Friday, August 25, 2017 Volume 147, Number 0

ation
bowdoinorient.com

JENNY IBSEN

Life as both 50 things to do The ebb and flow of

student & athlete before you graduate Bowdoin friendships
Page 7 Page 8 Page 5
2 Friday, August 25, 2017

Maine beyond Vacationland

by Harry DiPrinzio
Orient Staff
For some of you not from
Maine, this place was a big rea-
son you applied to or enrolled
at Bowdoinperhaps you
were attracted to Vacation-
land: Maines beautiful coast,
rugged outdoors, lobster and
blueberries like I was. For
others, youre here despite
your concerns about cold
weather and the isola-
tion of a small town.
Along with the best
four years of your life,
Bowdoin prioritizes
developing a con-
nection to place
during your
time hereyou
might have
written about
the subject in
your application
essays. But you only
have four years here, often
punctuated by journeys home
during breaks. And as college
students in Brunswick, were
not in the best position to
connect with Maine. Our lives
exist within a carefully con-
structed worldin many ways
closed to outsiderswhich
keeps us inside with plentiful
programming, great food and
a heavy workload. When we
have opportunities to get out,
we often take to the woods, or
to Old Port, not to Lewiston or
to Bethel.
For the permanent res-
idents of this vast state,
this is where their lives are.
Where theyve lived, grown
up, struggled and triumphed.
Engaging with this world
one beyond leaf peeping,
seafood and trips to Mere
Pointis more difficult and
more elusive than it seems
upon first arriving. It doesnt
just happen over your time
at Bowdoin. It requires time,
effort and sometimes resourc-
es. Its something youll likely
have to push yourself to do.
I arrived at Bowdoin, excit-
ed about being in Maine. I was
attracted to the idea of getting
to know a rural area. (Lit-
tle did I realize, Brunswick,
a town of twenty thousand,
is not rural.) I had spent my
whole life living in Manhattan
and figured I wouldnt get an-
other chance after college to
live outside of a city. I thought
I would become friends with
farmers. I would understand
rural life and get to know peo-
ple outside of the city.
Over my three years here,
Ive learned about Bowdoin,
Brunswick and Maine, but
I have struggled to connect
SOPHIE WASHINGTON
with the people and places
outside of Bowdoins immedi-
ate sphere.
Ive been up and down
the coast near here but I just
simply havent traveled to the
vast majority of the statethe
truly rural towns where the
population is rapidly aging
and shrinking, the post-in-
dustrial mill towns struggling
to find economic footing, the
agricultural landscapes of
Aroostook County.
Im friendly with some
Bowdoin staff members and,
indeed, a farmer who I some-
times buy vegetables from in
Freeport, but I havent devel-
oped a close relationship with
a Maine resident who is not re-
lated to Bowdoin. As a result,
I have little to no first-hand
understanding of the lives that
most Mainers live, only stereo-
types and anecdotes.
I feel I could have better
connected with Maine during
my time here because I know
that at Bowdoin, there are
opportunities to get to know
Maine in diverse ways that add
depth below the picturesque
surface. You just have to take
advantage of them.
Many students take classes
on topics in Maine: theyre
offered in subjects from lit-
erature to environmental
science. There are a few very
cool classes that partner with
local organizations through
the McKeen center, which is,
by the way, an amazing re-
source with a web of connec-
tions to tons of organizations
throughout the state. Its alter-
native break trips offer one of
the best opportunities to crit-
ically examine contemporary
issues in the state.
More fundamentally, how-
ever, I encourage you to reach
out and get to know people.
Get to know people from
Maine. Those who work at
the College are a good place
to start: Dining, Facilities
and Housekeeping staff. Take
advantage of the Host Family
program. When youre getting
a coffee at Wild Oats, take note
of the locals there. Engage with
them. Strike up a conversation
with the cab driver taking you
to Bowling on Thursday night.
At the end of four years,
youll likely still feel like you
dont fully know Maineyou would greet her with the
just dont have the time to. But
the more you get out and the
more you engage peoplethe
more youll have succeeded at
becoming a resident here, and
the harder it will be to leave.
Stranger in a
strange land
by Ellice Lueders
Orient Staff
At my first-year orienta-
tion, when people talked about
growing up on the Upper East
Side or their time at board-
ing school, I conjured vague
images supplied by the CW.
I didnt know how different
these worlds were from my
working-class hometown until
I lived in them, here.
Bowdoin is weirder than any
place I have ever lived. Despite
my three years here, I am still
shocked each time I discover
another way Bowdoin acts as
an extension of a country club
lifestyle, whose mores I have
now seen live and in action.
Each year opens with a lob-
ster bake, where people dress
nicely and show off how well
they can dismantle the crusta-
cean. The early summer light-
ing is perfect for Instagram. To
me, it seems clear who looks
comfortable with this ritual,
and who is experiencing it for
the first time.
This is not always delin-
eated along class lines. People
from all over New England
know how to eat lobster, and
my mom bought me a nice
Madewell dress on sale for my
birthday, with this event in
mind. It meant a lot to her that
I could rub elbows with people
for whom all this was normal.
I remember a childhood
friend, Caitlin, who had two
silky golden retrievers that
appropriate amount of en-
thusiasm at the door of her
beautiful old homea rarity
in prefab San Diego County.
Please see STRANGER, page 6

