After a long weekend, AUP hosted a virtual event concerning an upcoming novel that will be published by Fitzgeraldo publications. Hosted by Daniel Medin, the event began with a taste of Japanese Rock from the 80s that translated seamlessly into the novel which recounted Polly Barton’s experience as a translator and author in Japan.
In the past few months, the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted how we work and affected businesses across the globe making it increasingly difficult for students to get entry level jobs let alone an invite to an interview.
Fascism can be described as a form of far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, and strong regimentation of society and of the economy. Fascism came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe and the movement experienced its first waves following World War I, beginning with Benito Mussolini's National Fascist Party.
Every year, as we near the month of May and the temperatures rise, you begin to see the average person shed their many layers of clothing for their bathing suits. But what we often disregard is that with the excitement for the warm summer sun, comes the anxiety of having your body 'beach ready'. The pressure of fitting into society's mold of what a 'bikini body' looks like leaves many girls nervous for the summer months.
Known Palestinian scholar Edward Said writes in his book Orientalism, "The Orient and Islam have a kind of external, phenomenologically reduced status that puts them out of reach of everyone except the Western expert. From the beginning of Western speculation about the Orient, the one thing the Orient could not do was to represent itself. Evidence of the Orient was credible only after it had passed through and been made firm by the refining fire of the [Western] Orientalist's work."
This pandemic has been hard on everyone’s mental state but one thing that has brought me sanity in times of distress is people watching. From the safety of my small balcony on the 6th floor of my building I have silently studied the city's inhabitants. I find an immense serenity in watching people living their day to day lives and as COVID regulations increased, I found myself rushing to my balcony around curfew watching as the relaxed mood that defines the Parisian flaneur, transformed into a time of stress and fear.
When talking about house plants most people often say things like, “I could never for care for one,” or, “they always die,” or, “ I’m just not sure where to even start, what is a plant?” But there’s no need to worry. (Some) house plants are super easy to care for and they bring life into your home, which is great, especially if you live in a tiny Parisian apartment. Plants are a great way to learn about caring for a living thing without committing to something more full-time like a pet.
Trypanophobia sounds like a pretty big word that no one can understand, but it is the medical name for an extreme fear of needles. Back when I was around 15 I had a psychiatrist tell me she thought I might have it. And as time went on it became evident that I did have a phobia-level fear of needles. Every time I saw a needle in a film or in real life I would either cry, scream or even black out. It is that bad. Even now at 19 I cannot stomach the thought of getting anywhere near a needle.
Recently, Dr. Rachel Bervell came to AUP to give a lecture on racism in obstetrics and gynecology. The lecture opened with an introduction of Dr. Bervell. She is a medical consultant for The University of California's San Francisco Voices for Birth Justice and is a women's health practitioner. The ReSisters discovered Bervell through The Black ObGyn Project on Instagram.
Ramadan, or Ramazan, is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims all over the world. Ramadan is something like Christmas for Christians or Rosh Hashanah for Jews. The purpose of the month is to commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, practice self-control, gratitude, and compassion towards the less fortunate. During this month, Muslims refrain from food and drinks during the sunlit hours, or in other words, they fast.
