The Reporter, Spring 2022 - Issue III

THE

EPORTER SPRING 2022 ISSUE III

16 Stetson Sweethearts

These love stories through the generations are proof that finding your soulmate right here at Stetson is possible, especially when you least expect it.

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Love Unmasked: Dating and Relationships in the Pandemic

Student perspectives on what changed and what didn’t over the last two years.

08 Lucrative Love.

Valentine’s Day: A modernized holiday of buying love and admiration for your loved one.

VOL. CXXIX

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In honor of the month of love, we decided to put this issue together for you, dear readers, whether you spent your Valentine’s Day on a romantic date, with the guys or gals, or curled up in bed like me, watching rom-coms like the hopeless romantic that I am. With the more lighthearted route we’ve chosen to go for our third issue of the year, whether you’ve spent the day alone or with a loved one by your side, we hope this issue brings some joy and love into your life.

If you’ve found your soulmate here at Stetson or are still looking, you can read about two college sweethearts who did. If you’ve got someone to cook for or you’re simply treating yourself to something delicious, you can read along with our writer who crafted some delectable crepes perfect for this Valentine’s Day season. If you’re tired of the cliché romance novels and are looking for one that depicts a true, modern-day romance that will tug at your heartstrings, you can read the review of “The Henna Wars” by Adiba Jaigirdar.

While I may not have spent this Valentine’s Day with a date by my side, I had a whole team of dedicated individuals by my side instead, working long and hard to put this magazine together. With another one in the books, and one left for me during my time here, I’m determined to take in every second of this experience. So, until next time, happy Valentine’s Day and happy reading!

Executive Editor, Calista Headrick 2

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Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day, dear Florida weather, thou art more lovely and temperate than many places around our state — have you guys heard about the iguanas falling out of trees? Be careful — if you kiss an iguana, you’ll turn into one! So romantic, I know. Ah love; it’s what makes a Subaru, a Subaru, at least that’s what my boyfriend tells me. I’ve always been a sucker for a good rom-com — or as my dad would say, “chick flick” — and my favorite is “When Harry Met Sally,” written by Nora Ephron.

I’m also a sucker for a bad rom-com; my roommates and I always do an annual viewing of “Love Actually” around Christmastime.

So with all of that being said, it really excites me that this issue is all about love. Flip through the pages to read stories of your fellow students falling in love, or alumni who have stayed together throughout the years. See the capitalistic side of Valentine’s Day with Erica’s piece about money or take a quiz to see what rom-com you should watch on Valentine’s Day. Whether or not you’re in a relationship, there’s absolutely nothing better than seeing Julia Roberts (or in my case, Meg Ryan) fall in love on screen while you cry and eat a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. Honestly, that’s my favorite hobby.

Editor-In-Chief, Ruby Rosenthal

This issue was really fun to put together because we came up with the idea for a lovefocused issue back during the fall semester. The challenge though, was that it usually takes us a month and a half to put together an issue from brainstorming to final looks. If we wanted to have a magazine about love out around Valentine’s Day, we had to work fast. It worked out though, a lot of these pieces have more lighthearted and fun topics than what we usually write which was a nice change from writing about the pandemic, mental health, and politics.

I hope you find joy in this issue, because we could all use a little bit of love in our lives.

Managing Editor, Emily Derrenbacker

Models: Rosemary Tehan ’23 & Chase Harshy ’23

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editors.

Ruby Rosenthal editor-in-chief

Calista Headrick

Emily Derrenbacker

executive editor

managing editor

Jillian Semmel

Bella Steiert

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creative director

Vivianne Skavlem

photo editor

social media director

copy editor

A Wilson

Ihsaan Fanusie

Jay Stearman

arts & culture editor

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Isabel Solorzano

sports editor

news editor

r e t r o p e r the

what’s your love language?

staff

Ruby Rosenthal, Editor-in-Chief Physical touch: I want a sentient weighted blanket/ Calista Headrick, Executive Editor hot water bottle.

Isabel Solorzano, Creative Director Emily Derrenbacker, Managing Editor Vivianne Skavlem, Copy Editor Jillian Semmel, Photo Editor Jay Stearman, News Editor A Wilson, Arts & Culture Editor Ihsaan Fanusie, Sports Editor Acts of Service: You cook, I clean :) Jackie Maze, Multimedia Editor Physical touch Nkosi Watts, Webmaster Bella Steiert, Social Media Director, Designer, and Arts & Culture Writer Cassandra Bradley, Designer Zoe Boykin, Designer Chase Berger, News Writer Carmen Cruz, News Writer Julian Navarro, News Writer - Web Erica Lucio, Arts & Culture Writer Alexis Diamond, Arts & Culture Writer Anuket Goins, Arts & Culture Writer – Web Luke McClatchy, Sports Writer

JOINING US

When it comes to joining The

Reporter, we’re not picky.

Whether you’re interested in writing an article, designing a page, taking photos or creating some graphics for us, we want to hear what you have to say. The Reporter is an extracurricular, volunteer operation made for students, by students, and we aim to cover the full spectrum of student life here at Stetson. If you’re interested in getting involved or have any questions, comments or concerns, email our editor-in-chief, Ruby Rosenthal, at rrosenthal@stetson.edu or apply on Engage.

