2013! Congratulations to the Class of 2011!
You may leave the Hill, but the Hill will never leave you. The Office of the President
the continental a student-run magazine based at hamilton college SOPHIE HAYS editor in chief CHRISTIE CRAWFORD creative director SAM TOOLE director of photography on the hill editor HEATHER KRIEGER talk of the town editor EMILY DRINKWATER features editor CRYSTAL KIM style editor GENEVIEVE NIERMAN society editor TED NEHRBAS travel editor ELAHEH NOZARI design SARAH COCUZZO, CATHARINE CRANDALL, TAYLOR HEALY, ANNE HILBURN, DEBORAH RONEY, JESSICA TANG, MARA WILSON web advisor JASON WILKIN advertising JULIA BEATY, NEIL BUCKLEY, HANNAH HOAR, MARTA PISERA, PANOS TAMVAKOLOGOS editors at large FRANKIE CARACCIOLO, GREG HYMAN, MAX INGRASSIA, SARAH SHAUGHNESSY writers LIZZY AUWAERTER, FRANKIE CARACCIOLO, CHRISTIE CRAWFORD, EMILY DRINKWATER, GIPPER GAILOR, LANA GURA, CHELSEA HAIGHT, ELIZABETH HUEBNER, GREG HYMAN, MAX INGRASSIA, JULIA JARROLD, HANNAH KLOECKNER, DAN KNISHKOWY, MATT LANGAN, JENNA LANGBAUM, MAGGIE MALONEY, MEGAN MCCAREINS, TED NEHRBAS, GENEVIEVE NIERMAN, ELAHEH NOZARI, GRACE OAKLEY, BECCA REES, SARAH SHAUGHNESSY, LILY SIFF, SUSAN TEMPLE, VIRGINIA WALSH, HANNAH WITHIAM, EMILY WOODWARD photographers EMILY DRINKWATER, ALLIE HOELTZEL, LUCAS KANG, CLAIRE KING, DAN KNISHKOWY, TALIA LEVINE, DAN LICHTENAUER, DUNCAN LOWE, GENEVIEVE NIERMAN, SEAN SMITH, SAM TOOLE, ALICJA ZAK founder KATIE CHILDS founding editor KATE STINCHFIELD
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from the editors
“What is a Continental?”prospective students and non-Hamiltonians often ask. It is [that] seems to indicate an identity crisis.”
An Eclectic American Bistro
8 Park Row Clinton, NY 13323 (315) 381-3076 reservations@acrosstherow.com Reservations are accepted but not required
Business Hours: LUNCH
Hours will be offered starting in May
DINNER Thursday – Monday: 5pm to 9:30pm Sunday: 5pm to 8pm Bring Your Own Beverages
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table of contents On the Cover Coolest Conts On Campus 4
On the Hill Real Food Challenge 6 First Year Initiative 8 Summer at Tradewinds 9 The Marriage of Bette and Boo 10
Features Slow Food at Hamilton 12 On the Road with a Watson Scholar 14 Get Your Zen On 15 Hamilton Compliments: Reaveled 16
Talk of the Town Best of Hamilton Compliments 17 Cheers to a C&C Weekend 18 Recent Grads with Job Swag 20 Meet Natalie Babbit 22
Style Thriftshoppin’ with Sara & Sarah 24 Spotted: On the Roof 25 Style Inspired by the Hill 28
Society Battle of the Bars 32 Creative Parties on Campus 34 Little Pub Legends 36 The Only Cafe 38
Travel Semester in South Africa 39 Guys Go to the Gorges 40 Guatemala 42 Letter from Future Editors 44
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on the hill
“coolest clique on campus” Cynthia Rodriguez ’13, Athina Chartelain ’13,
Hamilton Study Abroad-ers in China Nominated by Libby Chamberlin ’14 Libby Chamberlin ’14, Liza Strauss ’15, Melissa Huerta ’14, Sabrina Hua ’14, Isabelle Tan ’14, Amanda Ng ’14, Graham Sadler ’14, Prianka Imanudin ’14 & Daniel Mesa ’14 The Continental
.
The Crew Coxswains Nominated by Monica Gutierrez ’15 Monica Gutierrez ’15, Kelsey Burke ’13, Sawyer Konys ’16, Heather Piekarz ’16, Sydney Cantor ’16, Lia Parker-Belfer ’16, & Amy Song ’16
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Compiled by Christie Crawford ’13
“coolest conts on campus” Nicolas Keller Sarmiento ’13
Real Housewives of the Hill
Conor Collins ’14 Nominated by Sarah Dempsey ’14 & Maja Feenick ’13
Jane Barnard ‘13 & Harper Gany-Beitler ‘13
the the continental continental || wnter spring2012 2013
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a h le C
b a n i a t s
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By Becca Rees ’16
T
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“This is more than just about the percentage. It’s about creating awareness of sustainability and changing the culture on campus.”
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& “ ”
on the hill
d o Fo
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With hopes to complete this goal by the year 2020, it is important to note the long-term projection of this challenge, and more importantly, its target goal of sustainability. For the Real Food chapter at Hamilton, the plan is “strategic and comprehensive,” says Howe. To ensure the successful continuation of the plan towards the future, the logistics of the project have been thoroughly established and attended to. As a collaborative effort, the Real Food Challenge is not restricted to only those who live here on the Hill. Hamilton’s Real Food chapter hopes to join institutions that have also signed onto the Real Food Challenge commitment, such as Wesleyan University and University of Vermont. The Real Food Challenge initiative targets colleges and universities in particular because of the huge purchasing power that these schools have—colleges and universities nationwide spend almost $5 billion on food. “We want to create an institutional, structural, and lasting change,” says Howe, who has worked on the project for the past two years. To energize and modify our dining menu, this change also requires support from the college and proactive student involvement as well. Members of the committee have worked hard to gain campus support, and Student Assembly recently signed an endorsement letter in support of Hamilton’s Real Food Challenge goals. working with the Bon Appétit staff to petition for Heather Krieger ’14, a member of the Real Food committee who partners closely with Bon Appetit, says, “One of the best parts about working on this project has been the support we’ve had from faculty members and Bon Appétit. It’s encouraging to have the ability to create real change here at Hamilton.” On top of their work to install a permanent effort to increase the standard of the food in our dining halls, the team is engaged in projects that will increase student involvement on campus. This spring will be a designated Real Food week.
We want to create an institutional, structural, and lasting change.
They hope to not only bring about awareness of the project, but also to raise interest in furthering its advancement. A long-term project for the group is to create a Sustainability Hub on campus similar to the Levitt Center—a place for groups dedicated to environmental and health awareness and protection. “Right now, we are working to align a variety of groups under the umbrella of the Sustainability Hub so we can begin working as a unit in an effort to accomplish some of our common goals,” says Sally Bourdon ’15, one of the organizers of this initiative. All of these efforts strive towards creating an established and persistent mentality and sentiment on campus regarding real food. Luckily, this project is applicable to more than just foodies. People involved in social justice or environmental awareness all have incentives to get involved in the challenge. Sustainable and delicious food for the Hamilton community is a widely held of us.
