MAC 143 1st Edition Lecture 4Hookies: A Non-conformist Conformity Katie Norton MAC 143: Allie Koscianski -Group A In the process of determining my taste culture, I devoured and dismembered the psycheof close friends and myself. I tried to think of my day to day activities in order to find out theculture in which I have placed myself. I fall into a very unique and diverse group of people.Many people would label us as the “burn-outs” , “freaks”, “hipsters”, “rebels”, and some othernot so generous terms. But what these people don’t realize is our ability to sit around a hookahhas given us a safe haven. Thus, we shall call ourselves the ”Hookies”. For those of youconfused by this name, please refer to google and place “Virginia Tech” in the search box. Now, my “group” was not something I grew up with, or anyone within this taste cultureknew growing up. At eighteen years old, coming to a new city in order to attend college washard. I had a very difficult time making friends. However,this one smoking apparatus brought outour taste culture. It pushed us all around a table. In the giant circle, there are individuals ofdifferent ethnic and economic backgrounds. But most everyones common view is that generalconformity in things such as greek life, D-1 varsity athletics, and overall “preppy” people arenot to be conformed with or related to . We enjoy the fact that conformity is not a necessity inour taste culture, but I feel that is just what we are doing. Our lives consist of “music is life”posters, undiscovered YouTube artists, constant blogging, deep writing, hookah and over all“G.D.I life” (i.e. non-greek life, God Damn Independent). Our “non-conformity” even has a pathof conventionality. Within ‘Hookies’, “normal” or “conventional” gorgeousness is not appreciated ordespised, but rather is just ignored as a type of appearance. Thus, I do not believe that America’sNext Top Model would be accepted nor appreciated. As a young child I began modeling. Oftentimes my cheeks were pinched and my hair was tousled. I was “adorable”, “precious”, and even“beautiful”. Though I was just five, these words resonated with me. I loved hearing this constantadorning feedback. Because of this positivity, I fell in love with modeling. As a teenager, my height began to get in the way of my passion for modeling. Being onlyat 4’8”, the constant negative feedback I received was about my petite standing. Because of mylost talent that was trampled by my height, I found my love of modeling again in America’s NextTop Model. The show gave me a taste of the modeling world without being involved in theconstant rejection. I remember the first person I idolized from the show was Season 2 contestantShandi Sullivan. Shandi idolizes everything a model is “not suppose to be”. The 5’10” MIssourigirl was gawky and awkward. Her appearance off camera reflected quirky personality anddisjointed beauty, but on camera the cocooned butterfly emerged. I idolized her socialawkwardness and shy demeanor. It gave me hope that not all beauty was defined in webster's. I would consider myself unique. I do not have a definition, I cannot be defined. But likeeveryone else, I have quirks very similar to those surrounding me. I love to dance when no one iswatching. I sing loudly to music my friends play. I cannot handle a day where I don’t write ionmy blog. This is what makes me a ‘hookie’ and even though I would never give up my ChristinaGrimmie (undiscovered youtube artist, Voice Season 3), I still fall in love every time America’sNext Top Model shows up on my TV