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Coloring for Mental Wellness Challenge

Adult coloring books have been a recent trend among those looking for new ways to destress, but is it really worth the time of a UC San Diego student? I decided to make a deal with myself: I would color every day for a week, then decide if I should incorporate coloring into my daily routine.

Before beginning my challenge, I decided to take a look at the research on coloring for adults. Across online articles, there was a consensus that coloring is a loose form of art therapy. Coloring is said to reduce anxiety, increase focus, and promote mindfulness. Many studies have found that coloring every day was correlated with less anxiety and depression. Art therapy can be expensive and difficult to find (San Diego does not have a sole facility dedicated to art therapy), so it might be worth spending a couple extra dollars on an adult coloring book instead. While coloring as a child was a stressful experience (I was strictly a color-outside-the-lines child), maybe coloring as an “adult” would help me deal with the daily stresses of being a college student.

To get started, I purchased a coloring book called, “Tropical Wonders Color Art for Everyone,” because it had an aesthetically pleasing picture of palm leaves, but I failed to flip through and see if there were any other pages that intrigued me. When selecting a coloring book, I would strongly suggest picking a coloring book that is interesting to you. I also decided to invest in some good colored pencils (Prismacolor colored pencils are around $15 at most retailers) because of my childhood trauma of coloring with school pencils that needed to be forcefully pressed for the color to show. This purchase is unnecessary if you’re not impatient like me.

The first few days were rough. I was mostly thinking about all the work I could be doing instead of coloring in the corner of my room on a Sunday night. Initially, I did not put a time limit on the coloring, so I spent over an hour trying to finish one page of what felt like a billion toucans. I also found that my colored pencils were not as easy to work with. The next day, I broke my promise and refused to color because I was “too tired.”

I initially did not want to set a timer on the coloring process because I felt like it would make this challenge feel more like a chore, so I decided to assign a small section to each day. This way, I only colored for about 15 minutes, but I was immediately less stressed out compared to the first day. I was still a little annoyed at the toucans and questioned the design, but I felt that if I had not taken years of art in high school, I probably would not be thinking in this way.

Things began to get a bit easier a few days into the challenge. While it was a bit difficult to find the motivation to begin, coloring was more enjoyable once I was settled down. I began to focus less on the way my coloring looked and more on keeping my mind calm.

So, is adult coloring bogus or totally worth it? I would say somewhere in between. If you’re artistically inclined but do not have much experience in art, this could be for you. But for people who don’t like art, or for people who have spent years making art, this can be a little stressful. While I will not be jumping to incorporate this into my everyday routine, I would encourage everyone to try it at least once to see if it works for them.

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How To: Coping with a Friend Breakup

In an episode of “Gilmore Girls,” one of the main characters, Rory, goes through a devastating teenage breakup. Rory’s mother, Lorelai, insists that her daughter take time to wallow, but Rory refuses. Instead, she throws herself into a variety of distracting activities, often bringing her mom along. This lasts for about a week, until she finally breaks down with a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and announces that she’s finally ready to be sad.

Breakups with significant others have a pertinent role in media today. Many TV and movie couples break up in exaggerated ways in order to show how difficult coping with a breakup may be. Although romantic breakups are difficult, there are other relationship fallouts that should also be recognized, including friend breakups.

Some friend breakups can be easier. Maybe it was a natural parting or a friend moved away. Maybe it was a toxic friendship, and a decision had to be made to cut them out. Maybe it was a mutual realization that the casual friendship wasn’t worth holding on to. But the friend breakups that aren’t easy are the ones that include friends you always thought you would have.

At least, that was where I found myself this past summer. During my teenage years, I knew three things for certain: my favorite food was pizza, my cat Hazy was (and still is) the best pet ever, and my two best friends would always be there for me. When I reached my third year of college, I realized that those two friends were no longer by my side, and the decision was not mutual. As someone who fears change and loves consistency, I was disoriented because of the absence of friends I had grown accustomed to talking to every day. I realized that society has never really taught us how to deal with a friend breakup, or how to properly break up with a friend. Because of this lack of knowledge on what true friend breakups were, I felt like I was overreacting and that I was the only one going through this.

If you’re dealing with a friend breakup, know that you are not alone. Like Rory, it is okay to wallow in self-pity, just as you might for a breakup with a significant other. Both friendships and romantic relationships involve a level of vulnerability and trust, which can make losing a friendship just as difficult as a breakup. The difference is that friendships are always portrayed as something easy, when communication is just as important in friendships as it is between couples. In my experience, I found that giving myself a brief period to reflect and be alone was the best medicine in allowing me to feel better. A grieving process is necessary, because the first step to recovery is admitting to the emotions being felt. Watch rom-coms, eat lots of ice cream, have potato chips for dinner. Giving yourself time to feel sad will not make you feel better instantly, but it will help you accept what has happened.

Once you’ve given yourself time to grieve, allow yourself to reflect on the friendship. Although it can be uncomfortable to think about your mistakes when you’re already sad, remember that you did your best to be a good friend throughout the entire friendship and that you were kind, respectable, and 100 percent you. If you find that you have made a mistake, don’t wallow in self-blame, but use what you have learned and apply it to your current and future friendships.

What happens if you want to break up with a friend? In extreme cases, such as with toxic friendships, it is OK to simply cut off the friendship. However, if there is a specific event that is upsetting, and you care about them and value their friendship, be communicative. Tell them what’s bothering you instead of letting it boil up. Maybe they’ll correct their behavior, or maybe they’ll realize that they cannot change. You cared about this person at some point in your life, and they deserve some gentle explanation as to why you feel the friendship isn’t worth saving anymore.

Overall, friend breakups can be brutal on both sides, and it takes time to fully get over them. Remember that at this stage in our lives, we’re all trying to become who we are meant to be, and this occasionally requires a change in who we surround ourselves with. Friends should always be those who encourage you to be the best version of yourself, allowing you to grow as a person. Although I am sad to see my two most important friendships gone, I constantly remind myself that they probably did what they felt was best for them. I’m trying new things, focusing on school and work, and (most importantly) working on being a good friend with the friendships I still have. And while I’m still getting used to the idea that I don’t have these friends anymore, I am going to be OK, and you will be too.

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The Chicken Noodle Appeal

You’re in the middle of studying for midterms and all of a sudden, you feel it. The uncomfortable itching at the back of your throat can only indicate one thing: You’re getting sick. You try to stop it by chugging orange juice, Airborne, and Emergen-C, yet nothing helps the inevitable sickness that is about to plague you. Perhaps it was meant to be, but more likely, being stressed, hardly sleeping, and being exposed to thousands of young adults with thousands of germs may have been the culprit.

