22807 Fall 2015

/ secret societies lady taij / moon art / tinder

Introducing Gillian Dukoff Executive Editor

Morgan Lynch Editor

ashleigh Balsamo Managing Editor

Kayla Marsh Online Editor

Josh Belanger Articles Editor

Katie Kelly

Creative Director

Maddy Williams Photo Editor

Jaclyn Placha

Asst. Photo Editor

Eric Graves Video Editor

Caroline Alkire Senior Editor

Ashley Curtis Senior Editor

Zach Price

Senior Editor

Robert Williams Senior Editor

Peter Byrd Senior Editor

SHANE MITCHELL Senior Editor

DOMINIQUE LATEGANO Social Media Editor

Denise Kennedy

Asst. Social Media Editor

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n o c

: s t ten

4 voices 6 tinder 8 Grafitti 10 Fay and Kay 14 moon art

18 Lady Taij 22 rec coaching 24 vaping 26 in8 28 man-buns 30 d-hall

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VOICES JMU CELEBS

Denise Kennedy explores the most talked about people at JMU, also known as JMU Celebs. She’s loved interviewing small-scale celebrities who are big on campus. Readers can look forward to getting to know people they’ve heard about or seen on campus on a more intimate level. To read JMU Celebs, check out the blog: https://jmucelebs. wordpress.com

Tinder dates with Dom

Tinder Dates with Dom tackles the stigma around online dating. Sometimes funny, mostly embarrassing, Dominique Lategano laughs more than she talks in an attempt to be the next reality TV star. In three-minute videos, Tinder Dates with Dom highlights the side of Tinder that’s more than just “Netflix and Chill,” inviting viewers to get creative with their dates. Watch Tinder Dates with Dom now: https://www.youtube. com/channel/UCCfpdo4jV8qQTGsJviHfk-g

the undrafted free agent

Josh Belanger and Robert Williams discuss JMU sports news every Wednesday. The Undrafted Free Agent is a short podcast that’ll update you on everything you need to know about JMU sports teams — in as much time as it takes to eat your bowl of cereal. Listen to the Undrafted Free Agent now: https://soundcloud. com/22807magazine

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Threads

Threads was co-founded by Maddy Williams and Gillian Dukoff in Fall 2014. Their goal was to capture the unique styles and perspectives from various JMU students and organizations.

What began as a hunt for great style quickly transformed into an opportunity to showcase JMU students through a completely new platform. Each week, they highlight students through photographs and interviews. This semester, they’ve been able to collaborate with Bluetique Cheap & Chic, Young Life College, Phi Alpha Delta and Orientation. For more Threads, follow them on Instagram @22807_threads and check out their blog, where they post full interviews and photoshoots: http://22807threads.wix.com/threadsblog

The Happiest Hour

The Happiest Hour isn’t about being an alcohol aficionado or some overly educated booze buff. It’s about being adventurous and learning new things as you go. Jaclyn Placha, after all, is just a college student who enjoys drinking and exploring the many surprising tastes of Harrisonburg and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley. This semester, she’s found out that there’s most definitely a difference between an ale and a lager, and tried her first martini.

Cheers and enjoy: https://thehappiesthoursite.wordpress.com

The Vibe

Shane Mitchell brings The Vibe to JMU — a new outlet for music and music fans who follow 22807 Magazine. The main focus of The Vibe is to give fresh, up-and-coming artists in the Harrisonburg area a spotlight to showcase their talents. This semester, artists such as Too Indecent, Out on the Weekend and Rex Whatever have been featured. Check out The Vibe: https://thevibe22807.wordpress.com

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DDo om m

Tinder dates with I’m not a Tinder virgin. Before I started this project, I’d been on many dates and hangouts because of the popular app.

Before starting the project, one of my most memorable dates was meeting a group of guys who were vacationing at the same time as my girlfriends and me. We ended up having a bonfire, skinny-dipping in the ocean, swimming in their pool and drinking champagne while listening to Cherub. It was one of the best nights of our summer.

My experiences with Tinder have been mostly wonderful. Yes, I’ve received the occasional raunchy message, but I solve that problem quickly by un-matching that person. Tinder gets a bad reputation for many reasons.

A Vogue article breaks down how Tinder functions, but I disagree with its notion that Tinder is bad.

The truth is that people don’t pursue romantic relationships with people they’re not attracted to.

Tinder simplifies the awkward friend zone conversation that’s bound to happen if you aren’t attracted to someone physically, while still enjoying many other aspects of their company.

After reading articles about the hookup culture Tinder has created and a slew of

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words by dominque lategano photo by maddy williams

bad reviews, I’m here to defend Tinder and give it back its dignity. In my biweekly voice, “Tinder Dates with Dom,” I use Tinder to match with people I find attractive, take them on a date and film it.

