Garnet & Black Winter 2014 (Rev)

Do Students Feel Safe On Campus?

EXTREME explorers CORBETT ALEXANDER

FUNNY TINDER DATES

HEADLINERS

19ROBBED

Do students feel safe on campus? A robbery victim and police officers talk.

24

SWIPE RIGHT FOR LOVE (AND LAUGHS)

Yes, someone was literally proposed to on Tinder.

STYLE

30

FROSTBITE

Winter makeup and accessories.

PERFORMANCE

26

EXTREME EXPLORERS

We talked to three Gamecocks who took their adventurous spirits to land, air and sea.

SPOTLIGHT

8

MAN IN THE MIRROR : JEFFREY DAVIS

“The Hit” photographer gets in front of the lens.

9

WOMAN’S WORLD : RACHEL HIPSZER

She’s defying gravity.

12

FISH OUT OF WATER : MOUNTAINEERING/ WHITEWATER RAFTING CLUB AND QUIDDITCH

A gamer ventured outside, and a passive “Harry Potter” fan basically went to Hogwarts. It was...interesting.

SCENE

14

SWEAT & TELL : THE SPURRIER SWEAT Gamecock spirit can’t help you here.

36

POP... : HOLIDAY SONGS THAT SHOULDN’T EXIST

Do we really need a “Star Wars” Christmas album?

37

...ART : ELISABETH DONATO

The sport of sculpting.

38

HEY, MS. DJ! : KATE APPELBAUM

The WUSC DJ talks the power of live shows, music writing and favorite songs.

39OUT ON THE TOWN

You won’t want to miss these two musicals headed to Town Theatre.

40

SCENE & HEARD : CORBETT ALEXANDER

The band takes us through the journey to its first EP.

ENCORE

42inVENT

Mopeds are incredibly stupid things, am I right?

15

THRIFT OR GIFT : WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY

The tackier, the better.

16

FOOD FIGHT : HANGOVER BRUNCH

Just give me carbs!

18

SUITE STYLE : COZY YOUR SPACE

You know what your room needs this winter? Blankets. Lots of blankets.

43

HOW TO : NOT GET A MATCH ON TINDER

Ambiguous photos are good.

45

QUIZ : WHAT TYPE OF FINALS WEEK PERSON ARE YOU?

Bring on the Beezer’s and Red Bull.

46

OVERHEARD AT... : GAME DAY

“I think you have throw-up in your hair.”

STUDENT MAGAZINE of the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR MANAGING EDITOR ARTICLES EDITOR

Christopher Rosa

Lisa Ashworth

Thom Bell

Kalyn Oyer

EDITORIAL

COPY CHIEF STAFF WRITER EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Amanda Coyne

Andrea Wurzburger

Caitlin Edahl, Grace Stewart

Conor Applegate, Dominic Boyd, Karie Duncan, Sarah Ferraro, Jessica Gorman, Gabriela Herstik, Hope Johnson, Taylor Kane, Jacob Margle, Sarah Martin, R. Kyle Norris, Alex Peeples, McKenna Porter, Shelby

Sipperly, Nicole Smith, Sarah Stone, Nick Veronesi, Olivia Waller

ART DIRECTOR PHOTO EDITOR ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR VIDEOGRAPHER STAFF DESIGNERS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERS

WEB EDITOR WEB ASSISTANTS

Ashley Crompton

Hannah Cleaveland

Ida Garland

Nicholas Johnston

Lina LeGare, Savannah Taylor

Amelia Dupont, Alex andra Herstik, Elisabeth Noblet, Jada Samuels, Josh Thompson

Alden Earl, Kellen LaGroon, Nina Waring

Erin Spencer

Katherine Finney, Taylor Halle, Lizzie Steimer

PUBLIC RELATIONS

PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR EVENTS MANAGER PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSISTANTS

EVENTS ASSISTANTS

Ally Soule

Anna Mathias

Hannah Ashmore, Sarah Barreca, Rachel Braun, Brooke Butler, Angela Cooper, Devyn Doyle, Raven Ellis, Alyson Russo, Caitlin Fretz, Jessica Gorman, Rachel Holyfield, Parker King, Claire Kudlata, Juliette LaFerlita, Victoria Majoros, Courtney Mras , Anna Shull, Kelsey Spencer Courtney Moyers, Kerry O’Conner

STYLE

STYLE EDITOR STYLE ASSISTANTS

Alana Fuscardo

Rachael Dornellas, Dominic Bellotti

ADVERTISING MANAGER CREATIVE MANAGER PRODUCTION MANAGER BUSINESS MANAGER FACULTY ADVISER

Sarah Scarborough

Edgar Santana

Degan Cheek

Krisitine Capps

Scott Farrand

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Advertising: (803) 777-3018

Jake Rose (Student Advertising Manager), David Cheetham, Thomas Digennaro, Michele Dressler, Amber Grant, Drew Hart, Holly Heaton, Ian Peacock, Erin O’connell

CREATIVE SERVICES Lina LeGare (Student Lead Designer), Ashley Crompton, Rannah Derrick, Kody Kratzer

To contact G&B, email sagandbe@mailbox.sc.edu or visit www.gandbmagazine.com.

Garnet & Black magazine is produced four times a year by students of the University of South Carolina and is distributed free to members of the university community. All editors and staff members can be contacted at (803) 777-1149. The office is located in Russell House room 339. Email letters to the editor to sagandbe@mailbox.sc.edu or to Garnet & Black magazine, Student Media, 1400 Greene Street, Columbia, SC 29208. Letters should be 250-400 words and must include name, address, phone number and academic information (if applicable). Garnet & Black reserves the right to edit for libel, style and space. Anonymous letters will not be published.

JOSH THOMPSON ALEX PEEPLES RACHEL BRAUN NINA WARING

Senior media arts student Rachel Braun worked as a public relations assistant for the winter issue. As a contributor, Braun oversaw social media. “I wanted to have my voice heard by the school and leave a lasting impression,” she says. Braun dreams of one day running a web design company.

Sophomore chemistry student Josh Thompson’s most notable work as a member of the G&B staff was photographing the benefit concert for Those Lavender Whales in the fall issue. “I feel like Garnet & Black allows me the room for artistic and creative freedom that other organizations don’t allow,” he says. Check out Thompson’s latest music photography for Corbett Alexander on page 40.

Senior visual communications student Nina Waring designed Hey, Mr. DJ! and Thrift or Gift for the fall issue of G&B. “It’s pretty awesome to contribute and to be a part of something that I care about at USC,” she says. Waring’s dream job would be an art director for an advertising agency in her favorite city and hometown, New Orleans. Check out Waring’s designs on pages 38 and 45.

Freshman journalism student Alex Peeples wrote the Scene & Heard article about Those Lavender Whales for the fall issue and authored the “Extreme Explorers” feature this time around on page 26. Peeples also modeled for both the fall and winter issues. He hopes to use his editorial skills to someday write for Rolling Stone.

BY SARAH STONE // PHOTOS BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND

BUILDING A UNIVERSE - SOUTH CAROLINA STATE MUSEUM LIGHTS BEFORE CHRISTMAS - RIVERBANKS ZOO

Fifteen South Carolina artists will be taking you out of this world with a variety of artwork all focused on space and the universe. $6.95 - $8.95

Regardless of what holiday you celebrate, come check out some festive lights (over one million of them, in fact) at the zoo. While you’re there, don’t forget to stop for some hot cocoa and marshmallows by the fireside. Cozy! $10 adults / $8 children

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE - KOGER CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Get holidazed with this acrobatic show that will wow in both costume and performance. Oh, and check out a fellow student’s cirque dreams on page 9. $45 - $58

FAMOUSLY HOT NEW YEAR - MAIN STREET

If you’re back in town before the ball drop, celebrate the new year on Main Street. Misterwives, The O’Jays and Lefty at the Washout will be providing tunes while the sky lights up. Free

BY DOMINIC BOYD

Yes, the models are naked. Happy November!

Now, now—it’s not as bad as you think. When the Garnet & Black team started brainstorming ideas for winter style, we asked why clothes got to have all the fun. Why not do an entire spread featuring just accessories? As a theatre minor, I like a little drama, so I suggested putting our models in extreme makeup that would evoke an icy, wintry feel. And thus, “Frostbite” was born. The pieces we decided to feature are pretty top-notch, so I suggest you take a look at the badass—and I admit, sexy—spread starting on page 30.

Phew! Sorry, I had to get that off my chest; I felt like not addressing it would create a giant elephant in the room. Speaking of which, have you ever attended a White Elephant party? It’s a seasonal bash perfect for whatever holiday you celebrate, and we give you tips on buying the tackiest gift imaginable on page 15. Cat statuettes are involved.

Amidst all of the excitement surrounding the holidays, we must remember that our school was going through a difficult time just a few months ago after reports of robberies rocked the student body. We decided to dig a little deeper and speak to police officers and a victim about the incidents. Check out the must-read story on page 19.

We also spoke to Corbett Alexander, a local band working on its first EP. It’s pretty exciting to see these passionate dudes make music. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that they’re all pretty cute. Read the rock-tastic piece on page 40.

November to February is my favorite time of year. As a person with a penchant for sweating, the cooler temperatures set me free, and the month-long break that awaits in December is enough to cause gallons of tears.

