Winter 2021 by Pulse Magazine

CWU’S STUDENT-RUN LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE | WINTER 2021

PULSE CUTTING THROUGH

THE STIGMA OF PLASTIC SURGERY FOOTBALL FUELS THE FIGHT: How One Coach Influenced A Social Justice Movement

FACE THE MUSIC: Live Shows in COVID and Beyond

what’s INSIDE

O N T H E C OV E R Co-Editor-in-Chief and director of photography for PULSE, Kassandra Eller, models and photographs herself with a needle going into her lip. Lip fillers are one of the most recent cosmetic surgeries to circulate in conversation, which is leading toward discussions about destigmatizing the topic. Photo by Kassandra Eller Design by Sara Roach

OUR TOWN 1 0 Mix-n-Mask: How Central Students Style Face Masks 1 4 The ‘New Normal’ Freshman Experience 1 8 Visiting the Red Pickle in Ellensburg 2 2 How Graphic Design Chose Sloane Miller: A Q&A w/ CWU Graphic Design Alumna LIFEHACKS 2 4 Face the Music: Live Shows in COVID and Beyond

2 8 Talk, Text or Tweet: The Effects of Screen Time on College Students SPOTLIGHT 3 2 Bar to Boutique: How One CWU Alumna Has Found Success in Entrepreneurship 3 8 Football Fuels the Fight: How One Coach Influenced A Social Justice Movement 4 4 Cutting Through the Stigma of Plastic Surgery

Photo by Samantha Cabeza

FOOD + DRINK 4 8 Chocolate: The Ultimate Mood Booster 5 0 Charcuterie 101: A Guide to Building Your Own Cheese Board SPORTS 5 4 Winter Sports 6 0 The Balance Between Ball and Brand: How the NCAA Allows Athletes to Embrace Their Identity

MIND + BODY 6 6 Laughter is the Best Medicine 6 8 Ejected f rom Influence: Has Cancel Culture Gone Viral? 7 0 Dealing with Death: Getting Through the Death of a Loved One AFTER DARK 74 We’re in a bit of a Situationship: Def ining Confusing Relationships 7 6 A New Era of Entertainment 7 8 The Future of Travel in America

WINTER 2021 LEADERSHIP STAFF ZOOM

EDITION

Spencer Clifton editor-in-chief

Kassandra Eller editor-in-chief

Sara Roach art director

Madeline Wilson associate editor

Allison Clowers features editor

Nidia Torres copy editor

Taylor Johnson social media manager

Autumn Reed web manager

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PULSE STAFF Editorial co-editor-in-chiefs Spencer Clifton Kassandra Eller associate editor Madeline Wilson features editor Allison Clowers copy editor Nidia Torres

Writers Sanna Bjork Samantha Cabeza Jared Galanti Rey Green Paneal Holland Jane Pham Mike Powers Autumn Reed

Gabriel Strasbaugh Lexi Wicks Noah Wright Justin Zabel

Design art director Sara Roach designers Ilse Orta Mederos Sione Sausau Chandler Vanous Lisa Zhu

Multimedia videographer Lexi Wicks Alex Groom social media manager Taylor Johnson web manager Autumn Reed

Advertising

Photography

business manager Cait Dalton 509-963-1026 cait.dalton@cwu.edu

director of photography Kassandra Eller

Advising

photographers Lexi Wicks Alex Groom Samantha Cabeza

faculty adviser Jennifer Green 509-963-3216 jennifer.green@cwu.edu

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NOTES FROM THE

I was sitting alone at my desk in my childhood home last quarter when I got the phone call with the proposal of taking over the Editors-In-Chief (EICs) position with Kass for PULSE. If I can be painfully honest here, I turned down that first proposal. After thinking over the opportunity I had begrudgingly turned down, as well as my love for journalism, I decided to put my anxieties aside and I changed my mind. I think that the opportunities that frighten you the most, can be the ones that will have the most impact on your personal growth. In the months to come, I experienced some of the most challenging, rewarding and insightful experiences that my college career has offered me so far. As I sit here today writing this letter, again at the desk in my childhood home, I am beyond honored that I got to work with Kass and such a great staff to give to you one of the greatest gifts I believe life has to offer; the stories that shape our humanity. I am very proud of our staff and leadership team for producing this quarter’s high-quality magazine. In our first issue that Kass and I have produced together, we have taken it upon ourselves to give the magazine a new look and a new feel. With more in-depth reporting, design and photographs, we have worked to deliver deeper and more meaningful stories. By expanding the size of the magazine and changing our production rate to one issue per quarter, we are bringing an even stronger magazine to you. Do you know AJ Cooper, CWU’s football assistant and defensive backs coach and social justice leader? If not, you are going to want to. To learn more about how football fuels the fight in social justice for this coach and his players turn to page 38. I don’t know about you, but I definitely miss going to concerts. Over the course of the last year, with stayat-home orders and social distancing mandates in place, the music industry has had to get creative and find new ways to perform for their audiences. To learn more about how live concerts have adapted to these new circumstances flip to page 24. Whether you have lost someone close to you before, or you have been paying attention to ongoing world events, the process of dealing with death can be difficult for many. While this is a difficult topic to digest, especially right now, it helps to know that you are not alone. To read more on dealing with death, turn to page 70. Plastic and cosmetic surgeries have become a more acceptable topic of conversation and practice in recent years. From celebrity endorsements to life altering surgeries, there is a lot to unpack about these life altering surgeries. Flip to page 44 for more information. Throughout the reporting and production process I have felt Kass and I come into our roles as EICs. I am excited to watch that dynamic develop further in the quarters to come, as we continue to strive to reach our readers and share human experiences.

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CO-EDITORS When I joined PULSE Magazine last year, I never would have guessed that I would end up where I am today, Co-Editor in Chief alongside Spencer. When I arrived at Central in 2017 as a shy little freshman, I was immediately drawn to the idea of being a part of the PULSE team; however, it wasn’t until 2020 that I finally took that giant leap of faith. In just one year this publication has taught me so much more than I could have ever asked for! I have learned to be confident in myself as well as my talents, and PULSE has opened my eyes to the direction I want to take in my future career. I encourage anyone who has a dream to go after it, no matter how scared you might be because that choice could alter your entire life or the better! This past year has brought along endless change not only for our community but for PULSE as well. This issue is the first that has two EICs which has brought with it some of its own benefits and challenges. Bridging the gap between the editorial and visual teams has been a big focus of this publication. Spencer and I have had the privilege to work together closely to make staff members, writers, designers and photographers alike, feel like they belong here. This magazine would not be possible without the hard work of all our staff, and I thank everyone for taking this journey with us! With the new year comes new experiences and one of the biggest changes young adults face today is the transition into college. Being responsible for yourself is even more daunting if you are attending college for the first time in the middle of a pandemic. Turn to page 14 to read how the college experience has differed for freshman this school year. It has officially hit that time of the year where the snow if falling in heaps. Get out of the house for a while and try one of the winter sports featured on page 54! You may just discover a new hobby, which we all know is a must in the dead of winter in our small little town of Ellensburg. Social media has been blowing up recently with a new way to snack. The name may be a little hard to pronounce, as many of our staff members have come to accept, but the outcome is too delicious to matter. Charcuterie boards have been trending so PULSE decided to put together a guide to help you make your very own. Turn to page 50 to check out the scrumptious pairings and tune into the Step-by-step video on our website! Throughout this issue, Spencer and I have grown as EICs and have seen what we collectively can achieve as a full-fledged team. Next quarter, Spencer and I will continue putting all our effort towards this amazing publication and fill it with entertaining visuals and insightful journalism. We hope that you, dear readers, enjoy this magazine as much as we do. So, without further ado, grab a mug full hot cocoa, snuggle into your warmest blanket and read on my friend.

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s ta f f ADVICE Contributions by Spencer Clifton & Madeline Wilson Design & Illustration by Sara Roach

Do you find yourself spending too much time in front of a screen? With stay-at-home orders locked in place, devices and screens have caused many students to become tuned out of their environment. From constant Zoom calls to online work, many people are experiencing the burden of too much time in front of the computer each day. The PULSE staff has put together advice for their ways to unplug and combat the overconsumption of screen time.

The device that I am most attached to is my phone. I try to limit my usage by simply not bringing it with me when I go on car trips or to hang out with my family. Some activities that I do instead of screen time are going for a walk, hanging out with friends and going shopping with my sister. -Jared Galanti

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I think tuning into your surroundings that are directly in your life is the best way to unplug. I try to have a conversation with my roommates, read a book or indulge in an activity that maybe I wouldn't normally do. -Spencer Clifton

I was overly attached to my smartphone, so I decided to replace it with a flip phone. I've had more interest in reading and writing since making the switch. -Mike Powers

Anytime I have free time, it is usually spent on my phone, either scrolling through social media or playing games. I like to get outside and enjoy nature in place of screen time; it gives me a good time to clear my head and get some fresh air. -Allison Clowers

Im very attached to my phone, but I try to limit my usage and unplug from it by leaving it in another room or somewhere out of reach when I hang with family and friends. What I usually do to replace screen time is cleaning, doing outdoor activities, painting or cooking. -Lisa Zhu

My biggest piece of advice is to end everyday with an activity that is unrelated to your phone or computer. When I decide to read or journal before bed instead of scrolling through Instagram, bed, try playing a board or I always wake up in a better mood and feel less Before game instead of reaching for inclined to immediately reach for my phone. card your phone. Blue light from phones can keep you awake so if you’re -Madeline Wilson inclined to play video games, try a Every night before bed I text everyone important ‘goodnight’ and then pick an activity that doesn’t involve my phone. -Kassandra Eller

similar activity that doesn’t involve your phone. - Samantha Cabeza

To read more about the dangers of too much screen time, visit page 28.

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OUR TOWN

How Central Students Style Face Masks Contributions by Jared Galanti & Mike Powers Photos by Alex Groom | Design by Lisa Zhu Getting bored with your masks? Not sure how to style them with your wardrobe? Our team has put together a full spread of photographs to give you plenty of ideas on how to make your mask stand out. Look no further to see how you can take your masks to the next level.

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01.

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Grab attention with a bold pattern! 02.

Try adding some variety with scarfs or other face coverings—just make sure they’re not too thin. 03.

Seahawks gear will always be in style. Alison Banchero, fourth-year Music major, shows off her love for Washington sports. WINTER 2021

OUR TOWN

04.

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Masks can be a fun seasonal accessory to match the time of the year. Zoe Whittaker Jamison, senior Elementary Education major, sports a matching gray mask with her Central-themed sweater. 05.

Elizabeth Watkins, senior Music major, explains, she realized a need to make masks for others was coming. “When the pandemic started I started making masks, and I [began] selling them to friends and family,” Watkins says. “Soon it became clear that there was a need, and I had a lot of people to come to me fast.”

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07.

08.

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Branchero explains how using a scarf as a mask is a unique way to stylize it with your outfit. To find out more on how these students coordinate their wardrobe with their mask, check out their interviews at cwupulsemagazine.com.

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OUR TOWN

The ‘New Normal’ Freshman Experience Story by Justin Zabel | Photos by Alex Groom & Samantha Cabeza Design & Illustration by Chandler Vanous

Imagine being an 18-year-old freshman in college heading off to school and knowing you are about to meet your roommates. You’re so excited to begin living in the dorms and experience all of the freedoms and new ventures that come with being a college freshman. Now, imagine all of this being taken away from you in the blink of an eye. Say goodbye to living in the dorms, having roommates and having the freshman year you imagined.

How would that make you feel?

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Many college freshmen are heartbroken that their first year of college is more about surviving by themselves than being a care-free young adult.

Managing Expectations

Pictured Brice Liedtke, freshman undeclared major, says, he actually didn’t have too many expectations except that he “would get the normal college experience and not this.” He says he was hoping to have “a more active campus life, more people around, … in-person classes, [and] sports going on. [I] would have probably joined an intramural” sports team if campus was back to normal. Pictured Rachel Nygren, freshman double majoring in Business Management and Human Resource Management, says, she did not know what she would be expecting her college career to look like. She explains, she watched her older sister grow up, go to college and got to see what the whole experience of college was through her sister’s eyes. Seeing what other college experiences are like may have been beneficial in past years, but with the new challenges of the pandemic at play, many have to create a whole new reality. Gabrielle Gutierrez, freshman Primate Behavior and Ecology major, says, she imagined coming to CWU, living in the dorms, getting close with other freshmen and getting the first year student life experience. All of these students had expectations for their college experience that had to change as a result of on-campus restrictions amid the pandemic. The biggest challenge that Liedtke says he

struggles with is the social aspect. “Meeting new people, it hinders that,” he says.

“The biggest challenge would have to be meeting people without in-person classes, and I am off campus so I am not meeting people in the dorms,” Nygren says. “It definitely [has] been a struggle for me meeting people and making connections because I did not know anyone when coming here.” In-person classes and on-campus activities are typically a way for incoming freshmen to make friends quickly. Without those options available, many have said they struggled to find solid friendships.

