#collegenewspaper

[hawaiian-monk-selkie]

Got to get all cute tonight 👑🏆 #SMB #studentmediaboard #awardsceremony #awards #ceremony #Production #News #collegenewspaper #cake

[punkecodavid]

When more than 12 years ago, the first woman candidate for president visited your current university. I'd wished she was President of the United States instead of our current President... #chicago #theloop #downtownchicago #university #collegelife #studentnewspaper #studentjournalist #collegenewspaper #hillaryclinton #hillaryforpresident #femaleleaders #femaleleadership (at Roosevelt University Torch)

[mdt1960]

Rich Black hits a home run. #northwestcollege #journalism #printingpress #collegenewspaper #richblack #50C50M100K

[annieway-anniewhere]

It's our last production night at @cwruobserver! 😨 I met this kid 4 years ago-he was the other Observer writer (at the time) in our freshman dorm. We've been through so much with this paper & with life, and I'm so excited for the future... but it's going to be weird not spending Wednesday evenings/Thursday mornings in the media board office! Observer, it's been real! 💖 #collegejournalism #CWRU #collegenewspaper #nostalgia #collegesenior

[wivteoh]

Why marry early? - The Brand, Sept 10 Issue

Ring by spring. To the Southern ear, this phrase is by no means foreign. It is common for students pursuing their undergraduate degree to be engaged by spring and marry over the summer, be it while in college or after graduation. Yet for students outside of the south – or perhaps even an ocean or two away from the United States – marrying at the epitome of one’s youth strikes off as an unfamiliar concept. For this urban Malaysian girl studying in Abilene, Texas; marriage is not on the top of her to-do list. For one, getting married would require having someone to well, be married to, and that hasn’t quite happened yet. Besides the obvious however, there are more intriguing reasons behind why a cultural norm such as putting a ring on it as promptly as you possibly can, may come off as a peculiar to students in other parts of the country and the world.

When it comes to painting a portrait of marriage, generational expectations appears to be the brush by which all strokes are made. As a Malaysian, I can relate to the notion that the older generation holds great influence in the way of things; regardless of our acknowledgement or agreement. Marrying whilst in or fresh out of college would no doubt be a cause for concern for the older generation. As partakers of a past typically turbulent and inundated with insufficiency, these folks want what’s best for their younger counterparts. With no luxuries of their own, they lacked liberty in their decisions, including the freedom to determine when or why to marry. So they strived to make it happen for us, and in doing so, imposed their discreet yet definite expectations.

Many of the older generation saw value in security, in ambition. Rather than seize the opportunity to settle and start a family upon one’s coming of age, parents encouraged their children to focus on college first. Finding the ideal partner was not half as important as an ideal career, with which stability and maturity would stem from. Only then would marriage enter the picture, once other factors were securely fastened. My own mother was quick to discourage me from being attached romantically too early. She reasoned that I needed to acquire a sense of responsibility and have a stable income first before I could truly be ready to take on a wife’s responsibility. This differs from the notion of having marriage thrust one into the realm of adulthood, where responsibility and accountability are to be learned from. As such, marriage is seen as a consequence of maturity, not a determinant of it.

Another perspective as to why marrying early might not be ideal would be the celebration of freedom. Snoop Dogg couldn’t have summarized it more accurately with his track Young, Wild and Free. It is our cultural inheritance that our youth is characterized by the liberty to do as we please – to suck the marrow out of life while one is able. Therefore, marriage, as it is a commitment, appears not to fulfill that goal. They say after all, “Why tie yourself down to someone when the world is your oyster?” Why be bound to the responsibility of putting food on the table, caring for children and managing a household in your prime time, right? We see this mindset embodied in mantras we encounter daily. “You only live once. Follow your dreams. Just do it. Travel the world, don’t worry about money.” Such quotes are abundant on the internet and so are the countless Buzzfeed, Upworthy and Elite Daily articles shared about them. Different titles, perhaps, but same message.

Even the older generation, whom we chastise so often for not living with the times, has bought into this. Haven’t they also worked tirelessly to provide us not just with the stability they didn’t have, but the luxury as well? Thinking about this takes me back to the conversations I had with my aunt about studying in the U.S. She’d told me to grasp this opportunity well and make it a point to travel and work hard in college. She’d tell me not to worry about anything or anyone, because hey, this was the time of my life and there never would be again such an opportune time. While I might not always agree with her, these conversations do depict a reality. We are indoctrinated to elevate our freedom (irony alert) above many things; to rejoice in our autonomy if we can choose it, because what could be worse than having to live every day with the one we love and being satisfied with whatever we have… right?

