Platform Magazine Volume XV

PLATFORM

VOLUME XV

Volume XV

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WE DONT ALWAYS WEAR PINK ON WEDNESDAYS

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A NEW WAVE OF CELEBRITY

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OBJECTS IN MOTION

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GROW EASY ON ME

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FRESH!

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THE SCENT OF MY SUNSCREEN

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ACT YOUR WAGE

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THOUGHTLESS WISHES

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TOP FIVE MOST EXTRAVAGANT COSTUMES

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SKIN CONDITIONS, CHRONIC DISEASE, AND WABI-SABI

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JIM MORRISON: A FRAGILE, EGGSHELL MIND

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JAW BREAKER

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WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?

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CHECKING THE BOX

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MOTEL DRAINS

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FREINDS, WE SHOULD GATHER TODAY

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A LETTER FROM THE WRITERS

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STUCK IN THE BOX

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Editor-in-Chief

Janey Harlow

Graphic Design Directors

Kat Barnabei Kloe Tucker

Set Design Directors

Katie Finan Lilo Harris

Photography Director

Ksenia Matveeva

Editorial Directors

Isabella Broccolo Leah Tran

Digital Media Directors

Ashton Walthall Annie Matthews

Styling Directors

Justus Denizard Sophie Trew

Modeling Directors

Josh Bermudez Brianna Pierce

Finance Directors

Catey Cox Emil Alldredge

Graphic Design Staa

Ashley Skarbek Kevin Foster Julia Smith Mackenzie Berg Elle Campbell

Set Design Staa

Olivia Jurney Ali Southard Kai Williams Charlotte Fullbright

Photography Staa

Rachel Laminack Lizzy Novelli Peyton Moore Maya Mitchall Tae Park Meadow Pacheco Taylor Wittig

Editorial Staa

Lauren Slattery Polly O’Neal Gabby Sabia Emma Romick Lexi Amedio Kennedi Hosey Sophia Robertson Neely Malik Lauren Ramos Mae Williams

Digital Media Staa

Katie Ryder Jordyn Jenks Catalina Dalessio-Skare Addie Eaker Elyse Boldizar Mia Hickey Malia Peissigma Brooke Tang Sophia Stacy Lily Draper Kate McNeil Kathryn Fetzer

Styling Staa

Amaya Al-Mussawir Isabella Cobb Mira Phillips Margaret Lucas Melissa Valerio Olivia Masciarelli Elle Newkirk Olivia Kollin Madison Walker Gracie Owens Zoe Patterson Elizabeth DiFiglia Kendall Wisniewski Maggie Pattyson Dan Inman Meg Fickling Owen James Sarah Grace Simas Tevin Keobouala Stephanie Rummel Ryan Olson

MUA Staa

Amaya Al-Mussawir Isabella Broccolo Joseph Bunger Ksenia Matveeva Carrie McLawhorn

Modeling Staa

Isa Verna Eleanor Slyman Joseph Bunger Grier Love Nicole Harris Adaline Griin Cora Jones Abby Schwebke Kat Cupp Immanuel Jackson Katelyn Harris Avery Pardue Rachel Kelly Carrie McLawhorn Jadyn McLean Colin Tran Christal Dita Alandya Warren Isabel Santana Emma Bridges Laura Roman-Rantz Brianna Anderson Shaniya Woolridge Anika Rauch Anushna Saha Zoee Bishop-Bridges Jayden Robbins Claire Patrick Nimet Betul Karatas Arissa Acosta Samantha Schoppe Anthony Harper Jamal Mohamad Jacqueline Weber Sharon George Kayla Hillman Emily Jackson Kelly Hernandez Kellen Conley

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I vividly remember my first Platform meeting as I swayed from left to right in the Centennial Campus swivel chairs with an enthusiastic, yet nervous energy. I had joined Platform to find a creative outlet surrounded by like-minded individuals, but I had no idea just how influential it would be for my personal growth and expression throughout my college career. However, if there was one thing I was sure of that day, it was that I would surely never find myself in the Editor-in-Chief position. This was not for a lack of intrigue per se, but for fear of potentially letting other people down–an unnecessary anxiousness surrounding my own capabilities. Yet, what I witnessed in the two years leading up to my decision to accept the role of Editor in Chief, was a community of people that wholeheartedly believe in you, sometimes even more than you may initially believe in yourself. It was only with the help of my trusted loved ones, my closest friends, and Platform’s continuous support that I was able to place confidence in my artistic vision, take on challenges outside of my comfort zone, apply what I knew to them, and grow a whole lot from what I did not.

As highly as I can speak to our organization’s work-ethic and quality of production, I believe the true value of Platform is held within the supportive community that we cultivate on NC State’s campus. While our Fall issue was wonderfully eclectic and whimsical, the articles and photoshoots of Volume XV focus on the importance of finding genuine connections with ourselves and others amidst

fast-paced lives. Whether you are constantly on the move from place to place like an Object in Motion, cemented to a cubicle as seen in Act Your Wage, operating on fight or flight mode like in Jawbreaker, or stuck in a languid state of watching the world go by as illustrated in Motel Drains, our access to uplifting communities is becoming increasingly important to build, protect, and cherish. If there is one thing I have hoped to achieve during my time as Editor-in-Chief, it is to have contributed to a renewed sense of connection, not only to the magazine that we create together, but to each other as respected creatives as well. So, if I could leave you with one piece of advice, it would be to practice letting go of the thoughts and fears that do not serve your personal growth. What you will find is that you have the capability to create, you have the conviction to succeed, and with Platform, you have the community to support you.

As I look back on this year, I cannot help but feel that the opportunity to work with all of you was serendipitous and I will be eternally grateful that our paths crossed.

With much love,

Janey Harlow Editor-in-Chief

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We Don’t Actually

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by Gabby Sabia

Illustration by Ashley Skarbek

think it would be so much fun to be a teenage girl in a movie. Pretty crying, boyfriends that look like they’re 25, high school as a social house, Volkswagen suburbia!

Fast fashion, waking up in fake eyelashes, and the inescapable principle that deems you chronically misunderstood. “Have you guys ever thought about dying?”

I assume the sacrifice to being a main character is the fact that an adult who has been out of highschool longer than you’ve been alive gets to decide what you wear to the Spring Fling.

Which, sure, makes sense considering the intricacies of costume designing and directing require a lot more criteria than the standpoint theory, but when is the last time you watched something and thought, yeah, you totally would wear that when you were 16.

I guess it’s easier to ask: what makes an outfit authentic? Being a teenager is one of the most vulnerable and authentic things you can be.

Each one of us becomes our own costume designer when we are figuring out what we should wear to school that day – what makes me blend in? What makes me stand out? What

on Wednesdays

fits my dress code? What’s something my parents won’t kill me for wearing?

