Most American high schools students, and all Uni students, use the Internet to communicate with others. Whether it be e-mail, IM, MySpace, or Facebook, communication through the Internet is completely familiar for us.

But indirect communication doesn’t stop at the computer, for there are all sorts of cell phone phenomena that allow us to talk with each other without speaking out loud.

Finally, after weeks and weeks of early morning practices at the U of I Armory, it's outdoor track season!

Outdoor season is the biggest reason I love track.

The track team I am on, the girls sprinting team, is most likely the "teamliest" one I'm on of the three sports I play each year.

These days, it seems like the price of almost everything is pretty darn high. Gas, food, bills … you name it. So is it any suprise that people are trying to cut corners and discounts out of the newspaper?

And if that doesn't work, then what? Spend the rest of your life paying off interest-only loans? Sell your soul to the big corporations? Modern-day slavery, but I won't go into that now.

Every generation has its own music, right? Or at least that's what all kids claim — heaven forbid they are interested in something their parents liked. So each generation follows as a unit. Each generation can tell different "When I was your age, Skipper …" stories to their grandchildren.

To most people in the world, the Olympics are the premier sporting event. They give every nation an equal chance to win a medal and glory for their country. However, in recent years the once-pristine image of the Olympics has begun to fade.

Controversy has now become a common item at Olympic games. Topics range from steriods in champions to pollution in host cities.

What could possibly motivate anyone to starve themselves almost to death, exercise to the point of exhaustion, and spend hours in front of the mirror? Beauty, and the impact it can have on your social “acceptability.” Unfortunately, peer pressure makes this the ultimate dream of many girls.

I hate fat people.

OK, so I actually don't hate fat people.

But apparently three legislators do. Last month, House Bill No. 282 was introduced in Mississippi. The bill forbids food establishments to serve obese people in the state, punishing those who do with a revoked license.

It’s nearing April 1, and a strange, anxious anticipation is in the air. Seniors are sprinting at the sound of the mail truck and constantly checking their e-mail. The reason for this erratic behavior?

College admission decisions have arrived.

Almost six months ago, seniors across the nation switched their focus from their studies and social scenes to self-promotion.

I've always heard that makeup is made from some pretty nasty things. I even heard last week while watching TV that placenta is used in many shampoos. Someone I was watching the show with even confirmed this fact after relating the results of a thorough investigation of the shampoo aisle at Walgreens.

Many Uni students (like students everywhere else) participate in a wide variety of activities. As a result, we all know people who are incredibly talented in certain academic subjects, sports, music, or art.

Reality shows are pretty much the most-watched shows today. It is one of the few ways that we can see “normal” people doing outrageous things and make fun of or support them without any fear of backlash. It is drama that you see played out every week, try to predict, and can supposedly at least partially control.

In kindergarten, children often say things like “I’ll be your best friend forever if you give me your orange Popsicle for my purple one!” or “Hi, my name is Carrie. Let’s be best friends!”

However, as we grow older, we no longer use the term “best friend” so lightly.

We've now entered the last quarter of the 2007-08 school year, and you can't help but hear all the seniors expressing their enthusiasm in nearly being done with high school.

I, on the other hand, have five more quarters to complete until the end of my high school career. Nonetheless, I'm extremely excited for what's to come.

Over spring break, I visited a friend in Pennsylvania. It was my first time flying alone, so I was a little nervous. However, it turned out to be pretty fun.