Issuu

no. 34

October 2017

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table of contents

03 masthead 04 contributors 05 editors' letter 06 the stories behind the soles If a picture is worth a thousand words, shoes are worth a million. These Northwestern seniors share what their shoes have been through over the last four years.

12 faces + spaces: Elodie Oliver & Macon Bianucci Take a peek into the home of two Northwestern students who have brought back to Evanston lessons and mementos from their travels to Denmark and beyond. 18 move for your mind While some may call it procrastinating, psychologists call it good health. Mental health and movement are unquestionably intertwined.

21 monochrome in motion STITCH takes a fresh look at the monochrome moment taking over the fashion world. 28 just in time In this series, baby pinks and olive greens prove their versatility, evolving with the clock and turning heads all day and night.

44 last word— not a letter to my younger self You can’t change the past or rewrite your mistakes. One STITCH senior looks back on the path she chose throughout college and accepts how she has changed over the years.

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CO-EDITORS IN CHIEF Amber Cline and Rachel Lefferts

My oversized

Levi’s denim

jacket

MANAGING EDITOR Emily Ash CREATIVE DIRECTOR Renée Jacoby SENIOR EDITOR Christian Welch TREASURER Kay Veikos

A french press. Or, speaking sartorially, my puma fenty bow sneakers

CO-DESIGN EDITORS Rachel Price and Angela Cheng

Several sheets of sticky gemstones... because I bedazzle EVERYTHING

DESIGN TEAM Birdy O’Conor, Jessie Paridis, Manon Blackman, Aysha Salter-Volz, Cindy Luan, Crystal Gong, Michela Ferrari, Katherine Steiner

My Tumi

PRINT EDITOR Rachel Burns

backpack

ONLINE EDITOR Hayley Glazer

hirts sweats d n a s tfit ter x swea ss up any ou Wildfo a s y e h se t becau

ASSITANT ONLINE EDITOR Eden Lichterman

My Kate Spade work purse

STAFF WRITERS Maddy Kaufman, Isabel Seidel, Monty Nelson, Mackenzie Broderick, Grade Wade, Emily Chaiet, Ivy Li, Lexi Schiff CO-DIRECTORS OF PHOTOSHOOTS Sage Ressler and Nina Wescott DIRECTOR OF ONLINE PHOTOSHOOTS Helena Kalman STYLING TEAM Rachel Gradone, Jane Carpenter, Erica Cantor, Sam Milstein CO-PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS Melissa Cagan and Charli Hu STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Katherine Sprengel, Michelle Yun, Louis Lu, Luke Kleekamp, Jodie Wei, Elliot Nick, Mai Schotz, Ellie Levine

My c

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’well wate r take to cla bottle to ss

DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Sydney Stein

Gold paper clips and staples to give my papers a little something extra

MULTIMEDIA TEAM Zoe Juanitas, Gabrielle Silva, Emily Orr, Kayla Reardon, Gibran Wirjawan, Anna White, Karam Hansen

CO-DIRECTORS OF CORPORATE Hannah Curcio and Danielle Cohen CORPORATE TEAM Alexandra Menell, Sydney Agus, Haley Rolff, Juliet Sage, Phoebe Chase, Ruth Teklu SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Samuel Maude

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hig pro… n iPad a t o g Just mend recom

SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM Brooke Delaney, Macon Bianucci, Ridley Rochell, Courtney Schaf, Wren Hagge, Emma Kluever,Zoe Grossinger, Stella Kleynerman

My b

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DIRECTOR OF EVENTS Madison Blanchard DIRECTOR OF RECRUITMENT Patricia Tang

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contributors Lexi Schiff Burbank, CA + Sophomore, Editorial Team + Major: English and Psychology + Something I wish I could tell my freshman-year self: Splurge on Mac laptop insurance the first chance you get.

Sage Ressler Belgrade, ME + Sophomore, Co-Director of Photoshoots + Major: RTVF +Something I wish I could tell my freshman-year self: Everyone is just as confused.

