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So You Need A Column Topic?

Are you not quite sure what you want to write your column about yet? Well, you’re in luck! Here are some great column topics to draw inspiration from! (Spring 2016 columnist applications for The Hoya are now available here, and due by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 12.)

Some General Tips:

  • Write about a topic you’re familiar with. The best columns are those that focus on something about which the writer has genuine curiosity. Just look at Hoya Historian!
  • Make sure your topic is broad enough to span the entire semester, but not so broad that it can become scattered.
  • Be CREATIVE! There are some columns that cover topics such as identity or politics that are always good subjects to write about, but sometimes the great column ideas develop from seemingly simplistic ideas, like this one in the Guide about sandwiches. Try to think of a unique idea or have a different take on a topic we’ve already published.
  • If you have an idea you’re passionate about, run with it and see where it goes. The sky’s the limit!

For Opinion:

Past themes include identity, advice from seniors, history, medicine and technology, comedy and politics. Other column ideas for this semester could include the upcoming presidential election or looking at President Obama’s last year in office. There are also a ton of ways to analyze topics; the column could review issues from a social, political, historical, statistical, educational or cultural point of view.

For Sports:

Past themes include fantasy football, professional soccer, D.C. area professional sports and men’s college basketball. Sports columnists have the opportunity to delve into deeper analyses of team strategy, unpack the rivalries and controversies within the worlds of both professional and collegiate athletics, make predictions on future trades and match ups and comment on the relationship between sports and popular/social culture.

For Guide:

Past themes include music, art, love and dating, studying abroad and the intersection of food and politics. The wide scope of the Guide, which focuses on lifestyle, art, entertainment, music and food, allows for a lot of creative freedom when coming up with column ideas. Other column ideas that will be considered include a creative writing column that features a continuous short story or other creative writing forms. With the online platform, columns that feature weekly music, photography or multimedia will be considered as well.

*Columns in the Guide should aim to tell stories over philosophizing about or analyzing a topic. Stories can be personal, cultural or historical.

For Business and Tech:

Past themes include global economic issues and statistics. Future theme ideas could focus on new technologies, advertising and marketing, developing countries or financial markets. Columns should not focus solely on MSB-related news.

Photos/Gifs: giphy.com, imgur.com, gifrific.com  

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For Immediate Release: We Were Robbed and We Understand Why

LEAVEY 421— It was with great shock we discovered the abduction of our beloved vacuum, Eureka, today, at the hands of The Georgetown Heckler.

The identity of the culpable group saddens us; this shift in relations between us and our previously earnest admirers is regrettable. Nevertheless, we should have assumed that a souring of our friendship would be inevitable. We have not published a piece on The Heckler in ages; this is obviously symptomatic of a cry for attention.

While we acknowledge the petulance behind this act, we refuse to coddle its perpetrators. Thus, we have taken action. We are holding Heckler staffer and former managing editor Connor Rohan (COL ’16) in a secure, undisclosed location until further notice. As you can see, he is still in good condition, though his mouth is not presumably operational (thank God).

IMG_2738*no Georgetown University Student Association vice presidents were actually harmed.

 

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4E Rumors

4erumors

The 4E staff is probably the most eclectic group of individuals on the Georgetown campus. To be honest, I doubt I would be friends with the other bloggers without our common interest of sharing pointless news. Thankfully we are all friends, and we all work so well together, #blessed.

As we are all slightly insane and incredibly amusing, there are naturally a ton of rumors going around about us. Which are kinda true and which are completely true? You be the judge.

COCO
Is he in love with me? How does baking soda fit into the relationship?
4eparty
This is less of a rumor and more of a fact.
4th
4E 4 Prez 2020?!
max
You have to see it to believe it.
sangria
The Fourth Edition cannot confirm nor deny this.
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Georgetown University Avocado Club, duh.
90s
Fr4Esh Princ4E of B4El Air
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RIP Ike’s…
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You be the judge.
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That can’t be true… or can it?
catherine
4E does not confirm that Brown House exists.
sara
Josh Smith > Obama?
He wore army pants and flip flops so I wore army pants and flip flops.
He wore army pants and flip flops so I wore army pants and flip flops.

Wanna learn the truth? Apply to 4E by Monday September 14.

CLICK HERE FOR THE CHANCE OF A LIFETIME.

4E 4Ever

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You CAN Contribute To Us!

Mean-Girls-Where-Now

Right now, we are looking for columnists for fall 2015, and that means we want to hear your story!

