The Continental Spring 2022

the

continental spring'22

Contributors Editors-in-Chief

Editors-at-Large

Elise Wilson ‘22

Nicole McDonough ‘24

Creative Director

Photographers

Jack Sullivan ‘22

Stella Essenmacher '25

Photography Directors Kaitlyn Bieber ‘23 Kathleen Deedy '24

On the Hill Editor Lucy Elliot ‘23

Travel Editor

Julia Radomisli ‘24

Features Editor

Nicolette Van Kesteren ‘23

Opinion Editor Gabi De Mendonca Gomes ‘24

Lifestyle Editor Sammy Smock ‘23

Allen Cao ‘24

Katie Neilsen ‘22 Sophie Christensen ‘23 Katie Jenkinson ‘23 Veronica Smolinski ‘25

Cover Art

Katrina Colby ‘22

Writers

Kaitlyn Fudge ‘23 Molly Symmonds '23 Sarah Gyurina ’22 Eric Santomauro-Stenzel '24 Gabriele Fett '23 Maia Macek '25 Andrea Shipton '22 Anthony Mitchell '22 Stella Essenmacher '25 Ashley Kolpan '24

Layout Editor

Claire Goldstein '22

Letter from the Editors Dear Reader, A bleak, bitter, and certainly prolonged winter has finally given way to the rare-but-welcomed summery warmth of Clinton in May—and in the spirit of the semester’s end, we at The Continental are proud to share a larger culmination of our staff’s tireless work.

In highlighting a fuller, more comprehensive picture of all that Hamilton has to offer, this issue interviews beloved professors and staff members. It chronicles the best places to visit off-campus for a delicious meal or night of bar hopping. It shares student opinions about policies that affect us, like course registration. It celebrates the ingenuity of different campus groups like Yodapez that make this campus so unique.

This issue too serves as the curtain call for us Editors—and with that, we want to thank our wonderful section editors, our photographers, our staff writers, the fantastic Stella Essenmacher for pulling this whole project together, and, of course you, the reader, in hopes that you enjoy the magazine half as much as we enjoyed making it. Nicolette van Kesteren and Julia Radomisli will take the reins for the ‘22-’23 cycle, and we couldn’t be more excited for The Continental’s future—you should be, too. This publication holds a special place in our hearts and, to our minds, a special place on this campus; that said, we couldn’t imagine a better goodbye than this mega-issue. Wherever and whenever you find this edition, appreciate the laughs, the nostalgia, the more reflective moments, the interviews, and the image of Hamilton as we like to think of it.

Elise & Jack

In t his Isssue...

Let's giv e credit w here credit's due

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45 Alt ernat iv e Spring Break

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Trip to Annapurna Sanct uary in Nepal

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An Int erv iew w it h Yonic Yout h

What Campus Bands Should You See Liv e?

Trav el By Train

Sport s Stay cat ion

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23

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FEATURES

o ns m m o C h t i W A t a h C rge a M

van lette o c Ni steren y Ke B

The Continental: What did you do before you started working at Commons?

Marge: I helped my husband with our business. We owned a roofing business, and we did that for many years.

On January 27, 2022, I met Marge at the end of her shift in the back of Commons, and we sat down to chat. Marge is an icon on this campus. She’s constantly chatting with students, telling them her hilarious stories and giving them life advice. When I was in Commons the other day, she told me to put a flashlight on my keychain, since “you never know when you’re going to need a flashlight.” Most students are familiar with these encounters with Marge, and they love the fun conversation. For those who do not frequent Commons, Marge works at the front checking students into the dining hall. Marge has worked at Hamilton College since 1992 and claims that nothing has changed about the school over those years.

The Continental: Would you ever work in McEwen?

Marge: I did work at McEwen when I first got here.

That’s where I started. And I was over there when I lost my son to a drunk driver. I quit for a year, and then they called me back and I said “I don’t want to go over there” and so they said “come here.” I pulled up over here and I said “it’s either going to make me or break me.” And guess what? I have been here ever since. I love Commons. It gave me strength. This is my second home. This is where I think I belong.

The Continental: What is the weirdest/craziest thing you have witnessed happen in Commons?

Marge: Streakers. The first time they came through it was one boy, and I thought I’d have a heart attack. But,

I chased him. Then, I stopped and thought what am I going to do if I catch him? Where am I gonna put him? And he had a mask on. The next day he came in and he said “Oh Marge, I am so sorry I scared you. And I said “It was YOU? It was YOU?!”

He goes “Well, I got to tell you a story.” When his dad went here he started the streaking club, and it ended. And when he came he said he was going to restart it. It got bigger and bigger the more kids joined. Next time he was going to do it. He comes up to me and he says “Marge, we’re gonna blow a whistle before we come in. Then, you’ll know.” So I’d close my eyes. And they’d come in and they’d tramp through and go back out but they never hurt anybody.

The Continental: What is your favorite Commons food?

Marge: It would probably be the salad bar because they have everything. There isn’t one thing that I don’t enjoy here, and I am not saying that just because I work here. You have such a variety of stuff.

The Continental: Favorite Commons cereal?

Marge: Cheerios. But I make a hodgepodge of a little Raisin Bran and other cereals.

The Continental: What is your biggest student pet peeve?

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Marge: When they spill something and they don’t come to us. If they would just come to us and say there is a spill over there, then we can get on it. But when you do something like that and you ignore it, it’s not fair to any of our workers.

“I LOVE COMMONS. IT GAVE ME STRENGTH. THIS IS MY SECOND HOME. THIS IS WHERE I THINK I BELONG.” The Continental: What is your favorite time to work at Commons?

Marge: The day shift. I worked the night shift for many years, and then as someone left you got that position.

The Continental: Have you stayed in touch with any students you met in Commons?

The Continental: What is your favorite Commons station to work at?

Marge: For years. They’re still sending me postcards, because I collect postcards from all over the world.

And they mail them to me. I have thousands.

Marge: Checking. Because I get to meet everybody.

But I’ve done every station.

The Continental: What is your hidden talent?

Marge: I can read lips a mile away.

The Continental: Do you have any advice for Hamilton students?

Marge: Treat people the way you want to be treated. And be kind because if you’re not kind you can’t get it back. You have to give it in order to receive it. And I believe in that. Even if I have a bad kid here, because it’s hard being alone. And when I see someone here alone, I say “not on my shift.”

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ON THE HILL

LET’S GIVE

C RED IT WHERE CREDIT’S DUE!!

ASHLEY KOLPAN

8 Anyone who spends any amount of time with a STEM major has likely heard an earful about the daunting, strenuous workload that comes with those classes. It’s almost exhausting to constantly hear about how those areas of study are, as many students who spend their days in the Science Center Atrium would declare, more “difficult.” Although a Lit major would rightfully argue that spending countless hours writing papers on the couches found in Dark Side Fojo requires the same amount of brainpower.

However, not to take sides, but there is some validity in the STEM major’s argument. As students at Hamilton progress in their STEM-related majors, most, if not all, classes demand an additional 3-4 hours of class time per week in the lab. This time in the lab is supplemented with pre-lab and post-lab that can take up the same amount of time, if not more, as homework for any other class to complete. These labs are required by the college and mandate that the student spend more than double the amount of time an average class meets every week. One would think that this requirement would be accompanied by earning more than one credit for the class, but shockingly, that would be an incorrect assumption.

Lab entails a different style of learning. In the lecture section of the science classes, students listen to the professor, take notes and ask questions, just like any other class.

The lab encompasses the hands-on experiences of the scientific field.

In the lab you can see how the sometimes seemingly insignificant concepts and relationships work in the real world and how they can be manipulated. For this reason, the lab should be considered a “necessary evil.” While it is surely a lot of work, lab sections are important to obtain a full understanding of the course material and are relatively enjoyable for most as STEM majors choose to study their fields out of their interests. This being said, it doesn’t mean the extra work and hours shouldn’t be accounted for.

it, he does question the possibility of awarding some amount of partial credit to students in the lab as the extra workload is indisputable.

Peer institutions that rival Hamilton in prestige and academia such as Amherst, Tufts, Trinity, and Wesleyan all offer their students anywhere from .25 - 1 additional credit for their work in the lab. While this seems like a relatively insignificant number, these credits can undoubtedly add up for a student taking an average of two lab courses per semester (a very typical STEM course load). This would allow students at least one semester of reprieve from an intense schedule, and potentially allow the many Hamilton students interested in furthering their education in a health-related field time to study for required graduate school We asked Professor McCormick, testing, strengthen their resumes, a professor in Hamilton’s Biology and work on applications. department what he thought of the lab credit debacle. Not surprisingly, There is a clear lack of acknowledgethis was not the first time he was ap- ment for students who take many proached with such questions. Pro- lab courses over their years at Hamfessor McCormick explained that ilton. Whether the answer is givlab can not count as an addition- ing a lab indication on transcripts, al whole credit since the material awarding more than one credit for covered in lab complements what a lab course, let’s give credit where is covered in the lecture, but sure- credit is due. ly does not add up to a whole other course. While he does not believe the lab can translate into full cred-

Lights, music, and

TRIVIA NIGHT THE LEGACY OF GRADUATING TRIVIA HOSTS KENNY TALARICO, ELLIE WHELAN AND JANE TAYLOR

STELLA ESSENMACHER

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W

alking by The Little Pub on a Tuesday around 7:45 pm warrants the question “What are all those people lining up for?” Even through winter storms and packed schedules, many students prioritize weekly Trivia Night, and with good reason. Kenny Talarico ’22, a trivia night host describes the event, saying “you’re getting drunk and you’re hanging out with your friends and there’s sort of a common goal.

There’s competition between teams and there’s interesting information.”

The topics range from presidents to sports history to chemistry. Talarico is a host along with his friends Ellie Whelan ’22 and Jane Taylor ’22. The three graduating seniors took over as hosts their sophomore year, but the event has been a staple campus tradition for much longer.

Many colleges host trivia but Whelan notes that Hamilton is an especially good fit because of “the fact that we all live on campus, the fact that the campus is small enough that everything is within walking distance and the fact that we have a bar on campus.” Talarico adds, “we’re not a school that you go to that has one really good program, and everything else is okay. People come here for all sorts of reasons. That diversity of thought and personality is

probably well suited to trivia.”

the inspiration hits rather than all in one go. Taylor notes, “I think that Overtime, Talarico, Whelan and we balance each other out with the Taylor have gotten to know the reg- kind of questions we make, and also ular attendees of the event, of which with the music and the people we there are many. The three appreciate know there.” that “there are people from every kind of social group on campus and The group will pass the baton to a people from every class year that group of ’25 students this fall, but come pretty consistently. It’s not like they appreciate the insights they one group dominates.” Whelan be- have gained as hosts. Taylor notes, lieves that this idea is represented in “I think about what general knowla team who “all had a class together edge is…It has reminded me that and they all realized that they want- people do have different kinds of ed to go to trivia… I’m not sure they knowledge and come from differspend any time together outside of ent places so the things that seem this trivia team but they win often.” simple to one person might not to Talarico adds that these sorts of another. It has helped me be more friendships can be built and main- aware and forgiving of people who tained through trivia night since, “it don’t seem to have the same set of gives people a pretext to hang out base knowledge as I do.” with their friends at the same time every week…if you know you’re free Although the team graduates in on a Tuesday, come to trivia and we May, their legacy will most assurcan catch up there.” edly outlast them. Ultimately, their goal as hosts is to provide a fun enAlthough they did not realize it vironment where people can hang when they applied, the role of trivia out with friends, make new ones host is a paid position, with about and catch a quick respite from their five hours of work per week. The busy week. They have undoubtedly hosts have weekly meetings where succeeded in this, as is evident from they brainstorm trivia questions, the impressive line of students who write comedic campus-wide emails eagerly line up outside of the pub and sort out other logistics. A trick week after week. they utilize to efficiently compose a list of questions is to write them down throughout the week when

T HE DUALIT Y OF ANIMAL:

T HE PET S AND PEST S OF HAMILTON Elise Wilson

Perhaps only seniors and maybe juniors will remember the Age of Skunk here on the Hill. But now, gone are the days when a bumbling creature would give you a heart attack as you left your class in KJ. The skunks were everywhere, frolicking across the bridge, eating any and all outdoor trash, and conspiring with fellow skunks. One living in the Age of Skunk had a requisite level of bravery to step foot outside one’s dorm and quick reflexes if skunks so decided to conspire against you.

