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Sunday, November 24, 2024

Opinion

Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Prep before you speak

Picture this: a lit stage, a buzzing crowd sat in darkness. You’re dressed in some fancy attire and are about to speak in front of a large audience. All eyes are about to be on you. You start to get nerves about your nerves. Is being nervous normal? Is it okay for your knees to be weak, your palms to be sweaty and there to be vomit on your sweater already? Yes. The best way to get over nerves is to rehearse, and when you think you’ve practiced enough, double down.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

By taking care of the environment, you take care of the future

UF’s campus is full of nature and, with it, sustainability efforts to protect it.There’s the Office of Sustainability, protected natural areas and extensive major and minor studies and classes concerning environmental issues or topics like sustainability, wildlife, agriculture, reporting and more.The signature live oak trees stand alongside Albert and Alberta, Century Tower, Gothic-style brick buildings and more as key elements that make UF’s campus.These trees that are perfect for hammocking can often be under-appreciated or taken for granted.Almost a year ago when hurricanes struck Gainesville, the historic tree in front the New Physics Building met its end. Riding past it on my 120 bus route down Museum Road, I noticed its missing place.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Who bears the costs? How we lost our 24/7 Library

It started out innocently enough. Overnight hours for libraries had been a hot topic for several years in Student Government-land before becoming a reality during the 2012-13 fiscal year. Keep this in mind: SG was the entity that started funding overnight library hours (this will become more important later on).


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Consequences of clutter

Health is more than emotional or physical ailments. It can also be the health of a physical environment, such as your dorm room or apartment. Plus, what’s in this environment can have a real effect on how you feel. Your brain can feel cluttered.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

State schools are a smart move

Ever wonder whether you might have been happier at Harvard University? A lot of students think they settled by going to a state school. Some believe the only way to reach the upper echelon of American society is to shoot for an Ivy League school, network like mad and rub elbows with the “elite.” From what I’ve seen of UF and what I’ve seen of the Ivy League, to UF students I say: You made the wise financial choice. First, Ivies are not all equally forgiving to low-income students. Second, state schools do more for the American dream.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

Listening to criticism isn’t a bad thing

Sometimes the events of my week seem to have a common theme. This week, the theme is receiving criticism from strangers and trying to figure out what to do about it. I’ve always been told to disregard bullying and ignore negative comments. But what if this is another one of those faulty things we were all told as millennial children? It feeds into our belief that we’re good at everything and anyone who says otherwise has the issue. Manners and politeness are virtues to be upheld, but did all the participation trophies make our skin too thin?


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

The cereal industry Trix kids

Walking down the breakfast aisle of the grocery store, a rainbow of boxes scrolls past. Mascots like Tony the Tiger and Lucky the Leprechaun jump out from each rectangle. The obvious conclusion is that a lot of these cereals are aimed at kids. Turn those boxes over, and you’ll find most of them are high in sugar, and, for some, extremely high. Improving public health isn’t a simple topic, but one common sense move is obvious: We should stop marketing sugary cereals to children.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

How to quit sucking: the problem with plastic straws

Americans have recently discovered the harm of plastic straws to the environment and the animals that inhabit it. Overnight, it seems that many young people have begun urging each other to stop using the thin drinking tubes. When I first heard about this movement, I didn’t understand why straws were any worse than other plastic pollution. I figured all plastic was bad. Why are we singling out straws? This week I set out to find the reason so many environmentalists were warning us about these seemingly innocent tools.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

If you can't be a vegan, be a vegan ally

I have recently come across a community of people who have a unique view about diets and veganism. These people believe that consuming a more plant-based diet is beneficial to the environment and our bodies, but they are open to making exceptions in times of inconvenience.


Florida Alligator
OPINION  |  COLUMNS

On getting perspective

Being in the midst of some argument or worry, it can be hard to get a wise outsider’s perspective. This is why we often find ourselves monologuing, replying to day-old discussions while standing in the shower or driving. Time and distance give us a birds-eye view of our troubles; it can be hard, but we ought to give ourselves time to reflect on the bigger picture. Better perspective tends to lead us in the right direction.



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