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Lifestyles

The New Phase in Bensonhurst

August 10, 2016 by MATTHEW ENG Leave a Comment

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A photo of 86th Street show Asian and non-Asian businesses side by side.

BENSONHURST – This area was once dominated by Italian-American residents but over the past decade Now, just like in Little Italy across the East River, they are losing their stronghold of the community to newly immigrants. The neighborhood is now mostly families and businesses of Asian origin. Not that this southwestern part of Brooklyn lacks diversity. Ethnicities such as Russians, Poles and immigrants from Latin America and Middle East also have a presence in this sprawling neighborhood.

“It is one of the greatest chapter of neighborhood evolution” Councilman Mark Treyger described in a phone interview, describing diversity in the Bensonhurst Community.

In 2013, Councilman Treyger assumed office as District 47’s councilman, which covered majority of prominent local Southern Brooklyn neighborhoods including Bensonhurst, Gravesend, and Coney Island. His first office was on Neptune Avenue, but he later added another district office in Stillwell Avenue near 86th Street,  because “I wanted a store-front office that is closer to the neighborhood,” and therefore he would be more accessible to all businesses and residents.

 The Councilman said that the community is “rich in diversity and heritage” and he is a firm supporter of how food is globally represented throughout the neighborhood.  He mentioned, “I am a big fan of the coconut and pineapple bun from a Chinese bakery on 86th Street and a cannoli from 18th Avenue…I could get great Mediterranean style food from Istanbul (a restaurant located on Bay Parkway and 86th Street) and pizza from Lenny’s Pizzeria.” 

As an advocate of businesses coming together, he established a Merchant Association, so local merchants could combat different problems, such as theft and vandalism.  Furthermore, he helped pass the law that made the NYC Department of Emergency Services translate pamphlets on what to do during an urgent situation in ten different languages.           

According to the Wall Street Journal, “Bensonhurst…was known as a middle class, Italian-American enclave for much of the 20th century…but its demographics are rapidly changing as…Chinese families flock the area”.  The US Census Bureau reported that Asian population are “…growing 57% between 2009 and 2010.”

The New York Times reported that “Bensonhurst has the largest number of Chinese-born residents of any neighborhood in the city, with 31,658, narrowly edging the populations in Flushing, Queens, and Sunset Park, according to a 2013 city report that offered the most recent data on immigrant New Yorkers.”

There are still old time merchants left, such as Meat Supreme, which has four locations, with two located on 86th Street, in the heart of Bensonhurst. The stores have sold mainly Italian delicatessen, produce, packaged meat and provide catering service for over 30 years.  Meat Supreme adapted their business along with the evolution of the community demographics.  They experimented with the addition of seafood and fresh produce departments.  The seafood department was soon phased out as a result of decrease in popularity, but the outdoor produce stand is a success. According to the store manager, “We had the fresh produce stand a year ago.”

At around 6 pm on a Thursday, there were only a few shoppers.  Meanwhile, the next door Asian supermarket was jammed with customers buying fresh fruit, produce, seafood and fresh butchered meat.  Despite Meat Supreme’s effort, they are no match for the ever growing Asian stores around them.   

The Main Pharmacy, a third generation local pharmacy also located on 86th Street, improved its business after it moved across the street to a brand new renovated location. The owner and pharmacist is an adjunct professor at the Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Long Island University.  Since 1946, Ken’s family has been serving the Bensonhurst community not just with medications but with household supplies, cards, and many more. Ken said, “My grandfather and my father were both pharmacists…and I was brought up with loyalty.”  He said “In the past, if you help someone…they will not even think twice about having your back.” He further described, “Loyal customers would come back to you, but new residents like to shop in these big name pharmacists such as CVS, Duane Reade, until they make a mistake.”

In addition, Ken mentioned that the new residents and businesses do not hesitate to saturate any profitable market.  For example, his own LIU pharmacy student recently opened up a tiny pharmacy just a couple of doors away from him. Although inundated with competition and burdened with Affordable Care Act restrictions, Ken has been able to adapt to challenges.  He researched and implemented new marketing strategies such as advertising in different languages and adding different ethnic products to his stock, “I have a whole shelf dedicated to the community.”  Proudly displayed were various weekly specials posted on the store front in Chinese, and a shelf of Chinese herbal products, such as Chinese imported molasses displayed in the front of the store. Plus he hired Asian staff for the front desk, because “…people want to talk with their own kind of people.” In simple terms, he was reducing the language barrier and able to communicate with the neighborhood. He will continue to find ways to promote his business and generate profit.    

