Reflector Magazine, Fall 2016

GS alumni creates festival fashion line Page 5

A look into the seductive world of sugar dating Page 14

VOLUME 90 |FALL 2016

D eveloping D ominance The evolution of gender equality Page 17

Are tattoos still taboo?

Page 26

From grateful Dead to Phish: exploring jam band culture

Page 28

Cover and Page Designed by Erin Fortenberry

Cover Photo by Tahir Daudier

Letter Staff list From the editor Editor-in-Chief Michelle Pratt Reflector Editor Yasmeen Waliaga

Cheers!

Yasmeen Waliaga Editor

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Designers Jasmine Davis Stevey Mann Dionna Williams Contributors Marquietta Green Rashida Otunba Cheryl Nuzum Alexandria Richbourg

Business Manager Austin Hinkley Marketing Manager Haley Clark Public Relations Coordinator Lovey Edwards-Smith Director of Student Media David Simpson Business Coordinator Samantha Reid

Mission Statement The Reflector is copyrighted 2016

by Reflector Magazine and Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, Ga. It is printed by South Georgia Graphics, Claxton, Ga. The Reflector is operated by GSU students who are members of Student Media, a Georgia Southern student-led organization operating through the Dean of Student Affairs Office and the Division of Student Affairs & Enrollment Management.

The magazine is produced twice a year by GSU students for the Georgia Southern University community.

Opinions expressed herein are those of the student writers and editors and DO NOT reflect those of the faculty, staff, administration of GSU, Student Media Advisory Board nor the University System of Georgia.

Partial funding for this publication is provided by the GSU Activities Budget Committee. Advertisements fund the remaining costs. Advertising inquiries may be sent to Office of Student Media, PO Box 8001, or by calling the Business Office at 912-478-5418. Inquiries concerning content should be sent to Magazine EIC Michelle Pratt by emailing magseditor@georgiasouthern.edu.

All students are allowed to have one free copy of this publication.

Additional copies cost $1 each and are available at the Office of Student Media in the Williams Center.

Unauthorized removal of additional copies from a distribution site will constitute theft under Georgia law, a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine and/or jail time.

Page Designed by Erin Fortenberry

Countless statements, articles, public figures and claims criticize our generation. We are the millennials, the 90s-born generation often characterized by impatience, lack of depth, over-indulgence and entitlement. It’s like an overgeneralized thick brush is painting us all the same color, the color they paint the phones and beer cans and tabloids they associate us with, and we are placed on a canvas titled “millennials.”

We have grown sick of it.

There will always be people like that, the type of people that expect us to be like some outdated wallpaper that has become brown and gold with too many years of use. They often complain that chivalry is dead, believe in a chronological order of life’s events, and quiver in disgust at the thought of something edgy.

Screw that. We are not subject to this criticism anymore. If they have a problem with the ways us millennials are adapting to the enigmatic ways of life, they can just rot inside of the tiny box that is tradition.

Who said change had to be negative? It’s not scary, it’s not a threat. Its invigorating, it’s an opportunity.

The only thing that’s certain is change so let’s embrace that; lets embrace how history repeats itself and how we are constantly connecting to the past while integrating it into our lives today. Lets celebrate that old beliefs have become new ones and that all forms of art, fashion, culture, music, are ever-evolving.

In this magazine, we will bring all those aspects of this generation to light. These articles show metamorphosis and the exciting reality of every transformation by comparing what once was to what has become. This is not a throwback, it’s a transformation. There is no use in reflecting on the past if we can’t adapt to how it has become the present.

We will discuss tattoo culture, feminism in society, and the current trend of sugar dating. We will show past fashion trends repeating today, the evolution of drug use and the transformation of jam bands. Among these articles, the magazine will have fun and insightful glimpses of us, the millennials, who aren’t so bad after all.

Than k yo u fo r tak in g the tim e to c h ec k o ut Reflec to r Magaz in e

Creative Manager Lauren Grizzell Magazines Visual Chief Cristen Gullatt Design Editor Erin Fortenberry

Festival-Inspired Fashion Line

‘Mamie Ruth’

By Cheryl Nuzum

D

Downtown Savannah boasts home to a picturesque storefront right off Liberty Street.

The window displays have beautifully yet funky-dressed mannequins paired with delicate, intricately placed decor. The chalkboard outside reads “Hippies Use Front Door”, flagged by two polka dot balloons. Hanging above is the official sign, a personalized yin yang symbol bearing the name “Mamie Ruth.”

The store provides home for a clothing line with an aesthetic that can only best be described as bohemian hippie at a garden party in the southwest . Carrying a wide selection of clothing, jewelry, accessories, plus more, it’s “a little bit of everything,” as owner and designer Emily Bargeron likes to put it.

A creative mind from the beginning, Bargeron began making her own jewelry as a teenager. She went to school to study fashion, majoring in fashion merchandising and apparel design at Georgia Southern University, while selling jewelry on the side. A couple years after graduating, she entered in an emerging designer competition at Charleston Fashion Week, which inspired her to create line for the first time.

She continued designing, manufacturing and wearing the clothes herself and noticed a lot of the attention they were getting, particularly at music festivals.

“If I wore a dress, they wanted it so I just started making more. I was sewing everything myself and started selling to just a couple stores in town and it just went from there,” Bargeron said, on the beginnings of the brand.

Named after Bargeron’s nickname for her grandmother, from whom she gets much of her influence as an entrepreneur and creative spirit, Mamie Ruth took off among the boutiques and music festival circuits. Eventually, Bargeron opened up a storefront studio in Savannah, but she hasn’t forgotten her roots. Bonnaroo was the first music festival where she took the opportunity to sell the collection and since then, she continues to travel to different festivals all over the country, setting up pop-up shops with her team of staff and interns.

“It’s really good marketing for us because it’s everyone we want wearing our clothes all in one

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Photos by Tahir Daudier Designed by Stevey Mann

online, allowing shoppers from all over the country to shop.

One the main things Mamie Ruth as a collection prides itself on is being made 100 percent in the USA. “Everything is made and designed here in Savannah, and then our manufacturing is right outside of Atlanta. We are really proud of the fact that we manufacture here and try to keep everything local,” Bargeron said, “It’s really about knowing who made your clothes and knowing that the clothes didn’t have to take a trip across the ocean to get to you.” The local manufacturing adds a personal touch to the clothes.

Bargeron also chooses to hire locally. She hires between two and five interns a semester, usually from Savannah College of Art and Design or her own alma mater, Georgia Southern. She currently has two interns both from Georgia Southern.

Like the fashion industry itself, the internship experience is constantly moving.

“I try to have a very good round of all the departments, so like marketing, the retail store, the merchandising and window displays and stuff like that,” says Bargeron. All of these departments work together to become one whole, creating the business and the brand.

Bargeron takes a hands-on approach to all aspects of the business, from coaching interns to traveling to marketing.

Her favorite part though is the design. She added, “I really think it’s just creating the lifestyle, with the music festivals and all of the different events and traveling; Incorporating those fabrics into the collections and really having the collections tell a story about what it inspired it.” place.” Bargeron said.

Bargeron’s down-to-earth spirit allows The clothes themselves are beautifully her to expand Mamie Ruth to different When asked to eclectic and despite maintaining the same corners of the country while still keeping “festival style” look, there’s a wide range summarize Mamie her focus on the heart of the brand. Music of selection in them; rock ‘n roll T-shirts, Ruth in one word or festivals provided a big influence in the sassy graphic tees, printed maxi skirts, mix phrase, Bargeron inspiration of her designs, which is why and match sets. Everything is unique and simply says, she continues to travel every year and get varied. Many of the items are one-of-a-kind, “Clothes with soul.” back to that core. Bonnaroo was just the like the coveted vintage boots Bargeron first; others such as Shaky Knees, Voodoo finds in thrift shops and decorates however and Tomorroworld, soon followed. inspiration strikes. There is only one pair in one size, sold Getting to travel the country, create a name and a brand only in the Savannah studio. Once they’re gone, they’re for herself, and continuously be surrounded by art and gone. These types of exclusive finds give the shop an air of inspiration are goals for anybody working in the fashion hidden treasure. industry. She warns though that her job isn’t perfect.

