Tag: Amelia Lowry

By Amelia Lowry

“People seldom do what they believe in. They do what is convenient, then repent.”- Bob Dylan

My great-grandparents met when my great-grandfather rode a motorcycle past my great-grandmother, who was taking a stroll with her mother. When he saw her, he knew she was the one he’d spend the rest of his life with. My great-grandfather stood up on his motorcycle (I wasn’t even an egg yet, so there’s no way to know for sure, but I like to imagine he was sort of proud, with his hands on his hips and his shoulders back) and my great-grandmother’s mom turned to her and said: “You can never marry a boy like that.”

Sometimes I think about the stories I’ll be able to tell my grandchildren (or, if the whole starting-a-family thing doesn’t work out, the stories I’ll be able to tell my six tiny snakes). I want to have crazy stories about my teenage-years. More importantly, I want to experience things. I don’t want to be at a disadvantage just because my generation has faster access to entertainment — I want to get up and go just as much as my parents did and their parents before them. And while there’s no time like the present, let’s face it: there’s just more time to do stuff in the summer.

So, if you’re like me in the sense that you want your coming-of-age years to be as grand and unforgettable as possible, here’s a giant list of 20 ideas to make your summer something for the books.

1. Keep a journal! Of course your summer will be something for the books if you record your summer in a book. Thisaway, when you’re sad in the winter because you miss the hot weather, you can pull that baby out and reminisce. Also, there’s something about a used journal that just makes me !!!
2. Put on some funny clothes and go rollerskating. Here: some inspiration.
3. What’s a summer without camping? A bummer, that’s what.
4. Or, if you’re not an outdoorsy kinda person, don’t bug out! I see a blanket fort in your future.
   
5. There’s so much free time in the summer, so naturally, it’s a great time to adopt a new hobby. Cooking is always a good one because if you don’t eat, you’ll die, but there’s also knitting, or gardening, or the arts (ha!).
6. If you live in Washington County, I’m willing to wager that there are times you aren’t the proudest of your small town. But since you can’t change everything, research the most touristy spots in your town and check them out! Try to see where you come from with a different point of view: from someone who wants to be there.
7. Alternatively, sometimes you just live in the middle of a cornfield any way you slice it. But do not fret! There are some super neat places in the tri-state area. Shepherdstown is a delight, and there’s something for everyone: a book store, a small theater, a fairy store. If you’re the singing type or even if you just like to watch, the Blue Moon Café has an open mic night every Wednesday at 9 o’clock and it’s quite a time. (And if you haven’t already been, the Lost Dog Café has great coffee and a super great atmosphere. Unless you’re easily frightened by stickers — then you must run far, far away.)
8. Go to a concert! Local or not, you can never go wrong with a good ‘ole hip-hoppin’ family-fun. Unless it’s a band you don’t like, and then you may not have a very nice time.
9. Make a soundtrack for your summer! Whenever you’ll hear those songs in the future,
   they’ll make you think of nice stuff.
10. Find a dirt-filled spot, spray some water on it, and you’ve got your own mudpit! Do you love feeling like you’re covered in chalk? Then mudpits are the thing for you!
11. Go swimming in the river and pretend your life is a scene from an old country movie!
12. You’ve probably got a little basket or bag around your house somewhere — make some sandwiches and hit the road! Have a picnic somewhere new. (Extra points if you invite me!)
13. Trampoline. Park. You must. Go. Bounce.
14. Get a bunch of your friends to dress up like you’re all from Grease and go to a drive-in movie! It’s a requirement to dress up like you’re from Grease, because otherwise, you might as well go watch an indoor movie.
15. In general, do stuff that scares you! It’s summertime, and this is the best time to change and grow because you don’t have an audience. Remember that it’s perfectly OK if something doesn’t happen like you think it will — what matters is that you try. You don’t want to be stuck in the same place forever, do you? I don’t think so!
16. Take a train somewhere!
17. So, you know how sometimes when you’re listening to music, you’ll look outside the window of the car and pretend you’re in a movie? What if you made a little dumb hipster montage of a day in the life of YOU? You could add in a little song, too, then you’ll basically have a you-themed version of Submarine.
18. Wat-er was that? Did someone say “watergun fight”? More like water-fun fight.
19. Have a bonfire and make s’mores! *POST SCRIPT MAGAZINE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OUT OF CONTROL FIRES FUELED BY THIS SUGGESTION*
    
20. Lastly and not leastly, wake up early and watch the sunrise. Start your day off appreciating something you probably don’t see very often!

