Barnard Bulletin March 2014 by Barnard Bulletin

March 2014

Maitland Quitmeyer '14

Gillian Osswald '14

Editors-in-Chief Mora Grehl '15 Layout Director

Rhea Schmid '15 Art Director FEATURES Sarah Schreiber '16 Rachel Taratuta Titus '17 PUBLIC RELATIONS Amanda Brown '15 SOCIAL MEDIA Natalia Quintero Ochoa '15

POLITICS & OPINION Gloria Noel '14

DESIGN COORDINATORS Lily Kaplan '16 Jordana Roat '16

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Rebecca Deczynski '16

SENIOR DESIGNER Divya Sundaram '17

NEW YORK CITY LIVING Rachel Dunphy '16

LAYOUT ASSISTANTS Rachel Dunphy '16 Lizzie Rogers '16 Sofia Geck '17 REmy Park '17

HEALTH & STYLE Adrienne Nel '16 HEAD COPY EDITOR Eloise Giegerich '16 COPY EDITORS Melanie Shapiro '15 Laura Garrison '15 Isabella Alimonti '15 Molly Mitlak '15

BARNARD BULLETIN 3009 Broadway New York, NY 10027 bulletinedboard@gmail.com

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A Letter from the Editors Is it spring? Because we’re not sure with the polar temperatures lately. At least we can pretend and start planning for sunnier days ahead. Check out “Beach Bod” and find the perfect suit for your body type. Plus, our roundup of summer music festivals serves as the perfect guide to rocking out after you’ve finally put down your books for the semester. Even if camping like a hippie and dancing in the mud isn’t your jam, maybe it will serve as inspiration for the upcoming Bacchanal festivities. Whether you’re returning from spring break with a tan or with three or so extra pounds of ice cream weight (like yours truly), we hope you’re refreshed and ready for the next push through the semester. But even though break is over, don’t think fun has left the building. There’s still time to check out a new gallery, watch a little late night TV, or try a different restaurant outside of Boringside. Take a page from the international students we spoke with this month, and treat each week in the city as if it’s your last: enjoy it. We hope you enjoy this issue of the Bulletin, as well. Bulletin Love, Gillian and Maitland

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Contents BEhind the Scenes

3 5

Trending

Letter from the Editors

Health & Style Beach Bod Letting it Go Features FemSex

8 9 10

Athena Digital Design

Centerpiece

P6: Hats off to Alexander Wang

Creative Writing on Campus

Politics and Opinion New Faces of Late Night

Arts & Entertainment Summer Music Festival Roundup

Gallery Galavanting

The Great Female Nonfic

New York City Living Barnard: An International Perscpective Bites Beyond the Bubble

26 27

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ehind he cenes

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color in Nude Vanille Don’t pop molly, rock Tom Ford

Paul and Joe Sister

with this gorgeous nude lipstick

Flamingo Dress Pockets and print: everything you need in a

Rhythm Superfoods

spring shift

Kale Chips Deliciously flavored and super healthy, Michelle Obama approves

Bangle A gorgeous balance of delicate gold and statement-making natural gems

OBEY Lola Sweatpants Sweatpants never looked so stylish

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Disclaimer: The Bulletin does not own any images on this page

Moorea Seal Amethyst

essie nail polish in butler please The perfect pop of cobalt blue for your warm weather outfits

Black Milk's Batman collection If the black bikini isn’t your thing, try sporting one of these geek-chic suits

1. West Coast

5. Y.a.l.a.

Coconut Records

MIA

Nighttiming

Matangi

6. Brand New

2. Ocean's Deep Born Ruffians

Pharrell Williams

Birthmarks

GIRL

3. Tempest 4.

Don't Wanna Dance

Lucius

MØ

Wildewoman

No Mythologies to follow

Sunshine on my shoulders

Oh Sheit it's x

John Denver

Thundercat

Poems, Prayers & Promises

Apocalypse

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Beach Bod

Pear: If your hips are wider than your shoulders, you most likely fall into this category. Details like prints and patterns on bathing suit tops draw the eye upward, while more muted features like solid-color bottoms de-emphasize your hips, buns, and thighs. Try mixing and matching with a fun print on top and a solid color bottom. One suit to try is the Jessica Simpson Fringe Bandeau and Bikini top $62 and bikini bottom $42, macys. com. Straight: Your shoulders, hips, and waist are just about uniform in width, so you’re straight up and down. Add curves with details that create the illusion of a fuller bust

and hips like ruffles on top and side ties on the bottom. A good bet is a bathing suit with patterns like polka dots or stripes. Try H&M’s polka-dotted bathing suit top $14.95 and bottoms $14.95, h&m.com Curvy:Your bust and hips are both wider than your waist, giving you an hourglass silhouette. The key to finding the right bathing suit for this voluptuous body type is coverage and fit. Look for thick ties on top, steering clear of string bikinis altogether. Features like underwire tops that keep everything in place ensure you don’t need to worry about any bathing suit malfunctions. A couple options are the Tommy Bahama “striped palm” underwire Tankini $98 top which is sized like lingerie and “striped palm” sash hipster bikini $63 bottoms, Nordstrom.com. For a more budget-friendly option, try Aeropostale LLD solid halter top $20 and solid bottoms $20, aeropostale.com Long torso: You have a longer top half in proportion to your overall height. Features that break up the length of your top half balance out your proportions and length-

en your legs. One to try is the BCA colorblock monokini $58 nordstrom.com. A great two-piece style to try is the highwaisted trend, such as the Out From Under Ruched High-Waist Bikini Bottoms $42 and Out From Under Bikini Top $42, urbanoutfitters.com

o knock ‘em dead when you hit the beach this swimsuit season with a suit that makes the most of your body type, and never underestimate the power of a cover-up or sarong, which you can use to accessorize to your advantage. Victoria’s Secret offers a wide variety of cover-ups from flirty and fun to relaxed and easy. The Tie Waist Cover-Up’s flowy fabric camouflages trouble spots, and the Sunwashed Terry The Romper is a fun and easy way to experiment with the romper trend, $59.50 and $49.50, victoriassecret.com. And if you’re looking for beach-style inspiration, take a page from Jessica Alba’s book and try mix and matching tops and bottoms, or accessorize with big shades and a hat like Beyoncé.

