Illona Yukhayev (illona_yukhayev@emerson.edu) is an Instructional Technologist at Emerson. When she’s not busy helping faculty build their Canvas courses, she
Ingrid Patricia Grassals, founder and owner of Go Natural Caribe, the first natural hair salon in the Dominican Republic, shuttered
Illona Yukhayev (illona_yukhayev@emerson.edu) is an Instructional Technologist at Emerson. When she’s not busy helping faculty build their Canvas courses, she
With a simple Google search, I can find out the employer of my middle school crush, know that my high school boyfriend is pledging to a fraternity, and see photos of an old classmate’s newborn baby. Social media sleuthing isn’t
TW: This editorial contains mentions of gun violence, homicide, and suicide. Since the pandemic began, the U.S. has shifted much of its attention to improving public health. Despite this, an epidemic separate from the coronavirus has been plaguing the country
A few days ago it was raining, and for the first time in a while, it wasn’t too cold for me to enjoy the drizzle. Whenever I see rain, my mind immediately travels back home to the Dominican Republic, where
If someone asks me to sing “Breath” from In The Heights one more time, I think I might actually escort myself back to Puerto Rico. When I auditioned for Emerson’s musical theatre program, I remember sitting in the Paramount dance
Since the pandemic began, millions across the globe have waited anxiously for their turn to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. It took months of trials and setbacks, but President Joseph R. Biden now expects all Americans over the age of 16
TW: This op-ed contains graphic mentions of misogyny, sexual assault, domestic abuse, and murder. On April 10, a 26-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her husband in Delhi, India. The woman, Neelu Mehta, was repeatedly stabbed 25 times in
Pandemic fatigue is rife around the globe after enduring more than a year of sacrifice and isolation. In the past year, we’ve been forced to give up parts of our lives as college students that we previously took for granted—sitting
Through recent Instagram posts, I found out the state of Minnesota does not fairly investigate a sexual assault case if the victim was voluntarily intoxicated. I was repulsed by this fact. The Minnesota Supreme Court overturned Francios Momolu Khalil’s conviction
On March 25, NPR published “Few Facts, Millions Of Clicks: Fear Mongering Vaccine Stories Go Viral Online.” In the story, NPR analysts point out that while the odds of dying after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine are virtually nonexistent, articles connecting
Emerson would be nothing without the hard work of its staff and faculty. They are tasked with cleaning our spaces, providing equipment for us, teaching our classes, and many other crucial responsibilities that keep the college afloat. Yet as the
On March 15, Emerson announced a “flexibility week” meant to tackle the steady decline of students’ mental health. That same week, it was announced that not only will Emerson students not receive a vaccine from the college before the end
During my first-year student orientation, I was excited to see that Emerson offered academic internship opportunities, including one located in Washington D.C. I eagerly put my name down for their email list and started imagining myself working on Capitol Hill.
The recent murder of eight people, including six of Asian descent at three different locations—a massage parlor in Acworth, GA and two spas in Atlanta, GA—calls for an addressing of hate crimes against Asian Americans in the United States. Since
As college students, the driving force to get us through 8 a.m. classes, midterm exams, and the ever-rising tuition rate is the monumental closing event of our college experience: graduation. But since the pandemic made large social gatherings virtually impossible,
Trigger Warning: This column contains mentions of racism, homophobia, ableism, and sexual assault. Over the past couple of years, the YouTube community has seen the rise and fall of many internet giants on the platform. From Shane Dawson, Jeffree Star,
For as long as I can remember it has been ingrained in me that helping the planet is my individual responsibility. Posters in the hallways of my middle school urged me to “go green” and television ads told me to
Amid seven new variants of the already malicious novel coronavirus reaching the United States, my fellow Emerson students and I wonder: when will we get the vaccine? Emerson students have received email after email regarding COVID-19 vaccine updates, all with
The past 12 months may have been the most unprecedented year of our lifetime. The first pandemic of the 21st century transformed life as we knew it in more ways than I can name, forcing us to confront the fragility
Trigger warning: This op-ed discusses topics related to mental illness. After a year of experimenting with new forms of learning in an attempt to simulate an in-person experience, it is quite evident that nothing compares to traditional in-person learning. Even
While scrolling through Twitter—a passive and frequent pandemic pastime—I’ll see tweets along the lines of “We survived 2020; that’s something to celebrate.” While of course, that is something worth celebrating, I can’t help but think of the grand scale of
I remember my last day of normalcy perfectly. I met my friend Natalie for morning coffee at The Thinking Cup, went back to my dorm to say a quick goodbye to my roommate, and took the blue line to Boston
On Feb. 14, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Education, Roberto Fulcar, affirmed that there is still no set date for the return of students to the classrooms. He said that decision will depend on the spread of coronavirus across the
After living through a pandemic for the past year, most of us are exhausted. The extended hours of screen time, lack of contact with friends and family, and looming fear of the virus has taken a toll on most peoples’
As proud as I am to be a Texan, attending school in Boston has forced me to reflect on the state that I love—and it’s become apparent just how flawed my home state’s local government and elected officials can be.
