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Laura Esposito

Laura Esposito is in the School of Arts and Sciences junior majoring in journalism and political science. Her column, "Unapologetically," runs on alternate Tuesdays.

ESPOSITO: Recollections from writing these past few years

I was 19 years old and sitting in Alexander Library on the College Avenue campus — pre-renovation — when I received an email that I had been chosen to become a columnist at The Daily Targum. I recall running outside to avoid being shushed and calling my parents to tell them the news. It was my first "journalism gig" and the beginning of everything I had ever wanted.Apr 22 2022

ESPOSITO: Will Smith controversy overshadows progress at Oscars

It was the slap heard around the world. I am sure, without any additional context, you already know what I am referencing. On March 27, at the long-awaited and postponed Oscars award show, Will Smith strode calmly onto the stage while Chris Rock was presenting the award for best documentary and slapped him across the face.Apr 5 2022

ESPOSITO: New shows bring much needed attention to pressing social issues

“This is an inspiring step forward,” Amanda Seyfried, portraying convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes, tells her subordinate, while all but forcing him to perform defective blood tests on terminally ill patients.Mar 22 2022

ESPOSITO: Internships, entry-level positions must account for workers' needs

In August of 2021, I received an email from a recruiting manager that I had always hoped for. It was an offer to intern that upcoming semester in New York City at a primetime TV show.Mar 1 2022

ESPOSITO: Internships must be made more accessible to all students

“When you know you are cut out for something and you know you are good enough for it but constantly are let down, it makes everything feel hopeless.” I had the opportunity to go out to grab a cup of coffee with a junior the other day. We talked for a while about the stellar GPA she has maintained, the extracurriculars she has pursued and how much she has accomplished even in the middle of the ongoing pandemic. Feb 15 2022

ESPOSITO: Differences in opinion do not extend to issues of morality, justice

“Would you marry a liberal?” As I waited in line for my Starbucks, that is the question I heard the girl in front of me ask her companion. They debated the question for several minutes before their order was ready. One girl decided she could “get past it,” while the other insisted she could not. Feb 1 2022

ESPOSITO: As competition increases on streaming services, more extreme content emerges

It has been quite a year to keep up with the changes in movies and TV. Since the beginning of the pandemic, society has moved away from movie theaters, which were once the pinnacle venue of the arts. Due to safety hazards and the closing of non-essential businesses, filmmakers had to seek alternate routes to release their movies to the public.Jan 18 2022

ESPOSITO: What I learned in college — plus advice for younger students

This article will come out at midnight on my 22nd birthday. I have been writing here at The Daily Targum for more than two years now, and as my second-to-last semester quickly wraps up, there are only so many opportunities for me to write to you left. Dec 10 2021

ESPOSITO: Make time to appreciate George Street

In the beginning of my college career, my world did not stretch past the College Avenue campus. It was where every one of my classes were. If I needed to print, I would walk to the Academic Building on the College Avenue campus. Nov 11 2021

ESPOSITO: Income does not determine worth

When I was in the seventh grade, I made a new friend, we can refer to her as Marielle. She was in my orchestra class. I played the violin and she played the cello. We sat next to each other while we played. Oct 29 2021

ESPOSITO: Rutgers must reopen libraries fully

Some of my favorite memories of pre-coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at Rutgers were spent at the library during finals week at the end of each semester. Yes, I am telling the truth. I would walk into the library on the Sunday before finals week and would not walk (or stagger) out with a sense of finality until the following weekend. And I was not the only one.Oct 15 2021

ESPOSITO: Instagram is not as safe as it seems, especially for young girls

Instagram Kids is Facebook's newest project that has shaken up terrified mothers and researchers alike. There are two sides to this initiative: Facebook, the parent of Instagram, has announced in recent months that they want to make a separate application, with more parental controls, so kids can use Instagram too but in a safer environment. This was met with mixed reviews, but no major controversy. Sep 30 2021

ESPOSITO: It is time for Rutgers to offer student workers more than minimum wage

I was 16 years old when I got my first nine-to-five summer job. I was a beach lifeguard. I sat on a tall wooden chair everyday with a constant fear that somebody would drown on my watch. The minimum wage at the time was $10 an hour, and that is exactly the wage I made. Sep 17 2021

