The Dartmouth 10/10/18

MIR ROR 10.10.2018

SEEM AND SEAMS: APPEARANCE AND IDENTITY | 4

SWAG THAT STICKS |5

WHAT ARE THE KIDS SAYING THESE DAYS? | 8 JEE SEOB JUNG/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

2 //MIRR OR

Editors’ Note

Hidden Costs to Free Swag STORY

MICHAEL LIN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

“I got hot sauce in my bag, swag,” raps Beyoncé in her song “Formation.”

While listeners may be drawn to the imagery of the pop singer carrying a condiment bottle in her designer bag, we at the Mirror are curious about the meaning of the last word.

“Wait a minute,” you say. “Last I checked, it’s not 2010.”

You might think we are almost a decade too late, delving into a phrase that became wildly popular in the late 2000’s, with rappers Soulja Boy, Jay-Z, and M.I.A popularizing it in their songs. You’re right. Swag is an outdated phrase, and it’s even older than you think.

Although it is evocative of musicians wearing fur coats and large glasses or supermodels strutting down the runway, swag, or rather “swagger,” is a Shakespearean term, which was used to describe strutting in a “defiant or insolent manner.” The word has since evolved to define a measurement of confidence and even promotional goods. On campus, swag spans a variety of concepts — free pens and t-shirts distributed by companies at the career fair, Dartmouth-specific fashion and laptops decked out with references to beloved T.V. shows. Read this issue to discover what swag means to us.

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10.10.18 VOL. CLXXV NO. 79 MIRROR EDITORS MARIE-CAPUCINE PINEAUVALENCIENNE CAROLYN ZHOU ASSOCIATE MIRROR NIKHITA HINGORANI EDITORS ELIZA JANE SCHAEFFER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ZACHARY BENJAMIN PUBLISHER HANTING GUO EXECUTIVE EDITOR AMANDA ZHOU

Maggie Doyle

Think about the t-shirts you carbon emissions, and may get own. How many did you actually worse as the culture of fast fashion buy? It’s almost impossible to resist intensifies. A recent report by the allure of free stuff, so swag from Greenpeace found that since 2000, clubs, events, internships, Greek life global clothing production has and more is bound to accumulate in doubled, and the average person one’s closet. However, despite these now buys 60 percent more items of goods being free, they come at a clothing annually, while keeping them significant cost, both socioeconomic for half as long. Forbes magazine and environmental. Fast fashion found that almost 70 million barrels refers to the culture of consuming of oil are needed to produce the large quantities of cheap goods, amount of polyester used yearly, and usually only wearing them a few while the fabric’s decomposition rate times. is 200 years.

That’s an issue that Elisabeth Dartmouth students certainly Delehaunty ’93 is trying to combat. have cheap clothing in their closets.

Delehaunty started a clothing Reva Dixit ’22 said she estimates company called “Elisabethan,” about half of her t-shirts were free, which sells recycled and reworked while William Chen ’22 estimates clothing. According to Delehaunty, the majority of his t-shirts were free. the problem with the modern Katheryn Caplinger ’20 said she only clothing industry lies in the low cost bought “a quarter of my t-shirts” and of some of the clothing. “at least eight” are from Dartmouth “Part of the problem is that clothes clubs and events. are just so crazy cheap. You buy Delehaunty also brought up that cheap, you use it for a little while, and people tend to think they’re not a then it becomes part of the useless,” fast fashion “I think there is more Delehaunty said. problem if “At those prices, supply than demand they donate s o m e o n e ’ s for donated clothing the clothes getting screwed they don’t ... the people ... the thrift stores and use. m a k i n g t h e donating centers get “ I clothes are being think there is buried.” exploited. We’re more supply going beyond than demand where we can - ELISABETH DELEHAUNTY for donated come back from. clothing ...

I just become ’93 the thrift more and more stores and aware that the donation stuff we get rid of doesn’t really go centers get buried,” she said. away.”

When we talk about global trends, For Delehaunty, her central it’s hard to think of it as a Dartmouth concern are sweatshops and the problem, but for Kerr, these issues are low-wage workers who work in close to home. them. While increased trade with Director of the Dartmouth a developing country may grow a Sustainability Office Rosi Kerr country’s economy and benefit its ’97 said that synthetic clothing workers, that growth sometimes comes at the cost of labor rights such as adequate breaks for rests, safe working spaces, adequate compensation and preventing the use of child labor. In her view, companies often lack incentives to produce their clothing ethically, which can perpetuates a cycle of oppression of workers in developing countries.

The issue is well known in the fashion industry. Designer Eileen Fisher stunned New York audiences in 2016 when in an award acceptance speech, she said “The clothing industry is the second largest polluter in the world ... second only to oil,” the Washington Post reported. At the time, that was a shock, but more research has drawn attention to damage done by the fashion industry.

The apparael industry alone accounts for 10 percent of global

in particular are a problem since the material breaks down into microfibers of plastic that persist in the environment.

“I have talked to the landfill where Dartmouth sends its waste, and that’s a problem they’re having,” she said.

“Some of those goods take a long time to rot, and they’re difficult to handle ...

We have heard from them that that’s an increasing problem.” However, Kerr added that there is evidence of the fashion industry becoming more sustainable by creating “durable lasting goods.”

While production costs are surely higher than they would be without Delehaunty’s regard for durability, she seems to love her job and feels passionately about the work she’s doing.

