News in Brief: Demitria Kirby named new Director of Public Safety
Demitria Kirby began her role as the new director of Public Safety on campus on Oct. 25, taking over from Dan Gaiotti, who has been serving as interim director since September 2020.
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Demitria Kirby began her role as the new director of Public Safety on campus on Oct. 25, taking over from Dan Gaiotti, who has been serving as interim director since September 2020.
Back in competition for the first time since fall 2019, the Middlebury club crew team opened their season by reclaiming the Vermont Cup from the University of Vermont (UVM)––the first time Middlebury has defeated UVM in six years.
This fall, with long Proc lines, primarily in-person classes and no room capacity limits — according to the campus status page — many students welcome a return to a more “normal” semester. However, ResLife, dining hall staff and Public Safety officers are still tasked with enforcing rules like indoor mask mandates — and apparently have faced pushback from some students. On Oct. 7, Dean of Students Derek Doucet sent an email to students regarding “troubling incidents” of students refusing to comply with mask mandates. “In recent weeks, we have received a number of reports about deeply troubling aggression,” Doucet wrote. “These incidents have taken the form of verbal abuse, refusal to comply with instructions from College officials, and more rarely, physical altercations.” This email came as a surprise to some students, including Tate Sutter ’24.5, a First-Year Counselor in Hepburn. “Room capacities were the really big thing last year, and without those, it’s pretty much asking someone to put a mask on, then that person puts a mask on,” Sutter said. “That’s been my experience.” Others, like Helen Vaughan ’24.5, found that it can be challenging to strike a balance between normalcy and remaining cautious on campus. “I think it’s hard because, on the one hand, like 99% of the student population is vaccinated, so it’s really easy to just pretend like everything is fine and be annoyed about having to wear a mask,” Vaughan said. “But at the same time, it’s still also hard for the dining staff and RAs and custodial staff to have to enforce it because this is still the rule, and you can still get [Covid-19].” Doucet called for students to reflect on these incidents and brainstorm solutions. The college is now hosting virtual open office hours on Thursdays, beginning Oct. 14. The office hours will feature a rotating group of senior student affairs staff members, including Doucet, Executive Director for the Center for Health and Wellness Barbara McCall and Vice President of Student Affairs Smita Ruzicka.
For the cohort of students living off campus this year, getting to class is not a breezy five-minute stroll from their dorm room. Many juniors living at the Marriott, the Inn on the Green or Bread Loaf have felt let down by inconsistent transportation to campus and a lack of clear communication from the college. Chang Ma ’23 was deciding between living at Bread Loaf or at the Marriott, and ultimately chose the Marriott. He expressed frustration with the shuttle system, and has had to walk to campus, sometimes missing classes due to miscommunication about the shuttle schedules. “They’ve [ResLife] never apologized or taken responsibility,” Ma said. Glenn Kontor ’23 is living at Bread Loaf this semester, and described the experience as bittersweet. Kontor, like other Bread Loaf residents, received a room and board discount and future housing priority along with free ski passes for the coming season. Kontor looks forward to learning how to ski this winter, but the distance from campus has its challenges. “It literally takes an hour to commute to and from Breadloaf and campus, as opposed to the five- to seven-minute walk I’ve experienced my first two years at Middlebury,” Kontor said. “I can’t go to my room to take a nap or grab something I’ve forgotten, and if I have any clubs or commitments in the evening, I’m waiting around on campus until I’m able to head home for the night.” Audrey Grimes ’23 was originally placed at the Bread Loaf campus but jumped at the opportunity to live closer to campus. Now, she lives at the Inn on the Green with about 20 other students. “I don’t know what I was expecting, but it’s definitely not bad,” Grimes said. “I still feel like I’m pretty much on campus, because it is close. I can drive — I can walk if I want to.” Unlike students living at the Marriott and Bread Loaf, students living at the Inn on the Green do not receive any benefits like room and board discounts or future housing priority. “I think we should at least get housing priority for next year,” Grimes said. “It’s still not ideal.” There are no RAs or other staff members at the Inn on the Green, which struck Grimes as strange. “I wish someone would check in on us and be like ‘Hey, how is this going?’” she said. In addition to the lack of in-person support, Grimes has also been disappointed with the college’s communication with residents and said that there is confusion surrounding parking and transportation. Grimes said there are also concerns about the colder weather, since students will be less likely to walk or bike to campus and therefore will rely more on the shuttle system.
This fall, Middlebury is buzzing with construction projects, including site preparation near Bicentennial Hall for a new first-year dorm and renovations of Warner Hall and Dana Auditorium. The Board of Trustees approved funding for a conceptual design of construction documents for a new first-year dorm to replace Battell to get the project shovel-ready. This included granting approval to prepare the new construction site. Currently, the steam lines for central campus heating are being moved, according to David Provost, executive vice president for finance and administration. “So all that [construction] is literally just to be in a position to move forward, which was also approved by the board as part of the capital project,” Provost said. The next steps for the new first-year dorm project include acquiring state environmental permits for new construction, which according to Provost has not yet occurred, and identifying a funding source. Provost said that there are two considerations for funding — either fundraising or borrowing debt, which will be discussed at the board level. The plans for the new dorm include features that Battell currently lacks such as seminar rooms, lounges and study rooms. Additionally, the building will be universally designed and accessible. Because the two biggest variables in the construction of the new dorm — funding sources and building costs — have not yet been finalized, the college has not set a start date for construction on the new freshman dorm. Provost estimates the earliest possible date for construction is next summer. Other spaces on campus are also undergoing accessibility renovations. Munroe and Voter halls were updated last year and last summer respectively, and Warner Hall and Dana Auditorium are currently under construction. Dana will be completed by the new year, in time for J-Term, with updated and fully accessible features. Warner is undergoing a complete remodel and is scheduled to be finished next summer. “The spirit of this strategy is constant improvement,” Provost said. In the next five to seven years, the college also plans to build a new student center by Proctor and a new art museum where Battell is currently located.
