Opinion Columns
Tony Zhou | Creating difficult exams but then curving them harms student learning
Columnist Tony Zhou argues that all classes at Penn should have exams that are appropriately challenging without the need for a curve.
Varun Saraswathula | Psychedelics are redefining well-being; Penn needs to get involved
Columnist Varun Saraswathula writes about psychedelic drugs, such as psilocybin and LSD, and how they are powerful therapeutics for a variety of mental illnesses; he argues that Penn should open a center for psychedelic research like many of its peer institutions to be at the forefront of psychiatry.
Vinay Khosla | NFT: new, frightening, and tawdry
Columnist Vinay Khosla discusses how the emergence of NFTs poses a threat to art’s historical emphasis on cultural value.
Sam Zou | You need to, like, stop saying 'like'
Columnist Sam Zou argues that the usage of filler words is unprofessional and projects a lack of confidence during a speech or presentation.
Caroline Magdolen | The second-year experience: Smoke and mirrors?
Columnist Caroline Magdolen reflects on her experience with on-campus housing over the past two years, and how her perception of College House community has changed.
Sam Zou | Improving and expanding ‘Exchange at Penn’
Columnist Sam Zou argues that Penn should expand the Exchange at Penn program and create more helpful resources and contacts before exchange students arrive on campus.
Artur Vllahiu | Penn, where true eros comes to die
Columnist Artur Vllahiu argues that we have a lot to learn about the intersection of love and power relations from philosophy.
Vinay Khosla | Penn’s privilege dilemma
Columnist Vinay Khosla argues that even high-achieving students should be encouraged to work customer service jobs to learn vital skills for becoming empathetic, productive members of society.
Yomi Abdi | White Boys' Town
Columnist Yomi Abdi discusses The Daily Pennsylvanian's exclusionary history and ongoing diversity efforts, through her own experiences and those of former Black opinion columnists.
Jaden Cloobeck | How journaling helps me cope with uncertainty
Columnist Jaden Cloobeck describes the personal benefits of journaling, especially during uncertain periods in his life
Valerie Wang & Varun Saraswathula | Mackenzie Fierceton and the so-called “Penn community”
Columnists Valerie Wang & Varun Saraswathula argue that Penn's treatment of Mackenzie Fierceton should remind students that our relationship with the university is more transactional than we might think.
Liala Sofi & Allison Santa-Cruz | We believe you, Mackenzie, and Penn’s administration should, too
Columnists Allison Santa-Cruz and Liala Sofi press for Penn administrators to properly address their involvement in the case of former Penn student Mackenzie Fierceton.
Isabella Glassman | Undergraduates are not landlords — Penn, help Greek life housing
Columnist Isabella Glassman urges Penn to financially assist fraternities and sororities as they transition to upperclassmen-only Greek life housing.
Kayla Cotter | Fool’s Gold: Is the Four-Year Degree All It Seems?
Columnist Kayla Cotter argues that viewing the four-year degree as compulsory threatens to undermine other viable post-secondary pathways.
Lexi Boccuzzi | What happened to 'follow the science'?
Columnist Lexi Boccuzzi argues that the University’s choice to extend the mask mandate in classrooms failed to consider scientific evidence and opinions of a large portion of students and faculty.
Agatha Advincula | Dear Accepted Students: Here’s What to Expect at Penn
Columnist Agatha Advincula advises incoming college students on what they should know about Penn.
Otto Piasecki | Penn needs to value its diversity and internationalism
Columnist Otto Piasecki urges students to take advantage of the international diversity present at Penn.
Vinay Khosla | Why is humanity’s suffering so Instagrammable?
Columnist Vinay Khosla argues that social media culture has been pivotal in desensitizing people to issues across the world.
Jesse Zhang | Dear High School Seniors
Columnist Jesse Zhang shares his experiences and the lessons he learned from the college matriculation process.