“And they lived happily ever after” … words that so many of us fell asleep to as children, but as we grow, we may think that it’s foolish to believe that we can have a happily ever after and life only about paying bills, going to school, and having a career. We struggle and we suffer, but is it wrong to think that we can’t have that ‘happily ever after’?

Along with the leaves and cool breezes, October is a month that gives rise to the Fall spirit. However, that’s not the only spirit that rises in the tenth month of the year. The age old tradition of dressing up in costumes and going house-to-house looking for candy for the sake of a child’s enjoyment is usually what comes to mind when talking about Halloween, but for an ever growing group of people, Halloween is so much more than that. It’s about the scary, the spooky, the freaky, and the weird.And it’s not just one day; it’s the entire month.

It’s 2016. R&B artist Frank Ocean finally dropped an album, ‘90s pop culture sensation Pokemon has made an incredible resurgence, and the extremely successful Democratic nominee for the 2016 presidential election is a woman.

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 I made the decision that would change my life forever. I became a vegetarian, and in that moment the harassment and the ignorance started from my friends and peers. I made a personal decision that day without knowing what kind of reaction I would receive. I watched a video on Youtube that I was recommended called “If Slaughterhouses Had Glass Walls”, and it was life changing. It showed graphic images that no 12-year-old should see, like pigs being beaten with their babies and cows being hung upside down and having their necks slit. It was horrific and educational at the same time.

The President of the United States has many important jobs such as the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, demonstrating hospitality to foreign ambassadors, and appointing the Supreme Court Justices. Looking at the two presidential candidates, some people, including myself, are concerned about the future of this great nation. Around 55% of Americans have said that they want a third party candidate, which demonstrates an overwhelming amount of dissatisfaction in the current choices.

It’s not a big secret that I am a huge Donald Trump supporter. I’ve been to a rally, I have the hat and shirt, and my truck proudly sports his bumper sticker. While I am not afraid to voice my support about this presidential candidate, a lot of people are. People are fearful that they will be labeled, “racist”, “homophobic”, “bigoted”, and “Islamophobic”. The backlash that comes from voicing one’s support for Mr. Trump is criticized severely in certain parts of the country, and many people have a good reason to be scared of sharing their opinion. Death threats, property damage, violence, and the banning of social media accounts are just a few things that have been experienced this past year by people who support Mr. Trump. On a personal level, last year my brother came home with two Trump bumper stickers and we were both hesitant about placing them on our cars out of fear that our cars would be keyed. If all people do is watch the biased liberal news, there are reasons not to like Mr. Trump, but if one does research on him, they will find that there are many reasons why he would be a great president.

Swimmers make a turn on the wall as the people in the stands erupt. They push to edge out the competition as each stroke is more and more taxing. These athletes are the best of the best and as the race comes to an end the swimmers pull themselves out of the pool, many sitting on the side waiting for assistance. Several attach prosthetic legs as they leave the pool and make their way to the podium to hear their country’s national anthem play as they receive their medal. Paralympians are athletes who capture the heart of sports by facing adversity as they pursue their passion.

Recently, opposition has been growing in America against something that has been around since 1787: the penny. Yes, this little, brown, seemingly insignificant coin has been the subject of much debate across the nation. More and more support is growing to get rid of it. Entire websites have been developed with the goal of eradicating the penny. Yet despite all of their effort, these people are wrong. The penny contributes a whole lot more to society than many people realize.

Death Valley can only be the name for a campus with promising features. Bursting with festive colors of purple and gold, Louisiana State University can be seen from a mile away. While rivals have evolved over the years. In the past Auburn and Alabama have been considered competitive equals. Now the Aggies have been added to the list. As a Bryan / College Station native, most would assume I’m an Aggie fan, but my allegiance rests with the Tigers.

It’s understandable that high school teens don’t have a desire to read anything other than the text messages and tweets on their phones, because many of the reading requirements set by schools and English teachers are classic novels that aren’t relatable or even interesting to their generation.

Whether it’s writing, playing sports, or making good grades some people find things easier than others. I find small talk difficult. I just can’t chit-chat with people, if there’s not a real topic, the conversation soon devolves into awkward staring. Some people just find things easier than others. However just, because things seem easy to […]

It’s understandable that high school teens don’t have a desire to read anything other than the text messages and tweets on their phones, because many of the reading requirements set by schools and English teachers are classic novels that aren’t relatable or even interesting to their generation.

