Staff Editor-in-Chief Billy Clouse Fashion Editor Kristen Coleman Sports Editor Spencer Rodak Graphic Design Intern Joshua Dimond Media Consultant Kate Beaudoin Design Consultant Stephanie Watters Digital Distribution issuu, weebly Preview Committee Kendra Madsen, Diana Pressey
About Contact Us editor.thunderground@gmail.com Read Our Content thethunderground.net issuu.com/thethundrground Follow Us facebook.com/thethundrground instagram.com/thethundrground Cover Mykel Marie Hall is a student, artist and vocal feminist, and she embodies Thunderground’s ideal of fighting for what is right. Read more about her on page 22. Design Theme This magazine was inspired by Taylor Swift’s newest album, “Reputation.” From the sound to the lyrics to the design, I fell in love with the new Taylor. She has always been my favorite pop artist, and I wanted to do something to pay tribute to her music, which has had a massive influence on my life. To do this, I kept the magazine mostly in greyscale with a pop of pink, as well as used formal-looking fonts to display the content.
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focus on yourself from the editor:
Almost every one of us has been told that we are selfish simply because we want to pursue our dreams and passions. Yes, when taken at face value, it is selfish, but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. During college, we need to discover ourselves — who we are and who we want to be. We shouldn’t let anyone define our choices for us. We might have to leave people and organizations that don’t value our opinions. We might have to create the path that we think we want to take. And we will likely have to create many more new paths along the way. But no matter what, we need to do everything in our power to make sure we will succeed after graduation. It’s important, however, to note that success isn’t black and white; like the pages of this magazine, there is a lot of grey. For example, after creating the path that led to Thunderground, I’m discontinuing it after this semester, but that doesn’t mean I failed. I believe Thunderground succeeded. One area where we had the most success was this magazine. Before I resigned from the position of Editor-in-Chief of the University Journal, I spearheaded the first student-oriented magazine at the university, something myself and SUU News continued this semester. The school-sponsored organization of more than 15 paid students produced only 100 magazine pages this semester, but our unpaid staff of less than three regular contributors created 162 pages. This amounts to almost two extra Journal magazines, with no cost to the student body. A few people might think Thunderground was a waste of time, but most rebels are despised before they succeed.
Another successful area of Thunderground was the opinion section. We published the thoughts of our readers and refused to write lukewarm articles to make sure we didn’t offend anyone. SUU News started the year by only publishing house editorials that lacked substance. They recently started publishing opinion pieces written by individual staff members, but these articles resemble editorialized news more than opinion, quoting students from around campus. Sources are important in opinion writing, but they should be experts. Comparisons aside, our opinion section was strong because of the issues discussed. A reader submitted a critique of the EDGE Program, another wrote on the importance of participation in local elections and I shared my personal experience of discovering I was gay and how members of the LGBTQ+ Community can be pushed to suicide. I started Thunderground to make a difference, and that article alone made all the sleepless nights worth it because a student reached out to me about how it validated her experiences as a closeted member of the LGBTQ+ Community. So regardless of how the rest of my collegiate career unfolds, I can say that I succeeded in doing something important for myself and the student body. I hope you can say the same before you graduate. Thanks for a great semester, T-Birds.
