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Alice Vol. 7 No. 4

Bloom is everything you need to spring into the season of growth. If you’re ready for spring nails, take our interactive quiz to see what Alice-approved nail trend you should try. If you’re wanting to impress at a dinner party, we created the Classy Girl Guide to Proper Etiquette. If you want to make the most of your last couple months of school, we asked top ranked professors for their advice. From covering fair labor efforts at The University of Alabama, the struggles of being allergic to certain kinds of makeup to the toxicity surrounding stan culture, we’ve got you covered.

Bloom is everything you need to spring into the season of growth. If you’re ready for spring nails, take our interactive quiz to see what Alice-approved nail trend you should try. If you’re wanting to impress at a dinner party, we created the Classy Girl Guide to Proper Etiquette. If you want to make the most of your last couple months of school, we asked top ranked professors for their advice. From covering fair labor efforts at The University of Alabama, the struggles of being allergic to certain kinds of makeup to the toxicity surrounding stan culture, we’ve got you covered.

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MARCH 2022<br />

B L O O M


[2]


V O L U M E<br />

S E V E N<br />

I S S U E<br />

F O U R<br />

[3]<br />

[3]


[ letter from the editor ]<br />

Bloom.<br />

March winds and April showers bring May flowers, but at <strong>Alice</strong><br />

we are ready to bloom now. With the release of our fourth<br />

issue, intentionally released during Women’s History Month, <strong>Vol</strong>ume 7<br />

officially has the most issues of any volume previously released. Seven<br />

years ago during our inception, 100 college women were asked, “Would<br />

you be interested in developing a women’s magazine?” Each and every<br />

person said yes. There was a need for an outlet for women to talk about<br />

the issues that they were facing and to illuminate the topics that mattered<br />

most to them. Over the years, <strong>Alice</strong> has covered hot-button subject matter<br />

and maybe a few ideas you never would have considered before. We have<br />

the utmost gratitude to everyone who continues to support our work,<br />

and that is why our team has kept college women and their interests at<br />

the forefront of everything we do.<br />

Since you last saw us, we have released four new YouTube videos<br />

including lookbooks, reviews and tutorials. On TikTok, we posted four<br />

new videos, surpassed 50 followers and reached over 300 accounts.<br />

In addition, we published four stories to our website that featured a<br />

woman-owned business, a coffee crawl and more. We also designed<br />

merch that should be arriving at your doorstep within the coming weeks<br />

if you ordered.<br />

While data might not be the sexiest part of producing a magazine,<br />

it is the most concrete avenue we have to chart the growth of <strong>Alice</strong>, and<br />

the numbers don’t lie when it comes to our impressive expansion this<br />

year. From December 9 to March 8, we reached over 9,000 accounts on<br />

Instagram which was a 30.1% increase from September 10 to December<br />

8. When we looked at our stats since our third issue launch a month ago,<br />

we reached almost 8,000 accounts from February 7 to March 8 which<br />

was a 445% increase compared to January 8 to February 6, and our<br />

followers increased by over 5%. The seeds of <strong>Alice</strong> have been dispersed<br />

across our platforms, and our accounts continue to bloom.<br />

Bloom is everything you need to spring into the season of growth.<br />

If you’re ready for spring nails, take our interactive quiz to see what<br />

<strong>Alice</strong>-approved nail trend you should try. If you’re wanting to impress<br />

at a dinner party, we created the Classy Girl Guide to Proper Etiquette.<br />

If you want to make the most of your last couple months of school, we<br />

asked top ranked professors for their advice. From covering fair labor<br />

efforts at The University of Alabama, the struggles of being allergic to<br />

certain kinds of makeup to the toxicity surrounding stan culture, we’ve<br />

got you covered.<br />

We at <strong>Alice</strong> know that in order to flourish, you first have to bloom.<br />

Peace and Love,<br />

Lindsey Wilkinson<br />

[4]


[editors]<br />

EDITOR IN CHIEF<br />

MANAGING EDITOR<br />

CREATIVE DIRECTOR<br />

DESIGN EDITOR<br />

PHOTO EDITOR<br />

ASST. DESIGN EDITOR<br />

ASST. PHOTO EDITOR<br />

MARKETING EDITOR<br />

FASHION EDITOR<br />

BEAUTY EDITOR<br />

LIFESTYLE EDITOR<br />

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR<br />

FOOD & HEALTH EDITOR<br />

DIGITAL DIRECTOR<br />

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR<br />

ONLINE EDITOR<br />

VIDEOGRAPHY EDITOR<br />

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />

CONTRIBUTING DESIGN/<br />

PHOTO<br />

CONTRIBUTING VIDEO<br />

MODELS<br />

EDITORIAL ADVISOR<br />

ADVERTISING<br />

DIRECTOR<br />

Lindsey Wilkinson<br />

Jennafer Bowman<br />

Rebecca Martin<br />

Ella Smyth<br />

Sarah Hartsell<br />

Wesley Picard<br />

Emma Kate Standard<br />

Mary Groninger<br />

Ta’Kyla Bates<br />

Beth Wheeler<br />

Cat Clinton<br />

Jeffrey Kelly<br />

Evy Gallagher<br />

Kendall Frisbee<br />

Katie Morris<br />

Sophia Surrett<br />

Emily Rabbideau<br />

Caroline Branch, Emilee<br />

Boster, Bella Carpino, Kierra<br />

Thomas, Savannah Dorriety,<br />

Lizzie Bowen, Emie Garrett,<br />

Morinsola Kuyoki, Hannah<br />

Golden, Madeleine Leidner,<br />

Joe Hoffman<br />

Sarah Smith, Katie Nebbia,<br />

Kayla Roberson, Katie<br />

Harmon, Jennifer Stroud,<br />

Grayson Byrd<br />

<strong>Alice</strong> Choup, Megan Davis,<br />

Laura Fecanin, Sami<br />

LaCount<br />

Nadia Hollis, Hasten<br />

Howard, Sa’Niah Dawson ,<br />

Emily Enes, Avery Maxwell,<br />

Carthen Smith, Des Davis<br />

Monique Fields<br />

Julie Salter<br />

Jessie Jones<br />

Editorial and Advertising offices for <strong>Alice</strong> Magazine are located at 414 Campus<br />

Drive East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The mailing address is P.O. Box 870170,<br />

Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Phone: (205) 348-7257. <strong>Alice</strong> is published by the Office<br />

of Student Media at The University of Alabama. All content and design are<br />

produced by students in consultation with professional staff advisers. All<br />

material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is<br />

copyrighted © 2022 by <strong>Alice</strong> magazine. Material herein may not be reprinted<br />

without the expressed, written permission of <strong>Alice</strong> magazine.<br />

[5]


[6]<br />

[table of contents]<br />

[lifestyle]<br />

The “Standard” in Standardized<br />

Testing<br />

Bookbags and Name Tags<br />

From the Professors’ Point of View<br />

10<br />

12<br />

14<br />

[beauty]<br />

Allergic to Makeup<br />

Cancel Culture & Morphe<br />

Which Nail Trends You Should Try<br />

Spring 2022<br />

Her Clothes had <strong>No</strong>thing to do with<br />

18<br />

20<br />

24<br />

[fashion]<br />

Take Me Back: Find Out What<br />

Decade your Style Belongs In!<br />

It<br />

28<br />

30


[features]<br />

Photostory: Bloom<br />

34<br />

Fighting for Fair Labor<br />

38<br />

Toxicity in Stan Culture<br />

40<br />

[entertainment]<br />

Which Euphoria Girl Are You? 44<br />

“We need you out here:” A look at<br />

parasocial relationships<br />

“Eclectic and Under-discovered:”<br />

Pulling Back the Cover on<br />

Alabama’s Music Scene<br />

46<br />

48<br />

[food and health]<br />

Routines: Morning vs. Night and<br />

Their Benefits To Your Health<br />

The Classy Girl Guide to Proper<br />

Table Etiquette<br />

Milk Snobs: Which Alternative Milk<br />

is Best?<br />

54<br />

56<br />

58<br />

[7]


[lifestyle]<br />

The “Standard” in Standardized<br />

Testing<br />

10<br />

Bookbags and Name Tags<br />

12<br />

From the Professors’ Point of View<br />

14<br />

[8]


[9]


T H E “ S T A N D A R D ” I N<br />

Standardized<br />

Testing<br />

[10]<br />

Test taking can be stressful for<br />

anyone, but the struggle is most<br />

common for students. We are told to<br />

prepare for tests by studying, getting<br />

a good night’s rest the night before<br />

and having a hearty breakfast the<br />

morning of. These instructions sound<br />

simple, but in truth, not every test is<br />

the same. Some tests have a couple<br />

long sections that make drinking or<br />

eating beforehand a risky decision.<br />

Other exams have multiple short<br />

sections with a break to go to the<br />

restroom, eat and sometimes breathe.<br />

The diversity found in testing formats<br />

alone suggests there is likely no<br />

standard experience when it comes to<br />

standardized tests.<br />

All students are different, as are<br />

the resources and professors made<br />

available. A professor’s method for<br />

instructing the course and tests<br />

play a large factor in the final grade.<br />

Professors and course instructors<br />

have the ability to construct and<br />

format tests and their difficulty level<br />

subjectively, meaning there is no<br />

consistent way to factor in all the<br />

elements that make up a person’s<br />

testing average, grades or overall<br />

grade point average. Like life,<br />

everyone’s experience is different.<br />

By Cat Clinton<br />

Design Sarah Smith<br />

Websites like Rate My Professor can<br />

help students identify instructors who<br />

are difficult or hard to communicate<br />

with, but most students don’t know<br />

the free resources that are available,<br />

or the benefits of these tools.<br />

“I administer tests now online<br />

through Blackboard Learn. As my<br />

class sizes have continued to grow, I<br />

find that giving online tests is easier<br />

from an administrative and grading<br />

standpoint. It is also better in terms<br />

of giving students feedback if students<br />

have any questions about the test<br />

material,” said Douglas Klutz, a<br />

senior instructor at The University of<br />

Alabama and a Forbes topped ranked<br />

professor in the United States. “I<br />

try to keep my tests manageable for<br />

students given that set amount of<br />

time. I also try to keep my tests as fair<br />

as possible, where if you have put in<br />

the time with the class material, you<br />

will do well on the exams.”<br />

The importance of proper test<br />

preparation is clear, unfortunately,<br />

not all students have the same<br />

availability or commitments. Some<br />

students have jobs to pay for school<br />

or extracurriculars, some hold<br />

internships or play sports and some


students have families to provide<br />

for. To expect the same level of focus<br />

and dedication from all test takers<br />

is unrealistic, but it also results in<br />

the question, how can there be a<br />

standardized test when there is no<br />

standard student?<br />

“It’s important to set aside time<br />

and have as few commitments as<br />

possible. With tests like the ACT<br />

that can be taken multiple times,<br />

students should take advantage of<br />

the opportunity and take the test a<br />

few times to gain experience,” said<br />

William Illiano, a 1st year medical<br />

student at The University of Alabama<br />

at Birmingham. “Students should<br />

try to take tests like MCAT only once<br />

because schools receive a full score<br />

report.”<br />

The attempt made by testing<br />

companies and centers to level the<br />

playing field for test takers is obvious<br />

with the range of resources and<br />

accommodations, such as private<br />

testing rooms and extending time,<br />

visibly growing. It will likely be a<br />

never ending challenge to meet the<br />

needs of everyone, however, as the<br />

idea of who the “standard” student is<br />

continues to diversify.<br />

“Any accommodations that a testing<br />

company approves are available. This<br />

ranges from extended time, having a<br />

private room, having a scribe/reader,<br />

or assistive technology.<br />

“Again, the testing company<br />

approves the accommodations and<br />

makes them available through the<br />

computers or sends staff to provide<br />

the accommodation,” said Chris<br />

Grindle, Director of Testing Services<br />

at The University of Alabama. “It’s<br />

important to note that The University<br />

of Alabama operates a test center<br />

that contracts with national and<br />

international testing companies such<br />

as ETS, PROMETRIC and PEARSON.<br />

Most all policies and procedures are<br />

determined by the individual testing<br />

company and the UA testing center is<br />

contractually bound to follow those.”<br />

Testing can be an overwhelming<br />

experience for both students and<br />

professionals. Luckily, proper<br />

preparation is a huge key in helping<br />

ease a test taker’s anxiety. Although<br />

every student has their own personal<br />

feelings towards test taking, Spending<br />

time planning and studying can<br />

ease uncertainty and anxiety.<br />

Having awareness and insight on<br />

the information being tested on can<br />

result in a boost of confidence; leaving<br />

students with a feeling of control over<br />

the experience.<br />

[11]


Bookbags<br />

and<br />

Name<br />

Tags<br />

By Caroline Branch<br />

Design Katie Harmon<br />

[12]


