Alice Vol. 2 No. 3

CHARLOTTE OC 

Q&A wtih trendy singer-songwriter 

48 HOURS IN 

BIRMINGHAM 

Hottest spots in the Magic City 

ESCAPE 

ARTIST 

Examining escapism 

in pop culture 

ETERNAL 

$3.99 Vol. 2, No. 3 

SUMMER 

Keep your head in the clouds and your feet in the sand as you 

shine in refreshing florals, throwback styles and dreamy trends 

The University of Alabama | May 2017

LOOKING AHEAD 

Grab your ice cream cones and leave 

your shoes at home as Alice braves the heat 

in this exquisite summer issue. Join us 

beneath sprawling moss-draped live oaks or 

on the waterfront as we explore the trends 

this season has to offer. The possibilities 

are endless. 

Photo by Alex Green

Letter from the Editor 

On the web: 

Twitter: @Alicethemag 

Instagram: @Alicethemag 

facebook.com/Alicethemag 

alice.ua.edu 

Alice on Pinterest: 

pinterest.com/Alicemagazine 

Editorial and Advertising offices for Alice Magazine are located at 

414 Campus Drive East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. 

The mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. 

Phone: (205) 348-7257. 

Alice is published by the Office of Student Media 

at The University of Alabama. 

All content and design are produced by students 

in consultation with professional staff advisers. 

All material contained herein, except advertising or where 

indicated otherwise, is copyrighted © 2017 by Alice Magazine. 

Material herein may not be reprinted without the 

expressed, written permission of Alice Magazine. 

Summer is just around the corner. The temperature is rising, 

the sky seems bluer and sunscreen is an absolute must. My senior 

year is now coming to a close (waterworks may have taken place). 

This year has been a season of lasts and now this is my last Alice 

as editor in chief. With this being my final issue, I wanted to 

make sure that I “left it all on the field.” Every time I see Alice 

on the stands at the Supe Store or in the hands of a student, my 

heart swells. I couldn’t be more proud of this magazine. Having 

the opportunity to work with the magazine this year has been 

a dream come true. I couldn’t imagine my senior year being as 

wonderful without this position. I have loved every single second 

of working for this magazine. From the late nights laughs of 

productions to the moments of frustration from the April rain 

showers that made our photo shoots very difficult to get finished 

— it has been so rewarding. I cannot say enough good things 

about Alice. She’s a mentor, a fashion expert and someone that 

has made me realize my potential as a leader. She’s something 

different to other people — discover what she has to offer you. 

With all that sappiness being said, let’s talk about this issue. 

As I say every issue, the team and I have put all of our 

hearts and souls into this magazine. But, hey, it’s true and I 

want to recognize the incredible work ethic and creative genius 

of the editors of Alice. This summer’s magazine is definitely 

the most innovative that we’ve ever done. The Ten Bleaching 

Commandants on page 5 is something I will definitely urge 

people to check out (With recently bleached hair myself, I have 

been pouring over it). The fashion spreads are seriously stunning 

— turn to page 16 and get ready to be blown away. Read The Big 

Reveal to see the latest trend: fishnet tights (pg. 34). As many 

people will probably be attending summer weddings, catch up on 

our Wedding Survival Guide (pg. 41). Check out our article on 

alternatives to the pill (pg. 58) and nudity in art (pg. 62). Flip 

to our Coffee Crawl on page 70 to know about the newest coffee 

shops in town. What is summer without a good book? Go to page 

80 for Dreamy Pool Reads and page 87 for Poetry for People Who 

Don’t “Get” Poetry. 

While working on this season’s issue, our time was split by 

spring break. For part of that week I was able to go to New York 

City with Allie Binford, the next editor in chief of Alice. I know 

I’ll miss this magazine, but I also know that’s in great hands 

and I can’t wait to see where Alice is headed. As we adventured 

throughout the city and even at the top of the Empire State 

Building, Allie would bounce around incredible ideas for the 

future of Alice. Get ready, people, great things are coming and 

it starts with this issue. I’ll just leave you with this: *Cue “Don’t 

You (Forget About Me)” here.* 

Paige Burleson

Editorial 

Editor in Chief PAIGE BURLESON 

Creative Director MARIA OSWALT 

Photo Editor EMILY HEATH 

Managing Editor CLAIRE TURNER 

Market Editors ALEXIS DANZO AND ALLIE BINFORD 

Beauty Editor KAILA WASHINGTON 

Lifestyle Editor RACHEL WILBURN 

Fashion Editors ALLIE BINFORD AND EMILY HEATH 

Food and Health Editor MADISON SULLIVAN 

Entertainment Editor ELLEN JOHNSON 

Features Editor ALEXIS FAIRE 

Social Media Coordinator DONICA BURTON AND CLAIRE TURNER 

Contributing Writers EMILY ADAMS, HALEIGH AMEND, CHRISTINA AUSLEY, VONDRA ARNOLD, SERENA BAILEY, KATIE BELL, 

EMILEE BENOS, MIA BLACKMAN, SARA BETH BOLIN, PAIGE BURLESON, CARSON COOK, ANNA CRAIN, LOTA ERINNE, 

ANALIESE GERALD, JO HANNA HILL, KATIE HUFF, ANNA KLEMENT, LAUREN LANE, MIKELAH LUKE, LAWSON MOHL, 

MARIA OSWALT, KALLEN SEBASTIAN, KALI STURGIS, KIRBY TIFVERMAN, CLAIRE TURNER, DANIELLE WADDELL, 

AUDREY WATFORD, CAROLINE WELLS, CARSON WOODY 

Contributing Photographers PRESTLEY BRAMLETT, ALEX GREEN, TEAH SHAW, MARIE WALKER, SARAH WESTMORELAND 

Contributing Designer MARY KATE HOLLADAY 

Models ARI BARLEY, LUCY COOK, REAGAN CUNNINGHAM, ALEXIA DUGGER-MAYE, ALANNA FAGAN, 

EFFIE GUENTHER, MEGAN HILL, HALLIE HUDSON, ADAM KIM, SARA MORGAN, DONNA PATE, MADYSON SMITH, 

LINDSAY TATMAN, ALYISCIA THOMAS 

Hair and Makeup HALEIGH AMEND, EMILY HEATH, ALLIE LOWERY 

Advertising 

Advertising Manager RUFUS ALDRIDGE (cwadmanager@gmail.com) 

Advertising Creative Director GRANT SNOW (cwcreativemanager@gmail.com) 

Sales Representatives (205) 348-7845 

JADE LEDET, LIZZIE MIZENKO 

Advisers 

Editorial MARK MAYFIELD (msmayfield1@ua.edu) 

Published by UA Office of Student Media 

Director PAUL WRIGHT 

[2] Alice May 2017

Table of 

Contents 

Beauty 

5 BLEACHING COMMANDMENTS 

7 A WRINKLE IN TIME 

9 DON’T SWEAT IT 

11 IS YOUR SKIN WORTH THE 

SPLURGE? 

13 THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL 

Fashion 

16 HEAD IN THE CLOUDS 

22 COLOR THEORY 

28 LET THE GOOD 

TIMES ROLL 

34 THE BIG REVEAL 

ABOUT THE COVER: The call of seagulls and crashing 

waves set the scene for our sunrise shoot in Fairhope and 

Montrose, Alabama. Pat Hall, a UA alum, and Charlotte 

Carey graciously let us into their homes and clued us in on 

the places to see around the Mobile Bay area. From tropical 

and breezy beachwear to cleancut formal outfits, this 

edition of Alice has it all. Sun-soaked streets and nautical 

views served as the perfect backdrop for our little getaway. 

Cover photo: PRESTLEY BRAMLETT 

See story: PAGE 48 

Lifestyle 

37 48 HOURS IN BIRMINGHAM 

41 WEDDING SEASON SURVIVAL 

42 PACK ATTACK 

44 BOTTLE IT UP 

45 REVIVING RESOLUTIONS 

Alice May 2017 [3]

Features 

48 ETERNAL SUMMER 

58 HARD TO SWALLOW 

62 EXPOSED 

64 ESCAPE ARTIST 

Health 

& Food 

68 SHADE OF YOU 

70 COFFEE CRAWL 

71 BREAK IT DOWN 

72 SUMMERTIME SWEETS 

73 SUPERFOODS 

75 ON THE BRINK OF NO STINK 

77 WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO 

KNOW ABOUT EXPIRATION DATES 

Entertainment 

78 SO YOU’VE NEVER BEEN TO HANGOUT 

80 DREAMY POOL READS 

82 TAKE A CHANCE 

83 Q&A WITH STUDENT COMEDIAN 

85 THE SHORT LIST 

86 A DOC A DAY: DOCUMENTARIES TO MAKE YOU THINK 

87 POETRY FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T “GET” POETRY 

88 CHARLOTTE OC 

Alice would like to thank 

the following stores for 

providing outfits and 

accessories for photo shoots: 

LULUS.COM 

MARKET HOUSE 

AZ WELL 

LAVISH 

PANTS STORE 

TWICE AS NICE 

LUCCA 

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SUPE STORE 


BEAUTY 

Photo by Prestley Bramlett 

By Kali Sturgis 

As summer approaches, tans get 

darker, days get longer and hair definitely 

gets lighter. Take a look at our 

hair bleaching bible to get that sunkissed 

look while keeping the locks 

happy and healthy. 

DOs 

Do listen to your stylist. One of the 

hardest tips to follow, but the most 

important to acknowledge: listen. The 

majority of us who like to dye our hair 

will often go for a color that we find 

amongst social media or our favorite 

celebrities. Showing a picture to your 

stylist prior to your appointment will 

guarantee your stylist’s ability to be 

able to (or not to) color your hair how 

you would like it. So if your stylist tells 

you that the color you want is unattainable, 

ask what they could do to produce 

a hair color you can happily sport, or 

find another stylist who is confident 

in their hair coloring abilities, and 

see if they’re willing to get you your 

dream color. 

Do sleep in argan oil or coconut oil 

the night before bleaching. Easy to 

do, easily accessible and reduces hair 

damage from bleach; oil isn’t just for 

cooking. Seventeen.com dishes Kylie 

Jenner’s hair stylist’s trick to having 

healthy hair after bleaching. Coat your 

strands in argan or coconut oil the 

night before you bleach your hair, then 

go to sleep with the oil to let it soak 

into your locks and scalp. If you’re 

concerned about messing up your pillowcase, 

wrap your head in a towel 

or wear a shower cap to prevent leakage. 

Just don’t forget to wash it out in 

the morning! 

Do give yourself time to bleach. This 

is super important. Try bleaching on 

a weekend to give yourself time to go 

slowly and appraise your results. Then 

you won’t be rushed to fix any mistakes 

while worrying about having to be seen 

in public with discolored hair. 

Do be gentle with your hair. People 

wonder why their hair becomes so 

damaged after bleaching. The main 

problem comes from continuing their 

usual hair routine. When you bleach 

your hair, the actual hair follicle is forever 

changed. Invest in a deep-conditioner 

and use it once or twice a week 

along with always conditioning after 


shampooing. This will add that extra 

moisture your hair needs. When it 

comes to showering, your hair is already 

going to be dry and inelastic, 

and washing your hair multiple times 

throughout the week will cause major 

hair breakage. So reduce your everyday 

wash to every other day or even try 

every two days. Remember those oils 

that were so great for the night before 

a bleach? You can do the same thing 

before a hair wash to keep your hair 

hydrated and protected from environmental 

damage. 

Do get regular trims. A lot of people 

try to avoid this tip when they’re 

on the kick of letting their hair grow 

out, but this is so important to follow 

through with. You should be getting 

your hair trimmed at least every six 

to eight weeks so that your hair stylist 

is able to remove all of the previously 

damaged hair for new, healthier 

hair to grow in its place. Continually 

growing your hair overtop damaged 

hair does not magically make a happy, 

healthy head of hair. 

DON’Ts 

Don’t try and bleach your hair yourself 

if you have virgin hair. This point 

is kind of an obvious one, but if you’ve 

never dyed your hair before, then going 

to a professional is a lot safer than 

standing confused in the beauty aisle 

of your local convenience store. It will 

also ensure that you come out of the 

salon with practically perfect bleached 

locks. So put down that sketchy box of 

drugstore bleach and call your locally 

appraised hair salon to avoid damaging 

your hair and a bad hair day. 

Don’t overlap bleach in the same 

day: Genuinely think before re-bleaching 

your hair. Bleaching your hair already 

strips the hair follicle and causes 

it to be prone to breakage. Waiting 

at least a day before bleaching your 

hair again allows the scalp to relax 

from sensitivity you can obtain from 

bleaching. This will also help reduce 

hair damage that can occur during the 

bleaching process. 

Don’t use permanent hair dye to 

dye your hair. According to hercampus.com, 

permanent dyes disintegrate 

the hair cuticle due to the process of 

pulling out your natural hair color and 

sequentially putting new color back in, 

unlike semi- and non- permanent dyes 

that avoid damaging the hair by coating 

the hair follicle with color like a 

gloss. Semi- and non-permanent dyes, 

also, last for about four to six weeks, 

so you won’t have to worry about being 

stuck with a color you dislike for a long 

time or continuously having to go get 

root touch-ups. 

Don’t use (as much) heat. Obviously 

we all can’t avoid hot tools for 

as long we color our hair, but we can 

regulate how much heat we use. Keep 

the heat on low to avoid as much hair 

damage as possible. Patting your hair 

dry (not scrunching) or using a blow 

dryer and round brush can go a long 

way compared to straightening your 

hair. If you do use heat, make sure to 

apply some sort of heat protectant to 

your locks to reduce as much damage 

as possible. 

Don’t leave the bleach on for too 

long/too little. Leaving bleach on your 

hair and scalp for too long can cause a 

variety of mishaps to occur, including, 

but not limited to: chemical burns on 

your scalp, damaging your hair follicle 

and frying your hair to the point 

of it falling out. While this all sounds 

completely terrible, leaving bleach 

on for too little can also cause some 

problems. Not allowing enough time 

for bleach to sit on the hair won’t allow 

the bleach to lift the original color 

from the hair, which will cause those 

dreaded brassy tones to show up. So 

make sure you follow the bleaching 

instructions carefully. 

Getting that perfect summery glow 

to your hair can definitely take a toll 

on your strands, but follow these tips 

and you’ll be able to rock lighter locks 

while keeping it all intact. * 



BEAUTY 

Photo by Emily Heath 

By Anna Klement 

Everyone ages. Let’s face it, most of you reading this are 

in or around your 20s. When it comes to skin care (and 

life in general), we’re in that awkward age gap between 

too old to have baby’s butt skin, but we’re not yet past the 

teenage acne stage. From the inspiring words of Britney 

Spears, we’re “not a girl, not yet a woman.” However, you 

can’t help but see dozens of labels shouting out to you as 

you pass through the beauty aisle at Target — “anti-aging” 

this, “reverse fine lines” that. 

Do you ever wonder in the back of 

your mind when will be your time 

to step up to the plate and face the 

unknown of age related cosmetics? 

We’re sparked by these fascinating 

terms like “collagen” and 

“retinol,” but what do these things 

actually mean? If you’re clueless 

about where to begin, read on to 

learn how to really take care of your skin: there’s no time 

like the present. 

The truth is, you’re not going to learn the intimates of 

anti-aging skincare in your chemistry or anatomy class. 

Aging is a natural process of life. With the society we live in 

now, it’s hard not to be concerned about fine lines and wrinkles 

that are doomed to pop up on our face one morning. 

But don’t lose yourself in a world that requires anti-aging 

as a beauty standard — do it to love your skin and keep it 

healthy. My grandmother always says, “take care of your 

We’re sparked by these 

fascinating terms like 

“collagen” and “retinol,” 

but what do these things 

actually mean? 

skin now so you don’t have to pay for it later.” She’s the brunette 

version of Christy Brinkley, and I think I owe my entire 

top shelf to her as far as good products and good genes 

can go. Looking for your guide to keeping your skin fresh? 

Here’s Alice’s take on tackling anti-aging in your 20s. 

Sunscreen. You should be lathering up — Every. Single. 

Day. It doesn’t matter if it’s pouring rain outside; sunscreen 

is essential to the health of your skin. Prolonged sun exposure 

speeds the aging process tremendously. Infrared rays 

(hair dryers, ovens, phones) can also damage skin, hence 

why you should never be caught 

without this essential layer of protection. 

Radiation penetrates skin 

and attacks collagen. Stick with a 

SPF of 20-40. FYI- a higher SPF 

than that doesn’t actually work to 

protect your skin. 

No smoking. Cigarettes contain 

over 400 toxic chemicals. These 

chemicals causes blood vessels to 

constrict, which decreases blood flow that is essential to 

healthy skin . Smoking can also lead to puffiness, wrinkles, 

blackheads and scars. This is one of the most detrimental 

things you can do to your body when it comes to trying to 

age gracefully. 

Be gentle with your skin. Use eye cream, serums and oils, 

even if you have oily skin. When you break out, your body is 

trying to make up for lost nutrients. Dab eye cream on with 

your ring finger so the vitamins absorb fully in your skin. Using 

your ring finger gives you the perfect amount of control 


while also keeping your touch gentle 

— the tools to your skincare are 

your hands! Since skin is thinnest 

around the eyes, they often 

age first, so be sure to take care of 

that area. 

Daily regimen. Implementing a daily 

skin care regimen will get you into the early 

habit of taking a few extra minutes to show 

your skin some TLC. You can modify this list 

to what fits your lifestyle, but here’s an overview of 

some great steps to a routine: 

#1. EXFOLIATE Use an exfoliator 2-3 times a 

week to remove dead skin cells. 

#2. CLEANSE Use a gentle cleanser daily, even if 

your skin isn’t sensitive. 

#3. TONE The necessity of toner in your routine is 

highly debated between all sorts of online blogs and 

dermatological testimonies, but it can be worth it if 

you’re looking to improve your complexion. You can 

substitute this with micellar water, which removes 

excess dirt and has similar benefits to a cleanser. 

#4. MOISTURIZE This is an incredibly important 

step. Moisturized skin helps prevent aging. Your 

skin craves moisture (think about when your lips 

get chapped), so in addition to this, drink tons 

of water. 

#5. OILS This is for those of us with skin like 

the desert. Skip this step if you have oily skin, as 

the oil is meant to provide nutrients your skin lacks. 

#6. SERUMS Something all skin types should take 

the time to do. Something like a Vitamin C serum, 

which plumps skin, does just the trick. 

#7. EYE CREAM Small amount, ring finger, 

tapping motions — simple as that. You can actually 

use any excess on the skin around your lips to help 

with fine lines and wrinkles. 

#8. SUNSCREEN Can you tell how important 

layering on some SPF is? Use this in conjunction 

with everything else. 

Befriend a dermatologist. Remember to eat well and 

consult a nutritionist if you’re interested in vitamins and 

supplements. These things play a huge role in your outward 

appearance, although you might not see results as fast as 

the other tips. Try not to get too stressed out over aging 

because it’s the natural cycle of life. Aging is unavoidable, 

so take care of your body, and your body will love you back 

— after all, you only get one in your lifetime! * 

Crisis Pregnancy? 

