Throughout the years of education at my international school, the realization that I should delve into Taiwanese history had never once crossed my mind. I only paid attention to studying American history, as I believed that by doing so, I would gain more academic benefits as an Advanced Placement (AP) student, which in turn caused me to ignore half of my identity. 

It was not until last fall when I moved to the U.S. that my interest in self-identification perked. For the first time, I became intrigued by learning about the history of the country that I was born and raised in. During the first few months of college when I was extremely homesick, I decided to read “Green Island,” which follows a Taiwanese woman who navigates a difficult period of censorship and blurred identity during martial law in both Taiwan and the U.S., to gain a sense of nostalgia. 

However, after reading the book, it dawned on me that I knew none of the details about my country’s past. Through stories that elder members of my family told, I was aware of the four decade long martial law, but I did not fully acknowledge the long-lasting effects these violent and censorship-filled events had on Taiwanese society. 

Looking back at my lack of knowledge of Taiwanese history, I was appalled by how little I knew: how could I ignore Taiwan’s history when I lived there for nearly two decades? Especially while I understood so much about European and American histories? This was something I could not fathom. As someone who recognizes herself as Taiwanese-American and is extremely insistent on emphasizing her Taiwanese identity, I realized that the lack of knowledge of my own country’s past left me unable to fully accept my identity as a Taiwanese, since my beliefs and knowledge were antithetical to one another. 

My high school back in Taiwan only provided one Asian history course, exhibiting how American and Eurocentric biases have infiltrated the educational system. Even so, looking back, I feel that there is an erasure of history as I find it difficult to access information online. I believe that the education system can better encapsulate these historical events in classes, raising awareness of the lessons that the younger generation can take from the past. 

Even though I was never exposed to history courses regarding Taiwan’s history, my internal acceptance of simply being ignorant of my country’s history was impermissible. If I truly wanted to embody being Taiwanese, it was my responsibility to educate myself on the long-lasting societal consequences of events in Taiwanese history. In doing so, I could foster a sense of compassion towards marginalized groups in those situations and recognize their contributions that have transformed the nation. 

There are distinctly human differences in identity, which is what makes humanity so diverse. It is imperative that we each acknowledge our own culture’s history to be able to shape who we are. I aim to no longer live a life laced with ignorance; instead, I hope to work towards truly understanding how these past events have shaped Taiwan’s society and culture. I have been reaching out to older family members for stories, reading more books, and watching historical films that encapsulate the hardships of censorship in Taiwanese history. By doing so, we gain the ability to interact and to communicate with one another, as well as to create bridges for understanding to further enrich our worldviews.

The changes, which were placed into effect on Dec. 31, 2023, aim to create a simplified version of the form for applicants and their families. Other changes include the Student Aid Index (SAI) replacing Estimated Family Contribution, higher security when transferring information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), an increase in Pell eligibility overall, and siblings who are also in college no longer counted in the new SAI. 

“There are also changes to FAFSA terminology and definitions, such as replacing “custodial parent” with  “contributor,” Director of Student Financial Services Bonnie Quinn said. 

Recent changes to the FAFSA are part of a set of changes to streamline the financial aid process. The most significant update since the Reagan administration, the new FAFSA will award Pell Grants to more students than ever, have fewer questions with the application being available in more languages, and will allow students to apply for aid at more schools. 

“These changes are intended to make the process easier and lower barriers for students, especially those from low-income communities who may not have completed the form due to complications in previous years,” Dean of Admission and Financial Aid T. Peaches Valdes said. 

However, many students and families struggled with the newly implemented changes

“The launch of the new FAFSA did not go as smoothly as planned and colleges and universities are navigating these challenges,” Quinn said. “However, students will not be negatively impacted and schools, like Wellesley, are working hard to ensure that there is no disruption to the student experience.” 

Because the new changes were enacted at the end of the year rather than the deadline for early-decision and early-action application rounds, which are usually on Nov. 1, students believe that it creates uncertainty. 

“The change puts financial stress on low-income students who are dependent on regular access to payment dues in order to know if they can afford the following school year,” Shadia Suha ’27 said. 

Uncertainty around how changes in families’ employment status have also put pressure on students who may be navigating the process of financial aid on their own. Students may not have the information regarding employment changes in their family between now and the last time they filled out the FAFSA, and newer changes further exacerbate uncertainty around how much aid they’ll receive. 

Talulah Juniper ’27 furthered that “I did [the financial aid process] more on my own this year which was hard because I don’t have the information needed. Our employment status is also different this year.”

Furthermore, the new FAFSA is set to get rid of the “sibling discount,” which took into account the number of children a family had in college at a given time. The new calculation will not consider siblings in college, increasing the cost of attendance for families with multiple children attending college at once. 

Juniper, who has a sister also enrolled in college, mentioned that this change has made the process more confusing for their family. 