“I love interacting with customers and being reminded how special the stuff I make is to them,” she said. “I have people who come up to me with a skirt they’ve had for 10-15 years, and tell me how much they love it.”

According to her, the biggest thing consumers can do to buy ethically is pay higher prices for longer lasting pieces of clothing and make sure to dispose of old garments responsibly.

Free t-shirts aren’t the cause of this problem, they’re a symptom.

The accessibility and cost efficiency of making clothing makes it easy to use t-shirts to promote an event or group. We rarely consider the broader consequences of our actions because we feel so far removed from them. We are all so deeply intertwined in methods and culture of consumerism, it would be exhausting and probably impossible to consider the true cost of each item of clothing we encounter. Still, there are ways for the individual to resist this culture of the quick disposable. There may not be a fast solution to the issue of fast fashion, but awareness and consideration of the true cost of free swag is the first step.

MIRROR //3

Pumpkin Blood and Other Mondegreens STORY

Novi Zhukovsky

Sprawled across her sofa bed with our computers perched on our stomachs, my friend Sophia and I were tackling the study guide for our biology final. While racking my brain to remember all the processes of cellular respiration, I heard a faint humming beside me. The soft sounds grew louder and louder, and before I knew it, Sophia and I were belting out the lyrics to “Pumpin’ Blood” by NONONO. Completing the first verse, we rounded on the chorus.

Sophia began to shout, “THIS IS YOUR HEART, IT’S ALIVE, IT’S PUMPKIN BLOOD!” I couldn’t contain myself and burst out laughing.

If you know the song, you’ll recognize that the lyric is not actually “pumpkin blood” but “pumpin’ blood” – hence the song’s title. When I pointed out this hilarious blunder to my friend, she looked at me incredulously and began to furiously google the song’s lyrics. Finally convinced that the lyric was not actually “pumpkin blood,” she announced that the whole song had been ruined for her and she could no longer call it one of her favorites.

She loved “Pumpkin Blood”

by NONONO. But “Pumpin’ Blood”? No way.

Through her auditory mix-up, Sophia had unknowingly created her own — arguably more creative — version of the song and wasn’t going to concede to the inferior lyrics listed on the web.

We’ve all repeated misheard be so easily found. For example, banned in both Singapore because song lyrics at one time or another. for years the verses of Peter, Paul of its alleged connection to drug Maybe it happened at a party when and Mary’s hit, “Puff, The Magic use. Although the members of you belted out “Sweet Dreams” Dragon” was the source of much the band vehemently deny claims

by Eurythmics and accidentally conjecture. The song tells the story that their song refers to these illicit replaced “Sweet of an immortal activities, the drug-riddled legacy dreams are made Dragon named of “Puff, The Magic Dragon” lives “THIS IS YOUR of this” with P u f f a n d h i s on and arguably helped make the “sweet dreams HEART, IT’S ALIVE, f r i e n d Ja c k i e song an even greater hit. a r e m a d e o f IT’S PUMPKIN P a p e r, w h o These lyrical mix-ups are cheese.” Or e v e n t u a l l y actually a common phenomenon, while delivering BLOOD!” gets older and known in the dictionary as a a heartfelt n e g l e c t s h i s “mondegreen.” According to rendition of fictitious friend. Maria Konnikova of The New JAY-Z’s “Empire That’s the PG Yorker, mondegreen means “a State of Mind” version. Many misheard word or phrase that you blurt out, s u g g e s t t h a t makes sense in your head, but is, “New York, concrete jung le Jackie Paper is actually not the in fact, entirely incorrect.” And wet dream tomato!” instead of name of a young boy, but a in fact, the word Mondegreen is “concrete jungle where dreams reference to rolling papers. They a Mondegreen itself: American are made of.” Or while channeling also seem to author Sylvia Elton John you cry, “Hold me think that Wright coined the closer, Tony Danza!” And even the dragon “Hey, even Taylor term in tribute to though you learn that the actual referenced Swift’s mom admitted a misheard line lyric is “tiny dancer,” you can’t b y the of a poem she help but hold onto a small feeling f a m o u s that she thought heard as a child — of tenderness toward Tony Danza. lyric, “Puff ‘Got a long list of exconfusing “and laid Hey, even Taylor Swift’s mom t h e m a g i c him on the green” lovers’ was along the admitted that she thought “Got dragon lived for “and Lady a long list of ex-lovers” was by the sea,” lines of ‘All the lonely Mondegreen.” along the lines of “All the lonely was actually Starbucks lovers’ in her Scientists speculate Starbucks lovers” in her daughter’s meant to be that Mondegreens hit song, Blank Space. In fact, this “ d r a g g i n ” daughter’s hit song, may reflect more mistake was so widespread that a s i n t h e ‘Blank Space.’” than just an Taylor felt the need to clarify via process of auditory blunder.

Twitter: “Sending my love to all i n h a l i n g According to the the lonely Starbucks lovers out smoke. Also, Cohort Theory there this Valentines [sic] Day … people propose that “Puff ” may of psycholinguistics, when we even though that is not the correct not be the name of a magical hear sounds, our brains present lyric.” dragon but rather a reference us with a list of various words Sometimes, however, the true to puffing on a joint. These with similar segments, which we lyrics to your favorite song may not speculations led the song to be parcel through and select based

on logic. However, this process is affected by what words we may be frequently exposed to, or what we are thinking about. For example, a hungry kid may hear “chew” while a stressed-out student picks up “due.” Similarly, a tailor may be more inclined to hear “alter” while a newlywed perceives “altar.”