Now skunks have been replaced by some smaller pests.

But, perhaps there is a brighter twist on the zeitgeist of animal culture on our campus. After all, some very wanted furry friends also inhabit our campus, including Emotional Support Animals (ETA) and service animals. You can see students lovingly corralling their cats, dogs, rabbits, and even tortoises outdoors across campus. Here at Hamilton, the ESA coexist with the McEwen mice, leading to a range of negative and positive animal encounters among the student body.

For Rachel Lu ’22, we are currently in the Age of Mouse. Lu relayed her experience with the vermin on the Hill last October. “I remember it so vividly because it was such a horrible experience. I was sitting in a McEwen and this thing darted out in front of me. It was a large rat. I saw it scurry under the supply closet door,” she says. Lu is still haunted by the incident. “I need to know if there is a nest of rats in McEwen.

I have friends who have also seen rats and mice in McEwen and KJ,” Lu claims.

12 Louisa Crozier ’23 knows the struggle of indoor mice all too well. Crozier experienced the Sken mouse infestation of November 2021. She states that “When everyone started seeing rodents around, I saw a small mouse run across our room towards our heating unit.” Thinking, quickly, Crozier called campus security who quickly searched her room with no success. But for Crozier, the issue is not that the pests exist in her residence to begin with, but in how the campus authorities treated her in the situation. “They set a trap without us knowing,” Crozier explains. About a month after Campus Security secretly set the trap, “my roommate discovered a decapitated mouse in the trap by our heating unit. It was trauma-inducing.

We then had campo come to get rid of the mouse and they laughed at me and my roommate when we covered our eyes as they took it out of our room,” Crozier adds.

While the College’s handling of pests is traumatic for some students, for others, a different kind of animal comes to mind when they think about their experiences on the Hill. Pets are an emotional comfort and mental break for many students. Lucille Kline ’22 takes care of an adorable kitten named Millie. The best part, she stated, is caring for her cat who is always there even during difficult times. It “makes my bad days so much better when I come home and Millie wants to cuddle or play,” she says. Pablo Reina-Gonzalez ’22 also has a cat on campus named Bizu. Reina-Gonzalez expressed his love of his cat: “Frankly, studying at Hamilton can be an incredibly stressful experience. Despite the administrations very much trying to come across as relatable people who understand and care about students’ mental health, all of the people around me at this school have persistently struggled with acute academic stress and anxiety.

Having my cat is like having a comfort blanket in my room.” He adds, “It’s good to know that no matter how apocalyptic exams and assignments might feel, my cat will always be waiting for me regardless of how well I do.”

The constant companionship of an on-campus pet has some downsides. Kline comments that “it feels like I don’t have enough ways to give her enrichment. I wish there was an ESA club or like a place where ESA’s could meet up indoors. Millie can’t walk outside in the winter and she gets a little restless and lonely without other animals around!” This must be especially true for ETAs cohabitating the abundant small dorm rooms across campus. Of course, the McEwen mice could be an under utilized form of enrichment for emotional support cats. If we employed them as the college’s pest extermination force, we could both proverbially and literally kill two mice with one cat.

Animals on the hill are inextricably linked to our mental health, sometimes destabilizing us, producing stress in our day-to-day lives or providing a small glimpse at broader issues on campus. Other animals here mentally and emotionally ground and support us, allowing us to work hard and enjoy ourselves here.

Nicolette van Kesteren

An Interview wi

I decided to interview the only all-female band on Hamilton College’s campus to learn more about the current members and the history of the legacy of Yonic Youth. Yonic Youth was founded five years ago, and this has been the first year without any founding members in the band. During the last five years, Yonic Youth has had numerous stellar performances and has accrued quite a large fan base from the students at Hamilton College. The band is currently comprised of four members: Juliet Davidson, Jane Taylor, Eliza Jones, and Georgia Brown. Juliet is the guitarist and lead vocalist, Jane is the bass player, Eliza is the drummer, and Georgia is the pianist and backup vocalist.

The Continental: How did each of you join Yonic Youth?

Juliet: I was asked by Eliza and Jane last spring in a very great moment. We were all in their suite, and we were singing “Killing Me Softly”. I was doing a little harmony, and then they asked me. I was super excited.

Eliza: I started playing the drums last fall when our drummer graduated, and we realized there are no female drummers. I originally joined Yonic because they needed a horn line. They kind of sussed out the brass scene at the school. It’s a very small school, so they found me and I was terrified. And then I think very quickly I realized that this was like the best opportunity music wise that I was ever going to get at school and then played one concert with them.

Jane: I joined my sophomore year when Eliza had been playing as a French hornist and knew the band previously. They were looking for a bassist and I started playing in the winter of freshman year. Eliza told them about me and I got a text. It was so exciting. Such a wonderful moment. We started playing together. I was really bad at first. I’m good now.

Georgia: I joined the band just this semester. I met the lovely women of Yonic at Saranac at the end of last semester. I’m in another band on campus, junior varsity, and we’re all playing Saranac together. They kind of pulled me aside and they’re like “We need you. You’re so talented.”

The Continental: Can you tell me a little bit about the history of Yonic Youth? What were the founding members’ intention for the band?

Eliza: We [the founding members] think it’d be fun to play and have an all female group and or women identifying group. And we think that we can find other people who’d be

with Yonic Youth interested in this because it’s an untapped market. And then they formed the band. They notified the band club and then they started playing. That’s kind of how it started. Originally, our logo was the green apple, and that’s the green apple from Kirkland College, which was an all women college.

The logo was intentionally the green apple that you see in the mural in Mcewen. So some of the women who began Yonic saw the apple and they were like, okay, that’s an apple, but it also looks like a vagina. Then, they created this song and it’s called the Vagapple. That was the beginning of Yonic. They decided to make the green apple our logo.

Both, based on the mural, but also based out of the spirit of Kirkland and the general vibe of that college, which was about lifting up women, celebrating women in an all female or women identifying space. That is one of my proudest parts of being in Yonic. I think that some people forget about the existence of Kirkland. Not only are we all women, but with the green apple as our logo—Kirkland is very central to our band’s identity.

Jane: Kirkland was a space that was meant to be communal.

It was this New Age college that almost acted in opposition in some ways to Hamilton. When it was absorbed, during the commencement, they threatened that if anyone protested the last class of Kirkland during their graduation, they wouldn’t get their degree or wouldn’t be able to walk. In the silent act of protest, women and men took green apples and put them on the podium of the president at the time. It was littered with green apples. Even though the concept of Kirkland was gone, the spirit of Kirkland is very much there.

That is something that Yonic has in common, it isn’t a place, it is a space.

The Continental: How do you feel the sound has changed over the past five years and since the departure of the founding members?

Eliza: So in my junior year, because we had lost a few members, the sound changed from a more pop alternative sound to a more neo-soul sound. This year, bringing Juliet in, brought it more to a punkier vibe, and then bringing Georgia, has brought it back to a neo-soul vibe.

Georgia: We do a lot of different kinds of stuff, honestly, but it all kind of comes together with a certain Yonic flavor.

14 Like even now, we’ll play “American Boy” which is vastly different from Hiam, but the way we play it, it works.

The Continental: Can you talk a little bit about Yonic Youth’s fan base?

Juliet: People want to see bands play, even if they have friends in the band or not. You will get a completely mixed crowd. It’s great that people are getting into, and it’s nice that there is an interest in music. Especially after COVID, now it’s exploded, and people are dying to do things. I’m really grateful for Yonic. It is our group, and it’s our thing and we get to share it. I think that it is so cool. It’s something that people want to see. People ask me all the time “when is Yonic playing next?”

YODAPALOOZA

BY GABI DE MENDONCA GOMES

YODAPEZ, YODAHANG, YODAFAM. THE YODAPUNS ARE ENDLESS. AND SO ARE THE GOOD TIMES. On campus, we have many, many extracurricular groups as well as performing arts groups, but there’s one whose inimitability stands out: Yodapez, our locally famous Hamilton improv group.

Every time we go to a Yodapez show, the material we see is brand new, made up on the spot; that is, improv.

“Spontaneous storytelling,” as they put it when I interviewed them. Yodapezzers carefully yet extemporaneously create the makings of a narrative scene—characters, relationships, objectives, and setting—that’s simultaneously cohesive, coherent, and comical. If it seems like a lot to handle, that’s because it is. Improvisation requires practice, thought, and skill. In fact, the group practices twice a week for a total of two and a half hours. Practices can be relatively formulaic along the lines of: chatting for a little too long, a word-association game called “Snaps,” sound and movement exercises, followed by skill-building games that are either show-oriented or long-form, a line game like the fan-favorite “Sex with Pez,” and, finally, a De-pez.

De-pezzing is the group’s way of psychologically extricating themselves from that “rabbit-hole brain energy,” as Catherine Fengler ’24 put it, and assimilating back from the improv-world to the real one; they do it after every show and practice. It’s a unique take on a team huddle, demarked by all the members in a circle synchronously lifting a hand up, turning their thumbs downward, and lowering them while blowing fart-noises. In true Yodapez fashion, behind the comic tropes and silliness, you always find reason and thoughtfulness.

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Although they consciously remove themselves from the improv-mindset, I got a resounding yes when I asked if they see improv coming through in their everyday lives. Patrick Fleischer ’23 shrewdly observed that myriad aspects of our day-to-day, like speaking confidently, listening skills and attention to detail, and going with the flow of situations (that ‘yes, and’ mentality when you’re unsure what’s coming next), are, on some level, improv(ised).

Indeed, Yodapez, for its members, provides much more than improv. The group is a space they can go to be themselves, whether that be painting characters as their pent-up emotions or just knowing that there are people with whom they share ample trust. Its first-year students say that being in the group eased their transition to college. For its sophomores and juniors, practices and shows allow them to develop their skills while enjoying doing so. Its single senior and the Yodaprez, Toscana Ogihara ’22, went from never having done improv to not only participating but operating the logistics. She says that she grew a newly found appreciation for leading and organizing generally, but also cherished seeing the group transform over her four years.

Improv, like any other creative discipline, includes diverse theories and skills, and the Yodaprez(es) usually dictate the group’s direction for the semester or year.

Group performance dynamics also change accordingly because of fluctuations in members when students graduate or go abroad, for example. Although they can’t speak for all the years of the group’s existence, when I asked about how the dynamics and leadership have changed, Maggie McDow ’23 who’s been in the group for three years tells me that their focus changes a whole lot more than you might think an improv group could.

Some years, leaders concerned themselves with perfecting improv technique. Other years, leaders encouraged members to enjoy themselves more so than anything else. This year, Toscana directed the group’s focus to a balance between technique and fun. So, beyond the fact that every show is brand new because it’s never been done before, every iteration we see of Yodapez from semester to semester is also different and experimental.