Let’s admit it, everyone would<br />

like to live a well-balanced life.<br />

However, achieving that goal is not<br />

always a piece of cake. There are a lot<br />

of different factors that play into why<br />

a perfectly balanced life is so hard to<br />

achieve. Although it may be hard, it is<br />

not impossible to maintain equilibrium.<br />

The most imbalanced aspects of day-today<br />

life come from the stress of work<br />

and the stress of school. For many,<br />

this is a daily struggle. It is not always<br />

easy to find level ground but there are<br />

a few things that can help set us up to<br />

succeed.<br />

Most college students have a part-time<br />

job, some even maintain a full-time<br />

job. Along with school responsibilities,<br />

keeping up with a job in college can lead<br />

to your priorities becoming skewed. A<br />

typical, full-time college student takes<br />

a minimum of twelve credit hours. The<br />

twelve hours does not even account for<br />

the time spent doing homework and<br />

or studying. Every college student is<br />

different; therefore, no schedule will<br />

be the same. By adding a job into the<br />

mix, time-management needs to be a<br />

priority. Truthfully, it depends on who<br />

you are and how well you allot time to<br />

things.<br />

“Being in school full-time and working<br />

as a server takes a lot out of you,” said<br />

sophomore criminal justice major,<br />

Mollee Bearden. “When it comes down<br />

to it, you need to find a schedule that<br />

works best for you, so you do not fall<br />

behind.”<br />

In addition to focusing on time<br />

management, reflecting on what works<br />

best for us is crucial. Taking time to lean<br />

into what balance means to ourselves<br />

specifically gives us more insight on<br />

how to tackle balancing the things in<br />

our lives. Learning at what time we are<br />

most productive and tending to our<br />

own needs will help to create a more<br />

efficient environment for dividing up<br />

our time equally between work and<br />

school.<br />

Finding balance is a personal thing and<br />

the key to keeping balance is to know<br />

our strengths and weaknesses. Once we<br />

recognize our strengths, we will have an<br />

advantage making a concerted effort to<br />

use them effectively. Work and school<br />

are often associated with one another<br />

because of the time and effort required<br />

by each. When college students work<br />

it is uncommon to hear us complain<br />

about everything on our plate. When<br />

students are faced with juggling<br />

classes and finishing assignments and<br />

simultaneously working a customer<br />

service or retail job for extended hours,<br />

the load can become stressful and<br />

overwhelming. Even though both are<br />

time-consuming aspects of our lives,<br />

that does not mean finding the right<br />

balance always has to be stressful.<br />

Setting boundaries for ourselves can<br />

save us from getting stuck in some<br />

nerve-racking moments. <strong>No</strong>t only do<br />

boundaries help us, but they also give<br />

us space to breathe. Making it easier to<br />

come to terms with and prioritize each<br />

part of our life that you must deal with.<br />

“Setting boundaries has been my<br />

number one priority,” said Auburn<br />

University senior psychology major,<br />

Sage Turner. “I have an on-campus job<br />

and I still have to tell them when things<br />

conflict with my school schedule. It is<br />

hard to find the time to get everything<br />

done sometimes.”<br />

For different environments, it is known<br />

that people usually fulfill certain roles.<br />

For instance, while a college student<br />

who is still stuck inside the classroom, it<br />

is expected of us to respect the professor<br />

and not interrupt. That is the role of<br />

a student. If a person is at work, they<br />

may be expected to be extremely social<br />

or less reserved compared to when we<br />

are in a classroom environment. In this<br />

case, it would be assumed that they<br />

fulfilled the role of a worker. When<br />

coming to terms with boundaries<br />

that need to be set for both work and<br />

school, life becomes more enjoyable.<br />

This is because everyone knows their<br />

limits and what exactly to expect. In<br />

order to follow through with personal<br />

boundaries, it can help to communicate<br />

what feelings may be arising more than<br />

others. Transparency is always helpful<br />

when it comes to dealing with how to<br />

balance life as a student and worker.<br />

“I have an internship at a bank, I am a<br />

bartender, and I am in my last semester<br />

of college,” said senior finance and<br />

economics major at The University of<br />

Alabama, Carter Billings. “The only<br />

way I was able to have everything under<br />

control was to be honest and tell my<br />

work when school was becoming too<br />

much.”<br />

Balancing work and school is like<br />

the equivalent of finding the yin to<br />

one’s yang. These are two completely<br />

different concepts, yet the balance<br />

can work once students realize who is<br />

in control. Balance is never as easy as<br />

people make it out to be. Individuals<br />

can come to terms with going to class at<br />

11 a.m. and being dressed and ready for<br />

work at noon. It is a student’s decision<br />

what becomes part of the schedule.<br />

Paying attention to the ways everyone<br />

works best and the routines and areas<br />

people personally thrive in will pay off.<br />

Once students gain an insight on what<br />

permits time to be utilized wisely, work<br />

and school will become pieces of life,<br />

not the whole thing. It is easy to let<br />

school and work obligations become<br />

consuming, ultimately equating life’s<br />

purpose to the amount of effort put<br />

into these aspects. By actively paying<br />

attention and setting boundaries,<br />

balancing school and a job may become<br />

much easier.<br />

[13]


From the<br />

Professors’<br />

P<br />

oint Of View<br />

By Emilee Boster<br />

Design Kayla Roberson<br />

Some of the highest-ranking professors<br />

at The University of Alabama are not<br />

simply teachers; they are also advisers<br />

and career professionals. These top-rated<br />

professors are overflowing with advice for<br />

students that they have gained through<br />

their own experiences, advising sessions<br />

and observations of previous students.<br />

Douglas Klutz is a criminology and<br />

criminal justice professor and the highestranking<br />

professor at The University of<br />

Alabama with an overall score of 5/5 out<br />

of 789 student reviews, according to Rate<br />

My Professors. In 2017, Forbes named<br />

him the top-rated college professor in the<br />

United States.<br />

Klutz believes that students are building<br />

many fundamental life skills during<br />

college. In his advising sessions as the<br />

internship and advising director for<br />

the criminal justice department, Klutz<br />

encourages students to use higher<br />

education as a preparatory stage for<br />

the real world. This includes learning<br />

to manage time well, prepare early and,<br />

most importantly, network.<br />

“My one critical piece of advice for<br />

students, especially in today’s job<br />

market, is to seek out internships,” Klutz<br />

said. “Regardless of what field you are<br />

going into, try to complete at least two<br />

internships before you graduate from<br />

your undergraduate degree. I always<br />

tell students that the research shows<br />

that over 80 percent of all jobs now are<br />

gained through networking, and the best<br />

way to network as a student is getting an<br />

internship.”<br />

Van Newell, English professor at The<br />

University of Alabama, also emphasizes<br />

the importance of networking to his<br />

students. Newell has a 4.8/5 rating<br />

on Rate My Professors. He said that<br />

internships teach students best practices,<br />

which are optimal methods to achieve<br />

desired results. Internships also put<br />

students’ names into the minds of<br />

employers. Employers would rather<br />

hire someone who they know is capable<br />

of working hard than someone they do<br />

not know at all. An internship can get a<br />

student’s foot in the door and, depending<br />

on how well the student completes the<br />

internship, perhaps lead to a future job.<br />

[14]


Students can seek out internships<br />

through the UA Career Center and online<br />

postings by LinkedIn, Indeed and USA<br />

Jobs. The Career Center often hosts career<br />

fairs where companies come to UA to<br />

meet with students and discuss their likes<br />

and dislikes, qualifications and future<br />

career opportunities. The Career Center<br />

also hosts online and in-person career<br />

fair crash course sessions where students<br />

can learn how to take full advantage<br />

of the opportunities available at career<br />

fairs. The Career Center’s website has<br />

courses and information on networking,<br />

internships, and creating ideal online<br />

profiles to websites like LinkedIn.<br />

Students also have an opportunity<br />

to network without ever leaving The<br />

University of Alabama campus: meet<br />

with professors. Newell compared it to<br />

the difference in texting and calling; some<br />

messages are much better on a phone<br />

call. Similarly, in order to connect with<br />

professors, Newell advises students to<br />

meet with their professors either during<br />

their office hours or stay after class<br />

time. This networking can help students<br />

later with not only in-class help but also<br />

personal letters of recommendation and<br />

references.<br />

All of this networking, though, is virtually<br />

pointless if people do not know the<br />

student’s interests and future plans. Klutz<br />

explained that this is why he encourages<br />

students to talk to their family members<br />

and friends about their passions. He said<br />

oftentimes internships come through<br />

these previously-built relationships, so<br />

students should network with not only<br />

employers and professors but also family<br />

members, friends and other students.<br />

Brian Oliu is an English professor<br />

and assistant director of the First-Year<br />

Writing Program at The University of<br />

Alabama. He has published six books,<br />

including his most recent “Body Drop.”<br />

He currently has a 4.8/5 rating, according<br />

to Rate My Professors.<br />

Oliu encourages students to find their<br />

community at The University of Alabama.<br />

As a writer himself, Oliu expects<br />

accountability and motivation from his<br />

own community, not a physical group<br />

but a web of people whom he trusts. He<br />

has built a group of people around him<br />

whom he can bounce ideas off of and<br />

who ask questions about his work, which<br />

indirectly encourages him in that work.<br />

Oliu is an example of why students<br />

should network well with their professors.<br />

Oliu teaches a variety of English and<br />

writing courses. Students in his courses<br />

who do not speak one-on-one with him<br />

are missing out on first-hand knowledge<br />

about publishing books, submitting<br />

to publications, writing styles and<br />

motivation for writing. Many professors<br />

are similar to Oliu in that they teach<br />

courses in which they have real-world<br />

experience. They can often teach students<br />

more than what is written in a textbook.<br />

When attending meetings for clubs and<br />

organizations, to share work or to simply<br />

network with others, or even in everyday<br />

conversation, Oliu said students ought<br />

to refer to themselves highly. If students<br />

are writing books or articles, then they<br />

should introduce themselves as “writers.”<br />

This automatically tells others what the<br />

student is interested in or what they are<br />

currently working toward.<br />

“Let people know what you are<br />

interested in,” Oliu said. “People are not<br />

going to know to invite you to the thing<br />

if they don’t know you are interested in<br />

the thing. That’s huge, which is why we<br />

have Get On Board day and why we get<br />

involved in clubs.”<br />

Newell also understands the importance<br />

of sharing work,whether it be writing or<br />

any type of creative work,with others.<br />

Newell, a writer himself, uses the UA<br />

Writing Center to get a second pair of eyes<br />

on his work. The University of Alabama,<br />

where there are people from all different<br />

backgrounds, is an ideal place to receive a<br />

wide variety of perspectives and opinions,<br />

which Newell believes is important.<br />

Elizabeth Naranjo Hayes is a foreign<br />

language professor at The University of<br />

Alabama and is currently pursuing her<br />

PhD in romance languages. She has a 5/5<br />

rating on Rate My Professors.<br />

Hayes teaches foreign languages<br />

differently than most foreign language<br />

teachers. She emphasizes communication<br />

over perfection; she wants students to<br />

leave her class knowing how to speak to<br />

someone in a different language. She also<br />

incorporates pop culture into her lessons<br />

to show students that these languages are<br />

not bound to a textbook but are spoken by<br />

people and cultures all across the world.<br />

Because she loves teaching, she wants her<br />

students to love their careers.<br />

“You should love what you do,” Hayes<br />

said. “You should be fulfilled and so<br />

happy. It’s just a matter of figuring out<br />

what you love,what makes you tick, what<br />

gives you the warm and fuzzies, and<br />

what gives you a sense of confidence and<br />

pursuing it.”<br />

When speaking with students who are<br />

unsure of their career path, she asks them<br />

one important question: what would they<br />

pay money to have someone let them do?<br />

Then, Hayes works with the students<br />

to uncover what they enjoy. This comes<br />

through taking a variety of classes, taking<br />

personality tests and learning about<br />

different, sometimes uncommon, career<br />

options.<br />

“You don’t have to know what you want<br />

to do right off the bat, and that’s the<br />

beauty of the first two years of college.<br />

Take different things because you don’t<br />

know what courses are going to appeal<br />

to you,” Hayes said. “It’s about getting to<br />

know yourself, what were you created to<br />

do, what are the talents and interests you<br />

were born with.”<br />

Sometimes, this means students may<br />

not be doing the same job for their entire<br />

lives. Hayes always knew she loved<br />

teaching, but she also always wanted to<br />

join the military. She received her masters<br />

degree, taught college courses, joined the<br />

Army, became an Army officer, and then<br />

returned to teaching full time. Her story<br />

is like many other professors’ and why<br />

many professors have career advice for<br />

students.<br />

[15]


[beauty]<br />

Allergic to Makeup<br />

18<br />

Cancel Culture & Morphe<br />

20<br />

Which Nail Trends You Should Try<br />

Spring 2022<br />

24<br />

[16]


[17]


ALLERGIC<br />

TO<br />

MAKEUP<br />

Walking into an Ulta Beauty store<br />

and picking out a new mascara<br />

is a privilege to most: there seems to be<br />

an unlimited amount of options, there<br />

are multiple packaging designs and the<br />

ingredients do not have to be readable. But<br />

what about those who will break out in hives<br />

if they do not read the back of the box?<br />

Emma Coons, a junior news media major at<br />

The University of Alabama, experienced an<br />

allergic reaction to the cult-favorite product,<br />

Tatcha Silk Canvas.<br />

“All the beauty gurus used to love it,” said<br />

Coons. “They said it was great for people<br />

with dry skin and made your makeup look<br />

awesome.”<br />

Tatcha is a luxury Japanese skincare brand<br />

that is used by celebrities and Youtubers<br />

alike. Their products include moisturizers,<br />

cleansers and primers. Silk Canvas is<br />

described as a “velvety priming balm of<br />

pressed silk that shields skin and goes on<br />

smooth to help makeup apply better and<br />

last longer.” The product retails for $52 and<br />

is sold by popular makeup retailers such as<br />

Sephora and Macy’s.<br />

The product’s ingredient list includes<br />

PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, an ingredient<br />

the U.S. Food and Drug Administration<br />

(FDA) is listed as a common allergy found in<br />

cosmetic products. PARFUM/FRAGRANCE<br />

can cause reactions from irritation to hives.<br />

Coons said she experienced high irritation<br />

By Jennafer Bowman<br />

Photo Jennifer Stroud<br />

on the areas she applied the product.<br />

“I had applied it that morning but I kept<br />

going to the bathroom and running cold<br />

water over my face along with moisturizer<br />

but nothing helped, I just had to wait it out,”<br />

said Coons.<br />

Hyram Yarbo, better known as Skincare<br />

by Hyram, is a skincare enthusiast and was<br />

all the rage on Tik Tok over the pandemic.<br />

He has made multiple videos talking about<br />

perfume in skin care products and how bad<br />

it is for the skin. Many popular skincare<br />

products came under fire when users realized<br />

there was perfume in their products.<br />

Other ingredients people seem to have<br />

a reaction to Formaldehyde. According<br />

to <strong>No</strong>rthwestern Medicine, the chemical<br />

Formaldehyde is often used to a preservative<br />

in medical labs, funeral homes and lurking in<br />

everyday makeup products.<br />

But it’s not just skincare that people can be<br />

allergic to. Rayn Britt, a junior at Bloomsburg<br />

University, experienced an allergic reaction<br />

to a makeup product that was supposed to be<br />

catered to people with sensitivity to makeup<br />

products. Britt was wearing Neutrogena<br />

mascara and experienced eye irritation and<br />

crying from the product.<br />

“I usually only wear makeup when I go out<br />

and it was so embarrassing to be out with my<br />

friends and it looked like I was crying my<br />

eyes out,” said Britt.<br />

Neutrogena is a dermatologist-<br />

[18]


