ASIAN OUTLOOK
Modern Perils of Tinder
April 2020 Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2
Effects of COVID-19
Invisible Politics
ASIAN
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 2
contents OUTLOOK
featured
2
4 | Invisible Politcs | Michelle Tan 6 | Effects of COVID-19 | Courtney Fu
opinions 7 | Yellow Fever | anonymous
9 | Pineapple Bread | Jasmine Ku 10 | Modern Perils of Tinder | anon 13 | On Optimal Friends Through Optical Fibers | Samuel Atkin 14 | Meet Strength, Become Strength | Sabrina Qiu
arts and entertainment 8 | Mulan and I are Stuck in the 2020 War | Eponymous 15 | Class of 2020: Senior Survey | Rina Weng
conscience 17 | surreal perseverance | Shaiyan Hossain
24 | Bleach and Bones | Celeste Pietrzak
18 | Oriental Tea | Claire Choi
25 | “Pink Lanterns” and “Rice Cracker Shop” | Isabella Weiner
19 | Egg Tarts from Scratch | Grace Chen
26 | Placement | Grace Moon
20 | Untitled | Allie Wu
27 | #unmaskthehate & Riding in Quarantine | Elaine Edmondson
21 | Quarantine Recipes to Try | Tao Yang
28 | Auden | Samatha Wing
ASIAN OUTLOOK
23 | AAAS105 | Lily Tang
Front & back cover designed by Michelle Pao. Featuring Michelle Pao, Justin Roman & Rheo Kate Aguilar.
letter from the president... Dear Readers, Thank you for your continuous support over the years. Joining Asian Outlook has been a ride. I remember the outfit I wore to my interview. With a turtleneck, velvet skirt, kneehigh socks and the worn-out boots I’ve had for two years, I was nervous walking into the room of eight people. Someone asked me why manholes were round and another asked what I would do if members were in an argument. I would say my answers were scattered and I lacked any assurance that I would be able to join this club. I wanted to join Asian Outlook to continue where I left off from high school — being a layout editor in a literary magazine. Asian Outlook had a different edge of focusing on Asians yet it was inclusive at the same time. I felt excited to be part of this club in my first semester and was so ecstatic over the banquet discounts that came with it. After each subsequent meeting, I found myself staying behind afterward and pitching my ideas. However, in the spring semester of sophomore year, I could not attend these meetings any longer as I had many schedule conflicts. Even then, Asian Outlook welcomed me back in open arms and trusted my intentions to keep our missions intact and fulfill the goals I had in mind. It feels as if I have seen three generations of this organization. This has taught me that change is good, that it varies in time and that saying yes does more good than harm. In each generation, we were growing not only in numbers, but also in quality and creativity. Shout out to all the people you see to the right of this note as well as others who have supported us in the past (you know who you are!). They have made this magazine possible, as well as the podcast episodes you listen to when you need to take a study break, the reminders you get on social media of our events and the chill events themselves! We vary from storytellers, comedians, science majors, politicians in the making and potential Animal Crossing masters. Take Asian Outlook XXXVIII Issue 2 as just a handful of our responses to the Coronavirus epidemic. We document how the virus has progressed, share personal accounts from those affected, and exhibit photos of what Binghamton currently looks like. There are also some fun spreads to check out: a modern story of self-love, vivid paintings and recipes you can try at home! I extend my sincere thoughts and prayers to all those who are having a difficult time transitioning or know someone who has been severely affected by this virus. There has been violence against Asian and Asian American communities and I urge you to report these incidents. I hope you all stay safe and be kind to one another. See you around, Michelle Pao President
ASIAN OUTLOOK EXECUTIVE BOARD SPRING 2020 President Vice President Secretary Treasurer Copy Editors layout editors
Videographers Audiographers Publicity Chair Event Coordinators Podcast Interns Secretary Intern Pub Chair Intern General Intern
Michelle Pao Rina Weng Lily Tang Isabella Weiner Michelle Tan Ashley Zhang Bella Velilla Courtney Fu Celeste Pietrzak Anita Liu Samantha Wing Tao Yang Grace Moon Claire Choi Mike Natrella Sherry Dang Justin Roman Emma Shen Allie Wu Thomas Hur Sabrina Qiu Samuel Atkin Alison Cheung Jasmine Ku Shirley Dong Grace Chen Willa Scolari
EDITORIAL POLICY Asian Outlook is the art, literary and news magazine of the Asian Student Union of SUNY’s Binghamton University. Originally conceived and created to challenge, redefine, re-imagine and revolutionize images and perceptions associated with Asians and Asian Americans, Asian Outlook also serves to protect the voice of those in the minority, whether by ethnicity, gender, and/or political orientation. All matter contained within these beautiful pages do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Asian Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions and publish work as deemed appropriate. Prospective contributors are encouraged to discuss their work with the editors prior to submissions. All submissions may be submitted as e-mail attachments to ao.editor@gmail.com.
