The Daily Princetonian
Thursday September 18, 2014
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READS
Summer’s coming to an end, but that doesn’t mean your leisure reading should, too. In this issue, Street writers share a few of their favorite non-academic reads from recent months.
A LITTLE HISTORY OF THE WORLD E. H. GOMBRICH
LIN KING :: ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
Reviewed by
LIN KING
Associate Street Editor
LEAN IN
SHERYL SANDBERG
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hile interning at the corporate headquarters of a media company this summer, I finally read Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In” (only a year after everyone else who cared had read it). At this point, I could tell you I read the last page, set aside my Kindle and vowed to apply Sandberg’s teachings at work, but I would be lying. I was doing a pretty good job of saying yes to all the interesting, challenging projects my supervisors were offering me. I didn’t have children at home to complicate my considerations of a work-life balance — considerations rendered mostly irrelevant by the fact that interns weren’t allowed to work more than 40 hours a week anyway. However, the debates surrounding her book spurred me to dive in. So what exactly are Sandberg’s arguments? Here’s what I gathered: Women are not in the positions of power they deserve in the workplace. That’s partly because they often pull back from work once they start expanding their families and partly because, from the get-go, they don’t raise their hands, sit at the table or speak up enough. Of course, general expectations for how women should act — and the ways in which those expectations differ for men — also contribute to the absence of women leaders. However, what women can do now is “lean in” (while also keeping in mind that perfection is impossible). It seemed like reasonable advice to me, though it’s not without its caveats: Sandberg’s advice is applicable in only some workplace settings and for women who are lucky to have certain privileges. “Lean In”
also didn’t address how we as a society can change the things that individual women cannot control, though Sandberg briefly explains her reason for not addressing that in the first chapter of the book. After I finished the book, I read a few critiques and was shocked by the acid that dripped from some of them. New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, who wrote “Pompom Girl for Feminism,” called Sandberg a wannabe “PowerPoint Pied Piper in Prada ankle boots reigniting the women’s revolution.” If Sandberg were a man, would Dowd have called out her penchant for nice shoes? I don’t think so, and that seems ironic. The very title of Dowd’s article is drawn from a quotation taken grossly out of context. Sandberg labels herself as a “pompom girl for feminism” in a tongue-in-cheek way after recounting an anecdote from her summer working as a page for her hometown congressman, William Lehman. Lehman had promised to introduce her to then-Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill. When Lehman finally made good on his promise, O’Neill reached over, patted Sandberg on the head and said to Lehman, “She’s pretty.” Then he asked Sandberg, “Are you a pom-pom girl?” Sandberg was crushed. My biggest takeaway from my experience reading “Lean In” this summer is this: Critics often veer into personal attacks to poke holes in the arguments of high-profile figures (often without reading their actual books). If you’re curious about the controversy that surrounds it, like I was, I’d recommend reading it — if nothing else, it is an engaging read.
This summer, I read a book that taught me about everything, ever. Okay, maybe not “everything, ever,” but certainly “a little bit of most major historical events of the world.” I’m referring to a book titled “A Little History of the World,” a tour-de-force by art historian Sir Ernst H. Gombrich. What sets this little gem — just 284 pages in my copy — apart from other history books that you’ve used as makeshift pillows is that Gombrich was writing for an audience of children. This is evident in his storybook tone, the beautiful artwork, as well as the short chapters designed for juvenile attention spans. However, the final product is neither patronizing nor elementary. Instead, rather like its title, “A Little History of the World” is hugely ambitious and endearing at the same time. But why should oh-so-educated college students who sleep four hours a night find time to read a children’s book about world history? Well, let’s be real. If you haven’t been in a conversation here in which you barely managed to pretend that you understood all the historical references, you will soon. Conveniently, Gombrich has compiled a table of contents that quite literally encompasses all of world history, from “Earth without life” to “Nirvana” to “Napoleon
in Corsica” to “Japan in 1850.” Even more impressively, he presents every period, however notorious, with both a sense of humor and a fairytale tenor. As a result, you come across sentences informing you that, “One day — but there’s no hurry — you may come to read the Bible. Nowhere else will you find so many stories about ancient times so vividly told.” The benefit of this being a children’s book is that Gombrich’s optimism, even in the gloomiest of narratives, never comes off as forced or naïve. His target audience also gives him a free pass for not going into every detail. Some long-lived conflicts, such as the American Civil War, are summarized in a manner of paragraphs. Rather than acting as a textbook, Gombrich renders a more panoramic view of collective human patterns, errors, and achievements. He simplifies but does not neglect. I should add a disclaimer: despite its broad range, Gombrich’s account is still a Eurocentric one — namely, his origin of continental Western Europe. After all, the book had been written in Austrian, for Austrian children. Nevertheless, it is not without frequent glimpses “across the seas.” There are, additionally, many moments that force you to broaden your views when you least expect it.
