Ben’s Column: Renaissance Man
Ben sets his sights on new frontiers of the navel — and sometimes beyond. One professor of Renaissance art, visiting…
Category: The Grind
‘Curry & Pepper’: Tangerines
An enthusiastic and self-indulgent journal about my discovery of and infatuation with Hong Kong cinema. This summer I went back home…
‘Dear Diary’: LIMBS
This column combines the intimacy of a diary-like narrative with the writer’s own experiences of things little in life and…
New Sensations: Mourning for Zion
I feel frozen. Numb. Heartbroken. I want to cry, but no tears form. I want to scream, but no sound…
Diving below the surface: Dismantling duck syndrome and imposter syndrome
Buried beneath a mountain of academic and social pressure, students at Stanford often find themselves grappling with two unique mental…
The art of mindful writing: Calligraphy nurtures mental wellness
Amid the stress of juggling school, extracurriculars and relationships, a perhaps surprising — but scientifically endorsed — outlet is calligraphy,…
People I used to know
When I was in first grade, I had a friend from France. Her name was Sidonie. I don’t remember her…
A true “mastermind”: Unpacking 13 of Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” Easter eggs
On Aug. 9, 2023, Taylor Swift announced the release date of her re-recorded album “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” during the final…
‘Dear Boomer’: What should I even ask a boomer?
50 years ago, I rode my Kawasaki from Portola Valley onto campus, usually squeaking into class just on time. While much…
Why do I need to explain my writing?
Don’t publish that, Gheed! It’s too direct. Too specific. This bothers me. I write about romance, life and home because…