REAGAN MARCH, RACHEL DEEGAN, GRACIE THOMAS, NICOLE JOYCE, CAITLIN MCKENNA, GIANA RODRIGUEZ, MORGAN SHAH, DALIYAH ABDULKAREEM, ISABELLE FLORES, BROOKE JORDAN, ABBY RONIGER ALARCON, MOLLY AMONS, CASSIDI GREENDONER, OLIVIA MINK, GIOVANNA LEE, KAILEY WILLOX, EMMA HAMBRECHT, HAILEY GALLIN, SARAH CELTRUDA, EMILY SLATER, EMMA DORFMAN, BROOKE DOUGHTERTY, KEIRA DAVIES, KAYLA CAMPFIELD, PAIGE BALLIET, OLIVIA WOODRING, ALLIE SCAGGS, MARCELLA CAMBARERI, KELLY SHERMAN, AVA ALESSANDRINI, GRACE NOBLE, CHRISTINA ROUKAS, MOLLY MCCAULEY, ANNA MAZZARELLI, MICHELLE CABRERA, ZOLA DAVERIO, VIKRAM RAJ
BOARD OF ADVISORS
MARIE HARDIN
TO CONTACT VALLEY MAGAZINE EJF5560@PSU.EDU
FOLLOW US TWITTER @VALLEYMAG INSTA @VALLEYMAG LINKEDIN /COMPANY/VALLEY-MAGAZINE-PENN-STATETIKTOK @VALLEYMAG PINTREST@VALLEYMAGAZINEPR
JOIN US
VALLEY
Penn State’s premier student-run life and style magazine.
VALLEY Magazine is published once per semester and distributed for free on Penn State’s main campus in University Park, PA.
Our mission is to recognize Penn State students for their academic and extracurricular accomplishments and to feature local style, entertainment and lifestyle trends.
VALLEY Magazine is named after Happy Valley and was founded in September 2007 by former Penn State students Nicole Gallo, Meredith Ryan, Katie Zuccolo and Kathryn Tomaselli. The Fall 2022 magazine is VALLEY’s thirtieth issue.
Alyssa Opris
I will never be as good a speaker as I am a writer. I have always known this. I grew up quite shy and reserved, and I can’t say that I have changed in that aspect even today. I have never been shy in my writing, though – that is the one place I am outspoken.
VALLEY has been my platform since sophomore year. As a senior now, I can see the ways I have changed in VALLEY. I vividly remember the day I became a web writer – I felt a rush of emotions, of elation, of excitement, but mostly, I was in awe. I have developed so much as a writer and person over the last three years, and I am utterly, utterly grateful. This issue means everything to me, with perfectly curated topics that tell a much
Fabiana – thank you for letting me get to know you. You are a bright light not only at Penn State, but in life – in the way you speak, in the way you love. Talking with you felt natural, as if you skipped a few steps and went straight to friendship. You glow with a certain vibrancy that I feel honored to have experienced. To be able to write your story has been the most defining part of my VALLEY career. I am a lucky girl, that I got to be the one to write it all. Thank you. I will never forget our conversations.
My first semester, I sat with a girl named Ginger in the back row of the computer room in Willard, both of us equally excited to be a part of VALLEY (with a side of slight imposter syndrome.)
Ginger and I quickly became friends, became section editors together and then finally became editor-in-chiefs together. To my first friend in VALLEY, I hope to be half as talented as you are. We have seen VALLEY shape to what it is today, and it would not have been possible without Leigh and Sylvie. I have never been so impressed by two people who have always pushed me to be a better writer. Editing with you guys in the VALLEY office, being directors together, formed a friendship that I am so grateful to have. Cosmos at Central Res soon? Vanessa and Dani – I would simply crumble with you both. Dani, I cannot wait to see you as web director. Vanessa, you should be so proud of yourself – I know I am. We really have been the editorial dream team for almost a year now, and I could not ask for a better web director and assistant. I could also not ask for a better managing editor and copy editor, either. Natalie, I hope you know that your writing is something unique, something that I try to emulate. You are just marvelous and will do an amazing job as the next editor-in-chief. How lucky am I to pass that role down to you? And Reeya, you have been such an amazing copy editor. You have caught all the mistakes I didn’t and taught me more than you could now. I have loved watching you grow as a writer, ever since I was an editor.
To my editorial staff – I appreciate you all. I am so proud that I get to say, “these are my writers.” My web and print writers, you guys made this magazine just as much as me.
your work will always be the most invaluable part in editorial.
To Emma and Diane – how cool is it that the three of us started a new position at the same time? I have loved the experience of learning with the two of you, and I truly believe we made the best team. Both of your visions have come to light, and I am so grateful to be a part of it. I will miss working with you both, and I’ll try not to be too jealous next semester (you are in great hands with Natalie, though.) We made this magazine – we did it! This will always be my favorite issue of VALLEY.
And finally, I have to thank the most important people in my life–they know who they are. Thank you for listening to my pitches, for inspiring me, for supporting me. To my roommates – in 101, 103 and Cedar – I love you girls so much. To Brooks, also known as Mr. VALLEY to some, thank you for being mine.
Some days, I can still hardly believe I am actually editor-in-chief. It has come full circle, right here, at this moment. I hope you enjoy V34 as much as I enjoyed making it. This issue is my heart splattered right onto these pages, so I hope you don’t mind the mess.
Life as a VALLEY girl has been nothing short of incredible. I do not have enough time or words to describe the love I have for this organization and the people with in it. It gave me a home when I felt lost my freshman year. It gave me confidence when I was a shell of a person who was too insecure to strive for her goals. It gave me purpose when I thought I was doomed for nothing more than passing classes to get a degree.
I’ve always loved the idea of authentic content being produced by peers, unfiltered and inspiring. VALLEY is what I and I’m sure so many others have needed.
What I love about my work is that it does not feel like a job. It is pure passion that is fueled by the people I am surrounded by. I would absolutely not be here without those who came before me, Greta Agee, Curtis Trowbridge and Marie Hilbert especially. And to those who continue to inspire and support me every day, my business directors. Lois, Jules, Jaiden, Savanna, Kylea, Madi and Rachel, you are my pillars who of which I could never stand without. Any time I am on my phone, people know I’m texting my girls.
To my fellow creative and editorial directors, Diane and Alyssa, I could not be more amazed at the results you have produced. It is an accomplishment that should be bragged about for years to come. Thank you for your patience and spirit.
To everyone in general staff, from the bottom of my heart, thank you because you are what make VALLEY the phenomenon it is. It is something truly remarkable that I am so honored and proud to have been a part of. A notes page titled “VALLEY Instagram Captions” will forever live in my phone and on my priorities list to remind me of the Instagram posts role I started with. From what I have watched us evolve and expand to in just my 4 years, I am consistently surprised at the amazing feats all divisions accomplish when a group of like-minded, enthusiastic, gifted individuals collectively works together. We have built a community around being truly the coolest kids on campus. I cannot wait for everyone to finally see what we have created together.
When Josh, the previous Creative Director, told me I would be taking his place the following semester, I felt a lot of things. I felt nervous. I felt excited. I felt confident. I felt like an imposter. The experience of being this issue’s Creative Director has made me do things and go through a range of emotions I hadn’t yet tapped into.
I joined VALLEY in the Spring semester of my Freshman year. My friend had informed me they were looking for a makeup artist and at the time I was notorious for my weird taste for editorial makeup. From the moment I attended my first meeting, I knew I would find a home in VALLEY. I always wanted to be the Creative Director. I had
In so many ways, this issue feels like my baby. It feels like the dawn of something beautifully transformative, both for me and for the creative and talented individuals at Penn State. I wanted to make something new and refreshing! I wanted to make something that would make people who went here proud to show off what creative expression looks like at Penn State.
There were so many times I experienced Imposter Syndrome–thinking I wasn’t meant to take up the space I wanted to, or thinking I wasn’t capable of handling all of this responsibility. I think taking on this magazine has taught me a lot about myself. I learned about showing up for things I care about and advocating for myself and my team when they couldn’t always do it themselves. I learned what my creative voice sounds like. I learned an egregious amount of Photoshop in a considerably short time.
Working on this issue has also taught me so much about community, lighting equipment, and the pain that is scheduling a photoshoot with thirteen people. I could not have done this without my fantastic team of directors who work so hard to bring our dreams to life. Whenever I wanted to throw my hands up and give up, they were always there for me to bounce ideas off of and be my light at the end of the tunnel. To Taay, Nasir, Zoe, Lamisse, Jordyn, and Chloe, I truly could not have done this without you. To the rest of the team, I love you all so dearly! Thank you for being so hardworking and for sharing your talents with us for this issue. Most importantly, thank you for being the people you are!
With all the love in the world, I give you VALLEY 34.
Photographed by: Nia Meyers
I
Photographed by: Molly Brown
Step by step, day by day. We live our lives through a routine that feels like clockwork. Our strict regimens keep us on track to long-term goals and healthier habits, but where’s the fun in that?
Spontaneity and impulsivity can become lost in the mix of a tight schedule, graying a potentially vibrant day full of wonder and beautiful chaos. Our lives do not need to be a reenactment of the movie “Groundhog Day,” where every day feels the same and time flies by.
AUTO-PILOT
Looking at the bigger picture, society instills repetition in our days. Morning routines, 9-5 jobs and nighttime routines fulfill our days. The minute we open our eyes, our brains signal to our hands to reach for our phones, to check for any messages we missed in our sleep. The action feels instinctual as we have performed it over and over again.
Practice makes perfect, right? The perfected routine allows our brains to cruise on auto-pilot throughout the day. Our days go by at a rapid pace, blending our Tuesdays into our Thursdays.
BABY STEPS
Routines provide structure to our lives, but including spontaneity or challenges can be very beneficial for our personal growth. We can not
always rest on our laurels and stay within our comfort zone. If we try to hide under our security blankets for too long, the world and all its wonder will pass by us.
TAKE CHARGE. ACT BOLD.
Senior Reporter at Vox Media Allie Volpe wrote an article titled, “Go Ahead, Be a Little More Spontaneous,” discussing the imaginative implementation of spontaneity throughout our day. Essentially, if we loosen our schedules just a bit, it can allow for unplanned dinner dates or walks in a new park that bring us serendipity.
Volpe said she spent a long weekend in Rome with her friend. During this time, her friend had a work dinner, so Volpe spent the day alone, while wandering around Rome without a concrete plan. She allowed herself to go on with her day with no distraction or a tight-knit schedule. She saw the Pantheon and conversed with strangers later at dinner — a perfect plan of spontaneity.
“Let yourself not be scared for a second and then also not be so dependent on a rigid schedule. You do have those moments where, like you just get to connect with other people. And that’s really nice,” says Volpe.
The first baby step is to question our thought processes and unconscious habits that waste time. Proceeding to the scenic route can lead to new possibilities to your left and personal growth on the right. Take the brain off cruise control and
challenge yourself to outgrow old patterns that can then lead to new views.
Recognizing unconscious impulses takes time to fully confront. Our bodies work together as one to compute automatic actions in our day-to-day life. In an attempt to act more spontaneously, it feels as if we are rebelling against ourselves. It is an internal tug of war between impulsivity and security.
Impulsivity and spontaneity both are not interchangeable. It is often thought about how performing a spontaneous action requires little to no judgment, but that’s not the case.
