By Greta Gessert | ContributorThe rates of abortion for children with Down syndrome are much higher than those for children without Down syndrome. This indicates that parents are aborting their children based on a genetic condition, which is discrimination. So why is this form of discrimination — a form so drastic that it involves preventing the birth of an entire group of people — not condemned?According to a study on Down syndrome termination rates, 67% of babies prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome in the United States are aborted. Comparatively, in Iceland, the rate is nearly 100%, according to CBS News.If…
Author: Baylor Lariat
By Lily Parkin | ContributorIf you take a look around Baylor University’s campus, you would find students with stacks of papers, thick textbooks and lots and lots of PawPrints being used.In the two years I have been a Baylor student, I have to admit I have been guilty of participating in several paper-wasting activities. As a student body and a campus, I say we can all do better to reduce the amount of waste we contribute to as students.According to the digital data management website iDashboards, the best way to reduce waste from paper and help the environment in your…
By Phoebe Alwine | ContributorBaylor University’s campus lacks a variety of coffee that the students need. In August 2018, Baylor added Common Grounds coffee to the first floor of the SUB. However, this decision seems a bit redundant since there is already a Common Grounds shop on 8th Street, in a convenient spot right next to campus. Putting Common Grounds on campus offers students less food and beverage options. However, Dunkin’ Donuts is the best solution to this issue. When Baylor put Common Grounds in, Einstein’s Bagels, the only one in Waco, was taken out, ultimately robbing students of a…
With graduation coming up, we are all celebrating our seniors as they prepare for the long walk across the stage. While it’s all well and good to take your favorite grad out to dinner or enjoy some quality time before they exit these hallowed grounds, there’s something more you can do to make sure your senior is appreciated: Show up for your friend’s graduation. For some, their family can’t actually get to graduation, or only a few members of their family can celebrate them. For others, their family is a given, but to see their friends’ faces would make their…
By Elisabeth George | ContributorThe stories we write and pass on tell us much more about ourselves than the characters we bring to life. As Neil Gaiman paraphrased from G.K. Chesterton, “Fairy tales are more than true — not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten.”When I was 8 years old, I wrote a story about a family of Dalmatian puppies and their mother. It wasn’t a particularly great story, but after watching all four of Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” movies, I had been inspired. I would also run around with my friends…
By Lexy Norman | ContributorBaylor University is a proudly diverse campus with students coming from different religions, cultures and parts of the country and world. In fact, around 35% of students are residents from outside of Texas, according to the Baylor Institutional Research and Testing report of fall 2018 undergraduates. To get to school from home, most would take an airplane. However, the closest international airports are Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, 110 miles south of Baylor, and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, 110 miles north. These locations are not ideal for students who do not have their own means of transportation, like…
Coming back from you study abroad trip, it’s often difficult to find similarities between Waco and exciting foreign locations like Paris and Argentina. Especially upon re-entering the United States, students returning from a study abroad trip are stereotyped by their tendency to endlessly talk about their host country. Students who have recently studied abroad love to compare everything from pharmacies to street signs, usually announcing that the Waco version is inferior. While this behavior can come off as annoying to those who didn’t have the same study abroad experience as you, it’s important to stay connected to your host country…
Trisha Porzycki | Contributor With graduation approaching in four short weeks, many seniors are looking back on their four years at Baylor. Many participated in clubs or intramural teams, passed classes with flying colors, and have a job lined up for after graduation. But some students have gone beyond the ordinary to make the best of their four years in college. Marques Jones is a walk-on football player with a 3.94 GPA in the engineering program, has been offered a summer internship at Tesla, Inc, and gained a respected reputation on campus. As the icing on the cake, Jones scored…
By Preston New | ContributorIt seems everywhere you go on Baylor’s campus, bright colored hammocks litter the trees. While some students stay relatively close to the ground, many make the daring trip 30 feet in the air to get a better view and show off to their friends. While hammocking has become a normal activity on campus, changes need to be put into place to protect the environment, the students and the university.The first thing that comes to my mind when I see one of these hammocks strapped to the tree is the fact that the straps may degrade the…
By Elizabeth Wellinghoff | ContributorAs April comes to an end, we are closing our university focus on Sexual Assault Awareness Month with the event, Night of Reflection. Friday at 8 p.m., members of the Baylor and Waco communities will come together around Rosenbalm Fountain to reflect on why they commit to preventing sexual assault. Our goal is to highlight the importance of sexual assault awareness as well as reflecting on why our conversations and commitments regarding awareness and prevention should continue beyond April. As we move into the summer and fall, our efforts of prevention can be strengthened by gaining…