We’ve all heard the short explanation for how computers work: ones and zeroes. There is electricity involved, algorithms, and some processing units that allow us to carry more technology in our backpacks than our grandparents saw in their entire lives.
Joe Biden took office just over a month ago, and we’re already disappointed. At a time when millions of Americans are facing illness and job insecurity, a drastic change from Trump’s presidency was a beacon of hope for struggling Americans.
I first moved to Boston in the fall of 2017 from Westminster, Massachusetts; a small, rural town. It was a move that filled me to the brim with anxiety and excitement—emotions at the opposite ends of intensity, caused by the
After a year filled with tragedy, the possibility for a return to a normal, pre-pandemic life lies almost entirely in the hands of vaccines for COVID-19. Yet as the coronavirus death toll climbs higher every day, vaccine distribution across the
Most of us can agree that the Senate’s vote on Feb. 13 to acquit Trump of inciting the Jan. 6 Capital attack was more than disappointing. Not just because we want to put ‘Trump talk’ to rest, but because the
When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a painter. But I became discouraged after my mom told me I didn’t have the talent to be a painter, and that the term ‘artist’ could never apply to me. Ever
Since the pandemic began in March of last year, our time has been consumed by WiFi and computer screens due to the nature of remote living. Suddenly, people who worked nine to five corporate jobs are rolling out of bed
Staying in isolation or quarantine after testing positive for or being exposed to COVID-19 is rarely a pleasant experience. The basic necessities like room, board, and edible food, are enough to survive a few days in the Paramount residence hall.
For Valentine’s Day, Netflix gifted its subscribers with the third and final installment of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before movie series based on the book trilogy of the same name by Jenny Han. The movies featured Lana
On Feb, 4, NPR released a segment of their morning edition broadcast, where they discussed the current legal state of consulting giant McKinsey and Company. Recently, the company reached a total of $573 million in lawsuit settlements with nearly 50
The general sentiment of last Sunday’s Super Bowl seems to be ‘disappointment.’ Many viewers felt the game itself was boring for the standards of a Super Bowl, with a lackluster game and a referee that some see as biased against
It’s been one month since the House of Representatives introduced articles of impeachment against former President Donald J. Trump for incitement of insurrection. The argument against him? The role he played in encouraging a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol
As journalists, we are taught that objectivity is the key to good reporting. We’re taught we must not allow our biases to seep into our reporting and writing. We either must keep our opinions to ourselves or drop them off
When I think of the year 2016, it seems like eons have passed. In the past four years, time has moved awry, with one headline after another bringing waves of turmoil caused by the Trump administration. Empathy and compassion are
Since Aug. 2020, farmers in India are protesting new laws passed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that significantly lessen government regulation around sale, pricing and storage of produce. Three bills were passed on Sep. 14, 2020 by the Bharatiya Janata
In February of last year, the president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, hired Rudy Giuliani as a consultant for national security services. Today, the former New York City mayor is being sued for more than $1.3 billion by Dominion
COVID-19 has decimated countless American businesses. In 2021, many are struggling under new COVID safety regulations, which force them to reduce seating capacity and often reduce late night hours, an essential for many near Emerson. As a result, Yelp’s September
Content warning: This Op-ed discusses topics of domestic violence, murder, sexual assault, and gender-based violence. On Mar. 9 of last year, millions of women carried out one of the largest protests in Mexican history. We did not leave our homes—we
The stock market uproar over the past two weeks has enthralled financial institutions and social media platforms alike. It threatens to prove, if nothing else, that the “free” in “free market” exists only in the eye of the beholder—that is
On Jan. 20, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. stood in front of the Capitol Building and gave his inaugural address. His words had a resounding theme, one that I wasn’t surprised by but was still startled to hear. He spoke
Content warning: This editorial discusses topics of depression, anxiety, suicide, and self-harm. This fall, most Emerson students dutifully followed college-mandated COVID-19 restrictions on travel and social gatherings, which effectively limited the spread of the virus on campus. For many students,
COVID-19 has heavily impacted the fashion world, which has led to more than a one-third drop in revenue within the fashion industry. Even though the world is forced to adapt to the pandemic, the fashion world may never be the
Moving onto campus for the first time as a freshman is daunting. Stepping out of your comfort zone while meeting new people from different backgrounds is one of the building blocks of the college experience. During a pandemic, the freshman
Last semester, after The Beacon drew a wave of public criticisms and staff resignations, it made me question everything I know about journalism. Prior to this fall, I looked back on my years at The Beacon through rose-colored glasses. I