– Billy, EIC
Fall 2017 IN PHOTOS
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THE STORIES BEHIND
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1. Keeping with tradition, SUU hosted its annual homecoming parade this year, where campus and community organizations walked along the crowded parade route. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 2. On November 3, Thunderground released the largest student-oriented magazine on SUU campus. Our Editor-inChief spearheaded and designed the first ever magazine for students last spring. That magazine was 32 pages, half the size of the November edition of Revolt, which contained over 12,500 words, 130 photos and almost 50 hyperlinks. PHOTO BY TREVOR MILES 3. At the beginning of November, the student production of “Assassins” opened in the Anes Theatre. The musical was directed by senior Tiffani Allen. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 4. On election night, Maile Wilson and R. Scott Phillips hosted a results party, where they both found out they were elected to the positions of mayor and City Council, respectively. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 5. The Care and Support Team hosted its second annual Suicide Prevention Walk. Students and community members met at Main Street Park and walked to campus while carrying signs with messages of hope. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 6. Every year, freshmen are welcomed to campus with the Bell Tower Tradition, where they walk under the Carter Carillon, which symbolizes the beginning of their time on campus. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 7. With more than twice the readership of any other Thunderground article, “The changing priorities of the University Journal” was one of many opinion pieces to start a conversation. It analyzed the organization’s new and harmful policies as well as provided insight into ways the organization could improve itself. The piece resonated with many community members who reached out to thank and provide Thunderground with tips for future investigative pieces. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 8. One of Thunderground’s most read features was Scot Carrington’s discussion of his mission. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE 9. Former Miss SUU Bailie Terrones sat down for an exclusive interview with Thunderground in October. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE DECEMBER 2017
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Las Vegas Christmas by Billy Clouse Sin City may not seem like the ideal spot to visit during the Christmas holiday, but it’s important to remember that this desert metropolis is the Entertainment Capital of the World. Las Vegas can provide a wide variety of experiences to tourists, but it can rarely provide a genuine white Christmas. The NOAA National Climate Data Center looked at almost three decades of weather and determined the city had a .3% chance of having at least one inch of snow on the ground and a .2% chance of having at least .1 inches of snowfall on Christmas Day. Snow aside, organizations that take up residence in the city host wintery events in an attempt to recreate the traditional Christmas experience. On the following pages, the staff of Thunderground will provide our favorite places to visit.
The Las Vegas Valley has holiday attractions for all interests. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE
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Bellagio Botanical Garden • • • •
Dates: now until January 1 Times: Anytime, open 24/7 Cost: Free Location: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 • Attractions: Holiday-themed floral displays, self guided tours, musical performances, Q&A sessions with employees
Every year, the Ethel M Chocolates Factory decorates its cactus garden for the holiday season. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE
Ethel M Chocolates Holiday Cactus Garden • Dates: now until January 1 (closed Christmas Eve) • Times: Lights are on from sundown to 10 p.m. • Cost: Free • Location: 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson, NV 89014 • Lights: Over 1 million • Attractions: Self-guided viewing aisle, Cactus garden tours, skating rink (10 a.m. to 10 p.m., prices vary from $10-$20) About the venue Located about 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, the Ethel M Chocolates Factory and Botanical Cactus Garden opened in 1981. Forrest Mars Senior named it after his mother, Ethel, who created chocolates in their home. The original recipe is still used to create the chocolates, and they are packaged by hand.
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This year marks the 24th anniversary of the Christmas lighting, which takes place in the factory’s world-famous botanical garden. It has over 300 types of cacti, about half of which are native to the region. The rest are from areas in Australia and South America. After a stroll through the garden, visitors can watch chefs create the chocolates through windows. During operation, the factory contains between 20,000 and 35,000 gallons of chocolate. As a rule, the garden is crowded during the winter months, with a large number of the one million yearly visitors coming to see the lights. Although this event is outside, it isn’t cold because of the Las Vegas weather. If you are from Cedar City or anywhere in northern Utah, you shouldn’t find the conditions to be too bad. Make sure to check the weather before going so you can dress comfortably.
About the venue Every season, horticulturalists and designers decorate the 14,000-squarefoot atrium in the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. With each display, they recycle 90 percent of the plant life. This winter’s theme is “Holiday Glamour,” and it features a 42-foot White Fir from the Mount Shasta Forest. The almost five-ton tree has an 18-foot diameter and is the focal point of the display. Over 7,000 white LED lights and 2,500 ornaments decorate the tree, and there are seven elves putting up the final decorations. In addition to 28,000 new poinsettias, the display includes an 18-foot tall and 14-foot wide Ice Princess made out of around 1,800 white hydrangeas. The display also includes a family of polar bears; the mother alone is made up of 12,000 carnations. From 10:30-11:30 a.m., employees will be available to answer visitor questions. From 4:30-6 p.m., holiday performances will be hosted in the South Garden.
