<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>rachel bell &#8211; The Hilltop Monitor</title>
	<atom:link href="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/tag/rachel-bell/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu</link>
	<description>The Official Student Publication of William Jewell College</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Tue, 26 Oct 2021 21:31:28 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en-US</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>
	hourly	</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>
	1	</sy:updateFrequency>
	

<image>
	<url>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/cropped-3-32x32.png</url>
	<title>rachel bell &#8211; The Hilltop Monitor</title>
	<link>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu</link>
	<width>32</width>
	<height>32</height>
</image> 
	<item>
		<title>Top 10: Timothée Chalamet performances</title>
		<link>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/top-10-timothee-chalamet-performances/</link>
					<comments>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/top-10-timothee-chalamet-performances/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Bell]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 06 Mar 2020 14:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lady bird]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[little women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[movies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rachel bell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[timothée chalamet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[top 10]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/?p=12434</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[At just 24 years old, Timothée Chalamet has already cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s darlings. His willingness to embrace androgyny and show sensitivity&#8230; ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="400" height="600" src="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/400px-티모시_샬라메_Timothee_Chalamet_더_킹_헨리_5세_04.png" alt="" class="wp-image-12435" srcset="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/400px-티모시_샬라메_Timothee_Chalamet_더_킹_헨리_5세_04.png 400w, https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/400px-티모시_샬라메_Timothee_Chalamet_더_킹_헨리_5세_04-333x500.png 333w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><figcaption>Timothée Chalamet by Nine Stars, courtesy of Wikipedia </figcaption></figure></div>



<p>At just 24 years old, Timothée Chalamet has already cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s darlings. His willingness to embrace androgyny and show sensitivity on and off the big screen have the potential to single-handedly rid the world of toxic masculinity.</p>



<p>A striking jawline, ability to pull off fuschia suits and French ancestry might have contributed to Chalamet’s seemingly sudden rise, but the actor has proven to be much more than a pretty face. Chalamet really broke out in 2017, but the curly-haired star exhibited his talents in several other projects long before that date. Here are the top ten TV shows and movies graced by his presence in chronological order:</p>



<p><strong>1. “Homeland” (2011)</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.sho.com/stream-showtime?s_cid=pse-homeland-19444&amp;ds_rl=1277843&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA-vLyBRBWEiwAzOkGVCO733ZOrORSPKD1fwcBPrsOjhBvsNpw7SYt_nT3zsS4TQ1qEbBjEhoCtSAQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">“Homeland”</a> centers around a bipolar CIA officer convinced a former prisoner of war was turned by al-Qaeda and poses a terrorist threat to the United States. It is a TV show best loved by middle-aged mothers who have already seen everything interesting on Amazon Prime, and Chalamet’s character is no exception to its mediocrity. In the show’s second season he plays the jerk son of the vice president who refuses to admit to a hit-and-run and meets an explosive end. His character may not have been swoon-worthy, but Chalamet’s performance hinted at his acting potential while he was still a high school student.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>2. “Men, Women &amp; Children” (2014)</strong></p>



<p>Chalamet plays a football player in this film seeking to show the effect of the internet on personal relationships. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3179568/">“Men, Women &amp; Children”</a> did not earn a warm reception from critics, and most of Chalamet’s scenes were cut, but it was a strong film debut that led to later roles for the young actor.&nbsp;</p>



<p><strong>3. “Interstellar” (2014)</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p>Chalamet played a small but meaningful role as the teenage son of a NASA pilot searching for a new planet to call home as Earth becomes less hospitable. This movie gave Chalamet the opportunity to work with acclaimed director Chirstopher Nolan, as well as a cast that included Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine. The mind blowing <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/05/movies/interstellar-christopher-nolans-search-for-a-new-planet.html">sci-fi dystopia</a> was the first of Chalamet’s to become a hit at the box office and award shows.</p>



<p><strong>4. “Miss Stevens”</strong> <strong>(2016)</strong></p>



<p>This lesser-known <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2016/09/miss-stevens-review-julia-hart-lily-rabe-1201726951/">indie film</a> stars Lily Rabe as an English teacher chaperoning three students on a trip to a drama competition. Chalamet really got to show his acting chops as the angsty male lead with an explosive monologue that earned him and the film critical acclaim.</p>