We create our own masterpiece of Target and Good Will that tells the story we want to at that moment in time. We are creatures of power and intelligence, and we are beginning to learn that every decision we make matters.

So why is Regina George wearing Cider?

Mean Girls (2024) tells us teenagedom is a plastic copyright infringement that’s accelerating climate change. And, look, I would totally watch that movie, but that’s not really what Mean Girls wants to be.

Mean Girls (2004) is a Shakepearian rendition of the Pygmalion effect through pink mini skirts and symbolic rhinestone pendants – a film that defines the complexities of insecurity and identity as the loose threads of oversized polo shirts and sweatpants with butt pads.

Tom Broecker, the costume designer, credited most of his changes to his desires of (1) desexualizing the characters and (2) capturing the truth

of teenage fashion; making the final outfits feel out of date and virginal.But those two things obviously aren’t mutually exclusive – look at Euphoria!

Unlike Mean Girls (in any iteration), Euphoria showcased the edgiest and hottest moments of being a highschool.

Heidi Divons, the show’s head costume designer, aimed to marry the ideologies of sexy starlets and romantic drug highs to create fashionable personas akin to Bratz Dolls. The main style philosophy is fashion over costume – Divons went as far as to name her archival book Euphoria Fashion.

She told Bazaar, “even though they are costumes, the show has been embraced by an audience of both younger and older people… and that’s because it’s always been about fashion!”

This philosophy is where we get the dichotomy of Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard, a highschool junior from a single parent middle-class family, wearing exclusively Miu Miu throughout season two. Despite HBO and Sam Levinson’s promise to create a show encapsulating the ugly truth of high school drama and addiction, the relatability has always been catered towards a Millennial daydream of what it’d be like if high schooler’s were post pubescent and had easy access to molly.

But, sadly and unfortunately, we don’t all have the luxury of having custom I.AM. GIA to wear in math class.

What is the reality of teen fashion, then? If you want to style a real high schooler, what stores do costume designers shop at? What approach are they supposed to take? The answer is simple, really.

Ariana Greenblatt – the 16-yearold actress who played Sasha in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie – has gone on record talking about her and Sasha’s matching chucks. She said that when she was bored in class, she would draw on the toes of her black hightop converse. She ended up wearing those to a fitting and Jaqueline Durran, Barbie’s head costume designer, loved them so much she had a duplicate made.

While Sasha’s shoes serve no grand purpose, the principle of handing over styling control to a young actress (who isn’t even the star of the movie) is sort of unheard of in Hollywood. As I said before, styling and costuming are art forms, ones that require vast amounts of experience, knowledge, and control.

Costuming has the ability to tell a story just like a script does. It might not be as obvious as direction, writing, or acting, clothes can easily make or break a story.

You wanna know why your movie is getting made fun of on TikTok? Teenagers are smart. They can tell when they’re being misrepresented and ridiculed by a costume designer shopping at one of the most hated places on the internet.

The most professional thing a girl can do in Hollywood is be there and read off a page. In a day and age when teenagers are now controlling major parts of the fashion and networking world, it’s about time they get to have a say without being exploited or ridiculed for it.

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NEW WAVE O

by Mae Williams

Illustration by Mack Berg

The Obsession Celebrities.

I am obsessed!

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his infatuation started when I was a young girl watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians every Sunday. My delusional self always always found a way to relate to them. I have two sisters, so I related to the strong bond and of course the fights between the three Kardashian sisters. My older sister was the Khloé of the group, always making us laugh. My twin kept us in our place, much like Kourtney. Of course I was like Kim, because the world revolved around me. Except I wasn’t a teenager making a sex tape while living in a Calabasas Mansion. My idols live in my head rent-free, and I know I am not alone in this.

Why is society so infatuated with celebrities? There are too many reasons to list. For starters, celebrities are an easy conversation starter. I love to discuss new media frenzies with my coworkers. We find common threads through our adoration of celebrity news. Pop culture is a place of gathering. However what brings us together divides us greatly. We begin to belong to a group of people. Due to the Kim versus Taylor beef, I never aligned with the Swifties.

Instead I pledged my allegiance to the Bey-hive. Split into tribes, we defend our fearless leaders and convince others to join.

Worshiping our idols, our human tendency of social comparison kicks in. I aspire to grace the red carpet like my fashion icons, as I find myself dreaming about being a socialite.

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Social media has strengthened our parasocial relationships. I attended North West’s birthday party through Kim’s Instagram story. For a moment, I am distracted by my mundane life. I use the extravagant lives of my idols as inspiration.

I assume you have at least one celebrity photo on each of your Pinterest boards. Celebrities go beyond a point-of-reference and can even be described as god-like figures. They bring people together, contribute to one’s identity, and create a cult-like following. They are on a mortal plane so far away, that we find it alien-like to see Kylie Jenner grocery shopping.

The media has fed into our obsession, putting celebrities on a pedestal rendering them untouchable. In this position, celebrities have set a precedent of coasting by with no penalty.

The Power

I used to crave new Kardashian updates, patiently waiting for a baby name reveal. Now I find myself having a distaste for the family, no longer watching new episodes. I got sick of the show they put on and have become fed up with celebrity slacktivism. They will put more effort into making it look like they care about the issue than actually solving it. Kim Kardashian posted a tweet saying, “Climate change is real (broken heart emoji),” but fails to mention her excessive water usage and carbon emissions.

OF CELEBRITY I continue to mature, growing a greater understanding of social reform, whereas the Kardashians stay stagnant.

They sweep every controversy that arises under the rug. Celebrities are god-like figures who have followers willing to listen to whatever they preach. Except, they prefer to convince us to buy their new corrupt business venture. Kendall Jenner refuses to address the backlash of her 818 tequila brand. Many campaigns demonstrate cultural appropriation, there are accusations of exploiting workers, and her brand is putting smaller distilleries out of business. Accountability creates difficult conversations that lead to social reform. Fame has a daunting power but can be used for the greater good.

But is society expecting too much from people who simply want to entertain us? From micro-influencers to A-list . untouchables, they each stand on a platform. Their . . power can create a domino effect.

Using their voice will inspire followers to speak up in their local community. My pop culture-centered conversations with my coworkers can become productive topics. Our infatuation with the famous can spark change. Putting in the littlest of efforts goes a long way.

Kim Kardashian posted one tweet about freeing a woman who was wrongfully incarcerated. She is now free from a life sentence to tell her story from one tweet. One-singular-tweet. Our social hierarchy leaders have an opportunity to give a voice to the voiceless.

