It is becoming increasingly common for students and teachers to friend each other on Facebook. And while creating a closer relationship between the student and teacher isn't inherently a bad thing both parties have to be careful not to overstep any boundaries and keep their interactions respectful and appropriate.

If you're looking for love on Valentine's Day, it's probably going to cost you. Feb. 14th is the day that we celebrate love, and it is a good time for businesses to prey on consumers. According to research from www.valentinesday.org, an estimated $14 billion is spent every year in honor of celebrating Valentine's Day.

Having fun Louisiana style with beads, booze and parades is what Mardi Gras is all about, but there are some things that no amount of alcohol can make okay. New Orleans, more specifically Bourbon Street, has branded itself as the place to be and it's likely you or someone you know will be going there to celebrate Fat Tuesday.

As an art major, I have heard many varying opinions on the quality of particular groups of art. One group in particular, modern art, seems to get picked on and criticized the most. I usually find this stems from a lack of true knowledge and understanding on the subject.

With the economy as rough as it is and the cost of education getting higher and higher, it is hard to deny that times are tough for the parent trying to send their child to a private school. That being said, who can fault Governor Bobby Jindal for wanting a better education for the children of Louisiana? Jindal has prepared a massive educational reform in which more public school children of low-income families will be eligible for the voucher scholarship program, a program that helps families send their children to private schools.

The "carnal knowledge of a female forcibly against her will" has been the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) definition of rape for over 80 years.  On Jan. 6, 2012, an FBI advisory board voted to expand the longstanding definition. Though the decision is the correct one, this definition has been overlooked for far too long and it shows a lack of common sense in our society.

At the beginning of every semester, there is always a certain sense of dread about the first day of classes. For whatever reason, people are nervous because their teachers may be the complete opposite of what they had prepared themselves for. For me, this is an experience I am all too familiar with.

Martin Luther King Day just passed and it was a good time to reflect on how many Americans have moved forward and gotten past racial issues. However, as I was looking on Facebook, I saw a status saying "Happy Robert E. Lee Day." Then, I watch the news and hear of an interracial couple being denied the right to marry.

Everyone claims to be a photographer these days.  Chances are, if you threw a rock on any street corner you'd hit one of them.  Then, if you asked him or her to explain aperture, shutter speed, the rule of thirds or, God forbid, how to open a legitimate business in Louisiana, they'd look at you like you were the crazy one.

It's easy to say that you want to do something, but it's another thing to get up, go out and do it. So many people make New Year's resolutions at the start of the year to change something about themselves. It is the simplest resolutions that can be the hardest ones to keep.

School is difficult. That is a reality that students have to deal with every day while attending college. Students are required to attend classes daily and complete homework nightly while working a job and maintaining some semblance of a social life.

The year 2011 and all of its bloody glory has gone, leaving a feeling of uneasiness about the coming days of 2012. Many important things, some more subtle than others, have left their mark on the lives of Americans. Osama bin-Laden, the "bad guy" of the generation was killed, creating mixed emotions among Americans and other citizens of the world.

Long range sniper rifles, infrared night vision scopes, unmanned aerial drones, extra ammunition, elven light armor, glass bows, dragons, cat-people and a case of Red Bull. This may sound like the makings for a story of someone about to go on patrol with someone loaded on LSD with a case of Red Bull for some reason, but this is just my nightly escape from the impending madness that is finals week.

Heavy helpings of plot twists, sex, intrigue and violence are what make an interesting movie, and the same seems to go for presidential elections. There are now 24 candidates for the 2012-2016 presidential term and the debates, scandals, infighting and conspiracies are starting to heat up.

Let's flash back to May 4, 1970. Four students, ranging from 19 to 21 years of age, at Kent State University lie dead after being gunned down by the National Guard during a protest. The goal of the protest? Well, originally it was to protest the invasion of Cambodia during the Vietnam War, but anger steered towards the National Guard forcing itself upon the campus.

In college, there are various ways that students can become well-rounded and acquire new skills outside of the classroom to help prepare for a job after graduation. Student organizations give students a chance to attend meetings and work with other members in planning and executing events and conducting fundraisers.

Homecoming means many things to many people, both here on campus and out in the community. However, I see it as a time to take a step back and reflect on my semester so far. Lately, I've been having doubts about a lot of things in life, mainly finishing college.