Atlas Magazine, The Off the Map Issue

ATLAS

magazine

1 | OFF THE MAP

THE

OFF THE MAP ISSUE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Erin Corrigan CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Victoria Hulbert MANAGING EDITOR: Erin Kayata CITY Editor | Marlo Jappen Writers | Samantha Harton, Julia Higgins GLOBE Globe Editor | Jennifer Morgan Writers | Rachel Dickerman, Courtney Major, Aubrey Gemmell-Nunez STYLE Editor | Lindsey Paradis Assistant Editor | Kassandra Ryback Writer | Rebecca Szkutak HEALTH Editor | Pimploy Phongsirivech Assistant Health Editor | Annette Choi Writers | Antonia DePace, Lauren Holt COPY EDITORS Head Copy Editor | Lauren Milne Copy Editors | Caroline Rabin, Allyson Floridia, Emily Anderson PHOTOGRAPHY Photo Editor | Monique Woo Assistant Photo Editor | Gabi Galvin Photographers | Nora Wilby, Carly Kinscherf, Caitlin Stassa DESIGN Designer | Victoria Hulbert Illustrator | Holly Kirkman MARKETING TEAM Marketing Director |Alexis Clemons Marketing team | Mikayla Belson, Alexandra Levin, Sherry Xu ATLAS ONLINE Blog Editor | Charlotte Slota Bloggers | Lauren Lopez, Caroline Sullivan, Allyson Floridia ATLAS MODELS Caroline Rabin, Morgan Sung, Savannah Strange, Shannon Butler, Jimmy Cesario, Lea LeBlanc, Brittany Schoellkopf

letter from the editor

ERIN CORRIGAN

A

s college students, we’ve heard plenty of “grownups” tell us that these four years are the prime time for discovery and revelation. And even though we may roll our eyes as soon as those words begin to leave adults’ lips, deep down, we know that they’re right. These few years are filled with eye-opening experiences that open doors to new perspectives and continuously mold our mindsets.

As our Spring 2015 staff brainstormed theme ideas way back in December, this notion of discovery resurfaced through the word “exploration.” Exploration is constant—but the question at the time was what do we want to explore?

Atlas’s namesake is a collection of maps that includes tables, diagrams and other resourceful information to help guide individuals. But sometimes, to discover entirely new things, you have to go completely off of the map and pioneer your own routes.

With this in mind, we decided we wanted to explore what we barely knew anything about, rather than things we’d heard about in the news and through the Emerson grapevine. Thus, we adopted “Off the Map” as our theme for our Spring 2015 issue.

Our goal for the Off the Map issue was to explore

lesser-known concepts, destinations, and methods and bring their uniqueness to light; and if we do say so ourselves, we think we’ve achieved this goal.

Some of our staff members tested out new experiences themselves, like spontaneously trying a charcoal detox regimen that traces back to 3750 B.C.’s ancient Egypt (pg. 49). One member of our team wrote from St. Mary’s University in England, where she spent this semester exploring the charm of quaint locales outside of bustling London (pg. 35).

We also provide some insight into a vastly different study-abroad program, in which students’ home base is a 25,000 ton ship that brings them to 12 countries, including Burma and Namibia (pg.

32).

Bringing our exploration back to Boston, our staff suggests study spots that lie outside of Emerson’s immediate realm (pg. 26) and gives readers a lesson on Forensics—and while we are talking about a science, it’s not the kind that solves crimes (pg. 16).

All of us at Atlas have learned that some of the greatest discoveries aren’t far-off; they’re just not along our routine pathways. With this issue, we invite you to take a break from your usual ways and allow yourself to stumble upon something new.

Sincerely, Erin Corrigan, Editor-in-Chief 5 | OFF THE MAP

MEET THE STAFF:

VICTORIA HULBERT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Off the map band: Dead Man’s Bones “Who knew Ryan Gosling was more than just a pretty face? Listen to “My Body’s a Zombie for You,” a collaboration between Gosling, Zach Shields, and the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir.”

GABI GALVIN

ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Off the map museum: ICA (Institute of Contemporary Arts) “It’s in an awesome location right on the water and they are constantly rotating through unique exhibits that you really can’t find anywhere else.”

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ERIN KAYATA

MANAGING EDITOR

Off the map brand: Out of Print clothing “They offer all book-themed products, so you can wear your favorite novel on your T-shirt, tote bag, and more!”

MARLO JAPPEN CITY EDITOR

Off the map restaurant: Mela “Located in the South End, Mela has a cozy atmosphere and serves delicious Indian cuisine—including lots of vegetarian options and a reasonably-priced lunch buffet.”

MONIQUE WOO PHOTO EDITOR

Off the map exercise: BOLLYX Workout “BOLLYX is a Bollywood-inspired dancefitness program that combines dynamic choreography and intensive workouts with the hottest music from around the world.”

JENNIFER MORGAN GLOBE EDITOR

Off the map book: If the Tabloids Are True What Are You?: Poems and Artwork by Matthea Harvey “Pure eye candy for the mermaid lover’s soul.”

LINDSEY PARADIS STYLE EDITOR

Off the map blog: Simply, Taralynn, simplytaralynn.com “I discovered Taralynn’s blog during one of my healthy eating crazes. She’s a really great lifestyle blogger and has a bunch of delicious recipes.”

ANNETTE CHOI ASSISTANT HEALTH EDITOR

Off the map movie: White Bird in a Blizzard “If you’re tired of cliche endings and all too simplistic storylines, I recommend you watch this refreshing and emotionally riveting movie.

(Plus, it has a killer soundtrack!)”

KASSANDRA RYBACK ASSISTANT STYLE EDITOR

Off the map nightlife: Club Rise “The only after-hours hot spot in Boston to rave; the party never stops.”

CHARLOTTE SLOTA BLOG EDITOR

Off the map day trip: Providence, RI “Take the commuter rail into Providence and spend the day enjoying the restaurants and shops on Thayer Street right near the Brown University campus.”

PIMPLOY PHONGSIRIVECH HEALTH EDITOR

Off the map coffee shop: The Coffee Trike “Get your caffeine fix from a mobile coffee shop operated on a vintage tricycle; keep an eye out for when it rolls around to Dewey Square in the summer!”

LAUREN MILNE HEAD COPYEDITOR

Off the map view: Corey Hill Park “The hike up Corey Hill Outlook Park in Brookline turns some people away, but it’s well worth the view.”

Off the map recipe: Chocolate Coca Cola Cake “Coca Cola can be used for so much more than simply drinking. For example, it’s a prime ingredient in making an extremely moist and sweet Southern chocolate cake. Find the recipe online!”

ALEXIS CLEMONS

MARKETING DIRECTOR

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INTHIS ISSUE pg. 14

pg. 32

pg. 26

CAMPUS Slam Poetry: So what!? // pg. 12

Emerson Poetry Project members share how they got into slam poetry and describe how supportive the community is.

Q&A with Emerson Sustainability // pg. 14 Emerson’s first campus sustainability coordinator, Eric Van Vlandren, sits with Atlas to discuss Emerson Sustainability.

The Science of Speech // pg. 16

An Emerson Forensics team member shares her experiences in the speech and debate competition.

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CITY

Encompassing Globalization // pg. 18 Symptoms of Change in the Boston Music Scene // pg. 22 Emerson’s Global & Post-Colonial Studies minor delves deep into cultures, beyond what’s talked about in the news.

Cambridge-based indie-electronic band, The Symptoms, are breaking through Boston’s punk-heavy music scene.

A Change of Studying Scenery // pg. 26

This list sheds light upon alternative study spots for students looking to expand their knowledge of Boston and find the most comfortable space to hit the books.

SPRING 2015

pg. 42 pg. 49

pg. 54

GLOBE

STYLE

HEALTH

Geocaching // pg. 30

The Art of Upcycling // pg. 40

Skin Health: Are you Listening? // pg. 45

Shipboard Studying // pg. 32

Getting in Style for Summer // pg. 42

The Pill // pg. 47

A look into the technologically connected worldwide geocaching community.

Semester at Sea brings students through a route much different than any other study abroad program.

No Longer a Tourist // pg. 35

With her semester studying abroad in England almost over, Courtney Major shares some of the spots the tour guides won’t show you.

Creating original styles can be easier than expected.

It is finally warming up and summer is right around the corner, which means new trends and outfits to wear.

ABOVE PHOTOS | MONIQUE WOO, GABI GALVIN, NORA WILBY COVER PHOTO | MONIQUE WOO SECTION PHOTOS | MONIQUE WOO POLAROIDS | MONIQUE WOO

Fancy creams can allay breakouts, but face maps provide the info needed to preserve clear skin.

A look at the expansive utility of oral contraception.

Charcoal, the New Black // pg. 49

Health writer Lauren Holt recounts her experience testing out charcoal as a detox method.

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CAMPUS • • • •

SLAM POETRY: SO WHAT!? // PG. 12 Q&A WITH EMERSON SUSTAINABILITY // PG. 14 THE SCIENCE OF SPEECH // PG. 16 ENCOMPASSING GLOBALIZATION // PG. 18

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SLAM POETRY:

SO WHAT?!

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EMERSON POETRY PROJECT MEMBERS SHARE HOW THEY GOT INTO SLAM POETRY AND DESCRIBE HOW SUPPORTIVE THE COMMUNITY IS TEXT | JENNIFER MORGAN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | SABRINA COMBS Poetry often evokes thoughts of solitude. Spoken word, or more specifically, slam poetry, is a whole other game. Emerson’s only spoken word organization, Emerson Poetry Project (EPP), competitively showcases our campus’s talent each spring at College Unions Poetry Slam Invitational (CUPSI).

“Slam poetry was invented in the 1980s by a Chicago construction worker named Marc Smith.”