The levels of experience in the group members before joining seriously vary: some were heavily involved with improv before college like Maggie, others had taken some classes or done informal groups, like Annabelle Boud ’25 while others still had never really done it and When I asked about Yodapez’s exact origins, I was met auditioned on a whim, like Campbell Berry ’24. Yodawith a general shrug; as perhaps expected of a group pez holds auditions on a semesterly basis, and improv whose work is based on spontaneity, knowledge of their workshops for those curious to informally try it. They improv genealogy remains undetermined. However, af- welcome any student who’s interested! ter doing some wonky calculations based on clues from alumni and publications with the group whose math A special thanks to all the Yodapez members––Campbell, skills remain unequivocally some of the most equivocal Patrick, Maggie, Eric, Catherine, Ryan, Toscana, Lauren, on campus, we estimated that Yodapez began in the late Del, Abraham, and Annabelle—for the interview and for 1980s. Or at least definitely after Star Wars premiered all their hilarious and riveting shows. Good luck to Magand before the early ‘90s. gie and Patrick who are abroad this semester!

"Ham-

C C AND DAY

Lucy Elliott and Ashley Kolpan

-Chella" T

hink Met Gala meets Coachella meets Central New York. Combine the terror of finally seeing that person you’ve only ever interacted with in a dark basement in broad daylight with the indescribable sensation of seeing your econ professor while wearing a sparkly purple crop top. Then add Aminé. It’s the one time a year where living in Bundy actually is not the worst thing in the world. The usually barren “Bundy Crack” sees action early in the morning when groups flood down the hill in packs. Guys tend to stick to jerseys and a classic, sleek, black backpack.

Instagram feeds light up. C&C day is the closest thing that Hamilton students get to a good old fashioned SEC school darty. Our egos fly through the roof and all of a sudden we’re trying to convince all of our hometown friends that “No! Forget everything I’ve ever told you; Hamilton actually is fun!” We run around like teenagers at Gov Ball, and honestly, we wouldn’t change a thing.

While students spend the entire year resting up for this day, CAB began work on this day early in the fall.

With this being the first C&C day since 2019, expec-

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tations for normalcy are high. The CAB presidents Jonah and Olivia have spent considerable time planning this day, and are excited to reintroduce outdoor concerts with in-person live music and student band openers. Aminé headlined this year’s concert, following a few student performances. CAB listened to students using various social medias, and presidents Olivia and Jonah said that “from the feedback we received, it was clear that the campus wanted an artist within the realm of Hip-Hop/Rap/Pop. We dug a little further on Instagram where we distributed polls with the names of many musicians and gauged the campus’s interest and responses. Aminé was one of the most heavily demanded artists based on these polls.”

He will also be performing at spring concerts at Yale, Tufts, and the University of San Diego. Presidents also said when asked what the most rewarding part of planning C&C “is whenever I hear a student tell me we brought their favorite artist to Hamilton. Also, seeing everyone dancing in the crowd on the day of show always feels so rewarding!”

INTERVIEW WITH CINEMA AND MEDIA STUDIES PROFESSOR SCOTT MACDONALD

By Jack Sullivan

Jack Sullivan '22: Let’s begin with introductions.

Who are you, what is your position here, and how long have you been teaching?

Professor Scott MacDonald: I’m a Cinema and Media Studies teacher. I’ve been teaching film history since 1970—terrifying to think it’s that long!

I teach three courses a year and run a film series.

JS: Before we get into your path towards professorship, I wanted to talk about your interest in cinema more generally. Have you always had this passion? Was there a marked period growing up when you might have noticed this intrigue?

SM: Looking back now, I can see that film was pivotal in my life. Particular moments? I remember going to see King Kong, the 1933 version, which was the first film I went to see, alone, in a big theater. I didn’t know anything about the film (it had been out of circulation for years). My parents seemed to think it was a film I should see.

I consciously sat in an aisle seat fairly far in the back—for some reason, I thought I might have to get out in a hurry. There’s a moment in the film where the head islander is calling Kong by banging on a giant gong—then a dramatic moment of silence, then a noise. I remember sitting at the edge of my seat, wanting to yell to the audience, “Get out while there’s still time!” I had no idea what was about to happen. I got ready to run, and here comes King Kong tearing through the trees, and freeing Fay Wray from her chains, shaking his fist at the natives and going back into the woods. It was the most exciting movie I’d ever seen and I can see now that this was the start of my going to movies whenever I could.

But I never thought movies were anything anyone could study. In 1970, I’m a grad student at the University of Florida and I remember the humanities chair coming into a meeting and saying “We need to offer a film course, who wants to teach it?” And I remember raising my hand—others may have raised theirs too. By that time I had seen enough films—and was excited by the European, Japanese, Indian films coming to American theaters—to think, “I guess I can do it.” I’ve been teaching film ever since. By 1975 Cinema Studies was becoming a full-fledged academic field. By 1980, you could get a Ph.D.

20 JS: You really were at the forefront of that transition. I’m interested: you graduated from DePauw with an English degree, and then went to Florida for a Ph.D. in Literature. And at that time, there was no such thing as Cinema classes.

SM: Right. No one had been trained to teach film history. There were a few books, almost nothing.

And those days, you had limited access to films.

After their first run, films disappeared, and you couldn’t easily see them again. A lot of the early books that were available are full of errors, because you couldn’t even check the facts. I’ve always believed that this was the first time in the history of American academe that students demanded a field be created. And now, Cinema and Media Studies is a major at most every college and university.

JS: There were no curriculums—let alone books— for you to draw from. Was that a big thing you had to grapple with as an early instructor in the field?

“How do I formulate this space on my own?”

SM: Absolutely. How do you study film? In the 70s and 80s, that was the big question. In a certain way, as dumb as we were—sometimes, ignorance is bliss—we had to make it up. We had to decide what to teach.

I ended up at Utica College in a tenure-track position, a job I got because every college suddenly needed someone to teach film and I had taught that one course at Florida. So, in 1971 found myself in Utica, a city located in a region that, I soon realized, included not just normal movie houses and moviegoers, but was a center of independent filmmaking. This was an era when many artists were moving out of New York City and buying farms in Central New York. Within a hundred miles from Utica, many great films were being made.

In the Spring of 1972, I attended a screening that was part of a “university-wide” symposium on the study of film, held in Binghamton, funded by the New York State university system—a screening that would transform my sense of what film could be. This was my first time seeing what was called “experimental” or “avant-garde” film: Stan Brakhage, Larry Gottheim, Hollis Frampton, Ken Jacobs.

These and other independent film artists quickly became part of my courses. It was fun to discover types of filmmaking that most people didn’t know about, that could help them, and me, think more broadly about cinema.

If I had been hired to teach literature— you’ve got Shakespeare; you’ve got Milton; you’ve got the Romantic poets—the canon of English literature established. But with film, we had to make it up as we went along.

JS: You’re a trailblazer in this academic discipline.

SM: It’s almost funny to think that. I didn’t mean to be a trailblazer. It happened, to whatever extent it’s true, by sheer accident.

JS: So you’re in Utica starting the Fall of 1971, and you’re visiting Binghamton on your days off. And now you’re here, at Hamilton, still teaching in 2022.

How do you keep your enthusiasm? How have you maintained your vitality?

SM: That’s not something I do. I just love finding new work that fascinates me and may be useful for my students. And I still love being the person showing a group of people sitting together in a theater Fritz Lang’s M. I love having your generation experience Psycho on a big screen. It’s a deep pleasure making those experiences available. And Window Water Baby Moving—I don’t know why it’s so much fun to surprise students with it.

There’s so much interesting film being made.

It’s like a continuous intellectual ride I can’t get off, don’t want to get off. I don’t try to be enthusiastic, I just can’t help myself.

JS: And, keeping Window Water Baby Moving in mind, it’s clear your enthusiasm often directs itself towards experimental, indie, potentially avant-garde films. Why do you feel you’ve tended towards these works?

with One’s Own Eye—so pissed me off that at the end of that screening I wanted to attack the programmers. YOU CALL THOSE FILMS! I hated that afternoon. My colleagues and I drove home after that screening, me bitching the entire way back to Utica. But I could not stop thinking about the films. And soon I began to think…okay, the job of teaching any field is to get people thinking about the field. And these films are helping me—forcing me—to think differently about film than I ever have before. I’d learned that I was ignorant. I didn’t know seeing a film could be a theoretical experience.

The other thing was, when I came out of graduate school—as a 60s person—I was down on the idea of scholarship. To me, then, scholarship seemed something that people did to work their way up the economic ladder of academia. I came out of my Ph.D. dissertation—and I don’t mean to sound snooty—with the feeling that I hadn’t learned all that much, not enough to justify the time spent.

At my new job, I was faced with “publish-or-perish,” and spent years wondering: what can I do? What can my writing serve, other than my economic well-being? And I gradually realized: there are all these accomplished filmmakers around that no one pays attention to. They’ve made brilliant, interesting films. Maybe I can write about them. And maybe I can learn something by doing so. It started to strike me that I could start to help the people making these films get some attention. And it’s still my life, to this day, writing about filmmakers who deserve more recognition than they get.

JS: And this was also the genesis for your many published interviews.

SM: Yes. I quickly realized, in my early interviewing, that I had to look at everything they’d done, look at it carefully. I’m still learning from the interviews I do.

And probably, that’s what, in a certain sense, helps SM: Two reasons. One is that the first time I saw to continue my enthusiasm. Because you’re learning. an experimental film program, the one at Bing- Sex, drugs, rock-and-roll—they’re great for a certain hamton, the films shown—including Ernie Gehr’s portion of your life—but learning, that’s the greatest, Serene Velocity and Brakhage’s The Act of Seeing most long-lived, sustaining pleasure.

JS: In speaking further about these filmmakers and the progression of film generally: a sort of infamous quote in our current moment, from Martin Scorsese, comes as he’s talking about Marvel films—I’m sure you’re aware of it—as he compares them to theme-parks, and says he finds no enjoyment in them and doesn’t see them as cinema.

What’s your take?

SM: I love Martin Scorsese. He’s done some fine films (my favorite is The Color of Money) and more important to me, he’s done a tremendous amount to support all kinds of documentary and experimental work. I admire him, and I admire the way he serves the field. But that quote is silly.

I mean, what does he have against theme parks?

What does he have against rides?

I don’t watch the Marvel films. It’s just not what I’m interested in. But it would be insane for me to say that they’re not cinema. Without them, almost no one would be going to movie theaters. These films keep public theater-going alive. Without them, we’d be watching all films at home, on our TVs, on our phones.

Since I don’t watch Marvel films, I’m not sure whether their long-term impact is healthy or something else. I see a lot of real smart students who’ve grown up on these movies. It’d be silly of me to put them down a priori. Avatar was a ride, a wonderful ride.

JS: Talking more about a modern-conception of entertainment: you have something like TikTok, which is not usually categorized as artistic. As someone who’s taught students through these generational changes in media consumption and production, I wonder if you’ve noticed any differences in how students approach films, and how they interact with media generally.

SM: When I’m surfing around YouTube, I look at TikToks. I don’t see a whole lot of this work, but what I’ve seen reminds me of the Lumière Brothers’ first films. They were fifty seconds long, made for commercial purposes, by professional cinematographers. TikTok seems like a current version of what the Lumières did. Sometimes these little Tik-

Tok pieces can be really interesting. A lot of what circulates is junk. But a lot of everything is junk.

Hollywood used to make 400-500 films a year, and maybe we’d care about 5 or 10 of them.

But it also relates to a change in teaching and the classroom experience, as you suggested.

When I was growing up, there were three television stations. I think they ran from 6am to 11pm.

Three stations. Whatever was on, everybody was watching. The problem for your generation is that you’re all immersed in a 24/7 wave of commercial content. Constant media overload. My teaching challenge is to try to slow that down, to interrupt the overload. To make a space for you to have media experiences that are transformative. The job of a teacher, when I started, was to show people estimable work that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to. Now you have access to everything all the time, and the job is to carve into that—it may require you to put your phone down sometimes— to provide a learning space.

JS: I think it’s true what you’ve said: in the world of media and content, there’s a lot of garbage. But there’s going to be that percentage that’s valuable.