An example: “The book you have in your hand is made of paper, something we also owe to the Arabs, who themselves learnt how to make it from Chinese prisoners of war.” What really won me over in the end was just that, the ending — Gombrich’s sobering final chapter on “the small part of the history of the world which I have lived through myself.” Here, he arrives at the history of Hitler’s reign, from which he himself narrowly escaped. His account is written with care and with pain, and he reminds us — characteristically, through an anecdote about a Buddhist monk — that “one can be attached to one’s own country without needing to insist that the rest of the world’s inhabitants are worthless.” And he could not have said it better. To me, Gombrich embodies the study of history not as a static list of trivia, but a continuous process of discovery, of readjusting viewpoints and of building tolerance. So do yourself a favor: go buy this book. Maybe you won’t read it right away, but just keep it somewhere visible. And one day, the tempting title (and hopefully, the lingering memory of this article) may be enough for you to stop what you’re doing, pick up this little volume, and learn — even if just a little — about the world we live in.
Reviewed by
JENNIFER SHYUE Senior Writer
LIN KING :: ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday September 18, 2014
GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING TRACY CHEVALIER ZOE PEROT Senior Writer
“G
irl With a Pearl Earring: A Servant’s Life, a Master’s Obsession, a Matter of Honour” is Tracy Chevalier’s fictional recreation of the story behind Jan Vermeer’s famous painting. The main character, Griet, lives in 17th-century Delft, Holland. As Vermeer’s maid, Griet’s tasks include mixing his paints and modeling for him after he becomes aware of her interest in his paintings and her striking appearance. Although
he maintains emotional distance from Griet, Vermeer is obsessed by her complex innocence. Even at the novel’s close, Vermeer’s fascination with Griet does not end and the story quite vividly lives on in Vermeer’s painting, now associated with Chevalier’s narrative. This summer I returned to Delft, where I had lived as a child, and felt an odd sense of the character’s presence exiting the pages of the book and entering the real world. Their experiences overlapped my own, and had me walking a line between memory, fiction and present. I walked past Vermeer’s home on the corner of the central market
square numerous times. I passed by the Jan Vermeer Museum, formerly the Jan Vermeer School that I had attended, and examined the various tourist trinkets for sale plastered with the Girl with the Pearl Earring’s enigmatic face. I remembered the star in the middle of the market square that Griet mentions in the opening pages of the novel. While the star was far removed in my memory, I recognized it from the first time I had lived in Delft, when I was nine, attending the Jan Vermeer School and ran my finger across its points at recess. I sat and drank coffee on the Beestenmarkt, another place that Griet visits, only there were no beasts for sale. My Beestenmarkt only featured small groups drinking coffee and tea as a break from shopping. I spent my time in Delft taking photographs, examining closely what can only be described as the characteristically clear, specifically Dutch light. I tried to capture moments of ordinary life, just as Vermeer managed to do hundreds of years ago. Nearly every day I looked at the present-day view of Delft from the Oostport (another painting of Vermeer’s) and noticed little had changed through the centuries. I visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which houses a number of other important Vermeer paintings, and wondered what it might have been like to sit for a portrait by Vermeer. Would he stare at me as an object or as a person? I pictured myself in a Vermeer painting, set in a gilded frame in a museum, and wondered what pose he would have placed me in? What story might I have told? Finishing The Girl with the Pearl Earring as I wandered the streets of Delft, left me tangled in the intertwined web of life and the stories we tell. My focus on capturing moments through photography left me feeling a connection to the artist Vermeer and his subjects as well. If a picture is worth a thousand words, can it also raise a hundred questions? Each picture seemed to hold as many mysteries as clarifications. The Dutch light illuminated and blinded me, leaving much to the imagination.
