Dustin McManus is a junior from Charlotte, NC. He can be reached at dmcmanus@live.unc.edu.

No, we have not traveled back to the heydays of the late ‘90s.  It is 2012 and boy bands are indeed making a comeback.  Not just any boy bands though. British boy bands.  Who knew that all it would take to revive this wickedly ’90s phenomenon would be accents?

At this very moment, there are two British boy bands sitting pretty toward the top of the American music charts.  Each is carving out their own little niche within the mainstream, American pop scene.  First, there’s One Direction, a UK act that originated from their version of “The X-Factor” and is signed to Simon Cowell’s record label.  Their debut single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” is currently nestled at number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

Just last month, their first album, “Up All Night,” made history on the charts as One Direction became the first UK group ever to debut at number one with a debut album.  That’s right, not even The Beatles debuted at number one with their first album.  Boy band domination!

Next up, there’s The Wanted who have been a popular dance-pop group in the UK since 2010, having topped the charts across the pond multiple times.  Their breakthrough United States single, “Glad You Came” has already hit number 1 on the pop charts and is perched right above One Direction as number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Their second album, “Battleground,” is expected to arrive stateside sometime this fall.

One Direction (hollywood.com)

While One Direction is geared more towards a pre-teen crowd of teen girls with their sugary sweet pop-rock ode to all the traits that make a girl pretty in “What Makes You Beautiful,” The Wanted are definitely geared towards an older crowd looking to get their alcohol-fueled rave on with the pounding dance floor anthem “Glad You Came.”  Even the respective videos for the songs, which are shockingly similar in theme, perpetrate this fact.

One Direction’s video has the boy band frolicking on a beach, serenading this mystery girl.  The Wanted find themselves on, you guessed it, a beach vacation living a luxurious lifestyle full of yachts, pool side hook-ups and strobe light filled clubs.  What’s even weirder is that the five members of The Wanted look eerily similar to grown up versions of the five members of One Direction.

The Wanted

Time will only tell whether these two boy bands can capitalize on the success of their breakout singles.  One Direction has a massive teenage audience driving them to success, and their using this knowledge well by promoting themselves on the Nickelodeon show “iCarly” and recently performing on “Saturday Night Live.”  Meanwhile, The Wanted have the sound of every current pop act that’s been able to hit the top of the charts this past year with unrelentless dance beats and carefree songs about going out to party/dance/get drunk.  Their recent performance on “The Voice” proves this band knows how to put on a captivating live show.’

Click here to view the embedded video.

Personally, The Wanted won me over instantly.  The first time I heard “Glad You Came,” despite its repetitive nature, I was hooked.  And try as I might not to fall for the cutesy charm of One Direction, I ultimately have succumbed to the classic boy band catchines of ‘What Makes You Beautiful.”  Right now, I place The Wanted slightly above One Direction after their buoyantly energetic performance of new single “Chasing The Sun,” which has all the elements that made “Glad You Came” a success, except that it’s better.  One Direction’s new single “One Thing” is practically a carbon copy of “What Makes You Beautiful” and I have trouble seeing them branching out of their innocent image into actual longevity.

Click here to view the embedded video.

If there are two things I credit both these bands for, it’s that they make me feel insanely old because I thought I had long outlived the days of boy bands and that they could be the defining pop culture question of 2012 a la “N’Sync or Backstreet Boys?” that defined a generation of ’90s kids.

#5 – This past December, the royal couple welcomed another member to their tight-knit family: a black cocker spaniel puppy. William and Kate were first spotted walking the puppy on the beach shores of North Walesin in January. And while the royals usually keep mum on most personal matters, Kate slipped the name of the puppy, Lupo, while volunteering at a Primary School inOxford. Another reason we love the new duchess!

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#4 – After the royal wedding in April, the royal couple settled down in North Wales while William finished his rescue pilot training. So how did the new duchess spend her time? Grocery shopping! Multiple times, Kate was spotted looking casual and chic shopping at a local grocery store. No frills for this future queen.

