The Buzz | Spring 2016

BEAUTY U

BØRNS

BAND RAISES THE BAR FOR INDIE ROCK

nearthed

SPRING FASHION IN THE RAW

THE STARTER CITY

POST-GRADS SETTLE DOWN IN BEANTOWN

BEAUTY UNEARTHED, p. 42 Inspired by the earthy tones of spring, this issue’s fashion shoot at the Cambridge Center Roof Garden highlights natural beauty.

Preview photo by Oleg Teplyuk 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS CAMPUS

7 SOLACE IN A CIGARETTE Cigarettes on campus: a contentious issue

10 ON OR OFF?

The benefits of living on and off campus at BU

FOOD

FASHION

spring 2016

50 METRO

Changing perceptions of the fashion-forward male

54 STYLE WITHOUT A GLITCH

The immersion of technology into fashion

CITY

13 CAFÉ ARTSCIENCE

57 ALL-NIGHT NIGHTLIFE

16 THE MARATHON FOODIE

60 BOSTON: THE STARTER CITY

A Kendall Square restaurant taking comfort food to a whole new level

Olympic athlete Shalane Flanagan’s food for thought on active eating

CULTURE

Entertainment alternatives for students under 21

Why some students choose to call Boston home after graduation

TRAVEL

24 ONCE UPON A REMAKE

63 FORGETTING CHANEL

27 IN THEIR ELEMENT

66 ABROAD EXPERIENCES

Disney’s iconic fairytales brought back to life

A look at the work of CFA’s brightest artists

SPORTS

Discovering Paris and learning French style as the new girl in town

How to get what you want out of studying abroad

MUSIC

35 STUDENTS OR ATHLETES?

72 SINFUL SOUNDS

38 GOING FOR GOLD

74 CLICK IT & TICKET

A look into one of the most demanding college lifestyles

How professional athletes changed the Olympic Games

The facts and fictions of downloading music through Boston University’s Wi-Fi

The best apps to get you to the show

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

we are SPRING 2016 Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Publisher Creative Director Art Director Photography Director Head Copy Editor Social Media Coordinator Editors

Photography Editors

Events Coordinator Public Relations Coordinator Advertising Coordinator

4

Elisha Machado Sarah Wu Samantha Blank Erica Maybaum Aleena Qazi Stephen Vocaturo Rebecca Young Regina Raphael Brittany Bell, Sports Clara Burr-Lonnon, Travel Jacqui Busick, Food Rivah Clemons, Culture Danny McCarthy, City Kate Radin, Fashion Victoria Wasylak, Music Grace Weinstein, Campus Madeleine Arch, Culture Michaela Johnston, City Kelly Markus, Fashion Eliza Sullivan Jessi Mitrovich Jessamyn Wallace

Writers Campus: Emily Confalone, Tyler Chin, Tori Pietsch, Joey Mendolia, Ariana Quihuiz, Yasmin Younis City: Anna Barry, Danielle Bozzone, Michael Manni, Eden Marcus, Sasha Parodi, Angeli Rodriguez, Colby Rymes, Alexia Simitian Culture: Danielle Bozzone, Jacqui Busick, Sydney Foy, Kristie Franco, Megan Mulligan, Maria Popova, Ezgi Toper, Andrea Vega Fashion: Katie Barry, Sydney Collier, Emily Goldman, Layla Hopkins, Kady Matsuzaki, Brittany Pontbriand, Ariana Quihuiz, Tara Rudomanski, Maxine Twigg Food: Sydney Collier, Gianna Duda, Abigail Miglorie, Kelsey King, Kenny Ramos, Riley Sugarman, Eliza Sullivan Music: Benjamin Bonadies, Deanna Klima-Rajchel, Abigail Miglorie, Emma Parkinson, Sasha Parodi, Kenny Ramos, Erin Schroeter, Taleen Simonian Sports: Jessica Citronberg, Casey Douglas, Gianna Duda, Jordan Green, Sophia Lipp Travel: Mas D’Emilia, Grace Elowe, Grace Gulino, Alex Hobson , Brittany Kubicko, Supriya Manot, Paisley Piasecki, Kaylie Piecuch Weekly Buzz Broadcast Sophia Lipp, Bronsen Bloom

Copy Editing Team

Danielle Bozzone, Koreena GeislerWagner, Nicole Hoey, Megan Mulligan, Kenny Ramos, Andrea Vega Moreno, Jessamyn Wallace, Amy Yi, Nicole Zabaneh

Photography Team

Cassandra Chan, Brittany Chang, Kelsey Cronin, Mae Davis, Olivia Falcigno, Sophia Kapreilian, Brigid King, Deanna Klima-Rajchel, Ryan Lim, Giancarlo Rodriguez, Mike Schwarz, Ann Singer, Camilla Stejskal, Oleg Teplyuk, Angela Wang, Karam Yang

Creative Team

Designers: Jessy Ahn, Emma Csenge, Gabrielle DiPietro, Dorian Dreyfuss, Deanna Klima-Rajchel, Jami Rubin, Maia Sklarov, Mariam Syed, Karam Yang, Shannon Yau, Cat Yu Illustrators: Jillian Apatow, Samantha West

Publishing Team

Advertising: Ashley Chu, Caroline Pearson Events: Alex Creed, Miranda Mancini

ON OUR COVER: Aurelia Paul (COM ‘17) sports a Topshop vest and metallic gold dress provided by the stylist.

COVER PHOTO BY STEPHEN VOCATURO PHOTO TO LEFT BY OLEG TEPLYUK

contributors

Our Spring 2016 issue would not have been possible without the help of many outside students and partners who share their talents, insights and time. We would like to thank each and every new and existing relationship, and we look forward to our continued partnership in the future. This issue was partially funded by your undergraduate student fee.

STORES Crush Boutique 264 Newbury St. #2 617-424-0010 @CrushBoutique GANT 324 Newbury St. 617-536-1949 @GANT1949 Jack Wills 179 Newbury St. 857-753-4524 @jackwillsusa LIT Boutique 223 Newbury St (617)-421-8637 @LITBoutique

Lou Lou 222A Newbury St. 857-265-3952 @loulouboutiques No Rest For Bridget 220 Newbury St. 617-236-5650 @norestforbridget Steven Alan 172 Newbury St. 617-398-2640 @stevenalan

SUPPORTERS Boston University Faculty Prof. Safoura Rafeizadeh Dean Thomas Fiedler Elisabeth Symczak Dean John Battaglino College of Communication Undergraduate Program, Boston University College of Communication Graduate Program, Boston University Student Activities Office, Boston University

Allocations Board, Boston University Study Abroad, Boston University Cambridge Center Rooftop Garden HAIR STYLING Oghogho Odemwingie (COM ‘16) 496-667-4355 MAKEUP STYLING Dheandra Jack (CAS ‘16) 617-291-7321

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

Letter from the Editor

SPRING 2016

WITH TELEVISION SHOWS THAT PROMOTE DISCRIMINATORY STEREOTYPES AND

BILLBOARD ADS THAT ENTICE YOUNG VIEWERS TO GET HIGH OFF LIES, IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO GROW UP IN A SOCIETY THAT PRAISES PERFECTION AND COVERS UP FLAWS.

Unfortunately, the magazine industry has been guilty of this. They have not been honest with their portrayals of what is attainable or what young people should strive for from body image to self worth.

Even the reality we see on a TV screen is a scripted mirage that hides what is truly real.

We take a journey on this search for reality through our spring print edition of the Buzz–highlighting what is truly experienced rather than a perception or ideal.

Even our fashion shoot breaks boundaries through the executive staff’s choice to not Photoshop our models’ imperfections–these imperfections are the textures that foster diversity and self-acceptance. They make us individuals.

With a staff of more than 100, one might think it is difficult to express individuality, but this print edition, rather, encompasses each ounce of talent our teams possess for a collective artistry that is stronger as a whole.

Although this is my first semester managing the Buzz, I feel blessed to have a team that has already brought the Buzz to new heights.

It is difficult to look in the glass and see a reflection free of flaws, but with this issue we encourage you to uncover your inner beauty. You may find it is just as beautiful on the other side.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 6

CAMPUS

SOLACE IN A

cig ar ette

BY GRACE WEINSTEIN PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN VOCATURO

CIGARETTES ON CAMPUS: A CONTENTIOUS ISSUE

want a cig?

There are two types of people: those who reject with distaste or those who accept with any number of things—regret, sadness, excitement or necessity. Cigarettes are addictive—there is no argument in that. Some value their importance for this reason, and others loathe them into oblivion for the same.

Commonwealth Avenue is dotted with smokers at all hours of the day and into the night. This comes as no surprise, seeing as more than 42 million adults in the United States actively smoke cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Boston University has no public statistics of student smoking, but it is evident that smokers make up a sizable portion of the student body.

Perhaps the most important aspect to consider when looking at the smoking culture on campus is the percentage of international students.

Let’s take China as an example. Fortythree percent of BU’s international population is Chinese. According to the World Health Organization, there are over 300 million active smokers in China. For perspective’s sake, that is roughly the same amount of people that currently reside in the United States. Though harmful, smoking is embedded in the culture of many other countries and exists as a far more accepted addiction than in the U.S. The first time Pierre Besnard (Questrom ’18) tried a cigarette was in middle school. He has been smoking for about six years.

Besnard hails from Milan, Italy. The combination of his trench coat, long, flowing hair and high cheekbones makes him look as if he just left the front row of Milan Fashion Week.

8

He takes smoking breaks often, usually taking a pause from his day to roll his own cigarettes.

Growing up in a culture that holds less of a stigma against it, Besnard noted that smoking is somewhat of a social activity, one that can bring people closer together over conversation. His perspective may differ from that of a U.S. citizen.

“A majority of Americans judge you if you smoke, often correlating it to your character,” Besnard said. He feels as though Americans are prejudiced against smokers, potentially just writing them off as “not good people” or “nuisances to society.”

On the topic of stigmas, many non-smokers at BU complain of the sometimes-overwhelming cigarette smoke outside popular smoking areas.

In front of the Hariri Building of the Questrom School of Business, outside of the George Sherman Union and the area in front of the dormitories in West Campus are hot spots for smokers on campus.

In a survey administered by AlcoholEdu for college in Oct. 2015, BU students were asked about on-campus cigarette smoking.

Of the students surveyed, 1,006 agreed that they were concerned about the consequences of second-hand smoke on campus—923 more strongly agreed.

BU is extremely lenient toward those who smoke. There are no tobacco or smoke-free areas on campus other than inside the facilities and residence halls.

According to Americans for Non-Smokers’ Rights, “As of January 1, 2016, there are at least 1,475 100 percent smoke-free campuses [in the United States]. Of these, 1,128 are 100

percent tobacco-free, and 802 prohibit the use of e-cigarettes anywhere on campus.”

What exactly are the specifications of a smoke-free or tobacco-free campus? These rules mandate that no tobacco or smoke products can be used on school grounds. It also eliminates any and all smoking areas on property. So, apologizing in advance to the guy that smokes hookah in the area in front of West Campus—if BU ever becomes smoke-free, you’re going to have to relocate.

This begs the question as to why BU is not a smoke-free campus and how it stacks up against other colleges.

Boston College, Berklee College of Music and Tufts University all ban smoking within proximity to building entrances. Suffolk University only allows smoking if it will not travel back through a door or window into a university building. Northeastern University maintains the strictest policy of the Boston-area schools—it is completely smoke-free—while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology holds the least-stringent rules other than BU. MIT students are allowed to smoke within selected dorms if all of the residents sign one simple form.

The BU Medical Campus became smokefree on Patriot’s Day in 2012. This banned any employees, patients and visitors from smoking on the grounds. Does this mean BU’s Charles River Campus is soon to follow?

“I do believe that tobacco use (cigarette smoking) is a concerning health problem on BU’s campus,” said Katharine Mooney, director of BU’s Wellness and Prevention Services. “I don’t think banning tobacco has been a priority of the institution up to this point.”

Another question raised by the AlcoholEdu survey centered on student support for BU becoming completely smoke-free. The survey showed that 1,141 of the students are “very likely” to support a ban, whereas 283 are unlikely to support it. So, even if banning tobacco is not categorized as a contentious issue to the BU administration, a significant portion of the

student body does support it.

Recently, a new development was added to the picture. Boston raised the age to purchase tobacco and its products to 21 at the close of 2015. This followed an age raise in Brookline in the summer of 2014. Mayor Marty Walsh introduced the initiative in hopes of decreasing the smoking rate in the city. According to the administration, research shows that even though people between the ages of 18 to 21 make up only two percent of tobacco sales, 95 percent of adult smokers begin to smoke before they turn 21.

“At 18, you can go to jail, or enlist in the army. The government considers you aware enough of your own actions to consider you an adult,” Besnard said. “If someone wishes to make the conscious decision to smoke, then he or she should be free to do as they please, as an adult.”

As the city of Boston moves toward more rigid smoking laws, it seems inevitable that BU is to follow. If you reduce smoking to a matter of the right to choose, then it seems obvious to vote in favor of freedom. If you frame smoking in terms of its harmful effects to personal health, then the new law seems more than appropriate.

What will this mean for the throngs of other cigarette smokers outside of Warren Towers if BU chooses to go smoke-free? For Pierre Besnard, not much.

“I would continue smoking because it is my inalienable right to smoke cigarettes.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

OR

ON OFF?

10

THE BENEFITS OF LIVING ON AND OFF CAMPUS AT BU

BY MARIA POPOVA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAELA JOHNSTON | DESIGN BY SHANNON YAU

C

ollege students are plagued by choices: declaring a major, deciding to go out or study and—of course—choosing where to live.

Determining whether to stay on campus, where everything is taken care of for you, or to leave your comfort zone and explore new possibilities can be a tough choice. It is an entirely personal decision, but there are some important pros and cons to be aware of.

Living on campus necessitates having a meal plan. You never have to worry about it being your turn to make dinner or carry heavy bags from the grocery store. With a wide variety of meal plans offered at BU, it is fully up to you to decide how much you can, or should, eat.

Yet, as it turns out, unlimited meal plans are not always a good thing. The open buffet has huge potential to become more of a curse than a blessing, often taking the blame for an added 15 pounds. Even if the night before you swore to Soul Cycle that you would courageously limit yourself to a single cookie, let’s be realistic: we all yield to temptations.

Living off campus implies that sooner or later you will have to step up your cooking game. Get ready to spend hours watching Food Network tutorials to impress all of your friends who came to dinner with no expectations.

By having full control of the contents of your refrigerator, you are no longer at the mercy of the dining hall’s pre-set menus.

But do not forget that while learning how to cook is a pragmatic skill, it does require a substantial amount of time. Cooking is fun until finals roll around and you are ordering late-night delivery.

