Arts Vanity: My Opinion Problem

You sit down on the couch after a long day at work. Snuggled under the blankets, you turn on the TV and watch a single episode of a promising streaming show. After it’s done, you peacefully turn off the television, remark how good it was, and move on.

I can’t live this life. You see, I have a problem — I have too many opinions.

My name is Hannah E. Gadway. I am an arts lover, meaning I consume a ridiculous amount of content of all sorts. I watch about 60 films a year, normally in the Landmark Kendall Square Cinema with a comically large bucket of popcorn. On average, I read around 70 books a year, and meticulously log my opinions on Instagram. Producers fear how many TV episodes I can binge-watch, and my vinyls are worn down with overuse.

The worst part, though, is once I consume a piece of media, I simply cannot stop thinking about it. Moving on from what I just read, heard, or saw can feel impossible. Every piece of art takes an incredible amount of effort from an entire team of writers, editors, actors, creative directors, and more; I can’t help but admire the beauty, cleverness, and passion ingrained in almost everything that I see before me. Of course, that doesn’t mean every piece of art is perfect — actually, part of my opinion problem is ranting about how media could be improved. Either way, my love of the arts world has led to me constantly talking the ear off of my friends and family — a tendency that's become problematic over the years.

The question is, how does one get over an opinion problem? The answer is surprisingly simple: Become a Crimson Staff Writer.

I vividly remember the reason that I first comped the Crimson; my friend and outgoing Culture Exec Arielle C. Frommer said, “Hannah, it’s right up your alley.” Though I was initially hesitant, she was right, of course. Joining The Harvard Crimson Arts community has allowed me to channel my thoughts into an engaging and productive medium: arts journalism. The Crimson’s Arts board allows me to rant about my opinions on everything from film to books to museum exhibitions to my heart’s content. Some have called me the Thanos of the Harvard Crimson Arts section, and others refer to me as the GOAT (greatest of all time) — mostly because I’ve written for nearly every section (sorry Theater, you’re the last infinity stone that I have to collect).

I am honored to say that this vanity marks the 34th piece that I’ve written for The Crimson in 2023, and I can’t wait to continue contributing to this paper for my entire time at Harvard College. And yes, that number might sound like overkill — but hey, they gave me a vanity, and I don’t even edit articles. Being annoying wins, after all!

If anything, writing for The Crimson has made me realize that maybe my overabundance of opinions isn’t even a problem at all. I have embraced my ability to act as a critic and a member of the arts community in my own right, able to use my opinions to help others navigate the extremely saturated world of modern media. I have found a community of people who value and respect even the most obscure pieces of content. But, most importantly, I’ve found a way to convince the world that my ranting should be published.

—When she’s not freaking out over her newest arts obsession, Crimson Arts Thanos and outgoing Social Media Exec Hannah E. Gadway can be solicited for further opinions at hannah.gadway@thecrimson.com