As a columnist, you are not technically a member of The Hoya’s staff, but an extension; so, if you love to write, but don’t necessarily want to report or work in production (or even if you do!), this is for you. You get to write a column, either for The Guide, Sports, Opinion or Business about a relevant theme. Your opinions, your words, our platform.

Applications are due Aug. 26 at 11:59 p.m. For more information, check out our Facebook event! We’re also looking for community members for our editorial board, so if you have strong opinions on campus and community issues, and have never been a member of our staff, we want you.

Below are examples of popular work from previous columnists:

Opinion

Georgetown, Financed by Slave Trading– Matthew Quallen (SFS ’16)

Quallen’s “Hoya Historian” column delved into the more unexplored, murky realms of the university’s history. This particular column won a first-place Bunn Award for Journalistic Excellence in Commentary.

The Photograph– Jinwoo Chong (COL ’17)

Chong’s summer column, “Party of Four,” adopted a personal, introspective tone, yet the editorial points can resonate with many readers.

The Perfect Pet– “Doug Freide” (COL ’16)

The satirical “Animals Among Us,” penned by the not-actually-in-the-Georgetown-directory “Doug Freide” injected dramatic creativity into the summer column rotation.

GUSA, A Comedy of Errors– Tucker Cholvin (SFS ’15) & Thomas Christiansen (SFS ’15)

Co-written columns, like “Culture Clash,” are also welcome, whether presented in a point-counterpoint fashion or just as a joint opinion.

Guide

A City Haunted by its Past– Margie Fuchs (COL ’16)

With the wealth of material presented by environs, study-abroad columns are popular, and Fuchs’ “Life on the Fringe” elevated the art.

 

Off the Straight and Narrow– Patrick Bylis (COL ’17)

Bylis’ “Life Unlabelled” took a look at LGBTQ life at Georgetown through a personal lens. “Off the Straight and Narrow” also won a commentary Bunn Award.

Sports

Serbia-Albania Brawl Exposes Soccer Politics– Max Fiege (SFS ’18)

Progress Threatens Culture– Matt Raab (SFS ’17)

Sports columns, like Fiege’s and Raab’s, offer students the opportunity to write on a wide range of professional and collegiate sports from different angles, including cross-disciplinary approaches.

Business

McDonald’s Worrisome Future– Sean Sullivan (MSB ’15)

2015: A Knockout Year for Technology– Celeste Chisholm (COL ’15)

Sullivan’s and Chisholm’s columns explored issues and events in the vast world of business in a smart, understandable fashion.

Everyone is welcome to apply, so why not give it a shot? Bonus: get your head shot rendered in extremely cool sketch format.

Photos/Gifs: popsugar-assets.com

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Staffer of the Week: Daniel Smith

staffer-of-the-week1

Once a week, The Hoya recognizes one or two staffers who have done a particularly awesome job — now you can get to know about them, too. Here’s our interview with Staffer of the Week, Danny Smith:

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Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Year and School: SFS ’17
Major: International Politics
Position on The Hoya: Photo Editor

Why did you earn Staffer of the Week?
I took the photos for the spring fashion issue of The Guide, put in requests for new photo equipment and was recognized “for being a generally competent human being.” That last one is my favorite. It essentially means I do my job.

If you could be a Wisey’s sandwich, which would you be and why?
The predictable answer is Chicken Madness, but what people don’t realize is that I’d be a perennial favorite in the GUSA executive election. I also think there’s a hint of spice in my personality ;) probably due to my Latino heritage.

Why did you decide to join The Hoya, and how has it contributed to your college experience?
I joined my freshman fall because I was pretty into photography and thought it’d be a good way to stay at it. It doesn’t hurt that being a staff photographer for The Hoya means you get to take photos of famous politicians and cover Georgetown basketball. Working for The Hoya has been a defining part of college for me – sometimes I feel like I go to Georgetown University, where I work for The Hoya and take classes on the side. But I’m definitely more than okay with that.

If you could be Jack the Bulldog for one day, what would you do?
I’d go for a nice walk down P Street, the most underrated street in Georgetown. Then I’d go down to the waterfront and play with the other dogs that get walked down there. After that, I’d be exhausted from all the attention Georgetown students would shower me with, so I’d take a nap up by the observatory. Not a bad day at all.

