Flat Hat 12-7-12

Vol. 102, Iss. 26 | Friday, December 7, 2012

The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper

LAW SCHOOL

ACADEMICS

Lawyer to defend activist

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Linda Malone to counsel activist in Vietnam

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BY KATHERINE DOWNS THE FLAT HAT

According to a census headcount administered at the beginning of the semester by the Office of Institutional Analysis and Effectiveness, the College of William and Mary’s most popular majors are government, psychology, biology, English and finance, in that order. The list of the College’s 10 most popular primary majors, social sciences constitute more than half the majors.

As of Fall 2012, the declared

Top majors at the College for Fall 2012

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KINE

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158 The numbers indicate the number of students enrolled in the department as a primary major, as of Fall 2012.

GRAPHIC BY KATHERINE CHIGLINSKY / THE FLAT HAT

primary majors of undergraduate students rank as follows (from most to least popular): government, psychology, biology, English, finance, history, economics, neuroscience, international relations, and kinesiology and health sciences. These statistics represent 1,827 undergraduate students at the College, with a high of 238 students and a low of 144 students within each major.

In a list of the 15 highest-paying majors released in August by The Huffington Post, only two of the College’s most popular picks, economics and finance, make the cut at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively. As for the remaining 13 spots on The Huffington Post’s list, nine are forms of engineering and physics, pre-med, nursing and computer science comprise the rest. Though the College

offers four of the Post’s top paying majors and arguably several majors that can translate into pre-med and nursing, the College does not offer any focus in engineering, aside from a competitive joint-degree program with Columbia University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Turning away from money matters, The Huffington Post also published a list earlier this month that numbered the top ten majors that change the world, citing mainly jobs in the healthcare and education industries. Of the College’s most popular majors, only psychology, biology, neuroscience and kinesiology can be applied to the list, which includes biomedical engineering, special education, social work and dietetics as some of the most philanthropic majors.

The majority of students at the College

College receives mental health grant Funds will go toward faculty and staff suicide prevention education

The College of William and Mary received a grant of $235,000 in November from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to be distributed over the next three years.

Organizations on campus such as the Counseling Center and the Health Outreach Peer Educators will use the money to fund mental health projects on campus.

“I’m very proud of my staff and colleagues who were a part of putting the proposal together,” Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ’06 said.

“Foremost among the goals for that grant include increasing the amount of training for faculty, staff and

Index

students around suicide prevention, and providing psychological, social and emotional well-being on campus.”

With the additional funds, the College aims to raise awareness of mental health concerns among both students and faculty. The Counseling Center is responsible for faculty education while student organizations such as H.O.P.E. educate students.

In order to better educate faculty and staff, the Counseling Center hopes to have at least 80 percent of the faculty complete an at-risk module which will prepare them to deal with students who reach out to them for help. There are also plans for eight different education and training sessions as well as followup sessions in every remaining year

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BY ASHLEY HAMILTON FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER

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See MALONE page 3

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She has served as co-counsel to BosniaHerzegovina and Paraguay and as counsel in Supreme Court cases such as Padilla vs. Rumsfeld.

Now, Marshall-Wythe Foundation professor Linda Malone of the Marshall-Wythe School of Law will act as pro-bono counsel for Nguyen Quoc Quan, an American democracy activist who has been detained in Vietnam since April 17, 2012.

Quan, a member of the Vietnamese reform group Viet Tan, was arrested in the Tan Son Nhat International Airport before departure to the United States on charges of organizing terrorist activities.

“Quite clearly, the only thing that he has done is distribute materials and encourage people to advocate for a more democratic government in Vietnam,” Malone said.

“I just got the indictment translated into English, and that’s exactly what Malone they say he’s done but it’s characterized as subversion.”

A Vietnamese law that allows for political prisoners to be held without trial for four months, a period which can be renewed three times, deprived Quan of due process and legal counsel until his November hunger strike pressured the Vietnamese government into granting him access to lawyers. Malone took the case after being approached by the American Bar Association Center for Human Rights.

International relations professor Katherine Rahman sees this deprivation as a strategic point in the case.

“There are international standards for what constitutes due process and those one can make reference to,” Rahman said. “The right to due process is just a basic human right.”

Malone will advise Quan’s Vietnamese defense lawyers on international law and while in the United States. she will continue to lobby the State Department as well as the Department of Justice to bring up the issue with Vietnamese officials.

“Because this man is an American citizen, the

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of The College of William and Mary

may not necessarily pick the most feel-good majors, nor the ones with the biggest payoffs; nevertheless, the College tries to respond to the interests and demands of students regarding their course of study.

For example, the College’s most popular major, government, offers a wide range of opportunities outside the classroom. In Fall 2012, 238 undergraduate students declared government as their primary major, and 127 students graduated with a government degree in Spring 2012.

These numbers are eight students and seven graduates more than the psychology major. Government professor Katherine Rahman weighed in on why students at the College might find the government major so attractive.

See MAJORS page 3

FACILITIES

College purchases Jamestown Rd. house No set plans for house’s use

BY KEN LIN FLAT HAT ASSOC. NEWS EDITOR

understand what to do and how to

The College of William and Mary Board of Visitors’ recent decision to purchase the property at 406 Jamestown Road may bring changes for the students who reside there. The BOV approved the purchase of two buildings at its meetings last week.

Current tenant Miles Drawdy ’14 noted the house has been utilized recently by theater students due to the house’s proximity to Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall across the street.

“You could leave here two minutes before rehearsal and still get to it on time, and so that’s been, I think, the biggest benefit of the house,” Drawdy said. “Plus, you don’t have to drive and you don’t have to worry about having a car and the logistics of that.”

According to the Williamsburg-Yorktown Daily, the Scotland Street Association offered the property to the College as part of a $1.5 million package with another

See GRANT page 3

See JAMESTOWN page 2

FILE PHOTO / THE FLAT HAT

The Counseling Center will use the grant to fund education sessions for faculty.

of the grant.

“Basically, we want to have a faculty and staff who better

Inside OPINIONS

The value of campus resources

Columnist Beming Zhang writes about his positive experiences with the Counseling Center and Dean of Students Office after being accused of marijuana possession. page 4

Inside SPORTS

Tribe beats Bison

William and Mary pulls off 78-69 win in tough match against Howard. page 5

newsinsight “

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ONLINE TODAY

News Editor Katherine Chiglinsky News Editor Meredith Ramey fhnews@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Friday, December 7, 2012 | Page 2

THE BUZZ

There are international standards for what constitutes due process. ... The right to due process is just a basic human right.

—Marshall Wythe School of Law Professor Linda Malone

BEYOND THE ‘BURG

In our weekly “That Girl” video, Eden Stuart ’13 talks with Online Editor Zach Hardy about serving as public relations and marketing co-chair of the senior class gift effort, being a member of Kappa Delta and a working as a freshman resident advisor.

