opinion - The Independent Florida Alligator

Opinion

College students deserve a hands-on education to prepare them for careers

Nov. 14, 2017

Up until recently, I thought most classes in college weren’t composed of multiple choice tests. I figured college was a place you got your hands dirty and learned how to deal with real-life material, as you would in your professional field. While my major (journalism) and some others actually do this, I feel most of the majors offered at UF are lacking when it comes to providing students with real world experiences. It’s time we start talking about this.

Opinion

You can only stretch yourself so thin

Nov. 14, 2017

It’s about that time during Fall semester when we all start to lose our minds. The reality of final exams and the end of the semester is looming over us, and the fate of our final grades hangs in the balance of how the next few weeks goes. Needless to say, every student within the general vicinity of UF right now is stressed beyond belief.

Sports

Column: What sucks more than the College Football Playoff? Nothing.

By Dylan Dixon | Nov. 12, 2017

Out of all the unpopular opinions I’ve formed about sports, there isn’t one I stand by more firmly than this: I hate the College Football Playoff.

Opinion

A call to end the all-too-prevalent gaslighting culture in the US

Nov. 12, 2017

You may have heard of the term gaslighting. It can happen between supposed friends, between an employee and their superior or in any other relationship. Whether within our own student organizations or on a national scale, it happens every day.

Opinion

In search of an understanding of prejudice

Nov. 12, 2017

Last Wednesday, I was at my usual weekly Undergraduate Philosophy Society meeting (shameless plug, check us out on Facebook). That evening, the discussion centered around how we should attempt to understand bullying and how to prevent kids from doing it. Quickly, the group of us recognized the ways in which bullying mirrors — and frequently reflects — different phobias and other bad “-isms” like homophobia, racism, sexism and transphobia.

Opinion

When yes means no: Blackouts and sexual assault

Nov. 12, 2017

Jamie (which is not the real name of the victim) woke up on the floor next to a couch she didn’t recognize. The party was a few hours old.

Opinion

Do white supremacists even believe in white supremacy?

Nov. 12, 2017

White supremacy is on the rise. Not just in the U.S. but in nations across the globe.

Cornerback CJ Henderson (right) exited Saturday’s game against Georgia with a lower back injury. Coach Dan Mullen said the sophomore didn’t sustain any structural damage.

Sports

Column: Florida is terrible. But Saturday’s loss showed why its games are still worth watching

By Ethan Bauer | Nov. 11, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. — It started, like most good moments for Florida’s football team this season, with a punt.

Malik Zaire injured his knee during Saturday's 28-20 loss to South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium. After the initial injury, Zaire returned to the game two plays earlier, only to crumble after taking the snap and shifting his weight to left leg.

Sports

Column: Gators coach Randy Shannon let his quarterback risk a major injury, and his explanation isn’t great.

By Matt Brannon | Nov. 11, 2017

It looked bad. Malik Zaire crumbled after taking the snap and shifting his weight to left leg.

Eight Gators beat writers pick eight college football games against the spread.

Sports

Picks Column Week 11: Injury Edition

Nov. 10, 2017

Here’s a statement that goes without saying: Football can be an extremely brutal sport to play.

Florida linebackers coach Randy Shannon watches a drill during a Spring practice on March 16, 2016, at the Sanders Practice Fields.

Sports

Column: Randy Shannon is auditioning for his next job. And, like it or not, it’s affecting Franks’ development

By IAN COHEN | Nov. 8, 2017

About two weeks ago, during Randy Shannon’s first day as interim coach of the Florida Gators, he began to explain how he would — and would not — be approaching the remainder of UF’s season.

Opinion

Take it from me, just wear the helmet

Nov. 7, 2017

It’s been more than a week since a car hit my scooter while I was driving, but I can’t stop replaying the moment in my head. I can still hear the car’s brakes screeching futily. I can still feel the road scraping my hands and my back as I tried to catch myself. I remember looking at one of my best friends, who was riding on the back, with tears and shock in both of our eyes. Gasoline was spewing from the scooter — which my helmet was resting safely inside of.

Opinion

It’s OK if you’re not ready to get married in your early 20s

Nov. 7, 2017

I don’t know if it’s because the holidays are coming up, or if there’s something in the air, but a large portion of my friends have recently gotten engaged. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s fantastic. Really. I am so happy they found and picked the person they want to be with for the rest of their lives. But at the same time, it has left a lot of my single friends feeling like they don’t have their lives together.

Opinion

Diversity for the sake of diversity has hit a damaging extreme in the U.S.

Nov. 7, 2017

Last week I was applying to an internship at a well-known financial institution when I came across a bizarre portion of the application. Titled “self-identification,” I was asked a series of questions that you’d typically expect on a job application. There was nothing abnormal about the self-identification section until I reached the very bottom of the page where, in my opinion, I was asked an extremely invasive and inappropriate question: “Please indicate your sexual orientation.”

Opinion

For once, FSU is a role model

Nov. 7, 2017

Florida State University President John Thrasher announced Monday he’s indefinitly suspending all fraternities and sororities at FSU, effective immediately. This follows a slew of appalling incidents within the school’s Greek community, most notably the death of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity pledge Andrew Coffey who was found unresponsive after attending a party.

There was no “we just didn’t execute,” from sophomore linebacker David Reese. Instead, as coach Randy Shannon pointed out on Monday, he called out his teammates. “It’s sometimes disappointing when everybody doesn’t want to come together and just play for each other,” Reese said.

Sports

Column: David Reese called out his teammates after a loss. The Gators could use more of that honesty and accountability.

By Ethan Bauer | Nov. 6, 2017

Something unusual happened on Saturday after Florida’s train-derailment of a loss in Missouri. For one of the first times I can recall this season, a Florida player looked at the atrocity that is this team right now and was — gasp — honest.

Central Florida head coach Scott Frost watches from the sideline against SMU during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Mike Stone)

Sports

Column: If Gators don't finish strong, they risk scaring off potential coaching candidates

By Skyler Lebron | Nov. 5, 2017

After Missouri’s 45-16 beatdown of the Gators, there’s a lot of blame to go around on both sides of the ball.

Opinion

The need (and struggle) to make time for yourself

Nov. 5, 2017

A quick note before we begin: I am by no means a professional in self-help practices nor do I consider myself an expert in mindfulness. Heck, I’m writing this column during my “me time” in between doing my laundry, mentally organizing tomorrow’s agenda and trying to remember the date of my next exam. That aside, I’m going to write this as a message to myself — and anyone else who might need this reminder — about the importance of carving out space and time for oneself each week.

Opinion

Creating a better world starts with a culture of caring

Nov. 5, 2017

When was the last time you asked someone how they were doing and really meant it?

Opinion

Circumstance and decision: We can only change the future

Nov. 5, 2017

Our lives are based around two things: circumstance and decisions. Circumstance is everything you can’t control. This is your privilege or your lack thereof. This is the stuff that just happens to you. Were you in the right place at the right time? Circumstance. Then, the rest of your life is made up of decisions. This is everything you actively do. Did you work really hard or not hard enough? Did you take that risk or let it slip through your fingers? These are both decisions.