View the garden live
(click here)
Winter’s Village • Dates: now until January 7 • Times: Varies by day (go to wintersvillage.com) — starting December 23, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Cost: $20 • Location: 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy, Henderson, NV 89052 About the venue For the first time, Green Valley Ranch Resort has transformed its pool into a Christmas Village, which will feature more than 60 trees and a 6,000-squarefoot ice skating rink. Every Saturday through December 23, Santa will come to the village from 2-6 p.m. Inspired to give during the holiday season, the resort will donate a portion of the revenue to St. Jude’s Ranch for Children, a local nonprofit. They will also bring every child from the Ranch to the Village. During their stay, visitors can purchase holiday treats from the resort’s executive pastry chef. These include polar bear pretzels, wonderland cupcakes and snowy cake pops.
The Las Vegas Christmas Town • Dates: now until December 31 (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) • Times: 5:30-9 p.m. (until 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday) • Cost: $20, free for children under 2 • Location: 7055 South Fort Apache Road, Las Vegas NV 89148 • Lights: Over 2 million • Attractions: Polar Express Train Ride (tour the town), Jingle Bell Sledding Hill (100-ft snow hill), Under the Mistletoe Skating Rink (skates provided), Santa Claus’ Cozy Cottage (visit with Santa), Blitzen’s Bounce House Bonanza, Christmas obstacle course, “Let it Snow” Spectacular (light show) About the venue For the first time, Wet’n’Wild is hosting the Las Vegas Christmas Town inside the water park. Throughout the location, millions of lights will shine and festive music will play, with faux snow falling in certain
areas. Adding to the environment, employees are dressed as elves. To compensate for the rarity of snow in Las Vegas, the park has a 100-foot sledding hill with real snow. It also has a light-covered ice skating rink where skates will be provided. The park has some events solely for children, including holiday-themed bounce houses and a 40-foot inflated obstacle course. Children can also play in a snow ball pit and visit with Santa. Throughout the season, winter characters will show up to the park to take photos with children. On opening night, Olaf from Disney’s “Frozen” made an appearance. Expect that some attractions will have lines because of the large number of children who visit the park with their parents. Also, the big kids can’t play in the bounce houses. In addition to the attractions, the Las Vegas Christmas town sells food at both it’s concession stand and various carts throughout the venue.
Magical Forest • Dates: now until December 31 (closed Christmas Day) • Times: Open nightly at 5:30 p.m. • Cost: Varies, $12-$22 • Location: 6300 W. Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146 • Lights: Over 3 million • Attractions: Hundreds of trees with lights, Forest Express Passenger Train, Cheyenne’s Enchanted Carousel, Boris the Elf’s Experience, Avalanche Slide, The Blizzard (new mini-coaster), Rod’s Mini-Golf, photos with Santa in his workshop About the venue The Magical Forest at Opportunity Village is a Nevadan tradition with lights, entertainment and food. More than 150,000 people visit each year. All proceeds raised at the Magical Forest will benefit people with disabilities at Opportunity Village.
The new Las Vegas Christmas Town is full of events for families. PHOTO BY BILLY CLOUSE
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Events next semester Academics
Performing Arts Athletics
January 08: Spring semester begins January 15: MLK Day — no classes, campus closed February 19: President’s Day — no classes, campus closed March 12: Spring Break — no classes until March 16, campus open April 03: Festival of Excellence — no classes, campus open April 27: Study Day April 30: Final exams until May 3 May 04: Commencement (all day)
For a full listing of dates and times, go to suu.edu/events
For a full listing of dates and times, go to suutbirds.com.