Illustration by Judy Gong

ith summer fast approaching, many of us will face the familiar task of trying to find the perfect bathing suit. The search may seem daunting, but the key to choosing the most flattering bathing suit for your body type is balance. Try using strategically placed details to draw attention to your favorite features and divert it from your not-so-favorite ones.

AIKO Suyemoto

Letting It Go by Sheli paige Frank

idterms mean that it is time to hit the books, but for many Barnard students, maximum productivity requires plenty of creative study breaks. Food-themed breaks are ever-popular, but these four students found their own ways to offset the stress of midterms preparation with silly, relaxing, or even major-themed breaks. Farah Kabir, BC ‘15, pre-med, has a full list of study breaks that she shares with her roommate, who also happens to be pre-med,

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in between their study sessions. After long individual periods of studying either Kabir or her roommate will suggest a 30 second dance party. “We got the idea from Grey’s Anatomy,” Kabir recounted, “they’re doctors, we’re both pre-med – it’s fun and it’s good motivation.” Kabir watches the most Netflix and TV during midterm and finals week, indulging in shows that are either funny or overly dramatic. “Anything where I can be loud helps, too,” Kabir said, in particular citing singing along loudly to music, from rap to High

School Musical. For short-term stress relief and during short breaks between classes, Kabir works out in the gym, though she admits, “it’s mostly an excuse to read magazines.” The magazines in the gym are definitely a hot spot. Jacqueline Xu, BC ‘16, also cited them as a great stress reliever. Xu uses exercising in general as a study break, though she prefers to run outside in Central Park. She is most attracted to the calming effect of its scenery and wide open spaces. After a long session of translating and memorizing Latin, she finds relief in going for a run and “not having to think about anything” for a little bit. Other times, Xu takes more social breaks with her roommate, either going out to dinner or just having a Netflix night in watching Once Upon A Time or Sherlock. However, not all breaks have to be an activity. “I sometimes even use showering as a break,” Xu recounted, “or even just look at my mirror and say ‘you’re beautiful.’” Finding beauty in yourself seems to be a popular exam strategy. When midterms keep her locked in her room studying, Sarah Rohrschneider, BC ‘16, sometimes gets dressed and does her hair and makeup nicely. “It gives me some time to focus on me,” she explained, “instead of all the information I have to be memorizing.” When she can afford to leave her room, Rohrschneider likes to go to the gym. “That way instead of sitting around in my room on Facebook, I’m doing something

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good for my body and my mind,” she explained. On nicer days, when she knows she is going to be inside working all day, Rohrschneider gets off at the 96th street subway stop and walks back to Plimpton, to get some fresh air and sunshine. Her go-to break, however, is usually movie nights with friends. Socializing with friends makes up most of Juliette Voit Ses Pieds’, BC ‘16, study breaks, particularly at Butler. During midterms, when so many people are studying, Voit Ses Pieds asks everyone she can to come to the library with her. Her friends bring their other friends, and she says, “you meet new people, just like that.” When she is not at Butler, Voit Ses Pieds is usually belly dancing. “I choreograph my pieces,” she explained, “I need to put a lot of creativity into it, which is a change from just reading a book or my notes for an exam.” Voit Ses Pieds also goes shopping in Union Square with her friends or simply relaxes in Sulzberger lounge watching the Food Network. From TV, to exercise, to date nights with friends, Barnard students battle the mid-term rut with the same ferocity they use to study for their exams.

FemSex I

t’s Thursday night, and a small group of Femsex members play a game of power shuffle. A student facilitator reads off a list of statements about socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity, religion, and sexuality, and members stand up every time they hear a truth that applies to them. As the students stand up to statements like, “I have over fifty books in my house,” the group members explore and recognize their own and each other’s privilege in society. Although standing up to certain statements is difficult for some, the members know that Femsex is a safe, judgment-free space. FemSex, an abbreviation for Female Sexualities, is a group on campus that gives students an opportunity to openly explore and discuss topics that are rarely talked about in class or even in everyday conversations. It began as a student-facilitated course at UC Berkeley in 1993. Since then, both students on college campuses nationwide and residents of major cities have adapted and introduced the course to their own communities. At Columbia, FemSex hosts a peer-facilitated discussion-based 10-week seminar every semester that is open to all students. Although the name of the group seems to only refer to female sexuality, the group encourages and welcomes all students of different genders, sexualities, and identities to join. Despite the common misperceptions of the group, Femsex stresses to the student body on their Facebook profile that they are not a “feminist lesbian orgy” or even a “super boring lecture series.” They are a group that creates an “inclusive, safe, diverse community”

where members can grow as individuals and feel empowered. Student participants of FemSex are organized into small discussion groups of about fifteen students with trained peer facilitators. Through two-hour meetings twice a week, FemSex members follow a syllabus that covers topics from gender identity a n d sexuality to consent a n d body

care. This semester, one of the topics that FemS e x explored is selfcare. Before students met with their discussion groups, they were given the homework assignment to create their own self-care kits and were asked to share their kits with their FemSex peers. By sharing their kits, with items such as handwritten letters from friends and exercise clothing, members discovered the various ways their peers interpreted and understand the meaning of “self-care.” FemSex members participate in an array of different modes of discussions and activities From pairing up in twos and sharing thoughts and experiences about the assigned topic to sharing THE BULLETIN -

