Your Magazine Volume 19 Issue 2: April 2023

Yourmag

Recognized in Spring 2012, YOURMAG ’s goal is to promote knowledge of the magazine industry by giving students the opporitunity to be responsible for all aspects of a monthly lifestyle publication. With an audience of urban college students in mind, members create content across a broad range of topics and mediums, including style, romance, music, pop culture, personal identity, and experiences. YourMag’s overarching aim is to foster a positive, inclusive community of writers, editors, and artists.

ISA LUZARRAGA Managing Editor

LILY BROWN Creative Director

EMMA CAHILL Editorial Director

Jennifer novo Asst. Editorial Director

BIANCA LUND Co-Head Stylist

JULIA MAGDZIAK Co-Head Stylist

ANNA BACAL PETERSON Asst. Head Stylist

ALEKs CARNEY Art Director

SOFIA VERANI Co-YMTV Director

CAMRYN CIANCIA Editor-in-Chief

HAILEY KROLL Co-Head Designer

Willow Torres Co-Head Designer

KATHERINE ASSELIN Co-Asst. Head Designer

TÉA PEREZ Co-Asst. Head Designer

RACHEL TARBY Copy Chief

SOPHIE BOYCE Asst. Copy Chief

SARA FERGANG Head Proofreader

FIONA MCMAHON Co-YMTV Director

SEBASTIAN OLIVO Asst. YMTV Director

NIRVANA RAGLAND Diversity Chair

ABIGAIL ROSS Romance Editor

GIGI SIPIORA Style Editor

LAUREN SMITH Living Editor

KATHLEEN NOLAN A&E Editor

ELLYE SEVIER Asst. A&E Editor

gandharvika GOPAL Marketing Director

SOPHIA ROSSETTI Web Editor

ELLIE BELCASTRO Social Media Director

Copy editors: JOEI CHAN, FIONA MURPHY, EDEN UNGER, SOPHIE HARTSTEIN, SOFIA MENDES, VIRGINIA CLARKE, SABRINA LAM, KENNA BLUME, EMMY MULVENA, LYNN VECCHIETTI, ALEX VASSILOPOULOUS

GRAPHIC designERS: cherie laroche, isa luzarraga, camryn ciancia

Proofreaders: IZZIE CLAUDIO, JENNIFER NOVO, ALEKS CARNEY, CALLIE LIBERATOS, CATHERINE KUBICK, PAYTON MONTAINA, KAYLA IWANO

CONTENTS

I HATE THE WAY THEY LOVE HEALING FROM THE PAST IN THE PRESENT FOMO ON LOVE

ASA SPADES & HANNAH B. LECTER TO DICKIE OR NOT TO DICKIE MEETING MY GRANDFATHER

GUERILLA FASHION: A SURVIVAL GUIDE LOOK AT THEIR LAPTOP STICKERS STREET STYLE

SONICALLY PLEASING WHERE I’M GOING IS JUST AS IMPORTANT INTO THE DEEP END

THROUGH SALEM

LIFE AS A RECOVERING THEATRE KID

REDEFINING FANGIRL

BLUEY: THE SURPRISING SALVE FOR COLLEGE STUDNET ANXIETY EMERSON MUSICIANS: PAST AND PRESENT HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE ISABELLA CHIU

Letter from the Editor

I HATE THE WAY they love

WRITTEN BY SARA FERGANG ART BY OLIVIA KARDOS

Pretty, pink, pastel paperbacks with swoopy, cursive lettering and simplistic doodles of a young man and woman standing apart represent their tension while propped up on a display at Barnes and Noble. I make my way to the table, enticed by the illustrated covers and embossed text. But I know, I won’t buy any of them. I hate romance books.

Okay, I know that sounds harsh. I don’t hate love and I don’t mind a cliché rom-com, but romance books have never been my thing. As an avid reader, I consume books instead of movies or television. I would much rather binge-read a book series than binge-watch a TV series. So when I turn to fictional worlds to escape reality, I gravitate toward the pages of a book and get sucked into the magnitude of worlds they contain.

I know I can’t be the only one who has a distaste for this literary genre. Celeste Sanchez ‘25, a Business of Creative Enterprises major, comments, “Romance books tend to follow the same cliché tropes and have predictable endings, which wouldn’t be too bad of a thing if the writing was better or if the story was more creative and inclusive. Some popular romance books tend to perpetuate and romanticize toxic and harmful relationships, which is incredibly harmful and something I’d rather not read.”

While romance books are fiction, I wanted to reflect upon why I can’t read them if I like reading so much, and it’s a bit personal. I think I’m just jealous.

I’ve never been in a real relationship before, and I’m not a hopeless romantic. I cherish my friendships and support my friends’ romantic endeavors, but when it comes to myself, I can’t make it past the talking stage. The last love story I read was Beach Read by Emily Henry. I discovered this book on TikTok, where #BookTok has amassed 121.4 billion views. This story centers on two authors, January and August, with more than just emotional tension as they strike a deal with one another to get out of their writer’s block. Throughout the novel, January and August go from despising one another to having intimate moments and becoming more than just colleagues. By the end, I began to feel envious of January and August. Getting to live vicariously through January’s newfound love wasn’t

entirely satisfying for me. It’s not like I wasn’t rooting for her; however, I realized I haven’t been rooting for myself. Instead of pushing myself to meet people and make the first move, I would go back to reading, awaiting a relationship that can’t happen if I don’t put myself out there. But these books are fiction, and as I mark another book as “read” on Goodreads, I have to remind myself that these stories aren’t real. I must be the author of my own love story.

Maura Cowan, ‘23, a Journalism major, has a more nuanced take on her feelings about romance books. “There was a time in my life that I really enjoyed a simple, young adult teen romance. Most of these were early installations into the queer YA literary canon, and at that time, discovering the existence of romance novels that weren’t centered around cis straight people (or that even allowed for the possibility of queerness) were powerful for me. I was desperate to consume any sort of representation I could find, but it wasn’t too long before I started growing frustrated that all romances—whether portraying a gay or straight relationship—fell into similar traps. When I steered away from romance,I grew more interested in reading about other kinds of relationships.”

In 2023, we don’t have enough queer love stories and the only one that has accumulated much success is Casey McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue, which has over four stars from 704,852 ratings on Goodreads. While romance books are fictional, people like to see themselves in the books they read, so if all love stories perpetuate heteronormative relationships, they establish societal and cultural norms that some people are barred from being part of. Books shouldn’t have the power to do this, but unfortunately, they do.

I don’t think I’ll ever truly enjoy romance books, and that’s okay. They aren’t for everyone. And I think that plays a huge role in the publication of that genre: they aren’t written for all readers. Even though I don’t like to read these stories, it doesn’t mean that others shouldn’t get the opportunity to enjoy them and see their own relationships reflected on the pages. Maybe one day, I’ll be able to relate to them a bit more as I build up the courage to take on my own romantic endeavors. YM

HEALING FROM THE PAST IN THE PRESENT

WRITTEN BY RACHEL TARBY PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHOLE MAHAN

Solar Power, the third album by Lorde, was released in July of 2021. At that time, I was a little over a year into my first healthy romantic relationship. I’d only had one romantic relationship prior, and it was toxic. While listening to Lorde’s new album for the first time and driving around my hometown alone, I heard the song “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All).” This song retains a common theme that is apparent throughout the rest of Solar Power: growing up, maturing, and realizing what you might have wanted when you were 15 is not the same as what you want at 20. At the end of the song, there is one woman that speaks and warns listeners: “Your emotional baggage can be picked up at Carousel Number Two. Please be careful so that it doesn’t fall onto someone you love.”

When I heard this for the first time, I wondered if I allowed any of my emotional baggage from my past relationship to fall onto my current partner, someone I love very much.