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OUR TOWN

Shania Jones, freshman undeclared major, says she had a whole different outlook on her freshman year here at CWU. Jones explains, she was expecting to be in the classroom and have a social aspect where she could build close relationships. “I’m more of a shy person, so in high school, I didn’t really put myself out there to make friends. That is one thing I wanted to do when I got here to college. I was really looking forward to a social experience,” says Jones. The social aspect to college has changed due to a variety of factors including online classes and changes to the dorm restrictions. Living on campus comes with a lot of restrictions, but Liedtke, resident of Wendell Hill Hall, says, he felt these restrictions were reasonable. “I wouldn’t say it’s too horrible; [the] restrictions aren’t too bad. But as in the social aspect, most people stay in their rooms because we can’t gather in the lounges because it is limited to five people,” says Liedtke. Life for freshmen living off-campus is less restrictive but comes with its own set of new challenges and routines.

“I think … living off campus has helped me to start thinking about all those other responsibilities that have kind of helped me prepare in that way,” Nygren says.

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Changes to Academics

In addition to issues with making friends and navigating living spaces, there can also be other drawbacks to the online platform for new college students. “[It] hinders my learning. Online learning isn’t learning. [It’s] a lot of repetition that I don’t really feel like I’m learning as well as if I was in the classroom. No huge challenges, just the basic stuff,” says Liedtke. Others have experienced similar struggles related to the difference between being in a classroom and on Zoom. “I felt [one] of the challenges for me is not

having a visual experience to learn because a lot of it is reading. I am not really a fan of that. I prefer a lecture type of situation where the teacher is talking and I can just take notes,” says Jones.

“For me, it’s really hard that we have a lot of readings and typing assignments and we just stare at a computer screen all day,” she adds. If freshmen were accustomed to the in-person routine such as high school, being on screens all day can be a big adjustment. Also, changes to one’s learning schedule can be startling, especially when spending a lot of time alone.

“At first, the first quarter was hard for me to get all my work done and think I was doing pretty okay in my classes at the end of the quarter,” Gutierrez explains. “Halfway through the quarter, it was a little shocking to wake up and start getting up early. [I had to] get a routine to get all the homework

done a week ahead of time, so I wasn’t cramming,” she says. This most recent class of freshmen are doing the best they can amid a pandemic; many of them are growing together and building the new normal life of a college student. “I’m hoping to grow this year and grow from the pandemic and just realize how important it is to be together as in a society and community rather than being isolated,” says Gutierrez.

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OUR TOWN

VISITING THE RED PICK LE IN ELLENSBURG Story by Jane Pham | Photos by Kassandra Eller & Samantha Cabeza Design by Ilse Orta Mederos

Red is the color of heat, passion, joy and of course, love. The name is fitting because all of these elements are embodied in the foundation of

The Red Pickle, a local Guatemalan-inspired eatery located in Ellensburg. Established in 2015, The Red Pickle started as a food truck and evolved to a small restaurant located on Pine Street. Upon entering their new space, your mood will instantly be boosted by the unique dining experience. Pictured Mario Alfaro, owner of The Red Pickle, started as a kid who was not fluent in English and then managed to make his dream of becoming a restaurant owner a reality. Back when he originally came to the U.S. he explains, he and his wife moved to Washington, D.C. where he worked his way through bartending, bussing and washing dishes in different restaurants. These experiences gave him a running start into the restaurant life. However, even when working these positions, he had other influences that encouraged him to reach for more. Alfaro explains, watching the movie “Chef ”

helped to inspire him to follow his passions. After this instance, he felt the spark to go after his dreams. He says, this is when he began to look for food trucks, even though he never worked on one before. Despite not knowing much about food trucks, he explains, knowing his experiences with the restaurant industry helped him to make the decision to seek out his dreams. Alfaro adds, convincing his wife was one of the first steps and then “I would quit any jobs that I have and then I [would] try to focus on building the food truck.” Naming the family business may have initially been a challenge, but Alfaro’s kids’ influence was key to picking the perfect name for their food truck. They told Alfaro and his wife, “This looks like a giant pickle,” and that was when he knew for sure that ‘The Red Pickle’ would be his truck’s name. However, after creating his business on wheels and serving customers from a food truck, he

transitioned away from this business and into opening a static location in Ellensburg. To make sure The Red Pickle continued to be a success, Alfaro created a good team of employees to support him, anywhere from the kitchen to the front. Dominique Addison, main chef of The Red Pickle and CWU Nutrition and Food Science alumni, shares that working there is like getting “ready to party,” because they “always have a good time” with dancing and music. Addison also explains he is also motivated by Alfaro’s good attitude and positivity. Now, you’re probably wondering, aside from the name, what makes The Red Pickle unique? What’s different about their food is they put “a Guatemalan twist in the style of flavor.” The Red Pickle is a fusion restaurant mixed between American and Guatemalan style, with an integration of amazing spices. Daniela Bernal, Information Technology & Administrative Management graduate student, says, The Red Pickle’s “menu

options are very unique.” Bernal admits to never having tried any kinds of food similar to this before. She adds, her top picks are Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Shuko or Rosemary and Cajun fries. Besides the variety of food, cocktails are another unique point of interest at The Red Pickle, which also happen to be Alfaro’s favorite. His dream is to also one day become a bartender. Paneal Holland, senior Public

Relations major and PULSE writer, says she visits often and one of her favorite drinks are mojitos. If you are unsure what to choose from in the long list of amazing food and drink options you can ask the bartender or Alfaro to create your own specialty. They will make sure you are served right. “I want to serve people how I want to be treated,” says Alfaro.

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OUR TOWN

“I want to try to make sure that the person who sits down at my tables … [is] having the same service, the same attention, the same drink, the same love [and[ the same food.” Bernal shares, she “likes to be able to see the owner is there to make sure that everything is going in the right way.” But Alfaro’s passions do not stop in his restaurant. He says he has fallen in love

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with this town because of “the kindness of the people.” Alfaro wants to share his food and experiences with the Ellensburg community. He explains he is always greeted with ‘hellos’ when he goes downtown because he is now known in the community. After establishing his family business in Ellensburg, he is integrated into the community and with the people.

Mario describes this town as an illustration of “something that it is full of love, full of kindness and full of support.” This is why he chose to start his new life with his family and business here in Ellensburg. If you want to try new unique food and drinks, The Red Pickle’s service and hospitality will not fail you.

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Helpful

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WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE Pregnancy tests or confirmation ultrasound. All at no cost to you.

CARING & CONFIDENTIAL Call or text (509) 925-2273 • Find us on Facebook CareNetEllensburg.org • 111 E. 4th Ave, Ellensburg

OUR TOWN

H OW G R A P H I C D E S I G N C H O S E

Sloane Miller A Q & A w/ C W U G R A P H I C D E S I G N A L U M N A

Contributions by Paneal Holland Featured Artwork by Sloane Miller Design by Sara Roach “There’s a phrase ‘I didn’t choose the thug life; the thug life chose me.’ In some ways, that’s how graphic design was to me,” says CWU Graphic Design Alumna Sloane Miller. This tenacious graphic designer has accomplished it all — finding her passion, earning her degree and following her goals. Here is an inside look at her life as well as her creative side, post-graduation.

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Q: What are the steps of your creative process as a graphic designer? A: That’s a good one … Personally, I usually like to

Q: Describe your style in three words. A: Experimental, whimsical and rebellious.

marinate in the idea and really figure out whether the idea is worth creating. My mind runs at a million miles per minute. So, when I do get excited about an idea, I’ll go to Pinterest and Behance to see what other people are doing. Those are the best resources for any type of designer because you are getting to see what all the designers of the top-tier commercials are doing. They set the bar for making your ideas come to life and show you the steps in how it’s going to look at the end.

Q: What were your experiences like as a CWU student?

Q: Have you always wanted to be a graphic designer, and if so, what inspired you?

A: I am really looking forward to an event called

A: The easy answer to that is no … I didn’t even

know I wanted to be a graphic designer until I was a graphic designer. There’s a phrase ‘I didn’t choose the thug life; the thug life chose me.’ In some ways, that’s how graphic design was to me. I was taken on a path and all I knew is that I wanted to enjoy what I was doing. I thought I was going to be a photographer because I really like doing portrait photography. I invested so much in getting different cameras and all the right types of equipment, which got expensive throughout time. Eventually, I realized I don’t have a true passion for it anymore. One day I took a drawing class. I didn’t realize I [could] draw until I spent 16 hours on a piece; then I saw how fun it was for me. When I started to collaborate with other people, switch up what I want to do, show my creative side and see that I can work anywhere in the world, I knew this was IT for me.

A: My whole experience at CWU was great. The

community I was surrounded by were helpful. If I can change anything it would be that as a student, I wish I would have gotten a little bit more guidance and direction about certain things. Q: What is the one thing you’re looking forward to this year?

36 Days of Type. It is a project that invites graphic artists, designers and illustrators to express their own creative styles. This event is exciting for me because it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with other creative artists, see their work and get a chance to learn from one another. Q: What advice would you give for an upcoming designer? A: Believe in yourself. It’s cliché but the one thing I

tell myself every day when I am struggling to make something happen is that you can do anything you can if you put your mind to it. You don’t have to make it happen that day or that moment. Things take time and you have to be patient, but if you really want to make things happen, you have to go out and do it yourself. Interview edited for style and length.

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LIFEHACKS

Face the Music:

Live shows in COVID and Beyond Story by Mike Powers | Design & Photo Illustration by Sara Roach

When reigning millennial meme-queen Phoebe Bridgers performed live from Minecraft, some may have felt as if a new, more surreal chapter of 2020 had been entered. Bridgers’ whole brand revolves around absurdity; she’s better suited than most to play at “Minecraft Prom” from within a digitally rendered television. Yet, it’s hard to watch a virtual representation of a concert and not feel like you’ve entered one of Jean Baudrillard’s stranger dreams. Bridgers is just one of many exploring this new hyper-digital landscape. Throughout 2020, artists big and small produced innovative, high-quality virtual concerts. These events are offering artists new creative capabilities and fans new forms of engagement that will continue into 2021 and beyond. “Virtual concert” — what does that even mean? It’s a broad term encompassing a variety of media platforms. Instagram livestreams, augmented reality shows and any of the last years’ numerous video game concerts might all be considered virtual concerts. What connects them is the integration of live music and technology to explore new modes of creating and sharing music. “Creativity is the input,” says Cory Fitzgerald, founder of XR Studios, which produces complex virtual reality environments for real-time performances. Most recently, they produced the effects for Katy Perry’s American Idol finale performance and the Billie Eilish “Where Do We Go?” livestream. “Some people are going down the road of creating completely virtual avatar-based worlds, which is totally interesting,” Fitzgerald says. “You can do anything you want to do with that space and make things whatever you want them to be.” Fortnite has been exploring this for years. As Andrew Webster reported in April 2020 for The Verge, their 2019 Marshmello concert drew in 10.7 million attendees. When the game collaborated with Travis Scott on his “Astronomical” online event last year, it broke that record with 12.3 million viewers. Others are aiming for the exact opposite. Fitzgerald explains, “There’s a lot of development

in the photorealistic and real-time processing options. To make things look like you’re really in places is something that people are really desirous of. I look like I’m in a forest; it doesn’t look like it’s a computer game or cartoon — it feels like you’re in a forest.” The results live up to the claims. Ruth Cronin, Trinity College Dublin masters student in Digital Marketing Strategy, says she is currently writing her dissertation on consumer perceptions of virtual concerts. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she says about the Eilish livestream. “I was just blown away. It was incredible.” Eilish “opened with ‘You Should See Me in a Crown’ and there was this giant spider crawling over her. I couldn’t fathom how they were doing it. The visuals were just incredible,” Cronin adds. Visual effects aside, there is a clear difference between watching Billie Eilish perform live and watching her perform through a screen. What will happen to virtual concerts when their physical counterparts are back in full swing? “I would definitely buy tickets for it when regular concerts resume, as long as it’s presented in a way that’s not trying to emulate a live concert but is a stand alone, unique experience in itself,” Cronin says. Shivani Goel, frequent concert-goer who attended K-pop group Neo Culture Technology’s December livestream, feels the same. “It was like a threehour long show and they performed almost every cut from the new album,” Goel recalls. “I think that experience made it both separate from the concert experiences we normally have, and something new,” she explains. “I think it’s definitely something that I would pay for again. [However], it doesn’t make up for not having live shows — I’m so excited for live shows to come back.” Virtual concerts need to provide a valuable experience not just for viewers, but for the musicians performing them as well.

