Who Asked You: Magazines, Resident Assistant applications, Valentine’s Day traditions

Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, Alice Oh, and Isabella Jacob

February 15, 2025

The Daily Northwestern · Who Asked You: Magazines, Resident Assistant applications, Valentine’s Day traditions

In this episode, The Daily reports on hot takes of the week, top Opinion stories of the past two weeks along with other op-ed and contributing pieces that we received. The Daily explores the purpose of magazines, the process for becoming a Resident Assistant and Valentine’s Day.

SHUN GRAVES: My hot take is that Taco Bell is the greatest restaurant in Evanston. Nobody has seen anything like it. You step in that place, and freedom — you can smell it. It’s so great.

JAKE EPSTEIN: My hot take is that Rachel Clark is the best lacrosse player in the country. I mean, just look at the numbers, look at what she’s doing in that Boston College attack. She’s going to cause a lot of problems for this Northwestern defense Saturday. But, I think Rachel Clark is going to win the Tewaaraton because she is a phenomenal player that transferred out of UVA from a few years back. She’s ready to take her game to a new level. She’s part of the reason why BC won that national title last year, and she’s going to lead them to another national title this season.

DANNY O’GRADY: My hot take is that I think David Braun is the greatest coach of all time because he took this team that was coming off of a terrible hazing scandal, took us to a bowl game, and he won it. He took this team, he turned it around. He’s a program builder.

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ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: You just heard hot takes from City Editor Shun Graves, Features Editor Jake Epstein and Design Editor Danny O’Grady.

From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez.

ALICE OH: And I’m Alice Oh. We’re so back. This is Who Asked You?, a podcast capturing opinions on the issues that matter to us and you.

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: Hey, hey, hey! This is Episode Three! We have a lot to talk about this week, and I hope that you are ready to listen and join us. So, let’s get started, shall we?

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ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: On Feb. 3, Op-ed Contributor Allen You began a three-part column that criticizes NU’s magazines. From the purpose of a magazine to the design layout, You has a lot of thoughts when it comes to this form of journalism.

ALICE OH: Personally, I’m curious about Allen’s history and experience in magazine design. How do we know his judgments on magazine design are educated? In short, how do we know that he knows what he’s talking about? I understand where he’s coming from, and maybe they’re valid concerns about the quality of Northwestern’s magazines, but I want to know what concrete suggestions he has to replace the problem points he’s critiquing.

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: You know, for me, at least, I am one of the biggest magazine enthusiasts, probably on campus. I enjoy reading through a magazine because they have a lot of artistic expression, which I feel like is not captured through digital newspapers or, just in general, any other form of journalism. But I feel like with magazines on campus, they have a very special part in the sort of way that we as students and student journalists write magazines and how we consume journalistic content.

And for me personally, I’m the Social Media Editor and Digital Managing Editor of STITCH magazine, which is NU’s premier fashion magazine. And I’m going to be very honest, when I read this first part, I was a little bit offended because I just know the process of what it’s like to design a magazine. I know what needs to be done, the amount of time and dedication that is put into these sort of projects and, obviously, these magazines. But, like you mentioned, I’m just curious to see what his experience is with InDesign or just that sort of layout that does take place within magazines of this work.

ALICE OH: I think if he established a little bit of credibility in his piece, I’d be more receptive to hearing his takes and seeing he’s actually suggesting something that’s valuable to the conversation. But I think we don’t know exactly where he’s coming from, so until we have that level of credibility. He talks specifically about nuAZN and CRUSH, and I think those are great magazines, and so I just want to know the specifics of where he’s coming from, and what exactly he wants to see improved in those pieces.

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ALICE OH: My piece for this week was a piece on the reality of the RA selection process, RA being Resident Assistant. And basically, in my piece, I outline the inequities and inadequacies of the application process and also the admissions process.

You know, there are a lot of different people applying from different backgrounds, different perspectives. But I do see a little bit of disconnect in the things that they’re saying as they’re applying versus who’s accepted. And I wish that Residential Services would just be clear on what criteria they’re looking for and why and why not some applicants are rejected or admitted.

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: Well, first off, Alice, I just want to applaud you for your input on this. Obviously, you are currently in that sort of position, which it’s obviously something that’s not, you know, looked upon to talk about the realities of these sort of things. But I feel like it’s very important, especially during a time where the RA application process is still going on, and there’s so many students on campus that do want this sort of position, whether if it’s to have less financial worries or, just in general, stay more connected with the campus community and culture. I just feel like there (are) some things in this admissions process that can be changed and should be changed because it doesn’t necessarily reflect a great amount of the student body.

And just, in general, it’s just to ensure that students are building meaningful connections with newer students on campus. And just, in general, being that sort of like shoulder to cry on, and that support that most first-year students need when they are adjusting to NU.

ALICE OH: I want to add, when I was applying, I was a freshman, so my housing for sophomore year was like, “Even if I don’t get the position, I’ll get a dorm room,” right? So it’s guaranteed housing, you know, any which way that it would go. But, for my sophomore friends who are applying this year, it’s like, “Wait, if I don’t get the position, then how am I going to find housing in mid-March?” And they have no idea where things are going to go.