Also, everyone seems to be nicer around this time. I don’t know if it’s the holidays or the end of a hellish semester, but cheer looks good on students. And if you don’t like the cold, a warm attitude makes these frigid months just a little bit easier.

Supreme Queen of the Universe Madonna said something pretty brilliant in her 1998 song “Frozen:” “You’re frozen when your heart’s not open.” And I completely agree with this statement. As you head home and binge on Netflix, visit old friends and beg your parents for the iPhone 6, remember nothing matters without love. It sounds mushy, but it’s totally true.

And this advice is even more crucial to seniors. We only have a few more months to soak up our comfortable environments. Embrace everything fully and love deeply. Just remember, even if your outside environment is frozen, it doesn’t mean you have to be.

With that in mind, warm up to this issue. We promise it’s a good time.

See you next year!

“THE HIT” PHOTOGRAPHER MAN IN THE MIRROR JEFFREY DAVIS

BY SHELBY SIPPERLY // PHOTO BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND

We’ve all seen the “Hit Heard ‘Round the World,” the nowfamous shot of Jadeveon Clowney sacking University of Michigan running back Vincent Smith during the last quarter of the Outback Bowl in January 2013 to force and recover a fumble. Whether you saw it during the game, in the paper the next day or on YouTube, Clowney’s hit has become an important symbol of Gamecock football. While many may have assumed that it was snapped by a photographer for a college football network or ESPN, it was actually one of our very own: the talented (not just lucky) Jeffrey Davis.

Honors college student Davis recently participated in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program in Hawaii, studying algebraic graph theory. After he graduates from USC, he wants to continue his education in mathematics through a Ph.D program. “It’s only when I’m not doing math that I do photography,” Davis says.

Davis seems unaware of the magnitude of his own photo making nationwide

sports news. “I work for The Daily Gamecock and TheBigSpur.com, but when I got the shot, I was actually with my local newspaper from home, photographing in Florida for the game,” he says. “After I got the shot, I sent it to The DG, and they offered me the job I have now.” Davis photographs anything they need him to for The Daily Gamecock but usually captures football, basketball and baseball action shots.

So how did a mathematics buff decide he wanted to pursue photography?

“Well, my aunt’s in the media,” Davis says. “She got me a camera whenever I got into high school, and I just started taking pictures for my local newspaper and the yearbook.” He adds, “When I actually got the shot, I was kind of confused at that point in the game because Michigan had gotten a first down, and the crowd was booing. Then, I saw Clowney start moving, and I whipped out my camera; all of a sudden, there it was…in all of its glory.” He used a Canon 7D for the photograph.

When questioned about the kind of

feedback he received, Jeffrey modestly responded that he’d actually had someone from the Press Association tell him it was the best frame of the moment. Davis then adds that a Sumter newspaper actually printed it without his permission, “…which was fine,” he says. “I know there are at least four or five other shots that are similar to mine. I didn’t really try to market it or anything, though.” He shifts in his chair and adds, “I’m not so motivated to do anything like that; I just like taking the pictures.”

When asked if “The Hit” is his favorite photo he’s taken, Davis looks away for a millisecond, gathering his thoughts and answers assuredly. “As far as the picture itself, I don’t know if the Clowney shot is the best quality picture. It’s definitely the best moment, but there have been a lot of other pictures I’ve taken, like at basketball and baseball games, that are really good quality,” he says. “Most days, my pictures are in The Daily Gamecock if anyone wants to look at them.”

WOMAN’S WORLD RACHEL HIPSZER AERIAL ACROBAT

BY GABRIELA HERSTIK // PHOTO BY DAVE GILBERT

There’s something enviable about those who manage to find balance and flexibility in situations where it may prove difficult, especially when done with a sense of grace. Rachel Hipszer is both graceful and flexible in her strength, literally and figuratively. The senior marine science major and statistics minor is many things, perhaps most notably a professional aerial artist and performer.

Hipszer’s involvement with aerial arts happened organically, albeit somewhat unexpectedly. During an audition at a local theater while in high school, Hipszer was asked if she could climb rope, to which she promptly answered yes. Hipszer’s 10 years of experience as a competitive gymnast meant she had significant practice in this particular task. This led to her getting a role that involved aerial acrobatics, a skill of which neither she nor the theater had any background knowledge. After a couple YouTube videos, Hipszer was off to a running start, although she does not condone learning such a risky art the way that she did.

After taking some professional classes, Hipszer came to Columbia, where she decided to continue pursuing aerial arts. She got in touch with Columbia’s own alternative circus, Alternacirque (now Soda City Cirque) , and was able to join a troupe that fosters and supports her art. “Alternative forms of art are becoming a thing,” she says. “On top of performing throughout Columbia, I try to attend these events as much as possible, not only because I’ve made some incredibly weird and awesome friends, but because it’s great to give back to the community and show what Columbia has to offer.”

When she’s performing aerial acrobatics, Hipszer finds a natural high so unlike any other that even skydiving fell short. “I get so much more of a high every time I get on the silks or when I’m on the stage. Not saying skydiving was bad, but I definitely wouldn’t spend my money on it again,” she says. Although Hipszer favors performing from aerial silks, she’s also trained in handstand canes, basic juggling and unicycling.

This sort of diversity is present

in almost every other facet of the acrobat’s life. Hipszer has three other jobs: gymnastics instructor at Allstar Gymnastics, Zumba instructor at Strom and Blatt and student worker at a USC lab. “I find everything as an opportunity, and thus, I don’t ever want to let one pass by,” she says.

Perhaps it’s Hipszer’s dedication that has enabled her to be such a force in the Columbia community. Soda City Cirque has performed in a variety of locations, ranging from the State Museum to Art Bar to sites in both Atlanta and Charlotte. There are a few especially exciting things in the works for the troupe, including its first adultthemed performance that debuts in January and annual show that opens in April.

Hipszer still drives hours away to continue her advanced training and hopes to go to New England Center for Circus Arts, a top-notch circus school, to receive her teaching certification. After graduation, Hipszer would love to travel with her circus while also working on ocean conservation.

GARNET RIVER WALK

WATER

Ever wanted to step outside your comfort zone and attend a random student organization meeting? These students did—and their experiences were priceless.

BY SARAH MARTIN // PHOTO BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND // DESIGN BY ASHLEY CROMPTON

It was 9 p.m. on a Wednesday, and I was on my way to play Quidditch.

If I were to ask a friend to describe my best qualities, “athletic” would fall low on the list. Mix in a lack of knowledge about “Harry Potter” and a fear of embarrassing myself, and the night was not looking good. I’m more comfortable with a paintbrush than a broomstick, and a Quaffle sounds like a breakfast food.

My hands felt clammy as I scanned the Blatt Fields for the team, and almost immediately I heard the first “Potter” reference of the night: “She needs to sort out her priorities!” I had found them.

Now, it takes a lot to make me nervous. I can speak in front of an auditorium of people, I don’t think twice about bungee jumping and I’ve relaxed comfortably in a

cave full of bats. I’ve even ventured so far as to eat mystery meat from a jungle hut in Belize. But the thought of playing Quidditch terrified me, and from the moment the team’s captain, Patrick Conroy, placed a pretend broomstick in my hands, I felt my heart race.

Knowing I had to make a move sooner or later, I walked out onto the field and awkwardly held the broomstick between my legs. I couldn’t understand how the other players were making it look so natural; not only were they keeping their broomsticks in place, but they were throwing and catching balls as well. The clump of players moved quickly around the field, and after almost being hit in the head by a Bludger, I realized I was just getting in everyone’s way.

I looked to Conroy for help, but he was too transfixed by the practice to assist me. Defeated, I walked off the field and offered my broomstick to one of the players waiting on the sideline.

Off the field, I realized how complex the sport of Quidditch actually was; with multiple balls, hoops and positions, each player had to be on his or her guard at all times. I also realized how violent it was as players sank to their knees after being hit in very sensitive places. I asked Conroy about the roughness, and he told me that at their last tournament, three of the ten players got concussions. Suddenly, I was even more relieved that I had stopped playing.

Conroy also told me that the team is working hard to get to Regionals, at which point they may qualify for the World Cup. The team has made it to the prestigious competition twice in the past and is determined to keep getting better.

I have a whole new appreciation for what is undoubtedly one of the roughest sports played on our campus. I learned how the background of the sport attracts a certain kind of person–a “Harry Potter” fan, of course, but also someone who isn’t afraid to have fun at the risk of looking silly. I also learned that while I have my strengths, playing sports still isn’t one of them.

BY R. KYLE NORRIS // PHOTO BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND // DESIGN BY ASHLEY CROMPTON

Three pairs of students stand at the front of the auditorium, squatting backto-back with arms interlocked as seven others get ready to sit on them. We’re about to play musical human-chairs. I’m not sure if this is some PG-version of “The Human Centipede” or what, but it makes for quite the ridiculous image. I’m at a meeting for the Mountaineering and Whitewater Rafting Club in the Calcott building, where members meet every Monday at 8 p.m. It’s one of the first meetings of the year, and the entertainment is a silly way to break the ice. As soon as “Get Back” by Ludacris starts to play, the eliminations begin. A few songs and many uncomfortable moments later, a winner is crowned and the actual meeting begins.

