Brandeis University's Community Newspaper — Waltham, Mass.
The Intercultural Center (ICC) was a hotbed of activity last season with two farewell dinners. In April, the ICC and SASA (South Asian Students Association) banquets featured speeches by outgoing seniors, and by other students and staff wishing them well. Additionally, a new canvas mural on the ICC staircase was dedicated in May.
Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly, Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams go, life is a barren field, frozen with snow. It was this Langston Hughes quote that I chose at the conclusion of high school to accompany my yearbook photograph. Looking back on this time four years ago, Im not so sure I knew what dreams I had, or to what I was holding fast. I have always been a girl with ambition, but the sort of dream-chasing I had experienced was far different from that in which I would later engage.
Editor's Note: Michael Sitzman wrote this as a personal remembrance of Sept. 11, 2001. He gave The Hoot permission to reprint it. This is part I of II.
I return to campus this September plagued by the same feelings that gnaw at me every year at this time, as I make the annual transition from summer to fall. Were just coming off of three months free from the time-consuming constraints of classes, papers and exams. Mid-May, I was just embarking upon what seemed like an eternity of endless options. I was really going to make the most of this summer. I had a job, of course.
It seems early to start thinking about plans for next summer, as the fall semester has barely begun. Depending on what you want to get out of a summer, however, it may be a good idea to reflect on what you did this past summer at the very least. Whether your goal is to gain experience out of interest or in preparation for life after Brandeis, or you just want to make some extra cash for the upcoming year, you should seek out opportunities that are most worth your time. The best way to encourage a rewarding summer experience is to think now about what you would change about your time spent this year before the inevitable stress and distractions of a new semester leave you with a faded memory of even having all that time off from school.
For too many years, American universities have been a liability to the State of Israel draining resources from instead of strengthening the U.S.-Israel relationship. But one Brandeis student organization is determined to transform our campus into a very tangible asset.
Brandeis was ranked 34 by U.S. News and World Report magazine among the Nations Top Universities, dropping two places from last years rankings. Harvard and Princeton tied for first. Brandeis has been hovering in the 30s for some time now, fluctuating by one or two places each year, but never breaking into the top 25.
