Hopkins School Op-Ed The Razor

What's in a "Scarf"? Modern Cultural Appropriation

Anya Mahajan '25

This summer, the “Scandinavian scarf” took TikTok by storm. The only thing is, the Scandinavian scarf

isn’t Scandinavian — it’s Indian.

Granny? More Like Mommy: The Prevalence of Ageism in Beauty

Winter Szarabajka ’27 Op/Ed Assistant Editor

Throughout history, beauty has been defined extensively by characteristics such as a youthful appearance, perfect skin, and cleanliness.

Letter to the Editor: Heidi Dawidoff

Heidi Dawidoff

The Letter to the Editor excerpted below was written by Heidi Dawidoff, a retired Hopkins English teacher, in response to Mira Krichavsky’s story in the December 2023 issue of The Razor about the merger of the all-boys Hopkins Grammar School and all-girls Day Prospect Hill (DPH) (“Looking Back on a Thorny Path to Coeducation”).

Short-Form Content, Social Media, and Sinophobia

Rain Zeng ’26 Op/Ed Editor

The past few decades have seen a spread of East Asian culture, with phenomena like the internationalization of Japanese anime and the global rise of Korean pop culture.

We Think Hopkins Needs to Rethink How We Do Our Thinking

Aerin O’Brien ’26 Op/Ed Assistant Editor

Recently, I was watching an episode of “Grey's Anatomy” where the interns were learning how to triage patients in a mass casualty event.

Confessions of a Procrastinator

Hanna Jennings ’24 Managing Editor

To my current teachers: you can stop reading now. During my four years at Hopkins, I’ve heard the warning what seems like a million times. When an important project or the infamous research paper is assigned, teachers and advisors co-conspire to make sure that you are not saving it all for the last minute.

Redirecting Resources: Climate Change or the Milky Way?

Edel Lee ’26 Assistant Op/Ed Editor

Two months ago, India’s Chandrayaan-3 made history as the first spacecraft to land on the southern polar
region of the Moon.

Hot Brothers and Two Lovers: The Summer I Turned Pretty

Miriam Levin ’26 Assistant Op/Ed Editor

What would you do if two of the hottest guys you knew were fighting over you? That’s the premise of the Prime Original TV series The Summer I Turned Pretty.

Brennan Is Everything; Elicker’s Just Ken

Teddy Witt ’24 Lead Op/Ed Editor

If you live or spend a lot of time in New Haven, you’ve probably seen white and blue election signs go up in your neighbors’ yards — white for Liam Brennan, Hartford’s first inspector general, and blue for the incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker.

Never Have I Ever... Felt More Represented On-Screen

Asher Joseph ’25 Op/Ed Editor

According to tennis legend John McEnroe, narrator of Mindy Kaling’s hit Netflix show “Never Have I Ever,” “Aunties are older Indian women who have no blood relation to you, but are allowed to have opinions about your life and all your shortcomings and you have to be nice to them because you’re Indian.”

Saturday Night Live: Is It Still Funny?

Miri Levin ’26 Assistant Op/Ed Editor

“Saturday Night Live,” often abbreviated to SNL, is one of the most famous late-night television programs on the air.

Who Benefits from Community Service?

Edel Lee ’26 Assistant Op/Ed Editor

We are taught to praise volunteers for their sacrifice of time and effort. We know that we should volunteer. But is volunteering always helpful to communities in need? Or can community service end up only benefiting the volunteer?

Decidin’ on Biden: Is 81 Too Old to Run?

Teddy Witt ’24 Lead Op/Ed Editor

In 19 months, millions of Americans will vote for the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.

The Drag War Drags On

Rain Zeng ’26 Assistant Op/Ed Editor

Colorful costumes, exaggerated makeup, and queer creativity. These are elements of drag, a performance art with complex roots and a vital role in LGBTQ+ culture.

To Cook or To Camp? Scouting For Gender Roles

Asher Joseph ’25 Op/Ed Editor

Since the 1970s, young girls have sought acceptance into the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), arguing that the organization offers more extensive opportunities to develop skills otherwise absent from the programming of the Girl Scouts of the USA.

Insurrection and the Internet: Social Media’s Danger to Democracy

Chloe Wang '26

For many international viewers, the recent Brazilian riots came as a shock. For those living in Brazil, however, this violence was not surprising.

Managing the Need to Succeed: Exams Before Break

Miriam Levin ’26

Making students take dreaded midterm exams right after the break is not beneficial for anyone. Choosing whether to prioritize grades or rest is a struggle in the first place; adding in midterms and a long break harms students and their mental health. If midterms were before winter break, students would avoid stress, burnout, breaking the handbook, and wasting time.

Trends in Media: Shorter Content Reflects Growing Democracy

Melody Cui '23

In 2018, when TikTok first became the hottest new platform, it was unique for its full embrace of short-form videos. Although earlier apps Musical.ly and Vine made way for shorter content through lip-sync covers and six-second loops respectively, TikTok was the first to provide a place for everything from dances to satirical skits. But while short-form videos are a relatively new development, they are also part of a greater shift in media content towards becoming more accessible and democratic, one that comes with potentially detrimental effects on society’s patience for global humanitarian issues.