Special Section: Halloween issue

Issue

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 30, 2015 •

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

Editor’s Note Welcome to our first special issue of the 2015/16 academic year! We’ve made some drastic changes throughout the year, from our new website to new design choices, a idea we’ve carried over to our newly stylized and designed Special Issues. Stay tuned throughout the year as we put out more unique and engaging issues, including our Food & Drink Issue, Halloween Issue, as well as some more currently in the works (Music Issue? Sex Issue?). We hope you enjoy and stay healthy Trinity!

Our Staff Contributors

theTrinitonian The Halloween Issue 30 October 2015

3 4 5

My Battle with Anorexia

Sarah Tipton The Mono Experience

Emily Elliot Healthy Off Campus Options Luke Wise How to Mabee Eat Healthy

Clint Schroeder

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The Stranger in the Mirror

Nipuni Gomes

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Best Fitness Apps of 2015

Julia Elmore

Luke Wise

Senior Communication and Political Science double major. Tottenham Hotspur fanatic, aspiring Kanye groupie and occasional perfomance artist. Sometimes I wake up and wonder why my wardrobe doesn’t consist of more gold. Native Virginian, resident Texan and part-time owner of two adorabley devilish bunnies named Beelzebub and Whiskey. Currently working on keeping my staff from killing me in my all too brief stints of sleep.

Claire Hoobler-Curtis Managing Editor Claire enjoys pranking people, cutting up pieces of paper, eating fake meat and watching Criminal Minds in her free time. The 20152016 year is Claire’s seventh year of working for a school newspaper and she isn’t sure why she hasn’t quit yet. Probably because this is where she makes all of her “friends.” At least she thinks they are friends.

Dylan Wagner A&E Writer

Claire enjoys pranking people, cutting up pieces of paper, eating fake meat and watching criminal minds in her free time.

Emily Elliot Pulse Reporter Emily Elliott is a sophomore who has put more thought into her Halloween costume than her degree plan, but is probably studying English and Education. When she’s not painting her nails or eating bad Chinese food with her best friend Shelby, you can probably find her listening to Fall Out Boy in the secrecy of her dorm room.

Sarah Tipton A&E Writer When she’s not chained to her desk, being forced to write articles and do research, Sarah Tipton can be found living under the stairs in the Theatre lobby like the troll she is. In her spare time she rereads Harry Potter for the 1000th time, rewatches Parks and Recreation for the 500th time, and is a candy corn connoisseur.

Oh, and she is a Communication and English major sometimes.

Julia Elmore Pulse Editor Graphics and design by SAMANTHA SKORY, Graphic Editor.

Editor-in-Chief

This one gang kept wanting me to join cause I’m pretty good with a bo staff.

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

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• OCTOBER 30, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

Trinityville Horror:

BY SARAH TIPTON

A&E WRITER

an Original Horror Movie Pitch

The Cast

Dr. Paul Meyers as The Guy Who is a Conspiracy Theorist

Dr. Aaron Delwiche as The Nerd/Sensible One

Dr. Mark Lewis as The Jock

Dr. Claudia Stokes as The Final Survivor

Dr. Stacey Connelly as The Pretty Girl

With Dean Tuttle as The Murderer

The Plot

We open the film by showing all of the professors being friends and having a fun time at a little get together in the basement of the Theatre building, because no one will be looking for them there as they partake in party games like Truth or Dare or Cards Against Humanity. They are being such rebels. Dr. Meyers begins to talk about how the building is haunted because thirty years ago a professor was accidently killed by a freak accident in this very basement. Dr. Connelly giggles but admits that she’s scared. Dr. Delwiche says that it is a bunch of baloney, and an urban legend that was started by students when a professor left suddenly for unknown reasons., and he had read about in an underground comic. Dr. Stokes just rolls her eyes at the inanity while Dr. Lewis professes that he will try his best to protect everyone with his mad roller skating skills if any of it is true.

