Opinion Columns
Hadriana Lowenkron | Volunteering this summer isn't financially sustainable for everyone
The truth of the matter, and what some are so quick to overlook, as they are blindsided by their activist ambitions, is that having the ability to volunteer or take on an unpaid internship exudes extreme privilege.
Tyler Larkworthy | Penn students need to lead more sustainable lives
We could live incredibly sustainable lives. But we don’t.
Urooba Abid | Penn, make summer courses more accessible to students from all backgrounds
The entire system of summer courses at Penn benefits mainly wealthy students.
Isami McCowan | Now more than ever, it’s important to say no sometimes
Before I came to Penn, I pretty much said “yes” to every kind of position or opportunity presented to me.
James Morrison | Call home more
And, although their nagging can sometimes be annoying, it’s good to be reminded from time to time that it’s important to get enough sleep, eat well, and go to Van Pelt every once in a while.
Kaliyah Dorsey | At Penn, fake smiles hurt more than they help
I realized that spending a lot of time alone, coupled with the stress of academics, can foster loneliness even in those who like alone time. This means you might not feel as happy as you might have in high school or on vacation.
Jessica Li | Penn professors, get my name right
Learn our names correctly. It’s not that hard.
Sophia DuRose | Incoming freshmen, take advantage of your peer advisors
My peer-advisor story is not a unique one, and many people don’t feel as if their peer advisors have done all they can to help them. But I must ask myself if I did all I could to ask for help.
Sophia DuRose | Penn, let's talk about female masturbation
So my question is, why are sexual encounters where men benefit more normalized? And how can we combat this idea? By talking.
Julia Mitchell | International students deserve transparency from Student Financial Services
There are steps that the University could take to both mitigate tax inconsistencies and to better disseminate these facts to students, many of whom do not realize the facts until they are issued an unexpected billing statement that they will have to pay a tax on a significant portion of their grant.
Joel Lee | Don’t let housing ruin your relationships
The truth is that housing presents a problem with no good solution.
James Morrison | Keep Van Pelt and Huntsman open 24-hours
If students are going to stay up late working regardless of the operating hours, why not open up more spaces for them to use so they can at least be comfortable and at ease?
Isami McCowan | Don't shorten your name to appease others
The first thing you tell someone when you meet them — before inevitably bringing up your major or your hometown — is your name. It holds weight.
Christy Qiu | Baby Quakers, don’t let pessimism of Penn students be the deciding factor
I’ll be the first to admit it: even with all its nuances, I love Penn, and I am so glad I chose to come here.
Hadriana Lowenkron | Penn needs a 24-hour dining hall
The pricing and inadequate availability of Penn’s dining options forces students to either spend their own or more of their families’ money on food, or, for those who can’t afford to do so, to be hungry.
Ton Nguyen | A first-generation, low-income perspective on who deserves to be in the Ivy League
We’re the ones you learn about in class about inner-city kids struggling with educational inequality. We’re also the ones you claim to be stealing your financial aid. So as great as it is that you’re learning more about us at Penn, it’s even more important that you understand that there are many people who could have been us.
Ana West | Undergraduate Assembly needs to deliver beyond election season
Penn students don’t just feel disconnected from the UA because they don’t care — they feel disconnected because it’s frustrating to have the issues and concerns facing them discussed for the sake of gaining votes, and then ignored again.
Sophia DuRose | Men can't take all the space in the classroom
Equal opportunities to participate are created when professors leading conversations actively engage women, women actively participate, and men in the classroom recognize that they need to leave room for these women.
Guest Column by Maria Curry and Chase Serota | Maria and Chase for UA
Throughout the last years, we have seen how not only ambition, but also determination and strategy, can lead to concrete, tangible change for the student body.