“Any slam you go to anywhere in the world, the host will say that line and the entire room will yell ‘SO WHAT?!’ because it’s been happening forever,” says EPP’s Vice President and Slam Master Allison Trujillo, writing, literature and publishing ’15. Trujillo, or “Truj,” has attended CUPSI for the past two years, and was nominated for the finals stage of the Best of the Rest showcase both years. She’s been doing slam since her freshman year at Emerson, but some members of EPP have been at it for even longer.

“I was one of the only people who did funny poems in high school because everyone was, like, 15 and sad,” says Raina Deerwater, writing for film and television ’16. “[Slam poetry is] an art form based on defying rules…a bar game for the common man.” She explains that slams are judged by five random audience members who rate the spoken word poems on a scale of zero to 10.

EPP’s president, Kieran Collier, writing, literature and publishing ’16, believes that any poem can be a slam poem. “Slam poetry is just competitive poetry…. Slam is the scenario in which you present the work.”

Collier transitioned from writing lyrics to writing poems in high school and sought EPP out as a freshman at Emerson.

“Reading in front of a live audience always helps because you can really hear people react…. Everyone’s really supportive of each other.” This will be his third year competing on Emerson’s

CUPSI team. If he makes the team next year, Collier will be the first Emerson student to slam at the invitational all four years.

“Our fall semester is always about qualifying for the CUPSI team,” says Collier. “There will be probably eight open slams, and then people will use the slams to qualify towards our CUPSI qualifier, which happens at the end of fall semester.” The qualifier determines the five people who will be on the CUPSI team.

Collier adds that EPP features guest poets every few weeks.

In early March, EPP featured Hieu Minh Nguyen, a Minnesota-based poet. The event was cosponsored by Emerson multicultural organizations ASIA and EAGLE. Members of EPP perform at on-campus events as well, including the Emerson Recognition and Achievement Awards in the past two years.

This spring will be Deerwater’s first time attending CUPSI. “Poetry is my Mr. Darcy,” she says. “I’m in love.”

EPP meets Monday nights, “unless it’s a holiday or there’s a blizzard,” according to Deerwater. The message the organization tries to get across is that they provide a safe space for poets to share their work. “People share very personal stuff and we’re all pretty accepting of that,” says Deerwater.

In the spring, there are various fun slams for members to participate in while the CUPSI team prepares for battle. There’s a Champion of Champions slam where the winner gets a chapbook of his or her work published, a Box of Doom slam where everyone performs really bad poems, and other cover slams and open mics. “We really try to foster a community at EPP—we’re not just around so people can get onto the CUPSI team,” says Truj. EPP is the perfect outlet for poets seeking an out-of-the box medium.

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Q&A

WITH EMERSON SUSTAINABILITY TEXT | MARLO JAPPEN PHOTOGRAPHY | NORA WILBY & GABI GALVIN

Emerson hired its first campus sustainability coordinator, Eric Van Vlandren, in July 2013. The ’90 political communications graduate had lobbied for the position for over three years. Van Vlandren sits with Atlas in the Iwasaki Library to discuss Emerson Sustainability.

What’s the mission of Emerson Sustainability?

First, it’s to make Emerson College as sustainable a place to learn, live and work as possible. It is also to support the academic mission to encourage and advance knowledge about sustainability, basic science, environmental issues and, most importantly, simply how to communicate about sustainability. Thirdly, Emerson Sustainability seeks to help make Emerson College as an institution a good community partner and citizen with the city. All of these sustainability problems affect us all, and we all have to do our part. As an institution, what part can Emerson play?

That’s what we seek to answer.

How has Emerson’s culture of sustainability evolved since you were a student?

It’s night and day. First of all, you have to remember that I’m very old. I’m 47 years old. The entire societal culture was very different. We didn’t recycle. We didn’t really know it was a thing. Everything went in the trash. Emerson was

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no different. Global warming and climate change weren’t phrases that were used. People didn’t think of things in that way, so Emerson was a product of the culture that existed back in the 80s.

For instance, I took an earth science class while I was at Emerson. The professor got up in front of the class one time and said, “I read in the newspaper about a couple of scientists who thought that all the ice would melt and it would be terrible.” She was being very dismissive about it.

She said, “I can prove that it’s no problem.” She took a glass of water and put an ice cube in it. She said, “When the ice cube melts, would the water overflow the glass?” Of course, the answer was no. The ice cube is already displacing the water, whether it’s solid or liquid. “You see the ice is already floating in the ocean, so the ocean isn’t going to get any higher,” she said. I raised my hand and said, “Well, that’s true of the Arctic, but what about Antarctica or Greenland?” She replied, “Well, Greenland, maybe a little bit. But not Antarctica. It’s the same as the Arctic,” she said. I said,

“No, it’s a continent.” She said, “No, it’s ice.” I said, “No, you know there’s land underneath that ice. So the ice is not floating. It will melt and make the ocean more.” She was my professor and she didn’t even know that Antarctica was a continent. She thought it was just a giant ice cube at the South Pole. That, I think, illustrates how vastly different things were.

get back through the glass so it heats up the building. You can use that to the advantage. Emerson LA has what is called louvers. It’s like a venetian blind. They’re just metal slats that rotate. When they want the sunlight to come in, they snap up so the light waves could pass over them. If the building is getting too hot, they want to shade the building.

They snap the louvers down, bouncing the sunlight away and thus the building inside doesn’t heat up and it stays nice and cool. Literally, throughout the day the surface of the building changes.

What are some of Emerson Sustainability’s most recent efforts?

We have our garden planters here in the windows of the library. We are getting ready to greatly expand the indoor campus garden come September. We want to start an acWhat could Emerson improve upon to become more sustainable? tual Emerson Agricultural Club next Fall. We are going to I would say the biggest areas, or the lowest hanging grow fresh herbs for the dining hall. We are moving a lot fruit, are things that you might not even think about. I just closer on our rooftop garden. Basically, we have the per- finished our Go Green report, which is the carbon footmission, the design and most of the things worked out. We print report for the whole school. The thing that stands really just need the money, and we have some good leads out as “Woah, that’s a problem,” is traveling. Specifically, as to where we’re going to get the money for that. We’re student traveling like going to LA, the Castle or any of the also looking into beehives for another roof. My hope is other European programs. Even going to the Washington, that in two years, we will have three distinct agricultural DC program. Whether it’s students or faculty and staff opportunities for students on campus. We have the Real traveling to them, it’s almost all by air. And air travel is a Food Challenge to get local, organic and sustainable food huge per capita impact of greenhouse gases. The school into the Sodexo Dining Program. We’re getting really has three campuses that are 3,000–4,000 miles apart from good traction for that. And, of course, the biggest event each other, so we do a lot of flying. This goes for breaks, is the Green Gala. It’s on April 2nd in Paramount, and it’s too. We have a very high travel lifestyle. What can be done Emerson’s first large-scale Earth Day celabout that? I’m not sure. The ebration. There’s going to be 14 student biggest thing is probably to buy organizations performing, as well as free offsets, which reduce the amount vegan food and an eco fashion show. We “The dominant social of carbon a person generates by hope to make it an annual event. compensating for an emission issue of the next 100 made elsewhere.

What are some of the difficulties of promoting a If you spend an additional years is going to come amount, say 50 dollars, the airculture of sustainability at Emerson?

Emerson students are really interline will plant trees and do other from environmental things that absorb that much ested in what has immediate benefit to their college career or their post-college carbon for the trip. What if Empressures: sustaincareer. Emerson is a very fame-obsessed erson made offsets for all travel to culture. There is a lot of self-promotion.

LA mandatory? Would people go ability issues, climate Generally speaking, Emerson is a very for it or would people be scream“Me-Now” culture. But almost everying? If we are going to be serious change, droughts, thing I talk about is “Us-Later” problems. about really making a big impact, The ocean isn’t going to rise tomorrow. we have to be ready to take drafamines, species loss, Hurricanes aren’t going to come tomormatic steps like that. The days of row. These are problems that are going doing little nibbles here and there all these types of to affect society. How do you commuare not going to cut it. We need to things.” nicate big picture problems to students take bigger bites. who are very “Me-Now,” small-problem focused?

As Sustainability Coordinator, what do you hope to accomplish in the future?

What is the greatest way that students can get involved with sustainMy plan is to communicate about basic science and ability beyond campus? sustainability and environmental issues. So many people Do you know the story of the boy who cried wolf? I out there in the world, you know, don’t understand these worry that I sound like the boy who cried wolf sometimes things. They don’t believe in global warming. That, right because I like to say, “The dominant social issue of the next there, is a problem. That’s not something you believe in like 100 years is going to come from environmental pressures: the Easter Bunny. But, it’s not a matter of believing. It’s a sustainability issues, climate change, droughts, famines, matter of knowledge. Our goal as communicators is to get species loss, all these types of things.” The only way to ad- people to understand basic concepts like that. Now, there dress that, sadly, is through politics. Government is all of are schools that do social science research that delves into us. We all agree to make laws and obey them and govern what people know or believe about environmental issues ourselves. If you, a student, wants to get involved outside and why they believe or don’t believe them. I want Emerof Emerson, be involved with your community, whether it’s son to partner with those places to take the social science, the local level, the city level, the state level or the national the research that supports it, and apply it in a vocational level. Be involved with the civics and the governments of way that teaches our graduates how to communicate about your society. Because, by doing that, you will be involved basic science and basic sustainability and environmental iswith environmental and sustainable issues because they sues. I think if I can get funding for it and if I can get Emwill be driving everything you do. erson to establish a Center for Sustainability Communication, that would be my greatest accomplishment and my The Emerson LA Center is known for having an environmentally friendly biggest goal. campus. Could you tell me about that?