Don’t spend your whole summer inside your house not doing anything. What kind of a story is that? “Yes, my grandchildren, when I was a young whippersnapper like yourself, my Tumblr was especially aesthetic. There were gradients all over the place. It was wild.” Figure out what everyone means when they say that these are the best years of your life. As Hannah Montana once said, “Life’s what you make it, so let’s make it rock!”

Amelia Lowry is a Sophomore at Barbara Ingram

By Amelia Lowry

April gallops gracefully around her friends. The eleven faces of her closest companions all blur into one as she runs.

“April, stop dancing and come sit down with the rest of us,” September orders.

“Woah, Sep, chill,” June says lazily, chewing loudly on a giant wad of bubble gum. “It’s not like she’s, like, doing drugs or something.”

At this, all eleven people in the circle exchange dubious looks.

“I don’t get why anyone would do drugs. I mean, isn’t life just amazing as it is?” December asks with a wide smile on his face. “April knows what I’m talking about, right April?”

April skips lackadaisically over to her friends. Her long hair bounces up and down behind her each time her bare feet hit the grass.

“Hey man, did someone, like, say ‘April’?” April asks in her watered-down voice.

September narrows his eyes upon April’s approaching.

“Sep, what’s the matter, dude? The war is over if you want it,” April says to September, kneeling down beside him. He grumbles and tries to scoot away from her, but October stops him with a spooky, eyeliner-rimmed look.

“Hiya, April!” December cheerfully chitters. “I was just tellin’ the gang about how great life is! Don’t you just love it?”

“Totally, man, it’s outta sight. It’s the grooviest time of year — you know how I love April,” she says with a lethargic smile.

“I know I love April,” February says. February gives a sly wink and twirls a lock of curly hair with her slender, pink-polished fingers.

Without missing a beat, December shows the group a glimpse of his twinkling eyes and rosy cheeks. “I love April too — the sun is out, the grass is green — it’s the best time of the year!”

“Oh my God, December, you say that every twenty-four hours,” September replies hotly.

“Simmer down, my friends,” April says.

June changes the subject. “It sure is a chill time of year,” she says. “The twentieth will be here before we know it.”

“Every day is April twentieth if you try hard enough, man,” April says. “Besides, dudette, you gotta think bigger. Expand your mind.”

December grins broadly and says, “Yeah, Christmas is on the way!” He looks off into the distance lovingly, as if he’s thinking about all the different flavors of candy canes, or how soft Santa’s beard is. “Here comes Santa Claus,” he mutters under his breath.

April follows December’s gaze. “Oh, yeah, I think I can see him, man,” she says.

“That’s not Santa Claus, you imbeciles, it’s just a red-breasted robin,” September says.

“Did someone say ‘breast’?” February asks, suddenly alert.

April stretches out, lifting her kimono-covered arms high above her head. Everyone turns to look at her — her sudden shift in movement enough to gather their attention.

“Oh, hello friends,” April says when she notices everyone’s eyes on her.

“What’s your favorite holiday, April?” December asks.

“Oh, that’s a tough one man. It’s tough to decide between Earth day and Arbor day,” April replies. She puts her arm idly over December’s shoulder. “It’s like the two days of the year where everyone is, like, united in the common goal of loving the planet. You know I’m all about the love, man.”

