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Where you read it first | Wednesday, December 11, 2024
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Bela Silverman

Bela Silverman is an Opinion Staff Writer and Editor at the Tufts Daily. Bela is a current junior studying Climate Science and English, and can be reached at bela.silverman@tufts.edu.

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It’s time to cut the cord with your helicopter parents

By Bela Silverman | November 15

There’s a point in many people’s lives that we deem our parental “cut off” date — an official end to our reliance on our parents and their support. Some say it’s when we blow out the candles on our 18th-birthday cakes, others claim it’s when we walk across the stage at college graduation and some even declare independence when our parent’s medical insurance kicks us off the policy at age 26. For my family, there wasn’t a precise date on our calendars when my bags had to be packed and out on the front porch. Rather, my parents’ progressive withdrawal of themselves as my constant safety net through adolescence left me ready for college without the baggage of parental dependency.

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Three jobs, one very small apartment

By Bela Silverman | October 1

In March 2023, after an unrelenting internship application season, I received a research position at a small non-profit organization in Boston. Desperate for any form of résumé-boosting work, I gladly accepted and planned my summer in the city. However, as my housing search began, my urban summer started to lose its appeal. Looking to sublet in Back Bay for a minimal commute, I quickly understood why it follows Seaport as one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the city. My rent filter on housing sites quickly jumped from “under $1,500” to “under $3,000,” and after months of searching, I finally secured an apartment in Back Bay for $2,500 — and a roommate to split the cost.

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Conquering Utah’s ‘Mighty Five’ … and their tourists

By Bela Silverman | April 4

Over spring break, my friend and I joined a school trip to hike Utah’s iconic national parks of Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Zion. Collectively known as the Mighty Five, their reputation upheld, as I bore witness to some of the most beautiful landscapes and geological features of the world. Up for a challenge, I spent ten days driving from Nevada to Colorado, waking up at dawn to lace up my mud-caked boots and hiking until dusk with hopes of beating the crowds and maximizing my tour of the national parks.

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Gutting Greek life: A call for reform over abolition of campus fraternities and sororities

By Bela Silverman | February 9

When my parents dropped me off at Tufts, they did not give me the run-of-the-mill advice to “make new friends” and “study hard,” but they did tell me to stay away from the frats. As professors who live a block away from their university, my parents have seen the drunken aftermath of college parties, and worse, the risk Greek life poses to the safety structure of college.

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School breaks show wealth disparity persists across universities

By Bela Silverman | January 22

The week after winter break marks the start of the notorious “syllabus week,” better known as ‘sylly week,’ a time for students to ease into their early morning lectures after a month of oversleeping, catching up with friends and going out. Many students party without worrying about doing homework with a hangover the next day. But for others, syllabus week is the only rest they get after finals season, having spent their breaks working minimum-wage jobs to save up for holiday season gifts and, more importantly, their college tuition. 

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Sophomore slump: The new senioritis

By Bela Silverman | November 21

At the beginning of my sophomore semester, I woke up at my desk with my alarm ringing — from what my roommates had informed me — for the last 45 minutes. A half-drunk Celsius sat beside a red solo cup filled with stale Cheerios that had replaced my dinner, and I had exactly five minutes to get to my morning class. It was official: I had entered the sophomore slump.

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Maui's wildfires: Playing the climate blame game is fueling global ‘natural’ disasters

By Bela Silverman | September 19

For Hawaii, minor earthquakes — a 3.0-3.9 magnitude range — are considered typical, with locals habitually holding onto their free-standing lamps and chairs until the shaking concludes. Yet, on Sept. 8th, Morocco was struck with a magnitude 6.8 earthquake which killed over 2,900 people. Just a month prior to these earthquakes, Maui was engulfed in wildfire flames. Moreover, about a month ago, wildfires spread through swathes of North America, floods collapsed Libya’s dams and flash flooding exacerbated China’s monsoon season.

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Unpaid internships: The price of privilege

By Bela Silverman | February 14

February: a month to anxiously await the groundhog’s forecast, celebrate Valentine’s Day and prepare for internship season. As winter comes to a close, the last-minute frenzy to edit resumes, write cover letters and find the perfect interview outfit begins, sweeping across college campuses as students strive to finalize their summer internship applications. 

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Why the holiday season may not be so cheery for college students, and what to do about it

By Bela Silverman | December 5

Part of the appeal of attending a New England university is experiencing the seasons — the bright fall foliage and white snow blanketing campus. I came further up north for college fully expecting a picturesque winter. I imagined holiday lights, sledding down President’s Lawn and lots of hot chocolate — something straight out of a Hallmark movie. Snow and hot beverages are sure to arrive in the coming months, but currently, as temperatures are dropping and the ground lays bare with dead grass and fallen leaves, the winter blues are upon us.

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New executive director of sustainability brings hope for positive change

By Bela Silverman | November 7

On Oct. 24, Dano Weisbord became the new executive director of sustainability and chief sustainability officer, and “plans to further Tufts’ commitment to becoming a high education leader in sustainability and climate matters,” according to previous reporting by the Daily. As a past graduate of Tufts’ masters program in urban and environmental policy, and past associate vice president for campus planning and sustainability at Smith College, Weisbord’s leading efforts in sustainability are encouraging signs that his claim will hold true for the Tufts community. 

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