< Back Anything but standard November 3, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Audrey Hua '26 It’s 7:43 a.m., and I’ve been standing in a line of fifty people that moves every forty minutes, a sticky note in my hand and a half-buttered bagel in my stomach. Why was half the school waiting restlessly in the field house on a Wednesday morning? You guessed it – the PSAT. Every year, all tenth graders and a handful of eleventh graders are herded into plastic seats in the athletic center, where they sit for three hours, sweating profusely over their exams while trying to remember the volume of a cylinder. The PSAT, like other standardized tests, is no longer believed by all to be a true measure of a student’s ability. With the rise of expensive preparation courses, like the one used by Academy students, Revolution Prep, standardized testing is, in my opinion, no longer an equal game. These courses and camps coach students about the specific things that come up in a standardized test and how to attack them, boosting the scores of those with more training. Those who do not attend the camps or take the courses are significantly disadvantaged. Recently, many colleges have become test-optional, and schools all over the world, including our very own Mercersburg Academy, emphasize “intellectual curiosity” over getting good grades. This is why, on that fateful Wednesday morning, I found myself wondering why a college-preparatory high school was having me sit through a test (which wasn’t even the real test), instead of letting me “build my academic portfolio” or frankly, buttering the rest of my breakfast bagel. After talking with college counselors Michael Conklin, Cindy Fowler, and Rachel Mallory, I was offered the school’s perspective. “Consider where testing is on your college list,” Conklin said. Although most colleges have become test-optional, standardized testing is still required for certain colleges. Consult your college list – is testing required, and how much will it affect your application? Last year, Conklin revealed that 44% of Mercersburg seniors applied without test scores, and 75% went test-optional for at least one school. Am I saying that we should abandon any type of testing? No. In fact, I think it’s actually helpful to take the baseline. With a baseline, if your initial score isn’t as high as you want it to be, you might not consider preparing and retaking it. “I’d rather you spend 300 hours pursuing genuine interests than sitting for a test,” Fowler said. There is no major in college called “I got a perfect score on my ACT” or a job called “ I scored a 5 on my AP.” Tests can show your knowledge and how much you’ve prepared, but they are no longer the leading factor when colleges are accepting or rejecting students. We’ve grown up hearing that good grades, high scores, and test-based performance matter more than our own interests. The issues with standardized tests aren’t just present within our school– their roots stem from the families. Parents of independent school children will be the last to let go of testing. Admission officers may have let go a long time before, but this parental mindset still endures. Unless we change the way we think about colleges, about testing, and what we really want (and not what the “I got accepted into Harvard!” YouTube videos make us want,) standardized tests will continue to play a useless role in society. Even though colleges are becoming more and more test-optional and schools are encouraging the pursuit of interests more than high scores, the problem still lies within the minds of students and parents. Colleges want to see good scores, yes, but even more, they want to see a dedicated and honestly interested student. Keep up with your classes. Try a new PGA. Educate your family and friends, and let the younger generations teach the older ones. You have a life full of taxes and being in the workforce ahead of you; why grow wrinkles when you could be enjoying your childhood? And if you ever find yourself, like me, crying over the fact that you only have 2 minutes left to finish the 20 questions in the math section, just remember – a 400 on the SAT isn’t gonna kill you. (Your mom might, though). Previous Next

< Back Cram week chronicles November 7, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Eathan Shi ’27 The atmosphere in the library feels different during exam week. Students who rarely visit suddenly appear every day with flashcards and notes in hand. The panic and urgency are almost tangible. It is the week that defines our progress in the term, but also the week that tests our sanity. At Mercersburg Academy, Fall exam week is a rite of passage. It is the only formal examination period in the whole school year, yet it’s crammed into 5 days just before Thanksgiving break. Students take two exams per day, with each evening left for reviewing and recovering. The idea is to test what we’ve learned in the fall term. However, in reality, there are students pulling all-nighters, teachers rushing to grade homework before break, and some others who decide to give up halfway through. It feels more like a test of endurance and pressure than a measure of learning. Personally, I think exam week does more harm than good. Students get overloaded with homework, studying, and the mental stress that comes with it. As a result, they sometimes don’t perform their best, making the exams an inaccurate reflection of their learning. I believe it is better to have tests spread throughout the term instead, because students can prepare for them more thoroughly without worrying about all courses at once. I remember last