Orange & Blue Magazine - The Elements Issue - Spring 2023

The

Issue

Orange & Blue Magazine ---Spring 2023 ELEM ENTS - SPRI NG 2023

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR what each element truly means. These elements convey stories of the good and the bad, stories that will enlighten you and pull at your heart. Through this magazine, we share stories that correlate with each element in various ways.

Just as an element cannot be broken down or changed, our stories are the same.

We made sure to provide readers with a magazine that shares experiences from all different types of people.

For this issue, we wanted to choose a word that embodied all emotions, including love, passion, fear and anger. Our goal was to choose a word that allowed us to write raw, authentic stories that would speak to a much larger audience. As we sat around a room, our minds racing with ideas, there was

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one word that stood out to us above all: Elements.

An element is a substance that cannot be broken down or changed into another substance. The elements of life are earth, wind, fire, water and spirit. These five elements all unite to create our unique and complex lives. There is no limit to

MEET THE STAFF

MAITE SASTRE Design Editor

ISABELLA MARZBAN

LI N DSAY SCH I N DLER

Social Media and Blog Editor

Copy Editor

My writers and I hope that while you read our magazine, you envision how each element may play a role in your life. Think about the emotions you endure on a day-to-day basis.

Think about how no matter what the day brings, you will never allow yourself to become broken by obstacles you face, but instead you'll become stronger.

Maddie Panzer

MADDI E PANZER Editor-in-Chief

N ICOLE I RVI NG Adviser

Thank you to our advisor Nicole Irving, as well as Ted Spiker, Dean Hub Brown, Spirio Kiousis, Cally House, and the Hal Herman Magazine Fund. Orange and Blue is published semiannually by the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications students enrolled in Applied Magazines. This issue was printed by Publications Printers. Copyright 2023. All rights reseved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted without written permission. Orange and Blue is protected through trademark registration in the United Statnes. Send letters to Box 118400 College of Journalism and Communications, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

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E Table Of L E M E N T S

Contents

EARTH

HOW GUT H EALTH LAN DED M E I N TH E ER

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CH RON ICALLY CONCERN ED: BEI NG RAISED BY PARENTS WITH CH RON IC H EALTH ISSU ES

WIND

WAGI NG A WAR AGAI NST HATE: ANTISEM ITISM ON TH E RISE YET AGAI N

DAREDEVI LS I N TH E SKY

-------------------- 30

------------------------ 12 ------------------------ 22

I'M ON FI REBALL

BOTAN ICAL BREW

GOLDEN BREEZE

-------------------- 33

----------------------- 15

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HOW LOCAL BUSI N ESSES ARE STAYI NG AFLOAT

PSA: GHOSTI NG SUCKS. DON'T DO IT

CHATGPT: IS IT TOO GOOD TO BE TRU E?

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6 3

FIRE

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----------------------- 26

-------------------- 34

WATER SOUTH BOU N D 441: LOCAL ROCK STARS

-------------------- 40 EN DANGERED SPECI ES N EAR AN D FAR

-------------------- 44 M ERMAI D MADN ESS

-------------------- 47 SPI N N I NG BACK I N TI M E: VI NYLS ARE MAKI NG A COM EBACK

-------------------- 48

SPIRIT ZOROASTRIAN ISM'S I N FLU ENCE ON I RAN IAN CU LTU RE AN D NOWRUZ: TH E PERSIAN N EW YEAR

--------------------- 52 BEYON D TH E U N I FORM: TH E DREAMS OF COLLEGE ATH LETES SPAN GREATER THAN TH E SPORT

--------------------- 56 SI PPI NG ON SPI RIT

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E A R T H

Photo by Isabella Marzban

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How Gut Health Landed Me in the ER

Story by Isabella Marzban

A

Photos by Sam Roth

t ten years old, my journey with pain began the day a childhood friend made fun of my hairy upper lip and thick, bushy eyebrows. After being rudely informed of my unibrow and mustache, I attempted to use my mother's razor to sculpt my brows to resemble the women featured in my collection of Cosmopolitan magazines. Horrified by the results, my mother decided to provide an antidote for my anguish and brought me to her favorite salon.

Once we arrived at the beauty parlor, an esthetician glossed my brows and lips in pink, peachy hot wax, leaving behind a sticky film on my face. With a quick count to three, the thick strip of wax was ripped off my face, leaving behind tears and burnt skin.

For the next ten years, I had the same monthly routine of maintenance waxing that left me with a high pain tolerance.

However, this pain tolerance was challenged last summer. After returning from a trip to California, I began to experience a gnawing stomach ache that filled my gut with sharp pains and a burning sensation that traveled up my esophagus, resulting in frequent bouts of acid reflux. A day with bloating turned into weeks that

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left me sick after most meals and stressed to the point of hair loss.

Frequent visits to doctors' offices left me hopeless, and I believed I would have to live with chronic stomach pain.

In late July, after eating dinner, I began to feel a familiar pain that coated my stomach and intestines, leaving me on the floor in a fetal position, trying to self-soothe.

Quickly, the pain caused me to vomit and become pale as a ghost, which left my mother in a panic.

At the ER, swift treatment revived me from the lifeless state I was in hours prior and brought color back to my skin. The ER doctors were unable to diagnose me, but recommended a visit to the gastroenterologist. I got an upper endoscopy and was diagnosed with a peptic stomach ulcer — a sore on the stomach lining. Harvard Health estimates four million Americans a year are diagnosed with peptic ulcers.

Currently, I'm still on three different medications of varying dosages, left to feel like a health hazard instead of a 21-yearold college student. My ulcer experience reminded me of the importance of gut health and made me acutely aware of how a diet of caffeine, processed foods and energy drinks can damage my stomach.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 10 Americans will experience stomach ulcers during their lifetime, which leaves both adults and children at risk. Furthermore, the Mayo Clinic warns that an untreated peptic ulcer can lead to internal bleeding, holes in the stomach wall and gastric cancer. Harvard Health suggests that if a person is experiencing gut health issues, it's important to seek help from local resources, including Digestive Disease Associates of North Florida and UF Health Endoscopy Center in Alachua County.

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Chronically concerned:

Being raised by parents with chronic health issues Story by Lindsay Schindler Photos by Anna Glass

I

was 10 years old when I had to call 911 for my mom.

My dad was out of town, so it was just me, my mom and my 8-year-old sister at home. I woke up late, which felt wrong because I knew we had to be somewhere early. I went to go check on my mom and found her barely conscious.

My mom has type 1 diabetes, and has since she was 2 years old.

I’ve grown up understanding her disease, and my parents had always told me what to do if I found her the way I did that morning.

have called 911 at least four times because my mom’s blood sugar level had gotten too low.

My dad used to be able to force feed her sugar. He would pin her down and she would fight and scream. It was uncomfortable to watch. But eventually, my dad lost the strength to do that. Why? Because he also suffers from a chronic issue, but his is chronic back pain.

"I was 10 years old when I had to call 911 for my mom."

“Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the person’s immune system gets confused and attacks the cells of the pancreas that make insulin, and so therefore the person doesn’t make any insulin,” said Amy Aponick, certified diabetes care and education specialist. “If there’s no insulin, the body cannot utilize glucose and therefore they end up with extremely high blood sugars.”

I grew up understanding my dad has a bad back. He got into a car accident before he even met my mom, and his pain has since gotten progressively worse.

When I was 10, he got into yet another car accident that left him unable to work.

There was a period of time growing up where my dad must

According to Georgetown University, around 16 million

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American adults, or 8% of the U.S. population, experience chronic back pain. It limits certain everyday activities and decreases overall mobility. They have also stated it to be the sixth most expensive health condition to live with in the United States.

My dad has been prescribed every pain medication under the sun. I’ve grown up around fentanyl and morphine without even understanding what they were.

My dad is no drug addict — this is simply how severe his pain is.

It’s February at the time I’m writing this, and in this school year alone, my dad has been taken to the emergency room three times.