ecommended skincare and cosmetic brand.<br />

The brand prides itself on the statement of<br />

“Beauty begins with healthy skin, so we’re<br />

bringing you skin science and how-to guides to<br />

help you achieve your best skin ever.”<br />

Britt said that she had no long-lasting effects<br />

but has barely worn makeup since. While she<br />

was able to recover from her allergic reaction,<br />

her mindset towards makeup has changed.<br />

Her experience is not uncommon, the Journal<br />

of the American Academy of Dermatology<br />

conducted a patch test to over 900 participants,<br />

they found over ⅓ of those participants<br />

experienced an allergic reaction to the makeup<br />

tested on them.<br />

While it’s unclear what Britt is actually allergic<br />

to, her shopping experience is quite different<br />

than those who are not allergic to makeup<br />

ingredients. Having this allergy can limit the<br />

ability to participate in getting their makeup<br />

done by professionals or go to salons due to the<br />

risk of a reaction.<br />

The University of Alabama alum, Donnamy<br />

Steele, has been a freelance bridal and makeup<br />

artist for the past six years. While she’s never<br />

had a client have an allergy to makeup, she’s<br />

had clients have skin conditions that cause<br />

her to avoid use of certain products to prevent<br />

flareups.<br />

“With each client, I like to take a look at their<br />

skin and ask a few questions before I apply<br />

anything to their faces,” said Steele. “Some of<br />

the questions I like to ask clients are if they<br />

have any allergies to things like coconut,<br />

or perfumes, there are many products that<br />

include traces of these or have scents that could<br />

counteract to a client’s skin. I am always sure to<br />

have clean options in my kit for my clients with<br />

allergies or sensitive skin.”<br />

By taking precautions she’s able to keep<br />

customers safe from any unwanted reactions.<br />

While reactions can make makeup users<br />

feel embarrassed and not willing to try new<br />

products, there is hope.<br />

Clean beauty products are created without<br />

harsh chemicals such as parabens and are<br />

created sustainably. Makeup retailers such<br />

as Sephora have dedicated sections on their<br />

website and in-store dedicated to clean beauty.<br />

While it’s hard and can be frustrating those<br />

who have allergic reactions to beauty products<br />

shouldn’t feel discouraged. Many beauty<br />

influencers have predicted that 2022 will be the<br />

year of clean beauty, so don’t fret, soon every<br />

brand will have a clean beauty line.<br />

[19]


Cancel Culture<br />

& Morphe<br />

By Hannah Golden<br />

Design Kayla Roberson<br />

CANCELLED<br />

[20]


Morphe is one of the most<br />

popular brands in the<br />

beauty industry because<br />

of the quality and affordability of their<br />

products and has partnered countless<br />

times with social media influencers as<br />

a way to make a profit for themselves<br />

and give the influencers more internet<br />

exposure. A few of them collaborated<br />

with Morphe and became so popular<br />

that they were able to start their own<br />

brand, most notably Jaclyn Hill, a<br />

former YouTube makeup star and now<br />

the owner of Jaclyn Cosmetics. Her<br />

2 eyeshadow palette collaborations<br />

with Morphe were such a hit that she<br />

gained enough traction and support to<br />

start her own brand which is now very<br />

successful. However, Morphe has also<br />

partnered with some rather morally<br />

questionable influencers in the past<br />

and has faced backlash due to it even<br />

if they were unaware of the influencer’s<br />

choices. These problematic creators<br />

have since faced so much criticism that<br />

they have been officially “canceled” in<br />

the eyes of the internet, making them<br />

lose most of their popularity as people<br />

have begun to realize that the person<br />

behind the camera is a lot different than<br />

they are letting on. Merriam Webster<br />

defines cancel culture as “the practice or<br />

tendency of engaging in mass canceling<br />

as a way of expressing disapproval and<br />

exerting social pressure.” Because of<br />

Morphe’s ties with these problematic<br />

influencers, Morphe has become<br />

subjected to cancellation themselves<br />

which has caused a huge decrease in<br />

their popularity and sales because<br />

people no longer want to associate their<br />

makeup with a brand that supports<br />

bigotry and hate. Morphe states on<br />

their website that their mission is to<br />

provide “killer makeup without killing<br />

their wallet” and it was a beauty brand<br />

“created for the creators,” implying that<br />

their makeup is meant to be used and<br />

worn by everyone. But that mission<br />

statement is hard to believe when they<br />

are consistently collaborating with<br />

people who seem only to care about<br />

the money they can make off of being<br />

problematic.<br />

Morphe x James Charles:<br />

One of Morphe’s most popular<br />

and most controversial collaborations<br />

has to be the Morphe x James<br />

Charles collection. It was launched<br />

in <strong>No</strong>vember of 2018, right as James<br />

Charles was gaining popularity on his<br />

YouTube channel for his iconic makeup<br />

looks and catchy slogan of “Hi Sisters.”<br />

The collection consisted of a mega<br />

palette, a mini palette, and a brush set.<br />

The original price of the mega palette<br />

was $39 and the brush set was $59. I’ll<br />

also note that the mini palette and the<br />

mega palette had the same exact color<br />

story and layout, the mini one was just<br />

smaller pans and a smaller compact to<br />

make it more travel friendly. The palette<br />

consisted of a row of large pan neutrals<br />

for everyday use with a rainbow color<br />

scheme underneath and a sunset<br />

scheme above. Due to the versatility,<br />

pigmentation quality, and the name<br />

behind it, the collection skyrocketed<br />

and was soon a staple in every makeup<br />

enthusiast’s collection.<br />

After James Charles became one<br />

of the most notable influencers in the<br />

beauty world, his popularity began to<br />

plummet after some of his behaviors<br />

behind closed doors was revealed to<br />

the public. Charles’ popularity began in<br />

2016, but starting in 2017 the makeup<br />

star started to face the consequences<br />

of his actions. The Vulture, an online<br />

magazine, outlines a timeline of events<br />

in Charles’ career, starting with the<br />

racist tweets about the Ebola virus<br />

and Africa in 2017. The most notable<br />

scandals in Charle’s career began<br />

in May of 2019 after he endorsed a<br />

competitor brand of long time friend<br />

Tati Westbrook without her knowing.<br />

The two had a major internet fall out<br />

and basically split their fanbase in half,<br />

causing people to take sides. They have<br />

since made amends, but Charles was<br />

still in hot water because of his alleged<br />

manipulative behavior towards one<br />

of his former partners, Gage Gomez<br />

in May of 2019. Charles was also<br />

accused of grooming and pressuring<br />

a total of four underage boys into non<br />

consensual acts in February of 2021.<br />

After brand partners got wind of the<br />

incident, especially Morphe, many of<br />

them continued to work with Charles<br />

even though he was being accused of<br />

some pretty serious crimes. Morphe<br />

and Charles later announced that<br />

they decided to mutually end their<br />

partnership and gradually stop selling<br />

the collection thus leading to a massive<br />

price decrease and lowering of product<br />

production. An Ulta Beauty associate,<br />

Teddy Pizitz, states that his opinion<br />

of Morphe is “unflinching” as they do<br />

appear to be “one of the few” brands<br />

that take action when a collaboration<br />

goes wrong. He also states that the<br />

collaboration took place before Charles’<br />

scandals made the news, making<br />

Morphe seem like a victim as well as<br />

they were as unaware as everyone else.<br />

[21]


Morphe x Nikita Dragun:<br />

Nikita Dragun, a YouTube<br />

makeup star, began her career in<br />

2013 and has had a growing platform<br />

in the beauty community ever since.<br />

As a transgender woman, she built<br />

her fame on being true to herself<br />

and inspiring others to do the<br />

same and with Hispanic and Asian<br />

heritage, Dragun broke away from<br />

conventionality and became an icon<br />

for many people of color. She gained<br />

so much traction that she was able<br />

to start her own line of cosmetics,<br />

Dragun Beauty. Insider.com outlines<br />

Dragun’s start to controversy in 2017<br />

when she was accused of blackfishing<br />

for Jeffree Star’s ad campaign, which<br />

is another issue in and of itself dealing<br />

with Star as he allowed the campaign<br />

to air. Additionally, Dragun faced<br />

more criticism after the James<br />

Charles and Tati Westbrook scandal<br />

for supporting Charles even after he<br />

lost millions of followers due to the<br />

incident and the general consensus<br />

was that Charles was in the wrong.<br />

Dragun has also faced accusations of<br />

cultural appropriation when she put<br />

box braids in her hair, but claimed<br />

she did it because she was inspired<br />

by black women and their culture<br />

rather than trying to make fun of or<br />

appropriate the black community<br />

stating “it’s really not that deep” in<br />

one of her Twitter posts.<br />

Dragun’s collaboration with<br />

Morphe launched in <strong>No</strong>vember of<br />

2020, consisting of a palette and a<br />

brush set. Dragun Beauty products,<br />

such as the liquid lipsticks, can<br />

also be found on Morphe’s website<br />

and are available for purchase.<br />

The collaboration faced backlash<br />

as Morphe fans realized that<br />

there was yet another collection<br />

with a problematic influencer’s<br />

name on it and it began to seem<br />

as though Morphe either did not<br />

care or was completely oblivious<br />

to the internet’s growing dislike of<br />

Dragun. A University of Alabama<br />

student, Lily Waldorff, says that<br />

she thinks Morphe should do more<br />

background screening of who they<br />

do their collaborations with, but that<br />

“all they can control is their product”<br />

so she has no real issues with Morphe<br />

as a brand. After the James Charles<br />

fiasco, one would think that Morphe<br />

would take Lily’s advice and the advice<br />

of their fanbase and be more careful<br />

about who they associate themselves<br />

with, but there have been other brands<br />

who collaborated with problematic<br />

influencers and still remain popular,<br />

so who’s to say that Morphe should go<br />

down with the ship?<br />

Morphe x Jeffree Star:<br />

Morphe collaborated with Jeffree<br />

Star and had two separate launches<br />

for each part of the collection, both<br />

happening in 2019. The full collection<br />

included an eyeshadow palette, liquid<br />

lipsticks, brushes, a makeup bag, and a<br />

few other pieces. The collaboration was<br />

between Jeffree Star’s beauty brand,<br />

Jeffree Star Cosmetics, and Morphe. The<br />

two brands released the collection after<br />

Star’s brand had already launched, but<br />

soon led to Star’s cosmetics becoming<br />

more popular as fans fell in love with the<br />

palette and packaging.<br />

Star began facing backlash for some<br />

events that transpired in the past that<br />

have recently resurfaced. One such<br />

event is recalled by Celeb Magazine<br />

which consists of Star calling another<br />

makeup icon, Jackie Aina, a woman of<br />

color, a rat, and recently announcing<br />

the release of his “Velvet Trap Lipstick”<br />

which the promotional picture depicts a<br />

woman of color in a rat trap. Star was<br />

bashed for making the promotional<br />

picture and posting it when he has a<br />

history of ridiculing women of color<br />

and making racist remarks that include<br />

comparing women of color to rats. The<br />

Washington Post states that Star has<br />

also been accused of other racist acts,<br />

such as saying that he should “throw<br />

battery acid on a black girl’s face to<br />

lighten her skin,” and that he repeatedly<br />

uses the “C-slur” to refer to women with<br />

which he has had issues. Emily Moeller,<br />

an Ulta Beauty associate, says that she<br />

used to watch all of Star’s videos for the<br />

entertainment and his honest product<br />

reviews, but after all of these scandals<br />

broke, that she “stopped watching<br />

and unfollowed.” The same goes<br />

for Lily, the previously mentioned<br />

student, who said she also watched<br />

Star’s YouTube videos but stopped<br />

after the news broke. She also stated<br />

that it seemed like “everyone knows<br />

he’s a crappy person, we just don’t<br />

care anymore,” which is completely<br />

fair in the grand scheme of things.<br />

As for Morphe’s collection with<br />

Star, it is no longer available for<br />

purchase on their website. In fact,<br />

when Jeffree Star is typed in the<br />

search bar, the first result is the<br />

Jaclyn Hill <strong>Vol</strong>ume II palette. So<br />

it seems that Morphe cut ties with<br />

Star and Charles after their scandals<br />

broke and only Dragun remains<br />

available for purchase at full price<br />

on the Morphe website.<br />

Overall, it seems that people<br />

don’t want to cancel Morphe, they<br />

just want to see better business<br />

practice and more thorough checks<br />

of who exactly they are making<br />

products with so that people don’t<br />

feel guilty when they purchase from<br />

them. Being a widely influential<br />

brand, Morphe is often in the<br />

spotlight when they release new<br />

products simply because people<br />

look forward to new makeup from<br />

them and are eager to expand their<br />

collection. Morphe’s reputation has<br />

taken a bit of a hit in the last few<br />

years, but with strong releases and<br />

collaborations, they can easily climb<br />

back to the top of the cosmetic<br />

industry.<br />

[22]


[23]