The Feb class has been a welcome winter addition to campus for the past 50 years, bringing fresh faces and new energy as students head into the spring semester. In recent semesters, however, an increasing number of students are taking time away from school, moving into and out of Feb class years. Prospective students can indicate on their application if they are interested in being part of the Feb class, allowing them to spend a semester elsewhere before attending the college as a first year. Every February, about 100 students, a mix of students who did or did not indicate that they wanted to enter mid-year, are selected as Febs and arrive on campus after taking a semester off (dubbed a “Febmester”). However, with athletic competition halted, classes online, study abroad complications and general Covid-19 fatigue, students have been taking semesters off in the middle of their college experience to reflect, recharge or work. Increasingly, students are “Febbing” themselves and blurring the lines between Febs and regs. Tired of online classes, Ella Roelofs ’23.5 took the spring 2021 semester off and spent time working on a farm, at a restaurant and doing an internship. But even though she now has a “.5” at the end of her class year, Roelofs still does not think of herself as a Feb. “I don’t really consider myself a Feb because I was not part of the initial Feb class, and I think coming in as a Feb defines the Feb class more,” Roelofs said, adding that she refers to herself as a fake junior Feb given that she started as a reg student. Helen Vaughan ’24.5 agreed that coming to the college during the winter and her semester as a first year Feb was crucial in building connections with other Febs. “There is a pretty strong sense of community you build that first semester,” she said. Though Vaughan did not check the Feb box on her application, she was offered admittance as a Feb. Upon reflection, Vaughan is glad she took time off and worked on a farm in her hometown. Like Roelofs, Per Alexander’s ’24.5 decision was influenced by Covid-19. Alexander initially did not indicate a preference for Feb or regular acceptance but was happy to ultimately be admitted as a Feb and welcomed the time off. Other Febs were specifically drawn to Middlebury for the Feb program, which is one of the largest and oldest mid-year enrollment programs in the country. Mary Nagy-Benson ’24.5 applied specifically for Feb admission and was really excited to be part of a small cohort of students on campus. “I really wanted to be a Feb, especially since I’m from this town [of Middlebury], and I wanted to go somewhere else and have some time off from school,” Nagy-Benson said. She spent her Febmester on a canoe trip in Minnesota and working in the Middlebury area. There are often stereotypical traits associated with Febs, but with more students taking time off, that image is changing. “I feel like the Feb stereotype is that you’re very outdoorsy and crunchy, but I feel like in reality — meeting people who are Febs — it’s like a really wide variety,” Vaughan said. “There are people who are Febs who come from all walks of life.” With time passing and more students joining and leaving the Feb class, Febs and regs have become more integrated. “There’s much less of a cookie-cutter Feb right now,” Finn Warner ’24.5 said. Warner said that in the future, he believes that more students will welcome the time off, and the Feb path might gain more traction. Alexander added that in his second semester with a new dorm and classes, he has met many more reg students. “When you come in the middle of the year, everyone is so deeply ingrained in their routines,” Alexander said. “I just think that generally as we go on, the idea of a Feb is going to get less and less [concrete] because more people are going to Feb themselves or reg themselves or study abroad.” Despite lots of movement in and out of the class, being a Feb is still a cornerstone of the Middlebury experience for some and remains a unique opportunity for students to take a nontraditional college path.
From an unusual system for course registration to packed classrooms, both students and professors are feeling the impact of over-enrollment — and many have concerns about the potential spread of Covid-19 in the classroom. The morning of course registration is typically a time of stress for Middlebury students, fraught with countdown timers and frantic emails to get into often long-ago-filled classes. This fall, with a student body of over 2,800 students — about 300 students more than in a typical year — tensions are heightened. Now more than ever, students are having trouble getting into courses, and classrooms are packed with those hoping to get off waitlists. With more than 50 additional first years registering this semester, the college divided students randomly by First Year Seminar into two registration groups, one registering at 10 a.m. and the other registering half an hour later. The change was intended to improve registration software performance, but many students in the second round struggled to register for any of the classes they wanted. The second group of students will have priority for registration in the spring. Unlike in the fall, however, spring courses do not have seats reserved specifically for first years. Addie Morrison ’25 was in the second wave of registration and only got into one class from her three original registration plans. Although she is grateful to have successfully registered for four classes, Morrison is taking an online class, which she did not expect. “I figured I wouldn’t get the classes in my first plan, but I wasn’t expecting it to be that crazy,” Morrison said. This fall, Middlebury added about 30 more lecture-and seminar-style classes compared to fall 2019, according to Dean of Curriculum Grace Spatafora. Middlebury also welcomed 44 new faculty members, of which nine are tenure-track professors. Last fall, Middlebury hired 33 faculty members. Despite the new hires, students and professors alike reported that classes feel overcrowded. In some cases, there is not enough seating available. “I have people sitting on the windowsill in my environment class,” Meaghan McEnroe ’24.5 said. “They are definitely overloading the classes, but it’s still hard to get in.” McEnroe was only able to get into one of the four classes she was hoping to take and expressed frustration with the registration process. “It is all about how fast you can log into BannerWeb, and then you have to beg professors to get into classes.” Sophomores, juniors and seniors registered this past spring, with older students selecting first. Still, some have struggled to switch into classes they wanted or needed. The new pressures of over-enrollment in classes and limited course options has raised questions surrounding the value of tuition, which was increased by 2.5% in February 2021. McEnroe agreed, saying that her parents were upset. “They’re like, ‘How do we send you when you’re not even taking the classes you’re supposed to be there for?’” While students search for spots in already full courses, faculty are also struggling with the consequences of over-enrollment as the college transitions back to in-person learning. Facing classrooms filled above capacity and heightened concerns about Covid-19, some professors are pushing for safer classrooms and better compensation. “The room is bursting at the seams and feels extremely unsafe in terms of capacity, ventilation, and distancing,” said Eilat Glikman, associate professor of physics, of the classroom assigned to her for the fall. Glikman is returning to campus this fall after a full year of remote teaching. While she looks forward to resuming in-person teaching, she is frustrated with the college’s Covid-19 classroom policies for capacity limits. According to her, classrooms were not designed to accommodate the college’s over-enrollment. In a cramped room where some students cannot sit facing the blackboard, Glickman believes her teaching has been affected negatively by these compromises. And as even more students than before the pandemic squeeze into classrooms, physical distancing is often impossible to maintain. Glikman is also concerned with students’ relaxed attitudes about appropriate face mask use, which makes for a nerve-wracking teaching experience. “I see a lot of poorly fitted masks, and a lot of exposed noses. Students will drink during class pulling their masks down,” Glikman said.