Bensonhurst’s recent booming real estate and economic developments signifies the cosmopolitan flair of the neighborhood. What attracts so many people and businesses to this community are the strong school district, convenient commute by public transportation, abundance of parks and recreation, and most importantly, a safe close knit community. As Councilman Treyger mentioned,  “We are the beneficiary and I am proud of it [variety within Bensonhurst]”.             

Filed Under: Brooklyn, Culture and Entertainment, Lifestyles, News, News

The Looming Danger of Climate Change

August 10, 2016 by GWENDOLYN LEE Leave a Comment

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New York City’s Greenmarket celebrates its 40th anniversary this season.

Stands of fruits, vegetables, produce, jams, and breads circle Union Square all year to offer its lively consumers fresh ingredients.

But the yield for fresh ingredients has become unpredictable due to climate change.

Demand for sustenance is high and many farmers are anxious about the looming danger of climate change.

“I can definitely see it affecting us in the future.” Steven, a vendor for Stokes Farm, one of the many providers for the Greenmarket system explained the complications that come with hotter summers.

“Every vegetable is on a different seasonal cycle. Broccoli and spinach don’t do so well in the heat, while tomatoes love hot weather,” he said.

Ahmad, a vendor for John D. Madura Farm, has worked in the field for 11 years.

He talked about unpredictable weather and yields on the farm, saying, “Every month, every week, there’s something different,”

Ahmad expressed concern about climate change and is unsure about the effect it would have on his farm.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency website, many weeds, pests and fungi thrive in warm, humid climates, and farmers currently spend more than $11 billion per year fighting weeds in the United States.

“You get something, you lose something– until you figure out what you need to change,” Ahmad said. To many farmers and vendors at the Greenmarket, climate change is a mysterious dark cloud that hovers over the fields and gives rise to anxiety.

Filed Under: Commentary, Lifestyles, Manhattan, News

Gentrification in Chinatown: What Do Teens Think?

August 10, 2016 by Cody Liew Leave a Comment

Chinatown,_NYC_(2014)_-_12“With every new blue-eyed blonde-haired person moving into Chinatown or starting a business in Chinatown, my fear of being left without a place to live grows and continues to affect the daily lives of my family,” said Andy Wang.

Wang, a 17-year-old student living in Chinatown, witnesses what he sees as the detrimental effects of gentrification everyday. He noted, “Many of the old businesses and markets in Chinatown have closed and been reopened as stupid things, like art galleries.”

As higher-income New Yorkers make plans to renovate and change Chinatown, the prices in the neighborhood rise. Rent, food, and general services rise and force long-time residents out of the neighborhood, as they can no longer afford to live there.

According to the NYU Furman Center, the percentage of Asian people living in the Lower East Side/Chinatown decreased from 35% to 32% from 2000 to 2014. The report also revealed that the median rent in this neighborhood rose a sharp 12% from $881 to $987 between 2005 and 2014.

Vanessa’s Dumplings is a popular store that has increased its prices over the years. The little store on Eldridge Street recently raised the prices of its dumplings to 4 for $1.25. “I grew up eating dumplings that were 5 for $1,” recounted Amy Lin. Although Lin moved to Astoria 3 years ago and no longer lives in Chinatown, she still feels deep ties to the neighborhood where she grew up. “Shops on Grand Street are empty and face bankruptcy,” said Lin of the various fish and vegetable markets that line Grand Street.

While gentrification has the most significant effects on the elderly in Chinatown who have nowhere to go, teens also see why the changes to the neighborhood are detrimental to its future. “Gallery openings with cheese and wine on Mulberry is not what Chinatown is known for,” says Maggie Loh, who lives on Mott Street. The transition from local businesses that sell herbs and tea to hipsters showing off their art is occurring at a somewhat alarming rate. “One benefit I can think of is the sharing of culture, says Loh. “But the line is drawn when people start to take over and try to profit or take advantage of a cheap living situation,” she warns.

While many teenagers enjoy the benefits of gentrification, such as modernization and cleanliness, many have problems with the erasure of Chinese culture that consequently follows. “Chinatown isn’t really Chinatown if the majority of the people are no longer Chinese,” says Sophia Wang, a former resident of Chinatown who now lives in the East Village.

