Letter from the Editor
Editor-In-Chief
Maggie Malone
Managing Editor
Miya Moore
Copy Chief
Suzanne Piper
Section Editors
Lucy Riley
Lilia Santeramo
Luke Werckman
Copy Editors Writers
Izabella Arias, Nora Barnard, Ruby Johnson, Carly Kunkler, Clara Leder, Suzanne Piper, Lucy Riley, Olivia Trowbridge
Kendal Akers, Luciana Avila, Nora Barnard, Madeleine Colbert, Alexandra Hopkins, Maggie Malone, Miya Moore, Julia Parente, Lucy Riley, Lilia Santeramo, Darcie Zudell
Creative Director
Ally Parker
Art Director
Matthias Agganis
Designers
Matthias Agganis, Sophia Cianciola, Lilly Cochran, Elizabeth Dickerson, Zoe Duncan, JJ Evans, Julia Parente, Ally Parker, Ellie Sabatino, Toby Sutherland, Claira Tokarz
Photo Director
Claira Tokarz
Photographers
Lilly Cochran
Nora Dahlberg
Claira Tokarz
Social Media Director
Elizabeth Dickerson
Assistant Social Media Director
Parker Jendrysik
Video Director
Zach Baic
Marketing Director
Julian Hall
Assistant Marketing Director
Divy Bose
Hello Reader,
I know I may look like a tenacious baller, but the truth is, ever since my season-ending sprained ankle of ‘08, my game has never been the same. Luckily, as the only athlete in Backdrop High, I’m captain of the basketball team, football team, water polo team... and all the rest. Reflecting on my glory days has led to the creation of Volume 19, Issue 3 of Backdrop magazine: The Nostalgia Issue.
While nostalgia can be understood as an individual and sentimental
feeling, the stories in this issue show how it also appears in collective ways, within our campus, our community and our culture.
Senior writer Alexandra Hopkins reports on Dungeons & Dragons persisting as a popular role-playing game, connecting players from varied walks of life (pg. 12). Managing Editor and writer Miya Moore talks with OU alum Brigid McSteen about fashion and style through the lens of history (pg. 14).
Senior writer Darcie Zudell explores Backdrop’s bold beginnings with the help of former staff members (pg. 28).
This magazine would not thrive without the commitment of our incredible staff, who consistently approach their work with curiosity. Their ability to balance creativity with responsibility is what allows Backdrop to continue producing thoughtprovoking student journalism.
Thank you to Copy Chief Suzanne Piper for playing a crucial role in keeping our copy editing team staffed and running. Finally, thank you to our readers for supporting the work we do. We hope this issue inspires you to reminisce and consider what role our pasts can play in the present.
Editor-in-Chief backdropmag@gmail.com
check out our website www.backdropmag.com
Send us your feedback via snail mail, email or pigeon carrier. We’d love to hear from you.
Want to advertise with Backdrop? Email: jh126321@ohio.edu
throwing it back drop
22
18 36 departments
late-night legacy 18
soulvaki’s is a staple to athens nightlife
reaching for retro 22
how old tech is making a comeback features
community
court street levels up 8 inside athens’ only arcade
skating through change 10
dow’s rollarena remains a gathering place
quest for community 12
d&d players connect on campus and beyond
q&a
a stitch in time 14
brigid mcsteen has a special knack for history
recipe
college kid cuisine 16 a fresh take on a childhood freezer favorite
culture, uncensored 28 backdrop's founders paved the way entertainment with my little eye 26 can you find these items?
opinion
2026 trend forecasting 32 julia parente forecasts trends for 2026
the drop
slipping through our fingers 34 students grapple with anticipatory nostalgia
voices the future we were promised 36 a reflection on millennial optimism
to the alumni who helped us with this issue:
Wendy Goldfarb Bishop
Wilbert Cooper
Meredith Lockwood
Maya Meade
Ashley Micklish
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PHOTOS BY CLAIRA TOKARZ | DESIGN BY ELIZABETH DICKERSON
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Court street levels Up
Athens’ only arcade offers old-school video games, drinks and community
BY LUCIANA AVILA | PHOTOS & DESIGN BY LILLY COCHRAN
Anew retro vibe hit Ohio University’s campus when The Star Chamber Arcade opened its doors in October 2025. The arcade, a space lit up by the glow of video games, is conveniently located right on Court Street. Students and Athens locals can stop by to play games and enjoy drinks and snacks.
OU is well-known for its parties, festivals and nightlife. Court Street is where the majority of students go to shop and eat. However, there are not too many places where students can find entertainment that doesn’t involve loud bars or fast food. Owner Nick Muntean saw a lack of amusement options in Athens and decided to open Star Chamber Arcade. It became Athens’ only arcade and has grown into a new third place for families, students and Athens residents.
As described by the owner, Star Chamber is a “darkade,” meaning it is one long room with only games for light. Games line the entirety of the longest wall and more games and a counter sit on the other side. Barstools at the counter offer seating. Unlike other
arcades that charge for gameplay through tokens or card swipes, Star Chamber charges through a half-hourly rate. For $5, patrons can enjoy 30 minutes of playtime.
An hour of playtime is $10, and so on.
The arcade has a variety of games. Pac-Man, Galaga, Smash TV and ScoobyDoo pinball are a few favorites among customers. Pinball tournaments are frequently held.
OU freshman Alex Windle has visited Star Chamber a few times with friends. Windle says, “My favorite games would be Mortal Kombat or the Mars Attacks pinball machine.” Arcades are a great way to spend time with friends and immerse oneself in classic games.
Star Chamber is also a spot to grab drinks and light snacks. The arcade offers candy, hard-scoop ice cream and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Drink options include seltzers, beers and canned cocktails. OU senior Seda
to campus. Muntean credits the games’ lights and graphics for their nostalgic feel, saying, “Basic luminous blocks moving in repetitive patterns in a feedback loop between user and phosphor glow of screen. It's magical.”
Star Chamber will bring that same nostalgic feel to the next generation. Kids are now growing up with more screens than ever. Arcades allow kids to interact with screens in a whole new way that is social and competitive. “You still get to play games, but you are using new parts of your brain that aren’t being activated by the typical activities on a smartphone,” says Feldman. The arcade not only brings back old memories from the past, but it also creates new ones.
As a town of close to 60,000 people when including OU students, Athens needed a place for socialization and entertainment, according to Muntean. Star Chamber provides the town with a space for just that. “There's really not much in the way of commercial entertainment and amusement in town, and everyone seems really glad to have a new offering,” Muntean says.
It’s a place where strangers can easily bond over their favorite games and meet others in their community. “The arcade is getting people out of the house to interact with each other,” Feldman says. “I have seen people make friends and have friendly competition with people who were strangers just moments ago.” Star Chamber has become part of what makes Athens such a tight-knit community. The arcade brings back nostalgic memories while also creating new nostalgia for students and Athens locals alike. Whether it’s the games, ice cream or the beverages, Star Chamber is a strong new addition to Court Street and a great new entertainment option for Athens. b
Pinball machines in Star Chamber Arcade in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 22, 2026.
community
through change Skating
Dow’s Rollarena remains a gathering place through the digital age
BY MADELEINE COLBERT | ILLUSTRATIONS BY JJ EVANS | DESIGN BY ALLY PARKER
As a digitized world makes services available to people without forcing them to leave their homes, local businesses struggle to stay afloat. This is especially true in rural areas like Athens County, which has seen the loss of local shops in recent years, such as the closing of the Athena Grand movie theater on East State Street. However, one local staple has managed to survive the test of time.
Dow’s Rollarena, located at 15329 Elm Rock Road in Nelsonville, has been open since 1952 and has been run by the same couple, Roger and Helen Smith, since 1964. The roller arena has stayed relatively unchanged since then, keeping the nostalgic feel of an old skating rink. Some of the events that have helped keep the roller arena going are its holiday events, such as a New Year's party, and its unique birthday parties that feature a variety of roller skating games.
