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David Morales

David Morales’ professional background includes work as a writer, journalist, musician, and in human services. He has a BS in Psychology from Eastern Michigan University and has a deep empathy for the creative process, establishing relationships with a wide range of media sources including publishing houses, editors, and authors.
Hip Hop

A Conversation with Hip Hop Artist RoQy TyRaiD

RoQy TyRaiD is a rapper from Phoenix, Arizona who grew up in the hip hop culture out in Los Angles, California. His music reflects life as he portrays his experiences through his rhymes. Recently touring in London and Amsterdam, RoQy TyRaiD is hard at work promoting his singles like PLYNwcha and MC4REAL.

“I’m Just bringing that funk! Like that’s what playing is about” – RoQy TyRaiD

RoQy TyRaiD is a well-rounded hip hop entertainer who doesn’t play by the rules. “You’re expected to abide by these rules in order to reach this mythical idea of making it, says RoQy TyRaiD. Instead of seeking representation or signing to a label, RoQy works along the principles of reciprocity. “I’m not going to be somebody who takes on some agency or takes on some label on the shelf because they don’t understand my product,” RoQy TyRaiD told College News magazine. It is fair to say that RoQy TyRaid is a dope hip hop artist with an international presence that is sure to be a good add to your playlist.

College News: Tell me about hip hop artist RoQy TyRiaD.

RoQy TyRiaD: I live in Phoenix, Arizona but I’m from southern California. I’m here to advance my artistic pursuits and find myself deeper in the culture that inspired me and gave me a live soundtrack. I feel that artists, at the end of the day, are just glorified fans. I’m finding my way further in the culture that inspired me, and this is why I’m here

CN: Some would describe you as a socially conscious rapper. How would you describe your subject matter?

RT: I feel that art reflects life. It’s a mirror and if there is something so egregious or something that’s so easily discernible that I would pick up on it and you would find that within my art. This is the direction that I’m presenting. I do have things that are more politically shifted. I guess I’m a well-rounded artist I suppose, but you know, with the climate that we live in right now, it’s really hard not to mention these things. I almost feel compelled to do so.

CN: What is your most recent single? 

RT: It’s called PLYNwcha. I’m just bringing that funk! Like that’s what playing is about. It’s a mantra to the level of adversity that indie artists within our sub-genre have to deal with, especially in America. You’re expected to abide by these rules in order to reach this mythical idea of ‘making it’. You have to keep in mind that you’re being watched by entities and labels and all this type of stuff. I don’t feel like playing by those rules. I feel like doing what I feel has given me the momentum to this point and if it ruffles a couple of feathers, so be it. Can’t really stick by the status quo. I have to question it, and people don’t like being questioned.

CN:Tell me about your team. Who are they and what do they do? 

RT: I work with people who provide resources that I need. The people I work with I have reciprocated relationships with. Until I discover something that’s beneficial to me and that works with me. I’m not really going to give that up because I’ve tried that before and you know, you may or may not find little strides and things of that nature. But if everything is not there, it’s not going to work.

I’m not going to be somebody who takes on some agency or takes on some label on the shelf because they don’t understand my product. I was speaking to my man Jay live and he was just going back and forth and putting game about how this is a global industry, like you can’t refuse to step outside of the boundaries of the United States and find what works for you.  So, I’ve been doing that to find that perfect entity is going to work. But until then, I’m taking care of everything. Like you have to, we’re a startup business.

Listen to hip hop artist RoQy TyRaiD’s new single PLYwcha, here:

Further reading: Pop Duo Joyeur Discuss Their New Single with College News

Rap Artist on Mental Health

Jango on his new single “Alone by Choice”

Jango is a rapper/singer from the pacific northwest who has a message about the importance of empowering yourself. The rap artist is a proud advocate of mental health who finds solace in the struggle of the game. Inspired after his friend Cam who committed suicide, “Alone By Choice” is more than an expressive movement, it is a dedication to those suffering from depression. 

“So many people find depression and helplessness in being alone when in fact they should be able to find some happiness by appreciating and loving themselves”—Jango

Jango is on a mission. His goal is to raise awareness surrounding interdependency with a focus on empowerment and mental health. No one can love you better then yourself, says Jango, and nobody should ever be able to tear you down. “It’s your life, it’s your choices, and ultimately your happiness.”

