Opinion | Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Reshaping the college admissions process

Feb. 10, 2016

For me, high school was not the environment that movies and television shows painted it as. There were no jocks with letterman jackets sitting in the hallway during class, chatting it up with cheerleaders. Not once did I see a straight-A student mocked or ridiculed for being academically focused. Friday afternoons lacked the aura of youthfulness and adolescent adventure that supposedly surround a rivalry football game that evening. Yes, we were all young, squinting as we desperately tried to see the future ahead of us, but I cannot help but feel that the culturally fabricated atmosphere of high school has been long gone.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Why is the book always better than the movie?

Feb. 10, 2016

To quote one of my favorite authors: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that when it comes to quality, the book is better than the movie.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Yes, 'aks' is a real, legitimate English verb

Feb. 9, 2016

Few pronunciations in English are as controversial as that of the verb ‘aks.’ The top-rated definition for ‘aks’ on Urbandictionary.com puts it bluntly, summarizing all the critiques I’ve heard: “What retards say when they don’t know how to pronounce the word ask,” citing the hypothetical example, “Yo dogg… I gotta aks you a question.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Do pastors really need protecting?

Feb. 8, 2016

As enticing and accessible as the 2016 presidential election is, there are other issues we Floridians ought to concern ourselves with. I’m speaking in particular of the Pastor Protection Act, which would absolve pastors of any liability to perform marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Book lovers and the Amazon expansion

Feb. 8, 2016

As an English major, it goes without saying that books are a huge part of my life. They pile up on any and every flat surface in my apartment, slowly accumulating and overtaking my space. With my meager Ikea bookshelf packed to the brim, I’ve started using bedside tables, coffee tables, dressers and desks in an effort to contain them. I roll my eyes at anyone who dares suggest I buy a Kindle and wring my hands when my mother mentions our family history of hoarding. There are books worn and dog-eared from frequent readings, books I’ve only half-read, books I promise myself I’ll read one day (hello, “Infinite Jest”), and books that, let’s be honest, are just there for aesthetic purposes.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Rubio's policies are not truly conservative

Feb. 8, 2016

As the Republican contention for who will win the party’s primary boils down to just nine candidates — only seven being worthy enough for Sunday night’s stage — a favorite and hopeful among Republican voters is Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. Particularly popular among Republican youth, Rubio has gained clout in staying relevant to voters despite having to contend with the show-stealing bravado of the party’s two frontrunners, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and the braggart billionaire Donald J. Trump, placing third in the Iowa caucus just behind “The Donald” himself.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: CDC recommendations are misguided

Feb. 7, 2016

When there is a health crisis, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are often looked to as a voice of reason. In light of the movement attempting to link autism to vaccines, the centers heavily emphasized the importance of vaccinations on herd immunity. This past week, they came out with a recommendation that women who are sexually active, but not on birth control, should not drink alcohol because any amount of alcohol could be potentially harmful. The CDC reasoned, “Why take the risk?”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Make the most of UF - find a mentor

Feb. 7, 2016

As I near the end of my undergraduate career, lots of young people — I guess “young-er people” would be more accurate — have come to me asking for advice.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: The illusions we look to uphold as travelers

Feb. 7, 2016

"It is lack of imagination that makes us come to imagined places, not just stay at home?”

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: With the dominance of Abrahamic religion, atheism is important too

Feb. 4, 2016

A solemn recollection of what dominated the headlines of major tabloids in 2015 and in the last few months reveals a rather unpleasant truth that may have eluded some of us: Humanity has taken a thorough beating.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Failure - it's inevitable, fortunately

Feb. 4, 2016

As the first wave of exams arrives just in time to slug every UF student’s grades, time and sleep habits, now seems as good a time as any to mention it may be time to slow down.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Sanders' Iowa performance sends a message

Feb. 4, 2016

As of Monday, Iowans wrapped up the first stage of the presidential election — the first bit of the process that isn’t merely grandstanding. These are hard numbers, numbers that matter: numbers representing real human beings who will appoint each party’s candidate.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: The Grammys don't necessarily equal success

Feb. 3, 2016

Several weeks ago, a comprehensive list of this year’s Grammy nominations was released. Despite having a nice array of talented artists present, I had to stop scrolling once the words “Taylor” and “Swift” became engrained in my retinas due to sheer overexposure.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: What Iowa means for the road ahead

Feb. 3, 2016

At the time of writing, it has been less than 24 hours since the results of the Iowa caucus were released. Although the results proved interesting, Iowa is far from the final arbiter of the primary process.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Guest Column: Sanders - the 'cowardly' candidate?

Feb. 3, 2016

Several days ago, a column published in this paper accused those who support Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., for the Democratic nomination of being “lazy and cowardly.” Now, being a Sanders supporter — there goes my shot at ever being a public servant — sure, I do not necessarily see myself as brave. I get scared of simple things, like heights, clowns and people with two first names, like Taylor Scott, Jennifer Lawrence or Zachary Lee. But cowardly? I’ll have you know I once had a bowl of nails for breakfast. Without any milk.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Diversity of books is very important

Feb. 2, 2016

As a child, I was fortunate enough to grow up in a household in which a strong emphasis was put on reading. I still remember dragging book after book up to my grandmother, pointing imperiously to the title and energetically demanding she read to me.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: In support of the term 'Ebonics'

Feb. 2, 2016

It is readily observable that distinct groups of people within any context speak in distinct ways, to varying extents. Different groups use a “standard” national language to communicate within a national context and may use a different language within specific ethnic groups, tribes and families.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Clicker points are pointless in our education

Feb. 2, 2016

The recent trend of clicker questions in lecture halls has caught on to the point where they are now used in just about every general education course. While the most conventional form at UF is through H-ITT clickers, professors will also use websites such as Learning Catalytics and Top Hat to allow students to answer questions posed in class.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Facebook leads the way in gun reform

Feb. 1, 2016

Disciples of the Second Amendment have been snubbed. The world’s largest social network took defining steps in the arduous effort for reasonable gun control Saturday. Facebook announced it would be banning users from coordinating private, person-to-person sales of guns on its website as well as through Instagram, though licensed gun dealers and gun clubs will not be affected by the company’s action. (Phew! Thank you, Jesus.)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Column: Why do we care about current events?

Feb. 1, 2016

This past weekend I found myself in an all-too-familiar situation involving a labored conversation, the hole I talked myself into and an unsuccessful attempt to escape. I was partially to blame for this predicament, as I had broken one of the unspoken cardinal rules of social gatherings: Don’t discuss politics with someone you just met.