There are often those moments as an upperclassman that you are looking around at the youngsters on campus thinking, “I wish I could tell you what I know now.” You can often spot a first-year simply by their outfit — overdone with strong fashion statements and wide, naïve eyes.

While I could try to tell them how it is, many times first-years are disinterested in taking advice from older students. First-years enter college excited for the forthcoming independence and the experience of it all, which inevitably leads to first-years making the same mistakes as the class before.

The very mistakes sophomores made a year earlier are repeated by incoming generations because of the desire to be cool and to fit in. Although the list of trends that first-years may be caught up in during their first months at college is endless, one major fashion faux pas I have found to be considerably disturbing are the “going out” clothes girls will wear in the winter time.

Yes mama, your booty looks voluptuous in that little black dress, but your goose bumps are giving me the chills! Spaghetti straps expire when there are snow piles on the sidewalks.

I do not exaggerate when I say that in 30-degree weather I have seen girls wearing mini skirts and crop tops walking in high heels over slushy sidewalks to get to a party. I enjoy going out and spending time with friends on the weekend, but I realize that this is Keene, New Hampshire, so I wear warm clothing to keep me comfortable as I walk places on the weekends.

I think the trouble with girls exposing themselves is so much is more than just a battle against the elements. I consider how in movies a boy would kindly take off his jacket to present to a girl with a chill on a cold winter night. Now, as you walk by the fraternity houses on a big party night, you see girls in jackets turned away while girls shivering in tiny clothes are welcomed in as though they have earned it. It makes the intelligent girl wearing her layers frustrated and disgruntled while the overexposed girl slips into a party where she will be rewarded for the health-hazard attire she is wearing. Girls, you are beautiful and a sweatshirt cannot change that.

Did I mention the fact that many of those girls going out half-dressed are consuming alcohol? Research done by the University of Rochester Medical Center said, “Drinking alcohol may make you feel warm because it causes blood to rush to your skin’s surface. But it actually causes your blood vessels to dilate and makes you lose heat faster.” So when I hear girls say, “Just take a shot and you will be warm,” I shiver.

The University of Rochester Medical Center also stated, “Drinking alcohol in the cold also impairs the shivering process, which generates extra body heat.” The plain fact of the matter is that it would be wise for girls to at least cover up with a sweater when going outside in the cold. Typically, people do not want to bring too many layers out with them because they do not want to have to carry them or worry about them at the party. My advice for this is not to party somewhere you do not trust your stuff to not get stolen. Why let yourself comfortably let loose somewhere that you are not trusting of those around you? I do not go any place in the winter if I cannot comfortably wear my jacket, scarf, hat and mittens there.

Seriously consider what you wear when going out. What I have discovered over my time at college is that your comfort is more important than your image — one hundred percent of the time. Bundle up and enjoy your winter nights out.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

As a 19-year-old girl on a college campus, I understand the pressure society puts on women to stay fit. I used to want to be “skinny.” I figured crash dieting may help me to slim up in time for a party I was excited about, but that usually led to me binging right after the big celebration. 

Philip Bergeron / Graphic Design Editor

Constant fluctuation of eating habits is not necessarily the best way to achieve long-term success and in my own experience I have never found it beneficial to try changing your body at a rapid pace. ReachSelf.com, an online newsletter, wrote, “If your goal is long term weight loss, crash diets are less effective. Since you restrict the calorie intake so much your body will go into survival mode, and reduce the calories it burns during normal daily activity.”

The site warned, “When eventually you start eating normally, it is very easy to now add the pounds back on, since your body is now (at least for a time) burning less calories than it used to, prior to the crash diet.”

It was not until I heard this information that I realized that my body was constantly changing because I was approaching diets incorrectly.

It was not until the spring semester of my sophomore year that I realized that the very best way to get yourself looking and feeling amazing is to treat your body really amazing. It became apparent that being healthy meant committing to a healthy lifestyle.

I decided to implement the necessary: both physical activity and a nutritious diet. In trying to transform my habits from a couch potato to a fitness fanatic, I began to find myself more aware of others’ health habits than ever.

Watching students return for a second or third serving of french fries in the cafeteria was always made more disturbing as I witnessed them salting the already salt-enveloped fries as soon as they sat down.

I began recognizing that some girls participated in a common trend of not eating before a night of drinking. I started to see that the students who complained of being fat were often the ones who complained that the Zorn Dining Commons did not offer enough food choices and that same kind never opted to customize a salad.