Those working on the project recognize it’s potential impact. Bourdon hopes that the plans that are currently set in place will “help Hamilton students begin to understand the food they’re putting in their bodies and teach the value of locally and organically sourced food.” It is important to get the community on campus aware and involved, especially as the original initiators of the project prepare to graduate this spring. Regardless of her approaching commencement date, Howe has high hopes for the project’s continued progress and sustenance: “This is more than just about the percentage. It’s about creating awareness of sustainability and changing the culture on campus.” the continental | spring 2013
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every Hamilton student By Gipper Gailor ’15 Almost is greeted upon his or her
arrival at Hamilton by a screaming group of enthusiastic Orientation leaders lining College Hill Road. After this welcome, First Year students go through Orientation and matriculate to become full members of the student body college student and establishing their identities at Hamilton on their own. Beginning in the Fall of 2014, however, the transition to college will go a little more smoothly for First Years when the recommendations of the college’s Ad Hoc Committee on the First Year Experience go into effect. In the fall of 2011, an ad hoc committee on the First Year Experience, consisting of students, faculty, administrators, and deans, was created to research ways to make the transition into Hamilton’s intellectual and social community go more smoothly for incoming students. The Committee’s recommendations focused on First Year housing, First Year advising, and the First Year classroom experience—the combination of which will create a more immediate sense of belonging and a stronger class identity. recommended is the development of First Year housing clusters. First Years will be housed together in housing clusters in dorms around campus to promote class unity. The committee also hopes that First Year housing will reduce the alcohol culture on campus, to which students are exposed almost immediately after arriving on campus. themselves without worrying about - or trying to impress – upperclassmen,” says Meredith Bonham, Senior Associate Dean of Students for Strategic Initiatives. “While there is no one panacea, we believe that this change will help address of Residential Life will reduce the number of upper class Resident Advisors and “redeploy” younger RAs to the First Year housing where their support is most needed, providing First Years face. The clusters will be located in six residence halls: Dunham (basement, Wertimer. While there has been some resistance to this plan among upper class students who feel it will eliminate attractive housing options, the conversion of Minor Theater into student apartments, set to be completed by
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2015, will offset such concerns. It should also be noted that the College seeks to eliminate off-campus housing in the future and remove 3994 and 4002 Campus Road from the housing plan, although alternatives for student living are not yet in place. is the First Year Course, a single required course that would introduce First Years to Hamilton’s academic standards and enhance the open curriculum. First Year courses will either be seminars capped at 16 students or larger courses of up versions of current courses and will focus on writing, oral communication, and reasoning—all of which are major facets of a liberal arts education. Options for First Year courses and programming for January admits are also being explored. An upper class mentor will assist students in each course in order to help ease students’ transition to Hamilton’s academics. Chosen by the professor of each course, First Year Mentors will be expected to attend classes, assist First Years with course work, help them learn effective study habits, and discuss college life outside of the classroom. Upper class students will be compensated for ten hours of work per week for the position. The First Year Course will be supplemented by a shift to summer registration for classes rather than during Orientation. The changes in the First Year experience will take place over the next several years. Housing changes will take effect in the fall of 2014, while the First Year course will be added once faculty and administration have reviewed it. Various administrative support systems will be also in place to ensure the program succeeds in all areas. Additionally, the First Year Experience may be affected by possible changes in the pledging process for Greek societies on campus, including duration and time of year (i.e. freshman spring students, faculty, and administration is exploring this issue, at Hamilton. The goal of all the proposed changes to the First Year Experience is to improve the life of all Hamilton students and establish a foundation on which First Years can build throughout their time at Hamilton. “We expect to college, and to instill an immediate sense of belonging,” Dean Bonham reiterates. “Ultimately, it’s about creating the best possible foundation for their four years at Hamilton.”
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& While at Hamilton College, Anna Paikert ’13 has always dreamed of working with children after graduating from Hamilton. Although she is a creative writing major, Anna combined both of her passions for writing and education during her junior spring semester abroad in Copenhagen. While studying Child Diversity and Development, and working with Children with Special Needs, her teachers at the Danish Institute for Study Abroad encouraged her to develop creative techniques for helping children with disabilities. While Paikert has “always found writing therapeutic,” she felt the best way for children to relieve their anxieties was through personal stories. Empowered by these revelations, Anna pursued an ideal, yet challenging, assignment for the summer before her senior year. She applied for an Emerson Grant to implement a creative writing program into the summer curriculum at the Utica and Rome campuses of the Tradewinds Education Center of Upstate Cerebral Palsy. At Tradewinds, she would be working with children diagnosed with behavioral, developmental, and physical disabilities. Even though Anna felt comfortable around children, she had no experience with the kind of classroom environment that Tradewinds encouraged. She felt both noted, “but I soon realized that these types of behaviors help the students. For example, a student may wave his arms around in class because he is nonverbal and becomes overwhelmed easily, so waving his arms helps him communicate and feel relaxed.” After she became more comfortable and familiar with the classroom dynamic, she bravely jumped into leading her own lessons. Anna taught the children about story structure by reading stories with the students and designing interactive activities, like board games. All of the students created their own books as well. Anna greatly appreciates how the exercise gave them a unique
way to express themselves individually. With the help of Tradewinds’ Curriculum Director Letty Umidi, Anna quickly embraced her role as a mentor to the children to help complement the Tradewinds teachers and aides. In this way, she developed a personal connection with each of the students. The children had the chance to read their stores aloud in front of their classmates at the end of the students. Paikert relayed to me how all her students felt very proud of them and enjoyed sharing their stories with their peers. “I realized that creative writing not only helps students translate their emotions into words, understand sequential structures, and develop their imaginations,” Anna discovered, “but also enhances their social skills.” Anna brought the many lessons she learned from her summer at Tradewinds back to Hamilton this past fall and started a school volunteer program. Enlisting a group of students and faculty including: Wynn Van Dusen ’15, Genevieve Neirman ’13, Professor Hall, and Professor Mason. Anna continues to teach at Tradewinds once a week and has introduced several new activities, including a quilting project and a play production that the students are very excited about. With these unforgettable experiences under her belt, Anna plans to become a special education teacher after graduation. She does not believe that any of these children are “limited because they have a special need,” but rather “as incredible as they all are, they just need a little extra help.” As a teacher, Anna intends to provide this assistance, but “looks forward to learning from [her] students,” most of all, saying, “I believe that I’m the best version of myself when I work with students.” As her career moves forward, Anna will not forget the relationships she made and skills she acquired at Tradewinds, and hopes that the program will continue to grow and excel at Hamilton long after she has graduated. the continental | spring 2013
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The Theatre Department Takes on The Marriage of Bette Boo
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By Maggie Maloney ’15 Photos by Alicja Zak ’15 10
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Stage Production, The Marriage of Bette and Boo. This play is one of many productions the always-busy Theatre department brings to the Hamilton community for our viewing pleasure. Let’s hold on the applause for now, but on behalf of the Theatre department, welcome to the show. The Theatre department is the heart and soul of the performing arts scene at Hamilton. The department presents two main stage productions every year, one in the fall and another in the spring. Behind the scenes of these works of entertainment are hard-working and committed actors, who include theatre majors, minors, and other theatre-buffs who dedicate their time to bring incredible stories to the stage. Theatre majors must participate in two Main Stage Productions in some capacity during their time at Hamilton, whether through acting, stage-managing, or costuming. These productions are additions to various student-produced works that take place throughout the year, including Director’s Showcase, Shakespeare in the Glen, and the Theatre majors’ senior theses projects. Everyone in the community is welcome and is encouraged to attend these events.
a Broadway stage or are unable to cry on command for a dramatic scene, fear not. With courses including stagecraft, set design, costume design, playwriting, and sound production, there are areas for everyone to explore. Students are exposed to the inner-workings of production and learn the complexities of the theater both on and off the stage. This year’s spring production, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, is a satirical, dark comedy written by Christopher Evans ’15 as Boo, the play centers on memories of Bette and Boo’s marriage as narrated by their son Matt, played by Peter Bresnan ’15. The unique presentation of the play showcases the dysfunctional yet familiar nature of family life through the perspective of a separate narrator. Taking place out of chronological order, Matt transforms through dialogue and banter of the play is kept fresh by Matt’s wit and comical moments. Jenna Langbaum ’15, who plays Margaret, Bette’s quirky mother, says, “Although there is a great amount of humor in the play, there are also vast emotional moments that allow the audience to delve into their own familial relationships.” Minou Clark ’14 agrees, “The show features several laugh-out-loud personalities, but also contains many poignant moments that are insightful and compelling. This is a show that everyone can relate to, and the cast and crew are very talented!” This talented cast of characters will bring the complex but relatable humor and drama of The Marriage of Bette and Boo to life this spring.
