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THE NON-BINARY EXPERIENCE

HAUNTED HISTORY

One of Due South’s very own writers explains their relationship with gender.

The oldest city in Alabama is rich in history but it’s also incredibly haunted.

15 fall 2021 | vol. 11, issue 1

DUE SOUTH DUE SOUTH

The University of South Alabama Communication Building, Room 132 Mobile, AL, 36688 Tel: 251-380-2805 | Fax: 251-380-2850 duesouth@southalabama.edu Editor-in-Chief |

Clorissa Morgan

Assistant Editor |

Liv George

Contributors | Madison Allen Michael Dunn Raven Harrington Hayden Hite Gracie King Emma Lamm Rachel Lane Taylor Rogers Gabrielle Taylor Kelsey Taylor Ryleigh Thornton Mary Wolf Marketing and Promotions |

Raven Harrington

Due South is published twice per academic year-once in the fall and once in the spring. Unless otherwise noted, all content is copyrighted by Due South. Due South is a production of USA Student Media and does not necessarily reflect the views of The University of South Alabama’s administration. The Editor-in-Chief is decided by the Board of Student Communications. All contributors are freelance. Cover photo from “Haunted History” by Liv George; Photo by Liv George.

VOL. 11, IS SUE

Best of the South first place for Best College Magazine, 2020

CONTENTS CONTENTS 01

CONTRIBUTORS

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FINDING THE “REAL” YOU IN COLLEGE

BRING IN THE OUTDOORS

THE NON-BINARY EXPERIENCE

A PANDEMIC BONUS?

HAUNTING HISTORY

TOXIC OR TRENDY?

RAINY DAY GUIDE

THINK GOOD. FEEL GOOD. THINK BAD. FEEL BAD.

ARE WE HYPOCRITES?

Being open to change is part of the college process.

No outdoor access to start your garden? No problem!

One of Due South’s very own writers talks about their gender journey.

Hint: It has four paws and a tail.

A school building, a graveyard, and a hotel: what do these things have in common?

Oops, we did it again. Y2K fashion is back.

Our advice on how to enjoy your next rainy day in Mobile (and there will be one).

Find balance between the good and bad in life.

A faith built on but not always followed with love.

CONTRIBUTORS LIV GEORGE

MADISON ALLEN

ASSISTANT EDITOR

HAYDEN HITE

PHOTOGRAPHER

WRITER

GRACIE KING WRITER

GABRIELLE TAYLOR PHOTOGRAPHER

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PHOTOGRAPHER

EMMA LAMM

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

KELSEY TAYLOR WRITER

RAVEN HARRINGTON

MICHAEL DUNN

PHOTOGRAPHER

RACHEL LANE

RYLEIGH THORNTON

WRITER

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

TAYLOR ROGERS WRITER

MARY WOLF WRITER

am BEYOND ecstatic to be releasing my very first issue as Editor-in-Chief.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

It’s a journey that has by no means been easy but, wow, has it been rewarding. I’ve taken risks, I’ve blundered, and at some points, I’ve felt like I had to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but that’s okay. As Ms. Frizzle would say, part of the process is having to “take chances, make mistakes, and get messy.” I wouldn’t trade any single part of it for the world. This issue may seem like a random collection of topics at first glance, but what it’s really about is perspective. Call me a romantic, but so often, we forget just how beautiful frequent, everyday things can be—the rain, the sunset, or a walk to class. We pass a building every day and remain unaware of the haunting history that lives within. We see returning fashion trends and ignore how they’ve changed for the better. We get caught up in the negatives in our day-to-day life that we overlook those little highlights: like having a REALLY good panini for lunch, even though you had to unexpectedly drive an hour and a half away for work that day. The moments or details that we choose to focus on will always affect our outlook on what we look at. Think of it like returning to the excitement you feel as a little kid on Halloween: everything is so COOL, not necessarily scary, because your outlook is in the right place. You’ll find a bit of beauty in the mundane and attention to our outlook and perspective within every page of this issue. I’m so thankful to be able to share what we, as a staff, worked so hard to bring to fruition, and I hope that maybe, just maybe, it will give you a brighter outlook on every day and make the mundane things in your life a little more whimsical. I hope you enjoy this issue. I know we had a blast putting it together.

Clorissa Morgan Editor-in-Chief

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FINDING THE Being open to change is a key part of the college process. | By Gracie King. Photos by Liv George.

f you had told me when I started college three years ago that I was going to end up majoring in communications and working for two different publications in the JagMedia program here at South, I would have laughed in your face, then proceeded to cry over my chemistry homework.

