Bio

Lindsay Gelman was born and raised outside of Washington, D.C, in the suburbs of
Virginia. She often credits her upbringing near the city as her early exposure into politics and
activism. She went to her first protest before she could even ride a bike, and canvassed for
Barack Obama before she had lost her first tooth.

However, it wasn’t just politics that interested her. Living through the age of social media,
Lindsay was fascinated with the way both companies and people were able to establish a brand
and draw people in. She was also fascinated in looking at the intersection of how politicians
branded themselves on social media and used it as a platform to campaign and raise money.
When she went to college at Elon University, she decided to study Political Science and Strategic
Communication to fully integrate herself into the world of political communications. She also
engaged herself in undergraduate research and is currently finishing a project on the Facebook
campaign strategies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden in the 2020 election. In addition to research,
Lindsay is involved in the Alpha Chi Omega sorority, Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity, Live
Oak Communications and Mock Trial organizations. In her free time, she likes to watch movies
and play with her cat.
 Book Review

Matt Haig’s “The Midnight Library” strikes a chord with readers who have
regrets.

Novel charms and inspires readers to take control of their lives.

In 1995, Matt Haig stood on the cliff in Ibiza, ready to take his own life after swirling in self-
doubt and regret. Today he is a bestselling author, responsible for many acclaimed novels such
as “How to Stop Time” and “Reasons to Stay Alive,” books both dealing with tough matters
such as suicide and self-harm. It is clear that Haig as an author is deeply inspired by his way of
coping with suicide and regrets; thus, his newest novel, “The Midnight Library,” is a powerful
reimagination of regret and presents a good form of the “light at the end of the tunnel” trope.

The book tells the story of Nora Seed, a 28-year-old woman stuck in her regrets. She
believes that she has had many wasted opportunities, to become a rock star, to marry her old
boyfriend, to become an Olympic athlete. So, after a horrible day where Nora loses her job, her
cat is run over by a car, and her only music pupil cancels his lessons, she decides to take her own
life.

However, instead, Nora wakes up in a mysterious library lined with books guarded by her
elementary school librarian. She is told that she is not alive nor dead but rather in between. Nora
learns that “Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on
forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived.” Nora can go
through her life and see what it would have been if she had made different choices, from,
following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a
glaciologist, or saving her cat. She is tasked with choosing a new reality to live in before her time
runs out.

As Nora explores these different realities where she thought that her life would have been so
much better, she discovers that these alternative paths are not quite the dream that she had
expected. Instead, she finds herself deeply unsatisfied with the lives she thought she wanted, like
being married to her childhood sweetheart or being a Grammy-winning musician. As she races
through her alternative lives to find her dream existence, Nora has to decide what it means to be
alive and what truly makes her life worth living.

This book is a profound reimagining of regret and portrays how often feelings of self-doubt and
loneliness mark the human experience. Haig touches on dark material such as suicide, emotional
abuse, and familial loss. Yet he does not exploit the graphic nature of this topic but uses it to
make a commentary about the human experience. Though the novel, on the surface, may sound
like it is a gimmicky cliche, what makes this work different is that it shows the relationship
between hope and loss.

Haig navigates that line between presenting a story about the joys of life and understanding why
Nora would commit suicide and unpacking her losses that led up to that moment. The book is
more than a series of motivational quotes to beat suicide and depression; instead, it is the story
that explores this idea of “To see how things would be if you had made other choices…, if you
had the chance to undo your regrets?” The story resonates with those who feel consumed with
regrets and the lives that they could have lived. It allows readers to decide for themselves what
makes their lives worth living.

One of the best parts of this novel is the characterization of Nora. For most of the story, she is
not a likable character as she is lazy and self-centered, often focusing on little things that make
her miserable. However, the author skillfully unpacks the trauma from Nora’s life, and we as
readers begin to understand why she would take her own life. Soon, we grow to care for her.

The work is nothing short of amazing, teaching readers a valuable lesson about regret without
failing to entertain with the whimsical setting of the magical library. As a result, it reads less as a
motivating story and more like an enchanting take on a tragic situation. The only flaw that was
unsatisfying was that the ending was somewhat predictable throughout reading the book.
However, overall themes from the book are worth finishing this novel even if you can guess how
it will end.

If you are looking for a good read that may surprise you with insight to your own life, this is the
book for you.

