Your Magazine Vol. 4 Issue 16: April 2015

APRIL 2Ø15

Volume 4 Issue 16• April 2015 DANNY LEMAR

CLAUDIA MAK

Editor-in-Chief

Creative Director & Head of Design

CHRIS GARCIA

MATTHEW MULLEN Managing Editor

PEYTON DIX

Asst. Editor-in-Chief

Photo Director

CHRISTABEL FRYE

CAITLYN BUDNICK

Head Copy Editor

A&E Editor

CHELSEA TREMBLAY Romance Editor

RIANA ODIN

Living Editor

CHRSTIAN LOPEZ

Marketing Director

PERI LAPIDUS

Head of Beauty & Talent Manager

PIMPLOY PHONGSIRIVECH Art Director

HANNAH PERRIN+ RIVKA HERRERA YMtv Directors

ANDREA PALAGI Style Editor

HALEY SHERIF

Asst. Creative Director

MADELINE BILIS+ KAREN MORALES Web Editors

Copy Editors JACQUELYN MARR, PAULINA PASCUAL, KELSEY PERKINS, JAMIE KRAVITZ, CHRISTABEL FRYE, ARIELA RUDY, DIANA DILORETO, ISABELLA DIONNE, JULIA ROBERTO

Marketing KATJA VULJIĆ, SYDNEY HANNIBAL, KATHY BAIK, EVAN MCCRORY YMtv RIVKA HERRERA, HANNAH PERRIN, BRITNI BIRT, MARIA SANTORA, KATHLEEN HOWES, SYDNEY DRUMMOND, ZEKE ST.JOHN, SEAMUS MCGORRAY, STEPHANIE PUMILIA, SAVANNAH STRANGE, SHAWNIE WEN, LEILANI THOMAS, AMELIA FABIANO, NORMAN OLIVER, ZOE DAVANZO, RAE PECKHAM, LLOYD MALLISON, HARRIS RUBENSTEIN, JACK CAPATORTO, JACKSON DAVIS, JENNI LEAHY, SOPHIE SCHOENFELD Layout Design by CLAUDIA MAK AND CLAIRE TORRES Editorial Styling by PAULINE HEVIA Editorial Credits: HELMUT LANG + ZARA

INTRODUCTION

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

WHILE I HAVE THE HONOR AND DUTY of serving as Your Magazine’s editor-in-chief, I have another leadership role at Emerson College. For two years I have been the President of Asian Students for Intercultural Awareness (ASIA). As an Emerson student, I’m a multi-tasker who can flick a switch in my brain as I go from one meeting to another. It’s all about the organization within the mind: what needs my attention now. Keeping Your Magazine and ASIA separate has been something I’ve felt that I needed to do in order to lead in the different environments, but I think that it’s time that I introduce a little bit of my cultural club to you readers. (It feels like I’m introducing the two children I separated at birth.)

I joined ASIA during my freshman year, my gangly limbs in my baggy Old Navy polo shirts. I was nervous: my mother is Chinese and my father is Caucasian, putting me somewhere in the middle. What if I didn’t fit in? What if I wasn’t ASIA-n enough? From the first meeting, as I interacted with the members and was asked to join in during discussions, I knew that this was a place that I felt like I belonged, a place that reminded me of the home I had left behind to come to college. Over the years, we have had discussions regarding race, sexuality, culture, socioeconomics, self-love, and college politics while slurping on bubble tea. We have brought speakers like Arun Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, and Sarah Kay, a spoken word poet. We go out for Dim Sum and to H-Mart. We have celebrated Asian holidays like Chinese New Year and the Autumn Moon Festival, as well as Diwali and Singles Day. We play games and share the best part of our week with each other. And now that I am a senior, my just as gangly limbs in more form-fitting clothes, I often reflect on that feeling. What I felt was what I felt when I was around family, which is what ASIA has been to me during these four years: a family.

April is Asian Heritage month, where ASIA runs events every week to celebrate our culture and invite the Emerson community to learn about what kind of organization we are.

It’s especially heartbreaking for me this year, as I will be graduating in just a few short weeks. But these last moments of being an undergraduate have given me the ability to reflect on my college career and everything that I have been a part of. I hope that wherever you are, you take a moment to remember and reflect. That’s the theme of Asian Heritage month, by the way: Reflections.

XO,

DANNY LEMAR

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INTRODUCTION

CON

STD OR SELF TERRIFYING DIAGNOSIS?

DANCING QUEEN KING

ADDRESS THE STRESS

YOUR SPACES

THE NEW ERA OF THE SNEAKER

GOLD COAST

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JULIA WOOD

ANTHONY MASTRACCI

CHELSEA TREMBLAY

STAFF

KAREN MORALES

PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHRIS GARCIA

TREAT YO'SELF FALL AHEAD

ON YOUR PLATE

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EMERSON RUNS THE BOSTON MARATHON FUTURISM

WHAT'S UP WITH SNL? ARTWORK ALONE

A+E PLAYLIST

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MEGAN CATHEY PAULINE HEVIA

PAULINE HEVIA AND CLAUDIA MAK

KYLE EDWARDS

JAMIE KRAVITZ PHOTOGRAPHED BY PAULINE HEVIA

KATJA VUJIC CHRISTABEL FRYE

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S T D

SELF OR TERRIFYING DIAGNOSIS?

By Julia Wood Photo Art by Claudia Mak

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ROMANCE

HAVE you ever had an itch, you know down there? Or have you ever found the smallest of bumps on your gentleman or lady parts? It is human nature to examine your body and notice when any centimeter of your skin, hair, or body changes. It is even in good practice to do some systematic checks (especially during your time in college) but these checks can often end in panic. Chances are if you are sexually active you have had that slight inclination to think that your lower region has been infected. It’s an easy thing to do—to convince yourself that you indeed have an STI. All it takes is a bump, an itch, a burn, or a smell and you’re off; you begin to sweat bullets and turn to Google. Something to always keep in mind: Google is not a doctor, nor are you. If you become genuinely concerned about the health of your downstairs basement, it’s time to consult someone face-to-face, not face-to-screen.

An Emerson freshman spoke with Your Mag about experiencing the similar fear that we all do once we become sexually active. She had just come back from winter break after seeing her boyfriend across the country. They had a good time and seldom used protection. She came back with a melting pot of what would be considered “symptoms,” including a combination of itching and burning when she peed, blood in her urine, serious stomach pains, and major bloating. These signs convinced her that she indeed had gotten a sexually transmitted infection from the love of her life. This opened up a whole other door of fears and issues for her.

She began searching every site she could find. Some of the most frequent she visited were Online STD Wizard, Web MD, and Planned Parenthood. All of the sites list off her symptoms as a sure sign of infection. These sites tell any

INTRODUCTION

scared researcher that they have a slew of STIs ranging from AIDS, HIV, syphilis, and gonorrhea. What these sites and others don’t tell you is that symptoms of STIs are also symptoms of the flu and the common cold.

After assuring herself several times that she had one or all of the STIs known to man, she made an appointment with Emerson’s Center for Health and Wellness. She remembers walking into the Union Bank building feeling like “everyone was staring” at her. Once seated in the examination room, she felt anxious but never judged. She says, “I was constantly reminding myself that I was not the first person to walk in to the Health and Wellness Office for an STD scare and that I would not be the last either.” She was greeted by smiling faces and immediate reassurance that, based on her symptoms, she didn’t have any of the Big Ones such as syphilis or chlamydia.

