Tag Archives: Skidmore

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Applications to Wesleyan Surge by 4.18%

I googled “college admissions stock photo” and this is what came up. Can you dig it?

It’s been a rather turbulent few days for Wesleyan in the news, so here’s some positive news for a change. According to the New York Times’ The Choice blog (which has been surging along since the recent departure of its dear leader/resident Wesleyan hound Jacques Steinberg), total applications to Wesleyan rose by 4.18% for a total of 10,942 applicants for fall 2013. Since we’re all suckers for a good comparison chart, here’s how that stacks up with a few peer institutions:

It’s a comfortable leap (and eerily close to last year’s 4.5% rise in applications), but it’s nothing compared to Skidmore’s freakish 42% rise in applications.

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Introducing: Wesleying’s First Annual Michael Roth Snow Sculpture Contest

Photoshop magic by Matt Adelman ’13, my personal Photoshop assistant since 2007.

Attention, Wellesleyan. On the off chance you haven’t noticed, there’s approximately a mega-shit-ton of snow on the ground right now, and you’re frantically trying to figure out what to do with it. Go skiing on Foss? Turn Usdan WesWings trays into sleds? Stay in your room and Instagram luscious storm porn?

As Nemo the Blizzard keeps on trucking, we’ve got a solution. We’re formally inviting all students to build snow sculptures of Michael Roth ’78 on Andrus Field and send us photo evidence at staff(at)wesleying(dot)org. Please put “Roth à la Neige” in the subject line of your submission and include a few images of your magnum opus. We’ll reward the student or team of students who makes the best snow sculpture of Roth with a $25 gift certificate to La Boca, a personalized letter of congratulations typed on my personal Olympia Werke Ag. Wilhelmshaven typewriter (yes, really), and a public commendation on this here blog. The second-place winner will be personally serenaded by esteemed storyteller Brendan O’Donnell ’14 in the (on-campus) location of your choosing. This is not a joke. 

Lastly, full disclosure that I shamelessly stole this idea from the Government and American Studies departments at Skidmore, where my brother goes to school. I simply substituted Abraham Lincoln for Michael Roth, because they are in most cases interchangeable.

Happy sculpting!

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Le1f Pops Up on Pitchfork.tv, Continues Being Famous

Also, click past the jump for my five favorite Le1f-related gifs.

Lest you worry that we haven’t posted enough recently about rising hip hop sensation Le1f/Khalif Diouf ’11 (note: we have), here’s something to tide you over. The giftastic rapper behind “Wut” and “Soda” recently popped up on Pitchfork.tv, chatting about some of his influences (Wesleyan Pride Alert: “Heems is someone that inspires me a lot in terms of performance, and Das Racist”) and the vision he has for his wildly theatrical live performances:

“If someone was coming to see me, I would tell them to expect a really visceral, cathartic performance that is rap music. It’s a rap show that—I don’t want to say spiritual, but I’m trying to be very intense and honest and guttural. When I’m onstage and I realize people aren’t moving, it does force me to go really crazy. I have to find some rage.”

Filmed during CMJ, the interview also finds Le1f talking about his lyrics. “A lot of people say you can’t understand the words, and often I kind of don’t care,” he admits. “But one of the drawbacks of that is maybe people don’t understand the message. So it’s nice to have my dancers basically blessing the audience with holy water.” That theme also seems prevalent in the “Soda” video. Because it’s about, like, liquid and stuff.

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Skidmore…Has Sex!

Turns out that the students of yet another institution of higher learning also have sex. In keeping with the efforts of Wesleyan Uncut and those of the Oberlin Sexual Information Center, a group of students at Skidmore College declared their support for Planned Parenthood and Title X with a similar video (check that shoutout at the end):

Additionally, the folks at Dizzy Peoples Comedy lent their own unique brand of advocacy to the cause with the following parody — upon viewing it, you might recall the Ampersand’s take on this shizz.

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Bomb the Static WestCo Industry!

This post features a guest perspective by Will F. ’13 regarding a show organized by Will F. ’13, which also featured Will F  ’13. Also included: lots of photos of everyone else who enjoyed the hell out of this show—including, but certainly not limited to, Will F.  ’13.

You don’t need to serve on the Concert Committee to organize a show at Wesleyan. You just need to approach the Committee for approval, with backing from a WSA-recognized student group.

Will F. ’13 knows how the system works. (Why don’t more students take advantage of this?) That’s how he made this fantastic(al) dream lineup become a reality last Friday night at WestCo Cafe. On the bill: notoriously rowdy rock-rap collective Static Stamina (featuring Nicole Lepre ’13, Danny Sullivan ’13, Adrien DeFontaine ’13, Stefan Skripak ’13, Jacob Eichengreen ’13, Nate Jacobs ’13, and Will F. himself); Skidmore-based “friendcore” rockers The Hand-Me-Downs; and—here’s the kicker—seminal DYI punk group Bomb the Music Industry!, which is basically Static Stamina’s collective favorite band ever. Thanks, Student Budget Committee. You’re the best!

After the jump you’ll find choice images from Static and Bomb! sets (sorry, Hand-Me-Downs—too busy working the door to photograph yours), plus Will’s roundup of favorite moments from said performances. Mad creepy A-Batte face shots at no extra cost.

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