Columns

On Monday, Feb. 24, the world honored the legacy of legendary five-time National Basketball Association champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, during the public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

I will never forget the fire in Tesia Thompson’s eyes when she told me, “I just want a championship.”

When I heard the news, I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t. I refused. There was just no way that Kobe Bryant was dead.

On the night of April 13, 2016, the Golden State Warriors were one win away from history.

Still, I am in no way shape or form an intellectual in the sports world. Nor could I tell you who played last night or who scored what. But what I can recognize is the love people have for their passions and how people can be so impacted by a hero.

We know only what we know. This, however, does not make what we do not know any less real.

Before I disappoint you, I should preface this column by coming clean. I, Patrick Buck, do not know the secret to a perfect pancake. Nor have I ever knowingly taken part in creating one. But I do believe this is a discussion we need to have. Pancakes may seem simple, but this is not the truth, my friend. In fact, a well-executed triple stack is a highly sophisticated balancing act tying together science, luck, karma and sacrifice.

*Editor’s Note: The views of this column are not a reflection of the Arrow. As many of you probably experienced, the Thanksgiving dinner conversation quickly turns to politics. My grandfather tends to place the blame for any and all injustices at the feet of antisemitism even attempting to pin a black man being denied a house in Creve Coeur as antisemitic, a common occurrence among the elder Jewish population to blame everything they do not like nor comprehend on antisemitism while ignoring what may actually be antisemitism with the case of Josh Hawley.. ...

West of the East, yet East of the West, lies the State of Missouri in the Heartland of America. It is there — 115 miles south of Saint Louis and 175 miles north of Memphis — that the beautiful City of Cape Girardeau was erected.

There are 39 observed holidays in the United States from Oct. 31 to Jan. 1 each year; Christmas dominates them all.

Recently, Instagram has releases and statements that have caused chaos amongst many users of social media.

The topic of mental health, especially anxiety, has become an increasing problem in people everywhere.

I love reading music reviews. In fact, I frequently visit publications like NME or Rolling Stone Magazine that actively release this kind of content.

Southeast Missouri State University has more than 150 clubs and organizations on campus; how many are you involved in?

Upset? Listen to Lizzo. Happy? Listen to Lizzo. Relationship problems? Listen to Lizzo. Hanging out with your friends? Listen to Lizzo. Driving to the grocery store? Listen to Lizzo.

My senior year has been the most challenging for me. Like any other undergraduate student preparing for graduation, I was eager to plan for my life after crossing the stage at Southeast. I was stressing about classes, the Arrow, and what I would do with my degree post-graduation. Shockingly enough everything seemed to have fallen into place, earlier than I had expected...

Southeast junior Zach Tate has been selected as the 2019-2020 editor-in-chief of the Arrow, the award-winning student-run newspaper, since 1911. Tate, a native of Illiopolis, Illinois, currently serves as the Arrow’s sports editor and is double majoring in multimedia journalism and public relations with a minor in military science. ...

As I understand it, if there’s something going around these days: hard feelings. With the personalized culture, there seems to be less and less interest in breaking social confines, as the social appears more asocial. Well, I would prescribe that college students and lifelong students alike need to take special note about the topic of psychology. Who am I to say? Well, I’m not a psychology student...

Like any other college student, I complain about school, work, life and any other thing I can think of. As a college athlete, I also complain about my sport: cheerleading. I complain about the time commitment, the uniforms we have to wear, the late practice times, and everything in between. I complain a lot, but I do not know what I would do without it...

Growing up, for as long as I can remember, my parents have always stressed the value of a good education. They used to tell me that by getting a good education you are setting yourself up for a good future. Without a college education or some kind of skill, life is going to be hard. ...

Let's talk about relationships in college. I can't do it. Or perhaps it just takes a special someone to actually go through the process. It may be every little girl’s dream to find her true love. At one point, that was the only thing on my mind, especially when I discovered the 1997 film “The Wonderful World of Disney Cinderella” starring Brandy Norwood and Paolo Montalbán. This was one of my favorite movies and the prince was oh, so charming...

