans frustrated by an onslaught of opinions from people that they deem to be uneducated about the issues? Are entertainers and athletes too elitist to understand everyday problems? Or do we simply resent the mixing of business and pleasure that occurs when celebrities choose to get political?

The problem with these arguments is that as American citizens and voters, we are called on to be educated about these issues so we should hope that our entertainers are equally educated. We’re also called upon to express ourselves and speak out when we believe that injustice is occurring in our country. Our nation was founded upon a medley of ideas, one of them being that even when our beliefs are different, they’re all valid. So, should the opinions of our entertainers be any less valid, and why should they be expected to give up their right to self-expression because of their public platform?

And as to the mixing of business and pleasure, I enjoy a diversion from the issues as much as the next person. If flipping on a politically untouched rendition of “Tight Pants” performed by Jimmy Fallon brings you some peace of mind, I encourage you to do so. Just as long as when the credits are finished rolling, you’re ready to remove your head from the sand and get back to work. There is no hiding from politics today, nor should there be a desire to hide. In the words of Edmund Burke, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Fall 2017

In Defense of Reading EMILY AGNEW

After returning to campus for the fall semester, I reconnected with a friend whom I hadn’t seen in a few months. We were talking about our summers, and he said to me, “You worked at Scholastic this summer, right? That must have been so weird.” I asked him what he meant, not knowing where this was going. He then told me, with a completely straight face, “Well, I mean, no one reads books anymore.” I was startled by his brusque and definitive comment. Does no one read books anymore?

Why does no one read?

Low reading levels are a national trend. In a 2013 research study, Pew found that half of American adults read 12 books on average, and the other half read five or fewer. The number of children who read for leisure drops off dramatically as they get older, and these rates have fallen increasingly over the past few years. Only 24% of individuals aged 15-17 read for fun, and these numbers are getting smaller, especially among millennials who don’t spend a lot of free time reading for pleasure.

This is largely due to the increase in technology and an obsession with entertainment and social media. Reading just isn’t a priority anymore.

This, of course, is unfathomable for those of us for whom books continue to hold a special place in our hearts. I’ve loved to read for as long as I can remember; when I was in elementary school, I would read everything and anything that I could find. I was never drawn to dramatic or magical books — instead I loved realistic fiction, the stories about

families, and friends that took place in everyday life. A book that will always be one of my favorites is Charlotte’s Web (original, I know). To this day, I still can’t read it book without tearing up.

My love for reading has not changed, nor has my taste in books. I still love the same types of books that I did as a kid. There’s something so magical about a good book. I love getting wrapped up in the character’s lives, their personalities, and their experiences. There is nothing worse than the pang of sadness when finishing a good book. Extracting yourself from the imagined world of the author is never easy, as it is so hard to break away from the characters that feel like friends.

It’s stands to reason that as Cornellians our dayto-day lives are non-stop busy, and full of various time commitments, but I don’t get why a love for reading is such an anomaly. Of course, as a liberal arts major I am a huge proponent of why reading is so important, but there is so much to be said in favor of reading and books. Reading expands your worldview, and gives you the perspective of an entirely different world. It’s a relaxing way to take a break from our world and enter a new one, and can teach important concepts like compassion and empathy. There is no better way to expand your knowledge of the world. I am a huge believer in the importance of reading. During these high-pressure college days, there is no better way to unwind than by entering a new world through a book.

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The (Black) Elephant in the Room EVAN SHIELDS

This article was originally published by IvyUntold. You can view the original post and other content at ivyuntold.com.

Each day, I walk down a well-paved driveway to my fraternity’s mansion, which is enclosed by acres of manicured lawn. I step into the three-story house (excluding the basement), and I am immediately in a pseudo-museum. There’s stained glass, war memorials celebrating brothers, and plaques honoring donors in the living room, dining room, and library, all surrounded by intricately engraved wood and stone that is prevalent throughout the house. I sit down in the library to do my homework, observing the water buffalo and antelope heads mounted on the wall across from me.

This is my history now. But at the same time, it isn’t.

I am one of three partially black members of my fraternity living in a house dedicated to the accomplishments of white men. Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate their contributions to the brotherhood. But at the same time, there’s always a little voice in the back of my head telling me that they wouldn’t have accepted me.

That if I were alive in their time, they would acknowledge me as less than a white person. That if they saw me living in their house now, they would turn in their graves. Even now, although I love my brothers and my brothers love me, I will always be an “other,” standing out in the house purely because of the color of my skin.

My grandfather was in Alpha Phi Alpha, a black fraternity founded at Cornell, at San Francisco State. I know Alphas here, but their small brotherhood and lack of a house made rushing there less appealing than rushing a traditionally white fraternity. Perhaps it was the mansions, or the parties, or the massive brotherhoods, but I knew almost immediately when I got here that I would end up in a predominantly white fraternity. I

made the conscious decision to become the “other,” knowing that I would hear white kids singing along and saying “nigga” at my own parties. I knew that people would make minor jokes about my blackness. Lines like “oh, of course you’re a good basketball player” or “calm down, you’re not in Oakland anymore” (I’m from an upper-class neighborhood in Oakland) have been used when talking to me. I knew that my political beliefs would differ from a lot of my brothers and that I would hear negative remarks about organizations I supported such as Black Lives Matter. Nonetheless, I thought that the community, brotherhood, and social life would be worth being that “other.”

