Column

The sweet taste of victory, the bitter bite of deception   By NEVAEH KARRAKER — nakarraker@ucdavis.edu   Ballots for Proposition 50 are flooding mailboxes, and, for many first-years at UC Davis, it’s their first time voting in California. With the disappointment expressed by many in response to the actions of the Donald Trump administration, the […]

How accessible does science need to be?   By ABHINAYA KASAGANI — akasagani@ucdavis.edu   Let me start by saying Academia and I are not friends. Most days I don’t understand her, and she doesn’t understand me, but we keep in touch anyway. I get most of my information from her, and she’s usually credible. On […]

It’s time to pay attention, now more than ever before   By SABRINA FIGUEROA — sfigueroaavila@ucdavis.edu   The United States Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) decision to allow racial profiling in immigration raids should be alarming for everyone, not just for minorities. On Monday, Sept. 8, 2025, SCOTUS lifted restrictions on immigration raids across Los Angeles in […]

Exploring why place identity makes college towns sites of mixed emotions    By VIOLET ZANZOT— vmzanzot@ucdavis.edu   One of the most eye-opening conversations I’ve had occurred in my sophomore year at Davis, in passing with a stranger. We were discussing our feelings about Davis; She said she found the town to be interesting because everyone […]

A nation divided, unified by hate   By NEVAEH KARRAKER — nakarraker@ucdavis.edu   Political violence is taking hold of our nation. On June 14, 2025, Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was assassinated in her own home, along with her husband Mark and their golden retriever Gilbert. Three months later, on Sept. 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk […]

Loving the craft while hating the craftsman: Teslas and Elon Musk   By VIOLET ZANZOT— vmzanzotl@ucdavis.edu   If you need a surgery — a surgery so rare and specific that you feel cosmically unlucky to need it — I’m sure that finding the perfect surgeon would be a priority.  When searching for this surgeon, wouldn’t […]

Lessons from Miss Americana herself    By MOLLY THOMPSON – mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu    It’s been a great summer to be a ‘Swiftie’; As the TikTok videos flooding my feed proclaim, “Mother has been feeding us.”  On Aug. 11, Taylor Swift announced her 12th studio album and cover reveal, “The Life of a Showgirl.” On Aug. 13, […]

Seeing red, feeling blue and tickled pink   By MOLLY THOMPSON – mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu    When I was in first grade, one of my most beloved elementary school teachers would call me “rainbow girl” because of my constant propensity to dress myself in an array of vibrant neons and cheerful pastels. I would enthusiastically accompany my […]

I got you girl — from right here   By NEVAEH KARRAKER — nakarraker@ucdavis.edu   “Lord of the Rings.” “Star Wars.” “Harry Potter.” It’s easy to get lost in the lore of incredible stories like these. I can spend hours studying elvish runes, ancient wars and the distinct fighting styles of each Jedi without a […]

How code-switching changes a person’s identity    By VIOLET ZANZOT— vmzanzot@ucdavis.edu   How many languages do you speak?  Personally, I can speak English. That’s it. That being said, I can do a decent amount with English. I like to think that I can write in formal English, and on occasion, I can speak in formal […]

Vegetarianism, now more than ever before, is an indication of personal morality and responsibility   By GEETIKA MAHAJAN — giamahajan@ucdavis.edu   Vegetarians and vegans get a lot of flack— and it’s understandable why. For all the goodness of their cause, it’s hard to tolerate a group of people who ceaselessly preach about how their life […]

It’s all conjecture, really   By ABHINAYA KASAGANI— akasagani@ucdavis.edu   One of my dearest friends loves to use the phrase “it’s all conjecture,” which always strikes me as a little amusing. Although she is right that many things in life are based on speculation, I believe many things to also undoubtedly be true. In our […]