October Issue

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

october 2016

October 2016 DISTRACTION

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the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

october 2016

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DISTRACTION

The Guide

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

october 2016

DO YOU EVEN LIFT, BRO? A GUIDE TO BODYBUILDING October 2016 DISTRACTION

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the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

october 2016

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DISTRACTION

The Guide

the

magazine of the students of

the university of miami

october 2016

October 2016 DISTRACTION

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WORK HARD. PLAY HARD. WALK HOME TO RED ROAD COMMONS

PRELEASING FOR SPRING/FALL 2017 6

The Guide GET ON THE WAITLIST NOW

DISTRACTION

OCTOBER 2016

THE GUIDE 4 Miami on the Low Sumra Wahid

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Adrenaline Rush Briana Gotay

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All You Can Eat Isabella Savini & Marissa Vonesh

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Snoozzzing in School Brianna Commerford

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HEALTH & WELLNESS 27 Teatox Lizzie Wilcox

28 Kaleidoscope Mind Denise Ozturk

30 Body Building 101 Gina Fleites & Katya Bachorz

Car-less in College Unico Li

10 Miami Horror Story Kathryn Musso & Madison Cramer

FASHION 36 Sheer Horror Jade Simmons, Olivia Stauber & Vivian Braga

47 Not Your Basic Bunny

IN THE LOOP

Olivia Stauber

12 Wine About It

Maria Hernandez & Rori Kotch

14 What’s In Your Bag? Sidney Sherman

MAIN EVENT 49 Zika Sumra Wahid

53 Let’s Talk About Touchdowns

POLITICS 18 Overview of the Candidates

Marissa Vonesh

22 Before You Vote Shellie Frai

23 #Trending: Election Sumra Wahid

24 The Alternative Vote Teddy Willson

Lizzie Wilcox

56 Through the Years Mukta Vibhute

58 Where Are U Now? Isabella Cueto

59 A Millennial’s Movement

Isabella Cueto & Vanessa Gonzalez

62 Through the Lens Asmae Fahmy

october 2016

Letter from the

distractionmagazine.com

WHAT WAS YOUR BEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME? Editor-in-Chief_Asmae Fahmy “Damian from Executive Editor_Chelsey Sellars ‘Mean Girls.’”

Managing Editor_Marissa Vonesh “Cut-Throat Art Director_Allie Pakrosnis & Jamie Shub from Bad Blood.”

Photo Editor_Valentina Escotet Assistant Art Directors_Alexa Aguilar, Ana Gonzales & Lindsey Bornstein Assistant Photo Editor_Sidney Sherman Copy Chief_ Madison Cramer Assistant Copy Chief_Noah Vesey The Guide Editor_Lauren Flaumenhaft “Elvis Presley.”

In The Loop Editor_Maria Hernandez Politics Editor_Carmen Wilson Health and Wellness Editor_Lizzie Wilcox “Cleopatra.”

Fashion Editors_Jade Simmons & Olivia Stauber Assistant Fashion Editor_Vivian Braga The Main Event Editor_Isabella Cueto Public Relations Manager_Carmen Wilson Assistant PR Manager_Gabby Rosenbloom Business Managers_Nicole Newton & Kyle Kingma “Wilma Flintstone.”

Assistant Business Manager_Neha Baddam Faculty Adviser_Randy Stano “Scarecrow from ‘The Wizard of Oz.’”

DISTRACTIONMAGAZINE.COM “Cruella de Vil.”

Online Editorial Coordinators_Alina Zerpa & Thalia Garcia Online Copy Chief_Tori Cameron Culture Editor_Teresa Lee Entertainment Editor_Jorge Chabo Associate Entertainment Editor_Teddy Wilson Online Fashion Editor_Melissa Cabral Student Life Editor_ Sofia Dacharry Travel Editor_Lizzie Wilcox Sports Editor_ Alexander Goldman Online Photo Editor_Keying Cheng “Britney Spears.”

CONTRIBUTORS Lauren Gimpel, Designer Sarah Schoening, Designer Rori Kotch, Designer Alisha Kabir, Photographer Hunter Crenian, Photographer Maxx Pollack, Photographer

Samantha Dowiarz, Photographer Briana Gotay, Writer Brianna Commerford, Writer Denise Ozturk, Writer Gina Fleites, Writer Isabella Savini, Writer

Katya Bachorz, Writer Mukta Vibhute, Writer Shellie Frai, Writer Sumra Wahid, Writer Unico Li, Writer Vanessa Gonzalez, Writer

When it comes to contributors, we’re not picky. Whether you’ve found your niche in a bio book, you’re notorious for doing “nothing” at the comm or business school or you’re halfway into your college career and still wave that “undeclared major” flag, we want to hear what you have to say. Distraction is an extracurricular/volunteer operation made for students, by students, and covers the full spectrum of student life here at The U. If you want to get involved or have any questions, comments or concerns email our editor-in-chief, Asmae Fahmy, at distraction@miami.edu.

The magazine is produced four times per year, twice a semester. City Graphics and Bellack Miami printed 8,000 copies of the magazine on 8.5 x 11 inch, 60-pound coated text paper 4/4. The entire magazine is printed four-color and perfect bound. Most text is nine-point Minion Pro with 9.8 points of leading set ragged with a combination of bold, medium and italic. All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite CC software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in Photoshop and Illustrator. For additional information, please visit distractionmagazine.com. Questions and comments can be mailed to 1330 Miller Drive, Student Media Suite 202A, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, dropped into SSC Student Media Suite Suite 200 or emailed to distraction@miami.edu. All articles, photographs and illustrations are copyrighted by the University of Miami.

EDITOR

Things no one tells you about working on a magazine: you will spend more time staring at a headline than you thought humanly possible, have a near-existential crisis about the placement of a comma, spend hours designing or writing something only to see it remade or cut. You will live in an office for weeks gorging on pizza, candy and anything that fuels your mind until the grogginess sets in and you start day dreaming about vegetables.

Coffee becomes your new water and sleep becomes a fading, foreign promise.

Finally, once you send the issue to the printer and realize that it’s too late to undo it, you collapse in exhaustion, exhilaration and elation. Strangely enough, this is my heaven.

The magazine you are holding in your hands is the accumulation of all that. When I went into it, I didn’t realize how much of a distraction it would actually be (or how many of those puns I’d hear), and just how much I would grow to love the process. Thank you to the group of hardworking, talented and dedicated people who made this magazine happen. Strong apologies to the friends who I’ve postponed seeing or completely disregarded during deadline.

Okay, I’ll stop with the cheesiness now.

For our first issue, we wanted to spotlight something that was stealing most headlines, but never in a way really directed at or written for us: the election.

This is most students’ first presidential election, and the decision of who to vote for, if not already obvious, is probably painstakingly difficult. We hope we can make it a little easier, or at least shed light on the candidates’ backgrounds (page 18), what a third-party vote really means (page 24) or even how to vote (page 22), because, well, sometimes that’s a lot easier said than done.

Look out for a different special section every issue, and feel free to tweet or message us about anything you want to see in the magazine. Most of all, let this magazine be exactly what was intended: a distraction from deadlines, due dates and dilemmas. So #getdistracted, and stay distracted. Just not for too long.

THE ELEMENTS THE COVERS: THE OCTOBER ISSUE art direction_asmae fahmy & valentina escotet. photo_valentina escotet.

As we enter the season of ghouls, horror and pumpkin spice, we naturally wanted to bring the holiday spirit to distraction. Though the masks were easy to find, coming up with the right location took a little more work. After all, Miami isn’t the woodsiest of cities. However, while staring out the window of

a class in Cox, our editor-in-chief found the perfect location for our photo shoot: the arboretum. The building would also prove helpful later on when we needed an outlet for our smoke machine. Also, shout out to our amazing models for walking barefoot amidst the fallen leaves, dirt and trees.

art direction_asmae fahmy, valentina escotet & allie pakrosnis. photo_valentina escotet.

It’s impossible to talk about bodybuilding without bringing up sweat in one way or another. Our photo editor Valentina wanted to show just that in this cover. Her trainer Julio Mendoza from her family’s gym, Onyx Signature Gym, was the perfect model for it. He came to her studio and did about 100 push-

ups in the blazing Miami heat to build up a sweat.

Between the not-so-fall weather and the grueling exercise, it didn’t take much. To emphasize the sweat even more, Valentina used three strobe lights to play with dramatic lighting and give the full, just-workedout effect.

art direction_valentina escotet & allie pakrosnis. photo_valentina escotet.

How do you make politics cool enough for a lifestyle magazine? Put political stickers on a guy’s face and tell him to pose, of course. For the red and blue lighting, we used gel filters over studio lights and had them cross over the model. The stark contrast between the blue and red visually demonstrates

the divide in political parties and the presidential candidates for the 2016 election season. Also, a huge thank you to our model Josh Harris for patiently waiting as we obsessively rearranged the campaign stickers for both Trump and Clinton over your mouth. You’re the best.

art direction_allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy, jamie shub & valentina escotet. photo_valentina escotet.

We know you shouldn’t play with your food, but when it comes to designing a magazine cover, there is always an exception. Inspired by Rodrigo Sanchez of Metropoli, we recreated Donald Trump’s portrait using fried eggs, a green grape and a fork.

The hardest part was getting the fries to swoop

over like Trump’s iconic comb-over. When it was 12 a.m. on a Saturday night and we were still in the office, we decided to challenge ourselves and apply a lighthearted, humorous twist to this year’s political election. Amidst the conflict, there is always time for a good laugh – and food.

art direction_allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy, jamie shub & valentina escotet. photo_valentina escotet.

Just like the Trump cover, we wanted to make a culinary image of Hillary Clinton. With the same inspiration in mind, Clinton’s portrait came together with lemon slice topped blueberries for eyes, ketchup sauce lips and lime earrings. Once again, the hair proved to be a challenge. After potato sticks and

nuggets failed, cooked pasta gave cuisine-based Clinton the complete presidential look. We used fruit to play on the candidates’ slogans, choosing “Lime with Her” and “Make America Grape Again.” Why not associate the presidential candidates with some fresh fruit?

BEHIND THE SCENES:

PHOTO EDITOR VALENTINA ESCOTET TESTS OUT POSES AND ANGLES WITH THE MODELS FOR OUR FASHION SECTION.

BRUNCH STAPLES ARE LAID OUT BEFORE BEING STACKED ON A BUBBLE WRAP FOUNDATION.

MIAMI ON the low THE GUIDE words_sumra wahid. photo_asmae fahmy. design_jamie shub.

College students are no strangers to the concept of stretching a dollar. Everyone has had a moment when they had no idea how much money was in their account and just hoped his or her card didn’t get declined.

Luckily for us, there are a lot of places in Miami that offer discounts to students, so you can enjoy the city and still afford tuition.

PEREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI

JOE’S OLD SCHOOL PIZZA

1103 Biscayne Boulevard

1232 S. Dixie Hwy.

The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is, in our opinion, one of the trendiest museums you’ll ever walk into. With its dazzling display of modern art, draping trees and views of Biscayne Bay, the museum is a masterpiece itself. The PAMM features new art pieces every month, but if that’s not your cup of tea, you can grab a bite at its restaurant, Verde. Admission is free on the first Thursday and second Saturday of the month. If you buy tickets through the website Culture Shock Miami, you can get a ticket for $2.50 that would be valid for the entire month. The student discount is $12 if you show your ‘Cane Card. If you forget to buy tickets online, don’t fear ­– the discount still applies.

After a long day of classes, you might need a slice of heaven – or maybe two.

At Joe’s Old School Pizza, you can get two jumbo slices of cheesy pizza and a drink for just $6.29. This deal is only for UM students and faculty. Since Joe’s is just a short walk across U.S.1, there is no reason for you to not go in and treat yourself. The owner, Joe Castro, makes sure the ambiance inside is just as good as the dishes. Plus, zeppolli – the place’s signature doughnut balls coated in powdered sugar – are put out for anyone to sample. If you don’t feel like making the trek, they deliver, too.

ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER 1300 Biscayne Boulevard If you want access to fine arts but don’t think you can afford them, think again. The Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami’s home to Broadway shows and symphony concerts, offers a discount to college students on select shows. The center provides the perfect excuse to dress up and get cultured, all without breaking the bank. Sign up with your school email and you’ll instantly have access to $20 tickets to comedy, dance, theater and musical performances. Just don’t forget to show your student ID.

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ELECTRONIC DEALS SPOTIFY Spotify offers a 50 percent discount on monthly memberships for a premium account. Basically, you can have an endless supply of music for only $4.99 a month.

AMAZON Amazon has been a college student’s saving grace for years.

If you sign up with your school email, Amazon will give you six months of free Amazon Prime services. Once the free trial runs out, you can still use Amazon Prime at 50 percent off for four years after you’ve signed up.

VIZCAYA 3251 S. Miami Ave. Originally built in 1916, this gorgeous estate-turned-museum is a favorite for Miami tourists and locals alike.

The house sits on 43 acres of land and resembles an Italian villa. It boasts a variety of gardens and sculptures and directly overlooks Biscayne Bay. The interior is equally as impressive as the exterior, filled with ornate furniture, collections of art and historical novelties. Vizcaya is accessible via the Metrorail and has its own stop that leads you to the museum. With a ‘Cane Card, you can pay $10 instead of the normal $18.

STUDENT UNIVERSE

PAMM installation

Whether it’s for fall break, winter break, spring break or a little getaway, traveling is something college students yearn for. However, it can also require years of saving up. Luckily, websites like Student Universe offer price comparisons and discounts on flight fares, hotels and tours, so you can see the world and keep your bank balance intact.

