Woof Fall 2017 — Issue 1

HUMANS OF NORTHEASTERN Featuring the stories of two Northeastern students

SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON NUSTAGE A look into Northeastern’s musical group

I WENT VEGAN FOR A WEEK Discovering a plant-based lifestyle

RISING THROUGH THE RANKS Northeastern climbs the rankings ladder

08

13 PRESIDENT

Brian Ambadjes

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Matthew Woolsey

CREATIVE DIRECTORS

Meredith Fisher & Xochitl Lozano

MARKETING DIRECTOR

Sami Bartlett & Adriana Yozzi

WEBMASTERS

Julia Horneck

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Jasmine Chan

SECTION EDITORS

04

Alex Frandsen, Leila Habib, Cayley Ross, Kyle Rossini

10

WRITERS

Grace Bettinson, Jasmine Chan, Gabriel Cutrone, Teymour Fouladi, Lucy Murrey, Wanja Njama, Alexander Pickering, Monil Shaw, Adriana Yozzi

DESIGNERS

Cynthia Mei, Nate Young, Samantha Rose, Srilekha Nuli, Kate Coiro, Sophia Schonwetter, Rachel Eng, Natalie Barnes, Shiko Githere, Diana Steeleman, Madelaine Millar

CONTENTS

PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

04 Stepping Into The Spotlight 06 Hurricane Aftermath

FRONT

Shrreya Aagarwal, Dominique Catanzaro, Leila Habib, Nikki McCullough, Justine Newman, Samantha Rose, Cheyenne Tang, Elizabeth Werner, Nate Young

MEDIA & CULTURE COVER STORY 07 Kesha’s Technicolor Comeback 08 Tuning Out

10 Shining A Spotlight On NU Stage

09 IT: Our Movie Fixation

Cover Photography by Justine Newman

18

WE’RE NORTHEASTERN’S STUDENT-RUN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE. LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? EMAIL US • NUWOOF@GMAIL.COM VISIT OUR SITE • WOOF-MAG.COM

LIFESTYLE

12 Breathe 13 Unique, Sleek, and Co-op Chic 14 I Went Vegan For A Week

FOCUS

16 Rising Through The Ranks 18 Humans of Northeastern

4 • Front

Front • 5

Many may not know what “stepping” as a dance form entails — and no, it is not just feet stomping on the ground. In step, the body is an instrument that creates coordinated rhythms and sounds through a combination of footsteps, claps, and the spoken word.

Stepping is an important part of America’s artistic and cultural heritage. Northeastern’s Stepping on Another Level (S.O.A.L.) studentrun step team proudly takes part in the evolution of this creative dance.

Stepping derives from the cultural traditions of various African communities that exhibited movement, sounds, and words to illustrate the strength of unity. The stepping traditions we are familiar with today developed from song and dance rituals performed by historically black fraternities and sororities in the 1900s.

Celeste Fields, third-year marketing major and S.O.A.L. President, defines the main goal of S.O.A.L. as learning how to gain confidence in the way one presents themselves, and to gain an understanding of how to work well with others. Working well with the team is an important aspect in making the routine look and sound cohesive, and as Fields notes, this type of dynamic further enhances the opportunity to make lasting bonds with the people stepping alongside you.

“In step, the body is used as an instrument to create coordinated rhythms and sounds...”

Despite their fairly new addition to Northeastern’s student organization program in 2013, S.O.A.L. has already been recognized for one of their routines in competition. The UMass Dartmouth 2017 Step Competition awarded them first place for their performance last spring.

“Whoever is in charge of the competition decides whether or not there will be a theme.

Last spring at UMass Dartmouth the theme was ‘reconstruction’ and you are able to do with it what you see fit,” Fields said. “Other times there is no set theme, and you can create your own.”

S.O.A.L. takes advantage of the freedom in topic area in order to create routines that affect the audience.

“We like to choose themes that will make the crowd listen,” said Fields.

For the UMass Dartmouth competition, S.O.A.L. created a performance titled “Donald Trump” as part of the reconstruction theme where the team dressed up like Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton for their performance.

“The performance was more about the election and the state of the American people if Trump were to be elected. We did a battle between Hillary and Trump and spoke about all the actions he said he was going to implement if he became president, like building a wall,” Fields said.

“S.O.A.L. was shedding a light on what was going on in the world around that time.”

Competitions usually lasts two to three hours, but the event consumes the entire day from dress rehearsal to clean-up. There are usually five or more colleges that partake in a given competition, and each of the step routines last about seven to 10 minutes.

S.O.A.L. is comprised of 13 members total, 11 females and two males. While the numbers may seem a bit low, it is ideal for the nature of the routines, according to Fields.

“Ideally, you don’t want to have more than about 15 steppers per performance, because then it’s hard to make formations,” said Fields.

To choreograph the routines, each member is expected to show up to practice with an eight-count step, a segment comprised of eight different motions. From there, the team chooses different aspects from the various eight-count step ideas in an attempt to create a powerful, cohesive dance routine.

Aside from S.O.A.L. being an outlet from sometimes overwhelming academic responsibilities, Fields considers the step team

her family. Over the past three years she has bonded with the S.O.A.L. members, whom she has found common interest with.