Bowdoin Pro Tips

Download the Bowdoin Dining app and have both dining halls
menus at your fingertips. You will waste a lot of time planning
your next meal.
Ask for a coffee card at the Cafget it stamped when you buy
a coffee and every seventh coffee is free.
Showing your student ID at Wild Oats will give you a 10%
discount on Sunday. Pastries are half off after 2pm. Always. drop one before the end of the two week add-drop period at the
The Health Center provides free condoms, dental dams, cough
drops, decongestant, painkillers, hand sanitizer, and other self-
care products.
The Health Center also provides free emergency contraception
(Plan B) upon seeing a doctor or nurse at the office Monday-Fri-
day.
We have a radio station, WBOR 91.1 FM. You can sign up for a
one-hour slot once a week to host a show.
Host families are a great way to get to know Brunswick, and
available to anyone (even students from New England)
If you want to watch Netflix on a real TV, the basement of HL
has screening rooms that you can reserve. Or, stay cozy in your
room and watch PolarFlix, BSGs movie streaming service.
Also, Kanopy is a free streaming service offered by the library
with a catalogue of 1000s of documentaries and high-brow cine-
ma.
You can get add-ons for the salads from Moulton Express, such
as hard-boiled eggs, turkey, and more.
Dont hesitate to ask to get meals with cool people you meet in
classes
Book a group study room in advance on the library website for
group study sessions. Dont be the kid who books an entire room
for themselves.
Use the Bowdoin Course Reviews website when picking classes.
Your bowdoin username and password is your login.
Email professors for more information about a class theyre
teaching. Theyre always willing to answer questions or send along
the syllabus.
If you have three finals scheduled over two days, you are enti-
tled to have one of them moved. Make sure you check your syllabi
at the start of the semester and take care of this ASAP.
Use the add-drop period to shop for classes. You can add a 5th
class to your schedule during registration round two and then
beginning of the semester.
Call ahead with your order at the Pub so you dont have to wait.
Smith Union and Kanbar are open 24 hours a dayuseful for
late night studying. Just make sure you have your OneCard with
you; security officers do rounds to make sure youre a student.
Its not weird to sit and do work alone at breakfasttrust us.
Go to the beach while its still warm.
Sit on the quad while its still warm.
You can bring your meal from Moulton outside and sit on the
grass as long as you return all your plates and silverware right
after.
Befriend the shuttle drivers and the housekeeping staff.
Buy fabric in Walmart or Joann Fabrics to make your toga for
Epicuria. Your bedsheet is going to be way too unwieldy and who
wants Ladd juice on their bedsheets?
Students looking for a Mens Room in HL: there is only one
in the entire building and its in the basement next to the water
fountains.
Every Sunday (and Wednesday) theres a Sundae bar in the
dining hall.
If you dont have time to eat breakfast run into the dining hall
and grab some fruit and coffee in a to-go cup.
If you dont need somewhere quiet to study, work in the pub at
night. The second floor has a bunch of two-person tables that are
sneaky good study spots.
Go to office hours and ask your professor for help when you
need it.
Buy one of those plastic sleeves that stick onto your phone at
the Bowdoin bookstore so that you never lose your OneCard.
Strawberry Soup is code for Strawberry Smoothie at Bow-
doin. Definitely give it a try.
There are librarians on staff whose main purpose is to help
you with research. They are your friends and will help guide you
through all the librarys resources. Dont be afraid to consult them
if you have a paper to write.
Get to know ResLife student staff, whether through having
dinner with your proctor or RA, or through hanging out with the
staff member on duty in your dorms common room on weekend
nights.
Become a Zipcar member and then book one of two Zipcars
parked on campus to get around town.
Put a magnet between your door and the frame to keep your
room unlocked.
Call the Bowdoin shuttle at (207) 725-3337 for a safe ride with-
in a one mile radius of campus.
Dominos delivers until 1:00 a.m. on the weekends. Dont panic:
Papa Johns delivers until 3:00 a.m.
Take a walk to Brunswicks public library, Curtis Memorial
Library, when you cant stand the sight of HL or Hatch anymore,
but still need to study.
Many Bowdoin courses are open to members the Brunswick
community, called auditors. Reach out to them for a great conver-
sation and insight into Maine outside of the Bowdoin Bubble.
Use CBBcat or Interlibrary Loan to request books that the
library doesnt currently have. They will find whatever book you
want and deliver it to you usually within three days.
You can also request that the library purchase new books or
journals on their website.
You can check out puzzles and board games from Hatch.
You can take up to four classes Credit/D/Failuse the opportu-
nity to take classes outside your comfort zone.
Friday, August 25, 2017 3

Classes, professors and unexpected hits

Orient editors share some of their best experiences in the classroom.
My favorite class Ive taken at Bowdoin so far is Natural Resource Economics
and Policy with Ta Herrera. Its a 2000-level economics elective, so the only
prerequisite is Intro to Microeconomics. As an elective class, it was heavily
focused on real-world examples, and I felt like it provided an objective way of
evaluating economic and environmental policy concerns. As an economics
major, this class also reminded me that there are tons of applications for eco-
nomics outside of finance. I would highly recommend this class for econom-
I registered for City, Anti-City, Utopia: Building Urban America
simply because it sounded marginally interesting and fulfilled my
VPA requirement. I can hardly express how glad I am that I did,
because it ended up being one of the most interesting classes of my
college career, and opened my eyes to an entirely new direction of
academic and career work that Im now pursuing. I loved the way

ics majors as well as anyone else who is interested in environmental policy. that Professor Pearlman brought topics from diverse perspectives
Jessica Piper 19, Economics and Hispanic Studies Double Major, and disciplines together to paint a comprehensive picture of how
Mathematics Minor the urban spaces we take for granted came to be. Professor Pearl-
man is also now my academic advisor, and an incredible example
of the way Bowdoin professors go above-and-beyond to support
Apart from being fascinating, The Good Life:
Trying to fit in as many En- you as your find your way in life.
From Plato to Oprah with Dallas Denery
Nickie Mitch 18, Government and Legal Studies and

glish classes as I could, soph-
omore spring I took Liter-
atures of Global English
with Hilary Thompson. The
title itself demonstrates the
way college course titles can
sound intellectual but re-
main entirely vaguewhat
is global English? Global
English meant reading au-
thors like V.S. Naipaul, Am-
itav Ghosh, and Arundhati
Roy (who, after this course,
became one of my favor-
ite writers). We wrote low-
key response papers that
warmed us up for longer
made me realize that I had made the right
Environmental Studies Double Major
decision to come to Bowdoin. The goal of the
course was to trace the history of what it meant
to live a good life, exploring everything from
Socratess ideal philosopher to Oprahs journey
Coming into college, I knew that I wanted to study a foreign
of self-discovery. After reading very few pri- language since I had loved studying them in high school. I
mary source documents in high school, read-
also knew I wanted it to be a new language, one I hadnt yet
ing Luther, Descartes, Rousseau, Nietzsche, had the opportunity to study. I enrolled in Elementary Ger-
and other noteworthy thinkers was extremely
man on a whim, and Im so happy that I did. The German
interesting. Most importantly, Denerys lec- department is small, with only a few professors, but they are
tures were amazing. They were spirited, funny,
all excellent. Jill Smith, my first professor, made the class en-
and, best of all, I had at least 3 pages of notes gaging and fun, even at 8:30 in the morning. From the first
after leaving every class. I even typed them all
day of class, she spoke to us almost entirely in German, so we
up and sent them to my history teacher father learned through immersion. By the end of the first semester,
so that he could read through them. The Good
we were having conversations and writing stories. I always
Life went beyond just being an enjoyable class; looked forward to this class because I felt myself progress and
this was the class that solidified both my confi-