College News: Jango, what can you tell me about yourself and what can you tell me about your music?
Jango: The idea for my project stemmed off my friend, god bless his soul, who chose suicide last year in October. In my opinion, the reason why he did it was because he was alone. So, this project was a way to talk to him on a personal level and say goodbye, but also connect to those people who felt alone and let them know its okay to be alone. That is how I came to “Alone By Choice.”

CN: What have you learned on your journey when writing this?  
J: When I was writing this, it opened a new perspective. It made me think of how people could do something like this. It’s crazy! I knew the kid for so long! It was wild for me to think that I never even knew that he was going through it. That is a common thing that a lot of people say. So, for me, I made this choice to take my career seriously and go on this path. I realized that there can be depression and inner loneliness and at the same time there was happiness in the struggle.

There was happiness in fighting hard and making sure I established myself as far as my career, my name and my project. I want to make sure I put a footprint in the area in the pacific northwest. So I found this happiness in being alone. In those depressing times, you’ve got to realize that as a person that these times are only going to make you better. Now that you have experienced it, you know what that feels like. It is a great and powerful thing to know what those emotions feel like so you can overcome them and be ready for life.

CN: Why do you feel like it is so important for your audience to understand that message?
J: Because I feel like a lot more people feel like this than they would admit. Especially this day and age with the socials and everything, a lot more people are so stuck on their phones, that when you break them down they are shallow people. It is to the point to where the suicidal rate is becoming a serious thing. So, it’s a serious topic that people just don’t want to talk about. My music is drawn from my personal experiences and vibe or feeling. There are a lot of emotions that go into my music!

CN: Is there anything that you want your fans to know about you and your music before I let you go?
J: I have some festivals coming up here along the pacific north west. I want my fans to know that you can keep up to date with me on my website at  https://www.jangolives.com/ and as far as shows and future events, all that is updated on my website.

If, like Jango’s friend, you, or anyone you know is suffering from poor mental health, you can gethelp:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
SAMHSA: 1-877-726-4727

You may also be interested in: Mental Health Awareness in School

National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest

NASA master sniffer knows stank!

Odor-Eaters understands kids are known for creating some stank messes and peculiar odors and now they are getting an award for it. Hosted at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, The National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker contestants came from across the country to compete and show off their smelly sneakers. For a chance to win a national title, contestants prepared a muster of foul, nasty and often maggot infested mess made up of an assortment of animal poop and rotten and decomposing parts. Also, feet!

“So, in Alaska like we go hiking a lot. I don’t treat my sneakers very well. They’re rough”—Connor Slocombe

College News: I understand that we have some foul smells to talk about?
NASA’s Master Sniffer George Aldrich: We sure do!
Connor Slocombe: Yeah!

CN: How sensitive are our noses when it comes to foul smells?
George Aldrich: That’s a tough question, but start off by saying that I’m NASA’s master sniffer. I’ve been smelling for NASA for 43 years. I have a NASA certified nose and must certify my nose three times a year to belong to NASA’s solar panel.

CN: Connor, what was winning the Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest like?
Connor Slocombe: I was super happy and excited because I’ve tried to make it for three years in a row and then I made it just this last time! Then I made it here, so this is like a dream come true. So, I’m super excited!

CN: What are some of the ingredients for a disgusting smelling sneaker?
Connor Slocombe: So, in Alaska like we go hiking a lot. I don’t treat my sneakers very well. They’re rough. Then I step in like dog poop, goat poop, chicken poop, salmon guts, like fish guts and like I got in like octopus’s tentacles. Once I left them out, maggots got into them.

CN: Tell us more about the contest.
George Aldrich: Well, you have a regional competition in a few locations and then the winner of that goes on to the national competition here in New York. That’s when you go up with seven other or six other kids.

CN: How did you get started with this?
George Aldrich: We have a local contest where I live in New Mexico. So, I got started at the local contest and then Odor-Eaters invited me over into the national level 18 contests ago. This is my 18th contest.

CN: Where can viewers at Collegenews.com find more information?
George Aldrich: You can go to odor-eater.com. From there you can see about the contest.