“All day you’re focused on class, but when you go to step you are having fun and socializing. It is an outlet for me, but an outlet I have to put hard work into, which is rewarding,” Fields said.

“S.O.A.L. was shedding a light on what was going on in the world around that time.”

Third-year behavioral neuroscience major and new member Sabie Marcellus agreed that the step team creates a sense of community for her.

“Everyone is like a family, and that kind of support is very much appreciated as a college student,” she said.

The team meets every Monday and Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to rehearse and catch up. S.O.A.L.’s next competition will take place at Tuft’s annual “Break The Stage” on Nov. 4, and the group is working hard to prepare.

“Right now we’re practicing two times a week for two hours each practice, but we’re planning for nightly practices the week leading up to the competition,” Marcellus said. “We’ve been tossing around a few ideas, but we aren’t too sure of our theme.

We’re mostly focused on training all of the new members in the steps we have, and then planning out a full routine afterwards.”

Marcellus joined S.O.A.L. this year and is thankful that she finally decided to do so.

“For anyone looking to join, definitely try out! It’s not as scary as it seems! We accept everyone from any background, any age, skill level, what have you. We appreciate those who have a passion for step and the confidence to try something new,” she Marcellus.

Written by Adriana Yozzi // Photos by Cheyenne Tang

WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

6 • Front

Media & Culture • 7

TECHNICOLOr

HURRICANE JOSE

COMEBACK: what it’s really like to be a woman in the industry

HURRICANE HARVEY HURRICANE IRMA

HURRICANE MARIA

of one hundred and eighty-five miles an hour Written by Gabriel Cutrone // Illustrations by Nate Young

2017 may have been the worst American hurricane season on record, with four major hurricanes striking over nearly two months and causing over $200 billion in damage, according to Time.

These spiraled thunderstorms start small in warm waters but can grow to cripple economies as severely as bank crises, according to The Atlantic. Energy-laden and massive, hurricane winds, rains, and storm surges are increasing from climate change effects.

“Warmer ocean, combined with warmer air … can lead to significantly more powerful storms, and potentially just more of them overall,” marine and environmental sciences professor Daniel Douglass explained.

Despite America’s extensive experiences with hurricanes, support often falls short, as The Atlantic explained in its doubts of the U.S. response to Puerto Rico.

“The hardest thing in government is to get everybody to agree what the problem is,” said Richard O’Bryant, Director of the John D. O’Bryant African American Institute and professor of Political Science.

2017’s major hurricanes were all Category 4 or above. Category 4 Hurricane Harvey spent five days in southeastern Texas with 100 mph winds and three feet of rain, causing flooding and displacing tens of thousands in shelters, according to the Texas Tribune.

“Our whole city is underwater,” Port Arthur, Texas Mayor Derrick Freeman said to the New York Times.

Category 5 Hurricane Irma caused 185 mph winds in the Leeward Islands, eight-foot storm surges in Barbuda, flooding in Mississippi and South Carolina and loss of power for 3 million Floridians. It was Cuba’s first Category 5 landfall since 1924.

“Many of us statesiders forget about the parts of life that are affected by a disaster like this,” third-year international affairs and economics major Blair Childs-Biscoe said of Irma’s impact on St. Thomas, where WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

her father and siblings live. “Many will be out of jobs for months. Children need to go to school or take the SATs for college. None of these things stop because of the hurricanes.”

Weather Underground described Category 4 Hurricane Jose as “a nor’easter without the snow,” citing 155 mph peak winds and swollen coasts from the Caribbean to Canada.

Hurricane Maria, Category 5, decimated Caribbean nations with low pressures earning a number 10 spot in Atlantic Basin history. Maria struck Puerto Rico, which endured 155 mph in its strongest hurricane since 1928. Rain reached six inches an hour, and rivers rose 20 feet. The island lost all electricity and 80 percent of its crop value, worsening the 11-year recession.

Incalculable losses in emotional, cultural, and hope-driven values stand priceless. The Federal Reserve believes no long-term hardship for the U.S., but smaller Caribbean economies may not fare as well.

Fortune cites $180 billion of damage for Harvey, and The Guardian cites $300 billion for Irma. While Maria’s costs are lower, Puerto Rico’s poor economy amplifies the destruction.

“Even though Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, it’s not seen as a politically powerful entity,” Dr. O’Bryant said.

To alleviate costs, crowdfunding efforts have risen from organizations such as the Salvation Army. “Hamilton” artist Lin Manuel Miranda joined the cause, releasing an iTunes single with donated proceeds. At Northeastern, clubs such as the Caribbean Student Organization have raised awareness of volunteering and donating opportunities. Students are also helping map the damage, explains News@Northeastern.

In the face of these storms, we learn what hurricanes are capable of. As a future with more hurricanes rolls around, we can learn from the past, help those in the present, and brave the storms, together.

Written by Jasmine Chan Blonde messy hair, glitter on the eyes, and a bottle of whiskey in one hand – we all remember Ke$ha as the artist dropping our favorite hits to fist bump to at middle school dances in 2009. Many years and pop songs later, the artist faded into the background and we all forgot about her until she was announced as a headliner for Springfest in 2017. But what happened to her in all that time in between?

