M ACE & CROWN SPRING 2019
EST. 1930
THE FASHION ISSUE 1999 MEETS 2019
old dominion university student magazine
ED ITO RI AL B OARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Brooke Nicholson
FRONT COVER + CONTENTS PHOTO
COPY EDITOR James Finney
Brandon Drayton Jaylin Jones Mikey Turner Lauryn Taylor
NEWS EDITOR Natalie Hockaday
CONTRIBUTING MODELS
A & E EDITOR Fatima Rivera TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Kyle Winfield SPORTS EDITOR Siera Goard PHOTO EDITOR Tayla Mallory DIGITAL EDITOR Kieran Rundle SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Brandon Harrell SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Christiana Potts DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Sean Fitzpatrick
Mikey Turner Lauryn Taylor Paula Phounsavath Jaylin Jones Jade Hooper Jorge Zamudio Kiana Hancock CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Gabriella Bishop Paula Phounsavath Pettie Perkins Connor Simpson D’Onna Coleman Paryn Masters Kaitlyn Justice Freddi Gambo Kaylani Williams CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Brandon Drayton Jorge Zamudio Sabrina Hall Kayleigh Marie Stiles Bruce Butler III
Mace & Crown is a student-run magazine written and published for the students of ODU. Originally founded in 1930 as The High Hat, the paper became The Mace and Crown in 1961. Mace & Crown is primarily a self-supporting magazine, maintaining journalistic independence from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate magazine are those of the author, not of the university, Mace & Crown or the editors.
CONTENTS SPRING 2019, ISSUE 7
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
4 1999 Meets 2019 8 ODU Graduate Profile: Kelsea Miller 15 Summer ‘Dos
NEWS
14 Making a Statement 26 Who Said ODU Doesn’t Have Fashion? 28 The Hottest Summer Events
SPORTS
29 Redemption 30 ODU Goes Dancing 32 The Come Up
TECHNOLOGY
34 ODU Spotlight: Sabrina Hall 36 What to Play in 2019 44 New Limbs, New Lease on Life
CREATIVE ENCLAVE
46 Another Cog in the Machine 48 Let Go 50 Challenges 52 Defense 54 Circle
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
1999 1999 2019 Photo by Jorge Zamudio
vs.
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FATIMA RIVERA
Photo by Sabrina Hall
Fashion has been a pillar for culture and creativity of many years. As it continues to change over time, some trends have had a lasting impact on people and others come full circle. However Campus Culture is different and what expectations and rules were implied in 1999 have changed for the better.
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Back in 1999:
Today in 2019:
Piercings- Body piercings started to emerge and were seen as a symbol of rebellion against parents. The most popular places were on the belly button and cartilage.
Nose piercings in the septum or nipples are a popular summer items as it now symbolizes empowerment and is an aesthetic to many people.
Baggy/Bell-Bottom jeans- the baggier the jeans the cooler you were. The denim industries boomed with these creations as they were paired with tank tops or airy shirts to give a laid back feeling.
Tattoos- As intimidating as it sounds, tattoos today are becoming acceptable in workplaces and in other areas. Small meaningful tattoos are the trend as its less painful and easier to cover up for places not accepted.
Chunky Shoes- Wedge Sandals, Wedges or anything with a block under your sole was in as it gave many an extra height and were considered comfortable for any occasion.
Streetwear- Originating from urban cities and subcultures. Streetwear combines casual and laid back clothes where fashion designers still can’t pinpoint or figure out accurately.
Psychedelic colors- Tie-Dye, fringe, and anything with a swirl of colors were popular among many and were normally combined with jeans or colorful leggings.
High waisted jeans- retro fashion made its place in 2019 as high waisted jeans are a go to for many people. In tight design it goes for a night out in town or become a casual choice on a warm day.
Metallic- Metallic was big among celebrities as they would wear it head to toe at movie premieres or award shows, making them stand out in the audience. Chunky highlights- While highlights are cute and can change someone’s face drastically, huge chunks of highlights were a rage as to not dye your whole head but give the illusion of it. Frosted tips (men)- When you hear of frosted tips the first thing that pops to mind is Guy Fieri. However a lot of men were behind this trend as frosted tips became a normal thing to get to blend in with the beach and summer time. Halter tops- the inward straps to around the neck became a phenomenon as it was paired with skirts, shorts and even made into dresses.
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Crop tops- whether its baggy or tight, crop tops have been popular among every gender and every occasion so far. Most are combined with high waisted leggings or jeans, while some pair it with skirts and long dresses depending on one’s fashion sense. Bike shorts- Once just for athletes, bike shorts are seen everywhere and is predicted to be a hot summer must have. Different colors have been made with a matching tube top and fit with a light jacket. Ombre hairstyle- A different way to express yourself. Instead of dying your whole head, making it seem like a bright color is part of your natural hair makes anyones face and outfit pop out and can be fixed quickly if there’s any change of mind.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
ODU GRADUATE
KELSEA MILLER
PLANS TO
MAKE
UP HER WAY TO THE
TOP GABRIELLA BISHOP Make-up: Kelsea Miller Model: Gabriella Bishop
Photos: Kayleigh Marie Stiles
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GROWING UP FAST Kelsea Miller has always grown up in the Hampton Roads area and was raised in an abusive household, with every kind of abuse imaginable. Her father was always on the road as a truck driver, but was an absolute nightmare whenever he was home. As for her mother, who was born with Aspergers, seemed to show little or no emotion towards her. Kelsea was realizing that her family was not the norm. She would go over to her friends’ houses and observe how their parents treated them and couldn’t understand why her parents didn’t act like that towards her. Kelsea began to realize she would never experience having a normal and healthy relationship with both parents. Her grandparents started to notice the unhealthy behavior of her household and started to take Kelsea under their wings. They put her in outside activities to keep her away from her parents and even paid to put her in a private preschool as a young child. Her grandparents taught her how to live and laugh instead of just surviving. She recalls one of her fondest memories with her grandfather:
nately she fell in the middle of it. Kelsea was beginning to feel used, she hated her life, and yearned to escape. Despite the hardships of her childhood she worked her way up in life. She graduated from Old Dominion University with a human services degree and worked multiple jobs during and after her college years that eventually landed her in the realm of make-up by taking a job with Sephora, even though she knew nothing about make-up. She worked her way through the company with great strides, an open mind, and ambition. The years working at Sephora lead to working at Blue Mercury, ultimately leading her to where she is now. All Kelsea knew at this time was that she loved creating art, but little did she know what the future had in store for her.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED As Kelsea was still working at Blue Mercury being a casual make-up artist, a whole new world was discovered. The Hampton Roads area hosts many events called Meetup for creatives to collaborate with each other. In this particular Meetup, three companies teamed up: Free People, Blue Mercury, and ColdPressed. Models, photographers, and make-up artists were specifically chosen to participate. One of the chosen make-up artists got sick, which offered Kelsea a chance to get her foot in the door. Kelsea took advantage of this opportunity and went to work. She completed makeovers for six models in only two hours. This was her first time ever doing make-up for a
