Rap is rhythm-assisted poetry. Rap is a representation of what’s going on in one’s mind and in one’s life. Rap is a craft, an art form that people find solace in because they can relate to the experiences expressed in verses. Many who have gone through tough times have articulated rap as something that was always there for them. It...

Bids from Greek Life came out Thursday night, and despite the claims by members of Greek Life to be "inclusive," many students were turned away with no bid. That is to be expected. Rush participants know that it is a possibility, but no one ever thinks it will be them that is turned away. Those who rush are often looking...

Students' consumption of marijuana in residential residence halls is an issue that must be addressed and corrected. Occidental's Residential Education and Housing Services (REHS) serves a vital purpose in providing clean living conditions for students, but their policies regarding the smoking of marijuana in dorms must be more strictly and widely enforced. It is not justified to create poor and...

Occidental College is an intolerant place. Though students, faculty and administration preach that the school is open and tolerant, they are simply upholding a façade. Every person is intolerant of something or biased toward and against certain beliefs. It would be naïve to think that any single person can be completely tolerant because people that are completely tolerant are intolerant...

The Pacific glows an azure blue through a wall of windows 18 stories above the California shore. Chic and modern seats, petite chandeliers and a polished, crescent shaped bar overlook the distant, glimmering Santa Monica Pier. Duck leg confit of plum, elderflower, windrose carrots and watercress sit on one platter; another contains a Yellowtail Crudo complete with Ah’s Melon, a...

Haunting orchestral strings resound in a cavernous chamber. A disembodied voice hums a romantic melody while a slow drum beat pulses beneath nostalgic lyrics. The words from Lana del Rey's "Young and Beautiful" echo through the studio – "Will you still love me/ When I'm no longer young and beautiful/ Will you still love me/ When I got nothing but...

In a hiccup of sand, a pickup truck screeches to a stop in a Pasadena alleyway. Ten college students jump out of the truck bed and begin shoveling one cubic yard of sand onto the sidewalk. Twenty minutes later the truck bed is empty, and students immediately start shoveling the sand back into the truck bed. Leaving traces of dust...

“Amos, our protagonist, grows tired of being a cog in the wheel," reads the synopsis of the short film, "Bottled Up." "He wants more. He lives in a world where people send their prayers, in glass bottles, down a red river – think Kool-Aid. His prayers never get answered. Then, Amos finally puts the glass down and stops drinking the...

Twenty-seven clubs have been removed from the Office of Student Life (OSL)’s list of recognized student organizations this semester due to missed training sessions on sexual assault and hazing awareness. These clubs are also not able to request funding from Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC). Out of the 27 clubs that are no longer recognized by OSL, very few...

Spanning eight South American countries and 2.6 million square miles, the Amazon Rainforest has the world’s greatest biodiversity and holds the world’s largest collection of plant and animal species, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Accounting for 10 percent of the world’s carbon storage, Amazonian trees also keep the atmosphere clean, making the rainforest crucial to global ecology. Deep in...