CONTACT POLICY
Uninvited contact with writers and contributors is strictly prohibited. Please direct all questions, comments and complaints to ao.editor@gmail. com.
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Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 3
Invisible Politics By Michelle Tan
T
he Asian American community is often regarded as apolitical. It’s ironic that, with the recent exception of Andrew Yang, the most political visibility Asian Americans seem to have is this paradoxical situation: a “visible” complaint from the “invisibility” we have in politics. Even in popular media, such as movies, television, novels and comics, Asian Americans are seldom seen. Instead, we are portrayed as an overall generalization of “just Asian”; our American side is invisible because we do not fight for it nearly enough. I say we, because I am also at fault. I am one of those apolitical Asians who cannot be bothered to learn politics, American or otherwise, but still demand to be seen. Yet, there is a reason for our invisibility and apoliticism. How can Americans ask us to be political when it is politics that have killed our Asian relatives? This demand that we step up and come into sight is based on the ignorance of the unseen trauma that we have. We may be apolitical Americans, but our Asian history is haunted by politics that go unseen in this country. Given the history of conflict in Asia, our Asian parents and grandparents were
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ASIAN OUTLOOK
forced to see the atrocities that come out from politics. So many families and friends were separated and killed because of the politics of other countries being forced upon Asia: the Korean and Vietnamese peninsulas are obvious examples of this; the circles of influences in and colonization of China, the Philippines, India, Cambodia and Laos; even Japanese occupation of fellow Asian countries. We see the lingering of these traumas in our older generations in how our parents talk about not having enough food as children; how they’re glad that they can provide for us, the new generation of children. We see it in how our grandparents will not talk about losing their parents, their children; how they can’t talk about the wars and camps they’ve lived in. How can we bear to be political when we can barely even acknowledge our own pain? The scars from the past are not left in the past; no, they live on in our survivors and in our generation, in our affected motherlands today and in our American apoliticism. This is, however, not an excuse to be apolitical. This is an explanation as to why the majority of the Asian American community are. But in order for us to break free of this, we must take the initiative and acknowledge
our trauma. We know of it, but we don’t want to see it. We want to pretend that if it’s invisible, it won’t hurt us. We want to pretend that if we are invisible, WE won’t be hurt. But that’s not helping and that’s not working. Now, more than ever before, we Asian Americans must face our invisibility and see ourselves for who we are. For if we stay invisible, we won’t ever be able to bring justice to our family nor to ourselves. To this day, so little is recorded of Japanese American internment camps or of Chinese and Korean railroad workers, who were some of our earliest Asian Americans. Later on in American history, Asian Americans were yet again ignored until the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which finally made it legal for Asians to immigrate to America, though it wasn’t enacted until 1968. Being invisible for so long has let our American history be erased. Our fear of getting hurt again has turned into this shield of invisibility, but now Asian Americans run the risk of never being seen.
“But in order for us to break free of this, we must take the initiative and acknowledge our trauma.”
Photo from The Atlantic
Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 5
Times Square, New York
By Courtney Fu
COVID-19 Graphic
Woman and Child, New York
https://www.nytimes.com/ article/coronavirus-timeline. html https://theconversation. com/when-a-virus-goesviral-pros-and-cons-to-thecoronavirus-spread-on-socialmedia-133525 https://www.vox.com/policyand-politics/2020/3/7/21169516/ coronavirus-new-york-stateemergency-cuomo https://www.thedailybeast. com/first-person-to-personspread-of-coronavirusconfirmed-in-chicago-cdcannounces https://www.unctv.org/ coronavirus/
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Effects of COVID-19
C
oronavirus, otherwise known as COVID-19, is something that we can’t escape from in the current times. Everytime you switch on the TV or scroll through your feed, it pops up whether you want it or not. Over the past couple months, the virus has gotten exponentially worse. Looking back in the very beginning when the virus started, no one would’ve thought for it to end up to where we currently are. When news of the virus began spreading, only certain locations started quarantining. The city of Wuhan, where the virus originated, was quarantined, but once the virus traveled outside, people became more cautious. Soon the virus was popping up in other locations, such as a cruise ship in Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Countries began to apply travel restrictions to prevent further spreading of the virus, especially restrictions to the countries where it was most prevalent. But by the beginning of March, the virus appeared in the United States, throwing people in panic. By early March, the U.S. government began to take action by restricting travelers from Europe as well as enforcing the practice of “social distancing.” Universities began shifting to online classes as the CDC advised against gatherings of over 50 people. Furthermore, universities began closing down their dorms for the remainder of the semester and sending students back home to avoid a large gathering of people in one location. At this point of time, people are suggested to stay at home in order to “flatten the curve” and prevent further spreading. As a result, many people have to work from home and only go outside when necessary, and when they do leave their homes, masks and gloves are often worn to protect themselves from the possibility of contracting the virus. As a result, supermarkets have aisles of