The idea of filming and sharing my Tinder dates with the world occurred in a casual brainstorming session with my roommates. Once the magazine staff approved the idea, I created a new Tinder account with a bio saying that I was a journalist for 22807 Magazine. The next few weeks were spent swiping through hundreds of faces — some of them familiar, some of them ugly — until I had a solid base of matches.

Initially, I tried to work Tinder as if it were a machine. I copy and pasted a statement that said something along the lines of, “Hi, I’m a journalist for 22807 Mag. I’m doing a column called Tinder Dates with Dom, would you be interested in being featured on a date?” Most people didn’t like this and either didn’t respond or were initially suspicious.

I had an epiphany and realized that if I wanted this to work, I had to do it for real.

By starting off with a real conversation, people were more willing to meet me. Once I set up a date and disclosed all the details,

including that my cameraman would be accompanying us, we were ready for action.

Naturally, I met many different people on Tinder. The majority of users I’ve encountered are college-aged students who are interested in meeting new people, with the intention for it to lead to something more, whether it’s a hookup, relationship or even marriage. There’s a percentage of people on Tinder who are just looking for friends, or couples looking for a third person to add to their sexual fantasies.

There are also people who use it solely for a confidence boost.

My favorite thing about Tinder is how many options it has and how easy it is to use. Tinder uses your Facebook and Instagram profiles to create your Tinder profile and boasts 1 billion matches.

However, the Internet seems to think this is bad.

Tinder’s connotation is linked to promiscuity, and it seems that people are scared of their significant others not being faithful.

Putting people’s insecurities of their

relationships aside, Tinder offers what people in college are looking for. We don’t want to wait. Whether it’s getting food, getting drunk or getting laid, we want it fast, easy and with minimal effort. Tinder allows its users to fast forward past the game of mutual attraction and puts you in contact immediately.

Matching with someone right after you swipe them is exhilarating. Starting a conversation is always the trickiest, but meeting them in person is the best.

People are sometimes not what you expect, and that can be the best or worst part.

On the dates I’ve been on while being filmed, some of the reactions I’ve received are, “You’re taller than I expected,” or “You’re a lot bubblier than I imagined.”

Of course, you can’t know someone after only a few hours, but it gives you the opportunity to make a decision about whether or not you want to see them again.

For the people who are too focused on their life to make a life with someone else, Tinder is the perfect opportunity to meet your match.

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GraffIti c u lt u r e words and photo by jaclyn placha

I’m going to speak my mind, so this won’t take very long. Despite what some people say, graffiti isn’t the lowest form of art (although in order to participate, you may have to creep around at night and lie to your conservative college roommates). It’s actually one of the more honest art forms available.

There’s no elitism, there’s no hype and no one’s ever deprived of seeing it since it isn’t cooped up in some stodgy, old art museum.

It’s self-expression in the purest light that today’s society can provide. It spans

cultures and continents, and yet people pay little to no real attention to it.

The city of Harrisonburg is no exception to this. We’re surrounded by graffiti. In fact, there’s a small, but stubborn, graffiti culture that’s hardly realized by the casual citizen.

Sure, some of it’s straight up vandalism. However, art can also be found — art in its rawest form, pushed into the crummy corners of society.

This is meant to give Harrisonburg graffiti a much-deserved nod and propel it toward a perhaps less crappy future.

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Barbering

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with L ve Local twin barberS tell all words and photos by CAROLINE ALKIRE Identical eyeballs lean in to inspect the silver hairline of Richard Rhodes.

“Should I bring it in a little on the right, Fay?” “No, Kay, I think that looks good.”

With a brandish, the black fabric covering Rhodes is removed to reveal a barber chair, circa the 1930s. Rhodes’ hand moves toward the clear, glass cookie jar to his left, scratching the bottom of the container for a Tootsie Pop. “It’s the best part about getting my hair cut,” he says as he tosses the wrapper into the trashcan.

Fonda Fay Baugher and Sandra Kay Baugher move with ease around Fay’s Barber Shop, constantly laughing and joking with one another. Located on North Liberty Street in downtown Harrisonburg, the shop has two rooms: a waiting area — complete with a couch, a TV and a magazine rack — and a mirrored room with two barber chairs and a 75-year-old lather machine.

About nine years ago, Fay bought a pre-existing shop on West Water Street from a well-known Harrisonburg barber named

George Puffenbarger, and her business has flourished since.

In 2011, because the new shop was so successful, Fay asked Kay, her identical twin sister, to come work with her.

“Training to become a barber is hard work,” Fay says. “You have to find someone to shadow for 18 months and then take a written test.”

Because female barbers are rare, Fay had a difficult time finding someone to train her.

“I asked around for years with no luck,” Fay says. “Finally, in 2009, I began training with a man in Waynesboro, Virginia, and eventually got my barbers license.”

