Circuit Issue 8

A PUBLICATION OF THE WHITMAN PIONEER

THE CIRCUIT FALL 2013: BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE

8

LETTER

EDITOR’S

N

early three years ago to this day, I stepped onto campus absolutely unprepared for the four years ahead of me. I’m not just talking about the fact that I was still packing my bags at 3 a.m. the night before my flight left for Walla Walla; I was also unprepared to leave behind my family, my friends and the life that I had created for myself in my first18 years. I was creating a new identity in a new environment.

I didn’t know what was ahead of me, but as I look back upon the time I’ve spent at Whitman, I’m so gratified to have had the experiences I’ve had thus far. Not everything that’s happened to me during the past three years has been great, but lows are a part of life too. Had I not taken chances in a new and accepting, albeit unfamiliar, community, I never would have had the opportunity to create new highs. Whether you’re jumping up and down with excitement to return to classes and dorm hangouts, or you’re dragging your feet at having to return for another year of late night study sessions, or you’re new to campus and ready to transition to adulthood, remember that Whitman is a place to try something new and to be open to all types of people and adventures.

We, the staff of The Pioneer, put together this issue of The Circuit in the hope that it will introduce the incoming class to a slice of the Whitman experience and help re-acquaint those of you who are ready to be back at Whitman. Lachlan Johnson has provided a helpful look at different majors on campus (page 17), and Aleida Fernandez has provided a list of helpful tips for surviving your first year at Whitman (page 12). For those interested in a snippet of Whitman athletics, four Whitties from both varsity and club sports reflect on their summer training (page 8).

No back to school issue, of course, is complete without a roundup of summer activities. Tristan Gavin (page 24) and Genny Jones (page 29) detail their frustrations and successes working at a summer school and at Whitman’s Organic Garden, while photographers Catie Bergman (page 20) and Faith Bernstein (page 32) bring us on a photographic journey through their summers in Costa Rica and Montana.

Whether you are a brand-new first-year or a seasoned senior, I hope these pages can provide you with a glimpse of what Whitman has to offer and to inspire you to take your own chances during the time you have left here.

Shelly Le Editor-in-Chief editors@whitmanpioneer.com

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Editor-in-Chief

Production Manager

Managing Editor

Production Associates

Shelly Le

Pam London

Editors

Sarah Cornett Aleida Fernandez Molly Johanson Karah Kemmerly Quin Nelson Dylan Tull

Photography Editor Skye Vander Laan

2 | THECIRCUIT

Sean McNulty

Maddi Coons Molly Johanson Annie Robison

Chief Copy Editor Matthew Nelson

Copy Editors Karah Kemmerly Eric Lombardo

Web Editor Ben Schaefer

The Circuit is a publication of the Whitman Pioneer.

THE CIRCUIT

The Pioneer is an entirely student-run publication published under the auspices of the Associated Students of Whitman College. Questions and letters to the editor can be submitted to editors@ whitmanpioneer.com. All submissions must be attributed and may be edited for concision and fluency.

The Pioneer operates under the guidelines of its code of ethics, a document that is reviewed at least once per semester.

To access the complete code of ethics of The Pioneer, please visit whitmanpioneer.com/about. For information about subscriptions or advertising, please contact business@ whitmanpioneer.com.

IN THIS ISSUE 7

ATHLETES IN THE OFF SEASON

FRESHMAN ADVICE

12

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW 20

A PRIMITIVE PARADISE

26

BODY IMAGE AT WHITMAN

25

The Organic Garden

29 THECIRCUIT | 3

LIFE and DEATH at the

BORDER

by SEAN MCNULTY and JULIA STONE

W

e met Manuel at the Juan Bosque Migrant Shelter, the only shelter open at night on either side of the border.

Earlier that day, he had been dropped off by old school buses that had been converted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to transport deportees from federal detention centers to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Twenty-eight days earlier he had been seized

by Border Patrol in the Sonoran Desert, only to be swept into a criminal justice system designed to put men like Manuel behind bars.

Not only was he sentenced to nearly a month in detention for illegal re-entry, Manuel was forever marked as a felon—a label that will prevent him from holding any legal status in this country. But what troubled Manuel was not his loss of hope for legal status, but the fact that his wife and three children had spent the last month without a source of income in their home of Chicago.

On June 21 we—along with nine other Whitman students—traveled with Aaron Bobrow-Strain, associate professor of politics, for a two-week expedition to learn about political, economic, environmental and social issues involving the Southwestern border region. We traveled between border towns and cities on both the Mexico and Arizona sides and met with community members and leaders, human rights activists and enforcement officials, attorneys and migrants themselves.

Border policy, we learned, is horrifying in both its emotional toll and financial cost. This cost, however, is not an accidental side effect. U.S. border policy isn’t broken. It’s working exactly as it was designed: to discourage crossing into the United States and to make it as difficult as possible. What needs to be done is not to intensify or extend current policy, but actively move to curb and reverse border militarization.

Only then can our nation attempt to forge real security.

In 1993 Border Patrol Sector Chief Silvestre Reyes in El Paso, Texas introduced “Operation Hold the Line.” His strategy focused

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enforcement resources in urban areas so that migrants would be forced to cross the border through the deserts in rural Texas instead. At the other end of the border in San Diego, Calif., “Operation Gatekeeper” aimed to accomplish the same: to close the border within the city and thereby push migrants into the desert. This policy creates a kind of funnel where migrants are pushed to cross through the rugged mountains and winding canyons of the Tucson, Ariz. sector.

During summer days the heat climbs to 115 degrees or more. During the winter nights temperatures drop to hypothermic lows. Crossing on foot, it is physically impossible to carry enough water to stay hydrated. Navigation through the twisting washes and valleys is prohibitively difficult without a guide. The remains of some 6,000 migrants dead from exposure have been given to the Arizona Recovered Human Remains Project since the creation of the funnel in the mid-1990s.

Creeping militarization has shaped both the training of the Border Patrol and the tools that they use. Military technology, repurposed for border security after use in Afghanistan and Iraq, is nearubiquitous on the border.Automated drones scour the desert floor from thousands of feet up. Huge surveillance blimps serve as additional eyes and hang in the air as a potent psychological symbol of the Border Patrol’s presence. Mobile Security System trucks are like cherry-pickers equipped with cameras—with their platforms extended, they can see for some 10 miles around. As conflicts in the Middle East wind down, Customs and Border Protection is poised to become the next major client of military-industrial giants such as Lockheed Martin.

All of this is in the name of making the border more secure. But for whom? Certainly not for the ranchers in the Tucson sector whose property runs up directly against the border. Smugglers cut their fences regularly; the Border Patrol can, without a warrant or an easement, tear through their property with four-wheel drives or plant motion sensors on their land. The rancher’s wife who has begun to take anti-anxiety medication because she sees the lights of drones over her property each night feels no more secure. For pastors whose congregations are divided between documented and undocumented, with migrants praying next to Border Patrol agents, their flocks are no more secure. And to the family and friends of José Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who was shot from behind several times

by Border Patrol agents while they were in a tall tower and he was standing unarmed on a street corner in Nogales, Ariz., secure is the last word associated with la frontera.

The true cost of these so-called security policies is staggering. The combined yearly budget of the Customs and Border Protection agency and the International Customs Enforcement agency comes out to $18 billion. The Migration Policy Institute reckons the combined budget of every other federal law enforcement agency—the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives—at $14.4 billion. That’s 24 percent less than the money flowing to the agencies charged with immigration enforcement.

Securing our borders runs against patterns of north-south migration that have been ongoing for thousands of years. For much of the past century and a half, seasonal migration has cycled workers

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THECIRCUIT | 5

from the communities of northern Mexico to the labor-intensive agriculture of the West and back again. For years, this movement was unimpeded by tight border enforcement. Now, border policy strives to seal off patterns of migration that are firmly historical and arguably inevitable. Consequences have been disastrous: Since the enactment of Operation Gatekeeper in 1994 almost 6,000 people have died while attempting to cross the deadly desert. And many of those that survive the crossing have faced separation from their families, exploitation by employers, jail time and extreme poverty.

The financial toll is staggering as well.

In 2005, the DHS implemented “Operation Streamline” as a way to close down the border via the criminal justice system. Prior to 2005, immigration via the southwestern border and overstayed visas were considered civil issues, and so all proceedings went through civil, administrative courts. Following the movement towards border militarization, the 2000s saw the act of crossing the border become criminalized. Once returned directly to the Mexican side of the border, those apprehended are now charged with a criminal felony. Streamline is a process that allows courts in border states to convict those charged with the felony of illegal re-entry en masse. It has normalized mass trials. In the Tucson courtroom we watched as 70 men and women were escorted by plaintiffs and border patrol agents, bound with chains at the feet, waist and hands.