RUSH words_briana gotay. photo_maxx pollack. design_allie pakrosnis.

Miami is known for yearround summer weather and supplying good times along Collins Avenue.

But, have you ever looked just a little beyond South Beach for your weekend adventure? Crazy, we know, but Miami is loaded with thrilling escapades.

From water sports under the sun to indoor adventures free from the heat, Miami knows just how to get you moving and your blood pumping.

SKYDIVE MIAMI

NINJA LOUNGE

28730 S.W. 217 AVE.

14401 N.E. 20TH LANE

Maybe we’ll never be able to fly like Peter Pan, but we can surely attempt to by skydiving. At Skydive Miami, you can free fall down 13,500 feet while strapped to a Tandem Master. Whirl and surf through the stratosphere at 120-180 mph as a trained skydiver guides you safely back to land. If this linked dive doesn’t make your heart skip a beat, Skydive Miami also provides a solo training program so you can take on the skies all by yourself. In case you want to record this adrenaline flight, the company is equipped with a team of professional skydiving photographers.

For the rainy days (because let’s face it, we never run out of those), there’s Ninja Lounge. If you think you have what it takes to be the next “American Ninja Warrior,” then test your physical skills on the ultimate course. Ninja Lounge in North Miami built a replica of the “American Ninja Warrior” obstacle course that can be seen weekly on NBC. Test your upper body strength with the salmon ladder and your balance with the unstable bridge and prove to your friends that you have what it takes to be America’s next Ninja Warrior.

RELENTLESS WATERSPORTS

JET BOAT MIAMI

1099 MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY

1635 N. BAYSHORE DRIVE

From Jetpacks to Jet Skis to fly boarding, Relentless Watersports offers an adventure like no other. No previous experience is needed, meaning the clumsy and the coordinated are equally welcome. Owner Alex VonBussenius and his team make it a priority to ensure an unforgettable time. After thorough instructions (‘cause, you know, safety), boarders and skiers are ready to go.

Adrenaline junkies rejoice – you can fly up to five feet in the air. As far as the Jetpack goes, don’t let the bulkiness intimidate you; the pack really doesn’t weigh much. It almost looks like a contraption Jimmy Neutron would build, but better. Whether you walk on water with the Jetpacks or sail through the air with the fly boards, the ocean will never look the same. Just don’t forget your waterproof camera.

Still looking for an adrenaline fix?

Water-packed adventures are always the way to go when you’re in South Florida.

Check out Jet Boat Miami, which departs from Sea Isle Marina. This exhilarating ride never holds back on speed. Bigger than a Jet Ski but just as fast, this speedboat holds more than 20 passengers all equipped with life vests.

The boat passes by San Marco Islands and Memorial Island before heading back to the original port. If you want to amplify the thrill, ask the captain for more twists, turns and turbulence.

He will oblige. Don’t be afraid to get a little wet as you rip through the waves at insane speeds, because, at those speeds, there’s very little chance you’ll be coming back to land dry. Don’t forget to smile, because after all, you’ll be on camera.

EXPLAINED We all crave an adrenaline rush at some point, but what does that really mean? Adrenaline is a stress hormone that is released when the body is in shock. When secreted by the adrenal gland, it causes increased blood flow to the muscles and heart as well as pupil dilation. Your heart begins to race and you can feel your lungs expand in your chest. This plays an important role in the fight-or-flight response when your body is under a high amount of stress. Adrenaline junkies crave a rush of excitement, which explains their thirst for exhilarating activities.

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ALL - YOU -

words_isabella savini & marissa vonesh. photo_valentina escotet. design_jamie shub.

We all get hungry, but sometimes the dining hall and Ramen just won’t do. To avoid spending all of your money on one good meal, try a local all-you-can-eat buffet. Trust us – buffets in Miami involve a lot more than your run-of-the-mill Golden Corral. Stuff yourself as you eat your way through Miami and experience the city’s most impressive buffets.

David’s Café Cuban Cuisine

Shinju Japanese Buffet

919 Alton Road

8800 SW 72nd St.

Whether you are craving a snack at 2 a.m. after a night in South Beach or trying to become more “Miami” by attuning yourself to Cuban food, David’s will satisfy your needs. This family-owned café has a 24-hour food service window and a $9 lunch buffet complete with traditional Cuban dishes. If you’re craving ropa vieja, yucca and beans (or have never tried them), David’s is the place for you.

If you want to indulge in all things sushi, Chinese or seafood-related, Shinju’s is the ideal place for you. Feast your eyes on more than 100 all-youcan-eat dishes, 45 sushi varieties, fresh hibachi plates and an assortment of seafood. With all those options, you simply can’t go wrong. The buffet is open for both lunch and dinner and costs only $10 or $20.

Distraction's Pick: Sandwich dressed with ham, pork, melted Swiss cheese, crisp pickles and mustard on Cuban bread

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The Guide

Distraction’s Pick: Anything sushi (duh!)

Perricone’s Marketplace & Cafe 15 S.E. 10th St. Adding to Brickell’s downtown atmosphere, Perricone serves as a staple Italian restaurant on most days. On the weekends, however, Perricone pulls out its most traditional foods for an all-American brunch buffet. Pancakes, sausages, fruits and more are all yours for only $11 on Saturdays and $22 on Sundays. Immerse yourself in a rustic garden of greenery and indulge in all your favorite comfort foods.

Distraction’s Pick: Mozzarella cheese with crisp basil and tomatoes

- CAN - EAT Toro Toro

Area Code 55

Biltmore Brunch

100 Chopin Plaza

16375 Biscayne Boulevard

1200 Anastasie Avenue

Blending Latin flavors through an assortment of tapas, Toro Toro brings a rich, flavor-enhanced buffet to Miami’s downtown scene. For $25, you can have a pan-Latin food experience of carved meats, fresh salads, ceviche and desserts. The chef, Richard Sandoval, rotates through a daily selection of main dishes where certain items are on the menu every day.

If you have a favorite meat, Area Code 55 definitely has it – not simply sitting on a plate, but sizzling, juicy and probably skewed on a stick. This rodízio has everything from chicken-wrapped-bacon to top sirloin in its buffet. Though this restaurant may not seem like the place for the vegetarians/pescatarians/ vegans of the word, it also offers a salad bar buffet, diversifying options across palates. With sausage, steaks, lamb, ribs and more, you know this is basically paradise for every meat lover out there.

Hold your rumbling stomach and drive to the North Miami steakhouse any day of the week for special lunch buffet deals for only $20 during the week and $30 on the weekend.

If you are feeling elegant (or perhaps your parents are visiting and you want to dine in style), explore the Biltmore Hotel’s Sunday brunch, complete with live music and bottomless champagne.

The brunch features delicacies such as smoked salmon and caviar, but also has classic dishes such as omelets and carved meats. The Biltmore takes the quality of a meal to a whole new level, so don’t be turned off by the price ($85 per person). It’s worth experiencing at least once.

Distraction’s Picks: Thursday’s roasted lamb with mint, garlic and rosemary; avocado salad with red onion, peppers, olive oil and lemon zest

Distraction’s Pick: Picanha with Garlic; Flank Steak; Filet Mignon with bacon beef ribs

Distraction’s Pick: Blue crab and avocado salad with fresh mozzarella; Belgian waffles; classic eggs benedict with black truffle hollandaise sauce

All your breakfast comfort foods are stacked on top of each other to demonstrate the variety of bottomless brunches. The diverse cuisine Miami offers attracts foodies of all types. *Photo has not been photoshopped or manipulated.

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Snoozzzing IN SCHOOL

words_ brianna commerford. design_ jamie shub & lauren gimpel. photo_hunter crenian.

If you’ve ever been too tired to walk back to your dorm to nap, or worse, drive home (we feel you, commuters) then you understand the importance of finding suitable napping spots on campus.

Thankfully, napping at school is becoming more acceptable. Those 20 minutes of sleep may be just what you need to pass that exam, survive that three-hour lecture or simply make it through the day without collapsing on your desk. Here’s our take on where you should and (shouldn’t) nap on campus.

THE GREEN

THE SSC

Hear us out on this one. We know The Green is generally overflowing with people or Farmers’ Market stands, but it also has its perks. You can lay your backpack against a tree and bask in the Miami sun, and if you find the right spot, you can obtain the perfect seclusion from the busy walkers.

Looking for more outdoor napping options? The Shalala Student Center has a patio on the second floor. Although it may not be the quietest location, this area provides a breezy environment to escape from the heat. It’s also a nice halfway point between the freshman dorms or Eaton, saving you the walk all the way back to your room.

COMMUTER LOUNGE

RICHTER LIBRARY

ARBORETUM

If you’re a commuter, take advantage of the commuter lounge on the second floor of the SSC, which was designed for students who do not have the luxury of going back to their apartments between classes to nap. While some commuters resort to their cars, we promise the couches in the lounge are a lot more comfortable to sleep on.

Looking for a quiet, low-key spot? Don’t overlook napping in the Richter Library.

You can find a cozy spot on the first floor couches near the stairs or even a quiet spot in the upper level stacks. Pro tip: the higher you go in the library, the quieter it gets.

Venture off into the Gifford Arboretum, one of campus’ best-kept secrets.

Located near the physics building, this spot is a great area to get some muchneeded rest, either with your head on the table or against a tree. Unlike the other spots listed, this one makes you feel secluded and farther away from campus than you actually are.

Alexis Kesselman takes a break from her work in the UC to lay down in a Nap Pod. Two pods were installed in 2016 in the UC and the SSC.

WHERE NOT TO NAP With the tall banyan trees, singing macaws and soft breezes, it’s easy to wind down for an on-campus nap.

Yet, even in paradise, we can find some discomfort. Here is a list of places to avoid catching some sleep.

In class: We know introduction to calculus isn’t interesting to everyone, but that doesn’t make it okay to nap during the professor’s lecture.

The dining hall: Ever eaten a big meal and had the urge to go to sleep after? Fight it and nap elsewhere, unless you like waking up to a face full of pasta.

Practice rooms in Frost: Though students from the Frost School of Music may perform angelically, waking up from your slumber every time someone hits a sour key will suck.

The sauna at the Wellness Center: This steamy, relaxing room can make you fall asleep on the spot, but unless you want to shrivel into a prune, avoid napping here.

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CAR-LESS

IN

COLLEGE

words_unico li. photo_sidney sherman. design_allie pakrosnis.

Congratulations, you’ve made it to UM. Now what? As you might have noticed, Miami is a city with an eclectic culture and plenty of sightseeing options. Exciting things take place every day and getting off campus to take a break from schoolwork sounds like a fantastic idea. However, most of us don’t have cars – some don’t even have driver’s licenses – and taking an Uber around the Magic City can be a serious financial strain. Don’t let a lack of transportation keep you indoors. Here are options that could help you beat the struggle.

METROBUS UM is not isolated from the rest of Miami. Metrobus stations are located just a few minutes from the university across Ponce de Leon Blvd. The Metrobus system provides services throughout Miami-Dade County and is a convenient option for traveling around the city. It goes up to the Miami International Airport (MIA) in the north and down to Palmetto Bay in the south, making most of the city’s topography accessible to students.

Some popular nearby routes are 48, 56, 57, 500 and Midnight Owl. COST: $1-$3

METRORAIL Take a trip farther (and faster) from campus with the Metrorail.

Sitting in the Metrorail and getting a thorough look at this urban city is way more enjoyable than you might have expected. Right behind the Metrobus station and across the street from the Convocation Center

stands the University Metrorail stop.

Going northbound, the orange line will take you up to MIA and the green line to the Tri-Rail station.

To the south of campus, both lines give you the opportunity to enjoy shopping at Dadeland and Sunset Place. Some useful stops include South Miami for The Shops at Sunset Place; Dadeland South for Target, Best Buy and Michaels; MIA; Tri-Rail and University for when you want to head back to campus, because eventually, you’re going to have to return to the world of textbooks and assignments. UM students can purchase Metrorail College EASY Tickets at the University Center.

COST: $2.25

TRI-RAIL This may not be the Hogwarts Express, but it’s just as handy. Get off of the green line Metrorail once you reach the Tri-Rail stop, follow the crowds down the stairs and you will find yourself standing in a train station that looks like a toy model.

Once aboard, you can continue your adventure by taking a one day trip to Ft. Lauderdale or Hollywood Beach. Don’t forget to take out your Metrorail pass when purchasing a Tri-Rail ticket to get a discount.

COST: From $2.50 to $7

CITI BIKES Tired of all the air-polluting methods of transportation? Try Citi Bikes and have some fun breathing in the fresh air. Citi Bikes is an automatic one-way bike rental system that allows you to rent a bike at one station and return it to a station closer to your destination.

Although most of the stations are clustered up north, Citi Bikes can be super convenient when you and your friends opt for a weekend getaway in Miami Beach. But if you do decide to ride in the area, the closest stations to campus are 601 (Grand Avenue & Main Highway) and 605 (Virginia St. and Florida Avenue).

COST: Varies by rental hours Miami-Dade Metrobus October 2016 DISTRACTION

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As tragic as it is to admit, us college students are far past the trick-or-treating age.

But, hold the tears, because a whole other world beyond eating Reese’s or watching scary movies on Oct. 31 is out there. Distraction is here to help so you don’t go ghost on this year’s Halloween festivities. We promise that you don’t need to go door-to-door through Coral Gables begging for candy in order to satisfy your childish desire to celebrate the holiday this year (but you don’t have to completely miss out on the candy either). From yacht parties to haunted houses and costume contests, we’ve got you covered. Besides, nothing is scarier than staying home on Halloween. words_ kathryn musso & madison cramer. photo & design_allie pakrosnis.