<p><strong>5. “Lady Bird” (2017)</strong></p>



<p>2017 proved to be a big year for Chalamet, and <a href="https://lwlies.com/articles/timothee-chalamet-lady-bird-boyfriend/">“Lady Bird”</a> provided him with the first of several supporting roles that really put him on the map. Opposite Saoirse Ronan, Chalamet brilliantly executes his role as the snobby, bass-playing, dirtbag crush. His performance is one of the many relatable parts of “Lady Bird,” especially for anyone who has experienced attraction – and inevitable disappointment – from men who appear cool and mysterious. Ultimately, Chalamet is a vehicle for developing the coming-of-age narrative for the titular character in Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut.</p>



<p><strong>6. “Call Me by Your Name” (2017)</strong>&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5726616/">“Call Me by Your Name”</a> chronicles the blossoming romance between 17 year-old Elio, played by Chalamet, and 24 year-old archaeology student Oliver, played by Armie Hammer. Set in the Italian countryside in the 1980s, the film is beautiful for its aesthetic as well as its plot. Chalamet has remarkable chemistry with Hammer and really shows off his ability to handle complex emotional themes. Anyone who doesn’t cry during the final scene is a heartless monster. The film rightly earned Chalamet his first Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.</p>



<p><strong>7. “Hostiles” (2017)</strong></p>



<p>Though hardly comparable to the successes of “Lady Bird” and “Call Me by Your Name,” Chalamet capped off his year working the film festival circuit with this <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5478478/">violent Western</a>. Alongside Christian Bale and Rosamund Pike, Chalamet plays a soldier who is a part of a security detail escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family back to their home in Montana in what turns out to be a very harrowing journey.</p>



<p><strong>8. “Beautiful Boy” (2018)</strong></p>



<p>Based on the best-selling memoirs of David and Nic Sheff, Chalamet and Steve Carell star as father and son in this intimate, heartbreaking, and moving <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2018/10/beautiful-boy-timothee-chalamet-oscars-addiction-drama-1202010700/">story of addiction</a>, relapse, and recovery. Compared to “Call Me by Your Name,” Chalamet transforms emotionally and physically. His memorable performance is remarkable enough to make anyone a “Chalamaniac,” and it earned him more nominations and awards.</p>



<p><strong>9. “The King” (2019)</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2019/10/king-netflix-review-michod-chalamet/599857/">“The King”</a> combines the realism of film with the legendary plot of Shakespeare’s plays. Starring as King Henry V, Chalamet proves his ability to make a bowl cut look hot and pull off intense battle scenes. The film follows the warrior king as he ascends the throne and figures out how to handle politics and war. Be sure not to miss Robert Pattinson sliding around in the mud.</p>



<p><strong>10. “Little Women” (2019)</strong></p>



<p>“Little Women” retells the classic story of the March sisters, four women coming of age and forging individual paths following the Civil War. This <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/02/books/little-women-feminism-2019-movie.html">version of “Little Women”</a> emphasizes the agency and anger of the sisters, and Chalamet’s depiction of Laurie as a childhood friend and eventual thwarted love interest serves this aim. Yet another fabulous Greta Gerwig film, “Little Women” was well recepted but snubbed for big nominations and awards.</p>



<p>Overall, Chalamet’s performances in these works only hint at what is to come, as the actor seems to be gaining steam. His <a href="https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2019/10/25/timothee-chalamet-upcoming-projects/">upcoming performances</a> include a Wes Anderson film called “Dune” and a sequel to “Call Me by Your Name.”</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/top-10-timothee-chalamet-performances/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Review: 92nd Academy Awards</title>
		<link>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/review-92nd-academy-awards/</link>
					<comments>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/review-92nd-academy-awards/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Bell]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Feb 2020 14:00:08 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Arts & Culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academy awards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arts and culture]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[award shows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[janelle monae]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jojo rabbit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Judy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[little women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[parasite]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rachel bell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scorsese]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/?p=12242</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Held Feb. 9, the 92nd Academy Awards supposedly celebrated the best and brightest of the entertainment industry, but the show ended with ambivalent results. “Parasite”&#8230; ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" width="275" height="183" src="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/oscars.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12243"/><figcaption>image courtesy of Flickr</figcaption></figure></div>



<p>Held Feb. 9, the 92nd Academy Awards supposedly celebrated the best and brightest of the entertainment industry, but the show ended with ambivalent results. “Parasite” made history as the first film not in the English language to win best picture and Taika Waititi became the first person of Maori descent to win an Oscar through his best adapted screenplay award for “Jojo Rabbit.” But on the whole, the nominees and winners did not compose a very diverse picture.</p>