“Sometimes I just do not have any spare time to cook,” Stanislava Labetskaya (Questrom/ CAS ’18) said. “On such days I miss Bay State [dining hall].”

Homemade pies really are wonderful, but only if you have company to split them with.

Be aware that your living choice will have a

significant impact on your social life.

Small dorm and dining hall communities are great places to meet people. Unwittingly, a dormitory life forces you to socialize and often leads you to people who become your longterm friends.

Then, once you are no longer a friendless freshman, the real fun starts and the limitations of dormitories become clearer. Be prepared to face the impossibility of a late-night gathering due to sharp-sighted RAs who are always on guard.

Off-campus housing is more conducive to social gatherings as it provides you with the freedom of choice regarding where, when and what to do when you want to hang out.

“Off-campus gives you more flexibility for event organization such as friend’s birthday and so on,” said Ibrahim Mustafayev (Questrom ’17).

“An off-campus apartment means being at the center of it all. Or simply a chance to chill.”

However, keep in mind that all the privileges of being a host do not come without a heavy dose of responsibility. Things can get sticky if your “grateful” guests form a habit of disappearing without offering a spare set of hands to help. Take heed, it can be much more challenging to get out and socialize when staying in your cozy apartment is so tempting. Especially during the winter, off-campus inhabitants can suffer from anti-social tendencies.

Now, once the aspects of your social life are weighted scrupulously, it is the time to think of the higher purpose of your college journey: the academics.

While having other students as neighbors right next door is the perfect opportunity to create a shared study space, having the option of working alone in your room is extremely valuable. This luxury is unlikely when living in a dorm, unless you are in a single.

“I can never focus in my room. People are always screaming in the hallway and coming in and out of the room,” said Aiganym Ashimbayeva (COM ’18). “I only study at

Mugar; there I get the work done at once.”

In an off-campus apartment, you will likely have your own room—a quiet and private space to lock yourself in during exam period. However, the benefits of having private space are not without their drawbacks. There will be no one to give you judgmental looks when you watch a marathon of House of Cards instead of writing your paper. Living off campus requires selfdiscipline, if you intend to keep up your GPA. Just as stressful as academics may be, money is perhaps the most crucial variable in the housing equation.

According to the data on BU Housing’s website, the residence prices vary from $9,570 to $13,270 for the dormitory-style and $12,490 to $16,700 for apartment-style housing for the 2015–16 academic year. Choosing dormitorystyle will also likely necessitate a dining plan that, on average, costs $4,950. Therefore, living on campus costs about $16,000 on average per academic year.

Comparatively, according to the data on MyApartmentMap, the average rent in Brookline is $2,420 for a two-bedroom apartment. In Allston, another prominent area populated by Terriers, the average price of a two-bedroom apartment is $1,985 as of 2015 according to homes.trovit.com. Students would pay $13,215 on average per year for the apartment alone.

Your to-do list will expand considerably.

You will have to remember to pay for the apartment, electricity, the Internet and purchase furniture and other necessary household items.

“It was a lot of trouble to move in. We had to figure out everything from paying the bills to assembling the furniture,” Labetskaya said. “But once settled in, it started feel like home.”

While there are advantages and disadvantages for both living options, there is no clear right or wrong answer. Any decision is a trade-off, and the key here is to decide with your best interest in mind.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

MAPPING MUGAR

BY KENNY RAMOS DESIGN AND GRAPHICS BY GABBY DIPIETRO

A FLOOR-BY-FLOOR GUIDE Upperclassmen have been around long enough to read between the lines of our beloved Charles River Campus to know what’s really going on. Take Mugar for instance. Campus tours only bring anxious prospects as far as the IT Help Center, and most students don’t go beyond until well into their freshmen year.

Fortunately for you, we’ve summarized the campus behemoth in our floor-by-floor guide.

BASEMENT: The best place on campus to pretend to study. On the surface, the basement dwellers are cheerful, and almost appear to enjoy studying.

Below this iceberg, however, Word documents are utterly blank with only a lone blinking cursor to punish students for their procrastination.

FLOOR 1: “I only signed up for the sweet blazer.”—anonymous Mugar security guard.

Good luck printing that final paper 10 minutes before class from one of Mugar’s computers. Mugar’s computers can sense fear and urgency. That being said, when you need them to work most, they’ll let you down countless times like your group project partners.

FLOOR 2:

out its capacity that should be a red flag to open up your textbooks.

FLOOR 4: Despite all my rage, I’m a grad student locked in a cage.

Don’t be intimidated by the jail-cell sized cages here; the fourth floor just may be your salvation should you choose to study in Mugar. Unlike the second floor cubicles, the ones found here have bigger desk space and arm rests on the chairs (most of them anyway), providing the perfect place to take a cat nap.

“The fourth floor is like, ‘I have three exams and a paper for tomorrow, so I need to camp out and get work done,’” said Alexis Cole (SAR ’16).

The fourth floor may give you some hope for studying at the library.

“Ummm technically it’s a mezzanine.”—Eugene Lloyd Wright (CAS ’18), majoring in Architectural Studies.

Thanks, Eugene. To add, there’s also a fair share of cubicles, long tables and prehistoric desktops at your disposal.

Mugar is your oyster.

FLOOR 5:

FLOOR 3:

Interesting fact about the beloved sixth floor: 100 percent of its visitors definitely took the elevator. That’s a lie, but honestly I’ve never met anyone who has gone up there.

When asked about her thoughts on the sixth floor, Kara Ryan (SAR ’16) responded, “I didn’t even know there was a sixth floor.”

During finals week, this place is a microcosm of humanity’s woes and insufferable agony. With each new semester, this chamber begins to swell with anxious undergrads eager to keep those GPAs afloat. When the third floor maxes

Study, procrastinate and wonder if someone’s ever had sex where you’re sitting, or how long it would take people to find you if you ever fell and couldn’t get up.

FLOOR 6:

ART SCI ENCE A KENDALL SQUARE RESTAURANT TAKING COMFORT FOOD TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL

BY JACQUI BUSICK PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAMILLA STEJSKAL

FOOD

CAFÉ

“I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.”

14

E

n route to becoming the Executive Pastry Chef at Café ArtScience, Renae Connolly was trained to always approach food with the question, “What’s the best way to get what we want?”

Café ArtScience, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has a menu that very much reflects this philosophy. If an older, traditional technique works the best, great, and if it doesn’t work, the café experiments with new technologies that will allow them to get the desired result.

Molecular gastronomy is the idea that chefs explore culinary possibilities by borrowing tools from science, but Connolly hates calling any cooking “molecular cooking.” She believes that all cooking is science.

America has been eating up this concept of “molecular gastronomy” for the past 13 years ever since José Andrés Minibar opened in Washington, D.C. in 2003. But dining at Minibar is notoriously more of an experience than a weeknight out destination. The purpose of Minibar’s use of molecular gastronomy is to amaze while, at Café ArtScience, the techniques are integrated into the menu and dining experience in a more subtle way.

“Strange-for-the-sake-of-it ‘molecular gastronomy’ this is not,” wrote Zagat restaurant reviewer Scott Kearnan.

Café ArtScience serves up a menu with French influence that is creatively accessible. For lunch, delight yourself with

handmade cavatelli or artisan grilled cheese. For dinner, a roasted baby beets and persimmon salad or a beef pot au feu, with a jardin de chocolat or mascarpone panna cotta for dessert.

Connolly describes her personal dessert philosophy as “old school traditional flavors with modern techniques,” or a “little happy dance on both sides of the fence.”

She wants the diner to be able to understand and connect with the dish, even if it is technically complex. With each dish, Connolly says she wants the customer to think, “Wow, this is like nothing I’ve ever had before, but for some reason, it feels so safe and so familiar to me.”

In one dessert, she uses the chemically complex process of spherification to create little grape juice bubbles on a deconstructed PB&J-like dessert.

“It’s not goofy,” Connolly says of this particular dessert.

“It’s still refined—it makes sense as a dish.”

Appealing to the eyes and stunning to the taste buds, the deconstructed PB&J reminds diners of eating a peanut butter sandwich as a kid, even if they have no way of fully understanding how their dessert was made.

Connolly also delights with classic desserts like macarons, which she recently made for the attendees of a lecture within the space of Café ArtScience.

Through the windowed wall of the Kendall Square restaurant, you can see a round black structure—a room within the room. The outside wall of the “honeycomb” room is completely made of black chalkboard hexagons. Through the door you see a bright and inviting private dining room with whiteboard walls for lectures.

Laurent Adamowicz, an accomplished food industry and health expert, lectured about the effects of added sugar in everyday foods inside this honeycomb room. He compared the sugar content of a Snickers bar (40 grams) to that of a handmade French puff pastry (seven grams).

“I don’t want people to stop eating dessert,” said Connolly.

“But I want them to eat it in a responsible, healthy way.”

In the same way that Boston has the unique privilege of being the academic center of America, giving it hands-on access to those at the forefront of so many industries, Café ArtScience holds a similarly distinguished position in the restaurant world.

The clientele of any successful restaurant in Boston is going to be wildly mixed, simply because the city’s resources attract people of a variety of backgrounds and professions.

Located in Kendall Square near MIT, Café ArtScience draws a lunch crowd predominantly consisting of students and business professionals. But the dinner crowd varies.

Connolly said that Café ArtScience attracts both people who are curious about new restaurants and people who are intrigued by the aesthetic of the restaurant but have never eaten fancy food like theirs before.

“I always like to say we have a little bit of something for everybody,” said Connolly.

The café was modeled after a mini café in Paris in

conjunction with Le Laboratoire, a contemporary art and design center, and part of the ArtScience Labs international network.

Both were founded by David Edwards, a Harvard professor.

The ArtScience Labs have described their work as “experiments in culture,” which suits the function of Cambridge’s ArtScience. The café seeks to not only to make the best use of technology, but to have the best food.

Edwards does not only dabble in science labs and restaurants, but also in clever inventions of his own. At the entrance of Café ArtScience, you will see a few of these for sale, including Wikicells, which are edible spheres that enclose food or drink inside a soft, completely natural shell.

Edwards loves “to showcase science and art together,” said Connolly. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Being able to apply this concept to the bar had a big impact on the type of restaurant that Café ArtScience would be.

While the food gives diners a taste of culinary innovation, the bar is the “focus of experimental activity,” said Edwards in a Zagat restaurant review.

Connolly and bar manager Todd Maul began their creative relationship even before their success at Café ArtScience. Both overlapped in their time at Clio, a forward Boston restaurant in the Elliott Hotel, about five or six years before Café ArtScience opened in 2014.

At that time, the bartenders had to do prep work in the same space that Connolly did her pastry prep. There they began to talk, collaborate and bounce ideas off each other. Connolly would give the bar the byproducts of her dessert prep, and Maul would use them to make fantastic new beverages.

Now at Café ArtScience, Connolly and Maul often unite over the shared use of the centrifuge, a rapidly rotating machine that can separate substances of different densities.

For example, they put strawberry purée in the centrifuge, and let it spin out.

Connolly then takes the liquid part, which she calls “jus,” because “it’s nice and clear and vibrant and concentrated and gorgeous,” she said. Then Maul takes the solids to the bar where they will either be infused with drinks or used to make creatively flavored ice cubes.

Good food—not just a cool concept—is what keeps avid foodies crawling back to Café ArtScience. Because Café ArtScience has been able to nail this balance with elegance and style, the city of Boston has noticed.

Not only is demand for this type of restaurant growing, but other restaurants have started to catch on to Café ArtScience’s techniques when they see how beautifully useful it can be.

“I think that’s really special that people can look at what you’re doing and be inspired by it,” said Connolly. She hopes that restaurants like theirs will become a trend.

“I feel like this city wants it,” she said. Boston gracefully balances its appetite for innovation and knowledge with its respect for tradition and taste; it is the perfect place for a Café ArtScience to thrive.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

OLYMPIC ATHLETE SHALANE FLANAGAN'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT ON ACTIVE EATING

BY RILEY SUGARMAN LETTERING AND ILLUSTRATIONS

BY SAMANTHA WEST Olympic medalist and Boston Marathon elite Shalane Flanagan knows how it feels to be a stressed out college student. Her success began long before her bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, when she was both a high school and collegiate track and cross-country national champion. Most do not know, however, how little she cared about her diet during her college years.

“I had no idea what I was doing in terms of diet,” said Flanagan. “I thought of food as something I enjoyed, not something that had to do with running.”

This may come as a surprise, because many believe all elite runners follow a strict diet filled with superfoods and carb-loading. In many cases this is true, because how you fuel your body affects your performance in any sport, but Flanagan set records without a strict regimen of healthy foods. It was not until after college when she saw how important healthy eating is for running performance.

16

With running comes snacking, because the body needs to refuel and replenish all of the calories burned. Running long distances for marathon training takes its toll on the body, and Flanagan can relate to the constant snacking.

“It’s definitely tricky because I tend to get hungry really quickly, grabbing the nearest food possible,” said Flanagan. “I didn’t have amazing nutrition because I didn’t really understand how food impacted training.”

To help today’s collegiate and high school athletes, Flanagan believes planning meals ahead of time can be helpful. She advises all who can to do their grocery shopping on Sundays to ensure easy access to healthy snacks during the week. Whether you buy granola bars or pack up your vegetables, it is better to be prepared than to have a candy bar as your only option in between classes.

Forming this habit can be tricky for college students who only have dining halls or a Star Market around the corner.

Flanagan stresses knowing where to find the good restaurants or shops to keep up your eating routine at all times, “Whether it’s sushi or stir-fry,

or something like that,” she said.

BU students can head over to places like the George Sherman Union for some quick and healthy fixes such as sushi and salads.

Commonwealth Avenue is packed with good onthe-go food to grab when you have 20 minutes to get across campus.

Flanagan also stresses the importance of consistency in running. If you are not on a varsity team, it can be tough to delegate time for running regularly when there is barely enough time to sleep. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or elite runner, Flanagan says running in groups is crucial to stay on top of your progress.

“Get into a routine and meet with people so you don’t have any excuses, and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to meet early,’ because when [you] get [yourself ] to get up it really sets the tone for the day,” she said.

Having others depend on you to meet up and run will give you incentive to get out of bed and put on your sneakers. If you make it a routine to run at least a few times a week, motivation will eventually come easily and those morning runs won’t be as dreadful.

To help inspire all runners to fuel their bodies with the best foods, Flanagan is currently co-writing a cookbook, Run Fast Eat Slow, with her former college roommate Elyse Kopecky.

“It’s crazy how some life experiences come full circle,” Flanagan said. She and Kopecky have known each other since their freshman

year of college.

Kopecky is a nutritionist and a cook, and the two have come together to create the holy grail of running cookbooks.

“Our passion for being fit and healthy and our passion for food and helping other women [have all] come together to create this project,” she said.

