Student publications bring home awards

The campus yearbook, The Bluebonnet, and newspaper, The Bells, earned 59 awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Convention in College Station April 3-5.

Along with Sweepstakes and Overall Excellence in Division 5, The Bells won all first place awards in sports writing and page design. Additionally, staff members took two of the three first place news writing awards and received honorable mention for its online edition of the newspaper.

Twenty-four awards were given for previously published entries from the spring and fall of 2007. Winners included: first place for News Story and Opinion-Editorial Page Design to Chelsea Schilling, News Feature Story to Sara Barnes, Critical Review to Ben Rhudy, Single Subject Presentation and Feature Page Design to Jena Coulson, Sports Column to Denise Marcos, Sports News Story to Nicholas Jones, Sports Feature Story to Denise Marcos, Feature Photo to Jennifer Meers, Page One Design to Jessa Grassi and Photo Illustration to Sarah-Jane Sanders, last year’s editor-in-chief.

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Young and restless students cope with anxiety

It strikes all of us at some point in our lives. There is no sure defense, and no definitive cure. Everyone is at risk, and it can transform anyone from a healthy, vital human to a neurotic, hollow shell of what he or she once was.

Stress.

If you do not take it seriously, it might give you a reason to do so.

Stress is especially prevalent among the ranks of university students struggling to meet class work deadlines, study enough for each class, work and juggle all their varied activities and extracurriculars, not to mention making time for friends, family and church.

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High costs create concerns for many textbook shoppers

According to The Washington Post, the Federal Government Accountability Office found textbook costs rose twice as high as the national inflation rate from 1986 to 2004. A College Board survey found that students spent an average of $853 per year on college textbooks.

Prices are steadily climbing.

The U.S. legislature currently has multiple bills on the table dealing with soaring textbook costs. The ideas in question range from regulating publishing companies to instituting a price ceiling, as well as increasing government financial aid available for students.

The campus bookstore manager, Debbie Cottrell, said, “As a student, I think you feel like nobody is aware of it, but they really are, and your legislators are … looking into it. They know there’s a situation there.”

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