The studio itself is only an extension of the clothes, “Somedays it can be really stressful. It’s like any other job. I trimmed with feathered dream catchers, colorful rugs think a lot of times people think that it’s a such a dream job, and geometrically shaped wall art. There is a fireplace on because it is, but it’s a lot of work too.” one side, manned by two painted bull skulls. Outfits are The hard work has paid off though so far. Bargeron has constructed and hung near the dressing rooms for those managed to create an entire lifestyle within a clothing line. The looking for inspiration. It’s overwhelming and inviting all website boasts that it designs clothing “for the creative thinkers, at the same time. the peacemakers, and the girls that just want to have fun.”

The studio creates a sense of allure around the clothing When asked to summarize Mamie Ruth in one word or but it is only one part of Mamie Ruth. “Our main business is phrase, Bargeron simply says, “Clothes with soul.” wholesale,” said Bargeron, “We ship to about 60 boutiques “Our customer isn’t an age,” says Bargeron, “It’s a feeling. around the country and then we’ll also be selling in Belk It’s someone who likes to stand out, likes to wear different in the spring of 2017.” Mamie Ruth’s largest sale to date, things, someone that doesn’t mind people taking a second the clothes will be available in fourteen Belk locations and glance at them.”

Back at it Again How Styles of Former Decades Remain Fashionable By: Rashida Otunba Fashion, like history, often repeats itself. In 2016, with the emergence of style DIYs on Pinterest and fashion upcycling, the usage of vintage items in the modern day fashion scene is a popular trend. The talented and stylish members of Visage Fashion Company demonstrate how to properly adapt a wardrobe in order to live out the best vintage styling dreams.

Designed by Stevey Mann

Photos by Cristen Gullatt

The

70s: “The 60s and the 70s were kind of a similar era. The 60s ran over into the 70s, so these looks are combining both of these eras. If you look at ‘That 70’s Show,’ you could look at Mila Kunis and say ‘Oh she could wear that,’”Amber London, designer and junior fashion merchandising major, said.

“It was really similar with the makeup looks, too. They both had winged liner, there was kind of like a cut crease and the lip was relatively nude. So the 60s and 70s kind of tied together, almost,” Keeley Klein, makeup artist and freshman undeclared major, said.

“I really try to focus on the looks

going together so there was one color that would go throughout each look for each era so they would go well. [For the 60s] I went with with a mustard because [the] 60s and 70s were very neutral toned, like mustards, dark browns, ivory’s, burnt orange and you have that peachy tone thrown in as well,” London said.

“For the 70s we did a lot of color blocking and then a lot of just different textures. For the men I wanted to do a “Shaft” look, kind of like a detective style, but on the more casual side. The 70s was just a time when men actually dressed, so the overall look is just aesthetically

pleasing,” Rickey Jones, Visage Fashion Company president said.

“For the female looks, I love the attention to detail on the femininity of it all.We paid homage to all the different textures. Texture along with colorblocking were two things that we incorporated in the 70s looks,” Jones said.

Statement pieces for the 70s: Women: long fit denim dress, sheer shirt, suede skirt, snakeskin booties Men: polyester shirts

The

80s: “The 80s look are more baggy looking as far as the women’s clothing. We didn’t really go with the 80s rock and roll like what you would think of, more like the other side of the 80s, which I guess is like baggy, kind of like rap scene,” London said.

“I would’ve gone with a smokey eye and a just ahd like a pop of color.

That’s just what they did in the 80s, and I would’ve had the lip to be like a bright pink,” Klein said.

“Makeup in the 80s is also when a lot of blush and eyeliner played

into it so that’s when a lot of people started using pink blushes and blue eyeliners and the bright lips,” Constance Cunningham, makeup artist and freshman forensic psychology major, said.

“For the 80s, I definitely did more pops of color because the 80s was just all about neon. The 80’s was about like a lot of play with different levels of clothing and different styles and piecing things together and having a little bit more of an uninhibited view of fashion” Jones said.

Statement pieces for the 80s: Women: purple pants, athletic jacket Men: neon colors, knit sweaters, texture mixing

The

90s: 90s:

“In the 90s it switched from heavy eyeliners and blushes to a natural look. You did get those people who did a pop of colour every now and then but that was pretty much just overlined lips and dark eyeliners and dark makeup for the most part and then they would just play off of their clothes in the 90s, but their makeup was pretty much natural,” Cunningham said.

“The 90s looks are pretty much like what we wear today. The 90’s is definitely way more current today because we appreciate it more than they did. We use looks from the 90s that everybody would wear today, but we definitely put our own spin on it because it’s like our take on it. What we see is completely different than what everyone else sees,” Jones said.

Statement pieces for the 90s:

Women: mixing prints, plaid, lamee and leather.

Men: graphic tees

Starting from the 1900’s

1940’s -Foundation that matches skin tones accurately -Natural Brows -Cat Eyes 50’s -Pretty much the same as the 40’s 60’s -Years of complete change -Long eyelashes -Bold colors -White eyeliner 70’s -All about the natural -Bronzers & Blushes 80’s -Bright and bold colors introduced again.

-Neon lip colors -Fun and creative looks 90’s -Natural no-makeup look -Grunge -Matte lips -Dark and muted browns

Student Makeup Artist Alexis Freeman Shows:

The Evolution of Makeup

By Alexandria Richbourg

M

akeup isn’t new but all the new techniques, tools and trends lately can make it seem as if it is. The ultimate girly girl’s favorite pastime of “beating” her face is an art within itself. All art has history, and if you love makeup like Georgia Southern University freshman makeup artist Alexis Freeman, then the history of makeup is definitely worth knowing about.

1960’s

“Make up trends and fashion trends, they come and they’re huge and then they fade away.”

Freeman said,“Years later you hear your mom say, ‘Oh I remember when I did that when I was your age.”

Alexis makes a point, that’s definitely something parents say.

So We had some fun and explored these make up trends overtime with our MUA Alexis.

2016

1980’s

Photos by Cristen Gullatt

1930’s -Light colors, less makeup triangular shaped eyeshadow.

-Shaved Eyebrows

Designed by Erin Fortenberry

1920’s -Make up industry BOOMS.

Early 00’s -Pretty Much the Same as the 90’s Today -Highlight and contouring -Bold lip colors -Bronzers 10 | REFLECTOR FAL L 2 016

1970’s

1990’s

Traveling in College:

A Guide for the Clueless and Cashless

Designed by Erin Fortenberry

By: Marquietta Green

T

oss a penny into the Trevi fountain of Italy, explore the animal safari of South Africa, climb the Blue Mountains of Sydney, Australia, or experience the city of Paris. Even the sandy beaches of Miami and the casinos of Las Vegas are a quick flight away. These popular travel destinations may seem like dreams but they do not have to be.

With the right tools, almost anyone can explore the world. Here is a guide for safe, affordable and eventful travels across America and beyond.

Where to Go Based on Time Depending on the country you are visiting, there are specific seasons that are best for travel in terms

of weather and cost. Know when the peak visiting times are and look out for possible discounts that are out there. “Consider traveling during the shoulder season. This is usually the month or two prior to or after the peak season for a location. The weather is usually still pretty good, but the prices will often drop dramatically,� said Danielle Smith, Director of International Studies at Georgia Southern University.