CN: Have there been any major scientific breakthroughs through this program?
George Aldrich: No nothing like that! Maybe making the Odor-Eaters products little stronger. So, they can help some of these kids I guess.

Make sure to check out our satellite video interview with this year’s winner and NASA’s Master Sniffer George Aldrich, who help College News magazine inform us on how to make the perfect rotten sneaker.

Eat Italian with Mary Giuliani

Celebrity caterer of the stars Mary Giuliani shares some tips in Italian cuisine right from the heart of Italy. From fashion to entertainment sets, Giuliani’s clients can count on her traditional up bringing to inspire the flavors produced from her renowned catering services. Now Giuliani shares her skills with College News magazine in a one to one about what it means to live Italian and what it takes to get those exquisite flavors that go into Italian cooking and dining. How about an ice cream sandwich or breadsticks served with eggplant caponata? You can check out the details in out short satellite presentation and get a taste of Italy in your home this spring.

COLLEGE NEWS: What does it mean to live Italian?
MARY GIULIANI: It means to have fun and enjoy preparing and sharing food with people that you love. It’s easy David! If you want to have friends over and have a good time. I could tell you some easy ways to do that.

CN: How did growing up Italian shape the kind of cook you are today?
MARY GIULIANI: I was lucky that I had my Italian grandparents live in my home with me growing up. So, Saturdays in my house were all about preparing and cooking for Sunday. I learned how to make great meatballs and great sauces with artichoke. I also learned how much fun it could be to start buying the food to prepare and sharing the food. So, that was the biggest gift that I take now into my catering and into my own home-entertaining. It was a great lesson.

CN: What are some easy ways we can incorporate the Italian life into our daily meals?
MARY GIULIANI: Okay, well I am all about shortcuts and making something look pretty, that’s simple. So, I found this great product from one of the best bakeries in Italy. They now offer products here. They are called Milano Bianco! They make great breadsticks. So I like to do what I call a “breadstick bar”. It’s easy! First you dump a bunch of bread sticks into a bowl and then you have all sorts of guacamole, hummus, eggplant caponata and roasted tomatoes. It’s all pre-bought, prepackaged and/or homemade if you have the time. And your guests come over, it’s visually pretty and they could make a hearty plate—dip the bread sticks into all different toppings, and it’s a great way to get full without, you know, sweating in the kitchen all day.

CN: Any tips for throwing an Italian-themed dinner party?
MARY GUILIANI: I think it’s just about using all those great ingredients or great products that you can incorporate that have that authentic taste and feel of Italy. So, an easy way to make an impression—I say you only get one chance to make a lasting impression at a party—is to make dessert. So fortunately, these Molina Bianco cookies are great and are pretty. They’re all different assorted flavors, shapes sizes, colors and I just put those out on some beautiful cake stands. Then how about this, make your own ice cream sandwiches! So, I put different ice cream out and different toppings so like caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, sprinkles. My guests come over, they grab a few cookies, throw a little ice cream, dip it in some chocolate sauce, they’re having fun, you’re enjoying their time, they’re taking pictures, they’re Instagramming, it’s a great party! So it’s a great way to make something simple very special and that’s wonderful.

CN: So, where can we go for more information?
MARY GIULIANI: You could go to milanobianco.com these breadsticks and cookies are available in most grocery stores, in the United States and in the international aisle.

Them Evils Spring Tour with The Pretty Reckless

Them Evils rock out a classic sound that is dearly missed in the industry. Reminiscent of those groovy hard rock jams of the late 70s and early 80s, Them Evils brings an original sound illustrated in their single titled “Untold.” Inspired by rock and roll legends, Them Evils is guitarist/vocalist Jordan Griffin, bassist Jake Massanari and drummer David Delaney. Together, they form a powerful three piece that combines classic rock elements with a modern and thematic undertone. A perfect match for a spring tour with The Pretty Reckless that kicks off April 19 in Fullerton, California. But what struck College News was their strong drive and overwhelming sense of ingenuity.

“We were on tour and we didn’t have, like, a cinematographer riding around with us so we just filmed the video for ‘Untold’ on GoPro and an iPhone 7 and made a video out of it!”—Jordan Griffin

Now with new tour dates set, the band readies for the road, preparing for the release of a new upcoming EP. If you haven’t heard of Them Evils, check them out. You can expect to hear a throwback into a realm of rock and roll subsequently proceeding the greatest from the classic rock era.