Kylee Mendenhall, a sophomore at Ohio University studying criminal justice, grew up in Athens and has memories of attending birthday parties at the roller arena and the games they played. “They do special games
just for parties. They have a big [die] where there are numbers on the wall, and you pick a number on the wall, and they roll the [die], and if you're at that number, you're out,” Mendenhall says.
Katelyn Miller, a sophomore at OU studying business analytics, has also been going to the roller arena since she was 7 or 8 years old. She made note of the different games played at the arena and the different activities hosted by the arena. “My favorite part of the rink is how interactive it is ... throughout the night, [the activities] are the same and they target different demographics. There will be a song, where it's couples, and then all the couples will get a song ... Adults get a song. Kids get a song. There's the limbo on skates,” Miller says.
Small businesses like the roller arena have become few and far between in recent years. Locations like the roller arena are considered “third places,” a term originated by sociologist Ray Oldenburg in 1983. It identifies spaces that allow people and communities to gather or socialize outside the confines of work or home life, defined as first and second places, respectively. This includes cafes, bookstores, parks, bars, gyms and other community-oriented spaces. Many third places have begun to shut down, as online competitors damage sales and social media causes people to be less inclined to leave their
homes and venture out into community spaces.
A 2024 national survey conducted by Daniel Cox and Sam Pressler through the American Survey Center found, on average, people have less social support from family and peers, fewer opportunities to participate in their communities and, in general, spend less time with other people than individuals did just a few decades ago. The survey also found that while this trend was seen nationwide among all demographics, there was a stark difference seen in populations with lower socioeconomic status and lower educational attainment. For example, the survey found, “70 percent of college graduates say at least a couple of people would loan them $200, only 44 percent of those without a college degree say the same. More than one in five [21 percent] Americans with a high school education or less say there is no one from whom they could borrow this amount of money.”
That divide showcases how the trend of the loss of third places hurts rural communities, like Athens County and southern Ohio at large, more severely than others, as these communities have been disproportionately disenfranchised in the past.
Miller discussed how important places like the roller rink are to the Athens community. “The rink provides a sense of community within the greater Athens area ... the location is pretty central,
so ... you get people from really anywhere in Athens [County]. There aren’t a whole lot of community spaces like the roller rink,” Miller says.
Mendenhall commented on how few activities there are in Athens beyond Court Street. “I think we need more hobby places like roller skating. We need more things to do that [don't] involve the Court Street activities,” Mendenhall says.
Miller also mentioned how Athens is unique when it comes to its sense of community because of OU, in that it both helps and harms it in different ways. She mentioned how the roller rink is a great example of something that serves not just the university but also the greater Athens area. “Communities like Athens struggle a lot to stand on their own. I would say that Athens is pretty unique because of the university ... I love being a bobcat and the opportunity to go to college, because OU really does help the local community get the option to go to college if they do well in high school, but the university takes a lot of the community out of Athens inherently,” Miller says.
In rural areas like Athens, establishments like Dow's Rollarena serve an important function many modern businesses lack: helping individuals create strong bonds with those around them. In turn, community support is crucial to keeping places like Dow's and local culture alive. b
D&D players connect on campus and beyond
BY ALEXANDRA HOPKINS | DESIGN BY TOBY SUTHERLAND
Tabletop role-playing games, better known as TTRPG, first became popular in the 1970s. The most notorious of these games, and long-lasting across generations, is Dungeons & Dragons.
Dungeons & Dragons, or D&D, is a fantasy role-playing game developed and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson in 1974. The game relies on collaboration between players, who play as a group of characters adventuring through fantastical worlds and whose actions rely on the rolls of dice.
Fred Drogula, a professor of humanities and classics at Ohio University, is a historian by training. His love of history “[goes] hand in glove” with his love of D&D. He started playing in the fifth grade, around 1980.
“I remember my parents got me the basic set when it was just basic Dungeons & Dragons, and I started playing with friends, and absolutely loved it,” Drogula says. “It's one of those things I come back to at different stages in my life for different reasons.”
During his games, Drogula fills the role of “Dungeon Master,” the overseer and narrator of D&D campaigns, who is in charge of guiding the other players through stories.
“I love telling stories. I love listening to stories,” Drogula says. “What I enjoy is setting the scene and setting the story for the group and helping the group develop the story and create the story as it goes along.”
According to Drogula, tabletop games, especially D&D, have changed dramatically and grown expansively since he began playing. These changes have allowed greater expression of players through their characters.
“I think it explores interesting ideas of race and gender that have become more prominent, certainly, than they
were before ... It's a response to developments within society ... It's about questions of identity,” Drogula says. “So as people's thinking about human identity changes, I think that inherently comes out in a game about character identity.”
Character creation is a major aspect of D&D. Iz Ahmer, a sophomore studying business at OU, has played D&D since her sophomore year of high school. In her current campaign, the character Ahmer plays has a major influence on her play style.
“I'm playing a Warmage. A Warmage isn't from the original Player's Handbook,” Ahmer says, referring to the book of basic D&D rules. “It's from Valda's Spire of Secrets, a sister book.”
While many D&D players stick to the Player’s Handbook, others use companion books to expand on the core set of rules. The amount of content available, whether official or not, is part of what encourages players to keep coming back. For Ahmer, she keeps coming back because of the relationships she has forged.
“You make good friends, and it's also the story element of your own character doing something,” Ahmer says. “I like the game a lot, but I would say the biggest thing is that I always manage to find a good group of friends in it.”
Drogula is also the adviser for Battles and Bobcats, a club on OU’s campus for “new and experienced Dungeons & Dragons players.” While Battles and Bobcats is focused on D&D, another group on campus, Bobcat Tabletop, meets weekly and offers a variety of board and card games for students to play.
Ahmer is a member of both groups. According to her, Battles and Bobcats is “more for finding campaigns,” while Bobcat Tabletop meets weekly to play.
“We just have a big rack of board games,” Ahmer says. “You can pick one off the shelves. We've always got a bunch of people there ... You don't have to be a member of the club. You can just show up with a small group of friends and just take the game off the shelf and go play.”
In Athens, a thriving community of TTRPG players exists both on and off campus.
Deep Dive Games, located at 908 E. State St., is a selfdescribed “brick-and-mortar location for the local TableTop Gaming community.” Eric Smith, franchise owner for the Athens location, is from the area and grew up going to game stores.
“Anytime I traveled or I was visiting a new town, I wanted to stop by other game stores ... and I saw things other stores did, and I was like, ‘I would do that differently,’” Smith says. “And then after a while, you just kind of get obsessed with doing things, thinking about how you would do things, then you just kind of get the idea.”
Smith is a childhood friend of Braden Spencer, owner of the first Deep Dive Games location in St. Marys, Georgia.
“I was looking to open my own game store in Athens ... so I asked [Braden] for advice, and he said, ‘Let’s just start a second Deep Dive location together,’” Smith says.
The store opening was originally set for September 2025, but was moved to August in order to garner incoming student attention. The store provides a space for college students to find community outsideof going out to bars, according to Smith.
“These hobbies are, and really always have been, and always will be for people who are more of the outcasts,” Smith says. “When you feel like an outcast, [games] help you find other people that are similar to you.”
Deep Dive Games hosts several weekly gaming events for the community, including what Smith defines as the “big three,” Magic: the Gathering, D&D and Warhammer.
Of these three games, D&D is the most popular in mainstream culture, with over 50 million players worldwide. However, when Drogula first started playing, D&D was considered taboo.
“There were people damning the game as a horrible temptation to sin and devil worship. There were a lot of negative statements about it,” Drogula says. “My grandmother was very worried about me when she heard I played. I had to explain to her what it was, what it wasn't.”
Today, D&D is played by thousands of people and appreciated worldwide. The Legend of Vox Machina, based on
Critical Role’s livestreamed campaign, is one of the most indemand animated series of all time. Baldur’s Gate 3, a roleplaying video game built on the core rules of D&D, is one of the top 10 most-played games on Steam. D&D has officially gone from taboo to mainstream.