Probably the most noticeable thing is the way that the building is heated and cooled. It’s done passively. Emerson LA is a tall building and it has lots of windows. If you let the sunlight come in through lots of windows, the light waves are really long so they penetrate through the glass and then they bounce off things and get shorter. They can’t

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AN EMERSON FORENSICS TEAM MEMBER SHARES HER EXPERIENCES IN THE SPEECH AND DEBATE COMPETITION

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The Science of Speech

TEXT | LINDSEY PARADIS PHOTOGRAPHY | GABI GALVIN & CAITLIN STASSA When one hears the word “forensics,” the mind often wanders to images of scientific tests held in a lab on some television crime drama.

But for hundreds of thousands of students around the United States, including a handful of Emerson students, Forensics is an interscholastic speech and debate organization in which they compete.

Bruno E. Jacob founded the National Speech & Debate Association, then known as the National Forensic League, in 1925 in order to encourage high school students to partake in speech and debate activities. In its 90 years, The National Speech & Debate Association has come to include middle school and college students.

Team Director and Communication Studies professor Heather May and Team President Cabot Lee Petoia, political communications ’16, lead the Emerson Forensics team.

For Petoia, not only is Forensics a competition between different speakers in different events, but it is also a competition with herself. “Every time you give a speech, you compare yourself to past performances,” she says. “When you get feedback from judges, coaches, teammates and even your competitors, you strive to be better the next time.”

Petoia says she’s seen 10 prominent individual events in Forensics: Prose, Poetry, Dramatic Interpretation, Informative, Persuasion, After Dinner, Impromptu, Extemporaneous, Rhetorical Criticism and the Lincoln–Douglas Debate.

In the Prose event, the speaker presents and interprets prose literature, which can be compiled from different works and authors. The participant will perform holding a black book or binder as a tribute to the author. The Poetry event runs the same way, only with the work changing to poetry. The Dramatic Interpretation event gives competitors 10 minutes to perform an excerpt from a play.

The Informative Speaking event does what it says: informs the audience. A contestant will present an original factual speech on a subject in order to inform the audience about its implications. The Persuasion category is also self-explanatory, as participants aim to convince, inspire and persuade the audience.

In the After Dinner event, each participant presents an original speech about a serious topic, while incorporating humor. Contestants are put on the spot in the Impromptu event, as they are given excerpts

about general issues and then given seven minutes to prepare a speech.

The Extemporaneous competition is similar, in that participants are given a collection of questions on current national and international events to choose from. They are then given 30 minutes to gather evidence and prepare a speech that answers the question.

Competitors in the Rhetorical Criticism event offer an original analysis of any important rhetorical piece.

There is also the Lincoln–Douglas Debate, which Petoia describes as “one of the most competitive, intense and admired events underneath the umbrella of Forensics.” According to Petoia, this debate is named after one of the earliest and most famous examples of public speaking: the debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in the 1850s.

Forensics also includes team events, in which two members from each team work together. These include the Parliamentary Debate and Duo Interpretation.

Similar to the Extemporaneous event, the Parliamentary Debate is a debate between pairs that are given their topic right before the start of the competition, and then have a short window to research and prepare.

The Duo Interpretation is similar to the Dramatic Interpretation event, except that two participants perform the piece together.

Emerson’s Forensics team has recently participated in events at Suffolk University, St. Anselm College and Webster University in Missouri. The team won the regional championships this year, qualifying for nationals this April.

There are no requirements to join the Emerson Forensics team and everyone is welcome. Fear of public speaking should not dissuade students considering Forensics, says Petoia. In fact, she considers this fear a pro. “Feeling uncomfortable with public speaking only means that you have plenty of room to grow as a public speaker,” she says.

Yet, Petoia adds, “I’d say that the requirement for truly being a part of Forensics is the power to be optimistic about what you’re doing, put in the work, accept criticism, be a good audience member and teammate, and always push yourself to be better.”

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encompassing GLOBALIZATION EMERSON’S GLOBAL & POST-COLONIAL STUDIES MINOR DELVES DEEP INTO CULTURES BEYOND WHAT’S TALKED ABOUT IN THE NEWS TEXT | PIMPLOY PHONGSIRIVECH ILLUSTRATION | HOLLY KIRKMAN

M

ahatma Gandhi once said, “No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.” Regardless of whether or not this is true, Gandhi has a point. We are living in an increasingly globalized world which relies and functions on communication and connectivity. We often are unaware of how interconnected the world is, and at times may find ourselves in the dark about cultures with which we do not identify.

The scope of one’s global awareness hinges primarily on one’s interest in foreign cultures. For some, keeping up with current events sufficiently connects them to the rest of world, keeping them informed about the goings-on in other hemispheres. However, many others strive for an understanding of other cultures that search engines alone cannot provide.

Emerson offers a minor, Global & Post-Colonial Studies, which caters to this curiosity. This minor, part of the Institute for Liberal Arts & Interdisciplinary Studies, presents a smorgasbord of opportunities to explore the realms of history, sociology, political science, literature and art in a global context.

The minor is self-described as one that provides students with “an understanding of our increasingly complex, globalized world.” According to Professor Sharmishtha Roy Chowdhury, a historian-in-residence teaching Non-Western World History, it is crucial to have an awareness of the world beyond the neighborhoods, cities and countries in which we belong.

“Entering the workforce today, students need an understanding of the globalized world,” she says. “[Globalization] is a phenomenon that students need to grasp in order to be better workers and, more importantly, to be better-informed citizens with a sense of civ­­ic engagement that encompasses the local, the national and the global.” Roy Chowdhury says that this minor primarily aims to provide students with “a body of complex knowledge that is required to understand the world in which we live.”

Global & Post-Colonial Studies also emphasizes “an awareness of marginal knowledge systems and neglected histories.” Students learn about matters that transcend both time and geographical borders.

The 16 credits required for the minor can be gained from an extensive list of classes. Courses that count toward this minor are Non-Western World History, Islam in the World, The African Diaspora, Arts of the Americas and the Pacific, International Women Writers, International Politics and Transnational Asian Cinema, to name a few.

From exploring reasons why the Ottoman Empire unraveled to analyzing novels written by Sri Lankan authors, Global & Post-Colonial Studies offers classes that are academically broad as well as geographically expansive. Its courses appeal to a variety of individuals, whether their interests lie in the teachings of Islam or in non-Western cinema. Whatever the case, it can’t hurt to learn to appreciate cultures of those with whom we share the planet.

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CITY • SYMPTOMS OF CHANGE IN THE BOSTON MUSIC SCENE // PG. 22 • A CHANGE OF STUDYING SCENERY // PG. 26 •

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SYMPTOMS OF CHANGE in the Boston music scene

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CAMBRIDGE-BASED INDIE-ELECTRONIC BAND, THE SYMPTOMS, ARE BREAKING THROUGH BOSTON’S PUNK-HEAVY MUSIC SCENE TEXT | SAMANTHA HARTON PHOTOGRAPHY | MONIQUE WOO, NORA WILBY & GABI GALVIN

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oom 123 of Studio 52 is a little cramped. Amps and cases stacked on top of each other line white walls that are bare, with the exception of a whiteboard and an abstract painting. Most of the space in the tiny room is taken up by an elaborate keyboard setup and a drum kit, and the floor is barely visible, covered with cords strewn across pedals and mic stands among beer cans, water bottles and pizza boxes. But even adding an electric and bass guitar doesn’t stop four guys from packing into the tiny room to make some magic.

This is the home of The Symptoms, an indie-electronic band out of Cambridge, Massachusetts that includes keyboardist Ben Berners-Lee, guitarist Drew Smith, and bassist and lead singer James Fraser (who is also the artist behind the rehearsal space’s one painting). The three met in high school and have since added drummer Corey Foster, who plans to move to Oregon this spring, meaning one thing for The Symptoms: time to find a new drummer...again.

When asked what they’re going to do about finding a new drummer, Berners-Lee lowers his head and replies wearily, “Yeah, we actually need to talk about that.” The group has gone through multiple drummers since they came together in their high school years and are searching for someone to complete what they want to be a cohesive, four-person band, but that’s proving easier said than done.

Despite the setback, the group is still moving forward.

With over 900 likes on Facebook and a growing Instagram presence, The Symptoms are getting their name out there, relying mostly on social media. They have their own website, a SoundCloud account to which they upload all their music, and Facebook and Instagram pages where they post pictures and videos to promote live shows and, most importantly, their upcoming LP. The band is currently working on a full-length record, which is no easy task. In between rehearsing songs, the members constantly critique each other and themselves. Berners-Lee makes little comments after each song like “that was good, except for that one bass hit,” and Fraser picks apart his voice, saying “I was so flat the whole time.” Berners-Lee claims that their rehearsals involve a lot of “constructive negative energy.” He and Smith argue constantly, but it all goes toward making the band better. “This is the most collaborative we’ve ever been,” says Fraser.

Before they even get the chance to collaborate in rehearsal, they have to come together in the writing process. The lyrics are usually written by Berners-Lee, with increasing collaboration from the rest of the band. The creation of entire songs is a group process. “Sometimes [Berners-Lee] comes to us with a big idea, like a vocal line,” says Smith. “Then we just add on it and craft it into a song.” Other times, Fraser and Smith will

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come up with a good guitar or bass line and play off of each others’ moments of creativity. “It pretty much goes on a song-tosong basis how it’s written,” Smith explains. “And sometimes we just start jamming.”

The rehearsal atmosphere is playful, with the guys laughing about the time their amp started smoking during rehearsal, and James joking about Tom DeLonge, ex-lead singer of punk band Blink-182, talking to aliens. Emerson student Hantzley Audate, marketing ’17, has worked closely with The Symptoms, and says, “They have fun, but when they’re working, they’re really on top of their stuff.” There is a clear balance of work and play, as jokes about musicians’ needs to constantly buy new equipment are interspliced with Berners-Lee drawing diagrams on the whiteboard that map out necessary “drum energy.”