SM: In the early 1900s I’m sure everybody that loved literature was looking at these dopey, little, half-assed narratives that people were making, thinking “really? You’re interested in that? When you have all this great literature to read?” Then, those dopey narratives became their own form of experience. TikTok was inevitable.

JS: Right—Soderbergh has that iPhone feature-film. With big-time directors in mind, and to end here: the two archetypal questions to ask a film professor. First: three directors, dead or alive, to have a meal with. And second, three films everyone needs to have seen by now.

SM: Buster Keaton. Probably Hitchcock. It’s tough to pick another. As to the second question, I’m a film teacher and scholar. Three films?!

Hahahahaha!

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LIF EST Y LE

W HAT CAMPUS BAND SHOULD YOU SEE PLAY LIV E? Sarah Gyurina

If last semester proved anything, it was that live music at Hamilton was back in full force. If you didn’t get a chance to attend as many music festivals or concerts as you’d hoped, not to worry! I’ve cataloged every band on campus and why you should check them out. There’s a little something for everyone’s music taste.

VANDIGO: Ryan Mayhan ’22, Ethan McDevitt ’22, Luke Zaelke ’22, Cait Altermatt ’22 IG: vandigotheband Made of four seniors and formed their freshman year, Vandigo plays indie rock and emo bangers.

Watch them play if you want to thrash around to classic covers like “Mr. Brightside,” or check out their original tunes like “The Hole in the Ceiling” and “Regret” on Spotify!

UPTOW N BOOT Y: Kenny Talarico ’22, Ally Millar ’22, Julian Snyder ’22, Alex Weremchuk ’24, Ben Grummon ’22, Andrew Little ’22 This funk-jam band has been around for ages on Hamilton’s campus with a new iteration of members every couple of years. Their heavy bass riffs and wah-guitar make Uptown Booty the literal definition of groove. See them play if you want to dance.

SIMURGH: Ethan McDevitt ’22, James Winner ’23, Matt Jankowski ’22, Ryan Hayes ’24, Eli Best ’22 IG: simurgh_band Proceed With Caution: it’s about to get loud. Formed last spring with players of all years, Simurgh is for the metalheads of Hamilton. Fans of Metallica and Red Fang will have a blast headbanging to this group’s heavy distortion and double-kick drumming.

24 YONIC YOUT H: Juliet Davidson ’23, Eliza Jones ’22, Jane Taylor ’22, Georgia Brown ’25 IG: yonicyouthband This all-girl band was formed five years ago, reclaiming Hamilton’s music scene as one for women, too. Their iconic flying apple logo is a tribute to Kirkland College. See the group play at Saranac Brewery if you like bopping along to indie-pop anthems like Sydney Gish’s “Sin Triangle,” or original tunes by Yonic’s own Juliet Davidson.

ATOMIC HEDGEHOG: Eli Best ’22, George Lemmon ’22, Ryan Hayes ’22, Sam Greenhouse ’22 IG: atomic_hedgehog Fans of 90’s grunge and punk like Nirvana and Greenday will love Atomic Hedgehog’s classic sound. See their punchy vocals and tight guitar solos in action at one of many on-campus music festivals.

JUNIOR VARSIT Y: Remi Zhou ’22, Zach Relova ’23, Ian Vogelsang ’25, Georgia Brown ’25, Simon Stringer ’25 Junior Varsity is easy on the ears and lays down grooves with a retro pop and funk feel. Lovers of Amy Winehouse and Lake Street dive will appreciate the jazzy vocals and smooth saxophone in this group’s blend.

SPONGLE: Julian Snyder ’22, Kenny Talarico ’22, Alex Weremchuk ’24 This trio has range. So much so that their goto tunes are either 1) classic jazz standards, or 2) Steely Dan covers, but they can do so much more. Watch them improvise for hours at a time at their common room concerts or the Dark Side art parties and see for yourself.

2021 Playlist of the Year The Continental E-board members collected the best songs that we listened to in 2021. From new releases and viral hits to the songs that have comforted us for years, here are our top picks!

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THE BARS OF UTICA Sickenberger Lane

624 Varick St, Utica, NY 13502 The quintessential Utica bar, Sickenberger is a combination indoor-and-outdoor bar with a large dance floor and occasionally operational projector screen. Just down the road from Saranac Brewery, Sickenberger is the place to be after “Saranac Thursdays,” so much so that it becomes a borderline futile task to get a drink on Thursday nights.

However, Sickenberger is still easily worth the trip, because almost everyone who goes to Sickenberger goes to dance. This is easily the bar most worthy of your money and night out.

Celtic Harp

805 Varick St, Utica, NY 13502 Less than five hundred feet from Sickenberger, we arrive at Celtic Harp. True to its Irish roots, “the Harp" (as its frequenters call it), serves up Guinness and various dishes (that are really just potatoes cooked in a different manner) all night long. Celtic Harp, right in the middle of Utica, is one of the places to be during a night out on the town. As one Google Review puts it: “this place is often packed, and sometimes a little too rowdy.” While probably not ideal for a sit-down dinner, the Harp is terrific for any of you who want to let loose.

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Beers Bites & Games (BBG's)

4951 Commercial Dr, Yorkville, NY 13495 Travel down memory lane and get your fill of both nostalgia and disappointment by going to BBG’s, or, as my friend put it, “Dave and Buster’s for college kids.” Does that sound fun? I sure think so. Look forward to enjoying games like Pac-Man, Skeeball, arcade racing, pinball, and many more until you realize these games were a lot more fun when your parents paid. It’s right along Commercial Drive in New Hartford, so you can perhaps stop by Bremer’s on the way there so you aren’t hemorrhaging money paying for drinks on top of all of those fun games.

Griffin’s Pub

226 Genesee St, Utica, NY 13502 We re-enter Utica, but move a bit more uptown and up-scale with Griffin’s Pub. Higher class and less rambunctious than all three aforementioned bars, Griffin’s Pub is the prototypical dive bar: the perfect place to go for a couple of drinks, a few games of pool, and a surprisingly above average meal. Strike up solid conversation with a local or catch up with old friends. Griffin’s Pub may not be the most noteworthy bar you ever stop by, but it surely won’t be a place you'll regret patronizing.

Gerber's 1933 Tavern

16 Liberty St, Utica, NY 13502 Gerber’s looks and feels a lot more like a speakeasy, likely because it is actually a restored speakeasy. Much like Griffin’s Pub, Gerber is probably not the place to go if you’re looking to have the most memorable night of your life.

But, also similarly to Griffin’s, you won’t regret going. Sit down and have a classic cocktail and feel like the country is once again a decade away from a colossal depression. Jokes aside, Gerber’s really does feel like it’s from a different era and is a lovely spot to stop in.

WHAT FOOD TRUCK IS YOUR ZODIAC

While events at Hamilton often offer food truck catering, the COVID-19 pandemic and its off-campus travel restrictions provided an opportunity to increase the frequency of food trucks on campus. Student Activities introduced “Food Truck Fridays” to campus in the Spring of 2021. Students enjoyed this opportunity to eat a variety of foods without needing to set foot off of campus. This popular service continued in September, with new trucks introduced to the community—these trucks gave us more than food, though. In a recent development, astrologists discovered the link between customers' zodiac signs and their favorite food truck. It’s written in the stars.

by sammy smock Aries Doughboys BBQ

Taurus Oh Crepe!

Aries are known for bold ambitions, something that Doughboys BBQ embodies in their “Wac Daddy” (pork and chicken topped with both mac and cheese and beans) menu item.

A Taurus enjoys relishing in the finer side of life— like one of the sugary crepes from this truck!

Gemini Michael T’s

Cancer The Cremeria

The “Italian Bowl”—sausage, meatball, chicken riggies, and greens—seems to have a little bit of a lot of things. Geminis tend to have a million interests and know a little about everything, so they likely enjoy the variety of foods served in this dish.

Gelato (especially when it’s as good as the Cremeria’s) is a great comfort to Cancers during emotional times (aka the entire semester).

30 Leo Mangia Macrinas Wood-Fired Pizza

Virgo Break from the Grind

The fiery oven in Mangia Macrina’s truck matches the spirited personality of Leos.

The farm-to-table (or truck, in this case) mission of Brake From the Grind resonates with Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, who is cited as the inspiration for the Virgo constellation in some mythologies.

Libra The Original Kittys

Scorpio El Jefe

Libras enjoy the perfect balance that Kitty’s food provides—fairly healthy, but still tasty and enjoyable.

The “Nacho Supreme” dish at El Jefe has spicy Jalapeños, giving it the sting (pun intended) that Scorpios are looking for.

Sagittarius Cowboy BBQ

Capricorn Minar

Cowboy BBQ offers both a barbecue flavor and a classic mac and cheese. This makes it perfect for fiery, yet friendly Sagittarius.

Responsible Capricorns enjoy the restaurant quality food from Minar.

Aquarius Rio Grande Tex Mex

Pisces K-Dogs BBQ

Aquarius relates to the freedom of Texas and the variety of options that Rio Grande provides within their Tex Mex cuisine.

Just like Pisces are often split between reality and their own world, K-Dogs BBQ serves a split between the fantasy of the “little piggy hot dog” and the reality of coleslaw.

how to spend a warm spring day

By Sammy Smock

Between late February and early April, Clinton inevitably follows a similar weather pattern every

year: miserably wet and cold weeks interspersed with single, isolated, gloriously warm 60 degree days. On one of these days (as you put on your shorts, t-shirt, and sandals in the sunny morning) you might wonder: what should I do today? A day like this needs to be taken advantage of, of course. Here are some suggestions to keep you busy on a beautiful (dubiously sunny) day!

Go for a drive:

If you have a car, this can be a relaxing way to get away from campus and stare out at the empty corn fields. If you don’t have a car, you might have to convince someone to bring you along with them, but the feeling of wind in your hair as you roll down the windows cannot be beaten.

32

Remember you have allergies: Go for a walk:

Fun, but can often be dangerous.

One wrong step off of a paved sidewalk and you WILL be up to your ankle in mud. Plus, every resident of Oneida County can be found in the glens. If you can avoid off-leash dogs and your philosophy professor from freshman year, walking is a great way to get some exercise and clear your mind!

After your brisk walk on Martin’s Way from the science center to KJ as your eyes water and your nose starts to run, you may be hit with this shocking realization: your seasonal allergies have NOT gone away! It might feel like every plant on this campus is specifically targeting your poor immune system, but it will probably be snowing again tomorrow.

Stare out the window: Have a picnic:

If you wake up early enough, you might be able to snag one of Hamilton’s three total outdoor picnic tables and hope that some of the snowmelt water has evaporated off of it (you might want to bring several towels, just in case). Memories of your orientation trip and summer camp as a kid will make you excited for the summer ahead.

If you don’t think you have time for any of the previously listed activities (maybe you have pesky classes, assignments, or meetings), staring out the window for a few hours while pretending to write your term paper is a great option. Every new blade of dead grass that emerges from underneath the melting snow is another sentence you haven’t written.

OPINION

HAMILTON’S PANDEMIC Pro-Masks Eric Santomauro-Stenzel ’24 As of writing, over a quarter of Hamilton stu- Force.” Not only does this anonymity serve the purpose

dents have been infected with COVID-19 this semester.

But you wouldn’t know that from the College’s policies.

In fact, you would know very little about how or why Hamilton makes the decisions it does about the pandemic.

On April 5, the College increased its protections by moving from Blue to Green Status eight days after spring break, during which almost 100 students tested positive. Test results returned from April 8 to 14 showed 151 infected students. What did Hamilton do in response to nearly 10% of the student body testing positive in a single week? They stopped indoor events with food; dining halls remained open for regular service. In other words, nothing.

