Opinion Columns
Sara Merican | To tread the unfamiliar with sensitivity and humility
There is great education and adventure in taking classes in a subject that is not only foreign to us, but also challenges our fundamental assumptions and beliefs.
James Lee | In search of more than a flashcard education
An education not only teaches but molds, and we ought to remember the forces that shape us into ourselves.
Group Think | How can the University Council get better attendance?
Do we need a major overhaul of the UC or does the UC just have a brand problem?
Shilpa Saravanan | Home for Thanksgiving break, but not Thanksgiving
Celebrating Thanksgiving the “right way” shouldn’t be a litmus test for American-ness.
Jacquelyn Sussman | From NSO to Thanksgiving: a Freshman reflection
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we can all take a step back and reflect on what an amazing school Penn is, even if there’s room for improvement every now and then.
Isabella Simonetti | The problem with 'random acts of kindness'
Kindness at Penn shouldn’t just be reserved for one week; it should be just as integral to our identities as our competitive spirits.
Alex Silberzweig | What does it mean to be 'kind' in college?
Maybe losing our otherwise well-defined sense of kindness is just a part of growing up.
Carlos Arias Vivas | Why our cultural groups like Alianza shouldn’t be ignored
We must come together in times to support one another when no one wants to recognize us and make sure that our various cultural communities are valued on campus.
Jessica Li | The unnecessary stress of advance registration
Asking students to decide what courses they are taking so early perpetuates a rather stressful pressure of outlining the exact trajectory of one’s academic progress — something that not everyone necessarily knows.
Toe the Line: College Republicans | In defense of free trade
Despite the increase in popular support for tariffs and protectionism, encouraging trade remains the best framework for US foreign economic policy.
Toe the Line: Penn Democrats | American politics: In need of a discourse on international trade
Our trade deals are ubiquitously outdated, hardly touching big data or any real form of data sharing, failing to adapt to the constantly technologically changing marketplace.
Shilpa Saravanan | Planners, but no plans: our struggle with our time
We encourage everyone around us to practice self-care, and then turn around and talk loudly about how we barely get any sleep because we were scrolling through Reddit for hours.
Amy Chan | Why it’s OK to leave college with few friends
College is only a small part of our lives, and the lifelong friends we do make don’t have to come from these fleeting four years.
Calvary Rogers | The trap of performative activism
Often, our activism is empty because the standards we set for ourselves and each other are extremely low.
Lucy Hu | Why Penn should not build New College House West
In a time when there have been a large amount of pressing issues among students, the announcement of New College House West's construction comes as a distraction from the calls to action within the Penn community.
Spencer Swanson | The facts about fake news
Perhaps we don’t need a Penn course to teach us how to spot fake news, but we do need to take individual responsibility in learning this valuable skill.
Isabella Simonetti | Why we need to treat ourselves
While it's important to ask the University for help, it's also necessary for us to take action as individuals that help alleviate the anxieties and pressures of college.
Group Think | What's the best way to petition the administration?
In general, how can student activist groups lobby Penn's administration effectively in order to promote change?
James Lee | The problem with carpe diem
As diverse as Penn is, I feel safe in saying that the drive to succeed is one of the few qualities that unite us as a community.