Alice Vol. 3 No. 2

Celebrating the new season of style and strength 

$5.99 Vol. 3 No. 2 

Spring 2018

ABOUT THE COVER: 

A new season is dawning in more 

ways than one. From the silence 

breakers to the movers and shakers, 

voices are being raised and people 

are starting to listen. Our spring 

issue is here to bring together the 

trends of the season and advice on 

navigating your way through 2018.

Letter from the Editor 

On the web: 

alice.ua.edu 

@alicethemag 

pinterest.com/alicemagazinexo 

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. 

Spring always brings with it new growth and 

change, but Spring 2018 is truly a force to be 

reckoned with. Within the past six months we have 

been able to witness some of the most dramatic and 

poignant social change that our country has seen in 

decades. Political affiliations aside, important topics 

are finally being discussed and dissected, and roots 

of corruption are beginning to get exposed. There 

are many things a girl could say about the climate 

of our society right now, but I choose to say that we 

are lucky that our generation has the opportunity to 

be here to witness it. 

We are lucky that we are old enough to 

understand and participate in conversations like the 

#MeToo and Time’s Up movements. We are lucky 

that we get to see women have more political, social 

and economic rights and respect than ever before. 

And we are lucky that we have the power to push us 

over this tipping point – we are the generation that 

will be remembered for how we chose to respond to 

our society’s tide of radical opinions. 

In this spring issue of Alice, we go to the front 

lines of the debate on women’s role in the military, 

bring the Time’s Up movement closer to home, and 

learn how to better define the concept of beauty 

across borders. Everyone knows that women are 

strong, but it is how that strength is perceived 

that needs to change. I want this mag to be a step 

towards altering that perspective. This can only 

be done by continuing to promote and foster the 

creative expression of women on our campus and 

beyond. 

This issue invites you to step into a new 

perspective on these everyday topics of interest and 

debate, while also providing ways to better your life 

as a college woman. My staff and I hope that these 

stories of extraordinary women inspire you to get 

involved and invested in the future that we get to 

create and share together. 

Allie Binford

Editorial 

Editor in Chief ALLIE BINFORD 

Creative Director MK HOLLADAY 

Photo Editor PRESTLEY BRAMLETT 

Managing Editor MEG MCGUIRE 

Market Editor KRISTINA CUSOLITO 

Beauty Editor LAWSON MOHL 

Lifestyle Editor RACHEL WILBURN 

Fashion Editors ABBY ABSTON and CHLOE WHITNEY 

Food and Health Editor ANALIESE GERALD and CAROLINE WELLS 

Entertainment Editor ELLEN JOHNSON 

Social Media Coordinator KRISTIN SCHULZ 

Contributing Writers VAISHNVI SRIDHAR, NATALIE VANDE LINDEM, MALLORIE SIMONEAUX, 

GILLIAN CASTRO, KALLEN SEBASTIAN, LOTA ERINNE, MEG MCGUIRE, MICHAELA HANCOCK, 

JO HANNA HILL, ASHBY BROWN, MARY CLAY KLINE, ALLY DENTON, KIRBY TIFVERMAN, MIA BLACKMAN, 

KATIE HUFF, ELLEN JOHNSON, INDIA WORSTELL 

Contributing Photographers PRESTLEY BRAMLETT, EMILY HEATH, EMMA JUNCK, SUMMER MAHAND, 

SABINA VAFINA, SARAH WESTMORELAND 

Art Director MARY BUZBEE 

Contributing Designers MARY BUZBEE, LAUREN MEADOWS, EMELINE EARMAN, HANNAH TAYLOR, 

CAROL CLARK, DEVIN SURBER 

Models AUDRA REEVES, RAE GRANT, MADI CARTER, SOPHIA WARNER, LEXI WARREN, BEATA JUDIN, JASMINE DOVE, 

LIAN REMLEY, SABINA VAFINA, LEAH KOLB, VAISHNVI SRIDHAR, ALLISON BROWN, ALEXANDRA HURYN, 

KATHARINA FOX, KIERRA WRIGHT, ISA SCIPIO 

Hair and Makeup MORGAN WILLIAMS, CHLOE WHITNEY, HALEY NIX, VAISHNVI SRIDHAR, 

HALEIGH AMEND, MALLORY MCDANIEL 

Advertising 

Advertising Creative Director ALEXIS CRAFT 

Assistant Creative Director GRACE BRYANT 

Sales Representatives (205) 348-7845 

TRENT WILSON, LIZZIE MIZENKO, JACK AMTHOR, GABBIE WALLER, EMMA PYNE, 

RAYVEN LANE, NICK ESASKY, ABIGAIL WOLFE 

Advisers 

Editorial MARK MAYFIELD (msmayfield1@ua.edu) 

Advertising JULIE SALTER (julie.salter@ua.edu) 

Published by UA Office of Student Media 

Director PAUL WRIGHT

Table of 

Contents 

Beauty 

5 DIY BEAUTY ELIXERS 

7 MAKEUP SPRING CLEANING 

12 90S MAKEUP TRENDS 

Fashion 

16 SPRING TRENDS 

24 FUTURISTIC

Lifestyle 

32 48 HOURS IN HOUSTON 

49 PROMOTE POSITIVITY 

42 SELFIE 

Features 

46 FEELING BEAUTIFUL 

51 SPEAK UP 

55 BIG LITTLE THINGS 

63 FIGHT LIKE A GIRL 

67 WORD FOR WORD 

Health & Food 

71 THE AVACADO 

73 HOW TO GET STARTED WITH YOGA 

75 THE WHOLE30 FROM A COLLEGE STUDENT 

77 STICK IT WORKOUT 

Entertainment 

79 PODCASTS 101 

81 FRESH SPRING READS 

83 5X5 

85 ROCK THE BOAT 

4 Alice Spring 2018

BEAUTY 

DIY Beauty Elixirs 

By Vaishnivi Sridhar 

Through the decades we have seen many trends come and go, but what remains the most coveted 

is that of effortless, natural beauty. I’m talking about the kind of high-fashion, modelesque look 

of radiant skin, thick hair, no-falsie-needed eyelashes and strong, long nails. This idea of beauty 

doesn’t need to be that far from reach — in fact, it’s right there in your pantry. By arming yourself 

with a couple of natural oils and other various household products, you can be the person who exerts 

the least amount of effort and still make heads turn. 

Acne Spot 

Treatment 

We’ve all experienced the frustration of waking up with 

a pesky bump. Yes, it can be covered with concealer, but 

wouldn’t diminishing it naturally be the better choice? 

This spot treatment is best for your active acne. 

Ingredients: 

Tea tree oil 

Single clove of garlic 

How to: 

As soon as you feel a pimple rising in your skin, dab a 

small amount of tea tree oil on it. You can also do this 

with a clove of garlic cut in half (use the cut side so the 

juices are more potent) 

Garlic works better on underlying cystic acne and tea 

tree oil works better on a pimple with a head. 

Benefits: 

Tea tree oil has been historically used as a disinfectant. 

It penetrates pimples and clears them effectively. 

Garlic has very potent anti-inflammatory properties 

which diminish the raised bumps from acne. 

Eyelash 

Serum 

If false lashes are a part of your everyday routine, glue and 

mascara can build up on your lash line and cause some 

deep damage. This serum will give you thick, long lashes 

and erase the need for falsies. 

Ingredients: 

Castor Oil 

Vitamin E capsule 

How to: 

Fill a refillable mascara tube (found easily on Amazon) 

with pure, cold-pressed castor oil. If you choose to add the 

Vitamin E capsule, make sure to thoroughly combine them 

in a bowl before filling your mascara tube. 

Use: 

Put this on your eyelashes every night like you would a 

regular mascara. Be sure to wiggle the brush close to roots. 

Consistency with this serum is key. 

Benefits: 

Castor oil is one of the most potent natural oils. It is 

extremely effective because it works by increasing blood 

circulation to any part of the body it is applied on. It greatly 

helps to reduce and reverse the damages of constant 

mascara and fake eyelash wear. Vitamin E is essential for 

the growth of keratin, so adding it to the mix will amplify 

the results. 

5

Dark Spot 

Treatment 

Once cleared, acne often leaves 

a pesky scar. People with higher 

melanin content especially 

struggle with this, as the scar 

appears darker on the skin. This 

mask helps to naturally and gently 

lighten the scars without damaging 

the skin. 

Ingredients: 

Almond oil 2 tbsp 

Lime juice 1 tbsp 

Glycerin ¼ tsp (optional) 

How to: 

Mix the ingredients together in 

a bowl. Add glycerin to the base 

almond oil and lime juice mixture. 

Use: 

Apply your mixture on to a freshly 

washed, dry face. Leave it on for 

at least 15 minutes and wash it 

off with a mild soap (like African 

black soap). 

It is extremely important that you 

avoid direct sunlight, because it 

can over bleach the skin and lead 

to serious problems. This is best 

done as a nighttime treatment. 

Benefits: 

Using this mask once a week will 

help diminish the look of acne 

scars and hyperpigmentation. 

Almond oil is a light oil that gently 

moisturizes the skin. The proteins 

in almonds help rebuild damaged 

skin. Lemon juice is a natural 

lightening agent that will target 

the specific scars and lift them. 

The glycerin, while optional, helps 

rebuild the skin and aids in new 

cell production. 

Body 

Butter 

Despite the fact that we’re 

entering the spring months, dry 

skin can be a constant struggle. 

All you need to soothe your skin is 

this homemade, customizable and 

natural body butter. 

Ingredients: 

Pure African shea butter 

Coconut oil 

Essential oil of your choice 

How to: 

Melt ¼ cup of coconut oil and 

pure African shea butter in a 

microwavable bowl for about 1 

minute on high. Add 5-6 drops of 

your desired essential oil to the 

melted mixture. Transfer this into 

a container and store it in a cool 

place so the oils will solidify. 

Use: 

This is a deep moisturizer for 

whenever you need an extra 

dose of hydration. It’s especially 

miraculous for dry hands and feet. 

Put this on before sleep for supple 

skin the next morning. 

Benefits: 

Coconut oil and shea butter are 

both miracle healing oils for every 

part of the body. They aid in skin 

regeneration and act as the most 

effective deep moisturizers. 

You can customize your body 

butter by choosing which essential 

oil you want to add. Peppermint oil 

will help alleviate aches, lavender 

oil will help calm and aid in sleep, 

while tea tree oil will disinfect any 

cuts or scrapes. 

Hair 

Treatment 

Have you ever been perplexed 

by greasy scalps and dry ends? 

Don’t worry. This common 

problem happens when your 

hair is unbalanced due to 

damage. Using this treatment 

will promote healthy growth 

as well as make hair softer and 

shinier. 

