Studying abroad has its highs and lows, but being in Madrid is teaching me that not everything is so clear-cut, and honeymoon stages might be more valuable than they seem. As I settle in, I’m learning the value of slowing down and rethinking the way I move through the world.
My female peers and I often have conversations where we question whether we’re good enough for the classes that we take. Yet, we push through those moments of doubt — not because we inherently believe we belong, but because we refuse to bow to the pressure of a society that still questions our place in STEM.
Reflections from the magnificent snow day last week, and seeing young adults become children again.
We call on the University to aggressively and openly support gender-diverse individuals who are routinely experiencing the worst levels of prejudice and discrimination.
Minding all your future plans and aspirations, I quietly remind you that what you do each day is as important as what you plan to do tomorrow.
A Duke alumnus who works at ABC negotiated that Duke University be the first school to be part of “The Baccalaureatte.” This spin-off is only open to undergrads. The first season will follow the format of “The Bachelorette,” where one lucky Duke female will select a husband out of the 25 male contestants.
Either I’m psychic or I’ve just started noticing patterns, but I can feel the “Lawn Restoration in Process” signs coming. College decision deadlines are fast approaching, and Duke will want to comb its hair and straighten its bow-tie before welcoming potential Dukies to campus.
At Shooters II, Kim Cates isn't just running a bar — she's giving Duke students a place that feels like home. Through small acts of love disguised as logistics, she transforms a simple nightspot into a sanctuary that reminds us how the most profound comfort comes from being truly seen.
Like its reliance on carbon offsets rather than real emissions reductions, Duke’s closure of the herbarium signals a troubling trend of focusing on sustainability commitments that look good on paper but crumble under financial scrutiny.
President Trump’s unfolding policies linked to the Department for Government Efficiency (DOGE), when fully implemented, will cause severe harm to Duke and every other university that receives federal research grants. For that reason, the Duke administration has every right, even if it wishes to abide by institutional neutrality, to point out the harms imposed by DOGE policies.
As almost any Duke student knows, corporate culture exists within every facet of the university — whether it’s the business fraternities like Scale and Coin, the overwhelming focus on summer internships or the funneling of students to “profitable” fields like economics or computer science. However, Duke’s omnipresent pre-professional culture disincentivizes students from meaningful activism.
True civil discourse demands more than intermittent “fireside chats” featuring heterodox speakers — it requires reviving the shared intellectual and historical foundations that once anchored higher education.
Although humility is our very texture as humans, it ironically doesn’t come naturally.
Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime performance served as a powerful critique of the state of America under Trump’s leadership. This activism reflects a broader trend of increasing political expression, which will likely amplify both detrimental and liberating voices, ultimately shaping our lives.
There is comfort in knowing, but there is magic in hope.
Duke, and institutions of higher education across the country for that matter, may soon face a critical juncture of defining their future of financial provision and proving if they are capable of being economically self-sufficient. The incoming threat from the Trump administration is looming, and preparatory arrangements must be made now.
Legacy admissions at elite universities like Duke provide a substantial advantage to applicants with familial ties, with acceptance rates nearly quadruple those of non-legacy applicants, despite similar academic credentials. By perpetuating this process, Duke risks fostering a community rooted in inherited privilege rather than innovation and inclusivity, raising important questions about whether this practice aligns with the university’s core values.
Academia is built on trust. We trust that our professors will grade fairly, that our peers won’t plagiarize and that when we collaborate, everyone will pull their weight. But reality doesn’t always work that way. So, is trust directly tied to trustworthiness? In an ideal world, yes. In the academic world? It’s more of a negotiation.
So, if you’re reading this and thinking, “I feel fine, I don’t need therapy,” I’d encourage you to reconsider. Therapy isn’t just for when you’re at rock bottom, it’s for making sure you don’t get there again. It’s for understanding yourself, growing and being proactive about your mental health. You don’t need a crisis to deserve support. You don’t need to justify taking care of yourself.
We live in a world fascinated by romantic love – discussions of intimacy and relationships surround us everyday. Why then do we feel too embarrassed to talk about love? Why do the words we put to the feeling often fall short of the actual experience?
