Amidst the bustling restaurants, antique furniture stores, quirky non-chain shops and small businesses that line Patrick Street is Rock & Roll Graveyard. The funky record store, located precisely at 115A  E. Patrick St. in Frederick, Maryland, is undoubtedly a gem for the small town’s vibrant downtown scene.

The ‘A’ must refer to underground because the sign which hangs from the brownstone marks the shop’s entrance, just down a short set of steps under Princess Day Spa and Boutique. From just one look at the store, it’s clear that what the shop may lack in space, it makes up for in character.

With its bright purple, poster-covered walls lined with vinyl, Rock & Roll Graveyard’s cool and easy going atmosphere will transport its customers back to the days of hanging out in their friend’s basements flipping through records. The space, which is made up of two conjoining rooms, is deeper than it is wide and the memorabilia covered walls will launch a feeling of nostalgia. The low ceiling basement is surprisingly comfortable and the entrance room, lined with records, seems to beckon you to walk further into the store.

Chris Wolfe, the owner of Rock & Roll Graveyard, is welcoming and enthusiastic, eager to help customers find what they are searching for or make suggestions, and show new arrivals. He is also happy to share how he came to open the store two years ago. He has over a decade of experience working in record shops, he explained. “I used to work in a record store but I had lost that job so I made the decision that I was going to take my collection as the basis for starting my own place,” he said.

“My entire collection is about eight thousand,” Chris said proudly. He has over six thousand records in the store and two thousand more at home, he said. With each record sorted alphabetically in the wall to wall bins, it’s easy to become lost flipping through the albums, noticing the artwork, picking out known artists and wondering about the ones never heard of.

It won’t be long before you find your head bobbing in time with the music, which is always refreshingly unfamiliar. “That’s what’s great about being here, you never run out of new listening material,” he said. Listening to music that many people don’t even have access to is one of the reasons why he loves his job, Chris said.

He said the majority of the music in the store is rock, psych, punk, metal and rhythm and blues but there is a little bit of everything and he carries all genres from the 1960s to the present. Rock & Roll Graveyard sells 7 inch, 10 inch, and 12 inch vinyl, cassette tapes, 8-tracks, and CDs, as well as turntables, tape decks, and stereo equipment.

Chris said he is asked every once and awhile if he carries vintage video games and comic books but, he would rather “keep it simple and all about the music.” He said he has always had a passion for music and began his record collecting when he was only in middle school, an age when most are trying to fit in and keep up with the pop hits rather than delve into the music their parents used to listen to. Chris plays guitar and bass and Rock & Roll Graveyard also promotes local bands and music festivals.

The store that used to occupy the space, Chris said, was 6 Feet Under, also a record store. The real key to his success, he said is not trying to compete with stores that sell modern music. The majority of his collection is used although he does have some new releases.

“Every record store is different,” he said. “It’s not like just heading to Wal-Mart and picking up a CD.” He added that a record store is an important part of the community because our taste in music is a way of expressing ourselves and it can shape our identity in a big way.

Even though it may seem easier to go to iTunes, search a track, and click purchase, there is something special about being able to flip through records and CDs.  “Being able to hold your music physically in your hand rather than just seeing the file on your computer or phone or tablet screen is a totally different experience,” Chris said. It’s not just building your music library, it’s getting to hold the album artwork and liner notes in your hands and leaving the store knowing that it’s just one of the limited number of records made.

As far as competition goes, he says there is none, as he has an agreement to trade music with The Record Exchange on Market Street in Frederick in a way to benefit both businesses. Most everything in Rock & Roll Graveyard is under $50. All the records are kept clean and in good condition and all the music in the store is priced below the suggested price, Chris said.

Rock & Roll Graveyard is open Tuesday from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

“It’s sort of like a library or maybe even a zoo,” he said. “It’s a place to explore and expand. You never know what you are going to stumble upon.” Like a library, a record store has the power to help you build the person that you want to become.

“Instead of a petting zoo, it’s a listening zoo,” Chris said smiling. “You never quite know what you might find.”