Middlebury will hold commencement ceremonies for both the class of 2022 and the class of 2020 this upcoming May. Graduates from the class of 2020 will return for an in-person commencement after their initial graduation ceremony in spring 2020 was moved online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Members of the class of 2020.5, who were given an impromptu Feb graduation in Nov. 2020 after new Covid-19 gathering restrictions were put in place by the Vermont government, will be invited to join as well. The class of 2022 will celebrate commencement on Sunday, May 29, while the classes of 2020 and 2020.5 will commence the following Tuesday, May 31. There will be two commencement speakers — one for the class of 2022, who has yet to be announced. Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player, is slated to speak at the ceremony for the classes of 2020 and 2020.5. There is some confusion over why the make-up commencement will be on a Tuesday, two days after the ceremony for the class of 2022. A significant consideration for the ceremony being on Tuesday was consideration for staff, according to Jennifer Erwin, Director of Event Management. “Even in a normal year, [staff] work overtime during the month of June to prepare for the annual spring and summer campus events such as Reunion and the summer sessions of Bread Loaf and the Language Schools,” Erwin said in an email to The Campus. According to Erwin, the college will provide support for travel assistance, and more information will be released when available. There are also discussions underway regarding where to house members of the class of 2020(.5), with details likely to be available later in the fall. Marisa Edmondson ’20 is planning to return to campus for graduation, but is frustrated with the lack of communication surrounding senior week activities and housing. “Even if only half the class comes back, that's still 300+ kids and their families. There aren’t enough places to stay,” Edmondson said. “I do feel like the college kind of forgot about us and has done a bad job at communicating with us about our belated ceremony.” Abby Okin ’20 also plans on attending commencement. “I want to go because I never really got to say goodbye to that part of my life,” Okin said. “It’s strange to live somewhere for four years and build a life there and then have to leave abruptly.” Erwin said she is excited to welcome the classes of 2020 and 2020.5 back to campus. “We felt that hosting graduation as a short extension of the Memorial Day weekend, and giving notice a year in advance, was a way we could fulfill our promise to our students and to show staff the care and respect that our students themselves would want,” Erwin said. Edmondson hopes that the commencement ceremony will bring a sense of closure after a chaotic end to her on-campus senior year in March 2020. She also added that due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, she has not been able to see many of her classmates since their early departure from campus. “I am excited to be able to celebrate with my friends and be back in Vermont,” Edmondson said, “And I know my parents and family are excited to actually see me in a cap and gown walking across the stage.”
In the last two weeks of the semester, graffiti with phrases referencing Indigenous land rights appeared around campus. The sentence “‘American Rent Is Due’” was spray painted in red on the canvas of a large tent on Battell Beach on May 19. The next week on May 27, the phrase “Land Back” was spray painted in red on the sidewalk at the base of Mead Chapel. “Land Back” is the name of a political movement that calls for “the reclamation of everything stolen from the original Peoples” — including land, language, ceremony, medicine and kinship — according to the organization’s manifesto. The first phrase is associated with a mural project on the Navajo Nation called the “Painted Desert Project.” A group of artists painted “American rent is due” across the back of an abandoned motel in Arizona as part of the project. The Vermont government continues to grapple with policies surrounding Abenaki land rights and recognition like offering free hunting and fishing licenses, putting Abenaki place names on state park signs and apologizing for forced sterilization programs. In 2019, Middlebury issued a formal land acknowledgement recognizing that the college sits on Abenaki land. The statement is read aloud at major Middlebury ceremonies, including commencement. The college has also worked with local Indigenous people to create certain initiatives, such as offering an Abenaki language program at Middlebury Language schools and allowing access to college lands to collect food and medicine. Brad Lambert, the college stone mason, was alerted to the graffiti in front of Mead Chapel early in the morning of May 27 and quickly removed it. He noticed many similarities between the two graffiti incidents and strongly believes that they are related. He also noted that the graffiti may not have ever reached its intended audience. “Not a lot of the student body ends up seeing this [graffiti]. Typically it’s cleaned up before the students are even awake,” Lambert said. “Their message really isn't getting across to a lot of people.” Although he did not remove it himself, Lambert said that graffiti on the tent on Battell Beach was more difficult to take down since it was on canvas. Lambert and other members of facilities are frustrated with graffiti, especially since it can be very damaging to the old stonework around campus. Lambert also noted how these incidents were very inconvenient while staff was busy preparing for commencement. “It [vandalism] just wastes our time, especially around commencement,” he said. “We’re working overtime, trying to make this campus look awesome for the student body, then we have to break away and go clean graffiti. We just don’t have time for that.” Public Safety is investigating the incidents. In an email to The Campus, Interim Director of Public Safety Dan Gaiotti encouraged students to reach out with information.
In the last two weeks of the semester, graffiti with phrases referencing Indigenous land rights appeared around campus. The sentence “‘American Rent Is Due’” was spray painted in red on the canvas of a large tent on Battell Beach on May 19. The next week on May 27, the phrase “Land Back” was spray painted in red on the sidewalk at the base of Mead Chapel. “Land Back” is the name of a political movement that calls for “the reclamation of everything stolen from the original Peoples” — including land, language, ceremony, medicine and kinship — according to the organization’s manifesto. The first phrase is associated with a mural project on the Navajo Nation called the “Painted Desert Project.” A group of artists painted “American rent is due” across the back of an abandoned motel in Arizona as part of the project. The Vermont government continues to grapple with policies surrounding Abenaki land rights and recognition like offering free hunting and fishing licenses, putting Abenaki place names on state park signs and apologizing for forced sterilization programs. In 2019, Middlebury issued a formal land acknowledgement recognizing that the college sits on Abenaki land. The statement is read aloud at major Middlebury ceremonies, including commencement. The college has also worked with local Indigenous people to create certain initiatives, such as offering an Abenaki language program at Middlebury Language schools and allowing access to college lands to collect food and medicine. Brad Lambert, the college stone mason, was alerted to the graffiti in front of Mead Chapel early in the morning of May 27 and quickly removed it. He noticed many similarities between the two graffiti incidents and strongly believes that they are related. He also noted that the graffiti may not have ever reached its intended audience. “Not a lot of the student body ends up seeing this [graffiti]. Typically it’s cleaned up before the students are even awake,” Lambert said. “Their message really isn't getting across to a lot of people.” Although he did not remove it himself, Lambert said that graffiti on the tent on Battell Beach was more difficult to take down since it was on canvas. Lambert and other members of facilities are frustrated with graffiti, especially since it can be very damaging to the old stonework around campus. Lambert also noted how these incidents were very inconvenient while staff was busy preparing for commencement. “It [vandalism] just wastes our time, especially around commencement,” he said. “We’re working overtime, trying to make this campus look awesome for the student body, then we have to break away and go clean graffiti. We just don’t have time for that.” Public Safety is investigating the incidents. In an email to The Campus, Interim Director of Public Safety Dan Gaiotti encouraged students to reach out with information.