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LIFEHACKS

Jessica Dobson, lead singer and guitarist for Seattle-based band Deep Sea Diver says, “The idea of just pretending you’re playing a show is not that compelling.” “It has its place, but it’s not the same as a real show. To try and conjure up the energy of a show in front of a phone is very difficult,” she adds. Rather than simply “do a show that’s just pretending that it’s a show,” as Dobson puts it, she turned her attention instead toward the needs of her audience and community. Deep Sea Diver is always asking questions like, “How are people doing? How can we as musicians create a safe place for people to come and feel like they have a home, whether that’s through music or live streams?” Dobson says. “Those first couple months we were just trying to be scrappy and through a dark time, bring some light.” The result of their work was the Midweek Mashup, a weekly variety show broadcasted live on the

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band’s Instagram. During its five-week run, the show included raffles, fort building, Q&A’s and of course, music. Dobson and her bandmate/partner Peter Mansen performed albums full of covers and originals, showcased fan remixes and opened every show with Dobson’s self-described “very ‘Monster Mash’” theme song. Dobson explains, ultimately, the band was seeking to connect with people in a way that felt real and natural. It seems to have paid off — their record “Impossible Weight” was voted the best album of 2020 by listeners of Seattle radio station KEXP. She says, virtual content like the Midweek Mashup did not necessarily change her relationship with her audience, but it strengthened their connection. There is a major elephant that needs addressing here: Virtual media has allowed artists, bands and studios to explore new ways of making and sharing music. But for most of the music industry, 2020 proved to be a challenging year. Talent Buyer for The Crocodile, a Seattle bar that hosts live music, Hunter Motto knows this all too well. “The last year has been bad … Basically, from the beginning of a couple weeks into March through now … we’ve had zero income.” This is the case for venues across the board. Pollstar, a virtual “archive of live entertainment data,”

estimates in their annual year-end report that 2020 could have seen nearly $12 billion in revenue from global concert activity. Instead, the overall gross was $2.5 billion — approximately $9.5 billion in losses for the global live music sector. While the Save Our Stages Act the $15 billion package passed as a part of the COVID-19 Relief Bill in December will bring some much-needed reprieve for theatre, film and live venues, 2021 still poses a significant challenge. Reopening is going to be a gradual process, one that will still strain venues. “None of the industries that are most directly impacted by this pandemic are out of the woods,” Motto explains. “In order to open safely we’re going to have to staff very differently. We’re excited to be able to create sanitization practices and new ways to process people into the venue and out of the venue safely,” he adds. Motto describes how expensive these new safety precautions will be. “One example are electrostatic sanitization sprayers that work on electronics. How do you sanitize the sound board that different board operators are using?” He adds, “How are venues going to be able to afford to purchase those pieces of equipment? How are they going to afford the staffing and the PPE that is required?”

For Motto, this journey offers him a chance to rethink how the industry can come out on the other side. “We want to keep the breeding grounds where people cut their teeth and artists learn how to grow,” he says. “There needs to be a change in our community values. We have to value artists differently and we have to value these community centers and gathering places like music venues differently,” he says. “And I think this moment is forcing a lot of people to think about that. I think one of the best things that could come out of that is support.” Cities, states and countries will open to varying degrees and at staggered times, making even regional tours difficult in the years after COVID-19. Virtual concerts present an exciting, cutting-edge way to experience music both during and after this transition. For physical concerts, people may need to rely on local venues and artists more than ever before. When that time comes, how can it be ensured that they’re still here? Dobson’s answer is simple: “Pay attention to the artists that you love, especially those that are independent.” “If you want the culture around you to keep growing, you have to invest in independent artists and DIY venues,” Dobson says. “That is what makes your city sweet.”

Deep Sea Diver Photo by Matthew Wignall WINTER 2021

LIFEHACKS

Talk, Text or Tweet: The Effects of Screen Time on College Students Story by Rey Green & Nidia Torres | Photos by Lexi Wicks | Design by Sione Sausau

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“The average smartphone user touches their device 2,617 times a day, excluding the ones performed when the phone is locked,” according to Compare Camp, a comparison website. Screen time comes in many forms from social media apps like Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, to other devices like video games and television. Many students around the country are now required to be strictly online for classes and completing homework digitally as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More Than Meets the Eye

Optometrist Specialist at Valley Vision Associates in Ellensburg Jordan Dravitzki says, too much screen time can cause myopia, dry eye issues and binocular vision. “What we do know is that myopia progression (or nearsightedness) is rapidly increasing worldwide and that has really taken off in the last decade or two,” says Dravitzki. Although they are seeing people with cases such as these, optometrists still remain with only theories as to how it is happening. “Myopia is just rapidly, rapidly increasing worldwide, particularly in Asian countries but definitely here as well,” explains Dravitzki. Dravitzki describes nearsightedness as “being able to see close but not farther away.” He explains, the front portion of the eye becomes “too curvy” and it “bends light too much,” meaning light is entering the eye too quickly.

With screen time potentially adding up for individuals during this time, Jeannette Rendina, clinical psychologist at the Student Medical and Counseling Center, says, these current circumstances make electronic use difficult to categorize. “What we really start to look at is the behavior of being on your screen frequently, with now everything being on Zoom, outside of your academics or your job,” Rendina explains. “How much time are you using on the screen that could actually be impacting you in a negative way?”

“What we’re seeing now is that levels of nearsightedness are really increasing in school-aged kids or professions that have a lot of schooling, like law degrees, engineering [or] doctors. Just people that do extended work for years,” explains Dravitzki. “They are more and more likely to be myopic.” Another health issue that can potentially cause damage is dry eye, relative to eye fatigue and eye strain, according to Dravitzki.

He mentions, on average, humans are supposed to blink 15 to 20 times per minute, which is 900 to 1,200 blinks an hour. However, as people continue to spend their time using electronics and staring at a screen, the original amount of blinks reduces down to 10 or 12 blinks per minute, or 600 to 720 blinks an hour. The blink reflex is dramatically affected and it’s not something that eye drops can easily fix. “Artificial tears are great, but they’re not really solving the problem,” he says.

According to Dravitzki, besides eye drops being a temporary fix, blue light blockers, which claim to help reduce glare and headaches, do not have any scientific data at all from what he can recall. “What has happened now with artificial light and all these screens is that we’re constantly being exposed to blue light, which confuses the parts of our brain that releases those chemicals,” explains Dravitzki. “That can lead to a whole host of issues mainly dealing with sleep.” Dravitzki explains, the body naturally produces neurotransmitters that are receptive to the sun. This is what controls your body to awaken in the morning and go to sleep at night. The other health issue is binocular vision. “If you think about your vision, you have two eyes and you’ve got to point them at whatever you’re looking at,” says Dravitzki. “They both have to point in when you bring something closer to you and then you WINTER 2021

LIFEHACKS

When you start to feel as if you can’t stop using your phone, laptop or other device, you may already be addicted to your screen.

have to use the focusing system of your eye in conjunction with turning your eyes the way you’re supposed to.” Dravitzki adds, the eye has muscles which help it focus and let in a certain amount of light. Focusing on things like cell phones or computers when they are up close to your face can strain your eyes, causing you to cross and uncross them for adjustment purposes. This is what leads to double-vision.

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Hooked at a Glance

When being on your phone too much begins to interfere with classes, work or your personal life, that is when you know there is an issue with the amount of time you’re on your phone. If you start to feel as if you can’t stop using your phone, laptop or other device, you may already be addicted to your screen. Rendina shares an example of when a man played “World of Warcraft” to cope with the fact that his son had cancer. He played it to the point of getting

fired from his job because of how addictive playing was for him. The cause of this also has to do with how social platforms use methods to capture the attention of their target audience.“It’s just like advertisers where they use a certain color to grab our attention, [or] apps with the notifications,” Rendina says. Notification alerts also contribute to the continuous, unavoidable urge to check phones or laptops. “Some research has shown that

the reward that we get from video games or even our screen time can reward us like cocaine,” Rendina explains. “You can get the same rush of dopamine and really good feelings from doing that.” Sophomore Biomedical major Emma Daoud-Hebert says, “Right now it says my daily average is five hours.” She mentions, when worrying about what the results of her screen time data would be, it was almost like she was waiting for a grade on a final. Daoud-Hebert has noticed that

as soon as she hears a ding on her phone she has to force herself to not immediately grab it. She tries to give it some time before she unlocks it; “I’m definitely working on it,” Daoud-Herbert mentions. Sophomore Business major specializing in Marketing Sydney Remsberg says, checking her social media is a frequent activity for her. “When I’m bored, that’s just kind of what I do,” she says. Remsberg explains, her daily average is six hours and when

she checked her analytics for how often she’s on her phone in a week it was 24 hours. Screen addiction has the potential to become a serious issue for people that do not have any control. Maintaining a healthy balance of electronic use just might help you out in the long run.

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SPOTLIGHT

How One CWU Alumna Has Found Success in Entrepreneurship Story by Madeline Wilson | Photos by Lexi Wicks | Design & Illustration by Lisa Zhu

t’s like a bright, clean oasis in the middle of rural Ellensburg, WA. From the crisp white walls, to the shiny, welcoming floors, Flirt Boutique is a charming local business … You wouldn’t even know it used to be a bar. Maren Peterson, CWU Communications alumna and Flirt Boutique business owner explains, one of the biggest compliments she receives from her most recent business venture is about her unique flooring. But the sanctuary that is Flirt did not appear overnight; from long nights of painting to the hours of picking clothing, Maren has accomplished the unthinkable at the ripe age of 27. An Entrepreneurial Spirit Yet, her story does not start as a college grad; she says, she has had the drive to be in business and entrepreneurship since working with her mom at previous boutiques. “I’ve always thought entrepreneurship would be in my future somehow, [however], I did not know that I would go into fashion like my mom,” she explains. Even some of her mentors could identify that she had the capabilities to be successful in this industry. “She has such an adventurous, entrepreneurial spirit anyways that it’s no surprise to me that she would go into this area,” says Arrington Stoll, professor of Communication Arts at Valdosta State University and former professor of Communications at CWU. The drive and passion in Maren has been evident to many of her friends and family. Brianne Bennett, close friend of Maren’s and former Ellensburg resident, explains, “Maren has always had such an entrepreneurial spirit so I knew that eventually she was going to do something where she could spread her wings.”

She adds, “I never saw her working in the corporate world working for someone. I was not surprised at all when she told me that she was opening a Flirt location back up in Ellensburg.” With so many others recognizing the desire and readiness for Maren to become an entrepreneur, it was only a matter of time before she was able to take off on her own. Maren has been involved with the fashion industry for many years, she explains, starting with her mom’s previous ownership of Flirt Boutique. “Fashion is something I have done my whole life … It’s always something I’ve worked in because my mom started stores when I was 12.” Her mom had worked interior design previously but “began Flirt in 2007. I love Ellensburg and knew it was the perfect place to begin my dream of owning a clothing company,” says Mia Peterson, Maren’s mom and owner of the Pullman location of Flirt Boutique. Because fashion has been a part of Maren’s life for many years, it was a natural fit when she wanted to start her own business. “It’s something I know how to do well and for my first step into owning a business, I feel like it was a smart move and kind of a little less risk,” Maren says. “It would have been way too overwhelming for me, honestly, to learn a completely new industry and start a business by myself.” While the two may have different leadership styles and skills, Maren has learned about the industry through these experiences. “They have some strong similarities; they have some strong differences too,” says Jodi Musser, longtime mentor of Maren and professor of Business Marketing and Family and Consumer Sciences Career & Technical Education. “I respect both of them and how they run their business … I do think they run things differently from one WINTER 2021

SPOTLIGHT

another but I 100 percent agree that Maren just absorbed all of it from her mom growing up in that environment. She learned so much by just observing,” Musser adds. While Mia was able to guide Maren through the process, the opening of Flirt in Ellensburg was spearheaded by Maren’s skills and ability to work independently. She says, “I’m super grateful because my mom’s been there when I needed her to but she also just really wanted me to gain the confidence of ‘you can do this on your own.’ She’s really stepped back [and] I feel like we’ve actually learned to problem solve with each other better and in a more peaceful manner than maybe mother-daughter’s usually would.” With a combination of hands-on experiences with her mom and her own budding style of leadership, Maren was a natural for this new venture. Finishing Her Education Before Maren came back to school in 2019 to finish her degree, she explains, she had returned to the fashion realm to help her mom for

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a short period at the Pullman Flirt. “I had managed for her and had a really successful term of managing her stores. We had our most successful fiscal year for Flirt history,” Maren says. “That put a boost in my sales and gave me confidence to go back and complete school and be a good student.” She had realized her passions again and it was time to put in the work to get her through the next phase of life — college. Being a part of the Communications Department gave her many of the skills and mentors needed to be successful. “They were just extremely helpful and [were] building up my confidence in myself and just being really supportive of me and my peers,” Maren explains. But she also had a hand in her relenting success as a student. “Her work was almost flawless because she had paid such a high attention to detail. She was [constantly] asking questions and it just immediately made her stand out,” explains Stoll.

She adds, “Working with her solidifies for me, why I went into this career. She is interested in the field and she just takes the knowledge and goes with it.” Even though Maren explains, college was not as easy for her because she preferred hands-on experience to lectures and PowerPoints, her education was an important step for her. While being a student may be a difficult period for some, there are ways to be successful after graduating, even during a pandemic. One of the benefits Maren attributes to being in business is that she can learn something new every day. “The constant learning experience and the constant growth that comes with it — good, bad and ugly.” She adds, “Sometimes you realize some things that you really don’t love about yourself and you can either let that defeat you and take you down and beat yourself up about it or you can be like ‘ok, this is an area now that I can focus my attention [on] and grow more.’” There are always ups and downs to any new venture but having the ability to grow can be an important factor in the journey.