Usually, people see a therapist after a trauma like the death of a family member. A loss is something that people generally understand they need help processing. However, recognizable trauma is not the only reason you should seek a mental health professional...

I know it wasn’t the case, but I swear to you, the air just smelled better. There was a freshness to it that wasn’t there the day before. The grass was greener, the sun shined brighter. Everything just felt right again. So, what was different about this Thursday from every other Thursday of the year? It was opening day of the MLB season, of course. One of the greatest days of the year...

Last weekend I visited the mall in search of new career basics. As I floated among racks of professional apparel, a clothing tag caught my eye. Identical tags were attached to rows and rows of similar black slacks in the misses section, all carrying the same implication. It was not the design or price that caused me to pause; it was the message. In defining grey text, it read: “Constructed to secretly minimize your shape.”...

I have recently seen some backlash to the amount of coverage ESPN is giving the Duke men’s basketball team, and specifically star player: freshman sensation Zion Williamson. ESPN has been known to do this on more than one occasion, and often it proves unwarranted hype, but in this case, ESPN is 100 percent in the right...

Trends pulled straight from influencers’ Instagrams that are easily available and inexpensive? It’s a college student’s retail dream. As bankrupt Charlotte Russe leaves West Park Mall, local shoppers are forced to turn to online stores to satisfy their fashion needs where websites such as Forever21’s greet visitors with a blinking invitation: “5,000 Items Under $5!” If you’re like me, you calculate the items to qualify for free shipping before giving it a second thought. ...

You see them everywhere. Hordes of young women, clad in T-shirts and wearing leggings as pants. It's become the norm. You see, once you start wearing leggings as pants, you don't stop. You can't stop. Gone are the days of waking up in the morning and thinking, "You know, I think I'll wear jeans today!"...

Imagine hearing a billionaire cry out that he was poor. What would your reaction be? Would you laugh at the ridiculousness of the statement? Maybe you would just be confused? How could that be? I bet it wouldn’t be sympathy though. So, why do the Major League Baseball owners garner sympathy and the MLB players get ridiculed for trying to get paid?

It was something I had dreamed about my whole life. Not only were the Rams back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2002, they got to go against the hated, cheating New England Patriots. The same Patriots that 17 years ago taped the Rams’ practices and used that to shut down the Rams explosive offense and win Super Bowl XXXVI 20-17 as two touchdown underdogs, ruining the Rams’ potential dynasty...

What’s up SEMO? It’s Lily Slifer from the Arrow! Reporting to you in print this time around, and I’m sure most people can relate — going out of your comfort zone can be difficult at times. If anyone told me last semester that I would be broadcasting live as “Lily from What’s Up SEMO,” I would have been shocked because I never thought I would have the opportunity to do something this cool...

Winter break was here for what seemed like two seconds — but with all that we binged on Netflix it had to have been longer than that. Up ahead is a whole new semester full of fresh opportunities to turn in all assignments on time, maintain the grades you want and deserve, and of course watch some great TV shows in between...

I’d be willing to bet that a good amount of young women across the nation have seen Ariana Grande’s newest music video for “thank u, next” at this point, and not many were mentally prepared. The song has been on the charts and breaking records since its release on Nov. 3 but the video premiered Nov. 30...

For journalists, MAGA rallies are an interesting experience, for more reasons than one.

Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm not a very vulnerable person. I would rather play tough and cry alone behind closed doors — it is easier that way. The story I am about share has left me so exposed. My day started off as a regular day. I was a junior in high school just waiting for the year I would graduate. ...

This is the re-emergence of the “Best Rapper Alive,” a colossus that once towered over the world of rap music and whose demise was almost a certainty. But with the release of “Tha Carter V,” what seemed like a demise now looks more like a stumble. After five years of legal battles, infighting, and even a tour-bus shooting, Lil Wayne has finally delivered one of the most anticipated albums of the decade. ...