From “channeling tv,” a blog by katie snyder ‘16 I present “The Grand Ultra Supreme List of Shows to Watch When You Have an Exam in 22 Hours and Want to Pretend You’re Actually Studying But Are Actually Just Goofing Around Eating Raisinets, Cheese Curls, and Leftover Dominos” If you’re a business major and stressing about your finance exam: “House of Lies”: Set in a

high-powered consulting firm, Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell kick ass and spew bullshit for thirty minutes. So you can dream of a land beyond the annuity formula and time value of money, and maybe consider switching your major from finance to consulting.

Alternatively, that episode of “How I Met Your Mother” when Ted and Barney attempt to run a bar.

A THOUSAND WORDS

COURTESY PHOTO / MOVIECHART.INFO

A University of Las Vega student is marrying a cardboard cutout of Twilight character Edward Cullen to expose the absurdness of extreme Twilight fandom.

Twilight fandom mocked with Vegas wedding

BYU student starts puppy-renting business

University of Nevada, Las Vegas student Lauren Adkins will marry a cardboard cutout of Edward Cullen for her thesis project. According to The Huffington Post, Adkins already has the dress and the cake and has started planning the reception.

In order to pay for the wedding, she set up a campaign called “Love is Overtaking Me” and so far has raised $1,235. Adkins said that she chose this for her thesis to challenge the culture of obsessive “Twilight” fans.

Jenna Miller, a student at Brigham Young University, has started renting out puppies to make money, according to The Huffington Post. Miller was inspired by the Puppies for Rent program at Yale, which rents out puppies to stressed students.

The program advertises itself as “all the snuggles without the long-term commitment.” Puppy borrowing has caught on across the country at universities such as Emory, Kent State and Harvard Medical School.

Male writer’s column on menstruation draws criticism

Construction sign attacked as sexist

John Corrigan, a Temple University student, wrote a column in The Temple News on how to handle menstruating girlfriends.

The column sparked social media arguments on Twitter and accumulated 16 times more views than any other story on the paper’s website. The Huffington Post reported some students complained the column was sexist while others pointed out he “obviously [does] not have a girlfriend.” Corrigan tweeted his article and acknowledged that it “gets messy.”

According to The Examiner, Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio reported a “Men Working” sign as sexist and forced the construction crew to delay work until it was taken down. There is debate as to whether the sign really was sexist as the crew was made up entirely of men. The school acknowledged it may have been over the top to request the men stop working but says it remains dedicated to providing a non-discriminatory environment.

Dec. 3 — Dec. 4

CITY POLICE BEAT Jung hyun lee / the FLAT HAT

CORRECTIONS The Flat Hat wishes to correct any facts printed incorrectly.

Corrections may be submitted by e-mail to the editor of the section in which the incorrect information was printed. Requests for corrections will be accepted at any time.

The Flat Hat ‘STABILITAS ET FIDES’ | ESTABLISHED OCT. 3, 1911

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Monday, Dec. 3 — An individual was arrested on the charge of unlawful purchase or possesion of an alcoholic bevarge on Richmond Rd.

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Monday, Dec. 3 — An individual was arrested on the charge of unlawful purchase or possesion of an alcoholic bevarge on Richmond Rd.

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Monday, Dec. 3 — An individual was arrested for drug/ narcotic violations on Richmond Rd.

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Tuesday, Dec. 4 — An individual was arrested for domestic assault on Dunning St.

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Tuesday, Dec. 4 — An individual was arrested for assault and battery of a family member on Richmond Rd.

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College received two houses in packaged deal JAMESTOWN from page 1

building at 427 Scotland Street, which the College intends to use for the AidData Center for Development Policy. The value of the property at 406 Jamestown Road is unknown, but public listings of properties nearby suggest it is somewhere in the $300,000 to $500,000 range.

Vice President for Administration Anna Martin revealed the College purchased the property without a specific use for the building in mind.

“We are aware that it is currently being occupied by students and their lease will be honored,” Martin said in an email. “We have not yet determined what the ultimate use will be. … There are multiple potential uses for the house.

Until we own it, evaluate it and determine how it fits into our master planning, we will not make that decision.”

Martin emphasized that it is normal for the College to acquire excess property and that the College’s purchase of the property

does not mean the current student tenants will be forced out as soon as the deal is finalized.

Martin also said the property was thoroughly inspected to ensure the compatibility of the house with College needs.

“We have people who need space all the time … we would go through our usual process of space management and allocation and decide the most appropriate use for it,” Martin said. “It will not sit vacant.

Whether it will be student rental or something else, we just

haven’t decided yet.”

While Drawdy has already secured alternative housing further away from campus, he hopes the College puts the building to good use.

“I wish that there was still a facility around and closer to campus to house theater students, since that is somewhat of a concern,” Drawdy said. “But I wouldn’t be surprised to see that start up again in a couple of years with someone in a house closer to campus than what I’ll have next year.”

Page 3

Friday, December 7, 2012

The Flat Hat

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

CLU strives to be first Latina based sorority Group petitions to pledge Sigma Iota Alpha to increase campus diversity in Greek life

by EMILY NYE flat hat STAFF WRITER

Chicas Latinas Unidas, a Latin culture-based group on campus, is working to become the College of William and Mary’s first Latina based sorority. CLU is in the process of petitioning to pledge Sigma Iota Alpha, a Latina sorority and member of the National Association for Latino Fraternal Organizations, to officially start a chapter here on campus.

CLU currently works to bring diversity and Latin culture to campus.

Since the ratification of its constitution in spring of 2012, the group has focused on fundraising and service projects ranging from a mentorship program that helps with translations for Spanishspeaking students and families, to feeding the homeless and assisting with the canned food drive at the MarshallWythe School of Law. “We’re very up and coming,” Nicole

Chanduvi ’15, president of CLU, said.

“You’ve got to look out for us. We’ve gone from this tiny and informal group to having events, profit shares and having other organizations and businesses recognize us.”

Led by Chanduvi and vicepresident Almendra Terrones ’15, the organization began considering which sorority to pledge last semester.

The final choice was between two sororities within NALFO: SIA and Sigma Lambda Upsilon. After meeting with representatives from both sororities, the group decided on SIA. “They were so organized, so nice,” Terrones said. “It was an instant click with them, and we’ve really bonded with them.”

CLU hopes to become a sorority to give women of all races and backgrounds a place to belong on campus, noting that the group is Latin culture based but not Latin exclusive.

“When a bunch of us came here, we

didn’t feel entirely comfortable with the sororities that were already here,” Chanduvi said. “A large reason for creating CLU was for the sake of trying to increase the Latina community here on campus, to try and give everyone a place where they felt they could belong.”

CLU hopes to begin the official pledging process in early January. In the meantime, the group hosts events such as Latin dances, movie nights and other activities where they explore Latin culture while forming sisterly bonds.