Which Nail Trends You Should<br />

Try Spring 2022<br />

By Beth Wheeler<br />

Design Ella Smyth<br />

Springtime is a time for renewing everything in life from spring cleaning, to new highlights to warmer weather. With that, new<br />

nails for the new season should never fall short (unless they do). 2021 started a few nail trends that have carried over well into 2022<br />

from the emergence of convenient press-on nails to artistically crafted and groovy patterns straight from the salon. Each year, new nail<br />

trends emerge, so take the quiz to see what <strong>Alice</strong>-approved nail trend you should try.<br />

1 2<br />

It’s girl’s night out, you opt for which go-to<br />

outfit?<br />

A. Simple all-black, maybe a jean<br />

pant to spice it up.<br />

B. A cute, patterned shirt paired<br />

with any solid color pant (as long as the<br />

color isn’t neutral).<br />

C. A good pair of jeans balanced<br />

with a stand-out top, perhaps hot pink.<br />

D. Something classy but still<br />

trendy–the classic L.B.D and an oversized<br />

leather jacket.<br />

You get to choose what the G.N.O is, which<br />

are you going for?<br />

A. A night in: cozy up with your favorite<br />

gals and watch a rom-com, maybe paired with<br />

popcorn and a nice Pinot (if you’re 21+).<br />

B. A night of fun: the bowling alley,<br />

trampoline park or the newest buzzing dance<br />

club.<br />

C. A night out at the vibey new<br />

restaurant downtown, perhaps one with a<br />

dance floor.<br />

D. A night at the fancy Italian restaurant<br />

down the street, treating yourself and your<br />

3<br />

You need a midnight-snack<br />

4<br />

after, what are you reaching for? Your Sunday morning routine:<br />

A. Classic popcorn and a soda.<br />

B. A trip to the local fast food<br />

place because the fries are too good<br />

to beat.<br />

C. Your favorite ice cream.<br />

D. You need to feed your<br />

aesthetic gut at midnight as well so<br />

you reach for the charcuterie.<br />

A. Wake up early, make coffee and hit<br />

pilates class.<br />

B. Sleep in and have leftovers for<br />

breakfast, maybe the local Waffle House.<br />

C. Wake up early but check all your<br />

socials first before heading to Starbucks.<br />

D. Four words: Brunch. With. The. Girls.<br />

5<br />

What music are you listening to during the<br />

drive to get coffee or brunch?<br />

A. Easy Sunday morning music: The<br />

Beatles, Billie Holiday or Lionel Richie.<br />

B. The best 2000s hits.<br />

C. The current top hits (we’re talking<br />

Olivia Rodrigo).<br />

D. Sad Adele songs, just to feel something.<br />

[24]


If you answered mostly A,<br />

A classic nude is always fresh and clean, which<br />

seems to be your vibe rolling into the spring and<br />

summer months. A neutral, clean mani/pedi gives the<br />

feeling of being put together, but not too over-the-top.<br />

A gel manicure, if chosen, is also a great way to have a<br />

durable manicure that looks fresh and lasts a long time<br />

without the commitment to acrylics. Some favorite<br />

neutral gel combinations are Funny Bunny by OPI and<br />

the classic Bubble Bath by OPI. Adding a fun shape like<br />

a coffin shape or almond shape can take these colors to<br />

the next level.<br />

If you answered mostly B,<br />

The popular 70’s inspired patterns are a trend<br />

that have stolen your heart. Seeming to take inspiration<br />

from artists like Matisse, these colorful, organic forms<br />

amp up anyone’s nails in a fun way. Bright colors,<br />

flower designs and wavy lines are perfect for the warm<br />

weather. Nail artists can even get creative with it–<br />

there’s no wrong curve to draw.<br />

If you answered mostly C,<br />

To be on the more tame side, but still a little fun,<br />

do a different color on each nail. For example, all red<br />

nails but each one is a gradual lighter red. Or, to go<br />

all-out, each nail being painted a different pastel color<br />

looks amazing in the spring, especially for Easter. Of<br />

course, this nail look is very versatile and can be used<br />

during any season by using cooler or darker shades in<br />

the cooler months and warmer, lighter shades in the<br />

warmer months.<br />

If you answered mostly D,<br />

You should try these cool french tips that have<br />

become all the rage. A fun take on the classic french<br />

manicure, people have begun making their nail tips<br />

different colors like green or red. Another variation on<br />

the french manicure is to simply change the shape of<br />

the nail tip from a simple square to an almond french<br />

tip, coffin french tip, the list goes on. Whatever shape<br />

or color is chosen is guaranteed to be a fun, new twist.<br />

[25]


[fashion]<br />

Were their Clothes the Reason?<br />

28<br />

Take Me Back: Find Out What<br />

Decade your Style Belongs In!<br />

30<br />

[26]


[27]


*Trigger Warning*<br />

Were their<br />

Clothes the<br />

Reason?<br />

By Savannah Dorriety<br />

Design Katie Nebbia<br />

[28]


“<br />

Well, what were you wearing?”<br />

This question carries a lot of weight.<br />

It is a question rooted in trauma and<br />

shame. Especially, for the sexual assault<br />

survivors who must face it anytime, they<br />

tell their story. ‘What were you wearing?’<br />

or in other words, ‘what did you do to<br />

cause it?’ When asked this question<br />

victims are told the horrible things done<br />

to them are somehow their fault while the<br />

assailant is excused.<br />

Being told you caused and could have<br />

prevented an experience as traumatic and<br />

painful as sexual assault can have longlasting<br />

effects on a person’s psyche. The<br />

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network<br />

(RAINN) reports that 33% of women<br />

who are raped contemplate suicide while<br />

13% of these women attempt it. Taking<br />

into account the millions of women who<br />

have been victims of sexual assault, this<br />

number is astronomical.<br />

Victim-blaming, as the above question<br />

does, can contribute to this issue.<br />

Anna Russell serves as an Education<br />

Coordinator for the Women and Gender<br />

Resource Center (WGRC) on The<br />

University of Alabama’s campus.<br />

“Victims automatically blame<br />

themselves, so when outside sources do<br />

the same it reinforces this feeling of guilt<br />

and forces them to relive that trauma over<br />

and over again,” said Russell.<br />

Russell went on to discuss how revealing<br />

clothing is often taken as an invitation<br />

for sexual advances, how going out in<br />

revealing clothing is seen as “looking for<br />

sexual activity,” and how the people who<br />

subscribe to these beliefs feel victims<br />

don’t have the right to be upset when that<br />

invitation is acted on.<br />

According to a study in the Minnesota<br />

Journal of Law & Inequality, however,<br />

“clothing is not probative or relevant<br />

evidence of the intent or attitude of the<br />

wearer.” In simple terms, clothes do not<br />

equal consent. <strong>No</strong> matter how sexual an<br />

outfit is perceived to be by others, it may<br />

not be seen the same way by the person<br />

wearing it and should not open them up<br />

to unwanted sexual advances or assault.<br />

Russell explained that consent, as defined<br />

by the WGRC, is a complex topic.<br />

“It is freely given, it is reversible, it is<br />

specific,” said Russell.<br />

Consent is not a short skirt or a low cut<br />

top. Regardless of how much or how little<br />

skin is shown, women’s bodies are their<br />

own and nothing but explicit verbal consent<br />

should progress to sex.<br />

A law decision is not the only evidence<br />

that proves the falsehood of the argument.<br />

An art exhibit titled “What Were You<br />

Wearing?” at the University of Arkansas,<br />

displays the outfits survivors wore when<br />

they were assaulted, along with a short note<br />

from the victim. The exhibit showcases a<br />

wide range of fashion, from provocative<br />

lingerie to a simple t-shirt and jeans. The<br />

variety doesn’t stop at style either. The<br />

exhibit is littered with garments young and<br />

old, masculine and feminine, big and small.<br />

The assertion made is a powerful one: what<br />

you were wearing isn’t important.<br />

The exhibit was put together by Mary<br />

Wyandt-Hiebert and Jen Brockman,<br />

directors of the sexual assault prevention<br />

and resource programs as the University<br />

of Arkansas and the University of Kansas<br />

respectively. The goal of the exhibit was to<br />

debunk the myths surrounding rape and<br />

sexual assault as an event for Sexual Assault<br />

Awareness Month.<br />

“Never did we dream that this would<br />

become a global awareness phenomenon<br />

used to facilitate conversation and change<br />

the way many view sexual violence,” said<br />

Wyandt-Hiebert.<br />

The exhibit has been on every continent<br />

except Antarctica. It has been translated<br />

into different languages and held on college<br />

campuses, military bases, community<br />

centers, and government sponsored venues<br />

globally.<br />

“We hear from many around the world<br />

of their gratitude for an exhibit that has<br />

helped them to find their voice,” said<br />

Wyandt-Hiebert.<br />

The “What Were You Wearing?” exhibit is<br />

not only about awareness, it is also about<br />

empowerment.<br />

Fashion is a form of expression. It should<br />

make women feel confident, strong and<br />

empowered; not shameful and helpless.<br />

Many brands today work to incorporate<br />

women’s empowerment into their<br />

business. Universal Standard provides<br />

clothing options for sizes 00 to 40 with<br />

no disparities, Sseko helps send Ugandan<br />

women to college, Elegantees assists in the<br />

fight against sex trafficking, Naja makes<br />

lingerie designed for the women wearing<br />

it rather than the objectifying male gaze,<br />

and many, many more. Empowerment and<br />

social impact is the new fashion.<br />

“The mission of my brand has always<br />

been to empower women to live a life of<br />

style, whatever that means,” said Rachel<br />

Zoe, fashion designer and founder of<br />

CURATEUR. “Its meaning can be as diverse<br />

as it’s wearers.”<br />

Anna Swatski of Fashinnovation, a global<br />

platform seeking to foster innovation and<br />

change in the fashion industry claims,<br />

“Every woman’s version of empowerment<br />

is different. Some women prefer to wear<br />

modest clothing, while other women prefer<br />

to wear more revealing clothing.”<br />

Whatever style of fashion is chosen the<br />

woman wearing it should feel powerful,<br />

confident and assured.<br />

Blaming sexual assault on a woman’s<br />

fashion destroys that confidence, and<br />

not just in survivors. It leaves women<br />

everywhere unable to express themselves<br />

for fear it may be taken as an invitation for<br />

something more. TIME magazine claims<br />

dress codes that restrict the fashion options<br />

of young girls to avoid distracting boys<br />

or making male teachers uncomfortable<br />

perpetuate this idea. Such dress codes<br />

punish girls for the thoughts and actions of<br />

men and boys, teaching them their clothes<br />

and by extension they, themselves, are<br />

responsible; that harassment is inevitable.<br />

Once again, harmful and false ideas about<br />

sexual violence are disseminated to those<br />

most vulnerable to it. We must put an<br />

end to the cycle, by refusing to follow this<br />

culture of victim-blaming and excuses.<br />

So, the next time you hear someone ask,<br />

“What were you wearing?” know her clothes<br />

had nothing to do with it.<br />

[29]


TAKE ME BACK:<br />

Find Out What Decade<br />

Your Style Belongs In!<br />

By Ta’Kyla Bates<br />

Design Sarah Smith<br />

In 2022 we’re all starting to realize that fashion trends aren’t new<br />

anymore. They are just revitalized from different time periods. The<br />

90s brought us low rise jeans and Britney still wears them today. The<br />

2000s gave us velour tracksuits, and if you have one now consider<br />

yourself a baddie. The 2010s and 2020s didn’t really give us anything<br />

new, but we learned as a fashion culture that if we pull staple looks<br />

from different decades, we’ll make heads turn.<br />

1. You’re late for your 8 a.m. What are you throwing on?<br />

A. I’m finding a cute outfit, I’ll be fashionably late.<br />

B. Simple matching two-piece jogging suit.<br />

C. Leggings and a sweatshirt.<br />

D. Biker shorts and an oversized tee.<br />

6. Which of these brands do you own?<br />

A. Tommy Hilfiger<br />

B. Juicy Couture<br />

C. Off-White<br />

D. Jordan<br />

2. Which jeans would you wear on a night out?<br />

A. Jeans?! I’m wearing a miniskirt.<br />

B. Low rise jeans<br />

C. Skinny jeans<br />

D. Baggy jeans<br />

3. Who’s your fashion icon?<br />

A. Aaliyah<br />

B. Paris Hilton<br />

C. Rihanna<br />

D. Zendaya<br />

4. Which TV show has the best looks?<br />

A. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air<br />

B. Gossip Girl<br />

C. Riverdale<br />

D. Euphoria<br />

5. What makes an outfit turn heads?<br />

A. Lots of patterns<br />

B. Staple accessories<br />

C. An extravagant make-up look<br />

D. A principal shoe<br />

7. Pick a staple shoe:<br />

A. Combat boots<br />

B. Anything with a platform<br />

C. Dad sneakers<br />

D. Anything Yeezy or Nike<br />

8. You just got an interview for your dream job, what are<br />

you wearing?<br />

A. A nice matching skirt and blazer<br />

B. A nice sophisticated dress<br />

C. A cute blazer, a patterned skinny dress pant<br />

D. The interview is over zoom, so I’m not wearing pants I can<br />

tell you that.<br />

9. Favorite Fashion Model?<br />

A. Naomi Campbell<br />

B. Miranda Kerr<br />

C. Kendall Jenner<br />

D. Bella Hadid<br />

10. Pick a runway song:<br />

A. “Supermodel (You Better Work)” by Rupaul<br />

B. “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga<br />

C. “Who Run the World (Girls)” by Beyonce<br />

D. “Have Mercy” by Chloe<br />

[30]


