the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
october 2014
WE WANT IT ALL...
NOW. FIND YOUR
#FITSPIRATION
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INSTAGRAMWORTHY DISHES
THE Do’s AND Dont’s
OF SOCIAL MEDIA
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WHAT’S INSIDE THE GUIDE 5
#miamifoodie
8
Halloweekend
By Megan McCrink By Donatela Vacca
10 Happy Hour!
By Maria Hernandez
11 YouTube Artists By Jamila Wright
IN THE LOOP
MAIN EVENT
32 Demystifying the Millennial By Lexi Williams
39 The First Interview By Alina Zerpa
44 Start Ups By Yili Wu
19
END NOTES
48 What Slang Do You Use?
13 The Activism Feed By Kathryn Collins
14 Privacy in the Digital Age By Taylor Duckett
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15 Great Online Expectations
By Alejandra Bastidas
16 Digital Lingo By Caitlan Rossi
HEALTH & WELLNESS
18 Your Whole World in Your Hands
31
By Kayla Lott
32
19 The Hive Mind By Taylor Duckett
20 Social Media & Fitness By Katya Bachorz
21 Company Strategies By Melissa Damas
22 Technology and Psychology
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By Jordan DeSantis
23 How To Stay Healthy During Midterms By Rori Kotch
FASHION
24 Do it for the Double Tap! By Allison Baer, Adam Tomashek, Molly Cohen
30 Self-Made Moguls By Chelsea Harrington
31 Gold Blooded
By Adam Tomashek
GET A DAILY DOSE OF YOUR FAVORITE MAGAZINE AT DISTRACTION MAGAZINE.COM
CULTURE
FASHION
MUSIC
TRAVEL
FOOD
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STUDENT LIFE
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LetterEDITOR
october 2014
from the
distractionmagazine.com
WHAT’S YOUR GUILTY PLEASURE APP? Editor-in-Chief_Rori Kotch “Clash of Clans.” Executive Editor_Megan McCrink Managing Editor_Lexi Williams Co-Art Directors_Claudia Fernandes‐Hernandez & Katherine Lee Photo Editor_Melissa Mallin Assistant Art Directors_Sean Perez & Jamie Servidio Assistant Photo Editor_Karli Evans Copy Chief_Erin Fischer & Julie Harans The Guide Editor_Shivani Aluru In The Loop Editor_Asmae Fahmy Health and Wellness Editor_Jordan DeSantis Fashion Editors_Adam Tomashek & Allison Baer Assistant Fashion Editors_Molly Cohen The Main Event Editor_Yael Herman Public Relations Managers_Gabrielle Bardfield & Brandon Carusillo Assistant PR Manager_David O’Connell Business Manager_Alexandra Hurtado Faculty Adviser_Randy Stano “Krispy Kreme.”
DISTRACTIONMAGAZINE.COM
Co-Online Editorial Coordinators_Megan McCrink & Yael Herman Online Managing Editor_Juan Antonio Bisono Online Copy Chief_Maggie McMahon Web Master_Lauren Ruben Culture/Entertainment Blog Editor_Chidera Anugwom Food Blog Editor_Julie Harans Online Fashion Editor_Kelly Brody Photo Blog Editor_Melissa Mallin Student Life Blog Editor_Rachel Watkins “2048. Still haven’t beaten it.” Features Blog Editor_Taylor Duckett Online Photo Editor_Melissa Mallin Social Media Editor_Veronica Lopez “Tinder.”
“Snapchat.”
CONTRIBUTORS Katya Bachorz, Writer Sarah Hirth, Photographer Caitlan Rossi, Writer Claire Barker, Model Carly Huffman, Photographer Emily Soni, Model Alejandra Bastidas, Writer Kailey Hsu, Model Guerdiana Thelomar, Photographer Kathryn Collins, Writer Metin Kumru, Model Gian Troiani, Model Melissa Damas, Writer Dan La Perriere, Model Donatela Vacca, Writer Chiara Digiallorenzo, Model Chi Chi Maduka, Model Jamila Wright, Writer Taylor Duckett, Writer Michelle Lock, Designer Yili Wu, Writer Shai Fox, Photographer Kayla Lott, Writer/Designer Alina Zerpa, Writer Maria Hernandez, Writer Allison Pakrosnis, Designer Michelle Zogby, Designer When it comes to contributors, we’re not picky. Whether you’ve found your niche in a bio book, you’re notorious for doing “nothing” at the comm or business school or you’re halfway into your college career and still wave that “undeclared major” flag, we want to hear what you have to say. Distraction is written for students, by students, and covers the full spectrum of student life here at The U. If you want to get involved or have any questions, e-mail our editor-in-chief, Rori Kotch, at r.kotch1@umiami.edu. The magazine is produced four times per year, twice a semester. City Graphics and NU-PRESS Miami printed 6,500 copies of the magazine on 8.5 x 11 inch, 60-pound coated text paper 4/4. The entire magazine is printed four-color and saddle stitch bound. Most text is nine-point Minion Pro with 1.8 points of leading set ragged with a combination of bold, medium and italic. All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite CC software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in Photoshop and Illustrator. For additional information, please visit distractionmagazine.com. Questions and comments can be mailed to 1330 Miller Drive, Student Media Suite 200, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, dropped into SAC Student Media Suite Suite 200 or emailed to r.kotch1@umiami. edu. All articles, photographs and illustrations are copyrighted by the University of Miami.
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When other generations think of the millennial, they usually think of twenty-somethings texting on their iPhones, taking selfies or checking themselves out in a mirror. Well, we’re here to address that stereotype in our newest issue, “Me, Myself and iPhone.” However, the millennial generation is changing the world and the way we see each other. We are involved in technology, engineering, the arts and entertainment… and that’s just to name a few. So where did these stereotypes even originate? Lexi Williams takes on this question in our Main Event story, “Demystifying the Millennial” (pg. 32). Millennials are the first generation to have grown up with technology and it definitely shows. We know the ins and outs of it all, but do we really understand what we have gotten ourselves into? Take social media; we have created online personas for ourselves that not only reflect our personality, but also reflect who we want to be in the future. Companies and outside sources can learn so much about us without us even realizing they’re watching, simply because we made a silly profile on the Internet. All the while, we continue to spend a large portion of our time on our social media accounts, basically consumed by them. Some of us even make sure others perceive our lives as “cool” and “exciting” by carefully choos ing every photo posted on different social media platforms, an idea explored by Alina Zerpa, in “The Facebook Page is the First Interview” (pg. 40). It is time for us to step away from the technology, seriously evaluate our surroundings and realize how lucky we are to be in a place as special as the University of Miami. So, my fellow millennials, I challenge you to take some moments out of each day to just live. We know your followers absolutely need to know about the No-Yes Fries you had at the Rat today, but Instagram can wait. At the end of the day, your social media is always there, so break away from the stereotype and put your phone down for a second—or even an hour. Find your distraction if only for a moment. Trust us, you won’t regret it. Sincerely,
Rori Kotch Editor-in-Chief
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THE ELEMENTS THE COVER: THE ME, MYSELF AND IPHONE ISSUE design_claudia fernandes-hernandez, rori kotch & katherine lee.
Millennials can be classified in many ways. Stereotypes include self-centerd, uninterested, selfie-taking young people. Distraction took a closer look at the different stereotypes and has displayed one of them on our cover. To create the cover, we launched a social media campagain, in which we asked
students to post selfies using the hashtag “#sweetasselfie” to keep track of the submissions. After we collected the selfies, we compiled them into a digital collage. What you see before you is the result of a campus effort. A special thank you to all those who hashtagged their selfies.
FASHION: Do it for the Double Tap photo_ karli evans & melissa mallin.
EDITOR IN CHIEF RORI KOTCH DIRECTS MODEL EMILY SONI AT THE FASHION SHOOT IN MERRICK PARK.
MODEL STEPHANIE MODICA STRIKES A POSE FOR THE BEAUTY SHOOT.
CHI CHI MADUKA GETS HER MAKEUP DONE, WHILE KAILEY HSU APPLIES HER OWN.
CO-FASHION EDITOR ADAM TOMASHEK APPLIES MAKEUP TO MODEL EMILY SONI.
COMMENTS TO DISTRACTION “I always love looking at the designs in Distraction.” — Chris Dalton, Sophomore “The food in The Guide always looks so amazing. How do you do it?!” — Alison Satalino, Senior “I really liked the Greek article. I learned a lot about Greek life
that I didn’t know. I didn’t know that sororities made a pact to stay on campus altogether.” — Lily Rappaport, Sophomore “The Fashion section is very professional and the photos are on point. ” — Sterling Foster, Sophomore
“I think you guys are so punny. ” — Seth Furman, Senior HAVE AN OPINION ABOUT THIS ISSUE? EMAIL IT TO R.KOTCH1@ UMIAMI.EDU
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FrontRowUSA.com Ticket Brokers Tickets to concerts, sports games, theatre, national and international events.
Tickets to ULTRA 2015 (954)-455-1929
Owned and operated by a ’Cane alumnus!
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THE GUIDE
INSTAGRAM WORTHY FOODS In a world dominated by images of #foodporn, the best way to get the most likes is to stop by one of these places. Whether you order a juicy burger or a fresh salad, your photo is sure to be a standout. words_megan mccrink. photo_ karli evans, sarah hirth, melissa mallin & megan mccrink design_katherine lee.
Azucar Ice Cream
Lots of things in Miami are an enigma, like why people can’t drive when it rains or why we insist on Pitbull being our unofficial mascot; but when walking into Azucar Ice Cream, everything suddenly just makes sense—like their Abuela Maria ice cream. Made with homemade vanilla ice cream, cream cheese, guava and Spanish biscuit cookies, this flavor, along with others like the Platano Maduro, reflect the owner’s Cuban culture and the surrounding Little Havana area. Its offbeat nature doesn’t stop there, though. Azucar’s neon sign, as well as its interior, furnished with a boldly tiled floor and brightly colored chalkboard walls featuring the menu and customers’ drawings, add more vibrancy to the Calle Ocho area.
Pubbelly
The name “Pubbelly Boys” is tossed around just as often as the name of a Mafioso, but instead of dishing out offers, the Pubbelly Boys dish out delicious Asian fusion gastropub dishes in their original restaurant. Not only does Pubbelly have a menu that includes dishes like Pubbelly’s signature crudo and the lemongrass romseco and garlic chips, Pubbelly also hosts numerous pop-up events where they collaborate with other big name Miami restaurants like the Freehand Hotel’s The Broken Shaker for a night. Earlier this month, Pubbelly teamed up with Jugofresh to create a totally vegan menu. If their ever-changing menu doesn’t convince you to make the trek out to the beach, maybe Chef Jose Mendin will. The Miami New Times named him Miami’s Best Chef earlier this year. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: Pubbelly’s signature Crudo Hamachi, Crudo Lemongrass Romesco and garlic chips not only taste heavenly, but they’re easy on the eyes, too. Your followers will be drooling as they scroll past photos of these dishes.
PUBBELLY CUBAN FRIED RICE
INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: It’s hard to stay away from Azucar on Viernes Culturales, Calle Ocho’s version of Art Walk at the end of the month. Grab a cone and pose it in front of Azucar’s portrait of Cuban singing legend Celia Cruz. Double points if you can make it look like she’s sharing it with you. ME, MYSELF & IPHONE
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FOOD
Finka Table + Tap
When they said, “Go West, young man,” we’re pretty sure they were talking about Finka Table + Tap in West Kendall. Finka is a spin on the Spanish word finca, which means farmhouse. The restaurant is a posh version of its namesake, decked out with brick walls, wagon wheels and bare lighting. Founders Jon and Eileen Andrade of CubanCube food truck blend Cuban and Peruvian as well as Korean cuisines into their menu with dishes like the Cuban fried rice, KFC (Korean fried chicken) Bowl and Causa de Pollo to create an experience that manifests beyond the confines of West Kendall. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: The ambiance of Finka belongs to its patio, with its fountain, hanging gardens and rustic communal tables. Before you leave, take a photo with your friends under the Finka overhang. If not, did you really even go to Finka?