Even with all the jokes, the members take the creative process seriously, and with good reason, since music has clearly been a part of all of their lives from a very young age. “I started singing ever since I can remember,” [sic] says Fraser, although he didn’t pick up the bass guitar until his senior year of high school. Berners-Lee began playing piano in second grade and soon after was composing “rock” songs, although he refuses to disclose any music “from that era.”

The band as a whole has been making music together for quite some time, with Fraser, Berners-Lee and Smith solidifying The Symptoms after meeting at a party during their high school years, and recently adding Foster to the mix after yet another drummer had to leave. They’ve had their ups and downs, as every band has, enduring a period in which they didn’t see each other for about two months following their first drummer’s departure. After Smith and the original drummer left for college, leaving Berners-Lee and Fraser to their senior year, it became really hard to commute and meet up for practice. “The band fell apart the worst it ever has,” says Smith. “We were all just in different places.”

But today, with the exception of the drummer question, The Symptoms look like a well-oiled machine. Their live shows are nothing short of impressive as Smith busts out lengthy guitar solos and Fraser holds nothing back on the mic. “Their soul really comes through in their live performances,” says Audate.

“Jimmy and Drew—when those two are up on stage, it’s electrifying.”

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They’ve recently played at the Middle East, one of the more popular venues in Boston, and Fizz, a bar in Chicago, Illinois. In 2013 they made the Boston Phoenix’s list of Boston’s Best New Bands. They’ve made a positive name for themselves in the Boston underground music community, with Ryan Meier, lead singer of Cherry Mellow, an indie rock band formed out of Berklee College of Music, calling them one of the most “professional” bands in the scene.

It’s clear that the group is talented and has a unique sound, rocking a darker indie-electronic vibe, but breaking into the music scene in Boston has not been easy. Most of the bigger bands in the underground scene are punk, hardcore or metal, which appeals to a distinctly different demographic than the indie-electronic fans that The Symptoms try to cater to.

“We can’t really play shows with the bigger bands in Boston because they’re mostly punk,” says Smith. Berners-Lee claims that there aren’t many other indie-electronic bands in the area, so it’s hard to find other acts to play with that attract the same fan base. Berners-Lee explains that all the guys in those hardcore bands “are great guys,” but breaking into a music scene where your genre is not the primary one can’t be easy.

Yet, the guys are making strides. They released an EP in 2013 called Contrasts that is available on mediums like Spotify, Amazon Music, iTunes and SoundCloud. They hope to collaborate with a media group at Emerson College in order to create a music video so that they can put themselves on the map. Right now, their main focus is creating a new record, and the new music they’ve been playing at live shows is a clear development from Contrasts. The Symptoms are working more closely than ever before, and the area will be seeing great things from them.

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a change of STUDYING SCENERY TEXT | JULIA HIGGINS PHOTOGRAPHY | GABI GALVIN & NORA WILBY

As finals week draws closer and the projects pile on, intensive studying becomes a necessity for Emerson students, as well as for students all over Boston. Trendy cafĂŠs, the Iwasaki Library, the Boston Public Library and other regularly populated study spots become packed as students try to find some semblance of focus outside of their apartments or dorm rooms. This list sheds light upon alternative study spots for students looking to expand their knowledge of Boston and find the most comfortable space to hit the books.

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Cambridge Public Library, Cambridge

1.

Though the Boston Public Library is a well-known study spot for students living within the city, the Cambridge Public Library provides students with a beautiful alternative. Just minutes from the Harvard Square T stop (off of the Red Line), the CPL has an impressive, hard-to-miss presence. The main building, reminiscent of Trinity Church in Copley Square, evokes feelings of wonder and majesty; this satisfying ambience makes hours of studying more bearable. For those who enjoy studying outside, the CPL’s latest addition—a building made almost entirely of glass—creates the illusion of being outside, yet keeps the quiet atmosphere needed for intensive review. Given its location, the CPL is also in walking distance of “refuel stations,” as Harvard Square is full of cafés, restaurants and convenience stores for a caffeine or food boost.

2.

A short, 15-minute walk from Emerson, the South End Buttery is a cozy neighborhood café, perfect for those looking for a livelier study spot. Unlike many of Boston’s cafés, the Buttery does not have Wi-Fi. Though this may dissuade many students, the lack of Internet connection makes writing papers and completing readings easier, as there are far fewer computer-based distractions. For students looking to conduct interviews for final projects, the Buttery is also a nice alternative to filming or recording in a dorm room or common space. The noise level, while not silent, is underwhelming on the weekdays. On the weekends, the Buttery is quite crowded; for more intimate interview settings, the weekdays are a better bet. The Buttery serves a wide variety of food and drinks, perfect for students who need consistent pick-me-ups throughout the day.

South End Buttery, Back Bay/South End

3.

As spring sinks in and edges closer to summer, the warmer weather makes most people wish they were outside. For students, however, many of the ideal study spots are inside, where desks, chairs, outlets and Internet are all close at hand. At the Arnold Arboretum in Forest Hills, however, studying outdoors can become a reality. The Arboretum is a vast expanse of green, covered with trees, plants and flowers familiar to the region. There are soft grasses, winding pathways and plenty of quiet, isolated places for students to rejoice in. Though the Arboretum is a tourist attraction, as well as a popular destination for residents of JP, there is plenty of open space for prospective students to claim. This spot is perfect for students who are in need of both an A on their exams and some Vitamin D.

4.

Unlike the Caffé Nero located on Washington Street in downtown Boston, Centre Street’s Caffé Nero is a peaceful refuge with plenty of open seats. The ambience that exists within the Caffé Nero by Emerson’s campus translates to this newly opened location as well, with old school charm oozing from every corner of the building. The coffee, rated as one of the best in the UK, also comes as a welcome stimulant for tired Boston students. The plush leather seating of the café makes for an extremely comfortable study session; tired students should not head here, for fear of sinking into one of the chairs and never making it out. The Internet connection here is also sound, though this reliability wavers as the café fills up. Overall, Centre Street’s Caffé Nero is a great place for students looking to relax and study in style.

5.

Blue State Coffee is a perfect study spot for alternative eaters, as this café serves a wide array of vegan-friendly options. For students living in Allston, this is also a good choice, as the other options on this list can be quite a hike from the notoriously slow Green Line.

Though Blue State can get fairly crowded, the noise levels are rarely overwhelming. For students who study better with a decent amount of background noise, Blue State is recommended. There are plenty of outlets throughout Blue State, and a sufficient amount of seating as well. Charity-minded Emersonians will appreciate Blue State’s philanthropy: 5 percent of every purchase is donated to local nonprofit organizations.

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GLOBE • GOTTA CACHE ‘EM ALL // PG. 30 • SHIPBOARD STUDYING // PG. 32 • NO LONGER A TOURIST // PG. 35

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Gotta Cache ‘em All TEXT | AUBREY GEMMELL-NUNEZ & ERIN CORRIGAN ILLUSTRATION | HOLLY KIRKMAN

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A LOOK INTO THE TECHNOLOGICALLY CONNECTED WORLDWIDE GEOCACHING COMMUNITY “It is like your own personal amazing race,” says from the rock that the cache is located on. As if that isn’t Emerson student Stephanie Pumilia, film production ’16, daunting enough, the post adds that the cliffs stand about recalling her first geocaching experience six years ago in a hundred feet above the ground.

New Orleans.

But not every geocache is as physically straining as The Geocaching, which got its start in May of 2000, has tak- Leap is. Open to wanderers of all ages and expertise, geoen off across the globe as a revolutionary real-life adventure caching has grown to over 4 million participants that have game where participants use their smartphones to follow a collectively searched for more than 2 million geocaches. series of clues provided by GPS technology.

The largest geocaching website, Geocaching.com, proDave Ulmer, a computer consultant, hid the first vides users with varying levels of difficulty and experience, “cache” 15 years ago in the woods near his home in Oregon, similar to a video game. and after posting the coordinates of the item online, Geocachers are encouraged to share their experiences waited for other GPS enthusiasts to engage in the hunt. on online forums specific to their region, creating online For the first cache, Ulmer filled a bucket with computer communities connected by real-world experiences. The software, cassette tapes, a small amount of money and a oldest cache in Boston, with 1,411 logged visits, has linked tape recorder, among other small things. With the use of a these adventurers through their stories.

GPS, explorers are led to a treasure One blogger wrote, “The view is of hidden items compiled by anyone something to behold,” and another geowho wants to participate, and which cacher attached a picture of the Boston “You kind of get a skyline taken from the top of the hill can include a range of trinkets, notes or memorabilia. where the cache is located. First hidlittle bit of that Once the explorer finds the hidden by Jeremy Gilbert on October 1, den treasure, they are asked to leave this cache kicked off geocaching person when you find 2000, what they have found in the exact in Massachusetts. same location with each item intact, Other Massachusetts caches include their stuff, just only adding their signature and notes the “Lincoln Logic” cache, which is a of their experience to the logbook adventure and has a difficulty thinking about who two-part that is left with each geocache. Howrating of almost four out of five. The ever, any adventurer has the option two-part cache was hidden by Greg left it.” to take something from the cache Wade and Dave Jennings in 2001 on and replace it with their own item of the Lincoln Conservation Land and greater or equal value, building on the wealth. has recorded 275 logged visits.

“We found stuff people had written with little personal However, with higher difficulty ratings come failed items. You kind of get a little bit of that person when you attempts and blog posts filled with frustration. One find their stuff, just thinking about who left it,” says Pumblogger wrote on the Lincoln Logic page in December ilia. She admits that it was harder than she had expected of 2014 that “the only sour note today: failed to find wp and required dedication. “You have to know what you’re [waypoint] 1, despite extending my radius from GZ to doing and where you are.”