“You like to be spontaneous like you like to think about it,” Volpe says. “That’s the difference between spontaneity and impulsivity. Impulsivity is like, you’re not thinking about it. You’re just doing it. And spontaneity you’re thinking, is this a good choice for me?”
Acting ‘unpredictable’ does not translate to abandoning the core of our being. This includes routines we’ve known and perfected over time. It remains within us, but does not overshine our capability to evolve into versions of ourselves we once did not envision to exist.
“You’re capable of more than you actually think,” says Volpe.
When baby steps transition into great leaps, the future version of ourselves sounds way more enticing than who we were to begin with. Walking away from dullness leads to brighter days ahead.
WRITTEN BY JADE BRAMWELL
The challenges of growing up can be difficult. Discussions surrounding mental health have become more prevalent within society as we all start to reckon with the idea of both mental and physical health being equally important. How is this conversation affecting college students coping with this phenomenon and is it working?
regarding the younger generation’s mental health, the topic has become. According to the CDC, “Suicide is a significant cause of premature death because it is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10 - 14, 15 - 24 and 25 - 34.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health became a hot topic for many people around the world looking for more community and support. Divulging your woes on TikTok and journaling was all the rage and then suddenly mental health “became cool again.” People were — and still are — struggling.
Currently, the two mental health disorders affecting young people today are depression and anxiety. Whether you’re watching “Inside Out” as a child, or watching “Girl, Interrupted” as a young adult, many have been exposed to the different concepts of anxiety and depression and the way they present themselves. Despite popular belief, these disorders are real and affect more people than you would think. The American College Health Association reported that “more than one in three students reported being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.”
MENTAL HEALTH IN COLLEGE STUDENTS
Dr. Sarah Kollat, professor and writer for Penn State psychology, has noticed a change within
are many types and each functions differently depending on what a psychiatrist prescribes.
EXPERIENCES WITH ANTIDEPRESSANTS
Former Penn State student and current mental health therapist Wahdae Elliot says that the usage of SSRIs was a huge stigma in the past.
“In the past, antidepressants were often used for ‘crazy people.’ Adults were expected to be strong and capable of pushing through emotional turmoil. Individuals navigated their hardships by avoiding specific topics or invalidating emotions about their experiences,” says Elliot. “Taking antidepressants deemed to others you were ‘weak’ or even ‘dangerous.’ It implies a lack of self-control or self-discipline.”
WHY ANTIDEPRESSANTS?
That begs the ultimate question … why are antidepressants very common among college students in today’s time? Are they truly helping students who are taking them? After speaking to a Penn State senior, who wanted to remain
Everything comes with its own pros and cons. When receiving antidepressants, you normally have a black box warning label stating that as young adults, you might carry a higher risk for suicidal ideation. However, this does not automatically equal medication being adverse.
“The history of psychopharmacology, where many older medications had significant negative side effects, might play a role in current concerns about the use of antidepressants,” says Dr. Kollat. “I think it is also challenging for individuals to sometimes consider that their symptoms originate, in part, from neurobiological differences.”
Despite the side effects, antidepressants have greatly improved people’s well-being. The stigma surrounding those who are struggling due to anxiety and depression is slowly starting to fade away. As a society, we are progressing towards a more understanding culture. College is a place to tap into all your emotions — multifaceted as they may be.
If you are in a place where you are struggling with happiness for prolonged periods, antidepressants might be for you.
WRITTEN BY ABI SCHONBERGER
The perfectly curated pre-game playlist is on full blast echoing through the halls as girls in each bedroom sing along. Steam from hot showers mixed along with hair product from aerosol cans thickens the air and the smell of burning hair mixed with Sol de Janeiro cream lingers. The cracking of the first can of the night sounds like a blow horn at the start of a race. Alas, it’s time to get ready.
Can not reach the back of your head while straightening? Is your outfit missing an extra accessory? Which pair of beat-up sneakers should you wear? There is no need for distress. Your friends, including ones you may later make in a bar bathroom, have your back. The beauty of sharing is a pillar of friendship.
This is the typical Friday evening of childhood bunkmates turned Penn State senior best friends Sydni Engel and Gabby Cooper. As kids, sharing was either a dreaded playground social skill or an opportunity for mutual connection.
“We would share almost everything … Tiger Beat magazine quizzes, nail polish, rainbow looms … and in the bunk, you always get ready for the day together bouncing between each other’s areas,” says Engel. This communal act of sharing is an age-old practice that in our modern society has transcended beyond the necessity of common knowledge and into the world of beauty tips and tricks. We’ve seen the Youtube tutorials and get
ready with mes’ but often the best tips come not planned while getting ready with your friends.
“I think the thing we shared the most in the bunk was laughs,” says Cooper.
After spending 5 years apart the duo went from getting ready together in the bunk to their shared E. College Ave apartment. Sharing makeup, clothes and hair care with your roommates is not only a mutually beneficial aspect of friendship comradery but is a tool to feeling good about yourself and in turn uplifting your friends.
“I can’t get ready alone,” says Cooper. “If I have to, I’ll FaceTime 8 different people … I’d prefer to get ready together in the living room with everyone … it’s more fun being a part of each other’s process.”
“I feel like I’m in the ‘Love Island’ villa when I’m getting ready with my friends …,” says Engel, “... if I’m going out it’s starting with my girls.”
Neither Cooper nor Engel were exactly beauty gurus as Camp Nock-a-Mixon attendees.
“I feel like we both found our footing with makeup together in college,” says Cooper, “Seeing everyone looking their best makes you want to look and feel your best.”
Whether we care to admit it or not, how we look often affects how we feel. And for some oddly convenient reason, sometimes our deepest
frustrations with our self image come out right as we’re getting ready to go out.
“We always verbalize how we are feeling to each other so we always know when we need to hype the other person up,” says Cooper.
What you look like is the least interesting thing about you, but this can be a hard truth to remember when standing in front of your shitty mirror, in fluorescent lighting, having a meltdown about that night’s look. Often in these low moments it’s your friends who snap you out of it.
Sure, a spoolie of mascara, dab of powder or swipe of gloss may seem trivial when it comes to solidifying a strong self image. And no, we don’t expect these things to solve insecurities in one fell swoop. The support of your friends can be the difference between a night in of self-loathing and the hilarious shenanigans that ensue on a night out with your people.
When we get ready together we aren’t just sharing beauty hacks and a lending hand to do the back of your hair; we’re sharing an excuse to have fun, to hype each other up and to look good. The beauty of sharing does not lay solely in the exchange of products and tips, but in the power of making your friends feel as beautiful as you know they are.
“Getting ready together is the best part of our night.”
Photographed by: Katherine Woodruff
Written by Reeya Kulkarni
Drag is an art form rooted in performance, culture and unapologetic self-expression. Despite what might come to mind when we think of drag, its most iconic and transformative aspect may be none other than makeup. It’s not your everyday concealer and lip balm combo or even the full-face beat you’d wear on your wedding day. This is the kind of makeup that turns the faces of everyday people into living canvases and works of art.
Hazel Giacomucci, a recent graduate of Penn State, said they were heavily involved in both drag and makeup artistry. They were the President of Opulence: Drag Ambassadors at Penn State and the Hair & Makeup Artist for VALLEY!
“The makeup in drag, for me, is very much one of the most expressive points you can make with presentation. I think it can get overlooked by the fashion, but it’s really important,” Giacomucci.
makeup artistry into their work with drag. “I think drag makeup and professional makeup are totally connected. I use a lot of the same techniques in both, but kind of subdue them when doing more natural makeup for clients,” Giacomucci says.
“The same principles of structure and also sculpting a face apply and sometimes drag queens want their makeup done by another artist, which I’ve done before.”
“I view makeup all as one umbrella for artistry. It’s all connected for me.”
Creating Drag Personas
Despite the common misconceptions, drag makeup isn’t only about appearing exaggeratedly feminine. It creates an illusion that can withstand the scrutiny of harsh stage lights and the distance of a large crowd. Drag is, ultimately, a kind of performance. The makeup techniques used in this art play a crucial role in crafting such an illusion on stage. “The classic drag technique for eye makeup is blocking your eyebrows, then drawing them higher up, which gives a feminine appeal and allows for a lot of space for color and depth. It’s one of the most important components of drag makeup,” they say.
Modern-day makeup has taken cues from drag makeup, often without even realizing it — like in techniques like baking and contouring. Giacomucci channels many of their talents in
Each drag persona may also have their own process of dressing as or getting into their desired characters. For Giacomucci, their persona is built by first choosing pieces to incorporate into their outfit, then finding accompanying shoes and accessories and then, finally, curating the makeup look. They enjoy experimenting with many bright colors, like neon green or purple and exploring the avant-garde side of drag.
“I’m inspired by club kid fashion and also very feminine, princessy, flouncy styles, which blend into my Betsey Johnson and Vivienne Westwood inspirations,”
The Drag Community
opinions are quite varied but ultimately dedicated to keeping the drag space open and welcoming.
“In my opinion, whatever you consider being drag is drag. I don’t discriminate against anyone and I really want people to enjoy this as much as possible, as long as you’re honoring it, putting devotion into it and not making a mockery of it,” Giacomucci says.
The Meaning in Drag
Drag makeup is a celebration of individuality, creativity and the freedom to define identity on your own terms. For many performers, makeup isn’t just about putting on a face; it’s about being able to showcase a deeper part of themselves.
“Drag is ultimately a huge part of my life, it’s how I discovered my value for performance,” Giacomucci says. “It made me realize that people like me exist everywhere and are all trying to make art. It makes me feel full, I would say.”
For them, drag was their way of reconnecting with theater after having felt a lack of space for themselves in the theater world.
The community has recently experienced contention about who can be seen as “doing drag” due to new entrants in the drag space. These are individuals who were not historically present. Newer performers may not have everything they would traditionally need — like products to apply intense makeup, for example. The community’s
The community surrounding drag and the power and dedication of the queer population is also a major influence on drag. It has been a part of queer history for as long as anyone can remember — Giacomucci sees drag as a way for the queer community to hold tradition and strength as a marginalized community.
Drag makeup is more than just an art form: it’s something that defies convention. Performers ultimately reimagine what identity can be. They blur the lines between reality and fantasy, as well as masculine and feminine. Every stroke of makeup in drag invites those who are curious about the art to see the world through a more vibrant, unapologetic lens.
Written By Isabella Villalobos
After breaking a piece of ceramic, like a vase or carafe, one’s first instinct is to toss it. Instead, what if we could save each shard of porcelain and repurpose the broken pieces? Kintsugi is a Japanese art form that requires only three materials: broken ceramic, epoxy adhesive and gold paint.
The purpose of this style of art is to show that destruction and damage can be beautiful. Each piece of pottery is then stuck back together with glue and strokes of gold paint, emphasizing each break and imperfection.
John Domenico, a Penn State graduate and ceramic artist, has experience using Kintsugi within his own work.“It is not a practice I take lightly. I believe if you are going to appropriate something of cultural significance that is not your own, it is important to pay respect to that culture,” says Domenico. Domenico says that Japan has a long history of lacquerware, more specifically a type of lacquerware called Maki-e, where metallic powders such as gold and silver are inlaid to make patterns.
“Kintsugi itself is more a reflection of certain philosophies that play a major role in the tea ceremony and other kinds of Japanese aesthetics, specifically wabi-sabi. These philosophies are also rooted in the dominant Japanese religions of Buddhism and Shintoism,” says Domenico. “I think they coalesce into Kintsugi, because a lot of these Japanese ideals value the acceptance of the present moment while simultaneously also acknowledging history and [the] past.”