And now, some applause please for the Hamilton College Theater Department. the continental | spring 2013
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features
Keeping it local When one thinks about run-of-the mill college dining hall food, a rather distasteful image may come to organizations such as the Slow Food club, the Community Farm, and Bon Appétit Management Company, Hamilton is revolutionizing the typical college dining experience. In the past, food has been viewed as less of a nutritional necessity than as a trendy discussion topic. College students are intrigued by food, invested in what they are eating, and concerned about where their food is coming from, if the growing interest in the Slow Food club on campus or the ever-growing waitlist for the Food for Thought seminar are any indication. However, the far-reaching cultural, social, economic, and environmental implications of food are beginning to be emphasized and promoted. Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization that protects the values of good food -- that is, food that is fresh and delicious, sourced by well-treated employees in ways that do not harm the environment or animal welfare. The Slow Food chapter at Hamilton College aims to raise awareness about food issues by celebrating and enjoying tasty food that aligns with these values. With an estimated 170 students on the club’s listserv, it is clear that students are interested in food, though this was not always the case. Founder Lauren Howe ’13 revealed that one of the major challenges of the Slow Food movement was overcoming its “elitist” image. For instance, people often assume that farmer’s markets are expensive and inconvenient. Why buy organic or fair-trade, when Walmart is around the corner and sells bulk produce at a 12
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awareness about where and how food is raised brings back “the culture of the table,” said Professor Frank Sciacca of the popular Food for Thought class at Hamilton. Indeed, it reinforces the appreciation of a meal as a social activity and produce food. In the United States, milk is sold for less than it costs to produce because of federal subsidies. good food is accessible and affordable to everyone. The club arranges trips to the Old Path Farm and North Star through catering services. They also hope to start an afternoon program about nutrition at local schools in Clinton. But Slow Food is not the only organization making the commitment to good food. Hamilton’s very own Community Farm sells its produce to Bon Appétit. Professor Sciacca is also spearheading the introduction of an 1812 Largest of all, Bon Appétit Management Company, Hamilton College’s food service provider, has been at sustainable future. According to Rueben Haag, executive chef, Bon Appétit is constantly evolving to incorporate local and healthy food into dining halls with the help of more than 70 local partners. . The company brings innovative policies on sustainable seafood, animal welfare, fair labor practices and local purchasing to campus nd even celebrates the availability of local foods with the annual Eat Local Challenge in which all food that is served comes from within a 150-mile radius. The efforts of various on-campus organizations have focused on protecting the integrity of food and appreciating the history and value of food as a means to connect with one another and support our community. So your salad and chicken is sourced from good plants and good hands.
“Slow Food engages students by demonstrating how good food is accessible and affordable to everyone.” the continental | spring 2013
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SCHOLAR
WATSON
If you had one year to pursue your greatest passion, what would you do? For most students, this question is akin to a daydream, but for one lucky Hamilton student, this daydream becomes reality through the Watson Fellowship. Every year, a committee selects forty students from forty liberal arts colleges to travel abroad and pursue their deepest passions, which can range from exploring the coexistence of big cats and humans in Belize, delving into the complex world institutions, Hamilton has been sending one graduate to The Watson requires participants to travel to countries they have not visited extensively. Thus, every year, a senior leaves Hamilton with a diploma and a ticket to an entirely unfamiliar nation, relying only on their own prior research, comprised primarily of establishing living and working arrangements in each of their destinations. cannot say which past projects she found most memorable that the projects are not meant to be an academic extension, but rather an individual exploration of a unique passion. around people, things, animals who are involved in things that really move you,� said Dean Dosch. math to inner-city children and conducted computer science research. This year, she is and Finland. This involves examining the role of mathematics that education plays in diverse cultural and economic environments, volunteering in classrooms, and aiding in extracurricular applications encourages a heightened focus on mathematics education nationwide. to Dean Dosch, it is important for all graduates to ask themselves what they would do for a year if the possibilities were truly limitless. But for students considering pursuing the Watson, responsibility and planning are requisite. The Fellowship provides $25,000, left entirely establishing contacts in foreign countries as early as their junior year, securing a network of safe places to stay in each of their destinations, and research accessible volunteer and research opportunities. But above all, the Watson Fellowship seeks out those with open your ideas and perceptions about life and people.� everyone knows each other and will greet one another on the street with only been here a short while, I already feel welcomed into the community and look forward to meals with everyone at the market or soccer matches on weekends. In this small community I am able to immerse myself in the local culture as well as talk with and learn from the teachers, parents, students
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features
As temperatures rise this spring, stress levels follow suit. Work
stress levels rise. In truth, however, all of these things we put ourselves
present moment."
F i n d Yo u r Z e n By Grace Oakley ’13
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Features
Hamilton Compliments Four students at Queens University in Kingston, college compliments page in September 2012. Since then, these pages have become popular at both large universities and small liberal arts schools. The pages are forums for college students, alumni, faculty, and staff to post and share anonymous compliments about other community members. Hamilton Compliments was created shortly after a series of dangerous events last semester, including the infamous Mad Dog party in which eleven students required serious medical attention. The page’s “About” description reads, “Everyone on the Hill could always use a pick me up and it’s not always easy to come out and say it but here you can. Inbox a compliment about a person and we’ll post in anonymously for you. Being nice has never been so uncreepy before!” A Hamilton student, who wishes to remain anonymous, started the Hamilton Compliments page on November 15, 2012, after reading about other colleges’ compliments pages in “The ‘Cac,” a news and blog website dedicated to all things NESCAC. The founder posted the compliments page before dinnertime and invited 25 close friends to “like” the page. By midnight, the page had already received 200 “likes” and 50 compliments. The founder now manages and regulates the page with another Hamilton student. Students submit compliments by sending private messages to the Hamilton Compliments inbox. The page is meant to share positive comments and the founders do not have to edit the content of the majority of posts. “I spend a lot of time on the Internet, and I know it is a place where bad things come to breath, but I’ve never gotten a blatantly offensive comment,” said the founder, but revealed that people have submitted backhanded compliments, weird comments, or inside jokes that they have elected to not post. The two students behind Hamilton Compliments have high aspirations for the page. It has become extremely popular, having received about 1,360 “likes” as of this April. The founder hopes the page will “[continue] throughout the years and that at some point, I can stop running it and
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give it over to someone else…I want every incoming class to know about this and like it so that they can pass it on.” While some may argue for the removal of anonymity from Hamilton Compliments, for now, the compliments will remain anonymous because “the anonymous part eliminates the awkwardness and allows people to say what they want. . . . It also allows there to be a collective sense of where [a compliment] is coming from.” Hamilton Compliments is, however, considering hosting a public event on Martin’s Way in which students or other Hamilton community members could compliment one another face-to-face. The founder believes the event, ideally held at the end of the year, would be the perfect way for the community to “culminate the year by appreciating the people in our lives.” In conjunction with the Hamilton Compliments Facebook page, the event would help continue to foster a positive environment within Hamilton’s community. Harking back to last semester’s disruptive events, the most popular post since the page’s founding expresses appreciation toward Nancy Thompson, Dean of Students. The post received 190 “likes.” The founder was not aware that Dean Thompson knew his or her identity until she approached him or her at the Posse Plus Retreat in March to express her thanks and adoration for the page and commend its positive effect on the community. “There was a lot of animosity going on [last semester] and a lot of angry, blaming Facebook statuses. [The Compliments page] brought the community together. I have 500 examples of people who are genuinely nice people. I think it says a lot about what [our community] is capable of.”
f
talk of the town Within 48 hours of its launch, the Hamilton Compliments Facebook page received 858 likes and dozens of anonymous compliments. While watching HamComps blow up my newsfeed, I couldn’t help but think that this is the kind of community engagement and new user attraction that companies dream of. But the product that Hamilton Compliments is selling is something that we all already have; we just needed a little nudge to get back in touch with it. Compliments. Com· pli· ment: Compliments are cool and curious things. They not only make the complimented feel good, but they bring good karma (and maybe future added a third party to this exchange, an audience. Hamilton Compliments has tapped into a community that has a lot of good to say. Giving and receiving compliments are obviously fun and rewarding, but what I really love about Hamilton Compliments is that it allows me (and the say about people who I both love and have never heard of. From the trio of benevolent hockey boys and the fearless Dean of Students Nancy Thompson to the awesome Diner B crew and Hamilton’s most complimented, Leigh Pomeranz to do and a lot of good to say. Therefore, my compliments go out to Hamilton Compliments for providing us with a platform to give, receive and witness these cool and curious things: compliments.