Battell hall, completed in 1955 and home to more than 250 first years each year, is known for its reputation as the most social first-year dorm, its bathtubs, and its ivy-covered facade. The residential hall, often considered a rite of passage by students, is also infamous for its outdated features and lack of lounges or study rooms. With this in mind, the administration plans to start construction on a new first-year dorm that will eventually replace Battell on the north side of Battell Beach, with plans to break ground as early as September. The new Battell will be four stories tall and house up to 284 students, close to half of the typical first-year class. Current designs for the facade of the hall resemble other buildings on campus, and the residence hall’s interior will feature lounges and shared spaces — amenities the current Battell lacks. It will also be built in accordance with principles of universal accessibility, according to David Provost, executive vice president for finance and administration. The new Battell was designed with student input, and members of the Student Government Association (SGA) sat in on meetings and shared ideas for dorm improvement. Karina Martir ’24, SGA first-year senator, said that she advocated for more natural light, study spaces and lounge spaces for activities like ping pong tables. Additionally, the college gathered input from Residential Life. Once construction begins, Provost estimated that it would take about 18 months to complete, and the earliest students could move into the new Battell would be January 2023. Since last summer, much of Battell Beach has been fenced off for the excavation and rerouting of steam pipes. According to Provost some of the recently rerouted steam pipes would be impacted by the construction of the new Battell and would need to be relocated again, but this movement is included in the capital plan and budget. The college is working with Voith and Mactavish Architects, a Philadelphia-based firm, and plans to run a fundraising campaign in the future to cover the construction costs. Several architecture students at Middlebury have also worked on the project, and some students will be working as interns this summer to help with the design. Many students welcome the idea of a new and updated Battell. “It could be a lot better, especially compared to the other places on campus,” Julia Pepper ’24, who currently lives in Battell Center, said. “It’s just kind of beaten down, especially when you look at some of the other freshman housing.” Over the years, Battell has garnered a reputation for being a rite of passage among alumni and current students and a sense of community among students. “I have met so many of my friends through living in Battell,” Pepper said. “It’s definitely a friendly dorm.” “When you meet new people, and they ask what hall you live in, and you say Battell, there’s an instant light-hearted comedy about it,” Martir, a resident of Battell South, said. “It’s been cool to connect.” Provost said Middlebury also plans to construct a new student center in the next 5–10 years as part of the college’s master plan. “When I first arrived at Middlebury, I was shocked that there didn’t seem to be a living room of the campus,” Provost said. “It also struck me that many of the student clubs and organizations are scattered throughout the campus, and it creates silos.” With this in mind, the college plans to construct a new student center where Proctor dining hall and the tennis courts are currently located. Provost envisions this space as a hub for late-night dining, student organizations, financial aid and registrar offices. The college’s master plan also includes the construction of a new art museum where Battell is currently located, which would house pieces from Special Collections and the Middlebury College Museum of Art in Mahaney Arts Center. Provost imagines this being a multifunctional space for classes and art exhibits that students can interact with regardless of major. So far, construction plans have only been secured for the new Battell building. To avoid housing issues, the new Battell would need to be completed before the current hall could be torn down. These upcoming renovations are among a series of construction projects undertaken in the past couple of years. Last year Munroe Hall was renovated, and this upcoming summer, Warner and parts of Voter will undergo construction. This fall, Dana Auditorium will be renovated as well. Senior News Editor Tony Sjodin contributed reporting.
If you take a stroll around campus, you will likely see students sporting Lululemon leggings, Canada Goose coats or Apple watches. On their feet, you might see Blundstones, L.L. Bean boots, Birkenstocks, Tevas or Chacos. These are some of the most trendy and popular brand-name items that students wear, but they’re also often prohibitively pricey and don’t always live up to the hype. “There’s a lot of crunchy, outdoorsy people, and a lot of wealthy people. And so that combined, you get a lot of Patagonia, North Face, HydroFlasks and Osprey backpacks,” Helen Vaughan ’24.5 said. When asked about what he considered the MiddKid look to be, Jeffrey Bolnick ’24 said, “I would say pretty preppy, which is expected for a liberal arts school, especially in New England.” Isabela Bahadorzadeh ’23 felt an immediate sense of pressure to fit in with the Middlebury image even before coming to campus. “When I got into Middlebury and found out I was going to go here, I immediately started saving up to buy a Patagonia rain jacket,” Bahadorzadeh said. However, she did not find that it lived up to the hype. “It’s a perfectly good rain jacket, but there was no need for me to do that,” Bahadorzadeh said. Bolnick has a Patagonia sweatshirt and agreed that brand names play an important role in deciding to buy these items. “It’s definitely a good sweatshirt, but it is a lot based on the brand,” Bolnick said. “People want people to see the little Patagonia logo. It definitely is a bit of a status symbol.” Vaughan questioned the necessity of purchasing brand-name items, especially since there are plenty of alternatives. “I definitely do feel like there are brands that are totally blown out of proportion sometimes, or that you find products of equal measure from different stores, but because it has the brand name, people buy that product,” Vaughan said. Julia Pepper ’24 found that her personal style has started to change since coming to Middlebury, and now she incorporates more flannel and sherpa into her wardrobe. “[Outdoorsy styles] honestly feels pretty engrained,” Pepper said. “To me, at least, it doesn’t seem like people are changing, like this is what they’ve always worn.” “I do think Middlebury attracts that kind of person since we’re kind of in the middle of nowhere and the middle of the mountains; it’s going to attract people who want to spend time outside,” Vaughan said. There is also a significant cost barrier to the Middlebury look. Blundstones are about $200 per pair, Patagonia fleeces are typically over $100 and North Face backpacks start at around $70, raising the issue of exclusivity. After being on campus and making friends, Bahadorzadeh felt less pressure to fit in. “I got here and realized that this preppy, white Middlebury vibe wasn’t my vibe, and my closest friends weren’t going to be part of that group,” Bahadorzadeh said. “I can wear whatever, and it doesn’t matter.” Ultimately, not all students align with these trends, and many choose to spend their years at Middlebury exploring and refining their personal styles. Students are constantly creating new styles with the understanding that Middlebury should be a place of experimentation where it is okay to exist outside the norm.
