Winter Issue 2019: CAPTIVATE

WINTER 2019

ISSUE NO. 2

captivate

50

$

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NEW MEMBER SPECIAL 30-DAYS UNLIMITED 22 W. Park Place, Oxford, OH 45056 • 513-290-2223 @root.yoga @rootyogaoxford Find our schedule in the MINDBODY App w w w . Ro o t Yo g a O x fo r d . c o m

IN THIS ISSUE

6–7

8 – 11

12 – 13

IN T RO D U CT I O N

SHAKEN CHAKRAS

JE NE SAIS QUOI

Introducing Captivate

Written by Evie Howard

Written by Adrienne Bechtel

18 – 19

14 – 17 INTO THE WOODS Photographed by Christina Vitellas

M A J O R M O T IO N M AG IC I N O U R BAC KYA R D Written by Rebecca Sowell

20 – 21 G O N E NAT U R A L Written by Regan O’Brien

30 – 31

22 – 23

24 – 29

TAL K T H E TA L K

W IN T RY WO N D E RS

Written by Maddie Clegg

Photographed by Maggie Smerdel

32 – 33

34 – 37

38 – 41

T H E P E R F E CT P I E CE

SW E ET D R E A M S

S E E ING D O U B L E

Written by Erin Adelman

Written by Vivian Drury

Photographed by Lauren Waldrop

42 – 43

44 – 45

46 – 49

FA S H I O N WH I P L A S H

U N PLU G

S E E ING S TA RS

Written by Madysen George

Written by Abigail Padgett

Written by Claire Podges

50 – 51

52 – 55

56 – 57

SPE L L B I N D I NG S T O R I E S

L O S T IN S M O K E

B E H IN D T H E C ROW N

Written by Sophie Thompson

Written by Julia Plant

Written by Madelyn Hopkins

60 – 63

64 – 65

66

FE MM E

T H E A RT O F YO GA

L A S T WO R D

Photographed by Astrid Cabello

Written by Emma Nolan

From the Editors

1 0 T IPS FO R L IV ING YO U R FU L L E S T L IFE Written by Mary Kate Groh

C OVE R M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y Yuwei Dou & Erin Haymaker P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y Douglas Chan M O D E L E D B Y Olivia Wyles

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Editor-in-Chief Haley Jena

Publisher Kev O’Hara

Creative Director Kendall Erickson

W R I T E RS Erin Adelman Adrienne Bechtel Maddie Clegg Madelyn Hopkins Evie Howard Madysen George Mary Kate Groh Emma Nolan Regan O’Brien Abigail Padgett

Fashion Director Coquise Frost

Photography Director

Rebecca Sowell Sophie Thompson

Junho Moon

B L O G GERS Bridget Bonanni

Copy Editors

Carolyne Croy Daphne DuMaurier

Bella Douglas Vivian Drury

Senior Blog Editor/ Digital Media Strategist Tori Levy

Blog Editor Kaylee Spahr

Social Media Creative Director

Lizzie Carter

Allie Eames Nina Franco Julia Igel Janet Elizabeth Herman Madelyn Hopkins Abby Malone Emma Naille Sydney Nelson Abigail Padgett Sydney Richardson Cache’ Roberts Jamie Santarella Meg Scott Paige Scott

Brooke Figler

Megan Smith Hannah Straub Maddie Toole

Videography Director

P H O T O G R A P H ERS

Astrid Cabello

Producer Katie Wickman

Marketing Director Casey Doran

Event Directors Alex Jimenez Morgan Minnock

Advisors Annie-Laurie Blair Fred Reeder Jr.

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Julia Plant Claire Podges

PRINT

Brandon Bouchaya Astrid Cabello Douglas Chan Annie David Allison Jenkins Victoria MacGregor Bel Meals Morgan Minnock Tesia Neujahr Amanda Parmo Avery Saloman Maggie Smerdel Sophie Thompson Christina Vitellas Lauren Waldrop Katie Wickman BLOG & STREET

Sarah Green Olivia Hajjar

Sarah Oldford Erin Poplin Ivy Richter Tatum Suter Emma Wiersma

Tory Noble Lauren Smith

V I DEO G R A P H E RS Chris Arihilam

Corinne Brown Alissa Cook

Asha Caraballo Erin Connolly Annie David Ashley Hetherington William Hetherington Alex Jimenez Erin Poplin Julia Wilson Adriana Wilcoxon EV EN T P L A N N ERS Shelby Anton Bridgett Bonanni Kendall Chabut Emily Comos Naomi Fritz Coley Frommeyer Cora Harter Amy Holbrook Lauren Marchese Rachel Price Gia Tummillo STYLISTS Olivia Bianco Anna Bixby Allie Bruegge Cami Cicero Yuwei Dou Brooke Evans Natalie Gruenwald Erin Haymaker Aaron Jacobs Ben Krautheim Kate Kronstein Hailey Lowe Caitlyn Maskalunas Katie Mcllroy Adzaan Muqtadir Emily Roesch Jaclyn Schutjer Dani Spensiero Sophia Spinell Hannah Warner Matt Zeldin Maddie Zimpfer Alexa Zweig M A K EU P A RT I S T S Madison Beal Katie Friedland Chauntel Gerald Erin Haymaker Janet Herman

Dani Spensiero L AYO U T DES I G N Grace Barrett

Racquel Graffeo Susy Jaramillo Alissa Martin Nelli Ponomareva Sarah Semon Ryan Sierens Lizzy Tatlow Lauren Waldrop Maggie Walkoff Anneliese Zak M A R K ET I NG Sami Adler Lauren Balster Erica Brower Cami Cicero Maddie Clement Emily Coyne Sarah Dayan Stephanie Hamilton Morgan Henry Annie Lougheed Taylor McManus Maggie Miller S O C I A L M EDI A STYLISTS

Olivia Bianco Anna Bixby Emily Coyne Kaitlyn Gomez Riley King Ben Krautheim Abby Malone Megan Strah Seraiah Wells Amanda Zager Maddie Zimpfer PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alyssa Brooks Kate deJesus Naomi Fritz Julia Igel Caroline Plonski Avery Salomon A N A LY S T S

Sofia Bazianos Christina Vitellas DESIGNER

Julia Asphar

These days, thanks to the non-stop presence of social media updates, breaking-news pings and a whirlwind of push notifications, it’s easy to get distracted. We’re tempted by ceaseless urges to ignore the present and instead tend to the array of life’s distractions—it can be all too easy to forget the beauty, the allure, the joie de vivre which surrounds us. With our winter issue, UP wanted to change that. We wanted to deliver an intricately beautiful and meaningful magazine that our readers—that’s you!—would be truly beguiled by. Whether it’s reading through the 15 stories that grace the pages or marveling at the beautiful photography and artful design, it’s our goal for each and every one of you to be dazzled by this issue.

That’s why we chose to crown Captivate as this year’s winter theme. This issue’s imagery, style and design emphasizes how an elegant, romantically creative perspective can change your worldview and enchant your day-to-day life. The stories, photos, fashion and layouts seek to inspire you to think outside your screen and bring your dreams to life, because although it can be easy to fall down the rabbit hole of likes, tweets and posts, looking at the world around you can offer just as many exciting curiosities.

This issue, Claire Podges encourages readers to turn to the stars and consider the newly resurged phenomenon that is astrology. Before looking up at the sky for answers, though, look to page 46 to read up on what it all means—it’s bigger than just your daily horoscope.

Julia Plant takes our theme literally in an in-depth investigation of JUULs on Miami University’s campus and in our society. Million of us are obsessed with the e-cigarette, but (perhaps unsurprisingly), these sleek devices have considerable health threats. Uncover the truth behind the cultural infatuation on page 52.

Did you know that there’s a major silver screen presence in our backyard? Rebecca Sowell writes about the abundance of award-winning films undoubtedly on your watch list (hello, “Ides of March,” and “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile”) filmed in Oxford and Cincinnati. Be sure not to miss her top-notch reporting on page 18.

Gaze at the alluring photo editorial entitled “Femme” shot by Astrid Cabello on page 60. Take in the cri de coeur of the feminine patterns, tasteful tulle and luxurious lace that we could stare at for hours on end.

Perhaps it feels a bit counterintuitive to slow down in a world that refuses to turn off and take the time to be enthralled by anything and everything that captivates us. But then again, to turn onto a bright new corner, or over onto a brand new page, we must first slow down and admire our surroundings before speeding ahead.

Much UP love,

Haley Jena Editor-in-Chief

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ca p t ivate / verb.

T O I N F L U E N C E A N D D O M I N AT E B Y S O M E S P E C I A L CHARM, ART OR TRAIT & WITH IRRESISTIBLE APPEAL

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Photographed by Avery Salomon Makeup & Styling by Anna Bixby & Jaclyn Schutjer Modeled by Grace Carlos, Ladasia Thomas & Catherine Lammersen

shaken

chakras 8 | WINTER 2019

WRITTEN BY

Evie Howard

GO BE N ’S UND ERSTAND I NG I S T H AT “ EVE RYT H I N G I N T H E U N I VE RS E IS E N E RGY I NC LUD I NG YOUR T H O U G H TS A N D F E E L I N G S, B E CAU S E EVE N THO U GH THEY AR E I NTANGI B L E , T H EY A R E VE RY RE A L . ”

“Lie down under the crystal lights, and then center yourself around any personal intention you want. Focus on it for a few moments and then let it go. The best experience you can have is if you enter with an open mind and open heart, but I cannot guarantee anything will happen. If you feel the urge to laugh, talk or cry, let yourself do it because that is a signal or side effect of energy trying to leave your body.”