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FINKA TABLE + TAP CUBAN FRIED RICE
THE GUIDE
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BUNS & BUNS KNIFE & FORK BURGER
AZUCAR ICE CREAM RASPBERRY SHERBERT
ZAK THE BAKER WHOLE WHEAT SOURDOUGH BREAD
ICE BOX CAFÉ GUAVA-FILLED FRENCH TOAST
Buns & Buns
You can go around the world in 80 days…or you can go around the world in an hour and eat at Buns & Buns in South Miami. Opened in spring 2014, Buns & Buns takes different breads from around the world like cheese naan, brioche and focaccia, and then pairs them with the cuisine of that country. The global dining experience includes dishes like the Knife and Fork burger, salmon teriyaki and pork belly; all prepared in an open kitchen. The restaurant itself even has a world traveler ambience, chocked with tokens from around the world, brick accents, traveling crates and for humor, a “drunken chef game” on the wall. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: All burgers are served on Raku-style pottery plates. The receipt, served in a wooden cigar box, is the finishing touch.
Zak the Baker
A day out in Wynwood involves the usual: gallery warehouses, cold brewed coffee… and now freshly baked bread with the opening of Zak the Baker in Wynwood. The name is no stranger—Zak has been a mainstay at the University of Miami’s Wednesday farmer’s market. Zak the Baker’s bread is a product of
WHISK GOURMET WHISK HOUSE SALAD
namesake Zak Stern’s travels around the world, where he learned how to perfect the art of baking bread. Not only is the shop evidence of its success, but the smell that emanates through the warehouse-lined streets of Wynwood is a giveaway too. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: Grab a group of friends, or if you’re feeling ambitious, go solo and order a variety of the toasts to photograph together. The product: the most colorful looking dish this side of the Mississippi.
Whisk Gourmet
Some say nothing can compare to mom’s home cooking, but they’ve also probably never been to Whisk. Craftily nestled in the backstreets of South Miami, Whisk makes itself hard to miss with the line that winds out the door of this caterer-turned-southern comfort restaurant. If luck is on your side that day, opt for a seat near the back, where an open enclave gives guests an insider’s look into the kitchen. There, Executive Chef Brendan Connor and his team sear their Fried Green Tomatoes and concoct the Whisk Gourmet Southern Pulled Pork Burritos. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: There’s no better time to go to Whisk than at night. Its usual daytime warmth transforms into dreamy comfort with its intimate atmosphere and candlelight—cheesy indie movie-esque moments welcome.
Bulla Gastrobar
Whether it’s about a relationship or the food you want to eat for dinner, no one likes commitment. Lucky for us, Bulla Gastrobar presents the question: why choose one when
BULLA GASTROBAR TAPAS PLATE
you can have it all? Bulla reflects the Spanish tapas style, encouraging diners to choose multiple small dishes to share alongside drinks for an extended period of time. After talking about life over dishes like the Huevos Bulla, made with homemade potato chips, eggs and Serrano ham, the three hours that just passed by will seem like nothing. Do like the Spanish do and come to Bulla late at night to get a better sense of a true tapas-style outing. The vibrancy of conversation that bounces around during this time gives a sense of intimacy to the experience. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: Take your conversation (and your drinks) to the rooftop terrace that overlooks Coral Gables. Order their churros while you’re at it to give an ending to the night that’s nothing short of dulce.
Ice Box Café
If Oprah Winfrey tells you the best chocolate cake in the USA is made in Miami, you don’t question it. Ever. Since then, Ice Box Café on Purdy Avenue has expanded its brand, offering lunch, dinner and brunch, and features items like guava-filled french toast, which is arguably a close competitor to their chocolate cake. If your mouth isn’t watering yet, Ice Box also just added homemade ice cream to their menu. The best part? You can get the best of Ice Box right on campus at Innovation Kitchen in the food court, just a hop skip and jump from your next class. INSTAGRAM-WORTHY MOMENT: Any dish you photograph here will put you in the ranks of the Testinos of the world because the lighting is THAT good in this crisp and cozy establishment.
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HALLOWEEN
words_donatela vacca. photo_rori kotch. design_michelle lock.
It’s pretty obvious when Halloween is around the corner in Miami. The weather gets a half-degree cooler and all the pumpkin spice fanatics on campus have started overdosing on their favorite drinks. Fall is in full swing and once the last Friday of October comes, we’ll get to relish a week of fantastic parties, concerts, marathons and sugar highs all with the fabulous Miami sun shining on us.
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PACKAGE OF STARBURST 396 calories = 45 minute run
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GUMMY WORMS
120 calories = 14 minute run
RING POPS
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120 calories = 14 minute run
OREOS
270 calories = 30 minute run
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TWIZZLER
37 calories = 4 minute run
THE GUIDE
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0.5
OZ BAG OF SOUR PATCH KIDS
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60 calories = 7 minute run
BAG OF M&MS 231 calories = 30 minute run
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SMALL BAG OF PEANUT M&MS
220 calories = 25 minute run
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TOOTSIE ROLLS
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BOX OF NERDS
50 calories = 6 minute run
COSTUMES With Miley Cyrus lost in the darkest corners of the universe, North West already being old news and “Breaking Bad” officially over, this Halloween bids adieu to some insanely pivotal characters. This year’s replacements should fill the void nicely, though. With the wave of outrageous video clips, uncensored award shows, binge-worthy TV and chic celebrity couples, these pop-culture themed costumes are going to be the move.
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Nicki Minaj and her anaconda outfit (everything sexy and everything fun) Katy Perry’s tacky jean dress for the VMA’s (what even was this?) The crazy and slightly scary girl from Sia’s “Chandelier” music video (it’s the new Ring girl provacative and trendy) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the ultimate throwback) Spoofs of Kim and Kanye (aka the greatest couple’s costume) The popular strong and funny female characters from “Orange is the New Black” (partying in an ultra comfy jumpsuit is a no brainer)
37 calories = 4 minute run
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BEST HAPPY HOURS | MUSIC
happy
HOUR! Two words that are impossible to pronounce without a smile on your face: happy hour! It’s the time of the day when we escape, unwind and just enjoy the moment. With so many local options, there’s a happy hour that suits your style, whether you’re an art enthusiast, sushi lover, beer fanatic or you just like to party.
For an artsy vibe, head to Wynwood to try WOOD TAVERN, CAFEINA and R HOUSE. Wood Tavern has a hip and casual atmosphere with Taco Tuesdays and Girls Rule specials on Wednesdays. Cafeina, true to its energy conflated name, is a unique lounge and gallery full of life. R House has remarkable food, art and music, as well as a uniquely homey feel.
words_maria hernandez. photo_karli evans & melissa mallin. design_katherine lee.
If you’re craving sushi alongside your favorite cocktail, slip into DORAKU, SUVICHE or SUSHI SAMBA for a delightful evening. Doraku, meaning “road to happiness” in Japanese, is exactly the journey you’ll be on once you step inside. They also have one of the most extensive sake menus in Miami. Suviche is the perfect blend of sushi and ceviche, with a pisco bar found exclusively at the Wynwood location. Sushi Samba is a unification of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine, music and design.
If those places don’t seem like your scene, try BLACKBIRD ORDINARY,
BURGER AND BEER JOINT or BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ. Every week at Blackbird Ordinary, Ladies’ Night is Tuesdays, so drinks are free for all you ladies out there, and even better, it is until 12:00 a.m. Burger and Beer Joint- pretty self explanatory. Brother Jimmy’s BBQ gives UM students 15 percent off all day, every day, so every hour is a happy hour!
R HOUSE BERRY BOURBON
SUVICHE LYCHEE MARTINI
SUVICHE BLUEBERRY THYME COCKTAIL 10
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SUVICHE CHILI PINEAPPLE COCKTAIL
BROTHER JIMMY’S BBQ JIMMY’S PEACH MOJITO
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YOUTUBE ARTISTS YOU NEED TO KNOW words_jamila wright. photo_SoMo official, Kris Kollins official, www.dprydemusic.com & Young Markk official photo illustration_katherine lee. design_katherine lee.
NEED MORE MUSIC? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED. We know how hard it is to find good music these days, but Distraction has you covered. Our Spotify playlist is posted on our website every Monday, so you can discover even more new artists. You can also spice up your listening by tuning into WVUM, the student-run radio station.
HOW TO COMPILE THE PERFECT MODERN-DAY MIXTAPE:
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Open a Spotify or Soundcloud account. Search and add all your favorite artists and songs to your account. Pick out your absolute favorites. Add those songs to a playlist with a dope title. Start jamming out immediately. Share your playlist with your friends on all social media!
Soulja Boy, Carly Rae Jepsen and even The Biebs all owe their fame to YouTube beginnings. Here are some up-and-coming artists to watch now. YOUNG MARKK GENRE: Hip-Hop HOMETOWN: Northern California CURRENT LOCATION: Los Angeles, Calif. YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK NAME: Young Markk TWITTER/INSTAGRAM: @YoungMarkk TO GET A TASTE: Check out his “Control” music video on YouTube. WHY HE’S AWESOME: Every song he writes tells a detailed story and stays true to his home city. He covers and transforms Top 40 songs with a sound similar to Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole, but with the old soul of great ‘90s hip-hop. A complete package, he edits and directs all of his music videos himself. RECENT WORK AVAILABLE ON ITUNES: “Let Me In”
KRIS COLLINS GENRE: R&B/Pop/Soul HOMETOWN: Washington, D.C. CURRENT LOCATION: Los Angeles, Calif. EDUCATION: Berklee College of Music YOUTUBE AND FACEBOOK NAME: Kris Collins TWITTER/INSTAGRAM: @KrisWak TO GET A TASTE: Check out his “Love on Top” cover. WHY HE’S AWESOME: He went to the prestigious Berklee College of Music, arranges his own unique covers of popular songs on YouTube and is highly interactive with his fan base on social media. A mix between a soulful Usher and a rock’n’roll Prince, his music has the vibe of
Jhené Aiko or SZA and his genuine sounds will keep fans coming back for more. RECENT WORK AVAILABLE ON ITUNES: “Amygdala”
SOMO GENRE: R&B HOMETOWN: Denison, Texas YOUTUBE NAME: TheMrSoMo TWITTER/INSTAGRAM: @OfficialSoMo TO GET A TASTE: Check out his “Power Trip” cover or “Drake Medley” on YouTube. WHY HE’S AWESOME: Don’t let SoMo’s “blueeyed soul singer” image fool you – his edgy R&B style incorporates hip-hop elements that may surprise you. Resembling a combination of Chris Brown and Drake, his music is the perfect
soundtrack to falling in love, dancing, moping or for just enjoying the moment. After being highly successful with his music on YouTube, he was signed to Republic Records last year and is slowly becoming more recognizable outside of the Internet. RECENT WORK AVAILABLE ON ITUNES: “My Life” and “SoMo”
D-PRYDE GENRE: Hip-Hop HOMETOWN: Brampton, Ontario, Canada CURRENT LOCATION: New York City, NY YOUTUBE NAME: DPrydeMusic
TWITTER: @DPrizzy INSTAGRAM: @DPryde TO GET A TASTE: Check out his original song “Bottom Dollar” on YouTube. WHY HE’S AWESOME: D-Pryde is great at creating a wide variety of music, ranging from heartfelt love songs to party anthems. At only 20 years old, his impeccable lyricism consistently creates hooks that get stuck in your head after hearing them just once. He credits Drake as one of his greatest influences based on his versatility, but it’s D-Pryde’s individual artistry that really shines through his work. RECENT WORK AVAILABLE ON ITUNES: “Canal & Richvale”
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General and Sports Dentistry (954)-437-4443 1 Southwest 129 Avenue Suite 302 Pembroke Pines, FL 33027
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THE ACTIVISM
FEED words_ kathryn collins. photo_sarah hirth. design_ katherine lee & michelle zogby.
