…taking out the trash During his term as Mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani instituted a comprehensive law enforcement plan that he believed would lead to an overall reduction in crime rates in his city. The plan? Clean the streets of New York. Keep them clean of trash, broken windows, graffiti, et cetera. The theory behind all this was that by changing small things … Continue reading The skeptical Prince is…
I spent the 2010-2011 school year as an untouchable, a member of the lowest social class here at Gustavus. I was a Collegiate Fellow. I can’t complain too much about this dark time in my social life. I did, after all, apply for the position, after being lured in by the promise of my own free room. I did not know, however, that Collegiate Fellows are … Continue reading In defense of Collegiate Fellows
Why I am not a Gustie Greeter Alright, that’s enough. Ma’am? I’m serious, let go of your son. For god’s sake woman, get a grip. You’re acting like he’s going off to fight the Communists or something. Come on, he’s not going to die, ma’am. There are only two-hundred thirty-three different ways to die on this campus, twenty fewer than St. Olaf. So we’ve got … Continue reading The adjective noun
There are a lot of things I’ve learned in my time at Gustavus, most of which have nothing to do with the classes I’ve taken. Some things I learned in the first week, some things I learned yesterday. As a first-year, I struggled to find friends who treated me well. I was going to transfer, I was going to leave this institution and never look … Continue reading Gustavus actually
My last article as a Gustie arrives too soon for me. For you, who have either read or ignored me for the last two years, this article may be a sigh of relief; I certainly have not always been the most agreeable or friendly commentator. Even before that, I had a few snippy editorials published. I’m sure only a select few would care to remember. … Continue reading Cashing out at Gustavus
Sometimes I wonder: if actions speak louder than words, why the hell am I writing? I’ve asked myself this while writing papers for my English major, while writing (or trying to write) poetry, even when writing this column. Despite loving words, I still ask myself what makes my words any better than anyone else’s; what makes my words worthy to read? Who am I to … Continue reading Final suggestions
Anticipation is the worst. All of the planning, the hopes, the doubts, the worries—it’s more than exhausting. College, especially in the spring, is full of anticipation. Students are constantly in the mode of planning—they’re in thick with expectation for courses, for majors, for extracurriculars, for potential jobs. I think there is a misnomer among students and the older adults who no longer remember being 22—the … Continue reading No last words, just an overused ellipsis
As the school year winds down, I find myself suddenly a little sad by the prospect of graduation. We have had so many memories together, class of 2011, through good and bad, and you have been such a good friend to me these past three years. Go now if you must, but please stay in touch, and read this article carefully, because for many of … Continue reading Remembering seniors
In a recent publication of the Chronicle of Higher Education, I was shocked to discover just how little Gustavus faculty make in comparison to other colleges. Not even considering Doctoral and Graduate institutions, merely among the baccalaureate institutions in this country does Gustavus rank around the 40th percentile. A full professor at Gustavus makes $76,400, whereas a full professor at St. Olaf makes $91,100, at … Continue reading We need to pay professors more
Leafing through a library book, she tilts her head toward the window as a bird jovially tweeted the news of the day. If she was only a bit more fluent she could translate better. ‘Till then, the rough translation of the bird’s ode is “Another Monday, another cloudy day, I’ll tell you how the sun sets and leave the story about the sunrise to Ms. … Continue reading Leaf noted
