5 leisure Georgetown, open the door! Heathers is meant to be yours!
QUINN ROSS
6
0e1s co,,e0tar2 What are you gonna do with a philosophy degree?
CHIH - RONG KUO
7
0e1s Georgetown students start mentorship club for first-generation high school seniors
BRIDGETTE JEONAIRE
8 features Labor and learning: Fight over bus drivers’ benefits directs student attention to campus unions
ALEXANDRA HAMILTON
10
0e1s Is “New Henle” worth it? Students grapple with maintenance issues
RENEE PUJARA
11
sports
The long view: Georgetown men’s basketball over the decades
ANDREW SWANK
BY OLIVIA LI
“Attempting a skill notoriously mastered in youth can be intimidating, but I’m reminded that failure is normal, and failure is good… If I was great at biking, I would’ve missed out on the hilarious stories, connection with my dad, and vulnerable friendship-building I experienced in my quest to learn.”
PG 15
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Thank you to the Capitol Applied Learning Labs for supporting this issue!
Dear readers,
It is my honor to welcome you to 2025’s final issue of The Georgetown Voice. I cannot express the pride I feel for the incredible writers, designers, editors, photographers, social media creators, business team members, and more who made this issue and the rest of our content this semester possible.
As a senior, it has truly been a joy to watch freshmen, sophomores, and juniors step into leadership roles in the club that has been my home for the last three years. I have so enjoyed all their beautiful designs, strong reporting, and compelling writing this semester; I hope you have, too.
As I wrote in my first letter of this year, my mission for this semester has been to ensure that our journalism is community journalism, serving and uplifting voices on our campus and in Washington, D.C. I want to take a moment to highlight some of that work: Imani Liburd’s features piece on Georgetown’s lack of resources for Black women and their hair; Alexandra Hamilton’s opinion piece on how the SFS can better work with students who are Spanish heritage speakers; Bradshaw Cate’s stellar profile of star basketball player, Malik Mack; Joaquin Martinez’s beautiful leisure piece about live music; and so much more.
Yet, beyond the final pieces, I’m equally proud of the creative and hard work that every single person on our masthead put in behind the scenes.
To get her hour-long interview with coach Ed Cooley, writer Eileen Weisner approached him after he spoke to her class. To produce thousands of words about GUSA’s
fall elections—from profiles to results—our news and features team spent countless hours reporting, writing, and editing (often at ungodly times of night). To ensure that every print page looks beautiful, Elle Marinello and Paige Benish battled Adobe InDesign with me until 3 a.m. the night before every issue went to the printers.
Certainly, we haven’t been perfect, but I have watched with pride as so many people have thrown themselves headfirst into making this newsmagazine the best it can be this semester. My editors and writers have approached challenging situations time and time again with care and compassion, striving to inform and serve our community.
I am now so excited to be laying our fifth and final issue of Fall 2025 at the feet of the Georgetown student body.
I cannot wait to see you all in the pages of this lovely little newsmagazine once again next semester. In the meantime, you can still find us producing content online at georgetownvoice.com and you can find me in my inbox: editor@georgetownvoice.com.
Until January,
Eddy Binford-Ross, Editor-in-Chief, Fall 2025
Skybound: Rangila 31 gears up to take stage
DESIGN BY RINA KHOURY
n Nov. 21 and 22, over 400 dancers in intricately designed costumes will take to the brightly lit stage in Gaston Hall. Across the span of one matinee and two evening shows, “Rangila 31: Skybound,” Georgetown’s largest student-run cultural showcase, will return to the stage for its 31st time.
As the show has expanded in size and scope, Rangila’s commitment to philanthropy continues to swell as well.
“We went from raising $40,000 my freshman year to raising over $80,000 two years later,” said Rania Khan (SFS ’26), who coordinated Rangila last year.
“Accountability is further ensured through the Hope Foundation’s annual reports and official filings, so performers and donors can see exactly
Rangila originated in Georgetown’s South Asian Society and captures the many dimensions of South Asian culture through the range of its dances, seamlessly weaving together Arab Fusion, Suave Taal, and Lekali Nepali in one production.
However, beyond showcasing South Asian culture and diaspora, Rangila uses its platform for a philanthropic cause, raising tens of thousands of dollars each year.
All proceeds from the show go to a foundation picked by the Rangila team. This year’s event is raising funds for the Hope Foundation for Women and Children of Bangladesh, which provides essential healthcare in rural and impoverished areas of Bangladesh.
Rangila began in 1994 with a few small performances in Red Square. Thirty-one years later, it has transformed into a full-scale production. This year, Rangila continues its evolution.
The 2025 show includes 11 dances, in addition to the senior-only dances known as the Senior Shandaar dances, and musical performances in the Studio Rangila section. It has expanded to include two new styles: Bangla Maja and Arab Fusion.
The theme, “Skybound,” captures the spirit of growth and unity that defines Rangila both on and off the stage, according to coordinator Jyotsna Venkatesh (SFS ’27).
“This year’s Rangila theme, ‘Rangila: Skybound,’ was chosen very carefully as a response to the conflict and divides that exist in South Asia,” Venkatesh said.
She said that the theme embodies the values that continue to drive Rangila forward, particularly community. Through its dances, “Rangila 31: Skybound” hopes to take the audience on a journey across South Asia and its diaspora.
With their donation to the Hope Foundation, Venkatesh said Rangila is expanding its philanthropic initiatives to Bangladesh, a region that it had not worked with before.
Donations and proceeds from Rangila 31 will be directed towards purchasing equipment for a new pediatric unit that will serve over 30,000 patients annually.
“We were told that pediatric care is often difficult to support through grants, and therefore we wanted our money to be dedicated to a specific initiative where value could be realized,” said Humza Husain (SFS/ MSB ’26), Director of Philanthropy for Rangila.
Apart from raising money through ticket sales, Rangila also engages with the campus community through a range of events. Rangila coordinators hosted several fundraisers for
Georgetown students this year, such as a weekly pieing in Red Square, a date auction, a bazaar, a Crepeaway night, and a chai night. These events don’t only raise money—they also raise awareness about Rangila’s philanthropy mission, according to Husain.
Additionally, Rangila reaches beyond Georgetown, connecting students with communities in the greater Washington region for broader engagement with the Hope Foundation’s mission. In past years, the catered food at the dress rehearsal and show days has always been provided through local partnerships. This year, Rangila has partnered with local costume vendors to help contribute to the philanthropic cause.
One main priority for Rangila is transparency with their funds, especially given the significant amount of money involved, according to Husain.
“We were given a detailed spreadsheet showing every item purchased, along with quantity and price,” Husain said.
Philanthropy and Development in South Asia,” which brought guest speakers and hosted interactive events.
Besides all the new people in Rangila, many familiar faces continue to return year after year. For emcee Nina Skweres (SFS ’26), Rangila has been a transformative experience, from her sophomore year, when she first joined, to her final show this year.
