April 2018

Luke Wynn, 25, is an aspiring singer and musician who received the 2017 Forte award for Best Hip-Hop Artist in Reno. Growing up with an aunt who served as a songwriter for Quincy Jones and Diana Ross, this win assured Wynn of his career choice. He hopes to make it into the big leagues in order to inspire others.

Wynn was brought up in a religious household–his father is a bishop and his brother is a pastor. He got his start playing at church and producing Christian music, but by the time he was 17, Wynn began to steer away from church music and gravitate towards the hip-hop genre.

“My dad didn’t like rap, and I was like 17 trying to not live for my parents but trying to make them happy,” Wynn said, “But rap is way more influential than gospel music. I think rap is one of the most influential genres right now because you hear Molly Percocet on a song it makes you want to go get some Percocets and mollies. I feel like rap is that powerful.”

After going through difficult times and overcoming obstacles in 2016, Wynn was ready to give up music completely. He could no longer find the will to continue music until his father convinced him to carry on and not throw away his “gift from God.”

“He understands what I’m trying to do. He understands my heart that I have for music and that it’s not to be a stereotypical rapper which is all about me, me, me. He understands that I’m really doing this so that I can point the focus to God. He was like ‘don’t stop doing music just put it into the right perspective,’ and now I do,” Wynn said.

Being raised in a spiritual family that is heavily involved in music, Wynn believes that his musical talents are the work of God and finds it no coincidence that many famous singers got their start in church.

“When you’re going to school everybody is trying to get you to believe that God is not real,” Wynn said. “If you look at people in the music industry some of the best singers come from the church. I feel like it really is a God given gift that people have, including myself. For me specifically I feel like there’s certain things I just never been able to excel at but music is just something that comes naturally to me.”

According to VH1 News, some famous singers who got their start singing gospel music include Whitney Houston, John Legend, and Brandy. Although gospel music is no longer his priority, Wynn still listens to it to calm his nerves before a big show.

“I don’t hype myself up. I listen to slow worship songs before I go up. I just want something to relax me before I go on that mode.”

The Atlantic states that only 0.0086% of the world is famous but Wynn believes that if a proper situation occurred, he would stop pursuing music professionally and become a full-time pastor. Luckily, winning the 2017 Forte Award for best Hip-Hop Artist in Reno gave him hope that he is on the right track.

At the Forte Awards, Wynn was confident he was going to win. It wasn’t until his category came up, and the speakers began to announce his competitors’ names that he began to feel nervous.

“Everybody seemed they were in the same circles. It was like people who know each other in the city. I think I knew a couple of people there, but everybody else seemed, they knew, they had relationships with them,” Wynn said, “So as the time went on I got nervous. I knew I was going to lose and I was content with it. I was like, at least we’re here!”

Now as Forte’s 2017 winner, Wynn continues to credit his success to his faith and aspires to serve as an example for young people. The advice he has for people who would like to enter the industry is to continue pursuing their dream if they wish to make an impact on the world.

He said, “If you have an unction that every song you make matters, every word you sing, everything that you do can impact somebody’s life and it can change music, I would say keep going for it. There’s always going to be somebody saying no don’t do this. There’s going to be times you are going to want to quit or give up, but sometimes it’s just time for you to reset. Don’t allow anybody to stop you.”

If you’re looking for a hookup, summer fling, or full-fledged relationship, dating apps like Tinder and Bumble have become increasingly popular on college campuses. With around 46 million active users and more than 9 billion matches since the creation of Tinder in 2012, you’re likely to find someone to connect with on the level you’re looking for.

Dating apps work in a pretty simple way: after declaring your name, age, a little bit about yourself and uploading a few photos showcasing the best you, other users in the area are able to determine if they’re interested in you by swiping to the right, or never wanting to see you again by swiping left. If the other person has also swiped right on you, it’s a match and the two of you can chat together.

Other dating services such as Match are heavily advertised on TV and social media and have been around since 1993. Singles can find people with similar interests and get personalized matches based on algorithms.

However, the less advertising and complications, the better for college students. Proximity playsa key role in Tinder and Bumble’s success.

How have these apps fared for some students around Reno? Kilee Mendiola is a journalism student at UNR and said she has used dating apps before she met her current boyfriend. “People with a certain purpose are on there, and I feel that it all can be really superficial,” she said.  She continued by saying that “I don’t want to say it’s basic…but it really is. It isn’t always a place where romantic feelings are shared.”

Mendiola believes that the best way to meet people is in person, especially when they have the same interests as you. “Dating apps are great if you don’t want something deep-seeded. It’s best to work on yourself and focus on your needs first.”

I created a survey with basic questions such as what dating services people have used and if they have had positive or negative experiences. Shared on Facebook in a Class of 2019 group, 27 students who attend UNR responded.

Many students agree that they have also had bad experiences, meeting what they call “creeps and weirdos.” Others, though, stated on numerous occasions that they have met their significant others on Tinder and are still happily in that relationship.

