Opinion

To all the boys we’ve loved(?) before

This column is pulled from a conversation with two of our reporters who discussed their experiences growing up as gay men.  Tim Carlin: So, where do you want to start with this?  David Kwiatkowski: I think we should start where you said. Tim: Okay, do you want to go first? David: … No. Tim: Okay, so I came out in waves. I first came out to my friends when I was in sixth grade. By the time I got to high school, everyone just kind of knew. Throughout high school, it just became more known. I never hid it from anyone.

Good Morning Miami: In memory of an elegant icon

At the beginning of each new school year, I buy folders for a dollar, select reasonably-priced pens and pencils and purchase notebooks while they’re on sale.  I hardly pay attention while stuffing these items into my backpack; whether or not they rip or tear is their own business.  Each year, I also allow myself one beautiful purchase, and this year’s was a Kate Spade agenda. 

A House Divided

It is said that there are three topics of conversation people should always avoid discussing: money, religion and, perhaps the most controversial of all, politics. And yet, those topics always seem to come up. With Thanksgiving fast approaching and Election Day fresh on the minds of Americans, many families dread the political discussions and fights with extended family that come with the holidays. I have seen my friends, extended family, teachers and even strangers openly debate each other on the state of the country. I hold no doubts about the potential negative strains political disagreement can have on a relationship. I see this strain between two of the most influential people in my life — my parents. 

Thankful and Hopeful, Despite the Climate Crisis

A perfect fall photo from a recent hike with my dog- I'm thankful for these little things.

Co–Star told me to write down my good ideas today, so here we go

Throughout history (alternatively, since 1998), I’ve had a long-running record of moments where I’ve made fun of people who read too much into astrology. It’s really easy to quip about, so I often do — I even wrote a shambly, one-act play with a joke character dedicated to garnering laughs about those who turn to the constellations for guidance. But then something funny happened. I downloaded Co–Star onto my phone over the summer, and I give it validity more often than I’d like to admit.  Am I now the person searching for guidance down any avenue possible? It’s possible.

The weight of our society's words

As far back as I can remember, I’ve struggled to accept my body.  I remember being no older than 11 and begging my mom not to make me go into the Macy’s dressing room. I hated playing with Barbies. I envied the girls who could fit into Abercrombie and Fitch and Lululemon.  I went to an affluent private school in a conservative area, one that emphasized perfection in all aspects, including personal appearance.  As an overweight theatre kid, I felt I didn’t make the cut.

Hang in there, everybody

I distinctly remember the first Saturday night of my sophomore year. I was laying on the floor of my dorm room as the noise from raucous groups of kids walking Uptown toward whatever the night held seeped in through the open windows.  I called my dad, tears rolling down my face. “This is going to be the same as last year,” I rushed to say as soon as he picked up. “I’m miserable.” After a first year filled with solo Netflix nights and enough studying to carry me through the rest of undergrad, I was terrified that the fact I didn’t have plans or friends to hang out with the first weekend back meant I was in for another lonely year.

Sustainably Rejuvenate your College Life

Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

Double Take: Breaking down cancel culture

You may have seen a headline on your social media feed, or even from a news outlet, about a famous celebrity caught in a scandal and subsequently being “canceled.”  In 2018, comedian Kevin Hart stepped down from hosting the Oscars after homophobic tweets he wrote several years ago were brought to the public’s attention. The media firestorm that followed often referred to Hart as being “canceled.”  Just this month, actress Gina Rodriguez was seen in an Instagram video singing a racial slur. Rodriguez, who has previously been accused of racist comments against the black community, was swiftly condemned from the entertainment community and fans alike.

Good Morning Miami: Let’s not wait until it’s time for goodbyes

I’m a pretty sentimental person, and behind that sentimentality resides an appreciation for tradition and a dislike for goodbyes.  My traditional nature reveals itself in my predictable restaurant orders, my go-to Starbucks drink and my annual Christmas playlist. Some might call it boring, but I find comfort in familiarity and don’t apologize for refusing to stray from my usual.  My dislike for goodbyes affects me most, as you might guess, at the end of things. The end of a summer job, the end of the school year and the end of a holiday season all carry with it a mix of sadness and anxiety. 

The College Commandments: Stained Glass Windows

Light shines through the stained glass windows and kisses the walls of the St.Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma, CA. Like luminous lip gloss, it sticks and glistens in adoration. I sat among the molasses brown pews last weekend for the first time since my high school days, when mandatory mass sometimes started the day.  Being a non-Catholic in a Catholic high school was an experience that taught me how to skillfully avoid things that made me uncomfortable.  Walking through the halls on the first day of freshman year feels awkward enough, but having to walk down the red-carpeted aisle of the church with my arms crossed over my chest to be given a blessing rather than communion in a room full of religious peers — yikes. 

If this isn’t the full story, then what is?

Earlier this month, 18 former members of Miami University’s Delta Tau Delta (Delts) fraternity were charged on hazing and assault charges. The charges came after an anonymous first-year new member was bludgeoned on his buttocks with a spiked paddle, forced to drink alcohol, smoke weed and was subjected to additional physical abuse during a Big/Little Reveal event last spring.  After the men were charged, reporters from The Miami Student reached out to members of Miami’s administration, leaders of Miami Greek Life, representatives from Delta Tau Delta’s national headquarters and the 18 individuals who were charged asking them all to comment and share their side of the story.  A few individuals gave vague and brief responses, some said they could not comment on the matter but most did not respond to our reporters at all. 

No one prepared me for life pre-grad

On a rainy August morning, the arrival of my senior year brought me a perpetually-ticking internal clock counting down the minutes until I graduate from Miami.  It’s like a New Year’s Eve countdown in slow motion, except I’m the only one in Times Square, and I’m chained to a lamppost and waiting for the ball to drop. And when it drops, there’s a strong likelihood that it’s going to drop on me.

Three Inspiring Young Activists

Cover photo courtesy of Pixabay

The major change

It’s a go-to question at everything from college orientation to the Thanksgiving dinner table.  “What’s your major?” And, for the longest time, my answer was simple: “biochemistry and pre-med.” 

Are we ready to take claims against Kavanaugh more seriously this time?

We should believe Ramirez. We should believe Ford and remember how brave she was to testify against Kavanaugh. We should take both claims seriously.

Here’s a view: listen to views that don’t match your own

When diversity of thought exists, positive outcomes and obstacles arise. When a situation turns sour, a variety of beliefs and opinions can clash, leading to an argument, protests or even violence. 

'From Now On' we want real talk, no more fluff.

The following reflects the majority opinion of the editorial board.

The college commandments: Thou shall not waste thy youth

Good Morning Miami: Finding lemonade in a world of lemons