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Dreamscapes

Ever heard of a cosmic cheat sheet? It’s something many have become comfortable using in the dating world. A lens used to find your soulmate through the eyes of the universe. Dating has become a game, the chase to find someone aligning with your zodiac sign. Forgetting all the others that may tug your heartstrings. The potential to fall in love with someone who may or may not share qualities you never knew you needed. Dating with the intent to find someone compatible with your astrological sign can become limiting. Ultimately, being a Gemini, Aries, Cancer or Leo doesn’t capture what a person has to truly offer.

The Power of the Stars: Have We Let Zodiac Signs Impact Our Relationships?

Written by Gianna Fernandez

Photographer: Mia Ortega Models: Mia Scarpa, Gianna Fernandez, and Niamh Cogley Stylist: Layla Hughes Makeup: Audrey Hoffman Layout: Madeline Smith

The modern dating scene is scary enough. We are all guilty of being stuck in this dream world where we turn to the universe for guidance and imagine being handed this perfect person. They match every quality you bear. A dream love that is so fiery it bursts from the inside. Maybe we fear rejection or even heartbreak. That is why we don’t risk looking outside the boundaries we ultimately set for ourselves. We may look to the universe for signs, but love isn’t found through the stars. The focus shouldn’t be on zodiac signs aligning, but what can this person offer me? Can they love me for me? Can we have a future together? Do they like my family and friends? These are the essential questions. We can dream of being loved wholeheartedly, but leaving our love up to the universe and the stars can cause significant doubt and leave you searching for something that does not exist.

I see a boy across a crowded room. And suddenly all the lights dim, and the noise disappears. There is only us, and our eye contact, and violins playing in the background, as the Veer Zaara instrumental soundtrack rolls in. CUT ACTION We are in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by snow. I am wearing a red, chiffon saree that flows perfectly with the mountain breeze. My eyes lined with kajal, hair cascading in waves, wrists jingling with silver bangles with small clusters of red stones dangling from it, ears adorned with matching jhumkas. He wears a matching red turtleneck with a dark brown leather jacket, khaki pants, his hair coiffed slightly to the side with a soft curl rebelliously resting on his forehead. He spreads his arms wide, nods his head. I ran into them. The soundtrack swells. Man! This is what REAL romance is! What’s the point if I can’t picture being on the Swiss Alps with them? UNFORTUNATELY, I am pretty sure this REAL romance only exists

in a small world inside my head. A world where I stock all my senseless dreams of romance, and my improbable fantasies of the “perfect” guy, and to top it all off, my unrealistic expectations of love. I blame Bollywood. It made it seem like all of this was LIKELY to happen to me. Well, it HAS NOT happened yet, let me tell you that much. NONE of my romantic encounters have even COME CLOSE to what the holy grail of Bollywood has imparted upon me. Why? What am I doing wrong? Maybe I am just incredibly delusional? Maybe all these notions of romance I have stocked in my head are just plain silly? Maybe these dreams are just too farfetched? Maybe they are just plain lies? I should confront the reality I live in. That in real life, love is NEVER going to match my expectations OR Maybe I’m not delusional. Maybe I am just hopeful. And maybe, I’ll keep hoping for AT LEAST some violins if not the saree and Swiss Alps. Photography by Lorraine Grappotte Modeled by Advika Karthik Iyer Layout by Niamh Cogley

Dream Relationship, or Just a Dream Written by Emma Owen

You've barely exchanged Instagram handles, but already, your mind has pulled out the director's chair. Credits roll on a montage of future memories: the spontaneous road trips, the shared secrets under a starlit sky, the perfectly synchronized inside jokes. The problem? The starring role you've just cast might not turn out the way you hope; the perfect script you’ve imagined will probably leave the real-life premiere feeling flat. The excitement we feel when meeting someone new – whether it be a friend or a potential partner – is seemingly unshakable. However, this thrill often leads us to project our desires onto others, inducing negative consequences on everyone. As we disappoint ourselves through illusion, we simultaneously develop unfair expectations from unwilling parties, ultimately deterring ourselves from forming