This is exactly what happened to me last week. My days were filled with cough drops, tissues, and NyQuil. Every time I had a spare moment, I would trudge back and forth between Sunshine Market for orange juice and hot tea from Audrey’s Café. In between this torturous running around, I was forced to cram in midterm studying and overwhelming amounts of homework. Yet, there was one thing I craved more than anything else in the world: soup. What better place to serve soup than in Price Center, in the middle of our campus?

Now, I understand that one can simply buy soup at the local grocery store on their own, which leads me to the question: When was the last time you had good soup at a grocery store? It’s probably been a long time because soup is best served in a restaurant format. Sure, you can have a decent bowl of soup from the grocery store, and you can always buy microwaveable soups and noodles, but the feeling isn’t the same. Grocery store soups heated up in a dingy microwave fall short of having a warm bowl of soup prepared just for you.

You may argue that I could have just walked into a grocery store, purchased ingredients for soup for much cheaper, and made soup for myself. There are a few holes in this theory, such as the fact that no one wants to slave over a giant pot when all you want to do is curl up in bed to sneeze your heart away. Also, soup is one of the most difficult culinary challenges to nail. It seems that moms are the only ones to capture the true art form of a good bowl of chicken noodle soup. Maybe when I’m older and wiser, with a 401(k) and extra time on my hands, I can make my own soups. For now, I am a busy college student that can barely watch one episode on Netflix without falling behind in three classes.

There are soups in most dining halls, however, not all UC San Diego students have Dining Dollars. Even for students with Dining Dollars living on campus, the soups offered in dining halls are not always appetizing and only have a small selection to choose from. Everyone has different soup preferences, so why not let the people choose? Imagine being sick and having chicken noodle soup, clam chowder, or minestrone all available for you to choose from? It’s the least UCSD can do.

There may be times when we crave other foods in addition to soup. Why not also explore cold soups, or even better, salads? Soup and salads are not rare foods to be served together, and there are a whole chain of restaurants serving these foods, including but not limited to Panera Bread and Souplantation. Why not have a soup and salad place in Price Center? It’s the most convenient place on campus, and it gets the most foot traffic, which means a high chance of success for a soup and salad place.

UCSD students deserve the possibility of soup. We are overworked and tired and often this leads  to weakened immune systems on campus. High stress can contribute to stomach pains and other health discomforts. With our busy schedules, who has time to go to the grocery store in the middle of midterms, much less prepare a large batch of soup for yourself? We should have the option of a hearty meal to help us with sickness pains or growing pains in general. When we’re so far away from our families, we deserve to have a few mini reminders of home, and nothing screams home more than a big bowl of chicken noodle soup on a cold school day. So, this is my proposal. I’ll be waiting with a giant spoon in one hand and my debit card in the other, and I’m sure many other students will be too.

[samirahmartinez-blog]

Not an Angel After All

Preface

Valentine’s Day is not always a happy holiday for people and can create a lot of negative feelings. If this sounds like you, know that you are not alone and I hope this article is helpful in your journey to recovery.

The Breakup

I was in bed dying of period cramps. I had three midterms in the upcoming week and was pushing through the physical pain to get my studying done. On top of that, I was an emotional wreck. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong. My phone buzzed and I got the dreaded text message: “We need to talk. I’ll be over in 10.” And there it was: a ten-minute warning for news that would be completely unexpected yet not surprising. On my way to his car, I was so out of it that I fell down the stairs and landed on my butt, which suddenly made everything 10 times worse. I stepped into his car and when I saw his face and refusal to make eye contact, I knew it was over.

The Aftermath

I called 10 people that night, telling the story in different ways and focusing on different aspects of the “relationship” that had made me unhappy. I sent him a text message that was so long it could have been confused with the script of a major motion picture. I detailed my feelings and the hurt that he had caused me. I shouldn’t have done it, but I also don’t regret it. As a writer, writing out my feelings really did help me process the breakup. In a way, it forced me to come to terms with the fact that the relationship was really over and that the boy I thought was an angel wasn’t an angel after all: He was just another person like me with his own feelings and fears.

The Coping

I am forever grateful for my friends in real life and even on social media. People I hadn’t talked to since high school were calling me to give amazing breakup advice. My mother dropped everything to drive to San Diego to spend a few hours with me and keep me company. Without an amazing support system of friends and family, I never would have been able to take the next steps to recovery.

I immediately developed a list I labeled “Post-Breakup Montage Moment” in which I created a checklist of the goals I wanted to accomplish. Although there were some trivial points like “sign up for yoga membership” and “actually go to yoga,” the most important one was “see a therapist.” I knew I had trauma from my past (who doesn’t?), and at some level, I knew that this could have influenced me to choose someone who wasn’t right for me. I scheduled an appointment the day after my breakup and finally attended my first therapy session. Although I was already starting to naturally recuperate on my own, I felt instantly better after our first session. It felt nice to not only get an outsider’s perspective on things but also develop tools to look at my own relationship objectively so I could begin my own personal healing process. I wanted this to be more than just a breakup; this setback was a chance for me to bring self-care to the forefront of my priorities, which was something I had never done before.

My Tips

Either way you slice it, breakups suck. I can sit here and recommend food or drinks from San Diego and types of ice cream you should be eating (which should be a lot) or tell you that it will all be okay and that time heals all, but you already know all of this. If you are going through a breakup, in light of Valentine’s Day, I strongly recommend attending therapy. Although I am still starting this new mental health journey, I believe it will teach me valuable lessons for future relationships and remind me to love myself regardless of whether a boy loves me, too.

Reaching out to Counseling and Psychological Services is a great place to start! Although I did not reach out to CAPS, they are located on campus which is one of the most convenient locations for UC San Diego students (especially those that live on campus). If you cannot wait for a CAPS appointment, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline either through call or online chat. This can help if you need to talk to someone instantly or if you are considering suicide, because they will instantly direct you to the resources and help you need. If you have health insurance outside of school, consider seeing a therapist in the San Diego area. It may be more out of your way than therapy on campus, but mental health should always be a priority.

And finally, my last “tip” is that unless you are Jim and Pam from The Office, try not to date a coworker if you can help it.

To the ex, if you’re reading this…

Thank you for indirectly helping me take the time to better myself. I hope you got something out of this, too. Good luck with everything.

[samirahmartinez-blog]

I Tried Using No Plastic for a Week

We all know that plastic is a problem for our oceans and marine life, but can college students truly be plastic free? Inspired by the Plastic-Free Challenge video posted by Lucy Fink from Refinery 29, I wanted to see if living plastic-free as a college student would be more of a challenge than for the average adult. I have always been conscious of sustainability and taking better care of our earth, but sometimes as a college student, you find yourself using plastic cutlery eating take out from Price Center in a plastic container. Is it even possible for UCSD students to live plastic free?