Once she went over her basic symptoms with the nurse practitioner the visit began as any other doctors visit would.

The nurse practitioner took her vitals and began a routine bare-bones checkup. “The anticipation was building,” says the patient. When one is tested for STIs it is a simple series of swabs of his or her reproductive organs. In this case the nurse practitioner simply had her lay back and open her legs wide enough for a swab similar to a Q-tip to be inserted, wiggled around, and then sent away for testing. “It’s like being tested for strep throat, its uncomfortable but then it is over,” she says. She explains that in retrospect the whole visit to the Health and Wellness Center was not the worst part of her STD scare, it was the waiting for the results.

The patient was promptly notified through an email

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“A PATIENT SHOULD BE SEEN

BY A MEDICAL PROVIDER IF THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS OF STD SYMPTOMS.” within the week with the five words that she had convinced herself would not be directed at her, “You do not have an STD”. It was all in her head the whole time. That’s not to say that it is a bad thing to be hyper aware of what is going on with your body, after all it is the only one you have. The fact of the matter is it is easy to let your imagination get the best of you in any situation especially those in which the results can be detrimental to your health.

Erin Tetler is one of the nurse practitioners at Center for Health and Wellness and is licensed as an FNP, or family nurse practitioner. When asked about treating college students who suspect they have sexually transmitted infections she said, “Some students come in very worried about STDs, I think the best thing for a provider to do is to educate students that STD screening is important, similar to females coming in to get their first pap smear at age 21 or to have an annual physical as advised by your provider. We want to encourage students to continue to follow guidelines for STD screening in the future so it is important to make them comfortable and understand why screening is important.” Tetler expressed that the hardest step about being screened for a possible STI is mustering up the courage and forcing down the nerves enough to show up to the appointment.

What most students don’t know is that while having an STI is a pretty big deal, times have changed and sexually transmitted infections are more manageable now a days than they were 30-40 years ago. “Some STDs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia are easily treated with an antibiotic, syphilis is also treated with antibiotics and treatment regimens depend on what stage of disease a patient is in,” Tetler says. “HIV or AIDS are not curable yet but are generally managed at special-

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ized clinics and we have seen excellent outcomes in comparison to the 1980s when little was known about all of these.”

STIs are not as scary as health class made them seem; they are actually quite treatable. Getting tested should be viewed by college students in a positive way. Students should not be fearful of walking into the Health and Wellness Center for a screening. Nurse practitioners oblige by a confidentiality code with each and every student that they see regardless of what they are being seen for. A trip to the Center for Health and Wellness to get tested for STIs should be the same as a trip for an injured or to get a burn looked at. It is nothing to be ashamed of.

Getting checked for STI’s does not have to carry the negative connotations that the internet gives it. “I do not recommend self diagnosis,” Tetler said. “A patient should be seen by a medical provider if there are any concerns of STD symptoms.” The most important piece of information Tetler shared was to always use protection and to get tested regularly.

If for some reason the Health and Wellness Center is closed or a non-Emerson student needs an STI screening, there are many other highly recommended places. Fenway Health Center, Sidney Borum, and Massachusetts General Hospital Genitourinary Infectious Disease Clinic are all suggested by the nurse practitioners at Emerson. When walking into the Center for Health and Wellness, females and males alike who are being screened for any sort of sexual infection should be proud that they are taking care of their bodies and their partner’s health, and remember that there are so many people who are proud of them too and places that are always there to offer help.

INTRODUCTION

ROMANCE

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dancing queen king

By Anthony Mastracci Photography by Liana Genito

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ROMANCE

IT’S A RANDOM SATURDAY NIGHT in Boston

and I’m busting my ass dancing at this lounge called BOND. The lights are low, the music is screaming, and I’m waiting for my song to come on. The staff looks pretty happy to see us; they joke that the “Backstreet Boys” are back doing their thing.

I’m dripping enough sweat to water a small garden and just praying I don’t hit anybody while trying to do a move. I see a girl moving her body along with mine when suddenly, Avicii’s “Wake Me Up” comes on. I’m thinking, here’s my window. My friend Mike starts clearing space on the floor and building up the crowd for me to come in and crush it in 3...2...1...GO. Such sweet music to my ears: Dun-dun-dunun-anun-na-nun-nun. My arms swing and my legs kick through a spongebob, then through a running man, then through some hip-hop move (the name escapes me) but in double time. Nailed it.

On this random Saturday night, I am the king of all the drunken subjects.

A glass of water is in order. We decide to sit out a song or two when the same girl from before comes up to me and says, “You guys are amazing, oh my god, are you gay?”

Time out.

Before I dive into all the things that are wrong with this situation, allow me to tell you about myself. I identify as a straight man. I’m 24 years old; I love music, dancing, and style; I’ve worked in high-end retail for a while now, so it’s in my nature. Looking put together and polished matches my optimistic, feel-good personality. I also happen to not be unfortunate looking. With these qualities at first glance, added to my propensity for over-extroversion, it hasn’t been uncommon that people, like this girl at the club, assume I’m gay.

I used to think going out to nightclubs was the stupidest thing anybody could do. I saw it as a big room where people got wasted and then rubbed their body parts up against each other trying to get off. This was where I realized I was judging the book by its cover—a common theme to this story.

It wasn’t until my friend Mike brought me to this

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club, RumoR, now called Icon, and showed me around. I learned that they’re not just spaces crawling with “alcohol zombies” (granted, they’re definitely in there) but instead, could be outlets for expression, no matter the form. For me, it was through dance, and I didn’t care who was watching— although some spectators were apparently using my form of expression as an opportunity to gauge my sexuality.

Time in. Cue the music.

“No, I’m not gay,” I say to her, making a face as if ignorantly texting back “lol.”

“Oh my god,” she says, “are you guys, like, strippers or something?”

Lady, are you for real right now?

“No,” I reply. “We’re not strippers either. We just like to come here and do our thing; we’re just having a good time.”

“No way, that’s so weird! Come dance on my friend, it’s her birthday!”

Let’s take a second and analyze this interaction— because it’s a pretty common one for my friends and me.

Is it her fault to assume that a well-dressed, wellgroomed, (somewhat) attractive man who knows how to move his body and express himself is gay?

The answer would be yes and no. Yes, because you shouldn’t profile a person based on appearance alone when you have no idea who or what they are. But it’s also not her fault entirely because of the way “mainstream gay” has been perceived by a large portion of society.

Though it’s not fair for me to speak on behalf of the gay community, as I am not a member and no one can voice an entire community, I will say that I’ve definitely taken an interest in learning all about what it means, who it represents, and how far it has come since Lawrence v. Texas in 2003 (Supreme Court ruled anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional, violating the 14th amendment). I’ve met so many wonderful people who belong to LGBTQIA communities, some of whom I call family to this day.

The reason this is important is because of the light it sheds on this concept of “mainstream gay”: what needs to change, and why I don’t go pointing fingers at people whose “gaydar” I set off.

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Let’s think about television for a second and gay characters who really stick out. Modern Family stands out for many people, but there are so many others—including Glee, The New Normal, and the new hit show, Empire.