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PARADISE
DONALD BARTHELME HARRISON BLACKMAN Senior Writer
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his summer I spent most of my time taking a global seminar in Greece, and, as you might guess, I didn’t have much time for recreational reading. It was in those quiet weeks between finals and awaiting my flight that I read my favorite book of the summer — “Paradise,” by Donald Barthelme. The book is kind of dark. But compared with my other summer
COURTESY OF MATT’S NERDY BOOK BLOG
reads — “The Long Goodbye,” Raymond Chandler’s culminating private detective novel in which protagonist Marlowe loses the love of his life, his colleague and his best friend; “Athens, Still Remains,” Jacques Derrida’s meditation on death and photography; and the selfexplanatory Dashiell Hammett novella “Woman in the Dark” — “Paradise” is a whimsical stroll down Prospect Avenue. In this satirical novel, a divorced, middleaged architect named Simon suddenly happens into a scenario where three lingerie models start living with him in his New York apartment — an incarnation of the stereotypical male fantasy, hence the book’s title. Naturally, compl icat ion s ensue, as the three models and Simon become involved as friends, and then as more than friends. What may seem a frivolous and farcical prem-
ise is transformed by Barthelme’s wit and synergy of dialogue, propelling this work into a fast, delightful read of postmodern fiction. Half the time revolves around the offbeat conversations of Simon and the girls, and the other half is a dialogue between Simon and what appears to be his psychologist. The latter aspect of the novel lends the book a sing-song quality reminiscent of Kurt Vonnegut’s wilder works. The novel is also chock-full of social commentary with an injection of architectural language (Barthelme’s father was an architect). Simon’s apparent disinterest in his architectural work, considering it only a profession, caught my attention because of my own interest in the field. Funny and at times hilarious, the story is also somber, as the models must eventually leave and the protagonist must return to being a lonely divorcé, distant from his grown children. Despite the tension between comedy and tragedy, Barthelme manages to be witty and tactful in his expression of 1980s excess. Read it for the fun, but remember it for the gut punch it gives as the models slowly, then rapidly depart Simon’s flat. Barthelme is a master of the 20th century satire, and “Paradise” is one of his best.
THE TASTEMAKERS
LIN KING :: ASSOCIATE STREET EDITOR
DAVID SAX KATIE BAUMAN Street Editor
I
don’t know that I will ever encounter a dessert more controversial than the cupcake. I don’t consider myself a cupcake aficionado, but the amount of debate the tiny frosted bits of cake can evoke fascinates me. About a year ago, I happened upon an angry tirade eviscerating the cupcake as the enemy of feminism and calling for its demise, as it would be a “victory for womankind.” The article stuck with me for no apparent reason, and the cultural obsession with the cupcake took over a permanent but dormant part of my brain. When I happened across David Sax’s “The Tastemakers: Why We’re Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up with Fondue,” the cupcake on the cover reawakened my intrigue, and his promise for answers cemented my decision to read the book. Each day, I left my commute behind as I joined David Sax on his romp through the foodie fad jungle. While it was the cupcakes that drew me in, Sax’s pithy accounts and deep case studies kept me coming back. Sax begins the book by breaking down the different forces fueling food fads: culture, agriculture, chefs and health. Sax bolsters his points with personal anecdotes detailing his interactions with the various individuals in the culinary world, whether dealing with eager Dole employees pushing Chia seeds or the Hollywood servers he deems “alphas of the waiting world.” Sax emotionally delves into the cultural impact food trends can have on our lives. He focuses on the steady influx of ethnic foods in mainstream American diets to contrast with the rabid rise of fad foods. As we eat new foods, we wonder about the ethnic histories and the cultures surrounding them. Sax touches on immigration and urban analysis as he navigates the various foods that have gained prominence throughout
the country and those that have remained in the shadows. He devotes an entire chapter to bacon and its seemingly limitless financial potential. Sax hones in on Chicago’s Baconfest, an event which sold out despite offering over 3,000 tickets, which drew bacon aficionados ravenous for specialties like bacon-spiked Bloody Marys, bacon cotton candy and bacon peanut butter macaroons. Here Sax’s research and my own overlapped, as the newest addition to my blooming Chicago neighborhood was “The Kaiser Tiger,” a beergarden specializing in bacon, beer and sausage. Opening just a few months before my
summer arrival, the Tiger was already reaping the profits Sax enumerated in his chapter on the economic benefits of bacon. And honestly, with a menu offering “5 lbs. of spicy beef and pork sausage stuffed with pepper bacon and wrapped in a brown sugar bacon weave” called “The Bomb,” how could they not succeed? As I finished Sax’s culinary critique on the bus, my journey came full circle. I sat squashed between two people overflowing into my seat and stared into the darkened windows of Crumbs Bake Shop as my bus streamed forward, leaving the former cupcake dynamo in the dust.
