The Yard: Volume 6 Issue 1 by CisternYard Media

Volume 6 Issue 1 October 2017 www.cisternyard.com

Volume 6

Issue 1 October 2017

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hey you, have you felt it too? Are you as uncomfortable as I am? Is there a plan for this kind of situation? Are we going to talk about it? I feel as though I am being asked these questions on a daily basis. My friends and I, even acquaintances, we trade bewilderment in silence. Occasionally, someone will try to soothe the rash with a platitude like “Wow, it’s been such a weird semester.” We approach each other like patients with the same illness, embarrassed and conspiratorial. The un-conversations hover around me every day and I suspect they’ve been there since the beginning of the school year – maybe longer. The un-words hang in the air between us, deadening the sounds of our confusion. There’s an agitation on campus that none of us seem able to talk about. In the liquid heat of an unnatural autumn, we all seem to be frustrated about something. There’s a suppressed restlessness, and not just among my fellow seniors. It goes beyond the usual angst of our approaching graduation and the hectic flurry of tasks that must be accomplished before we’re tagged and released into the “real world.” Maybe we’re going crazy because we’re trapped in stagnant weather that feels like the reheated leftovers of a long-expired summer. Maybe we’re going crazy because, on any given week, we may be wiped off the earth by an apocalyptic storm or an unimaginable exchange of nuclear weapons. Maybe we’re going crazy because our country is neurotically divided on whether athletes have

the right to kneel but no one seems to doubt that Puerto Ricans have a right to die waiting for help. There is a restlessness in this issue as well. There are Charlestonians who restlessly track the rising rent in their neighborhoods and the shrinking number of grocery stores. There are young people restlessly demanding a new kind of idol. Restless students are working 40 hours a week, in addition to classes, just to keep a roof over their heads. Restless conversations flare up and die all across campus – abortive attempts at the same political conversations we’ve been not-having for a year. I feel agitation everywhere and I wonder if you feel it to. I hope we start talking soon before we all burst like toads under the tires of a truck. Don’t hold back. Don’t delay and don’t kid yourself – everything only happens once. You will never be in this place again and things were never perfect. You were never perfect. Don’t swallow it down, let it erupt. Write. Talk. Argue, especially with your friends. Do it face to face. After all, it’s only October. We have one more good storm left in us yet.

Sincerely,

photo by HANNAH BRODER 2

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INSIDE THE YARD Letter from the Editor / p. 2 Events / p. 3 Hell on Eight Wheels / p. 6 You’ve Got a Friend In Me / p. 8 Corner Culture / p. 10 Holding Out for a Hero / p. 14 Memo: On Life / p. 16 Does Size Matter? / p. 18 Just Getting Warmed Up / p. 20 “Sequins on Fringe” / p. 22 Walking with the Dead / p. 26 Sailing in the Right Direction / p. 28 Game of Cones / p. 30 Labor Pains / p. 34 Hello, My Name is American / p. 36 Greek Connected / p. 38

October 2017

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Events Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival Nov. 2 – 5 // Free for students Italian film is known for its rich history of producing the darkest noirs and most hilarious comedies ever made. Jump on this chance to experience future classics as they are released overseas. nuovocinemaitaliano.com

Colour of Music Festival Oct. 17 – 22 // Starting at $11.20 Celebrate the rich history and influence of Black musicians in the classical genre. Enjoy some of the most acclaimed orchestra, opera and choir performances in the world. colourofmusic.org

Jazz Elements: The Music of Earth Wind and Fire Oct. 21 // $25-$60 The Charleston Jazz Orchestra and guest vocalist Quiana Parler perform music by one of the most acclaimed bands of the century, Earth Wind and Fire. charlestonjazz.com/event

Charleston Arts Festival Sept. 22 – Oct. 28 // $12 – $25 Jailbreak has been revamped as the Charleston Arts Festival. Catch the 27th annual Pecha Kucha presentation, an audiovisual performance by Myth of an Atom and the Halloween Finale at the Royal American. charlestonartsfestival.com

The Exorcist Screening with Live Score Oct. 29 // $6.66 – $12 Kickoff your Halloween festivities with one of the eeriest experiences in Charleston. The legendary horror film will show on the big screen at Charleston Music Hall, accompanied by live music from the White/Bogan Duo. Check back at cisternyard.com for a complete Halloween roundup.

October 2017

H ell on

Wheels

by COURTNEY LUNA photos by HALEY BECKEL

When it comes to Roller Derby, most people probably imagine their parents in the ‘70s watching the local derby team — but this isn’t your Mom’s roller derby and the Lowcountry Highrollers aren’t your parents’ team. They play tough, they play fair and they are consummate athletes, bruises and all. If you’re like most people, the extent of your knowledge about roller derby and the rules of the sport, comes from a movie. Here are the basics in the Lowcountry Highrollers’ league: two fourteen-person teams play two thirty-minute halves on a flat-track sport court, which is shaped as an oval. At any given time, each team has one jammer, whose main objective is to score points, and four blockers, who play defense and attempt to get their jammer into the front of the group. In addition, one blocker is designated the pivot, who is the only blocker allowed to accept a “star pass” from the jammer. “Star passes” are

when a jammer hands off their helmet cover, which has a star on it, to the pivot during a jam. After that happens, the jammer and the pivot switch roles. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association league states that throughout each period, there are “jams,” or two minute games, where each jammer scores one point per person of the opposite team she passes. While the stereotype surrounding roller derby is that these athletes play fast and loose with safety rules, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Similar to football, the WFTDA teams play with legal zones where players can hit one another - the hips, rear or shoulders. Following these rules, it’s apparent why these women are fighting to be seen as athletes in a world that denies them such a title. The world stereotypes many aspects of their sport, from the violent nature of derby to the ideas about the athletes involved -- from their character to how much athleticism is actually

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required. While something so contact-heavy can feel very intimidating, these women pride themselves on being inclusive and accepting of one another. When asked why Charleston, Ashley Garrett, the President of the Lowcountry Highrollers and a College of Charleston alumna, stressed this inclusivity. “There’s a place for derby everywhere, just like there’s a place for everyone in derby,” she said. Garrett further stated that anyone who identifies as a woman, transwoman or intersex can participate. Throughout the interview, Garrett emphasized that these women are friends off the track and there’s a great camaraderie among their team. Garrett joked “It’s like a sorority, but everyone is cool and I get to hit them.” In addition to creating a community within their team, the Lowcountry Highrollers strive to be active members of the local community in Charleston. On Nov. 4, the Lowcountry Highrollers will be hosting a 5K race to not only raise money for their team but also to benefit Fresh Future Farm, a nonprofit urban farm and grocery store in North Charleston. In addition to

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being a charitable event, it will also include a post-run brunch featuring local food trucks, coffee vendors and a Bloody Mary bar for those over twenty one. Events like this prove how serious the Lowcountry Highrollers are about becoming an integral part of the sports, service and entertainment landscape in Charleston. Garrett stated that one of the main goals of the team is to convince Charleston, which is mostly oblivious to their existence, that they are worth being known. These women glide around the track, crashing full-speed into one another, but still help one another up when they fall, showing they know both the meaning of being athletes and being a team.

You Got a Friend in Me Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 34. During this time, we’re launched into the adult world, our bodies experience hormonal chaos and to top it off, we often don’t have the framework to cope with a mental illness. Nearly 20 percent of adults experience mental health issues in any given year, and it’s more than double for an undergraduate student.

by MCKAYLA CONAHAN

Coping with your own mental illness is one thing, but how do you navigate that territory when someone close to you is going through hell? I interviewed six individuals with various forms of mental illness to gain insight to this question. It should be noted, no two mental illness experiences are the same, but collectively they reveal many parts of a whole truth.