The stand-out characteristics people see from watching these shows are things like cleanliness, sexiness, being physically well-toned, and flamboyance. These aren’t necessarily always stereotypes, but they don’t capture the amount of diversity within the gay community. The fact is that these characteristics are more noticeable because they’re different from the way so many viewers see heterosexual men depicted in their daily lives. Other concepts like love, importance of family, and individual struggle have shadows cast upon them by what ends up as the stereotypical, cardboard cutout face for all gay men.

I pose a challenge to you, my reader. Open up any search engine and type in the word “gay.” Think about these characteristics while looking at the first 10 or 20 photos.

They will show you that our society has come to equate “gay” with “spectacle” and in doing so, we’ve lost meaning and respect for the fact that it is a private, sexual preference. Not a charade for everyone else. Which is why club girl over here gave no second thought to asking a complete stranger if he was gay after seeing him shake his ass a little bit.

Two shows that do a decent job of creating a fair picture of this community’s diversity are HBO’s Looking and the widely popular Will & Grace. Looking delves into the lives of three gay men, all with their own images and values, and depicts everyday issues they encounter concerning things like aging, sexuality, and ethics. Will & Grace, though almost 10 years off the air, is a show that really pushed the bar for the gay community in the eye of the mainstream public in a time when it still wasn’t completely legal. The sitcom gave the world a taste of two different sides to the gay coin, depicting the stereotypically flamboyant man with

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a more average, mild tempered man through the characters Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) and Will Truman (Eric McCormack, whose character’s last name, “True Man,” may have been intentional).

It doesn’t offend me when people assume I’m gay, but I just find it mind boggling that if you were to ask someone what gay looks like, they would have an answer (me, apparently). But if you ask someone what straight looks like, would they have an answer?

The point here is to not make assumptions based on someone’s appearance, and that sexual orientation is far more than just a look. Women often face this lunacy as well, with the assumption that they are lesbians just because they have short hair or don’t present in a feminine way. Sure, sometimes stereotypes are true, but it’s generalizations that are harmful.

“So, can you come dance for her?” the girl asks again.

I’m back in the club. I can see her sizing me up: skinny jeans, tight shirt, hair that could make Fonzi go home crying.

There’s no way this guy is straight and not a stripper. Does anybody have singles on them?

I won’t bother describing what she looked like because frankly, I don’t remember, and it doesn’t really matter. She could have been straight, a lesbian, bisexual, or a man for all I know; but I wasn’t making that call because I practice what I preach.

I did end up dancing for her friend and had dollar bills shoved in my pants. As I did my thing I decided not to blame her for her assumptions; she’s just buying into what society has been feeding her, and that’s not really her fault.

I leave the club drenched in sweat and out of breath, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s how I choose to express myself—myself entirely, not just a sexual identity. If you ever find yourself in a similar experience, as the onlooker, let someone be more than their appearance. Because straight and gay aren’t dance moves after all, are they?

ROMANCE

By Chelsea Tremblay Photo by Baron Holmes

IN 2012, the American Psychological Association found that Millennials were especially prone to stress management issues and reported levels of stress that exceeded the national average. As it turns out, college, debt, facing the job market, and being thrown into adulthood are all pretty stressful.

According to a mental health test conducted by the Associated Press, eight in 10 college students experience high levels of stress in their daily lives. In honor of National Stress Awareness Month, we at Your Mag encourage you to not only recognize the stress you may be feeling, but address it and keep it from becoming a serious problem. Stress can quickly invade your life and make appearances in your school work, your job performance, and in your relationships.

In romantic relationships, stress can be a major distraction—so much so that entire studies are done just to determine the extremity of its presence. Lindsey Beck, a psychology professor at Emerson, is currently researching stress among newlyweds for the National Institute of Health. However, before gauging how stress can affect your relationships, it is important to understand how it specifically affects your body.

Stress stems from our ancestors who needed the elevated heartbeat, heightened senses, and boost of energy to fight off threats—like a tiger preparing to attack them. Today that reaction is less of a survival necessity and more of a happiness inhibitor. When stressed out around your significant other, fight and flight are two very unhelpful reactions. It’s difficult to be loving when your body is in “I will fight you to the death” mode. This is why we become agitated by our partner’s touch when we are under a lot of stress.

When you’re stressed for long periods of time, your brain produces too much cortisol for your body. Cortisol raises your blood sugar and blood pressure—which is helpful when you need to run from a serial killer or large mammal, but not when you’re trying to form a bond with another human being. Researchers have discovered that too much of this stress hormone can lead to depression, an impaired immune system, and trouble with memory. So while you’re balancing work, tests, deadlines, and tuition bills, you’ll also have a cold

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and forget to call your SO. Good luck with that.

“We are all prone to feeling stressed to some degree,” Beck explains, “but there are individual differences in people’s susceptibility to stress. Some people are better at going with the flow, while for other people, the exact same event could send them into a tailspin of panic.”

So at least there is the hope that, if you’re insanely stressed, your partner will have his or her life more together and be able to take care of you. Chances of avoiding this pesky life nuance altogether are sadly slim to none, though.

“Its probably impossible to avoid stress altogether because life is unpredictable,” Beck says. “We encounter stressful situations everyday and I think that the most stressful situations can be ones that we can’t predict and are out of our control. I think what we can do is cope more adaptively with stress. There are a couple different ways we can do this—one is being conscious of how you do or do not bring external stressors into your relationship. We know that factors from outside the relationship that cause stress affect the quality of the relationship, so they tend to feel less close to their partner, more uncomfortable, less secure in the relationship.”

Apparently, being a college student adds a new factor to the harm of stress.

“A study about college students found that when they are feeling stressed about something outside of their relationship, they tend to compliment their partner less and also tend to be more interested in ‘attractive alternatives,’ so they may be more tempted by potential partners outside of the relationship,” Beck says.

So what exactly are we stressing out about?

“Some common stressors are finances, mismatches in terms of sexual compatibility, and balancing time with other relationships,” Beck explains.

Is there a way can help relieve this stress?

“Absolutely,” Beck says with a wide smile. “John Gottman writes about the ‘4 horsemen of the apocalypse,’ which are the destructive relationship behaviors that people might engage in when they’re stressed. You should always try to avoid these. They’re things like not being overly critical of

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"I'm stressed" Google Trends

According to Google Trends, relationship stress dips around Christmas time, but picks back up in February--Valentine’s Day.

your partner, not being patronizing, or dismissive, listening and being there for them.

There’s a lot of recent research happening on capitalization as well, which is sharing positive things with your partner and making sure you’re not just turning to them for support when things are bad; you should also be doing that—that’s something that’s good for you and your partner—but also sharing your triumphs, letting them know when things are going well and being able to celebrate them together.”

Now we don’t want all this stress research to stress you out even more. It’s good to know that sometimes stress can be a good thing.

“Often couples who report going through a stressful event together say it brings them closer together and it strengthens their relationship,” Beck says. “There are two main responses to issues: stress and challenge. There are people who are incapable or not confident about confronting life stressors and there are those who feel challenged by them, but feel they can rise to the occasion and overcome adversity. I think couples can benefit from that challenge response opposed to a stress response, in the same way individuals might.

We also know social support and supporting each other when times are hard is incredibly important, insofar as couples are able to effectively support one another when they’re stressed.”

