Of the many stigmatized issues that young people face, a significant one is the use and abuse of substances; which includes alcohol and other recreational drugs. As a full-time college student myself, I see how these issues plague my peers. I also see how these problems are not properly addressed in a university setting. As I watch my friends consistently struggle with the abuse of substances, I find myself becoming more and more frustrated. Many of my fellow students, a significant number of whom are not even twenty-one yet, have become dependent on alcohol. Nevertheless, we pretend as though... Read More

Almost every student at CU Boulder has an opinion about “The Hill,” a very popular section of Boulder with shops and restaurant within walking distance from the university. Many students, including myself, will head over to “The Hill” between classes for a quick bite to eat or to grab a cup of coffee. However, “The Hill” is also infamous for having a wild party scene and being possibly dangerous after dark. Because of this, I cannot responsibly recommend going to ‘The Hill’ at night, especially if you are alone. However, I have been to ‘The Hill’ a number of... Read More

The community at CU Boulder has always prided itself on being connected and coming together in periods of trouble. In truth, I cannot think of a time more critical for the CU Boulder community to come together than for the case of Mikhal “Misha” Solok, who went missing in March and has not been heard of from his friend or family since then. Despite a number of tips which have been given to the police, none of the tips have led to authorities locating Solok. CU Boulder is a relatively large campus, with approximately 33,000 to 35,000 students attending from year to year. Being enrolled... Read More

A favorite event of mine which takes place at CU Boulder is the International Film Series, an event which features a widely diverse schedule. One of the most significant mistakes that one can make is to ignore the IFS while involved at the campus. It is vital that the International Film Series at CU Boulder is supported. It indeed is one of those programs that thrives off of student involvement; as such, keeping up to date on the schedule and what is being shown is very important. Here are some shows which are coming up at IFS that I believe one should mark on their calendar. The Man Who Fell to... Read More

For some of us students, spring break is not a time for travel. Spring break may instead serve as a time of rest before the busy time of finals season begins. There are a variety of options when it comes to activities to participate in for anyone who may be staying around the CU Boulder area for spring break. Despite the fact that classes will stop for a few days, the campus itself continues. There are a few things one can do if they are not leaving the college for the break, and this extends beyond spring break and into that in-between time of post-spring break and pre-finals. Here are three things... Read More

Spring break is looming on the horizon for CU Boulder. For the students who find themselves waiting in near desperation for the beginning portion of the semester to end and spring break to begin, my only true piece of advice would be to try and enjoy the time spent on the campus before we all find ourselves too busy with finals or too distracted by spring break to do so. A personal favorite way of doing this is by participating in the activities at the college, especially those activities that one might forget about during the busy semester. As such, I have compiled four events which a student... Read More

I feel that I should preface this by saying that once, while in high school, our superintendent canceled school for approximately a month because of some light ice and a few flurries of snow. When I say a month, I mean a month. We were off for so long that we had maxed-out our makeup days for the summer; this is a sharp contrast from the ice storm which left my entire town without power for approximately two weeks. That 2007 ice storm was so severe that a significant portion of our trees’ branches snapped from the weight of the ice after they were frozen over. It was a devastating experience... Read More

One of my favorite aspects of CU Boulder is IFS; the International Film Series which takes place each year with a fresh round of movies to be viewed on a professionally sized screening theatre. There is indeed something to be said for watching movies on ‘the big-screen’ as opposed to viewing them privately on individually sized devices such as a phone or computer. The collective experience of seeing a film can prove far more important than one would ever imagine. As a personal example, I imagine that, throughout my lifetime, I have viewed the film ‘Psycho’ by Alfred Hitchcock... Read More

The reality of how the government shutdown is affecting the county as a whole is continuing to sink in. When the shutdown will actually come to an end is very much open to interpretation. President Donald Trump has even stated that the shutdown might continue for months, or even years, if he does not receive funding for the border wall. While this is unlikely, this government shutdown may prove to be the longest in U.S. history. As the shutdown continues, questions will inevitably arise. As a student entering a new semester at CU Boulder, I have found myself wondering if the government shutdown... Read More

School is starting up again for CU students. Coming from someone with experience, the transition from a nearly month-long vacation back into the realities of college can be disorienting. Tests, essays, and Chicago-Style papers complete with annotated bibliographies are about to consume the lives of the students at CU Boulder yet again. I find that even my grades suffer from the transition. As such, I believe that the best remedy for this is to get right back into the university lifestyle. In my experience, the first two weeks or so of a new semester bring a kind of calm with them. Getting back... Read More