STUDENT LIFE
THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF WASHINGTON UNIVERSIT Y IN ST. LOUIS SINCE 1878 Sadly, the men’s soccer team couldn’t pull out a win this weekend against perennial rivals University of Chicago. Page 5.
Couldn’t get tickets to Bauhaus? You’re not Scene finds out what it’s like to be an atheist alone. The editorial board protests strictures or opera singer on campus with profiles of on the annual event in Forum. Page 4. two quite different freshmen. Page 6.
VOLUME 127, NO. 30
Standing up and coming out in college can be tough. Scene looks at this “rite of passage” in an in-depth feature. Page 8.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2005
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Once upon a time at Diwali By Jessie Rothstein Contributing Reporter Many weeks of preparation and tiring rehearsals on the part of the Diwali cast and crew culminated in three performances this weekend celebrating the Indian “Festival of Lights.” With a new focus on social action, the annual event sold out Edison Theatre after many camped out at the box office to grab a ticket. This year’s show, “Once Upon A Time…Ek Baar Ki Baat Hai…” consisted of a variety of Indian dance performances and music following the light-hearted story of an American-born Indian girl who comes face-to-face with her heritage when her mother drags her to India for an arranged marriage. The show not only celebrated Indian culture in a variety of ways, but also for the first time educated the audience about the severe challenges facing the Indian population today through an informative slideshow. Diwali 2005 included 170 participants representing a wide range of backgrounds and talents. As junior Archna Eniasivam, co-cultural chair of Ashoka along with junior Hreem Dave, said, “We’re really proud of this show because we think it incorporates a lot of the general body of Wash. U. We really pride ourselves on the fact that anyone, regardless
EITAN HOCHSTER | STUDENT LIFE
Students get down at Dance Marathon in the Athletic Complex on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005. ALWYN LOH | STUDENT LIFE
Students perform during Diwali on Friday, Nov. 4, 2005. The popular program had 170 participants this year. of being Indian, regardless of knowing how to do the dances, can be a part of it.” Behind the scenes, Ashoka plans to donate two dollars from each Diwali ticket to two different charities. Along with donating to SA ATHI, the HIV and AIDS prevention group in India that received last year’s Diwali donations, Ashoka also decided to donate to a charity called Direct International Relief, which sends money to places hit by disasters, such as the tsunami of 2004 and the recent earthquake. “This year we chose two because we thought they were both important causes,” said Dave. The show has been in the works since last spring, when this year’s co-cultural
DAVID HARTSTEIN | STUDENT LIFE
Ashoka will donate two dollars from every Diwali ticket to charitable organizations working in India.
chairs were elected and began looking for a skit-writer. Choreographers and participants auditioned during the first few weeks of the school year and practiced devotedly throughout the month of October, with the major dances requiring an average of three or four two-hour sessions per week. As the show approached, daily rehearsals were necessary, and the performers practiced late into the night. “It’s tiring, but honestly it’s worth it to see the audience react how they do,” said Eniasivam. The enthusiasm and support shown by the audience played a key role in all three performances; even in the Saturday afternoon show, which tends to be a little less energetic, “the audience still got really into it,” recounted Eniasivam. Sophomore Amelia Einbender-Lieber, who saw the show for the first time this year, remarked, “What enchanted me most about Diwali was how you could really feel the pride in Indian culture through the dancing, the music, the clothing—everything.” Diwali coincided with Dance Marathon this year, as last occurred in 2004, which Eniasivam describes as “a big problem, because we target the same audiences.” Yet the organizers of both events took certain measures to ensure that everyone who wanted to attend both events had the opportunity to do so.
See DIWALI, page 3
Dance Marathon nets over $58,000 By Margy Levinson Contributing Reporter A record-breaking 521 students packed the Athletic Complex Saturday night, singing along to the Backstreet Boys or just laughing and giggling while getting their groove on at Washington University’s seventh annual Dance Marathon. The 12-hour charity event netted over $58,000 for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. “Our goal was 500 participants, and we went over,” said Adina Seidenfeld, senior and co-chair for family relations. This year there were 521 registered dancers. “This is 100 more than last year, and last year was at least 100 more than the year before,” said senior and co-overall Katie Kross. “There has been an increase since we moved to the fall.” The Dance Marathon moved to the fall semester last year. According to Kross, this was done to “get more freshmen involved” and to bring a large community service event to campus in the fall. “There was no big event in the fall, and we wanted to balance it with our big spring fundraiser, Relay for
Life,” said Seidenfeld. “We target freshmen, because then people realize how much fun it is and continue doing it.” Dance Marathon raises money for the national Children’s Miracle Network, an organization that helps raise money for children’s hospitals. This year’s Marathon focused on fundraising for St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. “Infants in the prenatal care unit need units that can cost $20,000 for just one [isolette],” said Seidenfeld. An isolette is similar to an incubator for newborns. “That’s why it’s important to raise money. The hospitals need the money,” she said. Although freshmen were the largest group that participated, groups from Greek Life and Campus Y, among others, joined in on the party. “People can bond doing this together for 12 hours,” said Seidenfeld. Christine Linck, a national Children’s Network adviser who works with Washington University, has been working with Dance Marathon since the beginning. “I’ve seen it grow. It’s now to the point where it’s a tradition,” she said. “I’m just thrilled. It’s incredible
how much people are aware, and it’s amazing how much students and execs put into it.” Dance Marathon is more than just dancing; it also includes silent auctions and dancing with patients. “We have miracle children come and visit. They are like superheroes that come to inspire,” said junior Tassy Hayden, co-chair of public relations. “We do it all for the kids.” Throughout the night the Marathon jumped into theme hours. Some, such as the Halloween-themed hour, were geared toward the kids, featuring activities like face painting. Other themes included country, rock star, pajama and Greek motifs. Several clubs and organizations from around campus performed as well, such as the Salsa Team, who danced during Around the World hour. “The ‘90s hits hour was quite good,” said senior Ben Kornfeld. “I know all the words because I grew up on them.” “This year’s Disney hour was a very big hit. Everyone loved it,” said Kross. “We’ve had really good music.” Organizers provided other activities for dancers
See DANCE MARATHON, page 3
CS40 to tackle Giuliani brings presidential air ‘hybrid living’ NEWS ANALYSIS
to Founders Day campus visit By Brad Nelson News Editor
DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani answers students’ questions at a Founders Day event in Lab Sciences on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2005.