It won’t always be easy though. Beck explains that not everyone is great at dealing with other’s stress.

“Many researchers would say, and I agree,” Beck says, “that recognizing distress is the first step to being able to helpfully support your partner, but depending on the characteristics of the individual, their own kind of resources, capabilities, and their own stress levels and skills, they may or may not be able to help them effectively. For some people, recognizing it helps them to support their partner, while for others, recognizing it might encourage them to make it all about themselves.”

While it is painfully cliché, April is the perfect time to try de-stressing with your significant other by taking a breath of fresh air or smelling the roses. A cross search on Google trends between stress and failing relationships shows a correlation around Valentines day, so you have nearly a full year to recoup.

"Failing relationship" Google Trends

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bookshelves

STYLE

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Claudia Mak/ Creative Director + Head of Design

"Mix a dash of Eddie Huang with a 1 cup of Murkami novels, slowly combine pictures of you and the loved one as not to deflate the airy mixture, temper in sentiment and a cat figurine...basically IT'S A PIECE OF CAKE TO BAKE A PRETTY CAKE!"

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STYLE

Matt Mullen/ Managing Editor

"This bookshelf is the temple at which I worship, the stars I steer by, the very center of my cosmos. It is the place from which I can shed the shell of self and achieve plurality with the universe."

STYLE

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Danny LeMar/ Editor-in-Chief

"I like my books organized a certain way: the darker, more thrilling stuff on the left and the lighter, warmer things on the right. And, of course, magazines."

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STYLE

Chris Garcia/ Photo Director

"My college career in a nutshell, minus Clif Bars & caffeine."

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Haley Sherif/ Asst. Creative Director

"I love my bookshelf. It's my happy place! Miranda July's book is one of my favorites. The rocks are an Amethyst, a moonstone, and a clear quartz. Lots of a good energy in one corner of my apartment."

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STYLE

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THE NEW ERA OF THE SNEAKER

By Karen Morales Illustration by Pimploy Phongsirivech

WHEN KARL LAGERFELD sent his models down the runway outfitted in Chanel's iconic tweed garments worn with couture sneakers, it was obvious that sneakers’ role in fashion had shifted. Although it's hard to compare Chanel's four-figure priced python, lace, tweed, and pearl adorned sneakers from the Spring 2014 collection with $100 Nike shoes, in recent years, both could be paired with a suit and be considered stylish. Gone are the days of people wearing sneakers solely for athletic occasions; we are now in an era where the sneaker is the “it” fashion item.

In February of this year, American luxury fashion label, Rodarte, teamed up with Superga, an Italian shoe brand, to create a line of sneakers. Designers such as Burberry Prorsum, Acne, and Rag & Bone, included sneaker styles in their Spring 2015 ready-to-wear collections. These fashionable interpretations of sporty shoes have caused a wide-reaching sneaker frenzy that doesn’t just include diehard sneakerheads.

The rubber-soled shoe has commanded attention in the fashion world and can be seen on street style blogs, fashion week shows, and the red carpet.

Speaking from a menswear perspective, Alex Williams, a style writer for the New York Times, wrote an article titled "The Sneaker Comes of Age" about how men are trading their loafers and oxfords for Nike Roshes. "The humble gym shoe has outgrown youth culture/streetwear origins to be a fashion accessory,” he said in the June 2014 piece. He went on to say that "There are few places, outside maybe a Goldman Sachs boardroom, where you can't get away with a well-chosen sneaker.” As Williams observed, it is now acceptable to wear sneakers on the red carpet and other formal occasions, if done so in a thoughtfully stylish manner.

Athletic footwear companies may be looking to diversify their target markets to include a more high fashion taste by collaborating with designers and celebrities known for their unique style, as opposed to the usual famous athlete endorsements.

Sportswear giant Adidas has partnered with many designers including Jeremy Scott, Raf Simons, Stella McCartney, and Kanye West. Adidas by Stella McCartney celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its long term partnership with the release of the Spring/Summer 2015 line of athletic wear and sneakers. Adidas came out with the “Yeezy Boost” sneaker, designed by Kanye West in February of this year. When the $350 shoes hit stores on Valentine’s Day, they sold out that same day and then were listed on websites like eBay at a resale price of $1000 and up.

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"THE HUMBLE GYM SHOE HAS OUTGROWN YOUTH CULTURE/ STREETWEAR ORIGINS TO BE A FASHION ACCESSORY”

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Rihanna was named creative director and global ambassador of Puma’s womenswear line in December 2014 as part of a multiyear contract. This surprised some people, considering that one of Puma’s most famous ambassadors used to be sprinter Usain Bolt, known in the athletic world as the fastest man alive. Rihanna’s accolades aren’t exactly on par with professional creative directors, either, so although the pop star’s new title is potentially more of a PR move, it still marks a bold and new direction for Puma. In an interview with New York Times’ fashion critic Vanessa Friedman, Puma stated, “We want to push limits. We are going to have some really unique pieces in the line.”

Solange Knowles, who is known for her eclectic and vibrant personal style, collaborated as creative director with Puma twice in the past year for two sneaker lines: “Girls of Blaze” and “Wild Wonder.” The former was the first ever women’s collection of Puma’s laceless sneaker, Disc Blaze, which was previously only made for men. “Girls of Blaze” was a confection of candy colors and patterns and for “Wild Wonder,” Solange reinterpreted Puma’s classic XT2 styles in neon colors, psychedelic swirls, and heavy use of mesh.

The footwear company New Balance has also entered a more fashion forward market with multiple partnerships with J.Crew that started in 2010. As of March 7, 2015, the American retailer dropped a new line of shoes in collaboration with New Balance. The line brought back the 990 V.1 model from 1982 in two new exclusive colorways: indigo flame and cobblestone colorways. J.Crew also replaced the sneaker’s nylon mesh with suede. According to J.Crew’s blog at hello.jcrew. com, it is the first time anyone outside of New Balance was allowed to update the classic model.

So why is the fashion world merging with the athletic gear world? Do companies want to “push limits” like Puma did with choosing Rihanna as ambassador, or is there a demand among the fashion crowd for more comfortable footwear options other than stilettos? For Nike, who collaborated

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with fashion model Karlie Kloss last year on a sportswear line, it’s about the growth of its women’s activewear market, according to a Business of Fashion article, “Why Are Sportswear Giants Nike and Adidas Embracing Fashion?” published online in January of this year. Speaking to Business of Fashion, Nike president Trevor Edwards said “‘We have seen that women interact more seamlessly across running, workout, fitness, and lifestyle.’” It is possible that there has been an upswing in fitness activity among women consumers, thus the demand for more “trendy” sneakers and workout clothing.

The creative director of Adidas’s sport style division, Dirk Schönberger, also spoke to Business of Fashion and cited the need to keep consumers engaged and excited about the brand in the fast-paced industry. “‘People go to verticals, like H&M and Zara, and expect new products every month,’” he said. “‘We are a very commercial brand, so, of course, we have to deliver.’”

Connor Beebe, a junior at Wentworth Institute of Technology and intern at New Balance, says that he questions whether the company is moving towards fashion or whether fashion is moving towards athletic wear. “I believe trends come and go, but New Balance has always had the athletic theme,” he says. As intern, Beebe works alongside the Materials team who makes decisions on fabric, material, and palette of the shoes. When asked about the J.Crew collaboration, he said that for New Balance, functionality is the number one goal.