Before I started this challenge, I already had a few products in my possession that could help me along the way. First, I have my go-to reusable metal water bottle. Obviously, many of us use refillable water bottles on campus (shout out to everyone with a trendy Hydro-flask), but we often forget how helpful this can be in keeping plastic water bottles out of our landfills. Next, I have a package of reusable metal straws that I had purchased a few months ago. When I order iced coffee on-campus, I often forget to reach into my bag and grab these straws, but thankfully many cafes on campus have switched to paper straws. However, this week I really wanted to commit to this challenge, so I put these straws back in my backpack just in case.

The best way to be sustainable is to use products you already have, but I decided to temporarily swap out products that I already owned in favor of plastic-free products to get a sense of how challenging it may be to acquire these products. One of the areas where I found the most plastic packaging was in my face, body and hair care products. My shampoo and body wash were in plastic bottles, and even my toothbrush was entirely made of plastic. Thankfully, Lush in Westfield UTC offers a variety of plastic free products in bar form, including cleanser, shampoo, body soap, and even toner. With products that were more difficult to find, I turned to Amazon, where I was able to find a bamboo toothbrush to replace my plastic one and makeup-removing towels to replace my non-reusable makeup wipes. The most challenging part of going plastic-free in this area was just acquiring the products. It didn’t feel weird or out of place to switch to these products as they were easy to use.

Let’s talk about periods. Thanks to my irregular uterus, my monthly gift decided to come early and during this week’s challenge. While I mostly stuck to my regular routine, I discovered that the plastic wrapping of tampons and pads and even the tampon and pads themselves account for a large amount of waste that makes its way to our landfills and oceans. In addition, many pad and tampon companies pump these products with absorbing and odor-cancelling chemicals that can harm marine life. Menstrual cups are often seen as the most sustainable option as they can last through years of periods. However, the thought of inserting a menstrual cup kind of freaked me out, so I wanted to see if there was anything else out there. Finally, I found Natracare, a pad and tampon brand sold at Whole Foods, that has paper or plastic-free packaging, and their pads and tampons are often free of these harmful chemicals. I also found reusable cotton pads on Amazon, which I actually purchased and tried at home, and found them to be a lot more comfortable than normal pads and far less gross than they sound.

Despite my best efforts, I failed multiple times throughout this plastic-free challenge. When I ordered my iced coffee at a coffee cart and popped my metal straw in, I realized my cup and lid were plastic. Trader Joe’s, my grocery store of choice, often keeps my favorite fruits and vegetables in plastic packaging, which is something I completely forgot to account for. Finally, when I went to the thrift store inspired by my sustainability kick, it wasn’t until I left the store that I realized my new clothes were in a plastic Goodwill bag that I really didn’t need.

So can college students be plastic free? My answer is not entirely. While we can be conscious of our choices and try our best to be sustainable, it’s important to note that sustainable products are often viewed as trendy and therefore, the price of these products are hiked up. For a college student on a budget, fancy Lush shampoos may not be feasible. Additionally, we live in a world where plastic packaging is so ingrained in our culture that it’s easy for plastic to slip into our day-to-day life, as seen by my slip-ups this week. It wasn’t like I consciously chose to break my rule, but it just happened, often without realizing that I take plastic for granted. It is possible to make a change — no matter how small — if we take proactive measures every day. While you don’t have to go 100 percent plastic free, I think the best we can do as humans in this world is to be sustainable when we can, and splurge on more expensive, sustainable products wherever possible to show major companies that we prioritize sustainability. With time, maybe a sustainable future can become our new reality.

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Luxembourg and Aruba - A Multilingualism Research Paper Comparison

Introduction

To illustrate the differences of multilingualism acquisition, this paper will compare and contrast the highly multilingual countries of Luxembourg and Aruba and how each of these regions maintain their multilingual characteristics. Luxembourg is a small country found in Western Europe that borders France, Germany, and Belgium. Most of its population is native Luxembourgers, however the majority of the population is fluent in the official languages of Luxembourgish, French, and German, and many immigrants speak Portuguese. Aruba is a small country located in the Caribbean and is known for its tourism. Its official languages are Dutch and Papiamento (a creole language derived from Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and French), however English and Spanish are widely spoken due to tourism and immigration. Although both Luxembourg and Aruba are highly multilingual, significant differences in their history, educational systems, government policies, and societal usage of language are what sets these two countries apart.

History of Language Acquisition

           In order to understand the current linguistic situation of Luxembourg, it is important to understand the complexities of Luxembourg’s roots and its relationship with the languages spoken there. During the early 19th century, French troops occupied the area known as Luxembourg during the French Revolution, but later this region was gifted to the King of Netherlands (Brasseur, Moyse, & Scuto, 2006, p. 369). After the Belgian Revolution, a treaty was signed that made the country of Belgium include the area of Luxembourg, but the King of Netherlands did not wish to follow this territorial guideline, so Luxembourg was officially split into its own country. Despite this split, the capital of Belgium still controlled much of the area until Luxembourg’s independence in 1840. While Luxembourg often had cheap labor from foreign countries, it wasn’t until the mid-1960s that large number of Portuguese immigrants came to Luxembourg to work in the steel sector and continue to be the largest foreign community in the country today (Emigration and Immigration, 2016). Portuguese is one of the common languages spoken in Luxembourg due to immigration, however the languages of Luxembourgish, French, and German can be traced back to what superpowers owned the country as well as the countries that surround this small nation.

           Aruba also has a complex history that has determined the fate of its multilingualism. Aruba was originally inhabited by indigenous groups before it was conquered by Spain around 1499 (Alofs, 2003 p. 52). A Dutch company took over Aruba in 1636, and it remained in Dutch ownership afterwards. The booming oil industry also brought in many groups of company owners from all nationalities and their slaves. The combination of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and South American visitors to Aruba proved difficult in communication until a creole language combining all of these speakers’ languages was created, called Papiamento (“Language”). Since Aruba is still a Dutch territory, Dutch remains the official language, while Papiamento is the dominant language. Spanish and English are also languages spoken due to the influences from the nearby areas of the English-speaking Caribbean and Spanish-speaking Latin America. Tourism is a large industry in Aruba, which could also explain the emphasis on English and Spanish.

           While both countries require a historical insight to understand how each prominent language came to be so widely spoken, it is evident that Luxembourg’s languages arose through territorial shifts while Aruba rose through colonialism and majority dominance. Both Luxembourg and Aruba organically acquired their official and dominant languages through time and were dependent on outside factors. As seen in the explanations of each of their histories, each major historical shift was met with exposure to another language. Also, both countries seemed to be influenced by the languages spoken around them. Close proximity to France and Germany indirectly led to the acquisition of these languages in Luxembourg, and close proximity to the Caribbean and Latin America and its reliance on tourism led to English and Spanish being spoken in Aruba. Each country became multilingual due to historical shifts and geographical proximity.