“The drawbacks are that culture is going to be destroyed and Chinese families, who already make not a lot of cash, are going to have to relocate to cheaper neighborhoods,” says Nick Feng. This is already happening in New York. According to a New York Times article, Sunset Park in Brooklyn recently had an influx of Chinese immigrants from Chinatown. Many Chinese people have spread out from Chinatown in Manhattan and moved to other neighborhoods such as Bensonhurst, Brooklyn and Flushing, Queens.

Gentrification has threatened many New York City neighborhoods in the past and continues to creep up on many more. Chinatown is next. It is clearly an important issue to those directly affected by it and even those indirectly affected by it.

“Most teens are subconsciously aware because they experience it everyday but don’t fully try to grasp the detrimental effects,” said Loh.

Filed Under: Commentary, Culture and Entertainment, Lifestyles, Manhattan

Snap, Snap, Woof!

August 6, 2016 by Brandy Sarabia Leave a Comment

Teens using Snapchat Filters
(Top left to right) Brenda Sarabia and Nazim Polash, Brandy Sarabia, and Laysha Castillo (bottom left to right) Derek Holmes, Sam Wilby, and Lisandra Pereyra

 

It’s here, it’s the second best thing sweeping the nation (aside from Pokémon Go), it’s the one, the only, snapchat filters.

According to Tech Insider, Snapchat introduced “filters” on September, 2015. These “filters” give twist to selfies. Snapchat added 8 great filters, including but not limited to, heart eyes, rainbow vomit, old guy, eyes popping out, and the sweetheart filter. But what makes these Snapchat filters so popular among ages?

The answer; because they’re fun and they make you look attractive.

“People use filters in order to feel physically better about themselves. When using a snapchat filter, things are enhanced in a way that makes you appear beautiful, thus you feel beautiful in return,” says Brenda Sarabia, an eighteen-year-old freshman at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Brenda has been using Snapchat filters since they were first introduced into Snapchat. She explains that filters not only make you look completely different, they also grab people’s attention.“Hell, I love getting compliments from my pictures, and if a filter increases those comments, I’m down. I’d rather use a filter than be half-naked like 99% of Instagram users.”

And while some people do use these filters for the pleasure of some favorable comments, we have people who use it for entertainment.

“It’s just mindless entertainment. Most of the time you’re taking pictures you won’t even send”, says Samuel Wilby, a sixteen-year-old junior at QUEST High School. Samuel uses Snapchat filters, “usually just to pass the time (or procrastinate on my case) because there’s clearly not much to get out of it, but I’ll do it anyways”.

Not only are Snapchat filters used among average people, but celebrities such as Jimmy Fallon and Ariana Grande used these filters as a way to entertain themselves. According to People magazine, Ariana Grande and Jimmy Fallon collaborated July 14 to create an astonishing, yet hilarious lip sync video to Ariana’s hit song Into You using Snapchat Filters and was aired on The Tonight Show.

So whether Snapchat filters are for entertainment or for the luxury of looking ten times gorgeous, these filters have been given their popularity fair and square. So the next time you take a selfie, make sure you grab your puppy filter.

Filed Under: Culture and Entertainment, Featured, Lifestyles

Girls Violating Dress Code But What About Boys?

August 4, 2016 by Aleida Menchaca Leave a Comment

A girl wears a spaghetti strap shirt to school.What happens to the girl? She is sent home to change or cover up or gets detention. However, a boy wears a  provocative shirt to school. What happens to the boy?

It seems that schools are focus on girls only breaking the dress codes. But schools seems to be forgetting that the boys as well are breaking the dress codes at schools. They walk around with their pants sagging or maybe wearing  provocative shirts that have a female’s body naked. Why is it that boys aren’t told anything or don’t have consequences like the girls do when they break the dress codes?   

“I’ve never seen a boy called out for his attire even though they also break the rules,” stated Maggie Sunseri in The Sexism Of School Dress Code written by Li Zhou. Girls notice that boys are not being told or are not getting punished when they break the dress codes. This makes it unfair because it seems like girls are being discriminated against.

“It is unfair and I personally feel constantly being bothered and I have seen other girls bothered as well. If we aren’t harming anyone there shouldn’t be a problem. They should make guys wear belts though, that is uncomfortable to see,” said Karina Pena, a current student at University Neighborhood High School. Several times throughout her school year she was told to cover up and threatened with phone calls home just because you were able to see her belly button.

A few boys also think girls are being discriminated against. “I think it’s messed up. Girls are told that they can’t show too much skin or specific clothing like a bra strap without getting sent home to change or asked to wear a sweater. Yet boys can wear t-shirts with sometimes provocative or suggestive images on them with little notice or sometimes none at all,” says Roy Rivera, a rising senior at University Neighborhood High School. Not many boys can agree that it’s fair girls are the only ones targeting for breaking dress codes.