“As someone who came in with no cultural connection to South Asia, I’ve learned so much about the beauty, diversity, and depth of the region through the people I’ve met here,” Skweres said.
Rangila prides itself on being open to all, and a growing number of the performers come from non-South Asian backgrounds, Skweres said.
“Everyone, regardless of background, is invited to celebrate and contribute in their own way, and I’ve been taught dances, languages, and traditions by friends who wanted to share a piece of themselves,” Skweres said.
Georgetown, open the door! Heathers is meant to be yours!
BY QUINN ROSS
On a freezing November night, I had the pleasure of warming up during Nomadic Theatre’s latest spectacle: Heathers: The Musical. Directed by Daniel Tomas (SFS ’26) and produced by Alec Hamblet (CAS ’27), Heathers transformed the unassuming Village C Theatre into a magical, musical wonderland.
As I quietly sat in the second row, the performers became radiant as they basked in their spotlights, powerful voices booming during group numbers and subtle sobs echoing during melancholic solos. That night, I laughed, cried, picked my jaw up off the floor, and reveled in the theatrical magic that is Heathers.
Heathers tells the story of Westerburg High School in Sherwood, Ohio. It’s a typical 1980s American high school— bullies run rampant, nerds get slammed into lockers, and cliques dictate the social order. The musical’s main character, Veronica Sawyer, played by Makenna Faddis (CAS ’29), struggles to fit into Westerburg’s culture. In an attempt to climb the social ladder, she tries to join the top of the high school hierarchy: the Heathers, a group of three girls (all named Heather) reigning terror over the other students.
Veronica finds solace in J.D., played by Marre Gaffigan (CAS ’26), a new student at Westerburg who perfectly fits the dreamy outcast archetype. Avoiding any spoilers, chaos ensues, and the lives of the students at Westerburg High change forever.
The cast of Heathers spent countless hours choreographing, blocking, and rehearsing, and this is evident in the performance’s meticulousness. During group numbers such as “Big Fun,” “Candy Store,” and “Shine a Light,” the students of Westerburg High united in song and dance, moving with fluidity and precision. Each ensemble member effectively told the story of a true individual, trying their best to fit into the fleeting and toxic hierarchy of high school society.
Every storyline crashed into the others, creating a beautiful chaos that resulted in endless entertainment. The ultra-timid nature of Martha Dunnstock, played by Delaney Devlin (SFS ’26), mixed
with the over-the-top bro-ness of Ram and Kurt, played by Massimo D’Onofrio (CAS ’28) and Rishi Bharadwaj (CAS ’27), respectively. It created a zany atmosphere of a high school rager, portrayed in “Big Fun.” Fear of the Heathers flashed across each ensemble member’s face as the actresses descended the staircase like wolves on the prowl during “Candy Store.” Finally, the boredom was palpable as students’ eyes rolled back in their skulls at Ms. Fleming’s performative therapist act in “Shine a Light.”
While each performance was amazing, J.D.’s was absolutely spectacular. J.D. is a depressed outcast, but he puts on a mysterious, slick facade. Ga successfully maintained a cool outward appearance while letting glimpses of insecurity and self-hatred shine through. They stayed cool, but also shaky, confident around classmates, but crumbled in solitude. In “Freeze Your Brain,” Gaffigan delivered a spine-chilling performance, breaking down into misery while praising the comfort of monotony. The emotional levee finally breaks in “Meant to be Yours,” when J.D. erupts into psychotic adoration. Gaffigan’s singing was powerful yet slightly warbly, conveying J.D.’s delusional confidence.
Heather Chandler is another difficult character to pull off, but Maddie McGill (CAS ’29) did so fearlessly. The leader of the Heathers is all sass and no jokes— she means what she says, and what she says is always mean. From creating nicknames like Martha Dumptruck to commanding Veronica to beg on her knees for forgiveness, Heather Chandler’s evil takes a certain gusto to play persuasively. When she enters the limelight, a fire of fierceness enters McGill’s eyes, and it’s undeniable that she sold the role. From the moment she descended the staircase with her entourage, she had her classmates trembling in fear. In “Candy Store,” McGill showed her aptitude for singing and dancing, with angelic vocal runs and an intricate trio dance with the Heathers. Unlike Gaffigan, McGill, playing the epitome of the high school mean girl, cannot let any sliver of humanity slip into her performance. I can’t begin to imagine
The crew was creative, utilizing the staircase that leads to the catwalk (making for an extra dramatic debut of the Heathers), but this kind of adaptivity shouldn’t have to happen. The build crew should be able to choose whether they have a staircase or not, not reckon with one in the way. The cast and crew did their best with the venue they had, but a performance of this caliber deserved to be in a large theater, in front of a sold-out crowd.
As a theater kid, there’s a special place in my heart for student-led productions, and this one touched me on so many levels. It brought me so much joy to see Georgetown students having fun doxing what they love: coming together to perform an iconic musical with endless talent and pride for their craft. I’m grateful to have had such an amazing first experience seeing this beautiful production in action, and I think everyone should see their magic and passion at work. Heathers was meant to be yours, Georgetown.
Heathers will be playing Nov. 13, 14, and 15.
What are you gonna do with a philosophy degree?
BY CHIH - RONG KUO
DESIGN BY PIA CRUZ
I’m a philosophy major, so some may be surprised to hear that being a bluehaired barista at a café after graduation isn’t part of my five-year plan. Explaining to friends and family why I spend my afternoons reading about supererogation and metaphysics can feel futile, but amid growing attacks on the humanities, I think it is all the more necessary.
The humanities, which include fields like history, literature, philosophy, and languages, are in a state of crisis. The number of bachelor’s degrees in these subjects is declining, with the most recent data showing that 236,826 were awarded in 2012 compared to only 179,272 in 2022.
States such as Utah and Ohio have passed laws pushing institutions to cut degrees with low enrollment, and there’s concern that humanities programs could be on the chopping block. Some schools have cut humanities degrees of their own accord due to financial strains. California’s Sonoma State University, for instance, eliminated nine humanities programs, including philosophy, theatre, and history.
Despite uncertainty, Georgetown’s humanities faculty and students said these studies are more important than ever. In an age of artificial intelligence, misinformation, and polarization, the humanities bring a human touch to education.
Mason Friesen (CAS ‘27), an English and history double major with a minor in philosophy, is co-chair of the English Undergraduate Council (EUC). Friesen said that he hopes to ease the stigma surrounding humanities degrees and highlight the opportunities they offer for academic success, professional development, and personal growth.
“I have been asked by people, ‘Why are you studying English? What are you going to do with that?’” Friesen said.
Friesen said that the humanities have taught him critical
thinking and creativity, especially important traits in a time of increased AI reliance.
“The most advantageous thing about the humanities is that it teaches you what it means to be human,” Friesen said. “That’s something that AI, I don’t think, will ever be able to truly replicate.”
