8 minute read
She’s Golden
G EDOL N makeup looks for sundown She’s
KATHRYN MILLER
Golden hour is the ideal time to capture a stunning shot. The sun casts down a warm illumination during the last hour of the day with hues that effortlessly accentuate one’s inner glowing goddess. To take advantage of nature’s flawless filter, Kelsey Hoppenstedt worked with shimmery copper shadows and decorative stars to create two unique looks.
For Kortnie’s eye look, Kelsey began with a base concealer to neutralize [Kortnie’s] skin tone. She then feathered lightly into her crease with a light, nude shimmer and brought it out to the outer V of her eye. She also lined Kortnie’s lower lash line with the same shimmer shadow, blending the softness of the look lower on her face.
Next, she used Stila’s Liquid Glitter Shadow in Kitten Karma, a brilliant champagne tone, on the center of her eyelid. Stila’s Liquid Glitter is heavily pigmented, and perfect for a quick, yet concentrated application. This lustrous shade added depth and dimension.
In a Euphoria-meets-sunset manner, Kelsey completed the look by adding cosmetic glitter stars at random above Kortnie’s crease and below her lower lash line, which pulled together the iridescent nature of the look.
Steph’s look was taken in a contrasting direction, her olive skin being brought out by darker, more crimson shadows.
Kelsey began at her crease with a deep coral shade, brushing it to her outer corner, similar to Kortnie’s look in all ways except color. This allowed for darker edges, mimicking the look of golden hour rays. A lighter gold shade was applied towards her crease, and the lightest color of the look was then applied to the center of her lid.
The luminous, flaming hues on the outer corners of her eyes mirrored those last few minutes of golden hour, when the sun shines a deeper red before disappearing for the night.
Over the past 15 years, the political landscape of the United States has changed drastically. What is difficult to grasp is how not even 10 years ago, those of us in college today knew nothing of the issues surrounding us. In 2008, when Barack Obama was elected to his first term, current college undergraduate students were either in first, second, third, or fourth grade. Crazy, right? We’ve seen history change before our eyes as young kids and now college students. The House and Senate majorities have flipped multiple times, same-sex marriage has been legalized, and the Black Lives Matter movement has been brought to the forefront of essentially every facet of American news, just to name a few turning points. As young adults who can now better comprehend the reality of it all, we can unanimously agree that the events of this year were mind-boggling. Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna tragically perished in a helicopter crash, Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin became household names after the release of Netflix’s hit docuseries Tiger King, wildfires swept across Australia, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle officially stepped down from their royal duties.
Oh, and there was a global pandemic that erupted and is still inflicting alarm 8 months later. Casual.
The cherry on top of 2020 is the 59th presidential election in our country’s history between incumbent President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Each second we get closer to Election Day is crucial for both presidential candidates and their supporting parties. Many celebrities and influencers have become even more active on social media, giving resources on where to register to vote, important dates,
and anecdotes of why they are so grounded in their personal, political opinions. We have all noticed the tensions rising. Families and friendships alike have been slowly falling apart because of different political views. Now, more than ever, is not the time to break barriers with those you care about. Who your friends are should not be solely determined by the political ticket they picked on Election Day. Having healthy, respectful, and politically sound conversations with the people you hold close to your heart will not only deepen the respect you have for each other, but will help you understand views you may not have understood before. There’s always more to learn. Having these hard conversations, especially with
those who you know have different viewpoints than you, can escalate quickly. It is easier for college students to go after each other’s throats because we are all in the same age range. We have probably all experienced how casual it is to talk to someone your own age as opposed to an older adult, with whom most people will automatically be respectful towards. No matter how much you might not want to get into politics, how many of your friends do or do not agree with your political views, and how much you do or do not know about the political issues of today, you have to have these conversations. Too many people like to think their perspective is the only perspective. In order to make any meaningful change in our society, we have to know about and attempt to understand why other viewpoints are valid. Here are some tips on how to prep for and have a healthy and insightful political conversation:
Read and Hear Both Sides
It is easy to remain in the groove of how you like to do things, especially when it comes to receiving your news. Many people grow up watching or reading their “usual” news source, and it isn’t until you get older that you may realize your favorite news outlet may be leaning towards one side more than the other. By taking the time to watch 30 minutes of FOX News or CNN (or the opposite news channel of your favorite) you can try to understand for yourself the views of people who have differing opinions. You may not like everything you hear, but listen for points you can acknowledge as valid. If you always read the New York Times, try the Wall Street Journal, and vice versa. On Apple News, you can follow your favorite news source, as well as those that lean in the opposite direction. There are so many options for receiving information, and doing so in a way that will educate you even more on others’ viewpoints.
Know Your Audience
Political conversations are hard, especially when it is with friends and family you are close to. However, these conversations are so important to have in order to understand and accept others’ points of view so real progress can be made in our world. If you’re talking to your friend and you know they shut down when people start to raise their voice in a conversation, double-check your tone and body language. If you are talking to a family member who is very set in their ways, understand they might ignore what you have to say when you bring up your firmly held thoughts and beliefs. Being respectful of peoples’ space and emotions when talking politics is key.
Don’t Go In Trying To Push Your Views
You are not going to be able to get every person you talk to to change their minds. It’s just the truth. People already have specific opinions and views, and more than likely, you won’t be the one to change their ways of seeing the world. Go into this conversation understanding that, and you can’t lose. Just laying what you think out there, and accepting your friend or family’s thoughts and opinions for what they are will
help the conversation progress. You will probably come to understand more about why they think and believe certain things by not being pushy, which will in turn make you a more well-rounded person when it comes to understanding politics.
Acknowledge and Explain
A phrase we have found to work very well is, “I understand what you’re saying, and this is what I think/believe.” By acknowledging the opinion and views of the person you are having a discussion with, you are helping them feel heard and accepted with no judgment. People want to be welcomed for who they are, so open-mindedness is essential. Presenting your views after acknowledging your friend’s is one of the best ways to transition to a different perspective. On the other hand, cutting your friend off midsentence won’t move the conversation in a pleasant direction. Let them finish, then move on. Showing respect by hearing them out will encourage them to reciprocate that same behavior to you.
No Interruptions, Period
There is nothing more frustrating than being interrupted mid-statement, especially when you’re talking about something you’re passionate about. Take the time to let your friends and family finish what they have to say, and it will pay off in the long run. If the timing is right, you can insert your voice to move the conversation along or switch to discussing another topic. Lulls in conversation are normal, but there is a difference between hearing someone out all the way and subtly interrupting all the time. Listening to the entirety of what your friend or family member has to say shows you care, which is hard to come by with people who have different beliefs than you. Caring enough to hear their views will make them want to listen and have that same respect when you begin to speak.
Agree to Disagree
The world we live in today came to be through countless disagreements. If people had talked through their contrasting opinions and still managed to work together for the good of others, our current state would be much different. Diverging views keep the world turning. If you and your friend can’t agree on the best way to implement a tax policy, it’s okay. If you and your Uncle Dan can’t agree on political sides, it’s okay. Agreeing to disagree from the start takes pressure off both parties, automatically easing the conversation.
All in all, there are more reasons to have these uncomfortable political conversations than to not. We must take the initiative to understand and talk to people who think in ways we do not. Doing so has never been easy, but it is vital to choose unity above pride in one’s own views.
