SIR Magazine Issue 9 Fall 2016 by Sir Magazine

ISSUE: 10 COMING SPRING 2017

x ISSUE: 9

A Special Thank you

SIR Magazine would like to express our gratitude for Greenlee School of Journalismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support and accommodation

of our publication. The positive exposure and freedom of press that Greenlee provides its students is an invaluable opportunity. Through Greenlee, our staff has been able to recognize, seize, and realize opportunities to grow our future careers. The entire staff would also like to thank our advisor, Sherry Berghefer, for her willingness to see SIR Magazine through its new direction and for her inspirational guidance. We hope to maintain a forward-thinking and all-encompassing publication that can be representative of the students here at Greenlee, as well as Iowa State University as a whole. As one of the smaller publications on campus, we are indeed grateful for all of the support that we have received from Greenlee, Sherry Berghefer, and our talented and hardworking staff. Thank you for taking the time to read our fall issue. Sincerely, SIR Magazine

Fall 2016 49

A Letter From the Editor T

hroughout my life I have been too afraid to truly express myself. I have been afraid to truly share my creativity. Devon Jefferson, the former editor-in-chief of SIR Magazine, told me it is time — no more hiding. All I have ever wanted to do was show the world my ideas and for someone to finally give me a chance to cultivate my ideas. Someone finally did. Thank you, Devon, without your blessing none of this would be possible. To succeed with our new direction, we had to incorporate new tactics and ideas. A big part of SIR’s rebuilding was introducing a new form of leadership. Inspired by the leaders in technology and innovation such as IDEO and Facebook, I planned to create an environment where there weren’t any creative limits. An environment where collaboration is key to producing the highest level of content we can. For the new direction, it was very important to bring together students from any and every background, in order to create an all-inclusive representation. With any piece of art or idea there is a story. When you pick up this issue, with each turn of a page, I want you to be gifted with another story. Each page gives you a narrative that fits into the bigger story. While on a road trip with friends, we discussed our frustrations with being from Iowa and living in the state of Iowa. From that state of frustration came this conclusion: “Let’s make Iowa cool.” We were tired of looking to other places to find a sense of direction, or a sense of what is or is not cool. It is important that we shine a light on our creatives, our storytellers, and our artists. There is secretly a goldmine of talent here. With this issue, I planned to debut the wealth of talent that exists here in Iowa. In every piece of content, the influence of each individual can be seen. I want to thank each and every individual on the team for working day and night to figure out situations that were new to all of us. To say the process of rebuilding this magazine from the ground up was tough is an understatement. Somehow we managed to gather the best group of creatives one could ask for. This is a brand new team, and here is our work of art for your enjoyment. This is — SIR Magazine.

Tré Moore, Editor-in-Chief of SIR Magazine Fall 2016 1

meet the directors We Are...

Designers, writers, photographers, fashion specialists, creative strategists, and storytellers. We are the vox populi.

TrĂŠ Moore Editor-in-Chief

2 SIR Magazine

Madelynne Garrett Copy & Editorial Director

Max Dugan Art Director

Kezia Knight Creative & Casting Director

Alex Zahn Photography Director

Awase Asor Fashion Director

Ethan Williams Merchandising Director

table of contents 4 Poems I Take The Plunge As I... Father Time

Editorials 5 Creating A New Space for Femininity 8 One Model’s Journey 10 Chocolaterie Stam 12 A Woodland Refuge 14 The Dilemma of Choice

15 Lookbook The Gothic Collective: A Look Into Iowa’s Distopian Heritage

Editorials Cont. 39 The Complexity of The Individual 42 Far From the Heart 44 Does Religion Need an Update? 46 Taking Your Idols off Their Pedestal

Fall 2016 3

Poems

I Take The Plunge

Flowing flowing flowing through the rivers and streams, As a bear finally catching his fish outta water, I have high hopes and dreams, Palpable admiration for you, Feel it seeping through the seams, Beating through the cracks, Dripping down under, Unto the blades of grass that make my bare feet tingle as they crunch under May the lord bless as I take the plunge, Slipping into inferno is what l compare it to, But do what I did is what few dare to. -Anonymous

As I… As I begin to verbally defend my actions, I Lick my lips with the remnants of salty tears, Tear ducks from eyes that had been lied to, Lips Coated with the tears of waiting in vain, and they wonder why I lie, sorry I just wanted you to see how it tastes too -Anonymous

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Father Time I’ve had a long journey, I’ve had a wild ride, Through the winding hills, I’ve survived the mud slide, The lights are dimming, Along the winding road, O’ where am I heading, Ask Father Time where I’ll go, I know someone loves me, Yes, this I know, They’re residing in my head, They’re residing in my home, Hanging on for dear life, The wind is beginning to blow, As I am the Vagabond, I go wherever it goes. -Anonymous

Creating a New Space for Femininity Editorial By: Madelynne Garrett

Photos By: Max Dugan

emale longboarders are reclaiming campus and in doing so, changing the nature of gender roles. While bustling from class to class this fall, you may have noticed the increase in boarders on campus, especially the number of female longboarders. Female longboarders are on the rise at Iowa State, and in doing so are leaving their mark, as well as leaving people in the dust as they are left to wonder, “how does she make that look so effortless?” Over the past few years at ISU, there has been a plethora of male skateboarders, bike riders, and rollerbladers — but it has not been until this fall that female boarders have started to be so frequent in passing by, that it is hard to miss. There has been a strong following for women online to find different YouTube and Instagram pages dedicated to girls who are reclaiming the streets on their boards, but to see the representation at ISU is refreshing and empowering to many. Maraya Lawson has also noticed the gradual change on campus over her past couple of school years here at ISU. “My freshman year, I only knew one other girl who longboarded and she longboarded in cowboy boots, and I thought that was amazing. I have no idea how she did it! I’ve definitely seen more girls this year out on boards now, I don’t know why it has been so male-dominated in the past,” Maraya said. For Maraya, learning to longboard was a natural progression for her, as she has been snowboarding since she was very young and extreme sports