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in larger groups, the group aims to help their members to feel comfortable about sharing with each other. Members also ensure that they are in safe space with each other by creating rules about specific words that make some participants uncomfortable. Current member Ellie Moriraty. BC’17, revealed that one of the rules that her specific discussion group created was, “Don’t yuck my yum,” meaning don’t criticize something that a member enjoys in his or her own life. Because of these “safe space rules” and the snapping that members do to affirm their peers, Morieaty believes that FemSex creates a judgment-free environment. She says, “I think it just creates a space where everyone has something to share, and their experience, whatever it is, is valued. The environment is very understanding.” She continues, “It is generally a positive environment. I usually leave feeling uplifted.” Students can join FemSex at the start of every semester. Because FemSex generally follows the same syllabus each semester, not all previous members choose to retake the course. But, involvement in the group can be very rewarding on-campus experience. Morietary says, “I’m someone who is really shy to participate in big groups and one thing that the group is doing for me is that it is making me feel more comfortable with presenting my thoughts and experiences.” She continues, “It’s definitely a different club, where you’re not doing things for the whole university, but you’re working on yourself.”

Photo Illustration by Art Board

by shadé Quintanilla

<ATHENA DIGITAL DESIGN> <!DOCTYPE html> <html> <body> <h1>This is heading 1</h1>

by victoria campa

“W

Art by Divya Sundaram

e need more women in tech.” This is what Dr. Rae Silver, a neurobiology professor at Columbia, said when she walked into the Athena Center for Leadership Studies last fall. That summer, Nathalie Molina Niño, who is spearheading Entrepreneurs@Athena, recruited several founders including Jada Hawkins, BC ‘16, and Danielle Deluty, BC ‘14. Together, they worked to initiate Barnard Codes, a group whose mission “is to champion and inspire Barnard women on their journey into coding literacy through web development.” Barnard Codes soon began to see this initiative’ potential among the other Seven Sister Colleges, so the name was changed to Athena Digital Design. In the fall, Molina Niño and the founders began to enlist students to be in the class and to represent the club as members of the Student Advisory Board. Kate Brae, BC ‘17, was one of these students. Before college she was part of a group called the Women’s Code Collective, where she learned HTML and CSS, in her hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Realizing that coding was not as daunting as it may seem, she became more involved in web design and computer science. “The Agency serves as a jumping off point and, if people aren’t interested in pursuing it further, a finish-

ing point,” she says. “It’s not necessarily for anyone who has any prior experience in tech, the only qualification is being interested in learning more about it.” The program consists of four weeks of two-hour classes in which a group of thirty Barnard students learn the skills needed to create a website using Skillcrush, an online program that teaches various coding languages. The students are not only coding, how-

e v e r, they are also learning how to interact with a client, sell an image, and design mood boards for a website. Upon graduation from these classes, the students are eligible to join the Agency, which pairs them up with a small business. “There are a bunch of web design companies that charge a ton just because

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nobody knows it,” says Kate. “Web design itself isn’t hard to do but not many people can do it, so prices for it are often very high. We’re looking for small businesses, it can be like the threading salon down the street, that need websites but don’t have the money to spend tons on it, or are interested in women in tech.” Since the startup has just begun, members of the advisory board are responsible for getting the business off the ground. “The board discusses the different components that are required of a business, stuff from event planning, to updating the website, to doing budget management,” explains Hossana Fuller, BC ‘16. “We break down the tasks and have weekly meetings, but we’re also the liaison between the businesses and the students on the team.” The board members ensure that their clients, the small businesses students are building websites for, are satisfied. Aside from learning a very marketable skill, students involved in Athena Digital Design get to continue the tradition of Barnard student-led businesses, inspired by Barnard Babysitting and Barnard Bartending. The Agency will launch in April, and will recruit, train and employ students in tech areas that are growing exponentially. This is just the beginning for Athena Digital Design.

Hats off to Alexander Wang by ava tunnicliffe and tsarina merrin

Photographed by esther jung Model sarah esser Makeup by jessie alvaro Styled by mora grehl and jordana roat

his year in Sochi it has been all about subtle fashion (well, maybe not Johnny Weir) as a response to the not so subtle trend of sexual discrimination. One of the most striking occurrences of the Sochi Winter Olympics has been the way in which it has brought Russia’s anti-gay policies and the Russian government’s ban on “gay propaganda” to the surface. When it seemed that those who refused to conform to the Russian government’s beliefs would have to remain silent, Alexander Wang’s P6 hats changed the game. P6, or Principle 6, is a campaign backed by the nonprofits Athlete Ally and All Out. According to the Principle 6 website the “campaign uses the language of the Olympic Charter to allow athletes and fans to speak out

against this discrimination during the Sochi Games without violating Russian anti-gay laws or violating the Olympic ban on political speech.” The clothes speak on behalf of the individuals whose voices have been muted. Alexander Wang, an openly gay American fashion designer, has woven his way into the Principle 6 campaign by creating a $125 cashmere beanie. Despite the hefty price tag, all of the proceeds from the hat go directly to the P6 campaign and LGBTQ groups. According to a source at the Alexander Wang New York flagship store, the hat was available not only at the flagship location but also in Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Moda Operandi, Jeffrey, Five Story, and their online equivalents, but has since sold out.