While my friend Sophia is certainly not a pumpkin harvester, and I doubt that Taylor Swift’s mom feels that passionately about caffeinated beverages, maybe their gaffes reflect their own imaginations and individual senses of humor and are more than the trivial errors we perceive them to be. And perhaps these slip-ups give us the opportunity to insert small aspects of ourselves into the lyrics so that we can personalize our favorite songs. And as these mondegreens reveal our own experiences and perceptions, these mistakes allow us to express pieces of ourselves of which we may not have been consciously aware. By mishearing song lyrics, we can assign new and original meanings to the often overplayed and monotonous radio hits and arguably make them better.

So next time you’re belting out your favorite song, and someone catches you singing the wrong lyric, politely let them know that your mistake was no blunder — but an improvement. And sing on. After all, I think that “pumpkin blood” sounds a lot more interesting than “pumpin’ blood.”

4// MIRROR

Seem and Seams: Appearance and Identity STORY

Eliza Jane Schaeffer

This summer, a soon-to-be Dartmouth freshman texted me asking whether she should buy any articles of clothing in particular in preparation for her transition from our hometown of Lexington, Kentucky to the cold north. I replied with an emphatic no, reassuring her, “Dartmouth is the best because really and truly no one cares what you wear … I think anything that you buy will totally fly.”

I remember receiving that text and composing that response. I remember staring at my phone after it had sent, unsure as to what the best response would have been, but definitely sure that what I had said did not qualify as correct.

I think one could make the argument that Dartmouth rewards individuality. The ubiquity of “flair” — cacophonous clothing worn to themed social events — the sheer ridiculousness of Dartmouth Outing Club First Year Trips, the rigorous pursuit of passion found in every corner of this campus: these are all aspects of Dartmouth that scream “individual.” But they do so in unison, from places predefined as acceptably different. I would like to believe that “really and truly no one cares what you wear,” but I know that that’s far from true.

It’s difficult to not care about something that is so vital to the way in which we interact with the world.

The process of putting together of an outfit is highly intentional; the clothes we wear are a physical manifestation of who we feel we are. And as we adapt to new environments, changes in our sense of self are paralleled by changes in the way we dress.

Bradley Hubsch ’19 is acutely aware of the way in which his style has evolved since coming to Dartmouth.

“When I was in high school in Los Angeles, I wore all black, tons of band shirts,” he said. “I was involved with the punk scene in Los Angeles. That was a big part of my life and how I dressed.”

This manner of dressing is at odds with the Dartmouth “look,” a reality that Hubsch’s fellow freshmen readily pointed out during his first year at the College.

It is also decidedly not consistent with the way Hubsch was dressed at the time of our conversation: Patagonia fleece, navy pants and Adidas sneakers.

This transformation was primed by his classmate’s comments and catalyzed by New Hampshire’s cold climate.

“I bought this Patagonia sweater … and Bean Boots, because I didn’t know what boots to buy, so I asked my roommate,” he explained.

As his high school clothes wore theory, which holds that humans original style would be perceived out, he made purchases that “fit actively project information about as inauthentic, despite the fact the persona,” and the shift became themselves that otherwise may not that dressing in band shirts is more permanent. be immediately obvious. Others can consistent with his sense of identity Marimac McRae ’21 also felt then form preliminary judgements than is the way he dresses now. In the pressures of conformity when and respond accordingly. This fact, the discrepancy between the she came to Dartmouth from her extrapolation is necessary in a world way in which he views himself and hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. saturated with data. Stereotypes the way in which other perceive him “Nashville’s really big on boots,” and paradigms creates a “weird she said. “We all have that one nice allow us to sort "I will feel a little self- c o g n i t i v e pair of Frye boots.” people, places he conscious until I’m out dissonance,” She’s had her pair of boots since a n d t h i n g s said. she was 14. Leather with stitching i n t o bu c k e t s walking around, and Hubsch’s words and a shaft that dips in the front defined by past no one cares. And if carry echoes of — they’re certainly not something e x p e r i e n c e , McRae’s shoe you see a lot at Dartmouth, a fact without further they do care, then I dilemma. Both that McRae had anticipated but thought, so that don’t care about their felt the opposing not fully processed until she arrived our minds can pulls of opinion." on campus. She brought them with attend to other conformity and her, intending to wear them when matters. i n d i v i d u a l i t y. she went out to the frats, until she C h a r l o t t e - JAMIE MA '20 Both felt saw the sea of Converse, Superga Chui ’20 likes to uncomfortable and Steve Madden sneakers. She project strength. expressing bought new shoes “immediately.”

“Regardless themselves in But she still has the boots. of what formality of event I’m going a way that was inconsistent with They’re in her dorm room closet to, I like to use makeup to portray their sense of self, yet both also — she “wouldn’t live somewhere myself as someone who’s strong … felt uncomfortable expressing without them,” she said. But I like strong brows, I like cat eyes, themselves in a way that was now, she only wears them if she’s I like contouring my cheeks,” she inconsistent with social norms. attending an event with a “country” said.