#3 – In March of this year, Kate Middleton appeared at a commemoration ceremony with Queen Elizabeth II and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. It was an unlikely event, seeing as the Queen rarely made appearances with the late Princess Diana. It just goes to show that not only does the world love Kate, but so do the royals.

#2 – Amurica! During the couples’ tour of Canada and southern California, William and Kate made a red carpet appearance at the “BAFTA Brits to Watch” event. Not surprisingly, Kate wowed in a lavender Alexander McQueen design.

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#1 – She speaks! In March, Kate made her first speech as a royal at The Treehouse, a children’s hospice in southeast England. It was one of the few times the general public heard her speak, and she didn’t disappoint. Her voice was somewhat timid, as she was undoubtedly nervous, but she managed to exude her usual warmth and kindness as she spoke. Go Kate!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Emily Wiggins is a sophomore from Fayetteville, NC. She can be reached at ekwiggin@live.unc.edu.

It’s that time again: finals are among us. Between the late nights and endless hours of studying, the end of the semester is undoubtedly draining both mentally and physically. In order to power through the last two weeks, it is important to remember to give your body the fuel it needs, which is good food.

With all of this stress, it is easy to want to reach for the first thing we can easily eat, most commonly soda and other junk foods. I recommend counteracting the immense amounts of caffeine and sugar with a few healthy snacks and at least one full, healthy meal. Pulling an all-nighter always feels better with a stomach full of foods that prevent excessive sluggishness. Below are examples of snacks and meals that will keep you both focused and satisfied.

For a quick breakfast, try Greek yogurt. It is loaded with protein and comes in a plethora of flavors. Due to the straining process of the yogurt, it is also low in fat. For variety, you can add fresh strawberries, blueberries or raspberries; it can even be combined with granola.

Another quick breakfast (or lunch) idea is a bagel sandwich. Toast a bagel and top with a Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedge (35-50 calories each) and cucumber, or spread with avocado and top with cracked black pepper and tomato. 

Nut butters are also an excellent source of protein and fat. They can even be purchased in convenient to-go packets. Spread almond butter, peanut butter or sunflower butter (or maybe Nutella, if you have a sweet tooth) on a piece of whole wheat bread or crackers for a snack that will keep you energized for long periods of time.

Scrambled eggs are fantastic for breakfast or dinner. Even better, they are totally customizable. Add spinach, red pepper, feta, onion or lean meats (such as turkey or chicken) to two eggs and cook in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat. Scrambled eggs only take about 10 minutes to cook and are very high in protein. With added ingredients, they can also be a good source of fiber and vitamins.

When in doubt, fresh fruit is also a filling, cheap option. Top apples with cinnamon or eat them with nut butter. Combine bananas or fresh oranges with Greek yogurt, or freeze grapes for a refreshing snack.

By eating filling, wholesome food during the most stressful time of the semester, your body will have the fuel it needs to power through. Good luck!

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“Where did my files go?”

Phrases like the one above, and many more, run through my head as I try to search for my flight itinerary I printed several days ago. Though there are still almost two more weeks until I actually need it, the sense of hurry has already dawned upon me. For out-of-staters and technically international students like me, moving out seems to be a big deal. And no wonder, given the amount of traffic the university would definitely see during the last hectic week of finals.

I flip around the drawers one last time and finally pull out the crumpled sheet of paper. How had it gotten there? It must’ve crept beneath all of my notes for ECON 101, as I had just dug them out to finally start studying. There are piles of foodstuffs and books still left untouched beneath my bed. I look at the flight time: 26 hours and counting. It doesn’t bode well, especially not after an eight-o’clock exam — who came up with the idea of those, anyway?