ASIAN OUTLOOK
empty shelves due to people stocking up from the fear of the pandemic. Statistically, the numbers keep rising. The health system is getting overwhelmed by the surging number of patients that are entering hospitals. It was also recently announced that the 2020 Olympics is now postponed to 2021. In most people’s eyes, the year gets progressively worse as the months go by. However, let’s try to look at the bright side, even though it may be very difficult during these times. Many people are still trying to make the best out of the situation to get through it. With social media being so accessible to most people, many turn to that as a way to escape from the troubling news that is floating around now and relieve themselves from boredom during times of selfquarantining. Even though the virus is making many people practice social distancing, ironically it brings people closer together as well (though they are still 6 feet apart). The entire world is going through the same thing, so people across the world are facing similar experiences of being quarantined at home. During these times where there are people who need help, people do step up and try to help out in any way possible. Around the world people are standing together in solidarity in order to get through this pandemic, whether it be singing on their balconies, cheering on their healthcare workers or volunteering to do grocery runs for the elderly. This pandemic has made me realize that life can be too short and you never know what will happen. Though this incident typically happens once in a lifetime, it changes your view on life. So at the moment, stay safe, stay inside, only go out when necessary and wash your hands. Make sure you take care of yourself and stay in contact with those you care about.
Yellow Fever
By anonymous
“Have you ever tried American before?” The ignorant, disgusting words came from a white male, as he eyed me up and down at a party. If I had a drink in my hand, I would have thrown it at him— but instead, I walked away, repulsed, and honestly, still shocked about what just happened. This wasn’t the first time I’ve heard a sexual, racist innuendo directed towards me, but it still churns my stomach every time. It’s the dehumanization that makes me feel so small and vulnerable. I feel anger running through my body because some men think it’s okay to sexualize my ethnicity. * Yellow fever. A derogatory term used to describe the fetishization of Asian women. It has been stereotyped that Asian women are quiet, passive and submissive. Most men find this attractive because historically, it has always been perceived that men are dominant to women. Even before the over-sexualization, the problem begins with the stereotype. I have gotten surprised looks and initial confusion when people are greeted by my extroverted personality. “You’re not like most Asians.” Is it because I’m not timid and introverted, with my head stuck in a math book? If that’s the case, people need to wake up and be more aware, because I guarantee that there are many Asians who are actually ‘like me’ and don’t fit the typical, superficial stereotype of Asians. It is hurtful when people categorize and label others. Most of the time, stereotypes are negative and they create certain ideas in people’s head that are completely incorrect. This then leads to people assuming things about a certain ethnicity, culture, religion, etcetera. Stereotypes are ways to demote and put people down, and it can harm the target’s selfesteem and emotions. Another ridiculous assumption in regards to yellow fever is that Asians are exotic. A lot of men have an obsession with Asian women because we are ‘unique and different,’ like a ‘china doll’: dainty, beautiful and foreign. Once during dinner, my mother told me a story about a friend of hers, who is Asian. She was at a bar with her friends when a man came up to her. He asked, “Is your vagina vertical or Pinterest/ Ân tỷ tỷ horizontal?” I was appalled when I heard the story. This man had the audacity to come up to her and suggest that her genitals were different from any other woman because she was Asian. I really hoped she threw a drink in his face because that was the least he deserved. * When I was younger, I wished I was Caucasian because I was taught that everyone liked Caucasian girls. You see them in magazines, television shows and movies, and described in books. The idea of them was even replicated and mass-produced as Barbie dolls. I would say to my mom in frustration, “I wish boys liked Asian girls. No one will ever like me because I’m Asian. I wish I had blonde hair and blue eyes.” Now that I’m older, I struggle with something else. I wonder if men will like me for me, or if their attraction to me is because of what I look like and my ethnicity. Are they attracted to me and my feelings and Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 7 opinions, or are they just attracted to how exotic they think I am? Pinterest/ vraiglmtkeh.pblog.pro
Mulan and I are Stuck in the 2020 War By Eponymous
I
