Volume 3 Issue 2 November 2014 College of Charleston’s student-run feature magazine
cisternyard.com
Inside: page 8
the era of earl begins page 16
same sex marriage in s.c.
Inside the Yard
Volume 3 Issue 2 November 2014
4 Letter from the Editor
26 33
5 Events 7 Jack says goodbye 8 The era of Earl begins
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Flying high with Charleston Quidditch
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On the mat with Ashley Bell
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Same-sex marriage in S.C.
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outside: Feel the rush with 20 Get Wakeboarding & Outdoors Clubs
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24 Charleston Hope gives back
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26 Belly up to the bar! 26
30 A military mission 33 Hosting a festive friendsgiving back the beats with 36 Bringing RD Weeks and RAZ Productions
38 How to survive finals
38 8 Editor-in-Chief NICOLE DEMARCO Managing Editor GILLIAN SPOLARICH Creative Director WESLEY VANCE News Editor DYLAN TAYLOR Sports Editor JASON LUTZ Feature Editor CHRISTINA D’ANTONI Blog & Opinion Editor JESS SPENCE Design Assistant RACHEL WILBOURN
Contributors CHELSEA ANDERSON, COURTNEY EKER, LAUREN FINDLAY, STEPHANIE GREENE, BRIA GRAHAM, JUSTINE HALL, MADELINE LITTLE, SAMUEL McCAULEY, SAM OLEKSAK, SAM POSTHUMA, SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ
media news radio
For advertisement inquiries with The Yard, please email: cisternyardsales@cofc.edu
Letter from the Editor We’re right in the middle of it all – countless papers with deadlines one after the other, final exams peering right around the corner and the unforgiving anxiety that culminates in the semester coming to an end. We’ve almost made it. For those of us graduating in December or May, the future may be uncertain and honestly, quite frightening. We’re growing up and moving on, and no matter how hard we try we can’t slow it down. This issue, for me, comes at one of the most uncertain times of all. For one, this is my fourth and final issue as Editor-in-Chief. CisternYard News has been my life for the past three years. My weeks can be summed up in scrambling to meet deadlines, willingly staying up into the wee hours of the night to finish the magazine and spending every bit of my free time tossing back lattés in the Annex with my co-workers. I love my job and I love my staff. But as I step down from my post, the future seems daunting, scary even. Not that long ago, myself and 51 of my fellow teammates on the men’s and women’s swimming and diving team also found out that our future was much more uncertain than we had thought. As the team was notified that this May would mark our final season, friends that have become family couldn’t fathom their future without this sport. It was as if our world came crashing down, but through all the tears was an unshakeable optimism. We would fight for what we love, despite the circumstances. While the future may be uncertain, it is our responsibility to continue to push ourselves – through the mountains of assignments that lay ahead of us, past the critics of our ideas we hold near and dear or against anyone who tells us “no” or “you can’t.” Our cover story tackles the topic of same sex marriage in the state of South Carolina and the LGBT+ community, who has been told “no” since the year 1996, but refuses to give up the fight (page 16). In this issue we celebrate those who repeatedly push themselves physically through the practice of yoga (page 14) or through escaping into the great outdoors (page 20). We also highlight those who’ve made their mark on the community like good ‘ole Jack of Jack’s Cafe (page 7), Emily Hoisington who established her very own nonprofit (page 24) and CofC’s veterans who dedicated years of service to their country (page 30). These stories remind us that no matter how uncertain the future is we can and we will be ready for it, as long as we continue to challenge ourselves each day and fight for what we believe in. No one can get us down. So get out there and push yourself, no matter how scary the future may seem. You never know what kinds of amazing things you can accomplish if you don’t try. So have faith, we’ve almost made it.
Until next time,
Nicole DeMarco Editor-in-Chief
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events winter
by JESS SPENCE
arts DEC. 1-31 - The Pretend Store presented by Fuzzco, pop-up shops will include: Proud Mary, Gracel & Gold, Kathleen Whitaker, Press, State, LuRu Home, Loup Charmant and All Hands and Landrum Tables, 85 1/2 Spring St.
NOV. 20-24, - Assassins, directed by Brent Laing, written by Stephen Sondheim, Emmett Robinson Theatre, 54 St. Philip St., 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., $10 for CofC students & faculty/$15 general
DEC. 12 - JAN. 31 - Danielle Wyckoff, Redux Contemporary Art Center, 136 St. Philip St.
NOV. 28 - DEC. 27 - A Sweet T. Christmas, directed by Darryl Wade, Black Fedora Comedy Club, 164 Church St., $24
music DEC. 1 - Chucktown Gets Down, featuring See Water, Tom Mackell, The Dunder Chiefs, Bizness Suit, Mando Smith & The Phantoms, Music Farm Charleston, 32 Ann St., 8 p.m., $5 DEC. 5 - Matt Monday with special guest DJ JeffET, Redux Contemporary Art Center – Fall Music Series, 136 St. Philip St., 9 p.m., $15 DEC. 5 - Grace Joyner with E.T. Anderson & Tape Waves, The Royal American, 970 Morrison Dr., 9 p.m., $5 DEC. 15 - Concord American with Dumb Doctors and Gunther Doug, The Royal American, 970 Morrison Dr., 9 p.m., $5 DEC. 16 - Trampled by Turtles with Nikki Lane, Music Farm Charleston, 32 Ann St., 8 p.m., $22-25 JAN. 4 - Ex Hex with Birds of Avalon, The Tin Roof, 1117 Magnolia Rd., 9 p.m., $10
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theatre
DEC. 5-27 - PURE Holiday Shorts, directed by David Lee Nelson, Rodney Lee Rogers & R.W. Smith, 477 King St., $20 (Dec. 10, pay what you will) DEC. 6-22 - A Christmas Carol, Woolfe Street Playhouse, 34 Woolfe St., 7 p.m. (Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.), $20 student/$30 general
holiday DEC. 1 - 33rd Annual Charleston Christmas Parade, King Street (starts at Broad and Barre Street), 2 p.m. DEC. 1 - Annual Sottile House Tree Lighting Ceremony, Main campus College Way, 5-5:30 p.m. DEC. 5-21 - The 2014 Charleston Christmas Special, Charleston Music Hall, 37 John St., times vary, $18-38 DEC. 5 - The Charleston Symphony Orchestra Holiday Strings and Winds, Charleston Library Society, 164 King St., $10 student/$20 general
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media news radio video miscellany pr sales CisternYard Media, or CYM, at the College of Charleston consists of The Yard (an online news source and a quarterly feature magazine), CisternYard Video (a video production group that produces news segments and independent work), CisternYard Radio (the online college radio station featuring student run shows on a variety of topics with a multitude of opinions), and Miscellany (a literary arts journal highlighting the best and most creative of student work). CYM is an organization operated on ideals of creativity, the freedom of expression, and integrity. CYM is staffed with students who are free to select and create the materials to be published. While college administration may give editorial input based on quality, relevance, or formatting issues, the College of Charleston provides editorial freedom for CYM to the student members of the organization. The views expressed in work created by CYM may not reflect the views of the College of Charleston.
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Jack says goodbye by DYLAN TAYLOR
I never went home last summer. Instead, I went to Jack’s Cafe. My first trip to the diner was motivated not by curiosity, not by word-of-mouth and not to meet a friend. My first trip, I was hungry and poor. As I walked in, the waitress told me to take a seat wherever I could find one. I did, and ordered a sausage egg and cheese biscuit. Shortly afterwards I became a regular, visiting Jack’s at least once a day for the remainder of the summer. Eventually, my order would simplify: all I came to want was a plain cheeseburger — no fries — and a coffee while I waited. But it wasn’t just the food that kept me coming back - it was the atmosphere. The way the morning sun just flirted with the windows, restrained by the relative high-rise that is George Street Apartments, Campus Center and the Sottile Theatre. The music, in all its old-timey, feel-good warmth. The grease, in plain view of customers, that coated the stove and surrounding instruments. The waitresses and their common sense, southern gentility. The food that eventually made its way to me; juicy, dripping, and reminiscent of my family’s own home cooking. Jack himself even, busily moving up and down the kitchen, yet somehow finding time to greet both new and regular customers. That’s what made Jack’s for me. All restaurants serve food, but none serve food quite like Jack’s Cafe did. That’s what left a mark on me, and I imagine that that’s what left a mark on most of their other regulars, too. In the weeks before Jack closed his doors on Oct. 31, I realized just how large an impact he’s had on this city. Alerted by the local press that their favorite kitchen would soon retire, folks from both downtown and suburban areas swarmed the diner. My wait time, once only 10 minutes, suddenly jumped to half an hour, and then, during the final days, to a whole sixty minutes. It was during these long waits for my simple order that I realized what an impact this quirky old man had had on myself and my fellow Charlestonians. As a young college student in my most liberal years, I can only hope to impact, in my entire lifetime, as many people as our friend Jack has with nothing more than a humble diner.
photos by WESLEY VANCE
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The Era of Earl Begins: Grant Ready to Revive Charleston Basketball by JASON LUTZ • photos by SAMUEL McCAULEY
North Charleston native, Earl Grant, takes over as head of the men’s basketball program.
