As college students we’re embarking on life on our own terms with no parents around to tell us what to do. Many times, that can be amazing — staying up late with your friends, being able to make whatever you want for breakfast, lunch and dinner — the opportunities are endless. However, when it comes to some of the more practical aspects of life as a young adult, we can be in the dark more than we probably should be. This is especially true in the case of knowing your legal rights. Whether you get pulled over by a police…
Author: Baylor Lariat
When you think back on your earliest birthday parties, memories of handwriting invitations to all the kids in your class on balloon-decorated stationery come to mind. Later on, you might have used e-cards to invite your closest middle school friends to your super cool sleepover party. Around high school, when Facebook was all the rage, Facebook Events provided an easy, one stop-shop for all your invitation and event planning needs. As Facebook grows increasingly obsolete as a social network for our generation, Instagram should create an event page feature as the next step in the evolution of invitations. Since many…
When Academy Award presenters speak the fateful words, “And the Oscar goes to…” the film name that follows will not only be a chance for Hollywood to pat itself on the back, but also an indication of what issues mattered most to movie viewers last year.The 2019 Academy Awards will serve as an opportunity to revisit the greatest films of the past year as well as the cultural and political themes that mattered most in 2018. Film, like any art form, brings viewers into an experience, often asking difficult questions and challenging our preconceptions by presenting us with new, diverse…
An integral part of the college student experience is late nights. The prime time for fellowship and camaraderie is in the wee hours of the morning after a long day of studying at Moody Memorial Library.Yet, Baylor students have limited options for places to go. With the recent closing of IHOP on South Fourth Street, Baylor students lost one of the few late night establishments within walking distance from campus.Especially for underclassmen, many of whom do not have cars and are too young to go to bars, having a go-to hang out spot would enrich their college experience.An alternative weekend…
Imagine this: You’re sitting in class and the student next to you is wearing a Beatles T-shirt and, to make polite conversation, the professor asks the student who her favorite Beatle is. The student then proceeds to say — and this is where those of you with weak stomachs should turn away — that she is so unfamiliar with their work that she couldn’t name a single member of the band that is widely regarded as the greatest collection of humans ever to pick up instruments.This incident is part of a much larger issue we face in 2019, and it…
Cooking is a worry to many college students, especially when they’re on their own for the first time. You can’t rely on your mom to make you lunch or the dining hall to always have food ready for you. It’s now up to you to make your own meals. This scares a lot of college students, and many turn to meal prep services like Blue Apron or HelloFresh to plan the meal for them. It sounds like an appealing option because all you have to do is fire up the stove, but these services are a waste of money and…
As Baylor works toward becoming a nationally recognized research institution, the assignment of graduate students to primary teaching positions should be reconsidered.While Baylor exceeds the national average for percentage of full-time instructors, 79 percent, as opposed to the 51 percent average, there is always room for improvement. The university boasts of its 14:1 student-faculty ratio, but this number fails to reflect the classrooms left without a full-time faculty member. According to College Factual, there were 610 graduate assistants “that teach or provide teaching-related duties” when College Factual conducted its analysis.Graduate assistants should be supplementary to a full-time faculty member, not…
By Isabelle Perello | ContributorWhile I think the Mason Ramsey (“From Walmart to Waco: Mason Ramsey to host concert at Baylor” published Feb. 4) concert is a good fundraiser idea from Baylor’s Greek life organizations, I think the excitement over Mason Ramsey highlights how we as a society allow Internet fame to determine what it means to be talented. Mason Ramsey has gotten a record deal simply from one viral video of him yodeling in a Walmart. While it was a cute moment, I hardly believe many record labels go out of their way to find yodeling 12-year-old boys, probably…
During the spring semester, seniors are faced with all sorts of life-changing moments — we are experiencing plenty of “lasts,” a few “firsts,” and we’re all trying to figure out what the heck we’re going to do with our lives. Mix in the bittersweet goodbyes we have to say, both to the university we love and to the people who have made our lives so special for the past four years, and it’s safe to say that seniors have quite a bit of soul searching on their plate. Although our society often says that we have to know what we’re…
Imagine it’s Sunday morning: You wake up to your alarm letting you know it’s time to get ready for church. For some, that looks like taking a shower, putting on their Sunday best and heading out for a morning service at their local church. For others, that means rolling out of bed, pulling out their laptop and pulling up a live stream of their favorite church.This is a reality for a lot of modern day Christians. With the technology many churches have, more and more Christians, primarily young adults, have turned to streaming their favorite churches from the comfort of…
What is a W-2 and why is your employer suddenly sending you mail? Why do some states want more money from you than others? And why on earth do your parents keep saying you are their dependent when you haven’t lived with them for years, and you pay for all your own groceries? Taxes can be confusing if you have never done them on your own before, and they will continue to be confusing if you do not take the time now to understand the process that you will have to do every spring for the rest of your life.…
In this week’s episode of Lariat TV News Today, our anchors cover the three reported rapes at South Russell Hall, the results of the Shawn Oakman hearing on Friday and where to find Girl Scout cookies around Waco.
