University Comes Together in Prayer

#PrayforDrNelson
Prayer in schools has been an issue as long as I can remember. It is uncommon to see large prayer groups while walking through a college campus, but today at The University of North Alabama, a large group of students stood in the middle of campus to pray for a beloved professor.

Dr. Larry Nelson is known by every person on UNA's campus and he is loved by all. He is a history professor and a mentor. He teaches religious classes and holds Bible studies for all types of students. He  welcomes students into his home with he and his wife.

UNA Family Comes Together 
Dr. Nelson was in a car accident on Monday April 29 and returned to class shortly after. After complaining about a headache, his wife and daughter encouraged him to go to Hellen Keller Hospital where doctors found a tumor on his brain and rushed him to Vanderbilt Hospital in Tennessee. http://mc.vanderbilt.edu

At 1 am Monday night, over 50 students gathered at the amphitheater to pray for Dr. Nelson and praise God. The same thing happened on Tuesday at noon. Students walking by joined in to pray for a man that some of them did not even know.

Tweet, Pray, Share
Social media sites were full of prayers for Dr. Larry Nelson and his family and updates were sent out every few hours to be reposted by students and faculty. It was amazing to see what an impact one man has made and the influence he has had on the faith of the students. He openly expresses his love for Jesus Christ and he and his wife use the campus as a mission field.
twitter.com/larryverlie

Revival?
What do you think about this revival on campus due to the unfortunate news about a beloved faculty member? Do you think it's a big deal that such a large number of students met to pray in the middle of campus? Do you think it should happen more often?

Looking for "Helpers"

             As with many tragedies, the explosions that occurred Monday at the Boston Marathon left people in a state of shock. Innocent people were targeted during what should have been a time of joy and achievement, and the reason behind the explosions remains unknown.

            Easy access to internet and citizen journalists helped the news spread quickly, including graphic videos and photos of victims. The news often emphasizes misfortune during times like these because shock grabs people’s attention.

You May Feel Stress from News on Television 

Do you ever just get an uneasy feeling after watching bad news on television for a while? According to Medical News Today, a study found that some people can be significantly affected by traumatic news they didn’t actually experience but only watched on television, and may even display characteristics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). There is a high correlation between the amount of television someone watches about a particular event and the likelihood that they will be affected by it.

 While death and devastation should certainly not be downplayed or ignored, it is important to focus on the positive that emerges during tragedies as well.

Social Media’s Influence on News

            Social media has been helping people accomplish that. Twitter hashtags such #BostonHelp and #BostonStrong have been trending to show support for those affected, and a quote by Fred Rogers (you probably know him from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) has been spreading around Facebook and Twitter:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

–Fred Rogers

Focusing on the helpers during unhappy times can prevent us from dwelling only on the negative and feeling helpless. We need to remember that while there are people who do terrible things, there are also many more people who have come together to encourage and help those in need.

Stay Informed and Supportive without Fixating on a Sad Event

            Because the study found a positive correlation between the amount of television viewed about an event and the likelihood of a person being significantly affected, a suggestion might be to read a summary of what took place and then move on rather than continuing to read/watch every single update that is given. This way you are staying informed of current events but you are trying not to let them consume you.

            Another suggestion is to search for the positive stories in the news and read those as well. While upsetting stories do come up frequently, there are also many inspiring stories out there. The positive stories you read could be about anything from good deeds to accomplishments, as long as you find them pleasant. This article about acts of kindness during the Boston Marathon explosions is an excellent example of looking for helpers.

            I think that stories of people who act sincerely out of the goodness of their heart can leave us with a sense of hope and happiness. They remind us that no matter how much negativity we encounter in the world there will always be more people with good intentions.

           Do you think that there are too many traumatic news stories compared to uplifting ones, or are they necessary? Is there any way to stay informed of current events without being affected by them?

•  http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/acts-of-kindness-in-the-wake-of-the-boston-marathon-bombings-155030075.html 
•  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/144839.php

Keep calm and STOP bullying!

Although we are college students, we still hear the term 'bullying' all the time. It starts in elementary school and continues until some are old and grey. It is a serious matter that is constantly talked about. Some of us have dealt with it from personal experience while others have witnessed it.

Recently 15 year old Audrie Pott made the decision to take her own life after becoming a victim to online bullying.



Audrie was allegedly sexually assaulted at a party and then demeaning pictures of the assault were posted online. She then took to her Facebook account and posted that her life was ruined and that it was the worst day later. Sadly that was her last post because following that she hung herself. This past Thursday, seven months after the tragedy, three 16 year old boys have been arrested on charges of sexual battery. Justice has been served….or has it?

I don’t have the solution to bullying but I can offer a suggestion. I honestly believe that bullying should be against the law. If bullying was an offense, it would seriously cut down on the crime and suicide rates. We all know that a lot of mass attacks come from people who have been victims to bullying.



An example would be James Holmes who on July 20, 2012 decided to fire off shots at a theatre in Aurora, Colorado that left 12 dead and 58 injured. He had no criminal record prior to the shooting but he was a victim to bullying. And another example is 20 year old Dylan Quick who decided to stab 14 people at Lone Star College near Houston Texas on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. He is also a victim to bullying.

Bullying can lead people to hurt themselves or others. I wish we could all treat people the way that we would like to be treated but I know that, that doesn’t always happen. However, if we witness somebody being bullied, I feel like we should be a friend to that person and we should also tell an authority figure. Bullying is a serious problem in today’s society and I don’t feel like the law addresses it, until it is too late. But if someone is reported for bullying, I feel like there should be consequences. It could start with tickets and then go up from there. But it should definitely be addressed as a crime.



What do you feel about bullying? Is there really nothing that can be done about it until it’s too late or should it be addressed early on?