Suddenly the lights go out and every one screams. There is maniacal laughter from an unknown source and a menacing scraping sound. The lights come back on and Dr. Lewis is no longer in the circle. He has been taken, and has probably been murdered. On the walls surrounding the group, the words “And then there were four” are written in a red substance. Dr. Delwiche deduces that it is blood and Dr. Connelly screams in horror, using the Stanislavsky method of acting to truly convey terror. Dr. Meyers announces that it is probably the government attacking them for not paying their taxes, or something like that. Dr. Stokes suggests that they split up and hunt for whoever murdered Dr. Lewis and she pairs up with Dr. Delwiche while Dr. Connelly and Dr. Meyers go in the opposite direction.

And then there were four

The movie continues, following the two groups as they investigate the bowels of the theatre building. We see some terrifying shots of different rooms, the dressing room filled with decaying costumes and wigs, a storage room filled with creepy puppets from a past production and the scene building shop filled with deadly tools. One by one, each professor is picked off in the same manner: a flash of darkness, a missing body and the number remaining written on the walls in blood. Dr. Connelly goes first, then Dr. Delwiche. Dr. Meyers and Dr. Stokes are the final two remaining. They are running toward the exit of the building when they are stopped by a figure. It is none other than Dean Tuttle! Through some flashbacks we learn that his mentor had been the professor that “went missing” and ended up being murdered in this very same building, and he is exacting his revenge on people who had nothing to do with the original crime.

The lights turn off once more, and Dr. Meyers is gone. Dr. Stokes, ever the resilient one, attacks Dean Tuttle with her large book of Puritan Hymns and he falls, defeated. The final shot shows Dr. Stokes walking away from the building, sweaty and bloody, while she narrates in a voiceover that she will never forget that night.

The End

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 30, 2015 •

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

The

n i k Pump g n i K

BY CLAIRE

URTIS

HOOBLER-C

MANAGING EDITOR

Prep:

Cook:

15 minutes 50 minutes

Ready in: 1 hour, 5 minutes

A classic recipe I got from my AP chemistry teacher this pumpkin cake is sure to please the family.

Ingredients: 1 can pumpkin puree 4 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2/3 cup water 3 cups white sugar 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

• OCTOBER 30, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

STAGES OF COSTUME THEFT W

BY EMILY ELLIOTT

PULSE REPORTER

hen it comes to Halloween, people tend to approach their costumes for the holiday in one of three ways. The first person is the one who thinks way ahead in advance about dressing up; they probably have a Pinterest board dedicated to costumes. The second person, the polar opposite, picks a costume at the last minute, usually selecting something punny or humorous. The third person doesn’t really celebrate Halloween for whatever reason.

Last year, I was person three, opting to stay in and Skype with my friends. While I watched the rest of the world dress up and have fun on social media, I felt left out, and I vowed not to let Halloween 2015 end up the same. I immediately began looking up costume ideas before coming across my favorite (a firefighter and his Dalmatian). My boyfriend at the time and I agreed we’d dress up this way, and soon enough, my excitement culminated into a yearlong countdown for Halloween 2015.

As it turns out, I’m not dressing up with anyone this year, probably because I’m the kind of person who started thinking about Halloween 2015 a full year in advance. Nevertheless, I’ve still held onto my favorite costume ideas for couples, including a firefighter and his Dalmatian, Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable and bottles of jack and coke. At the same time, my best friend Shelby and her boyfriend Russell couldn’t decide what to be for Halloween, as neither really gets into dressing up; they represent the second way Halloween can be approached. Trying to help, I shared my Pinterest board with Shelby, who, of course, immediately loved my favorite idea, and decided they should dress as a firefighter and his Dalmatian this year.

I was annoyed; how dare she take my favorite outfit when I couldn’t use it? I had no idea what to say or think. So what do you do when someone steals your costume idea? There are several possible reactions: 1. Pout, cry or complain: if you have a really top-notch, cherished costume planned for Halloween, it can be pretty disheartening to see someone else use your idea. Make sure they’re aware of your disappointment by voicing your sorrow, complaining about your friend being a sell-out and sulking in their presence.

2. Completely hide your despondence: pretend like you’re not feeling annoyed or betrayed by your friend by slapping on a fake smile and promising they can use the costume idea without your feelings being hurt; you can always rant to a roommate or cry about your frustration in the privacy of your room later.

3. Plan a new costume entirely: this can be difficult if you’ve already spent a good amount of time, money and energy figuring out your costume, but there are countless articles online with last minute ideas you can use. Of course, they won’t be as treasured as your original, but who has to know?