However, the relationship in acquiring these languages was different because of the difference in acquisitional roots. The reason Luxembourg is multilingual appears to be due to the shifts in its ownership. Whether it was being invaded by the French or owned by Belgium, these countries and their involvement with Luxembourg seemed to influence its multilingualism. In contrast, Aruba faced repeated colonialism coming from largescale companies that were looking to exploit the country and its resources. People who were slaves were also unwillingly brought to Aruba, whereas no groups were unwillingly brought to Luxembourg. In addition, there was more variance in the groups that were in Aruba, whereas there was less of an influx of immigrants in Luxembourg. These differences merely serve to illustrate that the pathway to multilingualism is complex, which leads to each country having a unique relationship with its own country’s multilingualism.

 Government’s Role in Language

           The Luxembourgish government seems to recognize the importance Luxembourgish and often integrates language proficiency into its laws. Language is so important to the Luxembourgish government that it is a component in the path to nationalism. In order to determine Luxembourger nationality, applicants must demonstrate strong proficiency in the “Luxembourgish dialect.” (Brasseur et al, 2006, p. 368). Within the naturalization process, applicants must be able to demonstrate oral proficiency of the language, and those just entering the country are required to take courses based on Luxembourgish language and culture (Brasseur et al, 2006, p. 377). Although this law does not necessarily emphasize the other official languages of Luxembourg, it does show appreciation towards its native language.

           Aruba also emphasizes one main language within government just like Luxembourg does, however the relationship Arubans have with this language differs. Dutch is still the language that has the most significance in Aruba, and all government documentation is written in Dutch (Wiel, 2007, p. ii). Both Luxembourg and Aruba favor one language in establishing its citizens’ national identities. What differs is that the language emphasized in Aruba is due to colonialism and is not the language that most Arubans speak. According to the CIA’s records on Aruba, Papiamento is spoken fluently by 69.4% of the population compared to 6.1% of people who speak Dutch fluently (Central America – Aruba – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency, 2019). Despite these numbers, Aruba is still controlled by the Netherlands, and the emphasis on being able to speak Dutch continues. While the language of Luxembourgish emphasized by Luxembourg is the language spoken by most of the population, the language emphasized by Aruba is one that is not as culturally significant to the demographic populations of today.

Education

           Luxembourg follows interesting educational patterns that introduce each language one by one. While many scholars have different understandings of how the Luxembourg education system works, the Official Portal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg states that language learning “accounts for 50% of the curriculum,” (Which Languages at School?, 2018). In Luxembourg, all students are required by the government to attend school at the age of 4 in order to begin in the language acquisition process, where students are automatically exposed and encouraged to speak Luxembourgish. Students are then taught to read and write in German at age 6. French is taught at 7 years old, however the dominant language of instruction is still German. In secondary school, German continues to be the language of instruction for the first two years, and French is used for the last four years. Throughout their time in secondary school, students are taught English as a mandatory foreign language, and have the option of picking another foreign language to study. In higher education, universities usually conduct courses in French, English, or German. As is seen through this example illustrated on the official portal of Luxembourg, each language is used interchangeably and at different age stages in order to allow students to be multilingual.

One’s fluency in the official languages of Luxembourg is used as a way to determine the students that get into higher prestige schools. The more proficiency you have in each language, the likelier you are to be accepted into a top tier school, which proves difficult for immigrant children. Often when fluency in the languages cannot be fully achieved, migrant children will travel out of the country for schooling due to Luxembourg’s proximity to other European nations (Fehlen, 2002, p. 93). The country also offers “European and international” schooling for struggling immigrant children (Which Languages in School?, 2018). French is seen as the most prestigious language and many Luxembourgers feel ashamed of their French language skills and view them as improper (Fehlen, 2002, p. 91). Unfortunately, language proficiency can also develop signs of inequality within education. Even Luxembourg acknowledges that immigrant children may have a tough time learning these languages if they’ve started school late, which could be detrimental to their futures (Which Languages in School?, 2018).

           Although there is not much public information on the teaching of languages in Aruba, Aruba’s educational system follows educational requirements from the Netherlands. Despite Papiamento being the most prominent language of Aruba and being an official language, education is almost exclusively conducted in Dutch. Papiamento has only recently been introduced as a separate subject in secondary school, but only for a few lower grades, and there continue to be schools that conduct classes solely in Dutch (Barton, Leglise, & Migge, 2010, p. 237). Because of these reasons, many argue that the creole language is not being taken seriously. This seems to be an adequate accusation considering the long paths pidgins must take in order to officially become creoles with their own official linguistic systems. There are many qualifications that a pidgin must meet in order to be considered a creole and official language, such as analyzing its sociohistorical and linguistic aspects. Despite Papiamento meeting all of these qualifications, Papiamento speakers are still seeking integration of its language into its school systems. Spanish and English are required foreign language classes that all students must take as urged by the government (Wilks). Aruba also has large numbers of Spanish-speaking immigrants, which could also explain the high levels of Spanish spoken in the area (Central America – Aruba – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency, 2019).

           There are few similarities between the two countries and how they teach their languages in an educational setting. Both countries teach English as a foreign language requirement, which is interesting and seems to show an established importance on English despite not having strong roots in English speaking countries. Both countries also have downsides to the ways in which they have set up their education system, which shows that no system is perfect, and will be met with opposition. In the case of Luxembourg, fluency levels can lead to inequality, as students born in Luxembourg have more of an advantage than immigrant children. Because Aruba is still heavily influenced by the Netherlands, other languages, including one created in its very own territory, are not treated with as much importance within education. This is to say that there may never be a perfect path to multilingualism, and each method may be more helpful to some rather than others.

           The differences between these two countries are found in the way each language is treated within the educational system. Although French is viewed as superior by some Luxembourgers, it appears that Luxembourg has an equal relationship with each of its official languages. There is a tactful introduction to each of the languages and each language is used for different purposes, ie to learn reading and writing skills, Luxembourgers learn these skills in German. In this way, students are exposed to each of these languages as equally as possible. Dutch is the language used to educate students in Aruba, and all other languages (regardless of how important they are within society) are treated as extra foreign languages. Specifically, Papiamento, the native creole language spoken by most of the population, is not treated with as much importance within the education system. This shows that there is more of an emphasis on languages being taught in an educational setting in Luxembourg rather than Aruba. Luxembourgers learn their languages in an education setting, while those in Aruba may learn languages other than Dutch mostly from a perspective outside of education.

  Language in Society

           The use of Luxembourg’s official languages varies. Luxembourg seems to be the language most people speak, but code-switching is common in Luxembourg and new words are created based on the blend of its most common languages (Fehlen, 2002, p. 88). Despite Luxembourg being the language most Luxembourgers share, French is the most commonly spoken language, as it is often used in the workplace (Fehlen, 2002, p. 91). As mentioned, it is also viewed as the most prestigious language, although the country has been striving to increase its use of Luxembourgish. There is a large number of Portuguese immigrants in Luxembourg, and this minority group brings in their own Portuguese language but must learn the official languages in order to advance in their careers.

