This semester brought a lot of new things to Radford University- one of them being the new meal plans. These meal plans replaced the meal plans that most students were used to. According to Radford University Dining Services, the new meal plans offer a much better value than the old flex plans. There is a 60 % increase in value compared to the value of the flex plan. With the residential meal plans, students are supposed to be guaranteed two meals a day. The apartment and commuter plans are different. There is a limited number of swipes for the semester. There are kiosks in the dining locations where you can order your food. You can also order on the Boost app.
Sounds good so far, right? Not all is as it seems. Many students complain about being hungry or running out of food dollars or meal swipes. Also, students are dissatisfied with the times of use for the meal swipes. For those with residential meal plans, the two swipes can only be used during certain times of the day. This provides a level of inconvenience for many students. Some students work or have classes during the times that they could use their meal swipes.
Another issue seems to be the lack of balanced and nutritious meal options for students. One student spoke about how there are minimal options for those who have dietary restrictions or are vegetarian or vegan. Most of Dalton’s menu items are very high in calorie intake. Most of the students would like some healthier options.
There is the Highlander Food Pantry if you need fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as canned items and non-perishables. On Fridays around 5 p.m., 1910 Cafe donates sandwiches and salads to the pantry as well.
There are both pros and cons to the new meal plans, but everyone has to adjust and learn how to manage and budget successfully. As with everything that is new, sometimes the kinks have to be worked out first.
Goldie Owens
24 Oct, 2023
By: Bria Davis
Photos from: Bria Davis
With TV shows, movies, and even books, most people typically don’t choose the protagonist over the antagonist. If anything, people usually end up hating the antagonist, especially if they have chosen to do some questionable things to get what they want. Yet, recently, people tend to be incredibly selective over who they deem is an acceptable villain. A perfect example of people being selective over who they deem an acceptable villain is how people view Damon Salvator, Klaus Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson, and Kai Parker; all popular male characters from The Vampire Diaries (TVD) and arguably all villains depending on the fan’s perspective.
On many occasions, plenty of TVD fans claim Damon Salvator as their favorite male character. Plenty has also claimed that he is not a bad guy despite having committed a lot of villainous actions. There is an argument that Damon fans think his behavior is okay simply because he is handsome. Some claim that if it weren’t for his face, he could be considered a bad guy solely because of his actions. Many have said the same thing about Elijah Mikaelson, who many deem a nobleman despite the questionable things he has done to get what he wants. Elijah is considered a good guy compared to his brother because he presents himself to others as a proper, trustworthy, and honest man.
Yet, when it comes to Klaus Mikaelson and Kai Parker, many TVD fans hate them with a passion, regardless of how handsome they are. Most only look at Klaus and Kai’s villainous behavior, which they don’t care nearly as much about when Damon and Elijah are the focus of this topic. One can argue that Kai and Klaus’ murderous and villainous behavior is justifiable, way more so than with Damon or Elijah. While Damon has had his fair share of unfortunate
events and Elijah has been betrayed enough and mistreated by people to excuse the bad behavior of both men, neither compared to Kai and Klaus.
Kai was outcasted by everyone and abused by his father his whole life because he was born a siphoner and not an average witch. After reaching his breaking point and killing his younger siblings, his coven locked him in an isolated prison world for nearly 20 years. It isn’t hard to see why Kai became a psychotic villain, mistreated his whole life, and then put in an unescapable prison world; plenty of people would go insane and want even more revenge.
When it comes to Klaus, he was abused, outcasted, and then hunted by his father, betrayed and lied to by the majority of his family, and purposely cursed by his mother, which suppressed his true nature for thousands of decades. The same mother forced him to become a vampire and tried to kill his daughter and him numerous times. Not to mention that other vampires have tried to kill him so they can take his position in the world as the most feared and unstoppable supernatural creature.