MAZ LITTLE

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RESPECT In a relationship where one or both parties are mentally ill, respect is the first crucial step. Much of that respect lies in listening to them and believing what they have to say about their experience. Maz Little, a College of Charleston student who struggles with anxiety and depression, said “Don’t dismiss them. Don’t say, ‘Well you were fine yesterday.’ If someone says to you, ‘I’m exhausted and can’t do this,’ and you respond this way, you lose their trust.” “Anything you say to them about their illness should come from a place of respect,” said Bailey Swanson, a student with borderline personality disorder (BPD). “It shouldn’t be patronizing. It shouldn’t be because you want drama. It should be because you see this person as an independent entity that you want to see grow.” Intentionally starting drama or even trying to trigger a panic attack or flashback will only eliminate you as a friend, and may end up putting the other’s life in jeopardy. This may seem too cruel and unusual to ever happen, but three of the six people interviewed mentioned having such experiences. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU One very important thing to understand is that a person’s mental health cannot be separated from them. When a friend is experiencing a depressive episode, panic attack or any other form of ill health, the way they cope may make you feel excluded. You shouldn’t take this personally. Mental illness takes an enormous toll on a person physically and emotionally, and often they have limited energy to allocate to responsibilities and activities in daily life. Some people refer to this as the Spoon Theory, in which the chronically ill wake up with a certain number of “spoonfuls” of energy they must make last until they can recharge through rest. This theory was developed in 2003 by Christine Miserandino when she was trying to explain to her friend how her Lupus required her to carefully plan her day around her number of spoons. In our interview, Swanson referred to it as “bandwidth.” “I don’t necessarily have the bandwidth to focus on things outside of myself sometimes. Sometimes focusing on my health means I need to sit with these feelings for a while. They’re really gross and it’s part of a process, and if I’m around anyone else I’m going to take it out on them and be a total buzzkill.” Language and sentence structure become very important. “When your friend says I’m having trouble with X or I’m experiencing X, ‘what do you need?’ is a really important question. Not ‘what can I do for you?’ but ‘what do you need?’ because it puts the focus on the friend rather you,” said Little. EDUCATE YOURSELF The internet is a fabulous resource – put it to use. Though some people with mental illnesses will be open to discus-

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sion, they are not an encyclopedia. This goes back to the Spoon Theory. Your friend may be low on spoons and the paper they need to write might not get done if they spend spoons on explaining why they can’t “get over” being depressed. That said, if they are willing to offer any insight as to what they are going through, be sure to listen and refrain from offering any unsolicited commentary. If you are particularly invested or interested in mental health topics, it may not be a bad idea to invest $20 in a used copy of “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (often referred to as DSM-5). Swanson admitted this is something she refers to often. CHECKING IN If you notice your friend has been acting differently or has withdrawn, you will often need to make the first move. “People with depression and anxiety aren’t going to reach out. It’s good practice to check up on them,” said Little. A message out of the blue lets them know you care about them and are thinking about them. One thing both he and Katy Moore, another interviewee, touched on is the importance of checking in on your friend in social situations, such as parties. This is especially true for Moore, who suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “I have a friend who has gotten very good at recognizing when I start to withdraw,” Moore said. “She’ll ask what I need, and if I say, ‘I feel uncomfortable. I want to leave,’ she won’t say ‘No, please stay and have fun.’ She’ll say, ‘Okay. Let’s go,’ and walk me home.” “Providing that extraction is super important,” said Little, “If you don’t help them get out of those kinds of situations, you’re telling them you prioritize your fun over their mental health and sense of security.” SET BOUNDARIES Even by attending each of the previous guidelines, in order to maintain a healthy relationship, boundaries may need to be set. In Swanson’s situation, it’s important for the safety of both parties. “It sucks to be in a relationship with someone in the throes of BPD because you become a target for abuse, rage and anxiety,” she said. “It’s hard to maintain friendships, and hard to have a healthy romantic relationship. You have so many irrational fears and assumptions and a perverted sense of self.” In the end, you or your friend may decide to part ways. It’s never easy, whether temporary or permanent, on good terms or bad. They may need to take some time to focus on themselves. Mental illness is still an illness, and the path to wellness involves recuperation, support from loved ones and sometimes medication. It’s important to understand you can’t ‘fix’ them. You can certainly help but ultimately it’s their journey. It may be challenging, but when they have those victories – small or large – you both can feel a sense of accomplishment and celebrate together.

Corner Culture by HANNAH KINARD photos by ALEX MIELCAREK

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Anyone who has spent time downtown is aware of the veritable food desert that spans the breadth of the Holy City. Residents of downtown Charleston have very few choices when it comes to groceries and other essentials. This has led to the rising popularity, more recently among students, of local corner stores. Charleston is deeply dependant on its corner stores and seemingly always has been. Nearly all of the stores that Charleston’s residents wander in and out of have been there for 40 years or more. Everyone loves their neighborhood corner store – the problem is that they are quickly becoming the only places to buy food. The term “food desert” has recently been popularized in the national and local news. The Post and Courier ran a series in April of this year about the lack of food availability in downtown Charleston. Awareness and conversation have increased, but matters have only gotten worse since the series ran. More grocery stores closed down, specifically the Bi-Lo on Meeting Street, and the desert got drier. It seems that everyone is talking about food gentrification, but no one is doing anything about it.

night hangout offers everything from single beers to homemade soul food, cheeseburgers and pulled pork sandwiches. Deborah and Frank Powell have owned The Spot for 64 years. It is an excellent example of why people don’t feel the need to go to a grocery store. Places like The Spot and Knight’s Market are much more convenient than the less accessible grocery stores, but they don’t offer the same fresh ingredients. Corner stores are for beer and snacks; they were never intended to be a sole source of food. It is infinitely cheaper to buy ingredients and cook at home than it is to buy every meal out, so students and those struggling to make rent find themselves paying more for food than if they grocery shopped. The problem is that it’s no longer a choice.

Students and those lower on the socioeconomic scale are most affected by the lack of availability to healthy food. One student said, “It’s impossible to go grocery shopping. I live in the dorms...I don’t have a car. It’s not realistic.” But what is the alternative? In an interview with Nazeer Shaik, the owner and operator of Knight’s Market on Hanover Street, spoke on the issue of food gentrification. “Especially on Sundays, [my store] is people’s main source of food,” he said. Knight’s Market, which also has fried chicken and pizza counters, has been a staple of the East Side for 40 years now. Mr. Shaik has owned the store for only a year, but he is not new to the troubles that stores like his store face. “Six to eight percent of people steal. Theft is a problem.” Mr. Shaik also spoke of the fights and mischief he must deal with in his store on a daily basis. When asked if he thought that the area in which the store is located contributed to the theft and violence, he answered a resounding “Yes.” We can’t always help where we live, where we can afford to shop and who our neighbors are. A large majority of Charleston’s corner stores are located in the less affluent parts of town, reflecting the widening of the food availability gap. Some small stores, like The Spot 47 on Cooper Street, try to make things easier by offering full meals late into the night. The menu at this lovely late