CORRECTIONS

As an official media outlet for students on campus, we push ourselves to be constantly improving our standards and correcting our mistakes. We care about accuracy and providing you with the most accurate information we can give. If there are mistakes, let us know by emailing us at hatternetwork@gmail.com.

ABOUT US

The Reporter is the oldest collegiate

publication in the state of Florida.

The magazine is produced six times per year, three a semester. Florida Sun Printing prints 300 copies per issue on 8.5 x 11inch, 80#Gloss Text. Most body text is 11 point Adobe Garamond Pro with 13 point leading set with a combination of regular, italic, and bold.

All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite CC software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in Photoshop and Illustrator. For additional information, please visit hatternetwork.com. Questions and comments can be mailed to 421 N Woodland Blvd., Unit 8416 DeLand, Florida 32723 or emailed to hatternetwork@gmail.com. We plan to forge a media group that meets our own high standards of excellence and integrity through expression in print and online. Ultimately, student media at Stetson University will be a representation of just that: the students. And because we are serving our peers, we will be honest in the stories we tell. Because if we don’t tell them, who will?

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content 08

Lucrative Love

Valentine’s Day: A modernized holiday of buying love and admiration for your loved one.

Models: Justin Alvarado ’22 & Shayla Reed ’23

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Lucrative Love

Valentine’s Day: A modernized holiday of buying love and admiration for your loved one.

Hatters Pick: Favorite TV Couples

Over the years there have been so many great relationships that have been portrayed on television. Our Instagram followers and fellow Stetson students share which TV couples are their favorite and why.

Review: “The Henna Wars” by Adiba Jaigirdar

If you are looking for a romance novel to curl up with this Valentine’s Day, look no further.

Stetson Sweethearts

If you haven’t found your one true love yet, don’t give up hope! These love stories through the generations are proof that finding your soulmate right here at Stetson is possible, especially when you least expect it.

What Rom-Com Should You Watch on Valentine’s Day?

Take this quiz to help you determine the perfect movie to watch based on your feelings and relationship status.

Love Unmasked: Dating and Relationships in the Pandemic

Student perspectives on what changed and what didn’t over the last two years.

The Diary of Dating Disasters Could a first date get any worse?

Not all Heros Wear Crepes

The perfect recipe for tihs Valentine’s Day season.

Ampersand: With Sam Berman the reporter

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Love.

LUCRATIVE

R

emember when we were in elementary school and on Valentine’s Day we would bring candy and cards to put in our classmates’ goody bags? Or perhaps you might recall your middle and high school lunch period when you would purchase Valentine’s Day candy grams for your high school sweetheart, best friend, or favorite teacher.

Health Science major, Taylor Ward ’22, recalled her fondest Valentine’s Day memory: “My favorite K-12 Valentine’s Day memory is when my now boyfriend asked me to be his girlfriend during our junior year of high school. He surprised me with flowers at school and a handwritten card with a cute drawing on it that said ‘will you be my valentine/girlfriend?’ I still have that card and love to look back on it every year.

Definitely my favorite Valentine’s Day memory.”

The origins of Valentine’s Day are a bit sporadic.

The holiday of love is connected to practices such as paganism, Catholicism, as well as Greek and Roman mythology. One of the iconic personas of Valentine’s Day is the Roman god of love, Cupid, also known in Greek mythology as Eros (not Harry Styles from Eternals), the God of Love.

In the 21st century, Valentine’s Day is far removed from the origins of the holiday. In our modern world, Valentine’s Day is highly marketed with predominantly white, chubby winged babies on cards, massive boxes of assorted chocolates in which, as Forrest Gump says, “you never know what you’re gonna get,” and oversized teddy bears. To put it into perspective, a giant teddy bear that is priced around $25 to $50 at Walmart is nearly three to five hours of Florida minimum wage labor. The holiday is excruciatingly capitalistic, especially in the United States. You could walk into any grocery store or supermarket and you’ll be bombarded with overpriced Valentine’s Day items.

Valentine’s Day: A modernized holiday of buying love and admiration for your loved one.

Written by Erica Lucio Design by Isabel Solorzano Photos by Jillian Semmel

The notion of spending so much money on Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate love for your significant other by surprising them, showing how much you love them with the bouquet of 100 roses, and showering them with gifts to apologize for all the fights and arguments you had together, is a bit odd. Love is a feeling that should be celebrated and cherished year round, not just for one day. Why do we buy things to express love? Is Valentine’s Day just a day to make up for the love you didn’t show?

To get some perspective, I asked some Stetson students what their thoughts were on Valentine’s Day: “I think Valentine’s Day is unnecessary and capitalistic.

I think the meaning and reasoning behind Valentine’s Day have changed and warped over time,” said Tiffany Williams ’23. “Why is there one day of the year that you should show your love, why do you feel semipressured to have something for your partner on that specific day? I am not a fan of Valentine’s Day for these reasons.”

“I think Valentine’s Day is unnecessary and capitalistic. I think the meaning and reasoning behind Valentine’s Day have changed and warped over time. Why is there one day of the year that you should show your love, why do you feel semi pressured to have something for your partner on that specific day?”

