Crescent Magazine: Issue Two

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Art in Covid-19 Colette Postaer

Art, a renowned and collaborative act, takes on a new voice and steering wheel within the compounds of the aging Covid Crisis. Dreamers and creatives alike work shamelessly developing new pieces, photos, and stories to change the walls of the society they live in. An artist finds their freedom in the rules and stanzas of poetry, or in the exclamation of a feeling in a story told from a different perspective. As an artist, the things that fuel my passion for art have wavered from day to day. I find myself longing for collaboration, or running with the fleeting yet adventurous moments created by my hands on the keyboard or the keys of my mother’s car. Within Covid, the door to the creative forum is opened on each individual’s terms. If one desires to light the flame, they must do it by their own sheer force of will, passion, and drive.

Being an artist, no matter the medium, is a collaborative act. Even if the art itself is created alone, the inspiration relies on the discourse artists share. The conversations we have, the relationships we make, and the laughs we share all guide each piece of art we either experience or design, to its beautiful and purposeful end. As a freshman film and television major, the opportunities advertised were endless when applying. I saw my future filled with prolonged hours in studios, classrooms, and theatres creating pieces with individuals that wanted to tell untold stories as much as I did. That was the future I signed up and paid for. By no fault of its own, that dream has been “put on pause” and I have definitely felt the weight of this pause hit my back.

This crisis has left me heavy with eventless hours tainted by fear of contracting the infamous virus. At the beginning of Covid, I had two “live” shows to produce, direct, and act in. Ending my senior year with a bow and a curtain closing on my face and the faces of those I love; closing my high school career with applause was the fantasy I had prepared for. I never saw the alternative as something I’d prefer or enjoy and in most ways, and that mentality held its footing. I live through days that seem endless, the excitement of getting out of bed vanishing when I open my eyes to the morning sun. I have forced myself to sit through a movie in hopes to learn something from it; I have spent too much money on clothes I loved but didn’t need. For these six or so months, I have been living on a temporary and disappearing high. After months (and still a few moments) of grief, I have come to the realization that this fight is one that no one, including myself, picked. It is a painful pause I’m not facing alone.

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The terrifying feeling of being stuck or confined to a certain mindset or routine is tortuous. For instance, my surrounding pod of friends includes a few musicians reaping the side effects of Covid (without transmitting the disease). When the initial lockdown struck, the act of recording music in a band was put on hold and all the music seemed “kind of lost” (Matt Reinstein). In Matt’s case, music was something he got to hold on to, even if those specific songs were put on an elongated pause. Through listening to music and learning from his musical forefathers, the progression of this skill still remains possible, just not exactly how he planned it.

Matt has found the beauty in writing about the situation he’s in, and found that without the audience and means of impression, he was able to focus on himself and what type of writing makes him flourish and feel proud.

While this pandemic comes close to reaching its one year anniversary in America, we as artists have learned to adapt to a world of isolation after being in a comfortable place of fraternization. We have seen artists create albums, short films, and large-scale television shows that start or even finish within this decade-long fever.

For instance, Taylor Swift used her isolation to release two albums, Folklore and Evermore, written and originally recorded within the compound of her own home.

The time alone allowed Swift to find her voice to create the somber and fairytale-like albums based on the lives of characters she discovered in the depths of her mind. With others’ art being displayed, we can see the revealing effects of the crisis and what it can do to people that find their peace in creation.

As a future film maker, director, actor, comedian, and singer, I am working to adjust to the environment I am in. I found myself sulking and looking for opportunities to present themselves to me. Starting this school year and hidden in December, I made short films, edits, developed a sense of style, and expressed who I am; I found a voice, a desire to protest and a longing to love and be loved. I believe it’s only fair to find everything we can do to better ourselves, no matter how significant. Especially in times like these, being hard on ourselves for not reaching the stars, or believing they are forever out of our reach is not only unfair, but also unrealistic. Yes, it’s hard, and tests one’s commitment, but it only makes every success that much more satisfying, a bigger victory in a time of terrible losses.

