Opinion

Years ago, when I first moved to St. Louis as a teenager, my friends and I would joke that all the interesting places, cool hangouts and fun events seemed to be in St. Louis County. We would hear about something new and exciting going on and – upon inquiring where – get the response “in the county.”  It gave the county a certain mystique and glamour. It made me feel like I was missing out on something as a city dweller.  My thinking began to change in my late teens and early 20s, especially after I received an unusual compliment. I had been attending Forest Park, St. […]

No season says fun and adventure like summer.  Most people have more free time than usual. Students aren’t taking as many classes, and it’s the peak for traveling. If you’re normally too busy or stressed to pursue romance, this would be a perfect time to give it a try.  A “summer fling” is a light, no-strings-attached relationship that usually lasts only a couple of months. People have been having them since way before Sandy and Danny sang about them in “Grease.” But if this is a new concept to you, here are a few tips: […]

Being a student with cerebral palsy at Forest Park has its challenges, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how accommodating people on campus can be.  I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go to college because of my bad experiences in high school. I was bullied by other students and neglected by personal-care attendants. But a case manager at Paraquad encouraged me to give it a try. […]

It’s been three years since I joined the Global Faith Community, a multicultural Christian club at Forest Park. Its mission is to encourage students to meet those from other cultures, learn, socialize and explore views on Christianity. I did not have any friends at Forest Park until I met Erica Li, now the club’s faculty sponsor. […]

Summer is upon us! Some of you are going on vacation. Others are coming back to Forest Park for summer semester. Most students will be hanging around the house and working. What do you have planned for your days off? Understandably, most students have tight budgets and can’t afford pricy entertainment, but there’s actually a lot to do around St. Louis that’s free or cheap. […]

Black women have been cast in the lowest roles possible on television.  Historically, they played housekeepers for white families or mothers on welfare, living in the projects and barely surviving. Other characters perpetuated extreme urban stereotypes: gum-popping ghetto girls with long weaves, short tempers, giant earrings and bad attitudes. […]

It was a sad day Feb. 27, when Leonard Nimoy died at 83 due to complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was a multi-talented man — an actor, writer, director and later a photographer. He was best known as Spock, the Vulcan first officer of the Starship Enterprise in the original “Star Trek” TV series. […]

I’m finally graduating from Forest Park after attending for nine years, off and on. I became very discouraged at times. I wondered if going to college was a waste of time and if I would ever get my degree. Today, I’m glad that I persevered and achieved my goal. I’m sharing my story in case there are students out there in similar situations who are embarrassed or feeling alone. […]

The book “Fifty Shades of Grey” by E.L. James has too many fans, and it doesn’t make sense. It romanticizes rape like it’s an OK part of a relationship. It makes emotional, physical and sexual abuse look attractive. It’s a horrible depiction of BDSM, which many people don’t understand. The acronym is composed of three parts: Bondage and discipline (BD), dominance and submission (Ds) and sadism and masochism (SM). […]

The book “The 5 Love Languages” by Gary Chapman has sold more than eight million copies and has been translated into nearly 50 languages. Chapman believes that people can better love one another if they understand that everyone has a “primary love language” that makes them feel the most loved. The book outlines five languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. […]