We want to help you. 

Free Counseling, 

Adoption, and 

Multi-Level 

Support Services 

Available 

205-324-6561 

info@cfsbhm.org 

www.cfsbhm.org 


BEAUTY 

DON’T 

SWEAT IT:The 

best waterproof 

makeup of 

the summer 

By Haleigh Amend and Kelsey Zaroff 

Summer means cookouts, beach 

trips, pool days and high temperatures. 

But after hours of sweating you 

might glance in a mirror at your makeup 

and think, “YIKES.” The good 

news is, Alice won’t let melted makeup 

kill your summer vibe. We’ve got the 

secrets to waterproofing your makeup 

for when things get hot and steamy (we 

mean humidity, of course). No matter 

what, your makeup will look as fresh 

as it did when you first applied it. 

THE PREP 

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Daily 

Liquid Sunscreen 

Before reaching for your makeup, 

you want to start with a sunscreen. 

Doing this will prevent wrinkles for 

when you’re older and decreases your 

chance of getting skin cancer. Also, 

who wants a burned face? The type of 

sunscreen you use can make or break 

the lasting power of your makeup, so 

it’s important to use one that’s lightweight. 

The Neutrogena Ultra Sheer 

Daily Liquid Sunscreen is oil free, so 

you won’t break out or look greasy. 

Milk Blur Stick 

Let your sunscreen soak in for five 

minutes before following the next 

step to make your makeup melt-proof: 

primer. The Milk Blur Stick will help 

you achieve the flawless matte complexion 

you’re after. 

THE FACE 

It Cosmetics Your Skin But 

Better CC Cream 

Once your skin is fully prepped for 

makeup, adding a light layer of CC 

cream will give you the coverage you 

need without looking too overdone. 

The It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better 

CC Cream will give you a natural 

look with insane coverage and an extra 

dose of SPF 50. 

NYX Gotcha 

Covered 

concealer 

If you’re not 

a fan of CC cream, 

you can simply just spot 

treat areas that you need to 

hide. The NYX Gotcha Covered 

concealer is waterproof and full coverage, 

so you know it’ll keep everything 

covered no matter what. 

NYX HD Finishing Powder 

A setting powder is going to be your 

saving grace for banishing shine. 

Carry this with you to touch up when 


you see shine attempting to break 

through. Translucent is best because 

it’s colorless and won’t get cakey when 

you add more to your face throughout 

the day. We love the NYX HD 

Finishing Powder. 

Physicians Formula 

Butter Bronzer 

To add a subtle bronze 

glow to your skin, apply 

a light colored 

bronzer — like the 

Physicians Formula 

Butter Bronzer 

— to the areas the 

sun would naturally 

hit your face. With a 

large, fluffy brush, apply 

the bronzer to the hollows 

of your cheeks, temples and 

under your jaw. For a fully bronzed 

look, apply the bronzer down to your 

collarbone and neck as well. 

Makeup Revolution Sun 

Kiss Highlight 

Make your cheekbones pop with a bit 

of a golden highlight. Dust on some of 

the Makeup Revolution Sun Kiss highlight 

in the color Sun Kiss. The shimmer 

in this highlighter is finely milled 

so you’ll look naturally lit from within 

rather than looking like you just 

doused yourself in glitter — or sweat. 

Tarte Cheek Stain 

A healthy dose of color on your 

cheeks will keep your face looking 

fresh. The Tarte Cheek Stain is perfect 

because it is a stain rather than 

a powder which will leave your cheeks 

with a rosy flush even after swimming 

in the ocean. There’s a wide range of 

colors to choose from so there’s a shade 

to flatter every skin tone. 

THE EYES 

NYX Eyebrow Gel 

If you like to keep your brows fleeked 

at all times, try the NYX Eyebrow Gel 

— it’s waterproof and long-wearing. 

Your brows will look natural and defined 

like normal, but this brow gel is 

specifically formulated to last. It won’t 

be going anywhere when you swim or 

sweat, and it’s also affordable. 

Revlon ColorStay Cream 

Eyeshadow 

The Revlon ColorStay Cream Eyeshadow 

is a quick way to add a wash 

of shimmery color to your eyes with a 

swipe of your finger. These come in an 

array of colors that give you options 

for every occasion whether it’s for day 

or night. 

NYX Proof It Waterproof 

Mascara Top Coat 

If you don’t want to buy a specifically 

waterproof mascara just to go to the 

beach, opt for the NYX Proof It Waterproof 

Mascara Top Coat instead. 

With this product, you can transform 

any mascara you already own into a 

completely waterproof product. 

Now that we’ve shared all of our tips 

and favorite beauty products for summer, 

it’s up to you to create your signature 

waterproof summer look. When 

you do, take a selfie and make sure you 

tag Alice on Instagram. * 


BEAUTY 

Photo by Alex Green 

Floral dress: Buckle 

By Vondra Arnold and Anna Crain 

There is something satisfying about 

having aesthetically pleasing, high end 

and raved-about skin care products 

sitting on your countertop. Who doesn’t 

love going into Sephora and picking 

out their favorite beauty guru’s holy 

grail moisturizer or face mask? Are all 

high end skin care products worth the 

hype? Or are there equally as effective 

and affordable products out there when 

you aren’t willing spend the rest of your 

money on a tiny tube of eye cream? 

ASK THE EXPERTS 

When is comes to skincare, there 

are products that are worth the high 

price tag and others that you can 

find at your local CVS for $10. The 

big issue is deciding what products 

to splurge on and what products 

you can put on your shopping list 

for your next grocery haul. Price is 

not always the best indicator of the 

quality of a product. Dr. Neal Schultz, 

Founder of DermTv.com and creator 

of Beautyrx.com, shares that when 

you buy higher end products, you are 

paying for ingredients, formulation, 

the way the ingredients are actually 

mixed together, packaging, prestige 

and perception. 

When buying skincare products, 

ingredients are crucial factors that 

affect the quality. There are two 

different types of ingredients: active 

and vehicle. Active ingredients are 

treating agents. They’re things like 

Vitamin C, caffeine, and glycolic acid. 

Vehicle ingredients make up creams 

and lotions, which active ingredients 

are dissolved in. Dr. Ellen Marmur 

says, “Some of the more luxury 

department store brands may have 

more premium ingredients in them, 

though that doesn’t mean drugstore 

brands aren’t efficacious.” So be on the 

lookout for those ingredients during 

your next skin care routine update. 


WHEN IT’S OK 

TO SPLURGE 

Schultz suggests splurging on treatment 

products such as eye creams, 

moisturizers, exfoliants and antioxidants. 

These products tend to have 

more active ingredients, which are 

usually significantly better in higher 

end products. Alice has done the 

research for you and discovered the 

products that are actually worth 

the splurge. 

DR. DENNIS GROSS C+ 

COLLAGEN BRIGHTEN & FIRM 

VITAMIN C SERUM $78 

This illuminating gel-serum packed 

with Vitamin C will brighten up your 

face — great for that 8 a.m. you stayed 

up all night for. The fast absorbing 

gel helps smooth skin and reduce fine 

lines. The serum is loaded with the 

antioxidants niacinamide and CoQ10, 

which help fade the appearance of 

dark spots and prevent future signs 

of aging. 

CLINIQUE MOISTURE SURGE 

INTENSE $39 

If the name isn’t convincing enough, 

customer reviews say this product is 

like drinking a huge glass of water 

— but for your face. This moisturizer 

locks in moisture without leaving 

your skin feeling greasy, no matter 

what your skin type is. Other customer 

reviews share that this product is excellent 

for the winter time and is great 

with or without makeup. It’s sure to 

become your go-to daily moisturizer. 

FIRST AID BEAUTY FACIAL 

RADIANCE PADS $30 

When it comes to exfoliation, you 

want a product that is going to penetrate 

into your skin. It needs to dissolve 

the oil and makeup that builds 

up deep in your pores. Dr. David 

Colbert, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist 

in NYC, suggest using exfoliator 

with glycolic and lactic acids. First aid 

Beauty’s Facial Radiance Pads fit all 

the requirements and do just the trick. 

ORIGINS HIGH-POTENCY 

NIGHT-A-MINS MINERAL- 

ENRICHED OIL-FREE RENEWAL 

CREAM $43 

If you don’t like serums but still 

want their benefits, wearing a night 

cream may be for you. Night time is 

when your skin is able to regenerate 

and heal. Experts say antioxidant enriched 

night creams are most effective 

at reducing redness as well as moisturize 

dry skin. Origins formula is a 

creamy mineral formula filled with vitamins 

and oils. 

WHEN TO SAVE 

YOUR MONEY 

It’s still possible to treat your skin 

without paying the big dollar. Products 

like facial wash, toner, body lotion 

and even face masks will do just the 

job coming from your local drugstore. 

Of course, some drugstore products 

will be a bust, but there are plenty of 

fantastic items you can pick up on your 

next Target run. 

CETAPHIL DAILY FACIAL 

CLEANSER $10 

Cleansing your face is one of the 

most important parts of your skin routine, 

but this doesn’t mean you need 

to spend a fortune. Since cleansers 

are only on your face for less than a 

minute, you don’t need to splurge on 

ingredients that could be found in your 

[12] Alice May 2017 

moisturizer and serums. This product 

gently removes makeup, dirt and oils 

without drying out your face. Packed 

with glycerin and Pro-Vitamin B5, 

Cetaphil’s Daily Facial Cleanser will 

leave your skin feeling soft and clean. 

MARIO BADESCU’S RANGE OF 

TONERS $15 

Toner is one of those products you 

can go with or without. Since it’s not 

a necessary skin care step, there’s no 

need to buy something fancy. Toners 

range from complex treatments to basic 

hydration, so it’s best to find a toner 

that fits your skin type. Aloe and 

chamomile-infused toners are designed 

for those with sensitive skin, while glycolic 

acid and AHA-packed formulas 

fight uneven texture and brighten dull 

skin. Clarifying astringents are best 

for acne prone skin. Mario Bedescu’s 

range of toners are designed for a variety 

of skin types, all at a friendly price. 

GARNIER SKINACTIVE CLEAN + 

PORE PURIFYING 2-IN-1 CLAY 

CLEANSER AND MASK $5 

Yep. You read correctly, $5. Ever 

wanted to indulge your skin in the 

new trend of charcoal face products? 

Well, now you can. Garnier’s new clay 

cleanser and mask uses charcoal, while 

kaolin unclogs pores and removes surface 

impurities. You can use this product 

as a daily cleanser, but get the 

added benefit of it being a mask. In 

just five minutes and $5, you can treat 

you skin. 

Next time you go out shopping for 

your next skin care products, consider 

this: “don’t cheat yourself, treat 

yourself.” We want to take care of our 

skin and make sure it’s flawless, but 

take the time to look into the products 

you’re buying so you know exactly 

when to pull out a credit card. *

BEAUTY 

By Lawson Mohl 

Photos by Emily Heath // Makeup by Bobbi Brown 


“Although we love the 

smokey copper eyes 

and mulberry lips of 

the colder months, this 

season is the time 

to experiment.” 

If there’s one season that gives off 

that “anything goes” vibe, it’s summer. 

Although we love the smokey copper 

eyes and mulberry lips of the colder 

months, this season is the time to experiment. 

Bold, bright colors are becoming 

the summer staple; to hell with 

the rule that says you can only emphasize 

your eyes or your lips — never 

both. If you’re ready for the whimsy 

that comes with the warm weather, 

let Alice help you find your signature 

summer look. 

SPECTRUM SHADOWS 

Out of all of the makeup categories, 

eyeshadows have perhaps the widest 

range and availability of textures, 

finishes and colors. Don’t be afraid to 

make your eyes stand out; that ‘80s 

blue eyeshadow fear has morphed into 

a sought after statement look. Makeup 

brands have begun to cultivate a range 

of bright eyeshadow palettes, making 

it simple to create every eye look over 

the rainbow. You can choose to stick to 

a color palette — like a warm sunset 

eye or cool toned galaxy lid — or combine 

totally unrelated colors to really 

make an impact. Look for eyeshadows 

that aren’t chalky and don’t have a 

lot of fallout. To make the color stand 

out as purely as possible, prime your 

eyes with an eye primer, and use a flat 

packing brush for the lid. This makes 

it so you layer the pigment straight on 

rather than buffing it out to be more 

sheer. Then blend out your crease for a 

seamless, airbrushed finish. 

PUCKER UP 

One of the easiest ways to make a 

statement when you walk out the door 

is to play up your lips with a bold color. 

There’s no need to stick to the traditional 

reds and nudes — teal, lavender 

and electric orange are all underrated 

options great for making your lips pop. 

If you’re not ready to dive into the deep 

end of the rainbow, try an orangey-red 

or a hot pink; you can still be daring 

while keeping your look suitable for 

every day. Before you apply any bright 


lipstick, make sure your lips are exfoliated 

and moisturized. You want to 

give your lipstick as much of a smooth, 

even canvas to work on, so you can 

build up that pigment. Look for a liquid 

lipstick or a bullet lipstick with 

some coverage to really make your 

lips eye-catching. 

GET IN LINE 

Graphic liner is a fast growing trend 

that is perfect for those of us who want 

to spice up that classic cat eye. The 

great thing about graphic liner is that 

it gives you full license to break the 

conventions of drawing on your normal 

wing: many of the styles employ geometric 

shapes, sketchy lines and symbols. 

If you want to create the look but 

you’re not sure where to start, look for 

natural lines around your eye that you 

can accentuate with eyeliner. Trace 

your liner along your crease and connect 

it with your normal eyeliner into 

the shape of an open wing. Skip top 

liner altogether and extend your bottom 

lash line with a double flick. Or do 

away with lines and ink out some cool 

dots instead. Don’t think you have to 

stick to black either; some of the most 

fun looks involve a cobalt blue, pure 

white, or an ombré of several colors. 

When it comes to getting graphic, liquid, 

gel and a creamy pencil liner are 

the way to go. Don’t forget to have a 

small clean up brush and some concealer 

on hand so you can sharpen and 

define your look. 

So whatever your comfort level is, 

don’t be afraid to be a bit more free 

with color this summer. Take advantage 

of this time to try new things, be 

creative and just have fun with your 

look — after all, with all of the colors 

of the rainbow at your disposal, why 

not use them? * 

SPRING101 

> TRENDS 2016 

@THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF 

STYLE. 

online on facebook + university-mall.com 

1701 McFarland Blvd East 

Open Daily 10am-9pm, Sunday 1pm-5:30pm 

PLAID . COLD SHOULDER . TIE DYE . SUEDE 

FRINGE . BACKPACK PURSES . VIVID COLOR 


FASHION 

HEAD 

IN 

THE 

CLOUDS 

Photo by Teah Shaw 

Airplanes and location courtesy of Abe Alibrahim 


Blazer: Az Well 

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth 

with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been 

and there you will long to return. 

– Leonardo da Vinci 

Photo by Emily Heath Photo by Emily Heath 


Photo by Sarah Westmoreland 


Photo by Emily Heath

White flowy top: Market House 

Pants: Az Well 

All sunglasses: Lulu’s 

Gray jumpsuit: Lulu’s 



Blue jumpsuit: Lulu’s 




Photo by Teah Shaw Photo by Sarah Westmoreland 


FASHION 

COLOR THEORY: GOLDENROD 




Romper (above): Lulu’s 

Romper (left): Pants Store 


Photo by Alex Green Photo by Alex Green 

Goldenrod blazer: Forever 21 

Striped dress: Forever 21 


Alice May 2017 [25] 

Photo by Emily Heath

Cool Looks for a Hot Summer 

It’ll be a summer of comfort and style in these bold, bright and colorful outfits – 

inspired by the sunny streets and untouched beaches of Cuba. The Havana Collection, 

available at The Trunk Show boutique inside both Supe Store locations. 

Floral flowy v-neck 

¾ length sleeve dress 

by JODIFL - $36 

3/4 length sleeve floral wrap romper 


Chambray ruffle shorts 

by jella c. - $21 

Cold shoulder long sleeved 

tunic w/ eyelet lace trim 

by EMME - $40

Black strappy crepe dress with embroidered 

bodice by JODIFL - $36 

Ditsy floral wrap dress 


Strappy cropped top 

by daytrip - $19 

Shorts: short linen ruffle shorts by 

veryJ - $26

FASHION 

LET THE 

GOOD TIMES 

ROLL 




Red two-piece: Lavish 

Black off-the-shoulder top: Lavish 

All other items: Twice as Nice 



Photo by Teah Shaw 








Bralette: Lavish 

Black bead necklace: Lavish 



By Kallen Sebastian 

This season, less actually is more. 

Clothes that show a little skin have 

made a major appearance in both runway 

and day-to-day fashion. From 

nude and sheer to cutout and mesh, 

clothes seem to be doing a lot more 

showing and a lot less telling. 

Perhaps this is a result of recycling 

styles from the ‘80s, or perhaps it’s 

a byproduct of the lingerie trend: 

whatever it is, everyone seems 

to be getting on board. 

Although we may not 

all be so bold as to 

wear an entirely sheer dress like Rihanna 

or Kim K, we’re starting to see 

their vision. 

So arrives sheer tops, fishnets and 

cutouts of every kind. Fishnets aren’t 

limited to their classic design: we’ve 

seen a variety of colors and sizes on 

the streets (and the internet). If you’re 

feeling an early 2000s throwback, try 

layering fishnets over nude tights or 

try a pair underneath torn denim, giving 

you a little grunge while keeping 

you in 2017. Even better: try it with 

high-waisted fishnets that peek above 

your jeans. 

If full-on fishnets aren’t for you, 

don’t think you have to go all-out to 

be a part of the movement. Nude fishnet 

ankle socks paired with loafers or 

converse are a great way to add a little 

spice while keeping it subtle. 

Shirts and bodysuits with lace-up 

cutouts are also a simple way to show a 

little skin without baring it all. 

If you’re not quite so Madonna and 

a little more Jane Fonda, you will be 

pleased to know that athleisure hasn’t 

missed the cut either: mesh leggings 

and strategically-placed cutouts are 

making bold entrances into the athletic 

work. It gives workout gear a little sass 

without losing its function. 

With summer right outside our windows, 

it’s no wonder we want to show a 

little skin. This season, add some intrigue 

to the equation. * 


Photos by Emily Heath 

Grey skirt: Twice as Nice 

Mesh shirt: Twice as Nice 

Black top: Az Well 

White pants: Pants Store 

Blue two-piece: Az Well 

Blue fishnet: Forever 21 


LIFESTYLE 

Photo courtesy of Prestley Bramlett 


48 

hours in 

Birmingham 

By Emily Adams and Christina Ausley 

Birmingham: our local big city with a southern, small-town feel. 

Whether you’re visiting for the food or the sights, it’s the perfect 

city to spend a weekend. Birmingham’s historic downtown area, 

up-and-coming music scene and delicious southern eats are all conveniently 

located only an hour from campus. Treat yourself to some 

retail therapy, make evening plans to see the hottest show in town 

and, most importantly, leave a little room for a bit of spontaneity. 