For instance, the best times to travel to Southeastern Asia are January through March and June through September. Thailand is an also great place to visit for the Christmas holidays because their warmest weather is during the months of December to March.

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Most weekend trips are easier to plan and are a lot cheaper than most longer trips but can still come with their share of problems. Deciding the best way to travel, where to stay and some of the best affordable hotspots can be difficult. “ Some tips I would give about traveling would be to always research the place you are about to visit. Learn as much as you can about the culture, about what is going on in the area,” Jonathan Perez, junior information technology major said. He said to pack what’s appropriate for the weather and climate. “For example, I prepared myself by buying all that mosquito stuff to prevent getting sick with Zika or some other form of illness,” Perez added.

Essential Documents: Passport and Visa A passport is an issued government ID card that says that you are a citizen of that country. It is essential in order for you to leave and return to a country.

No matter where you are going out of the country, a passport is always required in order for you to leave and return to America. Make sure to get your passport a few months before your scheduled trip.

A Visa, on the other hand, is a more specific and detailed document required for staying in another country for 12 12 || REFLECTOR REFLECTOR FAL FALLL 22016 016

an extended amount of time. These can only be issued by the specific place that you are planning to stay in and must be renewed once they expire in order for you to be able to stay in that country.

Most countries do not require a visa if the visit is for a short duration of time like a vacation or business trip. However some, like Brazil, require a visa for even a week long vacation.

Hostel or Hotel: That is the question Hotels are a common option for many people who enjoy their fully furnished suites and often free amenities. “It important to read the most recent reviews because this can determine whether there are any current issues that may change your mind and possibly look for somewhere else,” said Ashley Williams, psychology major. Kayak.com and using Google reviews is a common place to start when looking for low priced hotel with a decent star rating. “I try to look for a hotel that at least has a three or better star rating and comes with free amenities, although there are some hotels that are just expensive.

Pricing also depends on where the location is in that area,” Williams said.

For those looking for an alternative, hostels can be perfect. Typically you are paying to reserve

a bed but not a private room, although some hostels give that as an option. Hostels have big rooms with multiple bunk beds in them where people traveling from all over the world stay. Most times, when you reserve your bed, you can choose a coed room or not. Most hostels have an age limit that is typically late 20s to 30s. “There are some duds still out there, but on the whole, hostels are a lot nicer than they used to be, with far more amenities,” Smith said.

There are also great apps and websites, such as HostelWorld. com to look at the most popular rated hotels and or hostels in your area of travel fast and easy.

Transportation Generally when traveling, purchasing tickets as early as possible is suggested, sometimes as early as three to four months prior or even up to a year in advance. “There are some websites that are likely to offer cheaper flights than just the airline itself, such as STA.com who has reduced airfare and train ticket prices for those under the age of 26,” Smith said.

Google Flights and SkyScanner are resources to use when it comes to determining base prices of flights within different airlines and determining travel time. However, there are transportation

alternatives that may be less expensive for trips that do not leave the country.

Driving can be the quickest way to reach a destination and is especially enjoyable when with others. It becomes easier to split the costs of gas and other expenses.

Enterprise, ZipCar and other car dealerships are likely to offer renting services on cars that are in good condition enough to travel for low prices. ZipCar offers discounts specifically for students and they have an app.

Trains and buses, though used as a transportation source for a very long time, are still popular today as a cheap way to travel.

Students can save more than 15% by using the Amtrack website or app when purchasing within three days of the trip.

The nearest Amtrack station is in Savannah.

While traveling by bus can be uncomfortable, tickets are significantly cheaper than airline tickets. Greyhound bus company in particular has recently made improvements to make travelers feel more comfortable. One of their improvements is adding wifi and charging outlets by the seats.

They also have an app that provides discounts.

• • • •

WHERE IT IS: College Plaza shopping center on Fair Road., behind Zaxby’s WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS SERVED: German ATMOSPHERE: Casual WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Doner Kebab, a German speciality made up of lamb and beef, that can be served in a variety of ways such as wraps, pitas and boxes with an assortment of vegetables.

WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY: “Our main speciality is Döner Kebab, which is the main staple in Germany. It is made of meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie. It also includes a variety of fresh vegetables and a choice of homemade sauces.” Tu Pham, owner’s daughter and GS alum.

Orchid WHERE IT IS: Fair Road, in the Southwind Plaza WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS SERVED: Vietnamese-Japanese ATMOSPHERE: Casual WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Assorted sushi and hibachi menu as well as pho, a traditional Vietnamese noodle dish WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY: “My favorite dish is pho, specifically the beef pho. It’s kind of like Ramen, it’s thin rice noodles in a special broth that they make everyday. It also has bits of meatballs and rare beef.” Matthew Wang, senior psychology major.

• • • • •

Caribbean Feast

Designed by Dionna Williams

Photos by Kelly Lowery

• • • • •

WHERE IT IS: Fair Road, on the medium across from El Sombrero WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS SERVED: Caribbean ATMOSPHERE: Casual WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Traditional Caribbean jerk pork and chicken, curried chicken, bread pudding WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY: “I like it because it’s unique and there isn’t really any type of food or place like it. It takes more time than like a fast food place but it’s because they make it fresh when you order it.” Haley Chapman, junior music education major.

Coconut Thai Cuisine • • • • •

WHERE IT IS: College Plaza shopping center on Fair Road WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS SERVED: Thai ATMOSPHERE: Special Occasion WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Curry, Pad Thai, assorted stir frys, assorted seafood platters WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY: “My favorite thing about eating at Coconut is the spice level. When I ask for something spicy, they add the spice.” Ivana Torres, senior nursing major.

Sugar Magnolia Bakery & Cafe • • • • •

WHERE IT IS: Savannah Avenue, next to Eagle Creek Brewery WHAT TYPE OF FOOD IS SERVED: American ATMOSPHERE: Casual WHAT’S ON THE MENU: Assorted sandwiches and paninis, brunch on the weekends, and pizza on Thursday and Friday nights WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY: “I like Sugar Mags because it’s a pretty quaint and quiet place. It’s the only place in Statesboro I’ve found to get a good, home cooked meal.” Kasi Bitter, junior writing and linguistics major.

Cheryl nuzum

•

HIDDEN FOOD GEMS OF STATESBORO

Son’s Doner Kebab

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Designed by Erin Fortenberry

By Michelle Pratt

xpensive dates, luxury gifts, international travel, and hefty allowances might characterize a college student’s dream. However, this seems quite unrealistic for a student already racking up thousands of dollars in debt. Students often scramble to find ways to pay for books, tuition, rent and even dinner.

Not to mention, student loans are at an all time high. With the average Class of 2016 graduate having $37,172 in student loan debt and with the total U.S. student loan debt being $1.26 trillion, it seems impossible for students to ever dig themselves out of the hole.

At times, it’s easy to find a parttime job to pay off these debts while in college, but other times, the result is something less conventional. For some, because of an online trend, finances have become less of a concern.

A new form of dating is emerging in which older men are seeking younger women and in exchange for “dating” the women are often given an allowance on top of some other gifts and getaways. The women are considered “sugar babies” and the men are considered “sugar daddies” So what does it mean to be a “sugar baby”? *Allison, a sophomore biology major at Georgia Southern University who has been involved with this dating trend, described being a sugar baby as, “Going on dates in exchange for monetary gifts.”

A lot of people think that these sugar babies are only going on dates with wealthy men for their money, but many times, a relationship actually develops between the two.

This was the case for *Stephen,

a wealthy and experienced 54-year-old “sugar daddy”, who found himself in two serious relationships with women he met on Seeking Arrangement (SA), a popular dating website catered for sugar daddy/sugar baby arrangements.

Both of the women Stephen ended up dating were in graduate school in South Carolina, and he helped them pay their tuition.