No matter how long Drogula strays from the game, he always finds himself coming back to D&D. However, it’s not the game itself he looks to engage with — but the players. The game acts as a way to bring people together in an engaging and collaborative way.
“[D&D] invites you to let your guard down a bit with those friends, because you're not yourself, you're somebody else, and so it's allowable to push your own boundaries,” Drogula says. “It allows you to push your own boundaries in a safe way that can be a lot of fun.” b
A Stitch In Time
OU
fashion alumna Brigid McSteen is a freelance creative with a special knack for
history
BY MIYA MOORE | PHOTOS BY BRIGID MCSTEEN | DESIGN BY SOPHIA CIANCIOLA
Brigid McSteen, Athens native and Ohio University alumna, is now a freelance creative assistant living in New York City. After graduating in 2024 with a degree in retail fashion merchandising, she is leveraging her passion for vintage fashion collecting and nostalgic styles to fuel her career and personal brand. She just might be the most fashionable history buff you’ll ever meet!
Where are you currently working? What have you been up to since graduation?
I am a freelance creative assistant ... Right now, I’m working for a brand called Mirror Palais. It’s a New York-based clothing company. I help with set production for when we do our campaigns ... I kind of do behind the scenes, both with iPhone digital and film. I really want to start focusing more on photography, so this is kind of like a nice segue. But right now, I'm just doing creative freelance work, helping with pitch decks for when photographers are working with brands and when they need a direction to send to them.
Do you feel your aesthetic is rooted more in personal memories, family influence or a desire to reconnect with a different era?
My overall outward aesthetic is really rooted in personal memory, and nostalgia plays such a huge part in that. Every song that I listen to, every movie that I watch, every book that I read influences my personal style ... I think my fixation with antique clothing comes from a desire to reconnect with a different era. The ability to connect with women from 100 years ago gives me such an unexplainable, weird, but also cool gut feeling when I'm thinking about who wore these pieces before me. It creeps me out in a weird way, but it makes me feel so empowered and so sweet.
What first drew you to vintage fashion, and when did it start feeling like more than just a hobby?
It always stemmed from a love of history, which clothing is directly linked to, so it makes sense. I became obsessed with this designer whom I found on Instagram when I was 19. She would take '80s wedding dresses, dye them and make them into tops. I bought this crazy Princess Diana rainbow puff-sleeved one. I felt like it was the most expensive thing that I ever owned. I remember being so proud that I owned it and that I was the only person who owned it. And I think that's kind of where it began. I worked at the Mary C. Doxsee Historic Clothing and Textile Collection at OU when I was in college, and I really started learning about the history of trends and developing more of an appreciation for different eras. I love feedsack dresses from the '30s and gabardine of the Victorian era. It's like a puzzle, dating antique clothing and understanding how you can identify this as something from the '20s versus the '30s. Sweetheart motifs were popular during World War II, so I started being able to identify those and identify materials that were used during fabric shortages during the Great Depression. It's really fun and challenging, being able to identify a garment and understand it a little bit more.
Why do you think our generation gravitates so strongly toward the aesthetics of the past?
It's more of a sociological thing. There's so much mass production and social media spitting out new trends and aesthetics almost every day. I think our generation has developed an individuality complex where we want things that are unique to us, and speaking for myself, vintage clothing has really fueled that for me. It gives me the ability to have something very unique, to my own, and no one else will have in a world where so much is being produced and so much content is being pushed. I honestly feel that way in New York. There are so many people that it's great because there's so much inspiration, but it's also like ... there's too much inspiration! It's very overwhelming. But I think vintage clothing gives people a way to have something very unique and individual to them and their personal style.
Do you see nostalgia/the rise of vintage style as a response to cultural uncertainty or more as an artistic preference?
I think it's a little bit of both. But I'm very hopeful. I'm starting to see that Gen Z is kind of starting to turn a page with all of this mass production. I have a lot of faith in our generation that we are going to start dressing more personalized to ourselves after this era of wanting to follow all of these trends ... What I like about vintage clothing is knowing that I'm wearing something 100 years old and it still functions, and I still like it, even though it's 100 years old. It gives me relief when trying to grasp changing trends ... When I was in college, I read about this thing called Laver’s Law. It really, really stuck with me. It was [written by] a fashion and design historian named James Laver, who, in the '30s, created this timeline of how fashion is perceived over decades and the cyclical nature of trends.
What’s it like to come back to Athens as your hometown — and the home of your alma mater?
I treasure my trips to Athens so much. I wish I could go back every two weeks ... When I'm in Athens, I admire how content everyone is there and how happy everyone is. I feel like New York can be so bleak, and people can let their ambitions get the best of them ... I just feel so grateful anytime I go home, it just feels like I have a noise machine on and I can drown everything out. More than anything, I’m so proud to be from Athens — it truly made me into who I am today. b
Laver's Law
Indecent: 10 years before its time
Shameless: 5 years before its time
Outré (Daring): 1 year before its time
Smart: Current fashion
Dowdy: 1 year after its time
Hideous: 10 years after its time
Ridiculous: 20 years after its time
Amusing: 30 years after its time
Quaint: 50 years after its time
Charming: 70 years after its time
Romantic: 100 years after its time
Beautiful: 150 years after its time
A fresh take on a childhood freezer favorite
BY KENDAL AKERS
DESIGN BY MATTHIAS AGGANIS
In 1990, Kid Cuisine by Conagra Foods burst into supermarket freezers. This delicious frozen meal consists of meat, carbohydrates and a dessert (vegetables are optional). What makes Kid Cuisine so unique is the variety of meals that are available to choose from. Most of us are familiar with popping one into the microwave, which felt like “cooking” when we were kids. Now, in early adulthood, these childhood classics are easy and cost-effective to recreate at home.
We are going to replicate the All-Star Nuggets meal in this recipe, with chicken nuggets, corn, mac and cheese and a brownie. While our meal will cost more to make than one store-bought Kid Cuisine, once broken down into servings per container, it will end up being around a similar price point per the amount of food. This recipe also allows for in-depth customization of the meal. b
Chicken Nuggets:
1. Add 1 pound of chicken breasts or thighs, then put them into a food processor
2. Blend until the chicken is nice and minced (using ground chicken will allow you to skip this step)
3. Add in whatever seasonings you like — but do it in tablespoon intervals
4. Add in a ¼ cup of water and cornstarch into the mixture
5. Shape your nuggets into rectangular shapes (or your favorite shape)
6. Transfer to a tray to allow the nuggets to freeze for 30 minutes
7. Heat 3-4 cups of vegetable oil in a frying pan, making sure it gets to 350 F
8. Coat nuggets in egg wash, then flour, then breadcrumbs
9. After breading each nugget, fry in batches in the oil for 6-8 minutes
10. Fish nuggets out of the oil and allow them cool on a paper towel
Corn:
1. Get a can of whole-kernel sweet corn and drain half of the liquid
2. Empty the can into a small saucepan
3. Add 1 tablespoon of butter
4. Sprinkle in seasonings: ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper and ½ teaspoon of dried parsley
5. Heat over medium-high heat, then slowly reduce the heat and simmer until most of the liquid is gone
6. Remove the corn from the heat and allow it to cool
Mac and Cheese:
1. Pour 2 cups of water, 2 cups of whole milk and 1 teaspoon of salt into a deep skillet
2. Stir in 1 box of macaroni noodles, bring to a boil
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 8 minutes
4. Turn off the heat and add in 2 cups of shredded cheese
5. Mix in shredded cheese and allow to cool
Brownies:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 F
2. Spray or line with parchment paper a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Set this aside
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar. Whisk until sugars dissolve
4. Add 4 large eggs and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth
5. Slowly add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of cocoa powder mix until combined
6. Fold in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, then pour the mixture into the baking pan, spreading it out evenly
7. Top with sprinkles (optional)
8. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes on the middle rack
9. Remove from the oven to let cool, then cut into squares
For more than five decades, Souvlaki’s has been a staple in Athens nightlife
Late-Night Legacy
BY MAGGIE MALONE | PHOTOS BY CLAIRA TOKARZ | DESIGN BY ZOE DUNCAN
For 52 years, Souvlaki’s Mediterranean Gardens has served as a primary late-night destination for locals and is now one of the oldest restaurants in uptown Athens. While the restaurant first opened in 1974, its current era began 28 years ago with Hazim and Farial Kader.
