COMPLETE WOLF2_s26 by Loyola Maroon

Vol. 84 | March 27, 2026

The Wolf

NIGHT NIGHT SENIOR SENIOR

Dat Dog 5030 Freret Friday May 1st 7 - 10pm

LIVE MUSIC - DRINK SPECIALS - GOOD TIMES

“The best night of the rest of your life.”

Works 6 8 12 14 16 18 21

Seniors in bloom

The life of Kendall Daigle Growing beyond the classroom

The

Sta List

Editor in Chief: Eloise Pickering

Wolf Editor: Laura Welles

Managing Editor: Mary Ella Hastings

Post Content Director: Callie Honeycutt

Pre-Content Director: Alana Frank

Social Media Manager: Carlos Andrade and Maria Touzard

Wolf Designers: Laura Welles, Makayla Parker, Olivia Sanyal

Wolf Contributors: Eloise Pickering, Laura Welles, John Zwires, Lily Bordelon, Callie Honeycutt, Olivia Sanyal, Makayla Parker, Kate Dalrymple, Stella Perdue, Alondra Gonzalez, Andrea Bardales, Chance Earles

Copy Editors: Christopher Nesbit and Mark Michel

Sales Manager: Emily Keller

Sales Representative: Carrie Adams Olsen

Student Media Adviser: Michael Giusti

Asst. Student Media Adviser: Gabriellia Killett Vargas

Photos by John Zwiers

Dear Readers,

I feel like every student says this, but I can’t believe how fast this year went by. As the school year comes to an end, this issue is especially meaningful. In Bloom is all about growth and reflecting on where a lot of us are now; slowly trying to fi gure out who we are as individuals. We are growing, but not in a perfect and polished way; More like in the messy and chaotic way. More in the way where it was in between everything else—between the sleepless nights, the busy weeks, the small moments with friends, the creative blocks, and finally understanding when things click into place. That’s what this year has felt like.

Working on the Wolf has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my year. Seeing each issue come to life has shown me how important it is to be part of a team that’s constantly learning, creating, and evolving together.

I want to thank everyone who has contributed to, stayed up late, and shared their stories in order to make this happen. And to everyone who is reading this — thank you.

See you next year!

Your Editor, Laura Welles

Illustrations by Laura Welles

Flip-Flops, Fringe, and Fashion Comebacks: Spring trends worth reviving in your closet

Written and Designed by Callie Honeycutt

In the words of the great Miranda Priestly from “The Devil Wears Prada’… “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking” And yet, every year, as the sun comes back out and the weather warms, our campus fills with eye-catching pastel patterns, breezy white linens, and questionable but comfortable open-toed sandals. The groundwork for spring style, right on cue. (I love flip flops and am rocking them at school

As all fashion connoisseurs know, nothing ever really disappears; trends simply wait to revive. That constant is no stranger in the spring 2026 season, as multiple trends resurfacing have been waiting for their moment. The runways and streets are showing similar trends across the board, so let’s talk about them and how you can incorporate these details into your spring wardrobe.

Fringe & Tassels

My favorite trend this season, hands down. I have already found my graduation dress, and yes, it is tassel-inspired, simply because of how obsessed I am. A call back to the glamour of the 80’s and the flapper movement of the roaring 20’s, tassels have proven they are a resurrecting trend. They can be a subtle accessory to your outfit, think bags and belts, or the whole piece in a cascading eye-grabbing dress. Either way, tassels bring a certain drama to an outfit that could become an everyday accessory (if you can pull it o ).

Oversized Sunglasses

I wouldn’t necessarily say that big sunglasses ever went out of style, just ask anyone’s e ortlessly chic mom who has been wearing them for 20 years. Much less bug-like and more old-Hollywood glamour, oversized sunglasses can instantly elevate even the simplest outﬁt. Not only are they stylish, but the perfect coverup if you don’t feel like showing your face from the nose up. These chic accessories are part fashion statement, part shield from the spring

Denim on Denim

If fashion history has taught us anything, it’s that today’s trend will be next year’s joke and next decade’s most admired piece. Hold onto your beloved pieces and remember there is always an opportunity for constant reinvention in your closet. sun.

Also known as the “Canadian tuxedo”, the denimon-denim look has made its way back from the ‘50s, ditching James Dean, and the early 2000’s (we miss you, Britney Spears, come back). This time around, the look is much more relaxed. It’s an easy throw-on outfit with a black tank and flip flops, or the perfect simple layer for that sequin top you found at a vintage place last week. Every age, every climate, denim on denim might just be the perfect, chic, low-e ort outfit for everyone.