It’s not just apps for heterosexual people that are popular in the area, either. Many individuals that are a part of the LGBT community have used apps such as Her or Grindr. One respondent wrote during the survey that despite trying to meet women in person, “Her was great for meeting women” because they “did not know if [women they’ve met in real life] were queer or not.”

So does this mean that there’s hope to finding “the one” on an app? A survey taker stated that “It’s weird to tell people that you met your significant other on Tinder or Grindr, so no.” People tend to find that meeting people through friends or at school is the best way to find a romantic partner. It usually happens organically, and there isn’t the pressure to appear as perfect as their profile appears to be.

When asked if they would recommend dating apps to a friend, most people said no because the relationships on there don’t always have “a genuine connection.” Others said yes, only if their friends were looking for something short term. “They’re fun and can help you meet people you wouldn’t normally meet,” said one respondent.

Deborah Cohan, Ph.D, is a sociology professor at the University of South Carolina, Beaufort, who writes about topics such as sexuality and gender, domestic violence, and intimate relationships.

“Students today are more tethered than ever before to their phones. Dating apps like these are a logical extension of inhabiting so much life on, with, and through the screen,” she said.

Cohan also notes that people today would rather go on their phones instead of initiate face to face conversations, raising the chances of people misrepresenting themselves.

“College students are going to classes, meals, and social events with their peers and many live in residence halls; so this is the best face to face time in someone’s life as I see it,” she continued, “There really should be less reason to meet online and much more of a reason to not hole up in one’s room and to get out…it’s also good practice for all things in love and in life.”

“I also have students who have met each other online, and for one reason or another, delay meeting in person for weeks or months. Everything has to recalibrate in terms of pacing and rhythm.”

Cohan also says that “this puts young people at risk for very fast courtships,” which can lead to relationships that become abusive.

Whether you swipe right or left on online dating, students today need to understand that there is another person on the other side of that screen, and everyone should be allowed to have a safe experience when trying to meet people.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

In What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, Murakami discusses his experiences with long distance running and novel writing. Perhaps surprisingly, he’s found that two practices require a lot of the same kind of organization and concentration. This book goes far beyond running, however. Murakami discusses aging, death and change. He discusses the changes in his own life that occurred when he uprooted his life to become a novelist, and the changes that occurred when he became more focused on his health.

The piece is beautiful, with nice use of metaphors and a poetic quality that I honestly didn’t expect from a book that claims to be about running. Consistently, Murakami sets up apparent contradictions that reveal a greater truth, reminding me of Tao Te Ching. This book is not just for runners. It’s for everyone.

Rather than starting the new year off with resolutions that picked apart and magnified my insecurities, I wanted to begin 2018 with something derived from a positive place. I decided to spend this year loving myself. Do not get me wrong, I am not stopping myself from any possible romance. It honestly was the lack of romance in my life that led me to be informed of the real issue. I could not expect anyone to love me if I did not truly love myself. So many relationships are based on the misconception that a significant other is what is needed to feel complete. I tried that, and it led to me being emotionally dependent on an individual who left me broken. I learned from that experience that a relationship is meant to be between two individuals who are whole. I was not whole, so I could not expect a relationship. To be whole, I needed to evaluate my sense of self.

I was insecure and mean to my body, and I knew that needed to change. Rather than being hard on myself for my facial features, not meeting the American standard of beauty, and spending every day hating my thicker thighs, I started appreciating how I am different. I now wake up every morning reminding myself how I am beautiful and how I love myself inside and out. After watching Teal Swan’s YouTube video “Self Love- The Great Shortcut to Enlightenment,” I decided to dedicate my year to loving myself. Teal Swan’s video was what taught me the importance of being whole and prioritizing myself. She encouraged this year of self love.

Personally, I wanted to make self love a routine that lasts beyond a year. The goal is to make every action the answer to the question, “What would someone who loves themself do?” Even though it has not been a long period of time, I have never felt so good. I noticed a difference in myself within two days. Friends described my presence as lighter and more positive. My vibrations instantly heightened from listening to my intuition. Until more recently, I would often give my energy and time to people who did not seem to appreciate it. I have stopped making an effort with those people. They do not deserve me, and I do not require them. I shut a lot of doors and managed to figure out who genuine people in my life were. If someone wants to be in my life, they will make the effort. I will not allow a one-sided friendship to consume me. When love comes, I will love without expectations. Expectations allow for disappointment. I can only control myself and how I react to others. I am an instant gratification type of person, but life does not always allow for things to happen instantly. What I desire will fall into place, and I must be patient. I am fine with only loving myself for now. I am whole and content with myself. I have self love and I intend to continue 2018 loving myself.

College is a harbor for a commonly classified time to “have fun” or “let loose” but there are many habits that we engage in at this time in our lives; habits that can haunt us in the future. Those that we will learn to regret in the subsequent years of our life. Here is a collection of habits we all tend to partake in during our college career that have the possibility to burgeon and effect our futures.

