Dear First Years,
I, unfortunately, will not have the pleasure of scoffing at your firstie-ness this year, seeing as I am living approximately 3,500 miles away from you in London. Don’t be fooled; I will hear about your infinite faux pas from a host of sources and will laugh at you, without even knowing you.

I have an awful habit of grimacing when in the presence of young children, particularly infants. While most of my friends start aw-ing, breaking out in baby talk, and contorting their faces into looks of longing, I feel the entirety of my body folding in on itself, like an accordion.

Let’s take a short walk down memory lane.

In 1859, the American Medical Association announced its opposition to abortion. Fourteen years later, the Comstock Law was passed, which deemed information about contraception “obscene material.”

Today marks one week from the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. In anticipation for the awards show, the writers and editors of A&E sound off on who they think should win the golden man for Best Actor.

Imagine this: you’re walking between classes, headphones on, lost in thought. The track on your mp3 player switches. Suddenly, your ears are infused with the melodic ticking of a clock, your pulse quickens, and then: 1, 2, Woop! Woop! Adrenaline courses through you; your mind, ears, core are pulsating and Steve Aoki starts screaming on the track. And then again, 1, 2 Woop! Woop! You have your first bass-gasm. You have it to Steve Aoki’s “Warp.”

I have eleven pictures on the wall above my desk. One of my best friend from childhood, several of my family, one of my cat, and a few others. This small shrine to those I love is precious, simple and extremely personal. Today, I discovered something mind-blowing: I am only friends with two of them on Facebook.

Sex has consumed the minds of many for centuries. In 1783, George Washington proclaimed; “When once the woman has tempted us, and we have tasted the forbidden fruit, there is no such thing as checking our appetites, whatever the consequences may be.” One hundred and eighty nine years later, Woody Allen directed and starred in the film “Every Thing You Always Wanted to Know About Sex But Were Afraid to Ask,” in which he asked the question, “Is sex dirty?” His answer: “Only if it’s done right.”

The newsroom was abuzz as the editorial board descended; Thursday marked the first meeting of the semester and the energy was hard to tame. As stories were swapped and articles pitched, a member of The Mount Holyoke News revealed some very disturbing information—soy milk causes cancer.

Economics Professor Jim Hartley reflects upon raising daughter with Harry Potter

As I write this, we are nine days away from Thanksgiving Break. Students are starting to paw the ground in agitation, like the bulls in Pamplona; however, in the students’ case, the eruption from the gate will not be into the streets, but the arms of their high school sweethearts.