While students with cars enjoy day trips around Addison County and grocery shopping at Hannaford, students without cars on Middlebury’s rural campus have historically faced a set of travel-related hurdles. And this year, these challenges have expanded to include traveling to vaccine appointments, some of which are hours away from campus. Having a car on campus shapes fundamental aspects of the Middlebury experience — and sometimes widens existing gaps in access. Liam Ferry ’24 feels that having a car on campus has significantly expanded his area of immediate access, opening up more options for outdoor recreation in Addison County. Ferry, who drives a Subaru Forester, appreciated being able to go up to the Snow Bowl this past winter with his friends. “It allowed me and my friends, some of whom hadn’t skied or snowboarded before, to go to the Snow Bowl and start,” Ferry said. Liza Toll ’24, who drives a silver Toyota Prius she affectionately nicknamed “Elliot,” also enjoys exploring the local mountains and lakes that are only reachable by driving. “It’s also been nice to get out and go for hikes,” Toll said. “I visited the lovely Abbey Pond trail this weekend, which was wonderful.” Maggie Allen ’24 has her mom’s car on campus this semester and mainly uses her vehicle to go out to eat. She and her friends often stop by Middlebury Bagel and the Natural Foods Co-op. “It’s definitely been really nice. Especially with Covid, it’s harder to ask someone to use their car,” Allen said. “It’s nice to have the option to go grocery shopping and little things like that.” Having a car also allows students to have more spontaneous adventures around Addison County, since students with cars do not have to rely on others to make longer-distance trips. “I wouldn’t have been able to just randomly drive up to Snake Mountain without a little more preparation,” Ferry said. “Although Middlebury is in such a good spot outdoor-recreation-wise, none of it is accessible without a car unless you’re willing to walk 10 miles.” For those without a vehicle on campus, these types of planned or spontaneous outings are anything but feasible. Hugo Bocker ’22 noted feeling limited from certain activities without having his own car. “I probably would have gone skiing a lot more if I had a car. It’s just so annoying having to take the bus with all your stuff and not having the flexibility to come and go when you want,” he said. Disparities in travel opportunities may be lessened by Covid-19 restrictions, which make it so that students cannot leave Addison County this semester. Currently, students are allowed to travel within the county for outdoor recreation activities like hiking and biking, but unguided overnight outings or off-campus outdoor gatherings are not permitted at this time. Still, students with cars on campus are able to be more mobile within the county. Additionally, Vermont’s unpredictable weather — including some April snow this year — has had a role in keeping students close to campus. Allen said she hopes the weather improves in the next couple of weeks to take advantage of nearby swimming spots. Still, having a car has also helped students more easily travel to get vaccinated. Instead of trying to find a ride to a nearby town, students were able to drive themselves to vaccine appointments even if they were far away. Until the college began offering appointments on campus, some students without a car worried about getting to their vaccine appointments in addition to struggling to find transportation for other errands. “As an international student, for example, I need to sort out my social security number and other administrative things, which has been difficult without a car. Getting a vaccine was also a problem before they began offering them on campus,” Bocker said. Meagan Tan ’21 noted some of the inconveniences that result from not having a personal vehicle on campus, including the difficulty of making short trips to the grocery store and the inability to make excursions around Addison County. She mentioned that there is also a dimension of guilt to having to ask friends with cars for rides. “I feel bad asking more than once for rides,” Tan said. “I don’t want to impose on the schedules of others. There’s this dynamic here where people are friends with people with cars just because they have cars, so it becomes a friendship of convenience, and I don’t want my friends to feel like that.” Tan also expressed that bicycling is not always a viable alternative to transportation via car, since the roads in Middlebury are not specifically designed with the safety of cyclists in mind. “There are always huge trucks speeding by all the time when I ride my bike, so it doesn’t feel very safe,” Tan said. While some without cars on campus expressed frustration with the resulting inconveniences, other students indicated that they felt having a car on campus has not significantly changed their experience. “I don’t think honestly it’s had a huge effect on my quality of life,” Ferry said. “If you don’t have a car, you’ll find other people on campus who do, or you’ll hang out on campus.” Ferry added that by virtue of having a car on campus, he sometimes feels more pressure to explore the surrounding area instead of just hanging out on campus. “Now that I do have a car, it’s like every time I have free time it’s like ‘Wow, I’m here, but I have the capacity to go be hiking or exploring Vermont, should I be doing that and taking advantage of this nice day?’” Ferry said.
To accommodate workplace safety measures put in place due to Covid-19, the custodial department developed a new cleaning schedule which now includes readjusted shifts — including some at night or starting as early as 4 a.m. — and services seven days a week. Staff members not only were forced to adjust to new hours but were rearranged across campus, leaving some frustrated with their new shifts and locations. The more rigorous cleaning and disinfecting regimen necessitated by the pandemic prompted the department to reorganize its operations last fall. Before Covid-19, staff members primarily worked during the day, according to Associate Director for Custodial and Support Services Missy Beckwith. Custodial is now disinfecting classrooms daily — an increase from the previous Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule — a change put in place during the fall semester. Teams are also cleaning residential spaces between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. to minimize contact with students. Beckwith said that the change allowed the department to meet the higher bar for cleaning set by the pandemic and was also instituted to protect the health of staff members tasked with cleaning these spaces. “In order to be efficient and effective and meet Covid cleaning standards that keep us safe and to help our staff feel good and safe — meaning that they’re not in congested, heavily occupied buildings — we created the overnight shift,” Beckwith said. Previously, only public places like the library were cleaned on weekends, but according to Beckwith, the pandemic has increased the need to disinfect surfaces around campus. These changes have prompted mixed reactions from staff. “The only really big thing that I feel in how my job has changed is the added work of disinfecting and the times that we clean spaces,” one staff member, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution, said. “[For] example, [we] used to not be able to clean a dorm until after 8 a.m. Now we go in at 4 in the morning.” While reassigning new shifts, the department sent a survey to its staff that allowed them to share when they were able and willing to work. “I feel like things are working well. However, I feel there are some of my co-workers who want to change shifts,” the anonymous staff member said. Custodian Jenny Hargett was unhappy with the new arrangement. She had previously spent the last four years working in Hadley, but was recently moved to the Chateau, where she continues her job of daily cleaning and disinfecting. Hargett was unsure why she and other staff had to be relocated to new buildings. “I get that there's guidelines, and we all understand,” she said. “But we're not doing anything different in these dorms that we're in now than the dorms we would have been in originally.” Hargett misses the students that she got to know over the course of each year in Hadley, and believes that students in that dorm knew her name and were more comfortable approaching her with issues — such as broken appliances or the need for toiletries — or questions. She feels like her time would be better spent on her old floor rather than in the Chateau. “We’re all very upset; morale around campus is really low for staff. We just don't feel like we're appreciated.” Hargett said. “I don't think any of us feel like we've got an opinion that is heard.” As a result of the increased workload, workplace safety measures and the taxing schedule, custodians no longer clean suites. Custodial also no longer fully cleans small houses, though they do come through to disinfect surfaces. Students living in either of these types of residences were provided with cleaning supplies at the beginning of each semester and are expected to keep their spaces tidy. Beckwith hopes that this gives students in apartment-style living more independence. Additionally, she said that the risk of spreading Covid-19 in these spaces is reduced because the same small groups of students are living in one place instead of a more highly trafficked dorm building. While the pandemic has brought new challenges, it has also allowed the department to become more adaptive, according to Team Liaison Sierra Lane. “Ideally, no one wants to be dealing with coronavirus, but we are managing,” Lane said. “We are definitely stepping up.”