Complications with COVID, inability to catch his breath, and a painful, mysterious lump in his throat have been the most recent ailments to send him to the hospital. In fact, the last of that list was just three days ago. We still don’t know what’s wrong.

My dad’s back pain, though his main issue, has also served as a catalyst for a slew of different health issues. His nerves are failing, which means his feet are going numb and he struggles to

walk. Because he can’t feel his feet, his equilibrium is off and he falls and knocks into walls. When he falls, it only makes his back worse. Using the term “positive feedback loop” feels ironic because the situation is anything but positive, but that’s exactly what it is.

“You two better start getting along, because we won’t be here much longer,” my parents have always said to my sister and I.

childhood. However, when you’re a kid, you just accept your reality without asking too many questions.

I didn’t realize other people’s lives looked different from mine, so nothing ever bothered me. I also didn’t worry about my parents’ health because, while I understood their health conditions, I didn’t understand the consequences that accompanied them.

I didn’t realize that I was missing out on things, but my parents did. As I’ve gotten older, I realized the toll their conditions have taken on their mental health.

Aside from simply having to live the ways they do, they also have to balance parental pressures.

My dad says he wasn’t able to be the type of father he wanted to be, and that was hard for him.

My parents speak candidly about death.

Recent medical advances have increased the lifespan of those with type 1 diabetes. According to Endocrinology Network, the average lifespan of someone with type 1 is just 8 years shorter than the 76 years expected of the general population.

My mom, however, is not so convinced.

My mom has said that I should start memorizing recipes soon, because soon enough she won’t be around to tell me how to make our old family recipes.

Deborah Schindler holding up her Medtronic 630 insulin pump, which provides her with insulin when her blood sugar level rises.

My dad has said I won’t have to worry about money much longer, because he’s inheriting everything from my grandparents when they pass, and he doesn’t even know how much longer he has.

My mom has pestered me to meet a nice Jewish boy sometime soon, because she wants grandkids while her mind is still sharp enough to know she has grandkids.

From an objective standpoint, it sounds as though I had a sad

The top device is a glucose meter, used to check blood sugar levels.

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Botanical Brew Ingredients: 1 ounce tequila .5 ounces fresh squeezed Lime juice 3 ounces grapefruit soda Salt Lime Ice One rocks glass Directions: For this drink, get out your rocks glass. Cut a lime in half and trace it around the rim until it is fully coated. Once the rim is covered in salt, you can begin to make your drink.

“I would’ve loved to take you on a trip,” my dad said. “Just go somewhere and spend time together. But my back affected my ability to earn money, which was one of the biggest factors.

I couldn’t hustle the way I needed to.”

Sharing this was emotionally draining for my dad. For reference, I’ve seen my dad cry once before in my life, and that was when my guinea pig died when I was 12.

He feels as though his condition inhibited his ability to bond with my sister and I, because he couldn’t go out and do the physical things he wanted to.

My mother, however, found her diabetes impacting her ability to parent in the form of stress.

“When you girls were babies, I would prick your toes to check your blood sugar just in case,” she said.

In fact, my dad is very good at suppressing his pain --- very good.

Quite frankly, I don’t know how he does what he does.

She exclusively kept healthy snacks in the house, monitoring not only her own sugar intake but ours as well.

His medication helps, but it also hurts.

As I’ve gotten older, it’s been hard to see the stress raising children has brought my parents, as they already had to deal with so much upon entering parenthood.

“It took away so much of my personality,” he said. “It took away me.”

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However, I think I’ve become a stronger person because of it.

From my dad, I’ve learned that you truly can persevere through anything, especially for those you love.

“At least I’m still vertical,” my dad always says in his it-couldalways-be-worse nature.

From my mom, I learned the importance of taking charge of your own health, so those around you don’t feel its burden.

In a shaker put 1 ounce of tequila, .5 ounces of lime juice and 3 ounces of grapefruit soda.

Once you thoroughly shake the mix, strain the drink into the rocks glass.

To finish the drink, add ice and a lime to garnish. Add salt the rim if you want.

Photo by Maddie Panzer

I love my parents, and while they may feel that their circumstances prevented them from parenting us how they would’ve liked, I think it’s only made me appreciate them more.

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"We want people walking in, having a good experience... We make sure we focus on the people"

Story and Photos by Maddie Panzer

How local businesses are staying afloat

F

rom restaurants to hair salons, the business community in Gainesville, Florida, with a population of over 140,000, is constantly growing and changing. With the lasting effects of COVID-19, increasing inflation, a recession and an ever-changing population due to the incoming and outgoing of the local university's student body, how businesses stay thriving is unique to their business journey itself.

Local businesses here in Gainesville try to stay successful in many different ways. Each local business owner has a unique story, but they all have one thing in common: passion. The following three owners put their heart and soul into their own businesses.

While some owners always knew they wanted to start a business, other owners had the idea fall into their laps.

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It was a typical week in 2017 for Fremon Williams and his wife when they went to their favorite place, Charlie’s Snow Shack, for a refreshing snowcone. While Williams thought this was going to be like any regular day at Charlie's, he would soon realize that his life would be altered forever.

“We walked in, and the lady said, ‘Hey, we’re actually getting ready to sell Charlie’s or close it down because we can’t find anyone to buy it,’” Williams recounted.

Williams looked at his wife and jokingly made a comment about buying the place. To his surprise, his wife wanted to take him up on that offer.

Williams thought about his 2-month-old child and both his and his wife’s jobs at the moment, and it at first seemed almost impossible at first to take over a business that

was already financially unstable.

After moments of doubt, Williams came to the realization that maybe this is what he was meant to be doing.

“We said, ‘Alright God, if this is something that you want to happen, you’re going to have to make a way for it.’”

Williams and his wife said a prayer, and that following Friday they went and met with the owner.

On August 7th, 2017, Williams was already pre-approved from the bank for a loan to purchase the business. From then on, everything seemed to fall into place. Williams and his wife were now the proud owners of Charlie’s Snow Shack at 14 NW 7th Ave. The key to a successful business, according to Williams, is the three P’s: the people, the product and the process. For

Williams, the big picture is happy customers. People always come first.

“That’s our main focus; we want people walking in, having a good experience, having the best shaved ice of their life in Gainesville’s happy place, which is Charlie’s Snow Shack. We make sure we focus on the people,” Williams said.

While Williams decided to dance with destiny, another owner, Keith Miller, chose to chase after a dream. That dream was bringing the greatest Philly cheesesteaks to Gainesville. Eventually his dream, Big Mill’s, came to life.

After taking trips to his uncle’s place in Gainesville, Miller decided this is where he wanted to be. He started catering to fraternity houses in 1993, serving lunch and dinner to about 1,200 students.

Fredmon Williams and his wife, Darnelle, posing inside their business, Charlie's Snwowshcak

Since 2002, Miller has been selling his cheesesteaks and other delicious foods to hungry Gator fans along University Avenue.

In March of 2017 Miller opened up the restaurant at 2111 NW 13th St. With the help of his dad, he got to work building the restaurant.

Miller couldn’t find any chairs that suited his establishment, so he decided to design chairs himself.

Miller, being from Chicago, is a huge Cubs fan so he wanted to show his love for baseball within his furniture and decor.

“I came back here and had to get the chairs sandblasted and powder coated,” Miller said. “I put the sign on the back and every baseball team on the front.”

Miller not only sells a variety of unique cheesesteaks, but he also sells other food like sandwiches, burgers, fries, ice cream and more.

For Miller, the key to success is consistency. Being successful is being able to be consistently good. People want to come

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back knowing they will only get the best.

“I’m thankful for the customers.

I’m thankful for the support.

We just continue to work hard and have good sandwiches,” Miller said.

For owner Rachel Hinson, her journey started about four years ago when she decided to open a local business right from her home.

Since she was a young girl, Rachel was in the kitchen baking with her grandmother. When her daughter was born ten years ago, she started to take baking classes. Eventually she stopped baking though, and it wasn’t until four years ago that she decided to really do something with it and open Sweet’s By Rachel.