It was evident from the moment Rudy Giuliani stepped into the Laboratory Sciences lecture hall Saturday afternoon that this was a man gearing up for a presidential run in 2008. He may not have officially declared his candidacy yet, but everything about him seemed to indicate that his Founders Day talk to students was a notso-subtle dress rehearsal for the campaign stops that await him in the months to come. Wearing a sharp pinstripe suit and red tie with white checks and accompanied by a procession of bodyguards and Chancellor Mark Wrighton, Giuliani strode regally down the stairs to the podium, allowing each of the some 250 audience members in attendance to catch a hint of the aura of a man who guided the nation out of one of the darkest days in its history. Even the audience members
you would least expect to be awestruck were. A Student Life reporter couldn’t help but blush after Giuliani turned around in his chair and whispered with a gentle smile, “Hi, how are you doing?” David Ader, the Student Union president, stopped twice in his speech to collect himself. “I’m just so taken aback by being in your presence,” said Ader, a man well known for graceful public speaking. After a disarming story surrounding Giuliani’s proclamation that “New York is the greatest city on earth”—which apparently some other mayors took offense to—he opened the floor for questions. In a format similar to that of a town hall meeting, Giuliani took questions for 45 minutes from a group of pre-selected individuals—though it should be noted he seemed to express interest in taking questions from
See GUILIANI, page 3
By Josh Hantz Contributing Reporter Recycle a plastic bottle with the cap still on and the Congress of the South 40 (CS40) may call you out on it. It’s all part of CS40’s revamped environmental awareness agenda spearheaded by its new Hybrid Living Committee (HLC). “Our goal is to inspire healthy living on the 40,” said sophomore Debra Stern, an HLC co-chair. “It’s more than environmental. It’s about how we can all live together.” The program started this year after students saw a general need for increased awareness of these issues around campus. “It was a huge eye-opener living on the 40,” Stern said. “We’re trying to do as much as we can, but the system makes [recycling] kind of difficult. It can be more built-in, though. Even if someone has to think about it, it’s not so hard to switch over.”
The biggest issue facing HLC and the Committee on Environmental Quality (CEQ ) is recycling, or the lack thereof. According to Stern and sophomore Alex Lowenstein, HLC’s other co-chair, students often do not know how to recycle. “People don’t have the proper information to recycle,” Stern said. “Things are actually being thrown out, not recycled. A whole bin can be ruined by one thing [that contaminates it]. Now we’re making a distinction between garbage and recycling.” Lowenstein added that students must be conscious of their own actions and the environment. “If people think there’s no problem, they won’t change,” he said. “We have to set a precedent for next year and future years so that more and more will change.” According to sophomore CEQ Student Chair Emily Dangremond, the policies of
See HYBRID LIVING, page 3
2 STUDENT LIFE | NEWS
Senior News Editor / Sarah Kliff / news@studlife.com
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News: (314) 935-5995 Advertising: (314) 935-6713 Fax: (314) 935-5938 E-mail: editor@studlife.com www.studlife.com Copyright 2005 Editor in Chief: Margaret Bauer Associate Editor: Liz Neukirch Managing Editor: David Tabor Senior News Editor: Sarah Kliff Senior Forum Editor: Molly Antos Senior Cadenza Editor: Laura Vilines Senior Scene Editor: Sarah Baicker Senior Sports Editor: Justin Davidson Senior Photo Editor: David Brody Senior Graphics Editor: Brian Sotak News Editors: Laura Geggel, Brad Nelson Contributing Editor: Mandy Silver Forum Editors: Zach Goodwin, Daniel Milstein, Jeff Stepp, Brian Schroeder, Matt Shapiro Cadenza Editors: Adam Summerville, Jordan Deam, Robbie Gross Scene Editors: Kristin McGrath, Sarah Klein Sports Editor: Joe Ciolli Photo Editors: David Hartstein, Pam Buzzetta, Oliver Hulland Online Editor: Dan Daranciang Copy Editors: Allie McKay, Nina Perlman, Kelly Donahue, Erin Fults, Rebecca Emshwiller, hannah draper, Julian Beattie, Mallory Wilder Designers: Ellen Lo, Laura McLean, Anna Dinndorf, Andy Gavinski, Jamie Reed, Elizabeth Kaufman, Jonathan Kim
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7, 2005
University-wide paint-balling this Saturday The Junior Class Council, CS40 and the Outing Club are sponsoring a schoolwide paint-balling trip to Wacky Warriors this Saturday, Nov. 12. Transportation, equipment, play time and food are included in the
INTERNATIONAL Rioting continues in suburbs of Paris
$15 price. The event will last from 11 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Students can register, sign release waivers and receive more information about the event in Wohl Center and the Village between 6-8 p.m. until Thursday of this week.
48-hour see-saw fundraiser begins Weds. The Campus Y will be holding a 48-hour see-saw fundraiser beginning on the Campus Y patio this Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 12 p.m. and ending the same time Friday, Nov. 11. All proceeds
go to the Campus Y’s Partner Campaign. Students can also contribute to the cause by attending the Y’s weekly cheap dinner, held this week on Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at a price of $4.
KRT CAMPUS
Riots in the Paris suburb of Aubervilliers on November 4, 2005. Police clashed with angry youths following the death by electrocution on October 27 of two boys trying to escape from police.
General Manager: Andrew O’Dell Copyright 2005 Washington University Student Media, Inc. (WUSMI). Student Life is the financially and editorially independent, student-run newspaper serving the Washington University community. First copy of each publication is free; all additional copies are 50 cents. Subscriptions may be purchased for $80.00 by calling (314) 935-6713. Student Life is a publication of WUSMI and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the Washington University administration, faculty or students. All Student Life articles, photos and graphics are the property of WUSMI and may not be reproduced or published without the express written consent of the General Manager. Pictures and graphics printed in Student Life are available for purchase; e-mail editor@ studlife.com for more information. Student Life reserves the right to edit all submissions for style, grammar, length and accuracy. The intent of submissions will not be altered. Student Life reserves the right not to publish all submissions. If you’d like to place an ad, please contact the Advertising Department at (314) 935-6713. If you wish to report an error or request a clarification, e-mail editor@studlife.com.
The French ministry held an emergency meeting Sunday night to address the riots that have swept through the suburbs of Paris for the past 10 days, resulting in the arrests of over 800 citizens and 3,300 buses, cars and other vehicles set on fire.
The violence, which began on Oct. 27 in many heavily Arab suburbs, is seen largely as a response to France’s unique integration policy, which discourages recognizing ethnic, religious or cultural differences among citizens. Even with the aid
of 2,300 extra security forces and seven helicopters circling above Paris, the government was unable to control the sporadic outbreak of riots, most of which involved French youth making small attacks.
NATIONAL Army’s offshore chemical weapons dumping revealed Offshore chemical weapons dumping by the United States Army, some dating back to World War I, has come to surface on shores around the country. An investigation by the Daily Press in Newport, Va. has
revealed that the Army recently admitted to dumping 64 million pounds of nerve and mustard gas into the ocean off the coast of 11 states, including areas of the Gulf Coast, East Coast, California and Hawaii. Of
the 26 dump zones, the Army has examined only a few over the past 30 years. A shell filled with solid mustard gas was found off the coast of New Jersey in the summer of 2004.
Know a little somethin’-somethin’ ‘bout the ways of love and desire? Scene’s in need of a regular romance columnist to explain the ins and outs of collegiate affairs. Think you qualify? E-mail senior Scene editor Sarah Baicker at sbaicker@wustl.edu for details.
Senior News Editor / Sarah Kliff / news@studlife.com
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7, 2005
DANCE MARATHON v FROM PAGE 1
Staff Reporter
EITAN HOCHSTER | STUDENT LIFE
Dance Marathon raised over $58,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network. Kornfeld said, “I’m an RA on Ruby 3, and we had a floor team, but I think it’s been really well run, with constant entertainment. [The people in charge] have done an amazing job.” “It’s important that kids our age help kids in need,” said freshman Josh Lanzet. “A lot of kids our age overlook it, and it’s not as hard to get involved as you might think.” He continued, “It gives kids the opportunity to dance for an amazing cause. We can dance and have fun at the same time.” Dance Marathon’s executives started getting people hyped for the event about a month ago. “We danced in Bowles Plaza on October 6th and 7th,” said Kross. The execs danced outside to help raise awareness and money by selling t-shirts and baked goods and letting people dance with them for two dollars. “It helped gain awareness for Dance Marathon, and we had a great time,” said Kross.