I noticed just how many people “want to go to the gym” and the correlation to those few who actually do.

According to a study done by researchers at Ohio State, as many as 52 percent of college students do not exercise. When I do not exercise for more than a day, I get grumpy.

If you are new to healthy dietary choices, do not worry. I never realized how unhealthy of a lifestyle I lived until I began researching. Everything I ate was coated in cheese or assisted by ranch.

I loaded up on salty snacks and never thought that deep-frying a green bean may detract from its nutritional value.

I was a junk-food addict who would binge on red Doritos and chocolate fudge brownie ice cream, then spend days eating just lettuce to make up for it.

This cycle never left me satisfied. Sometimes crash dieting made me feel skinny for a few days, but as soon as I began eating enough again, I felt that all of my weight came back with a vengeance.

Members of the National Weight Control Registry studied a group of people who have lost significant weight and kept it off successfully for a minimum of one year.

The NWCR determined some statistics based on those successful individuals, which stated that 89 percent used a combination of diet and exercise, ten percent had success using diet alone and 1 percent  used exercise alone.

It simply makes logical sense that feeding your body healthy food and participating in physical activity regularly leads to a healthy lifestyle.

So, I began taking advantage of the vegan section at the dining commons and stopped buying junk to eat in my dorm. I began treating my body kindly.

I fueled it with foods full of nutritious vitamins and proteins, and I started making hydration a priority. I started to look up different foods to infer what they offered my body. I began to care and it has made a tremendous difference. Eating a mostly vegan diet, I can completely feel the results.

My insides feel good, my skin seems happy and my energy level is through the roof. I even feel that my body fights off colds and common illness more quickly than when I was not being mindful of it.

The important part of dieting is realizing that nothing is permanent and a cheat does not mean you have failed. I try to eat vegan, but every once in a while I just need to revisit my favorite junk foods and that is okay.

To limit yourself by cutting things from your diet entirely only instigates the desire to strengthen until you break and binge.

College is a great time to begin focusing on your lifestyle and if you want to live healthy, college is the perfect place to start your good habits.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

Do you find yourself noticing that as the semesters roll by, so do diet plans and workout schedules? Oftentimes it seems college helps people to tack on both knowledge and pounds. For me, I gained a solid 15 pounds during my very first semester of living at school. 

Kyle Bailey / Photo Editor

The cafeteria offered so many delicious and unhealthy choices, every club meeting offered free pizza and at Endicott College, where I had started college, you could order frozen yogurt that would be delivered straight to your dorm. The semester began hopeful — I ran one morning; I ate a salad — but it did not take long before my go-to was a box of Cheez-Its and delivery fro-yo.

My habits were being formed, and not for the better. As a result, my general outlook became dim and negative. Today, I am in the best shape of my entire life. I can run a mile quicker than I did in high school and I can hold a plank for however long my trainer asks. I no longer suffer from constant disappointment with my own body ever since I decided I wanted to feel good. Your body is a miraculous gift that you need to pay attention to. During that first semester in the fall of 2013 I spent hours alone in my single dorm room watching Netflix and eating junk food while lying around like a sad sap. I wondered why I felt like my figure was turning to mush. Pants were starting to squeeze and shirts were snugger than when I had bought them in the early fall.

My body changed before my eyes and my lethargy intensified. While I complained, I only had myself to blame — I had only hit the gym twice that entire semester. Realizing that my habits had to change, I decided to step it up. I went to a yoga class. The class was calming, rejuvenating and helped my body to slowly regain strength.

During that one-hour a week I would sweat, I would breathe and I would regain my balance. Working out is not about becoming skinny. I see plenty of people with smaller figures at the gym regularly, merely trying to maintain their health by committing to an active lifestyle. It is important to realize that you should be working out for the entire list of health benefits that come with the habit, not solely for losing weight. Eventually, once you commit to incorporating exercise into your weekly routine, you will see the results that may have initially sparked your interest in a gym membership. Working out comes in a variety of forms.

Whether you are a football fanatic or a swimmer, moving your body is beneficial. According to mayoclinic.org, working out does not just help control weight. Exercising also fights health conditions and diseases such as high blood pressure by boosting high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. Exercise helps to boost energy in your body by delivering more oxygen and nutrients to your tissues to help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. Exercise also promotes better sleep, granted you do not work out too close to bedtime, in which case you may have pumped yourself up while trying to wind down. Ultimately, what I urgently want the world to realize is that it is proven that exercise improves your mood. Less scientifically, I have found that wallowing leads to more wallowing.