           In day to day life, Aruba mostly uses Papiamento for daily communication, as it combines languages of all the different nationalities that initially inhabited the area. Dutch is the prominent language in Aruba, but citizens still use the creole language more. Probably the most important reason as to why Aruba has high numbers of multilingualism has to do with the influx of immigrants and tourism. Due to its close proximity to Latin America, there are a large number of Spanish-speaking immigrants in the country, including Colombian, Dominican, Venezuelan, and Peruvian peoples (Central America – Aruba – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency, 2019). Aruba is also most known for its tourism due to its tropical climate and unique beaches. English is the prominent language used with tourists, which may be why it is a foreign language requirement in schools. It is well known that in Aruban tourist areas, English is often spoken as it is a common shared language. Dutch is still used occasionally from a professional standpoint, but the language spoken with neighbors and within communities is Papiamento. The creole language originally began due to a boom in the search for oil on the island, with oil companies and their slaves needing to communicate with Aruban locals and has remained ever since (Weil, 2010, p. 6). While it may seem strange that Dutch is the language that is taught in schools, but no one speaks it outside of school, it is not uncommon to see those that excel in Dutch to want to continue their higher education outside of Aruba in favor of leaving to the Netherlands or the United States (Weil, 2010, p. 6). In these cases, Arubans will choose to stay in these countries after finishing their education rather than returning to Aruba.

           Despite being highly multilingual, both Luxembourg and Aruba favor one language in day-to-day life, with Luxembourgers speaking Luxembourgish and Arubans speaking Papiamento. Luxembourgish is the common language and mother tongue of the country, and more that 85% of Luxembourgers speak it fluently (Europe - Luxembourg – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency, 2019). There is also a high percentage of Arubans that speak Papiamento and it is the most spoken language. The differences between these two countries is due to the relationships between languages. It appears as though the languages of Luxembourg are often intermixed through code-switching, and although languages like French are used in a workplace setting, there does not seem to be a strong preference for a certain language being exclusively used in different social contexts. While there are a few social contexts where a language is most prominent, such as English being used in tourist settings, Aruba primarily speaks in Papiamento. There does not seem to be a strong relationship with code switching or using languages interchangeably, but this could also be attributed to the fact that the creole already has strong influences from many outside languages.

Conclusion

           Every country has a different relationship with language, and this can be seen in comparing and contrasting Aruba and Luxembourg. It appears that Luxembourg has actively pushed for multilingualism and its maintenance and has actively worked to make this quality a part of their national identity. Aruba still suffers from the effects of colonialism, so languages like Dutch are often looked at with prestige and made to be the dominant language. However, despite the government’s desire to keep Dutch at the forefront, the creole language of Papiamento continues to prevail, and efforts continue to be made towards making Papiamento even more prominent in the educational system. High numbers of immigration and the effects of colonialism seem to be what keeps this country at high rates of multilingualism. There is no wrong way to be multilingual, and by highlighting Luxembourg and Aruba, one can better understand how multilingualism comes to be and how it can be maintained.

           BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alofs, L. (2003). The Aruba Heritage Report: Aruba’s intangible cultural heritage, an inventory.

Aruba National Commission.

Bartens, A., & Leglise, I., & Migge, B. (2010). Creoles in Education: An appraisal of current

programs and projects. John Benjamins Publishing.

Brasseur, P., & Moyse, F., & Scuto, D. (2006). Luxembourg. Acquisition and Loss of

Nationality. Amsterdam University Press.

Fehlen, F. (2002). Luxembourg, a Multilingual Society at the Romance/Germanic Language

Border. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development. Retrieved from

http://doi.org/10.1080/01434630208666456.

Languages. Retrieved from https://www.visitaruba.com/about-aruba/general-aruba-

facts/language/

Neuman, M. J., & Oberheumer, P., & Schreyer, I. (2010). Luxembourg. Professionals in Early

Childhood Education and Care Systems. Verlag Barbara Budrich.

Weil, K. I. (2010). Perceptions on the Social Status of Papiamento in Contrast to its Official

Significance in Aruba and Curacao (Master’s Thesis). Retrieved from JSTOR.

Wilks, Duffy Austin. Aruba. Retrieved from

https://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/74/Aruba.html

(2016, December 16). Emigration and Immigration. Retrieved from

http://luxembourg.public.lu/en/le-grand-duche-se-presente/population/emigration-

immigration/index.html

(2018, July 30). Which Languages in School? Retrieved from http://luxembourg.public.lu/en/le-

grand-duche-se-presente/langues/utilisation-langues/ecole/index.html

(2019, May 1). Europe - Luxembourg – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency.

Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/lu.html

(2019, May 7). Central America - Aruba – The World Factbook – Central Intelligence Agency.

           Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/aa.html

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Essay for Marine Biology Presentation

           The photo I have selected is of the flower hat jelly, also known as Olindias formosus. The picture was taken in Shikoku, Japan, off the coast of the small rural village called Kannoura. In this village, there is an absence of light pollution, so it is unusually dark, which makes it easier to find this type of jellyfish in its dark oceans. The photo was taken by photographer and naturalist Tony Wu, who is known for his underwater photography and has received many awards including the Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

           The flower hat jelly is from the Olindiidae family and the hydrozoan family, meaning that it is not a true jellyfish. It mostly feats on small fishes and uses its tentacles to capture them. The flower hat jelly is also semi-benthic which means it can spend some of its time on the seafloor. Although not poisonous, the sting of this jelly can leave a painful, red rash. In this photo, this creature is fluorescent, which is how it is able to be spotted in dark waters. There are many reasons why some marine species have fluorescent properties, so in 2015, scientists set out to try and investigate why the flower hat jelly has fluorescent abilities. Scientists believe that the rockfish confuse the flower hat jelly’s glowing green tentacles with green algae, therefore making the rockfish easy prey. Overall, this highlights a marine animal’s unique ability to use its own characteristics as a way to thrive in its environment.

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Film Class Final Essay on Camp

The “campy” movie genre can best be described as an artistic aesthetic that is over-the-top and extravagant. Little Shop of Horrors is a campy musical that follows the story of a man named Seymour trying to maintain a man-eating alien plant in order to keep his job. The Rocky Horror Picture Show follows a young conservative couple and their journey stumbling upon a castle full of unconventional guests. Hairspray centers around a teenager named Tracy who auditions for a dance TV show despite facing backlash for being overweight. The three films of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Little Shop of Horrors, and Hairspray should be considered comedic campy classics because although they each use unique aspects of formal analysis to create a campy aesthetic, they all utilize camp as a means of highlighting important issues of materialism, gender roles, and racial segregation plaguing society.