People often describe Klaus as paranoid, violent, and selfish, but considering the constant betrayal and mistreatment from the people closest to him, it’s not surprising he turned out that way. Similarly, people also characterize Kai as vengeful, selfish, and mentally unstable, but his family’s mistreatment towards him justifies his actions. Compared to Damon and Elijah, some might argue that Klaus and Kai deserve more understanding as villains. They’re both attractive, and people can explain why they behave like they do. On the other hand, Damon and Elijah are also handsome, but their actions are not as easily justifiable.
So, when TVD fans claim they like Damon or Elijah the most and dislike Klaus and Kai, one should question why. Are Damon and Elijah acceptable bad guys because they’re handsome, and that makes their behavior acceptable? Then why aren’t Klaus and Kai acceptable bad guys?
Goldie Owens
10 Oct, 2023
By: Goldie Owens
Photo by: Unsplashed-Giulia Squillace
Class is in session, or at least that’s the vibe on social media, where a new trend is stealing the spotlight:”Boy Math” vs. “Girl Math.”
This trend has gained significant popularity on Twitter as a platform for discussing various characteristics and behaviors.
The trend reportedly began when girls worldwide started engaging in “girl math” conversations, sharing their unique approaches to everyday situations. For instance, “girl math” might involve treating yourself to a Starbucks coffee on a gloomy day to boost your spirits.
The trend gained significant attraction as it has helped women to share their unique experiences and perspectives in various ways. “Girl math” has been an outlet for women to express their individuality, embrace self-care, and connect to others with similar habits.
Now the popular trend has become male-friendly as well, being called boy math”, it provides men a platform to do the same
The evolution of this trend into “boy math” demonstrates its inclusivity and adaptability. It fosters a sense of equality but also reinforces the idea that everyone’s experiences and viewpoints are valid and worth sharing. It promotes inclusivity and encourages people of all genders to embrace their unique traits, preferences, and behaviors.
The transformation of the “boy math” and “girl math” trend into discussions about the dating world adds a layer of complexity and insight into the dynamics of modern relationships. It provides a platform for both men and women to share their experiences, frustrations, and observations.
“Boy math” and “girl math” serve as a way to dissect the dating world. These p calculations shed light on the different strategies and behaviors exhibited by both genders when it comes to matters of dating. For instance, the example you provided, “Boy math is giving girls who don’t like you the time and energy, but girls who want you, it’s time to play the game,” highlights the contrasts in dating approaches.
“Boy math” depicts the efforts some men put into pursuing relationships even when the feelings may not be reciprocated. While “girl math” suggests a more strategic and cautious approach, especially when they sense genuine interest from someone.
This trend has now reflected the complexity of modern dating where people struggle with mixed signals, emotional investments, and being protective to avoid potential heartbreaks.
Navigating the dating world can be challenging and communicating to create understanding between both genders can help to build healthy relationships.
The trend relating more to dating has allowed people to talk openly about their experiences and observations. It helps us to understand the dating world more and find humor in the difference between males and females.
It provides a comforting space for people to share their dating stories and challenges. It is almost like a support group knowing that you can find solace in knowing that others have similar experiences and feelings in the dating world.
Goldie Owens
9 Oct, 2023
By: Bria Davis
For countless people across the globe, music is an essential part of their lives. Some people use it to express their emotions, thoughts, creativity, and individuality. For hundreds of decades, thousands have used music to express their culture, linking it closely to their people. Music has also become a way for people to connect and bond over similarities. Nowadays, one of the most noticeable ways society uses music is to cope with unfortunate life circumstances.
It’s no secret that life frequently throws curve balls at people. From family problems and financial issues to mental health struggles and relationship issues, sometimes life is just a series of unfortunate circumstances. In this society, many people are just trying to survive and stay afloat in any way they can, so using music as a healthy coping mechanism to help navigate hardships is good and highly recommended.
Here are some talented artists who write about relatable topics and have helped thousands of people keep pushing through life.