The growth of AI has threatened many entry-level jobs, and even graduates with technical degrees like computer science are struggling to find employment.
Nicoletta Pireddu, director of the Georgetown Humanities Initiative, shared similar sentiments to Friesen, stating that she hopes humanities degrees can offer students soft skills less common to other fields.
people feeling like they have to be funneled down those paths.”
Kelly said this pressure is particularly salient at Georgetown, where there is a strong pre-professional culture. But she said she feels lucky to have a community that shares her philosophy on education. Her parents emphasized that work ethic was more important than the field Kelly studied, and encouraged her to pursue her interests.
There are certainly outside considerations that may impact a student’s decision to get a humanities degree, said Sophia Lu (SFS ‘26), who is pursuing two humanities minors, but a STEM major.
“AI will replace probably the most practical jobs, but [that is] all the more reason we need humanists who are able to preserve creativity, who are able to preserve the sense of what makes us human,” Pireddu said.
Humanities degrees are becoming increasingly valuable in the job market and graduate school admissions. Philosophy majors are more likely than biology majors to get into medical school, and are admitted to law school at a higher rate than any other major.
“It’s an incredibly productive moment for the humanities precisely because we are in an age of crisis,” Pireddu said.
Friesen, who has family members in STEM-related careers, said he experienced some pushback surrounding his humanities majors. But he plans to attend law school, which he said will offer additional security after his undergraduate studies.
“It’s almost an excuse to study these majors in the sense that I have that kind of protection,” Friesen said. “I don’t have to rely on just my undergraduate degree, because I have my law degree coming up.”
Not everyone intends to use their humanities education to pursue a professional degree. Camille Kelly (CAS ‘26), co-chair of the EUC, said she felt pressure to apply for law school because everyone around her seemed to be doing so. Ultimately, Kelly said she chose to value fulfillment beyond professional outcomes and is looking for creative career paths, like museum curation.
“There’s a lot of pressure like, ‘It’s okay that you’re an English major, a philosophy major, because you’re going to go to law school, or, you’re going to work on the Hill,’” Kelly said. “What makes me sad is
While reports are optimistic about the increasing value of the humanities in the job market, STEM bachelor’s degrees remain among the highest-paying degrees. This pressure can be compounded by cultural and family expectations, Lu said.
“It’s especially on display for immigrant families,” Lu said. “There’s the felt need to ensure your economic future and the wellbeing of your family, and that necessitates actually having a well-paying job.”
Lu said a high-paying job right after graduation can help ensure economic stability, which may require taking on an undergraduate degree with a clearer professional track.
For some, there’s a question about whether studying the humanities is a worthwhile way to spend almost $300,000. To Pireddu, it’s less of a math question and more a question of courage.
“It’s a kind of leap of faith,” Pireddu said. “Parents have this anxiety, ‘Why am I paying a lot of thousands of dollars to pay for a degree that is impalpable, that doesn’t give you anything right now?’”
But while students may fear committing to a humanities degree, Pireddu encourages them to seize diverse intellectual opportunities in college.
“Plunge into it with love, with curiosity, with an open mind,” Pireddu said. “Your life will be richer, your life will be multidimensional.”
Georgetown students start mentorship club for rst-generation high school seniors
BY BRIDGETTE JEONAIRE
DESIGN BY SHABAD SINGH
While attending George Washington University’s 2023 Admitted Students Day, first-generation college student Laura Alcalá Penelas (CAS ’28) and her mother took a trip to the Hilltop.
Prior to this visit, Alcalá Penelas knew that her high school had not attached her transcript to her Georgetown application, so she met with an admissions officer. Alcalá Penelas then learned that without her inquiry, her application would have been considered incomplete and automatically denied.
After remedying this error, Alcalá Penelas received admission to Georgetown University’s Class of 2028. Her experience inspired her to create a club dedicated to helping students like herself navigate convoluted application situations.
The Georgetown University FirstGeneration Experience Mentorship (FEM) aims to provide first-generation high school seniors with resources and collegiate mentors as they apply to college, including, but not limited to, Georgetown.
First-generation college attendees, students whose parents did not receive a college degree, often face challenges beyond academics—from loans to navigating complex higher education systems—when thinking about college.
When attending college, first-generation students disproportionately have to take out student loans, according to a study by the Pell Institute. At least two-thirds of first-generation college students reported feeling high levels of stress and anxiety due to the “combined pressures of academic performance, financial strain and family obligations,” the study found.
Even before arriving at university, many first-generation students feel added amounts of pressure while applying. During an interview with the Voice, Alcalá Penelas said she felt lost and overwhelmed during her application season.
“Everything was on me. My mom didn’t have the resources or understand what was going on,” Alcalá Penelas said. “If I struggled so hard, I can’t imagine the experience of someone who has an even worse situation.”
As a freshman, Alcalá Penelas found community and support through the Georgetown Scholars Program (GSP). GSP
aids first-generation and low-income Hoyas as they transition into campus life, providing a safe space to bond over shared experiences.
Yaritza Filpo Luna (MSB ’27), co-events coordinator of FEM, said that resources like GSP were critical to her successfully navigating university as a first-generation low-income student.
college campuses. She said she will begin reaching out to establish potential chapters after they earn their nonprofit certification.
“Today, I recognize how lucky I am to go to a school like Georgetown with resources like GSP, [the] Community Scholars Program, the different centers in the Office of Student Equity and Inclusion, and the amazing professors that I have had the privilege of taking classes with,” Filpo Luna said.
FEM seeks to add additional support for first-generation students before they even set foot on campus. Though the club is still in its planning phases, it has already conducted two general body meetings and has a 16-person board. Board members said they welcome any support as they get off the ground.
“[We are] not excluding anyone that wants to help. I feel like anyone that wants to donate their time is always an active resource,” Alcalá Penelas said.
The board is now beginning to curate their group of mentors, she said. Instead of pairing one high school student with a set person, all mentors will host their own office hours, and mentees will be able to make appointments as they wish.
FEM is also in the process of launching a website with resources, including guides on writing the Common App personal statement and help with financial aid forms like the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and College Scholarship Service.
Taliyah Williams (MSB ’27), the club’s coevents coordinator, said that helping students with financial management can be critical during the college application process.
“Through tutoring and mentoring in financial literacy, I’ve seen how powerful it is when someone simply says, ‘I’ve been where you are,’” Williams said.
FEM has also started conversations with GSP and the Cawley Career Center to schedule professional development and networking workshops. These will be open to the public and posted on their website.
Alcalá Penelas said she plans to turn FEM into a non-profit, with the goal of being
In interviews with the Voice, FEM board members expressed their excitement and pride to be a part of this growing organization. Many of them identify as first-generation students and said that these kinds of accessible resources would have been incredibly helpful when they were applying to college.
