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THE BELL VOL. IX ISSUE. 1 SEPT 17TH, 2018
AN ODE TO DUMPSTER DIVING
photo by noah buchanan
fourth year mk manoylov
If one man’s trash is someone’s
even if an item is broken, it can be
I know. Instead you could take the
treasure, then I’ve thrown myself in
repurposed. Just like anything,
most wasted things in our society,
more tetanus encrusted boxes of
some tender loving and care goes a
those deemed ‘not good enough’
gold than all the kings of England
long way.
for whatever reason, and say, “No. I don’t know who said that to you-- but
combined. With yellow work gloves covering my hands, I sif t through
With food especially, I see how
you’re good enough for me.” Tell
dented boxes of mac and cheese,
the calories carelessly dumped in
someone that this “trash” can nourish
seemingly endless bottles of orange
these trash receptacles can feed
hungr y bodies in this world. You are
juice, and busted cans of baked
people. Stomachs all over America
what you eat, right? You’re eating
beans. I call it food shopping.
rumble while edible food rots in
good food and finding salvation. Mac
dumpsters. Nearly 40 percent of the
and cheese with sprinkles of renewed
Dumper diving isn’t for the
food grown in the USA will end up
purpose. Saving things from a sad
squeamish. “You wanna do what?”
in landfills, according to the Natural
fate. One man’s trash is another
people would ask me as I tell them,
Resource Defense Council. This not
man’s treasure.
incredulous that I’d want to eat
only wastes the food itself, but the
trash. What they call the undesirable,
resources used to
capitalism’s “other” in the market of
grow the food. US
technicolor, unblemished products.
agriculture uses 80
But I’d look at them, smile, and
percent of America’s
tell them, “Yes I do. And it’s still
consumable water,
just as tasty.”
meaning roughly 28 million gallons
“I’m not saying everyone should eat trash, but it’s the most nutritious food I know.“
But if you are too squeamish to dive in, I understand. Dumpster diving isn’t for ever yone. You can, however, do your par t to
The way I see it, dumpster diving
of water will be
gives new life to dead things.
trashed as well. The
Dumpsters are a kind of purgator y,
magnitude of the waste blows my
in your own household trash. While
whether it be food (my exper tise),
mind.
dumpster diving can be fun, I’d like
make sure edible food doesn’t end up
to live in a world where I don’t have
electronics, clothes, or other detritus. When you go into dumpsters, you see
I’m not saying ever yone should eat
to do it anymore. I want to know that
that these items aren’t there fairly:
trash, but it’s the most nutritious food
“waste” was past tense.
THE BELL VOL. IX, ISSUE 1
6 PIECES OF ADVICE FOR THE STRUGGLING COLLEGE INTROVERT
second year aysha jerald
or pick at your nails. Sometimes, you
mean you’re a failure. You’re neither.
even contor t your expression into
You’re an introver t. And, let’s get
one of confusion just so the professor
real. There’s no way you could ever
can note your oblivion. For those
remember a hundred names, and we
reasons, I challenge you to speak up.
both know how uncomfor table you’d
If you’re confident in yourself, there’s
be at that par ty.
1. When Your Roommate Asks You to
nothing to lose. Don’t let laziness,
Go Out With Them, Say Yes! I know
indif ference, or fear stop you from
6. Know When To call It Quits. If
it will pain you to do so. I know you
showing of f the embodiment of
you feel yourself becoming tired or
planned to re-watch The Of fice. I
intelligence that you are.
exhausted, shut down. Af ter a long day of exer ting your personality to
know For tnite is practically calling your name. I know that putting on
4. Don’t Make A Habit Of Staying
the max, it’s okay to take some time
pants and making yourself look
In On Friday Or Saturday Nights.
apar t. Don’t over whelm yourself.
presentable on a Tuesday night is the
Granted, this doesn’t mean that you
Recognize your limitations and
last thing you want to do. While it’ll
have to go out and par ty like it’s 1999
be proud of all the work you’ve
be easy to tell your roommate no, still
ever y weekend. This doesn’t equate
accomplished. If you’re one of
say yes. Truth is, there are only so
to going back to the folk’s house
those introver ts who overly push
many times they will ask before they
either. Despite its appeal, don’t let
themselves to do or be better,
give up on you entirely. Act now, or
yourself be alone. Ask that person
understand that the most successful
regret it later.
you sit next to in class if they want to
people in the world didn’t do it all in
catch a movie. Grab some neighbors
one day. Treat yourself to something
2. If You’re Standing At A Bus Stop
and host a game night. Convince your
sweet, turn up the music, relish in
And Spot Someone You Know From
roommate that the Tate activities
those canceled plans, and take that
Class Or Your Dorm Or A Club You’ve
are wor thwhile and go check them
nap you’ve been thinking about
Just Joined, Go Talk To Them. Do not
out. Whether it’s doing something or
practically all day long.
assume that they will see you, walk
nothing, don’t let yourself do it alone. Stay true to who you are, and level-
up, and star t the conversation. Like you, they will probably make brief eye
5. Please, Don’t Compare Yourself
up if you must. There is an armada of
contact and proceed to find solitude
To Others. By doing this, you will
people out there who are prepared to
in their phones. Fight the anxiety
drive yourself insane. Ever yone is at
mock and ridicule your introversion,
inside of you, take a deep breath,
a dif ferent stage in their life. Just
but you will be your greatest enemy
and allow the “hey” to flow out of
because he seems to have a hundred
if you let them tear down your
your mouth with ease. If you must,
more friends than you, doesn’t mean
defenses. So hold your chin up, my
begin the conversation by asking
you’re a loner. Just because she goes
fellow introver t, and play your cards
about the weather or complimenting
to more par ties than you, doesn’t
right. You’ve got this.