October 2017

Mr. Shaik said that 20 percent of his entire business is food stamps. This poses an important question: if 20 percent of his customers can’t afford food at a corner store, how can they possibly be expected to meet Harris Teeter’s prices? Not just that, but how are they expected to get the groceries home? The CARTA bus drivers get frusturated when you ask them to wait while you make four trips up three flights of stairs. One of the groups directly affected by food gentrification in Charleston is college students. Charleston is a college town and students inhabit every corner. Mr. Shaik’s store is over a mile from campus, yet he says that over 10 percent of his business is college students. That number gets much larger the closer to campus you get. For example, an employee at King Street Station said that college students make up “probably 70 to 80 percent” of their business. Everyone has been to King Street Station at least once, and most College of Charleston students use it as their staple for snacks and beer. “[Food gentrification] is a big problem here,” they said. “I feel like a lot of people come here looking for certain things when they should be at a grocery store.” But which one? The Harris Teeter, located on the busiest section of East Bay Street? The Food Lion that is way up King Street, two miles from campus, and notoriously understocked? There are no good options for downtown residents that don’t

have a car. Another student at the College of Charleston bemoaned the lack of access to healthy food. “Even if you can get to Harris Teeter, when do students have time? Why go get a salad and take an hour when you can grab a bag of chips in the corner store for less money and take five minutes?” She has a salient point. Eating out is a whole culture in Charleston. We are known for our restaurants and our food, so eating out is extremely popular among students. There are pitfalls to this culture though – eating out is notoriously unhealthy, because people don’t make the same food choices at a restaurant as they do at home. This applies to corner stores as well: if there are six rows of candy, coolers full of beer, a freezer full of ice cream and five old, sad bananas on the counter, which would you go for? What can we do about this? As an individual, you can support local fresh markets, like the farmer’s market at Marion Square every Saturday morning that runs from April through November. Healthy, fresh options and quick, convenient sources like corner stores once coexisted downtown, and perhaps they can again. Food deserts are a relatively new phenomenon. There has always been an issue around food access but it’s accelerated lately. In the last twenty years, downtown Charleston has lost half a dozen grocery stores.

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For every grocery store that Charleston loses, there are several corner stores still chugging along. There’s a conflict between wanting more grocery stores and fresh food and loving the corner store culture of Charleston. But it is possible for the residents of Charleston to have their cake and eat it too, perhaps literally. Gaining access to fresh food would not be as detrimental to corner stores as you think. These stores have stood the test of time, and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon—and no one wants them to. Access to fresh food and corner stores are not mutually exclusive. When the employee of King Street Station was asked if they thought that more grocery stores in town would take away from their business, they said, “No, people will always need cigarettes and something to drink and they want it fast and they want it now. That’s what we’re here for.” In this country and time, people want things fast and they want them when they want them and no later. We live in a culture of instant gratification, and corner stores provide that. As a society, we are at a crossroads. It’s time to decide what’s more important when it comes to our health and nutrition: getting it fast or getting it right. We all love places like Verde

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and Caviar and Bananas, but who is going to win out in the long run? Who will most likely withstand the test of time, despite gentrification? We seem to be trending towards two polar extremes: eating “high quality” food at sit-down restaurants, where that quality could be called into question, or snacking on corner store goods. Citizens may also have more control over this exchange than we think. Simply talk with the manager or owner of the local corner store and ask them what it is you’re looking for and if they could possibly order it. More often than not, the answer is yes. The owners of these businesses have managed to keep their doors open so long by accommodating their customers and evolving with the times. Corner store owners want to keep their store and their job just as much as anyone else, and that means catering to customers. “I love my job,” said Mr. Shaik. Tom Scerbo, a former student and resident of Charleston, said “I honestly don’t know what I would do without corner stores. I think I would starve.” When asked how often he went to Harris Teeter for groceries, he answered “Maybe once a month.”

Holding Out for a Hero by RAEGAN WHITESIDE design by MCKAYLA CONAHAN

“I love Spider Man!” But wait, which Spider Man are you talking about? Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland? Or are you talking about the ever-changing cartoon version? Maybe the original Marvel comic? People run into this dilemma all the time when dealing with superheroes in the arts. Besides Spider Man there is Superman (Christoper Reeves, Henry Cavill, Tom Welling, or Brandon Routh), Batman (Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, or Michael Keaton), The Hulk (Eric Bana, Edward Norton, or Mark Ruffalo), and countless others. And yet for all these different iterations of beloved characters, each new version sticks to a set of criteria – male, white, handsome, muscular, heterosexual and cis. So, Marvel, DC, Hollywood, other comics and comic artists, what’s going on? Where’s all our gay, transgender, Black, Muslim, elderly, scrawny and recovering addict superheroes? Where’s the superhero that the people who aren’t white, buff, cis males can relate to? Where is our second wave of superheroes? Abrie Richison, sophomore at the College, said, “It’s sad that superheroes already have this stigma. It’s just this group of badass guys. That’s ‘our superheroes’ and it’s really hard to break through a barrier that people are so obsessed with.” She’s not wrong. It is hard to break through this barrier, but not impossible. It takes

just one to start the movement, and maybe the new Wonder Woman movie was the one. There is no denying that the new Wonder Woman movie, released June 2, has already impacted young people and the world as a whole. The film empowered females of all ages and opened boys’ minds to the idea that females can be heroes too. The depiction of a muscular, bold female hero broke gender norms to which society has become accustomed. Despite all these progressions, there is still more to do in order to change the superhero world for the better. Just as male superheroes fit into a certain prototype, the few female superheroes we have seen do too. They are all made to be conventionally beautiful, seductive and wear tight, revealing clothing that advertises their bodies. The bodies of female superheros are objectified on the screen just as their female audience is on the streets. Who wants to fight in a dress that barely covers their backside and gifts the enemy a marvelous view every time you send a death kick their way? Wouldn’t yoga pants be more logical? Or even gi pants (the pants martial artists wear)? Why aren’t we at least giving these women who are fighting to save the world a hair band to keep their hair out of the way? Unless they have perfect-in-place hair that doesn’t stick to the back of their neck from sweat, which is a superpower in itself.

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This goes for the male superheroes too. As Percy Haas, senior at the College pointed out, they are all just “a bunch of white guys in tights.” Most of these men are constrained to shirts and pants that mold perfectly to their bodies. This would be fine if they were of all different body types. Instead, Hollywood and comics formed them into flawless, robust sculptures. They are one monolithic image of what a hero should look like. They have taken something natural and varied, like body type, and assigned a moral value to it. But look around, that isn’t realistic and that’s not the only body type worthy of admiration.

Nick Rowley, senior at the College, was adamant and specific about his ideal superhero. He wants to see “an old man who uses a shotgun and samurai sword to deal out justice, but he mostly uses his mind to defeat his enemies, like poking holes in their ideologies and shit. He’s the paragon of virtue and enlightenment.” The real kicker? “He’s blind.” This begs the question, if everyone is unique and individual, why are our superheroes all the same?

It is easy to associate these superheroes with body image issues, gender inequality and many When three students were asked to describe a other problems that invade our society. We could new superhero they would like to see or create, just as easily blame ourselves for allowing unrethe answers varied, but none described superhe- alistic, perfect beings to become our superheroes roes that are in the movies today. instead of reinventing them to align more with our values and ideas. Richison proposed “a woman superhero that We all have creative minds. We can all, on some goes above and beyond just fighting crime… [she level, envision new superheroes. We can conwould] not do what the supermen are doing, but struct superheroes that will be role models to do something better.” the next generation and finally look up to and be On the other hand, Haas expressed enthusiastiproud of, not superheros that magnify our own cally his desire to see a nerdy professor turned insecurities. We have the power to create heroes superhero. “I just want to see the nerdiest proin the image of our greatest strengths rather than fessor ever – like a computer science professor society’s standards. – become a superhero…But I want it to be this endearing, clumsy, nerdy guy…. Like he’s nerdSo, superbeings of the world, grab your capes, ed his way to superhero-dom. He wants to be a shields and creative minds because we have a superhero so bad that he’s programmed his own mission to accomplish. It’s up to us to save our app or something and modified his DNA. I just planet and society for the future generations to want to believe in a really dorky, very nerdy pro- come. Humankind assemble! fessor-superhero.”

