Spring 2022 | Flat Hat Magazine by The Flat Hat

FLAT HAT MAGAZINE

The “Baroque” Issue MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AT WILLIAM & MARY STYLISH GLUTTONY BLACK HISTORY IN COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG BACH-ROCK: WHEN ROCK WENT BAROQUE OUR PARENTS ONLINE MY MAKEUP & ME

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FLAT HAT MAGAZINE

The “Baroque” Issue

Letter from the Editors This semester, Flat Hat Magazine chose to indulge in life’s finer things. After nearly a year in the making, we are ecstatic to present the “Baroque” Issue — a culmination of our continued effort to chart the magazine’s journalistic and artistic identity. Our theme, “Stylish Gluttony,” began as a photoshoot idea in the fall of 2021 but never came to fruition. The theme’s potential was something we couldn’t shake: is the fantasy of traipsing through the halls of Versailles all that it seems? The French Revolution aesthetic has taken on a life of its own among young people today. Pastel mood boards romanticizing the unabashed excess of the French elite receive innumerable likes and shares on Pinterest and Instagram. Fan edits of Sophia Coppola’s 2006 film “Marie Antoinette” frequently appear on the TikTok feeds of people who swear “they were born in the wrong generation.” We wanted to combine the rococo aesthetic while shedding light on the uglier aspects of overindulgence. Our commentary spans inequality, impossible beauty standards, and historical legacies while highlighting students’ lived experiences and celebrating diversity. Of course, we cannot forget to thank our incredible staff who devoted countless hours to the creation of this magazine. We want to thank the following people: our ingenious creative team; meticulous copy editors; thought-provoking writers; our visionary photography, style, social media, and graphics teams; and, last but not least, our indispensable Chief-of-Staff. Happy reading and Bon Appetit! Cheers <3

Ekurlander Ellie Kurlander & Linda Li Flat Hat Magazine Editors-in-Chief

Linda Li

TABLE OF 3

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES AT WILLIAM & MARY

BLACK HISTORY IN COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG

BREAKING THE BOUNDARIES OF BEAUTY

BROKE BAROQUE

CAMPUS HOUSING CRISIS

UNABASHED INDULGENCES

STYLISH GLUTTONY

BACH-ROCK: WHEN ROCK WENT BAROQUE

9 TO 5: WORKING IN COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG AS A COLLEGE STUDENT

DICTIONARY OF OBSCURE WILLIAM & MARY SORROWS

COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG RARE BREEDS PROGRAM

SQUISH MY MALLOW

63 WHY ARE WE SO OBSESSED WITH THE REGENCY ERA

CONTENTS 67

OUR PARENTS ONLINE

PHO 75: THE TASTE OF REMEMBERING

BEHIND THE MYSTERY: 333 RICHMOND ROAD

CRUMBL

NAVIGATING COLLEGE AS AN ASEXUAL

LAST DAYS

SHOW & TELL

APROPOS PROSE

101

AN ODE TO THE CHICKEN WING

MY MAKEUP & ME

105

WHAT I EAT IN A DAY: COLLEGE EDITION

WILLIAM AND PARIS

109 SENIOR APPRECIATION

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Mental Health Resources at William & Mary Aug. 28, 2018, the College of William and Mary opened the doors of the McLeod Tyler Wellness Center to members of the College community. The center, a $19 million project named after Bee McLeod ’83, M.B.A. ’91 and Goody Tyler, now houses Campus Recreation, the Health Center, the Counseling Center, Health Promotion, and the Center for Mindfulness and Authentic Excellence. Story by Emma Henry ‘25 Photos by Zachary Lutzky ‘24

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William & Mary’s vision of integrative wellness is designed to create a systemic response that provides multiple portals of entry for students to manage both stress and distress. That includes the full continuum of prevention, health promotion, and multiple treatment modalities for intervention,” the Health & Wellness page states. In September 2021, however, The Flat Hat opinions section published an opinions piece titled “Wellness Center offers insubstantial and performative services,” written by then Flat Hat Editor-in-Chief Claire Hogan ’22. The article highlighted concerns about the Wellness Center’s effectiveness, a lack of care for student grievances, and its use of “vague ‘wellness’ platitudes.” “Even if it’s an underlying mental health struggle rather than academic stress, the College has a responsibility to uphold the health of all of its students. And that’s simply not happening,” Hogan wrote. The College’s approach to mental health has been an ongoing discussion across the campus community for years. 3

Opinions of concerned students can be traced through media history long before the creation of the Wellness Center and continue today, with questions surrounding the College’s management of mental health concerns in articles extending to national news outlets like The Washington Post. But the campus debate is not yet resolved; while many students and faculty members lend their support to the College’s mental health resources, others voice concerns over the lack of assistance offered. Undersecretary for Mental Health & Wellness within Diverse Communities for Student Assembly Pelumi Sholagbade ’24 believes the College’s approach

“Even if it’s an underlying mental health struggle rather than academic stress, the College has a responsibility to uphold the health of all of its students. And that’s simply not happening.”

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to mental health implicitly pushes a narrative that links mental wellness with productivity. “I think that is just a smaller scale version of this greater national or even global conversation about what it means to be mentally well, in terms of it being tied to your productivity — the amount that you are an active participant in the world around you — as opposed to actually being happy,” Sholagbade said. In terms of proposing changes to the College’s wellness systems, Sholagbade believes that it is difficult for a university to increasingly promote mental health without simultaneously dismantling its commitment to preparing students for

employment, when in most cases, employers only care about mental wellness insofar as it extends to productivity. Sholagbade did, however, recommend that the College have a greater emphasis on harm reduction. “I think if there has been this conflating of increased productivity with increased wellness, then I feel like there’s also simultaneously a denial of that,” Sholagbade said. “The administration is pretending that they’re not connecting those two things.” Active Minds President Rebecca Walsh ’24 offered an alternative perspective on the Counseling

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Center, citing it as a primary source of support for her during her time at the College. “Aside from my work with the Counseling Center, I’ve gone in to do mindfulness therapy sessions with a professional,” Walsh wrote in an email. “The individual that I work with contacts me regularly to check in, adjusts her schedule to make time for me, and is more than generous. The staff care deeply about the well-being of the students on campus, and there are resources for all of us.” Walsh mentioned that although she has heard criticisms of the Counseling Center, she believes the main issue is that students struggle with finding the resources they need and thus should be more willing to seek out help. She also emphasized that the Counseling Center could benefit from a greater allocation of money to hire more counselors. “The resources are all there; it’s just a matter of going out of your way to find them, which is something that students tend to struggle with,” Walsh wrote. “We are all so busy that we sometimes forget to take care of our own mental health until we’ve reached a point where the resources at the school aren’t enough.” Aaron Albright ’22 explained that he has benefited from individual and group counseling at the Wellness Center every year he has been on campus. Albright, who volunteers as a crisis text line counselor and plans to attend graduate school for clinical mental health counseling, explained that the Wellness Center is a good first line of defense.

“I don’t think they intend to be a long-term source of help. They’re usually a semester-based thing. I don’t think that’s a particular deficit that they have — it’s just something to recognize,” Albright said. Regarding criticisms over the long wait times for counseling appointments, Albright recommends being proactive and scheduling early but acknowledges that attempting to schedule in the middle of a semester can unfortunately result in a lack of appointment availability. “I think that the university should be able to see people for more than just a semester,” Albright said. “It’s appropriate to be able to see people for more than a semester. And I think in certain cases you probably can, but I wouldn’t say it’s 5

encouraged. They try and keep it to a semester, which feels a little bit like they’re just trying to shuffle you through, but I think that’s part of the nature of the system.” In terms of longer-term help, alumnus Thomas Le ‘17, wrote in an email that the previous Wellness Center, replaced in 2018, was very helpful to him during his time at the College. Le, however, also mentioned that he did not necessarily find a good fit with any of the campus therapists, prompting him to find an off-campus therapist with the help of the Counseling Center. “Now that I’m older, and I’m in the mental health profession myself, I recognize that sometimes it takes multiple tries to find a therapist — or whatever form of help you want — that’s a good fit,” Le wrote. “I hope that people who have negative experiences with therapy, whether that’s at William and Mary or beyond it, continue trying to seek help because I firmly believe help is out there.” Le believes there to be more nuance to the question of campus mental health resources — students may be hesitant to share their experiences with the Wellness Center due to the

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stigma surrounding mental health. However, some students have found it unacceptable and unsustainable to sell students an idea of free therapy and mental health resources without offering long-term solutions or more suitable preventative measures. Amber Wyatt ’24 mentioned that she chose to attend the College partially due to its advertised support systems. When she arrived on campus, however, she was moved around to two different therapists and subsequently told that she needed to be transferred to outside care. “How they approach mental health in general is short-term. The attitude is, ‘let’s fix the problem now,’ but the preventative measures are not there,” Wyatt said. “They will give you a therapist for up to three to four months, and then they will send you out of their care to where it’s very expensive. Half the students here don’t have cars yet. It’s very time-consuming to leave campus. It’s just not sustainable for student health and mental health.” For students like Wyatt, it is disappointing that the Wellness Center does not offer more long-

term assistance, especially at such a prestigious institution. Preventative measures could help end the cycle of students only going to the Wellness Center when they have already reached a low point. “I think they need to look at their past in order to plan for their future. If they’re going to be as rigorous as they are, they need to invest in their students in more than just academia,” Wyatt said. “If they keep putting all this time and money into these metaphorical Band-Aids, rather than actually just doing the preventative measures … students are just going to keep falling more into that pattern.” Associate Vice President for Health & Wellness and Director of the Center for Mindfulness & Authentic Excellence Dr. Kelly Crace, along with Director of the Counseling Center Dr. Carina Sudarsky-Gleiser, said in a joint email that universities across the country are facing an increased demand for mental health services that exceeds resources. “There have been times when unprecedented demand and staff shortages have resulted in wait times that are longer than we wanted,” Crace and Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote. “Clinicians and

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administrators alike found the wait-time issue to be highly problematic. Work was done as quickly as possible to change the clinical system to minimize barriers to help seeking behaviors. Additionally, support was provided for extra clinical capacity.” The pair critiqued negative articles aimed at the Wellness Center as unhelpful to the student body, stating that they may have deterred students from using resources.

do not go, you will not come back next semester — you will have to sit out a whole semester,’” Wyatt said.

“At this point, when students can call and schedule a tele-mental health appointment a day later, can be seen for urgent matter same day, or have an in-person appointment within two weeks, the criticism of the Counseling Center as not being sufficient to manage the demand for services is not based on current data,” Crace and Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote.

“There’s been a long history of mental health issues, specifically with William and Mary. There have been many suicide attempts and incidents,” Wyatt said. “I know several stories of people who have ended up in psych wards out of state from William and Mary because that long-term care was not provided here. And these were obviously students who were capable of doing the work. They got accepted.”

Wyatt, however, mentioned that there have been recent incidents involving the Counseling Center that have personally impacted her, suggesting that student concerns are not entirely unfounded. “I had a traumatic situation happen, and I was told, ‘Okay, you go to this out-service provider that we will not pay for, or else you will not be allowed to come back next semester,’” Wyatt said. “And I said, ‘Well, I can’t afford that,’ and they said, ‘Tough, you have to pay for that yourself. But if you 7

Wyatt mentioned that although she understands the current aim of mental health resources at the College, she believes that to properly serve the student body, the Wellness Center needs to take a harder look at who they are providing for.

Sholagbade also emphasized that short-term solutions are not enough, stating that for the average student, living on campus nearly full-time requires putting more effort into student wellbeing. Sholagbade further underscored the role that Student Assembly plays in providing support for student mental health, highlighting that both Student Assembly and the College administration have a long way to go in terms of providing longterm support. “Mental health is not something that’s solved with petting a dog or handing out snacks on the Sadler

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Terrace,” Sholagbade said. “It’s the kind of thing that requires a holistic understanding of how one’s work contributes or doesn’t contribute to their well-being .… I feel like in those areas specifically, I think Student Assembly has a long way to go in promoting real change and growth in those areas.” Sholagbade discussed an initiative they have been working on that focuses on mandating professors to attend training through the Counseling Center. The training — currently optional — emphasizes the importance of mental health issues and the role that professors play in helping their students work through and manage mental well-being. Sholagbade also mentioned that much of what the Wellness Center advises is related to limiting the amount of pressure students put on themselves, something that is not always an option for all students. “I know for me personally, being a child of immigrants, a first-gen American, as well as being a Black American, the pressure is a little higher. And it’s not just me that’s putting pressure on myself in that respect. I know I share these sentiments with other students of color, other first-gen Americans, other first-gen college students that I’ve talked to,” Sholagbade said. “I think two things can be true where it’s like, yes, that pressure is kind of self-inflicted, but on the flip side, there are cultural and societal reasons for us to put that pressure on ourselves.” Sholagbade urged students to reach out to the Student Assembly and take advantage of the support fellow students can offer when going through a difficult time. They believe the campus community is a place where new resources for mental health assistance can be found. Albright explained that it is difficult to say what specific steps the College should take to ameliorate the situation but that he has witnessed attempts to make changes, especially during COVID-19.

“I just don’t know that I can say that there’s a whole lot for them to do, except to just provide the resources that they can,” Albright said. “And I think they do a pretty good job of that. They could definitely encourage it more in the general population.” Walsh urged students to reach out to various

on and off-campus organizations, including The Haven, The Avalon Center, the Counseling Center, and Active Minds, a safe space for students to speak about mental health. “Mental wellness is just as important as physical health, and students don’t always prioritize their own mental health. It’s hard — we’re all so busy and often have an unbearable number of stressors, but this makes it all the more important,” Walsh wrote. “There are a number of resources available to us through the school and in the Williamsburg community, and the counseling staff is always free to help students figure out how to best support their mental health.” Crace and Sudarsky-Gleiser stated that they are currently working on addressing student concerns and working with students who are advocating for an increase in access and clinical demand. “A focus on integrative wellness provides the opportunity for students to engage in personally relevant mental health resources to manage stress and distress before they escalate to crises,” Crace and Sudarsky-Gleiser wrote. “We are fortunate to have an administration that understands these issues and is willing to increase our staffing, support our initiatives, and be open to creative solutions.” Clearly, the mental health discussion at the College continues, with many students critical of the Wellness Center’s services and others less so. Some believe long-term solutions should be the next step in increasing resources on campus, while others believe that students are not properly utilizing resources. That being said, common ground can be found with an emphasis on persistence in finding the proper resources that work for each student. Le mentioned the importance of seeking mental health assistance, even if it is difficult, citing how his opinion of being referred off-campus has changed over time from more critical to more understanding. “I really hope that everyone, especially people with marginalized and underrepresented identities, pursues therapy or whatever form of help might feel best for them, because it can be extremely beneficial,” Le wrote. “That’s not to say finding that resource is always easy or that using the resource will be a walk in the park — my therapy in undergrad was pretty tough, even though it was tremendously helpful, though I think in the long run it’s so worth it.”

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BREAKING the

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BOUNDARIES of

Beauty Standards Story by Georgia Thoms ‘23

The pressure to look a certain way is a feeling most individuals have experienced at some point, but how does such pressure affect people of color even more? Georgia Thoms ’23 interviewed students in multiple cultural organizations as well as professors in an attempt to answer this question and, along the way, gain insight into the world’s flawed beauty standards.

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ook at a magazine, and what do you see? White, unblemished skin; a small, uncurved nose; shiny, straight hair; and a tall, lean figure. These images, tweaked and falsified to satisfy judgemental consumers, create not only an unattainable and unnatural standard of beauty but also a fictional one. After interviewing students of varying ethnicities, a clear conclusion was reached: increased cultural diversity helps minimize selfcriticism and beauty biases.

for lighter skinned people who are closer to white European skin. But there’s also some people who believe that skin color also reflects intellectual ability. So not just attractiveness, but this idea that people are better looking and smarter, the closer to white and European they are.”

Dr. Monika Gosin, an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology, helped explain the connection between representation and selfesteem.

“One way to maintain the social order was to talk about things like ‘they are ugly’ or ‘there’s something deviant about their bodies,’” Gosin described. “That construction was about maintaining power. But the weapon that was wielded was an attack on the body itself and its beauty.”

“The psychological research does demonstrate that it can definitely impact people’s self-esteem not to see themselves represented, and then, if you go on to the specific topic of beauty … women of color [are especially affected] if they don’t see themselves represented as people who are seen as beautiful or who are deemed beautiful,” Gosin said. What is the root of this beauty bias? The answer seems to lie in the power associated with the European colonizer. People subjugated through colonization equated power, money, and success with white features because of the racial hierarchy that was established by the colonial system. “I think colonialism has a major role in the preference for whiteness when it comes to beauty,” Gosin explained. “And I think that this is not just in the United States but across the whole world. We can see this in other countries as well where there is this preference for whiteness. This hierarchy based on color was pretty much related to the whole system of power. So I do think that that’s really the origin of this preference for whiteness that we see continuing in the beauty industry.” Jody Allen, Assistant Professor of History and Director of The Lemon Project, explained that this hierarchy also creates colorism, which can internally affect communities of color. “There’s this idea that one particular color or shade of skin tone is better, more attractive than others,” Allen said when describing what constitutes colorism. “It’s been shown in this country, and in other countries, that there’s more of a preference

Through exploitation, indigenous populations were manipulated into thinking they were not beautiful as part of the colonialist agenda.

Such are the origins of the flawed beauty standards common across so many cultures. In this way, the beauty industry is a mirror reflecting systemic racism and prejudice. For example, whitening soaps are very common, and Gosin noted that there were old commercials advertising soap that would turn black children white. “Unfortunately, this idealization of lightness being better than, or cleaner than, or less evil than darkness, continues to translate, where people accept that beauty ideal even across different ethnic groups,” Gosin said. “And so we can see this colorism not just from white versus black or nonwhite, but also within intraracial colorism.” While the beauty industry shapes ideas of what is “desirable,” communities of color can also perpetuate these colorist ideas through generational teachings. Latin American Student Union (LASU) Social Chair Carmen Soto Euceda ’23 explained how she was taught to look a certain way growing up as a Latine woman. “There is definitely a big standard to be skinnier, to be taller, to be very poised, soft-spoken, not necessarily in appearance but just overall,” Soto Euceda said. “When I was growing up in the summers, it would be like, ‘Wear your sunscreen and cover up. You don’t want to get darker.’ … It is a very Eurocentric mentality — it’s a generational thing that people pass on. Outgrowing it is definitely hard, but it’s definitely something that is possible.”

