InGeneral Fall 2015

IN GENERAL Volume XIII | Issue I

24 HOURS WITH MASON GRIST ‘18 WHAT KEEPS THEM GOING: TEAM CAPTAINS TELL ALL

STEP INSIDE 5 OF THE BEST OFF-CAMPUS HOMES COOKING WITH INDIA DIAL ‘17

friday underground The Music, The Art And The Community Behind It

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IN GENERAL

CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hendley Badcock ‘16 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Jenna Faude ‘16 MANAGING EDITOR Caroline Sanders ‘17 LAYOUT EDITOR Katie Paxton ‘17 COPYWRITERS Carolyn Holtzman Emma Whittemore Inga Wells Logan Hendricks Sam Moench Hannah Falchuck Caroline Leak Caitlin Kaloostian Caroline Blackmon LAYOUT Natania Greenspan Margaret Glaze Lindsay Cates Lauren Wurthmann Virginia Kettles PHOTOGRAPHY Ellen Kanzinger (p. 6-7, 13) Josie Hurst (p. 8-9) Elizabeth Spotts (p. 12) Anna Still (p. 10) Nicolas Reed (p. 5, 15) Katie Pettit (p. 11) Shaun Soman (p. 4) Virginia Kettles (p. 14) Payson Miller (p. 16)

To submit a letter to the editor or for advertising inquiries please contact: inGeneral Magazine John W. Elrod Commons Washington and Lee University 204 W. Washington St. Lexington, VA 24450

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FROM THE

EDITOR A litte construction

Flipping through these pages, you’ll notice a few new things right off the bat—a sleeker layout, refreshed palettes, more students’ names and faces. But I’m not just talking about our redesign. I’m talking about our rebranding.

As students began trickling back to Lexington for O-Week, the inGeneral leadership team and I sat down, put our heads together, and initiated some major existential analysis. “What defines inGeneral?” we asked one another. “What makes it stand apart from other student publications? What do we want to make of it this year?” Call it an identity crisis if you must, but I found it fun.

Since the publication’s inception in 2003, inGeneral has sought to cover studentinterest and news pieces with our school and the greater Lexington community in mind.

Scanning past issues and seeing stories range from a touching feature on a W&L student and Vietnamese refugee to an all-nonsense profile of the top three most attractive men and women at this school (The cover teaser begins, “Too Sexy For Their Togas.” I’ll spare you the rest) to an essay on mental health on campus, the execution of this mission has clearly evolved with the coming and going of editors throughout the past decade. No matter how serious or silly, however, students have remained at the heart of inGeneral.

During our initial brainstorming session, the hours sped by and our notebooks filled with ideas on how to reinvigorate the role this magazine plays on campus. By all means, we’re

still aiming to deliver stories that educate and entertain both our peers and faculty, but we’re thinking over and over again about what really does interest us and what interests y’all. I’ve edited this issue with the refocused objective of filling its pages with you and your stories. We want inGeneral to showcase your bents, ambitions and achievements, and we want you to enjoy reading the magazine as much as we delighted in putting it together.

While we’re undergoing these transformations behind the scenes, the very same theme of altering tradition across campus also surfaced in some of our articles—from our cover story about the group of students expanding our Friday night social scene (p. 12-13) to our profile on the EC President, who for the first time in our university’s history hails from the sophomore class (p. 6-7).

And so, when you flip through this issue, I hope you spot a familiar face, learn something new about a talented classmate, and get inspired by a peer’s pursuits. Now I’ll turn it over to our talented writers as they take you inside some of the most treasured rooms of off-campus houses (p. 8-9) or give you a peek into the minds of our team captains as they prep for their biggest games (p. 4). Enjoy!

Hendley Hendley Badcock Class of 2016 Editor-In-Chief

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TEAM CAPTAINS SPOTLIGHT

INSIDE

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24 HOURS WITH MASON GRIST

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RECIPE BOOK: INDIA DIAL’S TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE

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OFF-CAMPUS HOUSE TOURS

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UNCOVERING W&L’S ART COLLECTION

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A SATURDAY IN STAUNTON

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INTRODUCING FRIDAY UNDERGROUND

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FOUR STUDENTS TALK SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

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GYM DRESS CODE REVISITED

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Christian

NOT A NARP

Team Captains and the Generals Who Lead

by Caroline Leak ‘18 Out of 1,890 undergraduate students, roughly 500 play sports—on top of balancing a full course load, a healthy social life and a necessary maintenance of hygiene. A few even take it a step further and lead their teams. Usually elected by popular vote, captains act as liaisons between coach and team and uphold morale, especially when some seasons are tougher than others. Read on to learn what gets these driven captains through tough practices, intense games, and long bus rides.

