Category: Academic

  • The Good, the Bad, and Ethical Cultivation

    The Good, the Bad, and Ethical Cultivation

    Written by Hector Osegueda. Graphic by Emma Robinson. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.–  Since time immemorial, humans have struggled with the concept of good and trying to understand what makes a good person. Conversations about the relativity and subjectivity of goodness go back thousands of years to the earliest civilizations…

  • In Love and In Academia

    In Love and In Academia

    Written by Peyton Cabaniss. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. Originally published as part of the Spring 2019 “Challenge” Issue.– When Dr. Keely Finkelstein came to the University of Texas, she brought her research in astrophysics and a fascination with all things extragalactic. Her partner, Dr. Steven Finkelstein, brought his interest in galaxies big and small as…

  • Civility in Academia

    Civility in Academia

    Written by Patrick Lee.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – My perception of academia coming into college was that of an exuberant idea factory, pumping out world-changing publications and smart people capable of ethically advancing the human base of knowledge. But, as in many cases, the appearance of things has the effect of masking its truer form.…

  • Joyce Maynard’s Story: A Second Glance

    Joyce Maynard’s Story: A Second Glance

    Written by Dila Sarikaya.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – What if your favorite star sent you a letter inviting you to visit them? Would you go? Joyce Maynard was faced with this decision in 1972 after her first article, “An 18-Year-Old Looks Back On Life,” was published in The New York Times magazine. In this article,…

  • Escaping The Cult of Personality: How Documentaries Give Us the Heroes We Need

    Escaping The Cult of Personality: How Documentaries Give Us the Heroes We Need

    Written by Luna Malloy.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – Leaving Neverland. Surviving R. Kelly. The Inventor. Abducted in Plain Sight. Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened. The Bundy Tapes. Evil Genius. Perhaps you’ve watched any number of these recent documentaries. Maybe you’ve seen them referenced in the media, or in the case of Fyre, lampooned…

  • Tongue Tied?

    Tongue Tied?

    Written by Maggie Chadwick.Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – The culture of the United States is dominant and widespread. It permeates into other countries to the effect that, in many places with distinct languages, histories, and customs, you can watch mainstream American TV shows, American movies, and listen to American songs. Since American culture is so…

  • “Ancient Aliens”: A Damaging Perspective

    “Ancient Aliens”: A Damaging Perspective

    Written by Hector Osegueda. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – It’s often the seemingly innocent ideas that cause the most damage. Ancient alien theories are among those ideas. We’ve all encountered one in particular; that immemorial and monumental structures, such as the pyramids at Giza, the Nazca lines in Peru, or the Moai of Easter Island,…

  • A Stoic Approach to Anxiety

    A Stoic Approach to Anxiety

    Written by Allison McCarty. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – I have generalized anxiety. That statement is just a fact, not written in sadness or contentment, but simply expressed. It’s something I live with, but as a student, it does create barriers. Having anxiety and being in college isn’t the most favorable combination. I trek UT’s…

  • The Books Hit Back

    The Books Hit Back

    Written by Sam Chavez. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – A moment that brings tears, excitement—and terror. The moment your child opens an acceptance letter to his or her dream school. After a collective sigh of relief and celebration, life seems smooth sailing. Well, until the inevitable tuition bill enters the inbox. In the United States,…

  • From Chemical Bonds to Shakespeare

    From Chemical Bonds to Shakespeare

    Written by Nathan Pastrano. Graphic by Peyton Cabaniss. – For most students, switching career paths can be a very difficult decision to make. I know this, because I was one of them. I began my first-year studies as a chemistry major with a genuine interest in healthcare and pharmaceutical innovation. However, as my first year…