Ingredients: 

Avocado Oil 

Rosemary Oil 

How to: 

For shoulder length hair (about 

14 in), take about a ¼ cup of 

pure avocado oil and add about 

7-10 drops of rosemary oil. For 

every additional 3 inches, add a 

tablespoon of avocado oil. 

Mix the two products together 

in a bowl and store in a clean 

container with a lid. 

Use: 

Start by concentrating the 

mixture on your scalp and ends. 

Work the remnants on the 

midsection. 

Leave the oils on for at least 30 

minutes before washing it out 

with a natural shampoo. 

Do this every 2 weeks for best 

results. 

Benefits: 

Avocado oil helps moisturize 

hair while saturating it with the 

essential proteins it loses due to 

damage. Rosemary oil promotes 

hair growth and cleans the scalp 

of dandruff and build up. 


Photos by Sarah Westmoreland 

OUT WITH THE OLD 

NATALIE VANDE LINDE 

Spring, without fail, brings 

the annual rush to toss aside 

the rejected and unwanted 

garments that have taken 

over your closet. But why 

does spring cleaning so rarely 

impact our vanities and 

bathroom counters, where it 

counts the most? The makeup 

products stored away in your 

bathroom drawers need 

replacing too, and it just 

might be the perfect time to 

rummage through them and 

toss a few things. Just like 

food, makeup has a shelf life, 

and using a product after that 

shelf life can lead to breakouts 

or harmful bacteria on the 

face. Keep these timelines in 

mind when you’re looking 

through your makeup drawer 

this spring. 

Alice Spring 2018 7

FACE PRODUCTS 

As a result of not being applied directly to the mouth 

or eye area, facial products in general are going to 

last you a fairly long time. As a rule of thumb, it 

is best to use a face product about 1-2 years after 

its seal is broken. To know the exact shelf life of 

your product, look for the symbol somewhere on its 

container; the number inside is the amount of 

months your product is usable once the container has 

been opened. 

CREAM PRODUCTS: 12-18 MONTHS 

Cream face products, like blush, won’t last you nearly as long as their powder forms. Thankfully, you’re still in 

the safe zone to use them for about 12-18 months. When applying cream products to the face, keep in mind how 

your tools are transmitting bacteria. Make sure you’re routinely washing your brushes — and hands.. 

FOUNDATION: 6-12 MONTHS 

While foundations are not in their prime quite as long as powders, they still have a very impressive shelf 

life, ranging from 6-12 months. Similar to powders, keep your foundation away from hot, wet environments. 

Especially since, unlike powders, foundations are generally in a liquid form, making them much more susceptible 

to bacterial growth. 


CONCEALER: 1-2 YEARS 

The shelf life of concealer will vary based on the consistency of the concealer. A powder or stick concealer can 

last up to two years, while a liquid concealer is only truly usable for about one year. As always, storing in a cool 

and dry place will help your concealers last longer. Be on the lookout for a change in the color of your concealer 

as you approach the end of its shelf life. If this occurs, it probably means it’s time to toss it and move on. 

POWDERS: 2 YEARS 

Powders — like bronzers, blushes and setting powders — are some of the longest lasting products you can 

purchase. These steadfast basics can last you up to two years. Bacteria have difficulty growing in such dry products. 

However, it is still a good idea to keep these powders away from wet or hot areas to prevent chances of 

bacterial growth. Your application technique can also affect bacterial conditions. Make sure to allow for a few 

minutes between your foundation application and powder application in order to give the foundation time to 

dry. This prevents the foundation’s oil residue from carrying moisture into your powder product. 



LIP AND EYE PRODUCTS 

Unlike facial products, lip and eye products have a 

pretty short shelf life. This is due to direct contact with 

your eyes and mouth, which encourages the growth 

of bacteria. These products also become much more 

dangerous to use once contaminated or past its shelf 

life. Bacteria and the over-use of products can lead to 

styes, pink eye and even cold sores. 

LIP GLOSS, LIP LINER, AND LIP LINER: 1 YEAR 

Lipsticks, glosses and liners are some of the most 

long-lasting lip and eye products. These products do 

not contain water, so they are less likely to grow bacteria. 

Keep that cool, dry storage theme in mind when 

shelving them. Be on the lookout for changes in the 

texture of your lip products, as this is a sign that it’s 

nearing the end of its shelf life. Glosses can generally 

last a bit longer than lipsticks, sometimes up to 24 

months. However, it is often a good idea to cycle your 

lip products each year to protect your lips and mouth 

from any bacteria they may be holding. 

PENCIL EYELINER: 2 YEARS 

Pencil eyeliner has a rather impressive shelf life of up 

to 2 years. This is a result of the constant sharpening 

required to maintain pencil eyeliner. Frequent sharpening 

presents the user with a fresh bit of product 

upon each application, therefore decreasing chances 

of bacteria entering and then growing in the eye. 

LIQUID GEL EYELINER: 3 MONTHS 

Much unlike pencil eyeliner, liquid and gel versions of 

the product only are safe to use for about 3 months. 

Since a gel or liquid product cannot be sharpened, the 

same surface is repeatedly coming into contact with 

your eye and transferring bacteria. It is most effective 

to toss these products and find a replacement fairly 

frequently. 

MASCARA: 3 MONTHS 

Similar to liquid and gel liners, mascara won’t last 

much time compared to other products. Mascara, just 

like other eye products, is coming in constant contact 

with your eye directly, and your application tool cannot 

be cleaned or renewed. For these reasons, bacterial 

growth on mascara is a real concern. To prevent eye 

infections, redness and itchiness, replace your mascara 

about every 3 months. 

POWDER EYE SHADOW: 3-6 MONTHS 

Although, initially it seems that this should be 

lumped in with our other various powders, eyeshadow 

is a bit different. Eyeshadows are constantly 

applied to the eyes. For some users, old 

eyeshadow may cause no issues whatsoever, but 

other users may experience infections and itchy, 

puffy eyes. For these reasons, it’s best to hunt 

down new eyeshadow about every 3-6 months. 

However, if your eyes begin to itch or turn red, 

toss your current eyeshadow ASAP and search for 

an alternative. 

Spring brings about cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning, so it’s only natural that we should factor a 

makeup cleanse into this time. It’s hard not to stash that one lip gloss in the back of your drawer that 

you use once a year, but bacteria in your expired products can open up a whole new world of problems 

that makeup can’t fix. Make sure to check the shelf life symbol on your products when you break that 

packaging open for the first time, and keep it in mind when you’re in the market for new makeup. 


12 Alice Spring 2018 

90s 

Photos by Summer Mahand 

Makeup Trends




FASHION 

16 

Jumpsuit / Belk/ Free People

Photos by Prestley Bramlett 

Pink velevet top / Belk / Free People 

Jeans / American Eagle 


White and floral long sleeve top / Belk / Free People 


Off-white and blue dress / Belk / Free People 



Jeans / American Eagle 


Coral sweater / Belk / Free People 



Futuristic 



and Emily Heath 

Sequin dress by TOPSHOP 




Clothing designed by Emily Heath 



Sunglasses from Az Well

Clothing designed by Emily Heath 


LIFESTYLE 

HOUSTON 

By Mallorie Simoneaux 

32

Photos by Mallorie Simoneaux 

HOWDY 

Welcome to Houston, Texas: home of the World 

Series Champs, tex-mex and cowboys. Houston is the 

4th largest city in the United States and the largest city 

in the south. Therefore, 48 hours is not nearly enough 

time to explore the city in its entirety, but it’s enough to 

give a taste of what Tejas is all about. 

Pro tips: Since Houston is so large, that would 

classify it as a non-walking city, so I would highly 

recommend renting a car or finding some mode of 

reliable transportation because the odds of walking 

around all of Houston and making your flight home are 

highly unlikely. 


DAY 1 

the hotel I reccomend staying in is the Marriott 

Marquis Houston. This Marriott is famous for its 

rooftop lazy river shaped like the state of Texas. If the 

rooftop lazy river is not enough, another perk of this 

hotel is that it’s right across the street from Discovery 

Green Park, a vibrant green space in the heart of 

downtown Houston. This park is perfect for an afternoon 

stroll or enjoying a morning coffee. 

For breakfast in the city, you must start with the 

best breakfast in spot Houston: The Breakfast Klub. 

This famous restaurant has been serving up soul food 

for over 16 years. I reccomend the wings and waffles, 

but there are so many other delicious options on their 

hearty menu to fit your breakfast needs like their wings 

and grits and pancakes. 

After breakfast, visit the Houston Museum 

of Natural Science. This museum is filled with 

thousands of artifacts, and a butterfly center that allows 

you to walk through a butterfly-filled rainforest. Right 

across the street from the museum is the Houston Zoo 

and Hermann Park. The zoo features a new gorilla 

sanctuary, and tasty churros. Once you are done visiting 

the animals, take a stroll through Herman Park, and 

stop to smell the roses in the Japanese Tea Garden. 


Next, drive a few minutes down University Boulevard. 

and visit Rice Village and Rice University. This is 

a lovely area to do a little afternoon shopping and has 

excellent places to eat. Houston is a diverse city; therefore, 

it includes an endless array of cuisines.. My two favorite 

restaurants in this area are Goode Seafood Company 

and The Raven Grill. Due to Houston’s close proximity 

to the Gulf of Mexico, fresh seafood is always available, and 

Goode Seafood Company has is the best. I suggest ordering 

the bacon- wrapped shrimp for an appetizer and swordfish 

for the main course. It is a lot of food, but I promise you 

the misery of being overly stuffed is worth it. If seafood isn’t 

your favorite food, The Raven Grill is the place for you. They 

are known for cooking most of their food on a wood fired 

grill and have plenty of options such as chicken and steak 

for the non-seafood lovers. 

As the night approaches, Houston’s nightlife is just as 

promising as it is during the day. Sporting events are always 

happening over the weekend, so if you are a sports fan, look 

for tickets to go see the Texans, the Astros, the Rockets 

or the Dynamos play. If you really want to immerse 

yourself in Texas culture, go see the Dynamos, Houston’s 

Major League Soccer team. If you are are more interesting in 

live music than sports, head to Midtown and have yourself a 

Texas Margarita. If you visit during rodeo season, typically 

between February and March, I recommend visiting the 

Houston Rodeo. If you get a chance to visit the rodeo, visit 

the NRG stadium to watch the livestock show which is 

followed by a concert featuring multiple country singers. 

This year the lineup includes country stars such as Garth 

Brooks and Thomas Rhett. 

