FLOCK | Spring 2023 | Issue 1 by WashU PGN

F L O C K Spring 2023

Point Reyes National Seashore

Katherine Yu, Pi Class

F L O C K

The Phi Gamma Nu Delta Upsilon Review

Spring 2023

Issue 1

Spring 2023, Issue 1

Editor in Chief: Francisco Lucca

Flock a reference to a dreadful yet endearing pronunciation of PGN was founded by Francisco Lucca in 2023. Since then, Flock: The Phi Gamma Nu Delta Upsilon Review has hoped to showcase the multi-disciplinary creative talents of current members, explore the current state of the Delta Upsilon Chapter, and highlight all that is PGN.

All rights reserved. Rights to the individual work published within the issue remain with their original creators, while the rights to the collective journal belong to the Delta Upsilon Chapter as a collective, specifically the VP of Communications at time of publication.

Issue layout originally hand-designed by Francisco Lucca, via PowerPoint.

Online publication provided by Issuu; physical publication provided by Peecho.

Typefaces used are Baskerville Old Face, Lato, and Garamond.

Connect with PGN: pgn.wustl.edu

www.instagram.com/wustlpgn/ issuu.com/pgn.washu

Table of Contents Point Reyes National Seashore Katherine Yu, Pi Class Cover NYC from Above Marisa Benjamin, Rho Class 2 The Last Generation Protest Benji Olshin, Upsilon Class 3 Chajul, Guatemala Benji Olshin, Upsilon Class 4 I Like to Go There in My Sleep Omeed Moshirfar, Rho Class 5 State of the Union Roberto Cabrero-Castro, President, Nu Class 6 oregon coast Katherine Yu, Pi Class 8 Glacier National Park Benji Olshin, Upsilon Class 9 smoke in my lungs Luke Kim, Pi Class 10 The Flow State Omeed Moshirfar, Rho Class 12 DESTRUCTION Alex Nickel, Rho Class 13 Oblivion Marisa Benjamin, Rho Class 16 Thanks for letting me stay during spring break Hugh Chan, Tau Class 17 The Graduating Class of Spring 2023 18 I Hope My Best Friend Will Be Taller than Me Omeed Moshirfar, Rho Class 21

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Flock: The Phi Gamma Nu Delta Upsilon Review or, more simply, Flock. I’m so excited to have the chance to publish this magazine and turn a vision I had for PGN into a reality. So far, my time as VP Communications has been amazing, and as the spring semester wraps up, I’m pleased to put Flock into PGN’s hands.

After joining PGN in the fall of 2021, I began to take notice of the many creative pursuits and artistic talents of my fellow PGN brothers. We have members singing in WashU acapella groups, individuals studying design, people running photography businesses, creative writers, painters, screenplay producers, food bloggers, chefs, videographers, poets, fine art enthusiasts, fashion designers, and so much more. I wanted to find a way to showcase these endeavors or at least some of them and thus, the idea of Flock was born.

But, alas, I can’t take all the credit, so I want to take the time to thank Heather McPherson. I’m not sure if she’ll ever see this, but I would have never had the idea to create Flock if I didn’t take her class, Craft of the Literary Magazine, last semester. So, thank you, and let me just say, it’s a fantastic class, and I highly recommend it.

I also want to say a sincere thank you to everyone who submitted to the magazine. I know it can be nerve-wracking to submit your creative work let alone to a man who randomly wants to create a literary magazine for a business fraternity but I thank you for letting me see your work and allowing me to shine a spotlight on it.

That said, I won’t hold you hostage on this page much longer. I truly hope you enjoy the first-ever issue of Flock, and thank you so much for deciding to see what this issue has to offer.

All the best and happy reading,

Francisco Lucca, Rho Class Founder, Editor in Chief, & VP Communications

1 Dear Reader,

NYC from Above

Marisa Benjamin, Rho Class

The Last Generation Protest

Benji Olshin, Upsilon Class

Chajul, Guatemala

Benji Olshin, Upsilon Class

I Like to Go There in My Sleep

Omeed Moshirfar, Rho Class

State of the Union

Greetings PGN,

This magazine is one of the many new and exciting initiatives that have since been introduced by the 2023 Executive Board. Throughout this semester, we’ve been able to uphold the values that make PGN what it is by enacting both traditional and innovative events. I’m immensely proud of the efforts of each executive board member and the chairs that have demonstrated their ability to contribute for years to come.

