VOLUME IV: INDULGENCE

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VOLUME IV:INDULGENCE

The Perfect
Shopping Cart
Think self-care. Think face mask, think soy
candle, think dewy makeup. Think acne spot treatment,
think Amazon purchase, think green tea. Think
journaling, think mindfulness, think another podcast.
Think that awful ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ font.
Don’t get me wrong; self-care has become an
important part of many people’s lives. Carving out
spare time in an otherwise hectic schedule to partake in
what may seem like frivolous activities can be relaxing
and grounding. In the midst of hectic exam seasons,
sometimes a bubble bath is all you need to recenter
and relax. During the pandemic, generally financially
secure people may feel less guilty about indulging in a
bit of retail therapy in order to cope with confusion and
political misinformation. But what happens when we
start using the activities now commonly associated with
self-care as tools with which to stave off any thoughts on
how to actually take care of ourselves? What happens
Written by Priya Dandamudi
Illustrator Lucy Sun
when self-care becomes self-destructive?
The self-care industry (and yes, it is an industry
now) has convinced us the mere act of buying
subscription boxes of Insta-worthy essential oils and
bath bombs is somehow a revolutionary act that will
tap into our innermost selves and shoo away feelings
of depression and anxiety. It banks on the idea that yes,
it does feel nice to pamper yourself! You do deserve to
buy meaningless things for temporary happiness! If you
stare into the dark maw of “the state of things,” you
deserve to do so with a painted face! Instead of self-care
allowing us the space to check in with ourselves and
decide on an individualized course of action, self-care
has turned into a struggle to look the most well-puttogether.
If you’re doing all the yoga and meditation
and you still feel unproductive, then the problem must
be you, right? It seems like all these methods have
worked for everyone else!
I think self-care as an act can be
revolutionary. In a world that seems to not care
about the individual, taking care of yourself, the
one person you really have any control over, is not
only freeing — it is crucial. In our current system,
where labor is seen as individualistic rather than
helping the collective, it can feel frustrating to work
long hours and become burnt out, feeling like you
have no one else to turn to. Even in education, the
grind mentality makes it difficult to seek help; if
you feel like you’re not succeeding, you just need to
work harder, right? The self-care industry profits
off of these feelings of burnout by selling us cures
in the forms of small, somewhat inexpensive
material goods that can boost mood and morale
temporarily. And it does work, to an extent!
Taking time away from work, from school, from
a computer screen and just doing a face mask can
feel oddly calming. Maybe it’s because pampering
yourself feels nice! Or maybe it’s because removing
stressors from your environment has helped you
feel less overwhelmed. Figuring out what you
need to feel more in touch with yourself and your
surroundings rather than settling for what is being
marketed to you as a necessity is an important step
in discovering the meaning of self-care.
So what does self-care really mean then?
To some, I’m sure it really does just mean a bout
of retail therapy. I suppose a better question is
what should self-care do for you? If self-care is
about taking a break from your life stressors, how
is it meant to impact your mindset and state of
being? I believe self-care is meant to balance
oneself. If your stressors sap energy, then self-care
is meant to invigorate! Finding creative outlets
that work well with your unique situation is key to
finding what self-care strategies work best for you.
Journaling is a great way to vent or express your
thoughts. Pages upon pages of beautifully curated
Instagram feeds dedicated to journaling might
convince you that your journal has to look perfect,
but it doesn’t! As long as it serves its purpose of
helping you get in touch with your thoughts and
feelings, it doesn’t have to look any certain way.
Other forms of art like music and painting can be
just as stress-relieving. Your art is for you; if you’re
unsatisfied with the way it looks, think more on
how the process of creating something made you
feel. Often, the journey is more cathartic than the
destination, especially for those of us who aren’t
the most technically skilled.
All this to say, you don’t have to stop buying
candles, crystals, and confetti. As long as you can
engage critically with taking care of your body
and mind, your coping mechanisms will help you
feel refreshed, rather than anxious to keep up the
image of what self-care has become.
There’s no right or wrong way to care of yourself,
only the way that works best for you.