Hamilton was able to do this because they have cleverly avoided setting any expectations for themselves. Hamilton has given itself generous flexibility in the why, what, when, and how for implementing pandemic protections. Aside from legal mandates/guidance and travel restrictions, the standard to move into Yellow Status (the most protective College pandemic protocol) requires “rising local positive cases” and “documented impact of variant spread.” No numbers or metrics were established, and that was intentional. If a couple senior administrators like Karen Leach, chair of the COVID-19 Task Force, decide hundreds of students getting infected is not “rising” or “spreading,” that’s the law of the land. In effect, there is no action trigger for increasing campus protections.

It is precisely this flexibility that Hamilton wanted. In not setting any standards for when the campus must alter its policies, the College has permitted itself to simultaneously decide whatever whenever while saying “we’re just following the policy.” This veneer of responsible, thoughtful decision-making is also upkept by pretending the community has influence over decisions in the form of the COVID-19 Task Force. Most emails sent to the community regarding policy changes have been signed as “COVID-19 Task

of preventing any administrator from having to personally take responsibility for College policy, but it also implies the announcement has been agreed upon by the whole task force. This is not necessarily true. They do “Hamilton has given itself generous flexibility in the why, what, when, and how for implementing pandemic protections.” not have binding votes and any major decision must have the approval of Leach and President David Wippman. The meetings are confidential.

That explains why, upon return from spring break, Hamilton maintained that masks would not be required in most public spaces. In the most predictable event at Hamilton all year, the largest outbreak occurred in the weeks following high amounts of travel and a return without verified negative tests, as had previously been required. When asked if she regretted not requiring masks following spring break in the Spectator, Leach declared, “It’s always easy to second-guess a decision in hindsight.”

Hamilton wanted to have its cake and eat it too: minimal protections, minimal cases. At the end of the day, it’s Wippman and Leach’s outbreak and we’re just living in it.

POLICY UNMASKED

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Anti-Masks Anonymous Although higher numbers of positive modate their requests.

Most importantly, we must take the immunocompromised into account. All of us who can be vaccinated, are. We have established a protective baseline.

The Hamilton administration often acts as if it thinks that students are not informed or caring towards one another. When we are sick, we all know to refrain from coming to class and seeing others. And anyone who wishes to wear her mask should by no means be prevented from doing so, just as when there were no mask mandates indoors. But the people who wish to not wear them should also be allowed that personal freedom.

Students should always have the option to wear their masks and get tested if they feel sick or worried. Should The Hamilton administration often acts as if it thinks either a student or someone he’s around be immunothat students are not informed or caring towards one compromised and either party is uncomfortable with another. meeting in-person, they should always have the option to telecommunicate.

To conclude, after years of compliance and restrictions, let the mask madness end. People care about cially distanced, tested regularly, gotten vaccinated and boosted, and have respected each others’ varying lev- each other and will make the right decision––and it’s a els of comfort with loosening policies. But the COVID decision that should not be made for them. virus has evolved greatly over the past two years. The Omicron variant, as well as the BA.1, BA.2, and Omicron XE variants have all proved far less deadly but more transmissible than the original virus the world faced in 2020, over two years ago at this point. Many bouts of COVID now symptomatically resemble common colds. Hamilton students, who are approximately 18-22 years old, have always been considered among the healthiest and least impacted demographic. Herd immunity might be the best or most resolute solution.

We must also take professors and their families into consideration. Professors, many of whom have been doubly or triply vaccinated, would be free to wear their masks and distance themselves. Faculty could also choose to hold classes outside when possible. If students feel unsafe, professors will also likely accomCOVID cases pressured the college to impose more restrictive mask guidelines, many people, perhaps even a silent majority, are at odds with the new regulations.

This isn’t some ignorant article arguing that masks don’t work nor that the virus isn’t real; it aims to discuss some tough questions and explore some possibilities about what might be best for the Hamilton community.

For over two years now, Hamilton students have complied with the wishes of the administration with regard to COVID-19: quarantined at home and in hotels, taken online classes, worn masks inside and outside, so-

STUDY WHAT YOU LOVE (IF YOU CAN GET INTO THE CLASS) MOLLY SYMMONDS

C

ourse selection comes around twice a year, and students are quick to look at the course catalog and pick a perfect schedule, made up of classes they find interesting at times that work for them. Then lottery times come out. Anyone familiar with the Hamilton course selection process knows that any time after 9am is already a curse, and anyone allotted to the afternoon times might as well accept that the classes they wanted won’t be the classes they’ll take.

The excitement of course selection quickly turns into an exercise of making backup plans, backup plans to those backup plans, and drafting emails to professors who might be able to find a seat. And come course selection day, we expect disappointment and to have to fix whatever schedule we end up with only later on.

The problem with course selection at Hamilton is unique. The open curriculum means that students are choosing courses with very little predictability. With no general requirements, most students are hoping to take at least one class they simply find interesting, ranging across departments. This variety means the number of students taking Art History, Anthropology, or Drawing doesn’t track with the number of departmental majors in the slightest, which makes it difficult to gauge interest in classes. Our small faculty also means that only so many classes can be taught and only so many students can be in each one of those classes.

36 So, currently, when problems arise, it is after course selection days. Students email professors, and when professors make adjustments, they email the registrar to add seats. This exchange is messy: whole new sections and classes and switches are constructed through emails. Students show up to class the first day and hope for the best. Now, everyone is in an awkward position: students have to beg, professors have to make tough choices, and the registrar has to field all those emails.

The way we deal with this issue now is treating the problem rather than preventing it, and it’s an inequitable, inadequate solution that eliminates the fairness that the course-time lottery serves to create in the first place. The informality of getting into classes through emails entirely favours students that already have relationships with those professors or that department. One of the biggest selling points of a liberal arts college is that the array of classes and opportunities allow students to discover our passions during our time at Hamilton, yet because of the current substandard process, one of the college’s main pillars of education is crumbling. This relationship is also unfeasible for first-year students, and the online set-up of classes prevented many students, especially sophomores, from getting to know their professors like they otherwise might’ve during a normal year.

In fact, much of your ability to know a department comes from whether or not you took a class in it your very first semester. During this very first course selection opportunity, the normal course selection process doesn’t apply. That means that first-year students have better class prospects than other class years. I think the real problem is simply a lack of data. An open curriculum is difficult to predict, but there’s no reason that we can’t predict it on a semesterly basis. Most students already use Student Planning or Webadvisor before the official course selection to plan their schedule, so why not use the data produced by those planned schedules to review seats and section numbers?

My proposal is to add two steps to our current course selection process. First, students put together their ideal schedule on Student planning without knowing their selection time, which encourages students to express interest in the classes they really wanted to take, and not just what they think they can get into. Then, faculty could review the data on a large scale. When a class has significantly more interest than seats, it gives professors a chance to adjust their class size or consider another section before they start getting desperate emails. Of course, faculty wouldn’t be required to make changes, but, in my experience, professors are often happily surprised at the interest and demand for their classes, and they’re willing to make changes to accommodate. Still, departments can use this data as they please: maybe in the current semester, the change isn’t viable, but next semester they’ll reconsider class allocations.

There’s no reason that our course selection process has to be painful. Hamilton promised us we could study what we love, but, right now, that’s only a reality for people who knew what they loved before their first semester, happen to know their professors well enough, or are just plain lucky.

If we move towards trying to match supply to demand, we can begin to find a system that works better and more equitably for the registrar, faculty, and students alike.

An Interview with Public Speaking Champ Abbie Wolf f

“P Gabi De Mendonca Gomes

ublic speaking is such a vulnerable activity,” Abbie says as we start discussing her thoughts on the nerve-wracking act of delivering a speech. She’s right. Successful public speaking requires a vast array of skills: a prepared and memorized script with data and citations and a persuasive argument accompanied by deliberate vocal inflections, pauses, and gestures all delivered in conversational tone. Every person there—the judges, audience members, and speech-givers—is cognizant of that difficulty to some extent, but it’s also a competition, and each participant is there to win that money by overcoming that vulnerability and showing command over that intricate bundle of skills. So, it’s always going to be a challenge.

Every single year Abbie has been at Hamilton, she has dedicatedly delivered at least one speech. And, since every speech is recorded, she has been able to look back at them and watch her personal progression.

But only recently. Her first year she couldn’t bring herself to watch the video of her speeches. At least partially or temporarily overcoming the mental barrier of self-consciousness also plays a large role in improving the quality of speeches. Recording and watching her delivery became an important step in her preparation, no matter what topic or kind of speech.

Since speech topics vary per prize, Abbie has presented a wide array of arguments. Her first year she discussed social ramifications for women’s oral communication in the workplace––specifically focusing on upspeak and vocal fry. The follow-

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ing years, her topics ranged from examining the detrimental effects of the filibuster for American democracy to the psychological effects of social media advertising (the conclusion of which was simple and effective: turn off your notifications!) to the practical repercussions of cognitive biases. She hasn’t won every speech competition that she has entered, but the failure is important just as the victory is to motivate and improve speaking skills. It’s just another chance to try again.

first one allowed her to play with her voice given the topic of vocal intonation, but the 15-Minute City fostered a kind of reconfiguration of her values for potential future homes after college. “In a way,” Ab-

She capstoned her senior year with two speeches: one about the lack of accessibility on Hamilton’s campus for disabled students and her favorite topic of the 15-Minute City. As the name indicates, this ideal cityspace is constructed physically and socially so that everything someone would need exists within a 15-minute walking distance. Many cities–– LA or Chicago, for example––were constructed so that cars are the dominating method of transportation, which creates a surplus of resources in some neighborhoods and a deficiency in others.

bie observed, “Hamilton is its own 15-minute city,” wherein students can get almost everything within a short walk, and that convenience creates a sense of an internal community support system and allows for a more convenient, and therefore less stressful, quotidien.

When I asked her which speech was her favorite, she gave me two answers: in terms of delivery, her

At least partially or temporarily overcoming the mental barrier of self-consciousness also plays a large role in improving the quality of speeches.

Besides the previously mentioned recording of herself, she also provided some preparatory tips that work for her. Her biggest suggestion is, if you have the opportunity to, practice in the space in which you will deliver your speech. Knowing where things are and how you’re going to move about largely assuages nerves of the unknown that crop up with things like public speaking.

Unsurprisingly, she also just puts in a lot of time and effort into memorizing the speech so that she can say it almost unconsciously, like the lyrics of your favorite song you can recall like second nature. And within that practice lies her last tip of rehearsing in front of friends and other people and using resources such as the Oral Communication Center––for which she and I work––where tutors are qualified to provide helpful advice and are happy to help any student who comes in. By virtue of repetition, the more times you practice, the better the delivery and overall speech will be, but getting both honest feedback and having friendly faces to give it will also help. Similarly, the often-cited piece of advice of planting friends in the audience (even just one!) gives you a place to look on competition day where you know that only well wishes, not judgment, are being transmitted.

In the end, it’s equally about having fun and enjoying the activity as it is improving yourself and working toward a merited personal victory enhanced by a financial one. Abbie recommends anyone who’s thinking about trying the public speaking competition to just go for it!

The far left’s Imperialist Apologism: a case of severe cognitive dissonance Gabriele Fett

Referenced https://www.dsausa.org/ statements/on-russias-invasion-ofukraine

On February 26, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) made a public statement condemning Putin’s bloody campaign of conquest in Ukraine while simultaneously calling for a US withdrawal from NATO and blaming America’s alleged “imperialist expansion” which “set the stage for this conflict.” In an effort to maintain an anti-imperialism and anti-war public image, the DSA has shown itself willing to completely disregard reality because statements such as these from the largest socialist organization in the US essentially parrot the Kremlin’s main talking points. Some far-left groups present acceptable and plausible criticisms, such as arguing that such efforts merely prolong the conflict and, thus, result in increased Ukrainian casualties. Others, like the DSA, seem preoccupied with their distaste for American imperialism and engaging in odious whataboutisms.