COURTESY OF LA WEEKLY
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday September 18, 2014
Garden Theatre boasts new renovations CARLA JAVIER
Sorority recruitment AN OUTSIDER’S FIELD GUIDE
HUMOR
SETH MERKIN MOROKOFF
Staff Writer
Associate Street Editor
T
he princeton garden theatre got a makeover this past summer — the walls are bluer, the concession stand is bigger and the ceilings are cleaner. The latest renovation is the result of a change in management of the historic 380-seat theater. The University has owned the land where the theater sits, the old garden of its neighbor the Bainbridge House, since CARLA JAVIER :: STAFF WRITER 1877 according to the In addition to its furnishings, Garden Theatre has updated its concessions range. University’s Director of Community and Regional Af- istrative assistant at Renew new will also be pursuing profairs Kristin Appelget. In 1993, the Theaters and a manager at the gramming changes. University bought the theater and Garden Theatre. He is an em“It’s hard to compete with outsourced its operations. ployee of Renew, and worked in places like AMC and Regal,” Tyra Over the past two decades, the Garden during many of the explained. “So we show everyPrinceton Garden Theatre Inc. renovations. thing else — foreign, indepenoversaw the movie theater’s logis“The old theater didn’t really dent, global filmmakers’ work tics. The terms of their contract — it had its own charm but it was and classic films.” had expired, and the University kind of outdated and getting a Tyra added that Renew hopes sent out requests for proposals little gross on the inside,” Wells to acquire a 35-millimeter projecfor their replacement. Appelget said. “It needed to be fixed up. So, tor in order to play older films declined to give the number of with a lot of help from the Univer- in their original medium. The management groups considered sity, we really repaired the place.” theater will continue to screen for the opportunity. Wells explained that when Re- first run movies for the UniverRenew Theaters, a Doylestown new took over management of sity and broader Princeton combased non-profit which manages the theater in June, they gave all munities. However, Renew is also three other historic theaters, took employees the opportunity to re- interested in working with stuover management of the Garden apply for their positions. He said dents on campus interested in usTheatre in June. many of them declined, as many ing the space for programming. “We believe historic theaters were high schoolers. This includes a continuation of deserve to be saved and can still While the team at the theater the late-night movie program function in a way that serves the may be new, the theater itself overseen by the Undergraduate community,” Renew Theaters largely resembles its pre-renova- Student Government. Renew marketing coordinator Allison tion state. Most of the changes will also pursue academic-based Tyra said. were cosmetic, including the ad- programming, like a professor’s According to Appelget, Renew dition of an extra wall around the picks movie series. demonstrated a “longstanding men’s bathroom and a cleaning of Appelget declined to provide commitment to organizations in the ceiling tiles. Some carpeting financial information about optowns that they’re in,” which she was replaced, and new floor light- erations at the Garden Theatre, called “a model that would work ing was added to the Garden’s two including whether or not it is well in Princeton.” theaters. Wells said he hopes the profitable for the University. InWhile the University footed next renovations in the theater stead, she said the University has the bill for exterior changes like will address replacing the seats. made investments in the theater fixing the roof drainage and and Noticeably, the concession — including new seatings and sidewalks, Renew took on the stand is larger and offers a larger restrooms in 2000 — because it cost of the interior changes. range of products -- including is an amenity that serves both Appelget declined to com- chocolate bars and a variety of students and the greater Princement on the total cost from the candies. Renew also took the op- ton community. University’s renovations, which portunity to highlight the the“We have received a favorable are in addition to an investment ater’s connection with the Univer- response from people in the of nearly $500,000 in “university sity by hanging photos of James broader Princeton community funds” last year for a new digital Stewart ’32. who were here as the theater projection and audio system in Appelget declined to disclose opened this summer,” Appelthe theater. the terms of the lease with Renew get explained. “We are looking Tyra said the renovations are Theaters, including the length of forward to the exciting opporestimated to cost more than the agreement between the Uni- tunity for student focused pro$150,000, but that they are on- versity and them. Aside from the gramming that students, facgoing. largely cosmetic changes to the ulty, and the community can Joseph Wells is an admin- theater’s physical appearance, Re- take advantage of.”