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has been considered a norm for girls in Minnesota. She learned to longboard about three years ago, as she knew it would make it easier on herself to get around campus when starting her adventure at ISU. Similar to Maraya’s experience, Calia Massey found herself learning to longboard about two years ago; however, she did so while on a trip with friends in Corpus Christi, Texas. Calia started out not knowing how to even stand on a longboard, and now she boards in a crew of both males and females, and has even taught her roommate how to board. “I think in Midwestern states, like here in Iowa, you don’t see very many girls longboarding — but if you go on the coast it’s pretty much equal. But I like seeing that there are more girls skating around campus this fall, I feel like ‘Hey, yeah! Unite! Let’s do it!’,” Calia said. For Brandy Pohlman, her interest in the extreme sport came from seeing several female boarding communities online and through the encouragement of seeing that representation, she found the right board for herself and has been skating ever since. “We need to stop telling girls that they can’t do things that are typically male-dominated. There shouldn’t be certain things for boys and certain things for girls. Because longboarding is a me thing — regardless of the norms,” Brandy said. For many girls, longboarding has become a subculture of inclusivity and encouragement. Several crews whether it be all girls or both girls and boys, have created a space in which gender doesn’t matter. But for society as a whole, there is

still a lot of progress yet to be made. “There’s different expectations as to how we’re suppose to act in terms of gender, and so the fact that I am a longboarder sometimes leads people to believe that I’m somehow less feminine,” Brandy said. Brandy has dealt with being labeled as a tomboy all her life as she has always sported a fierce, short hairstyle, is not afraid of getting dirty, and has expressed interest in things that are typically labeled as ‘guy stuff.’ She claims that needing to define interests in a gendered way can be limiting for females, and even discouraging. “I think this is why longboarding can sometimes be intimidating to girls, because they see how people look at them differently and they think, ‘Well, I don’t

“But I like seeing that there are more girls skating around campus this fall, I feel like ‘Hey! Yeah! Unite! Let’s do it!’” -Calia Massey

want that.’ But it’s just something that we have to get past, and we just have to stop feeling the need to explain ourselves,” Brandy said. Although it might be seen as intimidating, Maraya stresses that longboarding truly is a sport for anyone to do and that these stigmas should not hinder a girl from trying it out. “I guess it can be said that boys make it look easy sometimes, but there are also just as many boys that suck at it too,” Maraya said. “The thing is, the more you’re out there falling and making a fool out of yourself, the better you’re going to get. I’ve fallen on campus in front of people, and you just have to get up and l augh and shrug it off.” Maraya goes on to say that

getting hurt is a part of the process, and that it happens to everyone — regardless of skill level. “You’re gonna fall, you don’t have to be an expert to do it around campus. When it comes to extreme sports, you just have to have the mind set that you’re gonna get hurt but you’re also going to get back up,” Maraya said. Calia also echoes the sentiments of both Brandy and Maraya, as she says that with more representation for female longboarders, and breaking down the barrier of gender bias, girls will feel more comfortable in learning to board. She reassures you to not worry about how you might look while starting out because, “no one’s watching you to see whether you’re good or not — nobody cares! Just have fun and enjoy yourself!”

Both Calia and Maraya encourage girls to grab a board, start out on Osborn Drive, and forget about the rest. “It’s all about taking the time and breaking the stereotype. Don’t allow yourself to think that it’s a boy or girl thing, because anyone can do it. I would encourage girls to become better than the boys,” Maraya said. Brandy, Calia, and Maraya are testaments to the fact that long boarding is for anyone. Through sharing their stories, and by creating a space for themselves in the typically male-dominated world of long boarding — they are proving that girls can do and be whatever they want, here at ISU.

Fall 2016 7

One Model’s Journey Editorial By: Blake Lanser

t the age of three, most young children are more worried about where their favorite toy went, or how much longer till the Mac and Cheese is ready. For Alyssa Priebe, it was asking when she could begin her modeling career. “I pointed at the TV screen when I was watching commercials and I told my mother that I wanted to be one of those people, and she was like ‘You mean a model?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I

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want to be the one in the commercials.’” At the age of three, Alyssa’s mother and father began bringing their child to auditions in Chicago, Wisconsin, and many other agency locations. Alyssa signed with a few of them and worked professionally with My Twin, Better Homes and Gardens, and more for three years. After three years, Alyssa and her family moved to Bell Plaine due to her father’s career.