“My grandfather used to take me to garage sales and grocery stores and teach me how to haggle! It was so funny and I actually convinced stores to let me buy products at lower prices. It was like going to DisneyLand when my grandfather took me out to do that. He saved my life” said Kelsea. Kelsea’s best friend and life line was her grandfather. Her grandfather became terminally ill with cancer and dementia. At times he would not know who she was or remember her name. On her tenth birthday, all she wanted was to go visit her grandfather. Even when she seemed like a stranger to him, he was never a stranger to her. To her surprise he looked over at her and said “Happy birthday Kelsea I love you”. She couldn’t believe her eyes or ears, it was the best birthday gift she had ever received. Three days later he passed away. Kelsea is convinced he pushed himself to stay alive just to tell her happy birthday and to say he loved her one last time. About a year after her grandfather’s passing, she was involved in a hit and run car accident requiring multiple ER visits. Her parents seemed to have little to no emotion to the situation, making Kelsea feel isolated and unloved. A couple years after the hit and run, Kelsea’s parents decided to get a divorce and unfortu-
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photoshoot. At the end of finishing all the models make-up, one of the creative directors, Kat Fritz, went to Kelsea and said, “I don’t know who the fuck you are, but I need you.” Kelsea could only look forward from here on out, she knew she this would only lead to a bigger picture and began chasing after it. As Kelsea was still working at Blue Mercury being a casual make -up artist a whole new world was discovered at her finger tips. If you know anything about the Hampton Roads arts with freelance modeling and photography there are events called Meetup for creatives to collaborate with each other. In this particular Meetup three companies teamed up: Free People, Blue Mercury, and ColdPressed. So how did Kelsea decide to just hop into photography? In Dec. 2018, she was in New York City and wanted to collaborate with some photographers and models, but all of her connections were already pre-brooked with other projects. Kelsea said, “Fuck it! I’m just going to buy my own camera and just take my own pictures!” She purchased her first camera in New York and completely fell in love with photography. Kelsea explained that “It came so natural, it brought out something new in me”.
WHAT’S KELSEA UP TO NOW? Kelsea has moved to Washington D.C. to be closer to New York City and to pursue her dreams in photography. She still does makeup, and she works for an agency in D.C. as a make-up artist. On the side, she is pursuing photography, and is constantly learning new secrets to improve her work. She is making a name for herself in these big cities, and I am so excited to see where the rest of her journey will take her! Kelsea specifically asked to give a HUGE thank you to the Hampton Roads artistic community. She states, “I wouldn’t be where I am without them”. Kelsea has shown others that if you have a dream, it is not impossible to achieve it. Instagram: @artistrybykelsea
“
I am here to make a legacy. I am finally learning what it means to be myself. I am realizing that I am not just a body taking up space. Life is for living, not surviving.
”
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Photo by Carol Suarez
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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SPR ING INTO THESE
SUMMER ‘DOS
PETTIE PERKINS
W
e discuss fashion in society like we’re trying to keep up with the Joneses, but we also see that the hairstyles of today have changed drastically from pixie cuts, ironed flat hair, extra hair spray, teased, chemicals and recently to more natural trends. The change in what we wear has governed what we do with our hair. Sometimes it is about a life changing event or sometimes we feel the need to be reinvented. As we remember the hairstyle timeline, let’s talk about what hairstyles are good for what fashion looks. The ever classic updo bun, with or without dangling, curly tresses is great for a red carpet run or an elegant evening on the town. It is also great for sleeveless or sun dresses.
For those of you who don’t know your hair type, here is a brief guide for what you may look for in figuring out your hair type: Type 1: Straight hair. Straight hair is often fine hair. It can easily get oily and shiny since the lack of curls in the hair means that the oil from the scalp goes all the way down the hair shaft faster than in curly hair. Type 1A hair is very straight and fine. Most common in Asian people. Type 1B hair is thicker – it is still very straight, but has medium texture so it has more volume. Hair that is type 1C is very thick and coarse, but still straight and shiny so it can be hard to make curls last.
The pixie cut is great for short hair and it is usually described as generally short on the back and sides and slightly longer bangs. Some shave their heads on the sides or even the back to provide more of a statement on the hairstyle.
T
The braid. There are so many different forms of braids these days and it seems that since one can add fake hair to their own, the braiding styles are almost infinite. Fishtail, straight backs, corn rows, plaits, French, boxed, Fulani, crochet, Goddess, Waterfall and Zipper braids name a few of the types of braids that there are. These braids can be immaculately done or messy depending upon the occasion. These can be worn to work, school, a night on the town or a wedding. They can even be incorporated into an updo.
Type 3 hair is definitely curly. These types of curls go straight when the hair is wet and then go back to being curly as it dries. It is easy to style and has clear springy curls. Type 3A hair is shiny and thick with defined curls. It can also get frizzy. Type 3B hair can also have a combination of hair textures and has tighter curls. Lists over hair types often skip type 3C hair, but it is a hair with very tight curls or kinks.
T
he long straight hair look is just classic. The part can be in the middle of the head to frame the face or one can wear a part on the side. It can be layered or just a blunt cut for the ends to bring the look to an abrupt stop. This is look goes from the house party to the board room to the red carpet then back to class. This style can be worn short or long and if it is layered in color, then watch out. The afro and natural hair have come back into style with no stigmas attached. The types of hair are now being talked about, so that women can recognize their curl pattern and learn how to wear their curls. The afro is now accepted on the red carpet and women are not ostracized or put down for being in their natural state.
ype 2 hair is naturally wavy, with more curl than some types of hair but less than others. It is usually thicker than the first category. Type 2A hair is wavy and can be fine and thin or a little coarser. It normally has s-shaped waves and is easy to style. Type 2B hair is wavy and medium thick. It can be frizzier. Type 2C hair is wavy, thick and coarse. It can get very frizzy and hard to style.
Type 4 hair is very curly or kinky hair. It is often very coarse, but in actuality, it is also sensitive and easily damaged. If type 4 hair is healthy, it should have some shine and elasticity to it. Type 4A hair is soft, with tight and well-defined curls. Hair that is type 4B is also soft and fragile, with very tight and less defined curls. Type 4C has such tight curls that it may not even look curly. Most days wigs are the fashionable pick up so a person can have short hair one day and long the next. It is just how the mood changes and who one feels like being on any given day. Hairstyles change quicker than clothing styles do, but the classic styles never, ever leave us, even if that means the hair has to be ironed and teased before one hits the streets.
