Even when we were too young to read, we have been handed books. First they were books with pictures. Then, once we were older, they were simple books to help us learn the alphabet and how to read. Nowadays we get handed thick textbooks full of new and exciting, yet sometimes difficult, information.
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We’ve all heard it: La Crosse has the most bars per capita in the world. And yes, that is in the Guinness Book of World Records. As us college students begin to age, the idea of going out every weekend to house parties, carrying a string bag full of beer, seems less than thrilling.
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Staff debate latest controveries to hit the headlines
Walker has got to go Within the past year, Wisconsin politics has been all over the place. When Scott Walker was elected as governor in January 2010, he made a promise to fix Wisconsin’s staggering budget deficit and help grow the lagging economy.
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Being a full time college student, a performer, and working a half time job, many people would find me crazy to even half consider trying to tackle 18 credits in a semester. While, yes, it may potentially allow a student to finish in 4 years, it does not allow for much free time in evenings for home work or any other kind of activity.
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Staff debate latest controveries to hit the headlines
America's prosperous: not an all-you-can-eat "Buffet" The popularized “Buffet Rule” was recently blocked in the US Senate and failed in the US House of Representatives, only to be replaced with a more fair and balanced business tax cut legislation. The business tax cut is a one-year 20 percent cut to taxes on business with less than 500 employees, a measure the New York Times said would apply to more than 99 percent of businesses, the very small town business that create jobs in your communities to stimulate the local economy and keep this country afloat.
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With finals being merely a few weeks away, test and projects seem to be accumulating en mass, as if every one of the professors got together and decided to put all due dates on the same exact day. Thus, it is important that a student develops a particular study spot they can utilize when it becomes absolutely crucial that you spend more time on your project than stalking your acquaintances on Facebook.
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The traditional woman, is there such a thing anymore? Women want to do it all today: have a successful career, be a loving mother and maintain a strong relationship with a spouse or partner. I don't think it is possible. Today women are under so much pressure to be everything and everywhere all the time.
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We should have voted yes By James Dirth Associate Reporter In the aftermath of the election this past Tuesday, a referendum for adding a city administrator was voted down by voters. Many people acted on distorted facts and figures about this city administrator position or voted it down because of a general lack of knowledge.
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We have all seen the tweets, the status updates, the profile picture change which all indicate that “summer vacation” is barely a month away; and, if you haven’t seen any of the following, I applaud you. Lucky for us college kids, our summers officially start earlier and last longer than any high school’s.
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We have done it. We have reached the last few weeks of the school year! In fact, we have less than 40 days until our summer break begins. Being so close to the finish line makes people excited, antsy, and quite frankly, lazy. All the energy on campus in these next few weeks will likely make it difficult to focus on our studies and less motivated to go to class.
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For most people, summer is a time to relax, enjoy the outdoors and take on a more laid back attitude and lifestyle for the three months of the year that we get. Unfortunately for those who still have to work, intern or take summer classes, these three months may not be as highly anticipated.
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Question: What happens when you fight fire with fire? Answer: You get a bigger fire. Yet, in the case of those asking for justice for Travyon Martin, as was the case in last week’s march on campus, there was no “fire with fire” mentality at all.
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It is no secret that the food in the Whitney dining center is not exactly a favorite among the students here at UW-La Crosse, but just how unhappy are people with Chartwell’s services here on campus? Chartwells is coming to the end of their contract with our campus.
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Over a year ago the Scott Walker upheaval first began, and it was than just a few months ago that the upheaval met another climactic peak in the seemingly endless debate. Though the buzz and hype of the Scott Walker controversy seems to have died down, the recall election still continues.
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If you’re like me, you grew up with your parents drilling the idea that if you go to college and get an education, then you’ll be rich and successful. Most of the millennial generation (those born from 1980-2000) grew up with the notion that a college degree will automatically land you that “perfect job” and you’d be set for life.
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There’s an ancient teaching in the Torah that states, “In the image of God he created man. Male and female he created them.” This gives the implication to me that every single human being on this earth is created with an inherent dignity and significance; that is to say, that everyone deserves to be treated in such a manner.
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As all of us are aware, it is finally spring! That means shorts, flip-flops, outdoor volleyball and…outside classes? We have all seen the typical college brochure that almost always advertises a class being held outside where the students are all sitting in a circle: smiling and laughing at each other.
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This is probably the hardest article I’ve had to write thus far. Why? Because it’s about one of the most di fficult subjects to talk about….politics. In particular, the Republican primaries. At this point, Mitt Romney seems to be the front runner. However, there is yet no consensus within the Republican party, or even with independent voters as to who they would choose to run against President Obama this fall.