Day 

1 

No 

weekend excursion would be complete 

without a luxurious hotel room. 

Stay at the newly-renovated Hampton 

Inn and Suites’ Tutwiler Hotel for its 

convenient downtown location and affordable 

room options. The Tutwiler is 

perfect for anyone who admires southern 

elegance and appreciates modern 

conveniences. 

9 a.m. Chez Lulu and Continental 

Bakery is a little slice of Paris right 

here in the deep South. Step into this 

corner bake shop to sample the best 


delicacies Chef Carole Griffin has to offer. 

Every bite of her crepes, baguettes 

and tarts is a taste of authentic French 

cuisine (just ask her many loyal customers). 

The doors to the bakery open 

at 7 a.m., and since every item on the 

menu is made fresh daily, it’s definitely 

worth making the early morning trek. 

Stop by for a delicious breakfast bite 

and ask for the daily special. You won’t 

be disappointed! 

The details: 1909 & 1911 Cahaba Rd. / 

$9 / chezlulu.us 

10 a.m. Once you’ve had your daily 

sugar fix, head to the Market at Pepper 

Place. A retro farmer’s market located 

in the former Dr. Pepper Syrup Plant 

and Bottling Company, Pepper Place 

offers the freshest food and trendiest 

wares on the market. With over a hundred 

Alabama-based artists, artisans 

and crafters present each week, the 

market is a hub for tourists and locals 

alike. Be sure to take the time to explore 

the rest of the historic Lakeview 

Design District during your visit here! 

The details: 2829 2nd Avenue South / 

Varies / pepperplacemarket.com 

12 p.m. From Pepper Place, it’s only 

a short walk to one of the quirkiest 

shops in town: What’s on 2nd. A treasure 

trove of undiscovered vinyls, vintage 

movie posters and collectibles of 

all kinds, What’s on 2nd will keep you 

busy for hours as you lose yourself in 

its ever-changing inventory. Stop by 

this local favorite to find that perfect 

vintage piece for your apartment or to 

peruse a bit of pop culture history. 

The details: 2323 1st Ave. N. / Varies / 

whatson2ndbirmingham.com 

1 p.m. After a morning of exploring 

the city, you’re probably looking forward 

to some quintessential southern 

eats. Saw’s is barbecue at its finest, 

and the heaping plates of mouthwatering 

brisket, chicken and pork are 

Photos from top left to bottom: Light Tunnel, Seth Doyle; 

downtown Birmingham, Blair Blackmon; Birmingham sign, 

Morgan Stevenson; Penny & Sparrow at Iron City, Emma Bjornson 


definitely worth the wait in line. (Get 

here before the lunch hour rush to 

snag a spot at the front.) Saw’s is an 

award-winning eatery, and it’s easy to 

see why when the homemade sides are 

just as delicious as the main course. 

The details: 1008 Oxmoor Rd / $15 / 

sawsbbq.com 

2 p.m. There’s nowhere better to grab 

dessert (and to relax after a satisfying 

meal) than Church St. Coffee and 

Books. Come here to lounge with a new 

bestseller in the cozy upstairs reading 

nook, buy a homemade gift for a friend 

or try a tasty treat off the unique 

café menu. The Breakup Cookie is a 

cult-favorite and locally famous for its 

chocolatey deliciousness. 

The details: 81 Church St., Mountain 

Brook / $10 / churchstreetshop.com 

7 p.m. For a picture-perfect moment 

after the sun sets, visit the Light Tunnel. 

An underpass turned art installation, 

the Light Tunnel is the creation 

of artist Bill FitzGibbons. Using thousands 

of LED lights on a computerized 

system, FitzGibbons turned a historic 

Art Deco tunnel into a technicolor wonderland 

perfect for cyclists, pedestrians 

and Instagram enthusiasts to enjoy. 

The details: 2501 5th Avenue North / 

Free 

8 p.m. To wrap up your first day in 

Birmingham, catch a show at Iron City 

Music Hall. Originally built in 1929 as 

an auto factory, Iron City now hosts 

one of the most phenomenal music 

scenes in Alabama. Featuring upcoming 

acts such as Mayday Parade and 

Sister Hazel, Iron City is the perfect 

venue for a girls’ night out or a rockin’ 

date night. With its three stages, two 

bars and restaurant, there’s sure to be 

something that catches your eye at this 

downtown music hall. 

The details: 513 22nd St. S. / Varies / 

ironcitybham.com 

Day 2 

The sun rises on day two and it’s 

time to kick-start your last 24 hours in 

the Iron City. Stretch your legs and get 

ready for a day full of French cuisine 

made with local ingredients and views 

to die for. Use these tips, but also plan 

ahead by making reservations if you’re 

in the mood for a nicer sit-down lunch 

or dinner under the city lights of Birmingham. 

8 a.m. Let’s toast! If you’re in the 

mood for a tasty morning treat, try 

this: Trattoria Centrale. Start your 

morning off right with Trattoria Centrale’s 

famous French toast in a trendy, 

European-styled café. If French toast 

isn’t your thing, the café also offers 

fresh scones, omelets, sandwiches and 

orange juice — all made with local and 

organic ingredients. 

The details: 207 20th St N / Varies / 

trattoriacentrale.com 

If you’re closer to Clairmont Avenue, 

Bogues remains open from 6 a.m. 

– 2 p.m. and offers a unique spot for 

breakfast, brunch or lunch. This Birmingham 

gem offers traditional southern 

hospitality and cuisine from biscuits 

and gravy to a stack of blueberry 

pancakes, not to mention the prices are 

more than reasonable. 

The details: 3028 Clairmont Ave / Varies 

/ boguesdiner.com 

9 a.m. If you want to see the true view 

of Iron City, check out Birmingham’s 

Vulcan Statue. Home of the largest 

cast iron statue in the world, this giant 

stands tall over the city. For just $6, 

you can climb up the steps to the top 

and view Birmingham in all its glory. 

The overlook is a great photo-op and 

can be accessed in the early morning 

or late evening for spectacular sunrise 

and sunset views. With Birmingham 

known as “Steel City,” how could you 

miss this 50-ton iron giant? 


The details: 1701 Valley View Dr / $6 / 

visitvulcan.com 

11 a.m. If you’re looking to walk off 

those blueberry pancakes or French 

toast, Railroad Park offers an array 

of walking paths and trails. The park 

also offers free exercise classes like 

yoga and Zumba whether you’re in the 

mood to relax or get your heart rate 

up. Visit http://www.railroadpark.org/ 

for the park’s schedule of events. 

The details: 1600 1st Ave S 

12 p.m. In need of a little pick-me-up? 

If you’ve spent your afternoon walking 

the trails or climbing the Vulcan Statue, 

you’re more than likely in need of a 

sugary or caffeinated boost. For a hip, 

rustic and local coffee shop, try Urban 

Standard Coffee for a house-made chai 

latte or iced coffee. 

The details: 2320 2nd Ave N / Varies / 

urbanstandard.com 

If you have a sweet tooth, try Doodles 

for homemade sorbet or Savage’s Bakery 

for an intricately-frosted cupcake 

or cookie. Both locations are long-running 

and local favorites. 

The details: (Doodles) 3236 Cahaba 

Heights Rd. (Savage’s) 2916 18th St S 

/ Varies / savagesbakery.com 

2 p.m. Let’s turn the page, if you’re 

looking for a little taste of shopping, be 

sure to sort through Jim Reed Books. 

This historic book store offers thousands 

of novels, magazines, newspapers 

and antiques fit for almost any curious 

visitor. The best part about this 

shop is that it offers around 250,000 

uncatalogued items up for discovery. 

Ask for just about any obscure item, 

and they’ll find it for you. 

The details: 2021 3rd Ave N / Varies / 

jimreedbooks.com 

Outside of books, Charlemagne Records 

and Renaissance Records offer 

thousands of vinyls to skim through 

and purchase. Whether you’re looking 


for classic rock, alternative or vintage 

pop, both of these businesses will more 

than likely have exactly what you’re 

looking for. 

The details: (Charlemagne) 1924 ½ 

11th Ave S / Varies // (Renaissance) 

2020 11th Ave S B / Varies 

6 p.m. Once dinner time rolls around, 

try Bottega Restaurant for upscale 

Italian fare or Hotbox for a fun take on 

Asian food for less than $10. Though 

both locations couldn’t be more different, 

both offer some of Birmingham’s 

best cuisine and local favorites. 

The details: (Bottega) 2240 Highland 

Ave / Varies / bottegarestaurant.com // 

(Hotbox) 4036 5th Ave S #2 / Varies / 

hotboxbhm.com 

8 p.m. If you’re looking to wrap it up, 

enjoy Birmingham’s nightlife watching 

the sunset from Red Mountain 

near English Village, purchasing a 

ticket for the night’s performance at 

Alabama Theater or checking out 

Moonlight on the Mountain. Moonlight 

Photo by Noah Hinton 

on the Mountain provides a unique 

musical atmosphere where you’re encouraged 

to bring your own drinks 

and snacks, as they don’t serve any of 

their own. Instead, the intimate setting 

offers live acoustic acts, poetry 

readings and comedians. Visit http:// 

www.musiconthemtn.com/events/ for 

their schedule of events and more information. 

The details: (Red Mountain) 2011 

Frankfurt Dr / redmountainpark.org 

// (Alabama Theater) 1817 3rd Ave N / 

Varies / alabamatheatre.com // (Moonlight) 

Bluff Park Shopping Center, 585 

Shades Crest Rd 

Check out the app “Birmingham IN 

Guide,” where you can get a layout 

of the city’s restaurants, hotels and 

attractions. The app also supplies directions 

to each location and customer 

comments to help you find the parts of 

Birmingham that best accommodate 

your preferences. *

Wedding 

Season 

Survival Guide 

By Katie Bell 

With the sunshine comes the bride: 

summer wedding season is upon us. 

From what to wear and who to bring, 

this time of year can be a little daunting. 

Travel, lodging and registry gifts can 

be enough to make your head spin. We 

know you know the Golden Rule (don’t 

wear white to a wedding), Alice has 

the best tips to not just surviving but 

thriving for every summer celebration. 

Lots of planning goes into a wedding 

from the bridal party’s side, and being 

prepared on your side can help the big 

day transition smoothly. It’s a special 

event celebrating the couple’s big day, 

but a bride is just as worried about her 

guests having fun as she is walking 

down the aisle. 

First and foremost, RSVP to wedding 

invitations by the suggested date 

given. This helps the bride plan for catering 

and seating, while also showing 

appreciation and respect for the hard 

work that went into designing, organizing 

and mailing those invitations. 

Next, book a hotel or Airbnb for the 

weekend if applicable. Always go in 

with friends to reduce the cost and 

make a fun road trip out of it if you 

don’t fly. Also, monitor the bridal registry 

and pick a gift within your price 

range or go in with a friend on an expensive 

item. 

As far as bridal showers go, don’t 

sweat if you can’t make all of them — 

the bride will understand. Pick a party 

that works with your schedule, RSVP 

and enjoy the time celebrating the bride. 

DO 

“Pick the right shoes. Don’t wear a 

pair with skinny heels that will sink 

into the ground if it’s outside. Dress 

for the venue.” - Molli, 22 

“Take a date that you know can handle 

the agenda for the day. A ceremony 

and reception can sometimes be allday 

events, and mixing that with alcohol 

and strangers and be overwhelming 

for some. Take someone who would 

be excited to go.” - Kelley, 22 

“Eat a little something before you 

go. You never know what the food table 

will look like and partying on an empty 

stomach can be risky.” - Kim, 54 

DON’T 

“Don’t blow your budget going to 

every party or shower a couple has.” 

- Angel, 38 

“Don’t post pictures of the wedding 

before the professional photographer 

does.” - Allison, 35 

“Don’t experiment with spray tans 

a few days before a wedding if you’ve 

never gotten one before. I did once … 

let’s just say it didn’t go very well.” 

- Kady, 22 

Nobody wants to provoke a bridezilla. 

When choosing an outfit, steer clear of 

anything that could potentially overshadow 

the bride or bridal party. Don’t 

be the guest on her phone the whole 

time — this means putting it away for 

the ceremony and reception. 

You are responsible for your plus one 

date, which means choose a respectful 

date who knows how to conduct himself 

or herself around an open bar and new 

people. At the end of the night, don’t 

worry if you’re unable to say goodbye 

to the bride and groom. Offer congratulations 

and praise at some point of 

the night when the bride and groom 

are available; saying goodbye can be 

hard in a reception room full of people. 

Overall, remember you are there to celebrate 

the marriage of a friend and to 

have fun. * 


Pack 


By Lota Erinne and Carson Woody 

Whether you’re spending a summer 

in Paris or just going home for the 

weekend to visit family, there is one inescapable 

issue when it comes to traveling: 

packing. 

It’s the least glamorous part of any 

trip, yet it’s arguably the most important. 

After all, how can you enjoy 

a getaway with friends if you’re scrambling 

to replace those sandals you left 

at home or worrying about how to deal 

with the catastrophe of a shattered 

bottle of foundation? An organized, efficiently-packed 

suitcase is the key to 

starting any trip on the right foot, and 

we are here to help you unlock the keys 

to a stress-free vacation. 

WEEKEND TRIP 

Whether you’re going on a fun getaway 

with your friends or traveling 

for something more serious, everyone 

needs to know how to pack for a weekend 

getaway. All you need for this short 

trip is one bag and maybe a large purse 

or tote bag (seriously, those things 

can hold everything). Here’s what 

you’ll need: 

Shirts: It’s tempting to dump your 

entire closet in your suitcase, but stay 

strong. You’ve worn the same shirt for 

the past four days (#RealTalk). Two 

or three shirts should do the trick. 

Pants: Depending on the weather, 

two pairs of pants or shorts should 

be fine. For a lightweight solution 

that barely takes up any space, 

bring leggings. 

Underwear: Here is where you can 

splurge. Underwear hardly takes up 

any space, so overpack a little on this 

in case of emergency. Pro tip: you can 

pack underwear inside other things — 

like shoes. 

Toiletries: Just bring the basics. 

Wherever you are going will most likely 

have shampoo and conditioner, so 

remember the essentials: your makeup 

bag, a toothbrush, some deodorant and 

personal medications. 

A WEEK 

Weeklong trips pose a dilemma: 

Should you stick to one small-to-medium 

sized bag? Or would it be better 

to bring two bags or just upgrade to a 

big suitcase? 

One big suitcase is fine for air travel, 

but less is definitely more if you’re 

driving to your destination. It’s best 

to cram all you can into a suitcase 

that’s not too tough to maneuver and 

doesn’t take up much space. Here 

are a few tips to maximize efficiency 

and keep your long-suffering zipper 

from busting. 

Pack socks and underwear in shoes. 

This technique, as weird as it sounds, 

will keep your shoes from flattening 

out. Lay them on their sides with the 

soles touching each other to keep from 

getting your clothes dirty — no one

Attack 

wants to open their suitcase and be 

greeted with a dirt-streaked surprise. 

Roll your clothes. You’ve heard your 

parents lament your habit of just 

throwing everything in the bag, and 

now it’s time to listen to them. While 

folding is the most common practice, 

rolled up clothing saves even more 

space and is easier to sift through 

without yanking out the contents of 

your suitcase. 

Don’t cut corners. Once your bag 

seems full, take a moment to reassess. 

Are there empty spaces in the corners? 

Could you reposition your makeup bag 

to create more room? Never miss an 

opportunity to fit a few last things in 

your bag. 

Get stacked. Place anything fragile 

— glasses, breakable makeup containers, 

etc. — between layers of softer 

material. Be sure to pack everything 

tightly to minimize jostling as you 

travel and keep your belongings intact. 

STUDY ABROAD 

Congratulations: You are about to 

embark on one of the most exciting adventures 

of your college career. With 

all the paperwork and detailed planning 

behind you, you want to make 

sure that that last piece — packing 

— is as painless as possible. As with 

any lengthy trip, a well-packed suitcase 

is essential. However, you don’t 

have to pack literally everything you 

own just because you’re going to be 

gone for months. Remember: you can 

buy things in other countries too, so 

that pillow that’s taking up space in 

your luggage has got to go. What you 

need are the essentials, and a few other 

lesser known items that people tend 

to forget. 

Medicine: If you take a regular medication, 

research it and make sure it is 

allowed in your destination and on the 

plane. It’s best to pack a full supply for 

the duration of your trip. 

Clothing: Roll your clothing so it fits 

better in your suitcase. You’ll be gone 

for a while, so bring all your staples, 

including at least one nice outfit. Pay 

attention to the weather as well, and 

pack accordingly. If you need to bring 

a big winter coat, wear it with you 

while you travel to save space. 

Photocopies of all important documents: 

This is the most important one. 

Make sure you have copies of all the 

documents you need (passport, visa, 

etc.) — actually, make multiple copies 

and store them in a secure place. 

Credit Card without Foreign Transaction 

Fees: No one wants to pay extra 

fees when they are already traveling 

and spending money. 

Toiletries: Keep these minimal. Most 

of these items can be bought in any location, 

so free up some space in your 

suitcase and leave them out. 

Shoes: You don’t need more than 

three pairs of shoes — wipe that grimace 

off your face, you know you don’t. 

Pack one for casual day-to-day wear, 

one formal pair and one pair for more 

rugged terrain. 

Leave some room: When you eventually 

have to go home (yes, you do have 

to leave at some point), you’ll want to 

bring a few mementos back with you. 

Leave some extra space in your suitcase 

to store memories made on your 

amazing time abroad. 

OVERALL TIPS 

A suitcase is a suitcase no matter 

where you take it. The following strategies 

are useful for trips of any length 

— keep them in mind every time you 

travel and you can’t go wrong. 

Check the weather forecast for your 

destination and prepare accordingly. 

Plan your outfits, or at least have an 

idea of what you’ll need to wear. 

Make a list of everything you pack. 

When you’re coming home, go back 

over the list and be sure you aren’t forgetting 

anything. 

Travel is going to be a bit hectic no 

matter what, but you don’t need to 

let the stress take over the fun and 

adventure of the journey. When in 

doubt, focus on the necessities and 

remember that if your forget something 

it won’t be the end of the world. 

Happy Traveling! * 


LIFESTYLE 

BOTTLE IT UP 

By Danielle Waddell 

With sweltering heat right 

around the corner, hydration 

is key to keeping up 

with your summer bucket list. Not 

sure what type of water bottle best 

suits your summer needs? Here’s our 

list of hyped-up water bottles, their 

perks and downfalls. 

A+ Nalgene Tritan Wide 

Mouth (32 oz.) $10.99 

Easy on the nose. Users say Nalgene 

bottles don’t hold the “smell,” as compared 

to some other bottles. If you’ve 

experienced (and hate) the “smell,” 

here’s your new BFF! 

No limitations. The Tritan’s wide 

mouth allows for lots of ice and water 

without the difficulty of fighting a 

strange or small mouth shape. 

