Students were shown a video that showed how much editing goes into the images of beauty that are portrayed in the media. From extensive makeup and photoshop, the ideal beauty is entirely fictional and certainly unattainable, leaving people to be unhappy with their bodies. | Maritza Rodriguez/ The Daily Cougar

Different media outlets can portray unrealistic expectations on what the human body is supposed to look like, and a study shows that 90 percent of women and 82 percent of men are unhappy with their physical appearance and wish their bodies were different.

As part of Rock Your Body week, the Counseling and Psychological Services hosted the Media Smart event to show students how movies, magazines and television could characterize an image as subjective as beauty.

CAPS outreach coordinator Kay Brumbaugh wants students to understand the information given by the media and teach them how to make informed decisions about a product.

“It is wonderful when students see Photoshopped images compared to the original and realize that they need to start questioning why they compare themselves with images from the media,” Brumbaugh said.

Kids can be influenced to change their appearance and may cause self-esteem issues — as is the case with young girls and boys who feel the need to lose weight in order to fit into a trend or crowd.

Art studio senior Gaby Markesino said growing up for her was difficult, especially with the media showing what women should look like.

“I know the influence it had on me when I was little,” Markesino said. “I’m a photographer, and I do a lot of work related to the media. It’s awful seeing what the media does.”

Although many researchers think women are the main targets, men can also feel uncomfortable of their image. Magazines and retail stores have pictures of men with six packs and a fine bone structure.

Although some media can have negative effects, some can be a looked at in a positive view, said advertising senior Randy Cantu.

“Be careful and understand the message they are sending out,” Cantu said. “Whoever sees it will be the one to determine on how to handle the message.”

Media has evolved throughout the years. Companies use the media to sell beauty products, sponsor celebrity clothing lines or television shows and all have ratings that would help the business grow. Brumbaugh says students should educate themselves with positive body magazines and websites to stay media smart.

“If someone is faced with a media image and notice they start to compare themselves, it can be helpful to step back and question if this image real or created by a computer,” Brumbaugh said.

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Paradise Hotel premiered on Friday and was directed by Gus Kaikkonen. | Courtesy of School of Theater and Dance

Infidelity and sexual desire have been common themes in all forms of entertainment, and Paradise Hotel, a comedic drama being performed by students of the school of theater and dance, is no exception.

The play follows Benoit Pinglet, played by second year acting student Matt Severyn, as he pursues a clandestine relationship with his best friend’s wife, Marcelle Paillardin, played by senior Sarah Cortez.

On Friday night, the play premiered at the Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre, and it will run until March 3.

From the moment Severyn stepped onto the stage, the audience was immediately captivated by his charm and humor. A contagious cacophony of laughter filled the air.

The light pink walls, the metal balcony and the lounging chair placed in Pinglet’s study successfully brought the audience into the world of 17th century Paris.

Sophomore Shelby Blocker, who played Pinglet’s wife, Angelique, convincingly portrayed a woman with a voracious personality and a big heart.

All cast members had great chemistry on stage — this was most necessary during scenes where Pinglet confessed his lust for Marcelle. There was no awkwardness present as he blatantly told her how much he wanted her and swiveled his hips against her legs.

Junior Miguel Angel Garcia played Marcelle’s husband, Henri Paillardin. He brought to life a man who is much too worried about his work as an architect to spend intimate time with his wife. His gestures and manner of speaking effectively conveyed to the audience how lacking his desire for a physical relationship was.

Another standout was senior Jason Ronje, who played Matthieu, a widowed lawyer with three daughters who stutter when it rains. When he was on stage, audience members laughed twice as much as they did before.

Junior Michaela Heidemann, who played the Pinglets’ maid, brought a tantalizing amount of sultriness to the stage as she seduced Maxime, the Paillardin’s nephew. Maxime was played by freshman Zachary Leonard, who persuaded viewers of his nerdy innocence.

Paradise Hotel is a play that will most likely induce serious fits of laughter, while also making viewers slightly uncomfortable at the same time. The message transmitted is of the common human feeling of desire, and what lengths people will go to to get that desire fulfilled.

All the actors displayed an enormous amount of commitment and love for their craft.

