By Elisabeth Braswell ’27 The following was written for FYS 101-20: Language is Limitless “I motion to open discussion regarding the language of Washington College Student Government Association.” I state this with great confidence here in my paper, yet at a real Washington College Student Government senate meeting, I worry about saying the right thing…
Tag: FYS
Queer Teen Dramas: Homoerotic Subtext and Token Gays in Roberto Aguirre–Sacasa’s Riverdale
By Liam Charlotte Siobhan Luckey ’27 Major: History; Minors: English and Theater Contributor Biography: Siobhan is a history major, prospective English minor, and prospective theatre minor with a deep interest in the value and queerness of many forms of media, particularly teen dramas. Brief Description: The teen drama as a genre is often looked down…
Christianity and the Apocalypse: A Theological Lens into the End of the World
By Thomas Lundy ’27 Major: Economics Contributor Biography: Thomas Lundy is a first-year student who is interested in economics, religion and history. Besides his academic interests, he enjoys reading, running, and going to the gym. Thomas hopes to learn more about religion going into the future and wants to further explore eschatology and moral theology…
Dance: The Universal Language That Connects People Through Movement
By Hannah Pacholok ’26 Intended Major: Business Administration and Management; Intended Minor: International Business Brief Description: Many view dance as an art form. Dance is also used as a form of communication. With over 7,000 languages in the world, it can be hard for people who don’t speak the same language to communicate with one…
COVID-19 Pandemic: A Psychosocial Epidemic
By Samantha McMahon ’26 The following was written for FYS 101: Who Succeeds in College? COVID-19 Pandemic: A Psychosocial Epidemic As children, our favorite part of school is recess. During recess, children are encouraged to engage in social interactions with their peers, engaging in games where they share culture, make decisions, and determine rules while…
The Roots and Relationships of Scientific Writing
By Jocelyn Aquilino ’26 Intended Major: Biology, Pre-veterinary track; Intended Minors: Chemistry and Business Brief Description: This paper discusses some prevalent myths about scientific writing and its conventions. The unique style of scientific writing and how scientists feel about it are explored through interviews and readings done by the writer. The complex relationship that scientists…
Civilizational Collapse: The End of the World?
By Hayley Covington ’26 The following was written for FYS 101-33 Imagine New York City with its tall buildings cracked and crumbling, powerlines collapsed in the streets, and vines crawling up the sides of storefronts. It is empty and quiet, lacking its famous hustle and bustle. There is no traffic; there are no bright lights….
Finding Bigfoot in Modern-Day American Society: How Sasquatch Has Become a Marker for American Consumerism
By: Adahne Hemp. Written as part of the First-Year Seminar “Here Be Monsters” Stories of the “Wildman” have been interwoven in native North American culture for centuries. Over time, these legends have mutated from authentic folklore to fabricated first-hand accounts of hairy beast-like men known as Bigfoot, or Sasquatch. Seemingly legitimate reports and sightings of…
The Effects of Capitalism on American Health
By: Maggie Witham. Written as part of the First-Year Seminar “The Raw, the Cooked, the Processed” The average American has been coerced into an extremely unhealthy diet by the dominating companies in the food industry. Bombarded with advertisements for fried, sugary, and processed foods, people tend to gravitate to these unnatural products and ignore the…
“Dark Humor” and the Facilitation of Hatred
By: Elizabeth Collins. Written as part of the First-Year Seminar “The Power of Language Ideologies” 1. Introduction Although social media outlets such as Reddit promote participatory media practices which provide grounds for productive, democratic discourse, these sites also have the potential to foster discourses of hatred against marginalized groups, especially given the anonymity these sites…
Thought Control in Brazil and Parable of the Sower
By: Rian Van Tassell. Written as part of the First-Year Seminar “Dystopia on the Page, Stage, and Screen” “Until one of them becomes a leader most will follow, or a tyrant most fear.” (Butler 103). In reading dystopian novels, one may begin to wonder why a character makes certain choices or realize that sometimes characters…
The Hypocrisy of the So-Called Individualist Teen: An Exploration of the Changing Theme of Individuality within The Faculty
By: Katherine Porter. Throughout modern media, teens have been depicted as constantly raging against the machine, sticking it to the man, and dodging from society’s harsh grip, all in an attempt to try and become their “true self”. One of the most popular themes represented in modern high school films is this idea of the…
Making and Breaking a Family in “Wiseguy”
By: Sarah Bowden. Written as part of the First-Year Seminar “The Business of Organized Crime” Wiseguy is a detailed portrayal of the mafia as seen through the eyes of Henry Hill, who was part of a mafia for over twenty years. Between the everyday crimes and the routine killings, the mafia members had each other’s…
Defending Children and Infants in Medical Care Decisions Made by Their Parents
By: Elizabeth Lilly. Written as part of the First-Year Seminar “The Ethics of Care” I. Introduction Most people would agree that parents always want the best for their children and would do anything to keep them alive, well, happy, and healthy; but what happens when that isn’t the case? What happens if a parent wishes…
Reflecting Upon the Use of Genetic Manipulation and Drugs for Physical and Cognitive Enhancement Purposes
By: Lisa Hamilton Featured artwork: “Portrait of Two” by Alicia Legard INTRODUCTION When addressing the topic of physical or cognitive enhancement as a result of drug use, neuroethics is a field that can provide insight into each side of the potential arguments to be made. Neuroscience and ethics are both involved in the determination of…
Superheroes and Mortal Beings
By: Erin Asman Featured artwork: “Ruins” by Casey Williams Heroism has become increasingly romanticized. While heroes were once the strongest and bravest of warriors, the person with the most kills on the battlefield, this is no longer true. The word hero now invokes the image of a person being helpful, being brave, of someone sacrificing…
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