Opinion

By ERIK MEDINA Being a first-gen college student, the pressure of succeeding and doing something with my future is at an all-time high.  Family members and peers look up to you and expect so much. Of course, this isn’t the case for every first-gen student. Not everyone has the same story.  There comes a time where you begin to succumb to that pressure and doubt yourself. There’s a constant cycle of whether you’re doing the right thing or if this is really what you want to do. I think a number of students can relate to this, though, not just first gens. I will admit that I have fallen under this pressure numerous times. I wasn’t sure if the path I was taking was what I truly wanted to pursue. I changed my major and dabbled in different areas until I realized what I wanted to do. I bega...

By AMARIS ENCINAS I would like to dedicate this letter to the editor to all of the young people out in the world but particularly the special demographic known as college students. I think for a really long time I was in this rush to grow up and become an adult, whatever that means. But I realize now how short-sighted I have been in making that decision, it seems to have propelled certain situations out of my control. Which makes me kind of upset because looking back some of the best memories I ever had was due to unplanned adventures and maybe doing things I was not supposed to be doing. For a really long time I was uncertain of the path I was going to choose or what I was going to study and even now when I am supposed to have things figured out, I still find myself wondering about all...

By COSTA B. PAPPAS In the age of online dating, with relationships beginning on screens, it’s clear that someone can appear slick and clever over the phone, but then prove to be  completely awkward in person.  On a first date you can’t hide awkward pauses with the repetitive “LOL” or laughing emoji, so many don’t know what to say.  Talking about past relationships is a resounding “NO” but how do you establish a connection through basic conversation? So many first dates are filled with basic questions such as “What do you do for fun” or “How many siblings do you have,” etc. … said Pima Cojmmunity College student Blake Samsill.  To eliminate the awkward first date encounter, I always go into my first date with a game plan in my mind of questions I want to ask. Here’s some of them: 1. I...

By PARKER BROCK With the rise of the digital age, society is more connected and the spread of information, and misinformation, is much easier than ever before. The Internet is easily accessible for a majority of people in this country, and because of that, they are able to exchange messages with people they have never met, or tweet 300 characters out into the world with little regard for the consequences. There are rare repercussions for what one says online, so when something being said is aimed at triggering a response makes its way to the top of your feed, it’s easy to respond with your initial feelings. From these types of interactions spawned call-out culture, or outrage culture, a term for the social phenomenon of publicly denouncing perceived racism, sexism, homophobia, transpho...

By ALEXZANDRIA MARTINEZ As my dramatic life progresses and another failed attempt to form a relationship results in the heartache of unrequited love, my sitting on the couch repeatedly watching “Dirty Dancing” days are questionable. Why should I care to create this deep bond, when I haven’t even figured out who I am yet?  As many before me, I’ve been told, “You will meet your love of your life in college.”  Today’s young people often succumb to the growing popularity of  “hookup culture,” or in my case, guys being straight-up assholes.  There’s the difficulty of getting into a relationship, but it is also difficult to maintain one because of life’s stresses. In fact, it seems like most college students prefer to go on casual dates and not maintain any emotional connection than to be in...

By COSTA B. PAPPAS A few decades ago, online dating was nonexistent.  Sure, some people met through sketchy chat rooms back in the late ’90s, but online dating was nowhere near what it is today.  A few years back, people were forced to form solid connections through face-to-face interactions or risk being single. The world was a sea of possible opportunity where singles could meet a potential soulmate through bar nights, blind dates or by sitting next to them at a coffee shop. Fast forward to 2019: We’re in a world where blind dates are virtually nonexistent, bar nights are spent surrounded by your closest friends with little to no awareness of potential suitors around you and coffee shops are a lot more silent …it appears that live interactions are dead. With our generation no longer...

By JOE GIDDENS William Shatner. One of Canada’s finest exports turns out to have as many careers as he has had wives. You’ve seen him fight men in rubber monster suits, helm the Enterprise and sell you on travel websites. Now it’s time to allow the man to grace your playlists as well.  Shatner released his first spoken word album, “The Transformed Man,” in 1968. Strip away the music of The Beatles and trade John Lennon’s singing for deadpan dramatic reading of the lyrics to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,” and you get what would be the prototype of Shatner’s album-making career. Shatner’s discography is an exercise in irony. It mirrors the late comedian Andy Kaufman, in that the listener is never sure if Shatner’s spoken word is intentionally done for comedic effect or if he’s completel...