Before coming back to school this past winter, I was sitting at my laptop taking a break from writing summer internship applications and cover letters. I decided to look through the “Student Happenings” email that had just popped up in my inbox, and, scrolling down the list, the words NEW ART HISTORY PUBLICATION caught my eye. It was a sign—I am sure of it. There I was, begging to be part of a publishing house and magazine across the country, and the incredible opportunity to be part of an Art History magazine before summer even started had fallen into my lap. Well, inbox really. As an Art History and English student, this was a chance to combine two of my passions together into my dream job. I immediately emailed my interest including a few too many exclamation points in the hopes that I could join the budding magazine.

Now about a month later, I am thrilled to be Executive Submissions Editor of “Spirit of the Living Watching,” William & Mary’s first Art History publication. The magazine, the first issue of which will be published online on the 13th of April 2012, will include student scholarly papers, creative responses to art, articles and information about current exhibitions, and interviews with students and department professors. Also, “SOLWatching” (pronounced “soul watching”) now has a club and staff of over 20 students, all with individual jobs from layout design to finance and marketing. Being part of the launching process of the magazine has showed me the motivation and passion of students here at the college. In just a month, the SOLWatching club has worked on everything from layout and editing to marketing and fundraising for the magazine. The positive response for the proposed online magazine from students and faculty reiterates for me the enthusiasm the W&M community has in supporting student run organizations as well as the creativity of the individuals behind them.

I decided to sit down with W&M junior Michelle Repper, founder and editor-in-chief of “SOLWatching”, to ask her about the publication. Below is a part of my interview with her where we talk about her inspirations, goals, and process of creating the magazine.

S: How did you come up with the idea for SOL Watching?
M: I was procrastinating last semester during finals week—and thinking about the publications on campus, because I often submit, and I noticed the fact that we didn’t have anything relating to Art History. I really wanted to get the Art History major out there, and make us as legitimate as other majors, if not more so, by having a publication. I then talked to my friends in the Art History Department to see what the student interest would be in a magazine and what they thought of the idea of starting one. They were all really excited about it, so I printed off some flyers and put them in Andrews. Then, I sent emails to Student happenings to see if there were any people interested!

S: What about the title of the magazine specifically?
M: Well first off, there is a Gauguin painting called “Spirit of the Dead Watching.” I had been thinking about the painting a lot, because it was part of my Honors Thesis actually, and also about what our jobs are as art historians. I was thinking how we are meant to watch and, personally, how [Art History] is so much of an emotional experience and connected to who we are as individuals. I thought of it then that “your spirit watching” would be what the magazine is about.

S: What are your goals for the magazine?
M: We really do want to include the entire Art History as well as creative community at W&M. As far as the Art History department goes, I know it would be hard to get in touch with alumni, but I think that they would get excited with this project and could support us with funding or interviews about jobs after graduating with an Art History major. As a department, we are tight knit because we are so small and we are all passionate – because you really don’t do Art History unless you are passionate – so I thought people would get excited.

As far as the rest of the creative community, I didn’t want this magazine to be pigeonholed into scholarly responses only. Such an emotional response doesn’t have to be interpreted in just a sterile scholarly way. I think that so much can be learned from doing poetry and music. OK- did you ever see Pixar’s Ratatouille? He eats a mushroom and some cheese and then music is all around him? That’s what I want to see! If a musician looks at a piece of art and hears something, I want to hear that- I want to know! I think that so much can be learned from that creativity, so I also want to incorporate theater, music, dance, and art history into the magazine.

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If you have any old papers, creative writing, or responses to art- “Spirit of the Living Watching” would love to publish them in our upcoming magazine. Email us submissions at SOLWatching@email.wm.edu including works cited if needed and links to /scans of the images you reference! Also follow SOLWatching on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with the magazine and our journey to our first publication Friday April 13th, 2012. Many thanks to the W&M community, Art History Department, and Publication Council for helping “Spirit of the Living Watching” with its first steps towards becoming a lasting publication and a positive contribution to campus.