Mentorship coordinator Paris Coleman (CAS ’28) said that the application process is full of structural barriers for firstgeneration students.
“Even though I went to a public high school that was well-funded, information regarding the SAT and the ACT and the college application process was structured for students whose parents already knew the information or had the money to receive it,” Coleman said, referencing the two main exams students take when applying to U.S. colleges.
For Alcalá Penelas, she said she’s found joy in cultivating a community that cares about
Labor and learning: Fight over bus drivers’ benefits directs student attention to campus unions Labor and learning: Fight over bus drivers’ benefits directs student attention to campus unions
GRAPHICS BY KARINA HAN; LAYOUT BY KATIE REDDY
“The role of our organization is to amplify the struggles that workers are going through on campus to the student body,” Naughton said, referencing GCWR.
“A lot of students at Georgetown don’t want to acknowledge the labor around them and how many people work to
Georgetown is more than just an institution of higher learning, Naughton said. It's the largest private sector employer in Washington, D.C., employing
“Georgetown is a business, and they have economic interests first and
has served as a wake-up call.
“People are coming face-to-face for the first time with the fact that Georgetown would threaten the jobs of people who’ve been with the university for over 15 years,” Naughton said.
The university wrote that its “difficult decisions to limit spending and look for operational efficiencies” were an effort to limit spending in response to “unprecedented threats to its financial model.”
On Oct. 23, the Georgetown Advisory Committee on Business Practice passed a non-binding resolution to Chief Operating O!cer David Green recommending that all 18 GUTS drivers remain permanent employees of the university.
GUTS drivers are part of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1199 chapter, a union established in 1972 to protect the rights and compensation of facilities, dining, and transportation workers.
This is just one of five unions representing workers on Georgetown’s campus. Yet, Naughton said that there is a barrier between workers and undergraduate students, who are often less familiar with the functions, histories, and social dynamics of unions.
Most on-campus unions are chapters of larger national organizations. Members pay dues to be part of the union and receive benefits, such as having union representatives who advocate for workers’ demands to their employers and help them with contract renegotiations.
Lane Windham is the Associate Director of the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, a labor center at Georgetown that organizes projects, discussions, and research to build an equitable economy. Windham said that the vocal presence of unions on college campuses developed in the 1970s.
“In the ’70s, a lot of public sector universities started to form unions, and also in the private sector,” Windham said. “Frankly, we saw a lot of the universities fight those workers’ efforts.”
Chapter 1199SEIU was the first union established at Georgetown in 1972. It has represented Georgetown’s facilities and maintenance employees for decades, a university spokesperson said.
Several other unions have since been established to meet the demands of on-campus workers, including adjunct faculty and student employees, such as the Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalition (GRAC).
Undergraduate efforts
Despite the presence of unions, Naughton said that students remain largely unaware of the impact that on-campus unions can have.
GRAC, a union made up entirely of undergraduate students that advocates for on-campus Resident Assistants (RAs), began to change this division.
In May 2025, GRAC negotiated a contract that gave RAs set working conditions, a year after they successfully unionized. Victoria Allen (CAS ’27), a member of GRAC and an RA in Hayden Hall, said that before GRAC, if an RA’s employment began on Aug. 10, they could be fired on Aug. 11 without forewarning or justification. Since RAs receive free oncampus housing and meals, this has longterm implications for students who would have to adjust their accommodations.
“To come up with another $25,000 in three days is kind of preposterous for anybody to do,” Allen said, referring to the estimated cost of housing, meal subsidies, and annual RA salary.
Before the union negotiated a contract, RAs received no direct financial compensation.
“High fives and pats on the back do not equate to actual money for a job,” Allen said.
Now RAs get paid $1,750 a semester— or about $125 biweekly.
The power imbalance between students and their community directors, whom RAs directly report to, has also improved due to the union, according to Allen.
“How they treated their previous RAs was you get told what to do,” Allen said. “But now we actually have a process of how to do things.”
Challenges unions face
Rachel Milito (GRAD ’29), the president of Georgetown Alliance of Graduate Employees (GAGE), said they’ve seen both benefits and hurdles in their unionization efforts.
Many master’s and PhD students in the union do not have full-time jobs and rely on their teaching salaries to sustain themselves. The current pay rate for PhD students is $22 an hour or $38,000 a year. While this is on par with the national average, Milito said it is less than what is considered a living wage in D.C.: $25.98 an hour for a single, childless adult.
“The number of people who are one paycheck away from being in credit card
debt, or from not being able to pay their rent, or for their utilities, or for food for their families is considerable,” Milito said.
GAGE aims to negotiate contracts that increase the wages of graduate students. However, during their most recent contract negotiation two years ago, the union asked for a livable wage and was only able to negotiate for 0.5% more than Georgetown’s original offering, according to Milito.
The university told the Voice that they do not comment on contract negotiation processes.
Unions like GRAC and GAGE have enabled students to consolidate negotiating power, union members said. Still, Allen said that they have struggled to change the Georgetown administration’s perception, particularly because GRAC is composed entirely of undergraduate students.
“I think from the university side, they would say that they see us as legitimate, but from my personal perspective, I feel they see us more like a club than a legalized union with protection,” Allen said.
The university wrote to the Voice that it was grateful to the unions and their role in the community.
“We deeply appreciate the contributions that University faculty, staff, student employees, and contracted workers make to the Georgetown community,” a university spokesperson wrote. “We are also grateful for the leadership and collaboration shown by each of the unions representing workers at Georgetown.”
Language and other barriers
The challenges of union organizing, at Georgetown and across the country, get even more complicated with language barriers, as unions bring together workers of different backgrounds.
Historically, minority workers have made up the largest share of unionized workers in the U.S. As Latino immigration has increased, a growing number of union workers are Hispanic. Windham said that this change has created linguistic differences that can create tensions and a division of interests among union members.
“We live in a society where racism and linguistic hierarchy exist, and so it's going to be replicated in unions in the same way,” Naughton said.
Because unions draw their power from their solidarity, when social tension creates divisions within the union between old and new members, a union can lose its power, Naughton said.
Additionally, the union representative may not necessarily work for the
employer and instead can be outsourced by the larger chapter, which is the case with Georgetown’s dining and facilities union, SEIU1199.
When union representatives are not workers, they may not fully understand the situation or demands union members are fighting for, according to Naughton.
“It becomes a source of extreme frustration for workers, and they feel as though [the union] doesn't actually represent their interests and is actually making things harder,” Naughton said.
Student awareness
While some unions have struggled to represent the needs of their workers, student organizers are facing misconceptions about unionization within the campus community. Allen notes that the RA union is not just fighting RA benefits; it is also setting a precedent to follow and improve upon. She said that joining a union has made her realize the stigmas that come with unionized labor, including among the student body.
“There’s a lot of misconceptions, like unions just want the money or they're hurting corporations or companies,” Allen said. “Or we just hate our bosses.”