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talk of the town
By Jenna Langbaum ’14 Limbs lying over lawns, dancing down G-road,
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Photo thrifted from the internet
talk of the town
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talk of the town
Recent Grads with Job Swag Growing up, the majority of us consider our future and solely think of college. We focus on where we will and what we will study but when it comes to looking beyond what is frequently referred to as “the best four years of your life,” the scene goes black and we are paralyzed. Though typically seniors feel the weight of their open-ended futures in a heavier way than juniors, sophomores, and even current jobs of Hamilton post-graduates. SPOILER ALERT: They are all awesome and they all have awesome jobs. Currently Kate Bennert is the Video Editor at Gawker.com. Kate explained that during her free time at Hamilton (what is free of her senior year she applied and was appointed to be an editor at Deadspin.com, which due to hard work and good work relations, led her to her current job at Gawker. Now let’s talk about the really sex tape. She states “I was named in the consequent $100 million her job has readjusted after the drama. Excuse me – after learning of Kate’s involvement in this piece of art – I watched it --and… professional wrestler’s naked tushy is way worse. “I wanted to pursue a career that deals with storytelling, so I applied to the summer internship program at Legendary and spent that time meeting as many people and learning as much as possible,” says Pomerantz. “Once the internship was over I was asked to work on post production on one of our movies, and then eventually moved into the production department for the company.”Though she is currently working on, she did express to me that the likelihood of Moreover, Becca approached the description of her current job in a gracious and appreciative way. She describes Legendary (I can call it “the importance of making good contacts, maintaining those contacts, and being friendly to everyone you meet.” Both of these women (who were roommates their freshman and Becca Pomerantz, another fabulous graduate of the class of 2012 (and former Editor in Chief of it is inspiring to hear. They both seem to be doing what they truly love assistant in the production department at Legendary Pictures (Lightbulb: Thomas Tull, the founder of Legendary Pictures, is and furthermore, they claim to constantly be entertained and happy. While there may be hordes of recent and future college graduates who yearn for Scott Blosser’s current position in
Ohio’s beloved Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, a shop he had long
after graduating from Hamilton was debatably a whole lot sweeter. During the fall of his senior year, he accepted a position at GE to begin in January 2013, which meant he would have eight months of downtime before joining the company. To occupy his time during this interlude, Blosser, among other things, worked for a landscaping company, took a road trip with his twin sister, and searched desperately for a bartending gig nearby, but to no avail. As a last resort, he applied to work behind the counter at
he fairly recognized how “paralyzing-ly nice” the employees were, and appreciated the great music the shop played. Blosser quickly realized he had been wrong about the company, and, of course, its superbly-reviewed product, which Time has called “America’s best.” Blosser recounts, after he had access to all the ice cream he could eat, he “soon capitulated to its deliciousness,” and added “Jeni’s is also a company you can feel
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talk of the town community-oriented values (also a local favorite of After spending some time scooping behind the counter, Blosser began to work at events throughout Ohio, representing the company at concerts and festivals. Moving further through the ranks, he then was recruited to assist on some special projects in Overall, Blosser considers his four months at Jeni’s an amazing experience. “During that time, I got deeper into the Ohio food scene than I ever thought I would, served ice cream to Andrew concert, and met my current girlfriend (another did he know that what was initially meant to be a experience, and while he enjoys his current work at bygone, laidback days of scooping ice cream behind the counter at Jeni’s. Alice Townsend approached the post-grad world with a different question to guide her than most: instead of asking what she wanted to do, she focused on where she wanted to be. Since she left the Hill, she’s spent time at home on Nantucket Island, traversed nearly the whole of South America, and become a local in the ski-haven of Park City, Utah (apparently, she didn’t get Immediately after graduating, “the only careers [she] could see herself having were that of a mermaid, sea lion trainer, or Unfortunately, there was a dearth of Craigslist ads in those by her urge to travel. In cooperation with her friend and fellow Class of 2011 grad Talya Ramchandani, the logical destination was South America, given that, as Townsend put it, “neither of us had been, knew Spanish or Portuguese, and it was quite far out of our
comfort zone.” loving vegetarian, took a summer job primarily slicing meat at Nantucket’s cherished Bartlett’s Farm deli, which, “animal carnage aside,” was quite the positive experience. All worth it, ultimately, South America. with only her backpack and threadbare language skills. They made it as far north as Cartagena, and as far south as Tierra del Fuego (for reference, 4,500 miles separate the two…and I Townsend intended to spend at least some of her time engaged philanthropically, perhaps “somewhere in Peru to save the llamas.” Incidentally, she would discover that said llamas required little in Quickly after she returned to the States, Townsend itched once more to venture somewhere anew. The West was her destination, for the skiing and change of scenery on offer, so she packed her car and drove to Utah. Within a week, she fortunately found a couple She’s enjoying herself thoroughly, and noted, “At the very least, it allows me to live in a beautiful place and ski the incredible Utah snow.” With the snow melting and spring rudely imposing itself upon her, Townsend feels increasingly drawn back to the ocean and home on Nantucket. This summer, she will spend her days She looks forward to the refreshing change from the deli drag, and most importantly, “the broccoli is cruelty-free.” Next on the agenda is anyone’s guess—perhaps a return to Park City for the winter, or another international jaunt (only to In closing, she offered some well-traveled words of advice to travel if you can, and tip your barista.” the continental | spring 2013
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talk of the town
Meet Natalie Babbitt Interview by Susan Temple ’13
Earlier this year, Susan Temple ’13 learned that Natalie Babbitt, author of her favorite children’s book, Tuck Everlasting, is married to
founded? Can you describe the atmosphere on The young women who were attracted to the idea of Kirkland and who wanted to come and be there were unique; the Kirkland women had large and exciting ideas about what they wanted to do with their lives. It was certainly an amazing moment. Things had certainly begun to change at that time in the country for women. It didn’t last very long—it lasted about the same amount of time that Kirkland did, and then things began to change again. They were very special women, and they still are. I know that you are an illustrator in addition to being and writing? I really never thought about writing at the beginning, but there wasn’t that much I was supposed to do as a President’s wife, so I spent most of my time building my own career. I discovered that I am really a better writer than I am an illustrator. The writing has been much more of a challenge and much more exciting for me. Why childrens’ books? I decided in the fourth grade that I wanted to work with children’s books. I have increasingly become a strong champion for kids. It’s extraordinary how worldviews do not count you until you are eighteen. That is very irritating because it is simply not true. People have forgotten what it feels like to be young; they have wiped that part of their lives away. The time you spend as a child is so important; it doesn’t last very long. When I look back on it my memories of my childhood were very very clear—all the way back to being four years old. When we’re young it is really a very important part of our lives and you cannot just wipe it away the way our American society thinks we should do. Most people don’t think this way. They think children are a nuisance until they are old enough to earn money. In this country particularly, children have no power, and power is important in America. And they don’t have any power because they don’t have any money. It’s all pretty discouraging when you look at what it amounts to. But then, I think we make up for it as best we can when we’re older. I’m sure you and your classmates can recognize how different it feels to be in the world as a college student as compared to a grammar school student. The older I get, the more annoyed I get at the American attitude, but that’s the way that goes. 22
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Which of your characters is most like you and why? Even if you do not realize it, you always put yourself into your stories. All of my stories are ones that I can trace back to my childhood—ideas, not necessarily events, because most of my stories are fantasies—the questions, the observations, the feelings that we have when we are in grammar school about adults around us. I think that Tuck Everlasting covers that whole thing probably the most. It really talks about the main character, Wynnie, crossing the line and becoming an adolescent. It’s very clear in my own memory what that transition was like for me. Where do you draw inspiration from for your books? The ideas are all the unanswered questions that I grew up with. They are the same questions that we all grow up with. They do not necessarily have answers. Religion is one part of it—I was a very skeptical child, still am. I’ve moved a lot and lived in a lot of very different kinds of places and you try to moved so often and when you go to a new school you have to be helpful I think. This is going to sound funny to you, but, that part of my life, up until the time I was ten was in some ways far more interesting than anything that has come along after. It’s a very long story, but if you want to know the whole thing you would have to read all of my books because it is all in there.
