Opinion | Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

Talking about mental health disparities in minority communities

By Matthew Diaz | Nov. 7, 2019

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), ethnic and racial minorities often bear a disproportionately high burden of disability resulting from mental disorders. Yet, by 2044, models show more than half of all Americans will belong to a minority group. Taken altogether, this seems to indicate troubled waters on our horizons, and it should speak to the importance of cultural sensitivity in mental health training.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The power in profanity and the benefits of using it

By Lauren Rousseau | Nov. 3, 2019

A curse slips off your tongue as you trip up the stairs. Obscenity rips through your throat at the touch of a hot surface. A “dirty word” slithers over gaping lips when the clock strikes 12:01 a.m. and you remember that discussion post was due at 11:59 p.m.

Sarah Paulson attends the 100 Episodes of "American Horror Story" Celebration at Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Halloween lives on in American Horror Story

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 31, 2019

Halloween has unfortunately passed, but its spirit has yet to move on to the afterlife.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Avoid the temptation of all-nighters

By Jason Zappulla | Oct. 31, 2019

It’s exam season at UF. Students are crowding the libraries and voraciously consuming books and study guides to prepare for the big day. Some of these students pull all-nighters to study, forgoing sleep and staying up all night to prepare. I’m here to tell you that not only are all-nighters a poor method of studying, but that there are much better options available.

FILE - In this Oct. 21, 2019, photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks to students and staff at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. For Warren, it was supposed to be another big idea in a campaign full of them: A promise that everyone could get government-funded health care, following the lead of her friend and fellow White House hopeful Bernie Sanders. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Controversy over Warren’s discrimination story misses the point

By Jason Zappulla | Oct. 27, 2019

Earlier this month, a controversy started brewing over whether Sen. Elizabeth Warren lied about being fired for being pregnant. But, does this discussion miss the point?

The legs of costumed people participating in the annual Gay Pride event in Johannesburg, South Africa, Saturday Oct. 26, 2019. Thousands took part in this 30th edition of the Gay Pride. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

OPINION | COLUMNS

All about coming out

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 27, 2019

On Oct. 11, we celebrated National Coming Out Day. Oh, how happy I am to live in a time and place where coming out as LGBTQ+ is not only tolerated, but something to be proud of.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Counseling is for everyone

By Matthew Diaz | Oct. 24, 2019

I went into counseling not knowing what I would get out of it or how it could really benefit me. This might sound naïve, but it’s easy to convince ourselves that we’ve thought through everything and don’t need anyone else to explain what’s going on. In reality, just about everyone can benefit from therapy, even in a totally stress-free life.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The Hidden Costs of Natural Hair

By Lauren Rousseau | Oct. 17, 2019

For some reason, there always seems to be some pushback when things don't fall in straight lines, including hair.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Halloween movies you need to watch

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 13, 2019

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and there are dozens of movies to watch to get you into the holiday spirit. It’s spooky season, and we can honor the ghouls and goblins this month by watching proper seasonal films.

Former President Jimmy Carter answers questions during a news conference at a Habitat for Humanity project Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Nashville, Tenn. Carter fell at home on Sunday, requiring over a dozen stitches, but he did not let his injuries keep him from participating in his 36th building project with the nonprofit Christian housing organization. He turned 95 last Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. president to reach that milestone. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Why we should strive to be more like this president

By Hannah Whitaker | Oct. 8, 2019

In honor of former President Jimmy Carter’s 95th birthday Oct. 1, I would like to take a moment to discuss the most underrated president in modern U.S. history. His presidency is often considered a failure, despite all of its successes. Carter was ahead of his time with his foresight into climate change and human rights, serving as president from 1977 to 1981. It would be difficult to find someone who cares more about this nation than Carter.

OPINION | COLUMNS

American health care compared to the rest of the world

By Kelly Cavaliere | Oct. 3, 2019

In the U.S., health care can be quite expensive. The total amount spent on health care last year was $3.65 trillion. U.S. health care expenditures for 2018 were nearly 17 percent of the gross domestic product. This is almost twice the average cost of other countries’ health care within the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Why is health insurance so expensive in our country, and how do our costs compare to health care costs around the world?