To put it simply, Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, known as Dr. Luke, is what happened to Kesha Rose Sebert. The artist dropped the dollar sign from her stage name as a symbol of leaving her past behind after being released from rehab for an eating disorder that she holds him partly accountable for. In October of 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit against the producer to end her contract with him under Sony Music Entertainment on the account that he sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abused her during their work on two albums together.

The suit alleged that he drugged and raped her on two occasions. This is the reason for Kesha’s music career being put on hold until 2016, as she refused to work with Dr. Luke any longer during the trial. Kesha’s assault claims were dismissed by the New York Supreme Court and she was subsequently not granted termination of the contract that would allow her to record with other labels. Kesha was reportedly offered freedom from the contract if she recanted the abuse allegations, but rejected the settlement as “the truth cannot be retracted.”

renegotiation of my record contract — it was never about getting a bigger, or a better, deal.

This is about being free from my abuser. I would be willing to work with Sony if they do the right thing and break all ties that bind me to my abuser.”

This summer, Kesha released her album, “Rainbow.” She began writing the songs during and after rehab, inspired by her experience with Dr. Luke and her journey of self discovery. Her lyrical complexity has come a long way from her old music, with empowering feminist anthems like “Woman” and raw, heart-wrenching ballads like “Praying.” She courageously tackles her situation head on, addressing it with honesty and class, while still under the label of her abuser.

“I believe in karma, and I believe if you put out positive vibes to everybody, that’s all you’re going to get back”

Although it is disheartening, the silver lining from Kesha’s story is the overwhelming support from her fans and other influencers that shed light on discrimination and violence against women in the music industry. Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to help Kesha finance her case, and other figures including Demi Lovato, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, and even former Vice President Joe Biden have spoken out about the issue.

“I embrace the imperfections and celebrate them”

This didn’t stop Kesha from staying true to herself, refusing to stay quiet, and finding a way to stand against Dr. Luke given the circumstances. She has performed rock rewrites of her own songs, accompanied

by The Creepies, at universities across the country, including Northeastern in the Spring.

By doing so, Kesha has reclaimed her music as her own and stands in solidarity with abuse victims whose voices are not being heard.

This February Kesha told The Rolling Stone, “All I ever wanted was to be able to make music without being afraid, scared, or abused. This case has never been about a

woven into the music industry because of her unisex name. She explained, “when I’m in contact with a manager or a label rep, they immediately assume my gender because my first name is Carter. The name could go both ways, so I don’t blame them too much, until I realize that the way they communicate with me, even over emails, is dude-centric. They refer to me as ‘man’, or ‘dude’, using clipped sentences until they find out I’m a girl, and they immediately change the way they write to me.”

Lauren Bodin, a fifth-year, has gained insight on the inequality women in the music industry face from a course she is taking at Northeastern called ‘Divas, DJs, and Double Standards,’ as well as her own experience. She is frustrated with how she is perceived by others based on her gender: “if we are firm in our opinions, speak our minds, and are strong in our actions, often times we get labeled as a bitch; however, men who share these same traits might be labeled as a boss or are heavily respected.”

Elena Sandell, a second year, has had experience in the industry through recording and releasing her own songs. She fears being taken advantage of or being the victim of abuse of power because of the gender dynamic in the industry. She believes that female artists face oversexualization, even in a professional environment, in the music/entertainment industry more than others: “As someone who is an artist, I have to find a very fine line between coming off as professional and serious when dealing with people while also coming across as marketable enough, pretty enough, having enough personality, etc. in terms of industry standards”. She calls on men, as the majority in the music industry, to carry the responsibility and awareness of what can create a hostile environment for a woman that they don’t necessarily have to deal with as men.

Carter Howe, a second-year, is constantly reminded of how our patriarchal society is

fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

8 • Media & Culture

Media & Culture 9 // 9 Name•Here

Tuning Out Should you keep listening to music on your way to class?

Written by Teymour Fouladi // Photos by Shrreya Aagarwal Getting to class, whether rushed or with time, is a daily ritual for all students. Some students enjoy eating prior to attending class, some enjoy a nice conversation with friends and- some just want to enjoy the fresh air and take a nice stroll, and some are never caught without their headphones on.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, if you have a test or a presentation that requires some thinking and preparation prior to entering the classroom, it is best to walk to class focusing on what you will write or say, as it will help you finalize your thoughts. Music can cloud these thoughts and fill your mind with other people’s words rather than your own. Even if there is no test or exam, data supports the idea that you should be getting ready for what that class is about. Rap lyrics from 21 Savage, as tempting as they may be, might not be the best thing entering your conscious thought as you walk into a lecture hall for a calculus exam.

First-year student, Ziyad Al-Habbal presents another interesting argument regarding the headphones and music before class craze. “It can make you seem anti-social, as you are in your own element, so people would not want to disturb you by starting a conversation,” said Al-Habbal. Earphones can act as a shield from your surroundings, as you do not hear or focus on what is around you. The same St. Louis PostDispatch study shows that walking with a friend and conversing before a class begins helps your chain of thought, as you are required to exercise your brain to interact. Also, discussing about what could be on a test with someone could help you remember little details or facts you studied that you would have completely blanked on when taking the test. You could uncover some basic knowledge on topics while walking to class which may improve your performance. Al-Habbal also added, “So many times while walking with a classmate, he or she reminded me of what I needed to bring to class that day.”