With the classic styles that were updated with J.Crew, their function is already known and tested, and so the two companies were then able to experiment with aesthetics. “New Balance has their stuff that they know works, and maybe for this time and moment, J.Crew and other fashion brands see New Balance as the go-to hybrid shoe for their style,” he says.

Whether it’s because of the trendiness of fitness, the need for companies to stay hot, or the fickleness of fashion, sneakers will be this spring’s staple whether paired with a floral romper or Lululemon leggings.

ROMANCE

gold coast photos by chris garcia

el matador state beach/ malibu, CA

griffith observatory/los angeles, CA

griffith observatory/los angeles, CA

runyon canyon/los angeles, CA

stoney point/los angeles, CA

stoney point/los angeles, CA

westwood/los angeles, CA

westwood/los angeles, CA

westwood/los angeles, CA

HAIR EMPIRE BEAUTY SCHOOL 30 West St., Boston, MA 02111

CRYSTAL HAIR SALON 1104 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215

T RE AT YO'S E L F

Located just off of Tremont Street, Empire Beauty School is the ultimate destination for anyone looking for an affordable haircut. Senior level students do all the services, so you’ll help them complete their training while getting an inexpensive cut or color treatment in the process. It’s a win-win. A haircut with a wash and blow-dry will only cost you $9. Have you been wanting to experiment with hair color but don’t want to fork over the big bucks to a salon? Empire Beauty School will color or highlight your hair for mere $25—prices unheard of in the city.

Live in Brighton or Allston? Then consider this salon located right at Packard’s Corner. Although Crystal Hair Salon isn’t as fancy as one you’d find on Newbury Street, you’ll save money while still receiving a great haircut. A cut with a shampoo and blow-dry only costs $25, and a guy’s haircut is only $16. As one Yelp review says, “If you're a no fuss hair person who doesn't want to pay a ridiculous price for a simple haircut, this is the place to go.”

SPA TREATMENT SALON NORDIC

221 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116 This sister-owned salon is located in the heart of Back Bay, right down Newbury Street. Whatever your skin issue, Laila and Lissy Jensen have a facial treatment to rectify it. If you have oily skin, try their salicylic acid facial. Or if the winter left your skin dry and flaky, give their hydrolifting facial a whirl. No matter the treatment, you’ll walk out the salon with your skin feeling refreshed. “Once you experience a facial at this salon, you will never go anyplace else,” says one Yelp reviewer. Although $72 may seem like a large chunk of change for a 75 minute facial, prices for the same service at other Newbury salons are closer to $200.

Plus, if you tell them it’s your first time there, they’ll give you 20 percent off.

BACKWORKS THERAPEUTIC BACK CENTER 34 Batterymarch St, Boston, MA 02110 If your back has more knots than a sailboat, look no further than Backworks. Whether you’re looking for chiropractic work, acupuncture, or just a no-frills, heavy-duty back massage, this center located in the Financial District can fulfill your needs. This center isn’t for the faint of heart—the masseuses are tough and relentless in getting rid of knots and tension. As one Yelp review says of the masseuse Kim, “She will wage war on your back pain… and she will win.” An hour massage costs $75, an hour massage with hot stones costs $100, and acupuncture costs $60.

HAIR REMOVAL EUROPEAN WAX CENTER For locations, go to waxcenter.com With three locations within walking distance from campus, this nationwide chain couldn’t be more convenient. For students, they offer a discount package: if you purchase three sessions, you get the fourth one free. The waxers are all skilled and efficient—you’ve probably spent more time in a Starbucks line than you would in a wax session here. They offer an array of waxing treatments including brows, upper lip, underarms, and legs. Eyebrow waxing costs $18, a full face waxing costs $49, and a bikini wax costs $47.

BOSTON THREADING

By Megan Cathey

386 Washington St., Brighton, MA, 02135 If waxing isn’t your thing, try Boston Threading in Brighton. There are other threading places closer to campus, but when it comes to getting the best value, Boston Threading can’t be beat. For only $10 a session, you’ll walk out with polished brows that are shaped to perfection. If threading is an art, then Ranju, the store manager, is a modern day Michelangelo. As one Yelp review says, “[She] really understands how brows can create visual balance and enhance your natural beauty.” They also offer threading treatments for any unwanted facial hair. Fortunately for Emerson Students, they’re opening a second location downtown soon.

NAILS PS NAILS & SPA 34 Gloucester St., Boston, MA 02115 Unless you were lucky, winter probably took a toll on your hands. From brittle nails to dry, chapped skin, your hands might need a little TLC. With countless nail salons right at your fingertips, finding one that’s affordable but still does a great job can be a daunting task. Fortunately, PS Nails & Spa fits the bill for any of your nail needs. A classic manicure comes to only $12, while a classic pedicure is $25. Even better, a mani/pedi combo is only $31. If you’re feeling more extravagant, you can also opt for a foot massage. Plus, they offer a stamp card where 10 visits get you a free manicure. With the money you save on your mani, you can treat yourself to lunch at Trident Café a couple blocks away.

TOWN’S NAILS & SKIN SALON 99 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114 If you’re looking for a quality gel manicure or pedicure, look no further than Town’s Nails & Skin Salon.

Just a short walk across the Common, this Beacon Hill salon has rave reviews on Yelp for their affordable prices and great service. A gel manicure will cost you $25, but will last up to three weeks. If you don’t feel like splurging, a classic manicure will only cost you $12.

FALL AHEAD From bare minimum skin to vibrantly colorful eyelashes, there are fresh new beauty trends for everyone this fall. Overall, the theme is the ‘70s, which means a lot of different looks tied together by the effortless glamour which characterized the generation. Even the most formal looks of this upcoming season still remain relaxed. After observing Cutler Beauty at work backstage at Noon by Noor and Fashion For Relief, these are the main looks I noticed trending during Fashion Week in New York City in February.

By Pauline Hevia Photos by Pauline Hevia

middle part Middle parts have made a comeback.

The trick to accomplishing a slick, clean middle part is, after parting your hair down the middle, taking small portions of hair on either side in the front and tying them under the main portion of your hair. Once you are done, let your hair fall over the small ponytail. This way, your middle part can remain tight and in place.

pink lips Pink, bright lips. Think bubblegum and candy. Combine this look with a soft coating of mascara and light blush, and you are looking fresh and young for class or a date.

braids

Braids are in vogue. They are especially convenient because they can be dressed up or down. One easy look are milkmaid braids. You can make these by splitting your hair down the middle and brushing it until it is smooth and untangled. Then, split your hair evenly in two and braid each side. Lift one side across the front of your head like a headband and secure it with hair grips. Pull the second braid over it, securing it with hair grips underneath the other braid.

starburst eyes Use a bright color to outline the eyes or add a pop of eyeshadow.

The effect is subtle but noticeable enough to shape the natural curve of your eyes. To accomplish this look, find a floral lavender or peach color and brush it lightly on your lids. Or outline the inner corners of your eyes with a glittery color to give them a pop.

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barely there Another look to go for is the “barely there� look. This can be accomplished by wearing minimal makeup that highlights your main features. Prepare your face with a light layer of moisturizer and then sparingly use concealer to even out your complexion. Moisturize your lips with a nourishing, clear lip gloss. Finally, use a rose blush to highlight your cheekbones.