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SPOTLIGHT

Community Connections One of the positives to opening a small business in Ellensburg, even during the pandemic, is the support of the community. Maren explains, there was a major component of community support with the opening of her store, especially during the build-out. “People just from out of the woodworks that I hadn’t heard from in a while or just old friendships [helped]. That was super fulfilling and it created that sense of ‘ok, I made the right decision,’” she says. People from all areas of Maren’s life, including Musser’s family and other friends, were able to join in on the renovations. “For a long time, especially in your younger adult life, you don’t really feel that sense of grounding. I was really craving that in my next step forward in my life, post-college,” says Maren. A part of building this community was working to create an environment that worked for her employees. Valarie Wilson, sales associate

and stylist at Flirt Boutique, says, “[Maren’s] a very hardworking, straightforward boss. I love that about her … She’s also very caring and wants to make the workspace special and warming and just a really good environment.” Wilson adds, “She’s good at that, too; you have a boss whose straightforward [and] expects things from you and will keep you accountable, but is also somebody that cares and wants to get to know you more and wants to be sure that you like the job [and] that you’re enjoying working there.” While it can be fun to be in a leadership position, there are some struggles that can come along with it. Bennett explains, “Managing several people is very difficult. I feel like it’s not noted as much as how difficult that can be … and I have seen her handle situations and just grow again, professionally, so much.” Because Maren cares about and has a passion for her work,

these qualities are able to translate through her leadership as a business owner. Maren’s Hidden Talent While Maren had been involved with Flirt previously, she wanted to take the store in a new direction and invite a new type of audience. When she stepped into her new role, one of the first areas that needed change was their social media. “I really [wanted] to change our marketing and our social media … We are a one stop-shop for mother, daughter [and] grandmother but our marketing [wasn’t] displaying that,” Maren explains. Changing the messaging behind the social media and marketing was her step toward creating a more inclusive environment for the clientele of Ellensburg. She explains, the previous marketing “gave people the idea that [you] had to be young and [you] had to be petite to shop at Flirt.” Mia adds that because of the changes Maren has made to this area of the business, she “has really polished up our brand.” However, she began to change the narrative of the store starting not only with social media but also with her buying process.

Maren says, “Getting back to the basics is at the core of my buying concept, especially in a small town. We are not super dressy over here and we don’t have a greek system that has events that they need to get dresses for and heels for.” Being able to recognize her audience’s needs was a necessary step for Maren. Keira Grech, owner of Keira Grech Design Company in Ellensburg and business neighbor to Flirt, adds, “I can see from the outside, how hard she has worked to bring in items that appeal to ‘today’s shoppers,’ whether it’s cute and comfy loungewear or classic pieces that someone can add to a casual work from home outfit or build into a professional ensemble if they are going into the office.” Because Ellensburg has a different audience than the Pullman store, some changes needed to be made to the clothing sold. “[Maren] knows her clientele aren’t just college-aged girls. She wants to meet the needs of a variety of women in town and I think she’s doing a good job of that,” says Musser. She adds, “It’s really hard to own a clothing store and not buy just what you love. You’ve got to buy what everybody loves.” The pandemic has made this process more difficult but Maren’s unique philosophy on buying has allowed her to find the pieces that are right for her store. “Buying was a bit challenging but sticking to brands I know rather than trying to branch out to ones that I don’t was probably the best tactic until I could go to a live market. Really keeping in mind an affordable price point, everything in our store is under $100 and I want to keep it that way,” Maren explains. The pricing and types of products

sold at Flirt are what make it unique and inviting to their shoppers. Becoming an Entrepreneur You may have read through all of these tidbits about Maren’s success as an entrepreneur and may be doubting that this could be a reality for you because of a variety of reasons. Whether you are worried it’s not a good time to start a new job, you don’t know enough or you don’t have the right degree — throw those worries out because being an entrepreneur can be attainable for you.

“It’s really hard to own a clothing store and not buy just what you love. You’ve got to buy what everybody loves.” One of the first steps to finding out if this field is right for you is determining your goals. Grech says, “My advice for anyone as a budding entrepreneur (myself included), is to figure out what you want from your business, what you are not willing to compromise on and where you’re willing to be flexible.” Educating yourself can also be important, especially if you still have the opportunity to learn from others with more experience. “Learn what you can and from your mentors. You have the ability to learn the things that you want to do and the things that you don’t want to do. Learn to manage those different boundaries and skills,” says Stoll. “You can see what’s effective and not effective in the workplace and can transfer that over into another position as you move on up.” Also, it can be necessary to not rush your timeline, especially during a pandemic. “Right now for COVID, don’t get discouraged,” says Stoll. “It’s not just entry-level people who are having issues out there. There’s tons of companies that are

going to go through a lot of changes right now [and] there are going to be people of all ages looking for jobs and with all different degree levels.” Everyone is dealing with different struggles and many are still looking for their next work opportunity. If you decide that entrepreneurship is the right venture for you, try to work around any of these issues that may arise. Stoll advises to find what is right for you and follow your passions. “You should find something that you’re interested in and makes you happy … you need to find a place that you like getting up and going into work in the morning.” That is exactly what Maren has found through Flirt. While there is so much that may be unknown for people looking to start a new business right now, Maren posits, “I’ve kind of learned through the pandemic and this whole experience that nothing is really in my control and to just let go and to trust.”

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SPOTLIGHT

According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of the word ‘champion’ is as follows: 1. A winner of first prize or first place in competition. 2. A militant advocate or defender. A champion of civil rights. 3. A warrior or a fighter. A champion of his kin. For many Ellensburg community members, the word ‘champion’ best represents Pictured CWU’s Football Assistant and Defensive Backs Coach AJ Cooper. He is well-known as a leader who uses his passion and love for the game of football to teach lessons of life and wisdom to the players he coaches and the community in which he resides. There are many ways he has been said to inspire others to use their voices to make a difference, bringing hope that equality for all will be our future together.

How One Coach Influenced A Social Justice Movement Story by Gabriel Strasbaugh | Photos by Kassandra Eller & Alex Groom | Design by Sione Sausau

First Down and 10 Yards from the Las Vegas 25 Yard Line

From his days growing up in the inner city of northern Las Vegas, Cooper says, he grew up learning how important inner strength is to an individual and has experienced family members that give their all to others. Cooper explains, his dad was often away from home playing professional football, and during the times when his dad was home, it was sometimes difficult having to share his father’s time. “Having to share my dad with multiple kids in the area, whether it was taking them home or making sure they have somewhere to sleep and something to eat tonight, showing up at court appearances or whatever it [was], I had to share my dad,” says Cooper.

Despite his frustrations, Cooper says, he saw the struggles that other kids had with limited resources and options, and he realized he was still thankful his dad was home with him at night. Both of his parents have been role models in his life and he has held different experiences learning from each of them. Once when his dad was away playing professional football, Cooper explains, he found out his mother needed an emergency bypass and his strength was tested at that moment. “Having a mom that does everything … the strongest person you know being vulnerable at a vulnerable point, it finds something within you that you have to overcome. That’s pretty much my lifestyle … I [watched] the strongest person I ever had go through some of her toughest moments, why can’t I?” says Cooper. He continues to channel this motto learned from WINTER2021 2021 WINTER

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his mother in his day-to-day work with the Central football team.

Igniting the Flame

Just as his mother inspires Cooper, he does his best rendition of her to lead the players he coaches. From his success on the field, some players see Cooper’s accomplishments and use them to fuel their drive. Regardless of position, many players have said they find Cooper’s energy and words of optimism demonstrate leadership skills needed for them to succeed both on and off the field. Senior Digital Journalism major and Starting Offensive Lineman Will Ortner explains, he goes to Cooper whenever he needs a boost in leadership and to jump start his energy. “When I go to Coach Coop, I’m talking to someone who’s similar to me in age. He’s not that much older than me and he’s been to where I want to be. He’s won a national title,” says Ortner. For players who do play in the secondary, such as senior Physical Education and Student Health and Safety major Cody O’Connell, they get to work one-on-one with Cooper and see his leadership up close and personal. “On away games, Coach will come sit next to you and talk to you and have real life outside of football conversation about life,” says O’Connell. “A normal coach might not always … He’s trying to do all the extra things that makes a player comfortable.” Adding on the responsibility of not only coaching his players but also learning about their lives is what makes Cooper unique. O’Connell explains, going from a cornerback to a coach as well as Cooper’s knowledge and experience of the defensive side of the ball is only onehalf of what makes him a ‘player’s coach.’ “He knows his craft. He knows the corner position very well,” adds O’Connell. “I look over there and [the cornerbacks] have a new drill going every day that he’s made up to develop these players. He doesn’t just have that personality that relates to these players,” the other half of his coaching then centers around the man rather than the play-caller. “Yes he does the game very well at his position, but I think his best aspect or characteristic as a coach is his personable side,” explains O’Connell. Cooper says, the determination to not give up on any player is part of building a successful foun42

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dation. Teaching them that failure is a learning experience and how you overcome the hardship tells the story of how it happened. “I approach them all the same way. You go through them, you don’t go around them,” explains Cooper. “Each experience is a learning experience. How many times will you allow it?” He adds, the lessons he teaches on the field are the same ones on how to be a man. Not only from a family perspective but from a leader of a community reaching toward equality. “I tell my guys if I see you react to giving up a ball, that tells me the first time something goes wrong in your family, you’re gonna fold,” says Cooper. “All of them will be fathers at the end of the day eventually … this football thing is a metaphor for life and I refuse to give up on people I love, just like I refuse to give up on the sport.” Now more than ever, Cooper has shown not giving up is key for not just the players but the residents of this community.

A Goal-line Stand Against Inequality

With the tensions of racial injustice still a topic of conversation among many, people who know Cooper see how vital someone of his nature is for the betterment of their city. Nate Perkins, junior cornerback and Public Health major with an emphasis in pre-nursing, says, “[After] the civil unjust we were experiencing during the summer of 2020, Coach Coop is leading a march through Ellensburg, [and] speaking at City Hall.” Cooper’s efforts in creating a better environment for minorities earned him the ability to read the Black History Month Proclamation for the city of Ellensburg on Feb. 1, 2021. This proclamation states, “Now, therefore, the City Council of the City of Ellensburg does hereby proclaim [Feb.] 2021 as African American History Month in Ellensburg and encourages all citizens to join in this observance by building bridges of understanding and friendship with our African American neighbors.” Much of Cooper’s work with social justice in Ellensburg may be a result from his experiences working with students of a minority background. Cooper explains, “A lot of the guys in my room come from minority backgrounds so we’ve already been against a lot of odds growing up.”

His philosophy on reacting to the injustices that occur in America is based on many of the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. “When you talk about social justice you think of Martin Luther King [Jr.] and Malcolm X. Eventually, Malcolm X conformed to the practices that Martin Luther King [Jr.] was doing [because Malcolm] was being violent to a point where that’s the easy natural reaction,” Cooper explains. He adds, “It takes a tougher, … stronger person to [be in] control and calm,” when discussing these issues and fighting for justice. Much of this messaging from Cooper is translated into how he encourages his athletes, and some have even used his guidance to form their own alliances and groups in the community. For Perkins, this honor shows how Cooper’s inspiration not only will be remembered in history but is continued in the groups formed by his teachings. “We’re starting up a club on campus, Student Athletes for Social Justice, and it’s cool getting to bounce ideas off of them,” says Perkins. Perkins also notes, his inspiration from Cooper gave him the confidence to present ideas discussed to the head coach of the team. The idea for “Coffee with Cops” became a reality, an idea with the hope of building better bridges between law enforcement and student-athletes. “I’m sitting down with the chief of police for Ellensburg, the chief of police for Central and we’re just talking and we’re on such [a] good basis and terms that I got their phone numbers,” says Perkins. “They want to reach out and talk weekly while being in our zoom meetings.” From his player’s perspective, all of the credit belongs to the trust and confidence Cooper instills in them. “It’s pretty cool he’s showing us the type of power we have in our words and this platform we have as student-athletes,” adds Perkins. Just as Cooper used his platform as a player, coach, leader, social justice advocate and champion, the drive he inspires in his players is just a reflection of the hard work and honors sown in his fabric. “It’s pretty cool to see that he’s being recognized for the stuff that he does,” says Perkins. “He’s genuine. He’s educating us and for him to go down in history in Ellensburg like that, that’s dope.” Be sure to visit cwupulsemagazine.com to watch an exclusive interview with AJ Cooper.