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It is 2012- the 21st century. While this seems rather obvious, it is important to acknowledge before I fire o ff this second word: abstinence. Yes, I am referring to act of refraining from sexual activities 100%. Before our time, this was the number #1 way to avoid pregnancy.
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I just received an email that issued me my fall registration date for classes. This feels rather early to begin thinking about next semester to me. However, it is vital that us students begin planning out schedules even have two or three backups, just in case.
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For those of you who haven’t heard of the Lord’s Resistance Army (or the LRA), it is a militant group that has a syncretic Christian religious ideology. To say their religious views are extreme is a vast understatement. They primarily operate in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Central African Republic where they kill, mutilate, and rape citizens, and occasionally even engage in cannibalism.
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"Be safe" in reference to the words "spring break" sounds almost like an oxymoron. In high school, spring break is generally thought to be a week dedicated to family vacations, while in college, spring break means something almost entirely di erent.
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As all of us are vividly aware, spring break is about to begin! Some of us are lucky enough to be flying off to warm and sunny places whether it be a personal vacation or an alternative spring break program. Either way, I can assure you the rest of us are envious.
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Spring break, it's the time when everyone takes a break after midterms, classes, and the mind blowing hours of studying so that we can get a passing grade. It's also a time for people to go out to have a good time at the beach or at the club, if you're of age.
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It is no secret that divorce in this country hits half of the marriages that are made. As someone who's heard the traditional vows, "for better or for worse," I often wonder how many couples mean that before they approach on a justice of the peace, priest or officiator of the ceremony.
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It's about that time. While yes, spring break is also rapidly approaching and one of the more anticipated times of the semester, that, sadly, is not what I'm referring to. Instead, I am referencing mid semester, which also means, the deadline for any major/minor changes or declarations.
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In an effort to become a greener, more environmentally friendly campus, UW-La Crosse is transitioning into becoming a paperless campus. Yes, that's right, like it or not D2L is going to be around for years to come. When pondering on this topic and my views on it, I began to wonder how my fellow students here at UW-L feel about our progressively paperless enterprise.
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With elections coming up, it is crucial that we, college students, begin to think and assess those running for the presidential office. However, because we are all of voting age, we must be sure that we are fully educated about a number of things prior to making a decision on that crucial voting ballot.
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If you decided to invest in a boat today, you would probably want to get your money's worth. You would take it out on the water as much as you possibly could, and take pristine care of your new toy. One would think the same reasoning would hold true for any purchase, let alone a hefty investment, but it's baffling that it does not.
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There are Budget cuts from Madison to Athens; riots from the streets of Syria to the streets of New York and California. To add to all of this, a national primary is about to take place. It would appear that the Republican Party still has yet to find a trusted representative, and our current President is trying to rally the country together once again.
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As we all know, Drake Hall, sadly, went up in flames earlier this semester. Though the building itself is salvageable, it is unable to be used for the rest of the semester. And, the basement of the hall must be completely redone. As many of you are aware, this fire caused quite an upheaval among the students, parents, and the campus as a whole.
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Have you ever noticed that there seems to be a blood drive every other week? Ever wonder how much good they really do? With the blood drive recently here on campus, I can't help but wonder those exact things. There is no doubt that giving blood is a very generous, and selfless thing to do, but you can't help but wonder where that donated blood is going? Does it ever really gets used or does any good? According to Carrie Shey, who directed the most recent blood drive at UW- La Crosse, it is hard to even estimate how many blood drives the Red Cross does in a given year.
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With the Presidential elections only nine months away, the Republican hopefuls are in full campaign mode. Even the President himself is starting to pick up the campaign trail again. Yes, another election year is upon us. For the next nine months the mud will fly.
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Where's the love? By K.C. Powers Managing Editor Any holiday geared around candy hearts, flowers, and chocolates is a great holiday in my book. In fact, those who write off Valentine's Day as nothing more than corporate catastrophe need a reality check.
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As a typical student, when I walk down the pavement on campus, I don't notice more females than males. However, on most college campuses, there are actually more females than males. While this may surprise many of you, I encourage you all to take a look around one of your classrooms.
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Well, we are now over a month into the New Year, and now that the festivities and excitement of the commencement of 2012 are winding down, it's time to think about the serious stuff. Yes, I'm talking about New Year's resolutions. You all have heard of them, you've all made and broke them, whether it's to fight the freshman 15 by going to the REC every day or improve your study skills by skipping a party to hit the books.
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Throughout life, we're challenged and forced to make decisions that we might not be the most comfortable about. But it happens, and that's the point—to challenge ourselves through uncomfortable situations. Our decisions create the mold for how we choose to experience our lives.