The Breakfast Klub 

3711 Travis St 

Houston, TX 77002 

thebreakfastklub.com 

The Museum 

5555 Hermann Park Dr 

Houston,Texas 77030 

$25 

hmns.org/visit 

The Zoo 

6200 Hermann Park Dr 


$19 

houstonzoo.org 

The Zoo 

6000 Fannin St 


Free 

hermannpark.org/poi/24/ 

Goode Seafood 

Company 

2621 Westpark Dr 


$35 

goodecompany.com/ 

seafood.asp 

The Raven Grill 

1916 Bissonnet St 


Varies 

theravengrill.com 

The Rodeo 

NRG Pkwy 


rodeohouston.com 

The Rocket’s 

1510 Polk St 


Toyota.centerhouston.com 

The Texan’s 

NRG Pkwy 


nrgpark.com/nrg-parkfacilities/nrg-stadium/ 

The Astros’ 

501 Crawford Street 

Houston, Texas, 77002 

houston.astros.mlb.com/ 

hou/ballpark/ 

The Dynamo’s 

2200 Texas Street 

Houston, Texas 77003 

houstondynamo.com 


There are multiple breakfast 

place to choose from in Texas. 

From pastries at Common 

Bond to Honey Butter Chicken 

Biscuits at Whataburger, there 

is a breakfast place for you. 

After the most important 

meal of the day, enjoy a morning 

of antique shopping in one of the 

quirkiest, little neighborhoods 

called Montrose. My favorite 

store in this area is called the 

Old Blue House Antique Store. 

This store features antiques 

both inside and outside of the 

store. Montrose is covered with 

street art, so while shopping 

in this area look around at the 

murals painted on the buildings. 

Once you’ve finished your 

time in Montrose, eat lunch at 

Torchy’s Tacos, and make sure 

you pair your tacos with chips, 

guacamole, and a Topo Chico, 

which is mineral water made in 

Mexico. After eating here, you’ll 

understand why Texans are 

picky about their tacos. 

The Houston Galleria houses 

a variety of stores. This mall 

is the mecca for anyone who 

is serious about retail. After 

shopping, walk outside to the 

Gerald D. Hines Waterwall 

Park, and if you want to see 

the Waterwall up close, wear a 

raincoat or poncho because it is 

a splash zone. Right around the 

corner from the galleria there is 

the best Mediterranean food in 

Houston called Yia Yia Mary’s. 

Their lamb, along with many of 

their other dishes, is made to 

perfection Whichever dish you 

choose, be sure to accompany it 

with the lemon-roasted potato; 

I assure you this dish is life 

changing. 

Forty-eight hours in the land 

of cowboys, will encourage you 

to come back and explore more, 

because two days is not enough. 

This trip only included parts of 

downtown Houston, but if you 

return, be sure to visit NASA and 

Galveston Bay. Houston is not 

the typical, ideal vacation spot, 

but this city is lively and rich 

with culture and excitement. 

DAY 2 


Common Bond 

Cafe 

1706 Westheimer 

Rd, Houston, TX 

77006 

commonbondcafe. 

com 

Whataburger 

1000 Main St 


$4.24 

Whataburger.com/ 

food 

Torchy’s Tacos 

2411 S Shepherd Dr 


torchystacos.com 

Yia Yia Mary’s 

4747 San Felipe St 


yiayiamarys.com

ENJOY THE TIDE’S 2017 

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 

with these collectible 18” X 24” color posters 

pulled from the pages of .

y Gillian Castro 

When you’re navigating the chaos of 

school, work, family and an overall full 

plate, it’s sometimes easy to get caught 

up in the fast pace of an ever-changing 

schedule. Instead of letting life get you 

down, try these ten tips to promote a 

more positive outlook on life. 

1) Exercise 

In the words of everyone’s favorite 

Harvard lawyer, Elle Woods, “Exercise 

gives you endorphins. Endorphins 

make you happy.” Although Elle 

Woods might not be a credible source 

for every life decision you make, 

she was definitely right about this 

one. Studies show distance runners 

experience a “runner’s high,” or an 

increase in endorphins that creates 

a feeling of euphoria and positivity. 

Don’t worry. You don’t need to become 

a cross country runner to achieve this 

feeling! A simple workout that raises 

your heart rate and gets your blood 

pumping will do the trick. It’s as easy 

as heading over to Pinterest to find 

some quick circuits. 


10 TIPS AND TRICKS TO 

PROMOTE POSITIVITY 

2) Read a book of positive 

quotes or poems 

Books like Brave Enough by Cheryl Strayed 

and Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur are filled 

with quotes and poems to fit any low mood 

with words that will pick you up when you’re 

feeling down. 

“Transformation doesn’t ask that you stop 

being you. It demands that you find a way 

back to the authenticity and strength that’s 

already inside of you. You only have to 

bloom.” –Cheryl Strayed 

“The world gives you so much pain, and here 

you are making gold out of it.” -Rupi Kaur 

3) Turn off your phone 

For something that keeps us so connected to 

the world, it is easy for your phone to make 

you feel disconnected from yourself. Take a 

break from social media and let go of those 

things that waste your mind and energy, 

like worrying about how many likes your 

Instagram post will get or what that girl 

that liked your boyfriend’s picture is up to. 

The best solution to a busy mind is to take a 

break from technology and focus on what is 

going on in the real world. 

4) Evaluate your relationships 

If you have people in your life that always 

make you feel bad about yourself or don’t 

help you maintain a positive attitude, they 

aren’t worth the trouble. The only people that 

deserve a place in your life are the people 

who bring value into it and bring out the best 

in you. The people in your life should always 

be helping to build you up, so don’t waste 

your time on people who bring you down. 

5) Yoga and Meditation 

This one goes hand-in-hand with the exercise 

tip. Yoga will help produce endorphins, and 

in tandem with meditation, will help you 

calm down and forget about whatever is 

causing you stress in your life, even if it is for 

just a 30-minute session. 

6) Drink tea 

Tea is a common stress reliever, but what 

most people don’t know is that there is a 

wide range of health benefits associated 

with various types of teas. Studies show that 

Saffron, Turmeric and Chamomile tea all 

have similar health benefits to 

antidepressants by boosting your serotonin 

and dopamine levels which help promote a 

positive mood. Other teas such as Lavender, 

Lemon Balm and Yerba Mate tea help reduce 

stress and improve sleep to lead to a happier 

and healthier lifestyle. 

7) Get out of your comfort 

zone 

Everyone has their list of things they’ve 

always wanted to do, but too many people 

never take control of their fear of the 

unknown and take action. Challenge 

yourself to do something that scares 

you every day -- no matter how big or 

how small. 

8) Play your 

favorite song 

Sing and dance to your favorite song like 

nobody’s watching. Any fan of Grey’s Anatomy 

knows that “dancing it out” is the best way to 

get over just about anything. If it works for our 

favorite surgeons, it will work for you. 


9) Volunteer/do something 

nice for someone 

Although volunteering somewhere is a great 

thing to do, it’s hard for most people to find 

the time to do this. Sometimes a simple nice 

comment, holding the door open for someone 

or paying for a stranger’s coffee is enough to 

make someone’s day. Paying niceness and 

generosity forward is one of the best ways to 

bring happiness into your own life. 

10) Breathe 

It’s easy for people to get wrapped up in 

the happenings of everyday life, and they 

oftentimes forget to take a moment just to 

breathe and relax. Taking a couple seconds 

out of your day to put down whatever you 

are doing and take a moment for yourself is 

sure to help you feel less stressed and help 

promote positivity. 

Approaching your day with a “glass 

half empty” mindset is not the way you 

should be living your life. Instead, start 

small with one of these tips and keep 

at it every time you start to feel down, 

and eventually everything will start 

to fall into place. Don’t let a negative 

attitude win. It’s never too late to start 

looking at life with a “glass half full” kind 

of attitude.


“ 

Less filter, more conversation.

By Kallen Sebastian 

Social media is like when you were a kid 

and your mom had guests over and you had 

to clean your entire house from top to bottom. 

It was ridiculous. Your house is a complete 

disaster for 95 percent of your life, but 

when you have guests over, any trace of disarray 

or normality must be drowned in Windex. 

We put our best foot forward for people 

who don’t get a front-row seat to the day-today 

action, and social media works the same 

way, except it’s not just your house, and it’s 

not just 5 percent of your life. It’s you. All the 

time. Always. 

“I think social media can definitely be misrepresentative,” 

said Sarah Willen, a nursing 

student at The University of Alabama. “I 

find myself looking on the Explore page and 

see girls traveling all over the world and living 

these extravagant lives, and I don’t think 

it honestly represents the average teenage 

life. It brings out a lot of envy in me.” 

In Los Angeles, an American cultural 

epicenter and perhaps the capital of social 

media celebrities, this problem seems to 

be magnified. 

“Celebrities wouldn’t be celebrities without 

social media these days,” said Anna 

Dearen, a student at the Fashion Institute of 

Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. “If 

you were to ask someone who their favorite 

celebrity is, they probably wouldn’t name 

an actor or producer. It’s going to be a person 

with a huge following on social media.” 

We are intrigued by those we believe 

to have a unique or ridiculous life. Unlike 

traditional news or social channels, social 

media makes us feel like we’re getting that 

front row seat. 

“When you follow a person for so long on 

social media, you feel like you know them,” 

said Dearen. “But what people put on social 

media is the very best version of themselves. 

You really don’t know that person at all.” 

Working primarily in public relations, I 

find myself at the crossroads of honesty and 

ego on a regular basis. I know the ins and 

outs of developing social media platforms 

but I have found some employers hold the 

same standard to my personal accounts. I’m 

expected to use my personal life as a portfolio 

- clean it up, make it professional. Put 

my best foot forward, so to speak. But filtering 

what I post and how I appear often 

comes at the expense of candor. 

“Social media has fully taken over modeling,” 

said Dearen, who is also an aspiring 

model. “You will not get booked if you aren’t 

big on social media. For people who are 

already ‘famous’ on social media, it makes 

it super easy to transition into modeling. 

I don’t use my selfies to show clients but 

I’m pretty positive all agencies look you 

up online.” 

To be successful, we have to be filtered. 

People outside of communications, the 

arts or modeling get a bit more leeway, of 

course. Surgeons can’t exactly show off their 

latest patient masterpieces, but some of us 

are expected to. 

Perhaps this is why the quality of (or at 

least the effort put into) photos on Instagram 

seems to have exponentially increased 

over the last five years and being a “social 

media influencer” has suddenly become an 

attainable career. It also helps explain the 

rise of celebrities like the Kardashians. 

Kim Kardashian has 106 million followers 

on Instagram and frequently takes 

to the platform to promote her family’s 

television show, her own clothing, jewelry 

and perfume lines, as well as her modeling 

experiences. Her social media platforms 

are her voice and her business and 

they are meticulously curated to promote 

her brand. Kim Kardashian has raised 

the social media bar and many now try to 

achieve or surpass it to attain her level of 

notoriety and wealth. 


