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Enrolled and prospective students alike weigh in on college

As the next school year approaches, many high school students are about to make the transition to a university, whether they like it or not.

For some, college presents an opportunity to meet new friends and study interesting courses, but for others it’s a difficult move accompanied by anxiety and fear of the unknown.

“I come from a really small, conservative school,” said Tatiana Melendez, a 16-year-old student in between her junior and senior year of high school attending a summer program at American University. “So, going to college is going be like an ocean of new things.”

A majority of students interviewed on American’s Northwest Washington D.C. campus this week are excited to attend college but some like Jonah Gelfand, 16, a rising senior from Westchester, New York, had their doubts about how easy the jump would be.

“I think it’s a good mix of both, I don’t really think there’s one that’s outweighing the other,” Gelfand said.

Jonah Gelfand, 16, looks ahead toward college.
Jonah Gelfand, 16, looks ahead toward college.

Current college students including 20-year-old Matthew Wilson, a junior at American University studying economics and political science, understood Gelfand and other high school students’ fears.

“I was naturally apprehensive about going,” Wilson said.

“I wish I could tell myself to just relax a lot more and trust the process,” Wilson said later. “Every other student entering college is probably feeling the same way that you are.”

Wilson, a native of Wethersfield, Connecticut, said he never felt like he couldn’t handle the distance to Washington D.C., which is a 6.5-hour drive from home. Even before arriving on campus, the fear of eating alone in the dining hall troubled him more than any potential academic challenges.

“A lot of schools have orientation programs,” Wilson said. “When I came to orientation I met a lot of people. I met my best friend.”

Meenal Goyal, 19, a sophomore and psychology major at American University, had very few doubts about college when she was a prospective student. In addition to specifically seeking out a school far from home, Goyal also said she focused on getting a good scholarship from the beginning of high school.

“I was all gung-ho about it,” Goyal said.

In Washington D.C., Goyal is 10 hours from her home in Hudson, New Hampshire, but she said it was what she wanted. She offered advice to prospective college students: College is incredibly diverse and that everyone can and will find their niche.

Many students interviewed this week noted that in the end they felt like college has or will be a positive experience.

“Have fun,” Wilson said. “Everyone is in the same boat.”

 

 

 

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Feminism surges but some thinks there’s no need

P1000417A modern resurgence of feminism and belief in gender equality has sparked controversial discussions on whether or not feminism is necessary in today’s society.

In interviews conducted in the Washington, D.C. area, conflicting ideas about the importance of feminism emerged. Opinions on certain topics were agreed upon by all, specifically the wage gap in America between men and women.

“Women of color are paid even less than white women and I think that’s wrong,” said Michelle Nowak, 19, an advocate for the Human Rights Campaign.

The oppression of women of color and the struggles they face in particular were also touched on by Mone Williams, 21.

“I don’t think that any other race or gender can do anything better than another,” Williams said.

Modern feminist issues go beyond the wage gap, also encompassing the right to have an abortion and raising awareness about the hyper-sexualization of women, especially in advertising and the film industry.

Throughout history, feminists have worked to gain women’s rights and become equal with men, their most well-known success being in the suffragist movement to gain women’s voting rights. When asked about the future of feminism, of the 10 people interviewed, all believed that feminists will continue to fight for their cause.

Dr. Nicole Cox, a professor of mass media at Valdosta State University in Georgia, believes that both raising awareness about feminism and spreading the goals of the movement are vital to ensure it continues to grow.

“I think that it’s more accessible for the younger generation,” Cox said. On the topic of complete gender equality, Cox added, “I don’t think it’s going to happen in the next five years, but maybe 10 or 15.”

A few people interviewed did not believe that feminism in today’s world is necessary, or believed that those who advocate for it and call themselves feminists are too intense in their endeavors.

“Feminists just tend to take it a little far,” said 19-year old Dana Foley.

The majority of those interviewed, however, viewed feminism and its goals in a positive light, although most agreed that the struggle for equality is far from over.

“I think the movement itself has a real challenge in terms of defining what it wants,” said Jermall Keels, 19. Later, he added, “I think our generation is just a really social movement-driven generation.”

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Some District residents think Trump’s run “hilarious”

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Donald Trump (Photo Courtesy Associated Press)

Businessman and reality show host Donald Trump’s 2016 Republican presidential bid stirred strong emotions among District residents who, two weeks after his announcement, found a Trump White House unlikely.

“I think it’s stupid,” said American University student Emily Smith, 19. “I honestly just think he’s running for the publicity of it.”

Trump, 69, announced his intent June 16 to run for the Republican presidential nomination during a press conference at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan. The 45-minute speech, featuring Trump making provocative statements on immigration policy, has been watched nearly a million times on YouTube.

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” Trump said in the press conference. “They’re sending people that have lots of problems and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists.”

Since his controversial campaign announcement, both NBC and Macy’s have cut ties with Trump in the respects of his television show, The Apprentice, and clothing line, Donald J Trump Collections.

Many interviewed this week in Washington D.C.’s Tenleytown neighborhood and on the campus of American University said Trump’s launch remarks were troubling but also noted his lack of a clear policy plan worried them, too.

Dan Bell, 21, found Trump’s candidacy comical.

“I think it’s hilarious,” Bell said. “It makes my day.”

Dan Bell’s sister, Amelia Bell, 24, added that America under Trump would be “like the Hunger Games,” referring to the popular dystopian fiction trilogy written by Suzanne Collins.

Both of the siblings expressed interest in voting for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Rachel Nadelman, 38, took a break from an afternoon jog to answer questions about Trump’s candidacy.

“I don’t think in the end that anybody would really vote for him because he doesn’t have any substantial policy plans,” Nadelman said. “While he can speak in racist language because he’s not trying to get donors, overall he’s not going to get much of a following.”

 

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Social media helps students and grads network, stay informed

Students on American University’s campus use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat to obtain news, contact others and even find jobs, ushering in a new era of social media unknown to past generations and even foreign to some millennials.

Journalism and Arab World Studies major Jacquie Lee, 20, interned for a Republican senator from Ohio and wrote for Street Sense, a district publication that advocates for homeless rights. In both positions, social media was a small part of the job. She composed tweets and posted on Facebook.

“It is assumed since you are young, you are good at writing for social media,” Lee said. “But this may not always be the case.”

For Lee, who is headed to study abroad in Jordan in August, Twitter is a great way to see top headlines. It also allows  stories that wouldn’t receive coverage to gain international recognition. Lee talked about the Arab Spring and women in the Middle East.

“Citizen journalists are reporting stories that they see instantly,” Lee said regarding the way news breaks over Twitter.

Not only do students use social media to find out information about the world, but they are also capable of giving the world information about themselves. Many students agreed that the use of Facebook and Twitter is a great way of branding themselves and getting recognized .

Business and entertainment major Toye Adenekan, 20, uses social media to help him stay fresh in his industry.

“I use it for tidbits of news but I am able to put my name out there,” Adenekan said.

Yolanda Martinez, a 26-year-old who earned a graduate degree in journalism from the University of California at Berkeley, uses social media to find news, sources and jobs.

“I definitely view it as a positive,” Martinez said.

College students know the importance of making connections to get ahead. Seventeen-year-old AU student Cassie Castro is pursuing a path in political science and keeps up with others in her field. She uses social media to branch out and make relationships with others.

“Networking is huge, especially in college,” Castro said.