Amy Goben, an energy healer based out of Louisville, Kentucky, finished her calm instructions and placed a blindfold over my eyes. She told me if I fell asleep it was OK, but I should try and stay present in the moment.

I laid in the bed in the healer’s office for 20 minutes, experiencing a few odd sensations, such as heat washing over my body and a pressure in my lower abdomen. I was later told these acted as “registers” of energy shifting and leaving my body.

But the most impactful moment of the experience was when my grandmother, who passed away, popped into my mind. My eyes filled with tears almost immediately. Once I left the bed, Goben was suddenly aware of the passing of my grandmother 10 years ago, and said that the morning before I met Goben, she had a very vivid memory of her passing. She said these signs were indicators that I was very receptive to energy, and that it was likely I would experience more when she worked on me.

So what is it that Goben actually does? She’s an energy healer who uses both crystals from Abadiâna, Brazil, and her own energy to help balance people’s chakras (defined as “any of several points of physical or spiritual energy in the human body” by Merriam-Webster) to promote physical, mental and emotional health. Her practice consists of two parts: a crystal bed and her working bed filled with energies. Goben’s understanding is that “everything in the universe is energy including your thoughts and feelings, because even though they are intangible, they are very real.”

She explained that emotions are meant to be experienced, no matter if society has labeled them to be good or bad (such as happiness being good and sadness being bad).

“Because of this labeling, we attempt to reason our way through any emotions we do not want to experience, and that is where our energies get stuck and unbalanced,” Goben said.

Goben began practicing energy healing 12 years ago when she felt she was missing something in her life. She had the ideal life: three kids, a house and a husband, but she felt like there was more for her to explore than this suburban bliss.

After stumbling through a few related practices, she discovered “The Reconnection,” a book by Eric Pearl, that empowered her

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to attend classes and become an educated healer. She began by practicing on loved ones after hours in her friend’s yoga studio whenever she could. But she still wanted a deeper understanding of what she was doing, leading her to travel to Abadiânia, where her work originated.

meant and steps I should take to keep them balanced, including focusing on creativity and allowing myself to relax more often. She then told me to surround myself with positivity, as I was more receptive to energy after getting work done.

“The community in Abadiânia believes in spiritism, and the idea that energies, spirits, ghosts, those who have passed on or some higher power guide them and their actions through life,” Goben said. “To them, John of God is a medium who allows the energies to work through him, releasing their higher understanding to those receptive to them.”

While some might view energy healing as totally “hippie,” there’s some scientific truth to the practice. Dr. Carolyn C. Ross, a doctor trained in integrative medicine, wrote about the benefits of holistic medicine practices behind work like Goben’s in Psychology Today.

As Goben explored Abadiânia, people in the community began approaching her, telling her she was a medium for energy work. She quickly dismissed this, yet as more people approached her for her high capacity for energy, she began to question if there was something in this ideology that she was meant to undertake.

After her first visit to Abadiâna, Goben returned home overwhelmed and with an abundance of new information and emotions that she directed into beginning a career in the field. Since beginning her own practice, Goben has traveled to Brazil many times to reinvigorate her passion for her work.

Her work seeks to release and shift energies back to a balanced system again.

“I don’t use my own energy when doing this, I’m simply in the flow of life-force energy based on our collective intentions,” she said, repeating how she cannot “make anything” and is just going where she is drawn.

After my energy healing session concluded, she explained to me that my chakras had been fairly unbalanced, but by the time she finished, they had significantly shifted and realigned. She gave me the profile on what my chakras

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“Energy healing or energy medicine is something that’s used in conventional medicine when we do MRIs or other types of scanning and many other procedures—we just don’t call it that,” Ross wrote. “Disease results from an imbalance or blockage in our body’s vital energy. By removing the blockage or stimulating the flow of energy, our body can naturally heal itself.”

An article published by National Institutes of Health in 2010 further explains that “energy may not be physical …

Take for example, prayer or non-contact therapeutic touch.

In these examples, there is no measurable physical energy that seems to be taking part in the interactions. Although the effects of prayer and therapeutic touch are wellinvestigated and reported, the energy type and hence the mechanism of action can only be surmised.” This seemed to align with what Goben explained about thoughts and feelings being energy, and after my session, I became even more convinced of the veracity of her work.

While energy healing may not be your first impulse when it comes to fixing a sprained wrist or a broken nose, there are documented accounts of energy healing helping both physical and mental ailments. For the adventurous in spirit, why not give it a try? And for those who are less daring, it can’t hurt to at least prop some crystals on your desk, right?

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JE NE SAIS QUOI THE “IT” FACTOR

WRITTEN BY ADRIENNE BECHTEL

M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y Y U W E I D O U & E R I N H AY M A K E R PHOTOGRAPHED BY DOUGL AS CHAN MODELED BY OLIVIA WYLES

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Just like the fashion, hairstyle and makeup trends that evolve year to year, the idea of beauty is ever-changing.

What captivates people—what the “it” factor is—has changed dramatically throughout history.

In the 1800s, women’s beauty was structured with wigs, corsets, wired skirt pieces and thick, powdered makeup. In the ’50s and ’60s, hair was big, molded with hairspray and steamed into place with curlers. Women were required to wear skirts and heels to work to look presentable.

“I was a teenager in the ’70s and the fashion was easy— women could wear different styles of clothes and boyish jeans and jackets,” said Miami University fashion history professor Dr. Lisa Martin-Stuart. “It was acceptable for women to wear pants to work, and makeup wasn’t a big deal.”

With every decade, we redefine what beautiful means.

And Martin-Stuart’s points reiterated that beauty and fashion are intertwined, not only with each other, but with hair, makeup, politics, media and the surrounding social climate. But beauty has always been more than skin deep.

Je ne sais quoi is a French phrase that translates directly to “I do not know what.” However, the meaning of the phrase is more abstract. It’s a certain indefinable quality that captivates and fascinates people, and it has (perhaps unknowingly) dominated each fashion trend and evolving definition of beauty in our society for years.

Currently, our society spotlights the “natural” in our clothing, hair and makeup. This phase isn’t anything groundbreakingly new, though. Periods of high glamour have been consistently broken up by periods that emphasize natural beauty.

Martin-Stuart explained that today, this emphasis extends to much more than exterior features. Natural, simple and pure have become desirable lifestyle features that we see everywhere today.

“These trends happen for multiple reasons, and are in sync with other trends we follow today such as slow food, slow fashion, tiny houses and embracing diversity,” MartinStuart said. “And social media is a huge contributor to this.

Social media is allowing people to have their own style and celebrate it and market it too. This is a movement

that gets its push from younger generations.”

So what is it about a sense of simplicity and purity that intrigues us? What about these qualities draws us into these clothing trends, social movements and people?

Natural beauty is simple, light and innocent, showcasing the traits that have been with us since the day we were born. There’s a certain simplicity and intimacy that comes with a look of “pureness,” which might be why society continues to come back to it over the years.

Martin-Stuart also emphasized that even when these trends of reverting back to natural beauty come around, there is always going to be a back-and-forth pull.

“The political climate we’re in right now lends us towards that, too,” she said. “The high-glamour fashion of women like Melania and Ivanka Trump is still prominent, but younger generations are pulling away from that.

Companies like Victoria’s Secret are in dire straights fighting to change their brand to adapt to a climate where women are rejecting that standard of sexuality.”

This is just one example where we see that captivating “it” factor changing. Today’s je ne sais quoi is more than clothes and makeup, and it’s not something that can be faked or purchased. Je ne sais quoi goes deeper than what we see on the outside and the products that we put on our bodies every day.

The inherent qualities we are born with make us who we are. Natural beauty is something we strive to conserve.

We place wildlife and landmarks under protection so they cannot be altered because we know that their beauty and value lies in their natural states. Shouldn’t the same be said of people? There’s something about simply being you that’s attractive. Beyond what you wear or how you look, how you carry yourself has an impact on others.

No matter what “it” is, the je ne sais quoi factor that captivates us stems from the inherent qualities a person possesses. We can shape our hair and alter our skin, but the traits unique to us will always lie beneath. The current push towards naturality in our lives is a reflection of the things that are important to us as humans and—as cliché as it sounds—it’s important to be yourself. Beauty can be redefined a thousand times, but the “it” factor—the je ne sais quoi in each of us—comes from within.

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Modeled by Amanda Parmo & Kennedy Sulton

EDIT / 01

INTO

THE

WOODS

M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y M A D I S O N B E A L , E R I N H AY M A E R , TO RY N O B L E , S O P H I A S P I N E L L & A L E XA Z WE I G PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHRISTINA VITELLAS

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Photographed by Annie David Makeup & Styling by Cami Cicero Modeled by Sam Hotz, Erin Poplin & Greg Schorsch

M A J O R M OT I O N M A G I C I N O U R BA C KYA R D WRITTEN BY

Rebecca Sowell

A

man with thick salt-and-pepper hair walks along the hallways of Miami University’s Farmer School of Business, passing pristine crown molding and shining plaques naming notable donors. Once he reaches the primary atrium, he stops and places his hands on the polished brass railings.

He surveys the room, lost in thought. Before he walks away, he glances down at the crowd of eager students staring intently below him. He offers a quick wave. The group erupts in giggles and nervous chatter. One student squeals, “I love you!” and he chuckles. Actor George Clooney is no stranger to people fawning over him, but he was a new acquaintance to Miami’s campus.

In 2011, the filming of the movie “The Ides of March” brought Hollywood powerhouses George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Evan Rachel Wood to Oxford, Ohio. But why Miami?

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HO L LY WO O D’S NE W A F F IN ITY F O R T H E C IN C IN NAT I A R E A CHA L L E NGE S THE WO R N -O UT S T E R E OTYPE S O F T H E M IDWE S T BE ING A CO L O RL E S S AN D UN RE M A RK A B L E PL AC E .