- Taylor Ward ’22

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Taylor Ward ’22 explained, “In my opinion, Valentine’s Day is overrated. Even though I personally am in a relationship and have a significant other, I think Valentine’s Day serves no true purpose. The theory behind Valentine’s Day (i.e. showing your love and appreciation for those you have relationships with, whether it be romantic, familial, friendship, etc.) is appreciated, however, I feel like your love and appreciation should go beyond a single day and should be shown in various ways throughout the entire year.”

According to the National Retail Federation’s Valentine’s Day Spending Survey (NRF), it is projected that for February 14, 2022, individuals will spend $175.41 per person equating to a national total of $23.9 billion, up $2.1 billion from 2021, but less than 2020’s profit of $27.4 billion. The NRF has also surveyed that the top 5 gifts consumers will spend their money on are: candy, greeting cards, flowers, an evening out, and jewelry.

While it may sound like complaining, Valentine’s Day is pointless, and I’m not the only one who thinks so. Focusing on our modern notion of the holiday, why dedicate just one day of the year to go bonkers on purchasing gifts and setting up the perfect dinner just to please your significant other? The capitalization of Valentine’s Day makes love tangible and lucrative when you must buy to show how much you love your significant other.

Rather than flocking to purchase gifts from the store or online, creating something with your hands holds more sentimental and personal value. If you are an artist, create something using the skills of your craft. Create a painting, compose a piece of music, or write a sonnet for your significant other— Shakespearean or Petrarchan are both welcome. Even if you’re not well-versed in an artistic field, why not learn a new craft with a loved one? If a personalized and handcrafted gift is not your forte, aim towards a fun experience. Attend a concert, go see a play, visit a new city, recreate a cuisine dish new to you, or spend the day at DisneyWorld or Universal—luckily for Stetson students they’re both an hour drive away.

So, the next time Valentine’s Day comes around, consider finding a different way to celebrate that may be more affordable, more sustainable, and more valuable.

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HATTERS PICK:

Favorite TV Couples Over the years there have been so many great relationships that have been portrayed on television. For this issue, our Instagram followers and fellow Stetson students share which TV couples are their favorite and why.

Written by Bella Steiert Design by Bella Steiert and Isabel Solorzano Graphics by Bella Steiert

Jackie and Hyde (That 70s Show)

“They grew in the relationship and brought out the best in each other.”

Chuck and Blair (Gossip Girl)

“They had such a rocky start but proved to each other that they wanted to be together.”

Mulder and Scully (The X-Files)

“One of the most iconic couples, Mulder and Scully, had so many viewers wanting them to get together that they kind of started the trend of ‘shipping.’ They prove that opposites attract and they have perfect chemistry.”

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Spock and Kirk (Star Trek)

“They’re not an official couple, but Spock and Kirk are the OG TV couple.”

Luke and Lorelai (Gilmore Girls)

“They bring out the best similar humor and they had history and would do anything for anything for each other.”

David and Patrick (Schitt’s Creek)

“They have such a domestic and comfortable love.”

Cas & Dean (Supernatural)

“Not specifically because they’re gay but because their romance was full of ups and downs.”

Jake and Amy (Brooklyn 99)

“The two have a sweet relationship that blossomed from co-workers to husband and wife. They always have fun together and balance each other out.”

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The Henna Wars

by Adiba Jaigirdar

If you are looking for a romance novel to curl up with this Valentine’s Day, look no further.

Written by Alexis Diamond Design by Isabel Solorzano Graphics by Isabel Solorzano

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I happened to hear about “The Henna Wars”

by Adiba Jaigirdar in the exciting little realm of BookTube—essentially YouTube’s equivalent to BookTok. Many creators raved about this novel for its portrayal of the relationship of two queer women of color and the discrimination that comes along with both of those identities. The author did a fantastic job illustrating the fear of coming out and the journey of navigating familial disapproval.

Nishat is a Bangladeshi teen living in Ireland alongside her sister Priti, and her parents. Aside from the occasional Facebook drama, their family does not appear to have any turmoil. However, Nishat’s homelife changes once she comes out to her parents as a lesbian. Her parents immediately disapprove, and their relationships turn rocky. As the tensions at home are rising, Nishat becomes reacquainted with a friend from elementary school, Flavia, a Brazilian student who is also the cousin of Nishat’s biggest enemy—Chyna—and their story of love, betrayal, miscommunication, and discovery ensues.

They both establish rival henna businesses for their class assignment and soon, both are faced with tough competition and the harsh reality of homophobia, racism, and cultural appropriation. This novel ventures deep into those topics to give the reader a firm understanding of the cruel nature of their classmates, especially Chyna, who disapproves of Nishat’s sexuality and torments her through non-consensually outing her to the class and wreaking havoc on her shop.

The language in the novel was in no way unrealistic, and it felt as if each word was selected with care.

