The Continental Winter 2023

the continental

winter 2023

The Time I Auditioned for Yodapez as a Second Semester Senior A Day With Facilities Management

What’s “In” and “Out” On Campus

And on the Eighth Day, Bristol Pool was Once Again Open, 10

What’s “In” and “Out” on Campus, 14

Undisciplined: Designing Your Own Major, 16

Contributers, 6

Letter from the Editors, 7

All Weather is Glen Weather, 20

What’s Happening with HAVOC, 22

The Coffee of Copenhagen, 24

Q&A with Hamilton’s New Theater Faculty, 36

A Day with Facilities Management, 40

Need a Study Break? Try Out a Winter Club Sport, 42

on the hill

The Time I Auditioned for Yodapez as a Second Semester Senior, 28

Cool Places (on Campus) You Don’t Have Access To, 30

Hamilton, What’s Your Take?, 32

features lifestyle

Best Oscar Movies to Watch Based on Your Homework, 46

What’s New with Hamilton Dining, 48

Dorm Room Decoration Tips, 50

n t ibutors

Editors-in-Chief

Nicolette van Kesteren ‘23

Stella Essenmacher ‘25

Creative Directors

Sarah Ferland ‘23

Photography Director

Kaitlyn Bieber ‘23

Social Media Director

Zoe Neely ‘25

rEditors-at-Large

Ashley Kolpan ‘24

Will Kretz ‘26

On the Hill Editor

Camille Martin ‘24

Travel Editor

Morgan Hodorowski ‘26

Features Editor

Zoe Neely ‘25

Opinion Editor

Deniz Tek ‘24

Lifestyle Editor

Sammy Smock ‘23

Photographers

Hannah Osinoff ‘23

Meave Browne ‘25

Kathleen Deedy ‘24

Timothy Colledge ‘25

Katie Jenkinson ‘23

Writers

Eric Santomauro-Stenzel ‘24

Maeve Browne ‘25

Zoe Regner ‘26

Emma DiGiacomo ‘25

Andrew Brennan ‘25

letter from the editors

Dear Readers,

Now that we have found our footing for this school year, we were able to actually achieve our goal for the publication. For this winter issue, we wanted to engage the entirety of the Hamilton community, expand our readership, and connect different class years to each other through articles that highlight different experiences. Building up our voice on social media was the first step, particularly in reaching out to the freshman class to make sure they felt welcome and their stories were heard. We want to give a special thanks to our social media coordinator, Zoe Neely, since without her help we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this arduous task or have such an impact on campus life. Within this issue, we were able to incorporate social media into the magazine through our “Overview of the Hill” and “What’s ‘In’ and ‘Out’ on campus” articles, which display the popular opinions of Hamilton College students. Through these articles, we have included more campus voices in the magazine than we have had in our past issues. Our Eboard is also made up of a variety of students in different class years, including those that remember campus before Covid, those that only remember campus as masks and testing, and those that are starting their Hamilton careers being able to experience Hamilton to its fullest.

This issue illustrates the vibrant and varied Hamilton community by presenting many unique and thought-provoking perspectives. Staff Writer Maeve Brown spotlights the hard-working team of the Facilities Management department in a day spent shadowing them in her article, “A Day with Facilities Management.”

In “And on the Eighth Day (11 months later) Bristol Pool Was Open Once Again,” our Editor at Large, Ashley Kolpan, celebrates the opening of the renovated Bristol Pool from the view of a varsity swimmer. Lastly, an article that intrigued us was the opinionated piece by staff writer Eric Santomauro-Stenzel on the interdisciplinary major at Hamilton, which gives students the option to construct their own major.

We hope that our goal of increasing community engagement came across in these pages. With every Continental issue we write, we find ourselves learning more about the community and finding more ways to showcase the fantastic work happening across Hamilton College. We want to thank everyone who contributed to this issue, including those that participated in our Instagram polls, since without their hard work and dedication we would not have been able to put forth this issue. We also want to mention how appreciative we are of the work that has been done by our fantastic Eboard comprised of our section editors, our Creative Director, and our Director of Photography. You all made the work appear seamless even when it was incredibly difficult. Thank you all, and thank you to our readers for continuing to enjoy our magazine. We hope you enjoy the Winter 2023 Continental issue!

Nicolette & Stella

AD SECTION

HELP WANTED ON THE DBOARD!!!!!!!!

Bristol pool, it is awesome, you know what else is awesome…… DIVING BABY!!!!!!!

Can you… touch ur toes(ish)

Jump off the ground

*being able to do a flip would be cool but not a necessary prerequisite*

Do you want to … use the upstairs gym get silly fun merch

Make some new friends

Be part of a team

AND BRISTOL POOL WAS

“Come one, come all and see the greatness for yourself!”

ON THE EIGHTH DAY (11 MONTHS LATER) ONCE AGAIN OPEN

By Ashley Kolpan ‘24

After what has seemed like a lifetime, the one and the only Bristol Pool has once again opened its doors, glorious as ever. Goodbye to the pale yellow walls, leaky wooden roof, and old lights that would occasionally catch on fire, and not a day too soon! The pool was supposed to open late December 2022 but after months and months of delays, the newly refurbished facility is finally open! Diver Maggie Nye ‘24 responded with “War is OverJohn Lennon” when asked for a quote that embodies the community's joy with the pool’s return!

Some updates include new gutters, tiles, starting blocks, and record boards. There is also a super fancy new scoreboard on which the construction workers were allegedly watching Disney’s Cars 2 (hard at work as always),

new bluetooth surround sound, and new tech all around! Women’s Varsity Swim Team captain Sam Karlson ‘23 states, “It is really nice to be back in the new pool. It looks great and the water feels even better.”