<p>One of the greatest moments of the night happened on the red carpet before any winners were announced. Actress-turned-activist <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/09/entertainment/natalie-portman-oscars-cape/index.html">Natalie Portman</a> gave a subtle, but powerful nod to the lack of female nominees for best director. Her Dior cape featured the names of women left out of the category in gold embroidery, including Greta Gerwig (&#8220;Little Women&#8221;), Lorene Scafaria (&#8220;Hustlers&#8221;) and Lulu Wang (&#8220;The Farewell&#8221;).</p>



<p>For the second year in a row, the Oscars did not have a host. Instead the show opened with a dynamic <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/10/oscars-2020-15-things-know-joaquin-phoenixs-emotional-speech-natalie-portmans-viral-fashion-statement/">musical number</a> performed by Janelle Monae featuring dancers wearing costumes that also nodded at snubbed films and directors, including “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” “Midsommar,” “Us” and “Little Women.”</p>



<p>The most <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/10/oscars-2020-15-things-know-joaquin-phoenixs-emotional-speech-natalie-portmans-viral-fashion-statement/">unexpected snub</a> of the night went to “The Irishman,” which had nominations in 10 categories. Though much talked about leading up to the awards, the Martin Scorsece mob drama went home without any statues.</p>



<p>Eminem gave a <a href="https://variety.com/2020/music/news/eminem-oscar-academy-awards-lose-yourself-exclusive-interview-1203500085/">surprise performance</a> of “Lose Yourself” from the film “8 Mile” 17 years after the song won him the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Eminem’s presence may have seemed out of place, but it immediately followed a montage highlighting the awards for best sound mixing and editing – including clips from “8 Mile.”</p>



<p>Other memorable moments came from winners who used their speech time as a platform. </p>



<p>&#8220;They told me I have 45 seconds this year, which is 45 seconds more than the Senate gave <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/who-is-john-bolton-architect-iraq-war-pushing-action-against-iran-2019-5">John Bolton this week</a>,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/10/oscars-2020-15-things-know-joaquin-phoenixs-emotional-speech-natalie-portmans-viral-fashion-statement/">Brad Pitt</a> said while accepting his award for best supporting actor. “I&#8217;m thinking maybe Quentin [Tarantino] does a movie about it and, in the end, the adults do the right thing.&#8221;</p>



<p>Rounding out the acting categories, Joaquin Phoenix took home best actor for “Joker,” Renée Zellwegger received best actress for “Judy” and Laura Dern won best supporting actress for “Marriage Story.”</p>



<p>The big winner of the evening was the South Korean film <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2020/02/oscars-2020-diversity-parasite-1202209902/">“Parasite,”</a> which won best picture, international feature film, original screenplay and director. </p>



<p>“Thank you, I will drink until next morning,” director Bong Joon-ho said – delivering the most memorable line of the show.</p>



<p>As the show had already extended past its intended runtime, the Academy tried to dim the lights during the speeches, but the audience’s boos and chants of “Up! Up! Up!” succeeded in giving the cast and crew of “Parasite” a bit more stage time.</p>



<p>But “Parasite’s”&nbsp; big win shrouded what was really a night that almost couldn’t have been less diverse if it tried. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2020/02/10/oscars-2020-15-things-know-joaquin-phoenixs-emotional-speech-natalie-portmans-viral-fashion-statement/">Cynthia Erivo</a> earned a standing ovation for her performance of “Stand Up” from “Harriet,” but she was also the only person of color to receive an acting nomination. Although Hollywood and the Academy are becoming <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-new-academy-is-changing-oscar-race-1172681">more diverse</a>, the Oscar results reflect the opinions of a voting body still composed of mainly white men.&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/review-92nd-academy-awards/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Winter Break in the Everglades</title>
		<link>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/winter-break-in-the-everglades/</link>
					<comments>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/winter-break-in-the-everglades/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Bell]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 07 Feb 2020 14:00:28 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Campus News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jewell Spotlights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Organization Spotlights]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FLORida everglades]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pryor leadership program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rachel bell]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[skylar seitz]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/?p=12099</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[While some William Jewell College students spent their winter breaks going on vacation or relaxing at home, sophomore nonprofit leadership and psychology major Skylar Seitz&#8230; ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="679" src="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_0506-1024x679.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-12104" srcset="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_0506-1024x679.jpg 1024w, https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_0506-754x500.jpg 754w, https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_0506-768x509.jpg 768w, https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/IMG_0506.jpg 1131w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Skylar Seitz and Benjamin Zhand paddling through the Florida Everglades. Image courtesy of Skylar Seitz. </figcaption></figure>