Federal Public Defender Laura Conover considers this process unprecedented in our criminal justice system. What does it mean for 70 people to be convicted as felons in the course of 45 minutes?

For one thing, each defendant is allowed no more than 20 minutes with an attorney. This stood out as ironic, especially as Conover spoke with our group for nearly two hours and we still were only able to scratch the surface of the Streamline process.

By trying migrants five at a time, 70 a day, five days a week, Streamline warps due process, a pillar of our criminal justice system. As a theoretical deterrent, this process is heralded as a success. What worries legal experts in Tucson more than anything is the precedent it sets for mass trials as the norm in all branches of the justice system. Under the immigration reform bill which has

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cleared the Senate, the size of mass trials is slated to triple from 70 a day to 210.

The criminal justice system is not the only institution that is being undermined by border militarization. The surrounding environment bears the burden as well. Border states have used the political inertia propelling border security to erect a border wall as quickly as possible. Slipped into the body of Arizona’s 2005 Real ID Act was a waiver for 37 federal laws, including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and Farmland Protection Policy Act. These waivers have had serious implications on the land and the ranchers, farmers and border communities that rely on the land for their livelihoods. Without any requirements for environmental evaluations, border militarization and construction of the wall— that is proving to be devastating to both border communities and the environment—will continue. Scientists have determined that the wall has not only prevented the migration of endangered species like mountain lions and deer, but has obstructed crucial flood patterns, which will drastically endanger the precious water flows in the desert. The border wall cuts directly through Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument—a U.S. National Monument and UNESCO biosphere reserve—unhindered by the protections that shield wilderness areas in other parts of the country, or even by the trouble of an environmental impact statement.

As we readjust into our Whitman community, our border trip group continues to challenge the distance we have placed between ourselves and the reality of the borderlands. Our current understanding of national security is directly tied to the justifications behind 30-foot border walls and miles of concertina wire, of dividing families and border communities’ increasing lack of security. If we accept the wall, then we must also accept the environmental, financial, emotional and social threats stemming from current policies. It seems incredible that the political rhetoric surrounding border security is so removed from the reality that we witnessed for ourselves.

Neither reversing the trend of border militarization nor calming our fear of our neighbors will be easy, but they are nonetheless feats that we must accomplish to preserve the integrity of our nation.

Coming Back

STRONGER While summer vacation is a time for rest and relaxation, athletes also use the time to work on their craft. Sophomores Katrina Allick and Jenna Dobrin (tennis), Robert Maislin (baseball) and Brennan Johnson (Ultimate) came into this sum-

mer fresh off their first year of college athletics with their eyes set on coming back stronger next year. They checked in over the middle of the summer to give a look into what college athletes do to prepare for the coming year.

Regroup and Refocus

by KATRINA ALLICK and JENNA DOBRIN

C

oming into the season as a couple of first-years, Katrina and I did not totally know what to expect from our tennis experience. However, as roommates, friends and two members of the Whitman women’s tennis team, we ended up having a phenomenal time on and off the court. From blasting Beyoncé at practice to doing a fastpaced “Insanity” workout created by our assistant coach, to team dinners at the Glover Alston Center (GAC), to capturing the conference champion title and earning a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tournament in California, we were ecstatic to be a part of such a special group.

At the NCAAs, one of our fondest memories was the on-court atmosphere— a chair umpire sat on each court, calling out our scores and making line calls, just like we see on TV when we watch the pros. This made us feel as though our hard work during the season paid off—the extra time spent in the gym, the suicide runs after practice. Though we could not be happier for what we achieved, we wish we could’ve remained in the tournament a little longer and had the chair umpires for another day or two; we were hungry to keep competing in the next round of the tournament. However, after the initial sting faded and we reflected on our season the first round loss at nationals further motivated us to improve, to put in the extra work to get where we want to be and to feel like professionals as the chair umpire announces our scores.

And the perfect time to put in the work that will get us there is the summer, a time to regroup and refocus.

In the summer, we jump into a more detailed routine of on- and off-court work that we may have not had as much time to devote to during our busy regular season. As tennis players, we are most intent on improving explosive and lateral movement, core, endurance and leg strength. To do so, we use a variety of exercises such as P90x’s Plyometrics, hill runs finishing with sets of planks, pushups or other core exercises, lifting (targeting arms and legs) and cardio in the gym. It can be a grind, but using all these exercises helps keep the workouts from getting monotonous.

As for on-court work, we keep our games sharp by finding consistent hitting partners and attending group clinics, in which we focus on hitting, volleys, serve and match preparation drills. We also look to get in some private lessons with our respective home coaches so we can focus on fine-tuning technical skills. Both of us are looking to further improve our backhands, so we will have our coaches break them down, give us technical tips on how to make adjustments and then feed us a basket of balls to work our strokes until our hands get blistered.

Finally, if the opportunity presents itself, we will also play in a few individual tournaments to practice playing under pressure and incorporating the work we have done in practice in a more formal setting. There are usually tournaments in our areas where college players can participate so we definitely look to capitalize on getting some competitive tennis into our summer programs.

We believe that putting in as much

work as possible over the summer will pay dividends going into the fall and spring seasons. The feeling we experienced at NCAAs after hearing that chair umpire announce our names in their microphones is one we would love to experience again, and this makes us hungry to work towards that feeling every day.

THECIRCUIT | 7

Sweet Sweet Summer

by BRENNAN JOHNSON

T

here’s something peaceful and meditative about carrying a handful of discs out to Harper Joy Field, throwing one at a time, walking across the field under the pink and orange sunset to pick them up, throwing them again, re-walking the length of the field...

There’s also something fairly pathetic about it. As a Whitman Sweets Frisbee player staying in Walla Walla for the summer, finding large games and passionate competitors is a tall order. Don’t get me wrong; the community, particularly Whitties here for the summer, comes together twice a week for small but enjoyable pick up games and often a few of us meet up to throw around. In reality, the Frisbee scene here for these three months could be significantly worse. More than anything, the lack of disc-related opportunities is simply a reflection of the sport’s lack of recognition across the country.

Lack of recognition is the proper phrase here, I think, because where Frisbee is recognized, it thrives. Although the sport is steadily gaining popularity across the nation, its following remains confined largely to certain ages and certain cities. Most of us who play the sport in America are between 15 and 35 years old and generally live in cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Boulder, Boston or Raleigh. Within this demographic, in these cities, the Ultimate Frisbee community is vibrant and passionate. In my hometown—Minnesota’s Twin Cities—most high schools have their own teams.

For those living in such regions for the summer, finding a team for which to play is relatively easy. Had I gone home after

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graduation, I would have had my choice among numerous different club teams, comprising largely college players and those recently out of college. Club Frisbee is the norm for those seeking to play in the summer, drawing athletes of all skill levels.

For the past two years, for example, I was fortunate enough to play for Minnesota’s Youth Club Championships (YYC) coed team. Each summer, the Frisbee-loving regions of the country put together a few teams—an Under (U) 19 male team, a U16 male team, a U19 female team and a U19 co-ed team—and send them to Minnesota for the national championships. Playing against the nation’s top youth talent was a thrilling opportunity—just ask Whitman’s own sophomores Ari Lozano, Elissa Picozzi ‘16 (both won last year’s Girls’ Division Championship playing for Seattle), Brenna Bailey and Alex Honeyman and junior Julia Bladin as well as seniors Kate Benjamin and Ben Harris.

This summer, however, I am both too old and too far away for YCC. I, along with fellow Sweets junior Allison Work and seniors Grady Olson, Walker Larson, Celine Valentin and Cathryn Klusmeier and all-star chaperone/Admission Officer Sadie Nott are left to spend our Walla Walla summer playing pick-up, throwing around in the evening once the oppressive heat fades away, hitting the gym and dreaming about the upcoming season. Yet this semi-hiatus from our favorite sport isn’t all bad. Just as the break from the year’s Encounters reading has allowed me not to become burnt out on the pursuit of knowledge, a break from daily Frisbee has allowed me to realize just how much I miss it and just how much I want to play again. The break has been peaceful; the break has been meditative. After all, it’s summer.

Pushing Past Pain

by ROBERT MAISLIN

G

oing into my freshman year, I didn’t know what to expect of my first college baseball season at Whitman. I expected a step up in competition, more traveling and having first-year responsibilities to take care of.

However, there were a few things I did not foresee. The season felt longer than I expected, and the team had a quicker turnaround than I thought possible. The season was a lot of fun, and it was great to be a part of a team with an improving record. Looking back on the year I decided that the best way I could help the team was to figure out how to avoid tiring my pitching arm towards the end of the year. I set out to find the best place to make that happen.

