“So anyway, this Friday I did laundry and watched HGTV.  On Saturday I got up and ran some errands with my mom.  This is when I really started to notice the bad weather.  Every time we would get out of the car one of us would nearly blow away.  The stoplights were [...]

“On a daily basis, Java may be just known as a brand name for its coffee, but tonight, its puppets made a debut in tonight’s gamelan concert at Olin. Also known as “wayang“, these Indonesian shadow puppets were the stars of the performance- acting out their story (via the puppet master) [...]

“Last night, I learned that I had been admitted to the Master of Arts in Religion degree program at Yale Divinity School (YDS). Specifically, I was accepted into YDS’s M.A.R. degree concentration in Black Religion in the African Diaspora. I’m extremely surprised, humbled and thankful for the decision made by Yale Divinity School’s Admissions Committee. Immediately after I received this good news, I thanked [...]

“The rain finally seems to be letting up and hopefully tomorrow the sun will peak out from behind the clouds and provide Sevilla with some much needed sunshine. When the weather does improve, I hope to get outside with my camera and snap some more pictures. In the meantime, I thought I’d take a break [...]

“Through a series of very disturbing images, statistics, and videos recounting the extent of violence imposed upon both sides caught in this “turf battle”, Joel presented his insider, up-close narrative of a day in the life of a protester in Gaza. For instance, Joel recounted the levels of pressure faced when encountering the police force, [...]

Last night, I learned that I had been admitted to the Master of Arts in Religion degree program at Yale Divinity School (YDS). Specifically, I was accepted into YDS’s M.A.R. degree concentration in Black Religion in the African Diaspora. I’m extremely surprised, humbled and thankful for the decision made by Yale Divinity School’s Admissions Committee. Immediately after I received this good news, I thanked [...]

“When I was looking for a job Jordan used to tell me that I wasn’t paying tuition only for the classes and my 4 years on campus but for the relationships I would have after leaving.  He is certainly right.  A Bates alum led me to the position I currently have and a Bates alum [...]

Hey all. The rain finally seems to be letting up and hopefully tomorrow the sun will peak out from behind the clouds and provide Sevilla with some much needed sunshine. When the weather does improve, I hope to get outside with my camera and snap some more pictures. In the meantime, I thought I’d take [...]

Hey all. The rain finally seems to be letting up and hopefully tomorrow the sun will peak out from behind the clouds and provide Sevilla with some much needed sunshine. When the weather does improve, I hope to get outside with my camera and snap some more pictures. In the meantime, I thought I’d take [...]

“On March 4, I had the pleasure of attending a wonderful prose reading of James Hannaham’s novel “God Says No” in another installment of the Language Arts Live series. I found Hannaham incredibly entertaining and engaging. Although this was my first prose reading, I could certainly imagine why they would prove difficult. The length of [...]

“Coming into this session, I’d originally associated molding with merely a “cookie-cutter” art (literally, as I’m used to making molds for baking). But, I picked up a great level of technical expertise on different materials and techniques used in this craft. In fact, there is a distinction in effect between “environment-friendly” and inorganic alternatives; the  [...]

“One of the greatest perks about attending Bates is how interwoven interdisciplinarity is. I often find myself picking up a fact in class which is broached in another, even though the subjects of the lectures  belong to those in entirely opposite departments. For instance, I’d never thought of myself as a science “person” until my [...]

“The concert was Hey Mama, a great band that’s currently touring up a storm in New England. Because most of the senior board are busy with their senior theses, this concert was entirely put to the newly elected board, all sophomores. We were all excited to learn, but I know that I was nervous. As [...]

“Everyone in Sevilla, my señora included, keeps apologizing for the terrible weather. Honestly, after living in the Northeast of the United States my whole life, this doesn’t seem like bad winter weather. In fact, even though it has been rainy, the temperatures have been mostly mild and even warm at times. Still, I can’t help [...]

Hey all. Unfortunately the weather in Sevilla continues to be rainy and wet. It has drizzled/rained/poured here on and off nearly every day for the past several weeks. Unofficially, I’ve heard that this is the most rain Sevilla has had in the last 60 years. I play basketball once a week with other students from [...]

