The Continental Fall 2021 Issue

the continental fall '21

IN THIS ISSUE

13

the return of fall sports

5

unity under the union?: responding to administrative strife

a college on the hill and the people who skate it: Hamilton’s skate culture

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17

in defense of FoJo

UC A ND M

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2

RE O M

27

what shouldn’t have come

back post- COVID

clinton after COVID

35

33

29

COVIDrestricted social life

of carpenders, drifters, and pilgrims

CONTRIBUTORS JACK SULLIVAN ‘22

ELISE WILSON ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

Editor-in-Chief

Creative Director

CLAIRE GOLDSTEIN ‘22

On The Hill Editor

Photography Director

KAITLYN BIEBER ‘23

Travel Editor

Features Editor

LUCY ELLIOT ‘23

JULIA RADOMISLI ‘24

NICOLETTE VAN KESTEREN ‘23

Opinion Editor

Editors-at-Large

Lifestyle Editor

GABRIELA DE MENDONCA GOMES ‘24

ALLEN CAO ‘24 NICOLE MCDONOUGH ‘24

Photographers

KATHERINE NEILSEN ‘22 SOPHIE CHRISTENSEN ‘23 CAROLYN GEVINSKI ‘22 (cover) Layout Editor

CLAIRE GOLDSTEIN ‘22

SAMMY SMOCK ‘23

Writers

DENIZ TEK ‘24 JACK JEE ‘23 ISABELLA PIACENTIO ‘24 LUCY ELLIOT ‘23 NICOLE MCDONOUGH ‘24 JESSE WEXLER ‘24 NICHOLAS MOORE ‘24 SOPHIA BAGDADE ‘24 JULIA RADOMISLI ‘24

letter from the editors You have probably heard every feel-good pandemic-related sentiment out there; that we are stronger together, that we are trying each and every day to do our part to end this mess, and that, in time, the chaos of our current reality will subside. We will spare ourselves the trouble and forgo a cliche spiel not because these sentiments are untrue, but because they lack any real innovation. Instead, what we present to you is a close examination of the mark COVID-19 has left, and continues to leave, on our campus.

Our Fall issue explores changes the pandemic has brought to Hamilton and its greater community. A vibrant skate culture, new businesses downtown, and challenges regarding on-campus employment account for some of these pandemic-era shifts, as do marked alterations regarding student socialization, life as a student-athlete, and the ability (or opportunity) to find new places to read. Some diversions from normal life—like a gap year adventure out West—are welcomed.

Others, like the tumultuous campus parking situation, arrive uninvited. Still more, such as the continued and communal use of the gigantic Commons peanut-butter bowl have, to this point, left many of us utterly confused.

But the peculiarities of this past semester serve, in many ways, to characterize the Hamilton experience as we have grown to understand it. In this issue, we hope to offer a means towards laughing at, reflecting on, and soberly appraising the spirit of these strange times at this equally unique—if not strange itself—college. We hope you enjoy.

Jack & Elise

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FEATURES

Unity Under the Union?: Responding to Administrative Strife

by Deniz Tek

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A surprise awaited returning students this semester in the form of mysterious white sheets of paper pinned to bulletin boards throughout campus. These posters were riddled with statements such as: “Why is Hamilton willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to union-busting lawyers instead of giving its student workers a raise?” While the posters may have been a surprise to most new and returning students, it was not surprising to the students who spent their summer working in the admissions office. While their peers were enjoying their summer vacation at home, these students were on campus giving tours and advice to prospective Hamilton students. After vaccinations spread throughout the community last semester, the school made the decision to resume in-person tours over the summer and new school year; however, not all the student workers enjoyed that the school decided to push normality back onto those working in the admissions office.

How It Began

The administration was a little too eager to return to norm in the spring of 2021. “In any job you're going to have something you disagree with your employers about,” says Izzy Rutkey ’22, a tour guide and member of the union’s organizing committee. According to Rutkey, the administration did not tell the admissions workers that in-person tours were going to begin again.

Rutkey states, “I was lucky to be vaccinated but most of us were not.” Doing in person work during an ongoing pandemic and throughout the summer caused discomfort for many of the tour guides. The students felt like they were not given a voice and were being forced to work without another option. There are also accounts from other admissions workers about being given extra work without pay, and the office taking advantage of students’ “volunteer work” by overworking them with extra responsibilities not initially agreed to. The administration also refused to give raises to tour guides despite it being one of the most prestigious jobs on campus, and yet one of lowest paying: $12.50 an hour. The student employees of admissions realized that many of them had similar experiences, and they began to float the idea of unionization around. Unionization seemed to be a solution to their problems by guaranteeing a collective voice against the administration and a way to ensure their rights as employees. This is the first instance of unionization in admissions in the undergraduate workforce in the United States.

Unionization Process

The unionization effort began in early August when a committee of students reached out to the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local One, a local labor organization in Oneida County. Eric Cortes Kopp, one of the other initial organizers of the union, had previous experience volunteering with UFCW. Therefore, they were able to apply for the creation of a union on the national scale through the UFCW. The UFCW also helped them with things that the students felt were out of their depth. “I felt more listened to and respected in my few weeks working with them than I did in my time working with admissions since February 2020,” stated Izzy Rutkey. The students went through an election on the formation of the union which took place on September 24th with an 80 percent turnout rate. On October 12, 2021, the results of the elections came out with a winning vote of 25-20.