Hazim and Farial met as students at Ohio University before deciding to build their lives together in Athens. When the Greek restaurant became available for new ownership in 1998, the timing aligned with a career move the couple had already been considering.
“We were thinking about having our own business,” Hazim says. “It was an opportunity.”
The Kaders initially debated whether to remake the restaurant to reflect their own heritage or preserve what already existed.
“Originally, we were going to change it to a Middle Eastern place,” Hazim says. “But we found the whole system was working. It’s Greek-American. It’s late-night.”
They kept a majority of the original menu intact while gradually adding new items and extending the restaurant’s hours into the early morning. On weekends, Souvlaki’s now often stays open until 4 or 5 a.m., positioning itself as one of the final stops for those leaving uptown bars.
“This is the after-hours for the bartenders,” Hazim says.
Located at 9 W. State St., the restaurant has established itself as an integral part of Athens nightlife, and concurrently became inseparable from the Kader family’s daily life.
Hazim and Farial’s children were both born within the first decade of the couple owning the restaurant. Their eldest daughter, Suzy Kader, spent much of her childhood behind the counter.
“We never had a babysitter,” Hazim says. “She was always staying with us.”
“They would just kind of sit me on the counter by the register,” Suzy says. “Random students would talk to me and I would blabber to them.”
Regulars sometimes stepped in to lend a hand during busy hours.
“People would babysit me in the restaurant,” Suzy says. “I always remember interacting with a bunch of different people and seeing some of the same faces every now and then.”
Photos scattered throughout the restaurant capture those early years, such as Suzy as a toddler during Halloween, sitting on her father’s shoulders during a homecoming parade and posing next to regular customers.
In December 2025, she completed her MBA at OU. Now, working as a software engineer in Columbus, Ohio, she has an evolved sense of respect for her parents’ discipline.
Farial Kader hands food to a customer at Souvlaki's in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 28, 2026.
“As a kid, I definitely didn’t see the amount of work that went into running a small business,” Suzy says. “On the outside, it looks like a well-oiled machine, but behind the scenes, there’s so much work that goes into it.”
“My dad would come home around like 7 or 8 a.m.,” Suzy adds.
Even with late-night shifts, a fair portion of her parents’
work happens behind the scenes, from managing employees to handling finances long after the doors close.
“They put pretty much everything into [the business],” Suzy says. “It’s a very tiring thing.”
Growing up around that work ethic shaped how Suzy approaches her own career and relationships.
“Compassion is the biggest thing that I've learned [from them]. My parents, even in tough situations, still want to be there for others and help support others,” Suzy says.
“Coming as immigrants, they were very new. Their English was okay, but still, they had to come a really long way to get where they are,” Suzy says. “Seeing the amount of discipline and sacrifice that they've put in [makes me] feel like I want to carry that on.”
Even through long weekends of nine-hour shifts, often with just the two of them running the show, Hazim and Farial keep mutual respect as the core focus of their service strategy.
“We don’t think of customers as customers,” Hazim says. “We treat people the way we like to be treated.”
According to Suzy, that emphasis on connection reflects broader cultural values for her parents.
“In the Middle East, a big part of the culture is friends and family and community,” Suzy says. “It goes beyond making
Suzy Kader as a child posing with regular customer.
Photo provided by Farial and Hazim Kader.
profits or even running a business. It’s actually talking with people and getting to know them.”
Their ethos has resulted in long-lasting relationships with customers who return years, and sometimes even decades, after graduating.
“We know 95% of our customers personally,” Hazim says. “Since we’ve had [Souvlaki’s] for 28 years, we’ve now got [old customers returning] and their kids are going to school. It’s a good feeling.”
Hazim says his favorite time of the year is Homecoming weekend, when OU alumni return to Athens and reconnect with their favorite local spots. Graduates from as far back as the late ‘90s are recognized when they take their first step back into Souvlaki’s after years of absence.
“My mom will say, ‘Oh, weren't you so-and-so and you ordered this and this?’ They're so shocked that she remembers,” Suzy says.
After moving off campus, Duncan and his roommates began visiting more regularly throughout the week.
“Going there sober is when we first started connecting with the owners and getting to know them,” Duncan says.
Duncan never strayed from ordering a lamb gyro until one of his roommates introduced him to the Super Beef Hoagie, a lesser-known menu item at the time.
“Once you eat the Super Beef Hoagie, you don’t eat anything else,” Duncan says.
Duncan and his friend, Ted Smith, ordered it every time they visited.
“[Hazim] said, ‘You guys know you’re the only two people that order this menu item, right?’” Duncan recalls.
Shocked, the friends asked if the sandwich could be named after them. Hazim agreed, creating the G&T Super Beef
“For [Hazim and Farial], it's genuinely like Athens is their family, especially because we don't really have family here in the states. Living in a small town, they wanted to find a sense of belonging and community, and they were able to do that through their customers and talking and getting to know people.”
The Kaders keep documentation of those connections across the restaurant, including a binder filled with newspaper clippings and printed photos of the restaurant and its regulars throughout the years. For many customers, the memories formed at the restaurant are the backbone of their college experience.
OU alumnus Geoff Duncan, who attended OU from 1996 to 2000 and studied chemical engineering, says Souvlaki’s became a regular stop during his college years.
“I can’t really recall the first time I went to Souvlaki’s,” Duncan says. “Like many other people, I was probably highly inebriated.”
Hazim Kader makes food for a customer at Souvlaki's in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 28, 2026.
Hoagie. To become immortalized, the friends posed with the sandwich using an early digital camera of the late ‘90s and had the image sized up and printed to hang in the restaurant.
“That was there until we graduated,” Duncan says. “And I can confirm it was there at least a year after we graduated.”
In fall 2025, Duncan returned to Souvlaki’s while visiting his two children, who are both currently OU students. The Super Beef Hoagie was no longer listed on the menu. When he saw Hazim passing by, he half-jokingly asked what had happened to it.
“He said, ‘We don’t have that on the menu anymore,’” Duncan says.
Hazim added that he still had a few buns in the back and could make one. Duncan, of course, accepted the offer. When they looked at each other again, Hazim recognized him.
“He said, ‘You’re Geoff from the G&T Super Beef Hoagie,’” Duncan says.
Both became emotional.
“Tears were flowing,” Duncan says. “We were hugging.”
Hazim went to the back and made the sandwich, then brought it out with Farial and sat down with Duncan to talk.
“He told me I made his night,” Duncan says.
HAZIM KADER SOUVLAKI'S OWNER
Hazim recalls Duncan and his friend as customers who felt more like family.
“Those guys were super nice,” Hazim says. “They’re really good guys.”
That sense of familiarity continues to define Souvlaki’s today.
Maxwell Levitsky, who has lived in Athens for more than six years, says the atmosphere of Souvlaki’s sets it apart from other late-night spots.
“I like the more intimate feeling of getting to talk to [Hazim and Farial],” Levitsky says. “If you come up here before about 12 o’clock and it’s not slammed, you can sit up here and talk to them while you wait for your food.”
“They’ll throw in some extra pita bread here and there,” Levitsky says. “They always take great care of me.”
His connection to the restaurant stretches back a generation. Levitsky says his mother, who graduated from
OU in 1981, used to come to Souvlaki’s when she was a student, before the Kaders took over.
Since 1998, Hazim and Farial have watched Athens evolve. According to Hazim, the late-night culture has changed.
“It used to be busy every day,” Hazim says. “Now it’s mainly Friday, Saturday, late-night.”
He recalled a time when Halloween brought tens of thousands of visitors from out of town and Court Street shut down for massive celebrations. Now, bar crowds have shifted into a more mild population.