“I have been offered admission to the University of California, Los Angeles M.A. program in Afro-American Studies. I’m thrilled about the opportunity to study at such a phenomenal research university for graduate school. I want to thank two of my mentors at Bates, Dr. Charles Nero a professor in the programs in African American Studies and American Cultural Studies and Rhetoric Department and Czerny Brasuell, [...]

“As the sound of music vibrates harmoniously in the heart of every Batesie, WRBC has been an integral key of the Bates scale (major or minor, regardless). WRBC, our college radio station, was founded by Frank Brooks Quimby, who started the Brooks Quimby Debate Council as well. A typical Batesie with initiative, he even asked the [...]

I have been offered admission to the University of California, Los Angeles M.A. program in Afro-American Studies. I’m thrilled about the opportunity to study at such a phenonmenal research university for graduate school. I thank my Bates professors and mentors, Dr. Charles Nero in African American Studies and American Cultural Studies and Rhetoric; and also  Czerny Brasuell, the Director [...]

“I’ve been insanely busy since I began this new position.  And you know what?  The day goes much more quickly in every way hence why 4 pm seemed to creep up on me today.  In this job I’m not as tired and I never seem to run out of things to do.  I’m constantly interacting [...]

“My Señora is really piling on the food, but I mean that in the best way possible. Tonight I had a big tortilla Española (for those you don’t know: a potato/egg patty). When I say this thing was big, I mean, we’re talking frisbee-sized. On top of that, I was served a large salad made [...]

“The next time you pull out a college catalog, think about who wrote and compiled it. Just a bunch of middle-aged school officials sitting at a round table with red pens in hand?  Now scratch that, and mentally add a couple of college students to the mix. That’s right. Batesies do too! For Mission ‘Bates,’ [...]

Hey all. I just wanted to let everybody know that I revamped the picture page and now it will be much easier to look at photos I have taken around Spain. It’s nice for me to post all my pictures in one place, but I also hope you all enjoy the photos I’ve taken in [...]

“Coming back from February break, a great Bates tradition looms over the weekend– one that, for me, has suddenly become incredibly important. I’m talking about TRIVIA NIGHT. WRBC holds a competition every year (this is the 31st annual!) that starts at 8pm and goes until 6 am, where teams of students tune in to 91.5 fm [...]

“I had another first experience the other day.  Since graduating life has become a series of firsts in a way- my first apartment, my first time living with a partner, my first time not being enrolled in school, my first time searching for a full-time job, and my first time working full-time.  This Thursday, I [...]

“The Conflict Within: SNCC, Black Integrationists, and Black Nationalists: Integrationist and Black nationalist philosophies are, arguably, divergent and irreconcilable strategies adopted, at different times, in the long-range struggle for Black liberation in the U.S. My thesis focuses on the relationship between these ideologies as methods of protest, and how these methods have shaped protest tactics [...]

Hello everyone, I know I have not communicated with you for some time now. However, I want to let you know that it’s been for a good reason. I have been occupied with my senior thesis which is a required project that all Bates students have to do before they graduate. Students meet with their advisers once a [...]

“I am taking Contemporary Spanish Film, Contemporary Spanish Literature, Political and Democratic Transition in Spain, and History of Slavery in Latin America. I’ve already begun one book in Spanish, watched several short Spanish films, and learned a lot about the constantly-changing social and political landscape in Spain through the centuries. Even though I’ve only had [...]

Hey all. There’s a lot to fill you in on since my last post so I will just jump right into it… Last week, I changed from the Advanced Liberal Arts program to the standard Liberal Arts program. The change was not forced, in fact I was discouraged somewhat from making the switch, but I feel [...]

Voracious for Bates My friends always think it’s strange, that I go to school up in Maine. Although it snows all year, the warm company here makes it awful less to complain: Professors do more than coach ya, and Commons food’s sweet ambrosia- All this bobcat glamour will have me enamored even after I get my diploma. Read more.

“This year commemorates the tiger, welcoming yet another age of prosperity and fortune. This occasion is like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the New Year combined. The tradition has been to decorate the house with lanterns and  exchange gifts of red envelopes, usually containing money, for our relatives (the “Christmas” aspect). What makes it Thanksgiving-like is that [...]

