Op-Eds
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. […]
clothing
‘Gender-neutral’ doesn’t mean ‘gay’
Some people have questioned my gender identity and sexual orientation because of the way I dress. I wear quite a bunch of men’s clothing — shirts, sweaters, and a coat. The first time that I bought men’s clothing was with my dad, browsing around the men’s section at a GAP store. I picked up the […]
Body shaming
Stop body shaming
My body is my most profound confidant and ally. I’ve hurt my body psychologically and emotionally, although not physically, blaming it for not being perfect, as if perfect exists. The resulting pain has destroyed my sense of self and the love, comfort, and safety my body affords me. This pain is not entirely my doing. […]
Op-Eds
The pros and cons of living with a bestie
As the posts searching for roommates and suitemates flood social media, housing season descends upon us. For many students, our first instinct is to room together with people we know. After all, since we already have a close relationship, living with them should be a breeze. Rooming with friends often comes with the added benefit […]
Op-Eds
March For Our Lives: Have we forgotten?
On March 24, 2018, the March For Our Lives, an international demonstration advocating for better gun control in the wake of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Shooting, took place. The day of the shooting — February 14, 2018 — was one of the scariest days of my life. It will remain seared into my […]
Op-Eds
Jussie Smollet and false victimhood
We are in an era of retribution and justice. This is the time for victims of injustice to reap rewards for their undeserved trauma. Many victims are taking this opportunity to come out and share their stories. Speaking is seen as act of bravery. It is also seen as redundant. The public is growing frustrated […]
Admissions
How to prevent wealth from predetermining admissions
It’s been hard to avoid the recent college admissions scandals, in which many rich and famous parents tried to buy their children spots at elite universities. This involved mail fraud and bribing athletic coaches and standardized test proctors, sometimes to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Notably, the universities were themselves unaware of […]
