The VISTA - Spring 2018

ISSUE 115, NO. 2 SPRING 2018

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STAFF

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LISA SHARPE ADVISOR

JACK DAWDY CREATIVE DIRECTOR

mandy pennington content editor

summer mengarelli content editor in-training

JONATHAN BREMER DESIGNER

KRISTYN EWYING DESIGNER

melissa murillo designer

TAYLOR HARPSTER DESIGNER

ALLI HAUG DESIGNER

ETHAN CHI PHOTOGRAPHER

HEATHER LAWRENCE PHOTOGRAPHER

DAMIEN CANTRELL WEB MASTER

JOSIAH MOHR WRITER

ABI HILLRICH WRITER

ANTHONY ZATARAY WRITER

ZACK SILVAS WRITER

EDITOR’S NOTE This edition of the Vista revolves around the idea of “making it count.”

How can we be fully present in all of our moments when the college lifestyle is so hectic and fast-paced? How can we make a difference both on our college campus and in the outside world, where voices clamor for our attention? How do we live a life that truly glorifies our Creator?

I was particularly passionate about this theme this semester, since this was my last semester at Greenville University. With your last semester of college comes a myriad of emotions: some relieved, some melancholy, some poignant, and some confused. I find myself wondering how each day gets here so quickly, and where all of

ABBI MURILLO DESIGNER

GARRETT STREETER DESIGNER

christina bowman writer

VICTORIA FISHER WRITER

my time went. It feels like just weeks ago when I stepped into my freshman year dorm room in Burritt Hall – and it simultaneously feels like a lifetime ago.

I’ve come to think that making it count doesn’t necessarily mean you get a lot out of your time, but that you invest a lot into it. This is where 101% comes in: When we give our all and more, we can make a difference. Some of this edition’s articles are fun-loving listicals and light-hearted advice columns on how to live college life to the fullest, while others are sincere reflections on how to navigate our place as Christians and students in a world of chaos. I hope that you find these articles helpful, funny, practical, entertaining and thought-provoking all at once.

Your editor,

Mandy Pennington

ART: CONVERSATION BETWEEN CREATOR AND RECEIVER PAGE 4 DEATH OF THE AUTEUR PAGE 12 INSTAGRAM ARTISANS PAGE 16 THE SIMPLICITY OF MAXIMALISM PAGE 23 IN THE ABSENCE OF DIRECTION PAGE 31 From a Senior to a Freshman PAGE 27 IMMORALITY OF FAST FASHION PAGE 33 THE SEARCH FOR PEACEMAKERS PAGE 51 WHAT TO DO WHEN THE WORLD IS ENDING (LITERALLY.) PAGE 54

SECTIONS

CULTURE pAGE 4 GALLERY pAGE18 reflection pAGE 22 SUBMISSIONS pAGE 38 opinion pAGE 40

CULTURE

Art

It’s not that I dislike art museums. In fact, I love art. I especially love modern art: the piles of water bottles that are supposed to represent the insides of your soul and the photo of the naked female body with a pig’s head that represents the state of humanity, or the paintings that are just blobs of color but surely must represent something. I find those things very entertaining to observe; in fact, I often do feel great emotion — even if it is disgust or discomfort — while taking in these pieces of art. But when I look at many old paintings in a gallery, I don’t feel much of anything.

Conversation between Creator and Receiver Mandy Pennington

Art museums tower at the top of most tourist checklists, and are some of the proudest monuments of many cities such as Washington, D.C., New York City, Paris, London, St. Petersburg, Athens, Madrid, and Vatican City. Have you ever stopped to wonder why the public derives so much joy from these museums? Practically speaking, if you are not an artist, a historian, or a great appreciator of either, what is there for you to enjoy about an art museum?

Seriously, hear me out. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to dissect why I enjoy art museums — and when I say art museums, I mean the galleries filled with old 14th-century paintings and sculptures, not the colorful modern art displays. If, as enjoyers of art, we view art as an exchange of emotion between creator and receiver, then what can we glean from a portrait of a long-dead European king?

How can we find meaning in these pieces of art? Good art, as many artists and art critics claim, connects with the beholder; it gives them some sort of feeling. This feeling doesn’t need to be positive or negative; it can even be confusion. Artist Matt Shlian put it like this: “A piece of art needs to connect.

It needs to have some element of truth to it that resonates with the viewer and leaves them something after they’ve left the piece.

A good piece asks questions and teaches you something you didn’t know or shows you something you didn’t know you knew.

It articulates something we’ve felt, and we connect to that thing in a way where words aren’t necessary. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe but makes us feel less alone in a

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Then I feel insecure. What does that say about me? Is everyone else enjoying what I can’t seem to glean meaning from? Does that mean I’m just uncultured? Does that mean I can’t appreciate great art?

way — that someone else understands us and gives a voice to this thing inside us.”

So, what emotion do we feel when looking at countless European paintings of stiff, posed monarchs and shirtless nymphs? Whenever I’m at an art museum, I always wonder if I’m “doing it” wrong. I walk slowly down the row of paintings, not quite pausing to read the description on every single one, gazing at each painting intently as if I’m gaining wisdom from it, but then forgetting it once I’ve walked away. I mean, what else can you do? There are so many pieces at an art museum that you can’t possibly read every label and look at every painting, but when you walk around “skimming,” it seems like you aren’t quite doing the art justice.

It’s currently very popular to look “cultured.”

I attribute this to the hipster movement, or perhaps the perception that the millennial generation is media- and technologyobsessed, but many young people take pride in going to classical concerts, owning shelves of vinyls, and “casually” perusing art museums. I had a terrifying thought that maybe I only go to art museums because I want to seem cultured. Maybe it’s just that I feel cultured when I go to one. I found myself in the St. Louis Art Museum with a polaroid camera and a friend, ready to document our oh-so-cool experience on Instagram, when I realized it. I was there because going to an art museum was a sophisticated, mature, and “cool” thing to do.

Maybe we are supposed to look at these ancient paintings and sculptures with reverence to those pictured, or inspiration of some kind. These paintings of monarchs are historical, and the paintings of nymphs are mythical. Maybe people like the Mona Lisa because they’re supposed to like the Mona Lisa. If a painting is hung proudly in an art museum, it must be important enough to respect, right?

So why do we like visiting art museums so much? Despite the halls and halls of portraits and sculptures of monarchs and mythical beings, art museums hold something else that we value: a look into ourselves. Artist

“

Rone said it best when he expressed, “I think what it takes to make a great piece of art is to connect with the observer on an emotional or personal level. A bit of mystery can let the observer interpret the work based on their own experiences and let them identify with it.” At first glance, perhaps you didn’t relate to that wig-clad, baby-faced prince or the two mermaid-like nymphs hiding under lily pads. However, ancient art is not specific to its subjects; it represents the entirety of the human race and the human condition.

Perhaps we enjoy looking at these pieces of art because we can see ourselves in them; or we can see who we could have been in another life. Maybe they inspire us to search inside of ourselves, or create stories of our own. What I have discovered is that art doesn’t have to be directly applicable to our lives to provide us meaning. Art is a vehicle for self-exploration and growth, a conversation between the creator and the receiver. Art museums ensure the continuation of these conversations, many of which have been going on for centuries.

Perhaps we enjoy looking at these pieces of art because we can see ourselves in them; or we can see who we could have been in another life.

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E #M

O TO Zack Silvas

Underappreciated.

That’s the word I would use to describe actresses in TV, movies, and theater. In a world where the media heavily favors men, women are almost an afterthought.

Women are not cast as often as men are (a study from 2015 says that only 12 percent of protagonists in films were women) and it is frustrating to see the talent being wasted.

However, as of this year and last year, there has been a steady rise of female leads in major movies and director roles. This is a step in the right direction that allows women to have an equal chance in media. Even with the increase of female roles, the industry can be treacherous for women. With the #MeToo movement surfacing recently, it is becoming clear that women are not treated fairly in the industry. Highlighting what the industry is really like for women is important, because it brings attention to an issue that is in desperate need of change.

The #MeToo movement has been in the news for the past couple months and has begun

to expose what it is like for a woman in the TV and movie industry. It all started after many high-profile actresses came out with stories of sexual abuse from producer Harvey Weinstein. Many actresses had been holding 6

back because of fear of losing roles in movies or being blacklisted from Hollywood. This caused a ripple in the industry, and many other actresses shared similar stories of experiences with directors and fellow actors.

These actresses gave a voice to all women who have been sexually abused or harassed, and sparked the #MeToo movement across the world. This movement gives women empowerment to stand up to their abusers and know that they are being supported by millions of other people that know what they have been through. The #MeToo movement has given a lot of actresses a voice and has freed women in Hollywood from their silence.

Even though the #MeToo movement has helped expose these injustices, it cannot fix them so easily. Hollywood is still sexist, giving men bigger and better roles, with higher pay, and casting women as characters whose main purpose is simply sex appeal.

The Bechdel /test reveals the truth of women’s roles in film. Even though it has has been criticized, the Bechdel Test attempts to prove that the purpose of woman characters in film is to support the male character. The rules of the test are: 1) the movie has to have at least two women in it, 2) two women must have a conversation, and 3) that conversation must consist of a topic other than a man. This test

is very critical and specific, but it highlights how few movies have important female roles.

Movies like “Wonder Woman” and directors like Ava Duvernay are making phenomenal progress for women in the movie industry.

However, there is still much more work to be done.The #MeToo movement is an important beginning of giving a voice to women in a discriminatory industry, but it is only the beginning.casting women as characters whose main purpose is simply sex appeal.

The Bechdel test reveals the truth of women’s roles in film. Even though the test has has been criticized, the Bechdel test attempts to prove that the purpose of woman characters in film is to support the male character. The rules of the test are: 1) the movie has to have at least two women in it, 2) two women have a conversation, and 3) this conversation consists of a topic other than a man. This test is very critical and specific, but it highlights how few movies have important female roles.

Movies like “Wonder Woman” and directors like Ava Duvernay are making phenomenal progress for women in the movie industry.

However, there is still much more work to be done.The #MeToo movement is the important beginning of giving a voice to women in an discriminatory industry, but it is only the beginning.

NATURAL ITEMS ARE ALL THE RAGE these days, whether it be organic foods, all-natural ingredients from restaurants, or beauty products. Though more expensive, it is a widespread opinion that natural items are better for you. But when it comes to what you’re putting on your skin, does it really matter all that much?

To begin, let’s differentiate between natural and organic. When the term natural is used on the label of a product, this means that the product contains an ingredient from plants, minerals, marine life, or animals. The label organic has many more categories: products with 70 percent natural ingredients and below cannot use the verified label, while anything above 95 percent organic is USDA approved. Organic ingredients are qualified as those grown without chemicals.

Natural beauty

Products:

More harm Than

good?

Organic and natural foods are not like organic and natural beauty products.

Understandably, we often equate purchasing completely natural everything with a healthy and well-lived life. However, we must understand the distinction between what we put in our bodies and what we put on our bodies. For instance, while it is better for there to be no preservatives in our fruits and vegetables because they are kept refrigerated, the shampoo that is kept in a hot, damp shower should contain something to keep dangerous molds from growing. Organic and natural ingredients used in beauty products don’t matter nearly as much.

Even if there are chemicals in the face lotion one may choose to use, this does not in any way mean that the chemicals would get inside the body. There is no evidence of these ingredients somehow getting into a person’s bloodstream, and many of the chemicals included in the creation of

Abi Hillrich

beauty products keep damaging toxins off the skin and out of the body, which in some cases does more for the skin than natural products are able to.

However, natural beauty products do some things very well. Their emphasis on

sustainability and ethical sourcing is very important in the damaging consumerist culture of today. This alone should be enough of a reason to support companies such as Herbivore and True Botanicals.

Also, taking the marketing, packaging, and popularity of natural brands into account, it may be worth your while to try out some products in this vein.

Though natural beauty products are not necessarily safer for you than those that contain chemicals, they can be a fun way to experiment with skincare. On the other hand, if your skin doesn’t react well to this natural trend, do not be discouraged — you are not alone and you are not doing your skin any harm! Do not be afraid to purchase products that contain chemicals, but feel free to have a little fun and splurge on natural beauty brands as well.

“

Though natural beauty products are not necessarily safer for you than those that contain chemicals, they can be a fun way to experiment with skincare.

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SOCIAL MEDIA HAS MADE IT EASIER THAN EVER TO BECOME ATTACHED TO A PERSONA and live out this persona online without actually having

I OBSERVED SOMETHING RECENTLY AT A CONCERT.

There were four girls sitting in front of me and they were there with their mother. This is fairly normal since they were about 16 or 17, but I noticed that when they took a picture — probably for their Instagram accounts — they did not include their mother. This may not seem significant, but it is actually a demonstration of these four teenage girls presenting a false persona, because it hints that they are independent and “cool” for being at this concert alone. In reality, they are normal teenagers who go to concerts with their mother, but this reality will never be displayed on their accounts.

In his book The Personality Puzzle, David Funder wrote, “[People] may become obsessed with presenting a certain image instead of expressing who [they] really are and what [they] really feel, [and] thus become shallow with no deeper purpose than social success.

Such people become creatures of society instead of individuals true to themselves.” The four concert girls are common in today’s world, especially with the increased interest in and use of social media.

People present themselves in a particular way on their social media accounts to display themselves in a light that is better than reality.

Creatures of society buy into mainstream media by painting images of themselves and creating false personas.

THE PERSONA IS THE SOCIAL FACE the individual presents to the world

— a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make an untrue impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual. People unconsciously put on many different personas throughout the day. Society is built to support the idea of personas: many times we have to put on personas in order to function in work environments, interviews, and the classroom. The increase of social media has made a positive persona everything. This is a danger because, according to Carl Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and the originator of the idea of the persona, “An individual might come to identify more with the persona than with the real self.”

a real name attached. “Catfish” is a new term that was born in 2010 because of this increased attachment to online personas. The term means to be lured into a relationship under false pretenses, such as a fake social media account. People make fake accounts on Tinder, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, living out a persona and involving themselves in romantic relationships with real people online. This phenomenon has gained so much speed that it has its own MTV series called “Catfish,” which goes around the country bringing the members of these online relationships face-to-face to reveal that the person is not who they say they are, and that the other person is being “catfished.”

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The persona is the social face the individual presents to the world — a kind of mask, designed on the one hand to make an untrue impression upon others, and on the other to conceal the true nature of the individual.

This conflict between reality and persona causes a disruption of balance between the actual self and the presented self. This imbalance can lead people to become obsessed with their persona on Instagram or Snapchat and not love their actual self. This then causes some to not live in the present, but constantly engross themselves in these apps. So many of us videotape our lives and don’t actually enjoy it, but instead worry about coming up with the best caption.

This way of living alienates the actual self and places the persona front and center. The problem that comes with this is that the persona is weak and needs constant confirmation and reinforcement. The actual self is never developed or nourished, while the persona demands attention all of the time. Thus, any disruption to the persona causes feelings of loneliness and neglect.

I AM NOT HERE TO BASH ON PERSONAS, because we all have one to

some extent. I am only suggesting that this is starting to get a bit out of hand, and that this obsession over using Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter to measure a successful life is an unhealthy way to live. We all have struggles and flaws, so you should try to love yourself — your real self — and build something special. Live in the present and enjoy every experience, because no video or caption can capture that better than your own two eyes.

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The

TREBLwEith DISREGARDING

L A C I S S CLA MUSIC

the

rise of

podcasting abi hillrich

Victoria Fisher

In a world where everyone is crazy about the newest fads and trends, classical music is often viewed as ancient history. However, even though this music is over 300 years old, if you pay close attention you can see why it is still important today. Composers such as Bach, Haydn, and Mozart created astonishing symphonies, ballads, and operas, and are the reason classical music has become a framework for modern music. This “ancient” music is as much alive as it ever has been, even if we don’t realize it.

Although classical music seems irrelevant in the 21st century, if you study the art of classical music it becomes very clear that it set in motion the evolution of music. One of my favorite composers, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), wrote a piece called “Prelude and Fugue Number 20 in A Minor.” It was a composition that took his classical style and combined it with a more modern approach.

This prelude is now considered the first jazz song. Franz Schubert (1797-1828) was a classical composer who created short, simple melodic patterns and chords that everyone could enjoy. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) was inspired by much of Bach’s music, and, similarly to Schubert, started creating new patterns and melodies. Mozart created a simple four-chord melody that now is used in almost all music. Even though his creation was simple and brief, it still resonates with everyone.

Many modern musical artists have a connection with classical music. Most of them grew up playing the piano, guitar, or violin, which gives them an understanding of music theory. Justin Bieber started playing the drums when he was only two years old. He also can play the piano, trumpet, and guitar. Hunter Hayes can actually play 30 instruments, some of them being the piano, drums, guitar, and accordion. Adele uses chords and sequences that have been used since the classical period, but her unique voice and style give her a sound everyone can recognize. Being able to play these instruments provides the ability to transfer that skill into the modern

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music industry. Piano Guys and 2Cellos are great examples of artists that transform many popular songs into arrangements that feature classical instruments. The high riffs of the violins, the low rumble of the basses, and smoothness of the keys not only tugged at our heartstrings 300 years ago, but still give us chills today.

