The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) welcomed its students back with Connect Fest, an annual event featuring live music, food and countless student organizations. This kick-off event serves as an opportunity for students to explore how they can become involved not only with UAB but with the Birmingham community as a whole.
The campus green was absolutely packed as I walked to Aura’s booth, the iconic melody of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” coursing through the crowd. I slowed my pace to check out each decorated booth, but I was admittedly delaying the inevitable–my tabling shift. Shaking off my nervous energy, I arrived at Aura’s booth with five minutes to spare.
Before I could even sit down, students were approaching our booth, their eyes glued to a stack of our most recent magazine issue, Volume 48, Issue II: The Body. “The Body” features art, poetry and prose that explore our personal and existential relationships with our bodies, containing submissions not only from artists in UAB and Birmingham, but from all over the Southeast. Our cover, an art piece by Derriann Pharr, is truly striking–each vibrant color competes for your attention, with even the background demanding recognition for its dizzying red and yellow stars.
Our magazines were flying off the table, and it seemed like students were approaching us faster than we could keep up. I couldn’t stop smiling each time another student picked up a magazine, flicking through its pages while their friends peered over their shoulders. Despite my small role as a poetry copy editor last semester, it felt incredible knowing that I had played a part in creating something so beautiful and unapologetic. And yet, the best part of Connect Fest was seeing those who walked away from our booth with “The Body” still held high, spine cracked wide open, beginning on page one.
What had I been so worried about?