We can all breathe a sigh of relief after President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday. The tumultuous years of former president Donald Trump’s administration are over, and now the hope for brighter days in American politics remains. But now is
Video games have been around since the 1950s, bringing forth old-school classic computer games like “Tennis for Two” and “Spacewar.” Since then, video games are continuously proving to be the newest technology on the market and the increased demand for
When a friend in middle school told me she couldn’t wait to spend her Bat Mitzvah money on a nose job, I told her to “go for it.” I remember thinking that plastic surgery was a positive thing; that it
Amid a pandemic that has taken 1.96 million lives and is set to infect many more, the world anxiously awaited a vaccine. Vaccines typically require years of development before reaching the clinic, but the events of 2020 forced scientists to
On the day Congress met to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over incumbent President Donald Trump, a violent mob of pro-Trump insurrectionists attempted to overrun the Capitol building. Trump supporters stormed the typically peaceful Rotunda, touting confederate flags and shattering
Much like everyone in my generation, I use dating apps. Tinder, Grindr, and Hinge are currently downloaded on my phone. And despite the desperation that list gives off, I don’t particularly like dating apps. I think they’re superficial, placing the
As the fall semester slowly comes to its end, many students across the country are preparing to return home for Thanksgiving. This year has been a whirlwind, and let’s face it: we all need and deserve a big fat break.
As inauguration day approaches, leaders of Caribbean countries are coming together to congratulate the newly elected president, Joe Biden. As we move from an administration that strained international relations these past four years, I wonder what the inauguration will mean
The Beacon’s first print issue of the semester in early September initiated a wave of resignations from almost 20 staff members. Some felt deeply mistreated and silenced by our newsroom’s culture. They rightly took issue with several stories going back
When I think of emo music, I used to think of Gerard Way, Patrick Stump, Brendon Urie, or Hayley Williams. After the 2020 presidential election, I now know the truth—President-elect Joe Biden is the undisputed King of Emo. Dear readers,
This week feels like a much-anticipated moment is finally upon us. Emerson went almost three months without seeing a significant uptick in COVID-19 cases. For so long, it felt like we might actually make it through the semester—at least until
Back in March, it was easy to chalk up the changes in my mental state and my struggles with online classes to the fact that every CNN notification felt like it came straight out of Stephen King’s The Stand. Following
Being the Student Government Association Executive Treasurer was both the best and worst year of college. Though it may shock some, I am shy and never imagined I would have taken such an active role in Student Government when I
Why are the doors to the dining hall so heavy? My noodle arms absolutely cannot handle so much weight. Why does it always smell so funky in the dining hall? Where is the normal food? Talking through a mask is
And just like that, President Donald Trump’s reign is over. But the work for equity? For justice? For a better world? Far from done. Around the world, supporters of President-elect Joe Biden have swept the streets, beaming with joy and
Embed from Getty Images Saturday became a record-breaking day as Joe Biden defeated incumbent President Donald Trump in the election—the first time a sitting leader only lasted one term since George H.W Bush was just known as George Bush back
Four years ago, I had just turned seventeen. I was balancing the stress of school at Medford Area Senior High in Wisconsin, a social life, and the mental toll from losing three grandfathers within the year. But all those emotions
Embed from Getty Images Basketball superstar LeBron James’ nonprofit voting organization More Than A Vote played an integral role in last week’s election by helping drive the record turnout of Black voters—a move that boosted former Vice President Joe Biden
On Election Day, before Joe Biden’s final stops on the campaign trail, he paid a stop to Greenville, Delaware. He attended Mass at Saint Joseph on the Brandywine Roman Catholic Church. After the service, he visited his son, Beau, at
Around four years ago, I became a citizen of these “United” States. I was reluctant to become a citizen because of the reputation Americans had cultivated to outsiders—selfish people who did what they wanted and did everything gluttonously. With that,
The whole world has been waiting for this victory — for four years. As soon as The Associated Press called that Democratic nominee Joe Biden won the electoral vote of his native Pennsylvania, pushing him over the 270 electoral-vote threshold
The election may be over, but our job as students, citizens, and politically engaged people is not. In fact, voting during a presidential election year is the bare minimum. It’s important to keep fighting for our principles and beliefs regardless
This October, I celebrated the birthday of an emo icon. My Chemical Romance’s third album, The Black Parade, officially turned 14 years old in October 2020, meaning the album beloved by angsty teenagers everywhere is old enough to be an
Tags related to America have only trended once a while on the Chinese Twitter-like social media platform Weibo since the pandemic began. I remember seeing trending terms like “U.S. COVID-19 cases climb,” “Trump blamed China for coronavirus outbreak,” “Trump tested
My stomach has been in knots all day. I have already gotten into multiple arguments with my family members and peers regarding the presidential election. The sheer thought of another four years of this administration makes me feel as though
