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(10/22/14 2:53pm)
Standing on one of the thousands of pagodas in Bagan, Burma, I really felt like I was on an adventure. This was beauty in its purest form. There were pagodas as far as the eye could see, and not a skyscraper in sight. As I enjoyed the view, a small voice piped up behind me, “My favorite is the one on your left. It’s one of the oldest.”
(09/19/14 3:22pm)
Buy local. Buy organic. Buy cage-free. As a student on a tight budget, this can translate to money, more money and even more money.
The assumption that organic, local and humane food costs more is often true. Yet, as college students beginning our adult lives, we need to start setting standards for ourselves that will aid us and the community around us in the future.
According to the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, as of 2011, North Carolina has been home to around 50,000 farms. Of these farms, more than 90 percent are run by families, individuals or family corporations. We live in a hotbed of easily accessible local farms that produce fresh food. Access to these local farmers is easy. You can go to the Thursday afternoon farmer’s market next to the Elon Community Church or stop by the Company Shops Market in Burlington.
Buying organic, humane and local makes a big difference for you, the local farming community and the environment. Making a simple change in your shopping habits can affect more people than you think.
Don’t be fooled by the dollar signs. You are not just paying for the same food as the one dollar-cheaper equivalent sitting two containers down. You are financing a farmer in a North Carolina community, supporting the humane treatment of animals, and encouraging farmers not to use harmful pesticides on their crops.
As college students, we can skip that extra Cookout run or Panera sandwich to buy health-conscious, responsible food. Buying organic, local and humane food is not something that requires an in-depth knowledge of the agricultural industry. It’s about choosing one product over another and taking the time to really look at what you are picking up at the grocery store.
For example, just about every student on campus buys eggs. Instead of just picking up the first carton you see, go for the one that says free-range. Go for the one that’s not made of plastic foam so you can recycle it. These simple choices can lead to a much more knowledgeable and rewarding purchasing process that also spreads awareness of buying environmentally responsible foods.
Taking the time to pick out your groceries can also improve the value of the food you consume.
Instead of buying all your vegetables in the freezer section, go to the produce section and buy fresh vegetables that are higher in vitamins. In the place of processed, sugar-filled jams and jellies, buy products made by those in your community. Try to get to know the person who made your food.
Another category of food to look out for is humanely raised food. This includes terms such as “free-range,” “cage-free” and “certified humane.” Foods with these labels are supposed to be positive forces for animal welfare, in that animals should be able to move around and exercise.
Most of these labels also include the prevention of the use of growth hormones, cages and crates. Be aware buying foods with these labels is a step in the right direction, but not all labels are necessarily regulated. Some allow beak cutting and forced molting through starvation. The absolute best thing to do is to see where the chickens are raised.
Not only will you be a positive force for local businesses, you will also be doing something good for yourself. Consuming foods without added preservatives benefits your body in both the short and long term. Spend that extra dollar on a local farming community and get the most nutrition out of what you eat.
Fresh is always better than frozen. Help yourself and help the community.
(09/11/14 11:09am)
In the past few months I’ve noticed that female positive videos have been popping up frequently. It’s fantastic to tell a girl she’s beautiful as she is and that she is strong and brave. However, this streak of female empowerment feels closer to a passing trend than a message that really should be regularly broadcast.
Recent videos have been making the rounds on social media. From Colbie Caillat's “Try” to John Legend’s “You & I (Nobody in the World) to the “Like A Girl” campaign, the message is a great one – women are great the way they are. This message is wonderful and true and underrepresented.
The first video to really make its way through the social media worlds was the Always Feminine Products campaign in late June called “Like A Girl.” The video showed young girls that haven’t been phased by the stereotypes of how girls “should be.” Women, men and boys were asked questions about how a girl runs, fights, etc.
When asked to run like a girl, older participants ran with their heels kicked up and their arms flailing. When a young girl was asked to run like a girl, she ran like she was coming up on the finish line at a marathon. The campaign showed that young girls look in the mirror and see strong females full of potential and motivation, not always what the rest of society believes.