Fay then trained Kay, and they opened another barber shop in Elkton together called Twins.

Today, Fay owns the shop in Harrisonburg and co-owns Twins with Kay. “Have you been behaving?” Fay asks her next customer with a laugh. “If not, I’ll have to give you a lecture.”

Customers come in and sit in chairs that were once used in old-fashioned barber shops. Kay’s chair even has a cigarette ash

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tray on the right arm. The room is filled with historic knick-knacks from previous barber shops: a bottle from the 1940s that reads “toilet water” sits next to a mirror, a newspaper clipping about a local barber, Higgie Hickenbottom, who gave 25-cent haircuts hangs on the wall and an old official barber shop sign which sits in the front window.

It isn’t just the historical aspect of the shop that makes it special — it’s the women who run it. Born on September 7, 1953, Fay and Kay are best friends and twins with a unique love for cutting men’s hair.

“We grew up doing it,” Kay says.

With three brothers, a father and a neighborhood full of children, they acquired a knack for

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barbering that followed them both into adulthood.

“I used to cut my boyfriend’s hair all through high school,” Kay says.

The two work together during the week and play golf whenever they can on the weekends. They were pregnant at the same time, they both love to interact with people and, most importantly, they love being together.

“Growing up, I tried to be the dominant one,” Kay laughs.

“She was always so bossy,” interjects Fay. The pair meshes well, as both business partners and sisters.

The Harrisonburg shop welcomes back numerous regulars, including Pat Trimble, a local firefighter who was consistently

disappointed with the haircuts he received from beauticians. He finally found Fay and has been coming to the Harrisonburg shop ever since. He always gets a flat top, a notoriously difficult cut in which the hair on top of the head is cut to lay completely flat, while the hair on the sides is shaved down.

“I am very particular about my hair; that’s why I come here,” Trimble says.

“I’ve had holes in my hair and some pretty terrible haircuts that I’ve just walked out on. Fay always does a great job on my flat top.”

Joshua Byrd, a Harrisonburg High School student, convinced his entire family to come to Fay’s Barber Shop.

“I’ve been coming to the shop since it was on Water Street,” Byrd says. “My whole family would go to

Old-time Barber Shop Comes to Life m the A bottle fro xt to 1940s sits ne jar by the candy chair. er Fay’s barb

breakfast every Saturday, and I would leave early and walk over to get my hair cut. Pretty soon all my brothers — even my dad — started coming to Fay’s.”

From men in toupees to entire families, Fay and Kay have encountered interesting people. They’ve even ventured to funeral homes to cut the hair of deceased customers, at the request of family members.

“I once drove all the way to Frederick, Maryland, to cut the hair of one of my favorite customers who was very sick,” Fay says. “I got word he passed away right after I left. I thought highly of this particular customer, and it meant a lot to me to go all the way to Maryland to help him.”

According to Fay, barbering can be cutthroat in other shops, but that isn’t the case at Fay’s Barber Shop. The twins work in harmony, talking, laughing and truly enjoying themselves.

Their favorite part about working in a barber shop?

The shop features a 70-yearold lather machine used daily

by Fay and Kay.

Fay displays an old newspaper clipping about a Harrisonburg barber named Higgie Higgenbottom, who once gave 25 cent haircuts.

“We love to see all the men who come in,” Fay laughs.

“Oh yes,” Kay says with an earnest nod. “We love our job. We love our job and we love men.”

There’s an inexplicable ambiance inside Fay’s Barber Shop — a mood that lingers in the air.

It’s the rare feeling that comes from being in the presence of two people so extraordinarily bonded together.

“They’re very professional, and very particular about what they do,” says Trimble. “And they’re great to talk to. Eventually they’ll find out how many kids you have and they’ll ask about your family.”

Fay and Kay’s infectious laughter constantly echoes through the quaint shop, and every customer who comes in can’t help but laugh along with them.

“You can be in a bad mood,” Fay says. “And a customer can come in and turn you whole day around.”

The one thing anyone who walks through the door of Fay’s Barber Shop will undoubtedly notice is the smiles that reside on every customer’s face as they exit the shop.

“I love these ladies,” Rhodes says. “They do a great job, and that’s why I always come back.”

“Eventually, they’ll find out how many kids you have and they’ll ask about your family.”

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A ROTN TEHXEHMIBOOITN words and photos by katie kel

ly

Image courtesy of Mark Baskinger

Mark Rooker wheels his cart of tools into the studio.

He heads over to an old gas tank sitting in the corner and twists the squeaky valve, sending argon gas shooting through pipes on the wall that lead to a large machine. After adjusting his chair and scooting in front of it, he focuses his eyes on microscope lenses and inserts his hands into the openings on the sides of the machine. He’s now ready to get to work — creating a piece of art, welding metal with the LaserStar Laser Welder.