<p>While some William Jewell College students spent their winter breaks going on vacation or relaxing at home, sophomore nonprofit leadership and psychology major Skylar Seitz – along with several other Jewell students – traded leisure for exhaustion and giant mosquitos. As part of the Pryor Leadership Program, Seitz embarked on a 13-day Outward Bound trip through the Florida Everglades.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Pryor is a three-year program that identifies students with leadership potential and refines their skills in the classroom before asking them to demonstrate these skills on the trip.</p>



<p>“An effective leader must be prepared for all situations, especially situations that push them out of their comfort zone,” Seitz said. “The Outward Bound trip does exactly that. It forces students to lead in the most unexpected circumstances.”</p>



<p>Seitz and the other Pryor Fellows were challenged with exercising leadership by navigating the Florida Everglades in canoes through mangroves, waves and wind, all without access to modern technology – including indoor plumbing.</p>



<p>“Once you have conquered leading a team to find an island none of you have ever seen through 25 knot winds in the dark with only a few days of navigation and canoeing experience, leading a sales team to meet a quota seems a lot less daunting,” Seitz said.</p>



<p>For Seitz, and average day on the water looked something like this:</p>



<p>6:30 a.m.: Wake up, make eggs or oatmeal with a propane stove, make a navigation plan for the day.</p>



<p>7:30 a.m.: Boarding down, which entailed transferring supplies to other canoes in order to move the boards used for sleeping on top of the canoes back to the bottom of the boat.</p>



<p>8:00 a.m.: Begin navigation, stopping only a few times a day to get bearings and eat lunch.</p>



<p>1:00 a.m.: Reach the destination and put boards back on top of anchored canoes.</p>



<p>1:30 a.m.: Have a discussion on what the next day may entail while making and eating dinner.</p>



<p>2:00 a.m.: Go to sleep.</p>



<p>For Seitz, Outward Bound was a great learning opportunity.</p>



<p>“I can navigate unknown islands on my own with nothing but a compass and a canoe,” Seitz said. “I now know the difference between a red and white mangrove and lots of other fun flora and fauna facts. Most importantly I learned a lot about myself, as I was exposed in a very raw way to aspects of my personality and leadership style.”</p>



<p>Seitz found the most difficult part of her trip to be dealing with cold weather after the sun went down.</p>



<p>“You are constantly splashed or in the water, so your canoeing outfit is often soaked which makes the temperature so much more painful,” Seitz said. “You also have to change back into the same wet outfit in the morning often before the sun comes up which is a painful experience.”</p>



<p>Despite these difficulties, Seitz said the experience was very influential and recommends it to others who want to strengthen their leadership skills or their connection with themselves.</p>



<p>“My most memorable experiences are the fun times I spent laughing with my crew,” Seitz said. “I also saw dolphins everyday – including babies – playing a few feet away from me, which is one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced.”</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/winter-break-in-the-everglades/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
		<item>
		<title>OCD isn&#8217;t about organizing, and you probably don&#8217;t have it</title>
		<link>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/ocd-isnt-about-organizing-and-you-probably-dont-have-it/</link>
					<comments>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/ocd-isnt-about-organizing-and-you-probably-dont-have-it/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rachel Bell]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Nov 2019 14:00:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Health & Wellness]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Social Commentary]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ocd]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rachel bell]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/?p=11694</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Lots of people feel bothered when they see something misaligned or disorganized, but society has wrongly colloquialized the term Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – OCD –&#8230; ]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="680" src="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/priscilla-du-preez-VzqEavUGnss-unsplash-1024x680.jpg" alt="Prisilla Dupreez, Unsplash" class="wp-image-11698" srcset="https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/priscilla-du-preez-VzqEavUGnss-unsplash-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/priscilla-du-preez-VzqEavUGnss-unsplash-753x500.jpg 753w, https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/priscilla-du-preez-VzqEavUGnss-unsplash-768x510.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Prisilla Dupreez, Unsplash</figcaption></figure>



<p>Lots of people feel bothered when they see something misaligned or disorganized, but society has wrongly colloquialized the term Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – OCD – distorting the reality of a serious mental health issue to talk about normal behavior. </p>



<p>When portrayed in the media, people with OCD appear at the unrealistic ends of a fictional spectrum. Sufferers appear either completely debilitated, like Howard Hughes in “The Aviator,” or just have a personality quirk, like Sheldon Cooper in “The Big Bang Theory” and Monica from “Friends.” </p>