Run Fast Eat Slow takes typically unhealthy foods and transforms them into healthy treats you can still enjoy. It’s not often that you can eat a cookie and still feel healthy afterward.

Some of these recipes include sweet potato breakfast cookies, double chocolate chip cookies and granola bars. Not every recipe is for novice cooks, but Kopecky and Flanagan aimed to make a cookbook for both beginners and experts.

“I loved creating the ideas and storylines behind our recipes, because they’re inspired by our lives and our travels,” said Flanagan. “I think the collaboration between the two of us and bringing our passions together has been my favorite part.”

Flanagan hopes to inspire her readers to slow down, enjoy the cooking process and eat healthy meals they can make for themselves and for friends and family.

“We live a really fast-paced life, and I hope people are inspired to sit down and eat a nice meal,” Flanagan said.

After a life of running, Flanagan admits she would rather cook than run when given the choice.

“I probably would pick cooking right now,” she said.

On Sept. 6, 2016, Run Fast Eat Slow will be available for online purchase through Amazon and in-store through major retailer Barnes & Noble. You can pre-order or purchase the book in stores to get your hands on it as soon as possible.

If Sept. isn’t soon enough, head to runfasteatslow. com for newsletters and sneak peeks on recipes.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

taza:

TRAILBLAZING THE

chocolate

industry CHOCOLATE COMPANY SETS HIGH STANDARDS FOR TRADING PRACTICES, PRODUCT QUALITY AND ORIGINALITY

18

W

BY KELSEY KING PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANGELA WANG DESIGN BY JESSY AHN

hen you hear the word ‘organic’, the first images that come to mind are probably dinosaur kale at Whole Foods or your bountiful local farmer’s market.

Lucky for you, that image now gets to include chocolate—and lots of it.

Taza Chocolate, local in Somerville, sources its cacao from the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Belize, Guatemala and—unlike any other chocolate company in the United States—Haiti.

“After the earthquake, Haiti’s economy really needed a boost,” said Ayala Ben-Chaim, Taza’s Event and Farmer’s Market Lead. “That’s when Taza decided to see if it could help out by outsourcing some of its cacao.”

Haitian cacao farmers are not the only ones to benefit from Taza’s presence in the chocolate industry. Regardless of the country it is outsourcing its beans from, Taza promises to pay at least $500 above the market price per ton of cacao—a 15 to 20 percent premium above the Fair Trade price—and never less than $2,800.

In turn, Taza also promises to only provide its customers with Certified USDA Organic, nonGMO cacao.

To hold itself accountable for both promises, Taza launched the first third-party certified Direct Trade cacao sourcing program in the chocolate industry. Taza Direct Trade ensures quality, transparency, fairness, humane labor practices and care for the environment. Co-founder Alex Whitmore and other employees visit each of Taza’s growing sites at least once per year in order to

verify these standards firsthand.

The company’s ethical policies are not all that make it unique. Taza Chocolate is stone-ground, Mexican-style chocolate, with a higher percentage of cacao bean and lower percentage of cacao shell than any other chocolate product on the market.

This is thanks to a process called winnowing.

“We use what is called winnowing—a process typically associated with removing the shell from a grain,” said Ben-Chaim. “But here, we’re removing the shell from the cacao bean.”

The crushed seeds, or cacao nibs, are then transferred to another part of the factory to be preground by the first set of stone discs. For the pregrind process, one disc remains stationary while the other spins at a speed of 55 RPM. These stone discs, known as molinos, are each hand-carved by Whitmore, who apprenticed under a molinero in Oaxaca, Mexico to learn how to craft each granite disc for the factory.

“The pre-grind discs feature longer, deeper cuts to push the nibs to the outer edges, and shorter, shallower cuts to grind up the nibs,” said Allie Duhamel, a tour guide at Taza Chocolate Factory. “As the nibs are ground, they slowly turn into a paste. This paste is chocolate liquor and forms as the nibs’ cocoa butter is drawn out from the heat of the rotating discs.”

The liquor then drips onto a conveyor belt that dispenses it into a mixing tank with 100 percent organic cane sugar to create what Duhamel refers to as a “chocolate mass.” This mixture then has one of two possible fates:

Mexicano Discs or bars.

The Mexicano Discs have a grittier texture because the second refinement goes through the same molinos used in the cacao nib pre-grind stage. The chocolate used for Taza’s bars, on the other hand, goes through what Taza refers to as “roll refinement.” The molinos used in this process are each 2,500 pounds. These discs are in such close proximity to one another that only a paperthin stream of chocolate can pass through, causing the sugar crystals to become finely ground.

Aside from flavorings, such as raspberry oil pressed from raspberry seeds or vanilla flavor from whole vanilla beans, Taza chocolate contains no other ingredients except the original cacao nibs and sugar. All products are certified gluten-free and Kosher Pareve, soy-free, dairy-free and vegan.

Taza’s Mexicano Discs come in a variety of flavors, ranging from salted almond and coffee to more traditional Mexican flavors like cinnamon and guajillo chili. Their Amaze Bars come in tart,

fruity combinations—like Raspberry Nib Crunch and Cherry Almond—and sweeter choices like Coco Besos Coconut.

The 95 percent Wicked Dark Amaze Bar is a favorite of Braelynne Morrow (SAR ’16).

“I like the bars better [than the discs] because they’re smoother. I think the discs are sweeter—[they’re] grainy so you can really taste the sugar,” she said. “Although, I will admit that I definitely still like the discs sometimes because it tastes like you’re eating real stone ground chocolate, which is nice.”

For those looking to experience the different flavor profiles of the cacao beans sourced from each country, Taza has a new line of Origin Bars.

They include 87 percent Dark Bolivia, 80, 70 and 60 percent Dark Dominican Republic, 77 percent Dark Belize and 84 percent Dark Haiti.

Taza’s product line also includes Chocolate Covered Treats—a variety of chocolate-covered nuts and nibs—and Tazitos, which are mini bars

made with 65 percent dark chocolate and crispy brown rice.

The organic cacao shells can be found in Boston’s MEM Tea blends and the Cinnamon Chocolate Mexicano Discs can be found in spreads made by local fruit preserve company Doves and Figs.

If you’re looking to get your hands on some Taza chocolate, you don’t have to stray far. Taza has showrooms in its factory in Somerville as well as in the Boston Public Market, and its products can be found in local coffee shops, bookstores, gourmet food shops, Whole Food stores and more. When the weather is nice, Taza tents can be found weekly at SoWa and BU’s Farmer’s Market, as well as at annual events like the Boston Public Food Festival.

Taza’s factory tour starts and ends in Taza’s showroom, which has unlimited free samples of everything Taza has to offer. Reserve your spot online at: tazachocolate.com/pages/take-a-tour.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

BASHO: American

700 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA An Americanized version of traditional Japanese sushi, Basho Express shows off its innovative side with its sushi bowl.

This bowl combines all the ingredients of sushi rolls in a more convenient sushieating experience. With the opening of a new location on BU’s campus came a new creation: sushi wraps. These are generously stuffed with fish, rice, veggies and sauce and wrapped in a layer of seaweed. You can make your own or choose from preselected options.

THELONIOUS MONKFISH: Fusion

524 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA This sophisticated restaurant is home to ingenious sushi rolls that feature traditional ingredients with a unique twist.

The menu includes a series of monkfish specialties and a collection of “Fairy Tale Rolls” that use ingredients designed to represent classic characters through taste.

The Sleeping Beauty Roll embodies the princess’ demureness with pineapple, mango and white tuna, whereas the Red Riding Hood Roll uses spicy tuna and strawberry medallions to highlight the contrast between darkness and innocence.

CAFE SUSHI: Authentic

1105 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA Cafe Sushi features traditional Japanese sushi: nigiri and sashimi. This sushi removes the distractions of the seaweed, vegetables and sauces found in rolls and focuses on simple, fresh fish. Nigiri is a piece of raw fish with a sliver of sticky rice, while sashimi is solely the raw fish. Although the slices are small, Cafe Sushi offers fresh salmon, yellowtail and more that needs nothing more than a quick dip in some soy sauce. One bite is an experience that will whisk you away to Japan.

SUSHI

101

BY SYDNEY COLLIER PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYAN LIM DESIGN BY MARIAM SYED

A Quick Guide to Boston’s Sushi Scene

CULTURE

WORK YOUR HEART OUT the Idealization of Fitness in Social Media

BY MEGAN MULLIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY SOPHIA KAPREILIAN DESIGN BY ALEENA QAZI

W

hether choosing to buy a handful of leafy greens or heading to the Fitness and Recreation Center a few days a week, college students find it difficult to fit exercise into their schedules and budgets. Work piles up after a week of class and organic, “clean” foods can take a serious bite out of your wallet. Feeling sluggish and unmotivated, students turn to “fitspo” accounts on social media for inspiration.

Fitspo, short for “fitness inspiration,” is a social media trend where exercise and diet-savvy users post motivational photos to inspire themselves and others to develop healthy lifestyles.

This fitness culture should be about being strong and healthy, eating good food and working toward a positive and active lifestyle. Instead, some aspects of “fitness culture” have deviated and become potentially harmful. Fitspo accounts also post pictures of expensive workout clothing, expensive “green” and “clean” eating and people with thin, bony frames—giving the impression “thin” and “clean” is the only acceptable form of “healthy.”

Whether the content is overall inspiring or disheartening depends on the user, but in general, the photos posted are idealizations, sometimes influencing young,

22

impressionable self-esteems.

“I think it’s concerning especially for young girls who are easily swayed,” said Kayla Lynch (CFA ’16). “Young girls, especially, are sensitive about body image, and when unattainable, unrealistic body images and lifestyles are portrayed as healthy, girls think that they are supposed to look that way.”

Some accounts use the platform to track day-to-day progress as they work toward their goals, displaying successes and setbacks to inspire others. They reblog or repin healthy recipes and motivational quotes.

At its best, fitspo forms a community of determined, healthconscious users. At its worst, the accounts post pictures of users in Lycra clothing or bathing suits, posing ever-so-gracefully in front of a camera to get the best “candid” active wear shot.

Wearing these kinds of clothing, eating those kinds of foods or even wanting to be thinner is not inherently bad. It is not wrong to want to conform to trends or better your life.

Fitspo has the potential to make fitness look fun or even beautiful, but there is a problem when an aspect of a healthy, well-rounded life, such as fitness, becomes monopolized by idealization, expensive tastes and exclusion. “[The accounts] motivate people, but I think people need to know that [fitness] is about how you feel and how strong you are,” said Lynch (CFA ’16), who is a member of the BU Sailing team.

Essena O’Neill, a former fitness and fashion Instagrammer, regularly posted photos of herself wearing Victoria’s Secret bathing suits or high-end dresses in seemingly casual settings while receiving $400 per post in one of her earliest advertisement deals.

After renaming her account to “Social Media is Not Real Life” and before departing from social media entirely, O’Neill spoke blatantly about how fitspo and commercialized posting almost ruined her life.

In the caption of a photo where she is wearing a pair of jeans and a shirt, but she is pulling her shirt up to reveal her abs, O’Neill wrote, “The only thing that made me feel good that day was this photo. How deeply depressing. Having a toned body is not all we as human beings are capable of.”

On her last Instagram post, O’Neill called out social media for manipulating every user’s self-esteem and perceptions of popular users like herself. “[Social media] is contrived images and edited clips ranked against each other,” said O’Neill. “It’s perfectly orchestrated selfabsorbed judgment.”

But as more professional Instagrammers arise, fitspo only gains more momentum. Users like O’Neill, who call out the industry and the movement for their problematic natures, are few and far between.

In a 2015 article from a blog called “The Financial Diet,” fitness writer Anne Atherton described her process of succumbing to and eventually “escaping” the “bougie fitness culture.”

“Workout regimes are all washed in the glow of virtuous ‘self-improvement,’” said Atherton. “In the effort to be your ‘best self,’ it can seem lame, shameful even, to not invest the most you possibly can, physically, emotionally, financially.”

It’s like being desperate to be cool in middle school again.

You beg your parents to buy the cool clothes and supplies because you want to look “your best.” But this is a “best” as defined by the people with the money to afford it and bodies that fit the “standard”—thin, with no bulky muscles.

“You can kill yourself to workout every day and eat healthy... [but] if you’re doing it just to look good, I don’t think this will lead to happiness,” said Lynch. “If you’re doing it to be stronger and to feel energized and healthy, then you will feel empowered and happy.”

“People should stick to their own regime,” said Alyssa Gladding (CAS ’19). “If you have the motivation, you can do it on your own.”

Gladding, a freshman, works out nearly every day at FitRec, a facility open to any full-time student who has paid dues as part of his or her tuition.

“I’ll incorporate cardio, some kind of strength exercise, pilates or yoga to work on my core, and then I stretch. It takes about an hour, and I go probably six days a week,” said Gladding.

“I feel better to tackle a heavy course load if I get exercise in. I’ll feel better and ready to conquer whatever I have to do.”

Lynch, who also plays squash and practices yoga in her spare time, argued that at most, fitspo accounts offer creative alternatives to otherwise boring, rudimentary cardio or weighttraining workouts.

“I actually follow two accounts on Instagram that probably classify as fitspo accounts,” said Lynch. “I get bored of my ab routines, so it’s nice to have access to new workout ideas.”

Regardless, the desire to become healthy should not be solely inspired by a glossy Pinterest board or Tumblr page. The motivation to better oneself and improve his or her quality of life can also come from personal choice and close friends, without reliance on or idealization of people on the Internet. “[Fitness] is not for the vanity, it’s for the health benefits and how it makes me feel. I don’t do it to lose weight. I do it to feel stronger and healthier,” said Gladding. “[Fitspo] gives you a skewed perspective of what “fit” people should look like. The women are in expensive workout clothes, not sweaty, and trim.

It’s very idealized.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

ONCE

UPON A REMAKE DISNEY’S ICONIC FAIRYTALES BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

BY ANDREA VEGA PHOTOGRAPHY BY GIANCARLO RODRIGUEZ DESIGN BY DEANNA KLIMA-RAJCHEL

F

rom a kiss passionate enough to break the strongest of spells to a fairy godmother who can turn a pumpkin into a carriage, Disney created a whole category of classics that shaped a generation: our generation. Beginning with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937, the Walt Disney Company created one heartwarming classic after another, providing its audience with not only a quality visual experience but also setting entertainment industry standards. Although a lot of these movies were made and released before we were born, there are undoubtedly still VCR collections exclusively made up of Disney classics. The actual impact that these films had on us growing up probably flew over our 5-yearold heads, but think about it, what part of your childhood did not involve Disney in some way or another?

