This Wednesday, the Opinion section brought you the third episode of “Chroncast,” our new podcast dedicated to finding untold stories and tapping into different voices across campus.
At Duke, students are under constant pressure to absorb information and hustle from one task to the next. We are trained to believe that four years of study at this University will equip us to grasp complex theories, to lay the foundation for a successful career path, to become functioning members of society.
As I approach my final semester as a college student, it has become clearer than ever that I have learned the most from the people beside me.
I have been challenged by thoughtful conversations and formative relationships that I’ve cultivated here at Duke. Yet I know that for every person who changes me, there are hundreds more walking on this campus whose stories I do not know. And I am certain that they, too, could change me.
The student who has sat across from me in lecture for three years, the person running beside me on the treadmill, the classmate who always has the same coffee order at the law school—everyone has a story.
Our paths cross. We wave hello and greet many familiar faces throughout the day. But strangely, proximity to others can disguise loneliness on a packed campus, proving itself counterintuitive to meaningful engagement.
Despite that we know many people at Duke, how many people do we actually know deeply?
“Chroncast” aims to bring you narratives tucked away in different corners of campus that you wouldn’t usually find. For seven minutes, we are asking you to pop in your headphones and jump into someone else’s life. During your commute between East and West Campus, you can get lost in an engrossing conversation before you return to your obligations and re-enter your reality.
In this episode, I spoke with first-year columnist Victoria Priester who wrote a column called “Contagious perceptions.” This episode unpacks the questions that Victoria explored about race, identity and perception in the piece, as well as how she continues to grapple with these constructs at Duke.
Individuals like Victoria are tackling complex issues every day. They are wrestling with ideas that matter and envisioning ways our world can be different. They are deploying scrutiny along with empathy, never taking for granted that the status quo within our community is good enough.
By listening to brief but compelling stories from students and staff each week, we hope you hear something that moves you.
Carly Stern is a Trinity senior. You can download the “Chroncast” podcast on iTunes and Google Play.
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Carly Stern is a Trinity senior. Her column, "never been satisfied," runs on alternate Fridays.