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Karam Hansen Copenhagen, Denmark + Sophomore, Multimedia Team + Major: Journalism + Something I wish I could tell my freshman-year self: I would probably say I shouldn't stretch myself too thin, find some things I like and dedicate my time to them.

Charlotte Hu Cleveland, OH + Senior, Co-Photo Editor + Major: Journalism, Cell Biology, and Physiology + Something I wish I could tell my freshman-year self: Take a chill pill and don't sweat it, trust that most things will work themselves out in the end. Also, go to the gym, you potato.

editors' letter

Whether you’ve traveled 5 miles or 5,000 miles away from home, coming to college is terrifying in the best way. It requires not only moving geographical locations, but also embracing change in all aspects of life, from making new friends and discovering new passions to gaining new perspectives. Even as upperclassmen, we experience the same feeling of a fresh start— of unbridled opportunities—from the moment we set foot on campus each fall. As we thought about this sentiment, one word seemed to capture it best: movement. We all experience physical, emotional and intellectual changes throughout our careers at Northwestern. We also grow within the context of political and social movements that shape how we think and who we become. And our style inevitably changes not only with the seasons but over the years to reflect these internal and external transformations. In this issue, we explore the concept of movement and its various definitions. You’ll read about how two jet-setting roommates made a home away from home in Evanston inspired by their travels (p. 12), how moving your body yields emotional and cognitive benefits (p. 18), and why some NU students change their majors again and again despite the headache it may cause (p. 20). As you embark on your first, second, third or fourth year at Northwestern, we hope this issue will inspire you to embrace all the change ahead with courage, curiosity and enthusiasm. Because it is only now, as seniors, that we begin to understand how each movement—each risk and each opportunity, big and small—has shaped us into the people we will inevitably become when we walk across the stage in the spring.

xx Amber and Rachel Co-Editors In Chief

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THE STORIES BEHIND THE SOLES By Ivy Li If a picture is worth a thousand words, shoes are worth a million. Shoes do more than just facilitate our physical movement—they reflect our most memorable moments. These Northwestern seniors share what their shoes have been through over the last four years.

Sebastian Garcia

I got my Stan Smiths one and a half years ago. I was looking to round out my shoe collection with a pair of white sneakers. I chose Stan Smiths over similar shoes (Superstars, Common Projects, etc.) because they are low profile and trendy, which makes them pretty versatile. They were also a good shoe to complete my summer wardrobe. I found them pretty comfortable so I started to wear them more even after the summer ended. I wore them a decent amount throughout the fall so they now have a worn-in look. They kept getting more chipped and dirty so they’re more off-white than pure white now. The shoes really became significant when I took them to Paris with me this past fall. I was visiting my girlfriend who was studying abroad there at the time. It was my first time out of the country and I only brought my Stan Smiths with me. They really became my adventuring shoes after that. What’s great is that when I wear them I don’t need to worry about getting mud on them because they’re getting more beat up as I wear them anyways.

smith

htims

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Hannah Johnson

These are my knockoff Birkenstock clogs. They’re completely covered with random newspaper snippets. You can’t really read a full story off of them but some of the headlines are pretty comical. I got the shoes while studying abroad in Prague this past fall. I saw them in the window at a podiatry sensible shoe store. I kept passing by them for a month which got me thinking that I’m a journalism major so it would be a pretty funny and ironic purchase’. When my birthday came around, I bought them as a joke birthday present for myself. Now, they’ve become somewhat of an inside joke between my friends and I. I originally thought maybe they could be my lucky journalism shoes, but I pretty much just wear them around the house as slippers. I will say they’re a good conversation starter, although sometimes I think people’s attention is drawn to my shoes and not me!

Catherine Zhang

I bought this pair of Adidas sneakers last year just because I needed new shoes. I copied my sister who has a pair of white Adidas shoes that I thought were pretty cool/I think she’s cool/stylish(?). Since then, I’ve had lots of good memories in the shoes, wearing them mainly to concerts and when going out. They’re super comfortable and since they’re black I don’t have to worry about getting them dirty. They’re pretty much my go-to shoes for any event that’s not professional. One time I was rushing to get ready for a concert that I forgot to change out of my bath slippers and didn’t realize until I was getting in my Uber. I ran upstairs and slipped on these sneakers. I could see myself wearing these shoes for years to come. I’ve only scrubbed them down once but I’m going to try to take good care of them so I can live out more fun memories wearing them.

