The Sophian

CSO raises funds for refugees

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Each year, the Smith College Community Service Office holds a fund drive to benefit a local cause. This year's fund drive, themed "From Hardship to Hope: African Refugees in Our Community," is working to raise $2,000 to support the needs of African refugees participating in English language classes at the Gray House, a non-profit organization in the North End of Springfield.

MassPIRG takes on Sallie Mae over loans

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Smith's MassPIRG chapter collected almost 50 petitions with student signatures this Tuesday, in an event titled "Take a Hit at Sallie Mae." The organization intends to deliver the petitions to Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown to encourage passage of a federal student loan bill in the Senate.

Russian is alive and well, despite rumors

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Russian is not a department you often hear about. With only three full-time faculty members, it is the smallest of Smith's language departments. And with all three of those professors nearing the age of retirement and no plans to replace them, rumors have circulated that Smith's Russian department could soon transition to a Five College department.

Spanish admission materials move to the Web

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

At Smith, the topic of diversity occupies a great part of campus-wide dialogue regarding the college's stated priorities.

According to the college's Diversity and Equity page, "At Smith, we place a high priority on achieving and supporting diversity among our students, faculty and staff in the areas of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, disability and age.

Athletics director gets new NCAA position

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

For the second year in a row, Smith Athletics Director Lynn Oberbillig will serve as the chair of the Division III Management Council for NCAA, the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

The NCAA is a voluntary organization that governs intercollegiate athletics programs.

Snow takes down 80-year-old tree

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Winter always changes the landscape of Smith's campus, but this year, some changes became permanent. As the snowdrops and crocuses pushed their heads up through the soil and students shed their coats, groundskeepers had to remove several major trees that had succumbed to the wet snowfall during the last week of February.

Cherished tradition remains popular despite some nutritional concerns

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

One of the reasons Smith College has managed to stand apart from other similar institutions is its generous share of longstanding traditions. Lately, though, people have begun to discuss the relevance of one of these traditions in particular: afternoon tea.

The benefits of mindful sitting

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Mindfulness in America is a rapidly growing phenomenon currently gaining momentum in the form of the awareness meditation movement. While meditation is often taught as a practice distinct from the Buddhist religion, the practice was adapted from and continues to be informed by Buddhist principles.

Notes from abroad: Romani in Italy

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

To many, the word "gypsy" evokes fortunetellers, bucolic vagabonds or the ever-lovely Johnny Depp in the film Chocolat. As Allison Maguire '11, currently on her Junior Year Abroad in Italy, said, "I really didn't know anything about them before coming here.

A la mode: Mad for Mod-Cloth

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I want to let you in on a secret. This secret comes in the form of a treasure trove of amazing clothing, accessories and vintage apparel. It's abundant, updated multiple times daily and well priced. Sounds perfect, right? Well, if you are near a computer, run - don't walk! - and check out ModCloth.

Teapot offers varied results to a loyal customer base

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Located a little ways past Bank of America is one of the many Chinese and Japanese restaurants in Northampton: Teapot, which has maintained a place in the heart of downtown for more than 20 years.

Teapot has a touch of tradition along its interiors. Most East Asian restaurants have a quiet darkness enveloping them and Teapot is no exception.

A treasure trove of art and history opportunities await students downtown

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Northampton is a notoriously quirky town, and spring break offers students the opportunity to explore off-campus activities without the stress of midterms. For those of you staying Smith-side for break, here's a guide to eclectic downtown - places people drive cross-country to see, all within walking distance of JMG.

Guess what? Art can be good for you

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

By lunchtime on Thursdays, most Smith students are probably feeling stressed and exhausted. Images of various dining halls or maybe a few frantic moments spent in Neilson Library will most likely dance through your head as your reflect on Thursdays gone by.

Alumna realizes unknown dream of singing opera

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Inna Dukach '94 is a renowned soprano who has carved a place within the opera world. Winner of the 2005 Liederkranz Competition, Dukach has played leading roles in many prominent performances throughout her career. She reflects with the Sophian on her time at Smith, her thriving career in opera and the ups and downs of living and working in the performance world.