“This generation, they’re not into drinking in the bars as much,” Hazim says.
Despite that shift, Farial says the customer base has remained “pretty much the same.”
The restaurant itself has also remained largely unchanged. The tables, Farial pointed out, are original from the ‘70s.
and Farial Kader
After nearly three decades of ownership, however, the physical demands have grown heavier on the couple.
“This work takes a toll on your body,” Hazim says.
“It's becoming really hard, but nothing lasts forever. So I think when it's time, it's time,” Farial says. “We'll keep going until it's like, ‘Okay, we can't do this anymore.’”
For now, Souvlaki’s remains open late due to the Kaders’ commitment to serving the Athens community.
Returning years later and being remembered by name is what Duncan says makes Souvlaki’s so special.
“It’s the total package,” Duncan says. “Great food, great atmosphere and great people.”
Those qualities, among many others, fuel the restaurant’s longevity. In a college town where few things remain the same from year to year, Souvlaki’s has endured as a reliable staple for generations. b
Hazim Kader (left)
(right) in their restaurant, Souvlaki's, in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 28, 2026.
NealMohrDJingathishomeinAthens,Ohio.Jan.8, 2026.
BY LILIA SANTERAMO | PHOTO BY CLAIRA TOKARZ | DESIGN BY LILLY COCHRAN & ALLY PARKER
Maps and encyclopedias. Radios and wrist watches. TVs and typewriters and telephones, oh my! Or, anyway, it used to be like that.
Nowadays, the traditional college-aged student hardly knows a world without access to the consolidated technologies of the smartphone. Since the 2007 release of the first iPhone, many tasks have become increasingly seamless. So seamless, in fact, that it can be easy to take the convenience of modern life for granted.
It may seem absurd that many people, even so-called “digital natives,” are going out of their way to substitute the newest tech with something outdated. Yet they’re doing just that.
Jo Kulina, a junior at Ohio University studying studio art, describes being met with both interest and incredulity over her decision to switch from an iPhone to a rather bulky Sonim XP3 flip phone.
“Some of the older people in my life ... they're kind of like, ‘Why would you ever want that?’”
Kulina says. “They don't understand that just because something
makes your life more convenient doesn't mean it's healthy and good.”
Kulina’s switch to a flip phone was preceded by a desire to be more present with others and the world around her, along with a need for more reliance on her intellect. She felt her iPhone inhibited these ideals.
Before making the switch, Kulina would often delete social media apps in an attempt to have a healthier relationship with her phone, but her efforts were ineffective.
“Even when I would delete social media apps, I would, well, A: get them back, but also ... I would just go on other apps ... or play games on my phone, which is arguably worse,” Kulina says. "You're not even connecting with anyone digitally if you're on a mobile app, or the games that I was playing. Even if there wasn't social media, which was a big part of it, it was like, still, I just wanted to be on it, and I wanted it in my hand. You don't realize until you're away from an iPhone or a smartphone, how much of an influence it has on your life.”
While the logistics of switching to a flip phone might seem difficult in a culture where smartphones are ingrained, Kulina says the process of switching was simple, describing it
in three steps: clicking upgrade phone in settings, ordering an offered phone through her provider and swapping the SIM card from her old phone.
From there, Kulina struck a balance between using new and old technologies as a way to get over hurdles that otherwise felt insurmountable. She uses her old iPhone as a GPS for places she hasn’t been before, and uses her iPad for online banking, social media and keeping up with her job’s Discord channel.
Even though Kulina hasn’t entirely purged smart devices from her life, she has reduced their centrality and feels she has reaped the benefits. The two biggest improvements Kulina has noticed are within the realms of mental acuity and social connection.
In the time since switching to a flip phone, Kulina feels she has grown as both an artist and a person. She attributes this growth to boredom and reflection, along with being more intentional about seeking out inspiration and prioritizing her creative goals.
Perhaps paradoxically, Kulina describes getting a flip phone and using social media sparingly as “disconnecting.”
People may have less access to her digitally, but she reports having more genuine interactions with others. For Kulina, these encounters, even when casual and brief, have a lot of power to do good.
“I think a lot of people desire to slow down and to be more present with each other, and I honestly think that's something that's really important when the world feels like it's falling apart,” Kulina says.
Kulina isn’t the only one who has found that adopting outmoded technology can function as a means for social connection and creative inspiration.
DJ Neal Mohr, who works under the moniker DJ Muchi Nochi in Athens and Columbus, Ohio, sometimes incorporates vinyl records into his sets. First a musician and
DJ, then a record collector, Mohr started incorporating vinyl into his work as he became interested in sampling hip-hop in his music. From there, Mohr cultivated a habit of seeking out all kinds of genres. At the moment, he says he is interested in house music and soul funk.
Mohr notes that incorporating vinyl into a set can be challenging, especially in Athens, where bars don’t have DJ booths with tables made for traditional record spinning. This becomes particularly tricky when it comes to maintaining sound quality.
“It’s hard to make vinyl records sound good at bars in Athens, because you get bass feedback. If you're on the stage, all the vibrations from the speakers and the subwoofer will carry back and create a feedback loop with the needle on the record,” Mohr says. “So [I have to] bring heavy pavers and extra foam pads and things like that to make [the] record sound good.”
Despite their sometimes troublesome nature, Mohr says that records pull him because they require more effort. Incorporating vinyl into his sets keeps him interested and constantly learning.
“I do some sets where I will limit myself to only use records ... limitation makes it more interesting to me, especially because I have a lot [of records], so it's not that limiting,” Mohr says. “I have to think about it more and be more intentional about all my selections, because if I don't have it in my crate, I can't play it.”
DJing is also a communal act, given that it involves an artist and audience relationship. Part of Mohr’s experience as a DJ is also tied to learning from local DJs and going to their shows.
“[DJ] Barticus and I are friends, and I grew up going to Barticus’ dance nights where it was a lot more commonplace to play either records or from records to control [the DJ software] Serato," Mohr says. “Having him give me feedback on that, and seeing how he was setting stuff up, and other DJs were setting stuff up at those same bars that I'm DJing at now, that was helpful.”
Vinyl is, of course, not just of interest to DJs. Athens’ own record store, Republic of Athens Records, is a popular destination for many. Isaac Slater, the manager of ROAR, speaks about the draw of vinyl for the general music listener.
Vinyl, which was a dominant format to listen to music for much of the last century, has returned as the physical format people are most likely to purchase. Slater attributes much of this to the sentiment experienced by people who grew up listening to records. However, for people who didn’t have that experience, Slater says the interest probably comes out of fatigue with digital options.
“I think it's a natural reaction to the over-reliance on digital media,” Slater says. “We're about 20 years into it now, and it's not as fun, you know? There's something about the experience of playing
a warm, crispy vinyl, and if you get bit by the bug, it's probably going to stick with you.”
Besides the ritual of putting on a record and the listening experience it elicits, another appeal of listening to vinyl is that it is not necessarily an isolated experience, the way streaming often is.
ROAR facilitates listening parties for highly anticipated releases, such as Sabrina Carpenter’s and Black Country, New Road’s latest albums. Slater says people eagerly request and attend these events, united by a shared love of music. There’s something about listening to a record with friends that Slater describes as requiring more attention and group discussion, therefore being more connective than simply queuing up a playlist.
“There's just something about having a house party in a room with the vinyl playing,” Slater says. “Yeah, you’ve got to get up and change it, but it's fun. Talk about, ‘what do we want to play next?’ ... Someone can play DJ ... Vinyl can bring us together.”
As a child of the 1980s, Slater describes the recent popularity of singles as familiar. He says vinyl and other similar media carry the value of collectibility that is reminiscent of the past, along with the weight of a more immediate relationship a person has with the music they own.
“There's more of a sense of ownership with physical media ... And [records] just look fun, they just look cool. They're collectible. Even if you find an album that you don't really love, but the cover is great, all of a sudden, you've got a great wall hanging, almost like a little miniature art print,” Slater says.
