Booktok is Not Ruining the Reading Experience

Karis Hudgins You’ve probably walked into a Barnes & Noble and seen the brightly lit section labeled “BookTok” displaying books by authors such as Colleen Hoover, Emily Henry, and Sarah J. Mass. But what is BookTok? BookTok is the term used to describe a community on TikTok that revolves around reading books. Despite it’s growing popularity, critics often voice concern that BookTok has “ruined the … Continue reading Booktok is Not Ruining the Reading Experience

No Freedom in Free Speech

by Lauren Fletcher As much as universities may encourage the right to expression, not all campuses are as welcoming to free speech as they often portray. One aspect of higher education I’ve always considered is the desire to be challenged and to learn beyond what you believe. With political polarization at its highest, freedom of speech and expression on college campuses falls under a microscope. … Continue reading No Freedom in Free Speech

How to Find Your Personal Style

Shane Atkins There are many people today who have an awkward relationship with their personal appearance. There is nothing wrong with that, but what if there was a way that we could all actualize ourselves and tap into our stylish potential? As a stylist at Dillard’s, I have been helping regular people find their style for over a year. Every single person has a special … Continue reading How to Find Your Personal Style

She’s Right, We’re Not Going Back: A Call for Kamala  

Liz Hyman, Staff Writer    Who remembers the fateful moment Donald Trump became President? I do. I was fifteen, sitting “crisscross applesauce” on a blanket in my teenage bedroom. It was nearly 2:00 in the morning, and, as I checked the Snapchat coverage of the 2016 election, my stomach suddenly dropped. Donald Trump reached 270 electoral votes, meaning he had won the presidential race. I sat … Continue reading She’s Right, We’re Not Going Back: A Call for Kamala  

The Appropriation and Reappropriation of DEI as a Slur 

Myo Thiha  Opinions Editor  Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. Photo credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images  On March 26, 2024, at 1:28 a.m., a cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing the bridge to collapse. The calamity was caught on video, and the initial focus around the incident remained on saving as many people as possible and discovering the cause of the … Continue reading The Appropriation and Reappropriation of DEI as a Slur 

Royally Irresponsible: Critiquing the House of Windsor 

Liz Hyman  Staff Writer  With all the changes we have faced these days, the royal family has somehow remained mainstream. Though they are an essential part of British culture, it may be time for the Windsor Dynasty to step aside and gracefully bow out of history.    As a simple American, removed from any impact the royal family may have, I can still acknowledge the unity … Continue reading Royally Irresponsible: Critiquing the House of Windsor 

Controlling the Algorithm: Examining the Proposed TikTok Ban 

Myo Thiha  Opinions Editor  Photo credit: Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images  On Wednesday, March 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act with unusual bipartisan support, resulting in 352 votes in favor to 65 against. The bill gave ByteDance, the owner of social media platform TikTok, an ultimatum: either sell the video app to another buyer or face … Continue reading Controlling the Algorithm: Examining the Proposed TikTok Ban 

From Church to Change: A Referendum on Megachurches  

Elizabeth Hyman Staff Writer Inside of Lakewood Church. Photo credit: Lifeway Research Did you know that, on average, 45,000 people attend Joel Osteen’s Lakewood megachurch in Texas weekly? Forty-five thousand. That’s more people attending a megachurch weekly than there are people experiencing homelessness daily in all of Texas. (That number is more than 27,000 as of 2024.) Unhoused people don’t have to seek this kind … Continue reading From Church to Change: A Referendum on Megachurches  

Enough Live-Action Remakes: Defending Animation as an Artform 

Myo Thiha  Opinions Editor  The new Netflix live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender has received mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. Photo credit: Netflix  Netflix’s live-action remake of Avatar: The Last Airbender was released recently to an underwhelming reception from both critics and audiences. This adaptation is not the first live-action version of the beloved Nickelodeon series; famed thriller director M. Night Shyamalan … Continue reading Enough Live-Action Remakes: Defending Animation as an Artform