October readjusts his clunky headphones and asks, “April, what is Earth Day? I don’t really know a lot about the Earth.” He pushes his straightened, black hair out of his pale face and looks toward April. More darkly, he says, “I spend most of my time in the underworld.”

“It’s just some dumb hippie holiday. What does it matter? Arbor day, too — they’re just excuses for hippies to hug more trees,” September says.

“Hey man, make love, not war,” April says to September. “Don’t let the man keep you down, October. He probably just didn’t eat his granola this morning.”

“Nobody here eats granola except you, April,” September spits.

“Whatever, my friend. Anyway, Earth Day always falls on April 22nd and Arbor day is on the 29th. I’m planting trees down on the park if you want to join me,” April says.

“Oh, the 22nd? No can do — I’m making some sacrifices that day,” October replies.

“Thank god,” September says. “That’s what this country was built on — some elbow grease and a lot of sacrifice.”

October gives September an ice-cold look. “I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing.”

“It’s totally turbulent, October,” April says. “You don’t have to plant trees to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day. Another thing you can do instead is make people feel bad for throwing stuff away, or protest at your local bank.”

“Why the bank?” September asks, suddenly intrigued.

“Because, man, money doesn’t grow on trees. But you know what does grow on trees?” April asks. Nobody responds. “Air. Why don’t banks help with air? Don’t they know that the air is contaminated? Don’t they know that they, as Americans, are to blame for 25% of carbon dioxide pollution in the environment?”

There is a drawn out silence as everyone digests April’s sudden attitude.

“Well… I’m glad you feel so passionately about something. That’s the bomb,” October says.

“Hey man, watch your language!” April shouts neurotically. “The trees can hear you!”

“Anyway, April.” February flirts, batting her eyelashes. “What are you doing this Friday?”

“I’m going to Wall Street,” April says, shaking her head. “Nobody wastes paper like those tree-hating fascists.”

“Ooh, I bet that’ll be a real good time. But you know what they say — you’re gonna  need a honey if you wanna save some money. Whatdya say, April? Do you wanna –” February began, lowering her eyes to April’s beaded peace-sign necklace, “take a chance on me?”

“No, man, we humans have no right to take the bee’s honey, man. That’s just like us humans, taking what isn’t ours. Like trees, man. Trees don’t belong to anyone,” April says. “That’s why we have to serve the trees, man. Arbor Day is the perfect day for you to serve them. Pick up some trash. Recycle. Plant trees, get your hands muddy, man.”

“I love it when you talk dirty,” February says.

“Far out, dudette, it’s a date. Is the 29th okay, man?” April asks February.

“The 29th is perfect, pick me up at 8,” February responds with a wink.

“Okay, man, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to fit you on my bicycle,” April says, scratching her head, and sways to her feet. “I gotta jam, guys, there’s a protest against fracking going on soon, man.”

April starts skipping away, leaving her eleven friends in near-silence. February is still sitting on the ground, forlornly looking at the grass.

“Oh, I didn’t know she had something against fracking,” February says.

Amelia Lowry is a Sophomore at Barbara Ingram. 

By Amelia Lowry 

In 2012, Instagram was congested with Grumpy Cat memes. In 2013, it was Frozen. And every year, on March 17th, the pictures of everyone drinking green beer make their appearance.

It’s St. Patrick’s Day — the one time of year when it’s actually appropriate to wear your “Kiss me, I’m Irish” merchandise (and receive zero kisses). This is the holiday to celebrate gingers, the color green, and pinching people. Here we are, finally at the one day where it’s socially acceptable to cozy up to people for money because you’re not a gold-digger, you’re just a leprechaun!

So, who is this Saint Patrick and why is he celebrated by canoodling “Irish” people and drinking green beer?