Patrick

Noelani

What’s your pregame ritual?

What’s in your gym bag?

“Since freshman year, my mom sends me a picture of my two dogs (Wally and Maui) before every game. I don’t respond because I usually don’t like to be on social media or texting two hours before the game. I go to the training room a little over an hour before we need to be ready to walk up to the field.

Right before the game, Kendall [Peterson ’17] and I always squeeze each other’s hands during the national anthem.”

-Noelani Schulmeyer ’17, field hockey

“A giant bottle of Advil. You pretty much survive on that stuff when you’re running high mileage weeks.

I also have Emergen-C packets, a spare running watch, and a mini tub of Vaseline. Vaseline is also a necessity if you chafe easily.

Runner problems.”

-Rachel Solomon ‘16, cross country

“My pregame ritual starts the night before. I try and eat my favorite meal, chicken parm. Then I usually watch Braveheart or Troy or one of my other favorite movies to take my mind off the game. On game days, I wake up early and go to Lexington Coffee Shop to get some quiet time in before pregame meal.”

-Patrick Wright ‘16, football

Rachel

“I usually have two changes of clothes because I sweat more than the average human and I always need to be prepared. I also keep a lacrosse ball to help stretch if I have any specific spots that are killing me.”

-Buck Armstrong ‘16, lacrosse “I’m pretty impulsive when in the gym, so I like to have a variety of things. I’ll typically pack a bathing suit and towel in case I want to swim after I lift, and I almost always bring my hand wraps for boxing. That way if I feel like relaxing in the pool or amping it up in the boxing room, I have the option.”

- Christian Cranford ‘16, football

What’s on your pump-up playlist?

“Most people like to get really pumped up before a game, but I just try and get in a happy, carefree mood. This helps a lot with anxiety and keeps me calm before the game. Right now my go-to feelgood song is “Spirit in the Sky” by Norman Greenbaum. It just puts me in a really good mood.”

-Patrick Wright ‘16, football “[It] really depends on my mood.

If I’m coming from class I like to listen to old school rap just so I can jump-start my process from switching from school mode to game mode. If it’s a big game, I like to listen to calming music. My friend Henry [Waite ’16] usually has a great playlist that we play on our speaker prior to game.”

-Buck Armstrong ‘16, lacrosse

GENNIES SOUNDTRACK “Talk Dirty” by Jason Derulo - Sarah Schaffer “Genius of Love”

by Tom Tom Club - Graeme Weaver “The Distance” by Cake - Rachel Solomon “Eclipse” by Hardwell - Christian Cranford

Buck

Pre-2005 Black Eyed Peas, “specifically the banging Elephunk album” - Dillon Stanfield “Hell’s Bells” by AC/DC - Randy Karlson

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11/17/15 11:27 PM

Student Recipe:

TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE

by Caroline Blackmon ‘19

W

ith the smell of tomatoes and garlic wafting through the kitchen and tons of cooking contraptions strewn about, I was transported to Italy as India Dial ’17 stood by the chopping block, mixing flour and eggs together to make dough. What was on the menu? Homemade Tagliatelle Bolognese. Dial first learned how to make pasta from scratch from her grandmother’s family, natives of southern Italy. Last summer, Dial was reintroduced to the technique while abroad.

Dial traveled to Paris for a history class during Spring Term her sophomore year. She extended her stay in Europe once the class ended. “I have a half-sister who lives in France,” Dial explained, kneading the pasta dough until it was firm. “So I got to stay for a few weeks and go to Rome, Florence and southern France.” While in Florence, Dial saw a brochure in her hotel for a day-long cooking class and immediately signed up. She learned how to make spaghetti with meat sauce, bruschetta and tiramisu.

Dial’s favorite part was re-learning how to make the pasta from scratch.

As she said this, she turned to stir the beef for the sauce, browning in

a pan. She then mixed in tomato sauce and tomato paste with the sautéed beef. “I’m less careful [now],” Dial spoke of her cooking technique.

