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Saturday, June 28, 2025

Opinion

Sexual assault survivors came together to quilt their stories Oct. 19, 2015, at Wild Iris Books, a feminist bookstore at 22 SE 5th Ave. The evening was the last of three monthly workshops at Wild Iris where participants created squares for the Monument Quilt, a project that collects stories from rape and abuse survivors on red fabric squares and displays them in public spaces around the U.S.
OPINION  |  EDITORIALS

Feminism and what it means in today’s society

With only a few days left of Women’s History Month, we thought we’d discuss the topic of feminism and what it means in respect to today’s current social and political climate. Feminism is often a misconstrued word, but its most basic definition is equality for all sexes in any social, political and economic sphere. Feminism’s history is extensive and has seen multiple phases all aimed at achieving different goals; however, in most of its history, it has left out key minority groups. In today’s phase, the fourth phase, this is changing.


Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Retail therapy isn’t self-care

The idea of retail therapy has never appealed to me, but there are times when I’ve found myself buying something in the name of self-care or because I thought I deserved it. Retail therapy does have some standing in terms of being a psychological coping mechanism; however, it’s hard to say how beneficial it actually is to our mental health and to our wallets. Some people use it to help with their anxious or depressive episodes or anything else they may be experiencing. Kit Yarrow, a consumer research psychologist, wrote an article for Psychology Today in which she says she does not consider retail therapy a form of therapy, but she does mention some of its positive effects, which can be seen as psychological rewards. It isn’t something that is going to cure you of your problems, but it can bring gratification for a short time.


Photo by Elena Koycheva on Unsplash
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The “unfriendly” kid might just be shy

I can keep up my side of the conversation until I’m sick of the sound of my voice. As an extrovert, it is easy for me to keep my cool in social situations. Small talk is a skill that has always come naturally to me.


Cole Sprouse as Will in "Five Feet Apart."
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Are “sick-lit” movies romanticizing life-threatening illnesses?

“Five Feet Apart” is a movie that follows cystic fibrosis patients Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) and Will’s (Cole Sprouse) relationship, as they must stay six feet apart to keep from catching each other’s bacteria. Walking out of the movie, I wondered how someone with cystic fibrosis would feel after watching “Five Feet Apart.” It also made me think about why sick characters are often used in books and movies targeted at younger audiences.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Our dreams aren’t always our reality

I recently met a local attorney who likes to write short stories and poetry in his spare time. I, too, like to write creatively, and I was interested in how he has balanced his career and his writing. I was hoping for some encouragement because I plan on finding a job that will allow me time to write on the side. Instead, however, he sighed and looked at me with tired eyes. He said he has received hundreds of rejections, and he ended by saying that the world owes me nothing. Just because I have a passion or a dream does not mean either will inevitably come true.



MaKenzie Woody, 6, a first-grader at a DC Prep elementary school in Southeast Washington, has been through multiple lockdowns this year because of nearby gun violence. [Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post]




 
OPINION  |  EDITORIALS

Kids shouldn't be exposed to violence to keep them safe

Most of us grew up with lockdowns. They usually consisted of a teacher flicking off the lights, maybe even blacking out a window with dark paper and pointing the entire class to a corner of the classroom, where we’d sit in agonizing silence until an administrator came to give the “all clear.” The Columbine shooting was when people first really began to talk about school shootings. However, only in recent years were school shootings constantly in the news and talked about in legislation.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Toxic masculinity won't save the U.S.

While many of us struggle to watch policymakers continue ignoring the reality and the severity of climate change, we often forget that government offices are not the only spaces where change can take place. It won’t be the politicians who save our planet, it will be individuals who are inspired by the idea of a better future. Unfortunately, while we remain quick to judge the lack of action on the part of our country’s leaders, we fail to recognize the lack of action on our own part.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Undergraduate research will make the job search a little less painful

Undergraduate students are constantly on the prowl for what will give them that extra leg up, whether it be for graduate school or to stand out to an employer. If you're in a STEM, Liberal Arts or any kind of major that offers research that you're interested in, it could give you valuable experiences and connections.


generic Darts and Laurels
OPINION  |  DARTS LAURELS

Darts and Laurels: March 22, 2019

With shaky, highly caffeinated hands, you push through the rotating door of Library West. Students are walking around intent on finding a coveted seat. The days are quickly dwindling down before the weeks of final projects and exams, which means all libraries on campus are at full capacity. Finding a seat on any floor of a UF library is becoming a tricky game of musical chairs, with seats only opening up when class changes. However, you’re determined to find the perfect one, and most likely will stay there for the foreseeable future.