College News: How did Them Evils get their start?
Jordon Griffin: Well, Jake and I previously lived in Las Vegas. We played music out there in a band. The members out there weren’t as dedicated and there isn’t a scene out there so we moved to California to be closer to LA. We went through a few Craigslist drummers and a through a few of our friends in the local scene and nothing was really sticking until we found David. The rest is history! Here we are now! We finished a tour with The Pretty Reckless and nothing is in our way!

CN: How did your tour go?
JG: Touring is great!  We are a new band but we got a great response from every venue we played. The crowd seemed to dig it! It was a refreshing kind of feeling, because no one hears this kind of music anymore! So, we gave it to them and they dug it!

CN: You have a video for your single “Untold.” What can you tell me about it?
JG: It was done by Ryan Ewing in New York. We were on tour and we didn’t have, like, a cinematographer riding around with us so we just filmed the video for “Untold” on a GoPro and an iPhone 7 and made a video out of it!

CN: So when are you guys getting ready for another recording?
JG: We are going to do about three or four songs in the new year! We are shuffling around with some labels. We plan on going on tour again as well in spring.

CN: What can we expect on your next recordings and tour dates?
JG: Hopefully better than the last stuff! It is going to be a little more classic. That is what we are going for! A bit more groovy and catchier. We are trying to compete with everything else on the radio. Classic Rock is not really in, so we have to make sure it’s good! So it sticks and people listen to it. We have a good team behind us. We are all dedicated and this is what we want to do; people believe and us and we believe in ourselves. We just have to keep on trucking.

CN: What is your single “Untold” about?
JG: The chorus line is “So, the story goes the coldness in my soul can be untold.” It’s like everyone goes through their own s*** and no one’s going to know exactly how you feel. Even though people go through the same s***. There is empathy and you feel for other people, but no one’s going to know how you feel specifically. You are never going to know how the person next to you feels.     

Learn more about Them Evils at themevils.com

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In Conversation with American Architect, Campion Platt

The 2017 Architectural Digest Design Show features top luxury brands of the year and College News magazine takes a sneak peek behind the scenes with interior designer of the stars, American Architect, Campion Platt. The Architectural Digest Design Show is the time to unveil new products from luxury brands and to share innovation in design. This year, Platt hosts a series of products by Jenn-Air with future-proof technology that ensures top-of-the-line quality for prolonged future use. The kitchens of the future come with downloadable future-proof technology that anticipate the future. It is always upgradable! So, check our latest video interview from the 2017 Architectural Digest Design Show with Campion Platt and learn how you can keep up with the latest trends in interior design.

CN: What’s new at the 2017 Architectural Digest Design Show?
CAMPION PLATT: This is the best show of its kind! When you come here, every year there is something new. There are great products across the spectrum of all aspects of interior design. There is furniture, lighting, landscapes and accessories from Jenn-Air and companies like them.

CN: How can I get the latest information on interior design?
CAMPION PLATT: This is the Architectural Digest Design Show, so you should go to architecturaldigest.com. It is a great resource for young inspiring designers and architects and to find great products.

CN: What is future proof technology?
CAMPION PLATT: Future proof technology is the same as saying it is always upgradable. For instance, the Jenn–Air products and the appliances they have will download new software and enhance that appliance for you for many years to come!

CN: How can college students maintain a cheap and affordable place to chill while staying with the trends?
CAMPION PLATT: As an architect and designer, when we search for products, we search by image. We go to google search and we go to image and instead of looking at companies—forget about price for the moment—just look at the images. If you find an image of something you like, you can go to the website and find out the price. There are great product companies out there at all price levels depending on what you can spend.

CN: Do you have any advice for inspiring architects?
CAMPION PLATT: I think by going to archdigest.com and by coming to shows like this can inspire. You can follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Also go to archdigest.com and jennair.com.

Watch the full video with American Architect, Campion Platt, here:

 

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Women’s Health Watch: In Stirrups

Melanie Notkin, the author of the popular book “Otherhood,” and women’s health nurse practitioner Aimee Holland, discuss with College News magazine the importance of GYN health and regular checkups. A new survey helps clarify the confusion over the different types of tests women should be getting. It explores everything from preparing for an appointment to the conversations they should be having with their healthcare providers. The survey also reveals the hilariously surprising things that women think about before they prepare for their gynecological exam.     