Woof’s Fall Playlist Sadderdaze The Neighbourhood

You Broke Up With Me Walker Hayes

Our Movie Fixation Written by Alexander Pickering // Illustration by Nikki McCullough

Close But Not Quite Sampha

Skydiving Lights

Gold Marina and the Diamonds

Chanel Frank Ocean

rockstar Post Malone

Never In My Wildest Dreams Dan Auerbach

so low

Stephen King’s 1986 novel “It” chilled audiences upon its release and was quickly adapted into a two-part cinematic mini-series that iconicized Pennywise the Dancing Clown, a demon who takes the form of its prey’s worst fears. In early September of this year, a remake of the original mini-series was released in theaters and has subsequently generated over $300 million at the box office. Crushing every other movie released in September, “It” has quickly become the highest-grossing R-rated horror film of all-time. The blockbuster adaptation focuses on a group of outcast children deemed “The Losers Club” in Derry, Maine, who are tormented by Pennywise and must find a way to defeat the monster as well as face their own inner demons along the way.

Geographer

Don’t Call Me Young Thugr

Bad At Love Halsey

Oxygen Smino

WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

IT:

A question that comes to mind with the success of “It” is, what does it say about the culture and future of remakes in the movie, specifically the horror industry? Generally, Hollywood has always been obsessed with remaking films or TV shows instead of creating original content, but the horror genre specifically has built an empire on a plethora of reboots and sequels, even when the quality of all of these films is questionable. The list of upcoming horror movies that fall into the remake rabbit hole is extensive. Some that

immediately come to mind are “Jigsaw,” the upcoming eighth installment of the “Saw” franchise, “Leatherface,” a prequel to 1974’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Insidious: Chapter 4,” “The Purge 4,” “The Nun,” a “Conjuring” spinoff, a second remake of 1978’s “Halloween,” and the second American remake of the Japanese film “The Ring.”

These films are all set to be released in the upcoming year along with countless other reboots and sequels in talks of being made.

The big question we’re left with is “Why?” Why is horror, of all genres, so fixated on this revolving door of unoriginal ideas? An article written by USA Today about the remake craze said, “A variety of factors come into play, from brand recognition to nostalgia to the effectiveness of trailers.”

Some of the most memorable images from cinema history are from horror; Jason’s hockey mask, the shower scene in “Psycho,” the red balloon and tagline, “They all float down here” from both versions of “It.” Viewers remember the movies from their childhood that kept them up at night because they were so terrifying.

Kelsey Dupont, a second-year student at Northeastern, says that one of the reasons “It” garnered so much success was because “of the sharp contrast between the innocence of

childhood with pure evil. It’s like the monsters we were afraid of as kids are coming to life on the screen.”

The same USA Today article discussing the horror movie remake trend interviewed Sam Raimi, producer of the then upcoming remake of the 80’s chiller “Poltergeist.” Raimi said of these remakes, “It’s basically the next generation telling that same old story around the campfire.”

Following the track record of the horror industry, it’s a wonder it’s taken this long for “It” to be remade. However, it’s no wonder that “It 2” has already been greenlit for a September 2019 release. The sequel will act as the second half of the original mini-series, picking up 27 years later when Pennywise resurfaces and The Losers Club must reconvene as adults to defeat him once more.

fallWOOF 2017 •| WOOF MAGAZINE fall 2017

10 • Cover Story

Cover Story • 11

Shining a Spotlight on NU Stage

Northeastern’s musical theater group that’s “more than just an extracurricular club.”

Written by Emily Freed // Photos by Justine Newman

WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

NUStage is not only Northeastern’s premier musical theater company on campus, it’s also one of the largest clubs the school has to offer. NUStage was founded in 2003 by a group of students that desired a creative outlet on campus; since then, it has become the proud home to a remarkable array of students, ranging from those involved in performance, tech, design, direction, and more. The club’s goal, to create professional productions and form an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere for all members, is a simple one, but their actions and talented productions are anything but simple.

Within five minutes of sitting down with Leanne Powdermaker, the club’s Director of Publicity and Outreach, she could convince anyone to join NUStage. Her excitement was near-contagious. “How many people can say they’re in a full musical for a semester?” said Powdermaker. “It’s just something that shows you have a great work ethic, you can balance your time, and that you can do things that are fun outside of work.”

NUStage is the perfect balance of fun and professionalism. Students have an active role in choosing the shows they want to participate in and how they want to contribute.

The creative role students can play in their productions is what makes the club unique.

“It’s the reason I love musical theater so much,” explained Powdermaker. “It’s given me a complete sense of self and sense of comfort around myself.”

NUStage’s productions are completely directed, choreographed, conducted, and financed by NUStage and the students.

Although that might sound like an overwhelming workload, Powdermaker said the club is anything but a chore. She described NUStage as “a safe haven” for her and other members. Because most of the members hail from unrelated majors—from engineering and the sciences, to communications, to political science and more—the club functions as an

escape from the normal lives of its members.

Powdermaker said, “It’s really nice because everyone is different. Our last director was in Mechanical Engineering, and everyone really does find their niche to do what they like as an expressive outlet away from their major.”

The opportunity to engage in any aspect of theatrical productions provides those who normally wouldn’t have the chance to dabble in set design, acting, dancing, or any other facet of the production process, to pursue these activities with relative ease. Due to the fast-paced nature of the club, which performs two shows per semester, one main stage and one revue, in addition to cabarets and other events, the members of the club have a chance to experience theater in all its many forms.