800 or 100 feet.” Other blog posts range from experienced The website for MapDash, a popular scavenger hunt geocachers discussing GPS radius alternatives and adding smartphone app, published a post featuring “the crazihelpful hints, to the newly exploring wanderer looking for est geocaches in the world.” Included in the list is “The answers.

Leap,” located somewhere along Arizona’s cliffs. “The Fourteen years after it was hidden, the highly challenghike to the cache’s general location is difficult enough,” ing Lincoln Logic still draws geocachers to its challenge, MapDash writes. “Steep hills, lots of drop-offs (a number showing no signs of disappearing into the history of of cliffs even), gigantic boulders, thick underbrush, and technology fads. In an age where technology is thought to just overall rugged terrain are only a few of the challenges solve many of our mysteries, geocaching truly embodies you have to face.” Upon locating the cache, geocachers the lure of the unknown. see its namesake: a four- to five-foot gap separating them

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shipboard STUDYING TEXT | RACHEL DICKERMAN PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | EMILY ABI-KHEIRS & CHELSEA STUART

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SEMESTER AT SEA BRINGS STUDENTS THROUGH A ROUTE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM

T

he image of studying abroad: constant bustling, hostels, trains, planes and maybe a tropical beach somewhere amid the journey; mostly on land, maybe hiking mountains or just strolling through a cobblestoned city.

Though this is picturesque, another image just as beautiful and wondrous exists – in the middle of the ocean.

This aquatic adventure is none other than Semester at Sea, a study abroad program currently sponsored by the University of Virginia.

Students from any university can participate in Semester at Sea (SAS). The hustle of sea-to-land living is not for the faint of heart, but the unique environment forms a tightknit community that helps ease the chaos.

Olivia Rodbell, marketing ’17, studied at Semester at Sea in the fall of 2014.

“It definitely takes a certain type of person to do SAS,” says Rodbell. “You have class when you are on the boat and you don’t when you are in port. There is no ‘normal.’ Because you are in most places for about four days, you are trying to do as much as possible in that amount of time. When you are in port, you just don’t sleep; you go all day and all night and repeat that.”

Before everyone disembarks for their on-land adventures, commonly referred to as being “in port,” they receive information from guest speakers and ambassadors. Considering the range of countries on the itinerary (Spring 2015 alone includes Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Namibia, Morocco and England), students receive a wealth of perspectives.

“Before each port, we picked up a student from the next destination and they stayed with us for a couple of days to teach us about their country,” says Chelsea Stuart, writing, literature and publishing ’15, who participated in SAS during the fall semester of 2013. “We also had technical and cultural pre-port briefings where they would inform us of any safety concerns, acceptable behaviors and dress, useful

common phrases and the history of each port city.”

Though program participants are travelers, they’re still students, meaning classes and travels form a symbiotic relationship.

“The academic curriculum is completely shaped around the travel itinerary,” says Stuart. “Absolutely everything we learned about was relevant to the countries we visited and the people we met.”

Students should consider how the courses taken at sea may affect their schedules once back in Boston. Semester at Sea courses are worth three credits, as opposed to Emerson’s four-credit courses. A four-course schedule on-board sets students back about four credits behind what they would have on campus.

However, with proper planning, it’s possible to map out a course load that works in students’ favors.

“Emerson made it extremely easy to figure out what classes I should take and what credits would transfer,” says Emily Abi-Kheirs, documentary production ’15. “I got a lot of my gen-eds done through this program. Some of the classes I took even counted for two classes. It didn’t put me back at all.”

Along with Global Studies; Race, Class, & Gender; African Drumming; and Digital Storytelling, Abi-Kheirs also took an astronomy course she’ll never forget.

“We did observation nights on the ship where they would shut off all the lights so we could see the night above us. It was gorgeous,” she says. “Surrounded by open ocean, looking up at the stars with the whole shipboard community. There’s just nothing like it.”

Now the tricky part really begins: the balancing act every college student knows, with a twist—getting work done while traveling so sporadically, and where Internet access isn’t a guarantee. Though two hours of Internet are included in initial program fees, after that the cost is about 40 cents per minute.

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tions: the Sea Olympics, wherein participants split up into eight “seas” (teams) and partake in physical and mental “Sometimes we could have three to four days in one competitions, and Neptune Day, when the ship crosses the country, one day of class where a paper could be due and equator. “[Participants] transform from pollywogs (those who then another few days of traveling,” says Abi-Kheirs. “You don’t know your plans or friends before you get on so a lot have never crossed) to shellbacks,” says Stuart. This is done of it is thinking on your feet and trying to find free Wi-Fi by dumping slime on the pollywogs, who then jump in the pool, kiss a fish and finally, kiss the ring of King Neptune. wherever you can!”

Students are also assigned, in groups of five or six, to The program also offers “field labs,” days where each “ship parents,” or host families. Family dinners are often class does an on-land field trip related held so that students can share their to what they’re learning. experiences and have a close group of Stuart was afforded opportunities confidants. “They often left me small to meet Ghanaian writer Amma Dargifts or notes of encouragement,” Stuko in Accra, Ghana for her Women in art says.

Literature class; visit Russian novel“The diversity of the As with any study abroad experiist Fyodor Dostoevsky’s apartment ence, there’s always an event that for her Philosophy of Religion class; and journey to the City of Samba, a shipboard community stands out. For Abi-Kheirs, the memare vivid. tourist attraction in Rio de Janeiro, is what truly makes ories “The Amazon was a whole other for her Cross-Cultural Psychology experience. I spent three days there class. this experience so on a riverboat catching piranhas, “While [at the City of Samba] we got to try our hand at costume de- unique. One of my best playing soccer with the locals and laying around in hammocks with my sign, learned to play samba and funk rhythms, and had our own mini carnifriends was 92 years friends.”

Stuart’s memories, however, take val parade,” says Stuart. her back to Marrakech, Morocco. old at the time.”

The cultural melting pot students She says that while traversing part experience on land doesn’t end when of Europe allows travelers to develop they reboard the ship. certain expectations about overall “The diversity of the shipboard European culture, Morocco’s exiscommunity is what truly makes this tence on a totally separate continent experience so unique,” says AbiKheirs. “One of my best friends was 92 years old at the time. makes one put aside any preconceived notions.

“It was awesome being immersed in such a different I’ve visited her in her home in Utah twice since the voyage and I’m so happy she came into my life! My friends are some culture and being surrounded by a language I was wholly unused to hearing, as well as witnessing the daily calls to of the best I’ve ever had.”

Stints on land may mean constant movement, but the prayer, the dynamics of its people, their dress—everything ship sustains its own fun. The seventh and topmost deck about it was just so vibrant,” says Stuart.

Though SAS might not be for everyone, if it is for you, hosts a pool and a perfect place to sunbathe, while decks five and up are home to dining areas, workout equipment, take this advice: open yourself up to new ideas, get to know a basketball court, a salon, a library and a campus store, ac- the locals, don Olympic gear and swashbuckle like Neptune ordained it. Maybe it won’t be a once-in-a-lifetime cording to Stuart.

Students live on decks two through five, though they opportunity—maybe these experiences and traditions will ignite the fire for traveling that was previously dormant in don’t necessarily spend much time there.

“No one really stayed in the cabins. They were too small you. Maybe now, the sea is yours.

“I had always known that I wanted to study abroad, but and it was easy to get cabin fever,” says Abi-Kheirs. “It was a lot like college dorms, where you crammed everyone into I wanted to do something unique,” says Rodbell. “I wanted a tiny room and watched Lost. We had movie nights, we to explore as many places as possible in the semester I studied abroad and this program allowed me to do that.” watched the elections; there was always something to do.”

The program also observes two very oceanic celebracontinued from page 33

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NO LONGER A TOURIST TEXT | COURTNEY MAJOR PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | COURTNEY MAJOR

WITH HER SEMESTER STUDYING ABROAD IN ENGLAND ALMOST OVER, COURTNEY MAJOR, WRITING, LITERATURE AND PUBLISHING ’17, SHARES SOME OF THE SPOTS THE TOUR GUIDES WON’T SHOW YOU

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O

n a freezing cold day in early January, I flew out of JFK Airport to begin studying abroad in London for five months. I spent my first week roaming central London with six other college students from around America. As a group of students studying through Arcadia University’s College of Global Studies, we arrived six days before our St. Mary’s program start date to familiarize ourselves with the great city.

We were each given a travel card and told “good luck” by our program advisor, who had suggested that we see as many hot spots as possible.

The six of us set out to navigate by ourselves and try our hand at

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London’s impressive public transportation system, especially the Tube. The next few days were spent absorbing as much of the city as we could; we visited St. James’s Park, the London Eye and Platform 9 3/4 at King’s Cross station; we saw Parliament and ate tea and scones.

These days were a blur of crossing bridges and exploring the tourist attractions of London. I left feeling as though I were wearing a large U.S. flag emblazoned onto my head, and I couldn’t help but wonder when I would stop feeling like a glaringly obvious tourist.

After my week spent sightseeing and getting lost throughout central London’s towering buildings and winding, confusingly labeled streets,

I arrived at St. Mary’s University, which is about 40 minutes from central London by train. Here, nestled between the quaint towns of Twickenham and Teddington, I don’t feel like a hopeless tourist. The 50 other American exchange students and I have endured some difficulty adjusting to British phrases and culture, reminding us once again of our “Americanness.” However, we have been able to find some very cool, nontouristy attractions that make us feel at home.

Just a short distance away from central London in Hampton Wick sits Bushy Park, which includes designated park areas that date back to the mid-1500s. Surrounded by green fields and trees as far as the eye can

see, it’s easy to forget that you’re still in a borough of Greater London.

One of the park’s main features is the herd of free-roaming deer.

They’re so tame that visitors can get as close as five feet away. While walking the park that spans over 1,000 acres, you can turn a corner, open a gate and get lost in a wooded garden.