“It’s bringing joy to my life, and I just love doing it,” Hinson said.

Hinson makes wedding cakes, cupcakes, mini cakes, cookies and more. She loves to customize treats for people whether it is for a special occasion or just because.

For Hinson, the key to keeping her business alive is simply having faith. Although Hinson works another day job, she still manages to make the bakery work. She believes in herself and her business

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and keeps a positive attitude throughout all of the ups and downs she endures.

“It was by the grace of God - By having faith, you know sometimes there would be times I didn’t have any orders, and other times I would be getting up at 2 or 3 a.m. and putting in a full day’s work for my bakery to then go to my day job,” Hinson said.

On top of faith, Hinson believes that owners should never give up, even when times get hard. Her favorite thing about having her own business is having creativity and pride and being able to make something that brings joy to people.

“Don’t give up no matter what.

Don’t give up. Keep going. Yeah, you’re gonna have hard times. It’s gonna feel like you’ve hit a brick wall and you just want to sit down

and cry, but, you know, you just have to have faith,” Hinson said.

The local businesses that seem to be successful are the ones with passionate owners who realize that it’s the people that make the place.

Businesses are able to stay afloat due to consistency, a little bit of faith and a wonderful attitude toward not only their business, but to the employees and customers who allow their businesses to grow.

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Photo by Isabella Marzban

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T

Dared evils

Story by Maite Sastre Illustrations by Amanda Nunes

of the

Sky

he door of a small airplane lies wide open.

The wind from over 10,000 feet above the ground whips your hair from left to right. The air is a little bit thinner. Breathing is a little bit harder. That doesn’t last long — soon the airplane floor is gone from under your feet and you’re free falling toward Earth, nothing holding you back as you fly. You have to be ready to deploy your parachute at the right time. This scenario may come off as a nightmare and cause complete panic in some, but this is a situation avid skydivers look forward to every day.

The United States Parachute Association (USPA) states that every year, more than half a million people leave all inhibitions behind and decide to jump out of an airplane for the first time. Gainesville and other North Central Florida residents are contributing to some of these numbers.

Brenda Hall, from Ocala, is one of the brave flyers taking on the sport. Skydiving was a dream of hers for many decades

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and for her 60th birthday in October of last year, she decided she would make that dream a reality. She told her husband she was going to do it and scheduled a jump for two days later. That one jump was all it took for her to fall in love with the sport, which she now describes as something she can’t go a week without doing.

is too short. I wish I had done it 40 years ago.”

Ever since then, Brenda has performed many other jumps and even got her Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) certification on March 5, 2023, after performing her 20th and 21st jumps. Now she hopes to continue on the path to becoming a certified skydiver with the USPA, which would allow her to skydive anywhere in the world.

“The second my feet hit the ground I wanted to do it again,” Liza said. “I started talking to someone at the skydiving center and she said ‘you know you could do a course, become a solo skydiver.’ I looked her dead in the eyes and I said, ‘what kind of a lunatic jumps out of the plane alone?’ Well, about a month later I was in ground school and the next day jumped alone.”

A new passion is not the only thing Brenda got out of this activity; she also made many new friends, who she affectionately refers to as her “sky family.” In turn, her friends call her “baby bird” because of her immense drive to keep going.

“You’re there to enjoy the sky,” Brenda said about the close-knit community. “It’s a great environment, and everyone is walking around and smiling and hugging each other.”

For those considering trying out the sport, Brenda has a message to share: “Don’t wait!” she said. “Life

Liza Monica, another eager Central Florida skydiver, shares in on Brenda’s advice. Liza was gifted her first jump by her boyfriend in November of 2021 and hasn’t stopped jumping since. She was a little hesitant to perform solo jumps at the start.

Skydiving became a regular part of her life after that. Since her first solo jump in 2021, she has done about 120 more.

“You wake up, you’re looking at the weather, you’re checking the winds, moving days around with work,” Liza said. “The sky is always calling.”

The sport also opened her up to other extreme and adventurous activities. She now canyoneers, cliff dives and rides roller coasters. These are things she never imagined she could do before.

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“You suddenly realize that it’s okay to be afraid and still do things,” said Liza. “You stop being afraid of being afraid.”

"You stop being afraid of being afraid."

To get an AFF certification, the first step in becoming a certified jumper, one has to reach out to their local drop zone and enroll in a course.

The course begins with a ground school, which only requires a day of training. Then, once students get their own parachutes, they’re up in the air and ready to do a series of seven jumps with two instructors.

If you thought seven was a lot, that’s nothing compared to the record of David Bosanko.

Bosanko, a Gainesville local, recently beat the record for most jumps in a day in the state of Florida, performing a whopping 77 jumps in 24 hours.

“It took 10.5 hours,” said Bosanko. “We wanted to start right at sunrise but the weather pushed us back and we didn’t start until 10 a.m. We finished at 8:30 p.m.”

The demographic for jumpers is all over the place. Some start in their sixties, others in their

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thirties, and a few brave souls start at freshly 18 years old.

University of Florida student Neal Shankar loves skydiving so much he decided to revive a club for experienced and inexperienced UF students.

“I jumped for the first time the day I turned 18,” Neal said.

“Instantly fell in love. I highly recommend it. You’ll definitely regret it if you don’t do it.”

Neal is the president of Falling Gators, a longestablished club at UF that brings together students interested in the sport.

Though the club went extinct for a couple of years due to COVID-19 and other miscellaneous leadership issues, the club is now back in full swing.

If a student is interested in joining The Falling Gators, they can click the link for the GroupMe in the club’s Instagram bio, under the handle

@Falling.gators. The GroupMe has around 50 members who plan jumps together and carpool to the drop zone. They have an affiliation with Skydive Palatka through the old president of Falling Gators, who now works at Palatka and was able to get the zone to pay for some of the rental gear students use.

Other benefits UF students get to enjoy include special rates for tandem jumps as long as a UFID is shown. Neal explained that the first few jumps are a little more expensive, but if one decides to take the AFF course, the price decreases significantly.

Golden Breeze Ingredients: Champagne Icing Gold sprinkles Edible gold flakes Splash of grapefruit juice

directions: Time to get out a glass, preferably champagne. Dip your glass into icing, and then into some gold sprinkles.

Add your desired amount of champagne to the glass, and then a splash of grapefruit juice.

Add edible gold flakes if you want for more decoration,and enjoy!

Photo by Maddie Panzer

No matter where they came from, all of these people share one common passion: skydiving. They look forward to their jumps and are eager to share this interest with others.

“Come out!” Liza Monica said. “Now you’ll know a friendly face!”

how to become a skydiver

1 2 3

Go to the closest (or prefered) drop zone and do a jump with an instructor!

Sign up for ground school and start performing solo jumps Get your AFF certification after classes are done and continue jumping and progressing

4

Send your progress to the USPA and apply to become a ceritified skydiver

you can jump from 5 Now anywhere in the U.S. and any time of day!

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who I’ll call Sasha (after my other cat), might hate me a little bit. He had quite the crush on one of my roommates a few months back, and things didn’t end well between them. By association, I’m a bad person. But that had nothing to do with me, so what’s the issue?

I wish I could say there was no issue, or that I even knew what said issue was. But I don’t, and I likely never will.

The day after our date was wonderful. We texted all day and made plans for the following evening.

Then Kobe hung out with Sasha.

“Hey, I hate to cancel but Sasha reminded me that I promised to hang out with him tonight,” Kobe’s text to me read.

PSA: Ghosting sucks.

Don't do it Story by Lindsay Schindler

I

walked into my apartment after my date, and naturally the first thing I did was tell my roommate how it went.

What happened? Did Sasha say I’m his roommate’s crazy ex-girlfriend? Did he say my roommate is a horrible person, so I’m horrible by association? Or did this have nothing to do with Sasha, and Kobe just decided he hated me? Did I smell bad, but did it really take him 24 hours to realize I had smelled bad?