“I used to go to the Disney store and get all dressed up like my favorite princesses— crowns, wigs, heels, dresses and jewelry—I would go all out, and it is one of those things

24

that is universal, no matter where you grew up we all have this one thing in common,” said Kristiana Valenti (COM ’19).

Just when we thought we had outgrown learning lessons from wooden puppets and a whimsical mad hatter, our favorite characters are back. You would think acquiring the Star Wars and Marvel franchises would be a tough act to follow, yet Disney seems to have the next wave of blockbuster hits covered: live-action remakes. Beginning with the release of Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent and most recently Cinderella—which made over $70 million in domestic box office sales alone—the new series of upcoming Disney movies illustrate the iconic company’s ingenuity. Who else could pull off selling a modernized version of a classic fairytale to the same generation that grew up with the originals, while gaining the interest of younger generations?

The timing is the best part about these new re-imaginings of classic tales. Our generation spent years idolizing our favorite Disney characters and now that we’ve grown up and matured, so have their stories.

The key to Disney’s success is bringing whimsical animation to real life, while keeping the magical essence of the fairytale world.

They also provide a rebuttal for the criticisms that claim fairytales are antiquated and unrealistically depict of real-life situations.

Whether it be the picture perfect romances or unattainable beauty standards, these remakes challenge those stereotypes. Maleficent, for example, completely turns the Sleeping Beauty fairytale on its head, telling the same story, but from the perspective of the antagonist.

Much like Broadway’s Wicked, the 2014 film retells the story of Aurora’s sleeping spell from the perspective of the “evil” queen who cursed

her. Throughout the film, the antagonist is characterized in a relatable way, challenging the idea of the “evil queen” that we grew up with.

Parts of the original animated movie, which could be criticized as unrealistic, are modified to reflect a more “real world” story. In this case, Aurora doesn’t wake up after prince charming kisses her; it’s her mother’s love that breaks the spell.

“It’s so refreshing to see the stereotypes of fairytale love broken; we didn’t notice this when we were little but now it all sounds so far-fetched,” said Corel Marchena (SAR ’19).

“Think about it—who marries someone after knowing them for five minutes? It just really makes no sense now, and I think these remakes are providing a great more probable alternative without losing the magic of Disney.”

We all know true love’s kiss can’t come from a prince you shared one dance with at a ball, just like we know that elephants don’t fly and that there is no stay-forever-young island like Neverland. But the magic that these movies create is what we will never outgrow, and Disney has found the perfect way to portray the middle ground between the magical world of fairytales and real life.

However, as important as it is to keep the story relevant to our adult lives, it is equally important to not change the parts that will make us reminisce: the ugly stepsisters, the rabbit hole and Pinocchio’s growing nose might be far from real, but they are really what drives us to go to the theater. We know the storyline, we love the characters, we’ve seen the ending—it’s the idea of watching our childhood be transformed from a mere animated fairytale to a real life Hollywood film that catches our attention.

It’s going back in time to when we dressed

“IT’S SO REFRESHING TO SEE THE STEREOTYPES OF FAIRYTALE LOVE BROKEN.” up like Cinderella and wore our mom’s heels, or put on a hat and pretended to fly like Peter Pan as we jumped from one bed to another.

Because whether the “once upon a time” was followed by the story of a beautiful princess or a yellow talking bear, 101 dalmatian puppies or a singing crab named Sebastian, they all meant something, and it’s not until we’re sitting in our college dorms a decade later that it all sinks in.

“It’s hard not to love the remakes,” said Angelina Leung (COM ’19). The original will obviously always be the best, but these new movies are giving us an opportunity to look back, especially now when we really start missing being 5 years old.”

There are more remakes coming soon; Disney has announced the release of Beauty and the Beast, The Jungle Book and an Alice in Wonderland sequel coming to theatres in 2016, with rumors of others such as Dumbo being filmed. Whether or not you think these remakes are a good idea, it is safe to say that growing up is going to be a little less bitter and much sweeter, now that we have some reminiscing to look forward to.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

#HAVE YOU HEARD? Follow us @TheBUBuzz 26 TheBUBuzz.com

in

Their Element A Look at The work of CFA’s Brightest artists

BY RIVAH CLEMONS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MADELEINE ARCH

28

With the success of her recent show “Water Music,” under her belt and a new job as the visual artist-inresidence at Boston Medical Center on the horizon, painting major Taylor Mortell is taking her senior year in stride.

Her original desire to pursue art, however, blossomed during a more difficult time, when she suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her in recovery for two years at age 15, unable to do many activities.

“When I couldn’t do anything, I really started to realize what I missed the most and what I had taken for granted, and that was art.”

Since Mortell’s passion for art played such an

taylor mortell CFA ’16 instrumental part in her own recovery, she hopes to use it to help others reclaim their lives through art.

Usually working with acrylic paint on paper—often in combination with collaging techniques—she likes to depict natural scenes, as she finds inspiration in the regeneration that occurs in different ecosystems.

“I love the gesture that natural objects make.”

Growing up on the South Shore, she spent time in the salt marshes, accounting for much of the vivid coastal imagery she produces.

The disorganized feel of Mortell’s studio space complements her organic, unmethodical approach to the creation of her work.

“It’s better when you don’t know what the outcome is before. I’m drawn to the unexpected.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

jill rosati CFA ’16

When she’s not working in her studio in the sculpture department,

you’re likely to find senior Jill Rosati rummaging through the recycling bins behind Shaw’s and 7-Eleven or scanning the streets in search of materials to create her newest piece.

“My walk to school always involves picking things up from the ground.”

Rosati’s interest in graphic design at a young age eventually progressed toward a passion for multimedia and sculpture. She largely draws her inspiration from nature, and uses her work to raise awareness about environmental issues and

our excess production of waste.

For the past several months, Rosati has been collecting bottles, cups and plastic bags for her latest project, a forest made entirely out of trash and recycled materials.

As for where she got the idea? “I saw this crushed water jug and it looked so organic and so beautiful the way the light was shining on it, and I thought, ‘Wow, that could be leaves to a tree.’”

For Rosati, creating a forest out of trash serves as a way of returning the resources to nature

and illustrates what our society is destroying through the production of our garbage.

She cites experimentation with different materials as one of her favorite ways of generating her work.

“Problem solving always opens up so many new things in my work that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.”

lucas thomas CFA ’17 32

for junior lucas thomas, his journey into art was prompted by a passion for punk.

“I just wanted a Sex Pistols shirt,” said Thomas, whose initial artistic medium was graffiti and paint on t-shirts.

Since entering CFA, Thomas has branched out from tee graffiti to other mediums, from traditional canvas to apartment walls. After studying abroad in Venice, he stayed with a friend in Paris and found inspiration in the culture and aesthetics of the city.

“If we weren’t out and about going to concerts and shit, I was painting his walls.”

As for artists he’s drawn to, Thomas expressed a particular appreciation for NYC native JeanMichel Basquiat’s primal yet brilliant work.

In regards to his own creative process, Thomas tends to take an improvised approach.

“I basically make a mess and see what the mess looks like and go from there.”

He favors working in his apartment over a studio in CFA so that when an idea strikes, he’s ready to work at a moment’s notice.

“I can just crawl out of bed, and I have all my papers and spray paint just spread across the room in a complete mess, so when I want to make something, I just grab a paintbrush and make a whole medley of paint on my cutting board and I start smearing it on stuff.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

WHERE WILL YOU STUDY ABROAD? Internships • Liberal Arts • Language • Science • Engineering

Argentina Australia Belgium Brazil China

INTERN ABROAD All Internship Placements Are: • Guaranteed for each student • Personalized for each student • Project-based/academically directed

Ecuador

Common Program Features:

England

• Open to all majors • Quality academic courses to complement the internship • Full-time staff at each site • Housing provided • Organized excursions and activities • Financial aid available

France Germany Guatemala Ireland Israel Italy Morocco New Zealand Spain Switzerland Tanzania USA

STUDY ABROAD Common Program Features: • Open to all majors • Quality academic courses • Full-time staff at each site • Housing provided • Organized excursions and activities • Financial aid available

The Leader in International Internships.

34

/BUabroad

/BUabroad

bu.edu/abroad Financial aid is available.

An equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.

SPORTS

st

? s e t e l h t a r o s t uden

A Look into One of the Most Demanding College Lifestyles

BY SOPHIA LIPP PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELSEY CRONIN DESIGN BY ALEENA QAZI

A typical day for me starts at 5 A.M. and ends around midnight.

B

oston University is one of the most wellknown private universities in the world, with an incredibly high percentage of international students, renowned academia and extraordinary alumni to account for it.

Surprisingly enough, however, BU’s real claim to fame is not any of these attributes: it’s the illustrious hockey team.

From the funding that goes into sporting events to the students who pour into stadiums time and time again to watch them, ollegiate athletics generates huge revenue and attention to universities. College football is followed as much as the National Football League, and New England Sports Network is just as quick to cover the Beanpot as it is to cover the Bruins. However, it is easy to get lost in all the hype of Division I athletics and lose sight of the other main role of these athletes: being a student.

“Being a DI athlete is a huge, huge time commitment. It’s really frustrating sometimes,” said Drew Lukacs (CAS ’19), a long stick middie for BU’s men’s lacrosse team. “If you want to succeed, you really need to buckle down.”

According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the organization is “dedicated to safeguarding the wellbeing of student-athletes and equipping them with the skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout life.” While this goal is idealistic, it may not be realistic. In a lifestyle dominated by competition and constant commitments, it might not be possible for DI athletes to do it all.

“A typical day for me starts at 5 a.m. and ends around midnight,” said Lukacs. “There’s not much

wiggle room in between lifts, practice, eating and classes.”

While Lukacs splits his time equally between athletics and academics, it’s clear that, for him, there are simply not enough hours in the day to do all that he needs to do.

However, before freshman year even starts, it is important to recognize that the process of actually playing collegiately is just as difficult as getting the opportunity to play collegiately.

The recruiting process is tricky, time-consuming and often times disappointing—especially if a student’s academic excellence and his or her athletic level don’t line up.

“I didn’t get into BU the first time [I applied],” said Peter Katsarakes, (CAS ’18), who is on the track team at BU. “I was in a very cut-throat, competitive high school and my grades were not at a place that I wanted them to be. So, I went a year post-grad to run track in Pennsylvania and get my grades up, because my heart longed to get back to Boston.”

Katsarakes grew up in the greater Boston area, where he had hoped to be recruited by schools like BU, Northeastern and UConn.

“Having a fifth year to get my grades up opened a huge window of opportunity for me,” said Katsarakes. “With the help of track, I was able to look at a bunch of different schools that I would’ve never had a shot at before.”

In a recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center, it was found that, on average, a student-athlete’s SAT score fell around 200 points lower than the college’s mean SAT acceptance score. Another recent study released by the

Growth, Opportunities, Aspirations and Learning of Students in College (GOALS) also notes that NCAA athletes miss anywhere from 1.7 to 2.3 classes a week because of athletics. While athletes like Lukacs and Katsarakes are quick to point out the importance of academics in correspondence to athletics, how are student-athletes supposed to be able to do both, when their environment only puts so much focus on one?

“No matter what sport you play, all the athletes here are friends because you’re all on the same crazy schedule,” said Remi Ramos (COM ’19), a member of the BU tennis team. “We’re all at the gym at some point in the day and attending long, back-to-back classes together.”

Student-athletes have more than just their classes and athletics to consider, however.

With a packed schedule and constant physical competition, athletes need to be aware of their physical, mental and emotional well-being.

As shown by the tragic suicide of University of Pennsylvania runner Madison Holleran, it is important for student athletes to take care of all aspects of their lives, not just the academic and athletic ones. Katsarakes noted that psychological maintenance is more than just important to having a healthy well-being; it’s also a crucial aspect to competing.

The NCAA is taking strides to address mental health and other issues student athletes may be dealing with. The NCAA Sport Science Institute was established to “provide resources to help... address the mental health concerns of studentathletes, with a goal of creating a culture where care-seeking for mental health issues is as

normative as care-seeking for physical injuries.”

In addition, the NCAA SSI has also released books and newsletters and created a Twitter account in an effort to connect with a variety of student-athletes.

An athletic system that caters to the emotions and pressures of student-athletes starts with each individual team taking strides to ensure a productive, healthy environment.

“I push myself every day to get better at lacrosse and in school,”said Lukacs. “I have to make sure I’m always doing what’s good for myself and my team. If anything gets to be too much, you know, the stress, school, practice, anything, I have a support system of 50 guys who I know have my back.”

After the athletes sort through the emotional stress and time restraints of this demanding lifestyle, there are still many identity questions that come into play. In a recent study conducted by the NCAA, it was concluded that studentathletes identify themselves as, primarily, athletes over students. While the student aspect is still equally as important, it’s possible that the pressing circumstances of their strict collegiate lifestyle may interfere with their future careers in the nonathletic world. Surprisingly enough, almost all athletes say that that is untrue.

“I know my chances of competing post collegiately are slim, which is why getting into an academically sound school was the most important thing for me,” Katsarakes said.

And he’s right: the chances of NCAA athletes competing at the pro level are in the single percentiles, from pro-basketball recruitment rates as low as 1.2 percent to the highest rate of 8.6 percent for pro-baseball.

“If I play my cards right and am deemed marketable by a couple different companies that are willing to sponsor me, then that’s a different story,” said Katsarakes. “But I want to be able to make a future for myself if that doesn’t happen, and that starts with my academics.”

“Of course I’ll still want to play tennis after college, but more as a hobby than a career. Playing tennis here gives me a purpose to do well,” said Ramos. I have this whole family of coaches, teammates and tutors supporting and helping me to become a better tennis player and student.”

It is evident that while there are many complications to playing a DI collegiate sport, there is a passion and support system that drives these student-athletes to success. With strides being made by the NCAA to support a healthy, well-rounded and academic-centered college experience for these players, perhaps there does not have to be a choice between being primarily a student or an athlete, but both equally and simultaneously.

How Professional Athletes Changed the Olympic Games

BY BRITTANY BELL DESIGN AND GRAPHICS BY GABBY DIPIETRO

O

lympic gold. Ultimate glory. Homegrown athletes proving that they are the best in the world, and their names forever being attributed to excellence.

Every four years, the best athletes from around the globe gather to prove their superiority. For some countries, it is proving that they are still the dominant force in their sports. For others, it’s a way to put their country on the map as a hub of athletic prowess.

In ancient Greece some 3,000 years ago, the Olympics were a way for men to demonstrate their physical and mental fitness all in honor of Zeus, Greek god of the sky. Today, the Olympics honor a new type of god: the professional athlete.

Before 1986, the games were reserved solely for the competition of amateur athletes. This preserved the integrity of the game; it gave athletes the ability to prove their absolute devotion to the sport and how their sacrifices paid off. The Olympics gave amateur players a stage to prove their skills and oftentimes showcase their potential to play at the professional level one day. These elite athletes not only represented themselves, but their countries and their homes.