Administration reception:

While most Hamilton students were very receptive to the idea of unionization, the administration has not been in favor of the union. After the vote in October, the college released an official statement by Vige Barrie stating, “Hamilton supports the right of workers to choose what they believe is best for them.” The administration wants it to appear that they support the union on the surface; however, this is not the case. According to Izzy Rutkey, the school is not able to be outright against unions since it would give the college “plausible deniability” in legal action.

The administration doesn't believe the union is in the students’ “best interests.” “I knew that was

8 how they felt, I was just shocked that they were saying the quiet part out loud,” states Rutkey on the recent revelation. “She[Monica Izner] can be against the union. It’s not in her best interest for us to be in a union because they have to pay us more and they have to listen to us, which are two things they don’t want to do, but what really bothered me was the fact that they said that we were acting emotionally… I think that it's a huge problem where the administration won’t listen to anybody who they think are acting emotionally, they do this with all the activists too. What’s the problem with having an emotion about something?”

Although the administration was not able to stop the students unionizing due to the National Labor Relations act, they tried very hard to discourage students from joining the union by holding info sessions with different administration members, such as Peaches Valdes and Monica Inzer about unions and their possible detriments. These sessions were filled with misinformation about unions, and in response the members of the initial creation committee began to post educational videos correcting the school.

How it will work moving forward

According to Izzy Rutkey the next step and real first step for the Union is putting together the initial negotiations committee. The committee is going to be made with equal opportunity for everyone in the union, and will be volunteer-based.

Once the negotiating committee is put into full swing, they will be able to create a contract that will ensure pay raises and structural changes to the work environment that the college will be obligated to stand by. People in the union seem to be hopeful for the future of the union with the vote passing; however there is still worry about administrative backlash. Izzy Rutkey mentions how their vision is for other groups of student workers to possibly unionize in the future if the school does not begin to treat their workers better. Rutkey emphasizes, “Hamilton tries to ignore or hide the fact that students have a lot of power here… [but] we have all of the power!” Izzy says in a closing statement, “This is us reclaiming and recognizing the fact that we do have power.”

N U

N IO

5 , 7 0 0 D A DELAYE R N EY U M IL E J O

BY ALLEN CAO

The international student community on campus was unusually small last year because of travel difficulties due to complications with flights, work visas, and the ongoing pandemic. Prabin Khadka ’24 was among one of the many who spent his freshman year away from campus. For him and other international students of the Class of 2024, remote learning was a strange experience because they had no idea what life was even like on campus.

Prabin’s hometown is Nepal, where time is 9 hours and 45 minutes ahead of EST in New York. The difference in time made his daily routine chaotic, and he informed me that, “My family’s dinner time fell in between two of my classes, so I only had about 10 minutes to finish my food before sitting back in front of my computer screen.” Prabin’s day ended at 1:15 AM in Nepal.

He struggled with internet connection since the heavy rain in Nepal would sometimes cause the internet or the power to shut down.“Sometimes the outage would be really bad, lasting for hours,” Prabin recalls, “then my family and I would make momo, a food similar to dumplings, together. Those were good family bonding times.”

When Prabin arrived on campus this fall, he found in-person classes more difficult in some ways than Zoom, where he had more time to gather his thoughts before speaking in class. “It has also been more tricky to learn names, because on Zoom, there are the name tags,” he observed. “It’s harder to connect faces to names in person, especially with masks,” he added.

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Since coming to campus, Volleyball Club has been one of Prabin’s favorite extracurricular activities. He got into volleyball because of a popular anime, Haikyu! “I heard of a volleyball club on campus before I came here, but I was worried that I couldn’t join,” he said, “because there is the varsity women’s volleyball, but not men’s. So I thought the club was going to be the same, and I was really nervous going to the first practice.”

Prabin is also a member of the HEOP program “I talked to a lot of people before I stepped on campus, so I wasn’t that concerned when I first came. [Many HEOP students] welcomed me when I arrived. They showed me around the campus and took me to Walmart to get whatever I needed.” He was really excited to see them because they took summer courses together in the summer of 2020. Connections through HEOP greatly helped Prabin adjust to campus life.

I asked how much Prabin had been enjoying the food on campus. “I had really low expectations before I came, so I feel like the food isn’t too bad,” he responded, “I talked to some people last year and they said the food was not good, but I find it okay so far.” He did have a few words on the rice, which he stated “needed to be cooked longer.”

Prabin really likes living in Kirkland because it is quiet, cozy, and a convenient location on campus. He has become really good friends with his roommate, Andrew Gou ’24, who was also remote last year. They share their home culture with each other. “I have learned how to say a bunch of different things in Chinese,” Prabin was excited to show off, “kuai, kuai (快,快)! That means ‘faster, faster’ right?” After I confirmed with a nod, he continued, “‘zou le (走了)’ is ‘let’s go’ and ‘ni chi le ma(你吃了吗)?’ is “have you eaten yet?” I was quite impressed, but was even more impressed when he said, in a mysterious tone, “and I know how to say the most important word in Chinese: sha bi (傻逼).”

In many ways for international students, who studied abroad their freshman year, coming to campus is a strange, challenging experience to say the least. For now, it is full speed ahead and no looking back except to forge new friendships with those who shared our struggles. We are lucky that our student body is once more complete.

BEST PLACES TO READ IN LIST

by Nicolette van Kesteren

Among the multiple construction sites occupying campus this fall is the newly renovated literature and creative writing building, List. The school built List as an extension of the Schambach Center to replace the crumbling Root Hall with a more structurally sound building. Most students are unaware of the many quiet study spaces tucked into the spare corners of List. For those students frequenting the Dark Side, here are the four best places where you can read in this new building.