According to Jamie Ma ’20, theme. In McRae’s mind, her She equates bold makeup to at Dartmouth it’s not unusual to boots’ retirement symbolizes her looking put-together, though she be aware of one’s appearance in transition from the South to New acknowledges that not everyone relation to others.

England. may agree, particularly in Hong “It’s really easy to get caught To replace them, she purchased Kong, where she grew up. up in the idea of ‘What’s everyone heeled booties, which she now wears “In Asia, it’s a lot more about else wearing?’ and ‘Will I look weird to fraternity parties. Like Hubsch’s being soft, and pretty, and pale, wearing this?’” Ma said. band shirts, this decision has proved and traditionally feminine,” she For this reason, Ma likes to to be controversial. said, adding that people at home deliberately wear “unconventional” “I’ve definitely had a lot of can tell just from her makeup that pieces, often found in thrift stores. people making fun of me for she went to an international high “I will feel a little self-conscious wearing heels in frats,” she said. school and has lived in America. until I’m out walking around, “But it’s not authentically me to “I one hundred percent don’t and no one cares. And if they do wear Converse.” look like the people at home,” she care, then I don’t care about their Her grandmother had a rule said. “But also here, I don’t think opinion,” she explained. “That’s for the women in her family: “If my style fits.” why I wear googly eyes. It’s a test.” you were to go out, you were to She described her style as Wearing admittedly weird pieces wear boots, lipstick or lip gloss, and “athleisure” born of convenience. fosters confidence, Ma said. Perhaps pearl earrings,” she said. “It comes Chui is part of several dance for this reason, she doesn’t feel that from a sense of feminine power groups on campus and prefers to Dartmouth has a specific style, and authority … wear clothing an assessment that is inconsistent and the physical "Regardless, of what that facilitates with the views of Hubsch, Chui presentation of mobility. and McRae. In a survey sent out being prepared. formality of event I'm T h i s s t y l e by College Pulse, 84 percent of It’s a sign of going to, I like to use is decidedly male and 87 percent of female respect.” d i f f e r e n t respondants agreed that Dartmouth makeup to portray She doesn’t from t h e does have a specific style. fully subscribe myself as someone Dartmouth But Ma believes that the pressure t o h e r who's strong. " look, or, as to conform is more internal than g r a n d m o t h e r ’s Chui words external. For example, when she philosophy, but it, “the rich spoke to girls during rush, she she does try to - CHARLOTTE CHUI '20 woodsy people “thought [she] would notice clothes wear at least one look.” more, but [she] was meeting so of the three — W h e n many people that [she] can’t even boots, lip gloss or asked whether remember what they were wearing.” pearl earrings — at all times. Even this bothers her, she said that she The Greek system plays an in the frats. likes to think she doesn’t care, important role in the interaction “I feel like I’m staying true to though on some level, she knows between identity and appearance. myself and my grandmother and she does. However, she doesn’t When it comes to clothing, different my mom, all the women in my care enough to change the way she houses have different norms. family,” she explained. dresses.

“I am part of clubs and Her grandmother’s commitment Now, Hubsch regrets choosing organizations, namely Bones t o p ro j e c t i n g p r e p a r e d n e s s to “dress like Dartmouth,” but Gate [fraternity], where people beautifully illustrates social signaling feels that a switch back to his don’t dress like Dartmouth, and

it’s normalized,” Hubsch said. “I design gear for Bones Gate that [is] intentionally not like how Dartmouth dresses.”

Greek letters are featured prominently the wardrobe repertoire of the average Dartmouth student, and Hubsch believes this effect is particularly pronounced during fall term, when the sophomore class undergoes the rush process.

Wearing fraternity or sorority gear is a way of “subconsciously project[ing] the relevance of [the] organization,” he explained.

Chui is acutely aware of the fact that wearing her letters visibly ties her to her sorority and to the Greek system as a whole.

As an international student and a woman of color, she has faced some criticism for participating in the Greek system. She has also watched her friends grapple with feeling the need to announce their sorority membership in order to prove a point.

“I know girls on campus who feel like they ended up in a specific Greek house that people didn’t expect them to and therefore wear their letters almost to prove that they are part of it and to project that they were worthy, in campus’s eyes, to be in that space,” she said.

“Specifically, women of color struggle with that.”

Reconciling who we are, who we think we are and how we project that self-concept to the world is a murky, trying process. But ultimately, I stand by the advice I gave the ’22 who reached out to me. She didn’t need to buy any new clothes.

She might feel she needs to buy new clothes, as did Hubsch and McRae. She might become newly aware of certain aspects of her identity and newly committed to dressing in a way that’s consistent with who she is, as was Chui.

She might make a “casual return” to her high school dressing habits her senior year, as did Hubsch.

She might, like Ma, realize that most people don’t care what you wear, because their minds are far too preoccupied mulling over what other people will think of how they themselves look.

The Dartmouth dress code is largely uniform. People judge other people based on appearances. It’s difficult to be different. Though individuality may seep through the cracks of Dartmouth’s homogeneity through traditions like flair culture and Freshman Trips, these facts are inescapable. But whether or not they are relevant to the choices we make is up to us.

MIRROR //5

Swag That Sticks: Laptops at Dartmouth STORY

Cristian Cano

Anjali Chikkula ’20: Tell me about your stickers: “I really like Bob’s Burgers, Game of Thrones and Parks and Recreation, so I decided to put those on my laptop to remind me of happy things while I grind.”