Mostly A- the 90s<br />

You got the 90s! The year of plaid two-piece sets<br />

and mini skirts. You’re not afraid of patterns<br />

and Doc Martens are your best friend. You don’t<br />

mind switching up your style, one day you’ll be<br />

90s grunge and the next day you’ll rock a cute<br />

patterned button-up with a cute pair of denim<br />

jeans.<br />

Mostly B - the 00s<br />

You got 2000s! The year of low-rise jeans, trucker<br />

hats and velour tracksuits. You’ve engulfed<br />

yourself into y2k. You might not be on the full<br />

y2k aesthetic, but you definitely add y2k elements<br />

into your everyday look. Whether it's a simple<br />

name necklace or a pair of small sunglasses you<br />

definitely belong with Britney Spears and Cristina<br />

Milian.<br />

Mostly C - the 10s<br />

The 2010s were the last decade where everything<br />

was somewhat normal. The decade of<br />

skinny jeans and mom jeans. You still can rock<br />

a pair of skinny jeans, but there’s a rip here or<br />

there. A chunky sneaker is your best friend and<br />

you probably own at least five crewnecks and<br />

sweatshirts.<br />

Mostly D - the 20s<br />

If your fashion is the 2020s you’re basically an<br />

embodiment of all the other decades or you just<br />

wear biker shorts, sweats or some kind of oversized<br />

top wherever you go. But when you do get<br />

the chance to dress up, you go all out, because<br />

there’s no time to waste on a good outfit.<br />

[31]


[features]<br />

Photostory: Bloom<br />

34<br />

Fighting for Fair Labor<br />

38<br />

Toxicity in Stan Culture<br />

40<br />

[32]


[33]


Photo Emma Kate Standard<br />

[34]


[35]


[36]


[37]


Fighting for Fair Labor<br />

Fighting for Fair Labor<br />

By Joseph Hoffman<br />

Photo Grayson Byrd<br />

A<br />

ccording to Massachusetts Institute of<br />

Technology’s living wage calculator, the hourly<br />

wage a single worker must make at a full-time job to<br />

support themselves in the state of Alabama is $13.77 per<br />

hour.<br />

The minimum wage paid<br />

to staff at the University<br />

of Alabama for the 2021-<br />

2022 academic year is<br />

$8.67. Rates for employees<br />

of Aramark, the external<br />

contractor that runs<br />

BamaDining, can fall even<br />

lower.<br />

At many other state<br />

colleges, employees working<br />

in conditions they deem as<br />

unfair or unsafe would have<br />

the power to form a union<br />

and collectively bargain<br />

with the state for better<br />

compensation. At Rutgers<br />

University in New Jersey,<br />

over 20,000 of the school’s<br />

workers, from professors<br />

down to tradespeople, are<br />

members of various workers<br />

unions. These union<br />

contracts can provide better<br />

job security and protection<br />

for those employed under<br />

them, especially in times of<br />

crisis such as the ongoing<br />

pandemic.<br />

However, employees of<br />

the University of Alabama<br />

do not have that same<br />

right. <strong>No</strong> public employer in the state is allowed to<br />

enter into a collective bargaining contract with a<br />

union. This drastically decreases the power of campus<br />

workers to advocate for themselves without the threat<br />

of termination.<br />

“The way that people on faculty, staff and support staff<br />

are treated here at UA is, by and large, without a lot of<br />

respect,” said Declan Smith, President of Students for<br />

Fair Labor and a member of United Campus Workers,<br />

the University’s only on-campus union. “The larger<br />

problem is the inability for so many of the workers<br />

here to be heard on an institutional level.”<br />

The University of<br />

Alabama system currently<br />

has a labor problem on<br />

many fronts. It is one that<br />

goes beyond wages and<br />

compensation, reflecting<br />

instead the lack of rights<br />

university employees have<br />

to improve their standing<br />

in the workplace.<br />

Some UA employees<br />

are even legally barred<br />

from discussing aspects of<br />

their employment outside<br />

the workplace. This past<br />

October, emails were<br />

made public revealing the<br />

details of a non-disclosure<br />

agreement staff members<br />

had been made to sign,<br />

placing further pressure<br />

on workers to stay quiet<br />

about the details of their<br />

jobs.<br />

The issue lies not only in<br />

the treatment of its direct<br />

employees, but those<br />

of the companies they<br />

maintain crucial external<br />

relationships with as<br />

well. Aramark is currently<br />

undergoing litigation<br />

accusing the company of using prisoners as unpaid<br />

labor and reports of serving spoiled food. Nike, the<br />

sponsor of UA’s equipment and sports apparel, has a<br />

history of manufacturing their clothing in sweatshoplike<br />

conditions overseas to save on labor costs.<br />

In a university system that collects over a billion<br />

dollars in revenue annually and employs 45,000<br />

[38]


people, pushing back against the status quo can seem<br />

like a nearly insurmountable feat. There are, however,<br />

multiple groups at UA that have taken up the fight,<br />

attempting to organize campus workers and push for<br />

stronger protections.<br />

Students for Fair Labor (SFL) is one such group.<br />

Their aim is to serve as the student wing of the<br />

labor movement in Tuscaloosa, providing necessary<br />

manpower and support for both campus workers and<br />

other labor drives in the surrounding area.<br />

“Very often we’ll have people come to our group,<br />

either cafeteria workers or the bus drivers who we’ve<br />

worked with in the past, and if they’re running a<br />

campaign, they reach out,” said Smith. “We try to do<br />

whatever we can to support them.”<br />

Recently, SFL has worked with Amazon employees<br />

in Bessemer, Alabama, through multiple phases<br />

of organizing, voting, and now re-voting to form a<br />

union. Their focus remains primarily on UA’s campus,<br />

attempting to overcome the institutional barriers to a<br />

unified labor movement.<br />

The only true union currently operating on campus<br />

is United Campus Workers (UCW). Founded in 2019,<br />

the organization has grown rapidly over the past<br />

several years as more and more employees have seen<br />

the importance of unionization, especially in response<br />

to the COVID-19 pandemic. UCW is mostly made up of<br />

faculty and graduate students at the moment, but they<br />

have made an active effort to reach out to employees of<br />

the university on all levels.<br />

The concept of solidarity is a core principle often<br />

preached by unions and labor organizers. Simply put,<br />

it is the unity of principles and goals for working people<br />

everywhere, supporting strikes, union drives, and<br />

other direct action when necessary in order to further<br />

the causes of labor. The more complex questions lie in<br />

what that action looks like for the average student at<br />

The University of Alabama.<br />

One model for a more ethical future may be found<br />

in The Mallet Assembly. A longstanding group at the<br />

university, Mallet is an independent, self-governing,<br />

living-learning community that places an emphasis on<br />

political action for mainly progressive causes.<br />

“We describe ourselves as a countercultural group<br />

on campus,” said Isabella Cornelius, a freshman news<br />

media major and a member of the Mallet Assembly.<br />

“We did tabling for the Bessemer mine workers as<br />

well as a bail fund last semester. It’s about bringing<br />

attention to issues on campus that the culture here<br />

might ignore.”<br />

Mallet’s structure places an emphasis on many<br />

of the same values that labor unions traditionally<br />

do, such as democratic self-governance, autonomy,<br />

and inclusivity. The active relationship they have<br />

maintained with organizers and pro-worker causes<br />

serves a very similar purpose to SFL in providing<br />

resources and manpower wherever needed.<br />

More importantly, it fosters a politically active and<br />

aware student body, something that is much needed<br />

in order to influence the policies of the university or<br />

board of trustees. The administration has shown on<br />

many occasions that a strong response to a particular<br />

issue by students, whether on the recent renaming of<br />

Lucy Hall or last fall’s homecoming controversy, has<br />

the power to influence the direction of the institution.<br />

If progress is to be made in the treatment of UA’s<br />

employees, a similar student-led component would<br />

also be needed.<br />

“It’s really easy to walk around all day and not think<br />

about what’s going into the education you’re getting,”<br />

Smith said. “What we would hope is not that every<br />

student would be picketing, but to be aware that the<br />

staff that supports you on a daily basis are working in<br />

conditions that are unfair.”<br />

Representatives of both Mallet and SFL emphasized<br />

the importance of awareness in furthering the cause of<br />

fair labor. The reality of pushing against an institution<br />

as large and powerful as UA means that most of its<br />

employees are unaware of any union or effort to<br />

organize on campus. Even if they are, the lack of ability<br />

to collectively bargain means placing a job or career at<br />

stake for potentially no meaningful benefit in the short<br />

term. To many, this risk is too high to take.<br />

The push for unionization at Alabama has a very<br />

uncertain future. The current trajectory of growth<br />

in UCW is hopeful, and the growth of student-led<br />

organizations that stand with fair labor shows the<br />

willingness of the student body to help support<br />

however they can.<br />

Yet these two groups still represent a fraction of<br />

employees and students at large. Paired with the lack<br />

of a right to collectively bargain and Alabama’s rightto-work<br />

laws, which decreased the power of unions<br />

by making dues optional, public-sector unions in the<br />

state will continue to face an uphill climb. Success<br />

would require a massive movement on all levels, from<br />

the student body to the statehouse, that even in the<br />

most optimistic scenario is a long way away.<br />

For workers and their advocates, this hope is enough<br />

to keep pushing forward.<br />

“I think there’s a lot of promise for this university.<br />

I think there are a lot of students and workers who<br />

have that progressive mindset,” Cornelius said. “They<br />

just need to be set in a direction and organized. From<br />

there, the movement grows.”<br />

[39]


Toxicity In Stan<br />

Culture<br />

BY MORINSOLA KUKOYI<br />

DESIGN KATIE NEBBIA<br />

[40]<br />

When it comes to fanbases and<br />

entertainment, stan culture is a<br />

popular topic that encapsulates how<br />

both of these factors work.<br />

Coined by rapper Eminem in the<br />

song of the same name for his third<br />

studio album, “The Marshall Mathers<br />

LP,” the term “stan” has gone from an<br />

allegory to a prominent description<br />

for an overzealous fan of a particular<br />

celebrity.<br />

As social media has made<br />

it easy for fans to interact with<br />

celebrities, a certain culture has<br />

emerged that allows fans to connect<br />

and create community with one<br />

another. However, while stan culture<br />

isn’t inherently good or bad, some have<br />

begun to wonder if it has become toxic.<br />

In an article for USAToday,<br />

entertainment reporter David Oliver<br />

discussed how the “viral nature<br />

of social media means platforms<br />

can become powder kegs for<br />

radicalization,” meaning while fans<br />

can quickly get an artist’s music<br />

climbing the charts, they can just as<br />

easily go after someone.<br />

One example is when<br />

celebrities get into disagreements<br />

with each other, and their fanbases<br />

immediately begin to fight.<br />

Hailey Jones, 19-year-old who<br />

runs a Harry Styles fan account with<br />

10.8 thousand followers on Instagram,<br />

said in her experience stan culture is<br />

sometimes it can be scary.<br />

“Whether it’s fans making<br />

threats to other fans or fans making<br />

threats to celebrities. I’ve seen a lot.<br />

I’ve seen people body shame others just<br />

because they don’t like someone else’s,<br />

favorite artist. I’ve seen some people<br />

threaten to leak people’s numbers and<br />

addresses,” said Jones. “As much as I<br />

appreciate stan Twitter for connecting me<br />

with people who have similar interests as<br />

me, but it does get scary.”<br />

From ages 13 to 14, Jones said<br />

she’d experienced this first hand when she<br />

ran a 5 Seconds of Summer stan account.<br />

“These were the years where I got<br />

many death threats sent my way. People<br />

thought I’d be better off dead due to my<br />

‘wrong’ opinion,” said Jones.<br />

Camryn Mcgaha, a sophomore at<br />

The University of Alabama majoring in<br />

public relations, runs the Bama Swifties<br />

stan account on Instagram. Though<br />

she hasn’t experienced any particularly<br />

negative moments with the account, she<br />

has noticed how negative it all can be.<br />

She said she believes fans bully on<br />

social media because they think it will get<br />

them noticed by their favorite celebrity.<br />

“There’s a lot of toxicity<br />

surrounding how ‘good’ of a fan you are. In<br />

truth, none of that has any bearing on how<br />

much you like the artist,” said Mcgaha.<br />

Ronni Rowan, a sophomore at<br />

The University of Alabama majoring in<br />

creative media, said she’s seen this in a few<br />

fandoms; however, the K-pop fandom has<br />

been the most “disrespectful.”<br />

“It’s the superiority complex<br />

and harsh language when someone says<br />

something they deem not positive, but


most of all, it is just K-pop stans<br />

wanting to feel better in their position<br />

and wanting to hurt people,” said<br />

Rowan.<br />

Though the level of toxicity<br />

varies from fandom to fandom, issues<br />

of racism, sexism, bullying and more<br />

have become too prevalent for many<br />

to ignore, most already being issues<br />

that social media has always had.<br />

Jones said she remembered<br />

a particular instance where People of<br />

Color stan members were harassed by<br />

white fans for “leaving white people<br />

out” of a “specific People of Color<br />

selfie tag” they were using.<br />

Because of this result, she<br />

hopes People of Color fans can use<br />

their specific hashtags without feeling<br />

that someone else is taking this<br />

away from them. When it comes to<br />

incidents on social media, Jones tries<br />

her best to address racist issues when<br />

she sees them.<br />

Stan culture also remains<br />

problematic when it comes to the<br />

topic of mental health.<br />

“Stan culture could be a major<br />

problem if it creates mental health<br />

and/or safety issues for either the fan<br />

or the content creator,” said Matthew<br />

Barnidge, an associate professor of<br />

communication and information<br />

sciences at The University of<br />

Alabama. “For the content creator<br />

or any public figure, stan culture can<br />

lead to harassment in the form of<br />

unwanted contact, hateful messages,<br />

or, in the most extreme cases,<br />

physical harm.”<br />

In an article by the Stanford<br />

Daily, on “the dark side of stan<br />

culture,” multiple social media<br />

content creators were interviewed<br />

and said that because of fans’<br />

entitlement, they felt constrained<br />

by fans’ demands for fear of intense<br />

backlash.<br />

“I’ve had people I have never<br />

spoken to send me voice messages out<br />

of the blue asking me why I haven’t<br />

responded to their latest messages,”<br />

said influencer Stephanie Yenoah in<br />

the article. “I’ve also had people ask<br />

for details on people I have shown<br />

on my platform, such as friends or<br />

family.”<br />

Another example of the<br />

pressure fans can put on celebrities<br />

happened last year when Simone<br />

Biles’ decided to pull out of several<br />

rounds of the Tokyo Olympics.<br />

Biles had to pull out of<br />

several rounds because of the<br />

immense pressure that she had been<br />

getting from her fans and spectators<br />

worldwide. That immense pressure<br />

led to her mental health getting the<br />

best of her, and she needed to focus<br />

on allowing herself to be in a more<br />

stable headspace.<br />

The environment can be toxic<br />

for other fans, but it at times becomes<br />

toxic for the celebrities they follow.<br />

Due to this constant overwhelming<br />

cycle of negativity, Jones said she’s<br />

had to take multiple breaks from<br />

social media.<br />

“I currently have an<br />

Instagram account with 10.8k<br />

followers. I’ve had that account since<br />

I was 12 years old; I’m 19 now. I left<br />

for about a year when I was 13, a<br />

year when I was 17, and then for a<br />

few months when I was 18,” she said.<br />

“As for stan Twitter, I’ve left a few<br />

times through my years, but never<br />

permanently. Sometimes it gets to be<br />

too much, and I do need a break, but<br />

I also do appreciate the friends and<br />

experiences I have there” said Jones.<br />

Stan culture is problematic<br />

because there is a need for fans to<br />

dictate their own opinions in their<br />

idols’ lives.<br />

In some capacity, stan<br />

accounts on social media allow fans<br />

to promote this type of behavior.<br />

Overall, everyone should “treat<br />

people with kindness” and lift each<br />

other up. Creating a safe space for<br />

everyone in stan culture will be a<br />

very important move in making stan<br />

culture less toxic than it already is.<br />

[41]