The club is dynamic and extremely responsive to the current cast’s interests.

“Our shows usually range a lot in terms of genre,” Leanne explained to me, giving me a rundown of past years’ productions.

“The Drowsy Chaperone”—a past main stage production—”is a very classic musical whereas “American Idiot” and “Heathers” are very much unconventional and different.

We bring our own vibe and creative vision to the shows, especially in terms of set design and choreography. We try to come up with things that the Broadway version didn’t do. We sometimes have guest directors and guest choreographers for the shows, which can bring a new direction to a song

or a scene that can be really interesting.

It’s a very collaborative experience.”

The welcoming atmosphere affects more than just the productions the club puts on each semester. For Leanne, it was the first place she felt at home. After participating in NUin London first semester, Leanne wanted to get involved on campus and make friends. She saw the club advertising auditions for “Legally Blonde” that semester and, she told me, “I was dying to do that show, and within a week I met my entire group of friends that I still talk to every day.”

NUStage gives students the much-needed opportunity to create a smaller community within the large world of Northeastern.

The club provides an inclusive atmosphere for all members, regardless of seniority.

The club typically aims to select ensemble oriented shows to showcase as many actors as possible. Leanne remarked, “Freshman typically get lead roles, people who have only just joined the club for their first show get lead roles.” Even for those that don’t get roles in the main stage production or aren’t ready to perform in a main stage show just yet, the revue welcomes everyone and is a great place to start.

NUStage has practical applications far beyond just being a fun extracurricular in college. For Powdermaker, her participation in NUStage was instrumental in her securing her co-ops. “NUStage specifically translated into my last co-op, which was at NARS Cosmetics,

where I did PR and artist relations for them, which was totally thanks to my NUStage job,” she said.

The club is the largest source of support and encouragement for many people interested in theater on campus. Reflecting on her future plans, Powdermaker said, “I’ve definitely thought about, after college, taking a year and auditioning and spending time participating in musical theater. I think [this club] has that effect on a lot of people; it makes them want to try to make it in the industry, which is really a testament to the club’s ability to build people up.”

NUStage builds up those in need and supports local communities, too. Recently, NUStage presented “Sanity!”, a cabaret to raise funds for those affected by the hurricane in Puerto Rico. The donations from the show went toward supplying those affected with necessities like nonperishable food, toothpaste and brushes, soap, etc.

NUStage always welcomes new members, but even if participating in musical theater isn’t in your repertoire, you can support NUStage (and receive some quality entertainment!) by attending the performances of their upcoming revue, Unsung Heroes, starting Nov. 17 and 18 in Blackman Auditorium at 8:00 p.m.

Their next main stage production, “Heathers the Musical,” is premiering Dec. 1 and 2, in Blackman at 8:00 p.m. as well. The shows are free to all Northeastern students, so be sure to attend!

fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

12 • Lifestyle

Lifestyle • 13

Written by Grace Bettinson // Photos by Elizabeth Werner Northeastern University is known specifically for its outstanding cooperative education program. Co-op gives students the opportunity for a hands-on learning experience, a chance to develop knowledge and skills, and time to broaden their perspective as students and future industry leaders. It also has contributed to the probability for graduating students to be employed full time within a year after graduating. This program has been with Northeastern for more than 100 years, and has made Northeastern a competitive and appealing school for potential students. While many students are stuck in offices, others seek zestier options: producing music, examining corpses, and building treehouses to name a few.

Written by Monil Shaw // Photos by Dominique Catanzaro I started practicing meditation after my therapist suggested taking pills for my anxiety.

The idea of pills, at first, seemed perfect and easy. All I had to do was take two pills after breakfast and poof, anxiety: gone. However, I wasn’t sure I wanted my freedom to be dependent on a bottle of pills. Although it seemed straightforward, I wanted to try alternative methods. On a whim, I typed “how to meditate” into Google, downloaded the app Headspace, and for the very first time, sat in silence for 10 minutes.

It’s been about two years now and Meditation has gently pulled me back from the the bottle of pills. It has changed my relationship with anxiety. More than simply making me calmer and more composed, it has helped me realize a couple of things that are helpful to sustain sanity in such a chaotic world.

Meditation helped me change my relationship with thoughts and feelings, giving me enough space to realize that they’re not me. Fourthyear communication studies major Phil Zminda had a similar experience.

“I started meditating with regularity as a way of carving time out for myself when I felt like I had none to spare between extracurriculars, personal time, and co-op. I heard that regular meditation enables us to gain some distance from our life and facilitates more rational decision-making and peace, so I wanted to give it a go and see if it worked to help me.”

Consistent meditation also helped me learn how to label distractions as distractions and return to the object of focus. Over time this gave rise to clarity, which, in turn, helped me become more productive. I learned that it’s not really about getting more done, but rather, focusing on keystone tasks that are likely to give me greater output.

Nathan Hulsey, a recent Northeastern graduate, had a similar goal. “I started meditation to work on mindfulness. Learning how to quiet my mind and learn internal focus and thought control. To better understand my emotions,” said Hulsey. “I really didn’t have big expectations. Mainly, I just wanted to have guidance to help structure meditation for me.

