Lifestyle

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LIFESTYLE 9/9/24 8:47pm

Artist showcases consumption habits through art

By Abigail Hobbs and Megan Walsh

David Hamlow has been collecting his own trash for almost 40 years, taking up space in his attic, basement and storage locker. He uses the trash — typically clear plastics, paper cardboard and thicker cardboard — to create art installations. Hamlow said he considers these pieces self portraits because most of it is his personal trash. Hamlow created an art installation for Elon’s Arts West Gallery 406 and hosted an artist talk Sept. 9. The exhibit will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday until Sept. 27.

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LIFESTYLE 9/9/24 11:53am

Nonprofit hosts book sales to fund library programming in Alamance County

By Sarah T. Moore

After moving to Alamance county from Long Island 30 years ago, Debbie Gunyan was quick to notice the differences between the public libraries. Long Island has over 200 public libraries across the Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk county systems. Alamance County has four public libraries — one in Graham, one in Mebane and two in Burlington. Friends of the Libraries next book sale will run from Sept. 6 to 15 at the May Memorial Library in Burlington. Friends of the Alamance County Public Libraries is a nonprofit that funds the library system’s programming.

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LIFESTYLE 9/9/24 10:17am

Squirrels to songbirds: Elon professor shares tips to observe wildlife

By Sarah T. Moore

While they are frequently seen across Elon, squirrels aren’t the only critters on campus. For those interested in learning more about local wildlife, biology professor Dave Gammon said getting familiar with songs and calls is a good way to identify the animals on campus, especially the birds. American robins, eastern bluebirds, cardinals, northern mockingbirds, Canada geese, mallard ducks, tufted titmice and crows are some of the birds Gammon said he commonly spots. Beyond bird calls, Gammon said once people know the sounds and stop to listen, they’ll often hear cicadas and “Katydids galore.”

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LIFESTYLE 9/3/24 4:12pm

Sophomore brings Music For Dementia to Elon

By Abigail Hobbs

Her hands were the only thing in frame, dancing across the keys as she played a complex, classical piece on the piano. She hadn’t played in 20 years, and though there was no songbook on the music stand, she remembered the piece clearly. Sophomore Aidan Fishkind received a video of their 90-year-old aunt with dementia playing the piano from her live-in caretaker. Fishkind, who was involved in Music For Dementia in their high school, brought the organization to Elon — officially creating its first out-of-state chapter in spring 2024.

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LIFESTYLE 8/31/24 1:36pm

Elon’s GLC fosters community through new student welcome

By Sarah T. Moore

Freshman Alexandria Bell is one of over 140 members of the class of 2028 who is part of the LGBTQ+ community. Bell said while looking at colleges and universities, it was important to her to attend a school that was welcoming to LGBTQ+ students. On Aug. 30, Bell attended the Gender and LGBTQIA+ Center’s new student welcome event in McKinnon Hall. GLC Director Luis Garay said the annual New Student Welcome event allows the center to connect with students and share how the GLC is able to support them through different resources and programming.

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LIFESTYLE 8/26/24 12:12pm

Elon University community built on decades of longstanding, emergent traditions

By Sarah T. Moore

Potential students learn about acorns, oak saplings, College Coffee and Numen Lumen during campus tours, but these aren’t the only traditions in which students, families, staff and faculty to participate in. While these traditions have changed over time — to stay relevant and accommodate a growing student population — these events and activities unite generations of Elon’s community, according to Jana Lynn Patterson, Traditions Council chair and dean of students.

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LIFESTYLE 8/26/24 10:39am

‘A friend, a confidant, a mentor’

By Adelaide Kuzma and Alana Moss-Caldwell

The Rev. Bill Sharpe found his home in helping others. Sprawled through his life, including his time as Elon University’s first chaplain and counselor, is a constellation of those he inspired and the works he created. Sharpe died in January 2020 of cancer. Elon University created an archive of his collections in May of 2024 that include pieces of memorabilia he collected over the years such as photographs of staff members, letters, playbills and newspaper clippings. The collection itself was assembled by an archival student, Jasper Meyers ’24.

