24 August, 2017
This is What's Trending Today...
While many people were busy looking at the solar eclipse on Monday, something else happened at Harvard University in the state of Massachusetts.
Malia Obama, the eldest daughter of former U.S. president Barack Obama, moved into her room at Harvard University.
Harvard is one of the most famous universities in the United States. Both Barack and Michelle Obama attended law school at Harvard.
FILE - President Barack Obama and his daughter Malia walk from Marine One toward Air Force One in 2016. Malia is attending Harvard University after a gap year.
Malia graduated from high school in Washington, D.C. last year. She spent what is known as a "gap year" doing an internship with a film producer in New York City.
Many people used social media to post messages saying they saw Malia or her famous parents on campus.
One Twitter user, Kyle, wrote: "Malia Obama is moving into her dorm like 30 yards from mine as I'm typing this..."
The Boston Globe newspaper sent a reporter to the campus to ask Malia questions. The reporter saw her standing outside an old brick building, talking with other students. She looked like any other freshman, the reporter wrote. The word freshman refers to a first-year college student.
Malia told the reporter she could not speak with him, but "politely returned a handshake."
The reporter spoke with the parents of another student who lives in the same building, known as a dormitory, as Malia Obama. The parent said she was glad her son would be living in a building that probably would be a little safer than the others.
Another daughter of a president is starting at a new school this week, too. That is Tiffany Trump. She is going to law school at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
Malia and Tiffany are the latest in a long line of famous young people going to colleges.
Chelsea Clinton went to Stanford University in the 1990s when her father was president. Actress Emma Watson, from the Harry Potter movies, recently went to Brown University. She followed the footsteps of actresses Jodie Foster at Yale and Brooke Shields at Princeton University in the 1980s.
Ellis Cashmore is a sociology professor. He told The Washington Post that college campuses are filled with smart, experienced young people. In many cases, they have done just as many interesting things as the celebrities. He said other students would look "pathetic" if they were caught taking photos of Malia Obama.
Malia Obama has one big advantage compared to Chelsea Clinton or Tiffany Trump. Her father is no longer president.
Chelsea came to California with her parents aboard Air Force One, the president's airplane. She drove to campus along with a number of other cars, known as a motorcade, that protect the president. She was protected by the U.S. Secret Service.
The Secret Service will still keep an eye on Malia, too. But probably not in the same way it will watch over Tiffany Trump.
And that's What's Trending Today.
I'm Anna Mateo.
Dan Friedell wrote this story for Learning English based on reports by the Boston Globe and Washington Post. Hai Do was the editor.
How do you think Malia Obama will do at Harvard? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on 51VOA.COM.
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Words in This Story
internship – n. the time a student or recent graduate spends working at a job in order to get experience
politely – adv. showing good manners or respect
pathetic – adj. very bad, poor, weak
sociology– n. the study of society, social institutions and social relationships
advantage– n. something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others
keep an eye on– v. to keep watch over, observe