Lace & Sheer Layers

Although this trend is not as practical, lace has never come in or out of style; it is forever. Mainly associated with bridal looks, white lace and romantic textures have been a highlight of spring collections in stores and in the catalogues. Lace skirts, sheer tops, or embroidered jeans all lean into the love a air between fashion, vintage, and lace.

Seniors in bloom

Greatest moment: “Making the Dean’s List all four semesters I’ve been here.”

Most proud of: “After switching majors, I had a lot of classes to catch up on so I have been taking 18+ credit semesters as well as summer classes in order to graduate on time”

Carly Schmidt, Senior, Marketing major

Most proud of: “I’ve been lucky to ﬁnd lifelong friendships that have truly become my family and home away from home.”

Advice for your freshman-year self: “Growth takes time and you can’t microwave yourself, so treat every class, clinical, late-night study session, etc. as a learning experience rather than just a hurdle. Take more pictures and make more memories, because even though you’re chasing that degree, it’s the journey that teaches you the most about your destination.”

Jacob Simmons, Senior, Nursing major

Advice to freshman year self:

“You’ll survive and thrive.”

Most proud of: “Learned lessons from life, school, and work.”

Maddie Kearns, Senior, International Business/ Marketing major

Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Adeniyi, Senior, Arts and Sociology

Greatest moment: “The village that I’ve built around me … There’s something in knowing that there’s other people that are going through almost the exact same thing as you and they care about you and you get to be a villager.”

Advice to freshman year self: “Do it scared. Do it nauseous. And it’s not the end of the world.”

BLOOM FEST

Written by

Lto honor the life of former English student and poet, Kendall Daigle. The festival is facilitated by the Kendall Collective, the organization established to honor Daigle’s life, legacy, and work. Their mission involves “foster[ing] a culture of artistic expression by supporting, sharing, and celebrating the creative

The Life of Kendall Daigle

endeavors of individuals who, like Kendall, seek meaning and fulfillment through their creativity.”

Loyola.

“In her memory, Bloom Fest celebrates the transformative power of creativity and fosters a space where artistic expression, collaboration, and intersect. The festival brings together students, faculty, and

On March 30 from 5:00-7:00 p.m., several departments across the university will collaborate in tandem to produce the festival, highlighting student literature, design, music, and other works. The festival is always held around the time of Daigle’s birthday as an effort to commemorate the impact she had on interdisciplinary

mental health awareness members of the broader community,” the festival’s

mission statement said.

Loyola student perfoming at Bloom Fest 2025

Professor Karoline Schleh and student showing shirts created for Bloom Fest 2025

Loyola students and faculty watching perfomances at Bloom Fest 2025

Stella Perdue Bloom Fest is just around the corner, dedicated

Growing Beyond the Classroom

Written by Olivia Sanyal

Page Design by Laura Welles

When junior criminal justice major and student athlete Alissa O’Dell started braiding her teammates’ hair on the way to basketball meets, she got introduced to the idea of starting her own business. Only charging ten to ﬁfteen dollars in high school, coming to college O’Dell started her Instagram and website which has her booking clients left and right, building Lissaschair. “Since starting my brand I am serious about it,

and know it can take me far,” O’Dell said. Throughout nationwide college campuses, students like O’Dell are thinking outside the box and starting their own business right inside their dorm rooms. College can be expensive with tuition, necessities, and leisure activities resulting in money adding up quickly. From services from nails, clothing, hair, etc,. students are able to save money while building a business that reﬂects their authentic selves and passions. Not only are these students providing their top quality services, they are also balancing heavy schedules with extracurriculars, sports, coursework, and more.

Talking to student entrepreneurs on campus gives a closer look into how young business owners are able to balance their time with the pressure of servicing clients, school demands, and time for themselves. According to the Student Entrepreneurship Monitor 2025 from Start Base, around one in ﬁve students say that they could see themselves starting their own business in college. Tapping into the growing passion for entrepreneurship, 3,000 startups are surfacing onto campus environments every year, with an “untapped potential of up to 18,000 new startups per year” according to Start Base.

Growing up, O’Dell’s mom didn’t know how to braid her hair, so later she taught herself skills that would ﬂourish from a helpful gesture braiding teammates’ hair, to a steady business with a large stream of clients working right inside her dorm.

Alissa O’Dell

Taking her business seriously, she took took her online presence further by having professional photo shoots done to promote her work and services to further expand her brand.

“I grew up struggling with ﬁnancial situations, now knowing I won’t be in that situation when I’m older. Sometimes I am tired, but I know I have to get up and stay motivated,” O’Dell said.

Social media platforms have been extremely helpful for student entrepreneurs to showcase their work and services to connect with customers and communicate logistic and schedules in a timely manner. Besides social media, peer communication and word of mouth is also extremely beneﬁcial to get the word around about student services they provide right in your dorm building, perhaps being one of your neighbors.

