MIR ROR JULY 12, 2013
THE 13X BUCKET LIST // 2 BURGER BREAKDOWN // 3 A CULTURE OF COVETING // 4 FINDING THE GEMS // 4
SOPHOMORE SUMMER
BUCKET LIST
ALLISON WANG // THE DARTMOUTH
2// MIRROR
EDITOR’S NOTE Based on the activity on my Facebook newsfeed lately, it seems that almost everyone on campus has already done two things a borderline exhausting amount — gone to the river and played with a certain fraternity’s new, albeit adorable, puppy. While lazy days in the sun and minimal academics are nothing to complain about, the speed with which this term has already flown is honestly scaring me. As we find ourselves officially half way done with college, making the most of our time at Dartmouth is officially becoming a now-or-never business. I can sincerely say for the first time that I am jealous of the ’17s. If this all sounds sinister and pessimsitic, lighten up. All I mean is that it’s high time we start making moves to accomplish our lists of must-dos before the weather cools down and the schoolwork heats up. Even when our tans have faded and our shorts have been packed away, the memories — and muploads — will be well worth it.
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MIR ROR MIRROR EDITOR SARA KASSIR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JENNY CHE PUBLISHER GARDINER KREGLOW EXECUTIVE EDITOR TAYLOR MALMSHEIMER GRAPHICS EDITOR ALLISON WANG
OVER HEARDS
THE 13X BUCKET LIST
CECELIA SHAO // THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
BY KELSEY ANSPACH Bucket lists are the best and worst things ever. While the prospect of getting to check each aspiration off is endlessly exciting, there is a degree of anxiety that comes with knowing that you only have so long to accomplish everything. As we now sit in the library cramming for midterms, our bucket lists tease us with thoughts of those first two weeks of the term when school took a to back seat to lazy days in the sun. So what’s the key to finding that happiness? Keep your expectations low, your flexibility high and listen up. This is the list of everything you should be doing (as in, now) and how to make it happen. There has definitely been more rain than sunshine lately, so let’s start with those gloomy day adventures that come in the form of excessive overconsumption of food. Don’t let guilt stop you here — just think of it as stocking up for when DDS refuses to feed us over the weekend. A classic summer treat taken to a new level, the Vermonster at the Ben and Jerry’s factory is well worth that extra trip to the gym. Served in a bucket, the tasty treat includes 20 scoops of ice cream, four bananas, four ladles of hot fudge, three chocolate chip cookies, one fudge brownie, 10 scoops of walnuts and two scoops each of four of your favorite toppings, plus whipped cream. Don’t think, just eat — and bring a lot of people. Once you start to get full, run Trips back and “yum-yum” the dessert. If you finish the Vermonster, you even get a free shirt. If you’re looking to expand outside of ice cream — although really, what more could you ever want? — hit up the farmers’ market. Hanover’s version comes every Wednesday, but if you’re limiting yourself to the Green, you’re missing out on delectable jams, fresh flowers and other local fruits and vegetables. Nearby farmers’ markets take place in Norwich, Lebanon, Enfield, and Canaan. When the sun finally makes an appearance,
spend an afternoon at Super Acres Blueberries, a farm where for only $2, you can pick more blueberries than you could conceivably eat in one afternoon — plus the berries you eat during your frequent breaks from picking. If you’re into biking, you might be familiar with the Balch Hill descent. It begins with a gradual ride up the backside of Balch Hill and ends with a heart-stopping descent back into town that is probably the closest thing Hanover has to a roller coaster ride. If you aren’t feeling active, Balch Hill is just a few minute’s drive away and offers one of the most scenic picnic spots that you will find. The grassy summit has one tree in the center to provide some shade, and you’ll easily get a view of campus, Ascutney and Gile Mountain. It wouldn’t be summer, however, without some fun in the water. The docks are great, but if you feel like changing it up, spend a few hours tubing down the White River. The half hour trip to Stockbridge is well worth the relaxing feeling of tubing down the river. It might be a good idea to bring water shoes in case you end up in a shallow spot, and one local community member also recommended bringing a bottle of bleach to rinse the tubes off in case they touch poison ivy. Better safe than sorry! While coasting down a river and basking in the sun are relaxing ways to take advantage of the outdoors, the more adventurous among us are probably already aware of the many ways to feel an adrenaline rush in the Upper Valley. Jumping off the Ledges, the Copper Mines, and the roof at River Ranch is enough of a rush to satisfy even the most daring enthusiasts. In addition to hurling yourself into water, there are places to climb just to reach the top. If you didn’t take a picture with the sign on top of Moosilauke during trips, you should definitely be crossing that off the bucket list this summer.