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Jesus Campos

I got these checkered Vans around two years ago because I needed shoes and I found their gray/black color scheme aesthetically pleasing. At first, I wore them a decent amount on campus just because they were so easy to put on. I didn’t do that much in them besides wearing them to class. I really started making use of them when I studied abroad in Berlin this past summer. In retrospect, they weren’t the best walking shoes because they don’t provide a lot of support. My feet were destroyed in them since I had to break them in and we walked around so much in the city. Having these shoes was super convenient when I was in a rush to get ready for 8 a.m. class because I didn’t have to worry about them not matching. After class, we went on walking tours that usually lasted at least an hour and a half. I don’t wear them any more because they were completely worn down by the cobblestone sidewalks but I keep them still as a memento of my study abroad experience.

Travis Liang

I’ve always been really into white shoes. My shoe collection is currently around 50 pairs and about half of them are white. I first heard about Common Projects in early 2013 when I saw them on some fashion and sneaker personalities I saw on YouTube, such as Alwaysfreshapparel, Gtfan712productions, and Gearedtowardgear . At the time I didn’t have the money to buy them so I just admired them from afar. After high school, I worked at Finish Line all summer to save money to buy this specific pair. I bought the shoes during winter break my freshman year at Northwestern. I was shopping in the Loop with some of my frat brothers and we walked into Nordstrom, which was the only store selling Common Projects at the time. I tried them on but I held off on getting them. After we were nearly done with our shopping trip, I realized I had to go back to get them. Initially, I wore the shoes sparingly – only about 10 times the first year. I wanted to keep them in really good condition so they sat in the shoebox most of the time. Recently, I realized that I should wear them more often – especially because they’re such a versatile shoe. I actually want to get another pair in mint because I really dig the look of a sleek, clean, low-cut leather shoe. I think of my Common Projects as more elegant version of the Stan Smiths I’ve had since the beginning of high school.

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Amol Sharma

I got my original pair of Killshot 2’s, which were created as part of a collaboration between J. Crew and Nike, in 2011. I had wanted them for a while because they were a classic, basic shoe in a beautiful gum color, but they were hard to acquire. I remember having to get a customer service representative preorder a pair for me two months in advance. One day I was at a friend’s house and he spilled soda all over me and the shoes. Even though I couldn’t save them, I didn’t think it was a big deal because the shoes weren’t expensive and I liked them enough to track down another pair. But, by then, in 2014, they had discontinued the shoes, which really made me miss my original pair, I credit these shoes with getting me into fashion since I did so much research to get them. While I’ve moved onto other brands and styles, I noticed that Nike was doing random small stock releases of the shoe this past March and I was finally able to get them again this April after three years.

Gavin Williams

I started rollerblading at around four or five years old. My dad got rollerblades for everyone in the family. I was the best at it but I also really liked doing it. I found it more fun than biking, and back when I didn’t have a car, I would use my rollerblades to get places. I got this specific pair during spring quarter freshman year. Since I have two pairs now I use these to perform tricks, while the other pair is more for speed skating. When I have extra time I’ll do UberEats delivery on my skates. I’ve also seen a lot more people rollerblading on campus as a result which is cool. It’s definitely my preferred mode of transportation.

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Faces and By Grade Wade

Take a peek into the homes of two Northwestern seniors who have brought back to Evanston lessons and mementos from their travels to Denmark and beyond.