The New Wave

Celebrities have gained their voice through a variety of entertainment sources. In recent years, society has fixated on influencers. With A-listers out of touch with reality, influencers were a breath of fresh air. I thought they were just like me. Then views increased, and the media fed our souls. Before you knew it, influencers’ pedestal grew out of our atmosphere. I was delusional in thinking we lived the same life. Charli D’amelio dating Landon Barker demonstrated the level of societal hierarchy influencers reached. A tik-tok sensation became a part of America’s royal family, The Kardashians. We now face the same problem of ignorant social elites continuing to brush things under the rug. I am frustrated with the lack of remorse from who we put in power. However, we can choose to glorify the ones who do speak. We can demand a new wave.

Pop culture is not a negative outlet. It radiates joy. We have all felt the power of music, film, writing, fashion, and even a sporting event. The multitude of outlets creates cultural beauty and can create cultural excellence when merging a powerful message and entertainment. I’ve seen drag queens demonstrate the ignorance of the Kardashians through comedic impersonation. We can draw our attention to performances highlighting social reform versus investing in another Kim K venture. Let’s put new stars on the cover of magazines who are willing to ignite change. Stars who will take accountability for wrong actions. Stars who will radiate positive growth in all their ventures.

I don’t want to see another Kardashian on the cover of Vogue. Let’s pressure the media, demanding a radical change of who is in the spotlight, and create a new wave of celebrity.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Lizzy Novelli, Peyton Moore MODELS: Nimet Karatas, Kellen Conley MUA: Ksenia Matveeva STYLING: Madison Walker, Justus Denizard SET: Katie Finan, Lilo Harris, Olivia Jurney, Ali Southard

OBJECT MOTIO 16

TS IN in ON 17

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Peyton Moore, Rachel Laminack, Meadow Pacheco MODELS: Adaline Griffin, Kat Cupp STYLING: Owen James, Dan Inman

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Peyton Moore, Rachel Laminack, Meadow Pacheco MODELS: Isa Verna, Anthony Harper, Nicole Harris MUA: Ksenia Matveeva, Amaya Al-Mussawir STYLING: Sarah Grace Simas, Elle Newkirk, Margaret Lucas

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PHOTOGRPAHY: Lizzy Novelli, Meadow Pacheco MODELS: Arissa Acosta, Joshua Bermudez MUA: Amaya Al-Mussawir STYLING: Isabella Cobb, Tevin Keobouala

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Meadow Pacheco, Rachel Laminack MODELS: Sharon George STYLING: Zoe Patterson

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by Isabella Broccolo

Illustration by Julia Smith

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FRESH

by Emma Romick

Illustration by Kevin Foster

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wake up and digitally thumb through post after post of some picture-perfect person in a picture-perfect place doing a picture-perfect mundane thing. Getting coffee or going on a walk in a specifically curated outfit for the task, all sponsored by some silly brand nobody’s ever heard of. I laugh because I know it’s all marketing. I laugh because I know it really isn’t real. I laugh because despite that, the marketing sometimes works. It grabs me by my throat and shakes me, and just like anyone else, I fall for the tactics of an advertisement or post that feels so out of touch with reality.

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It wasn’t always like this–media that is. Of course, there have always been those famed magazine advertisements of celebrities wearing the most well-known brands. An average person looks in from afar, like a visitor at a museum staring longingly at an artifact so far removed from their own lives. Whatever happened to simply creating? To exist for the sheer thrill of just being ourselves?

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rachel Laminack MUA: Isabella Broccolo Before social media, magazines provided people with the need to know info on trends and news, but even at that, articles were all about the celebrated and the famed. That is until FRUiTS came about, one of the first magazines dedicated entirely to the authentic street fashion of regular, everyday people. Shoichi Aiko described the publications like this: “A distinct innocence and freshness present in youth fashion then, emulating the refreshing sweetness of biting into ripe fruit.” Fashion with no boundaries, no expectations, and no crowd waiting to emulate the look, just teenagers existing and reacting to the culture around them. In a world of prepackaged fashion, FRUiTS stood as an attest to counterculture, to individuality and self expression.

There were no ads. The magazine simply existed as a visual time capsule of Japan’s young identity. Strangers on the street became fashion models for a split second, then returned to their own lives once again. So many people were featured: Couples walking hand in hand down a busy street, or friends laughing as they sat along a sidewalk, sharing a cigarette. There was no space for marketing, no promotional advertisements or sponsorships, simply people in outfits. Aiko gave the world a rare look into individuality, one where people held no expectations to others, or felt the need to promote anything

MODELS: Collin Tran, Shaniya Woolridge, Kayla Hillman

STYLING: Gracie Owens, Madison Walker, Mira Phillips

other than their personalities. A typical spread looked like this: a brightly photographed image of people in even brighter outfits, smiles eased on their faces.

Rather than notes on where their clothes were from, Aoki took to celebrating the person behind the outfits.

Jotted notes about an individual’s past times, interests, inspirations and life took to the footers rather than the things they wore. It was fresh, it was inspiring and it was real!

I look to FRUiTs earnestly, with a sense of longing for a time now lost to the wind. So much of who we are as individuals nowadays surrounds how we are perceived in the digital world. It’s draining, it’s tiring and to be quite honest, it doesn’t really feel real. We spend our time trying to emulate certain looks or personas of who we want to be perceived as, and in the process, sometimes lose sight of who we really are. FRUiTs reminds me to look at my clothes as an extension of who I am rather than who the world wants to see. It gives me a moment of fresh air in the tightening of an ever quickening trend cycle. I’m reminded that while fashion helps portray who I am, no amount of

clothing will come closer to representing myself than simply being authentic to who I am. I can strip Pinterest of its most recent fashion trends and crazes, but without individuality, I’m no closer to knowing myself than I was before.

I love FRUiTS because it was real. It was fresh. It took the industry’s capitalistic eyes out of fashion, and shared individuality through the streets in a new and authentic way. It gave people the chance to be themselves and shine through it. FRUiTs gave fashion back to the individual, back to the youth, and even nearly thirty years laterback to me.

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by Lauren Ramos

Illustration by Ashley Skarbek

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he current along the shore of the sandbar is swift but not unforgiving. I float alongside the row of boats with my chest down towards the water, an unzipped lifejacket spread underneath me–a makeshift float all of my friends and I have. We ride the current from one end of the sandbar to the other, climb onto the shore, and walk out way back to the other end all over again. We float past my family’s boat, some variation of a SeaRay V bottom, watching all of our parents talk loudly and enjoy a summer day with one another, just like we children do. The sandbar is the unofficial meeting place for each summer Saturday.

I hear my mother call my name. She tells me it’s time to reapply my sunscreen when I’m out of the water this round. I voice my contempt for this idea as I’ve always protested something that was supposed to protect me.

I don’t need it. I’m invincible.

Still, she makes me stand there and let her rub sunscreen onto my young, olive skinned face.

“You don’t make dad wear sunscreen,” I say.

“He’s a grown man. And look at him,” She replies.