The Supreme Court is arguably the most powerful government entity in the U.S.. They can change the laws under which our country operates with a 5-4 majority vote and, depending on who sits on the bench, a number of issues could be up for debate.The duty of the Supreme Court is to uphold the Constitution and ensure that the freedom this country was founded on is being pursued. Often, its duty has been questioned by politicians because they want their political agendas met by the court’s decisions.For example, when President Donald Trump was running for office, he said he would…
Despite the slew of women running for president in 2020, sexism is alive and well. It’s easy to regard the U.S. presidency as the pinnacle of success. After all, being president of the United States makes you one of the most powerful individuals in the world. However, this obsession with the presidency as the finish line on the road to equality for women and minorities implies that having a president that looks like you will solve all your problems. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, California Sen. Kamala Harris, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have all announced…
Communication is a crucial element of the human experience. Language intimately affects the way we engage with culture. Words and phrases come in and out of style, and many of us, in hopes of staying up-to-date with popular language, work to be in-the-know and on the cusp of these changes in language. Many words don’t hold much social weight. You wouldn’t scorn someone for calling something “wicked,” even though the word has since been largely substituted by “dope,” “sick,” or “rad.” But, how should we react when someone uses language that has not only expired, but also developed an insensitive…
It would be incredibly difficult to find a student at Baylor who truly only has to worry about attending class and completing coursework. A majority of students are involved in at least one other activity during the week –– a sorority or fraternity, an on-campus club or organization, a competitive or club sport, a volunteering position, an internship, a work-study job or an off-campus job.As a result of these extracurricular activities, students spend hours and sometimes days perfectly crafting their class schedules to balance these other endeavors. They utilize tools such as day planners, online calendars and reminders just to…
Viral videos are all the rage, thanks to today’s interconnected, instantaneous internet society. From cats falling off high surfaces to children singing their ABC’s wrong, the entertainment of your everyday life can now be broadcast to an international audience, sometimes with as many as several million viewers. However, when videos are shared with so many people, often with no context or background, it can be difficult to process the implications of the content. Sometimes its very straightforward, just a funny, silly or weird video with no purpose but to entertain. Other videos tackle more serious issues like a recent protest…
In this week’s episode of Lariat TV News Today, our anchors cover the sexual assault suspect who was released on bail, a Baylor student who owns his own plane and flies in his free time, and the men’s basketball team’s win streak.