In both Colbie Caillat and John Legend’s music videos, females were portrayed as flawless without makeup. Caillat touched on the subject of liking who you see in the mirror instead of being concerned about what others see. Legend’s video showed that females are complex and their beauty comes from within.
More music videos and campaigns followed shortly in the following months, ranging from empowering videos to those of a less sincere nature.
My concern with this most recent surge is that some of the message is getting lost in being a passing trend or a way to raise view counts online. While it’s impossible to know what the true intentions are behind the empowerment videos and campaigns, the videos still convey an important message out to the media consuming public.
Female empowerment is a subject that should go further than a passing summer interest. It’s an issue that should be circulated on social media on a regular basis. We still see news stories where it seems that equality of the sexes is downgraded. As we take a few steps forward, we also take a couple steps back.
Recently, Sofia Vergara, known for her comedic role on Modern Family, had a bit of a controversial moment at the Emmys when, during a speech by a Television Academy chairman on the diversifying of Hollywood, she was put on a revolving pedestal in full display of the audience. While her heritage and background do highlight diversity in the film industry, her appearance caused some stir about her sex symbol status being highlighted and used instead of simply showcasing her diversity.
The female positive campaign is a multilayered issue. Changing the path for women involves changing people’s mindsets now. These social media campaigns and videos show that empowering women is a successful message that is well received. As we evolve as a society, so should the mentality of female stereotypes.
According to the Confidence Coalition, females earn only 76 percent of their male counterparts’ salaries, and while they make up more than half of the population, women hold less than a fifth of the seats in Congress. We create new technology faster then we can advance the equality of people.
All of today’s living generations have been exposed to varying levels of female empowerment. For the sake of continuously educating new generations and old, female empowerment campaigns should continue and not be forgotten as a fad of the past.
(06/19/14 6:19pm)
I found out I received the internship in Asheville — a city I had only been to once — two weeks before I was to start, while in a foreign country. It was crunch time.
(10/26/13 3:34pm)
It’s the bane of every teacher’s existence. It clutters Facebook homepages. It draws people of all lifestyles in with articles like “10 Peculiar Works of Art Featuring Donald Trump” and “23 Moments of Beyonce Realness.”
(10/17/13 8:07pm)
Mary Sheehan, Freshman, Psychology
(05/13/13 4:00am)
We easily become caught up in the endless cycle of dining halls, late-night fast food and frozen meals. Every once in a while, we need to take a moment and appreciate the food we are putting in our bodies. Why not multitask and experience the food from other cultures enjoying a more wholesome meal? Here are some easy recipes from across the globe. Pick one and take your taste buds for a trip around the world.
(05/13/13 4:00am)
Feminists hate men. Feminists are masculine and unattractive. Feminists don’t shave. Men cannot be feminists.
(05/13/13 4:00am)
Weed. Pot. Grass. While I am all for a new green initiative, I don’t think we need to add these words to our everyday vocabulary.
(05/13/13 4:00am)
By the time finals come around in May, we are begging for summer vacation. Our first few days are spent lounging in the sun, in bed or on the couch. Yet, after about a week, boredom sets in and it’s time for a little variety.
(04/30/13 12:44am)
Fast food. College students gravitate to it like animals in the safari, moving toward a watering hole. It’s warm. It’s cheap. It’s greasy. It’s quick.
(10/19/12 1:00am)
Oxygen – it’s necessary. You probably understand that plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. In your dorm room, all you have is concrete walls and a serious lack of foliage.
(03/27/12 6:58pm)
From the doldrums of classes to hiding from the bitter cold, many college students retreat into their dorms and apartments to hibernate during the winter. And when spring comes along, students don’t want their space looking dull and dreary. College students can easily take a few simple, easy and affordable steps to brighten up their space.
(02/28/12 5:21am)
Already representing 60 percent of students on campus, women will gain even more prominence in March.
(02/21/12 9:45pm)
In today’s world, college degrees are the way to add more figures to a salary. According to a recent study by Georgetown University, majors that have higher earnings are gaining popularity. But students at Elon University are still choosing the majors that interest their curiosity.