If you want to feel good for the sake of health, start reading up on a healthy lifestyle. Many of us have been brought up on candy and soda; thinking that things are healthy because they are “fruit flavored.” The first step to being healthy is learning in what ways you are being unhealthy, then slowly replace your old bad habits with healthy alternatives.

The first couple of attempts towards making healthy life choices are the hardest. Do not give up. If you have been living life from the comfort of your couch surviving on salty and sweet junk foods, it is inevitable that eating salad is not going to be satisfying right away. Be patient. Working out the first time will hurt, but just remember that with every minute you spend being active, you are one minute closer to a day when it feels good to be active. After incorporating exercise into my weekly routine for over six months, I can notice a change in my attitude all around. Working out has become something I look forward to. When I am in a bad mood, a little bit of cardio can power me up to take on the day. At this point I crave exercise because it fuels me with happy juices that make me feel alive.

The way I imagine it, we are all responsible for our own body maintenance. Some people pump their bodies with sugar, alcohol and salt, committing to zero minutes of exercise per week. Those bodies run like garbage, always breaking down, lacking the nutrients each of our bodies need to function.

Without proper maintenance, a body will hold no chance of fighting off illness during long winters. Weak bodies hold a higher susceptibility to injury. To gain balance and agility you have to challenge your body. To succeed at body maintenance means to fuel up on fruits, vegetables and protein while moving every single day. Fuel your body with healthy choices and work out your muscles regularly and your body will stay strong and healthy. With a healthy body, the days go by smoothly and there is more to be happy about.

Clearly it is easier to say you will go to the gym than to actually go. I find that in order to make something a habit you must slowly replace the old habits with new ones. If you are genuinely interested in working out, then put on sneakers and gym shorts.

Commit yourself and remember that eventually it becomes easier. It feels great when you are wiping sweat from your brow thinking, “I did it!” Not to mention the strength you begin to feel after working out consistently. Before you know it, you will start to set goals and challenges for yourself that you had never anticipated achievable.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

Throughout history, riots have been a way for groups to express themselves loudly when all other attempts to be heard seem inadequate. 

While riots escalate quickly, they can result in gaining public attention on important issues.

Riots are often strategic attempts for groups who feel their cries are being neglected to attain recognition from the authorities.

There have been countless riots over the course of history and on Oct. 18, 2014 instead of the media focusing on Keene Pumpkin Fest, family-friendly autumn fun, it was on a chaotic and dangerous riot in parts of Keene full of college-age rioters.

In the 18th century there were the Boston Bread Riot of 1713.

Poor citizens of Boston fought back against the richest merchants in town who charged high prices on the limited grain and other foodstuffs.

Tim Smith / Equinox Staff

According to examiner.com, those of the 200 people who gathered on Boston Common to protest the ongoing scarcity and high prices of grain went after one particularly rich merchant, damaging one of his ships.

The small riot resulted in changed policies on grain that made it more affordable and accessible to poor citizens. Their efforts were successful.

In the 19th century there was the Tompkins Square Riot of 1874. According to peoplesworld.org, thousands of unemployed citizens of New York City gathered in the neighborhood now called the East Village.

The riot erupted as a reaction to the full-fledged economic depression that began in 1873. People’s World said, “The demonstrators planned to insist that then-Mayor William Havemeyer establish a public works program by giving $100,000 to a Labor Relief Bureau to be established by the Committee for Public Safety itself.”

The riot resulted in New York City police beating rioters with clubs to disperse them, but at least the riot was fueled by passion and a desire for change.

Then came the 20th century Kent State Riots. In 1970, President Richard M. Nixon announced the invasion of Cambodia by the United States. He told the country that 150,000 more soldiers would need to be drafted for the expansion of the Vietnam War effort.

According to history.com, “this provoked massive protests on campuses throughout the country.”

“At Kent State University in Ohio, protesters launched a demonstration that included setting fire to the ROTC building, prompting the governor of Ohio to dispatch 900 National Guardsmen to the campus,” the website stated.

This riot led to police opening fire and killing four students who were standing up against the violence in Vietnam. The event gained major attention and following the Kent State shootings history.com stated, “Almost five hundred colleges were shut down or disrupted by protests.”