On the last week of Novem­ber, Hood received a $2.135 million grant from the Hodson Trust.

President Volpe received this gift at the annual board of director’s meeting in Baltimore.

Volpe emailed the student body the morning of Wednesday, Decem­ber 5 to say he was “pleased to an­nounce” the grant and explain the logistics of the gift.

A large portion of the grant will go toward student scholarships.

One example of these schol­arships is the Hodson Scholarship Fund which provides financial aid to students.

Another scholarship is the Hod­son Trust Star Scholarship program. This program was established five years ago for veterans who have served in the military in Iraq and Af­ghanistan from Maryland.

The Hodson Trust Star Schol­arship pays for 100 percent of these veteran’s financial costs not met by other Hood scholarships or financial assistance.

Another large portion of the Hodson gift money will go towards The Hodson Summer Research In­stitute that provides financial assis­tance for students and faculty who wish to stay on campus this summer to perform research.

The Hodson Summer Research Institute was established three years ago to both provide financial assis­tance for summer research and cre­ate a fund that will provide for future research initiatives.

Another part of the Hodson grant will go to providing the entire undergraduate student body and fac­ulty with an iPad. Next year, every student on campus will have an iPad to use for course work.

Some members of the senior class are confused as to whether they will receive iPads before commence­ment ceremony in May.

“I think that [iPads] should be given as graduation gifts so when the seniors go into the workforce/further their education they have these tools available to them,” senior Elaheh Eghbal said.

A part of the gift will go towards campus renovations. Specifically, additional classrooms and offices will be built in Tatem Hall and Hod­son Science and Technology Center.

The remainder of the Hodson Trust grant will go towards the Hod­son Endowed Chair in Nursing.

The Hodson Trust was estab­lished by Col. Clarence Hodson in 1920.

Hood has received more than $74 million from The Hodson Trust since 1936.

Many buildings and facilities on campus were built due to the Hodson Trust, such as Hodson Auditorium in Rosenstock Hall.

The Hood College community as a whole feels excited about these upcoming changes and renovations that will occur on campus.

Donald Wright recently wrote and published a book titled “Modern Antiquity.”

“Modern Antiquity” details the development of how current French society is modeled after Greco-Ro­man Antiquity and how modern nations form a sense of unity and identity.

“For professors, the summer is for research. This past summer I would spend 12 to 13 hours in the li­brary doing research and taking my notes,” Wright said.

Wright continued his research into the start of the semester, and be­gan to write his book by hand.

Currently, Wright is not teach­ing a class based only off of his off of his book, but he often references his material in class.

Along with his French and Ar­abic classes, Wright also acts as the director of the Middle East studies program.

Wright also designed an Honors 201 class for the Honors Program titled Identity and North Africa. Wright explained that the concept of unity described in “Modern Antiquity” also can be applied to his honors class.

“I like all of my classes and stu­dents, and I really liked designing my own Honors 201 course,” Wright said.

Though “Modern Antiquity” was just published, Wright is current­ly writing another book, a follow-up to the subjects of identity and space presented in his recent publication.

forward to the installment and com­pletion of a new cross walk that will be built across 7th Street in order to facilitate a safer route for Hood Stu­dents to cross to the Safeway Shop­ping Center.

This new crosswalk was insti­gated by the support of the Student Government Association (SGA), who realized that Hood students needed a safer and more efficient way to cross the busy street.

The SGA passed a measure to petition the city Aldermen on November 6, 2012. This measure passed unanimously.

The construction of the cross­walk may take several weeks, but this process will begin directly over winter break for Hood students.

A lot of the work for the cross­walk will be completed by the Hood College Facilities Department.

The entire Hood Communi­ty seems excited by the upcoming installation of this crosswalk, that will present increased safety and efficiency when crossing the busy street.

“This crosswalk will help speed things up when crossing the street. Once, I waited to cross for almost a half hour,” junior Mercedes Barbosa said.

