Guest Writer: Zach Van Duyn To some, this opinion will be frustratingly insufficient and anodyne. To others, some of my statements may provoke and breed resentment. Overall, I’m taking an admittedly scatterbrained approach to describing where I believe humanism and Christian faith intersect, as well as the insufficiency of the former to lead us to eternal life. I’ll start with what I consider one of the most transformational and inescapably pervasive quotes ever uttered about my faith: … [Read more...]
Finding home in unexpected places
Guest Writer: Jake Mills Reaching back to freshman year is a stretch for some. Time seems to fly by so quickly, but when you look back, much of it is seems so far away. There are those pieces of memory, those priceless moments, however, that have or will shape who you will become as a student and person. As a senior looking back, those moments are all too clear. When I first arrived on campus as a freshman back in 2014, I could not have felt more out of place. Taking some liberty on a … [Read more...]
Education systems need our help
Guest Writer: Katie Krisker In the recent weeks, America has been shocked and appalled by the Washington, D.C. school scandal. For years, D.C. has been known as the “miracle” district after reforms made by Michelle Ree, Kaya Henderson and Antwan Wilson transformed a low performing, poverty-level neighbood school into one of the fastest improving schools in the United States. In October of 2015, the D.C. public school district made a statement headlining: “D.C. public schools continues … [Read more...]
Advice from a recovering perfectionist
Guest Writer: Erin Holloran They say the best step to recovery is to first actually admit you have a problem. My problem is that I’m a perfectionist. In fact, I’m a neurotic perfectionist. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted only one thing: perfection. I wanted to be known as a perfect student, the perfect artist, the perfect friend, the perfect Christian. I wanted to be absolutely perfect in anything I decided to pursue. But, I’ve always wanted everything perfect in my way and … [Read more...]
Heal your hurting heart this winter season
Guest Writer: Ellyana Blue “You cannot heal in the same environment where you got sick.” I’ve seen this quote before on social media. Each time I see it, its truth rings through my core. I have this incredibly bad habit of attaching my self-worth to others. Whether it’s in a romantic relationship or a social circle, I allow my worth to be tied to these individuals. Since second semester of freshman year, I was part of a friend group that a lot of people “fangirled” over. We were … [Read more...]
It’s time to stop: Catcalling culture called out
Guest Writer: Chandler Clark Men, I write this letter with the intention of describing a problem with which I hope you will resonate. Ladies, although my intended audience is men, I encourage you to proceed reading in order that you may verify my words and spread this message. I want to preface this by acknowledging that what I am about to say will not apply to every man. Please join me in calling out and discouraging the toxic problem I am about to describe. Let me narrow my … [Read more...]
Republicans don’t hate the poor and elderly
Guest Writer: Josh Senft A popular talking point from many on “the left” is that because Republicans generally tend to not support increases in entitlement spending, they don’t care about the poor or the elderly. They claim that Republicans are rigging the system to benefit the wealthiest Americans. Entitlement programs make up an incredibly large percentage of our national debt. Republicans believe it's irresponsible to pass all this debt from out-of-control spending to future generations … [Read more...]
The grace of Lent is more important than perfection
By Amey Dice This season of Lent has been unlike any other I’ve walked through. I began going to church in late middle school and, although Easter shortly became my favorite time of the year, I didn’t know about the 40 days that preceded it. By the time I had understood what these 40 days were all about, no one had challenged me to actually participate in it. It wasn’t until this year when I was challenged to sacrifice for lent that I began to understand what it means to partake in this … [Read more...]
Note from a Millenial: We are the future
By Serena Ellens So they say we are “entitled.” They say that we, the Millennial generation, have come to expect a certain standard of living that simultaneously fosters laziness and discourages patience. They call us “ungrateful” when we waste our money on foamed lattes, the next iPhone or a nicely timed “Gap Year”—otherwise known to them as an excuse to roam abroad and neglect responsibilities. They remind us that “money doesn’t grow on trees,” and that a “penny saved is a penny earned” … [Read more...]
Conservative doesn’t always equal Republican
By Josh Senft Conservative. You’ve likely seen this word a few hundred times on social media by now. Whether it's a word that makes you smile or cringe, Conservatism needs to be defined. Conservatism is a political ideology, at its core, centered around preserving ideas that work, reining in big government, upholding the rule of law, defending truth, promoting traditional values, fighting for fiscal responsibility and standing for life in the womb. It seeks true justice on an individual … [Read more...]