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Memo: On Life by MORGAN GALVEZ photos by KARISHA DESAI

Memo didn’t always live on the streets, but he wasn’t always happy either. “It’s funny,” he said, “I reached a point in my life where I had this amazing job. I was making too much money. I would get a day off and blow it all at Tanger Outlet[s]. I had an apartment that was costing me $1,200 a month and I just took a look around and said, you know what? I’m not happy.” Memo decided it was time to move on or, as he put it, run away. “I waited until I was almost 60 years old to run away from home. And I never turned back.” This new lifestyle brings challenges, but Memo loves the opportunity to meet people and the freedom it gives him. Furthermore, Memo doesn’t look at his being homeless as disheartening. The streets of downtown Charleston are home to many people with nowhere else to go, and they have given rise to a close-knit society that few people ever glimpse inside. “It’s a small community downtown,” Memo said. “Especially with the campus, I mean,

everybody knows everybody. It’s wonderful.” Human company aside, he also loves the pigeons who live in Marion Square. “I’m here so much I can tell them apart,” he laughed. “There’s one here and he only has one foot. So his name is Stump. Stump will come here everyday, because I feed him. He’s like my pet pigeon. Sometimes he’ll even hop up on my lap.” Memo feels like his unconventional choice has given him more time to help others. “I have a lot of time now at my age where I can donate a lot of my energy to things that matter to me,” he said. He spends a lot of his time volunteering at local nonprofits. “There are so so many organizations in town that desperately need help, even an hour a week would help them.” One of his favorites is We Are Family, a support and resource center for teen members of the LGBTQ+ community and their straight allies. To Memo, helping others is one of the paramount things in life. “I like to think that’s why we’re on the planet,” he said.

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When Memo sees people helping others, it motivates him to go further. “I feed off that. It makes me want to do more.” He believes that charity should not be resting on the shoulders of a few brave souls -- it should be a community of people using whatever talents they have for the greater good. “If everybody did a little bit, then the people who do a lot wouldn’t have to,” said Memo. When Memo is not volunteering his time, he’s selling his art. Every time a piece sells, he feels a sense of satisfaction and appreciation. “It’s not so much about the money, even though I like the money, that’s how I eat. But just the fact that somebody would like something enough to want it.” However, the purpose of his art isn’t to please others – it’s to fulfill himself. “I don’t want it

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to be a job. I want to enjoy it, but I want people to enjoy it...If they don’t, somebody else will.” Some advice Memo has for people who want to pursue art is to always love what you’re creating. “Find enjoyment in it. If it’s not fun, don’t do it.” Another tip he offers to up-and-coming artists is to continually look at work by artists you admire and expose yourself to new works. “If you want to learn how to write, read. If you want to learn how to draw, look at art.” Looking forward, Memo has no concrete plans but that’s the way he likes it. “I don’t know. I’m going to totally steal this, I didn’t make this up, but I overheard someone ask a person, ‘where did you grow up?’ and they answered, ‘oh, I don’t know yet.’ I love that.”

what length trailer should we get?

loft Sle epin g

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wil the TV fit?

teps s e g a r o t S mini fridge?

Bathr

Living area

Kitchen

ok-up sewer ho vs. . off-grid.

Does Size Matter?

8 1/2 feet

t! Skyligh

donate lots of clothes

#homesweethome

by HUNTER BEAUDOIN photos by HARRY CAMFERDAM Have you ever complained about the lack of privacy in your house? These locals certainly have not. Tucked away in a North Charleston trailer park, two peculiar houses sit with one thing in common. They are both tiny. Yes, tiny is the correct term to use. A tiny house is defined as a house that is equal to or smaller than 13.6 feet tall by 8.5 feet wide (the length varies). According to tiny homeowner Andy Bretz, there are two types of tiny homeowners: “first choice and last resort.” Bretz is a first choice type of homeowner. His house, which has been featured on FYI’s “Tiny House Nation,” is packed full of decorative pieces, books and other entertaining touches. Some might imagine tiny house owners to be minimalists, but that is not the case with Bretz. He takes advantage of every squareinch of his house, which is affectionately named Rover. When you walk in, you will find a dog, a big screen 3D-TV, an oven, guitars, a dishwasher and even a washer and dryer stored in his house. However, he stores everything in a way that keeps the house looking more inviting than messy. He accomplishes this by living the “Tetris Lifestyle,” planning out how everything will fit into his 32-foot long house. Rover was designed in January 2016 by Bretz and a hired builder. Three months later the house was constructed and ready for move-in. Bretz made the move with Rover to North Charleston from Orlando in June 2016 and has lived there since. He lived in a 2,000 square foot house before making the transition. After purchasing his previous house for $250,000 in 2006, the market plummeted and Bretz started to see his 18

money draining away. Not wanting to throw his money out the window anymore, he decided to give up on the large house lifestyle. “I realized how much of my paycheck was going towards just maintaining. I used to have heating bills that were $500 or $600 per month. That is my total expenses here [in my tiny house].” That’s right: Bretz only pays around $500 per month to live in his tiny house with a total cost of $75,000. This includes internet, electric, cable, water, trash and insurance. This is a large reason Bretz advocates living in a tiny house, especially for graduating college students. “I see college kids coming out owing $100,000, going out and getting jobs that pay $30,000 and $40,000. They’re never going to be able to save 20 percent to put a down payment on a house that’s a quarter million dollars. We need to think of something better and I think that this is the new starter home.” Saving money on housing has allowed 40 year old Bretz, a financial advisor, to travel the world, attend all the music festivals you can think of and hopefully retire at a healthy age. Not everything about tiny house living is perfect, though. With no room for a lawnmower, Bretz pays his neighbor to cut his grass for the time being. He must look for odd sizes for different household items. He is learning how to sew in order to make curtains for his windows since stores do not sell the sizes he needs in stores. As far as possessions go, he had to part with art, furniture, an arcade machine and an inversion table to name a few, which he sold at an estate sale for his old home. the yard

Only a few streets down live Brian and Annie McFarlane, a middle-aged couple living in another tiny house. The McFarlanes fit more into the “last resort” category. They decided to make the move into their 300-square foot tiny house when they realized that they may not be able to retire quite as early as they had hoped. Brian, a Charleston tour guide, is about as minimalist as it gets. Upon walking into their home, the first thing you notice is – nothing. The house is nice and clean, but there isn’t much at all inside except for a picture over the door and a portable A/C unit. There is no television or desktop and hardly any furniture.“We have more room than we know what to do with,” said Brian. Saving money is a top priority for this couple and their tiny house, named McTiny, is just the beginning. They have an incinerator toilet, which was originally designed for bomber pilots during World War II, and a washer that also functions as a dryer. “It’s almost like we hired ourselves to live in our tiny home, and it’s just a way for us to get ahead of things,” said Brian. Since buying the house in May of this year, the McFarlanes have taken the advice of self-help gurus such as Dave Ramsey and Marie Kondo to set them on the track to economic freedom and less possessions. “All the things you have around you should spark joy in your life,” said Annie. For the couple, it is a matter of experiences versus possessions, and experiences win everytime. The major problem the tiny house community faces is just that – the lack of a community. Tiny homeownOctober 2017

ers want to live together as a neighborhood, but the codes, safety regulations and legislation of Charleston and many other cities prevent that from happening. This is why all of the tiny houses in Charleston are parked off the peninsula. Tiny homeowners in the Charleston area such as Bretz and the McFarlanes are trying to get legislation changed, but changing the codes will take time. They have a Facebook group called “Tiny House Charleston,” where they organize events and stay in contact with each other. The trick to building a community of tiny houses in Charleston is to find legal parking and overcome the “not in my backyard” mentality, where conventional homeowners do not want these unusual structures parked next to their homes. Some people fear losing value on their homes or attracting too much unwanted attention. One compromise tiny house owners hope to make with city legislators is paying property taxes, which they do not pay now. The only property tax they have to pay is for the metal trailers attached to their tiny houses, which cost around $35 to title. They are more than willing to pay property taxes in return for places to park in the city. Are tiny houses the homes of the future? Are they the affordable housing solution the United States so desperately needs? It may be too early to say, but right now they are helping locals get a hold on their finances and enjoy their lives by focusing more on what is outside of the house rather than on what is inside. These cost-effective houses, if nothing else, require the homeowner to get to know themselves and prioritize what they have in their life. 19

Just Getting Warmed Up by SIG JOHANNES

f s

r ia

Thi

Harvey, Ir a ne s ma c i rr an u i r b a b C e H e an h d t l, a g ed l a rav e United St f th at o es ts r pa d an

ul f r e e normously powe

ms r o st

the new normal?