From Nishat’s conversations with others about her identity to the exploration of cultural appropriation and the responses of some of Nishat’s peers, none of it feels like the contrived drama you hear from some blockbusters—it reads like actual conversations between high school students who don’t understand the complexities of identity. This dialogue that occurs between Nishat and her parents throughout the novel is one that many people have unfortunately experienced, and as difficult as it is to read, it is an important topic

to be educated on. As a reader, I could envision the characters in these tough situations, pondering their responses, their reactions, and the emotions they would portray when making some of their remarks. That is an underappreciated quality that really adds to the heartfelt depictions of real-life, horrible situations.

The story did an incredible job of depicting intricate relationship dynamics. Jaigirdar is able to thoughtfully illustrate the misunderstanding between Nishat and her parents who don’t quite understand the concept of same-sex relationships, and beautifully depicts Nishat and her close friends’ relationships, as well as the blossoming romance between Nishat and Flavia.

Both are learning to come to terms with society’s wrongful ostracization of queer individuals, while also navigating the rough terrain of competition. Nishat originally mistakes Flavia’s interest as a nefarious plot to undermine her henna business, but soon, their emotions become more overt and they begin understanding the deep feelings they harbor for one another.

Their romantic relationship felt very natural, from Nishat’s descriptions of the butterflies she felt when Flavia touched her hand, to the happiness she felt upon seeing Flavia smile, and the heartbreak she felt when competition began to stand in their way. I could feel those emotions alongside Nishat, and every description felt like something I had felt before, but I was experiencing it through the mind of someone living it for the first time. It brought me back to those emotions I had as a teenager and how I felt upon seeing my crush around school. Again, it didn’t feel contrived—it felt real.

Seeing their rivalry blossom into a romance through the novel was wonderful to see. Queer romance novels such as this are a gift to teenagers and young adults. It can provide a voice for those who have been silenced, and encourage those who are young to educate themselves on the complexity of human identities and sexual orientations. This novel was absolutely stunning in every regard, and it is definitely one fitting for Valentine’s Day.

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Elizabeth & Brian 16 issue III

Sweethearts STETSON

Written by Calista Headrck Design by Isabel Solorzano Photos Courtesy of Elizabeth Henderson & Jennifer Carroll

If you haven’t found your one true love yet, don’t give up hope! These love stories through the generations are proof that finding your soulmate right here at Stetson is possible, especially when you least expect it.

Young and in Love When Elizabeth Henderson ’22 and Brian Nystrom ’22 met through mutual friends in 2018, little did they know that they would begin dating the following year.

“We ended up going to dinner all together and we met that night, and then didn’t really think anything of it,” Elizabeth said. It was ultimately becoming part of the FOCUS team in their sophomore year that brought them together.

“We had both gotten into FOCUS and on the FOCUS retreat we ended up walking next to each other and I was like, ‘I know this guy, but I can’t remember where.’ We ended up talking on the way to dinner I think,” she told me.

“It was the way back from dinner,” Brian made sure to clarify.

Elizabeth and Brian got very close that week: “I remember we used to use the student lounge as kind of like a break area before COVID. So, we went and I walked in because we usually ended up having breaks at the same time and I remember not seeing him there. I was like, ‘Oh man, I don’t get to go on break with Brian.’ And then like five minutes later he walked in because he was doing something else and he just got delayed,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.

Both Henderson and Nystrom have been a part of FOCUS together ever since. “That was one of the things that really got us together. And every year we’ve done it together since then,” she said. “And I was his boss last year so it was kind of convenient.”

It was during Fall Break on their way back from hammocking when Brian asked Elizabeth out on their first date downtown to Santorini Greek Cuisine.“We just talked all night. I think they were kind of wanting us to leave by the

time we left Santorini,” Elizabeth laughed. “We talked all night and then we went and watched a movie…We watched the first 15 minutes and then we were like, this is kind of boring. So then we put on this really—not trashy Netflix movie—but it was just a stupid Netflix movie that made no point. And here we are two and a half years later.”

The two decided to make it official a few days after their first date. At Hatter Network’s own Uncouth Hour, when audience members used to watch the performers in-person, Brian recounted how it went down. “I was awkwardly standing there and I was like ‘This is gonna be awkward but do you want to be my girlfriend?” Brian said.

“He and I are both very awkward people, so it had gotten more awkward right before he asked if I could be his girlfriend,” said Elizabeth. “I was like, something’s happening here, because he’s more awkward than normal and even I can pick up the awkwardness. But hey, it worked!”

Their relationship stood the true test of time after Elizabeth and Brian spent winter break apart—with Elizabeth in Chicago and Brian in Jacksonville—followed shortly after by the lockdown that began in March of 2020. “We were long distance for longer than we had been together at first,” Elizabeth said.

Although their time together at Stetson will soon end, they’re confident in how their relationship will stand after graduation in May, even though it won’t be easy.

“It’ll be different, but I think because we’ve had to go long distance for so long, I don’t think it’ll be that hard,” Elizabeth said. “And I mean, I’ll probably end up in Florida, so it won’t be as long distance. We can see each other a lot and visit each other on weekends or when I’m not in class.”

“It’ll be weird, but I think we’re both ready for this,” said Brian.

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Jennifer & Sean A Love for the Ages

Although Stetson has changed over the last 44 years, Jennifer Carroll ’82 and Sean Smith’s ’80 love for each other certainly has not.

