QuickBIC Admin – Page 2

Terminate the Department of Education?

QuickBIC Admin on February 15, 2017February 26, 2017

This past week, Congressman Thomas Massie filed a bill that is only a sentence long and reads, “The Department of Education shall terminate on December 31^,2018.” Although it is unlikely that the bill will pass, it presents an idea that might sound erratic and unrealistic at first glance. However, the one-line bill offers an idea that would greatly improve the education system in the United States.

President Carter created the Department of Education in 1979 primarily to appease teachers’ unions after they supported his campaign. Since then, it has continued to serve as a political tool for both parties to advance their agenda rather than a means of supporting American children’s education. In 2001, President Bush created the No Child Left Behind Act which took an unrealistic approach to evaluating schools. Although not responsible for creating the act, the department has worked to enforce it and see its continued existence. More recently, President Obama’s administration furthered the Common Core State Standards initiative, dictating what teachers do in the classroom. Thus, the department has not positively influenced the curriculum in classrooms but instead hurt the curriculum by unnecessarily controlling it.

Education is not delegated as one of the enumerated powers held by the federal government, implying that state and local governments hold authority over it. Therefore, the Department of Education is often considered unconstitutional. Abolishing the Department of Education would return the responsibility of managing school to local government. City and town governments are best fit to manage schools because they are familiar with the specific needs of their community. Every town in the United States is different, and the federal government is incapable of understanding the students in each of those towns. In contrast, local governments know the individual students in their schools and can devise curriculums that are tailored to their community. This would create proficiency standards that are less arbitrary, as well as ensure that students are learning relevant knowledge and not being “taught to tests.” Parents would have a larger role in educating their children instead of the federal government.

Will Congressman Massie’s bill become law? Probably not. Yet, it is important to understand the current problems our education system faces. Partisan politics should not be what determines the material taught in classrooms. Abolishing the Department of Education would improve the quality of education in our country. If nothing else, it would save the federal government billions of dollars in tax dollars. After all, it makes more sense to pay taxes to the school down your street than to a bureaucratic branch of the government. So, while Congressman Massie may sound radical, he might be on to something.

Brittany Gamlen is a junior majoring in political science.

The Baylor You Willfully Ignore

QuickBIC Admin on February 13, 2017February 13, 2017

“I stand with Baylor.”

This phrase was uttered by forty-five Baylor students in a video entitled “The Baylor We Know” by Amy Zukoski.

The video is composed mainly of student testimony regarding how they each see Baylor. Statements such as “Everyone is so welcoming,” “Baylor is a loving community that accepts me for who I am,” and “Everyone has values,” were common throughout the video.

While not directly stated, it can be inferred that this video was made in response to Stephen A. Smith, a popular sports correspondent for ESPN, who encouraged parents to persuade their daughters against going to Baylor, citing recent Title IX violations and sexual assault scandals.

“The Baylor We Know” emphasizes the Christian values, inclusiveness, and what is claimed to be overall happiness experienced by Baylor students.

We all know about the firing of Art Briles and Ken Starr, the 52 alleged rapes by 31 football players over four years, the physical evidence of Art Briles’ and other coaching staffs’ cover up of athlete misconduct, but you may not know that the Big XII Board has officially withheld 25% of Baylor’s future revenue distribution awaiting independent verification of “proper institutional controls” or that Baylor has just received a one year accreditation warning. While it is not likely, we are at risk of losing our accreditation.

Baylor has given me a lot of opportunities. I came to Baylor specifically for the Professional Writing & Rhetoric major, and I think that I am a better writer for it. I have been honored to serve as editor of The Mug, and I have grown through my participation in the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC) and the Honors Program. I have learned a great deal at Baylor and have made friends with whom I will be in contact for the rest of my life.

This does not mean that there are two Baylor Universities to understand: a good one and a bad one. There is one Baylor University. Baylor University is the place where I am writing my honors thesis overseen by outstanding faculty and where women were raped and were actively prevented from getting the justice they deserve. Baylor University is the place where at least a fourth of my classes had a stated Christian focus and where Title IX standards were actively ignored. Baylor University is the place where I ran across a football field in a bright yellow jersey alongside the chancellor as the football coach waved from the sidelines and where that same chancellor and football coach protected guilty parties from punishment.