year when I was studying chemistry until midnight, only to forget half of it the next day. I knew the material beforehand, but my nerves pushed me to stay up late to make sure I knew everything, which led me to sacrifice sleep and memory. While some people believe that the exam week is a good tradition, I think we should begin contemplating whether it truly reflects our learning. Some people argue that the exam week pushes students to study and review class materials thoroughly. It can strengthen discipline as well. Students can feel rewarded and satisfied when they finish the week with a ten-day break. However, the issue is not the exams themselves—it's about the mental pressure and unease they bring to students, as all the exams are crammed into one week. One possible solution is to extend the exam week into two weeks so that exams are more spread out, or to replace one-third of them with projects. Projects allow students to demonstrate their abilities in a more natural and creative way, emphasizing deep understanding. More importantly, this approach reduces pressure and promotes genuine learning over last-minute memorization. Fall exam week may be an institution at Mercersburg Academy, but education can evolve. Since the goal is to assess the student’s understanding of the content, the exams should focus on comprehension over stress. Perhaps a comfortable space should be offered for students, where they can show their abilities and knowledge without losing sleep over it. After all, exams should build students' confidence—not exhaustion. Previous Next

< Back Why Mercersburg? September 30, 2022 at 12:00:00 PM Talia Cutler '23 For Juniors, Lower-middlers, and Upper-middlers, Fall Term is a time for planning Halloween costumes, relaxing after PGAs, and enjoying free X-block periods. For Seniors, Fall means the continuation of the college application process that started in the Spring, but only now the stakes are far higher, and my mom won’t stop calling. Your favorite scary movie this fall may be The Shining , but I don’t think anyone will see truer horror than watching the realization on a Senior’s face when you tell them the ED deadline is only 30 days away. The Class of ‘23 disagrees a lot when it comes to colleges, like whether Cornell is the worst Ivy (it is), or if liberal arts majors are employable (they aren’t). However, one thing is widely agreed upon in our class: there is very little time in our schedule to actually work on applications. Seniors are some of the most scheduled students on campus. Yet somehow, they are expected to spawn another hour each night to diligently type out supplemental essays. It's a shame this article can’t also be 250-300 words. Mercersburg seniors should be able to put their all into writing their application essays. How is this possible when they’re being written in whatever ten minute increments students find between classes or after doing 2 hours of Calculus homework? The truth is that students are encouraged to prioritize classwork that is due more immediately. This often pushes college essays to the side. To be fair, the college counseling office schedules programming like “PJ’s and Pancakes” and a few X-block meetings, but there is a consensus among seniors that this is not enough dedicated time to get an adequate amount of work done. Mercersburg has recently done away with the opportunity to take a PGA term off. This was a privilege seniors in the past had utilized to get their supplements done with more care and attention. Even in-season athletes, who cannot take an entire term off, have expressed interest in getting an excused absence a week from practice. Another solution to this time shortage would be having the college counseling office host essay writing seminars open to students who want a more focused working environment. As Mercersburg continues to send mixed messages to its students, the Senior class only becomes more confused. Yes, college is your top priority (after your classes and PGA and the school meetings where we sing cultish chants that we require you to attend!). We encourage you to aim high with your college list (How do so many of you think you’re getting into Northwestern?!) Talk to your college counselor about any questions you have (they are booked through October 2024!). Each day I have a new Common App mantra, today's being: I will treat my safeties like actual options. This article is a cry for help. Everywhere I turn I see a new “Why us?” essay. Instead of counting sheep I count Transcript Request Forms. The only learning I do now is the “Maia” kind, and I “College Kickstart” my day with coffee spiked with Red Bull to make it through family style meals. Why, Mercersburg! Why Mercersburg?! Why Mercersburg? What immediately drew me to Mercersburg Academy was the supportive student envi- Previous Next