[entertainment]<br />

Which Euphoria Girl Are You? 44<br />

“We need you out here:” A Look at<br />

Parasocial Relationship<br />

“Eclectic and Under-discovered:”<br />

Pulling Back the Cover on<br />

Alabama’s Music Scene<br />

46<br />

48<br />

[42]


[43]


WHICH<br />

EUPHORIA<br />

EUPHORIA GIRL ARE YOU?<br />

BY CAT CLINTON<br />

DESIGN ELLA SMYTH<br />

January marked the season two premiere of HBO’s drama series, “Euphoria.” Since the launch viewers<br />

have been raving about the characters’ decisions, storylines and cliffhangers, but the opinions forming<br />

could not be more different. This quiz provides insight on which character is most similar, and likely<br />

sympathetic to test takers. Readers can find out by answering a few quick questions found below!<br />

1. When I walk into a party I immediately…<br />

A. Locate a comfy spot to sit and observe people or talk to<br />

friends<br />

B. Checking out the side rooms. That’s where all the fun is<br />

C. Assert my dominance. Besides, the party doesn’t start until<br />

I arrive<br />

D. Scan the room for the cutest and closest guy<br />

5. During a break-up I…<br />

A. Get cold and detach<br />

B. Break down. Loss is crippling<br />

C. Act unphased<br />

D. Glow up<br />

2. In school I can be found…<br />

A. In class, where I am supposed to be<br />

B. Slacking off or sketching in the bathroom stall<br />

C. Gathering my girls to plan the weekend ahead<br />

D. In the bathroom for a touch up or cheer practice. It’s not<br />

easy staying active and looking good for eight hours straight<br />

6. I would describe my “type” as…<br />

A. Attentive<br />

B. Creative<br />

C. Strong<br />

D. Affectionate<br />

3. I would describe myself as…<br />

A. An observer<br />

B. Human, flaws and all<br />

C. A boss. People listen when I speak<br />

D. Beautiful. I’m just working on myself and hoping to be<br />

acknowledged for it<br />

7. I’m constantly striving to find…<br />

A. Success and recognition<br />

B. Pure happiness<br />

C. Power and independence<br />

D. True love<br />

4. My hobbies include…<br />

A. The arts. reading, writing, photography and film<br />

B. <strong>No</strong>thing appropriate<br />

C. Planning my life and manipulating any obstacles<br />

D. Self-care. Healthy habits must be practiced<br />

[44]


MOSTLY As- LEXI<br />

You’re Lexi! You may be quiet but are never<br />

unaware of the situation at hand. These cautious<br />

and prepared individuals often have a good<br />

time relating to a vast array of personalities<br />

because time is taken to consider the context<br />

and surroundings of every interaction. This<br />

personality type can relate and see things<br />

from others point of view. Occasionally, these<br />

individuals suffer from “FOMO”, from lack of<br />

action due to overthinking and overplanning.<br />

MOSTLY Bs- RUE<br />

You’re Rue! You do not like the rules, but that<br />

does not mean these personality types are<br />

unproductive. These people can feel and see the<br />

world in a different and deeper way. Although<br />

that perspective is sometimes dark, occasionally<br />

these individuals are able to spread warmth and<br />

positivity others simply envy. It is common for<br />

these personality types to have natural creative<br />

skills and a sense of humor.<br />

MOSTLY Cs- MADDY<br />

You’re Maddy! You are most definitely the one<br />

running the show, and these individuals are not<br />

shy about it. Loud and proud is the game, but<br />

imitation is not the only skill developed in these<br />

personality types. Communication skills are also<br />

a common asset. These individuals need to be in<br />

charge, and this is often gained through politics<br />

and alliance building. This may be high school,<br />

but the long game is always lingering in the back<br />

of one’s mind.<br />

MOSTLY Ds- CASSIE<br />

You’re Cassie! You are not ashamed of the radiance<br />

given off. This is because it requires effort<br />

and is often something that goes under appreciated.<br />

These personality types are affectionate to<br />

loved ones and demand the same kind of treatment<br />

in turn. These people are also not the kind<br />

to be hurt by partners. This is because love and<br />

affection are this personality’s weapon of choice.<br />

When these individuals do fall; game over.<br />

[45]


“We need you out here:”<br />

A look at Parasocial<br />

Relationships<br />

By Emie Garrett<br />

Design Kayla<br />

Roberson<br />

[46]


In the age of streaming, viewers are<br />

consuming television rapidly, binging<br />

whole seasons on a lazy Sunday and gobbling<br />

up entire series in a couple of weeks. Yet, while<br />

people are constantly on the hunt for a new<br />

television fix, many have special “comfort<br />

shows” they return to time and time again with<br />

a certain familiarity akin to rekindling an old<br />

friendship or coming home after months away.<br />

However, sometimes as people get attached<br />

to these shows, they begin to see the characters<br />

as real individuals instead of figments created<br />

by talented writers brought to life by actors and<br />

actresses.<br />

According to the National Register of Health<br />

Service Psychologists, parasocial relationships<br />

are one-sided relationships where one person<br />

creates a bond with someone or their persona.<br />

That person is completely unaware of the<br />

other’s existence; this is most common with<br />

most celebrities.<br />

In an article for Psychology Today, Matt<br />

Johnson, a writer and professor at Hult<br />

International Business School, explained that<br />

Donald Horton and R. Richard Wohl coined<br />

the term in 1956 after they saw how viewers<br />

of the television shows “I Love Lucy” and “The<br />

Lone Ranger,” didn’t just enjoy the shows, but<br />

“felt strong, lifelike [bonds] with the characters<br />

and the ‘illusion of a face-to-face relationship.’”<br />

And though it might feel like an outlandish<br />

experience, these parasocial relationships are<br />

common, especially in the age of social media.<br />

Steven Holiday, an assistant professor<br />

of advertising and public relations at The<br />

University of Alabama, said parasocial<br />

relationships can be, to some extent, a means<br />

to “help individuals feel less lonely.”<br />

“Imagine being single and coming home at<br />

the end of the night, turning on a show and<br />

connecting with the characters and their lives<br />

… your home feels less empty, filled with the<br />

sounds and ‘presence’ of other people,” said<br />

Holiday.. “You don’t have to be a depressed<br />

or lonely person to benefit from this kind of<br />

experience.”<br />

However, a study published in the Human<br />

Communication Research journal found that<br />

there is no correlation between loneliness and<br />

the intensity of viewers’ perceived relationships<br />

with fictional television characters.<br />

Despite the lack of connection to loneliness,<br />

social media has showcased how fans create<br />

these relationships over platforms.<br />

For example, in 2015 YouTube personality,<br />

Ingrid Nilsen shared her sexuality with<br />

followers in a video entitled, “Something<br />

I Want You To Know (Coming Out),”<br />

Nilsen received over 150,000 comments<br />

from followers, an overwhelming amount<br />

expressing their support of her, despite never<br />

having met Nilsen.<br />

While parasocial relationships are quite<br />

normal, they can become dangerous when<br />

the lines between reality and fantasy become<br />

blurred.<br />

“When these relationships become obsessive<br />

and replace the effort and ability to create<br />

actual relationships, they become unhealthy,”<br />

Holiday said.<br />

Researchers have been studying how and<br />

why parasocial relationships occur and their<br />

connection to the world of social media, which<br />

has amplified celebrities’ ability to instantly<br />

connect and interact with fans.<br />

A study published in The Journal of Social<br />

Media In Society found that social media stars<br />

simply responding to followers’ comments<br />

heightened the sense of connection audiences<br />

felt they had with the individual.<br />

“The worry [that researchers have] is that if<br />

people can interact with someone and believe<br />

they’ve formed a relationship with them, they<br />

can have expectations of this person and act<br />

accordingly,” Holiday said. “Researchers worry<br />

this could increase unhealthy relationship<br />

actions, such as stalking and aggression.”<br />

With social media, fans now have even more<br />

accessibility to celebrities, and during the<br />

pandemic, researchers saw how social media<br />

influenced parasocial relationships even more.<br />

And recently, research published in the<br />

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships<br />

said parasocial closeness with media personaes<br />

increased over time during the pandemic,<br />

suggesting that favorite media personae<br />

became more meaningful as participants<br />

engaged in social distancing.<br />

As long as people remain aware that these<br />

relationships don’t equate to knowing the<br />

individual, parasocial relationships are<br />

perfectly normal. However, many have a hard<br />

time adjusting to the idea that the actors who<br />

play their favorite characters on their favorite<br />

shows are the antithesis of the character they<br />

know and love.<br />

Because of the audiences’ bonds with<br />

fictional characters on television, it’s hard<br />

for them to separate the character from the<br />

individual portraying them, leading to extreme<br />

disappointment when they meet these actors<br />

in real life and the bubble bursts.<br />

In October 2021, a BuzzFeed article compiled<br />

a list of negative encounters people had with<br />

celebrities, like Machine Gun Kelly, Jessica<br />

Alba and Jared Leto. Many expressed their<br />

deep disappointment about discovering these<br />

celebrities were not necessarily the people they<br />

thought they were.<br />

On TikTok, numerous users have shared<br />

their encounters with the actors who grace<br />

our televisions– some sweet, some funny, and<br />

some upsetting.<br />

TikTok user, Julia Carolan, blew up on<br />

the internet when she created a TikTok<br />

series where she rated celebrities she had<br />

encountered while working as a hostess in a<br />

swanky Manhattan restaurant based on their<br />

treatment of her and the staff who served<br />

them.<br />

Carolan received backlash from Justin and<br />

Hailey Bieber stans, despite very few of them<br />

ever having encountered Bieber, when she<br />

awarded Mrs. Bieber a measly 3.5 out of 10<br />

because she “met her [Hailey Bieber] a handful<br />

of times and every time she was not nice.”<br />

Dalton Causey, a University of Alabama<br />

junior majoring in acting, said he thinks it’s<br />

important to remember that celebrities aren’t<br />

magical creatures to be poked, prodded and<br />

worshiped.<br />

“The moment that I realized that these actors<br />

are just people, it became so much easier for<br />

me to take them off of their pedestal and put<br />

them on the same level that we’re all on,”<br />

Causey said.<br />

“You have to remember those [celebrities]<br />

are just people who also have dreams; they are<br />

just people who are out there doing what they<br />

love and have worked really hard to reach the<br />

success they’ve achieved, which is something<br />

all of us can do in some way, shape or form.”<br />

Hannah Taylor, a recent University of<br />

Alabama alumnus with experience working in<br />

the entertainment industry, said she doesn’t<br />

think celebrities “owe people anything other<br />

than basic human respect.”<br />

“I don’t think that just because [celebrities]<br />

play characters that are always happy, or play a<br />

certain type of role in general, that means they<br />

have to act like that in person,” said Taylor..<br />

So, while it is okay to grin and swoon while<br />

watching Timothee Chalamet interviews or<br />

disappear down a Swiftie-Tok rabbit hole,<br />

remember to hop back out of Hollywood’s<br />

shimmering orbit now and then. We need you<br />

out here.<br />

[47]


Pulling back the cover on Alabama’s<br />

music scene<br />

By<br />

Madeleine<br />

Leidner<br />

Photo<br />

Emma Kate Standard<br />

Design<br />

Wesley Picard<br />

[48]


