Column

It’s 2018, and this is still the hill men want to die on James Damore, a former Google employee, published a scathing memo in July 2017 accusing the tech giant of engaging in discriminatory activities. Buried inside his bitter manifesto were several claims that maybe women weren’t interested in coding — which according to him […]

We need an environment where women are not pitted against each other “Mean Girls” was the movie that defined my adolescence. Every girl wanted to grow up and become Regina, Cady or Gretchen — sassy, mean, vicious and supremely self-confident. The vague, cheesy ending that attempted to somewhat reconcile the differences between the various groups […]

Being seen as a bigot or worse in the classroom Why are students afraid to voice their opinions in the classroom? Political correctness has made it almost impossible to talk about social and sensitive issues. It’s difficult to have a rational conversation about race, women’s rights or other important topics because people’s biases impede a […]

Nothing can prepare for culture-shock, and that’s okay There are those who get nervous, and there are those who say they don’t get nervous. The latter group is lying. The idea that nerves can be bought and brokered, or charged up and down at will, is also a lie. That was never made clear to […]

Femininity and masculinity should be variable for each individual instead of contribute to fixed stereotypes “I hate Black Widow. She’s a girl, and girls have cooties,” said my cousin, who was then a 6-year-old, rambunctious little boy. I stared back at him in shock and indignance. “Do you hate me, too?” I demanded, and he […]

Environmentalist and believer don’t have to be mutually exclusive — and they shouldn’t be Nature has a profound spiritual significance to me. I’m overwhelmed with admiration and respect, whether I’m watching a squirrel on campus or looking up at El Capitan — more so with the latter. No offense, squirrels. Often, though, environmental concerns and […]

The liberal arts teach life skills that science just can’t Since the advent of modern science, students who have an inclination toward the discipline have questioned the “point” of studying the arts. The argument is an old one, and for unknown reasons there will always be a back and forth on why a liberal arts […]

How human smugglers operate as portal for migrants coming to the U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that illegal immigrants will face more challenges coming into the United States — not just crossing the border, but also staying within its bounds. Trump’s agenda to build a massive wall and increase border patrol agents and […]

Cultural norms of behavior reveal more problems than they fix In the movie “I Love You, Man,” Paul Rudd plays a newly engaged real estate agent who has trouble finding a best man for his wedding due to a lack of male friends. In the vein of comedy, Rudd’s character faces ridicule from his coworkers […]

Is our technology keeping us from really experiencing nature? One day, while studying in the arboretum, I saw a couple of otters. They were swimming together, creating air bubbles underwater. They surfaced and ate fish on rocks. I watched them, and I noticed that onlookers began to get closer to the pair. The onlookers held […]

You can’t be anti-education — or so I thought Stomachs all over the country drop when President Donald Trump makes headlines. Personality notwithstanding, his policy divides his own party, confuses Americans and often works against his base’s interests. Despite his polarizing views and divisive actions, there are some things that are not partisan issues — […]

The exclusion of immigrant parents from their children’s lives creates a significant rift Growing up, my family friend, an older girl I had always looked up to, imparted upon me the knowledge that we were ABCDs — American-Born Confused Desis. Desi. Any Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi person living abroad can be labeled a Desi, a […]