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d Spaces

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Hygge (noun): A quality of cosiness and comfortable welcome that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture). That’s the one word Northwestern seniors Elodie Oliver and Macon Bianucci use to describe the living room of their Evanston Place apartment. Oliver, a double major in Communication Studies and Psychology from Toronto, Canada, reclines on the couch while Bianucci, a journalism major from Charleston, South Carolina, sits cross-legged on the rug. Their relaxed postures coincide with the room’s soothing energy. With a palette of creams, browns and golds, the room seemingly emits the comfort and aura of a warm hug. Personal touches complement the cozy couch and plush white rug, making the room equally stylish and homey. Inspired by their experiences abroad and at home, Oliver and Bianucci’s living room came together throughout the school year—not instantaneously. “Elodie was in Copenhagen fall quarter so I just kind of bought the basics like the couch and chairs,” says

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Bianucci, pointing to a pair of antique wooden chairs that are surprisingly modern in design. “My mom has an antique store at home so I enjoy interior designing.” “After being in Denmark I wanted the living room to be cozy and somewhere we could spend our time,” adds Oliver, who brought back dainty candles and purchased rose gold firefly lights. “In Copenhagen it was all about hygge stuff which is really trendy right now.” In addition to the tin candles and mood lighting, Oliver returned to the states with decorative books that say “hygge” across the cover in gold lettering. She even created DIY candle stick holders out of old wine bottles in an attempt to replicate the ones from a Copenhagen café she frequented. However, it is not the finishing details such as the twinkling lights or strings of polaroids that bring the elements of the room together, but the sprawling furry rug in an inviting shade of off-white. “We spent the entirety of last quarter rolling around on the rug when it was winter and cold,” says Oliver with a laugh. “Our friendship happened on this rug.”

“It brought us together,” agrees Bianucci. “I like it because when you have friends over everyone has somewhere to sit.” Other than the fuzzy carpet, Oliver points out the bar cart in the kitchen as her second favorite aspect of the room. Sleek gold trimming complement the glass shelving. Champagne and shot glasses sit upon its surface along with bottles of red wine. “I think it’s just adorable and different and makes us look a little bit classy,” says Oliver. “Well, or maybe just trashy.” Both girls erupt in carefree laughter which seems to be as prominent a feature in the room as any piece of furniture. “Since it’s all light and cozy in here we come out and talk which is really nice,” says Oliver. “I could spend

all day here and it makes me feel happier.” The roommates stress the importance of creating a space that feels welcoming and inviting—especially for incoming freshmen. How one decorates their room translates to how often their friends and themselves spend time together in the space. “My roommate and I freshman year got a carpet that we put between our beds,” says Oliver. “We would sit on the rug and eat and talk. I think that’s what makes all of the difference—having a carpet that makes it feel like your room, and you can sit on the floor without thinking, ‘Ugh, this is a dorm floor.’” “Yeah, that and cute pillows,” adds Bianucci. “I agree,” says Oliver. “Having something that makes you feel like you’re coming home is so important.” • OCTOBER 2017

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COLLEGE CONFORMITY By Mackenzie Broderick Coming to college provides an opportunity for a whole new you. But is the pressure to conform greater than ever?

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There is the real Northwestern, and then there is the Northwestern that exists on social media. A quick scroll through the Facebook profiles and Instagram accounts of NU students will likely surface photos taken in front of the arch, by the lakefill, at a night out in Chicago or at Dillo Day. Four years at Northwestern gives us students plenty of shared experiences -- and by extension, how we present these experiences seems to be shared as well. College is supposed to be a time when we can escape who we were in high school and flourish as independent young people. At the same time, however, an insular campus and the pressure to perform on social media rewards conformity. Half of Instagram’s 400 million monthly visitors are aged 18 to 30 years old. Compare that to the roughly 13 million students that attended a four-year American university in 2016, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. It is pretty clear that American college students are just a small fraction of Instagram users, and Northwestern students are, therefore, an even more niche group. It goes to follow that as a collective group, Wildcats have similar taste in clothes, movies and Instagram filters. To walk around campus is to see the uniform of privileged college students across the country: pristine white Adidas Superstars, Canada Goose jackets and baby blue Herschel Supply backpacks containing Macbook Pros. But it is more than a similar wardrobe -- it is a similar ethos that pervades how students present themselves to the world. Freshmen arrive to Northwestern in vulnerable positions. For a short period of time, we do not belong anywhere or in any group. In a study published in the research journal Computers in Human Behavior, researchers found that low self-esteem makes us more susceptible to Instagram influencers. In moments of weakness, it becomes easier to justify buying something that will make life a little more similar to the lives you see on your phone screens. The most trusted Instagrammers are not big-name celebrities, but the Insta-famous, people viewed as more real and authentic while still having tens of thousands