The noises of the cars and trains fade away and all that’s left is the sound of the brook and wildlife. The peaceful atmosphere makes it easy to forget that you’re in one of the world’s most bustling cities.

While it’s easy to relax and enjoy nature in Bushy Park, two train rides away from St. Mary’s lies Camden Market in Camden Town. After a short walk from the station, you arrive at the beginning of the market.

It is made up of three smaller bazaars that boast of having a combined total of more than 1,000 shops and stalls.

“It was overwhelming at first,” says St. Mary’s international student Jenna Turner, a junior at Transylvania University. “It was so big and spread out and broken up, it was confusing. But once you found yourself in the center, you really got the feeling that you were in this huge market surrounded by such diverse cultures with the different smells of coffee, falafel and Italian foods.”

The market spans old warehouses, outdoor streets and what’s referred to as the Stables. Both indoor and outdoor, the market has a booth for everything: jewelry, tapestries, artwork, clothing and a diverse collection of global food. Turner, whose

favorite part is the food, describes that to find the food stalls, you simply have to walk down the cobblestone alley that has round, white lanterns canopying the market’s center and the stalls.

My first week in central London was spent walking around doe-eyed, trying to absorb as much of the city’s sights and history as possible. While riding the bus, I was publicly laughed at after loudly declaring how beautiful a Tube station was. Even now, I still stare with amazement at everything new and am slowly exploring the lesser known tourist spots. British phrases have made their way into my vocabulary, and while I’m not a local, I no longer feel like that same tourist wearing the USA flag on my head.

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STYLE • THE ART OF UPCYCLING // PG. 40 • GETTING IN STYLE FOR SUMMER // PG.42

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the art of upcycling CREATING ORIGINAL STYLES CAN BE EASIER THAN EXPECTED TEXT | REBECCA SZKUTAK PHOTOGRAPHY | MONIQUE WOO

G

rab scissors and an oversized T-shirt. After cutting off the sleeves and making it into a tank top, cut the neck to make it wider. This gives the shirt a slouch. Next, cut the body of the shirt shorter to make it more flowy and loose. Cutting the front higher than the back will give it the trendy high-low look. Turning an old T-shirt into a new tank top took only a few steps, didn’t require any sewing, and didn’t require any new materials!

Thinking of throwing out that old, worn T-shirt? Typing “upcycling” or “DIY fashion” into websites like Pinterest, Tumblr or Etsy would change anyone’s mind. These sites bring viewers into a world of fashion design that utilizes old clothing and fabrics to create entirely different pieces and fresh new looks—otherwise known as “upcycling.”

Instructions on how to turn old T-shirts into almost anything are readily available online. Just a T-shirt or two can transform into a bag, skirt or dressy tank top. While some of these pieces involve complex cutting and sewing, plenty of others prove to be rather simple. Many different creations can be achieved without the use of a needle.

Tessa Pollock, marketing communications ’18, began to sew after a sewing class she took in high school. Pollock says the class was her backup choice and she almost didn’t

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take it. Looking back, Pollock is happy she did because she believes sewing is becoming a lost art. Not as many people today are doing it because it’s so much work.

“I was going to switch out, but then I said I might as well learn how to sew,” Pollock says. “I just absolutely fell in love.” Pollock enjoys the artistic license that comes with sewing, as it allows her to do whatever she wants with different patterns; she can even create her own.

Pollock says she loves to go online and look at the fabrics on moodfabrics.com, the company that Lifetime’s Project Runway uses to get its fabrics, and oogle over all of the patterns and textures. To save money, Pollock usually visits local fabric stores instead of shopping from well-known companies, noting that there is a good fabric selection in Chinatown.

Pollock says she also likes to upcycle different clothes into other things, getting old clothes from either the Garment District, Goodwill or anywhere cheap clothes are available.

“I like to make cute blouses out of old men’s button-down shirts. That’s one of my favorite things to do,” Pollock says.

“You take the sleeves off and make it into a cute neckline, and [there are] a bunch of other cute ideas.”

The Garment District, located in Cambridge, MA of-

fers a warehouse of old clothes just waiting to be Deponte. “Sculpture [is] the same sort of thing, bought and either spruced up or cut to shreds. just with paper or plaster. I’ve always been drawn Some styles can even be bought by the pound, al- to the memory and history of things. That’s sort of lowing fashionistas on a budget to get their hands what draws me in.” on cheap clothes and fabric to create with.

Stephanie Richards, writing, literature, and Adam Galonski, a Garment District employee, publishing ’17, frequently hangs out in Emerson says he sees a lot of customers who are there to Costume, Emerson’s full-service costume shop. pick up fabrics and clothes to upcycle and repur- She likes to upcycle old clothes because it allows pose. He says the most popular fabrics used from her to create something that’s her style without the Garment District are leather and denim, both spending much money. She scrolls through sites of which can be found in the buy-by-the pound sec- like Pinterest to find cool, new ideas and then tion. tries to make them herself.

“I think it’s great,” says Because she doesn’t own a Galonski. “I’m all for the remachine, Richards prefers cycle and reuse philosophy. making pieces that don’t [Upcyclers are] coming in and require much sewing. But doing their own thing.” says that if she did own “I like to make cute she Clothes are not the only one, she would love to try way to show off a recycled bigger projects. blouses out of old style. Accessories such as Richards enjoys finding headbands, head wraps and pieces lace and grommen’s button-down meting;with homemade jewelry can easily grommeting can be created. The possibilities shirts. That’s one of my be described as passing are endless. metal or other materials Artist and designer Nicole favorite things to do.” through a hole in fabric.

Deponte uses her fine arts She then ties different fabbackground in sculpture to rics together with ribbon breathe new life into vintage and other strips of fabric neckties through upcycling. to create new patterns and She started upcycling ties as textures. accessory pieces for a wear“I feel like it’s putting my able art event. Her line of ties, Lilian Asterfield, own unique touch, flavor, on clothes that you can includes couture, upcycled pieces with unexpect- buy anywhere,” she says. ed and sometimes clashing patterns that just work Richards says the best thing she made started together. Deponte describes them as being avant- with an oversized Green Lantern T-shirt. After garde and wearable pieces of art. “hacking” off the sleeves and the sides of the shirt, “I just got obsessed with the structure of the tie, she weaved in strips of jersey to create a new, flowy the design and color and print and different fab- tank top. rics used,” says Deponte. She says that she likes “I’m not crazy about brands if you can get a nice to bring in crazy fabric combinations like lace on shirt from wherever, say Goodwill, and then make felt—anything to give the ties a unique facelift. it look super cool. Then you can wear original “I’ll hoard a bunch of materials, and start to play clothing and it’s pretty awesome,” Richards exwith them and then it becomes something,” says plains. “It doesn’t cost a lot either.”

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getting in style for SUMMER TEXT | KASSANDRA RYBACK PHOTOGRAPHY | MONIQUE WOO

It’s finally warming up and summer is right around the corner, which means new trends and outfits to wear. Picking out the right outfit is always hard, leading us to tear our rooms apart, and even after, still be unable to choose from the millions of options. To help ease the process, here are the best styles and trends for different summer occasions.

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A day out shopping on Newbury Street: For this occasion, the romper is the perfect piece. While it is casual, it can also be dressed up and made more formal. There are many options when it comes to patterns and designs for rompers, but this summer’s focus is on florals. Look for floral prints with bright colors like pinks, yellows, blues and greens. To dress up a romper, layer gold necklaces and bracelets. Wearing necklaces with stones and crystals on them are great for adding some detail to your accessories. Bracelets that are brown and braided go really well with gold bangles and necklaces. Don’t forget a bucket bag, which is the perfect size to fit everything you need and still feel like you aren’t carrying around your entire life on one shoulder. Find a bag that has a long strap so it can be tossed over the shoulder or across the body. As for shoes, let your feet be free and rock a pair of gladiators, tall or mid-height.

Lunch date at Pier 6 on the oceanfront: Eating on the oceanfront calls for a simple outfit, which is the perfect way to let the bohemian free spirit shine through. This can be done with bright colors such as pinks, oranges, greens and yellows matched with tribal-influenced patterns that focus on a natural, “earthy” kind of look. Bohemian sheers, laces and lighter materials for dresses and midi skirts are perfect when you are eating under the summer sun. Materials like cotton, silk and rayon are what you want to look for when you pick out your dresses or skirts. Not only does it feel like you are wearing nothing, but these materials can still look elegant .To dress up your outfit, try out some mid rings and arm cuffs. Add on a layering body chain over the maxi dress to give it a pick-me-up if it is missing that little something.

An ice cream/fro-yo trip to J.P. Licks or Pinkberry: When getting ice cream on a hot day to cool off, less is more. Pair a simple, solid-colored crop top with light-wash denim cutoffs. For a casual ice cream trip, feel free to let the accessories do all the talking. Add a bold, neon belt to the shorts. For this outfit, use a fringe crossbody or over-the-shoulder bag.

The fringe bag with a neon belt, a solid top, and shorts is the best example of mixing up your outfit without going over the top. Wear a pair of espadrilles or strappy sandals to put the cherry on top.

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Play with patterns, be daring, and shine like the sun with your summer wardrobe!

Nighttime stroll through the Public Garden: This is the perfect opportunity to whip out a pair of wide-legged culotte pants.

These pants go past the knee and almost give off the same look of the midi skirt.

For the summer, a tropic-patterned pair of culottes is a must-have. To be bright, match the color of the tropic pattern with a blouse. To be more formal, wear a nude or off-white top. If the breeze still makes it chilly, throw on a white bomber jacket. Complete the outfit with a wooden wedged heel or sandal. If you are feeling playful, throw on bright sneakers to make the outfit really pop.

Rooftop party overlooking the city or late night backyard BBQ: In this moment, you feel on top of the world and free as a bird, as you should in the summertime. Don’t be afraid to let this mood show through your outfit.