-Kenisha Durley

Sources:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/audrie-pott-california-teen-tortured-belief-friends-sexually/story?id=18943024#.UWtO4yoo6tU

http://www.usnews.com/news/newsgram/articles/2013/04/10/texas-stabber-dylan-andrew-quick-was-bullied-fantasized-about-murdering-with-knife-reports-say

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/24/james-holmes-threats-aurora-colorado_n_1828616.html

Frost Bite: Behind The Scenes

Carrissa McCoo is a student at the University of North Alabama. She explains her everyday experience at Frost Bite, which is a popular frozen yogurt business in Florence, AL.

Jasmine Redus

UNA Phonathon

Twice a year, the University of North Alabama hosts a phonathon calling on alumni and friends to make donations to UNA.

DJ KG Off the Record

Kekoria Greer is a student at UNA that has started her own DJ business for parties and events on and off campus. See how she prepares for events and find out a little bit about her and about why she loves music. Check out DJ KG... off the record. 

Wildlife Rehabilitation

Sharon shares what it is like to be a wildlife rehabilitator.
-Lynn

Heath Butler at The Fix

Heath Butler has been working at The Fix in Florence, Alabama for several years now. A graduate from University of North Alabama, he shares some experiences and insight regarding his time at the station.

A Sequel in the Works

Something I've noticed about Twitter is that most of the time it works similarly to a flock of sheep. For this analogy to not end there, let's pretend that a topic is synonymous with a patch of grass.

Somehow a topic will flare up on Twitter and it doesn't take too long for things to escalate so that it seems the entire website is devoted to that topic. While sometimes the topics discussed are minor, such as #ILoveAGirlWho, there are some serious news stories that break on the site, such as the Twitter feud between members of One Direction and members of The Wanted. Lately, people have taken to Twitter to discuss their opinions on North Korea and the rising level of threats that they are sending to the US.

Building a Homestead

This is the story of Jim and Marija Grimsley of Enterprise, Ala. as they worked with Frank Allen to build the perfect log cabin next to a lake. 

Photos and Video all done by Corinne Beckinger

Gay Marriage & The Fight for Equal Rights

Last week while casually scrolling on Instagram, I couldn't help but notice the sea of red equal signs taking over my picture timeline. Under each picture it read "Proposition 8: Equality for all" As soon as I saw Beyonce repost the picture, I knew I needed to find out what the hype was all about!

Supposedly, the image above represents the equal rights for gay marriage. Awhile back, California passed the right for gay couples to engage in marriage. Now it seems as if they are trying to ban it (Proposition 8). Supreme Court hasn't made any decisions on what the final outcome will be, but what do you believe in or hope for?

I do not believe that homosexuality is completely right; however, I do not think we should control another person's choice that he or she may make in life! I'm hoping Proposition 8 is not passed to ban gay marriage. I think we are all entitled to whatever we please with our lives. Sometimes you cannot help who you love. 

What are your thoughts?

Jasmine Redus

Student Loans: The Good, The Bad, And The Impossible

As college students, I'm sure most of us have had some experience with student loans. While student loans are, without a doubt, a worthwhile investment, they seem to be an increasing burden on the typical American graduate.

With the price of tuition constantly increasing, loans have become another necessary evil in the lives of students. Sure, they're a great way to build credit, they have a low interest rate, and they're absolutely necessary for most students, but how big are the consequences?

It's no secret that graduates have been having a hard time finding employment in their fields after college. Yet, they leave college with roughly $27,000 in debt with no way to pay that back.

With tuition increasing and career availability decreasing, are student loans getting young adults in over their heads right out of the gate? What can be done about the situation? How does this debt end for graduates?

I don't pretend to have the answer. I can't see how this will all work out. I just hope we can find a solution before higher education become unattainable for the average American.

"There's an App for that"

With iPhones constantly being updated, it seems there is an app for virtually everything these days. From alarm clocks to Angry Birds to calorie counters, apps are almost a neccesity when owning a cell phone.

I stumbled upon an article about how busniesses, in the future, can use an app to do some of their public relations work. This app will track tags of the comapny's name and create watchlists that lets the company know who is searching for them. The link to the article is http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/having-pr-crisis-there-s-probably-app-147998

My question is, do you think we are becoming too dependent on our apps? I rely on my alarm, weather, and Twitter app every day and that's not even counting when I'm bored or have nothing to do.

Also, with apps becoming smarter and more efficient, do you think they could eventually replace jobs? An app like the public relations example above does many things that a PR agency does but at a fraction of the cost.

My Cup Runneth Over

Coffee cups, tea cups, mugs...they are all different and all used daily by different people to satisfy a need or addiction. My cup runneth over. Does yours?

Four Hundred New Perceptions

The goal for this project was to capture the reflection of the image in a wine glass all the way through town. I knew that I had seen some pictures of neat images reflected in glasses, so I thought it would work pretty well. After I had taken over 400 pictures, I got back and began to edit them together. Most of the images didn't have the reflection that I had hoped for, but it still turned out pretty neat. I would do a few things differently if I had the opportunity, but I learned a lot throughout this project about photography and how tedious the process of creating good content can be. 

Our Shoes and Our Journey Soundslide

This video is about how our shoes take us on our journey in life.

Fountains

This is a slideshow description of a fountain in the park in downtown Florence, Al.

Jasmine C. Redus

Around the World in 80 Seconds

"Around the World in 80 Seconds follows the story of the international students at the University of North Alabama. Although each student is incredibly different, they are all bonded together by their love of learning and of seeing the world. All music used in this Soundslides video was legally downloaded. All photographs taken by Corinne Beckinger.

-Corinne Beckinger

Doors

Soundslides project on doors. This project focuses specifically on closed doors and the secrets that may lie behind them.

Music: http://www.purple-planet.com