ASK THE SEXPERT This week, she discusses condoms. Dear Sexpert, I am a freshman girl, and I only recently started having sex. I was talking to one of my friends, who is pretty experienced, and she said that I don’t have to worry about using condoms because no one at Princeton has STIs. But another friend said that even though I won’t catch anything, I should always use condoms to make sure that I don’t get pregnant. What do I do?
— To Condom or Not to Condom
Dear To or Not to, It sounds like you are feeling confused because of conflicting information. On the one hand, you have heard that there are no sexually transmitted infections at Princeton but, on the other hand, you are also concerned about preventing pregnancy. Let’s dispel that first myth: According to University Health Services, there are documented cases of every common STI at Princeton every year. Nationally, one in four adults has an STI, and many are asymptomatic. This means they may not have symptoms and may not be aware that they have an STI, but could still be spreading it to
their partner(s). On college campuses, the most common STIs are genital warts, chlamydia and herpes. The good news is that most bacterial STIs, such as gonorrhea and chlamydia, are treatable with antibiotics if they are detected early. If you are sexually active, routine testing is a good idea, even if you do not think you have an STI. Sexual Health and Wellness at University Health Services/McCosh provides STI testing at a low cost and care for infections and sexually transmitted diseases. The only 100 percent effective method to prevent contracting an STI is abstinence. If you do choose to engage in sexual activity, a barrier protection method, such as a condom, is your best form of protection. Condoms, as well as dental dams, can also be used to provide protection during oral sex. Correct use of these barriers is essential to the effectiveness of prevention. If you are in a monogamous relationship and you and your partner have both tested negative for STIs, you can engage in safer sexual activity without a protective barrier. However, the condom is the only method of contraception that also protects from STI contraction. If you are concerned about preventing pregnancy, you may want to consider using a con-
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dom or another contraceptive method. A diaphragm is a device that covers the cervix, preventing sperm from entering the uterus. It must be covered with spermicide before each sexual encounter in order to be fully effective. There are a number of hormonal contraceptives available as well, such as intrauterine devices, birth control pills, contraceptive patches, vaginal rings and Depo-Provera. Talk with your healthcare provider or a clinician at SHAW about which method of contraception is best for you. While sometimes your friends can be good sources of information, when you receive conflicting advice from them, you can find reliable information about sexual and reproductive health at SHAW and online at http://bedsider.org or http:// plannedparenthood.org.
— The Sexpert Interested in Sexual Health? The Sexpert is always looking for members of the community to join the team of sexual health educators who, along with fact-checking from University health professionals, help write these columns. Email sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com for more information and questions about sexual health. Don’t be shy!
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he rumors are true: Theta recruits out of McCosh. Waking up in a sterile infirmary room to the sound of a rolling breakfast cart stocked with Gatorade and Rice Krispies next to an upperclassman may be your ticket into the sorority. In an ideal scenario, she will have lost her iPhone the previous night, lost her shoes while transitioning between PMC and McCosh and lost her patience waiting until noon for the one actual physician on staff to make rounds to your room. This situation will encourage her to collaborate with you to identify and contact a mutual friend to bring her necessary supplies. Even without these optimal conditions, combine forces to harass the nurses for refusing to release the two of you early or provide a decent bagel. Alternatively, Pi Phi recruits out of cycling classes at Dillon Gym. They comprise the entire force of spin instructors and the majority of participants. In a bizarre showing of Princeton politics, Pi Phi girls dominate select fitness classes. If you would like to project the image of religiously attending SoulCycle, join Pi Phi. If you’re just looking to wear Lulu leggings often throughout the winter, I believe joining any sorority will suffice. Once — before you were born — the Kappas weren’t invited to a frosh’s birthday party. It’s a pretty tired joke now, but one that can still solicit a closed lip smile from the right crowd. That’s actually all I know about Kappa, but it’s one of the only confirmed nuggets of knowledge in this article. The other true piece of information concerns Kappa as well, so they bear a bit of the brunt of this article,
