Four things I wish I knew before arriving at UVM
May 12, 2019
At the halfway point of my college education here at UVM, I found there are four things I wish I knew before arriving here. 1. Join clubs. Student organizations play a fundamentally different role in college than they do in high school. They are one of the most effective ways to find like-minded people in s...
UVM, by way of New York
May 11, 2019
I came to UVM from the concrete jungle, New York City. I never stayed in a smaller town for longer than a week before coming here. While I knew going to school in a small “city” like Burlington was going to be an adjustment, it has been my dream school ever since I visited at 14 years old. UVM...
Ask Cat: answers for your UVM questions
May 10, 2019
Ask Cat: The Vermont Cynic's advice column. Q: Best study spot on campus? During my second semester at UVM, I got more acquainted with campus, and wandered into the newly restored Billings Library one afternoon before finals week. Billings Library initially scared me because it is so incredibly quie...
A letter from the Editor’s desk
May 9, 2019
Dear students, parents, faculty and alumni, Welcome to UVM! At the start of my first year, I attended the first Vermont Cynic General Meeting of the fall semester. There, I found a welcoming group of like-minded people who are now some of my best friends. The Cynic staff is made up of writers, pho...
Spread environmentalism on campus
May 5, 2019
As conscious newsreaders and tree-huggers UVM students are some of the most environmentally-friendly in the country. Our everyday habits are notably green, and we both boast and joke about how UVM is one of the most compost-friendly campuses around. But how do we spread our impact? How do we make up for the commu...
Addiction is treatable despite common misconception
May 4, 2019
Dear Editors, I appreciate the Cynic’s coverage of issues related to student heath, including recent coverage of drug use. As a drug and alcohol counselor on campus, I’m all for getting us to talk about use and non-use. Thank you for contributing to the conversation. In my job, I mostly talk...
Game of Thrones relies on hype
May 3, 2019
Spoiler alert. The show “Game of Thrones,” based off the books by George R.R. Martin, has become a pop-culture sensation. It has everything: a talented cast, strong female characters, royalty, blood and even dragons. That being said, after watching one season, I believe the show is overrated, and ...
Say no to single use plastics and fossil fuel
May 2, 2019
The University of Vermont is known for being green. It’s in our school colors, our environmental sciences and studies programs and our track record for environmentalism. But I’m concerned the University isn’t taking climate change, and the University’s contribution to it, seriously enough. There...
Public records are ours by law
May 1, 2019
We need to demand more transparency from our University. A year ago, Jacob Oblak, a law student at Vermont Law School, filed a public records request with UVM to see a police affidavit of Wesley Richter, who was arrested by UVM police after allegedly making a racial threat. Oblak’s request was denied by Gary D...
When drugs and hookup culture intersect, swipe left
April 27, 2019
Swipe right if you agree: Tinder is a toxic app that leads many into awkward situations in the UVM community. If you’re unfamiliar with the app, it’s an online dating platform popular with younger users. But these days, dating is not Tinder’s sole purpose. You may come across the occasional...
Reform criminal justice and legalize
April 26, 2019
Cannabis is all the rage in Washington, D.C., right now. Politicians, especially Democrats, are increasingly jumping on the “legalize cannabis” bandwagon. Out of the top Democrats leading the polls for 2020, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Rep. Beto O’Rourke, Sens. Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris hav...
UVM’s “party school” reputation falls short of reality
April 25, 2019
It’s Saturday night. Dorms across the hall are blasting music, and you’re hoping to find a house party to go to. You text all your connections, but the typical answer is, “Well, something is going down here, but I can’t invite you.” It is clear from my time at UVM that this school is not...
