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Why is there no yachting in the Yachting Club?
BY ALAYNA BRADLEY
Staff Writer
With no major waterways near campus, you may
wonder why exactly we would have a "Yachting Club."
Like junior Lucas Coye joked, you might join because you
"thought it was about boats."
You may be more interested to find that the Yachting
Club actually has nothing to do with boats at all. In fact,
it is a place to find creative minds that have tons of nerdy
things in common.
According to its constitution, the club's purpose is
"to bring creative minds together in a comfortable,
productive atmosphere." This includes discussing all
.sorts of fiction — particularly fantasy and science fiction
along with other topics from
(Right) Brian ^ roleplaying games and
Nguyen leaps
during Amtgard
practice on the
quad. Amtgard ^ Japanese animation
is one of many to face painting and
activities the club comic books,
offers. f Basically, Yachting Club
is there to give everyone a
safe and nonjudgmental place
to nerd out.
"Nerds are in the minority,"
said sophomore Patrick Withrow,
boatswain (webmaster) of
Yachting Club. "Everyone has
something they can be nerdy
about. Yachting Club gives everyone a chance to voice it."
Due to the recent renovation of Founders Hall, Yachting
Club has lost the space in which they stored their
comprehensive library of board games, VHS tapes, DVDs
and role-playing rulebooks. Clubs are now allowed
three cubbies' worth of storage space in the Student
Organization and Media Commons, although the club's
library formerly filled over 14 boxes of miscellany.
According to Commodore (President) and senior
Adrienne Mattson-Perdue, the majority of the club's
library will be donated to the college's library. Yachting
Club will be named as the benefactor of these donated
books via labels on the inside covers.
In previous years. Yachting Club has not been perceived
in the best light. The members of the club have a tendency
to be loud and boisterous during club meetings.
But, as Mattson-Perdue stated, "We're loud and we're
really weird, but we are nice people, and that's what
makes us awesome."
Yachting Club's yearly convention. What the Hell?!
Con, was also negatively reviewed in The Guilfordian
last year, as there was a smaller turnout than previous
years, and the club met several obstacles during the
organization of the Con. This year, the club hopes to have
a better turnout than last year, with better advertising for
the convention. There has also been talk about a possible
chance for food in the convention area.
Besides improving the annual convention. Yachting
Club is also attempting to gather the community together
in all ways nerdy. For example, the Role Play Sampler will
demonstrate all kinds of role-playing games for students
to try out on Sept. 26 during community time.
Gabe Clement and Ian St. Amour prepare to strike, using
foam weapons during Amtgard practice in front of King Hall.
In the end. Yachting Club is really about the community
as a whole and wants to be a safe and fun place to geek
out about anything and everything.
To join Yachting Club or to find out more
information, email
yachti ng(ggu i Iford.edu
Off the top of your head: self-expression through hairstyles around campus
BY L. A. LOGAN
Staff Writer
Looking around campus on any given
day, you will find a number of exclusive
hair designs. In 2012, "uncommon"
hairstyles like the mohawk and dreadlocks
are not so uncommon anymore.
First-year Donovan Duvall's self-
proclaimed "double Skrillex" looks like a
Mohawk with a twist of cowbell.
"Basically, it's like a rebellious thing,"
said Duvall. "My mom likes my hair long.
I don't. I think it's annoying. My double
Skrillex keeps me happy for sure."
For other students with wacky hairstyles,
a rebellious attitude was not a deciding
factor. All business in the front and party
in the back, mullets remain popular in
Hollywood films and in the sports world.
"Joe Dirt was an inspiration for sure,"
said first-year Taylor Hunt. "I was a'peanut
hawker for the Asheville Tourists, so for
me, my mullet got me fan recognition and
more commissioned sales."
Hunt cashed in at the ballpark with his
fan-favorite mullet hairdo. However, other
students have found that shorter hairstyles
don't step up their dating game. Senior
Agymah Busch wears his hair in dreadlocks
after noticing short hair just did not attract
the type of women he was seeking.
"At first I thought being clean-cut was
how you attract girls," said Busch. "After
I grew my dreadlocks, I found a certain
group of people were attracted to me. I've
heard I look like Aphrodite — I didn't
mean for that to happen."
It's not just men that like to experiment
and look attractive. Women also love to try
out new hairstyles.
"The first time I saw someone with
a rat-tail, I was like, 'I want that,"' said
sophomore Raina Martens. "It was so weird,
but so cool. My boss, a very traditional
lady, just came up to me and said it was
so cute."
However, people's judgmental opinions
often stereotype individuals who sport rare
hairdos.
"People will look at you in a certain way,"
said senior Madison Heltzel, a dreadlock
experimenter. "There's definitely a stigma
that comes with my hairstyle. I've heard
people be down on it, especially claiming
that a hairstyle belongs to a particular
culture."
Junior Miranda von Salis does not believe
that coloring her hair bright colors is a big
deal, considering that she is from New
York, but she notices that people make
false assumptions about her interests based
on her unconventional hair color.
"My major is not color-oriented — I'm a
philosophy and German major," said von
Salis. "People assume Tm a super art major
or a musician because I have cherry bomb
hair."
Von Salis also works in the Career
Development Center on campus, where
she does not have to abide by strict hair
policies.
"The people who hired (von Salis) looked
past her hair because that's not what defines
her," said Megan Corkery, coordinator of
internships and career counselor. "She's
great at her job."
Unique hairstyles and colored locks
may not hinder getting an on-campus
job, but students should realize that in
today's economy, hairdos may keep them
from possible employment in a different
environment.
Junior Isaiah Day wears a combination
of an afro and a Mohawk. Isaiah's hairdo
is identical to a little kid's hairstyle at a
homeless shelter where he works.
'"I feel like I have the skills that can
contribute to helping people, especially
kids," said Day. "My responsibility as a
human being precedes my hairstyle."
Day believes his hairstyle will not
impede his ability to obtain a job in the
field he desires. On the other hand, Gerald
Little, director of environment services, has
firsthand experience in understanding how
a particular hairstyle can affect possible
employment considerations.
"My son loves his cornrows so much,
he declined a job offer," said Little. "The
next job he was offered, he accepted the
responsibility and cut his hair. I would
have made him cut it off if I would have
known that was the reason for not getting
the first job."
As a supervisor. Little has to be cautious
about judging potential employees when
hiring new personnel. "Through my son.
I've learned to not judge a book by its
cover," said Little. "Styles change."
Styles definitely change, but distinctive
hairstyles let people express the story
behind their hair.