Ethan M. Capitano

Jan 14, 2025 | psucollegian.com | Ethan M. Capitano

I spent the majority of my winter break on a field ecology trip in Costa Rica. For two weeks, I spent my days on hikes looking for eyelash vipers and poison dart frogs, measuring tree buttresses and mosquito larvae in bromeliads and catching lizards to measure how long they played dead. In class presentations projected onto a white sheet and in candlelight, we presented our findings in slideshows — some with the bonus of a Spongebob theme or statistically supporting lizard-catching proficiency.

Dec 3, 2024 | psucollegian.com | Ethan M. Capitano

I don't mind the cold when I have a hand-me-down Woolrich jacket or thrifted wool pants, nor do I mind the early-set darkness when I have friends, a fire — whether a crackling pit or contemplative candle — and, most importantly, reflective music. Though I typically try to fend off its streaming until after Thanksgiving, I buckled down this year and played Christmas music early.

Nov 7, 2024 | psucollegian.com | Noah Aberegg |Ethan M. Capitano

“We will make America great again.”This was the thought running through tens of millions of Americans' heads as they voted for Donald Trump to be the 47th president of the United States. This dream became a reality early on Wednesday, as the Associated Press called the presidential race in favor of Trump. Swing state dominance from the Republican candidate and upsets in the U.S. Senate led to a Republican majority, as Trump became victorious with early morning wins in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Oct 29, 2024 | psucollegian.com | Ethan M. Capitano

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s own. They are not representative of The Daily Collegian or its board of editors. When I learned Donald Trump planned to visit State College for a rally in the Bryce Jordan Center last Saturday, I thought, “Lord, have mercy.”In a swing state and county, I feared the crowd he’d draw, his lies cleverly hidden behind rhetorical pandering and the almost inevitable bigotry he’d spread to students and members of Centre County.

Oct 21, 2024 | psucollegian.com | Ethan M. Capitano

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s own. They are not representative of The Daily Collegian or its board of editors. The Penn State Students for Justice In Palestine hosted a memorial for Gaza on Oct. 10 as part of its “One Year of Genocide For Gaza We Rise” week of action. However, due to the vandalization of the memorial, questions regarding the spread of Arab and Muslim hate on campus came to light. With the first anniversary of Hamas’ Oct.