Penn Daily: Wednesday, Feb. 8 briefing
Welcome to a new episode of "Penn, Daily," presenting your daily newsletter briefing. Read the full newsletter here.
Below are your search results. You can also try a Basic Search.
Welcome to a new episode of "Penn, Daily," presenting your daily newsletter briefing. Read the full newsletter here.
When it comes to higher education, professors are often held in the highest regard. And rightfully so — they possess years of experience and expertise, so we must acknowledge and appreciate the wealth of knowledge that they supply to younger generations of scholars.
What a time to be a Philadelphia sports fan.
As classes kick into full swing with the first full week under our belts, students and faculty alike have rejoiced at the return of an in-person, maskless semester. And with the return of classes comes the return of strict policies — especially attendance. Students have already faced the dilemma of taking an absence when their class does not warrant one, causing many to drag their feet out of bed when they are mentally or physically unwell.
Two flooding evacuations occurred within two weeks, wreaking havoc on residential buildings, destroying personal belongings, and causing student displacement. On Oct. 20, a fire sprinkler erupted in Harnwell College House, resulting in water damage and flooding on floors one through five. The entire building was evacuated at approximately 3:15am, and while most students only lost an hour or two of sleep, 27 students were more significantly affected. Not only did the torrent of “sludgy water” create dorm damages and force 23 students to temporarily relocate, but some also lost valuable personal belongings and essential school materials.
World-renowned for its quality of education and notable alumni, Penn is deemed among the top universities for both undergraduate and graduate students alike, and it can be said that the Wharton School plays a considerable role in its prestige. For the same reason that former President Donald Trump did not waste any opportunity throughout his presidential campaigns, speeches, and interviews to mention his Wharton education, with fewer references to the University as a whole, many students can likely attest to the fact that Penn’s business school tends to receive a disproportionate amount of attention as compared to its other schools.
Anyone who steps on Locust Walk immediately understands what it means for campus to be buzzing. Whether students are rushing to class, grabbing a bite to eat, lounging in the grass, or studying with friends, the back-to-school chaos has certainly set in. And while post-pandemic crowds are certainly an enjoyable experience for our socially-deprived community, one cannot deny the difficulty and inconvenience of navigating such a hectic environment.
A new school year brings nothing but thrill. And while COVID-19 unfortunately continues to rage on, students relish the growing doses of normalcy granted at Penn; in-person classes, increased social activities, and sit-down dining halls, to name a few.
As COVID-19 vaccines are now being administered right on campus and are available to all students, the Penn community is looking forward to the return of normalcy in the upcoming semester. Penn’s decision to fully reopen campus with in-person instruction this fall has brought excitement and relief, allowing students to envision the traditional college experience once again.
Housing has always been a stressful and confusing process for students, especially with Penn’s lottery-based placement system. While intended to provide fair selection, the lottery system and its randomized time slots are actually often detrimental to students and their hopes for housing.
Racially motivated violence has become extremely prevalent this past year. But how much do you know about violence against Asian Americans? As we reach the one-year anniversary of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, Asian American hate has skyrocketed like never before — an issue that has unfortunately been overlooked by many.
Despite COVID-19 cases reaching an all-time high, Penn made the decision to bring students back to campus at full capacity. But with the promise of social distancing measures and a strict twice-a-week testing schedule, many undergraduate students felt confident that their spring semester could be both safe and successful.
As the devastating COVID-19 pandemic nears its one-year anniversary, every precaution must be taken to limit transmission. Especially with thousands of students from around the world returning to Penn’s campus, the risk of illness is greater than ever.
Sexual assault may seem like a distant fear for some, but on college campuses, it is an everyday reality. Of course, the combination of freedom and alcohol creates a dangerous environment and enhances teens’ raging hormones, thus increasing the likelihood of assault occurring. But the problem does not entirely arise from students seeking to indulge in the pleasures of college life. The problem partly stems from sex education, or the lack thereof.
On August 11, the “Revision to Fall Semester Plans” email brought undergraduate students immense sadness and dismay. Due to the devastating pandemic and its inevitable health concerns, Penn regretfully decided that an in-person semester was not feasible. For incoming first-year students who had spent the last five months facing cancellation after cancellation, this news was just another disappointment exacerbating their already disenchanted spirits. While students undoubtedly understood this decision given the extent of the pandemic, having to spend their first semester confined within their childhood home was not exactly the college experience they envisioned.
In the hectic world of college and its demanding schedules, heavy workloads, and looming deadlines, students often accept anxiety and stress as an immovable part of their daily routine. While pressure from the outside world is often unavoidable, many students fail to recognize the unnecessary pressure they put on themselves. Self-imposed criticism can dominate one’s thoughts, allowing constant belittlement and negativity to seep into the subconscious.
Given today’s divided social climate, it is more important than ever to address the nation’s ugly history and to recognize the injustices inflicted by those before us. As universities seek to educate the world and aid society, they provide the perfect platform to disseminate knowledge and elicit positive change among younger generations. While this may seem like an obvious responsibility, it often fails to occur. Many universities seek to hide, conceal, or minimize aspects of their past that would be considered shameful, unfortunately enforcing the ignorance that plagues American society.