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Rooker is a metals and jewelry professor in the School of Art, Design and Art History at JMU. He didn’t start working with metal until his last semester of college, but when he did, he was hooked.

“I just fell in love with the material and the process and the culture of it all,” Rooker said.

He returned to school and studied metal while working toward his Master of Fine Arts degree, and is now a master metalsmith and jeweler. He works with his hands to create art out

of metal; however, this particular piece of art is different. This piece of art is going to the moon.

Rooker is a designer for the MoonArk Project, which is led by Carnegie Mellon University art professor and space artist, Lowry Burgess. The project will send art, which is representative of Earth and it’s culture, to the moon on a rover constructed by Carnegie

Mellon’s Robotics Institute in 2016.

The MoonArk will contain elements that are representative of art, design, drama, dance and poetry. It’ll also contain substances found on earth, such as ocean water, different forms of carbon, minerals, single-celled organisms and possibly human blood. This is contained in four separate chambers, each of which will be attached to the underside of the rover and reside permanently on the moon. Rooker is responsible for

designing metal sculptures that run through the center of each chamber.

His involvement with this project began in 2013 while lying on a bleak hospital bed, recovering from major heart surgery. His wife sat with him in the recovery room and read an email he’d received. The sender was Mark Baskinger, the MoonArk Project director and Rooker’s former classmate in graduate school. Baskinger remembered

Rooker’s impressive level of skill and recalled that he had a love for all things space and sci-fi. He asked if his old friend had any interest in being part of the project, and Rooker’s spirits were lifted immediately. His automatic response was, “Yes! I want my art to be on the moon!”

Part of the reason why Baskinger knew Rooker was such a good

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fit for the project is that Rooker is able to create art on a very small scale. His sculptures, which fit easily in the palm of a hand, are a minuscule fraction of the size of a traditional sculptor’s work. This is a huge advantage to the project’s size and weight limits, and is due in part to the technology he uses to make his art — specifically, the LaserStar Laser Welder.

The LaserStar is an impressive machine that lives in JMU’s art building, Duke Hall. The $27,000 welder is the biggest, most complex and most expensive piece of equipment in the studio.

The LaserStar is a classfour laser, which is the most powerful laser available outside of those used for governmental work. These

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lasers are classified as hazardous. The laser beam in the machine is 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is just under 3,000 degrees cooler than the surface of the sun. The machine is able to make welds, which are significantly smaller than any other type of welding equipment, at just half a millimeter around.

If Rooker were to move his finger a millimeter too far while holding the metal under the beam, he would receive a thirddegree burn. It would be a half-millimeter burn, but a painful burn all the same.

The intensity of this technology in the studio doesn’t scare Rooker — in fact, sitting with his eyes up to the optics and fingers centimeters from the laser beam is where he thrives.

“I need to work with my hands to be happy,” Rooker says. “Working with metal just feeds my soul in a lot of ways, and I knew that at a gut level long before I could rationalize it.”

The art that Rooker creates with this machine will be on permanent display 238,900 miles away, and he can’t wait to send it on its journey.

“If something or someone other than a human were to come across this art, I would want them to understand that there is more to us than science and technology, because that is all the evidence they have of us, and we are more than that,” Rooker says.

“Working with metal just feeds my soul in a lot of ways, and I knew that at a gut level long before I could rationalize it.�

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lady taij lgbt rapper is breaking stereotypes words by shane mitchell photos by maddy williams There was a confident air about Tasia White as she walked in the room, standing at a little more than 5 and a half feet tall.

Her eyes drifted from face to face around the room, and every move seemed part of an orchestrated sway. Her demeanor was of a person who had come to find herself, not necessarily easily, and through honing and crafting a persona to build upon — one she would eventually come to call Lady Taij, a brash, unapologetic rapper with a little grit and lot of intellect.

Lady Taij was born years ago, when White was eight years old.

“I found my passion for music when I was eight. I’ve always loved poetry and once introduced to hiphop, I automatically fell in love,” she says. “I was dealing with a lot at home during

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that time, and for me, it was the perfect way to express myself.”

She became captivated with all kinds of artists, and finds inspiration from modern lyricists such as J. Cole, Kanye West and Rapsody.

“I love J. Cole because it’s easy to connect with him.

His music is authentic and I feel that he is overlooked and under-appreciated at times,” she says. “I love Kanye because he does not care about what anyone thinks about him. He says whatever he wants to say no matter how

ridiculous it may be.”

A primary source of inspiration for her music is another artist, by the name of Rapsody, who she describes as a “strong, female underground artist who is lyrically amazing and is very true to herself.”

These various influences resonate deeply with White, and became a source of inspiration for her artist persona, Lady Taij. She prides herself in remaining true to her own identity and speaking and rapping about things she deeply cares about. Being someone who identifies as LGBT, this is an identifiable characteristic of her identity and a driving force behind her music.