Any Orange Chair There is no shortage of orange chairs in List. Curl up on a semi-comfortable Cheeto or creamsicle colored chair, and begin to read that book for class that you’ve been putting off. I don’t suggest bringing your laptop or lots of stuff since there won’t be a place to put your things in these tiny spaces.

However, there is just enough room for your FoJo coffee on the tiny round coffee tables. During the day, List tends to be quite quiet, which makes it the ideal place to study and read. Try not to move too much in these pleather chairs, since the awful squeaking sound your body makes will echo off the walls. Enjoy the cozy atmosphere that these small study spaces create!

The Couches Outside of the Practice Music Rooms If you love to listen to music while you work, I suggest studying in the couches outside the music practice rooms. These couches are so comfortable you will likely drift off to sleep as you listen to students plucking their guitar strings and plunking each key of the piano.

There’s not much desk space in this area so I don’t recommend doing any work other than reading. You can try to sit on the floor with work on the coffee table, but I can only imagine the lasting effects that position will have on your back for the rest of the day.

The Staircase Outside On those rare sunny and warm days at Hamilton, a nice place to sit and read is the steps of List. You can sit on the concrete steps and look at the lovely Brutalist structure of the Darkside dorms. There aren’t too many steps to choose from, so just walk up the staircase a little bit and plop yourself down on the pavement. This is a great place to finish that last-minute reading on your way to class while still managing to get some much needed time outdoors. Make sure not to bring reading with lots of loose leaf pages, since the wind will likely blow it all away. The sunshine is guaranteed to rejuvenate you!

A Classroom Most students don’t know this yet, but there are plenty of empty classrooms in the afternoon in List. The majority of classes in List seem to be held in the morning, and by the afternoon the building is weirdly empty and very quiet. Like most buildings on the darkside of campus, List has huge large glass windows that create the illusion that you're outside even when you're sitting in a classroom. These windows help to balance out the prison feeling of the concrete walls. Take advantage of the empty classroom, and use it to study, read, or catch up on other work. These classrooms don’t have clocks, so make sure to keep a phone or computer on you to check the tim

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ON THE HILL

The Return of Fall Sports

By Jack Jee

It’s been two years since we’ve seen fall sports play. While competitions have been dormant a lot has happened. The women’s soccer team, now ranked 13th in the nation among Division III teams, has been playing phenomenally with Rylie Mutton leading the team with 8 goals and 6 assists. Rylie was awarded NESCAC Women’s player of the week for scoring 3 game-winning goals, one of which was against No.4 in the country Amherst College. Last year the women’s soccer team participated in ‘modified practices’ where they were able to play without physical contact. Mutton credits last year’s “slow progress and practicing” to the team’s current good form and calls the team's recent good performances the result of last year's modified practices.

I also interviewed Matthew Jordan, a senior captain on the men’s soccer team. The soccer team is riding a three consecutive wins streak which includes

their victory against No.5 in the country SUNY Oneonta. While the Men’s team had a shaky start to the season, they’ve found their rhythm. I asked Jordan about his thoughts on the season so far. Jordan explained to me the struggles the team faced last year playing with masks and maintaining contactless play. It was a unique experience that he and his teammates had to make the best of. Jordan told me this year has rekindled his passion for the game and is now “appreciating this season even more.” The team has a young core which Jordan spots “exciting potential” among the class and is excited to see how they integrate into the team with a couple of games remaining.

One question that has left a lot of avid spectators wondering is, who will lead the team after a year of absence?

The last time many of these senior athletes played in competitions they were sophomores. Mutton recognizes the current sophomore class for their success, as they have stepped up and integrated themselves socially and physically into the team. Jordan felt ready for his chance to lead the team and credits his senior teammates for also stepping up.

While both soccer teams have experienced great success this season, so has the Field Hockey team, now ranked 20th in the nation. Camile Donaghey, a junior on the team, found the season to be difficult not just physically but mentally. She has “forgotten how much commitment it takes to play a sport in college,” and with classes now full-time in person, it’s been an adjustment to the professors, students, and most definitely student-athletes. Sophia Bernstein, a junior on the volleyball team, has found traveling to be the most tolling on her.

Additionally, the upperclassmen workload is a jump in rigor from her freshman year intro level courses. Something that both Bernstein and Donaghey have missed is the little traditions, “from post-practice commons to team bus rides to games and everything in-between.”

It seems as if COVID-19 has been a hiccup in these athletes’ careers and has had minimal changes to sports. While it is a shame that these athletes lost a year of competing at Hamilton College, twenty years from now a lot of these athletes won’t remember much of what they did during last year, but will remember the little traditions, cherished memories, and team camaraderie that they shared with their teammates.

CHANTING IN THE MOONLIGHT BYJULIA RADOMISLI

16 On the night of each Full Moon, if you listen closely, you can hear a distinct and increasingly loud chanting coming from the Dark Side. This shouting, though surprising at first, is nothing supernatural—it’s Hamilton’s Full Moon Club. The organization meets once a month to celebrate the moon in all its fullness. Their ritual is simple: after a brief introduction from club leaders on the month’s moon and its significance, and a bit of heckling at Martin’s Way pedestrians to join, Full Moon members congregate around KJ circle. Next, comes the chant. The group crouches down and slowly starts rising while whispering “full moon,” getting louder as they stand up until eventually yelling and jumping with full enthusiasm.