It’s true, he’s never not tan. He has the skin his father had, and I have his. He was raised on the salt water, and so am I. I know the ocean flows through my veins.

She makes me sit down as the sunscreen dries. I enjoy a slice of watermelon. My cousin runs by, freckled face grinning, and that’s enough for me. It’s time to ride the current again!

Now, my mother no longer rubs sunscreen on my face. Instead, I do it myself; a part of my morning ritual that reminds me of those summer days. I’m now 21 and a junior in college. I’m way closer to having children of my own than being one again. Home feels so far away, even though it’s not. It’s just a busy time in my life.

It’s a cold January morning. The sunrise is trying its best to creep into my bedroom from behind the blinds. These mornings are the reason for sleeping in pajama pants. I look into the mirror at myself and study the way my face has changed since those years that felt like summer never ended. The freckles across my face that deepen in the sunshine, yet are hardly visible in this cold winter. The smile lines from years of joyful sunny days. I have my mother’s eyes and my father’s love for saltwater.

Now, I sit at my desk chair.

And I put on my sunscreen.

I used to hate wearing it. I hated having to listen to my mother as she made me pause from playing with my friends on the sandbars. I hated the time it took.

The way it felt on my face and underneath my makeup. I thought it would prevent my skin from tanning.

But that’s not the case anymore. I know the purpose it serves. I know it protects my delicate skin and that it will pay off when I’m older and the lines on my face grow.

The scent of my sunscreen brings me to those days– that moment in my morning routine that brings me comfort but makes me miss home.

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wage

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ACT YOUR WAGE

PHOTOGRAPHY: Maya Mitchall, Lizzy Novelli MODELS: Claire Patrick, Rachel Kelly MUA: Ksenia Matveeva, Isabella Broccolo STYLING: Ryan Olson, Stephanie Rummel SET: Kai Williams, Charlotte Fullbright Olivia Jurney, Lilo Harris

PHOTOGRAPHY: Taylor Wittig, Lizzy Novelli MODELS: Eleanor Slyman, Alandya Warren, Jayden Robbins MUA: Isabella Broccolo, Joseph Bunger STYLING: Elle Newkirk, Mira Phillips, Melissa Valerio

PHOTOGRAPHY: Lizzy Novelli, Taylor Wittig MODELS: Bri Pierce STYLING: Meg Fickling

PHOTOGRAPHY: Peyton Moore, Lizzy Novelli MODELS: Cora Jones, Anika Rauch, Immanuel Jackson MUA: Joseph Bunger, Isabella Broccolo STYLING: Maggie Pattyson, Elizabeth DiFiglia, Owen James

PHOTOGRAPHY: Peyton Moore, Taylor Wittig, Lizzy Novelli MODELS: Shaniya Woolridge, Colin Tran MUA: Joseph Bunger, Isabella Broccolo STYLING: Kendall Wisniewski, Olivia Masciarelli

by Lauren Slattery 42

Illustration by Julia Smith

W hen I turned nine, I sat in the booth of my favorite restaurant, surrounded by my family and a birthday cake. They sang happy birthday loudly as I sat staring at the small burning flames in front of me.

I watched as the candles began to melt colorful wax onto the homemade cake. When the singing came to an end, I leaned in and blew out the candles- that has always been the best part of a birthday for me.

That year, I knew exactly what I was going to wish for.

My family begged me to tell them what I had wished for, claiming that telling them would ensure it came true, but I declined. I held steadfast to my belief that if I told anyone about my wish, it wouldn’t come true. Even now I remember what I wished for, but that’s still, only for me to know.

Wishes go beyond just birthdays. Without thought or hesitation they become like rituals that seep into our daily lives. We make wishes when an eyelash lands on a cheek and blow the puffballs off of dandelions whenever one is close by. Fortune cookie fortunes become like little goals we can only hope will come true. We spend hours searching for fourleaf clovers and shooting stars and countless times find ourselves saying “It’s 11:11, make a wish.”

I spent a lot of middle school wishing I was old enough to drive myself to school. When I got to high school I spent most of my time dreaming of college, wishing to be anywhere but my tiny school where everyone knew everything about me. Then I got what I wished for: college began.

With this new chapter came a new wish. I began to dream of the day when I didn’t have to wake up and go to school and could finally start my life.

It’s so easy to pick something else to wish for.

How quick we are to abandon the thing we once thought would solve all our problems. It has become second nature to make a wish. So, if our old wishes do come true, it’s no surprise that we don’t even realize. We simply overlook this wish that was once everything to us.

Before coming to college, I tucked a fortune cookie fortune in my phone case for safekeeping. It read, “Love is coming your way.” I laughed and ignored it, but I think there was a part of me that saved it, and hoped that one day it would eventually come true.

I went about my life and quickly forgot it was even there. A few months later, a four-leaf clover joined it.

Both lay neatly in the back of my phone case waiting for me to realize they were still there, and one day I did. However, it wasn’t until I took off the phone case that I realized what I was looking at- my fortune was right and the clover was the proof. More love than I could have ever imagined came my way. When I first opened that fortune cookie, I did not know who would end up giving me that four-leaf clover. I had no idea that someone would take the time to sift through the grass and find a four-leaf clover for me simply because I said I had never found one. I could only dream that someone would care that much.

It’s funny really when I look back on it and think of all the people I met that year and began to love. It’s funny to think how blind I was to the life I had always wished for.

I like to think that I am a grateful person. Someone who sees and acknowledges the good in life even amidst the bad. Someone who doesn’t overlook that goodness, but being grateful and being aware are two very different things.

There are moments when I stop and soak it all up.

Every feeling and every emotion hoping to never let them escape my head. In those moments, I acknowledge all that I have. How big this life is, taking a moment to express my gratitude and try as hard as I can to remember that feeling. Then, the days pass. Circumstances change and suddenly it’s raining and I no longer remember what the sunrise looked like or how it felt to walk barefoot in the sand. I begin longing for a different day.

I spent a lot of time wishing for what I have now, and I’m afraid if I keep wishing for the next thing, I’m going to wish the now away. So, I’m learning to sit somewhere in the middle of dreaming of good days while learning to love today.

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The Top 5 Most Extravagant Costumes in Film

by Sophia Robertson

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Illustration by Mack Berg

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he film world has produced some of the most outrageous and iconic costume designs ever created. Everyone can imagine Dorothy’s sparkling ruby slippers, Ghostface’s mask in the Scream franchise and Indiana Jones’ fedora.

Each outfit creates a story about the character who wears it.

For many films, costume designers go above and beyond: creating elaborate dresses, precisely matching colors and adding extreme details with lace and glitter, all while collaborating with the actors, directors and cinematographers. Cruella, Rocketman, My Fair Lady, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Joker are just a few movies that yielded some of film history’s best costumes, with hundreds of hours devoted to the spectacularly magnificent designs produced.