Throw on a black fringed miniskirt and pair it with a bright rayon or cotton openback top. You’ll want to tuck the top in to let the material-heavy fringe skirt make the statement. This is an outfit you definitely can’t go wrong with. A small stone necklace is all you need as an accessory because the top and skirt are a lot as is.

Finish the outfit with a flat sandal.

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HEALTH • SKIN HEALTH: ARE YOU LISTENING? // PG. 48 • THE PILL // PG.50 • CHARCOAL, THE NEW BLACK // PG. 52

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SKIN HEALTH:

are you listening?

TEXT | ANTONIA DEPACE PHOTOGRAPHY | CARLY KINSCHERF & CAITLIN STASSA

FANCY CREAMS CAN ALLAY BREAKOUTS, BUT FACE MAPS PROVIDE THE INFO NEEDED TO PRESERVE CLEAR SKIN 48 | ATLAS MAGAZINE

A free-for-all college cafeteria is the death sentence for any college student. Not only are college meals not the most delectable, but they are also not the healthiest. On top of this, college students are known for eating sodium-filled ramen and massive amounts of junk food, not to mention the excessive amount of alcohol consumed on weekends.

The bad diet that you adopt in college affects the way your skin looks and feels. Like most elements of the body, your skin needs to be taken care of actively. Why? The source of skin downfalls is not necessarily from hormones, but can derive from your late night binge eating of greasy french fries and candy bars after a long day of studying.

So then how do you know when you’re eating too much or too little of something, let alone if it is affecting your skin?

When breakouts occur, various creams, regimens and cleanses can be used to help clear your skin. Another way to care for your blemishes is face mapping.

Face mapping is a visual and informational way to figure out what your acne is really trying to tell you. Overall, it shows that your skin is telling you what is going on inside, from the outside.

“Our skin is a reflection of our inner health,” says Marci E. Anderson, dietitian and owner of Marci R.D. Nutrition Consulting. Anderson agrees that a nutritional or non-nutritional diet can make a huge difference in someone’s facial skin.

Anderson says there is usually a relationship between our skin and our organs. As a dietitian, she is always “thinking at a cellular level.” There is never one true answer as to why your skin can be having bad reactions.

“Reasons are usually multifactorial, so there are always different answers,” says Anderson.

Face mapping isn’t a science. You look at a photo of a face that displays common breakout areas marked with corresponding numbers. When using the face map, you find the zone that you are breaking out the most in, and use the number of the zone to find the matching blurb under the photo. The blurb usually contains the reasonings for the breakouts, the connection of the zone to your inner body, and then possible diet changes.

Finding a face map isn’t hard; just make sure that the one you decide to use is from a trustworthy source. Anubha Charan, who has worked in the beauty industry for more than 12 years as a Managing Editor for Vogue, Beauty Director for Marie Claire and Beauty Editor for Cosmopolitan, has a great face map on her blog The Beauty Gypsy.

Even though face mapping can be nitpicky, it helps to pinpoint what your skin is trying to tell you. Breaking out on your forehead, for example, can mean that you are eating too many processed and fatty foods. On the other hand, blemishes that appear on your chin usually indicate a disturbance in hormone levels. This cause could vary from lack of sleep to excess amounts of stress.

Face mapping your breakouts can also help target

a change that you need to make in your everyday diet. If you’re getting breakouts between your eyebrows, for instance, then you could have a dairy allergy. A simple change from dairy products to soy or almond ones could help your skin clear up.

Every piece of food consumed, therefore, has a health benefit, even fatty foods (in small consumption amounts).

Fruits especially help heal blemish scars and dark spots, especially strawberries and dark berries. Fatty fish like salmon also help your skin build immunity from scars. Eating it also helps prevent future damage from the sun.

For Anderson, some of her favorite skin-repairing foods include berries, olive oil, coconut oil, citrus, avocados and any type of greens. These foods are multi-beneficial, and not only help in anti-inflammatories, but can also help to repair skin at a cellular level.

Along with eating a healthy diet, there are some great skin regimens that will help clear and exfoliate your skin.

Anderson recommends LUSH products, which are all natural, along with jojoba and coconut oils for hydration.

Other products to look into include Epiduo, Yes To brands, Tea tree oil, Borghese face masks and Mario Badescu products.

Shelby Carney, marketing ’17, is an athlete at Emerson College who routinely uses regimens in order to keep her face clean and smooth. In high school, Carney used a series of products to help her skin problems, including Accutane, a very powerful cream that clears acne.

“The dermatologist told me to keep wiping my face after sports, and to continually change my pillow case because there are oils that you don’t even know about left on them,” Carney explains. “In late high school my skin problems came back a little so I went on Tazorac, which is the cream form of Accutane.”

Evan Healy, an holistic aesthetician who has worked in the natural personal care industry for more than 25 years, runs a great natural skin care company. The company focuses on homeopathic skin care and the notion that “skin breathes.” Even though it can be expensive, both trial and full sizes are available, which allow you to figure out which products work best for your skin. Their products are available both online and at local Whole Foods Markets.

Overall, a simple blemish or dry spot can ruin anyone’s day. With a simple change in diet, a good skin care system or even a visit to the dermatologist, your skin can begin to heal. With the healing of your skin, you, too, will begin to gain more confidence. Next time your skin breaks out, take the time to remind yourself that breakouts are perfectly normal and are something that almost everyone experiences in his or her lifetime.

So ask yourself, what is your skin trying to tell you?

“Our skin is a reflection of our inner health.”

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THE PILL

A LOOK AT THE EXPANSIVE UTILITY OF ORAL CONTRACEPTION TEXT | ANNETTE CHOI ILLUSTRATION | HOLLY KIRKMAN

S

ex. Contraceptives. Birth Control.

Let’s talk about the pill. According to the Guttmacher Institute fact sheet regarding “Contraceptive Use in the United States,” as of June 2014 the birth control pill is an oral contraceptive that roughly 4 out of 5 sexually experienced women in the United States have used. Over the years, the pill has been revolutionary, as its role has morphed from being simply a means of preventing unplanned pregnancies into something that helps women maintain and regulate healthier bodies. The usage rate of birth control pills has increased over the years and is still on the rise. So what is this growing phenomenon, and why is it important?

According to Planned Parenthood, birth control pills are “a kind of medication that women can take daily to prevent pregnancy.” These pills are primarily made up of estrogen and progestin, which prevent eggs from leaving a female’s ovaries. Birth control pills are proven to be very effective, and less than 1 out of 100 females who are taking the pill as directed become pregnant each year. The pill is a convenient form of contraception because it does not interfere with females’ sex lives.

Despite all of the societal progress made in favor of women as of 2015, there is still a stigma associated not only with birth control, but also with those who are on the pill.

Consider this: why is it that when men carry condoms in their wallets, it goes unquestioned, but when women are revealed to be on birth control, they are often labeled as “whores” or “sluts”?

In a Los Angeles Times article titled “A Birth Control Double Standard” Meg Waite Clayton writes that, “teenage boys are expected to desire sex, and sexually active boys are often described as studs. We may not physically stone women in the U.S. for being sexually active before marriage, but sexually promiscuous girls are still verbally stoned as sluts. Is there a word for a promiscuous boy that compares with ‘slut’?” The use of birth control pills is a way for females to control their own bodies and maintain their well-being. It is not a reason for women to be categorized and judged.

Samantha Stamas, writing, literature and publishing ’18, began taking the pill as a doctor recommended when she was 13 years old in order to balance out and stabilize her hormones. During her freshman year of high school, she experienced the stigma firsthand. “I remember that my pills fell out of my bag as I was taking it out of the locker,” she says. “The girl next to me scoffed and said, ‘Oh my god, are you on birth control?!’ I felt so judged and uncomfortable that I ended up lying, saying that the pills weren’t mine.”

In May of 1960, the FDA approved the use of oral contraception. During this time, contraception itself was illegal in various states. Even Planned Parenthood clinics were allowed to prescribe birth control pills only to married women. However, since then, the pill has consistently become more widely available and affordable. Widespread availability of the pill is crucial for modern females, because it allows them the complete freedom to determine their futures and their lives. It allows them to take the initiative in empowering themselves.

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Many assume that all those who take the pill are sexually active; however, this is becoming increasingly untrue.

In fact, only 42 percent of women use the pill solely for contraceptive reasons, as stated by the Guttmacher Institute.

Some females use the pill to help reduce menstrual cramps and pains. Others use it for menstrual regulation. Oftentimes, the pill will serve in relieving migraines and other side effects of menstrual cycles, including bloating and excessive periods.

Madelynne Weisberg, writing for film and television ’18, reveals that she began using birth control pills when she was 14 years old because she was developing painful ovarian cysts. To prevent this from happening again and to lessen the severity of the cysts, Weisberg was instructed by her doctor to begin taking the pill. Weisberg remembers that before the ovarian cysts and her doctor’s recommendation, she had been approached by her family members on the topic of the pill. Growing up without a mother, Weisberg believes that her father was uncomfortable with dealing with such subjects and often found other means of relaying information. Weisberg says, “My father told my brother to tell my other brother to tell his wife to tell me that if I wanted to, I could start taking birth control pills.”

Another reason females use the pill is because it offers some protection from diseases and infections such as endometriosis, a serious, painful vaginal condition wherein the tissue that lines the inside of a female’s uterus, the endometrium, grows outside of the uterus. According to Planned Parenthood, the pill can also help protect females from ovarian cancers and uterine infections.

Additionally, the pill is used as a means of keeping acne in check and maintaining clearer skin. Savannah Strange, communication disorders ’17, is a passionate advocate of birth control pills, and says that she started using the pill during her senior year of high school for acne treatment as well as for contraception. Strange revealed that when she first approached her parents about the possibility of going on the pill, her parents were clearly uncomfortable with speaking outwardly about this “taboo” topic.

