Opinions

Opinion: Wellness was never meant to be an achievement

I’ve started to wonder how much I actually know about my body. When I exercise, I can see my heart rate, calories burned and how...

Opinion: Amidst recent backlash, MSI is more important than ever

I came to Occidental, thousands of miles away from my home in Virginia, completely unfamiliar with my surroundings but eager to learn. Participating in...

Opinion: The Sparkletts plant sits vacant. Here’s what to do.

During my second week at Occidental, I had to get my medication from the CVS on York Boulevard. As I was heading home, I...

Opinion: Write for your inner child

There is a scene in the 2010 animated Walt Disney movie “Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue” where Lizzy, a young human girl, works on...

Veganism won’t save the Amazon

Several weeks ago, the news that the Amazon rainforest was burning struck the world. Vegans everywhere took to social media, encouraging followers to go vegan to save...

Physical relocation transforms identity

After traveling for almost 24 hours, I stumbled out of the taxi. I didn't know if 200 kroner was a normal thing to pay...

Domestic violence leads to gun violence

This summer, the United States witnessed three devastating mass shootings in the span of a week. If you look up "violent shootings in 2019," the internet...

Juul’s marketing deceives teens and destroys lungs

E-cigarette manufacturers have young audiences wrapped around their fingers, and now they have blood on their hands. Six deaths and over five hundred hospitalizations are now...

Mental health can’t wait for summer

I often hear people say, “It will be better when the semester ends,” “I’ll sleep when it is summer” and “I’ll figure out my...

How social media will ruin your summer

Close your eyes and return to the summer days filled with tag, tree climbing and uninhibited exploration. Those blissful summers didn't involve perpetually scrolling...

What’s in a name? Oh, just my identity

My name is Serena Karina Pelenghian. If you read the three words of my name as Suhreena Kureena Pulengyin, you’re wrong. My name is...

Food stamp friendships: Addressing classism at an affluent institution

It's always the same gut feeling. First, there's a sharp pang that starts near my sternum, followed by a sinking sensation trickling down into...