In a time where only the tensest interactions between civilians and law enforcement are being distributed across the internet, Baylor’s Department of Public Safety is doing things differently. Lighthearted informational posts and staff bios fill the department’s social media feed, while donut giveaways and bracelet-making workshops fill the time between patrols.
Browsing: Social Media
In light of political unrest, celebrities speak out for those who can’t. But is speaking out at award shows the best way to do so?
The viral Adidas Tang jacket started a trend of incorporating traditional Chinese design features in modern fashion. However, it comes with a new wave of debate as to why Chinese culture is not being credited properly when selling Chinese-inspired clothing, creating complicated questions in balancing fleeting trends and true appreciation of culture.
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.
Dr. Ed Rogers, assistant director, training director and senior psychologist for the Counseling Center, said too much exposure to negative news affects one’s mental health. These effects occur because the human brain struggles to distinguish between remote and current threats.
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.
With the current digital age, social media usage continues to rise and seep into college campuses. The short-video format has been revealed to be the most addictive and equally the most harmful. Out of all the apps, TikTok takes the throne.
A Baylor freshman who ran an anonymous account posting videos of urinating on campus was identified by police and referred to Student Conduct on Sept. 26, according to the Baylor University Police Department. As of today, the university has confirmed the student is no longer enrolled at Baylor.
Despite the addictive nature of phones, there is a solution to the ever-consuming algorithm — a better way to educate oneself, to engage in critical thought and expand one’s worldview. I propose returning to the original form of entertainment, the humble paperback book.
Human interaction can’t compete with the dopamine spike that social media provides. The attention economy has made focus a rare commodity. Every app is engineered to pull us back in, fragmenting not just our time, but our relationships. Friendship now competes with algorithms designed to hijack our curiosity.
As censorship rises across American media and education, Dr. James Kendrick, the interim department chair of journalism and professor of film and digital media, warns that power and algorithms are shaping what ideas reach the public. From classrooms to social media feeds, he said the suppression of controversial topics limits critical thinking and open dialogue.
After 125 years of technological advancements and changes, The Lariat remains in print. Over 50 years after his tenure as editor-in-chief ended, Moore said he still reads The Lariat.
“The conversations that we had and the answers that they gave — it seems trivial, it seems silly, but it really got them thinking,” Sweet said. “There were great teaching moments, there were great just personality moments that we got to interact with students. Anytime you can do something outside the classroom, it makes it so much [more] freeing and so much more exciting that way.”
Despite conflicting perspectives on the Tea app’s implications, it continues to draw attention and engagement from male and female students alike at Baylor.
Every time a college student opens TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, they’re stepping into a digital hall of mirrors where their beliefs are reflected and reconfirmed. The “For You Page,” that students use for entertainment, has become one of the strongest engines for confirmation bias.
Three out-of-state freshmen walked into North Russell Hall one fateful August day, and started a friendship over a card game of “Exploding Kittens” that would later spark a campus-wide sensation in the form of a TikTok account under the name “NoRo Food Reviews.”
Hate on all levels is unacceptable, especially at an institution that leans on faith, family and friendships. Being abhorrent toward someone for doing something wrong is stooping to their level. Accountability should never turn into cruelty. As Baylor students, we need to be better. As cliché as it sounds, we need to be better Baylor Bears.
The Trump administration and China appear to finally have a deal to keep the platform live for U.S. users, though. Under the agreement, a group of U.S.-backed investors will own the majority of the company and TikTok’s algorithm will be retrained, with the deal expected to be approved through an executive order.
Snapchat is a social media platform that should be left in the past, where it belongs. If you want a career after college, do your mental health and authenticity a favor and move on from old habits. Snapchat feeds a self-destroying cycle.
Videos of Baylor students’ fully decorated dorms have racked up millions of views, sparking national conversation surrounding college move-in culture and social media’s influence on Gen Z.
As we reflect on the impact social media has had on our 2025 minds, it is much less positive. Social media has produced an anxiety-ridden, disconnected and apathetic generation. Our minds are filled with constant noise and comparison. Every major and minor tragedy is broadcast to us in grotesque detail.
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.
Swifties are celebrating, skeptics are rolling their eyes and some Baylor students say they just don’t care. The engagement of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce — the internet’s most-watched couple — has the Baylor community divided.
What initially started as a “Hercules” watch party for the Baylor Men’s Choir soon became the beginning of a multi-million-viewed Instagram video and recognition from LeBron James.
“This is what I tell them — AI is not gonna take your job, alright? First and foremost,” Rivero said. “But the designers that are embracing AI, using AI and educating themselves in this new technology will take their jobs. Why? Because AI makes everything faster. It makes the things that we as designers don’t want to do.”
Over the past month, fans from across the globe have begun making parodies of popular songs, and replacing the lyrics with pro-LeBron propaganda. This trend has come to be known as the LeBronaissance.
We’re not trying to be buzzkills, but there has to be another way for our campus to bond that doesn’t include snide remarks made about others or airing out dirty laundry through a YikYak or a street interview. And we should be asking ourselves why it is that the times when our campus feels like it’s coming together the most — like Sing and Pigskin season — are often the times when we try to tear each other down more than usual.
With the rise of social media, interest has grown in what many call “grandma activities” — including baking, puzzles, gardening and, most notably, crocheting and knitting.
“Policymakers need to look at TikTok as a systemic social media issue and create effective measures that protect children online,” said Dr. Jason Nagata in a January UCSF article covering the study. “TikTok is the most popular social media platform for children, yet kids reported having more than three different social media accounts, including Instagram and Snapchat.”
The Daily Beast and The Daily Wire are slowly taking the place of The Daily Planet. Our generation is responsible for this. We are watching and overseeing the end of an era as mainstream media sources are being edged out because of our embrace of social media.