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President Barrack Obama addressed our nation on January 25, 2012. The State of the Union is an annual address given by the President of the United States to Congress, explaining the positive changes our nation will be making. In other words, it's a presidential brag session.
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As a student at UW-La Crosse, I feel very fortunate to have such a successful study abroad program that encourages students to partake in furthering their education in a foreign country. Although many individuals may have the stereotypical idea that when choosing to study abroad, one has to dedicate either a semester or an entire year to the program, it is not entirely true.
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Weathering the transition back to classes
Though there is no doubt that this first week of Spring semester has been quite a change of pace from our restful lives over winter break, was it difficult for the UW-La Crosse community to transition back to our academic mind set after a month long break or was the rest well needed to ensure our success this term? This year's J-term was exactly 31 days long, and it is reasonable to say that we all got a chance to rest our hard working brains after a long semester of learning and studying.
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I thought Christmas time was supposed to be so peaceful, isn't that what all the songs say? "Tis the season to be jolly" and "All is calm, all is bright"? Actually, at this time of year, most of us are feeling anything but peacefully and jolly.
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As most of you are aware, we are quickly approaching the joyful holiday season! This is a time of cheer and festivities that very few can deny enjoying, but are there specific holiday time greetings that can be offensive to certain groups? The debate about the appropriateness of Merry Christmas vs.
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Controversy or not, make sure you have all the facts
Three words, but when put together make one of the most controversial issues in Wisconsin. As many of you are aware, through the mass amounts of petitions under the clock tower, the Scott Walker Recall is a very present issue in Wisconsin. I had observed many of my fellow students sign the petition and support the recall.
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To me, it was an average call home. The usual, once a day Mom session I need. Needless to say, that isn't how things ended up. I proceeded to be informed of an issue that, I hope, many of you are aware. I can easily say this conversation with my mom left me uneasy and feeling discouraged.
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Ashley Reynolds
Being a college student comes with many responsibilities and obligations that are challenging for most people. So the question is, should you get a job on top of being a student? The most obvious advantage to having a job while at school is obtaining an income.
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Benson Management. Three Sixty Realty. Pine Tree Housing. Do any of those companies sound relatively familiar to you? Have you seen their promotional signs around campus or staked out in lawns? For those of you choosing to stay on campus for another year, these companies do not affect your everyday life.
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In George Washington's farewell address he warned us of the dangers political parties bring. Centuries back he could see that a two-party system naturally nourishes the expanse of divisions between an already divided populace. For this reason a two-party political system is counterproductive by nature, because doing things out of spite is in its nature.
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As Americans we cherish our right to free speech and by extension the right to peacefully assemble. The (relatively) peaceful protests that are occurring across the nation under the banner of the Occupy Wall Street movement are claiming to be a prime example of democracy at work.
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Greater numbers of UW-La Crosse students have recently become better informed about the atrocities taking place in Uganda and the entire central African region. Student activists, many touched by documentary screenings, have decided to join the recently formed UW-L branch of the Invisible Children club.
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The Resident Assistant (RA) is responsible for helping with the personal and academic concerns of students and for helping to work out group conflicts which may arise. Being that most students live in the dorms for at least one year, nearly every student will have a resident assistant to look up to, report to or even be friends with at some point in their lives.
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Women recognized for work to advance safety, rights in peace-building process
In last week's issue I wrote about the focus of our media's attention, and what consequently our thoughts are made up of: the extreme. The extremes do not tend to be of the most heartwarming nature either, but rather, headlines concentrate on those working against the general good.
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Let's face it. At some time or another we have all said things that might be at least a little bit inappropriate. It happens. But chances are, whatever it was that we said, we didn't really mean it the way that someone else took it. I'm talking about stuff like when we might say "this is gay" or accusing someone of acting "retarded.
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It's that time of year again—the time for most students to begin receiving high dosages of home sickness. Thus, many students choose to travel home for the weekend. For those students fortunate enough to have a car on campus, getting home is as easy as cake.
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The Arab spring is bringing some final falls, in due time with the season. What started as a small uprising in Tunisia this past spring has spread like wildfire through the rest of the Arab world, from Yemen to Morocco to Jordan and beyond. Even Egyptians, inspired by the downfall of the Tunisian leader, brought down their own longstanding ruler, Hosni Mubarak, in just 18 days of protests.
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If anyone still thinks that Facebook is just a passing fad, they had better think again. Facebook, now in its seventh year of existence, has over 800 million users and is about to get another facelift. Recently, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, announced the next evolution of his wildly popular product, Timeline.
