Opinion | Columns - The Independent Florida Alligator

OPINION | COLUMNS

DeSantis’ environmental order shows promise, but will it be effective?

Jan. 24, 2019

Florida’s new governor has only been in office for a couple weeks and he’s been anything but idle. So far, he has (among other things): appointed three justices to the Florida Supreme Court, suspended three political officers, called for the legalization of smokable medical marijuana and announced a sweeping environmental program. It’s this last item I want to focus on.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Spotify is saving music, not ruining it

Jan. 24, 2019

I love Spotify. It has personalized playlists for every mood based on the songs you’ve saved, it tailors radio stations based off each like and dislike more accurately than Pandora does and it lets you seamlessly share singles, albums and playlists between friends. I can’t remember life before Spotify.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Source your news responsibly in 2019

Jan. 24, 2019

If you were to make the argument that traditional news formats are no longer as popular as they once were, it would be hard for me to disagree with you. An increasing majority of the younger generations are ditching cable TV and newspapers.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Paying attention is more important than you think

Jan. 22, 2019

Simone Weil, the great 20th century thinker and writer, wrote an essay entitled “Reflections on the Right Use of School Studies with View to the Love of God,” that upon reading made me uneasy. She argues that the ultimate purpose of being a student is developing the capacity for paying attention.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Ariana Grande's song "7 Rings" isn't stolen, it's part of a bigger picture

Jan. 22, 2019

On Jan. 18, Ariana Grande released “7 Rings,” a song that had a lot of artists calling the pony-tailed pop princess a copycat. Part meme, part personal attack, music fans accused the artist of drawing a little too much inspiration from artists like Soulja Boy, Princess Nokia and 2 Chainz.

OPINION | COLUMNS

The downside of online education at UF

Jan. 22, 2019

The 2019 U.S. News & World Report list of best online programs was released recently, and UF’s online bachelor’s program tied with Penn State University World Campus and the University of Illinois at Chicago for the No. 5 spot.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Gainesville is a home for artists

Jan. 22, 2019

I’ve been coming to Gainesville since before I can remember. My parents are both UF alumni. They love coming back for football games and to visit their favorite bars and restaurants that are still in Gainesville. However, in all the times I visited, we never strayed far from campus. So, when I arrived the week before my freshman year began, I didn’t even know that Gainesville had anything else to offer.

OPINION | COLUMNS

In 2019, the best resolution is to stay the same

By Chasity Maynard | Jan. 17, 2019

As we wave goodbye to the second week of 2019, other parts of our life also bid us farewell. The excitement of the holiday season finally fades, we start to get into the meaty part of classes and New Year’s resolutions drop off the radar.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Ditch paper textbooks this semester to save money and the environment

Jan. 17, 2019

Have you ever walked to class and thought to yourself: “Wow, I would love for my backpack to be even heavier.”

OPINION | COLUMNS

From UF President Kent Fuchs: financial aid and how it impacts UF students

Jan. 17, 2019

When UF announces its admissions decisions on Feb. 8, some students will receive good news, but many will not. We received 42,000 applications for only 6,500 available positions.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Pills and why they aren’t for all of us

Jan. 17, 2019

I love coffee as much as the next student. My personal drink of choice is an espresso with soy milk and honey: plain, simple and refreshing. But I don’t drink coffee every morning. When I choose not to drink coffee, I’ll turn to a simple caffeine pill.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s remarks can not be condoned

Jan. 15, 2019

“When they go low, we go high.” These words, spoken at the 2016 Democratic National Convention by Michelle Obama, were a reminder to her fellow Democrats to act with a manner of class and poise, especially at times when their Republican counterparts fail to do so. It is barely three years later and the party that once vowed to “go high” has stooped to the level of cursing in Congress.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Do not let your major define you or your future

Jan. 15, 2019

Journalism is for the kids who were reprimanded for talking too much in class. It’s also for the quiet students who only talked when called upon by the teacher — or so I thought.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Talk to strangers and learn something new

Jan. 15, 2019

To us UF students, there is nothing quite like the dread of seeing someone with a clipboard walking toward us. We hate being approached by strangers. There is a certain pain that comes from hearing those fateful words: “Have you registered to vote in Alachua County?” or “Hi, sorry to bother you!” It’s like being in the bathroom and having your stall door flung open. Even being handed a flier in Turlington Plaza is aggravating. To most of us, avoiding Turlington altogether may be the best solution.

OPINION | COLUMNS

So about that online voting thing...

Jan. 15, 2019

Sometimes when I write these columns, I wish I could type away praising Student Government competence with rainbows, unicorns and classical music in the background.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Young Hollywood is setting the standard for how to respond to controversy

Jan. 15, 2019

Hollywood is no stranger to controversy. Celebrities are normal people who are subject to more scrutiny than most of us ever will be, so it’s not surprising they get called out for their behavior pretty frequently. With the rise of the #MeToo movement, along with other social justice and activist movements throughout Hollywood, celebrities are being held to a higher standard when it comes to both their personal and professional lives. Some respond to said controversy with poise, while others… don’t.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Wake up and get that bread, you’ll thank yourself later

Jan. 14, 2019

Good morning, Gators! If that greeting is even remotely accurate to you, give yourself a pat on the back and keep up that persistence. For the rest of you who, like myself, struggle with getting out of bed and maintaining a routine, I’m here to offer you some words of advice. Become someone who can be productive before a 9:35 a.m. class. You’ll become a part of a class so elite that even AirPod users won’t be able to compare to your power.

OPINION | COLUMNS

Millions of Americans need to change their food habits

Jan. 14, 2019

An estimated 160 million Americans are either overweight or obese, according to a study published in 2014 by The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. This number accounts for roughly two-thirds of all adults and close to 30 percent of all children in the U.S. To make matters worse, the incidence of obese and overweight Americans has been on a massive upswing in recent years. The nation’s obesity rate is expected to soon approach 40 percent.

OPINION | COLUMNS

It’s not too late to put yourself back on track this Spring semester

Jan. 14, 2019

The Spring semester's first week has now passed. By now you’ve all attended your first lectures of the semester or completed your first assignments. If so, hopefully you did well and managed to find a routine that works best for you. If you did, congratulations! But if you didn’t and you’re struggling to get back in the groove of things after break, here are some tips to put you back on track.

OPINION | COLUMNS

It’s OK to be angry over the government shutdown

By Chasity Maynard | Jan. 10, 2019

The current political atmosphere deserves a prime-time spot on TLC. The government’s drama is reaching a high point this week. Capitol Hill’s heated debate over the border wall reached a peak at the end of 2018 when President Trump dug his heels in and demanded his border wall, to which Democrats expressed their disapproval. Twenty-one days later and the U.S. is entering into the longest government shutdown in its history.