Artist recommendations – James Arthur
(Photo by Edward Cooke)
James Arthur is a 35-year-old English singer and songwriter who blew up after winning The X Factor in 2012. After listening to him for years and taking in different song lyrics, people find that the things he writes about are very relatable. James frequently sings about mental health issues, toxic relationships, life regrets, romantic love, addictions, recovery, and societal judgments. Compared to other singers, James has a unique voice that sets him apart from others. Not only is he great at using his singing skills to convey strong emotions, but he is also good at singing in different ways to evoke strong feelings from listeners. From his music throughout the years, you can tell he went through many difficulties in life, but he also has grown from them. Many see that as inspiration.
Song recommendations:
Heartbeat
SOS
I am
You
Recovery
From Me To You I Hate Everybody
NF
(Photo by Jon Taylor Sweet)
NF, also known as Nathan Feuerstein, is a 32-year-old American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer who has been making music since his debut in 2010. Although he has been successfully making music for many years, his music isn’t for everyone and isn’t that popular outside his fanbase. Though one can argue he likes it that way. NF is known for his incomparable rap skills and incredible ability to convey his emotions thoroughly through his lyrics, vocal delivery, and the visuals in his music videos. Trauma, Anger, Mental health struggles, and societal judgment are frequent topics he raps about. Similar to other artists, his struggles and growth throughout the years can be seen through his music. Yet, one thing that makes NF unique is how human and genuine he presents himself and his struggles to people.
Song recommendations:
Just Like You
Motto
Hope
Intro III
Outcast
Therapy Session
(Photo by Hong Janghyun)
Song recommendations
Blue and Grey
I’m Fine
Answer: Love Myself
Boy With Love
ON
00:00
Bangtan Sonyeondan, aka BTS, is a globally known Korean boy band that debuted and has been making music since 2013. Although BTS mostly makes Korean music, excluding a few English and Japanese songs, they are widely listened to by countless fans from different countries who don’t even have Korean as a native language. BTS is known to sing and write about relatable topics, such as self-love, toxic situations, hope, mental health struggles, romantic love, perseverance, and social issues. One of the main reasons BTS’ fanbase, ARMY, loves and is fiercely loyal to them is because of how genuine and heartfelt they are in their message and how they interact with fans. BTS often show they care about ARMY just as much as ARMY cares about them.Song recommendations:
Hopefully, some find these artists helpful and feel they can use their music to overcome any obstacles or curveballs that life throws. Life is not the nicest all the time, and sometimes it gets more than a little tiring to keep repeatedly going through challenges when all you want to be doing is living your best life, but these artists show that it gets better and that you aren’t alone, so don’t lose hope.
Goldie Owens
9 Oct, 2023
By: Jasmine Isekeije
It’s no secret that the fashion industry is wasteful. 11.3 million tons of textile waste end up in landfills yearly (Robinson, 2023). The fashion industry alone is responsible for 20% of the world’s pollution (Robinson, 2023). Some efforts are being made by companies to help reduce the amount of waste they produce when manufacturing clothing. For example Nike has a line of products that are made with sustainable resources. But, it’s not just up to companies to help reduce their waste, consumers can help as well. In this article I will give three ways consumers can help reduce fashion waste.
Thrifting
Instead of buying new clothes from the mall, try thrifting. You will be surprised by the amount of trendy and gently used clothes you can find in thrift stores. Thrifting is also a cheaper option compared to buying clothes brand new. Depending on where you thrift you have the opportunity to support local charities which helps the economy.
Repair and reuse
Upcycling is a popular way to add some more life to old clothes. You can completely change the style of a shirt just by cropping it or cutting out the neckline. The scraps used from the cut shirt can be used for cleaning rags or other craft projects. There are many things you can do with old clothes other than wearing them, you just have to be creative and open minded.
Know who you are buying from
If you want to shop from sustainable brands then first you must do research to find out which ones are actually sustainable. It can be a headache searching through the information section of a brand but there’s another way. The site “Good on You” allows you to type in a brand to see their environmental impact (Burkhardt & Tracy, 2023). This is one of many cities dedicated to helping consumers find sustainable brands.