of followers. The Insta-famous even exist on this campus, influencing everything from the clothes we buy to the food we eat for dinner. The rules of social media are unspoken but adhered to rigidly. The most important is choosing an aesthetic. Maybe every student here has a different one, but by definition, an aesthetic shrinks down an individual, grinding away at nuance and contradiction to achieve a polished persona that can be presented to the world, to friends at home and to new classmates. According to our Instagram accounts, we are all happy or sloppy or even exhausted, but never sad. Another study, also in Computers in Human Behavior, found that Instagram is making us unhappy. Time spent on the app makes users less satisfied with their appearances, their friends and their lives. Importantly, social media skews our sense of what is possible — countless photos of smiling students celebrating Wildcat Welcome means added pressure to have as much fun as everyone else, or at least, to appear to have as much fun. We trust those composed and well-lit photos, even though we should not. And this trust makes us want to be in those photos. There is no Northwestern dresscode, no social media rules set in stone, but I have never been as aware of myself, what I wear and what I post as when I try to go outside those boundaries. Photos of me smiling with friends are saved in my phone from nights where I was crying in a stranger’s bathroom the rest of the night. I gave away so many of the clothes I brought from home, shocked at how childish and ugly they seemed here at Northwestern. I have worked hard to master the one-sentence, pithy Instagram caption. Becoming part of the Northwestern community is a special and unique honor. Being consumed by it, though, is not. Conformity is more than similar clothes or social media posts—it is a disconnect between who we are and what we pretend to be, and four years is a long time to pretend. Usually this performance is for the benefit of other people and not ourselves. College does not have to be a reinvention, instead it can be a rediscovery of what is real and authentic.

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By Lexi Schiff While some may call it procrastinating, psychologists call it good health. Mental health and movement are unquestionably intertwined.

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It is the night before a big midterm and Jacob Gutstein is on a run. A freshman in the McCormick School of Engineering, Gutstein has made a habit of exercising before a big test because he says it helps clear his mind. Gutstein might be onto something. Ironically, what is considered procrastinating in academic circles is usually what is considered healthy in others. Many psychologists confirm that there are real academic benefits to taking breaks from work to exercise or move around outside. There is evidence to suggest a specific and powerful relationship between fitness and cognition, according to studies published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information in 2008. These findings make a strong assertion that moving around while studying, taking frequent walks, or exercising regularly may improve “cognitive flexibility and behavioral adjustments” which allow us to “more appropriately meet task demands or intended goals.” In other words, moving physically improves us mentally.

Because we need a break. We value innumerable, consecutive hours of cramming, essay-writing and mind-numbing work over alternative methods that lead to creativity and intellect. But why? The notion that there is a significant connection between physical movement and mental health is not a new one. For years before research backed it up, clichéd and melodramatic movies have reinforced the idea that taking a walk to clear your head is as powerful cinematically as it is physiologically. But recent studies show

mood booster, so naturally by allowing our bodies the time to experience such a scientifically-confirmed mental catalyst, our brain thanks us in return. This idea has become increasingly popular lately. In an area of psychology called embodied cognition (the “latest sexy topic in cognitive science,” according to an article by Dr. Jeff Thompson in Psychology Today), the body is extremely influential to the brain and its mental processes. According to the article “Why You Are Not Your Brain” from Scientific American, “Our cognition is influenced, perhaps determined by, our experiences in the physical world.” It is for these reasons that I affectionately call myself a procrastinator because I know firsthand that physical movement enables mental movement as well. Maybe it is the florescent lighting in University Library or the smell of old books that kills my brain cells, but in either case, the minute I leave for Norbucks I can remember that word I had on the tip of my tongue the whole day. I come up with my best project proposals, essay responses and article pitches on my walk to class every morning. Sitting in the library for seven sequential hours only seems to drive me into a mental rut.