FILE - In this Feb. 28, 2019 file photo, actress Lori Loughlin, center, poses with daughters Olivia Jade Giannulli, left, and Isabella Rose Giannulli at the 2019 "An Unforgettable Evening" in Beverly Hills, Calif. Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli were charged along with nearly 50 other people Tuesday in a scheme in which wealthy parents bribed college coaches and other insiders to get their children into some of the most elite schools in the country, federal prosecutors said. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

How are we supposed to trust the college admissions process?

Applying for college was one of the most difficult academic challenges of my life. It was the compilation of years and years of all-nighters, skipped social events, supportive teachers (and not-so-supportive teachers), my parents’ sacrifices and so much work. I poured all of myself into my college applications because going to college was my most important goal.


OPINION  |  COLUMNS

What the college cheating scandal means for affirmative action

It’s no secret that money, a well-known family name and connections can bring advantages when it comes to college. Wealthy and famous families often donate huge amounts of money to the schools they want their children to attend. When families aren’t donating to higher education institutions, they can simply capitalize on their names and connections. Honestly, who could ever deny the kids of an A-list celebrity?


OPINION  |  EDITORIALS

The truth behind Florida man

There’s a special recipe involved in the making of the infamous Florida man stories. They usually involve an alligator, body of water, drugs or nudity and, if we’re really lucky, Taco Bell. The headlines for these stories are eye-catching, to say the least: “Naked Florida man baking cookies on George Foreman grill responsible for fire,” or “Florida man makes beer run with gator in hand.” (All real headlines.)


Photo by Tbel Abuseridze on Unsplash
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

What majoring in the humanities can teach us

Any humanities student will tell you that they have been repeatedly asked something along these lines: “What do you plan on doing with your major?” Most of us have our rehearsed responses: “I’m not sure yet!” or “Maybe law school.” But after a while, you wear down and begin to secretly wonder, along with everyone else, what exactly you will do with a classics or philosophy degree. At least, this has been my experience.


kanye west
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The only March Madness bracket I care about is Kanye’s

Every year, basketball fans fill out a March Madness bracket in an attempt to predict the future and win an insurmountable amount of money. Around this time of year, I usually look at my sports-obsessed friends who have the basketball knowledge to fill out those cool-looking, debate-starting brackets and think to myself, “Darn, I wish I cared or knew enough about basketball to fill out one of those.” Then, last year came the Kanye bracket; now my bracket-filling cravings are satisfied with so many non-sports related brackets to choose from.


Ambulance staff take a man from outside a mosque in central Christchurch, New Zealand, Friday, March 15, 2019. A witness says many people have been killed in a mass shooting at a mosque in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.(AP Photo/Mark Baker)
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Why everyone should take the New Zealand mosque attacks personally

It is hard for bad news to surprise me nowadays. Headline after headline summarizing tragedies and horrific events are nothing new. When I read about these bad things happening, I usually feel very removed from the situation. I understand their negative effects, and my heart aches for all of the hate in the world. However, something about it does not seem real without seeing it happen firsthand. My life continues, and nothing changes. Gun control laws are not tightened, the country’s faulty socioeconomic system prevails and the depressing articles keep pouring in. I have almost reached the point of utter hopelessness.


Photo by Jonathan Cosens - JCP on Unsplash
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Cable TV is becoming more provocative. Here’s why.

Whatever happened to television shows like “Little House on the Prairie” and “That’s So Raven”? Shows that are sweet and often have a happy ending. Nowadays, if someone turns on the television, networks are most likely playing some type of provocative show. For example, the first episode of “Enemy of the State” involved at least four murders. All of this led me to think: Is television becoming too violent and sexual?


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