If we want to reduce the amount of environmental damage caused by fashion then consumers and producers must work together to make a change. So let’s all follow these tips so that we can help preserve the planet.
References
At least 20% sustainable material. Nike.com. Nike.com. (n.d.). https://www.nike.com/w/sustainable-materials-3ngp4
Burkhardt, K., & Tracy, J. (2023, April 25). 15 sustainable clothing brands to Help You Feel Better About Your Closet | CNN underscored. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/cnn-underscored/fashion/best-sustainable-clothing-brands
Robinson, D. (2023, September 16). The biggest environmental problems of 2021. Earth.Org. https://earth.org/the-biggest-environmental-problems-of-our-lifetime/
Goldie Owens
3 Oct, 2023
By: Goldie Owens
Many of us fondly recall Coach during its prime, and I have some exciting news regarding recent developments at Coach. It appears that changes are underway, possibly orchestrated by Creative Director Stuart Vevers. Let’s delve into these intriguing updates to the Coach brand.
Established in 1941 in New York, Coach’s mission has always been to tailor their products toward individuality and creativity.
Although the company has fallen off for a while, they are tailoring their products to be more appealing to Gen Z. Coach partnered up with various influencers like Megan Thee Stallion, who was part of a marketing campaign that grabbed everyone’s attention.
The company is teaming up with young and famous social media influencers to show that these influencers like and use Coach products.
Coach introduces new designs and collections that reflect the interest of Gen Z, aligning with the trendy aesthetics, appealing color schemes, and other trendy aspects.
The brand is amplifying its social media presence, making its website look appealing since the digital age is more used by Gen Z.
They are even making an effort to be sustainable and ethical to show that they are making an effort to appeal to Gen Z and encourage them to partake in it.
Gen Z even values inclusivity and diversity. Coach has incorporated these principles into its marketing and branding, featuring diverse models and celebrating individuality.
Photo by: Twitter
Goldie Owens
3 Oct, 2023
By: Goldie Owens
Much like the ever-changing landscape of the fashion industry, technology too has been on a dynamic journey. Many people know that Artificial intelligence (AI) has become an integral part of the fashion evolution.
Artificial Intelligence, commonly known as AI, is software created to generate content like a human. AI has emerged as a game changer across various domains.
Incorporating AI into different processes enhances efficiency and productivity within organizations and allows organizations to redirect their focus toward fostering creativity and tackling complex challenges.
Fashion companies using AI could be a source of algorithm analysis to understand what products are the most appealing to customers and to identify customer-specific preferences to create clothing tailored to them. This use of AI can enhance customer satisfaction and increase sales for clothing retailers.
Photo by: Unsplash
AI can help supply chains keep track of production to avoid overproduction, which can help companies support environmental aspects.
According to Forbes, it has the potential to significantly impact sustainability by enabling precise assessments of waste reduction, enhancing customer satisfaction, and boosting profits.
These can be great as they can help companies make an effort to become more sustainable, but it could be detrimental to the team’s creativity and individuality.
The downside is that AI could lead to fewer people having jobs as it could support data analysis and customer service; it can even take away the creativity aspect of fashion by generating ideas. Increasing the skillsets is one way to handle that potential issue.
Because fashion companies use AI, they must ensure that the AI is performing ethically regarding privacy and bias algorithms.
As AI is getting used more often, the fashion industry must find a balance between the positives and negatives for future development.
Goldie Owens
2 Oct, 2023
By: Goldie Owens
Photo by: Goldie Owens
As the Editor-In-Chief of Whim Online Magazine, my journey has been fueled by my fascination with the fashion industry’s creative themes and unwavering commitment to visual appeal. But beyond that, I strongly believe in inclusivity and want to extend an invitation to students of diverse backgrounds to contribute to Whim.
In my vision, Whim should be an open platform where students can wholeheartedly share their passions, transforming the magazine into a dynamic outlet for the free expression of creativity and individuality. Our mission encompasses entertainment, education, and information dissemination within the Radford University community and beyond.