Our cognition is influenced, perhaps determined by, our experiences in the physical world

However, the validity of this idea is not reflected in societal values. We do not value putting off work, taking vacations or even enjoying a 10 minute coffee break. No one chastises taking breaks from physical work, but taking a break from taxing mental labor is often denounced. There is a stigma surrounding taking a leave of absence from work or school for mental health reasons. This misunderstanding lies in the belief that procrastinating, or taking a leave of absence in any form, is a reflection of not trying hard enough, when the reality is that we often procrastinate because we are trying too hard.

that simply by moving your body, “you may gain access to a ‘back door’ to the mental changes that you desire without having to ‘psych yourself ’ into feeling better.” Alex Neumann would attest to that. “After physical activity, my mind feels refreshed and reinvigorated, as opposed to that lazy and muddled feeling on days where I just stay in bed all day,”says Neumann, a freshman in Weinberg. And that much is purely biological. Releasing endorphins is a proven

If taking a small break from work for a little dose of fresh air and exercise makes for a happier and more prosperous student body, we need to work toward reversing the culture of cramming in poorly-ventilated libraries. If movement, mental health and academic success are all correlated, it is in all of our best interests to become procrastinators.

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MAJOR CHANGES By Emily Chaiet

Catie L’Heureux is the associate managing editor of the Cut, New York Magazine’s style and culture website. When she first came to Northwestern University in 2010, however, journalism was the last thing on L’Heureux’s mind. “I was a really hard worker all throughout high school and college,” L’Heureux says. “I could work hard to be good at anything. I was good at math and I was good at science... but for me, pre-med wasn’t it.” This realization prompted L’Heureux to switch her major from pre-med to journalism at the start of her junior year. It turns out that such drastic changes in majors or career paths is not uncommon amongst college students. About 80 percent of students in the United States end up changing their majors at least once, and the average college student changes their major three times before graduation, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. College is the time to explore oneself and in doing this, many students realize that the career tracks they thought they wanted might be the wrong ones for them. As she was looking for a new major, L’Heureux considered journalism, but she knew she would have to switch from Weinberg to Medill. Once she made up her mind, she realized the battle had just begun. “I had never written a journalistic article in my life,” she says. “I had this one year of moving towards what I wanted and really having to work hard and risk not getting it.” Not only can it be difficult to adjust to the new skillset required of a different major, but switching majors can also make it difficult to fulfill the required credits to graduate. Northwestern junior Caroline DeMarco had to strategically plan her schedule over the years when she changed her major from political science to computer science. It did not help that she was a transfer student from Loyola University in Chicago studying environmental policy before transferring to Northwestern for sophomore year. 20

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“I had to choose [my major],” DeMarco says. “There was no going back at that point because I didn’t have enough credits to have that flexibility to flip between majors. I basically have three years to fulfill all my major requirements which is incredibly difficult.” Heather Bacon, assistant director of advising and student development for the McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern, says she has seen engineering students take very different approaches to their studies, often changing their majors to more traditional humanities subjects like psychology or history. According to Bacon, there is an exchange of approximately 40 to 50 students transferring in and out of McCormick each year. “They kind of realize engineering isn’t where their career goals and interests lie,” Bacon says. “Through some more exploration, they realize that a different department may be a better fit.” Let’s be honest—Northwestern is a tough school. Between pulling all nighters to study for your organic chemistry exams and trying to perfect your resume for the career fair, the idea of changing paths can be a bit overwhelming. When your Google calendar starts to look like someone spilled rainbow sprinkles all over your laptop, making time to find a new career can seem like an impossible task. But many students at Northwestern prioritize studying what they are passionate about despite the stress of switching majors. L’ Heureux says the most important thing when considering a college major is to make sure it sets you up to do something you love. While it may be a pain now to navigate unfamiliar territory of a new major or tack on extra classes, when you set yourself down a path that you’re passionate about, it more than pays off in the long-run. “You’re going to have to do [your job] for eight or 10 hour days for like 50 years or more. You want to be happy when you’re doing that,” L’ Heureux says. “Look back at what you have loved doing and see if you can make a career out of it.”

