ARTS & CULTURE

Commentary: Loving yourself on Valentine’s Day

Treat yourself this holiday season, regardless of your relationship status

BY SOPHIE DEWEES arts@theaggie.org

Scaling sheer cliff faces with your toes resting on minuscule edges just big enough to hold your weight definitely isn’t for everyone. And although rock climbing has greatly increased in popularity with the rise of indoor rock gyms and the inclusion of the sport in the 2021 summer Olympics, it still takes a specific kind of person to look at an outdoor boulder, a teeter-y 60-foot slab or even an artificial brick wall and say, “Yeah, I would want to climb that.” But even if you would rather do anything else than take a 20-foot fall on a rope, there are a myriad of great climbing documentaries and series that can be enjoyed by the avid climber and those mildly interested in climbing alike.

“Free Solo”

Probably the most well-known climbing film, “Free Solo” tells the story of professional rock climber Alex Honnold’s long-term goal of free soloing (climbing without ropes) the “Freerider” route on El Capitan in Yosemite. El Cap is an iconic 3,000-foot rock face in, as they put it in the documentary, “the Mecca of rock climbing:” Yosemite National Park. The movie describes Honnold’s background in climbing and his process for “projecting” the climb — which means learning all of the different moves on rope before trying a rope-free ascent.

BY RUMA POUDELL arts@theaggie.org

Valentine’s Day is coming up, and it’s time to bring some love into your life — whether you’re single, taken or in a “situationship” of sorts. Mainstream media shoves the narrative of a fancy dinner with a partner down our throats, but we can rewrite the script to fit whatever state of love we’re in. For all my single ladies (and people), here are some ways to spend the holiday.

Number one: Axe-throwing. It’s a bit extreme, but hear me out. If you just got out of a relationship and are angry or resentful, let all of those feelings out with the powerful throw of an axe. Don’t be like SZA’s “Kill Bill,” where she outlines how she killed her ex, but throw an axe instead. Not at your expartner, but at a wooden board. Some may deserve it, but you don’t want to be a murderer — no matter how strong your rage may be.

For those experiencing softer — though maybe just as intense — emotions like grief or sadness over a loved one, listen to music. There’s something about sad love songs and just love songs, in general, that tug on your heartstrings when you’re already hurting. It’s a healthy way to get in tune with your feelings so that they can eventually pass, rather than suppressing them and having them come out all at once more drastically later.

When a song fits my situation perfectly, I begin to absolutely sob in my room (but in a good way). An artist that comes to mind for me is Coldplay — their songs are very versatile and you’re bound to find one that fits your current situation. And, to end your night off, “So Sick” by Ne-Yo should leave you feeling ready to move on from crying.

If songs don’t quite get the job done, you can always watch cheesy romance movies.

Now that you’ve hypothetically gotten any intense feelings of rage and sadness out of your system, it’s time to get some love flowing in you.

A trending activity that is sure to fill you with love is a picnic with friends, which has been popular on TikTok recently. You can bake cakes, grab some themed table decorations and a pretty table set up and just enjoy each other’s company.

Similarly, you can go to a park for a painting date and illustrate your feelings. If you go with someone, try making it a challenge by switching canvases every five minutes or so.

If you’re set on a traditional Valentine’s day, buy yourself flowers and a box of chocolates and wait on no one to do so for you. You can do those cheesy Valentine’s Day traditions for yourself.

Regardless of the situation you’re in, if you’re in the Valentine’s Day spirit, there should always be a way to celebrate. For me, the holiday is a reminder to love myself and those I care about extra hard. Maybe redefining it for yourself can make you feel the same way too.

“Valley Uprising”

This documentary is a great one to start with, as it describes the history of rock climbing in Yosemite National Park. The film explains how the now widely popular sport began as a fringe movement led by “dirtbags” — climbers known for partying and taking food from dumpsters who lived somewhat illegally in the park. It interviews and shares footage of some of the sport’s greats such as Lynn Hill (who made the first free ascent of the Nose of El Capitan in 1993) and Alex Honnold (who climbed a different route of El Cap without ropes in 2017, see below for more). The makers of the film also document the evolution of climbing equipment and practices and the infamous feud between legendary rock climbers Warren Harding and Royal Robbins.

“The Climb”

Hosted by professional climber Chris Sharma, HBO’s new show “The Climb” is the first widely viewed outdoor climbing competition. It exhibits many different climbing styles including deep water soloing (climbing without a rope over deep water), sport climbing (climbing while clipping into bolts along the way), trad climbing (relying on gear placed in cracks) and bouldering (climbing shorter distances without a rope), to name a few. As a climber getting into sport climbing, I appreciated that contestants discussed being afraid of falling and how they were able to overcome this fear in a high-stress, competitive environment.