Cruella (2021) - The Petal Dress

Cruella is arguably Disney’s most stylish villain, wearing 47 outfits in her spinoff movie. One of her most memorable outfits in the 2021 film is a frilly red skirt and a jacket adorned with horses and carriages. In the scene with this outfit, Cruella — played by Emma Stone — steps on top of the baroness’ car, covering the windows with her lavish dress. Cruella and the baroness are archnemeses, and this scene is one of many within the film where Cruella uses flashy costumes to steal attention from her rival. Production of the dress involved the use of over 5,000 organza petals that were sewn together by the designer’s students.

The rest of the film is peppered with other creative designs.

Another commendable costume is a white cape that Cruella lights on fire to reveal a red gown underneath, although visual effects were used to produce this look rather than actual fire wires and fabrics.

Rocketman (2019) - Elton John’s “Devil” Costume

The first costume that designer Julian Day created for Rocketman was what he calls the “devil” costume, which features orange horns, wings and a bright jumpsuit covered in sequins. Taron Egerton, the actor who played Elton John and was fitted into this costume, wore orange heart-shaped sunglasses to complete the ensemble. In the movie, the costume is worn when John enters rehab. Day intentionally made the outfit colorful and outlandish to contrast with the dull colors other patients were wearing, bringing the audience’s complete focus to John. Across Day’s 64 Rocketman costumes, one million Swarovski crystals were used. The “devil” costume used 60,000 of these crystals. Although Elton John is known for wearing eccentric costumes during his performances, the orange jumpsuit was designed specifically for the film and never worn by the singer himself.

My Fair Lady (1964) - The Legendary Ascot Dress and Hat

Audrey Hepburn, playing Eliza Doolittle’s character, wears a black and white lace dress with a silk undergarment, striped ribbon and bows, and a matching hat and umbrella in the musical My Fair Lady. The film, set in 1912, is about a lowly flower girl who, with the help of a wealthy linguist, is transformed into a refined woman. Her first test in high society is a horse race at Ascot, and her dress for this event certainly exceeded the assignment. The other women in the scene wear similar costumes with muted colors and bold hats, allowing Doolittle to fit in perfectly with the affluent ladies despite her impoverished past. It was British designer Cecil Beaton who created the intricate dress, winning an Academy Award for Best Costume Design. In 2011, the dress was auctioned off for $3.7 million.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) - Effie Trinket’s Lavender Alexander McQueen Outfit

Hunger Games announcer Effie Trinket is known for her peculiar styles throughout the series. Trinket works for the Capitol, a tyrannical dictatorship, as an escort for the series’ main characters. Her costumes involve heavy makeup, massive wigs and ornate fabrics to reflect her theatrical personality. Elizabeth Banks, the actress who held Trinket’s role, stated that her costumes are meant to be confining to give a sense of the oppression under the Capitol’s rule. The costume designers were reportedly inspired in part by Marie Antoinette. One of Trinket’s most bizarre outfits is a ruffled lavender dress in Catching Fire, which is paired with matching jewelry, tall shoes and a blue wig. The dress and shoes, along with several other costumes from the film, were ripped from fashion designer Alexander McQueen’s 2012 collections.

Joker (2019) - A Classy, Colorful Spin on the Joker’s Suit

In film and written works, the Joker often sports a sophisticated purple suit; however, in the 2019 Joker film, Joker — played by Joaquin Phoenix — wears a red two-piece suit, gold waistcoat and green collared shirt.

The Joker’s costume is much more than clothing; hair and makeup are crucial to the look because they express his mental state. His erratic actions and delusions suggest he may be inflicted by psychopathy and antisocial personality disorder, so the brightly colored hair and makeup reflect his chaotic, unconventional disposition. Hair designer Kay Georgiou claimed broccoli was the inspiration for Phoenix’s hair color, so she took a trip to the grocery store to match up the vegetable with dye. As for his makeup, artists wanted to create something different than previous Jokers, but they still opted for a simple look.

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Skin Conditions, Chronic Disease, and Wabi Sabi I

by Kennedi Hosey

Illustration by Elle Campbell find it hard to write positively about something I feel so negatively about.

Living with eczema, I don’t remember a time when my skin wasn’t ripping apart at the seams. A dryness so severe that even water itself couldn’t soothe it. I do remember all the times I begged my mom to give me a date on when my pain would end. Over time I came to realize that that date would never arrive.

As someone who has a deep interest in art and design, it was only a matter of time before I stumbled upon the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi is the idea that there is beauty in the imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Individually, wabi and sabi are two separate concepts. Wabi recognizes the beauty in simplicity and sabi allows us to confront the passage of time, finding beauty in the marks of age. Sabi tells us that change is the only constant, it’s the natural cycle of life. Wabi-sabi is a crack on a teapot, the wood of an old door, green moss on a rock, a misty landscape, a distorted cup, a chip in a wooden table, or the moon's reflection on a pond.

How could one find beauty in an ailment that seemed to be permanent? I struggled to find beauty in myself at all. My skin wasn’t normal; it was cracked, dry, gray, flaky, wrinkled, and almost constantly bleeding. I hated the passage of time because the only change it held was if my skin decided to stay closed or separate, revealing the shame I was feeling by purely existing.

It’s tiring being so dejected.

Wabi-sabi teaches us acceptance. My mentality slowly shifted. Hating myself wasn’t sustainable. The more I resisted acceptance of my situation, the more I compounded my own suffering. Wabi-sabi tells us failure, grief, worry, and loneliness are inevitable in life.

It teaches us to not resist this fact but to surrender to it and allow it to expand your character. In ‘5 Teachings From the Japanese Wabi Sabi Philosophy That Can Drastically Improve Your Life’ by Omar Itani, he explains that “through acceptance, you find freedom; out of acceptance, you find growth.”

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My skin may not be deemed beautiful, but I accept myself and my life in all forms. Resist fighting an impossible fight, breathe, and let be.

Striving for an idea that is so made up that the definition is different in everyone’s head is a fool’s errand. To be perfect is to exist. To be perfect is to take up space. To be perfect is to stop hiding behind hoodie sleeves in the summer. To be perfect is to be proudly imperfect.

I flinch at seeing myself as not beautiful. I used to flinch at seeing myself in general. A common feeling experienced by people with chronic diseases is ‘How can I love something that has betrayed me at birth?’ That’s the root of it all. Betrayal, it’s betrayal. But is that really what I can call it? I felt betrayed because I felt entitled to a ‘perfect’, mar-free, ‘useful’ body. I wanted to be ‘normal’. I was upset at the cards I was dealt as if my body chose to be this way.

