We, the Phoenix Opinions section, are proud to debut Swat Says. In this weekly column, we will talk with students around campus who might otherwise not want to write full opinion articles and record highlights from their responses here. For our first issue, we are focusing on a number of different topics, from advice to campus gossip to current events.
What are your thoughts about the first couple of weeks back from break, on or off of campus?
Rowan Orlijan-Rhyne ’25: “This week in particular, it seems like people are being hit with the first wave of work and are getting into the rhythms that we’ll get into during the semester. Personally, this week has been a fair amount of work, but I know I’ll get used to it. I think people are generally excited for this semester. I was, post-break.”
Bidhata Pathak ’27: “I’m going to be attending a lecture by the Vice Chair of the Federal Reserve, which should be fun. I’m actually starting a chapter of a club that was started at Harvard. It’s called Women Who Venture, and it’s for women in startups. So I might be hosting events myself.”
Sam Marco ’26: “I’m a Commanders fan; I’m from Virginia, but [the game last week] was not something I was too surprised by. I thought the Eagles matched up really well with the Commanders. I knew Saquon was gonna torch us if Jameer Gibbs, who’s also a great back, did. So I wasn’t too surprised by it – we overachieved like crazy for the season. But I don’t really have a dog in the fight for the Super Bowl.”
Have you noticed any changes on campus given recent political developments and the election of Donald Trump?
Bidhata Pathak ’27: “I would say not many. I’m not American, and I do see, especially after the election, there’s not anxiety, but an unknown about what’s going to happen. And, there’s a sort of anxiety amongst international students [as well].”
Rowan Orlijan-Rhyne ’25: “I feel like in many circles, politics is not something that’s at the forefront of people’s conversations. I don’t know if people shy away from it, or if it’s just that our lives are busy and there’s plenty to talk about in the social sphere and the academic sphere, so the conversation remains in this Swarthmore bubble. If we don’t want to talk about the bad things that the Trump administration is doing, then it’s hard to bring that burden on the table and stuff like that. So I feel like I haven’t been part of many conversations about the Trump administration, but maybe we’re all just separately depressed.”
Eve Umutoni ’28: “I think definitely it’s more a conversation for people who are worried about what these policies will mean for them. It’s a lot. As an international student you might be worried. As a student who is here, even if you have papers, but you look a certain way, or your family’s from an immigrant family, then also you think of how it affects you and especially in a system where racism is a big thing. It’s also, ‘Who am I going to be viewed as, now that the leader who’s there is an issue.’ So, you see, it has brought up conversations among people who are worried, and I think it’s been interesting to see how politics work in an environment that is diverse, but politically that has a place they lean on.”
Sam Marco ‘26: “In terms of political blowback, I haven’t noticed anything too major. I feel like most of that stuff gets played up in the media. I think you see the worst of what college campuses have sometimes and, obviously a lot of people including myself weren’t happy with the results, but I think for the most part we’ve handled it in a mature and measured way.”
After having had a semester to get to know the new Sharples Commons, Essie’s, and Crumb Cafe, what are your thoughts on these changes?
Rowan Orlijan-Rhyne ’25: “I think the food is better, but one big thing is that a lot of people are disappointed that Crumb has kind of lost its character. The space that it occupies is not really, totally how it was…I used to go there on occasion. Now I don’t really go. But I also feel for the loss of the Crumb character, even though I wouldn’t have been going there much anyway.”
Eve Umutoni ’28: “I feel like most people told me that the food doesn’t taste as good anymore, especially Essie’s, which is sad. It is honestly my favorite cafe, but sometimes it just depends on who does your order. I like Crumb. They’re really nice, and they make amazing food. I honestly love that. And I think when I see pictures of people in the old Essie Mae’s, I would prefer that one, with the spirit, the chairs, and everything.”
Sam Marco ’26: “The dining center is much better than the old one [Sharples], by far. It’s all nostalgia even if someone tells you it’s not…They order everything from a company so the grill and everything has either stayed the same or just gotten better. And it’s honestly improved over the last few years as well…I liked old Essie’s better, especially because you were able to use a meal swipe in the afternoon. I would say I went to Essie’s infinitely more when it was in Clothier. But as a convenience store it’s really nice – honestly everything in that Commons area is really great and well-built.”
Advice for other students
Bidhata Pathak ’27: “I think some advice for freshmen would be to not overcommit. I’m overcommitting right now, but I have experience with failing by over-committing as a freshman. I think you should chill and not take too many classes and not do so many things…I read somewhere, I think it was in The Phoenix or somewhere, that at Swat you have to choose two out of friends and sleep and grades. So, uh, yeah, this is true.”
Eve Umutoni ’28: “Yeah, I feel like everyone should take a course with Amanda Licastro. She teaches an English course called ‘Virtual Bodies, Virtual Words.’ And it’s basically studying science fiction, and you get to use cool VR headsets.”