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NEWS
From left to right: Lauryn Taylor, Mikey Turner, Paula Phounsavath and Jaylin Jones.
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MAKING A
STATEMENT Spring 2019 | 15
Natalie Hockaday Photos by Brandon Drayton There is more to fashion than just a nice outfit that sits perfectly on somebody. It is more than just the clothes people wear on a dayto-day basis without much thought. Fashion is art and it is political. It has given artists the freedom of expressing their ideas and perspective on the world and it allows the customers to do the same thing. “Fashion is the biggest form of expression you can use as a human. It represents how you are as a person and how you feel each and every day,” said Mikey Turner. Take for instance decade of the 20s; women were just starting to expose more of themselves because before then they were not allowed to show skin past their ankles. This bold move was the start of women’s liberation to have control of their own bodies. Then came the 50s and 60s where women started wearing two-piece swimwear and the ‘bikini’ made its debut. This changed the entire mindset of what it meant to be modest. It then became socially acceptable to be half-naked outside of the home because it was seen in a different context. “Politically, clothes can prove a statement through culture. Such as the feminist movement, women wear pink (ex. the pussyhat or pussybow blouse) to show a political statement towards men that are degrading or being sexist towards women, especially in this era of female empowerment. I think what really starts a political statement through clothing is by a specific movement or revolution, people have to make a statement or something that their known for through clothing,” said Paula Phounsavath. However, a bikini making its way into mainstream societal acceptance was not the only uproar that fashion caused. During the times of World Wars people had to conserve as much resources as they possibly could and that meant preserving fabric as well. Most men during that era wore the same type of suits that did not have many elaborate aspects to it. With this came the Zoot Suit, where men of color wore elaborate suits of all kinds of color, patterns, buttons and pockets. This became an uproar and riots broke out because of it. Now we have people like Colin Kaepernick who had a sponsorship with Nike after he was released from the NFL during the time he was taking a knee during the National Anthem. Due to the en-
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dorsement, tons of people wanted to rebel against Nike by burning their shoes and any gear they had of the brand. Despite all of this Nike did not take a great loss because people were damaging products that had already been purchased. Fashion can have its downsides with brands not realizing the harm that their products have on different cultures. For example, H&M released a sweatshirt that said “coolest monkey in the jungle” while having an African American child wearing it. Given the historical background and racially charged statements of the Black community being referred to as monkeys, the public did not take this ad very well. It created a strike where people started distance themselves from buying from the company and while also making a national outrage. The fashion industry has so much influence on culture, yet it is very interesting how culturally unaware it can be. Recently Gucci, an Italian brand, released a black turtleneck sweater that overlaps onto the model’s face (who also happens
(or herstory, however preferred) yet there was always something about her pantsuits that people could not avoid to joke on. It was not just about the suit, it was also about the woman in the suit. The point that is being made is that there is a direct correlation between gender roles and how people distinguish them with the way they dress. All political opinion aside, one of the most popular of the suits was the red suit; it was bold, and it made a statement. Typically, in politics people tend to stay in safe colors and patterns because politics does not usually talk about issues regarding the newest trend for the next spring collection of some random brand, however thus far, in this new age political climate, women have been straying away from being taken serious like a man would and moved more towards being taken seriously as woman and demanding the same respect that a man receives. However, it was not only women who made a strive for making change in their fashion choices for politics. Former President Barack Obama switched up the typical presidential style.
“Fashion is my personal shield to the world because no one can take away your creativity or what you believe in.” -Jaylin Jones to be White) with big red lips covering the mouth. This received a backlash because it resembled blackface which was a heavy racist practice that was used in minstrel shows. Not all that is political and in fashion is taking a setback in progressing towards social and cultural awareness, however, in order to praise when it does its job correctly, there has to be a critic for when it goes horribly wrong.
“Clothes being political is the oldest trick in the book. As the most iconic president Barack Obama wore a tan suit, many Americans were upset at the choice he made. Personally, he put a modern twist not only on the presidential role but [also] the way presidents are “supposed” to dress. Barack Obama made a statement and stood for change,” said Mikey Turner.
“I believe in some variations of the media I can relate to how fashion is portrayed now, however my fashion inspiration comes from my personal beliefs and ideas. Fashion doesn’t have a certain look because it’s what you make it. Fashion is my personal shield to the world because no one can take away your creativity or what you believe in,” said Jaylin Jones.
This falls into the recent State of the Union address where democratic women of congress wore all white as a tribute to women’s suffrage. This was during the time where our country was in the middle of a government shutdown. Some of these instances have used fashion elements to make a stand politically to showcase an effort of resilience and protest.
During the 2016 Presidential Election the United States saw its first female nomination from a major party. This alone was history
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“What one wears, how one wears it and when one wears it shows a lot in the political world, especially if someone is on a high caliber. From words written across a piece of clothing to strong symbols fashion can definitely be a political statement in a huge way.�
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“My style is crazy dope. I enjoy combining aspects that usually don’t work together and then putting my twist on it. I just know what looks good together, that simple.”
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“Fashion to me is expressing your personality through clothing, as cliche as it sounds, it really is true. It’s important for me as a model because I am expressing an idea or a concept through fashion. Whether if I’m wearing sweatpants or a blazer or even a fitted dress. Those are really proving my personality in some aspect.”
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NEWS
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“Fashion to me is a way for me to express myself through clothes. Fashion is a gateway for me to be heard without saying actual words. It’s a physical representation of who I am and who I was.”