“The rumors are true: Snoop Dogg will be performing at Bates for the first time. Many still don’t want to believe the news, but it has been confirmed that his agent ventured the opportunity for a quick drop-in here in Maine along Snoop’s journey on his tour throughout New England.” Read more. [...]

“You’ve already seen the historical side of Spain in some of the pictures I’ve posted: Cathedrals, palaces, and monuments, revered for their historical significance and architectural beauty. But there is another side of the art scene in Spain: Graffiti. I find this strange juxtaposition of history and modernity to be really interesting. Some call it [...]

Hey all. Things are going pretty well in Spain thus far. I made a trip to Madrid this past weekend and am heading to Cordoba on Sunday to see my girlfriend who is studying there. It will be great to see her and should be a very nice visit. I will provide you with a [...]

“Pope.L is a teacher at Bates who is well known for his work with color and race.  Though I’ve never taken a class with him, some of my friends have and I’ve enjoyed going to the performance art pieces his students put on each year at Bates. Finally, after the Pope.L experience, we went into [...]

“I felt about resigning from the bank like I used to feel in high school when I would break up with a boyfriend who I thought was nice but just knew that we wouldn’t go anywhere because he wasn’t EXACTLY what I wanted (I’m picky).  And you know how nerve-wracking those situations are- the “it’s [...]

“An “artist”, I’ve learned is not one who possesses the talent to produce it, but simply does it for the sheer aesthetic pleasure derived from the experience of seeing art and yet not even physically touching it. And so, I’ve signed up for an art class, “Visualizing Race”, where we examine artworks, performances (yes, we [...]

“Thursdays are always my busiest day. They start at 8 am, continue at 930, go on at 110, at 230 and beyond! Today was no different, except I had a meeting at 11 about a pending essay I’m writing for my Ancient Comedy and Satire class. However, my usually tough morning was jolted awake by an introduction to [...]

“No, this isn’t about Valentine’s Day, and has nothing to do with World War II; as much as I want it to be, it isn’t a self-proclaimed holiday for voracious bobcats either. Hark the “Vagina Monologues“! For those who aren’t familiar with this commemoration of female body parts, the “Vagina Monologues” was originally a play [...]

“This year is the Bates Outing Club’s 90th anniversary, and Mr. Fish’s talk was our kickoff event in the year-long celebration that will bring current students together with BOC alums in trips and all other things B-O-C. The highly attended talk filled up fifteen minutes before it began, and despite moving in every chair we [...]

“There is very little to complain about in this great city, though I must say that the intensive Spanish grammar class I am currently in is a bit of a drag. I’d rather be out speaking to Spaniards in the streets than learning about sentence structure and the like, but I suppose learning the uninspiring [...]

“There is very little to complain about in this great city, though I must say that the intensive Spanish grammar class I am currently in is a bit of a drag. I’d rather be out speaking to Spaniards in the streets than learning about sentence structure and the like, but I suppose learning the uninspiring [...]

“So a few people in my life have begun to make decisions about their educational future- specifically what they have in mind for their masters degree. Jordan just got into a prestigious summer program to catapult him on his way to his MBA dreams. One of my Bates roommates is studying furiously for the GREs [...]

“A few weeks ago, I was rushing to send off an important package. I pulled out my wallet to pay for the package, yet Bates’ mail center only takes cash or check. I placed my debit card on the counter, thinking that I would pick it up later and pulled out my checkbook.  I then [...]

Hey all. Two weeks have passed since I first arrived in Europe and I now feel as though I am settling into a routine. I no longer rely on my map (getting to and from my homestay is not a problem) and if I don’t know exactly where I am, I feel comfortable enough wandering [...]

“Traditionally,  Bates has long been associated with “academics”, “sports”, “snow”,  “Commons”, or “party”. There should be one more name added to that list- who happens to be 94 years of age: Frank Glazer. Frank, an artist-in-residence, renowned pianist after debuting at Carnegie Hall in 1936, and  professor of 30 years here, has been with us [...]

“As a senior whose major requires a thesis, I’ve met with my advisor to cultivate the form of my paper. In order to combine what I’ve learned in both my major and minor (African American Studies and Rhetoric), I’ve chosen to explore the roles black women play in Spike Lee films. This rhetorical analysis will [...]