Those who needed to find some water in Bristol’s absences found themselves too often with a 4:55 AM wake up call to catch the bus to Utica University, where the pool’s salinity was comparable to the Atlantic Ocean. The senior members of the Women’s and Men’s Varsity Swim and Dive team had to have their senior meet “home” at Colgate’s pool.

John Gessinger, the aquatic director and head coach of both the women’s and men’s swim and dive team states, we “can now utilize the facility for a variety of

programming and exercise needs to better the wellness of community”. Will Rice ‘24 states, “the new Bristol Pool has been a fantastic new addition for not only swimmers but also lifeguards. Upon its completion, its new tiles allowed less water to splash the lifeguards and it was nice to get my on-campus job back!”

All in all, it is great to see a return to normalcy! Lifeguards can return to work, and faculty and other Hamilton community members can enjoy the water. Your swim training for Ham Trek can start today! Come one, come all and see the greatness for yourself!

WHAT’S “IN” AND “OUT” ON CAMPUS

By Camille Martin ‘24

Image: Rachael Gorjestani on Unsplash

The McEwen Ice Cream Setup

To be honest, I was a little surprised by these results, so I took it upon myself to put this in both categories. Hear me out. The new McEwen ice cream setup has many positive attributes, complete with a very kind scooper-topping-hotfudge-man, numerous flavors, and an array of toppings from chocolate chips to sprinkles, crushed Oreos, and M&M’s. Who wouldn’t be thrilled by the prospect of so many delicious options and combinations? However, this “full-service” setup, so to speak, still leaves some things to be desired. For more, see the “out” category.

Pub nights

Rumor has it the Little Pub is the new Rok. Are you tired of paying $10+ for an Uber down the hill? Head over to Pub instead! It’s student-run, anyone can get in, and I hear they even take cards now at the bar (for those over 21)! Not only is Pub a great place to spend time with your friends and fellow students, but it’s conveniently located right next to Diner if you’re looking for a bite to eat after a long night out.

iPads

This was a super tight poll, but the “ins” have it! You heard it here, being an iPad adult is cool! Honestly, though, I often find myself clicking my laptop keys in a nearly silent classroom, as everyone jots down notes with an Apple Pencil and iPad. I suppose their lightness and multi-use capabilities make them ideal for note taking, homework, and a variety of tasks beyond just fueling your parents’ Candy Crush addiction.

Interacting on Martin’s Way

This one was a toss-up, but the “ins” have it. The days of keeping your head down and staring at your shoes on your walk to class are over. If you see someone you know on your way to class, just say “hi!” You never know what kind of day someone is having, and your greeting that takes half a second might brighten it even the slightest bit. Besides, walks from one side of campus to the other can be long and cold during these winter months, so why not add a little socialization to spice up your journey?

Winter/cold weather

Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted six more weeks of winter, but walking across campus, slipping and sliding every which way is getting a little old. I know we can’t control the weather but the COVID-19 task force stated that “warm weather is headed our way,” and I’ll take that over a groundhog’s prediction any day.

Dining hall dates

Nobody wants to be on a date at a little circle table in Commons and have an entire sports team, post-practice, sit down one table over. Without a doubt, you will see every person you’ve ever interacted with at Hamilton, and if you’re especially lucky, your whole friend group will walk by, giggle, make jokes, and raise their eyebrows at you. I know dining hall dates are super convenient, but I promise there are better options that are just as cost-effective. Just check out our fall issue’s date night article by Emma DiGiacomo for ideas!

North lot

This one is so painfully out, and certainly very much out of everyone’s way. Imagine having to go to battle every day for a parking spot only to be banished to North Lot, forced to make the ~slightly~ uphill trek to wherever you live. It’s -10˚ outside, the RealFeel is -35˚, and you have a ten-minute walk ahead of you. No thank you.

UNDISCIPLINED DESIGNING YOUR OWN MAJOR

By Eric Santomauro-Stenzel ‘24

Like many of us, one of Hamilton’s strongest draws for me was the open curriculum. Unmitigated freedom to explore and connect new subjects, liberty from the tyranny of a math class, and the promise to “Know Thyself.” In a word, Hamilton’s open curriculum offered transcendence.

To whatever extent the marketing material is true, it’s interdisciplinarily.

Disciplines are a social construct; that at Hamilton Marx is more often referenced in critical theory classes than economics courses isn’t a natural fact of the universe. The boundaries between disciplines often enforce what scholarship is “legitimate” in the eyes of the academy. A professor of mine once told our class that they would like to include more citations from other disciplines in their research, but doing so would harm their ability to seek jobs in discipline-based academic departments. In other words, full-time

academics are structurally disincentivized from drawing connections between their colleagues’ work and their own. Maybe that means we should try to fill the gaps, or more conspiratorially, break the boundaries.

As undergraduates, we are lucky to have the opportunity to explore more freely. Though I came into Hamilton wanting to major in government, I soon realized the boundaries of the government discipline largely precluded studies of social change via other avenues than electoral politics, as well as the practical application of such strategies. Instead, I decided to pursue an interdisciplinary concentration that would enable me to study how societies change more broadly.

A successful interdisciplinary concentration application explains why all included disciplines are insufficient on their own, as well as the unique benefit each one offers. Interdisciplinary work is about

deconstructing and reconstructing, looking at issues from a variety of vantage points, and appreciating the vibrancy of combining it all into one picture. For me, a pallette of africana studies, anthropology, government, and sociology painted “social movements & community organizing.”