Marchers gather for the Climate Strike in Edmonton, Alberta, on Friday, Sept. 27, 2019. (Amber Bracken/The Canadian Press via AP)

OPINION | COLUMNS

You should still care about the environment

By Myles Gibbs | Oct. 1, 2019

On Sept. 20, a youth climate strike of unprecedented proportions stood at the forefront of the world stage. Now, two weeks later, that energy has died down to some degree in Gainesville’s corner of the world. This is a shame, because it’s our generation's responsibility to enact the change. The private sector still needs to be held accountable, the government still needs to be pressured and public sentiment still needs to be changed: and here lies the purpose of the Climate Reality Project.

OPINION | COLUMNS

It’s alright to feel lonely on campus

By Matthew Diaz | Sep. 29, 2019

How is it possible to feel alone in a crowd? Among 50,000 other students, I thought I’d arrive on campus and surely find my place shortly thereafter. How could I not with such a massive pool of students and clubs? I had seen cliques form as early as Preview. A few months in, and it still hadn’t happened to me.

Models wear creations as part of the Valentino Ready To Wear Spring-Summer 2020 collection, unveiled during the fashion week, in Paris, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

OPINION | COLUMNS

When fashion misses the jump into advocacy

By Lauren Rousseau | Sep. 29, 2019

Now more than ever, fashion brands have been attempting to ride the activism bandwagon.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Stress less about your food

By Matthew Diaz | Sep. 26, 2019

As exam season peaks its head around the corner, I think it’s important to talk about ways to maintain a healthy mental state while going through the rigors of midterms and finals. I’m not sure about everyone else, but for me the first thing to go during times of stress is always food. During a packed day, it just feels inconvenient to have to cook or go out. Although, I think anyone can tell this is a bad habit to keep. Food is the fuel your body will use when you study and eventually rock those exams, so it’s important to be mindful of what you use. Here I’ll recommend some foods that have helped me stay sharp during tests.

This Feb. 20, 2019, file photo shows singer Sam Smith posing for photographers upon arrival at the Brit Awards in London. The Oscar-winning pop star has declared his pronouns “they/them” on social media after coming out as non-binary in his “lifetime of being at war with my gender.” The English “Too Good at Goodbyes” singer said Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, he’s decided to “embrace myself for who I am, inside and out ...” (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP, File)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Journalists are accountable for respecting genders

By Lauren Rousseau | Sep. 22, 2019

In the world of journalism, maintaining respect for sources is of the utmost importance. It is imminent to spell each name correctly. Double-check the dates, the ages and all of the facts.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Mental health is physical health

By Matthew Diaz | Sep. 19, 2019

Take a moment and imagine a world where spraining an ankle is a taboo subject. Where someone with a fever is too embarrassed to see a doctor about it. Now, pull back and see that this is the world we live in, not with physical illnesses, but mental ones.

OPINION | COLUMNS

How reading can impact the rest of your life

By Hannah Whitaker | Sep. 17, 2019

Reading is important. This lesson is reiterated from the time we’re toddlers throughout our education. Despite constantly being told that reading is crucial for a successful life, many Americans lack basic reading skills. In 2017, it was reported that 43 percent of American adults read at an eighth-grade level or lower (Zoukis). Reading, however, is not just mere entertainment. Reading can determine one’s future.

From left, Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. raise their hands to answer a question Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019, during a Democratic presidential primary debate hosted by ABC at Texas Southern University in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

OPINION | COLUMNS

Older Democrats dominate the party, but don’t underestimate young people

By Jason Zappulla | Sep. 15, 2019

Ten Democratic presidential candidates gathered on Thursday for the party’s third primary debate, and once again Joe Biden was in the news afterwards. In June, a confrontation betweenBiden and Kamala Harris concerning Biden’s previous stance on school integration using buses splashed across headlines. This time, it involves Biden’s response to a question about racial inequality and reparations. Biden’s answer was rambling and confusing, but what struck people the most was when he told parents and caretakers to “make sure you have the record player on at night,” so their kids would hear more words. Needless to say, record players are no longer in common use. Combined with Biden’s outdated references, the 76-year-old former vice president seem out of touch and unfamiliar with the modern world.

OPINION | COLUMNS

College is about employability, not expanding your horizons

By Cameron White | Sep. 15, 2019

I’ve often asked why I’ve had to take so many general education classes earning my bachelor’s degree in computer science, especially those that have been entirely unrelated to my major and have taught skills seldom useful in a professional setting. You know the classes I’m talking about — History of Astronomy, Man’s Food, Age of the Dinosaurs and so on. But whenever I gripe about being forced to take these classes if I want to graduate, people echo some variation of the same response: “College is about expanding your horizons” or “College is about making you more well-rounded.” At this point, I’m sick of hearing it.