Think about some of your favorite childhood cartoons. Would they have been as funny without the little instrumental sound effects? There are many episodes of TV shows such as “Tom and Jerry” and “Looney Tunes” that feature the music of classical composers. A 1947 episode of “Tom and Jerry” features Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2. Many “Looney Tunes” episodes are built around classical pieces such as “Tales from the Vienna Woods, Op. 325” by Johann Strauss, “Minute Waltz in D-Flat” by Frédéric Chopin, “Morning, Noon, and Night in Vienna” by Franz von Suppé, and more. How about your favorite horror movie? Would you have been as scared without music adding suspense? “The Shining,” a classical horror film, uses Bartok’s Music for Strings to build up the anticipation within the movie. How about the famous ballet, “The Nutcracker”? Would you enjoy watching people prance around a stage to the sound of nothing? These movies, shows, and plays would not be as entertaining if there was not any music to draw us in. Whether we choose to believe it or not, classical music set the stage for all music, and has helped keep us invested in the entertainment industry.

Instead of throwing classical music out the back window and putting in a Taylor Swift CD, perhaps give classical music a chance and turn on some Schubert or Mozart for the ride home. During study hours play on some Bach as well; its calming effects can help you stay focused. Even if we feel too cool to listen to music from centuries ago, the influence of the classical period should give us a deeper appreciation of our favorite music today.

I had my first experience with a podcast in middle school. My younger brother, at age 12, convinced me to download a show he’d religiously listened to for about a year.

It came out every Friday, was called “The RELEVANT Podcast” and was created by the same people who make Relevant Magazine, and I listened to it for years.

However, in the early 2000s, podcasts were a new concept. Recently, they are more widespread and much easier to talk about in culture; interest in this form of media has been growing consistently by 10-20 percent every year since its conception, with 67 million Americans listening to podcasts monthly by 2017.

In high school, my friend and I, sensing that podcasts were a thing of the future, attempted our own. It had no real direction, and I remember listening back and thinking it was just an irrelevant conversation between friends. It dawned on me then that there must be some art to it; there must be something that podcasts can offer the world while retaining this simple format of a conversation between friends. The podcasts I love make me care about the hosts in order to feel involved in what they’re talking about. The best podcasts invite the audience to join the conversation as equals, with a unique feeling of becoming good friends.

This is one thing that is so easy to love about this form of media. Not only is it easy to consume, it is so easy to create. Podcasts have been made in basements all over the world (“I Only Listen to the Mountain Goats,” for example) and in high-tech podcasting studios.

A special thing about going to Greenville University is the opportunities that are provided for students — one of these being access to a podcasting studio and equipment. Dr. Matt Bernico, professor of communications, teaches a class on podcasting and even co-hosts a podcast himself with Dean Detloff called “The Magnificast.” Many students on campus have used these resources to create podcasts in genres ranging from narrative to conversational.

As a writer, I’m always searching for the intrigue and meaning in different forms of media. Fiction stories remain captivating because an author knows how to make the main character relatable, while still experiencing things that seem exciting and out of the ordinary to the reader. A good editorial makes the audience see things in a different way, and continue thinking about it afterward. What does podcasting have to offer — and what makes it so appealing?

There’s a diversity and togetherness in podcasting that is nearly unrivaled in other forms of media. For example, reading an article about Dungeons and Dragons isn’t even comparable to the experience of listening to an episode of “The Adventure Zone.” There are podcasts for fictional storytelling (“Welcome to Nightvale,” “The Truth,” “Alice Isn’t Dead”), podcasts about religion (“RELEVANT Podcast,” “The Red Couch Podcast”), podcasts about comedy (“WTF with Marc Maron,” “My Brother My Brother and Me”), and podcasts about crime (“Serial,” “S-Town,” “Up and Vanished”).

Even incredibly niche topics have their own

podcasts. There’s one in which a couple of dudes talk about pens and office-related accessories (“The Pen Addict”). In “Gilmore Guys,” a group of men comments on the show “Gilmore Girls.” Basically, if you’re interested in something, there’s a podcast about it, as well as a podcast for seven other things you didn’t even know you were interested in.

Podcasts offer individuality and passion while remaining cutting edge. Still fairly new, they have the aura of being “cool” and “educational” while actually being extremely popular. Podcasts include the intrigue and drama of a good film or a great magazine article, while taking advantage of the audio medium. By requiring about as much of a person as music does, podcasts can be enjoyed at work, at the gym, or as a way to relax.

They offer a break from the entertainment of screens, while containing the same amount of excitement and intrigue. It’s easy to consume podcasts, and it feels good.

Listening to podcasts impacts the brain in the same way a fictional story does. Good stories (and good podcasts) release a chemical called oxytocin which increases empathy in the reader or listener.

There’s something extraordinarily encouraging about the fact that podcasts exist, that we are always discovering new ways to experience and interact with other humans. Podcasts help us to feel less alone.

The rise of podcasts only affirms the fact that media continually helps us to better understand the world in which we live.

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trash and of awful hilarity. They fill in every bubble of being an auteur, minus technical prowess in some cases. They also fly in the face of the romantic idea of the auteur director created by the auteur theory’s constant use in film criticism.

Maybe, like Hitchcock’s ashes thrown into the Atlantic Ocean, auteur theory has been scattered to the wind. Maybe that’s a good thing.

As good of a director as Hitchcock was, he was not as benevolent as his friends and fans seem to imply. The New Republic’s obituary on Hitchcock said, “His experience with actors was, by and large, a happy one.” However, Hitchcock himself called actors “cattle.” During the filming of “Psycho,” Hitchcock pretended to attack actress Janet Leigh with a knife to get the reaction he wanted for the film. In the biopic “Hitchcock,” a character remarked, “Well, I guess he’s like any great artist — impossible to live with, but it’s worth the effort.”

Recently, actress Tippi Hedren revealed that Hitchcock sexually assaulted her during the

Beautiful faces dressed in their Sunday best pack the pews of a Beverly Hills church on a cool May morning. Some are teary-eyed and others stoic as an old man approaches the pulpit. His hair is grey and his glasses oversized. He clears his throat.

“I am deeply saddened,” he begins, “by the death of my close friend and colleague, Sir Alfred Hitchcock, whose death today at his home deprives us all of a great artist and an even greater human being.”

Film director Alfred Hitchcock’s death in 1980 was not at all a case of an artist dying before their time. After all, he was an 81-year-old man who had been directing films since 1925. The loss of such a huge and influential figure in cinema hit the filmmaking community hard, even if it was inevitable. A month after his death, Hitchcock was named one of the “greatest of filmmakers, and among the greatest artists of this century” by New Republic Magazine.

However, Hitchcock is more than just a director to many in the film industry. He is an auteur.

For those out of the know, auteur theory is a way of looking at and analyzing films

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through the lens of the director as author.

In his 1962 essay “Notes On The Auteur Theory,” film theorist and critic Andrew Sarris defined an auteur as a director with technical skill, a distinguishing personality, and interior meaning across a body of work. Auteurs also tend to have a consistent aesthetic across all of their movies. Hitchcock ticks all the boxes. Other examples of auteurs include Christopher Nolan with his highly choreographed action scenes, philosophical dialogue, and an obsession with time and trickery; Tim Burton and his dramatic lighting, heavy makeup, and addiction to outcasts; and Quentin Tarantino and his love of hyperviolence, references to to older Hollywood movies, and...feet.

Auteur theory is probably one of the most popular subjects of film theory. It’s pervasive.

However, it isn’t without its problems. As film critic Kyle Kallgren said in his video “Tommy Wiseau: The Last Auteur,” “If an auteur is someone who maintains a consistent style over a body of work, doesn’t that require a body of work in the first place? Wouldn’t it be so much harder for directors to, for various tangential reasons out of their control, get consistent work from an industry that has an increasingly narrow definition of what an ‘artist’ looks like?”

In her 1963 article on Auteur Theory, critic and theorist Pauline Kael compares Hitchcock’s distinct style to that of Carol Reed, a less-praised director she says is more adaptive, creative and technically proficient than Hitchcock. She remarks, “The smell of a skunk is more distinguishable than the perfume of a rose; does that make it better?”

On a related note, Hitchcock was cremated.

Ignoring her hatred of Hitchcock, Kael’s point is clear: Even if directors are authors of their films, what about directors who don’t have a consistent style, who branch out and experiment, who don’t repeat? Where is the discourse on great directors who, for one reason or another, don’t qualify to be called auteurs? As Pauline Kael says, “Repetition without development is decline.”

This scrutiny of the definition of auteur has also started discussion on “bad auteurs,” directors who are critically panned but still have a very distinct and identifiable style through their filmography.

The “bad auteurs” are the Michael Bays, the Tommy Wiseaus, the Ed Woods, the Tyler Perrys. They are the makers of commercial

filming of “The Birds,” had his lackies follow her home to make sure she wasn’t seeing anyone, and even had her attacked by real birds for a scene.

Although not nearly as extreme as this, reports of abusive and controlling behavior by auteur directors are not uncommon. It’s possible that the elevated status film critics have given them has allowed the public to excuse these directors’ awful behavior “for the sake of their vision.” It’s possible that if film is trying to leave this behind, auteur theory may get left behind with it. As scandals and suits come out for directors like Bryan Singer, Dieter Wedel and Brett Ratner, it might be in the best interest of studios to downplay the role of director and highlight the collaborative nature of film more, and it might be a safer environment for actresses like Uma Thurman, Reese Witherspoon, Lupita Nyong’o, and the countless others who have come forward with stories of sexual assault from men in power.

The idea of a director as an auteur isn’t inherently bad. In many ways, it champions independent filmmakers and artists with

visions outside of the mainstream, but it can also erase a lot of the work done on film by those who don’t hold the title of director and encourage overlooking bad behavior by these same directors.

Sitting in one of the pews at Hitchcock’s funeral was Tippi Hedren, the actress he had sexually assaulted and briefly chased away from acting altogether. According to her memoir, Hedren felt that even after all the awfulness, Hitchcock was still a “brilliant, brilliant filmmaker.” Auteur theory might be looked at the same way: brilliant and interesting and engaging, but also deeply flawed.

And most importantly, dead.

AUTEURS Director: Jean-Luc GodarD Films: - Breathless - Contempt

Director: AKIRA KUROSAWA Films: - SEVEN SAMURAI - YOJIMBO - RAN

Director: SPIKE LEE Films: - DO THE RIGHT THING - CLOCKERS - CHI-RAQ

Director: XAVIER DOLAN Films: - I KILLED MY MOTHER

- LAURENCE ANYWAYS

- IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD

Director: TIM BURTON Films: - EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

- MARS ATTACKS!

- CORPSE BRIDE

Director: KATHRYN BIGELOW Films: - NEAR DARK

- POINT BREAK

- THE HURT LOCKER

13

THE EQUATION T ZACK SILVAS

In today’s world, we have seen the rapid decline of CD sales. There are now streaming platforms such as Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora that require a monthly fee to listen to your favorite artists. By paying that monthly fee, the consumer in a sense pays each artist in their library a fraction of that fee.

However, not all streaming sites treat artists like this. Bandcamp was started in 2008 with the intent to help small bands and artists launch their careers. Bandcamp has a system in which the consumer can pay what they feel like the artist should deserve — the site treats it as “tipping.”

The songs are free before making any payment, so if the consumer doesn’t feel inclined, there is no need to pay at all. It is almost like a GoFundMe page for artists, which fans can pour into just to support their favorite artist. As a music lover, I want to help support my favorite artists in any way possible. Bandcamp does want to help the next upcoming artist, but they do it at a cost.

Since Bandcamp needs to make a profit, they take a 15 percent cut from whatever the artists are given, which is actually a pretty good deal since other streaming services, like Apple Music, take 30 percent.

Therefore, Bandcamp helps new artists make a profit on their music. This gives the artists an income if they aren’t signed to a label. Another streaming service that uses a similar payment system for its artists is Noisetrade. Noisetrade allows artists to post original music and books to their accounts, and just like Bandcamp

14

you can tip the artist (Noisetrade takes 20 percent of the profit). Soundcloud is a little bit different from Bandcamp and Noisetrade. In its early stages, Soundcloud allowed its artists to post music without receiving any income, but that all changed in 2014 when they introduced their perks system. The highest perk for artists is called Premier. Premier allows artists to earn money from ads on their account without Soundcloud taking a cut. In order to get this perk, an artist first needs to be invited. In the long run this is good for Soundcloud because it can attract more artists to put their music on Soundcloud and work for that perk. All three streaming services give the opportunity for each artist to have an income and a platform to succeed.

All of these streaming services give the platform for everyday people to become the next superstar. Post Malone, Kehlani, and Bryson Tiller started on Soundcloud and are now big names in the music industry. From getting thousands of listens on a track to eventually selling out shows, the possibilities are endless for where you want to share your music. Starting your career on sites like Bandcamp or Soundcloud is

something all artists should do. Having a starting point is the first step you can take in having a successful career. With the tools of Bandcamp, Noisetrade, and Soundcloud, the work of artists should be easier, and they can look to a brighter future.

FOR VICTORY

he most efficient scoring team in the NBA is the Golden State Warriors, led by world-class shooters/scorers Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson. The team averaged an impressive scoring average of 115 points last season.

In addition to leading the NBA in scoring, among other things, they are the defending champions. However, the most special thing about the Golden State Warriors is not just their world-class talent, but also their pure style of play that is beautiful to basketball purists and fans; it’s free-flowing, unselfish, and fast-paced. Laker legend Kobe Bryant called the Warrior’s style of play “the Golden Democracy” because everyone gets to touch the ball and every player is a threat. Their fast-paced play impacted the game of basketball so greatly that the speed has increased tremendously throughout the whole league and has trickled down to other levels.

Here at Greenville University, the men’s basketball team has a scoring average of 127 points per game, 3 points higher than last year’s scoring average and 7 points higher than Golden State. On paper, the Golden State Warriors are the only team that are anywhere near Greenville’s scoring averages. Now, I’m not saying the Panthers would beat them or even come close for that matter, but I am saying that what Greenville does is special. No team in the NCAA could even imagine averaging this many points, not even at the top-tier D1 schools. At the D1-level, top-scoring schools Oklahoma University and Duke University share a 89-point-per-game scoring average, still falling well below GU’s 127-point average.

Naturally, the first question that comes to mind is how?

How do the Panthers score so consistently? It must seem very odd that a D3 school team can achieve this type of scoring. The answer is simple, but the execution is difficult. The formula is mathematical: basketball in its simplest form is just numbers. There are only a certain number of possessions and shots that can happen within the 40-minute time period, and at the end of the game you want to have more points than the other team. In order to score a lot of points, you simply need to take a lot of shots, and to get a lot of shots you need to have the ball as much as possible and maximize the 40-minute time limit. In order to do this, a formula was created using four different numbers.

To average 127 points, you need to make 100 shots, and 50 of those shots need to be threes; you must get 35 percent of the rebounds and 32 turnovers must occur to maximize shots. This sounds pretty simple in theory, but in practice it is very unorthodox. This type of play turns the game of basketball upside down, and it forces things to happen that in typical basketball would never occur.

ANTHONY

ZATARAY

Executing this style of play takes an all-out effort and is very unique.

The goal of the defense is no longer to stop the ball from scoring; now it is to get the ball back by stealing it from the opponent.

This means a full man-to-man press the entire game, turning it into a track meet with a ball. For the Greenville team to do this, it uses a five-in, five-out rotation every 45-50 seconds, keeping players fresh and ready to go. This type of rotation gives players freedom to go as hard as they can within these seconds because they know that they are going to get a rest before they are put back in. Also, when inbounding the ball the players pass it football-style down the court. As the point guard is sprinting down the court, the other team is running back to defend the basket, giving them absolutely zero time to rest. This also keeps the pace fast, giving the Panthers a quick score. Lastly, after taking a three-point shot, the shooter relocates to the top of the court for another three-point shot, giving him two back-toback three point shots and increasing the chances of making one.

TO AVERAGE 127 POINTS,

YOU NEED TO MAKE 100 SHOTS, AND 50

OF THOSE SHOTS

NEED TO BE THREES; YOU MUST GET 35%

OF THE REBOUNDS AND 32 TURNOVERS MUST OCCUR

TO MAXIMIZE SHOTS.

This style is hard for a player because of the sheer amount of running and the odd strategy, but it’s also an absolute blast for them because of the scoring and freeflowing play. For fans, it is entertainment that cannot be matched and can only be compared to NBA-level excitement. For coaches, it is a nightmare, because it is out of control and almost impossible to create game plan around. However, that’s kind of the point.

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to do

Planners:Rifle Paper Co.

Instagram Artisans

Rifle Paper Co. began as a paper goods company and has developed into a brand that has collabs with Keds and L’Occitane.

Their planners are stellar and unique, while providing enough room for a busy college student.

Pictured: 2018 Icon 12-Month Agenda, $12 Instagram: @riflepaperco

2018

Abi Hillrich

Stickers:Lovely Envelopes

It can be difficult as a college student, with a small income and growing expenses, to find inexpensive ways to decorate your life. Fortunately enough, there many artists that provide affordable, gorgeous products that will help you feel more at home in your dorm. Plus, you get the added bonus of supporting a small business, or in many cases, a single person’s creative processes.

Lovely Envelopes is a great paper goods company with stickers of illustrations by Tina Sosna, based out of Germany. Your laptop (or water bottle, or notebook) is begging for some of her gorgeous stickers.

Pictured: Winter Twigs, $5.43 Instagram: @lovelyenvelopes

Pins:Pintrill

Pintrill sells hundreds of pins, some collaborations with artists, some original, and some based on the Arizona tea brand. They’re all perfect for your backpack or jean jacket or tote bag.

Pictured: Peach Pin and Watermellon Pin, $14 each Instagram: @pintrill

YOU ARE NOT

AN IMPOSTOR YOU ARE FOR REAL. *

Dad Hats:Chipper Things

Chipper Things is a site dedicated to providing cheerful goods for anyone who needs a boost of optimism. Begun by Becky Simpson, it’s based in Nashville. Other than hats, Becky makes more things like flowcharts, shirts, and phone cases.