Favorite Sticker: “My favorite sticker is the Ben & Jerry’s one because I love Ben, and I love Jerry [two characters from Parks & Recreation]."

Newest Sticker: “It would have to be the Dartmouth Bystander Initiative sticker.”

In the future: “I do see myself [getting more stickers] but probably not putting them on my laptop.”

Melanie Gomez ’21: Tell me about your stickers: “This one is from Gilmore Girls … I watch a lot of TV.” How long have you had stickers: “Since I got my laptop cover, so early last year.”

Before coming to Dartmouth: “A lot of people in high school had them, so I’ve always kind of had them.”

In the future: “I do [see myself getting more stickers.] I just took off one off that was ripping apart, so now I have more space.”

Jessica Chen ’21: Tell me about your stickers: “I collected them through various places.

This one is from a state park in Wisconsin … I have family in New York and I go to New York all the time … This one is from Trips … This was a gift.”

Before coming to Dartmouth: “I had laptop stickers on my old laptop, but I got a new laptop.”

In the future: “I don’t often buy stickers unless I go visit somewhere and it’s a memory. Otherwise, I usually like to get free stickers. They’re pretty common on campus.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRISTIAN CANO

Tadeas Uhlir ’19: Tell me about your sticker: “I really like Rick and Morty. I was looking for a while and found one on Amazon, so I thought it would be cool. I got it last term.”

Before coming to Dartmouth: “I think [putting stickers on laptops] was something new. I don’t think I’ve seen that a lot before, but now everyone has Mac [computers] here, so stickers are the only way to add something interesting.”

In the future: “I used to have a lot of stickers before, on my old laptop, last year. But this time, I think I’m just going to stick with the one.”

Saige Gitlin ’22: Tell me about your stickers: “My sister and I were both ordering stickers for our laptops because we decided to design them together a year ago. I wanted to get a lot of aspects of my personality, like all the things I like to do. I have a lot of outdoors stuff, like a hiking boot and a water bottle with mountains because I like hiking a lot. I have some science stuff because I’m a little bit of a science nerd.”

Before coming to Dartmouth: “I got [my stickers] before coming to Dartmouth … [Laptop stickers were] semi-common. Not super common."

Alec Rossi ’21: Tell me about your stickers: “This sticker [in the center] is from Maui. I got that before coming to Dartmouth … to remind myself of the trip and my family at home.

These two stickers [on the bottom] are from the Cape. I got these just to remind myself of stuff I do outside of Dartmouth and home. I thought they were kind of cool and went with the blue theme.”

Before coming to Dartmouth: “I’d say I definitely had [Dartmouth stickers]beforecomingtoDartmouth,but it’s definitely something that I noticed a lot of students had coming here. While I was conscious of them prior to matriculating, I’ve made more conscious effort, if I see something cool, to buy it now.”

Isaac Kim ’22: Tell me about your stickers: “[The cat sticker] is just from RipNDip — I really like the brand. I thought it was kind of cute. Mostly, I went to the mall, and my goal was to buy stickers, so I went to [skate shops] and saw the ones that spoke to me the most.”

Before coming to Dartmouth: “Three of these [stickers] were before Dartmouth, and then the rest were before. [They weren’t popular in my high school] at all, but I knew it was popular in college. Based on my friends already in college and their Snapchats, they had stickers on stickers.”

Rossi is a member of The Dartmouth.

6 //MIR ROR

Swag to Sway Employees STORY

Christina Baris

This summer, I traded my bathing frequented during lunch breaks. A decision to take certain swag from suits and flip flops for business memory — and company — that certain brands. At career fairs, casual blazers and flats. Late nights could have easily been forgotten is brands must be strategic about the filled with Netflix binge-watching now continuously kept relevant. specific type of swag they give out. soon turned into early mornings Ma also adds that his swag is These fairs are often full of brands packed with coffee, subway stops, reminiscent of the good memories trying to recruit future employees; crowded New he has of his in order to be successful, companies York streets internship. must stand out. Swag can be used a n d e v e n “[The t-shirts were] “[It] reminds you to draw the attention of future more coffee. very uncomfortable ... of the family you employees, to ensure that the brand Internship made there,” he is remembered and to differentiate s e a s o n h a d I haven’t worn them said. themselves from the other brands o f f i c i a l l y since.”

C o m p a n i e s present. There are many factors started, and recognize this that contribute to the success of a I struggled high value of free particular piece of free swag. One to adjust to - AUSTIN ZHANG ’22 swag. In fact, free factor is portability. the fast-paced swag is rarely truly “You only have so much suitcase city lifestyle. free. Whenever a space,” Goldstein said.

Although my company gives Many people may avoid picking quiet, suburban hometown was away something for free, they get up items that are particularly bulky located only 45 miles north of the something in return. In marketing due to their inconvenience, whereas Manhattan metropolis, it felt like and psychology, this concept is smaller items are more practical. the two places were in separate known as reciprocity — responding One example of a brand at the worlds. to a positive action with another Grace Hopper Conference that After one week, my daily routine positive action. Free swag is usually used portability to their advantage had solidified, I had memorized a positive action that should cause is Estee Lauder. This brand gave the train schedules and New York’s the recipient to positively recall out lipstick, which is an item that famous grid system was etched their experience with the company; is unique and portable. in my mind. Yet the workplace however, this is not always the case.