SPOTLIGHT

THE STIGMA OF PLASTIC SURGERY Story by Allison Clowers | Photos by Kassandra Eller | Design by Sara Roach Do you ever look in the mirror and have feelings of absolute disgust or shame in what you see? In how you feel? You may not, but people with Body Dysmorphic Disorder do. Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD, is an extension of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) that causes individuals to feel absolutely disgusted and ashamed of themselves. Sometimes to the point that they seek out plastic surgery to ‘fix’ a problem they may see. But what happens after that cosmetic change? Do the feelings of disgust go away? Jennifer Yeh, licensed mental health counselor at Seattle Anxiety Specialists, explains, people with BDD are “full of such shame and self-disgust and it’s a torturous disorder.” Where there was once a negative stigma that society placed on plastic surgery, more and more people are speaking out about their plastic surgery experiences, making this a more accepted practice in today’s society. Psychology Behind Plastic Surgery Does the stigma of plastic surgery play a bigger role on people’s psychological heath? Absolutely. There are many driving forces that bring someone to want plastic surgery, and psychological reasons are a big contributor. According to a press release from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly two percent of the population is affected by BDD, and up to 10 percent of those individuals seek out plastic surgery. Yeh describes someone who has BDD as “a person [who] is obsessively preoccupied with something of their appearance … It could be related to something that they perceive as a disfigurement or a flaw in their appearance.” She notes, “What makes it a disorder is that they are specifically focused or excessive, given the reality of their appearance.” BDD is an intense disorder that can have a major effect on how someone views themselves to the point where they want to change something about them selves, which is when they may seek out plas tic surgery to ‘fix’ this problem. Although this might seem like a logical next

step in an individual’s journey with BDD, it is quite the opposite. “By getting the cosmetic surgery, they really haven’t addressed the core issue,” Yeh explains. “The body itself was never the problem but how they relate to their body, how they can be in their body and be okay with their bodies. I think that leaves them feeling hopeless, like it was going to fix their body and then it didn’t.” Dr. Shaun Desai, MD, associate professor of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at the Johns Hopkins Department of Otolaryngology, says, “Plastic surgery doesn’t help patients [with BDD], the treatment for that is really more psychological treatment, medicine and behavioral therapy.” BDD is very complex and there is really no cure, just therapy that introduces more positive rituals into daily life, rather than the negative ones such as constantly checking your appearance. According to an article from Huffington Post by Olivia Loving who lives with BDD, the therapists she received help from constantly reminded her that they could not change her thoughts, only her actions, but if she reduced her rituals enough, her thoughts may eventually change as well. A primary issue with BDD is not only does it affect someone’s view of themselves, but that internal struggle also affects how they interact with people. Yeh explains how they, “really have disgust or anxiety about how they look … It makes it hard for them to engage with other people.” She adds, “It’s going to affect your job; it’s going [to] affect your relationship. You carry your body everywhere you go and think about how difficult that would be.” However, with all of this in mind, plastic surgeons are educated on BDD and other mental disorders, so they can effectively decide if an individual is a good candidate for their services. “We should make sure that why they are choosing to see us isn’t based on some misinformed psychological view of themselves or body dysmorphic difficulties,” explains Dr. Ginger Longo, MD at Mariposa Aesthetics in Ellensburg. “I say, ‘you tell me what’s bothering you, what you WINTER 2021

SPOTLIGHT

see in the mirror, what you see in pictures’ and then if it seems like their vision of themselves [is] more rooted in a dysmorphic place where they’re never going to see themselves as beautiful … I usually try to limit the treatments or talk to them about what we can do to fix that,” Longo says. She notes, very often, patients will come to her and ask her to do whatever she thinks would look good on them, cosmetic-wise, but that isn’t how plastic surgery works. This is what’s so hard about BDD, the individuals affected are constantly checking and re-checking to make sure they look okay and it is not something that plastic surgery can fix. “Someone can be really driven on the surface because they’re desperately checking to ease the feeling of disgust about themselves,” Yeh says. Indulging in plastic surgery isn’t going to be the thing that brings these individuals out of their compulsive stage of constantly feeling ugly. After they have the surgery, the disorder will find something else about them to concentrate on whether it is a real deformity or not. Regardless of if someone is seeking out plastic surgery from a dysmorphic place or not, they shouldn’t just jump right to plastic surgery as the only option. Desai says, “I don’t believe in doing kind of quick decisions for this sort of elective cosmetic surgery, so … I usually have patients thinking about [the] decision over time and really make sure it is what they want to do.” “Part of the vicious cycle is that the problem was never actually [there]; it was more of a preoccupation and rigid belief that something is wrong. Even if they were to engage in the behavior of plastic surgery or a cosmetology procedure, they might not feel like it fixed the problem,” Yeh says. Addressing the Stigma CWU Family Sciences alumna Monica Blair who has gotten Botox and lip filler, shares her opinion on the stigma. “Now that social media and influencers are taking over the world, it’s kind of dying down. I don’t see it as much; I feel like people are now encouraging it more if it is what makes you happy.” Plastic surgery has become more popular among the stars we see in the media, whether those individuals are having good experiences or bad ones, the conversation about it has lessened the stigma. Yeh talks about Kylie Jenner’s impact on the discussion of plastic surgery after she got lip filler. “The fact that she felt that she had to hide it told me that she was feeling shame about it and that she felt that pressure and did not admit [it].”

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Although, at first, Jenner did not talk about her choice to get lip filler, she did eventually decide to address it and look where it took her. She created a whole cosmetic line centered around her lips and the confidence lip fillers gave her. According to Erin Jahns at Byrdie, a digital beauty magazine, Jenner was first interested in getting her lips done due to a comment made by a boy when she was younger. He mentioned that she had very thin lips and that she was likely a bad kisser because of that. Yeh explains, while her initial interest in the cosmetic procedure was rooted in a childhood insecurity, she was able to build a “multi-million-dollar mega industry… around her lips,” and it is very influential. The stigma surrounding plastic surgery could be related to the unrealistic expectations society puts on individuals and their appearance. While the media does play a major part in fostering a safe place to have this much needed discussion on plastic surgery, the media may also play a role in why people feel that there is a negative stigma about it. According to Longo, the stigma exists due to a lack of education on cosmetic procedures. “So many people, when they think of Botox, they think of movie stars with big lips [and] altered faces.” Desai explains, “In real life, plastic surgery can be very different from what you see on TV and most people nowadays want plastic surgery results to look really natural, and they don’t want to look like they’ve had plastic surgery.” Longo also explains, “Many of the women don’t have the stigma, but their husbands or their partners will say ‘oh, you don’t need that. You’re beautiful like you are.’” She notes that while this argument from their partners may be true, she believes that the cosmetic procedures she provides offer people an opportunity to gain, “more confidence that shouldn’t be stigmatized.” Longo compares cosmetic procedures to changing the cut or color of our hair or changing our clothes. She explains, the procedure as “an extension [of] what we do to alter our appearance aesthetically for ourselves.” “I feel like stigmas are what keep us from doing a lot of things in life,” says Longo. “So if there’s a chance that someone could come in and get a little advice, even if the discussion is just about skincare and how to keep your skin healthy or how to make you feel better in the long run … there shouldn’t be a block to come in and to see what there is to offer what people might be interested in.”

More than just Aesthetics? But what about plastic surgery that isn’t done to improve someone’s appearance? There are so many reasons people go to plastic surgeons. Some plastic surgeons also perform procedures that treat body abnormalities or address past traumas. Desai mentions he sees patients for congenital reasons, referring to altering a physical abnormality someone was born with. For example, he explains, some congenital anomalies he sees are children who are born with cleft lips and palates. He performs procedures that fix that issue, which can lead to a lifetime of happiness for the patient and their family. Another big part of reconstructive plastic surgery is related to helping the effects of medical diseases, “for instance, breast reconstruction after cancer surgery,” says Dr. Davis Bronson, MD, Fellow of the American College of Surgeons at Astria Health. Additionally, Desai treats “patients [who] have had cancers on their face, or in their jaw or their skulls and … patients who have had trauma to their face.” Experiencing a traumatic disease such as cancer or going through a terrible accident will affect someone in almost every way possible, and a lot of that cannot be reversed or fixed. But one thing that can be fixed is their appearance, through reconstructive plastic surgeries. Road to Recovery Although there are some very negative effects of plastic surgery and the stigma still seems to loom above us, there are also some positive aspects to it. Bronson talks about how his work benefits his patients. “They are trying to achieve a certain goal and we achieve that goal and they become more self-satisfied with their own body habitus and their thinking,” he says. Additionally, Longo says, “The number of people, with just small transformations, [who] feel more comfortable with themselves, or like they got some of what their appearance was 10 years ago back, has been really amazing to me, and that’s rewarding.” Blair explains, she will eventually go back and get her lips re-done once the filler wears off, and she says, “I definitely think that everyone should try it if they want to.” She also expressed interest in exploring other cosmetic or plastic procedures, saying, “I think about, maybe after I have kids, getting my boobs done, like a lift.” The positive aspects of plastic surgery not only affect the patients receiving a new look, or an improvement on something that has caused them trauma; it impacts the doctors as well. They are able to see the way someone feels about themselves change drastically. They get to help people gain more confidence. Not only does it allow people to gain confidence but plastic surgery is also “functional and improve[s] their quality of life,” explains Desai. Patients who have had plastic surgery following a disease such as cancer or a child born with a cleft lip get a new lease on life and that has a great impact on the surgeons.

FOOD + DRINK

Chocolate: The Ultimate Mood Booster Story by Autumn Reed | Photos by Kassandra Eller | Design by Sara Roach

Do you ever crave a sweet dessert after a meal? Or, do you crave something sweet when you’re sad, or even when you need a boost of energy? What if you were told that chocolate can boost your mood and better yet, be healthy for you? Well, good news! It turns out that chocolate, specifically dark chocolate, has various health benefits. Shocker, isn’t it? Many would agree that the craving for chocolate is near irresistible, but many may not know all that is behind the tasty treat. The Science Behind Chocolate Allison Grader, graduate teaching assistant of the Department of Health Sciences, explains, chocolate is made up of compounds that are beneficial for our health. To keep it simple, the amino acids in chocolate are precursors to the hormone serotonin, which is the happy hormone for our brain. “Dopamine, serotonin and endorphins are all things that make us feel really good,” Grader says. “And there are some studies out there [that show] getting that from chocolate … could have some mood boosting effects.” To sum it up, chocolate brings happiness. Chocolate can provide a great compliment to a warm cup of

tea in the afternoon or even a glass of wine in the evening to bring the boost you’re searching for. “Chocolate contains carbohydrates too,” Grader says. “Carbohydrates are our main source of energy, especially for our brain, so that helps us feel good as well.” Therefore, if you find yourself needing more energy throughout your day, a piece of chocolate could perhaps do the job. Health Benefits Not only can chocolate give you a mood lift but can also be beneficial for your heart, according to Susan Hawk, professor of Clinical Nutrition. Dark chocolate is the only kind of chocolate that is known to have the health benefits that help the heart. Hawk says, “These include helping lower blood pressure, improving cardiovascular health and can even lower diabetes risk due to its effect on insulin.” Keep in mind that milk chocolate won’t have the same effects. According to Hawk, milk chocolate has lower levels of cocoa liquor and condensed milk added in. “The cocoa liquor is known as the percent cocoa in chocolate,” Hawk explains. “The higher the amount, the more dark the chocolate and the greater the level of the bioactive compounds, which are known to have health benefits.” To receive the health benefits, Grader recommends only an ounce

of dark chocolate a day with 70 percent of cocoa or higher. “That’s where you’re going to see those benefits,” Grader says. Ways to Include Chocolate in Your Diet Including chocolate in your diet is totally okay. Who doesn’t want chocolate on their daily menu anyway? President of Paleo Gluten Free Eats, a health food-based website that provides resources and recipes for the paleo and Whole30 diet, Kaylie Johnson frequently chooses chocolate as an energy boost. “I love adding chocolate to recipes because it adds a richness and quality to recipes that draws me in and makes it just a little extra inviting,” Johnson says. There are numerous ways to incorporate chocolate into your meals. From adding a scoop of cocoa powder in your smoothie, to dark chocolate chips on your greek yogurt or even in your breakfast oats. “I love adding it to smoothies,” Johnson says. “Making collagen protein boosted chocolate milk with cashew or oat milk, and of course, breakfast oats with chocolate is always a go-to!” Protein brownies is another recipe that’s also on the top of her list. So, if you need that mood lift or just need to satisfy that sweet tooth, be sure to grab your favorite brand of chocolate.

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FOOD + DRINK

charcuterie 101: A Guide to Building Your Own Cheese Board

Contributions by Samantha Cabeza & Madeline Wilson Photos by Kassandra Eller & Samantha Cabeza | Design by Chandler Vanous Brie. Gorgonzola. Cheddar. Provolone. Gouda. Asiago. All of these cheeses can be used to make a variety of sweet and savory charcuterie boards. These platters are host to a variety of prepared meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, crackers and spreads — each of which form unique pairings and flavor profiles.

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Every charcuterie board is unique because you can mix-and-match all of the items to make sweet pairings such as brie and jam as well as savory combos like gouda and salami. There is no right way for putting together a cheese board so try experimenting with flavors and combos to find your unique charcuterie style.

sweet

, cheddar we enjoyed was sliced apples An unexpected pairing that board is the erimenting with items on cheese and sliced turkey. Exp charcuterie experience. one of the best parts of the

ingredients • • • • • • • • • •

Green and Honeycrisp Apples Assorted Cheddar Cheese Rosemary Crackers Raspberry Jam Grapes Cucumbers Pepperoni French Bread Salami Brie eet a more sw r o f g in k o d If you’re lo g brie, jam, honey an in r ix e m k y crac . combo try a rosemar WINTER 2021

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savory ingredients • • • • • • • • •

Rosemary Crackers Kalamata Olives Assorted Nuts Olives Asiago Cheese Pickles Salami Sliced Turkey Pepperoni

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crackers or Some people prefer to pair their cheeses with i which is the meats. We paired a sharp asiago cheese and salam perfect savory combo.