Domenico believes that the Japanese art form should be applied to our lives in a manner that would allow it to be a “call to presence.”
“To understand the beauty of Kintsugi, you have to love the broken shards just as much or more than the object after it has been prettied up and repaired,” says Domenico.
APPLYING KINTSUGI IN YOUR LIFE
Kintsugi allows people to have self-love values through the appreciation of flaws. While applying Kintsugi in our lives doesn’t necessarily mean we have to take the art in a literal sense. We all have what we believe to be imperfections, whether from acne, accidents or marks that you were born with
— so why not embrace them, instead of covering them up?
“I believe that our flaws are significant aspects of our identity because they are not only unique to each individual but also often tell a story,” says Penn State Sophomore Emily Rieger. “For instance, I used to feel very insecure about a birthmark on my forehead, but now I embrace it and recognize that it is a part of what makes me unique. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves that the features we dislike are often the ones others admire.”
At the end of the day, no one should receive judgment for an imperfection, as there is no such thing as being truly flawless or perfect.
Destruction, whether tangible or metaphorical, builds both character and strength.
Senior Christina Roukas says, “I believe flaws are beautiful imperfections. If we all looked the same, wouldn’t that be boring?”
Make your imperfections akin to the gold paint adorning the cracks of a Kintsugi pottery piece. Every story has its cracks and breaks, just like a chip in a piece of pottery.
Beauty is everywhere, faults and all. Life is beautiful, faults and all. People are beautiful, faults and all.
THE HISTORY OF KINTSUGI
Photographed by: Nia Meyers
WRITTEN BY VANESSA HOHNER
Getting closure is synonymous with an itch that we need to scratch.
Naturally, we want to control the uncontrollable. If we could program our lives to operate exactly how we please, we’d all accept that offer. Unfortunately, when it comes to closure we have zero control. Searching for that “why” will have any person blindly in love, climbing up a never-ending wall of confusion, desperately grasping for the top.
For the average overthinker, not getting closure is like a year without rain. The freedom the other person has of leaving you in the dark with zero questions answered can be the most deceitful part of it all.
It’s like walking through a haze with no end in sight. “Why did they do this to me?” “What did I do wrong?” “How can they just leave like that?” Endless questions of doubt and feelings of betrayal invade the mind of the beholder with no mercy.
this person gave you — nothing. Could that be the writing on the wall? Was receiving nothing disguised as closure all this time?
T he persistence of needing closure comes from wanting to make sense of it all. Anxiety can sometimes be a cushion. You want something to go well so badly that you already prepared your mind for it to fail. This provides a layer of protection. When someone doesn’t get closure, the cushion thickens and you become an anxious wreck all while tricking yourself into thinking, “I should have seen this coming.”
“I couldn’t make sense of why he treated me so poorly and how his words and actions never aligned. I always wondered how someone who claims to love someone can treat someone like that,” says Malloy.
Malloy found herself trying to fill in all the blanks. Since the relationship ended on bad terms, it made cutting those ties much more difficult.
“I think before I was able to find my closure of the situation I was holding onto hope and believed things could change,” says Malloy. “No closure gave my mind more space to analyze everything and create scenarios of how it could have been or could work.”
Regardless of what answers you do or don’t receive from your partner, growth will always be present. Time heals all wounds. Whether or not you have accepted the tribulations of your past relationship, they will all be resolved in due time.
Mary Malloy is a fourth-year finance student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She recalls moments of her previous relationship and its complications with closure.
Malloy’s previous partner wasn’t able to give her those answers she so ever longed for. He who shall not be named claimed his actions or (lack thereof) is where Mary could find her closure. She was rendered speechless. How could one possibly find answers within hostile memories?
“I found closure within myself when reflecting on the relationship. Looking back on how I was treated and the differences in our character helped me move forward and know I made the right decision. I was able to find myself and grow so much from this experience,” she says.
WRITTEN BY NATALIE UNTCH
If today was my last, what would I do? The usual answers come to mind: tell everyone you love them and spend all the time you have left with friends and family. But — would that be enough?
Life pulls me in and consumes my precious time. Some days doing nothing at all, nothing to remember. To appreciate life is exhausting. We write our gratitudes, we count blessings, but it feels easier to drift through days, letting them slip away, unnoticed. I know what stirs my soul, what grounds me. When I ask myself what I’d do with just one day left, my mind returns to the rare moments when I remember how precious this world is.
If I Die Tomorrow, Let It Be in a Forest.
Lay me under basswood, where I can look to the oak for strength. Allow me, please, to smell the sweet maple as it fills my lungs. Let the rough grass brush against my skin, its pattern leaving imprints on my face.
Let the fallen tree reveal its rings to me. I need it to put me in place. The rings remind me I’m a speck, a small timely thing in this vast world. The winds in the forest tell me I cannot outlive the trees, these ancient keepers of time.
I want to be among trees that stand together, a silent community, bound together by roots beneath the surface. Nothing made by human hands, just a forest that breathes on its own, timeless and untouched.
If I Die Tomorrow, Let It Be in the Waves.
I’ll squint, trying to see the coast from one shore to another, searching where the blue fades into gray. When I dive into the bright, cold water, let the sun burn my skin. Let the cold wash over me fast so I can focus on holding my breath and listening to the sounds beneath the surface. The sea foam will tangle in my knotted hair, salt will itch my skin.
As I gasp after breaking through a wave, remind me of what it means to breathe under the hot sun. When I leave the water, sand will cling stubbornly to my feet, my head will spin from treading in depths where I couldn’t stand.
The water whispers as it recedes, urging me to watch its waves change, never the same twice. It begs not to be forgotten.
“How could anyone forget the ocean?”
My question to the sea was foolish, I see that now. Humans tend to forget what’s in front of us. We forget our own history, even as it’s within reach. But the ocean never forgets. It only remembers. The more we overlook it, the more it rises. When it does, it will be the only one laughing, its waves reminding us of the cost of forgetting.
If I Die Tomorrow, Let It Be Looking at the Sky.
Let me gaze at the clouds and look for meaning within the shapes. Can I try finding stories in their soft, white forms? I’ll watch as the blue fades to orange, then melts into black. The sky, always asking for attention, its landscape changing every second. It wants to be looked at.
Instead of looking up, I walked with my head low, staring at human-made cement and counterfeit grass. There is a tragedy in time, as it can be wasted, letting the middle grow idle and indifferent.
For my last day, I will finally give the sky the attention it deserves. Maybe then, the colors of this final sunset will fill in the gray of all those empty days before.
At one point, did I forget about the everyday beauty, needing the most spectacular sights to pay attention to? The forest, the waves and the sky waver all around us. They will remain so long after we are gone. So today, while I have the time, I will give attention to what I have long overlooked.
For once, I will give into these moments: the rustle of the leaves, the crash of the waves, the infinite stretch of the sky. I will let the weight of the world’s beauty ground me, even if just for today.
WRITTEN BY GINGER LYONS
You sit in your backyard, letting grass stains cover your clothes and listening to the birds chirp back and forth to each other. Picking flowers from your mother’s garden, you stare deeply into it, wondering what power it holds. As you pluck each petal from it, you sing to yourself, “They love me, they love me not,” hoping it tells you that the kid in your fourth grade class, really and truly, does love you. When the flower says “They love you not,” a frown crosses your face as you wholeheartedly believe that the flower has ruined your chance at love. Placing it down in the grass, you pick up another and start all over again.
It’s been a staple of our childhoods, from picking petals off of a flower to the game M.A.S.H., and even creating “cootie-catchers.” These silly children’s games may have just been for fun, but deep down all we wanted was for the flower to tell us that whoever we loved, loved us back. Can we actually rely on these methods to tell us if we are loved?
Petal-Picking’s Beginnings
Andrea Kitta, a professor at East Carolina University with a doctorate in folklore, sees these fortune-telling games as something that, historically, girls and women participated in.
“These games tie back to the Salem witch trials because those were what the girls were playing,” she says. “It’s funny to think that there is this entire idea that women were
witches — this whole panic happened and it was because girls were trying to figure out who they were going to marry.”
Various fortune-telling games were played during the Salem witch trials and in other historical times, which all had the central idea that women and girls wanted to know who they would marry. At the time it was difficult for women to find stability on their own, getting married was essential for them in many societies. These games have since become modernized, but the central theme has stayed the same of this desire to know who our soulmate will be.
“Who we end up with, if we end up with somebody, is one of the biggest mysteries of our lives,” says Kitta.
As for petal-picking, it still has the same connotations of wanting to find love, but more specifically, to find out if the petal-picker’s love is reciprocated.
“Flowers are thought to be a feminine thing –– it’s something that you might get from a partner as a sign of their love,” she says. “So it makes sense to take a flower, pick the petals off and decide if somebody loves you or not. It could have been the literal gift of a flower, but there is also the thought of ‘does this person have a real intention, or is this a false intention in some sort of way?”
Rejection from the Petals
Even though we long for the best outcome from these games, when they end up going the opposite way, when the flower tells us that no, he doesn’t love you back, it gives us a sense of preparedness for rejection. These games give us the perspective that maybe what we want isn’t right, and that maybe a different outcome is. It presents us with all the possible scenarios so that instead of knowing what will happen, we know what could happen.
The People We Play With
While these games are often associated with children today, they still exist in adulthood. For instance, the bouquet toss at a wedding is supposed to determine the next couple to get married. Tarot cards and astrology allow adults to try to figure out the mysteries of their own futures. But, for adults and children, these games form a sense of community. A child doesn’t play M.A.S.H. by themselves, but instead writes in crayon on a piece of notebook paper surrounded by their classmates.
“These games give us that sense of control, but there’s also a community behind it as well,” Kitta says.
No matter how many times we pluck petals off of flowers, they do not know the thoughts of the person we hope loves us back. The knowledge of each outcome and the people that we pick those petals with may provide us comfort in what is unknown.
your first
WRITTEN BY ERIN O’NEILL
Our first few steps into adulthood are much like our very first steps in life. Our world completely alters as this newfound independence blossoms inside us. As a child, our first steps are often shadowed by our parents and every time we fall, we do so safely into the arms of our parents or caregivers.
The steps we take into adulthood become much different. This time, our parents are at a distance and can no longer soften the blow. Throughout life, we are introduced to all kinds of people and these people mold into all forms of relationships. Some people we will never think about again, while others will stay by our sides for decades. There is something special to be said about the first of all our relationships — specifically the one with our parents
Taste of Independence
The first time you go to the movies with your friends alone or your first time backing out of the driveway after passing your driver’s test are points in your life where a shift occurs. Over time, we continuously gain more independence and our reliance on our parents lessens.
When you hit adulthood, the relationship you have with your parents becomes more voluntary. At that age, you can decide for the first time in your life whether to engage or not engage with your parents and to what extent.
You and Parents
Parents and You
This relationship is different for everyone. For some, their parents might be the most important in their lives. For others, it may not be be the healthiest relationship.
The Associate Dean for Research and Innovation and Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Utah State University, Dr. Shawn Whiteman says, “The notion of attachment suggests that our relationships early in life will shape how we approach other ones and those with insecure attachments will approach relationships differently, more cautiously than folks that have secure relationships.”
Regardless of how we rework our relationship with our parents, it is also a transition for them.