Photos By: Blake Lanser

“That move meant we were farther away so we would go with casting calls that were closer and eventually the calls just stopped.” When the calls stopped ringing, Alyssa lived a “normal kid” life until close to sixth grade. “I think I was eleven when I got a letter in the mail asking me to apply to compete in the National American Miss pageant.” At the time, Alyssa’s mother was hesitant but eventually agreed to a year’s trial run of pageantry. Alyssa’s first pageant was a Natural pageant; based on academics, community service and overall individuality. “After that first year of competing, I didn’t make top ten or anything. I was crying and my mom asked why but it was not because I didn’t make top ten, I was crying because she said I could only do this for year and I really wanted to keep doing pageantry,” Alyssa said. Alyssa’s mother was onboard with continuing the pageantry for eight more years. It was in her eighth year that she claimed her first official state title for Miss Iowa teen in the Nation American Miss system. The year after Alyssa won the nation title for America’s US Miss, holding both titles simultaneously. Alyssa looked back at why she began pageantry and her first response was, “I am not an athletic person. I will never be an athletic person.” Alyssa said that pageantry allowed her to develop the same skill sets that most girls learned in athletics, while still being her creative self. “As the years went by and I became more serious I wanted to prove a few different things. First, determination pays off — that was a big one. And then after my accident when I was 16, it was to prove that you can be a pageant queen regardless of if you have scars.” The scars that Alyssa talks about were a turning point for how she looked at pageantry. At the age of 16, Alyssa was in a four-wheeling accident while out on the

country roads with her friend, Rae. “I had that little voice in the back of my head saying that this was probably not a good idea, you probably shouldn’t do this, and I ignored it. So I drove the four-wheeler around her yard, I was doing fine, but then we took it out on a dirt road since her home was out in the country. I lost control, went into the ditch, and there was barbed wire fencing. I kind of went into it and back out of it. It didn’t cut all the way through, but it was enough.” Alyssa suffered cuts to her stomach and arms from sliding into the fencing. After the accident, Alyssa laid on the ground and came to, noticing that her arm was bleeding and other parts of her body were too. “I called my mom and they took me to the hospital. They had to X-ray me for broken bones and then they sent me to the University of Iowa for my stitches. My dad did not even come into the room and when my mom came, all I could do was keep apologizing.” Alyssa missed a week’s worth of schooling, was not able to dance or continue with her color guard team. This accident challenged Alyssa and interrupted her pageantry career. “I had someone tell me that I should give up, several said I should, actually. ‘You probably will never win a title’, someone else told me.” All of the doubts that were thrown on Alyssa challenged her and the rest of her modeling career. “I had a photoshoot with Super Models Unlimited in New York two weeks following my accident. I didn’t think they would want to hire me anymore. I couldn’t even straighten my left arm all the way. My mom and I went, but I was wrong, I did the shoot. I had a lot of fun.” After the shoot with Super Models Unlimited, Alyssa’s scaring was airbrushed away in Photoshop, not showing the after math of what her accident had caused, and was published. “They did Photoshop out my scars and I did a few shoots with them. It was by the fourth one I asked if they could stop doing that because it was who I am now.” Alyssa’s road to acceptance of her body after the accident was realized when it came time for her first swimsuit competition. “It wasn’t until the first swimsuit competition that I did where I got to share a speech about what had happened to me beforehand.” After Alyssa had shared her speech and came on stage, she realized everything

was going to be better from then on out. “The crowd’s response and the support from everyone that I received is what really let me know that I was going to be okay — that these scars didn’t have to define me.” “I didn’t want my scars air brushed out and hidden. I want to be who I am — this is who I am now.” Looking back and to the future after her accident, Alyssa taught herself some very valuable lessons. “Your biggest asset in any part of life, be it pageantry or modeling, it’s what makes you unique and stand out. Never try to be something that you think someone else or the judges want. They will completely see right through that. Be yourself, accept yourself, and you’ll do infinitely better.”

Fall 2016 9

Chocolaterie Stam Editorial By: Jessica Enwesi

mbedded between a children’s store and a credit union on Main Street, there is a quaint shoppe that brings fine European elegance and history to Ames, Iowa, in the form of chocolate. Inside the shoppe, a pianist in the far corner of the room plays beautiful renditions of classical greats. As each note undoubtedly coaxes the air with music, the sweet smell of handmade gelato fills up any space it can. The room is enchanting to say the least. Wooden chairs and sofas have gardened the lobby, while golden arches with light purple wallpaper have been carved into the wall. I would soon learn that this was a staple of all Chocolaterie Stam locations in the world. The lights hang low and create a dim and relaxed atmosphere, but nothing compares to the glass cases. Inside the glass case is the very reason the Stam family forged their legacy in Amsterdam, Holland in 1913. Jacobus Stam and his family had been bakers in the 1800s, but due to the popularity of their recipes, they decided to specialize exclusively in fine chocolates. Jacobus Stam and his three sons, Frits, Wim, and Jaap, and his one daughter, Fredi, would all go on and create their own branches of Chocolaterie Stam. However, it was Frits and his son, Anthonius, who saw tremendous success. In an effort to spread his grandfather’s fine Dutch chocolates throughout the world, Anthonius helped bring his family’s legacy to the United States and open the first shoppe in West Des Moines in 1997. Nearly ten years later, the shoppe in Ames would open its doors and allow many residents to try the decadent and smooth taste of authentic Dutch chocolate that all started from a recipe in 1913. Inside the glass cases are numerous assortments of chocolates. Dark, milk, and white chocolates line the cases and shelves on the wall. Bonbons are shaped as animals or perfect spheres and cubes, while licorice candy is drenched in smooth coats of chocolate. Where some chocolates 10 SIR Magazine

maintain a caramel or strawberry drizzle, a surprise awaits those who choose a crème or hazelnut filling. Although they are sold around the country, the Stam chocolates are produced in Des Moines. After large, solid blocks of chocolate are warmed in a tempering machine, the melted liquid is poured into molds. In a handmade process known as “enrobing”, some chocolates are pressed into their shapes and go through a magnificent “chocolate shower,’while others will in-