Young people aren’t just adopting technologies whose ubiquity largely predates them. In the last few years, members of Gen Z have reacquainted themselves with digital cameras, a staple of many childhoods and early adolescent years. Part of the attraction comes from the appeal of the photo quality, better than most smartphone cameras, as well as the fun of the throwback look.
Lucy Rocco, an OU sophomore studying business management and analytics, uses a digital camera her grandparents passed down to her on her birthday a few years back.
“I think they just gave it to me because it was sitting in their house,” Rocco says. “But they kept a bunch of old pictures on it, so that was kind of a lot of fun to go through. It also takes cool videos, too.”
Rocco didn’t start using the camera to take her own photos right away, but became interested in using it to document her college experience. For Rocco, not only was the photo quality better, but using a digital camera became a fun way to instigate a connection with her friends, noting they urged her to bring her camera to events and enjoy planning outfits for pictures.
“Even with the convenience of having your iPhone, most girls are still choosing to be like, ‘Oh, let's bring the digital out,’ because it looks cool and vintage, which I think is a fun full-circle moment for a lot of parents and a lot of mothers and daughters,” Rocco says.
It seems the appeal of technology made redundant by the internet and smartphones is varied. Reasons ranging from aesthetic appeal, a sense of quiet, creative intrigue and the value of shared experience can apply on occasion, but not always.
There might be one common factor for people dabbling in the outdated: the experience that old technology introduces to modern life is valuable precisely because it is halting. Being forced to stop and take stock of things, to be brought back to reality by simple lack of convenience, is exciting.
Exploring independence from Silicon Valley-style tech, where the newest, fastest and easiest technology is pushed regardless of the detriment to minds and the environment, can be fun. It’s a kind of looking back that isn’t regressive, but is instead liberating. b
Rocco believes there’s a universal appeal of the digital camera trend tied to nostalgia and partaking in tradition that feels especially personal to her, as her alumna mother’s photos from her time at OU are special in her family.
WITH MY LITTLE EYE
Can you find a brown dog, a gramophone, a blue horse, a pink rose, a yellow watering can, 9 cats, a donkey and a purple pointy hat?
PHOTO BY CLAIRA TOKARZ
DESIGN BY MATTHIAS AGGANIS & ALLY PARKER
David Vaiksnoras in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 21, 2026.
BY DARCIE ZUDELL | PHOTO BY CLAIRA TOKARZ | DESIGN BY MATTHIAS AGGANIS
In 2007, publications such as VICE, Rolling Stone and New York Magazine dominated pop culture in an in-your-face way, one that did not shy away from spotlighting the good, the bad and the ugly. MTV was the go-to channel for college-aged adults and shows like Jackass and The Hills were always on, showcasing life as a young adult in all its awkward and grungy glory.
Ashley (Luther) Micklish was an Ohio University senior at the time, and she was sick of feeling out of place within the journalism school. In the early 2000s, the Scripps College of Communication offered “magazine journalism” as a major, but those students didn’t have a magazine they could work on outside of classes the way other aspiring reporters had outlets like The Post.
“When I was in J-School, they just started offering online journalism as a major, and we all balked at that,” Micklish says. “We said, ‘Why would you want your name in print online? That's so lame.’”
In her senior capstone class, Micklish and her peers had to brainstorm a business proposal for an original magazine concept, which they later had to build. Another student in that
class, Meredith Lockwood, teamed up with Micklish and other magazine journalism majors to bring their project out of the classroom and into the hands of college kids.
After the group decided their magazine idea had teeth, they needed a name for it. Lockwood remembers walking through College Green, admiring the beautiful day and the sight of her peers lounging on the grass. She thought, “This is the backdrop of our lives… Oh my gosh, ‘Backdrop.’”
When Lockwood shared her idea for the publication’s name, the title Backdrop just stuck. The group found a faculty advisor: John “Jack” Brady, who was a Scripps Howard Visiting Professional in the late 2000s. Lockwood credits Brady for giving them the confidence to create the publication.
“[Brady] helped us [realize] we can do this outside of these four walls,” Lockwood says. “We want to continue to tell stories, and we always felt excluded as magazine kids without having our own magazine.”
The publication’s founding members say Professor Brady was passionate, experienced, supportive and wasn’t interested in censoring the stories they wanted to tell. That was something extremely important to Micklish and Lockwood — Backdrop needed to be independent.
“I think we were seeing what we could get away with, to be honest,” Micklish says. “We weren't funded by the school, so we could kind of push it, but also, sex and talking about people's bodies and how they look wasn't so taboo back then.”
Adorned with Polaroids of condoms, a fedora and leopard-print panties, Backdrop’s first-ever issue was designed to grab the student body’s attention, but they didn’t make it eye-catching just for
the purpose of appearing raunchy.
“While some of the stuff might have been risqué, we were trying to do the right thing and use all the principles that we learned in our ethics and magazine classes,” Micklish says.
Lockwood recalls Micklish wanting to keep parts of the magazine fun and light because, at the end of the day, Backdrop was for college kids. “But we also wanted to rock the boat [and] test the waters. The senior leadership and founding members — we were pretty fearless,” Lockwood says.
Those lighter, more playful stories were tucked toward the back of the magazine, the most infamous being a recurring Q&A section titled “Hot For Teacher.” The premise of interviewing professors because students found them “hot” was objectifying. Still, looking back at the harmless questions students posed and the professors’ willing participation, it’s clear the feature was meant in good fun, with everyone in on the joke.
Backdrop was never a wannabe tabloid, and it drew in a diverse range of talent interested in investigating and celebrating subcultures within the university. Wilbert Cooper, who was one of the youngest students on Backdrop’s first masthead, felt similarly out of place in the journalism school. He struggled in classes like precision language, which stressed the fundamentals of tight and precise journalistic writing. And although it’s always important to learn the foundations, Cooper wanted to build stories he dreamed of telling outside of Athens.
“When I was in high school, I was more into the ‘new journalism style’ of journalists,” Cooper says. “I read a lot of Hunter S. Thompson. Stuff like that is what made me excited about being a journalist. I was really itching to write longer pieces, [ones with] more of a perspective and a point of view to them.”
When he joined, Cooper was eager to cast a wider line for Backdrop beyond the journalism school. As a musician who played at The Union, Cooper knew how to bring people from all over the university together. He worked extensively with the marketing team, but Cooper also credits Backdrop for helping him grow as a writer.
Cooper explored topics at Backdrop that he would later expand upon at VICE, where he worked for a time. He says if he hadn’t taken a risk to explore long-form writing and reporting on culture and fashion, he might not have gotten that opportunity.
“In school, you should feel liberated to be weird, out there and make those mistakes, so you can figure out what you do and don’t want to do,” Cooper says. “Don't wait until you graduate.”
Micklish had no idea Backdrop would survive the test of time and still shine as OU’s only student-run lifestyle and culture magazine. She says Backdrop was so special because it gave students the freedom to write about what they wanted to, and report on culture as they observed it. “It’s the perfect blend of creative writing and some journalistic rigor,” Micklish says.
The first two issues of Backdrop gave advice on contraceptives, shared photos of dingy fraternity houses in the daylight and also offered stellar first-person investigative journalism on topics that are still prevalent 19 years later. It took grit to engage in some of the seedier conversations the staff explored in the late 2000s.
Maya Meade, who studied journalism news and information, and was editor-in-chief of Backdrop in 2021, enjoyed writing about a range of topics, from diversity and history to sex and fashion. In 2020, Meade remembers writing in lockdown from her grandparents' house, curious about how she could capture the taste of college life off-campus.
Meade felt empowered by Backdroppers before her to write about topics she felt other students weren’t covering. In one issue, Meade spoke with students about finding lingerie as plus and mid-sized adults; she also boldly modeled lingerie for the spread. In that same issue, she researched and wrote about vibrators for an
infographic titled “Good Vibrations.”
Some of her family members joked about the stories — “This is what you’re doing with your journalism degree?” — but Meade was proud to go against the grain.