Pictured: “Do You Know What I Mean” Dad Hat, $32 Instagram: @chipperthings

Posters:People I've Loved

People I’ve Loved is based out of California, everything created by a group of independent artists. Other than posters, they also have pins, cards, socks, and other goodies. Pro tip: their posters would look great on your boring white walls.

Pictured: Imposter, $30 Instagram: @peopleiveloved

*IT’’S NOT LUCK,

TIMING OR A LIE.

WHAT TO FOCUS ON :

YOU DESERVE IT.

Temporary Tattoos:Tattly

Tattly offers unique independent artists’ designs as temporary tattoos. They have all kinds of options for someone who likes having art on their body but isn’t sure they’re ready to commit to a real tattoo (or for those who have tattoos but just love these designs). They have hundreds of options: scented, charity-based, even some from Rifle Paper Co, a brand earlier in this list. Tattly even offers a subscription box!

Pictured: What to Focus On by Marc Johns, set of two for $5 Instagram: @tattly 16

DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

HAPPY

Tote Bags:Stay Home Club sa sackd

A company created for the introverts of the world, Stay Home Club began to celebrate the fun of staying home. Based in Canada and run by Olivia Mew, Stay Home Club offers gorgeous printed totes, shirts, pins, hair clips, and other things.

Pictured: Sad Sack Tote Bag, $24 Instagram: @stayhomeclubofficial

Plants:The Sill

The Sill is a shop based in New York City, offering plant shipment for fair prices. They even have a section on their site of low light plants, which are ideal for a dorm room.

Pictured: Monstera, $19 Instagram: @thesill

17

GALLERY

PHOTOGRAPHY

ART

NEON SIGNS | ALLI HAUG, JUNIOR

HOPE | HANNAH PARKERSON, SENIOR

DALE SHELBURNE | SHELB

18

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

words Encouragement | BEN CASEY SUMMER LOVE | CAMMI ROCKEY, SENIOR Verse 1 It was an early day in June when we first met You were quiet; I was new But I still remember the way that you smiled When I looked at you.

Verse 2 You took my hand and led me places Everywhere under the moon I never dreamed that I would be so quick to Fall in love with you.

Chorus The summer isn’t over yet, The flowers are still growin’ The trees in all their glory stand, The birds are still composin’.

Can I be your evergreen When the leaves start turning?

‘Cause I don’t wanna be A summer love.

Verse 3 I hold you tighter every night As September comes our way I wish on every star I see That nothing will change For you and me.

Chorus The summer isn’t over yet, The flowers are still growin’ The trees in all their glory stand, The birds are still composin’.

Can I be your evergreen When the leaves start turning?

‘Cause I don’t wanna be A summer love.

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Bridge This doesn’t have to be the end Of all the plans we’ve made And all the risks we’ve taken Who says our dreams will spiral down When the birds fly south And the summer falls away.

Verse 4 When you came to me that night I thought I knew Just what you were gonna say It’s time to go our separate ways And you would tell me to be brave But much to my surprise you said Chorus 2 My dear this isn’t over yet, My love for you is growin’.

Our hopes in all their glories stand, Our song is still composin’.

Can you be my evergreen When the leaves start turning?

Cause I don’t wanna be, We will never be, You will never be A summer love.

He was nervous about his violin hips which makes me giggle. He growled and groaned at the tight necktie, the unremarkable crowd and the too bright lights.

His fickle twitching fingers played the hem of his slacks like plucked strings.

Cracks like pavement as his quiet falsetto soared higher than it had any right. I heard teeth grit at the big part where he stopped to take a breath.

It was all pretty and right despite. That chorus still plays in my head when I stay out later than I should.

It went, “Lu-lay, lu-lee, let me down soft.

Forget to tuck in the sheets.

Lu-lee, lu-lay, turn the lights off.

Kiss me when night turns to day.”

I think I fell in love with a voice crack. I think, that night, I fell into bed and couldn’t wait for morning.

Loss of Friend, Loss of Love | Jairin Schad, junior I lost a friend to love When I lost my mind to fear.

I never questioned us So what are we doing here?

I lost a friend to love.

I ran straight out of luck When I took a different view.

Here comes the rising sun To promise something new!

I ran straight out of luck...

This was never an issue.

The future will hold what it will.

Let’s just continue In our search for something Real.

Something Real.

I set my heart elsewhere & It watched from afar.

As I gave my head dominion & Left broken and scarred.

Tell me how can I get back To where we started?

My flesh is weak and I can’t see What restoration is.

I lost a friend to love!

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REFLECTION

MAXIMALISM THE Simplicity of

SUMMERMENGARELLI

D

on’t tell IKEA, but minimalism has competition.

Clean lines and muted color palettes have dominated the design world for awhile, and their influence shows no signs of stopping. Nonetheless, in recent years there has been a revival of a style we might characterize as the antithesis of minimalism. With its bold textures and clashing patterns, maximalism is a lot to look at, but the motivation behind this aesthetic renaissance is fairly simple.

TO LIVE AS A MAXIMALIST DOES NOT NECESSITATE TOCOMPLETE ABANDON TO CARNAL PLEASURES.

22

Tony Duquette, arguably the father of modern maximalism, has described the style movement perfectly as “more is more.”

Maximalism appeals to emotions and impulses; its fearless approach to colors, textures, and styles aims not to subdue a space, like minimalism, but rather to coat it in everything beloved by the decorator or resident.

Maximalism encourages curating and collecting, and strives to incorporate diverse details that draw the eye evenly across a rich landscape. A single room might house gold-enameled elements and big floral patterns harkening back to the French Rococo era, pieces coated in vibrant primary colors modeled after the Bauhaus movement, and bronzed geometric motifs from the Art Deco period.

Maximalism is absolutely opulent, but its aim is never to boast wealth. Instead, the movement suggests that interior design, like fashion, can be an avenue of self-expression. It proposes that the spaces we occupy are opportunities to extravagantly illustrate our lives. This simple principle translates beyond interior design, as maximalism, like minimalism, is as much a lifestyle as it is an aesthetic movement. To live as a maximalist is to live extravagantly. Although the phrase rings beautifully and is probably destined to end up

tattooed on someone’s rib cage, the concept of extravagant living requires evaluation.

Like minimalism and so many other aspects of Western life, maximalism as a lifestyle can be traced back to ancient Greece. Epicurus and adherents to his school of thought defined pleasure as a lack of pain and mental tribulation, and saw it as the ultimate good of life.

Ethical theories that view pleasure in this way fall under the label of hedonism. However, Epicurus was careful to emphasize that pleasure includes justice and wisdom, not simply carnal delights. Fast forward to the late 1800s, when Oscar Wilde is writing and publishing the now-classic “Picture of Dorian Gray.” Through Dorian’s actions, Wilde articulates a value system that has been deemed “the New Hedonism,” in which indulgence and the pursuit of earthly pleasures are viewed as the highest purposes of human life.

If you are at all familiar with the plot of the novel, you know that this brand of hedonism does not work out well for Dorian Gray — to reduce the story quite a bit, a life of perpetual youth, extravagance, and debauchery ends in a tragic death. There are certainly parallels to be found between the lavish life of Dorian and the type of lifestyle that can be assumed of a maximalist: the pursuit and enjoyment of art, food, drink, entertainment, and interesting company is inherent to both. I can easily picture Dorian Gray lounging on a jewel-toned settee in a well-tailored suit, a glass of wine dangling from his manicured hand. The storyline of “The Picture of Dorian Gray” and the aesthetics of maximalism simply go hand-in-hand.

However, to live as a maximalist does not necessitate a complete abandon to carnal pleasures, and certainly not at the expense of a

moral system, a desire for justice, or the pursuit of wisdom. The less materialistic side of maximalism as a lifestyle entails living in grateful wonder at the beauty of the sensual world; it is recognizing the grandeur of the universe and striving to maximize our experience in it. Maximalism does not have to be an accumulation of material goods. Living maximally can mean accumulating knowledge, experiences, and meaningful relationships. It can be as simple as fostering a mindset that searches out and appreciates instances of beauty (whether aesthetic, poetic, relational, or any other form of beauty) in ordinary quotidian details.

I thought I was a minimalist until I researched maximalism. My dorm room walls are covered in black-and-white tapestries, not the patterned murals or gilded wallpapers of my dreams, and there is a regrettable lack of throw pillows on my lofted bed.

Nonetheless, I can’t help but see the tenets of maximalism reflected in the stacks of books invading the flat surfaces of my room as swiftly as the tips from my waitressing job will allow me to buy them.

And even beyond the beauty of the material and intellectual realms, I want to live maximally in my relationships. I want to foster a deep appreciation for the ways the people in my life love, encourage, and challenge me; and I want to value them like a curator values their collection. The concept of maximalism is simple: whether it manifests as an aesthetic of textures and colors lush enough to make Marie Kondo faint, or it manifests as a lifestyle rich in experiences and relationships, the art of maximalism rests in appreciation of what life has to offer.

P

opularized by mom-types and Instagram-famous LA girls, minimalism is currently having a moment. This may be the only context in which you’ve seen minimalism: the word in a too-long caption under a photo on Facebook or in repetitive Buzzfeed articles. “Minimalism” may call to mind images of clean, white New York City lofts with modern shapes and neutral colors. There are plants too, and probably wooden accents.

Of course, the foundational views of minimalism did not originate in the 21st century. As a movement that at its core encourages simplistic living, it stems from the teaching of philosophers for as long as we have had documented writings.

There seems to be some sort of virtue in getting rid of excess, and a sense of self that people have consistently been able to discover by doing so.

Popular philosophers such as Confucius and Socrates taught a form of minimalism.

“The secret of happiness, you see,” Socrates wrote, “is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” His assertion here seems to claim not only that is it good to refrain from excess, but that this act leads to happiness.

We even see this type of simplicity reflected in the teaching of Jesus. Matthew 16:26 (“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?”) seems to make it clear, just as minimalism attempts to, that one should be less concerned with possessions than with more important things. Surely, these philosophers are the primary originators of the idea that minimalistic living improves one’s moral standing and gives space for one to focus on something other than materialism.

The aesthetic movement of minimalism is another side of this term. It began more recently, in the early 1960s. Artists of this time period became interested in the pursuit of prioritizing the materials of a work over its meaning, motivated by the desire to remove unnecessary symbolism from artwork. The art created at the height of the minimalistic aesthetic movement was never meant to represent anything but itself; there was no personal or metaphorical layer to it.

Donald Judd was one of the renowned artists of this time period, and his work can be summed up by a piece called “Untitled” that he created in 1969. Made from brass and colored fluorescent plexiglass, it is a group of reflective rectangles that hangs on the wall. Another example of this style is “Die,” created by Tony Smith in 1962.

It is simply a six-foot cube of steel, placed on the floor of its museum of residence.

Art in the minimalistic period embraced geometric shapes and a sleek aesthetic, which may seem unsurprising to those familiar with the current design trends. In fact this art movement is where the modern

design of minimalism began. Geometric furniture, simple white walls, and neutral colors have their roots in the ideas of the artists in the 1960s, though this style hardly has the same rebelliously meaningless motivation as art created by Smith, Judd, and the like. These days, the shapes and themes of minimalism are primarily used for aesthetic purposes and have become a sign of good design.

It is important to differentiate the aesthetic of minimalism from a minimalistic lifestyle.

While the two can go hand in hand, they do not always exist together. Creating for oneself a capsule wardrobe is one way the lifestyle is reflected today; this is a simple, small collection of clothes that are interchangeable among themselves and can create a host of options for everyday dress. In some of these wardrobes, the neutral blacks, whites, and tans are offset with boxy, geometric shapes to the clothing. In this way, both the aesthetic and the lifestyle are represented. On the other hand, using the design style of minimalism in house decorations is oftentimes expensive and high-class. This, by nature, abandons the core motivations of minimalism; the desire to live simply and modestly is often not even a consideration.

consumerism. Instead, it has morphed into a thing that sometimes seeks to achieve the exact opposite of its original intentions.

Minimalism has certainly become much more complex than Socrates or Confucius had intended; however, I believe there to be something beautiful about the way its definition continues to evolve as it means new and different things to those who are enamored with its ideals.

It is important to differentiate the aesthetic of minimalism from a minimalistic lifestyle.

The idea of minimalism evident in 2018 is nothing like its beginning as a conscious decision to forsake a lifestyle dominated by

THE COMPLEXITY OF

MINIMALISM Abi Hillrich

Emily Gaffner (Junior): “For me, it would have to be my mom (the most all powerful Gaff on campus) because of her constant drive to be present and loving despite all of the pain that she experiences. A lot of people never see that, because she does such an incredible job at hiding it. I want to be as compassionate and empathetic as she is and hope to be at least half the woman she is when I get older.”

Emma Wieland (Freshman): “My youth pastor has impacted me more than I can explain. He drew me in to church with games, food, and friendship.

He then brought me to my faith with God. He’s the reason I became a stronger Christian.”

Nate Wieland (Senior): “The whole religion department here at Greenville has influenced me the most because they taught me to think critically about my faith.”

Anna Dailey (Freshman): “I think the person who has influenced my life the most would be my mom. She always works really hard at everything she does, and even though I doubt myself she always believes in me.”

Our lives are made up of choices, experiences, and the people with whom we surround ourselves. We are not the same person today that we were five years ago because of the choices we have made and the people who have helped us get to where we are now. The most beautiful thing about life is that everyone lives a different one, and none of us can fully understand another because of that. We often think we have it all

24

figured out, but we have no idea. I wonder how many of us go day to day without recognizing the people who have shaped us into who we are. Whether it is someone who raised us, sacrificing everything to give us the best life possible, or a stranger we just happened to meet in the grocery store, there is someone in our lives who has changed us in a positive way.

For myself the person who has influenced my life the most is my grandma. She is the most amazing woman inside and out. No matter how late it is, she will be there with open arms to listen and bake me cookies.

Her support and encouragement is what has gotten me through so many tough times in my life. Without her pushing me to Christ in all I do, I would not be where I am today.

Erick Garcia (Sophomore): “My mother is by far the person who has impacted my life the most. She sacrificed everything by coming here to America. As a kid you don’t realize just how much she sacrificed, but now I do everything in honor of her. She is the hardest worker I know, and she does this work so she can support her family. She changed my life by showing me how to work hard and be independent. Now my goal is to help people embrace their culture and who they are.”

Georgann Kurtz-Shaw (GU Librarian): “My husband, because we have lived together for over three decades. I bounce my ideas off him first and go to him with everything. He’s my greatest encourager and has taught me everything about forgiveness and love.”

Mark Jones (Junior): “My baseball coach.

He taught me to be a leader by the way he lived. He taught me how to impact those around me by showing up and doing the little things that don’t always seem important. And lastly he showed me work ethic; he showed me that the days you don’t feel like giving it your all are the most important days to show up and give it 100%.”

25

Dear freshman, I envied you sometimes this year. I envied how bright-eyed and bushy-tailed you seem, and how many opportunities lie before you in the next three years. I saw you grow throughout your first year, and I saw you learn and develop into even cooler people, and I imagined how much you’ll continue to grow. I sometimes wished I could be back where you are, and not about to go out into the scary world of unknowns, where there aren’t NSO gatherings to help you meet new friends, and there aren’t all-college hikes and junior/senior dances and homecomings and midnight breakfasts. I envied the classes you’ll take and the things you’ll learn, and the midnight McDonald’s runs and the 20-minute drives to Walmart. I envied the fact that if I could go back, I would change so much about my first year, and my second, and my third.

Then I realized that college is a stage of life, a stage that’s only meant to last four years, and a stage with which I’m almost finished. And if I could go back, yes, I would change some things. So here are some pieces of advice from me to you.

My freshman year, our class hashtag was #GCmakeitcount. All of the freshmen used that hashtag so much, but I didn’t really realize what it meant. So this is my first piece of advice to you: Make it count. You’re going to be a senior before you know. I still can’t believe how quickly my four years went by... the days and weeks and months seemed so slow at the time, but now graduation is here and I don’t know where the time went.

So don’t waste your time sitting in your dorm. There are friends to be made and experiences to be had, even for the most introverted introverts. Your experience here

From A

with your peers is so important, but having someone you can look to for advice, and even someone who is separate from your friend group, is a healthy and lifechanging experience. is all dependent on what you make of it. You can make a choice to smile and laugh and be friendly and learn and grow, or you can make a choice to just get by and earn a degree. I would say that my first two years were spent the second way, and that’s a choice I dearly hope you don’t make.

Don’t feel like you always have to have something spectacular to do. Let’s be honest, there’s not much to do around here. Some of my favorite college memories were made just hanging out in the music building, and some of my deepest and most friendshipbuilding conversations were had at a table at McDonald’s. Also, join activities. If you’re not on a sports team, join an intramural team, or do GSGA or choir (my personal plug) or band, or become an RC, or do anything that gives you a built-in family. Those relationships are the ones that will last.

Don’t fall into the trap of feeling like you need a relationship to be successful here. The upperclassmen always call spring “freshman mating season” because it’s entertaining to watch all of the freshmen get into relationships that probably won’t last. It’s new and exciting to be away from home and to hang out with people as much as you want.

You can do whatever you want (for the most part). But don’t let Greenville’s ring-by-spring cliche get in the way of your happiness.

Find the right person, not just a person. The wrong person can really put a dent in your college experience.

