It’s hard to return from a leave of absence. It’s even harder to come back knowing that you feel worse than before.
Let me explain: I took a leave after fall semester last year because of unbearable circumstances and experiences that rattled my emotional core. I could write an entire book on the events leading to my leave, but this is sufficient for now.
The nerve wracking and immensely satisfying finale of HBO’s enthralling mini-series, Big Little Lies, explores the role of perfection in the patriarchy’s policing of women.
I took my first short-term medical mission trip the summer after my junior year of high school. Our team of twenty American teenagers embarked on the 24-hour flight to Uganda bearing one brain surgeon, two nurses, and suitcases full of stickers and children’s books.
Working alongside Ugandan doctors and nurses, I couldn’t help but wonder why our English presentation of poorly-Googled health information warranted the $3,000 trip across the world when a Ugandan medical professional could have easily done the same thing in greater depth and without a translator.
Image from OFTW (http://www.1fortheworld.org/)
Most Penn students want to make a positive difference in the world, but many aren’t sure where to start. One For The World (OFTW) is a Penn-founded organization that makes giving back easy. Their goal is to encourage students to pledge 1% of their future incomes to effective charities that are in desperate need of help. These charities are carefully reviewed and selected each year by a group of Penn PhD students, along with Wharton MBAs and undergrads. The OFTW concept was originally intended for MBA students, but has since expanded to undergraduates thanks to two current seniors, Lauren D’Amore and Shayna Fertig. The MBA students have been extremely successful in encouraging fellow graduate students to take the pledge, rallying as many as half of MBA students to take the pledge. Last Fall, the MBA chapter raised $28,000 during pledge week. Now the undergraduate co-presidents Lindsey Li (W’19) and Lauren O’Mara (C’19) are trying to increase the numbers of undergraduates taking the 1% pledge. They have had success with many students, especially seniors, and are looking to reach more seniors as graduation approaches. Li and O’Mara interviewed two seniors who have taken the pledge, Lindsey Sawczuk and Kyle Kroeger. The co-presidents hope to inspire other Penn students to take the pledge after reading the firsthand perspectives of Sawczuk and Kroeger.
Many students at Penn believe in fostering social change, especially right here in Philadelphia. Kate Zipin is one woman who also wants to make a difference in society, one summer at a time. Upon relocating to Philadelphia, the former teacher founded Own Your Awesomeness – a camp meant to empower girls. I had the opportunity to interview Ms. Zipin and ask her about the need for empowering girls in society and discuss how her camp is impacting the girls she works with.
Q: Hi Ms. Zipin. Can you please introduce yourself and say, in your own words: What is Own Your Awesomeness [OYA]?
A: My name is Kate Zipin and I am the founder and director of Own Your Awesomeness, a Philly nonprofit that empowers high school girls. Our programs focus on skill-building workshops, like how to change a tire and developing financial literacy, and conversations about being a teenage girl today, like body image, women in the media, and health. We pull it all together in a one-week program in the summer where girls connect with female mentors and build a community as they explore new passions, tap into their strengths, and own their awesomeness.
Over a year ago, president-hopeful Bernie Sanders spoke of Denmark as his “American Dream.” But of course—2016’s “happiest nation in the world” boasts generous welfare for its citizens, little economic disparity, and, well, happy citizens. As a current exchange student in Copenhagen, I have the opportunity to investigate the country that Sanders deemed his socialist haven. So is Denmark truly as perfect as it seems? And should the US adopt its policies?
This is true; Danes have told me that it’s “rare to see homeless people in Denmark,” as the government will provide for you if you are struggling financially. As a result, however, taxes are exceptionally high in this country: the average Danish income tax is around 45 percent (which doesn’t include the flat state tax). So, while the state offers extensive welfare for its citizens, it comes at a relatively hefty price.
Without context, this could be true. Denmark is considered one of the most socially progressive liberal countries in the world. But, Denmark is also an extremely homogenous population. When I walk around the streets of Denmark, I rarely see another person of color. This makes sense, as until recently, Denmark has had a comparably low influx of immigrants (as opposed to say, the US), who mostly come from Western European countries. So, while Denmark can boast equality among its citizens, many of them do come from similar backgrounds.
Proooobably not. Denmark’s population totals 5.6 million, compared to the US’s whopping 310 million. So while high taxation and generous benefit programs can be comfortably doled out to Danish citizens, the resources would be spread far too thin in the US.
Recently, there has been a rise in the Danish People’s Party in Denmark: a right-wing, conservative party that opposes immigrants and is damagingly nationalist. So while the Social Democrats are in power, the People’s party is slowly rising in power thanks to xenophobic sentiment in the country. In addition, Denmark is not a socialist economy: it’s a market economy. Property rights are not controlled by the state, and business, labor, trade, and credit regulations are light. Sorry, Marx.
You’re not supposed to say “hey, how are you?” in Denmark. Danes take it as an affront; they don’t know you well enough to answer that question. This is a fair thought process, but it is one that permeates all social interactions. Danes will not go out of their way to be friendly to you, and will give you strange looks if you try to make nice (believe me, I’ve tried cracking a joke or two). But to be fair, alcohol is the great equalizer: the Danes love drinking, and once they drink they love everyone.
Denmark is a spectacular country, and I’m entirely grateful to be studying abroad here. But it (and any other country, for that matter) isn’t as perfect as it seems. So while Denmark is not the socialist haven that media has characterized it as, countries like the US can learn a thing or two from it (and vice versa). And before you get too dissuaded by this article, university is free and students are paid a stipend to go to school in Denmark. So there’s that.
The other day, a friend and I went to the King of Prussia Mall. As expected, the mall was packed. Now usually, that’s not a problem. People ignore me and I ignore them as we spend our separate lives out shopping. But this time was different.
This time was different because I was wearing a crop top.
1) Raising your hand too much in class.
Feminist writer Lily Myers asked “five questions in genetics class today and all of them started with the word ‘sorry’.” And why shouldn’t she? There is such thing as a stupid question and the chances that none of the five fit into that category are pretty slim. In fact, there’s a pretty good chance the guy opening up his Lyn’s breakfast sandwich will ask the professor to repeat that last part, especially since he showed up late to class. Again.
The picture above is by Dread Scott, an activist and artist whose chosen mediums include everything from performance to graphic design. This specific piece of artwork is called– not surprisingly – “HATE.” What struck me first was the uncanny resemblance it has to the familiar pop-culture icon we all know and love– the LOVE statue on Locust Walk.
In these turbulent political times, many have reconsidered the place of high profile awards ceremonies in American culture and society. Few critics, however, seem to note that the Academy Awards has historically operated on a troubling dual message.
