In comparison to local elections, presidential elections have a larger voter
I’ve been squished inside a bathroom stall since I started attending school and, as an adult, I refuse to be squished inside of a 36x60 inch space any longer. Being cramped inside a small stall is like being stuffed inside a box with a lid on it.
On Sept. 1, Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, into law.
Remember when getting school supplies used to be exciting? I used to beg my mom for us to go and get them in June, despite the new school year being months away. It was always fun to get to choose your journal colors, get a new backpack or, if you were lucky, get a pack of 64-count crayons.
Imagine this. Your friend/significant other doesn’t text you back one day. You pay no mind to this, as people can sometimes get busy, and you think they will text back soon enough. But this soon enough drags into days, weeks and finally months. No matter how much you text, call or email, the…
The COVID-19 pandemic has been around for over a year with people contracting the virus every day. To help slow the spread of the virus, masks have been an adopted tool throughout the tumultuous year. However, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott lifted mask mandates across the state, making it harder for…
My journey to being able to drive to campus was filled with many challenges. However, I never really thought parking was going to be one of them. After two weeks of commuting to campus, I can already see parking at Texas State is suboptimal.
House Bill 2497 was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on July 7, creating The 1836 Project. The purpose of this law aims to promote the teachings of state patriotism, but at the cost of limiting the discussion of critical race theories in classrooms and in public spaces.
Guns have been the root of many crimes in America, ranging from crimes stemming from police brutality, crimes within communities or shootings sparked by hatred. The ability to easily obtain firearms has increased throughout the years as Americans feel the need to protect themselves with weap…
In March, Gov. Greg Abbott lifted the state mask mandate and later issued an executive order prohibiting public schools, universities and government offices from enforcing face masks within their institutions.
A student will inevitably be late to class at least once. I remember the gut-wrenching twist in my stomach when I was late to my 8 a.m. classes. While there are many reasons for being late, like oversleeping or an outside job, campus transportation should not hinder a student's ability to ma…
Earlier this year, Texans across the state got several warnings for a winter storm that most anticipated to be a fluke.
Juneteenth was declared a federal holiday by President Joe Biden on June 17, 2021. While the historic day is now recognized as a federal holiday, not all Americans know about the significance of Juneteenth, and if they do, they may not be aware of the importance it holds to the African Ameri…
Opinion: It's too soon for 100% capacity in-person classes
San Marcos, a city known for its beautiful aquatic environments and a home to several endangered and threatened species, is once again under drought restrictions. In expectation of a hot, dry summer ahead, the city's stage one restrictions limit residents' ability to irrigate their lawns and…
The first episode of "Selena: The Series" premiered on Dec. 4, 2020, retelling the life story of Selena Quintanilla, the Queen of Tejano music. The Netflix series highlights Selena's fame and image, but also tells the untold story of Selena's inner circle, giving light to her father and the …
On May 18, 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott lifted mask mandates across Texas, prohibiting government entities from enforcing the usage of masks. People across Texas took to social media to share their discomfort at the announcement — a notice that comes after 14 months of hard adjustments, distance f…
A few years ago, I found myself enraged at a woman and her husband hoping to make a simple purchase. I was working at a bookstore at the time, and the two customers approached the counter holding the late chef Anthony Bourdain’s book.
Editor's Note: The University Star attempted to reach the Texas State Department of Athletics and the university's media relations for university comment for this column but did not receive a timely response.
On April 29, 2020, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Board of Directors proposed a change in athlete name, image and likeness rules that would allow athletes to profit off their own image. We are also waiting to see how Alston v. NCAA plays out in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Texas State is home to a well-attended chapter of Young Life, a Colorado-based Christian organization comprising mainly high school and college students. Texas State Young Life members spend a lot of time together, including camping together at LoneHollow Ranch in Vanderpool, Texas, where me…
The Austin area has battled through the recent controversy over the University of Texas at Austin's alma mater, "The Eyes of Texas." Concerns regarding its racist formation and debate as to whether it should still be sung at school events have been raised, and verbal battles have cropped up …
Editor's Note: The University Star attempted to reach the Texas State athletic department for this column and did not receive a timely response.
In society, mental illness is viewed as a disability; an unfortunate stain on someone’s life. The ignorant view people with mental illnesses as helpless and make it their prerogative to fix them. However, popular writers, composers, artists and even presidents have been diagnosed with varyin…
Male dominance has been a cultural norm for hundreds of years. The deep stain of gender oppression started when the human society switched from nomadic hunter-gatherers, whom facilitated a degree of egalitarianism, to farming. It was about 12,000 years ago when society started to shift to an…
During the spring 2020 semester, Texas State distributed its first round of Bobcat Cares grants, providing $30 million in relief funds, $15 million of which was allocated to students. This past February, the university announced it would distribute additional aid to students financially impa…
Regardless of a Texas State student's major, it is likely they will have to take at least two life sciences courses before she, he or they can get a degree. However, a quick Google or Twitter search provides many a thread started by students desperate for an easy A in science, something they…
In the midst of one of the worst pandemics in history, universities across the country have allowed their students to return to campus.