them on their outfit. You can even throw a little sarcasm in your retor ts-but don’t forget to laugh from time to time, and most of all, reassure yourself that awkward silence is, in fact, a socially acceptable concept (one which has been in the friendship-making game longer than you have). 3. For The Love Of All Things, Speak Up! You’re not mute. You know the answer to that chemistr y problem. You know the realistic implications of that poem. You know the correct formula for that equation. Yet, whenever your professor asks, you
photo by stokes dunavan
look away, scribble in your notebook,
THE CHAPEL BELL: A POSITIVE PRESS PUBLICATION
photo by sofi gratas new people and taking unexplored
friend I made in college, Charley
subjects. The burden of an academic
Powell, introduced me to an entire
workload and fear of the unknown is
friend group. One relationship led
undeniably present. But in the chaos
to an entire world that helped make
of it all, we are bestowed with a gif t.
UGA home. Or even my cousin
The semester arrives full of new
By stepping on this campus each day,
getting married in October-- ever y
faces, classes, even homes, and we
we are given a purpose.
bridesmaid in the wedding is a friend
PACKED WITH PURPOSE
second year evan lasseter
she made while here at UGA. The
find ourselves packing our bags for the new season. Some of our
However, purpose can be such a
community we become a par t of
checklist items may include clothes,
mystical, big idea. In the rush of year
instantly adds a sense of depth and
school supplies, books, and even
one, I struggled to see what purpose
meaning to our experience here.
instruments. We not only pack the
actually looked like. One lesson I
Suddenly all of these emotions we
necessities, but also the special
learned is that we all find ourselves
have packed into our bags are not
objects that occupy our hobbies.
here because in some way or another
only ours, but they are shared and
However, among the physical
we prioritized success. We had set
given a home with our friends. Your
luggage, we also carr y an intangible,
goals and then we achieved them.
purpose does not have to be a list
emotional weight. On the sur face, the
To help find purpose, we should
of goals, but you can find it in other
campus buzzes with excitement, but
approach the semester with a set of
people or organizations. The Chapel
with a closer look, you can recognize
goals. The beauty of setting goals is
Bell has done that for me. Beyond
all the negative emotions that may be
there are no rules--so when you go
just writing ar ticles, there are faces
packed into our bags. The beginning
to set goals, disregard how big or
to go to each week, greeting you
of my third semester here at UGA
small they may be. Make them in the
with a smile, and ready to hear about
brought many of the same feelings
areas you struggle most, find where
your day. It’s a reason to get up, get
as the first two. For instance, there
you want to grow, then set your mark.
moving, and tackle whatever I may be
is the undeniable excitement in the
We can find purpose by striving to
going through. So be bold, step out
campus atmosphere that comes with
achieve something.
of your comfor t zone, and remember that no matter what you carr y in your
seeing friends daily and anticipating the new football season, but also
We should also strive to find meaning
bag, your purpose is packed in their
there can be the anxiety of meeting
in our relationships. The ver y first
too.
THE BELL VOL. IX, ISSUE 1
moved fur ther than the last time.
teach. Recognizing the most ef fective
What I learned that day was not that
and often, most considerate way
I should never give up or focus on
of telling another person how they
what I have achieved, but rather,
can improve is a skill that I think the
that my boyfriend was able to take
most knowledgeable people have.
What most people learn to do at the
the time to teach me in a way that
We don’t remember impersonal
age of five or six, I learned at the age
I would learn. He knew that if he
professors or people with inhuman
of twenty. Three weeks ago, I learned
yelled at me, or didn’t tell me that
intelligence, but rather, those who
how to ride a bike.
I was getting better at all, that this
took the time and patience to share
experience would likely not end with
what they know.
EASY AS RIDING A BIKE
third year pooja gohel
My lack of skill is not owed to a
me riding a bike. Dif ferent people
lack of people willing to teach me,
need information and feedback
but rather a constant resistance to learning that I still do not understand. While growing up, it was common on weekend mornings for my dad to plead with me to let him teach me how to ride a bike. I recall being initially hesitant, finally giving in, flipping over my handlebars onto concrete, and never tr ying again. Years later, in high school, my best friend attempted to teach me. The extent of my success was being able to move the bike along with at least one foot on the ground at all times. My boyfriend was the one who finally got through to me. He went out and bought a $10 bike meant for an 11 year old boy, promised me that the park by my neighborhood was completely empty, and told me he had no doubts that I could do it. There were several things that were dif ferent this time. The first was that I genuinely wanted to tr y. I knew that he had bought this bike and I knew that summer was almost over. Most impor tantly, I knew that I wasn’t willing to let anyone else in the world watch me learn how to ride a bike. It took about twenty-five minutes for me to learn. I moved a little bit, then I moved a little more, then I was
photo by kelsey dabrowski
riding a bike. Although I really did want to learn, the dif ference this time was him. Rather than telling me what I was doing wrong, he focused on the progress I made. He made a point of showing me, each time, that I had
HAPPYY ways, which not only A to those PLEASE RECYCLE OR GIVE MOND applies delivered in dif ferent
THIS ISSUE TO A FRIEND!
@THECHAPELBELLUGA THE CHAPEL BELL THECHAPELBELL.ORG
who are paid to
THE CHAPEL BELL: A POSITIVE PRESS PUBLICATION