This summer, I worked out at Ron Wolforth’s Texas Baseball Ranch in Montgomery, Texas. Towards the end of the spring season I had started experiencing tenderness in the back of my shoulder, so I wanted to recover and prevent future soreness. I had been to the Texas Baseball Ranch before and knew that it focused on pitching mechanics and teaching pitchers to throw using movement patterns that take the stress away from the fragile parts of the arm—mainly the elbow and shoulder—so it was the perfect place for me to be this summer.

When I got to the ranch, the first thing Coach Wolforth did was videotape me to see what my mechanical flaw was. He explained to me that I had a problem with my distal humerus and that my arm was acting independently from my spine, which put extra strain on my rotator cuff. I

was given several drills to improve my movement pattern.

Coach Wolforth gave me a full rehab program to correct my throwing motion. I understood that this would be a lengthy process of at least three weeks, but I thought it would be worth it. My rehab started with drills that would isolate my throwing motion using “connection balls” which are put in the location where your motion needs help on your arm to make you break your current habit. I did not throw without the help of the connection balls for two straight weeks. It got pretty frustrating not being able to throw normally, but it was all part of the process. After the two weeks ended, I started the process of “blending,” in which I threw unassisted by the connection balls, teaching my arm the movement pattern on its own. I am currently at the blending stage in my rehab.

Over the remainder of the next two weeks I hope to finish my rehab. The rest of my summer will consist of participating in plenty of throwing exercises. With the extra throwing, I hope to start increasing my arm strength and stamina, as well as my offspeed pitches. The purpose of attending the camp is to treat all arm pain and allow yourself to push your arm harder than before. If you do this, you can be confident your arm isn’t going to get hurt.

With my new throwing motion, I plan on going back to school, avoiding any arm pain in the future and allowing myself to throw more than ever. I hope that all of the work I have put in during the offseason will allow me to perform better on the field, and to help the team to improve upon our previous campaign and finish atop the Northwest Conference standings at the end of next spring.

THECIRCUIT | 9

PAID ADVERTISING SECTION

The Circuit Guide to Walla Walla Restaurants

4-7 Issacs Ave

Rt. 12

8-20 1

Ros

e St

9th Ave

Howard St

Ave 2nd

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3 1 Andrae’s Kitchen Mobile food truck Daily 6 a.m.-6 p.m.

Drive-thru, inside seating, coffee, espresso, and breakfast and lunch all day.

2 Iceburg 616 W Birch St Daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Hamburgers, fries and old-fashioned milkshakes.

3 Blue Palm 1417 Plaza Way Suite C Sun-Fri 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sat 7-11 p.m.

4 Phoumy’s 1528 Issacs Ave Mon-Thus 11:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.

Sun Noon-9:00 p.m.

5 Sour Grape 1619 E Isaacs Ave Sun-Thu 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Fri-Sat 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Free Wi-Fi, different daily specials offered throughout the week.

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6 Taqueria Mi Pueblito 1633 E Issacs Ave Mon-Sat 7 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sun 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Free Wifi, Best Burritos in Town!

7 La Ramada 1708 E Issacs Ave Daily 10 a.m-10 p.m.

Authentic Mexican food, dessert and drinks. $4.99 daily lunch specials.

Happy hour from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

8 Whitehouse-Crawford 55 W Cherry St Wed-Mon 5-10 p.m.

Owned and operated by Whitman alumni! Great for special occasions and casual dining in the bar.

9 Salumiere Cesario 12 E Main St Mon-Wed 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thu-Fri 11 a.m-8 p.m.

Sat 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sun 11 a.m-4 p.m.

10 Olive 21 E Main St Daily 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

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OFFERS valid with Whitman ID

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Marcy’s $5 cheeseburger and fries until Sept. 7 Andrae’s Kitchen Free order of small fries with entree purchase Taqueria Mi Pueblito 10 percent discount Sweet Basil Two pizza slices $5 Slice and salad $6

St

La Ramada 10 percent discount

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11 Sweet Basil Pizzeria 5 S First Ave Mon-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

16 Red Reina Cuisine and Delicatessen 202 E Main St Tue-Sun 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

Local, seasonal Northwest-based ingredients make fresh, delicious Mediterranean-inspired food.

12 Marcy’s 35 S Colville St Daily 11 a.m.-2 a.m.

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13 Colville Street Patisserie 40 S Colville St Mon-Thu 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fri-Sat 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sun 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Handmade French pastries, housemade gelato, some gluten-free treats, and espresso.

14 Maple Counter 209 E Alder St Tue-Sun 7 a.m.-3 p.m.

Award-winning breakfasts and lunches in a lively, friendly atmosphere.

15 Public House 124 124 E Main St Tue-Thu 3 p.m.-11 p.m.

Sat Noon-11 p.m.

21 and over only.

17 A Wing and A Prayer 201 E Main St Mon-Thu 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

BARBECUE

+

CANTEEN

18 Walla Walla Bread Co. 225 E Main St Mon-Fri 7 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sat 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Sun 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

19 The Garden Vegan Cafe 230 E Main St Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Smoothie Happy Hour daily 2pm - 4pm

20 Bacon & Eggs 503 E Main St Thu-Tue 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Vegan, vegetarian, and carnivore breakfast options made from scratch daily.

THECIRCUIT | 11

Enjoy the Ride: 17 Tips to Help You Make the Most of Your First Year

by ALEIDA FERNANDEZ

T

he rumors are true: being a first-year in college is hard. It’s scary and overwhelming, and I’ll be honest, the food is not—and never will be—as good as what you had at home. But if what they also say is true, and hindsight really is 20/20, does that mean that foresight must be myopic? Doesn’t have to be!

As a junior, I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs. Despite how I might come across now, I too

was a scared and overwhelmed first-year. However, my first year at Whitman College was one of the best I’ve ever had, and it cemented my love for this school and the people in it. Earlier this year someone asked me, “What did you wish you had known when you were a first-year?” After much thought and consideration, here are the 17 things I wish I had known when I became a Whittie.

1

Take advantage of free food: It sounds ridiculous, but free food is one of the best parts of college. Find and attend events that offer free food. Not only will you get your grub on, but you also might learn something new!

2

You will make a fool of yourself, and that’s okay: You WILL make mistakes, and because Whitman is a small campus, chances are that more than a couple of people will know about it. Whatever happened, happened— so cry about it, laugh about it and accept it.

3

Professors are here to help: Most of them are here because they love what they do.

Go to office hours and get to know them.

They’re friendly and almost always willing to go that extra mile to help a student. Don’t be afraid to ask for that extra bit of help.

Don’t feel rushed to find a major: This is the year to take a class in every academic department, so shop around a little bit. You might fall in love with a topic you never expected. And don’t just choose a major you think will make you money, because picking a major doesn’t set the course for your entire life.

Find a balance: Partying and hanging out are fun, and studying can be a bit of a drag, but do too much of one without the other and you’ll have a hard time making it through college. Don’t be afraid to kick back and relax; check out the town, go to an a cappella concert (there always seems to be one somewhere), see Varsity Nordic, find the best hiding spots in the library and climb up on Styx for a classic Whittie photo-op. But don’t do it at the expense of studying for class.

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Don’t be afraid to fail: Chances are you will have one class in which you feel that no matter how much you study you just will not understand the material. Don’t freak out! One bad grade does not mean you’re a failure. At the same time, however, these grades do affect your entire college GPA, so don’t completely neglect to study either. You might regret it when it comes time to apply for grad school or for that internship you always wanted.

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Get enough sleep: Sleep is crucial to success. It might seem cool now to be that person who says, “I literally just had three hours of sleep! I’m sooooo busy! I just live on Reid’s coffee!” But when the sleep deprivation kicks in, and the inner sleepless monster inside of you awakens, it won’t seem so cool.

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Take chances: That cute boy or girl who catches your eye on Ankeny? Ask them out!

That ridiculously themed party you heard about? Raid your dorm’s costume closet or Goodwill and go all out! That SSRA class that seems impossible because you’ve never done anything athletic before? Sign up! This is the time to take chances. Who knows what you will find out about yourself?

Press save ... often: It only takes one spilled drink to erase everything you’ve done for the past 12 hours and to commence a 3 a.m. meltdown in the middle of the library.

Whitman is full of new and interesting people: Reach out to them! You will be meeting hundreds of students in a short amount of time, and some of them could end up being an important part of your life. That person you talked to today could be the person who helps you through a tough time, or the person who laughs with you at 2 a.m. Don’t burn bridges; you might need them again in the future.