During the summer of 2021, I thought I had healed completely from my past relationship. I was in a new, healthy relationship, one that was helping me regain positive self-esteem after having been previously diminished. However, the truth is that I was—and still am—healing.

I noticed I had a hard time trusting my new partner for the first year or so of our relationship, but I had no reason not to trust them. I would become very defensive in matterless conversations and blow them up into big arguments that we would need to eventually communicate through and resolve. I began to realize the ways I was hurting my current partner from still being hurt from my previous toxic relationship. As I was still carrying emotional baggage that I was unaware of and letting it fall onto my new partner.

When the topic of my ex got brought up in the early stages of my current relationship, I had felt as though my tongue had been ripped out of my throat. I couldn’t speak. I knew that my partner would be understanding, but I didn’t want him to know about what I had experienced. I felt ashamed of myself for having stayed in that situation for so long— accepting someone who would compare my body to other bodies, would gaslight me into thinking something never happened, and would control who I was friends with. At the time, I blamed myself for being a victim of a toxic relationship. Often times it is so difficult for people (including myself) to break away from toxic realationships, which I didn’t realize until years alter. Self-confidience is ruined by them, making one feel worthy of such poor and undeserving treatment. The same summer that Solar Power

was released, my dad told me that he thought he saw my ex at the store earlier in the day. I was abruptly made aware that I had not yet healed from my past relationship, there were open wounds. I began to choke up, immediately left my house, and went to my car to get some air. I began sobbing uncontrollably, and I didn’t realize until after that I was having a panic attack due to my past relationship. I was so scared that I would see him somewhere, and I wouldn’t know what to do if I was ever faced with that situation.

Later that night, I was laying in my current partner’s bed and I thought about what my dad had said earlier. I began crying again and I had trouble breathing. I felt that I couldn’t open up to my partner but I so desperately wanted to. He just held me in his arms and didn’t ask much, which made me feel safe, loved, and accepted. My partner holding me was what I needed to calm down and feel reassured. I never told him that I was so distraught over the fear of seeing my ex, but he didn’t need to know what exactly I was going through to be able to comfort me—he gave me the space and care I needed in that moment. This has continued throughout our relationship where I experience negative memories and feelings from my past relationship which spill into my new relationship; however, I have been able to learn to control how I deal with my emotional baggage and have been careful of letting it fall onto my current partner.

Healing from a past relationship while in a current relationship can be difficult to navigate. In the three years of dating my current partner, I have only opened up about one thing that my ex did to me. I don’t want to talk about my ex to my current partner because I want to leave him in the past, I don’t want him to plague the present. Although I know I can trust my partner, it is a topic that I do not want to talk about with him. I’ve found it easier to talk about my past relationship with my friends who have unfortunately encountered similar situations. It is an easy way for me to get memories of the past off my chest without dwelling on it. Talking to friends who have had similar experiences allows me to vent and heal without feeling the burden of my healing in my current relationship.

My current partner has helped me to love myself again. By showing me a relationship built on love, I have been able to increase my self-esteem and accept myself for who I am. Being in a toxic relationship makes it hard to see the red flags, which relates to the saying that “hindsight is 20/20.” I am still healing and growing from my past. Luckily, my partner has given me a safe space to do so within our relationship. YM

FOMO ON

All my life, I’ve dealt with severe “fear of missing out,” aka FOMO. I saw what other people were doing and felt as if I was living my life the wrong way—like there was something I should be doing in order to live properly. This insecurity extended to my love life. Watching everyone around me experience young love the way we’re shown in the movies, not only made me feel like I was doing something wrong, but that there was something fundamentally wrong with me.

What did I emit that so strongly repelled any romantic relationships in my life? Why did it seem like everybody around me—no matter how annoying, boring, or undesirable I saw them as—could get themselves into a (seemingly) real relationship? I didn’t find the answers to these questions, but what I did realize is that I didn’t actually care.

Leaving home forced me to give up my insecure, FOMO-driven tendencies; it demanded that I let go of what everyone else was doing with their lives and focus on what I was doing with mine. By spending less time observing others, I was able to open my mind to deeper introspection on my loveless life and how this isn’t a bad thing. Taking this deep dive didn’t make me think that everyone else should be jealous of my lifestyle it just made me not care about anyone but myself.

Surviving the entirety of my teenage years sans romance has given me a unique outlook on myself and the relationships I do have. Despite my limited experience, I believe that romance and love are inevitable, but where these feelings land is where variations occur. Without having someone else to bestow these feelings on, I was forced to treat myself as the partner I lacked. At times, seeming like a recluse to others, and honestly even to myself, made my love life incomparable to those around me. Realizing the potential of this newfound uniqueness forced me into this committed relationship with myself that I fueled with my former obsessive observations of others.

How does this benefit me?

Really good question—it didn’t for a while. Making it through my awkward stage, my second awkward stage, and then probably a third with

WRITTEN BY ISABELLA CASTELO

ADAPTED FROM YOURBLOG’S

ON LOVE

YOURBLOG’S LOVE ADJACENT

a whole lot of love that I didn’t know what to do with yet, made me jaded. I saw my circumstances as unfair and that everyone who wasn’t as unlucky as me was against me. I hated love. It made me sick. But like I said, love is inevitable, so the way I tried to show this love (which I hated so much) by spreading my hatred. I worked tirelessly to spread the disease I seemed to have fallen ill with. Evidently, no one was a fan of this mindset, and I almost lost the few people I actually cared about.

They say love makes you blind, but so does hatred, and I was blind to the benefits of being my very own partner. Developing through life without the ability to depend on someone else to give me my identity taught me who I was when no one was watching. I didn’t have to prove anything to other than myself. This knowledge about myself prevents me from settling for anything. Realizing that you don’t need anyone else makes the people you want even more special. I know that I can get through my days without talking to anyone other than myself, so when I have someone there I’m 10x more grateful. Not only am I more appreciative, but I’ve perfectly curated the list of people I keep around and anyone that doesn’t live up to my standards doesn’t have to be there. . . respectfully.

Being on my own raised my standards, and although this might lengthen the time I spend single, I’m okay not wasting my time on people who don’t serve me. Instead of forcing myself into a mediocre relationship just because everyone around me is doing it and acting out of fear of missing out, I’ve embraced a life that comes naturally to me. Finding out who I was and what I wanted from the world was the first step I took into becoming me, and I don’t think I could’ve done this with my teeth sunk into somebody else, no matter how symbiotic the relationship was.

The ability to be alone with yourself is an important skill and the only way to learn it is by actually being alone with yourself (I’m a genius, I know). I think I was lucky to be forced to do this, so I’d like to thank everyone who never loved me because now I can at least begin to like myself. YM

PHOTOGRAPHED BY EMMA CAHILL

Asa Spades and Hannah B. Lecter

H

DIRECTED BY LILY BROWN

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LILY BROWN

STYLED BY ASA DUPRAS AND ERICH PHELPS

MAKEUP BY ASA DUPRAS AND ERICH PHELPS

MODELED BY ASA DUPRAS AND ERICH PHELPS

A.s.

H.L. H

diVa

WERK

To Dickie Or Not To Dickie

WRITTEN BY: NOAH BERKOWITZ PHOTOGRAPHED BY: NAIA DRISCOLL

If you asked the ranch hands of 1922 what they thought of the brand “Dickies,” they’d describe it as a great place to grab a pair of denim bib overalls, ready to wear for the long haul until the thread turned from a deep navy to a patchy white and blue. These same ranch hands would probably have their mind blown if they found out that this same and reliable brand became a wardrobe staple for “skaters” and those who wanted to look stylish and trendy before walking out of the house in the morning. The long and illustrious history of Dickies spans countless genres and subgenres of purposes and styles, but the one constant among the entire 101 year long story of the Texas brand is its immense versatility. Ranging from work wear, to oversized grunge looks, the solid pair of Dickies pants is now a wardrobe staple.

