Students of Lawrence take note: I have foreseen a minor apocalypse. Not the end of the world; it’s rather the end of meaningful class discussions. Its arrival is hailed not by Conquest, War, Famine or Death but by the Horsemen of large class sizes and overuse of the word “problematic.” Call me the new Nostradamus,…
Lawrentians in Contention: Let them eat vegetables
The healthy options in our café are abysmal. Controversial statement of the year, right? Normally I wouldn’t ruminate on such things—if I’m to be honest my usual orders at Kaplan’s Café consist of some Meat ft. Greasy Side—but in the past few weeks, after several Lawrentians reiterated the point, something clicked. Our café has the…
Staff Editorial: American Sign Language at Lawrence
While Lawrence University offers a healthy variety of languages, we currently lack any curricular opportunities to learn American Sign Language (ASL). While ASL is not technically a foreign language, it remains unfamiliar to many Americans. Our society lacks the ability to communicate with the deaf community, which studies estimate includes over one million Americans. As…
Lawrentians in Contention: Bring your dog to Kohler
Hi, and welcome to a brand new column on Lawrence University issues with a twist. For this inaugural article, I have chosen something near and dear to the hearts of many a Lawrentian: Pets. Many of us left our beloved furballs at home when we came to Lawrence. For some, it was an easy decision;…
Religious pressure on the Appalachian Trail
On our ORC trip along the Appalachian, we were often met with little tailgating stations called “trail magic,” tables often spread with granola bars, fresh coffee, water bottles and other small refreshments for weary hikers. These stations were set up mostly by Southern Baptist Congregations, who, for those who are unfamiliar, hold the teachings and…
The case for a two-school undergraduate degree
I can’t be the only one who’s feeling the size of Lawrence right about now. It’s Spring Term of my sophomore year, the halfway point of a typical degree sequence, and I feel, in a word, cramped. There’s nowhere to go on campus where I’m not recognized, which is not always a bad thing, especially…
No such thing as “Facebook stalking”
You might consider me a Facebook stalker. I, however, believe my use of the website is typical of many other students. Nearly all Facebook users are guilty of it: finding something on the newsfeed that leads us to view many sections of that individual’s profile, pictures and interests. I have always found it interesting what…
Reality doesn’t come with trigger warnings: Should our classes?
Our generation is lucky. We live in a time in which, at least in intellectual environments such as Lawrence, people work to be as considerate and accepting of others as possible. Not that there is always agreement on what it means to be “considerate” and “accepting,” but Lawrentians and others make a solid effort to…
Ask a fifth-year: An advice sample platter
Dear Reader, I’ve been using this column to tackle a lot of the more serious issues we face here at Lawrence. But there’s also some wisdom to be found in the little and more trivial decisions we make. Here are 10 random little pieces of advice that could just make your time here a…
The real reason people want to legalize pot
I found myself not too long ago in a circle of individuals discussing the ramifications of marijuana being legalized on a federal level. I’ve had this conversation many times before and was thankful that I was discussing this topic with a group of cultured, intelligent individuals with backgrounds in economics, history, physics and a myriad…