STITCH takes a fresh look at the monochrome moment taking over the fashion world with unexpected poses.

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Photographer: Mai Schotz Stylists: Sam Milstein, Erica Cantor, Jane Carpenter Models: Isabella Ko, Jack Bistritz, Alex Fecteau On Isabella: Red Champion sweatshirt, Adidas shorts & shoes, American Apparel socks

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On Alex: Francesca’s earrings, J. Crew shirt, pants, & shoes • OCTOBER 2017

On Jack: Polo Ralph Lauren shorts, H&M shirt, BDG raincoat

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Evolving The 21st century demands versatility â€” we no longer own gadgets with single functions or apparel that only compliments certain times of day. In this series, baby pinks and olive greens prove their versatility, evolving with the clock and turning heads all day and night. Models: Andrew Oh and Sophia Etling Stylists: Sam Milstein, Erica Cantor, Jane Carpenter Photographers: Ellie Levine and Charli Hu

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withtheclock withtheclock withtheclock withtheclock

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On Sophia: Urban Outfitters slip dress, Asos jacket, Thrifted shoes On Andrew: Champion hoodie, Urban Outfitters pants, Urban Outfitters booties 30

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On Sophia: Urban Outfitters slip dress, Asos jacket, Thrifted shoes On Andrew: Champion hoodie, Urban Outfitters pants, Urban Outfitters booties

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On Sophia: Urban Outfitters slip dress, Asos jacket, Thrifted shoes On Andrew: Champion hoodie, Urban Outfitters pants, Urban Outfitters booties 34

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On Sophia: Levi’s overalls, Jennie Liu sweater, Handmade necklace, Thrifted shoes • OCTOBER 2017

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On Sophia: Levi’s overalls, Jennie Liu sweater, Handmade necklace, Thrifted shoes • OCTOBER 2017

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On Andrew: Urban Outfitters overalls, JWEH Clothing hat, Urban Outfitters shirt, Adidas sneakers

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On Sophia: Levi’s overalls, Jennie Liu sweater, Handmade necklace, Thrifted shoes On Andrew: Urban Outfitters overallsr, JWEH Clothing hat, Urban Outfitters shirt, Adidas sneakers • OCTOBER 2017 43

not A LetterToMy YoungerSelf. By Isabel Seidel

You can’t change the past or rewrite your mistakes. One STITCH senior looks back on the path she chose throughout college and accepts how she has changed over the years.

If there is one thing that defines college, it is change. Your first day on campus is filled with new surroundings, new people, new ways of learning, new freedom, new excitement and new fears. No matter how close or far you have traveled from home, a lot in your life will change during your four years at Northwestern. But change can be a blessing in disguise. While everyone is different, a lot of students choose a college based on the things they value most in their lives as high school seniors. At least, that is how I chose Northwestern. Northwestern was fairly close to home, purple suited my skin tone and the journalism school would surely propel me into a career at a magazine like Vogue. But my decision to compete at the varsity level in cross country and track played one of the most defining roles in that decision I made as a naive 17 year old. I love a good, clichéd “letter to my younger self,” but this is not a letter to freshman Isabel. The fact is, I cannot change the path that I have taken from the first 44