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NEWS
WHO SAID ODU DOESN’T HAVE
FASHION? gabriella bishop
Old Dominion University has always had a strong reputation in engineering, math, and science. What is most misunderstood of our college is our strong fashion and arts department. It’s as if our fashion world is hidden here at ODU. We fashion students are most definitely the underdogs and are ready to roar. The first misconception about ODU’s fashion program is understanding that it is not a designed based program. It focuses on the merchandising, advertising, marketing, buying/selling of the fashion industry and much more. Although, the fashion department does offer classes in costume and design, along with textile classes, advertising, the fashion industry, and even offer a class on the sociological aspects of fashion. Which is a whole class dedicated to studying the main question, “Why people wear what they wear?”. The fashion classes at ODU are not so much as sitting and writing notes for a whole period; they tend to be very hands on, discussion based, and project oriented. A day in a fashion class at ODU would typically start with a conversation of the latest news, trends, or people in the fashion industry. As many people fail to realize, fashion has a strong correlation to politics. As a fashion merchandising minor myself, I find discussions in class to be very politically driven in whatever collection, designer, or product we are talking about. A couple of months ago Gucci released a sweater that caused a lot of racial tension. It was a black, long sleeved, extra long turtle-neck that just happened to stretch all the way under the nose with a mouth opening. They released this particular product during Black History Month which contributed to even more of the racial tensions throughout the world. Not the smartest move by Gucci. The fashion merchandising program offers lots of amazing traveling and studying abroad opportunities to the fashion capitals of the world. Every year students are offered to go one of the biggest marketing events in the world called MAGIC in Las Vegas. I personally have never been to one yet, but I hear it is filled with knowledge about marketing, creating connections, and exploring the fashion merchandising world. The fashion department at ODU also makes efforts
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to take week long trips to New York City and explore the city. The students get the privilege to visit big designer stores, attend a live television show, visit major land marks of NYC, and of course shopping. Make sure you save your pennies before you go! The fashion education at ODU also offers many studying abroad options. Throughout the years the fashion majors and minors have been to Hong Kong, Paris, Korea, and coming up summer of 2019 they are hoping to travel to Italy. Within all these fashion trips students do receive college credits by having projects to complete during and after the trips. With every trip they take the students don’t just grow educationally; they develop a greater sense of who they are as a person by opening up to new cultures and connections. Being a fashion student at Old Dominion University will lead to many connections and will open up countless opportunities to help develop knowledge for the fashion industry. The professors in the fashion department are very involved in each students’ lives and work endlessly to help support them in achieving their life-long dreams. The professors understand the cut-throat world of the fashion industry and are constantly checking in with their students, informing them of job/ traveling opportunities, and respect the ideas and dreams of each and every student. The fashion department as a whole is one massive support system and always respect everybody’s ideas, ambitions, and motives. In order to bring more attention to the fashion department at Old Dominion University there has become a movement to change this hidden fashion world. A handful of fashion students, including myself at ODU have decided to team up and develop a fashion association/club on campus. The first main goal is to spread awareness of ODU’s fashion department across the community. The fashion students at Old Dominion are tired of hearing the question “ODU has fashion?” It is time to stop hiding behind the curtains and let our fashion voices be heard!
Photo provided by Gabriella Bishop
Display at the Magic Las Vegas marketing event, 2018.
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E R V E E M N M T U S S APRIL SOMETHING IN THE WATER Virginia Beach, April 26 – 28
MAY FALLING IN REVERSE The Norva, May 8 FM99 LUNATIC LUAU 2019 Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, May 17 TIDEWATER COMICON 2019 Virginia Beach Convention Center, May 18 – 19 VIRGINIA BEACH PATRIOTIC FESTIVAL 2019 5th Street Beach Stage, Virginia Beach, May 31
JUNE TECH N9NE Elevation 27, Virginia Beach, June 12 RASCAL FLATTS Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, June 29
JULY SUBLIME WITH ROME AND SOJA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, Virginia Beach, July 18 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater, July 25 28 | maceandcrown.com
Courtesy Conference USA
SPORTS
REDEMPTION
THE GROWTH WITHIN ODU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
SIERA GOARD
D
uring the 2018-19 season the Lady Monarchs were overall successful with their wins and also their accomplishments. The Lady Monarchs are coached by Nikki McCray-Penson who is a former WNBA player and has brought more determination than before to the ODU Women’s Basketball program.
Courtesy Conference USA
The Lady Monarchs roster is in-fact fairly young holding 6 freshmen, 3 sophomores, 4 juniors and only 1 senior. The team proceeded to the C-USA tournament located in Frisco, Texas, this past March. Beginning the tournament the ladies were up against Florida Atlantic who they met and beat prior during the regular season. ODU defeated Florida Atlantic once again to proceed in the C-USA tournament with a 60-32 win. In order for the Lady Monarchs to reach the conference championship they had to face Western Kentucky who beat ODU prior during the regular season 75-60. Unfortunately the Monarchs fell short to WKU 60-74. Overall the team went 21-11 while holding a 10-6 record in C-USA. The Ladies defeated rival VCU in a close 60-57 game along with Norfolk State 69-53. ODU’s Women’s Basketball team will be returning majority of their players and are prepared and determined to grow towards the upcoming 2019-20 season.
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SPORTS
ODU GOES
All Photos by Bruce Butler III
DANCING
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CONNOR SIMPSON IT’S SAFE TO SAY that after capturing the C-USA Champion-
ship and entering the NCAA Tournament, the 2018-2019 basketball season is by far the best season in Monarch Basketball history. From beginning to end, it was a roller coaster of emotions for a multitude of reasons. The most talked about occurrence centers around head coach Jeff Jones. Back in early September, it was revealed that his prostate cancer had returned. The announcement sent shock waves throughout the ODU Community, affecting athletes, students and fans alike. Despite his battles against the disease, Coach Jones remained on the sidelines and led the Monarch basketball team to a 26-9 regular season record. Notable wins this year included a 67-44 victory over Navy and a 68-62 upset over Syracuse. The Monarchs also won their matchup against state rival VCU and defeated conference rival Western Kentucky twice during the regular season. The postseason would see more success for Coach Jones. He was named C-USA and NABC District 11 Coach of the Year. He would lead the Monarchs to close wins over Louisiana Tech and UAB before finally conquering Western Kentucky once again to claim the C-USA Championship and secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The cameras were focused on his emotional reactions as the announcer broadcasted his story to viewers at home. The Monarchs would fall short to Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Of course, the players also deserve their credit. There was a wide range of talent on the roster with players ranging from freshmen all the way to seniors. Perhaps the most valuable player to the team this season was senior guard B.J. Stith. Stith was the main scorer for the Monarchs and was named C-USA player of the year. He was also invited to play in the PIT tournament. Fellow senior point guard Ahmad Caver proved to be a valuable asset to the team. His passing, court vision, and scoring allowed for the Monarchs to have a dynamic offense. Both Caver and Stith received the following accolades: NABC All-District First Team, 3x3U National Championship invitees, and Reese’s College East All-Stars. Junior forward Aaron Carver proved to be a beneficial piece for the Monarchs on the defensive end of the court. An excellent rebounder, he ensured that the Monarchs got many put-backs or second chance opportunities.
HE WAS ALSO NAMED THE C-USA All-Academic Champion.
Rising sophomore guard Xavier Green rose to the occasion in the Monarch’s postseason. He hit an and-one layup in the semifinals against UAB to send the team to the championship game. He led the team in scoring during the championship game with 16 points, including numerous 3 pointers that allowed the Monarchs to pull away from Western Kentucky. It was certainly a season of success for Old Dominion University and the Monarchs. The team proved that despite setbacks on and off the court, they were united as one and overcame many obstacles along the path of becoming C-USA champions. It will be interesting to see what next season has in store for Coach Jones and the men’s basketball team.