It all started in 1978, when Jennifer in her first year and Sean in his second, joined the Student Government Association. They had no idea that a simple meeting together would turn into a lifetime together.

“We both ended up in a Student Government [Academic Affairs] meeting, and by the next meeting, we each knew each other’s name without having directly talked to each other. And then we just started talking and hit it off from there immediately,” Sean recalled.

For Jennifer, their fateful meeting–let alone meeting the man she would one day marry–was something she never could have guessed would happen.

“I never expected it really because I wasn’t, you know, I was very much into my studies.

I was very academic and all that but I just accidentally hit it off and have been together ever since,” she said.

But, according to Sean, although neither of the two predicted it themselves, the dean at the time may have predicted it for them.

“When my mother and I first toured the campus, they separated parents and the students coming in and had different meetings for them.

In the meeting my mother went to, she told me that the dean got up on the stage there in

Elizabeth Hall [Lee Chapel] and welcomed the parents and then told them, ‘Okay, look to the person to your left, look to the person to your right, because they might become your in-laws,’ and then he told this thing about what percentage of Stetson students end up getting married and that sort of thing,” he said with a laugh. “So my mother came and told me that afterwards and I always thought that was kind of funny that he was introducing things that way even back then.”

With a new romance sparked, their first date was to a restaurant that is still open in DeLand today: “Our first date was actually to Won Lee’s [Chinese Restaurant], it’s still there, and actually a few years ago we went back there…but that was our first date, a Chinese restaurant,” said Sean.

“And then we went to, I think it was Manos,” Jennifer added. “I don’t think Manos is there anymore but it was a small Italian restaurant. The downtown wasn’t as big as it is now. But that was the place where everybody would go because it was inexpensive Italian food and it was good.”

Jennifer and Sean had lots of favorite spots around campus, but they particularly enjoyed spending their time at the Hat Rack, which at the time Sean recalled, “was just one counter and you could go and order shakes, and ham sandwiches, and things like that…it was very charming.”

The two also recalled visiting each other often at their dorms, but with slightly different restrictions than what exists now: “Back then, there wasn’t mixed housing. So I was over in Smith [Hall], and it was all male over there. And Chaudoin [Hall], when I would come to visit Jennifer, you’d walk in the door and there was somebody at the desk there in the lobby. And so you’d call up and then Jennifer would have to come down and then we could sit there in the lobby,” Sean said.

Sean also made sure to add that the campus was just as beautiful 44 years ago as now, which made for plenty of pastimes for the couple.

“The setting there around Stetson was just wonderful for us. We loved to go on walks to the neighborhood to the east of the campus. There were always azaleas and dogwoods blooming in the spring and so we would go for long walks all through there and those were just great times for us,” he said. “And then Blue Springs, we would always head down to Blue Springs. That was one of our favorite places to go to. And Jennifer got her toe bitten by a squirrel there…he didn’t bite it very hard, but it was funny,” he added with a laugh.

“

It’s odd because we feel we’re very lucky because we felt that we found our soulmate right away, which is so unusual. But it’s just how it happened and we were very fortunate that way.”

- Jennifer Carroll ’82

Jennifer and Sean continued dating throughout their time at Stetson, and continued their relationship after graduation where they attended Mercer University together for their advanced degrees. As if something out of a movie, they then got married and had their son Austin together, who also attended Stetson for his undergraduate career.

“We didn’t expect that at all. We had no idea really where he’d be going…we stayed away from pushing him into anything, but I think he liked the business school, the Roland George [Investments] Program, and he just felt very comfortable,” Jennifer said.“And you know, he probably felt comfortable too because he knew his parents went there. I think that had something to do with it,” she added.

From 1978 to now, Jennifer and Sean’s love for each other is stronger than ever, which, thanks to Stetson, brought them together.

“We were always in love with each other. We really just knew,” said Jennifer. “It’s odd because we feel we’re very lucky because we felt that we found our soulmate right away, which is so unusual. But it’s just how it happened and we were very fortunate that way.”

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a h w t

Rom-Com

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should you w at c

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Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is a complicated holiday: everyone has different feelings about it and not all of them are positive. It’s still pretty universal to want to curl up and watch a good rom-com at the end of the day. If you combine all the streaming services, there are hundreds of romantic comedies to choose from. Some are horrible and some are great. So, we’ve created a quiz to help you determine the perfect movie to watch based on your feelings and relationship status. With that being said, should we just search romantic comedies on Netflix and see what we find?

start

Written by Emily Derrenbacker Design by Isabel Solorzano

What are you feeling towards Valentine’s Day?

Single

What is your current relationship status?

It’s complicated...

Is the confusion worth it?

In a relationship More than six months

How long have you been together?

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Do you want it to last?

Less than 6 months

?

Totally a scam to make people spend money and “buy” love.

Are you heartbroken or do you think it’s a capitalist scam?

10 Things I Hate About You: The

main character of this movie, Kat, would also agree that Valentine’s Day is a scam, but it still has a cute love story.

Someone Great: It sounds like you need Heartbroken

a good cry! If you’re trying to get over someone, this movie is going to hurt, but it will be cathartic.