With the theatrical release of the new “Avengers: Endgame” movie, we are all walking around on eggshells. Some of us are trying to avoid inadvertently learning major plot elements. On the other hand, those of us lucky enough to have scored opening day tickets are trying to avoid accidentally revealing those major plot elements to the rest of society. Never fear — the Lariat is here to lay down a set of ground rules for navigating the dangerous world of spoilers. Online Hazards Nowadays, the most perilous place after the premiere of a big movie you haven’t seen yet is…
By Emily Starr | ContributorIn one of the first art history classes I took, I wrote a paper on an early work by famous impressionist painter Claude Monet, called “La Pointe de la Hève at Low Tide.” Scholars previously included the piece in the pre-impressionist or realist movement. In my paper, I wrote that there are glimmers of his painterly glory that characterize his later impressionist style, evident in the details of the sky and sea.What’s interesting about this piece compared to his other works is that art critics loved it, while a viewer today may not even recognize that…
By Kasey Foots | ContributorToday, black is the thing to be. Black people are leading the culture — pop culture that is. From what you see on TV to the top artists on the charts, they are all people of color. Representation is so important and seeing people who look like you do things like become the president of the United States or be a community leader in your residence hall at your Predominantly White Institution (PWI) are all things that can be influential in the way one may view themselves and their capabilities.Coming to Baylor, knowing that there would…
By Pinto Lokesh | Contributor Remember how exciting it was to lay your hands on a new book? Remember the anticipation you felt at the idea of diving in a new world, containing cool things such as wizards, mermaids and dolphins? Probably not. Now the sight of a book reminds you of homework, essays and all the projects that needs to be done to keep your GPA afloat. Books stress you out. Wouldn’t you like to actually enjoy reading for a change? What would it look like to have the world of literature at your fingertips? Libby makes this dream…
The world watched last week as the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris burned to the ground. Notre Dame, perhaps the most well-known cathedral in the world, was home to holy relics and artistic masterpieces, but it was also a holy place for thousands of Parisians to worship. Although the social media uproar has since died down quite a bit, there are still people across the world posting bright, smiling photos of themselves in front of this destroyed landmark, perhaps with a sad caption or simply an emoji. To all those people: Please stop. Now don’t get us wrong, it’s devastating…
By Paige Hardy | ContributorI woke up in my apartment after Easter break thinking about Christ’s resurrection. As a religion major, I am so glad to attend a university where I can study the complexities of the resurrection without fear of being ridiculed for my questions. Well, for the most part. Today, I feel an uncomfortable stirring in my soul. We call Christ a liberator, the one who freed us from our chains. Not only the chains of sin we put upon ourselves, but also the chains others have used to keep us down. Jesus did not silence the voices…
By Isabelle Perello | ContributorWhen I was 15 years old, I was able to learn about sex at my own pace, letting my experience progress or slow down how I wanted. When my friend Bridget was 15 years old, she didn’t have that luxury. Trigger warning: The following story contains elements of sexual assault and emotional abuse. To those who aren’t aware, April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month. The National Crime Victimization Survey indicates that about 321,500 cases of rape and sexual assault happen each year. Many victims of sexual or emotional abuse in relationships bear the scars…
The Baylor quidditch team competed in the U.S. Quidditch Cup last weekend
By Holden Frueh | ContributorThe special needs community desires people to help and serve them and just spend time with them. These people need connections and they need to feel loved.This group of people has the potential to do so much good in this world. But they are also calling for help. Many people will support them with their words and say that they care about the special needs community, but few do anything about it.This is such a flaw that so many of us have. We will continue to say we support things and say that we care about…
In a world dominated by social media, we have all become used to the idea that nothing is sacred or forgotten. Nothing we have typed out online can fully be erased and, through our many devices, our whereabouts are rarely in question. With the rise of apps like Find My Friends, which comes standard on all iPhones, we need to realize the benefit of having a little privacy in our lives. We hear friends ask each other all the time to share their locations with each other, almost as if it is some sacred step in the relationship. This question,…
Job hunting is stressful, and it might seem like there’s really no way around that. “Entry-level” positions just aren’t what they used to be, and for graduating seniors searching for the perfect position, it seems like the only jobs available are either part-time, unpaid internships or higher level management roles that require over five years of experience. Sometimes, when seniors pluck up the courage to actually apply for these big-name jobs, they undersell themselves and their experience. While you might not have years in the field, chances are you’ve held internships or done exercises in class that can surely count…
