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Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Thoughts

Illustration Mia McDermott

In my opinion, have less opinions

By Mia Cassidy, Beacon Contributor / November 20, 2025

During a time when young adults feel increasingly voiceless in the face of degrading national politics, the impulse to share our thoughts and opinions...

Graphic Rina Laby

Flipping the stigma on empathy

By Madalyn Jimiera, Kasteel Well Bureau Chief, News / November 19, 2025

Sometimes I feel like I care too much. I cry at everything—from a documentary about the psychology of dogs to a video of a raccoon dropping cotton candy...

Illustration Mia McDermott

You don’t need another tote bag

By Bella Nordman, Kasteel Well Bureau Chief, Opinion / October 15, 2025

Trying to be sustainable as a college student is like doing yoga on a moving treadmill: noble, but not practical.  The idea and thought to be sustainably...

Graphic Iselin Bratz

Fashion forward this fall

By Daphne F. Chandler, Beacon Contributor / September 24, 2025

“Clean Girl is Out, Wired Headphones are IN!,” “Olsen Twins Style Guide,” “5 New Things to Add to Your Wardrobe Now!”  With the change...

Illustration Molly Boyke

Why is Gen Z staring at me?

By Bethany Storey, Beacon Contributor / September 24, 2025

If you're chronically online, you may have heard a newly coined term circulating on TikTok and Instagram: the “Gen Z stare.” It refers to a blank or...

Illustration Ben Putney

Breaking free from the digital grip

By Bella Nordman, Kasteel Well Bureau Chief, Opinion / April 9, 2025

There has always been pressure to be online. I remember first getting Instagram when I was 13 because the YouTubers I watched had it. I wanted to fit into...

A spring break scene on a crowded beach. (Courtesy of Prescott Horn)

Diving into spring break culture

By Bella Nordman, Kasteel Well Bureau Chief, Opinion / March 26, 2025

Spring break is a time for college students to break free from bending over backwards in the library. So many elements collide over this break—escapism,...

Illustration Helen Armstrong

Why I’m Afraid of Men

By Helen Armstrong, Beacon Contributor / January 15, 2025

To men: I do not hate you. I am afraid of you.  Experiences with men throughout my life have been a mixed bag. Some have spun me in a glittery prom...

Illustration Rachel Choi

Ode to my male classmates

By Madison McMahon, Beacon Contributor / December 11, 2024

In writing workshops, I don’t expect perfection, but I do expect to be able to tolerate reading the majority of the stories. In the writing, literature,...