Once the officers explain the $60 dues and what that price includes, they talk about the trips. The group takes a trip almost every week, their most recent an eight-mile hike to the summit of Blood Mountain, the tallest peak in Georgia. The nearest I’ve come to hiking eight miles is watching the movie of the same name. I’m the type of person who is more used

to the hum of air conditioning and the eye-killing glow of fluorescents than the view from a mountain peak or the light of a bonfire. I imagine my reaction to finding myself on the side of some slope and hope it would be a bit more majestic than the awkward gait of my avatar jumping up the side of a mountain in “Skyrim.”

At every meeting, the group awards one person the honor of being the “Hardcore Player of the Week.” This week’s winner is Joe Marazzo, specifically for his help putting up the bear bags on the trip to Blood Mountain. Yes, there are bags designed to keep food out of reach of bears. When I learn people willingly decide to sleep outside in an area where bear bags are a necessity, I begin to question their sanity. I can barely sleep on a couch at someone else’s house. I don’t even know how to begin to imagine a forested mountain at night where any sound I hear might be a lurking bear looking for my Snack Packs.

The madness doesn’t stop here. The next trip planned is to Capers Island off the coast of Charleston. This group is vol-

untarily journeying to a place where the only food and water they will have is what they bring. More frightening, by far, is the island’s lack of Wi-Fi. I would feel sorry for the members, but it seems as though they enjoy the prospect.

The end of the meeting involves a rush to sign up for trips and pay dues, while two of the officers, Lane Moore and Brittany Scala, talk to me personally. Scala asks if I might join, and although the prospect of being outdoors for a forced period of time doesn’t thrill me, I still find myself tempted. People who play musical human-chairs must be some kind of fun. However, the introvert in me wins out and I return home, thankful for the four walls keeping nature out.

Upon walking into the room, you are overcome by the firecracker that is Steve Spurrier’s wife Jerri. Honestly, Jerri Spurrier is probably the cutest human being alive. She is wearing an extremely oversized Carolina football shirt, leggings and a sweatband that only she could pull off. You can only hope the football shirt is Steve’s, because that would make her even more adorable.

You go retrieve your step, dumbbells and mat from the closet, and amidst the crowd of people, you start to pray. Please God, let me get the five-pound weights. I don’t think I can handle any heavier. You come away victorious.

Then it starts; Jerri is transformed before your eyes into a drill sergeant doing exercises out of an ‘80s aerobics video. You’ve got your basic toe touches, and you’re thinking, I can do this; this isn’t that hard. When you start jogging in place, you think that you might have hit the jackpot of workout classes: one that is just hard enough that you don’t mind working out but not hard enough

THE SPURRIER SWEAT

BY ANDREA WURZBURGER//

PHOTO BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND DESIGN BY ASHLEY CROMPTON

to make you want to die. Boy, are you wrong.

You just start getting the rhythm of running in place while punching the air when Jerri decides to pull the ol’ switcheroo. Yes, she adds in the legs, and suddenly you look like a baby giraffe learning how to walk for the first time. “Pick it up, ladies. Arms over your head,” she says. You will never ever make the mistake of slacking in this class, because you will quickly be reprimanded with, “Make a muscle! Make a muscle!”

You’ve just begun to regret everything you’ve ever eaten in your entire life when “Insanity” starts. It’s a six-set series of misery, including high knees, jumping jacks, push-ups, mountain climbers and a few exercises you’ve blocked from your memory. But it doesn’t stop there. While you’re struggling to breathe, Jerri is jumping around like she is just getting started; an inspiration to us all.

“Get on the step!” The step, you have come to learn, is your worst enemy,

something out of stair-stepping hell that you will use in conjunction with those five-pound weights you chose earlier. Five pounds feels like 500 after what you’ve been through, but you’re too embarrassed because Richard Simmons has nothing on Jerri Spurrier, who is making you look like an idiot because you want to rest while she is steppin’ like there’s no tomorrow. The arm sequence, to your surprise, is meant to make you feel like your arms are not a part of your body. Once they’ve fatigued, you get the false sense that you must be incredibly strong. In reality, you’re just incredibly exhausted, but you’ll only find that out when she moves you to the abs sequence.

You’ve got a simple cool down, and suddenly it’s all over. Jerri only gives you a simple, “Good job, ladies. See you next time.” Your body may be saying, “Take a shower, you disgusting person,” but your head is saying, “Is this how Rocky Balboa felt when he reached the top of the steps?” Yes. Yes, it is.

GIFT : Zazzle

The busy pattern on this festive pillow is guaranteed to clash with anyone’s sofa. It’s also customizable, which opens up a whole new level of opportunities. You can have it embroidered with a completely arbitrary word, like “microeconomics,” or the name of your favorite U.S. president like “Millard Fillmore.” However, at $37.95 plus shipping, it’s a bit on the pricy side.

THRIFT : Goodwill

To make pillows worthy of a White Elephant exchange, buy the tackiest one you can find. This felted masterpiece, complete with plastic snowflakes and fuzzy baubles, only costs $2.

Gift exchanges are always fun, but the White Elephant variety is one of the best kinds. Creativity is a must when shopping for the perfect useless present, but if the holidays have you too frazzled to think, here are some suggestions that will make your gift a hit (or even better, a miss).

BY CAITLIN EDAHL // PHOTOS BY ELISABETH NOBLET

Thrift Gift or

WHITE ELEPHANT PARTY

GIFT : Etsy

GIFT : CafePress

Most college students buy at least one poster in a half-hearted attempt to break up the cinderblock expanse of their dorm rooms. To increase the prank factor, deviate from Einstein quotes or black-andwhite snapshots of Paris, and get something truly odd. This $20 print of a hairless Sphynx cat, complete with mood lighting, is exactly what your friend needs for that empty spot on the wall across from her bed.

THRIFT : Goodwill

Is there anything more appropriate for a White Elephant gift exchange than “wolves howling at the moon” wall art? Strange wall art is easy to come by at thrift stores, and $1.75 is more than reasonable. Just be sure you don’t give in to the temptation to keep it for yourself.

THRIFT : Goodwill

RIVAL TEAM MERCHANDISE

GIFT : Ebay

With its piercing gaze and unnerving grin, this Cheshire cat figurine would be objectionable even to the most faithful “Alice in Wonderland” fan. The price, at $49.95, is also not for the faint of heart.

GIFT : Amazon

Some books are irrelevant no matter who receives them. No one needs this $12 volume on the exercise craze “Prancercise,” which is exactly why it’s the perfect choice.

THRIFT : Goodwill

Take things to the next level with a toilet seat cover set for $19. Besides the nod to a rival team, toilet seat covers are one of the allaround most disappointing gifts to receive. Check out the gift items and more at GANDBMAGAZINE.com

You can never start a figurine collection too early. Cat statuettes are always a good choice, particularly if they’re only 75 cents. You’ll end up spending more on the gift wrap.

THRIFT : Goodwill

Thrift stores are sure to have low prices and unusual titles. Context is also key. For example, if the White Elephant exchange is among undergraduate college students, consider picking up a book on “The Houseplant Care Manual,” like this one (left), for about $1.

Now is the time to exploit those deep-rooted feuds that live in every sports fan’s heart. Throw a $3.25 Clemson T-shirt into a gathering of diehard Gamecocks and enjoy.

HANGOVER BRUNCH

Almost every USC student has woken up after a long night in Five Points to arguably the worst feeling in the world: a hangover. It’s too late to think about chugging water before bed, and since there’s no point in wallowing about what you should have done last night, the only thing left to do is go out for brunch. Slap a few makeup-removing wipes on your face, shake off your spinning cranium and head into the world to cure yourself the old fashioned way: greasy food (duh). Luckily for everyone, there are a lot of great options in Columbia that’ll solve any problems left over from the night before.

BY GRACE STEWART // PHOTOS BY AMELIA DUPONT // DESIGN BY LISA ASHWORTH

THE GOURMET SHOP

Like any serious writer, I prepare myself (a little too well, in fact) for the assignment and wake up entirely too early on a Saturday morning with a queasy disposition. Throwing on sunglasses that will definitely make me look like a normal human being, I head off to the first stop on the list: The Gourmet Shop. Within only a few minutes, I face the first problem of this journey: the unexpectedly loud noises coming from inside the building. This commotion is indicative of The Gourmet Shop’s obvious success within the Columbia food scene, since it’s almost

always packed with people waiting for a table. The wait, however long, is always worth it in the end, and so I tough it out for a few agonizing minutes. Upon sitting, I immediately order a personal brunch favorite: the Brie and Bacon Croissant. Dripping with warm, gooey cheese and greasy bacon, it’s one of those things that can cure your hangover on sight. In these brief moments, I am sure it is the most delicious food I have ever tasted. Not a fan of French cheeses? That’s fine too; try its Famous Chicken Salad, or create your own sandwich. It’s guaranteed to be as delicious as it is high-class, and you’ll feel like a champ afterwards.