“In terms of writing about things that are taboo, I've been in the mindset of: ‘what do you have to lose?’” Meade says. “I'm not telling people to go write crazy, offensive stuff, but I don't think people have to hide their bodies or shy away from their sexuality.”
The fearless spirit of the OGs lives on through the countless students who have poured themselves and their creativity into Backdrop over the years. Keeping a good thing going is never easy, and as the stakes grow higher, student media have become increasingly likely to fold to censorship from university leadership.
Journalism students are faced with a choice: do we comply with the “new normal,” or do we rock the boat? If you’re anything like these brave alumni were, the answer is clear: “Those of us with a platform to be a voice for the voiceless need to use it now more than ever,” Lockwood says. “If you’re passionate about writing, tell the stories that people can’t tell.” b
Pantone’s choice of the white shade PANTONE 114201, or Cloud Dancer, as its 2026 Color of the Year has sparked polarized reactions, fueling debate over America’s drift toward conservatism, traditional values and a creeping puritanical veil. Framed by some as a symbol of serenity and renewal, the all-white forecast raises a more unsettling question: is this trend about fresh beginnings, or about erasure of diversity, dissent and creative expression? As we settle into 2026, trend forecasting may be less about aesthetics and more about a brewing battle between culture and counterculture. In this context, the emerging trends for 2026 highlight how culture and fashion have fused into a zeitgeist where anxieties about identity, politics and power materialize in fabric and form.
2026 has us all still facing the aftershock of the 2025 election-year anxiety, and the steady increase of ideological polarization has laid the groundwork for 2026 fashion’s socialscape. 2025 was defined by a wave of traditionalism, exemplified by the rise of wealthy “tradwife” influencers like Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, known as Ballerina Farm, romanticizing flour-dusted aprons, perfect prairie dresses and barefaced serenity. Yet even as domestic-minimalist ideology unfurls, a countercurrent is gaining momentum: people reclaiming queer visibility, leaning into sexual experimentation, championing women’s autonomy and reviving the electric pulse of partying, nightlife and hookup culture. Fashion’s response to cultural contexts is nothing new, and the aesthetic responses can be divided into two categories: culture and counterculture.
'50s and '60s style inspirations are calling for a comeback in 2026. The rise of traditional, romantic and “appropriate” silhouettes has
marked its presence back in mainstream fashion. The historic milkmaid in all of her domestic integrity is becoming increasingly ideal. Traditionalism and modesty are like-minded forces taking over the fashion world. Even on the runway, popular designers like Miu Miu are implementing aprons into their 2026 runway shows. Long skirts, ruffled dresses and feminine silhouettes will continue to dominate mainstream fashion, selling a pure, soft and pastoral lifestyle through cotton textures, ruffles and flowy fabrics.
Peace-Punk Revivalist
Heightened political tensions are stirring a brewing pot of cultural rebellion. People are fed up with the mold that American culture is begging them to conform to. So they are breaking bounds through physical expression. Minimalism is being shunned, causing a steady upheaval in strong values and even stronger expressive tendencies. The peace-punk revivalist wants their voice to be heard through a strong human connection, revamping a 2026 version of the '60s hippie, drawing inspiration from Vietnam-era activism. Bold colors, knit textures and even tie-dye may take the stage in counterculture this year. Protest dressing is also taking the world by storm, with slogans and imagery being plastered on T-shirts as a blunt rejection letter to the sociopolitical establishment.
A slut in 2026 may be the start of the reclamation of the body and sacred sexuality. Generation Z’s puritanical view on sex and presentation is constantly being culturally critiqued and may finally be challenged in the tangible world. As modesty culture tightens its grip, some will rebel by baring more. In 2026, skimpy gets a rebrand: less for the male gaze, more for self-expression. Sheer clothing will gain traction this year,
The Cultural Undercurrent Modest is Hottest
highlighting the human form in a way that appreciates the body as divine art. Lingerie is undergoing a dramatic shift, repositioning itself as an act of selfcare, favoring cute, frilly and cozy styles designed for lounging, comfort and self-appreciation rather than performance for a man’s viewing pleasure.
Recession-Era Remix
Recession-core memes are leaping off TikTok and onto the dance floor in 2026. After a financially heavy year, it’s no surprise that when times get tough, people turn to their favorite Y2K pop icons for inspiration and head straight to the club. The Y2K trends will stay alive in 2026, building up from low-rise jeans and baby tees to full-blown neon glam and business casual clubwear. Plaid mini skirts, blazers and a cunty kitten heel will be making their way to a party near you. Your local it-girl may have fallen captive to hustle culture and her corporate 9-to-5, but she will make her way straight from the office to the club, smearing glitter eyeshadow on her lids to solidify the look.
The Death of Fast Fashion
Although culture acts as a catalyst for the conflict, economic shifts are rewriting the rules of a capitalist fashion system. Consumers have grown accustomed to fast fashion’s flimsy, 100% polyester pieces that fall apart after only a few wears, fueling environmental harm and deepening dissatisfaction. Years of chasing microtrends have left shoppers burnt out and craving something more meaningful. 2026 calls for a refresh of individuality and intentional lifestyle habits. People are starting to curate lasting wardrobes that are meaningful to them, straying away from overconsumption and cheap materials, embracing authenticity and thrifting over curated perfection.
No matter your fashion forte, this year’s fashion trends are calling you to step into your most authentic, rambunctious and colorful self. 2026 fashion trends are made to ruffle feathers, revolutionizing the socialscape one outfit at a time. b
SLIPPING THROUGH OUR FINGERS
Students grapple with anticipatory nostalgia
BY
With college serving as both an impactful and temporary chapter in many students’ lives, a college town is the perfect recipe for nostalgia and growing pains. Sensory experiences, life transitions and social interactions can all spark a longing for the past. As students move through their college careers, many find themselves nostalgic for childhood or even for their earlier college days.
Nostalgia is a bittersweet, sentimental longing for the past, often tied to a period or place with positive personal associations. College can carry that weight because, for most students, it lasts only four years. The friends, classmates and coworkers they meet will eventually scatter across different parts of the world, but they will always have the time spent in Athens.
Growing up and stepping into adulthood often comes with a shift in how people view friendships and the world around them. College marks a major life transition, and reminiscing can be a positive coping mechanism, helping students stay grounded in their identities and remember where they came from.
Malena Vermut-Young, a senior studying chemistry at Ohio University, has a unique perspective on college-age nostalgia. She grew up in California, then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, for her freshman year at Case Western Reserve University. She later transferred to OU, where she’ll spend the remainder of her college career. With this new stage of adulthood, she gained insight into how fleeting college can be.
“As you go through college and get older, your mindset starts to change,” Vermut-Young says. “You start to look at it differently because it’s this fleeting moment in your life, but it’s also such a big milestone of how you interact with the world around you. You’re independent for the first time, but then when you get older, you start to reflect. You do get nostalgic because it was just those four years.”
Photo provided by Malena Vermut-Young.
Photo provided by Dominic Hoiseth.
NORA BARNDARD | PHOTOS BY NORA DAHLBERG DESIGN BY ELLIE SABATINO
Malena Vermut-Young’s collection of personal photos in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 30, 2026.
Few understand the emotions of leaving college better than a recent graduate. Alex Corona graduated from OU in the fall of 2025 with a degree in accounting and analytics. He had the opportunity to graduate early, so he did.
“I honestly feel pretty weird about it. I wasn’t planning on graduating early,” Corona says. “The summer before my senior year started, I learned that I could have that opportunity. Not having to pay all that much is pretty nice, but I didn’t really get to process it, so it’s been pretty difficult to deal with.”
As a campus tour guide, Corona felt especially connected to the community he was leaving behind. “I was a tour guide, and I was finally starting to talk to my coworkers more and actually hang out with them, but [that happened] only a month before I had to leave, and they were going to keep hanging out without me,” Corona says.
For many students, the hardest part about leaving Athens is leaving the community they built here.
Forming new connections after high school is a major step in the transition to adulthood. From roommates and coworkers to professors and classmates, college offers students the chance to expand their social circles and meet people from diverse backgrounds. Dominic Hoiseth, a senior studying computer science, found his sense of community in Athens through his classes.