At the ripe ol’ age of 15, I often look back nostalgically on my days of school-mandated naptime, the addict-like rush of joy that comes with recess, and most of all: insurmountable collections of coloring books. In kindergarten I was fond of scribbling lines of crayon into the printed outline of Disney princesses and random zoo animals, both inside the lines and out. There has always been something about coloring books that takes an insane amount of focus and determination for a young child, and shoving a crayon into a child’s hand and putting a coloring page in front of them has proven to be one of the most effective ways of buying parents and teachers a few moments of silence.

Societal standards for both men and women have become a growing issue now in the day and age of social media and television. A man can run around with his shirt off, but if a woman does it, it becomes indecent. If a man cries, he’s a sissy, but if a woman does it she’s just a normal emotional woman. Men and women are held to such irritating social standards that aren’t fair to the opposite gender, it makes it hard to tell what’s exactly wrong or right.

Online courses have become a popular alternative to physically attending class. This is good for some people like single working parents trying to go back to school, foreign students who can’t leave their country, or disabled students who have difficulty leaving their home. However, the common factor of laziness takes over many Americans in abusing […]

Throughout students years in grade school, they are usually asked what their goals and plans are after they graduate. Teacher usually ask the questions at the beginning of the year so the teacher can know more about the students. Many students will write that they want to be a doctor, a lawyer, a police officer, or any other profession they look up to, but as time gets closer to the end of the school journey into the real world, many have done nothing to take the next step into becoming what they say they have always wanted to be. It’s more something teens just say, instead of actually making an effort to do. Student apathy shines through in how they choose to do things daily, or rather how they choose not to do things.

Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies? If not, maybe you would like to know more about the Girl Scout program and what lies behind the caramel coated, toasted coconut; a program that builds character, true grit, and important lifelong skills that turn girls into strong women. Though it may not seem like it, Girl Scouts is more than just an operation sneaking into the hearts and stomachs of Americans everywhere through sweet cookies and even sweeter smiles.

People blame religion for a lot of things that happen in life, but if they aren’t arguing about religion, then they will find something else to argue about. Even if people have different sets of beliefs, many things align within religions and can provide common ground for people to relate. Religion provides a majority of people with direction and purpose of some kind.

Finding a pair of jeans that fit just right is like finding the Holy Grail for a girl. Once a girl finds the perfect pair, she has to be prepared to pay a hefty price for the denim that fits over her lower half. Jeans are an essential in any wardrobe, but the struggle is real.

The creative section of the mind should not be confined. Art is the expression of creativity that also makes the daily life extraordinary and worth living. With that said, art can be viewed in many ways from music, to paintings, to the performing arts, creating a large amount of employment opportunities in order to keep the human mind intrigued. Art seems to influence the current generation the most by encouraging a free-spirited mind. In fact, they may be lost if all art mysteriously vanished. People like art because they feel that it relates to them and how they feel, making them more comfortable with themselves.

War is bad. It has been sad that war brings a country together, but it mostly tears it apart. Sure people come together to lift each other up and work toward a common goal, but that’s only after family members have been ravaged by war and countries are suffering economically and safety wise.

Subtweeting, hashtags, and long paragraphs in the comment section over something completely irrelevant is what most people see today, people of the internet have no chill. Twitter flame wars and internet bullying are just barely scratching the surface of social media controversy, but that doesn’t make them less of a bad thing.

Growing up, my mom always told me that everything isn’t meant for everyone in the world of fashion as well. Sometimes people should think about how they look in a certain color or how their clothes fit before walking out of the house. Everyone has their own opinions of fashion and everyday people come up with a new style or a new way to wear things, but there are still certain principles that must be followed as people are still judged on how they put things together and how it looks as a whole. With that said, in the fashion world, all rules are made to be broken and who is anyone to judge a person’s self expression.

It’s finally here, Episode VII of the Star Wars saga: The Force Awakens. Many devoted Star Wars fans could hardly wait to sit down in theaters wearing their fandom t-shirts and carrying their large buckets of popcorn to once again gaze upon the classic introductory paragraph as it floated off into the starry abyss behind it. They couldn’t wait to soak in the entire film with all of it’s explosions, plot twists and turns, and many juicy, important, and devastating cliffhangers leading audiences into the next episode set to release in 2017.