CRÊPES & CROISSANTS

Day two and it’s starting to wear on me. It’s been a long weekend, and I’m hoping that a trip to Crêpes & Croissants will cheer me up. Since it opened a few years ago, I’ve been dying to go, but there’s always been some excuse not to— so it is exciting to finally give it a try. Thankfully, it has a much calmer atmosphere than the previous two brunch spots, and there is a lot less pressure to stay cool and blend in. The owner, Laurent Prescelti, is a native of France, and the menu shows it. There are varieties of crêpes (both savory and sweet), croissant sandwiches and assorted French treats. Overwhelmed by both the impossibility of narrowing down the many tasty options and the queasy feeling in my stomach, I settle for the most basic foods: a butter croissant and the classic dessert crêpe, which has granulated sugar and cinnamon on top. Satisfied, I settle into a comfortable chair, close my eyes and find myself walking the streets of Paris with every bite. This is no Starbucks croissant; in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had a real croissant until this day. It is light, flaky and so delicious that, before I leave, I grab another one to take home. The crêpe, too, is elegant in its simplicity. I don’t know how well it cured the hangover, but I am so at ease that I can’t even notice. Crêpes & Croissants is the type of place that you find yourself drawn to again and again, even though you can’t exactly pinpoint the reason you fell in love with it in the first place.

CAFÉ STRUDEL

Another day, another brunch. The last stop on my hangover tour is Café Strudel in West Columbia. This comes as a recommendation from friends who swear by its brunch menu, but I have never been myself. The one drawback is that it only offers its brunch menu on Sundays. (For Monday – Saturday, it’s a breakfast menu, and let’s be honest, I’m not an early morning person.) The line is stretched out the door when I arrive. Believe me, standing in the hot Columbia sun is absolutely miserable, but the promise of food makes me persevere. One glance at the menu and I am newly baptized a Strudler. I mean, it even has Hangover Hash Browns as an option, so I know that I’ve found a place free of judgment. Proudly, I take off the sunglasses and, with unfocused eyes, request the famous hash browns and an order of cinnamon pancakes. The hash browns come with onions, tomatoes, banana peppers and cheese; I was reluctant at first, but those hash browns turned out to be the kind of food you find yourself whispering “yes ma’am” to. Likewise, the cinnamon pancakes are a perfectly sweet addition, and I gladly hoard all of my leftovers like a squirrel preparing for hibernation. If you’re feeling more adventurous after a night out – or if it just seems easier to keep partying – order the Smoky Bacon Bloody Mary. I didn’t try it myself, but how could anyone go wrong with bacon-infused vodka?

5 WAYS TO COZY UP YOUR SPACE FOR WINTER

BY JACOB MARGLE // PHOTO BY ELISABETH NOBLET // DESIGN BY LINA LEGARE

Those dreaded South Carolina winters are upon us, which means it’s time to layer up and batten down the hatches. While you’re shut in your apartment or dorm, mustering the courage to venture into the frigid tundra, you can at least make sure that your space will stay warm and inviting.

1.

PURCHASE SOME NEW BEDDING.

Chances are you’ll be treating your bed as if it were an igloo in the icebox that is Columbia, so why not make it cozy? A new set of sheets and a comforter will freshen things up, while stacks of soft blankets will make your living space feel homey and cuddle-friendly. Take things one step further with a mock fur throw. The natural colors will warm up your room and you at the same time. Go the Restoration Hardware route for seriously good quality, or pick one up from Target if you’re on a budget.

2. GET A RUG. If you already have one, put more in your other rooms. You’ll feel like you’re braving the arctic circle every time you step foot outside, so you might as well make sure every surface of your home will keep the cold at bay. Look for warm colors and delicate fibers; the more comfort-oriented, the better.

IKEA is a go-to place for cheap, inexpensive rugs that look anything but cheap and inexpensive. Your toes will thank you.

3. PLANTS, PLANTS, PLANTS. Everything’s dead outside, but your heated room offers a safe-haven from the frostbite. Rescue some evergreen plants and simultaneously liven up your space. A snake plant, or motherin-law’s tongue as it’s also known, is almost impossible to kill and is recommended by NASA for its air purification qualities. Peace lilies do the same and add a more serene touch. Both flourish in low light, and snake plants actually thrive on neglect. Forget to water it during exam week…or every week? No worries.

4. LIGHT IT UP. It may seem a little cliché to string lights up around your dorm or apartment, but unless your middle name is Scrooge, why not indulge in a little holiday spirit? Hang some holiday lights around

your headboard for ambience or around the edges of your windows to keep things festive. They also help brighten up your space with something other than a harsh fluorescent beam. It’s getting dark much earlier, after all.

5. CANDLES. No, you shouldn’t line every shelf with them. We’re trying to make your space feel warmer, not woo that Tinder date that we both know isn’t going to work out. Just a few will do. Simple scents like vanilla, mint or lavender are present without being overpowering. Steer clear of complex fragrances like “Grandma’s Homemade Gingerbread And Hugs With A Side Of Eggnog And Presents.” They tend to make your room feel stuffy after a while. We’re going for warmth, not the perfume department at Macy’s.

Dostudentsfeelsafeoncampus?It’saquestionthat’sbeenlingeringeversincereportsofrobberies—bothfoundedandunfounded— rockedouruniversityatthebeginningofthesemester.Wespoketopoliceofficers,andstudentswillbepleasantlysurprisedwhatwe foundout.Andforthefirsttime,avictimofoneoftheconfirmedclosedrobberycasesiscomingforwardandtellingherstory.

Sarah Card* was walking from the USC campus to Five Points with friends around 10 p.m. on a Thursday night in September when three men surrounded them and demanded they get on the ground. At gunpoint, the men demanded the students hand over their valuables while Card, hiding her phone under her chest, began to dial 911.

Card and her friends were ultimately unharmed in the incident. One of her friends didn’t have anything stolen, and Card kept her cell phone. The three men were arrested within 24 hours of the Columbia Police Department releasing stills from surveillance footage, which caught the crime from all angles.

Card remembers saying to a friend earlier that same day that she didn’t feel unsafe on campus or in Five Points at night.

“I said, ‘It’s just cops and students; why should I be afraid?’” Card says.

Card and her friends took many of the precautions often encouraged for people—especially young women—to consider when out at night. She was in a group, walking on a well-lit and moderately trafficked route close to homes and businesses. The robbers struck when the women were on the 1800 block of Greene Street,

two blocks from Five Points and four from Russell House. Just up the hill is Capstone House, where nearly 600 students live.

“You’re not meant to feel unsafe there, yet dangerous things are still happening in Columbia,” Card says.

With a spate of reported crimes, real and fake, students have become increasingly concerned. Four of the highest profile reports of the semester, including one of a gunman on campus, turned out to be false upon police investigation, but the initial shock of hearing those reports has not worn off for some.

In reality, the on-campus crime rate is relatively stagnant, according to Capt. Eric Grabski, spokesman for USC’s Division of Law Enforcement and Safety. While crime is perceived to have increased since fall classes began, that’s not actually the case, he says.

“Statistically, crime has not increased significantly,” Grabski says. “Some of those crimes did not occur. Things are not drastically different.”

Nine simple assaults were reported to the Division of Law Enforcement and Safety between Aug. 18 and Oct.18. Two robberies and two burglaries were also reported to the division within this time frame. In 2013,

there were two robberies and 15 burglaries reported to the division; statistics on simple assault were not available in the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

Officers from the Division of Law Enforcement and Safety “proactively patrol” campus and the surrounding areas in order to try to prevent crime from occurring and to respond quickly when it does. Uniformed and plainclothes officers patrol the streets and pedestrian areas day and night. Making their presence known is an important part of policing, Grabski says.

“Our ultimate goal is safety in the community,” Grabski says. “Being proactive and highly visible is important in what we do.”

But safety and crime prevention does not solely fall on police officers, Grabski says. Citizens should be aware of their surroundings at all times while also taking the precautions Card took the night she and her friends were robbed—walking in groups on well-lit, well-populated routes— and utilizing services the university offers, including shuttles to and from Five Points.

“We live in a community that’s intertwined with the city,” Grabski says. “What we do is let the community know not to let

their guard down and making sure that we remember we’re in an urban environment and have to take certain precautions.”

In the past year, the university has added to its campus and student safety efforts. The late-night shuttle to and from Five Points on weekend nights began shortly after second-year business student Martha Childress was struck by a stray bullet while waiting for a cab. Additional officers have been added to the Division of Law Enforcement and Safety, and more call boxes have been added to campus and areas near campus.

But while efforts to expand safety on and near campus continue, students often complain that police officers write citations and make arrests for incidents related to underage drinking and fake ID use while violent crime still exists. Division of Law Enforcement and Safety and the Columbia Police Department do not make drinking tickets their top priority, but are still compelled to enforce alcohol laws when they are violated.

“CPD officers take an oath to uphold all laws of South Carolina. In comparison, alcohol violations are not as much of a top priority compared to crimes such as murder, armed robberies and shootings,” says

Jennifer Timmons, a spokesperson for the Columbia Police Department. “However, officers cannot turn a blind eye to underage drinking violations. The law is clear. You must be 21 years of age to consume or purchase alcohol. Officers who patrol in vehicles and on foot in hospitality districts respond to all crimes in those areas. The focus is on overall public safety.”

Enforcing alcohol laws when minor violations occur is also important in preventing potentially more dangerous incidents, Grabski says.