When students spend so much of their time going to class, working or staying up late to study, sometimes there’s never enough time to stop and cook a decent meal.

Some students end up turning to a fast fix like junk food and learn to rely on caffeine and energy drinks to get them through all-nighters. While this might make students think they are saving more time for studying, by taking on unhealthful eating and drinking habits, they are ultimately hurting themselves.

“Nutrition is not only a healthy behavior that affects students physically. It also impacts their learning and ultimately their success at the University,” said Gail Gillan of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center.

If university students took time out of their studies to learn to eat smarter, the benefits would improve their health, studying abilities and their success in school.

According to several health websites like Livestrong.com, instead of snacking on a bag of Cheetos or power bars, it’s better to snack on nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, pecans and flax seeds, which are full of memory-promoting nutrients such as Vitamin C, B6 and omega-3 fatty acids. If a student has a sweet tooth, chocolate produces endorphins, which enhance the mood and improve focus and concentration.

There are also certain fruits and vegetables which are known to improve brainpower. Based on an article from Livestrong.com, “certain superfruits like blueberries, strawberries and blackberries contain flavonoids and antioxidants, improve learning capacity and vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, carrots and spinach and avocados which contain monounsaturated fats increase blood flow to the brain and boost brain power.” 

“The complex carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables help us in learning, while carbohydrates that cause glucose levels to fluctuate, do not,” Gillan said.

According to Livestrong.com, other types of carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, cereal, brown rice and pasta can provide relaxing effects on the brain, reduce anxiety and aid in a student’s ability to focus without worrying, which improve their studying abilities. At the same time it’s suggested students avoid certain refined grains mostly found in processed foods, which causes sleepiness.

“Also certain proteins like fish such as salmon, tuna and halibut that contain omega-3 fatty acids improve learning ability and problem-solving skills as well as boost mental alertness,” according to Livestrong.com.

As far as drinking habits, green tea is full of antioxidants, which stimulate the brain and have a calming effect.

Gillan said most students make healthful choices around nutrition that help them academically. She said according to last semester’s Wellness Survey, 60 percent of students indicated fruit and vegetables are in their diet most of the time.

“However, 33 percent still eat high calorie/high fat foods and 28% eat fast foods at the same high levels.” 

While eating fast food might seem like a time saver, investing the time and learning to eat healthy is worth the while in the long run.

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It is always a surreal moment when a student gets to meet and work with someone who is a legend in his field. As members of the UH jazz ensemble got onto the stage of the Moores Opera House Friday, many of their dreams came true.

As part of the 15th annual Moores Jazz Festival, internationally renowned trumpet player Lew Soloff worked and performed with aspiring jazz musicians during a free clinic arranged by Noe Marmolejo, director of the jazz department.

Also a jazz trumpet performer, Marmolejo believed John Moores’ gift fueled the motivation to create the annual jazz festival and was eager to welcome the famous trumpeter to the celebration.

“Lew was one of the reasons why I even moved in the jazz direction,” Marmolejo said. “He is one of the greatest musicians ever, and I hope that the students feel inspired as well. If we put our egos aside, then the truth about becoming a well-rounded, inspirational artist can come out.”

Marmolejo also emphasized the importance of the festival.

“Working with these musicians offers different perspectives for students, and our students deserve these kinds of gifts,” Marmolejo said. “We must put our egos aside, so the truth about music can come out.”

Soloff has worked with legendary bands like Blood, Sweat and Tears and Latin jazz musician Machito. During his second visit to the jazz festival, Soloff provided advice to the aspiring musicians.

“You have to feel passionate toward the music, and you have to know what turns you on,” Soloff said. “It’s 95 percent hard work and five percent talent. The more you practice, the more fun you’ll have in the performance to make a living out of what you love.”

Soloff focused on what excites him instead of technicalities. As he played, he conversed with the other players through his music. He described ways to captivate the audience by using good tone and playing in good time.

“You have to take what you can’t do and perfect it,” Soloff said. “If you work hardest on the strongest points, you’ll be exceptional. You have to play what you do or don’t like because that’s how you know what you’re good at.”

Jazz music sophomore Trent Miller played in the UH jazz band and felt privileged to perform with Soloff. He discussed his passion for music, having come from connections with people listening or playing with him.