We are determined to champion diversity, inclusivity, and innovation as our objectives. Among these goals are building a sense of community, providing a powerful platform for student expression, and engaging our readers with thought-provoking and captivating content.
Through these collective endeavors, Whim Magazine aspires to create a vibrant and inclusive space that resonates with the Radford University community and extends its influence far beyond our campus. This is a fantastic opportunity for your team and students to enhance their editorial skills, embrace their creativity, and advocate for their passions.
It’s a platform that fosters personal growth and adaptability in the digital age. The logo change reflects our commitment to staying relevant in an increasingly digital world.
With many new content and projects on the horizon, let’s continue to unleash our creativity and make Whim even more influential.
Goldie Owens
2 Oct, 2023
To many Asian people, mid-to-late September or early October is a time for unity, gratitude, and celebration. For those unaware of why this time of the month is significant, that is because the highly celebrated and loved Mid-Autumn Festival usually falls on a day in mid-to-late September or early October. The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is one of the most valued holidays in East and Southeast Asia. While the festival is celebrated in different ways by families and isn’t the same in every country, the concept of unity and coming together as a family, friends, and a community remains in the foundation of it no matter the country celebrating it. Perhaps that’s why so many love and celebrate it.
Some history of the Mid-Autumn Festival
The Mid-Autumn Festival is over 3,000 years old and was originally when people around Asia worshiped the moon and prayed for a good harvest in the upcoming year. This celebration was said to have originated from the tradition of moon honoring that happened during the Song Dynasty in China and spread around Asia later on. Many myths are associated with the Mid-Autumn festival, but the most common are the story of the Jade Rabbit and the story of Chang’e. There are different versions of the stories in other cultures, but no matter what, the stories continue to instill the importance of compassion, selflessness, and love.
Some of the countries that celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival are China, South Korea, and Japan.
China:
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the second-largest holiday in China. It is a time when families come together, have a meaningful meal like Americans would on Thanksgiving, and eat delicious mooncakes (a famous Chinese dessert). In China, colorful and decorated lanterns are often created and displayed to celebrate the big event. It is common to see kids running around with little glowing lanterns and enjoying fun activities while the adults catch up on missed time. To many Chinese people, the Mid-Autumn Festival is about gathering together as a community, showing appreciation, and enjoying themselves. That is what the holiday is all about.
South Korea:
In South Korea, the Mid-Autumn Festival is called Chuseok, also known as the Korean Thanksgiving. Chuseok is one of South Korea’s most important holidays, celebrated for three
days, and is a time when families come together and give thanks to their ancestors. For many Koreans, Chuseok is a crucial part of their culture. During this time, it’s common for people to dress in traditional Korean clothes (the hanbok) while enjoying activities, family meals, and tasty songpyeon (traditional Korean rice cakes). In South Korea, Chuseok is primarily about showing gratitude, spending time with family or friends, and celebrating ancestors.
Japan:
Japan’s variant of the Mid-Autumn Festival is called Otsukimi and is a little similar to how the Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in China but without the mooncakes. It’s a time when families go moon-viewing, give food offerings like delicious rice dumplings to the moon in appreciation, and eat tasty rabbit-decorated mochi (a Japanese rice cake). In Japan, people see rabbits pounding mochi with a mallet in the craters of the lunar moon, so decorating and displaying foods with rabbits and full moons is a common practice. While the Japanese people don’t quite celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival as elaborately as Koreans and Chinese people, this holiday is still important to them. It is a time when they are to show gratitude to the moon.
Radford University’s Mid-Autumn Celebration
This past Saturday, September 30, 2023, Radford University’s Chinese Club hosted a Mid-Autumn festival celebration in collaboration with the Asian Pop Culture Club for the first time since COVID-19 occurred. Because it has been so long since the Chinese club hosted this celebration, there was a lot of anticipation for it. The Mid-Autumn celebration was open to the whole community and had a range of activities for people to engage in at different stations while listening to traditional Chinese instrumental music and conversing with friends and family. To add to the festivity of the celebration, the Chinese club invited the Blacksburg Chinese school and the Dragon Tiger Eagle-Wushu Kungfu to perform at the event.