“The ideas are all the unanswered questions that I grew up with.”
It’s so important that we take children seriously— of understanding. Absolutely. And when you say the children and I say the children, we are really just talking about ourselves. I had a wonderful mother. We didn’t seem to ever go through that period where you are nobody, at least not at home. It’s unusual. I think a lot of women think that when they get married and have babies they think, “Oh Goody”, “now I get to mold this little creature exactly the way I want him or her to be”, but that is not possible. You are born with a head full of questions. And some of those questions don’t have
talk of the town
Tuck Everlasting was published while you were at Kirkland. Were you at all inspired by the nature of the area? you might suppose. When we moved up to Clinton and Sam got involved in Kirkland, it was a huge job. Sam was very good at it and he gave it his entire heart, but he needed rest. We bought a little house out in the Adirondacks and went there for vacations so that he could rest. That house and the pond that it sat on are precisely like what is in Tuck Everlasting. Everything, right down to the mouse that lives in the table drawer. That was a very big help and to some degree the town in the story Treegap is based off Clinton. And of course the toads! There were toads all over the place at our house. So yes, the house was a background.
Tell me more about the musical adaptation of Tuck Everlasting that is coming out soon. A group called Broadway Across America is taking on the adaptation with the direction of Casey Nicholow. They have been working on it for a couple of years. It is going to open up in Boston at the end of July It will be there for about six week and then take it to New York. They originally wanted to do what Disney did and make couldn’t and so they changed their mind. They have the most wonderful little girl playing the role of Wynnie. I think it will be magical. There is really only one thing—and that is you have to have something to say. You have to like using the material. Above all you have the love words.
the characters. Names are very important. I have several paperback books of children’s naming books and I use those and go through those and look at the meanings. The meanings for those are so important. I also will go through and look at names in the telephone book. It’s an enormously fun process. It is one of of Wynnie Foster, Foster is a name that means Forrester and Wynnifred is a name that no one really uses anymore now. Can you also tell me more about the “The man with He did have a name in the beginning but I took it out. The man in the yellow suit is drawn from the character of that particular man—he was very scary guy. He had a name in the beginning and I changed it and I changed it and I changed it. None of the names worked. None of them felt right. Tuck Everlasting The movie was originally going to be made the Scholastic Publishing house but then they stopped making movies and sold the contract to Disney. If I had known they were going to do that I would have raised holy hell. Ever since Walt died, the Disney people have taken on the attitude that children don’t know anything and what is important is that they make money. They knew that I was unhappy about it so they set up an appointment with a representative from Disney. They said that they hoped I liked their movie, but I told them plain and simply that it was no longer my story. She said, “Well we really have to do that because if we don’t, children really won’t understand… they just aren’t intelligent enough to understand.” It was so unbelievably awful. They treat all classics this way—they strip all of the parts that would make the story real or useful and make it so that everyone can simply get the point. the continental | spring 2013
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Poppin’ Tags
Thrifting by Sarah Song ’13 / Words by Sara Shaughnessy ’14 / Photos by Genevieve Nierman ’13
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Rule #1: Dress Comfortably.
When you are strolling around a thrift shop, you want to be wearing your most comfortable clothing, like maybe any shopping experience, trying on clothing is much more desirable when you are wearing items that are easy to take on and off.
Rule #2: If you don’t know where you are headed, head for the dress section.
Sarah says that she often has had the best luck in the dress section of thrift shops. Keep a very open mind when styles. If a certain pattern catches your eye but the cut is wrong, you can always alter the dress. Many of the dresses have shoulder pads, but those are easy to remove. While Sarah stresses the importance of keeping an open mind, she also reminds us, “these are clothes you want to actually wear later,” so
Most o
so you really cannot go wrong with sorting through selection. Another good place for beginners to start is the button-down shirt rack, because the selection is plentiful and who isn’t in need of a new button-
Rule #4: The little details can make or break a piece of clothing.
your comfort zone.
Patience is a key virtue that a true thrift-shopper must possess in order to succeed. Finding the details, such as fancy buttons or unique hemming, can turn an ordinary piece into an item well worth purchasing. Inspecting the article clothing with a little funky quirk, or a beautiful detail, is worth it.
Rule #5: Make sure to maintain a “why not” attitude.
Even if the piece of clothing isn’t perfect, don’t rule it out immediately. Keep in mind the beauty of dry cleaning; professionals can remove any small stains on otherwise clean pieces of clothing. Also, Sarah mentions that one doesn’t need strong sewing skills of the piece.
Rule #3: Flannels are also a good way to dip your feet in the water if the dress racks 24
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SPOTTED
Cliff Yu ‘13
Claire Carusillo ‘13
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It doesn’t matter how expensive or cheap your clothing is, if you are recognize it immediately. The key to appearing to be “stylish” really is dependent on your level of conformability in how you appear.
I am a huge fan of the 50’s. It was sort of a golden age in America,
“
If you are not CONFIDENT about the way your clothes look on you, people will recognize it immediately.
”
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"Yellow Steel". Pomade, a white V-neck, denim, boots, and a peacoat. -
style Jeggings. Sophomore year, Joanie and I had to implement one day each week called Zipper Mondays to “set the tone for the week” because when we were young and eager to impress, we thought that pants with zippers would get us in with the popular crowd (we were transfers; our popularity is still not completely evident even though I sort of stopped wearing jeggings, however, after the look was co-opted by my mom. I used to have this truly egregious pair of acid washed jeggings that even I (who has the lowest of fashion standards-I will wear socks and purple tights and 3 cardigans and a tube top as a Probably 2004. Once I wore fake Ugg boots and a skirt my sister made me out of a Little Mermaid sleeping bag to a youth center dance. This was The Look! The same day, my middle school best friend punched my current best friend in the shoulder. I think she missed her face by mistake. She wasn’t defending my honor, though. It was about a boy.
When I’m trying to look elegant, I normally go for a carefully curated Nun of Amherst look-- I will wear an all white sack dress (I and unbrushed hair. Nude lipstick, too. But I’m trying to cultivate this thing where I distrust authority Actually that train of thought is why I’m wearing my Caftan of Resistance in these photos, but I’m realizing my elegant look is EXTREMELY SIMILAR to my resistance look. I have to reassess some things about my politics.
could no longer wear because they were too took them off my hands!
I was really really anxious before this photo shoot and I saw Cliff at a party the night before and I was like “OH MY and he told me, “Keep it casual. I’m gonna wear a white tee and Red Wings.” I have a hard time keeping it casual, though. The other day Gordon Wilkins wore a cardigan to the gym. I think that’s the most visionary piece of style advice I’ve ever heard. the continental | spring 2013
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interior design Words and Styling by Emily Drinkwater ’14 & Elizabeth Auwaerter’14
While Hamilton’s stately and cherished buildings stimulate students to achieve intellectually, they also inspire the wardrobes of some of the campus’ more stylistically inclined men and women. Minor Theater, the Chapel, the Kirkland dorms, and the Howard Diner - four of the most distinguished and beloved establishments on the Hill - continue to test the trendiness of Hamilton’s most fashionable. Although you may view these structures simply as academic buildings, places of rest, or, perhaps, a source of nourishment and delicious bacon egg and cheeses, the pictured buildings prove that architecture can in fact inspire style.