In a world where one like equals one prayer, how effective can social media activism really be?
Activism through social media is a double-edged sword with effects we are only just beginning to comprehend. We know that
Undressing THE
“FREE THE NIPPLE” CAMPAIGN
In 2012, Lina Esco started filming “Free The Nipple” with hopes of drawing attention to the controversy about exposed breasts. In 37 states in the U.S., it is illegal for a woman to be publicly topless. In five of those states, this includes breastfeeding. Why is a bare-breasted woman such a threat? The independent film, slapped with an NC-17 rating and banned from Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and GooglePlus, rapidly evolved into an equality movement based on celebrity endorsement via social media. Models and actresses such as Cara Delevingne, Scout Willis, Miley Cyrus and Rihanna are among those who have demonstrated support for the cause. “Why can you show public beheadings from Saudi Arabia on Facebook, but not a nipple?” Esco wrote in The Huffington Post. “Why can you sell guns on Instagram but yet they will suspend your account for posting the most natural part of a woman’s body?” The movement is clearly still alive and well, as many designers and models left little or nothing to the imagination during the past few days at London Fashion Week.
clicking a button does not do much to help a cause in the traditional style of activism. “I think activism through social media is a good way to get a message out,” said senior Kathryn Garcia. “But it can also lead to people just seeing a post and then going on to the next thing on their feed. Its really easy for us to fall into complacency about the issues in our society.” But we also know that the spread of crucial information, and thus increased awareness of important issues, is invaluable. “I like [social media activism] in the way that it shows support and highlights certain issues,” said sophomore Ellie Glick. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge serves as a great example of the power of social media. The challenge is simple: dump a bucket of ice water over your head and then challenge your family and friends to do the same. If you don’t complete the challenge within 24 hours, you must donate to an ALS charity.
“The millennial generation is choosing to fight and aid in a much different way.” Bostonian Pete Frates, the man often credited with launching the ice bucket phenomenon, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in spring 2012. Frates has since lost the use of his legs and arms. He moves about in a motorized wheelchair, but cannot speak. For someone who can no longer clearly articulate his thoughts, Frates’ voice resonates louder than ever through the dialogue he helped spark about ALS. As of August 29, the national non-profit ALS Association received $100.9 million in donations. Compare this to the $2.8 million they raised during the same time period last year (July 29 - August 29), according to their website and you’ll see just what an Internet craze can spark. One video, created by and starring a man with ALS, particularly touched a great number of people. Anthony Carbajal got a lot of laughs when he took the challenge in a neon bikini. Afterward, he explained his personal connection to the Ice Bucket Challenge. Carbajal’s account of his experience and his road to accepting his own future with ALS was
tear-jerking, but he is adamant that the discussion will continue and that a cure can be found. “This is the first successful advocacy [ALS has] ever really had... you have no idea how every single challenge makes me feel, lifts my spirits, lifts every single ALS patient’s spirits. You’re really, truly making a difference,” Frates said. One of the major reasons why social media activism campaigns gain so much early attention and momentum is due to celebrity involvement. When the individuals that we admire are personally invested in a cause, we are more willing to join in. Unfortunately, sometimes this is naiveté on the part of the audience. An important distinction to make is whether the individual is merely promoting the movement (i.e. re-tweeting “#BringBackOurGirls”), or has an active, vested interest in the cause. For example, George Clooney and Angelina Jolie are known for their philanthropic work almost as much as for their respective acting careers. Millennials are choosing to fight and aid a much different way than generations past. Why chain ourselves to trees when we can circulate petitions? Would a telethon have raised as much money as a viral campaign? It’s part of the curse of growing up with the Internet. The same middle-aged pundits who call this generation lazy may find it easy to sneer at our “slacktivism,” but at least we know how to use “the Internets,” and, more importantly, how to use it for good. “Social media gave us a weapon,” said senior Joe Chakko. “Before there wasn’t much an individual could do, but now we have a voice.” ME, MYSELF & IPHONE
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words_taylor duckett. photo_shai fox. design_kayla lott.
Technology has opened doors to so many new opportunities. Unfortunately, this includes threats to our own security. The Internet has made the world a very small place. Information can be spread to every corner of the globe in seconds. Increased globalization and more efficient means of communication are great...most of the time. With increased globalization comes the spread of knowledge, cultures and ideas. However, as connectivity increases, our privacy has a tendency to decrease, while our risk of being hacked increases. Ebay was hacked earlier this year, affecting 145 million people. Hackers obtained credentials from a few employees and used it to access customer records. Seventy million Target customers were affected when their credit card information was stolen as they swiped them at the counter. Many people still don’t feel safe using their credit and debit cards at Target, despite the company’s claims that the issue has been fixed. In addition to banking information theft, identities are being compromised. Sally* has been blogging and posting YouTube videos since middle school and has amassed a large number of followers and subscribers. Because of her consistent presence on social media, she has been hacked more than once. “I have been hacked a couple of times before,” she said. “Since I’ve stopped posting videos on my old YouTube account, someone has learned my password, logged on to the account and posted on my behalf. Sadly, I have no way to access the account anymore, because they have since changed the password. There really isn’t anything I can do about it. Now, YouTube links all their accounts to Google. If someone were to try to hack my current account, they would have to know my Gmail information.” Some hacks are obvious, but others are not. “Catfishing” is when someone assumes a false persona and pretends to be someone that they are not. This happens often on dating sites, but has also happened on mainstream social media. People will steal someone’s profile picture and other basic information and pretend to be that person, doing and saying things in their name. This has become such a reoccurring phenomenon that there is even a show on MTV called Catfish, which helps people solve the mysteries
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“...as connectivity increases, our privacy has a tendency to decrease, while our risk of being hacked increases.” of their online relationships. Not only has Sally’s account been hacked, but the information the hackers obtained has been used for Catfishing. “I personally have never been the victim of a Catfish, but I have been contacted on more than a few occasions regarding a Catfish situation. Someone on social media dating sites used my name, personal information and pictures to mislead multiple men into believing that they were in an online relationship with me. This person, who I have still not been able to identify, has even gone so far as to convince these men to book flights to come and see me. This is something I battle with, even years after making silly videos in middle school!” UM Senior Amanda* also experienced Catfishing. “When I was between the ages of 14 and 16, I was in an online relationship with Jeff, a 16-year-old from North Carolina. At one period of time, we were talking, texting and emailing multiple times a day, hours at a time. I found out after two years that Jeff was a 38-year-old man.” Amanda has since been active in making sure that what happened to her doesn’t happen to others. “Since this whole incident, I have conducted seminars at my local middle school in Massachusetts to help students understand cyber security and what I like to call ‘cyber sense.’ It’s a real issue that needs to be talked about in the mainstream.” With hacking becoming a big problem, how can you avoid having your accounts hacked? One option is to only use secure sites when browsing the Internet. Additionally, you can install the HTTPS everywhere browser extension which ensures that whenever a website includes an encryption, you are using it.
The main way to maintain privacy and avoid being hacked is to be mindful of just how much of your life you share on social media and keep your privacy settings up-to-date. With the way the Internet works, no matter how many times you click delete or untag yourself, that photo still exists in an online archive. Our generation has a tendency to post more information about ourselves than we should, but the more you post, the higher the risk you run of being hacked. If you want to maintain privacy in the digital age, all you have to do is think before you post, and choose to keep some aspects of your life offline. *Name has been changed to ensure privacy.
SNAPCHAT: IS IT REALLY SAFE?
Snapchat was recently hacked, resulting in leaked usernames, potentially linking people’s names and phone numbers with their accounts. If Snapchat can be hacked into and release thousands of usernames, who is to say that photos can’t be released, as well? People are going to continue to use Snapchat to send photos, but the best advice is, if you would be devastated if the photo became public, don’t send it. In other words, snap responsibly.
IN THE LOOP
10/28/14 7:11 PM
great Online
EXPECTATIONS words_alejandra bastidas. photo_carly huffman. design_sean perez_jamie servidio.
Recently, dating has become something many of us sacrifice because we think the self-consciousness, letdowns and confusion of face-to-face interaction are not worth it. Our generation has passed on the date in favor of the “pre-date.” Easy as it seems, there are some serious rules when it comes to getting to know people online, but long as you know what to do, you can be successful in the pre-dating world. BE SELFISH IN YOUR do RESEARCH
Considering you’re in the pre-dating phase and haven’t physically gone out yet, you’re under no obligation to commit. If a certain habit or trait could be a deal breaker, it’s important to find out about it earlier online. “I really don’t like smokers for example, so if I see you smoking in a profile picture, I might not go through with it,” said Anna Zapala, an engineering student. It’s probably better to find these key things out while you’re in your Snuggie and eating ramen than over an expensive steak dinner that will cost you next month’s shoe game.
EDIT YOURSELF don’t Once you’re done with research, it can be tempting to pretend to like or dislike certain things. It can also be tempting to be more lenient on certain matters because you found out the information beforehand and had time to digest it. But a relationship based on little white lies rarely ends well. Sophomore Roberto Diaz agrees, “[researching someone] can allow for more interesting conversation… but it can also allow people to figure out the ‘right’ thing to say to a person to get closer for whatever reason.” Pardon the cliché, but being yourself is truly the key to getting involved in a solid relationship.
USE THE INTERNET IN do MODERATION
BASE ALL YOUR don’t OPINIONS OFF INTERNET RESEARCH
It’s acceptable to research people to learn the basics. For example, cyber-stalking is a great way to discover key things about your date, like if they’re a hardcore EDM fan or if they’re obsessed with a particular sports team. Most people are aware of what they put online and want others to see it. “I curate my profile pretty well because I know it’s important to get a good rundown on someone before you go in blind,” said Andrew Rubio, a sophomore at UM.
BE SLICK IN PUBLIC
do I’ve exposed my creepiness once before. I wanted to find out the name of a cute guy in my class, so I went online, found our class roster and searched each name on Facebook until I found his profile. Then, one day in class, I had to work with him on a project. He used a nickname to introduce himself. Confused, I blurted out, “Isn’t your name…?” Needless to say, it was humiliating. Keep your research private.
OVERDO IT
don’t We’ve all changed since high school. We sometimes follow random Twitter accounts or have weird blogs, and we’ve all had that moment of weakness that led to subtweeting about exes. If you’re cyber-stalking someone and have gotten so deep into the matrix of their lives that you know every detail, including their weird quirks, you’ve probably gone too far. This causes unnecessary stress and could ruin the first meeting for you. Moreover, you certainly wouldn’t want anyone checking out what you uploaded in 2007.
If someone is aesthetically pleasing in their profile picture, that’s a bonus. But with today’s technology, photographs can be put through countless filters. If someone doesn’t photograph well, don’t be put off. Don’t let something as fleeting and unreliable as a picture spoil your first impression.