“I try to use my social media as a way 

to spread more positivity and humor 

instead of allowing it be a fake or 

negative source of energy.” 

“People want to be important,” said Dearen. 

“I know people who would not eat for 

a day or not pay rent if they can buy something 

name brand that will make them 

look important. It’s super cutthroat in L.A. 

When you’re out at a club, girls only want 

to be friends with girls who have even more 

followers than them. It’s terrible but people 

will do whatever it takes. That’s just 

how it is.” 

However, the filtering processes Kardashian 

goes through to maintain her brand 

has contributed to maintaining unattainable 

standards of beauty. Her notorious naked 

“Break the Internet” cover with PAPERMAG 

was heavily photoshopped and received an 

unprecedented amount of attention both in 

traditional and social media channels. 

While some celebrities use their popularity 

on social media as a way to intrigue people 

and increase their follower count, many celebrities 

use it as an opportunity to combat 

the impossibly high beauty standards set by 

the fashion world and offer a more realistic 

understanding of the negative effects of photoshop 

and filters. 

"A lot of times I get frustrated because 

people will, without my consent, Photoshop 

my body, and it doesn't look like my own 

body,” said Demi Lovato in a 2015 interview 

with Teen Vogue. Lovato recently released 

a documentary about her lifelong struggles 

with bulimia, depression and other mental 

health issues. She often uses social media as 

a platform to discuss self-love and overcoming 

her personal struggles. 

Less rising above reality, more having 

honest discussions. Less fantasy, more sincerity. 

Less filter, more conversation. 

“Social media is a way to connect with 

people,” said Willen. “It allows us to express 

ourselves in whatever way we choose, and to 

share that with people we know or strangers 

who have the same interest. I try to use my 

social media as a way to spread more positivity 

and humor instead of allowing it be a fake 

or negative source of energy.” 

Instead of filtering ourselves, we should 

be filtering the content we view and setting 

standards of honesty for ourselves. Everyone 

wants to look their best and feel their best, 

but many of our “picture-perfect” practices 

on social media contribute to an overall 

higher standard of beauty that is simply unattainable. 

Social media is an incredible way 

to learn about the lives of others and share 

our own interests- it’s a way to be ourselves. 

So let’s let it be just that. Unfiltered. 


FEATURES 

46 

51 

55 

63 

67 

Feeling Beautiful 

Speak Up 

Little Big Things 

Fight Like a Girl 

Word for Word 

45


By Vaishnivi Sridhar 


Fitting in and feeling 

beautiful is something I’ve always 

struggled with, as most women 

do. There are mornings where I 

wake up and am absolutely in love 

with everything about myself, and 

then there are days I wish I could 

change it all. To understand my 

struggle with feeling beautiful, 

it is important to know that I 

have lived a very diverse life. I 

have called India and Alabama 

home for an equal amount of 

time, yet my permanent address 

is in New York City. Since I don’t 

exactly know how to answer the 

question “where are you from?” 

Indian people that I meet in 

America tell me that I don’t 

look “Indian” – and they mean 

that as a compliment. 

it is especially difficult to align 

myself with any one of the the 

three very different standards of 

beauty from these three very 

different places. 

I was born in India in 1996. 

As for many other young girls 

there, Bollywood was a major 

influence in my life. Going to 

the movies every weekend was 

one of my favorite things to do. 

Regardless of the story line, every 

movie was filled with glamorous 

women dressed in beautiful, 

bright colors, prancing around 

vast fields of flowers and being 

chased by a handsome actor 

trying to woo her. The icon of 

my childhood was Karishma 

Kapoor; think of her as the Indian 

equivalent of Reese Witherspoon. 

She was bubbly, energetic and 

had the most striking blue eyes 

and pale, almost rosy skin. Today 

when I think of her, I realize that 

she looks nothing like the average 

Indian woman, but to me she was 

the absolute definition of beauty. 

Beauty in India is deeply dictated 

by colorism. Colorism is most 

simply defined as internal racism. 

It is where, within a race, people 

discriminate against each other 

solely based on skin color; lighter 

skin, hair and eyes are considered 

more desirable. Growing up, 

I saw the more favorable end 

of colorism. I am from a south 

Indian family, and south Indian 

people are traditionally thought 

to be of a darker complexion. I, 

along with a few other members 

of my family, am considered 

much lighter in skin tone than 

most other south Indian people. 

Throughout my childhood, 

I was always told that I was 

beautiful and so lucky to have 

the complexion I did. As you can 

imagine, this constant adoration 

got to my head. I truly believed 


I was more special than people 

around me, including my own 

parents, who were darker. Even 

today, Indian people that I meet 

in America tell me that I don’t look 

“Indian” – and they mean that as 

a compliment. 

This bubble of being the 

ultimate ideal of beauty soon 

burst when I went from vivacious 

big city India to a small town in 

Alabama. I moved to Tuscaloosa, 

Alabama at the age of 10 in 2006. 

I could write volumes on the 

culture shock and how it affected 

every aspect of my life, but the 

largest impact it had was on my 

self-image. Although there were 

many difficulties transitioning, 

I have to admit that most of 

the people I interacted with 

were truly kind. I started the 

6th grade and immediately 

made many friends, but what 

subliminally bothered me was 

that no one looked like me. 

I was one of only two Indian 

people in the whole school (the 

other now my boyfriend). The 

year I came was one of the last 

reigning years for blonde haired, 

blue eyed bombshells like Paris 

Hilton. Most of the “popular” 

girls at school also fit this ideal. 

I found myself begging to wear 

makeup and straightening my 

hair everyday because that was 

the only way I could look even 

mildly like what was considered 

beautiful. The year 2007, 

however, brought the superhero 

I never knew I needed: 

Kim Kardashian. Although she 

isn’t often described as such, her 

popularity and fame brought a 

whole new meaning to what was 

considered beautiful, especially 

to young, impressionable 

middle-schoolers like we 

were at the time. The insane 

popularity of Keeping up with 

the Kardashians, coupled with 

my mom reluctantly allowing me 

to wear makeup, finally made me 

feel “beautiful” again -- or at least 

what I thought was beautiful. 

As much as I enjoyed makeup, 

I also wanted to be that 

natural beauty who didn’t 

have to exert as much effort. 

I would wear heavy makeup, 

leopard print and proudly display 

my long black hair. The Kim 

Kardashian comparisons kept 

coming and still do to this day. 

She made it desriable to be tan, 

curvy and have dark hair, all the 

characteristics that I somewhat 

have. As much as I enjoyed the 

comparisons and acceptance 

it brought me, I realized that I 

actually look nothing like her. I 

fed into a stereotype because it 

made me feel accepted. I rode 

the wave of being a long-lost 

Kardashian sister till I graduated 



high school. This wave was also 

bound to crash. 

I moved to New York City in 

the January of 2014. I attended 

the City College of New York 

and had an apartment all to 

myself in the Upper East Side. 

I had a diverse group of friends 

and truly enjoyed every single 

day. My self-image, however, 

wasn’t having as great of a time. 

New York City is the fashion 

and media capital of the 

I feel beautiful because I 

have been doing and 

sharing with the world the 

things I love most... 

world. As you can imagine, I 

was constantly surrounded by 

beautiful people -- but what 

struck me was that their beauty 

was natural. My Alabamian 

ways of always having on a full 

face of makeup stood out. I 

was already battling the idea of 

natural beauty, but it only hit 

me when one day on the train 

home from school, one of my 

friends bluntly asked me, “why 

have we never seen you without 

makeup on?” I brushed it off in 

the moment, but it stuck. When 

I looked at myself in the mirror 

without makeup on, I felt 

absolutely hideous. As much as 

I enjoyed makeup, I also wanted 

to be that natural beauty who 

didn’t have to exert as much 

effort. 

Life and my ideas of beauty 

have since taken many more 

turns. I now sit here writing 

this as an almost 22 year old, 

almost senior at The University 

of Alabama, with my most clear 

idea of what beauty is to date. 

Beauty and being beautiful is 

what you make of it. At this 

point in my life, I feel the 

absolute most beautiful I have 

ever felt, and it has nothing 

to do with what I see in the 

mirror. I feel beautiful because 

I have been doing and sharing 

with the world the things I love 

most: cooking, writing and 

conversation. Some days I wear 

absolutely no makeup, and some 

days I wear a cranberry-sunset 

smokey eye that may have taken 

me 4 hours to do. Both days I 

feel equally as beautiful because 

I have learned that what makes 

you feel this way is internal. If 

we give ourselves the approval 

we seek from other people, then 

it doesn’t matter what your skin 

tone is, or whether you look like 

someone or whether you wear a 

lot of makeup. All that matters 

is how you feel about you. 


By: Lota Erinne 

How social media has shifted cultural perception of sexual assualt 


Domestic violence and sexual assault 

have long been some of humanity’s most 

heinous crimes, the kind that could only 

be whispered about behind closed doors, 

but because of recent cultural shifts, 

they’ve recently been exposed like never 

before. Countless celebrities and public 

figures such as film producer Harvey 

Weinstein and former Alabama Senator 

Roy Moore have been accused of sexual 

assault and are actually facing backlash 

for their alleged actions—a welcomed 

relief from the past when practically 

all victims were dismissed and seen as 

unreliable, deceitful and desperate for 

attention. Although many are still met 

with doubt and criticism, more people 

see their accusations as valid and call 

for an appropriate response from higher 

authority. As society becomes more 

aware of domestic violence and sexual 

assault, and less critical of victims who 

choose to share their stories, more 

people feel safe calling out their abusers 

and demanding consequences, as they 

should. 

But how have current shifts in society 

and social media changed the way we view 

these issues? 

There’s been an intense movement 

to erase the stereotype of sexual assault 

as being only committed by evil men 

in the night who wear trench coats 

and ask pretty girls to help them get 

into their cars. Based on staggering 

statistics, it’s not just something you 

hear about happening to your brother’s 

best friend’s coach’s daughter either. 

With 321,500 annual victims of rape 

and sexual assault in the US (85 percent 

of which are committed by people the 

victims knew before the attack), you’re 

overwhelmingly likely to know not only 

someone who has been a victim, but 

somebody who has committed the act. 

The #MeToo movement that went viral 

in October 2017 was actually started in 

2006 by social activist Tarana Burke, 

encouraging women—especially from 

underprivileged communities—to share 

their experiences of sexual assault. The 

overwhelming number of tweets, posts 

and statuses from victims has made 

it clear: Sexual assault is pervasive, 

insidious and cannot be swept under the 

rug any longer. 