January 18: Robert Thies — Pianist January 23: Laura Bird — Sr. Recital February 02: Eurydice Opening Night February 06: Abendmusik — Recital February 09: Angela Heck-Mueller — Flute Guest Artist February 13: Great American Songbook February 15: Kolob Trio February 28: Carmina Burana and Selected Works Opening March 08: Michael Ballam — “Give My Regards to Broadway” March 21: SUU Opera March 26: Wind Symphony & High School Band Concert March 27: Great American Songbook April 02: Woodwind & Brass Ensembles April 07: Claire Robinson — Jr. Recital April 07: Macey Naumann — Sr. Recital April 13: Urinetown: The Musical Opening Night April 20: SUU Masterworks — Wind Symphony Concert
January 13: Men’s Basketball vs. NAU January 18: Men’s Basketball vs UI January 20: Men’s Basketball vs. EWU January 25: Women’s Basketball vs. UM January 26: Gymnastics Fan Fest January 26: Gymnastics vs. BSU January 27: Women’s Basketball vs. MSU February 01: Men’s Basketball Fan Fest February 01: Men’s Basketball vs. WSU February 03: Gymnastics vs. ISU February 09: Gymnastics vs. BYU February 10: Women’s Basketball vs. NAU February 12: Gymnastics vs. USU February 15: Women’s Basketball vs. UND February 17: Women’s Basketball vs. UNCo February 22: Men’s Basketball vs. PSU February 23: Gymnastics vs. UI February 24: Men’s Basketball vs. SS February 28: Women’s Basketball vs. EWU February 28: Women’s Basketball Fan Fest March 15: Men’s Tennis vs. UND March 16: Men’s Tennis vs. UNCo March 17: Men’s Tennis vs. College of Charleston March 25: Women’s Gymnastics Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championship March 27: Women’s Tennis vs. NAU March 30: Women’s Tennis vs UNCo March 31: Women’s Tennis vs. MSU April 07: Women’s Tennis vs. UM April 07: Men’s Tennis vs. MSU April 13: Women’s Tennis vs. SS April 14: Women’s Tennis vs. UND April 16: Men’s Tennis vs. NAU April 20: Men’s Tennis vs. SS May 6: Softball vs. PSU May 7: Men’s and Women’s Golf NCAA Regional Championship
Art Insights
All events are from 7-8 p.m. at SUMA January 11: Becca Clason January 25: Sam Chung February 08: Kimberly Shelby February 22: TBA March 01: Erika Schultz March 08: Vanessa & Ron Leeman March 22: BFA Show Opening April 05: Stuart Robinson April 19: David Emitt Adams
Artisans Gallery, 94 W. Center St., carries over 50 artists. PHOTO BY ERIC LIEBHARDT
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Win one dozen brownies — from —
SUU Dining Services Sam Ratterree talks to the audience during the fall “Day in the Life” series. PHOTO COURTESY KATIE ENGLERT
A.P.E.X. Events Events from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Great Hall (Focus Events in the Whiting Room)
January 18: Ravi Roy — Distinguished Faculty Scholar January 25: SUUSA Senators “State of the Union” Roundtable (Focus) February 01: Meet the Business Building February 08: Emily Graslie February 15: A Day in the Life: Jeff Bradybaugh (Focus) February 22: Claudia Bradshaw (Focus) March 01: Elizabeth Churchill — Eccles Visiting Scholar March 08: Jen Marlowe (located in Thorley Recital Hall) March 27: Susan Casey March 29: Art Students (Focus)
Other For a full listing of dates and times, go to suu.edu/events February 21: Career & Internship Fair February 22: SUU Teacher Fair February 23: Engineering Interactive March 01: Salt Lake City Networking Lunch — Eccles Visiting Scholar March 24: Science Olympiad April 24: Tech Fair
It’s #NationalBrownieDay! Tell us your favorite way to eat a brownie (comment on our Instagram post) and @SUUDining will pick one winner to receive a dozen brownies! Prize will be available for pickup on Monday, December 11. Winner will be notified via a direct message.
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Levi Sutera LIVE MUSIC:
Freshman Hotel, Resort and Hospitality Management major Levi Sutera began playing guitar when he was six, but the Heber City native said he didn’t take it seriously until a few years ago. “About two months before my grandma died, she gave me her old guitar and I started playing on that a little bit,” he said. “It’s a way to show my emotions. I get to take it out on the guitar rather than being radical.”
Click here to listen to
“White Christmas” Click here to listen to
“The First Noel”
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Student Art
Jared Matterfis Assorted Digital Photography I’ve always enjoyed photography and have always been interested in cameras since I was a kid, particularly black and white. I think that it is easier to appreciate the composition of an image when broken down into black and white.