Well, in the late 300’s, Ireland was occupied primarily by Pagans and the like. It was a less-than-ideal environment for the teenaged Patrick, who was captured from his home of Roman Britain and forced to live in Ireland as a slave. But, despite this adversity, Patrick prayed and communicated with God every day. One night when he was twenty, Patrick received a message from God in his dreams, telling him that he could escape Ireland by going to the coast. Sure enough, Patrick was able to break free and go home to Roman Britain. For a few years he studied under a bishop, St. Germanus, eventually became a priest, and then later on, a Bishop. Thus, he became Saint Patrick. He was called to Ireland, where he felt it was his duty to bring the love and light of God.

At first, people tried to kill him. But once he began to talk, people began to listen — his trick was to explain the gospel using a shamrock, a funny little leaf that everyone could understand. People liked that — after all, it was a pretty clover way to discuss religion. Over time, thousands of people converted to Christianity, and entire kingdoms were evangelized. After a long life of building churches and teaching faith, Saint Patrick died on March 17, 461.

So, why do people celebrate St. Patrick’s day?

For at least one thousand years, the Irish have observed St. Patrick’s Day as a holiday. March 17 usually falls during lent, so one of the exciting things about St. Patrick’s Day was that it was an excuse for the Irish to cheat and eat bad stuff for a day. (Although, if their beer was green back then, people might have gotten more than drunk. Like, probably dead.) The first St. Patrick’s Day parade took place in America, in 1762. People played music and embraced their Irishness, probably did some jigs and tweedily-doo, had some chinwags.

During the Potato Famine of 1845, a lot of sad and hungry Irish people emigrated to America to live better lives. Unfortunately, America was a little stingy and didn’t feel like sharing space with Catholics — let alone Irish Catholics. So every year on St. Patrick’s Day, the Irish people would hit the streets and celebrate the Saint that made their country what it was, and the “pure-blooded” Americans would sit on the sidelines, angrily waving their “Vote Trump 1850” flags.

There are so many different ways to celebrate this holiday. As mentioned before, parades are historically the way to go, and you can still attend them today. Although, today, the parades seem a bit more theatrical than they were 150 years ago. Another way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is by wearing green! This is particularly recommended if you are of ten years of age or below — you might get pinched if you show up to school greenless. For anyone older than ten, wearing green is still a verybig St. Patrick’s Day tradition (although, if you’re too edgy or if green doesn’t match your ~aesthetic~, don’t worry about it). Some people celebrate by searching for a four-leaf clover. It’s pretty discouraging to search through thousands of 3-leafers for that special little weed, but you might be the lucky 1%! And if all of that is too much work, you can always just go around pretending to be a leprechaun.

Leprechauns, according to myth, are traditionally crotchety, live alone, and make shoes in their free time. They are said to be about two feet tall. The cleverest of Irish fairies, they can and would do anything to escape human capture. Perhaps this is why leprechauns are everywhere — they are just so relatable. If a leprechaun is caught by a human, they can use magic to make an escape, by simply vanishing into thin air or by granting three wishes. For this reason, Irish people sometimes go looking for leprechauns so that they can have their wishes granted. For a tutorial on how to catch a leprechaun this St. Patrick’s Day, click here. Leprechauns are also supposed to be the bomb at playing music so if you
end up being successful on your quest, make sure to ask to hear some sick beats.

Most Americans observe St. Patrick’s Day in some way or another — whether they’re wearing green or making a point not to in order to be edgy. While it is a small holiday, it’s a good time to appreciate and be thankful for the liberties we have. St. Patrick had a pretty rough life yet still found ways to flourish despite this (and it is his day, after all). So next time you’re invited to a St. Patrick’s Day party, you can tell everyone what you’ve learned and who this St. Patrick guy really is. Then again, if you aren’t invited to a party, never fret! You can always crawl into a hole somewhere in Ireland and never come out again, and live the rest of your life as a leprechaun.

Amelia Lowry is a Sophomore at Barbara Ingram. 

