Five Alternative Uses for your Copy of Whistling Vivaldi

If you’re an NU Freshman, you probably received a copy of the only book Northwestern will provide you for free in all four years of college: Claude M. Steele’s Whistling Vivaldi. Steele set out to change your perspective on stereotypes (or something like that), and I’m sure you did, since you definitely read all 242 pages. Now let him change your life in other ways. 1. A Door Stop

Northwestern thought ahead. Whistling Vivaldi is the perfect width to serve as a doorstop for any door on campus. Talk about “One Northwestern.”

2. A Loofa

Soak in Steele’s message as you massage his words into your body. Wash “stereotype threat” down the drain.

3. A Coffee Stirrer

I know what you’re thinking. “This book is too big to be useful.” That’s probably what you thought when you were reading it too, so suck it up, and stir your coffee.

4. Making Friends During Wildcat Welcome

What’s more casual than a conversation about how much of Whistling Vivaldi you read before you gave up? Did you tell your parents that you read it, even though you didn’t? Classic. Your new friends will love hearing about that. Take the time to discuss and chuckle about how much money could have been given out if NU had reallocated the funds used to purchase 2000 copies of Whistling Vivaldi towards scholarships. Ha.

5. Watching “Nyan Cat” Together

Because “Nyan Cat*” is the only thing I could come up with that was more repetitive than this book.

*Watch all ten hours. I dare you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZZ7oFKsKzY