Photos By: Alex Zahn

stead be molded within trays, turned over and filled with sweet crèmes, caramel, or other products. Using these special techniques and fresh ingredients, this chocolate has promised continual success for the Stam family for over 100 years. By implementing the same strict regulations used in Europe for the production of chocolate, the Stam’s have introduced a form of chocolate that many Ames’ residents have never tasted. “[We] import it from Belgium and from

the same company that [Jacobus Stam] negotiates his recipe with back in 1913,” Terry Stark, owner of the Ames’ Chocolatier Stam, said. “This is pure Belgium chocolate made with fresh crème, so [there are] no waxes — no preservatives.” Stark, along with his wife, Anne, have owned their Chocolaterie branch for over ten years and have been a vital part to the success of the Stam legacy in Ames, Iowa. For nearly 30 years, Terry had been working in law enforcement and even ran for Story County Sheriff. After his election ran, Terry knew he was looking for something “different,” and after a chance meeting with Anthonius Stam, he thought he had found a new opportunity. However, it seemed Anthonius thought otherwise. “I wrote my [contact information] on a piece of paper and gave it to him and he ripped it in two. He put one half in the trash and the other in his pocket. I didn’t have the heart to look in the trash and see which half he kept,” Stark, laughs. After waiting ten months, the Starks were surprised to receive a call from Anthonius, offering them the chance to own their own Chocolaterie Stam shoppe. Stark’s extended shoppe in Ames has had visitors from around the world. Within small guest books stacked on top of the piano, lie hundreds of signatures ranging from just around the corner in Ames to as far as Thailand. Besides the beautiful décor created by both Anne Stark and Anthonius Stam, that makes you want to live out your days in their plush sofas, with sweet harmony

filling both your ears and nose; the chocolate has and will remain the attributing factor to shoppe’s success. This is why you will rarely see a change in the menu. “The number one seller is our crème brulee bonbon. But [since there are people who] like everything, there have been very few changes over the years,” says Stark.

With so many assortments to choose from, there’s a chocolate for everybody. “We’re always trying to get Iowa State students to come down here because once they get here, they [love] it. We have become a destination place and we are always grateful for that.”

Fall 2016 11

A woodland refuge Editorial By: TrĂŠ Moore

Photos By: Max Dugan

The following story explains a real life event. To respect their privacy, the names of individuals and their identifying details have been changed. The following events took place in Ames, IA.

“I

t was my last day on the job at the Greasy Spoon and I’m in the basement grabbing restock, alone, and sorta having chills because it was cold.” Halo despised being put on restock duty in the basement because of its stench and dimly lit lighting. As if it sensed the blood rushing through her veins, an insect began to crawl across the cement floor towards her. “It was flat, a bit smaller than an apple seed, and dark brown.” She instantly recognized it was a bedbug. “I only know because I’ve encountered them before in a hotel.” As Halo finished her sentence, she lightly scratched the back of her neck. Simply remembering the incident seemed bad on her nerves. She immediately called the owner of the restaurant to alert him of a possible, yet unlikely, infestation. “Happy that I didn’t have to deal with the problem I walked out of the restaurant and did not look back — until I was forced

to.” After returning to the Ames area after a long and hard summer, all Halo wanted to do was lie in bed and read magazines. That’s exactly what she did — for a full 20 minutes. She was rudely interrupted by tiny white baby bed bugs. Before she could collect her thoughts on what happened, her entire lifestyle changed. The bed? Gone. The couch? Gone. The authentic Persian rug found at the Goodwill for $50.00? Yeah, that was gone too. “Did we grab the cast iron skillet?” “Yes, it’s in the back with the tent and the blankets.” Halo and her boyfriend, Mabel, had just left the Iowa State bookstore on their way to their new, rustic home. A $6.00 walk-in campsite; number 86 at Ledges State Park in Madrid, IA. No electricity, no running water, and nothing but a hole in the ground for a toilet. Two weeks of treatment was what it took to kill all of the pests. The first night was hard, but not because the two didn’t have experience with camping. They never envisioned their fall semester being spent in the woods. They soon found ways to get comfortable and attempt to enjoy their stay. “Two weeks of living in a tent covered in DEET to deter the blood suckers in the wilderness.” It all seemed like a beautiful getaway for the two at first. “This is going to be fun! We didn’t have the time to camp this Summer. I thought, ‘This is great!’” And it was for the first week. As dusk would come, the two would wake up to a light fog and the sun coloring the sky with shades of orange. Beyond that first week, the two would argue over anything all day. They would become so good at breaking down camp that they contemplated timing it and applying to be observed by the Guinness book of world records. Food became a different beast of its own. The two found their eating habits changing dramatically, and even what they were eating changed. She would normally have meals from the dining center with an occasional side of fries. Halo would begin to carry two containers of sardines in her

backpack, which was now overbearingly heavy because of what she needed to carry. “Two containers for two meals. I always have two different flavors as well.” She would also carry a bottle of water, crackers, fruit, and sometimes a hammock. That was outside of carrying a change of clothes and more. Showering was done at State Gym, where there were always clean, warm towels. “It got old very fast,” Halo recalls in a very tired voice. “From the beginning we were told that it wasn’t necessary to move out during treatment, but neither of us could sleep knowing that we were being feasted upon.” The two were so sick of tent life that they moved back into the apartment four days early and set up a tent inside to avoid being bitten by any more bed bugs. “We have not introduced any furniture to this day in fear of a reemergence. Tent life until the lease is up.” She regaled with a former co-worker at the Greasy Spoon with her bed bug disaster story to find out that the couch in the break room, the one she placed her backpack on every other day, had to be thrown out because it was crawling with bugs.