HOUSE OF HORROR

HOWL-O-WEEN

AT INTERNATIONAL MALL

AT PINECREST GARDENS

If horror movies just don’t satisfy your craving for a thrill, then South Florida’s largest haunted house is the place for you. Sprawling over two acres of land, House of Horror is the perfect setting for encountering serial ax murderers and creepy clowns in 30 rooms. The venue boasts more than just a terrifying house; the $25 ticket includes carnival games, rides, live performances and concessions. Only the bravest dare to explore this establishment.

Sept. 19 to Oct. 31

Dogs and Halloween – there’s really no better combination. Celebrate both at Howl-O-Ween, an event with activities for both humans and man’s best friend.

Run through the Doggie Fun Zone or head to the D.J. stand for live music.

There will also be raffles, giveaways, a costume contest and trick-or-treating (because Halloween isn’t complete without copious amounts of candy).

All proceeds benefit the non-profit organization Paws 4 You Rescue.

Oct. 30

MIAMI HALLOWEEN YACHT PARTY

HALLOWEEN

ON SOUTH BEACH

Take a break from the college scene and enjoy this family-friendly event on Miracle Mile. Take part in costume contests and go trick-or-treating to relive your glory days of Halloween in the early 2000s. This is the place to bring any youngsters in the family since the event is complete with face painting, photo booths and Disney sing-a-longs.

And for all you dog lovers out there, look no further for Halloween plans: there will be a doggy costume contest.

Oct. 31

If you’re spending Halloween in Miami, you might as well enjoy your night on a multimillion-dollar yacht. The South Beach Lady is known for its impeccable amenities, complete with four floors, eight flat-screen TVs and a D.J. sky booth. Tickets for general admission are $65. This yacht party is sure to surpass your wildest expectations. Who said all fun parties have to occur on land?

Oct. 31

HALLOWYN IN WYNWOOD

Pumpkins for sale at Pumpkin Patch Miami. Many students enjoy visiting pumpkin patches in the fall.

10 DISTRACTION The Guide

Miami’s favorite art district will be hosting HalloWYN, the largest free block party in the city. If you’re looking for a wild night on a college budget, then this is the place for you. Hundreds of costumed people will gather to enjoy Miami’s top-20 food trucks while jamming to a D.J. until the break of dawn. If that’s not enough, there’s a $500 cash prize for the best costume. Better start brainstorming costume ideas now.

Oct. 31

ON THE MILE

SPOOKY ZOO NIGHTS AT ZOO MIAMI Complete with a haunted house, a tram and carousel rides, Spooky Zoo Nights is perfect for anyone looking for something less scary than the typical Halloween happenings. Admission is $14.95 per person, but if you’re a member of the zoo, you’ll get $2 off that price. What could be better than throwing on your best costume and rubbing elbows with some of Miami’s furry friends?

Oct. 28 to 31

HALLOWEEN ON LINCOLN ROAD MALL On Halloween, Lincoln Road Mall becomes the nation’s focal point for the craziest, scariest and most unique costumes. Both local and out-of-town folks join in the parade to show off their spookiest garb. Guests will receive deals at restaurants, stores and bars. Oh, and it provides the perfect setting for peoplewatching. To make it even better, the whole event is free.

Oct. 31

NIGHTMARE

HALLOWEEN BINGES

ON THE BEACH

Tired of watching “Halloweentown” and “Hocus Pocus?”

Mix up your yearly marathon with these creepy and sometimes downright horrifying shows.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY

SCREAM QUEENS

THE STRAIN

BAYSIDE MARKETPLACE If you’re looking for a break from the intense party scene, Halloween at Bayside Marketplace is for you.

Submerse yourself in Bayside’s culture while enjoying street performers and live music. Plus, you can go trick-ortreating through the center of Bayside.

Best part? It’s all free.

Oct. 31

#TRENDING COSTUMES

HAUNTED WALK & GHOST TOURS

If you’re torn between a cat outfit and donning 50 patterns of gray, then this is the list for you. You’ll be the best dressed person on Halloweekend.

IN COCONUT GROVE

RYAN LOCHTE

HARLEY QUINN HARAMBE

What better way to spend Halloween in Miami than on the beach? Answer: there is no better way, and Nightmare on the Beach will prove that. It’s one huge party that screams South Beach with the vibrant club atmosphere.

The night will include plenty of food, entertainment and insane costumes.

Sorry underclassmen, but you have to be 21 to enjoy this one. Although tickets are expensive at $175 a pop, the proceeds benefit the Little Lighthouse Foundation.

Oct. 29

LEO’S OSCAR

Come see the seemingly innocent Coconut Grove be transformed into something eerie and unfamiliar. Learn about the horrifying stories of soldiers, sailors and other individuals who didn’t live to tell their tales. This walking tour spans over a half-mile of Coconut Grove’s tropical streets and runs every month, making Halloween a yearlong occurrence – which is always a good idea.

Oct. 15 & Oct. 22

October 2016 DISTRACTION 11

With all the different regions, colors and bottle designs, choosing a great bottle of wine could be tricky. The majority of wines are made from grapes, but depending on its processing, your wine could be totally different from what you expected it to taste like. So, pop a bottle, kick up your feet and “treat yo’ self” to that #pricey bottle of vino you’ve been eyeing at the local liquor store. words_maria hernandez & rori kotch. design_rori kotch. photo_valentina escotet.

WHAT AM I TASTING? 4 3

2

5 6

1

8 7

9

Whether you’re drinking a bright, fruity white or a deep, complex red, there are different aromas and scents to every glass. According to Wine Folly, there are three types of aromas – the primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary aromas are usually the more fruity, herbal or flowery aromas. Secondary aromas can include fresh-baked bread, yeast or sour cream. The tertiary aromas are a byproduct of aging in oak casks or the bottle itself. These scents include vanilla, cloves, coconut, roasted nuts and baking spices.

1 Green Pepper

1 Cantaloupe

2 Bacon

2 Rosemary

3 Tobacco

3 Chamomile

4 Chamomile

4 Mint

5 Cinnamon

5 Green Apple

6 Chocolate

6 Lemon

7 Red Currant

7 Peppercorn

8 Berries 9 Coffee

12 DISTRACTION In The Loop

3

2

4

1

5 6

7

POPPIN’ BOTTLES ON A BUDGET

WINE PRODUCTION IN CALIFORNIA V. THE

We get it, wine can be fairly expensive and that double bottle of Barefoot Pinot is tempting. But sometimes, we simply can’t afford to splurge. That doesn’t mean our taste buds should suffer at the cost. Here are some high-quality wines that won’t break the bank.

REST OF THE U.S.

RED 1

Six Hats Shiraz 2014, around $13 on villagewinect.com

2 Big House Red 2013, $8.99 on winemadeeasy.com

3 Mas de Guiot Grenache, $13.99 on wine.com

WHITE 1 Fantinel Borgo Tesis Friuli Grave Pinot Grigio, around $17 on winefolder.com

2 Moshua Sauvignon Blanc 2015 for $12.99 on wine.com

3

Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, around $10 on wine.com

ROSE´ Portugal Ramos Vinho Verde DOC Rosé, around $8.29 on winemart.com

Out of all of the states, California produces the most wine.

According to the Wine Institute, California actually produces around 85 percent of wine in the U.S. 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001

California The U.S.

500 million 1 billion

1.5 billion

2 billion

Sources: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, The Wine Institute, Wine Folly, Wine Spectator

WINE PRODUCTION FROM 2001 to 2016 IN MILLIONS OF GALLONS According to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the wine production rate in the U.S. was the highest in 2014, with 171,879,718 million gallons produced.

200

2 Tussock Jumper Grenache, around $11 on wineoland.com

3

OTHER 1

171,879,718

Ameztoi Getariako Txakolina Rubentis 2015 for $22 on wine.com 150

Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Caste levetro Vigneto Cialdini for $19 on wine.com

2 Ruza White Zinfandel, around $17 on clubw.com

3 Scharffenberger Brut Rosé, around $17

100

on citywinecellar.com

Keep in mind that these aren’t the only wines that you should buy. Try new things, experiment with food combinations and find what you like best. So, get out there, swirl, sample and chug (if you’re 21 of course). *distraction does not support underage drinking. If you or a friend has a problem with alcohol please contact the Counseling Center at (305)-284-5511.

73,929,044

50 2001

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Sources: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, The Wine Institute, Wine Folly, Wine Spectator

All this info got you swooning? Check out Gulf Liquors (1535 Madruga Ave.), Grove Liquors (2969 McDonald St.) or Total Wine (11960 Mills Drive) for a wide selection of wines.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 13

WHAT’S IN

YOUR BAG? words & photo_sidney sherman. design_lindsey bornstein.

From Louis Vuittons to beat-up Herschels, you know that whatever you carry on your shoulder will eventually turn into an endless pit of trinkets. You vow to keep it organized for easy access to class essentials, but by week two, you realize that’s a pointless endeavor. We all can see what’s on the outside, but we want to know: what’s in your bag?

JULIA C, junior “I carry a sweatshirt to my classes because you never know which rooms will be freezing. It’s like walking from 90-degree weather into 20 degrees.

My physics book is a mess – just like my bag – but I always need it for studying so I might as well keep it around so I can study anywhere. When I’m in the library and I have a massive headache from all my work, I usually take an Aleve and I’m right back to work.”

SOPHIA K, junior “Evian spray makes my face feel fresh and clean after walking across campus in this heat. I also spend a lot of my free time in between, before and after classes at the pool so I get a lot of use out of my tanning oil.”

14 DISTRACTION In The Loop

LAUREN S, senior “I’m a pretty organized girl, especially when it comes to my schoolwork, so having my planner is a must. That also explains my extensive collection of highlighters, markers and white-out in my bag. I always have extra hair ties and hand sanitizer. They should be something that every girl has in her bag, whether she uses it or a friend asks.”

KYLE M, sophomore “My bag mainly consists of books and workout essentials because those are the main part of my day.

They don’t let you into the gym without a towel so I always have one. I can’t work out unless I’m listening to music.”

ASHLINN S, junior “I always carry an umbrella because I never know when it’s going to rain. Sometimes I’ll think it’s a beautiful day and then I find myself drenched on the way to Dooley to sit through two more classes.”

SOPHIE R, freshman “My hair is so not used to the humidity here being [that I’m] from the north, so I always have a brush to fix it.

Other than that, I just have my school books and other supplies for classes because I’m still working my way around here.”

October 2016 DISTRACTION 15

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Check out our website for more details. www.twiceconsign.com University students get 10% off every purchase on Sundays at both stores with proper ID.

Breaking down the 2016 ballot and everything that comes with it. words_asmae fahmy. photo_valentina escotet. design_allie pakrosnis & asmae fahmy.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 17

e t a d i d Can

OF THE

words_marissa vonesh. design & illustration_valentina escotet.

A sharp knife is deepening the wedge between political ideologies this election. Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, the Democratic and Republican nominees, have offered a divisive environment filled with Twitter wars, scandals and grotesque comments.

Many people are now looking to Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party candidate who has made a solid name for himself in the election. The candidates are harshly criticized by many voters, making the 2016 presidential election difficult to forget.

HILLARY

H

CLIN TON

illary Clinton has already grasped her claim to fame.

Clinton is the first woman in U.S. history to receive the presidential nomination of a major political party. She has continued to knock on the glass ceiling and fight for equality of the sexes.

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, Clinton attended Wellesley College for her undergraduate degree, then finished her studies at Yale Law School. Since then, Clinton’s career has been centered on women’s and children’s rights. While Bill served as governor of Arkansas, she stayed incredibly busy. She co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, served as the first female chair of Legal Services Corporation and was the first woman to become a partner at Rose Law Firm in Little Rock. Clinton later served an active role as the First Lady of the United States, working on healthcare policy, creating laws concerning adoption and foster care and providing Bill with feedback.

By the mid-‘90s, Clinton had established herself as a feminist icon and a strong leader. She continued her political pursuits by serving as New York’s senator from 2001-09, running for president in 2008 and serving as the secretary of state under the Obama Administration from 2009-13. Clinton’s plan for the presidency consists of liberal policies, including investing in America’s middle class by raising the minimum wage, promoting profit sharing and balancing family and work life. Her campaign is geared toward millennials and the middle class.

18 DISTRACTION Politics

es

DONALD

D

TRUMP

onald Trump, unlike the other presidential candidates, has not had an extensive amount of political experience. His background is rooted in business and entertainment endeavors. After studying at the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham University, Trump began his career investing in real estate, sports and entertainment. He established the Trump Organization based on his father’s real estate and construction company, was the executive producer and host of the reality TV program “The Apprentice” and has invested in beauty pageants such as Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Up until June 2015, Trump was widely known for his TV personality. Consequently, when Trump announced his plan to run for president, some considered it to be a joke. Yet, Trump has proven he is not backing down.

Trump’s business acumen has translated into his political campaign. Many of his policies revolve around economic issues. He plans to revitalize manufacturing jobs in the U.S. and reduce taxes for businesses to prevent job outsourcing.

He is promoting a more conservative ideology that would include the repeal of the Affordable Care Act and the securing of borders. The businessman-turned-politician is historically different from any other candidate, and if he wins, he will be the first president to hold the position without political experience. His conservative mindset is attracting a slightly older demographic of voters who hold customary values.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 19

GARY

G

JOH NSON

ary Johnson is the underdog of this year’s election.