“Being able to reach people through music is the greatest feeling, and Soloff inspired us to really feel the music,” Miller said. “He made it feel like we were playing with him and not just for him, which is a great feeling from someone of his status.”

Music composition junior Alex Winkler was humbled and excited to play piano alongside Soloff. Enthused by his sense of humor obvious in his music, Winkler recognized Soloff’s desire to reach the hearts of his audience.

“The richness of jazz harmonies, the freedom of improvisation and excitement of ensemble interaction is what drives me to progress as a jazz musician,” Winkler said. “Just when you think you’re getting good at your instrument, a master of the craft comes along and makes you realize how much more potential we all have left to explore as players.”

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An audience of bobbing heads and a stage of men dressed in black playing shiny instruments that reflected light everywhere was the scene that took place at the Moores Opera House during its 15th annual Jazz festival Saturday.

This year’s guest, trumpeter Lew Soloff, was introduced by his friend and Moores Jazz Department Director Noe Marmolejo.

“I was a kid growing up in south Texas. When I listened to Lew Soloff’s music for the first time, I was so inspired and realized that there were a lot of things that I did not know about,” Marmolejo said.

The concert was not only a great opportunity for audiences, but also for the student members of the jazz ensemble who got to perform with a “legend.”

The night started off with “Portait of Louis Armstrong,” a piece composed by American composer Duke Ellington. The tune was upbeat and provided the quintessential jazz feeling of a big, lively band.

Soloff then talked about his grandson and how it was the first time the toddler witnessed his grandfather play.

The next piece played was “Beautiful Love.”

“This is a piece that the jazz ensemble and I have practiced, but I have never performed,” Soloff said. “I would not be doing this if these guys weren’t so good.”

Marmolejo demonstrated his passion to not only direct but play the trumpet as well. Throughout the concert, he could be spotted bobbing his head and tapping his feet gently against the floor. He fluidly moved from his post directing in front of the stage to the back of stage, where he played the trumpet.

The spotlight not only shone on Soloff but also on students like saxophonist Darrel Materum and graduate assistant and bass player Gerald Massoud.

“Spinning Wheel” was the tune chosen for the encore. It ended the night on the right note and had the audience clapping and singing along.

“These guys are really great, and I want all of you to support them,” Soloff said. “They are one of the best student ensembles that I have played with.”

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Students were excited about the Harlem shake.

Hundreds of students dashed onto the stage of Lynn Eusan Park on Wednesday to film UH’s version of the Harlem Shake.

The Harlem Shake is an outdated dance that has recently captured viral media. “Other universities have jumped on board, and now UH will show who is the best at it,” said Jessica Grono, Student Program Board president.

“We’re better than UT. We had to do one.”

The crowd was one of the largest the SPB has seen in such short notice, Grono said. With the help of the administration, the student video network, and the College Kids, SPB planned and marketed the event in a week.

“If you’re going to give credit, give it to the students,” Grono said.

Students came in their UH gear, masks, bikinis and costumes such as King Kong, SpongeBob Squarepants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Gingerbread Man. Shasta even boogied.

“This is awesome. This is what being a Cougar is all about,” said Cedric Bandoh, Student Government Association president. “This is how star our Coog community is.”

Bandoh danced in the crowd alongside students such as Mike Feliciano, a management information systems junior who was dressed as Spiderman.

“I like being at UH. There’s a lot of school spirit here. I used to go to UT, and this rivals it,” Feliciano said. “The student body here keeps life at UH pretty fun.”

University of Texas is one of the many universities that has a Harlem Shake.

Psychology junior Ashkan Ghashghai strutted to the scene on jumping stilts and dressed as Waldo because he said it would be easy to find in the video.

“I think it is cool that someone is thinking of stuff like this,” Ghashghai said.

Some students whipped out their phones and took the viewer approach. Students like Rico Francis, a media production junior, watched from behind the stage.

“It’s crazy,” Francis said. “I came to support (UH), support the movement. It’s nice to get a break from school.”

Francis applauded SPB for putting the event together so quickly. He wasn’t alone. Nutrition sophomore Michelle Ruiz was impressed by the crowd as she watched from her seat on the stage.