“I feel it’s harder for me because I’m not quite what they are used to,” she says. “I have had promoters tell me that I should rap about ‘gay things’ or ‘girls.’ in reality, if I did, then I wouldn’t be

“I feel it’s harder for me because i’m not quite what they are used to.” true to myself. With being a lesbian artist and the way the word is currently changing in the way it identifies with the LBGT community, in time, I feel it will be more of an advantage than a disadvantage.”

Lady Taij has since become a response that White uses to address how she perceives those around her, and the world in which she lived.

“I really want to inspire those around me,” she says. “That’s my goal. If my music can inspire and touch people the way that I’ve been inspired and touched by others’ music, then I can truly feel that I’ve succeeded.”

Several years have passed since the day she decided to pursue her love for music, and despite the time that’s elapsed, White’s passion, or the person she is when performing it, hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s empowered her in other areas of her life and helped cultivate her into a model for others wishing to do the same.

Despite having lyrics that resonate with individuals like her, White also prides herself in being versatile and able to relate to everyone as well.

“More than anything, my music is unique,” she says. “There’s something there for everyone and versatility is the best part about it all.”

As White would come to find, Lady Taij began speaking to a larger audience than many other artists are able to muster, and with a more profound message — individual empowerment and comfort with oneself. Soon, she found herself being approached after shows and congratulated.

Many times, fans would come to her and tell her they loved what she was doing, or that she had helped them address the questions they had about themselves.

Lady Taij has been sweeping the area, gathering a following and making her way to bars and festivals nearby. Recently, she participated in the Shenandoah Pride Festival in Harrisonburg and has also

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performed in other pride festivals nearby.

One of her primary focuses is giving a sense of depth to the music industry — one she feels is sorely lacking in the category.

“The fact that real music isn’t quite as appealing to people as dance, trap and pop music is something I want to change,” she says. “It seems you have to make something catchy to gain people’s attention first, before you can drop knowledge or truth.”

White has begun forming the platform through which her music would develop, and has worked with several notable artists in the area such as DJ Ryan Clark and 2 the People 4 the People.

Contributing to a music scene on the rise, Lady Taij has also helped to develop an appreciation for an often under-represented group in the genre.

Through her powerful lyrics and genuine approach, she’s also cultivated a following who respects her take on the music.

White also values the open atmosphere that’s growing within the hip-hop scene in Harrisonburg and, as evident by her social media profiles and campaigns, is proud to have taken part in the various

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outlets through which this growth has occurred. While she exudes charisma and fun on the stage, she admits that her inspiration comes from more serious situations and means.

“I’ve realized that over the years, I work best under pressure,” she says. “I really feed off of those people that don’t think I’m going to be a rapper or do well, because I’m a female in the industry. I work well when new producers ask me to write and record on-spot, and most of all, I love performing in front of large crowds of people that don’t know me and really having the opportunity to blow their minds.”

With a surge of attention and admiration comes a demand for more work, which White has been happy to meet.

Several shows behind her, she constantly looks toward new ones and ways that she can continue to innovate and push the boundaries of a genre which is notorious for creativity. What started as a personal outlet has developed into an unprecedented love for an art form and a means to approach an industry which could benefit from more of Lady Taij and individuals like her.

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XOSpreading Love for

THe Game

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words by peter byrd photo by maddy williams From a distance, Michael Heller and Andy Lohman can barely be picked out of the row of bodies firing shots at a blond teenager in a blue goalkeeper jersey before the start of practice — and for the two roommates and longtime friends, that’s how they want it to be.

“I think the kids enjoy that we’re closer to them in age than we are to their parents,” Lohman says. “They can relate a lot more.”

Heller and Lohman, two JMU students, take time out of their busy schedules each week to serve as volunteer soccer coaches for the Shenandoah Valley United recreation league. They’ve been doing it since their sophomore years, which marks the first time they were allowed to have their cars at school.

Their team, the Goalaxy, is a combination of three girls and nine boys from local high schools that practice and play at Smithland Fields near Skyline Middle School. They’re currently in the midst of a decent season with one win, two ties and a loss.

Each practice begins with everyone — both players and coaches — taking shots on a goal that is 2 feet shorter and 8 feet narrower than a regulation-sized goal. After leading calf, hamstring and quad stretches, the two coaches lay out orange cones in a rectangular grid to mark the playing area

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for a possession drill. After sweaty, yellow pennies are applied to half the team’s members, a game of amoeba ball breaks out as the group travels in a pack.

“Spread out,” Lohman says as he instructs one boy into taking off his penny to even the skill level of the two teams. “You’re getting too bunched up. Look at all this green grass over here.”