The future was bright for the College of Charleston men’s basketball team last spring. The year of adjustment in the Colonial Athletic Association was over. Multiple key players would be returning to center court for tipoff come November. A talented recruiting class would be joining the Cougars in September. And then some startling news came out of TD Arena in July: head coach fired for the verbal abuse of his players. After an offseason of seemingly never-ending turmoil, Charleston basketball found the light at the end of the tunnel. The beam came in the form of North Charleston native, Earl Grant. Ever since Grant was named the head coach of the men’s basketball team in early September, people have been buzzing about how Grant has the chance to revamp the program. The word “excitement” has been thrown 8
around more than a few times. “It’s an unbelievable feeling to have this opportunity in a place where I grew up,” Grant said. “You’re not just fighting for the school; you’re fighting for the city, a city that you love and a school that you admire. I do think this is a special place.” His passion and his energy for the game of basketball is something that his bosses at the College and his former coaches have raved about. His legendary predecessors at Charleston, John Kresse and Bobby Cremins, spoke about Grant’s knowledge of the game. Multiple big conference coaches raved about his coaching talent. He even received praise from longtime ESPN college basketball analyst and National Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, Dick Vitale. “I am a passionate guy and an energetic guy. I expect the players to have great enthusiasm. Obviously in the yard
recruiting, I’m going to be really excitable in approaching the kids and aggressive about our sell at the College of Charleston,” Grant said. “He will bring great energy and excitement to our program. He has learned the game from terrific coaches and is ready to lead the Cougars. We need to hit the ground running and Earl is ready to do that,” said Charleston Director of Athletics Joe Hull in September. Grant graduated from Georgia College in 2000 after leading his team to the NCAA Division II Tournament twice and being named to the all-conference first team. He wasted little time getting into the Division I coaching ranks, landing an assistant job at The Citadel in 2002. In 2004, Grant took a position under former Charleston assistant coach Gregg Marshall at Winthrop University. While at Winthrop, his teams won three consecutive Big South Conference championships and qualified for the NCAA Tournament three times. In 2007, Marshall was named the head coach at Wichita State University and Grant followed him to the Sunflower State. Together, they helped Wichita State qualify for the postseason for the first time in three years. “[Grant] is going to set a positive example for your student-athletes in every phase of their lives,” Marshall said at the time of Grant’s hiring. “He is a hardworking, blue-collar grinder out of Stall High School. He has worked his way up from the junior college and Division II level to Division I at Winthrop, Wichita State, Clemson and now, College of Charleston. The time has come for him to captain
his own ship back in his hometown and city.” After his success at Wichita State, Grant moved on to Clemson University, where he was an assistant and recruiting coordinator for Brad Brownell. Grant excelled at recruiting for the Tigers, most notably landing 2014 all-ACC first team selection K.J. McDaniels, who averaged 17 points per game in 2014 and was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Draft. Grant was responsible for signing 10 of Clemson’s 15 players on the roster in 2013-2014. “Number one thing I learned [from Marshall and Brownell], stay true to yourself and stick to your personality and your way of coaching,” Grant said. “I’ve been blessed to work for those guys and the things I was able to see and the things I was able to learn. They were different. Brownell grew up around Indiana basketball where it was hard-nose man-to-man defense and all motion offense, where Marshall, his background was a lot of it came from John Kresse and believed in more set plays and changing defenses.” Grant will have the tools to succeed in his first season as a head coach. The Cougars are returning three major contributors from last season in senior guard Anthony Stitt, senior center Adjehi Baru, and redshirt sophomore guard Canyon Barry. Being a point guard himself throughout his playing career, Grant wants to see Stitt play with the same passion and energy that he has for the game. Stitt is the leading returning scorer from last season, averaging 10 points per game. Ironically, Grant mentored Stitt’s older cousin, Demontez, at Clemson and helped him become an
Coach Grant instructs sophomore guard Joe Chealey at a recent practice.
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all-ACC third team selection in 2011. senior season, being named to multiple all-state teams, “In terms of basketball, I want [Stitt] to play with including the Associated Press’ all-Ohio third team. confidence. You have put a lot of sweat and equity into “Bailey is probably the best shooter on the team. the program. It’s your program, have fun with it, go lead He can come off screens and make threes. He’s a really your team,” he said. confident shooter,” Grant said. With Barry, Grant envisions using him similar to how Aside from Johnson and Bailey, Grant highlighted McDaniels was utilized at Clemson in 2014. The son of legendary NBA player, Rick Barry, is heralded as one of the top pure talents in the Colonial Athletic Association and showed that talent down the stretch last year, scoring 28 points in a tight season finale loss to conference champion Delaware. “Obviously, [Barry] is a very good athlete, so I’ll move him around to different spots on the floor. He can jump, but he can make some shots and dribble the ball. He’s going to be doing a lot of different things, playing without the ball some. I’m challenging him to rebound the ball more and push the ball up the court,” Grant said. As for his big man down low, Grant will look to use Baru in some different looks this season, emphasizing that Baru should be shooting the jump shot more, something fans have not seen much of during his first three seasons. Baru was named to the preseason all-CAA second team during the conference’s media day in late October. “[Baru] is a big guy. I can utilize him around the basket, do a few things to put him in position to score close to the basket. One of the things he has that I don’t think he has really tapped into yet is the ability to step away from the basket and shoot. I think he is one of our best shooters when it comes to our big guys, so he will be playing inside and outside,” he said. Grant is also impressed with the development of the team’s freshmen and hopes they can become contributors early on in the season. Georgia-native Cameron Johnson joins the program after his high school senior season saw him average 22 points and nine rebounds and be named his region’s player of the year. “Johnson is physical and athletic kid. He will play the guard and forward spots. He’s tough and he can score the ball. He can make some shots, but he is really good at driving the ball,” Grant said. Grant also likes freshman forward Evan Bailey, who was a highly touted prospect out of Ohio. Bailey averaged 18 points Grant is a student of the game, learning under multiple highly successful coaches. and eight rebounds in his high school 10
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freshman forwards Donovan Gilmore and Nick Harris as players who can help the Cougars play physical ball and use their size to rebound and defend. As for returning role players, Grant hopes that sophomore guard Joe Chealey can play a big part of the team’s success this season. Chealey averaged seven points and two assists off the bench last season before going down with an injury that caused him to miss the final games of the year. “[Chealey] is a really good player, so I hope that his health can maintain and he can be one of our leaders. He can give us a good scoring punch. A lot of the guys were role players last year, so I’m trying to figure out now who can step up and take on a different role,” Grant said. Grant has worked hard since his hiring in September to get the campus community energized about the upcoming season. He has adopted the “restore the roar” mantra and is challenging the students to help fill up the
5,100-seat TD Arena. “I think the reason [the students] should come is because it’s their school, first and foremost. Basketball has a great tradition and we have a great facility. They can walk two minutes and be at the arena. It’s very convenient for the students to come, more so than the rest of the community, because obviously they have to find some parking,” he said. Grant has the tools and passion to revive the basketball program at Charleston. He is a graduate of Stall High School in North Charleston, who spent his childhood evenings in the old John Kresse Arena watching the Cougars of the early 1990’s win their way to the NCAA Tournament. He has worked under highly successful head coaches in big conferences, learning work ethic and the skill needed to be a winning head coach in Division I basketball. After the rocky offseason that “exciting” play will make a distant memory; Grant fit the bill on what the school needed in its next head coach.
Grant continues to take an interest in campus promotions, seen here at the Charleston basketball block party in October.