“I used to be super precise and measure everything out. I do like it to be uniform, but it’s fun when you mess up.” Dial then returned to the well-worked dough and began what she called “the fun stuff”. First, she roughly cut the ball of dough into four pieces and flattened each section by hand. Next, she sliced the sections into strips, which she began cranking through the nine “levels” of her pasta maker.

“Each one makes the pasta thinner, so you do it one at a time,” India explained. “It’s a great little invention.” After the ninth level, the pasta machine produced what “actually look[ed] like noodles.” Dial dropped the tagliatelle into boiling water for about a minute. As the “Pasta is one of my pasta cooked, she sprinkled favorite foods,” Dial the finishing touches, basil, nutmeg, and garlic powder, said. “It’s really messy over the Bolognese sauce. [to make]. You get to She then opened the kitchen up and invited her use your hands and housemates (and me) to get get all dirty.” a share of the homemade meal. “I like it when people are around me when I’m cooking, especially because they can help me clean up,” Dial joked. Dial said cooking remains only a hobby for her. “[It] is very therapeutic,” she explained. “I love cooking for myself and for my friends and family, but I don’t think I could handle the restaurant lifestyle.” Since being back in the States, she’s made this recipe a lot both at home and at W&L. “Italian food is my favorite kind of food, so being able to make and then getting to eat it is really fun.”

Bolognese Sauce

(serves 4-6, best with tagliatelle, fettuccine, or spaghetti)

by India Dial ‘17 Ingredients 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes (mashed), preferably San Marzano (can also just use crushed tomatoes) 1 lb ground sirloin or ground beef 5 cloves garlic (minced) 1 3/4 cups dry red cooking wine 1 8-oz can tomato paste 1 onion chopped (optional)

1/4 cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (can add more if you like spicy) 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste) 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus more for garnishing

Directions Heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet pan over high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, turn to medium and add the minced garlic cloves. Allow them to sauté for about 30 seconds before adding the beef (if you are using an onion, add it with the garlic cloves and allow it to soften before adding meat).

Using a wooden spatula or spoon, break the ground meat up into small pieces and allow to brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add about 1/4 cup red wine to deglaze the pan and use the spatula to scrape up any brown bits. Add the mashed or crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, garlic powder and 1 cup of red wine, plus the salt. Allow to simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to incorporate. When the sauce begins to come together, add the last 1/2 cup of wine, heavy cream, chopped basil and ground nutmeg. Incorporate and allow to simmer for about 5-6 more minutes. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. When sauce is ready, add it to cooked noodles and toss with the parmesan cheese. Serve it with grated parmesan and more chopped basil on top!

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11/17/15 11:28 PM

24 HOURS WITH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT MASON GRIST

by Carolyn Holtzman ‘16

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It’s not very often—in fact it has never happened—that a sophomore serves as the President of the Executive Committee, but Mason Grist ‘18 is doing it. We followed Grist for a day to find out how he juggles the EC, schoolwork, fraternity life and his sanity.