I will never know why Kobe chose to ghost me, but I’ve elected to convince myself it’s because he was just too in love with me and was afraid of his own emotions.

What’s he going to do, correct me? That would require him to communicate with me, and he’s clearly never doing that again.

I’m hurt. I internalized this rejection and all I can do is assume I messed up. His real reason for ghosting me may have nothing to do with me, but all I know is what

"What's he going

to do, correct me? That would require him to communicate with me, and he's clearly never doing that again. " I did, and I can’t think of any ways that I acted with malice that would cause him to ghost me.

Ultimately, unless you’re ghosting a random creep from a dating app, ghosting is never the answer. It’s hurtful, and if you’ve formed a connection with a person, you owe them an explanation. End of story.

At time of print, Kobe still has me on unopened and I have happily moved on from his ghosting.

Photos by Phoebe LaForge

“That was the best date I’ve ever been on,” I said without any hesitation.

first time we had really connected.

There were no awkward silent moments, no points in which I felt uncomfortable, and he was very adamant about paying for dinner.

Quite frankly, this boy, who I’ll refer to as Kobe (after my cat), checked all of my boxes.

It was true, that was the best date I had ever been on. It was my third date with him, but it was the

However, there was one teeny tiny red flag I had ignored. I venmo’d him for the tip (because

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Okay, no big deal. So he’s a loyal friend. Honestly, could he be more perfect? I wasn’t going to let that bother me.

Except that was the last time I heard from Kobe. It’s been one month, and he is still yet to even open my response.

I’m a good person) and saw in his transaction history that he had most recently venmo’d my exboyfriend's roommate.

Not a big deal, right? There was no bad blood between my ex and I, and it’s not like Kobe was friends with my ex himself.

Unfortunately, a small detail to note here is that this friend, ELEM ENTS - SPRI NG 2023

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Photo by Isabella Marzban

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Waging a war against hate: Antisemitism on the rise yet again

Story by Lindsay Schindler

Picture by Anna Glass

he Holocaust ended 78 years ago. Not 500 years ago, not even a century ago, but 78 years ago. It is not ancient history. According to Atlanta Jewish Times, as of 2022, there are still 50,000 Holocaust survivors alive. Despite this fact, it seems as though society has somehow already forgotten what happens when we let antisemitism gain a little too much traction.

rearing its ugly head since biblical times with the enslavement of the Jewish people in Egypt, which is where the story of Passover comes from. Its prevalence has ebbed and flowed, and it’s starting to flow again. People who uphold strong antisemitic views have once again been given a platform, and the Jewish people have found themselves in an all-too-familiar position.

people nationwide are picking up his rhetoric.

Yet again, a powerful person known for their anger is prompting people to turn on the Jewish population. Social media allows for local issues to become national issues and national issues to become local ones, so nowhere is exempt from this hateful message.

Antisemitism, the hate of the Jewish people, is nowhere near a new phenomenon. It has been

With today’s technology, everyone who has an opinion also has a voice. Social media is great

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for connecting like-minded people, but this means it’s also an excellent vessel to spread hate.

“I view it more as an increase in the vocalization and the visibility of antisemitic acts rather than an increase in the amount of antisemitism out there,” said Rabbi Michael Joseph of Temple Shir Shalom.

Prominent social figures such as Kanye West, or “Ye,” are spewing antisemitic messages, and

Gainesville is no exception to this. In February of this year, an unknown group set up a booth on the University of Florida’s campus with a sign that read “Ye was right.” In October at the Florida-Georgia football game in Jacksonville, an unknown person projected a statement saying Ye was “right about the Jews” onto the outside of TIAA Bank Field.

Modern technology, Rabbi Joseph said, has given people the ability to utterly and completely destroy the life of not just another person, but an entire group of people. We have to form a new social consensus about how we

will use such a tool before it’s too late.

“The whole culture has to work for a better understanding of free speech and responsible speech,” Rabbi Joseph said.

“This is not just a problem for the Jewish community” The future remains unclear, as this new wave of antisemitism is confusing and difficult to navigate. No one knows the direction it’s headed in, so it’s hard to take action.

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“I have a family,” said Shelby Rosen, a 36-year-old parent from Newberry. “I have young kids. I don’t want them to grow up in an environment like this, but I don’t even think it’s a physical environment.”

Rosen has two children, ages 4 and 7, and hopes that their generation will understand the power of social media better than we do.

Her grandparents were Holocaust survivors, and she is afraid that her children will one day experience the same hate her grandparents did. The same hate with a more powerful platform is even more dangerous, and all she can do is hope that hate never reaches the same magnitude it has in the past.

“It’s [hate] all around us, there’s nowhere to hide even if we wanted to,” she said. “All I can do is hope I’m living in the right area.”

Grady Svetly, a 21-year-old University of Florida student, says has witnessed more antisemitic acts in Gainesville than he has in his hometown of Scottsdale, Arizona.

“I think that there’s been such a rise in antisemitism here not because people are more antisemitic than before, but because people don’t know what it looks like,” he said. “I’ve found that on this campus, people don’t know the difference between antisemite and anti Israel.”

Svetly believes politics play an enormous role in many people’s distaste for the Jewish population.

Israel as a nation and the Israeli

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people are often viewed as one entity, when they are in fact separate. The people of the nation have no say for their government’s actions, but it is all too easy to lose distinction between the two. As the Israeli/ Palestinian conflict wages on, political opinions begin to cross boundaries.

Gainesville is home to groups of people from a wide variety of cultures, and the university is overflowing with information.

Without a critical lens for the media, it can be hard to sort through information and form one’s own opinion.

“People put out polarizing headlines just to make a profit,” Svetly said. “You can really change opinions that way.”

up about 19% of the undergraduate population. There’s power in numbers, but there’s also more people to direct hate toward.

Student organizations such as Hillel and Chabad work to make their students feel safer.

“My parents get worried about me, but I feel safe here,” Svetly said. “There have been safe spaces made for Jewish students. I know people who may not feel safe when they go home, but here they do.”

Hate is not a new concept for the Jewish people. Antisemitism has a long history that is likely far from over, but this also means that the Jewish people have learned how to tolerate it. While things may seem scary at times, it’s not time to panic.

Jews have a level of thick skin, "I haven't lost said Rabbi Joseph. They have learned how to dismiss my faith that comments intended to hurt them, this has become a sort of things can and assurvival technique. will get better... Antisemitism and its extensive history is scary, sure, but it can We [Jewish also be almost reassuring. The Jewish people have survived people] just hate in the past, and they will do it again. There has always been have to live a base level of mistrust for the Jewish people, it is simply finding that long."

On a college campus, people are constantly being berated with information, and without a careful eye, it can grow difficult to sort through.

UF in particular has a large Jewish population. According to Hillel International, there are around 6,500 Jewish undergraduate students on UF’s campus, making

its way into the limelight once again. But lights can be turned off, and all hope is not lost.

“I haven’t lost my faith that things can and will get better in the realm of human relations,” Rabbi Joseph said. “We [Jewish people] just have to live that long.”

I'm on FireBall Ingredients: Ice 2 ounces fireball 5 ounces ginger ale A dash of cinnamon Red sprinkles A few hot tamales One rocks glass Icing/ something to stick the red sprinkles to Edible gold flakes Directions: For this flaming hot drink, take a rocks glass and dip the rim in icing. Once you have the rim coated in icing, you can dip the glass into red sprinkles.

After the rim is coated, put as many hot tamales at the bottom as you desire.

Pour 2 ounces of fireball and 5 ounces of ginger ale into your glass. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Once you have your drink ready, feel free to add little designs such as edible gold flakes or a dash of cinnamon.

Photo by Maddie Panzer ELEM ENTS - SPRI NG 2023

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ChatGPT: T

Is it too good to be true?

he dreaded job search --monotonous cover letters, disengaging interviews and regurgitated resumes. Jumping into the pool of job applicants, many unemployed Americans are left swimming – some drowning – in an endless sea of repetition, which is born from rewriting and constructing individualized resumes and cover letters for recruiters. The unlucky applicants enter a process of writing and rewriting cover letters and resumes only to be faced with the cold hand of rejection, leaving many hopeless and disheartened. Well, glum friends, there is nothing to fear.