I also want to share my gratitude to every single member that has demonstrated their commitment to PGN. There are many ways I’ve seen this come to life. From attending our career panels and social gatherings to volunteering on our behalf for great organizations, these are some of the salient ways members have given back. However, I want to emphasize the smaller and frequent acts of compassion, empathy, and kindness that members do for each other and for themselves. I believe this is where our organization flourishes and what makes us such a great community. We constantly look for ways to help and grow as both a person and as part of a larger group.

When asking other PGN collegiate chapters if they had an official toast, the majority were left in shock. Elena and I tried our best to perform it, but I wanted to include it here so that you may know it as well, and more importantly, internalize it.

Here’s to friends we class as new, Here’s to friends we class as old, May the new soon grow to us old, And the old never grow to us new towards

I view a new semester as an opportunity. It is another period of time that I’ll spend surrounded by amazing people, both new and old. PGN receives a class of potential new members that work tirelessly to be inducted into our chapter. PGN also has current members that work towards fulfilling their duties as a member and their personal ambitions. This duality is the foundation of the official toast; everyone that goes through PGN will have the chance to forge new friendships and grow old ones. For this reason, PGN holds a special place in my heart and college career.

As we look forward, the executive board would like to take PGN to new heights while never forgetting our traditions. Specifically, there are two goals that I have in mind. First, I’d like to improve our efforts to increase our budget so that we may hold consistent, meaningful events. Second, I’d like to see the familial aspect of PGN at the forefront by emphasizing our family and new member class systems. Although these seem like a lot to implement in a semester, I’m confident that the executive board, the chairs, and each of the members are willing to move this organization forward, one step at a time.

To our graduating members, I’d like to sincerely thank you for being an integral part of PGN. I know each of you have contributed to the organization in both salient and small ways. Cannot wait to celebrate your membership and achievements later on this semester!

Roberto Cabrera-Castro, President, Nu Class

oregon coast

Katharine Yu, Pi Class

Glacier National Park

Benji Olshin, Upsilon Class

smoke in my lungs

verse 1

i breathed you in i breathed you out you filled my lungs like you filled my life told me you loved me told me i was enough

if you really loved me, why’d you try to change me? if this was our story, how could you unwrite me?

chorus fire to flames. flames to desire. gave me warmth but consumed me inside entranced by your flame but love and suffering can’t be the same you were the air that i breathed. you were the smoke in my lungs.

verse 2 gave up my passions so you’d be my purpose made me a lover of things i used to hate drugged me on complacency ODed on dependency

if you really love me, why’d you try to change me? if this was our story, how could you unwrite me?

chorus fire to flames.

flames to desire. gave me warmth but love and suffering can’t be the same you were the air that i breathed. you were the smoke in my lungs.

bridge you etched yourself into the depths of my soul you brought something i thought would fill the void and so i followed love blindly questioned my very own sanity one day i woke up and i realized i had left behind a part of me an identity all of me if it kills me, i think i’d make it if i suffocate, i guess i’d take it

outro

i gave you everything you almost ended me.

Luke Kim, Pi Class

The Flow State

Omeed Moshirfar, Rho Class

DESTRUCTION

Alex Nickel, Rho Class

Oblivion

Marisa Benjamin, Rho Class

Thanks for letting me stay during spring break

Apologies for taking the burrito your brother so cleverly hid in the fruits and vegetables drawer of the fridge, surely hoping to enjoy it the next morning, so please forgive me it was too tempting, and god damn was it a good burrito! with hickory-smoked bacon and cubed potatoes, I felt compelled to try a bite, just one bite, but knew it wouldn’t last very long also, I may have taken the last remaining navel orange, alongside one or two or multiple of your mother’s favorite peanut butter chocolate marshmallows, and quite understandably, you may regret letting me stay at your house all these days, and my behavior has been somewhat unreasonable, and you could even argue I violated your hospitality, and I’d say I wish I could undo my actions, except for the fact that your brother’s burrito was undoubtedly worth it, and zoinks! your mother found out and is yelling at me.

Hugh Chan, Tau Class