Stage Write: Finale

How can there possibly be enough theater to write about on a weekly basis? I would’ve asked the same question before having set foot at Brown, but boy oh boy, is there more than enough! Much like everything else on campus, the theater scene is lively, open, and full of ways to get involved. Keep up with Brown theater–Stage Write with Anna Gasha now onstage!

The semester is gradually coming to a close–we have had a really active year here on campus, and the theater scene has had its own share of exciting events! We’re waiting for the Theater Arts and Performance Studies Department and the Sock & Buskin board (a group of students and faculty who organize the main-stage performance season) to announce its season for next year, as well as the student organizations’ plans for the upcoming semester. All very exciting.

But we’re not quite done yet! We have a whole series of performances coming up from most of the student groups, because Commencement–late May–brings its own fair share of theatrical productions.

More on the Commencement shows… after the jump!

The Question: Grading

Facts and statistics are easy to find.  A student perspective is another story.  Welcome to The Question, a blog by sophomore Kimberly Takahata designed to give you honest answers to some of the most popular questions about life at Brown University.  Your quest for real stories from a real student ends here.

In 1969, a group of Brown students and faculty got together and worked to create the New Curriculum. Although not so new anymore, the freedom that the New Curriculum established continues to define the Brown experience. With the lack of a core curriculum and the option to take any class S/NC (the Brown version of pass/fail), students are free to explore just anything that strikes their fancy.

With this less conventional organization, though, comes worries about grad school perceptions and life after Brown. This week’s question, taken straight from a worried prefrosh: Do people take all their classes S/NC?

Snapshots of Brown: Libraries

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to live at Brown? What do students do?  What do they see?  Well, let Snapshots of Brown with Emorie Beck give you a taste of what student groups, classes, and historical scenery (the best kind) are really like.  No planes, trains, or automobiles required.

On almost every college tour, there is one building that is always highlighted.  It is generally stressed as vitally important but why is rarely clear.  Its seeming importance will have you checking these out on every visit, comparing them to others.

This might seem like a useless endeavor, but your college-aged tour guide is doing you a favor.  This building might be your lifeline at certain times of year.  I’ll reveal the building and explain why it’s really important after the jump!

The Question: Study Abroad

Facts and statistics are easy to find.  A student perspective is another story.  Welcome to The Question, a blog by sophomore Kimberly Takahata designed to give you honest answers to some of the most popular questions about life at Brown University.  Your quest for real stories from a real student ends here.

For the past few weeks, we’ve been talking all about Brown and the experiences you can have as a student. But what if you want a semester, or even a year away? Thankfully we have our Office of International Programs.

So this week, we turn to the international sphere: Does Brown have study abroad?

Snapshots of Brown: The Campus Feel

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to live at Brown? What do students do?  What do they see?  Well, let Snapshots of Brown with Emorie Beck give you a taste of what student groups, classes, and historical scenery (the best kind) are really like.  No planes, trains, or automobiles required.

How many campuses have you visited?  I’m guessing seniors have visited more than they can count (or would like to remember.  Regardless of how many campuses you’ve visited, there is one thing that you will notice / have noticed at each and every one.  And you probably didn’t realize that you did but when you start to make a decision, this one thing will play a major role, possibly even a deciding one.

What is this?  How could something you don’t even notice be so important?  Find out after the jump?

The Question: Greek Life

Facts and statistics are easy to find.  A student perspective is another story.  Welcome to The Question, a blog by sophomore Kimberly Takahata designed to give you honest answers to some of the most popular questions about life at Brown University.  Your quest for real stories from a real student ends here.

After freshmen year, there are a few options for housing. One of them is rushing a fraternity or sorority. This week, I’ll run you through the Brown Greek experience.

The Question: How does Greek life work on campus?

Snapshots of Brown: First Year Seminars

Do you ever wonder what it’s like to live at Brown? What do students do?  What do they see?  Well, let Snapshots of Brown with Emorie Beck give you a taste of what student groups, classes, and historical scenery (the best kind) are really like.  No planes, trains, or automobiles required.

It’s preregistration time for current Brown students.  Whoop-di-do for current students, right?  Well, prospies / prefrosh, it’s good news for you, too.

Okkaaaayyyy… But really, that means that we have access to ALL the classes for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013, and you don’t.  So now is the time to end the skepticism because after the jump, I will share some of this secret knowledge with you. 

The Economista: Another Reason to Celebrate

Who says nothing in life is free?  There are plenty of activities on College Hill that are both enjoyable and inexpensive.  Let The Economista with Corrine Szczesny be your guide to saving money while enjoying your college experience.

Spring Weekend, which this year takes place from April 19th through the 22nd, is the annual celebration of “nearly” the end of the academic year, and, if the weather permits, the end of winter too.  Not that we need another reason to celebrate our good fortune to be Brown students, but the end of an academic year means either graduation or elevation.  This year promises to be a spectacular event.  Starting Thursday, events begin happening all over the Brown campus.  These include theater performances, concerts, and much more.

One of the best Spring Weekend events is the SPEC Carnival.  The carnival takes place right on the Main Green from 5-8 pm.  Like all of the events hosted by SPEC, the carnival is free.  There will be lots of free food, including cotton candy and popcorn.  There is also a dunk tank, providing students the opportunity to dunk some of their professors, a mechanical bull, and obstacle courses.  The SPEC Carnival is a great kickoff to Spring Weekend.  More about this year’s Spring Weekend lineup after the jump!

The Question: Spring Weekend

Facts and statistics are easy to find.  A student perspective is another story.  Welcome to The Question, a blog by sophomore Kimberly Takahata designed to give you honest answers to some of the most popular questions about life at Brown University.  Your quest for real stories from a real student ends here.

This weekend, Brown will have their annual Spring Weekend. As the weather warms up, Brown gives every student a chance to relax for a breather right before we jump into reading period and lock ourselves in the library.

This week, we’ll turn to the sun and music: What is Spring Weekend?

Brown Rice: Asian Arts Festival 2012

Hello prospective students! Welcome to my column Brown Rice. I’m Timothy Chou, a Taiwanese-American freshman hailing from the sunny Bay Area of California, here to write about anything and everything related to Asian culture around campus (with a special emphasis on cuisine) and about my experiences with switching coastlines. Join me as I figure out life at Brown!

Above is a picture from Mumu’s, a Chinese restaurant ironically (or perhaps fittingly?) located on Federal Hill, the Italian side of Providence. It’s just a short 10 minute bus ride away from campus and has some amazing culinary offers if you’ve explored all of Thayer already. I found this pork with lo mein dish authentic and delicious, reminding me of some of my favorite Chinese restaurants back home in California! However, most of the restaurants you’ll find on Federal Hill serve authentic Italian cuisine, comparable to Boston’s North End.

Read on to the main feature of this post, this year’s Asian Arts Festival 2012: Internet SensASIAN!