Registration Week is upon us again, everyone. It’s that hectic time of year when we plan what we want our schedule to be the next semester, but know deep down inside will turn out very different after our time slot is over. Some of us get incredibly lucky and take Adventure Games, while others (like Hitler from last years’ fantastic viral registration YouTube video based off Inglorious Bastards) do not. I know from experience the anxiety that scheduling can cause sitting on Banner two minutes before registration opens at 3:30 pm. I also know the feeling you get the moment you hit enter, and your schedule comes back with only eight credits. It can be hard when we get our hearts set on having no classes on Friday or none before 11:00 am. And it can be frustrating when we have one specific major track class that we need to take, and all the spots have already been filled.

One surprising thing that I have found during my time here at the college, however, is that it is always the last class that I sign up for, or switch into on a whim, that I have enjoyed the most. Add/Drop has giving me the incredible opportunity to start my mornings laughing with Professor Simon Stow in Race, Rhetoric & Poetry in American Thought, and fulfill my GER 7 in the process. I have learned in-depth knowledge about the culture of my ancestors and the skills needed to write a good thesis paper with Professor Susan V. Webster in Art and Art History of Colonial Latin America. And with Add/Drop I signed up to take a literature course and ended up deciding to be an English major because it was something that I truly had a passion for.

I believe it’s important to take at least one class each semester, not because it’s a necessity, but because you love the topic. The work load in college can be heavy and intensive, but keeping a balance in your classes with ones that you love, or just want to try because it sounds fun, can make waking up on busy Mondays so much easier. So, as we all fight for spots in classes and ask the teachers for overrides, I just want to say Good Luck. I hope that all of your schedules work out. Also, I hope that you will find, even if it’s not on you original top choice schedule, classes that you will truly enjoy. Just don’t sign up for Children’s Fantasy Literature, because that’s the class I want.

Happy November everyone: best wishes on the rest of this semester, as well as the next.

I wish I could have had internet access to blog during my time abroad this summer in Florence. But unfortunately, internet access was hard to come by in the city. So, because of this, I thought I’d upload an email I was able to send to my family about what I had noticed and learned while being a part of a different culture.

12 Things I’ve learned in Italy

1. Weather in Italy, like the bus system, is totally unpredictable. One minute we’re studying Art History in the sun on Piazza Signoria, and the next we are soaked as the sky decides it is time to hail all over us. The 40 minute walk home in the rain was… wet.

2. I have really come to appreciate American men and American bathrooms. Many of the ones here are dirty and inappropriate. Except when it is conveniently Men’s Fashion week in Florence and the collection venue is right across from where I have classes.

3. Watching dubbed Italian television and movies with my housemates is hilarious and actually really helps my understanding and comprehension of the language. Dubbed Italian is slower and very formal, without any regional dialect difference. Spending time watching movies became great practice and a way to also learn new vocabulary.

4. On that same note, Italians have a strange passion for Walker Texas Ranger. Or maybe Berlusconi does, because it is on every night and he controls all the TV channels.

5. I am going to miss the three course meals cooked by my Homestay nona, Mama Pia. Every night we have a pasta course, a meat and vegetable course, and then dessert.

6. I love how a gelato a day is totally acceptable here. The key when looking for a gelateria is to look at the banana flavored gelato. If the color of it is bright yellow- WALK AWAY. Authentic banana gelato will be gray without color die. If you find gray banana gelato, you can trust the quality of the entire store.

7. The Jersey Shore is in Florence. That is all I have to say.

8. I have created my own hybrid Sofia language. It combines English, Spanish, Italian, extreme hand gestures, and strange sound effects. People seem to understand me somehow though.

9. Sitting in the Piazza Santa Croce with hundreds of Florentines while watching Notre Dame de Paris was breathtaking. People hung out of the windows of surrounding buildings just to see the Italian remake of the French opera. Being a part of that night was one of my top experiences in Florence.

10. My roommate Sally buying Harry Potter in Italian gave us the sad revelation that the translators have changed all of the characters names. Albus Dumbledore becomes Albus Silente in Italian?! I mean, really?