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The pros and cons of working a part-time job in college
According to Learning and Earning:Working in College, "Students are increasingly likely to work while in college." Nearly 57 percent of all college students work part time jobs, and a student's likelihood to work full time has doubled since 1984. As the statistics of working college students continue to climb, individuals are faced with time commitment challenges among many others.
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Most students attending college are not naive to the aspect of underage and heavy drinking. In fact, many students often view drinking as a normal aspect of college. Whether you personally choose to partake in it or not, underage and heavy drinking affects all students and many community members too.
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For my own sanity I have to believe in my heart that humans are not born with an innate xenophobia, or rather, heir of superiority and skepticism toward others who simply are not like them. The occurrence of this phenomenon does not solely play out between members of different religions or races.
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We all have secrets. As cliché as that sounds, its true. Some of these are secrets we keep with friends. Others are things that we never tell anyone about ourselves. Either way, sometimes we just need to get these things off our chest. And that is the problem.
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As I sit down to write this piece, the United Nations is in utter turmoil, and I love it. It is about time for the dialog over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to reconvene after an extended period of stalled negotiations. Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian territory, has submitted an application for full membership status to the UN.
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The start of the 51st annual Oktoberfest USA is upon us. Which, truth be told, is pretty much a city sanctioned drinking party. And, I challenge anyone who disagrees to prove me wrong. Just talking to students here on campus you will find that not too many people (none that I found at any rate) actually know what Oktoberfest is all about.
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Oktoberfest is the prime event in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Ongoing since 1961, Oktoberfest begins the last weekend of September and continues through until the first weekend in October. While La Crosse is home to many different festivals including Riverfest, Pridefest and Irishfest, Oktoberfest is by far one of La Crosse's most celebrated events.
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Yes, it is a term we all recognize, and more so, most of us can even spit out a text book definition of what it means. It comes up so often that perhaps it's time to get on with it, for maybe it has been discussed enough. The truth is, even if you think it's becoming cliché to use, the ever occurring term, "globalization", it's not going away any time soon.
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We are not quite two weeks into the semester and already I find myself cringing at the thought of going to certain classes. And I'm sure I'm not alone. But this is all part of college right? We all have to take those classes that we would rather not, you know, the ones that seem to have nothing to do with our major.
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Your guide to not looking like a freshman
Freshmen move in day; a day that marks the weekend prior to the start of the year, a day in which our residence halls are bustling with people, and a day that showcases the brand new individuals on campus. I'm here to tell you that regardless of your best efforts freshmen, everyone else on campus can clearly pick you out of a crowd.
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The reality of unpaid, and even paid, internships
Each year, hundreds of students line up to see if they can land an internship. For some, it is required while others are just after the experience. Whatever the case may be, anyone would rather be paid than work for free. Nevertheless, each year many students end up doing just that.
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There is a chance that we may see history repeat itself and the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) could strike if their demands cannot be met in a new collective bargaining agreement soon. This scenario is very reminiscent of the 1982 and 1987 seasons where the player's share of the league's revenue came under fire.
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How to make yourself stand out in a job hunt
School and finals will be over before anyone can even begin muttering the word "work." For many of you readers, you will be returning back to your hometown and working at your short term place of employment, whether it be a waitressing or lifeguarding position.
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Text messaging: A connecting tool or a distracting device
When was the last time you left home without your phone? Have you ever? If you can answer yes, it probably wasn't intentional. Cell phones have practically become part of our anatomy. We would be lost without them. As all things technological go, the cell phone has changed over the years, as has its usage.
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It is said that college is about having fun. Life will always be hard work, and college certainly doesn't last forever. Clearly for these reasons alone, students are finding the ambition to dedicate weeks to the hit the books. Because honestly, who wants to study when one merely has a few weeks left of a college year? That's right, no one.
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Since I'm currently sitting in Murphy Library writing this column on my laptop, my eyes can't help but wander around the room at my peers to see the amount of students on Facebook. I'm not criticizing them because I'm guilty of spending a fair amount of time on my friends' pages as well.
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Whatever you call them, here’s your guide to the best ones on campus
Between final exams being less than a month away, having final projects and papers due and priorities that need managing, a student hardly has the time during the school day to struggle finding the best tasting water fountain or most effective water fountain for filling up water bottles with ease.
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An accurate indicator or an outdated complaint
Nobody wants to get stuck with a bad professor. If you get into a class with a teacher you cannot stand, your semester can be miserable. So when registration time rolls around students are always eager to find out which professors are good and which ones are not.
