Dear Will, I was accepted into a study abroad program for this Spring Term, but I have all sorts of fears and doubts about it. I don’t know how I’m going to raise the money in time. I’m just in general nervous about living in a foreign country for such a long time. What should…
Appreciating the old in a new way
In my childhood, I was incredibly fortunate to spend years living with both my grandparents and great-grandparents. All in one house. My family could have been a movie; a family resembling the one in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” minus cabbage soup every night, a shared bed and the eccentric Willy Wonka. After living, volunteering…
When the music dies
For a normal person, being able to create a budget and pay bills on time is essential to success. If a person racks up high amounts of debt or buys something that they cannot afford then fails to show signs of paying it off, their credit will be ruined. Unfortunately, the United States government does…
Ask a fifth-year: To Greek or not to Greek, that is the question
Dear Will, I’ve been recently hanging out with a lot of fraternity guys and I think they’re interested in having me join as a pledge. I’ve always kind of been against the idea of a fraternity, as it seems like I’d be paying for friends. These seem like cool guys, though, and I’m really interested…
Is the media making us #dumber?
It wasn’t the Charleston in the twenties. It wasn’t communism in the fifties or acid in the sixties. It wasn’t crack in the eighties or Internet pornography in the nineties, and it certainly isn’t gay marriage in the new millennium No, none of the most feared memes in American history have proven to tear the…
Staff Editorial: Participatory apathy
We, as Lawrentians, like to complain. It’s a common language, a topic of discourse that allows the occasional laugh. “The food at Bon Appétit today isn’t as good as it was in Welcome Week. How come Jill Beck was never around? I hate that there’s only one Big Event every three years. Snow sucks.” But…
Developing Curricula at Lawrence
In the first edition of Cartwright’s Committee on Curriculum, I discussed why it’s important to pay attention to the differences between degrees at Lawrence. Last week, I looked at the requirements behind those degrees. But today, I move toward a deeper question: What are the objectives that drive Lawrence’s curriculum today? I’ll start with an…
Ask a fifth-year: Don’t fear the long distance
Dear Will, My girlfriend and I have been dating since sophomore year of high school. Now that we’ve both been away at separate colleges, I’ve been worrying that we’re starting to lose interest. I still feel like we love and trust each other fully, but I can’t help worrying about the nagging issue of whether…
The new Washington syndrome
In case you did not know, some strange things have happened recently in Washington. The Republican Party’s stauncher members of Congress, led by House Speaker John Boehner, have refused to pass any budget that does not defund the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. Because neither side dared to compromise, no budget was passed…
Turning twenty-one: A sobering experience
“Walk up to the club like ‘What up? I’ve got a valid ID that certifies that I am 21 years old, which means legally I’m allowed entrance into this building, and I can purchase your alcoholic beverages if I so choose.’” That’s how that song goes, right? It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I…