I started using Headspace and I found it to be great for teaching me what meditation is all about and how it can help me.”

Expectations certainly play a big role in the journey to mindfulness. The role of expectations for people who meditate is evident; people who don’t expect too much are more consistent and enjoy more rewards in the long term.

Cairo Marques-Neto

Third-year health science major Justine Newman sought out her co-op. She got to play “Ducky” from N.C.I.S for eight months, examining cadavers and photographing crime scenes. Newman investigated death scenes with professionals; she collected any drugs on the scenes, from prescription medicines to recreational drugs to narcotics, interviewed family members, did administrative work for the office, assisted in autopsies by weighing organs, undressing bodies, and taking photos.

Newman did her co-op close to home at the Chester County, Pennsylvania Coroner’s office. She wanted to find something that allowed her to live at home and she also had connections at the office.

“I think it was more in depth than what Northeastern could provide. The position was created for me and catered to my needs. They were able to make the experience that much better.”

“I expected to have a hard time getting my mind quiet. I was required to meditate a bit in a prayer class in high school, but my teacher guided the whole class,” Zminda said. “Trying to get into the meditation while I alone was holding myself accountable was difficult, but ultimately the most rewarding aspect.”

Aliza Schaffer

WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

Fourth-year music industry major Cairo Marques-Neto had a co-op at Ground Up Music and Atlantic Sound Studios in New York City.

Because he wanted to be passionate about what he was doing, Marques-Neto sought out this company. He was interested because it captured his vision regarding the music industry: “a creative space for artists, with artists.”

Marques-Neto got to be involved with every aspect of the company when he was hired: assisting with production engineering, marketing, and physically producing the music. This company allowed him to have a lot of independence and he felt devoted to what he was doing even though he said, “The job hours were crazy. Some weeks I was up until five A.M. working in the studio.”

Justine Newman

On the other hand, Aliza Schaffer decided she did not want to do another corporate, office job and explored her options. A fourth-year communications major, Schaffer traveled to Seville, Spain and worked at GlampingHub.com, an online booking platform like Airbnb. It is known for glamorous camping, which entails campers and tree houses in Portugal and around the world.

Global co-ops are a far less traveled path for students and are usually recommended for those who speak another language, but that did not scare Schaffer. “Having to start over in a new country gave me so much confidence,” she said. Northeastern offers this job, but Schaffer used her networking skills to get in contact directly with the company.

While office and professional co-ops can be informative and careerenhancing, taking the less traveled path can be just as rewarding, if not more. fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

14 • Lifestyle

Written by Lucy Murrey

WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

Lifestyle • 15 Open your Instagram and it probably won’t take much scrolling before you come across a foodstagram of some vegan health-guru’s smoothie bowl or avocado toast. A couple of years ago these foods were totally foreign but, largely due to the power of social media, these healthy lifestyle and diet trends once deemed unconventional, notably veganism, have become incredibly popular and largely normalized. According to the Top Trends in Prepared Foods in 2017 report, veganism has grown 500 percent in the U.S. since 2014.

So, what’s the big deal with veganism? And how practical is it really? To better understand this phenomenon, I went vegan for a week to see what all the hype and gripe surrounding veganism is really all about.

After some research, I discovered that veganism isn’t just replacing a hamburger with tofu, rather it encompasses an entire lifestyle that rejects all forms of exploitation of and cruelty to animals, whether that be for food, clothing, or any other purpose. Vegans choose this lifestyle for a number of reasons: in defense of equality for all living beings (a belief that my life, my dog’s life, and a cow’s life all share equal value), for the benefits of our environment, and for personal health reasons.

Undeclared first-year student Angela Stewart who has been transitioning from vegetarianism to veganism helped me get a clearer perspective.

“I do it for the ethical purposes. I feel like it’s hypocritical for me to be a vegetarian and say, ‘be ethical to animals’ but then continue to consume the products that have been forced out of them,” said Stewart. She noted the relative ease of transitioning to an animal-free lifestyle. “Now that it’s become so trendy, [veganism] is a lot more available,” said Stewart, “and it’s so much easier here; there are so many vegan options at Northeastern.”

Throughout my week as a vegan, Angela’s claim proved to be true. I found Northeastern to be incredibly accommodating to a vegan diet. If you’re curious about eating vegan on-campus, here’s the basic breakdown: The Stetson East and International Village dining halls became my best friends over the week. In short, the vegan sections are amazing. The dishes are always different and totally satisfying; they had me questioning if what I was eating was truly free of all animal products. Even if you aren’t vegan, give this section a try for some veggie dishes that will make you rethink your relationship with meat.

If you never had incentive to make the trek to International Village for a bite to eat, you do now. Café Crossing makes it SO easy to be vegan. Just a couple of paces past IV, Café Crossing offers creative salads, grain bowls, and sandwiches that you can modify to fit your diet—they even have avocado toast.

When it came to Rebecca’s, it was more of a struggle to find something to eat; I had to get pretty creative with my order (not to mention, was forced to wait in the lengthy “make-yourown” line). However, the staff was more than happy to make all sorts of alterations for me.

