Sunspots (https://sunspots.cornellsun.com/page/75/)
By HUNTER MOSKOWITZ
The first week of school this year, my laptop broke. Without it, I found myself spending an extraordinary time using my smartphone. While I might start by checking my email or looking up an assignment, I quickly delved into social media or the flood of messages that arrive in sporadic bursts. I pounded the screen with each click and smudged the glass surface with my scrolling. Smart phones seem to fill Cornell’s campus.
By RACHEL CHERNER
“Worried about the Ithaca winter?”
I am asked this weather-related inquiry more times than any other Cornell-Ivy-League-Academic-related question you could imagine. To answer, NO — I am not worried about the Ithaca winter because my Cornell acceptance letter wasn’t only a first class invitation to a world-renowned research university, but also an opportunity for an entirely new coat wardrobe. This is my personal justification for applying to only northern schools with winter temperatures that dip into the negative twenties. Besides my Communication Major, I believe that I am also refining my temperature combatting skills with the help of online shopping. And with this knowledge I can offer some advice to anyone from California, Hawaii or not-the-Midwest about how to stay warm this winter.
By MICHAEL MAUER
When you think of a romance anime, what comes to mind? Not in terms of favorite shows in the genre, but in terms of tropes and conventions. When you watch a romance anime, what do you expect? Perhaps a love triangle or harem? Definitely a beach episode.
By VICKY CHOU
I have to admit – I have never actually finished watching the Harry Potter series in its entirety, let alone read all seven of the fantastical novels. For some unknown reason, I am simply unable to sit down in front of my computer or laptop for two or three hours straight and watch a movie, and not just Harry Potter movies, but all movies in general. Even when I was watching The Hunger Gamesand Pitch Perfect in the comfort of my home back in Queens, I found myself constantly moving my cursor onto the video to see how far into the movie I was. Yet whenever I come across a Korean variety show on which my favorite K-pop idol or group appears, I whine and groan when I realize that the episode is coming to an end. With that being said, the variety show that I am currently obsessed with is Weekly Idol, and the episodes that I have most recently watched are those in which GOT7 guested on.
By JEFFREY BREUER
For many young men in college, dressing “well” is a thought that has never crossed their mind. A morning’s routine consists of not much more than throwing on a t-shirt and pants, paired with whichever shoes are closest nearby. While it is absolutely fine that some young men choose not to think more about how they present themselves, I have found over my years at Cornell that many aspire to a greater sense of personal style and self-confidence. If you’ve been thinking about expanding and emboldening your style, here are a few tips to get you started:
Replace running shoes with more versatile sneakers. Especially for first-years, this is a crucial pitfall.
By MARINA CAITLIN WATTS
David O’Russell’s 2013 film American Hustle was probably the biggest disappointment of Oscar season that year. It garnered 10 nominations from the Academy and walked away with nothing that evening. The plot was confusing, Christian Bale’s comb-over didn’t get a proper end credit and not even the Robert De Niro cameo could lift my spirits. When brought up in casual conversation, everyone would wince and avoid saying how much they hated it because of the high anticipation it received. However, when revisited and broken down, Hustle is actually tolerable.
By SUTHESHNA MANI
In the midst of debates, political banter and talks of which candidate we want as president, we once again face a nation politically polarized. The conservatives vs. the liberals, the democrats versus the republicans, the right versus the left. Or as the opposition likes to say, the bleeding heart liberals, establishment puppet conservatives, the whiny democrats and the redneck, racist republicans. Let’s stop.
By SARAH CHANDLER
I sat down two minutes early for my 10:10 in a huff of barely concealed rage. Convinced that I would never figure out how long it takes for me to get from one place to another, I decided that I would just set up a lean-to on Central Campus to eliminate some of the disparity. Two minutes early. I had arrived at class two minutes early, even though I had left my dorm seven minutes later than usual. It’s moments like these that have me contemplating string theory: Could I have stumbled upon a compactified strand of extradimensional circumstances somewhere between West Campus and the Plant Science Building?
By SOPHIA DENG
Yesterday, I had one of my first spells of homesickness. It came as a surprise. Not because I thought I would never get homesick (which would be arrogant to assume), but because everything has started falling into place for the past week or so. And just when you think you’re adjusting, life saunters in and reminds you that you’re on your own. In high school, I was so bogged down by extracurricular activities that for days at a time I’d only go home to sleep before waking up at 6 a.m. to get ready for school again.