Self-identified as fiscally conservative and socially liberal, the Libertarian Party’s presidential nominee is attempting to bridge the divide between ideologies. Johnson graduated from the University of New Mexico with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He became a self-made millionaire after creating Big-J Enterprises, a mechanical contracting business based off a door-to-door handyman business model he created in college. In 1994, Johnson decided to run for governor of New Mexico despite having no political experience and was elected for two terms.

During his time as governor, Johnson cut taxes and government spending, balanced New Mexico’s budget and focused on repairing the school system and the state’s infrastructure. He participated in the Republican Party primaries for the 2012 election and eventually took the Libertarian Party nomination for president that same year.

The third-party candidate needs at least 15 percent of the nation’s support to participate in the debates.

Johnson’s policies are mixed in nature. He advocates for tax cuts and opposes the Affordable Care Act while also supporting environmental endeavors and immigration reform. Johnson and his team hope to appeal to the segments of the American public that refuse to choose between Clinton and Trump.

20 DISTRACTION Politics

Views

SCANDALS & OPPOSING IDEOLOGIES DOMINATE THE ELECTION

T

he three candidates’ slogans, “Stronger Together,” “Make America Great Again” and “Our Best America Yet,” accurately summarize the opposing views. Clinton’s liberal policies echo a message of hope, strength in numbers and cooperation.

Trump appeals to traditional American patriotism, including conservative fiscal and religious matters. Johnson claims a bipartisan political force that advocates for the combination of an integrated community with a limited government.

Despite their differences, Clinton and Trump have both rallied attention for being the most feared, controversial and untrustworthy prospects for president, according to a political poll distributed by the New York Times. Clinton’s campaign has been swamped with controversy over her private email server while serving as secretary of state, and her team’s failure to turn information about the 2012 Benghazi attack over to the Department of State. This has created a lack of trust in Clinton as a transparent leader.

Trump’s scandals are more difficult to pinpoint than Clinton’s.

In a poll by the Morning Consult in May 2016, 2,000 registered voters were asked to choose the candidate they disliked more and explain two reasons for their disdain. Most results concerning Clinton revolved around her “corruption” and “inability” to be trusted, but respondents had a more difficult time pinpointing their reasons for disliking Trump. Trump’s sketchy business deals and mistreatment of women coupled with mafia allegations and the Trump University scam have all been cited for his unpopularity. However, voters seem most concerned about his racially-charged comments. Trump’s ability to play on stereotypes and make dramatic proclamations have created an alluring media environment and popularized political discussion, but many do not see that as an effective method for unifying the country.

Nevertheless, being able to voice an opinion and emphatically stand up for it is something that Trump’s strong personality promises to the American public.

“Whether or not people love or hate Trump, everyone can agree that Trump is a different type of candidate that we haven’t seen before,” Stephanie McKenna, the public relations chair of University of Miami’s College Republicans, said. “Trump knows how to steal the spotlight and in that regard, I think he is a good candidate for the times.”

Johnson is not as caught up in the grime of political gossip. However, in his recent controversy concerning the misidentification of the dominate Syrian city, Aleppo, Johnson has stirred up the idea that he too is unfit for the presidency.

Even with all the political disarray, the candidates continue to fight, especially for voters between the ages of 18 and 25.

Historically, this demographic has a lower voter turnout rate than older generations. If any of the candidates were to pull the majority of young voters, their chances of winning more electoral votes would substantially increase. With the heightened media attention and utilization of social media in the debates, many young Americans are aware of the headlines that have plagued the election. Students, regardless of how informed or uninformed they are about the details of the candidates, often discuss the race with an attitude of defeat – a feeling that there is not a wholesome option that could improve America’s future. The contrasting stances between the nominees often translate into division. It seems like the only thing people are agreeing on in

the presidential race is that it is unprecedented and concerning.

Despite previous political leanings, numerous students are questioning whether their Party’s candidate would be best to lead the United States. As the debates continue and November approaches, however, party allegiances are being consolidated.

“After the first debate, I think many Democrats see a clear choice,” Lourdes Bravo, a volunteer for Clinton’s campaign and former Miami-Dade teacher, said. “I feel Hillary is very competent. The divisiveness comes from the media.”

The endorsement of Trump by conservative Texas Senator Ted Cruz in September emphasizes similar consolidation of opinion among Republicans.

Citizens who still cannot comprehend what to do are turning to Johnson. Although not guaranteed to win, Johnson can appear to be a promising character when juxtaposed with Clinton and Trump.

“Gary Johnson represents those who feel marginalized by Washington, D.C. and the two-party system that doesn’t represent the younger generation very well,” Steven Buibuish, a junior studying economics, said. “I do think that the younger generation, in particular, would agree with his policies more if he had more exposure.”

The 2016 election has been more about the character, dirt and emotion of the two most unpopular presidential candidates in American history. With Johnson in the mix of the chaos, it is unclear who the popular choice for the presidency is. Will the debates turn out to be a messy popularity contest, or will the American public decide on a true leader who is fit to lead the nation?

October 2016 DISTRACTION 21

BEFORE YOU VOTE

words_ shellie frai. design_ana gonzalez & jamie shub. illustrations_jamie shub.

If you’re clueless about the election process, you’re not alone. For your referral, we’ve laid out all you need to know before Nov. 8.

VOTER REGISTRATION

PLACES TO VOTE

VOTE BY MAIL

Not registered to vote yet?

C’mon – anyone can do it, and it’s not as time-consuming as you’d think. Fill out the voter registration form online at dos.myflorida.com and mail it to the indicated address. Make sure you do it before Oct. 11 so you can participate in this year’s general election.

If you’re registered in the state of Florida and live in the Miami-Dade area, you can vote at the Adrienne Arsht Center, the Coral Gables Branch Library, the Shenandoah Branch Library, the Model City Branch Library, the North Shore Branch Library and even the BUC.

Too lazy to leave the house to cast your vote? Any voter registered in Florida can vote by an absentee mail ballot. All you have to do is apply online

by Nov. 2 and the ballot will be mailed to you. Once you fill out the ballot, attach a copy of your ID and mail it in before Nov. 8.

VOTING TURNOUT VOTER TURNOUT

VOTING PROCESS

1

During the general election, which occurs every four years on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November (we know, it’s slightly confusing), citizens head to the polls to cast their vote for president.

2

The votes casted count as the popular vote, and while the votes are for a specific candidate, ballots will not be counted in determining the winner of the election but will determine which candidate receives our state’s electors.

3

The electors are a group of people who are part of the Electoral College, which is the process used to elect the U.S. president and vice president. The Electoral College was established by our founding fathers as a compromise between electing the president based off a vote in Congress and electing the president based off the popular vote of qualified citizens.

4

57.5%

2012

2014

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, people’s biggest reason for not voting was that they were “too busy.”

Other excuses included that they were not interested, forgot or were out of town.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

does my vote So, really matter?

There are 538 electors, and a candidate needs more than half (270) to win the election. Each state’s number of electors is equal to the number of its senators and representatives. The elector selection process varies from state to state, but it usually occurs by a vote of the party’s central committee. By the way, Florida has 29 electors.

INSERT BALLOT

22 DISTRACTION Politics

36%

YES.

Every vote matters.

When you vote for president, your vote is counted in the state election rather than the national. While you can’t be sure if your vote may count more or less in comparison to someone living in another state, it’s crucial to your state’s representation in the national election.

#TRENDING:

ELECTION

Scroll through your Facebook feed at any point in the day and you’re bound to come across a post about this year’s presidential election. Social media has become an outlet for individuals to voice their viewpoints and engage in heated debates over issues they would perhaps be too shy to talk about. In recent years, social media has played a large part in political campaigns, requiring politicians and news outlets to enter the digital sphere to engage a new – and key – demographic. words_sumra wahid. design_marissa vonesh.

O

ne of the benefits social media provides in the political process is an increased reach to the young demographic. Many young voters find it difficult to connect with candidates, but social media provides that opportunity by including them in the political process. Non-profits and third-party political groups often use their social media platforms to create ‘get out and vote’ campaigns. These campaigns have proven to be effective by engaging audiences and providing them with immediate access to voter registration.

The way campaigns are run today differs greatly from the way they were run in the past. Candidates have social media managers and accounts on all platforms. These accounts serve as a way for candidates to reach out to their constituents and push out information. They use social media to promote their brand, similar to the way many celebrities have. Social media offers a mechanism for politicians to be easily accessible to their voters and allows them to promote themselves without having to shell out the money for traditional methods. It also offers

politicians the ability to address issues immediately, avoiding the need to issue a formal statement.

The tricky part of social media, however, is keeping the account genuine. An account for a politician or candidate is rarely run by the actual person and more often run by a team tasked with crafting tweets and posts to be relatable to voters. When a candidate or elected official does create the

THE WAY CAMPAIGNS ARE RUN TODAY DIFFERS GREATLY FROM THE WAY THEY WERE RUN IN THE PAST. message themselves, he or she signs the post with his or her initials.

However, sometimes posts sent out by the politicians themselves can cause more controversy than those put out by the team behind the account. During this presidential election we have seen several examples of this, notably the Clinton-Trump Twitter exchange where Clinton (or her social media manager) responded to a Trump tweet with “Delete your account.” People in the Twittersphere found this response hilarious and entertaining, but this is

only another problem. Social media has turned the most important event in our nation’s political process into a form of entertainment no different than memes or watching the Kardashians.

Candidates aren’t the only ones to reach out through social media.

Celebrity endorsements and supporters also utilize their social media presence to promote their choice of candidate.

During the 2008 and 2012 presidential races, artists such as Beyoncé and Tom Hanks showed their support for President Obama in Instagram posts to their millions of followers. Although the argument, “Beyoncé does it, so I should too,” isn’t exactly appropriate, the pop star’s activism does increase the chance that some of her fans will see her actions and endorsements and adjust their views accordingly. Someone who is ambivalent to Clinton as a president may begin to show their support when they see celebrities such as Uzo Aduba, Kerry Washington and the Clooneys supporting her campaign. Celebrities today hold that much influence.

Overall, it looks as though social media is a political tool that will only continue to play a large part in the current and future elections. It is used by both voters and candidates to gain information and enact influence.

Sometimes it feels difficult to be heard over the millions of voices on the Internet, but social media also gives everyone a voice. Despite the political circus on social media, the political process has become accessible on a whole new level and is reaching an entirely new group of people – you, the young adult. Whether we know it or not, our generation is shaping a system that has been in place for years.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 23

THE

ALTERNATIVE

Vote words_teddy wilson. design & illustration_sarah schoening.

Third party success in history

24 DISTRACTION Politics

The controversial nature of this year’s presidential election is undoubtedly a consequence of the Democratic and Republican candidates themselves.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton leans left in the political spectrum whereas businessman Donald Trump represents the right.

T

he natural result of this predicament is that both politicians face brutal opposition from their rival parties. Paramount to this election, however, is the huge volume of intraparty dissatisfaction. For a slew of reasons, neither candidate has been able to grasp sound support from his/her entire party and voters are left feeling torn between “the lesser of two evils.”

This difficult situation begs the question: “What are my other options?”

But the answer to this question is almost always dismissed as a non-option.

Third parties in the United States have generally been deemed irrelevant, a discouraging circumstance for this election’s Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein. This is due, in part, to the attitude of the electorate, as well as the nation’s rigid two-party system.

The two-party system has been a prevalent feature of U.S. politics since it became a sovereign nation. Despite historical shifts in ideology and the emergence of new parties, there have always been only two dominant parties comprising the majority of the government. Any success of third parties in the past has been extremely short-lived.

“I understand that people vote for third party candidates because they may not like the two-party system,” said UM junior Coleman Reardon. “I think the most important thing is that people research possible candidates and vote for the one who aligns most with their own values.”

Third parties seem to be trapped in a cycle of disadvantages that hinder them from truly being considered. They are

constantly battling to gain traction with the populace, but fail to do so because of legislation that bars them from standing or debating on the same stage as major political party candidates. The reason for the existence of such legislation is that third party candidates do not typically have enough popular support.

How can the party gain supporters if they are refused the same coverage as the two major candidates?

Besides an inadequate amount of social presence, third parties have a shy track record of success because actually voting for a third party candidate is considered risky. Many constituents fear that because of a third party candidate’s relatively low level of support, a ballot case for these candidates is a waste of a vote. Others take this idea even further, claiming that a vote for a third party is a vote for one of the two major parties’

THIRD PARTIES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE GENERALLY BEEN DEEMED IRRELEVANT. candidates, as it takes away from the overall state population’s votes for them.

This stigma is built upon the assumptions people make about other’s voting habits. If people were to follow their conscience rather than stipulations, then third parties might experience an increase in popular support. There is much to be done by our government before any significant adjustments will be made to create an even playing field for third parties, and in the heated election climate of today, trust in these alternative choices might be the solution

IN THIS ELECTION...

Considering the alternative vote? Here’s a quick guide to this year’s third parties and what they stand for.

Libertarian Party •

• • • •

Disagree on pro-choice issues: U.S. healthcare should not cover abortion expenses No formal stance on death penalty Believe in free market without any government intervention Want to end government financial support of public schools Support separation of church and state

Green Party • • •

•

•

Believe in pro-choice issues; U.S. healthcare should cover abortion expenses Opposes the death penalty in the U.S. and worldwide Believe in an economic system that puts people and ecological needs alongside profits to measure success Support equal access to high-quality education and want to increase financial aid for college students Support separation of church and state

October 2016 DISTRACTION 25

CRUSH IT. User Experience Research Methods (CIM622) is about designing for the consumer. Learn how to develop a product in a user-centric method, where you'll employ ethnography, questionnaires, online marketing and usability testing. Leave your prior notions behind, this is a whole new way of thinking. Take it in spring 2017 to broaden your horizons.