Another aspect for brands to was still a foreign concept to Although Austin Zhang ’22 had consider is practicality. Items that me, and I was still very much an a “mostly positive experience” at can be used in a variety of ways outsider. However, at the end of his summer internship this year, tend to be more sought after and the week, I went to my desk to find he associates the free swag he are therefore effective at engaging a bag full of free swag. This bag was given with mainly negative potential employees. contained everything from t-shirts memories. This is due to the fact One of the main functions of to backscratchers, all marked with that Zhang associates the swag with swag is its ability to bring people to the company’s name and logo. the manual labor he was completing the booth. Swag is often the catalyst While this action may ostensibly while wearing the items he received. for conversation — people may seem like a small gesture, I quickly Additionally, Zhang notes that he visit the booth of a brand solely began to feel integrated into the does not frequently use these items. because of its free swag but then work community. “ [ T h e t - s h i r t s w e r e ] v e r y end up engaging in meaningful The swag served to unify all the uncomfortable … I haven’t worn conversation. Swag also functions workers in the office, providing a them since,” he said. to increase one’s excitement. For welcoming atmosphere. Eddie Ma Zhang’s experience suggests that example, Antonio Damasio’s ’22 shares a similar experience; he in order for free swag to successfully somatic marker hypothesis, which notes that wearing swag from a e l i c i t a theorizes that particular company is “like being p o s i t i v e “[Wearing company our decisions are part of a sports team.” Swag r e s p o n s e influenced by our displays an appreciation for the f r o m t h e swag] is like being part e m o t i o n s , m a y company and strengthens the sense r e c i p i e n t , of a sports team.” explain why exciting of community within the office. the swag swag can be used Even when my internship ended, m u s t b e to entice potential my fast-paced summer continued. something - EDDIE MA ’22 employees. An Preparing for the start of college practical or exciting, positive came with a seemingly never- exciting. experience at a ending to-do list. My internship felt “Maybe c a re e r f a i r c a n like a distant memory, with more if they gave lead to a positive aspects becoming forgotten each me a Patagonia jacket, I’d wear it emotional association to the swag day. However, it was then that I daily,” Zhang said. and the brand. realized that swag does much more In addition to internships, free It is easy to overlook the than unify workers of a particular swag is also an important aspect importance of swag. Many times, community. For me, swag is a way of career fairs. Katie Goldstein free items are shoved in the back in which the company, and the ’20 recently attended the Grace of closets or drawers, where they experiences with the company, are Hopper Conference for Women in are left to collect dust. Yet after kept fresh in my mind. Every time I Computing and described that the investigating the rationale behind put on the t-shirt from my swag bag, important difference between swag free swag at internships and career I am reminded of my internship. For at internships and career fair is the fairs, it is evident that swag serves a a minute, I am transported back to “element of choice.” clear and defined purpose. So next the 8th Avenue office; I can picture During internships interns are time you clean out your closet, take the eerie, fluorescent elevator usually given free swag from the a minute to unfold that t-shirt that lighting, hear the clicking of heeled particular company for which they has been cramped in the corner shoes on tile floors and taste the are interning. However, at career — it might lead you to an exciting, lattes from the espresso bar that I fairs, individuals make a conscious unexpected destination.

MIRROR //7

Fake it Untill You Make It STORY

Claire Callahan

Any kind of life transition puts other people,” Safiedinne said. your confidence to the test. The “The spotlight effect is so true — transition to Dartmouth, where you judge yourself more than other it seems like every other person people judge you.” has created a business or cured a A big part of the difficulty of a disease, is especially trying. new environment is the absence of “[My confidence] has gotten the friends you’ve grown up with. significantly lower because “When I’m around my friends everyone at Dartmouth is much from home, I’m confident with more impressive than everyone at myself and don’t care what other my high school, people think,” so in comparison, Safieddine I a m w o r s e, ” “[My confidence] has said. “If you Riley Gordon ’22 gotten significantly find a good said. He cited group of an example of lower because p e o p l e, i t ’s t h i s r a n d o m everyone at very good impressiveness: for your Dartmouth is much “There’s a guy on confidence.” my floor who just more impressive than F i n d i n g knows Ancient everyone at my high this group Greek.” at college L e a r n i n g school,” doesn’t always more about h a p p e n classmates is easily. Chloé intimidating as Puddifant ’22 you realize how - RILEY GORDON ’22 is grateful “impressive” fo r h e r i c e they are. hockey team H o w e v e r, for facilitating Gordon pointed this process. out the opposite “I’m is true as well. part of the “Learning hockey team, more about people and finding so it’s been easy to make friends,” out they have flaws is going to be Puddifant said. “There are a lot helpful,” he said. of seniors who can help out the Ali Safieddine ’22 had the freshmen who want to get a role opposite experience upon entering on the team and want to feel like Dartmouth. they belong.” “[My confidence] really got One’s teammates aren’t the only better because before, I was source of support. concerned that everyone would “Our coaches are really be so much smarter than I am confident in our abilities on and and that I wouldn’t fit in, but so off the ice,” Puddifant explained. far everything’s been alright,” he Puddifant’s teammate Lotti said.

