Student Speak
Banning books is detrimental to intellectual growth
[Editor’s note: Our archives contain several years of excellent articles, most of which remain relevant and important to today’s young people and the adults who work with them. This one is a “Director’s Choice” that we are reposting this week.] Back in February, The Daily Princetonian’s podcast Daybreak interviewed English Professor Anne Cheng on the…
Read MoreThe rotten seed of American individualism
The rotten seed of American individualism has grown into a mighty tree, spreading its branches and curling through the hearts of American citizens. It whispers in our ears lies of self-sufficiency and the lonesome American Dream, promising freedom but leaving cracks in the Earth and sowing division. It has wrapped its tendrils tightly around our everyday lives, taking root in the…
Read MorePics or it didn’t happen
Seeing and being seen: a Penn tradition, a universal obsession “A picture-perfect night” is the best way to describe the Class of 2028’s evening gala at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, a beloved NSO tradition. The foyer was lit up in Penn’s red and blue as students snapped selfies of themselves munching on baba…
Read MoreThe emerging loneliness economy
[Editor’s note: Our archives contain several years of excellent articles, most of which remain relevant and important to today’s young people and the adults who work with them. This one is a “Director’s Choice” that we are reposting this week.] Social media and emerging technologies have created unparalleled opportunities for connection, to the…
Read MoreYou may have eyes, but do you know how to see?
There’s a difference between looking and truly seeing. What color is the floor where you took your last class? Could you describe one painting in that building? Chances are you have no idea. Why would you? Life is busy, work needs to get done; you know the drill. So you go through your life…
Read MoreYoung men versus young women: Where did we go wrong?
For the nation’s prosperity and personal happiness, young men and women must reconnect with each other in a meaningful way. It isn’t hard to imagine a dystopian novel where the political parties of a country become split by gender rather than by genuine ideological framework. It seems we may be headed there. The upcoming…
Read MorePlan ahead even if you have no plan
One random evening my first year of college, I set myself up for more success than I have at any other time during my college experience. I was a lowly political science and math major trying to consider what minors or certificates would best prepare me for a future career as a lawyer and…
Read MoreAdvice from a graduating senior — make friends with your professors
[Editor’s note: Our archives contain several years of excellent articles, most of which remain relevant and important to today’s young people and the adults who work with them. This one is a “Director’s Choice” that we are reposting this week.] If I could give any advice to my fellow undergraduates, I’d say to speak…
Read MoreThe language of tribalism: How political shibboleths are destroying discourse
We live in a world dominated by the sound bite, the clip and all things scrollable. To facilitate this shortened content, different groups have had to find creative ways to convey great meaning in small packages. Though this may sound ingenious, these words — known today as political buzzwords — have had a divisive effect.…
Read MoreFriends should intellectually challenge you
When I imagined college as a place for intellectual growth, I visualized riveting exchanges with professors and radical arguments in textbooks. When I stepped foot on campus, however, I realized that my ivy-covered academia fantasies perpetuated rigid expectations of what qualified as “growing my perspective,” and I had underestimated the importance of developing relationships with…
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