11. Studying Art History in the birthplace of the Renaissance is unparalleled. I can’t count how many times I have stumbled upon a masterpiece by Fra Angelico or Masaccio totally by chance. The pieces take my breath away.

12. Italy is beautiful. City life can be crowded and hectic and at times- expensive and confusing- but I am really, truly happy here.

Studying abroad through the W&M Reves center has been an incredible experience. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity so soon in my college career. I hope you will take the chance to study abroad for the summer or an entire semester. I would definitely recommend going to Italy to study, experience a new culture, and live it up in Florence.

Hi everyone! Guess what? The Day for Admitted Students is this Saturday! I wanted to write a special welcome to the newest admitted members of the W&M community- transfers and the Class of 2015. I know these last few weeks have been incredibly nerve-racking for you all, as you waited to see the decision in your email inbox.

Now is the time to narrow down your choices and pick the school that’s perfect for you by visiting the campuses, asking questions, and meeting other students. If you are having trouble pinpointing the right college- Admitted Student’s Day is an awesome opportunity to do just that! On the 16th, the Sunken Garden is going to be filled with current students and clubs here to answer your questions and tell you some of their personal experiences about being part of the Tribe.

So Class of 2015: I welcome you to William & Mary. If you decide to choose Williamsburg as the place you want to spend your four years of college- I cannot wait to meet you all in August for Move-in Day and to be one of your OAs for Freshman Orientation. If you have questions about Tribe life, being a freshman, or William & Mary in general- comment below and I would love to answer anything you want to know.

See you on Saturday for Admitted Students Day!

Your fellow TWAMP,
Sofia

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a wonderful spring semester so far and are diligently working to obtain the coveted A on all of your midterms. The past few weeks at William & Mary have been packed with essays, exams, applications, club meetings, and so many campus events that I haven’t had a free moment. February is when many organizations, clubs, and specialized housing send out applications and conduct interviews for students joining in the fall semester. After filling out quite a few of these applications myself, I am so excited to announce that I am now a member of the Italian Language House and Summer Study Abroad Trip to Florence with my roommate and fellow blog extraordinaire, Sally Wade! I am also volunteering at the Muscarelle Museum of Art, working in a new AMP committee, practicing on a co-ed intramural soccer team, and interviewing to become an Orientation Aide!

For the past six weeks, I have been taking a one credit short-course taught by Hispanic Studies professor John D. Riofrio on National and International Minority Studies. The course is a group discussion that culminates in a colloquium called Subjugated Histories, Decolonizing Practices that Professor Riofrio organized with the Future of Minority Studies Organization at the college this weekend. My class has been reading papers written by many prominent professors and activists from universities across the country on topics such as Human Rights, Critical Pedagogies, Native Issues, Decolonization, and Race and Immigration. The national colloquium then talks about these ideas in panels and discussions between the students, professors and activists. The interdisciplinary issues discussed are then related to national current events and controversial issues like the Arizona Bill SB 1070 and Affirmative Action.

One of the panels that I went to this weekend at the colloquium was lead by Stanford Professors Paula M. L. Moya and Hazel Rose Markus. Their presentation, 8 Conversations about Race, was an eye opening and informative discussion on their ideas about race and ethnicity in America. (Their opinions and arguments on the subject drew from research and studies written in their book Doing Race that my class had read and discussed earlier in the semester.) Moya and Markus argued that race is not something that humans have inside of them- genetic and biological differences-but instead a set of processes that people DO. This view was a totally new way of conceptualizing race that I had never thought of before. I found their ideas on the eight conversations fun and accessible because they gave pop culture and current events as examples like Avenue Q’s song “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist”, a Colbert Report Clip, and the Sesame Street song “I Love My Hair” during their presentation. Moya and Markus’ ideas and research are only one piece to the puzzle in the discussion of racism, minorities, and prejudice talked about at the colloquium. I know I am not nearly as eloquent in explaining the in depth ideas that they present in their book- so definitely follow the links below to find out more about their views!

