Boredom has become a lost art. In an age defined by constant connection and endless digital stimulation, stillness is often viewed as unproductive or even uncomfortable. Yet boredom once served an essential purpose — one that is quietly disappearing in the modern college experience.

As a student busy with academics, extracurriculars, work and various other things, it is easy to see cooking as a chore and choose a meal plan or eat out. However, the perception that cooking is a chore prevents students from realizing the benefits of a home-cooked meal.

I’m slowly learning that hobbies don’t owe me anything — not content, not income and not a line on my resume. They’re supposed to give, not take. Maybe the best thing a college student can do right now is to keep something private and useless — read a book you’ll never post about, dance in a dorm room with no camera on, paint a banner that no one pays for. Joy doesn’t need a price tag to matter.

The hardest lesson may be permitting yourself to grieve in a place that constantly tells you to achieve. Grief does not fit neatly between midterms and extracurriculars. It interrupts. It blurs. It breaks schedules and refuses productivity.

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.

Needless to say, life moves pretty fast, and you probably are always going to be a little bit tired. It is one of life’s inevitabilities. But everyone goes through it and just because you’re feeling it doesn’t mean you need to share it.

While TikTok may start as a harmless distraction, it often evolves into an obstacle getting in the way of productivity. Many students find themselves losing hours to unproductive scrolling, falling into procrastination spirals that eat away at valuable study time.

When we were kids, the words “bud” and “buddy” were terms of endearment. But as a college student, those terms feel demeaning, rude and belittling.

Just because Suicide Prevention Month is ending with September doesn’t mean we stop raising awareness. It doesn’t mean we stop checking in on our loved ones and how they’re really doing and encouraging them to seek professional help if needed, no matter how put-together their life seems.

A person’s reward system is most sensitive during adolescence, yet society is beginning to give young people unlimited access to three categories of highly addictive things: social media, porn and nicotine.

Keeping an animal in the bathroom all day is not going to solve your 17 missing assignments.

The purpose of spring break is to escape your school environment, not to go on an expensive trip to a crowded beach in Florida, where everyone in your logic class is also vacationing.

Taking an aptitude test is so incredibly valuable. Studies show the type of work someone is most likely to enjoy and succeed in is a career highlighting their aptitudes.

“The idea behind this season of prayer is that we pray for our college students, who are our next generation of leaders,” Dr. Charles Ramsey, director for campus ministries and church connections, said. “If they are the leaders of the future church, surely we have the time in our day to invest in them and support them.”

Baylor is taking its local faith globally as it prepares for the Collegiate Day of Prayer — an event dedicated to praying for college students, who are considered a vital part of the church and the next generation of leaders.

I understand social media is a gadget that allows us to inform others about what we’re up to, but know that “college student” and “spring break” don’t mix well, especially in the eyes of those who are not in college.

This realization that Charkalis’ journey isn’t too different from many of her peers’ seems to be a source of comfort. Charkalis said her goal is to bring a sense of community to the journey. She said when you aren’t alone in your walk with mental health, there seems to be far greater hope.

The tale of a college kid getting a pet on a whim is as old as time. Sometimes, that decision results in a happy pet/owner relationship. But far too often, a college student gets a dog without considering the commitment and responsibility that comes behind it, and the dog suffers the consequential judgment and resentment from home visitors or roommates.

College is a unique place. Only in college can deep feelings of accomplishment and independence be immediately accompanied by even deeper feelings of frustration and disappointment. And though thousands of undergraduates attend, it can also be a lonely place for several reasons.

The image of a smiling Baylor student walking his or her canine hides the strenuous work that goes into raising a dog while also being in school.

While it is not necessarily easy to have a dog in college, testimonies from Baylor students suggest it can be rewarding. But before students rush into making a big decision, they should consider whether or not they are ready to take on this responsibility.