The Gustavus dropout inspires us, well, he reminds us that we are all alive. —A wise man As a Gustie drop-out, Chester Bumstead is excited to see just how his one week of attendance at Gustavus will serve him in the future. Passionate for life in general—or at least for a life of playing video games, shirking responsibility and owing people money—this young man takes … Continue reading Your anti-Gustie of the Week: Chester Bumstead
I remember how winter felt five months ago. About once a week I’d visit it in my head, shiver at the thought of ruthlessly whipping winds and deadlines. I’d visit it when I shut my eyes, while the sun was too bright to stand, and shiver before forgetting and continuing to look for a shady spot. It’s hard to picture the frigid silence of stinging winds … Continue reading Alright…wintertime
There is a public secret at Gustavus. It is a largely unspoken name. It is a name that can evoke intense emotion, debate, discussion, political discourse and briefly divide the closest of friends. It is unknown to the first-years, and perhaps the sophomores, but I would be willing to bet that there isn’t a junior or senior who wouldn’t immediately recognize the name. I’m not … Continue reading …a part of the narrative
I miss cootie catchers. Fortune tellers, paper 8-balls, whatever. They went by different names, but those of us treated to the American public elementary school experience most likely came across the little origami decision machines at some point. It seems silly in retrospect that I spent so much time obsessing over an 8×8 folded square, but by golly did they make life simpler. “What should I … Continue reading The choice is yours
An overwhelming number of today’s men are facing a crisis. Through no fault of their own, many men are unable to grow a mustache, and thus are unable to be real men. This tragedy affects millions of men from every walk of life every day, and it is a leading cause of social unrest in affected areas. Hi, I’m Ethan Marxhausen. For the first eighteen … Continue reading Facial inequality
The smoking ban debate on campus is like a cancer; you always think it’s gone, but then years later it sprouts back up. I get the reasons for why some students support the proposed smoking ban, but let’s actually look at the real scenario and see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. Studies confirm the damage that second hand smoke can cause, especially to … Continue reading Smoking ban up in smoke
There are some really cool traditions around here. Typical of me to say that, I suppose, when I am one of the primary members of the celebrated Homecoming Court, in the 150th year of the college no less. I was beyond honored to be elected by the campus to wear the Gustie crown. Thanks for that, y’all. Another cool tradition coming up fast is the … Continue reading The (not so) many faces of St. Lucia
Have you found yourself unable to zonk out in class lately? Have you been missing out on those productive and absolutely refreshing nap sessions during lectures, the ones that used to give you the energy and mental preparation to stay up all hours of the night? Instead of closing your eyes the first few minutes of class and consequently sawing logs in a matter of … Continue reading Trouble falling asleep in class?
Our grandparents built things to last. They bought ties with heavy coins and hid bills in mattresses. Cabinets full of thick paper folders were kept behind locked doors in brick buildings and schoolhouses. Mortar held the bricks together, strong enough to withstand anything short of a bomb’s blast. Our grandparents would take their time, waiting to get home before unwrapping the newspaper and shaking their … Continue reading It’s happening… part two
If there was a study done that gave every profession in America an overall score based on combined difficulty, barriers to entry, importance, scarcity and how underappreciated it is, there is no doubt in my mind that being a K-12 public school teacher would beat out all others by a wide margin. Think about it. You have to go to college, oftentimes to grad school, … Continue reading Teaching: the ultimate sacrifice