Black Tea

words_lizzie wilcox. photo_valentina escotet. design_asmae fahmy.

In a society that is so focused on prescriptions, painkillers and quick fixes, we tend to forget that there are more natural and effective ways to fight that cold, headache or bout of nausea – tea. Whether you drown it in sugar or like it as strong as your morning coffee, tea is loaded with healing properties that do more than warm your body.

FOR A WAKE-UP CALL For caffeine lovers (read: college students), black tea is the way to go.

It is the tea with the highest caffeine content and is believed to protect your lungs against cigarette smoke and lower your chances of a stroke. While tea is a healthier alternative to coffee, sometimes it is hard to make the switch because it doesn’t have as much caffeine, making that 8 a.m. even more of a struggle. But trust us, it’s worth it.

FOR A NAUSEA SEND-OFF Whether it’s from the dining hall food, a bad case of the stomach flu or a rough night in the Grove, nausea is never fun. Despite the source, ginger tea is always a solution. Not only does it alleviate nausea, but it also helps digest food and holds anti-inflammatory properties. Don’t like the zing in ginger?

Peppermint tea can also be used to soothe an upset stomach or any other aches and pains.

FOR A STRESS-FREE YOU Chamomile and lemon balm tea should basically be the official sponsors of finals week. The chamomile herb can reduce stress and insomnia, making it the perfect prescription for tossing and turning in bed with thoughts of

Green Tea

studying, papers and group projects.

Lemon balm tea is also known to ease tension and lower levels of anxiety. To help even more with the inevitable long hours at Club Richter, it also increases memory capacity.

FOR A HAPPY BODY With a distinctive and widely recognized smell, lavender tea can cure your body on the inside and out. Internally, it is used to remedy coughs, fevers, and asthma and bronchitis symptoms.

Externally, it helps heal ulcers, sores, cuts and wounds. If you’re thinking more about your liver, milk thistle tea should really be a staple in your diet.

The milk thistle herb cleans your liver and improves its functionabiity. Who doesn’t need a good liver cleanse after a tailgate?

On a general note, it is so easy to get sick during college. Whether it is from the close quarters of the freshman dorms or the insanely demanding course load of senior year, your immune system can always use a boost. Teas such as green tea are packed with antioxidants that improve immune health and prevent even the smallest of things that can make you feel run down, like the common cold.

Our best advice to you: before grabbing that Advil or sleeping pill, drink a cup of tea.

Ginger Tea

NOT-SO-SKINNY TEA A cure-all, detoxifying substance is the ultimate dream after you’ve been busy and haven’t hit the gym or you’ve driven through McDonald’s for the fourth time this week. Teatoxes, called skinny tea, may seem like your answer, but buyer beware.

Skinny teas often contain the senna leaf – a mighty plant that has a laxative effect on the body, leading to irritation, cramps and diarrhea. Although the tea might promise weight loss and increased energy, after more than a few days, the tea sucks out essential nutrients and leaves you uncomfortably grabbing your stomach. Do your wallet and your tummy a favor and stick to antioxidant-rich green tea and trust your body’s natural way of cleaning out toxins.

These different teas possess different benefits.

Some have been proven to aid in memory, energy and stress reduction.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 27

mind

words_denise ozturk. design_lindsey bornstein.

Have you ever considered that maybe your favorite restaurant is your favorite because the colors in the decor make you feel calm, relaxed or even hungrier?

Extensive research has shown that colors affect our disposition, blood pressure and can even go as far as to heal stomach pains. Being exposed to certain colors in your bedroom, classroom or clothes can alter your mood immediately. Colors can also have physical influences. Some colors can ellicit irritiation and dampen our moods, while others have the potential to do the exact opposite.

Maybe you’ll think about more than just your favorite color next time you choose to repaint your walls.

blues

Though blue may be associated with negative vibes, it is actually proven to create high levels of productivity. If you work in a room with a soft tone of blue in it, you will have clear thoughts, a calm mind and become more focused. It has been shown to lower pulse rates, body temperatures and make people feel relaxed.

Black and white are colors that are thought to represent class. These two tones symbolize opposite things as well. Black absorbs all the light in the color spectrum and can make people feel scared, therefore creating a perception of seriousness. On the other hand, white is total reflection. It gives off a heightened perception of space, represents purity and reduces any feelings of disappointment.

black & white 28 DISTRACTION Health & Wellness

warm colors

Something that doesn’t relieve stress is Miami traffic. That is because red gives the impression that time is passing faster than it actually is. Even worse – warmer colors increase your appetite and make you want to eat more. If you are counting your calories, stay away from restaurants that mainly use red, yellow or orange décor. Yellow is the most fatiguing to the eye because it reflects so much light. It increases your metabolism and can cause you to get angry. Orange, on the other hand, is an inviting color that typically makes people feel comfortable.

Research has shown that people who work in a green-toned room have fewer aches and complaints about their health. It may be hard to understand, but green is believed to have a healing power. It also relieves stress. Junior Vanessa Gonzalez says that when she sees green, she feels like her mind is more at ease.

“Sometimes I’ll put a picture of an animal in a green area to help me with writing … I’ve heard it stimulates creativity as well,” she said.

greens

COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES In our preschool years, there was nothing more satisfying than pulling out our robin’s egg blue crayon from that 64-crayon pack (with a builtin sharpener, of course) to color in our “Rugrats”-themed coloring book. The calming, happy feeling that came with coloring can still be experienced as an adult.

Adult coloring books are filled with pages of intricate designs, from mandalas to lions to paisley patterns, that take time to color. Many of these books claim to be a kind of art therapy tool that instill mindfulness and meditation. Art therapy is used to improve mental health through the creative process to develop social skills, increase self-esteem and reduce anxiety, among other factors. While the extent to which these coloring books help achieve this is debated, they’re still renown for dissipating stress and tension.

violets

Purple is the perfect blend of red energy and blue stability. Lighter tones of purple can give you romantic and nostalgic feelings. Gems of this color are said to calm your anxiety and leave you refreshed. On the opposite end of the spectrum, darker shades of purple can make you irritable, impatient or arrogant. If you ever have the need to feel like a king or queen, put on some purple, because this hue is associated with royalty too.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 29

BODY BUILDIN 30 DISTRACTION Health & Wellness

Julio Mendoza, a personal trainer at Onyx Signature Gym, breaks a sweat after a long workout.

Mendoza works out four hours a day, six times a week to maintain his physique.

G 101

words_ gina fleites. photo_ valentina escotet. design_ jamie shub.

As soon as you step into the gym, you can immediately tell who the regulars are.

They seem to know the layout of the room better than the people who work there, and confidently approach each machine as if they’ve been on it 1,000 times.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 31

Y

ou know them: the ripped guys in muscle tees going crazy on the bench press or staring at themselves in the mirror, counting their reps as they lift dumbbells. Then you see the girls – the ones with the rock-hard abs who look like they’ve completed the squat challenge…at least twice. It takes more than just commitment to look like these people, and many have had to face a lot of challenges and pressure to look as fit as they do. So what’s their secret?

ROUTINES ROUTINES The best way to start bodybuilding is to keep up a consistent schedule. Know how many sets and how many reps per set you’ll be doing each time and stick to it. Working out five days a week and eating the right foods is your best bet, but make sure to give yourself one to two days of rest to let your muscles heal.

Sophomore Alex Tepper works out five days a week, targeting a different muscle each day to give the muscles time to heal.

“I usually bench for chest, curls for triceps and forearms, and leg press.

I run to the gym for more stamina,” Tepper said. “After I have finished my workout, I wait 10 to 15 minutes to cool down and I drink a protein shake, which really helps to get results.”

Keep in mind that building muscle mass can take time. Don’t expect to wake up after one workout with some mean quads or bulging biceps. Have patience when following your routine, and you’ll soon notice the results.

DIET Finding the perfect balanced diet can be tough, but if you really want to build muscle, exercise alone won’t cut it.

Having the right diet can make all the difference in your bodybuilding journey.

There are several high-protein options that are essential for building muscle. Egg whites and lean meats are the perfect combination of high protein and low fat. Fish, beans and starches such as brown rice and wholewheat pasta are also great options to incorporate in your diet.

“I eat clean except for one cheat day, and I carb cycle, so I focus on eating a higher intake of carbs on leg days,” senior Katya Bachorz said.

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STEROIDS Anabolic steroids, which have been the source of one too many controversies after being injected by some athletes, are actually synthetic versions of testosterone. People take ‘roids to improve athletic performance, increase muscle size and reduce body fat, but the side effects can be extreme. For men, there can be breast development, infertility, shrunken testicles, decreased sperm count and erectile dysfunction.

For women, the side effects include excessive facial and body hair, deepened voices, reduced breast size and menstrual irregularities. That’s not all, though. For both genders, there is a huge chance of acne, baldness, heart attacks, bad cholesterol, oily scalp and skin, mood swings, an enlarged heart and jaundice, the yellowing of the skin. Are the gains really worth this? We think not, and that there are plenty of natural, harmless alternatives that can be taken instead.

PRE-WORKOUT “Go big or go home” – that’s how pre-workout supplements like C4, N.O.-Xplode and Optimum Nutrition make you feel. About 15 minutes before working out, some people put pre-workout in their water and chug it. Pre-workout not only causes your energy to skyrocket, but it also increases your focus and endurance. So, when you would have otherwise felt like you couldn’t keep going after that last set, pre-workout makes you feel like you can do five more.

While it’s great to be able to go hard at the gym, there’s a dark side to taking these powerful supplements. Pre-workout is like taking eight espresso shots at once, except instead of just caffeine, it’s filled with other dangerous substances like creatine, which causes you to gain weight by pulling water into your muscle cells and increasing protein synthesis. It can also cause heart problems, tachycardia, kidney damage, diarrhea and muscle cramps. Additionally, pre-workouts often contain Arginine, which is an amino acid made by the body that, when taken moderately, has benefits such as improving blood flow, remedying heart problems and treating erectile dysfunction. If taken at large doses for too long, however, it can cause opposite, long-term effects. The most physically evident side effects come from Niacin (Vitamin B3). Increased doses of Niacin cause flushing (along with a case of the jitters), itching and an upset stomach, which explains why people look cracked out when they take pre-workout. The worst part is that once you start gaining a pre-workout tolerance, you have to take higher dosages, which can damage your heart.

Regardless of these facts, many people still resort to pre-workout for that extra push. Others like Bachorz are against it.

“I don’t take pre-workout,” Bachorz said. “I’m really sensitive to anything that increases my heart rate, so sometimes I’ll take coffee if I’m feeling too tired.”

For other people, pre-workout is an essential. Freshman Danny Gonzalez’ makes it a stable part of his gym routine.

“I have to take pre-workout. I can’t work out without it. It gives me so much energy and when I’m lifting, I’m more concentrated on my muscles and completing the reps and sets all the way,” Gonzalez said. “The only thing that sucks is that if I take it at like 6 or 7 p.m., I have a lot of trouble falling asleep at night.”

It’s best to stay away from substances that have negative long-term effects, even if they seem to be helping in the short-term.

START TODAY We all know the feeling: “Yeah, I want to work out, I want to look fit…but ugh, do I really want to get up from watching ‘Narcos’ to put in some work at the gym right now?”

The only way to see results is to start working for them. Lay out your schedule and make sure you stick to it as much as possible, but go at your own pace if necessary.

It’s important to find a balance in the gym and in the kitchen, and to make healthy decisions every day in order to maintain your progress.

However, don’t forget to let yourself rest in between. The perfect physique won’t just happen over night. With patience, practice and a little bit of a push, you’ll get there.

It’s important to find a balance in the gym and in the kitchen and to make healthy decisions everyday.

ENERGY BOOST Coffee Research shows that drinking coffee before your workout actually makes it more enjoyable. In a study published by the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, people who consumed caffeine before their workout actually burned 15 percent more calories in three hours compared to those who took a supplement. Coffee is also beneficial for exercise because it creates more endurance, allowing you to finish your workout with reduced muscle pain.

Furthermore, it improves circulation, preserves muscles and increases muscle fuel. The best part is that when consuming a caffeine-carb combo for a workout, there is a 66 percent increase in muscle glycogen for four hours after – this means that the next time you work out, you’ve upped your ability to go hard at the gym for a longer amount of time.

Yerba Mate Yerba Mate is a great option for those who aren’t too crazy about coffee. It’s a nutritious stimulant tea containing healthy vitamins that provides a gentler buzz than coffee without any unpleasant side effects. Instead of caffeine, it contains mateine, which is similar, but doesn’t have any side effects. It also increases metabolism and energy, burning fat in the process.

What’s even better is that it has a relaxing effect that can help calm your emotions (the opposite of what steroids do), as well as stop unhealthy cravings.

Additionally, it slows down the rate of gastric emptying, which means that you feel fuller longer and are less likely to overeat. Other benefits? It’s helpful to your heart by increasing the supply of oxygen, unlike pre-workout. It is also believed to reduce inflammation of the lungs, relax your blood vessels and increase circulation.

Music The most natural way to get ready for the gym is to pump up some music and jam, regardless of which genre gets you moving.

“Listening to energetic rap music helps me get mentally and physically ready to put in work at the gym,” sophomore Hailey Werner said.

Jamming out enhances your athletic performance and helps you maintain that build up. It’s a good idea to make a playlist of songs that get you excited and ready to work out so you don’t have to distract yourself by changing tunes.

The perception of bodybuilding has recently shifted. What once was considered an extreme has slowly become more of a norm.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 33

TRAIN words_katya bachorz & gina fleites. photo_valentina escotet. design_jamie shub.

