Opinion Columns
Robert Hsu | Surviving the sophomore slump
It can be difficult to come down from the “high” of freshman year into the reality of sophomore year.
Ernest Owens | Minding your manners
Yes, college is stressful. The constant demands and expectations can take a toll on how we treat one another, but that doesn’t excuse us from being respectful.
Lauren Agresti | Going beyond the Band-Aid
We’re programmed to respond to problematic or unusual situations. But once the Band-Aid has been applied, it’s back to business.
Emily Orrson | Keeping up with David Petraeus
Where have all our male role models gone?
Sindhuri Nandhakumar | Why I left Penn
I struggled to decide whether to leave Penn until it dawned on me that depression is a medical condition — so I’m entitled to medical leave.
Divya Ramesh | Waffles for dinner
Penn needs to do more to improve its vegetarian options.
Yessenia Gutierrez | You are what you consume
We choose our purchases to reveal who we are, so much so that even our personalities are commoditized.
Brian Collopy | The next four years
The fact that Barack Obama was re-elected guarantees that certain changes will take effect.
JY Lee | A hipster manifesto
Ignorant historians in the future will label us as the hipster generation — whether we like it or not.
Ernest Owens | I’m no victim of class
Stories about students who receive full financial aid are usually accompanied by an amazing tale of how they overcame obstacles.
Lauren Agresti | While I was sleeping…
You don’t have to be ecstatic. You don’t have to be angry. That’s the cool part. You get to decide.Aya Saed | Becoming an American
Yesterday, I cast my first ballot as a newly naturalized citizen of the United States.Adam Silver | A Democrat thrives in a conservative era
The past four years have been some of the most challenging of this century. But the country is moving out of these hard times and into a new era. While it will remain a conservative era, Democratic governance — and Obama — will thrive within it.
Alexa Nicolas | Obama: One for the girls
Even though women represent every socioeconomic status, education level and religion — our gender has become another way to polarize the polls.
Kurt Mitman | Love me some Bubba!
When I attended Hillary Clinton’s campaign rally at the Palestra in April 2008, I had no trouble getting a seat. What a difference four years can make.Guest Column | The Election and U.S.-China Relations
The legacy of the U.S. presidential campaign immediately after January 20, 2013 has the potential to significantly affect U.S.-China relations.
Max Scheiber | Working your fingers to the bone
Race-based affirmative action is antiquated and nonsensical.
Yessenia Gutierrez | But what do you eat?
The key tenet of veganism is not to cast judgment on others, but to ensure that we are knowledgeable about the food served on our plates.
Robert Hsu | Daring to take a taste
Many students are reluctant to give research a go because they view it as a boring or isolating activity. But, in reality, research is an extremely collaborative process, one that epitomizes creativity in an academic field.