essays. We had round table improve every day.
dence at Bowdoin and my love for history. Emily Cohen 20, Undeclared
discussions, each of us tak- Anna Fauver 20, Undeclared
ing turns to be the leader.
And, best of all, we had a
lunch break 45 minutes
In my opinion, Printmaking I is a great class for any student regardless of experience, skill level, or creativity. As
into class where we would
long as you are willing to put in time and effort, you can have a fantastic semester. I went into it with only a basic
all munch on express
understanding of what printmaking was as a medium and quickly realized that it is so vast that it is virtually im-
lunches and talk about
possible to effectively list all of the different techniques you can use as a printmaker. Nonetheless, I left the class
campus happenings.
feeling as though I had a really strong foundation in a variety of printmaking techniques. Most of the projects allow
Rachael Allen 18,
you to find or create images on the computer or in magazines and trace them onto your work before you carve or
English Major, Italian Minor

etch them, making the class approachable for students who have little-to-no experience in art or drawing classes.
While two and a half hours may seem daunting for a bi-weekly art class, it flew by every time and was a great break

to have amidst more structured, reading-intensive classes.
Amanda Newman 19, English and Education Double Major, Visual Arts Minor

Engaging with the Colleges history through

its art collection and historical archives is an
extremely rewarding experience. During my
junior fall I took Professor Byrds Race and
Representation Art History seminar, a course
that explores the visual construction of race
in American art and culture from the colonial
period to the late 20th century. As part of the
course we considered the Colleges own rela-
tionship with race in its art collection and its
historiography.
Inspired by a visit to Special Collections, I
spent the semester conducting my own re-
search on the history of minstrel shows and
blackface at Bowdoin during the late 19th and
early 20th century for a final paper for the
course. I scoured decades of Orient and year-
book archives, and investigated the purpose of
such an event in the context of its time both in
American History and in Bowdoins own histo-
ry. Class discussions were lively and full of de-
bate, and broadened my understanding of race
from an academic perspective and from the
perspective of my peers.
Sarah Drumm 18, Art History and Govern-
ment and Legal Studies Double Major
I thought Id sworn off heavy mathematics
courses. I expected them similar to those I
took in high schoollecture based, solitaire,
repetitive. Despite my preconceptions, I de-
cided to take Integral Calculus (Math 1700)
with Charles Cunningham the spring of my
first year. Expecting the class to only hone
my math skills for economics, I was sur-
prised when my perception of what mathe-
matical discussion, application and work is
shifted. This course functioned on the prem-
ise of group work: it was expected and also
required to tackle the material of the class.
On the very first day, everyone was assigned
a group as an additional resource, and this
group proved to be integral to my success
in the class. We met weekly to review prob-
lem sets and study before quizzes, ultimately
showing me the value in collaboration. Aside
from the various applications in other cours-
es, this course showed me that fulfillment
and success in a course comes from using all
the resources at my disposal.
Faria Nasruddin 20, Undeclared
Professor Casselberrys class Holy Songs in a
Strange Land is everything you could want
in a class: its taught by a dynamic professor,
involves listening to music by noteworthy
and impressive artists (think Michael Jack-
son and Bob Marley), and balances a healthy
combination of writing, reading, and dis-
cussion. The class traces the history of black
musicbeginning from when slaves came to
the New World up until modern dayand
delves into the context in which the music
was created. Taking Holy Songs in a Strange
Land gave me the platform to discuss vari-
ous elements of songs, an aspect of music I
had never taken the time to think about and
appreciate before, and the importance they
have on audience members and even the
world. I found Casselberrys lectures to be in-
teractive and informative and I enjoyed how
she let students share their ideas and discuss
with each other so openly. The class was fun
toowe watched so many music videos and
always ended our class with a song.
Elizabeth Fosler-Jones 20, Undeclared
4 Friday, August 25, 2017

Places to explore in Midcoast Maine

This map was adapted from a summer research program by Leah Wang 12, funded by the Gibbons
Summer Research Program in the summer of 2011. For the full report, including more comprehensive
maps, detailed descriptions, and driving directions, visit bowdoinorient.com/midcoast-map

TOP
BRU

SHA
NSW

M
ICK

AM
250th Anniversary Park: Seated on the bank of the

Androscoggin River, this spot offers a scenic view of the river.
The north end of Maine Street (1 mile from campus)
TOPSH
BATH
Androscoggin River Bicycle Path: 2.6 mile pedestrian and bike
path that stretches the Androscoggin River from in-town Brunswick
to Cooks Corner (its a little loud along Route 1, but there are quieter,
forested areas as well). Access off Water Street next Rte. 1

ROUTE 1
ROAD
BATH

Crystal Spring Farm Trails: 5 miles of trails through active farms,

gardens and woods around Crystal Springs Farm. Especially worth a The Bowdoin Pines: About a 1-mile loop, this
EET

visit on Saturday mornings for the farmers market (until Nov. 4). forested area is a close spot for a walk in the woods.
STR

On Pleasant Hill Rd, just off Maine St. Access behind Alumni House on Federal St.
E
MAIN
BR EEP
UN
FR

SW RT

Town Commons: 71-acre wooded park, reaching

IC
K
O

ILL ROAD
ANT H from Bowdoin to the Greater Commons (112 acres),
PLEAS
MER

filled with trails for hiking, running, and cross country

D
OA

E PO
TR

Maquoit Bay Conservation Land: 124 acres of skiing. Closest access near Farley Field House
OI

INT R
QU

wooded park, with a trail (0.6 miles) leading to a rocky

MA

OAD

outcrop overlooking Maquoit Bay. The parks main

HAR

entrance is located on Bunganuc Road

PSW
ELL R
OAD

Wharton Point (Maquoit Landing): A boat launch

SIMPSONS POINT ROAD
with a beautiful overlook of Maquoit Bay. Muddy
during low tide, so not the best for swimming, but
good views during sunset. Head out Maquoit Road
towards the water past Brunswick High school

Simpsons Point: About 4 miles from campus, this destination

is a great water access point for swimming (only during high
tide). It can be a little crowded, but is easily accessible by car,
bike or by foot. located at the end of Simpsons Point
Road and is accessible from Mere Point Road.

