odd bubble tea 10

This drink was the prettiest drink I had ever seen. The foam blended into the blue flower tea, making it look ombre. The first sip was great, but as I kept drinking it, I realized it wasn’t my favorite. For me, the drink had too much boba, and the blue flower tea tasted like sugary milk. I did like the foam, though. It added a layer of saltiness that balanced out the sweetness of the tea. I wasn’t able to finish the whole drink because of how full it made me feel. If I was in the area, I would come back to try another flavor, but I would not get this one again. For me, it’s better to look at than to drink.

Trying the passion fruit jasmine green tea that came with crystal boba was a great experience. The drink only came in a large but seemed like a normal size at a comparable restaurant. As I took my first sip I realized how much I loved this drink. The crystal boba was different than regular as the color was clear and the texture was harder to chew than normal, but it paired perfectly with the tea based drink. The sugar level balanced out the sourness of the passion fruit making it not too sweet, not too sour. Overall, I was very pleased with this drink. I will definitely be going back here. jamie kornblat staff writer ethan willick staff writer

This tea was a lightly sweet milk tea with mung beans on the bottom. The first sip was very surprising. I didn’t expect there to be whole beans at the bottom of the tea. Mung beans are a lightly sweet, lightly savory bean with the mushy texture of kidney beans. They taste almost like a kidney bean was taken out of a pot of chili, washed off, then soaked in sugar water. I didn’t love them. The first few sips were very confusing in my mouth but by the end of the experience I was used to it and they were more pleasant. They added a sweetness to the tea and texture, making it a pleasant taste experi

This drink smelled chocolate-y and had 4 main elements: boba, tea, milk foam and garnish. The boba was sweet and slightly softer than other boba. It had a nice bite and had me wanting more. The first problem with the drink was the milk foam which tasted like it was supposed to be a salted caramel flavor, but they added so much salt that it was ruined. The last half of the drinking experience made me queasy after just two sips. The garnish of chocolate chips sank very quickly and added odd crunches into the drinking experience. The overall drink wasn’t what I hoped for with this flavor.

This one contained boba, ice, the tea itself and a cheese topping. The boba was smaller than normal, harder than normal and stuck to itself. This caused the problem of a clogged straw four or five times. The tea was oolong, and it tasted like a green tea with hints of peach, but it wasn’t very sweet. The cheese made up for this. The cheese was not what I expected. It had the taste of a cream cheese frosting but it had more of the texture of whipped cream. The cheese layer is the perfect edition to an unsweetened tea. This is the perfect tea for anyone who isn’t afraid to try new things.

At Corner 17, I got the Taro milk tea. For the most part, it was a pretty solid drink. The boba was all equal in size, and the taro flavor was prevalent. The drink was too sweet for me. It was hard to taste the flavor of the milk tea because it was being overpowered by the sugar. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, I would ask to customize how much sugar they put in so it doesn’t distract from the drink. Although it was sweet, I still enjoyed it and drank the whole thing. Overall, this place is a classic spot. If I’m ever in the Loop, and I am craving bubble tea, I would definitely go here again.

12 melodrama magazine february ✰ he letter E is the most commonly used letter in the English language. The vowel is used in 186,136 official words and is only worth one point in the game of Scrabble. In addition to being the most common letter, the letter E is used as a descriptor to create an identity, one that can be misused and spread. The E-Boy and E-Girl are online stereotypes defined by the aesthetic of the user. Both styles have elements of skate culture, hip-hop, cosplay and goth, and both styles transcend gender norms. The E, the most notable part of the label, stands for electronic, because the E-Boy and E-Girl stereotype is prevalent online. E-Boys and E-Girls have been around for over a decade, but the trend took off with the creation of TikTok in the fall of 2018. However, while some say that E-Boys and E-Girls are used as an online persona to express oneself, the stereotype can cause more harm than good. It glorifies drug use, and audiences often ignore racist and homophobic actions sometimes committed due to their online appeal.