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Balance your class schedule: Taking 18 credits of all 300-level classes might seem like no big deal at the beginning of the semester, but, come November, you might be singing a different tune. Balance your hard classes with a fun class requiring minimal effort. Your brain will thank you for it later.

Drinking yourself into a stupor does not make you look cool: It’s okay to drink. It’s okay not to drink. Know your limits and don’t be afraid to say no. Remember, not everyone is doing it— just check the posters!

Enjoy the ride: What you put into college is what you’ll get out of it. Grades are important, but most of your learning will be done outside the classroom. You will never have access to more free stuff, cool and interesting people your own age, and more opportunities to get involved ever again.

And, believe me, it flies by. Whitman can be where you have some of the best times of your life and where you can meet people you’ll be friends with forever. So sit back and just enjoy it.

Don’t be afraid to try new things, but don’t overcommit: There are infinite extracurricular possibilities and many causes for you to feel passionate about (check out the rows upon rows of tables at the activities fair if you don’t believe me). You’re a Whittie, so you’re probably passionate about—or at least vaguely interested in— some of them. Try as many as you want, but know your limits. It’s okay to say no.

The resources on campus are there for you to use: The Academic Resource Center (ARC), Student Engagement Center (SEC), the Registrar, student tutors, your Resident Assistant (RA) and your Student Academic Advisor (SA) are all there to help you succeed!

Don’t wait until it’s too late to utilize them.

Always use shower shoes: No exceptions. Believe me, you will regret it if you don’t. Even if you’re not a germaphobe (like me), just wait until you see a glob of hair in the drain!

Maintain a healthy lifestyle: The gym is free and newly renovated. Take advantage of it and develop healthy habits for the rest of your life. When it comes to eating in the dining hall, remember the golden rule: bad food makes you feel bad and good food makes you feel good. For those nights you want to be indulgent, however, don’t miss Sundae Sunday—deliciousness awaits.

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It’s

by KARAH KEMMERLY

a sunny Saturday morning in Walla Walla,

and locals and Whities alike are taking advantage of the lovely weather to walk downtown and visit their favorite summer haunts.

The Patisserie patio is packed with people sipping café au lait, the line for Maple Counter extends to the sidewalk and a basket-carrying parade is making its way toward the intersection of Fourth and Main for the small town gem that is the Downtown Farmers Market.

On this particular market day, a bluesy band plays in the background as a sizable crowd packs into the shady rows between produce vendors, peering around one another to find the best zucchini or kale. Colorful craft booths are scattered across Crawford Park, and a wide spectrum of smells, from soap to peaches to barbeque, drifts through the pavilion. The market is a feast for all five senses—and for dozens of lunch-seekers.

I step into the produce aisle, and through the crowd, I quickly spy my favorite farmers market find: the elusive garlic scape. With a season lasting just a few weeks, this delicious combination of aromatic, herb and vegetable deserves to be purchased en masse and consumed frequently for the entirety of late June and early July.

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Behind a mountain of scapes and garlic bulbs is Ralph Perkins, the owner of Middle Branch Farms in Milton-Freewater and a 17-year vendor at the Downtown Farmers Market in Walla Walla. Just three miles past the Oregon border, he cares for half a dozen cows and grows 18 varieties of garlic. With this impressive array of aromatics at his disposal, Perkins has endless options for garlicky meals.

“I eat garlic every day,” he said.

I confess my scape obsession to him and we compare recipes. He has an impressive list of culinary ideas, including roasted scapes with asparagus and elephant garlic butter. I am excited to bring my bag of scapes back to the kitchen and try a few of them for myself.

Across the aisle are Kimi Galasso and her husband, Christopher, of Stone Throw Farm. Their stand is practically buried under baskets of leafy greens, and at first glance, it blends in perfectly with the walls of produce around them. The Galassos, however, offer market visitors a little something extra—fresh juice made on the spot from whichever organic fruits and veggies they choose.

“It’s kind of the perfect breakfast while strolling through the market,” said Galasso.

Galasso and her husband both worked in the restaurant industry in Seattle before moving to Walla Walla in 2008. She jokes that this small town is the perfect place for big city restaurant workers to retire.

“We cooked professionally for a decade each, and we were ready to work with food in a different way.

Walla Walla has allowed us to pursue dreams that were unreachable in San Francisco or Seattle ... I adore Walla Walla for supporting us and helping surround us in our dream food community,” she said.

In addition to growing organic produce, the Galassos also work at the Blue Valley Meats Butcher Shop, which they opened with a crew two years ago, and at Valley Seafood.

Next, I talk to Pierre-Louis Monteillet, a native of Southern France and the owner and namesake of a Dayton fromagerie (French for “cheese shop”). He and his wife, a native of the Walla Walla Valley area, have been coming to the Walla Walla market to sell their spread of cheeses for seven years.

“The cheeses are made from goat and sheep milk, and we raise all the animals ourselves. We have 30 goats and 35 sheep,” he said.

In addition to producing and selling more than 10 varieties of homemade cheese, the Monteillets also offer two short cheese-making workshops and one intensive workshop exploring their entire farm-to-table process.

Next to Monteillet is the Midnight Oil Soap Company, a local producer of handmade goat milk soaps and herbal skin-care products. Soap is a family affair: Eric Hedine, the son of founder Kim Hedine, is helping out at the market stand while his mother mans the downtown shop.

He tells me the origin story for the company name.

When his mother first started making soap, she was also busy with four kids. This led to many late-night soap-making sessions—that is, soap made while burning the midnight oil.

Now the company is an integral part of Hedine family life. Not only do those four kids help out at the shop and stand, but they also get to try out the products.

“We’ve probably tried all of the soaps. We’d get in trouble if we used anything else,” said Hedine.

Another young vendor at the market is Hermiston, Ore. native Catalina Coleman. She grew up on a farm and has been attending farmers markets for as long as she can remember. Her blueberries and flowers have made an appearance at the Walla Walla market for the past three seasons.

The market offers Coleman a change in scenery from her parents’ farm and her studies at Oregon State University.

“There is always something new every week,” said Coleman.

Despite their different wares, all the vendors I spoke to came together on one important point. Everyone agreed the best part of working at the market was meeting and interacting with so many interesting people.

“I love meeting locals—seeing real people,” said Monteillet.

For organic farmers like Galasso, meeting customers is a valuable opportunity for sharing food philosophies.

“We get to talk directly to our customers and describe how things are grown, [like how] we don’t use any sprays or chemicals, and we try to educate people how to grow their own food,” she said.

Pam Meredith of Just Right Granola aims to give her customers a healthy, delicious, homemade food product, and she always looks forward to receiving customer feedback. She made the original recipe with her friend six years ago, and has been trying new recipes ever since.

“We wanted to make granola that was healthier, more nutritious. Plus, I would’ve gotten bored with just the original,” she said.

She created her sunflower cocoa recipe after customers requested a granola without nuts, and she is currently working on a recipe excluding coconut for that same reason.

“Someone came back from last year and told me she can’t find anything like my granola. That’s what keeps me going.”

As its history and colorful variety of vendors suggest, the local farmers market is a source of excitement, drama, creativity and tasty food. It regularly offers Whitties and Walla Wallans a brief escape from campus life and a chance to feel more connected to the vibrant and close-knit community—a community many vendors suggest is rather unique.

“I have worked at and enjoyed many farmers markets, but the Wallas seem to have a ‘can do’ attitude [and] a sense of community that is rare and beautiful,” said Galasso.

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Reviews

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he market has had a bit of a rocky year. When the city decided not to renew the market lease for Crawford Park in January, disputes among several members of the Walla Walla Valley Farmers Market Association led to the creation of two separate market boards.

Under the management of Jayne Foster, the newlyformed Walla Walla Valley Farmers Market board worked toward relocating the market to the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds on Orchard St. Meanwhile, several former board members established a partnership with the Downtown Walla Walla Foundation and formed the Downtown Farmers Market board. This contingency of the old board renewed the lease for the original market location.

At the start of the 2013 season, Walla Wallans had their choice of two markets: one at the fairgrounds and one at Crawford Park behind City Hall. According to each market website, the Walla Walla Valley Farmers Market has approximately 20 regular vendors and the Downtown Farmers Market has roughly 80.

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Reviews

A

MAJOR CHOICE

by LACHLAN JOHNSON

Whitman’s Diverse Academics “WHAT ARE YOU MAJORING IN?” After “What’s your name?” and “Where are you from?” this is one of the most common questions overheard in the hallways of a first-year residence hall, in classrooms of introductory courses or as students stroll together across Ankeny Field. When you step on campus as a first-year, people want to know more about you. And one of the factors that makes you unique is your major.

Majors form a bond allowing first-years to build relationships not only with each other, but also with older students working in the same field of study. When you share a major with someone, it can often be easier to become study partners as well as friends.