“Alcohol incidents could lead to more dangerous incidents,” Grabski says. “It helps potentially prevent things like DUI.”

Card says she thinks a major issue among students is being made to feel “safer than they really are.” After the four high-profile incidents in August and September were determined to be false reports, the university released a statement during Parents’ Weekend that acknowledged in part, “It’s important to note that many of these stories about crime are just that: stories.”

“I was a little annoyed at the statement that went out on Parents’ Weekend saying these things don’t happen. They do happen,” Card says. “In my own case, being made to feel that I was safer than I was or that Columbia was safer than it is didn’t

help the problem. It only hurt the problem.”

The fact that the statement was released a week after Card was robbed at gunpoint stung even worse. She admits she wasn’t hyper-vigilant when she was walking to Five Points that night, and one of her friends tried to make the group move faster when she noticed the men walking near them.

“Even in the safest city in the world with the best police in the world, these things can happen,” Card says. “But it bothers me from an administrative perspective the way this was handled. Don’t make us feel safer than we are. Be more transparent, and start identifying things that can help us. The worst thing was thinking nothing bad could happen to me.”

While Vice President for Student Affairs Dennis Pruitt cautioned students and parents against believing stories about crime on campus, Card says it is better to take the stories as cautionary tales.

“Listen to the stories. I heard stories about robberies on or near campus before it happened to me, but I still walked down that street unaware of my surroundings and not paying attention,” Card says. “When we’re supposed to think that we’re safe, we’re all easy targets. We need to be well aware of the dangers that do exist.”

*Name has been changed.

BY AMANDA COYNE // PHOTOS BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND // DESIGN BY SAVANNAH TAYLOR

SWIPE RIGHT FOR LOVE (AND LAUGHS)

BY ANDREA WURZBURGER // PHOTOS BY AMELIA DUPONT // DESIGN BY ASHLEY CROMPTON

Vanessa*, a senior, shared her nightmare of a Tinder date. “When I first matched Colin, I thought he was really nice,” she says. “We were actually having an intelligent conversation, which was a nice change of pace from the usual, ‘Hey, wanna hookup?’ messages. So, we talked for about a week and then he asked if I would like to go out to dinner that weekend. I obviously said yes, because who doesn’t like a free dinner with a nice boy? He even suggested Tsunami, which meant he just got me.” This is definitive proof that sushi is the way to a girl’s heart.

“When the day comes for us to go out, I’m really excited for our date—mainly for the sushi—but that afternoon, he texts me and asks me if I want him to cook for me,” Vanessa continues. “Against my better judgment, I accepted the invite to go to the apartment of a complete stranger.” Don’t worry, kids: she assured me she took her pepper spray with her and has taken numerous self-defense classes.

“Turns out, he doesn’t have a television,” she says. “He doesn’t have Wi-Fi. He also doesn’t have a shirt on when he answers the door. I’m beginning to get a bit uncomfortable when things start to move downhill…quickly. He informs me that he is cooking chili, which is really just rice, beans and a little bit of meat. How romantic:

Ah, Tinder. Some say it’s just a place to find a quick hook-up, but sometimes, in between swipes, there is love to be found. Other times—well, at least there’s a good story.

beans for our first meal together. I can usually keep a conversation with a brick wall, so the fact that I was straining to keep this conversation going is very telling. Suddenly, in walks his roommate, who I end up talking to more than my Tinder date. Little did I know, the roommate was joining us for dinner as well.”

She continues, “So, our bean dinner was served, and throughout the whole thing, the two of them are puffing their E-cigarettes; how charming. Finally, he suggests we go to his room and watch the DVD I brought on my laptop. Before it even starts, he excuses himself and comes back four minutes later with nothing on but his underwear. I am mortified. I keep trying to figure out what I said to make him think any of this was okay!

“Once again, in an attempt to be polite, I suggest we just watch the movie. He’s still puffing away on his E-cig—still annoying the hell out of me! Suddenly, he leaves the room to go smoke with his roommate. I wait 10 minutes and finally decide to leave. I start packing up my purse when I see it. On his wall… staring at me. A photo of the Virgin Mary. I leave the room, but I can’t find him. I look out on the balcony and there he is…in his underwear, smoking with his roommate. I just yell, ‘I think I’m going to go!’ That’s when he asks me, ‘Are you playing me? I don’t like having my heart broken.’ No, sir. I am not playing you, but I am getting the hell out of here.”

met on Tinder, though. We had so many mutual friends that people didn’t even really suspect it at all.”

A common thing with most of these “Tinder relationships” is the idea that meeting through the app is weird or something to be ashamed of. “I didn’t really want people to judge me for meeting a guy on Tinder,” Sarah says. Samantha*, a freshman, says she usually lies and tells people that she met her boyfriend of five months at the restaurant he works at. “I love him, but I’m honestly embarrassed to say I met him on Tinder.”

Amanda*, a sophomore, says that the weirdest date she went on started with a proposal and ended in general weirdness. “I met this guy and we talked for like a day, you know, just messaging and stuff. He seemed genuinely nice, like he was really interested in getting to know me—asking me about myself and finding common ground. I wasn’t really surprised he asked me to get coffee. I accepted his invitation, and we met at Starbucks,” she says. Good move on Amanda’s part because, if this was a catfish, at least there would be witnesses.

“My longest ‘thing’ in college was with a guy on Tinder,” says Sarah*, a senior. “The first time James and I met in person, we met at the library.” Ladies, you know you’ve found a good guy when he asks to meet at the library. Sarah says things could have been awkward, but the two hit it off right away.

“We had a lot of mutual friends, and he remembered meeting me before,” Sarah says. “He even remembered our conversations, but I didn’t really remember him at all. I guess meeting over Tinder was good because he was super shy and it gave him a way to talk to me again. It didn’t matter that we

She continues, “After introducing each other in person, things started to get weird. He started by telling me I was sexy, which I thought was a little forward, but it definitely just got weirder. Suddenly, he was asking me if I would marry him and have his children. Naturally, I just awkwardly laughed and blew it off. Suddenly, he was concerned with my major, and, upon telling him I was in the arts, he told me I was ‘un-wifeable anyway.’ The already awkward conversation just got worse from there. He got really personal, asking me if I watched porn and getting frustrated when I dodged his questions. In the end, he didn’t even pay for my coffee.”

Word to the wise: If he can’t afford your coffee, it’s totally okay to dodge a proposal on the first date. Now if he bought you a latte...

*Names have been changed.

“I think that we could meet, fall in love. I’ll ask you to marry me and we would have [two] beautiful kids and a nice house. And one day, we will look back and laugh because it all started over a titty pic. So what do you say?”

“I want to paint you green and spank you like a disobedient avocado.”

“Would you like to go halfsies on a baby?”

“Do you like your eggs fried, scrambled or fertilized?”

“So wait...does this mean we’re dating? Because otherwise, my Facebook relationship status is going to look REAL dumb...”

“I would battle a pack of mountain lions inside of a handicapped stall at a local McDonald’s with my hands tied behind my back and a Shake Weight glued to my forehead as my only weapon to get a chance to share a freshly baked pizza with you over Skype with a dial-up connection.”

EXTREMEexplorers

If you were to type the word “explorer” in a Google search bar, you would find a list of people who have been to specific locations that have never been fully investigated by technologically-advanced humans. Some examples include “Sir Francis Drake – The Caribbean,” “Juan Ponce de Leon – Florida” and “Buzz Lightyear –Infinity and Beyond.” But if an explorer is by definition “one who explores,” then anyone who simply tries something different could technically fit the description. However, there are some who take the concept of exploration to an extreme, putting themselves into death-defying scenarios for the pursuit of their field of study, a personal challenge or even a means to relax. Three of these remarkable individuals, climbing the highest mountains, falling at the fastest speeds and swimming to the deepest depths, represent the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Patrick Hickey knows precisely how he wants to live his life. His office walls are plastered with large photographs from numerous globetrotting excursions alongside various Gamecock memorabilia and posters. There are two particularly mesmerizing decorations; one is a colorful world map with red thumbtacks marking the locations of the Seven Summits of the world, and the other is a rather worn, cream-colored visor hanging humbly beside a photograph of Hickey himself on Mount Everest. “That’s Spurrier’s old visor,” he says enthusiastically. “I wore it

on top of the world.” And to think, that’s one of his smaller accomplishments.

Hickey is the principal of the Capstone Scholars Program, and he lives by the same mantra that he gives his students: “challenge yourself.” He grew up on a farm in rural Canada and has been fascinated with travel since adolescence. “I remember laying in the hayfields and looking up at the planes flying over and just wondering, ‘Where are they going?’” This appetite for travel stuck with him and came to fruition one evening when his wife Carol simply said, “Let’s go travel.”

The two have since embarked on three

separate yearlong trips around the world. One of the defining moments of these trips occurred in Baños, Ecuador, when a group of Israeli hikers approached him. One of the hikers uttered ten words that would change Hickey’s life: “Hey you, do you want to go climb a mountain?” Hickey replied, “Sure, why not?”

“Next thing I knew, I was summiting a 20,000 foot mountain with no experience,” he recalls. “My lungs were burning, my legs were burning, but when I was on top of that peak… the exhilaration was unbelievable. And I wanted to have more of that. It was kind of like crack. I don’t know

what crack’s like, but I hear that when you have it, you want more.”