Find a mentor. It can be a faculty member or an older student — no matter who it is, benefiting from their wisdom is one of the wisest things you can do. Ask your RC to grab coffee with you sometime, or visit your favorite professor’s office to ask a deep philosophical question. Having friendships

Take advantage of your classes. You’re paying for an education, not just for a fun experience. I know that some general education classes can be so frustrating and boring, and that homework seems tedious and pointless, but you’ll be surprised how much the material you learn in your classes can shape you. The purpose of a liberal arts education is to grow you as a person and give you knowledge in all areas so you can enter the world as an intelligent, wellrounded human being. Take advantage of it, even when you don’t want to study for your midterm or when you have a huge project hanging over your head. On the flip side of the coin, care about the learning and not the grades. I spent way too much time stressing and locking myself in my room and inhaling double espressos to study and freak out about my precious 4.0. It wasn’t smart. Getting an A in a class doesn’t mean you actually learned anything. You can laugh at me now, but you’ll be amazed at how much you can learn in four years.

This letter is fundamentally the result of a great amount of sentimentality in my last few weeks here at Greenville University.

However, these are things I’ve said to my freshman friends, and wanted to say to anyone who has the patience to read this. I can say from the bottom of my heart that my years at Greenville University were the most formative ones of my life so far, and that they truly prepared me for what is coming next. I hope your four years do the same for you.

Sincerely, Mandy

SENIOR FRESHMAN: TO A

MAKING IT COUNT

26

MANDY PENNINGTON

NEW

BEGINNINGS IN NEW

The ability to live in Southern California is a blessing. From lounging on the beach

to hitting up LA on the weekends, there is always something to do. The thought that I would ever leave California for an extended amount of time was once crazy to me. However, when I decided to come to Greenville University for four years, it seemed that the crazy would become reality.

I gave up my big city life for a small town, and it’s a decision I don’t regret. In the last three years, I have adjusted well to the surroundings of Greenville and the Midwest.

I hope my story can encourage people who are moving from a comfortable home to a new environment that might seem foreign or frightening.

In the summer of 2015, I realized that my life would change in a couple of months, when I would have to leave sunny southern California for a humid and hot midwestern town and begin fall football camp. I had never visited Greenville, so I didn’t have a clue about what I was going to walk into. So when August 7 came, I knew it was time to start a new chapter in my life. Reality started to set in when I no longer saw buildings, but instead miles and miles of cornfields. I knew that from that point on this was going to be a unique (and, I thought, horrible) life experience. On my end, I should have done my research to see what I was getting myself into. If it would have been easy to get a flight the next day to go back home, I would have done it. I stuck it out. But once I got through the first semester and went home for winter break, I felt the need to transfer. I didn’t like the environment I had put myself into and I did not like how small Greenville was. However, I told myself that I needed to give my school a try and make the best out of it. After I had finished my freshman year, my mindset had completely changed. I can credit a lot of things that helped me change my mind and helped me find a home in Greenville. From the smallest to the biggest things, they can help you shape yourself for better living in a small town.

PL ACES

ZACK SILVAS

Adjusting to small town life is all about

finding the right people to hang out with.

Being in a small town, faces become familiar, and new ones are rare. Go out of your way to attend events and mingle with people—this is much easier if you are a college student.

When you find the right people, it becomes much easier to settle down and not spend your time longing for home. Small towns usually don’t have much to do, so I would recommend exploring other cities to find adventures. When I first came to Greenville, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to do the things I was able to do when I was back at home, like go eat at In-N-Out and or go to the beach. So when my friends and I weren’t busy, we would take drives to see what we could do outside of Greenville. St. Louis is a great option, especially since it is only an hour away. It’s hard to run out of things to do in such a big city. Getting familiar with different areas outside the small town should help you assimilate much more easily.

To adjust to a new move or a big life change, you need to step outside your comfort zone.

It took time for me, and it takes time for everyone. Even if it’s for a period of time, home will always be there when you get back. Embracing new experiences in life is very beneficial, and it allows us to explore places we’ve never been. If you are having a hard time adjusting, remember that we all go through it at one time or another, and try to carve out a new home for yourself in the new environment.

“

I gave up my big city life for a small town, and it’s a decision I don’t regret.

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F L O U R I S H:

A Dif f eren t S t a n d a rd o f S u c c e s s

Summer Mengarelli

Imagine you are visiting a temple dedicated to American ideals. You walk through a vast hall, heels clicking on the cold marble floor as you pass shrines to the simpler pleasures of Football, Beer, and Celebrity Gossip. As you journey deeper into the temple, the shrines become larger and more ornate, the names of the deities scrawled above them: Racism, The Patriarchy, Colonialism. At the end of the hall you approach the center shrine; flanked on either side by Capitalism and Western Standards of Education and adorned in golden dollar signs, SUCCESS looms down at you.

The American dream: if we don’t make more money than our parents, we haven’t succeeded and we haven’t lived well.

Whether this pressure comes from parental expectations, societal standards, personal desires for wealth, or a combination of the three, the equating of success with financial prosperity is inherently harmful. The deification of wealth affects how we view ourselves and how we treat and value those in lower financial positions than our own.

Ultimately, it sours how we set goals, dream, and live. While the equation “success = wealth” is a hallmark of American principles, it is not the only standard for measuring a life well-lived, and it is certainly not the best.

Indian economist and philosopher Amartya Sen proposed in the 1980s a new set of standards, called the capability approach.

Rather than evaluating success by the usual means — access and ability to multiply resources — Sen’s approach focuses on the individual’s capabilities to achieve the type of life they have reason to value. Thus, someone

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may not have the capability to achieve financial security, but if within the context of their social network, personal health, environment, and other factors, they are able to develop meaningful relationships and feel fulfilled in their daily lived experience, they have achieved a life well lived.

Sen’s approach has been expanded since its inception, with thinkers such as Martha Nussbaum providing concrete lists of human capabilities necessary for success and living well. However, Sen developed his standards with an emphasis on freedom — the individual freedom to measure success separate from societal standards of education, health, and prosperity. This is the kind of liberty I felt when I spent a chunk of my life savings to go to Spain for a semester: it was not the wisest decision financially, but it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It is the freedom you felt when you switched your major from a field you were told would insure a job after graduation to a field that genuinely excites and interests you. It is the exhilarating feeling of living well even if you choose the school or career path that wasn’t what your parents laid out for you, but is what is necessary for you to love being alive.

Another, and much more broadly-known, approach to success was developed by Aristotle and detailed in his “Nicomachean Ethics.” Aristotle’s ethics — principles of living — are teleological, meaning that they are based around the idea that every being has an ultimate purpose and highest good, its telos. The human telos is eudaimonia, a Greek word traditionally translated to “happiness,” but which more

accurately connotes “human flourishing.”

In this framework, the highest good is not an emotion or state of being, but rather an activity, a living. All the usual goals — health, wealth, approval, etc. — are not desirable in themselves but only inasmuch as they promote flourishing as the highest end.

Aristotle reasoned that if eudaimonia is the uniquely human telos, then it must have something to do with being human, and what sets humans apart from other beasts is the human ability to reason and rationalize.

Therefore, the work required of us to flourish is the cultivation of virtuous living.

In particular, Aristotle highlights courage, generosity, and justice as virtues that should be fostered intentionally. Finally, he adds that

some goods, such as friendship, honor, and pleasure, are good in themselves but also contribute to eudaimonia.

Neither Sen’s nor Aristotle’s concepts of living well are without flaws; however, they can help to broaden our ideas on what it means to succeed. Both point to what we all recognize when we develop a new friendship or deepen an old one; when we perform a thankless act of generosity; when we exalt in the divine joy of reading truthful poetry or creating sincere art; or maybe even when we live an experience that is wholly selfish, merely pleasurable, financially unwise.

of beauty through their culmination, hint exuberantly and gently that there is so much more to living well than the fleeting happiness that comes with financial prosperity. They testify that there is abundant wealth outside the temple to Financial Success. These immaterial graces proclaim that success is not a life of security in material wealth but a life of rich experiences, honest relationships, giving of oneself, creating, loving, flourishing.

Encounters that are materially worthless, yet shape our beings and construct a life

Encounters that are materially worthless, yet shape our beings and construct a life of beauty through their culmination, hint exuberantly and gently that there is so much more to living well than the fleeting happiness that comes with financial prosperity.

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IN THE

ABSENCE OF

THE SABBATH AS A BLESSING CHRISTINA

DIRECTION

BOWMAN

J OOSS I AH MOH R

There is a great disparity between the

expectation of what life is supposed to be and what life often actually is. How many of us have been asked the age-old question, “So, what are you doing with your life?”

How many of us have wondered if that is even a question that should have definitive, quantifiable, and finite answers that name our fate? These questions are obviously prevalent for 20-something college students, with the “real” world approaching all too quickly.

But these questions have implications for a far larger audience than just young adults.

In every stage of life, we have moments of greatly clouded vision in which we feel like we are doing little more than surviving until the next day, the next week, the next month, maybe even the next year. Some people may call this lack of purpose going to college, graduation, mid-life crisis, going back to school, switching careers, or retiring. Needless to say, we all have times at every stage of life in which we feel depressingly void of purpose. This does not mean, however, that these periods are not without value. So I want to ask and perhaps find some insight on the question: How do we define the value of our time even in the absence of direction?

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The most valuable commodity in our society is time, so much so that the way we spend our time often becomes what defines us.

We are always told that we need to be productive, to apply ourselves to worthy causes, and to achieve goals. But what happens to that expectation when we don’t have a discernible goal? What if the means are without a current end? Can the lack of an end goal somehow justify the means of our lives? In almost every way our society thinks and operates, in everything from sports to business, a lack of vision equates to one thing: failure. When we lack a vision for our own lives, we are quick to assume the same—that failure is the inevitable result, that we will be overrun by our fast-paced society, and that our absence of direction will lead to a lack of productivity and contribution. It is here that we quickly become overwhelmed by the pressure to have life all figured out.

Fortunately, the absence of direction does not mean that we are destined to fail. In this, the ends cannot justify the means, so the means — our investment of time despite the lack of a discernible vision — must be justifiable in and of itself. Our time must be considered valuable based on the dedication of each minute, each hour, each day, each week, and so on. As the great musician and theologian, Jon Foreman, so insightfully penned, “I dare you to move / Like today never happened

before.” Dare yourself to move, even against the culture if you wish. You don’t have to move quickly; just by moving you will gain a new perspective on your current situation.

Even if your movement is slow or circular, your two-dimensional situation will suddenly become three-dimensional.

The greatest value can be found here in the smallest investment of time and movement.

Take that minute to answer and ask in return, “How are you doing?” Take that hour to talk about life and tell stories. Take that day to go on an adventure. Take that week to travel to visit family. These moments have nothing traditionally “productive” about them. They don’t achieve any prescribed “goals.” They don’t even tangibly “contribute” to the betterment of society. But as these activities add up to months and years and decades and lifetimes, your perspective will gain more angles, your perception more depth, and your inspiration higher aspirations. The result will be ideation, passion, and ultimately vision. It is here that the value of your time is defined, not by the proof of a vision, but by the challenge and the daring inspiration of your movement.

W

e have all had weeks when we’ve been bogged down with meetings, classes, chapels, homework, practices, the attempt at a social life, and more. Look at the upcoming week. Is it completely full? If you are a college student, probably; if you are an adult, it could involve going to work and running your kids around, and you may be even busier. Our lives are inevitably fast-paced, and at times we are so accustomed to it, we hardly know any different.

Exodus 20:8-11 says, “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” Originally, the Sabbath was a Jewish practice recognized not only as the Lord’s day, but also as a day to rest. It was later that Christians also took hold of this tradition, making the Sabbath not the seventh day, but the first of the week. While this is a practice traditionally upheld by Jews and Christians, it is also recognized by many non-Christians.

This is something we all search for in our lives: a seventh day, a time of rest. Whether it is a time to think, to be with others, or to do something enjoyable, looking past our obligations is something we should practice intentionally.

We have this gift of the Sabbath to commit our full attention to rest in Christ, but many of us don’t use it. It sounds crazy; why would we not take a day made for rest, and actually rest? Ted Bauer, in his 2014 article “Only About 1 in 10 Americans Can Balance Being Busy with Being Happy,” said: “It’s actually instinctive to seek busyness.

As a whole, people don’t like being idle or bored, or even left alone with their thoughts.

Researchers from the University of Chicago found that when given a choice, people will say they prefer to do nothing—but then, even the tiniest justification is enough to convince people to fill their time.”

Whether it’s the need to be busy, the desire to get ahead, or any other reason we may have, we should feel encouraged to work past this urge and to accept this day for what it is.

Mark 2:27 tells us, “And he said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.’” This being said, even though as human beings we are not naturally inclined toward relaxation, we should accept this gift.

leaving Sunday open for church, spending time with family and friends, and resting. I am making the resolution and goal to rest on the seventh day. The best day for me to do this is on Sunday; for other college students it may be Saturday, or for some adults it could be whatever day they do not work. However, it is most important to remember that the Sabbath is both a blessing and gift.

even though as human beings we are not naturally inclined toward relaxation, we should accept this gift.

So what does this look like? For me, it involves working to get my homework and work done Monday through Saturday and

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the

“In 20

were st

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Immorality of ABI HILLR

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255,00 0 sw eatsh opsac tive in the USA.”

FA S H I O N

SURELY YOU HAVE HEARD the term “sweatshop.” Perhaps what comes to mind is a vision directly from the industrial revolution, before national laws about working age, when children were forced to create goods in small, too-hot factories. But, of course, it is easy to reassure ourselves that these situations were resolved with the national laws in place today. We know these kinds of things may still happen in other countries, but they’re difficult to think about and awfully far away.

However, we must get our facts straight. A sweatshop can be defined as “a business that regularly violates both wage or child labor, and safety or health laws.” Sweatshops do still exist in America. Though they are few and far between, the impact is massive. Experts say that there were still about 255,000 sweatshops active in the USA in 2000. Though it is easier to for those shops to exist in other countries, many businesses get away with improper treatment frighteningly nearby.

Fast fashion is a term used to refer to designs in the fashion world that move quickly from runway to easily accessible stores. Shops like Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and H&M fit this brand. For the consumer, and especially the college student, fast fashion brands offer the most affordable (and fashionable) clothes on the market.

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But fast fashion is known for its support of sweatshops in the fashion industry. This is the only way to make cheap, fashionable clothes quickly. Take, for example, the recent story from Zara’s workers in November. Customers of that popular brand began to discover notes sewn into their clothing from the people who had made them, begging to be paid. “I made this item you are going to buy, but I didn’t get paid for it,” one read. Upon further research, it was uncovered that in July of 2016, the boss of an outsourced manufacturing company left 155 workers without jobs or wages.

It was in November 2017 that consumers finally began to discover these notes from the employees who had still not received payment. Even now, in 2018, these workers have not been paid.

One worker does not ask for the consumer to stop purchasing from Zara, because of all the people who would be laid off if the company went out of business, but asks that we use our voices to demand ethical treatment.

Not only do fast fashion companies support sweatshops, but they often steal from artists. Many, many companies have been confronted for this unforgivable slight. H&M is one of the most recent issues, after a graffiti artist named Jason “Revok” Williams from Brooklyn issued a cease and desist order in response to stolen street art. Instead of addressing this issue head-on, H&M

chose to respond with a federal lawsuit against him because of the illegal nature of graffiti itself. Upon the uproar issued from artists across America, H&M chose to drop the lawsuit and issue an apology. This situation is, surprisingly, one of the most well-handled encounters. Fast fashion frequently steals art from independent artists, often without consequences.

Something else we can do is to demand change. Recognizing that there is something wrong is the first step. Do research on sweatshops. Figure out what brands may not treat their workers correctly. Stay updated on the news and seek out shops and indie designers that you know are doing their best to remain ethical. Do everything you can to allow your money to support your beliefs.

This can create a dilemma for the consumer. Is the staggering price of ethical, fair-trade clothing worth the moral high ground?

Oftentimes, purchasing more pieces of clothing for cheaper prices just makes sense (or is the only option); it can be easy not to think of the effects of supporting businesses that probably buy from sweatshops.

Thrifting is one way to combat this issue. Purchasing clothes that are being resold, at Goodwill or even Plato’s Closet, can be a way to avoid supporting corrupt corporations while staying on-trend.

Another way to solve this issue is to support ethical brands (like Everlane, Reformation, Outdoor Voices and others) that may cost a little more but are worth the pricing. Creating a minimalist closet with a few quality pieces rather than too many cheaply-made pieces is worth it in the long run.

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AWAY FROM N O I S T S HE A P

PLANNER Christina Bowman

H

ave you ever heard of the Passion Planner? Let me tell you a little bit about how my day-by-day life is almost completely scheduled out between two leather covers. The art of this little booklet is that it allows you to write down everything you have happening throughout your day in half-hour time slots. On the bottom of every week’s page there are two columns of to-do lists.

One is a personal to-do list and the other is a work to-do list. Now this seems awesome, and trust me, it is. But I’m concerned that it makes the tasks at hand appear to be more crucial than they actually are. It pushes you to plan out when you can get as many tasks done throughout the week so that you can start over the next week.

Not everyone’s mind works like a planner. There are people who would be considered more worrisome or Type A, and others who are more relaxed or Type B. However, maybe it has less to

do with our personality type and more to do with our priorities.

This idea of priorities indicates how we define success. Growing up, what were you taught makes a person successful? Does success really only come from meeting our personal goals ahead of schedule or “on-time”?

These are two questions I would encourage anyone to think about when determining priorities and direction in life. Personally, I know many goal-oriented people who are responsible and reliable, but who have higher priorities than to get that final check mark on their to-do list.

Many people in our generation have categorized themselves into one of two sides: the lazy person or the too-busy-for-you person. What if we all could strive to be productive, but left room in our daily schedules to stop and interact with someone?

