“Breaking Expectations” is staff writer Danielle Allsop’s first hand experience with living with mental illness. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to read this article and not judging those of us who suffer with a mental illness. Writing this weekly column has been extremely therapeutic for me and I hope it has helped those of you who used my advice. I would recommend using writing as a tool to help you cope with whatever ailment you may be dealing with because it releases so much build up frustration that when it’s all out, you feel refreshed and relaxed (well, most of the time). I would like to encourage you to send me your opinions and ideas for next year’s column. What types of topics would you like me to cover? I would love to give more examples of how to better deal with each ailment so we can reach a broader spectrum of readers. I would also like to reiterate what I... ...
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After finally coming to terms with the fact that college tuition is expensive, the last thing anyone wants to hear is it will take a shift upward. But before tossing in the towel, think for a minute about what that money buys. For Boise State, money will buy more full-time faculty, which means more classes for students. The bottleneck students are currently facing toward getting into upper-division classes will be reduced. The current issue is there simply is not enough staff to teach these courses due to lack of funds, so the tuition hike will address this issue. In response to the 6.9 percent tuition hike Boise State will expect to see in the upcoming year, Jace Whitaker, ASBSU secretary of external relations, said raising fees and tuition would be beneficial to all students But what about graduating seniors who will not be needing upper-division courses? According to Whitaker, not only will the tuition increase allow students to fulfill upper-division course requirements, but the degrees attained at Boise State will... ...
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May 9, 2013
Posted
Main Feature, News, Opinion, Opinion Main Feature
Tagged Boise State, Student Life
Comments 0
“Breaking Expectations” is staff writer Danielle Allsop’s first hand experiences and advice on dealing with mental illness. After the birthday debacle, I started thinking about how I handle uncomfortable situations which ultimately lead to increased anxiety. Personally, I work myself up. If I think I could even possibly have a panic attack, it happens. It took a long time, and lots of therapy, to understand I was the one causing them, not the situation. I let my mind take over and control how I think and how I handle the situation. One important aspect of understanding anxiety is how powerful the mind is and how temperamental it can be. YOU have to be the one in control. Now I am not saying it is easy, because it is far from it. But if anxiety were easy, it wouldn’t be a problem. Here are some suggestions if you know you are going to have increased anxiety: Breathe Though this seems so simple, it is often the farthest thing from... ...
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Why are you in college? Many students will respond to this question with the major or career which they intend to pursue. “I’m an English major.” “I want to be a nurse.” “I’m studying Political Science.” The implication of these answers is that, while they are highly specific, they are not at all conclusive in terms of what students will actually learn and it completely ignore the ways which students change during their collegiate years. For these reasons, it is important students consciously become learners instead of just students and also realize the significance and value of general education requirements. Last week, Louis Menand, Ph.D. gave a lecture regarding the philosophy and evolution of the American university. Menand, a Harvard professor and Pulitzer Prize winning author, discussed in detail the origins of the modern American university, the significance of literature and humanities courses, the selection method universities employ for students, and a plethora of finer details which engaged his audience for nearly two hours. All of these relatively narrow topics... ...
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May 2, 2013
Posted
Main Feature, Opinion, Opinion Main Feature
Tagged Boise State, Student Life
Comments 0
Macklemore isn’t coming to Boise State University for the Spring Fling on May 4. He’s going to be at University of Idaho the day before; because the U of I gets everything better than us, right? “U of I has better parties.” “U of I has better Greek Life.” “U of I has a more traditional university feel to it.” Though I’m not personally vindicating them, maybe all of the above statements are true. But WE had Macklemore first. WE had Macklemore on Oct. 18 at the Knitting Factory downtown. And WE may not be better; but neither is U of I. Both Boise State and the University of Idaho have their strong-suits. On May 4, Mike Posner is performing at the Taco Bell Arena. Mike Posner kicks ass and that’s all there is to it. It’s unfair to say either Mike Posner or Macklemore is better at their mutual art-form. Just because Thrift Shop has played on the radio about 1,000 times a day for past few months doesn’t... ...
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“What has your experience been with Boise State advisors?” Makayla Magnuson Junior Early childhood education/Special education “They are just not helpful at all. I go in and want answers, and they are just not helpful at all and because of that, I’m going to be here longer than I thought.” Ricardo Ruiz Senior Criminal justice “I guess my experience would be with advising is that they don’t really have time. They’re really not knowledgeable. With all the changes going on, they are saying, okay, take this, take that. They are always just focused on take your core classes and that’s pretty much all they know. They don’t know too much about the curriculum. They don’t really have a lot of time.” Casey Curtis Sophomore Education “I don’t like my advisor because every time I go in there he tells me that I have to take a different class and he doesn’t know the answers to my questions. Sometimes I feel like he gives me the bare minimum answer... ...