By Michael Waterman | ContributorIn movies such as “Get Out,” “Us” and “Hidden Figures,” African-American actors and actresses have taken center stage. These creations have brought about the conversation of equal representation in films. When blockbuster movies expand the diversity in their cast, younger generations will not see this as different or strange because this is what they grew up with. They show that minority actors and actresses can make great movies not only portraying the history of their culture, but also that they can make just as good a movie as their white counter-parts. This establishes a more accepting…
For many, getting in the habit of exercising begins with a seemingly simple yet overwhelmingly intimidating step through the doors of a gym. Baylor students, faculty and staff looking to improve their fitness are lucky enough to have the McLane Student Life Center conveniently located right on campus. Despite the building’s close proximity and comprehensive amenities, some still find the gym intimidating. While Baylor as an institution could take measures to make the SLC more welcoming, we each have a role to play in making the gym a more inviting place for all. Dr. Kim Scott, director of campus recreation…
By Olivia Martin | ContributorLooking for a place beside the dining hall to grab a quick bite on campus? Try the Bill Daniel Student Center. There you’ll find Panda Express, Chick-fil-A, Steak n Shake, Slow Rise Pizza and Sushi to Go… The options are plentiful. Trying to eat healthier? Check out Freshii, where the meals are extremely expensive for the budget of a college kid and is only open for lunch, between 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Whether it be grabbing a bite in between classes or studying for longer periods of time, the SUB is a central place that…
By Camille Day | ContributorBaylor’s campus is known for its superb Student Life Center building that allows students to access a rock climbing, an indoor track, basketball courts, racquetball room and fitness center. In addition to this state-of-the-art fitness center, Baylor is known for another, less exciting thing: Sleeves are required when students work out. According to Baylor’s McLane Student Life Center Building Usage Manual, “full length shirts with sleeves and protective footwear are required in weights/fitness area & at the Rock and bouldering area.” The exact reason for these restrictions are not entirely known. Some argue that sleeves are…
By Dane Cobb | ContributorThe life of a college student is busy indeed. Between school and extracurricular activities, it is difficult for students to make time for much else. Many students often feel excessively stressed and feel as if they don’t have enough hours in the day to accomplish all their tasks. One way to mitigate this reality is by working out. Allowing your body to get out of the classroom and release healthy endorphins has been proven to decrease stress levels and lead to an overall healthier life. Now picture this, to make time for a workout, a student…
At the end of a rough week full of relationship drama, school stress and everything else that life brings, it is natural to want to resort to certain activities or behaviors to comfort yourself.Relatable posts circulating on social media so often glorify prolonged social isolation and Netflix bingeing, neither of which are necessarily worthy of their romanticization.There are two types of coping strategies: avoidant and active. While avoidant coping attempts to ignore the issue, active coping acknowledges the stressor and attempts to reduce negative effects of it.As appealing as brain-numbing, idle activities (such as bingeing, sleeping or isolating) may be,…
By Jake Neidert | Contributor Friends, colleagues, peers and professors: I come to you as a Christian, as an American and as a Texan. I come before you as a voice for those executed, today, tomorrow, before and after you read this. No longer can I sit by as children of God are ripped from the womb. No longer can I sit by as society justifies the murder and systematic slaughter of innocents with no voice to defend themselves. By the time you have finished reading this, nearly six human lives will be lost to abortion. By the end of…
By Abby Granata | ContributorStudents, faculty and Wacoans filled George W. Truett Theological Seminary’s Paul Powell Chapel to hear renowned Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros share her journey to success. The author of one of her most popular works, “The House on Mango Street” read some of her work and also described the inspiration behind it. Cisneros said she wanted her speech to give a voice to those who have been silenced which has fueled her career in the arts. She read her story “Eleven” and said that it mirrored her lifelong struggles, experiences of herself and her community.Professor Macarena Hernández…
Ever since you first stepped foot on campus as a freshman, you hear about the Baylor Bubble. This is the “protection” Baylor students have when they are on or near campus from the realities of Waco. That Baylor Bubble goes beyond just the physical boundaries of Waco, though. Often the issues we have here on campus, whether it’s mental health issues, food insecurity or attendance policies, are also issues other universities have, not just around the state of Texas but across the nation. UT’s newspaper, the Daily Texan recently published two articles that relate to similar pieces the Baylor Lariat…