Tough skin. Nalgene users gush 

about the bottle’s durability. No 

amount of drops, falls or abuse drive 

the bottle to leak. 

Shape of you. Nalgene bottles 

come in all shapes and sizes, so be 

sure to check out which one best fits 

your preferences. 

A 

Hydro Flask (21 oz. 

Standard Mouth) $32.95 

Baby, I’m worth it. User Mallory 

McIntosh said the bottle is heavy duty, 

long-lasting and perfect for keeping 

cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. 

For long summer days on the beach, 

ice cold water is more than worth the 

extra money. 

Tough Skin. McIntosh says the nice 

exterior of Hydro Flasks fade quickly 


with a few drops to the floor, so handle 

your Flask carefully. 

Shape of you. Be aware of the different 

mouth shapes; different people 

have different preferences. Research 

what’s best for you before purchasing 

your bottle or any add-ons. 

A heavy load. Hydro Flask products 

tend to be rather dense (part of 

the temperature technology), adding 

some weight to your daily cross-campus 

travels. 

Tinted, not tainted. Users say the inside 

of your Flask may stain from coffee 

or tea — a warning for those easily 

panicked by signs of staining. 

A- 

S’ip by S’well $24.99 

Baby, I’m worth it. Keeps your hot 

drinks scalding and your cold drinks 

frigid. 

Ice, ice, baby. The small opening 

makes getting peculiar-shaped ice into 

the bottle tricky, so be aware of your 

freezer’s ice shape. 

Size matters. On the topic of size, 

S’ip is a bit on the small side, but 

Erika Pope said she loves the size — 

S’ip fits into backpack pockets beautifully. 

Thankfully, S’well’s handy 

temperature-keeping strength is found 

in all their bottles for those seeking a 

little more water room. 

Don’t sweat it. Pope raved about the 

bottle’s no-sweat power. Dry hands 

for days! 

B+ 

Brita Filtered $18.99 

So fresh, so clean. With a built-in 

Brita water filter, users can drink 

nearly any water, anywhere — a major 

bonus for world travelers. 

Work for it. Due to the filter itself, 

along with the shape and science of 

the spout, it takes a bit more effort to 

drink water from this bottle as compared 

to others. 

Clean freak. Cleaning the bottle 

proves to be quite a hassle as areas of 

the lid are difficult or nearly impossible 

to reach. 

A piece of cake. Replacement filters 

for the bottle are inexpensive and easy 

to replace. 

B- CamelBak Chute 

(0.75L) $15.00 

I’ve got it handled. Chute users love 

the harnessed cap that folds back and 

snuggly slips into the handle. No worries 

about losing the lid or having it 

fall on your face mid-sip. 

Clean freak. Frequently compared 

to the difficult-to-clean Eddy mouthpiece, 

Chute’s wide mouth allows for 

easy cleaning. 

Rain drop, drip drop. While some 

users never experience leaking issues, 

others say the Chute leaks no matter 

how well or tightly the cap is screwed 

on. Give the bottle a thorough trial run 

before allowing it the space next to 

your laptop. 

Tough skin. The Chute can take a 

hit (or two, or three…) While reviews 

say a few falls might further affect the 

leaking, the bottle itself proves to be 

tough stuff. 

Summer is fun, but not when you’re 

dehydrated. Whether hiking your way 

through summer (Nalgene for the 

win!) or relaxing on the beach day-byday 

(hello, Hydro Flask), don’t forget 

your most important accessory: your 

water bottle. *

LIFESTYLE 

Revamp 

and Revive 

Your New Year’s 

Resolutions 

By Mikelah Luke 

It’s sweet summertime right now, 

and, between all of the beach trips and 

days in the sun, you realize that you 

haven’t even thought about your New 

Year’s resolutions since January. But, 

hey, it’s okay, it happens to the best of 

us. In fact, statistics have shown that 

about 45 percent of people who make 

resolutions each year don’t maintain 

them past six months. If you don’t 

want to be one of those people and 

you’re looking for a way to get back on 

track, here are our five steps to revamp 

and revive those resolutions, so you can 

get out of that “better luck next year” 

mindset and you’ll be able to show the 

rest of this year who’s boss. 

Step 1: Revisit 

The first thing you need to do is revisit 

your resolutions. Think about 

what it was you wanted to change or 

start doing and write it down. Along 

with doing this, you want to make sure 

you’re being realistic when it comes to 

making your resolutions. It’s great in 

theory but ending world hunger can’t 

be done in a year. It’s a better idea to 

have realistic goals that you can complete 

in a decent amount of time. You’ll 

feel loads better in the end when you’ve 

actually accomplished what you set out 

to do. 

Once you’ve got your thoughts together, 

try to prioritize your list by 

what’s most important to you. Figuring 

out those things can make the entire 

process a lot less stressful. Let’s 

face it — you probably already have 

too much stress in your life, so you 

should try to cut out as much of it as 

possible. 

Step 2: Support 

So you’ve got your new and improved 


list: what’s next? Get a support system. 

We honestly can’t stress this enough 

— if you don’t have someone there to 

help motivate you, you’re more likely 

to fail compared to someone who has 

a whole army of people behind them. 

I’m not saying you need an entire battalion, 

but a couple of people, or even 

one, is always better than none. For example, 

it’s easier for most people to go 

to the gym with a friend than it is for 

them go to by themselves. It’s always 

helpful to have someone go with you to 

help motivate you, and that same logic 

applies here. 

If you’re trying to eat more vegetables 

or cut out sodas from your diet, 

you can always expect to have weak 

moments. Sometimes you’d rather eat 

the cupcake instead of the celery and 

having someone to tell you, “No, remember 

that you’re trying to cut that 

stuff out,” can help you move leaps and 

bounds towards your goals. 

Step 3: Baby Steps 

While your support system can help 

hold you up during your weak moments, 

you have to first remember 

that taking small steps is essential. 

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you 

can’t change your whole lifestyle in a 

day either. 

You always have to remember to take 

it one day at a time; while it can seem 

like it’s easy to just cut out half of your 

regular food groups in one day, trust 

me, it’s not. 

Step 4: Patience 

Speaking of failure, it happens to everyone. 

Failure is a part of life and unless 

you have the willpower and determination 

of a bull, you’ll probably fail. 

But, even if you do mess up, you 

have to remember not to be too hard 

on yourself. Stuff happens and life can 

always get the best of us. If you’re at a 

tailgate and you decide to try that football-shaped 

cupcake instead of going 

for the vegetable platter, it’s completely 

fine. Sometimes cheating is good for 

you, and you have to try not to feel too 

guilty about straying from the path 

you’ve set out for yourself. 

Always remember to take care of 

yourself first. While sticking to a goal 

can feel great, mental health should 

always be your top priority. A healthy 

mind is always the first step to creating 

a healthy lifestyle. 

Step 5: Keep It Fun 

Last but not least, make the process 

fun. If you’re too clinical about this, 

it won’t be something you want to do 

every day and you’ll go right back into 

that “better luck next year” mindset. 

Try to find ways that can make you 

happy to be making lifestyle changes. 

If you can find ways that you enjoy 

you’ll want to do it everyday and then 

eventually it’ll become a habit. Reward 

yourself along the way — when you 

reach a milestone, go buy those shoes 

you’ve had your eye on, or treat yourself 

to a facial and a night in with your 

dog. The little things always add up in 

the end and can really make changing 

your life worth it. 

Alice knows that being a student 

can be tough, especially when you 

feel the pressure of keeping up with 

homework, internships and social lives 

as well as your personal goals. We’ve 

been there and know how rewarding 

it feels to complete a New Year’s resolution. 

Hopefully these steps can help 

you as the mid-year slump approaches. 

There’s always time to turn the year 

around and with our guide and your 

people around you, you’ll have that list 

of resolutions finished in no time. * 


48 

58 

62 

64 

Features 

Eternal Summer 

Hard to Swallow 

Exposed 

Escape Artist 




Black floral maxi: Lulu’s 


ETERNAL 

SUMMER 

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? 

Thou art more lovely and more temperate: 

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, 

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date: 

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, 

And often is his gold complexion dimm’d; 

And every fair from fair sometime declines, 

By chance, or nature’s changing course, untrimm’d; 

But thy eternal summer shall not fade 

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; 

Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, 

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st; 

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, 

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. 

–William Shakespeare 

Styling by Allie Binford 

Hair and makeup by Allie Lowry 



Green maxi: Lucca 

White jumpsuit: Market House 




Photo by Alex Green

Striped two-piece: Pants Store 








White tank: Market House 

Black top: Az Well 

Striped skirt: Az Well 

Light blue dress: Lucca 

Striped pants: Market House 



Photo by Prestley Bramlett




Tan dress: Lucca 

Navy jumpsuit: Lulu’s 


Photo by Prestley Bramlett

Photos by Marie Walker 


HARD 

TO 

SWAL- 

LOW 

A look into fertility awareness and 

hormone-free alternatives to the pill 

By Maria Oswalt

The ‘80s had Heathers, the 

‘90s had Clueless — if you 

ask any college-aged woman 

today what she considers the 

most quotable movie of her generation, 

I’d bet good money she says it’s Mean 

Girls. The 2004 teen comedy became 

a cult classic with its witty one-liners, 

which continue to be relevant over a 

decade later. My favorite quote comes 

from the skeeziest character in the entire 

movie — Coach Carr, the health 

teacher. Parodying abstinence-only 

sex education, he proclaims to a gym 

full of teenagers: 

“Don’t have sex, 

because you will 

get pregnant and 

you will die.” 

Various studies, including one in 

2007 from the National Center for Biotechnology 

Information in the U.S. Library 

of Medicine, suggest that abstinence-only 

approaches to sex education 

don’t delay or prevent sexual activity 

in adolescents — so I wouldn’t recommend 

Coach Carr’s tactics. However, 

that’s a debate for another day. Rewatching 

this scene made me recall the 

sex education I received growing up in 

north Alabama. 

Despite the anti-sex stereotypes 

surrounding the Bible Belt, the sex 

education I received in high school 

was relatively comprehensive. I vividly 

remember when my tenth-grade 

health class watched The Miracle of 

Life — well, actually, I remember the 

smooth surface of my desk against my 

forehead and the faint smell of Clorox. 

I’d put my head down to avoid seeing 

too much, and the girl sitting behind 

me generously narrated every gruesome 

detail, so I wouldn’t miss out. 

Outside of the awkwardness of that 

film, my health teacher did a decent 

job explaining the biology behind sex, 

talking about the dangers of various 

STIs and even discussing the pros and 

cons of barrier methods vs. hormonal 

methods of contraception. Something 

that never came up, however, was the 

science behind fertility. I was shocked 

when, at 20 years old, I learned that 

there were natural, hormone-free ways 

to avoid pregnancy that were nearly 

as effective as hormonal 

contraception. 

I was doubly 

shocked when I 

learned that the 

pill is classified as a 

Group 1 carcinogen 

by the World Health 

Organization. If 

there were healthier 

options, why 

weren’t we learning 

about them? I was 

already an adult (well, as much as you 

can consider a 22-year-old who wears a 

Pikachu onesie every so often an adult) 

when I realized that I knew next to 

nothing about how my fertility worked 

— and a quick survey of my friends revealed 

that I wasn’t the only one feeling 

that way. 

“The only sex ed I got was in seventh 

grade, and they basically told us, ‘Use 

the pill. Use condoms.’ It wasn’t until I 

was in college that I learned anything 

about the possible consequences,” said 

Georgia Gallagher, a freshman from 

Denver. “I feel like most women are 

in the same boat as me, and they take 

it because they don’t realize there are 

other options.” 

Genevieve Aucoin, a senior from Atlanta, 

echoed her sentiments. “Most of 

what I remember from my high school 

sex ed was a single transparency they 

put on the projector that showed the 

different kinds of birth control and the 

pros/cons of each. I think there was 

something about the Rhythm Method, 

and they said that it was ineffective 

— that was all they told us about 

‘natural alternatives.’” 

Mary Katherine Holladay, a sophomore 

from Athens, Alabama, said 

that she received an abstinence-only 

sex education. She eventually got her 

information about contraceptives from 

friends and friends’ parents. 

“I’ve tried multiple forms of birth 

control, and for the most part they had 

a negative effect on other areas of my 

life, such as my mood,” Holladay said. 

“It just wasn’t worth it. Hormones, 

for me, haven’t been an effective or 

worthwhile solution.” 

As college-aged men and women, it’s 

imperative that we make well-informed 

sexual health decisions — so what exactly 

are the consequences of using 

hormonal birth control? What are our 

options in regards to natural methods? 

PILLS N’ POTIONS 

Let’s start at the very beginning (a 

very good place to start). The history 

of the pill is riddled with controversy, 

and not just because of the typical drama 

surrounding contraceptives. Many 

ethically reprehensible practices were 

involved in its development — for example, 

in the 1950s, biologist Gregory 

Pincus, gynecologist John Rock 

and Dr. Edris Rice-Wray couldn’t find 

enough women willing to endure the 

painful side effects from the trial runs 

of their hormonal contraceptives, so 

they turned to forcing women to participate 

in their studies. “These women 

weren’t told what the pill was for; 

instead, they were supposed to shut 

up, take their medicine, and submit 

to frequent, invasive medical exams,” 

writes Bethy Squires in her Broadly 

article “The Racist and Sexist History 

of Keeping Birth Control Side Ef- 


fects Secret.” She goes on to mention 

that the development of birth control 

for men was considered, but it was 

eventually dismissed due to the side 

effects. “It was believed that women 

would tolerate side effects better than 

men, who demanded a higher quality of 

life,” she writes. Beyond the trial runs 

of hormonal contraceptives, as it was 

brought into the consumer market, 

the risks continued to remain under 

wraps. Thankfully, modern technology 

has reduced the number of side effects 

related to the pill, but it has not 

eliminated them. 

Estrogen acts as both 

a promoter and an initiator, 

so higher levels of estrogen 

in the body lead to much 

higher risks of breast cancer. 


A RISKY CHEMICAL ROMANCE 

With this knowledge, it’s no surprise 

that there are so many misunderstandings 

surrounding the pill’s side effects. 

Recent studies link use of the pill with 

everything from depression to a higher 

risk of breast cancer. 

A November 2016 study from Denmark 

is the most recent one to find a 

correlation between hormonal contraceptives 

and depression. This study 

reported an 80 percent relative risk 

increase in the likelihood that a 15- to 

19-year-old taking oral contraceptives 

would later be put on antidepressants 

as well. Other types of hormonal contraceptives 

— such patches, rings and 

injectables — reported higher rates 

of correlation with depression than 

oral contraceptives. 

When it comes to breast cancer, the 

connection comes from increased estrogen 

levels. According to the American 

Cancer Institute, cancer is caused by a 

mutation in a cell’s DNA. Carcinogens 

are factors which can aid in the development 

of cancer in one of two ways: 

either they speed up the cell division 

rate as a “promoter,” which increases 

the chance that a mutation will occur, 

or they are an “initiator,” which directly 

causes the mutation. Estrogen acts 

as both a promoter and an initiator, so 

higher levels of estrogen in the body 

lead to much higher risks of breast 

cancer. While oral contraceptives as 

a whole have been labeled as Group 1 

carcinogens because of this, the pill 

comes in many forms with varying 

levels of estrogen, so each type comes 

with a different risk level. 

Other, less severe side effects that 

have been linked to the use of hormonal 

contraceptives include nausea, mood 

swings and a loss of libido. 

As our culture increases its awareness 

regarding the hormones we put in our 

bodies through our food, it is equally as 

important to consider the effect of the 

hormones we consume through contraceptives. 

While the knowledge of these 

side effects might not affect every person’s 

sexual health decisions, it is important 

that this information is more 

widely known. 

NO EASY ROAD 

The primary reason that natural alternatives 

to the pill are not utilized is 

a lack of convenience. They require the 

user to study and chart their own fertility 

levels — hence why they are often 

referred to as fertility awareness-based 

methods, or FAMs. They can also be 

referred to under the umbrella of Natural 

Family Planning. 

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 

a sexual health research and policy 

organization, only 1.4 

percent of people avoiding 

pregnancy use FAMs. It 

makes sense that — with 

the convenience of simply 

taking a pill rather than 

charting and learning about 

fertility — a whopping 25.9 

percent of contraceptive users take 

the pill. 

When it comes to effectiveness, however, 

the two are almost equal. Studies 

from the Guttmacher Institute reveal 

that the percentage of women using 

FAMs who will have an unintended 

pregnancy over the course one year 

of “perfect” use is only 0.4–0.5, compared 

to 0.3 percent of women who 

“perfectly” use the pill for a year. 

WHADDUP FAM? 

So what constitutes a fertility awareness-based 

method? A common misconception 

about FAMs is that they are all 

essentially the Rhythm Method. The 

Rhythm Method, developed in the early 

twentieth century, is calendar-based 

— users chart their periods and use 

mathematical projections to estimate 

the next time they will ovulate. This is 

not nearly as effective as other FAMs, 

which typically require the user to 

monitor more than just timing. Furthermore, 

twenty-first century medical 

technology has greatly improved their 

effectiveness. Today, the most common 

FAMs are the Creighton Model, 

the Symptothermal Model and the 

Marquette Model. 

CHEERS TO THE 

FREAKIN’ CREIGHTON 

The Creighton Model of NFP focuses 

on female cervical mucus. Users learn 

from a certified instructor about the 

various types of mucus and how they 

relate to fertility and hormone levels, 

and then they monitor and chart their 

observations every day. While there is 

a bit of a learning curve, this method 

can be highly reliable if done with the 

help of an instructor; a five-study composite 

compiled by NaProTECHNOL- 

OGY found the method-effectiveness 

of the Creighton Model to be 98 percent 

and the use-effectiveness to range 

from 94.6 to 97.9 percent.

BE A SYMPTOTHERMAL 

KIND OF MAN 

(I tried, y’all. There are zero good 

puns using the word “symptothermal,” 

so I did what I could). 

The Symptothermal Model also 

monitors cervical mucus, but in addition, 

it reqiures the user to track 

their basal body temperature as well. 

This dual-tracking method has been 

found to have an accuracy rate of 99.5 

percent when used properly with an 

instructor’s help. 

Both the Creighton and Symptothermal 

models are especially useful 

for women with irregular cycles who 

might have trouble relying on calendar-based 

methods like the Rhythm 

Method. Although it is more time-intensive, 

monitoring the body’s natural 

signs and functions to estimate ovulation 

is much more reliable than merely 

relying on statistics. 

BACK ON THE MARQUETTE 

The Marquette Model tracks hormone 

levels to determine fertility with 

an at-home urine test. This model is 

more high-tech than the others and 

requires less training, but that comes 

with a price — the cheapest fertility 

monitor, from Walmart, will set you 

back $110.99. Higher quality monitors 

can cost up to $200. If you can 

afford it, the Marquette Model is easier 

to use, and it has been found to be 97 

percent reliable. 