Perhaps the most well-known success story of amateur athletes overcoming all odds to achieve the gold medal was the 1980 “Miracle on Ice”. Amidst the backdrop of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the United States Men’s Hockey team edged out a 4-3 victory over the dominant and intimidating Soviet Union, leading the men to the championship game and a 1980 Olympic gold medal in Lake Placid, New York.

Living on the “USA! USA!” chants of the crowd, 20 college hockey players, including four from Boston University, overcame their underdog status and forever etched in the minds of the world that miracles are possible, earning the nickname “Miracle on Ice.”

38

Though they may all have been amateur athletes, they never let the thought cross their minds or hinder them from proving to be the best hockey team in the world.

“We never thought of it as ‘amateurs versus pros.’

I think people outside thought of it that way because it is what it is,” said Mike Eruzione, captain of the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team. “The U.S. Team was always a group of college players and it was a given. During the Olympics we never sat in team meetings and said ‘remember: we’re amateurs, they’re pros.’”

However, the Olympics changed dramatically when in 1986, the International Olympic Committee decided that only professional athletes would be able to compete in the Olympic games. Gone were the days of amateurism, and the reign of new athletic gods began.

The inclusion of professional athletes allowed for the United States to form the 1992 “Dream Team”: the gold medal-winning basketball squad comprised of allstar National Basketball Association players including Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Charles Barkley.

Described by sports fanatics and journalists alike as the best sports team ever assembled, some may argue that allowing professional athletes into the Olympics elevated the competition level in the games.

The camaraderie between the guys and the behind-the-scenes action helped players bond.

“They would all get together to play poker and hang out,” said Jim Poulin, a Southern Maine Athletic Association basketball referee. “Guys like Larry Bird and Charles Barkley became great friends, and I think that helped them on the court as well.”

The heightened competition affected Olympic sports across the board, bringing in the elite of the elite for all to enjoy. Fans enjoyed watching their favorite professional athletes compete on an international stage, to see how they compared to the rest of the world; in

fact, it still remains one of the highlights of Olympic competition today. “[The players now] are just better. They’re bigger, they’re faster, they’re stronger,” said Eruzione. “The skill level is incredible. Looking at just the U.S. team with how far we’ve come in the game of hockey in general. In 1980, we said we might have opened the door.

A new driving force has ultimately replaced the Olympic integrity that was established by the ancients: money. By allowing professional athletes to compete, the profit from having an international contest of athletes skyrocketed, as exemplified by the wild financial success of the 1992 Olympics.

“Participation by professional athletes increases the public interest in the Olympics, which translates into high sponsorship deals, ticket revenues, etc.,” said Evgeny Lyandres, an Associate Professor of Finances at BU’s Questrom School of Business. “On the other hand, though, professional events cannot be held during or around the Olympics. But, I think that the positive effect [of allowing professionals to compete] greatly outweighs the negative one.”

Though the Olympic games have certainly changed since they first began in ancient Greece, the glory with achieving the highest award has remained. Whether it be amateurs or professional athletes competing, winning the gold medal for one’s country is still an incredible honor that will always be remembered.

“When it’s an Olympic athlete representing [his or her] country we all feel a part of it,” said Eruzione.

“We all watch them stand on the podium and we take great pride in hearing our anthem being played. I was fortunate enough to have it happen in Lake Placid, in

my own country with the whole building singing the ‘Star Spangled Banner.’ Seeing your flag raised just a little bit higher is an incredible feeling. It’s a very proud moment because of what it means, not just to yourself, but to teammates and an entire country.”

This summer when the 2016 Olympic Summer Games arrive in Rio de Janeiro, world-class athletes from across the globe will be giving it their all and undoubtedly will be going for gold.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

BU BOOTCAMP Workouts Fit for Your Dorm Room

BY GIANNA DUDA ILLUSTRATIONS BY SAMANTHA WEST DESIGN BY JAMI RUBIN

F

inding the perfect workout while in school can be the ultimate struggle. Some may not be able to find the right amount of motivation, while others might be swamped with busy class schedules and extracurricular activities. Two fitness pros have stepped in to alleviate any college workout woes.

Leah Life, an instructor at SoulCycle and Annemarie Jagielo (CGS ’19), a Tabata and HIIT instructor, have provided easy exercises to tone and strengthen your whole body. You can do it all in the small space of your dorm room and over a span of a few minutes.

ARMS

Start off your workout with dumbbell bicep curls. Tuck your elbows near your hips, keeping your hands down by your thighs.

Then, extend your forearms 180 degrees up toward the top of your shoulders, keeping them parallel.

Keep your palms up facing you.

Repeat the motion downwards.

Repetitions: 30 For the shoulder press, place your arms directly in front of your face, extended at 90-degree angles on both sides. Lift the shoulders so that your elbows are eye-level.

Repeat the motion downward. Start out with your arms extended in front of you at a 180-degree angle, continuing to pull the weights back behind you. Complete the movement with your elbows at your sides.

Repetitions: 30 each

LEGS + ABS

Jagielo recommends the walkout plank push-up. She says to walk your hands out into plank/pushup position, do a push-up, walk your hands back and then stand up. Move on to single leg squats, regular squats with one leg extended 180 degrees in front of you, keeping the other leg planted firmly on the ground. Do double pulse squat jumps by pulsing your squat twice before jumping into the air.

Repetitions: 10 each

40

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

BEAUTY U

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN VOCATURO CREATIVE DIRECTION BY ERICA MAYBAUM STYLING BY KATE RADIN

nearthed

We live in an era of constant connectivity but minimal interaction. We’re always looking down and ahead–never up and around. It’s easy to lose sight of who we truly are behind the façade of social media profiles, but when stripped of filters and poses, we can find the true self–one highlighted in this spread.

We took our fashion shoot to new heights at the Cambridge Center Roof Garden. Highlighting the raw, blossom-less and blustery scenery, we present Boston as it really is in spring.

Our warm colors and delicate jewelry take you back to the basics and showcase our models’ natural beauty. It’s time to step back and disconnect—to simplify and rejuvenate. Let the little details and subtle textures do the talking this spring.

Find what roots you, and then you’ll grow.

Unearth your inner beauty.

42

FASHION BENEATH THE SURFACE DELICATE JEWELRY AND SUBTLE SHIMMERS ADD BUT NEVER DISTRACT. ON THEODORA: LOU LOU, FAN SEMI PRECIOUS SMOKY QUARTZ NECKLACE, $18; VIV RECTANGLE NECKLACE, $15; DELILAH TASSEL LAYERED NECKLACE, $32

LOOKING AHEAD THE WATCH CONTINUES TO TICK, BUT A CRAFTED HERRINGBONE BLAZER WILL REMIND YOU TO STOP AND APPRECIATE THE DETAILS. ON STEFAN: JACK WILLS, BELGRAVE BLAZER, $379; AYLEFORD POCKET TEE, $40; GANT, GANT DIAMOND G WOOL CASHMERE ZIP HOODIE, $275; WATCH, STYLIST’S OWN; STEVEN ALAN, A.P.C. NEW STANDARD JEANS, $185; SHOES, STYLIST’S OWN.

44

ON THE EDGE VERSATILE FABRICS SUCH AS SUEDE AND DENIM ADD AN UNEXPECTED TWIST TO LIGHTER, LOOSER PIECES. ON THEODORA: LIT, [BLANKNYC] BACKHANDED COMPLIMENT JACKET, $189; NO REST FOR BRIDGET, DEE ELLE LONG-SLEEVED SHIFT DRESS, $43; MF06 RECTANGLE GEODE RING, $10; MF07 CIRCLE GEODE RING, $10 ON JACKSON: GANT, RUGGER DENIM PULLOVER, $245; STEVEN ALAN, CROPPED COLLAR POLO, $98; JACK WILLS, BUCKINGHAM POW SUIT TROUSERS, $129.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

THE NEXT LEVEL EARTH TONES HELP BUILD YOUR LOOK FROM THE GROUND UP. ON AURELIA: NO REST FOR BRIDGET, SUEDE FRONT TANK, $32; OLIVACEOUS SWEATER, $69; STEVEN ALAN, MM6 MAISON MARGIELA HIGH-WAIST JEANS, $395; H&M, LEATHER SNEAKERS, $60 ON STEFAN: H&M, WOOL HAT, $30; STEVEN ALAN, OUR LEGACY BASE ROUNDNECK, $230; GANT, GANT RUGGER R SLUB FLANNEL ARMY SHIRT, $125; JACK WILLS, BARBERRY SLIM CHINO, $90; SHOES, STYLIST’S OWN

46

BRANCHING OUT A SIMPLE JACKET WITH METAL DETAILING IS NEVER OFF-SEASON OR OUT OF STYLE. ON JACKSON: GANT, GANT RUGGER R. FJORD PARKA, $295; GANT RUGGER CHIP PREPPY JEAN, $185; STEVEN ALAN, A.P.C. RUSTIC SWEATER, $220

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

STANDING STRONG MUTED LAYERS PACK A SURPRISING PUNCH AND UNVEIL YOUR INNER POWER. ON AURELIA: LIT, BATTLE ME IN STYLE TOP, $42; RICKI RESORT SKIRT, $88; LOU LOU, SCARF, $15; JTF HAMMERED GOLD TONE NECKLACE, $25; LAR TRIANGLE STONE STUD, $10 ON STEFAN: ZARA, DOUBLEBREASTED TRENCH COAT, $149; GANT, RUGGER R. CORDED BARSTRIPE SWEATER, $175; STEVEN ALAN, SHORT SLEEVE MASTERS SHIRT, $188 ON JACKSON: JACK WILLS, BELGRAVE DONEGAL BLAZER, $298; FAULKNER CHAMBRAY SHIRT, $90; AYLEFORD POCKET TEE, $40 ON THEODORA: STEVEN ALAN, OVERSIZED STAND COLLAR SHIRT, $215.00; JACK WILLS, AVONDOWN DENIM PINAFORE DRESS, $90; CRUSH, 360CASHMERE BYRDIE SWEATER, $230; LOU LOU, TRIANGLE DRUZY PENDANT, $25

ROCK SOLID BOXY SILHOUETTES PAIRED WITH FORMFITTING PIECES ADD A NEW DIMENSION TO YOUR LOOK. ON THEODORA: STEVEN ALAN, DUNCAN SHIRT, $335; LIT, KEEPSAKE LATE NIGHTS KNIT SKIRT, $130; LOU LOU, AMETHYST ARROWHEAD NECKLACE, $25; BRICE BRACELET, $15; FLOATING PEARL RING, $15; H&M, LEATHER SNEAKERS, $60 ON AURELIA: STEVEN ALAN, FELICITY JUMPSUIT, $395; LIT, KEEPSAKE LATE NIGHTS KNIT TURTLENECK, $120; LOU LOU, BLS COIL WRAP NECKLACE, $15; LAR DANGLE CUBE EARRINGS, $15; H&M, SUEDE FRINGE BOOTS, $70

50

ME TRO

changing perceptions of the fashion-forward male

BY STEPHEN VOCATURO PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLEG TEPLYUK DESIGN BY MAIA SKLAROV THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

g

ay or European?

It’s the inherently cruel yet all-too-familiar question for Boston University students when a stylish man strolls down Commonwealth Avenue. Despite our accepting and diverse campus population, the prospect of a fashionable, well-groomed man who is neither gay nor European can still be difficult to grasp for many students. When it comes to the man’s identity, however, the true answer to that question is simple: Who cares?

We’ve all seen him—that elusive guy whose effortlessly cool ensemble makes every head turn. A suffocating yet oddly entrancing cloud of cologne trails him as he tiptoes around the springtime puddles (as if he’d ever risk ruining his leather Chelsea boots). His sense of style is impeccable. Clad in the latest trends, he is unafraid to mix and match a slim-fitting jacquard suit with an oversized tweed coat. His hair is slicked back with American Crew styling gel, and his immaculate cuticles are the envy of every nail-biter on campus. Ah, yes, it’s him—the metrosexual.

To some, the metrosexual image is an ideal that reflects an accepting society where men can freely express themselves without fear of stigmatization. To others, the metrosexual aesthetic is the epitome of America’s nauseating obsession with unrealistic and unhealthy beauty standards—standards that have finally permeated the male market.

Contrary to what the term might suggest, metrosexuality does not refer to sexual orientation but rather a lifestyle choice for men who consciously put effort into their outward appearance.

A British journalist coined the term “metrosexual” in 1994.

It originally referred to a heterosexual man—typically in an urban setting—who adopted his gay counterpart’s stereotypical knack for grooming and dressing well. What followed was a cultural revolution of sorts, as more men became comfortable with openly getting in touch with their stylish sides. Thus, the late ’90s and early 2000s saw a boom in beauty products and trends for men, from gray hair treatments, to “man”-icure spa getaways, to “manscaping” guides for a perfectly trimmed torso and dirt-free downtown (if you catch the drift).

In the past, a man risked some harsh labels—“effeminate” or “gay”—for straying from his traditional black suit-and-tie uniform. Then came the metrosexuals. The ladies (and let’s not forget the gays) swooned, as men slowly but surely began paying closer attention to their looks. Perhaps it was part of a gradual shift toward a more socially liberal society, but for whatever

52

reason, straight men no longer feared the labels simply because they took the time to fine-tune their presentation. Instead, metrosexuality became a new and exciting outlet for masculine expression. Just think of the burly lumberjack scruff, the oak and whiskey-infused colognes, the James Dean-esque leather.

Historically speaking, men leap at the opportunity to assert their manhood. How fortuitous, then, was the rise of metrosexuality because it enabled men to express their masculinity through their appearance rather than their number of touchdowns. At its inception, metrosexuality provided the best of both worlds: a mouth-watering façade and a stigma-free machismo.

Today, metrosexuality has global appeal, but the aesthetic is increasingly popular among urban college-aged men. Certainly, metrosexuals hail from different backgrounds, but they are united in their detail-oriented approach to hygiene and clothing. Despite society’s gradual acceptance of diversity in the past decade, some students, such as Marco Buchmayer (Questrom ’18), still feel that metrosexual tendencies tend to carry an unspoken stigma.

“If I’m dressed up, other people always ask me why, as if they think I need to have a reason for it,” said Buchmayer. “Just because I’m not gay or European, people question when I have a suit and tie on, but the truth is I just like doing so because it makes me feel more put together and confident.”

Many feel that the metrosexual movement started in Europe, where men are stereotypically perceived as more put together. Born in Denver, Claire McGill (CAS ’19) grew up in America but moved to Vienna when she was 13 years old. Her exposure to both cultures gives her insight into how men’s style across the pond differs from that of America.