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h c t i d d Qui n
h Charlesto
wit flying high
by SAM OLEKSAK
photos by WESLEY VANCE
The team in action during practice in Marion Square
A spellbinding sport once reserved for the witches and wizards of the Harry Potter novels, Quidditch is sweeping across the globe. When muggles from Middlebury College first created the Harry Potter inspired game back in 2005, players fashioned capes and brooms. Though players have ditched their capes, the game has spread to 11 countries and over 120 campuses throughout the United States. But what is Quidditch? It is a mixed gender contact sport played by two teams of seven, on a field a bit larger than a basketball court. On either side of the field there are three hoops. Though no one flies around the field, players must hold a broomstick between their legs while running around. If players are “off their broom,” they are ruled out of play until they go touch their team’s hoop. “It’s a bit of a rough and tumble sport, I’d call it a cross between rugby, dodgeball and soccer. It’s very competitive, good exercise and a great group of people,” junior Jack McKee said. The Cougars’ Quidditch team is hard to miss. If you have not seen them in action, just swing by Rivers Green on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. or Marion Square on Sundays at 1 p.m. “There’s no doubt that it is an unusual looking game,”senior Adrian Champagne said. “The whole 12
concept was awkward to me until I just played it. When I went and tried it I realized it was a good way to run around and hit people. It’s fast and physical. Most of the people who try it out stick with it.” Within the game, there are four positions that comprise the team’s seven players. These include three chasers, two beaters, a seeker and a keeper. Each player’s position determines his or her role in the game. Chasers work to throw a volleyball, better known as the quaffle, through the opposing team’s hoop to earn 10 points. Beaters fight amongst each other for three dodge balls, or bludgers, which are used to hit the chasers “off their broom.” This provides the team’s best defense, because beaters only have the ability to touch the bludger. The Keeper rounds out the starting lineup as an extra chaser who controls the middle of the defense, with the added ability of reaching through the hoop to block a quaffle. The first 18 minutes of the game are played with six to a team. At the 18-minute mark, the snitch is released, and seekers enter play. Unlike the magical golden snitch in the movie series, the snitch is a track or cross-country runner dressed in yellow. On the back of his or her waistband hangs a tennis ball in a sock. Once ‘released,’ the snitch runs around, without a broom, in attempt the yard
“Playing a co-ed sport means you have to be smart about how you go up against different people. It’s a fun challenge when I play against someone who is too big for me to take down, I have to think of a way to out-maneuver them.” - Naomi Hillegass to evade the seekers. To catch the snitch, the seeker must get the sock. Snitches are often very physical in defending themselves, making it quite difficult on the seekers. In addition, the seekers often battle for positions with each other. A snitch catch is worth 30 points and true to the books and films, when it is caught the game ends. Thus, if a team is trailing by 40 or more points, their seeker will try to block the other seeker from capturing it, to prolong the game for a potential comeback. “It’s hard as hell to try to catch the snitch and harder when the other team’s seeker is blocking you,” McKee said. While catching the snitch appears to be one of the most difficult objectives of the game, there are many other challenges that accompany the sport of Quidditch. “Playing a co-ed sport means you have to be smart about how you go up against different people. It’s a fun challenge when I play against someone who is too big for me to take down; I have to think of a way to out maneuver them,” junior Naomi Hillegass said. In 2007, Middlebury hosted the first ever Quidditch World Cup, welcoming other schools to compete in an annual crowning of the best college Quidditch team in the nation. Since then, it has even spread to many countries in Europe as well as Canada and Australia. Although the club at the College was not established until 2009, they reached World Cup V in their first year of competing. They were one of 46 teams at what proved to be the last World Cup with no prior qualifying. The College successfully qualified for World Cup VI in 2011. After the tournament was moved to the spring to allow regional qualifying to occur, the College made their fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament. Last year, the team narrowly missed out on a birth to the tournament. In last year’s regional final, the College faced off against their in-state rival South Carolina, to whom they had never lost. However, their confidence heading in proved costly, as they dropped the game 120-40, barring them from their fourth straight World Cup. In April, they gave a strong performance at the Carolina Quidditch Conference in Rock Hill. They won all four of their matchups, outscoring their opponents by a staggering 460 points en route to first place. “We’re the best in the Carolinas, we earned that at the CQC. We seem to have found the right mix of size and speed that will put us on the right track to be a toplevel program in the region for years to come,” senior november 20
Jess Coleman, freshman chaser, hurls the quaffle in the goal.
Steven Schwark said. The team has since grown to include over 35 members, and welcomes anyone interested in trying it out. Though anyone can attend practice, playing time in tournaments is sought after, as there are only 21 spots on a tournament roster. Co-captains Griffin Scott and Trevor Faith, work alongside Schwark, team president, to run the team. “A Quidditch player is something special. We take a game that from the outside is viewed as ridiculous and take it seriously enough to play it just as any other athlete would. Last year we proved to be a top squad. Considering we didn’t lose any seniors, I’d say we have a great outlook for this year,” Scott said. This year’s team has competed in several minor tournaments this fall, but their main focus remains on returning to the cup. On Jan. 24, 2015, the College will host a 12-team tournament in James Island, which may prove to be the team’s best warm up in preparation for World Cup VIII qualifying. The Quidditch team will head to Tallahassee at the end of February, to try to earn a spot in the Southeastern regional qualifier, with the hopes of returning to the World Cup, set to be hosted in Rock Hill, S.C. on April 11, 2015. 13
On the mat with Ashley Bell by JESS SPENCE
Ashley Bell performs a triangle pose on her mat. Bell will begin teaching yoga at the College in spring 2015. Photo courtesy of Alice Keeney.
“College students in this day and age have so many more pressures and stresses to manage,” Ashley Bell said. “We didn’t have cell phones in college, or even email until senior year, much less social media. There are so many distractions for kids these days, and we know that sensory overload causes stress and interrupted sleep.” If you identify with this condition, perhaps it’s time you walk up the street to one of the several yoga studios in downtown Charleston. Or rather, if you haven’t committed to your schedule next semester, consider adding in the yoga class offered by the college on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Beginning this spring, this will be the first class Bell teaches exclusively to students at the College and the practice she presents may just change your life. Yoga is more than just an hour devoted to clearing your mind and relaxing; in fact, many yoga classes are invigorating and leave you dripping in sweat. If you’ve ever taken a class with Bell, specifically her Lotus Flow, or walked past health magazines with strong yogis in twisted arm balances then you’re familiar with the idea 14
of a faster-paced sequence and an expedient challenge. However, the benefits of a consistent practice extend much further than just physical strength and, as boldly stated above, it can change your entire perspective. As Bell noted, “Yoga is a great lens through which to see ourselves and the world, a great opportunity to start practicing a kind of mindfulness that facilitates a more easeful human experience - not easy, but more easeful. That’s how I came to teach yoga.” As a full-time yoga teacher, Bell is guiding students nearly every day of the week, several times per day in a variety of studios in the area. That kind of commitment requires a real passion for the job, especially when you’re in the business of service and putting others before yourself. The weight and importance of yoga goes beyond the typical group fitness class and Bell’s dedication exemplifies that. However, the ability to make a real connection to the practice is often strongly influenced by the teacher. Hence the emphasis on Bell; who she is, what she loves and why her class could shift your perspective. the yard
Born in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwestern Virginia, Bell was not surrounded by a thriving fitness, let alone yoga, community like the one that exists in Charleston today. Yet she was no stranger to movement; engaging in at least one school sport every season and avidly practicing dance for at least five hours a week. It wasn’t until arriving at Washington and Lee University that she realized how much she needed activity in her life. Between a lack of dance classes offered and her distaste for running, she was at a loss until a friend convinced her to attend a step aerobics class in a nearby town. “I felt like a total spaz but afterward, the studio owner asked me if I had a dance background,” Bell admitted, “She said she could tell I had movement experience and asked if I wanted to train to be a teacher. So I went for it.” While step aerobics was a completely foreign exercise to her at the time, teaching was not. “I started assisting my dance teacher when I was about 15, maybe 16. Before that, I was an assistant at an arts-themed summer day camp,” Bell explained. After continuing to teach group fitness classes and a few seasons of dance at a nearby ballet studio, Ashley came to the conclusion that perhaps guidance and instruction was her calling. “I was majoring in art but felt like the teaching thing was something I was really meant to do,” Bell said, “so after a year off, I went to grad school for Art Education.” Not only did she make the leap to her ideal focus but also a leap into a completely different atmosphere when she decided to attend Columbia Teachers College. Located in the heart of New York City, Bell left behind the rural lifestyle she was accustomed to. Bell had always dreamed of living in a big city but after graduate school, she decided against staying up north. “As much as I loved the experience, as things were wrapping up I felt I was being pulled back down south,” she said. After moving to the Holy City in July 1998, she began teaching art at an elementary school and working in afterschool programs. It wasn’t long before she admitted that she was stressed and exhausted from her long days, and that is when yoga was introduced into her life for the first time. Bell’s roommate suggested she check it out, and she was hooked immediately. It wasn’t long after she had established her own consistent practice that she found herself yet again falling into the role of a teacher. After completing her training in 2003 at Gaea Yoga in Mount Pleasant, she landed a parttime job teaching at the same studio. “Yoga was always a part-time gig for me, as it is for most people,” Bell said, but that all changed after having her two children and going through a divorce in 2011. She spent a year or so juggling her teaching jobs and managing the yoga program at EcoFitness before she decided to commit to being a fulltime yoga teacher. While she left behind instructing
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conventional art classes, her creative background is still clearly expressed in her classes and her method of teaching is rooted in many of the lessons she learned from Columbia. “My program at Teachers College was rooted in developmental psychology and very process oriented,” she explained. “My yoga teaching is similar in that I want to give students an understanding of the raw materials.” Those ‘raw materials’ being breath, energy, muscle, bone, body and mind. Bell hopes to provide guidelines for students to understand the practice and power of yoga, but knows that in order for someone to experience a deeper connection it has to come from a personal space. That intention isn’t far off from what led to her initial desire to teach art. “The creative process is just about letting what’s in your head, from your experience and your perspective, come through some medium – the pen, the brush, the body.” The creative and empowered spirit embodied in her yoga classes obviously caught the community’s attention when she was invited to become an ambassador for Lululemon last year. The two-year long position provided Bell with the opportunity to reach out to a greater audience with sponsored public classes that include a unique twist. One of the biggest events she was involved with was ‘Sweat on Deck,’ a boot camp and yoga collaboration class on the U.S.S. Yorktown. Outside of Lululemon, Bell has engaged in several other funky specialty classes to spread her love of yoga. A few notable events being the Bendy Brewski Yoga at High Wire Distilling – yes, yoga and beer in one place – and her own Electric Lotus nights with DJ HyFi. “I think it’s all about keeping it light, making folks comfortable, encouraging them to trust their experiences as being valid and valuable,” Bell commented. All of these quirky events seek to remind people that downward-facing dog isn’t all that serious all the time. Bell’s new position at the college is just another chance to communicate her love of yoga to a different audience. Two major differences separate the class offered at the college from her usual teaching gigs: time and consistency. Instead of being limited to 60 or 75 minutes in a class, Bell has the ability to share more about the history and philosophy of yoga to enrolled college students. “It’s also nice to have the continuity of the same group across the semester,” Bell said. While she has a regular schedule at her studios, the students she teaches week to week are always changing, which can place limits on how much she can help someone move further with their practice. “I hope to give students a better understanding of the roots of the practice, but I also want them to find ways to use the practice to enhance their lives in a myriad of ways,” Bell said. It’s not just about yoga, it’s about what yoga can do for you.