Fall 2016 13

The Complexity of the individual Editorial By: Luke Koesters Photos By: Max Dugan

ndividuality is extremely enigmatic. It is something that is largely explored in popular culture; for example, every teen movie. This investigation is so extensive in fact, that skipping to the end seems fitting — individuality is important and requires you to embrace the different parts of yourself and to become vulnerable. Understanding this, and the sentiment of The Breakfast Club and many other pop culture teen movies, we can move past the boring spiel we have all grown tired of hearing. Yes, we all want and need to embrace our own individuality; so why then does youth always seem inundated with coming to terms with this idea? Understanding what exactly individuality is, and how it is defined is all we need in discovering our own identities. Per Merriam-Webster’s definition of individuality, it is what makes us “different from all others,” which is an uncomfortable thought to confront. As humans, we require community, but we also need to thrive as individuals. We seek out valida-

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tion from others constantly in our daily lives, but as soon as we realize we are different, we need to embrace it. It is tough to ask anyone to do this, and it is most certainly one that will not have a happy conclusion in under two hours, like John Hughes may have lead you to believe. What it is; however, is an occupation we are assigned from birth. Inevitably, we all buck trends and seem weird to those outside of our own experience. The problem we encounter is when we try to justify everything we do differently. Yes, your interests and mannerisms make you different, but you are not the only person ever to do this. There will always be a group of people who has something similarly to you, or share an interest with; however, what does make us individual is that we are perhaps the only version of a certain combination of experiences, interests, and aspirations to have existed until this point.

Therefore, rather than attempting to embrace the weirdly specific pieces of yourself that make you individual, we need to embrace our whole individual self. You should not try to embrace one aspect of yourself and try to create a specific image of yourself, instead we need to embrace the pieces of ourselves that are bland, the parts that people love about us, the parts that we get ridiculed for, and all the rest. Each one of us should not focus so much on the specific aspects of ourselves, and simply understand that there is more that makes up our individuality than we will ever be able to comprehend. The one takeaway we need to understand that we as we grow older we will never fully know everything about ourselves, which is exactly why we should continually embrace exploring the opportunities that are out there for us. We must strive to leave our comfort zone and not shy away from taking a different path. In short, to truly find out who we are, we need to piss people off, make informed opinions, be weird and different — but most importantly, we must embrace everything that makes us who we are.

Got hic collective The

A Look into Iowaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dystopian Heritage

(Cover, from left) Sarah: Jacket; Random Goods. Dress; Random Goods. // Chance: Grey Henley, $30; JC Penney. Kahkis, $50; JC Penney. Suspenders, $8; Random Goods. (from left) Chow: Dress, $20; Random Goods Belt, $6; Random Goods. Shoes, $119.99; JC Penney.

(From left) Jasmine: White Dress, $20; Random Goods. Top, $6; Random Goods. Shoes, $69.99; Finish Line. // Wyatt: Utility Jacket, $12; Random Goods. Sweater, $30; JC Penney. Black Pants, $69.50; JC Penney. Tennis Shoes, $89.99: Finish Line. // Carolyn: Button Down, $12; Random Goods. Pants, $50; JC Penney.

(from left) Utility Jacket, $12; Random Goods. Sweater, $30; JC Penney. Black Pants, $69.50; JC Penney. Tennis Shoes, $89.99: Finish Line. // Grey Henley, $30; JC Penney. Kahkis, $50; JC Penney. Suspenders, $8; Random Goods. // White Dress, $20; Random Goods. Top, $6; Random Goods. Shoes, $69.99; Finish Line. // Ariel: Hat, $34; Random Goods. Jacket, $12; Random Goods. Oxblood Dress; Random Goods. Shoes, $69.99; Finish Line. // Button Down, $12; Random Goods. Pants, $50; JC Penney.

(From left) Yvonne: Glasses, $6; Random Goods. Shoes, $69.99. // Hat, $34; Random Goods. Jacket, $12; Random Goods. Oxblood Dress; Random Goods. Shoes, $69.99; Finish Line.

(From left) Julian: Shirt, $27.99; JC Penney. Pants, $48; JC Penney. Shoes, $79.99; Finsih Line. // Dress, $20; Random Goods. Shoes, $79.99; Finsih Line. Bag, $1; Random Goods. // Overcoat, $18; Random Goods. Sweater; JC Penney. // Sarah: Green Dress, $16; Random Goods. Shoes, $8; Random Goods. Hat, $12.99; JC Penney. Gloves, $8; Random Goods. Braclet, $5; Random Goods. // Victorian Shirt, $6; Random Goods. Pants, $8; Random Goods. Glasses, $6; Random Goods.

(From Left) Dress - Random Goods $20, Shawl - Random Goods $6, Shoes - Finish Line $69.99 // Dress - Random Goods $XX, Jacket - Random Goods $12, Shoes - Finish Line $69.99, Hat - Random Goods $34 // Shirt - Random Goods $12, Pants - JC Penney $50, Shoes Dress - //Random Goods $20, Belt - Random Goods $6, Shoes - JC Penney $119.99

(From left) Chambray Dress, $14; Random Goods. Necklace, $4; Random Goods. Parasol; Random Goods. // Victorian Dress, $22; Random Goods. Locket, $4; Random Goods. Silver Ring, $16; Random Goods. Brass Ring, $20; Random Goods

(From left) Embroidered Shirt, $8; Random Goods. Vest, $12; Random Goods. Shoes, $58; JC Penney. // Maxi Dress, $22; Random Goods. Shoes, $74.99; JC Penney. // Shirt Dress, $20; Random Goods. // Robe, $5; Random Goods. Top, $12; Random Goods. Necklace, $5; Random Goods. // Shirt Dress, $20; Random Goods. Pants, $15; Random Goods.