Another student entrepreneur on Loyola’s campus, Leila Mariee, a sophomore business ﬁnance major, has been growing her nail business, Glam by Leila, using Instagram to showcase her clients nails and the work she can provide to prospective clients.

“Ive always done nails on myself, but since coming to college I can use this skill and turn it into a business. I love the ﬂexibility it o ers, rather than having a traditional job, especially being a student athlete,” Mariee says.

In the beginning it started as a side hustle, but as time went on Mariee knew she could use her skills to turn it into something bigger. Students being able to make their own schedule for work can be an easier balance, especially having tight packed schedules like Mariee and O’Dell do.

Student Entrepreneurship Monitor 2025 from Start Base’s monitor indicates that the next generation of college students are wanting to create their own start ups and explore the world of entrepreneurship, starting right in their dorm room. “The motivation stems primarily from idealistic values; personal fulﬁllment, self e cacy, and the creative power in one’s own project are at the forefront” Start Base said.

Mariee wants people to know if you have a potential idea or something you’re really passionate about, go for it and take a bet on yourself.

“When I ﬁrst started nails I wasn’t as good as I am now, it takes time and practice and believing in yourself,” Mariee said.

As college students step into a new era of their education and life, new ideas evolve, furthering the push for individuals to start their own brand and expressing their creativity for business owners and clients to enjoy and beneﬁt from. College entrepreneurs show you can start anywhere when you put your mind to it, letting your passions drive you to a point of success.

Nail Design done by Leila Mariee

The Season we Struggle Through

Written by Stella Perdue

Page Design by

Laura Welles

When winter at Loyola evolves into spring, life can get pretty tough, especially in terms of mental health. I’ve been there and I get it. In order to make the transition a little easier for you, here are some of my personal tips and tricks to avoid burnout.

Winter can be extremely di cult for me as a college student. It almost feels like the temperature drop is directly correlated with a major decline in motivation, and then I struggle to get back to where I once was academically come springtime.

It’s even more emotionally draining when you’re grappling with mental health issues. I’ve dealt with depression my entire life. It waxes and wanes, but in the winter it seems to hit full force.

I’d describe it as an old toxic friend, one you keep trying to ghost, but they never seem to let go of you. My depressive episodes linger in the background, waiting to try and take control of my life again. They are never wanted and they always seem to appear when I think I’m doing my best.

Spring at Loyola for me has forever been a reset. As soon as the ﬂowers bloom in Audubon and I get some sun, my faith in humanity or even in myself appears to be restored. I start putting more time into my academics as well as my social life. Spring is hopeful, it is rejuvenation, a chance to metaphorically start over. A chance to exhale.

While I felt that way at the beginning of March, I can’t say I feel that way right now. And that’s okay. If you’re feeling the same way, that’s okay too.

I’m pretty sure that I am experiencing what some would call the begrudged “Sophomore Slump.” I bit o way more than I could chew at the beginning of the year–even the semester, and now I’m paying the price. My connections with friends and roommates is dwindling. I’m skipping class more than I ought to. My creativity is at an all time low. I can’t bring myself to care about anything at all, and saying it out loud or even writing it out is terrifying. So what can I do to ﬁx it? If you feel similarly, what can you do?

Starting small or taking baby steps means to prioritize mental health–physical health, too–above anything else. Remember it’s your ﬁrst time living. Treat yourself gently. Maintain boundaries with yourself and others: for example, if you don’t feel like going out, don’t do it. Stay in and have a self care night instead. Take an everything shower, watch your comfort show, order some food, and breathe.

Now, I don’t want to sound like your mother or your therapist, but hear me out because I’ve been down this road a thousand times before: try and implement some discipline in your routine. Having a routine has been proven by psychologists everywhere to aid your mental stability. If you’ve been struggling with missing classes or getting out of bed, try and reward yourself by getting a sweet treat or reading the book you’ve been planning to read after going to class. If you’ve completed an assignment, reward yourself in other small ways. Perhaps there’s something you’ve been wanting to buy for a while. Do it, why not? I’m talking low risk, high reward here.

I know this semester can be a lot. Time seems to move by faster than usual, and after Mardi Gras nobody wants to do anything. Be kind to yourself. Acknowledge you may not be in the

best headspace right now, but also acknowledge that you’ve been here before and you have the strength to get out of it. If spring is all about rejuvenation, remember to rejuvenate yourself ﬁrst, whatever that may look like.