Wang told Vogue.com that his “P6 gear is for “athletes, fans—anyone and everyone who believes in equality and nondiscrimination, both of which are entirely compatible with the spirit of the Olympic Games.” The P6 hats have received a lot of backing from celebrities, fashion moguls, and athletes alike. Before the winter Olympics even began, the hats were featured on Vogue.com and were seen warming the heads of Olivia Wilde, Rihanna and Cara Delevigne. This is not the first time that Alexander Wang has used his label to support a charity. In the summer of 2013, Alexander Wang designed a bag in collaboration with Samsung mobile to support Art Start, which according to Style.com is “a non-profit organization which funds artistic programs for at-risk children, teenagers, and young adults in New York.” As one of the most innovative and successful young designers of the 21st century, Alexander Wang’s support of the Principle 6 campaign is imperative. Recently he has been name dropped in Kanye West’s song “New Slaves” (Spendin’ everything on Alexander Wang”) and Beyonce even wore his classic T by Alexander Wang tank top in the video for her song “XO.” Alexander Wang has become a pop culture force to be reckoned with, and consequently is the golden choice for a charity collaboration. Alexander Wang is not the only brand to play in the Principle 6 campaign. American Apparel, a company known for being incredibly vocal about LGBTQ rights, has also produced its own P6 clothing line. The range of hoodies, sweatshirts and beanies show their support of international gay rights in bright red with white writing. The t-shirt, hoodies, and bags are printed with “sport does not discriminate on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise.” With this careful diction American Apparel, like others, is able to speak out against discrimination by cleverly using the words of the official Olympic Charter without violating any laws. The community of LGBTQ support, however, has not been limited to fashion. Other major US brands have become involved through various forms of advertising. Most recently

Chevrolet debuted a pair of TV ads called, “The New Us” in which montages of different types of families are shown, including a gay married couple with their two children and a same-sex wedding. Likewise, Google created a Google Doodle to illustrate a series of winter sports laid against a rainbow background. Brands are winning gold in their LGBTQ support. These visual cues give internationally renowned companies the ability to pledge their support without saying anything that might entangle them in overseas politics. AT&T, however, took a bolder approach by blogging, “AT&T has a long and proud history of support for the LGBT community in the United States and everywhere around the world where we do business. We support LGBT equality globally and we condemn violence, discrimination and harassment targeted against LGBT individuals everywhere. Russia’s law is harmful to LGBT individuals and families, and it’s harmful to a diverse society.” As a long time sponsor of the Olympics, this forward-thinking move is clearly directed towards Sochi, but because the company is not an International Olympic Committee sponsor, they did not violate any laws set forth by the Olympic Charter. Fashion has always been seen as an illumination of current social climates, continually carrying a torch from one pop culture event to the next. Companies like GAP support (RED), a charity organization whose efforts go towards creating an AIDs free world, through their long-standing and extremely successful (RED) clothing line. Likewise, Alex and Ani, a popular jewelry company, has made it their mission to partner with “like-minded businesses” in the hopes of “contributing to a new way of thinking and acting that considers the wellbeing of our planet, our communities, and our individual paths.” Alexander Wang’s unique awareness of social and cultural contexts allows his designs to exist and thrive outside the four walls of his stores. With an eye for innovation and progressive expression he believes, “A lot of designers get caught up in the creativity, but you’ve got to think about the legs of your collection - essentially, how the line is going to move forward.”

Photographed by esther jung model sarah esser

Crea tive

pu Cam

n g i t on ri

by Jacqueline Xu

n the second floor of Lehman Library, nestled between shelves of classical literature and kaleidoscopic windows, is the Bar-

nard Authors collection, a source of pride and inspiration for every Barnard student. Seeing that shelf as a freshman, I was overwhelmed by the fact that I was attending a THE BULLETIN -

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school that educated so many high caliber creative minds. Indeed, Barnard’s alumnae include such names as Rachel Cohn, Anna Quindlen, Ann Brashares, and Pu-

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litzer Prize winner Jhumpa Lahiri. Even harder to believe, however, is that these authors started out as jittery students, frequenting the same libraries and lecture halls as we do every day. Nevertheless, as sophomore Heather Nickels relates, “It’s comforting to know that they all started here and were like us and became who they are because of their experiences here at Barnard.” Despite this legacy of award winning writers, pursuing a degree in creative writing in this day and age has been stigmatized. Barnard, however, seems to be an oasis in a desert of judgment, with a rigorous concentration in creative writing available to students, encouraging faculty, and a myriad of collegiate literary mags. Sheli Frank, a Barnard sophomore pursuing the creative writing concentration, related that, “I came to Barnard knowing that [the school] valued writers, that writing is exalted, and that there will always be resources for me to further myself. I think many writers came in as writers, but became great because there was such support from the faculty and administration”. Barnard certainly takes creative writing seriously, as the concentration requires prospective students to submit an application along with a 15-page writing sample in order to be considered, prior to completing a Declaration of Writing Concentration form if she is deemed eligible. This strict, methodical process of choosing students to take a certain path of education demonstrates a dedication to the craft that surpasses that of many other institutions. It should also be noted, however, that success in creative writing at Barnard may also be due to the type of woman who chooses this college in the first place. Professor Mary Gordon of the English department, an accomplished novelist, stated that “the combination of New York and a woman’s college attracts a special kind of person. In addition the kind of attention young women writers have always got at Barnard is not the norm for many places, where the default setting is male and women’s voices are not honored. Our insistence that our writers’