Lohman, a senior from Northern Virginia who’s an avid Arsenal fan out of the English Premier League, played soccer for most of his childhood. He says that having his dad and his friends’ fathers as soccer coaches when he was young wasn’t the most fruitful experience, because the men didn’t have playing experience of their own.

“I hope to give kids the experience I didn’t get to have when I was growing up,” he says. “The best practices are the ones where we get better and have fun at the same time.”

Kyle Brown, a 14-year-old freshman at Harrisonburg High School, says that he’s enjoyed having younger and more energetic coaches this season.

“It’s good because they can understand us better,” Brown says. “It’s also fun because they can still participate in practice rather than just be sideline coaches like most older coaches.”

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“I love the game of soccer,” Lohman says. “it’s brought me so much joy. I want them to fall in love with the game that I did.”

Heller says teaching high schoolers is more ideal than leading a younger bunch because of the kids’ abilities to process and retain information to implement in practices and games.

“They’re first figuring out how to truly play soccer and start to really learn the basic concepts of movement and technical skill,” Heller says. “When a player actually listens to what you say and applies it, it’s a pretty rewarding feeling.”

Heller calls for a water break after the possession game, and by the time the team re-takes the field, more water has been squeezed out of water bottles onto the ground than has ended up in the players’ mouths.

The coaches then decide to practice a throw-in drill due to being called for illegal throws in their previous game.

Lohman aptly demonstrates the proper technique as the team lines up behind him to follow suit. Some of them still can’t get it right.

Heller says that the frustrating part is repeating himself a thousand times. With

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a few parents watching practice from the sidelines, Heller says he has to be professional at all times.

“Our kids feed off our emotions,” Heller says. “Even when we’re losing, we have to stay positive to make sure the kids keep their heads up and play hard.”

“They help me see to just have a good time,” Brown says. “They work with you on your mistakes so that you can be the best player you can be.”

While neither Heller nor Lohman see coaching as a career, they see it as a great opportunity to be involved in the community while simultaneously helping mold the younger generation’s attitudes toward the sport they love.

“I love the game of soccer,” Lohman says.

“It’s brought me so much joy. I want them to fall in love with the game that I did.”

As practice winds to a close and parents pick up their kids, Heller and Lohman sit on the ground and unlace their cleats.

Because when they signed up to be involved in coaching youth soccer, they really meant it.

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Vaping. It’s something students are doing all over campus. But what is it, and how did it emerge almost as a new culture overnight?

For those who are unaware, vaping is the vaporization and inhalation of nicotine.

The nicotine is found in a liquid, commonly called “juice” by vapers.

What sets vaping apart from other forms of smoking, like cigarettes or hookah, is that the vaporization of nicotine helps cut out the carbon dioxide and carcinogens that are usually found in those other methods. It’s one of the main reasons people choose to vape — to cut back cigarette consumption.

This is how Andy Lipscomb, general manager of Harrisonburg’s Vape Dojo, started this hobby.

“I wanted to quit smoking, so I started vaping,” Lipscomb says. “Then it eventually became a hobby. I started making YouTube videos, and eventually started making my own juices.”

Stephanie Duncan, an employee at Vape Dojo, started the same way. However, she’s more adamant about what it did for her.

“It saved my life,” she says.

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Instead of smoking multiple packs of cigarettes a week, she was cutting back on her nicotine intake.

However, the other reasons people vape are to become a part of a culture and have fun — people don’t even have to get juice that contains nicotine to become part of the trend. Many do it for the fun it offers, like learning to blow rings.

“It’s tasty like hookah, but you can do more tricks with it,” James Rose, assistant manager of Vape Dojo, says. “Many college-aged people come in here looking to get a group together and do vape trick competitions.”

Lipscomb doesn’t encourage vaping unless you’re trying to quit smoking, but he does say that, along with the culture, many people enjoy the flavor the trend offers. But how does that set it apart from hookah, something that was very popular with college students just a few short years ago?

Lipscomb says it’s the “weight.”

“I smoked hookah and it felt heavy in my lungs. Vapes are different,” he explains.

“Because they’re water-soluble, your body

vape dojo dojo vape words by zach price photos by jaclyn placha

can absorb and process the liquid out of your system. That leaves it light in your lungs.”

However, some vapers, such as JMU nursing student Erick Ramirez, became acquainted with it first through hookah.

“I had been smoking hookah for a while, and my friends started to vape and I became interested in it,” Ramirez says.

But what vape culture entails is a little harder to describe. According to Lipscomb, it doesn’t have the normal pillars that other cultures would have, like a common music or clothing style. It’s more about having a common passion for vaping and getting better acquainted afterward.

“When someone walks into the store, I know we already have something in common,” Lipscomb says. “It lets me get to know them better and become friends with them.”

One downside to vaping, attests Ramirez, is that it isn’t as social as hookah.