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“Breaking Expectations” is staff writer Danielle Allsop’s first hand experiences and advice on dealing with mental illness. A few weeks ago, I had an obligation to attend a birthday party for a good friend of my boyfriend’s. The birthday girl and I have had our issues in the past and have been working on developing a relationship. So needless to say, I was not looking forward to dinner. I woke up that day and was already in panic mode. I didn’t want to get out of bed, go to school or work, let alone this dinner. My hands were shaking, my brain was cloudy, I couldn’t concentrate on anything besides dinner. I spent the entire day thinking about how awful it was going to be and working myself up. I had an hour and a half break in between work and dinner, and I wasn’t going to drive all the way home, just to turn back around and drive to the other side of Boise. Knowing I couldn’t just sit... ...
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“Have you ever had a bad experience at the recreational center with the opposite sex?” Sage Migel Freshman Psychology “I had a friend of mine get her butt spanked while she was on the elliptical. These four guys walked past her and they did something, and she just looked at them, and they just left and kept walking.” Shannon Westergard Sophomore Psychology “No but there were these two guys and I felt like they were following me and my friend around so we kept trying to duck from them because we didn’t want to talk to them. We kind of just avoided them.” Katrina Slate Freshman Health science “I’ve never had a guy gawking at me while I get my sweat on.” Lauren Stopher Freshman Communications “No, as long as you stay away from the weight room I think you’re pretty safe. Stay away from the weight room and you’re golden.” ...
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No matter what academic college you’re in, advising is an important element. However, Boise State lacks in its ability to advise its students. Students are frustrated with faculty advisors who seem to have no idea what they are doing. Makayla Magnuson, a junior studying early childhood education and special education, expressed her frustration. “They are just not helpful at all. I go in and want answers, and they are just not helpful at all and because of that, I’m going to be here longer than I thought.” Advising is a requirement for all students in their freshman year. Students are to meet with an advisor before their first academic year is up, or a hold is put on their Broncoweb account. After their freshman year, students are encouraged to meet with their advisor, a full-time tenure track faculty member in their area of study, throughout their collegiate career, with the advisor using their knowledge of the system to ensure they are on track to graduate. However, it seems as if... ...
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The Recreational Center is becoming the newest pick-up destination for Boise State students. With daily postings to the “Bronco Confessions” page on Facebook, it isn’t difficult to notice going for a workout has now turned into a social event, one where looking your best is a necessity. From the looks of it, male students are enjoying watching female students “workout” in their skimpy, expensive athletic attire. It’s comparable to a zoo, except it’s horny college male students looking at flamboyant college females who are intentionally putting themselves on display. But can we blame them? Jennifer Scott, a junior education major, expressed her frustration. “I don’t workout at (the recreational center) for this exact reason,” she said. Judd Olmstead, a junior studying communication, works at the REC. front desk and has seen the progression from a place to work out, to a place to pick up women. “Ever since we changed the T-shirt policy, there has been an increase in the amount of people who come in,” Olmstead said. The rule... ...
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Apr 25, 2013
Posted
Main Feature, Opinion, Opinion Main Feature
Tagged Boise State, Student Life
Comments 7
What do you have a strong opinion on that you think we should be covering? I would like to actually hear more about that field out there [intermural field] and how we don’t have it anymore and that’s kind of frustrating. Because it’s ugly. And see maybe how that happened in the first place, and how that was taken away from the student body. Julianna Mckay Junior History Sports. The athletics here at Boise State. We are a big football school so it’s really good to keep updated in that, and as our basketball program is growing as well to keep up in that. And other sports so we can make them big within the school as well. Miranda Mcgary Senior Exercise Science Probably about the new programs coming in. Also the possible new programs the university is expanding into. As well as university expansion, not just programs but the new building as well. Johnny Collins Graduate Student Social Work What I think should be covered... ...
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“Breaking Expectations” is staff writer Danielle Allsop’s first hand experiences and advice on dealing with mental illness. This particular installment is in response to recent feedback to “Breaking Expectations.” Just a clarification, this column is intended to give advice to those suffering with a mental illness. It is in no way a column that disregards what having a true panic attack is like. I’ve never discussed any of my personal experiences with panic attacks, what they physically feel like, because I am still uncomfortable with doing so. Just because I haven’t posted how it feels doesn’t mean I haven’t had one, or experienced the aftermath of it. The column is meant to induce a positive spin on a horrible situation, not create more fear in those who don’t know how to deal with their own anxiety. This may come as a shock, but my intention of this column is to HELP, not put others down. For those of you who say I am implying you can just “get over” a... ...
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Quite frequently, Boise State’s Residence Halls have fire drills, as they are expected to have two a semester. And nearly every time these occur, there are murmurs around campus about “who got caught this time.” Rumors saying University Housing and Residence Life is conducting these drills to do room searches for violations have been circulating. But if you have illegal substances in your dorm room, you have to be completely careless with your possessions to get caught having them. “Our primary intent, as with the vast majority of our operations, is to ensure the safety of our residents; we do not go into room expecting to encounter violations,” said Matt Jones, Area Coordinator for the Apartments, Towers and Suites. Naturally, as undergrads, many of us would like to think “the man” is trying to stick it to us. But they’re just doing their jobs; it’s not as if they have some ulterior motive to break students’ spirits. But of course, if you leave something you’re not supposed to have out in... ...