MINOR THEATER
a haven for the arts. Michael Breslin ’13 and Minou Clark ’14, two of Hamilton College’s most celebrated actors, channeled the drama that emanates from all corners of Minor Theater into their diva-inspired attire. Both of our models opted to wear black: simple, like the architecture of Minor itself, but also dramatic to illustrate the theatrical goings-on inside of the building. While Michael donned an impeccable sequined dress, Minou selected a short baby doll dress with studded sky-high heels. Like the Theater, an enigmatic presence that overlooks Campus Road, both looked fabulously elegant and even a tad mysterious.
style
The Chapel, Hamilton’s most symbolic structure, provided only the most awe-inspiring apparel. As one of the few three-story churches in America, the College’s Chapel remains a revolutionary and strikingly rare example of American architecture. Dennis Tung ’13 and Tiffany Andrade ’13 paralleled such radical architectural design with their ‘Sunday-
Best’-inspired style. Tiffany’s bold black and white maxi-skirt beautifully complemented the blue and white color-scheme of the interior of the Chapel. Dennis’ traditional yet fashionable attire - khakis and striped button-down - would make any mother proud. the continental | spring 2013
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We all know that calling the south end of campus the “dark side” is a touchy subject for some Hamilton students. But these people should understand that when we use this term we are simply referring to the post-World War II brutalism that inspired architect Ben Thompson in the ’60s, and not to those few memories we have of Silent Disco freshman year. While nobody denies that these concrete cubes are charming, the splash of color that the bright orange and red window shades inspire Stanthia Ryan ’13 and Connor Polet ’13 to prove that the dark side doesn’t always have to be so, well, dark!
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Love it or hate it, the Howard Diner is a Hamilton institution. Without it, where would we procure our drunchies that occasional dose of Angel’s unparalleled wisdom as we stand “nowhere” to both questions, and would probably agree that this is only one aspect of the important role the Diner plays on campus. Sophie Racine ’13 and Nick Levy ’15 model 1950’s diner-inspired ensembles, and prove to the Cont that the Diner Sophie and Nick transport us back to a time of poodle skirts and burger grease beginning to ferment! That’s the sweet smell of luuuv blossoming between Hamilton’s very own Danny Zucko and Sandy.
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to the ROK. Before many Hamilton students prepare for a night out, oftentimes the biggest dilemma that faces them is not where they want to begin their night, but rather where they hope to end it. All it takes is a couple of days on campus to understand that there are really only two options for students brave enough to extend their nights at the risk of a last minute “the Jitney is cancelled” email and the subsequent scramble for a ride up the hill. And these options are the legendary Don’s Rok or the Village Tavern. With its veritable Mecca to all things fried and cheesecovered in the back room and a prime location near the Jitney stop, it is hard to go wrong with 32
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the Village Tavern. As resident bartender Simon Judd states, “the VT has more attractive bartenders, more friendly bartenders, and a slightly better chance of getting a free drink.” And the VT has certainly earned its reputation for consistency. Most seniors I talked to agree that on any given night one can walk into the VT and know exactly what to expect. So what’s the Rutman ’13, “there’s a greater chance that the Rok will be dead, but when it’s fun, the Rok is always more fun than the VT.” Which brings me to the other side of the debate: the storied Don’s Rok. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Rok because it
society
...or the VT? night out at Hamilton (followed, comes down to personal opinion, of course, by a late-night walk up one thing is for sure: you can’t call yourself a true Hamilton are car bombs the standard order grad until you’ve endured the and Van Morrison and Motown humiliation of Sarge’s infamous “O-O-O-U-U-T,” or eaten As Annabel Prouty ’13, says, questionable amounts of food in “whoever put “Levels” on the whatever the VT is calling their jukebox needs to take that off. restaurant these days (Lil’ Tex The Rok is for oldies, period.” If for some reason you don’t happen to be a jukebox junkie, some may complain about the lack there is still ample fun to be had in of nightlife options in the village of Clinton, do not underestimate For the competitively inclined, the pleasure of a perfectly greasy it is always possible to weasel snack at the VT or the power of your way to the back for a lively a crowd-pleaser jukebox pick at game of billiards. Or one could the Rok. When Homecoming simply hang out by the bar and Weekend rolls around, every hope to snag a conversation with fall, we know Hamilton alums Sarge (that is, if he isn’t too busy are more than eager to return to their old stomping grounds. While the VT vs. Rok debate the continental | spring 2013
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Inspired Parties of Yesteryears
As a school that prides itself in freethinking, Hamilton fosters in its community a desire to discard mundane conventions. This inclination becomes evident when one opens a copy of , takes a stroll through List Art Center, or considers the diversity of student organizations on campus. It is fascinating to see how this spirit of creativity is manifest in its non-academic settings. One of the liveliest outlets is the College social scene. Hamilton has a history of inventive, eccentric, often absurd student parties. The best of these do not include the beer-ponging, with wit, giving rise to blowouts that shake the tectonic foundations of the Hill. When the strength of tradition present in north campus combines with the Dark Side’s gritty imagination, parties are born that we will never forget. The annual Party is a shining model of the power of the fusion of Hamilton’s dual characters. Inspired by the 2010 movie of the same name, its concept is almost too complicated to grasp: a party within a party. Upon entering the party, which has been hosted in several different quads over the years, everything seems normal: people mingle, drink punch from trashcans, or toss out the occasional dance move to whatever Taylor Swift song is playing. You might begin to relax, head bob along with the crowd, crack a Keystone Ice, and settle in to what appears to be just another quad party. Oh boy, that beer you shot-gunned is going right through you. Don’t worry; the bathroom is layer. It’s like a vision out of a scarring dubstep nightmare. Strobe lights refract off of the massive bathroom mirror, haven’t been trampled or fallen victim to rapid dehydration, you will likely be having the best night of your life. Just don’t lose track of reality. Veteran partygoer James Holcomb claims to have spent three years lost in Limbo, reaching depths as far as the ninth and tenth layers. Dark stuff. Several of Hamilton’s most memorable parties achieved success by recreating the emotional energy of historic rendition of the tragedy aboard the of their shipmates, drinking spirits, and marveling at the ingenuity of man. Then, at midnight, something rocked the boat, tipped the boat over, and chaos broke loose. The reenactment was such a hit that the suite agreed to throw 34
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to-ceiling beer box wall that divided their shared bathroom. The suites threw two separate parties on the East and West sides of Berlin. Host Lucas Kang dressed as a TIME Magazine photographer, documenting the famous event. With slurred shouts of “Mr. Gorbachez, tear down this wall!� The East and West divisions smashed the barrier, and the two parties united to form one surging, champagne-fueled celebration. Whether stealing vital information from the unconscious mind, navigating rough seas, or coordinating political upheaval, Hamilton students use social events as meaningful applications for the array of information we accumulate during our education here. Parties on the Hill are not senseless displays of drunkenness, as is the case at most schools. They are carefully directed outlets that recharge and maintain the boundless enthusiasm and scholasticism we bring remain spiritually connected to the Hill, knowing that valuable traditions, such as the Farm Party and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, will be upheld and revitalized for years to come. As Hamilton students, we use parties to express to show parents, alumni, incoming students, and the rest of the academic world that Hamilton College is a community that retains its positive intellectual energy in every endeavor, even the extracurricular.