formation be grounded in a thorough knowledge of literature, including older literature, is crucial to the excellence of our writers.” Barnard also encourages those not pursuing English majors to flex their creative writing muscles. The English Department Student Prizes, for instance, are open to all majors, and the ‘zine collection at Lehman Library is varied in subject matter. The hallways of Barnard Hall are always plastered with exciting new writing opportunities; there are flyers that advertise new classes for the upcoming semester and publications seeking submissions. Even more i m p o r t a n t ly, Barnard is always working on inspiring potential creative writers by hosting talks and readings with influential writers. This past November, for instance, Zadie Smith made an appearance at the Diana to discuss her inspirations, while this coming March, three of Barnard’s creative writing professors will showcase their own work for the student body. This bridge between the aspiring and the developed writer seems essential to the history of creative writers at Barnard; the

students’ eagerness to absorb works of masters partnered with Barnard’s nourishing environment seems to be a magic formula for producing good writing. Indeed, sophomore and aspiring Psychology major Maddie Harrison voiced that she felt that Barnard provided “A diversity of thinkers: sitting down and chatting with any two Barnard girls

“Barnard... seems to be an oasis in a desert of judgment, with a rigorous concentration in creative writing available to students, encouraging faculty, and a myriad of collegiate literary mags.”

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will always provide different perspectives so every conversation is refreshing.”

New Faces of

LATE

NIGHT by Rebecca Deczynski

"i'm going to shake stuff up and open with a monolgoue"

s Seth Meyers opened up his first show of Late Night with Seth Meyers, the audience laughed at his self-mockery of staying with talk show tradition. Meyers replacing Jimmy Fallon on Late Night may seem like a small change: both are about 40-years-old, have comedy chops, and have established themselves on the nighttime TV screen—Meyers previously hostingWeekend Update on Saturday

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Illustration on facing page by Xin Ai

Night Live—but that’s not to say that late night talk shows aren’t getting shaken up. Late night television may still be a boy’s club where members pay their dues to move ahead, but that doesn’t mean it’s not changing. Slowly but surely the faces of nighttime talk shows are shifting and moving around to create a nationally less unified, but altogether more personalized viewing experience. Viewers can choose from a number of late night hosts—Kimmel, Letterman, Ferguson, Conan, Stewart, Colbert, Handler—whereas at one point choices were much slimmer. Although there’s still not much diversity amongst late night hosts, they each try to offer something unique. Jimmy Fallon, who has taken over The Tonight Show, after Jay Leno hosted it for twenty-two years, plans on hosting a show that has significantly calmer political tones to it than it did under his predecessor. While Leno’s LA-based Tonight Show was a place where Republicans could interview without being attacked, Fallon’s Manhattan-based program is being seen as more catering to the liberal agenda. While politics are not a common topic for Fallon, he has promoted Obamacare and invited Michelle Obama to be a guest on his first show. While the First Lady’s appearance on the show was not politically charged per se, it did emphasize her Let’s Move campaign and her passion for national health, albeit in a skit with Fallon and Will Ferrell pretending to be teenage girls. Fallon’s humor appeals to a distinctly younger crowd than 63-year-old Leno. The new Tonight Show does not concern itself with a political or social agenda: it’s just looking for laughs. Meyers, however, is attempting

to create something more thoughtful, if not provocative. He began his first show with playful banter with fellow SNL alum Fred Armisen, who is leading Late Night’s 8G band, and an opening monologue that included jokes about Olympic conditions in Sochi. The material was not wholly unlike any given Weekend Update. For his first two guests Meyers invited Amy Poehler and Vice President Joe Biden, who joked together about

Biden’s guest appearance on Parks and Recreation and their impending (made-up) film, Snakes on a Train. The exchange segued into Biden earnestly discussing his desire and plans for more high-speed trains in the United States. While such an issue may not be highly controversial or provocative, the Vice President’s sincere discussion of the topic made it clear: this is a place where politics is fair game. However, it is uncertain whether the conservative side will have a voice on the show with Meyers’ liberal sway. THE BULLETIN -

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Yet even if politics won’t be a major topic on The Tonight Show, Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart will continue their Emmy award winning political late night shows, which offer a more opinionated side of television for nighttime watchers. John Oliver, who previously appeared on Stewart’s The Daily Show, will also start hosting his own late night talk show on HBO titled Last Week Tonight. The show will air on Sundays and give a Daily Show-esque run down of each past week’s political news. But despite each late night show’s individual peculiarities and overtones, there still remains a major lack: diversity of both gender and race. Chelsea Handler is currently the only female face of the nighttime screen and as of yet there are no nonwhite late night hosts. This issue is nothing new, but current hosts like Meyers are trying to do something about it—starting from behind the scenes. After working at SNL under Tina Fey as head writer, Meyers understands the benefit of a diverse writing team. He hired comedienne Amber Ruffin to the writing team for Late Night, making her the first woman of color to write for a nightly talk show. Ruffin has since been joined by stand up Michelle Woolf and Alison Agosti. These female writers have been shown prominently on commercials for Meyers’ new show. While he may be just another white male host, Meyers understands there is a problem with the faces of late night television. and he is trying to help it. At the surface, some faces of nighttime talk shows have moved around, but, behind the scenes, changes are being made, slowly but surely.

OUTSIDE LANDS

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA WHEN: August 8-10 BEST PERFORMANCES: Metallica, Paul McCartney TO DO LIST: “You have to get a shuttle pass. That is key.

Because basically getting to Golden Gate Park is really challenging if you don’t have a shuttle pass.”