“The first time a child leaves home is the first time. They are navigating this relationship where they are not the ones that have the hierarchical power necessarily anymore,” Whiteman says.
Whiteman says that a child may not rely on their parents as much as they did in the past. This may be the norm, but it does take some getting used to from parents as well. With that being said, It is important to remember that it’s our parents’ first time living, too.
WRITTEN BY MALI GOEBEL
In our quest for pleasure and connection, dopamine — a neurotransmitter often called the “feel-good hormone” — plays a crucial role. Our brains are hard-wired to seek out behaviors that trigger dopamine release in our reward systems. When we engage in something pleasurable, our brains flood with dopamine, making us feel good and driving us to chase that sensation again. Navigating sexual communication can feel like venturing into uncharted territory, but it’s a journey that can deepen intimacy and enhance relationships. Stepping out of your comfort zone to discuss desires, boundaries and fantasies with your partner might seem daunting, but it can transform your connection from mundane to extraordinary.
Sex therapist Erin Hoel explains, “Many might overthink or fear the worst outcomes when considering new experiences in the bedroom, these conversations are essential for evolving and maintaining a healthy sexual relationship.”
UnlockingtheDoorwithSmallSteps
“Trust, intimacy and connection start outside the bedroom when you want to explore
something new, says. “Set expectations ahead of time. What’s okay? What’s not okay? Is everything How do we stop when needed? How will we navigate this if we decide to stop?”
Focusing solely on increasing intimacy in the bedroom is not the way to go if you don’t feel connected to it.
Starting small is key. Hoel says that small gestures can open the door to deeper intimacy. Physical affection, like understanding each other’s love languages, is a great place to start. It is a form of intimacy that isn’t sexual and it’s a good place to kick off without jumping straight into sexual discussions.
TrustYourGut
It’s important to remember that flutter feeling when discussing intimacy with the right partner.
“Intimacy is less about a timeline and more about trusting your gut instinct. Pretty early on, you’ll know if you enjoy spending time with that person or if something feels off,” says Hoel. “Setting expectations helps you navigate boundaries for yourself while also letting someone in, in a way that feels comfortable.”
ExploringFantasy
When you are introducing fantasies into your relationship, it’s vital to figure out what you enjoy and feel comfortable with before your partner’s own needs.
“Fantasy is highly individualized,” says Hoel. “If someone wants to explore a fantasy, I suggest starting the conversation outside of the bedroom,” says Hoel.
However, Hoel also cautions that fantasy might not always translate well into reality. Sometimes people want to act out fantasies, but for many, the thought of actually doing it is overwhelming. It’s the allure of control, where you can shape the scenario exactly how you want. People seek control in situations where they feel powerless.
“What you think fantasy is in your head and what it’s really like can be two different things. If you approach intimacy with your partner as a solution to fix something, that’s a red flag. But if it’s something fun you can do together, that’s different.”
According to Hoel, a popular myth is that sex is easy and spontaneous. In reality, it takes time, commitment and effort. Many people assume that sex is always going to be a profound experience in which both parties are always on the same page.
“We think about the sex drive: there is a whole biological system in place that your body has to kick on, that has to respond. But it’s not always going to be easy, it’s not going to be great,” says Hoel.
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach and that’s what makes the experience of intimacy so thrilling. Encouraging freedom with intimacy is a mutual adventure, where trust, curiosity and respect lead the way to deeper understanding and connection.
So the next time you want to introduce handcuffs or a new position … remember that exploring together with openness can lead to profound intimacy and discovery.
Photographed by: Kayla March
Photographed by: Nia Meyers
Written by Christine Bitonti
In the Spring of 2022, a 22-year-old Penn State student stands just inside the entrance of the Phyrst in downtown State College, Pennsylvania. By day, he is a criminology major, working tirelessly in the hopes of one day becoming a detective. For now, he is a bouncer, spending his nights checking and validating photo IDs from bar-goers.
These are long nights of corralling the crowd into acting decent and turning away underage students at the door. He is doing it all to pay off his student loans and maybe have a few extra dollars left. Unfortunately, the job has a few unspoken duties in its description. Being a Phyrst bouncer means being on the receiving end of a lot of anger and eye rolls. The bouncer never has a night of peace. It is always his job to make people happy when they arrive at the bar. Often, he can’t give them what they want, as he is forced to turn away people who are too drunk or underage. Sometimes, when he is walking down the street, he has people curse him out: “Hey, you’re the bouncer from the Phyrst. F*ck you, man!”
Bouncers at bars and nightclubs in State College have one of the most difficult service jobs there is. Working in customer service is hard enough, but Penn State bouncers are in a line of work in which the clientele is strictly drunk college students. There is nothing more miserable than being in a Penn State bar as a sober person.
In the spring of 2024, another PSU undergraduate decides to tackle the challenge of being a bouncer. Mike Volpe is a statistics major hoping to work in sports research after
graduation. Until then, he will be a part-time bouncer at the Shandygaff, host to the famous karaoke night — Gaffeoke — that happens every Wednesday. Each week, he sees his friends come into the Shandygaff. Instead of joining them, he watches as they drink tequila and dance the night away.
“I worked with a bunch of other students around my age, ranging from 18-22. Some of the bartenders are either grad students or recent graduates, making money to move away for their future careers or until they get an offer to go somewhere,” says Volpe.
Volpe says his positive experience at the Shandygaff was made possible because of his coworkers. He describes them as a great group, made up of several men and only two women, who made the job very enjoyable.
“Amazing crowd to be around. Never a dull moment,” he says.
On a night a few weeks before graduation, Volpe was doing his duties when he was asked to escort an overly intoxicated couple, a man and a woman, from the dance floor. Allegedly, the woman attempted to escape from Volpe, taking off into the middle of the crowd. Once caught, Mike began to lead her from the bar towards the exit.
In her continued pursuits, the woman “took a vicious bite” out of Mike’s arm, saying, “She drew a bit of blood. It was that deep.”
He was forced to carry the woman off the premises, but not before she had the chance to sucker punch him in the face. In the aftermath,
Mike was asked to give a statement to the police. He discovered the woman was being charged with multiple crimes, including resisting arrest and public intoxication. Mike was told he may have to testify in court, but there has been no follow up yet.
“The funny part is a couple weeks later, I had a google review written about the whole situation painting me as the bad guy,” Volpe says.
Residents of State College pride themselves as being part of one of the most exciting college towns in the country. But we must not forget the people that make it possible. This town would not be what it is if not for the people who are working while everyone else is having fun.
State College bouncers are the unsung heroes of the Penn State experience. May they continue to keep students safe while they get rip-roaring drunk on back-to-school bar crawls and Gaffeoke Wednesdays.
WRITTEN BY LUCIJA GLAVAN
In Fairfield, Connecticut, Kristen Coleman sits at her desk, picking her nails as she skims over her notes one more time. As a student majoring in finance, Kristen knows everything about money. She has always had a job since she was sixteen years old. She knows how much a manicure would cost or how much she plans to spend on a night out with her friends. Her entire world is money.
Money, cash, funds … moolah? Whatever you want to call it, it’s all around us. The biggest power lies in the money you spend: tuition, books, food, Ubers, the list goes on. It can dictate exactly how we feel daily, especially as first-time adults in a crowded college town. Hundreds of students walk around campus, all debating different things to spend their money on.
SHORT AND LONG TERM GRATIFICATION
Short-term gratification is the instant fulfillment of one’s desires. After acing the exam you have studied so long for, you decide to treat yourself to a meal at your favorite fast-food restaurant. Though this might feel like a “worthy” reward for your work, spending all of your money on these little things might take away from the long-term purchases you have been hoping to splurge on.
Long-term gratification is the act of resisting instant gratification in hopes of obtaining a more valuable reward. Usually, the “reward” is much more substantial than a new lip gloss. It could be a spring break trip to the Bahamas or the final payment to student loans. Long-term gratification involves the concepts of savings, budgeting and the overall knowledge and usage of financial literacy. Entering college not only unlocks the power of money, but also the burden of debt, loans and diminishing bank accounts.
TWO ROADS
Back in Connecticut, Coleman deals with the
burdens of money every day. Living on-campus with no car and no part-time job to hold her over during the school year, she looks at her daily schedule as a constant transaction. While peeling potatoes for her dinner, she explains, “I make all of my money during the summer so I can save for the year. I have a set amount to spend each week. It’s a weird arrangement…I do not spend any money on anything, really.”
While talking about how she spends on shortterm and long-term purchases, Kristen laughs as she states,
“It’s no wants, all needs. Like, I was contemplating not buying new sneakers, but the ones I wear started to make me bleed. Due to the fact I have saved money for this, I knew things might happen like that. Textbooks, sicknesses, you know?”
Although many seek a full-time job post graduation, some might maintain a part-time job along with their studies.
Sasha Kizhner, a fourth year majoring in accounting, is no different than other students when it comes to instant purchases. As a server at Pickle’s Taproom, she does not shy away from the fast-paced student life. She ensures that her entire schedule is airtight, as Kizhner has been busy working all of this past year with her internship.
“I don’t like not working. I always like to have some sort of steady income.” Although she is grateful for the help her parents provide with rent, groceries and other needs, Kizhner says, “I’m gonna move back home to save money after college, but obviously once I’m out – the food, the rent, everything – like, I’m a full-grown adult. I feel like I have matured more since the person I was two years ago.”
As they draw near to the end of their college career, both Kizhner and Coleman have gained valuable insight into money while being in completely different situations. Sasha points out that as she grows older, she has become more aware of the economy and her finances. If
something were to happen, she would prefer to have a monetary cushion and would rather prioritize her health and well-being than frivolous purchases.
The tricky part about financial literacy and reward systems is that there’s no real right way to go about it. The skills needed to understand and use money differs completely from personto-person. Different financial situations call for different allocations of money; most use it for short-term purchases, while others are forced to save for long-term.
For Kizhner, this money is going towards some form of savings, whether it’s retirement investments or funding for a new car.
“If I’m going out for food with my friends, I use my money. Whatever paycheck I have or whatever money I get, at the end of the day, I’ll always take 30% of it out for savings.” Coleman considers that with saving, there’s always room to learn more: “I don’t apply all of my knowledge, I could definitely apply more, but due to my situation, sometimes you can’t do what you want. It’s hard to think of long-term when you’re worried about ‘What am I going to eat today?’”
When asked what she would advise someone else to do in her situation, Coleman answers:
“Keep going, girl…Don’t compare yourself to others. Use your knowledge. We learn so much in school, actually apply what you learn. There is a way to do better if you don’t come from much.”
While Kizhner is determined to save her money for a car post-grad, Coleman focuses on the daily operations of her student life. Neither are right or wrong; the paper trail leads us to different destinations for a reason.
“If you don’t start now, when are you going to? Be the person who can step on their own two feet no matter what.”
Photographed by: Charell Walter
Each of us carries a unique story that brought us to Penn State, shaped by the experiences we’ve accumulated along the way. “We Are,” is more than just a slogan — it represents the diverse journeys and shared sense of purpose that unite us as a community.
Irvin Moore is a student with a remarkable story. The cadence of his voice, his compassionate presence and his loyal Saint Bernard, Kora, who is always by his side, are just small parts of the larger narrative that defines him.
His life has been underscored by what he calls his “journey to redemption,” a deep passion for education and art and, as he puts it, “being a blessing in the lives of others.”