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SPORTS
THE
COME UP AN INTERVIEW WITH C-USA MVP
All Photos by Bruce Butler III
XAVIER GREEN
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Siera Goard
S
ince moving from Sarasota, Fla., to Williamsburg, Va in the eighth grade, Xavier Green has definitely made a name for himself on the court and within the Old Dominion community. Green started playing basketball at a young age getting his experience through youth rec games and quickly fell in love with the game. Green’s mother made the decision to move from Florida due to the lack of job opportunities. “We struggled a little bit but my mom got it done and I ended up going to private school.” Xavier attended Williamsburg Christian Academy where we had a successful career in their basketball program and was awarded Virginia DIII Player of the Year his senior year. Old Dominion was in luck when Green decided to commit to the University for basketball. “I wanted my mom to be able to see me play and ODU seemed to be a family based program so it was a great fit.” While redshirted his first season at ODU, Green expresses how much he learned from his older teammates and how they helped contribute to his game. “I learned a lot from the older guys, my first year on the court I was sixth man and won most improved player of the
year. Along with receiving the Team’s Cal Bowdler Most Improved Player Award he was also named to Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll for having a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or higher for the academic year. Green is clearly an exceptional example of a student-athlete.
T
he Old Dominion Basketball Team had an overall successful season with an exciting 68-62 win over Syracuse along with beating rival VCU 62-52. ODU’s record was 26-9 overall and 13-5 in C-USA. Green contributed heavily for his team throughout the C-USA tournament. ODU played Western Kentucky for the conference title on March 31. In that game, Green scored 16 of the teams 62 points. Xavier stated that his experience with the season was not always easy. “This past year, I had a lot of ups and downs but I finished out strong winning my first conference championship along with MVP of the tournament and a NCAA bid.” Motivation for Green is of course, his passion for basketball and being the best player he can for the game. “I always wanted this to be my profession as a kid and growing up I was always excluded, so that pushes me every day to prove the doubters wrong.” Green will be returning for his junior season here at ODU as the Community and fans hoped.
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Photo provided by ACM-W
TECHNOLOGY
ODU Spotlight:
SABRINA HALL PAULA PHOUNSAVATH
in web development, UX/UI design and digital marketing.
Sabrina Hall is a young woman of many words and occupations in technology. She’s graduating in May as an Information Technology major here at ODU. She was an intern at Canon and she is also a new freelance portrait and fashion photographer. In addition to Hall’s other talents, she’s also known as the President of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Council on Women at ODU’s chapter.
Being involved in school and aligning with her major, Hall is the second President of the Association for Computing Machinery’s Council on Women, or for short, ACM-W. ACM-W was founded over 15 years ago and is a student organization on campus that supports women interested in the computing or technology field.
HALL WAS EXPOSED TO THE WORLD of technology by her father as a child. She says, “My dad was always known as my family’s ‘tech guy’ or ‘fix-it guy,’ so naturally, I chose to major in I.T.” As an I.T. major, Hall has been opened to numerous aspects of technology. From marketing to business analytics, she has then developed strong interests
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ACM-W is actually a part of a larger organization called the Association for Computing Machinery. Their mission is to, “Support, celebrate and advocate internationally for the full engagement of women in all aspects of the computing field.” According to Hall, she also included, “All majors are welcome to join. As part of a global organization, we hold professional, educational and social events on campus in
hopes of creating a central space for women to foster relationships and share their experiences in computing. She also stated the time and place of the meetings, “We typically hold meetings/workshops twice a month (every other Tuesday) and take off-campus trips to hackathons.” ALTHOUGH ACM-W PROVIDES women with generous knowledge and networking opportunities, the field of technology still faces a lack of diversity. According to the National Center for Women and Information Technology, a recent statistic shown that about 26% of computing jobs are held by women. Of that 26 percentage, 5 percent are Asians, 3 percent are Black and only 1 percent are Hispanic. Hall, being a mix of Filipino-Black heritage commented, “Companies need to make an intentional decision to hire and retain more
women and people of color.” She also included, “Working with people from different backgrounds will lead to more diverse perspectives and ways to solve problems.”
Hall then bought her first DSLR camera. She started out, “Practicing my skills by taking pictures of ACM-W’s events. It wasn’t until December of last year that I started working with models,” She also includes, “I absolutely love working with other people. There’s so many different expressions and shapes that can be captured.” WHEN ASKED ABOUT DOING photography after graduating, Hall said, “Absolutely. Photography is a creative outlet for me, and I love having my own unique space on Instagram dedicated just for my art. ” She included, “If I decide to stay in the area after graduation, I’d want to start taking on clients for graduation/senior photos, portraits and lifestyle photography. Though, I’m currently enjoying learning more about editorial/fashion photography.”
Photo by Sabrina Hall
Aside from the hustle of the technological field, Hall is a newly freelance photographer. She first got into photography while doing a summer internship as an I.T. at Canon. While at the internship, Canon gave the interns many tasks and activities to do, ranging from taking trips to other Canon sites to having photography contests.
Hall mostly looks up to tech-savvy people such as Jessica O. Matthews, Mayuko Inoue and Jarvis Johnson because of their careers in technology. Her advice to girls who are interested in the field of technology is to look at available resources around them such as #BUILTBYGIRLS is a part of, WAVE, a mentorship program for women who are interested in the field.
Right: Model photography done by Hall.
Photo by Sabrina Hall
Hall’s remaining advice would be remembering to, “Never count yourself out. It’s so easy for us to say we can’t do something be it seems hard at first or because we don’t see anyone that looks like us interested in the same thing. Keep on practicing and never stop learning.”
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TECHNOLOGY
Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding, release date pending.
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What to play in
2019 When a trailer is shown for a new, upcoming game, sometimes players have to make a crucial choice. What is shown before the game comes out will
heavily influence a consumers choice to either buy the game, or simply ignore it. Many times players have been sold on the idea of a fantastic game through it’s trailers and other forms of advertising displays, but sometimes (maybe more often now than ever) the final product isn’t what it’s made out to be, even if the developer spent months pushing it to appeal to consumers leading up to its release. There is the rare occasion that a trailer is released for a game that looks so good, it’s practically made up players’ minds for them. 2019 has already had some of the biggest titles of recent years released (e.g. “Kingdom Hearts” and “Anthem”), but we’re focusing on the games speculated to come out in the near future that have players actually excited to play them.
