College costs a lot, and President Barack Obama agrees. On January 24, Obama delivered the final State of the Union of his first term; Naturally he tried to appeal to one of the largest groups that supported him in 2008 -- our generation.

Taking Action to Help those in Need

Consistently loving is, to put into a popular Messiah phrase, "a service-learning" of sorts. Stripping away the glamour of receiving, participating in the act of giving demands that we search ourselves for our true motivation and give from a place where we expect nothing back. February is a month rich in reminding us to appreciate the love in our lives, but I hope that, in addition to that, this month inspires us to give of ourselves tangibly - actively give love.

Students Need to Actively Help the Environment

We literally have recycling bins everywhere on campus, yet I feel nothing but utter frustration every time I look in the trash. Now, I understand that not all of us are vigilantes in the war against landfills; however clearly labeled trash cans next to clearly labeled recycling cans should not be filled with "trash" that could be recycled. Last time I checked, most college students have the ability to read, so I'm still pretty confused as to why specific items like foam constantly end up in the garbage.

January is a return to all things routine. It's a time to get "back into the swing of things," "back to the grind" and "back to the routine." None of those phrases have especially positive connotations associated with them.

It is important to remember, however, that routine plays a very important role for all people, especially students.  Routine, in my view, has two redeeming qualities.

In the United States, we live in one of the freest societies in human history.  However, freedom faces threats every single day which oppose the God-given rights of every individual.  These enemies of freedom come in many different forms, such as weapons of destruction aiming to disrupt democratic governments and reduce them to totalitarian governments.

In light of the Penn State sexual assault scandal, our focus needs to shift toward victims

We, as children of God, need to be courageous in our efforts to counteract the effects of sexual violence.  As a campus we need to be willing to fight for victims.  Our discussions regarding sexual assault should focus not only on proper reporting but on the proper support for the survivors.

On October 2, 2011, did something drastic – something I had planned for months.  I shaved my head.

Once I was old enough to experience Black Friday for myself, I realized that there is a lot more to it than just running around Target to get the first flat screen. It's about getting that perfect gift and seeing the smile on my mom's face when she opens it Christmas morning.

What's more exciting than making something for someone else? There is little that is more satisfying than being able to look a gift recipient in they eye and say, "I made it all on my own."