Going abroad isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, despite the overwhelmingly positive things people have to say about it. Is it an incredible one-in-a-lifetime experience? Definitely. Does that mean it’ll be easy? Definitely not.
Category: Opinion
Posted inOpinion
United by laughter: comedy’s role in healing a divided nation
Consider the last time you found yourself laughing alongside strangers, perhaps at a comedy club or during a funny movie. No one asked who you voted for or judged you for your political party. Laughter transcends the boundaries we’ve constructed between ourselves.
Late-night television and Saturday Night Live have long served as cultural unifiers, helping Americans process current events through the lens of humor. When Will Ferrell portrayed George W. Bush saying “strategery” or when Tina Fey captured Sarah Palin’s “I can see Russia from my house,” impressions became shared touchstones that transcended political divides.
Posted inOpinion
Trigger warnings aren’t helping us
Trigger warnings, though intended to protect, may increase anxiety and reinforce avoidance behaviors. While sensitivity to certain topics is important, trigger warnings are not the way to equip students with ways to overcome these challenges.
Posted inOpinion
From S’well to Stanley: Why you think you always need a new water bottle
While the “emotional support water bottle” trend signifies the uptick in personal eco-friendly practices, it’s also an explicit reflection of modern consumerism and overconsumption. The rise of reusable water bottles was initially tied to sustainability, but along the way, it has become focused on aesthetics, profit and social status.
Posted inOpinion
CSU’s AI move feels less like innovation and more like overreach
The Cal State system is unjustly inserting itself in what should be a classroom-to-classroom dynamic. If professors want to encourage AI use for their assignments, great. If students decide on their own that the benefit is worth $20 a month, great. I believe it is not the Cal State’s place to provide these tools to students without meaningfully consulting faculty.
Posted inOpinion
Snacks and recipes to sweeten your Valentine’s Day
Katherine Lu is a journalism senior and arts & student life reporter for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group. They say the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach. Keeping your loved ones’ well-fed can be difficult on a college students’ budget. Luckily, […]
Posted inOpinion
Healthy eating at Cal Poly? Good luck avoiding on-campus fast food
This is going to be controversial, and I know that. But come on, Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Taco Bell, Starbucks…these are considered some of the unhealthiest dining options across the US, and Cal Poly decided to put all four of them on campus. We deserve better, healthier, more diverse dining options.
Posted inOpinion
The world is on fire and I’m burnt out trying to save it
In a culture where it feels like no one is ever working hard enough, it’s difficult to feel like the work you’re doing is truly saving the planet. It’s easy to feel discouraged in the environmental industry, especially when the changes we’re striving for often feel like they can only happen at a systemic level. But it’s not just about the passion you once had, it’s the resilience to keep going that actually drives change.
Posted inOpinion
Why SLO transit isn’t adjusting well enough for a growing community
Scheduling life around bus schedules isn’t the only problem students without cars face; alternatives prove to be just as troublesome. Rideshares are expensive and knowing someone with a car is hard to come by, especially for a first-year. Many students are left stranded without suitable resources to explore the city they just moved to.
Posted inOpinion
TikTok ban helped Trump stumble into another win with young Americans, but don’t be fooled
It’s a funny tactic, but TikTok explicitly crediting Trump as the person responsible for something “good” staying in people’s lives will bump his popularity, especially among young Americans.
Posted inOpinion
Cal Poly’s Kennedy Library closure leaves many students without a true study sanctuary
Part of the “classic college experience” includes the studying and cramming sessions until the early hours of the morning, but nearly half of Cal Poly’s population has never had a designated library study space for this.