8 : 5 1 a.m. - Wakeup: “I have this really weird thing that I do where I set my alarm for 8:51 a.m. because the iPhone alarm snoozes for 9 minutes. So I snooze it, and then get up at 9 a.m.” 9:15 a.m. - Breakfast of sausage wrapped in pancakes at the Beta House: “Ugh, it was so good.” 9:45 – 11:00 a.m – Study in the fraternity chapter room: “I’m a very plan-oriented person. I use the Outlook calendar, but I also have a little tiny notebook where I keep stuff I need to get done. The calendar is more for meetings, and the notebook is where I write my homework.” 11:15 a.m. – New Testament with Professor Alexandra Brown: “All my classes are intro level classes, because last term I took a bunch of 200- and 300-level classes, which was really stupid of me. This term I’m going back to knock out some prereqs so I can take some more advanced classes next term. I tried to plan it that way because I know I’d have a lot of work on the EC.” 12:30 p.m. – Chicken parm sandwiches for lunch: “I love eating at the House because our chef makes just fantastic food. And living at the House . . . I’ve always explained it to other people who go to schools that don’t have Greek life that it’s literally like living with your 15 best friends every single day. It’s super fun just to always be around people that you know really well.” 1:25 p.m. – Econ with Professor Chris Handy: “We had a quiz on basic-macroeconomics.” 2:22-2:29 p.m. – Emails: “I try to check as many emails as possible before my next class. Some I can shoot quick replies; some I have to hold off. The emails are generally coming from administrators asking about the agenda or about my meetings with the Board of Trustees.” 2:30 p.m. – Global Politics with Professor Seth Cantey: “It’s really convenient because Global Politics is in Early Fielding and so is the EC office, so I go straight after class to the office.” 3:30-5:00 p.m. – More emails: “Basically, a lot of what I do is answering questions and emails from all over the place. I also try to use this time to prepare what I need for the EC meeting.” 5:15-5:45 p.m. – Darts at the Beta House: “Our chef has a dart board in the kitchen because he wants to inspire this camaraderie . . . he doesn’t want to just be a boring chef. I played darts with some of my pledge brothers against him . . . he’s just really good and killed me, but it was still fun.” 5:45 p.m. – Dinner of prime rib, cheddar mashed potatoes and green beans: “Delicious!” 6:15 p.m. – Chapter “Chapter is very short, but usually I’ll leave early.” 6:30 p.m. – Change and head out to EC weekly business meeting: “I usually get there early to prep for the meeting and go over the agenda.” 7:30 p.m. – EC Meeting: “We had Ethan Kipnes, director of Public Safety, come to the business meeting. He talked about parking, because we have gotten a lot of complaints from students. Usually [during EC meetings], I’ll go through my updates, which change on a weekly basis. Then the Vice President goes through his updates, then the Secretary goes through her updates. Then we have all the EC Task Forces go down the line to tell us what they are doing.” 8:30 p.m. – Closed session of EC meeting: “All I can say about [closed] sessions is that we enter them every week to discuss confidential student government and honor matters. Sorry, I know it’s lame for that to be all I can give you.” 9:30 p.m. – Monday Night Football: “I got back from my EC meeting pretty late, and when I got there the Packers were winning pretty badly. I didn’t really care, but I kind of rooted for the Chiefs because I felt bad for them.” 11:00 p.m. – Back to work in my room: “I read for stats, started studying for a religion quiz, did some global politics reading. We have to read the International Section of the New York Times for class, so I read the news . . . almost a day late, but I still got it read.” 1:07 a.m. – Bedtime: “I check my phone before I go to bed. I’ll clean out everything—responding to emails and texts and Snapchats. I’m pretty popular on Snapchat.”

There it is. A day in the life of the EC President. Grist said he didn’t expect this responsibility as a sophomore but recognizes what it does for W&L. “It is a ton of work, but I think it’s really good work and it’s work that I hope the student body appreciates. It’s my way of contributing to the Honor System and to W&L in general.” At this moment, however, Grist does not plan on running for EC President next year. “I don’t know what the future looks like,” he said.

“I might run again my INGENERAL 7

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11/17/15 11:31 PM

THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN

Gingy Dixon ‘16, Downstream

LEXINGTON

“There’s no wasted space in here,” said Gingy Dixon of her shoebox-sized bedroom at Downstream on Furrs Mill Road.

With the help of her roommate Charlie Karp ‘16, Dixon conceptualized a multipurpose bed—complete with built-in bookshelves, recessed LED lights, and shaker-style drawers and cabinets—and a Lexington contractor made it happen.

The foot of the bed doubles as a TV stand. “I’m a big movie fan so it’s a great viewing place,” said Dixon. Other design highlights include a geometric pendant light, zebra-print rug, and framed photographs taken by friends.

BY EMMA WHITTEMORE ‘16

Although Thetas have traditionally passed down Downstream, Dixon said that because of Third Year Housing, she doesn’t know who will live in the home next year.

Andrea Owen ‘16, Platform 9 3/4 A malfunction inspired Andrea Owen to create a bohemian bedroom in her Houston Street home. “The whole concept for the room came about because I couldn’t figure out how to install the frame for the bed,” Owen explained. “I ended up putting the bed on the floor and making the rest of the room an earthy-zen style.”

Pinkney Beal ‘17, Lodell She may have had the last pick of bedrooms but you’d never know. Pinkney Beal’s bright room in Lodell, situated at the bottom of Kappa Hill, is a fresh change from her cramped underclassman quarters.

Owen even built a tea area in the corner of her room where she hosts morning prayers with roommate Anna Russell Thornton ’16 three days a week.

“I used to live in a closet in Graham Lees. My friend Eliza [Elliott ’17] fondly named it the ‘fruit snack’ because it was so small,” said Beal.