A few weeks ago, I was rushing to send off an important package. I pulled out my wallet to pay for the package, yet Bates’ mail center only takes cash or check. I placed my debit card on the counter, thinking that I would pick it up later and pulled out my checkbook.  I then [...]

Here at Bates, almost every student graduates having done a few things. Among them might be jumping in the freezing puddle, enjoying one of Brad’s fantastic made-to-order omelettes, and returning to the library arcade the morning after the 80s dance to collect lost belongings. And then there’s the Senior Thesis, a final paper that is [...]

“This year due to popularity of this annual performance and to help raise donations for the rebuilding of villages in India for the Auroville Village Action Group Fund, Asia Night has been set on two nights. Like any other major project, the process of planning has been a tremendous task- from coordination of acts to [...]

“My Dad, who is an avid reader of this blog, took issue with my “Is College Worth It?” post and sent me an email with what he would have posted in a comment…: ‘I never thought about taking a year off, I never thought that maybe schooling outside of the liberal arts might be something [...]

“So last Friday, I did something I really never thought I’d do. Something that is SO BATES, but seemed SO SCARY. Well, guess what, I jumped in the puddle anyway!” Read more.

“I’ve only just begun to explore the city so my pictures thus far are limited to only a few major landmarks. Below is a sampling of some of the photos I took, but if you’d like to see MANY MORE PICTURES OF SEVILLA PLEASE CLICK HERE.” Read more.

“The other weekend I was hanging out with some Bates alumni and was alerted to the fact that someone I used to know back when I was a freshman actually wrote and published a book.  The book is by Mitch Cote-Crosskill (class of ’05 I think) and it’s titled The Valedictorians.  In summary the book [...]

Hey all. After my last long rambling post, I figured you’d all probably be more interested in seeing some pictures of Sevilla. I’ve only just begun to explore the city so my pictures thus far are limited to only a few major landmarks. Below is a sampling of some of the photos I took, but [...]

“The first two weeks of the new semester have been really busy. I’m not sure if our winter break ended late or started early but the second I got back to Bates it seemed like something was going on in every corner of campus….In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, all classes are canceled [...]

“On Wednesday I found out I would be living with a Señora (In terms of how the program classifies it: an older Spanish woman who has room to spare in her home because her children are older and have moved out). On Thursday afternoon, my Señora, Concha, picked me up at the hotel and gave me [...]

The first two weeks of the new semester have been really busy. I’m not sure if our winter break ended late or started early but the second I got back to Bates it seemed like something was going on in every corner of campus. All of the activities started last Monday. In honor of Dr. [...]

“So yes, college is not an experience that everyone has the privilege of partaking in and yes, for some college is really not the best choice.  There are a few people I met in my time at Bates that really weren’t meant to be in college and this was not because they weren’t smart (they [...]

Hey all. I’ve only been in Spain for about a week now, but there is already so much to share about the beginning of my semester abroad from Bates… My journey began with a series of tiring flights and layovers. Door-to-door the trip took just under 19 hours, and, except for a few minor delays, went [...]

“It’s that time of year again, when Batesies commemorate a special tradition: Puddle Jump. This event occurs every January, when the pond is sufficiently frozen, and a hole is cut in the ice for courageous souls to swandive and cannonball into. Sure, the pond’s full of muck and other dirty unnamable entities, and oh yes, [...]

“The goal was to get students and staff in the space, remind them that it exists, and encourage them to come in during our weekly hours. Each time we bring people in, the atmosphere is so positive and artistic and at the end the walls look even more inspired and intricate. So wonderful!” Read more. [...]

“…H1N1 has been so hyped-up that no one wants to deal with anyone who may have the slightest chance of having swine flu.  I remember my senior year of college 1 of my 5 roommates got sick with “flu-like symptoms.”  She came back from the health center with some medicine and one of those white [...]

“I don’t know exactly what to expect. After my long journey in the air, the adventure really beings. I will be inundated with a lot of information during a quick orientation period: finding out where I will be living, who my host family is, what classes I will be taking, etc.” Read more. [...]

“Although classes were not held today in observance of this occasion, and despite an ongoing raging snowstorm, workshops were in session to discuss and to commemorate the importance of the civil rights movement in American history…I decided to attend a workshop titled ‘Allies, Townies and Terrorists: The Politics of Representation on Halloween,’ in which the [...]

