At heart, I have always been a gamer. I don’t play during the weekdays, when my repository is backlogged with homework, studying, and other tasks…
Posts published in “Opinion”
The Best Distraction: Adventuring
There are some things in your life you get tired of repeating to people whom you’ve just met: how you spell your name, what you…
Bernie vs. Hillary: What’s in it for Me
As a high-school student, I can’t help but wonder what will happen to me once I graduate. Whoever becomes president in January 2017 will influence…
Nadiya Savchenko and Saying It Like It Is
Newspapers’ headlines have lately been graced with the sordid topic of the latest words to fly from Donald Trump’s mouth. But he is not the…
On Tom Reed’s Endorsement of Donald J. Trump
It is an understatement to say that U.S. Representative Tom Reed’s relationship with his constituents in Ithaca is a strained one. His successful reelection campaign…
The EU: A Union without Unity
Since its formation in 1993, the European Union (EU) has tried both to gain more power on the world stage and to move power from…
Feminism For All
Feminism: the belief that all genders should have equal rights and opportunities. By definition, feminism is for both men and women. Gender equality is necessary…
Editorial: Hire More Counselors
Junior counselor meetings have started, and despite the counselors’ best efforts, students leave the 11th grade woefully underprepared for the college application process. A junior…
Apple vs. the FBI
Technology law shouldn’t be decided by ignorant, old men who need their grandchildren to help them set up their iPhones. Following the San Bernardino shootings…
Anxiety among Adolescents
It’s time to state the obvious: students are under pressure. The American Psychological Association’s studies have shown that the anxiety levels of students in the…
Rape Culture in Fraternities: a Particularly Nasty Outbreak of a Much Larger Societal Epidemic
Ever heard a news reporter or causal commenter ask what a victim was wearing or drinking while discussing an allegation of sexual assault? Ever heard…
Colleges (Not) Standing out in a Crowd
Dear institutes of higher learning, I have officially stopped reading your mail in full, unless you make it better. No longer will your glossy brochures…
Bilingualism Must Be a Requirement for American Education
America is diverse; one in five of U.S. residents do not speak English at home. The U.S. has no national official language, either. But why…
Do College Rankings Matter?
Anyone who’s gone through the process of applying to college has inevitably spent some time looking through lists of “best” colleges. We’re aware that these…
Editorial: Lead in Enfield and Caroline Water
There was no excuse for ICSD waiting six months to notify parents about high levels of lead, nor to let 11 years pass before the lead issue in district schools became public.
Editorial: What the Ithaca Plan Means for Us
The conversations around shifting our attitudes and policies regarding drug use happening in the city must also be had in ICSD.
Censorship, Injustice, and Protection
Censorship serves a simple, practical role: it veils what is not meant to be heard or seen from the public. In some extreme cases, it…
A Brief Commentary on Ideological Extremism in Contemporary America and the Contentious Political Milieu
As November looms ever nearer, political candidates are scrambling to refine their positions on various issues and present comprehensive, feasible solutions to societal shortcomings. Many…
A Basic Guide to Baby Names
A name is a powerful thing; it tells a lot about a person. More importantly, it says a lot about the parents. As a future…
Should Every American be Bilingual?
It is no secret that most Americans can only speak English. The resistance and stubborn disposition of our population result in a people who on…
Editorial: Nuisances Aplenty
Course scheduling errors, broken classroom clocks, bathroom hygiene, blocked educational websites, the palpable frustration over low teachers’ salaries—these are some oh so familiar aspects of…
The Migration Crisis from a Swede’s Perspective
Since the war in Iraq began in 2003, people from the Middle East have had many reasons to flee their homeland. War came to Iraq,…
Challenging the Stigmatization of Female Promiscuity: An Assertion of Bodily Sovereignty
Let’s face it: the Madonna-whore dichotomy is anachronistic. However, it remains overwhelmingly prevalent in contemporary society; the idealization of chaste women and the consequential demonization…
Presidential Candidates: Martin O’Malley—Who?
If you’ve watched past Democratic debates, you may recall a tan, lanky man standing beside Bernie and Hillary, both of whom are household names. Yet…
Debutante or Porcelain Doll?
When most people hear the word “Cotillion” or the phrase “Debutante Charity Ball,” they think of Gossip Girl or Gilmore Girls, which are TV shows…
Talent or Hard Work: Which is Better?
Studying for a test for hours the night before only to get a B or worse the next day—we’ve all been there. We’ve all felt…
2015’s Most Important Event: The Iran Nuclear Deal
2015 was a year thoroughly dominated by negativity. It was a year of constant warring and aggression in the international community, of shockingly gruesome acts…