Know something about love? We need someone who can tell it like it is when it comes to Wash. U. romance.
Ever since he was a little boy, Jayanth Iyengar wanted to appear on the game show “Jeopardy!” “I have been watching the show since I was eight or nine, and I enjoyed playing along in the living room,” said Iyengar, a junior. “I had wanted to try out for a while, but every time I checked the Web site, it said that tryouts were closed.” Iyengar fi nally got his chance last month, when he was invited on as a contestant on the “Jeopardy! College Championship.” His appearance, which was taped on Oct. 1 and 2 at the Royal Bank of Canada Center in Raleigh, N.C., will debut on Tuesday. (It will air locally on Channel 5 at 3:30 p.m. that day.)
The tryouts Iyengar got his lucky break at the end of May when tryouts fi nally opened. Two weeks after expressing interest on the game show’s Web site, he received an e-mail instructing him to head to Memphis to try out. At the tryouts, he and other potential contestants were split up into two teams of 80. They were then given a 30-question
Want to be our next romance columnist? E-mail senior Scene editor Sarah Baicker for details at sbaicker@wustl.edu.
exam and had about Still, Iyengar seven seconds to said “Jeopardy!” is answer each quesa hard game to pretion. pare for, no matter After the exams how much studywere graded, Iyening you do. “The gar was one of ten game is really uncontestants in his predictable. They group selected to don’t give you any advance to the next Jayanth Iyengar categories, so you round, in which he don’t go in expectplayed a mock game of “Jeop- ing anything,” he said. ardy!” where he had to answer The week before the taping, 10-15 questions. Afterward, he Iyengar tried to stay healthy and was interviewed and asked why eat well. But the night before, he he wanted to be on the show. didn’t get much sleep. “I am alIn September, Iyengar re- ways kind of anxious before I go ceived the big news. “When on a trip, even home, and I don’t they called, I was talking to my know why,” he said. mom and making dinner. She Meeting Alex Trebek didn’t was surprised. I told my dad help. “Seeing him on television later that evening, and he was for so long and being two feet happy about it. [Being on “Jeop- away from him is surreal,” Iyardy!”] is defi nitely something engar said. “The whole process that doesn’t happen everyday. is like a dream because you’re I was really surprised, because hearing people you have been everyone I met at my tryout was exposed to for many years. On really smart. I thought my odds television, he cuts people off were extremely slim.” and seems abrasive. In person, he came off a lot better. He was The preparations a really fi ne individual.” Iyengar prepared mostly by looking at pop culture facts, The man which he felt was his weakest Outside of his game show area. success, Iyengar just fi nished He said his strongest was ge- publishing a book written in ography. “When I was young, it Hindi that started off as a fiwas something I was really in- nal project for his class. He is terested in,” he said. also the president of ATMA, the
Hindu Student Association, and a member of the Student Group Activities Committee. “He is the most hardworking guy I know. He is an overachiever in the best sense of the word,” said senior Rajat Jain, a friend of Iyengar’s and the treasurer of ATMA. Sophomore Rachna Goel said, “He is really understanding and open-minded. Those qualities allowed him to go through the [“Jeopardy!”] process. He did it with a fun attitude and didn’t get a big head about it.” Goel recounted a time on a scavenger hunt when she was partners with Iyengar, who answered every trivia question during the game. “It blew me away,” said Goel. Judy Culp, Iyengar’s work supervisor at the business library, said he never ceases to impress her. “He has a pretty impressive work ethic. He is super mature and very responsible. In January, he is doing a semester away, and he already has a couple of jobs lined up for the summer. A lot of my workers are not that prepared.” If Iyengar has one weakness, Culp said, it’s his wardrobe. “I am always teasing him about his fashion,” said Culp. “I told his sister to take him out shopping.”
GIULIANI v FROM PAGE 1 general audience members as well, but the chance never materialized. With each question, he took the position of a candidate on the stump, reeling off pearls of wisdom with every thought, including the following:
artwork. I just don’t have to pay for it. The Brooklyn Art Museum in 1999 was going to display a sculpture of the Virgin Mary with cow dung on it. A publicly financed museum has to deal with different standards than a private museum.
-Seven out of 10 Americans are both pro-life and pro-choice, including me. And you may ask, how can you be both at the same time? The answer is: we think abortion is wrong, but the government shouldn’t make that decision for you.
-There were a few moments right after the World Trade Center Towers fell when I wondered if we were going to be able to get through this. But after that, I didn’t have those thoughts again.
-My biggest failure as mayor of New York was not taking control of the city’s education system away from the state. Maybe I should have used the word ‘accountability’ instead. -Handguns are very dangerous things, especially in cities, and need to be regulated. As for the other stuff, I’m not so sure about that. -I don’t have the right to censor
-Before I became mayor, crime was rampant in New York City. When I took office, we instituted a COMSTAT program, where we were using statistical printouts to determine how many types of specific crimes were happening and where. The program reduced crime by 70 percent. -The people of New York deal better with big things than with small things. A blackout they handle terrifically; they do what they’re supposed to. If you don’t
DAVID BRODY | STUDENT LIFE
Mayor Giuliani spoke about a number of subjects, ranging from New York’s crime reduction program to Pope John Paul II’s affirmation of New York as the “greatest city in the world.” pick up their garbage on time, that’s going to drive them crazy. -I’m not going to comment on the response to Hurricane Ka-
HYBRID LIVING v FROM PAGE 1 Washington University’s garbage company, Midwest Waste, are also a reason for concern. “[Recycling] is not its main business, so it’s like an addon,” she said. “It doesn’t take it as seriously as it should.” To combat this problem, the University is hiring a new company that will only deal with recycling. It will sort through the contamination so things intended to be recycled actually are. CEQ also plans on placing garbage cans and recycling bins side by side to make re-
cycling easier. “Recycling bins are overflowing with trash,” Dangremond said. “People need to be more aware.” Recycling is not the HLC’s only theme. “It’s also about sustainability issues and ways to integrate sustainable lifestyles,” Lowenstein said. The HLC’s next event will discuss sustainable seafood practices such as eating healthy fish and maintaining the fish population. Flyers promoting the event have been made widely visible in
campus eateries. The committee’s longterm goals include reducing the amount of food wasted in the cafeterias and working with Wydown Middle School to promote the same ideals to younger people. “We all have a connection to the land,” Lowenstein said. “We are Wash. U. students and we can make a difference. This is the next thing.” He doesn’t expect that improvements will be immediately noticeable, though. “The hardest problem is to show that we’re making a difference,” he said. “Things won’t change in one year.” The University’s Environmental Health and Safety program is publishing a report on current campus statistics to be released later this semester.
trina. It used to drive me crazy when people would go on TV and criticize me as mayor—especially when they didn’t have access to all the facts.
DIWALI v FROM PAGE 1 The Diwali organizers designated a certain number of tickets for Friday night’s show for Dance Marathon participants, and, accordingly, people who showed Diwali ticket stubs at Dance Marathon got in for a reduced price. This problem occurs because both groups can only book the time slots that Edison Theatre and the Athletic Complex can offer them. Although the Ashoka cocultural chairs remark that “it ends up working out really nicely,” they hope that next year the events will not take place on the same weekend.