Kristen Erwin Schlotman, a Miami alumna who graduated in 1996, is the executive director of Film Cincinnati, a nonprofit organization that encourages moviemakers to film around the Cincinnati area. The cast of “The Ides of March” had already been filming in Cincinnati for a few weeks, and when Schlotman heard the movie needed to shoot in a college setting, she advocated for Miami to be the primary location.

“My initial introduction of Miami to George was somewhere around Millville,” Schlotman said in the Miamian Magazine. “He said, ‘This is way too far.’ I kept telling him, wait a minute. Then we got there, and he said, ‘This is perfect. Now I know exactly why you drove me this far.’”

While Miami students were thrilled to sneak a glimpse of Hollywood magic on campus seven years ago, many students fail to realize that major blockbuster movies are frequently filmed right down the road in Cincinnati, Dayton, Hamilton and Northern Kentucky. In fact, the greater Cincinnati area has become an increasingly popular setting for major motion pictures.

It started in 1988 when actors Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman took up residency in Cincinnati to film “Rain Man,” which later won four Oscars, including Best Picture. This was the first major film that was shot in Cincinnati, inspiring many others to follow suit.

Since then, over 50 major films have been shot in the Cincinnati area, including “Carol,” “Killing of a Sacred Deer,” “Marauders” and “Traffic.” Local records were broken in 2016 when eight major movies were filmed in the area within one year. In 2017, film legend Robert

Redford shot his final movie “The Old Man & the Gun” in Cincinnati before his indefinite retirement.

Yet one may ask: Why would filmmakers need to come to Cincinnati when they have New York and Los Angeles in the palms of their hands? Although Ohio’s enticing tax incentives definitely draw moviemakers (hello, $40 million motion picture tax credit!), many of them are attracted to Cincinnati’s quaint architecture.

As one of the largest urban historic districts in the country, the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood is a popular filming spot because it resembles 1950s New York City.

Not only has the influx of Hollywood films benefitted the Ohio economy, but it’s also had a positive local impact. According to Film Cincinnati, during the filming of Zac Efron’s upcoming movie “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” the production team donated leftover catering to homeless shelters around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky at the end of each day.

It’s exhilarating to walk around Miami’s campus knowing that George Clooney and Ryan Gosling strolled along the same paths not too long ago.

Hollywood’s new affinity for the Cincinnati area challenges the worn-out stereotypes of the Midwest being a colorless and unremarkable place. Oxford is so much more than just cornfields. Cincinnati isn’t just a bland second-tier city. The area is becoming more and more of a cultural center that people are interested in.

The world’s eyes and ears are captured by Cincinnati.

And boy, does she shine.

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G O N E

N A T U R A L WRITTEN BY

Regan O’Brien

Photographed by Victoria MacGregor Makeup & Styling by Brooke Evans Modeled by Reily Boss & Caroline Calcaterra 20 | WINTER 2019

Natural is better. These are words almost every young girl hears if and when she starts wearing makeup. Over the years, we’ve seen the world of beauty bounce back and forth from heavy contouring to a more minimalist approach of bringing out your inner “glow.”

So what has triggered the ever-changing beauty industry to shift to cleaner, more natural products? The concept of clean beauty has brought a new wave of products to consumers, with companies like Sephora designating whole sections of their stores to beauty products deemed “clean.”

According to Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle and wellness brand Goop, a clean beauty product can be defined as “a non-toxic product that is made without a long, ever-evolving list of ingredients linked to harmful health effects from hormone disruption, to cancer, to plain-old skin irritation.” While Goop critics deem the brand a hoax for its pseudoscience ways, the company stands strong: its current value is $250 million.

UP turned to Audrey Gunther, a consultant for Beautycounter (a clean beauty company) for more information on the true benefits of clean beauty, how it has shaped her own life and how the switch to purer products is long overdue.

“As more and more people are becoming aware of the ingredients in the food they eat, it is natural for them to start questioning the ingredients in what they put on their skin as well,” Gunther said. “People are now reading the labels on the skincare items and questioning what they contain. Skin is the human body’s largest organ. We need to take care of it.”

Gunther made the switch to clean beauty around two years ago when she started working for Beautycounter. Since then, she has seen significant changes not only in her skin, but in her overall health.

“My skin has never looked better,” Gunther said. “I often had hormonal acne, breakouts, dryness and redness. I do not suffer from any of these anymore.”

Some people worry that the products we use on a daily basis have ingredients that may endanger our health. For instance, some individuals shy away from the use of aluminum in antiperspirants. Past studies have theorized that aluminum causes increased risk for breast cancer and Alzheimer’s, but experts reported to WebMD that there’s no solid evidence to back up this link. However, many, like Gunther, still favor clean products.

“I made a conscious effort many years ago to switch to a natural deodorant,” Gunther said. “It took a few tries to find the one that worked for me and now I will never go back to products containing aluminum.”

The shift to cleaner beauty products doesn’t have to be dramatic, either. Gunther recommends starting out small by switching products you use on a daily basis. Simply trying a new sunscreen or lip gloss that may trigger minor changes in your routine could have a positive, lasting impact.

“Switching over to cleaner products is a progress, not perfection mission,” Gunther said. “Start small. As you finish current products, replace your items gradually. Start with the items you use every day.”

The clean beauty wave ties back to the idea of natural beauty, as it emphasizes the use and application of beneficial product ingredients. Brands like Glossier are trying to change the way society views makeup, with the idea of “skin first, makeup second.”

UP reached out to Miami University junior Ashley Hetherington for her insight on how natural beauty impacts confidence levels. Hetherington runs her blog “The Honey Scoop,” and she’s also the host of her own podcast.

“It takes some courage to love who you are—flaws and all—and that’s where confidence comes from,” she said. “How do you be confident in yourself without makeup? You look in the mirror and you learn to love yourself. And loving yourself is a choice, and something that comes with time.”

Confidence is something that comes from within, not from what is being put on your face. But like Hetherington stated, one’s confidence is often linked to one’s self-image, a thing which can take a long time to accept.

“I started to feel more and more comfortable without a lot of makeup,” Hetherington said. “This is partly because I am in college and I sleep in a little too late before my classes, so I barely have time to put on a lot of makeup. Somewhere in the last couple of years, I’ve accepted how I was made.”

Whether you choose to use clean products and wear natural makeup, or to rock that winged eyeliner and sharp contour, it all comes down to what you feel is best for your skin and for yourself. Beauty is about empowering women and men to be the best version of themselves, not what society is telling them to be.

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TALK

the

WRITTEN BY

TALK

Maddie Clegg

Photographed by Tesia Neujahr Makeup & Styling by Coquise Frost Modeled by Kelly Milan

Podcasting, formally referred to as “audio-blogging,” has roots that trace back to the 1980s. Before there were podcasts, there was good, old-fashioned talk radio. Conceptually, the two are very similar. Talk radio features a commentator broadcasting different contemporary issues with the ability for people to call in to the radio station and voice their thoughts and opinions.

“Hot talk” is a type of talk radio that became increasingly popular in the ’90s, as it allowed people to discuss pop culture issues instead of the traditional political banter. The conversation began to center around topics like pop culture, music, sports and comedy, grabbing the interest of listeners and eventually leading to the invention of internet-based talk shows.

Despite a society so infatuated with screen-based entertainment, podcasts have grown increasingly popular. This begs the question: Why do we love this relatively antiquated form of entertainment? UP chatted with Quinn Karrenbauer and Kelly Milan, two Miami University students with their own podcasts, to find out.

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Entertainment There are over 525,000 available podcasts in the United States with a variety of subjects to choose from. Listeners find their podcast niche and become hooked.

If you’re in search of a new podcast, you don’t have to look very far. WMSR, Miami’s student-run radio station, hosts a variety of different podcasts to tune into every week, including two hosted by Quinn Karrenbauer and Kelly Milan.

Karrenbauer’s podcast focuses on a fictional, mystery-based thriller with some comedic undertones.

“I wanted to create something that would have the same effect on other people like podcasts had on me,” Karrenbauer said. “So I created ‘Have You Seen Me,’ an audio drama which has elements of a supernatural mystery. I keep it mysterybased, but I can’t really resist putting in a few jokes just to lighten the mood.”

Milan’s podcast series, “In Chicago, Do Any Lives Matter?” concentrates on the violence and injustice in Chicago.

Inspired by the love for her city, Milan aims to bring awareness to the violence and create a call to action.

“If you’ve heard the term Chiraq, there’s a reason why it makes everyone uncomfortable,” Milan said. “My favorite city is known to be called a warzone. My podcast takes a different turn on it, talking about actions that should be taking place to stop this. I think all lives really do matter and something needs to be taken into consideration.”

Conveniency Podcast popularity is centered around the ability to listen to them while multitasking. Sitting in the car on a road trip, passing time during your work commute, taking a walk, completing homework at your desk—whatever the activity,

Join the Podcast Movement Check out some of these top rated podcasts featured on Spotify, Soundcloud and Apple Music.

podcasts give people the ability to listen whenever and wherever.

“We don’t have a lot of time to sit down and enjoy content the way that people used to be able to do,” Karrenbauer said.

“I know so many podcast listeners who love listening to them because they can listen to them on their commutes. Podcasts allow you to have this story developing in your head, but you can still pay attention to your surroundings.”

Relationship to the Podcaster People who listen to podcasts tend to create a relationship with the host. Podcasts talk about things that are not only entertaining, but also relatable to the listener. The more time you invest into a podcast, the closer your relationship with the host gets. The aspect of sound and listening is also a huge factor of success for podcasts. Listeners are able to focus their attention on someone’s voice, and what they’re saying makes the experience more intimate and genuine.