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Who to Thank for This Issue Editor in Chief: Sarah Huth Layout Design: Sarah Huth & Nayely Barcenas Article Editor: Ashley Wilson Photo Editor: Amanda Allen Cover Designed by: Emily Street

Photographers: Amanda Allen Evelyn Barrios Emilio Martinez Bayona Natalie Cauffman Jil Davison Julieanne Dworkin Anvita Gattani Sarah Huth Sophia Iqbal Kiana Asgen Ramos Ashley Wilson Evergreen Winters

Writers:

Colette Postaer Carlos Vazquez Ashley Wilson Evergreen Winters

Models:

Amanda Allen Juliana Ball Emilio Martinez Bayona Natalie Cauffman Jil Davison Fabiola Anvita Gattani (she/her) Claudia Grzyb Madison Hanna Sarah Huth Julia Kranjac Lacey Libbie Lawson David Moir Zara Odafe Greta Olson Serena Shughoury Tam Ta Emily Taing Ashley Wilson

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A letter from the Editor To be blunt, 2020 was a terrible year, and 2021 started off the same. The theme of Solitude felt right as winter in Chicago during a pandemic led to a lot of feelings of isolation. This time forced me and others to face being alone and how that affects us. I personally did feel quite alone during some periods in the winter. Slowly, things started to get better and more “normal”. Members of the club actually met in person for the first time. Feelings of isolation started to disappear but not the memories and lessons from it.

While this magazine is technically a DePaul club, a lot of the contributors for this issue actually do not go to DePaul; they are people I know from high school. They pulled through and helped to make this magazine possible, and for that, I am forever grateful.

Crescent Magazine’s name was inspired by this year and what we hope to accomplish with the magazine. While the first definition, and the one that most people think of, refers to the moon’s phases, Crescent Magazine’s title refers to the definition of growing or increasing. With each issue, the magazine will grow its content, artists, and audience (hopefully). Our magazine can only get better from here. We will learn and change for the better.

Sarah Huth

Photographer: Evergreen Winters Crescent Magazine

Contents 09 Dressing up To Do Everyday Activities

43 Solitude in Nature

79 Loneliness

131 Relationships During a Pandemic

161 What We Do When We Are Alone

Photographer: Evergreen Winters

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Model: Tam Ta Photographer: Sophia Iqbal

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Model: Fabiola Photographer: Sarah Huth

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NATURE NATURE

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NATURE NATURE

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Model: Serena Shughoury Photographer: Sarah Huth

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Model: Juliana Ball Photographer: Sarah Huth Crescent Magazine

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Loneliness

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Model: Lacey Photographer: Evelyn Barrios Crescent Magazine

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Model/photographer: Jil Davison

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Model/Photographer: Natalie Cauffman

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Model: Julia Kranjac Photographer: Kiana

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Model: Kelsey Minko Photographer: Sarah Huth

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Lonliness in Chicago

By Evergreen Winters

In December of 2020, I experienced the biggest change of my life so far. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, I decided to finally move out of my parents house. But that was not enough for me. I needed to get out. Leave everything. Everyone. I needed a fresh start. So I said goodbye to my comfortable life in California and hello to Chicago.

I was excited, and I had big hopes for my second city. I would see the sights, live my best life. How could this go wrong? Turns out an immediate quarantine in a new place you have never been to can really crush your spirit. And then what?

Finally, I could leave my apartment.

But where could I go?

I didn’t know anyone here, and I had no way to really make new friends. And the cold! Like nothing I have ever experienced. I thought, “I’ll just stay in.”

Reflecting on this period, I can say that it was a fairly dark time for me. I was extremely depressed and anxious, and there was really nothing I could do about it.

However, this is what I needed. I wanted to become an adult by moving, and this struggle helped me jumpstart my path towards adulthood. I now have friends and as the city warms up, and opens up, I can finally experience more of what Chicago has to offer. I am excited. And I am home now.

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Photographer: Evergreen Winters Crescent Magazine

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Model/Photographer: Sarah Huth

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Know Yourself

By Carlos Vazquez

Nothing was the same. We’ve been struggling to get back to our normal way of life for a year now. There are a lot of opinions when it comes to COVID-19; but I think we can all agree it has altered our lifestyle and, in some cases, changed our values.