There has also been a shift in the 

way male victims are perceived. Actor 

Terry Crews came forward in October 

of 2017 about Hollywood executive 

Adam Venit groping him during a public 

event in 2016. Actor and singer Anthony 

Rapp spoke out about Kevin Spacey’s 

unwanted sexual advance toward him 

that occurred in 1986, when Spacey was 

26 and Rapp was only 14. Less recently, 

Emma Roberts was arrested in 2013 after 

attacking her then-fiancé, actor Evan 

Peters, in their hotel room in Vancouver 

and leaving him with a bloody nose and 

a bite mark. It’s been public opinion for 

far too long that men and boys can’t be 

victims of these crimes, but that tide 

is turning. Even if the totem pole of 

sociopolitical power often puts men 

over women in positions where they can 

easily abuse their authority, women can 

be abusers, and men can abuse men, 


making this an issue for people of all 

genders and sexualities. Men are raised 

with the mindset that masculinity means 

being strong and emotionally guarded. 

They’re expected to be too tough for 

sexual abuse to affect them or be a 

problem—all sex is good sex, right? This 

dismissive attitude toward the emotional 

trauma that many men and boys suffer 

through makes it incredibly difficult for 

them to come forward about their abuse. 

Fortunately, as people grow more aware 

of the dangers of hypermasculinity, male 

victims of sexual assault and domestic 

abuse are validated and encouraged to 

share their stories. If we have any hope 

of ending the cycle of people in power 

exerting their authority inappropriately 

over those with little to no platform, 

we must resolve to hear the voices of 

all the abused—regardless of societal 

preconceptions and biases. 

With 4,774,000 women experiencing 

physical violence from a partner each 

year, domestic violence is an epidemic 

all its own. It’s often difficult to figure 

out the line between regular arguing and 

emotional abuse. Even physical abuse, 

which is generally easier to distinguish, 

can be tough to quantify. Seeing as many 

abusive relationships start well and sour 

gradually, people often fail to realize 

they’re in trouble until it’s too late. 

Luckily, as more and more people take 

to social media to share their stories, it 

is getting easier to recognize warning 

signs that might be flashing in your own 

relationship when others talk about 

where theirs went wrong. 

The longstanding culture of ignoring 

sexual abuse and domestic violence only 

feeds the problem. When it looks like no 

one else is going through what you’re 

going through, it’s too easy to convince 

yourself that your situation isn’t that 

bad and maybe you shouldn’t be so 

dramatic—but that simply isn’t the case. 

These things can happen to any person 

at any time. 

So what can you do? Don’t shame 

victims for not wanting to come forward 

about their abuse. It’s true that an 

accusation might keep the perpetrator 

from being able to hurt others, but that 

isn’t a burden any victim should be 

forced to carry. For many, the idea of 

seeking justice is terrifying because of 

the unfortunate reality that many law 

enforcement agencies are dismissive 

of sexual assault allegations. There’s 

also the intimidating fact that many 

are reluctant to believe a good friend 

could be capable of such an awful act. 

If someone feels safe enough to confide 

in you about what they’ve suffered, 

listen to them, offer options like going 

to the police or a crisis center if asked, 

promise to support them in whatever 

they decide, and above all, believe them. 

There is nothing to be gained from lying 

about rape. Rape culture is threaded too 

deeply within the fabric of our society to 

be ripped out overnight, but momentum 

has been building toward its removal for 

a long time now. Whenever we amplify 

victims’ voices and hold perpetrators 

accountable, we move one step closer to 

true personal liberation. 



ig 

little 

things 

Photos by Sabina Vafina 

Poem by India Worstell 


Completion is a concept 

found in smaller things 


Afterthoughts 

Add-ons 

Spur-of-moment 

Decisions 

That aren’t really decisions at all 

Like a good deed 


Done without premeditation 

What some consider trivial 

Makes every bit of difference 



To you, the one 

Who wears subtlety in bangles 

And satisfaction 

Tied around your throat 


Contentment draped 

In gossamer fabrics 

And pride 

In parenthetics 


The inessentials, sure enough 

Are nothing short 

Of necessary 


Photos by Scarlett Van Meter 

By Meg McGuire 


American culture is saturated with 

underdog stories. Classic tales and 

epic films depict legendary quests in 

which the unfavored character overcomes 

the odds that the world has 

stacked against them. Obstacle after 

obstacle presents itself, convincing audiences 

that there is simply no way that 

the unlikely hero can manage to prevail. 

Nevertheless, just when all hope seems 

lost, something shifts. Every plot element 

lines up just right, and once again 

the viewers find themselves captivated 

as the new champion rises. At this point, 

the script practically writes itself. There 

is just something within human nature 

that roots for the one that everyone else 

underestimates. Perhaps America sings 

the song of the unsung hero because she 

herself is one of them, a nation whose 

glory has been maintained through the 

aid of some fellow scrappy underdogs 

who chose to make their own history 

when everyone else told them that 

it would probably be better if they just 

stayed home. 

The year 2018 marks the 70th anniversary 

of President Harry S. Truman’s 

signing of the Women’s Armed Service 

Integration Act following the stellar performance 

of military women in World 

War II. For the first time, the female 

presence in the U.S. military was federally 

integrated and secured. But even before 

the lyrics of The Star Spangled Banner 

were scripted or the stars and stripes 

of the flag itself were stitched, women 

have played a significant role in the nation’s 

war efforts. 

According to the U.S. Army historical 

database, this role spans all the way 

back to the Revolutionary War. While 

many women volunteered to serve as 

nurses, seamstresses and cooks, others 

braved the frontlines. Margaret Corbin 

traded in more traditional roles to combat 

the British-Hessian attack on Fort 

Washington alongside her husband in 

November of 1776. When he was tragically 

killed, Corbin left her station manning 

the cannon ammunition to fill his 

position on the artillery firing squad. 

She was wounded in battle and went on 

to receive the pension that her husband 

would have earned for his service. The 

Continental Congress honored her as the 

first servicewoman in the Army. 

What a woman. 

From working undercover as spies 

during the Civil War to braving the necessary 

steps to achieve the official integration 

of women into the U.S. Army 

in the late 1970s, females have proved 

themselves, against all odds, a force to be 

reckoned with. This force lead to monumental 

societal change. Army records 

credit the more than 25,000 women 

serving in the World War I Army Nurse 

Corps and other positions overseas for 

their influence to “propel the passage of 

the 19th Amendment” that extended the 

right to vote to women. These displays 

of true grit and patriotism replay themselves 

over and over again in the context 

of each American war. Yet it wasn’t until 

2013, only five years ago, when Secretary 

of Defense Leon Panetta declared an end 

to the direct ground combat exclusion 

rule that finally opened up all combat 

positions to women: 

“Over the last decade of war, women 

have proven themselves to be critical to 

our success in theater. This change will 

give the Army access to the untapped 

potential that our women warriors have 

to offer…” Panetta said in a directive 

lifting the ban on women in front-line 

combat roles. 

The bill’s recognition of women’s 

excellent service through the limited 

timeline of “the last decade” is quite 

the understatement. However, the offi- 


cial implementation of the law in 2016 

opened up a new era of female participation 

in combat – an era free from any 

preexisting barriers and one that continues 

to create controversy. 

Female veterans and other supporters 

applauded the change they found to be 

long overdue, but even the historical evidence 

of women’s vital strength during 

times of war by no means silenced critics 

who continue to question whether 

they truly have a place on the battlefield. 

Following the passing of this bill, The 

Washington Post reported that critics 

claimed the “integration during deployments 

could create a distracting, sexually 

charged atmosphere in the force and 

that women are unable to perform some 

of the more physically demanding jobs.” 

The women with boots on the ground 

beg to differ. 

Kaity Klinghard is a 19-year-old freshman 

at The University of North Alabama. 

It wasn’t until recruiters from the U.S. 

Army Reserves came to her high school 

that she even considered pursuing the 

military track. She “jokingly” submitted 

her name on a whim. A few conversations 

later, and she was convinced. Immediately 

following graduation, Klinghard attended 

basic training at Fort Jackson in 

South Carolina and went on to complete 

her Advanced Individual Training (AIT) 

requirements. After finalizing her training 

as a combat medic, she is now set to 

be deployed in July of 2018. 

Klinghard agrees that the debate 

over women’s rightful role in combat is 

a complex one. She said that even opinions 

among military women themselves 

are mixed. While she isn’t quite sure 

which side of the argument she falls on, 

she does not doubt her fellow servicewomen’s 

ability to take on the challenges 

that combat positions present. 

“Obviously I believe that women can 

do anything that men can do and that 

we shouldn’t be judged based on our 

gender,” Klinghard said. “Those are dangerous 

positions. It doesn’t matter if it’s 

men or women. We need the strongest 

people out there, so whatever is best 

for the mission [and] whatever is best 

for the country, I feel like is what needs 

to happen.” 

Klinghard said that women definitely 

have to put in the extra effort it takes 

to prove themselves in a field that is still 

predominantly male. She finds strength 

in her ability to overcome preconceived 

notions regarding her physical capabilities 

as a woman. She said she loved seeing 

the looks on the men’s faces when she 

was able to lift a 250 pound man during 

training. She spoke of the memory with 

an obvious sense of pride. 

“That was one of my favorite parts of 

training – being able to prove myself and 

prove that I am able to do anything that 

they can do,” Klinghard said. 

Klinghard said her young military 

journey has taught her invaluable lessons 

about allowing herself to pursue 

opportunities and relationships that 

challenge her. It is these same shared 

experiences and the overcoming of 

odds that continue to empower military 

women as their roles evolve. While 2016 

brought the elimination of all remaining 

legal stipulations, the glass ceiling for female 

progression in the national defense 

realm still lingers. America has only just 

begun to scratch the surface of what it 

means to fight like a girl. Yet at the core 

of every good underdog story is a heart 

like Klinghard’s and the thousands upon 

thousands of women warriors who have 

gone before her – history-makers whose 

hearts and eyes are set on the fact that 

the past, present and future of this 

nation is most certainly female. 


Student poets slam their 

way through college 


By Michaela Hancock 

For some, poetry recalls 

the often dreadful memories of 

annotating rhyme scheme, syllable 

count and figurative language in high 

school English classes. However, 

some students at The University of 

Alabama have a greater affinity for 

the art. Some discovered writing and 

performing their own poetry after 

already being involved in other arts, 

while others found it to be a release 

for teen angst, but they all share a 

love for the creative outlet provided 

by poetry and spoken word. 

Jahman Hill, a second year 

graduate student at The University of 

Alabama, started writing poetry when 

Poetry is so important as a 

means of expression, and the 

community building that happens 

when people come together over 

poetry is so beautiful. 

he came to college. Before that, he had 

written rap music, which he described 

as terrible, so he decided to try poetry 

instead. Hill is now a published 

poet whose book, Made From my 

Mother’s Ceiling was released earlier 

this year. He also travels the country 

performing his work. 