“Being involved in the digital era, it’s so easy to get caught up on our phones, our computers and devices and watching things,” Milan said. “But there is something so important about listening. I think listening is something that is so key in life. Even radio right now, us being on the air together and talking. Somebody out there is listening to that, and I think that’s important.”

Exclusivity Listeners believe that podcasts give them information and content that they can’t receive on other digital media platforms. Whether that’s a murder mystery, an interview with a celebrity, relationship and dating advice, politics or education, podcasts can provide inside access to the things we want to hear.

In the Dark (Crime) My Favorite Murderer (Comedy/Crime) The Mortified Podcast (Comedy) 30 for 30 (Sports) Pardon My Take (Comedy/Sports) Girls Gotta Eat (Relationships) Anna Faris is Unqualified (Comedy/Relationships) Welcome to Nightvale (Fictional Audio Drama) How I Built This (Business) S Town (Investigative Journalism)

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WI N T RY WO N D E RS MAKEUP & STYLING BY MADIS ON BEAL, JANET ELIZABETH H E R M A N , A A R O N J A C O B S , B E N K R A U T H E I M & M AT T Z E L D I N P H OTO G RA P H E D BY M AG G I E S M E R D E L

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Modeled by Claire Eckel, Annabel Meals & Stone Rhodes

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10 TI P S

FOR LIVIN G YO UR FULLE ST LIFE WRITTEN BY

Photographed by Katie Wickman Makeup & Styling by Natalie Gruenwald Modeled by Josie Dondanville

Mary Kate Groh

Stress can often feel like you are lost in a crowded city: cars buzzing past you, people shouting and hands pushing against you to keep walking, although you don’t know where you want to go.

Self-care is vital for mental and physical health, but it often falls through the cracks. So, what can we do to live our fullest life?

What can we do to tune out the buzzing cars, the shouts and the overwhelming sense of feeling hopelessly lost?

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01

06

THROW OUT CLOTHES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BAD

TAKE A COLD SHOWER

Don’t hold on to clothes that don’t reflect who you are anymore. If

As hard as it might be to stand in bone-chilling water, there are serious

your jeans from high school don’t fit, there is no reason to keep them.

health benefits to taking a cold shower over a steaming one. It can

Donate them to charity and buy clothes that make you feel good

increase alertness, refine skin and hair and improve immunity and

about your body. College is the perfect time to throw out your old

circulation, easing stress and muscle soreness.

high school clothes and find a style that suits you. Find clothing that makes you feel fabulous and confident. Declutter your closet, your life and your mind.

02 FIND A PAUSE BUTTON IN YOUR DAY

07 SAY “NO” If you are feeling overwhelmed by all of the daily demands, just know that it is OK to say “no” every once in a while. Don’t overcommit yourself or bite off more than you can chew.

Just as our phones and laptops need to be charged for power, we do as well. Instead of trying to push through the hectic day, make time to recharge. Realize that recharging looks different for everyone—maybe you like to chat with a friend or listen to a podcast while on your way to

08 SLEEP NAKED

class. Or maybe it’s something as simple as meditating in fresh air for

As crazy as this sounds, sleeping naked can actually improve your

five minutes. Switch everything to “airplane mode” and free yourself

quality of sleep. According to Amelia Wilson, writer of the blog, Tuck,

from the constant dings of social media. It’s essential to find that

“Keeping your body cool is key to enjoying a night of uninterrupted

tranquil time in your day to simply unwind.

sleep. When you bring pajamas into the mix, your body has more external factors to deal with that can affect your temperature.”

03 SPEND TIME MAKING YOUR BEDROOM AS DREAMY AS POSSIBLE Bedrooms are an escape, and making sure our personal spaces are comforting is key. This can be as simple as spraying your pillows with lavender or changing your lighting. Try stringing holiday lights along

And if you sleep with a significant other, skin-to-skin contact is known for boosting oxytocin which influences emotions and stability between partners. A survey conducted by Cotton USA studied 1,000 adults and found that couples who sleep naked were more likely to report being happy in their relationship compared to couples who slept clothed.

the ceiling for an enchanting glow at night.

09 04

LET GO OF NEGATIVE VIBES

FOCUS ON SELF-KINDNESS

No one needs a nasty gray cloud hanging over his or her shoulder.

Do one thing a day for yourself. Find your way to escape. Read your favorite book. Indulge in a bubble bath. Make an appointment with a therapist. Enroll in a yoga class. Go out with friends. Pay yourself a compliment—every day. Christina Arylo, author of “Madly In Love

Spend time with people who lift you up, rather than those who bring you down. As we mature, we need to learn not to invest time in the people who don’t see our value. Remember to breathe, let go and forgive. Don’t let trivial things consume you.

With Me” wrote, “Be nice to yourself. It’s hard to be happy when someone is mean to you all the time.”

10 DECREASE YOUR ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

05

Limit yourself and consider how much you drink on a weekly

EAT NUTRITIOUS FOODS

basis. Whether or not you actually consume alcohol, we can all

Make sure you have a balanced diet consisting of natural greens, colorful fruits and vegetables. Experiment with different types of food

agree that drinking is often a big part of college and can lead to physical and emotional consequences, so remember your limits.

and try new things. Remember that slipping healthy superfoods into your diet does not have to be challenging. Decrease your carbohydrate intake and drink plenty of water. Be friendly to your body.

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Photographed by Brandon Bouchaya Makeup & Styling by Coquise Frost Modeled by Hannah Warner

The Perfect Piece WRITTEN BY

Erin Adelman

A

rtistic architecture and colorful storefronts make up the flourishing Over-the-Rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati. The area’s eclectic boutiques and trendy restaurants create a fun environment for day-trippers and night owls alike. But Lane + Kate, a curated jewelry store located in the heart of the area, seeks a more in-depth relationship with its visitors.

When you walk into Lane + Kate, the freshly cut flowers adorning the entrance and botanical patterns on the walls provide pops of color amid a dreary winter day. Shimmering crystals dangle like chandeliers, and the delicate rings, necklaces and earrings on display evoke feelings of timeless nostalgia. Lane + Kate is an enchanted space where beauty and meaning collide in the business’s carefully curated and captivating jewelry collection.

Rachel Pfeiffer, a 2007 Miami University graduate, founded Lane + Kate in 2010 with a dream of selecting meaningful and elegant jewelry for her customers crafted from ethically sourced materials that could become family heirlooms.

While she was a Miami student, Pfeiffer worked at a store in Oxford, Ohio, called Collected Works. When the original owner passed away, she began managing the store.

“I ran it as Collected Works for several years before turning it over to Lane + Kate,” Pfeiffer said. “I got the idea for Lane + Kate while still at Miami. I loved what little bit of jewelry there was at Collected Works when I worked there while attending Miami and knew I wanted to do more of that.”

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With the founding of Lane + Kate came a new vision and a new market. While Collected Works mostly sold gifts and home goods, Pfeiffer said Lane + Kate seeks to curate a collection of artistic and ethically crafted jewelry that can be cherished for generations.

After two years in Oxford, the business moved to their current Over-the-Rhine location where she said their high-end jewelry and engagement ring sales have flourished. Pfeiffer said the thriving neighborhood of like-minded shop owners encourages Lane + Kate in their pursuit of selling quality, unique products.

“We really enjoy the other businesses,” Pfeiffer said.

“They’re all focused on the makers of products, and that was really in tune with the vision we had as well. It is a vibrant scene of up-and-coming retail, and we wanted to be part of that. When you have so many local and independent businesses, you get an authentic feel of the city. It’s so independent and unique and very specific to the area.”

Many negative associations connected to the jewelry industry exist, however, such as child and forced labor practices and the use and creation of toxic waste. Aware of these negative connotations, Pfeiffer said Lane + Kate prioritizes sustainability by partnering with artisans who utilize ethically sourced materials.

“The mission stems from wanting to help the environment in the best way possible,” she said. “Products made in ethical ways are better for the people making products, too. You can feel better about products when they are from a source that’s good because you know you’re not harming anyone or the planet.”

Creating personal relationships with designers is essential to finding high quality jewelry that fits the brand’s mission, Pfeiffer said. Lane + Kate’s commitment to in-depth connections also extends to their customers.

Becoming part of someone’s journey is a powerful opportunity that Pfeiffer said she most enjoys about her work. Heaps of Lane + Kate customers seek custom engagement rings, which is a special privilege for Pfeiffer and her colleagues.

“It’s a really intimate moment we get to be part of,” she

said. “An engagement ring is such an important piece. So, when someone trusts you to make it, it’s wonderful to be part of.”

She said Lane + Kate invites customers into the design process with a hands-on experience that ensures the customer walks away with the perfect piece as an accent for an important life moment. And an important piece of jewelry that is associated with special memories can become the perfect heirloom piece for a family.

“We feel jewelry is one of those pieces that can be passed down, and there’s something so special in that,” she said.

“The memories jewelry can represent and why they are bought are so important.”

Pfeiffer agreed with the belief that there is something inspiring and romantic about family heirlooms. Jewelry that is passed down between generations carries more than its weight, for it is closely connected to sentimental stories and meaningful memories.

While Pfeiffer said she hopes the delicate and feminine pieces sold by Lane + Kate become lasting family heirlooms, she said she has seen a change in the value family pieces once possessed.

“I think there are fewer pieces being passed down, but those that are mean so much more,” she said. “Heirlooms are still very important, but what’s getting passed down [has] changed.”

Customers often bring Lane + Kate family stones into the store that they want to give new life to. But a piece recreated into something new still carries the same significance and meaning.