Press Release NRG

NEW RELEASE Contact: Lindsay Gelman

 Media Liaison

703-261-5067

lgelman@elon.edu

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 5, 2022

Christie McAuliffe School Wins Green Competition

Jersey City, N.J.- Jersey City’s own Christie McAuliffe School won the NRG Energy, Inc.
Creatively Green Award that allows them to host a $10,000 festival.

The contest recognizes schools across New Jersey and Pennsylvania areas that demonstrate
green initiatives and reward them with a chance to host their own NRG Creatively Green Family
Arts Festival to promote sustainability education.

The school won this prestigious award due to its eco-friendly activities and outreach programs,
including recycling, neighborhood clean-ups, and Project Reservoir, a multi-disciplinary
sustainable living project for their middle school students.

Christie McAuliffe is diverse school is the New Jersey area that strives to inspire kids to better
the environment, and has a variety of activities for students to involve themselves in
environmentalism.

“A Creatively Green Family Arts Festival would give us the chance to not only expose our
students and families to the arts but also reinforce our school's involvement in environmentally
friendly activities and projects,” said Dr. Jane Elder, Principal of Christie McAuliffe School.

The NRG Creatively Green Awards were created to put on events that incorporate family
involvement and fun, innovative education on the science of sustainability.

In addition to funding the program, NRG employees will also volunteer their time helping at the
events and assisting students with putting on the festival.

Feature Story for Oprah Magazine

 Sexiled in College: The Story of a College Student with Vestibulodynia

College is a time of exploration and education for students. Students remark that at Elon

University, you learn just as much outside the classroom as you do inside. One of the biggest

things students learn extend past the typical classes of philosophy and economics but rather in

exploring their own bodies, particularly with sex. Sarah Johnson was one of those students who

hoped to be able to explore her budding sexuality. However, her diagnosis with Vestibulodynia

limited her educational pursuits. Almost three years after her diagnosis of this condition, today,

she has become an outspoken advocate for those suffering from this disease. She also has

focused on combating the taboo conversations about sex.

To the outside world, Sarah looks like a typical college student. With her blonde highlights,

sorority t-shirt, and kind smile, Sarah looks like she has it all. Looking at her Instagram page,

you can see photos of her laughing with her friends, posing at the beach, and full glam at her

sister's wedding.

"When you look at me, I don't seem like someone who has such a severe medical problem,"

Sarah said. "It makes it all the more challenging to suffer from something that is seemingly

invisible."
Vestibulodynia is defined as having chronic pain and discomfort that occurs in the area around

the opening of the vagina, inside the inner lips of the vulva. The pain is caused by hyperactive

nerves around the area that send pain signals to the brain even when there is nothing be done to

the vulva. The pain may occur when the area is touched, when a tampon is used, during a pelvic

exam, when tight clothes are worn, or even when sitting for too long. However, in Sarah's case,

the most limiting part of this disease is that it prevents her from having penetrative sex without

pain.

Sarah did not know she had this disease until three years ago. She remembers having trouble

using tampons and recalls a burning sensation when inserting them into her vagina.

"I distinctly remember hysterically crying in the bathroom of a dance competition after putting in

a tampon," Sarah said. "It felt like someone had poured rubbing alcohol on the tampon."

However, Sarah did not think much of it and assumed that she was not ready to use a tampon.

However, this experience left a mark on her. Despite having three boyfriends in high school, she

made sure never to have penetrative sex with them.

"It was like something deep down in my body knew something was wrong, and I subconsciously

avoid confronting it," said Sarah.

It wasn't until her freshman year in college that Sarah had penetrative sex for the first time and

knew something was wrong. Sarah had met a boy, and they had been dating for about two

months before Sarah had decided that she felt safe and comfortable having sex for the first time.
However, the sex was anything but comfortable or enjoyable. The burning sensation she had felt

when putting in a tampon returned, but it was even more intense and painful this time.

"I felt that distinct painful sensation again, and I fully panicked," Sarah said. "It was so painful

that I immediately pulled away and started crying out from the pain." Sarah, like many women,

did not talk about sex often as it was an incredibly taboo subject. Sarah once had read

somewhere that the first time might be painful, felt like maybe it was a fluke.

After attempting to try it again in the subsequent months, Sarah realized that the pain was not

fading but rather making penetrative sex nearly impossible to stand. However, she was too

embarrassed to talk to her friends or family about it.

"All of my girlfriends had never mentioned having pain from sex, and since it was already such a

taboo subject, I didn't want to bring it up," said Sarah. However, a year after the first harrowing

experience, Sarah finally broke down and called her mother. After getting through the initial

embarrassment of talking to her mother about her sex life, Sarah's mother agreed that there was

something going on and offered to help set up a gynecologist appointment.