ChatGPT is here to save you from the rotting hole of repetitive writing.

What is ChatGPT? ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence platform that generates outputs when given a written command.

In layman's terms, OpenAI describes ChatGPT as a free form of AI technology — computers that mimic human responses and tasks. Furthermore, ChatGPT runs on natural language processing – computer technology that understands speech – and is able

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Story and photos by Isabella Marzban

to create detailed responses from prompts given by the app's user.

The platform was created by an AI team from the company OpenAI, located in San Francisco, California. Some of the features and capabilities of ChatGPT are that the app is able to make AI-generated essays, cover letters, resumes, songs and poems; it can even solve complex math problems.

selected sources to determine the best data response for a user’s prompt.

How does one use ChatGPT?

“Humans seek less effort, not more,” Stump said. “These tools can help eliminate some basic business functions and repetitive work, but it's not creative beyond the input it gets from scraping what exists on the web.”

After a user downloads the app on a computer or phone, a text box will appear awaiting a user prompt. To start off, a user can ask ChatGPT a question, such as, “How do you make chocolate chip cookies?” In a matter of seconds, ChatGPT will provide a recipe for cookies, similar to Google's search engine but without the monetized ads and billions of web pages. The same thing can be done for cover letters and resumes, and student essays are also a popular request.

At first glance ChatGPT appears like a search engine, but in reality, the service provides AI-generated, individualized responses instead of links to websites. ChatGPT is able to achieve these results by computing data from websites across the internet and comparing

University of Florida media entrepreneurship instructor William Stump says that ChatGPT’s rise to fame is partially due to human nature, describing humans as beings wired to find hacks and shortcuts for repetitive tasks.

Although there are other AI services similar to ChatGPT, this specific platform has gained immense popularity, leaving similar platforms lost in the digital clouds of internet space.

According to Statista, ChatGPT reached a million users in five days. In comparison, it took Netflix three and a half years to reach the same number of users.

ChatGPT's growth rate has beaten digital demigods such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, leaving the technology world stunned by the AI platform's internet dominance. ChatGPT's audience ELEM ENTS - SPRI NG 2023

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continues to drop jaws with its latest achievement of 100 million users in the first two months of launch, according to recent UBS reports. Since launching in November of 2022, the app has set fire to social media platforms and university classrooms by pushing the limits of personalized AI services.

"Humans seek less effort, not more" Sadly, “all that glitters is not gold,” and that Shakespearean proverb can be applied to ChatGPT's newfound success.

ChatGPT's popularity can be seen on social media platforms, including TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. On these platforms, students in high school and college are sharing how to use ChatGPT's AI service to generate essays for classes. So many students are using ChatGPT for this purpose that other apps, such as Originality AI, were developed to detect essays written by ChatGPT. Currently, Canvas – a learning management system used by schools across the nation – is in the process of adding AI detection for apps with natural language processing systems similar to ChatGPT’s. Across the U.S., universities are exploring the possiblity of adding clauses about ChatGPT or similar resources in their honor codes. Currently,

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Colleges including The University of Vermont, Washington University and Furman University are working on changing their honor codes to address concerns of cheating and plagiarism involving ChatGPT. At the University of Florida, many students are not surprised by universities’ negative reactions to ChatGPT but are left with mixed feelings about the college's one-dimensional view of the AI service, viewing it only as a vehicle for cheating. "I can see how some people might abuse the services and try to use it to cheat on exams and assignments, so that could definitely be a negative effect," UF student Erina Anwar said. "But I also think that people who are really ambitious and people who truly just want to learn to become a better professional will really rely on it [ChatGPT] just as much."

Currently, ChatGPT has a chokehold on American universities and is causing fear among advertisers who are frightened by the possibility that the app might overtake Google's search engine. At face value, these fears may seem impending, perhaps inevitable, but these concerns are not held by many in Generation Z. Instead, many young adults in the creative writing and reporting fields see an opportunity in the AI platform.

Naomi Volcy, Independent Florida Alligator reporter and UF student.

"In terms of background and the research aspect of covering some breaking news, I think that's where ChatGPT should be very helpful"

"I feel like a lot of research and looking for sources is a big part of reporting and writing," said

When discussing the uses of ChatGPT, Anwar shared stories of her friends using ChatGPT not

to cheat but rather to organize notes and summarize long reading assignments.

"I asked my friends what they might use it for, and one of them said that he uses it to organize his notes and condense long readings and find the main talking points," said Anwar, "I might use it for that

because a lot of times professors assign long readings, and it could be good to use it [ChatGPT] to condense the most important points."

For some, ChatGPT is an angel, floating from heaven's clouds. Others see the app as the devil's reincarnation, climbing

up from the depths of hell to thrust America into a degenerate society run by computers — no individuality or creativity.

However one views the advanced AI tool, one thing is for certain — ChatGPT is here to stay, and new AI is on the way.

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Photo by Maddie Panzer

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Southbound 441 local rock stars Story By Maite Sastre

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he room had more instruments than people in it. A white drum set sat in the far corner; guitars (yes, plural) and guitar cases were all over the walls and furniture; stereos and their cords covered the floor. The posters on the walls ranged from Dave Matthews to Mac Miller, and the variety of their music style followed this unpatterned trend.

“It’s going to be loud,” Zane warned me.

I sat back and watched the four boys practice, feeling like a '70s rock fan getting an exclusive chance to watch her favorite band perform.

Myles Salustro, Zane Borenstein, Grant Schmid and Cole Brooks make up Southbound 441, a Gainesville-born band. They were brought together by the University of Florida and are held together by the vibrant music scene in Gainesville.

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Photos by Isabella Marzban Zane, who has been a guitarist since his early childhood, decided to form the band in August of 2022 after the members came back from summer break. He pitched the idea to Grant, who he had coincidentally met the year before after bonding over a Nirvana shirt and a shared love for music. Grant was on board, and he became the vocalist and guitar player of Southbound.

Cole, who Zane met through

"It's going to be loud," Zane warned me. the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, quickly turned out to be a good drummer. Now all they were missing was a bass player.

Myles, Zane’s best friend and fraternity brother, came to the rescue and began learning the instrument from ground zero.

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grateful to have a bassist but constantly praise him for his quick acquisition of the skill.

“[We can pick our own songs] To a certain extent,” Cole explained. “Once we started we kind of catered to the audience and now that we are getting bigger we can broaden our setlists, which is great.”

“You would think he’s been playing for five years,” Zane said about his bandmate Myles.

“We are gonna play Puppet Master by Metallica, which is an eight-and-a-half-minute song that’s super complicated and he’s already got the first minute down.”

While they all eagerly agreed that playing was the best part of performing, the guitarist had another little favorite to add to that list.

“In the last show we played Sweet Child O’ Mine and he nailed that bass intro,” Grant added.

Once they formed the band, the next challenge was to come up with a name.

“It took us like two weeks to come up with a band name,” Cole said.

Those two weeks of hard work paid off — the name they landed on couldn’t be more perfect. The name Southbound 441 is a love letter to Gainesville. It’s a reference to U.S. Route 441, but also to local legend Tom Petty, who mentions the road many times in his songs.

“We formed at UF, we all met at UF,” Grant said. “So, we wanted to pay homage to where we formed.”

“I like getting to meet all the other local bands like Truth Value,” Zane said.

from High Dive to How Bāzār, even adding a few tailgate shows to the lineup. Soon they will be venturing out of Gainesville’s city bounds and visiting Wake Forest University in North Carolina for a concert.

Even though they have performed all over, sometimes stage fright affects even the most talented, but the band has a way to deal with it.