THE MORE YOU KNOW 

The benefits of FAMs go beyond 

just being a hormone-free way to avoid 

pregnancy. If someone using FAMs 

decides that they do want to get preg- 

nant, the body literacy gained by using 

FAMs makes achieving pregnancy 

much easier. Furthermore, it is empowering 

to better understand the way 

your fertility works. Men and women of 

all ages can benefit from having better 

body literacy. 

“I’ve actually been charting since 

I was eighteen,” Aucoin said. “Since 

then, I’ve learned a lot more about my 

body and why it does the things it does. 

It’s not some big mystery any more. 

[Fertility awareness] has given me an 

opportunity to get to the base of my actual 

health problems, helping me treat 

what needs to be treated rather than 

merely treating the symptoms.” * 

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT 

Although many prefer the traditional 

pen-and-paper style of charting, if 

you’re a techie kind of gal, there are 

apps that can help you chart, track, 

and estimate your ovulation cycles. 

Here are a few of top recommended 

apps for Natural Family Planning: 

OVUVIEW 

Ovuview’s tagline is “Period 

and fertility taken seriously.” 

Available only for Android users, 

OvuView uses the Symptothermal 

Model to monitor your period, 

fertility, and more. 

KINDARA 

Kindara boasts that they are 

“the most powerful and trusted 

fertility app on the market.” In 

addition to the app, they also offer 

a bluetooth-connected basal 

body temperature thermometer. 

Kindara is available for both Apple 

and Android users. 

GLOW 

Glow is new and unique in that 

it is the only app to offer both 

male and female fertility tracking. 

They allow you to input your 

current symptoms, medications 

and other factors that might affect 

your charting. A review from 

How We Flourish (howweflourish.com) 

highly recommends this 

app; however, they also warn that 

you should not rely solely on its 

predictions. The author states, 

“[Glow] attempts to tell you your 

percent chance of getting pregnant 

on a given day — DO NOT 

pay attention to these numbers! 

They are simply estimations and 

mean nothing about your own fertility 

— trusting them is basically 

trusting the calendar method.” 

NAPROTECHNOLOGY 

Interested in learning more 

about FAMs? Want to talk to 

a professional? Look into finding 

a NaProTECHNOLOGYspecialized 

doctor near you. 

NaProTECHNOLOGY (short 

for Natural Procreative Technology 

and often shortened 

further to NaPro), is a relatively 

new reproductive science 

that focuses on fertility awareness. 

NaPro-specialized practictioners 

can help you navigate 

the world of FAMs and discover 

how increasing your body 

literacy can lead to an overall 

healthier lifestyle. 



EXPOSED 

Photos by Marie Walker 

Text by Claire Turner 

From Native American cave paintings to every piece in 

the Museum of Modern Art, art has defined and refined 

our culture, setting examples and breaking barriers. Art 

is years spent chipping away at a slab of marble; art is the 

scent of oil paint in a warehouse; art is the snap of a camera; 

art is dark charcoal on fingertips. Art is a great wave 

coming over the horizon; art is a sculpture of a god. Art is 

a collection of fruit in a bowl; art is a woman posing nude 

on a bed. 

Or is it? 

A great debate exists that argues whether or not nudity is 

actually considered art or pure objectification. However, everything 

in art is technically objectified: a tree, an animal, 

an idea. According to Susanne Langer, author of Mind: 

an Essay on Human Feeling, art is “the objectification of 

feeling and the subjectification of nature.” Basically, this 

means art is taking something of value and turning it into 

an object while the subject desperately wants itself to be 

known. Artist and muse, working hand-in-hand. 

Think back to the classics. Sandro Botticelli’s 15th-century 

Birth of Venus, which depicts a long-haired nude woman 

emerging from the sea in a seashell while modestly trying 

to hide her body; Edouard Manet’s Olympia from 1865, 

which shows a nude woman on a bed staring confidently at 

the viewer; and Pablo Picasso’s 1907 The Young Ladies of 

Avignon, which portrays five Cubist nude women, known 

to be prostitutes. Each work was and is celebrated for the 

artist’s mastery, yet in today’s world, a well-known feminist 

like Emma Watson poses semi-nude for a magazine and is 

criticized for being a hypocrite. Bodies define feminity at its 

core: more than homemakers, more than prostitutes, more 

than child bearers ... beneath it all, women are women no 

matter what they are wearing. 

How can a painter of a nude woman be more acclaimed 

than the woman herself? The nakedness of a woman who 

is cloaked in confidence and shrouded in mystery deserves 

to be the center of attention. Alice wants to commemorate 

women of all types, no matter their shape, color, role or belief, 

and remember that a woman is a woman over and under 

her clothes. * 


Escapism through film and literature 

By Paige Burleson 


After all the hype, I finally 

gave in. My mother, sister 

and I shuffled into the dimly 

lit theater with our torn 

movie tickets. I stopped dead in my 

tracks as I rounded the corner, seeing 

the room was almost entirely full, and 

the movie didn’t start for another 30 

minutes. We stood at the front for a 

few seconds as we scanned the rows, 

looking for a seat. Faces peered down 

at us, and I began to feel uncomfortable. 

We decided to split up — I lost 

sight of my mother as she went left, 

and my sister, Katherine, and I went 

right. I asked a middle-aged man if he 

was saving the two seats beside him, 

and, thankfully, he wasn’t. Katherine 

and I did the awkward dance to get to 

them, and we collectively let out a sigh 

of relief when we claimed the chairs 

as ours. 

The previews started and after each 

one, Katherine and I would quietly discuss 

if we would see it or not. The film 

began to roll, and the screen lit up with 

bright colors and singing and dancing 

in an L.A. traffic jam as the ever-wonderful 

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling 

appeared. As I began to feel immersed 

in the movie, all of my cares, worries 

and doubts of society, politics, school 

and my future faded away. The only 

two things that could bring me out of 

this blissful trance were the man snoring 

next to me and the ending of La 

La Land. 

DEFINE IT 

When I returned to my bed in Tuscaloosa, 

Alabama, I put the needle on 

a Duke Ellington record and pulled up 

Google. Merriam-Webster defined “escapism” 

as “a habitual diversion of the 

mind to purely imaginative activity or 

entertainment as an escape from reality 

or routine.” People escape the burdens 

of their life mainly through film, 

literature and music. 

Some forms of escapism are through 

nostalgia for decades past. Listening 

to Frank Sinatra can transport you 

from 2017 to a “simpler time,” just like 

reading The Great Gatsby can push the 

politics of today out of your mind and 

replace it with prohibition and wild 

parties. Another form of escapism is 

through the fantastical, such as Game 

of Thrones, Lord of The Rings and other 

popular books that are turned into 

movies or TV shows. 

Vogue created a list of 21 escapist 

movies that will truly make you want 

to buy a plane ticket to a glamorous location, 

each filled with striking scenes, 

dazzling colors, fashionable outfits and 

the desire to escape. Some of the more 

popular movies on this list include: The 

Talented Mr. Ripley Atonement, The 

Grand Budapest Hotel and The Blue 

Lagoon. In this May 2016 article, one 

Vogue editor described watching Blue 

Crush as, “The location and the entire 

plotline tapped into my 20-something 

(read: present day) dropout dream to 

take up surfing full time, live on the 

beach and date a pro quarterback.” 

These movies (and many more) are 

intended to entertain, but they also 

create an innate sense to gravitate towards 

the idea of dropping everything 

and escaping into the screen. 

THE SWEET ESCAPE 

While looking for the definition, my 

Google search also brought up the 

question about whether escapism is just 


avoidance. The word escapism usually 

carries a negative connotation. Some 

articles, such as “How to Snap Back 

to Reality” and “Leave your Fantasy 

World and Live in Reality,” described 

the downsides of too much escapism. 

Other articles say that escapism can 

help alleviate depression and can promote 

a creative lifestyle. The one thing 

that these articles and studies agree on 

is moderation. I am not a professional 

psychologist, but I do believe that I (an 

almost-journalism graduate) should 

not tell you what is right or wrong. 

How about I present you with the information 

and you can come up with a 

conclusion for your personal life? 

A Lifehacker article said, “[Escapism] 

allows a momentary reprieve 

from your circumstances, giving you 

a chance to recharge your batteries 

before you jump back into the fray.” 

The writer agreed that escapism is a 

normal way to get away from the feeling 

of being overwhelmed. When not 

in moderation, escapism can also be 

detrimental. Patrick Allan, the writer 

of the Lifehacker article, said, “Think 

of escapism like sugar or salt. You can 

sprinkle it on top of your life to make 

it better, but too much will ruin the 

whole thing. It can cause problems at 

work, damage personal relationships 

and maybe even cut yourself off from 

normal social circles.” 

Writers such as C.S. Lewis and 

J.R.R. Tolkien were advocates for escapism. 

They escaped through writing 

and we escape through their words. In 

C.S. Lewis as Philosopher, the writers 

said that Lewis “considered that used 

in moderation, escapism could serve 

both to refresh and to expand the 

imaginative powers.” Even inside the 

novel, The Lion, the Witch, and The 

Wardrobe, the children escape from 

Nazi Germany into the countryside 

and eventually to the land of Narnia. 

Without Lewis’s imagination, we also 

wouldn’t be able to escape to his world. 

In Tolkien and the Modernists, Theresa 

Freda Nicolay said, “Tolkien argued 

for escapism in fantasy literature as 

the creative expression of reality within 

a secondary (imaginative) world.” 

Escaping to Middle-Earth in Lord of 

the Rings wouldn’t exist without Tolkien. 

These novels and movies have affected 

people across the world. These 

writers created worlds for their characters 

and readers to fall into when 

their surroundings get overwhelming. 

Now, the movies of our childhood are 

being made into live action films, and 

escaping to Neverland, Wonderland 

and other fantastical realms has never 

been easier. 

In a study about “Culture and Politics 

in the Great Depression,” Alan 

Brinkley says that in 1929, Americans 

escaped the depression through 

magazines, radio and movies. He said 

in Life magazine in the 1930s “most 

of the pictures give no indication 

that there was such a thing as a depression; 

most of the pictures are of 

“Think of escapism like sugar or salt. 

You can sprinkle it on top of your life 

to make it better, but too much will 

ruin the whole thing.” 


bathing beauties and ship launching 

and building projects and sports heroes 

— of almost anything by poverty 

or unemployment.” Most films of that 

time were “consciously, deliberately set 

out to divert people from their problems,” 

said Brinkley. In no way am I 

comparing our society and politics to 

that of the Great Depression, but I believe 

that any stress about presidents, 

money or war can be escaped through 

film and literature just as they did in 

the past. 

BUT I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE 

Hello, my name is Paige and I’m a 

daydreamer. My head is perpetually in 

the clouds. I’m a talented escape artist. 

No, I can’t escape from chains or 

boxes, but I am pretty dang good at 

escaping reality. Whenever I’ve had a 

long day, my favorite way to escape is 

to read any of the Harry Potter books 

(I could never choose a favorite). 

The world of magic that J.K. Rowling 

created holds a special place in my 

heart. I can to be completed captured 

by her words and able to keep my stress 

at bay — at least for a few chapters. 

When I start to feel overwhelmed by 

graduation, I lay at the end of my bed, 

turn on my globe string lights and put 

on a Penny and Sparrow vinyl on the 

record player. Records automatically 

make me feel better. The scratching 

sound the player makes before the music 

begins takes me back to a time before 

I was born; an era that I’ve experienced 

only through books and movies. 

Through watching Z: The Beginning 

of Everything on Amazon, I saw Zelda 

Fitzgerald (then-Zelda Sayre) go from 

an Alabama beauty to an icon of the 

‘20s. I felt as if I was traveling along 

with her from Montgomery to New

York City. After just binge-watching 13 

Reasons Why on Netflix, I have needed 

to escape through happier means. 

When wanting to turn off my mind 

and relax, I tend to watch 20-minute 

shows that I’ve already seen. My personal 

favorite is Scrubs, perfect for 

those wanting to laugh and relate to 

the characters. 

Movies are a whole other obsession 

of mine. I think any Tim Burton or 

Quentin Tarantino movie has the best 

cinematography for escape. Netflix recently 

added Midnight in Paris to their 

site, and it sat in my queue for a few 

days until my roommate convinced 

me to watch it. Woody Allen (another 

talented escapist director) brings the 

lovely Paris to life, but with a twist. 

Gil (Owen Wilson) finds himself transported 

to the 1920s at the stroke of 

midnight. It’s a must see for those that 

love the Jazz Age and the scenic views 

of France. Lion, a true story about a 

young boy getting lost in India and 

finding his way home after 25 years, 

has breathtaking scenes of India and 

the beaches of Australia. It was also 

nominated for a few Oscars, so, you 

know, no big deal. The plotline will 

have you in tears and the views will 

leave you breathless. 

Last, but not least, I give you Fantastic 

Beasts and Where to Find Them. 

As you already know, I’m quite the 

Harry Potter nerd, so when this movie 

came out, I was first in line to see it. 

I was once again able to travel to this 

magical world through film and I forgot 

about all the worries I had a few 

minutes before the lights dimmed. 

BON VOYAGE 

There you have it. Escapism is the 

act of escaping reality through entertainment. 

In moderation it’s a good 

thing for your mind and soul, but 

abusing it can lead to avoidance. So I’ll 

just sit (still on my bed) with the Duke 

Ellington record waiting for me to flip 

it to the other side. And I’ll talk to you: 

The girl who is stressed out about finals, 

or the girl who is going through 

a bad breakup or the girl who doesn’t 

know what will come after graduation. 

Escape. Escape through film, television, 

Netflix, music, a book or whatever. 

Just escape. You’ll always find your 

way back. * 


HEATH & FOOD 

Shade of You: 

Tanning Bed Alternatives 

By Audrey Watford 

With summer just around the corner, 

the pressure to be bronze 

goddesses in our beachy Instagram 

posts also brings the unhealthy pressure 

of tanning bed use. It’s easy and 

affordable, plus you can see quick results 

before your eyes, but it’s not worth 

the damage to your skin. The mildest 

of side effects are early wrinkling, sunspots 

and freckles, not to mention the 

increased risk of skin cancer, resulting 

in difficult treatments and surgeries to 

remove damaged skin. Why chance all 

of this when there are healthier ways 

to achieve that covetable glow? 

Self-Tanners 

The first, no-fail option is applying 

tanning products wherever you are, 

from the comfort of your home to a 

hotel room. Options for self-tanning 

range from sprays to mousse gels to 

wipes. TanTowel is great for fair skin 

tones and beginners, although the 


glow can be deepened with a darker 

shade option. The towelette allows a 

more thorough coverage, and the tone 

is forgiving if you miss a spot or two. 

TanTowel also offers a spray that can 

be used for spot tanning, such as legs 

or face, and both applications begin to 

show up within two hours. It is available 

at Ulta or Amazon.com. Jergens 

Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer is a 

great option for those who worry most 

about pale legs. It is available in Fair 

to Medium and Medium to Tan shades, 

and you can use it in replacement of 

your regular body moisturizer. It can 

be found at Target, Wal-Mart and 

most drugstores. St. Tropez Self Tan 

Classic Bronzing Mousse is the best 

option for any skin tone, even the fairest 

of complexions don’t look orange. 

St. Tropez offers a tan applicator mitt 

to rub the foam all over the body, and 

you can immediately see a difference. 

You can add multiple layers depending 

on how dark you want to be, and the 

foam is available in three sizes at Ulta. 

Spray Tans 

Spray tans are an effortless option 

for last minute tanning. Palm Beach 

Tan in Tuscaloosa offers beds and 

sprays, but Tara Spath, the store 

manager, recommends sprays for 

skin health. 

She said UV light from tanning beds 

automatically draws vitamins and 

nutrients from the skin. Palm Beach 

spray tans last three to five days, and 

the color can be restored at any time 

with another spray and without skin 

damage. You can choose between 

sprays in a computerized booth or by 

hand by one of the staff, whichever you 

are more comfortable with. The salon 

offers a college-friendly Silver package 

of $19 a month, but the best package 

is Platinum for $69.95, which includes 

unlimited sprays and discounts on 

all additives for a longer lasting tan. 

If you have sensitivity to the odor of 

spray tans, Palm Beach offers scents 

to add to the Mystic spray booths to 

lessen the smell.

Base Tans Debunked 

By Carson Cook 

Natural Tanning 

The last, most beneficial option is 

tanning naturally outside. Not only 

does sunlight improve brain function 

and sleep quality, but it also provides 

the richest glow to your skin. The Skin 

Cancer Foundation recommends at 

least a SPF of 15 or higher for acceptable 

UVB protection for normal everyday 

activity and a SPF of 30 or higher 

for extensive sun exposure. Adjusting 

the angle of your body toward the sun 

periodically makes for a more even tan, 

and the reapplication of sunscreen is 

best every two hours, especially on the 

sensitive skin of your face and neck. 

An after-sun moisturizer with aloe infusion, 

such as Hawaiian Tropic Silk 

Hydration, is a great way to soothe and 

replenish skin after a day in the sun. 

Regardless of the option you choose, 

all are much healthier than the harsh, 

direct UV rays of tanning beds — it’s 

like a hot box for cancer. Taking care 

of your skin is so important, and we all 

want to look young forever, don’t we? * 

With summer right around the corner, drug 

stores everywhere have set out brightly-colored displays 

of sunscreens that many of us walk right past. 

Yes, getting some vitamin D from the sun can be 

healthy, but only if you’ve protected yourself from 

the harmful UVA and UVB rays. 

UVA rays hit the surface of your skin, causing 

sunburn. UVB rays penetrate deeper into the epidermis 

layer, which is where most cases of skin cancer 

occur. How can you be sure that you’ve protected 

yourself from both types of rays? Make sure the 

sunscreen you choose says “Broad Spectrum.” This 

means your lotion will protect from both UVA and 

UVB rays. It is also highly recommended to use a 

sunscreen with SPF 30. Less than SPF 30 is not 

enough protection, and anything higher than 30 

does not actually protect you more. In fact, many 

who wear sunscreens with super high SPF end up 

burning because they think the higher SPF will 

protect them and forget to reapply every two hours, 

as recommended. 

Another commonly held belief is that once you 

have a base tan, you will not burn. Getting a base 

tan is the equivalent of wearing an SPF 4, which is 

essentially no protection at all. The best sunscreen 

will be a lotion, not a spray or powder. 

There is no way to know for certain how much of 

the sprays or powders are absorbing into your skin. 

The best sunscreens contain two important ingredients: 

zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Wearing 

sunscreen is important every season and even when 

you are not tanning. One of the most common places 

of skin cancer forming is on the left arm from 

your car window while driving. 


HEALTH & FOOD 

Coffee Crawl 

By Caroline Wells 

Alice tries three local coffee shops 

Oooh, coffee. I am convinced the 

word “coffee” lights up the pleasure 

receptors in the brains of every college 

student. It is coffee’s bitterness 

and warmth that draws us in and its 

caffeine boost that keeps us coming 

back for more. It’s the early morning, 

the late night and the afternoon cups 

of coffee that keep us alive. Recently 

in Tuscaloosa, coffee shops have 

been popping up everywhere. Alice, of 

course, wanted to try them all out, and 

this is what we found. 