ADVENTURES IN Tinderville If you don’t know what Tinder is, society has swiped left on you. In fact, most people have a Tinder horror story, that makes them cringe. From a girl’s perspective, I can say it usually consists of the worst pick up lines ever, which you screenshot to later show your friends. For a guy, the experience is more relaxed, but just as awkward. After Andrew Rubio, a sophomore at UM, gave Tinder a test run, he now warns against it. After randomly matching up with a local hottie, Andrew was intrigued to see what would happen. Two minutes after matching, he read this: “Do you want to meet up now or like later?” Andrew says he got “creeped out” because in real life, people don’t usually work that fast. Guess she just wasn’t his Tinderella.
Instead of face-to-face interaction during a date, these two lovebirds are stalking the other’s social media pages “to get to know” the person they’re on a date with. ME, MYSELF & IPHONE
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THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: IS THE DIGITAL LINGO KILLIN’ IT? words_caitlan rossi. design_michelle lock.
LOL DTF dunnomia afk kk tbh
tmi
drank
lmkEFFEDFOSHO sob basic mofo a/s/l AWK
ttylHAMlmk
BTW LMFAO np ;) brb
BFFL fml bogoMILF wtf BAMF
JK
DAYUMM butterface
Digital lingo makes us feel trendy, but should slang (like “selfie”) be left on our mobile phones, or nah? For a generation of entrepreneurs, not many of us are taking risks with words. We use whatever terms come easily; we grab the lowhanging LOL and use the hashtag as our favorite intensive. In the pre-Internet era, a lot of digital lingo would have died out early in its etymology. Our old bae would have been an instant breakup. We’d have discharged the struggle bus at the first stop. But haven’t you heard? Once something is posted in the virtual world, it’s irrevocable. Language reflects the time we live in—and we’re moving at breakneck speed. Texts demand an immediate reply and a lull in response time speaks volumes. Forget footnotes; we struggle to even get through the passage itself. And poetry? It only slows the world down. Language is always evolving, though even Chaucer was worried that his work wouldn’t be accessible to an English-speaking audience after a few years, and he’s credited with inventing the Middle English vernacular. Here’s a testament to the power of words: we’re still reading Chaucer. In fact, pick any writers you love and think about how they push the English language forward. Instead of reiterating what we see online, we could be alluding to lines from great books... talk about an epic TBT. If we can exhaust hours trolling our timelines, surely there’s time to think of a synonym for basic or cray. “Why say talkative when you can say loquacious?” laughed Taylor Birnbaum, a senior majoring in political science. 16
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bae
BS
“It’s almost like a game, thinking of all these words. It really spices up conversation.” Don’t take my word for it. New York poet and Sarah Lawrence College professor Kevin Pilkington says that there are two sides to the story: “More students are writing today because of social media; that was never the case. If you write a blog, all of a sudden you’re an author.” He explains that the Internet allows us to save the time we would have spent fumbling through card catalogues and just write. However, using digital lingo can also be detrimental, limiting the ability to perform when writing critically. Many younger people cannot use grammar effectively and sometimes
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HOW TO TAKE A SELFIE LIKE KIM K. DISTANCE: Back, back, back it up. ANGLE: Aerial shot. The higher, the better. MOOD: Pensive? Earnest? Droll? Choose one and caption appropriately. CAPTION: Be creative. Never miss an opportunity to communicate with your audience! UPLOAD: ...In the evening. After nine is primetime for likes and favorites.
amf OTL ROFL
azn
OMG
develop non-traditional spelling. Pilkington calls it a teachable moment in writing: “Young people create their own lingo and there’s nothing wrong with that. But when it slides into formal writing, then that’s a problem.” Since we all have a rebel in us, a deliberate misspelling here and there doesn’t seem so criminal. We can all concede that some text messages are desperate for an explicatory emoji like an impish grin (especially when autocorrect gets clumsy). But why wish there were an emoji for a certain sentiment when we can tell people how we really feel? Maybe when we quote a trending tweet, we validate ourselves: we are in on a joke that you need a password of six characters or more to access. But with such sameness to the way we talk, we can’t possibly be experimenting with different identities. Instead, we fit neatly into an online persona. “It’s a definite trait of this generation,” said sophomore Catherine.* “Simpler, easier to understand, robotic text. It shows how attached we are to our screens.” With so much access to knowledge online, we shouldn’t be phrasemongers; we should be wordsmiths. We are not obligated to convert all of our experiences into elevated writing or deliver litanies for our roommates at the end of a long day. But a culture thrives when a language thrives. Linguists don’t just have an appreciation for diction; they make a sport of finding the right words to enhance our understanding or move us emotionally. Adjectives are not just tinsel on a tree. We understand loss—we understand everything— through language. *Name has been changed to ensure privacy.
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Females have a tendency to be on their phones longer than males. College kids spend eight to 10 hours a day on their phones.
YOUR WHOLE
WORLD
in your words_kayla lott. design_jamie servidio.
HANDS
It is a known fact that everyone is always texting or Facebook-ing or WhatsApp-ing instead of actually communicating face-toface. We settle for virtual conversation with our friends and we can go an entire semester without saying a single word to the classmate sitting next to us. “Technology is inhibiting us from communicating with each other,” senior Holly Bensur put simply. Unfortunately, this has become the norm. Many believe we’re beginning to use technology as an escape from dealing with the reality around us. With the creation of instant messaging, we now have the ability to avoid uncomfortable in-person situations. Rather than having to look into the windows of one’s soul, we can message them without feeling as vulnerable. “I think it is a really strange situation because we are discommunicated but ultra communicated at the same time,” said junior 18
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Ryan Horvath. Other students brought up another point: social media is just faster. You don’t have to go through the hassle of figuring out when to meet, where to meet and what to do when you meet. Technology and social media have given us ways to do that instantly. With video chat, we can even simulate a face-to-face conversation, and the newest video games allow us to play against our friends while talking to them through a microphone. Overall, there’s a consensus that electronic communication is just a way to— ironically—avoid our current situation. Reality has changed from real-time to virtual. If we are so connected, then why are we incapable of socializing? “[The convenience] makes us less able to have important conversation face to face and we think that having them through text is appropriate,” said senior Becca Singer.
While it seems like this should be the opposite, social media can deeply impact the social abilities of teens. According to sites. ewu.org, students who use Facebook tend to be more narcissistic and antisocial. Facebook usage also results in loneliness and anxiety. This brings us back to square one. When students were answering the question of why we can’t socialize anymore, a key word kept arising: vulnerability. Why can’t we be vulnerable anymore? In today’s times, being vulnerable is tough on both sides. The vulnerable person has to open up and reveal that their life is not perfect like it may appear on social media. From the other perspective, when someone opens up to us, we often don’t know how to handle it.
“Perhaps the problem with our socialization is that our friends are not physical.” But is the main issue vulnerability? Or is it simply the fact that everything in our everyday lives is instant? We can become virtual friends with someone with the click of a button. We can communicate with anyone simply by whipping out our phones and taking mere seconds to type whatever is on our minds. Perhaps the problem with our socialization is that our friends are not physical, but rather they exist in a device that has a set of keys. Have we taken human contact for granted and settled for the friendship of our phones? Keeping our friends in our pockets has changed the way our society views friendship and socialization. With the advancement of technology, our world is headed in a direction where, when it comes to the “pocket friends problem,” we may reach a point of no return.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
10/28/14 7:11 PM
THE
Hive
words_taylor duckett. photo_karli evans. design_jamie servidio.
With the way our world works, we constantly have information at our fingertips. Many of us have accounts on major social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr and Pinterest. These sites are designed to allow us access to a wide range of information with very little effort. This ease of access results in people being on the same page the majority of the time. “Social media nowadays is used as a tool to promote central trends or ideas,” said sophomore Leah Stevenson. “These are easily diffused through the use of technology.” Take Facebook, for example; it takes seconds for a news article to make its way around. This is because Facebook has redesigned itself so that users see whatever their friends like and comment on, unless that feature gets disabled. Across these social media platforms, there is also the ability to repost articles, pictures and social commentary, which facilitates the spread of the information. Having everyone on the same page is a good thing, right? It can be. There are benefits to this kind of idea sharing, one of which is that it can help create cultural awareness and facilitate partnerships that may not have otherwise existed. However, having everyone on the same page all the time can lead to the formation of a hive mind. The term hive mind comes from a science fiction concept based on a collective consciousness or intelligence occupying many bodies. More specifically, it is a group lacking individuality, a human illustration of the behavior of bees in their hives. Viral Internet sensations like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, YouTube videos and funny memes create hive mindsets that encourage people to follow blindly after one another for no reason other than that everyone else is doing it. Instead of taking time to consider the reasons behind their behavior, victims of the hive mindset just follow whatever happens
MIND
to be trending at the time. Blindly following the pack may work for bees, but it can be detrimental to humanity. Humans are diverse by nature. There
“Having everyone on the same page is a good thing, right?” are no two people who are exactly the same, and it is this diversity that creates innovation, which, in turn, leads to new ideas, inventions and creative solutions. With the hive mindset, innovation is stifled because the desire to think outside the box is no longer there. Everyone wants to be just like everyone else instead of standing out and daring to be different. “Loss of individuality results from social media because everyone looks and acts like everyone...it’s fashionable,” said junior Shelby Munsterman. Sophomore Emily Kalman puts it this way: “People will go on Instagram and see a
shirt and say ‘Hey, I want that shirt,’ so then they get that shirt and wear that shirt when they really don’t want that shirt.” The solution to avoiding a hive mindset is simple. Avoid sacrificing individuality for a passing trend. No one wants to feel like they are missing out, and it is important to stay connected with what is going on in the world around us. However, just because something is becoming the norm doesn’t mean that you have to take it as your own, especially if its purpose doesn’t make sense or has been lost as the trend has become more mainstream. If you find a trend you like, find a way to make it your own and be the trendsetter instead of following along without a clear understanding of its purpose. Another solution is to limit your exposure to content on social media. It’s good to be on the same page with others every once in a while, but there is no need to be constantly connected. Take some time to unplug and do things you enjoy, whether they are mainstream or not, to keep your sense of individuality alive and well, decreasing the likelihood that you will fall victim to the hive mindset.
Modern technology grants us immediate access to information and keeps us in constant digital contact with one another. While this has its benefits, there are potential consequences. ME, MYSELF & IPHONE
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SOCIAL MEDIA FITNESS
UNLIKELY PAIR, SURPRISING BENEFITS
Before the Internet accommodated the growing fitness community, many people looking to lose weight or transform their bodies had little resources. However, online blogs, articles, videos and forums have now made reaching fitness goals as easy as Googling “the importance of leg day.” Since step-by-step workout and dietary tips have become so easily accessible, being in shape has become a trend yet again, minus the tacky legwarmers and leotards from the ‘80s. One of the largest fitness communities online is bodybuilding. com. Famous fitness instructors, personal trainers and bodybuilders have posted their tips for success on this website for free, making the process of transforming one’s body both inexpensive and easy to follow, so anyone can read about the goals he or she is trying to reach and how to achieve them. These plans are categorized by gender, length of program and whether one wants to lose fat, gain muscle, or go through a total transformation, so finding a program that will accommodate any lifestyle is just a few clicks away. Another feature found on bodybuilding.com is interactive forums. Anyone can ask a question about fitness, and both experts and others who have learned from experience are there to help fellow health and fitness enthusiasts by providing advice. Social media has also expanded on this idea of sharing words of wisdom with others who are focused on being fit. In fact, Tumblr has its own group of blogs called “Fitblrs,”
words_ katya bachorz. photo_shai fox & sarah hirth. design_asmae fahmy.
where ordinary people share their fitness journeys, recipes and workout ideas. Even the Instagram fitness gurus we use as “fitspiration” will occasionally post a video of an effective workout targeting a specific area of the body, inspiring us so we can aim to reach their level of fitness. Of course, searching online and reading countless posts may seem like too much research, especially since students are already overwhelmed with schoolwork. But, “there’s an app for that.” One of the best apps to download is MyFitnessPal’s Calorie Counter. This app counts more than calories; it has a database of nutritional information that can tell users whether they are staying within our goals. The app also contains the nutritional information for items sold in restaurants, so eating out won’t always have to be on a cheat day because the app allows users to make healthier choices. More apps to download when tracking health are Move and RunKeeper for Androids. These apps track movement throughout the day, measuring distance, pace and amount of calories burned.