n the movie “Mulan”, the protagonist Mulan is fighting her father’s battle. But now she’s fighting something else. This year has been rough for Mulan. Due to the Hong Kong riots and Coronavirus outbreak, the movie was not able to premier in China. Just like how Mulan faced controversy for entering the war as a female, the actress portraying Mulan is facing her own heat. Taking the side of mainland China during the Hong Kong riots, audiences worldwide were jarred by her comment: “I support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong.” This is a reference to the Hong Kong police using violence towards the protestors, thus #BoycottMulan came about. What’s even more coincidental is that Liu Yifei is from Wuhan, where the virus had come about from. Her statement has been: “It’s really heavy for me to even think about it. People are doing the right thing; they are being careful for themselves and others. I’m so touched actually to see how they haven’t been out for weeks. I’m really hoping for a miracle and that this will just be over soon. (Trumbore)” And we all do. Personally I wish I could have seen this film with my friends. With a $200 million budget and a beautiful Disney company logo behind this project, there were bound to be spectacular sights on the big screen. Songs like “Reflection” and “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” helped me get through my angsty teenage high school years. But that doesn’t mean that these songs do not still follow me today in time. Due to the coronavirus, my father has lost his job. Although I have been aware this would happen this year, I did not expect it to come so soon. My father is a strong man, just as Mulan’s father was a general. Now that his chapter as making a living as a photographer may be coming to an end, I wonder if it is time for me to step into shoes that I am uncomfortable with to bring honor to my whole family. I want to fight my father’s battle quietly
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- helping my father make a resume to enter the work force once again for the first time in 30 years as I discover my own strengths behind the scenes. The war we are fighting is for survival in the 21st century and as the economy is worsening, constantly working seems to be my main mindset right now. I wish I could play Animal Crossing or watch “Crash Landing on You”, but now I can’t find any excuse to have down time. I am thankful to have genuine friends who support me as well as keep me entertained on this arduous journey like Mushu does for Mulan. And where is my Shang? They are found everywhere. They are my mentors and the people I find difficult to get along with. They are those who help me improve and stretch out a hand when I least expect. So I do not know about you, but although this movie is not directed by an Asian, the main actress has caused much controversy, and of course Mushu is missing, I will be watching this movie. I want to sit and appreciate their renditions of the original songs, sing along to the iconic “Reflection” and share this viewing experience with my father. As cheesy as this sounds, I will bring honor to this family, Ba Ba.
Pineapple Bread By Jasmine Ku
W
hen someone asks me what was my favorite food growing up, an image of bolo bao, also known as pineapple bread, immediately appears in my head. When I was a young child, its sweet, flaky, crunchy-looking top satisfied my intense desire to give myself diabetes in any way possible. Its sweetness wasn’t overwhelming, unlike almost every Western candy or dessert, yet it was enough to keep my sugar cravings at bay. It would dissolve in my mouth with every delicious bite, covering my mouth with little flakes. My favorite part of it was that it didn’t actually have pineapple in it. With every bite, memories begin to flow. Eating on the loud, early morning subway because we didn’t have time to make breakfast; a quick snack in the car on our way to church; a shared moment with my grandpa; a treat after a long day of school. Every moment was simple, yet memorable. Small, yet meaningful. Why does something so small have so much impact? In any Chinese bakery, it costs either $1 or $1.25 and can be found almost anywhere across Flushing, Queens. So what makes it so special? In college, everyone is busy engrossed in their work. They have deadlines, papers, lab reports and everything else in between. After college, everyone is worried about finding a job or applying to graduate school. Life is hectic; it’s always about moving forward. So sometimes, we need that feeling of nostalgia or a happy memory to remind us to savor life like it’s a pineapple bun.
Picture from Tara’s Multiculture Table Background from VectorStock
Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 9
“Whenever I would fall back, I would try to climb again.”
B
By anon
efore my accident, I refused to go on a date with anyone from Tinder. Like any other millennial, let’s face it, I was just there for the sex. Let’s talk for a bit, do our business and then leave. Hanging out seemed like a colossal waste of time for both parties; they would stop talking to each other a few days after matching when other priorities and duties began to take precedence in their respective lives. The most important thing was that the guys knew this process would take place and that you consented. It was a win-win situation for everyone. Yet, as time went on, I realized that something felt missing in my heart. All of the meaningless sex and one-time connections didn’t fulfill me... They never have. At the moment, they might have satisfied my physiological need and my desire for a human connection, but long-term? I just felt lonelier and fell deeper into a pit of despair. This realization hit me in the face when I met him.
