Time’s Fool

‘You shut your fucking mouth Travers,’ he says, but not angrily or loudly, he says it firmly and resolutely and self-assuredly, even repeating, in a low, nodding murmur to himself, ‘you shut your fucking mouth.’ No one over the age of twenty-two has made eye contact in what seems like years….Continue Reading Time’s Fool

Cougar Blues

“I’m a Bond girl!” The gangly freshman boy, clad only in a women’s lacy slip dress and voluptuous blonde wig, twirled around, gesturing at the homemade “007 girl” sign affixed to his rear. “See?” he yelped triumphantly, then scurried away….Continue Reading Cougar Blues

Greenway: Not the Only Way

Clearly, there has been a lot of careful thought put into the ongoing changes to our campus. As Biddy Martin writes on the Amherst website, “The Greenway recognizes the importance of the Amherst landscape and builds upon our tradition of rigorous academics balanced by quality of place.” This statement demonstrates an understanding of the importance…Continue Reading Greenway: Not the Only Way

Droughts: the Elephant in the Room

About twelve miles from the Amherst campus lies the Quabbin reservoir, where outdoor enthusiasts go fishing, canoeing and hiking. However, this merry recreation cloaks the reservoir’s checkered history. Quabbin was dug in 1938 as a water supply to meet the rising demands of Boston. Its construction submerged the four towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott….Continue Reading Droughts: the Elephant in the Room

Shades of Yellow

Nobody wants to talk about Asians. As neither the majority nor the true minority, we lie somewhere in limbo, as model minorities—a minority viewed as more successful than average in society. Statistically, we thrive economically in comparison to other racial groups and are overrepresented in professional-managerial work in the United States. As a result, our struggles…Continue Reading Shades of Yellow

Crohn-sitioning

The transition to college, a rite of passage for many, represents the final shedding of the vestiges of childhood. Teary parents deposit their progeny in an alien environment teeming with ice cream socials and deluges of information sessions. These teenagers, equipped with their smartphones and freshly minted student IDs, must navigate a novel social atmosphere…Continue Reading Crohn-sitioning

Letters from Tyler

Dearest Companion, I have received your most recent correspon- dence and I regret to inform you that I am unable to attend your formal gathering— which you have so delicately titled “Getting Hammered”—at your domicile, located so conveniently within the veritable confines of Amherst College campus. I’m afraid, dear friend, I am somewhere far far…Continue Reading Letters from Tyler