BROOKE NICHOLSON
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DEATH STRANDING KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS
H
ideo Kojima never fails to produce fantastic video games - and even after his rough departure from long-time partner Konami, Kojima doesn’t plan on slowing down, and his upcoming title “Death Stranding” will prove just that. After pairing up with Norman Reedus and infamous horror director Guillermo Del-Torro, Kojima set out to create one of the worlds scariest video games. Out came “P.T.,” a free horror game that pops up out of nowhere on the Playstation store in the fall of 2014. Players eagerly downloaded it to see what the hyper-realistic game had to offer, and people quickly began to realize that the game had more than they could handle. The graphics were unlike any other game at the time, the game set a tension-filled atmosphere that brought chills down your spine, came dripping in clues about a family, gruesomely tortured by their husband and father, but came with the catch of being incredibly difficult to beat. For the lucky few who managed to stumble their way to the end, they were greeted with a full-fledged ingame Norman Reedus, revealing that the trailer the fan just played was in fact made to reveal the new “Silent Hills” game coming out. Unfortunately, in April of 2015, the game was pulled from the Playstation store after Kojima split with Konami. This left a bitter taste in fans’ mouth, and felt extremely disappointed that one of the best horror games of this generation was just as quickly taken away from them as it was given. Fast forward to Dec. 2015, when Kojima announced he had partnered with Sony Interactive Entertainment, and formed his own independent studio, Kojima Productions. With Kojima’s own video game company meant more creative freedom and direction he could willingly choose to go in. At E3’s press conference in 2016, fans were shocked to be given a first look at what Kojima had been
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cooking up since his departure from Konami, and confusion was an understatement. The trailer featured a familiar face as the main protagonist; a Guillermo Del-Torro look-alike cradling a baby in what seems to be an apocalyptic, futuristic world, and running for cover underneath of a stone bridge. The camera follows the water flowing under the bridge that eventually leads to what is presumably the plots main antagonist, which is revealed to be Mads Mikkelsen. Fans’ first reactions appeared torn between confused at what the storyline’s plot is actually supposed to be, and utter amazement at the quality of the graphics. The trailer was nominated in the 2016 Joystick Awards for “Most Wanted Game,” but in the end lost to “The Last of Us Part II”. The trailer has been viewed more than 5 million times. Even though the first trailer might’ve seemed weird and a bit out of the normal element, it fits Kojima’s style of games to a T; with a heap of easter eggs strewn throughout. Kojima has released three more trailers of “Death Stranding” since then, and although there is no official release date scheduled for the game yet, things seem to be gearing up towards a 2019 release. The game is set to be released on the Playstation 4.
“What’s more, the interactive nature of video games means that this new experience will be deeper than movies or other media could hope to offer.”
-HIDEO KOJIMA
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4
the outer worlds OBSIDIAN PRODUCTIONS
“What’s good for the corporation is good for the workers, and even good for the humanity... There is no greater good than serving the corporation.” -leonard boyarsky
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D
oes “Fallout: New Vegas” come to mind when you hear the name Obsidian?
Although fans of the infamous “Fallout” series were hoping that Bethesda would eventually pair up with Obsidian to bring to life another installment, but Obsidian had other plans. Gamers haven’t heard much from the video game developer for a while, but during the 2018 Game Awards, a trailer for a game called “The Outer Worlds” was broadcasted to millions of viewers watching at the time. The trailer displayed a colorful planet anchored somewhere in the galaxy, with characters that resemble those you’d expect to see in the world of “Borderlands” walking around a technologically advanced city. The narrator, an old scientist that rescues you from the pod you landed in, telling you that the corporations have taken the planet and have marketed it excessively to those living on it. You must decide if you want to try and defeat the corporation that has taken over, or join them. The trailer has since reached around 10 million views.
the main protagonist the gamer plays as. Although this decision is rare, it certainly isn’t new, as the main protagonist from the “DOOM” series, Doomguy, doesn’t speak a word throughout any of the games. Don’t expect this game to be “Fallout: New Vegas” 2.0, because it simply won’t be. Gathered from the details we have so far, Obsidian has managed to take elements of inspiration from all kinds of triple A titles (and even ‘New Vegas’) and has completely made something they can call their own. “The Outer Worlds” will be available on the Xbox One, PS4 and Steam.
From the trailer we get that the game will be a single-player RPG, with NPC’s floating around that you’re able to recruit, as you wander around the unusually beautiful, foreign planet. New and interesting details about “The Outer Worlds” come out seemingly every week. It was later revealed that the game had been in development since late 2016, and is the first of their most recent published titles to be announced. Leonard Boyarsky and Tim Cain, the game’s directors as well as the original creators of the “Fallout” series, describes the game as a mix between Tim’s humor and Leonard’s dark morbidity. With almost every triple A game title on the market today, thousands of hours of dialogue has been recorded in order to bring each of the games’ characters to life. Not for “The Outer Worlds”, with the decision to skip any and all dialogue for
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\ DOOM: ETERNAL
\ID SOFTWARE
A
classic series that has been around for years is back - and better than ever, with the latest installment, “DOOM Eternal.” It was a bit of a surprise to fans when “DOOM 4” hit store shelves in 2016, that it had actually turned out really good, just because of the idea that more
games in a series, equals poorer experiences, but that didn’t seem to be the case this time. Bethesda hit the E3 stage in 2018 with a slew of big announcements that had everyone on the edge of their seats, with the reveal of “DOOM Eternal” being one of them. The trailer opened up to reveal a dismembered Earth, ravaged from the destruction of various demons that have invaded the home planet. And in classic “DOOM” fashion, the familiar heavy metal soundtrack accompanied the entrance of none other than Doomguy himself, ready to slay everything in his wake. Fans satisfied their hunger for more “DOOM” when official gameplay was shown for the new game at Bethesda’s QuakeCon later on in the same year. Of course, it was no shock to fans to see the always quiet, yet always furious Doomguy back in a slightly different garb than the one he sported in 2016’s “DOOM.” The game play came with no surprises, just hope, that this game meant bigger demons call for bigger guns and weapons, and Bethesda showed just that. Although we don’t know much about the plot, we don’t really need to. The trailer gives us enough details to know that Earth is in trouble, and Doomguy is there to stop it. “DOOM Eternal” will be available on the Xbox One, Playstation 4, Steam, and Bethesda.net.
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“Remember, ‘demon’ can be an offensive term. Refer to them as ‘mortally challenged’”. -spoken in game
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TECHNOLOGY
NEW L IMBS,
NEW LEASE ON LIFE
Photo by DARPA
D’ONNA COLEMAN
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PROSTHETICS IS THE EVALUATION , fabrication, and
thetics for animals was considered “unimaginable,” but it happened and the industry continues to produce prosthetics for animals.