It’s fairly common for students to go to the gym to exercise and feel as if they’re not doing it right. In order to see results quickly, it’s necessary to work out the right way so that your body can properly build the muscles it needs.

The consequences of doing an exercise the wrong way are real: pulled muscles, fatigue and the worst, no visible results.

Here are some exercises to get you where you want to be. Perform four sets of 12 for all of these.

LATERAL RAISES

LEARN THE LINGO

BE

DUMBBELL CURLS

MILITARY PRESS

Hold a dumbbell in each hand, bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells up to your chest and back to the starting position.

Make sure your movements are slow. Don’t arch your back or tense your shoulders.

Grab a barbell with your palms facing forward and place it on your collarbone. Without locking your knees or elbows, lift it up at shoulder level and then above your head. Lower the bar down to your collarbone.

BARBELL SQUAT

PULL-UPS

Place the barbell on your traps with your head facing forward.

Stand in a hip-width stance with slightly turned out feet. Go down with your knees aligned with your feet and your torso upright. Keep your weight on your heels when you go up.

Grab onto a bar and jump up so your chest touches it. Try to hold yourself up for five seconds. If you can, lower yourself back down in a controlled manner. Continue trying until you can do a regular pull-up.

BOX PUSH-UPS

LEG PRESS

Place your hands shoulderwidth apart on a box and keep your body in a straight line.

With your legs together, bend your elbows and lower your chest to the box. Then, lift your body upwards.

Sit on a leg press machine and place your legs on the platform. Push the platform all the way up with the heels of your feet until your legs are fully extended with no locked knees.

Proceed to lower them down to a 90-degree angle.

FLEX

Stand straight with your torso in a fixed position. Hold one dumbbell in each hand and lift your arms to your side without locking your elbows. Keep them parallel to the floor. Slowly go back down and repeat.

INCLINE SIT-UPS

Sit on a decline bench with your feet behind the pads. Lay on your back with your arms crossed. Lift your body upwards until your upper body forms a 90-degree angle with your thighs. Inhale while going down, exhale while going up.

34 DISTRACTION Health & Wellness

To bend and show off muscles GAINS Used to describe progress made with exercise

MEATHEAD Someone who is extremely muscular, wears cut-off T-shirts, lifts weights and drinks gallon jugs of water (thanks for making it popular, “Jersey Shore”) GORILLA JUICE A term for steroids

TTER

Mendoza poses to accentuate his chest muscles. He had just finished a handful of push-ups which are a great body weight exercise.

PROTEIN SHAKE ESSENTIALS Protein helps produce muscles, so if you’re trying to build that booty or bigger guns, it’s essential to drink a protein shake right after your workout. Protein is also useful for losing weight because it helps to manage your weight by filling you up. Don’t forgo these ingredients when making your next shake.

WHEY

EGG

RICE

HEMP

Whey is a protein supplement that supports lean muscle growth and fat loss. Just be careful if you are lactose intolerant.

Egg protein is made from dehydrated egg whites.

The protein is rich in vitamins and minerals in addition to proteins.

Considered a carbohydrate, rice is also rich in protein, vitamin B and fiber, which aid in maintaining muscles.

Derived from the seeds of the cannabis plant, hemp has a mix of fatty acids and protein.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 35

Ghostly silhouettes, tormented spirits and haunting woods.

Drape yourself with lace elements, gossamer fabrics and soft whites to be effortlessly eerie and blend behind the ghouls of your nightmares. You never know where they might be hiding; they might even be in your own backyard. photo_valentina escotet. location_university of miami arboretum. design_allie pakrosnis, asmae fahmy & valentina escotet. styling_ jade simmons, olivia stauber & vivian braga. models_brett weinstein, daniel folks, emily collins, georgie young & jake bozentka. hair & makeup_ ellery jones.

36 DISTRACTION Fashion

sheer

On Emily: lace jumpsuit, Kendall+Kylie; unicorn mask, Amazon. On Daniel: jacket, Vintage Gucci; shirt, Rag+Bone; pants, BLK DNM; unicorn mask, Amazon.

horror October 2016 DISTRACTION 37

sheer

horror

On Brett: vintage top, TWICE Boutique; velvet pants, Escada. On Daniel: shirt, Burberry; pants, BLK DNM; bear mask, Amazon.

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On Georgie: cream silk dress, Vintage Karl Lagerfeld; bunny mask, Halloween City.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 39

sheer

horror

On Emily: lace jumpsuit, Kendall+Kylie; goat mask, Amazon.

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October 2016 DISTRACTION 41

sheer

horror

On Brett: top, Topshop; skirt, Trouvé; masquerade mask, Halloween City. On Jake: shirt, Express; pants, Ralph Lauren; goat mask, Amazon. On Georgie: cream silk dress, Vintage Karl Lagerfeld; bunny mask, Halloween City. On Daniel: jacket, Vintage Gucci; shirt, Rag+Bone; pants, BLK DNM; bear mask, Amazon. On Emily: lace jumpsuit, Kendall+Kylie; unicorn mask, Amazon.

42 DISTRACTION Fashion

On Georgie: shirt, Chloe & Katie; pants, Topshop.

On Daniel: shirt, Rag+Bone; pants, BLK DNM; bear mask, Amazon. On Emily: dress, Kendall+Kylie. On Jake: jacket, model’s own; shirt, Express; pants, Ralph Lauren. On Brett: vintage top, TWICE Boutique; velvet pants, Escada.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 43

On Emily: lace jumpsuit, Kendall+Kylie.

On Brett: top, Topshop; skirt, Trouvé.

On Georgie: cream silk dress, Vintage Karl Lagerfeld.

44 DISTRACTION Fashion

sheer

horror

On Jake: shirt, Express; pants, Ralph Lauren; bear mask, Amazon. On Daniel: jacket, Vintage Gucci; shirt, Rag+Bone; pants, BLK DNM; goat mask, Amazon.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 45

sheer

horror

On Brett: shirt, Topshop; skirt, Trouvé; masquerade mask, Halloween City.

On Jake: shirt, Express; pants, Ralph Lauren.

On Georgie: cream silk dress, Vintage Karl Lagerfeld. On Daniel: jacket, Vintage Gucci; shirt, Rag+Bone; pants, BLK DNM.

46 DISTRACTION Fashion

NOT YOUR BASIC Bunny words & illustration_olivia stauber. design_allie pakrosnis & lindsey bornstein.

Fall is the season for fashion – after all, September is called fashion month. New York, London, Paris and Milan are all awash with scores of models and designers. It’s basically the Olympics of the fashion world. As if keeping up with the whirlwind of fashion week wasn’t enough, you have to follow all the Halloween trends. So what does that leave for the styles concerned? There are numerous ways to create off a perfectly crafted, style-blog-ready look. Costumes that will elevate your Halloween style range from an ‘80s Madonna to Rosemary Woodhouse from “Rosemary’s Baby.” You need to choose what vibe you’re going for before you figure out where to shop. Still need more inspiration? Distraction has some ideas.

LOOK: PENNY LANE

LOOK: GOTH

WHERE TO SHOP: THRIFT STORES, ZARA & NORDSTROM

WHERE TO SHOP: CONSIGNMENT STORES, ZARA & PARTY CITY (JUST FOR THIS ONE)

Kate Hudson’s Penny Lane from “Almost Famous” is iconic. Her character encapsulates everything about the ‘70s music culture. Think bell-bottom jeans, small camis and a giant throw-over jacket to top off the look. Incorporate lots of corduroy, faux fur and velvet. Pair bellbottoms with a lace or silk cami or an embroidered peasant blouse. Finally, for the pièce de résistance, scope your nearest thrift store for a faux fur jacket. Penny wears it so effortlessly in the movie and the jacket screams casual, cool groupie. Make sure to top everything off with colored sunglasses and platforms.

LOOK: BUNNY WHERE TO SHOP: CONSIGNMENT & VINTAGE STORES I know you’re thinking: “Wait, isn’t this the number one overdone Halloween costume?” Not when you do it the fashionable way. There are great consignment stores in the Miami area.

Twice boutique has beautiful dresses that have an awesome old-school feel to them.

Get a delicate wire bunny ears headband or a decorative bunny mask with a vintage feel. A cream, pastel or ivory silk dress with the mask and ears will make you the most graceful bunny at the ball.

For this look, think Wednesday Adams – black tights or fishnets and black creeper shoes (if you really wanna go for it – Puma’s Fenty X Rihanna Creepers are perfect). Add a black dress, preferably one that’s long and creepy, or a black school skirt with a black button-down complete with a Victorian white collar. Throw on some black lipstick (check Urban Decay or Lime Crime) and cake your eyes with eyeliner until they have the same dark, formiddable look as Wednesday’s. Take it one step further by placing your hair in two braids, and you’re ready to go.

LOOK: MIA WALLACE FROM “PULP FICTION” WHERE TO SHOP: FOREVER 21 & ZARA Because of “Pulp Fiction’s” iconic reputation, this costume is simple and timeless. The outfit you would want to emulate is the one from Mia’s famous overdose scene. All you’ll need is black tapered pants, a white button-down, a dark lace bra, a fake cigarette and a black bobbed wig.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 47

@killerivyswimwear

www.killerivyswimwear.com

KILLER IVY SWIMWEAR Killer bikinis guarantee Ivy stares

words_sumra wahid. photo_alisha kabir. design_allie pakrosnis.

If you’ve found yourself slapping your body at the mere shadow of a bug or getting incessant calls from your mom about wearing bug spray, you’re not alone. The fear of a mosquito transmitting a virus to your body isn’t a new one, but when it comes to Zika, the issue hits close to home for University of Miami students.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 49

UM President Julio Frenk hosted an array of experts on tropical diseases, pediatrics and obstetrics for the Zika Global Forum on Sept. 8th.

A panel of doctors and researchers gathered to discuss the virus, which has been spreading in South Florida since this summer.

The Global Forum fostered an exchange of ideas by the medical community at UM and allowed a combination of forces to work toward finding a vaccine for Zika.

During the panel, experts explained what Zika is and what is being done to treat and prevent it. Many of the speakers have started to develop tests for detecting the virus.

“This is a problem for all citizens of all cities. It’s what you are doing every time you go outside. We have pregnant women to protect.

That is our responsibility and we must take ownership of it,” Dr. Paola Lichtenberger, an infectious disease specialist, said.

WHAT IS ZIKA? Zika is a virus that has plagued people in underdeveloped tropical climates for decades. The most recent strain has been transmitted locally in South Florida. Zika is spread mainly by the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, but can also be sexually transmitted, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Although those infected may have very mild or even no symptoms, the most severe effects of the virus appear in pregnant women. The virus is more often than not transmitted to the fetus in utero, which can lead to birth defects such as microcephaly, which is when a baby is born with a smaller head.

1947 Zika was originally discovered in 1947 in a rhesus macaque monkey in Uganda’s Zika Forest. The monkey had developed a fever and similar symptoms humans may exhibit when infected with Zika. The following year, that same virus was extracted from mosquitoes in the area, and Zika was classified as a transmissible disease. Human infection was seen four years later in Uganda and Nigeria. From there, the virus spread to equatorial Africa and Asia.

2013 In 2013, Zika made its way to Oceania, the area of the Pacific that includes countries such as Australia and Fiji. This was the second largest outbreak of Zika in the world, with 8,723 cases reported.

2007 Up until 2007, only 14 human cases of Zika were reported in Africa and Southeast Asia.

However during that year, a Zika outbreak ravaged the Yap Islands, a cluster of islands in the Pacific Ocean. This was the first report of Zika outside of Africa and Southeast Asia since the virus was identified 50 years prior. A total of 108 cases were reported in the outbreak.

2015 The largest epidemic of Zika has swept Latin America in the past two years. The first case of Zika in the Western Hemisphere was in Brazil in 2015. Soon after, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador and Jamaica were declared countries of active transmission of the virus, and women were advised to postpone pregnancy until more information about the virus and its risks was available.

2016 In the U.S., local transmission of Zika was reported in the Wynwood and Miami Beach areas, with a total of 70 cases and counting. On Sept. 19, after months of stagnant business in the normally tourist-packed area, Florida Gov. Rick Scott lifted the Zika advisory placed on Wynwood by the Florida Department of Health during the summer. Aerial spraying of Miami Beach began on Sept. 9 despite controversy and protests against Naled, the chemical compound used to kill adult mosquitoes. Naled allegedly has neurotoxic effects which protesters claim do more damage than Zika. The University of Miami has also been sprayed.

Cutter, a top selling bug spray, is held ready to apply. Bug spray has been seen more commonly at UM ever since the Zika outbreak.

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HEALTH CONCERNS

SYMPTOMS TRANSMISSION Zika has become widespread because it is transmitted primarily through mosquitoes, which are heavily present in South Florida and other tropical climates. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is known for being “an aggressive daytime biter,” but bites at night as well. These mosquitoes can mate with mosquitoes that previously did not carry the virus, creating hybrids and increasing the potential for Zika to spread.

A less acknowledged method of Zika transmission is sexual intercourse.

Zika can be transmitted through sexual acts, including oral sex, and may pass onto a partner before the infected person exhibits any symptoms and even after those symptoms have ceased.

It is also suspected that Zika can be transmitted through blood transfusions, which is why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration calls for donated blood to be screened for the virus.

Those affected with the virus don’t always exhibit symptoms. Sometimes, they will only have a mild case of the virus that is mistaken for other ailments.

However, some of the symptoms include fever, rash, joint pain, conjunctivitis (pink eye), muscle pain and headaches.