“When you’re given a piece, there is a story that comes with it,” Pfeiffer said. “That’s where the nostalgia and romanticism comes from. Heirlooms let us relive moments and carry on stories.”

While jewelry heirlooms are often timelessly beautiful pieces, their significance goes far deeper than the material. Heirlooms give new life to past storytellers and their stories, immortalizing the memory of a beloved person and captivating hearts across generations.

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Photographed by Morgan Minnock Makeup & Styling by Abby Malone & Tory Noble Modeled by Jaslyn Davis-Johnson & Michael Seballos

SW EET DR EA MS 34 | WINTER 2019

WRITTEN BY

Vivian Drury

You are only here because of a dream I continuously had.

These are the words that a Miami University alumna heard from her mother.

Her mother remembered a dream she had while pregnant with the student, her first child. In the dream, as she and her husband were driving to the hospital to deliver the baby, they arched over a large hill.

On the other side of that hill was a red-hot Camaro, speeding its way into their car. Each time she had this dream, she would awaken as the Camaro slammed into them.

The mother recalled that she had the dream several times and told her husband about it.

“They are just dreams,” he would say. “Go back to sleep.”

The day finally arrived when her water broke and the soon-to-be-parents were on their way to the hospital. The mother’s heartbeat raced as they approached the hill. Her fingers grasped the side of the door.

“Humor me,” she told her husband as they neared the hill.

“Pull over onto the side of the road.”

And so he did. As soon as they pulled over, a bright, cherry-colored Mustang zoomed past them, only inches away from making contact with the car.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the hospital and welcomed a healthy baby girl into the world.

“Dreams have significant meaning in our lives, but they have layered meaning,” said Dr. Roger Knudson, a retired psychology professor from Miami who specialized in dream theory. “Dreams are first cousins to poems, they inspire all kinds of artists and can be interpreted from a range of perspectives.”

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To help gain a better understanding of what current students think of dreams, UP turned to Miami students and administered a survey asking them about their dreaming habits and the possible meanings behind them.

Many students revealed that they remember some of their dreams, specifically scary, violent or suspenseful ones. Some believe dreams act as a window into an unspoken side of ourselves; others declare they have no purpose at all.

According to Knudson and famous dream theorist Harry Hunt, humans have big and little dreams.

Little dreams are mimicked images of our everyday lives: walking to class, conversing with a friend, eating dinner.

Big dreams are dreams that shake our perceptions, forcing us awake in the middle of the night and making us question reality. Big dreams can often repeat and evoke the same emotions and reactions over and over again.

Yet, how does one determine if these “big dreams” have any meaning, and how does one go about breaking down these symbols?

Well, you can’t.

“Dreams can be interpreted within a range of perspectives, but different cultures dream in different symbol sets,” Knudson said. “That is why specific meaning cannot be tied to any symbols.

People go out and buy dream symbol books and look at them for a week, maybe a few months. Then they get bored. There is no sequence, no direct answers or ties from one to the other.”

Just as people speak different languages, we acquire different symbol sets to represent our emotions, faiths and daily lives. These symbols grow and change with time. Dreams can be interpreted differently depending on context and culture.

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“Western culture believes dreams are just dreams— even within psychology, dreams have dropped off the radar for inquiry,” Knudson said. “We think that dreams are designed for other cultures. Americans have become so enthralled with other media and forms of graphic images that have captured our attention, turning us away from dreams.”

Most of the time, humans believe dreams have no meaning. Yet sometimes, especially in times of chaos or turmoil, people turn to their dreams as fortune tellers or as answers to their problems.

It is true that dreams have meaning and can give insight into ourselves and possibly future events, but they are not the omnipotent figures we often paint them to be.

“Humans look for dreams to bring solutions to our conflicts, but that is not what they are for,” Knudson said.

So, what are dreams really for? Are they “our neurotransmitters going apeshit,” as one survey respondent suggested?

Rather than solving our problems or providing us with earth-shattering insight on how to spontaneously make everything better, dreams simply act as checkpoints as we go through the journey of discovering and achieving our own individual callings.

As supported by Knudson’s, Hunt’s and other dream theorists’ research, all humans are born with a calling. Some callings, like those of Beethoven or Lebron James, are found with the tapping of a piano key or with the swish of a net. Others are a bit more hidden.

“You have a responsibility to figure out what your calling is and to dedicate your life to the service of that calling,” Knudson said. “In many cultures, you have a guardian angel, a guiding spirit or even

a childhood invisible friend. They come and whisper in your ear about whether you are on the path you are supposed to be on because you are in service to your calling or are not. And the place where they whisper in your ear is in dreams.”

Knudson discussed how during his time at Miami, he loved to meet students who were undecided in their major. He notes how these four years are a time where students are open to these whisperings and chance encounters, like when they wander through the library and a book catches their attention, or they meet a professor that makes them think so differently it changes their entire perspective. This is one’s calling announcing itself.

“Dreams are one of the places where you get imitations of whether you are on the path you are destined to be on, and sometimes they even pop out in everyday life,” Knudson said. “You also discover that it is not entirely up to you because you are being lived by forces that you only pretend to understand.”

When it comes to your dreams, stop thinking in words.

We dream in images and motion pictures, not language.

Do not try and crack the code of the so-called symbols in your dreams with key words or concrete descriptions that only attach to one fixed meaning, as dreams contain layered meanings.

Your dreams are not a puzzle; don’t expect for every tiny piece to coincide. Listen and be mindful of the messages that continually come to you night after night.

Dreams have the power to save an expecting mother and her child, or to inspire a student like Knudson, who was determined to please his parents by becoming a physicist, but fell in love with psychology instead.

Dreams allow for a complex and uncharted dimension to interact with the one we live in every day. Allow yourself to be captivated by dreams and explore the space between your brain and the pillow each night.

Sweet dreams.

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seeing

double M A K E U P & S T Y L I N G B Y K AT I E F R I E D L A N D , C O Q U I S E F R O S T, H A I L E Y L O W E , L A U R E N S M I T H & H A N N A H WA R N E R P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y L A U R E N WA L D R O P

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Jewelry by Quinn Foster Design Modeled by Lizzie Harden & Emma Oaks

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Jewelry by Quinn Foster Design Photographed by Amanda Parmo Makeup & Styling by Ben Krautheim Modeled by Ryanne Elsass, Lauren Hall & Rebecca Smith

FA S H I O N W H I P L A S H THE TIMELINESS OF TRENDS WRITTEN BY

Madysen George

Our generation is in a unique position when it comes to the

neither technology nor progressive thought, and one day,

ebb and flow of trends. We like to think we are immune to

it will come for us. Clothing that once captivated us has

bad taste because we have grown up alongside technology,

already lost its luster. It’s only a matter of time until we

and we like to think we made the internet what it is.

wake up one day to find our dusty yearbooks on the table, or perhaps our old social media posts pulled up, with our

We were there for YouTube in its earliest phases, when flip-

children laughing at our once-stylish selves of yesteryear.

phones became slide-phones, when slide-phones became iPhones—we built a world that is viral and trending. How

As the older sister of a brother six years my junior, I’ve

could it possibly turn on us? The mistakes of the fringe-

already gotten a taste of what such a future may look like.

framed ’70s and the shoulder-padded ’80s are the woes of

Have you ever noticed how 14-year-olds today look more

generations less connected than ours. We are hip, dammit.

put together than you did for the entirety of your high school career? (Makeup tutorials totally didn’t reach us in

But the eventuality of irrelevance knows no decade; it sees

42 | WINTER 2019

time.) Where is the justice? Where are their gaucho- and

UGG-filled years? Seeking camaraderie, the mistakes

dress like the mannequins.”

of my prepubescent self vivid in my mind’s eye, I spoke to several Miami University students about what

Three other heads nodded in agreement. The

cringe-worthy trends captivated them in their youth.

universality of our egregious fashion errors makes for a fun late-night conversation among friends, but what

Elle Stokes, Emma St. Amand, Jackie Delahunty and

will that same conversation sound like 10 years from

Katie Smith all attended different middle and high

today? What do we wear now that our older selves will

schools, but you wouldn’t know it listening to their

have to deal with the fall-out of ? I was surprised by

conversation. I began by throwing out the question:

how readily the answers came again.

What were things you remember wearing that now s ee m c ri m i n a l ? I wa s a n swe re d by a scat te red

“Big

chorus of:

immediately suggested.

“Low-rise jeans!”

Bodysuits, oversized furry coats and huge flare jeans

“Fedoras and cabby hats!”

were all listed as trends on eventual death row, which

“Bermuda shorts—oh god.”

begs one to inquire: if we are sure of their fate, why do

sweatshirts

…

oh,

and

chokers!”

Smith

we allow ourselves to answer the siren call of fashions Every response given was met with three resounding

we know to be doomed? Were our parents this

responses of: “Oh my god, YES!”

self-aware?

“Tight shirts with graphics with low-rise jeans, or a

“Because we want to feel cute … it’s what everyone is

tight spaghetti strap cami. That was my go-to outfit,”

wearing, you have to keep up,” Stokes said.

Smith said, and each of us confirmed that, at one point in time, the exact look was also our go-to outfit.

“Yeah, and trends are so interchangeable—something being cute doesn’t mean it’s cool, like it will always

“OK, but mine definitely was ripped jeans with

change, so you just have to ride it if you want to be

UGGs and a fleece North Face jacket,” said Stokes,

stylish,” Delahunty said.

reminding us all of the discarded North Faces hanging in the depths of our closet—too nice to get rid of, too

We were some of the last individuals not born into

irrelevant to wear, trapped in the rift where quality

technology; we had our awkward stage, and we had

and trends separate.

it hard. But nobody could tell us we were not cool as heck, because we were wearing the same neon-hued

The seal broken, the answers became a free for all: knit

clothing as everybody else.

sweaters, Justice, skinny jeans, tiny booties, Cookie Monster snapbacks. For sports practice, cut-offs with

Fashion, above all else, should be fun. While

sports bras and pre-wrap in your hair. Speaking of hair,

individuality should always be celebrated, there is

why were we all crimping it? The list goes on and on.

no prize for condemning your peers for uniformity.