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As Earth Week is upon us, it is a great time to celebrate the abundant natural resources available to us on this planet. Being somewhat of an outdoorsman, it is nice to get out into the woods and appreciate the natural beauty we have afforded to us here on Earth.
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Campus standards up to par?
Personal security probably isn't something that too many students think about often, largely because we have a safe campus located in a relatively safe city. There truly is not a whole lot to worry about. And, for reasons besides the obvious, this is a good thing.
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"What can I do with a major in...?" Go ahead, fill in the blank. This is a question so many students on all college campuses find themselves either asking or wondering. And don't worry, it's typical. According to college statistics, about 80 percent of all incoming college students are still uncertain about their designated area of study.
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Tipping in recent generations has become something of habit and not much thought goes into the process. Generally, most think tacking 15 percent onto the bill is the way to go. Wait staff is paid a lower minimum wage and the idea is that tips will make up for the decreased pay from the employer.
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Anybody who wants to get their hands on a complete list of names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of students at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse needs to go no further than the Records and Registration office. All that is required to get this information is to file a request and pay a fee of $80 plus $0.
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It wasn't too long ago that our state was united by the colors green and gold due to an epic Super Bowl XLV title. However, it seems our state is now being torn apart by two colors: blue and red. The weight of the bill falls heavily upon the shoulders of college students and professors.
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A friend of mine once said, "C's and D's get degrees." It's true too. Nowhere is it written that you have to have better than a 3.0 to earn a bachelor's. So long as you pass enough classes you can walk away with that piece of paper that says you graduated.
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Boy meets girl; girl meets boy. After a few drinks at a typical Friday night party, the two exchange a conversation, a dance, phone numbers, and later a hook up. The next morning the girl is left waiting for a text of acknowledgement from the boy and therefore, confused.
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Professors say a lot of things during lectures. Most are boring, some are interesting and occasionally some are down right hilarious. These little nuggets of comedy are completely unexpected, and can brighten anyone's day. I equate it to the way I assume Canadians feel when they get an American nickel or dime as change when they buy something.
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"Did I tell you? I'm in a relationship...Facebook Official!" Relying on relationship statuses and friendships being "facebook official" is exceptionally common among avid facebookers. The terminology of "Facebook Official," otherwise known as "FBO" deals with accepted friendship and relationship requests.
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By now we all know about Governor Walker's "budget repair bill." Polls show the majority of voters oppose it (51-43 percent split, even when the polling was done by a conservative group,) and the massive protests in Madison, numbering 75,000 on Saturday, rage on.
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We have all heard rumors of parking ticket "quotas" that the police have to make. Ultimately these rumors are just that, hearsay. But they do bring up an interesting point. There is a certain revenue collection aspect of these tickets for the city.
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The right to concealed carry of firearms in our state has often led to heated debate. Those opposing the private ownership of guns seem to feel that firearms are scary and operate by some form of "black magic." To set the record straight, a gun is a tool that fires a projectile after a trigger pull causes a primer to be struck on the round of ammunition.
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The difference between a button down, striped, long sleeved shirt and a grey and maroon University of Wisconsin-La Crosse collegiate tee shirt are not distinct. Both are shirts and can be worn to cover an individual's upper half. However, the button down and the tee differ in the situations or events they're considered to be most "appropriate" for.
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The night before a job interview can be quite terrifying. Thoughts of not having enough experience preventing you from getting your beauty sleep--sounds awful. Luckily, you've got us. No, not to sing you sweet lullabies, but we might be able to help you get some Z's without using any of that Ambien.
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Everywhere you go, people are "going green". As a society, we love to spend money on saving the planet. We here at UW-La Crosse are no exception. In 2008, the student senate passed a referendum to create the Green Fund, which, in case you did not know, diverts a $5 per semester segregated fee from each student into a special reserve to fund projects designed to enhance UW-L's environmental sustainability.
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Madison has been abuzz recently as Governor Scott Walker has introduced his controversial budget reform bill. This bill is designed to correct a current fiscal year budget deficit of 136.7 million while a plan to address the pending 3.6 billion dollar deficit will be addressed later this month in the Governor's 2011-2013 Biennial Budget proposal.
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Recently, a UW-La Crosse basketball player was accused of dealing pot. According to the criminal complaint, two resident assistants called campus police Jan. 11 because they smelled marijuana outside of a dorm room. The police obtained a search warrant and found two plastic bags each containing a little more than half an ounce of marijuana, a digital scale, a grinder and other bags with traces of pot, according to the complaint.
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There are very few things the average college student dreads more than a blistering cold, dreary, winter walk to class. Temperatures have been in the negatives and single digit numbers the past few weeks, and moods have quickly shifted to being somber and disgruntled.
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