           The Rocky Horror Picture Show uses a random narrative and over-the-top acting to establish a strong sense of camp in the movie, and to prove one of its underlying messages that gender is fluid. Although the premise of the film is simple in theory, the way this narrative is presented is quite random. Each scene often has nothing to do with the other, and the characters randomly burst into song. This can be seen in the beginning of the film, where the character Dr. Frank-N-Furter creates a man to be used as a sex slave, and murders someone just a few minutes later for starting their own dance number. These seemingly random plot points emphasize the overly dramatic and establish a campy, “anything goes” tone, which is a stark contrast to the “normal” order of society. When presenting new ideas like gender fluidity, the random tone that has been established makes gender fluidity easily digestible to viewers, therefore making its message stronger. The presentation and acting of Dr. Frank-N-Furter further challenges the norms of society. The scientist is a transvestite that wears dramatic feminine clothing, heels, and makeup despite his masculine appearance. His theatrical movements are often feminine and overtly sexual which can be considered comical considering he is a rather large and masculine-looking male. However, his character does not conform to any one gender or sexual interest which, in combination with the random narrative, emphasizes the overarching theme of gender fluidity.

           Little Shop of Horrors uses a dramatic narrative and unique sound to criticize the materialistic aspirations of society.  The idea of having an alien, man-eating plant is campy because of its overdramatic nature. Audiences laugh at the personality the plant develops, but the other-worldly nature of the plant can be seen as a symbol for how desperate people are to achieve wealth. Even though this plant is a monster, Seymour does not want to lose the money and success he has acquired. He even goes as far as indirectly murdering people in order to keep the plant alive, which shows the lengths he will go to in order to keep his successful facade. This obsession with material possessions can also be seen in the song, “Somewhere That’s Green,” where Audrey details her desire to live with Seymore in a home with things like an enormous TV and plastic-covered furniture. The song’s sequence is an over-dramatic representation of life in the suburbs, which creates its campy aesthetic through over-the-top singing. This song shows that even though Audrey has real feelings for Seymour, the ultimate success in her life is to have a home and more possessions. Audrey eventually gets her happy ending, but this song still pokes fun at the shallow details of life in the suburbs. The campy atmosphere created in this film highlights society’s obsession with wealth by poking fun at the glamorous aspirations of its characters.

           Hairspray uses low-budget mise-en-scene and a lighthearted narrative to establish a campy quality and propose a solution to racial inequality. Hairspray, which was released in the 1980s, tries its best to mimic the era of the 1960s through dramatic props and costuming, which only creates a comical impression of a low-budget film. The overdramatic nature of this costuming can be seen in Tracy Turnblad’s hair which is unrealistically large. This dramatic take on the retro costuming makes Tracy look even more unlikely to get a position on the Corny Collins Show. Despite those appearances, Tracy gets the position and shows audiences that even the most unlikely of people can accomplish their dreams. Fueled by dance numbers and comical moments, this upbeat tone is

also applied to the narrative of this film. With only a quick protest and a few fun dance numbers, the Corny Collins show is officially integrated, and the segregation issue is solved. Although racial issues are more complex than they are presented in this film, the message here is that racial issues can be accomplished just as Tracy accomplished her dream: through over-the-top positivity. Regardless of whether this message towards solving racial inequality is realistic, it cannot be denied that the dramatic campy nature of this movie pushes this message to the surface.

The messages of the films are unique, but it is important to recognize that these films are related because of their ability to use subversive disruptive methods to comment on societal issues. Subversive disruptive methods in comedies are created by delivering an idea that may not align with the societal understanding already present. This contrast allows for comic moments while still making commentary on society. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released in the mid-1970s and presents characters that go against the notion that males must be masculine and females must be feminine. By having characters that play with the limits of androgyny, these qualities challenge the norms of society by suggesting that gender is not binary. The Little Shop of Horrors pokes fun at materialism through song and narrative despite an emphasis on material wealth in the era it was released. This film showed that there was more to life than society was asking for at the time. Hairspray challenges the notion that one needs to be conventionally beautiful in order to achieve one’s dreams. This is quite different from the superficial culture of the 1980s that required following the latest trends to be considered up-to-date. This message creates an environment where everything is possible, including racial equality. Each of these films presented their commentary subtly, and by using the campy aesthetic, they strengthened their arguments even more.

Overall, these films should be under the same category because of their ability to use a campy aesthetic to further the underlying message of the film. The Rocky Horror Picture Show uses its campy acting and narrative to develop the concept of gender fluidity. Little Shop of Horrors pokes fun at the wealth most of society is trying to achieve through large singing sequences and an alien narrative. Hairspray uses over-the-top costuming and an upbeat narrative to help readers feel that issues of racial discrimination can be easily solved with a positive attitude. These movies use the campy aesthetic to their advantage in order to see the importance of the lessons they are trying to teach audiences. This use of campy aesthetic shows that the genre of a movie plays a significant role in delivering the main message of the film.

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One Last Try by Samirah Martinez

Mary sat at the table and stared at the man before her. Judas was beautiful, in every sense of the word. His dark curls that she loved to run her fingers through had been cut since the last time she saw him, and she was able to faintly distinguish a scar on the left side of his scalp. How had she never noticed this one little flaw? Had she had more time to do so, she would’ve asked him when he got it. She really wanted to ask now, but the moment felt wrong. Would he know that she was still desperate to return to him and give it one last try?

Mary stopped staring at her now ex-boyfriend and aggressively swished the plastic straw of the iced tea that she had ordered before he arrived. The drink so cold that she had to grab her legs and cuddle them close to her as she continued to drink. She could feel his gaze on her, but he still didn’t say a word. The seconds dragged by, and she began to tap her foot against the concrete tile below her and swish her plastic straw with more force. It felt strange having nothing left to say. She remembered how their first date had been spent drinking coffee in his car and how they had spent hours upon hours talking about their lives. Mary inspected the coffee shop that they had decided to meet in today. It wasn’t as cozy as the one they went to on their first date, but maybe it was just because of the circumstances. The coffee shop on their first date had comfy couches and warmth while this one was full of concrete black seating that didn’t feel homey at all. She could almost feel her heart tumbling down to the concrete floor and splattering to pieces. What she would give to start everything over again and do it right this time.

Judas got up and Mary had no choice but to mirror his actions. They collected their things and walked out of the coffee shop. Her hands trembled as they held onto the frigid cold of the drink she could hardly taste anymore. He had dumped her, and he didn’t want to get back together. This was their final moment.

“Goodbye,” she heard herself say as she walked to her car.

“Goodbye,” he called back. “And thank you for everything.”

As Mary drove back to her apartment, she could feel the tears falling down her cheeks, and they only escalated in speed as she walked up the stairs without him by her side. Judas had almost always been there with her like a shadow extension of herself. Her bed felt emptier and colder than ever before, which kept her tossing and turning in her small bedroom until the early hours of the morning. She wiggled her toes against the soft gray covers of her twin-sized bed until finally, she could not take the annoying buzzing in the back of her mind. She had to get Judas off her mind somehow.