Trends encapsulate moments in time—after all, five

I interrupted our nostalgia to pose another question.

women were able to pinpoint our exact years in school

“Why were we all dressing like that? How do trends

based on what clothing we were talking about. Though

become uniform?”

trends come and go, and your love for certain pieces may be passing, ride on whatever trend wave you see

“Pop culture,” Delahunty said. “And what the

fit—and then be sure to laugh (and cringe) with your

mannequins at the mall were wearing. I wanted to

friends five years later when you inevitably wipe out.

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WRITTEN BY

It’s 12:37 a.m. on a Tuesday night and I’m lying in bed looking at Instagram. I have an 8:30 a.m. class tomorrow morning.

I need to sleep, yet I continue to stare at the screen. As I see snaps of friends out for ’90s night or random influencers’ photos from Tulum or Morocco or wherever they’re currently jet-setting, I find myself feeling not only inadequate and lonely, but irrationally stressed out. I want to go to bed, but for some reason I just can’t. stop. scrolling. Vaguely, I’m wondering: why?

Why am I doing this to myself?

Dr. John Ward, a psychologist and the Director of Student Counseling at Miami University, said he has noticed social media has become something “that is inundating students’ lives.”

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Abigail Padgett

“It’s constantly bombarding people, and it’s making us anxious, because we can’t get away from it, or feel as if we can unplug from it,” Ward said.

In the last 10 to 15 years, he has also seen a shift from depressionrelated concerns to a majority of cases that deal primarily with anxiety, which he believes has some correlation to the emergence of social media outlets and constant “connectedness.”

The problem is, social media is fun. It is unreasonably fascinating and hilarious. Meme accounts and funny Instagram pages (such as Barstool Sports and 5th Year) are equally laughable and cringeworthy. But deep down, there seems to be a general

attitude emerging around social media: there is something exhausting about it and the larger culture it has created.

Networking and constant communication through the internet has the potential to create wide-scale benefits, and social media platforms are incredible for discussion of current events and pop culture. Yet, in recent years, apps such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat have become twisted outlets in need of serious reevaluation. It’s not just the apps themselves that are problematic, however—it’s the culture and mentalities produced around them, too.

Young students and adults, regardless of age, now feel constant pressure to market themselves to an abstract online audience. Ward discusses the idea that now accompanies most people’s thoughts about social media and its clear break from reality.

“Everyone has the understanding at this point that in much of social media individuals are presenting their best selves, which is not, for most of us, our everyday selves,” Ward said. “They’re fitting up to this expectation that’s portrayed by everyone, but that’s not necessarily the real-life experience.”

Students are also aware of the negative impact social media can have on their daily life and general well-being. Miami junior Joey Mattis, who deleted all but one form of social media, shared his decision to get rid of the platforms.

“I felt like I was living my life through these mediums,” Mattis said. “It was consuming my life rather than helping me ‘be more social.’”

Mattis said that since his parting from social media, he’s been able to “lift up his head” and look

at what’s actually going on around him. Instead of sending memes or snaps to say “hey, this was funny and reminded me of you,” Mattis texts or calls his friends and family, or goes to hang out or grab dinner with them. For him, it became about putting real time into his relationships, rather than using social media as a medium that cheaply imitates real, face-to-face interaction.

“It felt freeing,” Mattis said. “I’ve become a lot closer with my friends, and I’ve been able to focus on developing relationships here, rather than worrying about my friends at other schools.”

Ward states that this is a delicate “balance based on the individual.” It is not about unplugging entirely or forsaking social media all together, but instead about realizing that social media has its good and bad parts, for lack of a better term, and knowing when to give it a break is great for feeling present in one’s day-to-day life.

“I suggest taking a walk, reading a book, going for a bike ride, sitting with a friend and having coffee.

Things that help us reconnect with ourselves and with others,” Ward advises. He recommends physically shutting off cell phones, because it is nearly impossible to ignore that ping of a new message or push notification.

“Unplugging” is a term that is ambiguous at best. It means making an effort to stay off your cell phone and distancing yourself from the instantaneous, all-consuming connectivity. Unplugging can be a powerful form of self-care, and it’s easy and effective; it’s about taking time for you and the relationships you value most. Take a few minutes before bed to sit in silence and reflect, open up a new book or go for that run outside. Pull yourself away from your screen and into the moment.

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SEEING

STARS 46 | WINTER 2019

WRITTEN BY

Claire Podges

We are born looking toward the stars.

We are taught to make wishes directing our desires at some force above. We grow up standing on tiptoes trying to grasp at the idea of something greater. It appears endlessly above us always, yet the night sky remains a mystery: it holds that unknown feeling of something we don’t fully understand. It represents the abstract, yet sometimes the concrete; we reach but never touch, we see but sometimes don’t believe.

But sometimes we need that unknown.

We need that notion of a higher power; letting our locked-away desires piggy back on stars, yearning for someone or something, somewhere, to listen.

Astrology, defined by Merriam-Webster, is “the divination of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects.” To others, it’s so much more.

It’s their identity.

“At the moment of your birth, the planets were spread out in a specific formation, each one located in a specific house,” said astrology expert and author Susan Miller on her blog, Astrology Zone. “This pattern made by the planets and their locations, called the ‘natal horoscope’ is nearly as individual to you as your fingerprint.”

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" ASTRO LO GY IS O L D E R T H A N A LOT OF RE L I G I ONS, A ND I FEEL T H E R E H AS T O B E S OM E S ORT OF VA L I D I TY TO THE PRACT IC E IF IT ’ S B E E N A ROU ND S O LONG . "

Although some doubt the scientific legitimacy of astrology in

When asked about his personal beliefs, Koleva explained that

comparison to its more researched counterpart, astronomy,

he takes the spiritual elements of the stars with a grain of salt,

t h e c o n n e c t i o n b et we e n wh at l i e s a b ove a n d h ow i t

yet he can’t deny the connection between the heavenly bodies

i n f l u e n c e s u s d own b e l ow i s a m u c h g re ate r i n te r n a l

and ourselves: “How they got there, and we got here, there’s

philosophical question.

something to be said for that,” he said.

This mixture of spirituality and sense of self found in astrology

And Koleva isn’t the only one who’s pondered this.

is not unusual. Science, religion and something in between all sit nestled among the stars, and we’ve been craning our necks

Ancient Babylonians observed man’s dependency on the

to catch a glimpse for centuries.

sun and concluded we must rely on other bodies and stars for different parts of our lives. They placed stress on the

For thousands of years, the night sky was a predictor, a map

celestial patterns that appeared when someone was born and

of direction, a storyteller. The Babylonians found their Zodiac

studied the temperaments of those born in the same cycle

signs in the sky, the ancient Greeks wrote their heroes into

of constellations. They reasoned that if the heavenly bodies

the constellations and the Egyptians marked their season of

moved in a certain pattern and specific events followed, then

floods and misfortune by the rising of Sirius, the “Dog Star.”

the recurrence of that same pattern should bring the same

But what part do the constel lations play in o u r

effects down on Earth, and voila, horoscopes were born.

modern society?

Horoscopes are believed to predict human nature and They remain a map of sorts, a directional guide to our future.

forthcomings by the patterns and rotations viewed in the

They give us a hope of something more, an offer of what lies

night sky. Although modern science has revealed it’s Earth

past our egocentric perspectives.

moving and not the heavenly bodies, countless still follow their horoscope predations to this day, even through apps on

“The night sky quite literally opens our eyes to the amount

their iPhones.

we truly don’t know or understand,” said sophomore Miami

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University student Orion Koleva, president of the university’s

Julia Trevorrow, a junior at Miami, follows her personal

Astronomy Club.

horoscope on an app titled Co-Star. The app intertwines

birth details and NASA’s data on planetary movement to craft a specific daily horoscope.

“Astrology is older than a lot of religions, and I feel there has to be some sort of validity to the practice if it’s been around so long,” Trevorrow said, taking the moon into consideration, too. “My point of view is that if the moon changes the tides of the ocean, why wouldn’t it have some sort of effect on humans who are made up of 60 percent water themselves?”

Trevorrow, a Virgo, says that there’s much more to astrology than just horoscope predictions in magazines. “I don’t love traditional horoscopes because they only address your sun sign when in reality there is way more to your birth chart,” she said. “From studying the planets in my birth chart, I’ve discovered my strengths and weaknesses which can be extremely helpful in my day-to-day life.”

Although the horoscopes Trevorrow and other believers follow don’t exactly sprout from science, the reason we look towards the heavens comes down to something very real: a psychological phenomenon called "self-selection." Astronomer Sten Odenwald, the director of Citizen Science at the NASA Space Science Education Consortium, coined this term to represent how individuals interpret their horoscope or other predicted fortunes.

The phenomenon states that we see what aligns with our personal objectives or wishes and discard the things that contradict those goals.

Some see this as wishful thinking, but sometimes that’s just what we need: something to help us get through and make us feel in control.

“Astrology is not the art of predestination, for each of us has free will,” Miller said. “The choice of whether to take advantage of an opportunity or let it go will always be up to you.”

No matter your personal beliefs on astrology and horoscopes, there is often an indescribable connection we feel to the night sky, be it scientific or spiritual, and we all could gain something different just

Photographed by Katie Wickman Makeup & Styling by Anna Bixby & Katie Friedland Modeled by Milana Lysova Jewelry by oxford.made

by looking up.