There is an app for almost every workout, so users can fit circuits into their busy schedules. One of these is the Johnson & Johnson Official Seven-Minute Workout app, which has 36 customizable exercises that do not require a gym. Another app to consider downloading is Fitocracy. It’s customizability make the app user-friendly, but it’s unique because users can communicate with other Fitocracy members in order to ask questions and figure out what works best for other users. It has been said that the increase in technology is only breeding an overweight younger generation. However, the Internet isn’t
“SINCE STEP-BY-STEP WORKOUT AND DIETARY TIPS HAVE BECOME SO EASILY ACCESSIBLE, BEING IN SHAPE HAS BECOME A TREND YET AGAIN, MINUS THE TACKY LEGWARMERS AND LEOTARDS FROM THE ‘80S.” only being utilized for addictive games and chatting with friends anymore. Now that fitness has become incorporated into technology, it is difficult to surf the web or scroll through the App Store without coming across something health-related. With the online fitness community expanding every day, it seems as though this resurrected fitness trend with its own modern twist is here to stay.
INSTAGRAM FITNESS PROFILES TO FOLLOW @stevecook_32
stevecookhealth.com
1368 430k 465 posts
followers following
Following
Steve Cook is well known for participating in IFBB pro men’s physique competitions and being a fitness model. Follow his website, stevecookhealth.com, where he shares his own workouts videos. 20
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@yoga_girl
rachelbrathen.com
4151 1m posts
789
followers following
Following
Aruba-based yoga teacher Rachel Brathen has made a huge name for herself among yogis and newbies alike. She uses Instagram to share her poses and uplifting wisdom with the world.
@toneitup toneitup.com
1118 298k 72 posts
followers following
Following
You may remember Karena and Katrina from Bravo TV’s Toned Up, so it’s no suprise their Instagram is filled with inspring words, workouts and meals. They create free challenges for their followers.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
10/28/14 7:11 PM
Company
STRATEGIES A STUDENT GUIDE TO COLLEGE SUCCESS words_ melissa damas. design_claudia fernandes.
When you think about it, choosing which college to go to or which company to work for really aren’t that different. In both cases, we reach the same conclusion: Happier is always better. When narrowing down our last few college picks, we focus on things like a strong, spirited campus culture, opportunities to grow individually and academically, a student body filled with people we like and respect, and a place where we can be happy. Out in the corporate world, we hope for those exact same things, too. At work, it’s no secret that happier employees are more efficient employees. A recent study by Jackson Organization showed that companies that value and
appreciate their employees have triple the return on equity and assets than companies that don’t. More than ever, companies are focusing on their corporate culture to create a more trustworthy, respectful, communicative, effective and overall fun environment for all employees. So what are some things that companies are doing to enhance their culture and make their employees more efficient? Here are just four things they do that you can (and should) apply to your student life.
CommunicateOpenly
Teamwork
Breaks
Twitter prides itself on its open communication, a major reason why it was named No. 1 in Glassdoor’s annual “Top 25 Companies for Culture and Values.” When an entire company revolves around 140-character communication, you can imagine it would focus on internal communication, too. A clearly communicated mission that’s instilled among all employees makes them feel more invested in the company. In school, whether for a group project or a student organization, focus on your mission. From there, set goals in a timely manner, delegate them effectively and keep communicating with everyone involved.
In a recent LinkedIn survey, 15 to 25 percent of professionals believe that an office with a door, cubicles and a corner office for managers will disappear from the workplace within five years. This trend toward a more collaboratve workspace means a more balanced working environment. Today, more executives and managers are looking to their employees for ideas and their valuable input. If you’re a part of an organization’s executive board or committee, listen to your peers and respect their opinions. Collaborative ideas lead to happier, more satisfied organizations and help build a strong foundation within your group.
Apple turned its recent company success into employee benefits by giving employees extra vacation days during the winter holidays. At the Huffington Post main office, there are two nap rooms where employees can sign up for one-hour naps. President Arianna Huffington views these as a positive addition to the company, claiming that energy is the most vital part of successful work. With homework assignments, projects and extracurricular activities, it’s important to take a break. If naps aren’t your thing, hit up the Wellness Center for some cardio or weightlifting. You can always pull down the hurricane shutters, rest up and then get ready to take on the world.
Have Fun
Kickball leagues, weekly bingo games, happy hour and yoga classes are just a few of the many things companies are starting to do for their employees to ease the stress of everyday work life. Providing this kind of entertainment for employees makes for a strong culture and fosters friendliness among employees. Enjoy all the things our campus and city have to offer to make your college experience unique. Join an IM sport, student organization, Greek organization or whatever floats your boat. Hit up the Grove on a Thursday night, the Rat for Trivia Tuesdays or have a movie night with your friends at Sunset.
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TECHN PSYCH
OLOGY
words_jordan desantis. photo_melissa mallin. design_allie pakrosnis.
The rapid growth of technology over the years has helped improve our lives for the better. For example, with this technological growth it is easier to collaborate with peers, enhance academic understanding and generally boost productivity. With all these benefits it is easy to see why technology has so easily become such a part of society that its use is intrinsic. Unfortunately, technology has become so integrated into our lives that we are forgetting how to live without it. Our communication is now mostly handled through computers and phones due to the exponential growth of social media services. Every account owned by a student has essentially become their own personal advertisement. Students now pursue the approval of peers by displaying a “perfect” life on their various social media accounts. This perfect life is obtained by posting pictures and statuses that attempt to avoid any negative implications. Students live a lie online because it is all we know, and this amnesia of our previous tech-free life has led to degradation of our psychology. One common negative attribute acquired through prolonged use of social media is body dysmorphia, a mental illness in which a person views his or her own appearance as flawed although the perceived flaw may be nonexistent. This illness has been created as a side effect of the aforementioned pursuit of the “perfect” life and most notably occurs on the application Instagram. With its built-in filters allowing you to enhance the photo in a multitude of ways that one may find more appealing, students attempt to display themselves so that their lives and appearances look more desirable. Most of us do this every day without even realizing it. Think of how many times you’ve heard the phrase,
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HEALTH & WELLNESS
“Wait no, this picture is gross, we need to take another,” uttered on campus. This classic case of avoiding negative judgment has sadly created a body-dysmorphic society that eats away at our self-confidence daily. With the decrease of self-confidence, it is easy to understand how technology and social media have created a culture where it is not uncommon that students have also lost their ability to interact with their unknown peers. All of the students’ confidence is now manifested in pixelated images and words and does not
“TECHNOLOGY HAS BECOME SO INTEGRATED IN OUR LIVES THAT WE ARE FORGETTING HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT IT.” exist outside of technology. Often, students seek to text message a person instead of having an actual conversation with them because it is impersonal and less awkward. The ability to connect with peers has essentially been eradicated through the constatnt use of social media. With this constant use, students can often fail to prioritize their lives and tasks. A lot of times, it is hard to focus on the task at hand when Facebook is open. To stay on track with school work, designate a space as a working zone. When you’re in your zone, do yourself a favor and turn off the phone; your friends will still be there when you get back. By eliminating outside annoyances and working on things the moment they are assigned, you can end the vicious cycle of procrastination.
DRAWBACKS OF TECHNOLOGY
BACK PAIN Tired of feeling like a 40-year-old at age 20? A quick fix is to be more conscious of your posture. Poor posture can add stress to the spine, which can lead to problems with muscles and joints. Although it may be uncomfortable at first, good posture helps to keep the body well supported and balanced, decreasing the amount of pain generated from sore muscles and joints.
POOR EYESIGHT Staring at a screen all day may make us more productive, but it unfortunately leads to the degradation of our vision. This symptom is known as Computer Vision Symptom (CVS). Although not a permanent symptom, CVS can still lead to eye strain, redness, irritation and possibly headaches and shoulder pain. If you think your eyes might be victims of your productivity, the best thing to do is to get an eye exam or download apps like f.lux or Twilight to decrease screen brightness.
As technology continues to evolve, so does our dependence on it. This dependence causes a loss of self-confidence, an inability to interact with others and can lead to back problems and poor eyesight.
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HOW TO STAY HEALTHY DURING midterms words_rori kotch. design_claudia fernandes & michelle lock.
It’s 11:59 p.m. the night before your last midterm exam, and you can’t seem to buckle down and read those last annoying chapters. We’ve all been there. It’s stressful. Don’t worry. Distraction has compiled a list of tips on how to keep your cool during midterms.
makeastudyschedule
90 min
STUDY EXERCISE 15min WALKS Recruit an exercise buddy!
7-8
hours per day ideal amount of sleep
10 min
BREAK NO CRAMMING When you cram the night before the exam, you are just trying to memorize the material, rather than fully understanding everything.
AVOID ALL-NIGHTERS According to research at St. Lawrence University, students who had never pulled an all-nighter had an average GPA of 3.1, whereas students who rely on the all-nighter method had an average GPA of 2.9.
SNACK SMARTER BERRIES are convenient, full of antioxidants and help increase blood flow and enhance mental performance.
AVOCADOS are full of folate, an essential nutrient for maintaining memory.
While PEANUT BUTTER is sometimes considered unhealthy, it contains healthy fats, which help maintain sustaining energy. DARK CHOCOLATE. Yes, you read it right. In moderation, dark chocolate is a good study snack. It contains natural stimulants that increase blood flow to your brain, helping increase focus and it keeps you optimistic!
When you deprive yourself of sleep. you actually don’t function as well. That might seem like common sense, but all-nighters can affect your long-term health. If you rely on this method as you age, you increase your chances of having a stroke, diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Your heart rate rises when you are stressed, so you’re more likely to become dehydrated. When you get dehydrated your brain does not function as well. ME, MYSELF & IPHONE
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photo_rori kotch. photo assistant_melissa mallin. styling_ allison baer, molly cohen & adam tomashek. design_megan mccrink. models_ chiara digiallorenzo, kailey hsu, chi chi maduka, emily soni, adam tomashek & gian troiani.
The classic button-down shirt, unconventional denim and a pop of psychedelic print come together for an Instagram-worthy ocassion: everyday life.