What if we considered these interruptions joyful changes in

Does success really only come frommeetingourpersonalgoals aheadofschEduleor“on-time”?

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our daily schedules, and actually hoped for them? You never know who you will encounter, what opportunities will arise, or what you are missing. The spontaneity of our day-to-day life can be a gift if we allow it to be.

The planner isn’t the problem. It actually can be a helpful guide to get through the week without forgetting where you need to be or what you need to do. The problem lies in the mindset that often comes with it. As you encounter different situations throughout your day, remember that there are only so many times we get to have interactions with different people throughout our lives. It may only be one or it may be many, but we should strive to make them count.

As you look at your weekly schedule, remember that the beauty that is in the world often lies beyond our planners, our schedule, our homework, or our jobs. It is the unplanned that brings adventure to our lives. Don’t miss out on the spontaneous events of life by being too focused on checking off items on your to-do list.

Have you ever tried to improve something about your life? Maybe tried to lose weight? Or perhaps get a better score on a video game or a better GPA in school? What were the challenges of achieving these improvements? What makes progress so hard?

Last summer, I finished up my final year of junior college and got a scholarship to play basketball at Greenville University. I simultaneously got offered a new job as a service technician for pest control in Colorado for the summer. Things were picture-perfect in my eyes, because at this point in my life I had accomplished my goals for my post-high-school three-year plan. Everything was going well, but then I became unhappy with my weight.

I stopped working out and began eating more because I was going out a lot more, enjoying my last days being home and being around my family. I fell into unhealthy eating habits and became lazy.

During the summer, my weight started to show, and as I looked in the mirror it seemed to appear everywhere. I stepped on a scale, and I weighed the most I had ever weighed in my life. Spurred toward change, I did my research on diets and quickly started to follow one, I worked out one to two times a day, and I cooked my own meals. Within weeks, I lost a significant amount of weight and it was amazing; I developed an addiction to the process, and I dropped my weight down to the same weight as I was freshman year of high school. My muscle tone was great and for the first time in awhile, and I was finally happy with my body.

This might be a familiar story to some: working hard at the gym, having a strict diet, and making progress, but then letting all of that progress fizzle out because of other responsibilities. This is a shared human experience because everybody has a comfort zone. These comfort zones include video game scores, social atmospheres, GPAs, or scoring averages in a sport. These comfort zones fuel your self-image. If you remain inside of your comfort zone, it is impossible to elevate yourself above the image you already have. If you think you are an average student, then you can never become a great student.

To improve your self-image, you must stretch outside of your comfort zone by filling your subconscious with new thoughts and images, having your goals in mind as if you have accomplished them already. Build up who you believe you are and focus on past wins and successes. This will help to build confidence and reaffirm a new self-image. It starts to redefine your self-image by challenging who you are, what you are capable of, and what you deserve. This is successfully done through constant repetition and affirmation. You believe what you emphasize; through repetition your subconscious will began to believe the affirmations. Then your conscious mind

guarantees that your external experiences will match your internal belief system. This is self-image psychology.

Losing weight or gaining a new body image is not just about committing to a workout plan and a diet; it is about boosting your self-image. This is because low self-image means low motivation, and conversely, high self-image means high motivation. If there was ever a time you attempted something and came up short, it may have been because you didn’t truly believe in yourself. A self-image is a monitor of your comfort zone. It works like the regulator of an air conditioner in a room; if you set the room temperature at 72 (the comfort zone), the regulator will allow the room to get to 74 degrees or to 70 degrees before it either cools or warms up the room. The same goes for your self-image: it regulates your comfort zone. In other words, when the self-image gets either below or above its preset image of you, it will regulate it with either better performance to compensate or lower it to bring it back down to its fixed image.

To improve your self-image, you must stretch outside of your comfort zone by filling your subconscious with new thoughts and images, having your goals in mind as if you have accomplished them already.

So, next time you try to improve an aspect of your life, make sure that you use this knowledge to improve your self-image. Doing this will not only help with attaining your goals, but keeping them long term as well. Self-image is an undervalued aspect of achievement; every person that has great success has an astounding self-image because it automatically equals great confidence, motivation, and resilience. So start building and start achieving.

Anthony Zataray 35

with my body and what it needs.”

breathe Summer Mengarelli

“Let’s breathe.” My boyfriend’s voice came through the speakerphone, garbled but reassuring. I sat on the edge of the bed in my hotel in Budapest and tried to focus on my breathing as he counted to four from halfway across the world. Gradually, as I breathed deeply and in sync with his counting, whatever had caused me to become so anxious faded into triviality. This scene has not been uncommon to my college career; as the stresses of work and academics have exacerbated anxiety, I’ve found that practicing breathing, meditation, and yoga have made a colossal impact on my mental health.

The practice of yoga is connected to dozens of health benefits: improved flexibility, muscular strength, enhanced posture and balance, cardiorespiratory health, increased blood flow, decreased blood pressure, boosted immune system, more regular sleep patterns — the list goes on. Beyond these physical manifestations, yoga can also lead to an increase in serotonin, one of the happiness hormones, and encourage relaxation. According to a 2007 Yoga Journal article 36

by Timothy McCall, M.D., yoga’s focus on slow and steady breathing encourages the body to shift from the sympathetic nervous system, which is the fight-or-flight response, to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is calming and restorative.

So much of yoga focuses on listening to what your body communicates to you: if a pose hurts, you can re-adjust until the stretch feels therapeutic. If holding a position is challenging, you can focus on your breath and allow it to calm your mind and body. This attentive listening leads to peace of mind and awareness of body, which continue off the mat. As I have practiced yoga for the past couple of years, I have developed a sincere appreciation for my body, and I’ve found that my desire to change it has switched from wanting to lose weight to wanting to be strong and healthy. My current yoga instructor, Sharon Schmitz, recounted her own experiences: “Since I started practicing yoga, I have noticed a marked change in my demeanor, and others have noticed as well. I feel much more in touch with my faith and spiritual life than I ever have. I feel more in tune

Yoga can be daunting to approach, and attempting poses that require flexibility can be incredibly frustrating. However, regularly practicing will bring you closer to executing those poses, and half the fun is finding a challenging pose and working to perfect it.

Morgan Rich, a junior special education major, has been practicing yoga regularly for two and a half years. She described her experience with challenging poses: “I started out thinking yoga was just fancy stretching, but it’s so much more than that. Hand and arm balances are what I’m really passionate about. The energy and strength it takes to hold up your own body weight is a lot more than people realize, and it’s been really fun to learn new balances and then perfect them.

It’s incredibly empowering because you have to completely rely on yourself to hold yourself up in these crazy positions, but then when you finally hit it you feel like a total warrior.”

As mentioned above, yoga is not only a challenge to your physical health, but also a wonderful way to strengthen mental health.

Rebecca Munshaw, a 2017 Greenville alumna and the current Coordinator of Resident Education (CRE) of Tenney and Kinney halls, has practiced yoga nearly every morning since she began watching “Yoga with Adriene” YouTube videos. She said, “It is something that makes your mind, soul, and body feel good. Honestly, it refreshes me and prepares me for the day. Yoga allows you to take a moment to breathe and realign yourself for the day. I use it as a time to be still with God.” Morgan, who also utilizes “Yoga with Adriene,” explained how yoga has helped in her journey with mental health: “I began just putting a towel on my bedroom floor and just intentionally stretching and slowing my breath. When I heard about the YouTube channel “Yoga with Adriene,” I immediately started using her videos to help me better understand how to practice yoga and to gain the vocabulary that I needed to understand people when they talked about it. For me, yoga has been a key part in overcoming my anxiety. Taking that time out of my day to love myself and slow my thoughts has allowed me to process stress better and feel productive.”

The breathing technique that I have found most helpful in calming anxiety is called square breathing, or four-square breathing.

The technique slows breath by regulating it in a series of counts to four: inhale for four, hold for four. Exhale for four, hold for four.

Repeat. This simple pattern is subtle enough that it can be practiced in class, at work, or whenever you begin to feel stressed. Another breathing technique is nadi shodhana, or alternate nostril breathing. This technique uses the fingers to close off one nostril at a time and alternate inhaling and exhaling through alternate nostrils; Morgan, who practices it regularly, suggests a “Yoga with

Adriene” video on alternate nostril breathing as a resource for beginner instructions.

a concept like forgiveness — or it can be simply sitting still and focusing on breathing.

Morgan explained, “I have pretty severe episodes of anxiety and mania due to bipolar disorder, and using nadi shodhana has really helped me to control my racing thoughts, elevated heart rate, and panic. It’s a super simple practice, but it requires me to fully concentrate on breathing slowly and gives me a physical stimulus to focus on instead of whatever is throwing me into a panic. I’m able to do it wherever I am, even driving or in class, so it’s really been a great coping mechanism for me. I’d recommend it to anyone, even if they don’t have a mental illness diagnosis.”

I encourage you to give yoga, breathing techniques, and meditation a try; and I would suggest to anyone who wants to begin one or more of these practices to take some time to research their history and spiritual significance, in order to practice them with respect to the meaning they carry.

Whether you desire the physical benefits, like improved posture or greater flexibility, or the mental benefits, such as balance and mindfulness, I feel confident that these practices will positively affect your life. At the end of our yoga sessions, Sharon instructs us to bow slightly to ourselves and thank ourselves for caring for our bodies. In many ways, this is the nature of yoga, regulated breathing, and meditation: a loving care of and attention to the body.

Equally helpful is the practice of meditation, which often goes hand-in-hand with breathing techniques. Meditation and yoga both have a long and ancient history resting in the traditions of the Buddhist, Hindu, Taoist, and Jain religions, and as such, both practices are inherently spiritual. There is certainly room in the practice of meditation for a deepening of faith, but whether or not you are religious, meditation brings clarity, mindfulness, and peace. Sharon wrote, “Meditation does not have to be a long, drawn-out affair. Meditation is about stopping and being present; it’s about giving yourself permission to just be.” Meditation can be as short as three or five minutes, or as long as you like; it can be guided, focusing on a specific thought — maybe prayer, or

The good in me honors the good in you.

Namaste.

There is no shortage of resources on yoga and meditation, but it can be overwhelming to approach them for the first time. Below you can find a list of some websites, YouTube channels, and apps that may be good places to start.

Resources for Yoga: Yogajournal.com Yoga with Adriene (YouTube Channel) Yoga Studio (App) Simply Yoga (App) 5 Minute Yoga (App) Resources for Meditation: Mindful.org Headspace (App) Breathe (App) Timeless (App) The Meditation Podcast (Podcast)

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not oppression. In reality, this was only enabling oppressive behavior from others and minimizing my experience as an adopted Chinese American.

SUBMISSIONS This semester the Vista focused on the idea of 101%. As young men and women, and as Christians in a bigger culture, we want to give our all and live our lives to the fullest. This includes studying all night for a big exam, short-term and long-term mission trips, the most stressful and rewarding sports games, a moment of artistic inspiration or creative genius, and so much more. We asked students: To what do you give your all? This is what they told us.

BETH RICHARDSON, SENIOR CAPTURE MY WHOLE HEART I’m singing my seventh concert of the week and my voice is tired. It starts cracking on the high notes in the first set. I begin to panic because there are still three more sets to go and I have a solo at the end of the fourth one.

I’m now calculating how much water I can drink during a fifteen minute intermission so that I can hopefully squeak out some notes in the realm of intonation. I’ve spent the past week traveling in a bus with lots of luggage and a lot of people. My body is tired and I’m ready to have some alone time. This is choir tour. It’s raw and it’s real. It’s also amazing.

But it is definitely not for the faint of heart.

As I look back on the past three years of choir, I realize how far I’ve come as a singer. I came to Greenville in 2014 and couldn’t wait to audition for choir. I was terrified because it was new, but I was excited at the same time to have the opportunity. I never really had any formal training in music, so most of what I learned was by ear. I could read music, but sight singing was not a strength, so when the audition included it, I did not do well. I made it into Chorale, but I was disappointed.

That year taught me a lot about singing. I worked hard, and the next year, I was offered a spot in the Greenville College Choir. I spent the next two years growing but also being comfortable. I wasn’t putting my entire self into choir by being only comfortable in vmy abilities.

I started taking risks this year. I became an officer, taking on more responsibility than before, I auditioned for Chamber Singers, and I started working on solos so I could learn to sing with confidence. Chamber Singers obviously required more time. It was an extra two hours of rehearsal each week, plus the countless hours I spent listening to recordings or having people plunk out notes for me so that I could become solid on my part. When you’re part of a group of thirteen, you need to be very sure of what you’re singing. We also have less time to learn pieces, they are more difficult, and we sing in mixed formation from the beginning. I never imagined being 38

where I am today when I walked into that audition room freshman year, but I’m glad I’m here. I worked hard as a singer and it easily took and continues to take 101% of my effort.

Don’t get me wrong, I love choir, but it is difficult. It’s also impossible to put half of yourself into it. Between rehearsals, traveling, and making friends, it easily captures your entire heart. I can confidently say that choir is where I have met some of my best friends.

It takes so much dedication and discipline to get up early for long concert days, spend hours in a long dress or tuxedo, and perform over twenty songs from memory each night.

Choral singing at Greenville University takes 101% of your effort, but it is 101% worth it.

MACI SEPP, SENIOR A CHINESE GIRL’S GUIDE TO THRIVING IN AMERICA I will be the first to tell you that I lead a near-perfect life. Besides always having more than enough of the basic human necessities, I have spent the last twenty-one years surrounded by friends and family who love me deeply and care for my well-being way beyond what I deserve. This endearment has been the foundation for my desire and my motivation to thrive. During the last four years alone, I have maintained a high GPA, double majored and minored in three different departments, balanced multiple campus jobs, and remained an involved member of the community, always giving things 101%. It’s an impressive list and, believe me, I’m very proud of it. But for most of my life, I never even dreamed I would come close to this point.

As a child, I was diagnosed as delayed and placed in a special education program. I went to physical therapy and speech therapy every day until I caught up to the kids my age

on the lower end of the learning spectrum.

When I entered elementary school, my teachers tried to place me in an English Learning program despite never knowing anything other than English my entire life. At five years old, this was the first time my race affected my learning environment. It certainly was not the last. They wrongly assumed I was stupid because I didn’t know the language, not because my brain was taking a little longer to develop. They assumed this because I’m Chinese.

I was adopted as an infant from a rural area in China. Ever since early childhood, my family often dedicated time to celebrate Chinese tradition and culture. Yet for some reason, living in a white suburban town made me want to blend in or disappear. I had to fit a certain mold in order to even be acknowledged. I could only be so Chinese before it became unacceptable and I would be ostracized. As my peers endured the typical struggles of figuring out their identity and feeling isolated, I felt it more so as I tried to figure out who I could actually be.

By middle school, I was learning alongside the gifted students. The kids in my classes were predominantly white, but there were still several students of color. I spent my days and nights studying arduously and always going above and beyond. I had made it this far, and I needed to prove to everyone that I had earned my rightful place. As time went by, my honors classes remained the same size, but the gap between white to color started to grow.

Once high school rolled around, I was in all of the honors and AP courses that I could possibly take. They consisted of almost all white teachers and students. Apparently, this was everyone’s cue to start telling me how “Asian” I was. Of course, I was in AP Calculus; Asians are good at math. My efforts to blend in had somehow failed. But it was fine. At least my Asian background was out in the open, which was totally different from when I was a kid. Since they framed it as a joke, their racist comments were less wrong. They were said out of admiration,

Though the Asian jokes have long since subsided, the need to prove I belong still remains the same. Coming to Greenville, I became a part of the honors program, which still consists of almost exclusively white people despite the increasing percentage of minority students enrolled. Assimilation has been key to my success. For a while, I didn’t notice my race, and I began to forget my past.

The colorblind nature of our institution made sure of that. I thought things had changed so much since my childhood. Instead, people now think they can hide behind the veil of being well-intended Christians.

As a Chinese American raised in white culture, I don’t have the same experience as all minorities. Instead, I get to play the role of the model minority. I don’t have to worry about being accused of a crime or getting shot by police. I am rewarded a place at the table because of how much I’ve thrived as a white student. I am not allowed to fail. I am not allowed to say no. At least, not if I want to keep being treated as “normal.” Not if I want to keep being treated as a white person.

Not only that, but I should be grateful that Greenville, America, and the world have all given me a chance to “make it.”

I feel like I’ve been giving it 101% my entire life, and let me tell you, it’s exhausting. It’s exhausting to prove you’re worthy of your success as a person of color. It’s exhausting to always have to blend in. It’s exhausting to be someone you’re not.

Kait Matthews, SOPHOMORE Redemption: The Story of Racing, Trauma, and Survival I stumble face-first into the rubber, out of breath, in shock. It feels like I lay there for hours, but it was mere seconds before more and more bodies surround me. It had taken five minutes and thirty-nine seconds for it to be over.

The track sectional 1600-meter run to qualify for state had been conquered. With my second-place finish I had punched my ticket to the State Meet in Charleston, Illinois. In the beginning of the year, I had become utterly obsessed with the idea of making it to the state meet. Yet I knew I would have to make my own luck, train harder than ever, and push my body past its limits to achieve that goal.

My biggest battle that year wasn’t running, though. My coach always says, “The two hours you spend at practice are easy. It’s the other 22 that make life difficult.” The two hours I put in at practice kept my mind from wandering to the event that had tortured me earlier in the season.