College News: Melanie, can you tell us more about the survey and its findings?
Melanie Notkin: It’s a hilarious survey! We asked women how they prepared for their gynecological exams and as it turns out, about 85 percent of us are spending a lot of time preparing for when we get to the office! The problem is that we may be focused on things that are less important. For instance, eight and 10 of us are thinking about granny panties over wearing lingerie. Four to five of us are thinking maybe we are going to want to ware socks in the stirrups—so we are picking out our socks! Once we get there, 79 percent of us are thinking—oh no, do we need to go to the lady’s room?

We are thinking about, ‘does the robe go this way or that way?!’ So we have all this stuff that is on our mind. The problem is, we are not thinking about the important things. We are not spending that extra seven minutes in the shower thinking about the conversation that we want to have, the question that we want to ask. There are no stupid questions to ask your healthcare providers! Women are not preparing for the conversations they should have and that to me was surprising.

“The problem is, we are not thinking about the important things. We are not spending that extra seven minutes in the shower thinking about the conversation that we want to have, the question that we want to ask.“—Melanie Notkin

 

CN: Did you personally relate to any findings of the survey?
MN: Oh yeah! Especially the part about having to go to the lady’s room when you walk into the exam. That is totally me! I totally hide my panties under my clothing. It’s a thing we do! But anyway certainly in my twenties, I didn’t know what questions to ask but even if I did, I was kind of intimidated. I didn’t want to ask them! I thought, well they are the healthcare provider, they know what to tell me, what screening and tests I need and what those tests mean; what HPV is; how common it is. I just left if to them.
I certainly learned that women have to empower themselves with their reproductive health. We know when something is off. Even if we do not know something is off, at least know that we have to ask questions. So I’ve learned now to tell my true story and ask those tough questions and make sure that I’m working with a healthcare provider that I can trust and feel comfortable with. So I related to a lot of it. My concern is that women are not prepared for those exams and I want them to be. Because I know that once I became more secure, it helped me get the right information.

CN: Dr. Holland, were there any results that gave you any cause for concern?
Aimee Holland: Yes, absolutely. As a college health women’s practitioner who provides healthcare for women in college, I understand what is important to women and women tell me what is important to them. So, when I read this survey, I was caught off-guard that women prepare but not how I thought they prepared! I thought they wrote down their questions, thought about prevention or “do I need to be screened for cervical cancer?” What about sexually transmitted infections? What that tells me as a nurse practitioner who takes care of college women, is that I need to ask those questions. What’s important to you? What screenings do you think you need today? I’d like to give a quick shout out to the National Association of Women’s Health and healthywomen.org. Thank you for having us!

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Voodoo Terror Tribe Release "Sun Shining Cold"

Voodoo Terror Tribe is a hard-rock band known for its brutal thrash metal and industrial sound. They are a diverse group with many worldly influences, just releasing their new album “Sun Shining Cold.” Lead guitarist Emir Erkal, a driving force in the bands dominating esteem, informs College News magazine the history behind the band, how different genres impact their sound and what we can expect to hear next.

Voodoo Terror Tribe is a metal band that has embraced an industrial sound using synths to compliment dark melodies moving forward into their new 10-track arrangement. The music is good and fun to listen to. But what is surprising about Voodoo Terror Tribe is their determination story behind the music and how their influences interplay with the sound.

“Our sound has progressed over the years. We have more modern and industrial metal elements than ever before” – Emir Erkal

 

College News: Coming from Turkey must have an incredible influence on your music.
Emir Erkal: Yeah, of course. Coming from Turkey, I have a lot of Mediterranean, some Middle Eastern and influences stemming all the way back from the Roman empire. The melodies and sounds from all those different cultures are always in my head and sometimes they unconsciously go into my music.