A response to How to Make a Hipster Fall in Love (Ironically)

By Amelia Lowry

There’s two days ‘til Valentine’s Day, and many people still find themselves alone. After all, it takes time to find someone who you would like to spend all your time with. Goths have it even worse — a dying breed (inside and out), they find it hard to find the right person whose soul is theirs for the taking. Goths tend to have considerable trouble pulling someone icy enough for their liking, because not only do they need a person to spend all of their waking moments with, but someone to share all of their dead moments, as well.

That being said, if you’re a lonely goth looking for some quick love, keep reading for our list of seven ways to find love for this Valentine’s holiday!

 

Step 1: Look your best.

This piece of advice is older than time itself. You’ve got to look neat to get the meat! If you walk around looking perky, well-presented, clean, and pleasant, you’ll never get a date. So, stay awake for days at a time to get those succulent, puffy bags under your eyes, and don’t forget to rub charcoal eyeliner all around for that I-didn’t-wake-up-like-this-because-I-never-went-to-bed look.

 

Step 2: Smell your best.

Do you think the Bride of Frankenstein got her man by smelling like roses? I don’t think so! If you ghouls really just wanna have fun, you have to start by smelling the part. For that delightful, unshakeable scent of death, our style specialists at Forever Seventeen Magazine suggests that you dab the fresh blood of a parakeet behind your ears. If it’s overwhelming sadness that you wish to emit, bathe in the salty tears of a new widow. (Extra points if you widow her yourself!)

Step 3: Are you goth enough?

The last thing you want to do is be mistaken for an emo by a potential mate! Because, let’s face it — emos and goths are very different. Emos wear color sometimes.

It is essential when entering a relationship that you know who you are, and it’s even more important to know who you’re representing. Who cares if you’ve only ever read the Harry Potter series? Your favorite author is Poe. It doesn’t matter if you listen to some goofy hipster band when no one else can hear you. What matters is that you say your favorite band is Evanescence. Got it? Good.

 

Step 4: Find your one and lonely!

How are you going to find that unspecial someone unless you go out and just get ‘er done? Try walking down the street, and instead of creeping along the wall like you normally do, step boldly, and glare at everyone you see. Your ultimate goal is to find a timeless lover, so it is vital that you scare away the weak-hearted. Glare, stomp, hiss, bark — whatever you feel encapsulates you as a person.

 

Step 5: Give them your number!

Surely, you’ve attracted some attention from hissing and barking at passers-by. Now all that’s left is to seek out your life/after-life partner! At this point in the game, it is perfectly acceptable to groan at them in all six of your inside voices! If they are truly meant to be with you, they will understand. Should they pass all of these tests, the next step is to give them your number. Although, if they are still alive, we suggest that you ask their permission before etching your number onto them for eternity. The living ones tend not to like that.

 

Step 6: Take them on a date.

Chances are that you probably have a couple Marylin Manson concert tickets lying around. This could make for a fun date! You two could “accidentally” knock heads while headbanging, or have a deep discussion on the different shades of black. If you already used your Manson tickets, and if you’re in the mood for a particularly steamy evening, light a couple candles and break out the records — you can play them backwards together and hear your true calling.

A trip to the cemetery is always a gloomy, tomby adventure– perfect for you and your new girlfriend/victim/boyfriend. Picnics, rituals, grave-digging, making your funeral plans; there is so much to do and so little time!

Step 7: Take them to meet your family.

You’ve finally found the person or creature that you intend on spending infinity with, and more importantly, Valentine’s Day. As per custom, it is essential that this creature meet the people that raised you. Your mummy might unravel slightly at the sight of her little monster growing up, but that’s to be expected. When taking your lover on a tour of the house, your parents might tell you to keep your coffin door open, but they just like to embarrass you because they love you with such intensity that it feels like they loathe you.

At Forever Seventeen Magazine, we guarantee that there’s someone or something out there just for you. There’s no reason to be lonely this Valentine’s Day. Follow these seven, simple steps and we promise that you’ll have someone to love in no time!