Does it give boys an advantage to wear anything they want?

Yes it does give boys an advantage. They won’t be told anything or be punished for breaking the dress codes. Schools seem to be allowing the boys to walk the halls freely with pants sagging and provocative t-shirts. Roy is not only thinking about the unfairness of not targeting boys as well, but also about the way teachers are holding back girls from their education.“You’re taking away time from this girl’s education. It’s more important for this girl to wear a sweater or go home and change than it is for her to learn the curriculum.”

Boys are wearing provocative shirts to school, with suggestive images on them such as drugs or drug dealers like Pablo Escobar. What are boys told? Maybe the possible answer “Hey, could you maybe try not to wear that to school? We wouldn’t want people getting the wrong idea.”

What’s the typical response from an adult?

“Boys will be boys.” Why is it school is letting boys be boys? Why aren’t boys targeted at when they break the dress code? It’s okay for boys to be boys when they take off their shirt when playing basketball at school. But it’s not okay for girl to show too much back or show a bit of cleavage at prom. And if she does she is told to change, cover up or in some cases gets removed from school activities or even suspended. How is that okay?  When boys are clearly violating a dress code standard, they need to face the consequences girls face when they break the dress code. It’s unfair for girls to be the only ones targeted for breaking dress codes in school.

Filed Under: Commentary, Lifestyles

Natural Black Hair: Unprofessional in a Work Environment?

August 4, 2016 by d.holmes1 Leave a Comment

“It is a subtle instance of privilege; other women can go to work without worry, black women have to be ready to defend their natural hair in the workplace at a moment’s notice.”

                                                                                   –Elle (arthur from blackgirllonghair.com)

African American women, from a young age have been told that their hair isn’t “good.” There has always been a European standard that has oppressed the black women. There is pressure on them to have their hair straight and their skin light, even though that is fully out of their natural-born control. African American women for decades have permed their hair with toxic chemicals to make it as straight as possible.

 Now many are embracing natural styles, but not everyone is ready to jump on this hair movement train. People are denying African American women who wear these styles jobs, firing them, and telling them flat out that they cannot wear their hair natural because it is deemed to be “unprofessional”.

One may ask, how can someone’s natural hair, that grows out of their own head, be “unprofessional”? Why should afros and cornrows be considered “ungroomed”? White corporate America still has oppressive ways. Executives want to hire those only who look like them and fit a certain brand. If your hair isn’t as flat as theirs, you don’t meet the standard.

Back in 2001, Hampton University, a historically Black university, banned cornrows and dreadlocks within the classroom. But the dean insisted it was to help students land corporate jobs. And this is sad. At a place where African American students are supposed to be embracing their blackness and loving everything black about themselves, still instilled in them that they have to conform to European standards in order to make a living.

While natural hair styles are evolving, so is the cultural appropriation. Black women are being shamed for their cornrows, but when a white woman chooses to wear cornrows, it is “cool” and “urban”. Young African American actress, Zendaya was ridiculed for wearing faux locs on the red carpet by Giuliana Rancic, who said Zendaya’s hair probably smells like patchouli oil and weed (I’m guessing a Bob Marley reference, but that wasn’t funny). However, Giuliana also said that Kylie Jenner’s, who is white, faux dreads as “edgy”.

The bottom line is, that it is 2016, and African American women should no longer be ashamed of who they are. They shouldn’t feel it’s necessary to “control” their hair. They should be able to wear their hair whichever way they please.

Filed Under: Culture and Entertainment, Lifestyles

A Life-Changing Trip to Costa Rica

August 4, 2016 by Cody Liew Leave a Comment

For 16-year-old Jailene Rodriguez, Costa Rica was a country of many firsts. It was her first time staying with another family, her first time ziplining through the forest, her first time using a shovel, and her first time drinking coconut water from a coconut. Her experiences in Costa Rica were definitely a big change from her urban Manhattan lifestyle.

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The 2016 Millennium HS Foreign Exchange Club

The Millennium High School senior got the chance to travel to Costa Rica through her high school’s Foreign Exchange Club. The club offers two trips to the school each year, accommodating about 20 students per trip. Students must go through an application process that includes an essay and a group interview in order to be selected. Jailene was one of the lucky few who was accepted for the Costa Rica trip.

