opinion

Is shaving your head a rejection of beauty standards? 

Posted on by Atala Johnson

Janeth Gomez ’29  gomezj96@lakeforest.edu  Staff Writer The camera is on, and a young woman is in tears as she parts her long, chestnut-colored hair into pigtails, preparing to chop it all off. She posts the video, and it goes viral shortly after, becoming her third most-viewed video on TikTok.   Erika Titus is a 23-year-old social media influencer with four million followers, known for her beauty content and openly sharing insecurities about her physical appearance. Her…

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Building bridges at Lake Forest College

Posted on by Atala Johnson

Immanuel Smiles Oyenuga oyenugaem@lakeforest.edu Staff Writer Writer’s note: This article comes from my own experiences navigating cultural differences at Lake Forest College. By sharing conversations and stories from fellow students, I hope to spark curiosity and encourage more open dialogue about how we connect, disagree, and grow together. When I first arrived at Lake Forest College, I was amazed by the diversity of students I met on campus. There were people from distinct backgrounds, races,…

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Riskless solidarity: when grief has a border

Posted on by Atala Johnson

Gita Anand ‘28anandggr@lakeforest.edu  Staff Writer The officers who killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti were treacherous, sick-minded individuals who must be held accountable, just like every other coward who abuses power under the protection of an ICE uniform. Nothing written here is meant to dispute the magnitude of the harm that these deaths inflicted on each of their communities.  Rest in power to Renee Good, Alex Pretti, Geraldo Lunas Campos, Victor Manuel Diaz, Parady La,…

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Has social media ruined the perception of love for Gen Z?

Posted on by Atala Johnson

Allyn Aliyeva ’29 aliyevan@lakeforest.edu Staff Writer Love bombing, the three-month rule, honeymoon phase, situationships, soft/hard launches. These are all contemporary dating terms that Gen Z has become familiar with through social media. Dating has become viral in association with these terms, and that is exactly what is wrong, especially in the month that features Valentine’s Day.  These terms have also led to the creation of rules in relationships. Love has become a trend that everyone…

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What if you ate 12 grapes and it didn’t work out

Posted on by Atala Johnson

Leonor Valente ‘29 deoliveiralei@lakeforest.edu Staff Writer It’s the second year in a row that I’ve seen the internet breaking over the 12 grapes eaten at midnight on New Year’s, but the reasons have changed in the last year. Two years ago, a non-Iberian audience discovered the luso-Hispanic tradition of eating 12 grapes, one for every month of the coming year, one wish per grape. If your Instagram or TikTok feed is curated in a similar…

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Warmth melts ICE: a case for morality amidst poignant politics

Posted on by Atala Johnson

Sammie Ross ’28 rosssca@lakeforest.edu Editor-in-Chief The U.S. has taken a turn down a path of democratic destruction under the fascist-like misdirection of President Donald Trump and his administration. As Trump and his colleagues sit high and powerful on Capitol Hill, citizens of their nation are left to bear the brunt of the faltering government’s policies. Trump’s deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis Jan. 6 gives impetus to the catastrophic dismantling of…

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