Being part of this class and event opened my eyes to controversial topics such as race, and it has given me the knowledge and opportunity to start forming my own opinions and views on the current social and cultural state of our country. This whole experience was so different than all the other courses that I have been in so far at the college. After taking more fact based classes like art history and natural psychology, it was refreshing to see the new and emerging ideas on race at the colloquium as well as getting to formulate my own views in discussion.

Ok. That was about the longest blog ever! I promise to instead write less and more often. I wish you all a wonderful, fun, relaxing, and safe spring break.

Ciao tutti!

Sofia

Learn more about The Future of Minority Studies mission, Moya and Markus’ book Doing Race, and read Professor Riofrio’s blog about the Colloquium by following the link below!

Doing Race: http://humanexperience.stanford.edu/doingrace

FMS Website: http://www.fmsproject.cornell.edu/about_overview.htm

Rio’s Colloquium Website: http://wmfms.blogs.wm.edu/

Standing with some of my wonderful friends as we enjoy the snow on the Sunken Gardens

Though the cold is at some points totally unbearable, (during the 1:00 am fire alarm evacuations that Yates has a habit of experiencing for example) I’ve become so excited for the winter season here in Williamsburg. Like two weeks ago: I was unhappy about the 27 degree temperature whilst ushering the Choir concert in PBK, until I walked outside to see the sky unexpectedly filled with a thousand small flakes of white. The transformation of campus into a winter wonderland was absolutely magical. A blanket of snow covered everything for a few spectacular hours, turning it into my own personal Narnia. A huge group of girls from my hall trouped across campus just to soak it all in (and give me the opportunity to make my first snow angel). It was all sadly gone by the next morning, but I will never forget my first snow that night on the Sunken Gardens.

In these past few weeks, I have been able to experience many traditions and events celebrated around campus in order to welcome the holiday season. Grand Illumination was in Colonial Williamsburg at the beginning of December and was the most impressive fireworks show I have ever seen. The fireworks were shot off in three different places, surrounding DOG Street in a ring of shining lights. Also, William & Mary’s annual Yule Log Ceremony has become a huge holiday tradition. This year it was on a rainy and cold night, so I was surprised to see just how many students came out to throw their sprig of holly in the Yule Log fire. The ceremony takes place in the middle of exams, so the holly represents a person’s worries and cares. Once the Yule Log is lit in the Wren Building’s Great Hall, students can figuratively throw the worries and stress of the semester away. We also all had the opportunity to see President Reveley read How the Grinch Stole Christmas in his traditional Santa Claus outfit and hear a great rendition of ‘Twas the Night After Finals from Ginger Ambler before we crammed our way into the Hall under our umbrellas.

A layer of White covered everything in CW

Even though final exams and papers loom over our heads for these last few weeks of school, Williamsburg knows how to celebrate winter in style. Activities in Swem every night at 9:00, The Primal Scream on the Sunken Gardens Wednesday night, and surprise hot chocolate in our dorm lounges help to relieve stress and remind us to stay balanced in our work.

Just this morning it snowed again, so I took a study break and walked down to Colonial Williamsburg in the middle of the flurries. Everything was covered in a soft dusting of fluffy white making the whole street seem so cozy and quaint. It must make me look like such a goof, but there is something about the snow that just keeps me smiling. So- I’ve decided: with all of the activities for students, and decorations throughout CW, there is no time more magical than The Holidays in Williamsburg.

It’s that time of year again! Full of cider, scarves, and changing leaves. Fall is really in the air. With it comes one of the most outstanding college traditions: a weekend jam-packed with events, returning alumni, and football – HOMECOMING!

I started off Homecoming Weekend by going to see some friends in the William and Mary Choir at the annual Sunset Memorial in front of the Wren Building. Led by President Reveley, the memorial was a time for students and alumni to remember and honor those who have passed in the last year. As the Wren’s bell tolled overhead, I sat there and really realized how many men and women there have been here before me and the legacy that they have put in place for future generations. I thought how one day my name too would be read aloud and remembered by the thousands of new students at the College. The whole ceremony was very moving and put into perspective the history, tradition, and community of William and Mary.