Kailey Webster, a University 

of Alabama junior, started writing 

poetry in high school. As part of 

the speech and debate team, poetry 

was her favorite event. She learned 

more about poetry and developed an 

interest for writing her own, which 

she began doing her senior year. 

Hill and Webster both joined 

The University of Alabama’s speech 

and debate team. They bonded over 

a shared interest in poetry and began 

attending poetry slams together 

where one or both were competing. 

However, they always had to travel for 

the slams, and they noticed the poetry 

scene as a whole lacked a presence in 

Tuscaloosa. Then on the way home 

from a slam in June, Webster had the 

idea to create their own presence in 

Tuscaloosa. 

“Let’s just do it,” Webster said. 

“Let’s make a poetry venue.” 

After making the executive 

decision to pursue this, Hill and 

Webster met with one of Hill’s 

close mentors, Dr. Utz McKnight, a 

professor in gender and race studies 

at the university. McKnight supported 

the idea and suggested that they go 

about starting a student organization. 

With his help with the logistics, Hill 

and Webster started the process of 

beginning a campus organization, 

still concerned about the potential 

lack of students’ interest in joining. 

“At the time, we knew of 

maybe two other people who were 

interested in spoken word or slam,” 

Webster said. “There was still this 

level of doubt of, ‘Is this something 

Tuscaloosa wants?’” 

Still they continued filling out 

forms and spreading the word, and 

in July they held their first event as 

the Alabama Student Association for 

Poetry (ASAP). The organization’s 

first big event, “ASAP Blitz,” 

happened in September 2017. The 

event featured a workshop led by poet 

and spoken word artist, Steven Willis. 

From there, ASAP started biweekly 

open mic nights at Monarch Espresso 

Bar. The open mic nights have 



included headliners such as Kimberly 

Casey, Willis and Hill. Attendance 

started with just a couple friends and 

classmates, but quickly rose to nearly 

50 people. Anyone is welcome to 

perform or watch. 

“Anyone who self-identifies as an 

artist or has work they want people 

to observe, get critiqued or just to 

stand in front of a crowd and do it – 

we welcome everybody,” said Jessica 

Tomlinson, a senior at The University 

of Alabama and treasurer of ASAP. 

The open mic nights will 

continue in the spring semester, but 

they also have some bigger events 

planned starting with “The Blackout,” 

an event involving six internationally 

acclaimed poets and eight student 

organizations to celebrate Black 

History Month. ASAP students are 

also planning a similar event for 

Women’s History Month in March. 

Then, in April, ASAP will put on a 

weekly workshop similar to ASAP 

Blitz in September leading up to a 

poetry slam with a $1000 prize at the 

end of the month. ASAP also hopes 

to continue growing its membership, 

which currently sits at 26 official 

members. They love seeing more 

people come together and bond 

through poetry. 

“Poetry is so important as 

a means of expression, and the 

community-building that happens 

when people come together over 

poetry is so beautiful,” Webster said. 

“It’s been so awesome to see that grow 

and be built within Tuscaloosa.” 

Hill and Webster are also both 

passionate about using poetry for 

advocating. As ASAP continues 

to grow they want to ensure they 

remember to give back. 

“It’s one thing to travel the 

country and perform your own 

poems,” Hill said. “It’s another thing 

to be a facilitator and to be the person 

that opens doors for other people to 

perform their poetry.” 

One way ASAP has plans to do 

this is implementing workshops 

for high school students. They also 

believe in using poetry for activism, 

and want to continue spreading their 

art in efforts to encourage others to 

pursue their own. 


FOOD & HEALTH 

The Avocado 

by Jo Hanna Hill 

The avocado. This versatile 

fruit has gotten a lot of press in 

the recent years, so what’s the 

big deal? On top of its creamy 

texture and delicious flavor, 

the avocado is ripe with many 

nutritional benefits. According 

to the California Avocado 

Commission, backed by the 

FDA, eating avocados allows the 

body to absorb more fat-soluble 

nutrients, like Vitamins A, D, E, 

and K, from other foods. This is 

likely due to avocados containing 

monounsaturated fats, AKA 

one of the healthy fats. Fats are 

needed as crucial part to your 

body’s cells’ structures, and 

unsaturated fats like avocados, 

when eaten in moderation, 

can help lower cholesterol and 

decrease risk for heart disease 

according to the American 

Heart Association. This health 

food is a great topping to salads 

and other dishes, is the main 

component to guacamole, and 

has a flavor that blends with a 

variety of foods. Still not sold on 

the wonder of the avocado? Try 

one of these recipes and see how 

you feel. 

71

Easy Avocado 

Chocolate 

Pudding 

A simple, healthy twist on your 

favorite elementary school dessert to 

appease your sweet tooth. 

Avocado 

Tacos 

An easy, vegan and surprisingly 

filling recipe to spice up your next 

Taco Tuesday. 

Ingredients: 

3 (medium to large) avocados 

1 bell pepper 

12 corn tortillas 

lime juice 

your favorite salsa 

Optional: cilantro, for topping 

Directions: 

1) Prepare the ingredients. Peel 

and pit the avocados and cut into 

cubes. Thinly slice the bell peppers. 

2) Place the cubed avocados and 

cut peppers in a bowl. Sprinkle 

with salt and pepper to taste, 

and add a squirt of lime juice. 

Gently mix the avocado cubes, 

pepper, and seasonings so that 

the avocado remains un-mashed 

but incorporated with the other 

ingredients. 

3) Heat the tortillas on medium 

in a pan with butter. 

4) Scoop the avocado and pepper 

filling from the bowl and place in 

a tortilla. Top with your favorite 

salsa and some cilantro, if you like. 


Ingredients: 

1 (large) avocado 

1/3 cup cocoa powder 

¼ tablespoons maple syrup or honey 

¼ cup of milk or favorite non-dairy 

milk 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Pinch of salt 

Directions: 

1) Peel, pit and cube the avocado, and 

add it into a blender or food processor. 

2) Add all the other ingredients in 

with the cubed avocado and blend until 

smooth. 

3) Top the pudding with a little 

sprinkle of sea salt to really bring out 

the flavor! 

Guacamole 

A classic that just cannot be ignored 

(or resisted). 

Ingredients: 


1 lime, juice only 

A classic that just cannot be ignored 

(or resisted). 

Ingredients: 


1 lime, juice only 

1 tomato (large) 

1 red onion 

1 chopped bunch of cilantro (if you 

hate cilantro you can leave out) 

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 

½ teaspoon salt 

Optional: 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 

pepper 

Directions: 

1) Peel, pit and cube the 

avocados and place in a bowl. 

Mash the avocados with a fork 

until just before the consistency 

you want (they will become more 

mashed when mixing in the 

other ingredients). 

2) Finely chop the tomato and 

onion. Add to bowl with avocado 

and mix in. 

3) Add some chopped cilantro (if 

you want), pepper and salt. If you 

want a little heat add the cayenne 

pepper at this time too. 

4) Juice the lime over the bowl. 

Mix in until the lime juice and all 

ingredients are distributed and you 

have reached desired consistency. 

5) Serve with chips (and possibly 

salsa and queso) and enjoy!

How to Get 

Started 

with Yoga 

By Ashby Brown 

Looking for a new workout to spice up your 

week? Yoga might just be the thing for you. Yoga 

has recently risen in popularity, but what’s the 

hype? 

The Benefits: 

Gail Connell is a Registered Yoga Teacher at 

Core Physique in Atlanta and originally began 

yoga after a jaw surgery, due to a suggestion by 

her surgeon. Since then it has become a passion. 

Connell believes yoga is so amazing because 

everyone can do it. “If you have a body and 

you’re breathing, you can do yoga,” she states. 

“You do not have to be flexible. It’s all about your 

breathing.” 

One of the main benefits of yoga is stress 

relief. With the craziness that is college, Connell 

said yoga can truly benefit students because it 

is a great way to channel and relieve stress, as 

well as help clear the mind. It also teaches you to 

be present. According to Connell, yoga is about 

being of mind, body, and spirit. This practice can 

be a huge stress reliever. 

Another health benefit of yoga is building 

strength. By holding poses for particular 

lengths of time, you can increase your muscular 

endurance as well as bone strength. 

Lastly, Connell emphasizes how yoga can 

help you “not walk like an old person.” Yoga 

emphasizes certain ways of holding your body 

and can help improve your posture. This will not 

only help joint and spinal pain, but will also help 

in improving alignment. 

Getting Started 

It’s clear that yoga can be an amazing, holistic 

workout. But how to you get started? Yoga 

doesn’t require much, but it’s helpful to have 

some basic supplies. 

First, a yoga mat is important to prevent 

hands and feet slipping while holding poses.

Mats can be as basic or as complex as 

you want, and they can be under $20 

or upward of $50, depending on the 

brand or thickness of the mat. The 

final decision is up to you and your 

budget. 

Next, you will need yoga 

appropriate clothes. Don’t think you 

have to buy name brand yoga pants or 

tops. Yoga really only requires clothes 

you can move and feel comfortable in. 

Whether that means a baggy t-shirt or 

a slim tank top, yoga is about making 

you feel good, so wear what you feel 

most comfortable and agile in. 

Last, have a towel and some water 

handy– yoga does get sweaty! 

Types of Yoga 

Decide what type of yoga you 

want to do. There are many options, 

but there are three types of yoga that 

are most popular: hot yoga, ashtanga 

yoga, and vinyasa yoga. 

Hot yoga has become popular 

recently because it is a useful way 

to sweat out impurities. In hot yoga 

studios the air is usually set to around 

93 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Ashtanga, similar to teachings of 

ancient yoga, uses specific sequences 

of posture. It is appealing because 

every time you will do the same poses 

in the same order. This can help your 

yoga practice become muscle memory 

and more of a stress reliever. 

Lastly, vinyasa yoga is a Sanskrit 

word meaning “to place in a special 

way.” Vinyasa is similar to Ashtanga 

in that it has the same poses in the 

same order. What makes it different 

is that it is slower and more flowy, 

allowing you to pay more attention to 

your breathing. 

Besides these three, there are 

tons of other kinds of yoga you can 

experiment with. 

You can also practice yoga in 

different settings. Yoga can be done 

anywhere, but most people either 

choose to do classes at a gym or 

studio, join a group in a nearby park, 

or just practice it alone at home. 

Breathing 

Before starting to practice yoga, it 

is important to understand breathing. 

Gail Connell states that breathing is 

the most important part of yoga. 

To practice correct breathing, 

breathe in and completely fill your 

chest. Once the chest is filled to 

maximum capacity, completely 

exhale through the nose. This is one 

of the most basic types of breathing, 

although there are many others. 

Because it is the most basic type of 

breathing, it is a good beginning 

breath for those wanting to start yoga. 

Poses 

After having learned a little bit about 

yoga, we can now look at some poses! 

