The Bowdoin Orient

Bowdoin was ahead of the pack by a wide margin after a recent National Center for Education Statistics study found that 54.4 percent of college students graduate within six years.

The end of the spring semester means that the scramble for summer plans is beginning. The Career Planning Center recently made the process easier for ten students.

While memories of the racial incidents in the pub and the ideological discrimination of the College Republicans lingered in students' minds, the aptly-timed Hate Crimes Panel set out to discuss violence and tolerance in society.

Colby students caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to the campus in response to the cancellation of the annual "Doghead" celebration this year, an annual party celebrating Saint Patrick's Day similar to Ivies Weekend.

While the recent turn to inclement weather may have had most students running indoors for cover, the sailing team has taken to the seas for its spring season. With three weekends of competition and one spring training trip already under its belt, the team looks to launch into the most intense part of the season yet in preparation for a series of New England championship regattas at the end of April.

This week's widely discussed article in The New York Times details the extent to which the day in, day out "stress" of college life has apparently overburdened average students, many of whom feel enormous pressure to be "perfect" if he or she is to have any hope of success after graduation.

"Passport! Passport!" I was blasted out of my sleep by a Polish border guard with a heavy accent and a voice that carried the same implicit authority as the hand cannon holstered at his side.

The Orient's news briefs of April 2 included an piece entitled "Iraqi crowds drag U.S. civilians through streets." Although the deaths of these four human beings are deplorable and sickening, the brief's treatment of the event (similar to the treatment by the rest of the U.S. media) is misleading and disguises the role that these "civilians" or "contractors" play in the Iraq war.

At a small college like Bowdoin where everybody knows everybody else, dating becomes more than just two people liking each other-it becomes a campus-wide affair. Your coaches, your professors, your teammates, your friends all get involved. Especially your friends.

In responding to Ina Hoxha's attack on my article about The Vagina Monologues, I don't quite know where to begin. Much of her piece is, frankly, incomprehensible.

Ideas, feelings, and philosophies come across most powerfully when they are written in an unbiased and level-minded pen. When sarcasm and bias mix with the ink we, as readers, are left with nothing more than a smudge of what might have been.

Recently, Colby students protested the administration's decision to cancel Doghead, a raucous celebratory event equivalent to our Ivies Weekend. This decision was understandably upsetting to students and, predictably, there was a backlash against the administration.

I've been disappointed with some of the recent political discourse on the Bowdoin campus. The College Republicans and Democrats have devoted far too much energy in a ridiculous fight over advertisement posters.

On April 22, 1970, former Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson founded Earth Day, making environmental protection a major national issue. Thirty-five years later, people across the globe continue to devote a day, a week, or a month each year to participate in events and programs that help to protect the earth and raise consciousness about environmental issues.

Dear Dr. Jeff: "I've been thinking about getting my nose pierced. Are there any health concerns I need to be worried about?"-L.S.C.

In 1891, the group of Bowdoin students and alumni under Professor Leslie A. Lee sailed up the eastern coast of Labrador toward the town of Rigolette.

So spring is here (or at least according to the calendar). That means soon we'll be romping through the grass, studying on the quad, and frolicking beneath the pines.

Welcome back from whatever sunny destination you spent Spring Break in and into the last two months of the school year here at Bowdoin.

Through the upstairs floor of the Walker Art Museum, voices of sixth-graders echoed off cavernous halls. Coed groups zipped between two Assyrian reliefs that flank the main entrance hall and a few imposing, dark Old Master paintings.

In some ways, Jersey Girl is nothing we haven't seen before-a movie written and directed by Kevin Smith, an on-screen romance between Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, and a sappy storyline centered around "being who you are."

Many of us grew up singing the catchy musical classics such as "Luck Be a Lady" and "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat," but never knew exactly where they came from.

Thanks to April Verch, Bowdoin had its fill of bluegrass, Celtic, French-Canadian, and jazzy fiddle tunes last Friday. Not only did she play the fiddle tremendously, but she also performed the "Ottawa Valley Step Dance" during her songs, adding to the incredible amount of talent that her instrument already displayed.

Monday night's performance at Kresge Auditorium was certainly more than entertaining. It was a called-for break from the everyday hustle of college life.

After hours of preparation and last minute logistics, Jeff Pike '04 a.k.a. Diablo, was prevented from performing at his own album release party last Saturday. You would expect to see a stunt like this on Ashton Kutcher's Punk'd; however, it was the Brunswick Police Department that shut down the action at Ladd House.

After some careful consideration, I've come to the conclusion that the Vines' Winning Days is not the worst album in my record collection. Still, I'm very glad it cost me less than 10 bucks.

After only a week of training on their home turf, the Bowdoin Varsity Division I Sailing Team dispersed across New England to compete against the top teams in the nation at four different events: the Connecticut Valley Championship, a Coast Guard Sloop event, a Women's Intersectional at Tufts, and the Metro Series at Mass Maritime.

As an All-American in both cross country and indoor track, the school record-holder in the indoor 5k, and only a first year, Neoma Palmer has repeatedly proven herself to be a remarkable athlete and teammate.

The Orient's Beth Kowitt interviewed Stefanie Pemper, head coach of the Bowdoin Women's Basketball Team, about her record-breaking season.

The last two weeks have seen the kick-off of the spring racing season for the Bowdoin Crew. After spending all of Spring Break in South Carolina at a rowing camp, the team took to the icy waters of the New Meadows River in Bath to prepare for a long and competitive season of racing.

It's that time of year again- layoff hockey is underway. The Boston Bruins are filling the Fleet Center night in and night out, and many diehard fans are eager to see how far this team will go.