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You are here: Home / Ryan Self

Graduation does not end the best years of life

May 11, 2011 by Ryan Self

It's the end of the world. At least it is if you believe all the billboards announcing May 21 as Judgment Day. Even if you are not moved to a state of panic from the incredibly convincing billboards (which appear to be more of an ill-disguised publicity campaign for Family Radio), mid-May still can seem like the end of the world for college ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Failed first jobs don’t dictate future

April 26, 2011 by Ryan Self

You may know him as Captain Jack Sparrow or Edward Scissorhands but before he was the Mad Hatter and Willy Wonka, Johnny Depp had a different title: ballpoint-pen salesman. There are many people who, like Depp, have gone on to fame and fortune after enduring first jobs that were less than thrilling. Before he became one of the most well-known ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Faith fortified through pain

April 6, 2011 by Ryan Self

Not feeling pain may seem like a blessing, but it does serve a purpose. There are people who can't feel pain. Not emotional pain, but physical pain. Those who have been diagnosed with the extremely rare genetic disorder (there are only 17 people diagnosed in the U.S.), congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), have lost their use of ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Students should research future

March 2, 2011 by Ryan Self

The New York Times recently highlighted many pitfalls of law school with the troubling story of Michael Wallerstein, a recent law graduate with a crushing debt of $250,000 and few job prospects. Closer inspection reveals that Wallerstein's predicament is more a product of his own poor decisions rather than any environmental factors, however.  ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Religiosity contributes toward electability

February 18, 2011 by Ryan Self

We may have recently elected our first African-American president, but we likely are far from electing someone outside the Christian faith to the Oval Office.  Legally, no religious litmus test qualifies the President of the United States. But in the minds of many, a man's religion is an important factor in whether or not he wins the American ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Facebook skews accurate picture

February 2, 2011 by Ryan Self

There are many reasons to avoid Mark Zuckerberg's monster: the mounting invasion of privacy, the addictive nature that has likely consumed more than a healthy amount of your time or even a strong dislike for the creator himself. If a new study conducted by Stanford University rings true, however, there may be a whole new reason to avoid the social ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With: Facebook

‘Only children’ buck judgments

January 28, 2011 by Ryan Self

My name is Ryan Self, and I am an only child. It's a confession I usually hesitate to make because it means I'll have to respond to a number of misconceptions about only children, "Oh, you must be really spoiled," or "Gee, you must have been really lonely growing up" being common ones. I may not understand a few of the odd traditions some ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Holiday spirit should last all year

December 3, 2010 by Ryan Self

It had been a long week. My sophomore year I had been working eight-hour shifts the entire week leading up to Christmas as a checker at the United Supermarket back home in Lubbock. For hours I would check out lines of customers, usually several people long, that stretched well into the aisles. The stress level of the customers grew as we all ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

When it comes to marriage, it’s worth the wait

November 17, 2010 by Ryan Self

From the moment one arrives on ACU's campus, there is a subtle countdown to graduation: you have four years to find someone to marry, tick tock. As we all know, there are only 4,700 Christians out there who are marriage material, all of whom attend ACU. Even though most probably enrolled in ACU to get a Christian education, let's admit that ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Texas requires new leadership

October 27, 2010 by Ryan Self

While current governor Rick Perry may have plenty of experience in Texas politics, former Houston mayor Bill White has decades of experience in actual leadership. Perry has been an excellent PR rep for Texas for the past few years, mostly because his role as governor required very little. For many of the challenges that face our state in the coming ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

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acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
22 Apr

NEWS: Students can now vote for the 2026 Mr. ACU and Miss ACU. The link to vote can be found through an email sent out by the Student Government Association.

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acuoptimist The Optimist @acuoptimist ·
29 Mar

Sing Song 2026 Awards Class Division:

Overall Award:
1. Mixed
2. Seniors
3. Freshman White

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7 days ago

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Click the link in our bio to nominate a graduating senior for the Optimist to feature in our print issue. ... See MoreSee Less

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1 week ago

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ACU’s Got Talent showcased student performers Tuesday at the Boone Family Theatre, featuring acts including singing, dancing and spoken word. Lois Botelua, freshman theatre major from Fort Worth, and pianist Peter John, freshman finance major from Park Row, took home the top prize for their performance of “The Visitor” by Sienna Spiro, earning a trophy and $500.To view the full photo gallery, visit acuoptimist.com or click the link in our bio. 📸: @leslie.lu.carrigan #acuoptimist #abilenechristianuniversity #studentlife ... See MoreSee Less

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