Northwestern’s spring quarter officially kicks off this Monday, and while NU has yet to officially decide about whether classes will be online for the entirety of the quarter until mid-June, all signs point toward a full quarter of remote work. To boil that down — my physical freshman year, my year of living in Evanston, … Continue reading Nostalgia Blast: Growing Up Riker
I’d be hard-pressed to find two NFL teams that had different trajectories this season than the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys. They also happen to be my favorite teams. As Baltimore established itself as the best team in the NFL and unbelievably fun to watch, the Cowboys became the most excruciating. For every … Continue reading A Tale of Two Teams
A couple of Saturdays ago, I tuned in to one of the greatest rivalries in sports, the Iron Bowl, an annual battle between Auburn and Alabama (often for SEC supremacy). The game didn’t let me down, as each quarter was packed to the brim with exciting moments and breathtaking plays I’d never seen before … Continue reading The Ten Greatest Sports Games I’ve Ever Seen
Before I head off to the next chapter of my life at Northwestern University, I want to take a trip back down memory lane with the Nostalgia Blast series. Each column will focus on a certain part of my childhood and explain how it made my last 17 years so unique and fun. Today I’ll … Continue reading Nostalgia Blast: The Tech Wiz
Before I head off to the next chapter of my life at Northwestern University, I want to take a trip back down memory lane with the Nostalgia Blast series. Each column will focus on a certain part of my childhood and explain how it made my last 17 years so unique and fun. Kicking things … Continue reading Nostalgia Blast: Number One Fan
Back in elementary school, I frequently read a book about the Baltimore Ravens and one line always stood out. In discussing Baltimore’s tradition of stifling defenses, it described the Ravens’ unit as something to the effect of “tougher a brick wall” and “stingier than cobwebs.” I saw those imposing Ravens defenses for four glorious years … Continue reading Ed Reed: Pick-six king enshrined in Canton
Nicky G. Bum Squad. Oh We Rollin. The following article is an oral history of the Braintrust Productions (a.k.a. Wootton XC videos) and their impact on all those involved over the memorable span of three years and six films. Each section (with the exception of the conclusion) contains a YouTube link to the corresponding video. … Continue reading Oral History: Behind the Scenes of Braintrust Productions
In most stories, there is a pit so deep that the protagonist of the story sees all hope as being lost. My college process was no different. And on one February evening, I had reached the exact point that I made it my goal to avoid. Yet there I was, late at night, on the … Continue reading Organized Chaos: My Wild College Application Experience in 12 Stages
The following column was published in Wootton's Common Sense newspaper as the final in the Varsity Letter series. The most impactful moment of my high school athletic career came in the least likely of places and the least extraordinary of days. After a nondescript road run for track practice during my junior year, all of … Continue reading Varsity Letter: Swan Song
Note: This is a spoiler-free review. In a recent interview with MTV that I saw on YouTube, Jordan Peele, the director of the horror film Us, was posed the question of whether he’s received any offers to direct movies for popular franchises. His response was perfect. “I did get a lot of amazing opportunities. In … Continue reading Us provides audiences doses of thrill, imagination, and reality