< Back It’s time to be chalant September 12, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM By Audrey Hua ’26 This piece is part of a monthly column called “Philosofly,” which takes everyday anecdotes to challenge commonly held views and expose questions we hide. Humans are highly intelligent creatures. We’ve proved axioms and derived complex mathematical theorems. That’s why I found myself, alongside twenty-nine other highly intelligent creatures, walking as fast as my 5’ 4” legs could carry me to the lecture hall for a good seat. As we neared the speed of a modest horse trot, my friend panted, “Are we really being this chalant ?” Chalant. Adjective. To describe a person who shows any interest, emotion, or expression. The word derives from nonchalant, the greatest new compliment a teenager can receive. In my middle school, it was not very cool to try. At Mercersburg, it’s different. Athletes wake up at 6 am to hit the courts. Dancers remain in the lower level of the Burgin for an entire weekend. Mr. Caretti’s office hours are fully booked. While I’m poked by occasional comments of “tryhard,” I don’t take it as a gibe, because everyone is trying hard. But while trying hard in both academics and extracurriculars is seen as cool, trying hard socially has become downright embarrassing. Somewhere along the way, the “charismatic” guy everyone championed became the “nonchalant” guy everyone sought to be around. While nonchalance is not inherently bad, “nonchalant,” as the standard for societal admiration, strips away the joy from our childhoods. The reason we are so attracted to the concept of nonchalance is that we like mystery. Now, I don’t deny that mystery is intriguing. But novelty wears off, and in the end, what keeps people around is authenticity. Some people are born more stoic and unbothered. It’s no less cool to be born naturally as an energetic and exciting person. If we’re obsessed with trying to be nonchalant all the time – i.e., trying to put on a mold that doesn’t fit – it gets pretty tiring, and, unsurprisingly, for those around us. Instead, letting yourself out can make socializing enjoyable rather than nerve-wracking, whether you’re someone who runs to the dining hall when there’s tater tots for breakfast or a cinnamon roll-looking painter who listens to Central Cee. Childhood is shaped by the taste of grass and shame. Why? Because you fall on your face a lot. These years are the prime time to be a beginner and suck at what you do. But nonchalance can get in the way of that. Scared of embarrassing ourselves, we stop trying new things simply because we’re afraid we might miss the frisbee mid-jump. As Gazelle said, “Birds don't just fly, they fall down and get up/ Nobody learns without gettin' it wrong.” In lacrosse season, one of the first things I learned was this: you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. And you’d be right if you guessed that most of my shots ended up quite a few miles from the goalpost. Perhaps the most damaging aspect of the nonchalant culture is the repression of emotions. We cry because we care. I’d much rather ugly cry and be called dramatic, vulnerable, or a crybaby than suppress these emotions, or even worse, lose the capacity to feel deeply. In a time of vacillating hormones and rollercoaster emotions, teenage years are meant for bawling and hurting and yearning, not poker faces and unaffected attitudes. Recently, I’ve started valuing charisma more than nonchalance. Unlike nonchalance, which seems to inherently denote a cavalier attitude, I don’t think there is a token “charisma.” It is most often the byproduct of fully expressing your personality, and hence, it looks different for everyone. Many of my friends are endearing to me simply for their unique types of charisma. I am in deep admiration of the passion and love they bring to the things they love. For that, I’m so glad they’re not nonchalant. Previous Next

< Back Red is just a color December 13, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM Chloe Allis '25 Almost all of us have had a “my home state is the best” argument with our friends: “My state has the best football team in the nation,” “You’ve clearly never tried xyz food,” and for those of us from deep red states, the inevitable “My state grants me abortion rights while yours doesn’t.” These weaponized, seemingly all-in-good-fun prods against a person's state are deeply hurtful reminders of our fraught politics. In recent years, Americans have become sharply divided. This polarization has generated intense—and often dismissive—stigmas. Conversations about deep red regions can include critiques about policy decisions and social values, but this oversimplification overlooks the diverse experiences of millions of Americans living in conservative states. These oversimplifications can come very easily in liberal environments, especially at institutions like Mercersburg Academy. With most people receiving their news through social media, the humanitarian aspect of crises has been lost. When Texas, my home state, experienced the winter-related power crisis in 2021, masses of liberals from deep blue states ran to social media. They posted that Texas residents shouldn’t receive any humanitarian aid over the matter, because us Texans “voted this into office” by electing Republican officials that do not support climate change legislation. Similar messages were posted when Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall in Southeastern states and ravaged numerous communities in the past few months. Liberals on social media bashed the states for being unprepared and admonished them for their poor infrastructure, simply ignoring the fact that the communities most affected by natural disasters are impoverished. In the recent election, abortion was a top concern for a large portion of America. After Donald Trump won the election, people once again took to social media, expressing their fear and concern for what is to come for reproductive rights in the next four years. The issue, however, is that those posting this type of content are people from deep blue states who have largely refused to express concern for women who live in states like Texas, Alabama, and Tennessee where abortion has been completely banned. They repeatedly patronize and condemn every person in these states, including those who oppose the starkly pro-life legislation. Those who voted with reproductive