Sources: Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Earth Observatory, “Did climate change make Hurricane Harvey worse?” Quartz Media

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Charleston is a wet city – and we’re not talking about the near-constant flow of alcohol from Thursday to Sunday. The land of the Lowcountry is pockmarked with marshes, streams and ponds. Here in the Holy City, the Atlantic Ocean along with the Ashley and Cooper Rivers surround us. If you’re a senior, then three of your four years here as a student have been impacted by a major weather event. The King Tide flooding in 2015, Hurricane Joaquin, Hurricane Matthew, the threat of Hurricane Irma – storms are never far from Charleston’s sunny streets. What can climate change data tell us about the frequency and intesity of these storms? We’ve gathered together some facts that are particularly worrying for coastal cities like Charleston.

Hurricanes intensify much faster now than they used to. For example, tropical storms reach Category 3 strength about nine hours faster than they did in the 1980s. The faster a storm gains strength, the less time people in its path have to prepare and evacuate. Hurricanes are more damaging now than they have ever been. Under the climate conditions of 1900, Hurricane Katrina’s storm surge would have been 15-60 percent lower. By the end of the 21st century, anthropogenic global warming will cause tropical cyclones to have significantly higher rainfall. Models project an increase of 10-15 percent. By the end of the 21st century, anthropogenic global warming will casuse a 2-11 percent increase in the intensity of tropical cyclones.

Anthropogenic means “man made.”

October 2017 November 17

ìSequins on Fringeî

ìIf

it makes you question how to wear it or how it will fit you, that’s what I want. I don’t want easy.” Amy Rose leans back in the driver’s seat of her 1976 Airstream Argosy with one sneaker on the dash. Customers hum around us, looking for treasure. She’s one part Forbes entrepreneur mixed and one part Instagram It Girl and hanging out with her is like raiding the closet of the world’s coolest older sister. Her vintage clothing business, Red Rose Vintage, has been motoring around Charleston for a year and a half. “Growing up, I was a competitive gymnast so I never really developed my own sense of style. I always had to dress like a professional athlete. Then when I was living in San Diego, I was a karaoke host so I had to find my personal style and vintage was what I really connected with.” After studying destination and event management in college, Rose started her business seven years ago as a Facebook store. “I’ve learned the most just by doing. I’m a self-taught entrepreneur,” she said. Rose would photograph garments on her porch and then sell, a method she still uses on Instagram. Pop-up shows on Spring Street and at businesses like Kudu and Tabouli soon followed. Her first full-fledged online store went live in 2014. “I’ve always known that I could crush a retail store in Charleston, but the prices have skyrocketed and the pop-up retail was a great opportunity for me to test my Charleston market,” said Rose. Seeing an opening, she launched into her next adventure: buying a 1976 Airstream trailer, gutting the inside, customizing it and adding new brakes and an exhaust system. The result is a black, white and pink dream, an iconic vehicle that’s as modern as

October 2017

Charleston’s economic boom and as old-fashioned as its pastel-pretty streets. Rose’s buyers shop for opposite seasons in order to maximize their chances of finding unique items. As autumn arrives, outerwear will be hard to find but it’s the perfect time for Red Rose Vintage to stock up on swimsuits and tank tops for next year. Her inventory consists mostly of ‘80s and ‘90s items, although she does occasionally have older pieces. “Vintage for the longest time has been so outdated, the way it’s been styled,” she said. “Most people when they think ‘vintage’ think ‘30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, but ‘80s and ‘90s is vintage too.” Rose only carries women’s fashion, with a handful of unisex items. Her friend Nathan Edwin owns Tuff Stuff Vintage, and in many ways it’s the men’s counterpart to Red Rose. The two shops are often parked next to each other at events such as Holy City Vintage Market and Thrifters and Drifters. “We have very similar taste but in different genders,” said Rose. How can you track down the trailers and get some shopping done? Check @redrosevintageshop on Instagram. It’s Rose’s go-to method for advertising new clothes and updating customers on her location. “I was on Snapchat for a while and I really like Snapchat, but I don’t want to be on my phone all the time. To do posts and stories on Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook, I would not have a life,” laughed Rose. Whatever she’s doing must be working – she rings up anywhere from 130-200 transactions on an average weekend, maybe more if there’s a big event in town. Shopping vintage presents a special set of challenges. “You could go into the dressing room and try on 20 or 30 items and maybe find one that you like and that fits you

right,” said Rose. Styles and sizes differ hugely from the clothing produced today, so don’t be discouraged if you can’t zip up the first item you grab from the rack. Rose also believes that an old-school aura shouldn’t cost you a fortune. “Don’t overpay for vintage!” she said. “Today I think a lot of people can get away with charging so much for something that’s not worth that, so do your research.” Rose keeps her prices as low as possible by giving her buyers a limit on what they can spend. The savings are passed on to her customers – all her shorts and jeans are just $20, and many tops clock in at even less. Affordability is always on her mind, but Rose is wary of rock-bottom prices and the rock-bottom quality they often entail. “The reason that Forever 21 can charge $8 for a tank top is they’re supposed to be paying workers $6 an hour and they’re paying them $4 or $3,” said Rose. “That’s why they’re able to price things so low.” Fast fashion has woven its way into downtown Charleston over the past few years, with chains like Forever 21, H&M and Francesca’s drawing

lots of foot traffic on King Street. “There’s only about eight stores [on King] that you can’t find at any shopping mall across the country,” said Rose. “Charleston, in a way, it’s almost like they want it to be all corporate. It’s disheartening.” As someone who can pair the craziest patterns and manage to make it look chic, perhaps it’s no surprise that Rose has carved out a loyal and savvy customer base in a city marked by contradictions – young students and old residents, extravagant wealth and creeping poverty, anachronous horse carriages and congested traffic. If she could snap her fingers and change one thing about the fashion landscape today, she would tell everyone “to stop making things. Stop making it! There’s so much good stuff out there that needs to be recycled and used, and there’s so much that goes to waste. It’s crazy. Let’s all just reuse, keep doing your clothing swaps, keep doing the yard sales. Halt production.”

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Q&A Rock or hip hop?

Rock.

Denim or leather?

Denim.

Eye shadow or lipstick?

Lipstick.

Morning person or night owl?

Morning, all day.

Beatles or Rolling Stones?

Pass, they’re both amazing. Third option if you had to pick one?

Paramore.

70s or 80s?

80s

Rec Room or Royal American?

Rec Room! I love Rec Room. Sneakers or boots?

Sneaks.

Skinny or boyfriend jeans?

Oh man, that’s tough...boyfriend. Dress or jumpsuit?

Jumpsuit.

Fringe or sequins?

Who made these questions?! Both, fringe with sequins on fringe. Stripes or dots?

Stripes.

Favorite city besides Charleston?

Burlington, Vermont. It’s my hometown, I’ve got to represent!