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FASHION
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distractionmag
2073 distractionmag On Emily: Stampd swimsuit and hat; Alchemist. Sunglasses; stylist’s own. #surfboardt
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distractionmag
4905 distractionmag On Chi Chi: MadRag dress; model’s own, Christian Siriano shoes; model’s own, Chanel handbag; stylist’s own. On Emily: Chico’s jumpsuit; Chico’s stores, Pumps; model’s own, Balenciaga handbag; stylist’s own. #allblackeverything
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FASHION
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On Adam: denim shirt; Frank & Eileen, pink shirt; Nasty Gal, corduroy pants; Theory, boots; Cole Haan. On Chiara: Levi’s denim shirt; vintage, O 2nd faux leather skirt; model’s own, Alice + Olivia white leotard; model’s own, Christian Louboutin tan heels; model’s own. #bae
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On Chi Chi: MadRag dress; model’s own, Christian Siriano shoes; model’s own. On Emily: Chico’s jumpsuit; Chico’s stores, Pumps; model’s own.On Gian: Ralph Lauren jacket; model’s own, black shirt; stylist’s own, Neil Barrett pants; stylist’s own, Golden Deluxe Brand sneakers; stylist’s own. #flawless
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THE GUIDE
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distractionmag
2073 distractionmag On Emily: Gherardi men’s button-down shirt; stylist’s own, Levi’s denim shorts; model’s own. On Kailey: Michael Kors blazer; stylist’s own, Cooperative black shorts; Urban Outfitters. All jewelry throughout; stylist’s own. #rollout
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moguls SELF-MADE
words_chelsea harrington. photo_jessica greene. design_megan mccrink. Fashion influences are everywhere; television, magazines, billboards and other media outlets constantly boast the newest and hottest trends, providing guidelines for what to wear and how to wear it. Celebrities are an influence over how our generation chooses to dress, but they are not the only final authority. Students are using the web, expressing their own personal styles through blogging and creating businesses to spread their ideas and their love of fashion. Hannah Davis, a 21-year-old junior communication studies major, was inspired to create her blog, “Sequins and Silk,” after her summer internship at Zara Terez, a small fashion company in New York City. Davis spent much of her internship researching well known fashion bloggers who represented specific brands. “I became so obsessed with the idea of broadcasting your style for the entire world to see,” Davis said. Inspired by the wardrobes of Lauren Conrad and Whitney Port from “The Hills”, Davis said her blog is meant to be a lookbook of outfits to give girls inspiration for what to wear and the best way to purchase it. Some of her favorite trends include overalls, denim jumpsuits, leather, fedoras, oval sunglasses, knuckle rings, denim on denim and anything lace. Davis said she would like to post a new outfit every week. The blog shows multiple pictures each week, along with information about where to buy the featured
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IF YOU LOOK GOOD, YOU FEEL GOOD. IF YOU FEEL GOOD, YOU DO GOOD. look and similar pieces. Rebecca Fernandez, 20-year-old broadcast journalism and public relations major, has a slightly different purpose for her blog, “The City Slicker.” “The City Slicker’ isn’t just a blog for people interested in fashion,” Fernandez said. “It’s a well-rounded website that has a little bit of everything.” As a Miami native, Fernandez said she wanted to create a blog that would attract more than girls and offer more than fashion advice. “The City Slicker” is versatile, covering topics from stand-up paddle boarding to horseraces to the best place to go for a spa day. Fernandez includes an array of information on her blog, yet still keeps an emphasis on fashion. Like Davis, Fernandez is inspired by fashion icon Lauren Conrad. “She’s the perfect example of girly and sophisticated,” Fernandez said. Fernandez favors tie-up heels, fedoras, aviators, black leather combat boots and other
colorful accessories. Fernandez believes celebrities influence our generation, explaining, “Tight pencil skirts used to be reserved for office attire, but then Kim Kardashian started wearing them and now it’s the hottest type of skirt for any outing.” Kim Kardashian may have influenced the masses, but not everyone loves her sense of style. Senior communication studies major Sarah Akiba prefers the vintage look. The 22-year-old has been a personal stylist since age 17 when she interned for stylist Rachael Russell. After her internship, Akiba began her own freelance work, styling for Lindsey Lohan, Nyla from Brick n Lace, 944 Magazine, Prestige Imports and several other clients. Akiba says she lives by the motto, “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you do good.” Born in Paris, Akiba has never had a lack of fashion influences, but says she mostly draws inspiration from vintage looks, often doing research to bring back looks from the 1960s through the 1980s. Believing big accessories can make an outfit and that a great look does not require a lot of money, Akiba has an affordable yet fashionable style. With plans to continue her personal styling business and expand her clientele after graduation, Akiba is also creating a website with a focus on inexpensive accessories and clothing. She will take into consideration the biggest current celebrity trends as well as her personal favorite looks.
FASHION
10/28/14 7:12 PM
words_adam tomashek. photo_karli evans. model_stephanie modika. makeup_adam tomashek. design_claudia fernandes.
When applying your “night-out” makeup, starting with a solid base is the first step for keeping your face looking #flawless all night long. CLINIQUE’S LASER FOCUS FOUNDATION ($34, Clinique.com) gives medium-to-full coverage, creating a smooth surface to apply the rest of the makeup. Concealer should be used appropriately. Dab some around the redness of the nose and over any blemishes. If using a liquid concealer, like ESTEE LAUDER’S
DOUBLE-WEAR ($37.00, esteelauder. com), it’s best to mix in a little bit of moisturizer to thin it out. This helps it sink into the skin more effectively, giving a seamless, smooth feel. Contouring can be tricky (PSA: don’t ever use a bronzer with shimmer in it. EVER). Gray-based bronzers with cooler tones are best to define your features. Highlighter should be used on the tops of the cheekbones, on the Cupid’s bow and under the brows – just to give those areas a bit of a lift and help catch some light. We used
URBAN DECAY’S NAKED FLUSHED PALETTE ($30.00, urbandecay. com). Then, we finished the face with MAKEUP FOREVER’S HD PRESSED POWDER($22.00, makeupforever. com). The eyes are key in this look. The STILA MAGNIFICENT METALS SHADOW IN COMEX GOLD ($32.00, stilacosmetics. com) is a great product, because if you dip your brush in a small amount of water, the shadow becomes foil-like and can easily be applied on the eyelid for a more luxe vibe. Adding a cool, browntoned shade through the crease (like the all-toopopular URBAN DECAY NAKED BASICS PALETTE, $29.00, urbandecay.com) creates that bit of definition to make the eyes pop. To add another dimension to the eyes, apply mascara like
LE VOLUME DE CHANEL ($30.00, chanel.com).
Since the eyes are the main focus of the look, stick with a neutral lip, as you don’t want to overwhelm the face. Try
FRESH’S SUGAR LIP BALM, $22.50, sugar.com.
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ystifying THE
ILLENIAL Generation Y, Digital Natives, The Social Generation. Call us what you want. The millennials are in the spotlight, and previous generations are waiting in the wings to see just what we are going to do with the world. words_lexi williams. photo_karli evans & melissa mallin. models_claire barker, metin kumru dan la perriere & melissa mallin. design_katherine lee.
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W
hat exactly is a millennial? The name itself usually evokes an image of a white twentysomething wearing trendy clothes, sipping on Starbucks and relentlessly texting while driving a car paid for by their parents. Think of Ryan from “The Office” as the perfect posterboy; he wants the good life, but doesn’t do the work to get there. A vast majority of the names older generations call us have distinctly negative connotations: Generation Me, Generation Why, The Selfie Generation (please no) and The Dumbest Generation. “It’s what my dad calls the new workers that start working with him right out of college. It’s condescending,” says junior Leslie Baker. Nobody’s perfect, but these stereotypes seem a little harsh. So where does this bad reputation come from? And does it really have any validity? To some, the word “millennial” suggests a sort of futuristic mysticism, as if today’s generation is far more advanced than its predecessors. Jenna Johnson, a sophomore at UM, told Distraction “I was upset to find out it doesn’t mean that I’ll live for 1000 years. But for real though, for some reason I feel like it gets associated with having a short attention span, being good with technology and a fan of selfies.” While some may argue for or against this notion, the name, according to authors William Strauss and Neil Howe, originates from around the time when children born in the early 1980s were entering school and were beginning to be linked to the year 2000. Strauss and Howe, widely credited for first coining the term “millennial,” say that the generation includes all people born between the years 1982 and 2004. Today, that means we are supposed to share characteristics with 10 to 32-year-olds— schoolchildren to young parents of these school children— quite the span for a group that has been so narrowly stereotyped. Aside from the wide age gap, millennials are also the most racially and ethnically diverse generation. A recent Pew Research Center study showed that 57 percent of adult millennials in the U.S. identify as non-Hispanic whites, four points lower than Generation X and 15 points below the Baby Boomers. Yet despite being the most diverse generation in history, millennials are still the most pigeonholed. The main culprit of the millennial’s bad reputation is technology. We’re the first generation to grow up with the Internet as a common household amenity, so it’s only natural for us to use it in our everyday lives, right? Then why is it that as soon as we’re done teaching our parents how to send an email on their iPhones, they turn around and criticize our dependence on technology? Our ease and comfort with technology is the reason why we’re— or at least why we’re accused of being—
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disengaged, narcissistic and obsessed with instant gratification. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, millennials don’t get their news the “old fashioned” way, which really seems to tick off older people. Our grandparents scoff at our use of the Internet for news, just as we chuckle while they search the newspaper for movie times. Is it because we’re lazy? Many would say that growing up with technology has made today’s generation incompetent in traditional research and newsgathering methods. Just ask a 15-year-old to find a library book using the Dewey Decimal System and you’ll see what they mean. It’s all about the here and now. Millennial keynote speaker and author Ryan Jenkins notes that 81 percent of American millennials value fast service over friendly service. That statistic alone says a lot about us, the generation that has the most “friends” on Facebook than any other age group…ironic. This translates into so many aspects of the millennial mindset. We have high expectations for our futures, but what are we doing to get there? “Life for us is like a text message,” said senior Rhian Gooblasingh. “You put in the effort to send a text and expect an immediate reply, just like how we demand immediate results after doing something ‘productive’ for an hour.” Conversely, just as we can easily ignore a text message (so long as our read receipts are disabled), millennials have no qualms about avoiding responsibilities. Young adults today are so accustomed to instant gratification, usually in the form of an immediate response to a text message, that it’s only natural to “want it now” but not put in the effort to get it. But should we take the full blame? Millennial students were introduced to technology as early as grade school and with advancements in phones, computers and tablets, schools are incorporating them more and more into the curriculum. Last year, Pearson Education conducted a national survey showing that one-third of students in grades 4-12 owned their own tablet. More than 40 percent of those students owned a smartphone and 50 percent of them owned a laptop. Kids aren’t getting these things from thin air. In most cases, parents and guardians are providing their children access to this
THE ‘90s OBSESSION “Why are teens and twentysomethings so obsessed with the ‘90s? Like, didn’t they just happen?” To put it in perspective, 1999 was 15 years ago. 15! That’s plenty of time for nostalgia for a simpler time to kick in. The 1990s were beautiful, and although most college kids were too young to even remember the first half of the decade, it’s only natural for stressed-out students to miss playing with Nerf guns and watching classic Nickelodeon shows.
