For the longest time, I thought Asians existed in a special realm of racial identity. Asians weren’t white, I knew that. But I also knew that they weren’t black, Hispanic, or Native American. As a Korean in the United States, I was a minority, sure, but I was never askedRead More

It’s the season for freezing faces, excessive pie-eating, crackling fires, and unwarranted caroling. But, as usual, our annual holiday cheer is accompanied by the college decision season, which brings both gleaming smiles and tear-filled hugs. Some treat the process well, making it constructive, supportive, and relaxed, while others turn itRead More

After last week’s Choate talk by Henry Marshall ’16 about the suppression of conservative viewpoints on campus, I remember walking out of the PMAC and grabbing a friend. He happened to be a conservative. “Do you feel like I shut you down?” I asked. If you’ve ever had a conversationRead More

We live in a world teeming with sound. We create sound everywhere, whenever we can, as if our lives depend on it. At this point in life, sound is something we cannot live without, something we would protect with our lives, and even something we would never let go. SoundRead More

I know there is someone out there, reading the headline above and sighing, “Why, Esul, why? Gender, race, political correctness–come on. Can you please talk about the Iran Deal or the Pope or the Syrian refugee crisis? Something that doesn’t concern identity politics. Please, Esul, I beg you. Talk about realRead More

When I arrived at Choate, I not only learned the roots of the Spanish-American war, the advantages and disadvantages of free trade, and the conjugation of Arabic verbs, but also the importance of creating and sustaining conversations. I’m not referring to conversations with your best friend about the new PGsRead More

I am too anxious to eat in class. I’ve held on to a piece of trash for a whole meeting because I was too nervous to get up and throw it out. When I walk through the Dining Hall, my bones feel weak, my heart pounds in my chest, and butterfliesRead More

Choate is generally an accepting community, especially towards queer students. I have never felt discriminated against by a student, although I have been asked some ignorant, albeit innocent, questions. The only time I have ever felt targeted for my sexuality was by faculty members regarding the new visitation policy. Often,Read More

At the recent special program on Tuesday, September 15, Rosalind Wiseman responded to a question about political correctness (PC) by saying we need to focus on the issues themselves, not the PC culture that determines how we talk about them. For the most part, I agree, but I am going toRead More