What application might the ethnographic research skills I gained from anthropology be able to do for me in political science? How might theories on collective action from sociology offer insight into historical Black rebellions? Questions like these are both readily prompted and answered through an interdisciplinary concentration. I’ve found that the concentration, along with a healthy dose of independent study courses (which are also amazing), has encouraged an interdisciplinary mindset in general. By design, I consider my courses as in relationship to one another rather than as blocked off and atomized. This semester, as I take

AFRST - Global Black Rebellions, ENVST - Environmental Social Movements, INTER - Contemporary Social Movement Theory, and SOC - Populism, I see concepts that are mirrored between classes. These connected concepts offer a more holistic learning experience that reinforces lessons and encourages depth of understanding.

One of the few drawbacks, however, is that you must select specific courses. Hamilton’s structure requires students to have every single course selected when you submit the application. While you may switch out two later on, anything beyond that requires approval again. Perhaps Hamilton isn’t wrong to want students to be very confident in designing their own major, but it does add rigidity to a concentration that is otherwise very open.

Another drawback is how it impacts a student’s ability to minor or double major, especially if the inter-

disciplinary concentration includes several departments and you have a targeted set of interests. In another world, I might have liked to minor or even major in any one of the specific disciplines I included in my concentration, but now that would require taking additional courses since they cannot count towards two degrees.

These limitations are nothing in comparison to the liberating feeling of being able to control the direction of my own education to a greater extent than ever before. For those of us disillusioned with the arbitrary categories placed onto learning by the Western academy, interdisciplinary concentrations offer a rare pedagogical respite, a place to chart our own course and embrace the diversity of human knowledge.

travel

travel

ALL WEATHER IS GLEN WEATHER

By Will Kretz ‘26

It was a windy, gray day. The kind of day that makes Light Side look haunted and Dark Side Soviet. The kind of day that makes you think something bad is going to happen very soon. But this kind of day— this weather—was exactly what I needed. I had a point to prove: all weather is glen weather.

The trip down to Rogers Glen (my personal glen of choice) is a hike in itself, but true glenheads won’t be deterred by a little extra walking. At Rogers’ entrance, I was greeted by the Day-Glo fence of the famous Rogers Pit. I’m not sure what the college has in store with this hole, but man, I’m excited!

Everywhere else on campus, the ice is gone, but not in this true wilderness. The charm of Rogers Glen is its lack of maintenance; ice and mud had mixed, creating a new kind of danger—slippery but exhilarating.

As any experienced glen-goer, I often go off the trail. In one of the few masculine instincts I have remaining, I follow the river as far as I can. Crossing from bank to bank, jumping from stone to stone, never totally falling but always coming close. What a feeling. On this day, the recent rain had given the river a little encouragement, and it was flowing faster than ever.

It wasn’t long before I was out of range of my cellular data provider; I was truly on my own. My only friend was my Sony Cybershot, a sturdy little camera on which I hoped to document my trip. Maybe it was the cold, maybe nerves, but the Cybershot’s battery was in a constant state of flux, keeping me on my toes.

Things started changing when I realized my waterproof boots weren’t so waterproof. The water, the mud, and the microbes carrying ancient diseases that populate the river, had all found a new home in my shoes and were making great friends with my socks. Were I to go missing, the soft mud and my heavy steps left behind a traceable enough footprint. Just follow the size 11’s (11½ if we’re being generous).

Things really took a turn when I went up further than I ever had. I crossed over the river into an open area littered with beer cans, and more alarmingly, tins of sardines. Partying was expected deep in the woods, but sardines? Sardines are sustenance. Someone was living out here. My first thought was American serial killer Glen Rogers, “The Cross Country Killer.” Maybe he was hiding in the woods, waiting for an Editor-at-Large to come walking through, tired, muddy, and expecting nothing at all. But I felt Glen Rogers in Rogers Glen

was too on the nose. Still, my uneasiness persisted. It's one thing to be alone in the woods, another to not be alone.

My trip only got stranger as I marched on. An empty fenced-off field, trash seemingly everywhere, a stairway to what appears to be Hamilton College’s garbage park, and scientific apparati that I definitely did not tamper with. I also found a bizarre structure, maybe an art project, maybe home to American serial killer Glen Rogers, made out of trash and decorated with, you guessed it, more trash. I continued.

The banks of the river were getting higher and higher, making it difficult to go back and forth. On one end of the steep hill, I was greeted by some kind of electrical hub with a pool of stagnant water in front of it. On the other side of the river, over another steep hill, was a utility pole I wanted to touch. For my last trick, I scaled down the hill, crossed the river, scaled up the

other hill, and was promptly told not to touch the pole. It was the final disappointment.

I felt as if I probed too far, looked too hard into Rogers' secrets. What once felt like true wilderness now felt limited, populated by trash and serial killers. I followed a trail that led me to Witham field, where the Boys’ Lacrosse team was practicing to get another one of their famous wins. One thing I’ve found with any glen, but especially Rogers, is that it will always spit you out somewhere. I have yet to find a glen that is infinite, or more accurately, a glen that wants you to stay in its infinity infinitely.

But back to my point. Any weather is glen weather, as long as you don’t stray too far from the trail.

W H A T ’ S H A P P E N I N G

This semester, Hamilton College’s HAVOC (Hamilton Association for Volunteering, Outreach, and Charity) is, once again, connecting with the surrounding community—from Clinton to Utica—through volunteer work. From public libraries to food pantries, HAVOC members are constantly eager to lend a helping hand, engage with the wider community, and make a difference. Amy James, Director of Community Outreach, appreciates the effort and impact HAVOC makes, noting how members “bring so much energy and enthusiasm to all of the sites they visit, whether it’s for a one time service day or for regular, sustained projects.”

