august 2011
opinion
the stentorian I ncssm
Exploring Durham: 10 student picks
to get your grub on
By: Ahmed Zaeem
Durham is an exciting city
that has a lot to offer. Start
early and get to know the city
you live in. If you don’t know
what to do, go get a bite to eat;
take a break from the PFM, no
one is blaming you. Here are
10 Durham eateries to get you
started (in po particular order):
1. Pelican’s SnoBalls:
Located on Roxboro St. These
snoballs come in over 100
different flavors. They are
inexpensive and totally worth
your buck. Ask to get your
snoball stuffed and it’ll come
with a creamy ice cream core
for $1.00 more. Like them
on Facebook and get a free
medium snoball! Personal
Recommendation: ’'‘Stuffed*
Root Beer Float.
2. Kebab and Curry
House: Located on Guess
Rd. Kebab and Curry House
serves Indian cuisine close
to campus. This is a great
place to try some great tasting
Indian food. There are also
many vegetarian options, all
reasonably priced. Best of
all, they deliver! Personal
Recommendation: Chicken
Tikka Masala with Garlic
Naan.
3. Cosmic Cantina:
Located on 9th St. Cosmic
Cantina is where you go if you
want some banging burritos.
Scary monsters &
nice sprites
By: David Ojo
Part octopus, part dragon,
and part human caricature,
Cthulu was trapped in the
underwater city of R’lyeh.
Thousands of years earlier.
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure
1st Hill RLAs with their
theme board.
legend of a perhaps more
intimidating creature
originated in ancient Greece.
With a legion of heads and
a serpentine appearance, the
hydra is one of the famous
animals to originate from
Greek mythology.
Other than the fact that
these were the doordecs my
roommate and I were assigned
on move-in day, these two
creatures are relevant to
NCSSM because they all fit
under the theme my hall had
last year.
Last year my hall theme
(4th West) was the Stuff of
Legend. While 1 enjoyed the
different doordecs definitions,
most halls went in a completely
different direction. A Harry
Potter fan might have enjoyed a
stroll down 3rd Beall last year,
in the same way that those who
adore Dr. Seuss would have
been filled with nostalgia while
roaming the halls of 1C2C2D.
The hall theme possibilities
are almost infinite and each
year’s theme can be somewhat
similar to that of the prior
year or polar opposites on the
other hand. For example, my
hall will be switching from
legends and myths to reality
television stars.
Fortunately enough at
NCSSM, we have IVIZ’s
where boys are allowed on
girls’ hall and vice versa. If
you ever get to the point where
on 9th St. Nothing is more
important at Bali Hai than
the art of stacking. You have
a buffet of raw food and you
stack everything you want in a
bowl. You give it to the chefs
to cook with some sauce (you
choose how hot you want it).
It’s filling, cheap, and quick. 1
don’t have a recommendation
because you just get whatever
you want.
6. Kim Son: Located
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure
Staircase to Cosmic Cantina.
quesadillas, chimichangas,
or other Mexican favorites.
It’s fast, cheap, and
filling. There are plenty of
vegetarian opitons. Personal
Recommendation: Giant
Chicken Chimchanga.
4. Dame’s Chicken and
Waffles: Located on West Main
Street in Downtown Durham.
The name is misleading; this
is one classy waffle joint. It’s
pretty much how it sounds, but
the food is phenomenal. They
have vegan and gingerbread
waffles for vegetarians. May
be a little pricey, but I would
say it’s worth it. Personal
Recommendation; What a
Classy Hen
5. Bali Hai: ' Located
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure
Raw stacked bowls at Bali Hai.
on Guess Road: Kim Son is
known for bubble tea. It’s
called bubble tea because in
each of these creamy drinks
is a bunch of tapioca balls.
The texture bothers some,
and delights others. You just
have to give it a try. Personal
Recommendation: Cookies
and Cream with Bubbles
7. Mount Fuji: Located
in Brightleaf Square in
Downtown Durham. Mt. Fuji
has Thai, Japanese, Chinese,
and Sushi. It’s a nice place
to go for a classy meal. It’s
a little pricy, but you get
what you pay for. Personal
Recommendation: Hibachi
Shrimp.
8. Nosh: Located on
Erwin Rd. Nosh takes a
spin on classic foods and
burgers. Whether you de
cide to sit on the skis in
side or on the shaded patio
outdoors, your experience
will be great. Personal
Recommendation: The
Robinson Burger with
Curry Cous
cous.
9. Ox
and Rabbit:
Located on 9th
Street: This is
my favorite
place ever. The
menu consists
of homemade
sodas, floats,
and milkshakes. It’s the
perfeet place to wind down
after a long and stressful day.
Personal Recommendation:
Dr. Pepper and Vanilla
Milkshake.
10. Elmo’s
Diner:
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure
Ox & Rabbit milkshakes.
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure
Elmo’s Diner.
Loeated on 9th Street: Elmo’s
is legit enough to get a visit
from Rachel Ray and Food
Network. Mac Miller even
shot a music video here.
They have an amazing menu
for breakfast, brunch, lunch,
and dinner and it’s not too
hard on the wallet. Personal
Recommendation: Chocolate
Chip Pancakes. - •
Take the chance to get to
eat at/ffom all these places and
make the most out of your stay
in Durham.
Of course, you’re not
limited to these options. There
are numerous other great
places to catch a bite to eat...
you just got to go out and find
them.
What will be your favorite
junior year class
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure
Students talking at an iviz.
you are bored of socializing,
perhaps you could take some
time to look at that hall’s
doordecs/theme boards and
appreciate the work that goes
into a hall theme.
By: Steven Philips
Pencils? Check. Paper?
Check. Color Coordinated
binders with tabs? Check.
The first day of Junior Year
had arrived. I wandered
’ aimlessly around Reynolds
Breezeway looking for Beall
3 with my schedule in one
hand and a campus map in the
other. What I didn’t know was
that my first class at NCSSM
would become my favorite.
Although everyone has
their own favorite classes,
many fell in love with the math
classes here at NCSSM. A few
years ago, the Mathematics
Department, headed by Donita
Robinson, implemented the
“pod system.” Four desks are
brought together to form a pod,
where students can collaborate
and discuss solutions • to
problems. Because students
can work together and
investigate new topies, it is no
surprise that math elasses are a
favorite of many students.
Junior year wouldn’t be
the same, though, without
American Studies, or AmStud
for short. Unlike other classes,
AmStud was team-taught by
one English teacher and one
history teacher. As one teacher
carried the class through
American history, the other
explained and analyzed how
American literature progressed
through the centuries.
This year’s AmStud is
different than what is was
during the 2010-2011 school
year. Before, the class was
double block, meaning it met
twiee as much as a normal
class, and lasted two trimesters.
Now, AmStud is the length of a
normal class but lasts all three
trimesters.
There are' hundreds of
classes to take during your
two years at NCSSM. While
it is impossible to load your
schedule with your favorite
subjects, I suggest trying
something new and stepping
outside of your comfort zone.
You don’t know what may
become your favorite class of
the 2011-2012 school year.
What students see as they ’re walking to class in Watts.
Courtesy of Caroline deSaussure