by The Cowl Editor on September 21, 2017
Opinion
Peace Makes The World Go Around
We used to speak of the future as something to look forward to, filled with bright and exciting possibilities. Nowadays, conversations surrounding the future are heavy and loaded—filled with rhetoric that incites fear in many.
Recent events with white supremacists, KKK rallies, and terrorism have evoked waves of anxiety and terror in communities across the globe. They have made people wary of the future to come.
As recent as this past Friday, there was a terrorist attack in a London subway station. Fortunately, there were no fatalities, however, 22 people were injured. This is only one among many acts of terrorism in recent years. In fact, this specific attack was triggered by a homemade bomb.
Realistically, it is quite easy to commit a terrorist attack. Nowadays, simply owning a vehicle makes this possible. However, this should not stop people from continuing on with their lives.
By conceding to our fears we are allowing the evil of the world conquer us. It is not okay to stop one’s life because of fear, and the future does not have to be dark.
Only light can drive out darkness and the only way to do so is by maintaining a positive outlook and striving to do good in the world.
It is upsetting to hear so many people discuss how they cannot bring children into the world because of terrorism, but it is through new generations raised correctly that inhumanity can be wiped out; or at the very least, controlled.
It is easy to discuss all the bad in the world and yes, there is a lot of it, but there is more good.
-Laura Arango ’20
Life Without a Meal Plan
Australian millionaire Tim Gurner achieved brief Internet fame when, in an interview with 60 Minutes, he said, “When I was trying to buy my first home, I wasn’t buying smashed avocado for $19 and four coffees at $4 each.”
All right, Tim, you seem a bit sassy and you’ve irritated quite a few people with your comment, but perhaps you have a point. Earlier this week I bought four cans of tuna, crackers in bulk, and a $6 pint of Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy P.B. & Cookies ice cream, all in the same purchase.
I am not ashamed, but what my choices in the ice cream aisle at Shaw’s tell me is that 1) I am Tim’s idea of a millennial, spending what little money I have on ridiculously priced food trends and barely subsisting off canned tuna and old mayonnaise.
And 2) I have absolutely no clue how to adult and less of a clue how to survive off-campus without a meal plan. I’ve been meal plan-less for two years now, and let me tell you, the situation has not improved with age, periodic self-reflection, and bouts of honest intent to reform.
While I may technically know how to budget my money and moderate my sugar intake, I do not follow through. My housemates seem to be better at taking care of themselves, as good humans do; they eat salads and make breakfast smoothies and “pack healthy snacks for later.”
I admire them greatly and hope that one day, perhaps in my 60s, I shall have the discipline and self-control to do the same. But for now, my eating habits reflect the fight-or-flight reflexes of the sympathetic nervous system.
Could it be that some suppressed aspect of my childhood makes me feel the need to eat all food in sight? I like to think that my body is subconsciously preparing itself for the impending bomb-shelter life of the North Korea-Trump-pocalypse, I don’t know.
-Lela Biggus ’18
Miserable State of Alumni Hall
As we wind into October, eating at Raymond Dining Hall has already become monotonous. Every week they serve the same few dishes, and the quality is seriously lacking. Stale bread, dry chicken, cold potatoes, repeat.
Even if I am willing to spend money to escape the tedium of Ray, Providence College does not provide many options to spend it on. In fact, PC’s pay-for-food Alumni Dining Hall has only gotten worse.
Since freshman year I have watched the wings and Mexican stations disappear to only have been replaced with one pay option. The burgers are burned. The deli and Italian stations have few choices, and their prices for heroes are higher than actual Italian deli prices.
Even worse, there are virtually no healthy options besides prepackaged salads, and the free meals are bland and unhealthy.
It does not have to be this way, as other colleges provide better options for their students. Brown’s food was ranked by “The Daily Meal” as #19 in the nation, and their dining hall delivers to your dorm room.
Other schools like University of Scranton, Boston University, and Connecticut College routinely get ranked as top in the nation, as their students enjoy better quality food and a plethora of dining options. For instance, Scranton has 11 different dining hall options.
Make no mistake, our dining halls do not have to be this bad. Others do better, and PC must join the trend.
-Nicholas Moran ’19