“This is the perfect festival if Coachella overwhelms you, but you still want that California vibe festival, and if you’re a foodie/wino,” says Nicole-Juliet Silvagni Friedman, BC ’16. Outside Lands takes over San Fran’s Golden State Park every August with rock-studded performances from the likes of Paul McCartney and Metallica that please the entire family. The festival also does an outstanding job bringing in the best local food. ADVICE: “The quality of the food is just as good as the quality of the music”, Nicole-Juliet assures. “Don’t eat before. Come hungry....”

by Sydne Wheeler Larsen "MUSIC FESTIVALS HAVE BECOME THAT KIND OF HUB - that escape from reality for a weekend. Like let’s just go listen to music, drink, and do drugs and not get punished for it,” says Natalee Cruz, BC ‘16, on the evolution of music festivals. There are a lot of elements that go into a festival experience. Find out what current students have to share about some of the biggest music festivals in the country!

GOVERNORS BALL

RANDALLS ISLAND, NY WHEN: June 6-8 BEST PERFORMANCES: Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar,

SASQUATCH FESTIVAL

Azealia Banks, Foals, Grizzly Bear TO DO LIST: “Bring a pair of boots no matter what you think the weather is going to be like.”

GEORGE, WASHINGTON

WHEN: May 23-25 and July 4-6 (separate lineups) BEST PERFORMANCES: Dirty Projectors, The Shins, Sigur Rós TO DO LIST: 1. Make sure you know how to actually camp 2. Bring bubbles

Sasquatch Festival is quite possibly the friendliest festival out there. Anna Solow-Collins, BC ‘16, considers it the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Part of this geniality can be attributed to its Canadian draw. As she puts it, “You’re walking and you actually bump into someone, like it’s totally your bad. They’ll turn around, ‘Oh I’m so sorry! Do you wanna have a joint?’” Additionally, the scenery is amazing. The main stage is just off the river, and the spectators can watch from the hill. ADVICE: “It’s worth waking up at 6 in the morning for 10 minutes just to look at the sunrise.” THE BULLETIN -

Gov Ball is a new festival set on Randall’s Island, NY. It offers “a survey of artists that have finished being upand-coming but are still new and exciting, plus the wild card of Guns N’ Roses,” says Grace McCreight, BC ‘14. Though it’s crowded (being on an island), the audience is your typical New York crew: “Everyone was very respectful of this being a confined space.” Think Subway etiquette. If you’re the quiet, independent type looking for top-notch sound quality, head over to the Silent Disco tent where you can listen to a DJ set via headphones with other sound connoisseurs. That’s just so New York. This year, be looking out for Outkast, Disclosure, and Chance The Rapper.

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ADVICE: “Getting there as early as you can

makes it a less stressful environment.”

LOLLAPALOOZA CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

COACHELLA

COACHELLA VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

WHEN: August 1-3 BEST PERFORMANCES: Nine Inch Nails, Crystal Castles, Ellie

WHEN: April 11-13, 18-20 (same lineups) BEST PERFORMANCES: Tiësto, Beirut, Purity Ring, The

Goulding

TO DO LIST: Bring a Survival Pack: Purell, toilet paper, an

empty water bottle and sunscreen in a fanny pack or a little bag.

TO DO LIST: “Get the crab fries – they’re garlicky and then they put real pieces of crab on top of it.”

Natalee Cruz, BC ‘16, – a five-time veteran of Coachella – says of the festival’s progression: “I think it’s gotten more and more bro-y as it’s gotten more and more famous”. Moreover, there’s been an increasing pressure on the fashion front with all the celebrity sightings (like Vanessa Hudgens). But to get back to the festival, Coachella has everything except country music. They’ve even got an electronic tent called the Doo Lab where they’ll spray you down with hoses to cool off. Coachella draws an attentive, appreciative listening crowd. “That’s part of what makes the performances is how the crowd reacts to them.” ADVICE: “Don’t get in a fight. You will get kicked out. It’s not worth it, and it just brings bad vibes to the festival, and nobody wants that.”

Lollapalooza is a very “Chicago-proud” festival held in Grant Park bordering the lake. It’s basically the equivalent of a concert in Central Park. As music goes, Chicagoan Ellie Williams, BC ‘16, explains, “Lolla is very diverse in its music selections. Like you’ll have Nine Inch Nails and be in a crowd of 35 year-old metal heads, and also have Icona Pop and have all the 14 year-olds freaking the f*** out”. ADVICE: ”In terms of actually buying tickets, as soon as the new year starts, get clicked into that radar of, ‘Ok, when does this happen. When do I need to be on point to try and buy a ticket.’”

BONNAROO

MANCHESTER, TENNESSEE WHEN: June 12-15 BEST PERFORMANCES: Bjork, Edward Sharpe, Beach House,

PITCHFORK FESTIVAL CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

Photo Illustrations by Divya Sundaram

Animal Collective Bonnaroo is the real deal as far as camping festivals go – “It’s WHEN: July 18-24 BEST PERFORMANCES: M.I.A., Bjork, Belle & Sebastian, vibe is literally we’re gonna go be dirty hippies for five days and love it,” says Andrew Pasquier, CC ‘17. What makes the Solange, R. Kelly festival is definitely the community aspect or as Andrew R. Kelly releasing balloon-doves at the end of his perterms it best, the “’Roo vibes”. When you arrive, you’re partiformance, M.I.A. walking off stage after her audio tech tioned into neighborhoods, and tents, and blocks of festivalgot messed up, Bjork getting shut down for the rain: goers usually around your age. Musically, these are some of the crazy fun moments from last there’s a good mix of alternative, EDM, year’s Pitchfork as recounted by Marlena Eley, BC ‘16. and rap. This year, be on the lookout for Though the festival is “hot as balls” – mid-summer in The Flaming Lips and The Head Chicago’s Union Park – you are guaranteed to have a and The Heart if you’re in for some fun time. Music-wise, “It was a bit more off the beaten- “soul-swooning” music. track. Just the headliners weren’t as crowd-pleasing ADVICE: “You need to be ready to fully quote-on-quote,” notes Marlena. take the plunge and DO Bonnaroo. PERKS: Free stuff (like Twinkies) There’s no opting out.” ADVICE: “Don’t be that drunk girl that falls all over people.” Good general advice. THE BULLETIN -

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By Meghan Schwab there is a convergence of time when watching these images: a convergence of the moment and the duration seems to appear in the photographs. It may be unsettling, but it encourages you to stop and think about where you go, how you use your time, and what you look at each day. Looking at Pillsbury’s work, I think about the energy trail that I create. Does my energy trail have more moments of reflection against a screen or blurs ebbing across New York City?