In addition, CLU has done a large amount of their funding independently.

By utilizing a series of bake sales, private donations and profit-shares with local businesses, CLU has been able to surpass their initial goal of $500 by almost three-fold. It uses its collected funds to pay for the group application, as well as to help members pay individual dues and application fees.

“Most of our girls have been working

COURTESY PHOTO / ALMENDRA TERRONES

Members of Chicas Latinas Unidas volunteering at a soup kitchen earlier this semester.

harder now than they ever have in their entire lives to bring this to campus,” Kaitlyn Fields ’15, treasurer of CLU, said.

“We’re all very proud and very happy.”

Until it can officially call itself a sorority, CLU hopes to expand and

continue to establish itself as an active group at the College.

“I think it definitely helps spread diversity throughout campus,” Chanduvi said. “It’s different, but it’s definitely a sisterhood.”

Student assembly

SA Senate recaps ongoing initatives, brainstorms

O’Sullivan stays positive on arrest disclosure policy, Wilke speaks on future of Swem Snacks

by Meredith ramey flat hat news editor

The Student Assembly discussed ongoing works with the arrest disclosure policy, the Code Revisions Committee and Swem Snacks in its final meeting of the semester Tuesday, Dec. 4.

Senator Colin Danly ’15 summarized the update

by T.J. O’Sullivan ’13, senior counselor to SA

President Curt Mills ’13, on the arrest disclosure policy discussion efforts.

“Everything’s going well and he’s really excited,” Danly said. “He’s cautiously optimistic.”

Danly announced that Vice President of Student Affairs Ginger Ambler ’88 Ph.D. ‘06, College of William and Mary President Taylor Reveley, and others will meet to discuss the policy in the near future.

anita jiang / THE FLAT HAT

Student Assembly senators summarized ongoing initatives including discussions on the arrest disclosure policy, the Swem Snacks program, and the first meeting of the Code Revisions Committee.

“T.J.’s impression is that they are not necessarily happy with how things stand [with the policy] now,” Danly said.

The College of William and Mary implemented the arrest disclosure policy before the beginning of the fall 2012 semester. The policy requires students to inform the College any time they are charged with a crime in the City of Williamsburg or outside of it. The policy excludes minor traffic violations.

Madame Chair Kendall Lorenzen ’15 summarized the discussions of the first meeting of the Code Revisions Committee.

“It was very successful,” Lorenzen said. “We went through the legislative portion of the code … [and] we also started looking at the undergraduate council portion of the code. … We’re coming up with really good suggestions.”

These suggestions will be presented to the senate in the form of a bill, and undergraduate council and executive representatives will propose these changes to their respective branches.

Senator Drew Wilke ’15 opened up discussion about the Swem Snacks program in light of the end of the semester and the resignation of Senator Stephen Lovern ’13, a sponsor of the bill. The senators discussed efficiency and brainstormed

Kenesiology rises in College’s top ten majors MAJORS from page 1

“The major is a big tent for students,” Rahman said.

“The kind of skills you get, of thinking analytically and having to write a lot, are readily transferable to all sorts of career paths. A substantial number of people want to go to [Washington,] D.C., so it makes sense that the major is so popular.”

In addition to having over 25 full-time faculty members with Ph.D.s, the government department hosts a number of undergraduate joint-research projects led by members of the faculty.

“Because of the Institute [for the Theory and Practice of International Relations], our research is becoming more and more well-known, which is a draw for students,” Rahman said. “Since we don’t have a graduate international relations or government program, not much gets in the way of undergraduate research.”

Initiatives such as the Project for International Peace and Security, which selects research fellows and interns to create their own policy briefs, and AidData, a database project that tracks finance activities across the globe, allow students to practice and expand upon what they’ve learned in class. In many cases, students get one foot in the door towards post-graduation jobs.

Rahman also points out the connection between the government major and prospective law school students.

“The department offers classes on state-level government and legal processes, so government is a natural major for law, and there are bundles of people here that want to go to law school,” Rahman said.

Finance, the College’s fifth most popular major, enjoys the support of a separate institution, the Mason School of Business, alongside the Sherman and Gloria H. Cohen Career Center, to satisfy the demands of its popularity. In addition to offering employment guides such as CareerPREP and the Undergraduate Professional Development Program, finance majors reap the benefits of the various career events geared towards students enrolled in the business school, such as interview workshops, question-and-answer sessions and recruitment events with employers from companies like Deloitte Consulting.

English has the largest faculty and staff with over 60 members, and will soon have an improved location at Tucker Hall, which is currently undergoing renovations for the purposes of housing the English department in

the future. English is the fourth most-declared primary major as of Fall 2012 by undergraduate students, with 205 students. The department graduated the third-most students in Spring 2012 with 112 graduates.

English major Dana Lotito ’15 says the English department caters to her various career goals.

“I want to be a writer,” Lotito said. “So, the English department obviously gives me the skills I need for the craft of writing. This doesn’t just count for the regular lecture classes, but more particularly the great creative writing classes we have.”

Lotito explains that writing isn’t the only goal her English degree would benefit.

“I’m also interested in getting into Education Administration. I hope to write a curriculum someday,” Lotito said, highlighting the department’s close ties to the School of Education.

The Department of kinesiology and health sciences has seen a recent surge in popularity, taking the final spot on the list of top ten declared primary majors in Fall 2012, with 144 students. According to the American Kinesiology Association, the National Research Council officially recognized kinesiology as an academic discipline in 2008.

During this time, there was an average increase of 50 percent in kinesiology majors between 2004 and 2009 of the colleges and universities across the United States that offer the major.

Kinesiology major Evelyn Knezovich ’15 weighed in on the drawbacks of her increasingly popular, yet still growing major.

“I think that since [Kinesiology] is a newer major, the school hasn’t had the chance to fully expand it and have a wider variety of more specific classes,” Knezovich said.

“But I do think there’s a lot of knowledgeable professors and research opportunities at the moment.”

Kinesiology and health sciences did not make the top ten list of primary majors in Spring 2012 graduates.

However, the department replaced marketing in the list of primary majors declared by undergraduate students as of Fall 2012 with 144 students. As the major grows in popularity, it also looks to increase the opportunities for students. For example, the kinesiology laboratory, which moved from the basement of William and Mary Hall to Adair Hall in Fall 2010, is currently asking for private donations to improve student lab experience in light of a limited budget.

how to decrease the amount of paperwork necessary to purchase the food tax-free.

“We’re going to try and figure out a way that goes around all this crazy paperwork,” Wilke said.

Senator Alice Shaughnessy ’13 stated that Food Lion will be willing to input the College’s tax exemption code at the register if the senate receives approval and signature of Student Activities Accountant Anita Forrest.

Lorenzen closed the meeting with an announcement about the creation of an SA YouTube video about SA finances and Senate Code of Conduct. Lorenzen expressed the need to decrease side-chatter and follow Robert’s Rules of Order.