Contrary to popular assumption, eating vegan isn’t all tofu and carrot sticks. I honestly found myself eating more adventurously as a vegan than I had as an omnivore. Instead of eating a piece of chicken with a side and calling it a day, my meals were incredibly diverse. Anything from curried chickpeas with cauliflower and rice to a lentil burger with avocado and sweet potato fries.

The saddest part of going vegan was the utter disappearance of practically all things sweet. On day five, I spent an embarrassing amount of time desperately scouring Wollaston’s for anything to satisfy a vegan sweet-tooth; these moments were when

veganism felt the most restricting. Essentially, fruit, bread, and peanut butter had to suffice as my desserts for the week.

Overall, my switch to veganism was surprisingly easy and relatively sustainable, especially on a college campus where vegan food is always at your disposal. That being said, going vegan definitely took time and effort. I was forced to read every food label, decline a lot of free food, and ask for all sorts of modifications at restaurants—not to mention, deal with people’s looming judgement when doing so.

Veganism is in no way impossible, but it takes a lot of self-control. Though I don’t think veganism is a diet I’ll religiously stick to, this experience has already made me more prone to choose the vegan option when faced with it, and I call that a success. I’ve come to believe that so long as we make conscious, informed choices when it comes to food, eating dairy or meat once in awhile is totally acceptable. Further, a collective heightened awareness toward the food industry can reap incredible benefits for our environment and personal health.

These gestures may seem small but, in the words of Stewart, “People always say, ‘you’re just one vegan, how would that make a difference?’ I like to think of it like voting … one vote technically doesn’t make a difference, but it can be so dangerous if everyone thinks that way.”

fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

16 • Focus

Focus • 17

Northeastern’s Complex Relationship with the U.S. News & World Report College Rankings Written by Madelaine Millar // Illustrations by Samantha Rose

Just over two decades ago, Northeastern University was nestled in spot 162 in the U.S. News & World Report National University Rankings, a list of colleges ordered best to worst that the organization has put out yearly since 1983. A few weeks ago, when the 2018 rankings came out, Northeastern was ranked at 40. Few other schools have seen such a dramatic rise through what is now considered the most influential college ranking system in the country. Perhaps this is because few other schools have put in the effort that Northeastern has.

For the majority of Northeastern’s 119-year history, it was a blue-collar commuter college.

Dan Kennedy, a Northeastern class of 1979 graduate who returned in 2005 to work as a journalism professor, recalls attending class in a long-gone building called Greenleaf.

According to Kennedy, the building was “literally a converted morgue. You would walk up to the second floor where the classrooms were via a ramp where they used to unload the bodies. The walls reeked of formaldehyde.”

But when Richard Freeland took over as university president in 1996, he decided that those days were over. Northeastern was to become a nationally known entity, and in his mind, the best way to raise the university’s profile was to rise in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, and so gain visibility and prestige. As Freeland put it in a

WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

“We had to get into the top 100.

That was a life-ordeath matter for Northeastern.”

2014 interview with Boston Magazine, “We had to get into the top 100. That was a life-or-death matter for Northeastern.”

With that goal in mind, a committee was formed to figure out exactly what factors influenced the way colleges were ranked on the list. The factors that U.S. News & World Report takes into account include everything from a six-year graduation rate to student selectivity to surveys administered to faculty.

Once these factors were known, the university began implementing concerted policies to maximize the score it could receive.

Classes were capped at 19 or 49 to increase the number of students in classes smaller than 20 or 50. The university began to accept the

Common Application to increase the number of students applying, thus lowering admission rates. Northeastern built new on-campus housing like West Village because students that live on campus have a higher retention rate than students living off campus. Although today’s administration is hesitant to talk about these policies, the curious can find more details in Boston Magazine’s 2014 article ‘How Northeastern Gamed the College Rankings.”

The strategy worked, and Northeastern’s position on the list began to rise.

When President Joseph Aoun took over in 2006, that sharp focus on rankings apparently shifted, at least according to university officials. “Rankings are merely a byproduct of our success, not the other way around,” said Northeastern Vice President of Communications Matthew McDonald.

However, many of the policies originally enacted with the purpose of boosting the university’s U.S. News & World Report rank are still in place today. Whether the result of these policies or a happy accident, the school’s ranking continued to rise, making Northeastern a top 50 school.

There are both benefits and drawbacks to Northeastern’s focus on an elevated college ranking. For one thing, as McDonald put it, the rankings result from successes that all students can benefit from. Smaller class sizes, a more streamlined application

that college costs have risen everywhere, this is above the national average. The US News & World Report finds that the average tuition at national private universities has risen about 150 percent in the same time frame.

Finally, the U.S. News & World Report, while the most well-known college ranking list, is far from the only one. The Wall Street Journal ranks Northeastern at number 71, the college preparatory website Niche ranks it at number

Data from U.S. News & World Report Rankings, Boston Globe, and Boston Magazine

#40

#98 2018

RANKS

“Smaller class sizes, a more streamlined application process, and more on-campus housing are things that most people can get behind.”

50, and Forbes ranks it all the way down at number 241. College rankings aren’t exactly a precise science.

In the end, college ranking lists like that of the U.S. News & World Report have become an accepted part of college application culture, and it’s unlikely that we will ever be rid of them.

Whether you personally approve or disapprove of Northeastern University’s focus on the rankings, they are part of what made it into the institution that we know today. As Kellog put it, “Any way to improve how a student learns, any improvement, is beneficial.”