Dubbed “Platform 9 3/4,” Owen’s house is much nicer, and more spacious, than your typical student home. The property consists of two buildings, a three-bedroom front house and a two-bedroom back house, that make up one lease.

Beal filled her room with new and old hand-me-downs, including her bed. “My mom bought the bed when she was out of college, spray painted it white and then it became my childhood bed,” she said.

“I was told an older woman who really liked to party used to live in this house. Our landlord has done a good job keeping it up since then,” said Owen. “Also, apparently the deck is the highest point in Lexington.”

When Beal needed a bedside table, she turned to her roommate India Dial ‘17, a frequent antiquer. At The Antique Mall off Route 11, Dial found an elephant-shaped wicker table that coordinated with Beal’s wicker storage baskets and hamper.

Blake Odom ‘16, OBX

Fun fact: Lodell , a 1920s farmhouse, was expanded and converted into student housing in the 1990s.

Blake Odom’s spacious room at OBX, a house across the street from the Pole Houses, is a space fit for any good Texan. The Houstonnative outfitted the room with antlers from a red stag Odom got from a man in Bavaria, the skin of a bobcat killed by his dad, and a cowhide he bought on the side of the road in Texas. “People sell longhorn hides on the side of the road all of the time.

This one is probably stolen,” he said.

Luke Myer ‘16, Pole One Luke Myer’s room is a sanctuary amidst the beer cans and solo cups of Pole One. His room is right next to the living area they clear out for parties. “It’s definitely disgusting living on the first floor,” Myer said.

In addition to the skins and antlers adorning the walls, you can sometimes stumble across a living four-legged friend.

“Duke, a one-eyed pug, came with the house,” said Odom.

The pup belongs to Odom’s roommate T.R. Wall ’15.

Despite needing to wear shoes each time he walks to the bathroom, Myer prefers Pole One to his former home, nearly 20 minutes from campus. “I lived at Hogback II last year and it was a big ordeal to see people. It’s much easier to hang out with friends here.”

Another OBX bonus: an inflatable hot tub inherited from the former tenants. “We named it Harriet,” Odom shared.

Odom said that despite the noise from the Pole Houses, he likes the convenience of his off-campus house. “It’s nice because I’m living so close to the party that I can walk home.”

An OBX bonus: an inflatable hot tub inherited from the former tenants.

“We named it Harriet,” Odom shared.

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Myer’s walls tell a vivid personal story. “I’ve lived in four different cities, so I tried to pick things for my walls that represent those places,” said Myer.

Among the memorabilia are a watercolor of his childhood home in Bedford, New York, a poster of the Keeper of the Plains statue in Wichita, Kansas, and a vintage print ad for Bull Durham Smoking Tobacco based in Durham, North Carolina. Pole One has been a staple residence for Beta for as long as Myer remembers. “There are alumni in their 30s who still ask if Betas live at ‘Pole House One.’”

OBX

“There’s no wasted space in here,” said Gingy Dixon of her shoebox-sized bedroom.

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11/17/15 11:33 PM

UNCOVERING THE W&L ART COLLECTION

E

by Inga Wells ‘16

very semester, Washington and Lee art history students trek to museums in D.C. or Richmond to see works they’ve studied in their courses. Few students realize, however, that W&L stores a vast quantity of artwork on campus. Those who do know about the hidden collections may assume that it’s neglected or ignored.

Patricia Hobbs, the associate director of the University Collections of Art and History, is working to promote the positive and necessary reasons for art storage. Preservation and rotation, Hobbs said, are delicate art forms in themselves and necessary components of curating.

One of four trained museum professionals at W&L, Hobbs oversees the school’s preservation efforts. Hobbs said she was “pulled up the hill” from her position as director of the Lee Chapel Museum to University Collections in 2009 by then-director Peter Grover.

University Collections is the greater umbrella of art at W&L. It includes the General Art Collection, which began in 1874 with a generous gift of early American portraits from Newton Mercer, a resident of New Orleans and a benefactor of both W&L and Virginia Military Institute. Also included in the University Collections are the Lee Chapel

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Collection, which opened in 1928, and the Reeves Collection, which opened in 1967.

Hobbs explained that art should be held in storage for at least a year to ensure its protection. The preservation team focuses on controlling the temperature, humidity, and light exposure the displayed pieces receive with devices like conservation glass frames. Over the past 10 years, no art in any of the collections has been damaged in storage. Curators even allow some students and professors to access works for study when not on display. Some of Chemistry Professor Erich Uffelman’s students learn how the composition of paint changes over time by analyzing some of the university’s stored artwork.