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LIFESTYLE 7/19/24 1:04pm

Elon University student’s TikTok ‘passion project’ builds community through comedic storytelling

By Sarah T. Moore

After faking his own death and subsequent kidnapping, Elon University senior and acting major Nik Salah finds himself with a highly engaged audience of roughly 1.5 million followers on TikTok. Over the past three years, Salah’s satirical TikTok page, judyhoppsl0vr69, has grown from a “joke” to a “passion project” to a source of income. Salah developed his presence centered around an exaggerated enthusiasm for Disney’s Zootopia, an animated movie featuring an anthropomorphic rabbit named Judy Hopps. Building on this persona, Salah and his friends spent the month of June weaving a complex, fictional narrative of his own (fake) death.

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LIFESTYLE 7/5/24 1:47pm

Elon alumna navigates music industry, promotes upcoming album

By Sarah T. Moore

The day before Game 5 of the Stanley Cup, pop artist Brooke Alexx got a call from one of her managers asking if she wanted to sing the national anthem. She flew to Miami the day of and said it was the biggest crowd she’d performed the national anthem for. But before she was releasing music under the name Brooke Alexx, she was studying music production at Elon University. Brooke Greenberg said her stage name is derived from her middle name, Alexandria, with “an extra X for flair.” She characterizes her music as “girl next door” pop-rock that centers story-telling and narrative.

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LIFESTYLE 6/18/24 5:00pm

Elon local businesses deal with customer change for summer

By Nia Bedard

While students are away from campus, businesses in downtown Elon are experiencing a change in their customer demographic for the next two months. All that Jas, a gift store specializing in Greek life and Elon merchandise, have adjusted their hours due to the lack of students in the summertime. All that Jas owner Caitlin Brooks said the decrease in hours gives the business the ability to catch up in other facets. Management and vendors from Pandora's Pies and the Elon Farmer's Market, respectively, also discuss how the change in customer demographic effects sales during the summertime.

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LIFESTYLE 6/4/24 5:36pm

Artist finishes third mural in downtown Elon plaza

By Avery Sloan

Muralist Mary Ryan has been working on completing an outdoor painting on the plaza in Elon’s downtown for less than a week. But the plaza itself, from conception to construction, took much longer than that. Beginning with the town staff announcing plans for an outdoor plaza in downtown Elon in December 2021 and completing construction in December 2023. Ryan said as she finishes painting this mural, she has been touching up her other murals at the same time. With outdoor seating around the mural itself, Ryan said she hopes this mural will avoid as much direct foot traffic as possible.

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LIFESTYLE 5/21/24 9:07pm

Limelight Records hosts first ‘Limeys’ to celebrate student artists at Elon University

By Sarah T. Moore

Heels clicked against the pavement as students entered the College Taphouse. As attendees entered the building, they were greeted with a red carpet and signage for the “Limeys” — Limelight Records first formal award ceremony. Senior Juliana Kuhno, who is Limelight’s vice president of promotions, said the label wanted to create a “Grammy-esque” event highlighting the work of student artists. In between announcing the awards, the event included performances from Limelight artists North Towards Home, Ali and Andi, Meenali Dream, Wisteria, Thistle Ridge Band, prettylarceny, Yards Davis Band and a closing set from The Germaniacs.

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LIFESTYLE 5/12/24 5:05pm

Elon University senior strikes chords of connection on campus

By Reagan Sizemore

Senior Gabe Germain found his passion for music when he picked up a guitar at 13 years old. However, his music career didn’t kick off until he began recording his music for production sophomore year. Now the pop artist is looking forward to releasing his first album this upcoming fall. Germain is a musical artist at Elon and releases his own original songs with the help of Limelight, a record label on campus designed to help student musicians. In April, Germain released a new single titled “Perched,” a single from his upcoming album coming out in fall 2024.