Plan B: Having a Galentine’s Day? This My best friends!

Negative

movie follows two teenage girls on a crosscountry roadtrip to find Plan B after a one-night stand. It’s hilarious and perfect to watch with your bff.

Mamma Mia: There is no better movie

Who are you spending Valentine’s Day with?

to raise your spirits than Mamma Mia. Sing and dance along, and if anyone judges you, they’re simply awful.

Alone Positive

Love, Rosie: Learn to COMMUNICATE Yes

or you’ll end up like the characters in this movie, Alex and Rosie, who take years to get together.

Honestly, no.

The Proposal: This movie is so wonderful and funny, and the title might serve as subliminal messaging to put a ring on it.

I’m not sure it’s going to work out.

Yes!

Valentine’s Day: The perfect movie to

watch when you’re in a new relationship or an casual one. It’s entertaining and funny, and Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner were the perfet on-screen couple.

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Love Unmasked:

Dating and Relationships in the Pandemic.

Student perspectives on what changed and what didn’t over the last two years.

Story by Jay Stearman Design and Graphics by Cas Bradley

W

hen the clouds of the pandemic began to fall, we started to notice how many aspects of life we took for granted. Walking into work, having your professor hand out pieces of paper, going to literally any concert, and meeting someone out at a bar or restaurant all became things we never thought we’d lay awake wishing for.

If asked about what you missed most about quarantining in the pandemic, I would put money on your answer having something to do with relationships. Dating became limited and started both looking and acting differently, while we started worrying about the health of our friends and family members like never before. When so much of our lives started happening on a computer screen, we had to get used to isolation while still attempting to be functional and productive human beings.

In our isolation, what could be a better cure to our loneliness than finding a special someone to spend time binging “Tiger King” and eating Chinese take out with? But when our traditional gathering areas like clubs, bars, and coffee shops began to shutter, many of us turned to the hate-it-ortolerate-it world of online dating.

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The Associated Press reports that revenue tripled from 2019 to 2020 for the then little-known dating app, Hinge. Apps like

Tinder and Bumble began to include digital badges for vaccination status and first date preferences, for example online, socially distanced, and with or without masks. They also added video chat features as more and more people wanted to size each other better before inviting them to their home-turnedcovid-bunker. ABC News reports that nearly half of people on Tinder, whose users are more than 50% members of Gen Z, began video chatting with a match during the pandemic.

Although the pandemic popularized new ways of meeting and interacting with people via video call (pants and shoes not required), it also strained the relationships of existing couples. Psychology Today reports that instances of domestic abuse jumped and the divorce rate after lockdown nearly doubled. This trend can occur when couples and families spend prolonged periods of time together, so it is’t entirely surprising that this phenomenon returned in force during the pandemic. However, it isn’t all bad news.

Although anxieties over money, work, health, sanity, and a host of others are sure to bring out darker days in the course of a relationship, the increasing proximity as couples spend more time together at home and share in domestic tasks can also be beneficial, serving to bring couples closer.

To see how Stetson students felt about dating in the pandemic, I interviewed several people from all walks of life. Single people, close couples, long distance partners, and even people still in ‘the talking phase’ were all asked about how their romantic lives changed since the pandemic set in.

One student opened up about her relationship which started during the pandemic. She told me she felt that queer couples were different from others as

they felt the need to find new ways to show that they like each other when a lot of their time was spent just hanging out and doing homework together.

Sometimes, being able to have dates without an expectation of going out and being in public can be a relief and allows the couple to be more relaxed together and comfortable.

Couples in general expressed that they didn’t feel as much pressure to go out and spend money on events or meals at restaurants. Instead, they found joy in cooking at home or just making popcorn and watching a movie. Other couples agreed that connections between people are still the same now as they were pre-pandemic: “A connection is a connection, and I wouldn’t say it’s changed much,” one student said.

Besides the initial period of lockdown in 2020 when people couldn’t see each other as much, they said, it’s all pretty much the same. Perhaps, our generation’s intimate use (or over-use) of technology

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makes keeping relationships of any caliber a little easier when face-to-face isn’t an option.

One student who stated she was in a relationship which started in fall of 2021, said that the anxiety of exposing her significant other with the virus, who could then pass it on to his dad, definitely played its part: “We spent a lot of time on FaceTime while I was quarantining after I contracted the virus,” she said. “But I thought it was really sweet that we got even closer as people even though we couldn’t physically see each other for more than a week.”

On the other hand, another student was adamant about warning against the effects of social media on people who may have been feeling isolated during COVID times: “I feel bad for people following the toxicity trend on tik tok,” she said. “Everyone is talking about staying toxic in relationships and it’s a problem because people shouldn’t be getting their personality from the internet.”

In general, couples said that they felt their relationships did move at a faster pace due to the lockdown and pandemic. It could be that there have been fewer events to attend with friends– especially large ones like concerts and festivals–or that other friendships and relationships have been harder to maintain since most interactions in the early days of the pandemic had to be extra-intentional.

Couples relayed that the initial lockdown was a tough bump to get past as so many places were closed, but afterwards they spent more time directly interacting with each other. Rather than being occupied by some other event that they were engaged in for a more conventional date, couples honed in on one-on-one time which exposed the make-or-break point a little earlier than normal.