While on display, artwork should be rotated back into storage every three months. But this frequent rotation can also benefit the viewer.

“Art storage . . . ensures that museums are not stagnant,” Hobbs said. “People want to see something new.”

For example, every semester the art hanging in Payne Hall coordinates with the current English department courses. This term, to reflect the Shakespeare courses offered, there are Hans Meid etchings depicting scenes from the tragedy Othello and Thomas Cook prints.

Additionally, most of the artifacts in the Lee

Chapel Collection are currently on display in the museum as part of a special one-year exhibit, “150 Years Later: Lee’s Lasting Vision.” The collection recognizes the 150th anniversary of Robert E. Lee’s inauguration as president of the college. Several rare objects on display, including Lee’s tie, have been in storage for a long time.

The tie was on display from 1928 through the 1960s, during which time it faded from maroon to tan because of light exposure.

Record keeping has become a bigger goal over the past 15 years, as well. Hobbs said that she and her colleagues hope to catalog all of W&L’s art in an online database to be used for education. Through this, Hobbs strives to use every piece in University Collections, both in storage and on display, to teach.

“The purpose of exhibitions is to tell a story that provokes questions so that the viewer goes away with a curiosity to know more,” Hobbs said. “Museums are public trusts . . . Everything is for posterity.”

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11/17/15 11:34 PM

A Saturday in Staunton

by Caitlin Kaloostian ‘17

As much as we appreciate Lexington’s small-town charm and spectacular, secluded setting, sometimes we just need to escape somewhere that feels (relatively) more “big city.” Staunton, a 45-minute drive from Washington and Lee’s campus, is close to three times Lexington’s size. Founded in 1747, Staunton is best known for its participation as a trade center during the Civil War and the birthplace of former President Woodrow Wilson. Staunton contains cultural attractions, aesthetic architecture and a collection of small family businesses. The heart of Staunton, teeming with unique shops, cafés, wine bars, breweries, cigar lounges and theaters, is best explored on foot. And with the Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive located just outside the city, there’s definitely a little something for everyone to enjoy.

10:30 a.m.

THE ITINERARY

Arrive in Staunton after a scenic drive along I-81 N. We drive into a small municipal parking garage on Mill Street to park for the day. Fee: $1 per every three hours.

11:00 a.m.

Walk around the block to find a brunch spot. We duck into Cranberry’s Grocery and Eatery, which sells organic natural foodstuffs and remedies. They have a wonderful smoothie and espresso bar, as well as healthy sandwich options. We buy egg and cheese wraps with small espressos.

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Browse the shops downtown. An earthy shop called Made; By the People, For the People, sells locally handcrafted goods and American-made clothing. I buy a blouse for my mom and a hand-carved wooden plate for my dad to serve baby-back ribs on. Down the street is a cigar lounge. Four middleaged men sit in a circle of leather-backed armchairs drinking bourbon and smoking cigars. Local men come here to talk business a lot, the manager tells me. He says the hipsters come in after 6 p.m.

1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Lunchtime! We walk into the Pampered Palate Café, a quaint restaurant known for its flavored teas, notably ginger peach, blackberry sage and vanilla almond. It also has house wines and locally brewed beers. They serve an assortment of vegetarian dishes, meat platters and cheese appetizers. I buy a tuna melt and a mocha latte with chocolate syrup topped with whipped cream (I don’t believe in diets).

2:20 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Give your feet a rest and jump on Staunton’s trolley service for a narrated tour. The trolley leaves the Visitor’s Center on New Street at 11 a.m. on Friday and Saturday most months. The cost is $10 per person. We got to see the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, Gypsy Hill Park, Mary Baldwin College and Thornrose Cemetery.

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Take a quick walk back into town from the trolley stop. We grab an early dinner at Zynodoa, known for its decadent southern cuisine. If you want a more casual atmosphere, try Mill Street Brewery.

Located in a renovated flourmill, it offers traditional American fare and features live music.

7:00 p.m. - 9:15 p.m.

Walk to the Blackfriar’s Playhouse, the only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theater along the east coast. Blackfriar’s hosts a theatre company that performs Shakespearian plays under their original staging conditions. While there, we saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream and had a lot of fun laughing at the actors’ representation of the play.

9:30 p.m.