Don’t get me wrong—I certainly enjoyed writing and always considered myself rather creative, but I came here on a mission with something to prove. I was bound and determined to graduate at the top of my nursing class, double major in Spanish, and become a sought after travel-nurse with unexpendable communication skills. But sometimes our plans don’t always pan out, do they? Our expectations, wants, and needs for ourselves can change at the drop of a hat. While changing your career trajectory in college can feel like a truly daunting task, especially after you’ve put time, money, and effort into your original plan, it’s a totally normal part of college and actually happens to many students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, more than 30% of undergraduate students ended up changing their major at least once. In fact, one in ten students change their major more than once. Crazy that a bunch of 18-year-olds with little to no life experience eventually end up changing their minds about a completely life-altering decision, right? Meredith Benson, a junior Special Education major here at South, is one of the many college students who has changed their major more than once over the course of their academic career. At first, she started off majoring in pre-med with the hopes of going to medical school. “I hated my freshman biology class and decided to pursue therapeutic recreation. I liked it but I still felt like it wasn’t quite for me,” Meredith said of her first few major changes. “My advisor told me to try Special Education and I absolutely fell in love with it!” Finding what major you truly belong in can also come with a more heightened sense of confidence, not just in your academic career, but also in who you are as a person. Feeling empowered in the education you’re pursuing is a critical part of college and can help you better transition into adulthood.

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“REAL” YOU

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“I think that I have become more confident and been able to meet so many new people. In high school I was more introverted and didn’t like to talk to people or get out of my comfort zone, but coming to college has pushed me to try things that I would never have done in high school,” Meredith remarked about beginning to come out of her shell in college. Myles Herron, a junior Accounting major from Montgomery, originally planned to major in Mechanical Engineering when he first came to college, a plan he had since high school. After having to transition to online classes his freshman year due to COVID-19 restrictions, his need for change became more apparent. Like Meredith, and lots of other college students, Myles felt the discomfort that comes with not feeling at home in your major. And like a lot of other students, he felt the pressure from others to stay where he was and grin and bear it.

to Spanish and First-Year Experience professor, she gets to watch freshmen emerge into young adulthood. As a parent of a college-aged student, she gets to enjoy that privilege in a much more personal way. Though Señora Britt remarks at the many differences between teaching high school and college level courses, she feels there are still similarities between the two. “One of my old high school teachers that I ended up teaching with said she really enjoyed seeing her old students because in high school, they weren’t people yet, and that really resonated with me. I thought about that and realized they’re really not who they are as people yet, they haven’t really begun to define themselves as adults, or their adulthood in general,” Britt recalled about her last year of teaching high school before coming to South.

“One of my old high school teachers that I ended up teaching with said she really enjoyed seeing her old students because in high school, they weren’t people yet, and that really resonated with me.”

“I always wonder if things would have worked out differently if it weren’t for COVID, but either way I am extremely happy where I am at now. I decided to change majors a week into my first semester of sophomore year, and I truly believe that it was the best decision I ever made,” Myles said of his first, and only, major change. “There was some difficulty with it, some people I talked to assumed that this was me ‘taking the easy road,’ but I truly believe that this is what I was meant to do.” Señora Kristy Britt is a Spanish professor here at South with 30 years of teaching experience, her first eight being in high schools. As an Introduction

Now, I’m not trying to tell you your dreams are stupid and you should abandon them because everyone else does. If you’re passionate about something, that’s all that matters! Passion has the ability to take you much further in life than a halfassed degree you don’t really care about. That being said, college is a completely fresh slate. There are entire worlds of majors, clubs, and extracurriculars, waiting to be explored by new students each year. There really is no better time to take a step back and think about what you actually want to do with your life, regardless of the expectations set by yourself or your parents.

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i n g n t i h o r d o t B u r o

This past year of quarantining and social distancing made indoor hobbies more popular than ever. It’s estimated that 16 million Americans chose to take up gardening as their quarantine hobby. Gardening can help fill time, promote healthy habits, and give your space a cleaner feel. Whether you live in a fourth-floor dorm or in an apartment complex where the only greenery is protruding from the cracks in the concrete parking lot, you can feel like a professional gardener with these five low maintenance, easy-care plants that will fit perfectly into your space. | By Mary Wolf. Graphics by Ryleigh Thornton. | 07 | DUE SOUTH |

Cactus This may be one of the most lowmaintenance plants you’ll come across during your gardening adventures. Cacti come in a variety of shapes as well as a few unique colors. This desert native is comfortable in areas with natural light and should be watered once a week to every few weeks depending on the time of year. If you want a plant as unique as you are, the cactus comes in a variety of colors, shapes, and floral patterns to add a touch of you to your indoor garden.