Within HAVOC, Site Coordinators are assigned a location that they individually oversee, arranging volunteer groups, transportation, and, sometimes, volunteer activities. Below I will explore some of the volunteers locations Site Coordinators are involved in:

Dunham Public Library: Located in Whitesboro, NY, the Dunham Public Library has hosted HAVOC volunteers for both weekly volunteer work and one-day service projects, such as this past MLK Jr. Day of Service on February 4th. This semester, HAVOC volunteers are running a Reading Buddy program aimed at improving literacy skills through one-on-one reading practice with elementary students. As the Site Coordinator for the library, I really enjoy working with the library community and sharing my passion for literature to help others improve.

Hope House:

Sophomore Sabina Feder works with the Hope House, a food pantry in Utica. There, HAVOC volunteers help out for dinner shifts— preparing, serving, and cleaning up food. Growing up, Feder was always working for food pantries, so she “jumped at the chance to help out at one here in Utica.” To Feder, the most rewarding part is

Morgan Hodorowski ‘26

W I T H H A V O C OC

seeing “the community in the Hope House and how friendly everyone is.”

Preswick Glen Retirement Community:

In New Hartford, sophomore Niamh McDade Clay volunteers with the Preswick Glen Retirement Community. There, she socializes with the residents and assists with weekly bingo games—as well as other one-time events. To Clay, whose grandfather was in assisted living during her childhood, working with Preswick allows her to “give back to the community and people in similar situations to the one my grandfather was in” while “learning from residents and their life stories.” She even talks with Jay Williams ‘54—a retired Hamilton Professor!

Brookdale Senior Living: HAVOC works closely with Clinton’s Brookdale Senior Living, a care center that provides different senior services ranging from

assisted Living to at-home-care. Hamilton volunteers visit Brookdale weekly and work closely with residents in the Memory Care and Independent Living units. Volunteer activities include bowling, knitting, crocheting, and dominos, with an emphasis on conversing with the residents. Freshman Drea Hacker describes her rewarding experience volunteering: “I enjoy working at Brookdale because it is fulfilling to connect and interact with the residents. It is always so nice to make jokes, complete activities, and form relations with them.”

According to Amy James, HAVOC members are “generous with their time, curious about others, and open to new experiences,” and “understand that volunteering can contribute positively to their own sense of well-being.” So, if that’s you and you’re looking to make a positive impact on the local community, volunteering with HAVOC is the place for you!

THE COFFEE OF COPENHAGEN

Copenhagen in Denmark has become a staple study abroad destination with Hamilton students over the past couple of years. DIS has always been a popular program with many students from all over the NESCACs coming to spend a semester in Denmark continuing their academic learning while embracing the new culture away from the campuses they are usually confined to. I am also one of these students who is currently studying abroad in a European city that frankly I did not know too much about going in, but now, with a month’s experience under my belt, I have found my calling in this city: and that is coffee!! I’ll go through two of my favorite spots to get coffee and do work in Copenhagen.

After I finish my classes for the day, I usually decide to indulge myself in a little cafe-hopping. I have picked up the habit of going to one of the many cafes that are located around the city to compare the famous European coffee with that I drink in the United States. To my own surprise, I have begun to enjoy drinking hot coffee a lot more in Europe than I would in the United States. In fact I don’t even remember the last time I ordered hot coffee in the US, but here I only order hot drinks, whether it is an oat milk latte, a cappuccino, or a chai latte. Oftentimes, these are accompanied by a pastry on

the side. In the afternoon, usually after class, the cafes I frequent are either The Living Room or Studentrhusset. Both of these cafes are pretty close to the main area where classes are, with Studentrhusset being a little farther than the other. The Living Room is a small cafe down the street from the main DIS area. This cafe is just as the name suggests and feels as if you just walked into the home of someone with couches and comfy seats all over the bottom floor with the cafe area on the top floor. If I had to describe it in Hamilton terms, it would basically be an Opus/Fojo area on steroids. They also happen to have the best chocolate chip banana bread that I have ever eaten! This place is very popular with DIS students since it is quite close to the main area itself, but also because there is a generous discount for students there. That is the secret about all of the places that I mention in this article; they all have student discounts for Americans at DIS!

The second place which I mentioned earlier is the Cafe/weekend bar aptly named Studenrhusset. The direct translation of this name is called Student House. This place is by far one of the most unique places that I have ever visited, with (as far as I know) no equivalent in the United States. It is a non-profit, completely student-run cafe who volunteer to be baristas

or workers. I even know a couple of American students who have decided to volunteer and get free coffees by working. This “Student House” is a place run by students and for students. When we first arrived in Copenhagen, DIS provided every student with one free coffee from here—and we also always get a 25% discount on any drink or food item here! Their cookies are also super delicious. It is quite funny because I am in fact sitting in this cafe sipping a coffee as I type this article! The main area is a large open space with a ton of different seating options to do work. During Friday nights and the rest of the weekend, the place is often cleared out for a wide array of events. For example, just last Friday there was a drag show and the week before that there was a punk rock concert. It is by far one of my favorite spots, and I recommend it if you ever decide to visit Copenhagen.

This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of great coffee places in Copenhagen! I highly recommend exploring yourself if you ever come to visit or study here during your junior year like me. While you all enjoy your Fojo, I will keep on drinking my European lattes (brag intended).