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“I just feel bad for people like me who find texting and SnapChat to be exhausting even before the pandemic,” one student shared. “A lot of people were more hesitant to just meet up with people early on, so if your virtual flirting skills aren’t good, you’re kinda screwed.”

While the statistics from dating sites suggest that hookup culture might have changed with people spending more time in front of the screen and trying to deal with the mental challenges of quarantine, introverts and those who remained single said that they actually enjoyed having the time to be alone and focus on themselves.

For those who like their independence, they said they felt less distracted to find people and make connections as they were able to refocus on their main priorities in uncertain times. One student who stated they were single said that “relationships are a lot of work and I’m an introvert, so I like my alone time. And now [with the pandemic], I’ve been able to get that times 10.”

“It’s introvert season!” one of her friends nearby exclaimed.

One thing that is certain is that there doesn’t appear to be a clear trend either way towards more casual or more serious relationships. In essence, people seemed to respond to the pandemic by continuing on with whatever preference they had before the virus, casual flings or trying to find that special someone. Some students made sure to mention that even being in a relationship during this pandemic doesn’t preclude you from spending time to focus on yourself. After all, these past couple years have really put what matters to us most in sharp relief, whether that be love, family, romance, education, health, or even sanity.

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of DIARY Dating Disasters Could a first date get any worse?

Story by Chase Berger Design by Isabel Solorzano

Amid the happy couples celebrating their love, there are some who reflect on their potential and past prospects and shudder. They decide they would happily spend Valentine’s Day alone than ever give their past dating disasters another attempt. Some dating stories are so catastrophic that they sound as if they are fictive tales pulled from the imagination. Unfortunately for everyone, the following stories are true.

The first red flag Jules discovered on their first date with a boy to Build-a-Bear was him expecting them to pay for his Build-aBear. While this would not normally be a problem, Jules was put off by finding that their date expected it. The second much more alarming red flag occurred when the boy ate the pretzels he dropped off the filthy mall floor. There was not a second date.

- Jules Gonzales ’24 Alejandra is a woman who does not regret much but would consider her exboyfriend to be one thing she does. While she was not looking for a relationship during quarantine, she reluctantly agreed to be exclusive with a man who wanted to be exclusive with her. Soon after they began to date, he revealed his true colors. He started to become controlling and even said multiple different slurs in passing conversation. After calling him out and trying to hold him accountable, she began to distance herself from him before finally cutting him off completely.

- Alejandra Correa ’24

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For Emily, working long hours at her job had never proven to be a problem. Sure, she got home late and stayed up even later to finish her university homework, but the money was nice. Unfortunately, a problem arose when a boy decided he wanted to pursue her at the worst time possible, and maybe also the creepiest time possible. After they finished closing together, he walked to her car, practically cornering her into a conversation for twenty minutes before he let her go home.

Rest assured, Emily did not agree to go on a date with him.

- Emily Olsen ’23 What Alayna hoped would be a fun day turned out to be a horrible decision. While on a casual date with a boy, a bad omen appeared before her in the shape of a fortune cookie. The slip of paper inside claimed that the love of her life was right in front of her; it was wrong, so very wrong. During the date, several red flags appeared (he only spoke about himself, never caring to ask her anything, and mentioned his last relationship several times), and she immediately threw away the fortune after the date.

However, every couple of months, he resurfaces and continues to make her life awkward.

- Alayna Brown ’25 First dates can make or break a future relationship, so most people do their best to prevent any awkward encounters or hiccups. First dates are also supposed to only involve the potential couple, right? Well, apparently Nick’s date didn’t get the memo. After spending $75 on an Uber to the fair, imagine Nick’s surprise to find his date and her entire family::: father, mother, little brother, and little sister. Talk about an awkward first date.

- Nicholas Suarez ’24

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NOT ALL HEROES WEAR

Crepes Before the onset of the pandemic, I was blessed enough to have taken a trip to Paris. I was blown away by everything from the art, the architecture, and most notably, the food.

After it was all said and done, I found myself missing the crunchy decadence of the pain au chocolates (chocolate croissants), the fiendishly smooth café au laits (coffee and milk), and especially my all-time favorite treat during my visit: crepes.

I wished for nothing more than to time travel back to the moment I tried a crepe for the first time as I walked around the Notre Dame cathedral with some friends, eyes agape at the maddeningly delectable treat that stood before me. But seeing as how humanity has yet to achieve such a scientific feat, the only logical solution I could conceive was to attempt to make them myself to hopefully cure my overwhelming bout of longing. This quest was a daunting one, given my limited resources within my college dorm, but my hunger for this delectable delight outweighed the challenges ahead. What I found was that they are remarkably easy to make, and are every bit as delicious as what you’ll find in France.

So, if you’re looking for a decadent and romantic meal to make with your partner this Valentine’s Day season, or just want to treat-yo-self, then I highly recommend following this recipe inspired by chef Alton Brown.