Begonia Plant This potable plant comes in a wide variety of colors, shapes and designs which will fit anyone’s dorm room color scheme. It’s typical lifespan is two to three years when well cared for. Perfect to keep you company through your college experience. It is easy to care for and even thrives in fluorescent light. Much like the Pilea, this perennial thrives when its soil is able to dry out before its next watering.

Sweetheart Plant

pilea plant

Another great option to add a splash of life to your dorm room, this plant will show off your green thumb to your roommates and friends. Unlike its eccentric appearance, maintenance and care requires minimum experience. The best way to care for this plant is exposure to bright, indirect sunlight (direct sunlight will burn its leaves). It also requires weekly mistings as well as thoroughly watering the soil when it dries out.

The heart-shaped leaves of the Sweetheart plant make it the perfect aesthetic for your dorm. It can be bought as a singular leaf or a vine. This adorable succulent thrives in direct sunlight but will also grow in indirect, bright light. Perfect for your dorm! Just water it every three to four weeks in a well drained pot and you’ll have the perfect windowsill decoration.

air Plant

If you’re looking for a picture perfect plant and a bit of a challenge, you’ve come to the right place. Air Plants have been taking over gardening blogs and social media feeds for years now and the statement piece doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. These small plants come in many shapes and sizes, so they’re perfect to create your own hanging garden or terrarium. These plants require bright, indirect light and should be soaked in water for 10 minutes weekly. They are not the easiest of plants to care for but are aesthetically worth the work. | 08 |

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One of Due South’s own writers talks about their gender journey | By Rachel Lane. Photos by Raven Harrington.

The Non-Binary Experience

rowing up is a journey that everyone experiences differently. For some people, it’s an easy journey into adulthood and for others, it’s a bumpy journey of life lessons and finding yourself. My path to adulthood was very much the latter. I grew up in a small suburb of New Orleans, La., surrounded by churches, Catholic and Christian schools, and everything else that was “normal.” To say I never quite felt like I fit in would be an understatement. At the age of nine, I started to question a lot of things in my life—the main thing being gender and sexuality. Like many others, I was raised in a very heteronormative environment. Girls played with girl toys, boys played with boy toys, if boys were bullying you, that meant they liked you, etc. I was never a kid that followed any of those rules, though; I was your textbook tomboy. I hated to wear skirts, dresses, anything pink, and especially anything feminine. It was a constant battle with my parents to find clothes I felt

comfortable in because I just never felt comfortable. As I got older and started to realize these things about myself, I started to look more into gender in itself. I had already made the discovery that I was bisexual at this point. Now, it was just the constant struggle of finding just who I was. I had dabbled in the idea of identifying with being gender fluid. Some days, I just felt like I was more masculine, more manly, and just, in general, more malepresenting, and other days I felt very feminine and very femalepresenting, and so this was the conclusion I had landed on. I didn’t make this discovery until I was around 17 years old, so it’s very important to remember you have so much time to figure yourself out. I started to get back into the dating scene around this time as well. Unfortunately, I experienced quite a bit of trouble in the process of finding someone to date. I was told my gender identity was invalid, was told I had to choose either one or the other, and was told I wasn’t “allowed”

“To say I never felt like I fit in would be an understatement”

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“It’s important to remember that when you’re discovering who you are, you need to listen to what YOU are feeling.” to identify as both. It was an immensely discouraging time in my life. Because of this, I decided I was just going to stick to one gender, female, and leave it as it was. My entire life, I attended Catholic and Christian schools that told me my whole life in itself was a sin and now I was being invalidated by people in my own community. College was where everything changed. I started college here at South in 2017, which meant I was finally out of my parents’ house and on my own. I was free to be whoever I wanted to be and I decided that was exactly what I was going to do. I openly started to identify as bisexual and looked into the LGBTQ+ resources available on campus. I also explored the internet a little more and started to take a closer look at gender and sexuality in itself. I followed a lot of non-binary creators and influencers and listened to their stories, experiences, and the resources they provided to learn a little bit more about being non-binary. After a while, I came to the conclusion that the term non-binary most definitely fit my gender identity best. There’s not a

binary that I feel like I fit in with nor one that I lean more towards. I am generally more feminine presenting; however, my gender in itself isn’t female. I go by they/ them pronouns because it’s also what I feel most comfortable with. Making this discovery was such a