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Jared Matterfis Continued
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Dustin Pullman Class Assignments
Nearly every moment of the day, I find myself caught up in the thought of the aesthetics around me. I experience a joy, almost an excitement of sorts, when I see beautiful things — things that have been carefully designed, thought out and placed. I know that I have my own type of beauty through my art and design, to add to that which already exists. That’s what I do and I do it because I love it. Now, recently in the classes that I have been taking here at SUU, I have been creating designs that have added focus placed on the type design. It’s obvious that typography in itself is a unique art form, in which a designer can create a visual expression though their type design. Just as powerful as the words themselves, so is the placement and aesthetic look of the typography. I myself have throughly enjoyed some recent projects as I’ve focused on the use of type in the overall design. My projects have ranged from posters to business cards to brochure/booklet covers, etc. Each project is different and unique in its own respective way.
Above: Foliage Poster (Digital Tools) — Left: Exhibition Brochure Cover (Typography I) — Right: Type Specimen Poster (Typography I)
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Kelly Chuning A Halcyon Mirage: Solar Field Seascapes I remember driving, seeing the passing sage brush blur together to form the landscape I had come to be a part of. A westerly excursion marked with parched dirt and muted mountains filled with the same haze of vegetation that was only present in the high deserts of southern Utah. It was an enamored dream of mine, a landscape filled with lush foliage and the softness of skin absorbed with moisture. I had always imagined a picturescape land of greenery cloaked in the density that filled the negative space. But in a land encompassed by the waterless climate of southern Utah, the thought of an ocean or body of water was alluring and frequently
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unforeseen. My gaze was sent elsewhere in order to find a calming and meditative nature, similar to that of seascapes — I had found them in man-made forces. Solar panels coat the empty, almost barren land of southwestern Utah. From a distance, these reflective panels drape the land resembling bodies of water that form a blurring carpet of light. A soft focus brings the notion of tranquility amongst the barrenness of the area — creating a mirage of optimism that is often scarce in the stark landscape. All images were photographed using a large format 4x5 view camera. The film was hand developed and digitally scanned.
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MyKel
Artist, Feminist,
Article and photos by Billy Clouse
alking out of the rehearsal space, she’s ready to collapse. There are only a few more days until opening night, and although all she wants to do is sleep, she has to finish a psychology essay before bed. Tomorrow is another early day, but for MyKel Marie Hall, busy schedules are the strongest motivators. The sophomore theatre arts and psychology double major from West Jordan took time out of her schedule to sit down for an interview with Thunderground so she could share her thoughts on school, religion and feminism. According to Hall, she has been interested in psychology since she can remember. One reason she decided to pursue the field of study was because she believes it can positively affect lives. “So many of our problems are coming from the fact that people can’t talk about emotions and feelings and what’s going on,” Hall said. “Society believes that if there is no physical manifestation, then clearly you are not hurt, which is bullshit.” During her sophomore year of high school, Hall got involved in the theatrical arts. She said that although it sounds like a cliché, theatre saved her life.
“(Theatre) taught me how to be human and how the human experience is so beautiful,” she said. “I sound like some crazy liberal artist, but theatre introduced me to this side I never saw of humanity. I was taught growing up that vulnerability was weakness and theatre taught me that vulnerability is strength.” Starting as an actor, Hall participated in every one of her school’s plays until the final one of her sophomore year. She didn’t want to act in a musical, so she planned on ending the year by focusing on school. However, a friend asked her if she wanted to try out stage managing. “I was committed (to theatre), but I didn’t want to do it forever,” Hall said. “Stage management changed that. I staged managed ‘Shrek the Musical’ — it was a horrific experience — but it still was art and to this day I love that cast.” Hall delved into the technical side of the theatrical arts more during her senior year, where she worked on light design for “Mary Poppins.” After this, she took every opportunity she could get to experiment with light design. continued on the next page
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continued from the previous page
Later that year, while working on “Man of La Mancha,” Hall committed to continue theatre in college. “I was going back and forth between if I was going to do theatre or not, and the show reminded me how important art is,” she said. “I ended up light designing and stage managing it, and I loved the show. I didn’t think I would, but I did.”