Mere Point Boat Launch: About 7 miles from Harpswell Cliff Trail: A forested 2.3-mile loop with
campus, this location is technically a boat launch, but several overlooks of the water. The trailhead is a little
also a good spot for a quick jump into the ocean. hard to find, but its a good hike when you bring a few
Located near the southern end of Mere Point Road friends. The trailhead is at the far corner of the
back parking lot at the Harpswell Town Office,
263 Mountain Road (8 miles from campus)
AD
RO
ELL
SW
RP
HA

Coastal Studies Center: 118-acre coastal site with hiking trails

and research facilities owned by Bowdoin. Just beyond the marine
laboratory are the pier and dock, which provide good swimming
spots (especially at night when theres bioluminescence). The
College operates a shuttle to the Center on Fridays.

COMPILED BY JENNY IBSEN AND JAMES LITTLE

Giants Stairs: A family-friendly trail (0.5 miles) atop a rocky

cliff with a dramatic overlook of Casco Bay. Parking at All
Saints By The Sea Episcopal Church when not in use
Friday, August 25, 2017
The ebb and flow of friendships at Bowdoin
Everyone has their own memories of navigating friendships upon arriving on campus. In order to demonstrate some of those varying
experiences, we interviewed 7 rising sophomores and juniors to get their takes on the social scene at Bowdoin. Some of the best
excerpts from these conversations are complied below. Compiled by Amanda Newman and Surya Milner
I made a lot of friends by going to Thursday
Night Dinners at 24 College, and thats where I
met some of my best friends at Bowdoin. I also
met some of my really good friends through
other friendsgetting to meet my friends room-
mates or people they knewthat was a really
good way to find other people that I connected
with. Generally, the more parts of Bowdoin life I
got myself into ... the more people I met and the
more friends that I made.
Getting meals with people was huge for me.
If I havent seen someone in a couple weeks Ill
just text them and ask if they want to get din-
ner sometime this week and that has been a
really great way because especially if you just get
a meal one-on-one then you can just really catch
up about whats going on. That for me has been a
really good way to maintain relationships.
I think it took some time to figure out what I
wanted my social life to look like, and eventually
for me, over the course of my freshman year I
ended up with a very tight knit group of friends
that would often get together and hang out on the
weekends just as a group. I really liked that setup
but at the beginning of the year I would have to
ask around and find out what everyone I knew
was doing and try to figure out what I wanted to
do that night. But for me I really enjoyed having
that consistent group of people to hang out with
and no matter what we were doing we would all
do it together.
Sophie Sadovnikoff 19
Friend crushes are easy to pursue at Bowdoin.
With the whole lets get a meal culture I do feel
like its easier than when it was in high school. If
I thought someone was cool it was kind of off in
the distance...but at Bowdoin Im like, oh you
seem cool lets get a meal or hang out or whatev-
er and then thats kind of an easy way to meet
people.
As an international student, I wasnt quite sure
what the culture at Bowdoin was like or what the
culture in America was like and just having other
people be super friendly and willing to help at
any time people can be very nice and I was
very pleasantly surprised by that.
I understood the importance of cultural knowl-
edge more when I got to Bowdoin a lack of
cultural knowledge I think was a big thing and
that of course extends to how people actlike
something as small as what the general sense of
humor can be like, because where Im from it can
be quite crude sometimes and people dont take
to that as well.
I feel like the understanding that everyones
kind of anxious about being there and wants to fit
in is a wide ranging feeling. Youre not necessar-
ily going to be friends with the people you were
friends with in the first few weeks and if you are,
thats great and if you arent, thats okay as well.
Ural Mishra 20
Athletics is a big part of my life at Bowdoin,
but it's not the only part. There's the whole joke
about everyone being just outside of Boston, but
no one has the same past to get to a place like
Bowdoin.
It's natural to size everyone up and compare
yourself to them because you're meeting tons of
new people in a way you never have before. Don't
get in your head about it. Everyone's having the
same worries as you and it's kind of a weird thing
to have to do because you're trying to find friends
at the drop of a hat.
You're not going to meet all of your friends
your freshman year and people shouldn't feel
locked into thinking that's the case. It's natural
for friendship to change and grow. Bowdoin is
the kind of place where everybody is kind of
looking out for each other, and I think that's what
separates it from other high-caliber liberal arts
schoolsthat it's very community-driven.
Brian Thompson 19
AMANDA NEWMAN
Most of my friends were on the [football]
team, and thats because you spend all day
with them in the fall. Youre not really able to
reach out toward spring was when I started
my friendships through classes. At the begin-
ning, I didnt think there would be as many
people with similar interests as me but that
quickly changed when I heard peoples music
interests, the things they like to do in their
free time, career paths, et cetera.
You have to go outside of your comfort zone
a little bit, but thats part of maturing. Be open
to trying new things and dont be afraid to
talk to anyone. You never know where that
person who you avoided having a conversa-
tion with is. My closest friends are people who
relate to me outside of sportstheres a shift
from the activities that youre doing into peo-
ple that you relate to more, because of music,
background, cultures, whatever.
Yuejay Reeves 19
year.
5
Im the sort of person that instantly likes ev-
eryoneand sort of too muchand so I would
tell myself, Wow I have all these great friend-
ships ... but I hadnt made solid friendships be-
cause I had counted the Bowdoin hello friends
as true friends and then I sort of realized that I
hadnt made [close friends].
I visited one of my roommates, Genie, in San
Francisco over the summer and it was so much
fun to see her in her environment and where she
went to high school and with her family and her
dog and in her city that was so much fun for
me because there wasnt that pressure of living
basically on top of one another.
My high school friends are just very different
... it can be hard to feel like you have half friend-
ships at home and half friendships at school, so
I think at some point I felt overwhelmed in that
I didnt know quite who I was and quite how I
could fit in.
There are some people who I was with con-
stantly first semester and then never saw second
semester because we had different schedules and
we didnt live in the same building and I think
[having standing weekly meals is] a nice way to
maintain friendships with people that really are
important to you.
Grace Cawdrey 20
I was definitely nervous about all of these peo-
ple that were all so interesting and all had such
interesting lives, and I was scared that I wouldnt
be as interesting. But at the same time, I found
that everybody was really welcoming.
Being on the girls frisbee team was definitely a
time I felt overwhelmed the scene in general
is very white and most of my friends outside of
frisbee are people of color ... I would ask them if
they wanted to go with me to [frisbee parties] and
then eventually I stopped because its just not a
place they felt comfortable and I felt this annoy-
ing feeling of like Im choosing this very white
scene over [my friends].
I was so surprised by how racially divided
[Bowdoin] could be and I think a lot of people
say that and a lot of white students dont really
understand ... I think theres a lot of really sub-
tle things that happen that I was surprised by,
like parties that were very white or parties that
people of color would openly say, oh people of
color dont really go to those parties. And if there
were parties with diverse students present, then
the party would be kind of segregated so that
was weird for me ... I was just surprised by how
segregated things could be. How isolated people
of color feel.
Everybody kind of finds their group ... I found
that there are a lot of people in my class and in
Bowdoin generally that I found really interesting
that I never got the chance to get to know this
Aisha Rickford 20
6 Friday, August 25, 2017