01.

pairings

01. Sliced Turkey Kalamata Olives Cucumbers Asiago Cheese Assorted Nuts

Deli meats are a fan favorite for cha rcuterie boards. Some of the types we tried include: salami, sliced turkey and pepperoni .

02.

02. Green Olives Cucumbers Salami Pepperoni Brie To learn more about how you can make your charcuterie board, visit cwupulsemagazine.com for an exclusive video.

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SPORTS

Contributions & Photos by Lexi Wicks | Design & Illustration by Sara Roach

The temperature has dropped, and the air is crisp. You walk outside and see your breath as you sigh at the sight of your car covered in ice. But this day cannot be ruined, because you are headed to the mountains. On lazy Sundays nothing calls your name more than the ski hills, snow trails and ice rinks. The thrill of winter sports can only last a few months out of the year. Here are some places to get out of hibernation and on to the slopes.

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OPR Cross Country

Ski Rental $6.16 daily, $9.24 for the weekend and $13.35 weekly

Ski Boot Rental $4.11 daily, $6.16 for the weekend and $10.27 weekly.

OPR Alpine Touring

Ski Rental $10.27 daily, $15.41 for the weekend and $22.59 weekly.

Ski Boot Rental $10.27 daily, $15.41 for the weekend and $22.59 weekly.

Mission Ridge

Ski Package (skis, boots, and poles) $50 for the day, $45 for late arrival (after noon) and $30 for night (after 4 p.m.).

Skis Only Rental $40 for the day or $35 for late arrival (after noon).

Ski Boots Only Rental $50 for the day and late arrival as well.

Ski Poles Only Rental $14 for the day and late arrival as well.

Snoqualmie

Full-Day Package (skis, boots and poles) $50 including tax. Available all day and the equipment can be checked back in any time before closing (10 p.m.).

Night Package (skis, boots and poles) $40 without sales tax included. Available from 4-10 p.m.

Ski Boot Only Rental $50 for the day and $40 for a “night” rental (4-10 p.m.).

Ski Poles Only Rental $12 for the day.

Suncadia

Cross-Country Ski Rental $25 for 2 hours or $40 for 24 hours.

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Mission Ridge

Snowboard Package (board and boots) $50 for the day, $45 for late arrival (after noon) and $30 for the night rental (after 4 p.m.).

Snowboard Only Rental $40 for the day, $35 for late arrival (after noon), and $30 for the night rental (after 4pm).

Snowboard Boots Only Rental $32 for the day, or $27 for late arrival (after noon).

Snoqualmie

Full-Day Package (snowboard and boots) $50 including tax. Available all day and the equipment can be checked back in any time before closing (10 p.m.).

Night Package (snowboard and boots) $40 without sales tax included. only available from 4-10 p.m.

Snowboard Boots Only Rental $30 for the day and $26 for a “night” rental (4-10 p.m.).

Scan this code on Spotify to hear PULSE’s favorite winter sports jams!

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OPR

Snowshoe Rental $6.16 daily, $9.24 for the weekend and $13.35 weekly.

Snoqualmie

Snowshoe Rental $25.

Suncadia

Snowshoe Rental $18 for two hours or $30 for 24 hours.

Visit cwupulsemagazine.com to watch an exclusive winter sports video!

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SPORTS

The Balance Between Ball and Brand How the NCAA Allows Athletes to Embrace Their Identity Story by Allison Clowers & Madeline Wilson | Design by Chandler Vanous

Click! Click! Click! All you can hear is the clicking of the camera flashing before your eyes. You’ve been asked to become the face of a major sports endorsement brand and you are experiencing your first major photo shoot. This is just the beginning of your new brand as a professional student-athlete, only you’re not a professional yet. This could be the new normal for future student-athletes; opportunities for them could begin to pop up, with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) new ruling that will support their building of a personal brand. According to a press release from the NCAA in April 2020, “The Board of Governors supported rule changes to allow student-athletes to receive compensation for third-party endorsements [and] also supports compensation for other student-athlete opportunities, such as social media, businesses they have started and personal appearances.” This means that while student-athletes cannot currently seek out photo shoots with brands as described, this could be in their future over the course of the next few years. There are many different factors at play when deciding rules about student-athlete conduct, specifically with name, image and likeness (NIL).

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Defining NIL These three facets to one’s identity fall under what the NCAA defines as right of publicity which, “involves those situations where permission is required of a person to use their name, image or likeness,” according to an article on how student-athletes’ NIL will shape the future of college sports from NCAA by Rachel Stark-Mason. There are a variety of intricate rules that are involved with governing student-athlete conduct which means the process for changing them can be difficult. Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance and the Senior Women Administrator at CWU Athletics Laura Dahlby Nicolai says, “Specifically with name, image, likeness … we actually delayed the vote. All levels … at the recommendation of the home office in Indianapolis, we actually all delayed our votes and removed them from the docket this year.” Within the different divisions of the NCAA, universities are allowed to vote on specific rule changes. Dahlby Nicolai says, within the conference CWU is in, “NCAA Division II has a one institution one vote policy; every institution gets a vote.”

She adds, “Additionally, the SAAC which is the Student-Athlete Advisory [Committee] gets a vote as well. Everybody votes … if it passes, awesome, and if it doesn’t then you can try again in a couple years.” This process occurs whenever universities or committees propose a rule change. But before people can even vote on what rule changes occur, there is a lengthy process of proposing legislation and finding sponsors, according to Dahlby Nicolai. For example, if new legislation were to be proposed to change the NIL rules, as a university or committee “we say, ‘we think this rule needs to be changed,’ or ‘we need a new rule,’ … and we go to the conference. Then, the conference says ‘yes, we support you,’ or ‘no, we think that’s silly and we aren’t going to support you.’” However, one group does not need to bring up a rule change alone. There can be multiple universities or committees working to propose the change. “You can bring it up as a single institution [but] it’s less likely to pass,” explains Dahlby Nicolai. “The more support you have, it kind of goes through the process. You submit a rule proposal and if it gets enough support, then it is sponsored for legislation.” Even after this entire process, there are still rules such as the proposed changes to NIL that are either not passed or decisions are pushed to a later date such as what occurred this past year. One of the main reasons NIL is so difficult to discern a clear set of guidelines for is because of the many factors that need to be considered, such as the role of student-athletes. Implementing the Changes Something that may be an issue is how these rule changes will be implemented into the universities and upheld by the staff and students. “When a rule change passes, what happens then? We have to identify what of our process changes,” explains Dahlby Nicolai. “Had it

changed, I would have had to … send additional paperwork to student-athletes to say, ‘Do you have an outside contract with anyone? What’s the deal worth?’” Additionally, there can be upkeep with how the athletes are branding themselves that falls on the athletics department to keep track of. One of the factors noted in the original press release from the NCAA was “the use of conference and school logos, trademarks or other involvement would not be allowed.” If someone were to misuse CWU logos, there would need to be a new set of guidelines made to develop consequences for breaking these NIL rules. “For each institution it’s a little different because for us … we would have had to make sure the campus policies on the use of the logo and which logo were clearly identified to student-athletes so that they knew when they could use a logo on anything that would make them individual money using their NIL,” Dahlby Nicolai says. Understanding the Consequences With so many opportunities available to athletes to capitalize off of their brand, what are the consequences if they break the rules or give their image a bad rep? Aubrey Miller, senior Sport Management major with a specialization in Sports Business, Marketing and Promotions intern for CWU Athletics and former marketing officer for the Sport Management Association, predicts,

“If a student-athlete gets in trouble (caught at a party, etc.), then they are putting on a bad image for themselves, their school and the company that they are sponsoring.”

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Within the legislation that was created to allow athletes to use their NIL for monetary gain, there are some clear restrictions in place, but the consequences may need to be clarified by each institution. Dahlby Nicolai explains, “When someone breaks a rule … [For example], if somebody practiced too many hours in a week, there’s sort of a case precedent where if you practice two extra hours we have to give you a two-forone penalty. So, for every one hour I give you a penalty of two hours removed; if they practice two extra hours, I would have to take away four practice hours.” There is also the possibility that once the consequences of breaking the NCAA rules are outlined, they could affect more than just the individual player. “We have a requirement that they have to be in 12 credits at all times. So, if a baseball player played in a game but he thought he was in a class but he was only waitlisted so he was only in 10 but he played in this game, we then can’t count that game,” Dahlby Nicolai says. “If we won, we actually forfeit that game. Additionally, we have to ask for his reinstatement from the NCAA.” Then, “if that went unnoticed and we didn’t notice until after the national championship

game that they won, that national championship is now forfeited and every game that they played in is now void,” she adds. The Role of Student-Athletes If this rule were to be in effect, not only would there be changes to the university athletics’ policies but also to the role of student-athletes. When there is an extra factor involved in their day-to-day lives, their academics and other interests may suffer. “If you did a study of what student-athletes’ grades are now without having to worry about money and then doing a study on how grades … drop [after NIL changes], you will definitely see a big drop when they start to get paid and prioritize making money,” says Rey Green, running back for CWU Football, Digital Journalism major and PULSE Magazine writer. He adds, “We see the pendulum of managing school, work (which would now be football), meetings, learning the playbook and then other aspects of your life. It’s never just a straight and narrow equal level of attention [to] time.”

N C A A JAN. 2020 Beginning discussion about NIL among specific decisions at the NCAA Convention.

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T I

SPRING/SUMMER 2020

SEPT. 2020

Discussion continues with division feedback on rules.

Divisions create unique legislative proposals

Adding on essentially another job can be stressful and may take a toll on one’s academics, especially for busy athletes. “Yes, these changes will affect student-athletes’ academics because … student-athletes are student’s first, athlete’s second. There is a reason that they are called ‘student-athletes’ and not ‘athlete-students,’” explains Miller. Performing in Class and on the Field The priority of student-athletes is to be both a student and an athlete, but either of those roles may be put on the backburner if a money factor is involved. “Student-athletes are attending school to get a degree in addition to their sporting activities,” Miller says. “They should be focusing on their schoolwork first [and] then their extracurriculars. It will become a distraction if they have a brand name and [are] being paid for their likeness [and] image.”

Haley Abeyta, senior Law & Justice major and loose head prep for Women’s Rugby, adds, “We are student-athletes for a reason and our main goal [is] to get our degree. Being an

athlete should be our number one priority and be considered our job. At the end of the day if we are not performing in the classroom, we won’t be able to perform on the field.” With already busy schedules, adding the opportunity for outside monetization may make the players have difficulty with choosing their priorities, but it is not impossible. Green says, “You always make time for the things that you truly want to have in your life. I think people will have the opportunity to fit that into their schedule.” “It would be hard to do that but yes, you definitely could fit it in,” he adds. “If you’re a football player and also trying to be a nurse, it’s going to be kind of insane to where you’re not getting any sleep. It kind of goes into the lifestyle you want to live.” Linae Myhand, senior double-majoring in Business Administration with a Marketing specialization and Economics with a Business and Economic Forecasting specialization, and president of the CWU Sport Management Association, explains, “If there would be ways to be able to still make the money, [and] to not affect

I M E L I N E NOV. 2020 Divisions develop NIL rule legislation drafts.

JAN. 2021 NIL is supposed to be voted on at the NCAA Convention and expected effective date of rule changes is 2021-22

JAN. 2021 All divisions delay vote on NIL changes Source: NCAA

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the schedule … I think there should be some [but] I don’t know what they look like.” Sponsorships & Endorsements 101 One of the struggles that many face in determining how this decision will affect athletes is that there are a lot of unknowns about how NIL rules will affect them personally as well as how they could go about finding sponsorships. Dahlby Nicolai explains, one of the difficulties she has witnessed is, “Nobody really knows how they are going to support [it] because it really is a monitoring nightmare.” Because there are so many factors for the universities to consider, being able to monitor how students work with NIL rules could look different. One point that Dahlby Nicolai mentions is the unknowns about the use of outside agents to represent the students. “There is space within the legislation at both our level and Division I to allow agents to work with student-athletes, only for the purpose of NIL. They are allowed to have professional service advisor contracts with lawyers and tax advisors, as long as it doesn’t branch into professional playing opportunities,” Dahlby Nicolai says. “That’s one of those things that become very hard to monitor.” The monitoring of how student-athletes follow the new NCAA guidelines may become more difficult with more people involved. “A lot of athletes can probably do some of this on their own … [However], for any type of endorsement, via the local car dealership or if they’re doing Instagram postings, those all require legal contracts and that’s what we specialize in,” says Tim Dillon, owner and agent at 206 Sports Group, a professional sports agency that represents NFL players such as Seahawk players Russell Wilson and DK Metcalf. He adds, “A lot of my work is reviewing a legal contract so the parties all understand their

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place and what’s being offered and what they’re doing as athletes.” Similar to professional athletics, once the new NIL rules are passed, there will be specific guidelines for how student-athletes can seek out agents. “You’ll start to see … in final legislation if the NIL goes through … they’ll probably put some sort of guardrails around that just like they do in professional sports,” Dillon says. As a student it may be difficult to navigate these changes and understand how their role changes from just student-athlete to now adding a job as well. Myhand questions, “At what point does it become … where there’s so much that it’s a lot for him to maintain? Maybe he needs an agent now. What happens then when these college players have agents?” She adds, “I think that’s something that the NCAA is probably thinking about a lot because technically, once you sign with an agent, now you are no longer an amateur athlete … You can’t really expect these students to maintain the school, the college sport and then also these relationships.” The Perception of Student-Athletes While being a student-athlete is not technically considered a job, adding the opportunity for endorsements or sponsorships may change the way people perceive these students.