“We had a terrific relationship, the way I thought about life was the way she thought about life,” said Stephen about his relationship with his first girlfriend from the site, who was in graduate school getting her MBA. This new form of dating is a way for men and women to form arrangements that are mutually beneficial. For example, a woman may go out on a date with a man in exchange for gifts or money, while the man may be satisfied by having the company.

There are plenty of ways people find a sugar daddy, whether they use a website or simply meet these men at country clubs and other events. This was the case for sophomore criminal justice major Ahbria Hamilton.

“My sugar daddy ended up being a co-worker of my dad,” Hamilton said.

However, it can be uncomfortable to have an arrangement with someone from a friend circle or parents’ friend circle. If this is the case there are websites like SA. According to SA’s website, “Seeking Arrangement is the leading Sugar Daddy dating site where over five million members fuel mutually beneficial relationships on their terms.”Of these five million members, four million are sugar babies and one million are sugar daddies or sugar mammas ranging throughout 139 countires.

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Once logged onto the website, a wide array of available sugar daddies are displayed on the browsing page.

The search can be narrowed down by age, income, or by using specific key words like “shopping.” The key to this site, since there are so many users, is to be very specific with your selection.

“Know what you want and what you don’t want. It will save you a lot of time.

Also be very specific with your bio and what you are looking for,” Allison said.

She added, just because someone is being specific does not mean that they will not find someone who will match well with them.

“There is something for everybody out there. There is really nothing different between this site and match.com, it’s just putting people together,” Stephen said.

The way people may come across this site will be different; some may go in with a set mindset of what they want. However for many people they stumbled across it by accident or with recommendations from friends.

“After my wife passed away and I started dating all my friends wanted to set me up with the ‘perfect person’ for me, and I met one cray cray, high maintenance, forty something divorced woman after another, and I decided I wasn’t interested. So I was lamenting to my secretary one day about it and she told me about this website,” Stephen said.

Also many people tend to find their sugar daddy as a joke between friends.

“It originally started out as a joke with the man that is now my sugar daddy,” Hamilton said, “Then he told me if I was serious about getting extra money for tuition that he would not mind helping in exchange for dates.”

It is common for the first date to be a time for the two people to meet and discuss their arrangement.

“Usually the first hour we get to know each other,” Allison said. “Then we will talk about what we both want out of this relationship, and if we come to a good arrangement then we will continue.”

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Typically Allison goes on dates with these men without any sexual favors.

“To me once I start doing sexual favors for money I feel like it’s prostitution,” she said.

Each person is willing to spend a certain amount of money for arrangements. Typically Allison gets paid $300 for dates, and the one man she did have an intimate relationship with she was paid $1,000 per visit.

Hamilton said she gets paid between $20 and $3,000 every two weeks, depending on if she sees her sugar daddy between that time.

SA and other arrangements often form a mentorship and bond between the two people.

Sugar dating has received backlash from skeptics calling it a more upscale version of prostitution. Most users would agree that this typically is not the case; arrangements vary from dates, relationships, travel companions and more.

Stephen usually develops relationships with these women and becomes a mentor to them as well as a boyfriend. He said that he likes to help women get into a world that they may never have had to opportunity to get into without help from the inside.

“What it means to be a sugar daddy?

Gosh I guess it could be different in every situation, but what it means is you’re in a relationship, with a women, and you are going to provide her financial assistance, and in return you have a relationship,” Stephen said.

The dating culture has changed over the years, especially with the Internet and social media. For some people it is easier to adjust and accept than for others.

Although this form of arrangement called sugar dating is not for everyone, for many of those who have experienced it, it has been beneficial.

They say that money doesn’t make you happy, but some would argue that it definitely makes it better if you’re crying in a Ferrari.

Photos by Tahir Daudier Designed by Lauren Grizzell

Fundamentals of Feminism

Gender Equality from Past to Present

By Cheryl Nuzum

F

or over a century, women have been fighting for equal rights across the board. Many won their battle, resulting in women having the right to vote, the right to have choices, the right to their bodies. Yet, there are still battles being fought today.

The history is feminism has been compiled of different struggles overlapping at different times and fought for on different platforms. With such a complicated history, how can feminists learn to identify themselves within the movement, separate past from present and determine what issues need to continue to be advocated for?

The answer is to identify how feminism originated in Western culture, how it developed, and what problems are still left to be solved.

History of Feminism The history of feminism is commonly divided into separate waves, beginning with the First Wave, at the front of 20th century, and continuing on to the current Third Wave.

“Historically it has been depicted as something that had a groundswell, at least from a Western perspective, with [Mary] Wollstonecraft in the 1800’s, then with what was the called the First Wave movement for the women’s vote in America.

Then the other historically noted movement is also referred to as Second Wave, which is right around the time of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s,” said Dr. Costello, director of the Women and Gender Studies program at Georgia Southern University.

Dr. Costello does note the drawbacks each of these waves had. For example, the monumental step towards women’s suffrage in the First Wave did wonders for the feminist movement to allow women to be taken seriously from a political standpoint. However it catered largely to a white female audience. Women of color or women of lower classes did not share in the same rights.

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There was still a lot of work to be done.

The Second Wave worked hard to overcome that with the fight for civil rights. It was the first time feminists of multiple identities were really given a voice on a notable large scale. The face of feminism was not just white women. It is inclusive of a wide range of different races, classes, genders and orientations.

As Dr. Costello describes it, “What really happened in the Second Wave in the 1960’s was this realization that although you had a movement, the movement was too homogenous, it was not intersecting with all the identities of people of color, people of different classes, people of different sexual orientation.”

Today the feminist movement is marked by the Third Wave, or what some scholars have begun to call the Fourth Wave, believing we are moving towards a new generation of the movement. If the First Wave could only be marked by one thing, it would arguably be women’s suffrage.

The Second Wave would be civil rights. The Third Wave would be intersectionality, which includes battles for equal pay, against rape culture and violence against women, representation of LGBTQ communities and continuously so much more.

“A lot of the failure of the movement was the intersecting of these identities which is really what feminism is moving towards in the last, I would say, [twenty years]” Dr. Costello said. The idea of intersectionality is allowing women to identify themselves within layers, such as a queer feminist or a black feminist, and still fight for all the same things while within those separate distinctions. The struggle for equal pay is different for white women, women of color, Latina, etc. While the struggle is still the same, individually it can mean different things for different women.

It’s important to note that these waves are not clear mile markers and there were battles being fought in between and behind the scenes of the most recognizable ones. For example, women’s reproductive rights has been an ongoing battle concerning birth control, abortion, education and more. It is not defined largely by one single

wave because it crosses over so many due to the multiple aspects it concerns. However it is such a representational movement for feminists, it cannot be overlooked from feminist history.

The battle for social equality is another example of a fight that cannot be defined. There were no laws preventing women from having jobs, working away from the home, choosing not to marry or choosing not to have children. It was however ingrained within the gender roles set then and even now. The societal backlash and judgement was a fight to overcome. Even now, there is still judgement against wives who make more money than their husbands and husbands who allow their wives to do so. These battles too cannot be overlooked.

No Right Way to be a Feminist Feminism as a movement is pluralist and allencompassing, therefore it’s impossible for there to be one way to be a feminist. In fact, feminism can be just the opposite for many people. Two feminists can have opposing views on the same issue, and both be right, and still have that be called feminism.

“In terms of feminists disagreeing and having different perspectives on things, I think that’s absolutely feminism because feminists can have their views and their choices about everything.

And really what feminism is at its core is allowing women, and men, and trans people to have a choice,” Dr. Costello said.

Not all feminists have the same viewpoints. It is possible to be a feminist and still oppose abortion.

