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...
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...
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...
4/20 smokers ignore social justice
April 23, 2019
So often the fight to legalize cannabis is branded as a fight to have fun, but this ignores the serious repercussions that past cannabis laws have had on people of color. This past weekend saw the campus celebration of 4/20, when students gather on Redstone campus to celebrate cannabis. When the e...
How to get your own cannabis as a college student
April 20, 2019
The 4/20 Redstone Campus smoke-out is a long-lasting tradition passed down from class to class. It’s an important symbol of UVM culture where students from all backgrounds unite in sharing the joy of cannabis in public, in broad daylight. Many participate every year, but some linger on the sidelines, g...
Don’t be passive, act to make changes
April 17, 2019
When I decided to attend UVM, I was aware of its status as one of the most “liberal” colleges in the U.S. A friend of mine once characterized it as “a melting pot of crunchy mountain people, Brooklyn, New York, hipsters and ‘socially liberal’ Connecticut rich kids.” Vermont received anot...
Extra swipes won’t fix food insecurity
April 12, 2019
When my friend told me about the University’s Swipe Out Hunger program, I thought UVM had finally solved my biggest grievance: eating on campus. I live off campus, so it’s hard to prep enough food to get through long days. I wouldn’t identify as “food insecure,” but I definitely can’t afford...
Why Trinity campus is perfect for first-year students
April 11, 2019
During the room selection process for rising sophomores, it became clear that most students didn’t want to live on Trinity campus. Yet, Trinity campus allows first-years to succeed. The Residential Life website’s Returner Room Selection page used to say students living in traditional housing could ch...
Drag Queens inspire activism and individuality
Keely Lyons, Staff Writer
April 10, 2019
Pink eyebrows and laughter filled the Davis Center at the latest installment of the Drag WERKshop series. Fifteen participants sat behind vanity mirrors as they learned the essentials of drag makeup. UVM’s Queer Student Union, in collaboration with Student Life, the Arts and Creativity learning commun...