According to the CDC, the symptoms can last from several days to a week and usually disappear without medical treatment. There have been no reports of fatalities from Zika on its own; however, there have been cases where a patient who tested positive for Zika has had its symptoms contribute to their death when combined with other health complications. Babies born with microcephaly, a common health effect of Zika, are also subject to low life expectancy.

The greatest concern with Zika, and what brought it to the center of media attention, is how it affects babies.

Smaller skulls could lead to smaller brains and warped development.

Microcephaly can also lead to other health problems such as eye defects, hearing loss and impaired growth.

Since the outbreak, some countries have reported an increase in Guillain-Barre Syndrome, an illness where the body attacks its own nervous system, leading to muscle weakness and, sometimes, paralysis. However, this disease is rare, and its link to Zika is not as concrete.

“Zika is just one more example of how we live in an interdependent world and we need to understand those realities and be prepared,” said President Julio Frenk to distraction. “We’re very active in that front because our absolute number one priority is to protect our students and our faculty and staff.”

SMALL BUT DEADLY Mosquitoes are known for being carriers of diseases and Zika is not the first.

West Nile Virus was reported in Palm Beach, Florida and in all of the continental United States. This disease was first discovered in Uganda. Symptoms include headache, fever, pain and fatigue. A rare and severe form of the disease can cause irreversible neurological damage, paralysis, coma or death. There are no commercial vaccinations for this virus.

1

Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) is a virus that has been reported north of Lake Okeechobee. Most infected people have no visible symptoms; however, severe cases begin with headaches, fever and vomiting and can lead to seizures and comas.

There is no cure for EEE, but virus symptoms may be treated individually.

2

Saint Louis Encephalitis is similar to EEE. Those infected have no apparent symptoms until they exhibit fever, nausea and headache, which can progress into a neurologically invasive and dangerous disease.

3

October 2016 DISTRACTION 51

UNDERCLASSMEN Come take your

Yearbook Portrait

FOR FREE!

Oct. 24 to Nov. 4 // Second Floor SSC // Weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

LET’S TALK ABOUT

Touchdowns

words_lizzie wilcox. photo_samantha dowiarz. design_alexa aguilar.

HURRICANE SEASON. Tailgate szn. The most wonderful time of year. Whatever you want to call it, football is here. Grab your best ‘cane outfit and refresh your memory of all the spirit cheers. Here is your guide to everything you need to know about having a “lit” game day.

UM students and Hurricane fans gathered at Hard Rock Stadium to cheer on the football team. The team is projected to have a great season under new Head Coach Mark Richt.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 53

GAMEDAY

ESSENTIALS SUNGLASSES If you’ve ever tried to be social in Miami’s scorching sun for more than five minutes, you know it is vital to have something to block out the sun’s rays while trying to watch the game or strike up conversation.

REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE Nothing is worse than not having water after dancing, sweating, cheering and – if you’re 21 – drinking. Fill up on water before you leave for the tailgate and make sure your bottle is reusable so you can bring it into the stadium and avoid the steep prices.

CLEAR BAG It is stadium policy that students cannot enter the game with a bag larger than their hand unless it is completely clear. You don’t want to miss the game because you refused to wear a retro fanny-pack or you forgot your Ziploc bag at home.

UM GEAR What is a tailgate without Miami swag?

Get dressed in orange and green, dig out a university hat, grab socks and stickers out of your closet and channel your most-spirited Cane.

WALLET Once your stomach starts grumbling, you will inevitably race to the stadium lines for food. Don’t forget your wallet or you’ll be begging every student to pay for your greasy nachos.

SUNSCREEN Nothing is worse than waking up Sunday morning, staring in the mirror and realizing your face looks like a lobster. Do your skin a favor and lather up with sunscreen before and even during the game.

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Tailgating

The party before the party, also known as tailgating, is a big part of game day at UM. There’s a reason we call it tailgate season instead of football season. It only takes visiting a friend at another university for a football game to realize that we really do “tailgate harder than your team plays.”

UMiami does have one disadvantage, however – we don’t have a football stadium on campus. Since Hard Rock Stadium is about 40 minutes away from Coral Gables, UM provides free transportation to and from games. Not just any transportation, though: luxury buses with air conditioning. Especially after a whole game (or half) in the sweltering Miami heat, nothing feels better than slumping in those soft bus seats and napping the whole way back to campus.

Option two for getting to games is the fraternity buses. For reasons that can’t quite be explained, being crammed into a poorly air-conditioned school bus with drunk and sweaty frat boys is surprisingly fun. Be prepared to lose your voice and have bruises on your hand because you will be chanting, singing and banging the ceiling of the bus from the moment you leave “frat row” until the stadium comes in sight.

A word of advice: be sure to pick a frat whose company you enjoy and whose members you know. Nothing will kill your game day vibe like being stuck with random frat boys for nearly an hour.

Regardless of your form of transportation, there are a few things you need to know upon your arrival at the “Field of Dreams,” the area where all the fraternities set up their tailgates – purposefully outside of the parking lot to ensure rowdy college kids don’t disturb family tailgates. First things first, find whichever tailgate has food. Beer and hot dogs are a match made in heaven, second only to tequila and lime.

It is crucial to keep in mind that tailgating is a marathon, not a sprint.

Between the pre-game, the bus ride and the actual tailgate, drinking starts roughly six hours before kickoff (for those above 21). Pace yourself – no one wants to see that hot dog come back up.

Game

Now, we need to have a serious talk, Canes: Stay. At. The. Game. We are all guilty of leaving during halftime, but we should make more of an effort to stay longer. Leaving for blowout games like FAMU (70 – 3) or FAU (38 – 10)

UM fraternities and other campus organizations host tailgates in “the field of dreams” outside of the stadium three hours before kick off. Here they would socialize, dance and search for anyone grilling hotdogs to save them from their pre-game hunger.

is somewhat understandable. (Why do we even play them? We’re the freaking Miami Hurricanes for crying out loud).

But the schedule goes zero to 100 real quick. The latter part of our season features big names like Notre Dame and Duke. Our boys could really use our support and the empty student section looks terrible on televised games.

Rivals

Our infamous play on Florida States’ theme song can be heard at the game, during “FSU week” or at random events where we’re not even playing FSU. It’s always appropriate to hate on the Seminoles because they are our biggest rival, and the annual match-up is one of the wildest days of the season.

This season, the Miami Hurricanes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are playing each other for the first time since 1990. These teams used to be huge rivals back in the ‘80s when we were the powerhouse of college football.

Combine its reputation of being the most Catholic university in the nation and our reputation of being straight thugs and you get a match-up known as “Catholics vs. Convicts.” Let’s bring back the rivalry.

TAILGATING SNACKS Walking Tacos INGREDIENTS: 1 bag of corn tortilla chips Tomatoes Shredded cheese of your choice 1 tablespoon of sour cream 1 ounce of taco seasoning 1 tablespoon of salsa 2 ounces of cooked ground beef

INSTRUCTIONS: All the goodness of a taco without the mess.

Take all ingredients and put them in corn chip bag. Mix until all ingredients are coating chips.

Loaded Tater Tot Skewers INGREDIENTS:

Leah Chomiak, Katy Erceg, Lauren Dupree, Emma Deardorff, Nicole Egorov, Rachel Cox-Rosen, and Samantha Dowiarz pose for a picture.

Stadium

Most people may not think of a stadium as anything more than a field surrounded by thousands of seats, but our stadium actually has a lot of history.

After the renovation over the winter, the stadium went from Sun Life Stadium to Hard Rock Stadium. The overhead roof protects most fans from sun and rain and is built to resist up to a Category 4 hurricane. There are also four new high-definition video boards, which are among the largest in the NFL, in each corner of the stadium.

Before the Hurricanes played in the stadium, when the Miami Dolphins were the only team to use it, the stadium’s name changed a lot.

It was originally named Joe Robbie Stadium after the founder of the Miami Dolphins. It was also called Pro Player Stadium, Dolphins Stadium and Land Shark Stadium.

The pride and joy of Hurricanes football was when the team played at the Orange Bowl stadium. The stadium was home of the Canes when we reigned over college football in the ‘80s. The Orange Bowl was demolished in 2008 because the city wanted to clear the site for new development.

1 bag of tater tots 8 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped Shredded cheese 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning Skewers Sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS: Bake tater tots evenly at 475 degrees for 2030 minutes. Let cool, then stick onto skewers.

Place skewed tots on the pan and cover with cheese, chopped bacon and ranch seasoning.

Set in oven for five minutes to melt cheese.

Serve with sour cream topping.

Ultimate Guac INGREDIENTS: 3 hass avocados 4 strips bacon, crisp cooked and crumbled 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 teaspoons fresh lemon and lime juice Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS: Mix ingredients until desired consistency is reached. Enjoy.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 55

Years THROUGH THE

words_mukta vibhute. design & illustration_alexa aguilar.

Freshman We hate to be the ones to say it, but if you think you’re going to be going out every night and still be able to care of responsibilities and manage a course load, you’re wrong. The key is to embrace two major concepts: organization and time management. By all means, have fun, but also know when you need to stay in a night to finish your accounting homework.

The next four years will be the ultimate training ground for highfunctioning adult life. An organized

Sophomore At this point, you have adjusted to the college life and (hopefully) know how to study, so this year is about getting involved. Remember students must declare a major by the end of sophomore year, so it’s time to think about what you want to do. This is also the year to start cranking out those good grades.

Grad schools and employers may cut you some slack on your freshman year GPA, but students are expected to be acclimated and working efficiently by the time the second year rolls around.

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“College is the best four years of your life.” How many times can this phrase be repeated in a span of eight semesters? College is far from a continuation of high school, and it may seem like your whole world is turned upside down. Despite the great growth opportunities that come with the transition into adulthood, college can also be a confusing and overwhelming time. This is what you should know about each year, and how to make the best of them.

+ life starts with an organized planner.

Keep track of day-to-day errands, appointments and prioritize accordingly in a handwritten agenda or Google calendar. A long-term calendar is extremely useful. Keep your class schedule, assignment due dates, exam dates and other regularly occurring events on your calendar to know exactly when they’re coming up.

When in class, handwrite your notes. Studies have shown that writing things down helps you remember them.

+ If you still don’t feel too confident in your group of friends, don’t sweat it.

There is no deadline for friendship and you will cross paths with new people every day. If you joined a lot of clubs freshman year, this is the time to pick and choose the ones you really like and get even more involved with them.

“I think the most important thing is to set up your base. Find a few things you like, whether it’s a student organization or internship and focus on that,” junior Diya Vasudevan said.

+ Laptops will only tempt you to go on Facebook or search for silly memes.

Here’s a shocking piece of advice – go to class! It may seem appealing to skip class and stay in bed, but if you want to succeed, show up. Communicate with your professors and advisors about any concerns. Most teachers at UM are easily accessible, so it is to your benefit to take advantage of that. Schedule a meeting during the professor’s office hours and communicate with him or her if you are having problems.

+ If you haven’t made use of the hundreds of student organizations at UM, then this is the year to do so. (You can start with distraction, #shamelessplug).

Remember to be practical and know how much you can take on.

“Be yourself, friendly and network as much as possible. Keep an open mind towards everyone because you never know what opportunities will be offered to you unexpectedly in the future,” junior Ashley Bombino said.

Junior Junior year is all about focusing on your desired career path. For the majority of students, major-related classes kick in full-force, and if you’re not paying attention, you can easily get buried under the workload. The trick to avoiding burnout is to stay focused, organized and respect your limits. Make an effort to network and solidify relationships with people who may be able to help you in the field you want to work in. Junior year is a great time for internships and jobs. Seeking

+ out work opportunities shows you are dedicated and able to follow through with commitments.

This is also the time when standardized tests become relevant again. Think MCAT, LSAT and GRE. If you are planning on taking one of these exams to pursue a post-graduate education, it may be wise to study over the summer after sophomore year and take the test at the beginning of junior year. This way, you won’t take away time from schoolwork to study for the exams.

Senior You’ve almost made it! One more year and you’re off into the world of grad schools, jobs and real life in general.

Horrifying, we know.

“Senioritis” will probably hit you hard, but do your best to finish this year off as strong as you can. You’ve worked too hard the past couple of years to slack now. Remember to keep up with networking because you’ll need it in a couple of months. “...Those [networking connections] are what got me my first job after college,” said alumni Jay Hemrajani, a film and business major.

+

+ Keep in mind that life after this is going to be a drastic adjustment, so make sure you’re prepared for all that comes with that.

Outside of college, your friends might not live within walking distance of you anymore and you definitely won’t be able to skip an 8 a.m. meeting because you’re too hungover.

With that being said, make sure you spend your energy on positive people and activities that you enjoy. If there are negative things in your life, try your hardest to get rid of them. They’re not worth it. You only have a couple of

Pick a test date and prepare a study plan for the months leading up to it. Because this year is so busy, you might feel like slacking on the club end, but try not to. It may seem counterintuitive, but staying involved with causes and people will help keep you sane.

Junior year can be incredibly hectic, so remember to still spend some time winding down and doing things you take pleasure in, whether it be an ice cream-fueled movie night or a beachside run.

+ months left in college, and your goal should be to enjoy them. Don’t ruminate on the past or let your last year be riddled with regrets.

Go explore Miami more often, do those things on your bucket list you always said you’d do if you had time.

Don’t freak out if you don’t get the first job you wanted. More opportunities will come. Take each rejection as a learning experience and push yourself to be the best possible version of yourself.

And lastly, you entered college as a teenager. Your goal by the end of this year should be to leave as an adult.