Students in high school today were either not born yet, or don’t have memories of the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11.

Waking up to sounds that fill my hearts with joy and laughter signifies a wonderful time of year- Christmas. Hearing my favorite Christmas song, which has been sung generations, warms my heart. Christmas It seems to be the best time of the year. Every time I change the radio station there’s another old Christmas tune. My eyes begin to sparkle until I hear a spin on the beat, a person freestyling, and an artist that is struggling to hit every note to sound better than the next. I realize with horror that it’s not an old classic, but a new remix.

Christmas is a time to celebrate, spend time with family, give and receive presents, and eat all the food we can. However, most people find themselves struggling with one simple thing the presents. I’ve been through it countless times, the holidays come around, stores are booming with sales, and everyone’s eager to receive the best presents in the world, but the ideas are nowhere to be found. It seems that every time I don’t have the money or a reason to buy presents for my loved ones, presents are jumping off the shelves, but when confronted with decisions of what to choose for that oh so special Christmas gift, the ideas are less than ample.

Sex education in Texas mainly focuses on abstinence, but that mindset is only forcing many sexually active teenagers to be ill-prepared. Enforcing the idea of abstinence only education, only creates a taboo framework where some teenagers want to have sex because they are told not to. Sex isn’t just a religious or moral issue, there is a level of education that must take place so young people can make responsible choices. When students are uninformed, they may not make the best decisions for themselves. Out of sight, out of mind is an interesting approach, but sex is already on teenager’s mind so it should be part of education.

The sound of steaming hot water for hot chocolate, sleigh bells ringing in christmas songs, flashing colorful lights up and down different neighborhoods, being woken up by the smell of gingerbread cookies, tacky Christmas sweaters, and the exciting Black Friday advertisements for preparation of Christmas gifts. Christmas time can’t get here any quicker.

As the end of October comes to a close, the spooky Halloween month fades into November. November marks the beginning of two months of the living nightmare that is the Christmas season. Now, you may ask, why does the Christmas season start in November? Well to tell you the truth, it starts in early October, or even earlier. Why does it start so early? It’s because people think they need to feel holiday cheer before it needs to be felt.

With the insanity that comes with high school football in Texas, many things happen on the field that could become problematic.

Relationships are some of the most important factors in people’s lives. Many people do not feel that there is room for both old and new friends and it can cause issues, but both old and new friends have a place in a person’s life.

Lately I’ve noticed a lot of people on Tumblr have started to bash Americans, despite Tumblr being made and maintained by Americans. What bothers me the most is that the non-Americans (and even some Americans) are calling us “ignorant” and “stupid” for not knowing about the world’s problems to the depths that they think we should. One post that really struck a nerve with me was one that stated that Tumblr needed to stop being so “America-centric”.

Sit up straight! No elbows on the table! Chew with your mouth closed! We’ve all heard these obnoxious remarks from our parents and guardians, but our stubborn minds want to reject these orders. Manners can often be thought to be unimportant, but should not be so quickly dismissed.

A rose gold watch from Fossil, a phone plan for the latest iPhone 6s, or even some new clothes – all things a teen could have without using their parents money, with their own job. Teens can start working as young as 15 with a working permit, and at the legal working age is 16 in Texas. Once a teen hits 16 they should begin applying for jobs and looking to the future.

In the heat of summer, the only thing that keeps Southerners alive is their beloved Brenham original: Blue Bell Ice Cream. There are days that are emblazoned in the minds of all Texans; one such moment is the tragic day that Blue Bell announced the devastating recall on all of their products: popsicles, ice cream bars, and most importantly, the ice cream itself. The recall was due to a listeria outbreak in multiple factories, causing them to shut down production, along with general Texan happiness and sanity.

Suitcase- check. Backpack – check. Multiple forms of currency – check. Passport… Long story, but check.

