Volume 9 Issue 1
The first issue of Volume 9 spotlights women, both past and present, who are leaving their mark through creativity. From historical women who blazed trails before us, to Supreme Court decisions that shape the lives of college students, and even the unapologetic act of reading smut in public spaces. Volume 9 Issue 1 is a tapestry that weaves together the threads of the past, present, and future, celebrating the power of artistic expression to provoke thought, challenge norms and ignite change.
The first issue of Volume 9 spotlights women, both past and present, who are leaving their mark through creativity. From historical women who blazed trails before us, to Supreme Court decisions that shape the lives of college students, and even the unapologetic act of reading smut in public spaces. Volume 9 Issue 1 is a tapestry that weaves together the threads of the past, present, and future, celebrating the power of artistic expression to provoke thought, challenge norms and ignite change.
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een lucky<br />
enough<br />
to travel outside of the mainland, such as Conor<br />
Curry, a computer engineering major at UA.<br />
Curry, 20, spent six years living in Hawaii while<br />
his dad was stationed in the Army. While there, he<br />
often visited Ala Kahakai, where he developed “a<br />
personal connection to the park.”<br />
“My personal favorite was Ala Kahakai, as<br />
living in Hawaii…really helped develop my love of<br />
nature,” Curry says.<br />
Since his days living in Hawaii, Curry<br />
has been to three national parks: the Rocky<br />
Mountains, White Sands and the Great Smoky<br />
Mountains. He has also been to three more<br />
national park sites outside of the original 63:<br />
Boston Harbor Islands, Cape Cod National<br />
Seashore and Lake Meredith.<br />
Like Stanek, Curry finds peace in the<br />
outdoors. Getting an escape from the “real world”<br />
in each of his visits to the national parks, Curry<br />
believes that every uninterrupted experience<br />
in nature is important to become “a part of the<br />
bigger picture outside the realm of daily life.”<br />
Based on regional features, Curry favors<br />
the Rockies over any other park. With multiple<br />
mountains over a mile in height and fostering<br />
immense biodiversity, “every experience is<br />
unique,” with differing parts of the year bringing an<br />
encounter “completely unique to the season.”<br />
While there were common denominators in<br />
parks visited among UA students and instructors,<br />
generally, the one most accessible to the<br />
University is the Great Smoky Mountains. A fivehour<br />
drive<br />
from Tuscaloosa, Stanek describes the mountains<br />
as a “comfort park,” with great hiking trails and a<br />
breathtaking “blue haze over the mountains.”<br />
The Great Smoky Mountains, commonly<br />
known as the Smokies, is rich in diversity of plant<br />
and animal life, as well as southern Appalachian<br />
history. As the most visited national park in the<br />
country, locals often flock to the region on fall and<br />
spring break to get a rest from the “real world,”<br />
immersing themselves in the calming lifestyle in<br />
nature.<br />
National Parks are a great way to get<br />
outdoors and see the natural beauty of the world.<br />
They can also be a great, more sustainable<br />
alternative to more expensive trips outside of the<br />
country. When booking a trip, next time consider a<br />
national park, and be amazed at all they have<br />
to offer.<br />
Photos and Design by Meagan Riordan<br />
Alice Fall 2023 43
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