“It’s hard to generalize the entire continent, but I’d say that, generally, there is a larger consciousness for men in Europe when it comes to fashion,” said McGill. “Metrosexuality seems to have less of a stigma.”

Although many Americans still perceive metrosexuality as effeminate, others endorse the movement. Brandon Bedell (CAS ’18) enjoys dressing well and notes that many men at BU pay close attention to their looks.

“The majority of men here have more than just t-shirts and athletic shorts as a daily staple and tend to really vary what they choose to wear,” said Bedell. “Being in Boston steps up pressure to keep up with the styles of millennial professionals, and many men at BU rise to the challenge.”

Behold! A generation of men who actually put effort into their appearance. Therein lies the beauty of the metrosexual aesthetic. After all, the metrosexual’s attractiveness is not, per se, his physical appearance. Sure, some people may find a keen

eye for accessories or a freshly waxed chest to be oh-so seductive on a man—whatever floats your boat. But perhaps the true sex appeal in the metrosexual image lies in the premise of putting in the effort. There’s a certain degree of sexiness to a man who consciously devotes time and energy to sprucing himself up for his significant other.

“The well-dressed, curated figure really endows a feeling of confidence, friendliness and cleanliness that people can really vibe with and admire,” said Bedell. “I think there’s also an element of approachability that someone clean-cut and curated carries, and it really can act as an easy conversation starter.”

However, there’s a fine line between mindfulness of appearance and narcissism, and some believe that metrosexuals have already crossed it. In a world ravaged by consumerism, men today feel pressured to keep up with trends and adopt metrosexual tendencies in the unattainable pursuit of physical perfection. The result is a never-ending slew of gym-obsessed model wannabes who stop at nothing until they resemble the gods in the Acqua di Gio ads.

Ryan Lim (ENG ’18) notices that although a few men take the metrosexual tendencies too far, there’s much more to the story.

“Obviously, there are extremes, and a lot of guys are too into only cultivating their appearance,” said Lim. “But I think the most successful men really know how to strike a balance between looking good and being healthy.”

Maybe metrosexuality is a blessing in that men can openly care about their exterior, but it may be inadvertently celebrating self-obsession and superficiality. How can we ensure the metrosexual men of tomorrow strike the balance and prevent themselves from solely finding companionship in the mirror?

One answer to that question may lie in the media’s greater emphasis on diversity and individuality. Take, for example, the advent of gender-bending clothing. Seventeen-year-old Jayden Smith, the son of actor and rapper Will Smith, recently shocked the world by signing on to model women’s wear for Louis Vuitton this spring. Designers constantly blur the line between traditional male and female wardrobes, and in doing so, they equalize male and female expression.

Even on a subconscious level, our fashion and style choices are linked to the gender roles that have dictated men’s and women’s actions for centuries. However, the gradual shift toward individual style speaks volumes about societal growth. Perhaps the metrosexual movement is just another step in the path toward personal expression—a milestone in the pursuit of authenticity.

And—male or female—isn’t that what style is all about?

As Lim put it, “I’m an old-fashioned dude. So I think what’s on the inside is what counts, and it’s most important to focus on who you are as a person.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

style

glitch WITHOUT A

BY SAM PETERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIGID KING ILLUSTRATION BY SAMANTHA WEST DESIGN BY JAMI RUBIN

54

I

The immersion of technology into fashion

n today’s digital age, innovations in technology no longer belong solely to the hoodie-wearing protégés of Facebook or Google. Step inside Rebecca Minkoff’s flagship store in Los Angeles and you’ll understand why. Upon entering the boutique, customers are greeted with “smart walls” that beckon to be touched. “Tap,” they say, and the virtual experience begins. After customers swipe through and select their desired looks, an iPaddoting salesperson delivers the items directly to the dressing room. Different colors and sizes can be swapped out with a touch of the magic mirror and a list of items the customer has tried on will be saved and sent to his or her phone for later.

Minkoff’s virtual fitting rooms are just a few of the novelties illustrating fashion’s growing collaboration with technology. From Burberry to Victoria’s Secret, high-profile and commercial designers are pairing with leading minds in the tech world to revolutionize the way clothing is created and even purchased.

Gone are the days of sketchpads and sewing machines. From a design’s initial conception to its place on the department store clothing rack, 3-D printing has transformed the way clothing is produced. This method effectively cuts out laborious steps of the design process, allowing designers to digitally print 3-D versions of their apparel. The printers work by building tiny layers of material, such as plastic, metal or yarn, on top of each other to create runway-ready designs.

Brands like Australia’s XYZ Workshop, which first debuted the longest 100 percent desktop 3-D printed dress in 2014, have eagerly adopted this method of production.

This March, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts opened #techstyle, an exhibition that focuses on this era of 3-D printed garments. The exhibit’s designs explore the synergy between fashion and technology. Amelia Kantrovitz, spokesperson for the exhibit, believes the two go hand in hand.

“The fashion world has always responded

to new technology, adapting it to suit the market and manufacturing needs,” said Kantrovitz.

“What is interesting today is the growing interest among contemporary designers, scientists and mathematicians to explore new ways of designing and producing clothing.”

New technologies have enabled consumers to achieve elevated levels of style or, at the very least, more Instagram likes. In 2015, researchers at the University of Toronto created an algorithm to predict how fashionable a person looks in an Instagram post and offer suggestions on how to improve the outfit. Mining data from Chictopia. com, a social media website where users share their outfit-of-the-day photos, the team amassed statistics about each user’s featured fashion and comments it received from other Chictopia users.

Inputting a photo into the “Fashion144K Dataset,” the algorithm assesses the outfit and provides recommendations for improving the look. The algorithm also analyzes the overall fit of the outfit, as well as the lighting and angle of the photo. This new technology pins fashion as more than just an art, but an exact science.

Beyond providing fashion advice, hightech fashion can be used to supplement healthy lifestyles. The popular Apple Watch and the Nike + Fuelband SE help consumers monitor physical health and activity, including tracking calorie expenditure. The sleek rose-gold clasp and thin, matte black band of the Nike piece is a triumph for fashion lovers, proving that style does not have to be sacrificed for innovation.

Like Apple and Nike, London-based fashion brand CuteCircuit combines design aesthetic and functionality to create interactive garments for consumers. In collaboration with U.K. mobile network EE to celebrate the launch of its new 4G service in 2012, the company debuted the world’s first haute couture “tweetable” dress on star Nicole Scherzinger. The floor-length chiffon dress, complete with over 2,000 LED

lights and electroluminescent thread that would light up with the wearer’s movement, created stunning animations and received tweets in real time. Today, the brand continues to pioneer innovations in wearable technology, utilizing the human body as an interface to connect people from across the globe.

One of the most important implications of the merging of fashion and technology, however, comes in its ability to reduce fashion’s environmental footprint. Traditional methods for processing natural fibers, weaving clothing and dyeing fabrics result in substantial chemical waste and carbon emissions that contribute to global warming. Textile dyeing and finishing have contributed to 17 to 20 percent of the world’s water pollution, according to the World Bank.

New technologies for coloring, finishing and patterning have allowed designers to reduce the amount of pollution from production. Textile scientists such as Dr. Kate Goldsworthy, who uses lasers to pattern cloth and “stitch” together garments, and Natsai Audrey, who uses natural pigments in bacteria to color materials, are paving the way for more eco-friendly fashion practices.

Innovations in sustainability have given fashion a green thumb. Looking to clean up the planet, Dutch designer G-Star RAW has a clothing line of denim created entirely from recycled bottles recovered from the ocean. Other designers, including Issey Miyake, utilize materials such as polyester fibers that eliminate the use of fossil fuels in the manufacturing process. Scientific advances have also led to the use of biological materials for clothing, including lab grown leather and exact replicas of spider silk, to create sustainable animal products without any harm to animals.

“New technologies in fashion have pushed the traditional brick and mortar to engage consumers,” said Angela Chen, who runs her own fashion blog called Explicit Affairs.

Burberry takes the digital experience one

step further with its mirrors that become screens, projecting images of the customer’s items on the catwalk. With over 500 speakers in the store, customers can even hear the sounds of thunder and rainstorms—incentives to buy the brand’s iconic trench coat. For those who fret the struggle of finding the perfect fit, startups like menswear retailer Alton Lane have created 3-D body scanners to take exact measurements of clients’ bodies for custom made apparel.

Still, designers and consumers may be hesitant to jump on this technological bandwagon.

For designers, garments can take as long as 40 hours to print using 3-D printing methods and must be printed in parts. Body scanners are expensive, often priced upwards of $10,000 for one machine, proving an uneconomical investment for some companies. Tech-infused fashion products can also come with hefty price tag. Kate Spade partnered with Everpurse to create a bag that can charge iPhones on the go—it costs almost $700. For the average consumer, many technological gadgets may be well out of his or her budget or simply seem frivolous.

“I’m open to try[ing] these items, but I’m a little skeptical about making these items part of my lifestyle,” said Chen. “My iPhone is enough to keep me busy.”

Despite hesitation, the far-reaching effects of technology have irreversibly altered the fashion industry. In a culture where life is simplified with a click of a button or swipe of a screen, the relationship between fashion and technology will only be further solidified.

“The intersection of fashion and technology shows how technology has manifested itself into virtually all parts of society,” said Laura Rey (CAS ’17). “Ultimately, in order for anything to remain relevant today, it has to keep up with technology in some way.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

OVERit EXAMINING THE PREVALENT TRENDS ON BU’S CAMPUS

BY BRITTANY PONTBRIAND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CASSANDRA CHAN AND KARAM YANG DESIGN BY EMMA CSENGE

Among the honking T drivers, speedy bikers and Starbucks-toting students on Commonwealth Avenue, you’ll find the little variation in student style. Certain brands and clothing staples are all over Boston University’s campus, raising the question if individual style has fizzled out. For such a diverse campus, it’s a mystery why BU’s fashion scene is blending into one very recognizable style.

For certain trends, such as Bean Boots, Canada Goose jackets and Doc Martens, functionality plays a big role in their popularity across campus. In addition to providing a sense of purpose, there is pressure to fit in or have “it” brands.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people who have said that they didn’t feel like they fit in until they had certain brands of clothing,” said Zoe Enscoe (COM ’17).

The pressure of wanting to “belong” makes these trends even more prevalent when looking at the individual colleges within BU. In CFA, there is an overarching bohemian feel, while Questrom is home to a look more appropriate for the business world.

“As an ENG student, I don’t necessarily see a lot of the trends because it’s a male-dominated college,” said Maya Saint Germain (ENG ’16).

“I think of those trends being most prevalent in COM, both because there are so many females and because the students are, in general, more trendy.”

It appears as if the presence of these overworn trends is more obvious among the female population at BU, but the male student body still falls victim. Trends worn by men are less 56

recognizable because there is not as big of an emphasis on brands.

“I feel like guys are just as picky about certain things (outerwear, formal wear, etc.) but a lot of it comes either subtly or without a huge brand advertisement,” said Dan Leman (CAS ’17). “It’s more about the look than the brand because I could have off-brand quarter zip sweaters and dress shirts and still look trendy.”

CITY

Entertainment alternatives for students under 21

BY DANIELLE BOZZONE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAELA JOHNSTON AND BRITTANY CHANG DESIGN BY ALEENA QAZI

I

f New York City is the city that never sleeps, then Boston is the city with a strict 9 p.m. curfew.

Walking down the street after lights out makes it seem like every business that is not a bar is closed for the night. Although some late-night businesses admit those under 21, they are asked to leave just as the fun is getting started.

So rather than being separated from your of-age friends halfway through the night, or, even worse, sitting at home feeling like there is nothing to do, check out these hidden gems of Boston nightlife.

After Midnite at the Coolidge Corner Theater A phenomenon in the counterculture of the ’60s and ’70s, the midnight movie scene gifted us with campy cult treasures such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Night of the Living Dead and anything

by B-movie director John Waters. Although the late night movie-going scene has, in recent decades, become limited to Rocky Horror and blockbuster premieres, the Coolidge Corner Theater is continuing the tradition with a modern twist. “[They] always have something going on— typically it’s throwback movies or special film screenings—and it’s a chill thing to do if you aren’t looking to party but still want to stay out late,” said Dana Amico (CAS ’16).

Self-described as “late night programming for cinephile insomniacs,” After Midnite offers up everything from cult hits to mainstream successes.

Recent showings have included From Dusk Till Dawn in which Quentin Tarantino and George Clooney face a brothel full of vampires led by Salma Hayek; Lady Snowblood, a revenge epic that inspired the Kill Bill saga; and Attack the Block which stars John Boyega, now known to many as the renegade storm trooper Finn, as his gang fights off a pack of aliens.

Just like the selected films, the theater does not take itself too seriously. Favoring audience

experience above all else, they allow outside food.

So bring a snack or even a meal to satisfy your cravings throughout the film, especially if you are attending one of their massive film marathons.

However, if you did not plan ahead enough to bring food the concession stand is open and serves snacks—“fabulous popcorn,” according to Dana— as well as a selection of beer and wine.

Tickets are $11 and screenings occur every Friday and Saturday night.

Basement Shows Odds are that one or more of the houses you walk by on an Allston crawl doubles as a concert venue. The Boston underground music scene is thriving and shows happen every weekend. At first, the basement scene can seem to be on a need-toknow basis. However, shows are not secret; bands and venues welcome new and old fans alike.

“The basement scene is a sweet alternative to clubbing because you get to hang with friends in a no-bullpucky space where you get to listen to some talented musicians who also happen to be your friends,” said Kailen Santos (CAS ’18).

A bonus of supporting up-and-coming local artists is avoiding big label prices. Shows typically charge an entry fee of $5 for all-night admission to see lineups that often include five bands. However, most won’t kick you out if you only have $4.

Although it may be tempting to underpay, the money goes entirely to supporting the bands and venues who are greatly appreciative and take no contribution for granted.

A lot of news about the underground scene travels via word of mouth through friends of band members or those whose homes house the shows.

However, local publications like Boston University’s WTBU music zine The Beat, and Boston Compass, from the music-and-events blog Boston Hassle, offer comprehensive calendars showcasing what shows are happening where.

If you want to know more about a local band’s sound before diving into an Allston basement to hear them play, find them on Bandcamp. Most local artists post their music on the website, often streaming for free but accepting donations, to attract new fans and get their names out there.

Knight Moves Cafe Touted as “your living room away from home,” Knight Moves Cafe is a board game oasis.

Its library is immense and contains classics like Clue, Risk, Scrabble and Battleship, as well new hits like Cards Against Humanity and Bananagrams.

However, the hidden treasures of it’s collection are the less widely known games. From megahits within the industry like Settlers of Catan—to indie darlings like Elder Sign—play your way through a labyrinth inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft— to addictive Pokémon-esque card games like Smash Up—build decks of combined factions like pirateninjas or wizard-aliens—Knight Moves has it all.

