Adrian Grant-Alfieri

Lost in Textlation: Brunonia style

By: / December 14, 2015 / No Comments /
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A Brunonian attempting to discern a text’s meaning.

“Hey, wanna meet up?” A casual text, commonly seen around 8 p.m. on Thursday through Saturday nights. This can come in many versions, and is a pretty innocent question. To preface, once upon a time an influential “bro” named Jimmy Tatro attempted to explain the difficulties of getting lost in textlation in a hilarious, on point video describing the intricacies of the college social scene. While it accurately described your average weekend night, Blog thought that some Brown-specific advice could be helpful, helping to navigate some potential situations you could get yourself into. Here are some of these possibilities, and what they might mean for your night.

“Wanna go study at the  ____?”
Sci Li – The SciLi is where dreams go to die – they actually want to study.
Hay – Again, unless they’re going to a side room, they don’t plan on socializing with you.
Rock – Whether it’s on the main floor or carols, they want to get to know you and chat for a bit.
“Wanna go work out at the ____?” 
Keeney/EmWool – They probably don’t know how to work out, and are a bit confused about good fitness spots on campus.
Nelson – They want to impress you, and show off to everyone there.
Bear’s Lair – They actually want to work out, the gym equivalent of the SciLi.

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The Anti-Slump: Finding your purpose

By: / December 2, 2015 / No Comments /

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What do you desire? What gives you purpose? This type of internal questioning can be found in everything from ancient philosophy to a seemingly innocuous Rick and Morty episode. In the latter instance, Rick creates a machine that produces “Meeseeks” used for a single task, who then disappear. However, when one cannot fulfill a task, it notices a lack of direction in its short life and descends into psychotic fits and depression. It’s a metaphor for a life without purpose — or your potential slump.

College is a time of exploration — emotionally, socially, academically — and sophomore year is a time to keep exploring while actively searching for purpose in all of these arenas. It’s incredibly important at this youthful stage in our lives to question ourselves, and often, to find out what really makes us tick as individuals.

In order to enjoy yourself socially, do you love meeting new people, branching out, learning about one person on a deeper level, or learning more about yourself? What field of academics do you really lose yourself in — is it architecture, investments, coding, or writing poetry?  Continue Reading


Blogify: Upcoming Freshness

By: / November 4, 2015 / No Comments /

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For this week’s Blogify, we’re bringing back the “Fresh Albums” segment, where we feature some great new music that will (hopefully) be released in the coming months. This collection of musicians tends to sway towards rap and R&B, perfect to help gently get the blood pumping after a tiring Halloweekend. While we wait for these albums to come out, we’ve compiled a playlist featuring some of the artists’ best work up to this point.

Skizzy Mars: Alone Together

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Despite pushing back his Alone Together tour this fall, the NYC native has been dropping new music on a monthly basis. His most recent releases, Chemistry, Changes, and Weekend Millionaires are among his best yet, in my opinion. Produced primarily by Michael Keenan, each track continues to impress fans and critics alike. Continuing on an upward trajectory since Red Balloon Project, his first major studio album, Skiz looks to have a bright future at only 23 years old. To really get a feel for his music, check out his SoundCloud! Continue Reading


Frosh-cessities: How to navigate your first Halloweek

By: / October 27, 2015 / 2 Comments /

If it’s your first Halloweek at Brown, it’s a bit intimidating to deal with finishing midterms on time, reassuring your parents you’ll be careful going out, and deciding on multiple costumes. Testing season is finally coming to an end, and the festivities are beginning just before the real cold weather hits. So, enjoy yourself while you can! Halloween is one of Brown’s highlights of the year socially, and one of the only times that it’s (more) socially acceptable to go to bars and clubs more than two or three times a week. So, with so many things happening at once, and your friends seemingly hearing of another party every other hour, it’s important to stay composed. Here are some helpful tips to make sure you make the most out of your first Halloweek!