rights at the forefront of their minds did so because future policies could negatively affect them. The polarization in America has caused the left and right to acquire an “us versus them” mindset, evident on the internet more than anywhere else. Many fail to fully comprehend that millions of liberals live in deep red states, just as millions of conservatives live in deep blue states. Viewing an individual based on the possibly unrepresentative legislation of their home is downright wrong. Those who are liberal in blue states tend to believe that if a person likes their home state, they like every part about its laws. This is utterly untrue. I will always be proud of my Southern roots. I can disagree with and lobby to change the laws that I oppose while still feeling adoration for my home. I am not the politics of my Southern state, and stigmas from the Northerners who say so need to be broken. Previous Next

< Back Finger-lickin' preservatives November 15, 2024 at 11:00:00 AM Rachel Zhang '28 In today’s economy, ultra-processed foods are ubiquitous and pose a great risk to public health. These foods, created through intensive industrial processes, often lose the natural properties of their ingredients in favor of taste and commercial appeal. For example, breakfast cereals are made by mixing grains, sugar, and preservatives and shaping them through high-temperature extrusion, resulting in products with added chemicals like preservatives, artificial colors, and emulsifiers. Ultra-processed foods have quickly become the go-to choice for many due to their low cost, convenience, and appealing taste. Busy office workers grab pastries or instant coffee for breakfast, students pick up snacks during breaks, and parents opt for frozen meals to save time. However, these foods contribute to a gradual decline in health. They lack essential nutrients like high-quality proteins, fiber, and vitamins while being high in sugars, trans fats, and salt. Over time, the body becomes overburdened with poor nutrition, increasing the risk of chronic diseases like obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. The addictiveness of ultra-processed foods contributes to the threat. Their high sugar and fat content stimulates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine, which creates a pleasurable feeling similar to that of drug use. This reward response makes ultra-processed foods hard to resist. Marketing strategies further amplify the addictiveness by associating these foods with happiness, convenience, and modern lifestyles. Children and adolescents, in particular, are vulnerable to compelling marketing tactics, increasing their consumption of unhealthy foods. Addiction is not only a personal health issue but also a societal one. In low-income areas, cheap ultra-processed foods are often the only affordable option, exacerbating health inequalities. In urban centers, convenience stores are stocked with unhealthy foods, making them an easy choice for consumers. Hospitals are increasingly filled with patients suffering from diseases linked to ultra-processed food consumption, putting pressure on healthcare resources. To address America’s public health crisis, society must take action. The government should regulate harmful additives in food and encourage the development of healthier alternatives through policies like taxes on unhealthy foods. Schools should educate children about nutrition to foster healthier habits from a young age. The media also has a role in promoting balanced diets and reducing the glorification of unhealthy foods. As individuals, we must take responsibility for our health by making informed food choices, reading labels carefully, and opting for fresh, minimally processed foods. This way, we can combat the rise of ultra-processed foods and reclaim our health from the clutches of the addiction economy. Previous Next

< Back They're watching us April 21, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Talia Cutler '23 At the outset of this school year, student began to notice an increase in the number of surveillance cameras around campus and the dorms. School authorities assured us that they were a necessary security feature: a way to enforce the rules and maintain safety. To me and many other students, the cameras are an intrusion on our Mercersburg experience. The expansion of the cameras, despite what the school’s administration may say, comes at a great cost: the loss of student privacy. Our dorms are first and foremost our personal living space. Our dorm rooms are supposed to be our homes. They’re a safe environment for students to sleep, socialize, do their laundry, shower, etc. And while there are no cameras inside the dorms (with the exception of Main Hall), the abundance of new cameras outside of residential spaces has left many students feeling uncomfortable in and around their own “sacred” living space. Students who feel like they are under constant surveillance can experience increased anxiety and fear, which can in turn affect their mental health and overall well-being. Whether or not the cameras are a scare tactic to deter students from entering other dorms I cannot say, but it is a widely accepted truth on campus. Students are afforded such limited privacy, it is - an issue in and of itself. It becomes easy to see the cameras’ growing presence as a Big Brother in student life or as just another way to crack down on student relationships. (Seriously, why are they such a big deal?!) But I am not naive, and I understand that as an isolated campus, one of the reasons for the cameras is the school’s legitimate concern for our well-being. In fact, the prevalence of cameras outside the dorms may not even be effective in promoting safety. If an incident were to occur, oftentimes the cameras are not properly situated to capture it, and they may not provide enough information to help identify the perpetrator. It is better to focus on other preventative measures, such as an emphasis on campus security patrolling around or near town (rather than patrolling students), providing emergency phones in every dorm, and conducting safety drills. Instead of relying on cameras, the administration should focus on the aforementioned methods to promote safety and respect students' privacy and well-being. Security shouldn’t make us feel anxious and afraid; it should make us feel secure. Previous Next

