Opinion

The compassionate university

There is a university that exists where everyone says hi to each other. They greet one another with a warm embrace, arms outstretched and welcoming. Most of the time, the hugs aren’t hollow. Everyone eats together. They live together. Community is more than a euphemism. Apartness is elided. Where does this university exist? Not here, certainly. It is clear that our University is not this university. But it could be.

Everything in its context: Waltzing in a big room

At least for this PPE concert, considering context has inevitably opened up the question of purpose: Why was I so resistant to adapting my piece? I hesitated because I had not anticipated these changes, and because they went against much of what I had learned as a soloist. But this is the Pianists Ensemble, and I do not walk onto the stage as a soloist. 

KitKats

McCosh needs to increase access to sexual health services

Although the clinic is open 24 hours a day, emergency contraception is only available during business hours, when a doctor or nurse trained in sexual healthcare is available. To obtain emergency contraception, one has to endure a conversation with a nurse or doctor about safe sex. When one is so vulnerable regarding their sexual activity, having to speak with a relative stranger at length about it only makes an already uncomfortable situation worse.

When the administration limits our freedom

The current dining plan controversy asks the question: who is responsible for controlling social life on campus? These policies exemplify the administration taking control in this arena. 

Committees

Remember

Reunions are forever

For the past two Mondays, gaggles of elated high school seniors have been wandering around campus with their bright-orange folders for Princeton Preview. Despite the myriad activities — ranging from a cappella shows to public lectures — Preview is missing a significant aspect of Princeton which no prospective student should leave without knowing about.

The role of upperclassmen in sexual misconduct culture

No matter how many people you try to represent or advocate for, you will never be more than one person. Individuals cannot make change alone; groups make change. I changed almost nothing. Now I am a senior. I am leaving. I am exhausted. Yet, for all the people who confided in me, I feel it would be irresponsible not to try one last Hail Mary before I graduate. This is it. I turn to you. I am only one; you could be many.

To look down upon

Pokemon Weather Change

A House confused

In the wake of Mark Zuckerberg's congressional hearings, senior columnist Kaveh Badrei '20 argues our legislators are unable to navigate through the internet's increasingly technical details. 

The Review Committee should go back to the drawing board

The Princeton University Board Plan Review Committee has been reviewing dining hall options for the past two years, and this week released a memo detailing possible changes for both under and upperclassmen. Although well-intentioned, this proposal seems to place more limitations on students rather than facilitating student’s growth towards making healthy decisions for themselves. 

The label of an accent

Native English speaker or not, you have an accent. So does the girl sitting next you, and so do I. We all vocalize our thoughts with different rhythms, intonations, percussiveness, and inflections. Even within the United States, people speak English differently. Despite this natural tendency, we are keen to point out the “accents” of those who speak differently from how we do.

The problem with room draw proxies

As we enter room draw and draw times are released, many will find that their draw time(s) are at inconvenient hours, specifically from 9 a.m. through 7 p.m. on weekdays. During these hours, most students will either be in lecture, lab, precept, or another prior commitment, creating a high likelihood of conflict. Many students feel forced to get proxies to cover for them during their draw time, which can be inconvenient and stressful. This nuisance can be prevented through simple policy changes. 

The right way to increase accountability

I believe that the mere potential for this process to take place will encourage the Committee leadership to think more critically about its behavior and professionalism. This referendum would help remedy an Honor Committee in desperate need of transparency and accountability, so I strongly encourage you to vote YES.

Preview Review

Discriminatory meal plan changes under the guise of ‘community engagement’

My phone-typed response soon had the length of an essay, and I’m sharing part of that here. As an engineering major focused on sustainable design, and a health-focused individual who treasures the interpersonal warmth of a great meal, I’ve long taken issue with the required meal plans at this university. The forced predetermination of one’s food and eating place is incomprehensible to my friends and family, in Germany and across the globe.

The hidden costs of proposed dining plans

If the Board Plan Review Committee is truly concerned about flexibility, they should not make any meal plan mandatory. Affordability can be addressed by simply increasing the annual stipend or granting more free meal swipes. Quality of life should not be sacrificed for supposed efficiency, which keeps costs down for the University while the most vulnerable student populations.

Station 206: Challenging greatness

If resistance to the Station succeeds, life will proceed as normal. Finding an internship will still be stressful. You will still have that 8:30 precept. Little will change. But we will know the answer to the question posed by Station 206, a question that we would do well to ask ourselves more often. What are you working for: a good world, or your own Greatness?