but they do seem like a nice group of girls. A certain contingency of Thetas prides itsel f on the frattiness of the group. Collectively, the sorority can beat exactly four of the frats in a case race and even pick off those weaker groups simultaneously by sending out A, B and C teams to various competitions before blacking out and devolving into a tangle of seven-layer human kites. Pi Phi has a different conception of A teams and B teams, with the executive board sorting their potential new recruits into groups based on their appeal as future members. Current members can also easily understand their rank within the sorority based upon which team they are assigned. Rest assured; the assignment has no official effect on the outcome of bids unless you are placed on the C team, named such because for their boozy dinner they travel forty-five minutes on a train to Terminal C within Newark Liberty International Airport — the only location that meets both the requisite distance and meager budget allowances Pi Phi imposes on the girls unfit for association. To bolster their image as a boys’ club, many Thetas adopt inexplicable dressing habits. Boost your chances of acceptance into the group by wearing a bucket hat to recruitment. Maybe even throw on an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt over the dress you’ve selected for the event. Refer to it often, but only as “a Hawaiian.” Example: “I decided to throw on a Hawaiian because it’s not cold enough to break out the Patagonia just yet.” If the older sisters begin to develop a visceral reaction to the repetition of the word, the only acceptable substitute is
to call it your “Tommy Bahama.” Use this phrase sparingly. Ignore each of these suggestions if you’re seeking a bid from Pi Phi. Woodrow Wilson once said posthumously, regarding coeducation, “We must admit women, so that we may admit Theta.” The proper response to girls chanting “Pi Phi till I die” is not to share your immediate reaction that we are lucky to be a part of the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than our parents. Similarly, the proper response to “Pi Phi or die’ is not “Die!” Kappa, in an admirable show of transparency, once posted what appear to be real conversations from their listserv in a public Google Group. The most entertaining entry finds the sisterhood discussing whether potential new members will forget their sorority if their letters are left off the philanthropic tank Pi Phi plans to market encouraging girls to GO GREEK. Concerned with Pi Phi’s choice to push the slogan “The only way to fly: Pi Beta Phi,” Theta’s Executive Board feared girls would forget that they too have a slogan referencing flight and thus commissioned a Facebook cover photo reimagining the seminal battle scene in Paradise Lost. The image replaces the faces of Satan and Beelzebub with the top two Pi Phis, who suffer attacks by various Thetas dive-bombing them while carried through the air by archangel Gabriel, an image beautiful in its grotesque lack of pity. Ultimately, the sorority chose to abandon the commission because of its Christian imagery after realizing Ivy, the eventual home of many Pi Phis, may indeed be a more exclusive club than Heaven.
The Daily Princetonian
Thursday September 18, 2014
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Jump in! Free Fitness at Dillon Gymnasium TOP TEN STREET’S
‘wake up!’ CHITRA MARTI Staff Writer
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o be awake and functional, 7:30 a.m. is an impossibly early time. Fortunately for me, though, living right next to a dining hall means that every morning at 6:37, delivery trucks jolt me into consciousness, leaving no choice in the matter. This Tuesday, it also happened to be raining, and I had left the windows open, so nature seemed really resistant to the idea of my sleeping in. Thankfully, it’s Campus Rec’s free fitness week at Dillon Gymnasium, and they had the perfect class for me — Wake Up! every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 a.m. with Coe. Given the time, the class wasn’t exactly crowded. About 15 people eventually shuffled in, most arriving a few minutes late — three extremely buff middle-aged women, a few older female townies, a couple of other stu-
Zumba ANNA NIROOMAND Staff Writer
“O
k! Is everybody ready? Let’s go,” a young female instructor yelled out from the front of the room. “No,” I muttered to myself, but the music began anyway, blaring over my inner dialogue that had me questioning why I had shown up for the class. I’m not a fitness junkie. Occasionally, I might go for a casual run, but only after I’ve ignited some guilt about neglecting my body. But when I came across the advertisements for the free classes, I figured I had nothing to lose. Besides, there’s nothing like a new school year to delude yourself into believing that you can change your ways. Exercise seemed like the perfect new hobby to pick up half-heartedly. Despite my initial concerns, the fifty minutes passed quickly, and I even
SPIN
SOPHIE HARKINS Contributor
W
hen my alarm rang at 6:30 a.m. the morning after Lawnparties, I can’t exactly say that I was eager
Vestiges of Summer
dents and exactly one dude. We started off the class without weights, reaching for the ceiling as ‘90s rap blasted in the background. This dancing went on for a while, which felt, quite honestly, a bit ridiculous, but I suppose the moves got our heart rate up or something. Nothing quite like the Black Eyed Peas’ greatest hits at 7:45 a.m. to wake you up. Eventually we incorporated weights into our routine. “Cardio, resistance, cardio, resistance,” Coe explained of her fitness mentality. We started off small, just lifting them in various directions to work out different parts of our arms. We alternated between our pseudo line dancing and moving around with weights, occasionally throwing in some lunges and squats to mix it up. I suppose staying moving helped wake us up, though that may have had more to do with the fluorescent lights in the Group Fitness Room. Halfway through, we were all slightly out of breath, but not debilitatingly
BEN KOGER :: PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Staff writer Chitra Marti gets a full-body wake-up call as a part of the annual Free Fitness Week sponsored by Princeton Campus Recreation.