This summer I traveled to Europe alone for the first time. Most 16-year-old’s parents would never consider allowing them to travel abroad, much less alone, but my parents and sister were born in Bosnia and much of my family is scattered across Europe. Having family live in a different countries has made it difficult to keep in touch with everyone, so my family and I try to go to Bosnia i Hercegovina as much as we can during summer breaks. We are the only ones in our family who live in America, so it’s easier for us to travel to Europe rather than everyone else coming here. Also, it’s a lot easier for Americans to travel out of the country than my family from Europe to get a visa to come to the US.

At the beginning of this year, the Norseman staff looked at wide-spread movements that bring about change, such as the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. In looking at that, we were able to see the good and the bad of such movements; viral trends can just be that – a trend that quickly dies – but they can also be educational.

It’s now that time of year again. A time when the clock winds down to the last days of another seemingly never ending school year. A time where we start planning our trips for the summer and dream about the amounts of sleep we’ll finally have. Although for me this time around, the clock seems […]

Everyone struggles with something, especially in high school. Maybe your grades aren’t exactly what you want or you’re struggling with problems at home or with your friends. Life can be a bit overwhelming, so I want to share what I’ve learned about how to deal with troubling times.

Technology has overrun our everyday life. In school, we use it for quizlet and duolingo or for typing Internal Assessment long articles for peers to edit. At home, we post cute selfies or watch Netflix (because, let’s get real, no one watches television anymore). However, can you remember a time where you couldn’t press the home button on your iPhone to get Siri to find information for you? Children from the 1980s know the horror of these times because they lived it.

Presidential elections, Olympic games, and leap years – four years seem to be a popular time for new things to come about. So much change happens in four years, yet we don’t realize that these changes occur until we look around and see that we are only a couple of months away from graduation and […]

Technology is, inevitably, a part of our everyday lives. There are infinite privileges to living in a technologically advanced time, like the ease of communication across the globe. Technology is undoubtedly going to keep improving long after our generation passes. But, considering just how absorbed we can be in technology, it can guide us into a world made completely of glowing screens. These never ending privileges of technology seem insignificant, but collectively, they can lead to the elimination of interactions with real people.

If I were to bet someone a million dollars that 90% of American teens use Snapchat, I’d probably win. Don’t we all just love the new update? Whether you love it because it hides your best friends from your significant other or you hate it for the exact same reason.

As a budding artist, it can be difficult to be as expressive through my work as I want to be. With the pressures of judges at competition and various guidelines and other things to think about when working on pieces, art starts to be a very stressful endeavor for a high school student. The big question is: how safe is it outside the box? How far can I go before I can’t go any further?

For decades, students have taken to bathroom stalls with Sharpies in hand to spread gossip and rumors. However, the bathroom stalls have ceased to be the primary avenue for such information. Recently, many have taken to social media as a new means to spread hateful rumors to a larger audience.

When I am not spending my time procrastinating writing my incredibly witty newspaper articles, I tend to dabble in the art of writing novels and, occasionally, reading them. One of the many things I have discovered in my writing adventure is that, no matter how exciting or original your plot is, if your characters fall flat, the story falls flat.

There are many people that come from single parent or broken family homes. I am one myself. Some either live with their mom, dad, or neither. You may even be lucky and have both, but sometimes that isn’t always a good thing. Most parents divorce, because of many disagreements and arguments. Many times, it is the mother doing everything on their own, just like mine.

Every brush stroke, pencil sketch, pastel, primary, and secondary color added to artwork signifies something an artist deeply feels. The same goes for writers like the Norseman staff. Every key we press, and article we submit is our artwork, and expresses what we think about a topic. Believe it or not there are many different types of artists. Although there is one type of art that isn’t typically called art: graffiti.

While many of the things society detests are shunned for good reason, some of them just happen to be the most enjoyable to do. Who wouldn’t want to drive 80 on the highway if it meant you could get to your destination faster or bring dry breakfast cereal into a movie theater because you were too hungry to care about distracting other people? But societal constraints on language seems to be the most lenient, and there are times when our language is perforated with terms that most people consider unsuitable for general communication.

Speed walking around a football field and blowing through some weird instrument is considered stupid by many people. Although many may say marching band members are insane for wanting to make a bunch of figures and play for eight minutes straight, people should think about the real work behind this insanity.

