It seems that Baylor’s happy-go-lucky, rainbow-sunshine demeanor is restricting people from telling the truth about their lives, for fear of being judged by the seemingly picture-perfect peers that surround us. This phenomenon seems unique to Baylor.

With roommates, not only did I have a solid, close-knit group of friends already established, but they were literally close enough that I didn’t have to worry about getting too far out of my comfort zone or even leaving my room.

It’s hard to deny the power of television, and reality TV is today’s cultural epidemic. And if you’re among the rare few who don’t watch, I envy your freedom. Reality TV is an entirely different ballgame.

In a world where classrooms and social media compete for our attention, it’s hard not to wonder who shapes us more: the traditional education system or the influencers we follow. Both play a major role in how we see ourselves and the world around us, but the balance between them is defining Gen Z as they enter the workforce.

In the academic model, the measurement of success can become a bit murkier. One contributing factor to the lack of clarity is the issue of where you, as a student, sit in the flow of the academic transaction. You might see yourself as the customer or you might be the product. It presents a few questions: the first is who determines that and the second is what is the difference.

Generative AI’s like ChatGPT and Grok have filled in a lot of blanks for us in recent years – it’s been a list maker, homework helper, search engine and even a personal therapist for some. With this technological power at the tips of our fingers, many find themselves caught between remaining wary of the true power of AI and embracing it completely. In the education sector, it seems to lean toward the latter.

When people talk about the “college experience,” they usually think about late-night study sessions, game days or the freedom of living away from home for the first time. But if you ask anyone who looks back fondly on their time at Baylor, chances are they’ll tell you their most meaningful memories came not from the classroom, but from the clubs and organizations they joined.