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WU student to go on ‘Jeopardy!’ By Elizabeth Lewis
and supporters so that they could continue to stand up for the 12 hours, but have an option besides dancing. There were signs around the gym thanking various organizations, and listing the “Top 15 things to do at Dance Marathon” with suggestions including “beat your roommate at foosball” and “show off basketball skills.” There was also food to keep energy high, mostly donated by Bon Appétit. Other forms of entertainment, such as the huge inflatable, were paid for, but at a discount. Dance Marathon was not limited to the University community. Students from Fontbonne, as well as Clayton, Ladue and Pattonville High Schools also shimmied at the Athletic Complex. “It’s not just for Wash. U.; it’s for the St. Louis community,” said Linck. Many other universities participate across the country. Everyone had their own reasons for participating.
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Senior Forum Editor / Molly Antos / forum@studlife.com
FORUM
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7, 2005
Our daily Forum editors: Monday: Jeff Stepp Wednesday: Daniel Milstein Friday: Zach Goodwin jsstepp@wustl.edu daniel.milstein@wustl.edu goodwin@wustl.edu To ensure that we have time to fully evaluate your submissions, guest columns should be e-mailed to the next issue’s editor or forwarded to forum@studlife.com by no later than 5 p.m. two days before publication. Late pieces will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. We welcome your submissions, and thank you for your consideration.
Am I having Free Bauhaus of restrictions a quarter-life W crisis? STAFF EDITORIAL
ith the passing of another Halloween passes another Bauhaus, second only to WILD in its attendance and debauchery. Sadly, the past few years have seen Bauhaus undergo significant changes, most notably the addition of a ticket requirement in order to enter. When asked about the change, Green Givens President Jared Heming and Architecture Student Council President Anisa Baldwin Metzger said that ticketing system was developed in response to administrative concern regarding the size of the party. These continued restrictions raise some concerns about how Bauhaus is handled. First of all, the school’s desire to limit attendance at Bauhaus,
though understandable, seems to be unnecessary. If Team 31 can host WILD twice a year on University property, why can’t the architecture school open Bauhaus up to all comers? If security is an issue, bring in more security staff. If the location is an issue, alternate venues for the party need to be discussed. Isn’t it worth it to continue the tradition of goofy Halloween-weekend debauchery that Bauhaus represents? Further, the ticket distribution system for Bauhaus needs serious reworking. With 2,000 tickets to give out, why were tickets only distributed in Mallinckrodt—and why were tickets only given away between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.? Many students have classes during these hours, and Mallinckrodt, though central
to the Hilltop Campus, is not necessarily somewhere the majority of Wash. U. students will stop during the day. Many students have complained that they wanted to attend Bauhaus, but were left without tickets when they couldn’t make it to Mallinckrodt during the day. In past years, tickets were given away at Wohl Center during dinner hours. Why not revive this practice and guarantee that students living in on-campus housing can make it out to the party? Heming and Metger remarked that tickets had been given away in Wohl in past years, yet surprisingly the group failed to make them available there this year. Also, why not give away tickets at the Village during dinner hours as well? Ne-
glecting to do so leaves out a significant portion of upperclassmen, many of whom live in fraternity houses, the Millbrook apartments, and the Village. Many off-campus students also frequent the Village in the evening—so making tickets available there would accommodate them as well. We appreciate the administration’s concern for our wellbeing. That said, it would be nice if everyone who wants to attend this party, which is supposedly open to all students, were actually able to do so. Hopefully, those in charge of Bauhaus will be able to work with the administration to smooth things out so that next year’s pimps, hobos, angels and devils will be able to party at Bauhaus without facing these problems.
KRT CAMPUS | EDITORIAL CARTOON
W
e all do it. We sit around, reminiscing with friends, nostalgic about the great TV shows and books of our childhood. We talk about cartoon characters: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Voltron, Thundercats, Transformers, Care Bears, My Little Pony; about sitcoms: “Boy Meets World,” “Saved by the Bell,” “The Wonder Years,” “Fresh Prince of BelAir;” about books: “A Wrinkle in Time,” “The Hobbit,” “Chronicles of Narnia,” “The Phantom Tollbooth.” This reminiscing is always great fun, but when I walked into Jeff the bookstore last Stepp week and walked out with the full “Chronicles of Narnia” and (almost) “The Complete Calvin and Hobbes,” I wondered, am I having a quarter-life crisis? Men, we often hear of the mid-life crisis. It’s when we’re really starting to show our age. We’re bald, gray, balding, graying or some combination of those; our kids are in school, and our favorite music from our teen years is playing on the oldies radio station. How we thirst for the fountain of youth! Remember when we stayed up all night partying instead of going to bed at 10 p.m.? Yeah, that was awesome! So we dye our hair, buy expensive cars and pretend that we’re not married with two children and at least that many mortgages. The mid-life crisis is a classic angst inherent in our culture. But just as this midlife crisis speaks of men yearning to be 21, I believe there is a quarter-life crisis, one that speaks of men and women yearning to be 10. When I went back to my parents’ house this summer, I dug out the boxes of old elementary school memorabilia my mom had saved in the attic, looking for treasure. I found old notebooks filled with
stories that I had written about me saving the world and being home in time for dinner (oh, those were the days). I found notes that I angrily wrote to my parents and threw down the stairs, attached to some clunky toy. I found my old soccer jersey and a first grade award for “being nice.” Just touching this old stuff brought back a flood of memories and, I’m not ashamed to admit, a couple watery eyes. Childhood was, as all the clichés prove, the best time of our lives. We were uninhibited: we could pretend we were superheroes simply by wrapping ourselves in a blanket, throwing a metal colander on our heads, and running around the kitchen like a banshee, antagonizing our parents. We could read books about fantasy lands and actually believe we were there! Leonardo and Optimus Prime were not just cartoon characters; they were our friends. A hole in the ground became a project to dig to China; a closet became a hiding place; a group of friends became a secret club. In fact, anything could become anything with enough imagination. As kids, we weren’t cynics—we took people at their word. Somebody wasn’t a Democrat or Republican, they were nice, or cool, or yucky. So as I enter my final year as a student and begin my first year as a “working adult,” I think it’s natural to long for yesterday. I don’t think a quarter-life crisis is a crisis at all. There are many things we can learn from childhood; that “All I need to know I learned in kindergarten” poster is pretty damn right. We, of course, can’t be stuck in Candyland, but there’s nothing that says we can’t break off a little piece and bring it with us. Jeff is a senior in Arts & Sciences. He can be reached via e-mail at forum@studlife.com.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Architecture students are victims of the system Dear Editor: While I appreciated your recognition of the unhealthy environment that the heav y architecture workload creates, I found it offensive that the article ended by blaming the students for this problem. It shows a basic lack of understanding of the outside expectations of architecture students. Fact: We have an intense workload, where a single assignment per class can easily take over 24 hours to design and build. Fact: Most of us love our work; if we didn’t, we would have transferred by now. This would not be such a conflict of interest if we did not have to take so many other classes. Not only do we work many hours outside of class, but as sophomores we have six hours of studio for which we only receive three
