Sign in Subscribe

Opinion

A Call for Individual Accountability in Dorm Damage

It has only been a month since the start of the school year, but dorm damage is already a widespread problem. As a first-floor resident, I have not been immune to the threat of collective punishment. Recently, someone smashed both soap dispensers in our men’s restroom. Yet due to

If I May: Trying to Understand Astrology

I have always made fun of astrology, and by extension, those who are invested in it. It seemed to me that it was completely arbitrary; each set of qualities could probably be applied to anyone, especially if they were directly told that those qualities are supposed to apply to them.

On Passing the Climate Action Plan

Many of us, especially those from disadvantaged and exploited communities, are already feeling the effects of climate change and the unjust fossil fuel economy. The science and policy implications are clear — we must reduce carbon emissions immediately to avoid even more devastating future impacts. Amherst has drafted a plan to

The Case for Self-Driving Cars

In February of 2006, Laura Gorman got into a car with her best friend, Jessica Rasdall. It was her last car ride ever. According to a 2009 news story on ABC, Laura and Jessica had been working their restaurant shift. Then, they decided to go to a club. A few

Youth is No Excuse for Assault

In its season premiere this past weekend, “Saturday Night Live” ran a sketch called “80’s Party” that moves through a frat party reminiscent of a John Hughes film, pausing on characters at the party to highlight how their actions from that night haunted them in their current-day careers. It

If I May: Reflecting on Tiger Woods

On Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018, Tiger Woods won his first golf tournament since 2013. Later that evening, I cried real tears. Because of a Sunday commitment, I was not able to watch the end of the tournament live. In fact, I didn’t even know he had actually won until

Considering Tradition on a Changing Campus

On the last day of Orientation, I found myself attending Amherst’s opening convocation. Led by President Biddy Martin, assembly began with the ceremonial entrance of the faculty dressed in a colorful array of felted robes and hoods. The presentation of honorary degrees was then followed by a speech from