While in Costa Rica during her February break, Jailene stayed with a family of four. She was able to practice her Spanish and directly immerse herself into the culture. “It was kinda weird staying in someone’s home at first,” she recounted. But after a whole week, she realized it was nice to get to know different people and it was interesting to talk about their vastly different lives.

Besides getting to know the locals, Jailene also became closer with her classmates. She got to know new people by completing community service projects. Her group was assigned to renovate a soccer field. To do this, they dug out holes to place tires into. These tires would act as seats for anyone who wanted to watch the soccer games, a sport she enjoys and plays on a team for. She was happy knowing that her work would make others happy and that she was doing something to benefit others, rather than herself.

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The Costa Rican Rainforest

Her favorite part of the trip, however, was ziplining through the Costa Rican rainforest. “It felt like going on a rollercoaster. There were butterflies in my stomach,” she recalled. It was raining on the day she went and she could feel the rain hitting her face as she went through the forest. She passed many sights, including a volcano.

Jailene left Costa Rica having learned a few things. She realized that although the Costa Ricans had the bare minimum, they were happy. They didn’t need luxuries to be happy. Secondly, the Costa Ricans used all their resources. They didn’t waste and they lived off of the essentials of life. Lastly, she became aware of her privilege. Having spent a week without a phone, she realized that she doesn’t need new things or material goods in order to be happy. Her trip to Costa Rica made her realize that we should live in the moment.

“After a while, you forget that you even have a phone,” she said.

Filed Under: Culture and Entertainment, Lifestyles, Uncategorized

Why Can’t Americans Handle Sharing Bathrooms?

August 4, 2016 by Zerina bicic Leave a Comment

AllGenderRestroomNSchoolBanner

Although many Americans may know about the current battle on bathroom accessibility, a large majority seem to turn a blind eye to those being barred from their respective restroom. The truth is, the so-called “bathroom bills” target the already vulnerable minority: transgender people.

Many attribute this to Americans not understanding what it means to be transgender. Courtesy of GLAAD, a nongovernmental organization formerly known as the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, transgender is an umbrella adjective for those who identify as a gender, such as male or female, that deviates from their biological sex. For example, an individual born with a penis (typically designated as a male sex organ) whose gender identity is female is considered a trans woman, falling under the trans umbrella. The reverse applies to trans men; people born with a vagina who identify and/or express themselves as male. Also fitting under the trans umbrella are nonbinary people, who do not identify with either gender, causing an inevitable conflict with their biological sex.

The vast majority of Americans fall under the term cisgender, meaning non-transgender. They do not, therefore, have to care about these issues, allowing them to enforce the gross alienation of transgender people. Misconceptions such as labeling trans people as perverts or delusional still exist and are widely believed, despite the American Psychiatric Association insisting that “gender nonconformity is not in itself a mental disorder”. The APA goes on to clarify that it is the extreme distress of trans people at not being seen by others as the gender they identify as that is harmful.

Since it has been confirmed that it isn’t the trans people themselves who are harmful, why do Americans still fear sharing bathrooms with people who genuinely belong there?

The fear of sexual predators pretending to be transgender could be a valid point, although The Advocate, Louisiana’s leading news source, notes that “there has never been a verifiable reported instance of a trans person harassing a cisgender person, nor have there been any confirmed reports of male predators ‘pretending’ to be transgender to gain access to women’s spaces and commit crimes against them”. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence supporting these fears against transgender people sharing bathrooms.

If anything, trans people are confirmed to have been attacked much more often than cisgender people, according to Jody Herman, a public policy scholar at University of California, Los Angeles School of Law’s Williams Institute. Her survey of 83 transgender people in Washington D.C. has offered conclusive data that it is trans people who are at risk in bathrooms: “about 70 percent of the sample reported experiencing being denied access to restrooms, being harassed while using restrooms and even experiencing some forms of physical assault”.

There is no reason to attack and hurt trans people and restrict their rights and gender expression simply because of false rumors and misconceptions spread. This hurts those who already are hurt by the people close to them. The vulnerable are attacked, and, for lack of better words, bullied and insulted. Being able to use the bathroom is a basic civil right and it’s ridiculous that this has to be fought for.

The only way to make America a country that actually allows freedom is to let LGBT people have the same quality of life as the majority. Integrated restrooms are the first step to equality, and by separating transgender people from cisgender people, we only get further and further from our goal.

It’s the land of the free, so let people pee.