“It’s not something that just few senators are doing,” Lorenzen said. “I’ve seen it across the board.”

Lorenzen expressed her earlier concern about the future of the senate and said that this year’s senators had exceeded her expectations.

“I’m very impressed,” Lorenzen said. “I had a lot of apprehension coming into this [semester’s Senate] ... but thankfully you guys came in with a lot of excitement and passion. … I really look forward to next semester.”

Beginning next semester, the SA senate meetings will be held on Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. in Blow Hall room 332.

Professor to represent globally MALONE from page 1

United States has the right, if not the obligation, to do things in order to try to make sure what’s happening to him is reasonable and fair,” Rahman said. “However, an international standard — a universal standard—that says you always have these kinds of rights may or may not be something that a state is going to push for even at the best of times.”

Much of Malone’s value lies in her ability to bring visibility to the case, according to government professor Maurits van der Veen.

“Everyone knows that Vietnam still violates human rights — the less people that know about

what Vietnam does, the better it is for Vietnam,” van der Veen said. “For this guy’s defense and for international human rights purposes, you want maximum visibility.”

However, Malone is skeptical of the Vietnamese justice system.

“The mere fact that these charges have been filed indicates that it’ll be very difficult for him to have a fair trial,” Malone said.

Malone emphasized the need for students to become involved.

“This is a very clear human rights violation where support on the local, national and international level would be helpful,” Malone said.

Health Grant to aid Counseling Center GRANT from page 1

recognize distress, [as well as] how to help students transition to the help that they need, whether it is from the Counseling Center or other resources like academic resources, medical resources or whatever resources will point them in the right direction,” Dr. Warrenetta Mann, Counseling Center Director, said.

Members of H.O.P.E. recognize the need for more open conversations about mental health on campus. Some of their projects include a “check-up day” for students to speak with counselors and a partnership with fitness instructors to help teach students different ways to reduce stress.

“I think that right now mental health comes up as a topic whenever there is some sort of tragedy on campus, and I hope to see mental health become something that we are constantly talking about in a less negative way,” H.O.P.E. Vice President of Mental Health Hope Smith ’14 said.

According to Ambler, the number of people with mental illnesses on college campuses

is increasing, and their conditions are more severe than ever before, but Mann noted the College has positive rankings for certain aspects of mental health.

“Overall, we can say we’re very comparable to other universities and colleges,” Mann said.

“There are certain aspects of our population where we are higher than the national average, but then there are places where we’re lower.

For example, we have a lower rate of students with eating disorders here. In terms of students reporting active planning for suicide and things like that, we are higher than the national average.”

The Counseling Center, H.O.P.E. and other organizations are using this data to focus their efforts in the mental health issues more prevalent at the College.

“One of our big goals is [reducing] the stress culture on our campus,” Smith said.

“For whatever reason, we can have the same amount of work as students on other campuses but our students are way more stressed. That’s something we need to start thinking about changing.”

opinions

Opinions Editor Ellen Wexler fhopinions@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Friday, December 7, 2012 | Page 4

Staff Editorial

Semester in review A

By Rachel Pulley, Flat Hat Cartoonist

The Fall 2012 term: An Airing of Grievances Freshman/Sophomore Meal Plans: We’ve all heard of the bully who steals kids’ lunch money on the playground.

Despite getting less press, bullying that involves stealing college students’ money and makes them buy exorbitant meal plans with more meals than they know what to do with is just as bad. That’s right, I’m talking about the The Flat Hat College. I think it’s about time that someone brings the College before the Honor Council for breaking the pledge Often lost in the frenzy of the holiday season is a celebration that is very near and dear to my heart. Admittedly not to steal. There is no reason that a sophomore should not have the right to save a few hundred dollars, learn it does not inspire the warm, communal feelings of some of valuable budgeting skills and get a block meal plan. Having its counterparts, nor does it fill us with the giving spirit, nor 125 meals and $250 in Flex points does not sound like cause children to become giddy with anticipation. However, starving to me. this is a holiday that transcends feelings and spirits, and Gangnam Style: Just when I began to rejoice because resonates on another level — a deeper level that can only be we had reached the end of the “Call Me Maybe” era, I encapsulated in a singular aluminum pole. Festivus.

If you are not one of ‘the rest of us,’ Festivus is a holiday heard “Gangnum Style,” and my dreams of a world without founded by Frank Costanza (yes, from “Seinfeld”), which brainless dribble with a rhythm died. Gangnam Style is not frees us from the commercial and religious aspects of the something unique to the College. However, this hit PSY song has seeped into the College’s more well-known yule-time holidays. culture to such a large extent that The tradition of Festivus begins with over the past semester I have not the Airing of Grievances, in which I heard ‘Gangnum Style,’ and been able to go anywhere without you tell those closest to you how my dreams of a world without hearing it or seeing classmates do they have disappointed you. For the brainless dribble with a the dance. It was only a few weeks purposes of this column I will focus rhythm died. ago that I was interrupted while on the College of William and Mary studying outside of Earl Gregg community over the past semester.

Swem Library by a group filming So without further ado, in the words of Costanza, “I’ve got a lot of problems with you people themselves dancing to the tune. The Korean cousin of Cotton Eye Joe must go, and sooner rather than later. and now you’re going to hear about them!”

If Festivus has sufficiently piqued your interest, you Williamsburg Police: I have never met a tamer, more need only to wait until Sunday, Dec. 23 to start celebrating. responsible group of 18- to 22-year-olds than those at the If, however, this does not seem appealing to you, do not College. College Prowler calls our nightlife “lackluster” and take your frustrations out on me. Festivus ends with the all of the other websites that feature student reviews agree.

Feats of Strength, in which the head of the household must Yet, if you were to look at our records you would think be pinned. The closest thing to the head of the College’s we were a campus full of drunken delinquents, throwing household is the president. Going forward, I would urge parties that look like Project X every weekend. Everyone the College to accommodate a broader range of holiday at the College knows someone who has gotten in trouble customs, by following the reading of How the Grinch with the Williamsburg police, mostly for minor incidents Stole Christmas with an annual wrestling match between involving alcohol. Despite our tame reputation, this is still a the student body and President Taylor Reveley. Here’s to college campus; inevitably some students are going to drink hoping that my grievances are acted upon — if that were to underage. The police in the Williamsburg area need to accept happen it would truly be a Festivus Miracle. this fact and make safety the biggest priority, rather than a draconian enforcement of the law.

Email Max Cea at mrcea@email.wm.edu.

Max Cea

“

“

s the semester winds down, students are anxiously awaiting the appearance of College of William and Mary President Taylor Reveley in a Santa suit, hopefully with a bag of money — feet not included. We want to take a moment to look back on the highs (the College’s ranking as the No. 1 university for Harry Potter fans) and the lows (dorm mold) of Fall 2012.