After 18 years of grueling life experiences, we finally became college students. But despite the changes in intellectual and emotional maturity that college demands, there are still certain social dynamics that followed us into our collegiate years and will follow us throughout our lives. Only two weeks into the semester, it’s already clear who the outspoken, reserved or funny students are. These natural dispositions come with an unbalanced wealth of social, professional and emotional implications as a result of stereotyping. In most social, professional or academic settings, a funny, sociable and conversational disposition is often preferred to more reserved, introverted…
Regardless of political views on immigration, President Donald Trump’s proposed border wall crumbles to environmental concern and pragmatic effectiveness.The proposed wall, scheduled to begin construction in Texas in February, would begin in the Rio Grande Valley. Experts predict the project would harm both natural habitats and urban infrastructure.The wall would cut through prominent natural terrains such as the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, National Butterfly Center and La Lomita Historical Park. The U.S.-Mexico border is home to 313 species, 50 of which are endangered, according to a 2011 study. Wolves, ocelots and jaguars are among the many mammal species in…
In a society spent streaming, it has become increasingly popular to “binge” television shows, consuming episode after episode in a short period of time. For some shows, such as “Friends” or “The Office,” this practice seems like the natural approach — mindless humor can often be a release after a long day, and it’s easy to get sucked into the sitcom shenanigans. However, for shows that deal with more somber or serious subjects, such as the newly released “You,” it is important to address the darker themes and issues before letting Netflix automatically play the next episode. The show “You”…
The increased popularity of voice-activated operating systems like Alexa and Siri is due in part to our desire to have unlimited information at our fingertips. The commercials for products like the Amazon Echo and the Google Home emphasize their ability to answer any question the user might have. How many cups are in a gallon? What’s the name of that actress that starred in that one movie? Who sings that one song I like? Despite the clear benefits to having immediate access to information simply by saying “OK Google” and asking a question, the shift in the way we obtain…
Freshman guard Jared Butler led the way with 19 points
Story by Bridget Sjoberg | Staff Writer, Video by Kennedy Dendy | Broadcast Reporter Sanctions are officially being placed on Pi Beta Phi sorority for a controversial video posted online on Jan. 10 by a member of the group. The eight-second video was originally posted on the Instagram story of a Pi Beta Phi member. It depicts sorority members in their chapter room jumping and singing the lyrics to “Mo Bamba” by Sheck Wes, including a lyric containing the N-word. The video was posted on Twitter soon after, receiving over 30,000 views. Vice President for Student Life, Kevin P. Jackson,…
The process of reporting an incident of sexual assault to a university’s Title IX program is arduous — from interviews to incident reports, there are multiple steps one must take in order to seek justice or some sort of reparations. While the Title IX office at Baylor has taken steps to make the process more inclusive, welcoming and easily navigated, there are plenty of universities out there that are far behind the curve. It would be prudent for the Department of Education to consider creating a nationally managed and equally accessible database for universities. Universities manage thousands of students on…
Popular cultural icons are typically characterized by prestige, charm or accomplishment. Yet, it is an egg, lightly speckled in front of a white background, that holds the record for most likes on Instagram. It was posted on account @world_record_egg on Jan. 4 with no motive other than to dethrone the former record of 18 million likes held by Kylie Jenner’s pregnancy announcement. Receiving over 46 million likes and counting, the egg has caused an arguably enigmatic phenomena. While some would question why support such an arbitrary post, most would argue why not.The humor of the 21st century is characterized by…
By Emily Pendleton | ContributorThe word “retarded” is far too often used colloquially as an insult or jab at someone who has done something considered stupid. This happens despite efforts to end its use, such as the R-Word Campaign run by the Special Olympics. Even if you yourself do not say it, you probably know someone who has. It’s up to us to end the stigma surrounding intellectual disability.In the past, the term “mentally retarded” was used clinically to refer to those with a medical condition that causes below average intelligence. The root of the word means to be delayed…
The United States is home to diverse landscapes that have captivated foreigners and citizens alike since the earliest years of U.S. existence. The National Parks Service seeks to protect and preserve the beauty of beaches, deserts, mountains, valleys and forests. Because of the government shutdown, which began Dec. 21 and has become the longest shutdown in U.S. history, operations of the National Parks Service have been suspended.The National Parks Service website explains the situation to potential park visitors: “Some national parks may remain accessible to visitors; however, access may change without notice. Some parks are closed completely. Some visitor services…
By Jillian Dunbar | ContributorEvery Monday night on Baylor’s campus, you can find about 1000 students together worshiping God. College students come to this gathering to seek a distraction from their stress and the many responsibilities that come with being a student. Vertical Ministries exists to “ignite a passion in college students for Jesus Christ, His Church, and His mission around the world,” according to its website. The ministry began October 26, 2009 and has continued on the Baylor campus ever since.Coppell freshman Ashley Rivera has attended Vertical regularly throughout her first semester and has loved being surrounded by people…
By Alison Rogers | ContributorYemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. It is the site of a conflict characterized by famine, cholera and hospital bombings. An estimated 85,000 children have died in attacks and from starvation since war began in 2014. And as long as the bombings continue, hundreds of thousands of more are at risk if food and medical supplies are not allowed in.The United Nations characterizes Yemen as “a living hell for its citizens and their children.” Yemen’s conflict is a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. This means that it is not a remote crisis: The…