“It feels more like an independent activity, instead of being crowded around a hookah.

It’s one thing I really enjoyed about

[hookah,]” he says.

One of the thoughts about vapers and vape culture is that they’re jerks; it’s all they talk about and they’re obsessed with it.

Lipscomb wants to put those thoughts to rest.

He admits some people can be annoying, blowing smoke in other people’s faces.

However, he often urges other vapers to fight this stigma.

“Don’t be obnoxious,” he says. “You wouldn’t light up in a bar and do that. Be polite and considerate like anyone else in public” Rose echoes Lipscomb. “They don’t take the time to do research and see what it’s really about,” he says.

In the end, Lipscomb believes that the great aspect of the community is that they come together. The Vape Dojo employees have become a close-knit group, with dinners out with each other becoming a common occurrence.

“It becomes a lifestyle,” he says. “It becomes a great family where everyone is helping each other out.”

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secret s As far as I know, “IN8” is the only secret society at JMU. Each semester, the group displays eight letters with burning candles on the Wilson steps to recnognize eight people for their positive contributions to the JMU community and their involvement with the university.

Experiencing this tradition gives us a glimpse into the secretive, yet congratulatory, nature of IN8. While they might be committed to keeping their own members’ names a secret, they publicly praise others.

I’ve also heard that the sundial on the Quad between the Burruss fountain and Wilson Hall was donated to the university

by IN8. The Roman numeral for eight is replaced by IN8’s logo.

Like me, many students are mystified by the group. Maybe they’ve seen IN8’s logo on the sundial — after that, most of their concrete knowledge ends. One might conjure up an image of the group meeting in the Quad tunnels by candlelight. Rumors surface. Is there really a tattered, leatherbound book housed in Carrier Library’s private collections that sits quietly and contains all of the members’ names — past and present?

My search for information began on the Internet. A 2008 Breeze article and a 2006 Curio article both confirmed my suspicision that IN8 would be challenging to cover.

Time has passed since these articles were published. Social media can better aide my search now. Simply by Googling “IN8,” I came across JMU alumna Candace Avalos’ LinkedIn page that mentions she was recognized by IN8 as a senior.

Avalos is a “double duke” — she completed her undergraduate degree

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in 2010 and completed her Master of Education in College Student Personnel Administration in 2013. She now works at Portland State University as the coordinator for student government and advisor for greek life.

“It was so weird. The letter was in my specific bedroom door, not my apartment door, so that freaked me out. No one was in my apartment at that time,” Avalos says.

“I woke up and was like ‘How did this happen?’ Nobody knew how it got there. I was like, ‘whoa.’”

“IN8 doesn’t have a weird aura. it’s not a group of elite people. their purpose is to bring positivity back to the campus.”

Brian Reese is a 2015 media arts and design alumnus. He was recognized by IN8 during the fall of his senior year. He first received a letter at his apartment. IN8 also publicly displays another copy of the letter on the Wilson steps, along with a burning candle.

“That’s how most people knew before I even got to campus. I had no idea,” Reese says. “I was tickled at first. As I walked around throughout the day, people were congratulating me.”

The rush that accompanies being recognized by a secret society is something Avalos remembers well.

societies words by ashley curtis graphic by kelsey harding “It’s a cool JMU tradition — there’s this society of people watching what people are doing at JMU and making it an official recognition. It adds something unique to JMU,” Avalos says. “IN8 doesn’t have a weird aura. It’s not a group of elite people.

Their purpose is to bring positivity back to the campus.”

Reese appreciates IN8’s recognition of JMU students’ accomplishments, both big and small.

“I wasn’t just recognized for the tangible things that I did, but the actual little things — always saying ‘hi’ to people, making sure people are good everyday — the little things that I don’t think a lot of people get recognized for,” he says.

Avalos first heard about IN8 during her freshman year. While the names of IN8’s members are virtually unknown to students, Avalos had her hunches.

“I’m sure I had friends in IN8 around me.

I can’t put my finger on why — I just have suspicions on some people,” Avalos says.

“I’m 95 percent sure. They’ve either said things or it’s slipped out.”

Jordan Schwartzbach is a 2014 math and hospitality alumnus who was also

recognized by IN8.

“No one said, ‘Hey, I voted for you,’” Schwartzbach says. “It’s humanless almost.

Someone or something made this happen for me.”

The pieces of paper themselves are unique, according to Reese.

“It was a beige Constitution or Declaration of Indepence type paper. The one on the Wilson steps has been burned on the edges,” he says. “They must do some kind of ritual; they must do it early in the morning. I wonder if they’re in cloaks.”

Avalos keeps her letter framed in her office. Reese’s mom framed his for him as a Christmas gift.

“It might be more special than my diploma,” he says. “It shows what I really was at JMU outside of classes.”