“The Harlem Shake is a pretty ridiculous fad,” Ruiz said. “All these people show a lot of pride.”

The video is expected to be on YouTube by the end of the week.

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Students have been enjoying all the delicious options that McAlisters has to offer since it opened five years ago

In dining areas, it can be difficult to find healthy and affordable options. It seems though McAlister’s Deli, which has been serving the UH for the past five years, has been getting a five-paw rating from Cougars.

“The food is a healthy alternative to other places on campus. The atmosphere is really relaxed,” said sports administration sophomore Brandon Moore.

Moore eats at McAlister’s at least once a week. He likes the customer service, upbeat staff, TVs and music. He finds only one slight downside: the occasional long lines.

“They’re really good at picking their staff. If I did have a problem, it got corrected fast,” Moore said.

Moore likes to order the spicy southwest chicken griller, a grilled sandwich stuffed with chicken, corn, guacamole, pepper jack cheese and chipotle ranch. Alongside that, he gets a country potato.

McAlister’s Deli’s menu consists of such items as the spud ole, a potato crammed with chili, cheddar jack cheese and sliced jalapenos, and the savannah chopped salad is a large bowl of lettuce, grilled chicken, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, tomatoes, cucumbers and gorgonzola cheese.

McAlister’s has a feature menu that changes every couple of months, said Jared Bowser, McAlister’s night shift lead. McAlister’s feature menu for this month is Cajun shrimp. They offer a po-boy, wrap and salad.

Bowser is a hotel and restaurant management senior. He started working at McAlister’s two years ago to get real world experience.

He and the cooks have made up to 200 to 300 orders an hour and he loves being that busy, and the cooks are not the only ones who play a part in making sure the orders are right, Bowser said.

“A lot of times we make mistakes. The expos check food, those people are very good at catching the big mistakes,” Bowser said.

If mistakes do slip past, Bowser testifies that McAlister’s has understanding customers.

“Most of the time, our customers are some of the best,” Bowser said. “Normally, our customers are above and beyond.”

Such customers would be optometry second-year graduate student Valori Waggoner, who likes to get a baked potato when she drops into McAlister’s on her way to the Calhoun Lofts.

“Most times, the food is good. It’s never disgusting,” Waggoner said. “I like (it) because it’s less fast food.”

Waggoner likes the convenience of McAlister’s. She thinks the prices are fair and compared to other places, McAlister’s has better food. Waggoner also likes the customer service.

“They’re very friendly. They try to keep things moving,” Waggoner said.

McAlister’s speed has been questioned by some students such as pharmacy freshman Cameron Billingsley.

“I think they are kind of understaffed. It always takes a long time,” Billingsley said. “The food is of reasonable quality if you’re willing to wait.”

Cameron likes that McAlister’s stays open later than other places on campus, however if he had other options he would go elsewhere, he said.

“They kind of have a monopoly on campus. You kind (of) have no choice,” Cameron said.

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Students discussed interracial dating

According to the Pew Research Center, interracial marriages have been on the rise since it became legal in 1967. Interracial dating is important topic that affects UH students, and it and was discussed at Wednesday’s weekly Gender Talk at the Women’s Resource Center.

WRC’s program coordinator Malkia Hutchinson said that people should know the views of interracial dating since UH is culturally diverse.

“There are a lot of issues that can come into play when dating someone outside of your race,” Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson showed a clip from the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” in which the main character invites her fiance to meet her Greek family for the first time. Although the family of the bride was very hostile to her new non-Greek fiance, the family still welcomed him.

WRC Director Beverly McPhail shared her experience on how her parents had issues with her relationship with someone of a different race.

“My parents never said a word about me dating another race, until I went to college, and were outraged when they found out,” McPhail said. “Nothing was ever said, but I guess they felt it was understood.”

Difference in class can play a role when dating people of another race. Money might be an issue since one partner can have a higher income than the other, and the difference in culture might cause issues with family members.

English senior Joy Lester said being a product of an interracial relationship has helped her understand her parents’ culture. Although her grandparents were not okay with the relationship, her parents educated her siblings and her.

“It’s very interesting to see other peoples’ views on the experiences they went through,” Lester said. “Parents should educate their children on the different cultures there are in this country.”