(From left) Victorian Dress, $14; Random Goods.Gloves, $8; Random Goods. // Sequan: Black Peacoat, $18; Random Goods. Sweater, $24.90; Forever 21. // Trenchcoat, $48; Random Goods. Sweater, $20; Random Goods. Pants, $58; JC Penney. Shoes, $18; Random Goods. // Shirt, $6; Random Goods. Jeans, $50; JC Penney. Shoes, $74.99; JC Penney. Bracelet, $5; Random Goods.

The Gothic Collective: Autumn/Winter Lookbook Stylists: TrĂŠ Moore, Ethan Williams, Awase Asor, Kezia Knight, Charlie Garrett, Abigail Goeser, Wyatt Swartzendruber Photographers: Alex Zahn, Blake Lanser, Abigail Goeser

The Dilemma of choice Editorial By: Luke Koesters Photos By: Max Dugan

very day – from the mundane decisions such as deciding on what path to take to class, to the larger decisions, like deciding what classes you want to take – life is filled with choices. Choices can be a great thing to have, because who does not want more options and opportunities? Having more options is what our society is predicated upon – we want the best of the best, and that can only be gained through competition. It almost seems as if these options are competing for our approval, because producers want us to choose them, without us having to do anything. For example, if it is Friday night and you want to go out, and three of your friends are throwing parties, that is an ideal situation for you. You might be better

friends with one person, or that girl you like could be going to one party, or you may have heard something great about the third party. Despite what may sway your decision, you get the opportunity to choose. However, with all these different details swaying your decision, you are being given a tough task; you must make a decision that affects you and other people, and you control little to none of the details. This ‘good’ problem is a phenomenon that affects our society and has been given the name of, “the choice overload problem.” We tend to seek out opportunities in excess, which usually leads to increased regret, indecision, and has created the notion of the fear of missing out (FOMO). Often enough, the negative side effects of making decisions outweigh the oppor-

tunity of possibly going to a cool party on Friday. You may not think that someone who wants to go out would ever choose to stay inside during the weekend, especially when there are three options presented, but this notion does not hold true. As explained in Sheena Iyengar’s Ted Talk, people are more likely to make worse choices, be less satisfied with the choices they have made, and even delay choosing when it goes against their own self-interest. When confronted with too many choices, a person may even avoid making a choice altogether; however, making choices cannot be avoided and all these feelings are to be expected. So, is having too many options truly problematic? Well, suppose that you manage to avoid a lot of the delaying in choosing, and make a choice to attend one of the three parties without too much thought. You chose that place because your best friend was throwing the party, but it ends up seeming trite and the party he is throwing is the same as they always are. Then you see on twitter or some other form of social media that one of the other places is having a lot of fun, and you are missing out. You can not leave your friend at his party, and instead, resentment sets in. This scenario is an example of how FOMO is becoming more and more prevalent in our society today. Now, one could argue that this example is awfully specific, but the process is generally well defined. An overload of choices causes a person to decide and after deciding on their incentives, that person decides on what to do. Regardless of whether or it was the right choice, it is not unlike human nature, to still feel regret when giving something up — even though it was in your best interest. This desire to want to have it all creates FOMO in all of us. FOMO has always existed, but it is being exponentially aggravated by the extension and usage of social media. Usually, we could have some hindsight to figure out how other people’s weekend went, or what we missed out on, but now we see it in real time. As our world continues to get smaller, it will only mix further with our FOMO. Dealing with this is clearly an issue worth exploring. Although, the only way to get rid of this feeling is to understand what FOMO truly is, to save stressing out over larger decisions, and to realize that most other people understand and are experiencing these same feelings too. Fall 2016 39

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Far from the heart Editorial By: Alex Zahn Photos By: Alex Zahn

n June 5th, at 7:41 a.m., I looked around me and saw that I was not the only one going through what might have seemed to be emotional turmoil. There were soldiers hugging their mothers and fathers, younger siblings, and their own children before lining up into formation for roll call. The busses were big and loaded with bags full of uniforms and clothes that the men and women of the 389th Engineer Company may need on their deployment. It was set in stone that this United States Army Unit from Iowa was going to be thousands of miles away from their loved ones — far from their hearts. It was almost like an epiphany for me. What I may be feeling is the same as those around me who are giving up their loved ones for a year, but the soldiers in particular were feeling some-thing very different. They were going to be thousands of miles away from their homes. Life will continue to go on without them being home, and it is almost strenuous to watch inevitable changes happen while you are not there. I knew Madison, one of my colleagues, was going through something similar so I turned to her for advice. Her boyfriend of a year, Charlie, is an active duty of the United States Navy and has been to boot camp in Illinois, and has already moved from Florida to California in less than a year. I asked her the following questions to get a better view of what it is like to be away from your heart, and then I was able to ask Charlie the same questions to get both sides of the story. AZ: “What was that like seeing him/her for the first time after boot camp? What were you feeling and why?” MADISON: “Exciting and also like, nerve wracking. Just because it had been so long since I had last seen him. It was weird not being completely sure what to expect.”

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CHARLIE: “Excited, half because boot camp was finally over and half because I was excited to see her.” AZ: “How many phone calls was he allowed during boot camp?” (Boot camp was two months long). MADISON: “I think he was allowed to call me all of four times.” AZ: “I kind of want to go back to boot camp. I know you guys could only write letters. What did you put in the letters?” MADISON: “I wrote to him every night after the day was over. I took notes on my phone of stuff I really wanted to tell him. At night I would check my list and write the letter including important things throughout my day just to keep him updated.” CHARLIE: “I mean, I wrote a lot about my day and how I couldn’t wait to get back. I tried to write as much as I could, I didn’t get a whole lot of time so I just wrote down what I could remember.” My friend, one of my dearest friends, was even more motivated to continue on. She (and her significant other) put a smile on my face because after I interviewed both Madison and Charlie, I knew that it would all be okay. Life has a way of working itself out for the better. Next, I interviewed Specialist Tristan Sober of the 389th Engineer Company that has been on deployment since June 5th of 2016. I wanted to understand further what it is like for him to be far away from his family. AZ: “Hey. How are you? What time is it where you are?” TRISTAN: “Hey, my little weirdo. I’m good. It is 7:54 AM.”