Allen said that unions act with the intention to improve a workplace and protect workers, rather than to be hostile to management.
Naughton said that students should want to care for the workers who make college life possible. Students hold special bargaining power with Georgetown since they pay tuition, according to Naughton. Unlike workers who are employees and may be scared to speak out, students directly fund the university. She believes this grants students some leverage with the university as they are paying stakeholders investing in Georgetown’s services.
“This is affecting every aspect of university life on campus,” Naughton said. “It’s just a fundamental human obligation to care about the concerns of your community members, and as students, we occupy such a privileged position on campus to be able to study and to work.”
However, even for self-interested reasons, she said that undergraduate students should be aware of unions because at some point in life, every student is or will be a worker.
Ultimately, understanding unions can begin with a simple conversation, according to Naughton.
“Try to understand how they would describe their work, what it means to them, how long they've been with the university, and what unique challenges they're facing,” Naughton said.
For Milito, the importance of unions goes back to Georgetown’s Jesuit values, which focus on caring for the needs of each person. She said that the community on campus includes the workers who keep campus running and that students “are not separate from others.”
“Do I also care about the person who is cleaning my dorm bathroom or about the person who is teaching my 8 a.m. discussion section?” Milito said. “Because that is what a complete community is.”
Is “New Henle” worth it? Students grapple with maintenance issues
BY RENEE PUJARA | DESIGN BY PAUL KANG
Byrnes, Hayden, & Henle Halls—known to students as “New Henle”—became a dream dorm when housing registration opened for the 2025-26 school year last spring. Now, unexpected maintenance issues have raised concern among some living there.
The former Henle Village was demolished in June 2023. After almost two years of construction, constant drilling, and blocked pathways, the new complex houses three residential buildings: Byrnes, Hayden, and Henle Halls.
Depending on the layout and number of roommates, living in one of these residence halls can cost between $9,266 to $10,250 a semester, making them more expensive to live in than any Georgetown housing beyond a renovated townhouse. The construction added 200 beds, so the three buildings now have the capacity to accommodate 730 residents.
Residents have also noticed long wait times for maintenance. When Talikoff’s sink cracked in half, it took more than two weeks to get it fixed.
Beyond the electrical issues, the “touch-and-go” plumbing has also made New Henle a challenging place to live, Talikoff said. The complex has faced hot water shortages this semester, according to emails sent to residents.
Anjali Lauwers (MSB ’26), a Hayden Hall resident, said her hot water system was broken for a month. Lauwers and her roommates could only use hot water for short periods of time, she said.
Since its opening, the complex has been abuzz with movement. The Healey Family Student Center inspired the building’s firstfloor community spaces, where students can lounge, study, and socialize. Byrnes Hall includes a game room featuring foosball and billiards tables. The complex also includes spaces for meditation and movement, along with traditional study rooms.
At the beginning of the 2025-26 school year, many students were thrilled to move into New Henle’s apartment-style living, complete with in-unit washers and dryers.
“My first impression was, ‘I love it,’ because we’re high up and on the corner, and so we have so many windows, so much natural light; it’s really gorgeous,” said Lucie Talikoff (CAS ’27), who lives in Byrnes Hall with three seniors.
However, New Henle’s charm came with unexpected issues for some residents.
“I feel very lucky to be in this dorm,” Talikoff said. “That said, you do notice that they put it together quickly.”
The residential halls have faced significant problems, including access to electricity and hot water, students said, affecting their everyday lives.
“There are a lot of electrical issues throughout the building. We’re not the only ones who’ve experienced that,” Talikoff said. “Every once in a while, we’ll have to go reset all the breakers for certain appliances because the fridge will stop working, or the microwave, or some outlets.”
A university spokesperson told the Voice that the residence halls’ novelty has added layers to addressing maintenance issues, as the infrastructure and amenities are still under warranty. The three residence halls are temporarily operating on a process that is “different from [the] normal maintenance request process for residential buildings.”
“We recognize that while living in a new building has many advantages, these warranty issues and associated timelines may be frustrating,” the spokesperson wrote. “We appreciate students’ understanding and patience as we navigate this first year together.”
The spokesperson added that Planning and Facilities Management is actively working with the buildings’ contractors to address “any unexpected maintenance issues.”
Beyond issues with maintenance, some residents said that the space hasn’t been as conducive to community-building as they had imagined. New Henle has spacious common spaces on each floor, including outdoor terraces on the second and eighth floors. Yet, some students have found that these spaces are rarely used.
“It feels a little bit more fragmented compared to some of the other dorms on campus, and I think that’s just kind of the
with their own friends, rather than gathering around with the people around them.”
Some residents have also raised concerns about their apartment’s layout and design. Olivia Booth (CAS ’26), who moved out of her Henle apartment, said that not every bed space in Henle has a window due to the “double privacy” room design. This design places a bathroom in the middle of the room in order to give roommates more private space, but Booth found that the bathroom limited natural lighting on her side of the room.
“It’s just obvious that Georgetown designed it in a way to save money at the expense of students’ daily functioning and mental health,” Booth said. “It just feels like Georgetown really did not care about the students’ lives.”
A university spokesperson said that the residential halls all follow D.C. Housing and Safety codes.
“The safety, health, and well-being of our students is our highest priority,” the university spokesperson wrote. “We work through every maintenance request as diligently and expeditiously as possible.”
Despite these concerns, many New Henle residents remain happy with their housing choice.
“Honestly, there are a few little annoying things that you need to expect are going to happen several times a semester, but it doesn’t come close to the benefits in my book,” Talikoff said.
nature of being in an apartment complex,” Lauwers said. “People
The long view: Georgetown men’s basketball over the decades
BY ANDREW SWANK DESIGN BY LUCY MONTALTI
In 1984, Georgetown men’s basketball team won the NCAA Championship. Forty years later, in 2024, the team lost all but two of their 20 BIG EAST conference games.
Georgetown’s only NCAA title to date remains that 1984 victory. Yet after a bounceback year last season, it’s worth looking through the decades since Georgetown was a perennial championship contender to see what went wrong and consider the chances of a resurgence.
The 1980s were the peak years of Georgetown men’s basketball, when they were led by legendary head coach John Thompson Jr. From the 1979-80 to the 198990 seasons, the Hoyas recorded a 78.85% win rate, the best of any decade in the program’s history. Thompson Jr. resigned as head coach in 1999 with an overall record of 596-239, making him the team’s winningest head coach.
The 2000s marked the start of Georgetown’s true decline, although there were still some successful seasons. After a few years with just one NCAA Tournament appearance under coach Craig Esherick (MSB ’78, LAW ’82), John Thompson III— son of the National Championship-winning coach—led a Hoya resurgence. In 2007, the Hoyas made it to the semifinals of the NCAA Tournament.