A native of North Philadelphia, Moore was incarcerated at the age of 22, sentenced to life in prison. Fast forward 56 years — he is now beginning his journey as a Penn State student at the age of 78, with the goal of earning his bachelor’s degree by the age of 80 — a first in Penn State history.
Moore is no stranger to education. In fact, he has spent most of his life in the roles of both student and educator. During his time in prison, he earned two associate degrees, one in education and the other in business management. His achievements were entirely self-driven, as he tirelessly advocated for access to educational opportunities, not only for himself but also for other incarcerated men.
“I went into prison on July 18, 1969. Man walked on the moon on July 20, 1969 and we didn’t know about it inside until two years later in 1971,” Moore says.
He also recalled fighting hard and enduring beatings, whippings and being hosed just to get access to televisions, radios, books, a library and a GED program.
“I was part of that first wave of young individuals from urban inner-city areas flooding the penitentiaries, demanding these things. I was fortunate and blessed to be at the forefront when this happened. That’s when I truly learned the value of education,” he says.
During this time, Moore was mentored by a group of older inmates he calls “the old heads.” At 22, he would watch them gather to discuss literature and the meaning of life. His
curiosity piqued their interest and one man gave him a copy of Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning,” telling him to read it and return the next day.
MAN SEARCHING FOR MEANING
Initially, like many 22-year-olds, Moore resisted. He thought he already knew everything he needed about life and was disillusioned by an education system that had once failed him.
The next day, without reading the book, he returned to the group. When they asked what he had learned, he had nothing to say. They gave him one more chance. That night, in the dim light of his cell, he finally picked up the book. The faint beams of light coming through the corridor illuminated the pages as he sat down and read it cover to cover.
“The light from the hallway filtered through the bars and hit the landing of my cell. I leaned the book into the rays and finished reading,” Moore said.
The following day, he earned his place in the circle, unaware that it would ignite a deep hunger for knowledge within him.
“I had an epiphany with the help of the old heads about the value of education and knowledge, and about what I needed to do to grow into the person I thought I already was,” Moore says.
Years later, Moore still speaks passionately about what that book meant to him as a young man facing a life sentence.
“I was 22 or 23 years old, dealing with that deep psychological and emotional low, knowing I would die there,” he says. “But reading that book taught me that even in prison, I could be free. There were ways I could liberate my mind and my soul — emotionally, mentally, psychologically, spiritually — long before I would eventually gain physical freedom.”
That single book, combined with the mentorship of others, sparked a relentless drive for knowledge that lasted over 50 years. Moore devoted himself not only to learning but to sharing the power of education with others.
During his half-century of incarceration, he dedicated himself to freeing both his mind and the minds of those around him. Moore became an educator, leading efforts to establish the Coordinated Education Extension Program (CEEP) in 1972.
“In those days, we had to learn everything to teach everything,” Moore said. “Education should exist from the cradle to the grave.”
Moore’s reputation extended far beyond that of an educator; he became a peacemaker. He emphasizes the importance of human connection and cherishes the relationships he made while incarcerated. These very connections eventually led him to Penn State, when in 2005, Laurie Mulvey, professor and director of the World in Conversation project, began bringing student facilitators into Rockview to speak with inmates serving life sentences. It was there that she met Moore, with whom she formed a deep bond. She now calls him her brother.
“I feel so gratified that the person I met at Rockview has become the dream I always had for him — he’s a blessing to our community,” Mulvey said.
That dream became reality in 2021 when Moore was granted commutation, leading to his immediate release. During his time in prison, his compassionate spirit and dedication to change redefined how education could be pursued behind bars.
Today, Moore serves as the Educational Support and Community Liaison for the Restorative Justice Initiative (RJI), a program under Penn State’s College of Education. His work there has been instrumental in advocating for educational equity for those impacted by the justice system. He now travels the country, sharing his story and the importance of education with lawmakers, students and communities.
“I hope that my story gets shared and repeated and that the message is simple: be a blessing. Be a blessing wherever you are, wherever you go and with whomever you come in contact,” Moore said.
If you happen to see Irvin Moore and his loyal companion, Kora, around campus, know that you’ve encountered someone truly special. Don’t hesitate to stop and say hello.
WRITTEN BY ALYSSA W
A guardian angel sent her to earth on the day she was born.
On April 29, exactly three days after Fabiana Corcina was born, her grandmother on her mother’s side passed away. In fact, Fabiana’s delivery date was supposed to be on the 29th, but as it turns out, she had other divine
“My family on my Peruvian side, they thought I was a little angel sent from my grandmother to protect my mom,” she says.
Born to a Peruvian mother and a Puerto Rican father, she grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico – but that not the only home Fabiana knows. For someone who has moved around a lot in her life, she had to find her own definition of home. Sometimes home is not the place you rest, but the place where love lives – where people are.
him to see me happy and doing something that I love and him to aspire to the same thing.”
When she found out her step-mom was pregnant, she did what any typical teenager would do cry. Both excitement and fear came at this revelation, feeling disbelief that an actual human will be born and it will share the same blood as her. Lucas was born in the early hours of May 11. The day her life changed – for the better she says. Just like Fabiana, Lucas came at a chaotic time –but their births signify something great, something significant, in their families.
“He’s a huge part of who I am,” she says. “Lucas is only six years old, but I’ve learned so much from him that even some classes haven’t been able to teach me as much as he has.”
which may or may not be because it is summer all year round in Puerto Rico. Regardless, Fabiana is a true product of her environment, and it is a place she is so proud to be from.
“I get to live somewhere so full of joy and love and bright minds and leaders and musicians and people with so much more to give,” she says.
“Puerto Rico will always be home in the sense that it is a very big part of who ‘Fabiana’ is,” she says, her eyes sparkling. “But now, as I grow up, I’ve noticed that home is really where my family is and wherever they are, it’ll feel like home.”
For the first 14 years of her life Fabiana was an only child, the only thing she had ever known –then, on one fateful day, she found out she was getting a little brother.
“My brother being born completely changed my life,” she says. “I went from being an only daughter my whole life to having this new being that was there.”
It was a time period characterized by confusion and an influx of emotions, she says. It also changed her life for the better, having a new family member to love fiercely. And love fiercely, she has. Fabiana’s younger brother Lucas was born in Japan, where she temporarily resided with her father and step-mother following Hurricane Maria. Forced to leave everything she knew behind, she welcomed a new family member.
Fabiana speaks to Lucas on the phone every week. She says she cannot go more than a week without talking to him. In spite of the age gap between them, she says he is her best friend in the world.
Island of Enchantment
“Puerto Rico will always be my crib. It is memories. It’s where I grew up. It’s where I had all the big things happen. My first acceptance letter was back home. I graduated back home. I had my prom back home. I took my first steps back ” she says, placing the way she views her upbringing now.
Puerto Rico is famously known as Isla del Encanto – the island of enchantment.
Composed of six islands, Puerto Rico is an archipelago with mountains, peaks, valleys and beaches, bursting with culture and people who Fabiana describes as very “service ”
“You feel loved, even if it’s people that you just met once or twice, they stop and hug. So, there is definitely a very affectionate culture here,” she says.
Moving to the U.S. by herself was not necessarily an easy transition, however. Even though Fabiana had moved many times throughout her life, this was the first time she was moving by herself. Mental health is a lot more stigmatized in Puerto Rico than in the U.S., which is something that she had to unlearn herself. There is such a large difference between the way people treat mental health in both countries, she points out. While she knows the U.S. is not perfect in that regard either, many people in Puerto Rico struggle to reach out for help.
“[Puerto Ricans] don’t like when people say, ‘Oh, I have anxiety or I have depression, because yeah, girl, you just haven’t gone out, or you just need to read a book or you need to sleep’ – It’s not taken as seriously,” she says.
By her second year, she had reached out to her parents and expressed feeling depressed. Luckily, her parents encouraged her to get therapy, something which she is grateful for. Without their support, she says she doesn’t know if she would’ve been able to face getting help. This may not be a universal truth for all Puerto Ricans, but it is a truth that she will instill into Lucas and into anyone else she can reach.
“When he was born, I noticed that I wanted to be better because I wanted him to see someone he could look up to,” she says. “Not necessarily following the same steps that I do, but I wanted
If people were seasons, then Fabiana would be summer – she radiates a certain type of warmth and radiance that is rare to come by. She greets people exclusively with hugs, making sure to give a compliment while she’s at it. She makes people feel seen, feel loved, and you can’t help but not smile at her smile. She says people in Puerto Rico have “constantly happy syndrome” –
“I think that moving to the US, although it was hard, it definitely shifted my mentality on many things – it just helped me grow into who I want to be,” she says, citing moving to the U.S. as place where she was able to treat mental health like health.
When the Winds Pick Up
Before Hurricane Maria devastated the island of Puerto Rico in 2017, Hurricane Irma hit the island two weeks prior, flooding many towns and homes, including Fabiana’s.
“When it was announced that hurricane Maria was coming in – it was going to come at level five – and everyone was terrified. They didn’t think that island would survive it,” she recalls.
In the anticipation and impending doom of Hurricane Maria, the two decided to leave since they could no longer risk staying. Those two weeks drastically changed the island and left the island reeling at the ache of the devastation.
“Schools didn’t have running water – they didn’t have light, they didn’t even have roofs, they didn’t have room sometimes – because Maria took everything in its path in Puerto Rico, and the management of resources was really, really poor,” she says.
Rico had to build itself up from the brunt of the hurricanes. It is one strong island, and it is because of the resilience of the people, Fabiana says. A strong will that she carries herself. Even when the government failed the people at certain points, it was people helping each other that salvaged the island ultimately.
Thousands of Puerto Ricans died. It was a dark time for everyone on the island, for her family, for her friends, for Fabiana. Puerto Rico is still feeling the effects of the hurricane, still recovering, seven years later.
“The beauty of Puerto Rico is that people do see the light in the darkness,” she says, recounting the time her best friend said that despite how difficult that time was, it also built the strongest sense of community, and there is something to miss about that.
“She would say, ‘I don’t miss having necessities that weren’t met, but I do miss not having technology and just going over to my neighbor and riding bikes to get water or playing card games with candles,’”
They went back to such a primitive kind of
being able to talk to your neighbor and knock on the door and do something because have anything else to do.”
Puerto
“After we recovered a bit more from Maria, it came to light that there were wagons full of food and water that had perished and were never distributed,” she recalls. That started a lot of protests against the government because people saw their fault – many more died than needed to die because they didn’t properly share those resources.”
This also inspired her to one day work in law, as she says she does not want to be complacent in a system that allows people to suffer unnecessarily – she has seen too many people suffer because of greed, because of money, because of selfishness.
Looking Towards the Future
“I am a ‘huge ambition and list’ kind of girl,” she says. “I have a list of things I want to do, and once I get them done, I start fresh and get new goals to achieve.”
The only time Fabiana attended the same school for four years in a row was high school. Before starting high school, she had attended roughly 11 schools. In her freshman year of high school, she began dual enrollment at the University of Puerto Rico. Academics is highly emphasized in Puerto Rico and in her family, Fabiana says, which is something that she has definitely taken with her. When it came to choosing a college, she had the whole world to choose from – figuratively and literally. Following in her mother’s footsteps – who also left her home country of Peru to study in Puerto Rico – she took the leap and decided to only apply to schools in the U.S.
marketing and complete her masters in something STEM related instead, as she still wants to explore both business and STEM and equally dedicate her time to both.
