Opinion

A genre of the past doesn’t have to be dated  What do we think of when we hear the term “classical music?” For many, the term evokes images of powdered wigs and sparkling grand pianos. The senses recall scenes of sterile concert halls and the potential energy that radiates off the stage just before the […]

Where voter apathy is the strongest candidate On March 18, 2018, Vladimir Putin –– Russia’s longest-serving ruler since Joseph Stalin –– won his fourth term as president in a landslide victory. A record 56.2 million Russians cast their ballots, giving Putin more than 76% of the vote.  Although his victory came as no surprise, following […]

COVID-19 highlights student debt crisis, exorbitant cost of tuition Student loan debt in the U.S. is currently estimated to be around $1.6 trillion. 44.7% of Americans and counting carry an average of $32,731 in student loan debt, which many have argued is far too hefty a price tag for a few years at a university. […]

A defeat to exceed the embarrassment of the nation’s 2014 loss to Germany? At the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Brazil suffered what was arguably the most humiliating and catastrophic defeat in its footballing history, losing 7-1 on home soil to Germany. Star forward Neymar was ruled out after fracturing a vertebra in his spine in […]

Monday’s internet outage highlights need for flexibility in instruction This Monday, Davis experienced an Xfinity internet outage for the majority of our waking hours — the second in a week’s time. Events like this only complicate the remote learning experience that is new to all of us: students, professors, lecturers and TAs alike. We all […]

It’s more than just a face mask  Ever since “Self Care Sunday” became a trend, stores like Sephora have flourished with girls spending a fortune on face masks and bath bombs. I’m a fan of a good clay mask and a colorful bath. I’m not, however, a fan of dedicating just one day to self-care. […]

Celebrity and luxury fashion doesn’t dictate style culture, at least not alone  I am not someone who keeps up with fashion trends, but fashion itself still plays an important role in my life. It’s one of many physical manifestations of society and culture, and for many of us, it’s an outward expression of self. Since […]

Universities and prospective students alike must prepare for an uncertain future If you’re a UC Davis student, odds are you’re reading this at home. The current COVID-19 crisis has led to the cancellation of in-person lectures across the nation. From Berkeley to Ann Arbor to Ithaca, university campuses and the college towns dependent on them […]

College Democrats upset they can’t protest it In this series of investigative pieces, The California Aggie investigates how the COVID-19 crisis has affected individual lives in our community. “This is a violation of free speech, you know.” Benson Rickman sinks into his chair. “This whole…” he gestures, “coronavirus thing.”  Rickman is the executive chair of […]

Despite being Russia’s capital city, Moscow’s underground liberalism misaligns with country’s political ideologies To President Vladimir Putin, the “liberal idea” is now obsolete. Coming from the president of Russia, this statement doesn’t surprise me. While liberalism refers to many things, including economic, political and social liberalism, Putin seems to be most concerned with the latter. […]

I’m talking to you, Drake.  TikTok has become an unfortunate constant in my life.  In the time of coronavirus, I find that my lectures are punctuated by a scroll through the hilarious video-sharing app as a sort of cleanser.  TikTok is an important tool in music because its trends, like dances and lip syncs, are […]

Los Angeles County sees death rate of 13.2 per 100,000 people for African Americans, versus 5.7 per 100,000 for whites The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a multitude of America’s systemic inequities to the forefront. Increased instances of overt racism against Asian Americans, virus outbreaks throughout the incarceration system and a surge in domestic violence sheds […]