Modern Perils of Tinder
He was no different from any of the other guys who had easily super-liked me, a girl who was looking to have a short and memorable spring break back in New York City. Yet, during the 14 hours I spent sleeping over at his apartment, he became one of the kindest and most alluring people I had met. He treated me as if I was a human being with a name that had a life and personality beyond just her body. Even after eight months had passed, I still remembered the way he listened to me and held me so close to his heart that the world just felt right. I never had a man who held me like I actually mattered. It was him, a random guy from Tinder, who made me realized that what I needed was love, not just sex and short interactions with random men. Yet, despite knowing this, when July came, as they always say, ‘old habits die hard… until July came. In July, I got into an accident that forced a pause on my life, making me evaluate my choices. A motorcycle hit me with full speed when I was on my way to my volunteering site in Thailand. I broke my right ankle and got an infection, forcing me to rush back to the States. When I got back, I had to undergo two surgeries; I was stuck spending week after week alone in the hospital when my mom would leave me to go home at night. I was put on an antibiotics IV for weeks while my Mom had to go home every evening. The whole time I was there, a hole in my heart began to grow. I started thinking that if I wanted to fulfill this gnawing loneliness, then I should perhaps go on dates to develop meaningful relationships. I thought men were the solution. Months later, I was starting to get back on my two feet again, so I figured a date wouldn’t hurt. I went on date after date trying to get to know my match without having sex. Sure, I vibed
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with many of them. I even became friends with some of them. But I still didn’t feel a real connection with them. I honestly felt even lonelier. I kept looking for something to fulfill me, something like the sparks I had felt the night of the 14 hour Tinder date sleepover that I had almost a year ago. Then the news came that I had to have surgery again and painfully forced a reset on my progress. After my last surgery in October, I isolated myself from everyone around me. It was hard. My leg was in such intolerable pain, that I started taking oxycodone to cope. I eventually became hooked and I needed to find a way to get rid of my growing dependency on the drug. Meditation and smoking weed helped a bit. However, as I worked on distancing myself from my addiction, I began to realize that my greatest vice wasn’t oxycodone, but rather my tendency to resort to self isolation. What had happened in my life had nobody to blame, but myself. I started spiraling downward and found myself deep in a place I had never been before. There, I realized that once you hit rock bottom, there is nowhere to go, but to go up. That became my motto during the trying times of my life. Whenever I would fall back, I would try to climb up again. I started picking up hobbies I thought I had forgotten like reading, drawing and playing chess. I even started trying to learn completely new activities. Nobody was going through this except me and I knew that if I wanted to be happy, I had to learn to do so on my own. It took me an accident, four surgeries, many Tinder dates, an oxycodone addiction and months of isolation to come to this realization. Slowly, the hole in my heart began to fill in. For the first time in a long time, I woke up feeling content and not feeling lonely. Now, I can proudly say that I no longer feel the need to meet guys to have sex or a just to have a ‘connection’ anymore. I’m not 100% perfect though. A part of me still wants to be with that guy from Tinder again. I still have the app on my phone and use it to keep on trying to have a meaningful relationship with someone. But I noticed that I have stopped looking forward to each Tinder message. I stopped constantly checking the app as well as my other social media, and I am doing so much better than before even if I still can’t walk yet. (Don’t worry about the walking though... I’m getting there.) I am beginning to love the person I’ve neglected for so long after years of childhood trauma and self abuse --- myself.
Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 11
On Optimal Friends Through Optical Fibers
I
By Samuel Atkin
am always intrigued when the topic of ‘internet friends’ arises. The concept of forming a relationship with another solely through communication seems to be the platonic form of any interpersonal bond. In such, it is entirely up to the communicator what aspects of their personhood they choose to reveal. The many aspects that we may explicitly or implicitly judge another on are at the complete discretion of the communicator to make known. If one wished, they could exist simply as a pseudonymous collection of text on their screen. My story begins in the summer before high school, when I took to playing online video games on my newly built desktop computer. Over the course of clowning around in Dota2 (think League of Legends but more complexity, depth, and an inconsistent visual aesthetic), I befriended a person on the opposing team. Afterward, I added that person on
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DMarket/Cool Dota 2 HD Backrounds
“I think that the odd part about it is that you can associate memories with solely just speaking and conversation instead of physical actions”
my friends list and we began queueing for another match. We played a lot over the next few days and began setting up a call in Steam to just chill and hang out during games. It turned out he was a high schooler living a mere 65 miles away from me in the same state. Eventually, he invited me to play with some of his friends and I ended up integrating myself into their group and soon, felt like I was one of the boys. They quickly became some of my closest friends, through the nature that I simply felt more comfortable being with people who I started out bonding with over a shared love and enjoyment for a specific interest. It’s been eight years and counting of a strong friendship. In writing this, I decided to ask some of those close friends of mine their thoughts on the uniqueness of our relationship. One of their responses? “I think that the odd part about it is that you can associate memories with solely just speaking and conversation instead of physical actions… also, it definitely allows people who are normally very introverted and shy to actually talk about their deeper feelings because you are talking to a screen and with others behind a screen.” When he wrote this to me, I was reminded of the many nights we spent together discussing all aspects of our lives. I’d grown more distant since my matriculation to Binghamton, and only really popped into our Discord server occasionally over the weekends to check-in. Despite this, I still have more contact with these people I’ve never seen compared with some of my IRL friends up here on-campus. The final friend that I queried supposed that internet friendships are unique to our generation. He agreed that online relationships have a leg up over IRL ones in the sense that they begin with a shared interest. In normal face-to-face relationships, we often start out by trying to find something endearing about the other person with a series of awkward, interrogative pleasantries. We begin online knowing the other person is endearing enough for us to “friend” them and begin messaging them to deepen and expand what is already in place.