credit hours, and as juniors we have eight hours of studio for five credit hours. Therefore, most of us have to take at least three other classes to break part-time student status. A pressure on architecture students to take more than this minimum is that we are also expected to fulfill ArtSci requirements for graduation—that horror of horrors, the cluster system. An irony this creates is that while we are closely affiliated with the art school, to take an art class as an architecture student is the kiss of death. Art studios have similar time commitments as architecture studios and are worthless requirement-wise to our ArtSci obligations. Thus the joining of the art and architecture schools under the Sam Fox School of Design currently seems like a cruel joke. Yet there are valid solu-
tions to the issue of compromising our health or compromising our work. Architecture students can be made exempt from ArtSci requirements (redundant partially because architecture draws from so many other disciplines: mathematics, philosophy, environmental studies and urban studies, to name only a few). Studio can be given more credit hours. A food mart open 24/7 on the Hilltop campus or a working kitchen would enable us to eat better. These are all things that we as architecture students have no control over, so we should not be blamed for our “bad habits.” As if we like to be victims of the system. -Cristina Garmendia Class of 2008
Don’t put words in Christians’ mouths Dear Editor: Recently, I have noticed a trend that I, as a Christian, find distasteful and even disturbing: the tendency of conservative Christians, who view such controversial issues as homosexuality to be sinful, to label their views as those of “Christians.” I am a Christian. These are not my views. These are not the views of many Christians. Please do not label them as such. To those who do, you have every right to your own opinion, but when you write that Christians believe homosexuality to be a sin, and compare homosexuals to thieves or perjurers in need of moral salvation, you put words in my mouth. You put words in the mouth
of every other Christian who does not agree with you. It is your right to believe and to publish whatever opinion you like—that’s part of the beauty of America. But publish them as your own opinions, not as mine. -Ben Mudd Class of 2009
The real job of a graduate fellow Dear Editor: I’m writing in response to Amanda Ogus’ article on Residential Life staff. As graduate fellow for William Greenleaf Eliot, I would like to correct the information about graduate fellows found in the article. There are six GFs on the South 40, in WGE (myself), Wayman Crow (Steve
Scharre), Ruby/Umrath (Jennifer Durham), Ligget/ Koenig (Kelly Caul), Brookings (Paul Scharre) and HIGE (Justin Lerner). We are all master’s level students in various programs, and we all live off campus. GFs were provided with housing several years ago but no longer are given rooms in the residential colleges. Furthermore, our jobs are varied and do not necessarily include reporting to the RCD and putting on programming. I advise WGE’s college council, support the RAs and supervise the RPMs. Other GFs do a combination of advising and supervising. Ruby/Umrath’s GF supervises the staff of the Social Justice Center. Next time, please check your facts before printing. -Colleen Hogan GWB School of Social Work
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MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7, 2005
STUDENT LIFE | SPORTS
5
SPORTS
Bears seniors sent out with 3-0 loss By Joe Ciolli Sports Editor Coming off a disappointing conference road trip, the Washington University men’s soccer team traveled to Chicago this weekend with hopes of sending its seniors off on a winning note. The match would mark the end of very successful careers for a
handful of highly talented Bears seniors. The previous weekend, the Bears took on Brandeis University and New York University, two teams winless in the University Athletic Association (UAA), and the only pair of teams lower than the Bears in the standings. Despite good play in places, however, Coach Joe Clarke’s
RACHIT PATEL | STUDENT LIFE
Junior goalkeeper Matt Fenn launches the ball back into play. Fenn had 62 saves over the course of the season, meaning he blocked 78.5 percent of the total shots on goal.
squad came away with a 0-11 weekend record, which sent them down to seventh place out of eight in the UAA. At the time of their match-up against the Bears, the University of Chicago held No. 25 spot in the national rankings. With the expanding pool of teams for the NCAA tournament, the Maroons came out looking for a win that could potentially push them into the mix for an at-large bid. The two teams came out hard as they battled for a crucial conference victory, but it was Chicago who struck first. In the 32nd minute, sophomore midfielder Stuart Phelps took advantage of a cross that was dropped by Bears goalkeeper Matt Fenn and was able to put his team up 1-0. When the halftime whistle came, the Maroons held their one-goal lead despite both teams having fired in six shots apiece. The score stayed 1-0 for most of the second half until Phelps struck again in the 78th minute. Maroons sophomore midfielder Eric Kirkenmeier was able to nod a header down in the penalty area to a streaking Phelps, which resulted in the Bears going down 2-0. Then, with just three minutes to play, the Maroons were able to widen their margin to 3-0 with an own goal on the behalf of the Bears. Although the loss was undoubtedly disappointing for the Bears, particularly their longserving class of seniors, Coach Clarke certainly has a talented group of players with which to
build. Still, the Bears will miss senior defender John Horky’s steady play in the back. A likely all-conference selection, Horky was a four-year starter who dominated his position in nearly every game and provided invaluable leadership for his team. Fellow defender Seth Schreiber will also be missed on the flank of the Bears defense. His controlled play and passing ability out of the back will be hard to replace for next season. Although senior Dave Borton missed most of this season due to injury, he has scored many crucial goals for the Bears over a four-year span. His skill on the ball will undoubtedly be hard for Clarke to replace. Senior forward Nick Kalscheur is another Bears senior whose missing presence will be felt. Used as a substitute for most of his career, Kalscheur showed firepower coming off the bench and compiled impressive statistics. His physical brand of play and hard shot will certainly be missed by the Bears. Lastly, the mark left by Rob Weeks and Andrew Franklin, two Bears seniors who missed most of the season due to injury, will always be associated with the team. Weeks, a two-time first-team UAA selection, would have aided the Bears with his goal-scoring abilities, as they struggled offensively for much of the season. Similarly, Franklin’s speed and intensity will certainly be missed by the Bears. Clarke will have a strong mid-
fielder core returning, but he will have to address his team’s offensive futility for much of the season. In addition, the losses of Horky and Schreiber will leave gaping holes at the back that Clarke will need to address.
And while their final season did not go exactly according to plan, the Bears seniors can look back fondly at a successful career while the remaining members of the team prepare for the future.
RACHIT PATEL | STUDENT LIFE
Sophomore Onyi Okoroafor determinedly dribbles the ball down the field. The men’s team finished 8-7-4 with a loss to the University of Chicago on Saturday.