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South Asian Student Association (SASA) member Meher Narielbala ’24 recalled a similar memory in which she was pressured to cover up if she were to go outside. Afterward, a family member would compare the shade of her arms to her stomach, noting any difference in shade. “There’s this stigma that darker skin is less favorable. In every culture that kind of thing happens. And growing up, I remember, there was the whole dispute with Fair & Lovely in India, like bleaching your skin,” Narielbala said, referencing a popular Indian skin-lightening cosmetic product. Filipino American Student Association (FASA) member Jacklyn Gollayan ’23, who also experienced childhood anxiety over sun exposure due to the concern it would darken their complexion, noted the interplay between gender and race in the perpetuation of colorism. “I have an older brother — no one cared how he looked or dressed,” Gollayan said. “But growing up, my mom was always strict on me … I had to have proper manners. I had to look a certain way, which is why she straightened my hair and made me go to the beach under an umbrella. I wasn’t allowed to play outside. I think gender roles play a huge role, and I think that I was definitely treated differently as a woman.” Like minorities, women have been historically denied agency of both body and mind. And now, with the constant influx of media, women are influenced by the perception of others to fit that standard, lest they face scrutiny.

“I think gender is really important when it comes to these questions about beauty, and the impact, because unfortunately, our society — and most societies — has placed this premium on female beauty to a much larger degree than it has for males,” Gosin said.

“There’s been much more pressure on women to portray themselves as beautiful,” Gosin continued. “If you think about it, there are products for women to change every inch of their body or do something different to every inch of their body, and you simply don’t see that type of scrutiny when it comes to male beauty. Not that they don’t

have their struggles as well, but it’s much more intense when it comes to women.” When looking at the beauty industry and its target audience, it is easy to see the pressures women face to mold themselves to a specific image. Is this pressure to conform due to the establishment of a white patriarchal society? “I think, definitely — it’s about patriarchal oppression that has been a part of many different societies for generations and generations, and it continues today,” Gosin said. “They are, again, things that are shifting because of the ways that women and women of color have challenged this patriarchal society, or this kind of patriarchy of various societies. But we still see this feeling very strongly.” Korean American Student Association (KASA) Social Media Manager Amanda Chong ’25 related this sentiment to Korea’s hyperfocus on the appearance of female K-pop idols. Many are forced to undergo surgeries, diets, and harsh rules to maintain success in the media and music industries. Chong noted how double eyelid surgery was even a traditional birthday gift. “I went through a phase where I was like, ‘I want to get double eyelid surgery,’ — I was so insecure because I thought my eyes were small, and I didn’t look like everyone else,” Chong said. “But then I just kind of agreed to love them.” Plastic surgery provides an avenue for individuals to change their natural appearance. Sometimes, this is to fit the beauty standard. And there is a hefty price for such procedures. “When you have money, and you don’t like the way you look or you’re very conscious of certain appearances, you have the power and ability to change it,” Soto Euceda noted. “But at the same time, there’s also been more normalization — if you want to do it, do it. Because people who have money are able to do these procedures more, they can definitely alter the way they look so they can have more access to fit the general beauty standard.” Race, gender, and class all play a role in the beauty standard. So, is beauty just another hypothetical checkbox on the hierarchical scale of success in a white-dominated society?

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LASU member Zach Saderup ’23 offered a different point of view from some of his peers. He explained that in Colombia, where he is from, there is such a diverse population due to immigration that there is no one set standard. However, those who live in the urban areas are often white-passing Latines and thus associated with financial success. “I would say that there are populations within Colombia’s very, very conservative populations that view beauty as a symbol of class,” Saderup said. Similarly, Mehmet Sorbaci ’24 noted that fairerskinned people tended to congregate in urban areas within his diversely-populated home country of Turkey. “I grew up in Turkey until I was 12 years old, and I feel like it’s the same thing in Turkey, too, like having a lighter skin color is definitely more favorable to the general public and also to the entertainment industry,” Sorbaci said. Colorism still impacts countries with more diversity, and whiter individuals continuously have greater access to resources, allowing them to be more economically prosperous and therefore conform even more to a certain standard. Narielbala acknowledged the privilege of identifying as Indian while also being fair-skinned. “Being fair-skinned, but also identifying as Indian, where the general population is darker-skinned, I have this internal conflict,” Narielbala expressed. “Pretty privilege” refers to individuals who naturally or surgically fit the beauty standard and are thus granted more opportunities. In terms of beauty, individuals with Eurocentric features also benefit from this privilege. “I think Turkey is influenced by Western countries in many ways, especially when it comes to beauty standards,” Sorbaci said. “Having blonde hair or lighter skin color definitely favors you … People think of you as a more beautiful person.” In recent years, and in the past, with movements like “Black is Beautiful” in the 1970s, there has been a conscious effort to illustrate beauty as the acceptance of physical uniqueness and change the perspective of the standard.

“It’s all subjective because it’s all based on how we change people’s perspectives,” Narielbala said. “I think privilege does exist with beauty. I think it’s reframing our minds to not think of beauty standards as [a way to] accept a person.” Media magnifies these issues of privilege and, therefore, the flawed standards that people of color are pressured to conform to. Representation of many cultures, skin shades, eye colors, hair textures, height, weight, and disabilities would instead provide a model for minorities to relate to and feel comfortable with. “The media is so vast, so the representation doesn’t have to be something visual, but some way that they can see their culture reflected or something about themselves reflected,” Gosin explained. “Even, let’s say, if someone has a Spanish name or an African name … to see that being represented is something that’s unfortunately out of the ordinary within mainstream media.” Gollayan, having grown up in a predominantly white area, went through a period in her life where she wished she looked white because she never saw people like herself in school. In addition, pressure from her family — in terms of weight and hairstyling — added to her feelings of exclusion. “I think that being able to see yourself in the media … is important because I feel like seeing people who look like me, being confident and comfortable in their own skin, really [made me] feel confident and comfortable in my own skin,” Gollayan said. “At a young age, people are impressionable, and without seeing yourself or someone who looks like yourself represented that way in the media can make you feel like, ‘I don’t belong in this storyline because I’m not seeing a version of myself in the storyline.’” Similarly, Chong expressed her wishes for representation in the media to continue on its path of acceptance and support. “It’s hard seeing one beauty standard all the time when you don’t fit in, since in the media, it’s mainly just Eurocentric beauty standards,” Chong said. “There’s a lot more diversity than there was before

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in the media, but I feel like, especially with Asian representation in general, we’re still lacking.... Usually when they put Asian representation, they’re Korean, Chinese, or Japanese — it’s never any other [Asian] country.”

On a smaller scale, representation here on campus comes in the form of cultural organizations. Students of similar backgrounds gather and celebrate what makes them special in these spaces.

As suggested by Saderup, one modern example of a well-executed showcase of diversity within beauty and culture is the film “Encanto.” AfroLatines, white Latines, brown Latines, and so on are all represented with different hair colors, accents, names, and skin colors, all within one family.

“The organizations are valuable, especially at a place like William and Mary where you may not see people who look like you in class or maybe not even in your residence hall or whatever,” Allen said. “And so you may need to be recharged and feel supported by a community that understands you, where you’re not always having to explain everything — why your hair is a certain way, why you’re shaped a certain way, why you prefer one kind of music over another. I do think that there are times where if I want the story out there, then sometimes I need to be willing to tell it. But sometimes you also just need to recharge and be around people who get it.”

“I think that it’s good for young people to be able to see people who look like them because it makes them feel like they are included to be noticed,” Gosin explained. “People see them. And when they don’t see themselves, it sends a message that they are not a part of society in many different ways.” The beauty industry has also become more inclusive with companies like Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty line which carries many foundation shades. “Seeing what they’re doing is really important,” Gosin said regarding Fenty Beauty. “Many of these companies are the leaders in things like changing the definition of beauty, showing those diversities in body size and skin color [and] texture — all those kinds of different things.” LASU Marketing Chair Jasmin Martinez ’23 described how representation directly impacts the success of communities of color.

“When you’re able to see someone who looks like you … it just inspires you a lot more to go out there and really achieve what is possible,” Martinez said. “I really try to go out there and show the younger, next generation that it is possible to make it to this institution. It is very much possible to excel in what you do, and it is very much possible to literally just show the world who you are and be like, ‘This is who I am. Accept me. Or if not, that’s not my problem.’”

Beyond the ability to be in a familiar space, cultural organizations also offer the opportunity to learn more about one’s ethnicity or heritage. “It does provide a safe haven for these groups, for them to interact with other people that have experienced similar things and have gone through similar paths, talk the same language, eat the same food, listen to the same music,” Saderup said. “But it’s so nice having people that can start introducing me to more of who I am, to what people in the southern hemisphere listen to.” Martinez even connects that atmosphere with confidence and beauty. “I think really entreating myself into that space and being surrounded by people who identified themselves as Latinx and part of the same culture, and just being able to see myself in them, really allowed me to, in my own way, feel beautiful,” Martinez said. There are many factors in the formation of the Eurocentric beauty standard and how it continues to be influenced by gender roles, class, and race. However, there must be a way to foster a more inclusive standard or even abolish comparison standards. “I think in my own experience, it goes back to representation and also education,” Martinez said.

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“In terms of representation, having people who are able to be good role models for the future generation. And I think within that, having those role models be educated on these subjects and truly understand there’s always more to discover about a certain topic. And I think beyond that, and something that I think I’ve tried to implement in my own life … is trying your best to educate the generations above you, but also understanding where my limits are with that and where my own boundaries are with that.” Most students agreed that education and conversations were the best solutions to bring awareness to the constraints of a standard in beauty. However, Chong acknowledged that these discussions could be difficult. “Sometimes you feel like you can’t even really blame people because it’s just, like, the mindset that they grew up in,” Chong said. “When people grow up in an area that’s not diverse, and then those people in that area are conservative or racist, they can’t really help that. I hope at college, they’ll come here and start to develop their own thoughts and opinions on things.” In addition to general ignorance, there is the problem of internal pressures of conformity in communities of color and within a generational family. To students feeling lost, unrecognized, or dejected, Allen has words of advice. “I think seeking out a mentor, seeking out friends who feel the same way, and I think, finding a support group and other people who will help to support you and engage with you and love you no matter what [is important], to see beauty and intelligence in you and who will tell you that,” Allen said. “Also, I think having allies is also good … Having genuine allies makes a difference because sometimes it literally feels like you can take a breath because you’re not always out there in the fight.” In essence, beauty is unique. There is no one face or body to which one should be compared, and there is no definition of beautiful despite the myth of the “golden ratio.” It is only through more discussion and increased representation that we will ultimately break the boundaries of beauty. Photos Courtesy of Interviewees

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Campus Housing Crisis: The Waitlist, Residence Life, & the Mistake that Launched a Thousand Zillow Searches Story by Will Kobos ‘24 Photos by Zachary Lutzky ‘24 At 9 p.m. on Friday, February 28th, around 600 sophomores and juniors received an email informing them that they had been placed on a waitlist for on-campus housing for the next academic year. The email from Residence Life advised waitlisted students that they could not be guaranteed on-campus housing and directed them to resources for finding off-campus housing.

ith Residence Life and all the other college administrative offices closed for the weekend, waitlisted students began a stampede toward the few off-campus residences still available.

contained just 19 students.

“We became aware that something was amiss when we began receiving emails and phone calls on a Friday night and all through the weekend,” said local realtor Angela Bailey. “We had hundreds of phone calls, text messages, and emails, and only had 18 available properties for rent.”

“There were many students who were forced to live off campus, and further away from campus, than they wanted,” said Bailey.

One week after the announcement of the waitlist, Residence Life announced that it would delay the planned closure and renovation of One Tribe Place by one year; initially, there were still 230 people remaining on the waitlist even after the beds in OTP were added to the school’s total residential capacity. As waitlisted students secured offcampus housing or canceled their contracts for other reasons, the size of the waitlist dwindled; according to Maggie Evans, Associate Vice President for Campus Living, as of late April, the housing waitlist

Still, much of the drop in waitlisted students happened because they were forced, at least for a time, to seek residential accommodations wherever they could find them.

Harriet Kandell, the Director of Housing and Residence Life, said that the announcement about OTP was made as quickly as was feasible. “Once we realized the unexpectedly higher demand for housing, we began exploring the possibility of delaying the work in One Tribe Place. This entailed taking time to consult with the firms under contract for the project to determine if we could negotiate delaying the work. We announced the decision to bring OTP back into the inventory for 2022-23 as soon as we confirmed it was a viable option.” The extent to which the demand for on-campus housing outstripped 18

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supply came as a shock to the administration, said Evans. “There had been a steady decline in student interest for housing on campus from 2012 until this past year,” she said. “And the pandemic just sort of threw out all of our markers in terms of ability to project interest.” Harriet Kandell, W&M’s Director of Housing and Residence Life, attributed the spike in demand to the lingering effects of Covid-19 on the students’ sense of community. “We learned that due to the disruption from the pandemic, the residential connections of campus were more strongly missed than we realized,” she said in an email. “Upperclassman requests for oncampus housing for Fall 2022 far exceeded even what students had indicated in early December.” Kandell said that the data obtained from a student survey conducted in December 2021 had turned out to be unrepresentative of the student body’s actual housing plans. “The responses did not indicate interest to live on campus would be as high as it turned out. However, moving forward we think conducting that survey earlier can facilitate the planning process for both students and the university.” Throughout the development of the waitlist situation, both Residence Life and the Administration have maintained that a waitlist is normal and expected, with the only surprise this year being its unprecedented size. “There has always been a wait list of some number,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Ginger Ambler. “The question for us is what is a manageable number. So we are comfortable with managing a waitlist. The reason we brought OTP back online is that we saw unprecedented demand this year that even surveys didn’t suggest we would see.” “We typically have a waitlist for housing,” Kandell echoed. “What was different this year was the size of that waitlist and the high variance in applications for campus housing from the responses we received to our annual survey.” However, Bailey said that a waitlist shock like this year was not something she had encountered before. “We have not had to deal with a waitlist 19

previously,” she said. “The demand for offcampus rentals is always high, but this year it was condensed into a very short period of time and people were frantic to secure housing.” Similarly, a current RA who spoke to Flat Hat Magazine said that the notion that a waitlist was unavoidable rang hollow.

“I think one of the biggest causes of the problems Reslife has been having is the bureaucracy separating RAs, area directors, higher-ups at Reslife, and then even further than that the William and Mary administration themselves,” said the first RA. “I think it also has to do with the William and Mary administration being focused on making more money for the school, which comes into play with the housing crisis, since they chose to admit more people.” “When we had our staff meeting to discuss it, it seemed like my area director had to phrase it in a way that wasn’t going against Reslife because she was like, ‘Look, there was always a possibility of the waitlist, we always made it known that there was this possibility,’” she said. “And you know, in 2017 there was another waitlist and then in 2012 or something, and [the area director] was like, ‘it’s happened before.’ And we were all like, ‘Well, it’s actually not clear because obviously [in] the past three years … everyone has gotten their housing.’ And you’d think if there was going to be a waitlist and you’d figure that out earlier in the semester so people would have time to get off-campus housing.” The RA also described Residence Life as hobbled by a lack of transparency and communication and said that it was unsurprising that Residence Life and the administration misapprehended the reality on the ground in terms of what students wanted for housing. “Among the other RAs, our reaction was like, ‘Wow, Reslife has been really incompetent at handling this,’” she said. “That kind of makes sense given our interactions with how Reslife has been handling our positions or different things like that. But we were obviously very frustrated.” The two RAs that the magazine spoke with, both of whom asked to remain anonymous, described the

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problems of the waitlist and the housing crisis as products of deep-seated issues within Residence Life, which they attributed to short-staffing, a lack of transparency and communication, and an overly prescriptive departmental culture. “I think one of the biggest causes of the problems Reslife has been having is the bureaucracy separating RAs, area directors, higher-ups at Reslife, and then even further than that the William and Mary administration themselves,” said the first RA. “I think it also has to do with the William and Mary administration being focused on making more money for the school, which comes into play with the housing crisis, since they chose to admit more people.” She also said that the news of the waitlist came as a surprise even to lower-level Residence Life employees. “My area director was talking to us about what happened. And she was like, ‘Yeah, I really had no control over this. I had no idea this was happening,’” she said. “And honestly, the way she framed it in the meeting was that the people higher up in Reslife didn’t have control over what was happening either, because they were handed down decisions from even higher, from William and Mary admin. It was the same thing when the mask mandate was changed all of a sudden. My area director had a meeting that night and she was like, ‘I did not know this was happening. I don’t really know what to tell you guys about enforcing this or what this means for the fact that you’ve enforced this for so long.’” The RA said that breakdowns in communication were endemic in the department at multiple levels. “It seems like there’s a pretty big divide between people like my area director and the people above her, where if she gets complaints from us as RAs, those complaints don’t really go back to the people who are actually in charge,” she said. “And then at the end of last semester, we filled out a survey, talking about what we would want to improve about the job. They made it seem like things would change and that we would be listened to. But then, we came back the next semester and my area director said, ‘Well, I saw all of your concerns, but they go against the rules that we already have. So actually, I can’t listen to them at all.’” The other RA I spoke with echoed the sentiment, saying that dealing with the opaque bureaucracy of Residence Life resembles living and working in a

Catch-22. “I feel like there have been absolutely no official channels for RAs to talk to higher-ups about their job experience or about changes that should be made within the job,” she said. Both pointed to staffing shortages at all levels of the department as causes of some of its ailments. “They’ve had a number of area director vacancies,” said the first RA. “For example, last semester my area director was spread over my area and then part of someone else’s area who had left the position.” The second RA expressed frustration about her hardships that have come from attrition among RAs. “Someone on my staff quit at the start of the semester,” she said. “And so now I have to go and check on their residents as well and make sure that that whole other floor is doing OK, which essentially doubles my workload. And I was already doing a double workload because there are supposed to be two RAs on my floor, but I’m the only one. So I essentially have quadruple what Reslife says I should be doing, but I’m not being compensated any more for that.” She also discussed what she saw as problems with the overall departmental culture. “Throughout various issues that I’ve seen with Reslife, I feel like the professional staff’s response is consistently to try and pretend like nothing is wrong rather than admitting like there is an issue and they need to work extra to fix that issue. And I feel like to an extent that’s also the way RAs are taught to operate.”