Deniz Tek ‘24

on the

the hill

THE TIME I AUDITIONED FOR YODAPEZ AS A SECOND SEMESTER SENIOR

By Nicolette van Kesteren ‘23

Spontaneity overtook me when one of my closest friends convinced me to join Yodapez as a second-semester senior. Although I had dabbled in theater in high school and am a creative writing major at Hamilton, I had never once considered myself a comedian in any regard. Although my friend in Yodapez and I are quite chatty individuals and even created a radio show last year so that we could spend an hour telling stories and laughing together, I wouldn’t consider myself wellequipped to be thrust into the world of improv. However, my friend had reminded me of my own hilarity, my power as a previous performer, and my ability to tell riveting stories, and convinced me to audition. Thus, I allowed myself to get swept up in the fantasy of being impulsive, deciding that my mantra this semester would be to say “yes” to all new opportunities since it will be my last. Needless to say, that didn’t last long.

Looking back on the experience, there is an irony in the fact that improv relies entirely on saying “yes and” while in a scene with others, a fact I learned in the first five minutes of my audition. Yodapez did in fact say no to me. I was not entirely blameless in that, though, since I hadn’t spent even a second preparing and had decided that I was going to try improv five minutes before the audition. Immediately a piece of paper with random questions was thrust into my hands, and I panicked. I have never had writing prompts this difficult. The paper included questions like “What is the function of a rubber duck?” or “Draw a picture of how you’re feeling currently.” It was unclear whether there was a right answer to any of these questions or if the group just wanted to generate humor and learn more about you as an individual. I felt like I was in an interview or at the doctor’s office when they hand you a paper about your employment

or medical history, and you immediately forget everything about yourself.

After overthinking every question and barely making it through the written part of the exam, I mean audition, I was ushered into the annex to begin performing. We played a series of improv games, during which I realized that none of my job interviews or creative writing classes had prepared me for this kind of thinking on my feet. The games were meant to generate humor through randomness, which was not something I was particularly good at. I mean, what could you really use a stapler for other than stapling? I couldn’t get out of my head. I was impressed by the other auditioners' ability to play improv games with such enthusiasm and without any fear of humiliation. While they were giving their best performances, I was lost in my own confusion. I didn’t understand the instructions

of the games, and I couldn’t get rid of my desire for absolute perfection in everything I said.

There is nothing like being rejected from the comedy improv group on campus to remind you that even if you think you’re funny, you’re not funny. However, I harbor no ill will towards Yodepez, and in fact, I think they are incredibly talented. I commend those that can do improv, because it is incredibly difficult.

“...Remind you that even if you think you’re funny, you’re not funny”

COOL PLACES (ON CAMPUS) YOU DONT HAVE ACCESS TO

By Stella Essenmacher ‘25

Your nifty Hill Card helps you do everything from letting you clean your clothes, pick up the Amazon package that you ordered at 2 a.m. one night against your better judgment, and get a baconegg-and-cheese for both breakfast and a midnight snack. Name anywhere on campus, and there’s someone whose Hill Card works there. But even though someone can get in, that certainly doesn’t mean you can, too.

Bristol Hotel

I hate to bring back these memories, but remember last spring?

Remember the twice-a-week testing, the almost-weekly, “Hey, so I know we spend a ton of time together but I tested positive” text, the $70 a day GrubHub allowance, and your attempt at running on the treadmill while not being able to breathe through a

sweaty mask? They’re all staples of the pandemic experience, but what about a trip to the Bristol hotel? Yes, you heard that right. Bristol (the Career Center building) has a floor of hotel rooms, and my friend, Sadie Chase-Tatko ‘25 stayed there after she tested positive too late at night to be driven to the local Homewood Suites. She says that “the Campo person who dropped me off told me that I was the only one in the building, which was really creepy… I was able to look across the street at South [Residence Hall] and see everybody living their normal lives and having freedom.” Even though Bristol is no Ritz Carlton, should it still be on your bucket list? Most definitely.

Greenhouse

Do you miss the sun? Do you want it to be 80 degrees and so humid you sweat through everything? So bright you need to dig out your summer wardrobe and find your sunglasses again? If you answered “yes” to these questions, then the

greenhouse is your ideal hang-out spot. Too bad, though, you can’t get into the tropical room whenever the winter blues have got you feeling down. The main room is open to the public since it’s used by various departments for research, but the tropical and desert rooms hold plants susceptible to disease and have closely monitored environmental conditions, so you can’t roam freely through them. However, Plant Club and Aquaponics Club like to use the greenhouse for some of their projects. Who’s going to know that you’re joining the clubs for the wrong reasons?

KTSA

If you are severely lacking in artistic talent, you probably won’t find yourself in art classes or in those fancy KTSA studios. KTSA is my favorite place on campus to study, but I honestly have only set foot in 10 percent of that building. While I’m sitting in my artsy red chair admiring the artsy view out the window, people are always run-

ning around, clicking their handy little Hill Cards on all these locked doors, disappearing into some room I’m not allowed to enter. KTSA is equipped with a ceramics studio, woodworking studio, green room, two theaters, painting studios, printmaking studios, and some more studios thrown in there with names like “casting studio” (which, due to my aforementioned lack of artistic ability, I couldn’t begin to describe to you what goes on in there).

Honorable mentions: CJ reading room and the McEwen basement The tour guide in me really wants to throw out some cool (accessible) places that should also be on your bucket list, starting with the CJ reading room. I started having class there this semester and it's heavenly, albeit a bit creepy if you’re there alone. Also, have you ever noticed that to the left of the stairs that you use to go up to McEwen, there’s a set of stairs leading down? Go down, I dare you.

McEwen Lightside

Buff Pub

51% 53% 20% 60% 35%

Commons Ice cream

features

Q&A WITH HAMILTON’S NEW THEATER FACULTY

By Zoe Regner ‘26

The Continental: What did you specialize in or work on before Hamilton?

Prof. Jess Buttery: Here, I’m a production manager, so I’m kind of the eye in the sky kind of person, but professionally, I do lighting design.