These students were concerned about social issues driven by their moral beliefs.

Now, in the 21st century, riots still occur but in a different form it seems. They feature elements like those present in the riots recognized prior, lighting fires, destroying property, massive gatherings of people, but I am concerned the basis of modern riots may be lacking the intent to change.

On October 18, 2014 the Keene Pumpkin Fest drew in thousands of people, many visiting Keene State College students as guests. What ensued that night is hard to describe due to my lack of understanding of such senseless and inappropriate behavior.

Thousands gathered at parties where the “fun” consisted of throwing bottles, cans, tires and whatever else they could get their inebriated hands on.

The level of destruction that took place was shocking to so many of us. The entire night was absurd. Lines of police in protective gear blockaded areas that were getting out of hand.

Rightfully so, the children seemed to have lost their minds. Whether they were drunk or not, the behavior was absolutely disgraceful. I think of the previously mentioned causes for riot. The true life struggles that provoked humans to revolt at least constituted the need to act, Pumpkin Fest weekend however, is supposed to be a family-friendly time to go to the Main Street event in Keene. This year it became a contest to see who could be the most destructive.

We, meaning people around the age of 20, are the most recent “future” and are at a position in our lives to contribute and make a difference.

Yet, instead what I witnessed this weekend [Oct. 18-19] is that we are behaving as animals and destroying the many things we are privileged to have.  I am absolutely shocked and disgusted by the behavior exhibited at this year’s Pumpkin Fest, though I realize KSC students are not solely to blame. There were many students from other schools who were also involved

Hopefully our generation will come together with the same energy present at the Pumpkin Fest in order to positively benefit something in the near future.

If each of those who attended the Pumpkin Fest riots were to step forward and donate some time, money, or work towards a good cause, then perhaps we could begin repairing the damage this event has done.

It has damaged  the reputation of Keene State College students, their college-aged guests, and the generation of kids currently in their late teens or early twenties as a whole.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

While attending college offers ample challenges to be tackled by incoming students, there are various opportunities for personal growth that come simply based on the location of your school. 

As Keene State College students, we are granted the privilege of living just a short car ride away from the most hiked mountain in America — Mount Monadnock.

Kyle Bailey / Photo Editor

According to monadnockmountain.com it is estimated that Monadnock draws in as many as 120,000 hikers a year.

I think that every student at KSC would benefit largely from the experience of hiking Monadnock. I encourage any person with the opportunity to do so, to add themselves to that statistic.

There are few feelings as satisfying as earning the right to scream out from the peak overlooking a beautiful horizon, “I am king of the mountain!”

The official definition of “monadnock” reads, “an isolated hill or ridge of erosion-resistant rock rising above a peneplain,” according to seadict.com.

This means that Monadnock is named specifically for its individuality as a peak rising above the miles of flatter terrain surrounding it. It also means that when we call it “Mount Monadnock” we are in a way naming it, “Mountain Isolated Mountain.” It is just funny how names come about sometimes.

According to monadnockmountain.com, the highest point of Monadnock reaches “3,165 feet above sea level, even though the summit itself has 3,166 feet engraved into it.” Accomplishing a hike to that altitude is certainly worthy of any person’s bucket list.

While I hiked Mount Monadnock for my first time, my knees grew sore and I watched beads of sweat drip from my forehead down onto the path before me. I continued anyhow, realizing every ounce of sweat and bit of pain made me stronger.

As I climbed the daunting boulders and shook with fear of slipping on my way down the White Cross path, I continued to recall the fortune-teller from the movie Holes.

In the movie, Madame Zeroni instructs Stanley Yelnats to climb a mountain each day, carrying with him a piglet.

Each day as he climbs the mountain, the pig gets fatter and he gets stronger.

I imagine the simple beauty behind her advice. I imagine the benefit of taking action to try and try again, slowly building up to an ultimate goal.

I believe that any person who hikes to the top of Mount Monadnock receives a sensation of irrevocable accomplishment that can only prove their ability to conquer any mountain.

On my first trip up the mountain this past weekend I could not refrain from asking a man wearing just shorts and sneakers how long it took him to climb the mountain.

His reply amazed me, “35 minutes.” According to monadnockmountain.com “Monadnock is famous for attracting ‘power hikers.’”

