Browsing: Opinion

Starting a conversation with someone you haven’t talked to in a while can be stressful, but more times than not, making the effort to send a small text results in a renewal of a connection.

Although winter is identified by its harshness, many forget to remember the warmth that encapsulates it — a warmth not found in any other season. It exists in small moments, like warm hugs, warm mugs and warm encounters.

After ranking the top five bathrooms to use on Baylor’s campus, I cautiously present the worst five bathrooms available to the public on this campus.

As many students struggle to find affordable housing options and the cost of living nationwide continues to rise, Waco leasing companies and apartment complexes should offer discounted rent prices to Baylor students.

By prioritizing mental health in roommate matching, Baylor has the unique opportunity to transform nightmare roommate situations into partnerships that support and uplift roommates.

Dorm rooms and shared apartments function like small laboratories of adulthood. They are imperfect, crowded and often uncomfortable by design. You learn quickly that no one is coming to enforce bedtime or remind you to eat vegetables. In that absence, habits quietly step in to fill the void. How you wake up, how you respond to mess, how you treat shared space, how you handle tension — these patterns begin to solidify long before you realize they are becoming yours.

In today’s world, where headphones, cellphones and endless scrolling dominate daily life, the simple act of saying “Hi, how are you?” and “Good morning” is long gone. Streets, neighborhoods and stores are busier than ever, yet somehow quieter at the same time. Places that once felt lively now feel like spaces we merely pass through while running errands. Even brief, casual conversations with people we encounter have nearly gone extinct.

On social media platforms, Baylor showcases images of its beautiful campus, smiling students and graduate success stories, all reinforcing a promise of personal, academic and professional achievement. While these photos of perfection and happiness are a nice visual, they do not accurately reflect the stress and competitive nature many students, myself included, experience behind the scenes.

The world is full of war, unrest, starvation and strife. America itself struggles with political turmoil, disunity and evil. While millions of things vie for our attention and beg to be fixed, one of our biggest defenses is compartmentalization.

At a time when conversations about immigration and national identity dominate American political discourse, looking to Scripture to find guidance and clarity presents itself to Christians as a dire and urgent matter.

The Bible counters self-love culture’s mantra of independence, and instead it teaches us that we are made whole through utter dependence on God and engagement with the community of the Church.

Stress is real. Overwhelm is real. Mental health struggles are real. But not every moment of discomfort, pressure or frustration is a crisis. When we label everything as one, we do real harm to people experiencing genuine emergencies and who rely on systems designed to respond to true crises.

In 2026, the world’s biggest sporting event comes to North America. Three countries. Millions of fans. One shared passion. The World Cup isn’t just about what happens on the field — it’s about the moments that bring the world together.

Don’t waste time scrolling on social media — we have the infallible goods. Tap in to see nine trends to watch for in the new year.

Zoos get a pretty bad rap. For a place filled with furry friends and fantastical creatures, you’d expect the general sentiment toward them would be slightly positive, if not outright supportive.

After a long day of classes, which may have included a trip to Panda Express in the SUB, the typical Baylor student may seek relief. Somewhere to find peace, reconciliation and a breath of somewhat fresh air. Every day, thousands of students across Baylor’s campus search for the perfect bathroom.

Sex trafficking isn’t a distant tragedy. It thrives because we tolerate objectification in social media. We normalize pornography because we scroll past awareness posts, thinking that someone else will fix it. Our faith commands us to act, but our comfort has made us passive. Silence isn’t an option.

For many of us, the holidays are a sore reminder of what could have been. Lean on the supportive members of your family if you can. Cling to those who love you and accept the help they offer. You are not a burden, and family is all around you, even if you haven’t met them yet.

Despite its decline, cursive is not entirely lost. With the help of the State Board of Education, cursive requirement in schools has returned to Texas. This revival acknowledges it is more than a decorative skill with loops and slants. It is a bridge to our past, a cognitive tool for developing young minds and a reminder that not all meaningful learning happens on a screen.

While perceptions of popularity shift across environments, its presence can make learning new dynamics increasingly difficult. However, understanding the psychology behind social circles improves your social interactions and helps you gain friends.

The Editorial Board is sharing our personal holiday favorites. From the songs we belt out without shame to the movies that chain us to our couch, we’re unwrapping the media that makes our season shine just a little brighter.

While the demand isn’t quite at the same level as vinyl records, VHS is having a bit of a comeback in its own way. The aesthetic is more popular than ever, with music videos such as “Million Dollar Baby” by Tommy Richman and the “Deadbeat” album by Tame Impala referencing it on social media.

We treat friendship like background music: comforting, constant, easily taken for granted. Yet friendship is the architecture holding most of us upright. It shapes us, steadies us, reminds us who we are when everything else feels unsteady. And still, with the people who show up for us most consistently, we hesitate to offer the simplest words: I love you.

Everybody talks about homesickness in regard to the holidays. Still, not enough people discuss the dread many students face when returning home that comes not because of poor familial relationships, but because of the loss of identity many experience.

College isn’t supposed to be an echo chamber; it’s meant to be a testing ground. The goal isn’t to argue louder, it’s to argue better. Listening, asking questions and speaking your beliefs without shutting someone else down are all traits that will help us improve our identity.

I transferred from Syracuse University last year, and its absence policy was determined on a professor-by-professor basis. Some classes had stringent attendance policies, while others had none. While that is the complete opposite of Baylor’s policy, I feel there should be a middle ground that balances regular class attendance with more situational leniency on the students’ part.

Even though the quality of the robots isn’t perfect — like humans — the idea behind bringing Starship robots to campus is to provide a convenient and efficient food delivery option for students and the broader campus community.

Climate change is real, but perfection isn’t the answer. Every small action matters, recycle right, save energy, do what you can. Together, our imperfect choices can build a better planet.

AI political posts on social media are only helping further the divide between political parties. To help the country heal, social media platforms should take steps to ban AI-generated content.

AI has made the world we live in more confusing by the day. As it progresses in its capabilities, the line between fact and fiction will become an abyss. Legislation is needed to limit AI before it is too late.