As the second semester gets into full swing, a major topic weighs heavily on the minds of teachers and students minds – next school year. Seniors are finalizing their decisions for life post-high school, juniors are looking to take SAT and ACT tests, and students might spend hours at a time scavenging through the thick course guide trying to figure out which classes to sign up for before they meet with their counselor. Many of these underclassmen find that teachers, counselors, and parents are pressuring them to take the most advanced classes and get involved in every organization imaginable so their résumés look impressive for colleges.

As Black Friday creeps deeper into Thanksgiving every year, guests around the dinner table become more sparse as they rush to beat the crowds or clock in to work their shifts. This attitude is seen at Christmas as people have become more interested in gifts and possessions rather than spending time with their loved ones. […]

Why is it that many people refuse to say the Pledge of Allegiance? Why can’t a growing number of Americans differentiate between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution? What ever happened to the sense of national pride and unity amongst the American people?

From fighting to loving, making memories to making each other cry, the love/hate relationship amongst siblings is a powerful thing.

SAC, suspension, phone calls home, having to change clothes, referrals, and so many more things are consequences of the two words we all hate to hear, dress code.

Cheers erupt from the stadium as the two teams face off, each knowing the only way to claim the championship is by going through the other. Fifteen seconds later one team is dead while the other team pushes on.

Southern comfort, mouth-watering food, and perfect beyond belief sweet tea. These aren’t just items that are depicted in Southern-centric movies and songs, they’re actual characteristics found at the wonderful, scrumptious Chick-Fil-A fast food chain. 50 years ago, the founder of Chick-Fil-A, Truett Cathy, invented the best thing since sliced bread – the chicken sandwich. This […]

Many people pride themselves on being socially conscious, but as a whole social consciousness seems to be fleeting based on observing past examples.

The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood is everything a high school play should be: funny, entertaining, clean-humored, and hilariously weird. And the quirky, lovable Viking cast brought the characters to life – onstage, and off.

Fighting again wages in the Middle East as members from a multinational coalition led by the United States battle against extremist militant fighters of the Islamic State terrorist group, often referred to as ISIS, ISIL, or simply IS. Much of the heavy fighting is taking place in Iraq and Syria, where Kurdish ground forces, backed by US led airstrikes, are battling to reclaim lost territory.

The neon leg warmers, baggy sweatshirts, and wild poofy hair will remain safely tucked away deep in closets across America because, even though the 80’s are making a comeback, it’s thankfully not with fashion. Instead it’s with wildly fun and entertaining movies, television shows, and cartoons.

Shoes have become just about as irrelevant as the splattered mosquitoes that get wiped and smeared off to the sides of windshields, and that is unacceptable.

Music, a seemingly innocent topic of conversation can bring me a great deal of pain when headed down the wrong direction. We ended up talking about what we like, what we don’t like, what we’re excited about, and what came to be disappointing, but no matter where we are, it always comes back to that one person who always gives the rest of us the classic excuse, “There’s just nothing new that’s good.”

Cats are without a doubt the most amazing creatures in the whole entire universe. Not only are they great, easy-to-handle pets, but are also the epitome of the internet today. GIF after cat GIF, cats never cease to make us laugh until we cry, and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

In high school there are many special occasions to look forward to: school dances and birthday bashes. You make plans with friends, rent limos, and buy dresses, but really, what are you thinking about when it comes to these events? How are you planning on showing up?

As I sit here in my Doctor Who t-shirt, with my Harry Potter backpack sprawled open at my feet, and BBC’s Sherlock playing in the background, I can’t help but wonder about the stereotypes surrounding the term ‘fangirl.’

Is it really almost the end of my senior year? What a crazy roller coaster of a ride these past four years have been. From the trials, errors, disappointments, tears, and triumphs that I have experienced, I am walking away from high school knowing so much more than when I walked in, and not just academically. I’ve learned a lot of lessons – some the hard way. There are definitely things I wish I would have known before I entered high school. This being my last article, I am dedicating it to incoming and current freshmen so they can learn the things I didn’t know.

The blow to the face, the ringing in your ear, the sting on your cheek, the drowning feeling of indescribable sadness and forced guilt. Emptiness surrounds you, however it has to be your fault. You really must have been flirting with another guy this time, you weren’t just being nice. You begin to question your every move. Was I really staring at him? Were those text messages to my guy friend as innocent as I thought they were? I must have done something to deserve this. After all, he loves me.