The website specifically recognizes Larry Davis, who holds the record of climbing Monadnock for 2,850 consecutive days without missing a day. That is nearly eight years!

Also, Fran Rautiola climbed Monadnock 14 times in a 24-hour period before losing the record to Gary Harrington who climbed it 16 times in 24 hours.

Passing many hikers who had already reached the peak on my way up, I sometimes said, “Hello,” and other times I would try to humor them with one-liners such as, “Who needs a StairMaster?”

At times I said things I now realize are simply ironic such as, “I feel like I just walked into a painting,” and “I feel as though I am in a movie.”

These instances demonstrate how disconnected our generation is from nature. Despite the fact that I am overall down to Earth and in-tune with the world around me, as a young person constantly face-to-face with a screen, somehow I blipped and compared a real-life nature scene to a screen that is unable to recreate such an experience.

To demonstrate further what I mean by the generational naïveté, I will share part of my climb.

As we approached about halfway, I suddenly recognized a familiar face. It was my roommate! What a day, to climb a mountain and bump into my roomie.

As she told us that her and her boyfriend had already reached the top, she began rummaging for her phone. She pulled it out and said, “Hold on, I gotta show you.”

In disbelief I asked, “Are you about to show me a photo of the view from the top of the mountain I am currently hiking?” She proceeded to do exactly that.

Unfortunately, it is my belief that many students in my class and future classes lack a desire to explore the wonders of nature encompassing Keene.

I find that students lack the motivation to get up and adventure, as students must have before they had Internet to consume their time.

Climbing a mountain requires self-determination and self-motivation. The hike can take many turns and present a multitude of challenges that then push the hiker to grow. The benefits of hiking Monadnock are uncountable.

If you have not done so already, hike Monadnock before the leaves officially fall and the snow begins. The sight of overlooking miles of glorious changing foliage is indescribable and it is a view you are going to want to see for yourself. Students at Keene State College not only should, but also deserve to treat themselves, to the joy of officially climbing Monadnock. Good luck hikers!

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

Okay, so I get that I am a little unconventional. The majority of my overflowing closet consists of hand-me-downs, eccentric patterns and thrift shop deals. I have more kinds of socks than friends and my sunglasses collection has a pair of shades to suit any sunny day outing. 

Despite the loudness of my style, I aspire to present myself merely as I am. My style intentions are geared only towards wearing what I feel rocks at expressing myself. Once I overcame the need to “fit in” and realized it is much more entertaining to dress for what I love, I began to only wear things that spoke to my soul. Back in high school I was just whacky. People in their American Eagle jeans and Hollister tees did not understand my choice of crazy-patterned gypsy pants or decision to sport a hot pink fanny pack.

I thought I was just expressing myself, but society seems to feel the need to put a label on everything, even those who refuse to succumb to the societal expectation of labels. I am Arline, and society says I am “hipster.”

According to an article written by Mark Greif in New York Magazine who did an elaborate analysis of hipsters, “Its evolution lasted from 1999 to 2009, though it has shifted appearance dramatically over the decade.”

This article was published in 2010, therefore the current epidemic of hipster counterculture could not be accounted for. As a college student, I see other members of the Keene State College campus expressing themselves with rare finds and individualized outfits, and I adore it.

Angela Scionti / Equinox Staff

I have seen rainbow suspenders, tube socks and grandpa sweaters become the platform for certain students’ style. It is refreshing to see that people still go out and find a quirky accessory or outfit that makes them happy and then wear it with pride.

The beauty is that in Keene, people generally receive that kind of self-expression positively. Prior to transferring to Keene last spring I had attended another college where the culture could not have been less fitting.

Students in fitted blue jeans, brand-name tops and Michael Korrs accessories asked me why I would wear Crocs. Why was I wearing my shoes? So my feet would not hurt walking barefoot on the ground I suppose, why do you wear your Uggs?

A strong contribution to the definition of hipster by Greif is, “The hipster is a savant at picking up the tiny changes of rapidly cycling consumer distinction.” Greif said, “Among hipsters, the skills of hanging-on — trend-spotting, cool-hunting, plus handicraft skills — become the heroic practice.”

I try to make what I can. I make dream catchers along with other hanging decorations such as wind chimes, pins and I often cut up old clothes to give them a new feel.

These are not attempts to be ironic or cool, but ways I can individualize my things to suit me specifically. It often baffles me that more people do not participate in creating their own things like this. It is so simple and there is nobody better to make things unique to you than yourself.