ESPOSITO: Rutgers students return to campus is not without challenges

I have lived on the same street off-campus at Rutgers for three years. This year, I moved about four houses down. The two years prior to this one, I was on the cusp of being almost directly on College Avenue, arguably the hub of the entire university. Sep 3 2021

ESPOSITO: Marriage is not for everyone, but that is okay

I know a 34-year-old woman who lives a beautiful suburban life. She is head of the parent-teacher association in her small, central New Jersey town. She is a frequent sideliner at her daughter's softball games every Saturday. She owns a quaint little ranch house with flowers blooming on the front porch and a white picket fence. Apr 27 2021

ESPOSITO: We need as many in-person courses as possible

"Members of the Rutgers Community: We write to share news of our plans to welcome back all members of our community to our campuses this fall. The anticipated additional availability of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine is enabling Rutgers to take steps to protect the health of our academic community and to move toward a full return to our pre-pandemic normal as a vibrant institution in fall 2021.”Apr 16 2021

ESPOSITO: Young workers are missing out on office experiences

A week ago, I had the opportunity to catch up with a friend of mine who graduated from Rutgers last year. We were both in the area, picked a coffee shop and were able to sit down and talk for the first time in a few months. For anonymity’s sake, let us call him Chris.Apr 13 2021

ESPOSITO: Remember that embarrassing thing you posted in high school?

In my first year of high school, I forgot my Facebook password. This Facebook page had been created in 2010 when I was 10 years old, and I had posted on it daily for five years. And now, due to me being locked out of it, for as long as Facebook lives, or probably as long as I live, I have to endure the embarrassment of myself in the public domain.Mar 30 2021

ESPOSITO: Royal family's relationship with British press shows monarchy's weaknesses

In an interview worth $7 million, Oprah Winfrey sat down to speak with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their new Santa Barbara, California home. We were able to get a feel for the new life they live, one with nature, the beach, two dogs and for some reason — a chicken coop. Mar 9 2021

ESPOSITO: Social justice requires endurance, not just passion

Remember "KONY 2012"? If you are struggling to recall, it was a 30-minute-long video posted on YouTube by the Invisible Children foundation, an organization based on defeating the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a revolutionary group based in Uganda, and the capture of their leader, Joseph Kony. Feb 23 2021

ESPOSITO: Biden's entrance is not inequality's exit

A phrase tossed frequently around every news platform on Nov. 4, 2008, was, “It is the death of racism in America”! Former President Barack Obama had just become the projected winner of the presidential election. Jan 26 2021

ESPOSITO: Christmas tree indicative of holiday's shortcomings

The earliest recollection I have of my parents bringing me to pick out a Christmas tree is probably at the age of five or six. Dec 2 2020

ESPOSITO: Good grades are not enough anymore

For college students in 2020, every day is met with a new kind of frustration: the trials and tribulations of online classes, the lack of social interaction, the missed connections with professors. Most prominent for many is the lack of opportunities. Oct 21 2020

ESPOSITO: There are reasons to stay optimistic in 2020

Dear whoever is reading this, At the beginning of 2020, I used to really hate the 2020 jokes. Stubbornly an optimist, I was always the person to argue that things would get better faster than we thought. The last time I wrote an article was in May. Sep 24 2020

ESPOSITO: Sanders supporters, youth cannot give up now

ESPOSITO: Domestic abuse victims cannot be left behind

ESPOSITO: All pain caused by coronavirus is valid

ESPOSITO: Coronavirus has shone light on citizen heroes

ESPOSITO: Lack of monogamy among students due to overwhelming responsibilities they face

ESPOSITO: Taylor Swift’s ‘Miss Americana’ shows that eating disorders can manifest silently

ESPOSITO: Individualism, college do not mingle enough

ESPOSITO: Personal reflection, holidays tied together

ESPOSITO: Young people must fight gun violence

ESPOSITO: Katie Hill’s treatment indicative of double standards faced by women

ESPOSITO: Chanel Miller’s ‘Know My Name: A Memoir’ proves progress is slow

ESPOSITO: Politically correct culture causes harm to comedians, certain comedy