W
Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 13
Meet Strength, Become Strength
Photo by Peter Stewart
By Sabrina Qiu
I
remember walking through the market late at night, browsing what each small shop had to offer, when a man caught my eye. He was sitting on his stool with a straight posture, forearms leaning against the edge of the table, and eyes looking down extremely focused. Surrounding him were the walls of his makeshift shop decorated from top to bottom with a hundred different scrolls, each showcasing a beautiful piece of calligraphy or artwork.
(yù qiáng yuè qiáng) roughly translates into “meet strength, become strength.” It is an idiom that embodies what it means for one to take on tough challenges. The harder the task, the more rewarding the prize. The tougher the opponent, the tougher you will be when you finally overcome them. In the piece, the second ‘qi ’ is written straighter, harsher, and with more pressure than the first. The artist told me it was meant to signify the toughness of the one who When I stepped inside, the man didn’t immediately greet overcomes the challenge, as well as mimic the change me or try to get me to purchase anything. He was busy working in tone when people often present the phrase. on another scroll, feathering the surface with the ink-dipped tip of his wooden brush. It was only after a minute or so of This phrase is actually an example of a type of me walking around that he was able to spare me a glance. He traditional Chinese idiomatic expression known asked me if I was looking to get as f (chéngyu). It typically anything specific. I replied I consists of only four didn’t know yet. characters and can be heard in daily spoken language After finishing up, the man even in the modern-day. The carefully placed the scroll to thousands of 成語 have been the side and left it to dry. I recorded over history are noticed that with each one of considered to be the collected his works, he signs and stamps wisdom of Chinese culture. it using red ink and a piece of They are the experiences, wood that seemed customlessons, and warnings engraved with his signature of thousands of Chinese mark. In a very warm but generations passed used to professional voice, he began educate those of the present to give his elevator speech on on morality and life virtues. his services and showed me the different sizes and colors I have this scroll hanging of scrolls I could choose from. right next to my bedroom He said with confidence that door. Every day I wake up and whatever I wanted, he could pass by it before I start my put on a scroll, whether it was day. It’s a beautiful and poetic a traditional Chinese poem or reminder to not be afraid a painting of Iron Man. It took of the challenges that are me a while to decide what I thrown at me, and that there wanted, but after a bit, I finally will always be something to Photo by Sabrina Qiu narrowed my choices down to one that I liked. be gained from every experience.
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Class of 2020: Senior Survey What is something(s) you wish you could have done before graduating?
Curated by Rina Weng
“Lived off campus, spent less time in Bartle, maintained lasting friendships better.” - Corinna of BUJA & Pre-Med Association (Biology) “I wish I could have gotten involved with more clubs or organizations around campus. It seems fun to be involved in so many things and being part of a larger organization, but I never felt like I had sufficient time to get involved and put my all into any clubs.” - Thamid (Chemistry) “I wish I could have experience variety of cultural activities, besides the ones I was familiar with. It's probably just my prejudice but I felt people from same ethnic background tends to stay within their groups. I think it would have been really fun if I could have been part of many different groups of different ethnicity. Other than that, being involved in research bit earlier, since I started my first research in my late junior year. Same for the seminars, which are opened for all undergraduates as well, which I was kind of intimidated to attend in freshman and sophomore years.” -Heeseong Cho (Biology) “I wish I could have written down more of my thoughts and experiences. Since I started journaling recently, I realize there are a lot of good memories and experiences that I hardly remember because I didn’t write them down. “Live in the moment” is fake news, we can live the moment and also remember it for your future self through pictures and journals.” - Tao Yang of SASE & AO (Mechanical Engineering) “GREEK LIFE!”