Heritage House 

Heritage House is the traditional 

local coffee shop in Tuscaloosa loved 

by every college student that walks 

through its doors. It has expanded into 

three locations in town and the newest 

location is Alice’s favorite. Large 

windows and long tables make this 

Heritage House feel like home. If you 

are a fan of the flavored coffee, Heritage 

House’s specialty coffee menu will 

make all your dreams come true. I got 

the Bama Blitz coffee (vanilla, caramel, 

roast of the day, steamed milk). It 

was smooth, sweet, and delicious. For 

all of you black coffee warriors, the 

Turtle Kisses roast is a must try. 

O’Henry’s 

Although O’Henry’s is one of Tuscaloosa’s 

coffee franchises, its environment 

nestled in downtown feels 

inviting and homey and anything but 

a chain coffee shop. It offers a large, 

covered outside patio for good weather 

days and many single tables for days 

when studying alone is a necessity. If 

you are a sugary-sweet coffee lover, 

this coffee shop is for you. O’Henry’s 

drinks are crafted with true Ghirardelli 

chocolate, making their lattes 

some of the sweetest and tempting in 

Tuscaloosa. If you are a fan of chocolate, 

caramel, and coffee, The Snickerdoodle 

Mocha must be your next 

order. But, if coffee’s not your drink 

of choice, O’Henry’s Hot Cocoa made 

with Ghirardelli Chocolate will become 

your new addiction. 

Monarch Espresso 

Two Alabama alumni recently 

opened the newest coffee shop in Tuscaloosa, 

Monarch Espresso. This coffee 

shop has a big-city feel with its 

dark brick interior and modern tables. 

It appeals to true coffee lovers with 

a simple but delectable menu. Some- 

what of a hidden gem is the Cuban, a 

velvety espresso with sweetened condensed 

cream and steamed milk. They 

also offer clean and rich tasting pour 

overs. The Guatemalan pour over is a 

dark and smooth coffee that delivers a 

punch of dark roast flavor. 


HEALTH & FOOD 

Break It Down 

By Analiese Gerald 

The sun is hot and the beach 

is waiting, and while there’s 

an excited rush as everyone 

buys their newest and cutest bikini, 

there’s also the annual scrambling to 

hit the gym and get that last-minute 

beach body. 

Since most quick-fix workouts don’t 

produce the miracle results they promise, 

I decided to look for a program 

that was a little more trustworthy 

when looking for my summer workout 

plan, even if it meant some more time 

and effort. I settled upon fitness guru 

Shawn T’s Hip Hop Abs. 

Shawn T is well known and respected 

in the fitness world, and I have previously 

done his infamous Insanity 

workout program, (which was every bit 

as insane as advertised, but so worth 

the results). Hip Hop Abs is a monthlong 

program that averages around 

30 to 50 minutes a day and goes for 

around $28 on Amazon. One month of 

hard work in exchange for some toned 

abs seemed both realistic and worth it. 

I was ready to go. 

Week 1 

I started off my first day with the 

program’s instructional video “Secrets 

to Flat Abs,” which explained Shawn 

T’s “tilt, tuck, tighten” technique, the 

backbone of Hip Hop Abs. I learned 

how to tilt my shoulders over, tuck 

my hips under and constantly keep 

my core tight, activating all parts of 

my abs while it felt like I was simply 

dancing along to the video. Even just 

learning the technique had my abs 

burning! When I moved onto the first 

workout, however, I got a little discouraged. 

Though the hip hop dance moves 

were fun and easy at first glance, applying 

“tilt, tuck, tighten” while still 

keeping pace was less simple. Each day 

I got the hang of it a little more, but 

I still felt like I wasn’t fully following 

the technique, and therefore didn’t feel 

like my abs were getting as much of 

a workout as they could be. Week one 

wasn’t a total flop, but more frustrating 

than I’d hoped. 

Week 2 

Week two, day two: something 

clicked. Though I had been consciously 

focusing on sticking to my technique 

while following along with the workout, 

beginning my second week there were 

still some specific moves where I didn’t 

feel any work being done in my core. 

But practice makes perfect held to be 

true, and I was finally able to complete 

a workout tilt, tuck, tightening the 

whole way through and keeping pace 

with the dance moves. Along with this 

improvement came the soreness, which 

just motivated me even more. I wasn’t 

immediately flawless — I still had to 

pause occasionally to make sure I was 

dancing correctly — but I finally felt 

like every move had a purpose and was 

making a difference. 

Week 3 

I was used to the dancing, and tilt, 

tuck, tightening was coming more and 

more naturally. This was the week 

where I started to both feel and see 

the long-awaited results. In the workouts 

I noticed my stamina improve, 

and that I was able to go longer before 

getting tired and do more without being 

sore. Visual changes were less noticeable, 

but subtly started to appear. 

I shaved off a small amount of weight 

and there were the beginning hints of 

defined abs. Another thing that made 

a big difference this week was making 

a conscious effort to clean up my eating. 

Exercise that isn’t paired with a 

healthy diet isn’t very effective, if effective 

at all. 

Week 4 

I entered my final week with excitement 

about where I was at and even 

more excitement at the last bit of progress 

I could make during the week. 

There was definitely a sense of accomplishment 

on the last day, and though 

I didn’t stick to the program perfectly 

(life happens), I stayed as consistent 

as I could, and it paid off. The results 

I started to see in week three became 

more pronounced — my stomach was 

noticeably flatter and abs more defined. 

Besides just looks, I felt stronger 

and had better endurance. Each 

workout I was able to do longer without 

getting tired. 

Overall, I’d recommend the program 

with the advice of sticking to it, even 

if the tilt, tuck, and tightening takes 

a while to get the hang of. No workout 

program is going to give you Victoria’s 

Secret abs in just one month, 

and Hip Hop Abs may require more 

focus than most, but I was happy with 

the changes I saw and felt in my body 

and my mind. * 


HEALTH & FOOD 

Southern Summer Pops 

Ingredients 

1 cup sweet tea (your favorite brand or homemade) 

¼ cup sliced peaches 

Directions 

Pour sweet tea into popsicle molds about halfway, 

then place sliced peaches in each mold to desired affect, 

pour in more sweet tea until the molds are filled 

to ¼ of an inch of top. Freeze for at least four hours 

before enjoying on the front porch. 

By Jo Hanna Hill 

Is there anything better than having a delicious 

popsicle in the scorching summer heat? 

Well, it could be better if you made that popsicle 

yourself. These recipes are easy, fresh and just 

as satisfying in the summer sun. 

The following recipes make about six popsicles 

from a standard mold. If you don’t have a popsicle 

mold you can easily use paper cups — just fill 

them to ¼ inch below the top, cover with plastic 

wrap and stick a popsicle stick through the middle 

before freezing. 

Parfait Pops 

Ingredients 

1 cup plain yogurt 

¼ cup sliced strawberries and blueberries 

A sprinkling of Granola 

Honey (optional, but delicious) 

Directions 

If using honey, drizzle honey on sides of the popsicle 

molds first. Spoon a thin layer of yogurt in each 

mold, sprinkle berries over yogurt and then top 

the berries with more yogurt in alternating layers. 

Repeat until ½ of an inch from top of mold, (ending 

with a yogurt layer). Make sure to get yogurt 

throughout the layers so the finished pop stays in 

one piece. Top with granola before putting in stick 

and freezing for at least four hours. Makes a perfect 

breakfast for warm summer mornings. 

1 cup lemonade 

½ cup blueberries 

¼ cup fresh mint 

Smoothie Pops 

Ingredients 

1 banana 

Frozen strawberries, blueberries and cherries 

½ cup orange juice 

½ cup plain yogurt 

Directions 

Blend all ingredients together (you can even switch 

out these ingredients for your favorite smoothie). 

Pour the smoothie mixture into molds, place sticks, 

and freeze for at least four hours. Yes, you will probably 

have extra smoothie after placing the mix in the 

molds... but who’s complaining? 

Blueberry Mint 

Lemonade Pops 

Ingredients 

Directions 

In a separate bowl, crush the blueberries and mint 

together. Add the lemonade to the bowl and mix all 

together before pouring into the popsicle molds. 

Freeze for at least four hours for a refreshing pop. 


HEALTH & FOOD 

Superfoods 

For the Broke College Student 

By Lauren Lane 

The word “superfood” often comes 

with the connotation that it must be 

overpriced and sourced from the Amazonian 

jungle or an Asian village. 

There is no actual legal or scientific 

definition of a superfood, but they are 

often defined as a nutrient-dense food 

that can improve one’s quality of life 

and provide a wide variety of vitamins 

and minerals. 

College diets are notorious for lacking 

enough essential vitamins and 

minerals; instead, they are often full 

of salt, sugar and fat. Superfoods are 

great options to add to our diets as 

they add multiple vital nutrients, and 

can be affordable if you buy them from 

the right vendors. We have picked out 

10 of our favorite superfoods for you to 

try, and, if you buy them from Amazon 

Prime instead of the Amazonian jungle, 

you too can eat like Gwyneth and 

Gisele everyday. 

Dark Chocolate 

You already like this list, don’t you? 

Well, the kind of dark chocolate we 

are talking about is not Hershey’s. 

Dark chocolate must contain at least 

60 percent cacao to be considered a 

healthy addition to your diet. Cacao 

is loaded with antioxidants, good fats, 

fiber, minerals and vitamins, particularly 

magnesium. Dark chocolate also 

contains flavonols, which lower blood 

pressure and protect us from UV rays. 

Ghirardelli Intense Dark and Green 

& Black’s are two affordable and 

healthful options. 

Black Beans 

At less than a dollar per can, you are 

almost stealing your optimum health 

into existence by adding these to your 

grocery list. Black beans are full of 

protein, 14 grams per cup to be exact, 

and 12 grams of fiber. They are also 

high in Vitamin B6. Combine these 

with quinoa, avocado and salsa for a 

well-rounded, satisfying dish. 

Flaxseed 

These little seeds are chock-full of 

Omega-3’s, both kinds of fiber, and 

they have been known to reduce cancer, 

cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 

The subjects of Charlemagne back 

in the eighth century were required by 

law to consume them because he believed 

so much in their nutrient power. 

Keep this superfood in your refrigerator 

and blend it into smoothies or into 

pancake mix. 

Granola 

Yes, granola. Ignore the refined 

grain-laden, sugar bomb versions and 


check out healthier brands such as 

Purely Elizabeth. This brand of granola 

is a combination of healthy fats 

from coconut and cashews and different 

kinds of nutrient-packed seeds, 

proving itself worthy to be called a 

sweet superfood snack. With flavors 

like dark chocolate sea salt and banana 

nut butter, you can enjoy snacking on 

Purely Elizabeth granola on its own or 

in yogurt. 

Broccoli 

With brussels sprouts as the trendy 

veggie of the moment, broccoli has been 

pushed out of the limelight. Broccoli 

provides more than 100 percent of the 

daily-recommended amount of Vitamin 

K and C and is anti-inflammatory. It is 

an excellent detoxifier and helps support 

a healthy digestive system. Serve 

this cruciferous veggie raw with hummus 

or mixed into a healthy stir-fry. 

Oats 

Oats have been keeping breakfast 

healthy for generations. Whether 

you prefer them steel-cut, instant, or 

soaked overnight, this whole grain can 

be made differently every morning of 

the week. Oats are full of filling fiber, 

bone-building manganese and energizing 

carbs to power you through 8 a.m. 

classes and group projects. Make your 

oatmeal Instagram-worthy by topping 

it with sliced fruit, nut butter, coconut 

flakes and whatever else will get you up 


in the morning. 

Green Tea 

Speaking of getting up in the morning, 

green tea provides anywhere from 

35-70 milligrams of caffeine and is full 

of catechins, a special type of antioxidants. 

Debates over whether or not 

green tea actually helps you lose weight 

have us unsure, but it is a healthier and 

more relaxing swap for sugary drinks. 

Harney and Sons Green Tea with 

Coconut is a great starting point for 

green tea newbies, as it adds a sweet, 

tropical flavor to this otherwise bitter 

drink without all the sugar. 

Salmon 

Salmon gets its acclaim from being 

rich in Omega-3’s and being a good 

source of protein. It is also full of Vitamins 

D and B12, vitamins that can be 

difficult to come by. This famous fish 

is also good for our hearts, brains and 

bones but needs to be wild-caught and 

not farmed. Salmon is often served 

with grilled veggies and healthy grains 

to provide a nutrient-dense meal. 

Leafy Greens 

There’s a reason why your mom 

made you eat them. Leafy greens, 

such as kale, spinach, chard and cabbage 

are some of nature’s most nutrient-dense 

foods in the world. They are 

a leading source of calcium and iron 

and also provide a host of other minerals 

and vitamins. Leafy greens are a 

good source of fiber and help detoxify 

the body. If the only kind of greens you 

are used to are in spinach dip, blend 

them into a smoothie until you can eat 

(and enjoy) them in a salad. 

Avocados 

This fruit may be as trendy as the 

Kardashians and for good reason. 

Avocados are loaded with monounsaturated 

fatty acids, which are known 

to help with weight loss and reduce 

cholesterol. They are also full of fiber 

and adding them to any meal will keep 

you full for hours. Sneak these into a 

BLT or add them to a sushi roll for improved 

heart health. 

Red Wine 

You’re welcome. Start feeling better 

about Wine Wednesday and The 

Bachelor on Monday nights thanks to 

our friend, resveratrol. It helps prevent 

blood clotting, inflammation and 

reduces cholesterol and assists other 

antioxidants in keeping our hearts 

healthy. Pinot Noir provides the biggest 

resveratrol bang for your buck 

and should be purchased by brands 

other than Barefoot and Sutter Home. 

So next time your friend is trying 

to justify her college diet of Taco Bell 

and Cook Out, tell her about the superfoods 

that are at her disposal and rake 

in the thank-you’s. *

HEALTH & FOOD 

“On The Brink of No Stink” 

Tips for Deodorizing Smelly Workout Shoes 

By Madison Sullivan 

You lace up your tennis shoes and hit the boardwalk, the 

sun sizzling on your face and the sea breeze whipping past 

you. With the summer heat comes sweaty runs, long hikes, 

trips to amusement parks and cycling classes that are all 

fun and games until you slip out of your sneakers, seeing 

noses crinkle in disgust. 

Every athlete and gym rat knows the struggle that comes 

with breaking in the perfect workout shoe. The smell. And, 

as the summer months approach and the temperature soars 

it only gets worse. 

Although life is not the movie Holes, and “Sploosh” doesn’t 

actually exist, I have put a few methods to the test (on my 

countless pairs of equally smelly sneakers) to help you figure 

out the best way to banish your tennis shoe funk once 

and for all. 

Disclaimer: Don’t actually use peaches and onions like in 

the film. 

The Store-Bought Method 

What: Sneaker Balls Deodorizer 

Where: Dicks Sporting Goods 

Price: $4.99 

Well, you’ll break a sweat by the time you get the packaging 

open; so make sure you’re not wearing tennis shoes 

during this part of the process or you’ll have to clean that 

pair as well. Once I finally wrestled the packaging open, 

I realized the deodorizers smelled like clean laundry and 

looked like tiny soccer balls, so I was excited to give them 

a try. I twisted them and popped them halfway into each 

sneaker, leaving my shoes to sit overnight. The next morning 

I took a big sniff and immediately regretted the decision. 

They smelled almost exactly the same with a hint of 

deodorizer mixed in. If you’re dead set on using Sneaker 

Balls, I recommend using them as soon as you get a new 

pair of shoes, popping them in every time you get home to 

keep them from smelling from the get go. 


The DIY Method 

What: Washing Machine 

Where: Any washer & dryer 

Price: See your local laundromat 

I’ll preface this by saying I was very wary of this method. 

In the past I’d heard my friends swear by it, but could never 

bring myself to put my grimy shoes into the machine that 

I trust to clean my wardrobe. So, I waited until I was home 

with my laundry expert of a mother before I finally gave 

myself permission to put my pudding-stained (thanks to my 

best friend), once white-soled, absolutely disgusting tennis 

shoes into her pristine washer and dryer. Let me tell you, 

I am a convert. In fact, I just washed another pair today. 

Here’s how it’s done: pour Tide detergent into the machine, 

tie the laces at the top with the tongue open, and start the 

regular cycle on hot. My mom informed me that some people 

take out their laces and wash them separately while using 

this method — but since my laces were not the part of the 

shoe that smelled, we left mine tied. Next, stuff them with 

dryer sheets, wrap them with a towel and put them in the 

dryer. Keep in mind that it will sound like your dryer is 

falling apart. It (most likely) isn’t. Once we got my sneakers 

out of the dryer, they smelled and looked new. I would 

recommend this method to anyone who has the time and 

doesn’t mind the noise. 

The Quick Fix 

What: Dry Shampoo 

Where: Your dresser 

Price: $3.00 

I’ll admit that this is a secret trick I’ve used in the past 

and I honestly never knew it was a thing other fitness junkies 

did until recently. I discovered it one day when I was 

about to go on a date and could smell my sneakers wearing 

them… standing up. (Give me a break, I’m a health writer!) 

The dry shampoo was the first thing I could find that had a 

pleasant smell, and, as I leaned over to slip off my shoes and 

spray it, I realized that its moisture wicking, smell-masking 

design is the perfect quick fix for when you don’t have time 

to spare. Granted, this is not a permanent fix, it likely won’t 

last longer than a few hours, but I’d recommend it to mask 

tennis shoe odor in a pinch. 

So next time you’re scared to take off your shoes around 

another living human being, remember these tips and try 

them all out to see which method works best for you so that 

you no longer have to live in fear. Pound that pavement and 

be comfortably stylish in peace. * 


HEALTH & FOOD 

What You 

what you 

Really 

really need to know about expiration dates 

Need to Know About 

Expiration Dates 

By Caroline Wells 

Cool air rushes onto your face as you 

open the fridge. You’ve never been this 

hungry in your entire life. You feel like 

a lion about to attack. As you look and 

push around, your heart begins to sink 

because, as always, there’s nothing to 

eat. It’s not that the fridge is empty 

or that there’s nothing on the shelves. 

It’s actually packed. Someone looking 

over your shoulder might think you 

were crazy for even suggesting there’s 

nothing to eat, but a closer look at the 

contents of the fridge reveals the sad, 

dirty truth: All the food is expired or 

expiring too soon for comfort. All of it 

will be wasted. You aren’t sure how it 

got to this point; in the grocery store 

your intentions were to buy, cook and 

eat everything you bought. But somehow, 

all of it has expired so now you 

can’t eat it … right? 

Well, maybe, but also maybe not. 

An “enjoy by” or “consume by” date 

is actually more of a “highly suggested 

day,” more than a date when a product 

will actually go bad, causing food illness. 

In an article by The National Resources 

Defense Council, titled “Wasted,” 

the author notes that pounds of 

food are thrown away because the average 

American misreads “sell by” and 

“best by” dates. 