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THE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS CRAZE Can we really call ourselves millennials if we haven’t shopped at Whole Foods, searched the tag #fitspo or even considered taking up yoga at least once? With Lululemon selling leggings for over $100 (and people actually buying them), it’s clear that living a healthy lifestyle, or at least appearing to, is a high priority for today’s generation. Is it retaliation to those who have been calling Americans fat for the majority of our lives? It could be a factor, but regardless of its origin, the health conscious movement has a huge millennial following.
technology, and if they’re not, most schools are investing in better equipment for students to use on campus and even rent for the year. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Despite the challenges millennials face with technology dependence, this is the first generation that is able to conduct job interviews via Skype, translate a foreign language with a few keystrokes and remember to wish Nana a happy birthday before she has dinner at precisely 4:36 p.m. Digital natives have the access to and mastery of tools that are alien to generations past, and that makes us think differently. Being able to check a Facebook notification on a phone while composing a tweet on a laptop and engaging in a conversation with a peer may be considered rude, but it is also training the mind to multitask and process information quickly— two skills praised in the workforce. Author Mark Bauerlein scoffs at this notion. While he agrees that today’s generation of teens, twenty-somethings and some early 30-year-olds are more technologically competent, he asserts that knowledge in this
area takes the place of, rather than adds to, basic intelligence (aka “booksmarts”). In his book, The Dumbest Generation, Bauerlein wrote that “ordinary reading, slow and uniform, strikes [millennials] as incompatible, alien.” He calls millennials bibliophobics because they’d prefer to get their information from the web. Bauerlein may have a point there, because getting information online is almost effortless, but what would he say to the Pew Research Center report that shows that people under 30 are more likely to have read a book than those above that age? The survey indicates that 88 percent of those ages 16-29 have read a book in the last year, compared to the 79 percent of those who are 30 and older. This statistic shouldn’t really come as too much of a surprise. The younger half of the generation is reading books for school and many, specifically those without a family or full-time job, still have time to read for pleasure. People in the older portion of millennials are starting to have kids of their own, thus spending more time in libraries and ME, MYSELF & IPHONE
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MILLENNIAL STYLE
FLOWERCHILD
Millennial fashion makes a statement to say the least, but does following one of these trends show the world our unique style, or does it make us #basic?
Its mascot the infamous flower crown, the flowerchild trend of the 2010s originated as a musical festival getup, but has begun to seep into the everyday style of millennials. Although its true origins lie in the Woodstock/ hippie era, the flowy skirts and off-the shoulder tops now often come with expensive price tags.
NORMCORE
GRUNGE
Thought to be the response to the overdone and over-the-top fashion trends that inundate catwalks and college campuses alike, the normcore style brings things back to basics. A fusion of the words “normal” and “hardcore,” the style is just that: Khakis, oxfords, cotton tees and chinos are meant to keep the wearers undistinguished by their fashion choices.
In accordance with the ‘90s nostalgia, grunge is big. Flannels, destroyed demin and Converse never really went out of style. They were big back in the good ol’ days, and they’re here to stay.
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RAVER This is Miami, so if you haven’t seen an Ultra outfit yet, you might need to get out more often, or at least check Facebook. Think bra tops, tutus and facepaint. Don’t forget a splash (or more) of neon. The style is less common in everyday attire, but bright colored muscle tanks and knee-high socks have definitely been popping up more and more.
MANTRA OF THE MILLENNIALS “If you got it, flaunt it.” — Leslie Baker, junior “Dammit Obama!” — Dan Guetig, senior “I hope this doesn’t end up online.” — Andrew Miller, sophomore “It’s an icon in the shape of a heart or hand called ‘like’.” — Paola Correa, senior “Nah, I’m just going to watch Netflix tonight.” — Greg Collins, junior “Do your own thing.” — Lauren Goode, junior
helping to foster an education for their own children. Those in the older crowd aren’t really reading books unless they actively choose to read for fun. Not enough evidence that we’re not “The Dumbest Generation?” In a welldocumented study by James R. Flynn, which compared intelligence tests over the years and standardized the results so that they reflected the tests’ true difficulty, results showed that IQs have been generally increasing over time. In the U.S., this phenomenon, known for obvious reasons as the Flynn Effect, has been both linear and continuous, resulting in the increase of three IQ points per decade. Whether it’s due to advancements in education, more mental stimulation or plain ol’ evolution, maybe our name should be “The Smartest Generation.” There’s a quieter, yet very reasonable theory on millennials arguing that the negative stigma on us is merely a by-product of a new generation being in the spotlight. Patrick Wright, business professor at the University of South Carolina, believes that each generation has gone through a similar judgment experience. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Generation X was criticized for being distrustful and anti-government due to the Cold War. As teens, the Baby Boomers were the hippies and druggies and were seen as lazy and disrespectful of those who came before them. Wright says that the milliennial’s bad rap for valuing instant gratification and relying on technology is a “stage of life issue” and that tweens, teens, twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings are still getting used to the transition from kid to adult. Compared to the generation before us, the challenges we face are not too bad. Unlike our parents, we, as a whole, are not letting bleak times get us down. In fact, despite facing the highest levels of student loan debt and unemployment (not to mention the possibilities of nuclear war or an Ebola pandemic), 49 percent of millennials polled by the Pew Research Center say that the best years lie ahead. The truth of the matter is, we are still history in the making. Generations past didn’t develop the admirable characteristics that now define them until long after they reached their 20s. Gen X-ers weren’t known for their work ethic until they grew up and had jobs of their own, and the Baby Boomers didn’t “have it all” until they were compared to those who came after them. It is up to the millennials to decide who the millennials will become, and while many accuse us of being a little too optimistic for our situation, the future still looks bright.
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e h t l l a t e wha
Z Z BU Se
! t u o b is a
UBuzz is a blog about University of Miami’s campus culture, Hurricane athletics and college life as a whole. The Miami Hurricane contributes to the blog with posts that include quizzes, music playlists, lists and more. We’re also looking for contributing bloggers. If you have an idea for a funny listicle, email online@themiamihurricane.com.
ts at s o uzz. p b u s / t s s e late /blog h n t o i d t c a Re m/se o c . e n rrica u h i m mia
the
in the t to be n a W ort? ? to rep action ne! Ready iddle of the a i Hurric at m m ia M r The nzalez Write fo xander Go ane.com. Ale rric Email iamihu m e h t @ editor 38
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THE
first interview words_ alina zerpa. design_sean perez.
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Social media made its way into college admissions and companies’ hiring process, and so did your latest tailgate pictures. More and more, hiring managers and college recruiters have been screening potential employees and students through a look at their Facebook profiles. “Nowadays, there are no secrets,” said Anita Cava, a business professor and director of the Business Ethics Program at the University of Miami. So how do we handle a professional life while trying to enjoy and be a part of the evermillennial social networks? It’s not easy, but learning about how often recruiters look at our profiles will at least make us think twice before posting.
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THE
first interview W
e’ve all experienced “knowing” someone before even meeting them. We know what they look like, what school they go to, who their friends are and even if they have a sense of humor. Simply by typing in a name, Facebook lets us see people’s cover photos, how popular they are through their likes and any other information that they allow to be “public.” When we finally see the person we’ve previously Facebook stalked, we can get one of two impressions. Either we see exactly what we saw online or we get the total opposite. Although that person’s profile picture can feature a Friday night out, the person you see before you is wearing sweats, glasses and looks like they are in dire need of coffee or a nap. They say it takes seven seconds to make a first impression. Although we understand the college struggle and silently forgive the person for looking so different from her profile picture, others aren’t so sympathetic. Companies nowadays are looking to using Facebook to determine if someone is fit for their work environment. As students, we have been told time and again that we need to be careful about what we post online. Many of us even use nicknames on social media while applying to college, fearful of the judgement of admissions departments. Although the UM’s Office of Admission confirmed that they do not take social media profiles into consideration when making admission decisions, other colleges do. According to The New York Times, of the 381 college admissions officers who answered a Kaplan telephone questionnaire in 2013, 31 percent said they “had visited an applicant’s Facebook or other personal social media page to learn more about them.” Even worse, thirty percent of the admissions officers said they had discovered information online that had negatively affected an applicant’s prospects. Bowdoin College, a private liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine, denied a high school senior’s application last year because of her tweets. While the student attended a campus information session, she tweeted rude comments about the presentation and other attendees, “repeatedly using a common expletive,” reported The New York Times. Of course, applying to a university is no
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longer a worry for college students. However, whether it is your first year or you’re clearing wall space for your degree, the same lesson from high school still applies. Our “e-personality” is still important for graduate school, law school, medical school or anywhere else that needs an application after our undergraduate career is over. In 2012, Stanford University psychiatrist Elias Aboujaode delivered UM’s New Student Convocation address about the idea of having an “e-personality.” “We each have a personality… we can be shy, we can be extroverted. We can be intense. These are personality traits… that tend to be fixed with time,” Aboujaoude said. “But we each have an ‘e-personality,’ a way of interacting with the world that can be quite different from how we are offline.” He explained that our “e-personalities” tend to have negative traits such as narcissism, a feeling that there is nothing we can’t accomplish, a tendency to be impulsive and a regression back to a less mature phase in our development. With our generation spending so much time online, Aboujaoude said to think before you click. Tailgate season is in full swing and Halloween is coming up, so it’s an especially important time for us college students to remain aware of what pictures, statuses and Tweets we post. Why? Because companies nowadays have their human resource departments looking through potential employees’ social media profiles. According to Forbes Magazine writer Kashmir Hill, employers are looking for red flags on applicant profiles, such as “drugs, drinking, badmouthing former employers and
lying about qualifications.” Facebook gives companies a “fairly accurate reflection of how good they’ll be at the job,” said Hill. Forbes covered a study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology in 2012 to further prove that students need to be careful about their online activity. The study asked companies to rate college students’ Facebook pages according to how employable they seemed. After looking through the profiles’ public information, the employers had to rank each student based on different characteristics, including degree of emotional stability, conscientiousness, extroversion, intellectual curiosity and agreeableness. One of the study’s authors, Don Kluemper, noticed that companies were more inclined to hire people who seemed happier on their social media profiles. “A person with obvious mood swings, who is overly emotional in their postings, would not be an attractive candidate,” said Kluemper. “Meanwhile, a person with a lot of Facebook friends who takes a lot of crazy photos would be rated as extroverted and friendly, which are attractive in a candidate.” In other words, some companies treat Facebook as the first interview. Although some argue that it is not fair for employers to look at personal profiles, public posts are public domain. No matter how private a profile is, people can still access cover photos and scroll through basic information. Forbes also covered a survey conducted by CareerBuilder in 2012 that asked 2,303 hiring managers and human resource professionals if, how and why they incorporate social media into their hiring process. Thirty seven percent of employers said
30%
of admissions officers said they had discovered information online that had negatively affected an applicant’s prospects
31%
of college admissions officers visit personal social media pages
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Email or Phone
Password Log in
It’s not stalking, it’s public domain. they use social media to screen their potential employees. Sixty five percent reported that they do it to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself professionally. About 51 percent want to know if the job candidate can fit into the company culture. Furthermore, 45 percent did not hire someone because there was evidence of drinking or drug use on the profile. It’s likely that this information will make you think, “I should probably go through last game’s pictures,” or “That Friday night party picture doesn’t look so funny to me anymore.” “There are no secrets,” said Anita Cava, a business professor and director of the Business Ethics Program at the University of Miami. Although Cava recognizes that privacy is a human right, she said “there is no question that the reality of our private life is different today than it was five, 10 years ago.” She touched upon the importance of being held accountable for our public actions, even if they are done behind a keyboard. “There’s a camera in everybody’s hands,” said Cava. “My friends and I have a joke that we didn’t have as many responsibilities as the younger generation does because you all post everything, even if it’s embarrassing.” She used to occasionally search the names of her students on Facebook and if there was ever a red flag, she would try to teach them the importance of reputation management.“It’s not stalking, it’s public domain,” said Cava. Freshmen learn this lesson before school even starts. During orientation, Dean of Students Ricardo Hall typically gives a memorable lecture on the subject. Prior to orientation, he looks through the official class Facebook group and sees what incoming freshmen are posting. During his orientation presentation, he displays Facebook and Twitter screenshots that show different posts about parties or thoughts about coming to the University of Miami. His message about being careful with social media usually comes across even before he says it. You can hear freshmen gasping, laughing or pointing at another student the moment their name comes on the screen. Like Cava, Hall also views it as a lesson in reputation management. If teachers and deans can see what pictures or statuses are being posted, an employer can definitely access it. Even though students feel a constant need to post on social media, we need to be cautious that the negative content doesn’t end up potentially ruining a job opportunity. This doesn’t mean don’t post at all, but make sure your tailgate pictures don’t look like you’re drunk. Have the common sense to avoid posting vulgar language on Twitter or Instagram. Putting a profile on “private” doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to check it.