Dating back to ancient times prosthetics have always been used. It has been referenced in ancient literature linking it to artifacts found.
Teddy, a Boston Terrier was just 10 weeks old when he was surrendered to Boston Terrier Rescue of North Carolina, which is an organization that fosters Boston terriers who may have been abandoned or surrendered.
custom fitting of artificial limbs, known as “prostheses.”
These artifacts go as far back as Ancient Egypt. Moving to more recent times, in the Dark Ages there were special people to handcraft iron limbs. In many cases, armor clad knights had prosthetics because it was seen as embarrassing to have such a “deformity” as they called it. Going along with prosthetics would be amputation, which became a more popular option in addition to prosthetics when Dutch doctor Pieter Verduyn created a lower leg prosthetic and a leather strap to keep it attached in the 1690’s. In 1812 a prosthetic arm that was controlled by the opposite shoulder was made and successfully used. Later on the discovery and use of anesthesia in the 1840’s made procedures safer and less stressful. This then helped them further research how to safely and effectively execute their surgeries. Also at this time the use of more sterile environments and tools were used making surgeries like amputations much more successful and the need for prosthetics increased. In 1945 an American government agency, The National Academy of Sciences made a program called the Artificial Limb Program in response to all of the soldiers losing limbs in World War II. Since then, many more advancements have been made such as prosthetics made by computers, prosthetics made by 3D printers, prosthetics made for animals, new surgical techniques to make the prosthetics more functional, etc.
IN THE BEGINNING PROSTHETICS were made of metals
and woods, since then civilization has advanced and found a multitude of ways to make prosthetics. Now computers and 3D printers are often used to make the limbs.
Teddy was a unique case because he was missing his front paws and back toes, which made moving for him fairly difficult. To help North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh made special prosthetic feet for him to enable him to walk. A more famous case would be the baby dolphin case, where a dolphin, Winter, had to have her tail amputated. In December of 2005, Winter, a three-month-old bottlenose dolphin was found caught in ropes from a crab trap. Luckily for Winter, a fisherman heard her crying and was able to untangle her from the ropes that were wrapped tightly around her mouth and tail.
A RESCUE TEAM CAME TO HELP and she was taken to the Florida Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA). There she was nursed back to health after the traumatic event, but sadly even with all the help of the staff at CMA Winter still lost her tail due the the damage done by the ropes. But once again luckily for her within 18 months she had a new prosthetic tail.
Prosthetics have been around since the early civilizations existence. They starting off using various metals and wood to make them functional to present day, now using carbon products and various plastics to make them look realistic and functional while still being durable! Moving on to making animal prosthetics and making animals with disabilities lives a little easier. The history of prosthetics is most definitely one for the books!
Not only are they cost efficient, they are lightweight, customizable by color, and style. They are also considered to be more eco friendly seeing as they are made from an internal structure called a pylon that is composed of a lightweight materials such as titanium, aluminum, or carbon fiber whereas traditional prosthetics are made of polypropylene, polyethylene, acrylics, and polyurethane. Prosthetics for humans was seen as an incredible feat, but creating pros-
Photo by Clearwater Marine Aquarium
There have been many hardships to get to this point of fully functioning and realistic looking prosthetics that are durable. As expected traditional prosthetics, are very expensive ranging from $1,500 to $8,000. However, 3D printed prosthetics are printed at as low as $50!
Winter the dolphin, with her prosthetic tail.
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CREATIVE ENCLAVE
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ANOTHER COG IN THE MACHINE PARYN MASTERS
Seeing the world through jaded eyes Green orbs observing unnatural light and forced interactions, Picking apart the theatrics of everyday life. We perform for one another, feigning interest and intrigue Carefully stringing together sentences so seemingly sincere Thwarting suspicion from peers, Silence is the ultimate killer. Memorize the golden rules of civility and strict social norms Keep each other in check to stay in line Going, going, always going Never stopping to question motives, Never wondering why we do this dance Of upturned smiles and baring teeth into forced grins. Striding feet and shaking hands Attempting to grasp for something better A generation stifled without even knowing Suffering without ever showing Trying to convince each other we’re growing Chasing the paper and liquor poured down thirsty throats Desperate to subdue the endless nagging of unfulfilled ideals Ravenous for individuality and importance Living for the weekend and sweeter sensations Knowing each step forward pushes up back Like thundering tidal waves knocking air from gasping lungs Going through the motions and planning an elaborate escape Imagining a day without the looming shadow of productivity Lingering in every frame of focus. Can one ever be valid in the eyes of the world If they live on their own accord, and not for profit? The booming voices of prophets blare through loudspeakers Preaching to the masses the American Dream™ Of building a life in a loveless institution Make the bread or make your bed and die in it Go to school go to work go to sleep Unshakable mantras filling empty minds, Drowning out our instincts. Let’s live another day for ourselves And take those neglected feelings off the shelf Weaponize them before the willpower wanes, Fake it until we feel alive once again, Or face the threat of sinking into oblivion, Another faceless soul lost in time.
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LET GO
KAITLYN JUSTICE “Maybe you're desperate for love. Always have been in your life. But you've been distrustful of people. Is there anything about them that scares us, that's dangerous, that's gonna hurt us? Because a lot of people are frightened to death of love.“ - Marlon Brando I think people will always be subconsciously afraid of love. It takes a special amount of vulnerability to accept love and give it back. But what reason do you have not to be vulnerable? And when I say this, I mean complete vulnerability, not just for love. Of course there’s the fear of rejection, dishonesty, heartbreak and so much more, but you’re telling me that you can’t learn to cope through these things? There are so many beautiful emotions and experiences to be had in life. I think the theme of this post is to let go. Let go of expectations and fears and experience bliss. Find bliss through experiences and different people. There are so many different things to experience and people to meet in your lifetime, why spend time searching for one thing? Don’t search, just live. By becoming more vulnerable, I have already noticed a big shift in my life. I'm manifesting all of the different things I want in life just by speaking on it, about it. I have certain goals in my life that I know I will meet because I say I will. I have certain people in my life right now just because I enjoy having them in it. I think it's good to have life plans, goals, and dreams. But don't make them too solid. When you make your goals too solid, you become trapped within them. You almost get tunnel vision. Go through life accepting any and every new venture that appeals to you. You can do this by still working towards a goal. Broadening your horizons will make you overall, more well-rounded, experienced. Just let go of all of the boundaries, expectations, and roles. Learning to enjoy every aspect in life and accept them as signs and/or learning experiences is so much more fulfilling. Think of any goal you have right now, any person you can't stop thinking about, any negative situation you're stuck in, reflect on it. Think about why things appeal or bother you. Can you shift your perspective on it? Of course you can, you can shift your perspective on absolutely everything. Find bliss and learn to let go of the things that seem most important to you. Weigh everything at the same amount. What makes you happy and what makes you sad should be valued at the same. When you figure out how to take things lightly no matter the real significance, everything makes more sense. Let go and just live, be here in this time.