While spring break is a much-needed week to decompress that some college students look forward to, having a spring break does not make sense for a semester that has been as unpredictable as this one.
In April 2020, the first round of stimulus payments were sent to millions of Americans to support them at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. In early 2021, millions began receiving a second round of payments.
Texas State Athletics is prized and celebrated within the San Marcos community, with people coming together every weekend to collectively watch young student-athletes compete in sports.
A community restroom and a shoebox-sized room for two people do not sound appealing. Personal space is cherished, and carrying a myriad of personal hygiene products in a shower caddy can be tiresome and inconvenient. However, they are mild inconveniences when considering the many advantages …
As COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech become available to the public, there seems to be widespread optimism that our days of strapping on face masks and hoarding Lysol will soon come to an end. However, it is not so simple. No student, faculty or staff member should make plan…
The Student Learning Assistance Center (SLAC) has numerous programs to help students, ranging from public or private tutoring and in-class assistance with various student-assistant teacher programs to outside class assistance with Supplemental Instructor (SI) sessions and subject-focused labs.
At the start of every semester, college students have to prepare to spend a hefty amount of money on required course materials — textbooks, homework programs and access codes. According to Texas State's Cost of Attendance chart, a student on-campus will spend about $760 on additional course …
The holidays have been over for weeks now, and a new year is in full effect with people sharing their hopes and resolutions, among the most popular being weight loss.
There has been speculation about the efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine due to the speed of production within the last year. With hopes of a vaccine becoming available to the student body in the coming weeks, questions have surfaced regarding its reliability and safety.
COVID-19 currently acts as an incubator for mental health struggles due to its stressful and unpredictable nature. Students especially find this stress can be heightened with college posing challenging components that make their days more difficult.
Texas State is widely known as a party school, with downtown bars in The Square serving as the go-to spot for students. Arguably, some of the most popular hangout spots on The Square include Chimy’s, The Veranda Rooftop Patio and Freddy C’s Lounge.
San Marcos is currently plagued with a severe lack of obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYN) who accept Medicaid, and the issue needs to be addressed.
Knowing all the Texas State community endured throughout 2020, making it to a major streaming platform, even if it was not exactly (inserts chuckles) the way we imagined, should have been the least of student outrage.
Menstrual cycles are still an incredibly taboo subject of discussion. With the diverse symptoms that come with menstruating—some of which can mimic the flu—it is time to destigmatize the legitimate struggles millions of people who menstruate go through.
A food bank is a tremendous resource for college students or anybody in need of help. Supplied by donations and incentive drives, local food banks work to provide food stability through the distribution of food packages.
Student expression is being called upon with the announcement of Alkek One's art competition to fill its empty lobby walls. The deadline for submissions was initially Dec. 15 but is now extended to Jan. 15, providing students with more time to participate.
Harry Styles made history as the first solo male to grace the cover of Vogue magazine for its December issue. He wore a blue, frilly dress on the cover with a black blazer overtop. Naturally, a divided discussion consumed social media immediately after the announcement and cover reveal Nov. 14.
Attending college is a staple implanted into the minds of young people, forcibly promoting the idea that college will somehow bring permanent economic stability and an easy life. But more often than not, people are ill-prepared for the debt that comes with college.
Over the month of October, Student Government focused on removing its Parliamentarian Cody DeSalvo only to end up reinstating him soon after. Instead of playing petty politics, students' governing body should be focusing on what the current administration’s platform spoke of in February: Div…
With the announcement of Beto O’Rourke’s soon arrival at Texas State, a myriad of reactions ensued from the public — some were appreciative, while others were skeptical and critical of the newest adjunct professor.
Worry, anxiety and, for some students, hope is looming due to Amy Coney Barrett’s unprecedented and unethical entrance into the U.S. Supreme Court. With the appointment of yet another Catholic justice, the Court is now dominated by a conservative majority; this is absolutely terrifying.
I was raised in a small town south of Dallas (it's called Fairfield, but no one ever knows where it is, so I improvise). Tucked in the middle of said town, on the corner of West Main Street and beside the elementary school, lives the Mary Moody Northen Municipal Library. I did not realize ho…
Buying the spices and herbs needed to flavor up a dish can be expensive. Various methods to propagate plants like basil, scallions and even carrots exist, and they can easily be grown from inside a dorm.
