I’ve always despised the cockroach. Their dark, armored bodies, small, ticklish legs, and long, tentacle-like antennae. It’s not that I hate all bugs; the ant is industrious and playful, the ladybug is sweet and thoughtful, the daddy longlegs is graceful and mysterious. But something is just different about the cockroach, something that makes my skin crawl. I remember crouching around my grandmother’s kitchen table playing Scrabble, deep in thought about how to manipulate my nearly impossible combination...

As classmates rattle off their destined majors-to-be, I sigh in anguish. My brain just isn't wired that way. Public Policy. Journalism. Biology. Politics. French. I want to continue those things at Brown: making multimedia for the Daily Herald, participating in the French Film Festival, taking biology class with Kenneth Miller. Brown encourages thinking that goes beyond a singular focus. With Brown's Open Curriculum, I could take journalism classes "Intro to iPad Moviemaking", or a French class about witchcraft, while pursuing...

Behind the herd of electrified followers, I frantically stood up, dying to catch a momentary glimpse of that ubiquitous tangle of unkempt frizz. Bernie Sanders had taken stage. In the boom of his voice, I could feel the authenticity, the conviction, the sense he truly cared. In that moment, I saw Bernie's empathy as a reflection of my own concern for issues. One day, I aspire to be like him. In a small way, I already am. Working on the...

My lifelong hometown in Central NY is static. Every winter, the same endless snow. Every election, the same Republican tilt. Though Syracuse is homogeneous, my family adds a diverse dynamic to the regularity of this environment. Thanksgiving dinners turned ideological debates. Christmas gifts manipulated into political jabs. Ultra-conservative evangelist uncles, far-leftist hippie aunts. I've grown up surrounded by argument, and I relish this dialogue between sides—it has fostered the formation of my independent-thinking. Brown promotes a diversity of thought,...

I grew up surrounded by strong female role models. My great-grandmother supported her own five kids and adopted a dozen more during the Great Depression. From her, I learned women were brave. My grandmother sparked my curiosity for the world through her endless historical sagas and science experiments at the park. From her, I learned women were wise. My mother works three jobs and manages to coach swimming on the side. From her, I learned women were strong. The misogynist...

Although I have had a very active four years as class president, in 2015 I was elected Niagara Swimming's Athlete Representative acting as the liaison between 6,000 swimmers and the Niagara District's Board of Directors. I attend monthly conference-calls, organize community events, vote on budgets, set time standards and enact policies to increase diversity within swimming. After USASwimming Convention in Atlanta last year and Dallas this year where I voted on rules affecting the sport of swimming as a whole, I returned...

Since working on my school-newspaper and shadowing a crime reporter at my local paper, I’ve been drawn to investigative reporting. Earlier this year, my high-school received a shooting threat, leaving students feeling rattled and generally vulnerable. As a school newspaper, we felt that administration didn’t properly handle the situation. In response, I wrote an editorial and recorded a video revealing the holes in my high school’s security system following the shooting threat. Though the initial reaction from...

Every penny I've earned from lifeguarding goes towards one thing: travel. I'm anxious to pack a bag, buy a cheap ticket, and immerse myself in a culture. The flexibility of Dartmouth's "D" plan would empower me to study-abroad for a semester while staying connected to an on-campus education. The Frank Guarini Institute's exchange-program in Ghana attracts me, as Accra's been on my "places-to-travel" list ever since my French teacher recounted growing up there. As an "undecided" student interested in a...

It took me a while to grasp the full scope my sister’s depression. I didn’t understand why she got special treatment from my parents, or why she always stayed home from school.“But Mom, it’s not fair,” I’d say, “She’s such a drama queen.” And I held onto that resentment for a long time. Resentment at my parents for not being able to treat me like a kid, resentment at my sister for consuming my...

In the age of Trump, it's now more imperative than ever that social media be used to evoke meaningful change, instead of spiteful slander. Recently, social media platforms such as Youtube and Twitter have begun to suppress the extremists and hate groups infiltrating the internet. There's a fine line, however, between moral responsibility and censorship. We must encourage the publication of meaningful, well-defended opinions while omitting outright libel from the internet. As an aspiring journalist, I'm well aware of the...

I'd never describe Syracuse, NY as picturesque. We're hit hard with 124 inches of snow each winter, and I haven't seen a sunny day since mid-July. Syracuse claims the 13th worst poverty rates in the nation, and we're in the bottom five for cities with the worst economic growth. Yet I've grown to love my little city, all its faults included. Syracuse basketball games make our winters survivable, and the restaurants downtown have spicy chicken riggies that are to die for....

I achingly dragged myself out of the pool, my vision beginning to blur as blood rushed out of my head and into my exhausted muscles. I knew what was coming: the vomit. I sprinted towards the sink, pushing past the crowd of slippery swimmers through the locker room doors, trying to reach the sink before the big explosion, but, alas, it was too late. The congealed chunks of beef from my meatball marinara hurled forward, splattering on the pristine tiles...

I've always been drawn to journalism and the art of transmitting my investigation of a subject into a story that can captivate an audience. Each Thanksgiving, as I sit around the table, I listen as aunts and uncles fill my head with wild tales of family mishaps, as cousins fight back and forth over politics, and as my grandma transforms dull historical events into wondrous displays of imagination. Since my birth, my family's storytelling has surrounded me, helping establish my...

Given our current political climate, it's imperative that we continue to develop a strong network of journalists. While not necessarily a profession that brings copious amounts of fame or fortune, journalism evokes an explanation of the world's hidden truths. As an aspiring journalist, I'm well-aware of the moral dichotomy of modern-day communications. Fake news, unfounded rumors, and outright lies have proliferated, and thanks in large part to our president, Americans have lost trust in journalists. This presents a major dilemma...

I never thought that my greatest contribution to the sport of swimming would come outside the water. But, when I was elected as Niagara Swimming's Athlete Representative my sophomore year, my relationship with swimming completely changed. I now serve as the liaison between 6,000 swimmers across New York State and the members of Niagara's Board of Directors. That means attending monthly conference calls with the Board, organizing numerous events for the swimmers, and representing Upstate New York at the national USA...

I never thought that my greatest contribution to the sport of swimming would come outside the water. But, when I was elected as Niagara Swimming's Athlete Representative my sophomore year, my relationship with swimming completely changed. I now serve as the liaison between 6,000 swimmers across New York State and the members of Niagara's Board of Directors. That means attending monthly conference calls with the Board, organizing numerous events for the swimmers, and representing Upstate New York at the national USA...