It is possible to be a feminist and choose to be a stay-at-home parent. It is possible to be a feminist and be a white, upper-class male. It possible to be a feminist and be none of those things. The very fact that a person stands for gender equality, in whatever form that means to them, is enough to be a feminist. Allowing women to have a choice, and support the means in which to accomplish those choices, is enough to be a feminist.

As Dr. Costello puts it, “There are a lot of ways to seek social justice for the world as you see it, and not everybody sees it the same way.”

Why the Stigma ‘Feminism’ as a term is often looked upon negatively. The stereotype of a feminist is often perceived as a loud, man-hating, braburning lesbian who refuses to shave her legs or underarms. This is absolutely a face of feminism.

However, this is not the only face of feminism. It is only one small scale. Not agreeing with a person’s delivery of their issues does not null and void their issues altogether. Loud or quiet, feminism is still feminism.

Critics of feminism would argue the movement is no longer necessary because women today now have equal rights. However the movement was not designed solely for the purpose of granting women the right vote and eliminating social stigma about working outside the home. There is so much more that feminists fight for and every feminist fights their own battle. One person’s individual feminism is not the same as another. Regardless of legal rights granted, gender roles are still narrow for men and women alike, and neglectful of other genders.

Feminism recognizes that women are not the sole victims of gender roles and societal expectations. “Gender roles for masculinity are extremely narrow and they don’t allow boys or men to be experimental or explore or step far out of the Man Box without some very real and violent societal policing.” says Dr. Costello.

Kristen Baker, junior sociology major with a minor in Women and Gender Studies, states, “A lot of people think feminism is for people only who identify as women and it’s just not. It hits on all levels because it shows that people who are not in the ‘majority.’” So what do men have to gain from feminism? “Knowledge. Broader world view.

Understanding.”

Feminism as a modern movement fights for the

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equality of the genders, and gender roles in our society provide negative effects that do not aide that fight.

Dr. Costello adds, “The more we know about gender roles and the way they are constructed, the more we can ask about them, critique them, and dismantle them. That’s a genuine goal.” That dismantling is not for the sole benefit of women, but for the benefit of every gender identity.

Many critics would argue that there are bigger problems to be solved, particularly concerning Eastern feminism. Critics argue that women of other cultures have larger issues than those in Western cultures. Does that mean Western feminists should just be content with what they have?

“Comparative feminism or oppression or anything like is not really all that productive.

The important thing to remember is as there are different kinds of feminism, there are different feminist movements that are placed in different places for different groups of people.” says Dr. Costello.

Because feminism as a movement is representative of such a wide range of people, it would never null and void the issues of one group or community. It would encourage the understanding and the coming-together, without the overshadowing, of feminists all over regardless of the battle. Whether that battle is lack of rights in other cultures, lack of equal pay within our own, ending violence and aggression against women, all of these are movements that people can get behind. One person may choose to stand for one particular issue over another, but it’s important to recognize everyone’s battles, not just one’s own.

Why It’s Important Many people do not realize the affect gender issues can have on their society or themselves as individuals. As young adults, it has likely presented itself in the form of political issues, sexual assault and/or gender roles among many others.

Because young adults are entering a stage in their lives where they first have a political voice, acknowledging issues at hand and the effects they could on themselves and the community around them is becoming more important. Issues concerning reproductive rights, abortion, LGBTQ rights or women in power will all play a role over the course of our lifetimes. Again there is no right way to be a feminist and there is no such thing as a ‘feminist vote’. However it is possible to do the research to make the educated vote on the matters that mean the most to you.

Sexual assault and violence is an issue that cannot be ignored. Critics argue that many alleged victims sometimes “cry wolf” so to speak for attention or to hurt their alleged offenders. While that may be true, there are far too many real victims to be ignored.

One in four women will be sexually assaulted in college. One in every 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime. “There is a still a rapid rape culture and people are still being assaulted and people are still wondering why we need to talk about sexual assault,” Baker said, “And the only answer I can give to that is that it’s still happening. People are still being treated as prey.”

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, campus rape and sexual assault affects 23.1 percent of women and 5.4 percent of males in college. It is a very real issue, one that feminism as a movement aims to solve, and not just for women.

How to Help College students are in such an in-between stage of their lives and gender roles will continue to play a part as students really begin to discover who they are and what matters to them.

Feminism works to address the negative issues brought upon by gender roles. There is no solveall answer; however, anyone can provide a voice for solution. It starts with conversation. Open dialogue. A voice and an opportunity. Ultimately, it starts with respect.

Like A Boss: Leaders on Campus

By Alexandria Richbourg

Beyond the homework, projects, and brain crushing cumulative finals, there is more to college than just being a student and cramming for exams. Some students have visions of being something more; they

The future politician

Designed by Jasmine Davis Photos by Kelly Lowery

If you don’t know James “Major” Woodall, you’ll be getting to know him very soon. As he runs to become the next State Representative, Major Woodall exemplifies what is means to be a leader that others need.

With only a few credits left to obtain for the Fall 2016 semester, this Georgia Southern graduate has a bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in Religious Studies.

Not only is Major enlisted in the United states Army Reserve, but also he has been the

President of the GSU NAACP and the President within the Georgia NAACP’s college division. He has also been a senator for SGA, a Soar Leader, and part of the MAP program. In addition, he founded a Southern Activist Group (Just to name a few).

With leadership comes great dedication and determination.

Some may feel that being a great leader on campus means that you have to be able to obtain the highest GPA, but some like Major feel otherwise.

“I know this may sound very

The future first lady

KELLY MCGEE

are the innovators, trendsetters, go-getters and bosses on campus. They make things happen not only for themselves, but for their universities, communities and peers.

Senior Public Relations major and French minor Kelly McGahee is as bubbly and friendly as anyone can be.

The girl that everyone called “The future first lady,” is not only the President of the French national Honors Society, Pi Delta Pi, but she’s a part of the French club, a member of Phi Eya Sigma, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, in the Society for Collegiate Leadership & achievement and is a student leader in campus outreach with over 100 community service hours here at Georgia Southern.

weird but my focus isn’t necessarily good grades,” Woodall said,“I’ve never failed a class or done poorly but my focus is learning and getting experience necessary to solve the complex problems of the twenty-first century.”

“I believe in the beauty of our dreams and the power of our purpose,” he added.

McGahee is the leader that loves being around people and helping those in need in whatever way she can.

“I’m a big people person, so if I’m not around people I won’t get anything done,” McGahee said.

“If I wasn’t involved in stuff and not be as busy as I am, I’d probably be in my room all day not getting anything done, but I like meeting people in my classes and people when I volunteer,” McGahee said.

Being a part of Kappa Kappa Gamma has helped and encouraged her to be that people-loving person at Georgia Southern. Again, like other leaders on campus know that it takes a lot of

MAJOR WOODALL

time management and balance to stay on top of her game.

“It definitely takes a lot of focus. You kind of have to schedule your life out,” McGahee said, “I’m not the best planner, but I kinda had to learn how to do that freshman year. It’s all about organizing.”

Kelly knows and wants others to also know that when it comes to being a leader, you have to be respected and you have to respect others as well.

“The most important thing is to be respected by people.

If you don’t have respect of the people, they’re not going to listen to you,” McGahee said.

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The high-school dropout

DYLAN JOHN

If SGA President Dylan John isn’t defined as a boss on campus, then the word sure has to be redefined. The Graduate student has his bachelors of science degree in Construction Management and is currently working on getting his masters in Applied Engineering with a concentration in Construction Management.

During his time here at Georgia Southern, John has been involved in 16 different organizations including the Tau Kappa Epsilon

The Girl who didn’t give up Senior Psychology major and Africana Studies minor Isha Williams is the definition of a hard working leader on campus who doesn’t believe in giving up.