I was taught growing up that vulnerability was weakness and theatre taught me that vulnerability is strength. Since coming to SUU last year, Hall has kept herself busy with projects. She was an assistant stage manager for both “Twelfth Night” and “Die Fledermaus,” and she light designed “The Airport Project” and “The Romans in Britain.” Hall earned the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s fellowship in stage management, and over the summer, she was a production assistant for “The Greenshow” and “How to Fight Loneliness.” She also was the orchestra tech for “Guys and Dolls.” “That experience in particular was cool because I worked on a play with a living playwright, and everyone is so talented at USF,” she said. “Even though they probably don’t remember my name at this point, just seeing them and being involved in the rehearsal process was so cool.” Last month, Hall was the stage manager of “Assassins,” a show that she said has helped her grow. “There were so many moving elements, like the slipstage, the curtain and fog, and there were so many light cues, spotops and sound effects,” she said. “I got to work on a really challenging show and experience a lot of the elements a stage manager does.” After graduating, Hall wants to work in many fields. She said she wants to be a stage manager while working toward a Ph.D. in neuroscience or cognitive science. She then wants to merge her areas of interest together.
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“I want to go to a theatre company and do cognitive theatre experiments because I think that’s an untapped field that we could look into,” she said. “It’s messy, but I think we can learn a lot more about the human brain with it. But who knows, maybe I’ll change my mind and be a PE teacher.” Before graduating, however, Hall is going to take a break from school so she can serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hall said that one day while sitting in Institute, she got a “spiritual kick in the face.” “I have such a strong desire to share the gospel and I have such a strong desire to bring happiness to people,” she said. “The mission is about God’s love for his children, it’s about that path and that experience. There’s a God in Heaven who loves you and he’s not just an almighty, all-powerful deity — he’s your Heavenly Father. I think that’s so beautiful and so impactful. In January, Hall plans to submit her mission papers. She said her main reason for going is to improve the lives of others. “I want to spread more light than darkness, to bring more joy and love into the world,” Hall said. “At the end of the day, my mission is to remind people that God and Christ love them and that they are not alone.” continued on the next page
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In addition to being a religious individual, Hall is a vocal feminist. When asked about her beliefs, she answered passionately. “Women. Should. Be. Equal. To. Men.” she said. “It just — it blows my mind that there are people who are like ‘women should get less pay, they shouldn’t have as many rights, they can’t control their bodies.’ Oh. My. Lord. It is 2017 and we are still having this debate. I still get disrespected all the time because I’m a woman.” Last semester, Hall worked in marketing, and one of her jobs was to work with current and potential advertisers. She said that being a woman made this difficult at times. “My name reads as a guy, and the moment they find out, they’ll be all about it,” she said. “They were like ‘yeah, I would love to advertise with you,’ and the moment they heard my female voice on the phone, they would shut down and have no respect for me. It sucked.” Although she supports women pushing forward in male-dominated areas, Hall said that she gets upset when people tell women that they shouldn’t follow their passions if they’re too “traditional.” “There are some people who want to be stay-athome moms, and they deserve all of my respect,” she said.
One of Hall’s friends wants to be a teacher, and she has had women tell her that she’s been conditioned to pursue it. “I don’t care where she’s living, I’m living near her so she can teach my kids,” Hall said. “That’s how good I know she’ll be. People say, ‘You really want to be a school teacher? That’s Mormon culture pushing you to do that.’ I’m like, really, it’s 2017, and you don’t think that she, a feminist, doesn’t know that she wants to be a teacher?” Despite the frustration, Hall said that the best way to share feminist ideals is by being open and calm, something that she struggles with at times.
If I have someone come up to me and tell me that I’m less of a person because I’m a woman, I might swing. “If I have someone come up to me and tell me that I’m less of a person because I’m a woman, I might swing,” she said. “Listening to the Gospel, following Christ’s commandments and turning the other cheek, I get it, but I’m a firecracker and I will freaking launch.” When asked what she thought the biggest issue facing women today was, she said that no matter what she does, someone will be upset about a choice a woman makes. “You’re not pretty enough, you’re not skinny enough, you’re too skinny — The world is so controlling,” she said. “ A woman can’t have the freedom to choose because whatever they do, the world has a problem with it. Having kids, not having kids, getting married, not getting married — you cannot, as a woman, pick any side and have people respect it. There will always be a pretty large group who believe they have a right to comment on my life.” Looking down at her watch, Hall jumps up from her seat and grabs her backpack. She lost track of time while talking about her outlook on the world and is almost late for a class. Walking toward the stairwell with a smile on her face, she prepares to dive back into the craziness of her everyday life. NOVEMBER 2017
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Taylor Yardley On November 18, the final day of the Cedar City LDS Temple Open House, photographer Taylor Yardley met with residents at the city’s Deseret Book. The 22-year-old was one of many artists exhibiting work and meeting with fans. Yardley took some time out of his schedule to talk with Thunderground about photography. Below are three questions from the conversation.