What followed was an enthusiasm for mountain climbing that sent Hickey to South American volcanoes, The Colorado 14ers and Washington’s Mount Rainier. Then, while reading Jon Krakauer’s “Into Thin Air,” Hickey was introduced to the Seven Summits.

The Seven Summits are the tallest summits on each of the seven continents, and Hickey went on to pursue all seven as an independent climber. He completed the challenge on May 24, 2007, atop Everest, becoming one of only 120 people to ever accomplish the feat.

Keeping true to his motto of “pushing your limits,” Hickey was presented not only with a physical challenge in his task to climb the Seven Summits but a mental one as well. At Capstone, he introduced a concept called the Personal Challenge Program, which was inspired by his pursuit of the Seven Summits while suffering from acrophobia, an intense fear of heights. “It’s a nauseating fear,” he says. “When I go up in a plane, I’m crying like a baby, yet I have my pilot’s license. When I’m climbing, I can’t look left or right. I have to look straight ahead. The fear paralyzes me so much that I slow down. My fear is such that if someone touches me, I might jump.”

Roughly 6,000 students have participated in the Personal Challenge Program in Hickey’s five years as principal, and one of those students to take a massive risk and gain an immeasurable amount from it is Jared Ham.

Ham is a USC graduate student with a focus in pharmacy who enjoys nothing more than simply having fun. To Ham, having fun means plummeting towards Earth’s surface at approximately 120 miles per hour. While most would be scared out of their wits to freefall out of a plane, he describes the feeling as one of serenity. “Skydiving is the most relaxing thing in the world to me. It’s what I do to de-stress and forget about things,” Ham says. “Everyone’s always afraid of that roller coaster feeling, but the best way to describe it is like you’re floating in a pool.”

One wouldn’t expect him to be so calm

about the sport given that his interest first peaked while watching a Spike TV program similar to “1,000 Ways To Die,” which portrayed what could go wrong when skydiving. Ham continuously joked about going skydiving until his parents took him for his first jump for his 18th birthday. He says that after someone goes skydiving for the first time, they either think, I’m never doing that again or I have to do that again. Ham was the latter.

Now, Ham is the vice president of the Flying Gamecocks Skydiving Club and has gone on more than 200 jumps at six different drop zones around the country. In his sophomore year, he competed at the Collegiate National Skydiving Competition

THE EXHILARATION WAS UNBELIEVABLE. AND I WANTED TO HAVE MORE OF THAT. IT WAS KIND OF LIKE CRACK. I DON’T KNOW WHAT CRACK’S LIKE, BUT I HEAR THAT WHEN YOU HAVE IT, YOU WANT MORE.

and after each of his team’s jumps, the videographers would approach the group and claim it was the most fun jump they ever had. “I want [skydiving] to be something where I go and have fun,” Ham says. “It doesn’t matter if I do a world record-setting jump or if it’s a complete mess where absolutely nothing that we’ve planned happens. It’s still going to be fun.”

Ham draws a comparison between skydiving and school in that both require challenging oneself. “Once I’ve got my parachute open and everything’s settled, I start to review the jump in my head. I reflect on what I can work on,” he says. “When you’re on the way up, for a second, everyone has that look where they’re questioning their own sanity. But then it just disappears once they’re out of the plane. You have to take that slight risk in order to get where you want to be.”

SEA

This past summer, junior Cheryl Barnes hunted lionfish while scuba diving in Honduras. That has to land somewhere between bull riding and Charles Bronson on the badass scale. Barnes took on this deadly task not only to further her experience as a marine science major but also to rescue the local fishing industry of Utila, Honduras, from an invasive species.

Barnes, now vice president of the Scuba Club, hadn’t gone on a dive until her freshman year. The club welcomes rookie divers with open arms, and while scuba diving is an expensive activity, it offers an experience unlike anything above water.

Just as on her first dive, Barnes still can’t help getting nervous before going under. However, her composure has improved greatly. She compares it to school, saying, “You just don’t want to freak out. If you’re taking a test and you can’t maintain your composure, then you are going to start overanalyzing things, and you’ll get yourself worked up for nothing. It’s the same going on a dive.” This does not mean the diving process is easy. From gearing up and making sure that all vital equipment is working to correctly performing the almost-mathematically precise breathing technique as you go down and making sure you aren’t about to land in a bed of

fire coral, it takes a lot of concentration. There are many dangers involved. “One day, I forgot to inflate my buoyancy compensator (the vest that helps with floating), and so I was having trouble reaching the surface. When I finally did come up, I hit my head on the bottom of the boat,” she recalls.

However, after all of the tension from preparation is over, there is tranquility in being surrounded by the gently rolling blue of the ocean. As Barnes describes it, swimming in scuba gear brings the divers closer to being a part of the environment in more ways than just literally being below the surface; they physically become a part of the underwater community. Similar to fish, many of the divers keep their hands folded or behind their backs and just swim with their feet.

“I’ve always wanted to do conservation, and our oceans control our atmosphere” says Barnes. “I want to go into a field where I can make a big impact.” She’s already well on her way, having greatly assisted the Honduras fishing industry while also studying the lionfish. Scuba diving offers firsthand interaction with the environment that Barnes hopes to continue protecting.

BY ALEX PEEPLES // PHOTOS COURTESY OF DR. PATRICK HICKEY, JARED HAM AND CHERYL BARNES

STYLE BY ALANA FUSCARDO // PHOTOS

BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND, IDA GARLAND & ASHLEY CROMPTON // DESIGN & PHOTO EDITING BY LISA ASHWORTH // MODELS: SANTIAGO TOVAR, ALEX

PEEPLES, RYAN ROE, AMBER STANTON & ISABELLA MCELVEEN // STYLE ASSISTANTS: RACHAEL DORNELLAS, DOMINIC BELLOTTI // MAKEUP BY JENSEN GRIM, ASHLEY CROMPTON & LISA ASHWORTH

WINTER MAKEUP AND ACCESSORIES

PAGE 30 & COVER: stylist’s own coat, Vestique bracelets, Van Jean necklace and earrings, Gwen Rawls shoes

PAGE 32, CLOCKWISE: stylist’s own vest, Bohemian jewelry; Gwen Rawls bag, Vestique earrings, Bohemian watch; males’ makeup from Urban Outfitters; Gwen Rawls bag, Vestique and Bohemian rings, Vestique cuffs

PAGE 33, CLOCKWISE: Gwen Rawls bag, Bohemian and Vestique rings, Bohemian watches; Bohemian vest, Vestique necklace; Vestique cuffs, STEEL Garden and Vestique necklaces, STEEL Garden vest, Bohemian earrings

PAGE 34, CLOCKWISE: STEEL Garden vest, STEEL Garden and Vestique necklaces; Vestique and Bohemian necklaces, Bohemian watch, Vestique earrings, Bohemian ring; stylist’s own vest, Gwen Rawls bag, Van Jean shoes; Gwen Rawls bag, Vestique and Bohemian rings, Vestique bracelet

PAGE 35: STEEL Garden hat, Gwen Rawls bag, Gwen Rawls shoes, Vestique cuffs, Gwen Rawls fringe bag, Vestique and Bohemian necklaces, Bohemian watches, Vestique earrings

7 HOLIDAY SONGS THAT SHOULDN’T EXIST

Every artist eventually releases the mandatory holiday pop album. These jolly jingles are far too lucrative for musicians to refrain from a festive collaboration. Appreciation for the holiday spirit is so widespread that even actors and comedians hop on the bandwagon, creating parodies and alternate versions of existing carols. The success of this industry urges everyone to join in on the fun and reindeer games. Inevitably, not all of these tunes are a hit; many are silly, some are simply awful and several are entirely offensive. Here are seven holiday pop songs that we do not recommend to anyone with a shred of morality.

What else could we expect from a man whose fame can be contributed to the hit single “Because I Got High?” His album “A Colt 45 Christmas” incorporates sex, drugs and alcohol in every song, but not even “I Wish You Would Roll a New Blunt” is as troubling as the aptly titled “Deck My Balls.”

“South Park” The “Star Wars” Christmas Album

What a lovely holiday image. Who wouldn’t want to hear Hitler and the Devil sing of Christmas cheer in the afterlife? And the appropriation of a well-loved German song is a big no-no.

Of course we’ve all wondered what to get our Wookie friend for Christmas! It’s just one of those holiday problems that everyone runs into, so a song about it is definitely relevant to the season.

William Hung

We all remember William Hung’s horrible rendition of “She Bangs” from the 2004 season of “American Idol.” The tone-deaf superstar went at it again on his Christmas album “Hung for the Holidays” (which is an offensive title in itself), ruining all the classics from “Silver Bells” to “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”

Photos in fair use from RSO Records, Koch, Hungry Hustler, RCA Records, Comedy Central, Columbia Records and Image Entertainment

Although those tiny rodents can be quite adorable, if I wanted to hear a high-pitched voice squeal about the holidays, I would listen to my mom while she wraps presents.

Anyone who thinks it’s a good idea to portray Santa as an adulterer to the millions of kids who love him, let alone hint that it’s probably just our parents roleplaying, has got to be disturbed.