The popularity of the brand began to grow during World War II, when the United States government commissioned the company to manufacture millions of uniforms for soldiers. Following this, just over 20 years later, was the birth of one of the most iconic pant profiles in history… the 874.

The thought of the modern style for Dickies instantly transports you to the classic 874 silhouette. The relaxed tapered leg can be worn to fall over your shoes for a looser, baggier fit, or sized down, potentially cuffed at the bottom to show off the ankle or those unused New Balances that just came fresh out of the box. The origins of these essentials; however, are that of work pants. After launching in 1967, it was initially worn as an option that would be durable enough to last the work weeks ahead, and described by Dickies as “an authentic choice for the working class,” it wasn’t until the late ‘80s and early ‘90s though, that the now mainstream closet option became nearly as big as it is today.

Some of the biggest rappers of the time, including Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and N.W.A., began repping the style, creating a buzz around Dickies that the humble work wear brand had never been seen before. The pop culture appeal behind the brand skyrocketed and more and more people began wearing Dickies as a statement, rather than just blue-collar work apparel.

As a result of this, subgenres of style and other communities within them began taking notice, including, arguably the most influential group to be involved with the contemporary view of Dickies, skate culture. Riding a skateboard inevitably entails being scraped, bruised, burned, and cut, so using pants that could be both fashionable and durable was an absolute win. Paired with a scuffed black Vans Old Skool, an Element Skateboards tee, and topped off with an army green bucket hat and a speaker playing Blink-182, the skater style was recognizable by everyone, and has stood the test of time, consistently being emulated by skaters and non-skaters to try and turn back the clock from 2023, to 1993.

What’s the style of Dickies today? Unsurprisingly, they have remained popular amongst both the skate and working world today, but with a newfound sense of admiration in the realm of everyday fashion,

the landscape of who wears it has evolved too. Walking down the street, it’s common to see a friend, neighbor, or classmate rocking a pair of pine green 874s with a baggy graphic T-shirt bearing the 70s logo of an NBA team. This same pair of pine green 874s could be found on the legs of someone with a french-tucked, tan cable-knit sweater, Steve Madden Chelsea boots, and an earth-toned beanie with curly brown hair sticking out of the sides.

The modernity of Dickies is defined by its versatility. They look good with every outfit. Each style of pants, whether it be the 874 we’ve covered so heavily, the Double Knee Work Trousers, or the classic blue jean with that timeless Dickies flair, always looks cool. Isn’t that what we’re searching for when we go out feeling good about that new combination we tried that no one has seen on us before? They look good in the winter, spring, summer, and fall, providing a unique vibe that’s equitable to each season. At the end of the day, Dickies is bound to nothing except the cultures it has inspired and the trends that it creates. YM

Meeting My Grandfather

WRITTEN BY KATHERINE ASSELIN PHOTOGRAPHED BY NICOLE ARMBRECHT

When my grandfather died this past fall, I didn’t know how to process it. We were never super close, but I was his only grandchild and I loved him a lot; I know he loved me a lot too. When I was growing up, he lived in Florida, so I only saw him about once a year. Even when he moved back to Massachusetts, I didn’t see him often. But he always called on my birthday and every time I called him, I could tell he was happy to hear from me.

I was at school when my parents were cleaning out his room. I called them and asked if they’d found anything good. My dad was most interested in some cool old coins that they’d found. My mom was excited to tell me that they had found a One Direction sponsored toothpaste from 2013. My dad asked if I would be interested in having some of my grandpa’s old clothes. I told them that I would love that and I trusted them to grab some items I would wear.

The next day my mom called me to tell me that they had brought home a bucket of his clothes that were mine if I wanted. I told her that I definitely wanted them and I’d look through them when I came home for Thanksgiving. I’ve always loved old man clothes—it’s what I gravitate toward at a secondhand store.

I was back home for Thanksgiving a month later. I rooted through

the plastic tub that my parents had left in my room. It was stuffed full with T-shirts, flannels, sweaters, and socks. They smelled like a mix of smoke and laundry detergent––just how I remembered my grandfather smelling every time I hugged him.

The first items to come out were waffle knit sweaters in green, cream, and gray. Then, a dark blue flannel and a red Jimi Hendrix T-shirt. Next, gray and light blue flannels. A dark blue T-shirt. A khaki overshirt. Long socks patterned with rubber ducks. A zip-up khaki jacket. A few fleece quarter-zips. Red and orange striped socks. A couple T-shirts that he probably got in free giveaways. A zip-up hoodie.

Out of all those clothes, I kept a few of the flannels, the green sweater, the Jimi Hendrix shirt, and the zip up khaki jacket. I gave a few items to my best friends. We donated the rest.

I started to integrate his clothes into my closet. I wore his striped green waffle knit sweater to work, and my coworker complimented me on it. “Thanks. It was my grandpa’s.” Saying that made me smile.

A few days later, my suitemate came out of her room before breakfast wearing the dark gray sweater of my grandpa’s that I gave to her. “Hey lady! I like your sweater, where’d you get it?” She grinned and said “Thanks! It was my friend’s grandpa’s!” Sharing these clothes that were

loved by my grandpa with the people who I love and spend the most time with felt so special. Receiving his clothes already felt like I’d been given a part of him, and then I got to share that with people who I knew would love and appreciate the clothes. I got to make my closest friends a part of my family by passing these familial items to them.

His old Jimi Hendrix shirt quickly became one of my favorite shirts. It was soft and fell in just the right way: oversized enough that it wasn’t tight, but not so oversized that I felt like I was drowning in it. I called my dad and told him that I was wearing Grampy’s Jimi Hendrix shirt. He laughed and said that my grandpa would’ve gotten a kick out of that. I suddenly pictured my grandfather sitting at a table in the restaurant we always met him in, slapping his hands on the table and throwing his head back to let out a barking laugh.

About six months after he died, we had a memorial dinner in honor of him at a nice restaurant that my parents love. My parents and I drove to the restaurant where we met some of my grandpa’s friends––a couple that he lived with for the last five years of his life and the couple that took over his business when he didn’t want to run it anymore. His friend told me that my Grampy was so proud of me and would always talk about me and what I was up to at school. Even though we weren’t super close, it felt good to hear that and it gives me an extra sense of pride when wearing his clothes.

Through his clothes, I feel closer to my grandfather than ever. I feel like I have a tangible part of him with me, and I love that I have been able to extend that connection to my friends as well. I’m sad he is gone, and I wish I had known him better when he was alive, but I am grateful for the times I did spend with him and even more grateful for the opportunity to wear his clothes proudly. YM

Guerilla Fashion: A Survival Guide

WRITTEN BY ENSOR STULL ART BY LILY BROWN

Like many individuals, sustainability has become less of a matter of informed purchasing for me and more of an unwanted hobby that I don’t have the time for. It’s a given that combating fast fashion takes effort and can be difficult; however, for many—especially people who are trans, fat, and/or disabled—this effort quickly goes from making conscious choices to conducting deep dives of research. It’s an ongoing process, but over time, I’ve learned some passive tricks to develop my style while existing within an industry-centric world. It’s an uphill battle, and made to be that way structurally; however, there’s hope. Though this guide can’t promise a way to win the war, it can offer a way to improve your odds and achieve small victories. It’s not perfect or holistic, but at the very least, dear reader, you’ll leave this guide knowing what to look for and where not to waste your time.

There are three essential elements to consider when delving into sustainable styling: emotional needs, tangible means, and real constraints.