So I think just empathy, looking at their application process and seeing how concerned they are for their future. You know, this is an important decision and the financial aspect as well. And I think things can definitely be changed. Applications could be started earlier, interviews could be moved earlier, and then the status notifications could be let out earlier. I just think that everything could be shifted earlier. And that’s not a difficult thing to change, at least from what I know. So, definitely an issue that I wanted to bring up.

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: And I feel like something that’s very important in this piece is talking about the housing fairs that NU does host, and just in general, how they hosted one at the end of January, and that supposedly these sort of events are for all students on campus, but when you look towards this more specific students that are applying for these RA positions, it’s still a great resource.

But like you said, moving it a little bit earlier, or probably having like, two to three of these info sessions for students that are in this sort of process would be great just in general because, like you mentioned, most people are trying to find housing as early as their freshman spring. I had so many friends already start apartment searching, and it wasn’t even Dillo Day, and I was like, “Okay.”

And even for me, as someone who didn’t even consider the RA process, it was still a lot to navigate the space of off campus housing. And just in general, finding a place, making sure everything’s all right, making sure the paperwork and the lease is signed and then the deposit. It’s a lot of things. And just, in general, I don’t know how people that are in this process right now are handling that, because I just feel like it’s either you have to make sure that you are fully decided if you want to be an RA for your junior year, or you’ve got to have your off campus housing. So you have to balance it out, and you can’t have both at the same time, which is crazy, in my opinion, but it’s just like things need to be changed for sure.

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ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: Opinion Contributor Sylvie Slotkin published her first column titled “Communal Shower Thoughts.” Her second piece discusses her experience with Valentine’s Day, receiving gifts from her parents and why this tradition matters to her dearly.

ALICE OH: What an adorable piece! I’ve definitely had similar reflections since getting to college: long-term friendships and familial ties run deep in comparison to temporary flings you find on campus.

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: Personally, for me, when I read this column, I was just so intrigued that this tradition of receiving Valentines from your parents is not just something that’s familiar to me. Ever since I was growing up, my mom would always give me, my brother and my sister little sweetheart Valentine’s candies and a little teddy bear, and it was with little cute post-it notes. And it was very fun. And I still had, like, some of those gifts back home. So just seeing this brought a smile to my face, and it was just a little bit nostalgic.

But as you start growing up, and especially within your college days, you kind of just don’t embrace that anymore, which is sad, but there’s just too much going on. It would be nice to, you know, do little stuff with your friends, like Galentines and stuff like that, but bringing that sort of little tradition back would be cool. It doesn’t even have to be with your family. It could be your friends, colleagues, you know, just anyone in general that you surround yourself with, especially at a place like NU.

ALICE OH: I definitely see a lot of emphasis on romantic relationships. And, you know, Valentine’s Day is like exclusively that type of stuff. And I’d really wanted to see more friendly, platonic or even family traditions like that. I remember last year, my dad got me a Chick-fil-A gift card on Valentine’s Day, and it was so sweet. But I think it’s definitely worth thinking back to your family and your past traditions instead of always looking to the future.

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ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: Here are the other opinions from the last two weeks:

Fourth Wall: The consequence of our collective addiction by Opinion Contributor Aidan Klineman

Letter to the Editor: A response to Hackney from an Evanston resident by Op-ed Contributor Betsy Wilson

You: Why Magazine Now? by Op-ed Contributor Allen You

Oh: South Korea’s very own Donald Trump by Assistant Opinion Editor Alice Oh

Hernandez Gonzalez: America can’t face the truth by Opinion Editor Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez

Communal Shower Thoughts: The Sylvie Show by Opinion Contributor Sylvie Slotkin

Hackney: It’s time to turn tables on the GOP by Op-Ed Contributor Stephen Hackney

Bernstein: As a Jewish student, the executive order on antisemitism doesn’t speak for me by Op-ed Contributor Gabi Bernstein

Fourth Wall: We cannot afford to lose our empathy by Opinion Contributor Aidan Klineman

Waldman: NUs liberal students push back on DEI orthodoxy by Op-ed Contributor Kevin Waldman

Hernandez Gonzalez: Spontaneity is the best trait in life by Opinion Editor Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez

Best Guess: Surviving Valentine’s Day by Opinion Contributor Mika Ellison

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ALICE OH: Do you have a hot take? Send it to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com with the subject line “Hot Take” along with your detailed hot take to be featured in the next episode.

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: From The Daily Northwestern, I’m Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez.

ALICE OH: And I’m Alice Oh. Thanks for listening to another episode of Who Asked You?

ALEXANDER HERNANDEZ GONZALEZ: This episode was reported by Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez and Alice Oh and produced by Izzie Jacob.

The Audio Editor is Anavi Prakash. The Multimedia Managing Editors are Kelley Lu and Jillian Moore. The Editor in Chief is Lily Ogburn.

Our theme music is “Thoughts” by KaizanBlu, used under a Creative Commons 4.0 International license and provided by the Free Music Archive.

Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez is a Medill sophomore. He can be contacted at alexanderhernandez-gonzalez2027@u.northwestern.edu. Alice Oh is a Medill and Bienen sophomore. She can be contacted at aliceoh2027@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this opinion episode, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.