4. Force your friend to abandon their costume: if you really want to be that person, make them choose between your friendship or the costume; as overdramatic as this is, at least you’ll get a pretty secure idea of where your friendship stands with this person afterwards!

5. Shake it off: having your costume idea stolen by someone can be pretty irritating, but in the grand scheme of things, what’s one shared Halloween costume? Shrug off the annoyance and make double the trouble by going as the same thing as your friend, or, in my case, being the dalmatian to her firefighter and forcing her boyfriend to take pictures; you’re sure to come up with great Instagram captions at the end of the night either way.

So no matter what you’re planning on dressing up as for Halloween, make sure you have a good attitude about the possibility of someone else showing up in the same costume as you. Who knows? Maybe you and your friend will inspire the next great costume pair of Halloween 2016.

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 30, 2015 •

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

liquor - or - treat A guide to the best Halloween treats for the college aged crowd

BY LUKE WISE

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

We asked our expert staff, all over 21 of course, to provide us with their favorite Halloween themed alcoholic concoctions. For those of you who are under 21, stick with the candy, kids. This is a Halloween guide for the adults. Or young adults.

Whatever we are. Here’s to Halloween cheer!

EL DIABLO

BLACK VELVET

1 1/2 oz tequila 1/2 oz creme de cassis 1/2 lime juice ginger beer & lime wedges

3 oz Stout Beer (Guiness) 3 oz Dry sparkling wine Mix together, serve chilled

Shake vigorously, strain to ice filled old-fashioned glass

An easy classic, producing a nice, full taste, rich and creamy, but not too dark. Also looks great in a tall glass, weerily black and foamy.

Drinking difficulty:

Easy, simple and delicious. Equally sweet yet sour. The lime really adds a nice touch too.

Drinking difficulty:

The four horsemen

BLACK DEATH

1 part Jim Beam 1 part Jack Daniel’s 1 part Johnnie Walker Black 1 part Jameson

4 parts vodka 1 part Everclear Lots & lots of hot peppers (preferably the Ghost variant)

Mix into double shot glass

Mix all ingredients together in a seal-able mason jar. Let sit overnight in a dark place. Strain out into single shot glasses.

Four horsemen, four J’s and four fiery straight liquors. A good way to feel like Conquest at first, but later more like Death.

Drinking difficulty:

Say good-bye to allergy season!

Drinking difficulty:

HALLOWEEN ISSUE

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• OCTOBER 30, 2015 • WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM

veryone has been in a dangerous situation or two, and whether your idea of danger is dodging haymakers in a barroom brawl or sock-sliding on waxed floors without wearing a helmet, the same reactive chemicals are released in the body. Probably the most wellknown, the “Whoops, I’m about to die!” hormone, is adrenaline. You might recognize it from all of times you’ve felt your heart racing, a surge of power and energy, a strong desire to change your pants.

While this may seem like an odd pitch for why people like to be scared, the adrenaline rush is a kind of natural high that some people, knowingly or not, channel through (mostly) harmless activities like watching horror movies or touring haunted houses.

The body doesn’t know the difference between real danger and a convincing facsimile. Honestly, it’s kind of sad how easily you can trick your body into feeling the fight-or-flight response, at least temporarily.

For those with chronic anxiety or those with naturally high levels of stress hormones in their blood, horror movies are probably not very enjoyable as the “scary” feeling is probably familiar on a lower scale and less pleasurable than it would be for less anxious people.

Cthulhu’s a’callin’!

“The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown” -H. P. Lovecraft As the late, great Mr. Lovecraft knows, what we fear is what we do not see. Every good scary movie understands this concept and the best horror films use it as a powerful tool to make every jump, sound and atmospheric silence feel realer than real life — and far more terrifying.

One of my favorite horror movies is “The Descent.”

It’s a claustrophobic flick about a group of spelunkers who climb a bit further down than they should have.

I love most parts of this movie, but it’s the lighting that is relevant to this section—the deep shadows and dim headlamps add an unearthly, hellish glow to the characters’ faces as they struggle to escape the infernal, constantly dripping cave system. The subtle manipulation of shadows and lighting contributes to the surreality of the nightmare the characters have to live through, and the terror and tension I feel throughout the movie is largely due to the ambiguity the same lighting effects creates.

