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As the semester progresses at the speed of light, the senior class is beginning to make peace with that fateful day in May: Commencement. Until the class of 2012 up and leaves us, BlogDH wants to highlight all the interesting things the class has been up to. To this end, we are (re)starting a series, Last Call, featuring seniors reflecting on their experiences at Brown. Each featured senior will tag another senior for the next installment. Find this year’s other “Last Call” chain here.

Then + Now

People might know me as… captain of the rugby team, original short-haired Chattertock, Econ 11 TA

Lorena’s Question: If you got the chance to do one thing over from your Brown experience, what would it be? If I could do Brown again, I would do it with a trademark. Some people on campus are just huge characters, you know? My preliminary idea is running everywhere in moon boots, but I’d worry that the tread would wear down too quickly, so I’ll have to think on it…

You play women’s rugby. What’s the worst injury you’ve ever gotten? In March of my junior year I shattered my nose on a teammate’s/opponent’s knee/head. (Even after careful film review, it’s unclear exactly what went down). But I had my nose reconstructed and had four-inch splints sewn through my septum. It was looking great after recovery, and I even joked that the “excuse for a nose job” made my nose look better than ever. But then I broke it again in January at All-American camp and have had some minor fractures since then so now it is forever crooked.

What is something about rugby that you’d never know unless you played it? How empowering it is. Most spectators just see rugby as an 80-minute brawl, or as my dad said once, as the barbarian version of soccer. But there is something so beautiful and primal about the physicality, that someone has to physically take me down to stop me from scoring. Also, rugby is the ultimate team sport. We literally sacrifice our bodies for each other on the pitch, and that creates a bond that is truly unmatched.  [Read more →]

“A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe, and leaves before she is left.” -Marylin Monroe

Take a look at the latest cover of Cosmo or any popular women’s magazine and you’re sure to find a catchy title promising secrets about how to gain the upper hand in a relationship via bedroom techniques. The idea that we can control a person by sex — either by “giving it up,” or “limiting it,” or “doing it well” — is a common myth plaguing our pop culture. Heather HotPants is guilty as charged. Growing up, I was told that withholding sex was a sure way to get whatever I wanted from the person I was with. My crazy Great Aunt Ruth would make comments like, “When your Uncle Robbie and I fight, I never apologize,” adding proudly, “I just don’t sleep with him and he always caves in after a few days.” Thanks, Aunt Ruth!

A relationship is a war for control. Or so we’re told. Stand strong, hold your line of defense, you’ll win the fight!  Want nice dinners? Don’t have sex! Want to meet his parents? Don’t have sex! Want to be treated nicely? Hang with his friends? Land a wedding ring? Don’t have sex!

Does this really work? [Read more →]

Did you see Gloria Steinem hanging out in the Blue Room? Monday’s event “An Evening with Gloria Steinem” featured a screening of the new HBO documentary “Gloria: In Her Own Words” followed by a conversation between President Simmons and Steinem. The documentary acts as a biography of Steinem’s life, successes and trials, as well as an account of the history of women’s liberation and feminist movements in America.

In her talk, Steinem spoke about some of her first real experiences with gender inequality, such as when she moved to New York and was told she couldn’t rent an apartment on her own because the only women able to support themselves financially were probably hookers. As Steinem says in the film, women at the time didn’t feel they had a right to be equal or angry. But that slowly began to change, and Steinem was a key player in the still-ongoing fight for women’s equality.

For those of you unable to attend, Blog rounded up the top ten best Steinem quotes and moments of the night. Some warrant laughs, some sighs and others snaps (of which the audience gave many): [Read more →]

Our very own Alex Tounkara-Kone ’11.5 is getting a shot at the big time. The 6’4″, 220 lb. wide receiver may have missed out on being Mr. Irrelevant — the last guy chosen in the NFL Draft, who gets a parade thrown for him and goes to Disneyland, not kidding — but on May 11, he’ll have the chance to show the Bills what he’s made of at the team’s rookie mini-camp. The Belgian-born draft pick had never even seen a game of football before high school, making this feat all the more impressive. He had 49 receptions and 590 receiving yards in 2011. Best of luck, Alex!

Image via.

We've graphed a bagel, now you solve for DELICIOUS

They’re rare, but oh, they’re good.

They’re gooey good.

Image via.

You know the sound the guy makes in Alien as the chestbuster is trying to emerge? That feral whine, part dying ox and part Joan of Arc mid-burning? Sigourney & co. are trying to hold him down while being sung to by Goody Proctor’s howler monkey.

Brown is no stranger to that sound. [Read more →]

If you're lucky, someone like Morgan Freeman might look at your photo

Hey seniors! What’s better than graduating? Graduating with your picture splashed all over the pages of a full-color glossy magazine. The Brown Daily Herald is getting ready to create its annual specialty publication, giving the families of soon-to-be alums the chance to publish their child’s most embarrassing picture for the entire graduating class to see. “They do it because they love you” is the excuse you’ll likely hear.

Hey parents! Full info and rates can be found here. To reserve a space in the magazine for your child, contact The BDH by phone at 401-351-3260 or by email at advertising@browndailyherald.com. Hurry, these spots get snapped up quickly! Alternatively, hand $50 in non-consecutive bills to a Blog editor and we’ll spray paint your kid’s name on University Hall.

I didn’t even realize it was possible to pack so much dance in one playlist. The first three songs of this week’s playlist are pure bump ‘n’ shake.

Also, if you watch any video this week, make it this cover of Tyga’s Rack City.

You’re pretty sure that the one rager you threw in high school will go down in the books as the most epic party ever, right? Wrong.

Bets are on that 16-year-old Corey Worthington has you beat: 500 kids showed up at this Australian teen’s house while his parents were out of town. Worthington was fined $20,000 by police, but he doesn’t even seem to be bothered — he’s enjoying the praise from fellow ragers for as long as he can ignore his parents’ phone calls and stall his impending punishment. When this didactic news anchor asks him to give advice to kids who are thinking of throwing a party of their own, Corey responds, “Get me to do it for you. Best party ever so far.” Boom. #sorryhesnotsorry.