City Stages will be on view from February 20th to March 27th, 2014. Matthew Pillsbury is an internationally known artist with works in over twenty-five permanent collections. The Aperture Gallery is located on 27th street, between 10th and 11th avenues. Next time you are in Chelsea, check it out!

Illustration by Emunah Garfield

arge black and white photographs, present the city as a stable backdrop for the activity of its human actors. The long exposures record the trail of human energies flowing and pausing across the stillness of the city. Matthew Pillsbury’s exhibit City Stages, at the Aperture Gallery, is certainly theatrical. The presence of human activity in the photographs is detected, but not defined—some photographs show a nebulous stream of bodies while details and even full figures can be made out in others. The public and private spheres are also put on exhibit, oscillating between photographs of city experiences and down time in the home. In this way, Pillsbury has captured individuals in shared energy that allows them to be universal. Within the city stages that Pillsbury has captured are unique setups. A number the images are of spectators contemplating scenes set in the Museum of Natural History or the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Technology is also presented as a stage within the private sphere. Bright screens from laptops, cell phones, and televisions light many of the objects and faces within the images. The scenes and screens create a layer of watching someone watching something. The subjects of the images are not concerned with the audience but are absorbed in the stages in their own lives. In the stillness of the cityscapes and the continuous movement of people,

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The Great Female NonFic

Illustration by: Sasha Brenman

here is nothing new about the tellall memoir. After all, a web search for the genre brings up results about Anne Frank’s beloved diary along with countless other autobiographical works written by the highbrow and lowbrow luminaries of decades past. A glance at the last few years’ nonfiction bestsellers illuminates a notable trend: women. Many of the works by women that appeared on the NewYork Times NonFiction Best Sellers List prior to the rise of thirdwave feminism were mainly about sexuality and marriage. On the contrary, those written by male authors were centered on subjects such as history and politics. Today, best-selling politically-oriented nonfiction may still be an old boy’s club affair. It’s not just that female nonfiction is doing well--it’s that these bestselling books are being written by funny ladies. Primetime comedians such as Mindy Kaling and Tina Fey--who got their starts writing original material and doing improv--have topped the nonfiction charts with cheeky, honest accounts of their rise from obscurity to stardom. Come September, when Lena Dunham’s book Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She’s Learned comes out, we can expect to see her name on the lists as well. Dunham’s hotly-anticipated literary debut--the result of a $35 million deal with Random House in 2012--turned out to be a great jumping-off point for Columbia literary magazine Quarto, which publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction written by undergraduates. When a member of the magazine’s staff happened to meet Dunham’s publicist, she inquired

about whether or not Dunham would be interested in judging a nonfiction writing contest that the publication was planning. Ultimately, Dunham agreed. “Columbia has only had their creative writing program for less than a decade, and the magazine is now situated in the department,” Sarah Scarr, GS ‘16, and a co-executive editor of Quarto with Jianna Maaren, GS ‘14, said. “We want to make sure that we’re encouraging undergraduate creative writers, so we thought that it was a really great message, the fact

that she [Dunham] has just her undergraduate degree and not her MFA.” As Dunham famously said (on Girls), she is a voice of a generation. Just as she is writing as a millennial for other millennials, so too are creative writers on college campuses across the country and post-grad twenty-somethings. Scarr and Maaren agreed on the significance and popularity of nonfiction works. While Scarr said that it was the nonfiction faculty members in the creative writing department, such as Margo Jefferson, who reiterated the importance of female nonfiction, Maaren added that, in addition to faculty and courses, the culture of Columbia--and New York as a whole--lends itself to the literary form. “There’s the journalism school, there’s a lot of things that go on at Columbia that incorporate nonfiction into the curriculum and incorporate that into the life of New York City as well,” Maaren THE BULLETIN -

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by Zoe Miller

said. “There are a lot of great magazines. The op-ed is a big thing, so there’s room and space for that.” Yet if women like Kaling, Fey, and Dunham made it big on television, what value does writing a book hold for them? Perhaps it is because through nonfiction literature a writer can be more candid. If women are telling their stories--and if the public is listening--why wouldn’t they choose a platform that would allow them to incorporate every little tidbit of their narratives? Since there is still a noticeable gender divide when it comes to the types of nonfiction books that are being written, introducing new female voices to the nonfiction canon could change people’s perception of what nonfiction writing is. Although nonfiction is not as polarized as it once was in terms of gender representation, what matters most is visibility and variety. Nonfiction--be it biography, autobiography, or memoir--is not just politics or just sexuality. It’s everything in between, and women’s lit is at the intersection. “I’d definitely say there are more male writers in the world. There’s a publishing issue, so it’s definitely noteworthy that she [Dunham] is someone who has only a bachelor’s and is making a career of it,” Scarr said. “It’s very cool that she’s, at this age, able to work, and prolifically. It generally tends to take women longer to be received, to be noticed, I’d say. To get published. There’s definitely higher numbers of younger men being published than women. It could be changing, and that would be great.”

