Opinion

Elizabeth Song | Could you spare a smile?

It's not an uncommon scenario. You're waiting in line for the $2.50 egg white sandwich at Bui's Food Truck, and an unshaven man in scruffed-up Timberlands, reeking of stale cigarettes, asks you for change. Sister, can you spare a dime? Will you help a brother out? God bless.

Opinion Art | Amira Fawcett

Amira Fawcett is an Engineering junior from Houston, TX. Her e-mail address is fawcett@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Editorial | A sensible reform

To the untrained eye, the line between Class Boards and the Undergraduate Assembly is pretty blurry. The two groups do serve very different functions: While the UA lobbies administrators, the Class Boards focus on promoting school spirit. But many students often confuse the two organizations, especially during elections.

Nicky Berman | Presidential politics is still personal

'Isn't she beeeeauutiful?" whispered the suited woman standing next to me. "There's just nothing like being in the presence of someone with that much charisma." We were caught in the middle of the pushing and crowding in Houston's Hall of Flags last Monday, flush from our meeting with Hillary Clinton herself.

Editorial | Practical schooling

As the Philadelphia School District discusses a partnership with Penn and Drexel, University officials need to take the community's needs into account. The plan would involve the transformation of University City High into a combination neighborhood-and-magnet school.

Zach Fuchs | Take charge of your education

Today marks the beginning of SCUE's annual Education Week. For two decades, students have used this week as a time to reflect beyond requirements and recruiting, deciding for themselves what it means to be an active learner at Penn. During a semester in France, I saw my classmates physically barricade their university for four weeks: occupying the buildings, shutting down debate and scuffling with riot police to show their dissatisfaction with the government's university reform proposal.

Opinion Art | Daniel Schwartz

Daniel Schwartz is a College sophomore from Decatur, Ga. His e-mail address is schwartz@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Jim Saksa | Facebook - the fall of privacy

I was sitting in Van Pelt the other day when I noticed the girl in front of me procrastinating on Facebook, looking at photo albums. Pretty normal and I usually wouldn't give it a second thought, except she was looking at pictures of me in a friend's photo album.

Andrew Watterson | Not gay like that

If I'm not with them, I'm against them. A sidebar in the QPenn supplement on Monday labeled me a heterosexist for thinking that "LGBT people are too outspoken about LGBT rights." Ironically, this same sidebar implored readers to think of gay people as interesting people who exist beyond their sexuality.

Lisa Zhu | Making our money talk

It starts with an innocent e-mail at the end of junior year, encouraging us to consider the importance of fundraising. And before we know it, we've graduated to become the recipients of nightly phone calls from chipper-voiced undergraduates soliciting us for hundreds of dollars' worth of donations.

Opinion Art | Avery Lawrence

Avery Lawrence is a College senior from Charlottesville, Va. His e-mail address is lawrence@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Your Voice | Letters

English is the common link To the Editor: As a first generation American and son of Indian immigrants, I wholeheartedly disagree with David Kanter's opinion ("This is America-tolerate some diversity", March 26, 2008). Although David may think he is defending the cause of immigrants, I believe he is sorely mistaken.

Collin Beck | Make an informed vote - or die

Remember when P. Diddy was screaming at everyone to Vote or Die? That's how Locust Walk feels now. People yell about how important it is for college students to vote in this historic election. (Has there ever been a non-historic election?) But is it really that important for young people to vote? It's often cited that only 46.

Simeon McMillan | Taking a bite out of theft

When it comes to the perception of crime, Penn students need to get their priorities straight. It never ceases to amaze me how comfortable Penn students are leaving their possessions in the company of strangers. The same students who'll practice walking in circles to throw imaginary muggers off their scent will leave their $2,000 laptops unattended to wait in line for an ice-mocha-latte-frappuccino.

Editorial | Reality check

While Spring Fling 2008 is still almost two weeks away, Quad residents are already frustrated with the inconvenience of bag checks. Last Thursday, security guards began checking the bags of each student entering the Quad. Some residents complain that the alcohol checks make them uncomfortable.

Opinion Art | Jennifer Lesser

Jennifer Lesser is a College sophomore from Minneapolis, MN. Her e-mail address is lesser@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Mara Gordon | Keep on spinning

There was a minor crisis on Friday. It was 12:05 p.m., and my spinning instructor was nowhere to be found. Class was supposed to start at noon, and the girls waiting in line at Pottruck were wasting precious time. In those five minutes, we could have burned about 60 calories.

Opinion Art | Alicia Puglionesi

Alicia Puglionesi is a College junior from Havertown, Pa. Her e-mail address is puglionesi@dailypennsylvanian.com.

Editorial | Making Philly safer

Congratulations to Drexel for taking up arms. With crime on everyone's minds, it comes as no surprise that our neighbors to the northeast have new plans to ensure the continued safety of students. Drexel recently announced its intent to develop a campus police department over the course of the next year.

David Kanter | This is America - tolerate some diversity

Last time I checked, the United States didn't have an official language. English may predominate in the Land of the Free, but Spanish, or any other language for that matter, can rightly claim to be just as American. Yet if you stop by Geno's Steaks in South Philly, you might think otherwise.