Bowdoin belongs to you

During the Admissions tour, you hear and see all about Bowdoin the Institution. Tour
At Bowdoin, But Away
guides point out the names and functions of each distinctive building on campus.
Youre told about Massachusetts Hall, Bowdoins oldest and most quaint, and Adams by Calder McHugh
Hall, where the Medical School of Maine used to resideand the classes held in these Orient Staff
buildings. Youre told about the resources built into campusthe athletic facilities, On August 23, 2015, I drove
the dorms, and dining halls. Youre also told about Bowdoins curriculumthe course
catalogue, roster of majors and distribution requirements.

Bowdoin is all this, but first and foremost, Bowdoin is us, the students.
six hours north, from the Up-
per West Side of Manhattan to
Portland, Maine. The next day, I
would be completing the final leg
of the journey: Portland to Cole-
Each year, this incredibly fundamental element of Bowdoin changes. A new class man Hall for my first day of fresh-
man year. Like most other incom-
washes out and a new class flows in. Tied to this annual tide of students are myriad
ing freshmen, that night before I
changes to Bowdoin the Institutionthat supposedly fixed element. For example, you, stepped onto campus was one of
the class of 2021, are the most diverse first-year class the College has ever seenboth the more nerve-wracking ones of
racially and socioeconomicallyand with your arrival, the character and tone, the my young life. Rather than con-
focus, goals and structure of the Institution can change.
sider my living situation, though
(it was a quint), or my upcoming
When you first arrive, Bowdoin may seem fixedset in stone (or brick)fashioned pre-o trip (to the coastal island of
by those institutional elements. Many of you might feel immediately comfortable here, Vinalhaven, much more pleasant
excel in classes, find belonging with peers, and learn quickly how to navigate Bowdo- than said quint), I was thinking
mostly about my girlfriend.
ins resources. For many finding that comfort might take longer, perhaps feeling out of
I was leaving my apartment,
place in a predominantly liberal, white and wealthy environment, not relating to the my high school friends, and Tal
life experiences of your peers, or feeling unwelcome in campus discourse. Bagels. I was also leaving the first
girl I ever loved, and this fact
We want to acknowledge that Bowdoin does not always welcome everyone the same. overwhelmed all of the others in
But none of you should think that Bowdoin is not yours. The relative diversity of this my mind.
class is a sign that the Institution is moving towards making this space more inclusive. We decided to stay together
It is up to us as students to continue this trajectory. for collegeCharlotte is a year
younger than me and was still
in high school in New York at
Bowdoin doesnt belong to Nathaniel Hawthorne or Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It
the time. After a complex year,
certainly doesnt belong to only white students or men as it once did. though, the summer after fresh-
man year we decided that it just
It belongs to youto all of youto us and the diversity that we represent: whether couldnt work.
that be racial, socioeconomic, intellectual, cultural, among many more. Bowdoin is Put simply, having a long dis-
yours to make your own but its up to you to do that during your time here. tance relationship freshman year
makes it more difficult to be fully
Engage in dialogue at Bowdoin. Speak up and make your voice heard. Listen to your present in a new environment.
peers and come to understand their backgrounds and their views and how they may Throughout my whole freshman
year, Charlotte encouraged me to
differ from your own. Join the student groups on campus and steer them how you see
go out, have fun, meet new peo-
fitor, start your own. Change this place for you and for your peerswith relation- ple and simply talk to her when I
ships, with activism, or with your scholarship. Carve out a space for the classes you could. Based on breaks, her visit-
want to take that arent currently offered. If your perspective is not seen in a curricu- ing Bowdoin, and me going home
lum, talk to your classmates and speak up together. Demand policies and programs to to New York City, I saw her every
make everyone welcome at Bowdoin and demand admissions policies that encourage three or four weeks. It was tough,
greater diversity among the student body. but it felt mostly healthy.
What I began to understand
Four years from now, when you leave here, the buildings will be the same, its past will towards the end of freshman
year, though, was that there were
be the same but Bowdoin will have been yours and it will have changed because of
huge swaths of Bowdoin I wasnt
you. experiencing. It was obvious that,
based on my situation, I couldnt
This editorial represents the majority view of the Bowdoin Orient editoral board, which go home with someone I met at a
is comprised of Harry DiPrinzio, Sarah Drumm, Nickie Mitch and Ian Stewart. party or have a patented DFMO
with that girl in my gov class. It
was less immediately clear that
the simple act of staying with
illustration
Charlotte was keeping me in two
places at once, not fully commit-
ted to either one. I would get texts
from her on a Friday night, and
even though I knew I didnt have
to reply right away, my headspace
shifted from the people I was with
and towards her. I would some-
times go back to Coleman a little
earlier than most, because I want-
ed to catch her before she went
to bed. Or, I would decide not to
hop in a car and experience the
great state of Maine with friends
because it was on a weekend that
she was visiting.
Being with Charlotte in
some ways smoothed my tran-
sition to college; talking to her
always felt safe. I have come to
realize, though, that Bowdoin,
and especially freshman year,
is about throwing oneself full-
bore into situations that are,
at first, deeply uncomfortable.
Its essential to say yes to new
adventures, and anything that,
even subconsciously, precludes
that act makes existing in a new
place more difficult.
Many of you reading this
may be in the position that I was
two years ago; a lot of first years
come into college with significant
others that dont go to Bowdoin.
Many of you, too, may witness
roommates, friends and team-
mates attempting to navigate this
thorny transition.
I am not proposing that at-
tempting to maintain a long dis-
tance relationship at Bowdoin is
ill-advised for everyone. Person-
JENNY IBSEN
ally, having a girlfriend certainly
didnt preclude me from enjoy-
ing my year and finding lifelong
friendsit just made those things
less straightforward.
I have lots of good memories
from my first year at Bowdoin.
Last year, though, I felt unteth-
ered, and rather than be con-
cerned about what my classmates
or my girlfriend at home thought,
I just had fun. I decided to jettison
extra hours spent in the stacks
for those on the quad. I bleached
my hair in the winter. I made an
absolute fool of myself not only
playing IM B league basketball
but notifying everyone I knew on
campus of big games via webmail.
I hooked up with people I wish
I hadnt and people Im happy
I did, but through it all, I wore
a grin. Part of this is certainly a
function of growing up and feel-
ing comfortable with my place in
Bowdoins larger community, but
to me, being single let me figure
out who I am.
The Bowdoin Communi-
cations Office likes to call this
experience the best four years
of your life. It doesnt have to
be, and in fact I hope my life
will only continue to get more
fun as I get older and then
graduate. What I would say
to the Bowdoin Class of 2021,
though, is that you owe it to
yourself to dive in headfirst,
mitigating distractions as best
as you can. Having a long dis-
tance relationship can keep you
at a distance.