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the
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heart of campus:
society Walking across Martin’s Way at 11:00 AM on a weekday, many social buzzing atmosphere of Commons, the intimate and cozy environment of Mcewen, or the greasy but delicious array of options at the diner can be a tough one, especially when all of the food begins to seem monotonous. Now we all know that it’s impossible to discount the charisma and wide but occasionally that same array simply becomes repetitive. Even the diner with its buffalo-soaked comfort foods sometimes cannot begin to quench the thirst for a novel lunch meal, especially during the cold and gray season However, many Hamilton students seem to have overlooked the epitome of college lunch experiences – The Little Pub. The pub, a renovated horse stable opened in 1996, is in fact more than a place where professors and alcohol. Named for 1971 Hamilton graduate George F. Little II, the pub hosts a pool table, a free popcorn machine, and a variety of Hamilton and Adirondack ephemera on the walls. Even the bathroom in the pub adds to Students began to etch their nostalgic and, occasionally, seemingly random thoughts and doodles onto the walls around 1998, and have continued to do so ever since. There was, in fact, a conversation within the pub’s management about potentially putting a stop to this creative expression, but, eventually it was decided that it would be kept, as the room just adds to the ambiance and atmosphere of the place. Chad Marshall, the manager of The Pub, says, “It’s really the atmosphere, both night and day, that sets the pub apart from other eating establishments at Hamilton.” The Little Pub is one of Hamilton’s best-kept secrets, and almost always has unique, original, and delicious food options every day of the week. While lunch and dinner at the other dining establishments seemingly run on repetitive tracks that meld together and generally host similar selections, the pub, many times, offers something unique yet wholesome. The pub even keeps it easy for students with alliterative menu choices every week:
the
little pub
and Fish Fridays. Once a year in the spring, the pub even offers a luxurious lobster lunch, a rare delicacy in the frozen tundra that is Clinton, New York. But the heart of the pub isn’t just the fantastic array of culinary delights that line the wall every day at 11:30. The best parts about the pub, Chad claims, are “the constant streams of new faces, and the fact that everyone is always welcome.” Happy hours and senior pub nights are integral parts of the Hamilton experience, and offer opportunities to bond with one’s fellow students in a genuine college bar. I know that on a cold weekday morning, there is nothing I look forward to more than the sanctuary of the pub where I am always guaranteed to have great food, great company, and a great environment to relax and forget about the strenuous drudgery of a week at a Northeastern liberal arts school. And I hear the beer is good too.
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Once Hungry Once Only CaféTry Biting Try Biting The Hungry The Only Café Once Hungry, Try Biting: The Only Café Twice in my four years at Hamilton, The Only Café has come in at #11 in The Continental’s “Things To Do Before Hays, I set out to discover what the fuss is all about, and to see if next time, the café could crack the top ten. While New Hartford restaurants like Mitsuba and the Utica-based Ancora have become Hamilton staples for nights out, The Only Café, in quiet Vernon, has always been something of a secret—it’s the type of restaurant a friend of a friend is always recommending to you, yet no one ever seems to know much about it or even where it is. The outside of the café
unique by the fact that The Only Café does not have a menu. David Furer, the owner, chef, and only employee of the café, said he long ago stopped writing things down. “People
He returned with sweet potato black bean quesadillas and homemade salsa. Even split between the four of us, there try more, we asked Dave to bring us a dish that was new to his repertoire, Lemongrass Chicken Pizza. Unlike most central New York pizza places that prefer a thick, doughy crust, Dave models his pizzas on the thin-crust style of New York City, and he makes the dough from scratch every morning. Dave’s Lemongrass Chicken was a brusque crash course in tasting quite like it!” handle the heat, Dave returned with the “Chili Pie,” a monstrous pizza with ground beef and jalapeno peppers. Without other customers to tend too, Dave sat down and talked with us about life on the Hill, how he ended up in central New York, and he drew his inspiration from legendary pizza joints in New Haven, CT, Pepe’s and The Spot. Certainly not your average restaurant, The Only Café is must visit for Hamilton students. Despite ordering enough to bring home leftovers for the next night’s dinner, our bill was relatively inexpensive compared to other restaurants in the and records on the walls to keep you busy between courses—we even got to leaf through a Hamilton College Student Handbook from 1893 that Dave happened to have lying around. If you’re looking for a home cooked, hearty meal just a short drive from the Hill, you really can’t go wrong with this one-of-a kind café. 38
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Escape Town
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and populated with shoeless and malnutrioned orphans. The statistics don’t help either: in 2002, 48.4% of South Africa’s population lived below the national poverty line. Plagued by a legacy of apartheid, South Africa also has one of the highest levels of income inequality in the world. However, from what I have seen during my time in Cape Town, Africa’s ominous reputation is a farce. Each time I skip along the streets of Cape Town, representing a minority for the
took me a few days to get into one of these speed demons to realize that this was the drivers’ way of soliciting rides encountered here, but every time I pay 10 cents to hop on and off, I meet new people, listen to good music, and get a wift of an array of body odors. Cape Town, unlike the fast-moving cities at home, operates at a slow and steady pace, and, for me, the Capetonians’ laidback lifestyle has both advantages and disadvantages. Admittedly, sometimes I feel like a hare in a sea of tortoises, and I have come to expect sitting at restaurants for more time than I’m used to. But my time is a small price to pay for the good food, and the genuine conversation with the people who I have met here. The South Africans I
g
have encountered seem to have a knack for genuine face to face communication, a skill that reminds me of a quote from the anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko: “We believe that in the long run, the special contribution to the world by on the shuttle to my class when I found myself lost on the campus. As one might expect, the University of Cape Town is drastically different from the Hamilton that we know and love. Situated at the top of a mountain, UCT deserves its ranking as one of the most beautiful campuses in the world. alternates between two to three languages to accomodate the culturally diverse class. The cultural pluralism on campus was almost as shocking as the free condom dispensers in the school bathrooms. Did you know that in 2005, 6.2 million Although statistics can help paint a picture of poverty and disease in a developing country like South Africa, they do not convey the realities of everyday life for all South Africans. While I am grateful for the cultural experience South Africa has given me, there are many ways in which the country’s history of colonialism and apartheid has left its people in a state of underdevelopment. Speaking with these marginalized people who live on the streets has helped me realize that material goods and the amount of cash in one’s pockets are not the only measures of wealth. Cheers! the continental | spring 2013
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Under the Porticos of Stone By Frankie Caracciolo ’13 is lively with its young population and bright colored houses in familiar Victorian architecture, as well as more modern houses in styles reminiscent of Palo Alto, California, run up and down most streets. Besides the numerous, breathtaking gorges and waterfalls, Ithaca is home to some of the most remarkable scenes to watch the seasons turn. By the time the new academic year begins in the autumn, Fall wadeable lengths before turning west and out of the Cascadilla Gorge. The Ithaca Gorges are steep rock faces, extending upwards from the riverbanks, until they plateau onto now developed lands with houses, stores, of groundwater from higher to lower elevation. Beginning in the Devonian geologic period and throughout the last 375 million years, groundwater eroded a river that is working under and against the sandstone and shale outcroppings, however minutely, expanding the divide between the university and the town. I visited the Cascadilla and its neighboring gorges on a recent spring afternoon, along with three of my classmates and close friends since freshman year, Sam Toole, Duncan Lowe, and Greg Hyman.