AZ: “What do you think it’ll be like when you come home? Do you feel like a lot has changed already? Do you think it’ll be easy to get back into the swing of things of civilian life?” TRISTAN: “I feel like it’ll be difficult to transition back into civilian life because we’ve been relying on the army for essentials and a scheduled day. Having to come home and find a job, housing, and paying for essentials will be weird to do.” AZ: “Are you ready to be back home?” TRISTAN: “No. I feel like I am not fulfilled yet. I feel like I haven’t served my country enough yet. Maybe that’ll change in the next six to eight months, but for now, no.” AZ: “What’re some of the things you miss most about home? This isn’t a trick question, don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me it’s me, I already know (laughs). But seriously, answer the question.”

TRISTAN: “I miss my family the most. Being able to spend quality time and being with my girlfriend all the time, just the quality of life with her like going on adventures and making bomb food. The safety of being at home.”

AZ: “When we get into little arguments, which I guess doesn’t happen often anyways, is it difficult to get past them for you? Like, how does it feel?” TRISTAN: “I feel like it’s easier to deal with it here because I can just drop my phone and go workout or something so I can cool down and think about it. At home it’s harder to go somewhere else when you’re right there.” AZ: “How do you feel we’ve grown since you’ve left?” TRISTAN: “I actually feel like we’ve gotten to know each other better. Our relationship has been built more heavily on trust and we rely on each other more often, well I rely on you a lot, and our communication has grown as well.” I knew that this is what I signed up for when I decided to be in a relationship with someone in the military. Things will pop up last minute, plans will change on a whim and that is just some-thing that one has to get used to. One has to be able to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether or not it is worth it or not. So there we have it, folks. Those interviews only touch the surface of what it is like to miss and be so far away from your

heart. Some days are more difficult than others, and some days you find yourself missing them more. Here is my take on it all: being positive is key to keeping on. Not only in regards to being in a long distance relationship, but on anything life has to offer. Classes, relationships, a job… keeping positive makes it all worth while. One will get so much more out of aspects in life if they are able to remain positive. For me, missing and being so far away from my heart and my best friend gives me motivation: a drive to keep on keeping on, to do well in school, and set myself up for my own future, because everything else will fall into place. Those who are at home patiently waiting for their significant other to come back home safely can not do just that. It is best to continue on with life as if they had never left; it will be better in the long run for themselves and for their significant other who is eager to come back. I can not wait until the day they come home; I can guarantee I will be one of the happiest people on this earth.

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does religion need an update? Editorial By: Jordan Armistead

Photos By: Alex Zahn

he idea of something greater than humans has been around as long as civilization itself. Organization and religion followed soon after, dominating many cultures and governments along the way, but in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s society one might wonder if this organized structure still has a place. The beginning of religion can be traced back to the early days of civilizations and to three basic primal elements that guide humans, with the most dominant being fear. Fear can be traced to, or can originate from, the level of uncertainty related to any one subject. This can range anywhere from being uncertain of what your future job may be, finding a job, or something more substantial such as putting your life in immediate danger. Death being the highest level of uncertainty, considering it is the greatest unknown to mankind. Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson speaks to the idea that God is nothing more than where science has yet to explore, calling it â&#x20AC;&#x153;The God of the Gaps.â&#x20AC;? With this statement in mind, one can see that when mankind encounters large unknowns during their time, they simply attribute it to God. According to Tyson, who sees God as another way of explaining the unknown in an unscientific way, this is how you get a recipe for religion to be born. This birth finds its origins within the earliest unknowns, or uncertainness within the cosmos, related to an early society that helped them feel the presence of a higher power. Fortunately, being as intelligent as humans are, they have the ability to learn quicker than any other animal. This ability to adapt plays a vital role with the direc44 SIR Magazine

tion religion takes in history. Thanks to this ability, humans were able to adapt to their environments over time and build a sustained society; however, human civilization grew in different parts of the world. This then lead to a wide variety of slightly different religions based on their environment. This is the case, because with the ability to learn comes the ability to experience more fear, seeing that past experiences help shape how serious the subject takes the level of uncertainty in any given situation. According to philosopher, Edmund Husserl, by early humans merely experiencing the world and developing their viewpoint based on what did and did

not work, societies developed a sort of mythical-religious viewpoint.This type of viewpoint is one in which many of the stories within religions are merely a means of explaining how this society functions and aligned to their highest level of uncertainty, the cosmos, which they deemed a higher power. These religions/viewpoints then dominated civilizations with their religious tales being blended with natural history and lore. In the end one may consider religious text a historical text told through their mythical-religious viewpoint. Tony Smith, a professor of philosophy at Iowa State University, would agree as he notes that religion regularly

intertwines with politics and usually takes the form of the political system it resides in. He then pointed out that early Christianity was an extremely communist-based society, in which if you didn’t share food and resources, you could be killed. Smith mentions that this political nature is more important to him than the study of religion itself. Now, to repute Tyson, one can reason through similar logic that a higher power can exist. The fact that ideas such as death, or even the issue regarding the infinite unknown of the universe, can provide explanations and great evidence in support