<p>Beyond film and television, OCD has been appropriated for media campaigns like Khloe Kardashian’s <a href="https://www.firstpost.com/living/pop-culture-has-reduced-ocd-to-quirks-and-punchlines-making-a-mockery-of-those-who-live-with-the-condition-7472891.html">“Khlo-C-D</a>” and endless <a href="https://www.playbuzz.com/triciaanjoley10/how-ocd-are-you">“How OCD are you?”</a> online quizzes. </p>



<p>Often OCD is used for comedic effect, where characters who may or may not have the disorder are the butt of the joke. In some of the examples included above, a character’s rituals or obsessions such as concerns about contamination or cleanliness appear ridiculous, and other characters may purposefully do things to provoke a reaction from them.</p>



<p>These characters all show very stereotypical behaviors associated with OCD like excessive handwashing, organization and repeated actions like door knocking. However, the actual range of compulsions is practically limitless. Less recognized examples include repeatedly checking things, counting, motor tics and unwanted thoughts, all with infinite variants. </p>



<p>In fact, a person doesn’t necessarily have to perform rituals to have OCD, but they don’t warrant a <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml">diagnosis</a> until they consume at least an hour of the day or start to intrude on  an individual’s ability to function. </p>



<p>While Hollywood may have normalized – albeit poorly – the existence of some rituals, the obsessive portion of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is largely ignored. <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd/index.shtml">Intrusive thoughts</a> that spark compulsive behaviors can center around violence, religion and sex. For example, a person might have unwanted thoughts about a loved one getting sick or injured.</p>



<p>A particularly frustrating element of the disorder is that someone who has OCD can’t control their thoughts or behaviors but usually recognizes that they are irrational. While performing behaviors may briefly alleviate the anxiety caused by undesired thoughts and obsessions, they are not pleasurable, and may cause physical harm, emotional distress, or just plain inconvenience.</p>



<p>In an <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/02/ocd-is-a-disorder-not-a-quirk/385562/">article from the Atlantic</a>, Fatima Tipu describes the specific experience of a friend who suffered from OCD and was stuck on the floor for an hour trying to pronounce the word “now” correctly.</p>



<p>“Once she said the word ‘now’ correctly, it kickstarted a stream of mental compulsions which she then could end by pronouncing the word ‘now’ again,” Tipu said. “Once she said ‘now’ the second time, she was able to allow herself to get off of the floor, as long as she was applying more pressure on her right foot than her left. By doing these things, she thought she would prevent her parents from dying. They weren’t in any danger, but the thought was inescapable, and she felt the only way to keep it at bay was by performing her compulsions.”</p>



<p>So how can you personally counteract these misleading stereotypes about OCD? First of all, don’t use it as an adjective or a state of being. For example, “I’m really OCD about the way I fold laundry.” Nothing can be OCD, it’s a disorder you either have or don’t have. </p>



<p>Second, do your research. The more education you have, the more likely you will be able to recognize stereotypes and offer support to real sufferers. Finally, hold others accountable. You can make a big impact by educating others and stopping the spread of misconceptions.</p>



<p>“OCD affects 2.2 million adults, or 1.0% of the U.S. population,” according to the <a href="https://adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics">Anxiety and Depression Association of America.</a></p>



<p>Given this percentage, it is pretty likely that you or someone you know is affected by OCD, so it’s about time the disorder is thought of as something far from funny. OCD is often coupled with other symptoms or diagnoses of depression, anxiety and panic attacks. People with OCD often struggle to hide their behaviors in public and face dirty looks, insensitive questions and sometimes even bullying from those whose understanding of the disorder might only come from what they’ve absorbed from society.</p>



<p>“Negative portrayals not only diminish the severity of the problem, but&#8230;also lead to silence and suffering for those who fear they will be dismissed or mocked for their OCD,” said <a href="https://this.org/2018/07/26/when-it-comes-to-representations-of-ocd-in-media-we-can-do-so-much-better/">Lisa Whittington-Hill</a>.</p>



<p>The world really needs depictions of OCD that show the true, unfunny reality of living with the disorder instead of downplaying the symptoms of real sufferers. <a href="http://www.johngreenbooks.com/turtles-all-the-way-down-book">“Turtles All the Way Down”</a> is a novel by John Green, author of “The Fault in Our Stars,” that is based on Green’s actual experiences with OCD. It serves as an example for popular culture that might just help viewers understand the battle that people with OCD fight every day.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
					<wfw:commentRss>https://hilltopmonitor.jewell.edu/ocd-isnt-about-organizing-and-you-probably-dont-have-it/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
			<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		
		
			</item>
	</channel>
</rss>