relief. Making the discovery of my identity has made communication between other people of the LGBTQ+ community easier and communicating in general easier. I can confidently tell people how I wish to identify and how I wish for them to address me. I’ve been able to make a small community of people who I’m comfortable with being in my

life because of these changes as well. While I don’t discuss my private life with people from my family, I have friends and a small community here that I feel comfortable being myself around. Make sure to surround yourself with people who will make you feel comfortable and address you by your desired pronouns and name. If anyone disrespects who you are, it’s time to let go of them. I went from being surrounded by homophobes, transphobes, and people who insulted my life in the name of “Christ” to being surrounded by some of the most loving people in the world. It’s important to remember that when you’re discovering who you are, you need to listen to what YOU are feeling. Don’t let anyone else tell you who you are or what you “need” to identify as. I’m 24 now and I’m still finding new things out about my identity every day. It’s a long journey for some people and that is most definitely okay. You don’t need to rush anything. Surround yourself with people who support you for who you really are and live your best life. Your past self will thank you so, so much. | 12 |

A Pandemic Bonus? (HINT: IT HAS FOUR PAWS AND A TAIL)

For many, quarantine was the perfect moment to adopt a child—a furry one, that is. We sat down with Tabby, who owns an Australian shepard named Java, and Sophie, who owns a cat named Flea, to ask how adopting a pandemic pet has affected them | By Clorissa Morgan. Photos by Raven Harrington.

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What were some of the most difficult things about getting a pet during quarantine? Sophie: “You know, you’re stuck inside all day, you’re bored, so you get to spend a lot of time with them. Flea and I know each other really well. We just don’t interact as owners and pets—Flea’s like my little roommate. He also helped our other cat, Tucker, with his clinginess a lot. It gave him a little baby.”

Tabby: “How to get Java on a potty schedule, or feeding schedule, was the most difficult part because I was usually home so there wasn’t a set time I had to take her outside and I wasn’t waking up at the same time every day to feed her. It was also difficult to kennel train her because I didn’t really go anywhere.”

What were some of the best things about getting a pet during quarantine? Sophie: “We found Flea as a kitten under a car downtown. At the time we had no money. We had to get him his shots, his checkups, and neutered. It’s a lot of money at one time, especially during a pandemic when no one could really work.”

Tabby: “We grew together. I got to spend time with her 24/7 and take her everywhere with me. I could take her to the beach, to the lake, to get food, or to visit friends. Java never had to be by herself so I really got to get to know her. Because I had all this extra time, I was able to teach her so many tricks that I probably wouldn’t be able to if it were before the pandemic.”

What are some funny quirks your pet received from quarantine? Sophie: “Flea is just weird. He’s really used to human attention so when he doesn’t get it, he acts out. He’ll go crazy when we’re winding down for the night and runs all around the house until he gets attention. He likes to hang out in his litter box just for fun. He’ll be in there for 20 minutes just sitting there. He acts like a little human. He’s weird. He’s really receptive to human interaction and has personalized responses like a human would. I think he modeled his behavior after us. He’s a little person in a cat body.”

Tabby: “Always wanting attention. Literally. She just continually paws at you every time she wants attention and sometimes she’ll start to paw at your phone and knock your phone out of your hand. She’ll do that until you pay attention to her. Java follows us around everywhere we go. She learned how to blow bubbles in her water.”

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haunting history

A school building, a graveyard, and a hotel: what do these things have in common? Well, according to legend, these places are all haunted. What kind of stories from beyond the grave haunt the Port City? What cold patch may you | 15 | DUE SOUTH wander | through while walking downtown? | Story and photos by Liv George. George.

Church Street Graveyard We hear you: Aren’t all graveyards just a little bit haunted? Well, while that may be true, Church Street Graveyard is regarded as one of the most haunted graveyards in the entire state, mainly due to its bone-chilling history. Church Street Graveyard was established in 1820 in the heart of downtown. With over 4 acres of tombstones arranged in plots and encased in wrought iron fleur-de-lis, it’s natural to assume ghostly experiences stem from the sheer volume of death in the cemetery walls. Instead, the haunting is just outside the graveyard walls, at the Boyington Oak. Legend has it that one Charles R.S. Boyington was in town during 1833, renting a room he shared with Nathaniel Frost. In May of 1834, Frost’s body was discovered at the graveyard, where he had been stabbed to death. Frost owed Boyington money, and Boyington was the last person to see Frost alive, which made him the prime suspect. Boyington was arrested and tried for the murder, all the while proclaiming his innocence. Regardless, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. Before his hanging, Boyington once more declared his innocence, promising that an oak tree would sprout from where his heart was buried to prove it. Sure enough, one such oak tree grew, where it now sits 60 feet tall and 100 feet wide. Stories claim to hear whispers, crying, and occasional weeping that may be of Boyington himself, still attempting to declare his innocence. | 16 |