Afghan performance roused crowd

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

On Thursday, March 4, the Smith Music Department, with the help of multiple Five College committees, hosted a concert of traditional folk and classical music from Afghanistan. The two-hour event was part of a weeklong Five College visit by John Baily and Veronica Doubleday that included class visits and film screenings.

Live music complemented Five College dances

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

The Northampton Academy of Music hosted two nights of live music and dance by the Five Colleges last weekend. The venue was packed with excited guests from around town, waiting to see musicians and dancers alike. Each performance had melodic dimensions and artistic qualities that made the show unique and breath taking.

Pop Rocks and Coke: And the winner is...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

A lot of things could be deemed funny. Knock-knock jokes, for one, are a staple to the art of comedy. "That's what she said" is fairly laughable as well. And if you're really stuck for a good joke, run over to your local Chinese take-out restaurant - or a Smith dining hall on any Asian-themed night - grab a fortune cookie and add to the end of your fortune, "in bed.

You just can't blame the 'that girls'

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

You know her. She sits in the second row, right side. She could have been another anonymous Smithie in one of your classes. But she's not. She's not just a peer, she's not just a classmate. You will never ask to borrow her notes, you will never actually listen to what she says without snickering in your head.

Exercise a little tolerance for Republicans

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

As everyone undoubtedly knows already, Smith College is an inclusive, welcoming place: the community accepts all colors, creeds, sexual identities, nationalities, gender identities, ethnicities and disabilities. None of it matters in the eyes of the campus's tolerant community, because only who you are as an individual is important.

Campus vibe mixes tradition and progress

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

People love to talk about the evils of the Smith bubble, lauding Northampton and the ability to hop on a Peter Pan bus and head for the urban environments of Boston or even New York City. While many graduating seniors feel nostalgic about leaving Smith, there is still an equally prevalent readiness to leave the college lifestyle and move on to bigger and better things, or at least to get a break from labs and papers while living in a parent's basement.

Think before judging others' feelings on campus

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I remember a lot of things about my first few weeks here. Everything seemed vibrant and new. I felt perched at the top of a hill, full of potential energy I was sure would turn kinetic once things really got "started." In the meantime, I watched people. I listened.

Pick up the slack, Smithies

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Are we too lazy? I have asked myself this question multiple times during the past few weeks. Students have forgotten why they attend Smith College. Whether it is to make a difference on campus and the world, for their families or to learn to love themselves in ways they never did before, it all has been thrown out the window.

Filling the 'bag for the future'

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I don't feel prepared to do anything after college. I am an ex-English major turned American studies major upon my transfer to Smith - admittedly not the most practical choice. In hindsight I muse that I should have been a science or math major. Unfortunately, they don't feed my longstanding tradition of sitting around with a cup of tea and an in-depth work on cultural studies or an analysis of the destructive hedonism of Tudor England.

Midterm stress inflates dreams of break

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

My Facebook status of the day:

"Only gov midterm, gov daily project update, stat lab, stat hw, stat project proposal, chem lab, chem hw, ess assignment, bio reading, ess reading, gov reading, Sophian article left till Spring Break."

Now, that's not a happy thought.

Sex and the Smithie: Let every woman define her own sexuality

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

I really enjoy being a Smithie. I love my classes and my friends; I truly appreciate that at Smith, it is normal to question the status quo. In my years here, however, I've encountered a trend in interpersonal dynamics that has truly upset me, and I feel the need to address it.

Smith hosts ECACs over weekend, Ithaca wins both overall titles

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

Last weekend Smith hosted the Eastern College Athletics Conference Track and Field Championships, the Indoor Track and Tennis Facility filling with teams from nearly 30 colleges and universities. Two days of competition saw a total of 42 events that were contested on both the men's and women's sides.

Tennis, Equestrian teams compete last Saturday

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:00:00 GMT

In their opening match of the Spring season Saturday afternoon at Mt. Holyoke the Pioneers fell 0-9 to Bates College.

In doubles, juniors Maggie Steiner and Nikki Anderson fell 1-8 to Alexandra Piacquad and Meg Anderson; Alanna Dick '10 and Jamie Inskeep '12 fell 6-8 to Erika Blauth and Ashley Brunk, and first-years Eunice Zhao and Rachel Canfora fell 3-8 to Jacquelyn Holmes and Katie Helfgott.