Odnoga ’22 felt similarly about “Everyone is obviously really the hockey team, but she has a smart, but I don’t feel like they’re unique experience because she’s that much ahead of me,” he added. an international student from Emma Staiger ’22 sees the new Hungary. environment as a chance to be a “Sometimes my teammates new, better version of herself. make fun of my grammar and “Dartmouth is an opportunity language bar rier,” she said, to explore different aspects of my laughing. “But it’s not putting my personality,” she said. “Having confidence down, it’s just funny.” people not really know who I am M o r e s e r i o u s l y, O d n o g a was kind of a blank slate to be commented on the Dartmouth unabashedly who you are. That programs she participated in gives you confidence, just to be before orientation: the First-Year able to be whatever and know that Student Enrichment Program and people will completely accept who the International Student Preyou are.”

Orientation Program.

This accepting environment is “I was mostly with FYSEP an important part of Dartmouth and [the] International [Student — the student body can be Pre-Orientation Program], kind intimidating, but these ’22s of jumping around,” she said. feel comfortable around their “It definitely helped. I met other classmates. people who were the same as me, “There are a lot of people on international, even from Europe.” campus, which is a good thing, Two weeks ago, she met an because everyone is very different upperclassman from Hungary. and no one takes the time to judge “She told me how she got into

Dartmouth and how she got used to this school and the sports here,” she said.

Meeting people who are similar to you in certain ways helps create a sense of comfort and security — but meeting people is tough if you aren’t confident.

“Fake it til you make it, for sure,” Staiger advised. “For the first couple of days, just try to be as confident and outgoing as possible, even if you’re not, because either that will cause you to meet people who are confident and you’ll make friends, or you’ll start to embody that and decide that you’re going to be more confident in college.”

But even the best friends in the world can’t always help with academics, and grades are a huge source of confidence for most Dartmouth students.

“When I’m in the classroom and one on one with the teacher, sometimes I feel uncomfortable,” Puddifant said. “I’m scared I’m not going to answer the right questions.”

Staiger is hoping to maintain her confidence by having realistic expectations.

“I’m definitely expecting [lessthan-perfect grades,]” she said.

“Being at such an impressive school makes me feel way better about getting lower grades or test scores because if it’s a lower score here, it’s still here, so it’s still good.”

Patience is a key theme with confidence; these ’22s recognize that the transition to college takes time. Gordon remembers how long it took for him to feel confident in high school.

“It took a couple years to find a voice, but once that was established over the course of a couple years, by the end, I had a pretty good sense of what I added to the school,” he said. He thinks he’s back to square one here and that it’ll take just as long to become stable. “But that’s alright.”

Safiedinne remarked on how upperclassmen seem like they don’t care as much what people think of them, which he admires. He recognizes that this attitude takes time.

“I definitely hold back sometimes in public from being one hundred percent myself,” he admitted. “[Confidence] will just come naturally. Eventually, you just find your place, and you’re more comfortable and confident with yourself.”

Although Safiedinne isn’t quite totally confident yet, he’s optimistic.

“I feel like I’m supposed to be here,” he said.

8// MIRROR

What Are The Kids Saying These Days?

By Sarah Alpert STORY

“Warm-cut through Blobby @ a sense of in-group identity. But blitz (or email) on devices called now. Bring a fracket.”

Eble also notes that slang words “blitz terminals.”

Unless you’re a student at are “ephemeral,” meaning they It’s not hard to see why the word Dartmouth, you probably have regularly fall out of use and make “blitz-jack” has fallen out of use. no idea what I just said. First way for new words.

With changing technology, it is no of all, what is a warm-cut, and I asked Ernst what he considered longer easy to hack into someone’s where is Blobby? And second, the average lifetime of a slang email and spam the entire school. why didn’t I just say it in normal word. He said that most slang But other words have faded away English? survives no more 20 for reasons less obvious. For Fo r t h e “Especially coming or 30 years, although example, Grimes and her friends a v e r a g e there are some words often used the term “OTM,” which as a fall semester Dartmouth that can hang around stands for “on the move,” when student, school- freshman, you for much longer. At they were moving from house to specific lingo is kind of feel Dartmouth, words like house on frat row. so engrained in “facetimey” or “flitz” Ernst explained that sometimes, our ever yday like you’re will probably be more slang words disappear once they v o c a b u l a r y automatically part short-lived, since they start to sound outdated. Since slang that we barely trendy and need is so deeply tied to group identity, of something, like feel notice when to be passed on from “as the group gets older and older, we’re “speaking you’re in some one class to the next. you either lose that identity, or D a r t m o u t h . ” secret club by On the other hand, college kids go off to other places, Wo r d s l i k e names for places like or it starts sounding ridiculous to “ F o c o , ” knowing how to “the Hop” are more the younger generation and you “ f a c e t i m e y, ” speak Dartmouth.” likely to catch on stop.” Ernst specifically mentioned “blitz” and with outsiders, so they the word “groovy.” Popular in the “flair” are could stick around for 1960s, by the late 1970s and early e s s e n t i a l -SKYLAR MIKLUS ’22 generations.