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U O Y R N P L O Photos by Claud ia Ma k

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BOLOGNESE RECIPE

By Pauline Hevia

This is a bolognese recipe that has been passed down in my family for the past 20 years. It originally belongs to my grandmother, Paola, who was born in northern Italy in the 1940s. While the recipe is traditionally Italian, it began to change when she meet my Greek grandfather. After my grandmother visited Greece, she became influenced by their cuisine. As a result, this meat sauce is a fusion of both Greek and Italian taste—including cinnamon, red wine, fresh tomato, and olive oil. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 onion, cut sliced thin 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 1 lb. ground sirloin ½ lb. ground pork ½ lb. ground veal about 2 tsp. salt ¾ cup red wine 1 tsp. pepper 2 cans of peeled whole tomatoes 2-3 fresh cinnamon sticks 1/4 cup of olive oil 1 cup whole milk

DIRECTIONS

Saute vegetables (onions, carrots, celery) in olive oil until soft and translucent. Salt to taste.

Add all the meat and saute until it is no longer red and most of the liquid from the meat has evaporated. Add salt (about a tsp).

Add wine and cook until it has evaporated.

Crush tomatoes in a separate container and add it to the meat.

Add salt and pepper, 1 tsp of each. Then add ketchup.

Bring to a boil and add cinnamon sticks Then lower heat and simmer for an hour. Be careful not to let the sauce stick to the side of the pan.. Constantly stir.

Add 1/4 olive oil to the mixture and salt to taste.

As the sauce progresses, you will notice that the oil gathers at the top of the pot. It will separate from the meat.

Near the end, add and stir in a cup of whole milk and simmer for another 20 minutes. This adds richness and sweetens the sauce.

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CHERRY CLAFOUTIS By Claudia Mak Basically a fancy French pancake; beautiful, rustic, and easy to make as a breakfast treat.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup whole milk 2/3 cup sugar, divided 3 eggs 1 tbsp vanilla 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 cup flour 3 cups pitted cherries powdered sugar, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Adapted from Julia Child Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using a blender, combine the milk, 1/3 cup sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and flour, and blend.

Lightly butter an 8-cup baking dish and pour a 1/4-inch layer of the blended mixture over the bottom. Set remaining batter aside.

Place dish into the oven for about 7-10 minutes, until a film of batter sets in the pan but the mixture is not baked through. Remove from oven (but don’t turn the oven off, yet).

Distribute the pitted cherries over the set batter in the pan, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Pour the remaining batter over the cherries and sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the clafouti is puffed and brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

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EARL GREY TEA INFUSED POPPYSEED MADELEINES By Claudia Mak A delicate French cookie, Madeleines delight all the senses. They are ideally soft to the touch, subtle to the tongue, aromatic to the nose, and surprisingly simple to create at home.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup granulated white sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup unsalted butter infused with Earl Grey tea 4 tbsp poppyseeds

DIRECTIONS

Adapted from JoyofBaking.com Makes 12 Madeleines Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl.

Beat eggs and sugar with a hand mixer on high speed until light yellow (about 8 minutes).

Add 1tsp vanilla extract to the wet batter.

Sift 1/3 of the dry ingredients into the egg and sugar mixture, fold delicately, continue adding the rest of the dry ingredients.

Take a spoonful of batter and combine it into the infused butter to temper it.

To make infused butter take 3/4 cup of butter and melt it down in a saucepan, put 4 tbsp of looseleaf Earl Grey tea and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 5 more minutes, pour through a fine sieve and press the tea leaves to collect excess butter.

Take the tempered butter and drip it down the side of the mixing bowl into the batter. Do this slowly and fold delicately to avoid deflating the batter.

Fold in poppyseeds.

Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour or overnight Spoon dough by the tablespoon into a greased and floured Madeleine mold.

Bake for 8-11 minutes at 375oF until they are golden and spring to the touch.

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XXI WHEN THE ALLURE OF ALCOHOL REMAINS AFTER LEGALITY.

By Kyle Edwards Icon by Ines Delicioso Noun Project, Creative Commons

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I

SOME FRIENDS threw me a party for my 21st birthday. One of the guys in their

Huntington Avenue apartment has a birthday the day after mine so we made it a joint celebration. It’s been our tradition at Emerson; one weekend in February is dedicated to drunken debauchery. This year the drinking started early and no one saw 11p.m.

I did my 21st birthday right but I wish I hadn’t.

That’s been the narrative of my social life at Emerson; have a few too many drinks and lament my transgressions the next morning. That extra pull of vodka or that last beer chug almost never work in my favor. It puts me over the limit and towards regret. My friends laugh it up the next morning, recapping what took place the night before, and it’s as if they have fun at my expense. At least someone had a good time, right?

The United States has some of the strictest drinking laws in the world. This stinginess backfires, provoking the very behavior which these laws are instituted to prevent. The restrictions make alcohol out to be sacred, a deeper kind of thrill. Nothing beats the rush of drinking in a basement while your friend’s parents are upstairs. Sneaking a Coca-Cola spiked with rum into a concert is a cool thing for most minors to do.

I wasn’t much of a drinker in high school. My partying varied depending on who I was hanging out with that weekend or if someone was throwing a party. Maybe I had a glass of wine with dinner if the family was together. By the time I enrolled at Emerson, I had never blacked out or vomited from too much liquor.

Everything changed during Orientation week. I blacked out drunk my first night of college and haven’t slowed down since.

The guys I met that day, my basketball teammates, as well as a couple of girls from the soccer team, hung out in a Colonial dorm during the night. We had a handle of Mr. Boston vodka for the lot of us, as was customary for an evening at Emerson. Naturally, I was nervous in a room full of people I didn’t know. Eager to be social, I attacked the bottle like I never did in high school. Faces blurred after my sixth shot before my memory faded completely.

When I regained consciousness an hour or so later, the room roared in a synchronized count. “48, 49, 50,” and so on as I pushed up and down on the carpeted ground. The total grew and the dorm got louder. Fifty was a new personal record; by 70 I couldn’t feel my arms. Eventually I fell from fatigue. I might’ve been challenged or just tried to show off—I can’t remember—but in order to prove myself I dropped to the floor and did pushups.

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I made quite the first impression.

The next morning demanded reflection. You could have named a battleship after that hangover. Mr. Boston tends to do that. But more striking than my pounding head was the sense of power I displayed the night before. The newfound ability to do things drunk that I couldn’t do sober was enamoring. As someone with a bit of social anxiety, it became a method to curb my nerves. For the sake of experience and experimentation I needed to do it again.

Now a 21-year-old junior, my approach towards alcohol remains the same. For every beer, shot, or whatever is in front of me, I try to recreate the same sense of power as that first night.

Guys have been fought and girls have been offended. Credit cards and IDs have been lost. I become a stumbling, sloppy whirlwind of testosterone when I drink—the worst type of drunk.

I never seem to learn. With a history of alcoholism on both sides of my family, that’s a slippery slope to embark upon. This has become more worrisome to me since I turned 21. Drinking is a different experience when you become of age. Will my habits become permanent? Or does turning 21 mark a new era of maturity? I need a drink just thinking about the future.