Photo: Michelle Xu/The Hoya
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Staffer of the Week: Matthew De Silva

staffer-of-the-week1

Once a week, The Hoya recognizes one or two staffers who have done a particularly awesome job — now you can get to know about them, too. Here’s our interview with Staffer of the Week, Matthew De Silva:

Matt

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
School: SFS
Year: 2016
Major: International Economics
Position on The Hoya: Director of Technology
 
Why did you earn Staffer of the Week?
At the Yale Daily News Annual Conference on College Newspapers, I met Vincent Bzdek, the news editor at The Washington Post. I was inspired by his passion for digital media, so when I returned to Georgetown, I reached out to him to coordinate a staff visit to the Washington Post’s offices. This past Monday, Mr. Bzdek led fifteen of our staffers on a tour. We also had the opportunity to sit in on the morning news meeting. It was so cool hearing the editors debate the stories of the day – what should make the front page? When should they break each headline? It was fascinating to hear the flow of their conversation and see “how news is made.”

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If you could be a vegetable, which would you be and why?
Sweet potato… with caramelized marshmallows. Because it’s delicious.
Why did you decide to join The Hoya, and how has it contributed to your college experience?
I love being current with the news and understanding the world around me. I joined The Hoya to contribute to the dialogue that shapes the Georgetown community. For me, this means finding the best ways to deliver the news and constantly improving our website. Through The Hoya I met one of my roommates and discovered a potential career path. I have loved my time with the newspaper.
What’s a song you can’t stop listening to right now?
“Cut to Black” by Lemaitre
Photos: Matthew De Silva/The Hoya, The Hoya
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Staffers of the Week: Katherine Richardson, Tom Garzillo, Ashwin Puri

staffer-of-the-week1

Once a week, The Hoya recognizes one or two staffers who have done a particularly awesome job — now you can get to know about them, too. Here are our interviews with the three staffers chosen last week.

Katherine Richardson

Katherine Staffer

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
School: COL
Year: 2017
Major: English
Position on the Hoya: Campus News Editor
Why did you earn Staffer of the Week?
I won staffer of the week alongside my two awesome writers Tom and Ashwin for our GUSA 2015 executive election coverage.
Why did you decide to join The Hoya, and how has it contributed to your college experience?
I joined The Hoya my freshman fall because I had been heavily involved in my high school paper and really wanted to continue working in a fast-paced and exciting news environment. I have loved writing for as long as I can remember, and I have always been drawn to journalism because of its ability to spread the truth and help encourage change. My time on The Hoya has taught me so much about writing, interviewing, editing and Georgetown as a whole. I love that I have been able to meet with so many students and administrators who are passionate about this campus and are always striving to improve it. Beyond the professional aspects of the job, I really enjoy spending time with the staff on The Hoya, and have been lucky to make some amazing friends.
What’s a song you can’t stop listening to right now?
“Wolves” by Kanye West (ft. Vic Mensa and Sia)
If you could be a vegetable, which would you be and why?
Onions because they have layers!

Tom Garzillo

Tom Staffer

Hometown: Trumbull, Connecticut
School: SFS
Year: 2018
Major: Undecided
Position on The Hoya: Staff writer, specifically GUSA beat writer
Why did you earn Staffer of the Week?
I earned staffer of the week for my coverage of the GUSA executive elections.
Why did you decide to join The Hoya, and how has it contributed to your college experience?
I decided to join the Hoya because it combines three things I am passionate about: writing, journalism and Georgetown. Writing for the Hoya has been one of the highlights of my freshman year. There’s nothing quite like seeing your name in print and knowing that people are learning from what you wrote. I’ve personally learned more about Georgetown through writing news than I ever could have otherwise.
What’s a song you can’t stop listening to right now?
A song that I can’t stop listening to right now is “All Due Respect” by Run the Jewels (tied with Outkast for best rap duo of all time, IMO).
If you could be a vegetable, which would you be and why?
If I could be a vegetable, I would be a carrot because I’m true to my roots (#punny).

Ashwin Puri

Ashwin Staffer

Hometown: Rockford, Illinois
School: SFS
Year: 2018
Major: International Politics
Position on The Hoya: News Writer
Why did you earn Staffer of the Week?
I earned Staffer of the Week for writing articles on the recent GUSA executive election. Mainly, I covered the Vice-Presidential and Presidential debates.
Why did you decide to join The Hoya, and how has it contributed to your college experience?
I decided to join The Hoya this semester to both explore my passion for writing in a professional setting and to grow as an individual through communication and writing improvement. Writing for news has allowed me to interview individuals and experience new facets of campus life I did not know existed and would not have been able to access prior to joining The Hoya. Becoming a part of such a great community has broadened my campus experience immensely, and I look forward to continuing to grow as a part of this great organization.
What’s a song you can’t stop listening to right now?
“Retrograde” by James Blake! I just can’t get it out of my head.
If you could be a vegetable, which would you be and why?
If I could be any vegetable I would be an avocado. I am not even sure if it is a vegetable, fruit or something in between, but it goes well with everything and is delicious.
Congratulations Katherine, Tom and Ashwin!
Photos: Facebook
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Staffer of the Week: Gregory Saydah

staffer-of-the-week1

Once a week, The Hoya recognizes one or two staffers who have done a particularly awesome job — now you can get to know about them, too. Here’s our interview with Staffer of the Week Gregory Saydah:

