I have aphantasia, the complete inability to visualize.

Meet Brandon and Hannah Wagster, the husband-and-wife team working to make Williamsburg magical. Together, they own the Wagsters Magic Theatre — Williamsburg’s one and only magic venue on Olde Town Road — that has captivated thousands since it opened in June 2022. Continue reading to learn about the Wagsters’ journey to magic, Williamsburg, and each other.

Have you ever seen a ghost tour on campus or around Colonial Williamsburg at night? Are you curious what it’s like, but don’t have room in your budget after your latest Wawa run? Join your Flat Hat Magazine ghost tour guide, JR Herman ‘24, as she tells all.

If you’ve seen a girl around campus whose style gives off “if Cleopatra had been a goth/emo vampiress party girl” vibes, that’s probably JR Herman. Continue reading to join JR on her makeup journey as she explains why she does her makeup the way she does — and why it’s probably not for the reason you might guess.

You may have heard of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a dictionary of words invented by John Koenig to describe feelings that everyone has surely felt at some point in their lives but that we don’t have “official” words for. Koenig’s dictionary is lovely, poetic, and thought-provoking, but his terms are so broadly applicable to a general audience that they miss the 18-22 year old college demographic, and consequently, the daily drama college students go through. I realized that someone needed to come up with a list of college-specific sorrows — ones that almost everyone has probably felt at some point, in some way, shape, or form — and make them obscure no longer.

By the second day of my freshman fall semester, I had already encountered the twins of the College of William and Mary phenomenon. I recognised (or thought I recognised) someone in a club meeting from one of my classes a few hours before, and I Zoom messaged him talking about our class — as you probably suspected, I had made my first twin mix-up. Since then, I’ve met twin pairs all over campus, and curious what the experience was like, I decided to talk to some of the College’s twins for Flat Hat Magazine. Below are the conversations I had with three sets of the College’s many twin pairs. The questions are somewhat consistent across interviews to highlight similarities, but more importantly, differences — there is no single way to “twin.”

JR Herman explores campus lore regarding the College of William and Mary’s many secret societies. Continue reading to learn more about the history of these societies, presence throughout the decades, rumoured membership, secrecy levels, and objectives.

Williamsburg has an amazing selection of restaurants — we are truly lucky to live in a city with such varied culinary options, both on the high and casual ends of the spectrum. For all those seeking a great place for a date, below is a compilation of some of the Burg’s best restaurants, although it is by no means an exhaustive list. I have tried to include variety in price range, fare, and atmosphere in order to help ensure that there is a place to fit everyone’s budget, taste, and style. For those not currently in a relationship, don’t stop reading — these restaurants are also perfect for an outing with a friend.

Remote staff writer JR Herman has spent the last seven+ months quarantining in her house, and she’s still sane enough to tell the tale. Continue reading to explore the ins and outs of her quirky quarantine life, as well as how it has changed her for the better.

Many of us, at one time or another, have been faced with the task of explaining the history of the College of William and Mary’s buildings during visits from friends and family. Because of this, having an understanding of campus history is beneficial — none of us want to awkwardly search Wikipedia for what many would assume is campus “common knowledge.” The College’s history is, of course, also fascinating in its own right — though, admittedly, it can also at times be overwhelming. So, for those who are either too afraid to ask, too busy to research themselves, or just want the SparkNotes version, I compiled a list of what I believe to be the most important historical tidbits on campus landmarks. To compile these brief histories, I utilised multiple sources, including Encyclopedia Britannica for information regarding early Virginia history, the College’s website, Tribe Trek, and Earl Gregg Swem Library’s Digital Archives, for information specific to the College.