Opinion
The Opinion section regularly features staff editorials, columnists' essays on topics privy to them, and unpopular opinions.
Late Knight: Rest in peace
With about a month and a half left in the semester, the idea of Late Knight returning to Red Jacket is a thought of the past and has been for quite some time. While this may just be another dissatisfied commentary on an overly covered topic, I feel it is a necessary one.
What the stickers on your laptop say about you
A lot of people like putting stickers on their laptops; it’s a fun way to express yourself to the people around you and it adds a personal touch to an object that you use a lot. I spend so much time with my laptop that, at this point, it’s practically an extension of myself. My entire life resides in my phone and my laptop, and I take both with me pretty much everywhere; so if that’s going to be the case, then it should be decked out properly.
Children should grow up with animals
I cannot remember a time when I didn’t have an animal in the house. I have had a wide range of experiences when it comes to animals: snakes, bearded dragons, geckos, chameleons, fish, dogs, and somehow a coyote (my five-year-old self could not tell the difference between that and a puppy). All of these animals were a part of my life at some point and there was compassion that developed from my love for them and the innate ability to find animals—or, rather, have animals find me. After finding six boxes of animals abandoned in my hometown in a matter of three months, my dad had to rescind his words of “Bring home ANY animal you find abandoned.”
CAS mashed potatoes: Food waste, miniature horses, and the limits of campus dining services
On Thursday, Feb. 23 at exactly 1:44 p.m., Campus Auxiliary Services sent all students their semi-regular “Food for Thought” email, detailing their monthly specials, menu changes, dining hall updates, and a few fun facts about CAS dining. One such fun fact is a harrowing declaration, delivering in a flippant two lines: “CAS serves over 200lbs of mashed potatoes each week! You can find mashed potatoes on the menu rotation at every unit, either at lunch or dinner.”
Ways to dispose of The Lamron after reading
The Lamron is a work of art, but what do you do with it once you have finished reading? Never fear, I have some solutions to this age-old problem.
Stop glorifying toxic relationships
Drama has ensued over social media again, and this time, it’s Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber. Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber’s husband, had a notoriously tumultuous relationship that was famously on-and-off-again. Justin Bieber married Hailey Baldwin in 2018 in a cute and private courtroom ceremony. This should have unequivocally ended the culture of hoping that Justin and Selena would get back together, and hopefully lead into a more positive direction for all three of them. Surprise! It didn’t.
Puzzles: A perplexing and enjoyable pastime
Listen, I get it—puzzles aren’t necessarily the peak of entertainment for many college students. In the age of TikTok, Candy Crush, and Netflix reality TV shows, who needs a cardboard box of weird-looking pieces that seem to aim only to frustrate their user?
Spring break is the third best break
As an outgoing senior, it seems odd to be on the verge of my last break at Geneseo, though the realization is bound to hit soon enough. Spring break starts today, and with it comes one last extended period to enjoy some time away from classes before the conclusion of the semester.
The history of the Diversity Summit
This year’s Diversity Summit was held on Feb. 28, 2023. The Diversity Summit consists of several sessions scheduled throughout the day, with students, faculty, and staff hosting a variety of sessions addressing various issues in society today. Session topics included ableism, diversity in STEM, race and racism, and the psychology of multiculturalism. The Keynote Address was given by Emmanuel Kulu Jr., an African Historian, public speaker, and author who spoke about African history and how it connects to humanities’ origin. The Diversity Summit is an opportunity for students to educate themselves on current issues related to diversity in order to better our campus climate.
Rare Disease Day
Feb. 28, 2023 is globally recognized as Rare Disease Day. Out of the 336 million people in the United States, 7.4% of them are living with a rare disease, according to RareDiseases.org.
Car on campus? Not worth it!
It seems that there are some aspirations that just about everyone seeks to obtain, whether they’re in the near future, or just at some point in a lifetime; for many young people, the thought of one day owning their own form of transportation—specifically a car—is like no other. While there are undoubtedly benefits to a purchase of this magnitude, it is worth pointing out that there are more than enough shortcomings that come with buying a car as well, especially on a college campus.
Accepted Students Day: Torture for all
It’s that time of year: high school students are submitting their college applications and preparing for their academic futures, and for those who aspire to be a Knight, they often find themselves at Admitted Students Day. Described as a chance to see what life is like at Geneseo, this dreadful day rears its ugly head far too many times a year. Incoming students who are inconsiderate enough to attend the event are often spotted around campus in large tour groups, and always in the way of current students.
One-to-one technology in schools: Good or bad?
When I was in high school, my urban-suburban district received a grant to get us all Chromebooks to achieve a one-to-one technology to student ratio and go paperless. I think that ever since this fateful day in my sophomore or junior year, I have never been off of a computer. To this day, I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing, so maybe you can help me weigh this idea.
Staff Ed: Love advice from The Lamron
Love is one of the most mysterious concepts in our lives. Thankfully, The Lamron e-board knows a thing or two about love. Here is some of our best advice.
The beach: Summer’s most overrated attraction
With less than a month until spring, the thought of the return of decent weather is anxiously awaited. While spring is the beginning of it all, summer is the height of the consistently warmer weather. And with the start of summer, many destinations typically closed in the winter return to popularity, though one in particular has never received my outpouring of support: the beach.
Solitary confinement in prisons should be discontinued
*Trigger Warning: Mentions Suicide*
The use of solitary confinement in prisons has been going on for centuries. Solitary confinement is convenient for prisons, as inmates can be put in a small room by themselves, where fights and violence are far less likely to happen. But the overuse of solitary confinement is practically a form of torture that permanently scars individuals who are forced to experience it. Mentally harming individuals purely for convenience’s sake is unacceptable, and the overuse of solitary confinement should be reevaluated.
Why you should attend a Geneseo hockey game
I am a junior at SUNY Geneseo and I had never attended a Geneseo Ice Knights hockey game until Feb. 18 of this year (I know, this seems like it should be a crime). This was the last game of the regular season and our wonderful Managing Editor Emma Mincer invited me to go with her. The game was between Geneseo, obviously, and Brockport. Let me just say that this is my new favorite pastime and I will be going to these games regularly next season because it was exhilarating.
Why there should be a limit on textbook requirements and cost
Most colleges in the United States require that students purchase textbooks, and depending on which university, or which major you are in, these books can get expensive. According to the Education Data Initiative, “The average postsecondary student spends between $628 and $1,471 annually for books and supplies as of the 2021-2022 academic year.”
The search for honest journalism in the internet age
Perhaps it would be melodramatic to assert that truthful media is dying, but thorough media coverage is certainly on the decline, no thanks to the growing reliance on internet outlets to deliver news. At the risk of permanently affixing a tin foil hat to my head, I’d like to take the opportunity in this edition’s staff editorial to address growing concerns about media biases, and even suggest that news outlets from National Public Radio to The Lamron alike are capable of reducing media bias.
Postcards: Preserving the past and looking ahead
Over the centuries and even decades, much has changed in the world, ranging from the way people think to how national identities have shifted entirely. While various means have been used to preserve historical records, it is through postcards that so much of this change has been documented. I started collecting postcards because I thought it was cool to have old pieces of history, and since they didn’t cost a lot, I was able to find hundreds online. While the hobby of collecting these notes written on thick pieces of paper goes back over a century, it is still a relevant passion for many today.