“When I get older, I want to be able to tell my children, ‘I did that.’ I did college. I networked and I had experiences,” Williams said.

As she approached her junior year in college, she became more involved on campus. Being rejected from two organizations in the past, which she now holds leadership positions in, didn’t stop her from going after the titles she

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International Fraternity. He also is the founder of the Mock Mediation club of Georgia Southern University.

“Coming to Georgia southern, I wanted to make sure that I was involved in everything that I could be in.

I wanted to make a mark,” John said.

What most people don’t know is that Dylan John wasn’t the average college student coming to georgia southern. Before coming to college, John dropped out of high school back in Sri Lanka where he is originally from.

Presented with an opportunity to receive a one year scholarship off of his previous leadership, John decided to come to Georgia Southern.

knew she could hold.

“My freshman and sophomore year, I was rejected from Southern Ambassadors and I was rejected from the executive board for the NAACP. I definitely hit a lot of blocks in the road. I even was going to transfer but I decided to keep going. You can’t fail if you keep going,” Williams Said.

With holding leadership positions like President of the National Pan Hellenic Council, secretary of the NAACP, SGA Senator at Large, Delegate for Model African Union, Southern Ambassador, member of the Lambda Kappa Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, and Coordinator for the Miss

“Coming to college was a very very very big deal for me,” John said. “A lot of people think, ‘Oh my gosh it must be so hard to be so far away from home,’ but at the same time, it kinda gives me the ability to remove myself from a lot of negativity,” John said.

The determination to get involved on campus didn’t come from ambition for John either. That ambition grew out of fear.

“I’ve achieved a lot of heights and coming to georgia southern I was afraid,” John said. “I was coming from a school of 3000 to a school of 20,000… I was about to be the smallest human being at georgia southern. Just another number,” John said.

Kappa Alpha Psi pageant here at Georgia Southern, Williams knows that being involved not only comes with responsibility, but you have to know how to balance.

“Balancing all of that was a part of time management. It was crazy,” Williams said.

“I knew that I wanted to make future Isha happy. Present Isha has to suffer a little bit so that future Isha can be happy,” Williams said.

ISHA WILLIAMS

Designed by Jasmine Davis

Photos by Tahir Daudier

How Drug Use Has Evolved

By Marquietta Green

F as science has revealed more and generations

The 1970s vs Today: Marijuana

or the past century, drug trends have transformed

have discovered more. People tend to group each of the decades from the second half of the twentieth century with the drug that seemed to be most popular then. The pill someone hands you at a party is unlikely to be the same type of pill someone would’ve handed your dad at a college party.

In a college setting there is a clear sign of diversity, difference in perspective, style and preference.

Although different, the common goal is to get a quality education and experience new things. For some people, experience leads to experimentation, and within a tight knit community, it doesn’t go unnoticed. This sometimes will result in sparking the curiosity of others to try drugs.

“There is a conformity rule that students seem to follow,” Joshua Williams sophomore multi-communications major, said. While the reasons for drug use in college might remain consistent, the types of drugs are constantly being evolutionized.

In the 1970s young hippies traveled across the United States in their packed rainbow Volkswagen vans in a search for inner peace in nature while also enjoying the popular drug marijuana and its creative uses. The popularity of the plant has not changed much over decades. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Marijuana is the most commonly abused illicit drug among college students with prescription drugs on the rise. Although still illegal in Georgia, the use of marijuana or Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has risen to become a legal medical treatment and for recreational use in many states. “There are less scientific findings of a correlation at all of smoking marijuana and health related issues,” said Dr. Bradley Sturz, Psychology professor at Georgia Southern University. He added, access, affordability, and popularity are the best reasons to why students seem to rely on marijuana as their drug of choice over cocaine or cigarettes which have way more risks involved. Also, expectations of drug performance can influence the preference of drug use, Sturz further explained. In social environments around our peers we

hear their personal experiences with smoking marijuana, such as the munchies are or taking prescription pills and use that as a guide to our own expected experiences when trying it for the first time. “I feel like… I wouldn’t say it’s beneficial, but it doesn’t hurt to try. It’s a lot less risky and people see that in their preference to marijuana

The 1990s vs Today: Ecstasy and Molly

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Ecstasy is a synthetic drug stimulant that alters mood and perception (awareness of surrounding objects and conditions). Ecstasy was initially popular in the nightclub scene during the 1990s and was often taken at raves, but has now been refined to what is known as Molly, and has become common among a less specific range of people, including teens and young adults. “The use of this drug in particular is highly based on expectation and told experiences from others, which makes others more tempted to take it,” Sturz said. While Molly is commonly said to be pure MDMA, Ecstasy is known to be MDMA combined with another drug. Molly is the the nickname for the powder that are usually sold in capsules. Ecstasy normally comes in pressed pills that are differentiated by the shape that is pressed on the pill. The biggest effect of taking Molly is your body loses the ability to regulate body temperature.

There is also a high risk of getting dehydrated. “At college parties I don’t see people actually take them but I see people acting like they’re on something like a strong drug. Its their way of just having fun and letting loose,” said Williams. Williams said, he has heard of many people taking Molly or Ecstasy at college parties.

Some forms of drug use have become less criticized by the public over the past century because people have become more open to using these drugs. Today there are commercials that give forewarning about the harmful effects of tobacco and other drug related products. This may have some influence on the increasing and decreasing popularity of these drugs, not only nationally but at the local level including on college campuses.

Students today are likely to base their decisions

The 1980s vs Today: Crack and Cocaine

Due to such high demand and cheap prices of the stimulant, smokable powder Cocaine in the 1970s and early 80’s, suppliers looked to make a bigger profit. They decided instead to sell the rock form of cocaine which is referred to as crack.

According to an article published by the New York Times in 1987, Crack, the smokable form of Cocaine was spread largely in the poor areas where

it was cheaper to sell rather than middle class areas. The widespread use of the addictive drug created a downward spiral full of crime increase throughout the population as more and more people began to abuse and become dependent on the drug to live a normal life. Economic downfall and the overall safety of its citizens were big concerns in communities. As a result, there was a crackdown giving criminal offenses on people who possessed the drug, but not much concern about how it was being distributed. The health issues and psychological effects associated with using strong substances were also beginning to be considered and determined as dangerous to the user and to the community itself. The amount of Cocaine/Crack use today has decreased significantly compared to the 1970’s but is still used. Today, Cocaine is still commonly used by people at parties who want assistance in staying up all night. According to National Survey on Drug Use and Health In 2014, Adults aged 18 to 25 years have a higher rate of current cocaine use than any other age group from any other demographic group.

Tattoo Taboo Then & Now

By Cheryl Nuzum

their permanent ink and they had become the adults or even elders of tomorrow.

Tattoos Today Nearly 45 million Americans today have tattoos. Still largely popular with the young adult age group, it is estimated that 36 percent of Americans between the age of 18 - 25 have at least one tattoo while 40 percent ages 26 - 40 have at least one tattoo. The percentages are very close but the slight difference further proves that tattoos are no longer just for the younger generations.

Because so many people today have tattoos, the way society reacts has changed as a result.

The social stigma is no longer as strict as it once was. Rules and regulations surrounding visible ink have begun to lax the workforce.

Starbucks, for example, changed their policy on tattoos in recent years to allow visible tattoos so long as they weren’t offensive or placed on a person’s face or

Photos by Tahir Daudier

Derived from the Tahitian islanders word “tattau” meaning “to mark”, tattoos were once upon a time a very taboo form of art, at least in American culture. People of older generations now reflect that that type of permanent expression was uncommon and usually kept hidden. Even today’s current generation will place their tattoos in areas that are easily covered so as not to upset older family members.