Read More →The arguments against same-sex marriage presented in the “Opposing Same-Sex Marriage” article from the April 11th edition of The Arbiter are completely bogus. It appears to me that the main point of the article was that the government shouldn’t “force” those who claim their religion prohibits same-sex marriage to recognize such marriages because it violates the First Amendment’s disallowance of Congress to pass laws “prohibiting the free exercise of [religion],” which seems perfectly valid. However, because these institutions are effectively receiving government money by having a tax-exempt status, the government should also be free to strip such religious institutions of any or all of their governmental benefits because they no longer represent the interests of the government and aren’t meeting the requirements for the benefits. It’s not coercion, but a choice whether to invest money or not in programs based on whether or not the institution represents the government’s interests. If the institution doesn’t represent the government’s interests—here the interest being the equal protection of all of its citizens—that institution... ...
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Apr 16, 2013
Posted
Opinion
Mellissa Corn Pre Physical Therapy Junior “I think it’s fine. I don’t see why they can’t. I don’t think it’s anybody’s job to tell somebody what they can and cannot do because of something you can’t really control. I mean if I don’t want to be this tall it’d be cool if I could control it but I can’t. I don’t think it’s something you wake up one day and decide.” Cacey Desmond Marketing Freshman “I agree [with it]. I think they should be allowed to marry.” Alex Dahlman Political Science Junior “I don’t think it’s really anybody’s business. I don’t think the government should tell people who can and can’t be married. If two people, same sex, different sexes, trany, whatever, want to get married let them. Who says we have to be the ones to control happiness.” Christian Johnson Undecided Freshman “I’m totally for it. I’m for it just based on the fact that it is a right and it’s one of the strongest relationships... ...
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Breaking Expectations is staff writer Danielle Allsop’s first hand experiences and advice on dealing with mental illness. When I first started having significant issues with my anxiety while in school, I was embarrassed. I started skipping classes, not because I was lazy or didn’t care, but because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to sit through them. I started to psych myself out: what if I had a panic attack in class, or I felt one coming on and had to leave? Would I cause a scene? I was more worried about what my peers and professors would think of me than if I was of actually having the attack. I never told my professors what was going on, so they probably thought I was being disrespectful. Over my five years here at Boise State, I have learned how important communication with your professors is. They aren’t just here to teach, they are here to listen as well. They care about your well-being and want to help you achieve... ...
Read More →Danielle Allsop & Morgan Ackley With the recent talks of legalizing of same-sex marriage, it is important to remember why the government has kept it illegal for so long: it violates the first amendment. The first amendment of the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Currently, qualified religious organizations receive a tax-exempt status from the government because they are viewed as non-profit organizations. And in order for a religious organization to maintain its tax exempt status it must abide by the laws and policies of local governments as stated in the supreme court’s 1861 decision in Perin v. Carey, “It has now become an established principle of American law, that courts of chancery will sustain and protect . . . a gift . . . to public charitable uses, provided the same is consistent with local laws and public policy.” If the government decides to legalize same-sex marriages, religious organizations will be forced... ...
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Gay rights, including marriage, have been on the move for half a century now. Starting with the riots at stonewall in 1969, to the election and assignation of Harvey Milk in 1978. Soon after Wisconsin became the first state to outlaw discrimination based on sexual orientation in 1982. Then Massachusetts was the first state to officially legalize gay marriage after one of their supreme justices stated that the state could no longer “deny the protections, benefits and obligations conferred by civil marriage to two individuals of the same sex who wish to marry. And only a few months ago, Boise passed a law allowing LGBT individuals equal rights in housing, public facilities and jobs. Now it seems like another huge step for equality is being taken across America. The Supreme Court is now visiting two different legalities, which were attempting to ban gay marriage, Prop 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Though the Supreme Court has not revealed its rulings, it seems America might have made its decision.... ...
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Breaking Expectations is staff writer Danielle Allsop’s first hand experiences and advice on dealing with mental illness. One of the things you learn quickly when you have anxiety is how unpredictable it can be. Sure, there are triggers and you learn to avoid anything that can cause more trouble. But there are also days when you may wake up to a full on panic attack brought on for no reason. They are difficult to get under control and, if you’re like me, determine the mood for the rest of the day. Fortunately, I’ve experienced this scenario enough times to know that I shouldn’t let it depict what kind of day I am going to have. Though there are days when I just want to give in and lie in bed all day, I know that it will only make it that much harder to get up and be productive the next day (not to mention how far behind I’d fall with homework). Here are some tips that I have learned... ...
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Tenure: the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow where the educator can nestle into like a comfortable chair until death or retirement put paid to their years of professorship. The good old days, right? Tenures are going the way of the dinosaur, and that may just be a good thing. Professors, whether tenured or not, should be assessed yearly, by both students and administration, to see if their skills are valuable enough to remain in good standing with the college. The loss of tenure comes with alleged fear on both sides of the debate. The first, which is rooted in the academia mind-set, is without tenured professors there will be a loss of freedom of speech by those teaching in a temporary position (adjuncts). Those who are hired only temporarily are afraid to speak out since it may jeopardize their standing with the colleges, preventing them from rehire should they “rock the boat.” This reluctance is a fact as some of those interviewed requested their names not... ...
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