As the summer fast approaches, I have been continually looking forward to summer reading. Last summer, I think I only read two books excluding the required summer reading for English. So this year, I really want to spend more time immersing myself in fine literature.

Remember the earthquake that was felt across Central Illinois a few weeks ago? Even though some people slept through it, there were many people who found the slight shaking of the earth to be a source of entertainment. However, Monday served as a reminder of natural disasters and their ability to kill countless people.

We have all heard the stereotypes surrounding the responsible older sibling and the somewhat less responsible younger sibling. According to a recent study done at Johns Hopkins University, these stereotypes may very well be true.

Since the latest installment in the “Grand Theft Auto” series, “Grand Theft Auto IV,” was released on Tuesday, it has gotten

Violence is portrayed everywhere in the media. From movies to music, there is not a single medium free from it. And we as a society enjoy this.

You cannot walk into a movie theater without seeing an advertisement for a movie involving some form of violence. Why is that? Why has this become such a big part of entertainment?

Boys are different from girls. I know, shocking, isn’t it?

While the truth of this statement may seem blatantly obvious when first considered, there are many people in this world who would argue that women are inherently similar if not superior to men in an array of fields such as sports, science, and chess.

Yet we still think of these areas as typically male dominated.

Last Saturday had started like the many other days of spring break. I woke up around 11 a.m. and planned to relax the day away. Around 6 o’clock in the evening, everything was continuing like normal. I was surfing the Web and my 8-year-old brother was watching TV when all of a sudden the house went dark.

One of the best parts of competing is the prizes. Everyone loves to win, and the feeling of victory is immortalized when a giant trophy is placed in your hands along with a large monetary sum. But for those who don’t win, a feeling of bitterness and defeat lingers long after they go home.

Competition shouldn’t be a strange concept to anybody who goes to Uni. As students, we engage in competition almost year round, whether it is athletic, intellectual, or even musical.

With the IHSA state chess meet taking place last Friday and Saturday, the few of you who were interested and followed the chess team’s progress may have felt moments of excitement and disappointment like I did, but how many of you actually know what the world of competitive chess is

In today’s technologically advanced society, so many things have gone digital. From communication to entertainment, it’s hard to find an area that has remained untouched by technological innovation.

Ignorance is bliss? Not if it makes you look like an idiot, and that’s exactly how author Cooper Lawrence seemed in the eyes of video gamers everywhere following an appearance on a Fox News program.

Video games have impacted the lives of many children and adults throughout the world. I myself play them on a regular basis and can vouch for their great entertainment value. One can easily be entertained for hours on end with video games, but how many hours are enough?

The day of winter break, after the bell gave its final toll, students rushed out of school to return home, looking forward to an entire two weeks away from school. During these two weeks, many students, including myself, have stayed up late and slept in late.

With Christmas quickly approaching, I am happy to once again feel the holiday cheer. But one area where the holiday spirit is startlingly absent is my home.