VOICES
Being the Best You
It’s never too late to start your journey BY SAMANTHA DE LEON When we discuss the topic of wellness, whether it be emotional, physical, or spiritual wellness, our ideas of it vary greatly. To me, wellness is about taking action towards maintaining a healthy body, both physically and mentally. Essentially, I think of wellness as a journey you undergo to find what works for you along the way, and the difficult part is that often times you never really figure out what does work for you. However, don’t let the seemingly lack of success discourage you. You may encounter challenging obstacles, but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Beginning your journey starts with commitment. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide when you are ready for change; no one else can force you to start changing. If you yourself are not 100 percent committed, you won’t reach your goals. No one ever said it would be easy, and it may be an unbelievably long time before you find success or even make progress. That is not to say that small steps aren’t worth taking. I learned that placing yourself in an environment with people who bring out the best version of you is where you want to be. Furthermore, eating healthy, regular exercise, and limiting social media are beginning steps to success. In reality, we can’t always be our best selves. There are always going to be days when we feel down or not motivated—that’s okay. If you fall, you’re still going forward. Having a glass of wine or indulging in a slice of chocolate cake is not going to set you back, it’s going to taste great. Prioritizing your health is up to you, and it is important to remind ourselves that “perfection” is subjective. Change doesn’t happen overnight; it takes time and a sense of self-sufficiency.
Casual Dating, Casual Racism Shows like “The Bachelor” have much to improve on in the race department BY JEMMA KELEHER If you’re anything like 90% of the population, you’ve heard of dating shows like “The Bachelor” where attractive singles gather to compete for true love. If you’re like me, you even watch an episode once in a while (or rather every Monday night). While the show is entertaining in its nasty, brash way, one aspect is often overlooked: its disrespect towards people of color.
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A quick survey of the contestants demonstrates a blatant lack of people of color being cast on the show. “The Bachelor” has had over 500 contestants, yet only 38 have ever been black women. Of all the Bachelorettes, only one, Rachel Lindsay, has ever been black—a move that is hardly enough to resolve the racial issues that plague the show. The inclusion of diverse bodies is a step in the right direction, but this inclusion is corrupted by the subsequent treatment of black women. When black women are cast, they are portrayed as background characters who are there to fill space. They often don’t make it far before being sent home in a quiet, unnoticed manner. In comparison, white women are portrayed as fully feasible candidates. In addition to issues facing black women, there are also significant limitations placed on men of color. Black and asian men are often delegated to the “best friend” role. This effectively desexualizes men of color and shoves them into a corner where they are deemed unappealing in comparison to their white counterparts. There are clear racial issues ingrained in dating shows, but because these shows are entertaining, we become complacent and fail to problematize this blatant racism. Despite what we’ve been conditioned to believe, these representations are not, and should not, be treated as normal; rather, we should view them for what they are: casual racism packaged as harmless fun.
THE WAKE
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