Yoga is a great lens through which to see ourselves and the world, a great opportunity to start practicing a kind of mindfulness that facilitates a more easeful human experience - not easy, but more easeful. That’s how I came to teach yoga. -Ashley Bell
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Same-Sex Marriage in S.C. 16
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Why equity doesn’t stop at ‘I do’ by SAM POSTHUMA photos by SAMUEL McCAULEY When most people think of equity, they often synonymize it with equality. However, the terms, while similar, hold within them incredibly crucial differences. While equality strives to treat everybody the same, unswervingly giving people equal opportunity and treatment, equity understands that the playing field we live on isn’t always so smooth. Instead of providing the same treatment towards those living at its highest peaks and in its lowest valleys, equity attempts to even it out by providing a just means to bring everybody to the same level. For example, if racers on a race track were lined up straight, they would be entirely equal. However, considering we know that inner lanes are shorter and outer lanes are longer, we stagger their positions in order to make them equitable. This can be applied to the fight for LGBT+ rights, as well. A heterosexual man can’t marry a man, just like everyone else, but what does that mean for the heterosexual man? Probably not much, as it doesn’t directly affect him. However, a gay man seeking to marry another man can’t get married either, which, of course, would affect him a great deal. The legalization of same-sex marriage has been a long fought battle here in the states. It wasn’t until 2004 that Massachusetts became the first state to fully legalize samesex marriage, setting off a wave that took the country by storm as more and more states signed bills and passed laws to legalize and recognize same-sex couples. Now, 32 states have same-sex marriage rights, while 11 states still hold on to their bans and six are under court review (including S.C.). On Oct. 6, 2014, the United States Supreme Court denied review of the Fourth Circuit federal court case, Bostic v. Shaeffer, which ruled that preventing a same-sex couple from marrying in Virginia was unconstitutional. This set a precedent that all states within the Fourth Circuit are expected to follow, including South Carolina. However, there’s been some dissent amongst those who actively support the same-sex marriage ban and they continue to hold such bans in effect. The state Supreme Court decided to uphold and support their bans on same-sex marriage contrary to the previous federal court decision, preventing probate judges from issuing same-sex marriage licenses. Wilson asked the state Supreme Court to order Judge Irvin Condon to stop issuing same-sex marriage licenses, which he was handing out in response to the decision made by the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. South Carolina remained the only state in the Fourth Circuit holding on to their same-sex marriage bans, and november 20
one of two states going against their federal circuit court decisions in the country. Colleen Condon and Nichols Bleckley, a lesbian couple who sought a marriage license from Colleen’s distant relative, Judge Condon, filed a lawsuit with support from Lambda Legal and South Carolina Equality against the state. They’ve argued that all states residing in the Fourth Circuit are bound by the decision made by the circuit court in Virginia, and therefore the ban on same-sex marriage must be lifted in South Carolina as well. The case has since been presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Gergel, who ruled that the decision in Bostic v. Shaeffer is a binding precedent for other Fourth Circuit states, effectively striking down South Carolina’s same-sex marriage ban for the first time in history. Despite its state leaders attempts to mitigate the movement, the fight for LGBT+ rights has taken home a startling victory. Charleston itself is alive and bright with the hope that these recent events pave the way for many more liberties granted to the LGBT+ community. Likewise, the city is incredibly active in education, outreach and support with a huge number of people and organizations dedicated to the movement. Chase Hawes is a senior at the College, team leader for the Center of Excellence in Peer Education, web manager for CisternYard Media and heavily involved within the LGBT+ community, working with the Trans* Love Fund and We Are Family organizations. Growing up in a small town outside of Aiken, S.C., Hawes made the conscious effort to move to Charleston to get away from the prejudices that faced LGBT+ community members in his small town setting. Quickly joining several LGBT+ community teams, Hawes found himself within a hugely progressive, remarkably liberal environment so unlike the smaller towns throughout the state. “There’s a very vibrant, very radical activist queer community based out of the city,” he said, commenting on the intense drive of the members. “They’re very [much] about direct action and protesting. They really blow me away with how much work they do.” Recent activity sparked by the attempted CofC budget cuts by South Carolina legislature over the incorporation of Alison Bechdel’s graphic novel “Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic” into the voluntary summer reading program ‘The College Reads’ for incoming freshmen have shown an incredibly passionate and dynamic force emanating from the LGBT+ community. Hawes spoke at a rally protesting 17
the attempted banning and budget cuts. “You had the entire queer community up in arms because they were very much silencing our stories and acting like our life experiences didn’t deserve to be told,” Hawes said. While this speaks wonders towards the strength of Charleston’s academia and community, it still acts as a reminder of the opposition faced by the LGBT+ population within the state. For Hawes, same sex marriage is an important means of identification and freedom of expression for many people and a surprising step in the right direction for America’s social progression. “I was very surprised by the momentum of the marriage equality movement,” he said, “I never anticipated while I lived here for gay marriage to make its way to South Carolina.” However, it’s important to remember that this fight for equity isn’t over. There are still many pressing issues within society that harm the LGBT+ community. “For example,” Hawes said, “in South Carolina, it’s still legal to be fired at any moment for being gay.” Likewise, “sex education is horrible as it is, much less any mention of sexual health for LGBT people. South Carolina is rapidly becoming one of the worst states for AIDs.” These two issues, job oppression based on
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sexual orientation and the lack of sex education, are often forgotten in the motions of the LGBT+ rights movement, despite their large impact on the community. Transsexual issues, too, are underrepresented. Transsexual people can be victims of widespread stereotyping and transsexual people’s experiences are often pigeonholed into a set of rules put together by people who’ve never actually experienced it. Not every transsexual person deals with body dysmorphia, nor does every transsexual person seek to present themselves as their preferred sex. “Every single trans person is going to have an incredibly different experience,” Hawes pointed out. “There’s a very large umbrella of experiences and ideas, so it’s very difficult to put it all together and legislate it in court.” Trans* Love Fund and We Are Family are among the many Charleston LGBT+ outreach organizations dedicated to educating, assisting transitioning youth, fundraising and providing a safe, inclusive area for young LGBT+ and straight ally community members. Hawes is currently working on many upcoming events including a lady’s arm wrestling competition, a dance marathon and more. There is a wealth of LGBT+ organizations located on campus as well. LGBT+ community powerhouse
It feels like we’re on top a wave and with its momentum you can’t go back anymore. -Isabel Williams
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The number of states where same-sex marriage is legal. The number of states where same-sex marriage is illegal. The number of states where same-sex marriage is under court review (including S.C.).
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Isabel Williams is president of CofC’s Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), student coordinator for SafeZone and works with the newly formed Gender and Sexuality Equity Center (GSEC). Identifying as bisexual herself, Williams is no stranger to the prejudices afforded to the LGBT+ community. While identification is a deeply personal and productive thing, many people try to dictate what is and isn’t the correct way to look at one’s self. For someone who is both bisexual, and in Williams’ case, a staunch pacifist believing in conversation above argument, there’s an unjust system instilled by society that measures an identity’s properties, as if being a pacifist and bisexual is simply too much to bear. “It’s like you used up all of your weird chips or something,” she said. “A lot of people think they have to be perfect before they come out because there’s something different about them.” Williams’ work with the campus focuses on forming an all-inclusive, safe and forward thinking academic environment, and very often she takes the initiative to communicate directly with the school in order to bring about change. “We advocate for a culture of resistance against inequality, judgment, prejudice and bias in all its forms,” she said, speaking of GSEC’s mission statement. One of her newest projects is the incorporation of gender-neutral signs on single stall restrooms around campus, hoping to alleviate the propagation of the binary gender system. Inspired and hopeful about the recent events taking place in the state, Williams explains that the South
Carolina legislators slated against the legalization of same sex marriage are fighting a losing battle: “It feels like we’re on top of a wave and with its momentum you can’t go back anymore,” she said. However, she also heavily stresses the importance of recognizing underrepresented issues that are all too prevalent in the LGBT+ world. “You have to have those victories because they are few and far between,” she explained. “But you’re not done and you can’t be by yourself [in the fight].” This idea that you can’t fight it alone is to be noted. Williams explained that there’s an unfortunate level of animosity held against straight allies within the community. “You don’t hate your allies. I’ve seen a lot of ally alienation and hate and I’m tired of it,” she said. In order to keep pushing for further social change, people have to stick together and stand up for one another, especially in a country influenced by majoritarianism. Groups such as We Are Family and the Gay-Straight Alliance strive to educate people in the face of adversity. “Our system has very limited means to fight majoritarianism,” she explained, stressing the difficulty found within fighting for progress alone. “You have to have [allies] in the majority.” Through the communication, outreach and education provided by such organizations like We Are Family, the Trans* Love Fund, GSA and GSEC, the criminalization of same sex love is working towards a long awaited end in Charleston. Still, there remains a significant amount of work to be done.
the latest in s.c. law Two major lawsuits, Bradacs vs. Haley (2013) and Condon vs. Haley (2014) have sparked the most recent same-sex marriage debate in S.C.
Judge Gergel accepted the first same-sex marriage license application in Charleston Oct. 8, 2014 to Colleen Condon and Nichols Bleckley.