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Written by Carmen Cruz Design by Isabel Solorzano Photos by Carmen Cruz

THE REPORTER

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INGREDIENTS: 2 large eggs 3/4 cup milk ½ cup water 1 cup flour 3 tbsp melted butter 2 ½ tbsp sugar Butter for coating the pan Optional: 1 tsp vanilla extract &/or 2 tbsp of your favorite liqueur

DIRECTIONS: 1. Rigorously whisk together all the ingredients in a large bowl. If you have access to a blender, that’s even better. If all you have is a fork, you can make that work so long as you take your time to fully emulsify everything together.

2. Allow your mixture to rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour. This step is crucial as it stabilizes the batter, which makes it less likely to tear later on.

3. Melt a knob of butter on medium-low heat in a small nonstick pan. Pour about a ½ cup of batter into the middle of the pan, and tilt to spread it evenly across its circumference.

4. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until it’s no longer shiny. Flip, and cook for another 10 or so seconds. Tip: When attempting to flip, alternate between a spatula in one hand and a spoon or tongs in the other. Use the spoon/tongs to lift a portion of the free edge, and then the spatula to get up under the crepe.

5. Lay them out flat to cool (you can just stack them one atop the other). Dress them each with a layer of Nutella and sliced strawberries or whatever toppings you’d prefer, and enjoy!

Try them for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or even dinner if you're daring enough. Top them with savory accoutrement instead, like a sunny side up egg and bacon with creme fresh or an avocado (just be sure to leave out the extracts and liqueurs). The sky’s the limit, so get creative!

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Story by Vivianne Skavlem Design by Isabel Solorzano Photos by Natalia Jimenez

& Meet Sam

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I sat down with Sam Berman ‘23, a studio art major, who I met last semester in our Painting I class to talk about the painting “Limerence” they submitted for our class final.

When did you start doing art or painting specifically?

I’ve been doing art literally since I was a kid and able to hold a crayon. My parents kept encouraging me, they’re like, “Sam you got this! Your drawings are so good, don’t quit.” I just kept drawing and drawing and drawing. I would only draw with pencil and markers and colored pencils. It wasn’t until really 2018 that I started picking up painting.

What's your typical medium?

A: I’m used to working with acrylic paint.

But lately I’ve been experimenting with oil paints, and I’m starting to like them better, just because of how they work.

Do you have anything that you find yourself gravitating towards, in terms of subject matter or thematic things in your work?

If you look at the majority of my paintings, they all somehow include red. I just really like the color. I can’t really say there’s a cohesive theme; I tend to focus on more personal things, just things that happened to me and around me, and I like incorporating that into my art.

Can you walk through your process of making a piece?

So I would start off by toning the canvas, usually with whatever color I feel like using that day. However, through this painting, I learned that not every color is good as a wash, especially if you don’t let it 100% dry first.

Yellow tends to be the best. Red if you’re going for a nice, warm tone. And then I would use that same oil and do a rough sketch of where I wanted the main subject matter to be on the canvas. Then I would start off with putting in the darkest colors first, because I find it to be easiest. I highly recommend using a reference image or just a reference. I would continue going up the value level using lighter colors.

Personally I like blending everything. Then after the main subject is done, I would go in and do the background.

What is your piece called?

Okay, so, the theme of the painting is infatuation, so what if I call it infatuation?

And just left it at that? Or if there’s another word for obsessive infatuation. Let’s see. Limerence. Oh, it’s a disorder. Fun. “Limerence is a state of mind which results from romantic or non romantic feelings for another person. Includes obsessive thoughts and fantasies.” I’ll call it Limerence. Because that sounds fancy.

So tell me a little bit about Limerence.

The piece is actually a sequel to a previous drawing. [The drawing] depicted a female laying on the ground wearing a flower dress, but she had roses in her eyes. The roses are meant to symbolize essentially, rose colored lenses, and being clouded by love, and only being able to see that. And over time, [Limerence], show[s] the flowers got to the point where they essentially took over, and vines started growing and just became this painful constricting thing. It’s supposed to symbolize being infatuated and if you let it go unchecked, it can become toxic and a really unhealthy dangerous thing.

So, how do you decide when a painting is finished?

That’s a really good question. Painting is a process. I kind of see it as a puzzle, figuring out where the different colors piece together on a painting. I just keep doing that until it looks right to me. I don’t know how else to say it besides until I think it looks right.

Do you have any final thoughts for artists out there?

Practice. Practicing–you’ve probably heard this a million times. But, if you want to get good at something, just keep doing it over and over and over again until you get it. I can attribute that to so many things besides painting. This is a really dumb example, but I recently got Smash Bros for the Switch, right? There was this one level that I just couldn’t beat and was so freaking difficult.

I would just sit there [re]playing the level and just could not beat it. But then, after like 40 attempts, I finally managed to beat it. I started painting and it wasn’t good, but I just kept painting and painting. So just do it over and over and over again until you like it.

“Limerence,” by Sam Berman (‘23)

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WHAT

are you listening to?

Stream Stetson’s best (and only) radio station live on hatternetwork.com Or download Radio.Co to tune in

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FIND THIS PLAYLIST ON HATTER NETWORK’S SPOTIFY @HATTERNETWORK

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@hatternetwork

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