“A lot of people will start to realize that it is a fulltime job because a lot of people don’t. From my understanding people think that we’re lazy [or] not smart,” Green says.

“That’s kind of the perception, especially being a football player. Growing up, everyone has that joke of [being a] ‘dumb jock,’ he adds. “It will change the narrative.” Even if athletes do not consider themselves to have a job already, a clear difference between paying athletes and allowing them to find their own forms of income should be made. Miller explains, “These changes will cause student-athletes to feel like they are doing a full-time job on top of school, instead of being a student on top of doing sports. They would lose out on the college experience.” “There is a reason that student-athletes are not being paid,” she adds. “Compensation is meant for those in professional sports, not for those in college.” Building a Brand Even if student-athletes aren’t actively seeking out sponsorships or endorsements for the money, there are some positive opportunities available as they begin to build their brand while still in school.

Dillon says, “It allows them to fully take advantage of their brand, and be kind of the owner of that, and that’s what we encourage.”

Athletes will be able to cultivate their personal identity into a recognizable brand. “Once they become athletes, or high level elite athletes, even in high school, they start to get this brand and you start to see them change around social media,” Myhand says. “It really becomes just like a blank slate. So this waiting for hopefully, five, six years from now when I go pro, and then I can actually get sponsorships and I can do things,” she adds. “If they were able to actually capitalize, there’s so many practices where you can be a brand ambassador.” If student-athletes are able to make an image and brand surrounding their name there are a multitude of job experiences waiting for them, especially with the help of outside sports agents. Dillon says, “We have an opportunity to kind of build their brand, even if she wants to get into event planning, it might not be sports anymore but they can use that as a launching pad for other parts of their kind of career.” There are many advantages that come with the ability for athletes to capitalize off of their brand. One clear positive is motivation. “If I were sponsored or endorsed, it would personally motivate and push me to be better,” Abeyta says. “Playing at my best is always the goal but now that I am being sponsored, it pushes me to be even better than imagined and if I am not performing, they can take that away from me.” Whether or not this change is made, it will be up to the student-athletes to decide if they want to build a brand out of their name, image and likeness.

He adds, “We look at it as a huge opportunity, especially in my side of the business. We do a lot of endorsements [and] a lot of speaking engagements … I think that’s a huge opportunity for them and it spans to this whole level.”

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MIND + BODY

Laughter is the Best Medicine Story by Nidia Torres | Photos by Kassandra Eller Design by Ilse Orta Mederos | Illustration by Sara Roach Can you remember the last time you were completely overcome with gut-busting laughter? Maybe it was a movie you were watching or a joke your friend told you. Whatever it was, that moment of suspended laughter may have brought you a strong feeling of pleasure. While laughter is something that you all have experienced, you may not know that laughter also has intrinsic physical and emotional benefits. “Laughter is the biological process that we have in our bodies that helps us … release feelings,” says Laughter Therapist Enda Junkins, who has spe-

cialized in laughter therapy for 29 of her 49 years in practice as a therapist. According to Junkins, this natural process can be very beneficial in helping people move past difficult times. Although many clients come to Junkins for standard therapy, she also offers them laughter therapy as an alternative method. “Laughter changes how you relate to the facts and so it helps people get perspective on what issues they are dealing with,” she says. The method Junkins uses the most for laughter therapy is one she learned when she was under the tutelage of another laughter therapist named Annette Goodheart. This method allows people to make an emotional confession and add a cathartic trigger at the end, according to Junkins. Cathartic triggers, or catharsis, is “the process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed [emotions],” according to Oxford Languages. These cathartic triggers are supposed to allow people to laugh and relieve tension and unpack the enormity of an issue, explains Junkins. “Depending on the person … they are able to laugh and

so what that does is, it shrinks the issue that we [have] allowed to become so humongous we can’t cope with it,” Junkins explains. She adds, laughter is “one of the best medicines.” While laughter can help many cope with difficult experiences, others are chasing laughter for a different outcome.

The Other Side of the Laugh

Junior Digital Journalism major Libby Williams’ interest in making people laugh inspired her to seek performing in comedy as a hobby. Williams has performed for an audience a total of six times. “In my day, it’s gotten to the point where everything out of my mouth, most of the time, is trying to get somebody to laugh, and it doesn’t always land,” Williams says. Junkins explains that the reason not everyone finds certain things funny is because that is based off of the person’s individual humor. “Humor comes from your family, your intellect and your culture. It’s one trigger for laughter, but it’s only one and that’s why what strikes me as funny may not strike you as funny,” Junkins says. When Williams does succeed in winning a crowd over, she explains she feels fulfilled. During

these times, laughter serves as a good way to “ease the tension” surrounding these difficult times, according to Williams. Junkins says, “It’s important for people to know that we need to laugh. We need to laugh more than we do … because it’s bonding and pulls you together with people. It’s a good thing.” One way people are bonded is through public forms of comedic relief such as open mic nights or comedy shows. Williams is no stranger to both. “I just started doing it freshman year and I was hoping to do more this year, but with everything getting shut down I couldn’t anymore, so hopefully more stuff opens up,” Williams says. She has since joined an improv team on campus called “The Hot New Jam” to continue practicing her comedy performances. Williams recommends students to connect with friends, even via Zoom, to have a game night, laugh and remain social. “We’re so far gone at this point that I think it’s a good time if you give yourself the chance to actually do something,” she says. Many in-

dividuals may attribute the feeling of pleasure they receive from laughter to their own happiness.

Linked to Happiness

When Information Technology and Administrative Management Professor Natalie Lupton asked the students of her class, “What is happiness?” to reflect on their own levels of happiness, they came up with a variety of individual definitions. “Everyone had a different answer from day one,” Lupton recalls. “That’s what I always find interesting is [that] in that short nine, ten weeks of coverage, people reflected and changed their definition.” While happiness is relative to the individual person, Junkins explains, happiness is really determined and how laughter may factor into achieving that state of mind.

“Happiness is not a feeling, it’s a state of being that’s caused by circumstance,” Junkins says. “I think someone who’s able to laugh or able to cry [is] because it gives them perspective. It makes you move through life a little easier, and every time you laugh you’re dumping pain.” Williams attributes other skills like listening and conversing with people as methods to spread happiness, which are just as important as being able to crack a joke. “There’s a lot of different skill sets to help make people happy; capitalize on the one you’ve got and go for it,” Williams suggests. For more information on how laughter has helped people visit our website!

AFTER DARK

Ejected from

Has Cancel

Story By Sanna Bjork | Design & Illustration by Lisa Zhu 68

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Influence :

Culture Gone Viral? #cancelled #____isover. Now fill in the blank. Odds are, if you have a social media account, you have probably seen that blank space filled in with numerous names. Cancel culture is a popular social strategy used across various social media platforms to hold people accountable for things they say and do. However, cancel culture is not a new idea, though social media gave it a new platform and name. While it can be beneficial to society, it can also be harmful. “The whole casting of the stone situation is very similar to what we do now, except it’s a lot more digital,” says Joanna Santana, former social media manager for PULSE and CWU alumna with a major in Marketing. While in public, shaming has always existed in various forms throughout history. Cancel culture is its newest form. The thing that differentiates cancel culture nowadays is social media. It allows the public to shame people from behind the screen and helps it go viral worldwide. One of the biggest issues that occurs is that cancelling is not always based on facts. It spreads so fast and people do not always do their research before the public starts believing and pointing fingers. For Katie Herzog, former reporter for The Stranger, a Seattle based newspaper, and current co-host for Blocked and Reported, a podcast about “internet nonsense,” this was very much the case. Back in 2017, Herzog faced an attempt at cancelling when she wrote a piece on people who detransitioned back to their sex assigned at birth. Herzog explains, she had expected some backlash from the story. “I made lots of efforts to address what I thought would be the inevitable criticism within the piece, and that didn’t matter at all,” says Herzog. “A lot of the people who were mad at the piece didn’t seem to have read it, or they would have realized that I addressed their criticism within the piece.” Being on the receiving end is hard, no matter what, though especially when the cancelling was not truly warranted. Deciding how to handle a cancelling is even harder. Caroline Murray, performance manager for Dealer OMG, suggests “trying to be mindful of what you did wrong,” with a sincere apology and making sure you do it right. However, other people have different ideas. Herzog for example says, “Evaluate your work, and if your work does not warrant an apology, don’t apologize.”

There is a fine line where cancel culture goes from harmful for society to beneficial. According to Murry, that line is somewhere between “get[ting] canceled for saying something stupid … versus if you’re a sexual predator. I don’t know if that’s going to go away.” But there is still a wide range of cancelling aspects between those two categories and that’s what makes it such a fine line. Not everyone agrees on where Murray drew this line. While it is easy to look at the many negative aspects of cancel culture, these negatives have overshadowed the benefit. Herzog says, cancel culture or “public shaming does have a utility. It can reform people’s behavior.” Though this can work, Herzog also believes “go[ing] to that person directly and hav[ing] a conversation does work better.” Santana believes, cancel culture has really switched itself around. She used the example of how things used to be “innocent until proven guilty, but it almost certainly [has] switched itself into guilty until proven innocent.” This statement is an important consideration. If everyone is presumed to be guilty without first looking at the facts, it takes away the power that public condemnation has. Cancel culture gives everyone the power to publicly shame people and hold them accountable for their actions. But it is important to give people the chance to learn and grow from their mistakes. The many varying views on cancel culture makes it the phenomenon it is today.

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MIND + BODY

DEALING WITH DEATH Getting Through the Death of a Loved One

Story by Jared Galanti | Photos by Kassandra Eller | Design by Ilse Orta Mederos Imagine going about your normal everyday life when you get an unexpected phone call. You greet the caller, curious and confused because you do not recognize the number. The voice on the other line begins to give you the worst news of your life — someone close to you has died. Your whole body goes numb and you have no clue how to react or what to do next. These days more and more people are facing this reality due to the mass numbers of deaths caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, along with other factors that are out of people’s control. With so much death surrounding everyone this past year, many may wonder how Americans could recover from losing so many people, especially loved ones. While it can be difficult, it is not impossible. Lily Klevjer, a freshman undeclared major, says she has had to go through this period when her Great Uncle Marty passed away in September at the age of 61, 70

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due to an infection that came up while treating lung cancer. Klevjer explains, some of her favorite childhood memories had him in it. “They live on the lake and we would always go inner tubing and he would always drive the boat. I’m the oldest cousin, so I remember me and all the other cousins would take turns with us on his lap, helping him drive the boat and I remember doing that growing up,” she says. Memories with loved ones can be a major factor in remembering and reflecting on one’s life. While those are just reflections now, Klevjer is slowly going through the stages of grief that require time and patience to get through.

Understanding Grief

When people lose someone close, they are inevitably going to go through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

Cindy Bruns, director of counseling at the Student Medical and Counseling Center, says, although people will go through those stages, it won’t always be a linear progression. “As we’ve continued to explore psychologically the experience of grief, what we understand [is] that it’s more complex than that,” explains Bruns. “People don’t move through the phase model in any real linear progression. You move forward and backwards and sideways and get stuck and get unstuck.” Bruns says, even with expected deaths, people will still go through some of these phases. But people can still become traumatized by the death even when experiencing this process. According to Cruse Bereavement Care, a bereavement charity based in the United Kingdom, being traumatized after a death is normal and it takes time to heal. They suggest going to the sight of the death or talking through it with other people involved.

Moving Through the Stages

There is no one right way to grieve because everyone’s experience is different. Full-Time Lecturer of Sociology Jessica Strawn offers more insight on how connections with the person who has died can also impact how people grieve a person’s death. “I think it has to do with their personality,” says Strawn. “And it also has to do with their proximity and their relationship to the person who [has] died. I think family roles can play a huge part of it when it’s different responses from different family members.” This means that depending on which family member passes and their closeness, one’s reaction can be different. According to Bruns, society has expectations for how people are supposed to react to death when someone that is perceived close to that person passes away. “Depending on the degree of closeness you could see the grief process stretch longer or shorter,” she adds.