Alabama has seen the beginnings of<br />

many famous musicians, like the<br />

Alabama Shakes, Lionel Richie and even<br />

Gucci Mane. Music is in a constant state<br />

of evolution, and witnessing the sounds<br />

of artists from Alabama change over the<br />

years has been captivating to many.<br />

Jones Willingham, the editor and<br />

media coordinator of MusicBham, a<br />

guide for music in Birmingham and<br />

central Alabama, said he would describe<br />

Alabama’s musical landscape as “eclectic<br />

and under-discovered.”<br />

“​Eclectic, because there is that incredible<br />

genre variation, and I think that’s<br />

illustrated across the local live landscape<br />

at any given night at the venues like the<br />

Firehouse or Saturn,” said Willingham.<br />

“And under-discovered because I don’t<br />

really feel like there are any publications<br />

and groups like really mining through<br />

Alabama, looking for good music.”<br />

Willingham said Alabama has an<br />

“incredible talent,” but it’s “just like gold<br />

right under the surface.”<br />

“So, I think that once that surface is<br />

removed and there’s greater notoriety<br />

for these acts, I think the country and the<br />

world and listeners everywhere will be<br />

very surprised and be like ‘oh there from<br />

Birmingham Alabama,’ which I think is<br />

really exciting,” said Willingham..<br />

One formerly local band that has<br />

garnered more notoriety is The<br />

Brummies, an indie-rock band comprised<br />

of multi-instrumentalists John Davison,<br />

Jacob Bryant and drummer, Trevor<br />

Davis.<br />

The band who began playing together in<br />

2014 while in high school in Birmingham,<br />

Alabama, made a name for themselves<br />

with their sound, which Billboard<br />

described as “gorgeous” and “lush.”<br />

They’ve amassed over 18 million streams<br />

and have collaborated with notable<br />

professionals in the music industry, such<br />

as producer David Hopkins, Grammyaward<br />

winning engineer, Jeremy<br />

Ferguson and Grammy-award-winning<br />

artist Kacey Musgraves.<br />

They’ve also played several music<br />

festivals and toured domestically and<br />

internationally with St. Paul and the<br />

Broken Bones, Kacey Musgraves, the<br />

Wild Feathers, NEEDTOBREATHE and<br />

BANNERS.<br />

[49]


Although they have continued to travel<br />

and expand their reach as artists, growing<br />

up and starting their music careers in<br />

Alabama had a deep impact on them.<br />

“We’ve always had so much respect for<br />

the music scene in Alabama. It was a<br />

hotbed for under-the-radar artists that<br />

we thought were stars, and rightfully so,”<br />

said Davidson.. “We wanted what they<br />

had, and it kept us pushing forward with<br />

the music we were making.”<br />

Each of the members of The Brummies<br />

displayed deep appreciation for their<br />

roots and the Alabama music scene in its<br />

entirety.<br />

Another local band on the rise is The<br />

Stews, originally from Auburn, Alabama;<br />

Preston Hall, Bennett Baugus, Blake<br />

Dobbs and Wyatt Griffith started playing<br />

together during the summer 2020.<br />

“During our first jam session, we<br />

completed the song ‘Slip Away’ and<br />

realized that we should continue writing<br />

and playing together,” they said.<br />

They began playing at college venues<br />

in Auburn and Tuscaloosa. Their fame<br />

quickly spread throughout the state before<br />

gaining recognition from Nashville-based<br />

rock band the Vegabonds, and touring<br />

along the Southeast.<br />

“Being from Alabama has helped us<br />

tremendously in our early steps as a<br />

band. When looking for a studio to record<br />

our EP, [“The Stews EP,”] we all already<br />

had FAME Studios in mind,” they said.<br />

“It’s a privilege to have access to such a<br />

historic place in our own state.”<br />

Luke Washburn, a representative agent<br />

for Atlas Touring, a booking agency based<br />

in Charleston, SC, said The Stews “really<br />

care and love what they do, and it shows”<br />

that is what sets them apart.<br />

As these artists grow, many locals are<br />

happy to watch Alabama’s music scene<br />

expand along with them.<br />

“Birmingham has grown a lot in the<br />

past 10 to 15 years. Previously when<br />

national artists were touring, they would<br />

go Atlanta to Nashville and not hit<br />

Birmingham. Well, now, people come to<br />

Birmingham,” said Willingham.. “So, we<br />

want to make sure that the public knows<br />

what’s happening and not just about the<br />

Billy Eilish’s of the world, but we also<br />

want them to know about the little local<br />

shows going on at The Nick or Little Italy<br />

or, you know, the local bands that play<br />

Saturn.”<br />

This is what MusicBham seeks to<br />

do, showcase Alabama’s talent while<br />

also connecting these local music<br />

communities to further enrich Alabama’s<br />

music scene.<br />

Lauren Golston, a junior majoring<br />

in public relations, said she thinks it’s<br />

interesting how artists are now coming<br />

to Birmingham because Atlanta used<br />

to be the closest place mainstream<br />

artists would get. Yet, artists coming to<br />

Birmingham are bringing revenue and<br />

[50]


diverse groups of people.<br />

“I think Birmingham could be the new<br />

Atlanta when it comes to performances and<br />

stuff,” said Golston.<br />

Billingsley said he believes a big cause<br />

of that is the artists that are coming out of<br />

Alabama and making a name for themselves<br />

going to new places, but “bringing it back to<br />

the city.”<br />

Billingsley and Golston said that when they<br />

think of Alabama and current artists making<br />

it big, they think of rappers like <strong>No</strong>Cap, Rylo<br />

Rodriguez and Big Yavo. Who together have<br />

over 2 million streams on Spotify.<br />

For those interested in getting involved<br />

with Alabama’s growing music scene,<br />

Davison advises new artists to fully indulge<br />

in Alabama’s local venues.<br />

“I’d tell other artists to play Alabama. Don’t<br />

skip over it like a lot of artists and bands do.<br />

It’s a loyal crowd that loves music as much or<br />

more than anyone,” said Davison..<br />

He also recommends listening to<br />

Birmingham Mountain Radio to learn<br />

more about Birmingham’s budding indie<br />

music scene. While his bandmate, Davis,<br />

recommended artists to the venue Saturn<br />

when searching to discover new Alabama<br />

artists.<br />

Willingham said for those interested in getting<br />

involved either as a performer or just a music<br />

connoisseur, it’s important to first and foremost<br />

just go to local shows.<br />

He said he’s seen many talented local bands get<br />

burnt out because of no support, but then people<br />

start paying attention when they break up. So,<br />

indulging in local artists is important to keep the<br />

music scene growing.<br />

For those who don’t know where to look,<br />

MusicBham has many resources on their website<br />

and Instagram, including weekend roundups,<br />

which showcase upcoming events and lists of<br />

artists, venues, record/music stores, recording<br />

studios and more in Alabama.<br />

Willingham also encouraged people to “not be<br />

afraid of genre” when searching for local events<br />

because Alabama has something for everyone.<br />

What is important is that people “go see and take<br />

it in.”<br />

“Being at live music is such a beautiful<br />

communal experience that you’re bound to<br />

enjoy it when you’re just there. And you might<br />

even find a new local band that becomes one of<br />

your favorites,” he said. “So I would just say dive<br />

into that now; COVID willing, of course, be safe<br />

and be smart with that.”<br />

[51]


[food and health]<br />

Routines: Morning vs. Night and<br />

Their Benefits To Your Health<br />

The Classy Girl Guide to Proper<br />

Table Etiquette<br />

Milk Snobs: Which Alternative Milk<br />

is Best?<br />

54<br />

56<br />

58<br />

[52]


[53]


Routines: Morning vs. Night<br />

Their Benefits to Your Health<br />

By Bella Carpino<br />

Photo Jennifer Stroud<br />

For many people in society today,<br />

it is known to be only a natural<br />

behavior to get caught up in the buzzing<br />

world surrounding them, along with<br />

the stress of the overflowing mental<br />

to-do lists and reminders that lie in the<br />

back of their heads as they go through<br />

their days. For some, their lack of sleep<br />

but need for productivity in their day<br />

can be an extremely difficult goal to<br />

achieve. With that being said, the key to<br />

unlocking the door to the pathway out<br />

of this miserable cycle is simply found<br />

in having daily routines.<br />

The concept of routines should be<br />

understood as a process in which one<br />

acts in order to either create an effective<br />

start to the day or unwind from their<br />

day, and most importantly, care for<br />

their mental and physical health and<br />

wellbeing. For example, a morning<br />

routine may consist of reading a page<br />

out of a devotional book, going to the<br />

gym, showering, making breakfast,<br />

then going to work, while night routines<br />

may involve doing a moisturizing clay<br />

face mask and drinking a full glass of<br />

water, followed by reading a chapter of<br />

one’s favorite book before closing their<br />

eyes to go to sleep.<br />

While morning and night routines<br />

certainly can have cons depending<br />

on whether one is an “early bird” or a<br />

“night owl,” as well as other factors,<br />

the benefits of both types of routines<br />

certainly outweigh the drawbacks.<br />

Overall, morning and night routines,<br />

when incorporated into someone’s<br />

daily life either together or separately,<br />

can strongly and positively influence<br />

mental health and lead them to a path<br />

towards a flourishing wellbeing.<br />

Starting each day with a morning<br />

routine is an effective way to begin<br />

someone’s day on the right foot and<br />

truly care for one’s mental health by<br />

clearing their thoughts and preparing<br />

for strength and success in the day<br />

ahead. Whether an individual prefers<br />

to head over to the gym bright and early<br />

for a workout, or sit on the porch to read<br />

[54]


a book with a morning coffee, these<br />

activities offer ways to value wellness<br />

in a way that will improve someone’s<br />

everyday life.<br />

“I’m not necessarily a morning person<br />

but I love my morning routine and it<br />

definitely helps prepare me to have<br />

a productive day,” said Bella Powell,<br />

a sophomore at The University of<br />

Alabama majoring in nursing. “There’s<br />

nothing worse than leaving the house<br />

flustered trying to make it to a class on<br />

time, and I notice that when I start my<br />

morning flustered, it runs into the rest<br />

of the day.”<br />

Powell’s morning routine begins with<br />

showering and getting dressed, and<br />

ends with having time to read and eat<br />

breakfast.<br />

“There is such a huge difference in my<br />

mood and overall productivity when I<br />

start my mornings right,” said Powell.<br />

While waking up early is not always<br />

easy for her, Powell has created a<br />

morning routine due to recognizing a<br />

huge negative difference in both her<br />

frame of mind and the productivity of<br />

her days if that routine is ever skipped.<br />

Tamashi, a business that sells 100%<br />

plant-based ready-to-drink breakfasts<br />

and informs its customers about the<br />

relationship between the body, mind,<br />

and spirit, shared an article regarding<br />

the importance of a good morning<br />

routine. The educational article focused<br />

on outlining just a few of the benefits<br />

including experiencing less stress<br />

throughout the day, better quality<br />

of sleep, and more free time in the<br />

evening. While lower levels of stress<br />

and anxiety can serve as an important<br />

tool to improve mental health,<br />

consistent hours of sleep due to waking<br />

up to perform a morning routine is one<br />

of the most significant positive effects<br />

the routine can have on an individual’s<br />

well-being. According to Tamashi,<br />

“with a better sleeping pattern, you will<br />

get through the day being sharper and<br />

more alert while experiencing more<br />

peace of mind.” While one of the very<br />

few cons to a morning routine might<br />

be that one may sacrifice less than 7-9<br />

hours of sleep, an important benefit of<br />

having one is to gain more free time<br />

in the evening after a productive day,<br />

also meaning that one can get to bed<br />

at an earlier, healthier time. At the end<br />

of the day, having a morning routine<br />

represents a crucial solution for a<br />

productive day that’s beneficial to one’s<br />

health and welfare.<br />

On the other hand, night routines<br />

offer a variety of different benefits and<br />

improvements to one’s mental health<br />

and physical wellbeing. Although they<br />

tend to be more difficult to commit to<br />

doing every night, considering after<br />

a long day of school or work the only<br />

plan in a person’s mind is to relax,<br />

night routines are just as important as<br />

morning routines.<br />

Leon Ho, the founder and CEO of<br />

Lifehack, said that the three main<br />

benefits of a nighttime routine include<br />

that one will “have a more restful and<br />

higher-quality sleep…[and] be able to<br />

tackle the morning in a smoother and<br />

more productive way.” Furthermore,<br />

their “brain will be sharper throughout<br />

the next day.”<br />

Night routines are necessary to both<br />

mentally and physically prepare in<br />

advance for the next morning to come.<br />

Finley Thacker, a sophomore student<br />

and ambassador for the College of<br />

Communication and Information<br />

Sciences at The University of Alabama,<br />

said her nighttime routine begins with<br />

changing into pajamas and glancing at<br />

her calendar for the next day in order to<br />

plan ahead and it ends with streaming a<br />

show to wind down before completing<br />

her skincare routine and setting an<br />

alarm for the morning.<br />

“My night time routine is simply my<br />

favorite part of the day because it gives<br />

me time to reflect,” said Thacker.<br />

While there are many positive aspects<br />

of having a night routine, on the other<br />

hand, they may require one to eliminate<br />

certain behaviors such as staying out<br />

late with friends or falling asleep with<br />

screen time. The harsh electronic blue<br />

light that reflects off of a phone or<br />

computer can prevent the production of<br />

melatonin in the body, according to Ho.<br />

Night routines are the key to putting<br />

an end to bad habits that can harshly<br />

affect one’s well being and building<br />

good habits that will assist their health<br />

in promising development.<br />

While morning and night routines<br />

certainly have their similarities and<br />

differences when it comes to their<br />

beneficial impact on the human body<br />

and mind, overall, the psychological<br />

influences become clear to those who<br />

perform either routine on a daily basis.<br />

John Gaspari, who has been working<br />

in the psychology field for 30 years as<br />

a ​Psychotherapist and Professional<br />

Coach with both a Licensed Clinical<br />

Social Worker and a Professional<br />

Clinical Counseling degree, shared his<br />

perspective on what makes routines so<br />

essential to all different aspects of one’s<br />

life.<br />

“Most of us spend little or no time<br />

systematically training in any of the<br />

key dimensions of energy management<br />

(physical, emotional, mental or<br />

spiritual). We are expected to perform<br />

at our best eight to ten to twelve (or<br />

more) hours/day,” said Gaspari.<br />

Although time is a fixed resource<br />

that cannot be sped up or stopped<br />

completely, our energy is one that is<br />

limited but renewable as well. Morning<br />

and night routines not only represent<br />

resources for the improvement of one’s<br />

mental health and wellbeing, but they<br />

also portray the natural psychological<br />

and even physical necessity for people<br />

all over the globe to manage their energy<br />

while in the midst of their complex lives.<br />

In this society, where daily productivity<br />

and a healthy mindset are so strived<br />

for by humans with lives of all different<br />

kinds, morning and night routines are<br />

pivotal mechanisms utilized to reach a<br />

life of pure health and success.<br />

[55]