It’s hard not to giggle at Jeff Dunham’s jokes. However, “Jingle Bombs” takes it a little too far with an unpleasant mixture of yuletide merriment and political incorrectness.

Afroman

Jimmy Boyd

The Chimpmunks

Jeff Dunham

DESIGN BY SAVANNAH TAYLOR

PHOTOS BY JADA SAMUEL

ELISABETH DONATO AND HER SCULPTING HANDS

For Elisabeth Donato, artistic inspiration can come at any time. A visionary muse may ignite in the middle of the night or during a shower. Dabbling in almost all forms of art, Donato has captured themes beyond the scope of many student artists. As a senior art studio major pursuing a minor in 3-D studies, she has produced drawings, paintings and pottery, but her main focus is sculpture. Her sculptures range from welded pieces to clay moldings to bronze castings.

In high school, Donato chose art as her required class only because she couldn’t sing or play an instrument. Mostly due to a lack of interest, she thought she wasn’t cut out for the demanding art society. However, Donato’s thoughts on art changed dramatically after high school. Her high school art teacher became an inspiration alongside other artists before his time, such as Edgar Degas and “The Thinker” sculptor Auguste Rodin. Donato’s works have an Impressionist influence to them, following the brush strokes of acclaimed artists like Vincent van Gogh and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.

A common visual seen in Donato’s artwork is dance. Donato danced her whole life, but when an injury prevented her from continuing, an ignited passion drove her artistic talent. Donato is able to mold one of her dancer figurines in only a few minutes, and in those precious moments, she is able to live vicariously through these sculptures.

DESIGN BY SAVANNAH TAYLOR

Donato also excels at portraits, particularly self-portraits. She recently created a four-foot tall portrait in black, white and purple hues, giving off an eerie vibe and evoking an uncomfortable emotion to portray that you cannot change a difficult situation without changing yourself. “I am fascinated by communication through body language,” Donato says.

Though she works on many projects simultaneously, Donato is currently working on a project that will portray hands as a tell-all form of art, visually expressing the story of the person they are sculpted after. “Most of my work relates to how viewers follow lines, but the hand sculptures will focus on a lot of detail,” Donato says. She believes a body part can tell a human’s gender, age and life story. After interviewing subjects, Donato plans to turn hand movements into comprehensive bronze castings that will be able to be touched and interacted with by viewers.

Because the University of South Carolina has given her many opportunities to expand her talents, Donato is an advocate for art funding in schools. This has led her to support her high school’s art department by creating fundraisers for art supplies.

Donato plans to continue her art career and take it as far as possible. She currently sells her artwork through her Instagram account, @elisairecraftco. You can comment on her posts if interested in a certain piece.

HOW DO YOU FIND SO MANY TALENTED ARTISTS TO FEATURE IN YOUR “WUSC WEDNESDAYS” POSTS?

Before, it was always a scramble to find new music because I featured five artists every week. Now I get to go more in-depth with only one artist per week. I mostly use Spotify to find new artists.

KATE APPELBAUM

BY CONOR APPLEGATE

PHOTO BY JOSH THOMPSON DEISGN BY NINA WARING

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SEEING BANDS LIVE?

When an artist or band is too calculated and puts on a “performance,” not a show, it’s disappointing to me. I want to see a group jam out on stage or perform covers of other songs.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT WORKING WITH WUSC?

WUSC is one of the best college radio stations in the country, and I have been interested in radio since I was 12 years old, so I knew I had to come here! The special community of friends and musicians from the radio station is like nothing else, and the relationships I made here are really great.

WHAT IS THE BEST BAND YOU HAVE SEEN LIVE?

Red Hot Chili Peppers. They were excited to be there, and they simply had a lot of fun. That’s what it’s all about.

DO YOU HAVE THE GOAL OF WORKING IN RADIO ONCE YOU LEAVE USC?

I recently changed my major to public relations. While I do love radio, my path is currently leading me more toward a career in artist management. My whole family knew I was very much into radio, so when they found this out, they didn’t know what to think!

WHAT IS THE WORST SONG OF ALL TIME AND WHY?

The worst song ever, in my opinion, is “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette because, no Alanis, it’s not irony. It’s just bad luck.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT SEEING A BAND LIVE?

I love the moments that are created when people from all walks of life come together, including myself, and enjoy the music together as a collective group.

WHAT THREE SONGS DO YOU LOVE LISTENING TO ON YOUR WAY TO CLASS?

My favorite song is “Into the Mystic” by Van Morrison. My favorite song while I am walking to class is “Rill Rill” by Sleigh Bells. And my favorite classic jam is “Lazy Eye” by Silversun Pickups.

Kate Appelbaum is the former station manager of university radio station WUSC 90.5 FM. She writes a weekly feature for the online music publication Scene SC called “WUSC Wednesdays” and interns at the Music Farm in Columbia. Be sure to catch DJ Katekat’s WUSC radio show, “The Diagnosis,” Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

Out on the TOWN

Town Theatre has been a hot spot for Broadway musicals in Columbia, and this holiday season will feature two popular shows:

“White Christmas” from Nov. 14 - Dec. 7 and “Always…Patsy Cline” from Jan. 8-18.

“White Christmas” became a Broadway musical in 2008 and has developed into one of the most popular holiday classics on stage. The musical, based on the 1954 film starring Bing Crosby, is about two friends who put together a show to save their former military commander facing bankruptcy because his Vermont inn is empty due to a lack of snow.

“Always… Patsy Cline” has been the most-requested musical in Town Theatre history, and it returns again for a fourth performance. It is about a strong relationship between Cline and her fan Louise through letters before

BY NICK VERONESI // PHOTO BY HANNAH CLEAVELAND DESIGN BY ASHLEY CROMPTON

Cline’s tragic death from a plane crash.

What exactly makes theatre a must for USC students?

“We have quite a few USC students involved in our productions, either on stage or backstage,” Executive Director Sandra Willis says. “When we did “Les Misérables” last September, one of the female leads was a member of a sorority at USC. I can’t tell you how many sorority students came because of her!”

Even if you don’t know anybody performing, it’s still worth the time to check out some Broadway entertainment.

“We want people to come here just to be entertained,” Willis says. “We want people to sing along, laugh and maybe shed a tear, but you leave clapping your hands.”

The lines on the screen move like heartbeats, jumping with every rise of emotion in sound and dipping with the absence of noise between drumbeats and guitar riffs. Different-colored rows move simultaneously, each with its own rhythm, measuring out melody in a readable pattern.

Senior IT major and music minor Grady Rogers watches the scrolling lines and halts their journey with a click of the mouse. “Do you want to try that again?” he calls into the microphone, talking to drummer and broadcast journalism junior Preston Hall, visible on the flat screen above. Former classic guitar major Christian Sewesky paces barefoot across the

control room, while USC English alumnus Austin Lewis leans against the wall, concentrating with arms crossed. Hall nods from the adjacent studio, his headphones already moving in rhythm before his drumsticks join the beat. The snare kicks in, and the lines start across the screen again.

Corbett Alexander is a collaboration of metal slayers and Mayer crooners, but somehow the wide spectrum of music influences coalesces into a progressive rock band. The motley crew, including bassist and Clemson marketing student Micah Hall, connected on multiple levels—a music theory class here, an acoustic gig there—until the decision to form a five-piece was made. However, traversing genres was easier in theory than in reality. “We had to adapt from styles previously played,” guitarist Sewesky says. “It was a different sound that was a lot fuller—a melting pot.”

While Rogers’ heavy guitar influences come from post-metalcore Saosin and his earlier projects with Preston, Lewis prefers pop-rock Maroon 5, electronic Owl City and acoustic City and Colour. Sewesky serves as the link between an expanse of genres, and all members agree on the intricately woven sound of math-rock The Dear Hunter. Local Columbia influence takes the shape of progressive rock group Trees on Mars, which recorded Rogers in his first band back in eighth grade and inspired his personal music journey.

When it comes to its own sound, Corbett Alexander integrates two sets of melody-transcending guitar, dark echo-

Christian Sewesky and Austin Lewis

CORBETT ALEXANDER:

BY KALYN OYER // PHOTOS BY JOSH THOMPSON //DESIGN BY SAVANNAH TAYLOR

ey vocals, melancholic bass and determined drums, all drawn together with a highly emotional undercurrent. Lyricist and vocalist Lewis explains his inspiration behind the words. “I try to write about the emotions I’m feeling, and I base a lot of my lyrics off the already-written melodies,” he says. “One song, ‘Lay Down Your Weapons,’ is about peace, overcoming conflicts and resolving bad feelings. The music agrees with the feeling the lyrics describes.”

“Lay Down Your Weapons” is one of the pre-released tracks from the band’s first EP, “A New Dawn,” which is set to drop this month. The five-song production also includes originals “Appetite,” “Pieces,” “Andromeda” and “StormyWeather.”“This is our first EP, so we’re still figuring out what Corbett Alexander sounds like,” Preston says. “Every song is similar, but there’s a diverse tone reaching out into different genres. Each song has its own character.”

The process of recording and pro-

ducing all those songs isn’t short, either. Corbett Alexander started the journey at the beginning of the summer with home recordings but has recently taken advantage of the USC School of Music studio. The group has since re-recorded a lot of its previous instrumentals, particularly the drums. The studio is a great resource for student bands and musicians, and it offers a top quality soundboard with ProTools software. To Corbett Alexander, the advantage of producing the EP independently means complete technical and artistic control.