“I get nervous for the first song,” said Grant, the voice of Southbound 441. “Then everyone starts cheering and you’re kind of just like ‘Oh my God, I’ve got the crowd at my fingertips right now.’ The initial nervousness goes away then.”

The band has performed at a variety of venues around town,

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Southbound 441's favorite bands Myles (Bassist): Red Hot Chilli Peppers Zane (Guitarist): Red Hot Chilli Peppers or Tool Grant (Singer and Guitarist): Green Day Cole (Drummer): Metallica The bandmates unanimously agree that actually playing the music is their favorite part of performing. They especially love it when they get to pick their favorite songs, which they have been able to do a lot more of lately.

Grant is the one responsible for booking all their shows. He works at Swamp Records and Heartwood Soundstage, which gives him an in. At Swamp Records, he gets to talk to a lot of other bands and build connections, paving the way for Southbound 441. He is responsible for getting the young band off their feet and into the scene, quicker than most others.

still have a lot of dreams to accomplish as a group.

“The non-realistic dream is to play stadiums,” Zane said.

“I think that the biggest dream - and that I hope we can do next year - is if we can do a show at like four to five other colleges,” Zane said. “Like Florida State or South Carolina and Georgia. We’re already going to Wake Forest soon.”

“Do a world tour,” Grant added.

“The plan in my head is I want to release a four to five song EP, around fall when school gets back together and play it around Gainesville,” Grant said. “Then maybe release a single in January, maybe as a teaser for an album. Drop the album right before summer and go around on a summer tour.”

These are not the biggest dreams the boys share. When first asked the question, they joked around.

All four boys fell into laughter, but maybe it wasn’t a joke. We never know what the future holds and we’ve had superstars born out of Gainesville before. Maybe one day Southbound 441 will be playing stadiums and world tours. Until then, we can see them locally all around Gainesville, the town that breeds talent in every generation.

If you or any of your friends want to book the boys for a concert, you can reach out to their Instagram page under the handle @southbound_441.

“Everyone hates us,” Zane joked.

“We’re the villains,” Grant continued.

“We’re growing too quickly.”

This is just the beginning for the bandmates, who

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Endangered Species Near and Far Story by Maddie Panzer Illustrations by Lexi Horowitz

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cross the world there are animals that face the high possibility of extinction if not helped by humans.

According to Biological Diversity, approximately 30,000 species go extinct from poaching each year.

Below is a list of a few species who are critically endangered and might be facing their final moments on planet Earth.

The vaquita, which is found in the northern part of the gulf of California, is the rarest marine mammal to date according to World Wildlife, the leading organization for wildlife conservation. Although they look like dolphins, they are more closely related to narwhals and belugas. The vaquita are essential to their ecosystem by being prey to top predators like sharks, yet a predator to smaller fish and crustaceans like shrimp. There are only around 10 Vaquitas left in the world according to CNN and World Wildlife.

These porpoises were discovered in 1958 by scientist Kenneth Norris. Three vaquita skulls were found on the beach north of Punta San Felipe in Baja, California, according to the

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The Vaquita

Aquarium of the Pacific. They are on the brink of extinction due to illegal fishing and bycatch, which is unwanted fish and other marine creatures who are accidentally caught in fishing gear, according to Biological Diversity. World Wildlife says if fishery bycatch is not eliminated immediately, the vaquita’s days will be numbered. Vaquitas get caught in nets used to catch totoaba, which is an endangered fish in the Gulf whose bladder is sold on the black market in China.

China Dialogue Ocean says in China, the bladder of the totoaba is believed to have nutritional and medicinal properties. The selling of the bladder has been illegal since 1977, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency, but smugglers still find a way to distribute it.

Approximately 1 out of 5 vaquitas get trapped in the gillnets intended to catch totoaba; the illegal trading of these fish kills vaquitas in the process.

Although many of us don’t know about the vaquita, there are people out there trying to spread awareness.

Celebrity Kat Von D has posted

about these marine creatures on her Instagram, which has millions of followers. She even started a hashtag —

#savethevaquita.

The Javan Rhino The Javan rhino was once found in Southeast Asia, but is now solely found in West Java, Indonesia.

Located in Ujong Kulon National Park, these big creatures live about 30-40 years and tend to roam alone, making it rare for them to be seen. Javan rhinos are endangered due to poaching and habitat loss, according to the International Rhino Foundation. There are around 76 Javan rhinos left today. lllegal hunters look for the rhinos’ horns to sell. Public Broadcasting Service says rhino horns have been of ornamental use since as early as the seventh century. Not only are horns used

for material goods, but in many Asian countries such as Malaysia and China, the horn is believed to help cure illnesses such as headaches and food poisoning.

According to PBS, in traditional Chinese medicine, the horn is shaved down to a powder and boiled.

According to the One Earth organization, Javan rhinos are essential for keeping the forest healthy by eating large amounts of vegetation. Javan rhinos help

the forest maintain biodiversity, which further helps our planet.

Celebrities such as Jackie Chan and Ian Somerholder are fighting for these mammals.

The Orangutan In the Orangutan family, both the Sumatran orangutan and the Bornean orangutan are critically endangered.

According to National Geographic, orangutans are quite slow, making them easy for hunters to find. Female orangutans with offspring are especially targeted by hunters because the offspring are sold as pets.

World Wildlife also mentioned Orangutans only give birth about every 3-5 years, so it can take a long time to recover from population declines.

The orangutans in Borneo, Asia and Sumatra, Indonesia are struggling to survive deforestation and habitat loss. World Wildlife shared that 50% of orangutans are discovered outside protected areas at the fault of mining and oil companies.

Over the years people have tried to come up with ways to save the Orangutan. Comedian Phil Wang even launched his own beer, The OrWanguTang, dedicated to raising money to save Orangutans.

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Mermaid madness

Right here in the Sunshine State Endangered species are around the world like the three mentioned above, but we also have endangered species right here in Florida that you might not have known about.

“The Florida Grasshopper Sparrow —they’re a critically endangered species that is down to less than 50 breeding pairs in the wild. They can be found in Central Florida, but they’re considered the most endangered bird in North America,” said Jade Salamone, Conservation Education Curator at the Sante Fe Zoo. The Santa Fe Zoo has a program called Quarters for Conversation. The zoo works on three big projects each year, raising around $10,000 each year in quarters. The program is helping protect species like the Florida Manatee in the Indian River Lagoon that are struggling right now, according to Salamone.

that major threats include loss of habitat and slamming into boats or ships in the water. Manatees tend to be in shallow waters where seagrasses are, so colliding into ships and boats is highly likely.

According to the University of South Florida, around 100 manatees a year are killed by boaters in Florida.

Ingredients: 1 martini glass 1 ounce blue curacao 1.5 ounces white rum 4 ounces lemonade Ice 1 lemon Graham cracker crumbs

Directions: To start, get a martini glass. Next, squeeze the lemon onto a plate and dip the rim of the martini glass into it. Then, dip it into crushed graham crackers to complete the rim. Once you have fully covered the glass’s rim with graham crackers, peel the lemon and twist to get a lemon peel for your glass as a topper.

In a shaker, mix 1 ounce of blue curacao, 1.5 ounces of white rum and 4 ounces of lemonade. Once you thoroughly shake the mix, strain into the martini glass.

Finish with ice and place the peel on top and you’re ready to drink!

Photo by Maddie Panzer

Salamone mentioned that we tend to not realize when a species is critically endangered. Believe it or not, there was a time when American alligators were dropping heavily in numbers.

“It seems like there could have never been a day where they were endangered, but they actually were hunted to near extinction and then the Endangered Species Act helped protect them,” Salamone said. around 100 manatees a year are killed by boaters in Florida.

Salamone mentioned that we tend to not realize when a species

is critically endangered. Believe it or not, there was a time when American alligators were dropping heavily in numbers.

“It seems like there could have never been a day where they were endangered, but they actually were hunted to near extinction and then the Endangered Species Act helped protect them,” Salamone said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated

How to Help These endangered species all benefit our ecosystem, and we might be the cause of their extinction if we don’t do anything about it. Look for your local conservation organization and see if you can help in any way, or donate online to organizations such as World Wildlife.