Judge Gergel’s decision is set to go into effect Nov. 20, but could be opposed by opponents, which could delay or nulify the decision further.
Cover models: Francis Smalls and Benjamin Woodhouse november 20
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get outside feel the rush with cofc’s outdoors and watersports clubs by SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ Sometimes we feel the urge to escape the rush that is downtown Charleston and explore all that the outside world has to offer. With the Watersports and Outdoors Clubs, there’s a way you can channel your inner Johnny Appleseed or shred like you’re on King of Wake.
watersports club
Knee boarding, wake surfing, wakeboarding, water skiing, tubing—you name it—the Watersports club has been shredding the waters since 2008. The club emerged with students from all ages, backgrounds and abilities, together, under the encouragement of getting away and being out on the water. Regardless of skill level, president and senior at the College, Adam Lea describes the club as one that is all-inclusive and thrives on newcomers. Their utmost goal is to provide students with confidence on the water and they greatly encourage students to abandon their comfort zone and test their capabilities. With a mission of promoting the ability to get on the water and stay active, the Watersports Club serves as an affordable and fun outlet for college students to get out there and shred. With an understanding that transportation is not accessible for all members, the club secures transportation through bus rentals and provides students with the necessary equipment on the scene. You can find members out on John’s Island at Trophy Lakes, home to two man-made, worldclass ski lakes where nearly a dozen world records have been broken. Only 15 minutes away from downtown, Trophy Lakes provides an exclusive environment and a little taste of the outside world. There, they have hosted their own competitive events like the infamous Chucktown Throwdown and Wake and Flake. The Watersports Club also acts as a college intramural team, traveling to different states and competing in ski tournaments in the
South Atlantic Conference. In between competitions, you can find members shredding at their home base, branching out by means of floating down the Edisto River or paddle boarding in Shem Creek. Even if it means they must sacrifice getting wet for a trip to the bowling alley, the Watersports Club is open to any event that involves getting their group together. For vice president Joey Oddis, he knew instantly that Watersports Club was the one. One of his most memorable moments was his first day attending a watersports event. As a senior, he has been involved with the club for over three years and is confident that it has allowed him to maximize his capabilities. “This club that I knew little about at first soon became a huge part of my college experience. From a lifestyle that includes wakeboarding to a large degree, to the great friends I’ve made, to the trips and adventures I’ve gone on, its kept me level headed and provided a hugely positive outlet with my education,” Oddis said. Nearly tripling in size from 35 members last school year to over 100 this semester, the Watersports Club encourages all students to come out and enjoy themselves. From freshman year on, Lea and Oddis have been members of what they describe to be a life-changing experience. Over the years, they have been awarded with the opportunity to encounter an array of talented individuals by doing what they love. As president and vice president, Lea and Oddis hope to inspire everyone to come out and enjoy the ride. Oddis described the club as, “A place that everyone is invited regardless of skill level. It’s a place that you can try new things on and off the water without judgment and with support. It’s a place that gives opportunities to go on adventures planned for fun, and a place that you can find a family outside of the classroom who will go there with you.”
Adam Lacon, senior member of the Watersports Club, gets in some quality practice time on the cable line at Trophy Lakes. Photo by Stephanie Greene.
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The ladies of the Outdoors Club overlook the mountains in Pisgah National Forest. Photo courtesy of the Outdoors Club.
Outdoors club
As two out-of-state students who felt locked downtown without cars, seniors Benjamin Thompson and Simon Engel were longing for the outdoors. Determined by their vision of forming an alliance on campus that would establish a freedom for students to explore the wilderness and the natural beauty of the southeast, they decided to take the next step. Thompson and Engel presented their idea to the school and spawned the club last fall. As it has grown in size over the past year, the Outdoors Club has ceased their romantic thoughts of venturing into the outdoors and have made them a reality. “When you spend a lot of time in the same place, you tend to take it for granted. You appreciate being able to come back and see things in another light,” Engel stated. The club introduces various adventures in a safe and affordable fashion. According to Engel, the Outdoors Club encourages the chance for students to get away, relax, and find peace, often returning as different, goal-oriented individuals. The club knows no boundaries - embarking on all kinds of adventures, from white water rafting in Virginia, delving into multiple national forests, to going on weekly bike tours that acquaint members with the Charleston peninsula. They 22
travel to a variety of places but are not limited to the Francis Marion National Forest and Caper’s Island here in South Carolina. They also travel to several other states across the southeast including Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee. Among these destinations, they have ventured to the Grayson Highlands, New River, Rumbling Bald, Kings Mountain, Boulder Fields and Little Rock City. They ensure as many members as possible get the chance to join in on these adventures by grouping everyone together using carpools. When they are not on the road, the Outdoors Club stays active. Whether it’s a field day at Hampton Park, playing ultimate frisbee, kickball and tug of war, or having slackline hangouts at the Battery, tie-dying sessions or monthly potlucks, the club always has a variety of activities planned. They also provide rope-tying, fire-building, and s’mores making clinics to assure that members are prepared for overnight trips. Hiking trails by day and sharing dinner over a fire at night, members share stories and moments, all while making memories of their own on camping trips. Members can hike, mountain bike, swim in the streams or waterfalls and go mountain climbing. At night, the club has teamthe yard
bonding rituals where they get to know more about everyone on the trip. One of their favorites is a game called Rose, Bud, and Thorn. Each person tells about the best (rose) and worst (thorn) part of their day and something that they are looking forward to (bud) on the trip. When asked about one of his most noteworthy experiences with the Outdoors Club, Thompson told of a trip last year to their home away from home in the mountains, at Pisgah National Forest. There, they hiked to the top of John Rock as a group. At the peak of the mountain, they watched the sun setting on the thousands of hued leaves glistening on the trees in the valley. “It was one of those moments that are hard to find. Life is short, and moments like this are the best,” Thompson said, when reflecting on this experience. With the mantra of No doors, No judgment, over 100 students have been bound together by a family-like bond, forming the Outdoors Club. Together, they strive to transcend borders, bringing wealth in friendship
and experience to a diversity of individuals, including several from out of the state and many who are international exchange students. Thompson and Engel agree that they have met some of their best friends in the club, thanks to their mutual appreciation of nature. From trail talk to sharing poetry, the Outdoors Club appreciates that students bring individuality to the great outdoors, while getting the chance to learn about themselves and watch each other grow along the way. One of Engel’s favorite poems includes a quote that perfectly describes their bond with each other: “a less of you or me, a little more of us.”
With promises of friendship, fun and non-stop development, these clubs are plenty active while also supporting personal growth. What they have to offer is exciting in and of itself, but the memories and the bonds that each have established are irreplaceable.
urtesy of N.C. Photo co in st re Fo l na io
the Outdoors
Club.
Nat trip to Pisgah eir fall break
s Club The Outdoor
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g th oup shot durin poses for a gr
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by JUSTINE HALL
Charleston Hope gives back 24
Children who receive gifts from Charleston Hope show their appreciation for founder Emily Hoisington. Photo by Samuel McCauley.
They say you have as many hours in a day as Beyoncé. In actuality, the saying should be that you have as many hours in a day as Emily Hoisington. She’s a teaching fellow at College of Charleston, member of the Well, community group leader and founder of Charleston Hope. Hoisington founded this organization during her senior year of high school, motivated purely by her desire to support students attending Title 1 schools in the area. Since its conception in 2011, Charleston Hope has reached thousands of students providing them with Christmas gifts, school supplies, meals and mentors. The idea for Charleston Hope first came to Hoisington in the fall of 2011. “My sister taught at a Title 1 school [classified as a school with a concentration of low-income students who receive supplemental funds to assist in meeting students’ educational goals] and she was telling me how some of her students had never received a Christmas present and some said they had never received anything brand new, just for them. So I decided to do something about it.” Hoisington began asking for donations from her high school and collected 40 Christmas gifts that she then took home and individually wrapped. To deliver the presents, Hoisington explained, “We went to the school and we cooked a meal for the students. We spent the day with them decorating Christmas cookies, then they opened their presents and we played
with them on the play structures and just got to spend time with the students.” The outreach was such a success that Hoisington knew she wanted to continue once she got to the College, but she was unsure of how to go about it. In her freshman year, Hoisington got the word out about Charleston Hope through constant emails and featuring the organization on the college website. The responses kept rolling in and Charleston Hope adopted two Title 1 schools reaching 900 students during Christmas of 2012. After this massive success, Hoisington filed Charleston Hope as an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The nonprofit application was nearly $990, but Charleston Hope raised all the necessary funds, demonstrating unwavering support through donations. Now an official nonprofit, Hoisington wanted to expand Charleston Hope’s reach from Christmas time to year round. “We started a teachers Hope Closet in the spring of 2013. Teachers at Title 1 schools get $200 a year to supply students and their classrooms and that’s not enough.” The Hope Closet provides boxes that include basic school supplies such as pens and pencils along with two to three special items for teachers to help with lesson planning. Every item in the boxes was received through donations and distribution began in the fall of 2013. In December of that same year, Charleston
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Hope’s second year as a nonprofit, over 1,500 gifts were given to students at three different schools. On the day of distribution, the organization fed every student as well as the school’s entire faculty and staff. Hoisington estimated that they provided around 2,000 meals over the course of the two-day distribution. Hoisington said what sets Charleston Hope apart is that it’s “not just a toy drive, it’s very personal, so when you sign up for a classroom you know how many girls and boys there are.” Anyone who donates a gift is asked to go to the classrooms and spend at least 30 minutes with the students, however, volunteers are encouraged to stay at the school and help deliver gifts and serve food all day. In an effort to expand their mission, Charleston Hope partnered with the Burke High School football team this fall. The organization’s vice president and former College of Charleston student, Chandler Bridges, worked with the team on character-building activities, started a mentoring program for the players, and fed the team a hot meal at every home game. “Our volunteers spent time with the players, watching the games from the sidelines, and building relationships with them,” Hoisington said. The high school asked for the program to be implemented with their basketball teams as well as the track team in the upcoming year. “We can’t give presents to Title 1 high school students, but we would love to feed and get mentors in for the high school teams,” she added. Hoisington described the most memorable experience she’s had with Charleston Hope so far: “The summer after my freshman year I was at a block party in North Charleston. I was just talking with one of the girls and I asked her how her school year was.” Hoisington later found out that the girl she was speaking to had her sister as her teacher the previous year. “She told me she thought she recognized me,” Hoisington said, “but I never told her who I was.” Hoisington then asked what the best part of the girls
school year was and as Hoisington recounts, “She looked at me and said, ‘I got a Barbie for Christmas. I’ve never had a Barbie, and I’ve been wanting one for years!’” Hoisington asked what it meant to her that someone came in and gave her the Barbie. The girl told her she didn’t think people cared, but that this gesture demonstrated to her people outside actually did care about her. “And for me that’s what’s important: that they’re feeling loved and supported,” Hoisington said. When thinking about the future of Charleston Hope, Hoisington remarked, “Our 10 year goal... this seems like a big, big dream but we think that it can happen. We would love to see a dream center, probably called a Hope Center in downtown Charleston that provides mentoring, tutoring, medical care along with clothes and food for Title 1 students in Charleston.” In the upcoming year, other Charleston schools are looking to start clubs on their campuses to support the organization, including the Citadel who plans on adopting their own school. This Christmas, Charleston Hope is projected to reach well over 2,000 students at five different Title 1 schools. “Everyone keeps telling me it’s going to be America’s Hope one day not just Charleston’s and that’s a pretty cool thing to think about,” Hoisington said.