The next year, the Hoyas managed a 28-6 record (15-3 BIG EAST) before falling to Davidson College in the second round of the tournament in a historic upset shaped by future NBA MVP Steph Curry. Since 2013, the Hoyas have only made the NCAA Tournament twice: was a third-round
In 2017, Patrick Ewing (CAS ’85), the former-Hoya forward instrumental in their NCAA Championship title, returned to the Hilltop as head coach. He only managed one NCAA Tournament appearance and a winning percentage of just 40.97%. The Ewing years marked the lowest point for Georgetown men’s basketball.
In 2023, the program brought in Ed Cooley, the previous head coach at conference rival Providence College, to turn the program around. Cooley’s first two seasons finished with a 9-23 (2-18 BIG EAST) and an 18-16 (8-12 BIG EAST) record, respectively, an upward trajectory that could be the start of a resurgence for the Hoyas.
Carrying on the legacy of a figure like Thompson Jr. is bound to be a monumental task for any head coach. Still, it’s clear that the on-court success of our athletic center’s namesake, not to mention his offcourt impact, could provide Cooley with inspiration for Georgetown’s climb back up.
As Cooley tries to bring the Hoyas back to the top of the mountain, he must confront the fact that the Georgetown program is far from where it used to be.
To rebuild the program, Georgetown will need to bring in national-level talent, something that has been missing in recent years. A 2015 study by Richard Borghesi found that higher-ranked recruits bring a significant competitive advantage. Five-star recruits, those in the highest tier of high-school players, contributed more than twice as much to winning as any other level of recruit, according to Borghesi’s study. Notably, Georgetown has not brought in a five-star recruit since Isaac Copeland in 2014.
Looking at the players who went on to play professionally, it’s clear that top-level recruits were key to Georgetown’s most successful years. Out of 53 Hoyas drafted to the NBA, 26 played under Thompson Jr. Among those players are NBA legends Ewing, the first overall pick in the 1985 NBA Draft, and Allen Iverson, who has the 30th highest total points of anyone in NBA history. These players, recruited and drawn to the Hilltop by Thompson Jr., brought Georgetown to the top.
In the years after Thompson Jr.’s tenure, the quantity of NBA-level talent declined dramatically. Between 2013, when the Washington Wizards selected Otto
third overall pick, and 2025, when Thomas Sorber and Micah Peavy went 15th and 40th overall, respectively, zero Hoyas were drafted. Not coincidentally, the years between Porter Jr.’s draft and Sorber’s and Peavy’s draft were some of the least successful seasons in the program’s history.
The most consistently successful men’s college basketball programs follow a system: recruit high-quality players, win games, develop those players’ talent to go pro, and then replace those players with new, talented recruits who are drawn in by the program’s success. Rinse, repeat.
Duke University, perhaps the standard for a consistently successful program, has perfected this formula, bringing in and developing future NBA stars every year to fill out the team’s lineups. Still, with the rise of the transfer portal and the prevalence of “one-and-done” players like Sorber, who leave for the NBA after just one year of college basketball, it’s harder to keep talent around than it was in Thompson Jr.’s era.
During the Thompson Jr. years, Georgetown used that formula to achieve consistent success. They brought in talent like Ewing and Iverson, put together winning season after winning season, and then found new players to replace them. That formula for success is not easy—the best recruits have hundreds of schools clamoring to bring them in—but it is the way to build a national powerhouse basketball program.
To bring Georgetown back to the national championship contender status, Cooley will need to replicate that system. He has already shown promising signs, recruiting talented players like Peavy and Sorber, or junior guard KJ Lewis, who transferred to Georgetown from the University of Arizona this past offseason. Additionally, guard/forward Alex Constanza of the incoming 2026 recruiting class is Georgetown’s highest-ranked recruit since 2008. There’s still a long way to go, but Georgetown men’s basketball is taking the first crucial steps back up the mountain.
I am who I am because of
One Direction
BY STELLA LINN
DESIGN BY LUCY MONTALTI
About a year ago, my phone changed my “home” location from Kansas City to Georgetown University. It signified a shift that I was already feeling but could not reckon with.
I had spent my entire freshman year feeling like my real life was back home waiting for me and that college was just a place that I went to sometimes. But, sophomore year, Georgetown me became the same as Kansas City me and everything was real life. I had no idea how to cope with it.
It felt like I was betraying my hometown, my family, and my friends
to say that school was home too. I had spent all of freshman year so tethered to returning to Kansas City that when that shifted, I felt like I had nothing to hold onto anymore.
Admittedly, I had more than a few cry sessions on the Southwest Quad benches after closing shifts at the Healey Family Student Center, so as to not wake my sleeping roommate with my tears. During those untethered nights, I began to ponder the classic mid-college crisis question: what makes me who I am?
I no longer defined myself by the aching homesickness of freshman year (now I’m obsessed with my hometown in a normal way because it is awesome; please talk to me about Kansas City). I no longer aspired towards a career in politics, a dream that fizzled instantaneously upon arriving in Washington, D.C. I was no longer a dancer, or a field hockey player, or in the band, though at least two of those are probably for the best.
outside noise—both about liking One Direction and the more serious things going on in my life.
Then, the week after my phone decided to make this change, my childhood dog and One Direction band member Liam Payne died a day apart from each other. As I was grieving the loss of something I could not explain, it suddenly hit me: I am who I am because of One Direction.
I've spent my entire life basically obsessed with the boyband One Direction. My first ever CD was of their first album, Up All Night (2011), featuring the members clad in suspenders and mop haircuts, of course. I defined myself as a “Louis girl” (Louis girls, rise up). Any iPad time I received as a child was spent watching their music videos. In the way that people can recount where they were on 9/11, I can tell you exactly where I was when I found out that Zayn left the band: in my bright purple bedroom getting ready for another thrilling day of fifth grade. In the spirit of oversharing, I even read fanfiction about them. As I got older, any time I needed comfort, I would rewatch old interview clips, laughing the same way I did when I was nine and watching them for the first time.
Growing up a boyband girl, naturally, came with comments that you would expect. Boys at school made fun of One Direction and, by proxy, me. My older cousins teased me about my ability to sing song after song. As I got older, I felt the pressure come less from the people around me, and instead from the internet. All across social media and the mainstream news, boybands were deemed as lesser than in ways that felt less like criticism of the bands and
In sophomore year, as I chronicled my storied history with the band—and really boybands as a whole because I am, of course, a huge 5 Seconds of Summer fan as well—I began to realize that maybe they were the tether I had been searching to hold onto. When I first became a fan of One Direction, I was an elementary schooler in West Des Moines, Iowa. My friends and I listened to their music in the car and discussed our favorites on the playground.
In middle school, I moved to a whole new state where I did not know anyone. There, I met some girls in school who also liked One Direction and we became fast friends, even though they were “Harry girls.” They were the first people I texted when I heard about Liam’s death and happen to be my best friends to this day. The second person I texted when I found out about Liam was my roommate. After living together for about a week as semi-awkward friends, I found out that she had a One Direction fan Twitter account. Nothing was awkward after that day.