of the idea of a higher power. In the words of Socrates, “true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing at all.” Speaking to the idea that in the end there will always be something that you do not know that has yet to be discovered. This infinite unknown may very well be where the higher power resides, that is not to say that it does not have a physical shape, but to argue over what that is, is pointless. And if Tyson finds it to be the “God of the Gaps,” one can reason that this higher power will always have the possibility of existing — seeing as death and the spiritual will indeed be the

everlasting unknown. Keeping the above in mind, from this point it becomes a personal preference on whether to take the leap of faith to say that it does exist, but to say it does not, would be the same as denying what has yet to be discovered. However, supporting the existence of a higher power does not allow one to dismiss the immutable forces of the world, which call themselves the natural sciences. Physics, chemistry, biology, and other studies are simply the names we use to describe the laws of the universe; the one thing man cannot alter. These natural laws give the universe the shape, order, and structure in which life and death thrives in an endless cycle. With this in mind, assuming a higher power would intervene seems unnatural, as the universe has been given natural laws to keep the balance. The balance spoken of is the idea of the life and death cycle, understanding that in order for there to be life there must be death, and in the same way in order for there to be happiness and comfort, there must be suffering and strife. This is essentially how the ecosystem functions not only within our planet, but the universe. Its easy to see why people came to believe in divine intervention, as back then they had no way of describing these natural laws. When people achieve there goal, you may often hear “it was all part of Gods plan,” but this is their way of understanding that without strife there is no happiness or comfort. Individuals should begin to begin to apply the natural law theories to their own version of what a higher power may truly be, in order to understand that there is still so much left to be discovered. This whole discussion brings us to the idea that spirituality cannot reach its fullest potential through organized religion, as it came to fruition from a group or society based mindset. To have individuals truly grow, they should try to establish their own connection with a higher power; finding their own truth while keeping in mind what is immutable, or the natural laws including the earth and the delicate ecosystem. From there, it should be small discussions with other individuals to help advance and refine what should be ones own thought out and rationally based theory — not simply based on the myths of the past or someone else’s word. Fall 2016 45

taking your idols off their pedestal Editorial By: Madelynne Garrett

Photos By: Max Dugan

“Jon Bellion is super creative. He can just walk into a random studio that is barely prepped, with just a couple of instruments, and create a masterpiece. All it takes is for him to pick a couple of chords, and then he has mapped out an entire song in his head. His process is incredibly inspirational.” -Drew Girres

he year of 2016 has lost a lot of idols. In fact, it seems this year has purged itself of many creative greats that have revolutionized the world as we know it; including the likes of David Bowie, Prince, Alan Rickman, and Gene Wilder. With the loss of such creative giants, this can only mean one thing — the world is ready for you to unlock your hidden talents. With the need for new minds to step up to fill the shoes of past idols and pave the way for the future, people need to start recognizing that their heroes are people just like them. For many, the reason that they look up to a certain role model or celebrity, is because they recognize something great in their heroes that is a reflection of themselves. Once you can start to pinpoint your own potential, you can begin to take ownership over those attributes. As author, Chuck Klosterman, once said, “Art and love are the same thing: it’s the process of seeing yourself in things that are not you.” It is important to understand that your idols did not become the greats they are today, simply over night. Just as any good teacher will tell you: practice makes per-

fect. Your idols have gotten to where they are through consistency in their production and through hard work. In order to truly allow yourself to grow and to create, you must see your idol’s accomplishments as inspiration, but make room for yourself to fail. All the best thinkers have had to put themselves out on a limb, and do what some may think is the impossible. You may not nail it the first time, but by providing yourself space to create and to make mistakes, you will learn exponentially. Diana Ross’ talented daughter and actress, Tracee Ellis Ross, puts things into perspective when she said “I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me.” There is a myth that many of us tend to believe, which is that there is a perfect time for doing something. This idea could not be further from the truth, and is actually quite hindering to the creative process. There is no time like the presence, so stop putting off your craft — you will thank yourself later. Although it may be intimidating to see the distance that lies between you and your desired endpoint, take comfort in knowing that you are not the only one

who has had to struggle in order to thrive. Before Bowie became the other-worldly Ziggy Stardust, he was known as a punk who was trying to keep up with the times. One of the things that you can take away from Bowie and his career, is that it is never too late to reinvent yourself. With our society being comfortable in staying with what is familiar, it is easy to see why so many hesitate to chase their dreams. This can be seen in every day media as well, when people are encouraged to brand or label themselves, when we should be embracing the multiplicity that exists within us all. One of my all time favorite quotes is from the great writer, Walt Whitman, which ponders the idea of whether or not he contradicts himself. When coming to the conclusion that he does contradict himself, he simply shrugs it off with “very well…I am large, I contain multitudes.” Whether you admire your hero because they are creative, dedicated, collaborative, genuine, or unique — keep in mind that those characteristics are something that you have identified with for a reason. So be your own idol. Be your own biggest fan. You are capable of the same greatness that you have admired in your those you

Fall 2016 47

“Alina Baraz is really genuine, she doesn’t have a recording contract or anything like that. I’ve always wanted to sing, but not be a part of something too commercial. She’s really collaborative with other artists as well, which is I find really inspiring.” -Claire Kilfoyl

have looked up to. Grab ahold of the fire you feel when talking passionately about your favorite artist, athlete, or innovator, and think of how you can apply your drive and hard work to obtain the unthinkable. The world needs people like you— get out there and shake things up.

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A Special Thank you

SIR Magazine would like to express our gratitude for Greenlee School of Journalismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support and accommodation

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ISSUE: 10 COMING SPRING 2017

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