The alleged Psi Upsilon assault has made me reevaluate this thought. I read about the assault while sitting on a leather chair at Tru Dat, a small barbershop in the Ithaca Commons. I immediately thought, “there’s no way this could be true” and “there must be something else to this.” The barber swiveled my friend around in his chair during his haircut, and we made eye contact.

I described the incident word-for-word as it was sent in Vice President Lombardi’s email, and I watched a look of disgust slowly begin to dominate his face. We both realized that this was a racially-motivated hate crime, and a kid who looked like the two of us had been berated and hospitalized because he was black.

One of the other part-black brothers in my house phrased it perfectly when he said, “the only difference between us and that kid who got sent to the hospital is that he happened to be the one in Collegetown at that time.” The victim was also an African-American male in the Greek system, and although he was not a member of Psi Upsilon, he was assaulted by members of a Greek community that was supposed to have his back. His blackness was used as a motive for violence, notifying every other black fraternity member on this campus that our skin color alone is enough to provoke hatred from fellow Greeks.

Fall 2017

This current situation has made me feel like I’m not a member of the Greek community, but rather, a burden.

It’s as if I change the dynamic of Greek life; everyone gets along perfectly until I’m around, then they begin to feel the need to accommodate me, to put on a different personality that matches better with mine.

And when I’m gone, they can go back to their normal personalities, and not have to worry about awkwardly having one black kid in the room. I feel like I was permitted to be a part of this nearly all-white system is because the fraternities on our campus are legally obligated to allow minorities in their groups. I don’t feel welcome, yet at the same time, I am still an active part of a community with clear systemic problems. And all I wish I could do right now is change the fraternities and sororities here so that they would actually be accepting of diversity.

But how do you do that to a system whose principles rely on exclusion? Rush is a time to have members of an organization evaluate men and women that they’ve barely met or seen, and if a potential member doesn’t fit into their criteria, they are out of consideration in a heartbeat. Traditionally, the criteria have been preppy, wealthy white men and women. People like to believe that the Greek system has changed to become more accepting, but if you look at the Greek community at our school, most brothers still fit that criteria.

President Martha Pollack sent out an email condemning hatred while “directing the heads of the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils to develop a substantive and meaningful diversity training and education program for all their members, to be implemented before the spring recruitment.” I understand exactly where she is coming from. As President, it is her job to make sure incidents like this never tarnish Cornell’s image or impact its students in a negative way again. Still, it is wishful thinking to believe that a group of a few hundred college-aged students who have spent the majority of their lives in white communities will suddenly gain a new respect for minorities after an online course. We learned the other day that this “diversity and education program” is an online course, similar to one all members of the Greek community had to take called GreekLifeEdu. GreekLifeEdu addressed important topics such as consent and responsibility when using alcohol and drugs. Nonetheless, many fraternity brothers and sorority sisters viewed this program simply as an annoyance, skipping through the majority of the presentation without reading a single word and barely passing the final test at the end that determined whether or not a member completed the course.

What bothers me more than the lack of caring about diversity from the members of Greek life is the way the administration is trying to handle diversity. If Cornell had actually listened to the complaints of the students after we took GreekLifeEdu, they would know that particular style of presentation provokes no real change. I cannot name a single person I know who believed they benefitted from the online program, yet the school decided to make the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council develop a program that approaches diversity in almost the exact same way that Delta Series approached other Greek-related issues. All that shows me is that Cornell doesn’t truly care about diversity in its fraternities and sororities.

They just want to pass hasty legislation that improves the image of the school without ensuring actual change within the Greek community. Because as long as it looks like Cornell wants to improve diversity in Greek life, who cares whether or not they’re actually improving diversity in Greek life?

Thankfully, for the first time in a long time, we got a taste of justice. Although Psi Upsilon maintained that the assault was not connected to them because the brother who was arrested, John Greenwood, was an unofficial member of the fraternity, their Board of Governors announced that they would “close their chapter at Cornell indefinitely” and use their house for “student organizations at Cornell that are dedicated to promoting a diverse and inclusive student community.” I do believe that Psi U implemented these changes in order to save their reputation, but at least some part of the Greek community at this school took legitimate action to try to aid organizations that promote diversity at Cornell. Moreover, the silent Black Students Union rally at the Student Assembly brought students of all colors and backgrounds together to show solidarity against racism and to support its victims. These developments have given me a new glimmer of hope that Cornell can one day become a place truly accepting of all students, no matter how far in the future that day may be.

In the end, the blame for this incident rightfully fell on Psi U, but to focus only on Psi U and not on the institutional issues within the Greek community is problematic. All I can pray for during this time is that my brothers will stand beside me, understanding and helping me through the struggles of being African-American in a mostly white Greek world. And although I may have sounded grim for the majority of this piece, I sincerely believe that my brothers will try their best, through thick and thin, to make me feel like a true member of Cornell’s Greek life.

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NICK TENG ‘18

“What brings you happiness?” “A lot of things in life give me happiness and for that I feel very lucky, perhaps in that sense I’m low maintenance or easily satisfied. Company is always key, whenever you have good company whatever it is you’re doing will be a good time.”

Fall 2017

JULIA ZHENG ‘21

“What advice would you give to your younger self?” “The advice to give to my younger self would be to ‘keep doing yourself.’ Even though current situation might not be satisfying, your effort and passion will eventually take you to where you want.”

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