Chicken tenders here, chicken tenders there, chicken tenders are everywhere. Lately, chicken tenders have become increasingly popular in various fast food and sit down restaurants.

A mother: a woman who loves unconditionally, putting her child’s needs before her own. In high school, most girls don’t understand that kind of love or selfishness.

If one thing is certain, it’s that there needs to be a instruction manual for incoming high-school freshman – how to do this, when to do that, what’s important and what’s not going to matter in ten years – because we all know that it would save everyone a whole lot of time and effort. Unfortunately though, there isn’t. Kids are left to learn manual-worthy lessons on their own; some lessons are learned by experience, some by association, and some simply by observance.

Over the course of four years, high school can fill that theoretical manual pretty full, but perhaps the most important lesson one could learn from that manual may not be realized until late in the high-school career, or even afterward: to not let high school be the center of the universe.

As a kid, all I used to sing was, “Spiderman, Spiderman, does whatever a Spiderman can.”I still sing it today. I’ve been a Spiderman fan since I was a kid, and my mom has tons of pictures of me dressed up in Spiderman costumes. Consequently I was very excited for the new movie, The Amazing Spiderman 2, the sequel to the 2012 film, The Amazing Spiderman.

High school, day one: lost, shy, and scared. My first class on that day was Journalism – Newspaper with Rebecca Dominy in room 6160. A series of questions ran through my head as 8:25 a.m. came closer and closer by the minute: where is room 6160? I knew the class would be filled with upperclassmen – what if they think I’m weird?

Two hours of consecutive six second videos. How tedious does that sound? You begin to ask yourself, this can’t be me? It was just 11 o’clock, how is it already two in the morning? No way have I been staring at a screen for hours at a time. In this day and age however, technology has the power to do exactly that, and I too have fallen victim.

Teenagers, like adults, get stressed every now and then. But just how stressed is our generation?

‘Friend.’ A common concept that people recognize all around the world. A word that can be sincere, or just routinely spoken, a word that can hold meaning, or be completely hollow inside, a word that I had placed on so many people without truly knowing what it stood for, but now all that it stands for couldn’t be any clearer. The person who holds this prestigious title not only has the word ‘friend’ by her name, but ‘best’ in front of it.

Anyone who had a PS2 played ‘Need for speed’ as a kid; now it has turned to a movie in 2014. Upon hearing the news of the movie, I questioned, “Will I need to watch it, or will it be another video game turned to a movie become a bust?”

It’s that time of year again – the excitement of prom is in the air, and the majority of junior and senior girls are beginning their search for the perfect dress. After a suitable dress is found, then comes the hair dying, spray tanning, and nail painting, all in preparation for the big day. While all of this can be exciting, the cost of prom has a tendency to take away some of the fun of the event. However, this does not have to be the case.

Burgers: about the most American a food can get. Something so easy to make and yet when prepared correctly can become the best thing you have ever eaten. I was on a mission to find the best burger in the Bryan/College Station area, and I am glad to report that I have found a winner.

A college acceptance means a lot of things for a student; it marks the time for filling the closet with school colors, buying dorm essentials, setting up a credit card, planning out a course schedule, looking into all the interesting intramural sports and student organizations offered on campus – the list is endless. However, though it can be lost in the midst of excitement, a college acceptance also means an extraordinary monetary commitment.

Being born and raised in Florida, from Miami to Tampa, I was comfortable in my surroundings and I didn’t want to move. I was very hesitant, about moving halfway across the country, but I would never have guessed how great Texas would be, despite many things are different. Though I’ve only been here for a month and haven’t experienced everything just yet, but it seems to be going well.

“Life’s a dance you learn as you go… don’t worry ‘bout what you don’t know. Life’s a dance you learn as you go.” This country tune by John Michael Montgomery tells us not to worry about the unknown, but most of us can’t say that we haven’t. All of us worry to an extent, and with good reason. For me, senior year is here, and my worries focus around my future. While I’m excited, I’m also concerned.

This past October, I met my best friend.

Yes, you read that correctly – read it several more times if you must. No, we did not become best friends after we met, we were best friends already. How, you ask? Technology is a wonderful thing. It has the power to connect two very similar people – so alike that it’s scary, actually – who are separated by 1,337 miles and would never know each other otherwise. Call it weird, question why I can’t make a best friend in my own city (let alone my own state), offer to sign us up for the TV show Catfish – I’ve heard it all before.

