Voices

Voices is the Op-Ed and personal essay section of The Georgetown Voice. It features the real narratives of diverse students from nearly every corner on campus, seeking to tell some of the incredibly important and yet oft-unheard stories that affect life in and out of Georgetown.

Voices

Lessons learned between a rock and a hard place

I’d been living by the motto “work smarter, not harder” for a long time. Why walk across the Key Bridge, for example, when you could stand outside the Southwest Quad and catch a GUTS bus that’ll get you to Rosslyn at the same time? But as I reflected on the old sermon I realized that the point of the priest’s story was that the existence of a shortcut isn’t always enough to make taking that shortcut worthwhile.

By January 28, 2010

Voices

Logistical fault lines, too, run under Port-au-Prince

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince on January 12 affected three million people—killing over 100,000, about 80 percent of whom had to be buried in mass graves. Thousands still require medical attention, millions are homeless, and many lack necessities as basic as water and food.

By January 28, 2010

Voices

‘Roids are all the rage in the baseball world

The biggest sports story over Christmas break was hardly even news: Mark McGwire used steroids for most of his fifteen years of baseball-crushing. But the consequences of this admission are less readily apparent. McGwire had been left out of Major League Baseball’s prestigious Hall of Fame for suspected steroid use.

By January 21, 2010

Voices

The arts at Georgetown: a work in progress

I almost didn’t come to Georgetown because I thought the arts program was so bad. In my family, art was more important than friends, schoolwork, and sometimes physical health. After I finished my freshman year of high school with a very strong GPA, my mother took me aside with a worried look and asked me, “But what are you doing to be creative?”

By January 21, 2010

Voices

No end in sight for the floundering “War on Terror”

With General David Petraeus, the architect of the surge in Iraq, speaking in Gaston Hall today, questions about the rise of American militarism and misguided nation-building projects loom larger than ever. In replicating the Patraeus strategy in Afghanistan, Obama ignored the lessons of history, the advice of foreign policy experts, and the views of the many Americans and Afghans who are tired of war and foreign intervention. Instead, our president urged U.S. forces to intensify their efforts in Afghanistan as a necessary step in the vague and unending “War on Terror.”

By January 21, 2010

Voices

Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Cali anymore

I’ve gotten paler and seem to walk faster. Flip-flops have been replaced by rainboots and Chipotle or Qdoba is really the closest thing to Mexican food I can find. I’m starting to think J.Crew is more of a cult than a clothing store, and I’ve accepted that people actually walk on escalators. I attribute every brain malfunction to frost bite and check the weather report on a freakish basis. I’m from California, and over winter break, I realized just how different my life is on the East Coast.

By January 21, 2010

Voices

In defense of satire

I’ve watched the mounting anger over the alleged racism of the Georgetown Heckler with no small amount of concern. As a recent Georgetown graduate and a longtime contributor to the... Read more

By December 16, 2009

Voices

Pimpin’ (yourself) ain’t easy, but is it necessary?

The news all this weekend revolved around Tareq and Michaele Salahi crashing the first state dinner of the Obama Presidency. The couple managed to be photographed with Vice President Joe... Read more

By December 3, 2009

Voices

Winless football season leaves one fan with the blues

Georgetown football made history this year by recording its first winless season since the program began in 1874. This unfortunate milestone won’t come as a shock to anyone on campus—members... Read more

By December 3, 2009

Voices

The Universal Life Church: When “mister” just won’t do

No one is ever going to address me as Dr. Baumgardner. This is not a surprise, as I have never planned on being a doctor. I don’t have a mind... Read more

By December 3, 2009

Voices

Trading candy and costumes for Gatorade and tiny shorts

A child’s greatest nightmare is that Christmas (or whatever respective holiday he celebrates) will somehow be stolen. The fear of losing Christmas compels normally delinquent children to behave kindly during... Read more

By December 3, 2009

Voices

Condoms anonymous

Trekking to class a few weeks ago, my condom supply as depleted as my bank account, I was thrilled to spot the H*yas for Choice table in Red Square. I was psyching myself up for my free rubber restock, when I recognized the male figure standing squarely in front of the giant jar of condoms, chatting with the girl manning the table. Let’s just say that he was one of my more dubious decisions from freshman year.

By November 19, 2009

Voices

He kept poking me, so I quit facebook forever

“I don’t have a Facebook.” I’ve had to say that every few days for the last few months. It’s been met with every response from “Are you crazy?” to “You’re... Read more

By November 19, 2009

Voices

I wish I had as much sex as the people on television

“I’m turning it off,” my mother would say as we were sitting down to dinner. She didn’t care that there were only 2 minutes left of Hey Arnold and it... Read more

By November 19, 2009

Voices

Nerds report increase in tail: blame Hollywood

My freshman year of college, I finally came to terms. I decided that it was time to come out of the locker and announce to the world: I am a... Read more

By November 19, 2009

Voices

The internet brings schools to Africa

Whenever people talk about how modern electronics and the internet have transformed communication, I find you can count on them to use the word “disconnected” as sure as they will... Read more

By November 12, 2009

Voices

The first rule of fight club: don’t write about fight club

Everyone knows the rules of Fight Club. But fewer people know a related set of rules: how to run a fight club. Follow my advice, gleaned from my time running... Read more

By November 12, 2009

Voices

Riding the Green ticket to elected office

Last week, I  became a constable in my Connecticut hometown, representing the Green Party. I ran for constable, a government position requiring me to deliver court summonses, to highlight the... Read more

By November 12, 2009

Voices

Quietly making the jump to a meatless existence

For years, I considered making the switch to vegetarianism. Part of me was subtly rebelling against my parents and part was growing increasingly aware of the moral arguments behind vegetarianism.... Read more

By November 12, 2009

Voices

No tolerance for intolerance at Georgetown

Sunday afternoon, after hearing about the second hate crime this week in Georgetown, I bought some markers, poster board, and texted a few friends to organize a flash protest. In... Read more

By November 5, 2009