so, which is to say those who hadn’t brought water bottles didn’t rush to the water fountain. We continued the same cardio-resistance pattern for 35 of the total 50 minutes of the class. We then attempted some core workouts involving various complicated variations on a crunch, but I spent so much energy trying to understand
where my legs and arms and elbows were supposed to go that I don’t think I exercised any part of my body other than my neck, craning to see how Coe had positioned her body. As is expected of fitness classes, we stretched for so long — ten minutes past the end of class — that we basically started our own rubber band factory.
ing, this is the class for you. The constant movement does burn some calories, and the focus on dancing makes the exercise feel more like a party than a run of the mill “fight the flab” session. It is the kind of class you’d like to invite friends to attend. As the music is playing, you can each make your best efforts to dance along and laugh with (or at) each other. Which leads me to my next point: Don’t be so obsessed with watching yourself in the mirror. You may struggle with the moves, but Zumba is more about reveling in the experience. No one is expecting you to shake it like Beyoncé during your first class. Yes, you may get lost once or twice – salsa steps left me feeling like a twisted mess of arms and legs – but there is a distinct sense of fun. Regardless of whether you’re
a merengue expert or cha cha newbie, Zumba is an amusing way to burn off those late meal calories.
to jump out of bed for a 7 a.m. spin class. But as an injured cross-country runner, I have been spending my fair share of time on a bike, alone with my thoughts, Netflix and a puddle of sweat. I have been craving camaraderie in my workouts — and what better place to find it than Campus Rec’s free fitness week at Dillon Gymnasium. I have been to spin classes before but had never ventured to one at Dillon. Mainly scared away by the price, I was eager to try something new. A unique thing about spinning is each instructor’s influence on the experi-
ence — for better or worse. I have had some of my best spin workouts led by a 65-year-old woman with more energy than I thought possible. I have been to some of the worst spin classes with an instructor, a male around 30, who chose to show movie trailers for a large portion of class. Needless to say, I was curious to see what I would find on campus. I walked into class and was greeted by Megan, our energetic and very pregnant instructor dressed in a bright pink shirt. Megan introduced herself to everyone and offered to help first-timers set up their bike. She explained what everything meant on the small computers attached to the handlebars — RPMs (revolutions per minute), watts, etc. At the start of the workout, Megan listed the types of spin classes that Dillon offers: endurance, strength and interval. Endurance classes focus on building aerobic endurance. Strength workouts involve climbing and descending “hills” through gradual increases and decreases in resistance. Interval workouts consist of short bursts of high intensity. Megan spent a third of the class in each zone to give a preview of what they involve. She explained which por-
tion we were on, what was next and how much time was left in each section — which, trust me, is crucial information on the toughest hill climbs and intervals. And she kept us going with upbeat music, an essential part of spin workouts. Spinning is a unique group fitness opportunity because it is specific to the individual. Even though everyone is led through the same workout, you have total control over your own effort and resistance. For people who are nervous about attending a group class or feel intimidated by others’ athletic prowess, spin is perfect. No one “falls behind” and the workout is as hard or easy as you want. Megan would give an RPM to aim for, but she emphasized that it could mean a different resistance level for everyone. Overall, it was a great workout. But I have to say it — how can you NOT feel a bit bad about yourself when a pregnant woman is shouting orders, kicking your butt and simultaneously working very hard herself? I was impressed — and, better yet, I am seriously considering buying a punch card. Looking forward (well, sort of) to class at 7 a.m. tomorrow.
Lingering hookah cough from Jordan.
Lawnparties guests from the United Kingdom. Mental stability found in a Japanese zen garden. Dreams dreamed in Brazil.
Dwindling happiness.
WHIG HALL Thusday, 4:30 p.m.