Prof. Emily K. Harrison: I’ve been teaching at colleges and universities for the last fifteen years or so, and I run a professional theater company in Boulder, Colorado. So I’m trained mostly as an actor and a director, and I do a lot of devising work, meaning that my company as an ensemble makes a lot of new work together. We present a lot of world and regional premiers in Boulder and Denver.

Prof. Tobin Ost: For the last twenty-plus years, I’ve been working on scenic and costume design for new musicals. There is something very exciting about starting with something that has no prior DNA or no preconceived idea of how

it’s going to look or sound. It really makes you proactive in the whole process.

The Continental: What are your values as an educator?

Buttery: A lot of trial and error. We can try and fail, and that’s okay. We’ll try it, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll figure out a different solution or something new, and eventually, we’ll get to an answer.

Harrison: I really value a backand-forth with my students—a collaboration. Certainly there are things I know about because I’ve been to school longer, been on the planet longer, but I don’t know everything. I’m much more interested in a classroom that feels more collaborative, [where] it’s not just me saying ‘this is the thing you need to know.’

Ost: Demystifying theater and design specifically and making it accessible to everyone. I think a

lot of people may come to my class and be like ‘I’m not an artist,’ but I’m here to say you don’t have to be an artist in my class. Design is very much communication, and sure, it’s to some degree about what you generate, but it’s equally important [that] you communicate with the audience. What pieces are you utilizing that say something [and] help tell the story?

The Continental: Do you have any advice for students, particularly those in theater?

Buttery: No—everyone that I’ve encountered is super self-motivated, and it’s so important in a post-pandemic world that you are in the room to do theater, and everyone that I’ve encountered is already really good at that. All of these people already show up, and they’re really excited about the work. So no real advice. Just keep on keeping on.

Harrison: So much of the time you never know what your career is going to look like in theater. I think people come out of high school thinking, ‘I want to do big musicals; I want to be on Broadway.’ And Broadway is such a tiny portion of theater happening in the United States, and I’d have to say a lot of the time it’s not even the most interesting theater happening or the most compelling. There are lots of smaller cities across the United States that have great art scenes that do some of the best theater in the world.

Ost: I think we all leave school with this idea that the work you do needs to be pure and the exact thing you studied, but give yourself latitude and breadth to move around a little. What’s important is your trajectory over the course of your whole life, and it’s hard to have that perspective when you’re only one, two, three, four years outside of school. You’ll always be

an artist, and you don’t need a job or a lack of a job to tell you that you are or that you aren’t.

The Continental: Any other thoughts about theater?

Buttery: I’m all about theater being a conversation starter. When you’re starting to think about what kind of stories you want to tell and how to start the conversation around topics that might be hard but really relevant, I think theater is a really great tool for that [and for] exploring what it means to be human in the modern world.

Harrison: There’s something that happens when you have people in a room together, witnessing and performing and sharing in a space. Film and television are great, but there’s something for me about having people in the room, having an audience witness and hopefully participate in the process and the performance.

There’s something about that exchange between the audience and the performer that’s magical.

Ost: What’s interesting in theater is that the same production, the same show, can be done by three different directors or theaters and the outcome will always be different. Change one of those ingredients, and you’ll have a different show.

“There’s something about that exchange between the audience and the performer that’s magical.”

A DAY WITH FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

By Maeve Browne ‘25

“Trust me, you’ll be fine.” These were the words spoken to me by John Vaughan, Athletic Grounds Foreperson, at Sage Rink as I was riding the famous Hamilton zamboni. Yes, riding it.

Let’s backtrack a bit. Vaughan is a member of the hardworking Facilities Management Staff here at Hamilton. With the help of locksmith Frank Ostrosky, I spent an afternoon stepping into the shoes (or vehicles) of these vital members of our community. The first situation we encountered was replacing a sign on College Hill Road that had fallen down due to a high speed chase. Phil Dudajek and Derrick Baker dug out a perfect rectangle where the postage once was, and added a new foundation, completing this task with smiles on their faces.

Next up was visiting Natasha Gadek, who was busy fixing the electrical board of a lamp post that had malfunctioned next to the Annex. Not only is this job chal-

lenging (especially when Gadek climbed up a ladder to physically adjust the bulb at the top), but each lamp post on campus is controlled by its own individual electric system. Essentially, this means if multiple ones break, Gadek and other mechanics have to adjust them one at a time. She asked me at the end of our photoshoot if I got any good pictures. Little did she know every shot perfectly captured her zeal and excitement that helps keep our campus alive at nighttime.

While Ostrosky and I drove to our next stop at Taylor Science Center, he explained to me the daily ins and outs of his job: “There are only two locksmiths on this campus,” he explained to me. Shocked, I replied, “I didn’t even realize we had any!”

He laughed and began to educate me on his plethora of responsibilities. Ever gotten locked out of your dorm? He’ll let you in. Or is the bathroom door in your hall missing a lock? Ostrosky is on the case. But physical locks aren’t the only thing under his authority; he’s also responsible for the black boxes we swipe our Hill Cards on to get into dorms and buildings. Despite this tremendous burden, Ostrosky spoke about his job fervently. He truly loves what he does, and we love him for it.

At the Science Center, we met up with the extremely skilled Clayton Bryant. He was in the process of touching up the paint job of one of the restrooms. Ostrosky’s description of Bryant as an extraordinary

artist lived up to its expectation. Every wall (including each hard to reach corner) was perfectly covered in smooth paint.

Our last stop was at the Sage Ice Rink. We joined John Vaughan and Cary Kicinski, who were preparing for the Citrus Bowl that night, where it's tradition for students to throw oranges on to the ice rink during the hockey game.

