Opinion Columns
Adam Silver | Connecting on common ground
Last weekend, my mom and I went to two Bruce Springsteen concerts in New Jersey. I still haven’t found the guts to ask her whether seeing me or Bruce was more of a priority.
Sindhuri Nandhakumar | Restoring justice in the injustice system
The crime Mumia Abu-Jamal was accused of happened in Philadelphia and there are hundreds like him who have gone through similarly complex and unfair legal processes.
JY Lee | Seeking: Attractive Asian male
Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee may be badass, but are they beautiful? They can only fight so many battles for Asian masculinity.
Yessenia Gutierrez | The secret life of a cultural Catholic
Religious conversations with family will always be tricky. I struggle to decide whether to explain my lack of faith or brush their questions away to save us from an upsetting conversation. Either way, a part of me will remain hidden from them.
Max Scheiber | Missing sleep in McClelland
Yeah, I destroyed my health on my birthday weekend — not by killing my liver, but by eating junk food, staring at a laptop screen and not sleeping.
Ernest Owens | Rank your own damn school
In many ways, Penn is the best it’s ever been. How many colleges can boast a no-loan financial aid policy for undergraduates, some of the most impressive (and newly renovated) dining halls or a president that can stand on her head? Not many.
Robert Hsu | Working as a double agent
I’ve blown my cover too many times to be considered a real American agent.
Emily Orrson | Pitchfork, take a 5.9
Pitchfork isn’t offensive. It’s hilarious.
Divya Ramesh | Why I wait with bated breath
If we corral the polluted air in one place, if we quarantine the smoke, there’s a big chance that it’ll be easier to breathe everywhere else.
Adam Silver | Thank you for not surfing
The main reason I try not to surf the web in class is privacy. I don’t want people behind me to know that the only person who ever chats me online is Sara Silver (my mom).
Brian Collopy | The Best of Penn
I propose starting an organization called “Best of Penn” to offer informal coffee chats with the best professors who are willing to spare an hour.
Alexa Nicolas | Why sex belongs in the classroom
I want to see sexual health on the NSO calendar. But, is that too extreme? Is that something we as a community are unwilling to face, since unlike alcohol, the threats to health from sex are often less conspicuous?
Wesley Vaughn | A ‘good part of town,’ but for whom?
This August, along with reminding me to ignore the liberals and to enjoy Penn State, my family members and neighbors advised me to avoid the “bad parts of town.”
Yessenia Gutierrez | Wanted: Upperclassmen
During the beginning of each school year, we are all involved in making sure freshmen know what’s what on campus. We want them to know about our club, our major, our leadership opportunities. Yet most of us don’t know half of what occurs at Penn.
Ernest Owens | Equal when separate
While the media and politicians attempt to convince us that we live in a post-racial society, the truth is, self-segregation persists and is a natural instinct.
Aya Saed | A silent victory in the face of violence
I have more in common with a moderate Christian than any Muslim radical who proposes violence.
Kurt Mitman | What they don’t teach you in Econ 1
Many people believe that the playing field is leveled once students get to college, but in reality, inequality persists.
Lauren Agresti | Just put your pants on for now
Trying to get on top of your schoolwork? Take your books out. You don’t have to read them. Just open them up. Trying to catch up on email? Respond to one. See what happens.
Adam Silver | The democratic infomercial
Although the formalities of the old still echo the halls of the convention — there are voice votes, motions and even a gavel — it is no longer a place for a party to pick a nominee.