49 | WINTER 2019

SPELLBINDING STORIES

H OW FA N TA S Y PA RA L L E L S R E A L I TY

OP-ED WRITTEN BY

Sophie Thompson

Writing is difficult.

That’s no surprise to anyone, but I argue it’s especially tough if you’re a fantasy author. Creating entirely fictional worlds and characters out of nothing but your mind and bringing them to life on the printed page? Woof.

While contemporary fiction is engaging and relevant in our society, the fantasy genre allows authors to reach out and speak to readers in a way that most contemporary novels can’t.

First and foremost, fantasy appeals to readers as a mode of escapism. It’s thrilling and enchanting to get away from the world we live in, where we’re accustomed to certain rules, places and people.

With fantasy, we’re tossed into a whole new world where all the rules we think we know are tossed out the window.

We become forced to set aside our assumptions and preconceived notions about, well, everything. Because the story evolves in an environment never seen before, our experiences are totally new and influenced by the characters who take us with them on their journeys.

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Given this opportunity to learn and grow from such a fresh perspective, who wouldn’t benefit from picking up a fantasy novel?

Fantasy worlds may seem starkly different from our own, but the genre serves as a platform for many authors to speak about issues of humanity by immersing readers in books with characters who encounter real human struggles.

Issues of race, gender, sexuality, oppression, ignorant labeling and ostracism consistently arise in fantasy novels.

Characters of multiple identities, ethnicities and social strata face wide-lense problems and must confront their own biases to overcome their personal battles—sometimes literally.

Tomi Adeyemi tackles this in her debut novel, “Children of Blood and Bone,” which features solely black characters.

She challenges the fantasy genre, as it is notorious for only publishing books by white authors with predominantly white characters.

In an interview with Mashable last March, Adeyemi commented on the ability of fantasy novels to both change people’s perspectives and enlighten them on the lives of marginalized citizens, especially people of color.

“I think the power of fantasy is to make people understand the deep realities of our real world, that you can’t make them understand in our real world because everyone approaches our real world with their own experiences, with the prejudices, often times with stereotypes and with racism,” she said.

Similarly, Leigh Bardugo, author of the “Six of Crows” duology and Sabaa Tahir, writer of the “Ember in the Ashes” series, explore how fantasy draws connections to our world and the importance in building representation of readers in their books.

Bardugo spoke in a 2016 interview with Bustle about writing main characters who are part of the LGBTQ+ community and struggle with mental and physical disabilities.

“I also think we give fantasy too much of a pass,” she said.

“‘It’s a fantasy world!’ isn’t an excuse to run roughshod over marginalized voices.”

Tahir talked to the Washington Post in 2016 about how being a woman of color influenced her writing in the genre.

“The way I felt growing up, which was like an outcast—I was weird, I was a nerd, I read fantasy books—I think a lot of fantasy book readers and a lot of readers and writers in general have that experience of isolation,” Tahir said. “But mine came from what I look like and what my background was, and I think a lot of people can identify with and relate to that.”

The genre also serves as a beacon of hope for readers. It makes people believe in the unbelievable. Characters in fantasy books face insurmountable odds and losses, yet still manage to find the light at the end of the tunnel, fighting evil forces for the sake of a better world.

Sarah J. Maas, author of the “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series, sees the fantasy genre as a way to tell people that they are not alone in whatever they’re facing.

During her October 2018 book tour in New York for the final novel in her “Throne of Glass” series, Maas took a moment to speak about what she hopes her books inspire in her fans.

“At the end of the day, I think I would want you guys to take away the message that … you can literally do anything you set your mind to,” Maas said. “You can survive anything.

You are stronger than you realize, and that no matter how many times you get knocked down, you can get back up …

And even when things are really dark and really hard, that doesn’t last forever, and you can get through it.”

Whether you are a voracious reader or not, the fantasy genre is a relevant, necessary mirror into our personal struggles and the conflicts of humanity. But most importantly, the fantasy genre is where we can immerse ourselves in extraordinary stories that help us to overcome our faults and fears.

Photographed by Sophie Thompson Makeup & Styling by Caitlyn Maskalunas Modeled by Hannah Winter

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Photographed by Olivia Hajjar Makeup & Styling by Ben Krautheim Modeled by Lauren Pagano & Sohben Sinn

LOST IN

SMOKE THE TRUTH BEHIND JUULING WRITTEN BY

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Julia Plant

It’s a Friday morning at 11:13 a.m. Three of my housemates have just woken up and are spread out on the couches in our house in uptown Oxford, Ohio. They yawn and rub their hands against their eyes, smearing remnants of last night’s makeup across their faces.

Curled up in blankets, they each scroll through their Instagram feeds on their phones with their right hands and hold their JUUL e-cigarettes in their left. They take puffs almost once a minute on the dot. They’ll continue to do so for the rest of the day.

“So many people were hitting my JUUL last night,” said Miami University junior Arin Cabi, rolling her eyes. “I gotta go buy more pods before tonight.”

Countless Miami students vape daily, some on a minuteby-minute basis. Whether they’re using their JUUL at Brick Street or King Library, it’s clear that the e-cigarette device has captivated college students across the nation. According to The New York Times, JUUL Labs controls 70 percent of the e-cigarette market.

I’ve used some of my friends’ JUULs casually at the bars a few times, but I’ve never vaped outside of a social context. This morning, I decide to try it again.

Sitting on the couch next to her, I ask Cabi if I can take a “hit” of her JUUL. I breathe in deeply, trying to act like I know what I’m doing. But before I feel anything, I’m hit with an intense coughing attack.

My housemates laugh. “Julia, that was so bad. Do it again.”

I’m embarrassed. To them, “juuling” (yes, the product even has its own verb) is second nature. But I really have to concentrate just to feel half of the infamous “buzz” that draws in the device’s users.

I’m determined to get it right this time, if only because everyone else at Miami seems to know how to “juul” so effortlessly.

I take in another deep breath and feel the vapor slowly enter my lungs. All at once, my head feels light. My legs feel weak. I have to sit down.

“Oh my god,” I say. “I definitely felt it that time.” I can’t help but ask to hit it again.

JUULs are E.N.D.S. (Electronic Nicotine Delivery System) products that resemble a flash drive. According to the official JUUL website, the mission of the company is to eliminate cigarettes. A pop-up on their website reads, “JUUL products are intended for adult smokers who want to switch from combustible cigarettes.”

But millions of people across the country, including Miami students, who wouldn’t normally smoke have found themselves “juuling” on a daily basis. And JUULs contain nicotine, a highly addictive substance. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, one JUUL pod is equivalent to an entire pack of cigarettes.

Emma Huther, co-president of HAWKS Peer Health Educators at Miami, said she believes that too many people are uninformed about the health risks of “juuling.” With the popup of JUULs on campus in the spring of 2017, Huther and other HAWKS members have become concerned about the unclear information surrounding E.N.D.S. The organization is in the process of creating a presentation to inform students at Miami about the short-term and long-term health risks associated with vaping.

“Within the past year or six months this has been something that totally spiked on Miami’s campus,” Huther said. “I felt like all of the sudden out of the blue anywhere I went I would see it uptown at a restaurant or at a bar or just anywhere on campus.”

Huther and HAWKS members are worried that students don’t know nicotine is included in JUUL pods.

“I think people just see others doing this new, cool thing and want to try it, but they aren’t fully educated,” she said. “Maybe it’s just peer pressure.”

A study published by the University of Michigan titled “Monitoring the Future” found that 63 percent of JUUL users didn’t know the product always contained nicotine, even though all flavors of JUULs (mango, mint, cucumber, creme brulee, etc.) have nicotine in them. In fact, JUUL pods contain twice as much nicotine as any other type of e-liquid.

In her research, Huther has found that “juuling” and e-cigarettes can cause irreversible lung damage. Diacetyl, the chemical often contained in the e-cigarette flavorings, has been linked to a lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans or “popcorn lung.” According to WebMD, some of the symptoms associated with the disease are dry cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, headache and fever.

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But for many young people, the health risks are worth it for the entrancing buzz the JUUL gives them. The nicotine vapor inhaled from the e-liquid allows the user to experience a “kick” that triggers a release of adrenaline. The nicotine also increases the user’s levels of dopamine and serotonin, which both cause a feeling of pleasure during the “buzz” from the JUUL. It’s this feeling that captivates JUUL users, enticing them to come back for a second inhalation.

Huther said that it’s been scientifically proven that once a person starts JUULing, it may be hard to stop. While the positive effects attract the device’s users, it’s the negative effects that make it feel almost impossible to put down the device. Withdrawal from nicotine can cause symptoms within just two to three days of cessation. These symptoms include headaches, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, increased hunger and urges to smoke. So, for many, it’s easier to simply continue “juuling.”

I often see JUUL pods scattered across my living room, on the floor of King Library and on the ground during my walks to class. My friends and I usually laugh when we stumble upon one, but the environmental impact of these pods shouldn’t be overlooked.

JUUL has no recycling program for its devices in place. When users decide they’re finished with their e-cigarette, they’ll likely throw it, and the pods, away, contributing to a build-up of electronic waste and leftover amounts of nicotine.

In recent weeks, however, the backlash from the Food and Drug Administration has resulted in the JUUL company changing its policies regarding the sales of flavored JUUL pods. According to the New York Times, JUUL Labs announced on Nov. 13 that it would stop selling mango-, fruit-, creme brulee- and cucumber-flavored pods in retail stores, and that the company would end social media advertising for the product.

“I’m honestly mad about the flavored pods,” Cabi said. “I don’t see how that’s going to help anything. I’ll probably just buy them online now.”