The first thing she did was reach for her phone. She deleted all the pictures and memories that could remind her of him: their first anniversary, their first Christmas together, the selfies with their smiling faces that would never smile together again. Next came the presents. She scoured through her room and ripped apart the inside of her closet. Old Valentine’s Day teddy bears and sweaters he had loved on her were now in a clearly marked donation bin. The only thing left was the handwritten note he had given her on a night she had not been feeling particularly confident in herself. It told her that she was beautiful and that she was enough. Mary almost laughed at it now as she laced her fingers around the letter and slowly moved her thumb across his neat handwriting. How could she have refused to believe his words back then?

Without thinking, she reached into her wooden cabinet and pulled out a candle. A strong waft of cinnamon vanilla coffee filled the room when she opened its container. When she had originally purchased this black candle from a random shop off 7th street, the candle had not had a scent, but Mary shrugged this off. It would have to do.

She stomped her way to her dining room table. Her eyes stung as she lit the candle, but if he wasn’t coming back, Mary would have to get rid of the evidence that he had been in her life in the first place. The seconds passed as she moved the letter closer and closer to the candle.

“I wish we could start over,” she cried as she finally let the flames wrap around the crinkled lined paper.

This is the last thing she remembers. Mary is now sitting in her bed and wiggling her toes under her warm covers. She doesn’t remember moving to her bed, or even falling asleep, but she shrugs this off and reaches for her phone to read her text messages.

Judas: Are you ready for our first date tonight? ;)

She blinks once. Twice. Three times. First date? Was he just messing with her? She is about to send him a text back asking him what his problem is, when she catches the date at the corner of her phone. September of last year.

Last year?

She looks around the room as if for confirmation that she isn’t insane and notices the posters on her walls were from before her final room renovation, and that had been months ago. She stares at her old Back to the Future poster and the small smile etched across Michael J. Fox’s face. Is she having a Marty McFly experience? Has she stumbled into a time machine, or is she actually going insane?

She reaches back into her cabinet and finds the black candle behind a pair of old socks. It looks like it has never been used before, and there’s no scent of cinnamon vanilla coffee anywhere. She screams until she runs out of breath and throws the candle across the room. She needs answers, and she needs answers now. The candle is the last thing she remembers, how can it not be used? There has to be something in that candle, like some strong drug to make her go crazy. It cannot possibly be her. She grabs some clothes and quickly switches out of her pajamas before grabbing her keys. Stumbling out the door, she all but launches into her car and weaves in and out of fellow cars and pedestrians until she haphazardly parallel parks outside of the shop off 7th street. If the candle was laced with some sort of drug, she deserved to know. It will explain everything. It has to.

Unfortunately for poor Mary, she would never get her answer. The store is no longer there and it is now another vacant property that would probably be converted to an Instagram-friendly coffee shop in a matter of months. Mary goes back to her car and sighs. The honks are growing louder in intensity as passing drivers see her hogging the free parking spot. It was official: she has managed to go back in time (a year to be exact). What is she going to do now?

The unanswered text message remains on her phone, as if it was the answer to all of her questions. She replies.

Yes, Judas. Can’t wait for our first date! :)

Flashforward a few hours, and the fact that Mary had managed to travel back in time a year has simply slipped from her mind. Every inch of her bedroom was covered with jewelry, hair products, and clothing. She couldn’t remember what she had worn on her original first date with Judas, but it didn’t matter. This time, she would have to get it right and look as irresistible as possible. She settled on her favorite pair of jeans and a nice shirt, and spent hours working on taming her bright red curls.

When she arrives at the coffee shop, she is able to spot him wearing the exact same thing he had worn that first date those many months ago: dark wash jeans, a button-down shirt, a smooth leather jacket, and nice dress shoes he only pulls out on special occasions. His dark brown curls are tossed casually, but she knows he spends hours on his hair every morning.

“Hey Mary,” he grins.

“Hey Judas,” she gets up and hugs him very casually, as if she has no idea how this next year will pan out.

“Are you ready to order?” Judas asks.

“Sure,” she says.

They order their coffees and look around the room. As Mary expects, the coffee shop is cramped, and there’s no seating anywhere. Just like last time.

Judas looks around. “We can always drink our coffee in my car.”

“Sure, I’d love that,” she says. Last year, Mary had played it coy and giggled when he had suggested it, but she is going to be different now. Gone is the shy and giggly Mary who cannot speak for herself. She welcomes the new and improved confident Mary who will always speak her mind.

They slide into their seats in his car. She has missed this car and its clean interior and roof window. They had spent many dates having deep conversations about life in this car, and her heart bubbles in her chest at the realization that she will be able to do it all over again.  

“Gross,” Judas says. “I asked for a lot of foam and they didn’t give me any.”

“Is it really that big of a deal?” she muses.

Judas stares at the coffee before him. “I mean, I guess not. Just annoying, that’s all.”

“That’s a shame,” she says. “It smells really good.”

“Yeah,” he peeks at the coffee before taking another sip. “It’s cinnamon vanilla. My favorite.

Mary smiles. “That makes sense.”

“What makes sense?”

“Um, you seem like a cinnamon vanilla kind of guy?”

“What does that mean?”

“Um,” she shrugs. “Sugar and spice and everything nice?”

Judas chuckles at that. “Well alright then.”

They partake in a bit of friendly banter before moving on to the typical dating and relationship conversation. Judas is surprisingly eager to have this conversation.

“I was dumped a few months ago. It was a very unhealthy relationship and I was in it on-and-off for three years. Worst time of my life,” he says.

Mary remembers how she had ignored this comment last year. She would have to do the opposite.

“What happened in that relationship?” she asks.

“What didn’t happen in that relationship?” he sighs. “She dumped me on the way to the airport to go visit her, that’s how bad it was. She wouldn’t talk to me about her problems and what she was feeling. How was I supposed to know she found me boring? That’s not an excuse. Everyone is boring at one point or another. There’s a moment when things stop getting exciting, and the relationship turns to a companionship. At least, that’s what I think.”

“I guess I would agree,” she said. “Boring is normal sometimes.”

“You know, you remind me of her sometimes,” he says. “You two have the same bright red hair.” He reaches over and strokes Mary’s hair. “It’s pretty.”

Poor innocent Mary has hardly heard the first part of the compliment, which is arguably the most important part. She smiles at the fact that Judas has called her pretty and she smiles confidently back. He’s still into her, just like he used to be!

“You’re pretty, too,” she smiles.

“Uh, thanks,” Judas laughs airily.