- Anonymous
“I wish I got my blackbelt during my time in Taekwondo club!” - Alvin of Taekwondo, Asian Outlook & Reslife (Integrative Neuroscience) “Participated in bar crawl”
- Liam of Circle K (Econ)
“Taken senior pictures, go to commencement, spend more time with my friends, enjoy nice bing weather (for once). In a nutshell, I just wanted to have fun and say goodbye without having any regrets.” - Brendan Lin of SASE, Chinascope & Ascend
(Industrial Systems Engineering)
“Filled an empty jar of mayo with vanilla pudding and eaten it during class. Also, go to Tom’s with friends!” -Alison of Binghamton Circus Acts Association (CS & Psych) “Hang out more with friends!!” -Anonymous “I wish I joined more recreational clubs where I can explore my hobbies.” - Justin (Psych/Pre-Physical Therapy) “Eat pizza logs one last time, go to the Nature Preserve.” - Brianna of Protect Our Breasts (Econ/Graphic Design Minor) “Go to nature preserve and sit on that bench next to the pond.” -Mengshu of IC & AO (History & AAAS)
Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 15
surreal perserverance
By Shaiyan Hossain
as i walk into the blistering cold it does not bother me, as my will is colder than the cold the wind slapping me, like a failure on a test well prepared for a parent scolding their child a rejection of a dream my hands: they turn blue, but I have no penchant to scream stopping here would mean certain doom i must go on, with every last breath no, no i cannot look back, even in this desolation my past demons, they haunt me even come up to me in person, weird, ‘cause the streets seem empty huh? my haters, they taunt me yet i still go on into the violent night my path is only straight, i gain total control my gaze piercing into the darkness my stance, battle-ready my breathing, aggressive yet steady the cold? ‘tis now nothing to me none of this feels real, but at the same time, all of my senses are in overdrive of a sensation i must go on i must go on my willpower is colder than the cold my willpower is colder than the cold there is a light at the end, i must survive I can hear and see the chimes of everyone conversing together, past the hurdles, past the fear, past the hate my mind roams the vast desolate expanse as i am bound to this small cube and thus I wake
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Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 17
Oriental Tea
Drink some tea. It’ll help with your sickness. By Claire Choi “This poem is about my feelings towards the ridicule and backlash that the coronavirus epidemic and Parasite have received recently. This poem’s creation was sparked by the experiences of my friends who were stared at a certain way while out in public.”
Oriental tea. Need a cuppa TZone is furrowed When you lookin at me Seriously Why do you look at me Like I’m parasitic Do you need a medic When i cough on you Cuz you’re chauvinistic People are dead. But you like “I’M DEAD” Ugh--
Before you judge, how about you listen Cuz hearing someone’s story can really change your position And you can dwell in your concerns That made you fearful and resistant. Go learn and find out more Cuz this is only a teaser But don’t end up getting sick and catching Yellow fever Stop getting drunk on toxicity Come over here And drink some tea with me ;)
You sippin exported beer “Kick those yellows outta here!” Says you, cuz you fear That when we get near We will thrive and succeed And exceed Best believe We’re no one hit wonder But really I wonder Why you xenophobic You know who’s really sick? YOU, with your inflated and barbaric rhetoric Let me orient your slant.
You taunt us when we become viral But all you are is in-denial
18 ASIAN OUTLOOK
By Claire Choi
We are not BEHIND the scene We are BEYOND the scene
Egg Tarts From Scratch By Grace Chen Are you bored at home with nothing to do? Are you craving all those yummy desserts? Well, why not make some homemade egg tarts from scratch!!