I’ve learned that IN8 must work tirelessly to recognize students. They do their research extensively to specifically outline students’ achievements. Each person I talked to commended the highly specific nature of their letter.

So, IN8, thank you for keeping a watchful eye on our JMU superstars. Now, return to the shadows and keep doing your thing.

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The Mystery Behind The man-bun Words by ashley curtis photos by caroline alkire

1. the Flip Flip all of your hair over and let it hang down

2. The Scoop

Scoop the back of your hair to catch all the “stragglers”

3. The Gather

Gather the rest of your hair, including all of the “front stuff,” and hold it in one hand

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Pat Ryan, a fifth-year nursing major from Virginia Beach, Virginia, has a distinct personal style to match his laid-back, adventurous personality. To top it all off, he can be seen sporting a tousled, effortlesslooking man bun.

Ryan’s been growing his hair out for about two years, and he’s been able to “bun it” since last spring. He started it as a part of his personal style, though he says that laziness was also a factor.

“Men generally don’t know how to take care of long hair,” he says.

At first, it used to take him 15 minutes to

make a bun.

“I really used to suck at it,” he says.

Now, Ryan’s self-observed man bun has some prerequisites.

First, trim your hair as it grows out. Next, don’t wash it every day. Instead, only wash it two or three times a week. No styling products or mirrors are necessary. And while any method could work, generic black hair ties work best.

He has his technique down to an exact science. Ryan gives 22807 Magazine an exclusive glimpse into his recipe for the perfect man bun.

4. Construct the Bun

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6

reasons we’ll miss d-hall

D-Hall, formally known as Gibbons Hall, was the first building on JMU’s campus solely dedicated to food. That alone is enough to make the addition of a round, red-brick building an instant hit when it was built in 1964.

In the past, D-Hall was home to a dinner theater in the ’80s and steak nights in the ’70s.

D-Hall is still a staple of JMU’s campus, especially if you’re craving a perfectly made grilled cheese or a slice of peanut butter pie. D-Hall consistently obtains high rankings on Princeton Review’s list of best campus cuisine in the nation.

This summer, JMU will say its

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words by morgan lynch photo courtesy of jmu historic graphics

momentary goodbye to the dining hall we know and love.

In fall 2016, students have the option of going to the temporary dining hall, which will be located in the R1 lot. There will also be a temporary Chick-fil-A and three other food trucks to make up for the loss of D-Hall until the new dining facility is completed.

Despite the promise of a brand new dining hall, JMU students and alumni will still be sentimental about the all-youcan-eat experience that everyone will remember as D-Hall. Hopefully, these JMU staples will still be around once the new dining hall is built.

1 avoiding people on the commons Meeting friends on the steps 2

OK, so maybe this won’t be missed. Sometimes it’s nice to stop by an organization’s bake sale or get a flier about an upcoming event, but when you’re hungry for D-Hall food, there’s not enough time to stop and be polite.

Everyone’s been there. You’re waiting for a friend to get out of class. You check your phone, but really you’re just bored and starving and can’t help but waft the smell of burgers on the grill waiting for you inside. Once your friends finally convene, you’re ready to trudge up the long flight of stairs in search of the perfect spread.

3

the employees No school can compete with the amazing employees that JMU has to offer, but the D-Hall employees are on a level of their own. If you’re stressed because you didn’t do well on your last exam, you won’t be down for long once you start chatting with them. The D-Hall employees always brighten your day with a welcoming smile.

4 brunch

Some people prefer E-Hall brunch, but D-Hall has its perks. First, if you live on the old side of campus, who wants to walk all the way over to East Campus and scrounge for a table at 11 a.m. on a weekend when D-Hall is right there? Also, French toast sticks. Need I say more?

5

comfort food

6

dessert

D-Hall can always supply comfort food needs, whether it’s corn dogs or mac’n’cheese. There’s no better feeling than walking in and suddenly realizing that they have buffalo mash. And Cheesy Thursday takes the prize for best day of the week if you make sure to go to D-Hall for lunch or dinner.

The last stop on the journey through D-Hall always ends at the dessert station. It doesn’t matter if you’re on a diet — you’re going over there anyway. Ice Your Own Cupcake nights always add a delicious ending to any meal. Then there’s D-Hall’s crown jewel — peanut butter pie. Don’t feel guilty about going back for seconds on this one.

While everyone will look forward to the construction of a new dining hall, complete with another all-you-can-eat style facility and a food court, there’ll still be classic D-Hall experiences that’ll be

missed.

Those who’ll graduate having known the original D-Hall’s glory will pity those new students who will never have a chance to enjoy its greatness.

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cover creation The front and back covers were created by Katie Kelly. She used a sheet of copper and an acetylene torch to oxidize the metal and give it color.

for more, go to 22807mag.com 32