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BY DYLAN WAGNER

A&E WRITER

I can understand if some people do not want to be transported to a hellish reality that denies them full awareness, but I promise that the mega-adrenaline rush makes it all worth it.

The Joy of Catharsis The combination of the last two points merge into one, beautiful mega-reason that people go to see horror movies: they get to face their fears in a safe environment and feel a strong physical rush, usually around people you like (if you only watch horror movies alone, I do not have any knowledge for you).

Afraid of snakes? Go see “Snakes on a Plane.” Afraid of Samuel L. Jackson? “Snakes on a Plane.” Gasp, laugh and scream, and enjoy the chemical merriment that comes from defeating personal demons on their own turf. Watch a horror movie.

Offensive Halloweeen Costumes H

BY EMILY ELLIOTT PULSE REPORTER

alloween is one of the most anticipated, widely observed holidays of the year. This celebration can, however, bring out either the best or the worst in people. While some will be praised or acknowledged for donning adorable, appealing or hilarious costumes, others may have eyes rolled at them for overplayed ideas or receive criticism for choosing to dress up inappropriately. These are the worst Halloween costumes of 2015, and in order to have the most enjoyable holiday possible, one should seriously avoid these options.

1. Caitlyn Jenner: as a hugely recognized transgender person in a big name family, Jenner’s image has been recreated in many offensive costumes. Several Jenner-inspired options have hit the market recently, including costumes that mock her Vanity Fair cover and every-day appearance. These costumes diminish and mock the transgender community, broadcasting stereotypes of transpeople, diminishing their struggles, efforts and successes.

Some may choose this costume as a way of commemorating Jenner, and if that’s the case, there are better, more tasteful ways to do this that don’t involve parodying.

2. Kim Davis (and the Pope): Kim Davis received national attention and condemnation this year when she refused to provide marriage licenses following the legalization of gay marriage in the United States. After a brief stint in jail, Davis was granted the opportunity to briefly meet with the Pope, who has stated his intentions were not to demonstrate support of Davis’s decisions. Although the situation has been highly parodied by shows and magazines, dressing as Kim Davis (along with the Pope, if you’re thinking this would be an appropriate couple costume) isn’t a great choice as she is widely viewed as a modern representation of discrimination and homophobia in the United States.

3. Anything involving blackface: several stories have been circulating nationally regarding people donning blackface to portray media figures such as Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Rachel Dolezal. These costumes have received great amounts of criticism for insensitivity; blackface is a makeup technique that was frequently used in the early twentieth century to portray African Americans, often in theatrical performances. Blackface is viewed as a symbol of racism, representative of times of inequality in America. This is an outdated technique and application, and costumes involving it should be seen as such as well. If you’re really feeling like covering your body in paint, why not paint yourself blue and go as a smurf?

4. Dr. Walter Palmer and Cecil the Lion: earlier this year, one of the most beloved animals in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park was killed by Dr. Walter Palmer, an American dentist. Several costume stores have been selling a variety of outfits based on the event; some examples are blood-splattered scrubs, complete with a stuffed, beheaded lion, and a couple’s costume that includes the same scrubs with a “seductive,” bloody lion outfit for your companion. This killing outraged millions of people around the world, sparking political discussions about animal conservation. If you’re really determined to dress as animal, there are several less offensive, bloody and tragic costumes you can choose from at various stores.

5. The Cute/Attractive Nerd: this is one of the easiest costumes to put together, simultaneously making it one of the most overplayed. Although it’s easy to throw a pair of glasses together with various parts of your wardrobe, there’s probably something more creative you can come up with using clothing items you already own.

Besides, we all go Trinity—aren’t we all already cute nerds?

Halloween is a great opportunity to be creative or dress as someone you admire, but for some, it’s seen as a line to cross. By making sure sure you’re playing proper homage to your choice by avoiding costumes that have negative associations or are overplayed, you’re bound to have a successful Halloween experience.

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WWW.TRINITONIAN.COM • OCTOBER 30, 2015 •

HALLOWEEN ISSUE