Column

IQ is no longer the judge of smartness and success One of the shortcomings of our education system is that we are never explicitly taught how to learn. Of course, we’re all told what skills the best students have, but that’s merely a matter of pattern recognition — anyone with an invested interest in their […]

Political hits a reality, not fiction in Russia One February night in Moscow, a Russian opposition leader and his lover were walking home from a dinner date. As the couple crossed the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, a large vehicle pulled up beside them, blocking the only working camera within range. Several gunshots rang out. Moments later, […]

American history books fail to recount Pancho Villa’s 1916 attack on the United States Pancho Villa, a Mexican revolutionary from the early 1900s, is recognized as one of the most iconic figures in Mexico. He’s famous for being a great general and a bandit due to his tendencies to loot and pillage. However, he was […]

The sooner we move toward alternative energy solutions and away from crude oil, the better Whenever I see the words “oil tanker” in a headline, I imagine the worst. I remember grisly pictures of oil-covered birds from the 2010 Gulf oil spill. (Refrain from performing a Google image search and spare yourself the guilt of […]

The opportunity to show ourselves as human is a privilege not all students share Unlike the educational systems in many countries, the United States strongly believes in second chances. There’s not one defining exam a teenager must take. Students need not choose their career goals in high school. And in the instance that a student […]

Personal experience reveals passions and exasperation in Russian courses There aren’t a lot of folks who can say their educational lives changed after they visited a Wikipedia page. I can say without a doubt that mine has. The story goes like this: I was 17 years old, and one day I was bored. I hopped […]

Our deep-rooted perceptions of beauty can seriously damage women’s mental and physical wellbeing In a world inhabited by 7.6 billion people, who determines what qualities meet the standards of beauty? Beauty seems like such a simple, positive concept, but a lack of self-esteem and body positivity is linked to depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies — […]

A 40-year debate comes to a close, but there’s still hope drilling will be stopped I wish I had a funny anecdote to make talking about oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge less depressing. I don’t. The tax bill has been approved, along with one of the saddest provisions to affect the environment […]

Stringent visa policies harm the average citizen more than we realize Let it be known that travel visas are a nuisance. Sure, they mark passports in exotic hues of purple, green and red like trophies in your own personal case. To some, indeed, a chalked-up passport is the ultimate beacon of globetrotting success. Yet visas […]

How parenting styles affect us as students — and why we don’t need to be subjected to them Many of us have read Amy Chua’s provocative Wall Street Journal article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” Chua was the original Tiger Mom — fearlessly describing what was a hidden reality for many students. On this campus, […]

In male-dominated professions, women confront a culture where they’re devalued and discouraged When I was a 7-year-old girl, I unwillingly held tightly to the impractical Barbies that oblivious family friends bestowed upon me, while I watched in envy as the 7-year-old boys were given building sets and scientific experiment sets. When I was a 15-year-old […]

Only by keeping an aura of fairness can journalism reclaim its former glory President Donald Trump announced on Dec. 6 that the U.S. would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate its embassy to reflect the change in policy. Although hardly shocking — indeed, the last several American presidents made campaign statements supporting Israel’s […]