1980s, “groovy” started to sound to how we S e n i o r s absurd to the younger generation c o m mu n i c a t e Madeline Omrod ’19 of Americans, and it was soon used with each other, and for many and Balick said that in their time only ironically. students, these words create a at Dartmouth, they haven’t noticed This phenomenon might explain valuable sense of community. much change in campus slang. why “OTM” has faded from the When they arrived on campus But when I asked Kiera Grimes Dartmouth lexicon. It failed to this fall, Skylar Miklus ’22 quickly ’12 about slang during her era, it catch on with the next generation, embraced campus slang. After turns out that some changes have and new words appeared to reading The Dartmouth’s guide occurred in recent years. take its place. Meanwhile, we’ve to Dartmouth lingo, they adopted Grimes prides come up with new vocabulary such as “@now,” “FFB” herself on her abbreviations that and “flitz.” use of “abbrevs,” “[O]ne of the Grimes’ generation “Especially coming as a fall and she was able biggest functions never used, such semester freshman, you kind of to list many words as “Blobby” for of slang for any feel like you’re automatically part that circulated “Baker Lobby.” of something, like you’re in some when she was group, particularly Changes in slang secret club by knowing how to at Dartmouth. colleges, is that can reflect shifts in speak Dartmouth,” Miklus said.

Most of the lingo culture, for better L a r a B a l i c k ’ 1 9 a g r e e s she used remains once you know the or for worse. For that Dartmouth lingo “builds popular today, local slang, you’re example, Grimes community and makes people feel including words didn’t recognize sort of implicitly more connected to the school.” like “the Stacks,” the term “snakey,” According to linguistics professor “warm-cut” and saying ‘We’re part despite how often Thomas Ernst, slang words develop “trippees.” of the same group, it is used nowadays. for this very reason. He explained Other words It was hard for that “one of the biggest functions t h a t G r i m e s and other people me to pinpoint of slang for any group, particularly m e n t i o n e d , aren’t.’” exactly what this colleges, is that once you know the h o w e v e r , words means, local slang, you’re sort of implicitly s o u n d e d but Miklus put it saying, ‘We’re part of the same c o m p l e t e l y -THOMAS ERNST, simply: “Snakey? group, and other people aren’t.’ foreign to me, LINGUISTICS Like an econ It bonds you together.” including the major.”

Miklus was on to something term “blitz-jack.” PROFESSOR The fact that when they said that speaking A p p a re n t l y, a “snakey” only Dartmouth slang felt like initiation bl i t z - j a c k w a s recently entered into a “secret club.” As University “when you left your blitz up at a “Dartmouth speak” might indicate of North Carolina Professor blitz terminal and somebody would that Dartmouth is becoming, for Connie Eble writes, “Slang can go in and write some crazy email lack of a better word, “snakier.” serve to include and slang can serve from your email address and then G i ve n t h e c o n n o t a t i o n s o f to exclude. Knowing and keeping send it out to the school.” In order “snakey,” we could consider this up with constantly changing to understand this word, I had to a negative change in our school in-group vocabulary is often an ask Grimes what a “blitz terminal” culture, though it would be difficult unstated requirement of group was. Grimes explained that while to track when and how the shift membership...” nowadays every student has a occurred.

Especially at an insulated personal laptop, back in the early On the other hand, Grimes was college like Dartmouth, it makes 2000s, Dartmouth students had to disappointed to learn that “the sense that slang is used to create line up after meals to check their Dartmouth X” is still discussed on

campus. of water,” etc. Modern equivalent: “I feel like some things about hazing.

Dartmouth will unfortunately 4. GUM. “A trick; a deception.” never change or have not yet Modern translation: to make a fool changed,” she commented. Miklus of someone. also said that of all the Dartmouth lingo, they wish “the Dartmouth Across American colleges in X” would disappear. Presumably, general, 1850s slang looked very if Dartmouth erases harmful social different from the words we use constructs like the “X,” then such now. Students said “chum” for words will naturally drop out of “roommate” and “cramming” our vocabulary. instead of O f c o u r s e, “studying.” “Muff ” D a r t m o u t h “I feel like some meant “a foolish has c y c l e d things about f ellow, ” an d an through many intoxicated person generations of Dartmouth will was “blown.” slang over the unfortunately Practically none of s ch o o l ’s 2 5 0 that slang survives never change years of history. I now, at least not in did some digging or have not yet its original form. in the College changed.”

Yo u c o u l d s a y archives at college students Rauner Special of that generation C o l l e c t i o n s -KIERA GRIMES ’12 spoke an entirely L i b r a r y, a n d different slang I unearthed a dialect from what book called “A we speak today.

Collection of College Words and Given the recent shifts in student Customs” by B. H. Hall, written in lingo and the vast changes that have 1856. Hall compiled a dictionary occurred in the past century and of lingo used at colleges in America a half, it is only a matter of time and Britain in the 1850s, including before current Dartmouth slang several Dartmouth-specific words. goes extinct. What the kids are Here a few of my favorites: saying today, they probably won’t be saying in 15 or 20 years. But as 1. BULL. To “make a poor the editor writes in his introduction recitation.” Modern translation: to Hall’s “College Words and to “bomb” a test.

Customs,” “there is nothing 2. FISHING. Trying to “gain in language or manners too the good-will of the Faculty by insignificant for the attention of any special means.” Moder n those who are desirous of studying translation: “teacher’s pet.” the diversified development of the 3. GUARDING. A custom in character of man.” Slang defines which “persons masked would go and shapes our culture, and it into another’s room at night, and makes Dartmouth students who we oblige him to do anything they are, even if our vocabulary –– like commanded him, as to get under our school culture –– is forever his bed, sit with his feet in a pail evolving.