"It's funny because, at that moment, I thought all of my problems were going to be solved, and

they would just give me a cream, and I would be good to go," said Sarah. "However, that was not

the case."

Going to the gynecologist was not a positive experience for Sarah. She recounts these

experiences as a blur of pain and embarrassment. Sarah recalls not getting through the

examination the first time because the pain was so severe. Even after returning months later, she

did not receive a clear diagnosis.

"The first two gynecologists I went to did one initial examination and concluded that it must be

in my head," said Sarah. "They advised me to drink a glass of wine before sex to relax a little,

and my problem would be solved." Sarah knew that the pain was not in her head, and after

months of searching, she was finally able to find help at the UNC Medical Center for Minimally

Invasive Gynecologic Surgery. There Sarah was able to start a variety of treatment such

medications, creams, injections, and possible surgery.

"I am hopeful that eventually I will be cured and be able to have a normal sex life," said Sarah.

"But it is hard to wait."

Sarah says the biggest struggle in her fight against the disease is knowing that she is missing out

on a typical college experience.

"I do sometimes feel a sense of FOMO or fear of missing out when my girlfriends talk about

having penetrative sex," said Sarah. "Though I have had many boyfriends at Elon, it still sucks

not to be able to be fully intimate." According to a survey by Elon News Network, sex is a big

part of the social scene at Elon, and many students often participate in the "hook culture" or

casual sex found at the university. However, despite being part of the social scene at Elon, sex is

still a taboo subject to be discussed. The survey found that "There is this cloud of awkwardness

surrounding sex because people just don't know how to deal with having open conversations if

there is a risk that they will be embarrassing or uncomfortable. People here would rather just

avoid it and hope for the best, which unfortunately can lead to all sorts of bad outcomes." Sarah

is actively trying to break that stigma around sexuality after her experience in navigating through

her disease.
"There need to be more honest conversations about sex, particularly bad sex," said Sarah. "If I

had known about this disease or what was happening to me was not normal, I could have gotten

help sooner."

Today, Sarah is incredibly active in fighting this disease and spreading awareness. “One in four

women will suffer from some sort of Vestibulodynia, so I run a support group on Facebook for

North Carolinian women," said Sarah. "Currently, I am in contact with two Elon who just got

diagnosed with the disease and am advising them on the process." For someone who has had

such a harrowing experience in combating this disease, one would expect Sarah to be

discouraged or bitter. However, it is the complete opposite. "I have learned so much about

myself in terms of advocacy and empathy in fighting this disease," said Sarah. "It has taught me

so much about hope and resilience."

Video Ad

Title: Flow Water Ad

Client: Flow Water

Time: 60 seconds

WS: Looking at a crowd of people (Voiceover) Who says you cannot

running (5) have more than one purpose

WS: Show a shot of Karlie Kloss (Voiceover)Why can’t supermodel be

coding a computer coder

(5) Karlie Kloss “Uh I did”

WS (Voiceover)Or a Goldman Sachs

analyst DJ at Lollapalooza

Show shot of David Soloman

playing music David Soloman: excuse me, yeah, I
did

(5

WS: Showing Jack teaching in drag (Voiceover)Or a teacher also be a

makeup drag queen

(5) Jack Brinoff: I am, are you even

listening?
 WS: (Voiceover)Why can’t a drink be
environmentally friendly and contain
health benefits that enrich your hair?

Shows Karlie grabbing drink

Shows David drinking it Karlie Kloss: Actually, there already

is
Shows Jack looking at the drink and
grinning David Soloman: Flow Water is made
from environmentally safe packaging
and contains hair vitamins.
(35)
Jack Brinoff: It is clear that the best
things in life are multipurposed

Shows Flow Water Picture Flow Water; why only solve one
problem

(Sold at your local Whole Foods and

(5) Trader Joes)

Our ideal stakeholder is Women as women buy more luxury goods than men, and Flow Water is
a luxury item, early twenties – late thirties as those who are younger are more likely to care
about the environment and are likely to participate in trendy workouts like hot yoga and Pilates.
This campaign is different because it leans on humor rather than advertising it by describing the
delicious elements of the drink. We would run this on television shows that have high
demographics of women who are sporty, so most likely E network, HBO, and CW. Flow Water
is bought at higher scale groceries stores like Whole foods and Trader Joes, and that is identified
through the video. Though these commercial uses influencers and celebrities, it does not
necessarily rely on them and could easily be switched out for actors