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LIFESTYLE 5/6/24 1:29pm

Research to rapid fire: Professor takes on Jeopardy

By Avery Sloan

Professor Marko Saric, an antsy person by nature, said when he was competing on the set of Jeopardy, he felt like he was back in his room watching the show. Saric was on Jeopardy April 18 and continued on April 19. For Saric, being a professor did not necessarily translate to skills helpful for the game show. He instead prepared by looking through the J! Archive, a website created by fans with every single answer that has been on Jeopardy. From there Saric would go to Wikipedia to read up on things he didn’t know, he said.

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LIFESTYLE 5/3/24 4:54pm

El Centro celebrates Elon University’s LatinX/Hispanic community with release of “Perspectivas”

By Nia Bedard

Elon University’s Latinx/Hispanic student center, El Centro, celebrated their value of “mi comunidad” with the release of its zine, “Perspectivas.” “Perspectivas,” is a zine published on a semesterly basis that gives a space for Latinx/Hispanic-identifying students the opportunity to publish their art. The first edition of the magazine was released last fall and was created and supervised by junior Leslie Aviles. This edition is centered around the value of “mi comunidad,” one of El Centro’s core values that can be found on their website.

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LIFESTYLE 4/29/24 4:04pm

Elon, Eastlawn elementary school gardens act as outdoor classrooms

By Charlotte Pfabe

Tucked behind Elon and Eastlawn Elementary are over 20 plant beds growing fruits and vegetables. In the gardens, the crops are ready for the peak spring season. Created and maintained entirely by volunteers, many Elon University students are involved in the efforts that go into taking care of the space. Both gardens work with the North Carolina School Garden Network, which connects schools from across the state with resources to build their own gardens. Elon Professor Scott Morrison is a founding member of the network and sees the gardens as extensions of the classroom.

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LIFESTYLE 4/25/24 12:37pm

Elon Performing Arts presents “Myths and Hymns” for spring musical

By Nia Bedard

After learning “Myths and Hymns” would be the spring musical, Elon professor and director Alexandra Joye Warren knew she would have to add some sort of story into the song cycle. Song cycles are a group of individually complete songs designed to be performed in a sequence without having an overarching narrative. “Myths and Hymns” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on April 26, at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on April 27 and at 2 p.m. on April 28 in Roberts Studio Theatre in Scott Studios. Tickets are $15 at the door or free with an Elon ID.

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LIFESTYLE 4/25/24 10:56am

Elon University students reimagine classic fairytale in original musical

By Sarah T. Moore

A kickline, a love song, a villain monologue and a cardboard cutout of Mark Sloan from Grey’s Anatomy — these were all elements in “Sleeping Beauty,” a student-written reimagining of the classic fairy tale. NewWorks, a student organization that produces original student works, hosted three showings of a workshop production. “Sleeping Beauty” was the first musical NewWorks has produced, written by Elon senior and acting major Graham Cole. The workshop production took place in the Center for the Arts Isabella Cannon Room with a full run of the first act and a short collection of scenes and songs from act two.

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LIFESTYLE 4/23/24 11:07am

Ines Bakery: from street corner to big dreams in every bite

By Lilly Molina

Ines Roets smelled the hints of tobacco on the streets of Calle Ocho in Miami as she sold her empanadas to tobacco rollers and other businesses. With one hand guiding a stroller, her infant son inside, and her other hand holding a cooler filled with savory empanadas, this is where Roets got her start.  Every morning and afternoon Ines returned to Calle Ocho and people couldn’t get enough of her empanadas. This is when she realized there was something special here, so she held onto it. 

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LIFESTYLE 4/22/24 11:08am

Elon University student organization K-DNS embraces K-pop and community

By Katharyn MacDonald

There were bright smiles and laughter as members of Elon University’s K-pop student organization K-DNS headed into a Koury Center studio Sunday evening, chatting about their weekends. As soon as the music was on, they were in position, smiles still on their faces and ready to dance. K-DNS, which stands for K-pop Dancing ’n Singing, is an audition-based group that provides a space for students to hone skills and share their love of K-pop. It has three subgroups, the Dance, Vocal and Rap Units — as well as general members that are involved in many facets.

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