Freshman O’Brien finds his voice through opera By Felicia Baskin Scene Reporter As a vocal performance major, freshman Jay O’Brien devotes a majority of his time to rehearsals and musical studies. It wasn’t too long ago, though, that O’Brien had no idea that music was his passion. O’Brien’s love of singing was set in motion as he studied for his bar mitzvah. In the Jewish religion, a bar or bat mitzvah symbolizes maturity and understanding. For O’Brien, his bar mitzvah also marked the discovery that singing was an activity he truly enjoyed. While training for his part of the service, O’Brien said, “People noticed that maybe I had a voice.” As a result, O’Brien accelerated his studies so that he could conduct the entire service for his bar mitzvah instead of participating only in the requisite portions. Although others’ encouragement influenced O’Brien’s choice to further pursue music, his own interest fueled his new passion as well. “It was the first time I had ever learned music for any type
O’Brien. of performance, and These days, I wanted to see what O’Brien’s focus seems other music I could do,” to point towards said O’Brien. opera. He noted that Noting that there his voice possesses are “certain scales many qualities suited for certain holidays,” for opera techniques O’Brien explained that and that opera’s broad he was able to expand FACES his musical repertoire Jay O’Brien range makes it a particularly exciting art by simply studyform. ing different Jewish “Everything you can imagine services. Inspired by the music he was learning, O’Brien decided is included in opera—comedy, tragedy, drama, really anyhe wanted to become a Jewish thing,” said O’Brien. cantor and lead Jewish congreOpera has had a profound gations in prayer. He left his bar effect on O’Brien’s commitment mitzvah tutor to study under a to music. cantor who “decided to split the “The first time I listened to time between classical techthe Pavorotti recording of Pucnique and cantorial music.” cini’s ‘Turandot’ [was] the first Even with this classical influtime I was truly overpowered by ence, O’Brien thought that his operatic music,” said O’Brien. future lay in the cantorial proSince then, “there have been fession and he spent a summer too many favorites to name.” studying under a professor at a “Considering my background New York seminary. The death in cantorial music and violin of his main teacher at home playing, the opera legend Jan in St. Louis, however, changed Pierce is a true inspiration,” O’Brien’s perspective, and he added O’Brien. began to focus on classical Yet he noted that many technique in place of cantorial people do not appreciate opera. music. “I feel that opera is some“I came to the realization thing people find hard to that I just liked singing,” said
approach,” he said, “But if the singers are doing their jobs and everything is going right, nothing is more entertaining [than opera].” He urges people to reconsider opera and stresses that “if someone offers you a ticket to the opera, go.” For O’Brien, at least, opera has provided excellent opportunities. At the beginning of his sophomore year at Parkway North High School, O’Brien auditioned for Monsanto’s Artists-inTraining program. Run by Opera Theatre of St. Louis, the Artists-in-Training program is considered one of the best youth programs in the nation. The program is intended to educate and inspire high school musicians to follow their interests by matching them with opera coaches and accompanists. Additionally, participants receive scholarship money for college and graduates of the program can apply each year for further funds if they study music in college. Through his involvement in the program, O’Brien was matched with Christine Ar-
GYROS HOUSE
STEPPING OUT By Margot Dankner and Alexa Nathanson
mistead, a member of Washington University’s faculty. The chance to continue his studies with Armistead was a big factor in O’Brien’s decision to attend Wash. U. “You choose your college depending on what you want out of college,” said O’Brien. O’Brien wants “to see how far [he] can take his singing and how far [he] can develop.” He feels that remaining under Armistead’s instruction is beneficial to his studies. “With something as personal as your voice technique,” noted O’Brien, “you need to take special consideration about who you study with. There is a lot of trust in choosing a voice teacher, and she has me going in a good direction.” Moreover, the ability to pursue a second major was quite attractive to O’Brien, as it is “more easy to double major with music at Washington University than at most other universities.” O’Brien’s pursuits in voice impact multiple aspects of his life. He abstains from dairy for two to three days before performances and tries to minimize his caffeine intake.
“I also have my bed on an incline,” added O’Brien. Such an arrangement, he said, promotes a healthier throat condition than a level bed. The “absolute worst thing” about his musical studies, he said, is that he “really needs to be conscious of how much [he talks] in noisy environments, like the dorm.” Although it may seem like O’Brien is making sacrifices, such changes to his daily life are things “really just like an athlete would do.” “If you want to be your best, you do stuff to make it happen,” said O’Brien. At the moment, O’Brien isn’t certain what exactly will happen. He commented that “a classically trained voice has a lot of homes,” and he could end up performing in musical theater or at symphonies and operas. He also has experience in a cappella and oratorios, musical performances without scenery, costumes and the like. “The question isn’t so much if I’m going to be singing for the rest of my life,” said O’Brien. “I will be. [The question] is whether I’ll try singing as a profession.”
Gyros House 571 Melville Ave (314) 721-5638 $5 - 10
Scene Reporters At first glance, Gyros House does not seem like the most promising place. Even with its fantastic location a block from the Loop and right across the street from Blueberry Hill, the hole-in-the wall eatery is so easy to miss that even we lovers of Greek cuisine rarely thought twice about entering while walking past it on our way to Delmar. Despite our initial wariness, however, we finally decided to have our first Gyros House experience on the insistence of some diehard fans who swear by their gigantic, cheap sandwiches. The interior of the restaurant is as nondescript as the exterior. The tiny dining room fits four or five plastic covered tables with a counter at the front where a cashier waits to take your order. The menu, a rather extensive list of classic
Greek and Middle Eastern appetizers, sandwiches and platters hangs above the counter. The sandwich list, which will delight both meat lovers and vegetarians alike, includes three types of lamb gyros, falafel, a vegetable, hummus and feta pita and both lamb and chicken kabobs, all for under $6. While some might say there’s a problem with a restaurant when the first two things you order are unavailable, we were happy enough with our final orders that we didn’t really mind. Although the restaurant was out of both chicken and falafel, they offered to make a new batch of the latter as long as we were willing to wait 20 minutes. We agreed to the wait and ordered a falafel pita and the specialty of the house, a gyro. To fill the waiting time, we ordered the hummus appetizer
and were pleasantly surprised that it was deliciously fresh and just garlicky enough with a silky smooth texture. Another bonus was the plate of just out of the oven pita slices that accompanied the lovely chickpea dip. Ultimately, after passing the time with our hummus and pita, we were rewarded with a generous helping of piping hot falafel served on a pita topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and more of the house hummus. The gyro was served in equally generous proportion also atop a pita with lettuce, tomato and onion, but with their delicious tzatziki sour cream and cucumber sauce instead of hummus. We all cleaned our plates, and although we agreed the falafel was good, it didn’t stand out as amazing, and despite good texture, was a little bland. The gyro, however, was as
good as gyros get. Meat piled high atop the slightly sour, cool tzatziki sauce and fresh pita was a very satisfying meal, and for $5.25, it’s hard to beat. Even though our stomachs were nearly bursting by the end of the meal, we couldn’t resist trying the cleverly displayed Baklava for dessert. This traditional Greek pastry is filled with nuts and surrounded by thin layers of pastry on each side. It was very sweet and went down easily. On a cold and rainy Monday night we walked into Gyros House with hungry stomachs and nearly empty wallets. We came back full and with money still in our pockets. This is what we expected and what we got. Our expectations were fulfilled but not surpassed. Gyros House is a great place to go for a cheap dinner and is extremely easy to get to from campus.
MARGOT DANKNER & ALEXA NATHANSON I STUDENT LIFE
Though the storefront may be nondescript and easy to miss, the gyros at Gyros House are as good as it gets.
6 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE
Senior Scene Editor / Sarah Baicker / scene@studlife.com
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7, 2005
Spirituality on campus By Mike Duncan Scene Reporter Would you consider yourself to be spiritual? I would consider myself a spiritual person. Spiritualism to me is just the feeling of being alive; I don’t need to look to a higher power. Spiritualism for me is, “I am here; I can do what I want. I am alive and this is my life. I am going to do what I want with it.” Did you ever believe in a god? No, never actually. I had some vague brother figure [idea] when I was a little kid, like some people believe in the tooth fairy; it wasn’t defi ned or a big deal. I think a big part of that is that my parents are Chinese Muslims, but they are both semi-scientific and not strict. So, I was not raised in a religious background and I wasn’t exposed to those ideas. Now, looking back and reflecting on it, without the religious background that most people had, I think I look at life a bit more objectively. I analyze a lot more and believe a lot less.
