All that you ever wanted to know

What I’ve figured out over the past four years is that the knowledge you get in the classroom is just the beginning of your college education (I know it sounds cliché, but stick with me). College classes are good enough for sparking your interest in a subject, but it’s up to you to grab hold of an issue you learn about in class and run with it. APR 21

Health reform is still a hot issue

Wait … you thought the health care debate was over? Not quite. The Pit will soon be overtaken again by excited students waving petitions and campaign signs. APR 7

Boobs and babies and jobs, oh my!

Boobs — we can all agree that they are pretty great. It is becoming widely recognized that “breast is best” — that breast feeding is better for infants than formula. MAR 23

Required vaccines could save some lives

We live in a world where “natural” and “organic” are growing trends. And in general, things that are natural or organic are better for you, but if this concept is taken to the extreme, it can be dangerous. To go the more “natural” route, some parents are choosing not to immunize their children, based on the idea that natural immunity is more effective than vaccines. MAR 22

Dating is not as 
outdated as it seems

Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, it will take a few weeks for the corny “Will you be my Tar Heel” T-shirts to be removed from Student Stores and for the various events involving love to be painted over on cubes in the Pit. As relieved as I will be to see the departure of these lovey-dovey remnants, Valentine’s Day provides an opportunity for us to think about the state of college dating — or lack thereof. From talking with my parents and grandparents, I know times have changed since the days when they were in the dating game. FEB 16

The wild,
 fantasy world of Facebook

It may be true that Facebook is taking over the world — today, there are more than 500 million active Facebook users. FEB 1

Hug an art major: they need the love

I am proposing a new holiday for Jan. 18: “Hug an Art Major Day.” The holiday will be aimed at showing art majors how much we appreciate them and need their work in our society. Art is usually given a backseat in school curriculums. JAN 18

Soda tax: A solution to a big problem

Beyond our nation’s borders, we are known as a country of fatties. When I was studying abroad in Argentina last fall, my host family thought they knew the answer to why so many Americans are fat — they eat too much peanut butter. My host family may have been on the right track, since processed foods and beverages high in fat, like peanut butter, are so much cheaper than fresh produce. Eating or drinking large quantities of processed foods and beverages is one of the major causes of our nation’s obesity epidemic. NOV 18

Don't let stress get you down

It’s that time of year again—the leaves are changing, it’s getting cold (kind of) and the holidays are slowly creeping closer. But along with this lovely fall season come lots of things that can stress us out: battling our way through ConnectCarolina for class registration, trying to play catch-up on homework in a post-Halloween haze, and if you’re a senior like me, trying to figure out what you’re going to do with your life after graduation. NOV 3

Keeping medicinal pot illegal is dopey

Pot, weed, dope, Mary Jane, Cannabis — marijuana goes by many names. But whatever you want to call it, it is a drug worthy of legalization — at least for medicinal purposes. In the U.S., medical marijuana legalization is done on a state-by-state basis. So far, 14 states have already legalized the use of medical marijuana — and with good reason. OCT 26

The rules of sexual attraction

Have you ever wondered why you’re so attracted to that person in your class that you’ve never even spoken to? Sure, a lot of it might have to do with the fact that they’re smokin’ hot — but is there something else going on? OCT 11

Ending exposure to harmful chemicals

Environmental health has been a hot topic in the news all over the world in the past few years. SEP 23

Integrative medicine is the future

Drugs. We all use them — whether recreationally or to treat medical problems. And the thing is, we use them too often. When you are choosing a treatment for a medical problem, there are better treatment options for you than prescription drugs. SEP 10

Students represent presidential candidates in forum

Student representatives for John Edwards, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama gathered at the Hanes Art Center on Monday night for a mock debate. This is the first time in recent memory that the Young Democrats have staged a mock debate. About 70 people came to watch the senators' representatives discuss relevant topics. The representatives debated five major issues: military engagement against Iran, health care reform, global warming reduction, economic issues and college tuition increases. AUG 6

Phototherapy sheds light on gender stereotypes

For many, photographs typically chronicle happy moments in life. But junior Ryan Jones has been using pictures to evoke sensitive and emotional memories in some UNC students. He gave a presentation on "Gender Phototherapy" to an audience of about 20 students Monday as part of Transgender Awareness Week. "We were looking for interesting programs for Transgender Awareness Week," said Catherine Adamson, co-chairwoman of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender-Straight Alliance. "I've heard of phototherapy, but Ryan's project is the first to deal with gender." AUG 6

Poetry reading highlights homosexuality

Ifti Nasim, a queer Muslim poet, gave a poetry reading in Peabody Hall on Friday night that addressed his "taboo" experiences as a homosexual in Muslim culture. Nasim said he has been shunned because of his homosexuality within the Muslim community as well as outside of it. "I'm the first to break the taboo," said Nasim, who wore a black mink coat, black glittery scarf and black bowler hat. Parul Sangwan, a sophomore member of Sangam, said the personal nature of the stories made them more powerful. AUG 6

Students explore the great outdoors to help fight cancer

Although many UNC students were still in bed at 10 a.m. Saturday, 28 people gathered outside Woollen Gym for a day of outdoor activities. The Outing Club hosted an Adventure Race that was open to everyone on the UNC campus. The race was noncompetitive and was a "challenge by choice," meaning that participants were allowed to do as much or as little as they wanted, race coordinator Becky Carson said. AUG 6

Conference stresses leadership

Students stretched beyond the borders of UNC's campus this weekend to bring public service to communities across the state, through the annual Students Reaching Towards Change conference. More than 80 students attended the conference, which focuses on leadership roles in public service and activism and the issues driving social service today. This year's theme was "Reaching Beyond Carolina." AUG 6

New home opens for UNC's Londoners

This fall, students studying abroad in London will be the first to attend classes in the newly renovated Winston House, located in the educational hub of Bedford Square. Winston House consists of classrooms, a library, a student lounge and offices. It also has a flat where the faculty director lives. "It's a wonderful opportunity to take classes with British faculty and to take part in the London experience," said Friederike Muehls, director of Honors Study Abroad. AUG 6

Business school highly ranked

The Kenan-Flagler Business School maintained its high position on two magazines' rankings of the nation's best business schools. The school was ranked fifth in the U.S. News & World Report. Forbes magazine ranked Kenan-Flagler 15th on its list of best business schools. The U.S. News & World Report has ranked UNC in the top 10 business schools in the nation since 1995. The magazine uses a peer review system to calculate the rankings. AUG 6

Vino es vida

If I could choose one word to describe Argentines, it would be Passionate.

Argentines live with ferocity. Everything they do — from eating to arguing to partying to kissing — it is all incredibly full of life.