Author / Akshay Thontakudi
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Dissonance
There’s a time and place to be a proud Wash U student. That place might be during a Christmas gathering with family, or when a student researcher makes a major breakthrough. But in those places where the Wash U sprawl has gentrified the area, or where drunken college students disrupt the peace, it’s best to…
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Empty Chairs At Empty Tables
Shawarma King was my coping mechanism during junior year. In the midst of what felt like living hell, I found an island of solace within the yellow walls and simple wooden chairs of this beautiful restaurant. Every Thursday, after starting the day with 10 a.m. class and ending at 6 p.m. with a lab section,…
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Faces Of Resolve
Somewhere in the world, a new alarm is set at 5 a.m., beckoning its owner to use those precious hours to make good on their resolution of going to the gym. Somewhere in an urban city, a cautiously optimistic face is seen at a food bank or local YMCA, unsure but confident in making a…
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Rust
The last days of fall semester are always a blur. I recall sitting at a desk with a dreaded white stack in the center. “Given the following differential equation model, is the system stable?” Before I can put the pencil to paper, the scene swirls around me, and now I’m in the dorm room of…
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Digital Drift: The Slow Loss of Culture
The definitions of culture and what it encompasses have changed over the years to be more precise and inclusive. All cultures have intangible elements of heritage, including a variety of oral tradition, folk songs, dances, and specific sacraments, and minority cultures are no exception. Due to their small size however, smaller cultural groups are at…
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India’s Balancing Act
India has one of the largest populations in the world. With a country this size, many aspects of development and growth in the economic sphere become complicated. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, India is the third largest carbon emitter, behind the United States and China. However, its per-capita emissions are far lower than…
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Just Do It: Nike’s Take On Activism
My laptop screen flickered as I watched footage of LeBron James announcing his I Promise School. The camera quickly cut away to the familiar afro I had seen plastered across the news. “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” [su_pullquote]Many called the choice a step forward in corporate activism, while others posted videos…