Whitman students spend at least a third of their class time working toward fulfilling major requirements, and majors can have consequences reaching far beyond the classroom. Your choice of major can determine which peers and professors you spend time with in college, which job prospects you may have

after graduating and which ideas and philosophies will shape your world view. While most students declare their major their sophomore year, certain majors have enough requirements that beginning coursework during your first year at Whitman is necessary to finish before graduation. Majors at Whitman are split into three divisions: the social sciences, the humanities and arts and the sciences.

But what happens if you, like so many of us here at Whitman, simply don’t know what you want to major in? What if you loved math in high school and decided you wanted to major in that in college, but discover in Encounters that you’re really good at analyzing ancient and seemingly obscure texts? What if when someone asks you what you want to major in, you have no idea? All of these reactions are normal. Whitman does not expect you to be ready to declare your major the moment you arrive in Walla Walla, but there are many resources on campus to narrow down your choices.

The first step is recognizing what you love and what you enjoy doing. That is where each of Whitman’s academic departments come in.

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SOCIAL SCIENCES Majors in the social sciences examine individuals, groups and societies through a combination of reading and writing papers, and analyzing data from studies and surveys. Each major has a slightly different focus. For example, while sociology majors focus on patterns and correlations which determine the structure of groups and societies, politics majors examine power relations, and economics majors analyze financial models and data. These majors provide the opportunity to explore a number of different topics and can be adapted to meet students’ interests.

Subjects can range from the social pressure of American lawns to the effects of Wall Street culture on economics.

“Politics courses seek to understand power in every arena, so not just in the state, but also in economics, culture, religion, sexuality, ecology, law, race, language [and] art,” said senior politics major Allison Bolgiano.

The psychology major is unique among the social sciences in the emphasis it places on individuals, rather than groups. The psychology department, one of the most popular majors at Whitman, covers a number of different fields, including cognitive psychology and developmental psychology.

I think everyone at some level has an interest in psychology because it is about people. We all want to know what makes us tick,” said senior psychology major Alan Pugh. “You can take a concept learned in a psychology class and see it in action with your friends just a few hours later.”

HUMANITIES & ARTS The humanities and arts division encompasses a wide range of majors. While English, religion, philosophy and foreign language majors examine the use of words and ideas, majors in the visual arts, music and drama allow students the opportunity both to study and create works of art. Although the connection between the arts and humanities is not always explicit, they share a common subjectivity: There is no single way to write or paint, only different methods of doing so.

“One of the unique things about [the] religion [major] is how many people and phenomenaI studies have such fundamentally different understandings of basic elements of existence than my own, including the meaning of good, the self, time or even the very concept of texts or language,” said senior religion major Ben Menzies.

It is essential for humanities majors to be open to different points of view. While understanding the message being conveyed by a text is key, it is equally important to understand the style the writer uses to communicate.

“Every English major has to take ‘Approaches to the Study of Literature,’” said junior English major Sam Adler. “When I took it, we read an incredibly eclectic group of texts ranging

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from Jacobean revenge tragedy to postmodern novella, and we were pushed not only to read very closely, but to make meaningful connections between texts, and to be bold in our critical processes.”

While English majors examine writing specifically, language majors use literature, art and philosophy as a means of studying a particular language itself, such as Spanish, German or French.

“I chose the French major because of its broad range of material and time periods covered. French language and culture is very much shaped by its rich history, and the literature and poetry of each era reflects these shifts,” said senior French major Meghan Browne. “Through this in-depth exposure to the past, we are able to look at contemporary issues like nationality, ethnicity and gender roles and apply them to famous pieces of literature.”

THE SCIENCES Science majors have some of the most unique course loads on campus. With longer class hours and more prerequisites for upper-level courses than in other majors, these students differ greatly from their peers in other divisions that allow students to be more fluid in their progression through their major. While other divisions have a wide range of introductory courses, most science students spend their first year taking “General Chemistry”, a year-long course which is a prerequisite for higher-level biology and chemistry courses. The prerequisite not only provides all students a basic foundation of scientific knowledge, but also tests potential majors’ commitment to the sciences.

In addition to having daily lecture-like classes in the social sciences, humanities and arts, most science courses involve a lab component. Each week students either carry out experiments on subjects covered during morning lectures or go on field excursions to explore ideas outside the classroom. “[Biology] lab work involves some really cool hands-on opportunities. For example, in Ecology we were able to go bird banding, and I know several professors take students on research trips over the summer to places outside of Walla Walla,” said senior biology major Cindy Chang.

Whitman’s geology courses often take advantage of the additional time afforded for labs to give students field experience exploring regional geology and identifying different formations.

“Every geology course I’ve taken thus far has been memorable in its own special way, from yelling at computers for not doing the right thing in Excel, [to] studying for days on end in the same room with the same five people for one test, or pulling all-nighters because we put off the petrology lab or the structural cross-section,” said senior geology major Grady Olson.

Courses in the sciences range from chemistry and biology to astronomy and mathematics, as well as one of the college’s most well-known majors: biochemisty, biophysics and molecular biology (BBMB).

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A CROSSROADS OF LIFE

Although your choice of major impacts many aspects of life at Whitman, it is not a monolithic decision. Many careers can be pursued regardless of your major, and dual majors and minors allow students to create unique, diverse paths during their years at Whitman and beyond.

While some students may arrive at Whitman thinking they already know their major, your time at college can hold unseen opportunities and new interests. Every major is a unique experience, and each one leads to greater knowledge.

*

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE? Head over to the Academic Resource Center for academic counseling, including registration, tutoring, and major advising. whitman.edu/academics/academic-support The college catalog, which includes major requirements can be found online. whitman.edu/academics/catalog

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A PRIMITIVE

by CATIE BERGMAN

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E PARADISE Tucked away in the remote jungles and beaches of Costa Rica lies the Osa Peninsula, one of the most diverse and untouched areas on the planet. Although it’s only half the size of Rhode Island, the Osa houses 2.5 percent of the Earth’s biodiversity and contains the last standing virgin rain forest in the area. Over the course of the summer, this astounding statistic became my reality.

As an intern for Osa Conservation, I quickly learned that the rain forests and beaches of the Osa are always alive. The howl of monkeys at sunrise, the murmur of the canopy during a light rainfall and the heavy breathing of a nesting green turtle are as addictive as the plantain chips served at dinner.

The following photographs attempt to portray the rich and abundant wildlife of the Osa, to be a full sensory experience of the oasis where the rain forest meets the sea.

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A Different Kind of Internship

BY TRISTAN GAVIN

W

hen I told my friends what my summer plan was, many of them expressed to me how challenging it sounded. This came from friends doing chemistry and biology research I couldn’t even begin to describe to you, and from friends with highly competitive internships in the business field. The job I told them about was teaching science to middle school students from the Oakland Unified School District through a program called Heads Up. Granted, it hasn’t been a walk in the park. There is a reason there are summer school programs in place for these kids. The gross imbalance between academic need and academic support for some public school students in the district holds them back from keeping up with their peers in other districts. The city of Oakland is facing serious economic issues that only heighten the need for extra support. Over one-quarter of children in Oakland live below the poverty line—a number nearly six percent above the state average. Less than half of students at Oakland public high schools make it to graduation before dropping out. The odds are seriously against public school students, and to expect to bridge that gap in the six weeks I spent teaching is ludicrous.

But Heads Up does not expect its six-week summer program to be the ultimate academic equalizer, nor does it try to nullify any of the learning they do during the school year. Instead, the program offers a four-year commitment to supplementing the students’ existing education with weekly support during the school year and with summer school, ultimately hoping to provide academic opportunities that encourage children to pursue further education.

Founded in 1987 by Head-Royce School, chool, one of the premier private schools in the region, Heads Up admits students recognized as exceptional by elementary school principals. All Heads Up students are public school students of color with demonstrated need. ed. These children are smart and motivated to succeed, and d they benefit immensely from the extra support of an n extended curriculum.

In its 25 years as a program, Headss Up has benefitted over one thousand students by building ding competency

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and excellence inside and outside the classroom. This is achieved through classes like mine, which build upon previously introduced academic material, and d also through weekly workshops that promote community y service, leadership and college access.

My role as a teaching intern was to teach environonmental science to the sixth and seventh graders in the program and to design and run the weekly workshops. ops.

In the classroom, I worked with a lead teacher to come up with engaging lesson plans to help students ts build a general curiosity for the world around them,, while stressing the accessibility of academic endeavors. This required lots of hands-on activities, like testing pH for acidity in local rain and counting water fleas to determine chlorine levels in rivers and lakes. In the process of running experiments, my lead teacher and I worked to instill a fundamental understanding of the scientific method in these students and to teach them important skills, such as measurement, in order to create a foundation for future science learning.