Before it becomes a part of Lake Cayuga, the largest of the region’s Finger Lakes, the Taughannock Creek falls where the Taughannock Falls, poised aback from us over a distance, wafts with mist that sluices over us in the breeze as we gauged the distance below us from the stone balcony. The cataract crashes interminably, and sounds like a far-away whisper. The sun was out and slanted through the arching tree branches that hang over and above the creek. The hard rock surfaces of the gorge are warm and worn, smooth to the touch. Shale chips away and cascades down towards us as we approach the falls. We stand among a small crowd of people who, like us, are in rapture at the trembling water falling down and into this rocky amphitheater. Although south of Hamilton College, the Gorges lie in the geographic region of New York State where many of the towns and cities are named after Mediterranean places and persons: Rome, Utica, Homer, Syracuse, Ulysses, and Ithaca among others. As familiar as these words are to me, and however much I recognize the literature, maps, and persons they celebrate, I consider whether when I stopped and photogenic natural wonders. The ancient civilizations of Europe built cities out of stone and described stories of human frailty and the pith of emotion, yet the gorges only become larger, destroying more of the Earth for their purposes, dividing Homer from Utica and Ulysses from Syracuse. Like Hamilton, Cornell University rests atop a hill. The University and town are constantly in opposition to the elements, natural features, and topography of the area. As benign as the creeks and rivulets surrounding our campus and running through our glens may be, they too are destructive forces, eroding the ground and altering the curves of the sloping hill our college rests on. The beauty of the gorges is akin to the tranquility of our arboretum. To build a center for education atop the crest of a hill is as astonishing as a 200-foot deep gouge in the Earth. 40
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travel College is an intense experience. Not as intense or delicate as the force of erosion is to the forged valleys parallel between the formation of gorges and college graduation concurrently exists in my life. Like the land that existed in place of the grand amphitheater of the Taughannock Gorges, my past life is not visible, but the current manifestation of myself can be inferred to have been born out of past experiences, like a hydraulic force moving with time in both bursts and languid currents. I enjoy the unpredictability of life. That is, in part I do. I enjoy a certain amount of stability and expectation, but not absolutely. Life is not a frozen vista before us where we can see everything as it stands observable and undisturbed. If I knew all that was to befall, experienced by, and felt by me in my lifetime, I would suffer disquietude because of the sense of doldrums consistency provides. Picturesque and pleasantly calm that day, we followed the coast until we found an empty beachhead with a rocky shore. We were alone on the quiet shore, a beach abutting a gently wooded area full of empty structures: the grounds of a lively campsite runoff over the millions of years after the ice retreated northward, and accumulated animals, verdant growth, and more recently, people, Geologic logic is rest of mind. Water is likely to have spilt over the edge of Taughannock Creek and into Taughannock Gorge in more or less the same fashion, down and over this 175ft descent, slowly retreating from Lake Cayuga, for hundreds of millions of years. While the out. This is the paradox of every waterfall, and maybe that is why we adore them: to witness a beautiful outcome of a destructive process. I can understand the geologic processes at work when looking at the Gorges, and doing so, relieves the worry of leaving college for a place far away. I am reading into this journey, seeking conciliation for my pending departure, the metaphorical descent. I considered that to let go of college is to see myself in light, after the ceremony and the Hill. With the gorges left long behind us, we ascended College Hill Road, and I took in a fresh view of Hamilton. The familiar buildings and faces passed by. It was a Saturday evening and the campus was alive with excitement for the night to come. And everything else was my own.
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Guat’s Up? Attention all adventure-seekers: Visit Guatemala. You will fall in love with its vibrant people, food, and culture. If you don’t trust us, here is some proof: This past fall, we both applied to and won grants from the Class of 1979 Student Travel Award, which we each used to travel to Antigua, Guatemala over winter break. Through the international program Maximo Nivel, we spent our time volunteering, traveling, and taking Spanish classes in one of the most beautiful countries in Central America. Antigua is a tiny city in southwestern Guatamala—it is so small that it only boasts nine streets and eight avenues. Three volcanoes, Agua, Fuego, and Acatenango, tower over the city’s bright houses and cobblestone streets. We had read in travel guides that Guatemalans dress friendly Guatemalans who go about their days and adventurous travelers who go back and forth from laidback hostels. Every night calls
delicious meals for us and two other volunteers every night. Each dinner featured varying amounts of tortillas, beans, soup, plantains, and guacamole … muy bien! Our nightly meals ended with an exchange of “bon provecho,” and a slyly maneuvered unbuttoning of the jeans. Note that tortillas really add to the waistline. Every morning, we traveled to our individual volunteer sites. Elizabeth worked at Centre de Salud, a hospital clinic in Ciudad Vieja, a town just outside of Antigua. Chelsea minutes outside of the city. To get to our sites, we rode “chicken buses,” which are retired American school buses that were traditionally used in Guatemala to transport live animals. Despite their being deemed unsafe in the United States, the buses in Guatemala are pimped out with TVs, rims, and speakers blasting the latest Don Omar track. The drivers found it amusing to speed up around the tight mountain curves, which, needless to say, left alreadydiscombobulated American girls in an even more frightened state. A line of people greeted Elizabeth each morning as she arrived at the clinic. She saw a wide variety of medical cases and performed a multitude of tasks. One day, she administered numbing shots to a man’s toe before pulling off his big toenail to remove an overgrown fungus. Another day, she examined a man’s leg that was broken to such an extent that the knee joint was indistinguishable from other parts of his leg. He had gotten into a moped his frustration with the long wait at the clinic, he showed gratitude to be alive, even if his
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“Working at the clinic not only made me see how grateful these people are for their lives, but how lucky I am to have my family and friends,” says Lizzy of the ‘philosophical’ moment which we all seek in our worldwide travels. Chelsea, meanwhile, spent most of her time in the baby ward at the orphanage, which was run by a staff of nuns. She changed diapers, organized clothes, and fed the babies. Some of her time was spent on more menial tasks, like children who lived at the orphanage never seemed to be at a loss for energy. Their hyperactivity made Chelsea realize that despite their hardships, they lived life like any other child would. While Chelsea spent the spring semester of her junior year in Prague, Elizabeth never had the opportunity to go abroad. She sees her time in Guatemala as her own personal study abroad experience. So, if you did not have the chance to go abroad, or are not sure if you want to commit to a semester or year away from Hamilton, you can still get your booty on a plane and explore the world. There are countless opportunities to work or volunteer internationally that don’t force you to dip into your savings. Take it easy though. It’s Guat-ever.
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Letters from our Editors Abroad Continental Editors Matt Langan ’14 and Virginia Walsh write to us from Prague and London
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This page: St. Paul’s Cathedral from the Millenium Bridge; Right: Virginia with fellow Hamilton classmate, Claire King; Virginia visits Matt in Prague; A snapshot from a trip to Brussels. Photos courtesy of the authors.
travel
Dear Continentals, No matter where you go, Hamilton never leaves you--this includes when you’re abroad. Although we have had amazing and unforgettable study abroad experiences in Prague and London
so far, seeing familiar Hamilton faces is refreshing, comforting, and always a great time. Nothing beats showing off your abroad city to friends, getting a taste of your friends’ experiences where they’re studying, or meeting up and exploring a new place together. This semester we have had the opportunity to do just that while we’ve been studying in London and Prague. We are looking forward to sharing our experiences and stories with you on the Hill when we return, and cannot wait for the Continental next year! We both have had wonderful experiences abroad. Though we both found ourselves not far off the beaten trail, in destinations which seem to be popular with the study abroad set, we have loved our time in Europe. Being away from Hamilton, regardless of your destination, certainly encourages you to take a step back and appreciate your experiences at Hamilton and abroad. While studying in London, Virginia found herself consistently more and more appreciative of Hamilton’s small classes and professors who are interested in getting to know their students as more than a student ID number. However, London’s cultural resources and international, vibrant population are incredible. Though our fall and spring semesters this year were markedly different, they complemented each other in a great way. We both look forward to returning to Hamilton in the fall!
Love, Matt & Virginia
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! " # $ % & ' ' & ( $ ) % * % + " ! , - & ( $
20 West Park Row -on the village green in Clinton
Distinctive clothing and giftware from
www.kriziamartin.com Extended hours for graduation weekend –open Thurs-Sat until 9pm Phone: 315.853.3650 10% STUDENT DISCOUNT
Parting Note
W
hat is your idea of perfect happiness?
with?
The Continental
“Proust Questionnaire”
vol. 1 Which living person do you most admire? What is your greatest extravagance? When and where were you happiest? What do you consider your greatest achievement? If you died and came back as a person or thing what do you think it would be? . What is your most treasured possession? Who are your heroes in real life? What is it that you most dislike? would you be?
Your favorite poets.
What is your motto? I don’t If not yourself, who
World history characters you hate the most. Faults for which I have the most indulgence The principal aspect of my personality. nature. What is your favorite city, and your favorite place in that city? What are you most proud of about Hamilton? What is the best change that has happened to Hamilton since you’ve been here? year. What is your favorite spot on campus?
Do you have a style icon?
- Interview by Frankie Caracciolo ’13 & Elaheh Nozari ’13
Photo courtesy of Cathy Brown
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