1. Using sarcasm as a second language

Imagine walking into a job interview and clamming up because of nerves. Your initial reaction is to revert to a response of humor because this is a common response to most situations in your life, now, as a college student. When asked what your greatest weakness is in the interview you reply with, “Wishing I was dead” followed by subdued laughter. Not only will this not get you the job, but it will make the interviewer concerned for your mental health. There is a time and a place for sarcasm. Quit adopting it as a second language and consider other coping mechanisms for instances of temporary grief.

2. Being Unrealistic About Everything Turning Out Okay

College is a facade for everything turning out okay, that going to college secures a profitable future. This is fake news. Sorry to be so damning, but it’s true. Everything is not going to be okay. There are going to be hardships and trials that will test your strength and remind you that oftentimes life has no mercy for its participants. Knowing this fact, and preparing for unexpected outcomes is a key to success.

3. Having No Filter

This is especially relevant in the way that social media works today. While you can say things in person that utilize tone to be portrayed effortlessly, there is something unnerving about saying whatever you want to whoever you want on the internet. Today we have no regard for the amount of impact that this can bring in ten years. Sure you’re joking around with your friends, but what happens when that business firm doesn’t want to hire you because you are too vulgar, or what happens when no one wants to hire you because you go around spouting your opinion in every post that disagrees with your viewpoint. No filter is no good, so if you don’t want this to hinder your future success, and you insist on being obnoxious on the internet, privatize your account.

4. Documenting your entire life on Snapchat

Thinking that there is any privacy in the realm of Snapchat, and really any social media is a sick joke. I’m sure you’ve heard this all before, and everytime you hear it you convince yourself that no one from the FBI is really interested in your Saturday night practices. The FBI shouldn’t be what you’re worried about, what you should worry about is sending to people and posting to people the types of things that they will use against you in the future; things that will deter future employers from hiring you. Snapchat’s uniqueness stems from its ability to disappear after 24 hours. Do you really think a documented photo sent over a public WiFi connection is going to disappear forever?

5. Having “No Ragrets”

That butterfly tattoo, that drunken phone call to the wrong person, that one decision that you try so hard to shut out of your head. Some may say that you need these regrets, that you have to build your character with some regrets in some way or another. Sure, have some regrets, but living your life with “no ragrets” can leave you broken, wandering through a world that will take everything you are because all that you’ve done through life is act upon whims of carelessness. Oh look, another theme of life’s mercilessness.  

6. Not Making Friends

Success feeds off of many sources, being antisocial in college is something you will regret in your future because you not only are missing out on having a support system in times of need but, you are also misunderstanding social cues and lacking a strong network of individuals when you exit the safe haven that is college. Existence is hard from time to time, existing alone when there are 7 billion people out there is a vapid mistake in a competitive world.

7. Being a Hopeless Romantic

Falling in love is great, until it consumes your entire soul, routine, and every thought. Sure, you always have someone there for you, but have you ever heard about the success rate of young love? It’s infamously known for being unsuccessful. Falling in love with the first person who sweeps you off your feet is only going to work out life-term for a handful of individuals. When you structure such a young life around someone else you are inviting introverted tendencies, social control, and a lack of freedom into your college career. I know you’re wondering, ‘who hurt you?’ I’ve lived through this experience and so have multiple friends of mine. We have this regret, and it’s not even the end of our college career. Live your life exactly how you want right now. In ten years there will be more than enough to-dos that will eliminate your current freedom.

8. Attending College

College is not for everyone. I do not think that this verity is stressed enough. I know too many people who complain far too often about being in class and having to work hard on assignments. Funny concept, right? Sure we all complain about school from time to time, but why are you here, what do you want to be doing? Why aren’t you doing this? Consider what college is offering you, and what you think the greatest reward is from attending. Don’t fall victim to society’s socially accepted standards without first giving your consent.

9. Relying on Other People to Guide you Through the Course

This is a habit that is too addictive. We’ve all been sitting in class; asking a million questions, stating out loud how confused we are and how the professor didn’t explain anything well enough. The harsh truth of this is that you just aren’t paying attention, you aren’t actively invested in the topic, but you should be because in ten years this habit is not going to help you get a job. It will expose employers to your indolent habits from the get go, and they will be more than happy to not hire you. Don’t be that person; learn to engage in your present circumstances. If not, this habit will only endulge you into becoming the person you, hopefully, don’t want to be.

10. Taking Shit too Seriously

Don’t be that up-tight, stuck up, “I’m better than you because I don’t do that” person. No one likes that person. Life isn’t that serious, and I can assure you that college is even less serious than that. This isn’t to say that there aren’t instances of being serious, it’s just a matter of grace and acceptance at that point. Still, nothing is so detrimental that you shouldn’t be able to develop a care-free outlook to accompany you in years to come. A quote that gets me through the day is “don’t take life too seriously, nobody gets out alive” and just like that I am reminded of life’s fleeting character.  

Shift your perspective, realize that college is a blip in time. There is no room for horrible habits to accumulate, and to hold you back from a future that you see as so fulfilling right now. Become conscientious of the things that you do, how you do them, and how you could change them for the better. No one is going to force you to do anything, but as soon as you are in the real world no one is going to tolerate your horrible college habits.