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Spring 2019 | 49
Photo by Etty Fidele
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CHALLENGES FREDDI GAMBO
CHALLENGE THE CHALLENGES THAT CHALLENGE YOU Do not fool yourself! It comes bigger and better! Be ready to face it. The storms of the world are inevitable. It is never going to be easy but you have to be ready. You have to keep moving forward. You must have your armor of strength worn at all times. This is because challenges will always present itself to be like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour. The path to success is not going to be easy. Life isn’t going to smile with you. But remember that you have the choice to let defeat either challenge you, defeat you, or strengthen you. The road to success isn’t going to be straight at all times, but you have to keep moving forward. You will get discouraged by people who will criticize you and laugh at your failures. But believe me, when you fall and stumble, it’s a stepping stone for you to climb the mountain. There won’t be an existence of beautiful houses if we considered the dirt used in its creation, neither would there be an existence of beautiful ceramic pots if we deeply took into consideration the amount of dirt that would fill our hands while molding it. We all stare at amazing artworks, but we never consider how messy it took the artist to get the picture created. All these symbolize what life is all about. For us to get to the top and attain great heights, we should be ready to get messy. No one really cares about the process, we all care about the processed product. Sometimes, we give it our all but the end result will be disheartening. There will be stumbling blocks, but always remember, that to give a testimony, we must be ready to undergo tests. Whenever moments come for you to give up, reflect and think about why you started. It’s going to be a long way, but having your dreams come to a reality, having the standing ovation and spotlight light at the end of it all, is going to worth the pain. Life is a journey. Some will fall, some will get distracted, some will wait on those who will never return and some will keep moving forward. The reward lies ahead. Are you ready to challenge the challenges that challenge you?
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DEFENSE PETTIE PERKINS What if I just stayed in tonight
I became the bitch
What if I never decided to wear that sexy black dress that caught your attention
Not that you weren’t already a pussy
What if I just left the stubble on my legs
But you pushed me too far
What if I decided to wear the pull over and not the zip up
I only have to say “No” once
Would it have been easier for you to stay away
My body language should have told you the rest
What part of my clothing demanded your attention
But you weren’t thinking with the right head and your dick doesn’t have ears
Why did you feel the need to impose your will in my space
So I defended what was mine. My space. My body. Me.
Why was important for you to disregard the respect for my personhood
I often think of what would have happened if I wore a longer dress
What reason gives society the right to think that fashion dictates a person’s character
Or maybe even a pant suit
Just because I wore a short skirt did not mean that my character was a prostitute for the day You in no way needed to know what was under my skirt on or my person I always wondered if that was the meaning of true thirst But it wasn’t quenched and when I decided to fight back
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But that still wouldn’t give you the right To invade my space or make me need to fight you Wondering if I just need to refigure my wardrobe So I don’t have to worry about disrobing a character Every time I decide to change my style or there is a change in the world’s idea of fashion
Spring 2019 | 53
Photo by Sharon McCutchen
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Photo by Kaylani Williams
CIRCLE KAYLANI WILLIAMS
It’s 2:27 and this bed keeps getting more and more cozy. I never make my bed because I always have plans to get back in it. But lately I have been making my bed. Because I don’t want to be in it. On beautiful days like this I find myself asleep beneath these fuzzy blankets, slumbering in the etching of the soft light spilling in through the blinds. Fatigued by another attempt to study. I rack my brain trying to find focus. My eyeballs bleed as I flip through notecards. I’ll sit down with intentions to study and trail off… I go from creating notecards by hand, To searching for practice tests on quizlet, To dropbox where I marvel at the Kaylani of summer ’16. Her face slim, naturally contoured skin, and hair, lustrous, long and silken. I flick and find my current reflection in the computer screen. I’m saddened by the pudgy cheeks that only contour with the KAT VON D palette. I jump up, searching for my size 4 pair of jeans to see if they are willing to hold these thighs today, Glare at my B cup bra that will never uphold these breasts again. By now I have googled some diets. By now I have traded in my laptop and notecards for a run on the treadmill at the SRC. By now I have attempted and failed the Keto diet. By now I’m frustrated, my head hurts and I am on the way to Chick-Fil-a for an 8 count, cookie, and a lemonade. On Tuesday I am in the gym, but by Friday I am in love with who I am. I am too hard on myself, but need to toughen up. I sleep way too much and need to be more social. More well-rounded. Let’s make a circle then. It’s Sunday now. I have been to three lunch outings, attended 2 concerts, saw some blurred lines at the after parties, hosted an event, went to dinner, took my carcass to a movie date, did some retail therapy, loved my body and showed it off at the club. My bank account is underdressed. By now its next Monday, that paper is due and I haven’t even finished the rest. I figure I’ll get it done at 6am, at desk. Still never studied for that anatomy test. Now I’m fatigued and exhausted. I wake up sleepy. My eyes are more wet than dry. I am weepy. I want to drift into REM sleep, and dream deeply. I want to find my way back to my visions and goals, maybe sit down in that seat of gold and get some shit done. Now it’s 2:29, in two minutes I made a circle. In this bed that has NEVER been so cozy.
Spring 2019 | 55
Photo by Jamal Cooper
KAYLANI WILLIAMS is a
first generation student and a sophomore. In her spare time she enjoys modeling, seeing concerts, and spending time with her brother. She is an RA in Scotland House and Vice President of ODU Gifted, a new on campus organization dedicated to bringing entrepreneurs and creatives together.
“
I am an out of state and first generation student who has NEVER been to Virginia until college. Being in a new state, making new friends, adapting to my new college life, getting involved, being a good student, standing out…the list goes on drove me crazy! College takes a toll on mental health for sure, and I feel as though this is something that we don’t talk about enough. The things I experienced didn’t make me crazy, it made me aware that I needed new tools to cope with tough situations. Since then writing has become a therapeutic practice of mine and I would like to share that.
”
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MENT E V L O V IN T UDEN T S & IP H S LEADER
Photo provided by ACM-W
:ıĽ æıĥįŊÀîį´ IJįÃæʼníØʼn ďďď • Are more likely to graduate • Have higher GPAs • Enjoy their ODU experience more • Gain relevant life skills
GÀPIJįōíľįqPçį¥æ įÃçį):!ďďď • Student Organizations
• Fraternity & Sorority Life • Campus Programs
• Leadership Programs
• Service Opportunities