1. Emotional needs: What core aspects of myself do I want to embody?

It may seem obvious, but your presentation should present you. When people see me, I want them to know that I’m welcoming and social, but that I’m also passionate about education and professionalism. This led to me using kindergarten teachers and children’s media as inspiration— simple, colorful clothes with fabric that is loose, yet visibly well-cut for my body type. Specificity like this will help you narrow down what clothes you do and don’t want. Too many times while thrifting, I’ve bought clothes that felt unlike myself just because I’d finally found something that fit. This generates nothing but waste: waste of money, waste of closet space, and waste in landfills when you inevitably discard it. A rule to live by: if it doesn’t represent you, it doesn’t deserve space in your closet.

2. Tangible means: How does this purchase fit into my daily life?

This is a big one. What does your day usually look like? The busy early bird might want looser clothes with less accessories so they can simply slip everything on and get down to business. A frequent club-goer would need to avoid thinner, rippable fabrics and larger clothes that would take up the whole dance floor at the discotheque. Participants in civil disobedience or protests will want clothing that’s harder to identify and easy to move in. Your clothes should fit your life, not the other way around. It’s easy for your impulse buys to end up unworn due to discomfort or impracticality.

Attention to material, fit, and craftsmanship helps to circumvent this. When shopping online, check the sizing chart and keep a tape measure on you for reference. Familiarizing yourself with fabrics—how they interact with your skin and body both texturally and structurally—will help you online, in person, and especially when making your own clothing. If something’s one to two sizes bigger or smaller than your size, consider visiting your local tailor who can resize your purchases to your desired size for approximately $10-30, depending on the garment. Tailoring is often cheaper, recirculates clothing, and supports local businesses. We’re desensitized to impracticality, but wearing clothes that actually fit you really makes a huge difference in functionality and comfort.

3. Real constraints: What is within my means?

For the longest time, I fantasized about regularly wearing suits. Impressed by my professors, I always associated them with unwavering competence and fervor for learning; however, I realized over time that wearing suits on a regular basis wasn’t feasible. Being fat, my body’s proportions change rapidly between weeks, rendering tighter suits illfitting. Additionally, paying for dry cleaning was out of my budget. Knowing your limits with money, time, and space are all essential to coexisting with your clothing. Finding ethical clothing is already hard enough; finding ethical clothes that suit both you and your budget can feel Sisyphean. When your rotation of thrift stores and online small business fail you, turn to your existing clothes. What aspects of your clothes do you already like? Cropping hoodies, cobbling together pants from clothing scraps, or making small alterations, like sewing on new buttons, can revive your closet.

While individual consumers can make a personal impact in conservation, the biggest necessary changes are broad, systemic, and can only be implemented by corporations. The path to sustainability is to put the ball in the fashion industry’s court. While pressuring this mobilization is important, it shouldn’t be at the expense of our livelihoods; resistance can be passive. Being knowledgeable about your needs as a consumer and not budging can help coerce the fashion industry to meet those needs by adopting slow fashion. It’s guerilla fashion: taking potshots and utilizing what little we have to fight back, hopefully making some dents in the process.

wantto get to know someone better?

look at their laptop stickers

The last place I ever thought to look for clues about a person’s identity was in their laptop stickers.

I first had the idea one February evening in my Research Writing class. As was the routine, the class was having a discussion on a book we were reading. This time, it was Britt Bennett’s The Vanishing Half. I was entranced by the blue-light glow of my MacBook Air, my eyes darting between a multitude of Google tabs: Docs, Drive, Mail; the typical college student setup.

Something in me prompted my eyes to look away from my screen and put my people-watching skills to good use. Though I should have been paying attention to my professor, who was writing a character analysis table on the whiteboard, I couldn’t help but notice that a majority of my classmates were under the same blue-light spell of their laptops. More importantly, in typical art school fashion, I noticed the fact that a host of stickers were plastered on the back of the illuminating glow.

It came to me that these stickers were an easter-egg-like, fragmented picture of each person’s identity. Without even knowing, you advertise a lot about who you are through the stickers on your laptop. After all, they are a personal reflection of you. Like snowflakes, no two stickercovered laptops are the same. Putting stickers on your laptop is almost like creating a bio page on social media, except little to no words are involved. It’s revealing parts of yourself through a colorful collage. They also bring to life the one-dimensional, academically connoted gray box that is your laptop.

Pieces of Emerson were well represented across each laptop: WECB, EIV, the EVVYs, and Flawless Brown, to name a few. My observant brown eyes traveled from one too many multi-colored Boston stickers to a cobalt blue Florida sticker with an orange turtle lounging in the center. A Shenandoah National Park sticker with calm earth tones caught my gaze. I appreciated the variety of TV show, movie, and music stickers that inhabited laptops around the Walker classroom: an Appa sticker from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Pikachu from Pokémon, the Arctic Monkeys, Beyoncé. I especially took interest in the randomness of some:

a roller skate adorned with flowers, a hummingbird, a banana, the YETI water bottle logo. I fell further into the sticker-verse with each laptop I focused on.

In my further detective work of looking at my classmate’s laptop stickers, I began to notice a pattern of similar stickers migrating from MacBook to MacBook; fractions of an identity migrating along with them. For one, I noted several WECB stickers around the room, indicating the love of, or at least appreciation for, music and radio. Many of the same “Green Magazine” stickers made their presence known, giving me the idea that its owners were either somewhat environmentally conscious or like to write. I pointed out a couple of stickers with the word “WACK” on them, signifying their allegiance to the organization. I deduced that the owners of these stickers must have an appreciation for the company’s pillars of the arts and identity. Seeing so many of these clues helped me draw interesting connections between my classmates, just through stickers.

Graduating from connections between students in my class, I recognized connections between myself and others who shared the same stickers. My laptop is a personal victim of the sticker invasion: a Buffalo exchange cassette tape, a “choose kindness” quote, a large purple Emerson SOC logo, a Village Vinyl & HiFi logo, and a woman with an afro live on my years-old MacBook. Keeping my stickers in mind, I spotted a New Jersey zip code on a girl’s laptop across from my desk. Though I had barely talked to her, I felt a sense of camaraderie, us both being from the Garden State. I share the same blue and white Brookline Booksmith sticker with several other students, even my Research Writing professor—it’s nice to know that we all appreciate a good book. The Village Vinyl sticker I mentioned planted itself on many laptops I saw in the room (the inner music-head in me felt so appreciated). The power of observation was truly at work.

The next time you’re looking to start a new conversation with someone, take a peek at their laptop stickers. You may have more in common with that person than you thought. YM

WRITTEN BY COLETTE LAUTURE

ART BY CHRISTINA CASPER

Justin Nicholson, he/him

How would you describe your personal style in three words? Free, creative, genuine. Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from?

I typically tend to enjoy how older clothing looks and feels, like during the ‘70s, a time when people were free.

If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

MyUnique Thrift.

Celebrity style icon?

Jimi Hendrix

STREET STYLE STREET STYLE JUSTIN

What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without?

I could live without all of it, just find something new.

INTERVIEWED BY GIGI SIPIORA PHOTOGRAPHED BY SOFIA VERANI

MAya seri, she/her

How would you describe your personal style in three words?

Cowboy and “dark Anthropologie.” That’s a phrase I’ve heard a few times about my style.

Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from?

I’d say social media.

If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

Free People.

Celebrity style icon?

Daisy Jones.

What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without?

My black cowboy boots, jean overalls, and green oversized jacket.

Rew Denneno, They/Them

REW

How would you describe your personal style in three words?

Toad-like, thrifted, slay.

Where do you typically get outfit inspiration from?

Usually Pinterest or from art I like. If you could only shop at one place for the rest of your life, where would it be?

The Store in Raynham! A thrift store that recently closed down. The deals were INSANE.

Celebrity style icon?

@portal.girl on instagram or Adam Sandler

What are three pieces of your wardrobe you can’t live without?

My grey ribbed crop top, my striped red overalls, and my favorite textured socks.

