https://amithabhat.journoportfolio.comRSS Feed for Amitha BhatenWed, 18 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2025-06-17/letter-from-the-editor-student-journalism-as-conversation-and-connection/Our predecessor, Pricila Flores, asked my co-editor Emily Yoon and I a question in her letter from the editor: “While I know this role seems daunting, it will chew you up and spit you back out as a changed person. Good or bad? Let me know at the end of your term.”  I don’t have an answer. It would be one thing for me to say, “This role has caused me to grow in ways I didn’t think were possible,” even though a part of myself earnestly believes that. But, I wouldn’t be entirely honest if I didn’t...Wed, 18 Jun 2025 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2025-06-17/letter-from-the-editor-student-journalism-as-conversation-and-connection/https://dailynexus.com/2025-02-19/sbiff-2025-academy-award-nominated-screenwriters-discuss-films-at-writers-panel/The Santa Barbara International Film Festival held its annual Writers Panel, bringing in Academy Award-nominated writers to discuss their work to a crowd of film enthusiasts. The Feb. 8 event took place at Arlington Theatre in downtown Santa Barbara. Moderated by Anne Thompson, Editor-at-Large of IndieWire, the panel featured some of the Academy Awards-nominated writers of the year: Clint Bentley (“Sing Sing”), Jesse Eisenberg (“A Real Pain”), Joslyn Barnes (“Nickel Boys”), Mona Fastvold (“The B...Wed, 19 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2025-02-19/sbiff-2025-academy-award-nominated-screenwriters-discuss-films-at-writers-panel/https://dailynexus.com/2024-11-21/u-mail-an-ode-to-long-distance-friendships/Dear Future Me, M is currently in Spain. She periodically texts me things like “need advice” and “pick one,” referring to an array of photos that she is deciding between posting on Instagram. She’s in her fourth year, like me, and studying abroad from UC Berkeley, where she is an electrical engineering and computer sciences major. M and I first became friends by virtue of the fact that we grew up as neighbors. We were five years old, falling off our neon bikes and playing tag in the grassy area...Thu, 21 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2024-11-21/u-mail-an-ode-to-long-distance-friendships/https://dailynexus.com/2024-10-03/editor-on-editor-in-conversation-with-amitha-bhat-and-emily-yoon/As the next co-editors in chief of the Daily Nexus, Amitha Bhat and Emily Yoon decided to address readers at the beginning of their term via a conversation with each other. This conversation was transcribed from an audio recording, and is edited for clarity and concision. To contact the editors in chief, please email eic@dailynexus.com.   Tell us about yourself. EY: I am a third-year English major here at UC Santa Barbara. I’m from SoCal, born and raised. I started with the Nexus as a copy edito...Fri, 04 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2024-10-03/editor-on-editor-in-conversation-with-amitha-bhat-and-emily-yoon/https://dailynexus.com/2024-02-17/sbiff-2024-academy-awards-nominated-producers-convene-at-producers-panel/On Saturday, Feb. 10, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival held its annual Producers Panel at the Arlington Theatre. Moderated by the New York Times reporter Nicole Sperling, the panel featured the Academy Awards-nominated producers of the year: Fred Berner (“Maestro”), Jermaine Johnson (“American Fiction”), Mark Johnson (“The Holdovers”), David Heyman (“Barbie”), Daniel Lupe (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Andrew Lowe (“Poor Things”), Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion (Anatomy of a Fa...Sun, 18 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2024-02-17/sbiff-2024-academy-awards-nominated-producers-convene-at-producers-panel/https://dailynexus.com/2023-10-05/aito-the-quarter-system/Riley Burke and Amitha Bhat debate the quarter system.Thu, 05 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2023-10-05/aito-the-quarter-system/https://dailynexus.com/2023-03-04/u-mail-i-dont-miss-you-i-remember/From: Amitha Bhat <amitha@umail.ucsb.edu> To: X <x@umail.ucsb.edu> Subject: I don’t miss you, I remember Here’s what I do when I no longer want to be on this timeline:  I think about all the things about myself that have changed since everything happened this summer. I finally gave in and got a guitar, I learned how to knit, I was prescribed glasses that I only wear during lecture, I cut my bangs, I’ve written again, I’m doing the thing that I’ve wanted to do since I got here and my favorite son...Sat, 04 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2023-03-04/u-mail-i-dont-miss-you-i-remember/https://dailynexus.com/2023-02-23/my-freshman-experience-the-horrid-winter-quarter/This article continues a three-part retrospective about the freshman experience. Read part one here. Check out this Spotify playlist to enhance your reading experience. Last year was my freshman year at UC Santa Barbara. Toward the end of the year, I wrote a three-part piece, each part reflecting on my experience during every quarter. We have decided to publish each part during each corresponding quarter this academic year. So, as we begin a new winter quarter, please enjoy my reflections fromThu, 23 