• OCTOBER 2017

day of Wildcat Welcome onward. This is a letter to the Class of 2021, some sophomores, juniors and maybe even some seniors just like me. Hindsight is 20/20 and I wish I had realized as a freshman that it is okay to change your priorities as you move through life. In late August 2014, I reported to campus for my first ever preseason, fresh off two state championship titles in track and absolutely high on life. On the first day, I remember grabbing my brimming haul of Under Armour gear from my new locker, barely being able to fit all the items in my arms. Within that pile was my first racing kit—a purple singlet with a pair of black running buns that read NUXC across the back—which I immediately tried on. Surprisingly, it fit in all the wrong places. The top had a horribly uncomfortable built-in sports bra and the elastic fabric of the jersey would ride up over my hips in the worst way. The buns were cheeky and unflattering. That uniform set off the mood for my freshman year running career. I still had amazing experiences as a

freshman, but more often than not, the days that I suited up in my racing kit usually ended in disappointment. I wanted to love my sport like I had loved it in high school, but it was hard to love something that began to bring me more pain than reward. I found it so easy to make mistakes. I made every possible mistake that year. I questioned whether I would even be able to get through another year at Northwestern as an athlete, but also just as a student. While that year tested me beyond my limits, I realized that my athletic commitment was the buoy that kept me afloat. It regimented my time like nothing else could. There were workouts that I fell short in and races I gave up on, but I kept at it. A year later, I came into preseason injured. In late June, I fractured my pelvic bone in a bike crash and spent the rest of the year battling injury. While I trained, I did not race that year. I enjoyed life more than ever before, realizing that there was more to college than racing with the N on my chest. My junior year fall, however, was very different and much worse. I had bypassed the discomfort of the uniform from the year before and my new uniform had a better fit and fabric. But I hated wearing it. I began to race for the first time in over a year and everything just felt harder than before. The next few months were marred by a constant overwhelming feeling of seclusion and defeat. Once again, the days I suited up in my racing kit usually ended in disappointment. You’ll realize that as the clock ticks closer and closer to your impending final day on campus, you recognize things that really matter most to you. After my anticlimactic cross country season came to a close, I had my own realization. It wasn’t running or my social circle or my academics that mattered most. It was my own wellbeing and self-worth. All these important yet conflicting factors in my life were simply pieces to the puzzle, and that winter break I made it my mission to find a way to fit them together. I knew I could do better. Over the four weeks of winter break, I focused on my own well-being and my bruised self worth. I did whatever made me happy. I returned to campus more physically and mentally strong than ever before—stronger than the doe-eyed freshman state champ that arrived on campus three years ago.

I suited up for my first indoor race and somehow, the uniform that I hated weeks earlier felt so right. Within the first few weeks, I realized that for the first time I felt true excitement for the facets of my life that I valued most. I had started to make new relationships and strengthen my existing ones. I loved my classes. I won races. I became extremely devoted to track over the season not just to run faster, but to be empowered by the challenge. More often than not, I wear my purple issued gear around campus as if I’m wearing a nametag that reads athlete. But the past three years haven’t been all about my sport. Running brought me to Northwestern, but my experiences here convinced me to stay. Your perspective changes. And with that, so did my personal style, my habits, my relationships and the way I value time. College may be a valuable experience on an intellectual level, but it might even be more valuable on an emotional level, far beyond any lecture hall or discussion section. You experience new ways of learning over time through the things you do and the people you encounter. When you graduate from Northwestern, whether in a few short months or in four years, you will realize just how much you have changed from that freshman marching through the arch in a purple t-shirt to the seasoned graduate that will take senior photos under that same iconic landmark in a pressed polyester robe and cap. Virtually everything in my life has changed from the first time I raced in that uncomfortable Northwestern singlet to the present day. The reasons why I love Northwestern are completely different today from the reasons why I first fell in love with the university three years ago. Not everyone will love Northwestern. Not every day will be fun. Some of the worst days are yet to come, but some of the best days are yet to come, too. Everyone has about four years to accomplish as little or as much as they would like to. They say it takes about four weeks for the body to truly reap the benefits of a hard workout. The moment it gets hard and you begin to feel the discomfort, you make the decision to give up or keep going. I decided to keep going. And the funny thing is, you’ll notice that your workouts down the road won’t get easier, but you’ll start to run faster. • OCTOBER 2017

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Reinvent new combinations of what you already own. Improvise. Become more creative. Not because you have to, but because you want to. Evolution is the secret for the next step.

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– Karl Lagerfeld

• OCTOBER 2017