For Your Reference UM provides us with an abundance of software and equipment to make our learning experiences fruitful. Though some resources such as Club Richter are very well-known, there are other less-known resources on campus that can really aid your college career.

Toppel Career Center: This is the chief area for all things career-related: internships, job postings, mock interviews, resume reviews and more. Toppel hosts several events throughout the year that allow you to explore potential career options even after you graduate.

Academic Resource Center: For some people, physics is no walk in the park. A trip to the Academic Resource Center can help you get the tutoring you need. You can receive up to two hours of weekly tutoring for any subject, free of charge.

Ombudsperson: This is the team to call when you’re having a policy issue. From grade appeals to health problems, Ombudsperson will help you understand the situation and do what they can to make it disappear.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 57

NOW?

CATCHING UP WITH PAST CANES Unsatisfied with the lack of cosmetic options for people of color, UM alumnus Milain David decided to launch his own company, Eben Naturals. David was a junior when he visited his birthplace, the Democratic Republic of Congo and saw a need for natural products, specifically for people with dark complexions. words_isabella cueto. photo_alisha kabir. design_chelsey sellars.

The people were sold cheap products filled with harsh chemicals and bleaching agents. Back in the United States, David saw drugstore shelves stocked with products that, though better quality than those in the Congo, were primarily made for Caucasian skin tones. “If you’re part of a society and everything you purchase is made for people that don’t look like you, you will always feel – unconsciously, in your head – that you’re not moving forward as a minority,” he said.

Eben Naturals is a line of 100 percent natural, vegan and crueltyfree cosmetics for people with dark complexions.“It’s saying, ‘Be proud of your skin and embrace your color,’” he said.

David studied economics and finance in college and had no experience with chemistry or dermatology when he started Eben.

He said his studies taught him how to pay attention to small details while also keeping in mind the larger picture.

Though born in the Congo, David grew up in Paris and from there, moved to five other countries including Mali and Ethiopia. “Growing up, and being exposed to that as a kid gave me what you call ‘cultural literacy.’ It allows me to adapt very quickly and be more open-minded,” he said.

He transferred from American University in Washington, D.C. to UM and fell in love with Miami’s miscellany of culture. “It

58 DISTRACTION Main Event

has a third world country flow, and the people are more laid-back and approachable,” he said. David had a newfound sense of community and belonging that drew him to South Florida, even as his parents insisted he attend a college in the Northeast. “It’s actually a gamble. It’s easy to graduate then transition into a corporate job. I could be making a decent salary and not worrying about anything,” he said.

“But the greater the risk, the greater the reward.”

By senior year, David was working on building Eben Cosmetics using LaunchPad, a resource at the University Center that helps students develop their

“

“

WHERE ARE

business ideas and bring them to life.

David said his mom was doubtful when he told her his business plan.

He had to pitch his idea to his parents just as he would any other investor or expert. Getting their blessing was great, he said, because it gave him license to fail and try again.

As a businessman, David is hands-on: he designed the Eben logo himself, worked with a chemist to create the ingredient list and test formulations for the products, scouted manufacturers, funded the project and raised $16,000 on Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform.

Three Eben products are presently being manufactured – a tonic lotion, a facial cream and a deep moisturizing body lotion – and are sold in a discounted “bundle” online. David said he would like to expand Eben to Africa to cater to the demographic that inspired him to start his business in the first place.

In the Congo, the media displays a white America, where white is synonymous with success.

IT’S SAYING, ‘BE PROUD OF YOUR SKIN AND EMBRACE YOUR COLOR.’ “Because people are so poor and so desperate, they see that success is only accessible to the others, to the Western world,” he said. “It builds an idea in your head that in order to get these things or to live well, you need to look like these people.”

The key to eradicating this harmful mentality, David said, is business owners and other influencers coming up with products for people of color and marketing them as such.

In a way, Eben Cosmetics corners a market no other brand does: black and brown-skinned people who want a sleek, all-natural, cost-effective high-quality product.

“You never really had a brand that was focusing 100 percent on the multicultural and or dark complexion segment,” David said.

“I’m coming up with the first fresh, slick, good-looking brand geared toward that market – I think people are drawn that.”

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October 2016 DISTRACTION 59

ARE YOU A MILLENNIAL? Factory stamped as entitled, lazy, narcissistic, phone-obsessed and wanting a trophy for simply showing up, millennials are associated with negative stereotypes just by having a birthdate before the year 2000. Whether we agree with the stereotypes or not, there are some things that definitely pinpoint us as millennial-minded.

Social media language You know what a hashtag is, what different abbreviations mean and how to use all the social media platforms. You catch yourself joking (or not) about a perfect picture being “instagrammed,” your new “profile picture” or a great “cover photo.” You can edit pictures like a professional right on your phone, laugh at all the hidden meanings for emojis, maneuver Netflix better than cable and roll your eyes when mom or dad tries to be “hip.”

Detectives Forget private investigators, you know how to find out all the information you need about anyone. Creep on your subject using Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, then end the search with a quick glance at what dirt Google has on the person. You know how to find out everything from birthdays to what they did last night. Don’t even pretend you haven’t done this #research.

Text over call Guilty of preferring texting to a phone call? We all are. Whether an issue of convenience because you are busy, or you don’t feel comfortable communicating over the phone, texting is the go-to for millennials, as opposed to older generations.

60 DISTRACTION Main Event

T

he #BlackLivesMatter movement is a key example of this Millennial-driven outspokenness. The deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement officials have been brought to light because of social justice advocated who use tools such as Twitter and Facebook to expose them.

“We’ve used technology to influence positive change in the world through speaking up about things and spreading the word,” said Denise Ozturk, a UM student majoring in sports management.

“Even though we may not have caused such a huge change so far, we’ve sped up the process.”

Despite having initially approached the foreign object of social media with distrust, our society has found the openness of these platforms to be an environment that fosters connection and authentic dialogue.

Years of adapting to online life as teens – learning the ins and outs of a “shared” existence – have transformed into a more polished, innovative use of social media.

“Millennials grew up with technology, playing games, having cellphones. I feel like we are really tech savvy,” said student Regan Montes.

What used to be mostly a stream of personal updates from family and friends is now a news aggregation tool.

Reporters use social media to gauge interest, follow breaking stories and find sources. Politicians use it to connect with their constituents. Government agencies use it to communicate vital information.

Millennials have created new online platforms and figured out efficient ways to use technological innovations to our advantage as a society. Taking the world offline is virtually unimaginable.

The conversation on the web has become richer, multi-layered and complex. Nearly every kind of voice can participate in dialogue about issues such as widespread injustice. The creation and use of hashtags to spread awareness is such a cultural phenomenon that it earned a name: “hashtivism.”

Instagram and Twitter have been particularly powerful social media platforms because they are the two networks with the most racial diversity, according to data compiled by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project. Not surprisingly, millennials themselves are the most racially diverse generation

in U.S. history.

According to Pew, 61 percent of 18-to-29-year-olds are white, 14 percent are black, 19 percent are Hispanic or Latino and five percent are Asian, compared to the 70 percent of adults older than 30 who are white, 11 percent who are black, 13 percent who are Hispanic or Latino and five percent who are Asian.

This mélange, combined with increased use of social media — 75 percent of millennials have more of an online presence than that of older generations — creates a force behind the diversification of the world, both physically and ideologically.

A larger presence of traditionally marginalized groups in important national conversations has spurred changes just by its very being. The television and film industry, for example, has made strides to cast people who are representative of its audience.

Millennial viewers are demanding the entertainment industry tell the stories of minorities and non-traditional groups.

“You’re seeing more colors in entertainment,” said Gyles Ward, who is majoring in biochemistry.

Popular shows such as “Empire,” “Fresh Off the Boat,” “Black-ish,” “Transparent” and “Glee” all include the kinds of characters not seen on TV in past decades, like transgender men and women and Asian-American families.

Aside from diversity, another characteristic that makes social media stand out is how much of a social equalizer it is. Any user can instantly tag any other user in a post, creating a level of accessibility that has never been possible before.

Because of this, people in highup leadership positions who would normally be detached from hearing about small issues are held to a certain level of accountability. If a person has a problem, he or she can tell someone who is in a position to make changes, whether it be legislatively or in another way.

This ability serves as a resource for citizens, but it may also feed into the seemingly endless pursuit by young people of instant gratification.

Arshia Arora, a student on the premedical track, said the expectation of immediate results has permeated even into the field of medicine. People are outraged if there is not yet a discovered cure for an illness, a sentiment that is

“

“

THE CREATION AND USE OF HASHTAGS TO SPREAD AWARENESS IS SUCH A CULTURAL PHENOMENON THAT IT EARNED A NAME: ‘HASHTIVISM.’ a departure from the attitudes of older generations, she said.

“This is abnormal to us, in comparison to the past … people were joyous when something came about for tuberculosis, for example,” Arora said.

“We take things for granted. We expect everything to be working the right way.”

The same message applies to social movements. Young people who experience the effects of prejudice or oppression are quick to grab their cellphones and share that episode with hundreds or thousands of followers.

“We quickly post any injustice we see on Facebook,” Arora said.

On every social network, posts about daily altercations, microaggressions and political discourse are prevalent.

There are videos and articles about current events, zealously shared. It can take mere minutes to build an entire community of support around an issue. However, Arora said, the facility with which users can contribute to a discussion online has created a culture of complacency when it comes to democratic participation.

“People feel as if posting is enough, instead of taking active steps in the world,” she said.

Posting can create awareness around frustrations, but simply moving on after sharing a post, tweeting or “liking” restricts actual change from coming about. It may seem like enough to solely participate on social media, but, it does nothing to actually get laws changed.

Studies have shown that people who consume more media are more likely to be civically and politically engaged, but young people continually have the lowest voter turnout rate nationally.

According to research, younger generations are highly involved in other forms of civic engagement, like donating and volunteering, but they do not show up to make their voices heard at the polls. Only 17 percent of 18-to-24-yearolds cast a ballot in the 2014 election.

A General Social Survey (GSS) of 2014 demonstrates and analyzes the millennial pattern of being civically

engaged yet unlikely to vote in political elections. The GSS, an organization dedicated to help investigate attitudes and behaviors of the American public, found a correlation between later careers, marriage and children and later political activism. Although youth may be interested and engaged in social media and volunteering for specific causes, they may not feel that motivated to participate until it personally impacts their job and family.

With the renewed attention on the plight of black Americans, the LGBT community, women and immigrants – among others – comes the responsibility of taking on decade-old civil rights battles and seeing them through.

If millennials are to disprove negative blanket statements made about their generation, boisterous messages on social media will have to be funneled into votes. Or perhaps a time will come when the established form of democracy will be altered to better reflect those ideas people care about, but are not listed on a ballot.

ACTIVISM Accounts Generations before us protested in the streets, but our social movements prosper and spread farther using the Internet. If you want to stay informed on a social movement, these are a few accounts to follow. #BlackLivesMatter: Self-defined as “a call to action and response to anti-black racism.”

Instagram: blklivesmatter Twitter: @blklivesmatter Facebook: Black Lives Matter #HeForShe: Fights for gender equality and the empowerment of women Instagram: heforshe Twitter: @heforshe Facebook: He For She #FreeTheNipple: A campaign for gender equality and freedom from sexual objectification Instagram: freethenipple Twitter: @FreeTheNipple Facebook: Free The Nipple

A Black Lives Matter protest took place on campus last year. The protest was part of a national movement.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 61

Quintessential

COLLEGE words & design_asmae fahmy.

We wanted to capture the culture of the U, and what better way to do that than with photos of U? From beach days to tailgates to delicious treats, here are some of the most “quintessential college” submissions we got via email and social media. Submit yours to distraction@miami.edu to be featured in the next issue.

62 DISTRACTION Main Event

Brianna Commerford lounges on a hammock at the Four Seasons Hotel Miami in Brickell. The hotel served as a perfect refuge from midterms. Photo by Ross Giulana.

Allie Pakrosnis stands on the penthouse balcony of the Westin Colonnade to capture a panoramic view of Coral Gables. Pakrosnis has been working as a creative intern in the building since last summer.

Photo by Allie Pakrosnis.

Gabby Rosenbloom snaps a picture of her Chia ballz treat. Chia ballz have been at the Farmers’ Market every Wednesday. Photo by Gabby Rosenbloom.

Meaghan Campbell and Ellen DiBona explore Wynwood to look at murals.

The pair has frequently visited the popular art district. Photo by Lindsay Thompson.

October 2016 DISTRACTION 63

Roberto Díaz captures a sunset outside the SSC. The building and lake have served as a frequent backdrop for students’ pictures. Photo by Roberto Díaz.

Rachael Davidson, Hollis Williams, Sadie Bennison and Jose Veiles throw up the U at the first tailgate of the season. UM beat Florida A&M University 70-3. Photo courtesy of Rachael Davidson. Adam Arnaout, Wyatt Chickillo and Jared Goldenberg fool around during a photo shoot.

The players took part in last season’s football shoot.

Photo courtesy of Adam Arnaout.

Jamie Shub and Zachary Fernandez represent a piece of Miami in Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico. Shub returns to her hometown of San Juan every summer. Photo by Amanda Hequin.

64 DISTRACTION Main Event

We think you do. Apply to join the award-winning staff of distraction, the only completely student-run UM lifestyle magazine. If you enjoy writing, designing, illustrating, photography, blogging, public relations, video, sales or free pizza, contact the Editor-in-Chief, Asmae Fahmy, at a.fahmy3@umiami.edu.

Currently hiring: Photo Editor, Assistant Photo Editor and Assistant Art Director.

Distraction Magazine @distractionmag @DistractionUM

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