“I definitely am more focused on the giving back portion, hopefully making a difference here, and kind of leaving my mark. Having that forward thinking, of what’s to come and setting precedent for what could occur,” she says.
As a student, she shines: she has been an at-large representative in UPUA, Smeal student mentor, DEI director of the business fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi, director of public relations and speaker consultant for TED Talks at PSU, among others.
WW“I got into so many organizations, all kinds to foster that diversity, equity and inclusion,” she says, “Coming from Puerto Rico and going into a very different culture – very different world –definitely impacted me a lot, and I wanted it to be easier for the next generations to come.”
When she says this, she is thinking not only of herself, but also of Lucas. In a way, this is all for him, as someone who is a part of the future generation.
“Maybe Lucas in 10 to 15 years would want to come to Penn State, and I’d want him to be more aware of Latinos and diversity and for the place to be more inclusive of people that are like me who are not from this area,” she says, acknowledging the struggle of what it is like going to a predominately white institution and wanting to commit positive change. For Fabiana, she wants to utilize her education and leave an impact – an impact that will be felt.
“My mom was primarily my biggest advocate for studying in the U.S., and I was like ‘you know what, I’m gonna do it, it’s going to work out,’” Fabiana says.
Suffice to say, it worked out. After getting rejected by her dream school University of Texas Austin, she and her mom took a tour of Penn State and fell in love instantly. She began her Penn State journey as a dual major in marketing and computational data, but decided to switch to just
She will graduate this spring, completing her degree in three years. Fabiana plans on going to graduate school in the U.S. and getting her masters in a STEM field. Sometime after that, she wants to attend law school and get her J.D. to one day work in immigration law. And then? Well, there is nothing holding her back to create the reality that she has always worked towards.
“I want to be able to be a part of something bigger than just myself,” she says, smiling, knowing it will happen because she makes it happen – something no one can ever take away.
Photographed by: Taay Jackson
Photographed by: Nia Meyers
WRITTEN BY MOLLY MCMENAMY
Another year flies by and the fashion industry rakes in hundreds of billions in sales. Retail is a helping hand in this process, allowing consumers the ability to create trends. Adding on both couture and fashion houses, it’s difficult to get the industry’s value down to the dollar. How does this money machine turn style into substance?
LOOKING IN
The inner workings of retailers can be complex. Within these giants like Nordstrom, brands sell their merchandise to wider audiences. To sum it up, the buzzword here is constants. These staples, consistently bringing back consumers, make brands who they are.
Constants, as explained by the head of merchandising at Poshmark, Chloe Baffert, are “[the] bread and butter of what works, what those categories and subcategories are that will always sell.” Once the foundation is created, a brand can then decide how much it values trends.
Per the help of social media, any piece has the willpower to become trendy. This allows brands to collect data on what is popular, and use it to make their lines more appealing. Nowadays, trends seem louder and faster than ever. What fuels these rockets of style?
ROUND AND ROUND
The world may be spinning, but the trend cycle spins faster. The 2010’s are upon society already, even though the 90’s were just in. The consumer mind moves so fast, and it seems the wants outweigh the needs one to a billion.
Baffert explains the average trend cycle as a trickle-down effect. “[A piece] will start off whether it’s from the runway or commonalities
within different runway shows,” she says. Magazine editors will then share their thoughts on these pieces or commonalities in their publications.
The process increasingly speeds up from there. Luxury designers produce the item which are followed by contemporary brands, then mall brands like J. Crew until an e-commerce site like Shein creates their replica. As to these different versions, there is often a pattern the item follows.
“It’ll break off into something that’s tied to the same aesthetic or different for the same visual components,” says Baffert.
Luxury fashion can be duplicated for the masses, as Baffert explains through the recent ballet trend. “Miu Miu ballet flats are very popular [due to] the ballet slipper silhouette, so that broke off into the natural progression of now Mary Janes are huge,” she says.
INSTINCTUAL EFFORT
With trends, comes another aspect of the industry: trend forecasting. Whether through an agency or on social media, certain individuals are capable of predicting the upcoming storms. How can these industry enthusiasts see into the future?
Maleya Nichole (@maleyanichole) is a content creator that produces trend forecasts. In addition to reviewing runway shows, she says, “I look to media as well, and what’s going on in the movies, entertainment industry and who’s trending.”
To properly forecast, Nichole notes that mere observation often isn’t enough. It takes an added sixth sense. “A part of it is this gut sense of seeing a beautiful or interesting piece that is slightly ugly or different. You should know if something is that
interesting, people tend to gravitate towards it,” she says.
Whether it’s instinct, or just a good eye for detail, trend forecasters can predict the future. As their predictions come true, certain pieces fly off shelves. In plain terms, consumption can be an environmental beast, but perhaps, it can be tamed.
LESS IS MORE
With online retailers, such as Shein offering quick delivery and cheap items, fast fashion is ever present. Even though these retailers have invaded social media, consumers still have the option to choose between an item’s longevity or its price.
Laurel B (@yvessaintlaurel) is a TikTok specialist and trend forecaster who focuses her content on sustainability. She notes that the power structure regarding trends is changing, “It’s like a game nowadays with the manufacturers playing catchup, they’ve kind of lost their power,” she says.
What does Laurel mean by this? Simply put, consumers are finally having a voice in their purchases. As of recently, marketing schemes and plots seem to work less and less. This is due, in part, to the underconsumption trend and rise in thrift hauls.
Thrifting is one of the best ways for regular consumers to lower manufacturer’s effects on the environment. “[Thrifting] is a huge part of the power shift because you don’t have to rely on the clothing manufacturers to set trends. You can go to the thrift store and pull anything and make new ones,” says Laurel.
While trends keep coming in, it is important to understand that the fashion industry thrives on the “wants.”
Your middle school prom dress, your first college party crop top and your first internship outfit — each piece has represented a different part of your life. Clothes give insight into who you are before you have the ability to explain it for yourself. Personal style is an aspect of life where we are in control. The way you dress can be both, a true representation of who you are and a mask based on how you want to appear to someone.
All our new experiences — friends, parties, lectures, interviews and internships will come with a new version of yourself. The adjustment to this newfound maturity leads you to question who you are. You start to become more sure of yourself because of the way you dress, whether that’s something comfy, casual, preppy, classy or edgy.
Penn State sophomore journalism student Sophia Monteforte spoke about her experience navigating being a woman in the sports industry and how her physical appearance is impacted.
“Although I am not going into the fashion industry, it sure feels like I am supposed to be preparing for the runway before every career endeavor. When I express to men that I am pursuing a career in sports I receive a similar reaction every time,” Monteforte says. “A wideeyed look followed by ‘who wouldn’t want a pretty face to tell them about sports?’”
Written By: ALexa Passaro
Feeling Like an Imposter
Imposter syndrome and fashion can go hand in hand. Those who appear to have everything under control probably don’t actually have it as together as you think. Studies from The Graduate College of Cincinnati say that around 80% of the general population have experienced imposter syndrome. Everyone is just trying their best to pretend to have as much confidence as possible, even if their brains make them believe they’re not good enough. It’s mostly just about who can pretend the best.
How are you to be and believe that you’re an allachiever if you don’t look like one? Maura Green is a recent cosmetology school graduate who has taken a job at a prestigious salon in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She shared about her transition from being a student to entering the workforce at only 19 years old.
“Most recently, I had to trade in my daily wardrobe of crop tops, biker shorts and leggings and switch gears to the professional world of dressing myself,” Green says. “After scoring a
position at a high end hair salon in Philadelphia, I had to quickly immerse myself in a world of high class professionals… My newfound closet initially felt more like a costume but as I continue to grow with my craft, my comfortability with both my work and my appearance has immensely increased.”
Maura’s rightful place within her career isn’t something that immediately felt natural to her. It’s patience and confidence to feel secure in knowing she is where she belongs.
As simple as just dressing to fake it ‘til you make it sounds, nothing is so easy and there are struggles that come with those self deprecating thoughts. It’s okay to not feel like the perfect candidate to be the president of your favorite club but it is not okay to fully believe the incapability your mind is trying to convince you of.
In those worst moments that are way too reoccurring in young adult life sometimes the only true thing you can control is your outfit and that is something to take relief in. Even if everything in your mind is telling you that you don’t deserve those personal successes, put on your best outfit that will one day feel like a uniform and not a mask.
WRITTEN BY KATHERINE ENGLEKA
Fashion designers consistently defy categorization through experimentation with silhouettes, fabrics, and narratives. From season to season, their lines decide how the world will dress. It is individuals who create unique outfits that show facets of selfexpression.
The realm of style is constantly growing to include a spectrum of identity through genderless fashion. Gender-bending in fashion is a superpower. Expanding jewelry, purses, skirts, and nail polish beyond the women’s section broadens horizons for femininity. Ditching bras is both a woman’s choice for comfort and their cry for bodily autonomy. Gender-fluid fashion works against the years of rigid rules governing what women and men wear.
Women used clothing in the 1920s and 1980s to express their ideas and power. Flappers popularized androgynous styles such as short hair, straight silhouettes, and low waistlines. Broad shoulders, bold ties, and tailored trousers characterized the power suit of the 80s as women emerged into the workplace.
In addition to feminism, the rise of gender-fluid clothing is deeply rooted in queer history. Drag culture places confidence in cross-dressing on a stage, promoting the roots of queer history in gender-neutral trends. From the 1940s through the 1960s, oppressive ‘three-piece’ laws required transgender individuals to wear at least three
items of clothing associated with their birth gender. The arrests for this charge decreased after the Stonewall riots of 1969 when drag culture became popularized and non-binary styles became vogue.
Despite the LGBTQ+ community’s influence on gender-fluid fashion, they are often underrepresented on the runway. Unfortunately, their efforts to pursue self-expression are often reduced to a trend of loose-fitting, neutrally colored clothing, overlooking the bold choices they make in affirming their identity.
Lilith Grant, a Penn State student, observes that “Gender fluid fashion overrepresents white, thin, shaven bodies; people who fall outside of these norms are not often celebrated and often receive transphobic harassment.”
They’ve found that “campus is a mixed bag when I dress outside of gender norms. When I dress masculinely people tend not to notice and I draw less attention than when I dress in strikingly androgynous outfits.” This could be because, as Grant says, “masculinity is seen more as the default.”
Collapsing gender expression into a box of neutrality and leaning into masculinity ignores vital elements of unisex fashion. A genderless style is a balancing act between gaining power
from masculine items while retaining the elegance of femininity. It’s about cutting off labels and maintaining bold choices.
Designers interpret individuals’ unique interpretations of gender by mixing traditionally male and female elements of style. There is a juxtaposition between cinched and straight silhouettes, warm and cool colors and high and low waistlines, creating an array of unique styles.
In their experience shopping for gender-fluid clothing, Grant found “Deliberately androgynous clothing is rarely made, and such clothing is often up-charged as ‘trendy high’ fashion.” However, the industry should not stop at current fads and trends: sizing options, marketing, product design and shopping experience must change to accommodate a morphing market of consumers who are increasingly moving away from gender norms. One’s identity is not a trend; a phenomenon that the fashion industry should reflect moving forward.
Recent trends show a growing demand for a broader societal movement towards inclusivity and rejecting traditional gender norms in fashion. The inspiring realm of gender-fluid style encourages trend-setters to go beyond binary threads and expand their closets until self expression bursts at the seams.