October 2017

Walking with the Dead by GRACE SAMUELSON design by MCKAYLA CONAHAN

Deep green leaves slowly begin to burst with vibrant shades of gold, orange and red. The relentless Charleston heat dulls to a comfortable chill and pumpkin patches, hayrides and corn mazes announce to the world that fall is finally here. Along with the calming scents of cider and the welcoming embrace of oversized sweatshirts comes the thrill of horror movies and ghosts, also known as Halloween. In Charleston, however, ghosts are anything but the campy image from old films – the real deal just might exist. Ghost tours are not just a fun fall activity in Charleston, they are a part of the city’s history. Tours are offered year-round, ready to showcase all the thrilling tales of grave yards, alleyways and houses. Charleston’s history runs deep – in the soil where the bones of those who have died on the peninsula over the last few hundred years lie. It’s no wonder that ghost tour companies have a rich body of stories to share with tourists from all over the world. The Old Charleston City Jail is a significant landmark in history and ghost stories alike. Built in 1802 as the Low Country Prison, the jail stayed operational until 1939 when it was shut down due to prisoner mistreatment. Over the course of its history, roughly 14,000 people died in the jail. Bulldog Tours takes visitors into the walls of the beaten down, cinderblock jail to tell its story. The Old City Jail Tour is not for the faint of heart. Small, claustrophobic walls creep in on guests who become swallowed by the darkness. Even without the stories, ironbarred gates and ominous noises leave visitors with goosebumps. Lavinia Fisher, the United States’ first female serial killer, is one of the jail’s most infamous prisoners. Tour guide and dead medium Randy Johnson spends a lot of time in the jail and has heard several stories of people seeing a translucent woman wearing a white dress lurking through its corridors. Mike Brown of Old Charleston Walking Tours has seen similar paranormal activity outside the gates of the Unitarian Church. The tale tells of a girl buried in a white dress who haunts the graveyard. The girl is speculated to be the subject of Edgar Allan Poe’s poem, “Annabel Lee.” Brown recalls in August 2013 when a member of his tour group suddenly collapsed. He thought the incident was a result of heat until the lady asked what was behind the gate, explaining her sensitivity to spirits. The same situation has happened 13 times since.

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Stories such as these are easily brushed off by people who do not believe in ghosts. Even so, there is something to be said about the amount of validity that can be found through research. “One of the nice things about Charleston is the history of the city has been recorded in such meticulous detail,” said Brown. Having been a tour guide for nearly 22 years, Brown has spent his time piecing together the puzzle between ghost stories and history. “The way I normally find out about something is someone will come on my tour and tell me about a weird incident,” said Brown. “Then maybe three months later someone else will come along and say a similar weird thing happened in the same area. Then you might have a story.” Brown’s primary interest is history, but he feels that collecting information on the ghost stories of Charleston adds another layer. “That is the big difference between what I do and what you see on a ghost hunting TV show. They go and they are there for five or six hours, whereas I have the advantage of sitting in the same places year after year after year and you get little pieces of the story coming to you in your own time,” said Brown. Charleston ghost tours are not built from campfire horror stories trying to scare everyone – they are slowly constructed over time with the help of credible history. Randy Johnson from the Old City Jail has a similar perspective. Given the jail’s gruesome, inhumane past, he believes it’s almost impossible that ghosts do not prowl the halls. Due to the astronomic number of people mistreated there, Johnson feels they come back to haunt the living for what people did to them in life. The Old City Jail was originally filled with twice the amount of inmates than the legal limit. Later on, it became a war prison, then regressed back to a jail before it was finally shut down. With years of appalling history packed into the three-story building, the City Jail’s walls always have a new story to tell. Creepy as they may seem, Charleston ghost tours are typically a family-friendly experience. Guides are not there to scare, but rather to tell a story. Whether sweatshirt or tank top weather, ghost tours are a unique way to learn more about Charleston history.

October 2017 November 17

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Sailing in the

Right

Direction

by NICK RODRIGUEZ photos by AMANDA NICHOLSON Six Best All-Around trophies. More than 100 All-American or Honorable All-American athletes. 20 national championships. Which team in collegiate sports brings home this degree of success? Basketball at Kentucky? Baseball at LSU? Football at Alabama? No – it’s the College of Charleston sailing program. The team is relatively unknown on campus, but they have been one of the most dominant forces in the sport for years. In addition to those titles, the team has produced two Sportsman/woman of the Year and three College Sailors of the Year. The College of Charleston has one of the most storied sailing programs in the country, but many students are unaware of the team’s success. Founded in 1964, the varsity sailing team has achieved so much with very little recognition. The sailing team launched three members as well as an alum to compete in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. However, these impressive statistics are not all that set this team apart. The really astounding thing about this team is the deep sense of family that resonates within the more than 60 members of the team, as well as the coaching staff. 28

Part of a great team is having a great leader at the helm, and here at the College of Charleston that great leader is head coach Ward Cromwell. Cromwell first came to the College nine seasons ago, and took over the role of the head coaching duties six seasons ago. His coaching style resonates well with the team and his great rapport with his players allows them to have fun, engaging practices. “I have met a lot of other college coaches and I felt that Ward has a really nice environment. There are some coaches [that believe] every person on our team is your enemy. That’s not Ward’s style,” said Grace McCarthy, a junior on the sailing team. Stefano Peschiera, a senior on the sailing team and an Olympic athlete, cited Cromwell’s dedication to the team as one of his best attributions. “Every decision he makes is for the benefit of the team. [He’s made] hard decisions, and usually they’re the best call to make. He’s a coach we can all trust [to] make the right decision,” he said. Elizabeth Pemberton, a senior sailing captain, said that, “Ward’s interest in the team, and encouragement of a healthy team dynamic are what make him such a great coach.” the yard

McCarthy, Peschiera’s sailing partner, cited Crom- American or National Championships in seven well as her main reason for choosing the College different classes), and has used that knowledge to in the first place. benefit the team. Fisher is also a former sailmaker, so that skill comes in handy with being able How does Cromwell see his own style? He tries to pinpoint ways to make sailors faster with the to focus as much as he can on his team members smallest adjustments. He wants to promote the and making sure they are prepared. “I’ve learned team and get the word out on all their great work a lot from other coaches, no doubt, but I try to do and has the sailing team involved with programs my own thing,” said Cromwell. like Wounded Warriors. Another great advantage of the College of Charleston’s sailing team is its size. There are sixty people on the team total, which makes it easy to take out all eighteen boats every practice. In a sailing competition, or regatta, there are eighteen boats in the water, so practicing with the same number of boats makes it an easier adjustment when the team is actually competing. “We recruit from all across the nation and we get lots of different people, and everyone is highly skilled. We’re all friends on land, but the competitiveness is really high,” said Paris Henken, a junior on the team and one of the aforementioned Olympic athletes. Greg Fisher, Director of Sailing, also has a great impact on the team. Fisher is one of the greatest American sailors to date (capturing 21 North October 2017

Fisher views service as a key tool in raising support for the team and giving the team a sense of the community they inhabit. He keeps them involved in the college’s athletic department; taking non-credit classes, the sailing classes offered by the college, disabled sailing and junior camps. A lot of sports teams boast of winning traditions and a great love for their sports, but very few have the extreme sense of connection that the College of Charleston varsity sailing team has. Clearly, a talented and motivated bunch of people have taken the program from just a sport to so much more – it has become a lifestyle. This team truly is a group of people who genuinely love to sail, and obviously love to do so with each other.