’15 Girl: I realized I had deleted all of my texts, so I started dryheaving.
Blitz overheards to mirror@thedartmouth.com
’15 Boy to the Boloco delivery guy: Can I tip you in weed? Boloco delivery guy: Yeah.
’15 Girl: You’re looking for a semi date on Friendsy?
Gile Mountain is nearby for a relatively short round trip hike, and offers spectacular views from the fire tower at its summit — just be sure to take bug spray to ward off the pesky mosquitoes that often frequent the top of the tower. Franconia Ridge and Cardigan are ideal for those seeking a challenge, but avoid both if the thunderstorms are threatening, since you’ll be exposed to the elements at their high elevations. After your outdoor adventures, you’ll want some relaxing evenings, but don’t restrict yourselves to movies at the Nugget and stargazing at the golf course — although if you’ve never stargazed from the Fairways and putting greens, it’s an easy thing to cross off your bucket list. The Canaan Meetinghouse has been around since the 18th century, and was designated to the National Register of Historic Places over 40 years ago. The house hosts some of the region’s best writers. And if you’re feeling groovy but don’t want to road trip all the way to Canada for a crazy music festival like Osheaga, there are plenty of local places to see live bands. Norwich hosts concerts on Saturday nights, and SaintGauden’s National Historic Site in Cornish does the same on Sunday afternoons. If you want to get off campus during the week, try the Lyme Town Band on Tuesday evenings. Sophomore summer is well upon us, and judging from how fast our first two years at Dartmouth has flown by, the rest of this term will be gone before we know it. It’s up to us to make the most of the next seven weeks — and after that, the next two years. Will you get to check every box off of the bucket list taped to your wall? Maybe not, but some is certainly better than none, so get off the computer, out of the basement and into the sun — or rain. After all, it sure beats snow.
’15 girl: Pick-up line of the summer. Do you have airconditioning? Because I have air-conditioning.
’15 Boy:This one time when I was drunk, I donated to Wikipedia.
MIRROR //3
BURGER BREAKDOWN
A run down of five off-campus restaurants to satisfy the ultimate summer craving BY ERIN LANDAU I am a huge fan of burgers. Back home in Los Angeles, I once went on a burger tour, looking up the best joints and trying a new one every night. When I was asked to pull off something similar in the Upper Valley, my limited experience with Stinson’s barbecue and frozen patties on frat grills made me pretty skeptical. But in the spirit of a true connoisseur, I did the work for you. Here’s a breakdown of five places off campus to satisfy that ultimate summer craving. Worthy Burger, South Royalton I was lucky to start off with a real gem. Pretty much everything about Worthy Burger is deliciously awesome. The location right on the train tracks is incredible, while the interior gives off a hipster vibe— cool wooden tables, an outdoor patio and chalkboards displaying your eating options. Orders are taken at the bar, and while the crowd of people waiting is initially overwhelming, it is worth the wait. I ordered a grass-fed delicacy topped with goat cheese, grilled kimchi and caramelized onions, and it was easily the best burger I’ve had in a long while — perfectly cooked with just a little pink in the middle. I was also impressed by the cheese selection, which included goat, blue and aged cheddar. While burgers clearly take center stage, the wide variety of sodas, including homemade cream soda and ginger ale, was also killer. And if you like pickles, I highly recommend their house-made ones — not to mention the sweet and spicy “crack” fries, which are perfectly cut and seasoned. Service is fast, and the price of around $7.50, including all the toppings, really can’t be beat. Overall I would rate this place a 4.6 out of 5, because due to a half-hour drive, it’s difficult to reach without a vehicle. But if you have a car, it’s definitely worth the trip and your stomach will not be disappointed.