My friends were right about this being a daunting task. Have yyou seen a seventh grader lately? If you have a sibling or cousin between the ages of 11 and 14, try convincing them to give up six weeks of school-free days in good weather to run experiments to find the source of fish kill. Unless your middle a mysterious and fictional f schooler is a serious seriou science enthusiast, I would wager times out of 10 they would choose their that at least nine ti summer vacation oover the latter option. It’s hard enough to convince kids to get excited about school during the school year, but the summer is another story.

Still, what made mad the job challenging is directly related to what made the job so rewarding. The students did nor did they really have to parnot have to be at school, sc Any participation from the ticipate in any experiments. expe realized it or not, was voluntary. students, whether they t The vast majority oof students went above and beyond my expectations. They came to class willing to learn and even more willing to share what they already knew. Some were those dominated by discusof the best class periods pe sions of scientific pphenomena the children began recoglives. nizing in their lives

One of the focuses of my course was environmental awareness. As you might imagine, most middle schoolers struggle with foresight and awareness in a world outside their own. Still, I found children to have an astounding ability to draw connections and think critically. Did they come up with a solution to climate change? No. But were they able to recognize injustices and habits in their lives that could be changed? Yes, and frankly that was some something I don’t think I could have found doing research rch for the summer. It is one thing to make astonishing discovscoveries, but watching others make them is something g else entirely.

In weekly workshops I watched the children perform erform

The vast majority of students went ent ctaabove and beyond my expectaing tions. They came to class willing to learn and even more willing g to sha ew share what they already knew.

meet professionals from the community and learn about the opportunities ahead of them. In the six week program I also kick-started my acting career by performing some skits that promoted problem-solving, critical thinking and personal empowerment.

On top of everything else, working with these kids was an immense learning experience for me. I came in with very little knowledge of a classroom, but I learned how to write lessons, lesso manage a class and promote positive learning by working alongside a teacher. I also was put through a week work of training that covered everything from diversity to how tra to tea teach students with disabilities, and I checked in weekly with the administration.

While my whirlwind tour of the field of education was W every bit as challenging as my friends foresaw it being, the days were filled with experiences that affirmed my decision to wo work at Heads Up. Some days, all it took was a student staying stayin after class to ask more questions about bottled water.

Other Othe days, it might be a student reciting a poem at lunch or sinking sinki a half-court shot and beaming with pride. Most days it was wa just the realization of how fortunate I was to get paid to spend my days with such incredible youth.

musical musica acts that they had been working on in enrichment cl classes for six weeks. I designed a lesson plan that helped students figure out when to start thinking about higher education and what to do to prepare for college or other in institutions of higher learning. The children got to ADVERTISEMENT

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Idealism and Difference:

BODY IMAGE AT WHITMAN

by HANNE JENSEN

(UN)HEALTHY BEHAVIORS

M

Sitting in the auditorium during the Jean Kilbourne lecture last spring on the negative effects of the image of women and men in advertising, I was pretty proud to be a Whitman student. Eager and engaged listeners filled the seats and spilled over into the side aisles, ready to learn more about the negative effects of advertising on women’s (and men’s) body image. The applause at the end was wild with enthusiasm, and discussions persisted throughout the week. I am proud to go to a school where such issues receive passionate attention. But I can’t help but wonder why we are so quick to talk about the macro-level issues, yet we refrain from addressing our own micro-level problems.

I do not think I have ever heard or will hear of someone at Whitman being criticized for not conforming to the airbrushed, retouched, mainstream-media simulation of femininity. It’s also fairly commonplace for Whitties to challenge even more subtle and subconscious issues that accompany the often oppressive culture in which we live. We have great and active student groups on campus like Feminists Advocating Change and Empowerment (FACE), BodyKind and Active Minds, all working hard to promote positive body image and remind us that loving and respecting ourselves is truly important. But low self-esteem, eating disorders and borderline obsessive behavior pervade even our aware and wonderfully critical community.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 91 percent of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting, and 22 percent did so “often” or “always.” It can be easy to write such statistics off. Maybe that’s the case at one school, you tell yourself, but it probably isn’t at Whitman. Or you even tell yourself dieting can be and often is a very integral aspect of healthy living. It can be easy not to think about these statistics until you notice that your close friend skips meals because she feels guilty about eating sweets earlier that day. It can be easy until a friend starts compulsively going to the gym because he is afraid of getting fat. It can be easy until you realize that over half of your friends have admitted that they have struggled with their relationship to food. Then you might start to wonder why this seems to be okay with everyone.

I think it’s fair to assume that most people believe that anorexia and bulimia are problematic disorders. But what about behaviors that aren’t full-blown disorders? What about habits a person wouldn’t be advised to seek medical attention for, like keep-

ost Whitman students are fairly familiar with pressure. The sheer mass of skills a student must acquire in order to construct an adequate application for colleges, much less to get accepted by one, reveals a history of stress, high expectations and hard work. The very system itself is an evaluation process, which is increasingly becoming more a judgment of the person as a whole rather than as an academic student. Each college-bound senior is being scrutinized, asked quietly, “Are you good enough?”

Once the affirmation was received, my acceptance granted, I assumed the struggle would be over. But it doesn’t really let up, especially at a place like Whitman. Even though students are reassured that they don’t have to be superheroes, it’s hard to remember that when talking with the astonishingly talented members of the Whitman student body. The image of the dedicated student-athlete-explorer-activist smiles back at you not only from the pages of an admissions brochure, but also in the faces of your classmates and your new best friends. And no matter how much anyone tells you you shouldn’t measure yourself against them, sometimes it’s unavoidable.

With friends, it’s almost always easier. It’s usually possible to overcome feelings of self-doubt when the threatening people are human beings whom you know and interact with, when you know their backstories and have developed relationships. But even though Whitman is small, there will always be people you don’t know, people you see in the library and wonder why you’ve never seen them before. What surprised me most about these people is how stunningly good they all look. Whitman is practically crawling with toned, fit, smiling people. And even though I know for a fact there is a plurality of beautiful bodies populating this campus, there seems to be a disproportionately large contingency of yoga-pants-wearing-size-fours as well. It’s enough to make anyone second-guess the number of cookie-dough rolls they’ve eaten in the past month.

Becoming a member of this community is a wonderful opportunity. However, it also inevitably carries with it the pressures of belonging. For some, it’s easy to slip into the fold, and for some, the pressure is easy to ignore. But for many Whitman students — many more than might be apparent — being a “Whittie” can be a tall order to fill, especially when it comes to self-esteem and body image.

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ing a calorie journal, carefully calculating every food choice or, maybe most disturbing to me, feeling omnipresent guilt after eating junk or skipping an exercise routine? Yes, eating junk food is bad for you and exercising is good. But the constant, harsh mental toll these behaviors take cannot in good conscience be deemed “healthy.”

I’m happy we don’t attend a school where I am expected to wear heels all the time or to be constantly made up. But I don’t believe that the pressure to look a certain way or to control my body in a particular fashion is altogether absent, either. It’s hard to criticize the desire to be healthy — or at least it was until I noticed it isn’t always healthy to be “healthy” anymore. Physical fitness is (and should be) important. But mental health shouldn’t be sacrificed in its honor.

Whitman is often touted to be a very happy place by college guidebooks, our administration and even Whitties themselves. Yet the counseling center is constantly flooded with students seeking help and guidance. Just getting an appointment can sometimes take a couple weeks of waiting. More than 27 percent of Whitman students made an appointment at the counseling center last year.

There are issues being talked about behind closed doors and in the confidences of friends that have yet to reach the light of the overall campus consciousness.

WHITMAN AND EXCEPTION The Whitman brochure I received as a prospective student featured smiling students, rolling fields and an impressive

list of courses of study. Emblazoned on the cover was the promise: “A place apart.” I probably was aware of the intense marketing scheme that goes into any college admission product, but as a high school senior ready to move on to the next big adventure in life, I really can’t say it mattered all that much to me that I was receiving someone else’s carefully orchestrated vision.

Almost four years later, I can still see the echoes of that promise embedded in many Whitman institutions. Greek-affiliated Whitties are quick to promise that although our Greek system is much larger than Greek life at many of our peer institutions at 30-35 percent student body involvement, it really is different here. Although Whitman is an academically driven school, we aren’t competitive like students at East Coast liberal arts colleges, because it’s different here. Although we have intensive varsity athletic programs, academics are always prioritized at Whitman, because it’s different here. And although we have pervasive concerns about food and exercise, because we say it’s about being healthy, it’s different here.