Tension is in the air on Election Day. Even across the world, people are anxious to know what lies ahead for the United States and how it will affect them for the next four years. Here in the Dominican Republic,
While I am cautiously optimistic about the outcome of this year’s election, I am not optimistic about the potential fallout. No matter what the results are, a lot of heavily-armed people may be really angry, and anger plus ammunition is
Several countries around the world are highly reliant on tourism for generating foreign exchange, attracting international investments, increasing tax revenue, and providing job opportunities. Many have had to slow down or completely shut down these sectors in order to control
Many people highly anticipate Election Day. Each and every voter sits staring at their TV screen, hoping they did enough for their candidate to win. This election is no different, and it carries even more weight and importance than previous
A week from Election Day, the country stands more fractured and divided. With experts anticipating a voter-turnout tsunami and young people already reporting record breaking voting numbers, Americans are nearing a historic election with potentially life-altering implications. Although many people,
I’d give the Paramount Hotel three stars following my brief stay in the college’s on-campus quarantine residence hall. After showing symptoms of COVID-19 but receiving a negative test last week, I was advised by the college’s Center for Health and
Temperatures have started to dip below the sixties. The leaves in the Common are fluttering off the trees. The pumpkin spice latte is back. It’s official: fall is here. Yet there is a much more sinister season creeping up on
In the midst of midterm season, some students are still waiting on one precious class material: their textbooks. The campus bookstore has seen severe delays this semester—so much so that people have gone weeks or months without getting their hands
English poet Alexander Pope, once said “To err is human,” alluding to the fact that all people make mistakes. Some of these mistakes are more serious than others, like knocking over the coffee mug onto your expensive computer or accidentally
As a Latina woman, I’ve always been surrounded by happiness and the mindset that everything is fine. Even my grandma, who fought depression all her life, always put up a positive front. My mom—a single mother—never showed signs of weakness.
Although my luggage now collects dust and remains hidden in the depths of my closet, I often think back to the days when I traveled around Spain with my family. My parents are originally from Spain, but I was born
Since the start of the fall semester, Emerson has taken considerable action to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and prevent outbreaks on campus. Unlike other universities that have reported more than 1,000 student cases, like Pennsylvania State and Arizona State
Donald Trump supporters and Democrats have one similar perception of this year’s election: that it will follow in the steps of 2016. Though it appears America is heavily divided on almost every important issue on the ballot, there is similar
“If you’re not going to wear a mask, at least wear a condom,” posters around Emerson dorm buildings read. However, safe sex means a lot more than just wearing a condom. Just because there’s a pandemic happening doesn’t mean people
“How’s the U.S. election vibe? Who do you think will win? Does any candidate pose policies that hurt China or international students?” I received this list of questions from family and close friends back home during the first presidential debate
The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly transformed our college’s culture and the way we interact with others. After classes resumed in the fall, students adapted to their altered social lives — on and off-campus or remotely. We asked students to tell
Almost nothing about my 21st birthday will be how I imagined. It won’t take place in a crowded bar. My friends won’t buy me frozen margaritas and toast to another year in the books. I won’t celebrate in a nice
My mom lives in Westchester County, New York, a place that is most known for being the home of the Clintons’, and the last place Robert Durst’s wife was seen alive. After COVID-19 touched down in America, I was forced
*Content Warning: This article heavily references suicide and depression. The American Psychiatric Association defines mental illness as a medical condition, just like heart disease or diabetes. From my experience, however, it is usually treated as something else altogether. Earlier this September,
When I first heard the news of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg on September 18, I was in disbelief. I was aware that Ginsburg had been battling pancreatic cancer, but contemplating the possibility of her passing was too scary
For those of you who spent too much of your childhood obsessing over Legally Blonde and Beverly Hills, 90210, like me, you probably had an inflated image of what college life would be like when you got here. I imagined
This election season, a vast majority of the American population is likely going to vote by mail. The COVID-19 pandemic has upended just about everything in our American way of life, including the way we vote. Like anything else, voting
What does it mean to vote? When anyone casts their ballot in a normal year, they are fulfilling their civic responsibility as an American citizen. But this November, for the first time in a long time, there is a pandemic
Obviously, a lot has changed on campus because of the pandemic. But what bothers me the most is not the online classes, nor is it the frequent testing, social distancing, or mask-wearing. What I miss most is The Max. “But
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