< Back Nap your way to A+ October 4, 2024 at 12:00:00 PM Maddie Mamoudis '27 As Mercersburg students, we often prioritize academic achievement above all else, and many students find themselves sacrificing sleep to pursue their goals. Sleep becomes an afterthought as they juggle homework, extracurricular activities, and social obligations. However, the significance of adequate sleep on academic success is profound and deserves greater recognition. Quality sleep is not merely a luxury; it is an essential component of effective learning, emotional and physical well-being, and overall health. Firstly, sleep plays a vital role in cognitive functioning. During sleep, the brain processes and consolidates information acquired throughout the day. Numerous studies have demonstrated that adequate sleep enhances memory retention and learning capability. Moreover, sleep deprivation adversely affects attention and concentration. When students don't get enough rest, their alertness diminishes, making it challenging to focus. A study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that adolescents who slept less than 8 hours per night reported significant difficulty maintaining focus in school. In a world full of distractions, the importance of sharp attention cannot be overstated. Emotional health is also influenced by sleep. Deficient sleep can lead to high stress, anxiety, and mood fluctuations, which can further complicate a student's experience. A well-rested student tends to exhibit greater emotional resilience, enabling them to navigate the pressures of school life more effectively than those who sleep less. Research highlights the strong correlation between adequate sleep and lower levels of depression and anxiety. Thus, promoting good sleep hygiene is not only essential for academic performance but also for emotional well-being. Additionally, chronic sleep deprivation is linked to physical health issues, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which can significantly affect a student's energy and concentration. In contrast, sufficient sleep promotes a robust immune system and increases physical stamina. By prioritizing healthy sleeping habits, students can enhance their academic performance while also improving their overall well-being. In conclusion, the importance of sleep in academic success should warrant greater attention. Adequate sleep is fundamental to cognitive function, emotional stability, and physical health. As students, parents, and educators, we must prioritize sleep and create environments that support good sleep habits. These include promoting balanced workloads and regular breaks. Ultimately, a well-rested student is a more effective learner, a more engaged and resilient individual, and better prepared to face the challenges of academic life. Previous Next

< Back Ready or not? December 8, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Maggie Coors ‘25 Like many other American students at Mercersburg Academy, I grew up hearing about school shootings happening in my city and around the nation. I remember the active shooter drills that I had throughout elementary and middle school. When I arrived at Mercersburg Academy in ninth grade, it was not long before we started having fire, earthquake, and even tornado drills. Yet we have never had a single active shooter drill or even a meeting to discuss what we should do in an active shooter situation. For context, Pennsylvania is ranked 30th in earthquakes by state, but eighth in school shootings. I asked upperclassmen and teachers if we would ever have an active shooter drill and was extremely surprised to hear that Mercersburg Academy has not had any in recent years. To me, this was extremely shocking and, frankly, scary. Growing up, school shootings were a very real threat, and not having that level of preparation at school makes me very nervous, especially considering we live on such an open campus and in a county with high gun ownership. So this begs the question: are we prepared for an active shooter on campus? I believe that our campus safety officers are as prepared as they can be. They are highly qualified and able to keep our student body safe, but the sentiment of much of the student body is that we ourselves do not feel prepared. Most domestic students know the basics of what to do in an active shooter situation because we grew up in the United States, where school shootings have, unfortunately, become almost normal; but because we have never had any drills or even basic information sessions on campus, most of us are unaware of what what we are expected to do if such a situation occurs when we are at Mercersburg. How would we be alerted of an active shooter on campus? Would there be an alarm or mass text message? What should we do if we are outside or in town when it happens? Last year, we experienced a bomb threat on