After the ceremony, I went with my hall to the homecoming pep rally on Yates field. There was a massive bonfire and tons of cheering when the Stairwells, a cappella group, sang for us. A group of us even got to participate in a Tribe Holi event where we threw green and yellow powder all over each other. It was surprisingly fun, throwing colored Holi powder on all of your friends, even though the powder somewhat smelled funny and took forever to come off. Oh well- that’s definitely not what mattered.

On game day, my alarm went off at 6:10 in the morning. I’d say it was new record for getting up by far. My roommate and I are interns in AMP, the event programming group on campus, and it had its own float in the Homecoming Parade! After walking like zombies through campus, grabbing some fabulous coffee at Aroma’s, and getting sufficiently lost on our way to the meeting spot, we gathered and set up our float for the parade. I had way too much fun waving and cheering as the floats made their down DoG street and Richmond Road, but it was great to see all the alumni, families, and students that came out to show their support.

After the parade, it was time for the real party to begin. The football game started at noon, so we rushed over to Zable Stadium and plopped on down in the Tribal Fever Student Zone where all the serious cheering happens. After getting off to a slow start, William and Mary came back and beat Delaware 17-16 with an amazing touchdown at the end of the second half. The game was incredible and intense the last 10 minutes; the entire stadium was so anxious to see what would happen. During the game, I even got to go with a group of my friends to The Gentlemen’s a cappella showcase in Sadler. Their voices were amazing, and the members were joined by the alumni for the final song.

There are thousands of men and women from all over the world that are part of William and Mary’s community. Homecoming is a time for all of these Tribe members to gather together again to support our teams and clubs, as well as the rich tradition that makes our school unique. Seeing all of the returning alums here for the weekend made me realize that being a member of the Tribe does not last for only the four years living on campus, but instead it lasts for a lifetime.

Homecoming is all about showing love for W&M and getting involved, no matter what you choose to do with your friends here on campus. It is a memorable experience that will make you feel truly like a part of the community. So, put down your books, and show your Tribe Pride!

Walking into Yates Hall at 7:30 am on August 20th (because of course my dad wanted to be the first one there) was, in my opinion, one of the most daunting experiences ever. My entire life was sitting on the sidewalk in front of my new dorm building as I scampered through the doors for the first time. There were so many questions swirling around in my head: what would my new roommate be like, will my hall think I am a total lunatic, how am I going to set up my room, and what in the world am I going to be subjected to during freshman orientation week. Oh, and let me tell you straight up- my freshman hall is the luxurious Yates basement, and honestly, I had never really been in a basement before, so that was going to be a whole new adventure in itself.

Move in day was filled with anxious parents and lugging stuff up and down stairs over and over. (Hint: right when you get to your room, move the beds and dressers before you bring in your stuff. It saves so much time and energy later, I promise. Oh, and Clorox. Clorox everything.) But then, slowly, everything started coming together! The room looked awesome, and I was learning the names of my fabulous new hall mates as we went to all of the orientation events. I think our official bonding moment was playing an impromptu game of Apples to Apples one night of orientation.

Now after two months at William and Mary, the Yatesment girls are as close as peanut butter and jelly. I can always count on my hall mates to be there to grab a bite to eat with me at the Caf and to annoy when I can’t possibly work any longer. My freshman hall has so much fun together, like the Coloring, Cookies, Sing-along to Mulan Party that we had last week.

Coming to college, I realized that every member of my hall was in the exact same position that I was. We all looked like a deer in headlights as our parents helped us move in all of our stuff that first day of school. All freshmen see this year as a fresh start, and are just as into making friends and meeting people. Your freshman hall is a group of girls or boys that will be with you through everything. Come to school with an open mind, ready to meet everyone, and be yourself. I guarantee that you will find friends ready to share with you the most ultimate of college experiences. Yatesment love <3