Interracial relationships may have problems with the family or the public eye. Hutchinson said couples should not live in a bubble because it does not lead to a healthy, long-lasting relationship.

“Be with someone that makes you happy, and that person may not be your type,” Hutchinson said. “Get to know the person and who they really are.”

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What started on a sour note ended with a sweet pitch when the AURA Contemporary Ensemble held its “Set in Stone” concert, which featured compositions from world-renowned contemporary composers and up-and-coming UH musicians Monday at the Moores Opera House.

Directed by Michelle Blair and associate professor of composition Rob Smith, the concert opened with “Rock and Roll” by Eric Stokes, which featured four men entering from the corners of the stage and creating music with river stones and gravel. The audience didn’t seem to be entertained and several people were heckling the performance from the back of the room.

Anna Weesner’s piece “Light and Stone” made up for the rocky start as musical arts doctoral candidate Ingrid Gerling’s use of the violin highlighted the piece. Combined with her violin skills and her use of the piano and clarinet, the eerie 1950s Alfred Hitchcock sound brought the piece together.

Perhaps, the best performance of the night was by harp performance senior Hope Cowan as she played a unique fairytale-like tune on the harp in Paul Stanhope’s piece “The Arch Window.” Despite the near empty theater, Cowan’s performance received the most applause and a few standing ovations.

“Set in Stone” also premiered Houston Baptist University composition graduate Desmond Ikegwuonu’s energetic and fast-paced piece, “New Work.” Bryant Beauchamp energized the room with an amazing solo cello performance.

Special guest composer Brian Herrington, whose works have been previously performed by London’s Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra, premiered “A Circle of Stone” as cellist Daniel Saenz and percussionist music composition and music education senior Adam Beard blended their talents to create a melancholic atmosphere in their music.

The concert ended with Smith’s performance of David Dzubay’s “Kukulakan II”, named after the Mayan feathered-snake deity. The composition conjures images of ancient rituals. While a small hiccup occurred when a cello spring broke, the piece continued to a positive reception minutes after and closed the show.

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Piano performance sophomore Kenneth Broberg received one-on-one encouragement and constructive criticism from award-winning pianist Ksenia Nosikova during a master class at the Dudley Recital Hall on Monday night. | Monica Tso/The Daily Cougar

In an effort to give open opportunities to improve, a three-time award-winning pianist utilized her expertise to teach students during a guest piano master class Monday at the Dudley Recital Hall.

Ksenia Nosikova, an artistic director of Piano Sundays at the Old Capitol Museum and professor of piano at the University of Iowa, has performed in numerous festivals worldwide and has presented more than 90 master classes.

At the hall, Nosikova observed each performance and jotted notes in the students’ music book. Afterward, she worked alongside them.

“I use my knowledge to help the student with what I think needs improvement,” Nosikova said.

“The students play so well, but I hope to convince them to take and understand the reasons for my advice.”

She emphasized the students’ strengths and encouraged them to be open-minded to other ways of playing their piece.

“In such a short amount of time, it’s unfortunate that I cannot work with them long enough to understand their unique characteristics,” Nosikova said.

Piano performance senior Catrina Kim started the evening with a sonata composed by Mozart. With her eyes closed and her fingers running up and down the keys, Kim focused on maintaining a balance between the variations of the music and on making each note distinct and interesting.

After her recital, she was said she was grateful to receive expert advice from Nosikova.

“She helped me reconsider a piece of music that I have known for quite some time,” Kim said.

“For this piece specifically, she helped me rethink how I shaped phrases.”

Although Kim has been working on the Mozart Sonata for about six months, she said she valued Nosikova’s new perspective.

“When a musician learns a piece of music well enough to perform it, she can start to overlook details,” said Kim.

Fellow piano performance sophomore Kenneth Broberg excited the audience with a Spanish themed piece from Maurice Ravel. Instead of concentrating on technicalities, Broberg focused on conveying a character that corresponded with his music.

“She addressed some problems. I need to be more aware of including some rhythmic issues and inconsistencies of touch,” Broberg said.

“I worked on Alborada del Graciosio last summer, and Dr. Nosikova’s advice is very helpful in preparing me for the upcoming recital.”

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