Q
When did you start to take an interest in photography? “I started when I was about 15. I got into it when I realized I was terrible at sports. Everyone in my family was really artistic, and I wanted to express myself artistically, so I picked up photography. I really enjoyed it, and that developed into all the photos you see here.”
Q
What do you enjoy most about taking temple photos? “The thing I enjoy most is watching expressions on people’s faces when they see it and realizing these images bring a lot of peace to people. Oftentimes, people have experiences at a temple that mean so much to them that I will never understand or ever feel, and I like that I can create an image and help them remember a good time in their life or a time they’ve overcome a trial. That’s what brings me the most joy. It’s not necessarily taking the photos or working on them — that does bring me joy personally — but to know that I’m doing service for other people is what helps the most.”
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Q
What would you say to people who don’t think they can afford to take up photography? “I used to work at a camera store and people would come in and say ‘I want to buy a good camera that takes good pictures.’ Oftentimes, people think they need $6,000 to get started and be professional, but you don’t go to a music store and say ‘I want a good guitar that plays good music.’ It all comes from you. If you can’t take a good photo with a camera that’s $200, the $6,000 camera isn’t going to do anything for you. Take your time, be patient — you’re going to learn on your own level — and take as much time as you need. When you’re ready, you’re going to know when you need to update your equipment. I started out really cheap; I had a camera that was a hand-me-down that is probably worth $30 today, and that’s how I started. It wasn’t until I realized I needed a camera that could print large that I got a better camera. Just take it slow, you don’t need fancy stuff.”
Click here to check out
Yardley’s website
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MultimediA All things digital and interactive
Recipe of the month
This pasta recipe is cheap, fast and delicious, making it a great choice for college students who are crunched for time and cash during finals!
PHOTO COURTESY KATIE ENGLERT
In case you missed it
Glen Velez and Loire Cotler performed in the final A.P.E.X. Event of the fall season. Click here to watch them perform and read our exclusive Q&A.
social media /thethundrground
@thethundrground
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Check out our sUU social media directory Click here!
Check out our website thethunderground.net
D E C E M B E R
T hun d er g r oun d ’s t op 10 of t he s e a s on
With little time and money, you can create a clipboard that you can use to hold your notes as well as write on! You can leave it plain, like this photo, or you can decorate it like the example. Click here for directions.
“A Christmas Roundelay” Mormon Tabernacle Choir This is one of the most intense Christmas performances of all time, from the music to the dance. “Carol of the Bells of Notre Dame” — Voctave This is a beautiful mashup of a classic Christmas song and an epic choral Disney opener. “Melodies of Christmas” David Archuleta This laid-back piece is a great reminder of the meaning of Christmas. “Christmas Eve in my Hometown” — Bobby Vinton This nostalgic piece captures the beauty of the Christmas season and the importance of family. “Christmas Day” — Jennifer Nettles & Michael W. Smith This soft duet features a children’s choir and is sure to make you wish every day was Christmas. “Baby It’s Cold Outside” Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé This celebrity duet is not only fun to listen to, it also has one of the most adorable music videos of all time! “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” Rachel Platten This classic Dr. Seuss song has been re-imagined by a successful up-andcoming artist. “Last Christmas” Wham! This song, in its original form, belongs in any Christmas playlist, whether its for a party or the drive home. “Do You Hear What I Hear” Glee Cast This recording by the cast of the hit TV show is perhaps the most epic and beautiful version of the song. “Angels from the Realms of Glory” — Various Artists This song by The Piano Guys, Peter Hollens and David Archuleta is the perfect way to end a Christmas playlist.