Visit the Split Banana, the only gelato shop that can contend with Lexington’s Pronto.

It has Pronto’s flavors, plus more. I wouldn’t leave before trying it.

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11/17/15 11:36 PM

BREAKING GROUND ON W&L’S SOCIAL SCENE

by Hannah Falchuk ‘18 Friday nights in Lexington have never been indistinguishable from Saturday, Wednesday and, in May, Monday nights. Yet this semester, students have found a new way to end the school week by enjoying art, food and conversation.

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riday Underground is a coffee house-style, live-performance venue that takes place every Friday night at the Arts, Recreation and Culture House, formerly home to the SAE fraternity. It provides a weekly stage for students to show musical and artistic talents.

Dana Gary ’18, a member of the Friday Underground Commission, described the event as a “safe haven” for talent and expression.

“Students are welcome to take a few hours to just be with one another, to get to know fellow students through their art and conversation, and to refine their own craft by performing,” Gary said.

The concept for Friday Underground came from realizations of students of all class years that social options for weekend nights were lacking in variety and not always conducive to social growth.

Matt Carl ’17 and Kassie Scott ’18 led discussions about adding options to nightlife in Lexington. They sought assistance from Sarah Wilson, administrative assistant of the geology department, and Dr. Kirk Luder, head psychiatrist of the University Counseling Center, as well as a small group of students who also had a vision for a change in the social scene. After several brainstorming sessions, Friday Underground was born.

“It was initially seen as a social alternative,” Carl said, “but it’s kind of morphed into the idea that we have talented people here: Let’s see that and let’s experience that.”

Friday Underground is run by Carl, Scott, Gary, Audrey Dangler’18, Austin Frank’17, Melina Knabe’17 and Elaina Prillaman’17. The event is open to everyone. The first ever Friday Underground, held the first weekend of classes, had over 200 students in attendance.

Interested performers must go through a screening process by the Friday Underground Commission. This semester’s lineup ranged from student bands to DJs to spoken word artists.

Music isn’t the only reason worth going, though. Attendees treat themselves to lattes, hot chocolate, and tea (BYO mug recommended). Slow Food, a student organization that seeks the enjoyment of wholesome ingredients and their sources, caters snacks and appetizers.

“Watching everyone enjoy the food we’ve made in the company

of their friends, finally relaxing at the end of the week—it’s been great,” Slow Food President Diana Banks’17 said. “This opportunity was one of the biggest contributors to greater name recognition for Slow Food this year.”

“Everyone feels like they have a part in it,” Scott said of the students attending, performing and cooking. She even saw a group of Lexington teenagers on skateboards following the sidewalk chalk triangles, the group’s symbol, leading to the ARC house one recent Friday night.

Although W&L holds its traditions so dear, students have been looking for something new, something other than a routine that’s been handed down to them. “[Friday Underground] has enormous potential to be an invaluable platform for all student art. We’ve only caught a glimpse of what it can—and will—become,” Gary said.

Carl added that how Friday Underground evolves depends on the students and what they want to make of it. “It provides a chance for you to be anything you want in this space.”

“We have talented people here. Let’s see that and let’s experience that.”

-Matt Carl ‘17

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REVEALING SHIRTS

Shirts with cutouts on the back or sides that extend below the crease of the elbow or show midriff

DO’S AND DON’TS OF GYM ATTIRE

DON’T

Schall must address those complaints and set a standard for both genders’ workout gear. “You may see some guys with really thin shirts that are cut super high on the sides who are nasty sweating. Then I have people coming to me saying, ‘That’s really gross, would you do something about that,’” said Schall.

by Logan Hendrix ‘16

The fitness fad has become such a trend that athletic wear has taken off in the fashion market, providing stylish clothes for working out and everyday wear. Think Tory Burch’s leatherbanded FitBits or Alexander Wang’s hundred-dollar sports bras.

Even celebrities like Kate Hudson, Heidi Klum and Carrie Underwood have launched their own fitness lines and collaborations.

Washington and Lee has a gym attire policy that Fitness Center Director Chris Schall evaluates at the beginning of each academic year.

However, with athletic clothes becoming more innovative, W&L’s rules may be behind the times.

Some universities have already started to change their gym policies.

This year the University of Central Florida banned tank tops that are transparent or have cutouts. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee banned sleeveless shirts altogether to prevent intimidation from brawny gym-goers.