“Similar to most industries right now, including higher education, Residence Life has vacant positions. We are in the process of filling a few open spots. Supporting our current residents and staff is a top priority.” In her email, Harriet Kandell said that Residence Life already maintains adequate communication channels with its student employees. “Residence Life conducts weekly meetings with both full-time and student/RA/HA staff,” she said. “Updates and information are routinely shared

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back and forth in these meetings. Questions and concerns from RAs are shared with the area directors, and addressed as needed.” Evans, the Associate Vice President for Campus Living, said in an email that Residence Life, like many employers around the country, is currently struggling to fill vacancies. “Similar to most industries right now, including higher education, Residence Life has vacant positions. We are in the process of filling a few open spots. Supporting our current residents and staff is a top priority,” she said. As of May 1, five positions in Residence Life’s online staff directory — two of them for area directors —were listed as vacant. Kandell also said that Reslife was hoping to improve how it communicates with students and RAs. “We have been considering and planning for the development of a committee for Head Staff and Resident Assistants to gather and share direct feedback with Residence Life leadership,” she said. “Once we are fully staffed we will be able to make additional progress on this initiative.” On April 21st, the Administration announced its 21

ambitious 10-year plan to demolish or conduct major renovations on 80% of the College’s residential capacity. The way the renovation is currently estimated to proceed, the lowest point the College will reach in terms of bed capacity will be 4,500 beds, 200 fewer than are currently in use this year, said Amy Sebring, W&M’s Chief Operating Officer.

“We are still receiving phone calls, text messages, and emails from people who are looking for offcampus housing,” she said. “While it has been a privilege to help so many students in need due to being put on a waitlist, it has been heart-wrenching to turn away so many due to lack of inventory.” According to Ambler, one of the core motivations for the housing development plan is the positive impact that on-campus housing has on students. “Nationally, there’s a lot of data that supports positive educational outcomes for students who live in residence halls,” she said. “They tend to graduate in less time and seek more advanced degrees. Overall, they are more satisfied with their educational experience and have stronger

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relationships, both with peers and also with faculty and staff.” Strikingly, however, the plan does not entail any expansion of the College’s total dorm capacity. “This [plan] isn’t an expansion of either our housing or dining facilities,” said Sebring. “It really is intended to be a replacement and revitalization of those spaces.” According to Evans, this year’s housing crisis has not changed the administration’s ultimate assessment that there is no need to increase the number of on-campus beds.

William and Mary. “I think the pandemic reinforced for our students and for all of us the real value of being together on campus,” she said. “And the residential experience is really at the heart of the student experience, and so our goal through this project is that on campus living will continue to be attractive, the place where students want to be, and that we’re offering modern, great, comfortable, equitable facilities across campus.” For the time being, Bailey, the local realtor, said that the demand for off-campus housing next year still hasn’t abated.

“In the longer term, our consultants are under the impression with the information they have that development will continue off campus,” Evans said. “So there will likely be more off campus growth, whether that’s small apartment complexes or larger ones. And we also have the enrollment cliff that we’re heading toward nationally. The demographics for traditional college-age students will take a dip beginning in 2025. That’s directly related to the recession in 2008.”

Sebring said that there is still some uncertainty regarding the current and future supply of offcampus residences.

“When I told my head resident that I did not reapply to be an RA, he was just like, ‘Yeah, I can’t really blame you for that decision,’” said one.

Meanwhile, both RAs said they don’t plan to stay on next year, citing their disillusionment with departmental leadership and culture.

“The remaining wild card for us is the local real estate market,” she said. “There’s so little supply right now for housing that we have people in short term rental property that normally would be student-occupied. I think all of the economic forecasts say that there’s going to be restricted supply for probably the next 18 to 36 months. And so that was part of the thinking in terms of pushing out the renovation of One Tribe Place. If for some reason we end up in a sustained period of lack of supply in the community or if something changes with some of the developments off campus that we’re thinking may come to fruition, then the plan is intended to allow us to kind of ebb and flow as we need to. But we feel pretty good given what we know today.” Sebring also noted that some flexibility in terms of the final bed count is baked into the plan. “When we get into phase two and phase three of the plan, there are actually places in the plan where we can scale up or down,” she said. Ambler said the resurgent demand for on-campus housing is an encouraging sign as the College attempts to revitalize the experience of living at

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Photos by Justin Sherlock ‘23 Produced by Ellie Kurlander ‘24

TONY

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Modelled by Bonk ‘24 Georgia Thoms ’23 Kiseki Carter ’25 Lauren Meyer ’24 Marion Biondi ’24 Zoe Powers ’24

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Story by Georgia Thoms ‘23

Colonial Williamsburg Rare Breeds Program

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A little ways away from the hubbub of Merchants Square is a large barn where sheep, chickens, and horses are kept in between driving shifts. There, Georgia Thoms ’23 met with some of the crew members who take care of these beloved Colonial Williamsburg animals. Continue reading to learn about the history behind the Rare Breeds program and its role in livestock conservation.

rangutans, elephants, giant pandas, rhinos, and tigers are some of the first animals that come to mind when animal conservation is discussed. However, did you know that livestock species can also become endangered? An adjunct of Colonial Williamsburg’s Coach and Livestock program, the Rare Breeds program has succeeded in taking livestock species historically accurate to Virginia’s Colonial Period off the endangered species list. The program was founded in 1986 starting with the Leicester Longwool sheep. Now, the Rare Breed program includes cattle such as the American Milking Devon and American Milking Shorthorn; fowl like the Dominique, Nankin Bantams, and Old English Game, as well as Cleveland Bay and American Cream Draft horses. Apprentice Stud Groom Lauren Kehoe explained the goal of the program and its successes. “We were hoping to find breeds of livestock that were endangered [and] that are historically accurate and establish them and help raise awareness of these breeds,” Kehoe said. “So, for the last year, [Leicester Longwools] were basically extinct in the U.S. You couldn’t find them in the U.S., so we had to import them from Tasmania to get a purebred.” After starting their own flock, the program was able to lend out rams for breeding and thus create satellite flocks all across the United States. “The Leicester Longwool is a success. They actually have been taken from functionally extinct to threatened. There’s 1,500 or so registered Leicesters in America now,” Kehoe said.

Animal Husbander Thomas Stover worked in history museums for twenty years before applying to become a Coachman with Colonial Williamsburg’s Coach and Livestock program. “I did that for about six months, and then I moved over to animal husbandry, and it was just serendipitous,” Stover said. “I fell in love with it.” Determining if a breed is historically accurate often involves a close examination of artifacts like woolen cloth, letters, papers, portraits, and advertisements. “A lot of primary research is from descriptions of cattle in lost and found ads,” Stover said. “Papers, inventories, things like that. The Leicester is a good example because we do know that Washington did have them at Mount Vernon. We know that Governor Dunmore had a Cleveland Bay Horse.” From there, the program collaborates with outside farmers, both amateur and professional, as well as historic living museums like Mount Vernon to raise awareness about endangered and threatened livestock breeds. “We will never be able to breed enough animals to save a breed,” Stover said. “Our job is to convince other people to breed them as well …. I think that’s what really makes us a successful Rare Breeds program.” Genetically, many of these breeds were bred to function as jacks of all trades — for example, a horse could plow the field and also be trained for riding and driving carriages while cattle could drive carts and provide milk or meat.

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Apprentice Animal Husbander Anna Rinehart explained the beneficial versatility of these livestock breeds. “They’re not overproducers in any one category, but they’re pretty good at a few different things,” Rinehart said. “Some of these groups have this kind of genetic diversity that can be useful in different circumstances but aren’t necessarily needed for modern farming.” As for the program’s larger importance, reintroducing species that are not mass-bred increases genetic diversity and helps prevent the possibility of a viral eradication of agricultural animals, something which would have an astronomical impact on the world’s food supply. “Not only does it bring awareness to agriculture, but it brings awareness to the fact that more than manatees and giraffes become endangered …. [People] don’t really understand that we’re losing breeds of livestock,” Kehoe added.

The processes of cross-breeding and selective breeding started with Robert Bakewell in 18thcentury Williamsburg. “There was a time period in historical interpretation where you were trying to get animals that looked like [certain] animals, so they were cross-breeding,” Stover noted. Thus began the more scientific approach to animal husbandry and agriculture practices.

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“People selected for desirable characteristics for faster growth, finer bones, fashion, maturity, standardization, and more meat for desirable cuts,” Kehoe said. In the modern program, Rinehart described a specific breeding pattern for Leicester Longwools which includes a rectangular body; a wide stance (for a large respiratory system); darker snout, ears, and eyes; and thick, coarse wool. The Rare Breeds program has managed to not only create an accurate living history for modern tourists but has also become a leader in conservation efforts for livestock. However, modern constraints do affect the program. “I would say sometimes you can have a little bit more difficulty when it comes to how you set up your pasture space,” Kehoe said. “Sometimes we do have to consider visibility, so right now we’re balancing what postures we think would be best for our lambs.” Given how the animals live in a tourist destination, a serious concern is that they are at risk for naïve visitors to introduce deadly foods. “We try to keep people from feeding the animals because that can be a problem,” Stover said. “In 2017, we lost like nine sheep because someone threw in a poisonous plant. They didn’t realize it was poisonous, but they threw it into the sheep pastures.” Other modern aspects that affect the program include the need for less visible identification tags and the confinement of modern veterinary practice to the barn rather than the pastures. Stover explained how other sections of living history are able to start with colonial practices and show the improvement to the modern era, but with living creatures, modern veterinary practices are a priority. Historically accurate elements such as wood fencing, tin feed buckets, and wooden troughs are left as secondary additions. “We start in the 21st century, and then we go to the 18th century because our sheep are no more 18th-century sheep than [an employee is] an 18th-century person,” Stover said. “They deserve modern medical care, and they deserve modern

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nutrients and things like that. And so we get to start there and bring people back with us, as opposed to the other way around like most other departments.” Regardless of these small setbacks to historical authenticity, the program has positively impacted the agriculture industry for over thirty years. As the largest living history museum in the world, Colonial Williamsburg has access to research resources and the publicity to provide opportunities to educate and inspire the public — including students at the College of William and Mary — through a variety of programs and historical interpretation. “We have the rare breed talk that we do twice a week now, we have private volunteers from William and Mary, we also have other volunteers that help us out here,” Stover said. “We do a variety of programs like carriage rides … and we will herd the sheep through town. So we try to be pretty active and involved in the interpretation side of things.”

“It is something I would very much like to see grow,” Stover said in reference to the student volunteer population within the program. “I think it’s one of the most important things that we do because we students are the future of this program. And so getting all involved and helping you take that out into the world — it’s extremely important, and it’s my favorite part of the program.” During my visit, I was lucky enough to meet the first lamb born this season. Over the course of the next few weeks, the lambs will be put in pastures accessible to tourists. Ask the crew members and volunteers questions on their rounds to learn even more about the history behind the animals in Colonial Williamsburg. Just remember, treat the animals with respect and don’t give them any human treats — they may not be endangered anymore, but they are still a threatened species!

Photos Courtesy of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

The crew enthusiastically agreed that volunteers from the College are a great addition to the program.

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Working in Colonial Williamsburg as a College Student

Story by Elizabeth Brady ’25 Photos by Zachary Lutzky ‘24

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The areas surrounding different college campuses can contribute greatly to a school’s atmosphere and job market. Hear from students at the College of William and Mary about the proximity, flexibility, and community that working in the Colonial Williamsburg area provides.

eorgetown has D.C., NYU has New York City, Carnegie Mellon has Pittsburgh, and the College has Colonial Williamsburg. For many students looking at colleges, proximity to large urban areas — and the employment and internship opportunities they can provide — is a deciding factor on where to attend. Someone interested in public policy or law might gravitate to Georgetown because of the 20-minute commute to the White House (the ultimate internship), and a prospective theater major might eye NYU because of its subway-ride distance from Broadway (a main character moment). Even though Williamsburg isn’t exactly a bustling metropolis, there are plenty of opportunities for employment just across Boundary Street.

Culture Cafe, according to its website, is a “diverse space with something for each of us” and welcomes “vegans, vegetarians, omnivores, flexitarians, pollotarians, carnivores, and fruitarians.” Mellow Mushroom hostess Ryleigh Tibbets ’25 explained how local businesses are more than willing to hire students from the College. “After hearing that you’re at William and Mary, they’re like, ‘Oh, really? That’s so cool,’” Tibbets said. One of two local franchises owned by Hampton Roads local Gray Nelson, Mellow Mushroom is a recent staple of Merchants Square since opening its Colonial Williamsburg location in October 2018.

Merchants Square, according to its website, is the “one of the earliest, if not the first planned shopping districts in the United States.” During John D. Rockefeller Jr.’s restoration of Colonial Virginia, Rockefeller worked with the Reverend W.A.R. Goodwin to revamp and restructure Colonial Williamsburg’s commercial sector. The project was planned specifically with shoppers and tourists in mind; the wide pedestrianfriendly square and hidden power lines make the Square both welcoming and attractive.

With 1980s-British-punk-meets-1700sBritish-royalty décor that features a mural of the College’s founders, Mellow Mushroom incorporates local visuals into the company’s aesthetic.

Merchants Square boasts over 30 businesses in its directory. Most of them are small eateries and boutique-style stores, the kinds of places looking for part-time clerks, waitresses, hostesses, and sales associates — all of which they find in no short supply from the College.

FatFace Boutique sales associate Halle Boroski ’25 explained the ease of attaining the position she now holds.

“The first thing my manager said to me … was, ‘I love hiring students. I’ll hire as many students as I can,’” said Tess Willet ’25, a hostess and busser at Culture Cafe. One of the many restaurants owned by Chef David Everett, who has been investing in the Williamsburg community since opening Blue Talon Bistro in 2004, Culture Cafe is run by locals Scott Hoyland and Louise Wood.

In contrast to the usual cycle of apply-waitinterview-wait-rejection-apply, every student interviewed said that getting hired at a Merchants Square business was a quick and painless process.

“I didn’t even give them a resume … [I] just [gave] them my email … and then they didn’t even interview me; they were like, ‘Yeah, you have the job,’” Boroski said. Founded in 1988 by friends Jules Leaver and Tim Slade and named after a ski slope in Vald’Isere, FatFace is a British ski-resort brand that has recently moved into Colonial Williamsburg. FatFace made the trip across the Atlantic in 2016 with its first U.S. franchises, and the Williamsburg location opened in late 2021, making it one of 58 locations in the U.S. 38

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The students interviewed also discussed the convenience of Colonial Williamsburg’s location. While students in cities without cars may have to take public transportation in order to get to work, for a student at the College, work may be just a short walk away. “The appeal of working in Colonial Williamsburg is that you can walk,” Boroski said. This proximity to local businesses allows for freshmen and sophomores (who are not typically eligible for campus parking passes) to be able to find off-campus work. In addition to the money and the resume boost, working off-campus can also allow students to establish a connection to the larger Williamsburg area and community.

Tibbets echoed the simplicity of the application process. “Within 20 minutes, the lady came out handing me an application and was like, ‘I’ll see you back here in an hour, and we can get your schedule set,’” Tibbets said. According to Erin Goodnow, CEO of college tutoring company Going Ivy, flexibility of hours is crucial for students balancing work and school. “Finding a job that allows you to keep school your priority is key,” Goodnow said in a 2017 interview with Forbes Magazine. Beyond being so willing to hire, all students interviewed said that their respective managers were understanding and accommodating of their lives and schedules as students. “My boss is so chill. She’s like, ‘Do you want to work today?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah,’” said Boroski. Tibbets, an athlete, must schedule work around classes, practices, and weekends away for tournaments. “I was very upfront about it, and I was like, ‘I’m gone this [and] these days. Like, I hope that’s not an issue.’ They schedule me the one day I don’t have practice, and they let me choose which shifts to pick up during the weekend,” Tibbets said. 39

“It’s really endearing to have people that aren’t in school come in; you recognize them, and they recognize you back. It’s a good feeling,” said Tibbets. There’s no doubt that Colonial Williamsburg and the College are critical components of the local community — education and tourism are Williamsburg’s two most important industries. In 2021, the College was Williamsburg’s largest employer. Students working in Williamsburg further foster the symbiotic relationship between the College and the larger community. This relationship can further be seen through the presence of programs like Williamsburg Engagement, a community involvement program that “connects students with local community partners,” allowing students to “positively affect people’s lives in our community.” Additionally, funded local internships offered by the Office of Community Engagement allow students the opportunity to work in the Williamsburg Farmers Market, James City County Planning, and the Community Services center. Although none of the students interviewed saw the College’s location as a major benefit in terms of career prospects, a student looking to study history might feel very differently. Beyond proximity, the College has actively collaborated on projects such as the research of the Williamsburg Bray School, also known as the Dudley Digges House. This endeavor, which began in 2020, was made possible through close cooperation between the College and Colonial

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Williamsburg, and the project helped spotlight local Black history. Besides Colonial Williamsburg, local research centers such as the JamestownYorktown foundation and the National Park Service offer opportunities for students to gain hands-on research experience close to home. Despite not being in the middle of an up-andcoming city, the College is hardly bereft of job opportunities for students. And the numbers prove that location isn’t everything as well. According to the Princeton Review, the College is the number one public school for internships, despite not being near any large firms, banks, or hospitals. The College also holds its own incomewise against more metropolitan universities with the Class of 2019 having a postgraduate mean income rate that beats both Georgetown and NYU. The College may not have a city as its campus, but we are more than fortunate to have a local community that supports the College and its students. To read more about the research that went into this article, check out the online version at flathatmagazine.com. 40

Black History in Colonial Williamsburg Story by Hannah Ray ‘25

2019 marked the 40th anniversary of Colonial Williamsburg’s commitment to African American interpretation. Explore Colonial Williamsburg’s efforts to uncover African American history and share it with visitors to Colonial Williamsburg and beyond. 41

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n the 18th century, Black individuals — both enslaved people and free people of color — made up over half of Williamsburg’s population. Colonial Williamsburg’s retelling of history is not complete without their stories. African American actors were once primarily limited to portraying carriage coachmen who drove visitors through the streets of the town in the 1930s. Today, African American interpreters are present throughout the living history museum in a wide variety of roles. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s commitment to African American interpretation began in 1979 and recently celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2019. To commemorate this anniversary, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation recently debuted its 40th Anniversary of African American Interpretation exhibit, which visitors can see as they enter the Visitor’s Center. The exhibit details the past 40 years of African American interpretation, complete with photos of the first interpreters and educational material about slavery and 18th-century Williamsburg’s enslaved population. Stephen Seals, a creator of the exhibit, has worked at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation for nearly fourteen years, and he currently serves as an interpreter for Nation Builder James Armistead Lafayette, an enslaved Virginian who acted as a spy during the American Revolution. Seals defines the purpose of interpretation and its intended effect. “Interpretation is meant to provoke, and that’s the main tenet of interpretation,” Seals said. “It puts something in your mind, or in your head, or your body that makes you want to know more or do more.” As a Black man, Seals knows the history he portrays can be a difficult subject and one that continues to have repercussions for people like himself and his family. However, Seals sees interpretation as a powerful tool. “For me, [interpretation] is about humanization,” Seals said. “There’s a human connection to it that makes you connect to me ... making us in essence the same people.” Lafayette has become a more recognizable

name throughout the country due, in part, to Seals’ interpretation work. Lafayette, who was crucial to the development of Colonial Williamsburg and the larger American story alongside other Williamsburg locals like Edith Cumbo and Ann Wager, has increasingly been featured in states’ education curricula as one of Colonial Williamsburg’s Nation Builders. Seals recalled how, as a child, he did not see Black Americans represented in history.