I will say, a few of the show’s choices were questionable, such as having two contestants go against each other on an indoor speed climbing wall (essentially, a standardized route that you climb as fast as possible) in an elimination round. This felt antithetical to the point of the show, which was to test climbers’ skills outdoors. Jason Momoa (yep, the actor who played Aquaman and Khal Drogo from “Game of Thrones”) also oddly makes short-lived appearances at the beginning of each episode to discuss the upcoming climbs with Sharma, which in my opinion does not contribute much. That said, the series gives climbers the potentially life-changing chance to earn a sponsorship from a major climbing clothing brand in a format that is both highly entertaining and illustrates the diverse nature of the sport.

While watching this film is sure to make your palms sweat, as a single foot slip could send Honnold plummeting to his death, it is a fascinating depiction of a climber and his (perhaps unreasonable) goal to scale the world’s largest granite monolith in climbing’s purest form — with only shoes and a chalk bag.

“The Dawn Wall”

“The Dawn Wall” shares professional climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s 19-day adventure on the face of El Cap that is first hit by light in the morning. It was originally thought to be unscalable, as there was no clearly defined route before their ascent. Caldwell spent nearly six years on the project before its completion, and the big wall route is considered by many to be the hardest in existence.

In this film, you learn more about Caldwell’s background (specifically, that he is the only person to date that has completed such a difficult climb with only nine fingers) and come to understand how someone can tackle such an enormous project with grace and positivity.

“The Alpinist”

The focus of this documentary, Marc-André Leclerc, was (at least based on his portrayal in the film) a sweet, reserved person who was uninterested in fame or recognition despite his immense talent. He completed some of the most impressive climbs in history, free soloing extremely difficult ice and mixed (a combination of ice climbing and regular rock climbing) routes, which is nearly unheard of in the sport.

The biggest flaw in the film is mainly that it lacks footage of many of Leclerc’s ascents. However, I hesitate to even call this a flaw, as it contributes to the overall depiction of Leclerc as a person who climbs because he loves to, not to seek sponsorships or acclaim.

“Reel Rock” (all the seasons, really)

“Reel Rock” is an annual film festival that shares short films about up-and-coming climbers. Several older seasons are available for free on the Red Bull website and offer a peek into the projects of climbers around the world. These include the likes of Honnold and Caldwell’s ascent of the Fitz Roy traverse in Patagonia in 2014 to professional climber Nina Williams’ attempt to climb a 15-meter boulder in the Buttermilks in 2019. If you’re looking for just a taste of what outdoor climbing has to offer, all the seasons of “Reel Rock” provide a short look at harrowing feats by some of the best climbers in the world.

BY SARAH HAN arts@theaggie.org

Song: The Four Seasons, Concerto No. 2 in G minor, RV 315 “Summer”: III. Presto by Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (1723)

In light of midterm season, I thought Vivaldi’s Four Seasons best reflects this hectic period. The strings vigorously playing in unison set a frantic tone from the very beginning, which continues until the end. Something about the fast tempo boosts your adrenaline — by the end of the song, I guarantee that you’ll be ready to get a good amount of work done, or at least feel electrified. I can confidently claim that you will meet those upcoming deadlines after listening to a snippet of Vivaldi. Whether you’re looking for something to help you push through exams and assignments or want to add a classical piece to your list, I recommend this song.

Book:“How to Be Free: An Ancient Guide to the Stoic Life” by Epictetus, translated by Anthony Long (2016)

Leaning toward the scholarly pieces of text, this book guides you through the principles of stoicism. It first introduces the background of Epictetus, who was born into slavery. Then it continues on to the English translations of Epictetus’s texts, which generally highlight how humans should react to life circumstances. He touches on human emotions like anxiety and discusses how it is each person’s responsibility to take ownership of their emotions, particularly the negative ones. I recommend this book if you need a bit of guidance or if you just want to get into the philosophy genre.

TV Show: “The Queen’s Gambit” by Scott Frank (2020)

In the male-dominated world of chess, Beth Harmon finds herself among the top chess players in the world. She faces numerous challenges stemming from her past as an orphan. One of the more prominent challenges is her drug addiction, which she uses as an escape from reality. The series shows addiction and perfectionism through the development of a chess prodigy. Available on Netflix, “The Queen’s Gambit” merges a unique storyline with ubiquitous problems, making it a great addition to your list.

Movie: “The Age of Adaline” dir. by Lee Toland Krieger (2019)

Starring Blake Lively and Harrison Ford, “The Age of Adaline” depicts the journey of Adaline Bowman, who remains 29 years old for over eight decades. Throughout those years, she switches her identity numerous times to hide her secret. In one period of her life, however, she meets Ellis Jones, and things quickly go downhill after meeting his family. This movie touches on romance, the impact of the past and challenges to personal identity in an interesting way, so if you’re interested in a classic movie with a bit of a twist, I recommend checking this one out.