A few people at Emerson know the struggle. I met Ryan* as a freshman and he has gone through a similar set of circumstances. He, too, blacked out the first night of Orientation week and understands the next morning shame.

“You feel on top of the world when you drink,” Ryan told me over the phone. “At first I drank to make up for the poor Emerson party scene. Now I drink as a way to relax after work.”

Ryan has been susceptible to blacking out over the years. Rather than find out from other people what he did, he simply no longer asks. “Ignorance is bliss.”

“You only turn 21 once,” he added. “Of course you’re also taking a turn to maturity. You can’t do what you want at bars or the bouncers will kick you out.” People judge a sloppy 22-year

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old more than a drunken freshman, but this hasn’t changed his attitude towards turning up. For Ryan it’s still a statement of his independence. “I drink because I can and no one can stop me.”

Unfortunately, those closest to you are influenced by your worst behaviors. Binge drinking is no different. My mother recently admitted she can’t sleep on Saturday nights. Her mind runs amuck with the anxiety of not knowing what her eldest son is getting himself into. She said this to me the last time she visited, a Saturday night. Her confession hurt but that night was no different.

I blacked out and couldn’t make breakfast the next morning.

As I lay in bed that afternoon hungover to a fault, the gravity of her words hit me. She calls me a knucklehead, a euphemism for the less endearing “fuckboy” my friends call me. I could do something to fix that but choose not to. Drinking is the worst kind of fun; a tightrope between the best and the worst times, the unforgettable and the forgotten, and a legacy of heroics and humiliation. The right buzz is a certain weightlessness comparable to the ensemble performances in musicals. It can disappear at a moment’s notice. The trajectory of the ensuing downward spiral is an opposite, complete worthlessness.

Now that I have turned the corner to legality, I hope maturity will catch up with me. Nothing is worse than the self-loathing and dread of a post-blackout recovery. The obvious solution is to stop, but it’s not that simple. When something good happens you celebrate with champagne and your closest friends. Who doesn’t appreciate an ice-cold beer on a hot summers day? My mother and all her maternal love got me a bottle of Ketel One Vodka for my 21st birthday in spite of those sleepless nights. “In moderation” she told me, “and just be yourself.”

“I’ll try.” *-name omitted upon request

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EMERSON RUNS

By Jamie Kravitz Photo courtesy of Logan Reever

MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2015 marks the 119th Boston

Marathon. After seven Emerson students were injured in the 2013 marathon bombing, many Emersonians plan to participate in this year’s event. For some, it will be the first time, while others will run for the second or even third year in a row. Overall, 30,000 runners are expected to participate in the marathon this Patriot’s Day. Additionally, it is predicted that about one million people will come watch the race.

The Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and is an esteemed road racing event. The historic course starts in the town of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, and the finish line is located on Boylston Street, near the John Hancock Tower in Copley Square. At just over 26 miles, finishing the race is not an easy feat.

Matt Lavallee ‘17 has always wanted to complete the marathon. Though he runs cross-country at Emerson, he has never run a race of this length before. Lavallee, who considers himself a decent runner, has not yet run 20 consecutive miles, but has gotten close.

“I’m not trying to be competitive,” says Lavallee. “My only goal is to be able to say I did it, [to] prove something to myself, and be a part of this tradition.” Like many Emerson students from the area, Lavallee has watched the race in previous years. He was very close to the bombing and feels a strong connection to the marathon.

Tyler Breen ‘17 and Logan Reever ‘17, brothers of Emerson’s Phi Alpha Tau fraternity, will be running this year as well. Reever has set a personal goal of running the marathon all four years he is at Emerson, and this will be his second year participating. He hopes to finish this year next to his brother, who is coming up from Florida to run alongside Reever.

“To anyone considering running it, I would say it’s something you'll have with you forever. It’s such an amazing accomplishment [and] the sense of euphoria you get after it, besides the surreal amount of soreness, is unmatched with any other feeling,” says Reever.

Their previous experience and training regimens may vary,

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THE BOSTON MARATHON but all three boys have similar goals and reasons for running. Above all, they share an intense amount of pride and love for the city of Boston and the tradition of the Boston Marathon. “It’s an amazing day and the support you get from the people who love you and the people of Boston and all of Massachusetts cheering you on along the way is just unfathomable. It may…be scary in the beginning, but it’s so very much worth it,” says Reever.

Breen, who grew up in New England, has always watched the marathon at school or with family, and was able to watch it in Boston as a freshman at Emerson last year. Running it himself has been something Breen has wanted to do for a long time, and a few of his fraternity brothers convinced him to participate this year. He ran cross-country for seven years in middle and high school, and was captain his senior year. Breen has been training by doing 10- to 20-mile runs on the weekends and occasionally on weekdays.

“I’ve run too many races to keep track of and running is one of my favorite things to do,” says Breen. Although he has never run a marathon before, he hopes to complete the race without walking and enjoy the experience as much as possible. Breen feels that everyone should run a marathon at least once in his or her life.

Reever has a personal connection to the marathon; his dad ran multiple times throughout his life when he was working in Boston and even placed 81st one year. Though Reever doesn’t usually run, he always tries to strive for something that seems far from his reach. Doing the impossible “keeps me going every day” and he likes “to have something to work towards.” Reever has been running five to 10 miles a few days each week in order to prepare for the race.

While running a marathon may seem daunting or even impossible, these Emerson students are determined to achieve their goals, and they encourage others to push themselves as well. Lavallee’s advice to those who are considering running is this: “If you say ‘maybe next year’ enough times, you'll never do it. This is the year.

Go for it.”

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FUT UR I SM PHOTOS BY PAULINE HEVIA MODELS: TAYLOR GILROY CARLYLE THOMES

NICO WALSH

RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN

RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN

RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN

RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN

RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN RUN

S N? L WHAT’S UP WITH

By Katja Vujic Photo by Katie Killary, Flickr Creative Commons

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“IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!”

This phrase has been emblazoned into the mind of every American alive since the seventies. We all know it; it’s the last line of the traditional opening political sketch on Saturday Night Live. As kids, many didn’t understand these sketches. As adults, many were brought to tears of hysteria by them.

However, in recent years, we haven’t heard much about these sketches or about many other SNL sketches, for that matter. It seems like lately, the show has become less and less popular, especially amongst young adults. The Saturday night that once brought Twitter feeds full of SNL commentary are becoming more and more rare. We watch occasionally, when someone we like is hosting, but it’s no longer discussed at length or greatly anticipated the way it used to be. Could this mean the eventual—gasp—end of SNL, or is it just a normal fluctuation in the quality of cast members and sketches?

Emersonians responded with an overwhelming vote for the fluctuation option. VMA major Sydney Hannibal ‘18 says, “I think it goes through cycles. [SNL] has potential because of people like Kate McKinnon, Cecily Strong, Sasheer Zamata, Vanessa Bayer, Aidy Bryant, etc. So basically all the women.” Saturday Night Live has become an integral entity in American pop culture; we may not be watching at the moment, but we can’t imagine life without it.

However, the show has been in decline for a while now. Just recently, an episode hosted by Dakota Johnson contained a digital short that joked about ISIS. Jokes using racial or gendered stereotypes as the punchline are abundant, and only after receiving intense criticism

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for their lack of diversity did the show hire a black woman. SNL writers don’t seem to be in touch with the entire scope of their audience.