Steps:
Ingredients (you will need to make 2 types of dough) Butter Dough: 1 cup all purpose flour ¾ cups + 2 tbsp of cold butter (unsalted) Water Dough: 1 cup of all purpose flour 2 egg yolks (save the egg whites) ¼ cup of cold water Filling: ⅓ cup of sugar ½ cup water 3 large eggs + 2 egg whites 1 cup of milk 1tsp vanilla extract
1.) First combine all the ingredients for the butter dough into a food processor (or mix in a large bowl and use your hands to knead, making sure that the butter is evenly incorporated). Take the dough out, shape it into a square and wrap it in a plastic wrap. Then refrigerate for 15 mins. 2.) Mix in all the ingredients for the water dough until it becomes a ball of dough, if you need to, you can add in a little bit of water (a teaspoon) at a time. Make sure the dough isn’t too sticky. 3.) On a flat surface sprinkle some flour and roll out the water dough into a big sheet of rectangle. Then take out the butter dough from the fridge and put it on top of the water dough, and wrap the water dough over the butter dough (pretend the water dough is gift wrap and the butter dough is the present and wrap it). 4.) Roll your dough out into a big rectangular sheet, then fold your dough into 3’s. Put in the fridge for 15 mins and repeat this process 2 more times, but instead of folding into 3’s, fold into 4’s. Put in the fridge. 5.) Pour ⅓ cup of sugar into a ½ cup of boiling water and stir it until everything dissolves. Then set aside and let it cool. 6.) In a separate bowl, combine the eggs ( the egg whites from earlier and the whole eggs), milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk everything together and slowly add in the sugar water mixture. You can run your mixture through a sift a couple of times to ensure the mixture is smooth. 7.) Now take out your dough and roll it out. Then use a round cookie cutter and cut out circles. Put the circles into your molds and use your thumb to press down the sides. As you do this, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
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8.) Use a fork and poke a couple of holes on the bottom of your dough and pour in your custard filling. Let it bake for 25-35 mins, until the crust is light golden brown. Enjoy!!! Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 19
[UNTITLED] By Allie Wu
20 ASIAN OUTLOOK
Quarantine Receipes to Try
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By Tao Yang
ow that self-isolation is in full swing, many of us feel the boredom that we kept away with social and academic activities creeping in. Some of us are chilling with Tik Tok all day, some started baking, and some shaved their head. To keep ourselves entertained, we are slowly beginning to undertake a new craft, so here are some simple recipes crafted by your AO Layout Editor :)
Japanese Style Ramen (1 serving) Flavor Profile: Unami, Savory, Sweet
Ramen is fairly simple to make and has great aesthetics and nutritional value. I would often make ramen for friends during our hangouts. It is very accessible as most households have some, if not all, of the ingredients necessary. • 1 Wegmans soba noodles or regularly packed ramen • Chicken stock • 1 spoonful Ponzu citrus sauce • Half spoonful of white miso (flavor to taste) • Seaweed • Protein of choice (egg, sausage, cold cuts, etc) • Scallions • Salt and pepper 1. Boil a pot of water to rinse the noodles. When boiled, put the noodles in for 7 – 9 minutes 2. In a separate pot, boil a mixture of water and chicken stock of two parts water per onepart chicken stock. 3. When boiled, add the Ponzu sauce and miso into the stock. Stir well until miso dissolves. 4. Strain the noodles and put the noodles into the prepared stock. 5. Cut scallions and seaweed into desired shape and size, and add them to the bowl 6. Pan-fry your choice of protein and salt to taste, and add to bowl. Photots taken by Tao Yang Background from Sous-Vide
Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 21
Avocado Egg Toast (2 servings) Flavor Profile: Savory, Refreshing This is my personal favorite breakfast meal. The toast includes food from every nutrient group and can keep you energized for at least half a day of activeness. • • • • • • •
2 slice of bread (toasted) Butter (optional) Half an avocado, sliced Arugula/spinach Cold cut (ham, turkey, etc) 2 Egg Pepper
1. Depends on preference, you could melt the butter before pan-toast the bread or spread the butter after the bread is toasted. 2. Put the avocado slices on the toast 3. Put a pinch of arugula or spinach on top of the avocado, enough to cover the avocado 4. Put one slice of cold cut (folded to semicircle) on the arugula/spinach 5. Fry the eggs and put them on top of the cold cut, sprinkle pepper to taste. 6. Goes well with warm milk or tea
Mapo Tofu (2 servings)
Flavor Profile: Spicy, Sweet, Savory One of the best-known tradition Chinese dish that most people have had or heard of. It is super simple to make and does not require sauce packet like most think, you can easily add twists and different flavors to it if you would like. • • • •
1 Box of Tofu (silk preferred) Red pepper flakes Sriracha hot sauce 1 Pieces of chicken tenderloin (small cubed) • Spoonful of oyster sauce • Cooking wine • Salt and pepper
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22 ASIAN OUTLOOK
1. Marinate the chicken in salt, pepper, and a spoonful of cooking wine 2. Cut the tofu into a few small pieces 3. In a pan, sear the marinated chicken until they’re golden and fully cooked 4. In the same pan, add the tofu and break the tofu down into smaller chunks 5. Add a few squirts of sriracha sauce to the desired level of spice, and sprinkle some red pepper flakes over the dish 6. When everything starts to sizzle in the pan, add oyster sauce to the dish 7. Add salt and pepper to taste
AAAS105
by Lily Tangg Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 23
Bleach and Bones
By Celeste Pietrzak 24 ASIAN OUTLOOK
“P ink Lanterns” By Isabella Weiner
“Rice Cracker Shop”
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Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 25
PLACEMENT By Grace Moon
#unmaskthehate
By Elaine Edmondson
R I D I N G I N Q U A R A N T I N E Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 27
By Samantha Wing 28 ASIAN OUTLOOK
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Vol. XXXVIII, Issue 2 29
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