Hey all. The waiting is over. Today I fly overseas to begin my semester abroad in Sevilla, Spain. I don’t know exactly what to expect. After my long journey in the air, the adventure really beings. I will be inundated with a lot of information during a quick orientation period: finding out where I will be [...]

“…Haiti was struck by an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 on January 13th, 2010, resulting in serious loss of buildings and lives. The effects of the catastrophe weren’t just felt by the people there, but on a worldwide scale- as the presence of its aftermath is felt here at Bates as well. As a [...]

“With our reference system, I’ve never had to experience frustration navigating any complexities from my searches. Ladd Library is probably the simplest research tool I’ve ever come across; when I need to look something up, I’m in and out of there in seconds rather than spending hours lost in a maze of books. If the [...]

“I mapped out my course of behavior for the job search- behavior that (as I’ve said numerous times before) I should have begun way before I actually did.  But you can’t change the past.  As I recently read in a short story by Tatjana Soli, the past is “just a story that happened to someone [...]

“This year’s theme is ‘Faith and Ethics in the Public Sphere’ which sounds really interesting. Professor Barbara Savage of the University of Pennsylvania will be the keynote speaker. Click on the bold text to see a calendar of the day’s events and a list of the workshops. Click here if you are interested in the [...]

“My Bates roomie emailed me this NY Times article today.  It’s about how business schools are beginning to realize the importance that critical thinking plays in any education- even a MBA.  The article talks about the benefits of going beyond accounting courses and understanding business terminology to being able to see patterns in information.  And [...]

Hey all… 5 days until I leave NY for Sevilla, Spain (by way of London, and then Madrid) for my semester abroad. It occurred to me that I depart on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is a holiday that has particular importance at Bates. On M.L.K. Jr. Day, or King Day as it is [...]

Check out Nora’s recent review she wrote for the WRBC 91.5FM blog HERE.

“My house is abustle with excitement- many juniors who lived here last semester have gone abroad and there are new people moving in and getting settled. While I’m sad and missing those who are having adventures in foreign lands, the new faces are all friendly and foreshadow a great semester.” Read more. [...]

“There is much to do in preparation for my departure and I am more than a little overwhelmed by it all. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I of course am very excited, but at this point in the process I can’t help but feel apprehensive as my semester in Spain rapidly approaches.” [...]

Hey all. Hope you’ve all had a great start to 2010. Now that it is the new year, the fact that I’m going abroad has truly started to sink in. And just in time: I leave in 10 days. There is much to do in preparation for my departure and I am more than a little [...]

Check out this brief video clip as you think about exploring Bates further. Listen to the many voices of current Bates students and Bates graduates.

“Welcome, all, to 2010.  I hope everyone has managed to unwind during the vacation, and made their New Year’s resolutions! I admit: although I haven’t been very effective about keeping most of my resolutions, I’ve been able to get down at least one each year…2009 was a spectacular year of change. Reflecting on 2009 in [...]

“This is the first time I’ve been sick since entering the real world (aka. Graduating from Bates and moving in on my own).  Had it been just over half a year ago I would have been wailing to my mother or crawling to the Bates Health Center for some middle-aged woman love.  But I have [...]

“A job interview is like taking the SAT.  The only thing you can really do sufficiently prepare is to take the damn practice tests 100,000 times before the real test because the key to success is not about knowing every answer, but having the stamina to outlast the whole ordeal in one piece.  You can [...]

“I’m like that old rocker dude that still wears his hair long and teased even though I’m going bald and tries to squeeze into tight jeans.  I’m not ready to let go of this piercing yet- it represented a phase in my life that is over but I still want to hold on to it.   [...]

“I’ve finally located my camera and uploaded pictures from Harvest Dinner and from the first snow of the year at Bates.” Read and see more.

Hey all. I’ve finally located my camera and uploaded pictures from Harvest Dinner and from the first snow of the year at Bates. Here is a sampling: FOR MORE WINTER/HARVEST DINNER PHOTOS: Click the links: Winter ‘09 and Harvest Dinner ‘09. As always, you can find even more photos in the ‘Pictures from Bates’ page located [...]

“Though I have a job right now I am still going home faced with a job-related dilemma.  I might be offered a full-time position in the new year.  If so, should I take it?  What would it mean for my future if I did?  If I didn’t? I shared this news via phone with my [...]