Spring
Awakening

Spring awakening stems from being beautiful inside and out-- embracing
yourself is not narcissistic or vain, but rather a celebration of nature.
Photography & Editing | Anna Cao & Keri Yang
Layout Design | Anna Cao
Model | Sophia Do

Relax
&
Recharge
Editor | Michelle Lin
Photographers | Emily Cao, Amber Syed
Model | Kelly Chang
Graphic Designer | Emily Cao

Relax and Recharge derives from taking in all the joys of life. There
are many days when we will overwork ourselves and forget to
take the time to do things we want to do.
Whether it is reading a book or watching some movies, we
have to take care of ourselves in order for us to flourish and
give the best version of ourselves.

RETAIL
THERAPY

Photography/Editing | Fatema Dohadwala,
Katrina Stebbins
Shoot Director | Katrina Stebbins
Model | Izza Imran
Graphic Designer | Jenny Suh, Christine Park

This past year has not only shown how
imperative it is that we focus on taking care of
ourselves, but also how difficult it can be. We’ve
had to completely shift lifestyles, as a large
portion of daily activities have moved away from
the physical sphere and into the digital. I find
myself easily bored, and each passing day seems
monotonous. It’s also frustrating to see those in
power fail to take any decisive action. Whether
it’s in regards to the pandemic or ongoing civil
unrest, leadership has failed in actively supporting
individuals and movements that deserve to be
amplified. It feels like for most of us, there’s only
so much you can do while stuck at home.
I’ve been both at home and in an apartment
on campus this past year, and I often slip into
Written by Nellie Shih
Layout Design by Zara Ahmed
Quarantine
Qualms
viewing schoolwork as the only thing to do. This was
oddly motivating at first and reflected positively on
my grades, but there is nothing desirable about
taking ten practice exams in a row. I’ve been able
to develop a better understanding of what I really
can do given the circumstances, but also that
there’s a difference between doing the most and
picking and choosing what is healthy for me.
I wish I could provide a comprehensive
guide on self-care during quarantine or an allencompassing
self-help book resulting from inner
reflection and realization, but I don’t think it’s
beneficial to sugar coat or gloss over the bumps
and obstacles I’ve encountered. I tried journaling,
but my entries were aggressively repetitive and
directionless. And as COVID cases surged, I
figured I didn’t need a written reminder about
how much things sucked.
However, I am grateful that I’ve had the
opportunity to be more creative this past year. I’ve
found that I really enjoy taking the time to make
things, to just have physical representations of
how I spend my free time. I think it’s nice
“Ultimately, I think that
college in general is a
time where people start
to understand themselves,
their needs, and
their wishes.”
to be able to visualize achievements I’m proud of
because I can only get so much joy from hitting a
“submit” button. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve taken a
STAMPS class as well as architecture courses, so
I get to see and interact with my assignments, the
majority of which are project-based. I’ve also just
gotten into low-effort crafts: painting album covers
and making clay jewelry and keychains. But since
I find it difficult to gather enough motivation to get
out of bed sometimes, I’ve given up a long-term
knitting project because it was taking me too long
to make progress on one object.
Another way I’m keeping myself busy and
entertained is by watching movies and TV series.
My favorite thing to do with my friends pre-COVID
was to go to movie theaters, something that has
been significantly impacted by the pandemic,
and I’ve had to adjust accordingly. My friends
and I have mastered the art of starting the same
movie or episode of a show at the same time
over FaceTime – I always click play a half second
before my friend finishes counting down to start to
account for the FaceTime real-time audio delay.
I have a massive list of movies and TV shows to
watch, which allows me to pick and choose from
a wide array of options depending on what mood
I’m in. Sometimes I steer away from anything that
looks sad, but I do think a lot of sadder stories and
dramas in general can be more powerful because
I can empathize with them. I enjoy the occasional
stupid comedy like Game Night, but I also like
to watch critically acclaimed shows and films
because I figure they win awards for a reason – I
highly recommend Succession, Nomadland, and
Minari.
I’ve also found a lot of comfort in media
that I enjoyed or would have enjoyed when I was
a kid. I’ve been watching a lot of animated shows
and films, from The Legend of Korra to Studio
Ghibli movies. I think my growing appreciation
for animation comes from my own personal love
of art, but I’ve found that a lot of media that is
targeted towards young audiences can be equally
meaningful for older audiences – see Soul and
Coraline. That being said, I’ve been listening to a
lot of Taylor Swift’s old music. I’m a firm believer
that Folklore is her best album, but she’s been
dropping bangers for years. I think I like her music
so much because she’s a great storyteller, which
is something someone who watched 104 films in
2020 tends to appreciate.
Ultimately, I think that college in general is a
time where people start to understand themselves,
their needs, and their wishes. Quarantine has
“I can’t stress enough how
important it is to take time
for yourself, to put yourself
first, and that it’s okay when
things aren’t always great.”
only amplified this, or possibly created another
outlet for this. In my own creative pursuits, I’ve
found classes that I enjoy more than the ones I
was taking last year, despite having to be online.
In this past year, I’ve become more appreciative
and more patient with myself. I can’t stress enough
how important it is to take time for yourself, to put
yourself first, and that it’s okay when things aren’t
always great. It’s difficult to stay motivated when
the future is so uncertain, but I think there are a
lot of little things to appreciate now, and that there
are a lot of things to look forward to.