Many of their arguments, however, can be attributed to the effectiveness of Russian propaganda and disinformation efforts.

If the DSA argues that NATO’s eastward expansion caused Russia’s invasion, then they are broadly arguing that sovereign states are not allowed to join a defensive alliance if a larger state sees that alliance as an obstacle to its greater geopolitical goals. It then follows that this larger state is justified in using military force to prevent that occurrence. Though the DSA strongly condemns Putin, if it follows this logic, it enables Putin to pursue military aggression, since he would merely be fighting against American imperialism and aggressive NATO expansion. This logic, however, supports imperialist behaviors. Calling NATO expansion imperialism dangerously equates a case of a state asking to join an alliance with Putin’s reprehensible attempt to invade Ukraine. It gives Russian imperialism credibility and redefines imperialism to suit specific political agendas, though no one at the DSA nor its supporters would actually want this result. And this is exactly the problem: no one would have expected leftist anti-imperialists to regurgitate Russian propaganda.

I am not at all surprised by the far right’s embrace of Putin and his invasion of Ukraine. Some far-right extremists and/or white nationalists revere Putin and view him as a protector of traditional western culture from an increasingly multicultural, secular, and LGBT-friendly society.

However, ardent leftists have always advertised themselves as supporters of multiculturalism, secularism, and the protection of the LGBT community (among many other minority groups) while also maintaining a strong anti-imperialist stance. Putin’s actions clearly comprise a clear-cut case of imperialism, but the far-left’s condemnations of NATO allows him to perpetuate his government’s routine and unapologetic repressision of the very groups leftists claim to embrace. This contradictory thinking presents a perfect example of cognitive dissonance.

Others take a more centrist approach not blaming NATO or American imperialism, but arguing against sending armaments.

For example, Branko Marcetic, a staff writer at the Marxist journal Jacobin, argued against arming Ukrainians by making a historical comparison with the arming of the mujahideen in Afghanistan.

These cases are not directly parallel and cannot be equated be-

“If Russians are willing to massacre civilians unprovoked, I find no moral or logical argment against arming the Ukranian military.” cause the Ukrainian military are not the mujahideen. The atrocities that took place in towns near Kiev, like Bucha for example, where the Russian military purposefully slaughtered civilians is evidence against the argument that any efforts to arm soldiers would increase bloodshed. These scenes of violence show that the Russian government has no problem escalating and engaging in war crimes, even when their targets do not resist. If Russians are willing to massacre civilians unprovoked, I find no moral or logical argument against arming the Ukrainian military. It would only prevent or limit further barbarity by pushing the Russians back eastward.

Tragically, it appears that segments of the left have fallen victim to the very Russian propaganda and disinformation campaigns they want to fight against. Some leftists and their organizations, such as the DSA, have ignored and tacitly excused Russian imperialism as well as misidentified imperialism in criticizing the US and NATO. This represents a clear problem for the American left trying to champion a united front against Russian imperialism, and an excellent, yet unfortunate, example of cognitive dissonance.

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MY FAVORITE WAYS TO DESTRESS

LUCY ELLIOT

We all know that being at Hamilton can feel like being in a pressure cooker. Everywhere we look, there’s something expected of us: academics, sports, friends, and family. COVID times have not alleviated any of them—it’s likely exacerbating something for each one of us. We all need a way to forget our everyday pressures, so I figured that I’d offer a few suggestions that help my friends and me out.

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1) Get outside I know that it’s easier said than done given that we live in an ice box, but I can’t overstate how important getting out of my room or class is for me. Even just a few minutes of being in nature, or not inside, can make us feel better.

I know it’s not the preferred method of transportation, but a walk up and/or down the hill is one of my favorites. Granted, it can feel a little silly or embarrassing. If you’re wearing a backpack, you may look like a freshman walking down to Hannaford’s with a crappy Delaware fake ID only to swiftly be turned away and leave empty handed. It’s fine; we’ve all been there. Or, when some of the snow melts, the Instagram-famous corn fields make for a great escape.

2) Rewatch something There’s nothing like the comfort of knowing exactly what’s going to happen while watching a TV show or movie. While the surprise and anticipation of watching a character get completely blindsided for the first time can be great, I find comfort in knowing each twist and turn. There are so few parts of my life that I actually can control that it’s calming to turn on that old comfort TV show and feel some

sense of control by knowing what’s going to happen. My personal recommendations to watch and rewatch are New Girl and Criminal Minds.

3) Give your hand (and your mind) something to do Take that for what you will, but if my idle hands find their way to my phone, an anxious spiral is close at hand. If only I could throw out all social media…alas I’m not that strong. I have found though that if I keep my hands busy with simple tasks, it’s easy to stay away from the nastiness of overthinking and/or reaching for my phone. I love adult coloring books, and, to be clear, these things don’t mess around; the graphics are designed to keep your attention, so they’re detailed and intricate. I also love making bracelets. It’s slightly embarrassing to admit, but when my friends and I were trapped on campus over winter break for swimming, we had nothing else to do. So, we churned out bracelets like an assembly line. A lot of string is like $6 on Amazon, so it’s an affordable and simple task to occupy your fingers and your mind.

In-person acapella concerts finally returned to campus this past fall. As COVID-regulations slowly loosened, the acapella groups were able to hold in-person auditions, practices, and performances. Hamilton’s five acapella groups, Special K, Tumbling After, The Hamiltones, The Buffers, and Duelly Noted, held three major performances throughout the semester. All the concerts were very crowded and exciting with many enthusiastic fans that were thrilled to see their friends on stage. I interviewed Ashley Krawshuk ’24 about her experience as a member of Tumbling After (TA), Hamilton’s youngest acapella group for women and non-binary individuals.

Talking with Tumbling After ALLEN CAO

The Continental: What is it like being in an acapella group?

Ashley: First of all, we are a group of people that enjoy music and singing. In some ways, it feels like a sports team because we spend a lot of time together practicing and rehearsing.

But being a member of an acapella group is so much more than just singing. For me, one of the most important and exciting things about TA is getting to know people and bonding with them through the same interest. We surely all love music, but we also enjoy doing many things outside of music together. Like group dinners, we’d go to hibachi to celebrate sometimes, and it’s always a lot of fun. Some members in TA live in a suite, so we also hangout with each other there, especially after concerts as a little celebration. We’d also do a retreat, where we go off campus and spend overnights with each other.

The Continental: What is the audition process like?

Ashley: Each group might have their own

unique twist, but overall, the audition process is similar. There are scale-performing, pitch-matching, and a solo, and sometimes you’d have to tell a joke or something. You could choose the order of doing these things. I started with scale-singing and pitch-matching as my little warm up. Then I told the joke to calm myself down a little before my solo. I did my audition on Zoom, so it was a bit different. At least for me, it was definitely less stressful online, even though the sound quality was not as good.

The Continental: How is acapella singing different from other music groups like a band?

Ashley: Acapella singing requires more than just being able to sing. A solo is super exciting, but it is only part of the performance. In fact, being able to not stand out is one of the most important things for an acapella singer. When we accompany the soloist with background vocals, we want to have one voice rather than 10 different voices. In other words, you are doing a good job if the audience can’t tell your voice apart from other members.

So there’s this interesting balance between doing a solo and blending back in with the vocals. I guess

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TUMBLING AFTER

SPECIAL K

learn a different language or an instrument the teacher tries to demonstrate what shape their mouth makes. It’s a similar idea The Continental: How do you dewhen we try to make an instrucide what songs to perform? mental sound. Mouth reading also helps with synchronizing. SomeAshley: We have meetings before times we practice outside with our each semester to brainstorm ideas masks off, and it feels much easifor concerts. Usually, we make a er to synchronize when we could list of songs where everyone can add the songs they like see each other’s mouths. And of course, the extra layer to sing. Then we have a poll to choose which songs from between us and the microphones also make our voices the list we will perform. We have to consider if a song sound a little dull. can transition well into another song. Sometimes there are also themes, like the Holiday concert at the end of The Continental: What was the joke you told when last semester. you did your audition? it also shows a key characteristic of acapella singing: teamwork.

The Continental: How much impact do COVID regu- Ashley: *clears throat* What’s the difference between a lations have on singing and performing? dirty old bus stop and a lobster with breast implants? One is a crusty bus station, the other one is a busty crustacean.

Ashley: Masks make acapella harder because you can’t see each other’s mouths. Mouth reading is actually a very important part of acapella. Sometimes when you

T RAV EL

Alternative Spring Break:

A Wonderfully Unexpected Experience Maia Macek

T

he night before I was set to head down to Greensboro, North Carolina, I had no idea I would learn so much or meet so many wonderful people. Normally, Alternative Breaks do work with Habitat for Humanity, low-income youth, or disaster relief. Our trip was a unique pilot initiative. We were lucky enough to be the first group of Hamilton Students to partner with Guilford College and their Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR) program. The program works with community partners and the local resettlement agency to house and support refugees for free upon their arrival, providing services and support to resettlement agencies that don't have the resources to supply them.

Upon arrival to the United States, refugees receive some funding for housing, utilities, food, and anything else they need to completely restart their lives. This small stipend of support quickly disappears with all the expenses of starting a new life. On top of this, the US government requires refugees to pay back the expenses of their plane tickets to the United States. To use a former ECAR guest, Blaise Pascal’s metaphor, coming to the United States is not like a new chapter in a refugee’s life—it’s a whole new book. Resettlement agencies receive so many incoming refugees that the services they are able to provide are limited to 2-3 months of support including finding housing, low-level jobs (a lot of refugees in Greensboro end up working at a chicken factory in the next town over), and sorting out paperwork and documentation. With the resources of a college, ECAR is able to provide free housing for up to 6 months to alleviate financial

strain and supplement the services of resettlement agencies by providing support in looking for safe, affordable housing, navigating cultural differences like riding the bus or shopping at the grocery store, and English classes.

Since about half of the refugee population are children, a lot of our service work focused on kids. We visited the New Arrivals Institute which, at its core, focuses on empowering women through providing free childcare so they can take English and other classes related to parenting and/or employment. It was so

"I now have a personal understanding of the refugee crisis and how communities of service can come together to combat such global issues." gratifying to be able to provide some relief to the limited number of volunteers, interns, and employees who had so many children in their care.

Being able to simply interact with the little kids, give them attention, and put a smile on their faces made both a personal and external impact. The same was true for working at different community centers and helping to tutor kids whose parents can’t help them with homework in English. We also got the chance to help the African Services Coalition move supplies into two new apartments for fresh arrivals helping them get ahead of their schedule to move in 20 apartments in a week.

This trip was a fulfilling service experience but more importantly, it was a wonderful and unique experiential learning experience. I was

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able to learn the statistics and how the refugee resettlement process works in theory and then the next day, go meet the volunteers, refugees, and organizers in a community where that was actually happening.

So much learning happened by just meeting and interacting with lots of different people. I had so many enjoyable encounters, from the guests and refugees themselves, to the various volunteers and organizers, to the other Hamilton students on our trip, all of whom were extremely kind and welcoming. I consider it a unique privilege to have participated in this exchange. I now have a personal understanding of the refugee crisis and how communities of service can come together to combat such global issues.

The goal of our trip was to learn about the unique and growing ECAR program and how it functions in partnership with the larger community of resources for refugees in Greensboro, a hub for incoming refugees. Hamilton’s own Professor Balkan, a Guilford alum who works with refugees, had the idea of partnering with ECAR so we owe our experience to him. We have our own refugee community here in Utica but many students aren’t aware of the opportunities so much closer to us than Greensboro, North Carolina. As an added bonus to the service learning, I made some cool new connections with people on campus I might never have met before.