CN: What is the story behind Voodoo Terror Tribe? 
EE: I came from Turkey in early 2001. After I got here, I started looking for musicians. It took a while to find, but finally I found my drummer T-Bone. We put this band together around 2005 with two other guys at the time. We went through some bass player changes and then we finally found Gill, the singer we have today. We have two EPs and two albums and “Sun Shining Cold” is our third. This album has more of an electronic or industrial feel. We started adding keyboard samples to our songs on our previous EPs in 2012 and 2015 little by little. Now we have more keyboard samples and electronic sounds on every song.  Our sound has progressed over the years. We have more modern and industrial metal elements than ever before. We worked with Cristian Machado from Ill Niño on this album who produced and worked with us side by side from the beginning to the end.

CN: What’s the difference between this album and your previous recordings?
EE: It is more melodic and modern. There are more catchy melodies. It is almost like a combination or a blend of all our work put together. We put a lot of thought into the arrangement. It was great to have that outside ear like Cristian. He gave us an extra artistic approach and vision. Because of him, melodically the songs are more powerful compared to our previous records.

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CN: What’s up with your latest single?
EE: “No Hell Like Home” was written by our singer Gill. It’s a song that was written backwards. Lyrically it’s about rebelling against your roots, the way you were raised and where you come from! The first video that we released from this album was “City of Sixes,” which was released early 2016. We filmed that with director Scott Hansen. He is a phenomenal director. He also makes cool horror movies. We went all the way to Virginia to film. It was a great experience. After that, we released a video for the song “Cell.” That came out cool. We also released a live video for “Lady in the Wolf,” but we are also planning to make a full-concept video. But currently we are focusing on promoting. We are also planning a tour soon and are working out the details.

CN: What else do you want your fans to know?
EE: The album “Sun Shining Cold” is available everywhere. You can download it from our website voodooterrortribe.com. It is in all the digital stores right now as well. You can also order a physical CD from Bandcamp. We put together a cool digipak! We highly recommend getting the CD. It is a support to us that we appreciate. Any kind of support like that we always put it back into our music.

You can follow David Morales on social media @dcypherstudios

The Fade Hairstyle with Men’s Health Fashion Editor Dan Michel

The fashion editor of Men’s Health magazine Dan Michel talks to us about the fade hairstyle and why it’s the hottest hairstyle of the year! He also tells College News magazine how you can do the fade yourself, the best tools for the job and why it’s such a popular choice heading in to 2017. The fade is easy to maintain and can be worn in both causal and formal arenas, giving it a universal appeal. Michel has partnered with Wahl Clippers, and that is why he has created a short how-to video presentation on the fade. Now you can sport this magnificent hairdo all year around.

“It’s something that is a bit more edgy, a bit more movie star.”—Dan Michel, Men’s Health Magazine

 

College News: What is it about the fade that makes it such a popular hairstyle choice?
Dan Michel: I think the fade by itself is just part of the haircut. You can do a lot of haircuts with it depending how tight the fade is or what you do on top. I think the thing that makes it so dynamic is that it is sort of the base for a lot of different haircuts. It depends on the length of it but in general, I think it is a good way to give your haircut a bit of an edge without completely redoing it and starting from scratch. The subtle fade, short hair to long hair, is slightly rebellious but at the same time, it is neat and clean. It’s a hair style that looks just as good with a suit as it does a leather jacket.

CN: Is the fade more of a casual or a formal hairstyle?
DM: I think it totally runs itself into a lot of different looks. So, if you want to go casual you can or you can keep it more formal. Anyway, you do the fade, it’s going to have a tight and clean look. The fact is that the fade has a cleaner look as opposed to other looks with longer hair that will require more maintenance. Because of this, the fade will translate better into different looks. Another great thing about the fade is that it doesn’t take a lot of maintenance. If you do a skin fade and make it super tight, you might need to get it touched up every couple of weeks, but other than that, it is a very plug and play kind of haircut.

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CN: Can you do it yourself?
DM: Yeah absolutely, if you have the right clippers, patience and enough time. You can easily do it with another person at home or you can do it yourself! It’s something you can achieve without clippers, but you are not going to want to use a trimmer or anything like that. You do need something powerful to give you an even cut. If things aren’t lined up properly, it will ruin the look. It does need to be symmetrical and that takes practice. As you feel more comfortable cutting your own hair, you can add in a shorter clipper guide comb to archive the fade look.

