Column

In a country so used to winning, what does losing to minor nations say about our national character? If you missed the final whistle amid all the natural disaster coverage and political scandals, the U.S. men’s national soccer team lost in devastating fashion to a set of 11 players from a country many Americans would […]

UCLA’s study on depression receives both praise and publicity College students have a high risk of developing a mental illness. With this in mind, I ask the question: What are universities doing to bring awareness to the topic of mental health? UCLA recently revealed a study it will be beginning with its incoming first-year students […]

What began as a rightful protest has been obscured by slander in the name of patriotism Flags and the people waving them tend to make the news. The American one bleeds red, white and blue, but underneath it lies a wasteland of controversies that never quite seem to dissipate. Of course, this is nothing new. […]

My experiences and core beliefs affect my views on hate speech “Hate speech” is a term that’s used often on this campus and at universities across the country. Before coming to UC Davis, I had never heard of the term “hate speech.” It’s not like I hadn’t witnessed or faced racial abuse before; I just […]

No single story looks the same — and that’s why listening is so important I can’t stress enough that mental health is a serious issue that needs to be openly discussed. There are research articles and even personal stories that are shared, but they’re often not the first pieces viewed on a Facebook feed, on […]

Travel has more to offer than simply another story Over the summer, I traveled around Thailand and Malaysia by train and bus. It was a real doozy of a trip, but one hyphenated adjective I refuse to use is “eye-opening.” Travelers need to do better than resort to overused language that reflects pomposity and largely […]

Trust is the key to ending police violence When people talk about the police, the subject of police brutality often comes to mind. Eight years after the shooting of Oscar Grant in Oakland, cases of excessive force at the hands of police continue to reach national coverage. Despite years of research and deliberation, the debate […]

Intense stress renders college students especially vulnerable to mental illness As a college student, I can say that this period in our lives often provides us with the most stress. Between classes, extracurricular activities, jobs and internships, the workload is intense — especially at the start of the transition. The stress continues even after adjusting […]

It is my pleasure to welcome all those at UC Davis and the surrounding community back to school. For incoming first-year and transfer students: I hope you find joy and fulfillment at this university and in this delightful college town. For returning students: campus was lonely without most of you here this summer. (I assume, […]

Introverts get the short stick, but misconceptions are slowly eroding This is an age of social and identity stratification, and many groups are making their voices heard. Until recently, one such group has mostly avoided the limelight. Its members make up between a quarter and a third of the American population, in a country inherently […]

Identity politics can often pressure people to adopt assigned beliefs With recent political developments, identity politics play a large role in how the public interprets and discusses key issues. Regular people, not just politicians, have categories that they believe they belong in — just as they might list credentials and skills for a job interview. […]

Both those with and without mental illness must feel comfortable talking about it Mental health stigma is primarily composed of two sides: the surrounding society and the person who is experiencing the illness. On society’s side, people’s attitudes are characterized by prejudiced behavior and discrimination against those who have mental health problems. The person who’s […]