“As a kid going to museums, I didn’t often see myself represented in the history that I was getting.” As an adult, he has endeavored to change that. “There’s not a fixed narrative of Virginia, of Williamsburg, of African-American — American — history,” Seals said. “We are working to get closer and closer to that complete understanding … and [interpretation] is an incredibly exciting opportunity to do that.” Aside from interpretation, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation restores, preserves, and excavates historic buildings for public education and academic research. The College of William and Mary has been working with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to research and restore the 18thcentury Bray School for free and enslaved Black children following the discovery of its location in 2021. The director of the Bray School Lab, Maureen Elgersman Lee, also serves as the Mellon Engagement Coordinator for African American Heritage at the College.

“[The Bray School] invites the nation and the world into the school and therefore, by extension, to Colonial Williamsburg — to have conversations about education, about enslavement, about race, about religion, and the intersections of all those and more,” Lee said. Those working at the Bray School Lab examine Those working at the Bray School Lab examine the school’s records to learn as much as the school’s records to learn as much as possible possible about each of the Bray School’s about each of the Bray School’s scholars and scholars and their lives before and after their their lives before and after their time there as time there as students. students. 42

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Once the Bray School is restored, it will become the 89th original building in Colonial Williamsburg. Interpretation in Colonial Williamsburg is based on the physical history of the location, and few know this location better than Dr. Julie Richter, a professor in the College’s Department of History and the Project Manager for Virtual Jamestown. “I always found it important to talk with the interpreters about what I had found and what I thought the records would tell us about the people who lived and worked on different sites in the historic area,” Richter said. “They often would ask me questions that just prompted me to reflect more on what I had done and helped me tease more details out of what we had.” Richter worked on the Peyton Randolph House, a property that had housed three non-enslaved white individuals and 27 enslaved Black people at one point. Incorporating the stories and voices of these enslaved people is vital, and research and interpretation are both key to discovering and telling these stories. Richter believes that sharing these human experiences through an interpreter — a human medium — prompts a greater understanding of the subject matter.

“It’s a way of seeing how academic information ... can be presented in different formats,” Richter noted. “In some ways, I think all academic historians should be interpreters.” Richter also directs the National Institute of American History and Democracy (NIAHD) at the College, which partners with Colonial Williamsburg to give both high school and college students the opportunity to have hands-on experiences in museums and archaeological excavations. The goal of NIAHD is to show students that history is not limited to memorizing facts in a textbook but rather a dynamic process. “We really try to provide hands-on experience to learn how to be a public historian and to engage with history … History is an active pursuit,” Richter said. “We like to say we do history.” While capturing a complete historical narrative is impossible, museums like the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation continue to strive toward that goal. 43

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“The future is not being able to leave Williamsburg without knowing that [Black Americans] were here, that we were a part of the history and a major part of the history, and that our American stories are just as American as any American story,” Seals said. “The fact that the understanding is that the story has to be everywhere here — in the historic area and within the foundation — means that we’ve come quite a long way in 40-some years now.”

Photos Courtesy of The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation 44

BRO E K

A O U B RQ E

Flat Hat Magazine • Style

Photos by Justin Sherlock ‘22 Photos by Zachary Lutzky ‘24 Modelled by Hudson Fortney ’24 Roshnica Gurung ’24 Sarah Ibrahim ’25 Isabella Kershner ’24 Eve Palmer ’24 Prasanna Patel ’24 Styled by and Makeup by Roshnica Gurung ‘24 Isabella Kershner ‘24 Ella Goldschmidt ‘24

ba·roque Baroque Pearls: irregularly shaped, naturally occurring pearls highly valued for their imperfections and unusual beauty The Baroque Period: relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries characterized by ornate detail; an era defined by grandeur, drama, and opulent dynamism. 46

For this photoshoot, I envisioned a capsule wardrobe that sought to subvert the Eurocentric excesses of the 17th and 18th-century aristocracy but still embraced the maximalist, detail-obsessed Baroque style through a modern, environmentally-conscious lens. Flat Hat Magazine partnered with on-campus thrift business T-Swap to bring this vision to fruition. T-Swap provided us with 16 second-hand garments of various sizes and tastes to create 12 different looks for six models. We then challenged three innovative student stylists to mix and match a small capsule of second-hand garments into outfits worth framing in gold. Anna Wershbale ’24 Style Editor

Clothes courtesy of T-Swap

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Unabashed Indulgences

In the spirit of Marie Antoinette, the Flat Hat Magazine staff humbly presents our collection of guilty pleasure songs. These are the songs that we can’t quite get enough of. However, we run the risk of getting sentenced to the guillotine with each listen. Check out our complete playlist by scanning the Spotify code above. We invite you to indulge with us ... if you dare.

“Miserable at Best” by Mayday Parade According to Spotify, I’m in the top 3% of Mayday Parade listeners. And I haven’t said that with pride ever since I texted a friend that and she replied: “Please get therapy.” There may be a Mayday Parade stigma (please don’t CARE Report me), but I’m all for bringing back the 2000s emo ballads. But then again, I’m also that girl who wears black/ too much eyeliner all the time, so maybe I’m just still going through my goth/emo phase 15 years later. - JR Herman ’24

“CHICKEN TERIYAKI” by ROSALÍA I made fun of this song when she soft-launched it on TikTok, but now it’s stuck in my head: “Pa ti naki, chicken teriyaki, tu gata quiere maki, mi gata en Kawasaki.” Stream MOTOMAMI right now! - Gavin Aquin ’22

“Nine in the Afternoon” by Panic! at the Disco Panic! at the Disco was my jam in middle school and, while I can’t stomach listening to most of the 51

band’s discography anymore, I don’t think I’ll ever get over my obsession with their 2008 pop-rock masterpiece of an album that is Pretty. Odd., and specifically, “Nine in the Afternoon.” It’s nostalgic for a time that simply doesn’t exist, transcending what we know to be real life. But the feeling associated with the time to which the band alludes is exceptionally real and tangible. You simply can’t listen to this song and not unabashedly sing along to its brilliantly nonsensical, infectious chorus. - Mary Beth Bauermann ’24

“Cellophane” by FKA Twigs I’m not proud of this one. Why didn’t she do it for you, Rob?!? - Ellie Kurlander ’24

“Love Shack” by the B-52’s The song itself is pretty ridiculous by itself, but I think the guilty pleasure part really kicks in when someone finds out that I know all of the words and adlibs in this song. Like, every single one. I used to be ashamed of it, but now I’m quite proud of this accomplishment. - Rebecca Altman ’25

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“BlackBoxWarrior” by Will Wood I’m a big fan of songs that seem like they’ve taken a minute of a bunch of mismatched songs and stitched them all together with cool transitions. This song is very fun to listen to and does not follow the general verse-chorus-verse-chorusbridge-chorus formula. The instrumentals are also sporadic, which always adds more dynamism to a song. - Emma Saunders ’24

“Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus Sometimes you just have to celebrate the fact that you’re a dirtbag who happens to be a teenager. The song itself is so painfully mid-aughts that I wouldn’t be caught dead listening to it. - Ethan Kula ’24

“Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood How can a song released almost a decade ago have such a hold on me? While this song is hardly something to be guilty about, I’ve never listened to it as religiously as I do now, so I guess you could call me hung up? Sorry not sorry that it’s the most intoxicating song in existence. - Marion Biondi ’24

“She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” by Sammy Kershaw I have no excuse for this song. I blame my parents and the offerings of early aughts-era iTunes. It was one of the roughly five songs my mom’s first iPod had space for. Sixteen years later, I still know all the words, and it’s an immediate honky-tonk hit of nostalgia. Don’t tell anybody. - Mary Trimble ’23

“Classic” by MKTO The fact that I’m this obsessed with a song most people stopped listening to in middle school should maybe be disturbing, but I’m just gonna roll with it. It will forever be my most listened to song on Spotify. - India Turner ’24

shorts and a neon orange shirt were acceptable to wear. Zedd single-handedly makes me 2000s emo and, yes, it is on my shower playlist. - Georgia Thoms ’23

“Never Again “ by Kelly Clarkson I forgot how much I loved this song until recently, when I was eating dinner in Sadler and this song played over the speakers. I could not hold back from attempting a surely-feral sounding falsetto during the bridge to properly pay tribute to the queen, Kelly Clarkson. Whenever this song comes on, something comes over me, and I cannot explain it any further. - Alyssa Slovin ’22

“#thatPOWER” by Justin Bieber The song itself isn’t bad, but it instantly takes me back to when I was at a sleepover in the fourth grade, listening to the song on repeat because my friends and I were trying to learn the Just Dance for it. Is it sad that I know the entire dance by heart and will perform it on command, or is it impressive? - Kay Carter ’25

“Summertime” by cinnamons, evening cinema “Saccharine,” encapsulated. But in a good way. - Linda Li ‘24

Bad and Boujee by Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert Though this song may be cringeworthy now, no one can deny that it was an absolute cultural reset way back in 2017. Nestled between Melanie Martinez’s “Crybaby” and Halsey’s “New Americana” in my Amazon music library (may we forget about the Dark Ages before Spotify Premium Student), “Bad and Boujee” was regularly on my song rotation and convinced me I was the hardest lil trap star in ninth grade. And as much as I hate to admit it, I still know pretty much every word as a result — and yes, I will still get down to it, thank you very much. - Vivian Hoang ’24

“Clarity” by Zedd Oh boy, it takes me back to sitting in my room singing to my stuffed animals about a middle school boy who shamelessly thought basketball 52

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Bach-Rock: When Rock Went Baroque Story by Mary Beth Bauermann ’24

he year is 1789. You’re living in France as the reign of terror begins, with guillotines staring you down everywhere you go, but never mind all that. It’s the Baroque period, and the things that catch your eye and captivate your ears feature an overwhelming sense of grandeur, drama, movement, and emotional effervescence. As a matter of fact, your taste lies in creations that break down barriers between styles of art. Baroque was all the rage in the 17th and 18th centuries, but if you climb into Bill and Ted’s time machine, a TARDIS, or whatever your preferred time-traveling device may be to journey to the 1960s, you’ll land just in time for the Baroque period’s resurgence in rock music. You may be wondering what baroque rock entails, as, at least sonically, the two genres could not be further apart. According to baroque.org, characteristics of baroque music include loud and soft dynamics, emphasis on harmony, and the use of string instruments as well as the harpsichord. Baroque rock, then, adopts these musical qualities and mixes them with the electric guitars, drum beats, and bass lines associated with rock music. As a result, baroque rock creates a compelling combination of rock and classical music, complete with elaborate classical instrumentation and functional harmony. Two popular examples of baroque rock, both released in 1965, are The Beatles’ song, “In My Life,” which features a sped-up keyboard solo that sounds like a harpsichord, and The Zombie’s “She’s Not There,” in which the band’s keyboardist, Rod Argent, plays the organ and mellotron. Both songs also feature complex vocal harmonies.

A few months ago, I heard “Walk Away Renee,” an earworm by The Left Banke, a ‘60s rock band whose music was, on a few occasions, termed “Bach-rock.” Well, of course, I had to dig deeper and get to the bottom of what makes the song so unique, catchy, and worthy of a Bach comparison. But let’s face it — I’m writing this article. I can’t simply listen to one song that offers a glimpse into an entire musical movement without taking the plunge down the baroque rock rabbit hole. So, in this article, I’m sharing three of my favorite baroque rock records and illustrating why I can’t get enough of this stuff. Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina by The Left Banke (1967) I have to start with The Left Banke and their masterpiece album, which shares its title with the A-side and B-side of their hit single. The Left Banke immediately established themselves as a baroquerock act with “Pretty Ballerina,” which incorporates piano, strings, and a floating, romantic vocal line. The next track, “She May Call You Up Tonight,” exposes the band’s rock roots, mixing in a driving drumbeat, treble-y electric guitar, and a multipart vocal harmony. “I Haven’t Got the Nerve” serves a similar function. All the while, a few of the album’s tracks, like “What Do You Know,” include a country or bluegrass-leaning tone. I want to focus, however, on “Walk Away Renee.” Like “Pretty Ballerina,” the song heavily relies on an orchestral string arrangement, with a notable violin harmony that accentuates the vocal line from start to finish. There’s also an intriguing interlude, exposing the underlying harpsichord and spotlighting a lovely flute solo. The lyrics are equally poetic, highlighted

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Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia

by the singer’s resilient declaration, “Just walk away, Renee. You won’t see me follow you back home, now as the rain beats down upon my weary eyes. For me it cries.” Recently, I’ve also become obsessed with the incredible vocal arrangements on “Let Go of You Girl.” I haven’t gotten enough of this album, and I don’t think I ever will.

Flips `n’ Hits by Procol Harum (Compilation album of singles from 1967-1970) Flips `n’ Hits, released in 2009, features 11 of the experimental rock band Procol Harum’s greatest hits. The album opens with the song that, if this isn’t your first Procol Harum rodeo, you’ve probably heard: “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” I first encountered this song when it was the subject of a trivia question during a trivia team practice. The coach (who also happens to be my uncle and therefore knew that I was an insufferable 1960s rock nerd) was shocked when I didn’t know the song. I went home that night and listened to “A Whiter Shade of Pale” on repeat until I finally grasped what was going on. There’s a fabulous organ intro as well as several organ interludes throughout the song. Behind the organ, there’s a solid blues-rock rhythm section, exposed on tracks like “Lime Street Blues,” “In the Wee Small Hours of Sixpence,” and the rocking closer, “Long Gone Geek.” There is also the lighthearted and goofy “Good Captain Clack” that highlights the band’s lyrical creativity, as well as their musical chops, as the song features organ, piano, and interesting

vocal harmonies. Moral of the story: You’re missing out if you call it quits after “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” Odessey & Oracle by The Zombies (1968) From the minute you press play on Odessey & Oracle, you hear a jovial harpsichord in the intro to “Care for Cell 44,” setting the scene for the album’s avant-garde approach to rock. This album features the straightforward piano-rock hit, “This Will Be Our Year,” and the ever-groovy “Time of the Season,” which has become a 1960s “British Invasion” classic. The rest of the album, however, is an experience to say the least. There are bubblegum pop-rock tunes like “Friends of Mine” and “I Want Her She Wants Me” that utilize baroque harpsichord and vocal harmonies to add to their timeless, sunny mood. On the other hand, “Butcher’s Tale” features a frightening organ melody as the singer, a war veteran with PTSD, exclaims, “I can’t stop shaking” and pleads, “Let me go home.” The best part about “Butcher’s Tale” is that it blends seamlessly into “Friends of Mine,” shocking you out of the terrorizing experience of listening to the former and, soon enough, you’re back to bopping your head and humming along. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my favorite tracks on the album, “A Rose for Emily” and “Brief Candles,” which are both brilliant compositions. “A Rose for Emily” makes use of complex harmonies and features overlapping vocal lines during the chorus, which my former choir kid self enjoys tremendously. “Brief Candles” is the empowering, optimistic breakup song you never knew you needed. Odessey & Oracle ultimately has something for everyone and utilizes baroque musical elements to sonically create both terrifying and joyous atmospheres, flowing cohesively in and out of one another. The baroque comeback didn’t stop with 1960s rock. Musical trends, like fashion, never truly disappear — they keep resurging over time. I could write ten sequels to this article, sharing songs from the 1970s, like Queen’s “The Millionaire Waltz,” to this year, with Weezer’s Vivaldi-inspired SZNZ: Spring album. All of this said, it’s clear that baroque music continues to influence and make its mark on popular music. I, for one, never want it to stop.

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DICTIONARY of OBSCURE WILLIAM and MARY SORROWS Story by JR Herman ‘24

You may have heard of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a dictionary of words invented by John Koenig to describe feelings that everyone has surely felt at some point in their lives but that we don’t have “official” words for. Koenig’s dictionary is lovely, poetic, and thought-provoking, but his terms are so broadly applicable to a general audience that they miss the college-aged demographic, and consequently, the daily drama college students go through.