It is clear that these reasons are not all there is to the question of why early marriage seems so strange to a student that’s not from here. There still are parents who continue to hold to strong views regarding marriage, and emphasize the urgency for their children to engage in romantic relationships and tie the knot (grandkids, duh). Moreover, expectations about marriage will differ according other factors, such as gender, as males may not face as much pressure to marry as soon as females do, for explicit reasons. Nevertheless, the reasons stated above do preview the potential beliefs that surround marriage in other societies, and thus explain why marriage is expected to come later.

All in all, being exposed to this cultural difference has helped me consider both sides of the coin. Although I still don’t view ring by spring as standard practice, I don’t find myself in complete agreement with justifications for a later marriage either. Besides, an early marriage does have positive implications. It is a beautiful thing to be able to find love at a young age, and enter the difficult realm of adulthood comfortingly, hand in hand with your life partner. It is a responsibility and yet a privilege, to choose to love the person you’ve promised to spend the rest of your life, each and every single day, regardless of the circumstances and your own selfish desires. It’s a wonder for the young husband and wife in their unending discovery about the other’s temperaments and interests. While this might not be the path I tread as of now, I am definitely able to see the value of and appreciate a young, early marriage.

�

[wivteoh]

The Struggles of an International Student - The Brand, Issue 13

Being an international student is an exciting experience. Attending college away from home in another country provides the liberty to explore a different part of the world and engage in novel experiences with new people. For some, it is a rite of passage, as you learn to live independently in a new environment. Nevertheless, it is a challenging experience. Many international students who attend HSU are exchanging the familiar for the foreign. It isn’t easy, as some of life’s trying times are brought about by unfamiliarity in a new territory, financial concerns and cultural differences.

Stepping into another country for the first time is daunting. While many are initially awed by a new environment, wonder soon becomes engulfed by unfamiliarity. For those like me who have lived all their life in the convenience and liveliness of the big city, moving to a place like Abilene is a massive transition. While the city is not void of interesting places and activities, getting around is an issue for many international students. It is difficult to travel in Abilene without a car as public transportation is limited. Getting a car is also a hassle on its own, as that means getting a driving permit, setting up insurance and even learning to drive on a different side of the road. All this is inconvenient for a non-Texan, let alone a non-American. Traveling by foot seems feasible, but given the infrastructure of the city, it is better to carpool, even if it means waiting on others and managing time better.

Some concerns international students face are financial. While universities like HSU are generous with their financial aid, many students who study abroad still need to be wise in monitoring their money. This is especially true for students whose home currency value is inferior to that of the United State dollar. In Malaysia, the exchange rate between the United States and Malaysia has been increasing steadily due to the recent economic decline. If the economic situation does not improve, the rate could amount to a ratio of 4 ringgit to one U.S. dollar. For every dollar I spend in America, I could be paying four times the amount in my home currency, which is costly for Malaysian students around the U.S. Although many international students studying abroad have the sufficient funds to do so, students are aware of the ever changing circumstances that could dictate the course of their education.

Furthermore, cultural differences can be a source of anxiety for HSU international students. For students from countries where English is not a first language or is a completely foreign language, communication can be a serious challenge. Not all words in one’s mother tongue can be adequately translated into English and it could take years before a person achieves fluency. But knowing the English language is not enough. I had to replace the British English terms I had learned in Malaysia to the American ones, like asking where the trash can was and not the rubbish bin. I picked up on a different measurement system, learning to read the temperature in degree Fahrenheit instead of Celcius. There are also social norms to adjust to as well. After a while, I realized that I didn’t have to take my shoes off before entering a house, and that it was socially acceptable to voice my opinion even if it was a bold one.

In spite of everything, international students at HSU, Texas and in other states know all too well that the price paid in pursuit of the American dream, or any dream for that matter pales in comparison to the wealth of experience attained. As time progresses, the weight of adjusting to a new place, currency and culture will decrease and a sense of familiarity ensues. At the end of this journey, some of us will return to the comfort of our homes, and some of us will call this place home. Regardless of what will be, being an international student is an experience that will remain with us for good.

[bicuriousjoe]

“All Work and No Play.” Another comic strip for my college newspaper.