“‘Use by’ and ‘best by’ dates, commonly 

found on both perishable and 

nonperishable products, are manufacturer 

suggestions for peak quality. 

They do not indicate food safety, as is 

commonly believed, nor are they regulated,” 

the article stated. 

If food is kept in an airtight, shallow 

container in the refrigerator, you 

might be able to consume it a few days 

after the best by date. Unfortunately, 

microbial growth is not stopped by 

refrigeration or freezing, it is merely 

slowed. So if there is green mold growing 

in your Greek yogurt, it’s time to 

throw it away and buy a smaller container 

next time. 

Some foods that are usually safe to 

consume after the expiration date include: 

canned goods, cereal, frozen 

foods, cookies, chips, crackers, bread 

without visible mold and dry pasta. 

These foods will generally be okay to 

consume past the expiration date, but 

always use your senses. If it looks or 

smells terrible, it’s time to chunk it. 

Some trickier foods that can be consumed 

after the expiration date involve 

a small test to make sure they are safe 

to eat. Eggs are usually fine to eat and 

cook, but to test put them in a bowl 

of water. If it sinks, it is still safe to 

eat. If it floats, you can throw it out. 

Hard cheeses like Parmesan and cheddar 

are also fine, even if they have a 

little mold growing on them. Carefully 

cut off all of the mold before consumption 

and the remaining cheese will 

be edible. 

Most of the time, produce is hard to 

buy because it must be used so quickly 

after purchase. Salad mixes can be 

difficult to use before the stated expiration 

date, but they are usually fine to 

eat a few days after. Wilted leaves are 

no big deal. If the leaves are soggy and 

slimy though, pitch them. As for your 

meats, freezing them is the smartest 

way to preserve them. Cooking and 

consuming raw meat that has been sitting 

in your fridge for longer than four 

days is not safe, but freezing/re-thawing 

meat can extend the shelf life for a 

few months. 

“If it looks or smells 

terrible, it’s time to 

chunk it.” 

Although expiration dates can sometimes 

be up to interpretation, always be 

smart with your choices when deciding 

to consume something past the printed 

best by date. So next time it’s midnight 

and you’re rummaging through 

the fridge for a late-night snack, take 

a closer look at the packaging before 

you ditch your attempts and drive 

to McDonald’s. * 


ENTERTAINMENT 

So You’ve Never Be 

Our Guide To Alabama’s Biggest 

By Ellen Johnson 

Florence Welch, one of the U.K.’s most acclaimed artists 

of recent years, hails from South London. Florence + The 

Machine is ranked 270th (an impressive number) in the 

world for number of monthly listeners on Spotify. Her uplifting 

anthem “Dog Days Are Over” was covered on the TV 

show Glee. Her songs are a melancholy melting of pop and 

soul sounds, the farthest thing from country music. Why, 

then, was she singing on an Alabama beach in May 2016? 

She was a headliner at Hangout Music Festival in Gulf 

Shores, Alabama — that’s why. Under the moonlight, Ms. 

Welch sang “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” adjacent 

to the blue, big, beautiful ocean, bringing the 2016 festival 

to a close. Hundreds of thousands of people have made the 

musical pilgrimage to Hangout since the festival’s first year 

in 2010. Since then, the artist chops have risen to a level 

of almost outrageously cool: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stevie 

Wonder, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Kendrick Lamar, 

OutKast and Kings of Leon are just a few of the artists and 

bands who’ve played Hangout over the years. Still can’t believe 

this all happens right here in Alabama? It gets better. 

This year’s headliners are Frank Ocean, Twenty One Pilots, 

Mumford & Sons and Chance the Rapper. WHAT. You 

read right. Around 40,000 people will flock to Gulf Shores 

beaches again this year for a slammed lineup chock full of 

music’s biggest names and the best of indie’s up-and-coming. 

If you’re one of the ones lucky enough to trudge the 

same sands as Frank Ocean and warm yourself under the 

same sun as Mumford & Sons’ banjos, make sure you make 

the most of your experience. 

Here’s your Hangout quick guide; you won’t want to miss 

a thing. 


1. Don’t fasten that wristband 

until it’s where it belongs — 

on your wrist 

The Hangout wristbands, which are 

your only means of entrance to the festival 

everyday, will arrive in your mailbox 

a few weeks before you make your 

way to Gulf Shores. You’re going to be 

so gleeful at the thought of dancing by 

the waves to your favorite Head and 

the Heart song that you’ll want to rip 

that sucker out and play with it. Don’t. 

Once you tighten the wristband, it cannot 

be loosened and it won’t fit on your 

wrist. That means no Head and the 

Heart for you. So don’t tamper with 

the wristband until you’re so close to 

the sea you can smell the salt in the air. 

2. Hydrate so you 

don’t die-drate 

You are allowed to bring an empty 

water bottle up to two liters in size to 

the festival. There are water stations 

everywhere you go on festival grounds, 

so you’ll be able to fill up your favorite 

Camelbak or Nalgene and hydrate 

yourself all the daylong. This is definitely 

your best move — you won’t 

have time to enjoy the music if you’re 

too weak to walk. 

3. You should eat, too 

No outside food or beverages are al-

en to Hangout: 

Music Event of the Year 

lowed inside the gates. However the 

food inside the festival, while pricey, 

is delicious and satisfying. Anything 

you could get to eat at a shopping mall 

is available: pizza, Mexican food, Chinese 

food, sandwiches, hot dogs, etc. 

It might cost a little extra, but you’ll 

thank yourself later when the only 

sounds you hear are sweet musical 

notes, and not the rumblings of your 

stomach. 

4. Get there early 

Once the schedule is released, you’ll 

realize that the bigger acts won’t start 

until later in the day or evening. But 

you, dear knave festivalgoer, have no 

time to waste with so much new music 

to discover. Eat some breakfast and 

then get to the gates when they open 

at 11 a.m. Head straight to whatever 

act seems the most interesting. You 

never know when your new favorite 

band could be performing on the next 

stage over. 

5. Keep an open mind 

You probably paid close to $300 for 

your general admission ticket (or more, 

if you’re swinging for VIP options), 

and while it’s not cheap, it’s a great 

deal for the amount of music you’re going 

to be hearing. Many would pay that 

amount just to see one of the headlin- 

ing artists, but you’ll get to hear ‘em 

all. But don’t forget about the names 

you haven’t heard of before — LANY, 

Frances, Joseph and Cobi may sound 

unfamiliar now, but if you head into 

their performances with an open mind 

(and open ears) you might pleasantly 

surprised. 

6. Dress the part 

It’s hot out there, so you will be most 

comfortable in light clothing. Swimsuits 

are an obvious choice, but if you 

want to cover up a bit more try for 

athletic material shorts, a lightweight 

cover-up or a rash guard or surf shirt. 

Funkier options include overalls and 

anything tie-dye. Wear a comfortable, 

sand-friendly shoe like Chacos or Sanuks 

(back straps are helpful when 

trudging from one stage to the next). 

But your most important accessory is 

sunscreen. Lather up several times a 

day so you don’t get burned. 

7. Stay close to the festival 

If possible, you’ll want to find a condo 

or house within walking distance 

(say, around one mile away) of the 

festival. You can leave throughout the 

day and re-enter at any time with your 

wristband, but it will be pretty hard to 

sneak home for a bit if you’re staying a 

bus ride away. There’s pretty much no 

parking at the festival, so say goodbye 

to your car for a few days. While many 

condos do offer shuttles, you’ll thank 

yourself if you stay close. 

8. Embrace the fanny pack 

Hands-free is the way to go when it 

comes to festivals. A backpack will feel 

too cumbersome, a purse too loose — 

fanny packs are the sweet spot. Keep 

your sunscreen, sunglasses and cash 

in there for safekeeping. 

9. Take it all in 

You made it. You and 40,000 others 

are all here together in this one place 

for the same reason: to hear music. The 

musicians are passionate about what 

they’re doing, and hopefully you’re 

passionate about what you’re hearing. 

Take in each moment to realize what 

you’re experiencing because it’ll be 

over before you know it. Appreciate the 

magic that is live music. Remember 

that one James Taylor concert in the 

‘80s your parents always talk about? 

Well, Chance the Rapper could be your 

James Taylor. * 


ENTERTAINMENT 

By Serena Bailey 

Hot summer days spent lounging by the pool are the perfect 

time to catch up on some reading. The school year is busy, 

and those over-before-you-know-it months leave little time 

for indulging in a novel or fiery non-fiction work. With sunny 

days ahead, take some time for yourself, escape reality and 

choose one of these dreamy reads. Here’s Alice’s list of recent 

and upcoming book releases that will hit the stands just in 

time to complete your personal summer reading list. 

If you like sci-fi adventure… 

The Wanderers by Meg Howrey 

As three astronauts train to be the first humans on Mars, 

they spend 17 months in one of the most realistic simulations 

ever. Always under observation, the pressure to remain calm 

and in-control is high. As they struggle to work in increasingly 

claustrophobic quarters and with each other, they realize that 

life in space is no less complicated than life on Earth. But, 

as the line between what is real and what isn’t begins to blur, 

they each must confront their own personal struggles and 

examine their longing for discovery. 

If you want to up your nerd cred... 

Thrawn by Timothy Zahn 

The Star Wars galaxy is more than what you see on the big 

screen. Follow the story of one of the Empire’s most cunning 

generals as he rapidly climbs the ranks of the Imperial Army. 

After Thrawn is rescued from exile by Imperial soldiers, he 

seeks to gain the attention of Emperor Palpatine and become 

his most loyal and successful commander by taking down 

smugglers, spies, pirates and rebels. However, Thrawn’s 

skill on the battlefield doesn’t translate to politics, where 

he struggles to navigate a potential alliance with those who 

could make or break his ascendance through the ranks. 


If you want to get political... 

This Fight is Our Fight: the Battle 

to Save America’s Middle Class 

by Elizabeth Warren 

Elizabeth Warren has made a name for herself in Washington 

as being a fiery and outspoken force to be reckoned with. 

Looking back on her own middle class childhood in Oklahoma 

and weaving in stories from American workers, the senator 

from Massachusetts examines the history and current state 

of America’s middle class. From how it was born, how it 

grew, why it’s currently under attack and what can be done 

to save it, Warren looks at how political leaders like Franklin 

Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan and current leaders from both 

sides of the aisle have influenced the lives and well-being of 

American workers. 

If you’re the tech friend... 

Startup: A Novel by Doree Shafrir 

Shafrir’s debut novel follows three characters as their lives 

intertwine in a Manhattan tech startup office. Mack McAllister 

is the creator of a $600 million idea, the mindfulness app, 

TakeOff, and he’s about to launch a new version that could 

turn it into a $1 billion business. Katya Pasternack is a tech 

journalist looking for a hard-hitting story that will make her 

one of the biggest writers in the industry. Sabrina Choe Blum 

is a jaded mother and writer trying to break back into the 

industry, whose husband is also Katya’s boss. When a scandal 

embroils TakeOff and the company goes viral for the wrong 

reasons, these three become entangled in the mess. It’s up 

Sabina and Katya to get to the bottom of it, and tell a story 

that the men in their lives would prefer stay hidden. 

If you want some more mystery... 

Into the Water 

by Paula Hawkins 

After the success of her debut novel, The Girl on the Train, 

Paula Hawkins returns with a new psychological thriller. A 

single mother is found dead in the same river where a teenage 

girl met a similar fate a few months before. She leaves behind 

a lonely fifteen-year-old daughter, who is now left in the care 

of her aunt, a woman who never wanted to return to this 

town and who’s a stranger in the eyes of her niece. As the 

investigation goes on, secrets about the town and the river 

will be dredged up from below its seemingly calm surface. 


ENTERTAINMENT 

Take a Chance: 

Streaming Services Rejuvenate the Music Industry 

By Katie Huff 

A 23-year-old from Chicago, filled 

with the purest form of happiness and 

endless love for his hometown, made 

history in February. You may have 

heard of him. Among his fans are Beyoncé, 

Kanye West and Barack Obama. 

His most recent album is heavily influenced 

by gospel music and focuses on 

the many “Blessings” he has received. 

He is most often seen with the number 

3 stitched on his baseball cap. 

Chance the Rapper made history at 

this year’s Grammy Awards with his 

three wins; the number three is fairly 

constant in Chance’s life. He won best 

new artist, best rap album and best 

rap performance. The album, Coloring 

Book, was released solely on music 

streaming services, making it the 

first album to be nominated and win 

a Grammy without actually selling a 

single copy. 

Chance’s win lays the groundwork 

for immense change in the music industry. 

The Grammys would never 

have considered a stream-only album 

in previous years, but as the music 

industry landscape changes, award 

shows must adapt. 

Spotify has more than 50 million 

paying users, Apple Music has over 20 

million paying users and SoundCloud 

has over 175 million monthly users. As 

streaming services such as these become 

more popular, the need to buy a 

CD on iTunes or at Target becomes insignificant. 

The many features of each 

service allow listeners to experience 

their favorite songs in two clicks from 

any location. 


With the Spotify app, you can listen 

to the xx’s most recent album 

through your headphones as you sit on 

the beach, walk to class or wait at the 

DMV. The ease with which one can listen 

to music with the introduction of 

these streaming services has changed 

the music industry forever. 

Artists are perhaps those affected 

most by the push towards streaming. 

Bands just entering the music industry 

greatly benefit from streaming 

services. Music can be uploaded to 

SoundCloud in less than a minute. Any 

SoundCloud user is capable of uploading 

their tracks to the streaming services 

and the music is available to the 

public in an instant. Every minute, 12 

hours of music is uploaded to Sound- 

Cloud. The artists use SoundCloud in 

order to increase their followers and 

acquire a fanbase. SoundCloud does 

not pay license holders like Spotify, so 

it functions as a resource for artists to 

connect with followers. 

The upload process for Spotify is 

done through labels and distributors 

to protect against licensing issues. 

Spotify has partnerships with labels 

and a large percentage of the streaming 

service’s profits redistributed 

amongst the labels. While many worry 

that streaming services put the music 

industry in danger, many labels are 

actually benefitting from the change. 

Illegal downloads are far less common 

because streaming service users can 

pay a small amount for an immense 

catalogue of music at their fingertips, 

or they can make use of the free 

streaming offerings. 

Most streaming services offer artists 

the ability to view their analytics. 

This allows an artist to see how users 

are finding their music, where their 

listeners are and the listeners’ demographics. 

The ease of access to statistics 

such as these is beneficial to artists 

as they plan how to release their 

music and where to tour. Small artists 

without labels are able to receive information 

that they may not be privy 

to otherwise. 

Streaming services give artists control 

of their music and diminish the 

ability of large record labels to undermine 

the artist. Chance the Rapper is 

not signed to a label and he does not 

need to be. He is able to release his 

music on streaming sites and forms a 

fan base through these sites. Coloring 

Book debuted at Number 8 on the Billboard 

200 chart, so the business model 

is working for Chance. His profits come 

from touring and selling merchandise, 

including that famous “3” hat. 

Music streaming services have revived 

the music industry. Users are 

able to listen to any artist at any time. 

Because of streaming services like 

Spotify and SoundCloud, our culture 

has a widened appreciation for music 

and an increased participation in the 

music industry. Those that felt excluded 

from music in the past are now welcomed 

with open arms into the large 

music communities of Spotify, Sound- 

Cloud, Apple Music and Tidal. Now, 

artists like Chance the Rapper consistently 

contribute to the immense sea of 

music found online and provide users 

with an easy escape. *

ENTERTAINMENT 

Q&A with Hallie Tarpley 

The Hows, Hijinks, 

and Ha-Has of 

Being a Female Comic 

By Mia Blackman 

For Hallie Tarpley, second grade 

was more than an arena for reading 

and learning multiplication — it was 

her first comedy gig. She’s now a 

junior at The University of Alabama 

majoring in telecommunications 

and film. She got her start telling 

jokes to classmates before storytime, 

but since she has blossomed into a 

rollicking stand-up act, performing 

on real stages instead of classroom 

carpets. She’s a regular at Stand-Up 

Tuscaloosa, her favorite corny joke 

involves zebras and her ultimate life 

goal is to shake Tina Fey’s hand. This 

funny lady isn’t slowing her roll or her 

punchlines anytime soon, and she’s 

defining for herself what it means to 

be funny, and what it means to be a 

woman in the male-dominated world of 

stand-up comedy. Alice sat down with 

Tarpley to talk life, comedy and all 

things laughs. 

Alice: What got you started 

into comedy? 

Tarpley: It started mostly with 

television. Just loving comedic 

television and then when I was nine, I 

was in second grade, I started telling 

jokes to my class. I would get a little 

segment before story time and I would 

get to tell a joke to everyone on the 

carpet. They would be mostly jokes I 

heard from joke books or comic strips 

or something like that but sometimes I 

would try originals and they would not 

go over well. Like I would try to write 

my own jokes and they were so bad. 

Alice: Is there a comedian you look 

up to? 

Tarpley: I like Ellen DeGeneres a 

lot but she’s so clean though so I feel 

like we don’t have the same style. I like 

Jen Kirkman, Amy Schumer, Sasheer 

Zamata, Liza Treyger, Jenny Slate. 

I like a bit of everything. Louis C.K. 

obviously. I like Anthony Jeselnik, 

he’s crazy. You never know where 

he’s going. 

Alice: How would you describe your 

comedic style? 

Tarpley: That’s a toughie ‘cause I 

don’t really know. I think I can describe 

the differences between myself onstage 

and off-stage. I’m like a little reckless 

on stage. Last night I was hosting a 

show and I used language that I don’t 

really use in day to day life. So I think 

it’s just like a freedom to be a character 

who’s like a little bit bolder and a little 

bit more interesting as a character but 

scarier as a person on stage. 

Alice: What would you be doing if 

you weren’t a stand-up comedian? 

Tarpley: Oh my gosh. Just a 

loudmouth probably. I do think about 

this. I think you divide comedians 

into “you can be comedically minded” 

or “you can be funny,” and great 

comedians are both. And not to say I 

fall anywhere specific on that spectrum 

but just from what I observed being 

around other comedians is some people 

are comedically minded and, to me, 

that just means they’re critical and 

upset by a lot of things. Someone 

that’s funny can make that criticism 

something that is funny and sellable. 

I think I would just be a loudmouth. 

It would be strange. I don’t know… I’d 

probably just stick to my babysitting 

job or something [laughs]. 

Alice: Do you ever feel pressure to 

talk about a certain subject because 

you are a female comic? 

Tarpley: Not a certain subject but 

I feel the pressure to be that much 

better because typically I’m the only 

female in a show. I’ve occasionally 

done all-women shows, which are very 

exciting, but usually there’s maybe 

one other female and so I get really 

upset with myself or the other female 

comedian if either one of us are below 

top notch. For the male ones, I don’t 

group them because there’s so many 

of them. Especially the straight, white 

male comedian. There’s a lot of them 

so you don’t feel the pressure to uphold 

the whole situation on your shoulders. 

So I definitely feel pressure to be very 

refined, very prepared and I fall short 

all the time. I think at the end of the 


day it will make me better; it does 

make me better. 