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grantesse erophilic

adj. describes a relationship between “friends” in which the mutual attraction is palpable, characterized by the jolting electricity of not-so-accidental touches; hungry gazes that linger; night-time strolls with too-loud laughter; conversations that derail into flirtatious debauchery; and anticlimactic goodbyes in parked cars and dorms — too scared to make the first move to deconstruct the Maginot lines of the friend zone because, after all, it’s easier to just say goodnight.

n. the realization that, after you graduate, you’ll probably only see most of your friends again during Homecoming Weekend, if that — no matter how much you tell yourself that it won’t be the case, you know deep down that you’ll have to follow their lives through curated Instagram accounts and occasional texts as you march out in the abyss of the real world, forging new relationships which you fear won’t match the old. French grandir, to grow up + French tristesse, sadness

Ancient Greek eros, attraction + Ancient Greek philia, friendship or affection + -ic ending

imaskining

v. when you have a crush on someone in class and have never seen their face without a mask, so you dreamily imagine the rest of their face — an impossible-to-articulate, fiercely subconscious combination of people you’ve known, people you’ve seen, and people you’ve dreamed.

lustgeize

n. intense eye contact which ensues after running into a Tinder match on campus — intimate, yet awkward, their glittering eyes both invasive and vulnerable, simultaneously remembering, desiring, and regretting things (un)said/(un)done, the passersby oblivious to the ghost of longing. English lust + German geist, ghost + English gaze

English imagining + English mask

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newemwhenia

n. the recognition that your older alumni friends are now real adults in the real world, working actual jobs, getting promoted, dealing with adult problems, and no longer able to relate to your complaints about homework and college drama — but yet, as far as you may drift apart, you’ll always be inextricably tied because you “knew them when.” You’ll always hold the inside scoop on all their college tea, bad decisions, and secrets that none of their new “adult” friends know. Portmanteau of “knew them when” + -ia ending

FILMO destami

n. the serendipitous ways you’ve met the people most important in your college life — a random Big/Little assignment, a first conversation about something as meaningless as a meme or squeaky chair, joining an organization on a whim — things which, at the time, you could never have imagined would set in motion everything that has happened since, and now almost seem to have been fated from the start. English destiny + French ami, friend

n. the wish that college felt as epic as it seems in the movies you watched growing up (the parties, the exquisite romance, the glitz, and the glamor), coupled with the realization that college might actually be like that for other people — that perhaps you’re just doing something wrong, not getting invited by the right people to the right places at the right times. English film + English FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)

romcomdomed

adj. the feeling that you’re doomed to live out a romantic comedy, one heavier on the com than the rom, so much so that if you saw aspects of your life in a movie, you’d complain that the cringe is almost unrealistic — “that just doesn’t happen in real life” — the universe or director must have a sense of humor. English romcom + Middle English dom, legal sentence or doom

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melgret

n. when you study and have a productive evening instead of going out, or you go out instead of studying and have a blast — and if you could do it over, you probably would do it again — yet, you still question the decision, considering the what-ifs and could-have-beens if you had opted for the other, the canvas of contentment streaked with semi-translucent regret. French malgré, despite + French mélange, mixture + French regret

wutherless

adj. when you don’t know what to do with your life after finals end, suddenly missing the purpose that classes gave you — relieved, yet at the same time, disoriented by the sudden freedom and lack of responsibilities, adrift in the calm when you’re used to the storm’s heavy winds. Northern English wuthering, strongblowing (winds) + English -less, without

ragnateala

n. the tangled, chaotic, incestuous webs we weave and the accompanying tea that’s bound to spill — discovering your new friend or latest crush is an old friend of a friend who knows things they’d rather you not know — an entertaining, thrilling, and sometimes terrifying prospect since you know it’s a twoway street, so you’d better watch where you walk. Italian ragnatela, spider web + English slang tea, gossip

Squish My Mallow Story and Photos by Alyssa Slovin ’22

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Imagine this: you’re walking across campus on a regular Tuesday afternoon. You see a student walking around with a tote bag and a duffle bag, both filled to capacity. She has a nervous look in her eyes. She stops in front of The Sir Christopher Wren Building, sits on the steps, and unzips the duffle bag. Out pops a giant, bubblegum pink stuffed octopus. She glances around to see if anyone is looking, doesn’t like what she sees, but continues anyway. She places the octopus on the steps and has a mini photoshoot right there. You cannot believe her lack of shame — except that is where you’re wrong. She knows she looks ridiculous, but she does it anyway for the good of this article.

don’t believe in excess, but I do believe in giving into life’s simple pleasures.

Squishmallows first entered the market in 2017. Squishmallows are soft, usually gumdrop-shaped stuffed animals available in sizes as small as two inches and as large as 24 inches. I first learned about these fluffy delights in spring 2019 when my roommate joined a sorority and her Big gifted her a small, light-pink lamb. The stuffed animal had me and all of our friends enamored — we were obsessed with the soft plush fabric, the uniquely squishy stuffing, and the meek smile on its face. Of course, we had to look into getting Squishmallows for ourselves, and soon enough, we all had at least one of our own. For a while, it felt like Squishmallows were our best-kept secret, and only we knew how amazingly special the stuffed animals were. Then, in 2020, corresponding with TikTok’s rise in popularity and COVID-19 quarantines, Squishmallows blew up. It seemed like every high school and college-aged girl had at least one on her bed in the background of her videos, and some users even made Instagram and TikTok accounts dedicated either to their existing Squishmallow collections or to the hunt, which entailed tracking down and purchasing new Squishmallows. Clearly, these toys were not just for the young children to whom they were targeted. With the growth of Squishmallow notoriety, one question prevails: how does this trend resemble previous stuffed animal collecting trends, such as Beanie Babies? Beanie Babies were flying off the shelves in the 1990s with consumers convinced that these small stuffed animals would be the answer to their financial woes and even a supplement to their children’s college education funds.

Ty Warner, the creator of Beanie Babies, never intended them to be collectible items; he designed their soft fur and under-stuffed appearance to be perfect for small children to cuddle. However, the manufactured scarcity of some of the stuffed animals, paired with the strategy to release them in generations, built up their value over time. Selling at about $5 retail, some consumers were reselling them on eBay for up to $5,000. McDonald’s even partnered with Beanie Babies, designating special Beanie Babies as the Happy Meal toy in 1997. 100 million Beanie Babies were commissioned for a five-week promotion. With customers ordering by the hundreds — and often telling cashiers to hold the food — they ran out of Beanie Babies in only two weeks. However, today Beanie Babies are virtually worthless. Consumers who sold at the right time got to keep their fortune, but most were not so lucky. Thinking the value would continue to rise indefinitely, many were caught off guard by the untimely end of the craze. In 1999, after a series of Beanie Babies were retired — an action that would typically increase the value of a highly sought-after product — the market saw no change. Soon after, when new Beanie Babies were released, there was a similar quietness in the market that had not existed previously. The Beanie Babies craze was over, and the ensuing lack of demand made consumers’ investments worthless. The brand still makes stuffed animals, but the days of plastic tag protectors are over. Is this what Squishmallows are? Will they share the same fate? I don’t think so. It’s true that Squishmallows are a trend. The brand does have a website, but they sell most of their inventory through retailers such as Hallmark, Target, Costco, and similar stores. At the absolute height of the Squishmallow craze, consumers 60

would line up outside of stores before restocks, call cashiers about their inventory, and trade online sometimes for hundreds of dollars. There are even a few that sell for over $1,000. However, this behavior seems to be calming down already. Squishmallows seems to be adopting a different business strategy than Beanie Babies. While the rarer Squishmallows are definitely the most valuable ones, the brand is rereleasing some of them to capitalize on consumers who want them, instead of making them impossible to find and get a hold of. I cannot help but wonder if the brand is trying to purposefully stray from the Beanie Babies retirement strategy in order to gain more longevity and avoid such a devastating crash. Another significant difference lies with the collectors themselves. Just scrolling through social media, it is clear that many people practically hoard Squishmallows. They have shelves or hammocks full of them, often fitting a certain theme, aesthetic, or simply collecting every size and color of a certain animal. One of the biggest collector losses for Beanie Babies was Chris Robinson, who spent over $100,000 on over 20,000 Beanie Babies. I do not think it would be feasible to own even close to that many Squishmallows due to their larger size and higher retail price (usually ranging from $3 to $60 61

retail due to the large size variations). Personally, I have 11 Squishmallows between my home in New Jersey and my dorm room here in Williamsburg, VA, and I don’t know what I’d do with many more. Ultimately, Squishmallows, like Beanie Babies, were created as cuddly stuffed animals for children and expanded to an older demographic. However, while Beanie Babies’ older market seems to have been mostly extreme collectors, Squishmallows can be appreciated by a wider range of ages — larger sizes are better for adults, serving the function of not only being cute, but also being the perfect pillows and neck rests. I don’t think Squishmallows will always fill stores’ shelves in the same way that they have for the past couple of years, but I think their business strategy is allowing for a smooth transition from a massive trend to just another stuffed animal, and when that happens, consumers will likely not harbor as much animosity towards the brand as what was seen after the Beanie Babies crash. If you’re curious about my collection, check out the “Squinsta” that I run with my roommate @squish.squishmallows. To view citations, visit flathatmagazine.com.

Why Are We So Obsessed with the Regency Era? Story by Marion Biondi ‘24

Flat Hat Magazine • Arts + Culture

h, yes, the Regency Era. Such a fleeting period of British history — only about nine years in length (1811 to 1820) — and yet it still occupies our fantasies over two centuries later. We daydream of the frills and ornate gowns and waltzes and witty banter, but why? It’s been over 200 social seasons … what are we holding onto? It helps to have a little historical context. When King George III fell ill and became incapable of ruling, power passed in 1811 to his son, who became the “Prince Regent” for nine years before assuming full power as king after his father’s passing. The Prince of Wales, however, had a penchant for irresponsibility and was therefore … discouraged from making any serious or official governing decisions. So what is one to idly do on the throne? Naturally, become an exorbitant patron of the arts and indulge in wildly extravagant parties. And so begins a period marked by social prosperity and abundant wealth, innovation, and fashion — a mini Renaissance, if you will. Well, at least for the few thousand rich people that comprised “the ton,” or the upper echelon of British society. Now, this is all well and interesting, but is this really the part we care about? Is this what Jane Austen’s notorious Pride and Prejudice gets on about? Apparently not. While historians hone in on the politics, some artists and authors — both today and of the time — capitalized on the other, more stimulating side of the Regency Era: courtship, romance, and custom. It is from these tenets that works like the Austen classics, the revered Netflix show Bridgerton (whose second season just premiered), and modern author Tessa Dare’s regency romance novels are born, and, in my opinion, where our little obsession stems from. You see, the Regency’s upper class — the object of our gaze — were themselves obsessed with matters of social convention and etiquette. They held true to their title le bon ton: “in the fashionable mode.” Every individual had their place and was obliged to uphold it — unless, of course, one preferred social ostracism. In fact, the social decorum might have been even more elaborate than the jewels and regalia. Gentlemen are introduced to ladies, not the

other way around. Ladies should be pleasant and delightful but never loud. Bow your head but do not extend your hand when meeting a lady. No discussion of politics or science around ladies, even the educated ones. A visit should last no more than 30 minutes, otherwise it is seen as rude. Embrace the art of listening by never interrupting someone mid-speech. Sounds exhausting, yes, but also perhaps exciting. An entire group of people abiding by the same set of complex rules and expectations that breed scandal and social consequence at one misstep. This is hardly to say social conventions are a thing of the past, but what’s extraordinary about the Regency Era is the pure omnipotence of the social structure. If the Prince Regent wasn’t really governing England, then Regency decorum certainly was. And while the formalities certainly added a rigid component to the reveling, the Regency’s sharp line between propriety and scandal made blurring those lines all the more thrilling. The need to conceal your angst of not knowing whether the suitor you’ve been eyeing all night will ask for your hand in a dance. The witty banter and conversation accompanying the evening, with both parties playfully toeing the line between proper and promiscuous. The sexual tension manifested in the few stolen touches during a walk in the garden (gotta love a good slow burn). Illicit affairs being just as intoxicating as they are damning. The Regency Era was utter grandeur and drama and passion — something that seems like a fantasy in today’s day and age, in which the extent of your romance is a few meager messages over Tinder, just for one person to ghost a few days later. Super classy. Today, we are burdened by monotony and indifference from our casual hookups, onenight stands, and oh-so-glamorous dating apps. Of all the magical things modernity has brought, it seems magic itself is not one of them. Of course, it’s easy to invest your blood, sweat, and tears into the process of courting when that’s your one and only duty to society. The Regency would tragically wither in our overachieving capitalist society where one’s life would burst into flames upon ignoring responsibilities just to play debutante for the day. But alas, herein lies the very beauty of being able to escape into this world through our fantasies. Perhaps we might be so enamored because of how unattainable and 64

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ridiculous it all seems. Now, after all that’s been said, it’s possible the Regency Era was not all that it was played up to be. While those with money and wealth flourished on what they already had, society was extremely economically stratified, and not surprisingly, proved unkind for the penniless. Not to mention, the fictional books and shows we escape to are exactly that — fictional. However, there is certainly something to the historical context inspiring these works that has still “bewitched us, body and soul” 200 years later. Though we certainly have lost some of the magic that enraptured the Regency Era, I don’t think it has to be lost forever. In fact, I see our little obsession with it today as an attempt to rekindle the romance, and I commend us for it (you can even attend popup masquerade balls today if you know where to look). But hey, for all we know, the “Tinder Era” might be the next big thing in another 200 years, so I guess we may as well embrace it while we can.

Photos Courtesy of Unsplash

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Do you ever wonder what your parents are writing about on Facebook? Join Rebecca Altman ’25 as she chronicles the parent Facebook pages at the College of William and Mary, the numerous trials and errors, and some thoughts from parents and students alike on how the pages have progressed.

OUR PARENTS ONLINE Story and Photo by Rebecca Altman ’25 Graphic by JR Herman ‘24

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To speak more freely with Flat Hat Magazine about the activity and behavior they witnessed in the W&M Family Facebook group, several parents requested that they be left anonymous.

n times of need, people often turn to those closest to them for support. Technology can be a valuable resource for those physically distant from their nearest outlet of assistance. A question answered, a concern voiced, a spirit lifted; the push of a button can open doors to comfort and solutions. Facebook has evolved to become a vital tool in the transition process from high school to college for parents and students alike, and the community at the College of William and Mary is no exception. Well into their children’s college years, parents flock to whatever social media resource they can find to get the quick answers they desire. Today, the W&M Family Group on Facebook fills this need, and it is known within the College community as a hotspot for parental drama. Some say that any perceived cattiness in the group’s discourse is a feature, not a bug. But this melting pot of hot takes had humble beginnings.

“Most of this activity took place during peak hours of activity for the group, which were usually evenings and weekends.” Running this page was no easy task. There was a small group of College faculty fielding requests and performing administrative duties for a group with thousands of individuals. Naturally, this was difficult to manage. “Community growth and external factors, such as COVID-19, led to a significant shift in the volume of engagement and the tone within the Facebook group,” Deere said. Parents also commented on the sheer anger expressed on the platform during the 2020-21 academic year. “Sadly, rational discourse and respect for other views precipitously declined during the past two years, certainly on both Facebook pages and in society at large,” one parent reflected. The overwhelming stress and uncertainty led to heightened bitterness in the College community.

In 2017, Parent & Family Programs created the W&M Parent and Family Facebook Group. It was established as a forum for family members of the College to ask questions and receive advice from those in similar situations.

“Too often, there were parents who expressed concerns about student mental health or the administration’s seemingly draconian and arbitrary decision-making and penalties directed at students, who found themselves virtually shouted down by other parents,” an anonymous parent said.

Unlike most universities, Parent & Family Programs moderated the page from its beginning through its end. This is starkly different from a strictly parent-run method — it not only restricts students from joining, but the latter also excludes faculty.

The discourse in the group devolved so significantly that the moderators decided to temporarily shut down the page in December 2020 to allow for much-needed rest, relaxation, and re-evaluation for group members and moderators alike.

“Moderating the Parent Facebook Group included accepting new membership requests, verifying that new members were associated with a current W&M student, monitoring posting and commenting activity, and reinforcing community guidelines,” said Heather Deere, Interim Director of Parent & Family Programs.

Moderators monitored misinformation, intergroup conflict, and liability issues throughout their tenure. “Each member ... was required to affirm their commitment to upholding established community guidelines, and actions were taken as needed by moderators to maintain 68

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community guidelines,” Deere said. Ensuring privacy was essential, but certain members didn’t always make this easy. For instance, there would be times when a parent would upload a request similar to the following: “My son (class of 2025 and an athlete) is currently having issues with his roommate. I’m currently seeking advice on how to remedy the communication situation.” Family members went as far as to include their child’s name in the conversation or even the name of the roommate in question, potentially creating problems not only for the students involved, but for the group’s integrity as a whole. Due to a rule restricting access to parents of graduated students, Juliet Johns created a new group in December 2020 called “W&M Family Group (parent-led)” under the premise that sometimes, the best counsel isn’t from the College itself, but from parents of students involved in Facebook-worthy conflicts. This new group ensured that these family members could remain in the College’s Facebook community post-graduation and continue giving guidance. With the two pages running simultaneously, there were natural discrepancies in the content of the two. COVID-19 was at its peak, and the ever-changing guidelines from the College, Virginia, and the country exacerbated the confusion. Johns talked with Interim Dean of Students S. Mark Sikes and another moderator from the staff-run group about the direction of both groups following the hiatus. “Mark and I both discussed how the group post-COVID contained a LOT of negativity; posts bashing the admin, spreading false information, and posting opinions or agendas rather than official college announcements,” Johns said. Parents would call out Sikes and Deere specifically, asking them to respond 69

to specific jabs at the College and its administration. Seemingly few parents reached out to decision-makers directly to share their concerns — their primary outlet was Facebook, and their primary target was the faculty-run page. The presence of College faculty made it a more contentious group than the parent-led one, and COVID-19 debates were a primary reason why. “I felt like sometimes people on the adminled page were more willing to voice their ideas, beliefs, et cetera because they wanted the admin to see their comments,” one parent affirmed. Interestingly enough, W&M Family Group (parent-led) had fewer instances of this kind of discord, primarily due to censorship by their moderators or administrators who went so far as “to freeze or even delete any COVID-related conversations that go beyond the context of identifying school decision-making or policies,” as one parent described. Ultimately, the group’s volume far exceeded what Parent & Family Programs anticipated in 2017. “In short, moderating the Parent and Family Facebook group became a full-time responsibility,” Deere said.

“There were far too many incidents of outright sharing of private information — names, dorm room numbers, and professors — and these confidentiality concerns could have created substantial legal issues for the College and its staff.” As a result, on December 17, 2021, Deere and her colleagues permanently archived the page and restricted any new members from joining. Parent & Family Programs encouraged members to connect with

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official members of the College if and when they came across a new issue. After disbanding the group run by Parent & Family Programs, the W&M Family Group (parent-led) became the predominant Facebook page. On March 5, 2022, the parenthesis were eliminated, signaling an official shift in the future of the community’s social media presence. As COVID-19 restrictions eased, the tone became less harsh, but there will always be problems that parents feel the need to tackle. Most recently, the waitlisting of students from on-campus housing and the ever-present dining dilemmas caused quite the stir within the Facebook community.