To get involved with Charleston Hope, visit their website at www.charlestonhope.com Deadline to adopt a classroom: December 1st Presents due unwrapped: December 6th and 7th Wrapping party: December 8th, 7-9pm, TD Arena Practice Gym
From left to right, elementary school students excitedly receive gifts from Charleston Hope last Christmas. Photos courtesy of Charleston Hope.
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Belly up to the Bar! a guide to bars with bellies in mind
The bar at Warehouse
by CHRISTINA D’ANTONI
Belly up to the bar, boys! — if you’re a fan of musicals, this line has you singing certain memorable show tunes from “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” and if not, it may have you picturing big, surly men and their pot bellies at the bar ordering another round. Like any old saying, the origin of this call to action is questionable, but it’s said to instruct those old enough (and tall enough) to have their bellies touch the bar to drink on up! For us 21 year olds, we’re ready, bellies up and brewing. We’ve been waiting to hit the bars as legal drinkers for years now, and just because we’re pinching pennies, doesn’t mean we don’t want to try the finest this city has to offer. In Charleston, “belly” has us thinking of some of those greasy treats at the Holy City’s most beloved bars. We’re talking pork rinds with our IPA, jerky with our cocktail and plates of potato skins as we sip our punch. If we tried to conquer all there is to drink in Charleston, we’d never finish, so here’s a few spots with bar food worth passing and grabbing, and drinks worth having. Belly up to the bar, guys and gals, we’re newlydrinking, and hungry, at that.
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photos by STEPHANIE GREENE
the warehouse with class and tact Warehouse: 45 ½ Spring St. • Happy Hour Monday-Friday 4-7p.m. With so many historically preserved buildings anchoring Charleston’s identity, the Warehouse is about as close as some of us Charlestonians may get to one of those storied warehouse parties in N.Y.C.’s Bushwick area. Just north of campus on St. Philip and Spring, Warehouse is a part of the burgeoning smatterings of slightly sleeker galleries and restaurants growing up Warehouse’s “Where the Crosswalk Ends” cocktail. around Spring Street in the Elliotborough/Cannonborough area. Head over to happy hour early around 4 p.m. to get great attention from their staff, and try one of their $6 cocktails like the fruity “Where the Crosswalk Ends” (vodka, lemongrass syrup, citrus, spiced ginger ale) and snack on their Red Lentil Hummus with slices of baguette for hours. If you’re a deviled egg fan, they change them daily, and go for $1.75 a pop.
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42 taps and counting: the beer that means business Closed for Business: 453 King St. With its location on the main upper King drag, most of us have stopped by Closed for Business for a pint or two -- but did you know C4B has one of the largest selection of beers on tap in town? Superlatives like that have us wanting to sit down and drink more, and snack to keep us going. For the best bang for your buck, bartenders at C4B recommend a beer with a high ABV% (like an IPA or a double IPA). There’s no happy hour, but C4B bartenders create different beer flights throughout the week that let you sample pours for a cheaper price. Just ask! The potato skins are our pick to snack on; their greasy melding of bacon, cheese and ranch is the best bite to help with the hop, and if you’re looking for some crunch, share a basket of the spiced barbecued or salt and vinegar pork rinds.
From top to bottom: potato skins, a pint of Fat Pig Combine and sea salt and vinegar pork rinds. november 20
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the place to sip & snack The Gin Joint: 182 East Bay St. • Happy Hour Monday-Friday 5-7 pm Set back a few feet from the bustle of East Bay, sitting on the patio of Gin Joint, you forget entirely where you are: the tourist’s favorite street to trek and taste. Their slogan is “Drink Proper,” and while the Gin Joint hardly smells of college fare, it does smell of alcohol and lots of it. Chef MariElena Raya of Gin Joint assures us that each drink has at least 2 oz. of spirit, fresh herbs, fruit, etc. The Gin Joint gist? If you go at happy hour, you’ll get a strong, specialty cocktail for $5 flat. If you’re new to cocktails, they have a “Bartender’s Choice,” where you can pick two adjectives like “fruit” and “tart,” and they’ll bring out something like the “Floradora” (gin, raspberry and ginger syrup, lime juice, and club soda). We recommend a specialty punch on tap for $7, and a bowl of Pad Thai Popcorn, the soft pretzels with Sriracha cheese sauce, the soy chili jerky ($1.50) -- you get the picture -- it’s all good!
(Left) Cocktails and (right) Pad Thai Popcorn from the Gin Joint.
the buzzworthy brewery bringing in the trucks Holy City Brewery: 4155 Dorchester Rd. If you’ve read up on our coverage of Paul Roof in our last Taps from Holy City Brewery issue, you know we’re pretty big fans of Holy City Brewery, and their Chucktown Follicle Brown brew, too. But this brewery isn’t all beer lately, thanks to South Carolina’s Stone Bill. The bill now allows breweries to serve beer in unlimited quantities given that they have a government-approved kitchen serving food on site. So what did Holy City do? They built a kitchen, named it “Struggle’s 28
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International Bistro,” after a brewer’s beloved dog and they now serve burritos alongside beer as if it was a part of their plan all along. With Chef Shay Macdonald from HoM at the helm, now you can enjoy a Follicle Brown brew with its accompanying Follicle Brown burrito made with braised chicken, red beans, cheddar, and homemade barbecue all inside the brewery. Holy City also offers pretzels from Old Salt’s Gourmet Pretzels every Thursday, and partners with food trucks like Roti Rolls and Autobanh every weekend.
(Left) A can of Chucktown Follicle Brown. (Right) Behind the scenes at Holy City Brewery.
bavarian bier meets east bay Bay Street Biergarten: 549 East Bay St. • Happy Hour Monday-Friday 4-7pm While Baystreet Biergarten’s concept of “Bavarian inspired, Southern made” beer may seem like an unlikely duo, it’s really the perfect pairing. German biergartens are about communal spaces, and what is the South if not hospitable? Co-owner Laura Patrick’s advises, “Everytime you go up in a glass size you’re getting a discount,” so, buy by the liter here. Biergarten also features a $4 beer or “bier of the month,” and at happy hour it is $1 off drafts, $3 off specialty cocktails and half off appetizers. We recommend a liter (or two) of Hefeweizen with the pretzel bombs or the pimento cheese sticks -- once you toss a few back and dig into some Southern fried somethings on the patio out back, you’ll be all about the ‘garten.