So how does one define “hipster?”

A trusted source for these kinds of societal words, Urban Dictionary’s definition includes, “A subculture of men and women typically in their 20s and 30s that value independent thinking, counter-culture, progressive politics, an appreciation of art and indie-rock, creativity, intelligence and witty banter.”

Well that does not seem so bad. The Urban Dictionary definition also states, “Hipsters reject the culturally-ignorant attitudes of mainstream consumers and are often seen wearing vintage and thrift store inspired fashions, tight-fitting jeans, old-school sneakers and sometimes thick rimmed glasses.” In which case, I suppose guilty as charged. What eats me is that a label is necessary. Instead of someone saying, “You have such unique style,” they feel a need to characterize me as a hipster. What I have realized is that if it makes it easier for people to attribute my style choices to a particular term, and by doing so if it allows them to make sense of my chaotic style, then I shall allow people to interpret me in whatever way they can without frustration. If one is unfamiliar with something it can often help to classify.

I just hope those classifying me realize “hipster” is a blanket term that classifies a subculture whose style is to be their very own self in the face of a society trying to mold people this way or that.

My point being, “hipster” can be thrown around too freely. I believe there are those trying to appear individual and unique, and there are those who truly know themselves. I do not want to be categorized as fitting into any societal subculture, I view myself as a citizen of the world who is open to changes and is open to exploration of many fashions and ideologies.

In terms of veering from the mainstream, it is not that I so strongly aspire to be nonconformist; it is more that I seek things that satisfy my soul. I watch videos, listen to music and purchase clothing that I feel a great attraction to. I do what I want and follow my heart’s arrow.  Perhaps my desire to be- left undefined is just exactly what classifies me as a hipster.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

Led Zeppelin’s rendition of “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” was featured on their legendary 1969 debut album. More recently, a character we all grew up regarding as Hannah Montana has taken on the song again. Now, I realize that the very second a Led Zeppelin fan hears that Miley Cyrus has attempted to live up to the vocal complexity of Robert Plant, they will discredit any further elaboration or explanation.  As a fan of both Led Zeppelin and Miley Cyrus, I do not approve of such hardheaded, preconceived notions. I am interested in knowing how people would respond if they heard Miley’s track with no knowledge of who it was singing—sort of a musical Coca-Cola and Pepsi challenge. 

Unfortunately time has prevented me from pursuing this experiment. I listened to her version on Soundcloud time and time again, back-to-back with Led Zeppelin’s version, of which hers was clearly based, prior to choosing a final position. Every time I clicked replay on Miley’s new track I fell more deeply in love with her ability to wail and deliver the song in a way that moved me just the same as the Led Zeppelin version. Her voice is packed with so much power that the first time I heard the track, chills ran up my spine.

First of all, Led Zeppelin did not write the track. Therefore, nobody can claim that ‘It was Led Zeppelin’s song, she has no right to cover it.’ Led Zeppelin may have been the first to truly gain recognition for their version, but the song was originally released on Joan Baez’s album Joan Baez in Concert, Part 1 in 1962 and written by folk singer Anne Bredon, according to RollingStone.com. This alone proves that artists can inspire other artists to take an artistic vision and recreate it in a completely different way.