It would not be fair to say that everyone at Whitman who is concerned with eating a certain way and exercising a certain way is approaching nutrition and fitness in an unhealthy way. But it would also not be right to ignore the steadily developing unhealthy behaviors on this campus just because they may in fact be of a different nature than the national trends. Promoting a truly healthy lifestyle involves paying attention not only to our bodies but also to our minds and remembering that, as cliché as it may sound, it really is enough to be yourself.

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Peace, Work, Gandhi Found in Organic Garden

by GENNY JONES

O

nce you’ve pried open the fingerpainted doors to the Whitman Organic Garden shed, looked past the pitchforks, hoes and rakes in a trash bin, past the mismatched gloves and purple “Garden Bible” binder, past the various vinegars and organic pest killers, and even further, past the old Halloween witch’s cauldron where we mix our fertilizer, you’ll see, in proper romantic agrarian fashion, a quote from Gandhi.

It says, “To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.”

This quote, painted beneath the outline of a shovel, is the first thing I see in the morning as I wriggle my fingers into pink gardening gloves, the kind with rubber lining to protect my skin from thorny weeds.

It’s something I think about as I walk around the garden.

As one of two summer interns for the Organic Garden, I spend 10 hours per week making sure the plants are happy and the weeds are kept at bay. Today the tomatoes need weeding. The kohlrabi is flowering and needs to be picked immediately. Potatoes and tomatoes are growing rogue in the cucumber bed. The snap peas have dried up but the blueberries and raspberries are do-

ing well. And the sedge, those grassy bladed weeds, are infesting every bed.

Gandhi’s words are momentarily forgotten as I pick a project for the day; maybe I’ll finish mulching the shed area with wood chips. But as I go to unlock the wheelbarrow I notice the lemon verbena overflowing into the blueberry patch. Bending over to pluck the stems and get as much of the root as possible, I see the spinach has gone to seed. Back to the shed I go, to browse the box of seed packets dirtied by curious hands.

This is how most mornings begin. It’s a constant struggle to pick one task. There are so many things to do that I find myself with the attention span of a kid in a candy shop, except there’s no candy, just a bunch of weeds and sweat. Which brings me back to Gandhi.

Gardening is the ultimate cure for perfectionists. It is fairly impossible to keep the Organic Garden free of weeds and pests, so in order to keep my sanity I must pick a task and learn to live with the rest. This involves understanding that weeds are simply plants I don’t like and most likely cannot eat. The garden will never look like a place where Martha Stewart hangs out, but it will be beautiful and productive in it’s own right.

This is one of my most resonant interpreta-

tions of Gandhi’s quote; it’s a reminder that life isn’t perfect and rather than sweat the metaphorical weeds here and there, I should count my blessings in pears, or potatoes.

So I settle with weeding the cucumber bed. And here again, Gandhi’s quote resonates. One big, fat, juicy cucumber peeks out from beneath prickly leaves and I am reminded of life cycles. Over the past three months a little cucumber seed has sprout-

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ed, grown, photosynthesized, flowered and fruited delicious green logs, and in a couple of weeks it will die and turn back into the soil. From the molecular stardust soup of the universe, this plant has shaped itself and the cucumber I’m munching on. In essence, the garden has made me accustomed to life cycles, and has encouraged thoughts about what my own human life cycle looks like. If you don’t believe my metaphysical rantings, come to the garden and eat a cucumber.

Further reflection on life is invited on Wednesday nights when people show up to Open Garden. When people meet here for an hour every week, there is a shift from the quiet hiss of the watering drip tape to the chatter and laughter of friends. Hands move leisurely to pick weeds while mouths move quickly with gossip and news. Even more of a treat is when some children walk by and I melt to mush as they explore the garden. It happens within moments when Darius and Caspian come to visit. These four-year-old twins strolled into the garden one Saturday morning with child-sized pails and trowels in hand. Darius and I weeded the snap pea bed, and after he tasted one of the peas he asked me if spaghetti grew in the ground, too.

And lately, many adults have been stopping by to chat with me, too. These types of conversations always make me smile because when it comes to gardening everyone has their own set of tips they want to offer, whether you’re inclined to hear them or not.

Hands on hips, eyes surveying the garden, they tell me to put apple cider in coke cans to kill the coddling moths, that the only way my raspberries are going to get bigger is with more water and that my jalapeños are for wimps, the hottest peppers are called red scorpions. There are moments when I feel somewhat patronized, but then there’s a certain glint in the eyes of these people, a whiff of gardener’s excitement, that pulls me back into tossing around tips.

But back to Gandhi. I may disagree with him in that I think there are many ways you can find yourself outside of agriculture, but I will be the first to admit that the Earth does have a centering quality (besides gravity).

During the school year when I’m halfcrazed from staring at small black font for hours on end, the garden is a place of escape.

My mind is allowed to wander as my hands work quickly. The quiet, patient rhythm of the garden is the best remedy for school-induced stress. And to Gandhi’s credit, this rhythm gives me the mental space to think.

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Let me be clear, I am not a farmer or a farmworker — I’m a gardener. My hands are free of calluses and I always scrub the dirt from under my fingernails. And to be frank, I have very little idea of what I’m doing in the garden. But I’m learning as I go and I find that the quote rings true yet again. Luckily, there is a plethora of kooky organic gardeners who especially love making YouTube videos containing helpful bits of advice. Plus, have I mentioned that looking at the Territorial Seed catalogues is almost comparable to browsing a selection of chocolates (“almost” being

Local food and wine served in a unique piece of Walla Walla history.

the key word)? And strangely, gardening is much more intuitive than I would have guessed. Every once in a while it gives me a little more courage about life after college. Hell, if I can keep a quarter of a block of garden happy, maybe I can even get a real job.

The Organic Garden is a place of perfect imperfection, metaphysical wonderings, quiet conversation and learning, with fresh organic snacks to boot. As much as the politics major portion of my brain

has silently argued about how this privilege is available, I’m reminded of why I love the garden when I go to weed the summer squash and find beautiful lengths of yellow tender juiciness. Though I laughed at the archetypal Gandhian quote when I first saw it, I have to admit, when I’m in the garden as a summer vegetable babysitter, I can’t help but take advantage of the mental space the garden affords me.

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Every Tree

by FAITH BERNSTEIN

To the Thompson family, trees are more than just pieces of lumber.

This summer I worked making videos for RBM (R stands for Roy, B stands for Ben and M stands for their mother, Evelyn), a local lumber company owned by the Thompson family in Columbia Falls, Mont. for six weeks.

I quickly learned of the family’s high regard for the forest, but it was not until the the end of my tenure that I finally understood their compassion.

I traced their compassion and care for nature through every aspect of their small family business. Their core philosophy is to capture appreciation for nature by creating beautiful wood products that display the unique history of each tree they used. This means they love seeing knots and interesting patterns in wood and try their best to incorporate the natural beauty of wood into their final products.

By using salvaged pieces of wood (windblown, diseased or dead trees) and selectively managing and harvesting some healthy trees to promote old growth forest habitat, RBM limits their negative impact on the forest and creates long-lasting wood products for their customers to enjoy. If you factor in the different sizes, grades and species of wood they use, RBM crafts about 10,000 unique wood products, including rough lumber and beams, siding, flooring, tongue and groove paneling, mouldings, wide slab countertops, custom doors and picture frames. All leftover scraps and trim ends are used to make wood pellets, a more efficient energy source for heating homes.

“Waste is a moral issue for us,” said co-owner Roy Thompson.

It’s true that throughout their entire process of harvesting and processing logs, they produce very little waste. Furthermore, they use everything they can for its highest good to ensure that they don’t waste quality. For example, they will use wood with lots of knots and rot for their doors to add character, whereas other mills would grind up knotty wood for sawdust.

RBM has a very unique business model. Unlike larger mills with automated processes, which employ only four or five people to work on one load of logs per day, RBM employs 45 people to work on the same daily load. RBM sees this as an advantage to their business, as they aim to promote the human creativity involved in deciding how to cut a piece of wood to expose its beauty, and they want to provide as many jobs as they can for their community. They are just now launching a new website, where you can learn more about their company and its values: rbmlumber.com THECIRCUIT | 33

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Festive Recipes Highlight Fall Ingredients text by KARAH KEMMERLY

photos by BRENNAN JOHNSON

F

all has always been my favorite season. I feel like it has such a nice balance. The summer heat finally cools down, but the winter cold hasn’t set in yet. You can look forward to a new school year and get excited about old holiday traditions.

For me, fall is a combination of freshness and coziness, and fall foods are no different.