37% of employers said they use social media to screen their employees
WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR
65%
Check to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself professionally
51%
want to know if the job candidate can fit into the company culture
45%
Did not hire someone because there was evidence of drinking or drug use on the profile
Utilize social media to your advantage. Post a picture of that time you helped out during Orientation Outreach or the happiness of Homecoming. Tweet about how great the game was or how much you love Beyoncé, but make sure it can’t be used against you. Imagine your mom scrolling through your Facebook pictures. Do any of them make you say, “Wait Mom, I can explain?” Maybe even try typing your name in Google and seeing what pictures or information comes up. If a company, professor or parent can easily see it, you’d better hope it is good enough for anyone to think, “They seem like a pretty great person.”
Hopefully, the next time you decide to learn about someone before you two actually meet, those vital seven seconds will turn into a positive, lasting first impression.
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Email or Phone
Password Log in
Sign Up
&DON’TS
DO’S
THE MOM TEST
Would you show some of your posts to your mom? If you wouldn’t, then don’t post them.
UPDATE YOUR ACCOUNTS Stay updated, stay relevant. Post once a day to your different accounts, and keep your information updated. If you’re already out of college, change your network to your new company.
PROOFREAD YOUR POSTS Especially on Twitter. Twitter is a public network, and employer’s don’t find cursing and bad grammar attractive.
CHECK YOUR PRIVACY SETTINGS
Tailgating, frat parties? Yeah, alcohol. Maybe too much alcohol. The chances of those pictures not leaking to future employers are slim to none.
DON’T OVERSHARE If you post every thought you have, check in to every restaurant you go, and post an album full of pictures every day of your life, your posts will become white noise. People are just going to scroll through as soon as they see your name.
DON’T ADD YOUR PROFESSORS OR BOSSES ON FACEBOOK
Social networks are constantly changing privacy settings, so it is important to take a look periodically and make sure that you only share what you want to, to whom you want to.
Just don’t...at least not until the semester is over and you’re certain you’re not going to take classes with them again. It isn't professional, and you probably don’t want them to see your latest Halloween costume or your Saturday night posts.
POST POSITIVE CONTENT
DON’T TRASH TALK
Share articles you think might be beneficial to your friends and followers, or share something you read that you found interesting.
There’s more than one story about how an employee lost his or her job because they trash talked their boss. And trash talking your friends makes you look immature, so stay away from it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
:)
CONGRATS
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DON’T POST DRINKING PICTURES
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BLAH BLAH
SHUT U
P
!$&%#
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y, Nov 12 a d s e n d We y, Nov 13 a d s r u h T ov 14 Friday, N Nov 15 , Saturday ov 16 N Sunday,
TCAR A H T E K I IL .N43ET ME, MYSELF & IPHONE DISTRACTION W O H S IAUTO M A I M . W
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words_ yili wu. photo_ karli evans & guerdiana thelomar. design_claudia fernandes.
In a new era where babies can easily figure out how to work an iPad, technology is becoming the backbone of society and business. With the explosion of digitally-based companies in the past decade, including businesses like Snapchat receiving $3 billion buyout offers, the possible reward makes creating a successful app seem appealing. While Silicon Valley is known for its booming startup scene, Miami is starting to develop a tech culture that encourages an entrepreneurial spirit as the nexus between North and South America. In the past few years, over 1,000 startups have launched in Miami, and many of their founders are UM alums.
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Jake Elliot, CEO
Two years ago, then-sophomore Jake Elliot began formulating what would become SnagTag, the company he plans to devote all his energy to after he graduates this spring. With help from members of TAMID, a business-oriented club aimed to help Israeli startups and businesses, Elliot was able to meet UM engineers that helped him develop his idea into a functioning app and business. Unlike other apps that can be downloaded onto phones, SnagTag aims to work with retailers themselves. The concept is to be able to walk into a store, go to any item, tap it with a phone, see the product’s information and be able to add it to a shopping cart-type holding spot. Elliot explains that the purpose of SnagTag is to bridge the gap between online shopping and in-store shopping and it will give online benefits to in-store shopping. When you see an item in a store, you don’t always know if you want to buy it immediately, so you have the option to add it to your shopping cart with SnagTag. While Elliot serves as the CEO of SnagTag, fellow UM students Nicholas Sando and Alex Rodriguez have become integral contributors as well as, respectively, CFO and COO. Alex Rodriguez’s twin brother at MIT also joined in, which encouraged the SnagTag team to visit Cambridge, Massachusetts in October 2013 for HackMIT. Some of the most brilliant college programmers in the nation congregate at HackMIT for around 30 hours programming, perfecting
Jake Elliot is a business major at the University of Miami.
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and presenting their projects to prominent sponsors like Google and PayPal. SnagTag ended up placing in the top 10 percent of approximately 500 teams. As the SnagTag team continued to perfect their app after HackMIT, they decided to enter the University of Miami Business Plan Competition in November 2013. Two days before Elliot left for his study abroad semester in Barcelona, he found out that SnagTag had made the semifinals of the competition. “I was freaking out that I was leaving right before something real was happening,” he said. “The first two weeks of my study abroad I just sat in my room finalizing the business plan, book retailers and manufacturers.” Two weeks later, while in Dublin, Ireland, Elliot found out that SnagTag was one of eight teams who made the business competition finals. Although his study abroad semester didn’t end until late April, he immediately got on a plane back to Miami on March 28 for the final presentation. SnagTag ultimately won first place in the 2014 University of Miami Business Plan Competition along with a $10,000 award. “It was a great feeling to win,” Elliot said. “Now the business school is behind us, the University of Miami is behind us and we got to meet with investors and retailers. There was a lot of pressure at first, but when there’s an idea that you believe in, and the whole team believes in, it kind of makes you feel good and want to keep going.”
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ZOO RUSH Shareen Dookie, Illustrator
Shareen Dookie, art student at the University of Miami. Some of her work was been displayed in the Student Juried Exhibition at the Lowe Art Museum in 2011.
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Creating a video game is an honorable feat in and of itself, but UM’s School of Communication students took it a step further by creating a video game that raises awareness for sickle cell diseases. Zoo Rush, downloadable on a computer, Android and iOS devices, follows a zookeeper with sickle cell disease who has to return all the escaped animals. While on the run to find the animals, the zookeeper has to remain hydrated, avoid infections, check with his doctor and take his medication. Zoo Rush is a special startup venture because it is an app that uses technology for a charitable purpose; its objective is to educate players about the lives of those with sickle cell diseases. The creators of Zoo Rush hope to raise awareness for sickle cell diseases and also decrease the stigma of its consequences for those who live with sickle cell disease today. “I remember doing research on sickle cell disease and learning about those who have it, which was enlightening and moving,” said Shareen Dookie, Zoo Rush’s illustrator and a current motion pictures graduate student. “It was also exciting to see how we could make the game educational, useful and fun for all.” When the Zoo Rush team members joined this unique project, they forfeited a lot of their free time to work on their new endeavor. In Dookie’s opinion, “It did not feel like a sacrifice because we were working on something special. Who knows when another opportunity like this will come around?” Isabella Douzoglou, the sound and music designer of Zoo Rush, graduated from UM in 2014 with a degree in motion pictures and computer science and is now a graduate student at UM. “Technology is symbiotic of business by this time in history,” she said. “For our purposes, we used technology to share information regarding an unfortunate aspect of human flaw in newage way: video games. There’s a difference between using technology for a profit versus using it to make the world better, and this may have just been step one for us.” On July 24, Ebby Wahman, Zoo Rush programmer, and Franklin Zhang, Zoo Rush illustrator, attended the 2014 International Serious Play Awards at University of Southern California and earned a Silver Award in the Games for Good category. The award validated the Zoo Rush team’s months of hard work and balancing being a student and a video game creator. “We were all really busy during the time [we were] making the game,” Douzoglou said. “Our deadline was very close to finals week. Thankfully, we had an extension. Besides the workload [it was] just like any other coursework for the most part, I think we all felt really cool to be a part of this project.”
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JOBSPOT
Chiara DiGiallorenzo, Director of Marketing
Chiara DiGiallorenzo, a junior and journalism double major, works for a startup company that focuses on the short-term needs of college students everywhere: cash. Jobspot first appeared online on August 26 and has already pushed for a presence on campuses nationwide. Jobspot allows people, mostly college students, to post and search for short shifts of jobs on their mobile app to make quick money without the commitment of working a set schedule. “Students are able to find help doing their daily chores– anything from tutoring to someone helping to build their furniture,” DiGiallorenzo said. Its specialty is providing flexibility with making money for college students who also have to balance coursework and partying. A trademark of the new millennial generation is its need for instant gratification. DiGiallorenzo, the app’s head of marketing for the Miami area, explained, “The goal of Jobspot is to have a platform to ease the life of every college student. We are clearly a tech generation of young adults who want things done instantaneously. Who wouldn’t want to get their chores completed for them or to make fast cash
by doing small tasks for others? It just makes sense. We are taking the next step into the future of technology.” The Jobspot team is very close and everyone is vital to the success of the business and app. “I’d like to say we all wear many different hats!” DiGiallorenzo said of the duties of startup employees. The life of a startup employee may sound difficult, since more work is delegated out due to the smaller number of employees, but the uncertainty and freedom is also exciting for those who work in startups. DiGiallorenzo thoroughly enjoys her work with Jobspot. “It is honestly so exciting and innovative! We really have the responsibility of making it all happen, every single facet. I think this responsibility allows for our team to think outside the box.” She especially loves Jobspot because it caters to a wide range of consumers, from students to housewives. For students who don’t have the ability to make commitments to scheduled jobs, Jobspot is a great alternative. In the words of DiGiallorenzo, “Why work a full day when you can make as much money as you physically have time for doing one-time tasks on Jobspot?”
Do you have the idea for the next big thing?
If you’re into the whole entrepreneurship idea check out The Launch Pad here, on campus. At The Launch Pad they have two missions. First, it helps to present entrepreneurship as a viable career option. Second, they encourage and enable students and alumni of UM to apply their ideas and start their own businesses. The Launch Pad demystifies the whole entrepreneurship thing and makes it more accessible to students and alumni alike.
Chiara DiGiallorenzo is the Director of Marketing in the Miami area for the app Jobspot.
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WHAT’S THE
WORD YOU’VE BEEN
LATELY?
photo_rori kotch. design_rori kotch.
“JAWN.”
Matt Pietras, sophomore
“DOPE.”
Crystal Castagnazzi, sophomore
“¡DALÉ!”
Carlos Calderon, sophomore
“#BLESSED.” Trent Seale, senior
“GUCCI.” Sydney Groll, sophomore
“YOU DOWN?” Victoria Kohl, sophomore
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END NOTES
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Got ideas? We got paper and a website and an Instagram, and a Facebook , and a Twitter. Whether you’re into words, pictures or graphics we’ve got the medium for you . For more infor contact our Editor-In-Chief Rori Kotch at r.kotch1@umiami.edu.
Distraction Magazine @DistractionUM @DistractionMag
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