“I think there was a lot of fear,” Minecci said. “And I think that a lot of the parents who were terrified about their child not being under their roof acted even more afraid than they would’ve been otherwise. And I think that that stress and that angst during COVID-19 made that worse.” Would there have still been tension and debates on a faculty or parent-led Facebook group without COVID-19? Almost certainly yes. But the tone and tenor of the concerns voiced on the page could not have been possible without a lifechanging pandemic.

Many parents’ comments bridge a fine line between wanting the best for their children and asking for assistance on every problem that pops up. Simply put, “my mom thinks most William and Mary parents are insane,” Lydia Danas ’24 said. Of course, this is not the consensus of every student and parent. Many family members acknowledge how helpful both pages have been throughout the years, from finding the right hotel to stay in during move-in to helping a student locked out of their dorm when they desperately need access to their belongings. Unfortunately, the previously high volume of hateful messages turned many people away, first from the W&M Parent and Family Facebook Group and then from the W&M Family Group. “I was getting actively angry about the way that people were treating each other [and] the school,” parent and alumna Christina Minecci said. Minecci silenced notifications from the parent-led page months ago. COVID-19 proved to be the catalyst for the majority of College-related Facebook drama. While the moniker has undoubtedly made many Americans quiver, society has indeed endured unprecedented times.

The severity of posts, the personal attacks on people’s character, and the overwhelming harshness of a few have left a largely negative impression on most parents. A Facebook group or two cannot define an entire parent base, but in a community as tight-knit as that of the College, the word spreads, and it spreads fast. Most parents simply want a helpful and welcoming Facebook community, somewhere that can provide them with a simple answer or a friendly message. Unfortunately, this type of content is oftentimes overshadowed by the few who choose to turn the pages into a contentious echo chamber.

Behind the Mystery: 333 Richmond Road

Story and Photos by Justin Sherlock ‘23 71

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Have you ever thought to yourself: “Wawa is way too far from Monroe Hall?” We may have just the real-estate deal for you. Meet 333 Richmond Road — once the unholy bastion for all things filthy, this not-so-hidden residence adorns the space between College Delly and the aforementioned convenience store. Surely you have walked past it on a Thursday or Saturday night. In this article, you will explore the hidden mysteries of this humble abode with current resident Justin Sherlock ‘23.

ith housing close to campus at a premium, it’s natural for people’s curiosity to be piqued at the sight of three houses nestled between Wawa and the College Delly on Richmond Road. Two of these are student apartments for the College of William and Mary, the other serving as the College’s Archaeological Center. 333 and 331 Richmond Road, or “the Threes,” as they’re called, have something of a reputation. They were once THE party locations for any college student out of the loop. Don’t know where to go with your group of friends? Want to pregame before bars? Show up at night between Thursday and Saturday, and you’re bound to find a party spanning the complex. Most of the partying has been shut down since 2018 — the houses are way too close to campus to withstand such persistent noise and intoxication. The last class of students to experience these parties is graduating this semester. Even though the Threes have mostly fallen silent in recent years, they have a story to tell that dates all the way back to 1925 — one that I, as a current resident, set out to discover. I am one of ten students lucky enough to call 333 Richmond Road home. I have been living here for almost eight months now, and people are full of questions about this notorious address, even without being aware of its long history in Williamsburg.

Students love to ask: “What’s it like to live so close to campus but still be off-campus?” “Why is it so hard to get a lease?” Let’s take them one by one. First, it’s very similar to living in any housing near the College or on campus. Second, it’s very difficult to secure a lease in 333 because of how few apartments there are, combined with the dreaded “grandfathering” of leases. There are five total apartments on the 333 lot with a total of ten students, and most of these five leases are passed down from friend to friend or from organization to organization, with students “grandfathering” their friends in. Unless one is part of this small circle, it’s hard to find an open lease. That’s why I was so surprised when an apartment was listed on Zillow in February of 2021. I very quickly toured and signed the lease. Another question I get asked involves living conditions. People often assume that 333 Richmond Road is run-down, stained, dirty, and generally unfavorable. I disagree. The house is nice to live in. To get a better picture, here’s a quick pros and cons list: Pros: • Proximity to campus (ten-second walk across Richmond Road) • Easy to host events (meeting point) 72

• Very close to bars (College Delly is next door, and all other bars are in sight) • Historical and aesthetic (fire escape vibes) • Large rooms (10x12, if not larger, with closet space) • Well-insulated (there is not much noise heard from within) • No insect or rodent problems • No plumbing, electrical, or maintenance issues • Cheap rent (compared to on-campus housing) Cons: • Noise from the bars (yelling, music, etc.) • Lack of laundry facilities • Foyer is a bit dirty • No central A/C and not much air circulation (window units are my friend) 73

• Specifically for my apartment: there is no living room space • No parking (besides 2-hour parking on the road) • Every student treats the front yard as a Wawa trash can (seriously, stop littering!) • Not updated in any sense (bare necessities) While researching the Threes online, I was surprised to find many pictures labeled “Wynway Hall.” I had never heard of this name before and decided to dive deep into the College’s Special Collections, in which the “Wynway Hall Guest Register” proved very helpful. I discovered that 333 Richmond Road has a long history, beginning with its construction in 1925 by Miles Wills Wynne — hence

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the eventual name Wynway Hall. The colonial revival-style house even earned the designation of a historic property in 2006. Originally, a barn was constructed at the back of the lot that housed the mules that helped pave Richmond Road. While Wynne and his family lived on the first floor, the second and third floors were initially rented out as guest spaces — two apartments and two single rooms. The house remained in this format until World War II, when it became apartments for the military. After the war, the house returned to its original layout for over three decades before being redeveloped in 1969 to become rentable apartments for the community. Not surprisingly, due to its proximity, most renters today are students of the College. As for the mule barn, it was refurbished as a schoolhouse before becoming additional housing in the 1970s. Since the ‘70s, the house has consistently featured four main apartments — one on the first floor, two on the second, and one on the third. And there have been no large refurbishment projects to the building since; most appliances, architecture, structural elements, and landscaping have largely stayed the same. Personally, I do not regret leasing my apartment at 333 Richmond Road in the slightest. The pros outweigh the cons any day. I love having friends stop by on their midnight trek to Wawa or after a long night at bars. If I’m running to a 10 a.m. class at 9:50 a.m., it only takes two to three minutes to reach the Sunken Garden. No, it’s not as furnished as most off-campus options. The appliances are outdated and very basic. White paint covers any imperfections. However, it’s cute. It’s my slice of New York City in Williamsburg (Virginia, not Brooklyn), with light streaming in the windows falling over my plants. You can’t have high standards to live here; it isn’t Midtown Apartments. It may not be perfect, and it may not be modern, but it’s perfect for me. 75

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Story by Linda Li ‘24 Graphic by Monica Bagnoli ‘25

Navigating College as an Asexual 76

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Over the last decade, higher education institutions have made great strides in fostering LGBTQ+ inclusivity and spotlighting LGBTQ+ voices. The College of William and Mary is no exception, as the campus received a 4 out of 5 stars rating by the Campus Pride Index. Yet, conversations about LGBTQ visibility tend to leave out asexuals, a small but significant minority. Asexual students at the College enjoy the same umbrella of welcoming sentiment from the student body, but entrenched misconceptions about desire and romance prevent asexuals from achieving full recognition.

he Asexual Visibility & Education Network defines asexuality as the lack of sexual attraction. In practice, asexuality exists on a spectrum, and people can fall from sex-repulsed to sex-neutral. Characterizing sexual attraction as a trait that one either possesses or lacks only further marginalizes asexuals from the mainstream, especially for college students exploring their identity in an open environment. A common assumption presumes asexuality is a “phase” that will eventually pass. A narrative of compulsory sexuality further posits that sexual attraction is an innate characteristic and that people who do not experience it at first merely need time for it to activate. As a result, many asexuals unwittingly conform to such normative views. For Zoe Hutcheson ’23, it took meeting open-minded students at the College for her to affirm her asexual — or ace — identity. “I had suspicions before, as early as middle school, but I sort of figured, you know, ‘I’m young, maybe I don’t know what sexual attraction is,’” she said. “It wasn’t until I came to college, and I started talking to other ace people where I was like, ‘Oh, wait. No, I’m right. I’m not just crazy. This is what I am — ace.’” The asexual community exists primarily online, so it can be difficult for adolescents to access relevant educational material. Before coming to the College, Riley Moffatt ’24 began pondering her sexual orientation after realizing that the demisexual label didn’t quite fit. “Because I didn’t know anyone ace at all, I read a lot,” she said. “I asked people who weren’t ace as well as my friends what [sexual attraction] felt like, and according to them, it’s obvious . . . . I’ve never felt that.” Even at the College, where many students identify as LGBTQ+, asexuals still feel alienated from the larger community.

“My first semester when I joined [Rainbow Coalition], I was really excited to be part of an 77

LGBT group, and they just never mentioned [asexuality] at all,” Moffatt said. “Everything that we did was kind of centered around other queer identities, especially gays and lesbians . . . . They never talked about it and never [brought] it up. There’s no focus on it. At all.” There is also an ongoing debate over whether heterosexual aces can fully claim the LGBTQ+ label. Sarah ’23, who chose to be pseudonymous, acknowledged the awkward, gray area that asexuals inhabit, where they feel uncomfortable within either group. “All the other LGBT people I know have been really supportive … but I’m also a lesbian so I always have fit,” she said. “Whereas I have friends who … are ace, but they’re heterosexual and their orientation is heteroromantic, and I know sometimes they feel like they don’t fit in the community or they shouldn’t be taking up space in Lambda [Alliance].” The biggest challenge for asexuals is attempting to verbalize their inability to feel sexual attraction — something often assumed to be intrinsic to human behavior. “There’s a lot more resources on ‘What is bisexuality? What is pansexuality?’ — a lot of this sort of stuff — and asexuality is sort of a more recent community … separate from the rest of the LGBT community and is still a lot of times associated with mental disorders or physical disorders, sexual disorders,” Hutcheson said. Society expects sexual attraction to naturally follow romantic attraction, usually considering the two interchangeable. Hutcheson explained how many people impose their own assumptions on her identity before she even gets a chance to explain. “A lot of times, it means talking directly about sex, whereas saying, like, ‘Oh, I’m gay, I’m bi, whatever,’ you can talk around the sex aspects … whereas [explaining asexuality] sort of makes

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people … be like, ‘Let’s talk about sex in a very personal matter,’” Hutcheson said. Asexuals are not on a crusade to preach celibacy or abstinence; rather, they want more narratives that push against the saturation of hypersexualized media and discourse. “I definitely feel like when I realized I was ace, I felt kind of isolated by that, because I was just thinking about how you see portrayals [of] romantic relationships and love in the media, and how it’s so tied up with sexual attraction,” Sarah said. “Love is so tied up in sex for so many people. And knowing that I don’t have that kind of attraction, or don’t really want that inside of a relationship as much, just felt like I was missing out on something.” Nor are asexuals trying to claim special status for their lack of interest in sex. Moffatt expressed bewilderment at her high school friends who said she wasn’t “wasting” time on sex. “You can always choose to not have sex with people — anyone can choose that,” Moffat said. “But to think that that makes it easier for people who always have to deal with being in a world where everything is sexually charged, [it’s] ridiculous.” Just as allosexuals can have healthy, mutually appreciative relationships, so can asexuals. Hutcheson wanted her partner to understand her expectations from the start. “I wanted to make it very clear that I don’t feel sexual attraction, and then we had deeper, longer conversations about it afterwards, like what does that mean, for me? What are the boundaries that I’m comfortable with? — that sort of thing,” Hutcheson said. Other asexuals may prefer to get more involved before sharing their identity. Sarah said she didn’t tell her girlfriend about being ace until the second date. “I never really tell any of my dates beforehand, just because … I get worried about it,” she said. “I don’t want them to think they can’t make any moves on me or like, can’t kiss me or anything like that.” By decentralizing sex from a relationship, asexuals find that their previous doubts and anxieties were unwarranted, and, in turn, their relationships affirm their sense of self-worth. In a media landscape that

typically depicts sexless characters as outliers or outcasts, asexuals must seek alternative avenues to see that they deserve love and intimacy like everyone else. “I think it’s made me realize my version of love [and] a relationship will be different from most other peoples’ and from what many people may expect, and that’s okay,” Sarah said. Along with a greater need for inclusive narratives, asexual students also hoped to see a stronger community presence on campus. “It’d be nice to let people know that they’re not alone,” Moffatt said. “I think that’s helpful because a lot of people don’t realize they are ace, that that’s what they’re going through.” Sarah added that there are more asexuals at the College than one might expect, so the foundation for a more structured ace community is very much there. “I was talking to one of my friends … and she was like, ‘At one Lambda meeting … they asked us how many of us were ace, and like, half the group raised their hands, or like, a third of the group raised their hands,’” Sarah said. Beyond regurgitating that not having sex is perfectly normal, ace inclusion is critical to asexuals’ mental and physical wellbeing against a backdrop of online vitriol and essentialist discourse. “While there are so many good people and discussions [online], and like, it really helped me discover my identity, there’s also a lot of really mean people and a lot of discourse that’s just full of hate and exclusion,” Hutcheson said. Above all, acceptance and inclusion allow asexuals to live their lives without shame or guilt — freely and defiantly. “I think a lot of environments like bars and clubs can have a sexual connotation to them,” Hutcheson said. “Being ace, you either have to go knowing like, ‘Okay, I’m going to be confronted by sexual discussions, [so] I have to be ready to either come out, or sort of mask and hide that I’m ace and blend in, or avoid those spaces entirely.”

Show & Tell Photo sb Produc y J u s t i n S h erlock ed by A ‘ Model led by nna Wershba 2 2 Isabell le ‘24 a Kers hner ‘2 4

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Marley Fishburn ‘24 I am a multimedia artist who focuses on oil painting, digital art, and crochet. I’m always learning, and I’m almost always open for commissions, so please feel free to reach out to me on Instagram! Instagram: @marsarts_ Redbubble: search “mdfishburn”

Stephanie Schefer ‘24 SA Originals My passion for crocheting was sparked at a very young age after my grandmother taught me how to knit and crochet. Looking to share my hobby with others and support myself through college, I turned my passion into a business. I also love incorporating modern designs into this old-time craft. In order to be more environmentally conscious, I adapted practices within my business to mirror these values — I am now utilizing more natural fibers as well as recyclable or reusable packaging. Instagram: @sa_originals Website: saoriginals.com/

Bookmarks and Art Print by Christine Schneider ‘24

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Parker Jackowski ‘23 I crochet as often as I can, so I started selling little hats and trinkets to my friends on campus to help fund my yarn addiction. I first learned how to crochet in middle school at summer camp and fell in love with the medium — it’s almost like a form of therapy for me, allowing me to process my emotions much more thoroughly than before. Although hats are my bread-and-butter, I also love to make little plush animals, and more recently, I’ve embarked on larger projects, such as sweaters and blankets. If you ever want to commission me for a project, just reach out over Instagram! Instagram: @parkers_projects_ crochet

Bayleigh Albert ‘24 Baycoast Charms I founded my small business as a sole proprietorship in 2020. I specialize in handmade jewelry, including beaded crochet necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, and copper cuff bracelets. I also hand-make fabric accessories such as scrunchies, keychains, hair and pet bandanas, lanyards, and face masks. I am inspired by nature, so I seek to portray the natural beauty of our planet in the pieces I create. I strive for my products to boost self-confidence and joy for anyone who wears or uses them. I sell my products on Etsy, do in-person deliveries, and vendor events like 2nd Sundays in Williamsburg. Instagram: @baycoastcharms Etsy: BayCoastCharms

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Ella Goldschimdt ‘24 William & Mary Makerspaces I work at the William & Mary Makerspaces, so you might see me hanging out in Swem. I work with a small, dedicated team to help students complete a variety of projects. My teammates all have different specialties, but I’m particularly interested in the art and design applications of our tools. Although my favorite tools are the lasers, this press-on nails project gave me a newfound respect for 3D printing. I began modeling the fingernails on top of 3D scans of Anna’s fingers, and I then printed them with our Makerbot+ replicator in clear PLA filament, which was tricky because of the small scale of the press-on nails. I then stained the printed pieces with alcohol ink. If you would like to learn how to do this or are interested in a similar project, schedule an appointment with me at the William & Mary Makerspaces! Website: makerspaces.wm.edu Youtube: The Makerspaces at William & Mary

Earrings by Rachel Frazier 83

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Flat Hat Magazine • Food + Drink

odeto the

CHICKEN WING

Story by Vivian Hoang ‘24 Graphics by Isabel Li ‘25

Some people have a favorite food. Other people have a lifelong passion. Vivian Hoang ’24 has found a happy medium of both in one thing and one thing only: the chicken wing. Continue reading to hear Vivian humbly profess her adoration for what can only be rightfully deemed the greatest cut of meat since ... well, ever.

Flat Hat Magazine • Food + Drink

cannot count the amount of times I have excitedly cut into a freshly cooked, sizzling hot piece of chicken at any one of the dining halls only to disappointedly (and disgustedly) find that the chicken, magically defying its “sizzling” and “hot” appearance, was, in fact, not cooked, and instead blemished with strains of red and pink and marked by dry patches in between. As a lifelong lover of chicken (yes, I do indeed claim this title), experiences like this never cease to be heart-wrenching. Truly, nothing kills my zeal for eating quite as quickly as a revolving door of undercooked chicken coupled with a one-way, nonrefundable ticket to Salmonella Central. Had my favorite source of protein been irrevocably spoiled by the College of William and Mary Dining? I sure thought so. That is, until I randomly walked into Marketplace in the middle of the week to grab lunch and was rewarded with the greatest discovery of my entire young life.