Similarly, junior Kate Kopasek said, “I’m glad about this change be­cause it will allow crossing the busy street to become much safer and eas­ier for everyone on campus.”

To keep up with Student Government Association updates, be sure to “like” Hood College’s SGA on Facebook!

Next semester, a midterm grade report will be available for all under­graduate students due to the effort of the Student Government Association (SGA).

The SGA sought the help of the Academic Standards and Policy Committee in early November to fa­cilitate the change in grade policy.

“I am very excited for this change, as now I can get a better sense of what grades I have before finals,” junior Laura Morton said.

Officially, on November 25, 2012, it was confirmed to the SGA that grade reports will be available after the midterm break for all stu­dents.

Previously, the Hood policy for midterm grade reports was that only low midterm grades were reported on Self Service. Thus, any grade higher than a C was not shown on the record.

Next semester, all professors will report the grades on Self Ser­vice.

Many students are excited for this change, as it will facilitate keep­ing up with class progress.

This year, the Student Govern­ment Association continues its strive to enhance student experience at Hood by instigating such changes in academic and campus life.

To keep up with Student Gov­ernment Association updates, be sure to “like” Hood College’s SGA on Facebook!

Amando Gomes has worked at Hood since December of 2011 as a Campus Safety officer.

Before then, Gomes worked in the prison system for 33 years as a guard.

He began his work in 1975 as a student intern for Montgomery County Detention Center, recording the inmates’ phone calls.

Gomes was hired the next year as an officer and he advanced the ranks over the years and retired as a captain in 2008.

In college, Gomes was original­ly studying to be a doctor, but then took a job with the detention center instead.

Gomes expressed the many dif­ficulties that came with working in the prison system, but he also ex­plained that he liked what he was doing because it was “challenging and different”.

He explained that working in criminal justice is lucrative.

“Career-wise, money is the best thing in the world,” Gomes said.

Gomes explained that the es­sence of security jobs requires you to “use your head more than your physical nature”.

Gomes knows a plethora of rid­dles and tests that enhance listening skills. He strives to demonstrate that it is necessary to pay attention to what people are saying in security jobs because inmates are often look­ing for ways to trick guards.

“If you choose a field [of secu­rity], the day you start feeling com­fortable is the day you should leave,” Gomes said.

Gomes believes that security and guard work maintains very good careers, and the best aspect of youth is being able to get education and work experience.

“Believe it or not, the best thing that you can do is get an education,” Gomes said.

While Gomes has been getting used to a collegiate environment, he appreciates the friendly nature of the Hood community.

To nominate another staff or faculty spotlight, email iod1@ hood.edu.

In Germany, Christmas time officially starts with the first day of December.

Every child has a Christmas calendar and opens one of the little doors on it every day. Chocolate is hiding behind the doors. Some kids get calendars made by their parents with different candy or small gifts.

Each Sunday of December, Ger­mans light one candle on a wreath. The Sunday before Christmas Eve, all four candles on it are burning.

Interestingly, Christmas trees are actually a German tradition that has been brought to the States by the immigrants. A lot of families do not decorate them until the 24th.

Pre-Christmas time is very nice and cozy.

Every town has a Christmas market with different stands. People go there, look at the stands, and buy food and a lot of mulled wine.

This kind of wine exists in sev­eral different flavors like cherry, blueberry, and strawberry, for exam­ple.

You can also add shots of dif­ferent kinds of alcohol (even though there is already alcohol in it and you get tipsy easily even without the shots). For children there is hot punch.

Germans eat a lot of gingerbread during Christmastime.

But something that Germans eat only in this time of the year are “Spekulatius” cookies. They are very famous and are a kind of gin­gery cookies including ground al­monds. Each of them has a picture on it which makes them nice to look at too.

Unlike in America, the people in Germany are impatient and open their presents on Christmas Eve.

The 25 is usually reserved for big family meals and more presents from the rest of the family.

Interestingly, the 26th of De­cember is still considered a holiday and is a day off for most people.

Warning: this article is not suitable for children.

