From reflecting on experiences abroad, to analyzing academic issues, to examining science fiction novels, our summer columnists had a lot to share last year. Here is a sample of what Hoyas were writing about over the summer:
Ready for Rio, Allie Hillsbery
https://www.thehoya.com/from-tourist-to-native-in-rio/
“I’ve reached the point where I’ve stopped speaking English in grocery stores. I realized early on that eating lunch at restaurants every day was not going to work out, so now every other day I stop at the mercado for a small supply of fresh sandwich rolls. However, two times since my arrival, I have flown into a mild panic when other shoppers stopped me to ask questions in rapid-fire, heavily colloquial, to-me-incomprehensible Portuguese.”
An American Hoya in Japan, Celeste Chisholm
https://www.thehoya.com/finding-myself-where-i-couldnt-pretend-i-was-anything-else/
“Lately I notice that people here cannot help but notice me. Admittedly, there is no reason to blame them for their riveted gaze, as I fall far from the natural deviation of the average Japanese citizen, being naturally blonde, obviously American, and above all 5’11”. Out here, there is no escape from the fact that I differ in ways beyond mere physiology. Although at first a jarring sensation, living in an environment which so blatantly indicates my disparity has come to be somewhat liberating.”
Hoya Sapiens, Paul Healy
https://www.thehoya.com/reconsidering-the-humanities-crisis-part-i
“Over the past year, the humanities have come under close scrutiny in our public discourse. Last summer, Harvard release a report that showed a decline in enrollment in humanities majors. In January, President Obama took a shot at art history majors in a speech on education and the job market. All the while, voices in the national media have both questioned the value of the humanities and lamented their decline. First, what do we mean when we talk about the humanities? And what sort of crisis is happening?”
Back to Futures Past, Hannah Kaufman
https://www.thehoya.com/23002511/
“As I was reading ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,’ a weird fictional book, ‘Encyclopedia Galactica,’ kept popping up in my mind. Intrigued, I decided to do a random Google search to see what would turn up. Lo and behold, I discovered that this fictional book actually originated from another fictional sci-fi series that began with the novel ‘Foundation.'”
What do you want to speak up about this summer?
Applications to be an online summer columnist for The Hoya are due Thursday at midnight. Visit https://www.thehoya.com/
Photos: italiafutura.it