Amelia Lowry is a sophomore at Barbara Ingram

By Amelia Lowry 

Flannels, plaids, tartans– whatever you wanna call them, they’re everywhere and everyone wears them. Confused dads with fanny-packs and vests wear flannels; hipsters pair their plaid with vans and whiny voices claiming that they listened to Bon Iver before anyone else did. Greasy-haired, Kurt-Cobain loving people wear flannels over band t-shirts. Kylie Jenner wears her plaid tied around her waist and people who want to be like Kylie Jenner wear their plaid the same way for $300 less.

There is not one group of people that tartan is not advertised to. L.L Bean, the nerdy parent store, sells plaid shirts by the thousands. Forever 21 and H&M sell it to the youngins. Even obnoxiously expensive companies like Burberry and Chanel sell plaid to its obnoxiously rich customers.

The question that is banging its head against the wall, wanting so desperately to be asked, is why? What is it about flannel and plaid that everyone loves? Why is everyone going loony over this specific geometric pattern?

The answer may never be learned, but we can still investigate why the world is doused in plaid (and we will).

There are several clumps of people who started this flannel-fever, and it actually wasn’t the hipsters that did it first. Scotland in particular can be accredited for tartan. Way back when, before the mid-1800’s, tartans were crafted by local weavers and could be used to identify towns and general regions of people. This is partially because the dyes would have to be local, and partially because tastes and styles would differ from town to town. Though it is definitely rude in 2015, sometimes we can see people and identify where they are from based off of their style– for instance, if someone is wearing an organically-dyed maxi skirt and Birkenstocks, they are probably from Shepherdstown. When people wear denim shirts on top of blue jeans, they are trying to tell you that they are from Canada and the people who wear leather hats are almost always from your local Harley Davidson store.

After the 1850’s, there were more machines and available materials, such as dyes and fabrics. It was much easier for weavers to make family-specific tartans, and so many families had patterns unique to their family. If someone from nineteenth century Scotland were to time-travel to today’s time, they might start giving everyone hugs. For all they know, you’re their brother from another mother.

Another group of people who are strongly associated with plaid are the lumberjacks. Go ahead, search ‘lumberjack’ in your Google search bar. Every image is of a ripped hipster, complete with a pair of suspenders and a beanie and a beard and, most vital to the success of this paragraph, they are all wearing flannels! Part of the reason that the lumberjacks loved their flannels (and probably why so many people have become attached to their plaid shirts) is because of the comfiness factor. Lumberjacks would often live a migrational life, traveling from place to place and chopping down trees where they could find them. This meant that they had a rough time finding someone to love on them in the colder months. For this reason and this reason only– the lack of a lover’s warmth– lumberjacks would want to stay warm, and would use this blend of geometrically-woven cotton to do so. Maybe this is why everyone is wearing flannel all of a sudden– because they are single and therefore rendered perpetually cold.

A lot of people believe that those with symmetrical faces are more beautiful than people with regular faces, and this has been tested with science. According to a study by Anthony C. Little, Benedict C. Jones, and Lisa M. DeBruine on facial attractiveness, humans tend to lean towards people who have symmetry in their face due to Evolutionary Advantage. In essence, this means that we find will typically find someone who has eyes that are evenly lined up more delightful to look at compared to someone with eyeballs all over their face in uneven proportion because subconsciously, we see that person as a potential mate and we want our potential children to be perfect. At this point, you may be wondering what this has to do with plaid. I’m not so sure anymore. But, I think that one reason plaid might be coming back in such a big way is because it tends to be symmetrical. We like plaid because it is a good potential mate.

Whether people are wearing plaid to look like another Kardashian or because they liked it before it was cool, plaid is here to stay. The Scottish started it, the lumberjacks perpetuated it, and Beyoncé probably wore it better.  If you are a lover of plaid, you’re in luck! Plaid is here to stay, unless we make something else popular– something weirder than lumberjack-chic. Maybe plumber-chic? We can all have plumber’s cracks. It’s a real cute idea.

Amelia Lowry is a Sophomore at Barbara Ingram