Most of us have been judged by someone, whether it was based on what we wore, what style of hair we rocked, who we dated, the people we hung out with, etc. The list is never ending. Well, one thing some may or may not have checked off their list, is being judged based on their education.

The grocery store: something people used to get dressed up for, or at least look presentable for is now littered with people that look like they just rolled out of bed.

During last year’s running of the Snowball Derby – the most prestigious Super Late Model race in the country – I was simply a spectator. That’s more than most people can say, however, as the race isn’t televised and is therefore only truly accessible to those who make the trip to Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida to watch it. But this time around, in the 46th-annual running of the race, I was introduced to a whole new side of the event, and of racing itself: I returned to Five Flags Speedway with a media credential and a crew that had bounds more experience with doing at-track race coverage than I.

The issue over whether to teach sex education in schools remains a hot debate topic. In many cases, parents wish to solely be responsible for educating their children on sex and sex-related topics. On the other hand many teachers, administrators, and parents feel that education is the only means of decreasing teen pregnancy.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care, the popcorn is strung and draped on the tree, and the sweet melodies of Bing Crosby are playing through the house…but it’s July 1 and others are wondering what’s going on.

“Fa la la la la, la la la la.”

It’s December 1st and I’m about to fa-la-la-fall off a cliff as a last resort to escape the Christmas music that’s playing in every public place I walk into.

Americans are creatures of habit, and one habit we stay true to is our pastimes. America has many pastimes, from baseball to block parties and especially eating out. From coast to coast there are restaurants, fast food places, cafes, and buffets galore!

Tumblr, A place of wonder and self expression. This social media site let people express their emotions without having to type a thing in status form. The beauty of it is that most people are wrapped up with Facebook and other social media sites and don’t necessarily enjoy blogging, so you don’t have to worry from judgement from your peers regarding the things on your Tumblr page.

2% battery.

Your head shoots up from your little bright screen. You jump to your feet, knock your chair over, leap over the couch, run across the state, over the lava, swim across the Atlantic Ocean, fight off members of a drug cartel, make it past a Pterodactyl without being eaten alive, run straight through WWII safe from the falling bombs, sneak past zombies in an apocalypse, climb over Mt. Everest and finally you reach it — the cherished charger that will give life to your beautiful, beloved cell phone.

Do I want grilled cheese or Chef Boyardee? Should I play outside or watch the next episode of Powerpuff Girls? Do I want pigtails or a giant bow in my hair? What were once time consuming decisions that filled my eight-year-old brain became futile as I grew up. One thing never changed; my decisions were impulsive and pleasing for that time.

“It’s going to be the best week of your life!” I was told numerous times before the day finally came for me to pack my bags and head to Crooked Creek Ranch- a YoungLife Camp in Fraser, Colorado this summer. The best week of my life though? I could hardly think of the best day of my life, let alone the best week, but I remained open-minded to the idea that this could quite possibly be the best week ever.

Summer has always been carefree for me. The sun kisses my skin, sweets become even sweeter, sweat goes unnoticed, and of course spending every day with my friends is the best part. But the summer after my junior year was different. Sure, it was still a break from school, but seeing my expectations in comparison to my realizations was like a slap in the face.

Male students don’t want to look like Si Robertson from “Duck Dynasty”, they just don’t want to risk cutting themselves shaving their mustaches and beards for a random rule. Students can not help that they are growing older and that hair is beginning to grow out on their faces like grass in a field, and some teachers come off a bit hypocritical when they have a beard to the floor and get upset that we have a little peach fuzz on our face, It’s like we are breaking some kind of ancient law punishable by incarceration in county jail.

An hour on the treadmill to get a daily workout in sounds like a blast, right? Wrong. That is, unless you’re a running enthusiast – which, truthfully, most of us aren’t. And even for those who are, stationary running still doesn’t sound like very much fun.

Everyone has their preference when it comes to the seasons of the year. In Texas we all look forward to the time of year when it’s not 100+ degrees outside. I could care less about the temperature-my favorite season doesn’t have much to do with the temperature, but instead, centers around when my parents go […]