The club is led by Gwen Urbanczyk ‘22 and Bria Dox ‘22. They both have been leaders since last year after joining as freshman and taking an immediate liking to the club’s silly nature and the people it attracted. “When I was a freshman, Full Moon club was where I met all my friends. I didn’t know they were going to be my friends at the time,” Bria recalls. The club is a great opportunity to meet other students who don’t take life so seriously. As Gwen notes, “There is a community that people make for themselves here.”

The club has seen over 50 members at its busiest meetings, from all classes. The leaders don’t take attendance or have a closed email list—the meetings are open to everyone, no matter how packed their schedules. “I always tell people: you have a huge project, you have a huge essay due at like midnight. It’s 15 minutes—just go away from your essay for 15 minutes, do something weird, do something fun, and then go back and do your work. It’ll help so much with your work and also your general mood,” Gwen adds.

The spirit of the club is lighthearted and low-commitment, but its value is genuine. “It’s being stupid in public with a group of people, but it’s safe and it’s pretty anonymous—like you go and then you leave, so no one’s gonna remember who you were in this circle of 50 people. And yeah, you do something fun,” Bria says.

Despite its anonymity to passersby, the club does provide ample opportunity for bonding. “It’s anonymous, but also sometimes you meet someone and you’re like ‘hey, I have a connection with you,’” Gwen explains. Club members often hang out and get

food after, or recognize each other later on and can immediately bond over having shouted at the sky together.

Like most other clubs, Full Moon suffered during the pandemic. Zoom provided its own coordination difficulties, and meeting on a field cheapened the experience. The two leaders recalled members struggling to find meetings because of how dark the fields get and how far away they are.

Looking forward, Gwen and Bria have already expanded the club since becoming leaders. Their emails now feature the names of the full moon and festivals surrounding it. As full moons are traditionally spiritual, the club also provides a window for those who would like it. Gwen reflected on finding her own spiritual meaning in the Full Moon and appreciating the way the club allows her to connect with it. She welcomes members to take the club as seriously as they want, as spiritual and silly don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

The leaders’ enthusiasm for Full Moon is clear, and shared widely by the club’s members. “Just scream at the sky, it’s pretty great,” Bria says. Gwen shared a similar sentiment. She notes, “That feels great, just to know that you provide a little bit of fun in someone’s hectic week. It’s great.”

THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN ON OCTOBER 20TH

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Post age of Opus, I have to admit I miss the eclectic tchotchkes pasted on the wall outside, somebody's Hillcard, a funny Duel article, and a student’s random childhood photographs. With this semester's grand opening of FoJo Beans, a coffee roaster with a flagship store in Hamilton, NY there is a new vibe in the space. The messy, disorganized chaos is replaced by an air of professionalism and sleekness.

Behind clean white walls sits a massive shiny chrome espresso machine that is sure to catch your eye.

18 I greatly appreciate the practicality of the very visible food menu and prices, which departs from Café Opus, in which ordering from the food menu always felt like knowing a secret (which was fun but not especially practical). The very visible menu is symptomatic of the unmistakably professional heir of FoJo. In fact, the biggest difference with FoJo is that it is oriented towards making a profit. When you supported Opus, you supported community-run organizations that did not make much of a net profit. Because FoJo operates like a more traditional business, it comes with certain realities like higher priced menu items, which FoJo quickly lowered after opening. Supporting FoJo is very different—of course it is still largely student run by your favorite baristas, but here you are helping a more sustainable business model.

To compare the two cafés is comparing two very different models. Opus was amazing and I am incredibly nostalgic about it, but we mustn’t venerate it to some godly status when we think back on it. We can remember Opus through FoJo, and remember that above all, being different is not necessarily bad. We need not be Opus lovers and FoJo haters or vice versa. We can appreciate them differently for what they are.

FoJo has a particular artisan branding and a precise attention to the flavor of each cup. Student Rachel Lu ’22 had some commentary on the coffee, “I love the Icy Alex! It’s one of the best iced coffees I’ve ever had. It’s very strong while still retaining great flavor.

It’s definitely helped me get through some early morning classes.”

I tried the FoJo Crusty Cappuccino, a recommendation from barista Justin Chan ’22.

I took the whole milk based on his recommendation that it foams the best. The sugar flakes layered throughout the milk foam gave the drink a feel that was very unique and

exciting in an espresso drink. Other specialty drinks on the menu include masala chai lattes, hot sipping chocolate (with a rich, not-too sweet baker’s chocolate), matcha lattes, and more. Up next on my list of totries is a hot maple latte with oat milk, which Barista Lucille Kline ’22 says is her drink-of-choice.

Students have already started to find their favorites.

Gone is the famed Opus Mango Brie panini and here to stay is its fun and delicious cousin, the Pineapple Brie panini, that draws a crowd. Barista Justin adds that the breakfast sandwiches are a “must-try and are good value.” For barista Lucille, the breakfast sandwiches are especially good with veggie sausage. Josh Martin ’23 recommends the Summer Strawberry smoothie and Gregory Duke ’22 reports that the Perfect Peach is his go-to. Personally, I am excited to try the Tuna Melt Panini.

One student commented that they wish student culture had more of an influence over the café. As of now FoJo is still figuring out how to adapt its brand within its new space in the Hamilton community. Some shifts are taking place as baristas can play their own music.

We’ll have to wait and see how else we can welcome the brand here.