A pint of Hofbrau Hefeweizen
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Pretzel bombs from Bay Street Biergarten
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A MILITARY
mission CofC Veterans give the 4-1-1 on their years in the service
by COURTNEY EKER photos by MADELINE LITTLE You wouldn’t expect that the Senior Director of Communications at the College was once a paratrooper in one of the most frequently deployed units of the army. Or that a psychologist in the counseling center worked in six different cities, to finally retire as a colonel with 50 staff members working under him. And you most certainly wouldn’t guess that the woman standing at the front of your International Marketing class was a German linguist stationed on the East German border in the late 1980s. The overarching theme in all of these cases is that the military has opened these people up to something that they otherwise would never have known. We may not think of the people standing in front of the chalkboard as heroes. They are only the people that grade our essays and assign homework. But if you stop to ask, you’ll find that some of our professors and staff members here on campus have served our country as just that: a hero. They may not wear capes or their underwear over their pants, but by enlisting in the armed forces, they sacrifice fundamental choices for the benefit and protection of their country. CofC is lucky to have some of these heroes among us, living out their daily lives with a courageous past camouflaged by blazers and ties. For Ron Menchaca, that something was writing. Menchaca, Senior Director of Communications and CofC alumni from
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the class of 1998, decided to enlist in the Army after dabbling in college but still unsure of what the future might hold. “I needed to grow up a little bit more,” Menchaca said. “I knew at some point I was going to end up in the military.” Rene Dentiste Mueller is a professor in the international business department as well as the Director of the Global Business Resource Center. What many people might not know is that she was a German linguist in the army in postwar Germany. Or, that she has an identical twin sister who also served in the army alongside of her. Or finally, that she met her husband while on this assignment. As chair of the department of management and entrepreneurship and professor of Leadership Studies, Thomas Kent credits his current position at CofC to the Air Force. Kent was on the fence about the Vietnam War until he received a draft notice in the mail and enlisted in 1966. On the other hand, Frank Budd chased his passion for psychology right into the Air Force. Every psychologist must have one year’s worth of supervised experience after getting their Ph.D., so Budd went to the Air Force because he wanted a steady job with great training and solid pay. Now, as Director of the Counseling and Substance Abuse Services department at the College, Budd looks back on his 24 years in the Air Force as a wonderful foundation for his current position.
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Military veins leads to jumping out of planes
ron menchaca
Menchaca came from a military-infused background in which his grandfather served in the army during the Korean War, his father served in the navy during the Vietnam War and his brother served in the Air Force during the Gulf War of 1991. When he joined the military, he knew he wanted a challenge and when he spoke with his recruiter about airborne school, he knew he was getting just that. During Menchaca’s four years of service, he worked as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Although this is one of the most frequently deployed units in the military altogether, Menchaca never saw combat. During long months of training, Menchaca found himself doing a lot of reading, which eventually led to his desire to write novels. When he got out of the military, Menchaca came to CofC to graduate with a degree in Communication with a concentration in Media Studies. Immediately after graduating, Menchaca was hired as a journalist for the Post and Courier, where he “worked his way up different beats,” and ended up on an investigation team. After years of reporting for the P & C, Menchaca came back to CofC to work in the department of communication and he is currently working on “The College Today,” a project that serves as a newsletter for the school.
Double the trouble in Germany
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rene dentiste mueller
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Mueller’s story began after she graduated from the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, in 1983 with a degree in Economics. Mueller, whose father also served in the army during the Korean War, found that her job wasn’t as fulfilling as she would have hoped. When she and her twin sister were contacted by the army, the benefits of the military made their decision a no brainer. What the sisters didn’t know at the time was that they were recruited together as a tactic so that their access to information would be limited in case they were recruited by the KGB. Mueller and her sister moved into intelligence school learning German on a daily regiment which consisted of seven hours of class for five days a week, for eight and a half months. This was followed by two other intelligence schools, each a couple months long in duration (certain things could not be disclosed on the grounds of being “intelligence stuff”). Once in Germany, their mission, amongst other groups like Russian linguists, was to “find and identify Warsaw Pact troops.” Among the Russian linguists was Mueller’s future husband (another CofC professor, Jim Mueller). The couple has three sons. Mueller laughs and says if she hadn’t joined the military, she’d be “in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, married to a Greek boy and owning a restaurant--because that’s what all my friends from home are doing.”
[The Military] allows you a change of direction, a change of career path. And I know it’s a cliché, but it allows you to see the world.
november 20
-Rene Dentiste Mueller
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ron menchaca frank budd
Captain of the Dream Team
What Budd got out of the military was much more than he had expected. He was in the service for 24 years, during which he lived in six different places. After his four-year contract was up, Budd decided to stay in the Air Force because he found, “it gave him freedom in what he wanted to do.” Budd bounced around to different bases, but kept his focus on suicide prevention and education for active duty military personnel in counseling centers. Budd says that if he can help people choose not to attempt suicide rather than helping them in the ER after they had a failed attempt, that’s how he knows he is doing his job. Budd comments on the people that he worked with as being one of the major highlights in his time served. On a plaque hanging in his office commemorating his retirement, Budd’s staff had signed, “The Dream Team,” acknowledging how well he and his staff worked as a cohesive unit. When he finally retired from the military as a colonel with significant accolades, Budd brought his family back to Charleston because he “had always considered it home.”
Mastering the airforce
The effect of the Air Force on Kent’s life was “profound.” Why? “They taught me how to read,” Kent said. The Air Force turned Kent into a stellar student who was actually interested in his classes. Kent started out as a Human Resource officer and proceeded to complete his Masters degree during his four years in the service. When the date came for him to “re-up or get out,” Kent decided to pursue his education and get his Ph.D., leaving the Air Force with a bittersweet taste. “I always loved the Air Force,” Kent said. “I would have stayed in for the rest of my life if they had said they could send me to school.” Kent talked about how the Air Force introduced him to Human Resources, something he had no idea he would like until he was assigned the position. He doesn’t have any regrets about joining the military because he “liked everything about it,” Kent said. “The road I took was pretty good.”
tom kent
Defending the country, integrity first
Between these four vets, there was an overwhelming abundance of agreement that the military was beneficial to their jobs, educations and lives as a whole. “I would recommend it for anyone who didn’t know what they wanted to do,” Mueller said. “It allows you a change of direction, a change of career path. And I know it’s a cliche, but it does allow you to see the world.” Menchaca finds himself “missing some of the camaraderie,” because in the military, everyone has the same goal, same direction and common mission. Kent agrees by saying the people he worked with were like peers, and he “never had a bad boss.” Whether it’s a military brat, an ambitious psychologist, an aspiring student or a bold German linguist, the military takes all kinds. Kent and Budd wear the invisible cape of the Air Force under the motto, “Integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do.” And after serving in the Army, Mueller and Menchaca can proudly state the Army’s motto, “This we’ll defend,” and can know that they have done just that.
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Friendsgiving hosting a festive
by CHELSEA ANDERSON and LAUREN FINDLAY photos by SAMUEL McCAULEY
november 20
So it’s almost Thanksgiving and you want to have friends over to celebrate. We may be college students, but we still deserve to have a grand Thanksgiving feast like any other. Are you feeling like you can’t make your friendsgiving look and taste great? Well, you can; we’re going to tell you how. Get ready to channel your inner Martha Stewart and prepare the most delicious meal where you are going to eat so much that you’ll need to take a three-hour nap. Before friendsgiving, everyone will talk about how great your dorm or apartment looks, saying, “Your tablescape looks better than my mom’s.” After your guests have admired all of your beautiful decorations, they will sit down for the meal you so graciously prepared before their arrival. These easy recipes won’t take hours to prepare, but your guests will think their feast took days to make. Following the mind-blowing meal, it’ll be naptime. Goodbye guests, hello clean-up. If you’re not ready to take on the solo kitchen challenge, invite your friends over and cook together. After all, it’s called friendsgiving for a reason. Dust off your apron, throw your worries away and get ready to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in the best way possible. Here’s how!
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This punch is perfect for your friendsgiving because this recipe makes enough for a large group of people. It’s very easy and it tastes delicious. INGREDIENTS • 1 packet of orange Kool Aid (make as instructed on the packet) • 1 46 fl oz can of pineapple juice • 1 2 liter bottle of Sprite • 1 1.5 qt tub of orange sherbet INSTRUCTIONS
Orange Sherbert Punch
1. In a large pitcher mix the orange Kool Aid mix with 1 cup of sugar and fill with water. Then, pour the Kool Aid into 2 ice cube trays and place in the freezer overnight. Any left over Kool Aid can be chilled and served separately at your party. (Tip: Complete this step the night before to allow the Kool Aid to freeze.) 2. Pour the can of pineapple juice in a large punch bowl. 3. Pour in one 2-liter bottle of Sprite. 4. Then add in the tub of orange sherbet into the liquid mix. (May need ice cream scooper) 5. Next, add Kool Aid ice cubes into the punch.
Rotisserie Chicken
6. Finally, mix all the ingredients together. To boost the orange flavor of the punch, allow sherbet and ice cubes to melt for a bit.
Of course, Thanksgiving is the only holiday where the turkey has its chance to shine, but in reality, dishing out $20 for a bird is not exactly in the average student budget. Stories say that even the Pilgrims didn’t eat turkey when they gave thanks. So to replace the grand Butterball, opt for a store bought rotisserie chicken. By doing so, you’ll save time and hassle, not having to worry about wasting the day away, waiting for a whole turkey to roast. With a variety of flavors and spices, a rotisserie chicken will satisfy not only the piggy bank, but also satisfy the holiday taste buds.