Over spring break, I had been sexually assaulted by an acquaintance, and it ripped away any logical thoughts that would rush through my mind for the next couple of months. I felt unsafe, I felt unsaved. A sense of safety was ripped away, causing me to shut down. A numbness trickled from my head to my toes, my spirit shattered. I had previously been vivacious while pursuing life, but I searched in the mirror searching for any sign of a pulse while bags weighed down my eyes. But when I was on the track I could control my fate. When I was off of it, though, my mind ran more frantically than my feet could ever take me.

I questioned my faith on multiple occasions, I asked God why he would allow something like this happen to anyone. After countless nights of terrors where demons engulfed me, I prayed for peace of mind. Through Him I learned the power of forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7 states, “In him we have redemption

through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (NIV). I realized that I had to forgive the perpetrator so I could live my life according to God’s will. If I had not chosen forgiveness, I would be choosing to carry around metaphorical garbage bags of pain that didn’t belong to me.

Walking up to the start line of the sectional race, my heart was beating out of my chest.

It started to drizzle, the pellets rolling down my skin like a wheel. I looked up to see the tremendous clouds engulf the beautiful blue sky. The sky made me feel so small, but this moment was significant.

Unfortunately, the odds were against me.

I ranked fifth in the standings based on prior meet times, I needed to get second or higher to advance to the prestigious state meet. Doubt overwhelmed my mind, but my coaches, teammates, and even principal assured me that it was possible. The hours I had put in after school had prepared me for this moment. This was more than just a race against my peers. It was a race against myself.

My mind filled with a multitude of scenarios.

I had to clear my mind like cleaning off a whiteboard, a blank slate. It was finally my time to step up to the line, quite literally, for my team and to claim the sectional title.

If we won the sectional title, it would be the first in school history. We were in a dog fight against our rivals, Providence. If I could beat the two Providence runners, not only would I advance to state, but I would help my team bring home a sectional championship. It was far more than a sectional championship, though. It was a beloved memory of what persistent hard work can do.

My mind was a tornado as I let my legs lead me towards the finish line. Powerful. My ankle had a piercing pain, as I had accidently rolled it days before. Persistence. As I came closer and closer I had a bitter taste of accomplishment in my mouth. Victorious.

The crowd was a thundering roar as I crossed the finish line. Pride. My legs could not hold up my limp body. Commitment. I just punched my ticket to state. Success.

As the season progressed after the assault, I decided to run for Him instead of myself.

Running was my release from the distress I was facing, and God was able to guide me to succeed. The sectional race was me running for my life, and God guided each step of it intentionally. The track settled my mind, as my legs powered through the weights of the mental barriers. The more I pushed through the physical pain of running, the easier it was for me to put at ease the twisted tornado that swarmed through my brain. Giving 101% isn’t done on your own, it is through Him. As my body crumpled and I laid limp on the track, I may have looked dead, but I had never felt more alive.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

Corinne Weber, SENIOR Someone to Talk To “Greenville University Annex, this is Corinne speaking. How can I help you?” I pick up the chiming telephone and recite a typical customer service greeting, perhaps trying too hard to sound professional for a college-aged lifeguard who makes $7.25 an hour. On the other end, I hear an older gentleman’s voice inquiring about the cost of an individual pool membership. I read off the price list including the senior discount, but he asks about a certain insurance benefit that I’m unsure of so I tell him my boss will have to call him back.

I carry on with my day as usual and nearly forget to tell my boss about the wondering gentleman until later that evening.

Two days passed, and I received a text stating that I was assigned to be 1:1 with a patient during my shift that night at the hospital.

This patient had admitted himself to the ER that morning because he was having suicidal thoughts. I arrived at work and entered the patient’s room to find a pleasant man, maybe in his 60’s, sitting on the bed. He introduced himself to me as Timothy* and we made small talk at first, but something struck me as familiar when I noticed Timothy’s last name on his medical chart. Skeptically I asked, “Did you call the Annex a couple days ago to ask about a pool membership?”

He answered, “Yes.” A moment of epiphany occurred as we both realized that we had talked on the phone earlier that week and were now face-to-face, a meeting that felt more than just a coincidence. I knew Greenville was a small town, but what were the odds that I would be the one to answer the phone that day at the Annex, and then meet the caller only days later? At 11pm, the nurse walked in and asked Timothy if he was still having thoughts of hurting himself.

Timothy responded, “No, not at the moment.

I have company and someone to talk to.”

I sat with Timothy for the entirety of my 12-hour shift, from 7pm to 7am the next morning. We talked about our faith in God, and I read Psalm 51 to him from a New Testament book that was in the nightstand.

While reading verses 10-12, I glanced over at Timothy and saw him lying on the bed with his eyes closed and a peaceful smile on his face. Pure serenity.

Psalm 51:10-12 10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Since my encounter with Timothy, I have become more aware of the many interactions I have with various people on a daily basis, especially at my workplaces. I am a parttime student this year, and I have been working four jobs this semester: a lifeguard at the Annex, an academic coach in Student Success, a teaching assistant for a UNIV102 class, and a nurse assistant at Holy Family Hospital. This workload averages to be about 38 hours/week, which is basically like working a full-time job without the benefit of getting paid overtime. It can be overwhelming at times, but I’ve learned that God can use my busyness to perform His business. God places specific people in our lives that He wants us to help Him reach. I didn’t know that Timothy was feeling depressed the day he called, nor could I have predicted that I would have the opportunity to speak truth into his life days later. As followers of Christ, we are called to be witnesses of God’s love for His people. According to 2 Timothy 3:17, we have all been “thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Whomever is reading this, is there someone who God is encouraging you to reach out to? How can you use your particular gifts to show them God’s love?

I saw Timothy a few weeks ago at the Annex.

I hardly recognized him; he had shaved his beard and was wearing regular clothes instead of the hospital gown that I had previously seen him in. We chatted briefly, and he told me that he had been feeling a lot better since he had been discharged. He looked happier, and I was content knowing that I may have helped this man in some small way by sharing God’s joy with him during a difficult time.

If you or a loved one are having thoughts about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-2738255 for 24/7, free and confidential support.

You are not alone. *Name has been changed for confidentiality purposes

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NO

TIME FOR THE GYM CHRISTINA BO WMAN

Health and wellness have become trendy topics among millennials, yet many people – primarily students – view them as lowpriority. With only 24 hours in the day, most people either don’t have an extra hour or don’t want to use an hour to work out or take care of their bodies. Why is that? No one says, “I really regret that run” or “I really wish I didn’t do that yoga session today.” If you are someone who does not have an extra three to five hours to perform a physical activity every week, there are other ways to make sure to keep yourself healthy and fit, and they stem from the way we fuel our body.

The first and most obvious priority in physical wellness is diet. There are many sources that say that a diet is the cause of 70 percent of weight loss, and working out is only 30 percent. However, it’s important for us to not look at our bodies as simply calories-in, calories-out machines, but to realize that

they are more complex than that. According to Men’s Fitness Magazine, “Thinking of your body as a bank where you just cash in and check out calories neglects the fact that your hormones matter most for lasting fat loss.”

The article also describes the important role metabolism plays. Fueling the body with the right foods may mean skipping that late night McDonald’s run or dessert line in the buffet, but in the end your body will reward you in a way that gives you more energy and won’t leave you lethargic.

In addition to food, drinks also affect the body. Although it is a major part of many cultures — the United States included — alcohol has little to no health benefits. The body fights to burn off the extra calories from the alcohol before it can deal with the calories from carbs, protein, and fat. There is also a common belief that a glass of red wine is good for the heart. This may not

opinion

necessarily be wrong, as red wine contains antioxidants called polyphenols. However, many people forget that coffee, tea, and other drinks are known to carry the same antioxidants without the negative health effects of alcohol. Soda is another drink that lacks any nutritional value and should be cut out of everyone’s diet due to the sugar and carbonation it contains. When looking for healthy choices in drinks, water should always be number one, followed by zerocalorie, antioxidant beverages such as black coffee or unsweetened tea.

In reality, health is really important to our lives, even if we don’t have time to dedicate an extra hour every day to make it to the gym. Thankfully, the body can be kept healthy by simply fueling it the right way with little to no extra time taken out of our day, but being healthy and being fit are not necessarily the same thing. Depending on your goals, if you are more interested in being fit and still can’t find the time, there are little steps you can take that will help toward that goal over time. A few strategies include taking the stairs, parking farther away, taking a walk instead of going out to eat, biking places instead of driving, and doing calisthenics while you are watching TV. Regardless of your fitness goals, what you put in your body is most important.

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the

NEED

to

SERVE

Josiah Mohr

Humans are incredibly needy people. Even in our highly individualized and self-sufficient culture, there seems to be no shortage of the expression of personal need. We all have an insatiable degree of irritable, impatient, and entitled needs that we feel must be shared with everyone. We overuse the word “need,” declaring our need for more time, sleep, money, and stuff, many times substituting it for our more appropriately labeled “wants.”

But what if we considered this unsettling negative trend of excessive acknowledgement of personal “need” from a different perspective?

Humans are indeed incredibly needy people, but in modern culture we tend to lose perspective on the existence of true need.

We so often complain about our insatiable desires that we do not pay attention to the honest but hidden needs of those same people. Thanks to the overabundant use of the word “need,” we may also miss people who do suffer from poverty and prejudice, who are truly in need of basic food, shelter, health, and friendship. How then should we consider the reality that we are all unaware of the true need in the lives around us?

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is perhaps the most popular representation of the varying levels and interpretations of need. His analysis proposed what could linearly define the true needs of humans. As we achieve the provision of one need, we will continue to ascend the hierarchy in an attempt to fulfill the next need until ultimate contentment is met and all needs are, theoretically, provided for. At the base is provision for physiological health, which includes food and water, and is closely followed by the physical need for shelter and safety. Ascension upward looks toward mental and emotional states, requiring a sense of collective belonging and individual self-esteem. The theory’s model peaks with self-actualization, a state of being in which we completely achieve our greatest individual potential and personal understanding. This suggests that the pinnacle of human existence is exceptionally

42

independent and indifferent to the state of the community. Such a suggestion reflects an excessive focus on personal need.

However, unbeknownst to many who are aware of Maslow’s theory, the famous psychologist came to a further conclusion, revising his own hierarchy of needs late in his career. He first proposed the popular hierarchy in 1943, but as time was his teacher, Maslow revised the concept 26 years later to encompass an even higher motivational state of existence – the need for self-transcendence. This is not an elitist concept that places those who have “transcended” on some higher plane of existence. In fact, the reality of a “transcended” existence is far more grounded than a reality that is only “actualized.”

Self-actualization does well with its ability to affirm and reinforce the value of our individual identities, giving us the highest level of respect for our own existence.

But what it does not do well is permit an awareness of perspectives outside of ourselves, remaining solely focused on fulfilling our own needs and wants. Selftranscendence doesn’t abandon such elevated self-esteem; rather, it develops that affirmation to also encompass those on the periphery of our of own existence and to become aware of the perspectives and needs that are present in the whole of the community. Ultimately, by becoming aware in this way, the role of the community becomes integral rather than simply peripheral to existence, motivating service for instead of service from the community.

All of this psychology is good and wellintended, but leaving self-transcendence as only a matter of cognitive discussion is quite redundant and socially hypocritical. If having a better understanding of such psychology is only to bolster our own self-image and establish a good theoretical morale without motivating us to a new state of activity, then we have yet to even reach the state of self-

actualization. To remedy this tendency, let us then consider just how we might go about truly transcending our focus on ourselves by asking the question, “What activities can bring empowering benefit to people who are truly in need, while simultaneously motivating each us to be a person who healthily benefits from the pursuit of selftranscendence?”

This question addresses two key factors in the pursuit of self-transcendence. The first is the empowerment of the needy. The modern cultural flaw of excessive acknowledgment of need often further develops into the excessive focus on receiving credit for meeting someone’s need. Recognition should be encouraged when it is well deserved, but too often our “need” for recognition causes us to fulfill another’s need in a way that at best is temporary and at worst creates a sense of dependency. In psychological comparison to self-actualization, this is at best one step down as an issue of self-esteem and at worst yet another step down as a need for collective belonging.

A more appropriate approach to the pursuit of self-transcendence is empowering the community members to meet their own needs, which also includes an awareness of the context of the community. Each of our investments may look completely foreign to another. The old adage that is often used to explain this concept is along the lines of “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but teach a man to fish and he will never hunger again.” This is quite good in theory, but it makes a few assumptions from which we could learn how to better invest.

If the community in which we are investing doesn’t have a source of fish, teaching him to fish still doesn’t help. The need can also be perpetuated if the community doesn’t have easy access to fishing poles or other tools of the trade. Self-transcendence is much more than simply passing on general knowledge, even if it is with a kind heart.

Self-transcendence is becoming even more fully aware of the resources that are available to a specific community or even person.

Humanity’s greatest need is not the selfish fulfillment our own desires, nor is it to selfishly fix the world’s problems. The greatest human need is for selfless service to the communities in which we are invested. This is self-transcendence: having the awareness to serve another while simultaneously having the humility to admit our own needs.

So far we have discussed the transcendent side of self-transcendence. But this is, after all, the hierarchy of our own individual needs and there is an element of self involved. A transcendent perspective of self is not one that is selfish but it is, however, a self-caring one, that is aware personal boundaries. This is an all-too-common observable problem among many aspiring transcendentalists.

Serving others with complete abandon may sound like a wonderfully noble cause, but such sacrifice can quickly lead to either premature burnout or martyrdom, doing no benefit to ourselves or our communities. We must be humble enough to admit that we ourselves also have needs and must dedicate time to meet those needs.

“Humans are indeed incredibly needy people, but in modern culture we tend to lose perspective on the existence of true need.”

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Since Broadway blossomed in the 1930s and 1940s with writers such as Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin, and George Gershwin, filmmakers have jumped at the opportunity to make Broadway hits into feature films. From “West Side Story” (1961) to “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971) to “Hairspray” (1988, 2007) to “Rent” (2005) to “Les Miserables” (2012), these movie adaptions attempt to capture the beauty of the music, the impact of the plot, and the “wow” factor of the original musicals. However, many times these movie directors fail.

Why is that?

THE MOVIE MUSICAL MEDIUM MA N

Some would say that it’s because movies simply cannot capture the thrill of seeing a musical performed on stage. How could a movie possibly represent the brilliant lights and the swelling orchestra, the raw vocal talent, the clack of tap shoes echoing in a giant hall, the communal experience of laughter and tears shared by a theater audience? There is an aliveness in an anticipatory theater crowd that cannot be replicated in your living room, or even in a movie theater. Movies are a less interactive, farther-away representation of an otherwise up-close-and-personal experience. A night out at the theater is a night to remember, but nowadays we see movies quite often. For example, seeing the Broadway tour version of “West Side Story” was astounding; the beyond-impressive dance numbers brought me to tears. While the dancing is still interesting to watch in the movie version, it is not a show-stopping, thrill-giving experience to observe.

P DY

Perhaps it’s the plot points, characters, or songs that most movies have to cut out of the original musicals to create an audience-friendly and reasonably long film. Just as movie versions of books often lose meat and power, so do movie versions of musicals. Though a necessary casualty of the movie form, it is a discouraging reality for musical fanatics who simply want to see their favorite musical over and over.

N EN

TON ING

Another casualty of the movie musical is the lack of live singing in most cases. Most sound in movies is already overdubbed, so the fact that the music is as well is an inherent reality. Though dubbed vocals are usually cleaner and more precise, they sometimes lack authentic emotion, especially paired with on-screen actors who sometimes are not even singing for themselves. Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story,” which has arguably some of the best musical theater music of all time, lost some emotional authenticity when the directors cast non-singing actors in the movie version. In this area, the 2012 version of “Les Miserables” is commendable; it was one of the first feature film musicals to record all of the singing live. “Les Miserables” has a distinctly vulnerable, authentic, and rough feel to it, which contributes to the general aesthetic of the story and stays true to the original musical.

This leads to my main critique of movie musicals: the casting. The crisp New York City air and the nation’s brightest stage lights create and foster Broadway’s biggest stars. However, sometimes these stars are only stars within their city, or within the musical theater community. We’ve all heard of Broadway belters like Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, and Idina Menzel, but there are so many more stars that, though revered in New York City, are unknown to the rest of the world.

.

When film directors are casting for musical movie adaptations, they are faced with a dilemma. They can either cast Broadway stars, whose talents are certainly worthy of the roles, or they can cast big-name Hollywood actors, who will break the box office records. Sadly, most directors choose the latter. Certainly, some actors fit both molds: big-name Hollywooders who can also sing and dance pretty well; however, others get their vocals dubbed and are taught dumbeddown dance moves, hired only for their acting talent….in a musical.

Sacrificing the integrity of what the musical is meant to be for ticket sales is the opposite of musical theater’s purpose. “Les Miserables” is a good example of this point. Though beautiful and brilliant, the movie did star many big name actors such as Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, and Helena Bonham Carter. The only actual professional Broadway actress in the film was Samantha Barks, who played her character, Eponine, at the Queen’s Theatre in London for a year, and also in the 25th anniversary concert version. Without even knowing this, I found her character the strongest and most sincere vocalist.

Now, I am not against casting actors who are both talented and wellknown. The movie version of “Fiddler on the Roof”—which is, in my opinion, one of the best musical movie adaptations—stars Topol, who was a popular Israeli theatrical, film, and television actor, among other things, before being cast in the role. However, Topol perfectly embodied the role of Tevye, and was more than adequate at fulfilling its demands. After the movie was filmed, he performed in the stage production more than 3,500 times.

In case you have finished this article thinking that I hate movie musicals, let me assure you that I certainly do not. I love the ability to watch my favorite musicals again and again without paying $100 for nosebleed seats in a theater. It is, however, important to realize what we are missing when we see a movie adaptation, and that if we dislike a movie version, we may actually love the stage version—the way the musical was originally intended.