Human complexion is turbulent, easily
manipulated by energies around and within
us – resistance is second nature. But what
happens when we let go? When we set ourselves
free?
Photography/Editing | Hanna Dong
Concept/Styling | Nellie Shih, Madeline Kim
Model | Levana Wang
Graphic Designer | Summer Nguyen
Video | Madeline Kim
Assets | TextureFabrik, Texture Palace

Sometimes we can take our senses for granted. Our ability to see,
smell or hear things is something we participate in actively at
every second of our lives. However, for those that are unable to do
so have to amplify their other senses to make up for their missing
one(s). In this shoot, our model has lost her sense of hearing, and
we capture the moments where she is able to indulge in her other
senses.

SMELL
SIGHT
TASTE
TOUCH
SOUND
Photography | Jacob Yu, Joan Xiao
Editing | Michelle Lin
Fashion/Hair/Makeup | Carolyn Zhang
Model | Molly Kraine
Graphic Designer | Christine S Park

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
Sapphira Ching
Duy Anh Vo
PRESIDENT PUBLISHER
Anabel Nam
EXECUTIVE EXTERNAL DIRECTOR
Audrey Ling
EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Christine S Park
EXECUTIVE INTERNAL DIRECTOR
Katherine Yang
PHOTO/VIDEO/FASHION DIRECTOR
Michelle Lin
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR
Fion Lin
PHOTO TEAM
Alice Liu
Anna Cao
Emily Cao
Hanna Dong
Joan Xiao
Keri Yang
Abby Lee
Jess Kim
VIDEO TEAM
Madeline Kim
Abby Lee
FASHION TEAM
Carolyn Zhang
Younma Khan
DESIGN TEAM
Summer Nguyen
Emily Cao
Jenny Suh
Lucy Sun
Amber Syed
Lisa Ryou
Fatema Dohadwala
Jacob Yu
Katrina Stebbins
Nellie Shih
Younma Khan
Heather Sun
Lisa Ryou
Jess Kim
Anthony Huynh
Michelle Kim
Anna Cao
Zara Ahmed
PRINT DIRECTOR
Priya Dandamudi
PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Sania Farooq
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT TEAM
Yilin Fang
Linh Tran
Kimberly Liang Derek Wen
Sapphira Ching
PRINT TEAM
Nellie Shih
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