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Students should engage in local music scene

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Local music scenes have a huge impact on the culture of an area. The art of music brings people closer together. The Abilene scene is one that is heavily influenced by young adults, thanks to the many high schools, colleges and universities in the area. But it does not stop there. There are several all-ages places for students to enjoy local ... [Read More…]

From Barbie to ballots – why its ok to vote like your parents

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In 2004, I went to an outdoor rally for former President George W. Bush in Albuquerque. I remember that I was cold and that my dad bought me hot chocolate. I have no idea what Bush talked about. But I remember writing in my Barbie diary that it wasn't fair that 8-year-olds couldn't vote. I couldn't wait to be 18 so I could support Bush just like my ... [Read More…]

Video games hold benefits for students

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Video-games are often dismissed as child's-play, it should be acknowledged that there are real benefits to engaging in virtual reality. All college students should take some time to unwind and interact with the gaming community. With ACU recently adding a competitive video-game, namely Super Smash Bros., to the list of intramural sports, ... [Read More…]

Star Wars, humility and life after ACU

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A college graduate-to-be is like Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, standing on a ledge with stormtroopers closing in and blasters firing. For most college seniors, in their final days as a student, the stormtroopers represent the impending graduation date, and the abyss represents the immediate unknown future. We're all faced with a choice: to ... [Read More…]

A note on Valentine’s Day, after the fact

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"Look at all the things no one will be buying us," I said to a friend as I gestured to a table full of stuffed bears and candy hearts. That was only a few days after New Years, but alas, the omens of Valentine's Day have vanished faster than Abilene's winter weather and just in time to make room for shamrocks and green tinted foods. I am not ... [Read More…]

Tough majors are a gift

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Last week Brittany Jackson wrote a column titled "Why college journalism is the toughest thing I've done." That week she spent countless hours working on the 24-page, Sing Song edition of the Optimist. You too may feel like you're drowning in your major, or maybe your loans, and you also have a list of why it's so hard. But whether you think ... [Read More…]

Barbie: a new ally in the fight for body and race representation

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Barbie steps out of the Dream House and into reality as Mattel releases a new line of dolls in various skin tones and body types. Mattel's decision is the latest addition to a trend among major companies producing body positive images and products for young girls and women. Diverse body and race representation is finally being implemented by ... [Read More…]

I wasn’t meant to be a Westerner

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My hair extends about five inches in all directions from my scalp in a rounded, curly afro. Since Sunday night, I've been trying to figure out what I'm going to do to make it fit under my foam cowboy hat for the senior Sing Song. I've thought of putting it in a bun, but it's not long enough in the back to put on top of my head. I've thought ... [Read More…]

Bernie Sanders campaign captures the promise of youth

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Eighty-four percent of Iowan democrats under the age of 30 just voted for a gruff grandfatherly socialist from New Hampshire. The unpolished aura of the self-proclaimed democratic socialist captivates our youngest voting bloc, 18-24 year olds, and inspires millennials across the nation to "Feel the Bern." Sanders' unexpected dash to the top of the ... [Read More…]

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