The staff is comprised of those who are genuinely passionate and knowledgeable about the games, which is an impressive feat. They are more than willing to explain the rules of any of the games or make recommendations based on what you know you enjoy.

Knight Moves’ weekend hours are Friday from 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is a one-time fee of $10, or $5 during the week, for an all-day pass. They also have a café, which serves a small selection of food and drink, or you can pay an additional $5 to bring your own refreshments. And yes, you can bring alcohol.

Being underage does not mean you have to go without late night fun. If you look for it, you can find something interesting, provoking or just plain weird to do for your nocturnal activity.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

BOSTON: the starter city Why some students choose to call Boston home after graduation

BY DANNY MCCARTHY PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAELA JOHNSTON DESIGN BY MARIAM SYED

W

hile four years of college can seem like an eternity at the beginning of freshman year, reality differs completely. As a second-semester junior, I look into the terrifying abyss of “adulthood,” and I have some questions about post-graduation life: “where to live?” and “what to do?” chief among them.

For Boston University students, the question is most often whether one should stay or leave. With its small-town feel and big-city amenities, Boston offers as much for its civilian residents as it does for its collegiate population; however, the Boston-Quincy area has one of the highest living costs, behind Honolulu and the

60

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk trifecta and just ahead of New York, according to a Jan. 2015 Forbes ranking.

For college kids on the cusp of making what could potentially be one of the biggest decisions of their lives, they can either choose Boston as their starter city or move on to something else.

When you Google “starter city,” the first listed result is a LEGO set. This, though humorous, is ironic because a LEGO set is probably more thoughtful and put-together than a post-grad’s first attempts at building a real adult life. In the context of the freshly graduated, a starter city is the spot where new diploma-holders settle down for one to

three years, obtain their first jobs and first apartments and begin to discover who they are as adults.

The greater Boston area, home to 100plus universities and colleges, also boasts 4.59 million residents, 33 percent of whom are millennials. That is the highest concentration of millennials on Forbes’ list of the top 10 cities for new graduates, with roughly 837 jobs per 1,000 residents. On both that list and on Rent’s, Boston ranks as the fifth-best city for college graduates.

Samantha Flatley graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences at BU in Jan. 2015. After graduation, she moved back to New Jersey with the intent of seeking jobs in

New York City. She began working as a temp on Wall Street in March, taking time off to officially graduate with the rest of her class in May. On the drive home, diploma in hand, Flatley had an idea. Her temp job was unsatisfying and stagnant—one of her cotemps had been working there for over two years without a job offer—and her commute in and out of the city was arduous. A friend, whom she had met while studying abroad in London, was looking for a roommate in Boston. After leaving her temp job in July and selling her car, Flatley moved back to Boston in early September.

“Going to college in Boston taught me that I didn’t have to suffer through New York if I didn’t want to,” Flatley said. “Boston is so much more low-key, and you’re more likely to find small companies to nurture you.”

New York, with its fast-paced atmosphere, did not offer that luxury and did not need to with its plethora of potential temps.

Flatley used a recruiter to help her with interviews, but after a few months she still could not find a good fit. Just as she was about to give up and seek interviews on her own, the recruiter found one last potential placement. Flatley sent in her application, was called for an interview and started the job on Nov. 16, 2015.

When asked how Boston compared to New York, Flatley cited the atmosphere.

“The prices are roughly the same in both places, but what you get in a New York apartment might be a shoebox compared to one in Boston,” said Flatley.

While Flatley used to spend almost two

hours commuting, in Boston she was able to walk from her apartment in the North End to her job near South Station. Boston’s small mileage—especially compared to New York City’s—means a resident does not have to spend a fortune on transportation. Walking is an option.

Caitlyn Pearson (Questrom ’15), quickly took an internship at an advertising agency in Boston. That internship turned into contracted work, which turned into a full job offer by Nov. 2015. Pearson grew up in the Boston area and had always planned to stay local.

When compared to New York and other similar cities, Boston was very different to Caitlyn.

“It’s easier to find your home because it’s smaller,” she said.

However, she also said that the next step after college “really just ends up where you get a job. You have to look at the industry and your preference. I spent a lot of time in college putting pressure on myself to figure out my life.” While her vigorous pounding the pavement landed an internship, she advises others to “just figure out the next step.”

Jeanine Ilacqua (COM ’14) decided that Wisconsin was her next step. She began applying for jobs during her senior year, focusing on “a small town with a small market television station.” For her career in journalism, Ilacqua knew that she would need experience, and wanted a small town to really hone her skill. Most of her friends from college scattered to other parts of the country: big cities like San Francisco and Denver, or, for her journalism peers, other small towns.

Ilacqua grew up in Massachusetts and

had a hard time leaving the Boston area, but decided it was best for her.

“To me, Boston has always been the perfect city to get your first job. It is an amazing environment for young professionals,” she said. “But, honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing about my decision to move to Wisconsin.

It is important to step outside of your comfort zone when you are young.”

For the women interviewed, their chosen locations after college felt like the best “next step,” but part of growing up and stepping out is realizing that there will always be another “next step.”

“It is such a valuable experience to explore a place you’ve never been. You can learn so much about another culture and about other people,” Ilacqua said. “I think no matter what city, small town or country you get your first job in, it’s all about how you handle that experience.”

She apologized for veering close to “advice-y” in the interview, but her candor rang familiar. In the four years at college we go from children to adults. Whether BU college graduates stay in Boston or scatter across the globe, the experience is much more valuable for what it renders and what one gains rather than where it takes place. If the experience is bad, move. If it’s good, consider putting down roots. But remember that a starter city is just that: a start.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

secret gardens Hidden Green Spaces in Boston

BY COLBY RYMES DESIGN BY SHANNON YAU ILLUSTRATIONS BY JILLIAN APATOW Going to school in a city does not necessarily mean that you have to sacrifice greenery. If you’re tired of the concrete jungle, there are hidden green spaces to relax, recharge and reconnect, all located in Boston

Cambridge Center Roof Garden One wouldn’t look to a parking garage to get closer to nature, but this hidden space in Cambridge’s Kendall Square is filled with lush landscapes. This is a trip worth taking to escape the busy atmosphere of Commonwealth Avenue. Get some reading done under the shade of a tree or take your next Instagram pic of the city from a bird’s-eye view.

62

The Granary Burying Ground and King’s Chapel The Burying Ground is a unique glimpse into Boston’s history, as well as a small burst of green in a sea of urban buildings. The Grounds and Chapel are familiar to anyone who has walked the Freedom Trail, and offer the perfect area for a midday walk.

Peters Park Dogs, flowers and wide-open spaces come together at this South End park. Although it is currently being refurbished due to structural issues, this spot is a family-friendly destination to take a stroll and meet some furry friends.

There are also several tennis and basketball courts where you can practice your backhand or layup.

Jungle Atrium If someone were to take a piece of a tropical forest and put it under a glass roof, it would be comparable to the beautiful views at the Jungle Atrium on Merrimac Street. The enormous glass ceilings are brushed by palm trees and other tropical flora. This hidden gem is located inside a seemingly normal office building near the Haymarket T-stop in the North End.

CHANEL

TRAVEL

forgetting

DISCOVERING PARIS AND LEARNING FRENCH STYLE AS THE NEW GIRL IN TOWN

BY PAISLEY PIASECKI PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANN SINGER DESIGN BY DORIAN DREYFUSS THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

64

“THE FRENCH EXPRESSION BIEN DANS SA PEAU means ‘to be comfortable in your skin.’ So many of the women I observed in France embodied this expression. They were confident and effortless…even though they were wildly different, each performed their roles in life with ease and grace.” – Jennifer L. Scott, Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Paris.

Modern women have lusted after the classic, elegant French style for more than a hundred years, yet it has been difficult to attain in the United States. Books have been written, articles published and photographs captured of tall, beautiful women with small buns and red pouted lips walking down Le Champs Elysées, donning some variation of a pressed blouse and stylish kitten heels.

Now, forget Chanel. Forget Dior. Forget everything you’ve ever considered to be très parisienne. After spending a semester in Paris among a group of Parisian friends my age, I found that this coveted “style” has nothing to do with the clothes or shade of rouge a woman wears.

It is not about what you wear, but how you live and present yourself. It is your confidence in who you are, the values you uphold and the respect you have for yourself and for others. It is living with appreciation for yourself, your community and the things in life that are truly worthwhile.

I distinctly remember the first time I realized that the likes of Karlie Kloss and other Christian Dior models were not a reality amongst the French crowd. After an hour of putting together the “perfect outfit”—a short skirt, a turtleneck, knee-high socks and wedges with a purple shade of lipstick—I arrived at my first international-sorority rush dinner. I dressed with the expectation that these girls would be wearing bright red lips and sporting striped shirts with perfectly steamed pants. I was soon confronted with the realization that they had a more casual approach to style, and I was confused. If this had been an American sorority outing, they may have been wearing their best Lilly Pulitzer collection and a string of pearls. The pressure of looking wealthy and sophisticated was totally nonexistent, and I started to see that my conception of “French style” might have been distorted.

Some girls dressed simply in jeans and boots, others in puff coats and Converse. None of them wore buns and lipstick, to my disappointment. I was the fanciest girl in the group, and this was a sorority event. I assumed we were supposed to be wondering who dressed the best. This was the first of my adventures with intercultural behaviors and expectations. Being “Ze Americeeehn” was not the easiest at times. But the experience was everything I could have wanted and more—considering the goal was to become as Parisian as possible.

Part of “becoming Parisian” were these social experiments, as well as coming to terms with the fact that the French style I had longed for all these years was not exactly a reality among typical French women. Truthfully, on a day-to-day basis, the modern Parisian woman dresses plainly.

The quality I admired the most among my friends and colleagues was their confidence.

Their values were non-negotiable, especially in the sorority, where living and breathing the values of the group was the most important part. The social events, fraternity mixers and rush tasks didn’t matter if you were seen as someone who didn’t believe in the morals of the organization.

As Scott wrote, French women are “wildly different” from other western women, but they understand their individual “roles in life” and perform them with “grace.” The women I met and observed did not care what the person next to them was wearing.

They were much more interested in who they were on the inside—a quality and observation that is sometimes difficult to see in American culture.

A few years ago, when I attended birthday parties and other small functions at my boarding school, it was clear that what you wore was crucial. Though I was one who picked up the first dress that came to mind and could do my makeup in 15 minutes, I had some friends who needed at least two hours. And for good reason, apparently: within the first half an hour of these events, all I could hear was girls saying, “Oh my God, I love your skirt,” or, “I just love that eye shadow…where did you get it?”

Living with Parisians seemed so much easier and carefree.

Although there is certainly a dress code that must be respected at certain times, no one was curious about “who” you were wearing or just how much that bag cost. You are accepted for who you are, and are expected to be confident in that. When you consider the women who look like French “style icons,” you may find that they look elegant because they exude confidence and fearlessness. With the right mindset, this can be effortless for any woman.

After my experience in Paris, I can say that I have a definitive perspective on how French women master this elegance and grace: simply by being true to themselves. They are humble and respectful, and they recognize the importance of expression and owning their achievements and sense of style.

Style is considered a freedom of expression, and one that they see as a reflection of self-respect.

If you would like to adapt this demeanor, my recommendation is to never lose sight of what makes you feel confident. The most attractive part of this elegance is the fact that French women are brought up to believe that there is nothing more honest or true than oneself, and they hold steadfast to those beliefs. Whatever color, print or style makes you most confident will help you be the best version of yourself. In a Parisian’s eyes, this is the most stylish look you could ever wear.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

ABROAD

EXPERIENCES HOW TO GET WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF STUDYING ABROAD STORY BY SAMANTHA ANDERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY MARKUS DESIGN BY EMMA CSENGE

66

“CONGRATULATIONS! WE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO…” This is the opening line from a typical Boston University study abroad acceptance email. It appears not only in email inboxes, but also on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. This isn’t surprising considering BU boasts one of the most extensive study abroad programs in the U.S., with programs in more than 30 cities and more than 20 countries around the world.

Typically, this is regarded as an undeniable benefit of attending school at BU, or at one of the other 150 schools that also participate in our programs. It is a given that study abroad is a valuable experience one should take advantage of whenever possible. The assumption that participating in study abroad is inherently valuable is not an assumption that is typically challenged, but perhaps it should be.

Students often return from their time abroad saying their experiences were “incredible,” the people they met were “wonderful,” the lessons they learned were “invaluable” and that they themselves have changed. Are these sentiments valid, and are they truly a direct result of the study abroad experience?

Many would argue that they are.

“It was such a great opportunity to be able to experience somewhere so different while still receiving just as good of an education as I would have been getting in Boston,” said Abi Hertz (CAS ’16).

Indeed, being able to fulfill divisional requirements abroad is a major bonus for students, as there aren’t programs specifically created for every major. The education quality isn’t generally brought up in discussion. More often you hear stories of students taking advantage of cheap flights and lower drinking ages, which, thanks to potentially less strenuous classes, they are able to do. It’s a familiar scene that has become synonymous with “the study abroad experience,” and it makes you wonder whether students truly gain anything apart from fun memories.

While there is certainly nothing wrong with creating fun memories, it is possible that creating too many of them can detract from what could

potentially be an academically and culturally enriching experience.

“I think a lot of people tend to take study abroad at face value and just assume that it’s an inherently valuable experience,” said Maggie Read (CAS ’16), an Institut d’Études Politiques de Paris participant. “I think it’s important to recognize that while a lot of valuable experiences can be gained, it doesn’t mean that they automatically are.

When students live in English-speaking countries and live with other American students, it’s far more difficult for them to truly learn or understand the culture in which they’re supposed to be immersed. There’s so much more to be gained when students push themselves outside their comfort zones.”

It’s true that study abroad can be an uncomfortable experience. In fact, it should be. If everything were always the same as what students were used to in the U.S., there would be no point to studying abroad in the first place. It’s when things get difficult that students are able to get the most out of being abroad, but this is also when it’s easiest to stick to things that are comfortable.

“I like the idea of getting used to feeling comfortable about feeling uncomfortable,” said Renée Pontbriand, on-site director of the BU Study Abroad Paris programs. “If you feel too sure of yourself when abroad then you mustn’t be pushing the boundaries hard enough to get out of your comfort zone.”

One sure benefit of study abroad is that regardless of your academic experience or how much you intentionally try to live outside your comfort zone, you’ll still be forced into challenging and uncomfortable situations on a regular basis. These regular encounters with the unfamiliar can help facilitate personal growth.