Game of

Cones

by BRADLEY HARRISON and MARA MCCLOY photos by ADDIE VERMILLION

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ce cream and Charleston go together as effortlessly as macaroons and Paris. When the sun rises, there is no escaping the sauna of the Low Country. So if you find yourself looking for a cold break on a miserably hot Charleston day, ice cream is the next best thing to jumping into the Pineapple Fountain. Ice cream is a go-to food for celebrations and break-ups alike, but the choice can be daunting. Should you walk the few blocks past Republic just to get Jeni’s? (Yes.) Are there other ice cream spots other than Jeni’s that you should try? (Also yes.) Luckily, we’ve hunted down the best scoops in the city, so go have a cold one on us.

Freddo Helado 239 ½ King Street $5.43 for a small cup There are only three locations of this Argentinian delight in the United States, and Charleston is lucky enough to have one. Freddo imports all of their helado from Argentina, where it is traditionally made. You may notice that “helado” sounds a lot like its Italian counterpart “gelato.” Guess what? Both words mean ice cream in English. Freddo’s helado is very soft, dense and creamy, almost like a thick milkshake you can eat with a spoon. Make sure to try their dulce de leche flavor, the South American version of caramel made out of condensed milk. They also let you combine flavors, so we recommend pairing half a scoop of dulce de leche with whatever flavor tickles your fancy.

October 2017

Peace Pie 223 Meeting Street and 509 King Street $6 for one ice cream sandwich If you have never been to Peace Pie, you are missing out on a unique ice cream experience. With six locations spreading from New Jersey all the way to Florida, these delightful cookie sandwiches crumble at two, quirkily “peacified” stores in downtown Charleston. When we walked into the original Charleston Peace Pie on Meeting Street, we couldn’t help but giggle. The server’s smile and laughter were contagious, the space was colorful and vibrant, but what really stood out were the inventive and delicious ice cream sandwiches. With a thin cookie crust, a pie filling spread and a large scoop of sweet ice cream in between, you will have a positively psychedelic experience. Be sure to try their classic flavors like Pecan Pie and Key Lime Pie, but also their S’mores and Cookie Dough, because if you buy 10, your eleventh Peace Pie is on the house with their rewards card. You can even submit your own flavor creations on their website for a chance to win five free Peace Pies, in addition to having your flavor sold in stores.

“If you only try one place from this entire article....”

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Paolo’s Gelato Italiano 41 John Street $6 for a small cup This quaint gelato spot is one of only two locations in the whole world. Native Italian, Paolo Dalla Zorza, spent his formative years travelling and learning about what makes this Italian ice cream the best. Upon figuring out how to make the soft and airy treats of his dreams, he brought his recipes to America. Paolo’s combines authentic and delicious into one small cup. The options are full of flavor, yet pleasantly understated, allowing you to breathe in the ambiance of Italy. All of the flavor’s names are in Italian, which made it fun for us to try and pronounce the Stracciatella. No worries though, you don’t need to know Italian to enjoy this chocolate chip gelato. If you are in the mood for something lighter and more fruity, have a taste of the Mango flavor.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams 501 King Street $5.43 for two half scoops If you try only one place from this entire article, make it Jeni’s. Set in a modern, cozy store on Upper King, the constantly swinging glass doors welcome you in with a warm fragrance. What makes Jeni’s special is their plethora of unconventional flavors that pack a punch into each bite. From seasonal selections like the Christmas-time dark chocolate and jalepaño Xocorosa (pronounced chos-or-o-sa), to the very autumn Pistachio & Honey, to a classic like Darkest Chocolate, Jeni’s bold and distinct flavors will knock your socks off. For a truly unforgettable experience, order the greatest coffee flavored ice cream ever created: Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso. Our photographer ordered this one and described it perfectly by saying, “It actually tastes how coffee smells!” Face it, you can’t walk half a block on King street before you feel the sweat pool and the swampy heat coming off the gutters. That empty feeling on the back of your tongue and in the palm of your hand can only be filled by one thing...ice cream. Peep our freezing cold suggestions to inject some fire into your ice cream game. So whether you’re looking for authentic gelato, a unique ice cream sandwich, or a classic yet fun cone, one of these scoops is sure to be your new ‘flavorite.’

October 2017

Labor Pains More and more students are working part- or full-time jobs while they complete their degree. What’s driving this financial choice, and how does it affect students’ scholastic success? by ABBEY UCCI

Thousands of students maintain a full or part-time job in addition to classes. Whether it be an internship, Federal Work Study, retail or restaurant job downtown, many at the College feel the overwhelming responsibility of student employment. Rent, parking, bills and groceries quickly add up. Unfortunately, this can prevent a student from focusing solely on their studies, especially when the need for employment arises from financial necessity. Even for those working by choice, a job imposes an unavoidable time-crunch. Scholarships and need-based grants can often save a student from the burden of staying home and attending community college when the funds aren’t available. That being said, tuition is still on the rise every year. Whether you are part of the 69.4 percent of in-state students or the 30.6 percent out-of-state at the College of Charleston, you and your parents have likely taken out loans. The College offers need-

based financial aid to 48 percent of full-time undergraduates. The average need-based scholarship or grant award is $2,609 – but can that make a significant impact for a student who pays over $30,000 or more in tuition per year? In the grand scheme of tuition, this solution doesn’t seem proportional to the need. College attendance is a critical component of the modern American Dream. However, this is becoming increasingly more difficult for the average working-class family. Currently, Americans are suffering from 1.2 trillion dollars of student loan debt. Two thirds of all students will graduate with some sort of debt. On average, one in ten graduates will leave higher education and enter the workforce with an accumulated debt of nearly $40,000. These are stomach-turning statistics that help explain why nearly 70 percent of students have worked during college within the last 25 years.

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How can students earn an income while also earning a degree? Federal Work Study helps incoming students get acclimated to the college lifestyle, while also helping them to meet new people. Some of these jobs include working the front desk of student housing, within the dining halls or staffing an office on campus as a receptionist. In South Carolina, FWS provides students with tax breaks and other benefits, but earnings rarely exceed minimum wage. Charleston has won numerous awards for its culinary scene, and it’s no wonder that the dozens of downtown restaurants rely heavily on student workers. The average food and beverage server, busboy or food runner in downtown Charleston can make anywhere from $14,000 to $24,000 per year. That is one hell of a payroll for a student, but don’t be hasty. According to Phoebe Gould, a current employee at Co Thai Cuisine, she works about 25-30 hours a week. Her shifts usually start early in the morning and go until later that afternoon or night if she is working a double shift. The lifestlye is “as time-consuming as you want it to be, and I would recommend a food and bev job to other students because it helped me with time-management. It is also a great opportunity to meet new people,” said Gould.

ation of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) study showed that 46.5 percent of internships are unpaid. A Google poll among College of Charleston students found that 72 percent of students had unpaid internships. Multiple experts have noted that internships exacerbate inequality between privileged students and those who come from lower-income families. If an internship is unpaid, students who pay their own rent or are working their way through college will probably not pursue it. Unpaid internshhips make a huge difference in future opportunies, but they inherently favor students of wealth.

The Bottom Line Students know that a college education is almost irreplaceable in terms of the job opportunities it can provide. However, its no secret that college is becoming more of a financial epidemic in the mind of today’s students rather than a signifier of success.

The Race for Experience Today, 75 percent of students complete internships before they graduate to gain some hands-on experience in their chosen field. Although internships have great advantages, a 2016 National Associ-

October 2017

American by DUSTIN HACKER

ou have planned this study abroad experience for months and have turned all the paperwork in. The night before you leave has you tossing and turning in bed, anxiety churning in your stomach as you think about beginning your journey in a new country. Nobody told you this, but the eve of your departure will be a long night. You’ll get very little sleep and then you’ll be on a plane the next day, wedged between a large man who snores the whole flight and a mother holding her 3 month old baby girl with the overwhelming smell of a rotting ham and cheese sandwich in your nostrils...so good luck sleeping there. Anyone who has studied abroad can tell you that they had a mental picture of what their experience would be like – created with the help of gorgeous Instagram pictures – stories they’ve heard from friends or advice they received from the Study Abroad Office. But there are many things you will probably never be told about studying abroad, and they become very obvious once you’re on the other side of the world when there is no English being spoken within earshot.