Overall burger: 4.8 Cheese selection: 4.5 Exotic extras: 5 Fries: 4.3 Drinks: 4 Ambiance: 5 Distance/location: 3 Service: 3 Other food: 3.5
Skunk Hollow Tavern, Hartland Four Corners This is hands down the best restaurant I’ve been to in a long time. The tavern has a bar downstairs and a fancier dining area upstairs, but the vibe and homey ambiance couldn’t be better. This burger was really something special — I’m no expert, but I’d imagine it takes some serious skill to make something so standard into a culinary masterpiece. While there were no fancy extras to shake things up, the cheeseburger I devoured melted right
in my mouth, with a delicious brioche bun and spicy mustard. It was cooked to perfection — the middle of this burger was pink and juicy while the outside was charred and marvelously grilled. We also ordered a garlic shrimp dish, fish and chips and pork satay, all scrumptious. The lemon ginger cheesecake that finished our meal was also noteworthy. But it was the fries that really make Skunk Hollow shine. They’re hand cut and smothered in malt vinegar, just the way those adorable Brits like ’em. Overall, everything was positively delicious and much cheaper than your average Simon Pearce meal. I want to go back and try everything on their menu, but their burger is definitely not to be missed. Skunk Hollow gets points for serving delicious food, drinks and everything in between.
Overall burger: 4 Cheese selection: 2 Exotic extras: 3 Fries: 5 Drinks: 5 Ambiance: 5 Distance/location: 3 Service: 4.5 Other food: 5
Carpenter and Main, Norwich I was a bit underwhelmed, although I’d heard many good things from friends. This place usually needs a reservation, but we magically were seated immediately at a nice table by the window. The vibe was cozy and the service was prompt. We had calamari for starters, which was pretty solid, but there were other options on the menu that probably would have been tastier. At this point, I had to have a veggie burger, because there was just no way that I was eating red meat three days in a row. It’s hard to make an amalgamation of beans, tofu paste and whatever other weird stuff they put into those fake patties taste good, but this one was something
special. The outside was crispy while the inside was gooey and juicy, just like any regular burger would be. It was topped by delicious tomatoes and served over a lettuce leaf. I am not saying that you should abandon meat for the sake of a sandwich, but if you have the hankering for some good veggie and tofu paste masked as a burger, this would definitely be my first choice. It sounds unappetizing when I put it that way, but if it’s capable of converting a die-hard meat fan like me, you know you’ve got the real deal. While not as good as Skunk Hollow, this place is much closer and has a wider variety of choices.
Overall burger: 4 Cheese selection: n/a Exotic extras: 4 Fries: 4.5 Drinks: 3 Ambiance: 4.8 Distance/location: 5 Service: 5 Other food: 4
The Hungry Bear Pub and Grill, Bradford It claimed to have the best burgers and wings in the Upper Valley, but I completely disagree. It’s located off the freeway next to a gas station, and has a slightly dumpy feel. That’s not to say it was terrible — it was definitely better than Stinson’s and any burger at Foco — but I didn’t think it was worth the drive. The food was mediocre at best and slightly overpriced. The burger selection was wide, offering veggie, meat, bison and turkey burgers, but I was underwhelmed by my turkey burger. I was, however, a fan of their salad, which has a killer homemade dressing. I probably would have liked this place a bit more if it had been one of the first burgers I’d eaten, but even the caramelized onions, barbecue sauce and pepper jack cheese couldn’t cover the meat that was too well done. My dining partner ordered
a bison burger that also didn’t quite make the cut — the lean meat was too overcooked to be satisfying. Not every restaurant in the middle of nowhere can be great, but if you are in the Bradford area, give the Hungry Bear a try. If not, stay a little closer to home and get a bit more bang for your buck. Overall I would rate this place a 3.5 out of 5, because the food was nothing to write home about, although the drive to get there was certainly a beautiful one.
Overall burger: 3 Cheese selection: 4 Exotic extras: 4 Fries: 3 Drinks: 3 Ambiance: 4 Distance/location: 2.5 Service: 4.7 Other food: 3
Honorable Mention: Salt Hill, Hanover I was skeptical of Salt Hill, since I’ve been there so many times and foster a love-hate relationship with it. While their nachos are divine, some of their other selections are less satisfactory. When I was trolling around on Google looking for places to eat in the Upper Valley, I stumbled across this Yelp Review: “Not much you can go wrong with when ordering from Salt Hill, but their Burgers are great! They put all other burgers in the upper valley to shame.” That is a very strong statement, especially since I’ve located all these other fantastic restaurants in the area. Since my cross-country road trip relied almost entirely on Yelp recommendations, I have come to appreciate the site’s genius and have rarely been led astray. While I did not actually go to Salt Hill during this particular search, I do vouch that the local restaurant has some worthwhile burgers and certainly wins the Hanover selection.
TRENDING @ Dartmouth BAXTER The most facetimey canine on campus.