It must be noted that the appearance of E-Boys and E-Girls is not what spreads the wrong message. What spreads negative ideas is the actions that E-Girls and E-Boys sometimes do themselves. Since they have a wide following on the internet, their negative actions often influence their online followers.

E-Boys and E-Girls often glorify drug use. Videos are often seen of them vaping and juuling on their online platforms, and that sends a message to their followers, making it seem like it is admirable or cool to do drugs. In reality, vaping can be life threatening. Additionally, E-Boys and E-Girls often say racist and homophobic things, which are sometimes ignored due to their popularity. For example, in December 2019, Chase Hudson, commonly known as Lil Huddy on TikTok, used the n-word in one of his live streams. Hudson, being a white Male was criticized for using the word because it is socially not acceptable. However, despite being racially insensitive, Hudson still has 9 million followers and is acquiring fashion and entertainment sponsorship deals.

Another example is seen in the TikTok star Kyler. In July 2019, Kyler used a TikTok live stream to share his views on the controversial issue of abortion. He believes that abortion should be illegal and used his Christain faith to defend that argument. During his statement, he made misogynistic comments, saying that men are brainwashing and controlling women into having abortions. To respond to the messages that were against his viewpoint, Kyler wrote an Instagram post, in which he made homophobic comments towards the LGBTQ community. Kyler is a prime example of an E-Boy that uses his online platform to spread hate. His opinion on abortion aside, his sexist and homophobic comments make it seem like intolerance is okay.

Ultimately, the overall problem with E-Girls and E-Boys is that they can negatively influences their followers through their actions. Because of their online popularity and aesthetic appeal, followers tend to overlook and even support their hateful behavior. They spread the wrong ideas through drug use and racial insensitivity that should never be overlooked, no matter the attention E-Girls and E-Boys get. ✰

all photos by sunny lu & luke sewell

sophia liu staff writer

Whether it be shiny eyeliner or bold eyeshadow, unexpected pops of color are the perfect way to accessorize a monochromatic makeup look. Numerous celebrities have put this style to the test with colors like neon yellow, kelly green, and cobalt blue. In fact, makeup brands are releasing more and more unique colors to accommodate this colorfest.

Using subtle glitter accents made headlines when the hit show Euphoria released. Nowadays, many makeup artists are drawing inspiration from Euphoria makeup looks by using glitter. Similar to bold pops of color, using glitter can provide an ever so subtle bling in any makeup look. Although removing glitter can be rather troublesome, glitter can bring handfuls of creativity to the table.

Recently, brands like Glossier have made a statement in the makeup industry. Glossier’s products are known for their natural ingredients and producing a natural skin glow. A glowing look is also sometimes called dewy for its shimmering quality. Aside from Glossier products, many other brands are using glossiness to enhance one’s natural appearance.

With the recent popularity of award winning HBO show Euphoria, outof-the-box makeup has taken the beauty world by storm. Makeup artist for the series, Doniella Davy, has become renowned for creating bright and notable looks for each character. Inspired by the classic styles, Melodrama has set out to recreate these makeup trends.

Stick-on jewels come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Jewels are unique because unlike most makeup products, they’re three-dimensional. This not only makes them adhere well, but they also come off easily without making a powdery mess. Jewels draw light so they can provide an extra glow while also providing pops of color. Whether it’s on eyelids or on the cheekbones, jewels are a great way to draw attention.

“I challenge myself to dress differently each day. I find it interesting to style pieces that I initially considered to be ugly into outfits that I like.”

student all photos by sunny lu, luke sewell & anna liner

“I wouldn’t label my style as boho or chic because it’s all of the above. It really just depends on how I’m feeling and the look that I’m going for on that particular day.”

“I chose the word simple because a lot of the clothes I gravitate towards are functional and comfortable.”

“I would say my style is [sometimes] modern street fitment... and [sometimes] english casual.”