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The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

The Student Voice of Fordham Lincoln Center

The Observer

AVERY GRAFELD

AVERY GRAFELD, Opinions Editor

Avery Grafeld (she/her), FCLC ’25, is a head opinions editor. She is majoring in journalism, but writing isn’t her only love. In her free time, Avery loves exploring the outdoors and thrifting in Brooklyn.

 

All content by AVERY GRAFELD
The 2008 movie “Yes Man” follows Carl (Jim Carrey), a man forced to confront his stubborn ways with the power of “yes.”

“No” is An Excuse on Its Own

March 5, 2025
When you decline an offer without providing a “convincing” reason, you risk positioning yourself as stubborn and unagreeable.
 If you objectify the trans female body from the moment you conceive of it, then the trans female life seems inhuman and grounds for violent action.

[Photo] So You Think I’m A Pornstar

By RYANN LYNN MURPHY February 19, 2025

If you objectify the trans female body from the moment you conceive of it, then the trans female life seems inhuman and grounds for violent action.

A letter to my 13 year-old self encouraging her to persevere despite the weight of the world.

[Photo] Letter to my 13-Year-Old Self

By ARISHA CHOWDHURY February 19, 2025

A letter to my 13 year-old self encouraging her to persevere despite the weight of the world.

Fannie Lou Hamer and Malcolm X organized Black folks to vote during one of the most politically violent periods for Black Americans.

[Photo] Everything is Political

By SARAI ALLEYNE November 20, 2024

Fannie Lou Hamer and Malcolm X organized Black folks to vote during one of the most politically violent periods for Black Americans.

Registering for a library card is a great first step New York City residents can take to support the NYPL.

[Photo] A Case For Public Libraries

By VEE VENNING November 6, 2024

Registering for a library card is a great first step New York City residents can take to support the NYPL.

Even though my Instagram profile was tacky in 2016, it still felt more authentic than the influencers I see on my feed today.

Bring Back 2016 Instagram

November 3, 2024

Social media apps were once centered around strengthening personal connections, but since the rise of the addictive For You Page (FYP) on TikTok, short-form content has overshadowed these connections....

 Nara Smith often shares romanticized videos of herself preparing multi-course dinners from scratch, far from the reality of the “tradwife” lifestyle.

[Photo] Remaking the ‘Tradwife’ From Scratch

By ARISHA CHOWDHURY October 22, 2024

Nara Smith often shares romanticized videos of herself preparing multi-course dinners from scratch, far from the reality of the “tradwife” lifestyle.

Masseria sells a masala iced chai for only five dollars.

My Favorite Coffee Shops Near Fordham LC

October 8, 2024

No longer a sit-down chain, Starbucks has long replaced its spacious, plush seating with stiff metal chairs. There are 17,068 locations in the U.S., but any semblance of community and customer interaction...

One conversation with Chat GPT is estimated to utilize approximately 16 ounces of water.

[Photo] The AI Race is Heating Up, But So is the Planet

By TUCKER FLYNN September 25, 2024

One conversation with Chat GPT is estimated to utilize approximately 16 ounces of water.

The Fordham community reacts to the September presidential debate hosted by ABC.

[Photo] Fordham’s Debate Takes

By MACKENZIE COOPER and TUCKER FLYNN September 25, 2024

The Fordham community reacts to the September presidential debate hosted by ABC.

Americans owed $1.74 trillion of student debt in June 2024 according to the Federal Reserve.

[Photo] Biden’s Student Debt Relief Plan Stalled

By ELIZABETH CARRILLO September 12, 2024

Americans owed $1.74 trillion of student debt in June 2024 according to the Federal Reserve.

Alice Paul (pictured left) and Fannie Lou Hammer (pictured right) were prominent voting rights activists.

[Photo] This Election, Get Out and Vote

By ARISHA CHOWDHURY September 11, 2024

Alice Paul (pictured left) and Fannie Lou Hammer (pictured right) were prominent voting rights activists.

Billionaires like Elon Musk (left), Mike Bloomberg (middle) and Linda McMahon have massive economic influence over campaign fundraising.

[Photo] Billionaires Do Not Belong in Campaign Financing

By LAURA HENCKES September 11, 2024

Billionaires like Elon Musk (left), Mike Bloomberg (middle) and Linda McMahon have massive economic influence over campaign fundraising.

ResLife’s policy which prohibits residents from signing in overnight guests of the opposite gender is outdated and illogical.

ResLife’s Overnight Guest Policy Is Outdated

February 21, 2024
College is a space of experimentation, and the same-sex guest’s policy stigmatizes sex, intentional or not.
The difficulty of modern dating is only compounded by the performative nature of social media and dating apps.

Modern Dating Culture Is a Hellscape

November 15, 2023
Too many young adult singles are being left to decipher cryptic text messages, toxic love bombing and inevitable ghosting.
Killing Spiders Does More Harm Than Good

Killing Spiders Does More Harm Than Good

September 13, 2023
House spiders are vital to the food web, serving as both predator and prey. If extinct, humans could find themselves in a devastating famine.
Out With the Old Officials

Out With the Old Officials

December 7, 2022
We must support young people in their efforts to gain substantive representation so that our government actually answers to us.
Fordham Has A Responsibility to Go Carbon-Neutral

Fordham Has A Responsibility to Go Carbon-Neutral

October 13, 2022
While Fordham has made an overall decline in carbon emissions, this impact is overshadowed by a lack of urgency.
Carriage horses withstand challenging conditions to take riders around New York City.

The Fight to Ban Carriage Horses in NYC

September 14, 2022

Ryder, a carriage horse in New York City, collapsed in Hell’s Kitchen on Aug. 10, 2022. Veterinarians speculate that Ryder is around 27 years old; the average age for a carriage horse ranges from 13-14,...

california to new york

Don’t Be Afraid To Move to the City

August 26, 2022
For incoming students from outside of the city, acclimating to New York will be a demanding, yet rewarding, experience.
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