In today’s Western culture, many people view getting a tattoo as a rite of passage. It can mark a moment of adulthood, signifying the authority one has over their own body to decorate, change and create at will.

Decades ago it was already a rite of passage but for military men.

Tattoos were points of pride for soldiers and sailors, branding themselves with remembrances of their home lives or tokens of their time in service. The infamous pin-up girl tattoo image emerged during this time, popular among

sailors, although frowned upon by the Navy.

Following the World Wars, the hippies and beatniks embraced body art, followed by the punks and the rebels by the end of the century. Notably, the social groups that largely adopted the trend were ones that tended to stay on the outskirts of society. Because tattoos weren’t socially accepted, they were essentially brandings for the outcasts.

“Those older generations had a different perception of tattoos because back then, the only people who were getting them were people who were on the rougher side of society, military, criminals, and vagrants. People who were rough around the edges.” says Jordan Mays, tattoo artist at the Ivory Tower tattoo shop in Statesboro.

As time progressed and more generations continued to ink their skin, tattoos became more and more common. They were no longer just a part of youth culture.

The youth of yesterday still had

Designed by Lauren Grizzell

Tattoos Then

neck. The change came after recognizing the amounts of employee forced to cover up their ink with bandages, tape or extraneous clothing.

While some companies have followed in suit with Starbucks, many others have chosen to remain with the traditional standards of no visible ink.

“I think a lot of it has to do with who is still in charge,” says Mays. “If you look at it, a lot of the time it’s people who are older, maybe from the Baby Boomer generation or something like that, older generations.”

Regardless of surviving stigmas, tattoos have become a part of modern culture, making their way into mainstream media with TV shows like Miami Ink and L.A. Ink. Social media sites like Pinterest and Tumblr have entire pages dedicated to tattoo ideas.

Celebrities are often interviewed on their chosen ink and the meanings behind them. With rising notoriety, tattoos have become a part of today’s culture and the statistics only reflect that.

How has society adapted to these changes?

In 2013, the National Post published an article arguing that the tattoo trend would inevitably fade, as all trends do. While in some cultures tattoos have been around for thousands of years, Western culture didn’t begin to embrace them until the 20th century. Towards the end of the century, the popularity of tattoos surged while the disdain of them waned. According to the National Post, this spike can only result in a forthcoming plummet.

Whether or not that plummet occurs is something only time can tell. However, as with anything in style, there are certain trends within the tattoo culture that come and go.

“I try to talk people out of bad

tattoos all the time,” said Mays.

“Especially here recently, it’s pretty popular, or trendy, for people to get tattoos on their hands or near their wrists, places where it’s very visible. And a lot of the time it's kids right out of high school and I’m like, ‘Look, this is probably not a good idea.’”

Because of the popularity of tattoos, it almost seems like a cultural norm to have one, particularly among those who newly of age. Young adults can feel societal pressure amongst their own generation to get one.

Mays agrees. “Sometimes you get people who you can tell, they’re getting a tattoo because they like the idea.”

Despite the change in societal views of tattoos, it is still not a prevalent characteristic branching across all generations and age groups. The widespread acceptance of tattoos is a relatively recent development, meaning that there are still those who view body ink with judgement.

Whether or not that’s a deciding factor getting a tattoo, it is something to expect, at least a few times, particularly if that tattoo is going to visible and large “It’d be pretty ignorant to get something that large and not expect somebody to see it, because it’s still not something super common, heavily tattooed people.” Mays himself is heavily tattooed, and he admits how against the norm it is.

“I still find myself looking at people with large tattoos. It’s something that catches your eye.”

Inevitably when new cultural trends begin to rise against the grain, a power struggle occurs between the old and the new.

Tattoos have become a part of our culture and in many ways our society has begun to adapt. As the present generations continue to fight for the acceptance of their art, future generations will begin to embrace it as a result. Whether or not the tattoo trend continues, there is no doubt that the stigmas in

The Remarkability of Jam Bands’ Enduring Presence in Music A

mong genres of music that have been exploited, messily reproduced and overrated throughout the past few decades, something remains preserved, unharmed.

Unlike the overdone disgustingly catchy sensationalized pop that seems to remain just as prominent in the entertainment world each decade, this type of music does not require a hook or a chorus.

It is subtle while maintaining a sense of experimentalism.

These artists integrate sounds and thrive in spontaneity. They have built communities and subcultures on this mindset.

This is what keeps the following of jam bands consistent and even expanding. Perhaps, the improvised nature of these musicians brought something to the listeners in the past which has continued to influence individuals today. Is it just the fan

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base that is returning or the entire concept of freedom, of musical liberation, of psychedelic-fueled experiences and attitudes?

While many music listeners rely on classification, some indulge in the inconsistency of musicians who use a multitude of genres to their advantage in creating something familiar yet intoxicating.

A band that departs from a popular melody and somehow captures listeners with their instrumental freestyles is difficult to forget, so neither is that type of music. There is always a new combination, a new riff followed by an original drum solo, whether it be accompanied by a simple hit of the hi-hat or a tweak of the vocals, it remains a surprise and perhaps that is the excitement.

The rise in jam band culture can be attributed to the San Francisco acid wave of the 1960s. This was a time when the counter-culture was

commemorated rather than challenged.

And drugs did, in fact, play a role in the development and expression of this type of music.

As Michael Czech, history of rock n’ roll professor at Georgia Southern University, said, “A large part, I think drugs were one of the main emphases for jamming because you would hear different things, your mind would go into different dimensions and the music had to follow that and if the audience was doing drugs too, they played off each other.”

During the late 60s, rock n’ roll, according to many, was in its prime. This was the era where most legendary songs of the time can be traced back to blues.

“It all goes back to the blues of course, everything. Even those guys were jamming, I’d say they were the original jam bands,” Czech said.

Guitarists Stevie Ray Vaughn,

Designed by Dionna Williams

Yasmeen Waliaga

Jimi Hendrix, Clapton and Santana; they all contributed to that jamming sense of music experimentalism that characterizes jam bands then and now. Their role was with the guitar.

“In the 60s, Jimi Hendrix would extend his guitar solos and songs into epic proportions and do all types of different solos using different effect pedals and using feedback,” Michael Czech said.

Grateful Dead has become the sort of quintessential standard for jam bands throughout the years.

They came to have a subculture that would be referred to as “deadheads.” Of course, there remains a subculture today.

Today’s subculture is made up of those remaining jam band fans, those who appreciate music as a cultural phenomenon rather than just a delightful sound.

Often, jam bands are like any other group that produces purist studio albums and songs with a clear beginning and end.

However, what makes these groups different from others lies in the spontaneity that comes with live performances.

“I think the jam comes out a lot live. Like the Allman Brothers Live at The Fillmore, that’s an amazing album, and like Whipping Post, that song goes forever,” Czech said.

Also, jam bands don’t come from solely one region. While Grateful Dead was from San Francisco, the Allman Brothers were from the south, which shows in how their Southern Rock music was heavily influenced by jazz artists like Miles Davis.

“People have to put classifications on things and it gets sort of pigeonholed in the south, ‘these were the jam bands’ and whatever but I really think it’s so much broader,” Czech said.

He added that even Led Zeppelin could be considered a jam band. Their song Dazed and

Confused, for example, is a 10 minute song on record but would be played for 30 minutes live.

Even The Doors, he said, were a good improvising band because they would have to follow the lead of Jim Morrison, who was known for his unpredictability.

Widespread Panic and Phish both entered the improvisational rock music scene in the 80s and both continue to have a distinct following today. Many college students make up part of this subculture and often attend multiple of their concerts a year at several locations. Jam bands and cover bands for groups like the Allman Brothers have become popular at fraternity parties.

Today, the style of music has become more progressive, with soul, funk and bluegrass accents incorporated.

