Opinion Columns
Senior Column by Ellie Schroeder | Figuring it out
I’m starting to realize that, just as I’ll never find the single interpretation of a poem or novel, I’ll never have “it” quite figured out.
Senior Column by Ilana Wurman | Does it ever drive you crazy?
I used to obsess over being remembered. If my name was on enough walls or mastheads, it would prove that all the hours were worth it.
Senior Column by Saumya Khaitan | One for the books
What made my 20-plus hour weeks at the office worth it was seeing people read the paper every morning and knowing I had a role to play in making that happen.
Senior Column by Amy Chan | Redefining greatness
My whole life, I have pictured greatness as Instagram flashes of beautiful girls fisting champagne on boats, people in fine coats promenading down Fifth Avenue.
Senior Column by Caroline Simon | Relying on ourselves
While we wait for the results of yet another vague, directionless task force, we can be there for our friends, supporting each other through the constant intensity of life on this campus.
Senior Column by Carter Coudriet | What I learned in boating school is …
I’m still far from the best version of myself … but no matter what, whether my days are productive or failure-ridden, when my head hits the pillow I know that I matter.
Senior Column by Alessandro van den Brink | You can take the boy out of the DP, but you can’t take the DP out of the boy
Yet, in 20 years from now, I may not be able to recite a single column I worked on, both as a writer and as an editor. I will, however, always remember the impact those people at the DP left on my life.
Senior Column by Dani Blum | Calling bullshit
I loved, and still love, Penn, and I woke up on my plastic twin mattress feeling grateful to be here. But I also saw a campus steeped in classism, bigotry, and sexism.
Senior Column by Dan Spinelli | My final words
I understand now the importance of balance and the value of just being present with those you love.
Senior Column by Lucien Wang | Crossing the bridge
It’s a melancholy, a nostalgia, a longing for something that has happened; yet it is also an assurance, a "knowing" that it will never happen again.
Rebecca Alifimoff | Girls just want to have fun: Why we should let sororities throw parties
The unequal rules surrounding alcohol possession and consumption in Greek life, which tilt the social power balance in favor of fraternities, are at the heart of some of Greek life’s biggest problems.
Isabella Simonetti | The person behind the articles you hate
A lot of people at Penn don’t like me. That’s the nature of the work I do here. But the gift that is being a student-journalist is 100 percent worth it.
Lucy Hu | No, you aren’t too busy to volunteer
Are our consulting clubs so important that we don’t have time to help a middle-schooler learn how to read?
Jennifer Lee | How the Cardi B contest got me banned from Tinder
I personally lost $9.99 and was reported and blocked indefinitely from Tinder. So if you ask me whether it was worth swiping for Cardi, I would certainly say it was not.
Isabella Simonetti | Penn has a drinking problem. Let's acknowledge it.
Don’t get me wrong, drinking on college campuses is a difficult issue to navigate. No alcohol policy is perfect, but Penn’s doesn’t even try to be.
Sara Merican | Speaking a different English
Did people understand what I was saying? Were they too nice to say if they didn’t? Do they mind how I sound?
Carlos Arias Vivas | Penn should follow Harvard and Yale’s lead and offer ‘startup grants’ for FGLI freshmen
These startup grants are beneficial because they help FGLI students offset some costs such as purchasing a new laptop, buying winter clothing, and travel expenses.
Amy Chan | A significant life might look smaller than imagined
“Well, of course I am going to live a significant life,” we all tell ourselves. The only uncertainty is how we are going to do it.
Jennifer Lee | The costs of Penn’s pervasive ‘going out’ culture can add up
Being involved in various communities is an essential part of college life, but frequent social events can rack up tremendous bills.
