Over fall break I reread The Rules do not Apply by Ariel Levy. It’s an honest and unflinching memoir that recounts the author’s journey through love, loss, lessons learned and eventually starting over. It was especially poignant as thoughts about my college career coming to an end in December began to surface with fall break no longer providing a buffer between me and my impending entrance into the adult world. Levy writes about a particular conversation she had when interviewing someone for a story. “Everybody doesn’t get everything,” she was told, and it stuck with her. “It sounded depressing to...

By Katie Hurst • October 26, 2017 • Features

hey. so it’s international day of the girl here. so. I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you. I am stronger because of you. This was part of a longer message I received on Tuesday from one of my closest friends who is currently studying abroad. I replied with something to the effect of: omg same ilysm omg xoxoxoxo miss you luv you because I feel exactly the same way about her. My close friends are some of the most sacred individuals in my life; I hear their stories and they hear mine. This week, Abby King...

By Katie Hurst • October 12, 2017 • Features

I’ve been experiencing what one could only call an existential crisis, and fortunately for me/unfortunately for you, Katie Hurst has given me the opportunity to write all about it in this week’s editorial. I’m not one to really question life too much; I’m here, I exist – there’s not too much more to it. However, about a week ago I finished “A Tale for the Time Being” by Ruth Ozeki and, ever since then, I can’t seem to wrap my head around the concept of time well spent. I’m not going to go into the book too much because it’s...

By Abby King • October 5, 2017 • Features

This weekend I read through my SST journals from my semester in Perú last year. I found an entry from exactly a year ago, September 28. My journal reads: “Last night after dinner I sat at the table and talked with my mom for a couple hours. I didn’t do the readings because it was so much work to try and get upstairs just to get my book to bring it back downstairs and read with my sisters. We had a great conversation that I would have missed out on if I didn’t have a cast on my leg right...

By Katie Hurst • September 28, 2017 • Features

This issue of the Record features a lot of new writers who submitted work from several different upper-level communication courses. Not only am I extremely excited to share their pieces, but I’m also thrilled to increase the number and variety of writers in these pages. But, I’ll be the first to admit that I like to work independently. I don’t like checking in with people and I’ve always disliked group projects. I can do it faster if I just do it myself is my usual response. Well, turns out the Record is basically a massive, semester-long group project. Who knew....

By Katie Hurst • September 21, 2017 • Features

I went on a 15-minute run Monday night and by the time I finished, I had seen: a teacher from my high school, someone else I know well from around town, and my dad, driving three of my cousins home from school. I have hundreds of run-in stories, some more awkward than others. When I was in eighth grade, I swore I was leaving Goshen as soon as possible after high school graduation. I vowed I would be the one to break family tradition and not go to GC; I would move far, far away to a town where no...

By Katie Hurst • September 14, 2017 • Features

On Tuesday, I sat down ready to write a cute little introductory editorial for my first column as editor-in-chief of the Record. It was going to be full of light-hearted and witty quotes about my summer and the beginning of my last semester on campus, about how much I love GC and how fun of an editor I’m planning on being. It was going to be a really fantastic, ground-breaking, state-of-the-art editorial, obviously. And all about me. But then I opened Facebook and saw the headline: “Trump moves to end DACA and calls on Congress to act.” What am I...

By Katie Hurst • September 7, 2017 • Features

As cliché as it sounds, I simply cannot believe that my time with the Record and with Goshen College is coming to a close. This is the last issue of the semester and sitting down to write my last editorial is harder than I thought it would be. This semester has been tough, with unexpected obstacles thrown my way. The final months of your college career are a very weird time; you’re more confident in your abilities and leadership roles on campus, yet you’re scared that employers won’t see anything in you. You’re desperately trying to plan for the future...

By Maddie Birky • April 13, 2017 • Features

This past weekend, I was blessed to be able to travel with my grandmother to the small town of Orrville, Ohio: the town my grandmother lived in for over 30 years, the town my mother was raised in and the town that is home to Smucker’s jams and jellies. We decided to make the trek there to help my wonderful cousin prepare for her baby shower. Every time we visit family in Ohio, the majority of our time is spent listening to the many escapades and adventures my grandmother and her two younger sisters had together. The three grew up...

By Maddie Birky • April 6, 2017 • Features

I want to start this editorial by thanking everyone who reached out to me in response to my editorial last week. Whether it was by letter, email, texts or in person, the support and love that I’ve felt was worth the risk of vulnerability. I’m so grateful for this community and how we lift each other up through our best and worst times. As I’m nearing the end of my college career (less than five weeks now), I’m beginning to think more about the different types of faith community Goshen has given me over the years. I grew up in...

By Maddie Birky • March 30, 2017 • Features

I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression, if not uttered the words yourself: “There just aren’t enough hours in the day!” I get it. I’ve said it. I know the reality of waking up barely in time for your 9 o’clock class with the list of all the things you plan/need to get done that day, and going to bed late that evening disappointed with how little you accomplished. We all deal with this to varying degrees, at different stages of life and that’s okay. What’s not okay is not making time to practice self-care, especially when you have any...

By Maddie Birky • March 23, 2017 • Features

“I want people to be seen. I want them to feel less alone.” Viola Davis recently said this when commenting on her goals as an actor. It struck me because that is exactly why I decided to participate in Goshen Monologues. This past Saturday, a group of women, including myself, stood on stage at College Mennonite Church and shared stories of violence, abuse, pain and joy of the women and nonbinary people of this community. I’ve had many different experiences with Goshen Monologues. Its first year was also my first year at college, and I sat in Umble Center surrounded...

By Maddie Birky • March 16, 2017 • Features

As many of you know, yesterday was International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives and acknowledge all the work women put in every day without fail. I spent most of yesterday thinking about my host mothers in Nicaragua. They are two of the hardest working women I’ve ever met, one a teacher and the other a preacher. One thoughtfully quiet and one joyfully loud, but both supportive people who put the care of others first. My time during SST was filled with ups and downs, but what helped me through each and every day...

By Maddie Birky • March 9, 2017 • Features

he way we tell stories is changing. Believe me, I know that writing and verbal storytelling will never go out of style. But with modern technological developments, television shows are becoming even more popular and creative. Cutting-edge television is emerging from unlikely places, not just the standard network offerings. Netflix is just one of many homes for great television shows. I love Netflix. It’s not just its seemingly endless supply of movies, shows and documentaries, or the way it shows me it cares by checking in on me when I’ve been watching a show for just a little bit too...

By Maddie Birky • February 23, 2017 • Features

There’s a sales tax exemption for treating erectile dysfunction in Wisconsin. The same can’t be said for feminine hygiene products. This just doesn’t seem right. Although it may not seem like a problem here in Goshen, low-income and homeless women of all ages do not have the resources to pay for both lunch and feminine products for the week of their periods. No woman should have to choose. According to the Huffington Post, 70 percent of women use tampons. The average cost per package of tampons is $7.62, with the average annual cost being $90. Unlike toilet paper—which is found...

By Maddie Birky • February 16, 2017 • Features