Writings

The following is a post I wrote for IU South Bend International Programs Blog.



Photo Cred: sfltimes.com

International Programs and Helping Others

So many of us here at IUSB have the luxury of attending a university. The luxuries of owning cars, having roofs over our heads and food on the table, spending money on the latest I-phones, and endless TV/movie streaming possibilities. We take for granted the opportunities, comforts, and things in our lives, when others around the world are living in poverty, despair, and agony. Others who cannot even get a nutritional meal, clean water, or a roof over their heads. Others who have no form of recovery to a natural disaster or war.

The IUSB International Program currently has one school sponsored program to Costa Rica for sustainability. There is also an non-school sponsored program to Haiti for dental hygiene. However, there are so many other countries in need out there in the world; Hundreds of third world countries that include most of Africa and South America and countries plagued by natural disasters such as the destruction of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti and the earthquake/ tsunami that hit Japan.

There is much we can do to aid in these reliefs, but more importantly there is much to be gained in helping others. Not only will we improve on the lives of those who are suffering unlike any other, but we also learn valuable life schools and a unique culture unlike ours. There are many classes that can be applied to an "aid" international program such as sustainability, history, management, health. etc. There are also many well known organizations that could support is in our efforts such as the American Red Cross.

Would you be interested in helping those in need and gaining knowledge and satisfaction for it?

A Cultural Taste of EDM

TGIF! Everyone knows Friday starts the long awaited weekend, but it is also the dawn of EDM's night life environment.  People are losing their ties, briefcases, suits, and are leaving all their work behind for a night or many nights of pure excitement. Over the weekend boisterous clubs come alive, music festivals flourish, and thousands, maybe even millions, of people around the world flock to DJ's playing in their local area. But one cannot go out and about in their nakedness with little to no preparation. No, you have to put those dancing shoes on, wear something daring, and release all those work-related stresses no matter what environment you find yourself in.

Each Friday I would like to give my readers an insight into the unique culture of EDM. First and foremost, it has always been about the music. The music is what brings so many unique people together. However, over time a strong, supportive culture was created that feels more like tradition to me. I want to share some of the fun and meaningful things that go hand and hand with EDM and its culture. The ideas I could talk about are endless: PLUR bracelets and beads, artistically created outfits for men and women, different styles of dance and moves, festival totems, etc. It's a wonderful feeling to leave all your work troubles behind and blow off some steam in this creative, beautiful, and expressive environment.
This first cultural taste of EDM I will be discussing are PLUR bracelets. PLUR (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect) is a universally recognized idea in the EDM culture. Through the artistic creations of bracelets, candies, or kandi using beads, people will trade or exchange with new found friends or random strangers by enacting a ritual. The idea is to meet unique people, create and collect kandi, and enjoy the music we all love and share.

Credit: askideas.com

Photo Credit: lyshastra.deviantart.com

Picturesque, something that could only be artistically created or viewed from the window of a space  shuttle. These thoughts and more cross my mind when I view this artistic rendition of a galaxy.  Art comes in many different forms to appeal to our uniqueness as an individual, as well as our keen bodily senses. From the visual masterpiece of The Starry Night by Van Gogh, to the hottest trends of clothing we feel on our bodies, to the aromas we smell wafting in the kitchen, to hearing that one song on the radio that is your jam, art truly does take many forms.

When I look at this image of a galaxy, I see more than a visually appealing image. I see a soothing genre of EDM otherwise known as trance, which I frequently play when studying or before I go to bed. Yes, there are in fact more relaxed, chill forms of EDM. However, I am also able to view this image and its pertinence to EDM another way. One's content with listening to music in the car or at home on a laptop, but a live performance is something truly special. Performances put much more time and commitment on creating a visually appealing set, than the music itself. Hundreds of personal put all this time and effort into creating something so mind-blowing and right on tune with the music. I've seen some out of this world light shows and artistic sets that could be assimilated to a galaxy in outer space. Art that is not only appealing to ones' hearing, but also appealing to the eye to see.

An insight into Electronic Dance Music

It started out my sophomore year in high school as what some people called "just a phase". Nearly ten years later I find that my passion for EDM has only grown larger and continues to grow. I have seen over a hundred DJ's live, been to dozens of concerts, and traveled to various places of the U.S. to experience multiple 2-3 day festivals. I've had some truly awe-inspiring experiences over the years that have developed into some of my most favorite memories. The EDM industry is currently the fastest growing genre, and its popularity rivals that of pop, rock, rap/hip-hop, and country music. That being said, there are still a number of common misconceptions and stereotypes directed towards the genre. It is my goal to discredit those stereotypes and portray the EDM culture to those who may not have an insight.

It may come as a surprise that I ended up in Indiana, a state dominated by country music and everything it stands for: trucks, beer/whiskey, horses, cowboy hats, etc. Nationally and internationally there is a larger following of this genre, but definitely not in Indiana. This is one particular reason as to why I selected this topic. Ultimately, I will be talking about the culture as a whole, discrediting some of the negative stereotypes linked to the genre, and guiding those who are interested towards nearby locations to experience EDM. Get those costumes ready, put those dancing shoes on, and hydrate for the truly breathtaking experience to come.