ESTABLISHED 1871
STRANGER ing spontaneous conversations
or fun events into burdens that
life I have chosen with each
step I take down the path of
bowdoinorient.com orient@bowdoin.edu 6200 College Station Brunswick, ME 04011 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 weighed heavy as I cut into most resistance. Every year, I
She was the friend who had dwindling sleep. I was sick the embrace that challenge, and
The Bowdoin Orient is a student-run weekly publication dedicated to providing news and information relevant year-round passes to Disne- entire year. have since I decided that I
to the Bowdoin community. Editorially independent of the College and its administrators, the Orient pursues yland and a mom who liked That being said, I never ac- could do better than what my
such content freely and thoroughly, following professional journalistic standards in writing and reporting. The shopping at Gymboree and tually did poorly in class. Ive hometown had to offer. I put
Orient is committed to serving as an open forum for thoughtful and diverse discussion and debate on issues of was confused when my mom never gotten a grade below a B-. too much pressure on myself
interest to the College community. didnt want to, or couldnt. What caused me so much dis- because I often feel like my will
Her dad was a lawyer. tress was the threat of failure, to push myself harder than ev-
Bowdoin is full of Caitlins, compounded by the idea that eryone else is the only reason I
Sarah Drumm Harry DiPrinzio who know what the normal life at Bowdoin is easier for ev- got here in the first place. One
Editor in Chief Editor in Chief things are to wear and say and eryone else. Despite how hard I of the hardest lessons I learned
do here, and have the resourc- was trying, I felt ashamed. while at Bowdoin was that this
Creative Director Managing Editor News Editor es to wear and say and do My closest friend and first- drive, the most exceptional
Jenny Ibsen Rachael Allen Elizabeth Fosler-Jones them. Bowdoin is one point year roommate, who attended thing about me, could be debil-
Sarah Bonanno in a natural progression for an elite day school on scholar- itating as well.
Digital Director Anjulee Bhalla Sports Editor
them. This was not the case ship, felt her first year at Bow- My path to Bowdoin looks a
Ellice Lueders for me. People from lower-in- doin was less difficult than high lot different than anyone elses,
James Little Nickie Mitch Anna Fauver
come backgrounds might feel school. I thought something and my path from here will, too.
Allison Wei self-conscious about a lot of was wrong with me when I As true as this statement is
Photo Editor Features Editor expectations at Bowdoin. I could not balance work and to me as an individual, I know
Ann Basu Alyce McFadden was insecure about my aca- friends and extracurriculars as it applies to many people in the
Associate Editor
demic performance. easily as she could. Class of 2021. To students from
Roither Gonzales
Layout Editor Louisa Moore A&E Editor My first year at Bowdoin was As it turns out, no one different backgrounds, the
Emma Bezilla Amanda Newman Isabelle Hall
the hardest school year of my canshe is probably the most Bowdoin lifestyle can some-
Ian Stewart life. I had soared through class- exceptional person in my times feel alien and cruel. And
es at schools where the good class, the best companion and so, I offer this reminder:
Data Desk Copy Editor Opinion Editor teachers dedicated their energy multi-tasker Ive ever met. Our You belong here. The Bow-
Gideon Moore Emily Cohen Rohini Kurup to bringing the rest of my class temperaments, strengths and doin community and class-
Eleanor Paasche up to my level, and the bad weaknesses could not be more rooms are bettered with your
teachers just didnt care. different. We have learned so addition. Your experiences and
Social Media Editor Business Manager Bowdoin professors have much from each other, includ- resilience and intelligence are
Gwen Davidson Sr. News Reporter Edward Korando different standards, and I did ing the lesson at the heart of all so special and valued here.
Uriel Lopez-Serrano James Callahan Ned Wang not reach them. I dont remem- this essay: The resources of this college
Faria Nasruddin
ber what I was busy with in- Comparing yourself to oth- belong to you, too, even when
The material contained herein is the property of The Bowdoin Orient and appears at the sole discretion of the editors. The editors stead, but it felt like drowning. ers at Bowdoin is going to make it doesnt seem like it.
reserve the right to edit all material. Other than in regard to the above editorial, the opinions expressed in the Orient do not neces- Any free time came at the cost you miserable. You deserve this place and all
sarily reflect the views of the editors. of other responsibilities, turn- My life is hard. It is also the it has to offer, no matter what.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Navigating the transition to Bowdoin as a person of color
by Raquel Santizo
Orient Contributor
I had already been told that
I speak like a white girl. I had
already experienced the culture
shock of transitioning from
schools filled with working-class
black and latino kids, where the
majority of the students looked
like me, to a predominantly
white institution (PWI). I had al-
ready been congratulated on my
receiving a scholarship, based on
an assumption due to the color of
my skin, even though the person
did not know my financial status.
I had already known what it felt
like to be minority.
I graduated from an all-girls
prep high school and although
the school boasted its 38% stu-
dents of color demographic,
when I looked around I felt like
there were only a handful of
girls that looked like me. Com-
ing from a middle school most-
ly made up of people of color
(POC), I, for the first time, was
learning to understand what it
really felt like to be a minori-
ty. This is an experience that
many of my POC friends first
encountered during their first
year at Bowdoin. The combi-
nation of starting college and
Life as both student and athlete: finding friendship and support
by Julia Patterson
Orient ContributorWomens Soccer