campus. This threat did not amount to anything, and our campus was safe the entire time, but it left me, and other students, feeling very anxious. When we received the text message to leave the school buildings, we were directed to return quickly to our dorms. When I got back to my dorm, there were no adults there and only a handful of students. We had no idea what was going on or if we were supposed to be following some set of directions that we had somehow missed, and we had no confirmation that anybody knew where we were. The lack of information and guidance left us much more nervous than we would have been if there had been more communication during the threat or more information provided to us before the threat occurred. The bomb threat was efficiently and well handled by campus safety, and they felt confident we were all as safe as possible, but to the student body who couldn’t see how things were really being handled, this fact was not very reassuring during the threat. After this experience, I asked my dorm faculty if we were going to start having emergency drills for this kind of situation going forward and was not reassured when they all said no. To me, this did not make sense because I believed it was clear that the students did not know what they were supposed to do during the threat. In the eyes of campus security, it is generally believed now that it is more beneficial for trained professionals to run drills for campus emergencies because they are the ones who need to be prepared and take action in emergency scenarios. Our campus safety team is primarily composed of former police officers, and after speaking with them I am confident that they are prepared for emergencies like an active shooter on campus. I believe that if they feel that active shooter drills are not necessary for students then perhaps they shouldn’t be done. But I do think that there should be an information session, whether that be by grade, advisory, dorm, or in a school meeting, where students can ask questions and get the information they need to feel more certain of what to do if we, unfortunately, suffer a school shooting, another bomb threat, or some other campus emergency. Transparency and clarity surrounding the topic of emergency preparedness would greatly benefit those in the student body who find themselves worrying about or confused about school safety policies, and lead to a more informed and less anxious campus. Previous Next

< Back Milk and morality February 20, 2026 at 12:00:00 PM Audrey Hua ’26 If you know me, you probably know the egregious crime I commit around 12:01 pm in the Ford Hall dining hall. It’s often accompanied by comments such as: “That’s just… wrong,” “What the [expletive] are you doing?” and the most common question, “Are you dipping your bread in milk?” That’s right. I macerate my polymeric starch-based carbohydrate in the freshly-squeezed liquid from a cow udder. We often look at unconventional things and say, “This is wrong.” But should we make right-and-wrong statements merely because something is different? Though we observe the soggy sponge-ness of the bread and no doubt conclude that sponges would not make for a delectable meal, the leap from that fact to a moral statement should be reexamined. In almost every case where someone has commented on my habit, they had never actually tried it. So if bread-and-milk morality is clearly a human construction, how many other judgments are? In 1879, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School opened. The policymakers forcibly removed Native children from their homes and tried to assimilate them into schools like Carlisle. They claimed they were “saving the man,” yet the saviors were not Natives. They had never lived those children’s lives. In a classic case of paternalism, they presumed they knew what was best for everyone based on their own lives. The moral statement that American education and culture would benefit and enlighten Natives was not backed up by experiential knowledge of the lives of Natives. These types of judgments, coming from faulty origins, if unchecked, have devastating effects on public policy and the livelihoods of affected populations. This is not meant to criticize certain lawgivers but merely to point out the ease with which we all slip from subjective opinions into codified moral statements. Of course, it is simply impossible for people in power to have experienced every point of view. However, the limitations of subjective experience can be overcome by hearing the perspectives of others. In the case of a policy affecting Native sovereignty, policymakers cannot just “acquire” the experiences of a Native, but they can consult the opinions of Natives (and without tokenizing or deliberately misinterpreting their views!). Realistically, there are problems with this framework. While it may be possible for everyone to try bread in milk before they make a judgment, it is impractical, time-wise and material-wise, to consult the affected demographic for every law. But to acknowledge the limits of one’s own subjective experience as the root of a policy, and then attempt to mitigate that shortcoming, is a step in the right direction. On an everyday level, noticing that our judgements often come with prescriptive implications and that the roots of the judgements are often flawed leads to more respectful and open-minded conversations. I am not saying every comment we make hereafter must be automatically an objective moral statement, nor am I saying we should not express our opinions or joke about bizarre food combinations. It is simply the awareness that many of our reasonings could be flawed that I am advocating for. The next day, at 12:01 pm, my friend sat down next to me while I salivated over my lactase-covered comestible. I glanced up at her cup, and, would you look at that – she had put strawberries in milk. I felt a tempting desire to make a biting comment; instead, I bit my tongue and asked, “Can I try one?” Previous Next