#162 2007

THROUGH THE

1996

RISING

process, and more on-campus housing are things that most people can get behind.

As first-year bioengineering major Zoie Harmer puts it, “Not having to write an admission essay was pretty sweet!”

Additionally, a more prestigiously ranked school tends to attract more qualified faculty and a higher caliber of students, creating a sort of positive feedback loop.

“It opens doors. I know that when I tell people that I teach at Northeastern, I always get a positive response,” Kennedy said. “I’m not sure that would have been the case 40 years ago.”

On the other hand, focusing on college rankings can risk buying into a system that doesn’t paint a full picture of the school. While graduation rates and student selectivity can be important parts of what leads students to choose a school, the rankings often ignore programs, like co-op, that make a school unique.

As first-year criminal justice major Delaney Kellog puts it, “It’s bad if a school’s just focused on their ranking.”

Third-year politics, philosophy, and economics major Connie E agrees.

“It can be helpful if you keep in mind [that rankings] can be manipulated,” E said.

Additionally, doing things like hiring more faculty and providing more financial aid, actions that are necessary to keep a school competitive in the rankings, is expensive. In the two decades since President Freeland took office, the cost of tuition has more than tripled, from about $14,000 a year to over $45,000 a year.

Kennedy laments this fact, noting that he and his wife (who also attended Northeastern) “both graduated without any debt, and that made a huge difference as we began our careers as low-paid journalists.” While it’s true

fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

18 • Focus

Focus • 19

HUMANS OF NORTHEASTERN Written by Wanja Njama // Photos by Leila Habib

Ubuntu. I am because we are. The spirit of this philosophy, originates deep from the Zulu tribe in South Africa, calling for individuals to create communities rooted from the values of compassion, kindness, inclusion and diversity — and it is this philosophy that drives Humans of Northeastern University (HONU) forward.

Humans of Northeastern University (HONU) is a platform where students, faculty, and staff can feel free to share their stories and unique perspectives on life, thus cultivating a closer and more accepting community.

Thus, it is with great excitement that WOOF Magazine presents its first installment of the HONU series, featuring the ambitious, hardworking and extremely dedicated Sasha Sanon - a second-year accounting and finance major from Haiti and the United States.

This is her story: “I was in a mentorship program throughout my high school years. It was [called] Crossroads for Kids and it helped low-income city kids WOOF MAGAZINE • fall 2017

develop their leadership skills. I did that for five years, [and] that was like the best experience of my life. It honestly changed my life, and opened my eyes [to the world I lived in]. I used to live in Brockton, and Brockton wasn’t that rich of a neighborhood. You would always

“I never thought to be a black woman in the business field” see black people not in places of power and places of success, so being in that program showed me that there’s more outside your backyard, [and] there’s more beyond your city. It made me dream bigger. Before it, I was kind of dreaming small. I never thought to be a black woman in the business field. That

was just too big for me, so just being in that program showed me that I can accomplish anything that I want, and shaped me to say that if you put your mind to it, nothing can stop you”.

This is what means a lot to her: “My family. Well, my mom. Well, my family. My mom was a senator in Haiti, so she came from an okay family, and went on to become the first female senator of that county. [However,] after a coup in Haiti, the president she was under was exiled, so everyone under him had to leave, and so she came to America and had to start over from scratch. She basically had to go from being the top of her country, to [being in] the bottom of society here, and till this day, she works so hard. Now she’s in school, works three jobs, and doing is by herself as a single mom with three kids.

She’s my superhero, so everything I do …

[I do] for her. She means the world to me.

She’s the most important thing in my life”.

We also have the honour of introducing the multi-faceted, caring, and hard-working puzzle that is Khiana Rogers, a second-year civil engineering major from Morristown, New Jersey as the second feature in the first installment of the HONU series.

Describing her opinions on self-love and appreciating her own beauty: “So my entire life, I’ve been overweight, and I’ve always wanted to be this skinny size zero.

[However,] recently I started losing weight, and this summer I lost like twenty pounds, which was exciting, but in the process I had to learn that I need to love myself. Also, nowadays, everyone’s trying to look for a boyfriend, and of course I want a boyfriend, but I need to love myself first, take care of myself first, [and] do what I need to do first before I try to love someone else, you know? So, I [do] think self-love is important.

I think that also finding who you are is really important too. I like to believe that I know who I am, but sometimes I just don’t”.

In explaining how she would change the world using civil engineering: “That’s always been like a dream of mine.

Changing the world. That’s why I want to do civil [engineering], because if I do transportational, I can fix the infrastructure in the United States’ transportation system[s], because it has a rating of a D on a global grading scale, which is awful. Imagine changing all the highways, bridges and stuff like that. You don’t think about it, but imagine if we were driving on a bridge and it collapsed. Like that’s it. You’re done. I want to change that. [For example], the Tappan Zee bridge. They just redid it and that’s a huge thing because it’s a major way people commute. I don’t know. It would be pretty cool to have my name on a bridge, because in theory, I’d be saving a bunch of lives if I did something like that”.

“I [do] think self-love is important. I think that also finding who you are is really important too.”

fall 2017 • WOOF MAGAZINE

NORTHEASTERN’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE DOESN’T END HERE. WWW.WOOF-MAG.COM