Alex Nettles

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OPINIONS 3/17/24 1:49pm

OPINION: Elon University's silent streets: Closer look at lack of public activism

By Alex Nettles

On a small corner of green in Young Commons lies the Speakers’ Corner. All public demonstrations are supposed to be concentrated here. Events can be planned and registered to the university, but it rarely happens. The corner is virtually always empty. The campus is too. In 2024, we face an election and global upheaval. There has been the occasional protest, but they are not part of the daily rhythm of the university. Elon’s administration has fostered debate, but you don’t see overwhelming input from the students.

OPINIONS 3/2/24 3:52pm

OPINION: Victims of imagination: how does tech use affect loneliness at Elon?

By Alex Nettles

Gen Z is the loneliest generation to ever attend college. In 2023, A Cigna report found that Gen Z was “far lonelier” than older generations, in Cigna’s most recent loneliness index, 79% of young adults feel lonely. For many of us, this is not surprising at all. One explanation is that we are the generation with the most media at our fingertips. According to dcdx, a Gen Z advocacy organization, our average daily screen time is seven hours and seven minutes. We spend well over one-third of our waking hours on our phones.

NEWS 10/21/23 5:36pm

Toasty Kettlyst Beer Garden opens in downtown Elon

By Alex Nettles

The Toasty Kettlyst Beer Garden introduced an outdoor beer garden on North Holt Avenue. The outdoor drinking spot is an expansion of the Toasty Kettlyst Beer Company in Gibsonville. Sitting behind the College Street Taphouse, the addition expands the town of Elon’s social district, which launched in April. The bar opened its space Oct. 12, and is open Thursday through Sunday. Outdoor lights are strung over picnic tables and craft beer is served from a kiosk on a small patch of green.

NEWS 10/12/23 2:22pm

Burnout trend poses challenges for Elon University’s school of education

By Alex Nettles

Following concerns about the Alamance-Burlington School System mold problems and high rates of teachers quitting their jobs, senior education major Ally Shibata said she has doubts about entering the field of teaching due to burnout. Shibata teaches part-time at Central Park School for Children in Durham. She said she often feels flustered as a student teacher, and balancing an education along with a college social life she feels is already difficult. K-12 workers showed the highest rates of burnout of all professions in the U.S., according to a 2022 Gallup Survey.

LIFESTYLE 9/22/23 2:06pm

El Centro kicks-off Hispanic Heritage Month at Elon University in celebration

By Alex Nettles

El Centro welcomed the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month at a kick-off event in Medallion Plaza. The student-planned surge of culture marks the beginning of the celebration Hispanic Heritage Month on Elon’s Campus. Hispanic Heritage Month is a national celebration of Latinx and Hispanic culture that includes the independence days of many Hispanic countries, running from Sep. 15 to Nov. 15. The event’s planning was spearheaded by a group of passionate student coordinators, including sophomore Cristina Mariné. Mariné said she started volunteering with El Centro because it gave her a reinforced sense of identity. 

NEWS 8/22/23 12:45pm

Harris Teeter introduces 10% discount, 20%-off sale day for Elon University students

By Alex Nettles

Harris Teeter, a grocery store chain located along the East Coast, announced a 10% brandwide discount for various university students — including Elon University — that will run through Oct. 3. To claim the offer, students must bring their Phoenix Card. The local location on south Church street in Burlington will also host a College Night Aug. 30 from 5 to 8 p.m., at which the store will provide any student with a college ID and VIC card 20% off on all store goods. The event will also feature a gas discount, a live DJ, wine and food samples and 10% off all Starbucks drinks.

NEWS 8/18/23 1:08pm

Colonnades and Danieley neighborhoods welcome Elon University freshmen in the heat

By Alex Nettles

With about 41% of Colonnades occupants being freshmen, Colonnades and Danieley neighborhoods welcomed a smaller batch of Elon University incoming freshmen on Aug. 18. In the 85-degree heat and nearly 50% humidity, members of the class of 2027 transitioned into their residence halls and reflected on their personal goals for their first academic year at Elon. “It is a new experience with new people. I am looking forward to that,” freshman Wrigley Koch said.

LIFESTYLE 4/27/23 1:00pm

Elon University Department of Performing Arts debuts Deep Water Ballad

By Alex Nettles

On the April 28, the department of performing arts will debut a workshop of “Deep Water Ballad,” an original musical that has been over a decade in the making. “Deep Water Ballad” is set in the fictional coal mining town of Deep Water, West Virginia. When a devastating mining disaster happens the area spirals into the paranormal and the residents struggle to rebuild. The story follows a girl who tries to reconnect with her broken family in both the spirit world and natural world. 

OPINIONS 4/21/23 12:26pm

OPINION: Future educators have a disproportionate burden to bear

By Alex Nettles

Editor's Note: The content of this editorial includes discussion of gun violence in schools. The national climate has rendered mass shootings an inescapable reality. These situations illustrate the horror of gun violence that educators face today. Teachers are shouldering some of the biggest problems in the country — from the COVID-19 pandemic creating an educational rift to gun violence increasing in classrooms. 

LIFESTYLE 4/7/23 11:50am

Christian, Muslim community members break-fast together in interfaith iftar event

By Alex Nettles

Muslim, Hindi and Christian Elon University students and community members broke their fasts Tuesday evening. The interfaith celebration of Muslim iftar was organized by the Truitt Center for Religious Life and the Global Neighborhood in collaboration with the Burlington Masjid, Alamance County’s only mosque. While eating, the religious communities reflected on their faith together.  

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NEWS 04/24/2024 10:49pm
2024 Earth Week keynote speaker offers advice on coping with climate anxiety

Britt Wray, author of “Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in the Age of Climate Anxiety,” spoke to Elon University on April 24 as the 2024 keynote speaker for Earth week. Wray began by linking the idea that major fossil fuel companies, powerful lawyers and lobbyists choose to ignore damages inflicted by businesses. These efforts, according to Wray, have hindered people from taking action to stop them — which Wray deemed a global crime scene. She said by 2070, an estimated 19% of the planet will be inhabitable due to increases in global warming.

NEWS 04/24/2024 3:34pm
Office of sustainability hosts events across campus

Elon’s office of sustainability plans events throughout the year in collaboration with other student organizations, according to Kelly Harer, associate director of sustainability for education and outreach. Elon is focusing on improving sustainability efforts specifically waste reduction. A system Elon uses to measure its sustainability efforts is the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System. Based on data from Elon’s submission Feb. 11, 2022, which is valid until March 16, 2025, Elon received a silver rating, earning 59.12 points out of 100. The points are broken down in different categories across academics, engagement, operations, planning and administration and innovation and leadership.

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