Wing Wednesday. Proudly displayed in a glass case at the Chef’s Table station and illuminated by artificial yellow lights beaming from the ceiling, heaps of fried chicken drums and flats sat in full view for my starstruck eyes to greedily intake. Holy. Shit. I knew I committed Early Decision to this school for a reason, I thought as I beelined towards the glorious display with an urgency and speed that most likely had other students and dining workers snapping their heads back with mild alarm. I couldn’t tell you for certain though, because my focus was on one thing and one thing only: the wings. And for the ultimate taste test? I was ecstatic to find that the wings easily passed with flying colors and earned my seal of approval upon first bite. Though lacking in size, the wings fully made up for their dimensional

shortcomings with the oh-so satisfying crunch of the fried exterior and melt-in-your-mouth meat that, together, made a heavenly lunch. And they have this every Wednesday?, I thought in between bites. I’m the luckiest girl alive. Unlike the wings, which are consistently of the highest quality and taste, its regular partner of mac and cheese can be a hit or miss depending on the week. Certain weeks, it’ll be a creamy delight, and other weeks, it’ll be a flavorless mush. However, I’ve found that the mac and cheese is still a worthwhile choice for a side to the wings, as it pairs nicely and offers a diversity in texture, elevating rather than diminishing the meal. But, of course, a day’s worth of meals is not only complete with just lunch. Enter Thursday Wing Nights, a beloved staple of the College when students emerge from nook and cranny to indulge in a

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plate of heavenly chicken wings as a late night snack. From 9 p.m. to 12 a.m., Sadler Express is transformed into a lean, mean chicken-wing-producing factory as students, chatting amongst themselves, eagerly line up and down Sadler to snag themselves some chicken or cauliflower wings. For one beautiful night a week, differences are set aside, and TWAMPs are united together through a universal love of all things wing. That’s right — not only are chicken wings absolutely delicious to consume, but they also facilitate interpersonal and community bonding. So many of my happiest memories involve a plate of wings and sticky fingers, as Wing Night functions as the perfect study break for my friends and I to just get away from Swem for a bit and refuel ourselves with sustenance and laughs. And when my partner and I decide to hit the gym late in the evening, and all the dining halls have already closed

on my face when coming into Wing Night, making him just as big a part of the festivities as the actual chicken wings that I cherish so dearly.

for the night, chicken wings from Wing Night are always our go-to for a late-night, post-workout snack (there haven’t been any scientific studies on this, but I’m convinced chicken wings help you build gains, and you can’t tell me otherwise). However, credit for the magic of Wing Night cannot fall solely on the wings themselves, despite what the name may indicate. The lifeforce of Wing Night comes from Chef Greg, who works relentlessly to make sure that the constantly revolving door of ravenous students coming into Wing Night are both well-fed and high-spirited. He always goes out of his way to enthusiastically greet students as they walk through the door, and he makes sure the atmosphere stays lighthearted and fun by singing and grooving along to the upbeat music pumping through Sadler Express. With his infectious and energetic persona, Chef Greg has never failed to instantly put a smile

He is also the mastermind behind my current favorite sauce at the College, one he implored me to try upon my last visit to Wing Night (as if he even needed to sell it to me). I was convinced by his first word. Chef Greg’s spin on the traditional honey mustard, the “California Gold” is a sweet, tangy sauce that had me running back for a second helping. I strongly recommend you try it out if it’s available at the next Wing Night you go to; it’s certainly taken my Wing Night experience to the next level. With two consecutive, blissful wing tastings now under my belt, I wondered: could life get any better? Oh, yes. Yes, it could. Before long, wings started popping up everywhere, their sudden

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omnipotence making me realize that wings were a bigger part of this campus than I had ever thought possible. I noticed something critical: wings were regularly being built into the rotation of dining hall meals. My admittedly irregular eating schedule hasn’t allowed me to totally piece together the exact wing schedule on campus, but I’m fairly certain that Center Court offers wings on Saturday nights and that the Caf serves some mouth-wateringly delicious sweet and spicy wings. I used to be more of a buffalo sauce type of gal, but the College has truly transformed me into a sweet chili sauce connoisseur — maturing in one’s chicken wing journey is expanding beyond the default buffalo sauce to experience the true range of diverse sauces that make up the chicken wing flavor profile. Now having a clearer understanding of the College’s dining schedule and its incorporation of wings, Monday, Tuesday, and Friday slowly fell into obsolescence, disappearing from my traditional seven-day calendar as I began defining my weeks based off of the

availability of wings on each given day. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday no longer held value for me by this measure, so I ceased to acknowledge their presence — it’s Wing Wednesday or nothing, baby. This is the point at which I acknowledge I sound like a crazy chicken wing lady, spreading the gospel of the Chicken Wing from the storied rooftops of the College. Let me reassure you, I haven’t actually gone through my calendar and vigorously scratched off all Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from each page due to my devout refusal to perceive these tragically wingless days. At heart, I’m just a girl who loves chicken wings, and all I want to do is shed some light on the unsung heroes of this campus that prevent me from starvation and fill my tummy with joy. I hope I’ve accomplished this goal and that I’ll see you at the next Wing Wednesday in wing-loving solidarity — make sure to say hi!

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What I Eat in a Day: College Edition Story by Isabella B. Swan ’25 Graphic by Jessica Sigsbee ‘24

ello, fellow material girls. Like many of you out there, I eat food. So today, I’d like to take you on a journey chronicling what I eat in a day as a full-time college student. I feel this is an important topic to cover as many students have difficulty maintaining a balanced diet while away at school. My fascination with healthy eating began after stumbling across an article by the Princeton Review ranking the College of William and Mary as one of the top colleges with the happiest students. This made me wonder: what sets students at the College apart?

Well, it all comes down to our balanced, nutritious, and delicious diets. Now, you might be wondering: “Didn’t a federal health inspector find several health hazards in many of our dining halls?” And to that, I say, yes. But in the words of an unnamed administrator: “Give me a break.” And how can we argue with that? So, without further ado, let me take you through my WIEIAD.

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10:55 a.m.: I begin my morning by waking up five minutes before class and

snorting a line of stale Hot Cheetos dust to get the endorphins going. In my extensive dietary research, I found that spicy foods and corn-based products are full of great antioxidants that help boost the immune system.

11:30 a.m.: With my sinuses cleared and my immune system fully boosted, I make my way to Aromas Daily Grind for my coffee fix. I order a medium iced chai with oat milk to ensure that the hot barista knows I’m gay.

11:45 a.m.: I finally make it across campus and arrive at my 50-minute class 45 minutes late. Fortunately, I get out just in time for lunch and make my way to Center Court.

12:00 p.m.: Once swiped in, I meander through the dining hall, considering my meal options. I get a plate of chicken, and as I bite in, my taste buds are greeted by the delectable flavor of raw chicken. This makes me briefly consider the pros and cons of going vegan. However, I’m quickly snapped to my senses once I remember that the lettuce is kept too warm to consume and — allegedly — riddled with E. coli. While some may consider this a danger, I appreciate the variety of food-borne illnesses to choose from. With my appetite fully satiated, I make my way to class number two.

1:50 p.m.: After class, I’m in desperate need of a pick-me-up, so I take a hit

of my blue razz vape for that extra oomph to get through the rest of my day. I’m not proud of this one, but we all have our vices.

4:30 p.m.: With classes finished for the day, my caffeine high begins to

wane, so I swing by Wawa for a Bang Energy (this is the only bang I’ll get for a while). With drink in tow, I head back to my dorm to watch TikToks, longing for the touch of another human being.

6:00 p.m.: When dinner time rolls around, I head to my favorite dining hall,

Marketplace. After nearly a year on campus, I have yet to figure out what constitutes a meal swipe. From what I have deduced, a sandwich, chips, and a drink costs three meal swipes and my first-born child. With that in mind, I settle for a Boar’s Head pickle.

12:00 a.m.: After a long day, I unwind by shotgunning a Natty Lite and

finishing off a bag of Cinnamon Toast Crunch I found in my roommate’s snack stash. With my belly and heart full, I lull myself to sleep by listening to my inner demons battle for dominance. Thank you for joining me on my “What I Eat in a Day” journey. College is a tricky time for finding a meal plan that works best for you. I can only hope that my experiences can serve as a roadmap for becoming a healthier, happier student. Until next time, I.B.S.

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Pho 75 f o e t s T h e Ta

g n i r e b Re m e m

Stor y Grap b y A n ht hic b y Sk h u C u n g yler Fole ’ 2 3 y ‘24

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ack home, whenever my family and I missed the taste of pho, we’d get into the car and make the 30-minute drive to Pho 75. Over the years, very little has changed in the restaurant. Today, the same rural photography lines the walls, the same traditional music plays behind the clatter of bowls, and the same hum of conversation rings as it did when my dad ate there weekly in college. There is nothing more familiar to me than seeing the pink rare beef, the pieces of cilantro floating in the broth, and the chopsticks tucked into the rice noodles. While we eat pho frequently, we don’t enjoy it nearly as often as the inhabitants of pho’s country of origin. In Vietnam, locals eat the noodle soup at the many open restaurants that line the streets and spill out onto the sidewalks. Since it’s inexpensive and readily available, pho is eaten at any time throughout the day; historically, though, pho is a breakfast food. When pho originated in North Vietnam in the early 20th century, it provided a light but filling breakfast, ideal for those working in rice fields and similarly physically demanding jobs. Street vendors typically prepare broth either the night before or in the early morning around 2 a.m., open shop to customers around 6 a.m., sell out by 10 a.m., and then start over for the evening or the next day. Recently, however, with Vietnam’s work habits moving away from labor-intensive jobs and towards business, more street restaurants are staying open all day. Thus, at any meal, and even between meals, people can be seen eating pho on low tables and on stools, with storefronts and restaurants

on one side and civilians on motorcycles and bikes rushing past on the other. Le Thiep, the founder of Pho 75, recalls his own experiences with pho’s versatility. “Back home, before the war, I ate pho for breakfast, pho for dinner, pho for lunch, for snacks, for hangover,” Le Thiep said. Before he was a pho entrepreneur, Thiep was a writer and journalist. During the Vietnam War, he worked as a correspondent for a war resistance newspaper and covered stories firsthand from the warzone. As a journalist, Thiep exposed the North’s atrocities and reported the truth to Southerners. After the war ended and almost all anti-North publications were shut down, many asked if he would continue writing. Southern writers had to make a decision: write their own opinions and beliefs and face persecution from the North, or write in support of Communist values and be rewarded with employment opportunities, promotions, and security. “A lot of people want me to keep writing, to see which way I’m inclined,” Thiep said with tears in his eyes. “I am inclined towards Vietnam.” Thiep immigrated to the U.S. in 1979 and opened his pho restaurant in the 1980s. The name Pho 75 was chosen to commemorate 1975 — the year the South fell to the North, marking the end of the 20-year-long war. Pho has often reflected Vietnam’s history and culture, and political and geographic tensions are no exception, for the divide between North and South led to the development of two distinct styles of pho. Northern pho is known for being savory and simple in its ingredients while

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Southern pho is sweet and served with basil, bean sprouts, lime, hoisin sauce, and sriracha sauce. Most of the pho served in restaurants in the U.S. is a hybrid between the two: the broth is characteristically Northern because it is more savory than sweet, but the soup is eaten with all of the South’s herbs and adornments. Pho restaurants began emerging in the U.S. after 1975 as hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people immigrated to the country and introduced the dish to the states. When Pho 75 opened, it was one of the first of its kind in its area, and it helped pave the way for other similar restaurants that followed. Many pho restaurants have followed suit with Pho 75’s naming technique. In the D.C. area alone, there is a Pho 54, Pho 301, Pho 50, Pho

24, and Pho 495, just to name a few. Like Pho 75, some restaurants’ names are historical — Pho 54 references 1954, the year Vietnam was divided into North and South. Other names are geographical — Pho 50 is located on Route 50 while Pho 495 is located near the beltway. The commonalities of the restaurants go beyond their names. Inside, one will generally find long Formica-topped tables accessorized with chopsticks, plastic soup spoons, paper napkin dispensers, and sriracha and hoisin bottles. Each restaurant, of course, has its own unique recipe for and way of serving pho. While other restaurants have experimented and made changes over time, Pho 75 has remained its original, authentic self. Pho 75 only accepts cash, doesn’t take reservations, and doesn’t offer appetizers or side dishes. There are some desserts and coffee on the menu, but the restaurant’s primary goal is to simply serve good pho. This model may seem outdated and even uneconomical considering the greater convenience and options that other pho restaurants provide, but Pho 75 doesn’t need to change. Pho 75 has been able to remain the way it has always been — a second home to me and so many others. It’s a place where we know all the servers, where we can come in and order our regular dish without looking at the menu, where we can always expect a warm bowl of pho, no matter the time of day. Beyond finding comfort in the restaurant itself, pho brings back a forgotten time and place — it is a taste of nostalgia. For those like me who grew up in the U.S., pho is a way to connect with a past we may not have experienced. Thiep named Pho 75 to remember a part of history, and we eat pho to remember a part of ourselves.

Images provided by Anhthu Cung 93

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Story by Linda Li ‘24 Story by Justin Sherlock ‘23 Graphic by Sydney Kehoe ‘22

he unassuming cookie is a quintessential American snack. Whether from the supermarket aisle or a gourmet storefront in New York City, a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie has always satiated our collective sweet tooth (unless you have dietary restrictions, of course). Students at the College of William and Mary are unable to partake in the nationwide tradition of late-night runs to Insomnia Cookies to satisfy their snack cravings. But for those so inclined to treat themselves to a few — or a dozen — specialty cookies from time to time, this review of the Crumbl Cookies in Hampton is for you.

Boasting over two million followers on Instagram, Crumbl Cookies bases its success on frequently rotating flavors, fun packaging, and guaranteed freshness. TikTok has surely aided in its popularity as people often post videos reviewing new flavors and singing the cookies’ high praise. We decided to investigate whether you should make the trip

down south and pay a premium for a dessert you could get at Wawa for far less. On a chilly, overcast March morning, we walked into a mostly empty, glass-paneled store. Inside, the squeaky white finish signaled to us that this was no homage-to-tradition cookie store; no, it was blatantly geared toward younger crowds who would eagerly tag Crumbl on Instagram and TikTok. Instead of ordering at the register, we tapped some icons on an electronic screen plastered to the wall and watched them prepare our cookies in the iconic pink box. Okay, let’s get down to business — are they worth the hype? Milk Chocolate Chip To our surprise, only the Milk Chocolate Chip cookie was warm out of the box. As one might expect, it tasted like a … chocolate chip cookie. Gooey and rich in flavor, but boring. It’s like the white t-shirt of cookies — a solid benchmark you can always count on but better when adorned with embellishments. 96

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Cereal Milk ft. FRUITY PEBBLES Put simply: a pleasantly warm birthday cake compressed into a cookie. Right after we ordered, a man in a military uniform came in and ordered a Cereal Milk cookie for himself, so you may consider this flavor army approved. Oh — we weren’t mad about the rainbow aesthetic either. Cinnamon ft. Cinnamon Toast Crunch This one was THICK, and we think patrons of softbaked cookies will enjoy it for sure. The cornflakes immediately fell off when we picked up the cookie, which defeated their purpose, but the icing on top was, well, the icing! Cornflake Marshmallow ft. Rice Krispies Noticeably smaller than the other cookies, this one resembled a round Rice Krispies treat more than a cookie. In hindsight, we’re fairly confident that it was a Rice Krispies masquerading as a cookie. The peanut butter flavor was strong; we’ll pass. Chocolate ft. REESE’S PUFFS It turns out that we had inadvertently ordered a cereal-themed box. Linda liked this one the most because the puffs’ texture created a delicious

juxtaposition with the cookie and icing. This cookie tasted like a lightweight brownie with a hint of peanut butter — perfect for an afternoon pick-meup. Classic Pink Sugar Last but not least, the #feminist cookie. Not really. Apparently, Crumbl put this on its semi-permanent menu due to popular demand, and we can see why. It’s cute without trying too hard. As for taste, they could’ve tried a little more. Overall, the flavor profile was varied enough for us to shell out $24 for six cookies (granted, they were the size of our palms). Are they worth the 30-minute drive to Hampton? Depends on who you ask. We think they would be perfect for gifts and events, but we have also heard that The Caf has fantastic vegan cookies too.

LAST T

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Review of Lost Days, otherwise known as The Damned, and known in some quarters as The Last Days of Marie Antoinette in the Euphoric Eroticism of Revolutionary France Story by Daniel Posthumus ‘24

he publishing event of the year comes this May as William & Mary University Publishing is set to publish Jean Sakura’s new, groundbreaking work, Lost Days, a collection of stories centering around the last days of Marie Antoinette. Perhaps the work could best be captured by the moment when Antoinette sits at her window in Versailles and thinks of her one true love: the peasant rebel who wants to kill her husband and only believes in the Revolution because it will kill her husband, the one obstacle to his consummating his love with Marie.