genuine, flawed connections that are far more enriching than any dream-like relationship could be. In your head, they’re perfect. (Emphasis on “in your head.”) They share your sense of humor; your passions align perfectly, almost uncannily. You can share anything with them, and they will instantly understand… until they don’t. Suddenly, you’re saying “No, that’s not what I meant,” and reexplaining yourself, and you are roused from your dream. At your first disagreement, you start questioning everything; your fantasy becomes obstructed by reality. Maintaining a mindset of romanticization will ultimately lead to isolation and disappointment. Not only do we disappoint ourselves with these expectations, but we simultaneously hurt others by expecting them to be someone they are not. When we meet others where they are – accepting that everyone is flawed, and our “perfect person” probably doesn’t exist – we can grow cognisant that relationships, of any sort, take work. Vulnerability, intimacy, and connection don’t fall into our laps; these are aspects of our social lives that we have to forge, despite the drudgery it may take to do so. If you have to romanticize something, focus on the beauty of a messy reality. There’s a reason nobody likes AI-generated art. Photographed by Polina Romanets Styled by Elene Gorgadze

Modeled by Victoria C. Pérez-Huerta Layout by Lucia Marino

When You Know, Is it Really True Love?

You Know. Written by Makena Monaco He met Margaret on a rooftop. The story of Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley unfolds, narrated by Lana Del Rey, of course. The rest is history. The fairytale goes that when you find The One, you’ll know, they’ll know, everyone will know. It will feel like passing a test you’ve studied for your whole life. Like in a dream, you’re paralyzed by the terrifying feeling that comes when you realize you’re no longer in control. It’s a feeling that is so freeing and new, you’re sure it’s final. Today, we have become so paralyzed by the mere thought of finding true love and encountering a soulmate in the form of a romantic relationship. Traditional ideas of love are pushed on us from such a young age that when we encounter other forms of true love, especially platonic true love, we sometimes fail to acknowledge just how special it is too. On the other hand, when we think we’ve found romantic love, we’re sent into a dream-like state that enhances our sense of reality. It’s all fun and games until we wake up from this dream and realize

Maybe I Didn’t Actually

Know...

Photographer: Meghan Cattani Models: Polina Romanets, Katharina Jäger, Cailean Walker Stylist: Elene Gorgadze Layout: Meghan Cattani

s in k en J n la E y b en itt r W

Compromise. It’ s something we’ve been told we must do within our dating lives–repeatedly. With the rise of male lonelineſs, commitment iſsues, and the death of real-life, in-person connections, how have women responded? The answer is romantasy. Books focused on :rong female leads, where compromise in their chosen partner is non-existent. While men’ s complaints have extended outwards, women’ s lonelineſs has wandered into the world of escapism. Through the romantasy genre, we are able to explore female characters who are courageous and find love from people who accept their every flaw as well as every virtue. Living in a world where dating is an algorithm, relationships seem like a rarity, and hookup culture runs rampant, romantasy gives female readers the chance to slow down and get a taste of the kind of love we grew up hearing about. Romantasy allows its readers to explore what it means to be a woman who can safely and excitingly explore her sexuality. Most importantly, they can do so with a partner who is loyal and devoted. This is often explored through tropes such as fated mates, better known as soulmates. Romantasy explores desire, not just for a six-foot something, tall/dark/handsome type, but a deeper emotional understanding and an acceptance of who women truly are. The landscape of dating has women believing they must settle and ignore red flags, in other words, compromise. In the world of fantasy, men do not talk about their lonelineſs as an epidemic, but rather, they view women as something of value, respecting their time, bodies, and minds. If this seems like the bare minimum, that’ s because it is. Romantasy gives female readers agency to explore sexuality, love, and relationships in a way that doesn’t come down to compromise, but is fulfilling, safe, and exciting something nearly impoſsible to find in real life.

Photographer: Lorraine Grappotte Models: Maia Munich, Lizzy Luegger Layout: Cindy Liu