Seamen’s Bethel The Seamen’s Bethel Chapel Theatre, or as students refer to it, the Bethel, is home to the Honors College here at South and, allegedly, some ghostly figures. The Seamen’s Bethel Chapel Theatre was built in the 1830s. It served as a religious sanctuary for seafarers who were at port in Mobile Bay. They could receive food, shelter, and attend spiritual services in the Bethel’s original location on Church Street. Now, the Bethel serves as home to the Honors College. Inside there’s a massive area for studying, a spiral staircase to faculty offices, and a classroom in the basement. Speaking of the basement, it’s where the ghostly activity takes place. Rumor has it there’s not one, but two, ghosts residing in the Bethel: The Captain and the Little Girl. Alan Sells, the honors college advisor, discussed his paranormal experiences on the honors college podcast, Lamp Podcast. “Well, the oldest, everyone just refers to him as ‘The Captain.’” Sells recalled, “The thought is that he passed away when the Bethel was in downtown Mobile and that he just stuck with the building because his apparition is that of an older man wearing a captain’s hat. People have seen him walking past the rose window.” The other spirit, the Little Girl, likes messing with students a bit more. The rumor is that she passed away in a fire in the basement when the Bethel operated as a theatre. “She just likes to be tricksy. She likes to close doors, she likes to make the boiler hiss, she likes to close books. Sometimes people have heard the faint rustling of clothes like she’s running her hands along clothes, the clinking of coat hangers,” Sells remarked on the Little Girl. Neither The Captain nor the Little Girl seems particularly malignant, more so mischievous. You may encounter slamming doors, closed books, or even see The Captain walking by, but there’s no real threat, rest assured.

Battle House Hotel

We all know the big tower on the Mobile skyline, the RSA Tower. But did you know the tower hosts a historic hotel, or should we say, a haunted historic hotel? Built in 1851 as the headquarters for Andrew Jackson’s troops during the War of 1812 and later serving as a hospital during the Civil War, the original building burned down in 1905. It was rebuilt a few years later and renovated as a part of the RSA Tower in 2007. Inside the opulent and historic walls of the Battle House Hotel lie more than a few ghosts. Among the ghostly voices, spectral figures, and faucets with, seemingly, a mind of their own lie two specific legends. The ghost on the fifth floor was known in life as Henry Butler, a Mardi Gras King during the 1930s. Butler was caught having an affair with his Mardi Gras Queen, and was subsequently beaten to death by the Queen’s husband and brother-in-law in room 552. Butler has been, allegedly, haunting the building since. There are stories of beds being indented in otherwise empty hotel rooms as if someone sat down on the foot of the bed. Both guests and staff have reported seeing apparitions and lights that flicker on and off. There is another legend, wherein a newlywed couple stayed at the hotel, sometime in the 1930s. When the husband left the wife to attend to business, she was so overwhelmed with loneliness she hanged herself in the Crystal Ballroom. Her photo was hung at the next wedding to be held at the hotel, where the (living) bride’s mother swears she saw a grey figure staring at the portrait, only to disappear. Legend has it, the grey figure was the newlywed husband of the bride in the portrait. These stories mark only some of the haunting history Mobile holds. If only these large live oaks trees could talk, huh? Info from: Only in Your State, HauntedPlaces.org, The Lamp Podcast (episode 1), Library of Congress, Encyclopedia of Alabama, City of Mobile, Southern Spirit Guide

Oops, we did it again. Y2K fashion is back| By Madison Allen and Liv George. Photos by Gabrielle Taylor. Modeled by Gabrielle Borcicky, Julian Candelario, Taylor Hughes, and Mytera Johnson. | 19 | DUE SOUTH |

Y2K marked the beginning of an era, and every beginning comes with an end. The end of the ‘90s and potentially the end of the world? Y2K fashion was born out of a unique futuristic vibe, inspired by the ‘70s and cemented into pop culture by figures like Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and J-Lo. On the surface, it was all about short denim skirts, halter tops, bling, and lip gloss; it was fun colors, butterfly hair clips, and who could find the lowest-rise pair of jeans possible. But the Y2K era hid a darker side, a side Gen-Z has chosen to leave behind in the revival of this trend nearly 20 years later. On the surface, Y2K is known for the halter tops, baby tees, trucker hats, and colorful, in-your-face attitude. However, when digging deeper shows that the late-90s, early-2000s fashion era was characterized by skinny women flaunting the style of the times. When you think of the Y2K era, the first people you probably think about are Britney Spears or Paris Hilton. But what did these women have in common, besides overbearing families who