DIRECTED BY EXAVIER ORLINO

PHOTOGRAPHED BY EXAVIER ORLINO

STYLED BY ANNA BACAL-PETERSON

MODELED BY NICHOLAS PAPAYOANOU AND ALANA POMPONIO

WHERE I’M GOING IS just as important as WHERE I’M COMING FROM

In Brooklyn, New York, I ran out of my brownstone when I heard the ice cream truck. In East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, I ran out of my house and jumped into my dad’s truck for the five minute drive to the ice cream shop. I walked around the corner in Brooklyn to get Chinese food for dinner. My mom drove into the supermarket parking lot to buy ingredients for the night’s dinner. In Central Park, I ran around the grass. I sat on my deck, surrounded by nothing but trees.

I was 11 when I moved from the city to the suburbs, which was not a good idea because my family and I were not Pennsylvanians, we were New Yorkers. What does that mean exactly? It meant that we were fast walkers, fast talkers who didn’t take shit from anyone, and if you were pushed, you pushed back. You had thick skin because you would never survive without a backbone in a city like that. They could smell fear from a mile away and would quickly kick you to the curb with their right hand and a “baconeggandcheesesandwichonaroll” in the other.

I had to learn what it meant to live in the suburbs. It meant I had to stand at the bus stop, go to school at 7:00 a.m., and join after-school activities. The Poconos were popular for their waterparks and ski resorts, so I went there often. I also hiked and ran. I was used to public transportation; instead of a school bus, it was the Metrobus. Instead of getting a MetroCard, I had to get a driver’s license.

My mom and dad told me the suburbs would be good for me. They explained that “the city was getting worse,” and they didn’t feel comfortable sending me out “where anything could happen.” At the time, I didn’t understand what they meant. All my 11-year-old mind comprehended was my parents taking me away from my home. It also confused me because I thought my parents loved the city. But they only loved the ‘90s and early 2000s versions of New York City.

My mom was born in Castries and raised in Marisule, Saint Lucia. She immigrated to the United States when she was in her early 30s. She went from summer year-round, and ocean breezes to the four seasons and sewer smoke. She

grew up in an island paradise where everything was chill and relaxed, and people wore shorts and sandals daily. So when she moved to the big city, she had to learn how to adapt to her surroundings. I had to unlearn everything she had taught herself many years ago. But my mom reminisced about her upbringing and wanted that for me, so she replicated her Caribbean lifestyle in the suburbs. She thought it would best fit. My dad was born in Tennessee and raised in the suburbs of New York–Buffalo and Long Island, to be exact, however, once my dad entered his early 20s, he moved to Brooklyn. He wanted me to spend my 18 years there, but he was disappointed with the changes occurring, specifically gentrification.

As I reflect on these two vastly different places I grew up, I realize that I am a fast walker, a fast talker, and someone who stands up for themself when others try to put me down. But I also enjoy nature, relaxation, and silence. I don’t think this is just because I grew up in New York City and suburban Pennsylvania. I also believe that it has to do with the influence of my parents and where and how they were raised. Even though they’ve lived in the city for a while, they will have the same habits their hometowns instilled. No matter how far away you move from home, you will never escape it. It will never change and will always be ingrained in you. This will then be passed down to your children because even though they may grow up in a different area than their parents, it’s still home.

I was capable of adjusting to different areas quickly. My parents were good at placing me in different environments, whether in the city, the suburbs, or the islands. However, even though I’ve lived in other places, I gravitate toward the city more because that’s where I spent my childhood and had the best memories of my life. I act a lot like my parents, ingraining me with their Caribbean and Southern values, but I’m also a city girl to the core. Never forgetting where I come from, but focusing on where I’m going. YM

ART BY NAIA DRISCOLL

WRITTEN BY NICOLE TOWNSEND

WRITTEN BY CAMRYN CIANCA

Ihave had to wear glasses my entire life. This meant that a lot of childhood activities were complicated, especially when they included anything involving a ball, somersaults, or water. And I grew up in Texas, where sports and pools were essentially the biggest parts of childhood. Before I had contacts, I would wear prescription swimming goggles, so I could keep up with my friends. I was suddenly able to swim underwater and not have to worry about my fragile frames getting too wet or potentially broken.

Our community pool had a diving board, which was obviously the most epic part about summertime. But, for whatever reason, there is a common lifeguard rule that enforces goggles to be removed before jumping off a diving board, no matter how suspended it is. My mom would encourage me to explain to the intimidating 15-year-old lifeguard that I was essentially blind without my goggles, but I was too timid to stand up to the rules. So, I would comply, toss my goggles to the side, and blurrily try to wobble to the end of the diving board, making the decision to throw myself into the deep end and test my survival. After crashing into the water, I would have to find my way to the ladder and retrieve my goggles. Somehow, I always reigned victorious. This became my favorite game to play, continuously stripping myself of my eyesight to see if I could find it again, addicted to the thrill and the struggle.

Now, at 21-years-old, I can’t remember the last time I jumped off a diving board. I have also upgraded from being a constant glasses (or prescription goggles) wearer to an avid contact wearer, until I have to peel them from my eye and put on my glasses for the night. When it’s time for bed, I put my glasses on my nightstand, making myself unable to see, and force myself to close my eyes and focus on sleeping.

The other night, I woke up from a psychologically horrific nightmare. In my dream, I had jumped off of a diving board and landed in the middle of a shark-infested ocean without my glasses, contacts, or goggles. I was stranded and couldn’t find a way out and woke up as I was getting gobbled by a shark. This dream haunted me for the rest of the day, mainly because I was trying to attach some sort of meaning to it. Later that night, I cracked the code. I had spent the night leading up to the nightmare planning for life after graduation and I think this was one of those dreams that reflected all of my fears, just like when you dream about missing your alarm on the first day of school or being unprepared for an exam you’d been studying hard for.

I recently made the decision to not go to graduate school right out of finishing my bachelor’s degree so I could work and figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. This means that I will be graduating in December, which I didn’t necessarily intend to do or plan on. And for some reason it is really freaking me out. Up until this point, I have obliged to society’s expectations of me: I was born, went to school, applied to college, went to college. I never rebelled or misbehaved in

PHOTOGRAPHS PROVIDED BY CAMRYN CIANCA

an extreme way and I did everything I was supposed to. But now, I am graduating college, and there really isn’t a guide map from here because everyone is on their own timeline and path.

I think part of what makes this suck so bad is that this is not a unique experience. This existential dread comes over anyone who is in a transitional period of their life. I just feel like this has all snuck up so quickly. I don’t have a plan, I don’t know what I am going to do after graduation, I don’t know where I am going to live or how I am going to get there, and I just can not visualize what my life will look like after December of 2023.

Because of all of this dread and confusion, I have been reaching back into the depths of my memory to remember my feelings about coming to college. Somehow I avoided most of this angst after high school, when I was leaving Dallas for Boston. I think finishing highschool at the height of the pandemic made coming to college a lot easier. I didn’t have to confront graduation or the fact that I was officially leaving where I had lived all my life. Within a blink of an eye, I am sitting in my second apartment in Boston, I haven’t spent more than a week home in Dallas since December of 2021 and all I can think about are my next moves once classes are finished and my lease is up.

Ultimately, I am wasting too much time stressing myself out about the future because it still is a long way away. I want to soak up my last moments in college as a “fake adult”. I am approaching my last summer in Boston, I just had my last spring break, and in a few months, I will have my last first day. As someone who has always enjoyed the structure of school and learning, this is going to be a really interesting shift in my life. Despite trying to stay positive about it all, I still feel like I am looking over the deep end of the pool without my goggles on, reluctant to jump in. And while I am almost positive there are no sharks in the pool, I’m not sure how easy it will be to find my way back to the ladder. The lifeguard blows their whistle at me telling me to “move it or lose it.” I can’t look back now, and I just have to jump in and find my way. YM

Into the Deep End

Serendipity Through

WRITTEN BY LILY BROWN

If you know anything about me, you probably know that I am from Salem, the infamous witch city just north of Boston. From the haunted festivals to popular witch museums and unique magic stores, Salem is an interesting place to be, let alone from. I really appreciated growing up in such a fun place, but not in the way you might think.