The long fight is as much mental as it is physical. As we go through life in and out of the doctor’s office with steroids, new prescriptions, shots, and needles, it is important to remember that these remedies only soothe your day-to-day life. You are not your medicine. You are not your disease. You are the chip in the sidewalk, the ladybug on the windowsill, the single leaf left during winter, a human with golden scars bearing the story of the past.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Meadow Pacheco MODEL: Kennedi Hosey

Kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery by mending the cracks with liquid gold. A shattered bowl can be given new life and made all the more enchanting by bearing its scars proudly. Just because that bowl has cracks or is deemed imperfect does not mean that that bowl is suddenly not a bowl, that it doesn’t do its job at holding matter in its concavities. The human body is one and the same. Just because the body has bumps and bruises does not mean that it suddenly stops being a body, that it loses all usefulness completely. One may experience trauma, be damaged and then be reborn, more beautiful, and stronger. Surgery scars, discoloration, open wounds, and cracks marring the skin. This is kintsugi. The beauty of resilience, the beauty of your body fighting with you, not against.

Because imperfection is the natural state of life. Omar Itani says “you are whole, the entirety of you, as you are..Imperfection is not a compromise; imperfection is the only way.”

Perfection has always been a fictional concept.

STYLING: Stephanie Rummel MUA: Isabella Broccolo

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JIM MORRISON A FRAGILE, EGGSHELL MIND

by Polly O’Neal

Illustration by Kevin Foster

“D

o you know we exist?”

A simple lyric found amongst the poetic discourse of Jim Morrison’s music. This one line threads together the profound nature of Morrison’s outlook surrounding life on Earth.

Morrison served as frontman for the psychedelic rock band “The Doors” that rose to fame in the 1970’s. Some of his hit songs like “Hello, I Love You” and “People Are Strange” probably ring a bell. From a young age, Morrison perceived the human experience in a manner that sets him apart from most. His peculiar and dramatic take on life began with a family road trip through Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Morrison family passed an uncanny incident on the road involving a group of Pueblo Native Americans. After some sort of car accident, many of them were visibly bleeding to death lying on the side of the dusty road.

Four-year-old Morrison entered hysterics as the family drove away. He would later write that the souls of the dying Native Americans entered his impressionable body and never left. This moment in his early life weaved together the fabric of his music and persona until the day he died.

At the beginning of his career, Morrison was simply a shy poet with a lot on his mind. His writing was dark and inspired by a treacherous upbringing of parents following a military-style punishment system, a selfimmersion in the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, and a lifelong practice of substance abuse. It was never his intention to turn his poetry into music or spoken word until he met his bandmates in film school at UCLA. Keyboardist Ray Manzereck was immediately entranced with Morrison’s poetry and jumped at the opportunity to put it to his own music. Morrison agreed, and the band began to solidify as drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robby Krieger entered the scene. As the band began to sift through Morrison’s poems and align them with psychedelic-bluesy rock melodies, there seemed to be an undeniable theme throughout. Almost everything he wrote encompassed eroticism, the meaning of life and death, or imagery of the natural world. No frivolous admirations or sweet nothings were spoken of. It was always life or death to Jim, but more specifically those of the dying Native Americans that one summer’s day in Albuquerque.

One of his most popular songs “Peace Frog” from the album Morrison Hotel says, “Indians scattered on dawn’s highway bleedin’ Ghosts crowd the young child’s fragile eggshell mind.” Similar lyrics can be found in his spoken word piece “Dawn’s Highway” and another song plainly titled “The Ghost Song”. Ideas alluding to the incident can be found in countless other works of his. It is not uncommon for artists, especially those who identify with rock ‘n’ roll, to find inspiration in strange places. However, to claim that another soul is residing within you and that its existential dread is manifesting in your music is by far the most outlandish I’ve ever encountered.

As the band began to gain more and more attention, Morrison became exponentially stranger. His shyness became a thing of the past and a man whose speech was overflowing with radical, pervasive ideas dominated the rock ‘n’ roll scene. The supposed spirit inside of him, as if his puppeteer, led him to strip naked on stage and ask the audience to join. As his fame continued to rise, he outsourced his coping mechanisms to the typical vices of those surrounding him; hard drugs and copious amounts of alcohol. His self-medication was a tool to numb the pain of his so-called double existence; his soul, and the poor soul of another. Morrison’s addictions and alcoholism led to the ultimate demise of the band as his words on stage slurred and his arrival to perform was detrimentally inconsistent.

His early death entered him into the 27 Club along with fellow rockstars Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin. He supposedly died in a bathtub in London, England due to heart failure. Yet, his mystique continued as other theories of his death surfaced and no autopsy was ever performed. When I first fell in love with his music and the mystery of his character, I could not accept that his passing was as simple as that. In my opinion, a life lived with two souls in one body could not end so easily. Maybe he’s still alive, maybe the drinking got the best of him, or maybe he really did pass in a bathtub and I’m simply dreaming with false hope.

Morrison’s story can be perceived in innumerable ways and whether you believe in his personal ghost or not is up to your discretion. I will leave you with this, however. His parents claimed that the killings of the Native Americans on the side of the road never even happened. In their words, it was simply an affirmed figment of his imagination.

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Tae Park, Rachel Laminack MODELS: Sammi Schoppe, Christal Dita MUA: Amaya Al-Mussawir, Carrie McLawhorn STYLING: Gracie Owens, Melissa Valerio SET: Katie Finan, Charlotte Fullbright, Olivia Jurney

PHOTOGRAPHY: Rachel Laminack MODELS: Jadyn McLean, Avery Pardue MUA: Carrie McLawhorn, Isabella Broccolo STYLING: Isabella Cobb, Ryan Olson

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Meadow Pacheco, Rachel Laminack MODELS: Jamal Mohamad, Emily Jackson MUA: Ksenia Matveeva, Amaya Al-Mussawir SYTLING: Dan Inman, Amaya Al-Mussawir

PHOTOGRAPHY: Taylor Wittig MODELS: Zoee Bishop-Bridges, Jacqueline Weber, Joseph Bunger MUA: Ksenia Matveeva, Isabella Broccolo, Joseph Bunger STYLING: Sarah Grace Simas, Olivia Kollin, Maggie Pattyson

PHOTOGRAPHY: Meadow Pacheco, Rachel Laminack MODELS: Abby Schwebke MUA: Isabella Broccolo STYLING: Kendall Wisniewski

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WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG? T

by Lexi Amedio

Illustration by Elle Campbell

he random objects that end up rattling around in your bags

for weeks, months, and sometimes even years tell a story.

What that story is, I’m not exactly sure. That’s for you to decide.

I’m just the girl asking the semi-invasive questions.

What I can tell you is that the things people place value on will surprise you.

There is no such thing as having too many forms of chapstick, and you can fit an obnoxious amount of things in a tote bag. From miniature hotel shampoos to mushroom foraging kits, you just never quite know what someone will reveal when asked the question: “What’s in your bag?”

