December 2, 2016 | bupipedream.com
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ARTS & CULTURE
Craft the perfect holiday card with your friends Round up your tacky sweaters, tinsel and lights to make this season's greetings Kara Brown Assistant Arts & Culture Editor December is here, and while our hearts are filled with cheer, our wallets are unfortunately sad and empty. We may want to buy our loved ones personalized gifts, but for some of us this requires money that we don’t have. To give your friends and family a thoughtful present without breaking the bank, create a holiday card with your roommates. Not only is a card a cute and easy way to show everyone back home that you care, but it’s also a fun activity to ward off endof-semester stress. To guide you through the process, follow these tips. Figure out your vision The vibe of your card has a lot to do with how you feel about the holidays. Whether you’re the type of person who plays holiday music starting in November, or the type of person who refuses to put up decorations until halfway through December, will definitely show in the final product. You might like an overthe-top design, or something more casual. Also, figure out who this card is going to. Just friends, just family or both. Once you know your audience, it’ll help you decide the kind of photos you want to take. While a photo of your sorority sisters donning letters and Santa Claus hats is family-friendly, wearing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer ears with a ball gag as opposed to a red nose is not exactly what your aunt wants to display on her mantle. Depending on your vision, you might want to make two cards — one for friends and one for family. Pick your card design If you’re going to do a holiday card, you need to do it right. If you
Photo Illustration by Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor Students pose for a holiday card in the Marketplace. When photographing your own holiday card, be sure to have fun and capture emotion.
don’t have a graphic design-savvy friend, you’ll want to leave the design of your card to the professionals. Thankfully, CVS allows you to make cards with prices beginning at 75 cents a card and sold in packs of 20. CVS has an online service that allows you to pick a border or design, upload your photo and add text. Once ordered, you can pick
them up in the store or have them mailed to you. From Christmasthemed designs to general holiday cards, you’re sure to find something that suits your fancy. In addition to having different backgrounds, they also offer a variety of layouts. While some layouts allow for one photo, others allow for more. Plan your outfits and backdrop
Your home friends might not know your college friends, and their knowledge of them is probably based solely on stories. A picture with personality is the best way to let everyone know all about you and your squad. If one of your friends is fun, goofy and treasures comfort above all, have them wear an elf-themed onesie. However, if
another friend’s aesthetic is more State Street casual, let them strut their stuff in the “Jingle Bell Rock” look from “Mean Girls.” You may even want to consider an outfit change or two if your layout allows for multiple photos. But no matter how great your costumes are, every photo needs a good backdrop. Plan to take a your photo in a well-lit and
decorated area. A string of lights and festive garland will help tie your photo together. Remember to have fun, and above all, make sure to capture the love you share with your friends. A fun and silly photo that shows how close you all are is better than a stuffy and emotionless photo.
A runway for everyone One World hosts all-inclusive fashion show Patty Nieberg Contributing Writer Appreciating all shapes, sizes, colors and abilities was the theme of an on-campus fashion show this past Tuesday. The “One Special World Fashion and Multicultural Show,” organized and hosted by the club, One World, took place in the Mandela Room of Old University Union with an attendance of over 220 people. The event raised over $1,500, which went toward building a group home. One World is also a federally recognized organization, known as “One Special World.” Danielle Preiser, who founded the organization and is a senior majoring in psychology, explained that this name change was made to be more inclusive of everyone’s needs, and that the on-campus club has plans to change its name next semester. Prieser opened the show by reminding the audience that everyone has different qualities. “We all have needs that are special and unique to ourselves,” Preiser said. “We do not know the individual special needs every one of us needs.” With this event, One World brought together students, campus organizations and special needs community members to walk the runway, spread awareness and inspire a new mindset. In her opening speech, Preiser asked the audience to raise their hands if they knew someone with special needs: a friend, family member or even themselves. Preiser later shared that whether it be autism, anxiety or needing 10 hours of sleep each night, everyone has special needs — an idea she continues to promote through her organization. “The first time I heard [Danielle’s] speech about [how] ‘everyone has special needs,’ it really connected with me,” said
Sarah Hall, the fundraising chair of One World and a junior majoring in environmental studies. The fashion show focused on appreciating the beauty of every individual and changing the stigma associated with having special needs. Preiser explained her personal connection with the organization, sharing that her brother has Fragile X syndrome, which is similar to autism. After reading about the atrocities committed in group homes, Preiser began One World while she was in high school. She was terrified at the thought of her brother going into just any group home, so she decided to build him one. Although her school allowed her to create the club, they denied her funding. Preiser introduced her brother through a Skype call as he hosted his own show, which he calls “Johnny Time Live.” During the call, he welcomed the crowd and expressed his gratitude and appreciation for everyone coming to the show as well as those involved in planning. “He just has those fairytale, pristine lenses and if I could just share that for two seconds or for however many minutes on a screen and allow people to laugh and be carefree,” Preiser said. “[It] has allowed me to feel so beautiful, how could I not share this with everyone? He’s the impetus behind my fire.” A group of Special Olympians were also at the event, and they strutted down the runway with their own dance moves and poses. Later in the show, they performed the lyrics to a song about friendship using only American Sign Language, while the song played in the background. “It was very emotional, especially seeing our son up there,” said Vernon Priest of Endicott, whose son participated with the Special Olympics group. “He has high anxiety, so I loved seeing him up there. That’s something he
doesn’t usually do. It brought tears to my eyes.” The multicultural portion of the night included Binghamton students modeling fashions from around the globe, from countries such as Guyana, Nigeria, Pakistan, Spain, India, the Philippines, China and Honduras. There were also dance performances from Binghamton Bhangra and Uyai Nnua African Dance Ensemble. One of the models who participated in the show, Celine Dorsainvil, a junior majoring in political science and English, commended Preiser for her work with the organization. “[One World’s] mission and dream is just something that I’ve never seen or heard of before,” said Dorsainvil. “Because of the foundation of it — [Preiser] was fatally ill while pursuing it and the fact that she was able to push through it and see this bigger picture makes it a thousand times more special.” This was One World’s first fashion event, but they have previously hosted three fundraising walks. Next semester they are planning to host a gala. “I think at this time especially, the world really needs healing,” Preiser said. “It’s more than just an organization or a club — it’s really a movement.”
We all have needs that are special and unique —Danielle Preiser Founder of One Special World
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