Toxic or Trendy? controlled their lives and finances? Y2K fashion seemed to be more about the bodies wearing the clothing than the clothing itself. Underneath the Juicy Couture, “Mean Girls” quotes and “Jersey Shore” episodes, Y2K had a more subliminal message, especially to young women. The hidden meanings and toxicity around the Y2K fashion trends are best characterized by the quote by supermodel Kate Moss: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Moss has since attempted to rescind the quote, saying she doesn’t believe her old words anymore. But the attitude stuck. In its prime, Y2K fashion was not inclusive, not to size at least. Even when some of the most popular trends, like velour tracksuits, were popularized by Black icons, like Missy Elliott or Destiny’s Child, the era seemed to lack size representation. Rarely did you see anyone above a size 4 representing Y2K fashion trends. People were shocked when Adele dared to have both talent and size in 2008.

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In the early 2000s, “fatphobic” was not a popular phrase but this trend was a complete embodiment of the term. If you were anything other than a size 00, it was hard to find solace and comfort in Y2K styles. As fashion trends do, Y2K fashion has made a major comeback. But the toxicity and fatphobia don’t seem to have returned, at least at the same level. In the 20some years since the first wave of Y2K fashion, the body positivity movement has taken over. There is still a long way to go, the resurgence of Y2K fashion is more inclusive than the late ‘90s and early 2000s could ever be. Now, this isn’t to say that diet culture has disappeared; the presence of Keto diets alone proves that diet culture is alive and well. However, the resurgence of Y2K has different undertones, a much more inclusive approach. These days, you’ll see people wearing tennis skirts and baby tees no matter what shape or size their bodies are.

“Focus on self-love and wearing things that make you feel confident, instead of the clothing itself.” The trend is no longer exclusively marketed towards and popularized by skinny women. There is now a focus on finding clothes to fit your body rather than making your body fit into the clothes. It’s more important to focus on self-love and wearing things that make you feel confident instead of the clothing itself. Now, there is no specific, perfect body and all bodies should be, and increasingly are, celebrated for how they are. The difference between the original rise of Y2K fashion and its resurgence is that, now, anyone can feel like they can pull off what was once a toxic trend. Fashion shouldn’t make you feel ashamed. Whether it’s the velour tracksuits, low-rise jeans, or baby tees, anyone can flaunt styles from the Y2K era and look amazing. Now is the chance to let clothes be clothes and nothing more.

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Rainy Day Guide Our advice on how to enjoy your next rainy day in Mobile (and there will be one). By Taylor Rogers. Photos by Michael Dunn.

rowing up, I hated when it rained. I always saw it as an inconvenience; something that got in the way of the things I wanted to do. As I’ve gotten older, I have grown to appreciate and see the beauty in rainy days. There is something about the rain that takes the pressure off life. Mobile is the rainiest city in the nation, so why not try to make the most out of the location’s rainy days. If you are in need of some inspiration to bring a little life to your rainy days, keep reading.

It’s All About the Ambience To truly embrace a rainy day, you first must set the mood. And what is a better mood-setter than candles and perfect lighting? Light up your favorite scented candle and turn on your Himalayan salt lamp (I know you have one) and let the 25 | DUE SOUTH |

lighting and aroma turn your home into the perfect sanctuary. Next, it’s time to pick out your outfit. A cozy rainy-day outfit is not complete without a sweater. If it is too hot, an oversized graphic tee is the next best thing. Now that you have changed into something comfortable it’s time to fix yourself a warm beverage. Whether you’re a coffee, tea, or cider drinker, there’s nothing like sipping on a warm drink on a gloomy day. Depending on how humid it is outside, I always like to open a window to make sure I can hear the rain as much as possible. The sound of the rain is the best part, right? If it’s too hot outside, turning on some music or a podcast can provide the perfect background noise instead.

Self-care day

What To Do

Journal

This is probably one of the most obvious, but a great way to spend a rainy day at home is to have a self-care day. Everyone has a different definition of a self-care day, so this is up to your interpretation. Your selfcare day could be having a glass of wine in a bubble bath, or it could be curling up on the couch with your favorite snacks and watching a movie. Whatever allows you to decompress and reenergize is what you should do.

The first thing you can do on a rainy day is journal. You know that pile of empty journals that you have sitting on your bookshelf? Pick one up and get started! There are endless possibilities when it comes to journaling. You can bullet journal, write down your thoughts, doodle, make collages, etc. The world of journaling is your oyster. This is a great way to slow down and allow yourself to be in the moment.