I often find myself analyzing not only the objects that I carry in my own bag but also what the people around me have in theirs. I tend to collect random things I encounter throughout my days and weeks, only to find them later in my bag.

Flowers found at bus stops and pieces of fallen jewelry being just a couple examples. I cherish these seemingly nonsensical things and give them a permanent home in my favorite patchwork purse. This fascination has stuck with me for years, and I was eventually inspired to take my curiosity to the streets of Raleigh, so let’s take a look into a few bags: What do plastic frogs, a notebook with Pedro Pascal’s face on it, and seeds from various types of corn have in common? They can all be found in the same navy blue canvas tote bag. When I had initially approached the owner of this bag, let’s call her Frankie, to ask if she would be willing to walk me through the items she had in her bag, an enormous smile spread across her face as she explained to me that I had “picked the perfect person to interview.” She also told me that she is a mom, and in agreement with that facet of her identity she revealed miniature pink heart sunglasses and a hand-drawn turtle magnet courtesy of her daughter. Frankie also carried the aforementioned mushroom foraging kit encased in an olive green pouch.

She explained to me that she is a chef, and foraging mushrooms is her ideal way to spend an afternoon. She then reached her hand into the bag a second time and revealed a small ziploc filled with seeds from various corn plants. The seeds were an array of dif-ferent colors and a gift from one of her closest friends. Frankie is zestful and welcoming, and I believe that the items she carries are a complete embodiment of that energy.

The second person I approached had a brown handbag containing such sentimental and nostalgic items that I jokingly questioned if its owner had prepared for this interview beforehand. The owner of this bag, who I appropriately named Charlotte (it matches her energy), eagerly shared the items with me. The first thing she pulled out of her bag was a map of Paris from a trip taken with family a few months back. She explained that she simply couldn’t bring herself to get rid of it. In line with that theme, she revealed a light-up bracelet from the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert. Although the batteries in the bracelet have since died, Charlotte says that it is a simple reminder of an incredible night. As she collected the final items in the bottom of her bag, she went on to tell me that “I typically have seashells in all of my purses and pockets” as a fond reminder of a place she loves. Charlotte’s effortlessly grounding presence and refreshing sense of intentionality radiate through the contents of her bag. These objects are unmistakable evidence of her deep love for the people and places in her life.

In clutches, wallets, backpacks, and totes, I saw glimpses into the lives of the people I interviewed. I even found some of my own things in my roommate’s bag when I interviewed her (Can I have those back, Kate?). I wondered if someone were to ask me what was in my bagwould they think the same of me. Would I display Frankies boldness and energy or waver more towards Charlotte’s sentimentality. If I asked you the same, would you have cards, coupons, or keychains found on the ground? Lipsticks “in every color” and baggage claim tickets? Emergency snacks, a miniature composition notebook? Does the floor of your purse hold crumpled sticky notes with scribbles of “I love you, have a great day.”? Or does your bag hold only the essentials?

Wallet, keys, a pack of gum and the same chapstick you have used for years- because even then I believe a small piece of you is revealed.

Throughout this process I witnessed a delicate balance of daily essentials and sentimental memorabilia. I met people who take great pride in the very intentionally curated content of their bag, and I met others who shared with me that they’ve never really thought about what their’s contains. Whichever category you fall into, I encourage you to explore the story behind the items you carry, and maybe even ask someone else about theirs.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Tae Park MODEL: Anika Rauch MUA: Leah Tran STYLIST: Elle Newkirk SET: Katie Finan, Lilo Harris

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62 Written b y Neely

Mallik

“Height?”

“5’8.”

“Eyes?”

“Brown.”

“Hair?”

“Brown.”

“Race?”…

“Race?” “Race?”

I

stare blankly into the eyes of the DMV oocer as he checks oo the boxes for my new driver's license. I feel a sudden sense of pressure aaer lacking an immediate response.

“Um, what are the options? Am I allowed to check more than one?”

The oocer looks me up and down before responding, “I can check ‘Other.’”

Which should I check? What am I supposed to check? Can I belong in more than one box? I This is the recurring question: which box do I belong in? These boxes, prevalent on and oo paper, have been haunting me for my entire life. Bubbling in standardized test forms, applying for a passport, filling out papers at the doctor’s ooce, I never quite know the answer.

I look up from the papers and into the faces of my loved ones, and I still don’t know the answer.

In one box I see my mom, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, great-aunts, second cousins, siblings, and family friends. We’re setting oo fireworks for the Fourth of July, going to church every Sunday, and opening a pile of giis on Christmas morning. Looking into this box, I am at ease. These are the people and traditions I have grown up with, surrounding me throughout my entire life. Years of memories with my cousins and grandparents from this side of the family have shaped me into the person I am today. It may be the typical American childhood, but there is comfort, depth, and contentment within this box. I know my way around, I know what to expect, and I feel a sense of guilty confinement because of it.

I look to the next box and I see my dad and my grandmother. There are so many valuable memories here.

Drinking tea with my grandma, listening to my grandpa tell stories about his life, walking around the lake with them both. But there is also a void as I listen to them conversate with each other in Bengali, having absolutely no idea what they’re saying. There is a void as I try on one of my grandma’s sarees–unsure of how to dress myself. There is a void as I sit at my grandfather's funeral, not understanding what the ceremony represents. I don’t know my way around and I don’t know what to expect. I look into a mostly empty box and I know that across the globe there is a rich culture full of people, foods, and traditions that make up half of who I am.

Growing up with families from two diierent cultures, my sense of identity has always been tugged in between these boxes. Being a part of both, yet never wholly belonging to either. I know this is not a unique experience for those who come from mixed cultural backgrounds, especially growing up in the United States. It can be a challenging and lonely journey to go on. But it can also be a journey that results in acceptance, adaptation, empathy, resilience, and an overall enriching perspective on life.

I first had to accept the journey I was meant to be going on.

Where I come from is part of who I am, and it is something that can never be changed. This isn’t a bad thing, in fact, I think it has become one of my greatest strengths. While I have had my share of struggles within each box, I have also embraced the fact that I was given an opportunity that many can never understand. The ability to see the world through multiple lenses. I truly believe that through this experience, I have gained a nuanced understanding of life and all it can ooer. Not only this, but I am able to better empathize with those who have had struggles with equity and inclusion in their lives, to whichever level that may be.

Having this perspective on life has, and undoubtedly will continue to, allow me to live life to the fullest.

To some, checking a box is the most minor, thoughtless part of their days, but to me, it represents so much more.

We all have boxes in our lives, one way or another. Some, we check oo without a second thought. Some take a little more time, eeort, and acceptance to check oo. Either way, they all deserve a check mark.