Miley never claims to be attempting to live up to the rock legends’ song, nor did she imply she would like to outdo their version. Instead, her recent fascination with covering old rock legends’ classic songs appears to be a mere attempt to explore a variety of outlets of expression as a young artist. This fact is both simple and crucial, as it puts in plain terms what she is—a young artist—and like the many young musical artists I have come across in my own experience, she sometimes covers songs that she likes. Secondly, I would like to recognize Miley’s delivery as she sings with an admirable control over her voice. Her introduction is as sweet and enticing as any, but 59 seconds in, her voice explodes and the girl belts, rocking harder than we have ever heard her voice in any other songs released to the public. She mirrors many of the techniques present in the Led Zeppelin version, yet she does so as a tribute to the band. Her cover is nothing more than a statement of recognition of the great power this song has had over her. Her cover is simply an attempt as an artist to experience expression in a way that her musical idols have. Despite any rock ’n’ roll diehard’s first interpretation to a statement as shocking as, ‘Miley Cyrus covered a Led Zeppelin song,’ I deem it necessary that you at least try to listen to her version before passing judgment. I think any person honestly giving credit where credit is deserved would give Miley a good review, recognizing the capacity of her vocals and the passion evidently fueling her belting voice. Another criticism I have heard amongst my friends is that, “That song does not even sound like Miley. It does not sound like anything she has ever sang.” My point exactly. The girl is an artist­—from her release of what she defines as “dirty south hip-hop” album “Bangerz”, to her soulful rendition of Dolly Parton’s  “Jolene,” followed by her more recent cover of The Beatles’ classic “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” Miley can rise and succeed at any musical challenge thrown her way. Her vocals are both on-point and multidimensional. Unlike many modern pop artists, she actually has a personal artistic vision and the cojones to follow through with those ideas. Perhaps to you, Miley’s version does not sound like Led Zeppelin’s, but that is what makes it hers. That is what makes it art. She is singing an old classic through her own interpretation. I think that Miley’s bravery is commendable. Despite the obvious fact that she would receive just as much negative feedback as positive (if not more) over her post of this cover, Miley proceeded to post the song, hers similarly titled “Baby, I’m Gonna Leave You.” She follows through on her personal goals and despite the negativity of the critics, I congratulate her as I find her to be a gutsy and gifted inspiration.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com

Arline Votruba

Equinox Staff

Applying for a new job can be tedious, stressful and often times, a long process.

A recent story released by the Huffington Post informs us that Jose Zamora, a 32-year-old Mexican-American, was far from an exception; in fact, his experiences while job searching prove that a single letter could lead to far greater scrutiny when applying to jobs.

While most applications explicitly state that the information regarding ethnicity and gender will not be held against you, the recent case of Jose Zamora proves differently. In a Buzzfeed video, Zamora said that he would awake every day and apply to 50 to 100 jobs online. With no success, he said that a gut feeling influenced him to attempt to send out the very same applications with the exception of a single letter. He deleted the ‘S’ in his first name.

A week later his inbox began to fill up. Simply changing his name from Jose to Joe altered his ability to get work. It is rather despicable to think that today in 2014 people continue to place judgment on people  based on their ethnic group when they are applying for job positions.

The story of Jose Zamora shocked me. It had never occurred to me that a first name could influence whether a company was interested in an interview with an applicant.

Having read Zamora’s story and watching the video of him discussing his experience, I felt compelled to see who else has experienced such prejudice. Sadly my Google search proved that the society we live in is riddled with scenarios exactly like this. Just Google, “not getting job because of name.” There are pages of links to stories of now-successful businessmen who struggled to succeed as entrepreneurs until they Americanized their names.

There are also many stories of people with white-sounding names that are simply difficult to pronounce who believe that their name has stood between them and a call back from the company that they applied to. In either case, it is irresponsible of the person overlooking the applications to let the detail of name prevent an interview offer.

This says a lot about our society. Unfortunately, human beings are judgmental by nature. This kind of false classification is common throughout the world. Often times the ignorance is actually a misunderstanding as the person judging does so unconsciously.

Making a conscious attempt to recognize the insignificance of what an applicant’s name may be is necessary by employers in our modern era. Equality is far from amongst us, but simple things such as disregarding a name can move us closer to a sound and balanced world.

According to a study performed for the National Bureau of Economic Research by the University of Chicago’s Marianne Bertrand and Harvard’s Sendhil Mullainathan, resumes with white-sounding names have a 50 percent greater chance of receiving a callback when compared to those with African American names. This study shows that these judgments may be absurd, but the fact is, they are being made.

Realizing that people reviewing the job applications may have unintentional bias while overlooking applicant’s names, I find it concerning why it is necessary that the person hiring employees needs to see a name.

Perhaps instead, applications should come in with a specific application number and the name of the applicant would only be released if the person doing the hiring were interested in an interview based on the qualifications they have reviewed within the application.

It seems unnecessary to have to remove the person from their application so much as to address them merely as a number, but based on the multiple cases of people being disregarded or not taken seriously due to their name it is evident an adjustment must be made to the way these applications are reviewed.

This case of prejudice demonstrates the fact that we are not an equal society.

Despite the attempts people make to seem unbiased or judgment free, the unconscious mind controls our actions more than we are aware. Hopefully action will be taken by employers in order to correct this unfair approach to considering people for job positions.

Arline Votruba can be contacted at avotruba@keene-equinox.com