“I’d find that to be incredibly annoying.” I told Vaughan.

“No! We think it’s fun.” He explained to me how old photographs of the game showed gallons of oranges on the rink. “But it can be a little challenging to clean up.”

Then, I continued to have the experience of a lifetime: actually riding the zamboni. Under the safe supervision of Kicinski, Ostrosky, and Vaughan, I hopped on the nearly nine foot tall vehicle and began to hesitantly inch forward. “It’s hard to see, right?” Shouted Vaughan. In fact, it was almost impossible to see any upcoming turns or anything right below.

Much like my brief interaction on the zamboni, all of the work done by the members of the Facilities Management team is challenging and strenuous. Yet, every individual I met that day greeted me with a smile as well as a willingness to help with whatever I needed. The Facilities staff are the lifeblood of our college, and we truly could not function without them.

NEED A STUDY BREAK?

TRY OUT A WINTER CLUB SPORT!

The winter months at Hamilton can be tough, from the biting winds and frigid temperatures to being stuck inside finishing mounting piles of schoolwork. While the chilly months may seem endless, Hamilton boasts a wide variety of club sports to keep you busy during this winter season. These teams are welcome to all Hamilton students, so consider picking up an old passion or trying something new!

By Emma DeGiacomo ‘25

The Figure Skating Team at Hamilton is open to everyone, no matter how experienced!The team practices three days a week at the Sage Rink and participates in optional intercollegiate competitions. The team is led by coach Sam Bentley, who balances both advanced programs and beginner clinics so there is something for everyone. While figure skating is traditionally a very competitive sport, the team prides itself on its supportive atmosphere and friendly camaraderie.

Nordic Skiing

Nordic skiing is essentially cross-country skiing and is both a workout and a way to experience Hamilton’s beautiful winter scenery. The team practices twice a week until sunset on the snow trails around campus. All skill levels are welcome, and clinics are held for beginners to learn proper form and technique. Equipment is also provided courtesy of the Glen House. Skiers can optionally participate in cross country races and relays as part of the United States

Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA). Those competitions range in distances from 10, 15, 27, and even 50 kilometers. A recent highlight of the team was traveling to Lake Placid, just one of the many exciting races Nordic takes part in!

Alpine Skiing

If nordic skiing doesn’t seem up your alley, give alpine a try. The team is open to all, and the only requirement is a love for skiing! The team practices at nearby mountains and similarly to Nordic, participates in races with the USCSA. Traditionally, there are a total of five regular season races that lead up to a regional competition. At regionals, Hamilton skiers even have a chance to qualify for the USCSA National Championships. Whether you have never picked up skis before or want to continue competitive racing, joining the team is a perfect activity for the winter months.

Hockey

Hamilton Club Hockey invites all students to come try out the ice for themselves. The team prac-

tices two nights a week at Sage Rink and is open to all skill levels and genders. Games take place regularly, with the team both traveling to and hosting nearby colleges such as Colgate, Cornell, and Ithaca. There is no lack of fun on the ice for this team, so consider picking up a hockey stick and giving it a whirl!

Curling

Interested in picking up a fun and unique sport on the ice? Then try out curling. The sport has been likened to bocce ball on ice and takes both physical strength and mental strategy. No prior experience is required, as none of the current members on the team had ever curled before joining. Practices take place every Sunday at the Utica Curling Club to prepare for bonspiels, weekend-long tournaments that colleges from around the country participate in. Depending on how well Hamilton places in these intercollegiate competitions, the team can even earn a spot at the National College Curling Competition.

Figure Skating

BEST OSCAR WATCH BASED HOMEWORK

By Zoe Neely ‘25

Ah, awards season. Full of celebrity red carpets, awkward jokes, and of course, awards. Among all the different shows perhaps the greatest leviathan of them all is the Oscars. But who has the time to watch all those films? Luckily, we're big fans of multitasking, so here are the best Oscar movies to watch based on your homework.

lights, camera, action!

Feeling depressed about your calculus class? Take a trip to Fightertown, USA. Top Gun: Maverick is a thrilling, lively movie with great charisma and jaw dropping practical action. If you can keep score during dog fight football, solving an integral should feel like a breeze. Put this on in the background and you’ll be done with your three homework problems, and each of their eight subsections, in no time.

Struggling with music theory? Tár or Elvis is for you. Tár is a film about a fall from grace and is eerily surrealist in its visuals and

themes. If Cate Blanchette can’t help you with your dictations, no one can. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Baz Luhrmann biopic, so if you’re looking for something more upbeat to motivate you, go with Elvis.

If you’ve got cinema and media studies homework that doesn’t involve watching any of these movies already, go with Everything Everywhere All At Once. This breathtakingly funny and also deeply heartbreaking action sci-fi family drama is the standout film of the entire awards season. It's one of those movies that will be taught in schools someday. Or similarly, check out The Fablemans. Quite literally a movie about movies, Stephen Speilburg’s autobiographical film might help teach you about Dutch angles or something.

Women’s and gender studies majors should watch Women Talking. One of the more serious films on

If Cate Blanchette can’t help you with your dictations, no one can.

MOVIES TO BASED ON YOUR HOMEWORK

lights, camera, action!

the list, it deals with women who faced sexual abuse in an insular religious colony. Loosely based on a true story, anyone interested in the intersectionality between sexual violence and religion will find this film interesting and moving.

If you’ve got history homework, pull out your 100 pages of reading (due next class) and put on The Banshees of Inisherin or All Quiet on the Western Front. The former is set with the end of the Irish Civil War as the backdrop of the film and the latter focuses on a German soldier on the Western Front during World War I. By the time either movie ends, you’ll only have made it to page 50, but hey, at least you’re halfway.