Motel DRAINS

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Lizzy Novelli, Tae Park, Maya Mitchall MODELS: Carrie McLawhorn, Brianna Anderson, Kayla Hillman, Katelyn Harris MUA: Carrie McLawhorn, Janey Harlow STYLING: Sophie Trew, Madison Walker, Olivia Kollin, Mira Phillips SET: Lilo Harris, Kai Williams, Ali Southard, Katie Finan

PHOTOGRAPHY: Tae Park, Maya Mitchall, Peyton Moore, Lizzy Novelli MODELS: Anushna Saha, Laura Roman-Runtz, Kelly Hernandez, Isabel Santana MUA: Amaya Al-Mussawir, Carrie McLawhorn STYLING: Elizabeth DiFiglia, Gracie Owens, Margaret Lucas, Amaya Al-Mussawir

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Peyton Moore, Maya Mitchall, Tae Park, Lizzy Novelli MODELS: Emma Bridges, Grier Love MUA: Ksenia Matveeva STYLING: Zoe Patterson, Meg Fickling

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PHOTOGRAPHY: Tae Park, Lizzy Novelli

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Friends, We

Should friends gather

Gather

Today

By Leah Tran

Illustration by Kat Barnabei

Friends, we should gather today, Around the glass dinner table that our furnished apartment gave and eat with the forks and spoons that we forgot which of us brought. And shake with laughter in the chairs that have always needed another screw or two.

In the background of some stranger’s sacrificed backyard. With the speakers stacked on top of a deck and string lights tied to the oak trees.

Head-banging our way to the center of a crowd to get a better view of the lead singer with bigger dreams that can’t be contained to a classroom.

At the concrete slabs of a lake that can look really blue if it is a sunny enough day. We can wait for the ‘bubble” man to bring his gear and watch the kids beam with laughter as they run to pop the iridescent spheres.

This is what I wish to say to my friends more than ever. I am sure I am not the only one who shares these sentiments. As I get closer to my graduation date, I am more desperate to enjoy my time here with my friends before we all step into the mystery of our future after college. To see each other outside of our campus or furnished apartments and to meet somewhere to connect, experience, or simply be a part of something.

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I have realized though that this desperation comes from a deeper place. A desire that has been long rooted in us since we aged out of biking around our neighborhoods and rolling down hills with kids at recess. Since we suddenly became immersed in the world of the internet and became more concerned with social media. Since it became easier than ever for us to even really leave the house.

Need a new pair of jeans? Just buy them online. Need groceries? You can pay someone else to deliver them to you. Need to talk to a friend? Just give them a quick text.

Of course, I want to acknowledge that these options have made it a lot easier for people with mental and physical disabilities to live their lives. But I also want to address the fact that we seem to have simplified our lives to just home and work and any time spent outside is contained in our screens and as a result–we find ourselves lonelier than ever.

According to the Survey Center on American Life, we are spending measurably less time with friends than a decade ago. A big reason for this is the decline in third places.

A term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, third places refer to places where people spend time outside of their homes and work. Where people exchange ideas, have a fun time, and build relationships with one another.

I’ve seen these third places all over my screen: TV shows where the characters meet at a local coffee shop to sit on a couch for hours talking about their lives. Or movies where they meet by the neighborhood park to play a basketball game with people they’ve never met before.

But to be honest, I have struggled to see these third places in our real life today and if there are, it often costs money to participate in. Many of us–especially college students–don’t have the flexibility to buy that expensive latte every week to just sit in a local cafe. Or to go to the mall or thrift

store every weekend. And to be honest, we have become much more comfortable in our bedrooms and choose to decompress from the day by scrolling endlessly on our phones instead of truly connecting with anyone.

The disappearance of third places is not entirely the fault of us as individuals. Our local governments are actively making financial decisions that affect the investment in communal, public spaces that are free and accessible. It is not easy for someone to make their way around a city that has poor transportation and an even poorer investment in these spaces.

But we can reverse this issue. We can pay attention to local elections and voice our opinions to our legislators that we need more of these spaces to gather. And we can also realize that there are still third places for us to go to.

Local libraries are a great free space for people to not only meet to learn and work, but to have access to many stories, via books or movies, and even offer free music.

Parks and recreational places remain a beautiful space to enjoy the earth, walk with a friend, or even have a picnic.

The gym too has become more of a popular place–where so many people are working towards their individual goals alongside each other.

There are many clubs and organizations that gather together based on shared interests and hold events that celebrate that and welcome those who are curious.

We can still gather today, and we should.

Because truly friends, we only have today.

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A Leeer a letter from the writers

From the

Writers

s

Dear Readers, Here it is. The end of the magazine.

Platform Magazine, like so many magazines that have come before it and will come aaer it, is the culmination of the creative collaboration of all of its members. It is birthed thanks to the models and their poses, the stylists and their clothes, the makeup artists and their brushes, the photographers and their cameras, the writers and their words, and the graphic artists with their sketchbooks. It is truly a work of art, its pages are full of so many things to look at. It is so magical to see all of the hard work we put into the magazine reflected in its physical form. There is something to be said about the magic of slowing down and flipping through the glossy pages we have worked so hard to fill. It brings us not only a sense of pride for our collaborative work, but a larger feeling of connection to the human experience.

by Isabella Broccolo & Leah Tran

And indeed, we have a lot to say about the human experience–especially as writers.

Writing helps us see the beauty in the world. It forces us to slow down and examine the things we are seeing, hearing, feeling, and experiencing. To cherish the connections we have cultivated throughout our life. Whether it is with our loved ones, our precious possessions, or even cherished places, our word is nothing without these things. It helps ground us and helps us stand firm against the seemingly endless blowing gale of young adulthood in the modern day.

It allows us to nurse hurt feelings of loneliness and celebrate moments of joy.

It is a means of connection just as much as a means of self-expression.

It is what led us to Platform. It is what led us to a community full of people who express themselves in unique ways and who celebrate each other’s unique perspectives and ideas. It is what led us to our other writers, who are endlessly inspiring to us. Who have forever changed our lives by teaching us about Wabi Sabi and FRUITS magazine and Jim Morrison and film costumes. Who celebrate the things we keep in our bags, our thoughtless wishes, and our morning sunscreen. Who help us unpack the complications of celebrities and the boxes of our ethnic identities and all things girlhood.

Writing is only able to serve its purpose so long as there are people to read it. And having you all take the time out of your day to read our articles truly means the world to us. Thank you for getting vulnerable with us and thank you for letting us get vulnerable with you.

Thank you for reading, Leah and Isabella Illustration by Kloe Tucker

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STUCK iN PHOTOGRAHPHY: Ksenia Matveeva MODEL: Alandya Warren MUA: Amaya Al-Mussawir STYLING: Justus Denizard, Sophie Trew SET: Katie Finan, Janey Harlow

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Platform