First, we want to offer a thumbs-up to the infamous Laura Flippin ’92 for her decision to resign from the College Board of Visitors. Her decision to remove herself from the spotlight that comes with being a member of the BOV showed that Flippin in fact is capable of admitting her mistakes and living with the consequences.

Another thumbs-up goes to the Athletics Department for the proactive steps taken to improve campus safety in light of the Penn State University scandal and the Free Report. We are proud to say we attend to a school dedicated to the highest ethical standards.

Thumbs-down goes to the Student Assembly for its decision to use funding to buy koozies. The school doesn’t have enough money to solve the mold problem on campus, but the SA has money to spend on drink holders. Maybe we are alone in this line of thinking, but we would rather risk cold hands from holding cold drinks than health complications from living in moldy buildings.

This is not to say the SA has nothing to be proud of this semester. The SA deserves an enormous thumbs-up for bringing the Dalai Lama to campus. Not only was it a once-in-a-lifetime experience for students, but the College also made national news by hosting such an impressive speaker.

A thumbs-down goes to the Emergency Management Team for the way it handled campus preparations for Hurricane Sandy. Students were encouraged to stay in dorms despite the likelihood of flooding and power outages, and the decision to reopen campus on Tuesday morning forced many students to choose between missing class or driving back to campus during the worst part of the storm.

We give a thumbs-down to the Office of Student Diversity’s political Election Day tweet. We understand the tweet was a mistake, but the bigger problem was that nothing was done to fix the error.

Lastly, we want to extend a thumbs-up to the creators of Tribe Rides. SA and Health Outreach Peer Educators are providing means to help solve an issue with mental health care on campus. We hope more students come forward with creative ideas that benefit the College.

Congratulations on surviving another semester — even if there was that close call with the stapler. In 2013, the College will celebrate its 320th birthday. With curriculum reform and changes in funding, the future of the College is in the hands of its faculty, directors and, most importantly, its students. We hope students at the College will become even more involved both at the College and in Williamsburg.

The staff editorial represents the opinion of The Flat Hat. The editorial board, which is elected by The Flat Hat’s section editors and executive staff, consists of Katherine Chiglinsky, Elizabeth DeBusk, Katie Demeria, Jill Found and Ellen Wexler. The Flat Hat welcomes submissions to the Opinions section. Limit letters to 250 words and columns to 650 words. Letters, columns, graphics and cartoons reflect the view of the author only. Email submissions to fhopinions@gmail.com.

Flat Hat Opinion Polls The Student Assembly has allocated more funding for Tribe Rides, a program that provides transportation for students to off-campus counseling. Is this a good use of funds?

Yes.

19%

No.

81%

Poll By Zach Hardy

How I realized the value of the Counseling Center and Dean of Students Office Benming Zhang The Flat Hat

Last week, I came out of the Dean of Student’s office cleared of various allegations, the most notable of which was possession of marijuana in the Commons Dining Hall — what my teaching assistant thought she smelled was confirmed to be only pipe tobacco. Although I was shocked, weary and intimidated at the time, I could never have expected how much I would learn from that episode.

Toward the middle of this semester, I began to feel the heat. I was struggling to keep up with 17 credits worth of courses and stressing over my progress in a couple of them. I

tried coping with my stress internally — I like to think of myself as a tough guy. I began acting weirdly, telling my friends that school was not worth anything and that completing homework assignments was a waste of brain cells and time. But that only lasted for so long before I snapped.

My friends, several close TAs and even a professor were alarmed, and one of my TAs contacted the deans when she thought she smelled marijuana in my pipe during our weekly discussion meeting.

I was called to two meetings with my dean. The first was tense: I remember vigorously defending my innocence against allegations listed in the incident reports, and I surrendered my pipe and pipe tobacco for an inspection. I reluctantly complied with her recommendations to go to the Counseling Center. Days became more stressful as possible repercussions

preoccupied my thoughts for the two weeks leading up to the next meeting.

The second meeting was different — we engaged in a conversation that any two friends could have.

We talked about the challenges of growing up, and the difficulties that accompanied adjusting to campus life.

She asked about how I approached the counseling sessions, friends and teachers. She cared and seemed genuinely happy that I had recovered from my episode.

It seems unusual to take away something positive from an energydraining process, but there are benefits. We have resources here that accommodate multiple aspects of student life. You are your greatest judge: Seek help when you can. We all get overwhelmed at some point in our Tribe lives. Seek the Counseling Center if you need to vent, or seek the dean if you feel that you are losing

control of your life. If you are going through a situation similar to the one I did, my best advice is to be as truthful as possible, and try to establish an understanding between you and the

dean. The deans and the Counseling Center will be your greatest assets if you allow them to help you.

Email Benming Zhang at bzhang01@email.wm.edu.

Graphic by Lindsay Wade / the Flat hat

sports

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Sports Editor Mike Barnes Sports Editor Jared Foretek flathatsports@gmail.com

The Flat Hat | Friday, December 7 , 2012 | Page 5

Tribe scrapes by

Junior guard Brandon Britt drives to the basket against Howard Thursday. Britt scored a career-high 26 points to help the Tribe defeat the Bison 78-69 despite frequent setbacks after a halftime lead.

NOAH WILLARD / THE FLAT HAT

William and Mary manages difficult win over Howard, moves to 5-3 for season

78

WILLIAM AND MARY TRIBE

HOWARD BISON

69

BY JARED FORETEK FLAT HAT SPORTS EDITOR It was far from pretty at Kaplan Arena Thursday night as William and Mary conceded 15 offensive rebounds and racked up 12 turnovers, but when all was said and done, the College moved to 5-3 with a 78-69 win over Howard.

Led by junior guard Brandon Britt’s career-high 26 points, the Tribe shot 47.9 percent from the field and picked up its second consecutive win.

“Great win for us,” head coach Tony Shaver said. “I thought Howard played really well … I don’t think we played a great game, but it’s really important to win that kind of game.”

The Tribe controlled the game for much of the first half but failed to ever put comfortable space between itself and Howard. Early on it was offensive boards and second-chance buckets keeping the Bison in it, but as the quarter progressed it was mainly shoddy defense from the Tribe — Howard being a team that entered averaging just 52.8 points per contest — and the play of forward Mike Phillips, who went 5 of 8 from the field for 12 points over the first 20 minutes.

Sparked by Britt and junior forward Kyle Gaillard — who led with 12 and 11, respectively, for the half — the College filled it up in the first, shooting an impressive 63.6 percent from the field to build up a 38-30 halftime lead.

Britt kept at it in the second, opening the scoring for the Tribe with a hard drive that resulted in a three-point play.

“I’m always looking to score,” Britt said. “I feel like that’s definitely a strength of mine, but I was just picking my spots.

I knew those guys pressure so driving the

ball would be good.”

