To The Editor: 

“When did Wellesley give up on Wellesley?” argues that Wellesley students are isolated in our “bubble” and apathetic toward the surrounding community. But in a time of global connectedness and incessant news, there is no isolation from crisis: there’s only prioritization. Want to know about isolation? Ask an alum about their experience at Wellesley with landlines and snail-mail. There was little way of knowing about the struggles of their hometowns or the nuances of global crises. Now, anyone with a Twitter account or internet access can keep up with current events around the world. 

And what a world it is. Rumors of World War III, economic crashes, and viral outbreaks are only too close to home. News sites careen from disaster to disaster leaving students adrift in hyperawareness. We know so much—this year the world may enter climate departure (when the coldest day reaches a temperature higher than the historic high), hate crimes are on the rise, the likelihood of entering the job market during an economic recession increases every day. Despite our excellent education, most of us feel unprepared to confront approaching catastrophes. So instead of flailing against the world at large, we’ve turned our gaze inwards. We prioritize by changing what we can in our sphere of influence. Global climate change? The US administration may not listen to us, tucked away as we are. But our administration might. Homelessness? We aren’t currently in a position to change global economic policy, but we can ensure that everyone on this campus has suitable living spaces. If we can’t make life in our little “bubble” better, how will we change the world?