Photo’s by: Bria Davis
A few things that many people liked at the event were: – Practicing calligraphy
-Making and coloring ornaments
-Painting, decorating, and making lanterns and lions
-Watching the four performances done by the Blacksburge Chinese School
-Watching the performances done by the Dragon Tiger Eagle-Wushu Kungfu
-Seeing the infamous Gong Fu Master Simon Kwong and his display of skills
-Eating delicious mooncakes
Having observed the joy it brings to the students, families, and friends who attended the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, the Chinese club aims to continue hosting this annual event again. Their goal is to keep the tradition of hosting the Mid-Autumn celebration alive.
Goldie Owens
2 Oct, 2023
By : Jasmine Isekeije
“I should get a few ribs taken out because I’ll be in a corset for the rest of my life.” -Helena Bonham Carter. When the word corset is mentioned, many different styles and types of waist-cinching garments probably pop up in your head. Corsets have been around for decades and over the years they have served multiple purposes than just giving women an hourglass shape in a Victorian dress. In this article, I will do a deep dive into the history of corsets and the purposes they serve.
The first corset
Catherine de Medici introduced the first corsets to the French court which they fully embraced. Women saw this corset as “indispensable to the beauty of the female figure.”(Stella, 2016) In the 1500s, the corset was used primarily as an undergarment. This corset was tightened by string and elongated the body when worn under the clothes. By the 16th century, corsets were commonly worn by British and European women (Stella, 2016).
Men in Corsets!
Yes, you read right, men wore corsets too! Even one of America’s founding fathers, Thomas Paine, was known to make and wear corsets (McBrayer, 2023). Corsets served multiple purposes for men in the 1800s. The cavalry army used corsets for weightlifting, hunting, and intense exercise (McBrayer, 2023). But, men didn’t just use Corsets for exercise-related activities. In the late 1800s dandyism was a widespread trend for European and British men (McBrayer, 2023). It was popular for men to have slender and more feminine characteristics.
Health risk
While waist trainers make you look good on the outside, they do tremendous damage to your insides. A tightly laced corset limits lung capacity, weakens the back, and irritates the skin (Goldberg, 2015). These are only a few of the issues that come with wearing a corset. Corsets can also cause irreversible damage to the pelvis and digestive system (Goldberg, 2015). Doctors were strictly against the use of corsets but still, they were worn tightly for extended periods.
Corsets today
Corsets today
Today corsets are less for exaggerating the figure, but more for style. In 2019 the corset trend began to arise when popular celebrities, like Bella Hadid, were seen wearing corsets with modern fashion (Bateman, 2020). Many high-end fashion designers also began to incorporate the use of corsets in their fashion designs (Bateman, 2020).
It is safe to say that corsets have a long and ongoing history. For women, corsets used to be a need to look presentable, but corsets serve a different purpose in the world of fashion today.
Now, men and women can feel empowerment and confidence while wearing corsets and show off their bodies on their terms.
References
Bateman, K. (2020, August 4). Why corsets are having a moment in 2020. The Zoe Report. https://www.thezoereport.com/p/2020s-corset-trend-reimagines-a-historical-piece-for-the- modern-moment-29522872
Goldberg, Johanna. (2015, May 29). Did corsets harm women’s health? Books, Health and History. https://nyamcenterforhistory.org/2015/05/29/did-corsets-harm-womens-health/
McBrayer, M. K. (2023, June 6). Men wore corsets, history says. Messy Nessy Chic. https://www.messynessychic.com/2021/03/09/men-wore-corsets-history-says/
Stella, C. (2016, July 27). Corset history – champagne corsets & designs. Champagne Corsets Designs. https://www.champagnecorsets.com/history/
Photo by: Goldie Owens 