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Warm Apples & Icecream Solo Cup Wreath With this unique and eye catching wreath, you can give your Solo cups a second life. While this project is pretty cool and will definitely get the crowd talking, beware that it can be a little “wonky,” but keep at it, because the finished product is absolutely worth it. Here’s what you’ll need: • Solo cups (any color) • Hot glue gun and glue sticks • Duct tape or double sided tape • Wide ribbon (optional) • Decorations to glue on the wreath (optional) Step 1: Plan accordingly by creating a design or pattern that you desire your wreath to have. Take one cup of each color and begin arranging them, putting one cup inside another. Make sure that one cup is shorter on one side and longer on the other, to ensure that with enough cups, a curving shape will start to form. Remember that this may take a little bit of playing around with, and some cups may have to be bent a little and forced to take on a circular shape. Step 2: With a glue gun at the ready and once the cups are arranged, figure out exactly where the cups are touching and put a strip of double sided tape or a folded piece of duct tape in this spot. To reinforce the structure, add a dab of hot glue near the tape. Keep in mind that the plastic cups may begin to melt when the hot glue is added. Therefore stick to thin layers of glue, but cover large areas. Step 3: As the process of gluing, taping and layering continues, constantly bend and stretch cups in order to achieve a circular shape. Once enough cups are aligned and the circle begins to close, shove the front cup into the back of the last cup. Even after the actual structure of the wreath is complete, as an added precaution, add more double sided tape or hot glue in cracks of the cups or places that may seem unstable. This will give the wreath longevity and prevent any major catastrophes when it is hung. Step 4: While this last step is optional, your wreath can be given a finishing touch that will enhance its look. Adorn the wreath with extra decor such as bows using large ribbon, a figurine or even a monogram to add customized flare.
november 20
This is how fall tastes. It’s a really easy dessert that everyone will love. It’ll be a big hit with your guests, and it’ll make you look like a professional pastry chef. INGREDIENTS •Apples •Vanilla ice cream •Caramel sauce, warmed
INSTRUCTIONS 1. Cut tops of apples, leaving just enough for an opening. 2. Hollow the middle of each apple. 3. Take a scoop of ice cream and fill it in the hollowed out apple. 4. Drizzle warmed caramel sauce over the top of ice cream.
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BRINGING BACK THE BEATS WITH
RD WEEKS AND RAZ PRODUCTIONS
by SAM POSTHUMA photos by BRIA GRAHAM
RAZ productions gives DJs a chance to make a name for themselves.
To many young college music makers, the music industry is an impossibly difficult nut to crack. Combining marketing, promoting, recording and performing, it’s no wonder many students struggle to support their passions within the collegiate maelstrom of academic study and responsibility. But can you blame them? There are so many intense requirements needed simply to perform a show, let alone to make one’s name known in the slightest. Oftentimes, this stifles creativity and shuts down a music career before it’s even started. So, what can be done about this? Enter 2014 CofC Alumnus RD Weeks and his freshly launched business, RAZ Productions. Drawing the name ‘RAZ’ from the Aramaic word for ‘secret,’ the business wishes to seek out and uncover the talented individuals who may not have the experience or opportunities to pull themselves from the pile and successfully enter the world of music business. With a focus on college campuses, the production company takes over the marketing, managing and promoting of college age DJs, allowing them to focus on the creativity of their craft rather than the difficult and tedious business side of it. Too often musicians are left facing down the iron sights of manipulative booking
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agents, non-existent promotional work and unpaid shows alone. Weeks and RAZ Productions take it upon themselves to support these musicians and prevent them from being taken advantage of. “It’s all about helping the little man in the big industry,” Weeks said when asked about the company’s goals. “As a music management company, RAZ Productions is in the business of providing support and guidance to others. We strive for excellence, while providing a strong team community and support that creates a very exciting and fun atmosphere in the workplace. Our team is very passionate in not only music, but bettering the lives of those that are part of it.” Weeks grew up as a lover of music, but it wasn’t until his junior year in college that he fully realized his passion for DJing and electronic music. Inspired by various college campus parties and YouTube performance videos, Weeks bought his first mixer board and set out to begin performing around the Charleston area, including parties around campus and larger venues such as Mynt. However, one event in particular stands out as the first steppingstone behind Weeks’ transformation from DJ to head of his own production company. While performing at CofC’s
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Cougar Excursion, he felt an incredible inspiration charge through him. “There’s an energy that you feel [being] on stage and having the crowd love your music,” he said. “Why not give that experience to other DJs and allow them to have that passion as well?” It wasn’t long after that the company began to take shape. The main idea for RAZ Productions sprouted during a competition in one of Weeks’ entrepreneurship courses where he was tasked with pitching a business model to the class. Combining his love for music and business with the experiences gathered as a DJ, it’s easy to see how he was able to turn the idea into the perfect pitch and bring it out of the classroom and into the real world. Young college musicians aren’t the only ones they’re helping. Imagine the first big college party of the year, where kegs are filled with PBR and guests have just arrived. The DJ is moving on up to his mix board, sun glasses on, collar popped and the entire party is ready to hear the sickest beat drop until -record scratch- their ears feel like they’re about to erupt. Weeks knows all too well this struggle between the venues and artists. The last thing a venue wants is a poorly performing musician and because of this fear, more often than not, the relationships between the two parties slip into the negative. Venues become reluctant and over-demanding, expecting performers to be seasoned and to have a substantialized following, yet many new performers with plenty of talent are left struggling to get a shot because of their lack of experience. It’s an unfortunate circumstance that Weeks and his company seek to overturn. Weeks explains that by promoting and marketing these passionate musicians, the gap between venue and performer can be bridged, alleviating plenty of stress for everyone involved. The music business can be arduous and unmotivating. Weeks and his team are dedicated Weeks loves performing and wants to give other musicians opportunities as well. to provide a helping hand and a watchful eye over young musicians to further allow creativity important passions: being creative and making music. to flourish within the environment they love. Freedom With a website expecting to drop this fall and a huge of expression unchained from the burdens of self- launch party, Nov. 14 at Mynt, there’s no doubt that RD management generates a thriving music scene and a and RAZ Productions are taking massive strides towards rewarding chance for musicians to focus on their most making this a reality.
november 20
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How to Survive FINALS
A+
by SAMANTHA RODRIGUEZ Finals can feel like the equivalent to running four marathons in one week, but instead of marathons, we as students are faced with countless essays and exams. They can be both mentally and physically exhausting. Coping with high levels of stress can also be difficult with the sudden realization that these grades count the most and can greatly impact your semester’s overall performance. Manage your time wisely by thinking of it as a training period leading up to the big race. By following this survival guide, you can go the distance.
1. Make a plan - and stick to it! Mapping out your schedule and determining your time frame can make all the difference. Use it as a strategy to reassure yourself that you can do this by overcoming one hurdle at a time.
Make a plan and stick to it. This will help you visualize and effectively organize your week. It will provide you with an understanding of the amount of time that you have to complete each assignment while preparing yourself for the next. Be Proactive. Be aware that your time management is about to be tested, so proceed by getting a head start.
2. Be concious of your conciousness Recall the time of day that you get the most work done. If you have the ability to get a majority of things done at noon, then manipulate your schedule to where that is your prime study time.
Sleep. Pulling all-nighters are way too common during this stressful time. They can impair your reasoning, judgment and recall for up to four days. It not only makes you less inclined to retain information - but it strains your body making you more likely to get sick. Reenergize both your body and your brain by getting an adequate amount of sleep. Make the most of your day. Wake up at an appropriate hour. Mornings can be a great time to jumpstart our brains. To get you going, try downloading a Sleep Cycle app on your phone that will slowly wake you up rather than the abrupt, dreaded sound of an alarm. Food fuels the brain. Food is essential to be awake, alert and sustain your day. A little something can go a long way. Try eating a granola bar or a banana, to keep yourself, your brain and your body going.
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3. Study effectively As students, we spend hours upon hours studying, but it’s important to make the most of this time by studying effectively. These tips will you do that and hopefully free up some extra time in the process.
The Multi-Sensory learning strategy. Utilize this to provide yourself with a full picture of information. It is better than sitting over a book, being miserable and even worse—knowing that you are miserable. It will allow you to stay engaged by doing something differently with the material each time. 1. Gather all necessary study materials 2. Read over the material carefully 3. Go back and highlight important details 4. Annotate by writing notes to the side that you can reference and come back to 5. Make flashcards 6. Top it off with a self-test. Attempt to recall this information as many times as possible by challenging yourself with spaced out practice Use your strengths to your advantage. For the visual learner: try using every color highlighter that you can possibly get. For the writer: if writing things down helps you remember, write them differently each time. For the scientist: if you are a science person taking a creative or social science class, use the way you study for science as an approach to studying for this exam.
Do not multitask. It is super inefficient and can make your work up to 50 percent less valuable and can take up to 50 percent longer to finish. Studying for one thing at a time is more effective. Break down your study time into manageable 30 minute segments, spend 30 minutes on one subject—stop and test yourself— then proceed with another 30 minutes on the next subject. Take breaks. During this time, do anything BUT school work. Go for a walk, a bike ride or call your parents and let them know that you are OK—you only want to be on the phone with them for so long, anyways. Whatever you do, do not resort to social media. This will contradict your brain’s ability to process information.
4. Confidence is key! Now that you are equipped with how to visualize your time frame and study effectively, embrace the mindset that you have done all that you can to prepare yourself. Before entering your exam, make sure you:
Eat a sugary snack. Sugar is a jump-starter, it makes your brain process faster. Do not overdo the caffeine. You already have high adrenaline during an exam, so do not give yourself the jitters.
Imagine your success with optimism. Studies show that you can score higher on exams by simply going into them with a positive outlook. After the fact, make sure you treat yourself and—most importantly—understand that your performance does not define the type of student or person that you are.
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