Opinion Columns
Solemei Scamaroni | Penn is a battleground
Columnist Solemei Scamaroni warns the politicization of universities, like Penn, will intensify under the next Trump administration, urging universities and students to be aware of the national impact of their actions.
Beatriz Báez | A floating island treated like garbage
Columnist Beatriz Báez discusses Puerto Rico’s status and examines the relationship between the political influence of Puerto Ricans in the U.S. versus their role within the island itself.
Ingrid Holmquist | Let’s keep Philadelphia unions strong
Columnist Ingrid Holmquist highlights the importance of labor unions in the context of the ongoing struggle of SEPTA workers.
Mariana Martinez | MAGA: Roaring twenties 2.0?
Columnist Mariana Martinez deconstructs what it means to “Make America Great Again” and potential challenges Donald Trump could face in his enterprise.
Isabel Sweeney | The red gets redder: The burning need for change in America
Guest Columnist Isabel Sweeney reflects on the post-election reconciliation with what a decisive Trump victory tells us about America’s struggles.
Halima Osman | Black Penn faces an uncertain future
Columnist Halima Osman explores the implications of declining diversity and representation within Black Penn following the overturning of affirmative action.
Tiyya Geiger | We should all read more — just not our textbooks
Columnist Tiyya Geiger compels Penn students to revitalize free reading as a core tenant of the college experience.
Namrata Pradeep | You can’t compete with the crane or the chatbot
Columnist Namrata Pradeep explores employability in the face of smarter technology.
Ingrid Holmquist | Our goals don’t change under Trump
Columnist Ingrid Holmquist highlights the impending Trump presidency as a chance to restructure the left to better support us.
Elo Esalomi | A Brit’s guide to American democracy
Columnist Elo Esalomi compares U.K. and U.S. political cultures in the wake of experiencing her first U.S. presidential election.
Marie Dillard | Trump voters aren't racist, but they excuse it
Columnist Marie Dillard explores the rise of far-right populism fueled by fear of cultural displacement, where identity and power are framed as zero-sum battles.
Francesco Salamone | First years, stop listening to upperclassmen right now (including me)
Columnist Francesco Salamone argues that a proliferation of upperclassmen bellwethers giving excessive bogus advice is making first years feel inadequate.
Elo Esalomi | Penn's dining dilemma
Columnist Elo Esalomi questions the standards of Penn Dining after multiple food safety violations, both on campus and in the surrounding Philadelphia community.
Lindsay Muneton | Open heart, open mind, no open memberships
Columnist Lindsay Muneton comments on Penn culture which stigmatizes open membership clubs, advocating for students to consider their positive aspects.
Tiyya Geiger | Failure as navigation
Columnist Tiyya Geiger implores Penn students to embrace failure as a way to learn in and out of the classroom.
Arshiya Pant | All politics is local; let’s start acting like it
Columnist Arshiya Pant discusses the importance of participating in local politics amidst the dominance of national conversations.
Diya Choksey | Sweaters, scarves, and sweating: dressing for Philadelphia’s ‘fall’-acies
Columnist Diya Choksey tackles the challenge of dressing for Philadelphia’s unpredictable fall, where the struggle to “layer up” for chilly mornings and endure overheated classrooms mirrors the chaos of college life itself.
Piper Slinka-Petka | Start being ‘chalant’
Columnist Piper Slinka-Petka critiques how Penn’s culture pushes students to be “nonchalant” and encourages them to embrace emotional honesty and vulnerability.
Allison Santa-Cruz | Stop calling Trump voters racist
Columnist Allison Santa-Cruz argues that the Democratic Party’s accusatory and moralizing rhetoric alienates potential supporters, backfires by reinforcing opposition, and undermines its appeal to the working class and diverse members of our citizenry.