How are you feeling about
going to college? everyone
would ask me. And every time
I would respond the same
way: unprepared.
I tried my hardest to put on a
face of confidence when I woke
up at 5:00 a.m. on the first day
of preseason: testing day. In my
book, anything longer than a 50-
yard sprint was long distance, so
the thought of the one and a half
mile test had been intimidating
me all summer. Not surprisingly,
coming into the sixth and final
lap, I was not doing so well. My
struggle must have been obvious
because I soon had one of the
seniors, who had a fever, running
beside me. I assume she has since
forgotten, but I will never forget
how she, in the midst of illness,
ran the entire last lap alongside
me, telling me I could do it. I did
not achieve an impressive mile
time to say the least, but at that
moment, I realized that age or
class year does not matter, both
on and off the field at Bowdoin
everyone is here to help. Strangers
soon became teammates and
teammates became friends that
will last a lifetime.
However, my desire to go to
Bowdoin originated from know-
ing that my life would extend
beyond athletics here. I would be
a student foremost, and my coach
made it very clear that academics
came first. This created a very
comfortable environment for any
Join us todayno experience necessary!
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Come to our info session to learn more: 7 p.m., Thursday, August 31, in the Pickering Room
orient@bowdoin.edu bowdoinorient.com @bowdoinorient
being emerged in a community
where few people look like you
is not only daunting, but can
also be exhausting.
In transitioning to a PWI,
both times, I missed my food,
my music, my language and my
culture. Its something that I be-
lieve can be equated to a mild
traumaa distressing experience,
in which the life you once navi-
gated with platanos fritos, lomo
saltado and Elvis Crespo playing
in the background, is complete-
ly stripped away from you. And
although I had been mentally
prepared for this, having already
graduated from a PWI, at Bow-
doin I became aware of my eth-
nicity in a new and different way.
As a straight woman having
attended an all-girl school, I no-
ticed that the presence of men at
parties made it easier for me to
feel different. At parties, some-
times I felt out of place because
my physical appearance did not
match or align with the norm,
sometimes I felt uncomfortable
with the music and sometimes
I felt like I wasnt meant to be
there. I began noticing patterns
of behavior and saw that the
women who people waited to
dance with were usually POCs,
however, the women people
illustration
conversations about school-relat-
ed conflicts. My coach also made
it clear that the Womens Soccer
Team had the highest GPA out
of all the teams and we wanted
to uphold that standard. I still
remember receiving my first col-
lege paper back in my History of
Human Rights class: there goes
the highest team GPA, I thought.
Very early on, I developed the
mindset that I was not academ-
ically suited for Bowdoin and
I thought I was solely living up
to the athlete in student-ath-
lete and that I did not deserve
to be here. The support of my
roommates was invaluable; even
though my roommates and I all
came from very different back-
grounds, they became some of
my greatest resources at Bowdoin.
They offered help both with my
school work and advice on how to
take advantage of the many other
resources that Bowdoin has to
asked to leave parties with were
not. I looked to women of color
to try to understand how and
why they were also feeling es-
pecially uncomfortable with the
social scene.
I discovered that many wom-
en of color attending PWIs
struggle with the social scene
AMANDA NEWMAN
offer. Most valuable, they helped
instill in me that attending office
hours is not a sign of weakness to
your professor. I began going very
frequently and my grades began
to reap the benefits.
As a freshman, I was the one
getting a great deal of help from
those around me. Now, going into
my junior year, I understand that
its my turn to help others. Not
because I feel like I have to, but
because I truly want to help. Being
at a place like Bowdoin makes you
realize very quickly how lucky
you are to be surrounded by peers
willing and eager to lend a hand.
And thats what I love most about
Bowdoin: it seems to me that most
students share this same attitude
towards giving back. Looking
back at my soon-to-be-college-
student self, I realize it was fine to
feel unprepared. I was starting the
journey alone, and Id get by with
a little help from my friends.
because they either feel invisible
due to not meeting Eurocentric
standards of beauty, or they
feel worried that they will be
fetishized and exoticized. Thus,
the Woman of Color photo-
shoot was born in order to cele-
brate the empower and celebrate
the beauty of women of color
by Matt Lison
Orient ContributorMens Hockey
Coming to Bowdoin, I
didnt know what to expect. I
didnt know anyone and, to be
honest, knew very little about
the school. Most of my team-
mates from juniors (pre-col-
lege hockey leagues) either
went to college early to train
with their team or had team-
mates as roommates. I knew
Bowdoin did things different-
ly, but I figured I would still
have my teammates to rely on
immediately. Thats not how
things went, however, and it
came as a surprise.
In fact, we didnt meet the
hockey team until after orien-
tation week, which meant each
of us had roughly two weeks of
meeting new people from an
array of spheres on campus.
When off-season training or
pre-season practices start, for
many, your sport becomes your
life outside of the classroom
and your teammates become
your family. Youll likely eat
meals with your team, study
with your team and go out
with your team due to practic-
es and team activities dictating
a lot of your schedule. What is
important about those first few
weeks after arriving on cam-
pus is that, as you meet new
people and make new friends,
youll gain outlets beyond your
team that can help keep you in
touch with the Bowdoin that
exists outside of your sport
AMANDA NEWMAN
across campus. The photoshoot
helped start a conversation
about the social scene and build