Clean

Bake or Cook

I’m hoping that I’m not alone on this one, but cleaning on a rainy day is my favorite. You’re already stuck inside, so you might as well make the most of it and clean. Cleaning is much more fun when you don’t look at it as a chore. Turn on some music and just have fun with it. There is no pressure on when you have to get done or how much you have to clean. Once you’re done you will feel so much better having a tidy living space.

I know most of you have a Pinterest and if you do you most likely have a board full of recipes. Use today to finally try that recipe you have been eyeing. Personally, baking on a rainy day is my favorite. The scent of whatever sweet treat you’re making fills your home and smells better than any candle you could buy. Baking something from scratch is a great way to challenge yourself and improve your skills in the kitchen.

I hope this has helped you get some inspiration for the inevitable next rainy day. Remember, it’s okay to have mundane days. Every day isn’t going to be extraordinary and that’s okay. | 26 |

Think od o g Feel o d o g

Story By Clorissa Morgan. Graphic by Ryleigh Thornton.

Think Find balance between the good and bad in life.

bad Feel d a b

ay-to-day it’s so easy to get stuck on the things that keep us down. I’m sure you know what I mean but say you spill your cup of coffee all over yourself first thing in the morning. Now, it’ll probably seem like the universe is working against you for the rest of the day. First, you get drenched in coffee. Now, you’re late for class. What happened after that? Surprise! You parked in the wrong parking zone because you were running late, and Campus PD will NOT let you get away with it. But at least when you get home you’ll get the chance to catch up on your current Netflix binge. Right? Wrong. You forgot you have an entire paper due before class tomorrow. It’s just a classic terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. When days like this happen, everything just seems to keep adding up until you’re absolutely miserable. I’m not saying that bad days don’t happen, but perspective is key. One bad start to your morning can set the tone for the entire day. Already in a bad mood from the coffee-induced nightmare,

an extra chicken nugget with your meal. Whatever it is, good little things like this happen all day; they just get lost in the noise. Something I started to change

Enjoy the little things in your life, and you’ll start to enjoy your life a little bit more. my own mentality was to keep a running list of the good and bad parts of my day. It’s like a little tally to see who wins at the end of the day. The first time I started actively doing this, it changed my entire outlook. I work as a reporter for a media company and I usually take my own pictures. One particular day, I was reporting on a new business opening in Fairhope. I wrote the article and sent it to my editors a full day before I was supposed to publish it. When I woke up the following day, all I had to do was make a few edits and publish the story. I was going to have time to

it’s so easy to get stuck on the things that keep us down. maybe you honed in on the bad and blocked out the good. Let’s say that on this hypothetical day, you got your exam grades back from chemistry and you aced your last exam. Maybe the people at Chick-fil-a accidentally gave you

lot of emotions, and none of them were positive. I was devastated over the loss of the day to do what I wanted. I was frustrated that I had to drive all the way across

get ahead on my homework and still have time to get around to watching Squid Game. However, much to my dismay, I got my editor’s email. She wanted me to completely redo my photos before I could publish. I experienced a

the bay and back. I was annoyed that I hadn’t gotten the pictures right in the first place. It was the equivalent of getting drenched in coffee before my first class. However, I stuck to the tally system. I went to Fairhope and hit light traffic the entire way there. That’s one point. I found a parking spot right next to the store I had to visit, got one of the best iced chai lattes I’ve had in a long time, got complimented on my outfit by multiple people, and got a panini that my mouth still waters thinking about. That’s four points. When I came home to tell my partner about my day, I started complaining but stopped when I remembered all the little things I’d tallied up. Something clicked for me then. Even though something happened that changed my plans for that day, I still had a better day than I thought. Bad days happen, and that’s okay. Still, we shouldn’t allow one minor inconvenience to change the entire trajectory of our day. Enjoy the little things in your life, and you’ll start to enjoy your life a little bit more. | 28 |

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| 30 |

ARE WE ARE WE HYPOCRITES? YPOCRITES? A faith built on but sometimes not followed with love. By Kelsey Taylor. Photos by Hayden Hite. Graphics by Emma Lamm.