These are some of the most basic 

poses. They can assist beginners in 

their first few yoga sessions. 

Cobra 

Child’s pose 

Downward dog 

Warrior 

Triangle pose 

Photos by Emily Heath

Truth or Fad? 

The Whole30 

From a College 

Student 

Photos by Mary Clay Kline 

By Carson Cook 

There are a million different diet fads 

claiming to change your life and your body, 

but it is difficult to differentiate between 

what is truth and what is a fad. Cue the 

Whole30 Diet: a 30 day challenge that uses 

a no-nonsense approach to eating the best 

foods to fuel your body. This diet is not for 

people who allow “cheat days.” It is a strict 

30 day, no slip-up program with incredible 

results. The beauty of the Whole30 diet 

is that it is based around feeling your best 

and how to achieve sustainable weight 

loss. Calories are not counted and you are 

only encouraged to step on the scale before 

and after the 30 days challenge. The diet 

promotes eating whole foods, that is, food 

before processing, in order to live and 

feel your best. This program is not some 

diet craze - it is about eating food in its 

intended way. 

The main principles of Whole30 share 

many similarities with a paleo diet. Proteins 

and veggies are to be eaten in abundance. 

The diet prohibits any sugar, alcohol, dairy, 

grains or legumes. Although this list sounds 

very limiting, the point of the program is not 

to restrict your food intake or tell you what 

foods to eat. The point is to change the way 

you make food choices and teach you to read 

labels in order to consume only the most 

simple and whole foods. While a potato may 

be Whole30 compliant, french fries are not 

because they are a processed version of a 

whole potato. You may find a lot of baked 

goods and dessert recipes online that claim 

to be “Whole30 compliant.” The creators of 

Whole30 urge you to stay away from these, 

as a cookie is still a cookie even with coconut 

flour. When in doubt, leave it out. 

I mustered up the courage to complete 

The Whole30 this summer. I learned how 

to eat what is best for me personally and 

how to eat to truly nourish my mind and 

body. Light background on my health and 

fitness: I workout fairly regularly and do not 

consider myself a terrible eater, although I 

am still a college student and enjoy drinks 

and tacos with friends every now and then. 

I chose to fully commit to the diet at home, 

so that going out would not be as tempting. 

The biggest key to being successful with 

Whole30 is preparation. Meal prep is so 

important to succeeding with this diet. I 

began my journey at Costco, where I stocked 

up on my favorite Whole30 essentials like 


uncured, no-sugar-added bacon, 

Adele’s Chicken and Apple Sausage, 

sweet potatoes, eggs, spinach, 

Frank’s Hot Sauce, La Croix, 

ground turkey, and plenty of fruits 

and veggies. Then I went to Whole 

Foods to pick up some Whole30 

approved snacks like Lara Bars 

(only certain flavors), RX bars, and 

Tesse Mae’s condiment’s (a must if 

you love sauces/dressings). 

I would prep items like turkey 

burgers, sweet potato fries, and 

grilled chicken and have them ready 

for lunches and dinners either at 

work or at home. I would bring 

the bars to work as a filling snack 

during the day. Eating out is one 

of the hardest parts because you 

have to be very meticulous about 

everything that is in your food, 

which is why I recommend trying 

to cook as much as possible. You 

lose the social aspect of eating out 

and going for a drink with friends, 

which I would say is one of the 

biggest downsides of the diet. But, 

if you’re okay with a club soda and 

a lime, you can still have fun with 

your friends on the weekends. 

The first week was by far the 

hardest. You do not realize how 

much sugar you take in, even 

unknowingly, through your food 

until you completely cut it out. I 

had headaches and was extremely 

fatigued every afternoon. Then 

something changed. Around day 

7, I woke up and felt amazing. It 

was like an entirely new energy 

had overcome my body. I no longer 

craved anything sugar laden or 

full of bad carbs. Gone were the 

headaches and fatigue, I’d never 

had more energy. Throughout the 

rest of the 30 days I felt so good, I 

craved my vegetables and proteins. 

I looked forward to eggs and big 

spinach salads. Physically, I was 

changing as well. My body was 

able to heal from inflammation and 

my stomach was completely flat. I 

thinned in the face and my skin was 

flawless. Although the program is 

only 30 days, the results last much 

longer. The biggest problem is that 

if you cheat once, the cravings do 

come back. 

I still crave chocolate chip 

cookies, and I still love a beer with 

my friends, but giving my all with 

the Whole 30 diet has taught me 

that I can eat well and that it’s more 

than a diet. I do not restrict myself 

the way I did during those 30 days, 

and therefore I do not have the 

perfectly flat stomach I did this 

summer. However, I learned how 

to make much healthier choices 

and live a healthier lifestyle because 

of Whole30. Whether it is choosing 

almond milk over dairy milk or 

making mashed potatoes from 

cauliflower, I know what works 

best for my body and I am able to 

nourish it accordingly. 

Going thirty days without 

alcohol, a sugary treat, or chips and 

queso may seem like torture for a 

college student. If you can muster 

up the willpower to commit for 30 

days, it truly can be life changing. 

However, simply implementing a 

few small changes from Whole30 

into your diet can also be highly 

beneficial. If you’re craving french 

fries, cut up a sweet potato, sprinkle 

with salt and rosemary, and bake 

it in the oven to make homemade, 

Whole30 french fries. Bake chicken 

fingers with almond flour and dip 

them into a Whole30 approved 

condiment. If you eat creatively, 

you will find that this program does 

not restrict, but improves what you 

already enjoy eating. 

“This program 

is not some diet 

craze - it is about 

eating food in its 

intended way.” 


S 

T 

I 

C K 

I T 

W O R K O U T 

By Mary Clay Kline 

This spring, don’t be a couch potato. Instead, 

get fit while watching your favorite films! Try 

this tip with movies that are fitness-forward, 

such as the action-packed 2006 classic Stick It. 

This movie is full of laughs and angsty teenage 

jams (here’s looking at you, Fall Out Boy), not 

to mention a stellar performance from Missy 

Peregrym, who portrays Haley Graham, the 

tomboy gymnast comeback queen. While the 

following workout won’t magically improve 

your back handspring, it will make you feel 

good about taking the time to watch a flick. Just 

be sure to drink plenty of water and spend five 

to ten minutes stretching after working out. 


Illustrations by Lauren Meadows 

E V E R Y 

T I M E... 

...The letters “VGA” 

are said or appear on 

screen, do 5 pushups. 

...Haley starts a 

monologue, do sumo 

squats until she is 

finished talking. 

S T I C K 

I T 

...Someone says, “Stick it,” do 

5 backward lunges per leg. 

...A score flashes on the 

screen, do 10 calf raises. 

...Haley throws 

her hands up 

“rock on”-style, 

do 5 forward 

lunges per leg. 

...Someone falls, 

do 20 seconds of 

high knees 

...Someone 

sticks a landing, 

do 15 crunches. 

T H E 

E N D 

Hold a plank during the credits! 

No one watches those, anyway. 


ENTERTAINMENT 

PODCASTS 101: 

WHAT TO LISTEN TO IN 2018 

By Allison Denton 

A new wave of podcast adoration 

that sparked in 2014 with Serial , 

This American Life’s heralded nonfiction 

blockbuster, is continuing 

into the rest of this decade. Last year 

alone brought in a slew of successful 

new casts including the The New 

York Times’s popular morning news 

cast The Daily and NPR’s gripping 

S-Town. If last year wasn’t the “Year 

of the Podcast”, this year will be. It’s 

never too late to dive into this pop 

culture phenomenon. Here are some 

of our top picks to help you put that 

purple Podcasts app on your iPhone 

to good use. 

GIRLBOSS RADIO 

Sophia Amoruso, author of the 2015 book #GIRLBOSS, chats with other 

amazing women and gives listeners an insight into their journeys on episodes 

of this honest podcast. Amoruso’s humor and vulnerability make you feel like 

she’s been your friend for years. If you liked her book, its Netflix adaptation, 

or you just enjoy hearing the stories of successful and inspiring women, this 

podcast is definitely one to check out. 

79

STILL PROCESSING 

Now, more than ever, it can be tricky to get a good grasp on what’s happening 

in America, and around the world. Thankfully, there’s The New York Times 

culture writers Wesley Morris and Jenna Wortham to help us get a handle 

on things. Each episode of their show Still Processing is a bare-it-all discussion 

of pop culture – TV, music, movies, art – and the news. Hopefully, you’ll 

come out on the other side with a better understanding, and opinion, of the 

goings-on in the world. 

THE BIG LEAP SHOW 

This is the perfect podcast for any ladies interested in entrepreneurship or 

following the path to their dream careers. Kathlyn Hart, a motivational speaker 

and salary negotiation coach, talks with successful women about how they 

made their big leaps. They discuss their doubts and experiences and dish out 

some great advice. If you’re feeling uninspired, give this a listen. 

CALL YOUR GIRLFRIEND 

Co-hosts and best friends Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, along with producer 

Gina Delvac, bring listeners an entertaining and informative podcast 

in Call Your Girlfriend. These ladies are whip-smart and help their audience 

learn about everything worth discussing. Their meaningful discussions prove 

that long-distance friendships are not only possible, but can flourish. Whether 

your best friend is your roommate or lives states away, this podcast provides 

ample topics for your long-distance conversations. 

KEEPING IT CANDID 

This podcast covers anything and everything from new Black Mirror episodes 

to the upcoming royal wedding. All topics relating to pop culture and millennials 

are on the table. Also, if you’re obsessed with accents, this London-based 

show hosted by Sophie Milner and Millie Cotton is a dream come true. 


By Kirby Tifverman 

W 

iith spring break quickly approaching, we’ve compiled 

a stack of fresh reads to keep your nose in a book all 

vacation long. Whether you’re searching for the perfect beach 

read or material for a relaxing staycation, we’ve got you covered. 

No matter your favorite genre, we’re sure you’ll enjoy one (or 

more) of these fresh new reads this spring break season. Check 

out this crisp list of new books released this year. 

If you’re still in the Valentine’s Day mood … 

Surprise Me 

by Sophie Kinsella 

Surprise Me: A Novel by Sophie Kinsella, author of the famed 

Shopaholic series, follows a married couple of 10 years. The pair 

decide to spice up their relationship by surprising each other 

in little ways. The effect is an uncommon one. This is an ideal 

vacay read for fans of romantic comedies. 

For the reader who still can’t get over the royal engagement ... 

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) 

by Holly Black 

The Cruel Prince, the first novel in The Folk of the Air series by 

Holly Black, is out now. This fantasy follows moral Jude as she 

navigates her way through the treacherous High Court of Faerie. 

Fans of the Red Queen series will devour this story told by the 

mind behind the Spiderwick Chronicles. 

