Do you consider yourself to be a feminist? That question was posed in one of my classes. Anonymously, we wrote on a piece of paper a symbol showing whether we were male, female or trans-gender, and chose one of the various answers: Strongly yes or no, indifferent, not really or kind of. Out of about 35 students, the responses were diverse. Many had chosen “strongly yes.” After seeing the results, the professor asked if anyone who chose “strongly yes” would like to explain why they considered themselves to be a feminist. One of the girls in class said she made…

It’s the first week back since returning from spring break. We’re all trying to get back into the routine of things after being out of the classrooms and away from our books for over a week. During an afternoon class, I find myself failing to accept the idea of being back in class. I let my sleepiness take over and catch myself doing the dreaded “head nod.” My eyes are closing uncontrollably, and before I realize what’s happening, I have to snap my head back from slowly falling forward. The second hand continues to drag itself across the clock as…

You do not have to look closely at our society to realize many of our social values can be considered bizarre. When a celebrity is in sight, it is an expected and accepted reaction to let out a squeal, jump up and down and whip out a cell phone to either call friends or take blurry, poor-quality photos. I must admit that when I am at a concert and see my favorite band up on that stage, I can’t escape the stereotypical reaction of a fan. It is thrilling to see them with my own eyes, and I suddenly feel…

One evening, while waiting for the bus, a friend stood on the seat of the bus shelter. As she looked at the campus before her she said, “So this is what things look like from up here.” I decided to crouch down a bit and jokingly gave a similar response. Although it was a statement simply made in jest at the time, I later realized what our comments had meant; what it is to see things from different heights. Height is a constant in our lives, affecting who we are from youth and defining who we are when we have…

As I get older, I realize there are more and more opportunities I wish I had been exposed to, skills I don’t have that I wish I did. Why haven’t I received such opportunities while at school? I know it can be argued that students are offered curriculums that include gym, music or art classes. However, more often than not, these classes are only given attention once a week. They are also given to classes filled with around 30 students, making it impossible to be taught at one’s own speed or skill level. An even more upsetting part of this…

For many girls, one of the scariest things to imagine is getting pregnant before becoming a married adult. Over time, society has taken on a view that treats the idea of women having children at a young age as taboo. It is ironic that giving life, the most precious and valued thing on this earth, should become one of the greatest misdoings a girl can do, if she does so before society believes she is meant to. In today’s world, becoming pregnant before reaching an appropriate age can be met with varying reactions of every extreme, from strong support to…

People are always dividing themselves into categories. The most obvious one often goes unnoticed: gender. For as long as anyone can remember, one has been labeled as either a boy or a girl. When a parent is walking outside with their baby in a stroller and admiring people stop to look, they immediately ask, “Is it a boy?” or “Is it a girl?” However, gender is losing the simplicity we once thought it to possess, and today, answering these questions isn’t quite as easy for everyone. We generally rely on either a person’s biological make-up or cultural stereotypes to create…

It’s been a long day. You’re tired, hungry and looking for a quick bite before getting back to work. You place your order at a fast food joint or grab something from a deli, and expect the worker behind the counter to take care of what you want. Immediately. But what happens those times when the person you’re expecting to do their job shows a moment of hesitation or is unsure of how to do something? The usual tendency is to question, “How do they not know how to do this?” or, “What is so difficult?” And generally, there is…