I look around my room and start realizing just how much stuff I’ve accumulated over the year. That cabinet was definitely not there at the beginning of the semester. Why do I have more shoes than I can pack? Why have my books increased exponentially in number? To top it all off, there is still a secret stash of Asian snacks my parents had sent me. That wasn’t going to be finished any time soon. Why did I think it was a good idea to say ‘Food? I want Pocky! Dozens of boxes!’ when I could’ve gotten it (admittedly, at a completely crazy price compared to Taiwan’s) here? The list is never ending. It seems like I will either have to throw out or eat half my things, or risk my boxes being strapped on top of someone’s car, spewing personal belongings left and right along the driveway. There are only so many things one can bring home, and most of my textbooks aren’t part of that to-do list. I sit down on my chair and sigh.

Slowly, I put the paper away and start typing. 48 hours until my final paper for the term is due (although ‘final’ isn’t exactly the right term, given the amount of writing we’re still expected to do over the course of these two weeks.) I am still sitting here surfing Tumblr and Skyping my friends about what I’ve planned for the summer. A trip to Japan. Internships. Babysitting for next year’s meal plan money. Soon enough, the essay will be all but forgotten, buried under multiple screens of IM chatboxes and travel websites. It is only later that night I dig it back up again, whispering multiple ‘I’m sorry’s’ as I hug the computer screen and set my heart on continuing the grueling process.

Courtney Lindstrand is a sophomore from Greenville, NC. She can be reached at lindstc@live.unc.edu.

I always think the end of the school year is a great time to step back for a moment and reflect. You can choose to reflect upon many things, but usually I like to sum it up as a measure of personal growth. I ask myself, how have I grown academically, socially, fashion-wise, career-wise and maturity-wise in this whirlwind school year? As the Tar Heel Trends columnist, I like to take my overarching observations about changes and lessons I’ve learned this year and apply them to my fashion choices.

This year, I learned to be truly fearless. The biggest thing I learned is that you never know what might come out of something until you ask. Your questions can vary widely, from “How can I get involved with this?” to “How can I prepare for my future?” Just make sure you ask. Out loud. Today. The worst someone can say to you is “no,” and I hope that when you hear the word no, you do not get discouraged. I hope you take that rejection and turn it into motivation. It is the people who are able to transform negatives into positives that become truly great. Is it scary to face the possibility of being rejected by someone you look up to and respect? Yes, absolutely, but if you let that fear paralyze you from even trying, you will end up with nothing every single time.

Photo Credit

As far as my wardrobe connection to this piece of advice, it is that this year I learned that if I like it, I’m going to wear it with no fear. I’ve pretty much always been this way, but I feel like this year I’ve totally freed myself from worrying whether or not I can “pull something off.”  I prefer shopping on my own now. I like knowing that at the end of the day, the only opinion involved in my outfit was my own and I believe that is the true mark of personal style.

This year, I also learned to be decisive. I learned to be clear about communicating what I want to others and creating a plan of attack for myself to achieve my goals. If you seem confident and knowledgeable about what you are doing or aim to do, people will notice. It’s a direct correlation – if you walk into a room strutting like a Victoria’s Secret model, people will notice you. If you shuffle in with your eyes on the ground, you will be as transparent as a ghost. Make people notice you. You’re here, you’re smart, you’re capable and you know what you want. Now go get it.

The same rule applies to my fashion choices. I am decisive with what I like and what I don’t. I refuse to pick up a trend just because it was shown on the Marc Jacobs runway (no matter how much I worship him) if I believe it doesn’t flatter me or reflect my personal style. Have an opinion on what you wear and make your statement as bold as your personality. People won’t be able to ignore you. Now hurry along, the world is out there waiting and it’s yours for the taking.

Photo Credit: Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press

There’s always one sport that doesn’t get any love. As one of the four major sports, hockey comes in last. Some people don’t want to see hockey on their television when they could be watching football or basketball.

People! Come on! Do you know how exciting the Stanley Cup Playoffs are? Unlike the other professional leagues, only eight teams of the possible 30 make it to the postseason!

You don’t even have to be a hockey fan to have a good time watching grown men throw each other into the glass, then gracefully skate away just in time to score a vicious goal.

Hockey has its celebrities, its drama queens and its bullies, just like any other sport. Look at Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. If you want a good rivalry, one that always makes the Winter Classic that much more interesting, there you go.