Strange says, “It was really hush-hush. My mom and my dad would talk about it in the other room, and my mom would then come talk to me.” Strange agrees that today’s society has negative perceptions of birth control pills, saying, “I think there definitely is [a stigma associated with birth control], and I wish it wasn’t that way.”

Stigmatization of the pill is something that affects and demeans millions of women. There is an unnecessary and unjustifiable sense of shame directly linked with birth control pills. Why should it be treated as a crime for women to exercise the freedom and control they have over their bodies? Hopefully as the pill becomes more and more common in society, those who use it will be able to continue on without feeling as if they have something to hide from the world. The transformation of the usage of birth control pills is definitely something to be recognized. Say no to slutshaming. Say no to stigmatizing. Times have changed, and it’s time to do something about it.

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Charcoal, the New Black TEXT | LAUREN HOLT PHOTOGRAPHY | NORA WILBY & GABI GALVIN

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HEALTH WRITER LAUREN HOLT RECOUNTS HER EXPERIENCE TESTING OUT CHARCOAL AS A DETOX METHOD I have sustained off of fresh juice for three days and I kiss my kale before bed.

So naturally, I was seduced by the latest in detox trends—charcoal. Boasting benefits such as rapid detoxing, optimal digestion and the promise to restore and rejuvenate the body, it sounded like the perfect answer to the slump that winter weather had put me in.

My preliminary research of the new trend informed me that activated charcoal is not equivalent to the lumps we use to light our Colemans. The negatively charged carbon becomes activated when it is treated with oxygen. The result is a porous and naturally absorbent agent that binds with and carries out unwanted toxins and gas from our bodies.

The use of activated charcoal can first be traced back to ancient Egypt in 3750 B.C. Egyptians found that when the wooden posts they drove down into the soil along the Nile came in contact with the charcoal in the soil, its antifungal and antibacterial properties preserved the wood. Later they began using charcoal to absorb odors from festering wounds and to aid in the embalming process of preserving corpses.

The father of modern medicine, Hippocrates, is recorded as using charcoal to treat a variety of ailments including iron deficiency and anthrax poisoning.

A more recent stop on charcoal’s historical timeline is in the U.S. during World War II. Once again looked to for its absorbing capabilities, charcoal collected from peach pits was used to line American gas masks. The charcoal lining offset the deadly effects of mustard gas.

I was sufficiently impressed after reviewing charcoal’s extensive resume and was ready to be wowed. After scouring Boston for charcoal products, I came across charcoal supplements at The Vitamin Shoppe on Washington Street for 10 dollars.

This bottle from Nature’s Way recommended taking two capsules, two to three times a day before and after meals.

I reasoned it was best to begin taking the supplement on a Friday, for I was unsure of how my body was going to react. I chose to only take one supplement the first day because it was something new I was putting into my system.

As a precautionary measure, I placed some light reading beside the toilet.

When Friday morning came, I took one capsule on an empty stomach, as recommended. To my surprise, I proceeded through my day feeling very…normal. My expectation of the activated charcoal was a more immediate effect in flushing my body, though in retrospect, I’m glad it didn’t.

Over the next few days I took two capsules daily and experienced subtle but positive results. On Day 2 I woke up without feeling bloated despite the large amount of Cadbury Eggs I snacked on the night before. The activated charcoal further greeted me with a swift emptying of the bowels later that morning, and the excitement returned.

On the third day of my experiment I woke up feeling energized and the least lethargic I had felt since the snow started falling. My steps were lighter, and so was my mood.

I proceeded to take the supplement for a few more days, during which the effects continued.

In addition to the supplement, I incorporated an activated charcoal facial cleanser and cleansing sponge into my daily routine. Both of the products I found at Follain, a natural health and beauty store located in the South End, each for 10 dollars. The facial cleanser is by Shamanuti, a local skin care brand based in Cambridge. The cleansing sponge, made with konjac plant fiber and bamboo charcoal, is produced by One Love Skincare. As recommended by an employee at Follain, I upped my daily water intake in order to offset the drying effects activated charcoal can have on skin.

Once the sponge is wet it becomes very plush and feels delicious on my face. The cleanser is a black syrupy consistency and fairly pungent in a way that offers a reminder that these ingredients come from the earth. Over the course of the next few days I saw noticeable changes in my skin; it was becoming more even and bright. Unlike some store brands of face wash, the charcoal sponge doesn’t strip your skin of its healthy oils. The combination of the cleanser and sponge on my skin left my face feeling refreshed and very healthy.

Incorporating activated charcoal into my daily routine refreshed my body and gave it the wake-up it needed. Other popular detoxes fail to deliver on their loaded promises, and conceal negative side effects, but I was pleased with all the charcoal products. Charcoal is an offspring of mother nature, nurtured by the earth, that people have been relying on for thousands of years—and that feels good.

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FROM THE BLOG: ON THE RUNWAY 2015—MERCEDES–BENZ FASHION WEEK

BY ALLYSON FLORIDIA

Click. Flash. Click. Flash.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week kicked off with a bang on February 12th with the menswear shows starting the day before. The first stop on this international fashion extravaganza: New York City.

This year’s designers created looks for Fall 2015. They freed their artistic expression to make a collection worthy of awe and inspiration. Among them were Kenneth Cole, Ryu Hayama, Prabal Gurung, Nina Skarra and Zac Posen, to name a few.

Ryu Hayama showcased his menswear collection on February 11th at Industria Studios. Far from the traditional men’s fashion, Hayama offered out-of-the-box styles that jolted the audience’s attention. With them, he attempted to bring together the concept of the young man and the sea. One particular design featured a blue, raincoat-type jacket with a matching fisherman-style hat. The hat slopes down to cover the model’s eyes. Another design featured a model with bottle-pink hair, a gray turtleneck underneath a glaringly yellow jacket and very loose, almost sweatpant-like bottoms. While I believe this collection looked disordered and ill-fitting, I admire Hayama’s creative endeavor.

FTL MODA stole the show for me. On February 15th, the company unveiled futuristic designs that sparked my anticipation for the unknown future. Some models became canvases splattered chaotically, yet strategically, with white paint; they carried large handbags that demanded equal attention.

Other designs featured layered, flowing dresses accented with embroidered flowers, which reminded me of nature and its simplistic beauty.

Read more on Atlas Online at atlasmag.wordpress.com

LIQUID ART HOUSE: A GOURMET GALLERY

BY CAROLINE SULLIVAN

Ever walk into a restaurant and see a group of artists casually painting next to the bar? Well, if you’re a foodie or an artist, food and art intertwine to create an amazing place. Liquid Art House is unique because it’s part restaurant, part bar and part art gallery. That’s right – you can eat and drink surrounded by art from artists around the world.

Although it’s located on Arlington Street – only a few blocks away from Emerson’s campus – Liquid Art House is relatively unknown to Emerson students. I hadn’t heard of Liquid Art House until my Emerson Channel “College Kitchen” segment team and I stumbled upon it by chance.

When we first entered the bar area, we were stunned by the elaborate mural featured on the wall.

The mural was almost larger than life with both classical and street art influences. A character within itself in this already eclectic restaurant, the work features an elaborately painted woman with graffiti spanning across the mural. In one corner of the restaurant, patrons can view artists working on their latest creations. While I expected to find the walls adorned with art, I had not expected to see artists actually crafting new pieces.

Read more on Atlas Online at atlasmag.wordpress.com

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ATLAS ONLINE THE AMAZING DATE

BY LAUREN LOPEZ

Blind dates can be stressful enough; it’s the stress of a normal date combined with the added anxiety of having never met the person before. Now imagine going on a blind date around the world. That’s this season of “The Amazing Race.”

Normally, The Amazing Race is a reality competition show in which pairs with pre-existing relationships travel around the world completing a series of challenges together.

However, for its 26th season, there is a new twist. Six of the teams are dating couples, and the remaining five teams are all composed of single people who met for the first time at the starting line of the race.

Before watching this season, I honestly thought that the blind date couples were at a serious disadvantage. The Amazing Race brings competitors enough challenges; the tasks they have to complete are not easy and require a lot of patience. It’s a dream of mine to be on The Amazing Race, but there are many people I’ve known for years who I wouldn’t even attempt The Race with because it’s so stressful, both mentally and physically. I couldn’t imagine running it with someone I don’t even know.

However, I have been proven wrong thus far. This season, blind dating couples took first and second in both the first and second legs. As for the couples being eliminated, all have been dating couples so far.

Read more on Atlas Online at atlasmag.wordpress.com

SELF DISCOVERIES AT THE BERLIN WALL

BY CHARLOTTE SLOTA I had always imagined that the Berlin Wall would be full of graffiti; however, to use such a term to describe the true artwork that stood before me would have been an understatement. I could not help but become entranced by the beautiful illustrations as I moved from one mural to the next, each one touching upon social, political and historical issues that have impacted not only Berliners, but also people from all over the world.

While walking along the wall, I took in each segment carefully until I came across a quote that hit extremely close to home. In white and green text, first in German then translated to English, read the words: “Many small people who in many small places do many small things that can alter the face of the world.” I knew I was standing with my mouth agape, but I was not embarrassed. Instead, I was rendered speechless, far too immersed in my own thoughts to be self–conscious.

I have always had an insatiable wanderlust that the small-town nature of my home state has never been able to quench. I’d be the first one to defend Rhode Island and I can understand why a typical Rhode Islander never leaves—the state is beautiful, after all—but the typical routine of attending the local college or university, finding a job and starting a family not too far away from the town where I grew up was never the life I wanted for myself. So the summer after graduation, I packed up my childhood bedroom to move out-of-state and officially begin my freshman year at Emerson College.

Read more on Atlas Online at atlasmag.wordpress.com

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