Michael Wasserstein ’21 is Middlebury College’s unofficial resident weatherman. Wasserstein, a physics major hailing from Middlebury, Conn., runs @addisoncountyweatherwatchers, a popular Instagram account, where he posts daily forecasts, as well as a weekly radio show and a blog, which he uses to discuss and analyze the weather. Wasserstein has been fascinated by weather since a young age. “I grew up as a skier, and I was always waiting for it to snow, checking forecasts, reading blogs, watching TV, trying to find when the next snow was going to be. I was always looking at the weather,” Wasserstein said. During his freshman year, he decided to start the Addison County Weather Watchers radio show for WRMC 91.1 FM, which airs every Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m. Wasserstein created his Instagram account, which now has nearly 300 followers, during J-Term of his sophomore year. Every day Wasserstein posts a photo from around campus with a short write-up about the day’s forecast. He has enjoyed watching students incorporate his weather forecasting into their daily routine. “Especially [recently], I’ve seen the Instagram start to gain some traction,” Wasserstein said. “People tell me that they don’t look at their weather app; they’ll just wake up every morning, read my post and plan their day accordingly.” His blog, born out of pandemic idleness, includes more detailed write-ups of weather events. Two Middlebury weather events have been particularly memorable to Wasserstein. He was shocked when a tornado touched down in Middlebury on March 26. “Tornados almost never happen in Vermont, and they almost never happen in Vermont in March,” Wasserstein said. “The fact that this one happened in Middlebury literally two miles away from campus is incredible.” Wasserstein also vividly remembers a big snowstorm during Martin Luther King Day weekend his sophomore year. Wasserstein recalls frigid temperatures and powerful winds. He continued exploring this particular storm for his senior research project in physics. Middlebury does not have a meteorology program, so Wasserstein has never formally studied weather in an academic setting, but he is planning to attend graduate school at the University of Utah to study atmospheric science this fall to pursue his love of weather. Wasserstein is most interested in studying past storms and events. The summer after his sophomore year, he interned at his local NBC television station in Connecticut. There, he worked with presenters to prepare their forecasts, created weather graphics and even had the opportunity to practice presenting in front of a green screen. Although he does not want to pursue a television career, the internship cemented his interest in studying weather. “Before the summer after my sophomore year, I wasn’t 100% sure I wanted to go into weather, and after that experience, it was, ‘Yes, I absolutely want to do it.’ I don’t want to be on TV, but it was cool just learning about weather and gaining connections,” Wasserstein said. Wasserstein also led introductory meteorology workshops for the past two J-Terms, allowing students to learn more about the weather. What does the ideal day of weather look like to the Addison County Weather Watcher himself? “We get a storm system that moves in at 8 p.m. the previous night, drops a lot of snow overnight, and you wake up, and the skies are completely blue, but we’ve gotten a foot of new snow,” Wasserstein said. “It’s sunny and cold, 20 degrees, for the entire day. Absolutely a good day for skiing.”
Thirty-year-old Cassie was a “promising young woman” until the inadequate response to her best friend’s rape caused her to drop out of medical school. Now, she lives a double life. By day she works at a cafe, and at night she goes to clubs pretending to be precariously drunk until a “nice guy” offers to take her home. As they try to take advantage of her, she reveals her sobriety to their chagrin — though the form her revenge takes is often left unseen. She repeats this scheme every weekend until an unexpected encounter forces her to confront her past. “Promising Young Woman” is a revenge thriller, a rom-com and a mystery all at once — an overall spectacular film directorial debut from Emerald Fennell. The writing is sharp and the banter is witty. Carrie Mulligan dazzles, embodying the feisty Cassie with grace; she garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Actress along the way. “Promising Young Woman” attacks rape culture, dismantling commonly held beliefs about victim blaming and the idea of “nice guys” always being harmless. Through sometimes twisted means, Cassie lets characters confront their hypocrisies about rape and the role of bystanders. She is a nuanced protagonist — a strong-willed and clever woman who is not afraid to lie and manipulate to achieve her goals. Even so, she remains an empathetic and emotional individual struggling with grief, identity and love. Beyond Mulligan, the ensemble cast featuring Bo Burnham, Jennifer Coolidge, Connie Britton, Laverne Cox and Alison Brie, is excellent. Many of the male actors, such as Max Greenfield of “New Girl” fame, Christopher Mintz-Plasse from “Superbad” and Adam Brody of “Gilmore Girls” are famous for playing harmless, lovable boyfriends in comedies. In “Promising Young Woman,” though, they take on more sinister roles, flipping our preconceptions about who may be a sexual predator. The production design and costuming is decadent. Cassie is often decked out in pink sweaters, pastel bows and candy-colored nail polish. The colorful neon backgrounds and the pop soundtrack, which features Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, clash with the movie’s horrifying and sometimes nauseating subject matter. Some have criticized the film for having an uneven tone, but I think the juxtaposition of genres works well here. Fennell keeps us guessing, with some of the most shocking plot twists I’ve seen in film. No spoilers here, but the ending of the movie is both unexpected and unsettling. My blood ran cold while watching the last 20 minutes, and I kept wondering where the conclusion was going. The provocative finale is satisfying yet surprising, and it has continued to linger with me long after the final fade to black. This is not a warm, feel-good film; rather, it forces viewers to sit with the disturbing realities of sexual violence and patriarchal norms in our society. “Promising Young Woman” is not preachy but instead a gripping, timely and thoroughly entertaining movie that subverts the standards of a revenge thriller. “It’s every man’s worst nightmare, getting accused like that!” a character says at one point. “Can you guess what every woman’s worst nightmare is?” retorts Cassie. Although fictional, the universe of “Promising Young Woman” has more in common with our reality than we might like to admit.