Barnard:

an International Perspective

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Disclaimer: The Bulletin does not own any images on this page

ntil I became a student Yan said, “In my country the lady in was surprising to all of the students I ambassador a few months the same position, they will only spoke to. ago, I was completely un- say ‘Hi students’ and ‘Goodbye stu“In my school you can’t take aware that Barnard even hosted study dents.’” dance classes unless you’re majoring abroad students. The campus and city The Chinese students both in it, so I was interested in it, but I are so diverse that thinking anyone found last month’s performance of couldn’t take classes,” said Kaiying isn’t a regular student just by looking “The Vagina Monologues” incredibly Fu, who is Singaporean but studying at them would be ridiculous. shocking, saying that such a public in South Korea, “So when I was apIn fact, Barnard hosts plying for Barnard, that was almost one-hundred visiting stu- In fact, Barnard hosts almost 100 one of the big things.” dents every spring from a dozen “For most of us, visiting students every spring different countries.These articuwhatever country we’re late and engaging young women from a dozen different countries. from, the departments are are a fantastic resource to have more separated,” Fu continon campus and can provide new These articulate and engaging ued. Fu and Gu were both and interesting perspectives on by the options young women are a fantastic re- impressed so many of the things we take for at Barnard to take so many granted. source to have on campus and classes outside their majors. This past month, I sat According to Gu, Chinese down with a handful of young can provide new and interest- university students usually women from the Visiting Inter- ing perspectives on so many of take between six and eight national Students Program -major classes every semesthe things we take for granted. VISP for short -- to talk about ter. life at Barnard and the surprises Fortunately, all of of living in completely new culthe international students I ture. discussion of sexuality is still very talked to were falling over themselves Some of the cultural ele- strange in their country. to tell me how much they loved Barments they brought up were so “We had a class called Gen- nard. Even Vernes, who said she trivial I’d never thought of them as der and Society at my home univer- hadn’t really expected to like Amerpart of American social behavior. Bi- sity last semester… and they actually ica, reported that she was immensely anca Vernes, a visiting student from performed that show. It became a big glad to have come and already sad Durban, South Africa, commented issue, and even the people outside the she’ll have to leave in May. on how awkward she found it when school were talking about it, like basi“I like the people,” she said. waiters constantly refilled her water cally criticizing, ‘What is wrong with “I think there’s a lot more drive to glass. Similarly, Fengfeng Gu and Jia the girls?’ you know, like ‘You’re col- find success in what you’re interYan, both on exchange from Beijing lege students. How can you talk about ested in and to find a role in society University, were surprised at the fa- this, like, publicly?’ So I was really ex- that you feel valued in. I think a lot miliarity of casual greetings. cited to see the show here and the dif- more people here have a drive to get “The library attendant, when ferent reaction,” Gu said. a job somewhere they want to work, I leave, she always say ‘Goodbye, In general, the amount of where they feel they’ll being doing Sweetie,” or ‘Goodnight, my love,’” freedom and acceptance at Barnard something that they value.”

BITES BEYOND THE BUBBLE BY Gillian Osswald

Fig & Olive 420 West 13th Street

Photo Illustration by Art Board

inally, I did it. After allowing three rounds of Restaurant Week to pass me by during my time at Barnard, I took advantage of this ideal broke-collegestudent, pseudo-foodie experience. Fig & Olive in Meatpacking, a warm, yet trendy bistro with a Mediterranean flair, was the perfect venue for a Restaurant Week night of unbridled, treat-yo-self dining. Walking in to the restaurant, you’re greeted by stunning, ceiling-high shelves that both display Fig & Olive’s specialty olive oils and demonstrate what those paltry empty wine bottles decorating your dorm are supposed to look like. The dining room was open, although packed, and infused with music just slightly cooler than the crowd—it’s in the Meatpacking district, after all. But let’s not forget why we’re here: the food. With five of us dining together, we were able to try a significant portion of the prix-fixe menu: some truffle croquettes, lobster risotto, and (of

course) an olive oil sampling, to name a few. It was one of those meals that brings out the white girl expressions of inane enthusiasm in all of us: “I’M DYING,” “I CAN’T EVEN,” “YAAAS.” The crab cake and the filet mignon were particularly worthy of losing one’s dignity to such sayings. The crab cake appetizer was superlatively crispy and seasoned so that each flavor—lemon, cilantro, horseradish—came through in every bite. With the next course, it was all about the little things. Though the perfectly cooked filet mignon was delicious, the side dishes on the plate proved they weren’t only there to take up space. Sorry, Mom’s green beans and mashed potatoes, but these were in a class of their own. Though I could have ended the meal contentedly after that indulgent entrée, I moved on to dessert. Because dessert. The chocolate pot de crème was exactly what it sounds like: a charming little vessel of velvety chocolate that you THE BULLETIN -

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wished was big enough to dive into, and the perfect way to punctuate an excellent meal. Still, Fig & Olive truly won my respect when I, of decadent-dessert-loving ilk, sampled their fig and cheese dessert. For whatever my dining opinion is worth: all restaurants should be judged on their ability to wow you with a savory dessert, and this place killed it. Yes, Fig & Olive bears the scarlet letter of “$$$” on Yelp, but don’t let that get you down. It’s a great place to remind yourself that you live in a city that really knows how to eat, that eating great food is a joy, and a privilege, and a worthy experience in itself. It’s a place that reassures you it was totally worth parting with those “$$$” in exchange for a flat-out delicious meal. Whether you save it for a special occasion, a schmancy date, or when Mom and Dad are there to shell out (graduation, hayy!), Fig & Olive will be there to feed you, and to do so with excellence.