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This is a bit of shameless self- promotion:

I am now an editorial intern for thesupermelon.com! Here are links to my most recent articles:

http://www.thesupermelon.com/style/nonja-mckenzie-spring-2009/

http://www.thesupermelon.com/style/hm-cdg/

http://www.thesupermelon.com/trends/google-goes-mobile/


Enjoy!

Adultolescence

Everyone knows the pain and awkwardness of adolescence: the squeaky voices, the raging hormones, the new feeling and power that comes with wearing a bra for young girls. but there is a new phenomenon that is sweeping the nation: adultolescence. More and more young adults are graduating from college and returning to live with their parents, while remaining financially dependent on them. With the high costs of food, gas, and housing, as well as the staggering amount of student loans that burdens young adults today, who can blame them? It is sad to say that the cost of living greatly overwhelms the starting salary for a recent college graduate. With the job market getting worse, this trend will likely continue. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled "The Next Bailout:Your Adult Children" addresses this very issue. Parents are having to support their children well into adulthood, often helping them with things like buying a house or car.


Is this trend a good or bad thing? Does it prevent young adults from growing up and facilitate dependence on their parents? Is it just parents wanting their children to save money and live debt-free? Is it a group of spoiled young adults? Perhaps it is all of these.

Change Will Do You Good

I want to take this opportunity to talk about change. I once heard the phrase "Life is change and change is life," and I think it is a good way to sum up life. My life has been going through a great deal of change as of recent months. I never thought I would be taking 18 units, teaching literature to 11th graders, mentoring a group of college freshman, and holding down a job and an internship. I have a lot on my plate, and I couldn't be happier. I absolutely love my new internship, and I am in the process of getting a new on-campus job where I make more money.


Some of these changes allow me to see things in a different light. For example, today I had my first day of Humanities Out There, a program where college students teach small groups of high schools students in the low-income Santa Ana school district. This opportunity allowed me to see the stark differences in education that are dictated by class. I attended high school in a wealthy area of Orange County, then transferred to a private Catholic high school. The curriculum in the schools I attended compared with the curriculum in low income areas is like night and day. While the schools I went to had a curriculum where we read and analyzed novels in the literary canon, these students have never read a novel; they are only learning basic grammar. The difference is frustrating and unfair to me; I feel that these kids could do well if society had higher expectations of them. It makes me realize that "equal opportunity" isn't so equal, and that needs to change.

$ Ching Ching, Money Over Here $

Financial Crisis. Two words the American people do not want to hear. Monday September 15, 2008 the stock market plunged 500 points. That evening, the asian stock market followed suit. one of the largest banks in the country, Merrill Lynch, was bought out by Bank of America. The fourth largest financial institution in the country went bankrupt. What does this financial crisis mean? And more importantly, what does it mean for the average American? or college student?

The effects of the spiraling economy are seeping their way into the daily lives of Americans, and more specifically, college students. I look around and see my friends getting laid off, we live paycheck to paycheck, we can't afford to go to the doctor, and we can't afford to buy groceries anymore. We are deep in student loans, and the cost of tuition keeps rising. A major issue for young people in the 2008 election will be the economy. It is obviously a major issue for all Americans, but the future of the workforce and the economy is in our hands; we can only wait to see what will unfold.

Bandaged: The Art of the Skintight Minidress

Ahhh September. This is the month where designers debut their spring ready to wear collections. I must say that I was a bit disappointed with most of the Spring '09 collections, but one little collection caught my eye. The Herve Leger by Max Azria Spring 2009 ready to wear collection is amazing and drop-dead sexy.

The collection features the infamous bandage dress with a few fresh twists. Azria added a gradient pattern to create an architectural illusion. He featured the pattern in shades of red, white, and gray. He also experimented with creating dresses with off-the shoulder necks and cutout patterns on the neck and sides. One of his best pieces was a sparkling gold off-the-shoulder mini. Azria also dazzled with a few sexed-up versions of the classic Little Black Dress. The best part of this collection was the fact that it is very wearable; I would personally wear any number of these dresses out to a club or upscale party. Unlike most of the Spring 2009 collections, which featured outlandish styles, Herve Leger by Max Azria stayed in touch with its youthful clientele (the designer's biggest fans are club rats and young stars such as Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, and Rihanna). I recommend squeezing into a Herve Leger mini, throwing on some five-inch Louboutins, and heading over to Les Deux, LAX, or another Hollywood club; you're bound to attract some paparazzi.





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