“It’s complicated with my sister because she is largely financially dependent on my parents but we can’t claim her as a dependent anymore,” they said. “They pay for her schooling and everything but now, even on top of the massive payments they’re making to Wellesley, FAFSA only sees them as paying for one child’s education.”

The new FAFSA application represents an overhaul in the system of financial aid in the world of higher education. However, the delays along the way as well as the lack of information have left students confused and seeking answers. The impacts will be felt by students in terms of whether or not they will receive aid and if so, how much. 

“The changes make me feel somewhat hopeless about the process because they can continue to make it harder for students like me to get aid but that doesn’t change that we need the aid,” Juniper said. 

However, my hand hit the bare bathroom wall: The dispenser was not attached to the bathroom wall; as a matter of fact, it did not exist in the bathroom.

As a school that aims to foster a safe, comfortable environment for its students, it makes sense for Wellesley to have free sanitary products dispensers stationed in every single bathroom on campus to ensure the comfort of students. Despite some restrooms on campus providing free sanitary pads and tampons for students to use, the lack of these dispensers in every bathroom, especially in the renovated buildings, is alarming.

While there are a couple of dispensers in the bathrooms, they require quarters, which most students don’t carry around with them, to get the product. The school should station free menstrual products dispensers in every single bathroom on campus to improve the physical health and well-being of students. By installing free dispensers, students won’t have to carry quarters to get a pad or tampon. The scarcity of these products in the bathrooms cause students to stress out about obtaining them. Some students are not as comfortable in bringing up the topic of periods, preventing them from asking around for a pad or tampon. Students may face other obstacles, including not having enough time to buy sanitary products or even run back to their dorm to grab a pad. These situations propel students into distraction as they become more focused on finding available sanitary products. This will cause students to lose concentration in their classes or even miss their classes, negatively affecting their academic performance.

Additionally, the institution should supply free, biodegradable menstrual items for students to ensure sustainability on campus. Around 28,114 tons of waste is generated annually by unsustainable menstrual products. The College has already taken steps to improve sustainability by eliminating paper towels in the dorm bathrooms. Wellesley should continue these efforts by providing period products that are more eco-friendly to continue committing to the plans to curate a sustainable environment on campus.

Despite menstrual health seemingly being normalized by the community, constantly rushing into the bathroom when we run out of pads just to find out that the school does not provide free menstrual amenities makes us feel that the institution does not provide for our needs. Through providing amenities for menstrual products, the school can motivate us to have open conversations with one another regarding menstrual health by supporting the students’ well-being with these availability.

Ultimately, students should have access to free menstrual hygiene products in every single residential hall bathroom. We do not choose to face menstruation every month: these products are a necessity and should be available for students to use.

Driven by consumerism, big corporate companies utilize autumn to profit by heavily marketing products that represent fall. However, this profiting has inflated over the years, curating a flawed system where we have become susceptible towards advertising. 

The most infamous example of fall-themed marketing is the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks. Launched in 2003, the popularity of the flavor has since surged to the point where grocery shops and supermarkets have started selling pumpkin spice flavored gum, crackers and yogurt. 

The pumpkin spice flavor has created a phenomenon in which celebrating fall no longer includes enjoying pumpkin desserts as a commemoration of the season, but has now been minimized to the artificial flavor that plagues every food and beverage item. Fall has become a “brand.” Consuming pumpkin spice products has become more significant than actually appreciating the season, and we have fallen into this trap. The commercialization of this flavor leads to us associating the change of the season with a product rather than valuing the transition. 

The fall “trends” have also infiltrated fashion and the home decor industry.  “Christian Girl Autumn,” which was initially used to criticize influencers who obsess over fall, has become an annual sensation in which influencers glamorize every aspect of fall for viewership and profit. Many of us walk around dressed in autumn-themed clothing, which causes the misconception that it is necessary to dress in clothes befitting for fall to acknowledge the season. The spike in manufacturing a great number of clothing to promote the fall fashion catalog leads to unused pieces simply being thrown away by the end of the season, further perpetuating the already harmful system of fast fashion.

Although appreciating desserts, new outfits and home decorations can serve as a commemoration to the season, the commodification of autumn becomes inauthentic when people only value one way to appreciate fall. We as a society have begun purchasing products that are seemingly relevant to the season rather than participating in simple activities such as hiking and having family gatherings to truly celebrate the beauty of the changing nature.

Commodification also leads to issues of environmental sustainability. Decorations and goods are mass-produced and mostly cannot be reused, causing waste. Participating in autumn consumerism contradicts valuing the changing season as it encourages society to be wasteful.

Ultimately, while engaging in the “fall aesthetic,” such as grabbing a Pumpkin Spice Latte, can be fun during the season, it is essential to recognize that the commercialization of autumn serves as a detriment to our society. Let’s not lose sight of the true meaning of the season.