As a closing sidenote, at least the directors of Les Miserables didn’t cast Taylor Swift as Eponine. I may have died.

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45

IT’S A

CRAFTING YOUR

LIFE

IN AN OVERPOPULATED WORLD

WONDERFUL JOSIAH MOHR

M

Many reflective pieces of literature tend to have a remorseful or somber tone that brings the author and the reader to a place of contemplation. Sometimes the piece imagines a better future or reminisces over a memorable past, but not often enough is there a contemplative piece that brings life in its present state into positive perspective. Such an appreciative perspective would do good for many stressed, lonely, angsty, confused, or indifferent people. To remedy this lack of present perspective on what really matters in life, a lesson could well be learned from a particularly relatable character, hopefully providing us with some revelation on the matter.

Allow me to tell the story of a character by the name of George Bailey, the main protagonist of the cult classic film “It’s A Wonderful Life” (1946). His is a story all too familiar to many of us. The beginning of the movie communicates George’s ambitions and dreams to travel the world, to gain personal enlightenment, and to build the biggest buildings in the world. But George also admirably holds an unwavering commitment to his family and his community.

Preparing to fulfill those very dreams of travel and education, George gets news that his father, a benevolent loan banker, has suddenly died. To prevent the closing of the generous Bailey Building and Loan business that his father started, George decides he must stay in order to keep the business open and preserve the legacy of his father to empower and advocate for the underprivileged. And so begins his settled life, certainly not the one he envisioned but nevertheless a successful one — that is, until a crisis strikes his family’s business, putting his entire life in jeopardy of falling apart.

Disaster strikes when an employee misplaces a large sum of money.

With the bank examiner preparing to review the business, George Bailey envisions a potential criminal charge of fraud. Through both the suppression of his life dreams and this financial debacle, it becomes convincingly clear to George that his dreams will soon be entirely out of reach and that the supplementary life he made with his family will be taken from him as well. With the belief that his integrity has been shattered and that he is destined for jail, George decides 46

that he can’t stand to live such a life. As the stress, the loneliness, the anxiety, the confusion, and the indifference crowd his mind, he sees no escape but to end it all in an icy river.

Within such desperate thought, George fails to see the blessing that he is to so many people. He fails to see the wonder in his wife, his family, his community, and his business — fails to see his own wonderful life. In order to understand this, George had to see a glimpse of the community’s existence without him it. He is given the opportunity to experience an alternative reality that showed the effects of his absence. To his astonishment, the community looked horrifically unrecognizable, dominated by immorality, uncharacteristic personalities, an inflated economy, the death of many individuals, and the absence of so many more.

Much like George, we too often discredit ourselves and fail to see the ripple effect that each of our lives has in the communities in which we participate. Like George, we look to the past to see what we had or what we missed, and we look to the future in search of gratification or potential. But what we fail to do — once again, much like George — is rest in the present and take the time to gain a perspective on our current circumstances.

Returning to the reality of his broken but existing life, George Bailey finds a community that is very much concerned about him. He finds a community that is willing to show exponentially more care than he was ever able to give them, providing the funds to cover the finances that were accidentally lost from the business. Within that community, he finds redemption and resurrection, providing him with a new perspective, a new passion, and a new purpose in life.

What, then, in our present situations could inspire a fresh, appreciative, and present posture? A good place to start would certainly be in the communities in which we have invested ourselves.

Maybe from there we can begin to see that, despite the very normal and expected stress, loneliness, angst, confusion, and indifference that all too often permeate our mundanely perceived lives, it truly is a wonderful life that is worth living.

E C I O V ANTHONY ZATARAY It takes three things to have a voice in today’s society: something you want to say, a platform to voice your opinion, and the ability to be consistent. In the current world, there are millions of different voices, and if you are trying to throw yours into the mix, you must ask yourself: Does this even make a difference? I understand the feeling because, as a writer, I know that writing can be very challenging; you can put in a lot of long hours and hard work, just to go unnoticed. Thankfully, I have learned a few things that have helped me along my journey, and hopefully they will help you with trying to make a difference.

First, have something worth saying. That is important because if whatever you are trying to say does not have any validity, then your voice will always go unnoticed or unappreciated. Here are some tips for formulating higher levels of opinions. First, try to be as informed as possible in whatever it is that you have an opinion about. For example, if you have an opinion about the misrepresentation of Latin Americans in the media, then research and find some background history of Latin Americans and the ways that they have been misrepresented.

In addition, find information from current events to support your opinion. Next, do further research to locate other people with similar opinions, either in person or online, and see what they are saying about it, and what has already been said about this topic.

You can use these findings and formulate new and interesting angles on the topic with your own expertise. Third, make an attempt to formulate an opinion in a creative and organized way. Whenever you voice an opinion through writing, make sure that it is has been read and proofreaded thoroughly, not only by your own eyes but by the eyes of others, before it is presented to the public. This ensures writing that is free of grammatical errors and is clear, organized, and insightful. Being clear, organized, and insightful is the foundation of any good opinion that people will want to hear. It is through these three characteristics that people find value in your opinions. When people find worth in your writing, you start to make a difference.

Second, have a platform on which to express your opinion. Having a platform is just as important as having the opinion.

Fortunately, there are a lot of different platforms that are free and easily accessible.

The first one is the social media application Instagram. Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms in the current day; it has over 600 million users and around 100 million posts daily. This is a utilitarian platform because it is free to use and allows users to get their posts in front of many eyes. Companies and artists, such as Adidas, Fit Tea, and John Mayer, have turned to this app to help their marketing plans. It is good to keep in mind that Instagram is a better tool to display visual expression such as photography and video; and it’s a good resource to promote other platforms that you may have. Another platform is Twitter.

This platform is a bit of a different type of expression. A lot of educators promote their teachings and knowledge on this website.

Also, Twitter is an easier way for your opinion to disseminate because of retweeting (reposting or forwarding to other users) and liking. Twitter has also proven success with expression of opinion. Very recently, the Parkland survivors used Twitter to shut down conspiracy theories that they’re paid “crisis actors.” They also used Twitter to put together their recent March For Our Lives international protest. Lastly, a blogging website called Medium Blog is a great resource to promote opinions through writing. The algorithm of this website is unclear, but my experience with it has been great because Medium

Blog has personally given me an easy and organized way to create blogs and get them in front of more people than I could imagine.

I use Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook to promote my blogs on Medium.

At first, I was receiving roughly 25-30 views and 15-20 reads. Recently, one of my blogs received more than 1,000 views and 500 reads. Now, when I post blogs I receive on average 90-100 views and 50-60 reads.

Third, be consistent. One of the most important things in establishing a voice in today’s world is to be consistent. This is an important characteristic to have because nothing happens overnight. In order to have people take your opinion seriously you need to build credibility, and this comes through consistent good work. The more pieces of writing or videos that are posted, the more opportunities people have to find your work.

Don’t forget that once people begin to notice your work, you begin to build a following and your opinion makes a difference to more and more people.

Keep moving forward and keep trying to make a difference. Sometimes it can seem that you’ve taken on an impossible task, but a well-established opinion on many different platforms will find its way eventually to many people. Never forget the power of one.

Once you get one person to start reading and following your work, hold on to that and stay positive. It is possible.

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Graduation Pre-Reqs Going into college, most students don’t know what to expect, and they definitely don’t know what activities are necessary for a full college experience. So, just for you, here are 10 things you should do during your time as an undergraduate.

2. Pull an AllNighter Studying

Christina Bowman

1. Live in a Dorm for at Least 1 Year

This is something everyone should experience at least once in their college career. Not only does it help with making new friends and getting to know people, but it also will make you appreciate living in an apartment or house.

6. Go on a Trip College is the time to go on a trip before you’re held down by a real full-time job. A lot of colleges and universities offer study abroad programs, spring break trips, and more. Look for opportunities, and if you can’t make it happen during the school year, see what you can do during the summer!

This is not something anyone necessarily wants to do, but it will almost inevitably happen at least once during your college years. When it does happen, it will make you think twice about putting off studying until the last minute.

This is especially true if you are attending a college far from your hometown. It’s a great way to get out with friends and try something new. You never know what local gem you may find.

3. Learn H ow to Brew Your Own Coffee

4. Learn H ow to Cook at Least 5 Meals Don’t be clueless when you graduate and are on your own.

This can be a fun one if you learn different brewing methods. It also can be expensive, depending on the kind of coffee you enjoy. Most of us can’t afford to go to coffee shops or buy boxes of K-cups regularly, but if you make your own coffee a couple of times a week or for gettogethers with friends, it shouldn’t be a problem. Besides being fun, it’s just an important skill to have. If you don’t like coffee, learn to brew tea—that should be pretty simple.

You don’t want to eat ramen noodles and easy mac forever.

It’s great to know a few different meals for when people come over or you are sick of going out.

8. Go Camping There may be somewhere to camp nearby, but if not, look to see if there are any state or national parks within a 100-mile radius of your school.

This makes for a great weekend trip for a group of friends; go camping, hiking, and get out and enjoy nature away from the stress of school.

9. Get a Part-Time Job It’s never a bad idea to make a little money in your free time while you are going to school, especially if you are a student who likes to go out on the weekends or buy a daily coffee.

Money seems to be in short supply during this period of life.

10. Keep a Journal 5. Go H ome with Your Roommate

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7. Try the Local Restaurants

This one only really makes sense if you and your roommate are friends or have a good relationship. You are living with them for at least a year, so why not get to know them even better by taking a trip to their hometown, even if it’s just for the weekend.

You won’t regret this, especially after you graduate.

During your time at school, experiences will become memories that you won’t want to forget.

One of the best ways to remember them is to write them down daily, weekly, or even just monthly.

These are just 10 of many college experiences everyone

should have at least once! There are many more. College is a wonderful time in life and it should be used to grow and mature as a person. In college, you may make lifelong best friends and priceless memories, so don’t waste the time you have. There are many opportunities available that may not show up again at other points in your life, so make the most of your four years as an undergraduate by living to the fullest.

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EARLY You manage to be ready for bed by eleven, and optimistically set your alarm to a couple of hours before your first morning class. Lying in bed, you plan what you will accomplish in your extra time: maybe cook breakfast, enjoy your Keurig coffee in a mug instead of a travel cup, read a novel, get a headstart on some homework, or solve all of life’s greatest questions. However, you can’t fall asleep, and eventually roll over into that inevitably uncomfortable position that’s necessary to keep your phone plugged in while you scroll through Twitter. Later you drift off, but when your alarm jolts you awake in the morning you reset it, or maybe just snooze it repeatedly until you absolutely have to get ready for class. Sound familiar?

This never-ending battle has been a part of my routine since I started college, and I am perhaps the least qualified person to tell you how to get up early. I stay up late and wake up at the latest time possible, but I can’t say

TO

Summer Mengarelli

I enjoy it. I know that the days when I get up a little earlier and read or practice yoga or even just watch Netflix before my first class are the days when I feel least anxious and most prepared. I’ve read plenty of articles on how to get up early, and they’re all filled with tips like setting a glass of water on your nightstand to drink as soon as you wake up, or turning off technology an hour before bed (okay, that’s actually a good idea).

Nonetheless, even if I try to follow these tips for a few nights, I never stick to it long enough to adjust my circadian rhythm, and soon I’m back to the usual.

Here’s the catch, though: I am not sure that we all need to try to get up early every day.

Yes, research shows that early risers are more productive and yes, there are far too many articles reminding us that CEOs get up early, and yes, obviously, that must be the key to their success — that, and a robust diet of capitalistic greed and blatant disregard for

TRY TO REGULATE YOUR SCHEDULE. If you have an 8:30 a.m. class on

1.

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, try to get up at the same time on Tuesday and Thursday, even if you don’t have class until later. This may mean that you’re not getting up any earlier on the days of your morning class, but even that extra time on Tuesdays and Thursdays will allow you to get more done. Once you get into a regular schedule, you can consider pushing it back a bit so you have extra time every morning, even the days you have class. This will all work best if you go to bed at the same time every night, but that may not be realistic if your obligations extend later into the evening on some days, or if you enjoy hanging out with friends late. Regardless, try to get into bed in time to get seven to nine hours of sleep.

WAKE UP WHEN YOU’RE ALREADY SLEEPING LIGHTLY.

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R ISE

2.

You go through periods of REM (rapid eye movement) and non-REM sleep throughout your sleep cycle, and it’s a lot easier to wake up during non-REM cycles. Apps such as Pillow and Sleep Time can help track your sleep cycles. They function similarly: You open the app, set the time you need to be up, and leave your phone on the side of the bed as you sleep. The app will wake you up sometime before the time you set, whenever you are in the lightest phase of the sleep cycle, and will also provide statistics such as how many cycles you experienced and how long you slept.

the welfare of the common worker. As worthy of emulation as this sounds, I would much rather get an extra hour of sleep.

There are a lot of reasons why early rising may be difficult for a college student: You may have a job that necessitates going to bed late, or your days might be so full of classes and other activities that the only time you have to study is late in the evening. Or maybe you’re one of the ever-decreasing number of college students who still have the time and energy for a social life after class.

Most of us get up relatively early for class at least a few days a week, and I fault no one for sleeping in on the other days. However, if you are looking to increase your productivity in the mornings, or simply want time before class to relax and prepare for the day, here are a few tips that are more practical for college students.

3.

4.

HAVE A REASON TO GET UP.

Even if you have a list of things you would like to do in the morning, often when the alarm goes off you can talk yourself into sleeping more anyway. It may be helpful, especially when you’re developing the habit of getting up earlier, to schedule things in the morning. I take a 7:30 a.m. yoga class most Saturdays, and it is not only a really nice way to start the weekend, but also a way to insure that I don’t sleep in too much and throw off my schedule for the coming week. You could try an early-morning coffee date with a friend once a week, or set a time in the morning to go to the gym with someone who will encourage you to stick to that time.

The Search

for Peacemakers Most of us want peace. Very few of us are willing to make it. A lot of times a peacemaker might be viewed as someone who avoids conflict and minds their own business. However, this is not what Jesus wanted peacemaking to be. He wants us to engage in conflict – not to inflict it, but to resolve it. A peacemaker is always looking for ways to bring justice, harmony, repentance, and reconciliation. The life of Jesus, the almighty peacemaker, shows just how difficult and dangerous this work really is.

Who are the peacemakers among us today, and how do we join in? The peacemakers are those who use the Gospel in evangelism and in resolving conflict. In order for us to be a part of the population of peacemakers we must apply the good news of Jesus in every conflict we encounter. In order for us to take on this mission and title, we must be at a place of personal peace and reconciliation with God. This is the only way we can bring peace to others. Having tasted and seen that God is good allows us to find our greatest desire for others – to have peace with God and those around them – as well.

My friends and I spend quite a bit of time at the Delmar Loop in St. Louis. Every time we make our way down there, we see several people in a circle wearing all black with white face masks, holding TVs. They don’t say anything; they just stand in silence and let the video play. The videos show the harsh truth of how cruel we are to animals and how we should make the choice not to consume meat. I think a lot of times protesters are labeled as troublemakers. Instead, they are

fighting for what they believe is right. While some groups of protesters are indeed only causing chaos, most of them only want a resolution of peace. The protesters on the Loop are engaging in disagreement so they can kindly resolve the problem of animal abuse.

Today elders and authorities grumble over young protesters and people being involved in drama. They don’t understand that the ultimate end goal is to bring peace just as Jesus did. The majority of the time, we Christians are expected to stay in a bubble and create a personal peace within ourselves.

We are almost expected not to engage in any conflict or step out of the “holier than thou” boundary. However, that’s not what Jesus called us Christians to do at all. He called each and every one of us to take his hand, step out, and be a part of the conflict. He is searching for peacemakers that he can use.

Will you be one?

Jesus warned that his truth would bring strife, but the point of his mission was to bring peace. If we find peace with God, the pursuit of peace with and for others should be our goal as well. We cannot bring peace by our own strength, though. Peace can only found when there is a personal, deep, and lasting change within our hearts. The free and undeserved grace that God gives us is exactly what we need to be able to share that same grace with others. We should all keep this in mind when we are in conflict with our parents, church family, and friends. We need grace. Our peacemaking efforts should be placed into action with prayer.

Victoria Fisher

Peacekeeping isn’t glamorous; it’s messy and unpleasant. Protesters, I’m sure, get a lot of hate from the outside world. However, friends engulfed in arguments with other close friends are not always in the wrong. If our end goal is to make a situation right, then it is our job to step in and bring the peace— otherwise where else will it come from? What matters in the end is that we put ourselves in a situation that may not feel comfortable so we can lovingly address the argument to soothe the quarrel within.

The blessing promised to those who bring peace is the approval of being the “child of God.” Peacemaking is not only hard, but it is blessed. When we are rooted firmly in the peace of Christ, we must make Christ our model to follow. His peacemaking earned him hatred from religious leaders. His peacemaking led him to the garden, not for a midnight refreshment, but for an overflowing amount of wrath. His peacemaking led him to the cross. It led him to darkness.

But it also led him to a crown, a throne, and a people from every tongue and nation.

This is the expectation of peacemakers. They have scarred skin and have been despised, but their harvest is full and their title is no cause for shame. They shall be called children of God.

PLACE YOUR ALARM ACROSS THE ROOM. This worked for me for awhile, until I got

an Echo Dot and discovered the joy of yelling at Alexa to snooze from across the room. If you are using a sleep app like the ones listed above, this won’t work for you either, since you need to keep your phone beside you and the app will function as your alarm, anyway. However, in any other circumstance, this often-repeated tip is likely to decrease the amount of times you snooze before you get out of bed for good.