With new developments, jamming has endured a transformation like many other popular forms of music. STS9, also know as Sound Tribe Sector 9, utilizes the synthesizer and computer to add an essence to their sound. So do groups like Lettuce and Papadiso.

“It’s just taken it to a different dimension. At first, I was a purist so I hated synthesizers and I hated drum machines but you know, a song is a song based on the chords, so if you have a good song, I don’t think it matters what instruments you are playing,” Czech said.

With a sense of insecurity in today’s generation of listeners’ patience and capacity for classic sounds comes the urge to test out more.

Funk has played a major role in many of the live performances by jam bands today. Rock infused with a groovy sound of 70s funk feels the right amount of familiar to fans of music, old and new.

The Indiana band Umphrey’s Magee often begins songs with a consistent, smooth sound and

high-pitched vocals creating a funk vibe, and progresses into more defined, distorted sounds. They do so seamlessly, exemplifying how to maintain interest throughout the duration of 23 minutes.

Often times, more instruments will make their entrance throughout the song, as if the sounds are unraveling to the listeners. Phish will build up a song by intentionally repeating a drum and bass pattern quickly until finally, letting loose and unwinding into an explosion of expressive electric guitar and upbeat snare-heavy rhythm. And this is just one of their tendencies, something which has roots in the blues.

Many groups today have fun with experimentation by dabbling in other styles and making them their own. Umphrey’s Magee has covered Led Zeppelin’s Hey, Hey What Can I Do, The Pixies’ Where is My Mind, Eric Clapton’s Layla.

Phish has covered Led Zeppelin’s Good Times, Bad Times, Whole Lotta Love, and Stairway to Heaven. Additional live covers include Talking Heads’ Psycho Killer and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s The Ballad of Curtis Lowe.

Dave Matthews Band has produced multiple hit songs, but extends them past the typical format during live shows more often than not. The Virginia natives have covered All Along the Watchtower multiple times, each one being entirely different in terms of dominance of instruments. Also, this version veers far from the original and adds a suspenseful, often violininfused musical introduction.

“I think there will always be jam bands as long as there is music because that’s the main spark in music; jamming. That’s the origin. That’s the root. It will always influence people,” Czech said.

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Alexandria Richbourg The studio, a second home and a designated creative space; a space where rhymes are written and choruses are sung in sweet melodies that soothe the soul. It’s where artists make music while indulging in the occasional “turn up.” Filled with laughter, deep conversations and people that collectively have a similar passion; the desire to make music.

For Rapper Deante Hitchcock the studio is not only home but is his creative playground.

The taco-loving, 23-year-old former Georgia Southern student has always known what he’s

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wanted to be and that it takes hard work to get there. However, It took a few years to decide he would go fourth with that.

The Atlanta-bred up-andcoming rapper attended Georgia Southern for three years and dropped out in 2014 after deciding school just wasn’t for him.

When it comes to finding one’s purpose in life, it may take some time. For some, life’s purpose might come in the form of an epiphany. For others, it takes having a life-long dream to lead to the discovery of that purpose.

In the words of Deante, it’s a

delicate process.

“It’s such a delicate process.

Especially when you’re starting.

You listen to that voice in your head that tells you that ‘you want to do something,’ but at the same time, when you’re starting, you’re not as good as you want to be or you’re not as good as you see yourself being,” Hitchcock said.

Those voices, the self-doubts or the doubts of others can instill an unnecessary fear in one’s conscious.

“You have to know how to walk before you can run,” Hitchcock said.

Within this year alone, Deante

Designed by Dionna Williams

The Man who Protected his Dream

Photo by Adrienne Tann

Deante Hitchcock

has released his latest album “GOOD,” that can be purchased on iTunes, and gone viral on twitter with his freestyles. Some reaching over 14,000 retweets. His most recent viral video, chiming in on the #SoGoneChallenge, received over 36,000 retweets.

He has even been recognized by celebrities like Wale and has had the opportunity to meet some well-known people within the music industry including artists like Janelle Monáe.

It all simply started with a dream and determination to make it his reality.

“I’ve been rapping since I was twelve-years-old. My uncle put me on to it. He used to write my raps and then I kind-of took over,” Hitchcock said.

Those who know him well recognize his driven nature and ability to ignore fear and self-doubt.

“He’s really driven. I think a lot of people just see him as this goofy, silly person. But he’s really driven and motivated,” Hitchcock’s long term Girlfriend, Lenika Vianen said.

With all the buzz on social media, it may come as a surprise that in such a digital era, Deante really doesn’t like the internet that much. In fact, he tries to stay off of it as much as possible.

“I still get on though because it’s like a necessary evil where I have to, I guess, be visual,” Hitchcock added, “People have to see my face and identify with me. I’m just a lot more productive when I’m off of it,” Hitchcock said.

Staying focused on his craft isn’t the only thing important to this Artist. His self growth is essential for him to constantly progress. He even reads a motivational book everyday in addition to keeping up with personal artists-tasks every week.

“He knows that there’s a lot more out there,” Vianen said.

“I just want to see everything I

can do. Music isn’t the only thing for me nor is it the only thing I want to do in my life,” Hitchcock said.

It’s clear that staying motivated is important to the Rapper. The source of his motivation has always been his mother, who originally encouraged him to go to college and continues to play a role in his success.

“I see my mom a lot still. She comes back to the crib from work. Tired as hell and grouchy as hell. She’s put so much on the line for me and my little brother.

It just makes me mad seeing her work as hard as she does and things stay the same. So as far as the money aspect goes, that’s who I want to take care of with it,” Hitchcock said.

Deante has the desire to take care of his loved ones and he has faith that everything will work out in time. With that faith, he does not quit.

“He never gives up,” Vianen said. “With his music, he’s been doing this for a long time. For him, it’s like ‘this is just now happening for me…I’ve been waiting on this forever.’ and still he never gave up,” Vianen said.

There is no doubt that Deante is lyrically gifted. His best friend describes him to be very humble and modest about it. With three projects out right now, his newest one, GOOD is his favorite.

“I love it, I really do,” Jaye Gardner, Deante’s Best Friend said. “That’s not even a bias statement because we’re close enough for me to say that I don’t like something… It’s interesting because I’ve heard it so many times and I’m still not tired of it.”

Hitchcock’s musical Inspirations change as often as every week.

While people might expect him to say that he constantly listens to artists like J. Cole or Drake, he doesn’t limit himself. He actually likes a little old school music too.

“I like Young Thug (Thug is my favorite rapper right now), Kilo Ali, Drake (of course),” Hitchcock continued, “Marvin Gaye, a little bit of Gladys knight here and there, but nothing crazy.”

Like most people, Deante has a passion. However, what makes him different from many others is that fear is not in his vocabulary.

To him, the unnecessary evil and figment of the imagination that holds one back from achieving their destiny and dreams can ultimately be eliminated.

Deante doesn’t allow fear to have any power over his life, or his dream.

He believes in protecting his dream.

“You have to guard that sh*t with your life, not even necessarily with the same dream that I have, any dream that anyone has,” Hitchcock said, “You don’t have to tell everybody what you want to do as soon as you figure it out.

As you keep going, people are going to notice. They’ll see it.”

Through Deante, one can identify with his passion, his drive and his motivation to make it in the world. He’s admirable, nonetheless. So what’s stopping others for going after what their heart tells them to do? What stops one from doing the things that they’re passionate about?

Excuses, self-doubts, doubts of others, lack of ambition, motivation and fear, are the things that can stop you from following your dreams or fulfilling your life’s purpose.

Deante Hitchcock has eliminated these qualities from his mind and most importantly, his heart. He is the protector of his dream and guards it with his life.

With that alone, there is no doubt that he won’t fulfill his life’s purpose.

He is well on his way.

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