But Howard guard Calvin Thompson responded with a three-point play of his own, and after a quick burst to open the half from the Bison, the Tribe’s lead was down to just four.

Then, after a quiet first half, sophomore guard Marcus Thornton got into it, serving as the catalyst for the College’s fast break. After a transition lay-up off his own rebound, Thornton knocked down a fast break jumper to put the Tribe up 50-41 with 13:31 to play. The team’s leading scorer, Thornton would finish with 13 and three rebounds but five turnovers as well.

Still, Thompson and Phillips kept the Bison alive. The two would ultimately combine for 44 points, and a threepointer from Thompson made it a 5650 game with just under 11 minutes remaining.

“They made a lot of shots. They’re good players and they made a lot of shots,” Britt said. “We didn’t do a

great job of getting over screens and contesting shots, but they’re definitely good players.”

A minute later, though, the College’s fast break bit again as Thornton got an outlet from senior guard Matt Rum, pushed the tempo and sent a pretty cross-court bounce pass to a streaking Britt, who hit the lay-up and drew a foul. After his free throw was good — the junior would go 13 of 15 from the line — the Tribe was back up by nine at the midway point of the quarter.

After Howard’s biggest player, 6-10 Alphonso Leary, picked up his fifth foul with five minutes to play, Thornton put the Tribe up 67-54 with another fast break lay-up. It was the biggest lead of the night for the Tribe, and the Bison would hang around with more second-chance points and three-point shooting, but the College added an exclamation point when Thornton got out in transition and found freshman guard Terry Tarpey for the alley-oop to give the Tribe a 12-point

lead with 2:37 to play.

It was Tarpey’s only field goal of the night, but the freshman had another well-rounded performance, grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds and logging four assists.

“We were a little flat,” Tarpey said. “So I tried to spark us up and it worked.”

Shaver raved about the freshman’s contributions this season.

“Terry’s a great player,” he said. “This isn’t the first time I really thought he might be the key to our win… he’s a very composed, very confident young guy out there.”

Much improved was the Tribe’s free throw shooting as the College went a lights-out 90.3 percent from the line, a key factor in a game that saw the Tribe get into the double-bonus relatively early.

Shaver’s squad will have little time to rest before heading out to Radford Saturday.

Blake Hunt contributed to this report.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Late rally falls short as the College falters in Annapolis Correal’s 21 points not enough as Tribe unable to capitalize on first half advantage, suffers second straight loss

BY MICK SLOAN FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER William and Mary continued its series of road contests, dropping a close game against Navy, 69-64 in Annapolis, Md. Tuesday. After grabbing an early lead, the Tribe (2-5) fell behind just before halftime and ultimately could not catch up to the hosts in a contentious second half.

The Tribe was led by senior forward Emily Correal, who continued her strong season with 21 points on a 9 of 16 shooting night to keep the College even with a strong opponent for the entire 40 minutes.

The game could not have started better for the College, who raced to a surprising 17-4 lead just seven minutes into the contest by forcing Navy to miss nine of their first 11 shots. Navy struggled with their shooting throughout the contest, making just 39 percent of their field goal attempts and a paltry 26 percent from three-point range.

“We were playing well,” head coach Debbie Taylor said. “But they’re a tough team, and they’re always going to come back.”

Navy did indeed rebound from their early deficit,

outscoring the Tribe 24-11 in the next eight minutes to tie the contest and resurrect their chances in the game. From then on, the two teams exchanged scores up until halftime, Navy ultimately holding a 38-37 advantage to complete their first half comeback.

The Tribe squandered its early lead largely due to a series of miscues. The College committed 18 turnovers in comparison to Navy’s 11, and the hosts ultimately scored 20 points off of Tribe errors. Taylor saw these mistakes as a critical flaw in her squad’s performance.

“It was a hard-fought game, we just turned the ball over two out of every three times and couldn’t close it out,” she said.

The College, to its credit, competed with Navy for the entire second half. They out-rebounded the hosts 44-34 in the contest and made 9 of 18 three pointers to ensure that the game went down to the wire.

After trailing by as much as seven late in the second half, the Tribe clawed its way back into the contest to force a 62-62 tie with just 3 minutes, 31 seconds remaining in the game. Navy scored the next five points, however, while forcing two Tribe turnovers to take control of the contest.

The Tribe earned a chance to tie the game at the end, but committed a crucial turnover while trailing by three with 13 seconds remaining. Navy’s Kara Pollinger then buried two clutch free throws to give her squad the final 69-64 margin and dash the Tribe’s hopes of the upset.

Senior forward Taylor Hilton gave a strong performance for the Tribe, notching 11 points with five rebounds and six assists. Fellow senior guard Janine Aldridge also played well, hitting 50 percent of her shots for 13 points and four assists. It was a senior-heavy effort for the College, with 52 of 64 Tribe points coming from the most experienced members of the team.

Despite the loss, as well as a road heavy slate stretching in front of them, Taylor and her team felt optimistic after the contest.

“We’re in a good place. We get better every day, and we’ve got a really strong edge…We’re staying optimistic, and we’re going to keep working hard,” Taylor said.

The Tribe travels to Radford on Saturday for their fourth of six consecutive road games. They will finally return home in the new year to face Winthrop Jan. 2.

COURTESY PHOTO / TRIBE ATHLETICS

Sophomore guard Jazmen Boone notched seven rebounds.

The Flat Hat

Friday, December 7, 2012

Page 6

Best

BURG OF THE

2012

As classes come to an end and we prepare to head home for Winter Break, take a study break and visit what the Flat Hat staff has named the best places in Williamsburg.

CHEESE SHOP

BY VERONIQUE BARBOUR FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER

If you are anything like me, when you first came to tour the College of William and Mary, you heard every current student tell you the one restaurant you had to visit on Duke of Gloucester Street was The Cheese Shop. Thankfully, I went with an alumna. She picked me up, called The Cheese Shop on her speed dial and asked me what I wanted. She blurted out a couple of options, and I quickly picked one. When we arrived, the line was pouring out the door like it usually does on Friday afternoons. We snuck past the other customers to get inside and collect our order as soon as it was ready.

If it weren’t for her, I might fear The Cheese Shop as a locals’ place in the midst of tourist haven. You either know what you want right away, or you run the risk of getting trampled by the next person in line who does. You quickly learn what you want and how you want it. And whatever your order is, you always get it with

house dressing.

Everyone has their favorites, and they hardly venture from them. Just the other day, I saw someone pull out a grilled cheese sandwich, and the person next to him was astonished. He had never let his eyes wander to other items on the menu.

To buy or not to buy, that is the question.

At least, that is the question my friends and I ask ourselves when we see the fat squares of brownie heaven staring us in the face while we wait for our sandwiches.

Some take the dare while others do not.