Though admittedly, they’ve made love many times in scenes Sakura vividly paints alongside violent depictions of the guillotine and Marat dying in his bathtub. Antoinette asks the birds in the tree outside her room what it means to be worn out by tired romantic dreams. The trees in Versailles sigh under the weight of Antoinette’s heaving heart. The French revolt, and Antoinette watches her husband’s royal guard gun down the peasant rebel who loved her, the only person she ever really loved. To love like this. Sakura’s work is saturated with these moments of heartrending agony. Her historical fiction is more real than what actually happened; the historical details of Antoinette’s life don’t matter. What matters is the firm foundation of emotion, not the fragile scaffolding of truth. We can’t know what’s true but only feel. Sakura’s work excels in its subtle drawing out of themes that are as pertinent today as ever. In one

scene, Antoinette engages in conversation with her inferior husband about whether Ukraine is a sovereign state or a property of Russia (for those who worry that this scene may lead to Antoinette being canceled, don’t — she is in favor of Ukrainian sovereignty). In another scene, Antoinette prays to God after she sleeps with the dashing peasant rebel in the confessional chamber of the palace and asks how something so profane could occur in a place so sacred, with the profane feeling so sacred. She also asks her chambermaid at one point why really pretty girls are overlooked. These sorts of moments make Antoinette a delightfully relatable heroine, particularly to college English students. Memory is a fickle thing. As Antoinette lies in her prison cell, she suddenly remembers meadows under the fond sunlight of warm dawn. She remembers how the grass felt under her bare toes. She remembers when she first met Louis and how he was so shy and innocent, how she thought she might love this man who wrote her such simple, sweet notes. But for the life of her, she can’t remember the face of the peasant rebel she loved so. She weeps. To hold him one more time, to defy the world callously brushing her and all mortal ongoings aside. Revolutions be damned — people still die, fall in love, and these two are remarkably bound. A nation’s memory is equally as fickle. Myth and biography merge in the case of Marie Antoinette. A life lived on the front stage of history, a libretto of high tragedy and gaudy romance. Sumptuous and delightful to behold. In the final collection of the story, Antoinette writes a poem. The revolutionary mobs are at the door. To die Is only so bad As to lie With you, my only lad Sometimes I wish I could fly Away, from all that is sad

DAYS

Apropos Prose This semester, Flat Hat Magazine held a short story contest open to all students at the College of William & Mary. Participants in the contest were asked to write a short story based on the phrase “Stylish Gluttony.” The two winners, Kat Vanbourgondien and Taylor Wilson, wrote compelling and unique stories based on their own interpretation of the prompt. Both stories provide unique and thoughtprovoking commentary on how people at any stage in their lives can be affected by the expectations of others, and how those expectations can become a toxic and all-encompassing lifestyle. When put together, these stories paint a heartbreaking picture of stylish gluttony. Graphic by Zoe Davis ‘25

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Just a Little More By Kat Vanbourgondien ’24 Voracious Beauty By Taylor Wilson ’22 She never worried about not looking her best because she held the keys to perfection in the worn-out pages of her engagement book. She was sure of this as she filled her schedule each day with the newest serums, esthetician meetings, and beauty therapy. 10 a.m.: apply serums 12 p.m.: reconstructive procedure appointment 4 p.m.: beauty-enhancing exercises Some may think that it’s a bit early to start thinking about a new procedure so soon after last week’s alterations to her nasal bridge. However, she had to stay up to date with the ever-changing beauty standards. Caking herself in makeup and smoothing over her skin with various anti-aging serums until her fingertips smelled of a cosmetics shop was a daily routine for her. But who is reflected in the vanity? Is it not she? Is it not the lady who prides herself in her appearance? No, what mirrors back to her could very well be described, by the naked eye, as a horrifyingly absurd display. Now, she is almost completely unrecognizable to her own eyes. Nevertheless, she peels her eyes from the vanity and desperately flips through her engagement book, in search of her voracious beauty.

“No mommy, I don’t want any more!” More, more, more. Dresses and skirts came piling down on her bed, swamping her with more outfits she never wanted. New outfits for school were required, says her mother, and she couldn’t just wear her comfortable jeans and her favorite shirt. “Won’t you just try on the dress and a bit of makeup?” More dresses and skirts, and now makeup. Picture day was right around the corner, and dresses are highly “recommended.” She’s putting her foot down, demanding jeans and a nice blouse. She gets her way, and goes to class, happy, only to realize that being herself means receiving more comments and looks than ever before. “Why aren’t your legs shaved?” “Do you want to borrow my makeup to hide that pimple?” “Why didn’t you dress up?” “Here, borrow my brush to fix your hair.” “What are you trying to be, one of the boys?” Dragging her feet, she heads home to her mother’s warm embrace. To help fix her tears, her mother takes her shopping to help make her feel better. Dressing her up like a doll, the girl begs her mother to take her everywhere. “More, mommy! I need more!”

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MAKEUP

& ME

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Story by JR Herman ‘24 Photos by Zachary Lutzky ‘24

If you’ve seen a girl around campus whose style gives off “if Cleopatra had been a goth/ emo vampiress party girl” vibes, that’s probably JR Herman ‘24. Continue reading to join JR on her makeup journey as she explains why she does her makeup the way she does — and why it’s probably not for the reason you might guess.

ne of my friends once described my dress and makeup style as “if Cleopatra had been a goth/emo vampiress party girl.” I honestly can’t disagree. About 99% of the time, you will see me sporting bright red lipstick, lots of mascara, winged eyeliner that’s perhaps a bit inspired by the Egyptian Eye of Horus, some eyeshadow, and all-black clothes.

With that much makeup, you’d think I’d be headed to a party, but in all honesty, I’m usually just going to class. At this point, it’s simply part of my daily routine. I’m curious as to what other people think is the reason why I spend so much time on my makeup and why I do it in the admittedly somewhat overthe-top style that I do. So, I polled my friends, and through them, I think I’ve heard pretty much every possible reason that anyone has guessed.

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“You tried to reinvent yourself after high school. You’re vain. You’re narcissistic. You’re insecure. You’re a pick-me girl. You want to be memorable. You’re obsessed with ancient Egypt. You listen to Mayday Parade, so you’re clearly just going through your goth phase. You’re secretly obsessed with the idea of being a vampire. You want to stand out. You want to rebel. You want to annoy your parents. You think the more makeup you wear, the prettier you are. You don’t want to be like other girls. You’re bored and don’t have enough to do. You’re an attention whore. You want to be a manic pixie dream girl. You want to be a ‘bad girl’ because you’re sick of being a ‘good girl.’ You want to impress guys. You want to be a girlboss dominatrix.” So, you may be wondering what the reasons actually are. To be honest, it’s complicated. It all began in eighth grade. Ah, those terrible days of middle school. The dreaded picture day was fast approaching, and of course, my skin decided to break out that week. My parents took me to the mall to get some makeup because I was having an existential crisis thinking my skin would look bad in my yearbook picture, and I remember my dad saying that makeup is a rabbit hole — you wear it once, and then you’ll never stop. 103

Flat Hat Magazine • Narratives

I didn’t believe him then, but he was right. The only makeup I wore in middle and high school was foundation — so basically, just covering up the imperfections. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear makeup because I’m insecure, but it’s not that easily explained. Now it’s ninth grade Halloween, the first time I ever put on bright red lipstick and did winged eyeliner for a vampiress costume. I didn’t know it then, but the real irony was that this would become the way I would do my makeup unironically later on; I use the same blood-red lipstick that I used for that costume in my daily makeup routine. My goal was to be a vampiress, but the costume apparently was so over-the-top that everyone thought I was a vampire prostitute (or as one of my teachers put it delicately, a “vampiress bar wench”). This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup because I’m secretly obsessed with the idea of being a vampiress, trying to rebel, annoy my parents, or be a “bad girl” because I’m sick of being a “good girl.” For the rest of high school, I continued wearing minimal makeup. No lipstick or eyeliner ever. Mascara only for very special occasions. I had neither the time nor the desire to do hardcore makeup. In July 2020 (the summer after my senior year), bored and going crazy from months of quarantine, I wanted to try something new. I taught myself how to do more advanced makeup like eyeliner, eyeshadow, and contouring from YouTube tutorials. Having nothing better to do, I figured I might as well learn a new skill, one that would probably be useful for our postponed July graduation, especially since having my makeup done professionally didn’t seem COVIDsafe. Applying my eyeliner for my high school graduation was the first time I unironically wore eyeliner — something different in the monotony of quarantine life. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear makeup because I’m bored and don’t have enough to do. After that summer, I virtually didn’t touch makeup for eight months, as I was remote during my freshman year of college, and putting on makeup just for a Zoom call is depressing. Once I got vaccinated, came out of twelve months of quarantine, and visited campus for the first time that May, I decided to go wild with makeup. I wanted to celebrate and try something new. I was actually going to college for the first time. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup because I tried to reinvent myself. I figured none of my friends would recognize me

when I was wearing a mask since they’d never seen me before in person, so I thought the eyeliner would help them recognize me from afar — I’d tell them before meeting up, “I’m the girl wearing a ton of eyeliner! You can’t miss me!” This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup to stand out. In the meantime, I’d been studying ancient Egypt the entire year, reading hieroglyphs, and wanting to self-design an Egyptology major. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup because I’m obsessed with ancient Egypt. But I’d also been listening to a ton of 2000s emo ballads, so this is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup because I listen to bands like The Fray, The Script, and Mayday Parade and thus am clearly just going through my goth phase. All my friends loved my makeup. It was new and exciting and helped people recognize me, so I kept doing it. I also liked how I looked, especially when it came to photos. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup because I think the more makeup I wear, the prettier I am, or because I’m vain or narcissistic. People seemed to like and compliment my makeup, so that was an added benefit. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup because I’m a “pick-me girl,” I want to impress, or I want to be a quirky “manic pixie dream girl.” The way that I think about my makeup is that it’s my brand. It’s how people know me. This is where someone might start thinking that I wear my makeup to “not be like other girls” or because I’m an “attention whore.” But as I joke to my friends, some days when I’m really tired and don’t feel like putting on makeup, I still do it because, otherwise, my professors won’t know who I am in class, and if my friends recognized me (which they probably wouldn’t), they’d probably CARE Report me for having a breakdown since they’d never, ever seen me without my signature makeup and would therefore assume something must be wrong. When I asked each of my friends why I wear my makeup the way I do, each one was confident in knowing the single right answer. Some hedged their bets and combined a few, based on assumptions they had about girls who wear heavy makeup (probably from movies) and bits and pieces of stories I had told them. So why do I do my makeup like this? The long answer, as you see, is complicated — it just sort of happened. The short answer is that it’s me.

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William and Paris Story and Photos by Mary Trimble ‘23

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Flat Hat Magazine • Narratives

have never been terribly good at the sort of self-reflection required for an eloquent memoir essay. I might have a thought or insight that seems to be worth sharing, but writing it down always weakens it somehow. Maybe my problem is that I’m not a skilled-enough writer. There’s a line in one of my favorite songs, Dawes’ “Most People,” that, ironically, conveys this feeling perfectly:

By the time that she explains to me Just a glimpse of what she’s understood She betrays the meaning putting it in words And yet, here I sit, trying to put in words what it has meant to me to do something that certainly isn’t lacking for clichés — studying abroad in Paris, the most clichéd city of all clichéd cities. So much ink has been spilled in odes to this city that the overwhelming sense of disappointment some feel when faced with the reality of it has been called “Paris Syndrome” (associated with psychosomatic symptoms like dizziness and vomiting as well as psychiatric symptoms like hallucinations, anxiety, and intense feelings of persecution). So, how does one avoid being “The Girl Whose Whole Personality Revolves Around Studying Abroad in Paris” while still offering an honest reflection on the experience? Maybe one doesn’t, and if you find that to be so, dear reader, then just flip to the next article where someone will certainly be writing about something far more unique than a study abroad experience in Paris.

In the space that follows — if you’re still reading — I hope to strike a balance between purveyor of superficial clichés à la “Emily in Paris” or “Gossip Girl” and absolute killjoy who argues (inaccurately) that Paris isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. The reality is, as it always is, somewhere in between.

Some of the difficult parts of this experience are those which no one — not Blair Waldorf nor Emily Cooper — could have prepared me for. I’ve been surprised by the occasional loneliness, for one. I’m a deeply introverted person, so even the notion of loneliness has sometimes struck me as overblown. I like being by myself, depending on myself, being free to go where and when I please, and I often find the process of making friends fairly daunting. Eight times out of ten, I have relished the impersonal anonymity of a bustling, cosmopolitan city of over two million. The other 20% of the time, it can be isolating and overwhelming. Eating dinner in restaurants by myself was (and still is, occasionally) a major hangup of mine for reasons that pass my understanding. Lunch — that I can do. But alas, when I’ve been out and about and dinner time rolls around, I’d rather trek back to my apartment and make it myself than brave a meal in my own company surrounded by strangers enjoying their friends and loved ones. However, all this solitude has, I think, helped me grow. Spending more time alone with my thoughts has made me more thoughtful as I can reflect without the normal firehose of coursework and activities that are ever-present during a semester in the ‘Burg. Living alone has, ultimately, made me more adventurous and more willing to try things by myself — museums galore, solo trips to other nearby cities, or simply wandering aimlessly. I have become more willing to strike up conversations with the staff at the cafés where I’m now a regular, and I often feel joy at the flash of recognition that crosses their faces when they see me walk in and say, not “Hello and welcome,” but instead, “Hi, how are you?” and “See you soon!” when I leave. In this solitude, I’ve found greater appreciation for small, everyday human connections that might otherwise pass unnoticed and for the friends and loved ones I have back at home. Finding these moments adds sweetness to my aimless wandering around the city, especially at the Rive Gauche or Left Bank of the Seine on the south side of the city. There’s almost no city better for it than this one. 106

Known as an intellectual hub, Paris is home to universities as old as the city itself, full of warm tan stone buildings that glimmer when they catch the evening light as the sun goes down as well as bookstores, antique stores, and flower shops. What I love about wandering here is that you can stumble across a major historical landmark entirely without meaning to or even realizing it until later when you have a chance to really think about why there were armed guards in front of one random house near your office, only to realize that it was the prime minister’s residence. The age, charm, and tradition of this city are not so well captured in the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower as they are in the days spent discovering its beauty by accident in the small rues and innumerous old churches where you might find a choir singing or someone practicing on the two-hundred-yearold organ. To expand my wandering and get out of the city for a bit, I booked a trip to a nearby town one day to explore some 107

Flat Hat Magazine • Narratives

of the fabled romantic and picturesque French countryside — les provinces (the provinces) — the term Parisians use to describe literally any place that is not Paris. I was looking forward to a day of quiet meandering through a quaint town; travel blogs advertised the experience as hours of walking through winding streets full of brightly painted, wood-framed houses and a boat tour through a neighborhood built entirely on canals. What I discovered instead was a standard European city center with shopping streets full of Mango, H&M, and Zara, two blocks of admittedly beautiful houses, and, indeed, a neighborhood on canals that were, however, only accessible by private boat because the tours didn’t open for another month. There really wasn’t much more to it. I was disappointed by my unmet expectations and was tempted to consider the day a waste. But on the train ride home, I reminded myself that I had seen a new place even if it didn’t bowl me over with the advertised idyllic charm. I had spent a lovely day outside in a very lively and pretty public park, and I had learned that A.) even as good as my French has become, I had trouble with non-Parisian accents, and B.) you should really make sure your portable power bank is charged before you leave for a day, lest you have to pay 25 euros for a charger (and the price of a coffee) to have a very nice waiter charge your phone behind the bar. With these lessons in mind, I also vowed to be more truthful in my recommendation than the travel blog I so naively followed, should anyone ask whether this particular town was my top choice for a day trip out of the city. A family friend who lives in Paris told me when I arrived that “Paris is a big, dirty city. It’s also magical. If you can live with and accept those two realities, then you’ll love it here.” It’s the best advice I could have been given (although I would have also been satisfied with a word about charging one’s portable power bank). It’s the kind of advice that frees you up not to love every second of every experience. Sometimes, you look up from the Maps app to discover the tip of the Eiffel Tower peeking out over an ornate, classically haussmannien building framed by

perfect Monet-esque clouds. Sometimes, you step in dog poop. Sometimes, you do both at once. Nothing is ever the perfect dream we want or expect it to be, nor is it ever a total repudiation of it. This advice is good for all time-zones because I’m discovering that life, too, is a big, dirty city with pockets of magic. In Paris, as in life, one must take the good with the bad and enjoy the good all the more for sweetening the bad, and the bad must be appreciated for the freedom and gratitude it gives us to enjoy all the good we might otherwise miss. One of the great joys of living here has been one that I’m sure isn’t unique to me, or to Paris, or even to study abroad experiences in general. Getting to know this city — discovering neighborhoods I like, being able to navigate the metro without a map, finding a new favorite restaurant, or stumbling across a new store with clothes that are just my style — has helped me feel at home here and like I really do live here, that I’m not only observing the magic of this place but also am a participant in it. This sentiment is not necessarily revelatory if you’re someone who has lived in the same place your whole life or who has a place that they can, without hesitation, call home — a place where you know all the street names and know where to find the best coffee around. Having moved around a lot as a kid, always accompanied by my parents, it was rare that I felt a real ownership of the places I lived. Being able to show my family around when they have come to visit has made this place feel like mine — even if only for a short time. Somehow, I only have two months until my séjour parisien is over (everyone told me it would fly by, but I didn’t believe them). I’ll take with me more souvenirs than will fit in my two suitcases, and something perhaps more valuable: the knowledge that life will not always give you Paris Syndrome, nor will it always be a travel blog or a montage in “Emily in Paris.” Sometimes, life is just life. Unremarkable, until you lose the protective cushion of your comfort zone and encounter loneliness or unfamiliar surroundings. It is only once you’re faced with that discomfort that life becomes fully discoverable, and that the good can be fully taken with the bad and made richer for it.

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C Gavin Aquin Hernandez ’22 & Alyssa Slovin ’22

Most likely to move to Andorra under a fake identity

Senior

Most Likely to become the CEO of Squishmallows inc.

C C Rebecca Klinger ’22

Most likely to become the mayor of Halloweentown

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Nina Raneses ’22

Most likely to become the youngest White House Press Secretary

C Superlatives Matthew Kortan ’22

Their reign has come to an end

Most likely to accidentally find the Holy Grail on a geology expedition

C Kennedy Hess ’22

Most likely to become a lifestyle guru

C Sabrina El Shanti ’22

Most likely to be the next Walter White

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flathatmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

PRODUCT MANAGER

CHIEF-OF-STAFF

Elizabeth Brady ’25 Marion Biondi ’24 Anhthu Cung ’23 Emma Henry ’25 Will Kobos ‘24 Daniel Posthumus ’24 Hannah Ray ’25 Sony Siddalingaiah ’23 Alyssa Slovin ’22 Kat Vanbourgondien ’24 Taylor Wilson ’22

Ellie Kurlander ’24 Linda Li ’24

Judith-Renée Herman ’24

CREATIVE DIRECTION Andrew Johnston ’25 India Turner ’24

MANAGING EDITOR Mary Trimble ’23

DEPUTY EDITOR

Mary Beth Bauermann ’24

EDITOR-AT-LARGE

Georgia Thoms ’23

BUSINESS MANAGER Taylor Robertson ’23

STANDARDS & PRACTICES EDITOR Ethan Kula ’24

COPY DIRECTION Rebecca Altman ’25 Vivian Hoang ’24

COPY EDITOR

Emma Saunders ’24

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Kiseki Carter ’25

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Zachary Lutzky ’24 Justin Sherlock ’22

STYLE EDITOR

Anna Wershbale ’24

Jane Zhou ’24

WRITERS

GRAPHIC DESIGN Monica Bagnoli ’25 Zoe Davis ’25 Skyler Foley ’24 Sydney Kehoe ’22 Isabel Li ’25 Jessica Sigsbee ’24 Hablo Tyler ’23

COVER PHOTOS Justin Sherlock ’22