“Some people can move through the stages more quickly if they aren’t impacted on a more day-to-day level by the loss versus someone who was impeded into the everyday fabric of a person’s life,” Bruns explains. “Then there are going to be a lot more reminders that the person is gone and [they] can restart the grieving process a little bit.” Bruns says people may not 100% get over someone’s death, but people tend to adapt to a new normal without that person in their life. One of the ways people can manage this change is through creating new habits or routines to work through the pain. Klevjer explains, she is dealing with her Great Uncle’s death through verbal processing with a healthy dose of distraction, while also hanging out with family. “I distract myself quite a bit when I’m hanging out with my friends,” explains Klevjer. “But I also try to have a balance of talking about it with people like, ‘what are fun memories you guys had?’ Or, ‘how are you feeling?’”

While working through the loss of a loved one is hard and may be a burden, the process cannot be rushed. Strawn explains that in America, we do ourselves a disservice when it comes to giving us time to grieve as opposed to other countries around the world. “There are some societies who don’t grieve their dead until a year has passed,” says Strawn. “Here in America, we have really [frigid] expectations when we get to grieve … it doesn’t always give a person enough time to actually process feelings.” Adequate time to heal and care for oneself is necessary during the grieving period. This process can also involve talking with loved ones and moving through the stages with family.

Processing a Death

An everyday occurrence for funeral directors across the country is helping families grieve the loss of their loved one. Henry Johnston, owner and funeral director at Johnston and Williams Funeral Home in El-

MIND + BODY

lensburg, says, more and more people seem to want a shortcut when it comes to grief and that unfortunately isn’t possible. “As a society we have tried to trick ourselves that there might be shortcuts to grief,” says Johnston. “We see this happen in the rise in popularity of cremations … People also think … ‘I can’t deal with it now so if I do a cremation I can deal with it later.’” Even if people are choosing to put off the grief, it doesn’t mean the funeral process will be easy. Strawn explains, the reason why funerals can be uncomfortable for some people is because they haven’t been given the proper time to actually get over the death. Yet the funeral may also offer the opportunity for closure. Johnston says, people who do a service or come with the funeral directors to the cremation are better equipped to handle the next steps nine times out of 10,

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rather than families who try and shortcut their grief and try to move on with their lives. Going through the steps of having a funeral or at least saying goodbye to the person who died can be a good way to help the process of grieving someone you have lost. Johnston also mentions, the amount of grief that is used by family members can also depend on if the death was expected or not. “When someone takes their own life, or when they are killed in a car accident or they are killed in an industrial accident … it hits a lot harder and there is a lot more grief because it was so unexpected,” explains Johnston. “As compared to someone who is older, or someone who has been fighting cancer for a long time and then they go on hospice and then passes away, that is called anticipatory grief.” While there will still be pain

with any form of grief, it might not be as much due to the fact that you have prepared yourself for it to come. Johnston says the best advice he could give to someone who is trying to get over a loved one’s death is relying on their funeral director. “We work with local churches, we work with local pastors [and] we have all the cemeteries. We have a system to help families get through this,” explains Johnston. “We just need to know what it is they want to do then let us get to work for them to make that happen.” Losing someone close can be very difficult to navigate through. It can be painful, lonely and sometimes feel hopeless. However, with strong family and friend support you can and will make it through this difficult time in your life.

CWU OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PRESENTS

SOURCE 2021 A VIRTUAL EVENT!

MAY 16-22

Submit your abstract here: http://www.cwu.edu/undergradresearch/abstract-submission Deadline: April 9th Symposium of University Research and Creative Expression SOURCE is CWU's annual event where students from all majors can present their research, scholarly endeavors, and creative works. Both undergrad and grad students welcome from ALL MAJORS.

PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE WITH ANY QUESTIONS: OUR@CWU.EDU

MIND + BODY

We’re in a bit of a “Situationship”: defining confusing relationships Story by Paneal Holland | Photos by Kassandra Eller | Design by Sione Sausau

It’s your third date (if you can even call it that), and nervous butterflies fill your stomach as you gear up to ask the dreaded question: ‘What are we?’ Sound familiar? Don’t worry you’re not alone. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you might have found yourself somewhere in the gray area between a relationship and a fling. This is the status known as a situationship. A situationship is something you may have already experienced, but haven’t had the words to describe. Urban Dictionary defines it as “let’s just chill, have sex and be confused on the fact that we are not together but have official emotions for one another.” To simplify it, this is basically a space between more than a friendship and a committed relationship. Many of us may know that romantic relationships are nothing but complicated because they often come with many different expectations. Wendy Lynne, life coach and relationship expert based in Bellevue, says, “Situationships could 74

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be a good thing if both partners discuss, and are on the same page about what they’re looking for from the beginning.” She adds, “On the flip side, there is a constant pressure and anxiety of not knowing where your relationship stands, especially if there is no kind of commitment involved.” In a situationship, it may be beneficial to start by defining what each person needs. CWU Anthropology alumnus Jacob Dolan explains, “As someone who’s been in this situation before, the one thing you have to do is be upfront about your standards and what you want from the beginning.” He adds, “You need to be straight up and ask questions.

Don’t avoid it, be honest and get a clear answer.” If you don’t get a clear answer, then that itself may be the answer you’ve been looking for. Your first step is to be honest with yourself and figure out what you truly want. Then you can figure out, “if you’re both on the same page and aren’t wanting something serious,” says Dolan. “But it can be bad when feelings become confusing and when one person is developing stronger feelings than the other person.” Remember, commitment might be hard and even scary for some. But, if you’re ready to define your relationship and get what you want, have those hard conversations.

Dolan advises, “It’s not going to be easy. You simply have to do it, if you want some clarity for yourself.” He adds, “After you have the talk and you don’t get a clear answer, that’s when you know you have to leave.” Assessing each other’s needs is an important step in heterosexual relationships, because men and women have different needs. “Men and women have different relationships when it comes to sex and they both carry a different kind of biological chemical reaction,” says Lynne.

“Men are just … as sensitive as women, but the only difference is that they tend to express their emotions differently and/or [play] it down because that is the way our society makes it to be,” she adds. So when is the right time to ask these questions and be explicit with your expectations? Lynne explains, “This is a scary question for most people but I think that the earlier the better. If you already know

what you truly want, even on the first date is appropriate to ask those questions.” “When you ask those questions … early, their reaction will tell you where your relationship stands,” she adds. There aren’t any specific rules when it comes to situationships but if you are having doubts about your relationship, it may be time to have a conversation with your partner. So, if you’re in a bit of a situationship, remember to trust yourself and don’t waste your time.

How to Determine if YOU are in a Situationship: To start, ask yourself these questions: 1. Have you ever been in a situation where you’re more than friends, but not in a relationship? 2. Did you and the person you’re talking to make plans and call it a date? 3. Do you want to be with the person you are seeing, but are still confused if the unlabeled relationship is even going anywhere?

If you answered ‘no’ to these questions: congratulations! You are one of the lucky ones. But if you answered ‘yes’ … Well, welcome to modern dating. This is what relationship experts call a “situationship.”

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AFTER DARK

A New Era of

ENTERTAINMENT Story by Samantha Cabeza | Design & Illustration by Lisa Zhu

Wearing pajamas, talking, reclining back in your seat and texting during a movie would normally be frowned upon in a movie theater. But ever since the pandemic forced theaters to close, this has become a regular occurrence. The movie theater has always provided a way for people to congregate and experience a new film together. Now, with most theaters across Washington closed, movie-goers have had to settle for at-home showings of new blockbusters. “Wonder Woman: 1984” was set to release in June of 2020, but was postponed until further notice as lockdown guidelines were set into place. Many other movies have been pushed back to late 2021, like “Dune” and “James Bond: No Time to Die.” On Christmas Day of 2020, fans who had anticipated watching “Wonder Woman” paid to watch it in the comfort of their own homes. This film was one of the first blockbusters to release on streaming services instead of strictly theater showings. Will this become the new norm for movie-goers? Blockbuster films normally attract large crowds willing to spend money on concessions and even pay up to $13 for tickets. A trip to the movies for two could cost up to $50 in just one night. Nowadays, with most large feature films being released on streaming services, a group of people could split the $30 cost and watch it at home. Does this mean that those involved in the film industry are suffering? “Tenet,” Christopher Nolan’s film that released mid-pandemic was supposed to be seen as a “potential cinematic saviour,” ac-

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cording to Brent Lang in Variety article “The Future of Movie Theaters In the Age of Coronavirus: A Dialogue.” Instead, it proved that releasing a film in theaters right now will cause it to suffer substantially. Justin Daering, Film lecturer, says, theaters could survive in bigger cities like LA, but could suffer in places like Ellensburg. “Once people get used to a new form of [entertainment] consumption, it’s hard to break them away from that,” he says. This means that smaller towns might not have the luxury of going to the movies again post-COVID, and streaming services will become the new norm. Stephen Hancock, a Youtuber and cinematopher with over 5 million views on his last film, says he thinks that going to the movies post-COVID will be like going to the amusement park. “I think it is going to be something like an ‘only open during the summer thing,’ and it’ll only show IMAX movies or big blockbusters,’’ says Hancock. Warner Bros. has announced that their new movies will be sent straight to the HBO Max streaming service instead of postponing due to lack of movie theaters being open. This gives Warner Bros. the ability to still make a profit towards their films, without the risk of not making enough money back from their budget. TJ Thackett, cinematographer from LA, says, COVID-friendly sets are not cheap. Testing, masks and other materials to keep cases down add to the film’s budget. Also, “filming usually takes 12 hours, but that really takes a toll on somebody’s immune system, so we have to scale it back to 10 hours,” says Thackett. Thackett explains, this slows down production time, and if somebody tests positive, they have to shut down production completely. The future of the industry is a blur and a lot of filmmakers are unsure of what is going to happen. Movie lovers may be used to the world of streaming by now, but cinematographers and independent filmmakers write movies for the theater, not for the comfort of your home.

AFTER DARK

Story by Noah Wright | Photos by Lexi Wicks | Design by Sara Roach You have just arrived at SeaTac International Airport. Your bags are packed and the hotel is booked — the feeling of eagerness arises as you get ready to board the flight for your dream vacation just like they do in the movies. But the movie scenes are dreams compared to what traveling is like now amid the pandemic. Currently, airports are experiencing multiple closed shops, flights are now requiring seat vacancies, airlines are providing decreased flight options and hotels are accommodating less and less occupants every day.

But the nightmare that is traveling especially haunts the people and businesses that make up the travel industry. For these people, the vacant seats, lesser accommodations, closed shops and decreased flight options are more than just minor inconveniences. Current Problems According to Louis Smilanich, general manager of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, “In March and April there was a 95 percent drop in bookings.” With business travels being a key to airline profits, this extreme drop in bookings has put the industry under tremendous stress. While there are still small amounts of leisure travel, the number of people taking weekend vacations is not enough for the industry to get by. “The cost structure is not at the same pace if we are only flying weekend travelers,” explains Smilanich. With the comfortability businesses have gotten with the virtual work setting, limited business travel may continue to be a problem. The ease of having meetings over the computer or phone has shown to businesses that they may no longer need to send employees on trips to conventions or seminars. “Hotels are hurting”, says Justin Taillon, professor and department head of the Hospitality and Tourism Program at Highline College. “Every hotel is making less than 50 percent than last year [and] 8 percent of the hotels have closed fully.” Taillon explains, the hotels near SeaTac are doing relatively well because of passengers that require quarantine upon arrival, mostly due to ease

and availability. However, these hotels are making nowhere near enough to offset the hotels that are struggling. This issue can be alarming to many because if hotels get to the point that they foreclose, then there is no coming back. Taillon notes that once a bank takes control of a hotel, they no longer run it as a hotel and the building is then sold or remodeled. Finding Solutions Smilanich notes that “government subsidies are in place because if airlines shut down, the economy will be negatively impacted.” Most airlines have adjusted flight schedules to flights that have only been partially loaded. “Cleveland Hopkins at one point had two flights a day in May and four … flights a day in June,” recalls Smilanich. According to Taillon, airlines have also laid off a number of workers, usually those that are the least experienced and those that are non-essential, in an attempt to decrease costs. The major combative effort of airlines is the teaching of workers and travelers. Taillon says that airports are “focusing more on COVID-19 related hygiene practices. We have to get people to follow COVID protocols.” Smilanich similarly explains, in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the airlines were primarily focused on rescheduling and dealing with customers. But now the problem is “trying to keep, at one point, 80,000 employees [aware of] changes.” As for hotels, Taillon says, there isn’t much to be done. Besides giving building owners discounts,

“the hotels have closed floors to reduce the operating numbers so that they can save money.” They have also “laid off employees that were not essential,” he adds. As for the problem of businesses working in the virtual setting, there isn’t much to be done. Businesses will either start traveling again, or they will settle into the virtual setting. However, Carla Jellum, assistant professor and program director of Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management (HTE) at CWU, says, “Virtual tools and technology are being discussed in HTE courses. New courses are under development to not only address virtual/digital technology, but also cover virtual marketing and participant engagement, among other relevant topics.” Education is one of the major factors that can help aid this industry in surviving future economic events. Jellum says, “The HTE industry has been extremely impacted by COVID-19 and it is critical to incorporate discussions about the trends, challenges and resiliency of our industry in the classroom.” The travel industry is vital to the economy and “recovery of jobs will take time, but as people demand more travel, jobs will return,” promises Jellum. WINTER 2021

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