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  1. Make sure to get your academics and/or extracurriculars in order before going out. You’ll have a much better time if you feel on top of things.
  2. Decide on what you’re wearing. Now. The earlier, the better.
  3. You don’t need to go to every party, event, or pregame. Go with the flow, rather than worrying about where you’re heading next, because focusing on the next place will only detract from enjoying the one you’re currently at. And yes, FOMO will be very real, but there’s no way you’ll get to every gathering, so focus on a few and try make the most of them.
  4. Stick with your friends! Especially toward the beginning of the night, the last place you want to find yourself is wandering somewhere alone.
  5. It’s okay to leave with someone you just met. Just make sure your friends know where you’re going and that that you and your partner are both capable of engaging in safe and consensual sexual activities. [Ed. For more information, check out this important article.]
  6. Above all, be safe! Whether you’re moving from place to place, wandering with friends, or getting ready to go out, just make sure to be careful — and always remember that you never need to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.

So, to sum up, just go with the flow of the night and enjoy yourself. Each night is a bit different and has its own vibe. Choose a few events and try to really enjoy those rather than thinking about where you’re going next. Most importantly, though, remember to be safe, careful, informed, and cautious with whatever activities you choose to partake in. Good luck!

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Late night snacking: A guide to food on Thayer

By: / October 22, 2015 / No Comments /

You’re stumbling down Thayer at 1:45 a.m. on a Saturday night, and all you can think of is how you can get your hands on some snacks as fast as humanly possible. At this point, you’re essentially a young Jon Belushi dreaming of stuffing your face with everything within arms reach. If you didn’t get that reference, check out of your friend’s dorm room and there’s a 90% chance you’ll find out who he is. It’s a precarious quagmire to be in. You know it’s late and have fewer options, but you don’t want to wander all the way back up Thayer just to find out your favorite take-out restaurant is closed. Never fear, Blog is here to give you a comprehensive guide for your drunken late night snacking habits. Constraint: Everything closes at 2 a.m.

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It’s some pretty solid Mexican food, cheaper than Chipotle, and has free guac! What could be better? Like its sibling further up Thayer, it usually comes with a long line, especially towards closing time. Top pick: Quesadilla with pulled pork and guac. Also, there’s no free water cups, keep that in mind if you’re in desperate need of hydration.

Jo’s

The All-American late night cafe named after Brown’s infamous (and not so real) professor Josiah Carberry. Although Jo’s is known for its spicy-with and fries, the real beauty here lies in its salads and quesadillas, although both of these aren’t always open towards the end of the night. Most students are pretty sure Jo’s only opens around midnight and is reserved for post-party gorging, yet unbeknownst to many, it actually opens at 6 p.m.

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Blogify: Fresh Albums

By: / October 7, 2015 / No Comments /

September saw a ton of awesome new music, so this week’s Blogify features a collection of certified-fresh (as Rotten Tomatoes might say) albums that have been released in the past month(ish). Featuring music by groups ranging from up-and-coming artists to established stars, this carefully selected playlist is guaranteed to keep your spirits high as the temperature plunges. Check it out!

Beach House: Depression Cherry

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Definitely the biggest surprise on this list, Beach House evokes a comparison to Tame Impala in their synthy, psychedelic beats. Their new album flows together perfectly between tracks, adamantly “exploring the sadness of pleasure,” as Pitchfork noted. A thoughtful experience in its own right, the pleasant-yet-melancholy Depression Cherry leaves you pensive and reminiscent. (Also, if you’re into this album, make sure to check out their last release, Bloom, as well!)

Aer: One of a Kind

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A personal favorite of mine, this Boston-based duo is back at it for their biggest studio album yet. Fresh Aer Movement (FAM) has moved their offices to Brooklyn and is now producing their finest rock and reggae-infused music just in time to keep you warm in the coming winter months. Influenced by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the modern Cali-chill band started young and is only getting better. From inauspicious beginnings (a.k.a. an original group that broke up in high school), this band has certainly come a long way–and One of a Kind is a testament to their incredible growth. Continue Reading