First, everybody will know you’re an American. You can try to disguise it by wearing your slim button-down and skinny jeans that you got at H&M for $33. But as an American you will likely stick out, so doing the best you can to blend in will only earn you more respect from the locals. However, as Americans, when we sit down at a restaurant, we expect a glass of ice water to be placed in front of us before we are asked what we’d like to drink. If you study abroad, you will quickly realize that they do not fill your glass with 75 percent ice and pour water over it. Additionally, water at restaurants outside the United States is not free. If you ask for water, they will bring it in a bottle and you will have to pay. As a person who almost strictly drinks water, I hated feeling like I had to ration it so I wouldn’t run out and have to buy another bottle. Waiters will also likely ask if you’d like water with or without gas. Most of us aren’t accustomed to having gas in our water, so asking for still water is always a safe bet.

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Then, there is deodorant; something most Americans take for granted. In general, people in other countries care less about wearing deodorant so just brace yourself for some stinky people if you’re getting on the train, or if you happen to get unlucky with who sits next to you in class. This also means that the deodorant shelf in a store in a foreign country will not look like the one in CVS; it will be a limited selection and none of them will meet your standards. One positive you will likely notice while abroad is that most people don’t price things at $7.99 – they will just say it’s $8 (or whatever currency it actually is). I found this to be very refreshing. Another thing worth noting is that no culture swipes the credit card as much as Americans. The country you are traveling to will likely use cash as their primary currency, and this includes coins, so expect them to rattle around in your pocket daily. One of the most distinguishable differences about life outside the United States is the alcohol culture. One of the easiest ways to spot an American late at night is by how intoxicated they are. In many foreign countries, kids start drinking at 15 years old, so they know how to handle their alcohol and don’t end up trashed. Additionally, the alcohol abroad is usually stronger than our alcohol, so they have learned how to pace themselves. Before you

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knock a drink back really quickly, know that the contest isn’t to see who can be the drunkest. You will definitely get a few looks if you are the person who throws up on their way home. Finally, the part that I anticipated the most, but wasn’t applicable to any other study abroad group before this year, were the endless questions about our president. As an American, whether you love him or hate him, you will be asked about President Trump everyday. You need to be ready to defend yourself with an answer - nobody in the world understands what happened in our election. These examples just scratch the surface of cultural differences you may not be warned about before you leave the States. The United States is a unique country: we don’t use the metric system, we drive more than people in any other country and we are more patriotic than any other country in the world, among many other things. So before you show the gate attendant your passport to board your flight, consider these cultural differences and expect the unexpected. None of it will click until you arrive in your new “home country,” and that’s half the fun of it - embrace the unexpected!

by MADISON LING design by SIG JOHANNES

“Don’t put your sorority on your resume,” said Sidney Harper, a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. Harper has heard this statement numerous times and although she is aware of the stigma that comes with sororities, she disagrees wholeheartedly. She feels she has learned qualities while being in a sorority that are going to be so important for her success in the future, like “leadership, time management, public speaking and teamwork,” said Harper. Because of these unique opportunities, Harper said,“I don’t know where else I would have gotten these types of experiences.” The stigma surrounding Greek Life inspired Panhellenic President Hannah Summer to create an initiative centered around making meaningful connections with other chapters and the campus community and getting the participation of all of Greek Life in each other’s events.

#GreekConnected began as a simple idea in the mind of Summer, a senior Education major in Alpha Delta Pi at the College of Charleston. Her initiative has grown with support from all the sororities and fraternities on campus. “Panhellenic is the governing body of all the sororities on campus” said Summer, “so it’s my job to facilitate and be the liaison.” Summer realized there was a lack of solidarity between the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), InterFraternity Council (IFC) and National Pan-hellenic Council (NPHC) community on the College of Charleston campus. So last January, while at the Greek Leadership Institute with all the executive boards of NPC, IFC and NPHC, Summer jumped at the chance to involve everyone in her new initiative.

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When she was first elected as president, Summer was inspired “to try and start over and start fresh” after the bad press that Greek Life received last year. In August 2016, “The College, after consulting with student leaders within the Greek life community, suspended all alcohol-related social activities for its fraternities and sororities” as “a result of a serious response to a series of dangerous behaviors connected to some members of our fraternities and sororities, ranging from disruptive parties out in the community to recent medical transports related to extreme intoxication,” said President Glenn McConnell in his letter addressing the campus community. Unfortunately, because of a few bad seeds within the Greek Life community, the entire group was put on suspension and reinstated on an individual chapter basis after educational training for increased awareness of the dangerous activities that were becoming far too prevalent. In light of all this, #GreekConnected became a way to share how “the whole meaning of Greek life can get lost because people think it is all about partying, but it gives you so much growth. It gives you so many connections,” said Summer. #GreekConnected has grown exponentially since its inception and the presidents of every Greek Life organization are working together to implement more communication and participation on all fronts. People in Greek Life are coming together in what is the most important: “doing good, being positive, and being #GreekConnected,” said Summer. When asked how she would define #GreekConnected, Summer responded that “the most important thing is creating relationships with people, getting to know other people you may never had the chance to, creating connections for yourself and believing that your voice can make a difference.”

member, has seen huge improvements in the connectivity between sororities as they strive to be involved in each other’s philanthropy events and offer financial support if they are unable to attend. “With over a 1000 girls who all have a common goal and common values, it is amazing,” said Larsen. “Not to mention including IFC and NPHC, who all have the same goals and values as we do...we are all ultimately trying to help the community.” Larsen has loved getting to know the NPHC community and getting involved with their events because she knew very little about it before #GreekConnected was introduced. Mikel Hannah-Harding, the president of Alpha Phi Alpha within NPHC, sees the movement as an opportunity “to put our differences aside and focus on what we have in common, like community service and philanthropy aspects, and I think it’s an initiative to shine a good light on Greeks and come together and show Greek Life as what they are – more than just partiers.” #GreekConnected has been a great platform for the NPHC to get their face out into the open on campus and get more involved with the other groups in Greek Life. Hannah-Harding has made so many friendships through this initiative, and it has changed how he walks around campus and engages with students on a deeper level. He is excited to continue to grow this movement to encompass the whole Charleston community before he graduates. Harper, the delegate for the Panhellenic executive board from Zeta Tau Alpha, has noticed how much more Greek Life can do, especially in their philanthropy events, when every organization comes together to support each other. Being the liaison between the executive board of NPC and her chapter has helped her make valuable connections in every sorority. She sees the focus of #GreekConnected as seizing every opportunity to get out of her own “sorority bubble,” said Harper.

The most logistical aspect of #GreekConnected so far has been a Greek-wide calendar with every organization’s events listed so support for other sororities and fraternities’ events can grow. One of the most exciting ways this has worked was with the Homecoming Step Show put on by NPHC last year when a large portion of Panhellenic girls showed up to support the work being done by the fraternities and sororities in the NPHC. Additionally, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity put on their Strut like an Alpha Show and were supported by many Panhellenic girls who came and participated in the competition. Kristen Larsen, a junior Panhellenic executive board

HANNAH SUMMER

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Editor in Chief SIGRID JOHANNES Managing Editor BRADLEY HARRISON Creative Director TIA DYE News Editor ZAINAB DOSSAJI Sports Editor NICK RODRIGUEZ Feature Editor MADISON LING Opinion Editor MARA MCCLOY Blog Editor HUNTER BEAUDOIN