I’m not a food authority or a chef by any means. I have watched the Food Network for years, but I’ve only recently started trying out my own recipes. But even without extensive expertise, I have a lot of fun cooking and I like sharing food with others. When fall begins I hope you enjoy trying out these recipes in your own kitchen.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup (makes 2-3 servings) When I first started brainstorming recipes, I immediately thought of pumpkin. It has a quintessential fall flavor and it has a great color too. This past Christmas, I got a new cookbook with lots of Indian recipes, and I wanted to try using some of the spices in those recipes in a different way. And so this soup was born. It’s creamy and filling with pumpkin and would also be delicious if you use two cups of frozen butternut squash as a pumpkin substitute.

1/4 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 tsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. red chili powder salt and pepper to taste fresh mint or basil Process: 1. Heat the pumpkin purée in a pot over medium-low heat.

Stir in the spices. Add salt and pepper to your taste.

2. Add the vegetable broth and coconut milk and let simmer.

3. Add some fresh mint or basil for garnish.

Cranberry-Citrus Salad (makes 3-4 servings) You could call this a late autumn salad because citrus fruits are actually in season in the winter. Sure, I’m straying from the theme a little, but it’s tasty! And like any salad recipe, substitutions are not hard to make. If you prefer walnuts to cashews, go for it. If you want to add cheese, feel free.

Salad Ingredients: 4 cups spinach 1 cup arugula 1/2 cup craisins 1/2 cup cashews

Ingredients: 1 can pumpkin purée (not pie filling) 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth 2/3 cup coconut milk

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Dressing Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tbsp. orange juice 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 3 Tbsp. oil

pinch sugar salt and pepper to taste Process: 1. Mix greens, craisins and cashews together in a large bowl.

2. Whisk lemon juice, orange juice, Dijon mustard and oil together in a smaller bowl. Add pinch of sugar and salt and pepper.

3. Drizzle dressing over salad. Enjoy!

apples and it was always an exciting treat. I also took a little bit of inspiration from one of the pie-baking characters in the television show “Pushing Daisies,” which aired too close to the writers’ strike to get the airtime it deserved. My mom added Gruyère to the pear pies she frequently baked for her estranged aunts, and I wanted to try something similar.

Vegan Broccoli Pesto (makes a lot) I absolutely love pesto. It tastes great on all kinds of foods, like pasta, grilled cheese sandwiches and roasted vegetables. It takes a little bit of time, and nuts aren’t cheap ingredients, but fresh pesto is definitely worth it. Plus, this makes a large amount, so you can pour it in a mason jar and keep eating it for weeks.

Crust Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour 1 stick butter or margarine, cut into small cubes 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 cup shredded Gouda or Gruyère cheese 1/4 cup ice water

Ingredients: 1 cup chopped broccoli 1 cup chopped basil 1/2 cup lemon juice 3 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup chopped pistachios 1 cup chopped almonds 4-5 cloves garlic 1/2 cup water Process: 1. Mix chopped solid ingredients, olive oil and lemon juice together in a large bowl with a spoon.

2. Add solid ingredients to the food processor or blender in small batches. Spoon out a little bit of the mixture, pour some water in the blender, blend until it is a chunky paste and then add another couple of spoonfuls until the process is complete.

3. If you want to add cheese to your pesto either Parmesan or Romano would taste good, but this recipe works without cheese as well.

Cheesy Pear-Apple Pies (makes 5 small pies) For this recipe, I hoped to draw from a dessert I had when I was younger. Some days after school, my mom would make baked

Filling Ingredients: 1 pear, chopped into small cubes 1 apple, also chopped into small cubes 1 Tbsp. flour 1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. lemon juice 1/4 tsp. cinnamon Process: 1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2. Mix together the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and smush in with a fork or with washed hands.

3. Mix in the cheese.

4. Add ice water to form dough. Set aside.

5. In a smaller bowl combine all filling ingredients.

6. Roll out your dough with a rolling pin and cut into five small circles. Lay them out on a baking sheet or cutting board.

7. Spoon filling into one-half of each dough circle. Be sure not to overfill them; you want to leave room to seal the edges of the little pies.

8. Fold the non-filling half of the dough circle over, making five semi-circle pies. Seal by squishing the edges together with a fork. If you’d like, brush a little extra butter or egg wash on top of each pie to get a golden brown crust.

9. Place pies on a cookie sheet and bake for twenty minutes, then let cool.

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POP QUIZ

COMIC

by Julie Peterson

THE LIBERAL ARTS TRANSFORMATION

Whitman edition

by Molly Johanson

Before we launch into a brand new semester of liberal arts learning, the administration thought it beneficial to start the year with a pop quiz on the most prominent and important Whitties: Marcus and Narcissa Whitman. The next time someone says “Oh, I love his poems!” in response to learning the name of your school, you’ll be prepared.

1. Who was Marcus Whitman?

A. A doctor B. A missionary C. A missionary doctor D. Dr. Mission: Impossible

CREDITS Front and back cover: Photo by Catie Bergman Pg. 2: Photo of Shelly Le by Catie Bergman Pg. 4-6: Photos contributed by Sean McNulty Pg. 7: Photo contributed by Katrina Allick and Jenna Dobrin Pg. 8: Photo contributed by Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos Pg. 9: Photo contributed by Loren Minneck Pg. 13: Illustration by Luke Hampton Pg. 14-16: Photos by Nick Budak Pg. 24: Illustration by Luke Hampton Pg. 26: Illustration by Tyle Schuh Pg. 29-31: Photos by Brennan Johnson Pg. 36-37: Photos by Brennan Johnson Pg. 40: Horoscope graphics by Katie Berfield ADVERTISEMENT

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aking good care of your body and mind is the best gift you can give yourself and those around yo .

3. Thus spake Marcus Whitman (as commemorated on the statue on Main Street): A. “My plans require time and distance” B. “My plans require an all nighter because I’m maybe not that good at planning” C. “My plans are not to get massacred” D. “My plans are to party like the ceiling can’t hold us” 4. What is Narcissa Whitman’s maiden name?

A. Prentiss B. Penthouse C. Unpretentious D. Poppins

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5. What is Narcissa Whitman best known for?

A. Her maiden name B. Her achievements in the sciences C. Looking at her fine self in the mirror too much D. Turning down the marriage proposal of Reverend Henry Spalding, who was later a fellow missionary with the Whitmans ... Awk.

ANSWERS: 1: C, 2:A, 3: A, 4:A, 5: All of the above

Your Body. Your Spirit. Your Life.

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2. What is Waiilatpu?

A.The name of the mission grounds where Marcus Whitman was killed B. An inquiry made once by Marcus C. Marcus’s scrapbook of wagon train memories made from printed out facebook photos D. A spectrum

HOROSCOPES

by Elena Aragon ARIES MARCH 21 - APRIL 19 A Your plans to get Cheetos from the vending machine are foiled when you discover, much to your chagrin, that you have only 80 cents to your name and that item in B5 costs $1.50.

TAURUS APRIL 20 - MAY 20 On your next trip to Goodwill, you will become mysteriously compelled to buy a VCR only for the purpose of inserting a PB&J into it to reminisce about your ‘90s childhood.

GEMINI MAY 21 - JUNE 20 Your new coffee thermos is so large that next week it will cause you to feel as though it is constantly refilling itself. Finally, life is complete.

CANCER JUNE 21 - JULY 22 Hanging out with your new meteorologist friend later this week will make you feel like you are trapped in constant smalltalk because all he ever brings up in conversation is the weather.

LEO JULY 23 - AUGUST 22 You begin to feel like some sort of Richard Simmons after you bring in a fitness ball to use at your desk rather than a chair. Fit all day.

LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 22 You lose sanity next week when the song “Cruise� by Florida Georgia Line comes on every time you get in the car, including on the hip-hop and classical radio stations. What is this insanity?!

SCORPIO OCTOBER 23 - NOVEMBER 21 You express emotion toward your high school enemies this Saturday when you dig up your old yearbook and proceed to draw mustaches on all the people you didn’t like.

SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 21 This week, the geography nerd in you will face the uncomfortable realization that you can never get your kicks because old Route 66 no longer exists as a continuous road entity.

CAPRICORN DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 19 Next Tuesday, you’ll be struck with the insight that the name of your favorite rapper and state are one in the same. It’s all about the Flo-rida.

AQUARIUS JANUARY 20 - FEBRUARY 18 They say those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind, but your boss definitely will mind that you’re three hours late to work on Friday.

PISCES FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20 PIS

VIRGO AUGUST 23 - SEPTEMBER 22 You will become obsessed with Carole King after waiting in the dentist’s office too long, causing people to believe you hit a time bombe to the ‘70s. They’re worried about your sky tumbling down and it’s too late to fix.

Y are unsurprised to find out that, yes, your ex is still crazy You aafter all these years.

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