Then when your name is shouted, you collect your little black basket and fill it with your drink, chips, brownie or side before making your way to the checkout counter. After paying, you head outside to enjoy your sandwich while watching the most bizarre tourists and the cutest dogs on DoG Street. When all of your friends arrive, everyone launches into their first bite.

The Cheese Shop is the sort of place that sticks in your head because it is distinct from all other eateries on DoG Street. For some, it is where they splurge for a truly good sandwich, and for others, it is a daily stop. The Cheese Shop is what you make of it. For many alumni, it is a meeting place. They walk outside with their wine, cheese and bread to sit down and reconnect.

It is a place that calls them back again and again to enjoy good food and old friends.

The Cheese Shop is different from Pita Pit or Mooyah because it is the sort of place that you go to when you feel like indulging yourself in an atmosphere of sophistication. At the same time, it doesn’t deplete your college budget.

From house dressing to bread ends to brownies and more, The Cheese Shop offers something for everyone, easily making it the best of DoG Street.

BY ZACH HARDY FLAT HAT ONLINE EDITOR

Plenty of places on campus serve good coffee, but none of them are perfect. Wawa coffee is great, but only because I can get 24 ounces of the stuff for $1.50. The Grind boasts

FIVE FORKS

PANCAKES

BY ELLIE KAUFMAN FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER

When traversing the parallel roads that lead directly to the triangular heart of Williamsburg, any tourist, student or driver might notice something strange about the restaurants lining the streets.

While you have your all-American tourist chains like Chili’s and Applebee’s, interspersed between these hamburger

a good number of organic munchies and a great place to hang out, but their Joe leaves something to be desired.

Greenberry’s fresh roasted coffees in Earl Gregg Swem Library are leaps and bounds above the old Starbucks, but it’s hard to fall in love with a coffee house when you’re probably enjoying their products while you write a paper. Aromas, located on Prince George St. near Merchant Square, offers the superior coffeehouse experience in Williamsburg without close competition.

First there is the coffee itself, which perfectly embodies the word “gourmet.” Don’t ever fear a stale, burned cup that’s been sitting on a hot plate for hours; Aromas coffee exudes quality. They give you a cup when you order, and you serve yourself one — or more — of their roasts. While they might label some coffees as lighter and darker roasts, it all tastes strong, rich and fresh. Another great thing about their brew is that if you visit at the right times, they roast their beans out in the middle of the store — that’s what the big machine and burlap sacks are for. In addition to the pure stuff, Aromas offers an extensive variety of specialty drinks. I recommend

the Captain’s Mocha in particular, which is espresso, Ghirardelli chocolate, steamed milk and whipped cream.

If you’re craving something other than coffee, they also serve breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Their breakfasts are fresh and bountiful, so if you ever wake up in time and don’t feel like going to Sadler, head over to Aromas for an omelet or plate of eggs and fresh fruit. Their pastries, like their coffee, are made daily to ensure freshness. In the afternoons and evenings, Aromas offers a variety of soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees. I’ve only ever had a club sandwich, so I can’t really attest to the quality of their meal options, but I think it’s safe to assume that anything you order there is going to be delicious. You can please your sweet tooth with a variety of desserts — cheesecake, pie and, my personal favorite, s’mores. They serve s’mores on a large platter with an individual cup of sterno, so you can roast your marshmallows just the way you like them.

If Aromas coffee and food weren’t enough to make it Williamsburg’s best coffeehouse, then its ambiance does.

Everything in the shop works together to make Aromas the most picturesque of independent coffeehouses: Work by local artists adorns

havens are a host of pancake houses.

There are enough pancake houses in Williamsburg to keep your pancake selection fresh for weeks, but once you have found that syrup-covered sweet spot, why mess with success?

All the way down John Tyler Parkway, you will find a small shopping center to your right housing the best pancake in the Tidewater area — Five Forks. It might not be as pristine as the Gazebo on Bypass Road or as well known as the IHOP chain, but this out-of-the-way diner is hidden in the woods for a reason: The pancakes can’t be beat. On Saturdays and Sundays, you may have to wait half an hour while the just-out-of-church crowd filters out, but the wait is worth every delectable bite of pancake you are about to enjoy.

From French toast, to omelets, to pancakes with all sorts of toppings and flavors, your mouth will not be displeased with this pancake pilgrimage. My personal favorite is the all-chocolate Sunday morning selection. Order a big glass of chocolate milk and pair it with a heaping

serving of chocolate chip pancakes. Don’t forget a side of scrambled eggs and cheese for a little bit of protein. After one trip down to this delicious diner, your taste buds will refuse to return to any of the pancake houses littering Jamestown and Richmond Roads ever again.

If you are looking for a new ambiance or pancake taste, or just don’t want to drive all the way out to John Tyler, there are a few secondtier pancake houses close to campus. The Chickahominy House right up Jamestown is the ideal spot to take parents passing through the ’Burg for the weekend. The Gazebo on Bypass Road boasts great pancakes with limited variety, and if you just need to satisfy that fast pancake food craving, IHOP on Richmond Road never

FRONT PAGE: AROMAS: CAROLINE WREN MARTIN / THE FLAT HAT, MOOYAH: LAUREN CHUNIAS / THE FLAT HAT, BLUE TALON: HAYLEY TYMESON / THE FLAT HAT INSIDE: CHEESE SHOP: MATT CARPENTER / THE FLAT HAT, AROMAS: HAYLEY TYMESON / THE FLAT HAT, FIVE FORKS: MATT CARPENTER / THE FLAT HAT, SWEET FROG: MATT CARPENTER / THE FLAT HAT BACK PAGE: BLUE TALON: CAROLINE WREN MARTIN / THE FLAT HAT, MOOYAH: LAUREN CHUNIAS / THE FLAT HAT

AROMAS

COFFEE the walls, their hardwood floors ooze classiness, and there are plenty of places to sit indoors and out. To make Aromas even more endearing, they operate a stand at the Farmer’s market every morning where they sell coffee and pastries for $2 a piece.

While it can sometimes feel a bit cramped inside, it’s easy to forgive them when you’re sipping on a delicious latte and enjoying a blueberry scone.

fails. It is not open 24 hours, so get there before it’s too late, but the menu options are consistent all over the country, so you won’t need that much time to mull over the options. While these second-rate options aren’t half bad, it’s well worth the windy drive and the potential wait to eat a steaming plate of mouth-watering Five Forks pancakes.

BY EMILY STONE FLAT HAT STAFF WRITER

As is the case in many tourist havens, Williamsburg has no shortage of ways to satisfy a sweet tooth. In the competition for the best Williamsburg dessert location, though, Sweet Frog easily takes the cake — or in this case, the frozen yogurt.

Sweet Frog is a fairly wellknown chain that is growing quickly and becoming almost as popular as Pinkberry. The variety of choices, low prices and overall atmosphere set the company apart from competitors in the booming frozen yogurt industry.