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• • • •

Websites to help: worldwildlife.org rhinos.org theorangutanproject.org sfcollege.edu/zoo/

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Spinning back in time: vinyls are making a comeback

By Maite Sastre Photos by Sam Roth

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wall filled with posters of celebrities, looking down at the bed from their star status with their flawless, fabulous and fierce faces. Opposite is a square box with glass casing, which appears almost untouched due to the extensive care that has been bestowed on it. The box, a record player, is surrounded by more superstar faces, stacking up all around, ready to be played under the needle.

That sounds like the room of an angsty teen in a retro '90s movie, but in reality it could belong to an angsty teen in the non-fictitious world of 2023. In their 2022 U.S. Year-End Music Report, Luminate Group found that vinyl record sales surpassed digital album, CD and cassette tape sales, reaching their 17th year of growth.

One of the reasons for this unexpected comeback could be the COVID-19 pandemic. NBC News stated that since the start of the pandemic in 2019, vinyl sales experienced a 361% increase and quarantined young people were a driving force behind this growth.

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Key players in this phenomena were Generation Z women, which Inside Radio lists as the largest demographic chunk in record sales.

“I like having the big vinyl covers in my room,” said Carly Lindback, a 21-year-old shopper at Hear Again Records. “I think that they have a retro aesthetic to them that adds to my decoration, while also showing off my love for music and supporting my favorite artists” In 2022, the top-selling vinyl album was Taylor Swift’s Midnights, which sold a recordbreaking total of 945,000 vinyl LPs. Billboard stated that the runner-up best-selling albums were by Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Kendrick Lamar and Fleetwood Mac. Most of the artists composing the list are more recent creators, which is a reflection of the younger generation’s major role in this revival of an almost 100-year-old technology.

The demand is growing so rapidly that producers are

struggling to keep up. VOA News found that when someone orders a record, it can take six to eight months for the buyer to receive it. They also stated that there have been shortages of materials required to produce vinyl LPs. Possibly the most interesting fact about this phenomena is that even though sales of records are steadily increasing, most people still listen to their music digitally.

Statista stated that only 50% of vinyl buyers own a record player.

This shows that vinyl ownership today has a lot to do with a collector’s desire, rather than actually listening to this music. In an age of digital ownership, many people still wish to retain physical symbols of their fandom and admiration for artists, and vinyls have become an increasingly used outlet for this desire.

As time passes, people find new ways to express their devotion to their favorite artists, but the retro coolness of vinyls seems to be here to stay for a little while.

Sami Rheingold created this art for a sorority paddle. It's vinyl made out of tiles and photos of albums.

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S P I R I T 50 ELEM ENTS - SPRI NG 2023

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Zoroastrianism's influence on Iranian culture and Nowruz:

the Persian New Year Story and photos by Isabella Marzban

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ith the end of winter and start of spring, cozy evenings around the fireplace sipping hot chocolate are being replaced by afternoons at the beach, baking in the Florida sunlight. With March marking the end of winter, April and May bring forth new opportunities in the spring season along with a round of holiday celebrations from various religious groups. Most Christian, Catholic and Jewish Americans recognize spring as the season of Easter and Passover, leaving another major spring holiday hidden among the festive bliss.

The Persian spring holiday, known as Nowruz, is celebrated

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by many Iranian Americans throughout the United States.

Although a small portion of the American population, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iran has accounted for over 1.5 million Iranian people who are permanently living in the United States. Florida has the fifth largest Iranian American population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 2014-2018 American Community Survey. In order to carry tradition from Iran to the U.S., many Iranian Americans celebrate Nowruz during March. In Alachua County, Iranian students celebrate the upcoming holiday with members of the Gainesville Iranian Community.

What is Nowruz?

The Iranian New Year (Persian New Year) is celebrated during spring in Iranian calendars, as Nowruz is the celebration of the spring equinox - the first day of spring -, which is March 20 and 21 in the United States. Before Nowruz celebrations begin, it's traditional for Iranians to go shopping, get food and visit family and friends. Furthermore, Iranians set a table - Haft-sin table - composed of several main things, including Sabze, Samanu, Senjed, Serke, Sib, Sir and Sumac. Sabze is the sprouts of wheat, barley or lentils and Samanu is a sweet wheat germ pudding. Senjed is the

Persian olive, Serke is vinegar, Sib is an apple and Sir is garlic.

How does Nowruz relate to Zoroastrianism?

"There is also a mirror, painted eggs, hyacinth with purple flowers, candles, a bowl of water, goldfish, coins, and traditional candies," said Hadi (Farhad) Ghasemi an Iranian student, celebrating Nowruz this year in the U.S. The Haf-sin table is prepared before the spring equinox along with a lunch, dinner and traditional music, which signifies the start of a good year, said Ghasemi. For Ghasemi, Nowruz is a time to prioritize visiting families and friends, which starts with greeting elders first and then the younger family members.

According to Ghasemi, Nowruz is a way for members of the global Iranian community to gather, eat and drink in celebration of the new year.

The origins of Nowruz date back to the oldest monolithic religion in the world — Zoroastrianism.

"This festival [Nowruz] is rooted in the Zoroastrian religion," Ghasemi said. "It has been celebrated by many communities for over 3000 years in Western Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, South Caucasus around Black Sea and Caspian Sea." An important aspect of Iranian culture besides Nowruz is the religion, Zoroastrianism, which has influenced Persian culture and practices that have withstood many generations, making Iran a country with a rich cultural

past. The three main pillars of Zoroastrianism are good thoughts, good will and good deeds. The major holy book of Zoroastrians is known as the Avesta, which has seventeen important songs called Gatha that are attributed to the religion's creator — Zoroaster.

In the 9th century (the Common Era), a summarized version of the Avesta that included teachings about astrology, medicine and education were discovered and later influenced the teachings and foundations of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

How did Zoroastrianism influence world religions?

A concept recognized in Zoroastrianism that has manifested in other monolithic religions is

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Zoroastrianism has its own story about the origin of the universe.

"The universe was created in seven stages because of the seven attributes of Ahura Mazda," Niknam said. First the sky was created, which is something that's above humans. Second, water was created, which Zoroastrians consider being within humans.

Third, the land was created, which is considered to be underneath humans. Next, plants and animals were created, which are used to make the cotton sudreh and the wool kutsi belt, respectively.

After plants and animals, humans are the sixth stage of the universe's creation with fire being the last stage. Fire is one of the most important elements in Zoroastrianism and is seen not only in Iranian culture but other parts of the world where Zoroastrianism is practiced. the idea of free will. Zoroastrian followers believe that people have the choice to be an agent of good or evil, which is an idea seen in monolithic religions that followed Zoroastrianism.

"There are other elements that you also see in other religions," Armin Niknam said. "The notion of Satan exists as a Zoroastrian design — there is heaven and hell and a journey of the soul [the afterlife]." Niknam, an Iranian native, received both a bachelor's degree in letters and classics and a master's degree in American studies from Italy. Niknam recently moved to Alachua County after getting accepted to a University of Florida Ph.D program last September and is well-versed in the

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history behind Zoroastrianism and its influence on Iranian culture. "[In Zoroastrianism] there are apocalyptic events that lead to the end of the world like resurrection," Niknam said. "All of these are very important elements of Zoroastrianism and we later see them in Judaism, Christianity and also in Islam."

What are the teachings and practices of Zoroastrianism?

"There are two particular garments that followers of Zoroastrianism need to wear."

Niknam said. "One of them is called sudreh, and the other one is

called kusti." A sudreh is a cotton undergarment that's worn every day and kusti is a wool belt; both of these garments are considered to be armor for soldiers of Ahura Mazda — the Zoroastrian god.