The student body elected Roni Lezama ’22 as president of the Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2021–22 school year in a landslide election. Lezama won 72.5% of the vote (791 votes). Lezama ran against Myles Maxie ’22, who received 27.5% of the vote (300 votes). Voting was open for 24 hours, starting Thursday April 15 and closing the following day at noon. 38.58% of students voted (1091 votes) in this year’s election, a nearly 17 percentage point drop from the 55.27% who cast their ballots in last year’s election. As president, Lezama plans to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, advance the college’s anti-racism efforts and reform mental health resources on campus. He has named Charice Lawrence ’23 and Meg Farley ’24 as his vice presidents, and stressed the importance of collaboration in his campaign. Lezama currently serves as SGA Vice President. Sophia Lundberg ’21.5 won the fall Community Council Co-Chair seat, garnering 63% of the vote (687 votes). While campaigning, Lundberg, current SGA vice president, emphasized her communication skills and plans to increase the visibility of the position. She ran against Maxie, who received 37% of the votes (404 votes) respectively. Maxie ran uncontested for Community Council Co-Chair for the 2022 spring semester. Students also elected class senators. Masud Lewis ’22 and Anna Saviano ’22 were elected to the two senior senator positions. Miguel Sanchez-Tortoledo ’23 will serve as a class senator for the third year in a row, and Aubrianna Wilson ’23, SGA director of the Relationship & Sexual Respect Committee, was elected to the other junior senator position. Karina Martir ’24 — a current first-year senator — and Reika Herman ’24 will be next year’s sophomore senators. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Aubrianna Wilson '23 was SGA deputy director of the Relationship & Sexual Respect Committee. She is the director of the committee.
Netflix and Amazon may reign over original streaming programming, but there is a new kid on the block: Apple TV+. The new platform offers a variety of original programming, from feel-good comedies to psychological thrillers. Here’s a rundown of their four most popular and exciting projects. “Servant” From the dark mind of M. Night Shyamalan (of “The Sixth Sense” fame) comes “Servant,” a psychological thriller and one of my favorite new shows. Recipe-developer Sean (Toby Kebbell) and news reporter Dorothy (Lauren Ambrose) seem like a picture-perfect couple, happily married and living in a beautiful Philadelphia home with their newborn son, Jericho. However, the arrival of a mysterious new nanny, Leanne (Nell Tiger Free), brings frightening events and shocking revelations about the couple’s past to light. Its plot unfolds slowly in a series of mysterious twists. One of the most unique aspects of “Servant” is its cinematography; the camera often drifts through rooms, peering into windows, zooming in on characters’ faces and letting viewers see dark corners. From Dorothy’s jewel-toned wardrobe to the disturbing wallpaper patterning Leanne’s room, production details are far from neglected. Beyond providing gripping entertainment, “Servant” raises interesting questions about religion, family and motherhood. The show’s plot also ponders its representations of madness and secrecy, as characters often go to extreme lengths to conceal their secrets from each other. With two seasons out now, and more in the works, there is much more to explore in this universe. “Servant” is a thrilling television show that finds its way under your skin in chilling ways, lingering with you long after the credits roll. “Ted Lasso” Jason Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, a successful Division II American football coach from Kansas who is hired to coach AFC Richmond, a English Premier League football team, despite having no experience with the sport. An ocean away from home and utterly clueless about soccer, Ted seems set up to fail. The show follows Lasso in his attempts to lead his team to victory and win over new friends along the way. Brimming with heart and optimism, “Ted Lasso” is a joy to watch. The plot is not the most inventive, but its characters are beautifully nuanced. It’s fun to see Ted’s earnest Midwestern attitude clash with English traditions, especially in relation to his boss Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), a seemingly cold and reserved woman. The show hits an easy stride of workplace antics with a dash of soapy romance, all set against the highs and lows of competitive soccer. “Ted Lasso,” already renewed for a second and third season, may not be the funniest show on television, but it is full of campy, heart-warming fun. “The Morning Show” What happens behind the scenes at a news studio after the cameras cut and the lights fade? “The Morning Show” is a snappy drama following a news studio and its staff in the wake of a sexual assault scandal (á la Matt Lauer and “The Today Show”). After 15 years on the air, Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) loses his job at “The Morning Show,” a highly successful news program he had hosted with Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston). Tenacious young journalist Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) steps onto the scene as Mitch’s replacement, but her fiery personality and prying attitudes continue to uncover controversy. In the wake of the #MeToo movement’s initial virality, this story remains relevant, and it is interesting to see the drama unfold through so many different perspectives. It is exhilarating and frustrating to watch Witherspoon’s fresh-faced character encounter obstacles and secrecy deeply embedded in the news network. The star-studded cast does not disappoint, and the supporting actors are equally as impressive. Although it can occasionally be exhausting to watch these characters constantly gossip and march around Manhattan on a warpath, there’s always juicy payoff in the end. “The Morning Show” is slick and stylish, and the shocking season finale sets itself up well for an upcoming season two. Ultimately, it’s always a treat to watch veteran talents like Aniston and Witherspoon really bring their all to a project. “Home Before Dark” “Home Before Dark” has all the elements of a classic mystery story: a bubbly new girl, a longstanding cold case and plenty of tight-lipped residents in a tight-knit small town. “Home Before Dark” features a young protagonist, Hilde Lisko (Brooklynn Prince), who moves from Brooklyn to her dad’s hometown in Washington state. Despite only being nine years old, she is already following in her dad’s footsteps as a budding journalist. She confronts her biggest case yet:the strange disappearance of her dad’s best friend decades ago. “Home Before Dark,” reminiscent of other Pacific Northwest murder mysteries like “Twin Peaks,” is an entertaining story elevated by its charming lead. The Washington town has a beautiful and haunting atmosphere that is perfect for the show. Prince, who rose to fame in the acclaimed film “The Florida Project,” is dazzling in this role and gives a very impressive and emotional performance. While the show can be confusing at times, “Home Before Dark” maintains solid performances and a twisty plot, making it a worthwhile watch.
