An Ode to the WRA
One of the locations that stands out most clearly in my mind when I think of my first time visiting Western Reserve Academy has since been lost to time. I can recall walking along brick row in my winter boots, tense with cold, as I followed my shadow into a building without looking where I … Continue reading
Apollo 11: Could This Be Real?
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of men landing on the moon. If you know me, you won’t be surprised, but I think that’s a pretty big deal. This summer I had two opportunities to watch the CNN film Apollo 11, one of them in IMAX, and it was a breathtaking experience. Imagine: you are … Continue reading
Tik Tok
Tik Tok seems to be the greatest internet phenomenon of our day and age, creating memes, quotes, and songs that have infested everyday life. It seems many conversations or jokes begin with “have you seen that one Tik Tok…” (and most of the time, people have seen it). Notably, Tik Tok has shaken up the … Continue reading
The Psychology Behind Luxury Brands
Purchasing habits are often studied, whether it is for marketing reasons or for a desire to learn more about human behavior. It is often the case that the overall amount of goods purchased tends to fall dramatically during times of economic difficulties and recessions. However, somehow paradoxically, the number of luxury goods purchased is unlikely … Continue reading
Blood Orange: An Artist and An Activist
Dev Hynes as “Blood Orange” released his fourth album Negro Swan, on August 24, 2018. It is his most intimate, political, masterful album yet. The sounds are heavily influenced by the jazz, funk, soul, dance-pop of the ‘80s, but it takes on a contemporary R&B vibe with a range of styles and genres present. Perhaps … Continue reading
The History of Making America Great Again
If you go to any Trump-related event whatsoever, you will be sure to be greeted by a rolling sea of excruciatingly bright red hats, printed with the infamous slogan “Make America Great Again!”, popularized by Trump during his campaign. MAGA for short, has become a cornerstone of the president’s policy. But what does it really … Continue reading
The Eggplant: Long Live Long House
Long House Storage has been extinct for two years now. Only two remaining classes of WRA students remember the days of trudging in the heat to move chairs and fans and such into the cool, comforting basement of Long House under the watchful eye of a vigilant faculty member. As many know, last year the … Continue reading
Students Attend Classes Through Temps in the Negatives
On behalf of the Powers That Be…” A greeting that sent chills down the spines of many already very cold students. On January 4th, the Western Reserve Academy community received an email from Dean of Students Wendy Skinner who confirmed WRA would be holding classes the following day despite the forecasted weather. The Dean’s Office … Continue reading
AI and Machine Learning: A Guide to the Apocalypse
I should preface this argument with a disclaimer: No, an army of saw blade-wielding flame-spewing robots will not be enslaving humanity any time soon, or at least not within the next few years, so you can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Or, perhaps you should be even more concerned, as the artificial intelligence takeover … Continue reading
Trump’s Plan Against Planned Parenthood
When Donald Trump became president, it was evident that things were about to get tough for women when it came to reproductive care. His campaign promised to criminalize abortions and his history of indifference towards sexual assault represented his views clearly. However, the situation he is creating is not one only liberal women should be … Continue reading