You may have heard that Princeton students are politically apathetic ... well, the College Republicans, College Democrats, Princeton United Left, Princeton Tory and moderates on campus would beg to differ. Join these groups at the WhigClio sponsored panel to get a sense of political action on campus. Complimentary refreshments will be served to pacify any lingering hard feelings. One thing the left and right can agree on? An Olives chocolate chip cookie.
BEN KOGER :: PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
DAILY PRINCETONIAN STAFF
Student develops hangover cure, expands line of under the table U. supplements
A few spare Indian rupees.
PANEL POLITICS AT PRINCETON
articles you didn’t read this week
Student documentarian explores ‘sugar daddy’ relationship; Career Services plans info session for interested students
Ignored texts from your summer fling in New Zealand.
CAMPUS PICKS
HEADLINERS AND HEADSHAKERS Mathey College distributes sweatshirts resembling female reproductive system, as sponsored by Abercrombie
2 4 6 8 10
The fungal infection you contracted in Bolivia.
Threadbare chubbies from the Hamptons.
found myself enjoying the class to my disbelief. Pam, our instructor, slowly demonstrated the moves, and I diligently attempted to copy them. With a view of myself in the wall of mirrors at the front of the room, I began to critique my own form as I fell behind the instructor’s quick pace. I clearly wasn’t a professional dancer, but Pam’s upbeat nature and her constant encouragement kept me trying throughout the class as I struggled to make my body move as effortlessly as she did. The instructor is perhaps the most important factor of a Zumba class, as the music and the dance routine are completely at her discretion. Pam’s enthusiasm kept me going, and her energy made me forget that I probably looked completely uncoordinated. By the end of the class, I felt good. I had broken a sweat and felt that I had gotten a decent workout. Don’t get me wrong – Zumba is not on the same full-body workout level as a good run outside, and I would hardly call what I had just done intensive cardio. For those of you out there who are new to working out or find more traditional forms of exercise bor-
BEN KOGER :: PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
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Your fading tan from the West Coast.
PRINCETON MAYOR BRE KS TIE IN VOTE TO RAISE OWNAW AGE
Fewer students McCoshed during fall Lawnparties, frats fear low interest in distant future
loses Big Sibs ends as partner schooprl ot charter; “But, Maaaaa,” sibs est
ARTS COLLABORATION ‘Art’ Preview and Art Museum‘Late Thursdays’ PINCETON UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM Friday, 7 p.m.
Theatre Intime will be unveiling a preview of its upcoming production, “Red,” this week. This is a piece for fans of both theatrical and visual arts: American playwright John Logan fictionalizes the career of abstract expressionist Mark Rothko. The preview will take place in the Princeton University Art Museum’s galleries and precede a reception and tours of the museum’s current featured exhibit, “Rothko to Richter: Mark-Making in Abstract Painting.” The art is from the collection of Preston H. Haskell ’60 and includes 27 paintings from 1950 to 1990.
CHORALE CONCERT GLEE CLUB PRESENTS SCHOLA CANTORUM TRINITY CHURCH, 33 MERCER ST. Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Are you already missing the wanderlust of summer? Maybe you long for the freedom to pick up and go anywhere on the map or just a chance to experience culture that’s not so close to home. If so, find your way to Trinity Church this Thursday to discover the mesmerizing melodies of Oxford University’s Schola Cantorum. The choir is one of the longest established and most well-known chamber choirs in the U.K. As the first featured guests in the Glee Club’s new series that will feature choral groups from across the globe, Schola Cantorum has toured in countries including Poland, Argentina, China and Israel in recent years.
CONCERT TAKACS STRING QUARTET AND MERYL STREEP RICHARDSON AUDITORIUM FRIDAY, 7:30 P.M.
Good news: Meryl Streep is coming to campus on Friday. Bad news: The concert is already sold out. While we understand this is a crushing blow, we could not allow her presence on campus to pass unacknowledged by the section of the paper where many writers aspire to be Meryl Streep. The concert will include Streep’s narration of excerpts from Philip Roth’s novella, “Everyman,” interspersed with the string quartet’s performances of works by Franz Schubert and Arvo Part. In 2007, a rendition of this concert was performed at Carnegie Hall featuring the late Philip Seymour Hoffmon as narrator. Roth has lengthened the narration portion for the Princeton concert to offer greater exposure to the novella’s focus on the vulnerabilities of life. Although the concert is sold out, a stand-by line will open at 5:30 p.m. for the hopeful.