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2023-02-23/my-freshman-experience-the-horrid-winter-quarter/https://dailynexus.com/2022-10-06/argument-in-the-office-passions-place-in-the-workplace/Keep that dream job in mind “What gets you up in the morning?” This frequently asked question generally elicits two reactions. The first consists of an aversion of sorts because this person doesn’t really know and can’t necessarily pinpoint something related to a life pursuit, which is completely valid in itself. The second is an excitable thrum in your chest, where nothing but love resides, because you have the answer to that million-dollar question: your passion. Whatever that may be, it’sThu, 06 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2022-10-06/argument-in-the-office-passions-place-in-the-workplace/https://dailynexus.com/2022-09-25/my-freshman-experience-the-fall-quarter-of-denial/Last year was my freshman year at UC Santa Barbara. Toward the end of the year, I wrote a three-part piece, each part reflecting on my experience during every quarter. We have decided to publish each part during each corresponding quarter this academic year. So, as we begin a new fall quarter, please enjoy my reflections from Fall Quarter 2021, my first quarter at UCSB. Check out this Spotify playlist to enhance your reading experience. Here are all the things that I envisioned for my fall quarMon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2022-09-25/my-freshman-experience-the-fall-quarter-of-denial/https://dailynexus.com/2022-05-19/a-case-study-for-the-ages-passion-v-profit/You don’t need to refer to your old mock trial notes for this one because this is a classic case you won’t forget. Do you dive headfirst into what you truly desire, neglecting a safety net (e.g., “La La Land” or “tick, tick … BOOM!”), or do you take the safe route with guaranteed financial stability? For many people, this debate begins with their prospective major in college but for others, it begins long before that. Before I begin, I want to acknowledge the immense privilege that I already haThu, 19 May 2022 00:00:00 +0100https://dailynexus.com/2022-05-19/a-case-study-for-the-ages-passion-v-profit/https://dailynexus.com/2022-03-16/sbiff-2022-oscar-nominated-screenwriters-gather-at-writers-panel/On Saturday, March 5, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival held its annual writer’s panel at the Arlington Theatre. Moderated by Anne Thompson, who cited the event as her favorite — every year — the panel featured Oscar-nominated screenwriters Kenneth Branagh of “Belfast,” Siân Heder of “CODA,” Adam McKay of “Don’t Look Up,” Denis Villeneuve of “Dune,” Zach Baylin of “King Richard,” Maggie Gyllenhaal of “The Lost Daughter,” Jane Campion of “The Power of the Dog” and Eskil Vogt of “The WWed, 16 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2022-03-16/sbiff-2022-oscar-nominated-screenwriters-gather-at-writers-panel/https://dailynexus.com/2022-03-03/2-4-6-8-which-uc-mascots-do-we-appreciate/The University of California is an internationally recognized educational system. The UC system boasts 10 universities in total, many of which are among the finest public institutions in the United States. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for many of their mascots. What is a mascot, anyway? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a mascot as “a person, animal, or object adopted by a group as a symbolic figure especially to bring them good luck.” Mascots have a strong tie to the concept of lThu, 03 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2022-03-03/2-4-6-8-which-uc-mascots-do-we-appreciate/https://dailynexus.com/2022-02-18/10-rom-coms-to-soothe-your-lonely-bitter-heart-post-valentines-day/Valentine’s Day — a 24-hour increment where everyone collectively decides to raid local stores for chocolates, greeting cards and flowers. Love songs get lovelier, romantic movies get more heartwarming and those who detest this annual cash-cow grow more bitter. In anticipation of the holiday, here’s a list of romantic comedies that are sure to soothe those of you who despise Feb. 14 and everything to do with it. This year’s V-Day may have come and gone, but for those of you who can still feel thFri, 18 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2022-02-18/10-rom-coms-to-soothe-your-lonely-bitter-heart-post-valentines-day/https://dailynexus.com/2021-12-02/in-review-tick-tick-boom-is-a-love-letter-to-jonathan-larson-and-all-creatives/“In The Heights” producer Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his directorial debut with “Tick, Tick… Boom,” a biographical film adaptation of the musical that was released on Netflix on Nov. 12. The film, set in 1990, follows Jonathan Larson, an American composer who is most notably known as the creator of the musical “Rent,” on the brink of his thirtieth birthday as he struggles to find a producer for a musical that he’s been writing for the past eight years, all while working his day job at a diner. MirThu, 02 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000https://dailynexus.com/2021-12-02/in-review-tick-tick-boom-is-a-love-letter-to-jonathan-larson-and-all-creatives/https://www.amazon.com/True-Story-Compilation-Short-Stories/product-reviews/0578720329/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviewsThis book depicted human nature and tendencies with uncanny accuracy through the juxtaposition of reality with fantasy. Each story had just the right amount of reality in it to elicit reflection and contemplation from the reader about why our society functions the way it does and how the story being told doesn't stray too far from the truth. Human traits such as duplicity and greed and social constructs such as classism and patriarchy are explored by drawing parallels to dystopian worlds that thTue, 29 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://www.amazon.com/True-Story-Compilation-Short-Stories/product-reviews/0578720329/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_btm?ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviewshttps://media.journoportfolio.com/users/119119/images/da18bfb8-423c-4abe-a40b-3241a939c97f.pngTue, 29 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/119119/images/da18bfb8-423c-4abe-a40b-3241a939c97f.pnghttps://media.journoportfolio.com/users/119119/images/9f904346-1bf4-47a5-9537-8d660da34b36.pngTue, 29 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/119119/images/9f904346-1bf4-47a5-9537-8d660da34b36.pnghttps://collegehubble.com/how-netflix-is-building-a-box-around-all-of-us/I adore the show, but there’s no denying the blatant stereotyping: Ross is the guy who falls in love a little too fast, Monica is the clean-freak, Rachel is the former mean girl, Phoebe is a mystery, and Joey is stupid. And while they do deviate from these stereotypes at times, the basic foundation is still there. Stereotyping does make for good comedy, and it’s good for characters to have one or two essential traits that you can write dialogue about. Still, such stereotyping enforces specificSat, 26 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://collegehubble.com/how-netflix-is-building-a-box-around-all-of-us/https://collegehubble.com/amitha-bhat-language-barriers-article/The thing about being a first-generation immigrant is that I’m a bit whitewashed. I’m aware of my Indian heritage, and I engage in cultural practices reasonably often, but when I go to India, I can’t connect with my relatives in the same way that my parents can. I assume that this is due to my broken Kannada (yes, it’s a shame I can’t fluently speak my mother’s tongue, I’m aware, thanks to the thousands of lectures from my dad). Despite being widely spoken in Karnataka, the seventh-largest statSat, 26 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://collegehubble.com/amitha-bhat-language-barriers-article/https://enspiremag.com/2020/07/tiktok-a-platform-for-racial-justice/In light of the police brutality incidents in the past couple of weeks (in addition to the thousands of others), the Black Lives Matter movement has been especially prominent on all social media platforms. TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media app in which people can post videos about anything, has arguably been at the epicenter of this movement on social media. The app’s demographic is mainly teenagers and young adults, and this new generation is demanding that black voices are heard. TikTok’Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://enspiremag.com/2020/07/tiktok-a-platform-for-racial-justice/https://enspiremag.com/2020/07/the-model-minority-myth-explained-and-debunked/( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) The Model Minority Myth is Both False and Racist: Here’s Why With African-Americans fighting for racial justice in the wake of George Floyd’s death (among thousands of others), opponents have fired back with the Model Minority Myth to justify their racism. People refer to some minorities as a “model minority” because they have experienced social and economic success while their fellow minority counterparts have not experienced the same. People often use this termSat, 04 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://enspiremag.com/2020/07/the-model-minority-myth-explained-and-debunked/https://enspiremag.com/2020/05/how-congressional-candidate-rishi-kumar-is-helping-californian-communities-affected-by-covid-19/Rishi Kumar, the Californian democratic candidate in the upcoming congressional election, is responding quickly to local communities affected by COVID-19. He has assembled the NPPT, or Neighborhood Pandemic Preparedness Team, to address issues brought to light by the pandemic. As a resident of Silicon Valley, Rishi brings his high-tech, “getting things done,” mentality to his politics. He has set history by being the first Democratic challenger to make it past the primary election in congressioSat, 30 May 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://enspiremag.com/2020/05/how-congressional-candidate-rishi-kumar-is-helping-californian-communities-affected-by-covid-19/https://enspiremag.com/2020/05/tiktok-users-support-black-creators-in-digital-protest-against-censorship/( ENSPIRE Community Spotlight ) TikTok Users Stand in Solidarity With Black Creators in Digital Protest On Tuesday, May 19, creators on the Chinese-owned app TikTok participated in a digital protest to support the African-American community. Lex Scott, the organizer of the protest and founder of Black Lives Matter Utah, states that the purpose is to stop the silencing of black creators on the app. Users of the app have called out TikTok on multiple occasions for censoring creators of color, prTue, 26 May 2020 00:00:00 +0100https://enspiremag.com/2020/05/tiktok-users-support-black-creators-in-digital-protest-against-censorship/