The company has also been criticized for its marketing toward young people. The New York Times found that 3 million middle school and high school students have reported using e-cigarettes.

While JUUL, the most prominent vaping company, has taken measures to decrease the reach of its products to younger individuals, the vaping trend doesn’t seem to be fizzling out anytime soon. The reason for this makes perfect sense: addiction. It’s why thousands of users continue to discard old pods and immediately swap in new ones.

E-cigarette companies may be changing their marketing strategies, but they can’t change the one thing that keeps vapers coming back: nicotine.

And the cycle isn’t likely to end anytime soon.

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THE

C R O WN

56 | WINTER 2019

WRITTEN BY

Madelyn Hopkins

Queen Elizabeth II stands for women, power and

allowing people to see some of her inside life, she has

sophistication. She is strong and confident; she is

remained so iconic over the years.

someone every person can look up to. She has taught the world that elegance and class never go out of style.

When Netflix released its popular series “The Crown,” it became a cult favorite. The show immediately soared

Queen Elizabeth, formally Elizabeth II, is the longest

critically and talk of “The Crown” was all over the

reigning monarch ruler in the United Kingdom’s

internet—Vanity Fair even called it a “stately success,

history. In 2017, she celebrated her Sapphire Jubilee,

alluring and easily digested, as high-end as anything can

or her 65th year of ruling. The event was shown across

get without being profound.”

the world as people celebrated her reign. She knighted Elton John, she was a dear friend of Winston Churchill,

“The Crown” provides an inside look at the young life

she mourned over Princess Diana’s death and, now, she

of Queen Elizabeth II, one which was equally public as

stands by Great Britain through their decision to leave

it was private. It’s incredibly entertaining for viewers to

the European Union. Throughout the past 65-plus

dive into the private history of the royal family—plus,

years of her rule, Queen Elizabeth has seen and done

it allows millions to fall more in love with Elizabeth’s

it all.

strong personality while learning to better sympathize with the difficulties she’s had to face.

With such a long reign, one would think that Queen Elizabeth’s spark would have begun to dwindle in the

“I fell in love with the story of Queen Elizabeth after

public eye; however, if anything, she has grown more

getting hooked on ‘The Crown,’” said Miami University

loved by the world as she’s aged.

senior Meg Hanna. “I always thought of her as a cute royal grandma, but this show helped me bond with her story.

There’s no doubt that the Queen of England would

For me, the show created this resurgence of interest in

naturally have a large group of fans and followers,

what she stands for and for who she is as both a monarch

but the scale of her fame goes above and beyond the

and a woman.”

United Kingdom. From Vogue Paris describing her rule as filled with “grace and style” to The New York Times

We adore Queen Elizabeth for a plethora of reasons. We

featuring an article about the Queen’s royal corgis, she

track her fashion trends, admire her strength and idolize

is a global phenomenon and has been for decades.

her power. She is the woman who has ruled over Great Britain for more than 65 years, yet still finds the time to

From the day she was born in 1926, the world has

match her umbrellas to her outfits. How could you not

watched her with open eyes, but we have to wonder

love that?

how exactly the Queen has managed to keep us all so entranced—why can we still not get enough of her?

She carries unthinkable power on her shoulders like a new linen jacket, with style and ease. And after all, isn’t

Perhaps because Queen Elizabeth has not shied away

that exactly how a queen is supposed to carry her crown?

from the media’s eye. She is consistently shown in magazines and newspapers spending time with her grandchildren, watching horse races and driving her car through the British countryside. She has shown her commonality while upholding her royal status. By

Photographed by Avery Salomon Makeup & Styling by Adzaan Muqtadir Modeled by Kelsey Fenger

57 | WINTER 2019

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EDIT / 04

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61 | WINTER 2019

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NAMASTE: THE ART OF YOGA WRITTEN BY

Emma Nolan

My arms are starting to shake. They begin to feel uneasy as I lower myself from a high plank to a lower one.

have learned to love and appreciate the power that yoga has on the mind and the body. Now, I practice every week.

But I don’t feel weak. I feel strong.

I began my journey with yoga rather recently. Having had prior knowledge of the ideas behind the practice, I decided to go all-in and explore yoga’s different teachings by signing up for various classes and experiences. I started with Vinyasa, then moved to Restorative and Bikram, tried Yin and continually shifted to other types of yoga.

As I finish my Chaturanga and lower down into Child’s Pose, I’m alerted to begin my Shavasana. I lie on my back, palms facing the sky.

I feel powerful. I feel peaceful. I am mindful.

Mindfulness, a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness in the present moment, is what everyone in the room is trying to achieve as we finish our class. Every time we leave the yoga studio, we are one step closer.

Growing up, I was born into a family of self-proclaimed yogis.

Every weekend I would sit with my siblings on the couch in the early hours of the morning, watching TV and waiting for my mom and dad to return from the yoga studio.

When they weren’t working on their yoga practice, my mom would be at the studio, helping paint the walls with patterns or pictures of animals and signs of prosperity, looking to bring spiritual and enlightening elements into each room.

While many may think yoga is simply coordinated stretching, through practice and meditation, one can learn the movements rooted in early yoga practice. Whether a class consists of heated power or Yin-inspired floor stretches, muscle is constantly being worked on and shaped. After all, there is an intense amount of effort and strength that goes into each pose and sequence.

When developing an extensive practice portfolio, there are about 10 major styles that are practiced around the world today.

When I was young, I never understood my parents’ attraction to yoga. I thought the classes were slow and boring. Cardio workouts captured my attention, so I never considered yoga much of a “sport.”

Vinyasa yoga, one of the more popular yogas, is considered the most athletic type of practice with coordinated breath and movement. Each Vinyasa is taught with different goals and mantras but ultimately focuses on strengthening movement.

However, Vinyasa doesn’t even scratch the surface of different yoga practices. Bikram, Yin and Restorative are the three other most common yoga types, with Hatha, Iyengar, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Anusara and Jivamukti following.

However, after many years of different classes and studios, I

Miami University junior Maggie McIlroy is a yoga instructor

64 | WINTER 2019

at Miami’s Recreation Center with a psychology major and nutrition minor. In her sophomore year, McIlroy took the university’s yoga certification course, which required over 200 hours of practice, study and meditation.

McIlroy noted the tremendous amount of strength building that yoga requires, recognizing how much her mind and body have grown since the beginning of her practice.

“I love the physical practice, but my favorite part is what I have learned from yoga,” McIlroy said. “Yoga has tested my mental endurance more so than my physical endurance—it’s just as much a mental and spiritual practice as it is a physical one. It’s the strength in all those aspects that is my favorite part.”

McIlroy teaches and focuses her practice on Vinyasa, but has been working to develop a larger yoga profile with different practices and studies.

“Although I teach Vinyasa, I have been able to see how important it is to practice various types of yoga. Ever since I started, I have become more in tune with my body and what it needs—days when I need a tougher practice or days when I need Restorative,” McIlroy said. “I treat it as a learning experience for my teaching but I need it for my me time. I feel so much better after I practice.”

Both Miami’s Recreation Center and Root Yoga in uptown Oxford, Ohio, offer various class types and practices, encouraging students to immerse themselves in yoga culture.

Take a deep breath, sign up for a practice and begin a mental and physical journey that will strengthen and relax you through each moment of movement.

Namaste.

Photographed by Allison Jenkins Makeup & Styling by Allie Bruegge Modeled by Paige DeWitt & Sophie Greenberg

65 | WINTER 2019

LAST WORD F R O M U P ’ S E X E C U T I V E S TA F F

KE NDALL ERICKS ON

HALEY J ENA

KEV O ’ HAR A

Creative Director

Editor-in-Chief

Publisher

In the midst of our chaotically connected lives, we often forget the importance of looking up from our screens, putting down our phones and taking it all in. Roald Dahl reminds us, “Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely of places.” This issue is transforming the upstairs of an academic building into a stunning editorial with the help of a unique vision and layers of tulle.

It’s taking your mirror off the wall and into nature to push the boundaries and find a new perspective. It’s breathing life into a story that would otherwise be black type on a blank page. I hope each and every visual element of Captivate echoes Dahl’s words and inspires yo u to s e e k o u t t h e s i m p l e, b e a u t i f u l m i r a c l e s t h a t s u r r o u n d u s e ve r y s i n g l e d ay.

Think of the last time you got chills.

It might have been when you stood in front of a famous painting and beheld its intricate beauty. Perhaps you got goosebumps after reading the last line of your favorite book. Or maybe it was simply hearing a loved one’s voice on the phone after a little too long. For me, it was reading through this very magazine for the first time right before we sent it to print. Our goal with Captivate was to mesmerize, intrigue and enrapture every reader who would flip through this issue’s pages, whether that be combing through each of the articles or marveling at the phototography and design. This magazine is an utmost source of pride for myself and for the entire UP staff, and I couldn’t be more thankful for each one of our readers—I hope you’re captivated .

If there’s one thing I’ve learned during my

66 | WINTER 2019

time at Miami, it’s that it’s always a perfect time to make a mistake, to stumble and fall and, yes, to fail. I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of times I’ve said the wrong thing, done far from my best and, if you can believe it, written terribly. I know, it’s hard for me to believe, too. But I also know that every single one of my missteps have put me one step closer to who, what and where I was meant to be. In some ways, I think that’s what

Captivate — and

discovering

what

captivates each of us — is all about. It’s about finding what makes your heart skip a beat and working to capture that feeling. Sure, you’ll trip along the way, but you’ll learn, you’ll dust yourself off and you’ll be closer than you’ve ever been to finding whatever may captivate you. Until then, hold tight to UP’s winter issue and enjoy! Much UP love, always.

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