What hope does atheism offer you? Atheism offers you the hope that mankind’s fate is entirely in its own hands. It offers the hope that you are the one responsible for changing your life. You are the one responsible for dictating the way you live. No one else can change you or tell you your purpose. What atheism means is that you are the one who must figure out what you must do and that is your responsibility. If I was suicidal right now, standing on the window sill ready to jump, and you walked in the room, what would you say? I would say, “If you want to kill yourself, that means that
your existence has been completely wasted. You were born, you’re dead, and no one will bat an eye. If you really want to be another nothing in the world and completely forgotten like, ‘Mike who?’ and if you really think you are that insignificant and you want to be that insignificant, there is nothing I can do to stop you. But please jump out of some other window because I don’t want the cops to think badly of me.” Is there an atheist community? Atheism is not a community like Christianity or Judaism because we don’t have a common set of beliefs. The thing atheists share is disbelief in a god. What each individual atheist believes
in is completely different. You have the “it’s cool to hate God” punk rock crowd, the intellectual crowd, the scientific/rational crowd. There are so many different types of atheists that it is hard to form a community. Is there anything you see in the world that causes you to question whether or not there is a god? Not really. The beliefs of fanatic religious people all over the world, natural disasters, mathematical patterns in nature and how those patterns can be echoed in population genetics, everything in the world makes logical sense. Chaos happens, crap happens, the world is not a pretty place. I haven’t had any awe inspiring
moments that made me think of a creator. I have explored astronomy, theoretical physics, biology, evolutionary theory and the mathematics behind that. There really isn’t anything left in the world that comes as a total shock to me. If I was thinking about becoming an atheist, what would you say to me? I would reference you to a lot of pretty interesting books about mathematics, the universe, logic, biology and evolution. I am going to let you see the scientific way that those processes happen and let you draw your own conclusions about how much you need a creator given the logic and biology I give you.
MIKE DUNCAN I STUDENT LIFE
Zi Teng Wang - Freshman - Atheist
Now,
When did you decide that you were an atheist? I think the moment came when I read a book called “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins. It is a book on evolutionary biology explaining evolution in terms that make concepts like macroevolution and complexity from simplicity seem like completely common sense. After reading it, I was like, “Oh my God, how could the entire world not come from a single cell some billions of years ago?”
all your incoming calls can be free.
How does your spiritualism affect your every day life? I try to do as much as I can with my time because, for me, there is no heaven or hell. So, after life you are just gone. So, you always have to make the best out of every single moment you have. I always try to do that, but, considering my sleep habits, I am not sure how much I succeed at that all the time. But I try to make the most out of life as I can. Does it take faith to be an atheist? It depends on how you defi ne faith. I have faith in the scientific process and that logic and reason can fi nd answers. There are some things in the world that I can’t explain, but just because science can’t explain it doesn’t mean you can automatically attribute it to a divine power. Basically, it is the difference between we don’t know and we don’t know yet or we’re working on it. Some people call atheists cowards. Do you think you are brave or cowardly being an atheist? Considering the power of religious organizations and thought in contemporary American culture and with the great number of Wash. U. religious clubs, I think it takes a lot of courage to stand up and blatantly say, “I do not believe there is a god.” Some people are wishy-washy and claim to be agnostic or say, “I don’t care, I don’t know, whatever, I don’t want to think about it.” I wouldn’t call them cowardly but [more] “not-thinking-toodeeply-about-the-matter.” But to come out and say blatantly, “I am an atheist; I don’t believe there is a god,” takes a lot of courage. Bertrand Russell said, “Unless you assume a God, the question of life’s purpose is meaningless.” Do you agree? I would disagree. Not believing in a god implies that there is no higher purpose in life; there is no heaven to get to or inherent meaning in life. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exist. Because there is no [inherent] meaning, you have to fi nd it yourself. So [atheism] is a challenge because it encourages you to go out in the world and fi nd your own meaning. What is your meaning? Right now I am still trying to fi nd it. I honestly have no idea. I love to write. I would love to make an impact in the literary world. Another [goal] would be to come up with a revolutionary thing in the biochemical world. I don’t know; my options are open right now.
(Even ALL of Mom’s.)
Now, when people are wasting your time, they’re not wasting your money. SM
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8 STUDENT LIFE | SCENE
Senior Scene Editor / Sarah Baicker / scene@studlife.com
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7, 2005
SCENEt u o g n i m Co e g e l l o c at By Sarah Klein Scene Regular Features Editor For heterosexuals, the process of outing one’s self is a bit of a mystery. No heterosexual person has had to go to his friends and family and say, “I like the opposite sex. I hope you will support me.” Heterosexual students might, therefore, take for granted how easy it is to be heterosexual, no matter how much they complain that they can’t figure out the opposite sex. Yet even in light of a political administration and a culture which often consider heterosexuality normal and sacred, many of those with different sexualities still choose to come out. Recent articles in the national news have discussed the trend that homosexual people are coming out younger and younger, that coming out in high school is much more common today than ever before. There are also people who come out here at Wash. U., and discover what it is that they desire and subsequently tell those close to them. But what is it like to have lived 17 to 21 years, only to have to tell people something about yourself that you have either just realized or have known forever but kept to yourself all your life? Junior Tom Giarla, who hails from Kansas, only told a few friends in high school that he was gay. He considers himself to have “come out” late in his freshman year, when he told his parents that he’d just broken up with his boyfriend. Now he’s the copresident of Pride Alliance, one of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex and ally (GLBTQIA) groups on campus. “It was still hard to say it, even though I knew my parents would be okay with it,” said Giarla. “It’s something you’ve been holding in for—well, for me—three or four years. It’s hard to talk about it with people you re-
ally care about.” Jen Durham, a secondyear social work student who graduated from Wash. U. last spring, did not figure out that she was bisexual until college. She said that as a child, however, she assumed her feelings were really “normal.” “I didn’t think it was [unusual] to fi nd women beautiful,” said Durham. “I didn’t realize until college that [the feeling] was more sexual—not just appreciating beauty.” Durham said she thought about being bisexual (or, as she prefers to call it, non-discriminating in her attraction) throughout her sophomore year in college and had previously gone out of her way to attend GLBTQIA events. She also interned at Promo, a Missouri gay and lesbian rights organization. She then considered herself bisexual, even though she had never dated a girl, although she did end up in a relationship with one during her senior year. Some students didn’t have to decide to come out on their own. “I was dragged out of the closet, actually,” said Janine Brito, who graduated last spring. Brito knew she was attracted to women at a fairly young age but had been afraid to let others know. Brito says she grew up in a very conservative, religious household that stressed the evilness of homosexuality. Although she didn’t endorse that belief, it was still difficult to break away from her upbringing. Finally, at the beginning of her senior year, she was out with a friend who said, “Janine, I don’t think you’re straight.” Brito responded, “Yeah, I don’t think I am either.” Many students interviewed for this story were nervous about coming out because of other people’s reactions, but the overt support from friends that Brito experienced seems to be characteristic of other Wash. U. coming out
stories. Senior Brittany Scott was also asked by a friend she visited over the summer if she liked girls. When she came out to her friends here, they were all very supportive, although, she admitted, they sometimes went a little overboard. “I got birthday cards KRT CAMPUS saying [such J.R. Benmuvhar hosts a game of “Gay-pardy” during a National Coming Out Day event at the University of Missouri-Kanthings as], ‘We love you, you big sas City on Oct. 11, 2004. lesbian!’” she reminisced with mosexuality complicated the a laugh. closet, as people will know accepting than those in high Durham and senior Natalie process for Scott at the beginyou are considering other school, where petty drama ning. She dated lots of boys Antin, both in the Delta can exacerbate the struggle of sexualities if you go. She did through high school, but was Gamma sorority, have been fi nd help through another recoming out. never attracted to them. supported by their sisters. source at Wash. U. familiar to Giarla says that the only “I thought I was crazy,” Antin brought a girl to the every college student, though: time he has encountered any admits Scott. “You’re told sorority’s semi-formal, and the Facebook. The group animosity because of his that [liking girls] was wrong, she generally feels very ac“Kissing Girls” allowed her to sexuality at college was this so you feel like you must be cepted and respected within connect with other lesbians semester. While painting the crazy.” her sorority. and help her to feel more underpass with some other Scott tried to convince her- members of Pride Alliance, Even with supportive comfortable coming out. self that she liked the boys friends, however, the process Coming out is a continsome drunk people shouted before she began to date. She can still be difficult. Many ual process—there are still things like, “Yeah, Dr. Katz,” remained in denial until she GLBTQI students were—and people whom some of the stuat them. some still are—nervous about joined a rugby team the sumdents do not tell, like some of Giarla maintains that such mer before her sophomore coming out, as they didn’t their professors and certain displays are rare and also year to try and meet some want people to view them conservative relatives. said that college is a good other girls who felt the way differently. Scott, however, noted that time to come out; students she did. It took her a long Brito says she didn’t want knowing others are out there can be aware that new actime to put herself in a situher sexuality to be the defi nhelps one feel more at ease. quaintances are homosexual ation where she could figure ing thing in her life, and, as “It’s unfortunate that from the beginning, rather out her sexuality. an improvisation comedian, we have to come out [at all, than suddenly learning their There are also difficulties she doesn’t tell her audience though] I’m not sure how sexualities after knowing after one has already come because she doesn’t want it to one wouldn’t, since people them for a long time. out. Nick said that it is hard affect how and if they receive assume you’re heterosexual,” The gay community at to meet people in the gay her. said Scott. Wash. U., although not large community, as it is not that A male senior, “Nick,” who Despite the fact that they in size, is trying to help wishes to remain anonymous, large. Antin concurs; in fact, people through organizations have sexual preferences that she said, if you want to be in came out to a few people in others might consider abnorlike Pride Alliance and Safe a homosexual relationship at high school and had a boymal, the GLBTQI students are Zones, a GLBTQI education Wash. U., you will probably friend then. Upon arriving at just like any other Wash. U. program with which Scott is at some point end up dating college, he still didn’t want students—they have homeinvolved. someone a friend has dated. people to judge him differwork, hopes, dreams, friends Giarla, Durham and Scott Despite these issues, most ently because he was gay, and and disappointments. have all found the GLBTQI told others he was a pothead “People need to realize community here to be welof the students interviewed freshman year to give people [that a homosexual relationcoming and available. Brito, think that college is a great a different way to categorize ship] is not different from however, noted that it is hard time to come out. The general him. any other relationship,” said to attend meetings of these consensus is that college Social perceptions of hoDurham. groups if you are still in the communities are often more
The struggle to observe religious fasts on campus By Archana Varma Scene Reporter Bear’s Den is routinely packed with students temporarily burying their problems under cheese quesadillas, but things change during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that started on Oct. 4 and ended on Nov. 2. Muslim students who chose to fast were unable to indulge in food cravings between sunrise and sundown. “I used to do half-day fasts until I was five,” said sophomore Tasmeem Ahmad, president of the Muslim Students Association (MSA). “My first full-day fast was when I was around 11.” Muslims fast during Ramadan because that is the month Allah revealed the first verses of the Koran to the Prophet Muhammad. “It’s never easy having to fast, and it’s even harder to fast at college, coming back from class and having food around,” said Ahmad. Nevertheless, Ahmad’s values and dedication to her religion serve as motivation for her to keep her fast. “It’s more of a religious [decision] than a punishment…it’s even a celebration in other countries that are predominantly Muslim,” said freshman Nadia Abouziad.
“There are parties every night…It might have been a little harder [for me to fast] back home, because we had lunchtime [in school] and I’d have to just sit there. Here, I have that option to not go to Mallinckrodt.” Ahmad mentioned that although Muslims do not have a large presence on campus, she received support from her peers while fasting. During Ramadan, the MSA broke fast together on Tuesdays, and her roommates offered to wake up with her before the sun rose. “I miss celebrating Eid [which marks the end of Ramadan] with my family, but the MSA was invited to lots of local parties this year,” said Ahmad. Muslims are not alone in their efforts to fast for religious holidays on campus. Many Jewish students also observe fasting on their holidays, primarily Yom Kippur, which started this year an hour before sundown on Oct. 12 and lasted until an hour after sundown on Oct. 13. According to campus Rabbi Avi Katz Orlow, the general reasons for fasting on Yom Kippur are two-fold, although individual Jews also have their own personal reasons for doing so. The primary reason is that Yom Kippur is meant to be “the Sabbath of
Sabbaths,” a day of atonement after 10 days of reflecting on one’s sins, which “shouldn’t be easy,” according to Rabbi Katz Orlow. The other is that Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, in which there is a powerful connection between one and God. Hillel director Margo Hamburger-Fox mentioned that she received many complaints from parents this year concerning the Jewish holidays falling during the school year without any provisions from Wash. U. Hamburger-Fox told students, “You’re an adult now, you’re away from home; this is your opportunity to make your own Jewish decisions.” Either Jewish students were fasting because their parents taught them that this was the right thing to do, or their “religious observance had become internalized,” making the observation of Jewish traditions personally fulfilling, said HamburgerFox. Rachael Kaplan, president of the Jewish Student Union (JSU), fasts not only for Yom Kippur but also for other Jewish holidays. “I actually became more religious after I went to college, and fasting at college is not an issue at all for me,” she said. “I go to an Orthodox syna-
OLIVER HULLAND | STUDENT LIFE
Tasmeen Ahmad, president of the Muslim Student Association, discusses her experiences with fasting. gogue all day on Yom Kippur. It’s easy to be in an environment here that is conducive to fasting. I can imagine that it might be hard to fast on main campus, but there are so many Jewish students here that you can surround yourself with support.” There are Jewish students who stay in prayer services for an average of about 10 hours
on Yom Kippur and then nap between prayer services so that they are not tempted to eat, said Hamburger-Fox. Others run through their normal routines by going to class but still observe the tradition of fasting. “I find that very remarkable,” said Hamburger-Fox. “Students are staking their claim that Judaism is impor-
tant to them, and that this holiday is important to them.” This year, JSU and MSA held a joint break fast event, as the first night of Ramadan coincided with Rosh Hashanah for the first time in years. It was a good opportunity for the students to get together and discuss their traditions with one another, said Rabbi Katz Orlow.