No matter where I lived or who I was around for my entire life (well, since 2010), One Direction has created community for me. Boybands opened paths for me to find friends and develop who I became at every new stage of life. Being a boyband fan gave me the courage to be more extroverted when I needed to be and made me more welcoming.
By being in a community brought together by the band, I met people from all walks of life and expanded who a girl from the Midwest could be. In a world where boys can be defined by the sports teams they follow or the video games they play, I am here to say: being a boyband fan has changed my life. As girls are often excluded from the mainstream, they create a culture of their own, and I for one am glad to be defined by the Tiger Beat One Direction poster that hung in that purple bedroom.
The best places to cry on campus
BY TUANA TANTUR AND MINHAL NAZEER
DESIGN BY KATIE REDDY
Midterms got you down? Situationship not texting back? Clubs rejecting you right and left? College life can get overwhelming and sometimes, you just need to find a secluded place to let the tears stream. So, next time you need a private place to break down after you get your economics midterm back, we’ve got you covered with our top 10 places to cry on campus.
1. Dahlgren Quad
Where else is a better place to cry than next to a noisy fountain? The splashing water inspires your teardrops, while the gurgles hide your sobs. Plus, you have the gorgeous Dahlgren Chapel right in front of you. They may call it the “Chapel of the Sacred Heart,” but it’s more like you’re pouring your heart out. Let your tears
allows you to enjoy your night cry with a glimpse of the Potomac and Arlington’s glittering lights. Without the fear of being heard, you can weep the way you want. Who knows? A rat might become your company, distracting you from your sorrow as its shrieks demand all your attention.
4. The koi pond
The koi pond is a convenient classic for a crashout whenever you’re leaving your Copley dorm or class in White-Gravenor. It can be a little crowded depending on the day, but the tranquil views and treeprovided privacy make up for any possible audience. One additional bonus—you’ll be able to watch the fish swim merrily as you remember they’ll never have to deal with their idiotic boyfriend forgetting their birthday. Maybe you could just jump in for a full sensory reset. We’re not judging.
nothing compared to what you have been going through. The Observatory bench is where to go when all else fails—when your Yates workout was not stress-relieving enough and Mercury’s retrograde is sabotaging your love life. In this sanctuary, you can just stare into the forest and forget that you’ll have to walk all the way back to your room with your puffy, red face, trying to avoid all of the Yates lovers.
3. The Healey Family Student Center Patio (post-closing)
If it’s past midnight, dark outside, and you just need some fresh air and perhaps a light sob, the Healy Family Student Center patio is the perfect spot. Especially on a warm summer or spring night, the space
Your room can be a toss-up depending on your housing (maybe not for those in New South triples), but the comfort of your bed makes this a viable option. You have access to tissues and a sink (unless you live in Darnall Hall), as well as all your emotional support ed animals. The only foreseeable downside is having your roommate(s) either ignore you entirely or be another person to whom you have to recount your woes. Or, who knows, that could be an upside too.
6. The Leavey Esplanade
The Leavey Esplanade provides all the privacy you’ll need to cry your last failed midterm away. It’s the perfect place to reconnect with nature. You can sit under the ivy, breathe in the Hoya Harvest vegetables a few stories below, and contemplate your life decisions while taking in the view. Sob it out, and grab a matcha from Uncommon Grounds as your treat for taking the time to be in tune with your emotions.
7. The Byrnes Hall quiet area
Relatively new, this location lives in the back of Byrnes’ lobby under the wooden stairs to the main courtyard. The eggshaped chairs are decently soundproofed, so you can let out a few shudders without anyone noticing, and you’re spatially surrounded by only a gray wall and your own body. At least for a short while, you can stay in your personal pocket of the universe until someone else’s egg gets too close for comfort.
Center. Here, you can take a second, catch your breath, maybe scream into your hands, then lock in for your upcoming political theory lecture.
9. Alumni Square main tree
This is a bit of a deep cut, but we’re nearing the end of the list. Alumni Square is not only the best shortcut from Main Campus to Walsh classes, but it also provides a scenic background for a good ole meltdown. The tree with the Adirondack chairs next to it is the ideal spot to sit, contemplate, and really let it out. It would be perfect if it weren’t for all the daytime passersby, so this is a midnight-scariesonly spot (warning: we may be spying from Village B).
10. A fourth-floor Lau cubicle
This is the most depressing and least convenient on the list, but life happens. Especially on a Sunday night, when all the work you’ve been procrastinating needs to be done, and you’ve just realized that you have two midterms, a paper, and seven applications due this week, this might be the spot. When your eyes are watering, and you can feel a lump in your throat, it’s nothing to worry about. Why? Because no one can see your face! You can grab your hair, open your mouth wide as if to scream, and have a fully-
So you want to run a marathon? Realistic advice from your average college runner
BY ALEX LALLI
DESIGN BY MICHELLE WANG
Last week, I watched (on Instagram
Reels) a record 59,226 runners finish the New York Marathon. I was envious, despite having just finished my first 26.2mile race at the Marine Corps Marathon. The marathon bug is real and spreading.
In high school, I played tons of sports until settling on track and field (I’m proud to hold my high school’s 4x800 record, but we don’t have to talk about my flop performance in the state 3200).
Upon arriving at college, I missed a space dedicated to pushing myself, so I hopped on the marathon train.
While running 26.2 miles is a uniquely intimidating achievement, I believe most anyone can do it with the right training, planning, and mindset.
I’m no running expert, but for any college folks who need a change of pace from the daily academic grind to something a little more sweaty, I’ve accumulated my personal tricks to help you on your marathon journey.
Getting a bib early
Starting early is key for marathons. Beyond the long training stint—most plans range from 16 to 20 weeks—marathons are a hot commodity! Bibs sell out fast, often more than a season ahead of race day, and the prices can climb up to hundreds of dollars. Buy early, ideally right at the start of your training block.
I did not do this, and the Marine Corps was sold out by the time I realized I actually needed a race to run. The secret hack is to run with a charity. I raised $800 for Girls on the Run with a scary amount of ease and only had to pay $100 for the actual race (a steal compared to the $500 starting price).
Fitting a marathon into your GCal
It would be trite for me to emphasize how little time Georgetown students have (or feel that they have), but trust me, a marathon is well worth it and may actually teach you work-life balance. The easiest (although perhaps most painful) way to fit runs into your schedule is to become an early riser. I did all my long runs at 6 a.m., and
it was quite a relief to go on with my day without the looming four-hour run. Still, I understand that running on five hours of sleep isn’t for everyone. My advice would be to set aside one morning on the weekends—I often did Sunday morning because I tended to be less incapacitated from the night before—when you can wake up at a comfortable time and get it done.