“The process starts with songwriting and then discovering what sounds best for the first EP, the first milestone and real start of Corbett Alexander,” says Rogers. “From there, it’s time in the studio, producing and the post-production editing of mixing and re-mixing. After that, we’re taking it to our friend Kenny McWilliams of the Rejectioneers, who’s over at Archer Avenue Studios, and he’s doing the final mastering of all the tracks.”

Along with the original songs on the EP, Corbett Alexander has a few covers on their Facebook page and ReverbNation account, including “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex. Unlike most covers, which usually re-interpret just the sound, it also incorporates additional lyrics. “We don’t really like dubstep,” Rogers laughs. “We wanted to do something different.”

After the EP drops, Corbett Alexander hopes to book more shows in the Columbia area, as well as in other South Carolina hubs like Greenville and Charleston. The group has been gaining prominence in local media like the Free Times, SC Music Guide and Scene SC from playing at local spots like Conundrum Music Hall and New Brookland Tavern, along with a fall festival in Lexington. “It’s really great to see new faces out there, and it’s especially great to see those faces again,” Preston says.

The next step for Corbett Alexander is expanding recognition, particularly on campus. “We want people to know that not only are we interested in playing shows at venues, but we are also willing to play shows for school events and the student body in general,” Rogers says.

To get in touch with the members of Corbett Alexander and check out their music, follow their Facebook page www. facebook.com/corbettalexander or Twitter @corbettalxander.

inVENT

THESE STUDENTS HAVE BONES TO PICK WITH EVERYONE

BY OLIVIA WALLER, SARAH FERRARO & HOPE JOHNSON // DESIGN BY ALDEN EARL

MOPED MONSTROSITIES

Moped: an annoyingly stupid thing. I mean, come on. Are you too lazy to pedal a bike that you have to ride around with your appendages dangling around like floppy noodles? Or is it an elitist thing? You have the power to drive on the sidewalk and the road. Earth-shattering! Or is it the danger? The fact that you can walk your moped by an innocent bystander and severely burn them? (It’s about leaving your mark, right?) Or is it the way you can make a pedestrian uncomfortable by staring them down through your side mirror? (I mean, I just love eye contact at the worst possible moments, don’t you?) Whatever a moped is, I hate it. Disclaimer: There are some nice moped people out there. Some. Are you one?

DON’T RAISE YOUR HAND

PSA for all students: When you finally hit the end of your most boring class and the professor asks if there are “any questions,” it is rhetorical. Did you not hear the chorus of backpack zippers? I thought that was a universal cue. Please don’t keep 30 other people locked up in the room just because you want to clarify the spelling of a Renaissance painter’s name, especially if your question only applies to you. (I’m looking at you, guy who has a doctor’s appointment the day the paper is due and needs to set up a separate time to turn it in.) Also, I would like to add a friendly reminder that Google is your friend and knows almost as much as your professor. Thanks in advance for letting me be on time for my next class!

ATTACK CRITTERS ON CAMPUS

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt personally victimized by USC’s squirrels. Someone please tell me I’m not the only one that walks our sidewalks in fear of beady eyes, sharp claws and rabid teeth. In the past, I’ve never felt the need to protect my food, but somewhere along the way, eating at the Russell House patio turned into “Man vs. Wild.” There seem to be two different varieties of cunning creatures: the tricksters who pretend they’re dogs or something so you’ll give them crumbs and the attackers who just sprint headlong at your fries. We are long past the days of Snow White’s innocent woodland creatures. I’m waiting for them to pull an “Alice in Wonderland” and lure an unsuspecting freshman into their lair! (We’re onto you though, you devious tree-rat things.)

HOW TO NOT GET A MATCH ON Tinder

MEN

1. Make sure you’re in a group picture with as many similar-looking dudes as possible. This will give you an air of mystery.

2. The bio section is make or break when it comes to getting a match. You have a variety of options. One is to state your darkest, most masochistic fantasies. Don’t be afraid to get descriptive. Or, just be as generic as possible by using vague statements about liking “food” or “TV.” Either way, your personality is sure to shine.

3. Got a really big truck? A freshly-waxed car? A sweet Razor scooter? Be sure to post pictures of all your material items, and keep your face just out of the frame. Remember: compensation in the form of a vehicle is, and has always been, the best way to show exactly what you have to offer.

Bathroom mirror pics are NOT only for girls, and will make you look completely secure in yourself. While you’re at it, take your shirt off and flex a little.

WOMEN

Proudly display every picture of you and your oh-so-affectionate ex. Make sure you’re not alone in any pictures. Not only will people see that you’re popular, they will also assume you’re super devoted, which is exactly the point you’re trying to get across.

Cake face isn’t a trend; it’s a lifestyle. Wearing layers of makeup will emphasize your artistic inclinations. Who needs natural beauty when you’ve got Maybelline? #Flawless.

Use your hot best friend to your advantage. By posting pictures of you beside your better-looking companion on Tinder, you’ll force a comparison that will definitely work in your favor.

It’s wise to make your furry friend a big part of your Tinder profile. Don’t limit yourself to one or two pictures with your fuzzy companion. Just the mere thought of litter box odor and hair-covered couches will turn anyone on.

BY JESSICA GORMAN

what kind of FINALS WEEK PERSON ARE YOU?

1 WHAT IS YOUR DRINK OF CHOICE IN THE MORNING?

A. Whatever’s in the fridge. *Smells expired milk.* That’ll do!

B. Herbal tea with honey.

C. I can never decide between orange juice, apple juice, grape juice and cranberry juice...too many options!

D. I usually drink at least five cups of coffee before noon.

5 YOUR FRIEND’S 21ST BIRTHDAY IS THIS FRIDAY. WHAT ROLE WILL YOU PLAY IN HIS/HER BIG DAY?

A. I will make a last-minute run to the gas station to buy his/her favorite beer.

B. I will plan the best birthday party ever.

C. I try to plan for the big day but get too overwhelmed.

D. I buy them a gift and hope they like it!

2 YOUR FRIENDS WOULD CALL YOU:

A. The Daydreamer.

B. Mr./Ms. Responsible.

C. The Chaotic One.

D. The Nervous Nellie.

CHOOSE THE PHRASE THAT BEST DESCRIBES YOUR EVERYDAY ENSEMBLE:

A. I usually just throw on whatever I can find in the morning.

B. I usually look very put together.

C. I try to look my best, but I usually just end up trying on my entire wardrobe and giving up.

D. Honestly, I usually look crazy.

6 WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK?

A. Sunday.

B. Monday.

C. Friday.

D. Saturday.

7 WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL VACATION LIKE?

A. Anywhere fun, as long as I don’t have to plan it.

B. A trip backpacking through Europe.

C. A secluded beach.

D. A trip to Greece with plenty of time to relax scheduled in.

4 WHAT DO YOU DO TO RELAX?

A. Binge-watch Netflix for hours.

B. Read a good book.

C. Unwind with some meditation.

D. Relax!? Lolz.

MOSTLY A’S: HOPELESS PROCRASTINATOR

Cramming is your way of life, and you own it. By the time you get all of your study materials together and buy a Red Bull to keep you awake, you realize you only have an hour before your final.

MOSTLY B’S: RARE AND MYTHICAL PREPARED STUDENT

You are the responsible and reliable one who likes to stay organized and on top of things. Finals don’t even faze you!

MOSTLY C’S: OVERWHELMED FRESHMAN (OR SENIOR)

You are freaking out. Finals week is a time when there is simply way too much going on for you to handle. Don’t worry, it will all be over soon.

8 FINALLY, HOW ARE YOU FEELING ABOUT FINALS WEEK?

A. Honestly, I haven’t even thought about studying yet.

B. I’m feeling pretty good!

C. I don’t even know how to start studying.

D. I have never been more nervous for something in my whole life.

MOSTLY D’S: WORRY WART

To you, it doesn’t matter how much you study, because you’re just going to fail anyway! You are wired on coffee at all times during finals week and are spending as much time as possible studying. If you take time to sit back and relax, you will find you are more prepared than you think!

PHOTO BY ALEX HERSTIK DESIGN BY NINA WARING

GAME DAY

BY MCKENNA PORTER

We stopped by tailgating lots and Williams-Brice Stadium for the Furman game, and you won’t believe what we heard.

Do you know how many STDs are probably living on that couch?

I think you have throw-up in your hair.

These boots are made for walking, and that’s not what they do, because seriously my whole foot is covered in blisters… Game… of thrones!

I’ve learned the best way to convince cops that you’re 21 is to own it. Good morning officer, need a beer?

I was meant to be a Gamecock, because my cock’s got game.

I ordered mashed potatoes, and Bojangles’ gave me slaw. I hate slaw.

Well guys, today’s the day. I’m finding the girl I’m going to marry at the Frat Lots.

-Are you guys in line for the Porta Potty?

-No, we’re just here to meet girls.

No, it’s just a nosebleed. But telling people I got in a fight with a Clemson fan is a lot cooler.

Can you still unclaim your ticket during the fourth quarter?

- Cheers, b—ches!