Illustrations by Laura Welles

Illustrations by Kate Dalrymple

New Orleans in Bloom: promoting the city’s culture in the spring

Written by Lily Bordelon

The nationwide New Orleans hype noticeably dies down after the Mardi Gras season ends, but this doesn’t stop the locals from celebrating Spring in traditional ways. There are various events in the city that you can find around the nation like farmers markets, flea markets, and more, but in addition to these, the New Orleans area has its own novelties that turns Spring into something worth celebrating.

1. March Parades

Even though parades in New Orleans are mostly associated with Mardi Gras, they still continue after the fact. Whether it be because civilians want to celebrate the new season or simply because people don’t want the carnival fun to end just yet, the city continues to let parades roll throughout the month of March. Some of the most notable parades have recently rolled, like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and the Irish-Italian Parade. These parades, although mostly located in Metairie, show that the city’s fun hasn’t run out just yet.

2. Crawfish boils

Another well-loved staple of spring is crawfish season, which reaches its peak during this time of year due to the significant increase in mudbugs.

Families and friends host crawfish boils together, a tradition that recurs every year. Sophomore English major Nicole Mauke lives in Harahan and has experienced crawfish boils with family for the majority of her life.

“Crawfish boils are a good way to gather with your friends and family and enjoy some of the culture. You get to enjoy not only the food but also the music, drinks, and the spring weather,” Mauke said.

3. Festivals

Lastly, New Orleans hosts multiple festivals throughout the spring, which keeps excitement alive as citizens anticipate them. Some wellknown festivals include Tulane’s Book Fest, the French Film Fest, and Jazz Fest. All of these festivals narrate certain aspects of New Orleans in their own way, whether it be through representing the city’s francophone roots, listening to award-winning novelists give their anecdotes, or enjoying both popular and local music.

All of these traditions truly define what New Orleans is and how it blooms in tandem with the land, celebrating life and culture in its own unique way. Events like these are still going on, including Jazz Fest, which will take place from April 24 to May 4.

THE WORKS

Song of the Sea

Misdials of missing

The man in the sea

Abyss in the errors

Of submarine me

Afloat in the depths

Of my mariner’s eye

A sundry of notions

When I see him cry

Or dreaming of waters

With hazier hues

Or thinking of fire

For gasoline you

A place in the ocean

Was never much sought

Yet better than nothing

So was it I thought

But now I sit sunken

While still looking blue

And the man in the moon

Must wait for me too

Written and illustrated by Alondra Gonzalez

THE WORKS

The privilege of feeling

Written by Andrea Bardales

In today’s world, privilege is not a luxury. It is a necessity for survival. Society is far from peaceful, far from fair, and far from gentle, yet privilege still quietly decides who gets to breathe easier and who has to ﬁght just to exist. When we talk about privilege, we usually think of money, status, beauty, or love. But what if privilege is something much deeper than what we can see?

For me, the greatest privilege is the ability to feel fully and deeply. To feel happiness, anger, disgust, fear, and especially sadness. Because without sadness, happiness would mean nothing. If humans never felt pain, we would never understand joy. If we never cried, we would never know what it feels like to smile from the inside out.

Today, happiness feels complicated. It is no longer simple or natural. It is something people chase, perform, or pretend to have. And I wonder that if we never felt sad,then we would never know our limits. We would never learn our non negotiables. We would never know when to walk away. And most importantly, we would never truly understand love.

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 13 4 to 7 that love is patient and kind, that it does not envy or boast, that it always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. I believe this deeply. But love is not just a beautiful deﬁnition. It is a feeling that costs something. To love someone means to care so much that their pain becomes yours. It means carrying their worries in your chest. It means risking yourself.

And that is why love hurts.

Loving the wrong person will break you. It will leave you questioning your worth, your boundaries, and your heart. It will make you cry in silence and feel pain you did not know you were capable of feeling. But even that pain is a privilege. Because it means you were brave enough to love. It means you were alive enough to feel.

Failing is another privilege we rarely talk about. Failure hurts. It humbles you. It makes you feel small, embarrassed, and unsure of yourself. But failing is proof that you tried. It is proof that you took a risk instead of standing still. Without failure, there is no growth. Only comfort and fear disguised as safety.

Success without failure is shallow. It teaches nothing. But failure teaches resilience, patience, and self trust. It shows you what you are capable of surviving. Every success carries the quiet weight of past failures behind it, even if no one sees them. Being allowed to fail and still have the chance to get back up is a privilege not everyone is given.

Not everyone gets to fail. Not everyone gets to love. Not everyone gets to feel deeply.

Feeling deeply is not weakness. It is humanity. And in a world that constantly tries to numb us, silence us, or harden us, the ability to feel everything heartbreak, failure, love, and hope is one of the greatest privileges we have.

In a world that teaches us to numb ourselves to survive, the greatest privilege is still being able to feel and choosing not to let that feeling die.