There’s nothing quite like a week of traveling around in a Jitney and living in a local church together that could bond us so quickly. This awesome trip educated me and inspired me to pursue more service here at Hamilton and in Utica. I hope more students can get involved too.

Travel by Train Allen Cao

Traveling by train is apparently a lost art in the US, at least in 2022. Air travel and highways have left little space for the slow, boring railroad. Trains are not as fast as planes and not much cheaper. Trains are also not as flexible as driving, as you could stop anywhere you want on a road trip. So why would anyone travel by train?

There are many travel videos online featuring train rides, which more-or-less romanticizes the experience for me. How comfortable and romantic: a small and cozy bunker bed, a delicious meal on the white table cloth in the dining cart, and the great American landscapes outside of the window. To be different from generic, semi-popular Youtubers, I went the budget way: a $100 ticket instead of a $1,000 ticket, a coach seat instead of the sleeper cart, and snacks instead of real meals in the dining car.

The Route & the Train

The full Empire Builder route, which I planned to take, ran from Chicago to Portland or Seattle.

I could not find tickets from Chicago to Minneapolis, however, so I took a small detour and started my journey from the Twin Cities. My time on the train ran just under 40 hours. I boarded the train in St. Paul at 11:00 PM and arrived in Portland on the third day around 11:00 AM. I chose to take this route for many different reasons. The view was one important factor, as the tracks followed the Lewis and Clark trail going West. Even though I skipped part of it, the route is still full of amazing views. It cuts through the prairies of the Midwest into the splendid Glacier National Park. It penetrates through the Big Sky Country of Montana and swirls around the tunnels in the Cascades.

There were several ticket options for seats: coaches, roomettes and bedrooms. Both roomettes and bedrooms had seats that could be turned into bunk beds. They also have sinks and showers either in the car or in the room, which was something I did not get to experience.

Food and Rest

Soggy grilled cheese from the snack bar

It was already past bedtime when I got on the train from St. Paul. The train wasn’t too full, so I was able to grab an entire row to myself and stretch my body diagonally across the two seats. The seatback couldn’t go all the way down, but it was much more spacious than seats on a flight. I didn’t really have a problem falling asleep on either of my nights on the train. Occasionally, though, I woke up in the middle of the night when the train stopped at a station. But instead of feeling annoyed by waking up, I was more excited and curious to open my map and check where I was. When the train started rolling again, my consciousness faded back to black.

The food on the train was something I really looked forward to, but the fantasy came into a scramble when a polite train staff member told me that the dining car was only reserved for passengers with room-tickets. Coach-seat holders like me got to enjoy a little snack area that was located under the observation deck. Slightly disappointed but still curious, I went down to the snack area to try my luck. When I saw they took out a frozen packed grilled cheese from the fridge and put it in the microwave to warm it, I could guess what it would taste like.

The bagel I had later was not as terrible, in all fairness, but I was still very happy to bring some trail mixed and granola bars with me on the train.

Coffee Shop across from the train station in Minot, ND

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Cool things & interesting people

The thing that I was looking forward to the most was a coffee shop in Minot, North Dakota. The train stopped at the Minot station around 8 in the morning for inspections and crew changes, so passengers got nearly an hour of free time and fresh air. I did my homework beforehand, so I knew there was a small but landmark coffee shop across from the train tracks. It was a chilly morning, but I got off the train quickly with excitement and beat everyone else for a cup of their white coffee and a pistachio muffin.

Getting the coffee took much less time than I expected, partially because I was the first one in line, but it left me with plenty of time to wander around the little town of Minot. I went into a flower shop looking to buy some postcards as my souvenir from North Dakota, but they didn’t have any. I had a short but sweet conversation with the shop owner, nonetheless, who was generous enough to give me approval for “having been to North Dakota.”

Big Sky Country near Havre, MT

Misty morning near Cascade Locks, OR

The Artist performing at a The observation car on the train had all kinds of people in there. There smoke stop were some elderly couples who looked into each other’s eyes romantically. There were annoyed employees at work who typed aggressively on their keyboard. There was me, of course, observing the people around. But the most interesting individual on the ride was undoubtedly the Artist.

The Artist had been under some kind of influence since I first saw him. I came up to the observation car trying to do some readings with the beautiful American landscapes outside of the window. But from the first minute, I got distracted by his complaints. He argued for his case on why he should be allowed to play his keyboard on the car, but eventually he submitted to the train staff ’s authority.

Then he started talking to the two fans who admired his courage to challenge authorities. His speech went from his story of getting jumped in 9th grade to why Billie Eilish is a better stage performer than Michael Jackson. His eloquent talk came to a halt when he started going into details describing his last sexual experience, which he claimed was in a train bathroom. The train staff, who had denied his request to play the keyboard, finally had enough of him and threatened to throw him off the train at the next station. “Everything that went wrong in my life was 'cause I said something or I was trying to do something good,” the Artist concluded. Once the train staff left, however, the Artist resumed his story: “the last time I was in North Dakota, I got arrested for playing the keyboard…”

As much as he had been loud and slightly crazy, he did give a little concert when we stopped at Shelby, Montana. It was another longer stop where people could stretch their legs and smoke cigarettes. The Artist laid out his keyboard on the platform and performed a few songs. In the middle of the Big Sky Country, he sang one of my favorite songs, “Hotel California.”

“We are all just prisoners here, of our own device,” he sang with a smokey hoarse voice that dissolved into the desert wind.

The Spring Break That Almost Didn’t Happen: Twenty Seniors Spend Two Weeks Exploring the Annapurna Sanctuary in Nepal Andrea Shipton and Anthony Mitchell

From the time I (Andrea) first heard about this class and this trip my freshman year, it has been my dream to enroll in Professor Isserman’s Himalayan Mountain seminar and spend spring break hiking in the Himalaya. After securing one of the last spots in the class during course registration, my mind began to fill with dreams of the two-week trek. The fate of the trip, however, would hang in the balance until just hours before we left.

COVID-19 complications prevented this trip from running in 2020 and 2021. Determined to put those days behind us, our class remained hopefully optimistic that the trip would be able to run this year.

About two weeks before we were set to fly out of JFK airport, we reached a hurdle: the Nepal embassy required a negative PCR test to fly out of the country and back to the United States. They would not accept a doctor’s note indicating a positive test within the past ninety days. Administration began to fear that one of us who had recently tested positive would continue to come up positive on a PCR and then remain stuck in Nepal for several weeks until that individual could produce a negative PCR. Three days before departure, we nervously gathered in the Glen House for class, knowing a decision would be made by the end of the day. The signs we received from the administration were not very encouraging, and Professor Isserman remarked that he was getting deja vu from two years ago when his 2020 class sat in the Glen House knowing their trip was probably about to be canceled.

At 4:04 PM that afternoon, we received a GroupMe message from our trip leader Andrew Jillings: “We are going to Nepal.” Euphoria was quickly replaced by frantic packing, since most of us had put it off until we knew the trip would be running for sure. At 3 AM that Saturday, we loaded onto a bus— and then loaded onto a second bus because something was wrong with the first— and then loaded onto a third bus because the second wouldn’t start. Deliriously tired and giggly, the bussing issues were laughable compared to the PCR issues that almost prevented our trip from running. A few hours later, we pulled into JFK, waited in a bunch of really long lines, and then boarded a 14-hour plane to Dubai.

Though we only stepped outside for a few moments to board a shuttle bus to our flight, the hot Dubai sun warmed our spirits, relieving our souls from the long central New York winter. A few hours later, we touched down in Kathmandu and met up with our guides: Ajit, Dawa, Narendra, and Chandra.

After presenting us with marigold necklaces, we rode in a bus with “TOURIST” emblazoned on the front, arrived at our hotel, and crashed for the night. The next morning featured the most extravagant breakfast buffet we would receive in Nepal. A parting gift from Kathmandu, the breakfast would fuel our first day of trekking. After another flight, we arrived in the tourist city of Pokhara, where we played frisbee in the tiny airport parking lot while waiting for our ride. Our ride— five or six incredibly sturdy-looking Jeeps— soon pulled up, and we squished inside for a ride to our trailhead.

For the next two hours, we bumped along dirt roads, squeezing past buses on sketchy turns and glimpsing snow-capped peaks in the background. After lunch, the trek began. Daypacks on and trekking poles in hand, we began a steep climb to the village of Ghandruk, our porters racing well ahead of us, carrying at least fifty pounds per person. After dumping our belongings in our hotel rooms, we wandered down to the village school to play basketball with some locals—definitely the coolest and most beautiful place I’ve played pick-up basketball—with South Annapurna looming above us in the distance.

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Over the next few days of trekking through the Annapurna Sanctuary, we settled into a rhythm: wake up around sunrise, eat breakfast with tea, hike for a few hours, tea stop, hike some more, lunch, tea, more hiking, tea stop, hiking, arrive at our lodging, dinner, more tea, and collapse exhaustedly into bed around 9 PM. We frequently joked that the 5-plus cups of tea we consumed each day was a ploy by “big tea” lobbying us to get hooked before returning to the states. Trekking in Nepal is unlike anything I’ve ever done before—nothing like the flat to gradual uphill to the steep uphill gradient of mountain ranges in the northeast. Nearly every section of the trail presented either a steep uphill or a steep downhill. We would frequently spend hours descending into a valley only to cross a suspension bridge and spend twice the amount of time hiking up the other side. Dogs would often join our large party, leading the way between villages. We bestowed names on a few of these beloved companions: Bing, Bong, Bamboo, and Brick.

In the foothills of the Himalaya, time, not distance, measures the space between two villages. Distance is irrelevant since topography mostly determines how fast or slow you can go. Elevation has a particular knack for slowing progress. On the day we ascended to Annapurna Basecamp, several of us suffered from headaches, nausea, and fatigue, while struggling to breathe in the oxygen-poor air. As we hiked up through the snow in our crampons and duct-taped glacier goggles, post-holing became a major issue as the afternoon sun weakened the top layer of snow. One wrong move and BAM: suddenly a leg sank two or three feet down into the snow. As the clouds cleared, we gazed up at the gigantic mountains surrounding us on all sides.

After a long day, we finally arrived at Annapurna Base Camp at an elevation of 13,549 feet. I (Anthony) immediately laid down to rest on the cold slabs of rock made into stairs, in awe of our surroundings and the people that I was with, looking up at Annapurna, the 10th tallest mountain in the world. At base camp, we only drank boiling hot water, as our guides instructed us that it took less energy for our bodies to digest and process warm liquids at high altitudes. We spent the evening admiring Annapurna in the moonlight and stars with minimal light pollution in the region.

The next morning, we woke up bright and early with many of us feeling hangover symptoms from the altitude. We descended over 4,000 feet over the next 8 hours, climbing down the snow at first and eventually back onto our beloved steps. We glided over the re-frozen snow before the sun had warmed the ground up, feeling invincible to post-holing when compared to the day before. As oxygen levels in the air increased, we flew down, hiking well over 12 miles. Those trekking in my proximity knew that I was typically rather quiet on the ascent as I gasped for air but was a chatterbox on the way down, having found a newfound ability to speak and breathe without strategically placing comments in between breaths. I joked that we would never use stairs again upon our return home.

Since our trip, the stairs to our third-floor Milbank suite have never been so easy.

That evening, we arrived in Dovan. After dinner and a riveting and competitive game of fruit salad, the class treated Dovan to a Hamilton College tradition like no other—a quintessential Hill wedding. This time, Joseph Han and Louis Stratton were the lucky couple to tie the knot in a spectacle filled with music and dancing. Dylan Morse presided over the affair as our fearless ordained minister. The porters and guides joined us in the audience

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and we even had a TikTok made about us by the owner of the Tea House, who recorded the entire event.

It was a great night to cap off a memorable and special 48 hours.