“You have a bunch of people in your age group, and you’re in what’s generally considered the prime of your life,” Hoiseth says. “You have several years where you’re doing the best you can possibly be doing. You’re meeting people your own age, you’re learning new things and it’s your first time away from your parents.”
While arriving at college is a significant change, leaving can feel even bigger. Hoiseth is graduating in the spring of 2026, while most of his roommates plan to stay for a fifth year. As he prepares for the next stage of his life, he is already aware of the nostalgia to come.
“I’m in the state of knowing I’m going to be nostalgic for this,” he says. “Even a few months ago, I was more nostalgic about my past, but now I’m just nostalgic about the present.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, the sensation of missing what has not yet been lost is called "anticipatory nostalgia." This is a common experience among students about to face major life changes. Vermut-Young, who is also graduating this spring while some of her friends are staying at the university, has grappled with similar feelings. In the midst of dealing with these emotions, a close friend once offered her a metaphor that stuck.
“In Athens in the spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom, it’s gorgeous, then they go away,” Vermut-Young recalls her friend saying. “Even though it’s temporary, and every time we see the cherry blossoms, we know they’re going to go away in a couple of weeks, we still enjoy it because it is beautiful.” Reflecting on that moment, Vermut-Young says it helped her accept the temporary nature of college.
“I honestly think that is such a great way to look at it,” Vermut-Young says. “I love college, I love my friends, I love my life and it’s going to go away, but that’s kind of part of it. If I had to do college for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t like it as much.”
College is deeply nostalgic because it is a brief and meaningful step on the way to adulthood. While growing up can be really stressful and intimidating, OU gives students the space to discover themselves and a community to belong to. Every joyful, stressful and challenging moment is part of a fleeting chapter. b
Photo provided by Alex Corona.
Photo provided by Dominic Hoiseth.
Malena Vermut-Young in Athens, Ohio. Jan. 30, 2026.
A reflection on millennial optimism and modern adulthood
BY LUCY RILEY | PHOTOS & DESIGN BY CLAIRA TOKARZ
Abby Joyner (left), Sarah Malone (middle) and Zoe Duncan Athens, Ohio. | Jan. 18, 2026.
Lena Dunham’s Girls. 2010s. Tavi Gevinson. Buzzfeed’s Ladylike. Girlhood ... adulthood.
In a letter stamped with a smeared pink kiss, the future was written to me like a delicious secret. A childhood of making my Barbies kiss turned to a girlhood of romance books, EOS lip balm and YouTube. Teen years of angst and dots painted across my face for pep rallies turned into an adulthood of expensive rent, beautiful friends, car issues, Broad City and my own messy love stories.
When I was younger, adulthood looked like coffee and cigarettes, breaking down before dinner and a big city. It looked like eclectic apartments filled with string lights with bulbs blown out, that perfect writing job that absolutely didn’t pay the bills and a sort of messiness that always felt intentional.
It felt like taking Buzzfeed quizzes to figure out what Sex and the City or Friends character you are, quizzes that helped you categorize yourself before you fully knew who you were. It felt like Buzzfeed Ladylike videos where being an adult meant living with your friends and using your emotional vulnerability as a strength instead of a liability. Adulthood looked like Rookie Mag essays that promised girlhood didn’t stop at 18; it simply expanded, and the real fun just began. Rookie allowed us to look deeper; it gave teenage girls a platform to think, to reflect on creativity, mental health, growing pains and loneliness. Reading these essays felt like being a part of a community, one where confusion wasn’t something bad that you needed to outgrow.
The older I got, this version of adulthood and of womanhood felt closer and closer. At ages 13, 14, 15, I could feel it at my fingertips. It didn’t feel distant, intimidating or boring. It felt colorful, creative and a bit chaotic. Growing up didn't feel like trying to become someone else, or finding exactly who you are; it was about creating yourself.
Kathy Tokarz | Athens, Ohio. | Jan. 7, 2026.
Kalli Kostival (left), Zoe Duncan (middle) and Rialto Peregrine. Athens, Ohio. | Jan. 7, 2026.
I watched my Aunt Bec, or as I call her, Bayka, thrive in her 20s and career during this era, living life to the fullest and pushing herself to create unforgettable experiences. She spoke with me about just how important it is to follow your passions while allowing yourself the space to change your mind and find yourself.
“One thing that I didn’t realize at the outset is that just because something was my dream when I was 17 doesn't mean it's going to be my dream when I'm 20,” Bec explains.
Millennial optimism or Obama-era optimism coined this era as a time of golden horizons and upward trajectory. Now, Spotify playlists like “millennial optimism obama era williamsburg hipster hopecore indie bops” by user Bonnie Spann allow listeners to dive back into this hope. It was a time when the world felt limitless. From 2009 to 2017, Obama was in office, gay marriage was legalized, movies about living life to the fullest filled the box offices and life was seemingly looking up. Well, at least from my tween standpoint, it was looking up.
However, of course, growing up looks a bit different from what you initially imagine it to be. Your true self settles in, routines settle down and the drama fades to something steadier and maybe quieter. For me, adulthood so far seems to be both familiar and uncomfortably new.
I remain deeply committed to my friendships, to my creative outlets and to my feelings. While I haven’t quite entered the real adult world yet, I’ve been able to ease my way into it, albeit with the privilege to do so. For most, adulthood comes with a dream of a big city like Los Angeles, New York or Chicago. It comes with exposed brick and completely unaffordable apartments. For many, this isn’t the reality of adulthood, whether that be for the time being or forever.
Katie Millard, a 2024 Ohio University graduate, talked about her experience postgrad, living in Columbus, Ohio.
“For people entering, you know, a more independent life right now, I feel like they hear so much about, ‘Oh, the job market is horrible. You'll never buy a house,’” Millard reflects. “It's kind of mixed with this expectation that still exists, that somehow, by 24, you have your own place and a thriving career and it's the start of a rom-com movie where the main character is a journalist who is running the world. I think it's so important to let young people characterize their lives for themselves.”
The future 2014 envisioned for us was loud, visible, in your face and very much online. Is that changing to a quieter life? Is optimism changing to pessimism? Not everyone has the luxury of this painted future. Leaving a hometown for a big city is becoming an increasingly difficult task by the day. I can’t tell you just how often I hear that the job market is the worst it's ever been. I, and almost everyone I know, apply to two or three jobs a day just to hear radio silence or maybe a pitiful rejection email generously thrown in.
To be able to afford the expectation of adulthood this era promised is only feasible with a perfect storm of a degree or two, a lack of debt, the right connections, the right amount of experience, financial support and so much more. Bec talked about the freedom that coming out of college debt-free gave her. It allowed her to take opportunities she wouldn’t have had if she had been paying off debt. Opportunities like being paid for only 20 hours a week and being paid $100 a week to cover a $750 two-bedroom apartment with three people in New York City.
“I ate so many yams,” she says. “The only way I made that work was I had a lot of savings at the beginning of the summer.”
New York might not be an option for the time being. The location might be different, the lifestyle might change and the friends might move farther than you like. But I don’t think the spark ever left. I think we all recognized this as we got older and we were reminded to “romanticize our lives” to see the beauty in everyday life. I’ve come to know that we never grew out of the internet girlhood we came to love, but we are changing with it. Our source material might be different, our friends might not be as close as we’d like, but there is still so much to look forward to.
Optimism doesn’t have to pave the way for realism; they can coexist. Adulthood is less of a finish line and more of a continuation of who we are. You don’t have to age out of being odd, wanting softness or expressing yourself; you carry that with you. I see the people I love honing their passions, bettering themselves at their craft, their career, starting a new hobby and growing every day. I will always hold optimism and high expectations for my life, career and adulthood. I will always love the messiness and the beauty of truly living in my 20s. I will face many challenges along the way, but my optimistic streak will always keep me strong. b
Julia Parente | Athens, Ohio. Jan. 6, 2026.