Living in Salem is my go-to fun fact in college. Everyone knows about my hometown in one way or another, so it was a good topic for conversation until the spiritual questions were inevitably asked. Several of my new friends would ask me what my favorite Tarot shops were or where I would get my psychic readings done. Growing up, I went on several field trips to the iconic tourist attractions, but I never actually went to any of the places my peers adored. They just felt like a commercialized Halloween hub with all of the overpriced souvenirs and sessions.

I loved Halloween as a kid and celebrated downtown, but the superstition and seances that surrounded the holiday and history never resonated with me. I’ve always been super skeptical about anything supernatural. While learning about your future can be entertaining, I wasn’t sure if I fully believed in it.

And I’m still not 100 percent into it, but being surrounded by an environment that embraces this witchcraft culture has made me reconsider. As much as I tried to avoid it, the thought kept nagging me whenever I would go home. Book your reading. Don’t be lazy. It’s literally 10

minutes away. Peer pressure and searching for meaning ultimately finalized my decision to do it.

About a week later, I was strolling down Pickering Wharf in search of Enchanted, one of the more authentic spiritual shops in the heart of historic Salem (I honestly picked the place because it was the cheapest one I could find, and they welcomed walk-ins). Walking down an all-toofamiliar cobblestone path, the wooden blue sign with the enchanted tree was hard to miss.

I was beyond nervous, but the store’s bewitching atmosphere helped me get ready to push my boundaries. The shop was littered with stereotypical spiritual artifacts that actually intrigued me this time around. The walls and tables were decorated with all sorts of witch supplies: candles, golden chalices, colorful crystals, and essential oils. After taking a deep breath and taking in the soothing smell of patchouli, I felt comfortable approaching the clerk.

In a way, I was secretly hoping that the gods, angels—whomever— would interfere with my walk-in. Unfortunately, the lady at the counter told me the session was available right away. While I was excited deep down, I felt funny. Is this going to be weird? Do I have the right energy to go through with this?

They took me to the back of the store, leading me through the thick deep purple drapes to meet Lady Mary, a professional priestess in the Salem witch community who specializes in Tarot, Oracle, and Pendulum

Through Salem

PHOTOGRAPHED BY LILY BROWN

readings. She was just sitting there, nonchalant, awaiting my presence. Her short blonde hair was a stark contrast to her completely noir attire and the overall dark room. Her table, dressed with a black velvet table cloth, was adorned with several crystals and a deck of Tarot cards with a clear healing crystal placed on top. A singular candle was the main light between us.

Would sitting in this room for 15 minutes really change my life?

Since it was my first time, I didn’t really know what to expect. Mary asked me where I was from, and she chuckled when I said Salem. Even though I did share some more background on myself, it was eerie how accurate she started out.

The very first tarot card Mary pulled was the Nine of Swords, which shows nine swords seemingly going through the figures’s back. She immediately asked me if I knew about someone who was talking behind my back. It was followed by the Death card. She assured me that it didn’t mean death literally, but more so the death of a friendship. I then instantly connected with the situation, as one of my “friends” recently betrayed my trust. Mary advised me to cut my losses and recognize how much time and energy I have sacrificed to a way of being that’s not right for me.

Later in the draw, Mary pulled the Sun card. She felt that I was going through a lot of change in my life right now, academically, socially, and personally. Change can be scary, but Mary ensured that this would

be a powerful rebirth. While I currently feel hurt, it won’t last long. I am nurturing a better version of myself and moving forward authentically and positively. She showed me that I am worthy of this path that I am creating.

To wrap up our session, Mary pulled the Star. Many aspire to land among the stars, yet Mary assured me that I am already there. There are better things that are about to come, and I will be satisfied and successful with whoever enters my life going forward, whether that is a stronger friendship or a loving relationship. Using the pendulum, she confirmed this person would indeed come into my life within the next four to six months.

Exploring this new side of my beloved hometown made home even more special. I had walked into that psychic reading thinking it was completely bogus, but I walked out with newfound wisdom and affirming guidance. I won’t lie and say that I wasn’t emotional after this session, just ask my parents (I cried like three more times that afternoon).

I might not fully believe the deeper meanings behind psychic readings, but I thought the symbolism was beautiful and inspiring as it was so close it was to my current lifestyle and future aspirations. While I’m still skeptical, Enchanted definitely lifted my spirits. Maybe I do have a witchy nature after all. YM

PATINAN2K

DIRECTED BY NIKKI EMMA, PHOTOGRAPHED BY NIKKI EMMA, STYLED BY MARISA DROGO,

PATINAN2K

DROGO, MODELED BY MARISA DROGO, LUCAS GALLO, AND NINA VAN BERKEL, ART BY HAILEY KROLL

Life as a Recovering Theatre

WRITTEN BY CLAIRE DUNHAM

It’s my senior year of high school. I am dressed in a green 1930s-inspired midi dress. My lips are plastered with a striking shade of sapphire lipstick. My short platinum blonde hair—typically worn frizzy and unstyled—is curled to perfection. I stand backstage and fidget with the hem of my dress as I wait, impatiently, for my cue. When the moment strikes, I launch myself forward onto the stage. I run to meet my co-star Collin at our planned destination: downstage center. Our eyes meet. I smile. He gestures for me to bow first. I grab fistfuls of my long dress and curtsy, like the sweet Nevada girl I am (well, technically, the girl I was during our hour-long production of Crazy for You). Cheers erupt. Life is good.

Although I didn’t realize it at the time, that curtsy marked the beginning of a long mourning process. I knew with that curtsy, I was parting ways with my performing arts studio, but I didn’t account for everything else I would lose on that fateful night. Vocal warm-ups, tap lessons, improvisation games, itchy costumes, hairspray—mundane things that I took for granted—vanished from my life.

The summer that followed my senior-year musical was a sweaty whirlwind. I lived in my Kentucky childhood home and worked two jobs. When I wasn’t working, I spent my free time daydreaming about Boston. At that point, I had committed to Emerson and was ready to leave my small, hot hometown.

Then, suddenly, I was a freshman at Emerson College. I was not great at making friends, but I started to meet fellow freshmen in my classes. As I met more students, I noticed a trend: many Emerson students, like myself, had also been involved in high school theatre.

Emerson is a liberal arts school with a variety of theatre-related majors. Therefore, I knew that there would be theatre students on campus, but I hadn’t anticipated such a large population of “ex-theatre kids” like myself. As I reflect on my freshman year, I can’t help but wonder if these students also mourned their discarded theatre careers.

As I struggled to feel settled at Emerson, a “theatre grief” took hold of me. I was in an unfamiliar city, majoring in Journalism—a subject that I knew very little about. On top of that, I hadn’t considered how the loss of

Recovering Theatre Kid

ART BY ALEKS CARNEY

theatre would affect my daily life. When I was performing, I felt like myself—comfortable and confident. Without theatre, I was anxious and lost.

When I returned to Kentucky for winter break, my mom was surprised, and concerned, at my changed demeanor. I spent all of December, curled up in bed and feeling like a disappointment. For many years, I struggled to appreciate myself. Despite the praise I received for musical theatre and academic accolades in high school, it was never enough to satisfy the terrorizing self-conscious voice in my head. I thought that by leaving Kentucky and theatre behind, I would shed that debilitating inner-voice too. Unfortunately, I felt the same, if not worse, at Emerson.

To cope with these feelings, I alternated between sleeping and rewatching recordings of old theatre productions. First, I watched my favorite high school shows, including Crazy for You and Curtains. As I pressed play on each video, I experienced a feeling of instant relief. For once, I was proud of myself. The toxic inner-voice was silenced. Watching these musicals, I felt more comfortable than I had my entire first semester.

