When an English teacher asks students to take out their books, their request is usually followed by animated groans and rolled eyes. In my pre-college schooling, required reading was never enjoyable and I, like many of my classmates, got stuck in the...

“A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” It’s a simple line of legislation, at least from the standpoint of the men who ratified our Constitution’s...

It’s true. Not a single one of us has an infinite mind with the exact knowledge of everything there is to be known. This is, from what I understand, a pretty well-understood fact. Yet, there are people who still believe that they know much more than...

With millions of users worldwide, Twitter has become a pivotal public platform for world leaders, celebrities and regular people alike. One of these users is our president, who created the personal Twitter account @realDonaldTrump in 2009. Today, this...

It is no secret that the U.S. is being shaken to the core at the current moment, not only by the collective hurricanes that have ambushed several states, but also by something far more damaging long-term. I am talking about the race war that is brewing...

Looking back now, it’s hard to picture myself as a freshman in college. I can remember the exploration of campus, choosing classes and being overwhelmed by all of the new people, but it still feels like a whole other world. Even now, I can’t believe...

Growing up, I was told that I needed to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day to live a healthy lifestyle. In elementary school, I fell in love with sports, and I had to take a gym class every day through my senior year of high school. Overall,...

If you hear someone say to you, “You’ve got the mind of a child,” what would that mean to you? Would you take that as a compliment of your personality, or would you interpret it as an insult to your intelligence or maturity?  While such a claim...

Editor's note: Steve Tripp is a professor in the history department at Grand Valley State University. The opinions expressed in this piece are his own. Grand Valley State University has its fair share of start-of-the-academic-year traditions: move-in...