If you happen to be taking animation this semester, Avatar: The Way of Water or Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is for you. Personally, I think the only good thing about the second Avatar film is the visuals. If you just like

background noise while working and want to see some high quality Microsoft desktop saver looking beaches and blue people, this one’s for you. If you like to feel inspired while working on your walk cycles, pick Puss in Boots. With a unique animation style, killer character design, and a good story, it is the surprise success story of this year’s films and one of Dreamworks’s best features of late.

If you’re taking a philosophy course, consider class and social structure, communism versus capitalism, and eating the rich aboard the Triangle of Sadness. A wickedly funny movie that takes a turn, there’s a lot of social commentary in this film that you can enjoy while you read Aristotle or Plato.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with any of these films, so login to both Blackboard and your streaming service of choice, and start your homework/Oscar watching journey.

Overall, you can’t go wrong with any of these films, so login to both Blackboard and your streaming service of choice, and start your homework/Oscar watching journey.

WHAT’S NEW WITH HAMILTON DINING

Wow, I thought to myself the other day. This food is actually really good! I have noticed myself enjoying campus food a lot more this semester than I ever have, and I have been hearing a similar sentiment from my fellow Hamilton classmates, from passing comments of how the new ice cream bar at McEwen is in fact quite a great addition to the Dark Side dining hall, to the passion-filled lecture on the proper method to maximize the amount of rice you receive at the poke bowl stand in Commons. After more than two years of the burdensome nightmare that was the pandemic, we seem to have reached the light at the end of the tunnel. I am only a sophomore, so I never knew firsthand the devastation that was life at Hamilton without Howard Diner, eating at Commons tables separated by large plastic barriers or hiking up from Bundy to get food in a takeout container and then having to walk back down to eat your now cold food alone in your dorm. But times have changed it seems, and so has the food at Hamilton.

As one student put it, “I like how they are taking into consideration student’s opinions in the Global Street Food section of McEwen,” referring to the administration tallying the votes of students at the end of last semester on what type of food they should incorporate more often, and basing this semester’s menus partially on the types of cuisine requested. Another student said about the Commons poke bowl station that, “I have it basically every day,” a reflection of the general popularity of the new dish among students. Likewise, the

Commons pasta bar has been a big hit, and oftentimes the line stretches farther there than the line for the Classics section. These additions, coupled with some additions already added to the dining halls last semester, such as the omelet stations at Commons and McEwen, have greatly improved the overall dining experience for students.

Of course, some students still have certain complaints about the food at Hamilton. One student said that Meatless Mondays at McEwen lunch has redirected substantial dining traffic from dark side to Diner and Commons, making it quite inconvenient to get non-vegetarian options at lunch on Mondays. Another student wished that the donuts during brunch hours on Saturdays at Commons we used to know and love would return. Regardless, students overall are excited about the new stations at the dining halls that have incorporated more tasty flavors into the Hamilton menu. The wonderful surprises that are holiday dining continuing from last semester, ranging from the magnificence of Commons’s Thanksgiving food to McEwen’s Valentine’s Day chocolate fountain, have also welcomed in a great change of pace in the dining experience. And of course, something all students can assuredly agree on, the fact that Howard Diner has not changed a bit is perhaps the best part of on-campus dining. The general improvement in quality and the increase in options of food is not going unnoticed by students–something Hamilton can certainly be proud of.

Andrew Brennan ‘25

Feeling uninspired in your room decorations? Want to come back next semester with a new style and new space? Here are some student ideas

DORM DECORATION TIPS

Sammy Smock ‘23

for ways to improve your dorm. Not every suggestion will work for everyone, so be creative and add your own touch to these ideas!

DECORATION

Avoiding overhead lighting: If you’re still using the harsh, bright light in your room every day, switching to a lamp or alternative light source can really improve the atmosphere of your room. Floor lamps, desk lamps, (battery-powered) string lights, or mood lighting will literally change your life and make your room so much more enjoyable to spend time in, especially if you incorporate multiple light sources at once!

Designing a collage: Instead of just slapping your posters

and art up on the walls, taking the time to arrange them can help make your decor look more intentional. Choosing art that fits a similar theme or vibe is also a cool option. If you really want to feel fancy, framing your wall decor can take it to the next level.

Sticking to a color scheme: Choosing similar or complementary colors of bed sheets, blankets, decorations, throw pillows, and other random items (like storage bins, dishes, or hangers) can create a cohesive theme to your room. Especially if you choose your favorite color—you’ll get to stare at the best color all semester long!

Get a rug: Rugs not only make your room look cozier, but let you start your day without

immediately putting your feet down on the freezing cold floor. They can also contribute to your color scheme, as well as provide a better place for you and your friends to sit.

Bring art, photographs, or posters with sentimental value: Having your favorite memories surrounding you every day means you’ll never forget those happy times. In addition to photos of your pets, friends, and family, include art that you or your friends made for a unique personal touch. Photos or art depicting your hometown or somewhere else important can double as aesthetically pleasing art and happy memories!

A statement piece: One way to set yourself apart from the rest of Hamilton’s student

body is to acquire a conversation-starting piece. In the photo above, these roommates have created a whole conversation-starting corner full of unique items. Their collection includes an electric fireplace in place of the original fireplace, a mounted deer head, a giant fish (complete with a Hannaford nametag), a Wimbledon tennis banner, and a yoga ball, to just name a few of the many unique pieces on display. While not all of us can get to this level of creativity, a fun poster, stuffed animal, or other items can still set your room apart and bring lots of laughs from your friends!