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dressing in
& white Article by Kristen Coleman Photos by Billy Clouse
When I first heard that the theme for this month’s magazine was black and white, I’m not going to lie, I was a little intimidated. I love using color in my outfits, but when I started looking through my closet and realized how many pieces I actually have in black and white, I started to get excited thinking of what outfits I could put together.
My favorite look of the three was the skirt look. I paired a distressed charcoal denim mini-skirt with a lace-up white top, fishnet tights and some gorgeous black lace-up boots. Of course, it’s winter, so I covered up in a cozy black coat with a faux-fur lined collar. For accessories, I wore simple silver hoops and a few silver rings, and I wore my hair in a single loose braid. Hairstyles like this are my favorite because they’re so easy and quick, meaning I get to sleep in just a little longer. I also wore black winged liner on my eyes and left my lips natural. This outfit is perfect for the days you want to get a little extra dressed up for class.
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For the second outfit, I decided to go casual in all black. I wore a super soft and fuzzy black sweater, my favorite for especially cold days. I layered the same fishnet tights from the first outfit under ripped black skinny jeans, giving this outfit a little bit of edge. For accessories, I paired this outfit with classic black Vans sneakers, a studded black belt and a few silver rings.
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Denim and denim is definitely in right now, and black is a timeless color that will never go out of style, so what better to wear than double black denim? On my final look, I went for a more preppy style, wearing black jeans and a black denim boyfriend jacket over a white and grey button-up shirt. There are so many different ways to wear button-up shirts, but I decided to tie mine at the bottom, adding a little bit of variety to this look. I paired this look with the same black boots I used in the skirt look. These boots are so cute and go with so many different styles! For my makeup, I wore black winged liner and a dark pink lip. If you’re like me and your lips tend to get chapped more quickly in the winter, be sure to moisturize your lips before applying lipstick. As with the other outfits, I paired silver jewelery, including rings, hoop earrings and a necklace.
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Men’s fashion
Although you can’t wear three outfits at the same time like our men’s fashion model, Andrew, you can copy one of his looks. All of these outfits use contrast to make them pop, and they use a mix of accessories. Scarves and hats are great during the winter months because they look good and keep you warm.
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Adventures T-BIRD
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1. Freshman Jarod Day and a friend went to Angels Landing in mid-November to get away from the city. “The best part of this trip was seeing the view of Zion getting increasingly more and more vast and complex,” he said. “Once I reached the top, I could see everything all at once.” PHOTO COURTESY JAROD DAY 2. Alumnus Wade Hess maneuvered through the Spooky Slot Canyon of Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument. He said this got difficult at times. “I like that the slot canyon got so narrow at some points that we had to turn sideways or contort our bodies to continue through,” he said. PHOTO COURTESY WADE HESS 3. Junior Kylie Nielsen spent a November day in Snow Canyon State Park. She said the best part was enjoying the views with her friends. PHOTO COURTESY KYLIE NIELSEN 4. Freshman Sarah Penner visited Cedar Breaks National Park with some of her friends. “I honestly just think it’s pretty amazing that I live so close to something so breathtaking,” she said. “My friends and I just wanted something to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon, and we were able to be to Cedar Breaks within 30 minutes. We’re literally surrounded by breathtaking views and scenery, and I think that’s pretty cool.” PHOTO COURTESY SARAH PENNER 5. Sophomore Samantha Taylor went running in Saint George. “My favorite part was running up to the different points that overlook views of Saint George,” she said. “All the colors on the mountains looked amazing and it was so nice to get a good trail run in.” PHOTO COURTESY SAMANTHA TAYLOR 6. Senior Spencer Ericksen took photos of the Dixie National Forest in early November. PHOTO COURTESY SPENCER ERICKSEN 7. Senior Bryan Cosby hiked in Kolob Canyon. “The best part was the double arch alcove which we called ‘the amphitheater,’” he said. “We tried whistling and you could hear the echoes go on for a long time.” PHOTO COURTESY BRYAN COSBY 8. Alumnus Kirk Kirklin spent time outside in his new home on the east coast. “Wandering in the North Carolina fall leaves with the fam, there’s nothing better than that,” PHOTO COURTESY KIRK KIRKLIN
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finale week M
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