LIFESTYLE

The Weirdest (Potential) Places to Park on Campus

by sammy smock

This year, open student parking spots have seemingly been few and far between. With less students studying abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Glenview taking many of the Root Lot spaces, frustration has mounted among students who fear that they cannot leave campus without risking losing their spot by their residence hall. Students who park temporarily in faculty/staff or visitor lots, driving circles, or on grass lawns face tickets or even having their car towed without warning. Student Assembly and Campus Safety have been working together in order to think of new parking solutions, but the end of this problem is not yet in sight.

In the meantime, here are some creative suggestions for students to consider in the future when they just can’t find a spot!

Some Cornfield

While farther than North Lot and technically off-campus, parking in a random Clinton cornfield might be your only choice. Step one: Close your eyes and drive. Step two: Make a sharp turn in any direction. Step three: You have reached your destination. The brisk walk (or jog) to your car every morning and free raw corn snack will put you in a great mood to start the day!

20 KJ Circle

This flat, paved space provides the most convenient location for all of your classes in KJ! If delivery trucks can park here, why can’t students?

Martin’s Way Bridge

Have you ever wondered why the bridge is exactly one car length wide? Well, that’s because it can quickly and easily become a parallel parking lot. Perks include a scenic view of the glen and quick access to Diner! Maybe Diner will start offering a drive-through Grubhub option?

Bristol Terrace

If you’re tired of walking all the way to whatever you are doing in Bristol (each flight of stairs in that building feels like twelve), the Bristol Terraces provide an alternative to the 5-minute parking in front of the building! This is also the perfect place to take your engagement, wedding, or family photos (with your car, of course).

KTSA Lawn

Move over, Squonk Opera, I want to park half-in, half-out of the pond so the bottom of my car will be clean. This lot is centrally located, so no matter your destination, it’s better than North Lot.

Field House

Is this not already a garage? A large, open building with lines on the floor?

Sounds like a parking garage to me.

Pull up!

Newly-planted List Lawn

What better way to thank the tireless construction workers and landscapers beautifying List than to maximize its potential? The KJ circle can’t possibly take the full load of people who have Dark Side classes, so the List lawn will have to pick up the slack! The grass isn’t going to last more than two snowy days anyways.

A COLLEGE L L I H E H T ON AND THE PEOPLE WHO SKATE IT: HAMILTON’S SKATE CULTURE

By Isabella Piacentino

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If you ever visit Hamilton College, you are bound to see students flying by on their skateboards. This is a common occurrence on the hill. Although there are many of us, we are all different.

There are the skaterboys-see-you-later-boys that have absolutely no fear. These are the boys that will skate down the hill towards Bundy. They will soar through the night and at the last moment possible – before their skateboards tip over – leap off their board. These are the boys that will skateboard until they break a bone (only stopping until it heals, of course). They have various scars that they love showing off to others in chronological order and giving the history of each one. They will skate for hours a day, and somehow manage to get all their work done as well. They are superhuman. Their skateboarding does not end in the winter, they find other ways to skate, whether that be in the Bundy basement, the Root attic, or over the KTSA pond.

There are also the skatergirls. You can find mainly these girls skateboarding on Griffin Road. They will skate for the beautiful view of the vast cornfields. These girls are the coolest people on campus. Their boards vary from surfer vibes to light up wheels. They usually skateboard in groups with their speakers blasting alternative music. Notable mentions are the rollerblade posse and the longboarders.

Let us also not forget the scooter people. There are groups of darkside girls that scoot from KJ to the Science Center in under four minutes. However, scooters have been known to be stolen, so keep an eye on your rides. There are also those that scoot due to a medical emergency. These are by far the coolest people on campus, cooler than even the skater girls. Hurtling at high speeds, they balance all their body weight on their good leg while bending their injured leg to rest on a cushion. Surprisingly, there are many of these people. They should become a club.

Make sure to be extra kind with them and treat them like royalty.

Regardless of which type of person you are in skate culture, we all make up a portion of Hamilton. We add to the creative community that Hamilton fosters. By sharing gruesome stories of an injury, skating in groups, rollerblading, or scooting, almost everyone has interacted with skate culture in one way or another; whether that be by direct involvement, listening to others’ stories, or watching others skate (and maybe fall). This is a community built on shared interest. A friend taught me, and now he, or I, can teach you. If you have any desire to learn how to skate, the majority of Hamilton skaters would be more than happy to teach you.

OPINION

What it was Like Being a Food Worker During the COVID Year: An Interview with Monica Benton

by Gabi De Mendonca Gomes

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of that, not all students have cars, no restaurants exist within walking distance, and delivery options are finite and pricey. In any dining hall scenario, we have to eat the food made for us, which resonated distinctly during the COVID-impacted 2019-2020 semesters.

I know student opinions vary wildly based on the person and the dining hall—since we have the advantage of having multiple—wbut I wanted to learn about the people who spend their time cooking and serving food to us.

I wanted to know about their experiences during the pandemic year.

Among students, the food at Hamilton is a topic of much contention. On campus, dining halls generally dominate our nutritional experience, for better or worse. This is true for first-years, who have no choice but to subscribe to expensive unlimited meal-plans, or for any year, depending where you live and how much you cook. And because, on top

So I spoke to Monica Benton, who told me about her experience as a food-worker for Bon Appetit at Hamilton. She has worked here for two years now. After being laid off due to the pandemic, she spent five months cabin-feverish searching and waiting. Bon Appetit was looking for employees when the abundance of businesses were not hiring, so Monica jumped at the opportunity and started in August 2020.