Ahura Mazda has seven attributes — unchanging, omnipotent, the source of all happiness and goodness, omniscient, omnipresent and the creator of life. The seven attributes of Ahura Mazda are one of the reasons why the number seven is prevalent in modern Iranian culture. Furthermore, the number seven can be seen in the Haft-sin table for Nowruz, which has several main items — Sabze, Samanu, Senjed, Serke, Sib, Sir and Sumac.

"I would encourage people interested or thinking of learning more about Iran and understanding Iran to be ready for a lot of nuances and diversity" "There's a substantial Zoroastrian population in India, who escaped Iran and fled the persecution after the Arab invasion, and they move to India and are known as Parsis (Zoroastrian Iranians who live in India)," Niknam said. "For those Zoroastrian Iranians who live in India, mostly in Gujarat, there are Zoroastrian temples that have fires

going on for 3000 years and have never been put out." The element of fire can be seen in some Nowruz celebrations, specifically in the Kurdish parts of Iran. In some Nowruz celebrations, bonfires are lit, and people jump over them while shouting or traditional music plays in the background.

For Nowruz celebrations, fire is seen as a symbol of transition from the dark times of winter into the light of spring, which is something that stems from the role fire plays in Zoroastrian's view of the universe's creation.

How to learn more about Iranian culture?

Although jumping over bonfires is something not often seen in Iranian American Nowruz celebrations, many of the other Persian New Year's traditions are celebrated by members of the Iranian community within Alachua County, who will be using Nowruz as a time of connection between family and friends.

Iranian Americans like Niknam and Ghasemi take pride in their country's culture and traditions that stem from ancient practices, such as Zoroastrianism.

"I would encourage people interested or thinking of learning more about Iran and understanding Iran to be ready for a lot of nuances and diversity," Niknam said. "The diversity in Iran is huge among different generations and ethnicities, there are a variety of religions and very different worldviews. There are people whose first language is not Farsi (Iran's national language) and who are not allowed to speak

them freely or study them. There are a lot of people in Iran, mostly women and minorities, who do not enjoy certain rights."

Iran isn't a homogenous community but a mix of many different ethnic groups with varying cultural practices that are rooted in a multitude of worldviews, stemming from each end of the globe.

Recently, Western media reporters began to shed light on the struggles of Iranian women along with their fight for basic human rights, which has resulted in many deaths and tragedies for those protesting. The death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who was allegedly killed for not properly wearing a hijab, was covered on CBS News, CNN, BBC News and many more popular Western news channels.

What are local resources to learn about Iran?

For those seeking to learn more about Iran, some book recommendations include "Women's Autobiographies in Contemporary Iran" by Afsaneh Najmabadi, "The Shah of Shahs"

by Ryszard Kapuscinski, "Iran: Politics, History, and Literature"

by Homa Katouzian and "Persians: Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Iran" by Homa Katouzian. For a great start to Iranian culture and literature, check out "Iran Between Two Revolutions" by Ervand Abrahamin, which is currently available at UF's Library West for checkout.

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Beyond the uniform:

the dreams of college athletes span greater than the sport

C

ollege athletes are constantly practicing and working hard to compete in their chosen sport. While pursuing that sport is pivotal for many athletes in school, they also have goals and aspirations for the future that show a side of them you wouldn’t be able to see just by watching them play.

“The swim coach said that I wasn’t old enough to swim, and that was when I was 4 years old.

On the other hand, the dive coach saw my build. She recognized my potential pretty quick.”

Anton Svirskyi, 21, is on the diving team at the University of Florida. Svirskyi was born in Ukraine and has been training most of his life to be the diver he is today, but at one point this diver had a huge fear to overcome --- the fear of heights.

When Svirskyi’s parents saw that fear, they knew that putting him in diving would help him overcome it.

“My parents wanted me to get into this sport professionally; that’s

Story and photos by Maddie Panzer

how things are in Ukraine. We can’t just do it for fun,” said Svirskyi.

Svirskyi had to stop diving for about five years when he came to America in 2015. He was living in New Jersey, and the facilities for diving weren’t that great. During those years Svirskyi took on other sports, such as track and football at his high school.

That wasn’t the end of diving for Svirskyi, though. He still wanted to conquer his fears.

Before coming to UF in 2020, Svirskyi went to St. Peters University in New Jersey, where he got back into diving. It was then that he was finally able to look down from the diving board and feel relief rather than panic. It was time for him to really commit to the sport and take his abilities to the next level.

“We train with professionals every day. We not only look up to them, but we’re at the same level as most of them. We have people going to the Olympics and bringing back multiple Olympic gold

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medals,” said Svirskyi about the UF diving team.

Although Svirskyi still has two eligible years left at UF, he has big dreams of what he wants to accomplish post-grad.

“I want to win an Olympic gold.

That’s been my dream since I was 4 years old.”

An Olympic medal isn’t the only type of gold Svirskyi strives for; he wants to win a Nobel Peace Prize. When Svirskyi isn’t diving, he can be found studying biochemical engineering. When Svirskyi was little, his mother gave him the idea to always help others and reach for that honor.

Svirskyi isn’t the only athlete at UF with big dreams.

Shemar James, 19, is a freshman Linebacker at UF with plans of his own. James grew up in Mobile, Alabama where football was big and influenced many kids including himself.

“All people talk about is football. I started playing football around seventh grade. I got into it

Paige Clausen studying for an exam

because I felt like I was good at it.

People always told me growing up that I should play, but that was the first time I got serious about it.”

It wasn’t until his junior year of high school that he saw an opportunity for playing college football.

James is studying psychology in school and wants to work with children, helping them better themselves as individuals. James wants to be the role model he never had to these children.

James said he chose UF because of the family environment, and how welcoming everyone was.

“I didn’t really have that positive role model growing up, so I just thought about it. Since I have a lot of nieces and nephews, it came to me.”

He has big dreams of making it to the NFL but working with children one day is another desire.

Other athletes are enjoying their sport right now but don’t plan on playing after college.

“I see myself playing football after college. That’s my dreams and aspirations. Football has to end one day, and I want to work with kids eventually.

Paige Clausen, 19, is a forward for the UF women’s basketball team. Unlike some of the other athletes, Clausen has a unique case, in which she came to UF as

a regular student, and eventually joined the team as a walk-on the summer after her freshman year.

Clausen started playing basketball at the age of 5, where she would play against her brothers and dad at home in Naples, Florida. She joined her first recreational team in first grade, and it wasn’t until middle school that she started to play basketball competitively.

The thought of playing in college crossed Clausen’s mind a few times in high school, but her plans ended up changing.

“My process was a little different because I wasn’t recruited to play at UF,” said Clausen.

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Clausen thought her playing days were over freshman year when the team had a lot going on and wouldn’t add any more players to their roster. With some hope left, Clausen was able to show off her skills at walk-on tryouts the following summer and claim a spot on the team.

Although Clausen loves the sport, she wants to keep it in college and pursue her academic career in finance.

“I just think it’s a super cool experience to do in college. It’s a once in a lifetime experience, but I wouldn’t want to play professionally. I like sports, but I also like math."

Clausen loves math and says she aspires to work in finance when she gets out of college.

“Right now, I’m thinking about going into investment banking,” said Clausen. “I’m going through the interview process right now.

It’s crazy that it’s happening this early, but this is what I want to do straight after college.”

Whether it’s playing a sport professionally after college or pursuing academic careers, college athletes are motivated and driven.

They have big dreams in life that will eventually turn into realities for many of them. A college athlete is more than just a player; they aspire, they desire and have plans like the rest of us.

Sipping on Spirit Ingredients: Edible purple glitter Dash of sugar 4 ounces pineapple juice 1 ounce blue curacao Ice Frosting Gold sprinkles Sparkly glass Directions: Get out any sparkly glass you have and you’re ready to start.

For this you will want to dip your glass into vanilla frosting, and add sugar to the rim.

Then, you will mix 4 ounces of pineapple juice and 1 ounce of blue curacao with some edible glitter and gold sprinkles.

Strain your mix into your glass, add ice and you’re ready to drink!

Photo by Maddie Panzer

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