Finding fa ae ra hion > What it means to develop a personal style Brittney MacDonald Life & Style Editor don’t need to tell you that bodies come in all shapes and sizes—that’s obvious. That fact can also make it extremely difficult when you want to be fashionable, but the current trends sway towards something that may not be flattering on you or something you wouldn't feel comfortable in. However, being fashionable and being on trend are two very different things. It is always possible to be stylish, because style is user defined. So then the question becomes “what is a personal style and how do you develop one?” For the longest time I believed that fashion simply wasn’t my bag. My body is fairly disproportionate in terms of the torso to lower body ratio, and | have broad shoulders with a narrow waist. This made finding clothes really difficult, so I kind of jsut gave up on it and relegated myself to hoodies and jeans. The difficulty of dressing myself contributed to an overall self-consciousness that prevented me from fully exploring the wonderful world of fashion. It wasn’t until I began designing costumes for various events that | realized that dressing up and having pride in what I wore made me feel better and more confident in general. I began testing the waters with what I liked, though not things that were necessarily Studying tips > Straight from the mouth and minds of our students! Katie Czenczek Staff Writer hether it was because you were staring at the sunshine outside or at the guy flicking dandruff all over your binder, staying focused at school is tough, and you might need help getting back into study mode. With exams coming in less than a month, it can seem daunting to get back into the groove, especially when you have a final worth 4o per cent of your grade. In order to help you return from your daze, I have compiled a list of study tips from your fellow Douglas College students to help you out. Note: We at the Other Press do not guarantee that these tips and tricks will get you that solid A+ you've been dreaming about, so please use with caution, and don’t come crying to us if it backfires. Tears make everything socially awkward. In an interview with the Other Press, Douglas College student Gagan Grewal stated that you're already behind if you're only starting to study now. “You need to start studying on the first day. Keep up with the quizzes and readings and you'll be fine when the exam comes around,” she said. Grewal also explained why getting started early was the best option, “Don't cram! You won't be able to ask professors questions about the things you are unsure about if you do it at the last minute. That is my strategy.” However, to all of those crammers out there, Mariia Spatar had different advice. “I don’t prepare; I just hope for the best. Usually I try to read, but if ] don’t have the time I just guess. You have to be able to make educated guesses from time to time.” Seongbin Moon gave a happy medium to bridge the two suggestions as he explained, “Well, normally I only prepare for midterms and finals two weeks before.” When asked what kinds of strategies he used to prepare for exams, Moon said, “You can’t do too much for math and science courses aside from practicing. So I use the study guideline handouts, homework assignments, and such. Sometimes I even do practice exams profs post on Blackboard.” As far as group study sessions go, Loudeen Grewal, Kiranjeet Nagi, and Simran Bola have you covered. Nagi recommended studying with other people because then “you can in fashion—stuff that I would find in thrift stores, or randomly in independent shops. I liked the idea of not looking like everyone else—a remnants of my days as a little punk/goth high schooler. Through experimentation | learned what I wanted my body to look like, and what fabrics I enjoyed wearing. It was all about the personal for me, mostly because I am a baby, and everything I wear has to be comfortable. What came much later was the ability to adapt current trends to suit what I wanted to wear. Currently, though I appreciate fashion trends, I generally don’t employ them unless they fit what I’ve come to realize is my way of expressing myself to the world at large. What it comes down explain things to each other, to get help with doubts about questions.” Bola echoed this, giving a strategy for compiling notes together. “We compare our notes with each other’s, and then go onto the lecture notes. It helps us to not miss anything.” l asked the girls if they ever get distracted when working together, to which they laughed before Bola admitted, “Yeah, sometimes we start Photo by Analyn Cuarto to is “what do you feel attractive and comfortable in?” If you like the way you look, confidence can make any outfit work—I know that sounds cheesy, it sounded just as cheesy in my head, but it is true! Also, never listen to people who tell you that you shouldn't dismiss certain styles as things you “can’t wear.” Theyre saying it to tell you that you shouldn't be so self-conscious, but it just comes off as dismissive. Wear what you want and what you're comfortable in—just don’t limit yourself to hoodies and jeans or say that fashion isn’t for you. Fashion is for everyone, it’s just that some people haven't discovered their version of it yet! Photo by Analyn Cuarto chiki gossiping and then it takes too long.” One other suggestion is to practice active memory retention strategies. Something as simple as chewing gum at home while youre studying and again while you're taking your exam can be enough to help you retain information. Well, there you have it, folks! Some studying tips from your fellow classmates. Good luck with your finals and get to studying!