Alice: How did you become involved 

with Stand-Up Tuscaloosa? 

Tarpley: I started actually with 

Goulash Comedy out of Birmingham. 

I followed Goulash Comedy on 

Instagram and I saw they were having 

an open mic in November of 2015. I 

didn’t want to tell anybody so I just 

drove down in the dark of night. I 

brought one of my friends and lied 

to everyone else. I tried it for the 

first time and I didn’t come back to 

January 2016. In that early winter 

I met several Tuscaloosa comedians 

who came down to do Goulash and 

they were like, “You know we have a 

stand-up group in Tuscaloosa.” and I 

was like “Whaaat?” So then I liked the 

page, went to a show, went to an open 

mic and the rest is history. 

Alice: How do you develop your 

comedic material? 

Tarpley: I usually bring around my 

book that I carry all the time. I have 

four editions of this book. I’ll just write 

down things that stick out to me like 

“Oh! That’s funny!” and it’ll come to 

me in a perfect punch. And then other 

times it’s things that bother me and 

I’ll articulate why they bother me and 

communicate it to someone through 

some type of an analogy. I think this 

would be worse than someone finding 

my diary because nothing makes sense 

in it. It says, like, “Buffalo text, alcohol 

question mark, proving not a baby.” 

It’s just absolutely senseless. I’ll also 

write all my set lists down and jokes 

just so I can look back at them. 

Alice: Are there some topics that 

can get racy? Who do you think has 

more leniency to talk about those 

topics? Male comics or female comics? 

Tarpley: I think female because I 

think males have the ability socially 

to examine a wide array of topics 

but I think with women in general 

there’s like a purity that you expect 

and when they defy that expectation, 

it’s automatically funny. When you 


have me at 5 feet 2 inches, and I come 

on stage and say things bigger than 

what my appearance would suggest, 

then there’s automatically a disrupt 

of expectations. If you take someone 

like Jenny Slate — she looks so nice, 

wholesome and girl-next-door-esque 

and then she says all this stuff like, 

“Whoa! We’re going there.” But when 

Anthony Jeselnik does it, it’s like not 

surprising because he looks sinister, 

like a scary man. I think women have 

a better opportunity to defy those 

expectations but I think it’s harder for 

a woman to be a clean comic. 

Alice: Harder to be a clean comic… 

so is your set list kind of racy? 

Tarpley: I try to play it pretty 

evenly. I think I could assemble a clean 

set, but in a college town, me doing 

a bunch of dad jokes, I don’t think it 

would go over quite well. 

Alice: What is your favorite show 

that you have ever done? 

Tarpley: There was a show, Fresh 

Ground Comics in Birmingham, and it 

was like a ten-minute set on a Friday 

night and I was so nervous cause 

my mom had invited a bunch of her 

friends to come and there was also a 

girl I babysat in the crowd. It was just 

very scary to have these people I knew 

professionally and my mom’s friends 

there and then to go up on stage and 

behave in a way I normally wouldn’t 

around my parents’ friends, but it 

actually went really well and it was a 

huge relief. 

Alice: What is the funniest thing 

that’s happened to you recently? 

Tarpley: I got called a psycho 

in some bar. This woman started 

screaming at me because I was dancing 

too close to her. She was wearing a fur 

vest and it was extremely scary. She 

was, like, 40, too, and bleach blond 

and she was like, “You are standing 

too close.” And then she went on this 

rampage and her husband had to carry 

her out of there. It was really nuts. 

Alice: What do you think is the 

biggest misconception people have 

about female comics? 

Tarpley: That who they are on 

stage is who they are in person. I think 

you could apply that to comedians at 

large but with women I think it’s a 

harder line. 

Alice: What are your future projects 

and goals? 

Tarpley: Stand-Up Tuscaloosa 

recently started a new show at the 

Wheelhouse Sports Pub on the fourth 

Wednesday of every month and I’m the 

host of that show. It’s open mic and 

I think trying to connect that with a 

student audience is my immediate goal 

right now. I think other open mics are 

great, but they’re just geared towards 

a more older population of Tuscaloosa. 

But I think there are so many students 

who would as comedians and audience 

members have a better time there. 

Alice: What is your ultimate goal 

in life? 

Tarpley: I think I would love to 

shake Tina Fey’s hand. I just want to 

say hello. I think that’s my ultimate 

goal. 

Alice: What is your favorite 

cheesy joke? 

Tarpley: What’s black and white 

and black and white and green all over? 

Alice: A sick skunk… maybe? 

Tarpley: Two zebras fighting over a 

pickle! It’s so good. It’s so simple and it 

takes you on a journey. 

Alice: As a comedian, do you 

surround yourself with funny people? 

Tarpley: Ummm, no. Sort of. 

Yes. One of my best friends is also a 

comedian but we can only spend so 

much time together, cause it’s, “Punch, 

punch, punch! Joke, joke, joke!” And it 

gets so shop-talky that we have to take 

a break. I feel like I surround myself 

with eccentric people that inspire 

comedy more so than people that are 

funny themselves. 

Alice: To finish off, what is the best 

piece of advice you have ever received? 

Tarpley: My grandmother says 

this and my mom repeats it: “Make a 

decision and make it work.” *

ENTERTAINMENT 

The Short List: 

Five Short Films You Didn’t Know 

You Should Be Watching 

By Emilee Benos 

Director and Star Jim Cummings in Thunder Road 

When most people think of standouts 

of the Oscars or Sundance, or movies 

in general, short films don’t usually 

make the list. A real shame, because 

there are so many great short films out 

there. Alice compiled a list of the five 

best short films of the last year you 

didn’t know you should be watching. 

Some tell stories of dreamers, some 

of grievers, and some of frustrated 

lovers, but all are worth watching 

(plus, their short run times make for a 

quick watch). 

Thunder Road 

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at 

the 2016 Sundance Festival, Thunder 

Road tells the story of a man giving 

a eulogy for his mother using Bruce 

Springsteen lyrics. Director and star 

Jim Cummings originally conceived 

the idea when he was drunk and heard 

Springsteen’s Thunder Road on the 

radio. In just 12 minutes, Thunder 

Road goes from awkward, to comical, 

to heartbreaking and back again. 

What is perhaps most noteworthy is 

Cummings’ delivery of the whole thing 

in one continuous take. Thunder Road 

originally premiered on Vimeo in July, 

and is still available to view. 

Her Friend Adam 

What director Ben Petrie calls 

“16 minutes of romantic doom,” Her 

Friend Adam tells the story of couple 

Robert (Ben Petrie) and Liv (Grace 

Glowicki), and Liv’s gay friend Adam. 

When Liv gets home from work, 

what starts as a casual exchange 

evolves into a full-fledged argument 

over Robert’s dislike and mistrust of 

Adam. The actors deliver real, raw 

performances — Glowicki won the 

Short Film Special Jury Award For 

Outstanding Performance at the 2016 

Sundance Festival. 

Food For Thought 

Director Davide Gentile originally 

developed Food For Thought for World 

Health Day 2016. Food for Thought 

takes place in a diner, eliciting a sense of 

childhood nostalgia. The film explores 

how bad food can be detrimental to 

your health. The cinematography is 

a standout feature of the film, and 

Gentile uses color, sound and closeup 

shots to deliver his message and 

make the film engaging. Food for 

Thought leaves viewers full with an 

important message. 

Embers and Dust 

Embers and Dust takes place 

during Orson Welles’s infamous 1938 

radio broadcast of War of the Worlds. 

Written and directed by Patrick 

Biesemans, the film follows residents 

of a small town hearing the broadcast 

about a fictional alien invasion for the 

first time, and explores the fears of 

the 1930s. The film brilliantly blends 

fiction and reality, and the lighting and 

cinematography effectively transport 

audiences to the scene. 

Stutterer 

Stutterer won an Oscar in 2016 for 

Best Live Action Short Film. In the 

film, director Benjamin Cleary and 

producer Serena Armitage explore 

the problems that arise with modern 

romance. The film stars Matthew 

Needham as Greenwood, a lonely man 

with a stuttering problem who begins 

an online relationship with a woman 

named Ellie. Greenwood fears meeting 

Ellie in person because of his stutter. 

Stutterer is a sweet and poignant 

shoutout to today’s society. * 


ENTERTAINMENT 

A Doc 

A Day 

Documentaries 

to Get You Thinking 

By Sarah Beth Bolin 

So we can all agree that Netflix is 

one of the most important creations of 

the 21st century. Hours upon hours of 

the most talked about, cherished TV 

shows and movies are available at the 

tip of our fingers. But what do we do 

when we get tired of mindlessly bingewatching 

the same shows over and over 

again? What if we want something to 

help us think? Documentaries are 

there to pick up where sitcoms and 

dramas leave off. There’s something 

out there for everyone, no matter what 

your interest is. Lucky for us, Netflix 

is a gold mine for documentaries. 

Here’s a few that are set to inform 

and entertain. 

Poverty, Inc. 

As a society, everyone wants to 

help each other. We see someone in 

poverty on TV and our heartstrings 

are tugged. Companies like TOMS 

thrive on a philanthropic platform that 

help justify buying a pair of shoes so 

that we can help people in need. We 

send billions of dollars in relief aid to 

natural disasters each year. But what 

happens when the disaster is over and 

people start relying on aid instead of 

producing themselves? 


Happy 

What really makes us happy? Is 

it money? Family? Friends? Power? 

Happy explores the idea of happiness 

and takes us on a journey to find a true 

form of it. Follow the filmmakers across 

the world from Louisiana to sunny 

Brazil to the small island of Okinawa, 

Japan as they search for the answer to 

this question. This documentary will 

surely make you smile. 

Making a Murderer 

Okay, so if you haven’t heard of Making 

a Murderer, you might be living 

under a rock. This viral Netflix sensation 

premiered in 2015 and has rocked 

the world of criminal justice. Follow 

the story of Steven Avery, who was released 

from prison after 18 years for 

a crime he didn’t commit. After starting 

an investigation about corruption 

in the police force, he was arrested 

and convicted of the murder of a local 

woman. Avery and a team of lawyers 

worked for almost 10 years to get the 

conviction overturned, and the popularity 

of the series helped raise awareness 

for false convictions and corruption 

in the police. 

The Hunting Ground 

According to statistics, one in five 

women in American colleges and universities 

are sexually assaulted. But 

most of these crimes are not reported. 

Why not? The Hunting Ground 

explores rape culture on college campuses 

and exposes the stigma against 

reporting sexual assault in American 

universities. It also captures the stories 

of survivors and explains their 

decision on whether they chose to report 

their assault or not. It’s definitely 

hard to watch, but it’s one of the 

most eye-opening documentaries you’ll 

ever see. 

Planet Earth 

This documentary is seriously nostalgic. 

Everyone remembers middle 

school science classes — whenever 

teachers didn’t want to actually teach, 

they would roll out the box TV and 

turn on Planet Earth. But these colorful 

documentaries are still beautiful at 

any age. The series explores so many 

parts of the world, letting the viewer 

experience places, people and animals 

that they never would before. It’s a 

great way to see the world without ever 

actually leaving your couch. *

ENTERTAINMENT 

Illustration by Shel Silverstein 

POETRY 

for People Who 

Don’t “Get” Poetry 

By Kirby Tifverman 

Reading poetry for pleasure can seem like a daunting 

task for even the most avid lover of prose. However, 

good poetry has the power to resonate like no other 

works can — sometimes a compilation of figurative language 

can ring far more true than our favorite novel. 

If you’ve been dying to dive into poetry, but you don’t 

know where to start, here are the best poetry books to 

read if you’ve never read poetry before. 

Where the Sidewalk Ends 

by Shel Silverstein 

Shel Silverstein, acclaimed author of The Giving 

Tree, wrote multiple volumes of poetry for children 

throughout his life. He was a favorite childhood author 

for many before they could fully grasp the life lessons 

behind his silly words. Like all of the best children’s 

fiction, the poems in Where the Sidewalk Ends are just 

as enjoyable and authentically touching when re-read 

as an adult. 

Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur 

Rupi Kaur wrote and self-published this #1 New York 

Times bestseller in 2014. Milk and Honey is a collection 

of poetry that weaves beautifully through four sections, 

highlighting the reality of being a young woman. A story 

of love and loss, joy and pain, any reader can relate 

to this tale of the ups and downs — the milk and honey 

— of life. 

Love & Misadventure by Lang Leav 

A story of love lost and found again, Love & Misadventure 

will strike a millennial nerve while navigating 

the 2017 tumultuous dating scene. Pick this one up if 

you’ve recently been dumped or just need your faith in 

love restored. 

The Complete Poetry 

of Edgar Allan Poe (Signet Classics) 

by Edgar Allan Poe 

Before you dismiss this one for conjuring memories of 

high school AP Lit, consider this: Poe was basically the 

originator of both the crime and horror genres. Instead 

of binge watching a Criminal Minds marathon, pick up 

The Complete Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe. Like his famed 

short stories, many of the selections are guaranteed to 

make a chill run down your spine. 

Crank by Ellen Hopkins 

A constant page-turner, Crank is the story of a young 

girl and her terrifying personal demon. Crank, the 

street name for crystal meth, haunts this story’s protagonist, 

Kristina. As the monstrous drug infiltrates 

Kristina’s relationships, life and personality, you’ll realize 

just how thrilling poetry can be. * 


ENTERTAINMENT 

By Ellen Johnson 

Sometimes teenagers and people in 

their 20s need time to figure things out, 

learn about themselves and discover 

their world. But most don’t take that 

path of self discovery after making an 

album for Columbia Records. Charlotte 

OC (given name Charlotte O’Connor) 

is a different story. The British singersongwriter 

made her debut album for 

Columbia as a teenager in 2011, and 

then temporarily stopped making 

music to work a stint in her mother’s 

hair salon. In 2013, she was back with 

her EP, Strange, and a newfound fire in 

her music. Her latest album, Careless 

People, was released in March of this 

year, and with comparisons to female 

powerhouses like Sia and Lana Del 

Rey, she’s one to watch in 2017. Alice 

chatted with Charlotte about life, 

influences and making music even in the 

darkest hours. 

Did you always know you wanted 

to make music? 

Charlotte: When I was 16 years old 

I started playing guitar...I just had 

the feeling, just incredible. It was a 

really nice feeling and that’s when 

I got the feeling I could do it. And 

when I started writing that’s when I 

got better and that’s when I realized I 


wanted to create something as a singer. 

It’s another outlet for you in music 

and It’s about creating. That’s the 

moment when I realized I wanted to do 

this forever. 

You made an album for Columbia, 

but it didn’t work out, and you 

took a few years and worked in 

your mom’s salon. How did this 

experience shape you as an artist 

and as a person? 

Charlotte: I was so young. I wasn’t quite 

proud of what I had done looking back 

to it now. It’s not necessarily where my 

head’s at. I think when I took two years 

out I was grateful. I think I was losing 

myself a little bit. I kept my head down 

and tried to figure out what I wanted to 

do and do all the stuff I was missing out 

on doing when I was making a record. 

When you’re that young and doing it it 

kind of feels like you’re doing a chore, 

and I think you need to take yourself 

out of it to get back again and see. I 

think being in music is fueled by being 

hungry for it. If that hunger’s not there, 

you’re not moving along. 

Can you tell me about the 

inspirations behind the new album 

and how your hometown influenced 

your music? 

Charlotte: I’m from Manchester in a 

town called Blackburn. It’s quite a 

small industrial town. I grew up there. 

It was boring in a way, but there’s also 

this kind of folklore there — ghosts and 

witches. [In my music] it’s not quite 

home, but the idea of home and the 

warmth to it. But there’s also a little bit 

of coldness and a bit of quite majestic 

about them and quite otherworldly about 

them, which is how I see Blackburn: as 

a warm place of my home, my parent’s 

home. But there’s also this coldness of 

being in a Northern town but also this 

magical feel to it. I wanted my music to 

be like that. I wanted it to feel like that. 

Can you tell us about the songs 

“Darkest Hour” and “Medicine Man”? 

Charlotte: What I was going through, 

being in a toxic relationship, I wrote 

that song as a way for me to get my head 

around it and for me to realize how I 

felt about that situation. It was about 

me evaluating it. It’s almost like a little 

bit of a prayer. When things get really 

bad you always kind of ask for help from 

something or somewhere. “Medicine 

Man” is about love. It’s about that 

feeling of love for the first time. Love 

is like medicine in a way. It’s somebody 

there making it a little bit better.

You’ve been compared to artists 

such as Sia and Lana Del Rey. How 

do you feel about that? 

Charlotte: I appreciate both of those 

artists. I think that Lana really carved 

the way for artists like myself wanting 

to make pop. It’s a gateway for artists 

like myself. 

Who are your musical influences? 

Charlotte: I’m always really inspired 

by Aretha Franklin. I was watching 

the Muscle Shoals movie and it’s super 

interesting that she couldn’t find who 

she was in the beginning. Nobody really 

knew what to do with her and then all 

of a sudden it was just her. With great 

artists, you’re not easy to be placed. It 

takes time to find. She’s always been 

one of my favorite, if not my favorite, 

female vocalist. I also liked Freddie 

Mercury a lot when I was younger. 

What music are you really into right 

now/what’s the best album you’ve 

heard lately? 

Charlotte: I listened to the new Childish 

Gambino album and I really liked that. 

The Sampha album is amazing. The xx 

album, the new one, is incredible. 

Describe your songwriting process. 

Charlotte: I kind of like making the 

piano first and putting the melody on 

top of it. It kind of merges together. I 

like doing it at the same time. I don’t 

usually go in with lyrics first. I usually 

write the lyrics after the structure. 

Do you have a favorite song to 

perform? 

Charlotte: I like performing “Medicine 

Man.” It’s a lot of fun It’s like the sweet 

spot in my voice so it’s really nice to 

sing. Another called “Running Back 

to You.” I completely lose myself in 

that song. 

What do you enjoy most about 

playing live? 

Charlotte: The fact that I’m not really 

hiding behind anything. And it’s that 

one moment where I can do that and 

it just feels like I’m being my most 

magnified self and there’s nothing I can 

really do about it. And there’s nothing 

really anybody else can do about it, 

because I’ve got the microphone. It’s 

kind of like a power to it. It’s like the 

feeling when you were a kid, like being 

a child again. The only way I can really 

explain it. You don’t completely lose 

yourself in it; you’re really present. 

If you could tell your 16-year-old 

self anything what would you tell 

her now? 

Charlotte: I’d tell her to stop messing 

with her hair and stop back combing it. 

I’d tell myself to stop wearing so much 

makeup because I probably looked like 

a drag queen or someone a lot older 

looking. I’d also tell myself to drink lots 

of water. And I’d tell myself to not try 

and do things to please others, like it’s 

about what makes you is you being you. 

Somebody once said to me, “Be yourself 

because everybody else is taken,” and I 

think that’s just like quite an important 

thing to remember. It’s the most 

attractive thing when you see someone 

truly being themselves. It takes time, 

but once you find it, it’s easy. *

Alice Vol. 2 No. 3

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