You don’t have to run all the time
Most plans entail running nearly every day as your primary form of training. If you’re interested in this, Runner’s World has some great free ones. But, while some runners may shame me for this, I don’t think you have to follow that. As I see it, the weekly essentials are the long run,
Beyond that, keeping up cardio work is a good idea, but there are many ways you can do that: biking, swimming, zumba, if that’s your thing. Additionally, strength training often goes neglected by runners—my physical therapist once told me I had weak glutes—so if you feel the need to trade in your run for a CorePower session, go for it! Your glutes will thank you on mile 17.
Gels and your stomach
When I reached mile 15 of my long run, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Why am I so tired? And hungry?” I needed fuel. Yes, a perk of marathoning is that eating pasta becomes productive, but you also need to fuel during your runs, which means getting used to the strange world of gel consumption. GU gels are popular, and to that I say, “No, thank you.” I can’t get down with the aftertaste. My preference is the Honeystinger and GO gels, both of which taste like fun baby food. They don’t go to war with my stomach personally, although be warned: that may be different for yours. Make sure to test any new gels on training runs multiple times before race day, especially caffeinated ones. If you’ve ever had a coffee then had to sprint to the bathroom before class, you’ll understand.
To
vest or not to vest
Because running is TikTok famous, the running industry has latched onto this moment to assure you that you need every possible product to maximize your runs—and the vest is their poster child. I have qualms with the vest, simply because I get hot easily and end every run stripped down to my sports bra. If you can regulate your body temperature, be my guest, but if you’d rather stay cool, try a running belt and a handheld water bottle. The big day and the playlist to carry you through it
I don’t have much of a pre-race ritual. I pick my race-day fit morningof based on vibes (which is probably how I ended up with massive innerthigh chafing) and fuel with handfuls of granola. However, even if my breakfast is scavenged, my playlist is always curated. My best advice is to pick music that you’re genuinely excited to listen to, which doesn’t necessarily need to be traditional hype songs. “Dancing Through Life” (the movie version, sorry!) really did something for me at mile 22. If anything you read piqued your interest, just download a free plan and try out the first week of training. Trust me—it’s easy to get hooked. !
The Voice’s news editor learns to ride a bike
BY AUBREY BUTTERFIELD | DESIGN BY PAIGE BENISH
I can’t ride a bike.
I have gone 19 fulfilling years without ever sitting on those painfully uncomfortable seats and pedaling my little legs off. I mean, why would I? I have a driver’s license (that I admittedly did earn a year late) and two fully-functioning legs (though I am known for my chronic knee problems).
For most of my life, I could not imagine a world in which I would ever need to learn this basic skill. Then I moved to Georgetown.
After a year of walking to the monuments, Trader Joe’s, and tackling the longest ever recorded distance traveled by foot—Arrupe Hall to Car Barn—I’m starting to think there might be a point in biking. So I’m giving it a try.
When I was a kid, my younger brother and I did have some pretty gnarly bikes (mine was Barbie, and his was… orange. Boy-themed, I guess?). My dad tried to teach us, with a 50/50 success rate.
I’m pretty easily frustrated, and I hated it when my brother beat me at anything. So when he got his training wheels off, I gave up my Barbie bike and vowed to never learn.
Until this week.
Now, when I confess that I can’t ride a bike, suddenly everyone turns into Lance Armstrong (Editor’s note: Aubrey originally wrote Neil Armstrong, an error perfectly showcasing her lack of biking knowledge). “Let me teach you! Let me teach you!” my classmates chant, begging to hold the seat and push me towards victory. I adamantly refused until Voice social media editor Phoebe Nash offered.
Phoebe and I have been through it all. From organizing one-of-a-kind soirées to spending three months trying to define “metanarrative,” and even holding up a large poster board reading “SEX!” in the middle of Red Square (for the Voice, per usual), you could say we’re traumabonded. When Phoebe excitedly offered to teach me, I agreed.
This week, Phoebe and I made our way to the Capital Bikeshare rack to pick up my new ride. Accompanied by proud Capital Bikes membership holder and Voice features editor Chih-Rong Kuo, we were off to start practicing. My goal? Three pedals, solo.
As any normal and sane person would, I first asked my peers for tips. Advice included going downhill, learning the brakes early, and having confidence. The most inspiring came from someone in the newsroom, who told me that I am the bike.
“It comes down to you,” a colleague said. “You can’t give up.”
Therefore, I approached this journey with entirely too much confidence. Working on a rolled ankle and a dream, I was off to the races for roughly two seconds.
My first biggest issue, shockingly, was the element I felt best about: balancing. As a semi-competitive dancer and cheerleader, I was pretty confident I could balance.
“Do I have scoliosis?” I asked Chih, who pointed out my incredibly askew hips on the seat.
Phoebe suggested I overcorrect, which produced mixed results. Time after time, I fell to the side. I even failed to balance the bike enough to get off, leaving me on the ground in my bike-dug grave.
After some practice, simply sitting on the bike and a few more attempts on the sidewalk, we moved to a surprisingly busy back alley. With the helping hands of Phoebe and Chih, I made some movement forward and had some very basic gliding down.
Eventually, the advice I had been hoping to ignore was too obvious. I had to “just go for it.”
As it turns out, I’m not very good at going for it. I’m a nervous person and am constantly worried about injury (take a guess on why I’m no longer a cheerleader). With Phoebe’s undying support, however, I was starting to secure at least one pedal solo.
After hitting a mental block following some pretty rough attempts, I decided to phone the man who knows my bikerelated failures the best: my dad.
My dad was not fazed by his 19-yearold daughter calling him at 6 p.m. on a Monday about her inability to ride a bike. He offered some valuable tips.
“You just gotta keep pedaling,” he said, as though I hadn’t been attempting this for the last thirty minutes (in his defense, he knows my weaknesses, one of which does happen to be pedaling).
He added the novel idea that I should turn towards the way I was tilting, as opposed to the opposite.
Holding the back of the seat, Phoebe ran with me as I began to straighten. As she let go, I accomplished a total of three pedals before unintentionally turning into a driveway. She jumped and cheered, I screamed; the task had been achieved.
With Chih’s Capital Bikes timer quickly running low, an embarrassingly high number of people now perceiving me from their windows, and multiple rat sightings, we headed back to the rack.
Despite my challenges, I had a pretty fun adventure. I thanked Phoebe for her support and athleticism (she really was running alongside me) and returned to the safety of my bike-free home.
Did I learn to ride a bike? Technically, no. Will I try again? Unsure. Am I proud of myself? Oddly, yes. I faced my fear of trying and improved along the way.
Attempting a skill notoriously mastered in youth can be intimidating, but I’m reminded that failure is normal and failure is good. Leading up to my trial, I ran into plenty of Hoyas who also could not ride a bike. If I were great at biking, I would’ve missed out on the hilarious stories, connection with my dad, and vulnerable friendship-building I experienced in my quest to learn.
Next time I go to Trader Joe’s, though, I’m walking.