Slowly, I worked my way through this depression. I realized the positive impact theatre had on my mental health, while not always focusing on the loss, and I decided to reclaim my theatre kid past. I submitted an audition package for Emerson’s theatre auditions. Although I wasn’t cast in a show, I received callbacks and instantly felt more self-assured.

Today, I fully embrace musical theatre as an emotional outlet. My roommates and I recently performed Heathers: The Musical in our common room. It was unrehearsed, chaotic, and, despite the morbid plot of the dark comedy, incredibly fun. We also saw Into the Woods at Emerson’s Colonial Theatre together.

All in all, musical theatre emphasizes the importance of community. Whether it be at a performing arts studio in Kentucky or in a Piano Row suite, interpersonal connection is an essential part of mental wellbeing. I have grown to understand that my work does not define me. I am not a writer or performer. I am Claire, a person who is worthy of self-love no matter what I accomplish. YM

Redefining Fangirl

WRITTEN BY ELLA MORDARSKI

The story starts with the 1940s divorce law novel Holy Deadlock. Author A. P. Herbert used the term fangirl to describe a young woman obsessed with musicians. Over the past 80 years, the public has morphed the term into one of mythmaking madness, hysterical screams, obsessive stalking, and unreciprocated love. In reality, there is a community of fans whose admiration for an artist means more to them than just a crazy party anecdote or photograph. To these fans, it means finding like-minded people and the soundtrack to life’s hardest realities.

Much of what people imagine when they hear the term fangirl is based on gender stereotypes. Sexism has caused women to be envisioned as docile homemakers who keep their emotions at bay and don’t express their opinions. Fangirls are the perfect embodiment of the sexist cliché for an unacceptable woman. Fangirls are loud, emotional, and free. In fact, many take pride in these attributes.

The Beatles are a prime example of the empowerment of fangirls. At the height of the band’s success in the ‘60s, women faced harsh societal expectations. Going to a Beatles concert meant freedom to them, in more ways than just a night out of the house. During a broadcast interview from a 1964 Beatles concert, a journalist asks a group of young women if they are “going to put on dresses for the concert tonight.” The women respond, saying “No…we saw that the Beatles like casual clothing.” The interviewer also addresses that there are no boys in line with them. “They are jealous,” a woman remarks, an empowering sentiment during a time of female exclusion.

There are other industries, such as sports, that are heavily dominated with male fans. One could argue that these fans act rowdier than any fangirl ever would. When their favorite team loses a match, emotions intensely flare, often to a dangerous extreme. There have been reported cases of men vandalizing public property or even abusing romantic partners after their team lost. So why aren’t they criticized so harshly? There is only one difference between a woman wearing a pink boa to a Harry Styles concert and a man painting his face for a football game: simply, he is a man.

In our society, it is more widely accepted that men behave poorly or express their emotions through anger. Therefore, if their team loses, why shouldn’t they be angry? On the other hand if a woman cries because she emotionally connects to a song by her favorite artist, she is being overdramatic or too emotional. One TikTok video by @calumhoodfanclub shows the genderization of fans perfectly. The video parallels an article from Hot Press titled “Why Sexism Drives the Shaming of Fangirls” to images of male sports fans. The Taylor Swift song “The Man” is playing behind it: “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can, wondering if I’d get there quicker if I were a man.” Comments on the video include: “People will

tear apart a young woman for anything they are passionate about. Every. Little. Thing,” and “The double standard this video shows is *chefs kiss* ” However, fan culture is not always fun-loving memes and adorable fan projects. There are sides of groups that are mean or even dangerous. The word “stan” is fairly new and has recently become more of a slang term used to emote love for something. It’s taken from an Eminem music video and combines the words “stalker” and “fan.” Stans are the side of fandoms that well meaning seasoned fans avoid at all costs. They have been known to make every little thing an issue and will often take things to an extreme, such as threatening to kill someone.

Within the past two decades, social media has added new layers to fandoms. Myspace, Tumblr, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok are all essential parts of the fangirl revolution. Everything I Need I Get from You is a novel written by a staff writer for The Atlantic Kaitlyn Tiffany about the culture of fangirls as one herself. In one portion of the novel Tiffany discusses the critical impact that fangirls had on budding social media platforms in the early 2000s: “These applications debuted as blank slates, and the people who came to them filled them with culture. They innovated the language and rhythm and aesthetics and norms of websites that they didn’t fully understand but saw instead as raw material.” With each new platform came new ways for fan communities to engage. From the nine-year-old Lady Gaga Instagram page @ladygagavision to various Youtube reaction videos for Katy Perry’s album Teenage Dream.

Tumblr was founded in 2007 and built on the idea of a short-form blog. The way posts were easy to reblog, and users could design their own homepage made it appealing to many fans. Taylor Swift fans, or better known as “Swifties,” are a group that adopted Tumblr as a haven for the fandom. In 2015 during her 1989 era, Swift joined Tumblr and quickly became a wiz at interactions on the platform. Tumblr is regarded by Swifties as a space where Swift herself would develop bonds and inside jokes with her fans, often hand-picking certain users to meet at concerts.

So, how has fangirl been redefined? Today, the term is less of a verb and more of a feeling. It’s different for each and every fan, and manifests itself in countless ways. The term is no longer exclusive. No matter your gender, age, or who you are fangirling over, the term can apply to you.

Personally, I invite football fans to start using the term. Fangirls should be seen as nothing but positive. Why? Fangirls create community. Whether that be friendship bracelets at a concert or a tweet that made someone laugh on a bad day. You, the fan, have control of the definition. And if someone ever challenges that. . . just remember that a whole bunch of people have your back YM

PHOTOGRAPHED BY KATHIA DAWSON

BLUEY: The Surprising Salve for College Student Anxiety

“Oh my gosh, I LOVE your shirt! I watch Bluey all the time, where did you get that?”

This comment about the Bluey sweatshirt I was wearing came not from a child, whose age demographic the Australian cartoon show is aimed at, but from a fellow college student waiting in line for coffee at Starbucks.

Bluey, the Australian animated children’s show, has been gaining popularity amongst a surprising demographic: college students. While the show’s primary audience is intended to be preschool-aged children, college students have found themselves drawn to the lighthearted and heartwarming adventures of Bluey, a 6-year-old blue heeler dog, and her family. But why are college students so obsessed with a children’s show? Bluey offers comfort and a sense of nostalgia that can help ease the anxieties of young adults.

As

a college student, I can attest to the restorative power of Bluey

Over the past year, I’ve relied on the show to help me manage my anxiety and cope with the stresses of everyday life. When the world around me feels overwhelming and chaotic, Bluey provides a calming and reassuring escape, reminding me of the importance of family, love, and empathy.

But I’m not alone in my love for Bluey. Many college students have found comfort in the show’s wholesome storylines, vibrant colors, and cheerful music. Braelyn Spitler ‘25 says, “I like Bluey because it feels like a break. Everything else in life is so stressful, so it’s nice to be able to take a load off and just enjoy a show.” This sentiment is echoed by many college students who feel overwhelmed by the demands of higher education, work, and social pressures. Bluey provides a respite from these stressors and offers a sense of escape and control that can be difficult to find in the real world.

But it’s not just the escapism that appeals to college students. Kylie Couple ‘26 notes that Bluey provides a sense of nostalgia and childlike wonder that many young adults may not have experienced in their own childhoods. “Seeing children having kind and understanding parents on a show where that’s normalized lets them temporarily forget about the traumas of their childhood and vicariously live through Bluey and Bingo with their kind and loving parents, Bandit and Chili.” For many college students, Bluey represents a comforting and idealized version of childhood that they may not have had.