Like always, the NHL playoffs and the NBA playoffs overlap. In 2011, Kobe Bryant’s twisted ankle took up more time on SportsCenter than the exciting matchups that made it to Game 7. This is what is wrong with today. If everyone knows Kobe is going to be okay and that it was only a sprain, then why are viewers subjected to mindless hours of ankle watch? Wouldn’t you rather be watching recaps from overtimes in Games 6 and 7?

If a series going to the last game does not interest you, maybe you’re a sucker for the underdogs and the Cinderellas. Turn on your television; the Los Angeles Kings just ousted the Western Conference one seed, the Vancouver Canucks, 4-1. Who would have ever thought hockey could get popular in LA?

Hockey is non-stop action. It’s not like football where after a hard hit the whistle is blown and you wait another two minutes for the game to resume. In hockey you get thrown into the glass and you have just seconds to get back up.

Just like you need to get back up once you’ve been knocked down, you need to be ready for the next game. There are multiple games going on in one night and teams play several times a week; the first round is chaos.

Not only are the eighth seeded Kings making some noise, but several series are knotted as well. The two seeded Boston Bruins of the Eastern Conference are having trouble with the seventh seeded Washington Capitals. Three of the six previously played games, as of Sunday, have gone into overtime.

There is no way you can predict what is going to happen when it comes to hockey playoffs.

So why do you shun the sport, casting it aside? You probably have at least one friend who is watching the playoffs tonight. Give them a call and see if you can watch with him or her. It is not a hard sport to follow, and you’ll easily develop your favorite players and team.

And of course, who doesn’t love a good playoff beard? By the time the Boston Bruins won the cup in 2011, their goalie Tim Thomas had one extreme beard going on. Guess you’ll have to wait to see who’ll be the last one to shave.

Until then, go watch some hockey. Time to get off the ice, see you all in August.

Feel free to find me on Twitter (@sydwardddd) during the summer. I’ll be taking my own off-season from writing, but I’ll be back in the fall. I’m never away from the game, and am always ready to talk sports. Thanks!

Italy has always seduced me. Yes, seduced. I don’t know why exactly—maybe it’s the language or the aesthetic of the countryside. Or maybe it’s because I’ve seen Under the Tuscan Sun five one too many times. Whatever Italy’s charm is, I bought into it.

And then I got there and I was tired, alone, lost and cold.

Oh, that weather. It rained 11 out of the 12 days I was traveling, and the temperature was in the 50s even though I packed for 70-degree weather. Note to self: next time, pack a variety of clothes rather than all short-sleeved shirts and skirts.

I’m not trying to downplay that I was in Italy, but really, you would have been pissed too. From a traveler’s perspective, rain is just annoying, especially when I debated bringing rain boots and then didn’t bring them to save room in my suitcase. I hated myself for not bringing them.

Tuscany after the rain

Photo Credit: Emily Milks

The good thing about Italy, though, is that it is famous for the food - meaning it was completely acceptable to sit in restaurants and cafés for hours each day and spend all my (parents’) money on pizza and pasta and wine, all the while laughing at the people getting soaked outside.

Tip: If you ever go to Italy, do a wine tour, whether you create your own via a bar crawl or you sign up for one like my friend Michelle and I did. It rocked. The drive through Tuscany was worth the price anyway, and the wine was the icing on the cake, so to speak.

Besides the wine tour, we toured some museums, went to the top of the Duomo in Florence, went to the top of the Duomo in Siena and visited three of the villages in Cinque Terre. We generally did all the things tourists should do in Italy – minus the usually obligatory picture in Pisa because it’s only a picture and I’ve heard there’s nothing else to do there.

My favorite moments were the small ones that could have happened anywhere, not just in Italy. The cool girl we met in Rome who had the guts to travel by herself for a few months and went around the city with us for two days. The stranger in the Florence hostel who went to the same high school as one of my good friends. The man at the restaurant who attempted to help me speak Italian. It was the people who made the trip, not the place. I think that’s true anywhere.