BLUEBERRIES IN COLLIS SMOOTHIES
Just when you thought you had your order down.
PHIL HANLON FR@T NOW Slip him the invite, and he just might stop by.
HS KIDS STROLLING THROUGH HANOVER
Like they own it. But actually, kid. You’re taking up the entire sidewalk.
SWEAT
ERIN LANDAU // THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Skunk Hallow Tavern has bragging rights for its juicy burgers and incredible hand-cut fries.
NATALIE CANTAVE // THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
A CULTURE OF COVETING Thou shalt not steal wall decor, clothing or composites...
BY MARIAN LURIO
In the spirit of English professor Jonathan Crewe’s infamous Shakespeare course, there is a line in Othello that says, “the robbed that smiles steals something from the thief.” On campus, it would probably be more fitting to say that the robbed that smiles appreciates how tricky it is to fit a pong table through that narrow door in the fraternity basement and secretly admires their peers’ technique. Over sophomore summer, some of our favorite traditions are arguably questionable, and the common practice of stealing things out of fraternities and sororities is no exception. While house bonding and warm weather make the feat easiest in the summer, it all begins during the fall pledge term. “Last fall, boys from a few different
fraternities tried to steal Kandy from my room,” Taylor Magnuson ’15 said, referring to an owl figurine owned by Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. Upperclassmen are known to send their new members on missions to retrieve valued symbols from other houses. But regardless of the intentions, theft of private property is a serious crime — if you get caught. An early instance of inter-Greek house coveting occurred back in 1999, when a few members of Gamma Delta Chi fraternity initiated a “panty raid” by climbing the fire escapes of Kappa Delta Epsilon and Alpha Xi Delta sororities to steal clothing from sisters’ rooms. As a punishment, GDX received a $200 fine and was placed on year-long probation. Institutional memor y prevented a similar incident from happening for a few years, but several ’09 male students
attempted a raid at Kappa in 2008, though the incident went unreported. Given that many of the items taken from Greek houses have only symbolic or personal value, not reporting the crime is fairly common. Sarah Caughey ’15 was bequested a flag by a sister in KDE last spring, which had been taken off a bedroom wall of a fraternity. Other items, however, are significant to a house not only for their historical value, but for their monetary expense. Composites cost upwards of $2,000 each year but provide an ideal challenge for the adrenaline-seeking thief, since they can’t be snuck out under a sweatshirt. Extra credit if it’s the house’s original chapter, or the most recent. Typically, composites that are successfully stolen are returned the next day, since it’s impossible to be discreet about where it came from if you end up getting caught. While inter-Greek competitiveness might fuel much of this practice, Soma Kobayashi ’15, a member of Phi Delta Alpha fraternity, claims that a tradition of theft isn’t always the underlying force. “It’s less about rivalr y I think, and more about being drunk and seeing something cool,” he said. A stag head trophy that used to be mounted on a wall in Phi Delt is a prime example of Kobayashi’s sentiments. “Someone tried to take it a while ago and ended up breaking it in the process,” Phi Delt member Evan Landau ’15 said. “It’s ver y heavy and they probably didn’t realize that, so they left empty handed.” Phi Delt had its 2012 composite stolen at the end of the spring, an impressive feat given that the house typically bolts or locks them to the walls. Luckily, it was returned the next day,
Conor Cathey ’15, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity’s summer president, said that the house also experienced several similar instances of theft at the end of last spring. Flags were stolen off of the house’s porch, as were two composites, one of which has yet to reappear. The incidents have shaped how the fraternity views the bandwagon custom. “Since they’re ver y expensive and sentimentally significant to the brotherhood, we now take a strong stance against our brothers stealing other fraternities’ property,” Cathey said. Alex Velaise ’15 noted that there is a clear distinction between taking something that will offend a house and stealing an individual’s belongings. “Stealing a cool t-shirt or something small is different than purposefully doing something to upset an entire house,” he said. “It’s a little messed up.” Though we might be more inclined to turn a blind eye to theft within our own Greek system, perpetrators outside of campus receive far less lenience. In 2004, Hanover police arrested a group of eight Middlebur y College students for stealing various items from Dar tmouth Greek houses. According to the police blotter, the group was participating in “some sort of scavenger hunt,” and those charged were heavily fined and banned from returning to campus. So to those Hanover High students I heard were messing with unlocked cars on frat row a few weeks ago — you better keep your hands to yourselves. We’re watching you. Landau is a former member of The Dartmouth staff.