< Back Where Boys Should Be Men February 14, 2023 at 12:00:00 PM Anish Shrestha '24 It's time to set the record straight on Tippetts Hall. Around campus, I've heard slander of the dorm: how it's a disaster wherein ninth-graders raise hell and cause anarchy. So, naturally, my pride takes a hit whenever I hear that my home of the last two years is being uncharacteristically disrespected. This year, however, a few isolated incidents have unfortunately tainted the dorm’s reputation, destabilizing our living culture. Entering this school year, I dreamed of becoming the perfect Prefect, a big brother to the lower classmen. Yet as it turned out, I've become Big Brother, himself. From roommate conflicts to bathroom bombs, Tippetts has turned into quite the handful- in both a good and bad way. Given that the majority of our incoming students weren’t able to learn through an in-person middle school experience, the ninth-graders still require much more time to acclimate to the boarding school lifestyle. To some extent, we should allow them second chances to learn from their mistakes. However, since we’re already half-way through the school year, we must address the more serious offenses. Someone going “number one” in the third stall is one thing, but extreme offenses not receiving repercussions opens the door for chaos to break loose. Although I am a fierce advocate for second chances, our community must have a zero-tolerance policy for violence, theft, and bigotry. By not responding to these offenses with appropriate punishments, we, as student leaders and faculty, are setting an incredibly dangerous precedent. That being said, it is virtually impossible to micromanage every single student in our dorms. At the end of the day, we must respect our residents as young adults and their social independence. Ultimately, no single person is to blame here: not the students, not the Prefects, not the dorm deans, and not the Office of Student Life. As young adults, we’re bound to make the occasional mistake, but it’s all about how we overcome, learn from our mistakes, and come together as a community. Kudos to our dorm deans and the Office of Student Life for putting up with our shenanigans. Nevertheless, what we condone and condemn as upper-level students sets the tone for future school leaders, thus continuing dorm culture for future classes. Again, these isolated offenses simply do a complete disservice to the Tippetts that I’ve known for the past two years. Tippetts Hall and our school as a whole can only be as good as we make it, so let's re-establish a healthy dorm culture. Previous Next

< Back AI takes the wheel January 17, 2025 at 12:00:00 PM Mingyu Lee '28 Have you ever seen a self-driving car? Would you trust one to drive you through a busy city? As AI rapidly advances, self-driving cars have improved in tandem. Whether you’ve been inside such a car or simply observed one at a distance, it is impressive to imagine that cars can drive themselves. Currently, self-driving systems are primarily used to assist drivers. However, in less than 30 years, I believe we will be able to take our hands off the steering wheel entirely. In the future, everyone may have their own personal car driver. Recently, new cars often include self-driving systems. Most of these are level-one vehicles and do not demonstrate the full self-driving capabilities we might imagine. A level-one autonomous driving system serves only as an assistant. However, level-two vehicles, such as Tesla’s Autopilot system and Ford’s BlueCruise, allow hands-free driving on highways while still requiring drivers to monitor the road. These systems include features like cruise control and self-parking, which provide convenience to drivers. Hands-free driving reduces stress and enables longer driving durations. While not yet fully autonomous, these systems offer significant benefits. In addition, Mercedes has introduced level-three vehicles. The key difference between level-three and level-two systems is that level-three vehicles are categorized as “eyes off, hands off.” Drivers are not required to monitor the road or keep their hands on the steering wheel. Although currently restricted to specific areas, level-three vehicles provide unparalleled freedom of movement while driving. Self-driving technology has advanced significantly in less than thirty years, and its development is progressing at an extraordinary pace. I believe the global adoption of level-three cars, as well as the creation of level-four and beyond is not far off. The widespread adoption of self-driving vehicles will take time, and public bias and distrust of AI could hinder further commercialization. Nonetheless, many governments have begun implementing self-driving public transportation. Companies are also leveraging self-driving technology for efficiency and cost savings, such as using autonomous drones for deliveries. The development of self-driving vehicles represents a major innovation in the automobile market, offering substantial benefits for drivers. While there are challenges, most disadvantages will diminish as technology continues to improve. With consistent advancements and investments, I believe we will soon witness fully autonomous cars becoming ubiquitously present. Previous Next