Venice deserves a description separate from the rest of the places I went in Italy. I had such a negative reaction to Venice at first because of the rain. It was even worse in this city than, say, Florence because the streets are so narrow that people kept hitting each other with their umbrellas and getting stuck when all they wanted was to get to a dry place. Usually I like getting lost in cities, and it is impossible not to get lost in Venice. But it was raining constantly and it was miserable—I know I’m not exaggerating because I could see it in everyone else’s faces too.

Dancing in the puddles in Venice

Photo Credit: Michelle Lewis

There was one night, though, when it stopped raining for a few hours and we could finally go outside without cursing every five seconds. We walked through the streets, bought Bellini and stopped to listen to the live music in St. Mark’s Square. I don’t remember how long we stayed to listen to the music or if it was even good, but I do remember an old woman dancing by herself to the music, not caring if people saw her or laughed at her or even joined her (as we did, naturally). She was simply caught up in the moment. And it reminded me why I always go to the travel section in bookstores first and why I always hang up maps. Because for me, traveling shows us that spirit exists everywhere, always.

Dustin McManus is a junior from Charlotte, NC. He can be reached at dmcmanus@live.unc.edu.

With the shocking firings of judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger from Fox’s “The X-Factor,” creator Simon Cowell is on the hunt for a new high-profile judge to take their seat. The name that keeps popping up in conversation is none other than Britney Spears.

For several weeks, the blogosphere and various entertainment news sites have all picked up on rumors and statements from insiders claiming that Cowell is desperately trying to get pop superstar Britney Spears to be the colossal star power draw to “The X-Factor,” which failed to live up to expectations in the ratings following its first season.  Reports indicate that Spears is in final negotiations to sign with the reality singing competition show, but that an initial $10 million offering and a 2-year commitment to the show are areas of the contract Spears wants to tweak, and rightfully so.  As of now, Spears is said to be nearing a contract that would pay her $15 million, tying her with Ryan Seacrest as the highest paid reality show personality and would make her fiancé Jason Trawick an executive producer with the show.

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Spears is not some washed-up pop star who would be getting a second career wind by signing onto “The X-Factor.” She is still a bonafide star and a force to be reckoned with in music.  Just this past year, Spears released a hit album (her seventh) that spawned four massive singles and resulted in a top-grossing world tour.  That hardly sounds like someone who’s in dire need of a day job like “The X-Factor” to keep their star power shining.  Naturally, reports claim that Spears is holding out for more money and the ability to jump ship after one season should she find that judging new talent just doesn’t suit her.

If Spears were to become a judge, “The X-Factor” would undoubtedly become must-see television and be the ratings ploy and cash-cow the network and Cowell are hoping for.  At least for the first few weeks, many people will tune in out of sheer curiosity just to see how Britney Spears performs in such a drastically different role.  Because Spears is such a mysterious figure now publicly, and has lately managed to avoid much of the limelight that led to her struggles in the past, it will be interesting to see if she’s ready to thrust herself in front of millions of Americans every week on a show such as this.  She’s got the name, the face, the brand, the hits and the recognition that make the idea of her joining “The X-Factor” pristine.  It would also place her in some juicy competition with Jennifer Lopez on “American Idol” and former “Mickey Mouse Club” castmate/frenemy Christina Aguilera on “The Voice.”

One has to wonder though, in the end, if Spears is too big a name for her to take this job. Clearly she still has the ability to sell records and perform in sold-out arenas.  Would a gig such as judging a singing competition stifle such an illustrious and tenacious career?  Only Britney knows the answer.

Courtney Lindstrand is a sophomore from Greenville, NC. She can be reached at lindstc@live.unc.edu.

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in the Forest Theatre, a crowd of people showed up to see a show full of eco-friendly fashion. Sunshine and fun, up-beat music filled the space as the models strutted down the runway in student-produced designs. About four student designers and one UNC -Chapel Hill alumnus produced looks for the show, along with representatives from two sustainable clothing stores in Chapel Hill, Twig and Clothing Warehouse. After the show was over, show goers and models enjoyed food and refreshments donated by Med Deli. An afternoon of fashion and food on a perfect Sunday- could you ask for more?