Their first date plays out just as she had remembered it. When she gets back to her apartment, Mary falls onto her couch and falls asleep dreaming of Judas, how much they love each other, and how grateful she is for the opportunity to make things right again.

Their relationship follows the same structure in the first few dates, but Mary is different now. She makes it a point to always call and text him at least once a day so he knows just how much she likes him. When he does something that bothers her, she calls him out on it. Just this past week, she has complained about how much he talks about his ex at least three times. This has to be the reason why the relationship hadn’t worked. Communication is important, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to be the girl he wants this time.

Three months into their brand-new relationship, Mary is sitting at home. Her Back to the Future poster looks dusty and gray as she takes it off the wall. She is remodeling her room to return to the new aesthetic she had gotten used to. The left-hand corner of her room is filled with brand new plants that she’s excited to nurture back to health. Changing her room up always gives Mary a sense of control. There’s this strange gray feeling in Mary’s stomach when she thinks of Judas, but she seems to let it go. A new room will be good for her. After all, who wants boring anyway?

Her phone buzzes and she answers the call with a smile on her face. “Hey handsome. What’s up?”

Judas coughs on the other line. “Um, we need to talk.”

“What about?” she asks as she places a newly-purchased plant on its designated shelf.

“I want to break up.” Judas say. “It’s not you, it’s me. It’s just a timing thing, you know? Things have gotten really busy recently. I’m sorry.”

She can feel her heart falling all over again, and she sits down on her fluffy rug because she can no longer stand. “What do you mean a timing thing?”

“I’m just not ready to be in a relationship right now,” he says.

           “Why does it feel like you’re lying to me?” she says.

           Judas sighs the sigh he always makes when he is annoyed. “Listen, I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, but I am sure of this. We’re just not compatible, okay? You always call me out for shit and it makes me feel bad. My ex never did that to me, and I don’t think I appreciate it.”

           “Fine,” she says, an idea formulating in her head. “See you later.”

           “No, you won’t,” he says.

           She hangs up the phone and throws it across the room to her bed. The tears start to fall when she realizes her grave error: they had talked about their ex way too much. It was her fault. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Talking about the ex and calling him out for it would only remind him of her. She shouldn’t have even mentioned his ex! She would need to change herself once more. That was the answer. She was clearly better than his ex after all.

           Mary rubbed the tears off her face and reached into her cabinet. There, in the back of the cupboard next to an old pair of socks, was her black candle. The scent of cinnamon vanilla coffee was back. She grabbed the candle and the letter Judas had given her just a few days before, and she stomped her way back to the living room.

           “Just one last time,” she sighs as she begins to light the candle.

[samirahmartinez-blog]

Use Your Clothes to Inspire a Good Workout!

Happy Monday,

Did you know clothes can influence your workout?

According to the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, athletes wearing red won more events at the 2004 Olympics than athletes who wore other colors. The study also found that people who wore red during a workout had a higher heart rate and could lift heavier weights, indicating that those who wore red had a more intense workout.

Additionally, studies show that if you start out your day wearing work out clothes, you may be more inspired to go to the gym later in the day. And buying a brand-new workout outfit can get you even more excited to hit the gym!

If you’re in a workout rut and need inspiration, switching your everyday workout gear to red may be just what you need! Give it a try!

Sincerely,

[samirahmartinez-blog]

Spring Quarter Capsule Wardrobe

There are many positive aspects to spring, including increased amounts of flowers, butterflies, and sunny days. However, dressing for the temperamental San Diego weather can be a challenge during this season. Sometimes it’s hot, then it’s cold, then you’re not even sure what you’re feeling; you just know that you didn’t dress for the weather. A capsule wardrobe devoted to spring outfits can be the perfect solution to this fashion dilemma, because although you have a limited amount of clothing, each piece can be used in new ways to create outfits that are easy to put together for those rushed school mornings. Here are a few basics to get you started on your own personal capsule wardrobe.

Denim Shorts

While these are a classic staple in any summer wardrobe, the beauty of denim shorts in the springtime is that they can be paired with winter pieces like sweaters or hoodies to create simple and easy spring outfits. If you are looking for some new shorts to add to your wardrobe, H&M sells inexpensive denim shorts that come in a variety of different colors.

   Mom Jeans

Mom jeans are characterized as fitting comfortably at the waist but baggy in the leg area. The fact that this style of jean doesn’t cling onto your legs like skinny jeans makes them a practical addition to your wardrobe for those extra warm days. While mom jeans are on trend at the moment and can be found in most stores, American Eagle is a good, affordable option for those of us who are on the shorter or taller ends, as this brand gives people the option of selecting the leg length of jeans from XS to XL.

   Hoodie

Never underestimate the beauty of a hoodie. Though it may not be considered the most fashionable clothing item, this outerwear is so easy to throw in your backpack and take on and off throughout the day. While there are many places to purchase a good quality hoodie (even on campus), a hoodie from your favorite musician’s merch line can guarantee that you’ll like that hoodie enough to get a lot of wear out of it this spring season.

   Graphic T-shirt

A fancy graphic t-shirt can add a cool edge and personality to your spring wardrobe. The best part of this t-shirt is that it pairs easily with anything, and you can always add a hoodie or cardigan while still maintaining the integrity of your outfit. Thrift stores are often filled with unique t-shirts that are sure to be owned by you and no one else.

   Fitted turtlenecks/long-sleeve shirt

Lightweight long-sleeve shirts are the underdogs of layering. The best part about a fitted turtleneck or long-sleeve is that you can wear it underneath t-shirts, camisoles, or dresses when it’s cool outside but still bright enough to wear summer pieces. You can find these shirts at any stores that sell basics such as H&M, Forever 21, or Zara. You can even go the extra mile and get a few different colors that allow you to mix and match even more possibilities.

   Denim jacket

Denim jackets are a solid layering piece that go with just about everything. They’re not too warm, which make them the perfect outerwear for a warmer spring day. Consider thrifting a denim jacket to ensure high quality fabric with a low price tag.

   White sneakers

White sneakers go with just about everything, from cute spring dresses to a casual t-shirt and jeans look. Not only can they be super versatile, but it’s a practical shoe to wear when running from Sixth College to Roger Revelle College for class while still looking fashion-forward.

   Boots

You know that pair of boots you bought over the winter that were super cute but useless at keeping your feet warm? Consider getting some use out of those boots by wearing them in the springtime! Fancy footwear like a good boot can make any outfit seem like you put in some level of effort. Even adding a nice pair of boots to a basic t-shirt and a pair of jeans can help elevate your look.

The benefits of a capsule wardrobe are numerous, as they can allow you to cut down your wardrobe and focus on your favorite clothing pieces. They can also help you narrow down your personal fashion sense and what you find most important in your own style. Fashion can be a fun way to express yourself and make you feel ready to take on the world. Give these basics a try and don’t be afraid to add your own unique pieces that make you feel confident!