They say that you can make sta­tistics say whatever you want them to say, but to what end? In the effort to spread awareness on violence against women it seems that it has become customary to falsify data and even lie to the American public.

Monday October 19th, 2009 US Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at a domestic violence awareness event where he claimed, “Intimate partner homicide is the leading cause of death for African American wom­en ages 15 to 45.” Dr. Hoff Som­mers a resident scholar at the Amer­ican Enterprise Institute disproved that statement last year in USA To­day in her article Domestic Violence Myths Help No One, and requested that Eric Holder’s statement be re­tracted. To this day that false claim remains on the Department of Jus­tice website.

The Center for Disease Con­trol released a 2012 Understanding Sexual Violence Fact Sheet on their website. On the first page it said, “Risk factors for perpetration (harm to someone else)” , the first bullet point on the list is, “Being male”.

This one has been used on cam­pus from various sources. “1 in 5 high school girls has been physically abused by a dating partner,”. Earlier this year the American Psychologi­cal Association published a study by Sherry Hamby, David Finkelhor and Heather Turner. The test results said that in physical violence, “For the whole sample, 6.4% of youth report­ed being a victim of TDV.” (TDV means teen dating violence.) “For females was 4.5%.”

Clearly, some of these data facts need to be clarified for the good of all reading.

While many Hood students will go home for winter break and cele­brate the new year with friends and family, the Hood community should reflect on the fact that the year of 2013 marks the 100 year anniversary for the college at this location.

In 1912, Hood College was moved to the current campus lo­cation from Winchester Hall in downtown Frederick. This move stemmed from an enormous grant donated from Margaret Scholl Hood, a graduate of the Frederick Female Seminary that was also housed in Winchester Hall from 1847-1863.

Due to her grant, the name of the college, previously called The Woman’s College of Frederick, was changed to Hood College.

The year of 2013 marked the year the college charter was amend­ed- Hood College was officially an institution of higher education.

Also, in 1913, Margaret Scholl Hood died. Her will gave the col­lege even more money that current Hood president Joseph Henry Apple used to build Shriner and Alumnae Halls.

Hood College has grown a lot since the beginning.

Shortly after Shriner and Alum­nae Halls were constructed, Meyran and Coblentz Halls were also added.

The remaining residence Halls were added in the 1950s and 1960s and were designed as twin residence halls- Smith and Memorial Halls.

Along with buildings, Hood also changed in terms of students. Starting as an all female college, Hood began to accept male commut­er students in 1971.

In 2002, Hood became officially co-educational, with male students allowed to live on campus.

During the past ten years, Hood has also remodeled and added sever­al other facilities, including Hodson Science and Technology Center and the new Athletic Center.

As the ball drops on New Year’s, celebration should also be had over the development of Hood the past 100 years.

It is finals week everyone. Did you notice too that a lot of people walk around campus looking like hobos and don’t seem to care enough to take a shower or brush their teeth?

I know finals week is a lot of work but still, no need ignore your hygiene or your looks! With some simple tricks you don’t waste your study time and still look nice.

How about you wear a bow bun instead of the messy one that you put your unkempt hair in? It only takes a minute to change the normal bun into a bow one.

For directions you can just search YouTube for tutorials. And if you have really soft hair like me, it stays in the position even better if your hair wasn’t washed that morn­ing.

Another nice trick if you want to look nice and don’t waste time with putting on fancy make-up, is one I learned from my favorite actress Leighton Meester.

Lipstick in a bright red (please make sure the shade of red works with your skin tone)! You can put it on in just a few seconds and it will make a big difference.

There is also no need to wear pajamas just because of a lack of time to dress or pick out clothes. You have to take a break from studying every once in a while anyway.

Instead of being on Facebook or Pinterest, you could take a five min­ute break and pick out your clothes for the next day.

I hope I don’t have to mention that you should always be brushing your teeth and taking showers.

Please do that. And deodorant was invented for a reason, too.

Well, I hope you will survive finals week with these tips and still look like yourself and not like the hobo version of you.

Good luck on your finals!