When it comes to food, we put our faith––and our money––into the hands of the College. More specifically, the Bon Appetit Management Company.

Bon Appetit is an on-site restaurant company that offers full food-service management to, among other venues, universities. The company’s values center on providing food cooked from scratch with environmentally-sound and locally-based sources.

Monica enjoys her job as a Bon Appetit employee as well as on the Hamilton campus. During her first year, she worked as a server in Bundy, when Bundy was still alive and running and not a weird parallel world where doughnuts and waffle mix materialize on weekends. Now she works at McEwen, monitoring students scanning in and cleaning tables and surfaces.

In both roles, her favorite part has been the

students. She told me a story about her last days at Bundy when several seniors gave her heartfelt goodbyes and imparted their appreciation for her help and consideration in serving them. Altogether, she offered a very positive view of the student population’s behavior, which somewhat surprised me, in a good way: it raises my faith in our values

and kindness as a student body.

Before students arrive on campus, Bon Appetit holds an employee orientation regarding food safety and preparation and COVID-19 policies. The service-and-take-out-only dining halls frustrated many students, but she did her best to be considerate and attentive to provide students with what they wanted in the absence of salad bars and other sources of nutritional agency.

She recognized how difficult it must have been for students to be faced with such limiting conditions in dining as well as other factors of campus life. As someone who had to live in the day-to-day dining hall realities, she celebrated some small victories alongside us. For example, nobody, says Moncia, likes a raw, untoasted bagel. When the dining hall reinstituted the toaster, she was excited for students to get back a little bit of what we had been missing.

The same goes for when we all came back this year to find the return real plates, the salad bar, and peanut butter. Since she had only seen dining halls in their Blue Adirondack Chair chapter, she was elated to arrive back this year and find tables and non-Adirondack chairs!

When I asked about Bon Appetit’s response to the monstrous lines we were confronted by at the beginning of the year in the dining halls, she told me that its administration demonstrated significant concern about our wait-times, and started the loaded bowls, rather than the bar, at the McEwen taqueria station

to eliminate lines. Although she didn’t make any mention, I heard whisperings of the pressure falling onto the shoulders of servers.

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Additionally, Bon Appetit made an effort to hire more student-workers, and she says she has seen positive results, with at least seven new student-additions to the McEwen staff and others in Commons. In addition to the staff, we students greatly appreciate fellow student-workers for filling these much-needed positions, especially the pre-breakfast early morning ones that start before 7 a.m.! We love that McEwen bacon, and we know that must be wearying on top of coursework.

All in all, Monica loves working with food, cooking food, and eating food. She appreciates her employer, Bon Appetit, and her customers, Hamilton’s students. Although most of us students can not imagine the stress of being a food worker during a global pandemic, we can and must do our part to show our love and support for them.

What Shouldn't Have Come Back Post-COVID BY Lucy Elliott COVID-19 rattled a lot of things on-and off-campus last year. Almost everything took some kind of hit. We saw Commons turn from the best sober socialization space on campus to a ghost-town. We saw the first floor of the library go from a freshmen playpen to an actual quiet study space. The list goes on. Most things I’m happy to see back, but there are a few things that should have stayed gone when we came back after the COVID year.

1. The Communal Peanut Butter Bowl

I’ve just been waiting for an opportunity to air my grievances with the peanut butter bowl. Just the concept of an open-air, free-for-all peanut butter bowl with one shared knife has always rubbed me the wrong way. Realistically, how often do you think that peanut butter gets changed? Like: when is the bowl cleaned and an entire new jar of peanut butter put in? It’s frightening. I thought its disappearance during our COVID-era was a step in the right direction, but the bowl has made its triumphant return to Commons and McEwen.

2. Glenview

I will never get over the fact that Hamilton has its own personal trailer park. For some to rise, others had to fall; for two freshmen to get a Dunham quad, some sophomores had to find themselves in Glenview. Marginally redeeming qualities include free laundry and AC. But at what cost? Dignity? When someone tells me that they live in Glenview, I feel offended on their behalf. I don’t think I’m alone here.

Res Life wheeled Glenview in for reinforcements, but it’s time to wheel them right back out.

3. Blue Adirondack Chairs

During the pandemic, Adirondack chairs were little reminders, even cute ones, of how Hamilton was trying to get us outside to be social. And nothing spiced up my old dorm living room like the royal blue plastic chair. There was no better feeling than getting out of bed after a long day of online classes and slipping into a cozy blue Adirondack chair to watch Hallmark movies with your roommates. Post-pandemic, campus is teeming with them.

The abundance sits around unused, making the fields, greens, and outdoor nooks look like graveyards overrun with plastic blue headstones.

Point is that they served their purpose. Their time has come and gone.

4. Bunk beds

Hamilton has this weird obsession with bunk beds. COVID brought sweet relief in the shape of stand-alone beds, but it appears that we have reversed back to the demeaning, infantile bunk strategy. My roommate stands at about six feet tall, like a beautiful gazelle. This inherently makes her a bottom bunker, which leaves me to fill the role of top bunker. When I was younger, laying in my summer camp top-bunk, I never imagined my 21-year-old self doing the exact same. During the pandemic year, I slept soundly, knowing when I woke up, my feet would hit the ground immediately, every time. Now, not so much. Let’s leave bunk beds to children and summer camps, not college campuses.

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how can we address the issue of COVID-restricted social life?

