Turns out I’m burnt out
Chandy Dancey
I’m burnt out. I write this just after spending 3 caffeine-fueled days mashing out my final report of the semester that I knew was coming up for months. There was something unique about online school — namely that deadlines didn’t feel real as I juggled academics and two jobs. Even though I knew the deadlines were coming up, there’s this crazy thing called executive dysfunction where I just couldn’t bring myself to work on the task at hand. To use a science analogy for this: chemical reactions sometimes need energy put in to start them, and there’s this energy “hump” that has to be overcome so they occur called activation energy. For me, the activation energy needed to start an important task was just too great to overcome, and I struggled. Sometimes procrastination isn’t just deadline denial; sometimes it’s being unable to overcome the mental barrier of starting. This happened not just once, but all semester for me. If what I’m saying sounds relatable, rather than tear ourselves down about it, let’s plan to practice self-forgiveness, accept what happened, and move on. After some much needed summer recuperation, we’ve got this.
Khloé Photogate
Andrea Sadowski
One of my guilty pleasures is following all the Kardashian/Jenner sisters on Instagram. I honestly just love to see how the incredibly wealthy live — their parties, breakfasts, private jets, Calabasas mansions, elaborate floral arrangements. Also, their kids are really cute.
A few weeks ago, a photo of Khloé Kardashian was “accidentally” posted on the internet without permission by an assistant, and the Kardashian clan, along with their entire marketing team, worked tirelessly to scrub the internet of this dreaded photo. So, of course, I had to find the photo. This photo, seen as incredibly grotesque by the Kardashians, was simply an untouched photo of Khloé in a leopard print string bikini. Honestly, the pic looked fine; it was just a normal photo of a normal woman in a bathing suit by a pool. Instead of embracing the accident and using the photo to show her followers, many of whom are young girls, that her body is banging even without filters or photoshop, she did everything she could to erase this “heinous” display of humanity from the internet.
The very next day, she went on Instagram Live in a sad attempt to show off her bikini-clad body to the world and to prove to everyone that she did indeed have abs. She also wrote an explanation on her Instagram about why the leaked photo hurt her so much, as she is still recovering from the trauma of being “the fat one” in the family and explaining to her fans that it is her right to control how she presents herself to the world. Rather than embracing her own clothing line’s slogan of “representing body acceptance,” she admitted she would rather curate an image of herself that is highly edited and unattainable.
The thing that pisses me off most about this incident is that the Kardashians all have their own product lines and lifestyle brands — be it shapewear, lingerie, jeans, skincare, makeup, collagen powder — all sending a message to their followers that if you buy enough of their product, you too can be beautiful. The truth is, no matter how many squats you do, or collagen you eat, or waist trainers you squeeze into, or makeup you slather on, you will never have a body or face like theirs without plastic surgery or Photoshop.
Late blooming Swiftie
Carissa Wiens
I only began listening to Taylor Swift’s music when she released 1989. Before, during her country music years, I did my best to let those around me know that I was not a fan of hers in order to try to appear sophisticated and unique. So when Swift re-released her Fearless album this year, I realized that as a late bloomer Swift fan I had never actually listened to Fearless, Speak Now, or even her self titled album from long, long ago.
After a good few listens, though, I’m quite ashamed of myself for not embracing my teen years with Fearless as the soundtrack. I’m stating the obvious here, but Swift is crazy talented. She was 18 years old when she wrote the album. When I was 18 I was writing one-line journal entries for the people I was angry at for the day. Fearless is melodious poetry, and I need the public to know that I’m now enveloping my life in all of her music, not just the newer material.
Images: Elyssa English/The Cascade
Chandy is a biology major/chemistry minor who's been a staff writer, Arts editor, and Managing Editor at The Cascade. She began writing in elementary school when she produced Tamagotchi fanfiction to show her peers at school -- she now lives in fear that this may have been her creative peak.
Andrea Sadowski is working towards her BA in Global Development Studies, with a minor in anthropology and Mennonite studies. When she's not sitting in front of her computer, Andrea enjoys climbing mountains, sleeping outside, cooking delicious plant-based food, talking to animals, and dismantling the patriarchy.
