Opinions
|
Questions Remain Unanswered Growing up is never easy. I used to cry about it as a child. In fact, I still cry about it sometimes. I can't really remember all the times I cried about growing up, but I know the times weren't few and far between. Faint memories float through my head. Most of my memories are dark, like there was dimness in the room at the time. The darkness played along with the sadness I transmitted through tears. Commentary: The Price of Nice We had just gotten into our ride home. As always happens, a recap of the night was the immediate topic of conversation among the five of us. We had talked to a group of friends of friends and had a good time until the lights went up and it was last call. "Well, they were all nice," my roommate said. I had to agree. I had a good time talking to all of them and no one was ever cold or uninterested in making conversation. My response, "Well, everyone is inherently nice." Commentary: Hokie Hoops Could Enjoy Different Ending This Year In sports, there is a classic saying that goes, "the next game is always the most important." More times than not it's considered nothing more than simply coachspeak, but for Virginia Tech, such a statement could not be any more true. After beating up on Miami in their first game of the ACC Tournament, the Hokies are slated to play the North Carolina Tar Heels in the quarterfinals. The Hokies, who are currently considered a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament, could really help their cause with a win over the Heels. What a Difference A Chin Strap Can Make
I would argue that they prevent injury in an equally effective, yet much less acknowledged way. I sincerely believe that significantly more potentially injury-inducing altercations would occur while the clock is stopped without chin straps. Commentary: Gym Attitude and Attire As I was getting ready to go to the gym the other day, I noticed I dress differently, in certain ways, compared to other days. Usually I'll work out in the morning so I can start my day and shower afterward, thus requiring a hat for my unruly hair. Sometimes I purposely opt for the sorority shirt or a Virginia Tech shirt with shorts matching as closely as possible. It depends on my mood and how much time I have to do my workout. This is when the outfits affect the outcome of my gym behavior. Commentary: The Politics of Porn Nearly three and a half years have passed since one of the most destructive storms in the history of the United States crushed New Orleans. Yet now the city might have to prepare for another one, along with the rest of Louisiana. I'm of course talking about Stormy Daniels, the adult-film star who could be representing the Pelican State as the next junior senator of Louisiana. Look out Congress--you may be dealing with a whole new kind of stimulus package. Commentary: Christmas, The Only Time Red And Green Go Together Of the million holidays Hallmark acknowledges every year, there is one holiday that ranks supreme. Christmas is the greatest holiday ever. When else can you say yuletide greetings without sounding like a complete creep? Christmas is the one holiday that lets women do their thing without being chastised for it. Yes ladies, Christmas time is the most acceptable time of the year to get your shop on. Commentary: Don't Worry, Be Nervous The semester's come to a close and fall graduation is right around the corner. Some have stressed over final projects and exams while others focused on their final days in Blacksburg. It's hard to even talk about sometimes because we know how great a community we have here. I will miss this place. You will miss this place. Everyone will miss this place. But it is time, our time, to take what we've felt and breathed here and implement what we learned in the next phase of our lives. College life at this university is incredible, isn't it? |
To All My Single Ladies It's the afternoon of the big night, your first date with a boy you really like. You've spent all day agonizing over what you are going to wear, how you are going to do your make-up, and which scent will drive him wild. You have squeezed in a last-minute workout to boost your self-esteem, bought some new shoes, and tweezed yourself to perfection. You are ready. It is now 15 minutes until he is supposed to arrive and all of the sudden you remember all the reasons you are single, all the horrible dating mishaps that have fallen upon you in the past. So, here is a little bit of advice to hopefully push you through to date number two. Group Projects Never End Well This is a public appeal to every professor at every college in the country: Stop giving your students group projects. Colleges should ban them. Forever. Because they are the worst. Ever. To start with, there's never a hard-working group dynamic. Never have four people met to do a group project where everyone contributes a fair share of the work. Anatomy of a Nod What's in a nod? Is it a friendly hello? A non-verbal "Hi! How are ya?" Sometimes, yes. Not just nods however, what's in a wave? Or a point? Or a wink? Nonverbal communication is very common these days, especially on bustling college campuses where there are literally thousands of people in a small concentrated area at any given time. Has Grandma Been Run Over By A Reindeer? Contrary to the catchy Christmas carol, grandma has not literally been trampled by our red-nosed friend, but some might say her image has. Or better yet, the image of elderly people as a whole. I am fortunate to come from a family with a history of long, healthy life. Three of my four great-grandparents passed away in their late nineties while peaceful in their sleep. These particular elders once played a significant role in the development of my character, and the upbringing that has blessed me. And yet, I still managed to make fun of their quirkiness and mock their annoying habits behind their backs while they were alive. The Real-Life Application of Risk I absolutely love board games, but I never could get into Risk. You know, that one where world domination is the object, military force the only existing bargaining method and the perfect strategic set-up, weighing the pros and cons of every action and reaction, is essential. With that in mind, it is not surprising that Risk failed to catch my interest. Erring on the side of caution is where I have been my whole life and probably will always reside. It is a comfortable place, never stepping out of my safety zone or facing the repercussions of regrets too numerous to name from stupid decisions made along the way. Yet, the more I think about it, that is not quite how the world really works. Opinion: It's the Journey, Not the Destination As the words in the Aerosmith's song "Amazing" tells us, "Life's a journey, not a destination." The same can be said about traveling. At the youthful age of 23 I cannot claim to be an expert on any sort of tourism or world travel. I have only left the country once at the age of 13 when my family took a vacation to Bermuda. I can't recommend staying in this hotel versus that one and I do not have the ability to urge you to try a certain place's unique cuisine. Hey, GOP - Keep Your Day Jobs I didn't need some fancy panel from the National Bureau of Economic Research to tell me what I already knew back in December. After standing in a twenty-five minute ticket line followed by a twenty minute wait in the snack line at the movies on a Wednesday, I knew--the United States was in a recession. Now the movie industry is booming as the economy is tanking, the box offices had their best sales for a January in history a couple of months ago raking in over $1 billion. What's the explanation for this? Many experts say the reason is because people want not only entertainment but an escape from reality. I've got some advice for those people as the economy gets rougher: save the ten bucks(over twenty if you load up on all the concession stand goodies and thirty if you're lucky enough to have a date)and instead just sit back and watch the GOP for free. You'll get the entertainment and the escape from reality. Nature Is Calling I'd be willing to bet my college tuition that as you are reading this your cell phone is no more than ten feet away. I take cash, check or money orders. I love the convenience of my cell phone just as much as the next person. I always know the time when rushing to class. If I need to borrow money, my parents are just a speed dial away. If I get lost while driving, I can call an information line. And if I want to check my Facebook page (because, why not?), I'm there in two seconds. My cell has become my watch, my camera, my address book and my lifeline. But unlike some people, this technology has not become me. |
While I was watching the Super Bowl I started thinking about what the NFL, or even NCAAF, would do without chin straps. I'm not talking about their physical, securing property. As its original purpose, that is obviously an important function.