a community of women with
shared experiences and strug-
gles. Coming together allowed
for us to uplift one another and
realize our beauty. Additionally,
displaying the images at Smith
and classrooms. Youll have
friendly faces to say hi to
on your walk to class or to eat getting acclimated to a new en-
with at the dining hall when
your teammates arent around.
Although it may seem like
you have to devote all of your
time outside of the classroom
to your team, you are not
limited to socializing with
your teammates. On the sur-
face, teams around campus
can come off as exclusive, but
theres so much more behind
that stigma than people see. Its
difficult not to spend the ma-
jority of your time with your
team because of the respon-
sibilities that come with your
sport, and its understandable
if you want to be around your
teammates because you have a
lot in common.
That doesnt mean your
time at Bowdoin has to be
limited to only your sport
and your teammates. Yes, my
best friends are my teammates
and yes, I eat the majority of
my meals at the hockey table.
But I met some of my closest
friends at Bowdoin on my
pre-o trip. When it comes
to meeting people and mak-
ing friends at Bowdoin, your
teammates might be your best
friends (and there is absolute-
ly nothing wrong with that)
but it is equally important to
reach out to the friendly faces
you meet around campus and
stay close to those friends out-
side of your team.
Just remember: everyone in
7
Union initiated a campus wide
conversation for those who are
not women of color to under-
stand and learn about what their
peers may be going through.
Transitioning to college life
can be a difficult time period
for everyone regardless of race,
class, ethnicity, gender, or sex-
uality. But if you are reading
this as someone coming from
a school or hometown with a
similar makeup as Bowdoin or
Brunswick, I ask you to be nice
to those friends who are distant
from home, because often phys-
ical distance is not the only part
of the strugglethere is also dis-
tance from culture. I often find
homesickness and feelings of
alienation can be alleviated by
simply asking what can we do so
that this feels more like home? A
viewing of the movie Selena, or a
late night dance party to familiar
music may just make someones
day much better.
So, to those first-years, or
sophomores or juniors or se-
niors, who are struggling to feel
comfortable in their own skin
here, I want you to know what
you belong here and you deserve
to carve out your own space.
We deserve to call Bowdoin
home too.
your class is in the same boat
when you step on campus, and
vironment is easier having oth-
ers to talk through things with.
One of the most import-
ant aspects of my first year at
Bowdoin was the relationship
that our class had with our
teams seniors.
Playing a sport at Bowdoin
is both a great opportunity and
a significant challenge. , The
academic expectations from
your professors and coaches
are incredibly high, and man-
aging your time is the key to
being able to succeed in the
classroom and at your sport.
None of us were masters at
it coming into Bowdoin and
none of us are today, but weve
gotten better by struggling
through it together just as
many of you will.
Although everyones situ-
ation is differentsome may
see familiar faces from prep
school, have siblings in a dif-
ferent class, or you may know
no one at alleveryone has to
go through the process of set-
tling in. You will come to dis-
cover that you are not alone in
finding your feet at Bowdoin.
Dont be afraid to reach out
to the upperclassmen, both on
your team and around campus.
They know better than any-
one else what you are going
through and can give helpful
advice about struggles on and
off the team, because theyve
gone through it themselves.
8 Friday, August 25, 2017
50 things to do before you graduate
Essential activities for every Bowdoin student (according to the Orient)
1. Tour the Bliss Room in Hubbard
2. Streak the quad
3. End the night at Brunswick Diner
4. Go to Frostys when it opens at 4 a.m.
5. Eat at all of Brunswicks Asian restaurants (10
and counting)
6. Win dinnerbe the last to leave
7. Attend office hours with President Rose or
Dean Tim Foster
8. Go to Joshuas at midnight on your 21st
birthday
9. Win trivia night at Pedro OHaras
10. Be mentioned in the Security Report
11. Climb Mt. Katahdin
12. Be featured on the photo wall in the
Union hallway
13. Write your name on the chapel bathroom door
14. Eat until youre sick at Thanksgiving dinner
15. Go to a concert in Portland
16. Win an intramural championship
17. Skip a class
18. Watch the sun rise or set from the 16th floor of
Coles Tower
19. Find the Brunswick commons, then explore
20. DFMO (dance floor make-out)
21. Complete the Bowdoin sevenhook up with
someone from every class year you overlap with
(ex: for the Class of 2021, someone in 2018-
2025)
22. Get drinks with a professor
23. Get a lobster roll from Libbys Market
24. Do the polar bear plunge
25. Pee on every College House
Adapted from the original list compiled by Bowdoin Student Government and the Office of Residential Life.
26. Poop in every academic building
27. Get to know someone who lives in Brunswick
or elsewhere in Maine
28. Swim in the bioluminescence at the Coastal
Studies Center
29. Become real friends with someone you meet at
Ivies
30. Go on an Outing Club trip
31. Be quoted in the Orient
32. Hook up with someone in an academic building
33. Take a picture with Randy at Ivies
34. Shotgun in every College House
35. Take a class Credit/D/F (you can do it FOUR
times!)
36. Get a grant from Bowdoin to do something fun
37. Go to the Common Ground Country Fair
38. Go to the Ebony Ball and the Quinceanera
39. Heckle Colby at the Bowdoin/Colby hockey
game (Mules are sterile)
40. Climb the rock wall at Buck
41. Get invited and go to dinner at a professors
house
42. Volunteer through the McKeen Center to
mentor/tutor at a local school
43. Hook up in the glow-in-the-dark rock room
44. Ice skate on the quad rink
45. Have Irene or Connie remember your name
46. Make art in the Craft Center
47. Attend the Brunswick Farmers Markets
48. Host a WBOR radio show
49. Vote in Brunswick!
50. Lead a pre-o