Photos by Emily Heath 


If you’re jonesing for old Hollywood glam ... 

The Girls in the Picture 

by Melanie Benjamin 

If you’ve ever wondered about the origins of Hollywood, escape into this 

historical novel told from an authentic, female perspective. The New York 

Times bestselling author Melanie Benjamin paints the friendship of two of 

the biggest names of L.A. in the year 1914: screenwriter Frances Marion and 

actress Mary Pickford. 

If you sobbed through Me Before You... 

Still Me (Me Before You, #3) 

by Jojo Moyes 

Me Before You author Jojo Moyes is back with her third installment in the 

series, Still Me. For those unfamiliar with the 2016 film adaptation, the 

romantic Me Before You series follows charming heroine, Louise Clark, 

through the uphill battle of life after true love. In this new novel, readers will 

find it impossible not to root for Lou as she bumbles optimistically through 

New York City for the first time. 

For the Making A Murderer fanatic ... 

An American Marriage: A Novel 

by Tayari Jones 

Young couple Roy and Celeste are torn apart after Roy is sent to prison, 

irrevocably transforming their relationship. However, his wife is certain he 

did not commit the acts he is accused of. An American Marriage explores 

the effects of crime and punishment on commitment and trust, while bluntly 

diving into the specifics of a resulting love triangle. 

If you’re a Grey’s Anatomy addict… 

Flight Season: A Novel 

by Marie Marquardt 

In Flight Season, nurses-in-training Vivi Flannigan and TJ Carvalho are 

thrown together while caring for a particularly frustrating hospital patient, 

Angel. This highly anticipated romance from seasoned novelist Marie 

Marquardt takes place in the heart ward, but we’ll let readers explore that 

metaphor for themselves. 


Five books by and about women to inspire you 

Whether you’re looking for 

inspiration for daily life or some 

motivation for your next big 

project, there’s always a woman 

who’s been there before. Here are 

five books by and about women to 

inspire you this spring. 

Broad Band: The Untold 

Story of the Women Who 

Made the Internet 

by Claire L. Evans 

Release date: March 6 

Vice reporter and Yacht lead 

singer Claire L. Evans takes a 

look at the women who helped 

make the internet as we know it, 

in this look back at its evolution. 

From Ada Lovelace, who wrote 

the first program for a mechanical 

computer in 1842 to Stacy Horn, 

who ran one of the first-ever social 

networks out of her apartment 

in New York in the 1980s, Broad 

Band tells the story of the forgotten 

women behind one of our most 

indispensable technologies. 


The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983 - 1992 

by Tina Brown 

Out now 

Tina Brown was barely out of her 20s when she was asked to save a troubled magazine. During her 

eight years as editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, Brown kept a daily diary detailing how she reinvented 

the magazine, navigated the competitive New York media world and tolerated backstabbing rivals 

and some heavy skepticism. From covering the decline of the marriage of Princess Diana and 

Prince Charles to the famous Annie Leibovitz cover of a pregnant and naked Demi Moore, Brown’s 

diary details how the magazine became the powerhouse it is today. 

Educated: A Memoir 

by Tara Westover 

Release date: February 20 

Tara Westover was raised by survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, taught to stockpile supplies 

for the end of the world, to stew herbs for her midwife mother and to salvage metal. She never set 

foot in a classroom until she was 17 years old and started classes at Brigham Young University, 

where she studied politics, philosophy, history and learned, for the first time, about events like 

the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement. Educated is the story of how Westover’s want for 

knowledge takes her all over the world, from Harvard to Cambridge on a quest of self-discovery 

and change. 

Brooklyn in Love: A Delicious Memoir of Food, Family, and Finding Yourself 

by Amy Thomas 

Release date: February 6 

Set against the backdrop of Brooklyn and Manhattan’s food scenes, Brooklyn In Love chronicles 

Thomas’s attempt to balance a new family and her social life in a city where relationships and 

reservations are both hard to find. Newly 40 and with a new husband and child, Thomas sees 

moving to Brooklyn as a way to start over yet struggles to adapt to domesticity after a lifetime in 

the city. 

A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty, and Power Really Look Like 

by Ashley Graham 

Out now 

Model Ashley Graham has graced the covers of Cosmopolitan and British Vogue, has been the face 

of brands like H&M Studio and was the first size 14 model to appear on the cover of the Sports 

Illustrated swimsuit issue. Now, she’s sharing her thoughts about body image and the fashion 

industry in a series of essays about her life and career. Along the way, she discusses her successes 

and setbacks, offers words of support to every woman struggling with body image and self-esteem 

and considers how far the fashion industry has come and how far it still has to go. 


Rock the Boat: 

Alaina 

Moore of Tennis 

talks songwriting, their tour 

and sailing sabbaticals 

By Katie Huff and 

Ellen Johnson 

Writers, including lyricists, have 

varying, often isolating, methods for 

generating their craft. Thoreau retreated 

to his pondside cabin to write 

Walden; John Mayer to a sprawling 

Montana to write Paradise Valley. 

For Alaina Moore and Patrick 

Riley, the married duo behind the 

band Tennis, it’s to a seascape rather 

than land, during their sporadic sailing 

stints, where they go to write their 

best material. 

Tennis’ 2017 LP Yours Conditionally, 

an album full of nuanced lyrics 

revolving around the equally striking 

aspects of relationships and laced with 

hazily refreshing instrumentals, as well 

as a few songs from their September EP 

We Can Die Happy, were the products 

of one of these extended aquatic dwellings. 

Moore and Riley took to their 30- 

foot sailboat for a six month writing 

sabbatical on the Sea of Cortez, where 

they floated 2,000 miles offshore. 

“Not only is [sailing] an inspiration, 

but it’s still a completely integrated part 

of our lives,” Moore said. “In our lives 

we have to go through phases where 

obviously our lives are land- based and 

we’re recording and touring, but after 

about five years of actively touring we 

were able to get away and live in the 

middle of nowhere on the sea again.” 

Perhaps it’s the ebbs and flows of 

the sea that have resulted in so much 

of their dreamy discography since the 

band’s inception seven years ago. Post 

college graduation, Moore and Riley 

sold their possessions, including Riley’s 

car, and bought a sailboat. Sailing was 

a mutual obsession for the two philosophy 

majors, who shared a mindset of 

needing to immerse themselves in their 

surrounding world. The couple then 

fled from landlocked Denver to Fort 

Lauderdale where they began their offthe-grid 

voyage along the Eastern Seaboard. 

It was then in 2011 when they 

released their first record, Cape Dory, 

which was named for their Cape Dory 

Yacht. The stately vessel and their sailing 

ventures have been largely inspirational 

for the band’s sound, approach 

to making music and overall aesthetic. 

Moore and Riley opted to create their 

own nostalgically 1960s production 

style, largely influenced by hearing 

“Baby It’s You” by The Shirelles over the 

radio while docked in the Florida Keys. 


But Tennis’ draw doesn’t stop where the 

waves do. Upon their most recent return to 

land, they also formed their own record label, 

Mutually Detrimental, in anticipation of the 

recording and release of their new music. The 

duo produced their most recent albums and 

remained the creative overseers of their work. 

Ready for more freedom as architects of their 

own art, they knew it was time to take control 

of the breadth of their music-making processes. 

“Success is nuanced and unique and different 

to every person,” Moore said. “Every human 

being can define their own successful life, and, 

especially, that’s the case for artists. And there 

is not enough room for that uniqueness and 

distinctness and individuality of what success 

might look like for artists when you’re on a label 

because they have their own financial risks 

in line, so we knew if we had our own label, we 

could pursue the things that made sense for 

us and forget about the things that don’t make 

sense for us.” 

Without the added burdens brought on by 

label relations, Tennis have found a liberation 

in the ways they create and share their art. 

“It’s hard enough just to make music and put 

it out in the world and perform it live,” Moore 

said. “We just didn’t need like 20 other burdens 

on top of it. So that’s why we started our own 

label. And it’s been extremely rewarding and 

exactly what we wanted. Creating is a lot more 

choiceful and personal.” 

While Tennis appeared on the music map 

at the turn of the decade when music bloggers 

ruled and streaming was not yet a primary listening 

platform, Spotify has since become a 

fruitful venture for the band. At a point a few 

years ago when their band was edging obscurity, 

Spotify rocketed their music forward. 

“Streaming has actually helped us, and Spotify 

has allowed us to connect with our fans in 

like a very democratic way,” Moore said. “People 

just listen to us. During a time when other parts 

of the industry were moving on from us, from 

our band and losing interest, our listeners just 

kept growing and growing on Spotify because 

people were just still listening to our music.” 

It’s no surprise their music caught the attention 

of listeners. There’s a distinguished spunk 

in Tennis’ catalogue. Since Cape Dory, they’ve 

released three full-length records:Young & Old, 

Ritual In Repeat and last year’s Yours Conditionally. 

Self-described “arduous songwriters,” 

Moore and Riley write detailed and pointed lyrics, 

which are complemented by terrific stylistic 

bass playing. “Ladies Don’t Play Guitar” is one 

of those standout tracks from their discography 

– a sharp satire with both bite and boogie. It 

offers numerous layers to peel back with each 

listen. 

“Ladies don’t play guitar / Ladies don’t get 

down, down to the sound of it,” Moore sings. 

“Maybe we can play pretend / Baby I can go 

down deep just to be what you’re needing.” 

But cower to the patriarchy, Moore shall 

not. In this #MeToo feminist moment, 

Moore is using her platform as a writer to 

convey resistance. 

“It’s really amazing to be a part of it right 

now, which is why I try to write about it in as 

personal of a way as I can in my own songwriting,” 

she said. 

Tennis are ambitious not only in their songwriting, 

but also in their work ethic and their 

aesthetic. Rather than taking an extended break 

from recording after the release of Yours Conditionally, 

they decided to work towards an EP 

using a few tracks left over from their sailing expedition. 

Both releases carried with them a consistently 

airy promotional package. The March 

release of “Yours Conditionally” introduced 

the ravishing campaign, complete with an infomercial-esque 

video displaying the record. The 

sportive sets for the video were built in Moore’s 

living room. 

“We did that, and then it came out so well 

we used that as our foundational aesthetic for 

the rest of our release,” Moore said. “Since the 

EP came out within the same year we decided 

to carry out the same visual campaign. It was 

really, really fun to make.” 

Tennis aren’t planning any new releases 

this year, but 2018 is looking to be busy for the 

band in its own way. They toured the month of 

January, and they’re hoping to announce more 

dates for the spring and summer soon. Moore 

said she’s also working on building a sanctuary 

studio where they can record. But in the midst 

of all of this, their minds aren’t too far from 

their boat. 

“And I think somewhere in the middle of 

that we’ll want to go sailing again.”

Alice Vol. 3 No. 2

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