s Catholics, we’re supposed to see the perfection of God and strive to reflect just a sliver of His goodwill, take the teachings of the Church as fact, and try to understand and adhere to those teachings. It’s one thing to fall into sin, and it’s another to seek out sin. Whether or not you have religious beliefs, seeking to hate is unjust and useless. We constantly fail. When we fail trying our damndest, seeking forgiveness, and continuously attempting to become better, failing is more than okay. It’s inevitable. We are human. We are flawed. We all are and will always be part of God’s beautiful creation. We’re intended to find aspiration and lead others to follow Christ. This is in an effort to protect someone’s soul. “Practicing” is a common word. Part of being a practicing Catholic is being baptized Catholic, attending WEEKLY

obligatory Sunday Mass, going to confession, and receiving Holy Communion at least once a year. The trickiest part of being Catholic by those standards is attending Mass, the Catholic church service. We are, as humans, assigned by God to live for love. Love is never the minimum. As Father Norbert Jurek, the chaplain from the Catholic Student Association, says, “love wants to give as much as possible.” However, some people fail in the Catholic faith because of hate, misunderstanding, and selfagendas. We all sin, but specific people deny their own mistakes, condemn others, and judge those who live lifestyles outside of Catholicism. “Disgusting,” “degrading,” and “spiteful” are all words I’ve heard used to describe people choosing to live outside of the Church. Those words

inherently judge peoples’ free will. Free will is a gift from God: others don’t get to decide how you use it. Scientific fact. Some Catholics don’t believe in evolution, fighting basic scientific facts and arguing science would replace dogmas (true principals). I met someone who didn’t believe in evolution. They told me their summary of the book of Genesis: God made the world in 7 days, and everything was created instantly. He thought to say otherwise would degrade God’s power. His belief is one some indeed hold. When he mentioned the power of God seen through creation, I asked him one question. “If you believe God was able to create the whole world in 7 human days, why wouldn’t God be able to use that same amount of power and create an evolutionary construct that we can trace back to Him?” My friend didn’t know | 32 |

what to say. He’d only been taught one way. Some are afraid their faith will be disproven or they’ll have to choose between science and faith; they sometimes use their disbelief of science as an excuse not to learn about it. Science leads to God. Just as Father Norbert states, faith requires reason. Despite what people often think, the Church is “not against scientific and reasonable discovery.” An incomprehensible universe remains an opportunity for education. There is no reasonable explanation for before the big bang theory. That alone shows God’s guiding hand. There are many questions when it comes to science and the Bible. “The Bible does not answer questions about biology.” The Bible explains many Catholic questions, but “the biblical description of creation is a poem” (an extraordinarily beautiful poem), not scientific fact. God exists outside of time so, how could the world be made in precisely 7 human days? Sexism exists everywhere, even in the Catholic Church. Some Catholics, I use the term loosely in this case, see that women cannot be priests and take it as a sign that women should have less say in the faith. Others take Ephesians 5:22 as meaning that women are less than their spouses. The Church does have teachings on the differences of men and women and some people use

those differences to treat women as if they are not a gift from God. Equality is a struggle that should be immediately granted. Misogyny doesn’t exist to someone following the true faith. Women can honor God in many ways other than being priests. They can pay homage to the Lord by being sisters, nuns, workers, wives, mothers, and many other ways. Where humans may not look at each other as equals, God never fails to. Eve being made of “Adam’s rib shows that

Christ.” Women are supposed to love their husbands fully, and that love is meant to be fully returned. Ephesians 5:25 states, “husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” This verse not only tells husbands to love their wives but to give their life for them. Jesus “broke so many [of the] social norms of his time by respecting women,” says Father Norbert. Mary Magdeline was allowed to be the first witness to Christ’s resurrection. Mary Mother of God is mistaken to be worshipped because of how much the Church honors her. “Some people may have not followed teachings of the Church and disrespected women,” but that does not mean that the Church’s teaching of equality is to be ignored. There’s a faith built on love that I’ve heard of. There’s a faith that’s taught me of words leading to actions and those actions leading to that love. I’ve seen this faith through the eyes of hypocrisy and the eyes of a true follower. Catholicism is the teachings of Christ, not the failure of humans. Catholicism accepts proven scientific discovery while promoting understanding and equality. As Catholics, it’s our job to seek out education of and for the faith. Some associate with Catholicism that have forbade the teachings. So as Catholics, are we hypocrites? Only our actions can tell.

I HAVE SEEN THIS FAITH THROUGH THE EYES OF HYPOCRISY AND THE EYES OF A TRUE FOLLOWER.

33 | DUE SOUTH |

man and women are of the same substance; therefore, they are equal and complementary,” says Father Norbert. Ephesians 5:22 says, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands.” However, “submit” has a different connotation in this case. As Father Norbert says, “submissive means love and total surrender out of love as it’s explained in the verse 5:21 when Paul speaks of mutual subjection out of reverence of

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