By jack sullivan

30 On a grocery list of an institution’s COVID-19 priorities, considerations of social life are in a justifiably low position relative to concerns of health and wellbeing. An administration must first tackle the complex issue of its constituents' safety––especially, and most prominently, in addressing the ongoing pandemic––before engaging with the prospect of organized socialization.

A college such as Hamilton, which transparently disseminates its COVID-tackling objectives, maintains Continental welfare at the forefront of its regulations.

Alas, tenured restriction on structured congregation evidently begets some level of discontent among students. Surely the sentiment of sheepish despondence with one’s inability to “enjoy weekends like we used to” is to be found on most American college campuses over the recent months.

It’s a privileged position to be sure and can accordingly kindle little sympathy from in consideration of all Coronavirus grievances, from the administration included. Hamilton justifies this curtailment of rules because by connecting it to our relatively low number of cases, and operates from the standpoint that if they loosen restrictions, the number will surely rise. To be fair, the college has not maintained any concrete bans on party-possibilities, let alone students’ ability to fraternize entirely; directives have continually shifted with the evolution of COVID’s presence on campus.

The question remains for some, if not all, Hamilton students: do the current social-life mandates accurately reflect COVID’s threat?

Is there an inconsistency that could be addressed? A senior student believes not: “I completely understand what the school needs to do,” they began, “but I also think, sometimes, campus police are way too quick to shut down parties and gatherings.” When asked whether or not these events warrant

Hamilton intervention, the student responded, “I totally get that, from Campus Safety’s perspective, any ‘large weekend organizing’ probably looks like it should be shut down. The annoying part is, by the college’s COVID rules, a lot of these gatherings aren’t actually breaking any rules — when you get in trouble for things within the rules, it sort of defeats the purpose.”

So another part of this problem arises: who does this tension pit Hamilton students against — Campus Safety? The administration? The COVID guidelines? In the eyes of senior Greg Zimmerman, none of those, “I don’t think we should look at the ‘issue’ that way,” he started. “I really doubt students are blaming campo for anything. And I’d venture to guess people aren’t complaining about the administration all that much either; the pandemic creates way bigger problems than this one.” Still, Zimmerman sees the lack of communication between students and the College as an opportunity.

“On one hand, if people really want some changes to be made, they should sit down with Hamilton representatives and administrators, and make their concerns heard. And on the other hand, administrators should be open to working on further opportunities for student socialization, if people truly are upset. That’s the only way things will be different moving forward, at least in the near future.”

The administration’s position will always err on the side of caution. Yet, as Zimmerman makes clear, there’s still room for change with regard to Hamilton’s handling of organized gatherings. For any change to occur, students will need to be both clear and practical in their intent, and, moreover, maintain respect for the precariousness of our current state. And in response, we can hope that Hamilton would meet us somewhere in the middle.

TRAVEL

LONDON LIVING

By Nicole McDonough

This semester, fifty adventurous Jans spent the fall exploring the cosmopolitan streets of London. Nestled amongst the treasure-trove of bookshops, museums, and stately townhouses in West London’s Bloomsbury lies Arcadia University. Students Betsy Gross ’25 and Hadley Noonan ’25 were in complete agreement about their favorite feature: weekly field trips around London.

“We are able to see historical British monuments, tourist attractions, and museums,” explained Betsy, and Hadley noted that these trips have helped her “get to know the city.” Although we tend to think of Paris as the city of love, London, too, captures the heart of any romantic.

“Yesterday we traveled to Windsor Castle,” Hadley narrated. “We were able to walk around the Chapel in which Meghan and Harry were married!”

Outside of the classroom, London offers a variety of cultural experiences new to American students and American tastebuds.

“I have, of course, tried fish and chips!” reported Hadley. Even for those who have their reservations about seafood, like Betsy, sitting down to afternoon tea offers a reprieve from

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the rain complete with sandwiches and pastries.

Weekends are always busy, from shopping the stalls of Camden Town to whiling an evening away in a pub with friends.

All of this excitement would not be as accessible without the tube, London’s underground transit system. “The transport system in London is highly organized and efficient,” said Betsy; the tube’s convenience came as a huge relief, as just “walking on the street with cars driving on the left side of the road was certainly an adjustment.” To travel anywhere in London, switching lines on the tube is all you need.

Even the walk to the local tube station is enlivening, as anyone with an interest in fashion will be sure to notice how spiffy Londoners dress every day.

Studying abroad can be nerve-wracking and overwhelming, but Betsy and Hadley have risen to

the challenge of living on their own in a foreign city.

Hadley acknowledged the personal growth inspired by immersing herself in a new environment, for London has taught her “to do everything for [her] self.” Betsy, too, feels that she has “adopted a larger sense of maturity” since arriving in London. When they return to campus next semester, both Betsy and Hadley are eager to stay close with the friends they have made at Arcadia and to continue to be open to every opportunity for adventure.

When asked if they felt that COVID-19 infringed on the quality of their time in London, Betsy and Hadley were resolute. Betsy’s answer was a reminder that life, even if lived with a mask tucked around both ears, can still be full of wonderful, new chapters: “I am enjoying a complete abroad experience.”

d

,

s , r e f d o carpen s r e t f i r I R M

BY JESSE S G WEXLER L I & NICHOLA P S MOORE &

In the year two thousand and twenty, the world spun out of control.

This isn’t news to anyone, I know, but it’s an important distinction to make. Where do we go from chaos? When life has you up against the ropes, when you’re down and you’re out and there’s no hope left, how do you find the strength to carry on? I don’t know for sure... but my friends and I went West.