CN: What kind of hairstyles are popular right now?
DM: With the fade, you could do what Brad Pitt has been wearing recently, which is short on the sides, longer on the top with a starker contrast. So, it’s not blended on the top like most haircuts that blend the back and sides into the top. The undercut has more of a contrast! Short buzzed hair meets longer hair! By longer, I mean four or five plus inches. It’s something that is a bit more edgy, a bit more movie star. If you want it to be more appropriate for executive roles, you would want to keep it shorter on top.
The undercut can provide a youthful take. That is my favorite when it comes to incorporating the fade and taking advantage of that contrast that makes the fade so cool. I personally like a skin fade. That is basically starting at a zero, and is a clipper with no guard at the very bottom and toward the back of your neck, and eventually going up toward the middle. Then toward the crown you can change to a two setting where the back and sides meet the top! That is something that is edgy as far as the fade goes.

CN: What advice do have to guys with a receding hairline?
DM: My personal advice is to go shorter and embrace the sophisticated well-aged look. However, going shorter limits your options. When you have more hair, you can style it differently depending on the occasion or the kind of look you are going for. The fade is something more to look at rather than just cutting your hair all one length. Go shorter so that you are not drawing more attention to your receding hair line or general thinning. The fade appeals to the natural pattern that appears on your hair as opposed to everything be short and everything just being there. It is one of the few stylistic things you can do if you are left with fewer options.

What’s your take on the fade hairstyle? Let College News know!

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Travel Expert Kendra Thornton Talks Travel Trends

The college experience is a time where students learn the importance of researching quality information. Often the stresses can be overwhelming, but every student understands the value of a great vacation. Nationally recognized travel expert Kendra Thornton lays down the 2017 travel trends and College News magazine is intrigued. Revealing the results of a new travel trends survey conducted by Choice Hotels, Thornton speaks on the best US and international destinations for 2017 and includes how to save during your next vacation. She discusses travel trends, the benefits of a well-planned trip and where you can find the best places to stay on spring break. The travel trends survey also revealed which travel experiences are among the most valued and why you should plan and be prepared for your next trip.

College News: Kendra Thornton, you have a new travel trends survey that was just released, what can you tell me about it?
Kendra Thornton: Hello from Key Largo, Florida! I’m here at the Dove Creek Lodge which is a part of Choice Hotels Upscale Ascend Hotel collection. They conducted this survey to figure out what’s on the hearts and minds of Americans for their travel in the new year. One interesting finding was when presented with an all-expenses paid dream vacation, most Americans would say they would take that trip even though they had to give up coffee forever. Another sweet finding said that they would travel for a first date, which is very nice.

CN: Did the survey offer a breakdown in demographics, such as college students? 
KT: The survey was not broken down specifically by college students, but I can tell you one thing that was interesting, was when looking ahead to the new year, people were asked if they planned to travel more. While they said they were too busy to travel more in the new year, they do plan to travel as much as they did this year. The big difference is that they plan to spend more on their travels. Budgets are up about 40 percent and that’s because people want to maximize the travel time that they have. Most budgets are going toward their lodging and toward their food and beverage experiences.

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CN: What are your pics for top US and international destinations?
KT: I always pick a beach because I love the sunshine and everyone is happier when they are on a beach. Of course, there are great ones here in Florida or along the west coast in California. Also urban destinations are popular! There are lots of arts and culture in the city. Whether its New York, Boston or Washington D.C. Off the beaten path destinations are also gaining a lot of traction. People like to visit places like Nashville, Tennessee, Santa Fe, New Mexico or Tucson, Arizona. Lots of options around the county. The mountains are still popular. We had the sentinel for the national parks last year and people are still very intrigued by visiting the national parks! Internationally, about one third of Americans that were surveyed said that they do plan to visit Europe in the new year and their top picks on where to go would be Paris, London and Rome.

CN: Are there indicators that people act differently on vacation versus everyday life?
KT: There’s always been research about the health and wellness benefits of travel and this survey certainly saw that as well. Americans say that when they travel that they feel better about themselves, feel more attractive, get better sleep, and are more willing to do things on vacation that maybe they didn’t have the time or the interest in doing back home. There is a lot more interesting survey findings and more than 6,000 properties that you can peruse on choicehotels.com. That is the best website to go to get more information.

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