Behind-The-Scenes Crew

As a part of the exterior design team, I worked alongside my amazing team members to set up the stage on the morning of the show. There was a lot of climbing, raking and hauling of supplies. Needless to say, by show time we were a little disheveled and far from the runway-ready look the models wore. My team members and I were tired but satisfied. We all sat back and watched the show as the models strutted down the runways we laid down in front of our homemade backdrop. The Forest Theatre is beautiful on its own, but my team really tried to make it special for the show.

The models spent the morning in hair and makeup. The scene backstage was a little chaotic, but also exciting as the last pins were put in place and the finishing touches were put on the makeup and clothes. Backstage coordinators shouted instructions to the models for walking the runway. With a three-pronged runway, the threat of a model pile up was imminent.

Photo by: Courtney Lindstrand

The Message Behind the Show

The grand message behind the show and the whole reason it was put together was to spread the message about sustainability. Eco-friendly messages are everywhere, but they are rarely seen in fashion. One of the designers mentioned to me after the show that she designed her clothes to be universally flattering and attractive to a majority of people so that they would buy them solely based on the way they look (as most people do). Therefore, they would enjoy wearing the clothes and at the same time be spreading the message and popularity of sustainability in fashion among their friends. Finding eco-friendly, fair-trade clothes is easier than you think and, as the show proved, sustainable clothes are very fashionable and flattering to all shapes and sizes. Take the extra effort to look for a sustainable addition to your wardrobe and I assure you, you will be pleasantly surprised by what you find!

Also, check out COUTURevolution’s photographer Chris Florio and his photos of the show!

Emily Wiggins is a sophomore from Fayetteville, NC. She can be reached at ekwiggin@live.unc.edu.

As you walk down Rosemary Street exiting Chapel Hill and entering Carrboro, it is easy to overlook the brick façade of Don Jose Tienda Mexicana. Between its handwritten signs advertising Mexican food, cell phones and miscellaneous oddities, one might even dismiss it as sketchy. However, if you are looking for an authentic, cheap taste of Mexican cuisine, walk into the store and prepare to be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Upon first entering Don Jose, I was slightly intimidated: the store was full of various Mexican packaged foods and sodas, and I had no idea where to start. Overwhelmed, I decided to dismiss the junk food and go for the real food. I headed to the counter to order, where I discovered the menu was entirely in Spanish and featured more than just tacos or burritos. I was impressed by how genuine this all appeared; as someone who is entirely too accustomed to Mexican food with American influence, I was excited to see how the food here differed.

After contemplating my order for several minutes, I decided I would try the gordita, mostly because I did not want to be cliché and try a taco. The gordita (which means “little fat one” in Spanish) came with three meat options: chicken, pork or beef. I went with the chicken option, and after several minutes, my gordita came out of the kitchen piping hot. I took the food to go and was thus forced to hold back my excitement for a 10-minute drive back to my apartment.

Photo by Emily Wiggins

Once I was able to eat, I opened the small to-go container and got a good look at the gordita: it was not gigantic, but just enough for me. And at $3.50, it’s fair to say it was reasonably priced.  The exterior of the gordita consisted of a fried and crispy corn tortilla. The pulled chicken was tender and marinated lightly.  Accompanying the chicken was fresh avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, Mexican cheese and sour cream. To my delight, the gordita was also served with a fresh, spicy salsa verde.  I dipped each forkful of gordita into the salsa verde, and it helped tie the flavors together wonderfully.

This venture off my typical beaten path was well worth it. In fact, it always seems as if the local, hole-in-the-wall establishments have the best food, probably because local establishments place a lot of care and effort into delivering a quality dish. All in all, I was impressed by Don Jose. The price was right and the gordita was authentic, and I would like to go back and try more dishes on the menu.