A soon-to-be carpenter and I decided to take a gap year. A fellow student at Hamilton College, he had family at school in Colorado, at the High Mountain Institute. As such, he figured it’d be good to find a job in town: a carpentry position on a local construction crew.

Sometime in late summer, he called me and asked if I’d like to join him, live with him at the foot of the Rockies. I agreed.

When hot August rolled into muggy September back East, I boarded a mid-pandemic plane bound for Denver.

Up, up, up, from the low rolling Denver desert to the lofty highlands we drove.

I left my home as a child of broad avenues and tidal rivers but, as our little car

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chugged up the winding road, something changed in me, although I had yet to understand.

We moved into an apartment in a sleepy town. There was one diner, a few gas stations, and an Old West main street, complete with an all wooden saloon that had been miraculously preserved. Leadville, Colorado, the highest town in America by both elevation and rights, is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. Where else do the plains stretch from the edge of town toward the rockies? Where else do sunsets set the pines ablaze and fade to reveal mountains in moonlight? Where else do crystal lakes lie in shady reverie while moose still stalk the gentle sloping woods above? I’ve yet to find a town like this one…

The Carpenter and I fell into a routine. He drove to his work and I logged on to mine. Our apartment was bare, we had little furniture and even less lighting, but we set up our chess board on books and watched movies in the dark as we lay on the carpeted floor. We laughed more than we spoke but something was missing… we needed reinforcements.

The Carpenter and I sent out the proverbial beacon to all our friends. The low cost of living enabled us to lure a wide range of characters with the promise that they didn’t have to pay rent. Drifters, backpackers, friends of friends, tangential acquaintances made by laborers and firefighters, would-be marines, and a guy named Buckaroo all gathered in our new home.

Suddenly and without warning, we took to drinking whiskey out of bean cans. We took to climbing to Leadville’s high and lonely mountains, perching ourselves above the plains where we could see the edge of town in the distance as all the lights sparked life. We smoked cigarettes and laughed about the beautiful, the good, and the true.

Fellow travelers came and went. Some brought baked goods and others brought booze and long knives. Some were quiet and others were loud. While I lived in the West, I met monks and warriors and saints and thieves. I drank with poets and would-be priests.

While the world crumbled, while so many suffered and lived and died in the crowded avenues, tucked into the high rises and towers like sepulchers all arsenic white, I came to know that the world is wide and the world is beautiful and I’ve got to see it all—or die trying.

As a small town almost entirely composed of local businesses, Clinton experienced great change as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Park Row and College Street are home to the staple and well-loved establishments that have come to define the Clinton that we, as Hamilton students, have grown to love and appreciate. As students, we rely on these local establishments and are engaged in a symbiotic relationship with them that undeniably informs the Hamilton experience. When the pandemic first hit and the College was forced to transition to remote learning, Clinton’s businesses were faced with the stark decline of student consumers. Now, almost two years later, Clinton’s facade appears changed as a result of COVID-19.

Long-standing businesses were left with no choice but to either close or adapt, while new businesses found their beginnings in the wake of the pandemic.

The Village Tavern—fondly known as the VT—closed its doors this past May after over 50 years of operation. For so many, the Village Tavern was a local gathering spot for all and was a bastion of the Clinton community.

The closing of the Village Tavern serves as a physical reminder of just how profoundly the local business community of Clinton has been affected by the pandemic. The exterior sign remains hung

CLINTON AFTER COVID

By Sophia Bagdade

outside, but the dynamic crowd usually apparent through the windows has now been replaced with “For Sale” signs. Although it remains unknown what will come to occupy the space of the Village Tavern, the establishment will always remain central to Clinton’s history.

Along with the closing of loved businesses, new establishments have begun to make their mark in town. Thrift-ish, located next to the Clinton Florist, opened its doors just two weeks ago

and has already garnered the excitement of Hamilton students. With bright purple walls lined with fabulous high-heels and vintage purses, and racks of colorful and dynamic clothes, Thrift-ish represents the turning of a new corner after the devastation of COVID-19. Owner Carlene Mahanna described Thrift-ish’s mission as “consciously curated clothing for everyone, from everyday clothing to couture.”

Carlene Mahanna comments, “I made an effort to make my store gender and size inclusive. I want everybody to be able to walk in here and buy something.” Mahanna related that when COVID hit, she took the time to reflect and jumpstart her lifelong dream of opening a thrift store.

When Mahanna discovered that Clinton Florist was looking for a buyer to share the space with, she jumped on the opportunity with little hesitation. Mahanna expressed that despite being fully open for only two weeks, she’s experienced an influx of curious and creative student shoppers—a phenomenon that she describes as inspiring and indicative of the student culture

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at Hamilton. Along with offering tradeins and discounts for Hamilton students, Mahanna is dedicated to working with students on sustainability projects to recycle clothes and is in conversation with creative organizations on campus. Thriftish provides a space for Clinton community members and Hamilton students to express their creativity through browsing and revelling in the vintage clothes and accessories it offers.

COVID-19’s effects on Clinton continue to reflect themselves in day-today life, yet hope remains through the perseverance of older establishments and the sprouting of new businesses. Although we all mourn the loss of the establishments that were shut down as a result of the pandemic, their history and impact remains ingrained in the culture of Clinton. Clinton’s persistence as a small town during the pandemic inspires optimism in the larger Clinton and Hamilton community as we move forward accepting the substantial changes that the pandemic brought about.

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