Columns

Life

I never thought twinkly lights could make me think so much

By Lucie Drahozal | December 15, 2020

Here I am thinking back on how I’ve spent my 2020, and I really don’t know what I could have done differently.

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Life

Learning to appreciate 2020’s brighter moments

By Mario Rosales | December 15, 2020

There’s almost always something to treasure, and if not, there’s always tomorrow. 

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Life

My houseplants are getting me through quarantine

By Aaron Doss | December 14, 2020

What had seemed like the most trivial thing to me before — taking care of houseplants — has become a vital form of life support.

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Life

Why we shouldn’t be surprised that 2020 is ‘the bad year’

By Samantha Cynn | December 14, 2020

There’s no getting around it. This year has been — to put it lightly — a bad one.

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Life

Dear diary — thank you for being the best confidant

By Niharika Singhvi | December 4, 2020

 Growing up watching various teen protagonists who’d glamorously write letters and journals in picturesque scenes — including characters like Mia Thermopolis from “The Princess Diaries” and Elena Gilbert from “The Vampire Diaries” — I was inspired to dabble in the art form myself.  

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Life

Reflecting on a difficult semester

By Aaron Doss | November 24, 2020

I know the sun will come out eventually, so for now I’ll do my best to smile upon our grey and empty Grounds.

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Life

Motivation? Haven’t heard of it

By Mario Rosales | November 24, 2020

As well as taking care of yourself, remember to also look outwards and show your care for others during these next few weeks — we’re almost there.

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Life

A day in the life of an election officer

By Sarah Kim | November 22, 2020

 4:15 a.m. is not the ideal wakeup time for a college student, especially when you’ve barely received four hours of sleep. 

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Life

My experience with online note-taking

By Zoya Zahid | November 17, 2020

 I have always been the type of person to hand write my notes. 

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Life

I love U.Va. and I know it can be better

By Emma Keller | November 16, 2020

We are all entitled to our own opinions — though they are shaped by our experiences — and I recognize that perhaps I am more ready for change than others.  

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Life

Why I hate the word 'proficient'

By Lucie Drahozal | November 9, 2020

I hope you will remember this — being proficient means you showed up, you tried and you wanted it.

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Life

We all have guilty pleasures, and that’s OK

By Cecy Juárez | November 9, 2020

Let’s normalize dipping our fries into milkshakes — frankly, it’s delicious.

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Life

To snack, or not snack? That is the struggle

By Mario Rosales | November 9, 2020

Three days into my challenge, I came to the conclusion that living without snacks is just not feasible for me. 

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Life

Quarantine walks and life reflections

By Niharika Singhvi | November 9, 2020

Like many people during quarantine, I also began to find comfort in going on walks — with a mask of course — to escape from the dangerous comfort of my room every once in a while.  

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Life

How COVID-19 changed my relationship with social media

By Aaron Doss | November 9, 2020

There’s a life outside of our screens, however, and if we all look up at the same moment, we might catch one another’s eye and catch onto a life much greater than what we’re living now.

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Life

My time in quarantine housing

By Zoya Zahid | November 6, 2020

 My biggest worry now is getting coronavirus and a few days ago, it almost came true.  

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Life

Navigating anxiety during an unprecedented election season

By Yasmin Teixeira | November 4, 2020

Hope presents itself as one of the few certainties here. We can hold onto hope — hope for a desired outcome, hope for a better future and minimize this election anxiety together.

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Life

Productivity 101 — go see the sun rise

By Cecy Juárez | October 28, 2020

For too long I thought that the only way to be productive was to stay locked up in my room with my laptop and never leave.

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Life

The veiled challenges of integrity and friendship, unmasked

By Mario Rosales | October 27, 2020

If all we are able to do is our best, then there’s nothing more to do. 

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Life

Fire burning on the dance floor

By Yasmin Teixeira | October 22, 2020

The burnt piece of parchment paper is now displayed in the kitchen, taped to the fridge— a reminder of the inevitable mistakes that we will make.