FINDING THE GEMS: Connecting with those unfamiliar ’15s By ADITI KIRTIKAR
The sun is up, the sky is blue, sophomore summer is here, but who are you?! But actually — who are you? And who are all the other unfamiliar faces who you swear you’ve never seen before, but who have apparently been part of your class for a year or two? The number of people we don’t recognize around campus might be surprising because by this point in our Dartmouth careers, we’ve all developed routines that tend to surround us with similar social groups day in and day out. But by cutting the student body to a fourth of its size, sophomore summer inherently shakes up the status quo, making it the perfect time to meet those hidden gems whose paths you’ve yet to cross with. If you’re willing to put yourself out there, student organizations, Greek houses, and performance groups provide the perfect forums for meeting new people. “Part of our goal is definitely to facilitate ’15
interactions,” said Chase Mertz ’15, 2015 Class Council vice president. “We’re just trying to have a bunch of events for people to come, hang out and meet each other.” If you haven’t been checking blitz frequently enough, you may have missed out on opportunities like Glow Stick tag, hosted by the council during the weekend of Sophomore Trips. Mertz said that the council spends more money during sophomore summer than other terms. “In the spring, we weren’t too successful,” Merz said. “The summer ones have been very successful. It’s only ’15s, so whatever we do is just for our class, compared to something another term, when anyone can freeload.” On July 5, the council gave away over 150 Otter Pops on Collis porch. Greek organizations also hosts many events during sophomore summer, especially since the Greek Leadership Council provides funding for events that include different sub-councils under
ANNA DAVIES // THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
Students find it easier to break outside their typical social groups over sophomore summer.
the umbrella organization. The Interfraternity Council offers funding to its 15 fraternities for social and philanthropic events. “One of the requirements is that the event be open to all of campus,” summer president Chase Schoelkopf ’15 said. “So hopefully that will bring a larger portion of campus together, including the non-Greek scene.” Schoelkopf said the summer offers plenty of opportunities to meet people who are not affiliated. “There are so many people living in their houses,” Schoelkopf said. “At the same time, it’s the summer, everyone is outside, down at the river — there are affiliated and non-affiliated people across campus.” Mertz, who is unaffiliated, said that living in off campus housing also fosters new relationships. “Living with people is cool,” he said. “You don’t really know your floor after freshman year, which is weird, but in the summer you’re in a house and definitely get to know them better.” Summer performance groups also give students the opportunity to meet new people. Carly Christian ’15, a member of Summerphonics, said that the group has introduced her to many fresh faces. “I was really just auditioning because I love to sing, but now I’m saying hi to people that I’ve never really met before,” Christian said. Christian said the achapella group has given her an alternative to her regular social circle, which is refreshing since it can be challenging to branch out halfway through college. “We already know a lot of people, so it’s nice to find a new thing where I can branch out a little,” Christian said. “I feel like I spend a lot of time with girls, so it’s nice to have a co-ed group that isn’t in a frat basement.” Many sophomore summer events are de-
signed around food, something that Mertz said brings people together, “like breaking bread.” “When people are reaching for food they are hopefully exchanging words or pleasantries,” Mertz said. Epsilon Kappa Theta sorority has hosted an ice cream social and a mocktails event, targeted toward unaffiliated women but designed to create an open space for all women on campus. “I think that being affiliated over sophomore summer can give you a lot more opportunities to hang out with people in organized ways,” president Emily Reeves ’15 said. Fieldstock, sophomore summer’s big weekend, also brings together people from across campus. The event, organized by the class council, will be held from Aug. 8 to 10. “There are little competitions throughout the weekend and the culminating event is a chariot race,” Mertz said. A number of Greek houses already have chariots from years past, which automatically creates a strong presence of affiliated students at the chariot races. Mertz plans on forming a team with his housemates, and hopes that unaffiliated parties will participate as well. “People always say that its weird that there are ’15s that you’ve never seen before, and it makes sense when it’s 4,000 people on campus versus 1,000 people,” Mertz said. “It’s nice to have an opportunity to at least see who they all are and to interact with each other more.” Some people might argue that simple proximity cannot create meaningful relationships, but think back to how you met your current best friends at Dartmouth. Many of them were probably based on proximity, and think how close you’ve become to those people in the past two years. And you have just as much time, between now and graduation, to do that again.