Author: CLARE MAURER

No changes have been made in the Monmouth University Police Department (MUPD) following a year of police brutality in the media, and no changes were deemed necessary.

The University is standing on the precipice of change. With a brand new academic building, fresh new food options, and more construction emerging, the University has never been so full of new beginnings. In the wake of all of the changes on campus, students and faculty are making some adjustments themselves. After a long summer, students are looking forward to making some revamps in their academic and involvement choices.  

We take a trip to the Philadelphia Zoo with a few friends. Our iPhones are secured in our hands, at the ready. We take a Snapchat of the monkeys, the hippos, the sea otters, and the penguins. We rotate our phones between ourselves to ensure everyone has a selfie with the giraffes. We stroll through the Zoo, squinting at our screens to find the best Instagram filter for our photos. 

When students come to college, they leave a world of 6 am alarms and sleepy rides on dirty busses behind them. Now, they have the power to control when they wake up for class, if they decide to attend that day. 

No longer are tattoos associated with burly men glowering from atop their Harley Davidson’s. An art form once seen as taboo, tattoos are now far more common in society, starting with sixteen year olds and working their way through age bracket. 

There are many age old debates out there: tomayto or tomahto? Ketchup or mustard? Crust or no crust? Gryffindor or Slytherin? One battle stands out in particular that resonates with everyone: Are you a dog person or a cat person? And what exactly does your answer say about you? 

It’s a new year and a new semester, which for the University Bookstore, means long lines of students, tons of textbooks, and an awful lot of money in exchange for said books. This new year was shown to be very futuristic and innovative on old movies and TV shows, and time will tell how modern we will be when it comes to our book buying this year. 2015 was a year predicted to have flying cars, talking garbage cans, and hover boards (according to Back to the Future, that is,) but will it be the year that textbook sales decline?

For many students, Thanksgiving is one of the best times of the year to spend at home. There’s all that delicious home cooked food and endless pumpkin pie. While this semester is flying by, many students cannot believe it’s already November. Before we know it, this semester will have concluded and the winter season will be upon us. As the dropping temperatures warn us of frosty months to come, students are eager to get a break from the grueling schoolwork and approaching cold walks to class.

Going to class isn’t as simple as our parents assume. There are exams to prepare and show up for, homework for five to seven classes to complete, and rooms of 20 or so peers staring at you during a presentation. There are many factors that add stress to students’ days, and many of them are harbored in the classroom. While many students face anxiety in the classroom, there are ways to quell the nerves and move beyond the fears.

October is a month beloved for its fall activities, especially pumpkin and apple picking. But what if there were not enough pumpkins for the taking? Due to the polar vortex that occurred last year, many farmers are worried about the amount of crops that will be produced this year.