“At Bates they tell you to make sure your windows are closed before leaving on break.  If you were really good you’d remember to dump out your tiny garbage before leaving.  However, as a post graduate I’ve got to do a lot more than make sure my one window is closed before heading home for [...]

“So, as an introvert, I face a real challenge every day.  Like my cover letter, I must make an impression on my co-workers.  I need people to like me so that they will keep me around.  And I do this by expressing interest- interest in the company, interest in the work that everyone does, and [...]

“As finals wrap up, the semester starts to unravel to its last threads. Commons has been open longer lately, as the Dining Staff have been generous enough to host Late Night Breakfast for those who need a study break (and a healthy dose of food for temporary brain revival). The “finals” experience here at Bates [...]

“Loaded up with heavy backpacks, trudging from exam to exam, students dutifully make their way across campus, slipping and sliding the whole way. I am one of them, to be honest. I have had the embarrassing experience of taking a spill in front of what seems like the entire school. It isn’t that bad. It’s [...]

“I realize many of you are in the thick of the college process right now. I remember the stresses, the deadlines, the applications, the essays, and of course the age-old question: Do you know where you are going to school next year? If you are reading this you are presumably considering Bates. I don’t want [...]

“…I wished it was the 70s…  My parents (and the majority of the parents of my generation) had dozens of jobs after they graduated college that had absolutely nothing to do with what they are doing now.  My mom is a healthcare consultant.  She worked on Wall Street once.  My dad works for the March [...]

Hey all. I realize many of you are in the thick of the college process right now. I remember the stresses, the deadlines, the applications, the essays, and of course the age-old question: Do you know where you are going to school next year? If you are reading this you are presumably considering Bates. I [...]

“To prevent students from suffering from a potential melt-down about their workload, Bates supplies “care packages” (which typically involves a grab bag of chocolate, gum, and other snacks that the school has generously provided you, at a price). Tomorrow (Monday), there will also be a study break session, from 4-8 PM, at Gray Cage with [...]

“I finished Peggy Klaus’ book Brag!: The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It and I can say that I was glad to have read it.  First off, I want to offer her props for the witty book title- I think it’s a great play on words…Klaus’ point is that any and every [...]

“It is officially finals week here at Bates and, like everyone else on campus, I’m swamped with work. It’s actually not as bad as it has been in prior years. I have a 20 page research paper about slave conspiracy, a 7-10 page research paper about the borderlands between Mexico and the U.S. (to be written [...]

Hey all. It is officially finals week here at Bates and, like everyone else on campus, I’m swamped with work. It’s actually not as bad as it has been in prior years. I have a 20 page research paper about slave conspiracy, a 7-10 page research paper about the borderlands between Mexico and the U.S. (to [...]

“Looking back on the college process in high school, I remember how grueling the experience can be. However, now that I work at the Office of Student Financial Services, I had never realized it’s quite hectic up here on our end as well. Since it’s early decision season (the first round), the office transforms into [...]

“Without classes to attend, everyone camps themselves in their own study nooks and basically establishes homes there– I’ll admit to leaving my books and things in a comfy chair in the library for about 6 hours while I went home and did other various errands only to return to my coveted spot and continue studying. [...]

“The Multifaith dinner celebrates diversity in faith at Bates. Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Catholic, Christian Science, Jewish, Muslim and other faiths shared their stories about how faith has impacted their lives. The food was delicious and I was treated to a Indian dance performance.” Read more.

“But then I realized how much I am actually doing every day. I have a job- though it’s not the perfect dream job it’s a job. And I like the people that I work with and I like the atmosphere. I blog for Bates. I’m a networking/career guru. I do yoga every day. Somehow I’m [...]

“Bates College student organizations Amandla!, New World Coalition and the Haward Center for Community Partnerships recently sponsored a Health Care Forum held in Chase Hall Lounge. The forum was moderated by Marshall E. Hatch ‘10.” Read more.

“…I’d like to remind you that Bates is for the brave and fearless- if you think you can take on the challenge of weathering the winter (you’ll see snow for at least 2 more months) here in Maine, then bundle up, grab your gear, and head on over. Here’s the forecast for this month, just [...]