Archive for December 2021
That’s a “NO” for me
A colleague who had become a first-time mother once regaled me and other coworkers, during lunch, with the amazing exploits of her new baby. Like many new parents, each and every moment of her child’s first year seemed crystallized in her memory. We couldn’t help but be held in rapt attention by her tales. One…
Read MoreWhen Creativity Fades
Sometimes, when I get caught in the tornado of Cornell’s nightlife, my brain kicks into autopilot. My eyes hunt for any and every escape route away from the dance floor. Away from the gyrating hips and the fog of body odor. I often find myself running to the bathroom three times in an hour. Or…
Read MoreNo matter what the future holds
Five years ago, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, one that required some of the most aggressive treatments that the FDA currently allows. I am lucky to be alive. But despite my luck — or unluck — the long-term consequences of this disease have followed me for a quarter of the time I…
Read MoreA letter to my fellow Yalies
[Editor’s note: This letter is relevant to many people in many different schools.] Belonging. It is the one thing we always look for no matter where we are, whom we are with. We looked for it on the first day of college as we nervously scanned the dining halls for someone to sit with,…
Read MoreOn such a racially diverse campus, why is cross-racial engagement limited?
There is no question that Penn is incredibly diverse — comprising twelve schools and a student body of more than 25,000, Penn’s community comes from a variety of races, genders, sexual orientations, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds. But diversity means more than data points and percentages. On the ground, intermingling between people of different demographics occurs far less…
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