Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 19, 2024

Opinion

The opinions presented below are solely the views of the author and do not represent the views of The News-Letter. If you are a member of the Hopkins community looking to submit a piece or a letter to the editor, please email opinions@jhunewsletter.com.



STEVEN SIMPSON / PHOTO EDITOR
The Editorial Board evaluates the University’s successes and shortcomings in meeting the goals outlined in the Ten by Twenty plan.

Buzzwords are just white noise

The University released the Ten for One draft, a document detailing 10 goals that Hopkins seeks to achieve by the end of 2030, on April 14. The Ten for One framework follows Ten by Twenty, the 2013 framework which outlined priorities to guide the University through 2020. The University has checked in on these goals through three progress reports and a final report card in 2020. 



POPULAR PRESS MEDIA GROUP / CC BY-SA 3.0
Tuschman stresses that child celebrities need improved working conditions.

Child celebrities are losing their youth in the limelight

Like many kids who grew up watching Disney Channel, I often pretended that I was drawing the logo with a sparkly wand alongside Brenda Song or Miley Cyrus. I would stare at the TV and ask my mom why she didn’t put me in acting. I always got the same response: “I didn’t want you to end up like Lindsay Lohan.”


MARK JONES / CC BY 2.0
Yi argues that fans care too much about their favorite celebrities’ love lives.

We are too invested in celebrity relationships

Taylor Swift fans across the world have mourned the pop star’s breakup with her longtime boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn, since the news broke nearly two weeks ago. Heartbroken “Swifties” have been leaving flowers on Cornelia Street, the site of Swift’s former Manhattan residence and the title of a song from her seventh studio album, Lover, which details memories of a budding romance with Alwyn.


Here’s a tip: Tip your service workers

Have you ever checked out at Brody Cafe and, with a long line snaking behind you, been presented with an iPad asking: “Add a tip?” As the tip options appear before us and we’re forced to make a decision in a few seconds, the pressure to get out of line quickly creeps in. 


ABIGAIL TUSCHMAN / OPINIONS EDITOR
The Editorial Board encourages students and faculty to join forces and pool their resources to achieve their shared goals while they lack formal representation.

We’re not all in this together, but we should be.

Last Wednesday, Teachers and Researchers United (TRU-UE) held a discussion panel on potential alternatives to the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD). While this event was organized by the Hopkins graduate student union, faculty members also participated and expressed support for increased community dialogue surrounding the JHPD. 


KETUT SUBIYANTO / PEXELS LICENSE
Tan cautions readers of the threat smartphone addiction can pose to one’s sleep quality.

Shut off your phone and get some shut-eye

“This is the last video,” I say to myself. Next thing I know, it’s 3 a.m., and I’m still eager to watch another TikTok video even though I have class in six hours. I hear in the back of my head, “You’re screwed.” Many other students probably hear the same two words echoing in their minds. Even with class early in the morning, we are night owls, unable to go to sleep.


WOODLEYWONDERWORKS / CC BY 2.0
Tuschman argues that Lunchables shouldn’t be served as school lunch.

Don’t make lunch ladies hand out Lunchables

It’s a nearly universal experience for U.S. kids: You go to the grocery store with your parent or guardian, come across the wall of colorful Lunchables packages and beg for a box, holding up the “Nachos with Cheese Dip and Salsa” or the “Chicken Dunks” with puppy eyes and a pouted bottom lip. 


KOOLSHOOTERS / PEXELS LICENSE
Boppana warns of the misleading claims behind skincare marketing.

The skincare industry preys on our fear of aging

If you’ve spent time on TikTok recently, you’ve likely seen videos from “Skin-Tok” or “Beauty-Tok,” where influencers provide you with their recommendations for lotions that prevent wrinkles, showcase their elaborate seven-step skincare routines to prevent aging or even discuss the expensive facials or injections they undergo to maintain their glow. 


We have a major problem: The humanities matter, too

Now that we are in the final stretch of the school year, freshmen are declaring their majors and considering their academic and career paths. In just a couple weeks, University offices will host workshops for freshmen to learn more about their declared majors and departments. 



Letter to the Editor 3/20/23

In response to “First Seed offers vegan, oil-free Indian food” published March 19, 2023:   I appreciate the author writing about First Seed and was delighted to hear that she found the food flavorful and convenient. She noted that she personally did not find the pricing competitive with her local grocery store offerings. I am writing to offer the following additional context:



Our 2023–2024 SGA Exec. Board endorsements: Time to rebuild

With another spring semester, the next Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board election is upon us. This year, most positions are not uncontested, which is a welcome improvement from years prior. We hope that the increased number of candidates marks the start of SGA building itself back up.



ALLISON SHELLEY / CC BY-NC 2.0
Tuschman argues teachers deserve better pay and treatment.

When we make teaching a sacrifice, we all suffer

It has been three years since I saw most of my high school teachers in-person. The 500-plus seniors in my class left campus in March 2020 and — aside from dropping off textbooks, attending a drive-through graduation parade or picking up our diplomas — most of us never returned.


PRATEEK KATYAL / PEXELS LICENSE
Pollard suggests more people try giving social media a break.

Tap out and log off: Try deleting your social media

In the last days of 2022, I traveled back home after a difficult finals season to a schedule full of absolutely nothing on my calendar for a few weeks. For perhaps the first time since starting college, I was completely free from academic and work obligations. 


We need to expand our conception of eating disorders

Last week was the 39th annual Eating Disorders Awareness Week, a period devoted to sharing and reflecting upon lived experiences and eating disorder education. The week of awareness is one of many impactful initiatives spearheaded by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), representing a time to advocate for those affected by eating and body image disorders. It is also a time to invite additional people into the conversation.



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