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Senior moments: Looking back, looking forward

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I'm a senior in college, and I haven't quite wrapped my mind around what that means. If you'd have asked me last year where I thought I'd be at this point, I could not have told you I'd be the print managing editor for my university's newspaper, or that I've already worked at two newspapers, or that I've decided to stop straightening my hair. ... [Read More…]

It’s OK to have violence in media

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Police brutality, harassment, shootings, you name it. If you ask anyone why they don't read the news, one of the most common responses is that it's just too violent. Regardless, the news will never and should never back away from these stories. And neither should you. Apart from what some Twitter feeds might have said, this summer consisted ... [Read More…]

Being editor changed me for the worse

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Being editor in chief of the Optimist this year changed me for the worse. For obvious reasons, this job made me a worse student. Lines were blurred between the work I was doing for class and the work I was doing for the next day's paper. I couldn't remember what would affect my GPA and what would show up on tomorrow's front page. This led to ... [Read More…]

5 quick tips on surviving the studypocalypse

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At this point in time, my life feels like an Avery Monsen and Jury John book. To be more specific, All my friends are dead, with everybody disappearing to the theology room and other such places to drown themselves in study guides. Scattered across campus with blood-shot eyes and Starbucks in hand, we all barely made it through pre-finals ... [Read More…]

Finally Ready to Grow Up

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"What do you want to be when you grow up?" When I was 8, I wanted to be a ballerina. The next day, I wanted to be President. Two weeks later? I was definitely going to be a full-time cheerleader. I had it all figured out"¦or so I thought. Now, that question has morphed into, "What are you doing after you graduate?" And here I am--on ... [Read More…]

In the midst of crisis, Facebook proves helpful, comforting

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More than 4,600 people are confirmed dead from the Nepal earthquake. And according to Al Jazeera, Nepal's prime minister said that it could reach up to 10,000. At a time when people are displaced, missing or even dead, a surprising resource is providing comfort for those looking for loved ones: social media. New Internet technology like ... [Read More…]

Nowhere to go but up

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In my last-ever column for the Optimist, I'd like to talk a little bit about failure. I'm graduating in less than two weeks. I've been a college athlete for four years, three of them at the Div. I level. I've passed every class I've ever taken. I got through college in four years, despite two transfers. And I earned an editing position at this ... [Read More…]

Not the shaky camcorder video you expected

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Many editorials and columns have been written on the subject of ISIS, both at the Optimist and in various other publications. Though I have known about the Islamic State for quite some time, it's been through word of mouth and social media posts. Earlier this week, as I was reading the news in the morning, I read about a 30-minute propaganda ... [Read More…]

When good things end

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When I was about 6 years old, I had a very annoying habit. My parents would come to pick me up from playing at a friend's house, and, no matter how long I had been there, I would throw a fit - a loud, embarrassing, bratty tantrum. This habit also came out just before bedtime when I always wanted to stay up for five more minutes. My parents ... [Read More…]

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