Tag Archives: off the beat

Columns

Off the beat: Distance makes the heart grow fonder

I started college in the bliss of a new love. I was certain that I would be able to handle the stress of a long-distance relationship that was six months fresh, and I soon met many others who were just as hopeful as I was. But, as the year progressed, the number of friends I had who were in long-distance relationships plummeted. I began to worry about my relationship, and whether it could survive the strain of being cities away. It seemed to me then, that Austin and I were fighting insurmountable odds and that it was only a matter of time until it all fell apart.
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Columns

Off the beat: A sense of an ending

Like any stubborn and angst-ridden young adult, I’ve always held a soft spot in my heart for The Catcher in the Rye. Well, the soft spot is for Holden Caulfield. To put it bluntly, Holden is my soulmate. He is a sad and selfish first world problem. Whenever I feel
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Columns

Off the beat: On C.R.E.A.M., community

That old saying “Food brings people together” rings as true as ever, but the inverse is also true: that people come together over food. Everyone needs to eat, and while some prefer to enjoy their meals alone, many would rather spend them fostering friendships and establishing that sense of community that is such an integral part of any college experience.
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Columns

Off the beat: I want you to know

I write because I want you to know exactly how it feels to sleep on a borrowed pillow on the floor of an empty apartment with new brown carpet. I want you to know it precisely.
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Columns

Off the Beat: Nostalgia and nose piercings

Body art and multiple piercings can carry deeply personal or spiritual implications. They can be done in honor of a loved one or commemorate a moment that is special enough to be carried forever. Then there are other motivations. On the last day of class my freshman year, I dragged
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Columns

Off the Beat: Life is more than just one word

I have always dreaded the question; I think that starting right after the first time we’re asked, we all do. We’ve fielded the question many, many times, and I imagine it’s something I’ll be answering from time to time for the rest of my life. “What are you studying?” acquaintances
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Columns

Off the Beat: Drinking liquid genius

“Coffeecoffeecoffee!” This, dear readers, is one of the greatest lines ever spoken by Lorelai Gilmore, the fast-talking matriarch of the Gilmore Girls, as she walked up to the counter of the local cafe. It is also one of the three phrases that my old roommate and I would use to
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Columns

Off the Beat: Hey there, Sproulers

One of the things that Cal is known for is its vibrant student community and the school spirit that its students have. The number of students tabling and handing out fliers every morning on Sproul speaks for itself, not to mention the protests that break out every now and then.
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Columns

Living a life worth writing down

Off the Beat

Last Friday was my sister’s birthday. Aside from being my best friend in the entire universe and the freshman I mooch a Cafe 3 brunch off of once a week, Sarah is a remarkable young woman. She’s a thousand different emotions at once, but she still manages to be the
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