Am I proud to be a Baylor Bear today? No. No I am not. In fact, it is my duty, as a Baylor Bear, to be disappointed in a school that I have placed so much of my faith in, that I have invested so much time in, that I will be paying off for the next twenty years, that, in future job interviews, I will have to defend. I will not say that I stand with Baylor. I will not applaud Baylor for trying to rectify its actions, as these violations of national policy, of human decency, should never have occurred in the first place. No matter how much I have enjoyed my time at Baylor, this “Baylor that I know” is the same Baylor that rape victims know. They are one in the same.

Saying “I stand with the Baylor I know” would be fine if that were all that Baylor is – chapel and sorority functions and small class sizes and coffee. But this is not the case. The joy that you have experienced is not a more legitimate Baylor experience than that of the women who have been assaulted and systematically prevented from achieving justice. There is more to Baylor. Thus, to say you “support the Baylor you know” is indicative of a willing ignorance of the horrors that some Baylor students have experienced and, furthermore, to delegitimize their struggles all for the sake of wearing green and gold, of drinking coffee at Common Grounds, of shouting “Sic ‘em” – without feeling guilty.

I will not be ignorant.

I will stand with Baylor when their standards meet national standards. I will stand with Baylor when all those who were raped or assaulted or threatened and were denied justice under Baylor’s watch receive what is their due. I will stand with Baylor when students who have been assaulted can come to know the joys that Baylor has to offer – as I have. I will stand with Baylor when athletes are held to the same standards as their fellow students. I will stand with Baylor when “no” does not mean “Go Bears,” but “no.”

Until that day and long after, I will support those who have been harassed and assaulted, I will watch and encourage Baylor’s attempts to rectify their mistakes, and I will remain a Baylor Bear. Yet it will be a while before I am proud to say so.

Lee Shaw is a junior majoring in professional writing and rhetoric.

The Women’s March: Its Importance and Its Drawbacks

QuickBIC Admin on February 10, 2017February 10, 2017

On January 21st, women from across the nation took to the streets to make a statement: they are not going to let this election and political administration take away their rights.

Women of all races, ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and from all areas of the country united to make a visual statement: women were not backing down in the face of opposition.

While many women and men who attended the marches have stated they had never witnessed so much unity, there were other groups of women within the feminist community who did not feel so welcome. Indeed, the Women’s March was the most peaceful and clean feminist march that has taken place in decades. Many women of color held up signs with snippets of their stories, making a direct appeal to President Trump’s racial, ethical, and religious incendiary messages. Yet despite the fact that many marginalized groups were welcomed into the conversation in many areas, we must allow room for the criticism and input of those who did not experience the same level of peace and unity many other women experienced.

Experiences of women of color

One Native American women created a thread on Twitter in which she detailed her experience at the Women’s March. She details the horrifying details of white women walking through their prayer group, taking pictures of them without their consent, and asking if “they” still existed.

Many black women held up signs asking women if they would be as vocal in protests against police brutality and racism. Other women pointed out that more white women voted for Trump than any other racial group.

Other minority groups speak out

Pro-life women also reported feeling left out of the conversation because of the proportion of pro-choice women over pro-life women in attendance. Differences in the ideological beliefs between these two groups sparked debate among some women, including many conversations within my group of peers.

Immigrant women also felt the need to speak out against another issue that suppresses them so much more than white women, that immigrant women and white women do not have equal initial status.

Women with physical and mental illnesses were also not given a wide stage on which they could present their personal struggles. Among many of the criticisms and pushback I have encountered is the fact that white women seemed to be enraged more over President Trump’s comment about sexually assaulting women than the incidence, his actions, or the results of his to-be-enacted policies.

Although the women’s march will always remain a bright spot in the historical timeline of Donald Trump’s presidency, we must admit that if we want to ensure equality for all women everywhere, we have to expand the conversation to other issues that may not seem to be feminist on the surface level.

Katie Méndez is junior majoring in international studies.

Food Insecurity

QuickBIC Admin on February 8, 2017

As college students, we may find ourselves perpetuating the myth that we eat nothing but ramen to save cash. While this is certainly true for some students, especially at an expensive institution such as Baylor, much of this can be confidently labeled an urban legend. In college, students certainly must learn to budget their meals and spend as little money on food as possible. However, this struggle is diminished in contrast of the poverty found within the city of Waco.

East Waco stands out as the city’s lowest income area, with a median household income of $15,190. For comparison, the median household income in East Waco is lower than 70% of the median household income throughout all of Texas. In all of Waco, 29.4% of individuals live below the poverty line. This means that 29.4% of people in Waco are not making enough money to afford the necessities of life. Though this negatively affects individual Waco residents, 30.9% of families in Waco also live below the poverty line. One of the many struggles these families face is food insecurity. By definition, food insecurity occurs when a person does not have consistent or reliable access to nutritional food.

In 2015, Texas ranked number two in national food insecurity, following California. According to the national report, many families are forced to prioritize paying for housing, utilities, or medical care over buying groceries. If people cannot afford healthy food, they will continue to succumb to sickness, resulting in more medical bills. Food insecurity and poverty, then, are clearly linked. People can easily find themselves trapped in the cycle with no way to get ahead.

Fortunately, students at Baylor have been blessed with the ability to pay for food, housing, utilities, and education. It is very likely that none of us will ever find ourselves living below the poverty line or suffering from food insecurity. However, this does not mean we should not be concerned for the well-being of our community. Both Baylor University and the city of Waco have multiple resources with which students can volunteer and begin making a difference in the greater Waco area.

The Baylor School of Social Work developed the Texas Hunger Initiative, which aims to end hunger through “policy, education, research, community organizing and community development.” This organization tackles the issue on a broad scale, hoping to have a long-term effect on families struggling with poverty and food insecurity. The McLennan County Hunger Coalition, collaborate with food pantries, churches, businesses, and individuals to help specific families develop food security through donations and helping families sign up for food stamps and other support programs. Other organizations, such as the Food Planning Task Force of McLennan County and the Food Research and Action Center attempt to end the problem through practical ways, planning, and research.

Nikki Thompson is a sophomore majoring in professional writing and rhetoric.

https://www.family-to-family.org/communities/waco-texas/

https://www.feedingtexas.org/learn/food-insecurity/

http://www.caritas-waco.org/poverty_and_hunger_organizations.aspx

Your Definitive Guide to the Most Misunderstood British Foods

QuickBIC Admin on February 6, 2017

There have definitely been a few bizarre surprises that Britain has hit me with since my plane touched down at Heathrow. For instance, why does everyone drive on the wrong side of the road? Why do people here think two packets of ketchup are appropriate for a large McDonald’s fry? And what the heck is so “cheeky” about Nando’s, your typical London chicken chain?

As a Texan stumbling through life in the UK, however, the biggest shocks of my British experience have definitely been food-related. No queso here—instead we have blood sausage, haggis, and Marmite! To help any prospective UK study abroad adventurers, I have put together this definitive guide to misunderstood British foods—try not to knock it before you try it!

Marmite

Marmite is a food that lives in infamy in many American tourists’ hearts. An almost too-salty spread made from yeast extract, Marmite is probably one of the most misunderstood British foods I have ever come across.

“A lot of first-timers make the mistake of just eating a spoonful straight from the jar,” says Elana, an England native and Marmite superfan. “That’s gonna taste awful.”

The real way to eat Marmite, according to my British sources, is to coat a piece of toast in butter, and then spread a tiny amount of Marmite on top. “I can’t really describe the flavor,” Elana told me over Marmite and toast, “but it’s good.”

Haggis

Most Americans know haggis as “all that meat shoved in a sheep stomach,” and quite honestly, that is a pretty accurate description. Haggis is made of leftover bits of sheep—the heart, the liver, etc.—and onions. It is stuffed into either a traditional sheep stomach or an artificial casing, and then boiled for a couple hours. Afterwards, you end up with something a lot less disgusting than it sounds!

A note for my fellow Louisiana natives: if you have ever eaten boudin, you know pretty well what to expect from haggis.

Black Pudding

Also known by its more metal name, blood sausage, black pudding is often served fried as an element of the full English breakfast (which also includes fried eggs, bacon, tomatoes, hash browns, and a slew of other delicious foods). I have to say, everything that goes into black pudding is a little bit freaky—it is some kind of wicked concoction of congealed pig’s blood, oatmeal, and lard—but if you can get over the ingredients, the end result is an epic treat for your taste buds.

The UK is full of foods that take some time to have a steady relationship with, but for adventurous eaters everywhere, it is a great place to get some lunch! Here is to many more exciting meals abroad!

Chelsea Teague is a junior majoring in professional writing and rhetoric.

Education in Waco

QuickBIC Admin on November 18, 2016

Image courtesy of Waco Independent School District

A sense of irony accompanies the fact that Baylor University, a college renowned for its academic excellence, shares a city with a struggling public school system. After the 2013-2014 school year, ten schools within Waco I.S.D. were failing to meet state-mandated accountability ratings. These ratings are based on results of the S.T.A.A.R. standardized test. From an outsider’s perspective, it seems the problem is obvious: the schools need better teachers and leadership to improve test scores. Is this solution too simple?

In reaction to the low scores, Waco I.S.D. proceeded to place new principals in the failing schools. Many of these principals signed a disclaimer stating that if the scores did not increase, they would be demoted. This caused very quick turn-around; Hillcrest PDS Magnet had four different principals over a span of five years.

The new leaders focused on implementing programs which would raise S.T.A.A.R. scores. Crestview Elementary saw such changes when the principal added tutoring sessions and required writing portfolios. This was a great success, as the following year Crestview met standards and has seen improvement even since. Many other schools in the Waco I.S.D. also saw student progress, though they did not improve enough to meet the state-mandated rating. This makes one wonder if low scores can be eradicated with tutoring sessions and writing workshops – perhaps there is more to the problem.

Both J.H. Hines Elementary and Indian Springs Middle School’s scores were in the bottom 5-percentile of scores in Texas, so the two schools qualified for grants from the Texas Education Agency in August of 2014. J.H. Hines received $3.6 million and Indians Springs received $.48 million. J.H. Hines Elementary used this money to hire behavioral counselors and community members to help combat behavioral issues. Waco I.S.D. hopes that this investment will end the problem of students missing school due to behavioral issues, such as suspensions or expulsions.

In fact, in the 2013-2014 school year, Waco I.S.D. had the greatest number of suspensions of any district in the state. Statistically speaking, from pre-k to fifth grade, 22 out of every 100 students miss school because of an out-of-school suspension. Parents accuse Waco teachers of giving up on the students by suspending them rather than disciplining them correctly. These parents also cite a feeling of shame within their children, which makes it much harder for them to return to school following their suspension. Students also learned that they could get out of school by acting out.

Waco High and G.W. Carver Middle School implemented a “Restorative Practices” program which successfully halved the number of suspensions. This initiative focuses on keeping students with behavioral problems in school rather than automatically sending them away. Students are allowed to visit “reset classrooms” in which they can gain their composure and receive instruction on how to resolve the issue. Additionally, both campuses hired a Behavioral Support Aide to better help teachers and students understand the root of the behavioral issues.

These initiatives have seen an incredible amount of progress not only in reducing the number of suspensions at these schools but in the test scores as well. Waco I.S.D. is actively working to implement similar programs in every school. Clearly, students must be in an environment which fosters growth and understanding in order to succeed academically. The more students are encouraged and engaged by their teachers, the more interest they will show in their schools.

Nikki Thompson is a sophomore majoring in English.

Sources

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/education/waco-isd-principals-demoted-after-campuses-fail-state-accountability-ratings/article_6c0de731-1c6c-54d5-b78d-9186836d55e1.htmlrces

http://www.wacotrib.com/news/education/many-struggling-waco-isd-campuses-score-lower-in-preliminary-staar/article_b667948a-28f4-5b1e-81d3-dae2d2d0311d.html

http://kwbu.org/post/waco-isd-secures-big-grant-money-struggling-campuses

http://csgjusticecenter.org/youth/media-clips/waco-isd-tackles-highest-state-suspension-rate/

Baylor Mugshots: Elisabeth Lambert

QuickBIC Admin on November 9, 2016

Elisabeth's dog, Rocky — Elisabeth’s dog, Rocky

This week I met up with senior BIC-er Elisabeth Lambert to talk about her hopes, dreams, and her time here at Baylor. We snagged a rickety little table crammed between a trash can and a wilting ficus, and I powered up my laptop, opening up my prepared questions.

Elisabeth turned on her own computer and sat with legs crossed, fingers woven together on the table. “I made some notes to help me out,” she said, a true BIC student.

We jumped right into it.

“Is there a Baylor memory that sticks out in your mind more than any other?” I asked.

Elisabeth consulted her notes, and then said immediately, “The cookies and milk thing that they did during Line Camp, when we got back from the trip to Independence! I don’t remember the song—which is probably a good thing, because it would be stuck in my head all the time—but I got free food, and I didn’t expect it.”

We reminisced over the cookies and agreed that any instance of free food would always rank pretty high on our list of most memorable experiences.

“You know they were giving out free groceries on Fountain Mall the other day?” I said. Elisabeth nodded and leaned over the table to whisper excitedly that she’d gotten two dozen free eggs that day.

“I’m making omelets every morning,” she said.

We laughed, and then I asked my next question. “What do you think of BIC?”

Elisabeth got that look on her face that every BIC-er feels in their souls by about the middle of their second semester—equal parts pride, confusion, excitement, and exhaustion. “I’m glad I did it,” she said, after some thought. “And I’d do it again—there’re lots of great professors in BIC. I’ve definitely learned a lot.”

“What’s been your favorite class?” I asked.

“My favorite class was with Dr. Stacey Hibbs!” Elisabeth said. “She’s so nice!”

I shared my own love for Dr. Hibbs, and then shamelessly advertised the Mug article that I had written about her last semester (which you can find here!).

Finally, at the end of our interview, I said, “Can you describe Baylor to me in three words?”

Elisabeth admitted that she didn’t have any notes for that particular question, so she had to think about it for a bit.

“‘Draining my finances,’” she said with so much accuracy that it hurt, “but I don’t think that’s what you’re really going for.”

(“You’re not writing that down, are you?” she asked. “Everything gets written down,” I said ominously.)

After some more thought, she finally told me that she did not think that she could condense her entire Baylor experience down into just three words. “It’s too much for that,” she said. “I’m sorry!”

I assured her that it was fine, and that I had more than enough to write a stellar article. Then I thanked her for her time and set about transcribing our conversation into another literary masterpiece while Elisabeth bought herself a Frappuccino.

Chelsea Teague is a junior majoring in Professional Writing and Rhetoric

Pursuing the Majority

QuickBIC Admin on November 7, 2016

In an election where many people do not support either of the candidates from the two major parties and third party voting is at one of the highest rates in recent history, the question, “what if no one gets the majority?” is not far-fetched. Moreover, this would not be the first time this has happened. In the election of 1824, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William Crawford nor Henry Clay received enough votes to win the majority of the vote. The election went to the House of Representatives who selected John Quincy Adams. Therefore, it is a possibility. Regardless of the likelihood, it is worth exploring what will happen if no candidate wins a majority of the votes.

In order to win the presidential election, a candidate needs to win 50%+1 of the vote, or 270 votes in the electoral college. If none of the candidates receive that magic number then the election goes to the House of Representatives, where they will choose a president out of the three candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each state delegation gets one vote, so representatives from each state must come together and decide which candidate their state will be voting for. To win, a candidate again needs to receive 50%+1 of the vote, or twenty-six votes. Similarly, the Senate will be tasked with choosing a Vice President from the two Vice Presidential candidates that receive the most electoral votes. Each senator can cast one vote for the candidate they think is best suited to be Vice President. The same rule of 50%+1 applies here too, so a candidate needs fifty-one votes to be selected as Vice President. If the House has not elected a president by inauguration day, then the Vice President-elect assumes the office of the president.

Is it likely that this will happen? No, but it is possible (I think we said that about other events in this election that did occur). Currently Evan McMullin, running as an Independent some states and as a write-in candidate in others, is winning the state of Utah. If he wins Utah on Tuesday night it is certainly possible that could be enough to block either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump from getting 270 electoral votes. So, maybe that third party vote was not a waste after all. We will have to wait for Tuesday night to find out.

Brittany Gamlen is a junior majoring in international studies

Jesus Said Love

QuickBIC Admin on November 4, 2016

Outside the boundaries of Baylor’s extravagant and meticulously groomed campus looms the ever-present poverty of Waco. Though college students often make remarks about their lack of money, few find themselves in the predicaments of their fellow Wacoans. People find themselves working jobs they never anticipated; such is the case for many women who find employment at gentleman’s clubs. Uncommon hours and low pay force these women to a lower standard of life than that which is depicted in the glamorized sex industry of the media.

Finding work in the sex industry is usually not one’s first choice. In big cities like Dallas, dancers make good money and better tips. However, in Waco, the entertainers struggle to live off of their paychecks. The sex industry also leads to further problems. Many dancers find themselves struggling with substance abuse, emotional or physical abuse, criminal records, homelessness, prostitution, and rape. Even if these women find the means to leave the sex industry, their employment history can keep them from getting a better job or pursuing further education. Because of this, many women get caught in the cycle of the sex industry. Once they are in, it is exceedingly difficult to escape. Due to these conditions, it is easy for dancers to feel a sense of hopelessness and despair.

