But the most memorable stories, for me, were the ones that brought me a bit closer to the heart of Penn — the ones that introduced me to some of the lesser-heralded people who make our university the special place that it is.

Naysayers spend their lives in fear of idols; we’re the ones who smash them. Everyone uses their intellect like a hammer, smashing away at their hobbies and trades to craft something meaningful. We’re in the business of building better hammers.

Religion has claimed a monopoly on morality for so long that we infidels are forced to explain ad nauseam why we think murder is morally reprehensible. I am tired of conceding the moral high ground to religion by default. Today, I want to reverse that situation and show why secular moral systems are superior to their non-secular counterparts.

Embracing awkward is my way to being unapologetic about the person I am. I don’t allow other people to make me feel bad about myself on principle, so why would I give myself that power?

Coming out seems to have taken on a much more important stake than it’s supposed to. It’s not supposed to be that way. There is no one type of person that can bring you everything you need and want.

I find it particularly perplexing that even millennials who grew up surrounded by social media still adhere to this classic prohibition. We willingly abandon our privacy when it comes to relationships, hardships, hookup and every inane inner thought we think should grace our Facebook and Twitter feeds, yet we still show a reluctance to discuss salaries. Why have we collectively determined that this one element of our lives deserves unique protection from prying eyes?

Every week, hundreds Penn students file into dusty classrooms in West Philadelphia’s middle and high schools where they tutor students in math and English and science.

Some stories are hard to tell, but chances are those are the ones that desperately need to be heard.We far too often have an aversion to using individual stories as a way to understand societal problems and enact change.

“Big-pharma” and “conventional medicine” became bogeymen that use their overwhelming political power to suppress the “natural healing” wonders of Supplementary, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (SCAMs).

Israel has certainly played a role in prolonging the Palestinian condition. To say that Israel and its policies are the root cause of the problem, however, is historically inaccurate.

You wouldn’t go on a second date with someone that makes you crazy — why spend your Friday night getting drinks with a “friend” who is toxic?

From the first moment that I was offered a beer at a party to this very day whenever people around me are drinking, I have felt at least a little bit uncomfortable and have had a sense of dread. I can’t quite explain it, but it’s very real.

As many of you know, Philadelphia has a lot of thrift stores, whether in our bubble of West Philly, in Center City or on South Street.

This Fling, I bought fried Oreos and wore ridiculous amounts of neon. I wore sunglasses at night and forgot my sweater at home and stopped for fried chicken. I even got yelled at by the cops.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology showed that subjects were more likely to distrust an atheist than they were to trust a rapist.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I’ve been planning for this Fling for over a year.For the first time, I went out and bought myself a fling tank.

While indulging is healthy from time to time, we shouldn’t need to rely on a purging period to escape an overwhelming work life. College is just as much about social experiences as it is academics.