Besides the offensive comedy, which has admittedly been around since the show’s inception, the writing just isn’t making people laugh the way that it used to. As VMA major Emily Stikeman ‘18 puts it, “My [entire family] grew up watching SNL. My parents used to watch it when it first began in the ‘70s, and so watching it has become a kind of family tradition. We have noticed that over the past few years, it hasn't been as funny or entertaining as it used to be. Although we still occasionally watch it, it's not as exciting as it [was].” Writing, literature, and publishing major Lucas Dispoto ‘18 agrees, “I don't watch it anymore [because] the cast just isn't as funny as it used to be.”

So what’s Lorne Michaels to do? This writer thinks he needs to— surprise!—hire better and more diverse writers. The cast can only do so much with bad material, and it’s really the writing that needs to be improved. Currently, all three of SNL’s head writers are white men, and so are many of their 25 total writers. While the faces on the screen are somewhat diverse, the faces behind it are decidedly not. This is not to say that white men can’t be funny, but it is to say that people who are not white men can be, and often are, incredibly funny, and they deserve to be recognized for that. Until SNL improves its writing and diversity, I predict that this downhill slope will continue.

“It used to be [trophy emoji] but now it's [poop emoji].”

- Writing, literature, and publishing major Chala Tsitundu ‘18

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ART WORK A LONE

By Christabel Frye Photos by Chris Garcia

According to an article in The New York Times from this past fall, “The Art of Slowing Down” is something we take for granted at a museum. To be honest, being surrounded by beautiful artwork seems like a task itself. We wander through, looking for the coolest painting or sculpture, maybe a piece to pose next to in hopes of a hilarious Snapchat. We check off a box on our “to-do” lists, and the heart and soul someone poured into this work is quickly forgotten.

Four years ago I was wandering the streets of Barcelona with a couple of my high school friends, wondering how to spend our last day in Europe. We decided to go to the Museu Picasso–easily a must-see in Barcelona. I expected to exit the museum inspired and persuaded to take my love of art to another level.

Instead I came out tired, hungry, and frustrated.

Crazy lines and crowds surrounded each piece. I wandered the museum looking for a slight break in the crowds to stare at even an incomplete piece of artwork done by one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

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So when I read what University of Pennsylvania professor James Pawelski tells his students to do, I knew I had to try it out.

From the article in The New York Times: “Professor Pawelski takes his students to the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, home to some of the most important Post Impressionist and early modern paintings, and asks them to spend at least 20 minutes in front of a single painting that speaks to them in some way. Twenty minutes these days is what three hours used to be, he noted. ‘But what happens, of course, is you actually begin to be able to see what you’re looking at,’ he said.”

My instructions were to wander, find something to stare at, and let it sink in. Simple enough. In the article a woman describes her experience—stating that after she spent 20 minutes in front of a painting, she started to see herself in it.

I honestly thought that was shit. Really? You see yourself in a 19th century painting of a French prostitute?

Now don’t get me wrong, I have a great respect for art and artists. My heart lies with music and graffiti, but I can always appreciate the contemporary art that adorns the walls of museums. I decided, however, to expand my horizons and spend 20 minutes in front of a European painting from the late 19th or early 20th centuries—when Modernism first took its steps towards glory.

I went to the Museum of Fine Arts at 10:35 a.m. on a warm Monday morning, planning to spend an hour there before having to dash to class. I was running late as always—a trait I picked up from my mother. I tried to avoid the majority of the first floor, as it was infested with small children and proud iPhone 6 wielding parents that couldn’t help but take just one more picture of their child doodling in one of Boston’s best museums. I walked with my headphones in and my face down, looking for anywhere that wasn’t filled with tourists and school groups.

I eventually found myself towards the back of the museum and in the Art of Europe section. I climbed up the stairs, proud that I was exactly where I wanted to be without trying. I spent what felt like hours walking through gallery after gallery, searching for something that really spoke to me, like a light beckoning for wanderers lost in a dark night.

Just when I was about to give up and pick a painting in a room with a bench—just so I could sit and observe— a small group of tourists waddled in, talking with sharp voices and questioning a tour guide to no end. I walked away knowing I wanted to be able to take in a painting without distraction. I found myself in a hallway that emulated emerald marble. I did

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a time check: 11:03 a.m. I turned into the first room on my left and my eyes opened wide.

The Lorna and Robert Rosenberg gallery features European pieces from the mid 19th to late 20th centuries. There are centuries-old furniture, sculptures, and paintings that range from the Head of Medusa frozen in time, to a woman, Hope, chained to a wall and begging her God to release her.

Tucked away in a corner, next to a cabinet and behind a table and lamp, Woman in an Interior hangs on a wall. I took out my headphones and started to fall deep into the oil on canvas painting from the early 1900s, by Danish artist Vilhelm Hammershøi.

The woman in the painting sits alone by a window, facing a wall. The lighting suggests it’s early morning, and that the woman is just waking up from restless night’s sleep. She’s dressed in dark colors from head to toe, her hair neatly tied back with her head bowed down. The painting resembles a grainy photograph.

After staring at the painting for a few minutes, I started to imagine further into the woman’s life. I began wondering who she was, why she was awake so early, and what she was doing. The questions rolled out of my brain, causing me to look deeper and deeper into this undefined scene.

Then, suddenly, my imagination switched gears. I thought about my mother and grandmother and how they both don’t sleep. They spend their early mornings alone, dressed in dark colors with their heads bowed down. That’s the time when they must think to themselves about all the tragedy that they’ve gone through in their lives. Losing sons and brothers, close friends and distant family. I thought about what my life might be like if I had to go through as much tragedy as them, and how I could become as strong as they are while dealing with everything they’ve dealt with.

A pair of women walked in and started talking, snapping me back into reality. I checked my phone for the first time since stumbling upon Woman in an Interior: 11:27 a.m.

I knew I had to run in order to make it to class on time, but I felt a strange connection to the woman. As I turned to leave through the emerald hallway, invisible strings tried to pull me back.

But I left the woman, alone to her thoughts.

I was so happy to be wrong about this experience.

Though I didn’t come out a changed woman, I felt more appreciative of art from outside my comfort zone. That 20 minutes I spent with Woman in an Interior became something so much more than standing alone in front of a painting.

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

AP R I L P L AY L I ST

By Lindsey Paradis

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

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“HAPPY” BY PHARRELL WILLIAMS “TONIGHT YOU’RE PERFECT” BY NEW POLITICS “LONG WAY HOME” BY NICK SANTINO “MY GIRL” BY THE TEMPTATIONS “ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL” BY JET “ENGLISH GIRLS” BY THE MAINE “SOMEONE TO CALL MY LOVER” BY JANET JACKSON “SHUT UP AND DANCE” BY WALK THE MOON “GET UR FREAK ON” BY MISSY ELLIOT “SLOW DANCE NIGHT” BY THIS CENTURY “GROW UP” BY PARAMORE “LITTLE RED WAGON” BY MIRANDA LAMBERT “ALL I WANNA DO” BY SHERYL CROW “SPEAKERS” BY SAM HUNT “SPRINGSTEEN” BY ERIC CHURCH “I LIVED” BY ONEREPUBLIC “HALL OF FAME” BY THE SCRIPT “YOU’VE GOT THE LOVE” BY FLORENCE + THE MACHINE 77

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT