The Black Sheep
F ba REE. ck .. L of ike th th at e c va an n ov dy in er th the er e!
• a college newspaper that’s actually about college •
Volume 3, Issue 2 10/4/12 - 10/10/12
theblacksheeponline.com @blacksheep_vcu
Navigating the Artsy Fartsy Areas of VCU Aaron Stein wrote this
VCU is a jungle inhabited by an eclectic mix of colorful deviants, prolific artists, canny hipsters, and empirical intellectuals. With VCU being such a diverse (and frankly, weird) place, it could be a cultural shock to some outsiders when they see gangs of blue-headed-mohawk-reppin’, too-tight-to-breathepants-wearing hoodlums. This guide is to help outsiders navigate through the odds and ends of the school and the surrounding city, and to not be alarmed when one sees an art student dressed almost uncannily like a peacock. Whether you’re a regular Joe who drives up I-95 every day for work, or you spend your days panhandling on the corner of Broad and Belvidere, there’s a lot in Richmond to catch your eye - and it’s not just the legions of art students in teal leggings. Rolling hills, endless billboards, and maybe the most appropriately-colored building in the city, the Gay Community Center of Richmond (which features a rainbow color scheme) all add to the feeling that Richmond is a colorful place. On the first Friday of each month, Broad Street hosts the Art Walk. If you’ve never experienced the finest arts, and the people who go with them, do this. Don’t just sit in your dorm watching Hey Arnold! re-runs, go experience some different shit. Relish in the fact that living in a college town offers you insight to cultures and beliefs that might not exist in your hometown. Hell, you might love it so much you yourself could head back down I-95 with an ironic mustache and Canadian tuxedo (denim jeans + denim jacket = Canadian tuxedo). If you really want to dive into a different experience head to the Hat Factory or Strange Matter. You’ll get a tasteful dose of weird, but who knows, maybe you’ll like it. And if you don’t, you don’t… whatever strokes your boat, ya’ know? As overwhelmed as you may feel with the patchwork nature of the city, there’s no need to lose heart. No one bites (unless they’re jacked up on bath salts) and the people here are generally quite friendly (again, except people on bath salts). You could even venture to say most of them are pretty smart (as some of them have just hung around campus for the last 12 years) and might offer some insight to the naïve little frosh you are. As you get older and feel you’ve experience campus-life to its fullest extent, you might find yourself venturing out here a few times. So, getting off the streets and heading into the center of the VCU campus you will find yourself in a smaller, enclosed version of Richmond at large, complete with both Confederate separatists and the art school bleeding heart types. Regardless of where you stand politically, there is always
Surviving as a Night Owl In Richmond
someone obnoxious to be irritated by. The beauty of college, all the different perspectives it can offer, also tends to be the worst part of college. You will inevitably come across Cary Street, a central vein that pumps through the heart of Richmond. Inevitably, you’ll end up passing through Carytown, which is the closest thing to a traditional downtown that you’ll see in Richmond. Carytown houses some of the richest and most artistic parts of the city. That said, it isn’t too unusual to walk into one of the many dive bars in Carytown and see a patron arguing with the one-armed karaoke DJ – this kind of shit happens all the time here, don’t be alarmed. Befriend the one-armed DJ, and you’ll have access to life’s greatest treasure: one-armed high fives. Along with the
what’s inside
Put Your Boozehound on a Leash
bars and restaurants, the stretch of street that makes up Carytown never wants for street entertainment. From the homeless banging on drums to wannabe naked cowboys, to drunk bums singing a swan song - the dynamic performers are plentiful. Many people have said that Carytown was made to look like a small street in New York - don’t let that discourage you from going to the Big Apple. Carytown was made for the culture that inhabits it. Richmond is a creative and outlandish small-big city. VCU is the magnet that draws all types of beliefs, personalities, and strung out grad students-turned alcoholic schizophrenics. We may not be harboring any savage beasts, international fugitives, or endangered animals - but we could if we wanted – we roll like that.
bartender of the week
when the sun goes down the freaks come out.
Whatever you’re doing now, you’ll regret in the morning.
Thomas D. from the Village Cafe has a best friend, and his name is Jameson.
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