“Study abroad was more of a formative experience in my ability to live independently and solve my own problems, rather than an academic experience,” said Jaclyn Diffley (COM ’16), who participated in BU’s London Internship Program. “I learned how to travel by myself and in small groups. I learned how to make friends with just about anyone and learned about different cultures. I also learned how to

“I LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING USED TO FEELING COMFORTABLE ABOUT FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE.” handle tough situations, such as missing my flight out of Germany.”

These same situations that feel so uncomfortable in the moment also lend themselves to the development of marketable traits.

“Just by being abroad, you still get to work on many skills that will remain invaluable for the job market,” said Pontbriand. “[These include]… foreign language proficiency, ability to function with a high level of ambiguity, awareness of global issues, communication across language barriers [and] problem-solving skills.”

Though the true value of a study abroad experience is up to the individual, it seems as though there is something to be gained from the experience, regardless. Nevertheless, it is still important to decide what you hope to gain from your study abroad experience before embarking on the adventure.

There’s nothing wrong with simply wanting a so-called “typical, fun” study abroad experience, but if you’re seeking something more, it is imperative to know what you want going into it so you can be prepared to fight through moments of discomfort and avoid the ever-present traps of the “easy” and “familiar.”

If you don’t, you may find yourself flying away from what was supposed to be one of the most culturally enriching and meaningful experiences of your life with nothing more than an Instagram feed full of touristy pictures and clichéd stories about the best time of your life.

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

FILTERED TRAVEL

BY CLARA BURR-LONNON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAE DAVIS | DESIGN BY JESSY AHN

how to use instagram to plan your trip

Instagram isn’t only used to Embrace the Hashtag Discover Places share the incredible photos taken on our adventures, but also serves as inspiration for travel plans and experiences. If you are deciding on a destination for a trip in six months, choosing a restaurant to try this evening in a new city or finding hidden spots for your hike tomorrow, Instagram can instantly help you discover places at your fingertips. Here are three tips to help you discover and filter through the best travel locations.

68

An obvious place to start is looking under the “tags” section to discover places around the world.

The hashtag of the general place you are visiting—for example: #london—is always a good start.

The trick for zooming in on an aspect of a location is to be specific with your hashtag. For example, if you want to discover coffee in London, use #londoncoffee and you will find photos that users have posted using that hashtag.

Under Instagram’s “places” section, you can search specifically for a city, restaurant, bar or landmark. Once you click “search,” you can browse photos that users have taken at that specific location and discover whether they may be worth visiting. This function is most beneficial once you have a specific place in mind you would like to explore.

Find a Travel Blogger/Local Who Uses Instagram Many accounts are locationspecific and tend to find and post pictures of many hidden gems that travelers may not otherwise encounter. Some travel bloggers have destination-focused hashtags which they use to comment on other photos, that allow users to trace the hashtag back to their accounts. In addition, many of these travel bloggers have a link to their blogs in their profiles.

MUSIC

BØRNS:

OVERNIGHT SENSATION BØRNS RAISES THE BAR FOR INDIE ROCK

BY VICTORIA WASYLAK | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BØRNS | DESIGN BY CAT YU

For Garrett Borns,

70

or BØRNS to the indie-savvy, fame means constantly being caught between performing on late night television and being mistaken for a woman.

“I’ll be traveling, just in a random coffee shop, and somehow, someone will know who I am,” he said.

“Someone will be like ‘Oh, what do you do?’

I’m like, ‘Oh I’m in a band, a band called BØRNS.’ “‘Oh, I love BØRNS!’ And they ask me questions about the singer, and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m the singer’ and they’re like ‘I thought the singer was a girl!’ And I’m like, ‘No…that’s me.’”

He said he takes it as a compliment, “sort of,” but aside from some confusion about whether it’s a man or woman behind those wavy auburn locks, Borns doesn’t have much room— or time—to complain.

Garrett Borns found time to phone The Buzz from Los Angeles in late January, between flying to Milan for the Gucci Spring/Summer 2016 show, playing live on James Corden’s Late Late Show and being bombarded by questions from fans on Twitter.

“The past week has been kind of crazy,” he said. “I was in Milan for a day, and I came back and then played James Corden last night…and now I am kind of getting ready for a bunch of shows on the East Coast and then heading to Europe for a tour with Halsey.”

Borns has been riding a wave of success since his debut release Dopamine last October, where he bore it all to a fan base he established before releasing a full-length album.

Since then he’s made an impressive number of other achievements. His song loops on the most recent Chrysler commercials, he has collaborated with Petite Meller for the soundtrack to H&M’s Fall 2015 collection and his name is plastered across multiple festival posters, including Coachella, Bonnaroo, Boston Calling and Sasquatch—yet he cannot put his finger on where he falls on the star charts.

“I have no idea what my positioning is on any sort of fame level,” he said. “Social media is also really hard to gauge because the Internet is a lot

different than a live show. I really have no idea.”

Borns has upwards of 79,000 likes on Facebook and 56,000 followers on Twitter. Those numbers are expected to explode during his joint tour with alt-pop sensation Halsey this year.

“Halsey reached out and asked if we wanted to go on tour with her in Europe, and I was like ‘Hell yeah!’” Borns said; the two shared billing during tours in Australia. “I think they are going to be really fun shows. She’s kind of blown up everywhere.”

Both performers came into their own underneath a blinding spotlight and gained speed and fans after touring with an EP’s worth of songs. Both were at the forefront of their respective genres by the time they released each of their debut LPs. “I guess I try not to think about it too hard,” Borns said of the world anticipating the October 2015 release of Dopamine. “I feel like any pressure is just self-reflected, and it’s all kind of an illusion. I just wanted to put out something that I was really happy putting out into the world and something that people will enjoy listening to and that I’ll enjoy performing.”

Dopamine peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200—albeit briefly—in Nov. 2015, a spot almost always occupied by the major players in Top 40 radio. The Michiganborn singer-songwriter gained sufficient momentum to snag the position after touring aggressively in 2015 and with the success of “10,000 Emerald Pools,” which initially debuted on his EP. According to Borns, Dopamine was

recorded faster than his Candy EP, which debuted his hit single “Electric Love.” The 11-track album transcends indie rock as a catalogue of endearing poetry that varies from the darkly enchanting “American Money,” to swoon-worthy “Past Lives.” The record reaches a crescendo on “Electric Love,” a sugary, psychedelic dose reminiscent of peering into a kaleidoscope.

“Overnight Sensation,” one of the more

“I feel like any pressure is just selfreflected, and it’s all kind of an illusion.” dewy-eyed tracks on the album, is a modern ode soaked with hipster-happy imagery of an “immaculate creation” of a lover. However, considering Borns’ exploding career, however, it’s almost hard to take the lyrics at face value.

“God, you really outdid yourself with this one,” his plush voice exhales over the dreamy indie pop track, an encapsulation of the past year.

The second half of 2015, in particular, consisted of a constant barrage of shows between his own Dopamine tour dates and a handful of shows with Bleachers and Charli XCX on their

“Charli & Jack Do America” tour.

“I wanted [Dopamine] to be sonically interesting, and lush, and full and also just fun to perform. I had to make sure it was very translatable live,” Borns said of the debut LP. Seeing that much of Borns’ life consists of a seemingly endless number of road trips, exerting his charismatic persona onstage is key to ensuring memorable performances.

“I feel like the songs, they kind of take on a different life form or personality if you play them more. They kind of change and they become the live version of the song,” Borns said. “I feel like me and my band, we always play it a little bit differently to keep it a little bit entertaining for us.”

After he embarks on his European tour, possibly clad in velvety Gucci (“They’ve been very gracious in dressing me in some of their new Alessandro collection for my shows,” he said), Borns will return to Boston to play at Boston Calling Music Festival on May 27, amongst fellow indie royalty like City and Colour and The Vaccines.

And in the midst of a schedule that pulls him in every possible artistic direction, Borns still somehow can’t seem to figure out where he falls on the fame scale.

“You know, it’s a hard thing to gauge,” he said. “I still really have no idea.”

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

BY TALEEN SIMONIAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE SCHWARZ DESIGN BY JAMI RUBIN

The Facts and Fictions Of Downloading Music Through Boston University’s Wi-Fi.

T

he modern student can be identified as broke, technologically savvy and wellinformed on how to maneuver the Internet quickly and accurately. Most students are unwilling to pay the price for music on web stores like iTunes. Instead, they resort to a general solution: downloading songs online directly to their computers and phones.

Luckily for students pursuing higher education, college campuses offer free wireless internet, which is included in the overpriced tuition. But there is a catch—there are serious consequences that come with using a school’s Wi-Fi. Students are rarely reminded that they need to upkeep certain behaviors when utilizing the university’s internet.

“I love listening to music, and I love making mixtapes and playlists. I don’t really know what happens if you download music through the Wi-Fi [at Boston University], but I’ve heard some rumors here and there,” said Hadley Alter (COM ’19). “Some are a lot worse than others, though. Expulsion was [one rumor] that was going around.”

The ominous rumors that litter campus are vague. If you use BU’s Wi-Fi to illegally download music, there are “repercussions.” However, the details of such reverberations are not typically investigated or researched. For many, the lines between what is legal and what isn’t when it comes to the downloading policy are ignored.

One incident that created sparks of student concern over the backlash of downloading music began in 2012, when BU graduate Joel Tenenbaum faced fines for charges involving music piracy.

The Boston Globe’s Javier Panzar covered the incident and said, “[The defendant] carried on his activities for years in spite of numerous warnings, he made thousands of songs available illegally, and he denied responsibility during discovery…Much of this behavior was exactly

what Congress was trying to deter when it amended the Copyright Act.” Tenenbaum was charged $22,500 per song and incurred charges totaling $675,000. Although the event didn’t occur on campus, the fines became associated with BU’s name due to the situation’s large scale.

The lack of knowledge on the public issue coincides with the limited information students receive on the topic.

Myths surrounding the idea of illegally downloading music range from reasonable to absurd. The most common myths are as follows: your wi-fi will be revoked for the duration of your time at BU, you will be fined hundreds of dollars or you will face suspension—or even expulsion.

The actual policy involving music, found online at BU’s “Information Services & Technology” page, explicitly states that by downloading or uploading material that is copyrighted without permission is both illegal and a violation of the university’s policy. If you have permission from a copyright holder or apply to one or more of the exceptions under the U.S. Copyright Act, you have the right to download the material. However, if it is without permission, you are subject to the outcomes of copyright infringement.

The repercussions surpass even the most ambiguous rumors. The potential consequences of downloading even one song illegally may result in the downloader facing both criminal and civil penalties linked to copyright infringement.

These include being fined over $100,000 per song downloaded, along with additional fines and incarceration for up to 10 years.

The University’s consequences are milder compared to those of violating the civic policies (stated above).

With BU, the first offense requires the individual who violated the policy to completely

remove the downloaded song(s) from the computer they were downloaded onto, as well as attend a program that details the aspects of copyright. If the violator does not complete these tasks within a week of being notified, the student’s BU Kerberos account will be suspended and Wi-Fi cut off. The second offense is expectedly harsher, as it includes receiving a personalized letter from Dean Elmore, a second round attendance at a copyright program and the removal of all illegally downloaded music off of the computer. Once again, if these tasks aren’t completed, the student’s Kerberos password will be inaccessible by the student. The third and final offense results in a referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs, which has the potential to lead to expulsion and fines.

Regarding student knowledge about the policies, Katherine Cornetta, assistant to the Dean of Students, says information is given out at new student orientations and is put into the terms you have to sign off on when you create a BU email and/or use a BU network for the first time.

“We do need to do more educational programming about file sharing, and I would expect that you will see more later this semester and in the fall,” said Cornetta.

The simple action of downloading a copyrighted music file from the internet without the copyright holder’s permission is illegal.

According to BU, this can include downloading or uploading recordings that are poor-quality, uploading music online that is protected by copyright or distributing copyrighted material.

To play it safe, especially while using BU’s Wi-Fi, simply stick to listening to music via YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music or any other source that has permission to distribute copyrighted music.

&

CLICK IT ticket

BY EMMA PARKINSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY OLIVIA FALCIGNO DESIGN BY KARAM YANG

Whether you’re into stadium shows or bar bands, ticket buying can be quite the challenge. Sometimes you miss the tour announcement, and before you know it, your favorite band’s show is sold out. Here are a few free phone apps that will give you the upper hand.

BANDSINTOWN Bandsintown downloads data from your iTunes library and Spotify spins to create a customized concert calendar. The app sends you notifications when an artist you listen to announces a tour in your area, so you can be one of the first to get tickets. Mark that you’re attending a show and the event will import to your calendar and let your friends on the app know.

APPLAUZE Applauze will show you a range of events from concerts to sports games and community events. You can customize what kind of events you are looking for and when something you like comes up, you can save it for later or buy tickets on the spot. The coolest feature on the app, which almost makes up for its sometimes slow performance, is the chat room. This feature allows you to coordinate plans with your friends and finalize details for the big night out.

SEATGEEK

74

Similar to Bandsintown, SeatGeek will notify you when your favorite artists are playing near you after scanning your iTunes library and Facebook likes. The app knows that you want to attend events but have a budget—it shows you all available prices from various sellers. You can also track events to see when prices fluctuate. The name originates from its most appealing feature: the app will show you the layout of a stadium or venue and exactly where you will be sitting.

the best apps to get you to the show

STUDY ABROAD WORLD-CLASS INTERNSHIP AND STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS.

/BUabroad

bu.edu/abroad

@BUabroad

See individual program descriptions at bu.edu/abroad for details.

An equal opportunity, affirmative action institution.

76

SARAH WU, MANAGING EDITOR

STEPHEN VOCATURO, PHOTO DIRECTOR

ELISHA MACAHDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

spring 2016

REGINA RAPHAEL, SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

ERICA MAYBAUM, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

REBECCA YOUNG, HEAD COPY EDITOR

ALEENA QAZI, ART DIRECTOR

STAFF

ELIZA SULLIVAN, EVENTS COORDINATOR

JESSI MITROVICH, PR COORDINATOR

SAMANTHA BLANK, PUBLISHER

meet THE

MICHAELA JOHNSTON, CITY PHOTO EDITOR

CLARA BURR-LONNON, TRAVEL EDITOR

GRACE WEINSTEIN, CAMPUS EDITOR

BRITTANY BELL, SPORTS EDITOR

VICTORIA WASYLAK, MUSIC EDITOR

KATE RADIN, FASHION EDITOR

DANNY MCCARTHY, CITY EDITOR

JACQUI BUSICK, FOOD EDITOR

RIVAH CLEMONS, CULTURE EDITOR

KELLY MARKUS, FASHION PHOTO EDITOR

MADELEINE ARCH, CULTURE PHOTO EDITOR

JESSAMYN WALLACE, ADVERTISING COORDINATOR

THE BUZZ | SPRING 2016

@THEBUBUZZ