Sweet Frog is self-serve, allowing customers to control portions and prices, which is perfect for starving college students. The store charges by the ounce and offers three different cup sizes. Punch cards reward frequent customers after their 10th visit with $4 off their next cup.

However, cashiers often forget to offer a card or a punch, so it’s up to customers to make sure they get their due rewards.

The store offers 14 different flavors, and the options for mixing flavors and toppings are endless. Be sure to ask for a sample cup when trying new flavors so you don’t end up with a full cup of a flavor you don’t like.

Even though you may not traditionally gravitate toward cold frozen yogurt in the winter months, Sweet Frog’s seasonal options are irresistible. Holiday flavors include eggnog, peppermint and gingerbread; toppings such as peppermint bark make perfect additions. In the fall, cinnamon roll and banana nut bread made an appearance. Classic flavors like original tart, cappuccino, chocolate and strawberry are available yearround. Sugar-free added options are great for dieters, and there is usually a nondairy option as well.

The toppings bar makes it tempting to load up cups with candy and fruit. The

SWEET FROG

range of selection includes cereal and nuts, along with fresh fruit and candy pieces. This way, the customer can take the chocolate-lover’s route, make a healthier, fruit-filled choice or concoct a more eclectic combination that would make a third grader proud.

Williamsburg’s Sweet Frog has plenty of indoor seating, with futuristic-looking spinning tables that make it possible to turn the tables quite literally and steal some of your date’s yogurt. The bright pink and green walls make for a happy atmosphere and a fun soundtrack is usually played over the store’s speakers.

The one drawback of Sweet Frog is its location. New Town is something of a hike compared to Duke of Gloucester street, but the Williamsburg trolley is an easy and free transportation option. The trolley has a stop very close to Sweet Frog, and the nearby shopping areas and movie theater make the trip worth your while.

BLUE TALON

MOOYAH

Best Best PLACE TO TAKE NEW PLACE YOUR PARENTS

BY RACHEL BROWN THE FLAT HAT

The ultimate challenge has arrived — and no, it’s not the big biology exam. Your parents are coming to Williamsburg, and they want to take you out to dinner. The dining centers on campus will not make the cut, so where can you take them? Look no further than the Blue Talon Bistro. Not only is it conveniently located near the College of William and Mary in Merchants Square, it also — and more importantly — offers delectable meals anyone can enjoy.

Open daily from eight a.m. to nine p.m., the Blue Talon serves “serious comfort food” that students and parents will enjoy.

Chef David Everett cooks both traditional meals and original creations that are sure to make customers’ mouths water, no matter what time it is. The bistro offers breakfast and coffee every morning, and brunch on Sundays with Belgian waffles, meatloaf meurette, an assortment of breakfast pastries and other specials. Lunch is also served Monday through Saturday and dinner is available every night.

Of course, parents will want to know which meals are the best. The escargots bourguignon is a delicious appetizer; the soup of the day and the several different

salads are great options for light meals. The Blue Talon also has several specials, such as the unique macaroni and cheese, which is much fancier and more delicious than anything Kraft has to offer. The steaks are great, but if you’re looking for something a little less expensive, the hamburger topped with fried egg, bacon, cheese, lettuce, tomato and onions is sure to satisfy your taste buds. Desserts at the Blue Talon are scrumptious, including the chocolate mousse, creme brulee and burnt sugar ice cream, which the chef claims is “the greatest ice cream in the world.” Finally, the Blue Talon has a wine list that will probably make your parents glad to have made the trip to Williamsburg, whether they traveled from Richmond or California.

The Blue Talon can be expensive, but that’s why it’s the best place to take your parents — they can pay for your meal.

The Blue Talon is a great restaurant for a birthday dinner because you can get a free entree with your student ID. The bistro’s atmosphere is exceptional.

The waiters and waitresses are friendly and helpful, and they give great recommendations. Whether eating inside or outside, the aesthetic qualities of the Blue Talon are quite pleasing, with warm, inviting colors inside and softly lit candles outside at night. One waiter agreed that the Blue Talon is a great place to take parents and has even taken one of his own parents to dinner there. He thinks the atmosphere is part of what makes the restaurant so popular: it’s classy but comfortable.

Because the Blue Talon Bistro is simultaneously small and popular, reservations — made online or by phone — are often necessary for dinner. If you want a time that fits your parents’ arrival schedule, you’d better call early because the Blue Talon Bistro is the place to eat in Merchants Square.

BY CHELSEA PITTMAN THE FLAT HAT

Old-fashioned, red-seated, silver-bottomed barstools line the front of the grill to the left, while black, leather loveseats, booths, tables, flat-screen televisions and hungry patrons fill the lounge to the right. And hungry they should be. Mooyah’s burgers, fries and shakes combine to make the classic burger joint that the College of William and Mary has been craving. The first Mooyah to land in Virginia, this new addition to Tribe Square has not only expanded students’ eating options but has done so while also remaining reasonably priced.

With huge burgers (even a burger with lettuce for a bun), all-youcan-eat seasoned fries and thick, refreshing milkshakes, Mooyah is destined to be a College hotspot for after-class and weekend munchies.

Hidden within Tribe Square just behind Pita Pit, Mooyah has become a popular new destination for students, Williamsburg patrons and organizations wishing to fundraise and host events. Unlike most burger places, which tend to have limited menus, Mooyah does a great job of appealing to those who may not want the “average” burger. Options include the classic Mooyah burger, turkey burger and veggie burger, along with your choice of a white bun, wheat bun or lettuce bun to create your very own “Iceburger.” Also on the menu is a wide assortment of milkshake flavors waiting to be explored. Although I choose to stick with vanilla, customers

can choose from classic flavors like chocolate and strawberry, or more unconventional options like Butterfinger and mint chocolate chip. The personal menus filled out by each customer are an added bonus — they save you from having to explain all the condiments you want — or don’t want — on your burger, and get you in and out of line quickly and efficiently.

I first heard about Mooyah not long after it opened this past summer. A coworker of mine was raving about it before our lunch break, and we decided to go. We entered the restaurant greeted

by Gotye’s hit summer song, “Somebody That I Used to Know,” playing over the speakers and proceeded to fill out our menus.

After we placed our orders, the friendly staff cooked our food and made conversation with us while we sat on the barstools and enjoyed the aroma of our cooked-to-order burgers and fries. While we were waiting, we received our milkshakes — which I soon realized were much too thick to slurp through a straw — and picked out a small booth in which to enjoy our lunch. The staff delivered our order directly to the table, and it is safe to say that the food made the long, hot walk back to work well worth it.

Mooyah is comparable to Five Guys with the added bonus of more reasonable prices and greater proximity to campus, as it is an easy walk from most buildings. Open until one a.m. every night, Mooyah is a fantastic addition to the College’s dining options, sure to keep students’ hunger in check.