Opinion

The Medicare we'll inherit

Princeton students should be more cautious in outsourcing their own critical thinking to oversimplified, often biased media analysis. Liberals surely believe that these cuts are justified by the value of the new programs they finance. Conservatives obviously disagree. But let’s not obscure the Obamacare debate by pretending the costs of the law are not real.

Revisiting grades

I posit that removing grades from those courses will push you to engage further with the material, work harder and stress less, ultimately improving your learning experience and potentially your performance.

Letter to the Editor: October 10th, 2012

The fact of the matter is that when we talk in this way it’s rare we move the political conversation forward. There are intelligent, well-intentioned, reasonable people on both sides of most debates.

In defense of rage

One of the many things I love about Princeton is that it trains us to argue ideas. Sharpless wisely emphasizes that our political beliefs are influenced by social and cultural factors. However, she forgets they are also personal and intellectual.

Why coffee dates trump DFMOs

A cheap hookup on a drunken Saturday night often buys us a cheap reward: temporary gratification followed by hollowness and superficiality in our search for intimacy. On the other hand, a slightly heftier investment of time and energy with another person can lead us to the precious reward of a deep relationship built on trust, mutual respect and joy.

Cartoon: How to start a women's organization

Note pressure

Unmapped territory

It is a blessing to be able to truly know yourself at a young age — to know exactly who you are, who you are willing to be and with whom you choose to associate and identify yourself. This is the job of a writer — to be constantly finding himself in the quest to help others do the same. As Princeton students, we are encouraged to discover something new about ourselves, and whatever may eventually be our “thing,” Princeton assures us that this is the place to find it.

Name struggles

The third week of school is over. Classes have been added, switched, shopped and dropped. By the third week of school we have gotten our Pequods, complained about their prices and gotten over it.

The lofty vs. the practical

Coming to Princeton, I swore to myself that I would never enroll in a course that I didn’t have to take; I would only enroll in classes that interested me. But now that I’m an upperclassman, worrying about internships and independent research, I caught myself skimming over the course registrar list, struggling to find a politics or economics course to take.

Letter to the Editor: October 8th, 2012

Just because something is deemed legal doesn’t necessarily make it right.

Cartoon: The committee on discipline

Green transportation

The University has placed emphasis on the sustainability of its on-campus fleet, focusing on TigerTransit. In doing this, the University has missed potential improvements that could be more effective.

Another four years

I have a modest proposal: Don’t take a party break in New York City or head home to catch up on sleep. Fall break is the perfect time to volunteer to knock on doors for the reelection of President Barack Obama. Princeton in the nation’s service needs you now if we are to confront honestly and intelligently the problems affecting this country.

Editorial: Shopping period

The first two weeks of classes at Princeton are known as the add/drop period, during which students are free to add or remove classes from their schedule. At Princeton’s peer schools, however, the first few weeks of classes are designated shopping period and offer students a greater degree of freedom in trying out classes. For example, professors hold the shared expectation that students are shopping their classes during this period and refrain from delving deeply into the material and assigning work, and students do not even sign up for classes until the end of this period.

I believe in the 2012 apocalypse

Apocalypse, as a vernacular term, originated from the Greek term "apocalypsis," which literally means “uncovering,” in the sense of revealing something. Until Hollywood filled our heads with images of tidal waves and meteors, the term was popularized through its Biblical use.  This use carried a connotation that was subtler: The apocalypse referred to the uncovering of meaning or understanding hidden from mankind in a time or atmosphere dominated by falsehood and misconception.

Quality discourse

Ultimately, someone must hold our political candidates responsible for speaking meaningfully about the issues in these debates and throughout the election. Everyone in the country benefits from less misrepresentation and greater debate on the fundamental differences between the candidates on each issue. If the candidates themselves, their parties and the moderators of these debates will not hold speech to a higher standard, it falls to the American people — and particularly, informed and passionate citizens like college students — to demand more, by using our voices and our votes.

Yes, let's

Limit and function of political discourse

In a recent column, fellow columnist Cameron Langford called for political discourse on campus, citing Princeton’s unique status as the “conservative Ivy” as conducive to more meaningful political discussion than one might find at other peer institutions where conservative thought may be paid little to no attention.  While I agree with the sentiment — that political discussion is a good thing and should be encouraged — I find that there is a disconcerting limitation that accompanies the sort of dialogue that Langford recommends.

Tutor troubles

There are already many dedicated and effective tutors working through the residential colleges and through McGraw, but there definitely seems to be space for more students to apply. In Forbes, my residential college, the director of studies sent out multiple emails asking for peer tutors. Most tutors at the McGraw Center spend three hours twice a week in Frist. With more tutors, the programs could reach more students. A larger tutoring staff could also enable McGraw and the residential colleges to reduce the required time commitment, which could attract qualified students who would not have otherwise applied. If these programs recognized diverse pathways to mastery, they could attract more tutors who are just as passionate, committed and knowledgeable.