We then traversed up and down through the valley on our way back to Chhomrong. As we approached another daunting set of stairs on the outskirts of our destination, Dylan and Corey counted each and every step on the way up, determining that the last leg of our journey had us traversing well over 2,000 steps. At dinner, many of us ate meat for the first time in over a week, with a brave few sampling pigeon, diverting from our usual dhal bhat meal. For the next couple of days, we began hiking toward Poon Hill. Along the way, we were treated to a stunning sunrise and thousands of rhododendrons, the national flower of Nepal. We soon arrived in Ghode Pani, the most built-up town and sense of civilization we had witnessed since leaving Pokara over a week before. After an afternoon thunderstorm, we were treated to a spectacular rainbow and a stunning view of Dhaulagiri, the 7th largest mountain in the world, at sunset. The next morning, we woke up around 4 AM and set out for a sunrise hike up Poon Hill in the darkness. While the fog and clouds prevented us from having a sunrise view, it made us appreciate the view of Dhaulagiri we had the night before.

As we headed to our final teahouse, we were caught in a downpour for the last portion of our hike. Dawa, who manned the front of our pack, joked with us that we still had miles to go in the rain when we were actually just minutes away from our destination. Our hiking had concluded. The following day, we again had the opportunity to ride back in the jeeps, which was one of my personal highlights of the trip. We arrived mid-day in Pokhara and had the afternoon to explore the city and lakefront boardwalk, ending the day hanging out together on the rooftop of our hotel, looking out onto the city and reminiscing.

The next morning, we flew out early back to Kathmandu and began the day with a tour of the city, learning about the religion and culture of Nepal. After a final group dinner with our guides that night, our journey had almost come to an end. We woke up the next morning to get tested for COVID and had a few more hours to explore the city before returning to the airport and beginning our 36-hour-long journey back to the Hill.

After dinner or before heading out on the trail to trek, we would ask Ajit questions about the day’s agenda and how difficult the day’s trek would be. Without hesitation, Agit would always say that there would be “many up, many down.” He would then add that the topography would be “gradually uphill,” no matter how steep the topography would actually be for the day. And believe me, it was not gradual.

“Gradual uphill” became a rallying point for our class and trip and the phrase became our mantra. Because it perfectly described the camaraderie and mental and physical toughness that we developed together as a group and as a TEAM, despite only having class once a week together before our trip.

Andrea and I would like to extend our gratitude to Andrew Jillings, Professor Isserman, our guides and porters, President Wippman, and everyone else who was influential in making our trip a reality. We’d also like to thank our classmates, who made the trip truly special and memorable. I’m not sure I’ve ever had so many deep conversations in my life, and I think we all learned so much about ourselves and our classmates from doing so. We are incredibly grateful for the friendships and relationships we made along the way that will hold shared experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.

There are other Annapurnas in the lives of men and women. In that life, be prepared for many up and many down. Life moves gradually uphill, despite the day-to-day highs and lows.

Namaste, Nepal.

OUR W EEKEND FOOD RECOMMENDAT IONS The spirit of adventure is in each of our hearts, and perhaps also, our stomachs. Whether you are looking for a quick Sunday morning stop or a long and leisurely Saturday night dinner with friends, we have you covered. Here are the E-board’s favorite stops for some good weekend grub…

MINAR FINE INDIAN CUISINE 609 FRENCH RD, NEW HARTFORD (GABI’S RECOMMENDATION) Minar. Oh, Minar. I have it religiously. You know Minar: the food truck that has blessed campus numerous times with their delicious Indian food. The appetizers (like the samosas) and entrees (like the Saag Paneer, Navratan Korma, and Chicken Tikka Masala) are delicious. But best of all is the naan: garlic (so good!), regular, stuffed, sweet; you name it. I’ve gotten orders where the naan pack resembles a football in shape and size. And it makes for great leftovers. Be warned: you better put on your darkest, stretchiest pants because, if you’re anything like me, you will spill, and you will eat too much. It’s just that good.

MI CASA 1315 GENESEE ST, UTICA (ELISE’S REC) Mi Casa is a quaint hidden gem in Utica that serves delicious Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Spanish food. The Pechuga De Valle is a must-try, show-stopping experience. Your jaw will drop after you cut into the decadent “chicken breast stuffed with sweet plantains and mozzarella in a cheese sauce accompanied by a yucca puree.” The large variety of menu items at Mi Casa includes savory crepes, mofongo, and pasta among many other choices. You must order plantains as a side for your entree. They are made however you like them: fried or sweet! Mi Casa offers fresh, high quality food at very reasonable prices, making it the perfect weekend spot for a student especially. As the place is small, I would call ahead to reserve a table if you are going with a large party.

ALTERI’S 7 COLLEGE ST, CLINTON (SAMMY’S REC) Alteri’s is a great restaurant in downtown Clinton (within walking distance when the weather is nice, too). It’s nice enough that you can take your parents there when they visit, but definitely not too fancy for college students looking for lunch. They serve a little bit of everything—pasta, pizza, sandwiches, salads, and all kinds of sides. I usually end up with enough food that I can take some as leftovers, and it’s always just as good fresh from the microwave the next day! I have never been bold enough to try the “fish & spaghetti” entree, but maybe you will be…

CHARLIE’S PLACE

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8170 SENECA TURNPIKE, CLINTON (LUCY’S REC) Every Sunday morning should be spent at Charlie’s Place. It’s Hamilton’s version of that small diner you and your high school friends went to every weekend, and makes you feel at home instantly. It’s pretty small, and the walls are covered in classic kitchen signs that your mom certainly has, like “Good Friends Gather Here” or “Coffee and Friends, the Perfect Blend.”

The décor is a little corny, but makes you feel at home. The food, however, will put your mom’s Sunday morning pancakes to shame. I recommend the Charlie’s Place Special, as it includes just a little bit of everything. But you really can’t go wrong with anything. Definitely within a college-student budget, and it’s usually the same few waiters every week, so if you’re special enough they’ll learn your name.

THE PHOENICIAN 623 FRENCH RD, NEW HARTFORD (JULIA’S REC) If you know me, you know my love of hummus. The Phoenician is the perfect place for when the Common’s hummus bar just isn’t cutting it, and I could honestly eat an entire meal of their appetizers alone (especially their baga ganouge! I’ve gotten an order to go for my fridge before). They have a wide array of kebabs, meats, and seafood on their menu, served with delicious pita and rice. I love their shrimp, and have always been curious about their seafood kabob, a Friday-only special. For dessert, I love their baklava, and if you like halva they’re the perfect local place for some.

SUNNY 530 ALBANY ST, UTICA (ALLEN’S REC) The place to go for some great Cambodian dishes.

CHORONG HOUSE 1121 E FAYETTE ST STE 1, SYRACUSE (ALLEN’S REC) This restaurant’s delicious Korean cusine is certainly worth the drive.

CRAYLEE’S 237 BLEECKER ST, UTICA (JACK’S REC) A favorite breakfast spot.

JULIA RADOMISLI

SPORTS STAYCATION:

STUDENT ATHLETES ON CAMPUS FOR WINTER BREAK

While many Hamilton students went home or on vacation for winter break, winter athletes returned to campus early. Swim, basketball, hockey, squash, and track all took part in practices and competition for the last three weeks before the semester started, giving athletes time to focus on their sport and bond with their teammates. Without academic stressors, the campus had a new, sports-camp feel. Commons, though much emptier (and with, to many athletes’ dismay, less meal options), became a place for long team meals between training sessions. Students enjoyed access to academic buildings to host movie screenings or powerpoint nights on lecture-hall projectors. Some teams hosted bonding activities like fun-fact trivia. While recovering from workouts, some athletes took up new hobbies. “I spent my free time catching up on reading for pleasure and not for school,” diver Maggie Nye ’24 commented.

Swimmer Caroline Rhodes ’24 appreciated having time to work on friendship bracelets. “It’s so relaxing!” she enthused.

Although cutting time at home short may seem disappointing, athletes did not report missing out.

“I’ve enjoyed it. It’s really fun being on campus and being able to just focus on my sport and hang out with friends,” Brendan Gagan ’24 of the Men’s Basketball team said.

Hockey player Zoe Katz ’24 shared a similar sentiment, adding “It was really nice being on campus with

just the winter teams. I definitely got a lot closer with a lot of people on my team, and the aspect of competition was really fun because it was the only thing we had to focus on so we got super into it. We also had more energy and intensity to bring to practice because we weren’t feeling drained from things like school work.”

After the pandemic halted competitions last year, athletes appreciated the opportunity to return to their sports in full force, playing against other NESCACs or nearby schools. To ensure safety, students took part in regular college testing protocols in addition to antigen tests before competing. New NESCAC policies banned spectators from outside a school’s testing system, so students attended home games to fill the stands with support that meant a lot to many athletes.

Student-athletes had positive, enthusiastic reviews of their time.

Sophie Thompson ’24 on the Basketball team summed it up: “I’ve really enjoyed my first winter break on campus. It’s been a lot of fun being able to focus on just being the ‘athlete’ in ‘student-athlete.’

Days consisted of playing basketball, eating around commons, and hanging out with the team.

Definitely some great moments and memories made!” With the semester beginning, athletes can carry on this good energy from winter training into the rest of their seasons and the start of their classes.

“We had more energy and intensity to bring to practice because we weren’t feeling drained” Zoe Katz ’24

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Semester in the City

Kaitlyn Fudge

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very semester, Hamilton sends around 15 students to participate in a domestic study abroad program in New York City. Typically designed for students in the economics department, this past fall the theme of the program was “photography and arts leaderships,” run by photography professor Robert Knight. Our apartments were very bougie, located at the very tip of Manhattan across from Battery Park.

Throughout the semester, we had to balance internships, class, and navigating the city on our own. Some of the people in the group had paid internships, and many others did not. Several of us had more than one internship, and some people like me had to balance 3 separate internships. I would not recommend doing that, although I do feel like I made the most of my time there because of it. Internships ranged anywhere from finance-based ones like Angela Li’s investment banking position to art-based projects like Hannah Osinoff ’s at Swann Auction House.

Apart from the internships, which took up at least three to four days, we had class twice a week on Tuesday nights and then all day on Wednesday. Tuesday night classes were held on a rotating schedule in the various student apartments, so every apartment was responsible for hosting and providing dinner four times during the semester. Some groups ordered takeout, while others cooked homemade dinners. We had the opportunity to try lots of good pizza places around the city, some of the highlights being Joe’s Pizza and Spumoni Gardens. We had lectures and photo critiques on these nights.

On Wednesdays, we would spend the whole day as a group traveling the city to visit and experience various art-related career options. We visited the MoMA, spoke with curators at art auction galleries like Christie’s, and even had the chance to visit photographer Joni Sternbach’s studio. We met with many Hamilton alumni who have careers in the art world today, which helped open our minds to the range of possibilities of post-college jobs. We also had a lot of opportunities to attend weekend events, such as Broadway plays, and even attend a Hamilton Alumni Donor event. We got to go see Tina Turner and Six on Broadway, the opera, and the philharmonic as well.

Since there were only 15 of us, we had a relatively tight-knit group dynamic. On weekends and with any off time, we would go explore different parts of the city in groups and try out a ton of new restaurants, and occasionally go to brunch on Sundays. Alejandro Ruiz recalls enjoying the independence of living in the city, and in his free time loved to “experience the music scene in the city, like going to concerts, checking out local venues, and especially seeing how big of a roll street musicians play in the feel of the city.”

Our semester ended with a bang, as we had our final projects due on the last day of class, and our independent studies due the day right after that. On top of that, I and a few other people tested positive for COVID on that last week, or right as they got home, which was stressful for everyone.

I am super glad to have gotten the experience living in the city for three months despite the extreme ups and downs that come along with being in a domestic-abroad program. Living in New York City was eye-opening for everyone and helped many of us realize what we do and don’t want out of post-college life.

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