Column

Forgotten Fronts: How you can support mine action in Burma

By Alexander Degterev | December 3

Reading my rants about humanitarian crises around the world, the philanthropically minded among you may have thought to yourselves: How can I lend a helping hand to people thousands of miles away?

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Viewpoint

Is spending a bag on a bag really worth it?

By Brooke Li | November 25

Step out onto the grounds of a college campus and there’s a high chance you’ll encounter at least one of these bags swinging off the shoulders of a student: the Goyard Saint Louis or the Longchamp Le Pliage. Hailing from Paris, France, these bags have become the latest microtrend that’s taken control of young adults.

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Viewpoint

Personalized pricing: The biggest scam that you’ve never heard of

By Monica Reilly | November 25

At this point, many of us are fairly desensitized to media surveillance. We accept cookies on websites without a second thought, and rarely, if ever, read the fine print on how companies can use our data. In fact, our information is already being sold to companies in order to curate personalized ads based on our search history and website usage. In a media landscape full of data exploitation, it can be easy to lump in personalized pricing as just another way that our information is being sold, one that will not impact our day-to-day lives. However, personalized pricing poses a uniquely serious threat to our online selves. 

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Viewpoint

It’s not just a Thanksgiving thing — we should practice gratitude year round

By Michaela Loughran | November 24

When there’s a holiday like Thanksgiving that is specifically dedicated to giving thanks, some might end up only explicitly doing so that one day out of the whole year. However, not commonly known to many people is the fact that the entire month of November is National Gratitude Month, giving us all an entire month to reflect on the positive aspects of our lives. It may sound a bit cliche to tell you to be more grateful, but I believe that a lot of people take the many blessings in their lives for granted.

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Column

Through Indigenous Eyes: Side by side

By Sorsha Khitikian | November 24

As my mom and I crossed out of the Southwest into Arkansas, we came face-to-face with Fort Smith. For those who don’t know, Fort Smith is widely considered the last stop on the Trail of Tears, a genocidal displacement of southeastern Indigenous people. At Fort Smith, Indigenous people were sent into what is now known as Oklahoma, which the U.S. government deemed “Indian” territory at the time. While I was nervous to explore this site, my Mom and I thought it was important to sit with the pain of this place.

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Editorial

Editorial: Generative AI can’t replace student journalism

By The Editorial Board | November 20

Since ChatGPT first made its splash entry into the market in November 2022, worries over the use of generative artificial intelligence and large language models have begun to surface. In recent semesters, we have seen faculty at Tufts begin to swap take-home papers for in-class exams in order to fairly test student understanding of course content and prevent cheating. In the Student Accessibility and Academic Resources Center, writing support staff have repeatedly been given new guidelines on how to deal with the use of generative AI in academic writing. Even within the Daily, we have received submissions that were suspected to be AI-generated and sourced using AI.

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Viewpoint

SNAP benefits went dark during the government shutdown — why should Tufts students care?

By Olivia Zambrano | November 20

Roughly 41.7 million people rely on assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. When the government shut down on Oct. 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture determined that maintaining SNAP benefits wasn’t a priority — leaving nearly 42 million individuals across the country unsure of where their next meal would come from.

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Guest

Op-ed: Somerville’s Question 3 undermines peace

By Justin Klekota | November 19

On November’s ballot, Somerville voters were asked whether the city should divest from companies doing business with Israel. While many voters saw it as a symbolic gesture, Question 3 remains extremely problematic. The measure’s main organizer, Somerville for Palestine, claims to stand for justice, but their rhetoric and continued agitation threaten Somerville’s unity.

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Guest

Why many American Jews are wary — and fearful — of Mamdani’s rise

By Tufts Friends of Israel | November 14

American Jews have long been considered one of the country’s most politically liberal groups, with over 70% identifying as Democrats according to the Pew Research Center from 2020.

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Guest

Op-ed: The cOUnteR-revolution: A restoration of the people’s forum in Medford

By Emily Carney | November 13

The ballot box in last week’s election symbolized the state of Medford — divided. The numbers depicted a city split into two primary voting blocs: Our Revolution Medford and the independents. Allied candidates tended to yield similar vote counts, indicative of bloc voting, while tight margins between groups and increased support for non-ORM candidates suggested a narrowing divide. For the independents, the gains were significant, but not enough to claim new seats. Not this time.

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Viewpoint

Tufts admin, it's time to rethink your graduation requirements

By Liam Chalfonte | November 12

Tufts’ graduation requirements are a behemoth. Without previous credit or double-counting courses, they make up about half of the classes students take at Tufts. This means Tufts has some of the most extensive requirements among peer institutions, with more courses needed than schools like Wesleyan and Northeastern — not to mention Amherst, which doesn’t have any required courses beyond the major. Between college writing, language and culture, world civilizations and distribution requirements, students spend many semesters completing required courses that may draw them away from classes they find interesting or that would benefit their lives or careers.

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Column

The Bigger Picture: Beauty doesn’t always age like fine wine, but beauty standards sure do

By Linda Huang | November 12

“MEN WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND!” screamed my housemate, after we finished watching “The Substance” (2024) — the exact same reaction I had after seeing “Sunset Boulevard” (1950) for the first time last Saturday at the Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square.

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Column

Through Indigenous Eyes: Our American responsibility

By Sorsha Khitikian | November 10

My mom and I share a love of Indigenous history and a good hike. Thus, when my grandmother recommended Bandelier National Monument as a stop on our road trip, we both jumped at the chance. Located near Los Alamos, N.M., Bandelier is home to ancient Pueblo ruins. When we arrived, we were both ready to get our hiking boots on. However, the second we got to the park, I knew something was wrong.

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Viewpoint

Trump, the media and our desensitization to violence

By Monica Reilly | November 6

On Oct. 14, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a video on Truth Social of a deadly strike placed on a boat off the coast of Venezuela. With a highly active social media presence, Trump is known for his frequent communication with the public via sites like X and Truth Social. However, posting videos of a lethal mission is a new development and is indicative of a larger trend towards violence under the Trump administration.

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Viewpoint

Look up! You never know what you’ll see

By Michaela Loughran | November 6

Let me ask you a question. Can you remember the last meal you ate: the texture of the food, the way it tasted as it slid across your tongue, the way it made your body feel? Or, were you doing an assignment, scrolling on TikTok or engaging in any countless other distractions while eating mindlessly, with no real thought of the food in front of you? If, as I suspect, you answered yes to the latter set of questions, I am not going to chastise you. In fact, I am literally multitasking right now, munching on a mozzarella and tomato sandwich from the Commons Marketplace while writing this article. Sometimes our schedules get too busy, and it honestly feels like we don’t have a choice.

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Viewpoint

Is critical thinking a crime now?

By Linda Huang | November 6

A few weeks ago, I was doomscrolling Instagram and came across a Wall Street Journal post titled “Mamdani Is Promising a Cheaper New York. But Can He Afford to Pay for It?” When I opened the comments, I was disappointed but not surprised to see that the first comment said: “media propaganda is out in full force against him,” followed by over 1200 likes. 

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Opinion

Netflix’s “Adolescence”: What is happening to young men?

By Jachin Lam | November 5

With awards season approaching, Netflix’s limited series “Adolescence” has gained significant traction from both the public and acclaimed critics, having already hadimmense success and historical wins at the Emmys last month. Much of the show’s attention surrounds its subject matter, tackling rising issues such astoxic masculinity and the online radicalization of young men, both of which have been plaguing the internet in recent years. 

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