Like most, I miss life pre-pandemic. What I miss most are those late nights hanging with my friends. We had a routine of how we did things. To start our night, we usually would meet up for dinner. Afterwards, we would hit up a lounge/bar for drinks. Depending on how the mood was striking we would either go bar hopping or get a booth at some club. Again, depending on the vibes, we would either seek out an after hours spot or satisfy our late-night cravings at a taco truck. This is what our night consisted of. Pretty basic right?

That’s just what I did for fun. When I wasn’t having fun, I was in school or at work. I used to think it was such a drag to attend my class. After a long weekend I would dread showing up to work. Now that we have been living through this pandemic for a year, a lot has changed. Not only has my environment changed, but I also have changed.

The only social time I had was the time I spent at work with my co-workers.

I’ve always gotten along with them, but because of the lockdown my relationship with my coworkers grew. Moreover, I started to look forward to going to work; I enjoyed going to work now more than ever. The lockdown had me missing the sensation of having a drink in my hand on the weekends which led to me to start drinking by myself at home. I never would have thought about getting tipsy by myself before the lockdown; but here we are. I was developing new habits, but other existing habits were being highlighted even more. My online shopping started to get out of hand. I was still shopping for clothes like I had somewhere to go. I would get a small dose of dopamine each time my packages arrived. Old habits also reemerged during this time. Back in the day, my life revolved around video games so much that I would play for up to eight hours straight if I could. Now I feel like I am back in middle school with some of my late nights consisting of playing warzone with my bros. Good time.

Currently, I am just hoping for better days. I am eager to get back to normal. I want to attend class in person and make new friends. Like many, I also want to get out and socialize more. My wardrobe did grow during the pandemic, so I am patiently waiting to showcase my new fits.

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Model/Photographer: Ashley Wilson Crescent Magazine

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Models: Greta Olson and Anon Photographer: Julieanne Dworkin

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Long Distance Friendship

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“We’ve interacted more on zoom than in person.”

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What to do when

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Model: Emily Taing Photographer: Asgen Ramos Crescent Magazine

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Model: Libbie Lawson Photographer: Ashley Wilson

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Spirituality During Covid

By Ashley Wilson

Over the past few months, spirituality has gained a ton of popularity, especially on social media platforms like TikTok. People have begun to use crystals, tarot cards, and more to connect with their spiritual side. This has become a trend on social media — but there is a lot more to spirituality than what’s on social media.

Spirituality is defined as “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” In other words, spirituality is focused on the sense of self. Religion, on the other hand, is more focused on how you can serve the god or idea you believe in. Spirituality is focused on doing things to serve your higher and spiritual self. Something that I find interesting is the idea that spirituality and religion must be mutually exclusive. I do not agree with this idea. I think you can still focus on your spiritual side while also believing in whatever it is that you believe in.

Personally, I have used spirituality to replace religion in my life. I was raised in the church, but religion is no longer something that serves me. Focusing on my spiritual self has allowed me to fill the hole that religion left in my life. It has allowed me to improve myself. I have actually begun to focus on myself and my experiences.

Now, I’ll delve deeper into an often-ignored side of spirituality: shadow work. Spirituality is all about improving yourself, you can’t improve your life if you only look at the positive aspects. Shadow work is acknowledging and working to better your shadow side — or dark side. This side presents as negative, yet common, emotions like greed or envy.

Shadow work is known as the most difficult aspect of spirituality. For this reason, some people choose only to focus on the much easier aspects. Crystals are one example.

They’re used to bring all types of things into someone’s life or remove certain things.

Whether you’re looking for love, happiness, peace, abundance, there is a crystal for every need. There are also crystals that remove negativity and help protect from negative energy. Crystals have become widely used recently, and for good reason.

Tarot and oracle cards have also gained popularity recently. A tarot deck has 78 cards, and each card has a different meaning. The cards are used to tell you what you need to hear in your life. I personally do tarot readings all the time. On the other hand are oracle cards, which I have not yet tested out. Oracle cards are much simpler, with the meanings of the cards written on each one. Oracle cards usually contain short phrases that can be used to bring clarity to tarot readings, or just provide a person with some ideas to reflect on.

I believe that everyone should get in touch with their spiritual sides; it is a great way to reflect on yourself and your life. Getting in touch with your spirituality can bring a lot of insight on difficult situations. Spirituality is an important part of the human experience.

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Model: Zara Odafe Photographer: Sarah Huth

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