Filed Under: Commentary, Featured, Lifestyles, Uncategorized

Hot or Not: DiorSkin AirFlash Foundation

May 16, 2016 by s.gualpa Leave a Comment

The company Dior is well known for its beautiful fragrance line, and now it is becoming popular in the makeup world.

With the launch of the DiorSkin Airflash Spray foundation, the company describes the product as “the go-to solution for professional makeup artists, Dior’s Airflash is the first revolutionary spray foundation that brings airbrushed perfection to your daily makeup routine.”

The simple 2.3 ounce can come with a price, $62 U.S.

Yes, $62 is a lot for foundation, so here is why you get your money’s worth.The foundation comes with a little pamphlet with detailed instructions on how to apply the foundation to achieve a flawless complexion.

Without reading the reviews on the product, I went to Sephora to purchase this item for special upcoming events. IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM. This is coming from a teenage girl who struggles with acne and acne scars, and when I sprayed this foundation on, my imperfections were nowhere to be seen! It looked very effortless, and as I went through the hot summer days in New York City it did not melt off my face. The finish of this foundation makes the skin look healthy, luminous, and it stays all day with no need of reapplication. I didn’t expect it to be this good because it was high end, and these kind of products usually don’t carry a lot of product but it lasted months.

A user DeeNYC86 comments on the product on the Sephora website: “Initially I was flipflopping back n forth from getting either 500 and 600 because I seen so much YouTube video reviews of women who are deeper than me buy 600, I am NC 50 Mac and 177 makeup forever.

“I final settled for 600 and it is absolutely perfect for my skin tone.

“So my only gripe is Dior make deeper shades for women of color! Women want to wear this product so bad that they buy it even though it’s not their shade. Smh.”

I agree that the company should make more shades for its diverse audience, so they can get a chance to experience this beautiful product. Personally I am in the shade 400 Honey Beige and it matches perfectly, looks very natural and dewy. It is also very useful for the people who are on the go and don’t have to time to apply their makeup. You just spray this guy on and blend and you’re good to go.

Another reviewer on makealley.com said, “After stalling for years and refusing to try this (“$62 for foundation? LOL/GTFO” – me), I finally gave in and bought it. I am so ANNOYED that this foundation is as perfect as it is, because I’ll have to keep shelling out big bucks for it. But you guys, honestly – it has all these positive reviews online for a reason. I can’t say anything that the rest of the reviewers haven’t already – the coverage is lightweight and natural-looking but somehow makes your skin look perfect and glow-y. (For reference, I have aging, combination skin with dryness around my eyes and a t-zone that tends to turn into an oil slick, but if you moisturize and prime appropriately, you’ll get a beautiful, perfect finish.) BUY IT.”

This is why I have continued to purchase this item from the DiorSkin line for two years now, and  never had a bad experience with this product.

 

 

Filed Under: Commentary, Lifestyles

Prom Season

May 16, 2016 by j.chuchuca Leave a Comment

 

As prom approaches for most seniors, dresses are running out! Walking through the streets of Manhattan around 3 p.m., you will witness cliques of girls rushing with excitement to get to the store on time to shop for dresses.

Gianna Peralta, a current senior at the High School of Fashion Industries, is a victim of still not finding her dress nor having enough money for it.

“Prom takes place on May 21. My budget is about $150, because I pay for my own things. My parents are divorced and they really aren’t helping me out, except for when they bought my prom ticket,” she said.

Gianna goes on, about how she needs to find the perfect dress because she wants to feel like an absolute princess. “Our prom theme is Arabian. So I want to find something that goes with the theme and the weather. The weather is important because that defines if I get a warmy dress, or a cleavage dress,” she said.

But the longer she takes, she’ll have fewer options. Many girls in this school have already bought their dress, for very little money. Some have said they have found the perfect dress, and others that if they don’t find their dress, they won’t go to prom.

“I have to get heels, I need to know how I’ma do my hair, I need to set up the appointment for my make-up and I NEED MY PROM DATE!” Gianna says.

As seniors are all excited about prom, it’s causing them some stress.

Emely Pena, another student from the High School of Fashion Industries, breaks down and says “I don’t know what I’m going to do, I don’t even know what I’m going to wear, I haven’t even paid for my prom ticket and all of my friends are already ahead of me. I have to worry about college applications and how I’m going to pay my senior dues, I really want to go but I don’t know if I am,” she said. Unfortunately, most seniors pay for their own ticket.

Prom, in this high school, isn’t as good as what it seems in movies. Seniors are excited about it, but they are also overwhelmed on the stress about looking absolutely stunning on this day.

Filed Under: Lifestyles

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