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In a world full of philosophies and idioms, opinions and morals, we find that living is a tightrope walk over the large abyss of failure and discontentment. We grow up hearing about Dave Ramsey and credit card debt and mortgages and student loans, and are warned to save every penny lest we end up shoeless. When we get to high school, we thank God that our parents still pay for our phone bill, work overtime at our minimum wage jobs, and try to get good grades so maybe we won’t have to take out quite as many student loans when we get to college.

Making it count:

Pennies OR

Moments Mandy Pennington

We are also taught about the importance of relationships. We spend our childhood making and losing friends, fighting and making up with our family, and all the while being told that these relationships are more important than achievements, jobs, money, or anything else. In the end, love is all that really matters, and college is the time to make lifelong friendships — no pressure, though.

Then, when we finally get to college, we encounter a huge clash between these two values of money and relationships.

Suddenly, we are on our own, allowed to do whatever we want with our hard-earned money without anyone looking over our shoulders (that is, unless your mom has access to your bank account). We show up on campus and within a week we’ve made those instant freshman-year BFFs, and we find ourselves going out to eat every other night and spending our life savings on gas to get to the mall or the movie theater or, in our case here at Greenville, the nearest Walmart. We can’t just say no to all of these activities and stop hanging out with our friends, but we wonder how our friends have all that money. (Secret: maybe they don’t, either. Suggest some free activities.)

Count your pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves.

This is a conundrum that I’ve struggled with throughout my time at Greenville.

How do you live on a budget and stick to it when you are a part of a friend group that loves to go out to eat all of the time?

How do you manage a coffee budget of $10 a week if you have more than two coffee dates that week? I’ve found myself at both ends of the spectrum over the last four years. During my freshman and sophomore years, I didn’t work a job, and was living off of my savings from high school (and, of course, giant student loans). When you’re a freshman, college is 52

so incredibly exciting and new friendships are so incredibly exciting and you want to do anything and everything you can. This was definitely the case for me. I was the queen of 3am Walmart runs and “I just NEED a Mcflurry right now or I’ll simply die,” and this kept my friendships alive and flourishing for awhile. I loved to take a road trip to Fairview Heights and shop with girl friends, and I didn’t think twice about the large amounts of money I was spending on things at Walmart that I didn’t really need — things I just

with dear friends that used to brighten my week because I couldn’t face the temptation of being in Adam Bros (I mean, come on, it’s so amazing).

It is no exaggeration when I say that my tightly-strung budget began to weaken my friendships. It was an unhappy place to be.

The reality is that there is absolutely a happy medium between the two. I’ve begun to find it here at the very end of my college career, though perhaps now I’ve swung a little too far the other direction.

FOR EVERY MOMENT YOU ARE BLUE YOU LOSE SIXTY SECONDS OF HAPPINESS. LIFE C O M E S A N D G O E S V E R Y Q U I C K LY, S O M A K E EVERY MOMENT COUNT.

bought because I was there.

However, what happened was simple — I just ran out of money, and even so I would find myself going out to eat with friends, promising to buy nothing and then unable to resist when the menu was placed in front of me.

My junior year, I got four jobs and saw the error of my irrational money-spending ways. I confined myself to the tightest budget of my life — one that was basically just no spending whatsoever. I didn’t buy groceries because I could just eat at the D.C. I didn’t spend money on gas because I could either get a friend to drive me or just not go. I didn’t buy any clothes because I didn’t need them (okay, that one was actually completely valid). I found myself turning down friends’ offers to hang out and spending nights alone because I couldn’t bring myself to spend a dollar on fries at McDonald’s. Then, of course, my friends would always offer to buy my food for me, which made me feel guilty, because I knew that technically, I had the money in the bank, but I was just refusing to spend it.

I cut down on coffee dates

However, if I’ve learned anything, it’s that I don’t regret the money I spent on large amounts of candy at Walmart my freshman year, because that time at Walmart fostered my friendships. I don’t regret buying the most expensive and frivolous lattes at Adam Bros every week, because I had some of the most downto-earth and meaningful conversations with people across those tables. My advice to you is not to become frivolous, but that you make a budget and try to stick to it. However, don’t take it too far. At some point, you will learn that relationships are what matter at the end of the day. Count your pennies, but don’t let them take away the moments that should count.

Tips

FOR BUDGETING:

1.

Keep a spreadsheet and update it biweekly. I usually have two spreadsheets; one for income and one for spending. I track both in two-week periods so that I can see how much I spend vs. how much I made per pay period. I also split it up into categories like gas, groceries, eating out, etc., so I can see where I’m spending my money.T here are plenty of apps that can help you keep track of your budget as well! Check out free apps such as Mint, Goodbudget, Wally, Spendee, and more.

2.

3.

After you’ve been tracking your spending for a while, look over your spreadsheet and see what patterns you’ve made. Is there something you’re spending too much money on? If so, set yourself a maximum amount of money you can spend on that certain thing.

There are two ways to do this: You can take out a certain amount of cash every two weeks and only allow yourself to spend however much you have for those two weeks, or you can use a credit/debit card for everything. Using a card is the easiest way for me to track my spending, because I can go back and look through my bank account at the end of two weeks as opposed to keeping track of everything on the spot. I’ve heard of both ways working very well, though.

4.

If being aware of your spending is not enough, make set amounts for yourself and don’t allow yourself to exceed those amounts. Currently, I have a gas budget of $100 per month and food budget of $160 per month. I usually do not spend that much on either, which makes me feel good. Shooting high at first will be more helpful than setting a budget that you can’t keep.

5.

There are plenty of apps that can help you keep track of your budget as well! Check out free apps such as Mint, Goodbudget, Wally, Spendee, and more.

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WH AT WHEN TO DO

WORLD IS

THE

ENDING (LITERAL LY.)

MANDY PENNINGTON

N E I L A Scenario A: INVASION THE

One night, you’re out with your significant other. You just saw a rerun of “The Notebook” in theaters, and you’re feeling extra romantic, so you decide to take a drive. You drive out into the middle of the country, where you park in a cornfield. You both climb on top of your car and lay down, looking up at the stars and eating what’s left of your cold movie theater popcorn.

Your significant other points out an extrashiny star and you both gasp in wonder, holding hands and being all lovey-dovey.

Your significant other is engrossed in the cold popcorn, but you continue watching the star. It’s moving. And it definitely looks like it’s getting closer. You tap your beloved’s arm, but they don’t look up immediately. The star is definitely moving downwards, almost directly above you. You jump off the car, grabbing the popcorn and your significant other. The “star” is plummeting towards you now. You try to turn the car key, but the car won’t start! You curse your dad’s 81-year-old mechanic in your head. You’re panicking now. You push the key so hard that it breaks off in the ignition. You’re flipping kidding me.

You scream and dive into the backseat as there is a huge BOOM and a blinding flash of light. As the smoke clears, you see what has just plummeted into the middle of a field: a giant, flat slab of stone. You get out of the car slowly and go over to inspect it. Your significant other is still trembling with fear in the car. You shake your head.

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The stone is surprisingly smooth, and as you run your hand over it, it glows blue.

You remove your hand in shock. Suddenly, there is a loud hum and you look up to see a giant ship coming down from the sky, slowly descending toward the metal slab. Before you can fathom what is happening, you have to take a moment to admire the fact that an alien spaceship sent down a landing port before they landed. Ingenious.

Feeling like you’re in the movie “Signs,” you creep back to the car, where your beloved is curled into a ball. “Don’t worry,” you say. “I have a plan!” You sneak around back to the trunk, keeping an eye on the spaceship all the while. No sign of movement. Everything’s okay. You open the trunk of the car, move aside your spare tire and uncover a dusty old cardboard box in the very back corner of the trunk. You see the words “In case of Alions” scrawled crudely in sharpie. You’re sure your uncle meant “Aliens.”

Your uncle was a crazy man. Crazy, but now, you realize, very smart. He was always convinced that life forms from other planets were going to attack, and hypothesized about thousands of different scenarios. He was obsessed. When he died, he left you one of his alien survival kits, which you had promptly put into the back of your car and left there to die. Thank God you kept it.

You open the box and inside are two alien masks — both made of crappy plastic, very cliche-looking. Oh no, this is never going to work. The only other thing inside the box is a giant roll of old paper. You open it up.

Inside are written the words “Find the control

station. Press the self-destruct button.” You find it slightly strange that aliens would have a self-destruct button on their ship. It seems too simple. The rest of the sheet of paper is filled with various maps of where the button could be. You throw them back into the trunk. You can handle this.

You hand your significant other one of the masks and motion for them to put it on. They groan but follow your lead. You both watch as the door to the spaceship slowly opens and you both sneak towards it. Nothing seems to come out, so you both walk up the ramp and into the ship. You pass a few aliens as you’re walking down the hall.

Strangely, they look exactly like your cheap masks. Wow, Uncle was spot on. They don’t seem to notice you. Soon, you reach a room that certainly looks like a control room.

Wait, there’s a giant sign that says “Control Room.” Aliens speak English? In the center of the room is a huge red button labeled “Self-destruct.” This is too easy. There’s no one in the room. You step up to it hesitantly and press it. A loud beep begins to sound throughout the ship. Oh no! You and your significant other race for the exit, speeding past aliens who don’t seem to be panicking at all. You get to the bottom of the ramp and the ship starts shaking. You run as far and fast as you can, not quite noticing the other ships that are descending down from the sky. You hear an explosion behind you, and look back to see the spaceship in smoking ruins. Too easy. You’re shocked that it worked.

Boom. You just saved the world. As long as the other aliens get scared off by your incredible feat and never return to planet earth.

BIE M O Z Scenario B: SE P Y L A C O P A THE

So you walk outside of your house one day to see a strange man leaning over what looks to be your….dead dog?? The man stands up slowly and turns around, and in one blinding flash of terror you see your puppy’s mangled brain spilling out of his mouth. The man’s eyes are lifeless, and his flesh is falling off his bones. You realize it in an instant. HE’S A ZOMBIE. You don’t panic. You’ve been training all your life for this very day! The zombie, obviously not satisfied with mutt brain, starts hobbling toward you, hands outstretched just like the zombies in the oldest, cheesiest zombie movies you’ve ever seen. You almost start to laugh, but it’s getting closer, so you run for the door, through the house, yelling “SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS!,” your agreed-upon code word in the case of the zombie apocalypse. Your parents and sister come running down the stairs, yelling the same word in response, and the four of you rush into the kitchen, where you start boiling pots and pots of water. You take a peek out the window and see the zombie awkwardly trying to turn the door handle. You have plenty of time.

Your mom hands you a giant key, a key you thought you might never get to use. You unlock the giant padlock that is holding shut the biggest of the kitchen cabinets. Inside are hundreds of boxes of spaghetti noodles.

It takes the whole family to pour as many noodles as possible into each of the pots, and you begin to make as much spaghetti as humanly possible, piling all of the cooked noodles on the kitchen table. Your sister is stirring the agreed-upon mixture of alfredo sauce, sour cream, jello mix, and pink food coloring. Once the table is overflowing with noodles, you open the secret compartment in the very back of your noodle cabinet and pull out a very special bottle that says “Zombie Poison - May Contain Hazardous Chemicals.”

You let your sister do the honors and watch as she pours it into the paste she has just finished making. Together, your family covers all of the spaghetti noodles in this pink paste and make a giant, squishy, pink blob in the center of your kitchen table. It looks an awful lot like...a brain.

You motion for the family to hide, and they all get in their pre-assigned spots (fridge,

Scenario C: It’s a rainy Monday morning. You’re in your kitchen watching the news with your best friend, Clara. Clara is a slightly strange friend.

Her laugh is a little forced all of the time, and her eyes are a weird shade of gray that you’ve never seen on anyone else. She also doesn’t ever want to eat at your house. In fact, you’ve never actually seen her eat. Oh well! She’s cool. She has an endless supply of dirty jokes that sound like they’re pulled straight off of Google and can answer any trivia question in the world. What a cool friend.

You’re eating your waffle and Clara is watching intently while you both listen to a news story about a sad dog with three legs and his transplant surgery from his dog mate.

How touching. The reporter begins to cry.

Suddenly, the transmission is interrupted

by BREAKING NEWS! The headline reads “Attack of the Bots.” How intriguing! The reporter is speaking frantically, explaining how there has been an outbreak of rogue bots in Japan. They’ve finally developed the ability to think for themselves, and they look

THE OF THE

oven, pantry). You sneak to the door, where the zombie is still trying to push the door open, and open it slowly. You run back to the kitchen before the zombie has a chance to see you. The zombie slowly enters into the kitchen, the floorboards creaking under its disgusting yellowed feet. It sees the spaghetti brain and perks up. You and your family watch it devour the entire thing, shoveling the noodles and the paste into its mouth. You snicker. You’ve won!

When the zombie has finished the entire brain, it starts looking around the room for more. You wonder why the poison hasn’t worked yet. You remember the day your dad came home from the Dollar General with it and said it was “just as a precaution.” Wait a minute. Dollar General?

You pull your handgun out of your back pocket, step out from behind the wall where you were hiding, and shoot the zombie directly in the forehead.

Boom

. You just saved the world. (Assuming that was the first and only zombie, of course.)

ATTACK

BOTS

exactly like humans. Oh, the Japanese, you think to yourself. The bots apparently found a way to board a plane without being noticed, and just arrived at LAX, where they’ve already caused a frenzy. You turn up the volume, very interested in the story. Clara shifts in her seat and gets up, exiting the room. Probably using the bathroom. The TV report shows footage of the bots blowing up the airplane (at least after all of the passengers had exited) and pulling out guns in the airport. They didn’t shoot though. Interesting. They look exactly like humans! Crazy. The reporter says that it seems the bots are heading to downtown LA. You smile, thinking of your comfortable Midwest home. You’re in no danger. Surely the police will catch them before they reach you.

Clara still hasn’t returned. “Clara?” you call. No response. Huh. You walk out of the kitchen and go upstairs to your bedroom, where Clara often likes to hang out. Sure enough, she is sitting on your bed, looking through your old photo albums. “Clara!

There you are. Did you see that crazy story about the bots?” You look down and notice that a couple of your albums are sizzling on the ground, two giant holes plunging through them. “Clara!” Clara looks up at you, eyes blazing—literally, there are two lasers coming out of her eyes. Clara laughs a...very robotic laugh. She gets up and comes toward you. You reach behind you, pull your prized baseball bat off of the wall, and whack her repeatedly in the head. Metal chips scatter on the ground and she collapses. How did you not see this coming? Oh well. She wasn’t that great of a friend anyway.

You drag her body out to the garage, realizing that you’d never given her a hug, and if you had, you definitely would have felt how metalic she was. Hadn’t given her a hug?

What kind of friends were you anyway? You are very proud of yourself for your victory.

Boom. You just saved the world. Well, not really.

55

HOW NEVER-ENDING DAY TO SURVIVE THE

VICTORIA FISHER

Break

your

out stress

ball.

That’s right, take out the stress ball you haven’t ever used, and squeeze it like it’s the last thing you’ve got. Don’t rip it in half, though; you’re not the Incredible Hulk!

Go Take a drive

AND BLARE MUsic.

This one is especially helpful. Rap and screamo are preferred, so you can really dig deep into your feelings and just let it out. If you’re lame and don’t like to sing in the car…well don’t be lame, SING!

Run. Run like you’re

Forrest Gump.

Run until you feel all that chocolate kicking in and you can’t breathe.

If you didn’t feel like your life was already ending today…now you do.

Find a comedy on Netflix

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and binge it until suddenly, it’s 12:01a.m. and a new day has begun.

Picking a comedy like “New Girl” or “How I Met Your Mother” will surely make you laugh. When Netflix asks you if you’re still watching, hit “yes” and keep binging until today turns into tomorrow.

Not only did I feel like my life was ending, literally, I felt like a complete embarrassment. Days like these make one day feel like a year, and you wonder what bad thing could possibly happen next!

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to get through the day when nothing good comes from it. Keep in mind, though, that maybe you at least made someone’s day by the stupid things that you did. So what do you do to get through the rest of the day? Here are some things you should try if your day is looking like Ross from “Friends” when he got that bad spray tan (Season 10, Ep. 3).

chocolate.

Eat some

H

ave you ever had one of those days when everything was against you? You wake up in the morning with a huge zit on your forehead, you spill your coffee walking up the stairs — which makes you late for your 8 a.m. class — and on your way there you manage to trip in front of your crush and try to cover up your mistake by mumbling words that don’t make sense. Yeah, me too. That same day I even managed to fall into a puddle and almost get hit by a car!

This is actually proven to be a good stress reliever. So go out and buy that Reese’s you’ve been craving… and those M&M’s, Twix, and Snickers while you’re at it. Chocolate will brighten your day and overpower all the negativity that has happened. The ache in your stomach will distract you from what a miserable day you had!

Scream until

YOu feel better.

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE VISTA? EMAIL US AT

VISTA@greenville.edu

People around you might think you are getting murdered, but don’t let it phase you. By screaming, you release all of those negative thoughts and things that have happened to you throughout the day. This is a guaranteed way to make you feel better. It will probably become addicting and you may not want to stop

a hot shower CRY Take And and cry.

Soaking in the shame of your mistakes and hardship of the day is a great way to get through it. Reminisce on the day and let the tears do the talking for you.

Find a dog.

Find any dog you can and just look at how happy it is to see you. Its wet kisses and wagging tail are enough in themselves to make your day feel not so crappy after all.

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vista magazine Greenville university Student produced