Homecoming is approaching, and in my time here at Southeast I’ve noticed a trend when it comes to this tradition. With tailgating and school spirit, inevitably comes a substantial amount of trash left in the streets of our home away from home. We need to take better care of our little river town. ...

I grew up as a preacher’s daughter. I have seen firsthand the ways people can be hurt by religious folk, burned by the place they were supposed to be safe, their faith destroyed. But the newest wave of sexual abuse scandals are rattling dioceses throughout the Catholic Church in ways completely foreign to me...

My name is Kennedy, most people, (not my mom) call me Ken. When I was 3 years old my dad died of cancer, and from then on it was just me and my mom. She did everything in her power to give me the best life imaginable. Despite her constant support and affection, something was missing...

I don’t sing. Yet, I auditioned for a musical. And I made it. And I’m singing. Who would’ve thought? Not me for sure. But “Mary Poppins” was something I couldn’t let pass me by without giving it a shot. The owner of my old dance studio choreographed a tap piece for my senior group seven years ago to “Step in Time,” and it did extremely well in competitions. ...

Black Mirror: Honestly, this sci-fi series will keep you on the edge of your seat with every episode you watch. If you like horror, thrillers, and the idea of technology potentially being the catalyst to the darkness that is inside human-kind, then you will love Black Mirror. The series plays an even darker twist on The Twilight Zone by mimicking the structure with a new mysterious plot in each hour-long episode...

1. Where are my clean sweatpants? The first week of school you planned outfit and really worked to make a great first impression, however, now you spend a bit of extra time in bed and toss on sweatpants and a T-Shirt, which may or may not be clean...

For those unfamiliar with the Arrow’s Arts & Entertainment section, know that the content is about more than simple coverages of university events — at least that’s what we’re shooting for. This semester we’re pushing for a more community-focused approach and to be more in touch with our readers...

Over the winter break from school, I was rear-ended, and my car was totaled. No one was hurt in the accident, and for that, I am both lucky and endlessly grateful. What transpired over the next several days was not so lucky. I came to discover the man who hit me did not have insurance. Since I only had liability coverage on my vehicle, I was — as they say — screwed...

The black sheep franchise of Marvel Studios has finally found its luck in the third incarnation of a Thor film. This is largely due to the obvious utilization of the tone of “Guardians of the Galaxy” and the screenwriting team realizing that Thor simply had not transited well from the comic pages to the silver screen...

I found myself sitting at the bar in downtown Cape Girardeau’s only Irish Pub last night, talking to a stranger about the one thing I am most passionate: journalism. I’d just finished my shift at the brewery where I work down the street, and this person began asking me questions about why I want to be a journalist and where I saw myself in the future...

Bridging the Infinite Distance Like many others, I woke up on Monday morning to devastating news: a confirmed 58 people were killed and at least 500 injured in a mass shooting that took place at a country music festival in Las Vegas. From his 32nd floor room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, the gunman open-fired on the crowd below. He was reportedly in possession of 10 semi-automatic assault-style rifles...

I spent the summer interviewing some of Denver’s most accomplished and successful women as part of an internship. One of those women said something to me that completely changed the way I think. Something I’ll never forget. She’s the CEO of her own technical engineering training company, so you can imagine the conversation I had with her was one that left me scrambling to keep up. A brainiac, yes. But her spirit of giving and compassion for others is what struck me most...

We’re living in turbulent times, where the President of the United States can egg on one of the world’s most volatile leaders to literally start a war and no one has been able to stop him. White supremacists rioted in the streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, attacking anti-racist protesters (and killing one) and calling minority groups obscene names...

It’s everywhere in our world: just turn on the news or go outside and you’ll see it. As of recently, it’s gotten more and more public attention. No one can ignore it (hard as they may try), and with each passing day it gets bigger and more overwhelming...