Greg Staffer

Hometown: Kula, Hawaii
School: MSB
Year: 2016
Major: Finance and International Business double major; Art History minor
Position on the Hoya: Local Ads Manager
Why did you earn Staffer of the Week?
Breaking the record for the single largest sale for local ads.
Why did you decide to join The Hoya, and how has it contributed to your college experience?
I decided to join The Hoya because I was looking for somewhere to learn skills I could apply to the real world and make great friends in the process. The Hoya has given me both incredible friends, and a unique opportunity to hone my professional skills throughout the DC area through the sales department.
 
What’s a song you can’t stop listening to right now?
You Make My Dreams, by Daryl Hall and John Oates
If you could be a vegetable, which would you be and why?
A tomato… because I could then turn myself into spaghetti, chicken Parmesan or a caprese salad.
Photo: Facebook
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Staffer of the Week: Ellen Zamsky

staffer-of-the-week1

Once a week, The Hoya recognizes one or two staffers who have done a particularly awesome job — now you can get to know about them, too. Here’s our interview with Staffer of the Week, Ellen Zamsky:

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Hometown: Darien, Connecticut
School: COL
Year: 2016
Major: Political Economy and French
Position on the Hoya: Director of Human Resources

Why did you earn staffer of the week?
For being a resource to humanity! Slash overseeing this semester’s recruitment process. Hello and welcome to The Hoya’s 84 new hires!!

If you could be a veggie, what would you be?
Kale might be in vogue, but I’m big into beets. Beautiful in color, look pretty in a salad, nice and nutritional. I wouldn’t want to waste my short vegetable life as any less vibrant color. Plus, Dwight Schrute anyone?

If you had to live in one place on Georgetown’s campus, what would it be and why?
For starters, I am super partial to Darnall 5, my first home on the Hilltop. However, if I had free reign to establish a homestead anywhere I pleased on this campus, I would have to go with a suite in Riggs Library. I could be like Belle from Beauty and the Beast, minus the part where I’m held captive by a prince trapped in the body of a monster.

If you could be Jack the Bulldog for one day, what would you do?
Oh my gosh, I would definitely skateboard! I can’t skateboard as a human so it would be great to be transformed into an adorable canine who can. Also, I’ve never been Instagram video-ed by thousands of loyal fans, so that would be a nice experience to have.

How much do you miss Tuscany pizza?
Remember the size of those Tuscany slices? They were humongous. That is how much I miss Tuscany’s: a humungous, super-sized amount. With ranch.

Photo: Facebook

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From War to Dating, an Enlightening 1941 Hoya Poll

Hoya Poll

In honor of The Hoya’s 95th birthday, Friday’s special issue features cartoons, advertisements and more blasts from the past. As we searched the archives for entertaining pieces of Hoya history, we came across an especially enlightening 1941poll.

1940s Hoyas offered opinions on everything from music and movies to dining halls and dating. We learned that the dining hall used to have waiters and listening to the New York Philharmonic was a popular radio choice.

The all-male student body focused on their love lives back in the day, estimating that they would be married “four and a half years” after graduation. Answers to dating questions also revealed that freshmen of the day were just as naive and full of hope.

What is your favorite topic in bull sessions?
Women. Exactly 99.99/100 per cent.
Translation: What do you talk about when bro-ing out?

Do you think you will marry the girl you are going around with now?
The seniors set the pace, with 80% saying NO. The underclassmen were more
optimistic; about 50% said YES. The rest either hedged or said “Maybe.”

A six-question section on World War II demonstrated some passionate political opinions. One particularly eloquent Hoya opposed the draft because, “The food in the army is awful,” proving that college students have always prioritized mealtime.

And just as your SFS and Government major friends love to debate international conflicts, Hoyas from the 1940s also offered superior insight into world politics.

Do you think the U.S. will eventually have to fight Japan?
No. (Approximately 75%.)
Yes. (Approximately 25%.)

Oops.

In honor of our birthday, here are some select questions from the 1941 poll so you can compare yourself to Hoyas of the past.

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Check out the full original poll below.

FullPollQuestions

Photos: The Hoya, washingtoncitypaper.com