Photographed by: Taay Jackson
WRITTEN BY MARIANA PUERTA
Wearing Yourself
Have you ever walked past a mirror and felt the irresistible urge to check out your reflection? This happens more often than we would like to admit and it’s almost entirely subconscious. It’s because of this instinctive behavior that fashion brands are tapping into a trend that merges self-expression with a literal reflection: metallics.
What if you could take it a step further — what if you could literally wear yourself? This is a concept where brands are incorporating metallic and mirror-like materials into their collections, offering a new dimension to self-expression.
As a whole, fashion is an art in which people can express themselves — a canvas where people display bits of themselves. For Kylee Owens, Fashion Society PSU’s social media chair, fashion is the way she shows herself to people and to herself.
Trends showcase a message, they are created and then quickly spread. The rise of metals in fashion is a fantastic development where one can metaphorically and literally represent their identity. People are quite literally wearing themselves through these mirrored and metallic pieces.
“People like trends because it’s a way to be a part
of a group that you can belong to and resonate with,” says Owens. “There are different ways to participate in a trend, for this one you have to be able to not care and show the world the side of you that you know.”
Fashion designers likely realized that people naturally are attracted to shiny objects. Reflective objects can grasp the eye’s attention from miles away, similar to fashion. When light hits a metal, it refracts the light, creating a reflection. This attraction is not just about the light, they also reflect our image which taps into our subconscious fascination with our own reflection.
The reflective nature of these materials allows people to “carry” their image throughout the day, turning a simple piece into a portable mirror. It almost feels as if these collections are saying “Since people like to stare at themselves so much, why not let them wear themselves?”
While all reflections show a version of you to the world, the image may be warped and distorted.
Mirror, Mirror On the wall
“No one is going to see you the way that you see yourself and everyone sees you differently, but it is up to you to show out what parts of you make you you,” says Nicole Williams, a sophomore psychology major at Penn State.
When it comes to metals and mirrors in fashion, we have seen it all. Fashion icons have worn metallic shoes, tops, bottoms and accessories in every possible scenario. The transition of metals from the runway has come a long way to make its way onto day-to-day fashion trends. While we see more people opting for metallic accessories, people still hesitate to implement metals into outfits. The challenge comes with the many unspoken “rules” people think fashion has.
“There are no rules if you are bold enough to make your own,” says Williams.
The beauty of fashion lies in its lack of rules. Putting an outfit together is all about you and what makes you happy. Sometimes, that means literally reflecting yourself with metallic or mirrorlike materials and other times, it’s about a more subtle representation of who you are.
“I think as trends have evolved in our generation, fashion has become way more self-expressive. The mirror trend is maybe a step towards a break in this pattern and maybe forecasting a new era of expression,” says Owens.
Either way, fashion is and always will be, about you: the wearer.
WRITTEN BY ABIGAIL SASS
The term “male and female gaze” has inserted itself into our understanding of fashion. What started as an internet trend has distinguished the different ways in which we style our clothes. It makes us question who we are really dressing for — others or ourselves.
Dressing for the “male gaze” means wearing revealing clothing and accentuating certain features that are commonly sexualized. In comparison, dressing for the “female gaze” is appealing to popular trends and gives off a softer look.
Dressing For You
Jo Dumas, a Communications Professor at Penn State who teaches students about gender and diversity in the media, explains how impactful media messaging is to our sense of self.
“We all approach the media with our own identities and understandings of the world around us and our place in it including gender. We are all shaped by media messages, we learn from them and so who is empowered or disempowered impacts our sense of self and of others,” says Dumas. “Perception of media that serves the male gaze can be disempowering to non-male people. Essential to our media literacy is understanding how the media we choose impacts ourselves and others.”
Internet trends and opinions from the media are constantly telling us what is hot or not. Our personal style should be a fun and lighthearted way to play and have fun experimenting with who we are as people.
Dressing for the Male Gaze
For women, dressing for the male gaze refers to our subconscious desire to make ourselves more appealing to men. It is drilled into a woman’s subconscious from a very young age in overheard conversations, interactions with our friends and family members, and especially in the media.
“As a girl I always dress how I feel comfortable, but I do think about the opposite sex’s perception of what I am wearing. If I’m feeling uncomfortable or like I don’t want to be seen, I will dress more modestly,” Kayleigh Farrell, a second-year student studying philosophy, says.
Women have been taught to dress for men and to let men’s opinions dictate their lives. Women are taught to dull and suppress their tastes and desires to please and appeal to men.
“I feel like the male gaze boxes people in. It minimizes their individuality,” Denzel Massaley, a third-year student studying telecommunications and media industries, says.
When choosing outfits, women are taught to pay attention to how they fit and flatter our bodies instead of their comfort and functionality.
Dressing for the Female Gaze
Dressing for the female gaze refers to a softer look that is typically considered more aesthetically pleasing to the feminine eye, including aesthetics that are unrelated to how the clothes make our bodies look.
This doesn’t mean that dressing for the female gaze is strictly baggy clothes and tossing out anything “form-fitting,” but instead setting a precedent of not limiting ourselves. Not every outfit has to be visually appealing to a specific group — it just has to be appealing to you.
“I just want to go out feeling my best. I try not to think about what other people would think about what I’m wearing and instead just focus on what I like on myself,” said Farrell.
The female gaze truly means removing your sense of style from under the microscope and the pressure of the male gaze. Focusing on what you truly enjoy wearing and making sure your clothing brings you joy is a great place to start.
Photographed by: Nia Meyers
Written By: Lily Henderson
The standards that people in relationships have for each other vary from couple to couple. It’s hard to not find what others consider to be deal breakers interesting, especially if yours are very different. What’s something that you wouldn’t care if your partner did which your friend thinks is worth breaking up with them over?
Rated-E for everyoneexceptyourboyfriend
One question that is constantly being challenged is this: what level of media do you allow your partner to consume? With nudity and sexuality being more present in movies, shows and books than ever before, some people may get uncomfortable with their partner watching certain things. What are common attitudes on the amount of media people feel comfortable with their partners consuming, and what are explanations for having certain standards for the person you’re with?
What Makes Media Popular?
There are so many options for things to watch, and with shows and movies being pumped out by Hollywood every minute, only the best ones gain buzz and coverage. Often, sex is part of what makes these new shows stand out from the rest. Shonda Rhimes’ “Bridgerton” and Emerald Fennell’s “Saltburn” are a couple examples of recent media that use sex to their advantage.
Lucija Glavan, 20, a Penn State fourth-year, says that sexuality is what “sells the most” in modern media. Even when Britney Spears was at the peak of her career, Glavan says she was idolized by many, specifically because her music videos
and performances were risqué for the time. With the 21st century being a quarter of the way through, society has come a long way in the art we create for a general audience.
Individual Differences
We can begin to delve deeper into this topic by looking at the ways in which each person is raised, from early childhood to their current selves. The National Library of Medicine observes that individuals who are raised in households who talk about sexuality openly and treat nudity as a normal part of the human existence tend to be phased less by the sight of these things compared to people who were raised in more conservative families. Therefore, these people are more open to sexuality and nudity as part of telling stories in the media as it is relevant to the story. This also applies to the culture of the area in which an individual grew up; more progressive cultures tend to foster more progressive individuals, and more conservative cultures tend to foster more conservative individuals.
Another influence on someone’s standards for the media their partner consumes is their comfort with their partner’s interest in the media. Someone who enjoys their partner consuming all the media that they like would be more comfortable with them watching a sexual show, while someone who finds discomfort in their partner expressing too much interest in a sexual show for any reason would be less comfortable. “Boundaries help keep each other secure while also maintaining the sexual health of the relationship” Glavan believes. It is not uncommon for people to be uncomfortable with their partner expressing that they find an actor too attractive, especially if that actor hardly resembles their partner at all.
Approaching Your Relationship
Is it right to bar your partner from watching certain shows or movies that are very popular at the moment? Some people believe that they have a right to consume this media because it is made for a wide audience, and
they want to know what people around them are talking about when they discuss these productions. Others believe that they should be content with not watching these films and shows if they know that their partner is uncomfortable with what is shown in them. Glavan points out how someone consuming sexual media can make their partner uncomfortable if what they are watching does not look or act like the person they are with in real life. It might be right to analyze the situation if someone holds these feelings because of the things their partner likes to watch.
While it can be beneficial to learn about cultural norms and explanations for each person’s preferences, you won’t know how you feel unless you look inwards. Now that you are aware of explanations for several arguments surrounding the subject, think about your life, your beliefs and what you want in your relationship. What media do you consume, and would you feel comfortable with someone you’re dating doing the same while you’re in a relationship with them.
Directors, producers and writers will continue to create anything that their mind comes up with, which includes sexual media — it’s just a matter of how us as individuals and society handle these productions. Many people share Eric Kohn of IndieWire’s opinion that sex should remain included, and even integrated more into modern media. Kohn believes that one’s comfort with sex in media has a different meaning: “If any audiences feel that sex should have less of a role to play in the work they’re willing to watch, they’re revealing more about their own boundaries than the ones of the medium itself.” So, analyzing your personal views of sex in the media can not only reveal things about your relationship, but your own identity as well.
Be Careful on Social Media
From Instagram to LinkedIn, social media has become a cornerstone of everyday life. From sharing personal milestones, voicing opinions and posting aesthetic pics, these platforms allow users to communicate with a wide audience in real time. However, as social media has become increasingly intertwined with our personal and professional lives, it has an impact on interview processes. For job-seekers, knowing the vital role that social media now plays in the interview and hiring processes is extremely important. Your presence online is becoming more and more considered and decisions about posting are going to need to be made more carefully.
Employers have always relied solely on resumes, cover letters and interviews to evaluate candidates. Now, many employers use social media to screen applicants and candidates during the hiring process and your social media can play a role in you not getting a job position. This highlights the importance of your digital footprint, everything you post, share, like, or tweet can contribute to a trend that employers can and will evaluate. Social Media provides employers with insights that go far beyond the professional qualifications that they see on paper listed on a resume. Penn State third-year education student Ally Weissman says, “I am very careful with what I post on social media just because I want them to see that I’m not a crazy carefree person and I take things seriously.”
We see the effect that social media has on careers, as Internet influencers have been getting “canceled” because of posts they made years ago. These posts included inappropriate and unprofessional behavior and content, which has now resurfaced and has a huge negative effect on their career.
Senior at the University of South Carolina, Grace Migliazza, says, “Obviously I am careful with posting stuff. I want to be a pediatric nurse, so I want to give the best friendly and professional side of myself through social media that I can.”
Platforms like LinkedIn are strictly professional media apps, where users typically post their professional accomplishments and opportunities, these apps help with networking and career development. However, other platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, are more used for personal expression, which can sometimes clash with professional expectations.
It’s Not All Bad
The overall goal for this should be to create a consistent and positive image across all platforms of social media. This doesn’t mean avoiding sharing personal content at all, it is important to express yourself and your beliefs, but to avoid photos of drinking, inappropriate content and similar topics. For example, posting about hobbies, volunteering, accomplishments, vacations and more can showcase your well rounded personality and interests. Sharing controversial topics and engaging in arguments can shine a negative light on your applications.
Weissman says, “I wanted to be a teacher and over the summer, I worked at a summer camp with kids. I love it and the kids love it and I love to post about it. It shows my involvement in the community and also my experience working with kids of all ages.”