To Proper Etiquette<br />

By Evy Gallagher<br />

Photo Sarah Hartsell<br />

Design Wesley Picard<br />

[56]


The South is most notably known for<br />

its manners, hospitality and etiquette.<br />

Specifically, proper table etiquette is<br />

something that is a big part of Southern<br />

culture and for good reason. Although<br />

etiquette may not be as ingrained into<br />

other cultures, or more so the younger<br />

generations, it is very important for<br />

a multitude of reasons. Proper table<br />

etiquette is not hard to learn, especially<br />

living in the deep South, and is a skill that<br />

will serve one well for the rest of one’s life.<br />

“Table etiquette is the ‘little black dress’<br />

for success,” said Jovana Vanderheiden,<br />

Sorority House Director. “It doesn’t<br />

matter what part of the country you’re<br />

from, good table manners are essential to<br />

success in business.”<br />

Table etiquette is not only having<br />

good manners, it’s proper silverware<br />

placement, how to eat gracefully and when<br />

to begin dining. The list goes on. There is<br />

quite literally a “rule” for every part of<br />

dining, although learning the basics is<br />

enough to fool people into thinking you<br />

know what you’re doing.<br />

“<strong>No</strong>thing says, ‘I’m someone you<br />

can trust’ like a person who is more<br />

concerned with others than themselves.<br />

Holding a door, saying please and thank<br />

you and being an excellent diner lets<br />

everyone know you care,” said Robin<br />

Wells, previous owner of Robin Wells<br />

Marketing and Etiquette Manor. Making<br />

a good first impression at job interviews,<br />

dinner parties or meeting the parents can<br />

rely so heavily on proper table etiquette,<br />

which oftentimes Generation Z may not<br />

necessarily be familiar with.<br />

There is no reason that proper table<br />

etiquette, or a lack thereof, should be<br />

what prevents someone from getting a job<br />

or leaving a bad taste in someone’s mouth<br />

at a dinner party when it is incredibly<br />

easy to learn. “Remember dining is a<br />

chance to enjoy and share the company<br />

of others. Eat quietly, draw little attention<br />

to yourself and always be someone who<br />

is more concerned with the people you’re<br />

with. You’ll get many more invitations,”<br />

said Wells.<br />

In an interview by Ohio Dominican<br />

University, Cathi Fallon, founder and<br />

director of The Etiquette Institute of<br />

Ohio, said dinner interviews have become<br />

the preferred way to search for employers.<br />

“In many instances, employers favor<br />

candidates who display proper interaction<br />

and etiquette, and that could be the<br />

deciding factor in getting a job offer,” said<br />

Fallon..<br />

Etiquette is simple yet detailed. Once<br />

the rules are learned, they are almost<br />

impossible to forget. The rules differ<br />

slightly depending on whether someone is<br />

dining in or out. The basics of proper table<br />

etiquette are to know about napkin use,<br />

when to eat, silverware and glassware.<br />

According to The Spruce, when dining in,<br />

wait until the host unfolds their napkin.<br />

That is the cue to do the same. When<br />

dining out, place the napkin in your lap<br />

upon sitting down. Napkins should be<br />

kept in your lap until you’re finished<br />

eating.<br />

When it comes to eating, there is a<br />

difference between small and large groups.<br />

According to Etiquette for Everyday, if<br />

you are with a group of eight or smaller,<br />

it is proper to wait until everyone is<br />

served before you begin eating. The one<br />

exception is if one member is waiting on<br />

their food and says “please go ahead.”<br />

This is to ensure the rest of the party’s<br />

food does not get cold. When dining with<br />

a group larger than eight, you may begin<br />

to eat as soon as those seated around you<br />

are served as well.<br />

The last basic rule to know in order<br />

to navigate a dinner is deciphering<br />

the different types of silverware and<br />

glassware, and where to place them<br />

in case you decide to host your own<br />

dinner. Depending on the setting,<br />

whether a dinner party, an interview<br />

or brunch at a local diner, there may be<br />

different silverware at each. At the bare<br />

minimum, a set table should always<br />

have a plate, napkin, fork, knife and<br />

spoon at every seat. Nicer restaurants or<br />

more extravagant dinner parties tend to<br />

have a wider variety of silverware and<br />

glassware but it’s important to learn the<br />

fundamentals first.<br />

According to Food52, a run of the mill<br />

table setting will have a fork to the left of<br />

the plate, a knife to the right of the plate,<br />

the plate being in the center, a spoon to<br />

the right of the knife and a water glass<br />

above, and a little to the right of the knife.<br />

If the dining is a bit more sophisticated,<br />

there will be an additional fork called a<br />

salad fork that sits outside of the dinner<br />

fork, both to the left of the plate. The forks<br />

should be arranged in the order the food<br />

is consumed, think of salad as being an<br />

appetizer. On the right side of the plate,<br />

from left to right, there should be a dinner<br />

knife, a dessert spoon and a soup spoon.<br />

Above the silverware on the right of the<br />

plate, there should be a water glass, wine<br />

glass and then a coffee or tea cup from<br />

left to right. Sometimes there can also be<br />

a bread plate and butter knife to the left of<br />

the main plate.<br />

Finally, there is the formal dinner setup<br />

which isn’t as common but can occur<br />

at big events or nice restaurants. The<br />

majority of the forks remain on the left<br />

side of the plate, all except the oyster fork.<br />

On the outermost side is a salad fork, then<br />

a fish fork and finally a dinner fork. On<br />

the right side of the plate, the outermost<br />

utensil should be an oyster fork, then a<br />

soup spoon, fish knife and dinner knife.<br />

The glassware remains in the same place<br />

as before but the order should be a water<br />

glass, white wine glass and then a red<br />

wine glass, from left to right. For a formal<br />

dinner, the bread plate and butter knife<br />

remain as they were before, above the<br />

forks on the left side of the plate.<br />

These basic rules to follow when either<br />

dining in or out will elevate one’s etiquette<br />

skills immensely. Like Fallon said, having<br />

proper etiquette could be the difference in<br />

getting the job or not. At your next special<br />

event or dinner party, try to master the art<br />

of proper table etiquette and make sure<br />

that “when you’re a guest in someone’s<br />

home, make an effort to eat the food they<br />

serve, even if you don’t like what they’ve<br />

made, within reason,” said Abby Hall, a<br />

junior Engineering student at UA, said.<br />

Sir Benjamin Franklin said it best, “the<br />

handshake of the host affects the taste of<br />

the roast.”<br />

[57]


[58]<br />

Design Wesley Picard


Make way for plant-based and nondairy<br />

milk companies! These<br />

alternatives have gained popularity in the<br />

milk market in the last decade. With the new<br />

year, health and nutrition is a big priority for<br />

many people.<br />

It seems that many people have turned<br />

to non-dairy milk options by converting<br />

to dairy-free products due to dietary<br />

restrictions, being lactose intolerant or<br />

simply just choosing a healthier diet.<br />

In this new age and with the high demand<br />

for healthier options, these alternatives<br />

are not just in your local grocery stores.<br />

<strong>No</strong>w, you can substitute whole milk in our<br />

coffee shops, recipes, the food you eat at<br />

restaurants and you can even purchase in<br />

the stores and gas stations when you need<br />

that beverage for the road.<br />

From almond and oat milk to nut-free<br />

choices like pea, flax and soy milk, these<br />

milk alternatives are taking over and do not<br />

plan to go anywhere. What is the healthiest<br />

and best milk option?<br />

According to websites like Healthline.com,<br />

Womenshealth.com and FoodandWine.com,<br />

soy, almond and oat milk have been ranked<br />

the top alternatives. These alternatives are<br />

neck and neck when it comes to being the<br />

number one choice.<br />

Soy milk is the most common substitute<br />

made from soybeans, it carries a lot of<br />

benefits like vitamins and minerals that our<br />

body needs. Soy milk can help reduce heart<br />

disease, high blood pressure and build up<br />

our organs, muscles and bones.<br />

Soy milk is the closest non-dairy substitute<br />

to whole milk mainly because it is rich in<br />

calcium. Whole milk is still taking the lead<br />

in the market due to its rich creamy taste<br />

and its long history in the industry. When<br />

it comes to nutrition, there are many health<br />

benefits from whole milk, especially for<br />

young children and adults.<br />

Almond milk is popular amongst vegans<br />

and dairy-free gurus. Almond milk is an<br />

excellent source of vitamin E, which is<br />

superb for our bodies according to an article<br />

by Healthline.<br />

“I’ll switch between almond milk and oat<br />

milk because they both taste delicious in<br />

coffee,” said Teyana Winn, a sophomore at<br />

Shelton State Community College studying<br />

General Studies. As a college student who<br />

prepares her meals at home, Winn spends<br />

her time trying new healthy recipes and non<br />

dairy products.<br />

“Silk is a good brand,” said Winn.“I also like<br />

the brand Oat-ly whenever I get oat milk.”<br />

Winn started her milk substitute journey<br />

after watching a documentary about Fairlife.<br />

“I saw a documentary about Fairlife and it<br />

was disturbing,” Winn said. “It shows the<br />

process of getting cow’s milk, and I just did<br />

not like it. Plus, regular milk is not good for<br />

me.”<br />

Deciding which alternatives are better<br />

depends on the individual. Almond milk<br />

has the hearts of many because of its health<br />

benefits, taste and availability in most places.<br />

For individuals who do not prefer nut-based<br />

alternatives but want dairy-free lean toward<br />

other options like pea, flax, oat and coconut<br />

milk. Out of these choices, Oat milk is the<br />

best alternative people choose to consume.<br />

“Oat milk is the best quality non dairy<br />

milk to me, because it tastes closest to<br />

regular milk,” said Delaney Butler, a senior<br />

at The University of Alabama studying<br />

public relations. “I use almond milk too, but<br />

usually almond milk comes second to oat for<br />

me. Oat milk tends to be my go-to for any<br />

drink, recipe or meal, whereas almond milk<br />

fits better for smoothie making.”<br />

Both almond and oat milk are nutritious,<br />

flavorful and great substitutes, but between<br />

the two alternatives, oat milk seems to be<br />

more versatile compared to almond. The<br />

demand for oat milk continues to increase<br />

as more companies start supplying it. It was<br />

not until she was in her twenties when she<br />

realized that her stomach aching was from<br />

dairy. Oat milk is the better option for those<br />

with lactose intolerance and for those who<br />

want to avoid dairy altogether.<br />

“I am not allergic, but I do have an<br />

intolerance, so I chose to cut out dairy from<br />

my diet,” Butler said. “I also get other dairy<br />

free products like dairy free cheese, yogurt<br />

and ice cream.”<br />

Butler often spends her time studying at<br />

coffee shops which allowed her to find her<br />

perfect combination of coffee and non dairy<br />

milks. The texture for oat milk is creamier<br />

and smoother than almond milk, making<br />

it the closest to the dairy milk out of the<br />

two. Oat milk is also better in coffee and<br />

for cooking and baking. Oat milk is higher<br />

in dietary fibers compared to almond milk<br />

which helps with reducing a lot of health<br />

conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular<br />

diseases.<br />

“My favorite non dairy milks for coffee are<br />

Oatly Barista Blend or Califia Farms Barista<br />

Blend,” Butler said. “Both brands are smooth<br />

and creamy, and most coffee shops use these<br />

brands for your lattes.” Almond and oat<br />

milk are the top two substitutes for coffees.<br />

Which one is the better option for the coffee<br />

lovers on campus?<br />

One of the coffee shops on campus, Java<br />

City Coffee, which is located inside Gorgas<br />

Library is popular amongst the students and<br />

faculty. Anna Ammons who goes to Shelton<br />

State Community College is currently a<br />

senior studying Biology and is working at<br />

Java City Coffee and has been for three<br />

years. “Almond milk is my top pick because<br />

it is unsweetened, low in calories and carbs<br />

and has a boost in protein,” said Ammons.<br />

“I don’t always drink non dairy milk, but<br />

because I’ve been going on a low carb diet I<br />

do. I would rather consume non dairy milk<br />

with low calories than high calories.”<br />

When it comes to the most popular<br />

alternative amongst students, Ammons says<br />

almond milk is consumed the most.<br />

Almond milk was the only substitute they<br />

had for a while until recently Java City<br />

started providing oat milk. By the first day,<br />

oat milk was sold out and Ammons had<br />

to order another shipment for more oat<br />

milk. Almond milk is still the number one<br />

substitute consumed at Java City Coffee, but<br />

oat milk is becoming popular on campus.<br />

“Other than almond milk and oat milk,<br />

we provide skim milk but people rarely get<br />

that.” Ammons said.<br />

Though Java City’s options are limited, non<br />

dairy milk is in high demand and surely on<br />

its way to winning the race against whole<br />

milk.<br />

<strong>No</strong>n dairy milks are on the rise and will<br />

continue to take over the market. Consuming<br />

non dairy milk does more good than harm<br />

for many people. The best alternative<br />

depends on the individual. Soy, almond and<br />

oat are the main alternatives but when it<br />

comes to being the best alternative, soy milk<br />

is the better option if you want something<br />

closer to dairy milk, almond milk is the<br />

better option when it comes to availability<br />

and health benefits and oat milk is the better<br />

option for those who do not want a nutbased<br />

alternative and it’s the better option<br />

for consuming, cooking and baking. Milk<br />

alternatives will continue to grow and thrive<br />

around the world.<br />

[59]


CONNECT WITH US<br />

alice.ua.edu<br />

@alicethemag<br />

@alicethemag<br />

<strong>Alice</strong> Magazine<br />

[60]

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