As common protocol, most gyms restrict clothing to protect students from health hazards, such as staph infections. However, W&L Director of Student Health and Counseling Service Dr. Jane Horton said such infections on campus aren’t a common problem.

Schall said the biggest motivation for restricting gym attire is to foster a family-like atmosphere. Two thirds of sign-ins at the Fitness Center are undergraduate students, but law students, employees, alumni and their families also have access to the facility.

“When you’re in a community, sometimes you have to draw back a little bit,” said Schall.

When students violate the gym attire rules, they’re instructed to either put on a provided T-shirt or to leave. “Usually at the start of the school year there are more [violations],” Schall said. “But then again, there are other people that we constantly have to remind.”

Read on as Schall sheds some light on what is and what isn’t appropriate to work out in.

SPANDEX

Shorts, leggings, tights and sweatpants

DO

Sports teams, such as volleyball, use spandex shorts in their official uniform.

“Running tights are okay too.”

He added, “It’s form fitting, yeah, but some guys such as football players come in with under armour that’s form fitting as well.”

CLOSED-TOED ATHLETIC SHOES Tennis shoes and five-toed shoes

DO

Common sense. Nobody wants to drop a weight on their bare toes.

OBSCENITY

Inappropriate or offensive language or graphics

DON’T

“We want it to be so no one is grossed out or offended either by language or a graphic,” said Schall.

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HOW TO LAND YOUR DREAM INTERNSHIP Q&A WITH SUMMER INTERNS

by Sam Moench ‘17

As most Washington and Lee students know, the process of finding an internship can be very overwhelming. Luckily, we have an immense amount of resources at our disposal thanks to Career Services and a strong alumni network who all are dedicated to employing W&L students. This past summer many students used these, as well as other resources, to land noteworthy internships. We asked them to share their best advice.

Mansie Hough ’16 Major: Mass Communications Company: Global Prairie Location: Cleveland, Ohio How did you use school resources to find your internship?

John Tompkins ’18 Majors: Politics Strategic Communications Company: WAXE 1370-AM talk radio Location: Vero Beach, Fla. Any advice on what sort of internships to apply for?

“I contacted alums off Colonnade Connections who majored or worked in industries that I was interested in. I then used my alumni connections, as well as job search sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed, to search for positions.

“Don’t settle for interning somewhere just to fill your free time over the summer or pad your resume. Try to find work in a field or at a company that actually interests you. It’ll make the work you do a whole lot more fulfilling.”

What’s your interview strategy?

“Know your industry—current events and issues, terminology, and how a typical office or company is run . . . [and] come up with two or three questions that have to do with what the company will need from their interns, what challenges you might face, and so on.”

How helpful was networking in getting your internship?

“The more people you talk to, the more connections you’ll find—I landed my internship through a family friend. Without a doubt, connections are the key to finding a great internship opportunity and an even better job once you leave W&L.”

“Connections are the key to finding a great internship and an even better job once you leave W&L” -John Tompkins ‘18 Carley Sambrook ’17 Major: Business Administration Company: Michael Kors Location: New York, N.Y. What was your strategy for applying to internships?

“I knew the chances of getting a fashion internship in NYC were slim, so I created a lengthy list of major fashion companies and researched their internship programs. I submitted multiple applications and connected with corporate executives throughout the companies on LinkedIn. I also used Colonnade Connections to ask questions to W&L alumni.”

What did you do to stand out as an applicant?

“Many people want to work in the fashion industry, but you have to show the interviewers why you will be the best fit for their company.

I became as much of an expert on Michael Kors as I could be. I went through the website and read through external reports on the brand, its presence at Fashion Week and its performance in the industry.”

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Lydia Barit ‘16 Major: Math Minor: Computer Science Company: Aon Global Risk Consulting Location: London How’d you choose to intern abroad?

“I was studying abroad in Budapest, Hungary, at the time that I started contacting companies [for internships].

To maximize my time in Europe, I decided to intern in London and mentioned this to those I reached out to. Unfortunately, the London contacts that I was given were not helpful, so I decided (though somewhat reluctantly at first) to talk to my parents, both of whom work directly and indirectly with the insurance industry.”

What’s your token piece of advice?

“Be confident about what you have accomplished and how your background makes you a good candidate for the position you are interviewing for. You do not have to major in business to work at a financial institution.”

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TAKE A SUNRISE HIKE

photos: Payson Miller ‘16

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