Social media, despite its risks, can also be a powerful tool to use as a potential employee. By sharing content related to business, engaging with leaders and showcasing your expertise, you can build a professional brand that can be found attractive to employers. Networking apps like LinkedIn can actually open more doors and opportunities that might not be advertised anywhere else.
All together, social media has become a huge part of the world we live in today. It has come to play a vital role in hiring processes and application screening for potential employers. Students and young adults everywhere should be aware of what they post on social media and what could affect them.
“While Tamagotchi has pretty much disappeared from schoolyards these days — replaced by smartphones — many of its key features had a significant impact on the video game industry and live on in major games today,” writes The Wire.
By Zara Denison
Your Phone Is Infested with Virtual Pets
Along with the obscure and goofy trends of the 90s come many lessons to be learned. By reflecting on the relationships people once fostered with their virtual pets, certain realizations about human psychology and technology dependency may come to light.
Remember Tamagotchi? The quasi-fuzzy robot creature became a sensation in the late 90s and early 2000s. With the advent of the digital pet came an implicit need to check into a simulated world. As time has progressed, so have the means of entertainment to keep these conditioned minds occupied. It’s not just a single Tamagotchi or digital pet that needs tending to; it’s multiple cyber worlds that house digital versions of ourselves, constant streams of information, and the pressure to remain up to date.
The case of the Tamagotchi is one to be deeply considered and questioned. How did a seemingly harmless toy start a digital revolution, teaching users to become devoted caretakers and eventually unwavering custodians of various forms of social media?
Where the Infestation Started
The first representation of something purely digital yet seemingly alive came in the form of the Tamagotchi. Nearly a decade before the first iPhone was released, the Tamagotchi emerged as one of the world’s first portable distractions. Released originally by the toy company Bandai in Japan, it quickly became a global sensation. According to Bandai, the name combines two Japanese words: tamago (egg) and uotchi (watch). Meet the Tamagotchi: a digital alien that hatches from its egg after 30 days of user care. Meant to be perfectly imperfect, these critters share many characteristics with real-life pets: they get hungry often, need to use the bathroom frequently and can get sick if they’re not cared for regularly.
depressed” over the demise of her cyber-pet. Animism, the attribution of a soul to inanimate objects, can partially explain why people become so attached to their digital personas. While this might seem like an extreme reaction, it’s not far from the responses elicited by individu als today when their social media accounts are hacked or deactivated — modern-day versions of a virtual pet’s death.
control over your social image. This behavior mirrors what we learned decades ago with digital pets—neglecting them led to negative outcomes, reflecting poorly on their owner.
College student Jenna Robinson has also experienced the loss of a digital identity. Robinson created a personal Instagram account in 2013 to share posts with family and friends. When her account was hacked in 8th grade, she experienced heightened anxiety.
“I was already nervous about going into high school. It was eighth grade — who wasn’t? When my Instagram was hacked, my anxiety about presenting myself to a new group became so much worse. It felt like my entire digital identity — my whole footprint — had been wiped clean,” Robinson said.
The first model of the digital toy had no pause button, meaning users were bound to their pet 24/7 to help it “survive and grow”— otherwise, the pet would die or “return to its home planet.” This constant need for attention quickly became distressing for school teachers, parents and especially for the children themselves.
The Tamagotchi’s New Life
The vigilant care these creatures required became burdensome for those who owned them. Christine Glickman said her son, Keith, 9, “cried hysterically and went crazy” when his Tamagotchi expired.
Susan Gliedman described her daughter Mia, also 9, as “extremely sad and
Lauren Katz, a former TikToker, lost her account two years ago unexpectedly. “It was fun to go online, post and hear from all of these people I wouldn’t have interacted with otherwise. It was gratifying to interact with so many people whenever I wanted,” says Katz. When asked about her feelings regarding the deactivation of her account, Katz expressed not great sadness, but rather a certain disheartenment.
“It just took so long to gradually build up what I had and if I tried to start again, it just wouldn’t be the same,” Katz said. “There’s no way to replace the serendipity of that old account. It’s just dead and I can’t get it back.”
It’s no wonder that social media notifications are often red — they’re meant to alert us that something needs attention. The connection between the Tamagotchi and social media usage can be partially explained by the phenomenon of “growth hacking,” a technique used by software engineers to “hack” into users’ psychology to increase engagement.
Consider how users interact with social media notifications: if someone tags you in a photo, you instinctively feel the need to check it right away, or else you risk losing
Robinson exemplifies one of the core lessons the Tamagotchi was designed to teach. In an original advertisement for the toy, the speaker concludes with, “Your care determines what kind of pet you get.” Somewhere along the way, this concept transferred to our social media personas. As Jenna’s experience shows, the virtual companions that were once dependent on us now have a new role: we are dependent on them.
Modern-Day Tamagotchi
Users cycle from one app to another, subconsciously gliding between Instagram, X and Snapchat, often unaware of what they’re searching for.
As technology becomes more ubiquitous, the Tamagotchi hasn’t faded into a distant memory of the 90s. Instead, its characteristics have evolved and been integrated into our devices in various ways.
Many of the negative responses people had to digital pets seem to mirror the tech anxiety surrounding today’s digital innovations. A full inbox or a message from an ex can turn a phone into a growling gremlin, demanding to be fed and cared for.
Dictionary Lingua Nova
/lIn-Goo-AH No-Vah/
noun
Written By: Katherine Engleka
They say words move hearts and hearts move limbs, but what happens when words lose value? Due to an increased use of buzzwords, young people are speaking entire sentences with no meaning. Social media, slang, texting and artificial intelligence alter modern forms of communication; their subtle changes to language influence our relationships, career goals and understanding of the surrounding world.
Since Shakespeare’s Renaissance, our words seem to have lost their elegance and poignancy. Phrases like “she’s beautiful and therefore to be wooed” are replaced with “she ate, time to rizz.” The distinct difference between these phrases could be understood as a difference of decline. Language’s downfall has been predicted for centuries. Evidence of this predicament, however, has never come to fruition. In every era of the written and spoken word, great works of literature are produced, thoughts are communicated through conversation, and life goes on.
Rather than degenerating, language is ever-evolving towards precision. What we hear most often, becomes what we write and say; a logical process that discards syllables or entire words that are not used. Slang, for example, reduces words to their most essential pieces. Suspicious becomes “sus,” shocked becomes “shook” and so on. This transforms sentences into information bytes, absorbed in a glance and never exceeding 180 characters. With technology and social media increasing rates of communication, slang’s time in the limelight is almost as short as the phrases themselves. This boosts the efficacy of connection in relationships, but the quick overturning of hot-button language widens the generational gap.
Paul Kellerman, an English professor, reflects that “Every generation should develop its own vocabulary. This language creates a way for youth to unite while distinguishing themselves from older generations.” Gen Z, for example, created a lexicon that older generations find difficult to understand. Words like “bussin” have no real definition but Gen Z can immediately recognize its meaning.
The meaninglessness of these words reflects the “brain-rot” phenomenon, a term that exe6mplifies the mind-numbing feeling of endless scrolling. Using too much online lingo in real life earns you the diagnosis.
2. Are Our Brains Truly Rotting?
The Internet creates a space for language to be completely casual. This nonchalance makes it difficult for artificial intelligence to master the art of language. AI technologies analyze existing text rather than generating new text; meaning that strong writing skills and an understanding of natural communication styles are necessary in developing this new technology.
As Kellerman puts it, “Content generators (whether AI or human) produce noise, writers make music.” Creating eloquent language requires effort beyond what solely technology can provide. For this reason “AI is a tool, more akin to the typewriter or electronic calculator than it is to HAL 9000.” Still, these technologies provide shortcuts for students that evade developing their language skills.Kellerman says, “The best students still exhibit strong language skills. These students tend to be those that read even when not required to.” This hobby is not, however, common amongst frequent Internet users.
Our words adapt to our needs, our environments and innovations, ensuring that communication remains relevant and effective. To maintain language’s value in society, we must recognize that never before have our words held more weight.
Bring he hou donw DJs
WRITTEN BY MOLLY MCMENAMY
Party culture is one thing that will never die out. Even though top artists are rotated in and out at max speed, their songs can be remixed over and over. A substantial part of this well-oiled machine is the masterful work of DJs.
Their talent and skills allow them to take two songs (that to the untrained ear, have no business being put together) and make a melodious beat that audiences just can’t stop dancing to. How do DJs rise above the crowd and what personally moves them?
GENRE TRANSFUSION
Then suddenly, “The DJ said, ‘I’m going to go smoke, do you mind jumping on for a bit?’ At this point, I had never DJ’d before. So I was like, ‘Yeah of course, why not?’ I started playing around with these decks and got into it for a good 20 minutes.”
WOMEN WHO MIX
Her natural talent, along with her ability to keep the audience grooving, was widely recognized.
Shifa Ligero (@shifaligero) was brought up in South London. Her path to becoming a DJ wasn’t straightforward, but the foundation was always there. From a young age, Ligero broadened her music taste beyond just the top charts.
“I grew up with my older brother listening to rap and hip hop and my mom listening to a lot of indie, Bollywood and Arab. There was so much music around me,” she says.
She studied theater at the BRIT School. After expressing her passion for the performing arts, she began volunteering at a local radio station called Reprezent, where she first came across DJs.
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘I want to do this,’” she said.
GRAND OPENING
Some people are meant for their occupation. Ligero is no exception. It all started at a birthday celebration for her older brother. During the festivities, he told her to wait near the DJ decks while he got her food.
“I remember my brother came back and he was like, ‘Everyone on the street was telling me there is a sick DJ on right now and I come back and it’s you,” she says. As far as careers go, another origin story might not beat that one.
MEDIA MUSIC
DJ L Beats (@dj.lbeats), also known as Liana, is based in Ontario and works as an accountant while playing gigs on the side. At Brock University, she majored in business administration and specialized in finance. As with Ligero, her love for DJing popped up around her early twenties.
“I began learning during Covid and then I started creating TikToks because I didn’t have the opportunity to DJ live. I had more free time and the opportunity to learn and go for it,” she says.
She notes that social media, especially TikTok, is useful in creating her content. “It is the best way to know what songs are trending and what can possibly go viral,” says Liana. Finding a balance between what she wants to play and what her audience wants to hear is crucial.
The music industry, across genres, is still a battlefield for women. Even though female artists have received recognition, it’s hard for beginner DJs to have their work be taken seriously. “We need to create the space for them. When I was a lot smaller, I used to have a residency at a club and would only book other women DJs,” says Ligero.
MISCONCEPTIONS
Yes, party culture is intertwined with being a DJ. A great deal of their bookings and gigs are at clubs or receptions. Even though it seems like a major plus, there is more going through a DJ’s mind than lavish celebrations and celebrities.
To discount the skeptics, they don’t just show up.“It’s curating a playlist and the tracks you think will go together. It’s planning the journey you want to take the crowd on and how you get them there,” says Ligero. That satisfied feeling you have at the end of the night, they made that happen.
Buttons don’t play a set on their own. To further shut these rumors down, Liana describes her past experiences at gigs. “It takes a deeper knowledge of the music. If I have a four-hour set I’m doing at a club, it’s not preplanned. I physically can’t play a pre-recorded mix,” she says.
For those strong enough to join the DJ force, it can be difficult to gain an audience. Ligero offers advice for the novice mix-makers out there.
“My first few mixes that people loved are not perfect. However, these imperfections make it you. Just put it out there and someone is going to love it,” she says.
