Opinions


OPINIONS 4/15/16 9:35am

The power of intentional kindness

Almost every day I wear a piece of ceramic jewelry around my neck: a yellow flower with the inscription “Be Kind.” It reminds me of the power of intentional kindness, which is one of the driving motivational factors in my daily life.


OPINIONS 3/2/16 10:59am

If you’re comfortable, you’re not trying

I recently reported on a speech about campus racism given by Lawrence Ross, author of “Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America’s Campuses.” It was a fairly routine assignment. I showed up in LaRose Digital Theatre with plenty of time to scope out some students to interview and a good seat for taking photos. It was only when I’d settled in that I realized this event was being attended, unlike most events at Elon University, by mostly African-American students and faculty. It was then that the discomfort settled in, along with the feeling that, however unwelcome that discomfort might be, it was absolutely necessary.


OPINIONS 2/28/16 11:50am

Safety, respectful behavior in living spaces deserves greater priority

Having spent my last three years as a student here at Elon, I was sure for the longest time that nothing more about college living could faze me. Granted, the initial transition from living at home to a more independent lifestyle was difficult, but after so much time, I figured I was already well-accustomed to the various eccentricities of living in close quarters with hundreds of college students. 


OPINIONS 2/14/16 3:06pm

Indifference to national politics can't be the norm

If you had asked me about a year ago for my opinions on America’s political climate, I might have scoffed and shook my head. While I’ve never been entirely apathetic when it comes to politics — there have always been prominent social issues that I have followed the political responses to — I could never bring myself to take an active interest.


OPINIONS 2/1/16 8:28pm

I dropped, and it's going to be OK

Sunday, Jan. 31 concluded the chaotic and tumultuous week that is recruitment. When I first came to Elon, never would I have thought I would be a participant in Greek Life recruitment. But, as I got to know women in various organizations, I realized that all the stereotypes I had established in my mind were wrong. The girls involved in these organizations were nothing like I had seen in “House Bunny” or “Legally Blonde” (although I wouldn’t mind if there were some more people like Elle Woods in the world). Over the past week, I had some of the most amazing conversations with genuinely down-to-earth women on topics ranging from TV shows and the Franco brothers to how different cultures interact and communicate with each other.


OPINIONS 1/26/16 1:28pm

Studying abroad wasn't the best time of my life

I know what you’re thinking. If, after four months in a beautiful and foreign continent, these are my overarching sentiments, then I clearly did the whole study-abroad thing wrong or I didn’t try hard enough.  It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t having “the best time of my life” during an experience many college kids would describe as “the best times of their lives.” I experienced a lot of mental anguish simply over the fact that I wasn’t enjoying myself the way I hoped I would or the way I saw others enjoying themselves.


OPINIONS 12/2/15 8:00am

Be better than fair-weather fans

People go to every game ... only if the team is winning. The stands are packed ... only if it’s a game against a team from a big school. Carloads of students show up to cheer on their team ... only if it’s a tournament game. Sound familiar?


OPINIONS 12/2/15 8:00am

Make WT '16 more than diverse

The university is sticking to its commitment to promoting on-campus diversity by nearly forcing students to attend these events, so it’s also up to the students to both take advantage of the opportunity and recognize the efforts Elon administration is making. The kinds of opportunities offered, though, limit what students can do and learn.


OPINIONS 12/1/15 11:48am

'Who am I to know these things?'

There’s a very real phenomenon called imposter syndrome, coined in 1978 by U.S. psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. According to the New York Times, for them it meant a feeling of falseness “in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.” For me, it means constantly fearing that I’m not as intelligent as my grades and test scores say.


OPINIONS 12/1/15 9:44am

I challenge you to tell your truth

Fifteen years ago, my family moved from Caracas, Venezuela, to Cary, North Carolina. I am now 18 and have spent the entirety of my life navigating my way between two different cultures.


OPINIONS 11/19/15 9:39am

Diversity is gold

The only way that we will be able to continue to preserve this richness, this gold that we call diversity, is by promoting a model that is inclusive for all, where the human being is a race by itself, entitled to own the same rights and different beliefs and perspectives of the world.


OPINIONS 11/18/15 8:00am

Please, don't be afraid to talk

There's not a lot to say. Some of us knew Demitri Allison. Some of us didn’t. But we’re all mourning the loss of a member of our Elon University community.



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