However, Waco locals and Baylor graduates Brett and Emily Mills founded an organization called Jesus Said Love thirteen years ago in an effort to empower, equip, and enable these women to find more stable employment. Their mantra is to “share the revolutionary love of Christ with women in the commercial sex industry by awakening hope and empowering change.” While JSL workers do make an effort to share their faith, the organization takes a “no strings attached” approach to their outreach. This means that the volunteers expect nothing in return from the women and seek only to form relationships with them.

Jesus Said Love is an organization with many different facets. Perhaps their most well-known form of outreach is “club ministry,” in which they send teams of volunteers (who have previously undergone extensive training) into clubs with gifts for the dancers. They arrive early so as to speak with the women as they prepare for the night and hand out things like t-shirts or earrings. The purpose of this is to form relationships with the dancers and show them that they are loved. JSL has a good relationship with three of Waco’s seven clubs.

Jesus Said Love’s ministry reaches much further than just ministering to women at the clubs. The organization helps connect dancers with practical resources. Emily Mills has an account at a clothing store to provide interview appropriate attire to women looking to pursue a better job. In a specific case, Jesus Said Love funded a former dancer in her business idea, creating the popular Luna Juice. JSL also connects women with job training, rehab, counseling, and churches.

Currently, JSL is constructing headquarters in downtown Waco. This building will be a safe place for dancers with an exercise area, locker rooms, childcare, and more. Instead of outsourcing for things like job training and counseling, these services will be offered in the JSL headquarters. There will also be a retail store to help fund the ministry. Though it was founded in Waco, Jesus Said Love has branches in cities across Texas. JSL is also very easy to get involved in; students can donate or volunteer and help spread the word about JSL. It is the perfect place for any Baylor students looking to impact lives in the Waco area and witness God’s love at work.

Sources

https://notmytaboo.com/category/sex-industry/

http://jesussaidlove.com/

Nikki Thompson is a sophomore BIC student majoring in English.

Coffee, Cake, and the Oxford Comma

QuickBIC Admin on November 2, 2016

It is 11 A.M., and I am currently sitting in a small coffee shop trying to recover from a lecture on the philosophy of mind with a latte and a slice of chocolate cake. Still warming up from a chilly morning walk, it feels like fall for the first time since starting college. For a New England girl, this weather is perfect.

It’s funny – the accents have begun to fade into the background after a month here in Oxford. The streets are finally making sense, and I look the proper way before crossing them. The country, the culture, and the Oxford university system are so different from the United States – the last is perhaps the most strikingly different. Oxford is based on a tutorial system. I have a primary tutorial once a week and a secondary every other week. A tutorial consists of submitting and discussing an essay I have written with a professor here at the university. Then I go to four different lecture series that are taught by other professors. They assign reading lists for everything, so most of the week is spent reading and trying to set a world speed record in the 1500 word dash while retaining some appearance that I know the material.

There is a lot more freedom with arranging your time since the only homework is due basically once or twice a week. The tutorial system makes for a really intensive 8 weeks studying one topic in detail, which is the inverse approach to the BIC. In spite of this difference, the grounding that the BIC lay in history, politics, and sociology has been incredibly beneficial in understanding political theory – my main area of focus this term.

While official term began this week, the previous month was spent listening to lectures about British culture, going on field trips to important landmarks around England, and writing papers synthesizing what we had learned in British culture lectures with our main areas of study. The lecturers chose to focus on how we remember and misremember narratives throughout history. For a minute, I felt like I was back in Morrison for World Cultures, and loved seeing the intellectual connection of academic thought four thousand miles apart.

Currently, both the United States and England are in the middle of a definitive narrative period of change and uncertainty. The concern here over Brexit is startlingly similar to the anxiety induced by the current election cycle. Oxford, as a city, voted to stay in the European Union, and it is fairly common to hear professors voicing their shock over how the decision went. I get the scarcely comfortable feeling that no one really knows what is going to happen in the next few months either here in the U.K. or home in the U.S. That being said, it is comforting to know that this controversial period is not the end of the story – just the middle. We hope.

The coffee shop, which, incidentally, is in an awesome vault beneath a church, bans laptops from twelve to two so I need to wrap this and myself back up and head out into the autumn air. Even though it seems like the world is in crisis, there are also blue skies and falling leaves and a heck of a lot of beauty in this place, and for that, I am undyingly grateful.

Becca Richards is a junior BIC and University Scholar student with a focus in philosophy.