Want to know a bit more about the candidates running for Student Government Association (SGA) President and Co-chair of Community Council? The Campus has you covered. In this guide, you will find information about the candidates, their qualifications and their visions for the year ahead. For SGA President Roni Lezama ’22 Hometown: Queens, New York Major: International Politics and Economics Minors: Education Studies and Anthropology Lezama, current SGA Vice President, has built his platform around taking action on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and collaborating with peers. Lezama is a longtime SGA member, serving on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as a first-year. Lezama took on the role of Community Council Co-Chair his sophomore year and valued working closely with the administration. Lezama was one of the key players in establishing Justice Projects, an initiative that raised nearly $140,000 to award funds to affinity groups and individuals that promote DEI initiatives. “We believe in empathy, we believe in care, but most importantly, when it comes to this, we believe in action,” Lezama told The Campus. If elected SGA President, Lezama hopes to prioritize DEI initiatives, advance the college’s anti-racism efforts and reform mental health resources on campus. Lezama says he values taking action and believes his track record shows that he can follow through on his ideas. “I’ve been in the position where people have promised me things — as a low-income Latinx student on campus — and it’s frustrating when it doesn’t come to fruition,” Lezama said. Lezama also stressed that he believes in collaboration, and has named Charice Lawrence ’23 and Meg Farley ’24 as his vice presidents. “I don’t like doing things alone,” Lezama said. “The more people you have in the room working on something, the better the outcome is.” Outside of SGA, Lezama is part of ResLife, interns at a small New Jersey law firm and holds research positions in the Economics Department and the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. For SGA President and Co-Chair of Community Council (Fall and Spring) Myles Maxie ’22 Hometown: Upland, California Major: Neuroscience Maxie, a current SGA junior senator, is running for both SGA President and Community Council Co-Chair of Community Council. Previously, Maxie served as a Wonnacott Commons senator during his sophomore year, and has served on SGA committees since his first year. As Wonnacott senator, he worked on increasing textbook accessibility to students and revitalizing social spaces on campus. Maxie believes that both SGA and Community Council can effect significant change on campus and has centered his campaign platform around furthering anti-racism efforts and decolonizing Middleury’s curriculum. He is also interested in fostering community on campus post-pandemic. If elected SGA President, Maxie wants to improve outreach to student organizations and increase transparency in areas like the student activities fee. He also intends to reevaluate and redistribute the SGA budget to prioritize student projects. “We all experience Middlebury in very different ways based on where we're coming from and what we have access to financially,” Maxie said. Maxie wants to expand the Community Council to amplify student voices and address the lack of diversity within Middlebury faculty. “What are you doing to get [BIPOC faculty members] to actually stay in our community and to diversify, not just by ethnicity, but diversify by knowledge? People are from so many different places, so many different backgrounds, [my goal is] really making that part of the Middlebury experience,” Maxie said. He is also focused on increasing social activities and is hoping to have a semblance of normalcy next semester. Maxie has named Arlo Fleischer ’21.5, Bakari Moitt ’24, and Niyafa Boucher ’22 as members of his SGA executive team. Maxie leads several cultural organizations and committees on campus. He founded Concerned Students of Middlebury last summer, an organization that unites various groups across campus to address diversity and equity issues. He is also an MCAB traditions co-executive, a co-president of PALANA and the vice president of Distinguished Men of Color. Maxie is running uncontested for the spring 2022 Community Council Co-Chair seat. For Co-Chair of Community Council (Fall) Sophia Lundberg ’21.5 Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Major: International Politics and Economics Lundberg currently serves as SGA vice president alongside Lezama and has focused on communication and outreach while working in SGA. Vice president is the only position Lundberg has held in SGA, but she has valued her time working in the body and believes that the strong relationships she has cultivated will serve her well as Community Council Co-Chair. Lundberg joked that she is known as the "handler" in the SGA administration and that she is often the person who reaches out to student organizations and communicates updates from the SGA. This year, she worked with Jackson Evans ’22 to help expand a winter clothing closet for international students who may not have the appropriate gear. She is also currently working with the Anderson Freeman Resource Center on hosting more outdoor programming for underrepresented groups. If elected co-chair, Lunberg hopes to increase the visibility and impact of Community Council. “Community Council, as a body, is very underutilized," she said. "The unique nature of the organization as a space is it's intersectional. It's where students, faculty, and staff can all come together to talk about non-academic, community issues.” Lundberg believes that her focus on culture within the current SGA will benefit her if she is elected co-chair. She said that she appreciates the body's focus on intentionality, conversation and deliberation — and that her work on communication in SGA will serve her well. “I know that when I walk across campus or show up to a Zoom room, I'm greeted with a lot of warmth,” Lundberg said. “I think that is evidence of the fact that culture can change; culture can shift when we talk to one another.” Beyond SGA, Lundberg is a general member of MCAB and is currently employed as a health and safety officer for the Student Activities Office. She is also training to work with the Addison County Restorative Justice Office. The election Elections open Thursday, April 15 at 12 p.m. and close the following day at noon. The SGA plans to release the results by the end of the day on Friday. Students can cast their votes for SGA President, Community Council Co-Chair and class senators at go/vote.
While live concerts may seem like a relic of the past, indie-pop band Hippo Campus made an appearance at the college on March 20 in a virtual concert that served as the closing act of this year’s Winter Carnival. Students tuned in from the comfort of their rooms, and in-person viewings were set up in the parking lot behind Proctor, the patio of the Arts Center and the Ross Basketball Courts. Formed in 2013 in Minnesota, Hippo Campus has established a fresh, lively sound that is uniquely their own, performing at major venues such as South by Southwest and Lollapalooza. The band broadcasted in from their studio, where audiences were greeted by each of its five members rocking out on their instruments. The show kicked off with some of their bigger hits like the bubbly "Bambi" and the summery "Way it Goes," sometimes slowing down for creative instrumentals. I was pleasantly surprised to hear some of my favorite songs, including the cheery "Tuesday,” played live. Their performance of the slow and sweet "warm glow" transported listeners to a mountainside morning with "warm glow morning soaked in pastel tea." They closed the night with a peppy encore of their popular song "Buttercup," leaving viewers energized as the night came to an end . Even online, Hippo Campus retained its youthful spirit and upbeat sound. Their music is bright, and their lyrics are riddled with alliteration, colors and natural imagery. Trumpeter DeCarlo Jackson also brought a cozy jazziness to the music. Unlike a traditional concert, where you would have to fight for a good sightline in a sea of fans, Zoom allowed us to get a private glimpse into their studio. They were a fun bunch, often cracking jokes with each other and entertaining the crowd with facts about the college in between songs, from its average ACT score to its famous alumni. At one point, the (nonexistent) men's volleyball team even got a random shoutout. I began watching the concert from a projector outside of Proctor Dining Hall in a six-foot chalk circle, but I retreated to my room for the second half of the concert as the night got colder. As I finished watching Hippo Campus' performance from my desk with a cup of tea, it was impossible not to think about how fantastic it would have been in person, with a pulsing crowd and colorful lights. Students watching the outdoor screening cheered after each song, but the band could not hear or feed off their positive energy — it was like the band was having a private jam session, and Middlebury students were offered a window into their world. As much as it was a fitting closing celebration for a unique Winter Carnival, the concert was also a looking glass into the dramatic ways that our lives have changed in the past year. “There's somethin' fiction ‘bout the way that reality's going,” lead singer Jake Luppen crooned in "baseball,” reminding viewers of the strange reality we’ve been living for more than a year.