Beyond the nostalgia, Bluey’s focus on family dynamics and emotional intelligence can be therapeutic for college students dealing with their struggles. The show’s emphasis on communication, empathy, and problem-solving can serve as a reminder of the importance of these skills in building healthy relationships. Despite being a children’s show, Bluey manages to capture the essence of what it means to be human. The characters are flawed and relatable, and the storylines tackle real-life issues in a way that is accessible to both children and adults. Watching Bluey navigate the ups and downs of childhood with her family can provide comfort and inspiration for college students struggling to navigate their own lives.

For me, watching Bluey has become a go-to tool for managing stress. As someone who has struggled with anxiety for much of my life, I find that watching this show is a calming and reassuring experience. I grew up with shows like Blue’s Clues and Bear in the Big Blue House, so watching Bluey feels like coming home.

In particular, “The Creek” episode stands out as a source of comfort. In the episode, Bluey and her sister Bingo embark on an adventure to the local creek with their father Bandit. Along the way, they encounter various obstacles and challenges, but they work together as a family to overcome them. As they explore the creek, they take in the sights and sounds of their surroundings, reminding viewers to appreciate the beauty of the world around them. The gentle music and soothing colors of the episode also create a sense of relaxation and comfort. It serves as a poignant reminder that sometimes, the simplest pleasures and adventures with loved ones can be the most fulfilling and calming experiences.

Bluey reminds us of the importance of caring for ourselves and finding joy in the small things in life. So the next time you feel overwhelmed, take a break and tune in to an episode of Bluey. You might find it is exactly what you need to calm your mind and soothe your soul. YM

WRITTEN BY ALEKS CARNEY ART BY ALEKS CARNEY

YMP3 PRESENTS:

SIN ——— Jason Korn

over to me ——— Jason Korn

Freedommind ——— Baby Face

Loose On The Dance Floor ——— Taj Dharmadji

i’m sorry ——— bep

summer day ——— bep

voices in my head ——— Jason Korn

Cool It ——— Dejima

I’m Going Wild! ——— Dejima

bottom of the sea ——— JOBIE

irish goodbye ——— JOBIE

Take a Walk ——— Passion Pit (Michael Angelakos)

Carried Away ——— Passion Pit (Michael Angelakos)

Rock & Roll ——— Eric Hutchison

OK, It’s Alright With Me ——— Eric Hutchison

Anyone Else But You ——— The Moldy Peaches (Adam Green)

Tendency to Riot ——— Sarah Borges

The Day We Met ——— Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles

Total Eclipse of the Heart (Live) ——— The Dan Band (Dan Finnerty)

Crimson Eyes ——— Kiko Lopez

Insane ——— Kiko Lopez

bottom of the sea ——— JOBIE

To Know You’re Screwed is to Know a Lot ——— Mediocre

Permanent Blue ——— Taj Dharmaji

Fairytales ——— Jason Korn

My Friend Cupid ——— KD Sizzle

MUST BE NICE, Pt. 2 ——— Serge Alex

Insomnia ——— Katya Veber

cause u missed me ——— College Athlete

winter in boston ——— bep

EMERSON MUSICIANS PAST AND PRESENT

YM Advises: How do you make the most out of your college experience?

In my opinion, there is no right or wrong way to approach a college education. As someone who transferred, I can tell you that everything will not go exactly the way you want or expect it to. I think the best way to approach higher education is to focus on the stuff you can control. Use the resources at your disposal in order to make the best of what is in front of you. I recommend connecting with as many people as possible. Tell the person you see on the street that you like their outfit, ask questions if you don’t understand something, join clubs and activities, go to parties, go to coffee shops—at the end of the day things are what you make of them and connecting with others is so fun.

—Emma Cahill, Editorial Director

Give yourself time to live outside of school. It’s important to get involved in classes and extracurriculars, but you deserve to find enjoyment in other things! There’s an expectation that you have to be constantly busy in college, but that can feel overwhelming. Putting too much pressure on yourself will leave you drained and exhausted. Look out for yourself and your friends, and give yourself a break once in a while.

—Fiona McMahon, YMTV Co-Director

A big part of maximizing my college experience has come from learning how to make the most out of living in Boston. Going to school in a big city is obviously very different from what you’d get at a traditional university, so traditional advice may not suffice. For me, walking or running around Boston and getting to know people who go to other schools has made Boston seem like a much more interesting place, making my college experience feel more interesting.

––Camryn Ciancia, Editor-in-Chief

It feels a little surreal to actually answer this question when I’ve endured years of family members and older adults telling me how to get the most out of college. Suffice to say, I wouldn’t consider myself an expert on the topic, but at the same time, at least I am a current college student speaking to this and not your great-uncle projecting his glory days onto you. As many will encourage you, getting involved in activities both on and off campus definitely helps with the formation of community and helps you forge a connection with your school and its people. Still, this doesn’t mean you need to launch yourself into as many extracurriculars as possible. While student organizations like YourMag have helped me find community, there is no “right way” to doing so. For me, making the most out of my college experience has meant meeting new people, inside and outside the Emerson bubble. It’s meant getting the most out of the College’s hefty price tag by leaning on my professors and accessing their professional connections. However you decide to live your life in college, know that there is never only one way to excel.

—Isa Luzarraga, Managing Editor

Artist Statement

Isabella Chiu

Describe your work in one sentence. Spontaneous creations.

How and when did you get into digital illustration?

I first started as a traditional artist, and I mainly did traditional art since I was maybe in elementary school; however, it wasn’t until around the pandemic that I started to dip my toes into digital art, albeit with my phone and my finger as the stylus. I began to go full digital around my first year of college when I got my first tablet; the rest is history.

What inspires you?

People mainly inspire me, as they are usually what I enjoy drawing. I usually scroll through Pinterest, Instagram, and Tik Tok and find individuals I think have a cool

fashion style and aesthetics. However, I am also heavily inspired by video games, anime, and my Asian identity and culture. Aside from illustrating modern fashion aesthetics, I enjoy drawing traditional Chinese attire and having characters wear them in contemporary settings.

Why anime art?

Anime art and its style have been crucial to my artistic development as it was a part of my childhood. I watched shows like Sailor Moon, Totally Spies, and The Winx Club And in turn, I would often try to draw my favorite characters and make my own original characters. In addition, I have picked up the anime art style from classic 2010’s books such as Mastering Manga with Mark Crilley and an assortment of How To Draw books that my mom would give me. Often they contained cartoonist imagery of mermaids, fairies, and witches.

Who are some of your favorite creators/artists?

Some of my favorite artists are Velinxi (Xiao Tong), Stephanie Priscilla, XINYUE, and Bao Pham. A good portion of these artists inspire me when illustrating varying characters that tap into my Asian identity. I hope to aspire to their level one day.

What is your favorite illustration you’ve made? What makes it special to you?

It’s hard to say which one of my illustrations is my favorite, as I love them all. But one illustration I will always be fond of is the cover I made for the novel I wrote back in high school. This image has gone through many iterations and changes, but I still go back to it to enjoy it. It features the novel’s two main characters and holds a soft spot for me. There are some elements in it that you can see where my current style derives from, especially in the eyes. I love how I rendered hair in this piece, and I might have to try and recreate it in new works.

What advice would you give other/new creators?

I would say to keep drawing when you can and take breaks. Going on a brief hiatus while doodling on the side can do wonders for creativity. And don’t take drawing or filling up sketchbooks too seriously. I find that just drawing crappy but silly art does more for me than just staring at a blank canvas.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself being an editor or designer at some publishing house. I love books and drawing, but I can’t see myself being able to sustain one over the other. Therefore, I want to be able to participate in both areas of publishing.

Where can readers see more of your work?

You can see it on my Instagram @pirate_bear. I don’t update often, but knowing that some may be interested in seeing my work, I’ll try to post once in a while.

Artist State ment