The Daily Tar Heel

Serving the students and the University community since 1893

Thursday June 1st

Column


Demonstrators protest the death of Tyre Nichols on Jan. 28, 2023, in Memphis, Tennessee. The release of a video depicting the fatal beating of Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, sparked protests in cities throughout the country. Nichols was violently beaten for three minutes and killed by Memphis police officers earlier this month after a traffic stop. Five Black Memphis Police officers have been fired after an internal investigation found them to be “directly responsible” for the beating and have been charged with “second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two charges of aggravated kidnapping, two charges of official misconduct and one charge of official oppression.”
Photo Courtesy of Joe Raedle/Getty Images/TNS.

Column: Avoiding police brutality on social media

"Nichols is not the first victim of police brutality whose final moments circulated on social media. While the video brought the case to national attention, galvanizing protests in some parts of the country, seeing police brutality shared on social media is uncomfortable and triggering."

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DTH Graphic. Gabi Allen.

Column: The ultimate guide to Valentine's Day

"Valentine's Day is just around the corner, and many of you are stressed. The special day dedicated to showing that special someone how you feel through a series of activities and gifts can be daunting. Especially if you're on a budget. Or if you're in a long-distance relationship. Or if you're in a new relationship. Or if you're not even in a relationship at all! Whether you are single, dating or not wanting to break the bank, I have the ultimate Valentine's Day guide for you."

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DTH Photo Illustration. A student enjoys a self-care Valentine's Day picnic outside of Wilson Library on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023.

Column: You should take yourself on a date

"If the goal of a Valentine’s date is to create a special and memorable experience, why should it exclude 126.9 million people? This goes to show how hard dating actually is. So if you’re exhausted from swiping right, I have a proposal that may turn things around: date yourself!"

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Photo Courtesy of Dreamstime/TNS.

Column: The expiration date on social security

"Generation Z and most Millennials couldn’t spot a recession if it stole their latte. We know the textbook definition, sure, and its effects on our dad’s hairline, but many of us probably couldn’t predict how it would affect us. We’re familiar with the meltdown of the late 2000s and the pandemic crash, but this could be our first 'ordinary' recession, where we actually have to worry about making ends meet and navigating a struggling economy."

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UNC-CH sophomores Sydney Martin and Megan O'Connor wear masks and hang out in the quad in front of Wilson Library on Feb. 6, 2023.

Column: In defense of the humanities

"But the humanities don't need to justify themselves with business and science. These enhance their resume but they have inherent virtues. The humanities study people. We are endowed with conscious complexity. We love, feel anger and can convey emotions through the power of art and music. We can create sociopolitical systems, wage wars and more. These are all at the core of our existence."

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DTH Photo Illustration. The university gives students access to many website interfaces, and many students think they are bad. Photo of SAKAI taken on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023

Column: Sometimes, “bad” user interfaces are good

"A good interface shouldn't be noticed by the user. There should be consistency in the design of whatever websites or applications in order to offer the user a feeling of control. In the sense that being “good” is to be accessible, open and convenient, this definition is correct, but I feel like it is limited."

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DTH Photo Illustration. Banning social media apps, such as TikTok, could create challenges for academia.

Column: Leave TikTok researchers to their devices

"Earlier this month, Gov. Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 276, prohibiting the use of certain applications, including TikTok, on state devices. The concerns raised by researchers have made the next steps imperative: states must critically evaluate the actual risks of social media platforms, mitigate those risks to protect users and safeguard academic freedom as more than an afterthought."

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DTH Photo Illustration. While manifestation can be valid, the idea of lucky girl syndrome may be a cover for privilege.

Column: 'Lucky Girl Syndrome'? Just call it privilege

"People who have had everything work out for them can claim the power of Lucky Girl Syndrome and ignore the benefits of privilege. While this obviously is not a binary system and manifestation is technically a pseudoscience, there is a clear line of privilege in the creators who praise the effects of Lucky Girl Syndrome. You may feel lucky, but is that because you manifested it, or because of the societal position you were probably just born into?"

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Duke's "Kville" outside of Cameron Stadium, photographed on Friday, Jan. 27, 2022.

Column: Inside enemy territory – a Tar Heel's guide to K-ville

"'Tenting' is the process by which Duke students acquire tickets to the UNC v. Duke basketball game played at Duke. The messy array of tents hoisted on splintered wooden pallets juxtaposes nicely with the pastiche stone buildings surrounding them. It’s a nice reminder that you can live in a tent for extended periods of time without being harassed by authorities, as long as you’re rich."

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The Duke University Chapel on Duke’s West Campus, as photographed in 2017, serves as a symbol of the university.

Column: I'm proud of my public school

"I’m proud to say that I went public. The oddities that exist in the public school system are some of my favorite stories to tell. Did you have a classmate who sold ears of corn for extra cash at your private prep school? Did you have a friend who dressed up as a horse and galloped the halls? I didn’t think so — but my pals at public schools share similar stories. I think that's invaluable."

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UNC's Campus Health, which houses CAPS, is pictured on Sept. 12, 2022.

Column: Your sexual health is a priority

"Being open and honest about your sexual health is scary. Stigma related to sex and sexual health is deep rooted in our society, and women in particular are often judged for discussing their sexual behaviors and desires. Shame about sex and sexual health has overtime become embedded in policy, school, social media and religious institutions. And these stigmas are dangerous."

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