Op-Eds
classes
Not all classes are created equal
First-semester first-years are restricted in the amount of credits they can take, presumably in some sort of effort to prevent burnout. But a 16 credit schedule for a STEM major can look significantly more packed than one for a humanities or social science major. Between all the labs, lab lectures, recitations, and workshops, there seems […]
argument
I hate chocolate ice cream.
And you should tell me why I’m wrong. There is nothing more satisfying than to hear the words “I was wrong” after a long verbal sparring match against someone with whom you viscerally disagree. The value of these words comes almost entirely from their rarity. How often do you really win an argument? Maybe you’re […]
drinking
Dry frats: student responses
Colleges and universities nationwide have faced controversy surrounding fraternities and sororities for years. Drinking and hazing scandals aside, some take issue with the culture that surrounds these organizations. Recently, there has been a “crackdown” (depending on who’s asked) by national fraternities to their chapters regarding alcohol and hazing for greek life organizations. Newly created policies […]
Op-Eds
Mt. Hope cemetery review
We are outnumbered by the dead. In Mt. Hope Cemetery alone there are more dead people than living ones in the city of Rochester. Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglass, and our city’s namesake Nathaniel Rochester are among the 350,000 interred in this cemetery. (The 2017 census puts Rochester’s living population at roughly 208,000). A historic […]
japan
The untold story of comfort women
Everyone wants an apology when someone has wronged them. Whether on an individual or national scale, it’s difficult to forgive and forget even small slights. Korea and Japan have been stuck in this argument since the end of World War II and the start of Korea’s liberation. When the Japanese colonized South Korea in 1910, […]
meliora
A guide to Zen: Study space edition
As an ancient ward of the University (also known as a Take Five Scholar), I have completed my journey towards academic nirvana. Days melt into nights, nights melt into frat parties, and frat parties melt into Mt. Hope Diner runs, yet I remain enlightened in all walks of my River Campus life. And here, within […]
internship
Unpaid internships aren’t always worth it
Internships are great. You get to put real work experience on your resume, have a resource when you need a recommendation letter, and sometimes even earn some cash to help pay off your student loans. Being honest, the most important point is that extra cash. But what about the much more common unpaid internship? Is […]
academics
Dear bushy tailed, wide-eyed, overachieving fresher
My first semester at UR was a shitshow — unbalanced, sleep-deprived, anxious, and toxic. Don’t get me wrong: I collected some funny stories, almost exclusively between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. I made friends, engaged in meaningful extracurriculars, took great classes, saw “The Matrix,” found mentors, lived as an open and proud queer Asian woman […]
air conditioning
How to beat the heat when you’re stuck in a dorm room
A lot of people complain about Rochester’s winters, but in my opinion, the summer months are far worse. When it gets cold, even polar vortex cold, you can always put on more layers. In the winter, heavy coats, long underwear, ski masks, or even goggles can become necessities outside the tunnels. When it gets hot, […]
Mental Health
Dealing with mental illness in college
Editor's Note (01/03/20): The writer's name has been removed from this piece, as they were still struggling with mental illness at the time of its submission. It was a Thursday afternoon in creative writing seminar when I wrote, “we’re all time travelers. Jesus split himself into billions of pieces to live inside of our souls. […]
