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The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: The illusion and hidden possibility of a 5-year plan

In all my planning, I never imagined turning a tassel from the right to the left would be accompanied by copious amounts of pressure and doubt. In one simple movement, I was supposed to go from a student just trying to finish assignments and ace exams to a businesswoman with a liveable salary.Thanks to my five-year plan, the transition from college to the real world seemed well-mapped. But what happens when that plan starts to fall behind schedule and taunts you with uncertainty?
As stud...
The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: I can't help but wonder where the cover letter ends and where life begins

As I sit here, fingers sore from typing one too many cover letters sent into what one can only assume is an endless void, I can't help but wonder: Is finding a job in print media a quick 5K or a never-ending marathon?
Now, let me be clear — I never expected finding a job to be a walk in the park, nor did I anticipate landing my dream job immediately. But isn't there a tiny bit of hope mixed with a dash of “I'm special” in all of us?That sense of being unique, likely fostered by Carrie Br...
The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: We will not wait for the next school shooting

Editor's Note: The following is written by students and endorsed by more than 110 student leaders and is set to grace the pages of over 50 student newspapers simultaneously. Its reach extends across the nation, encompassing both public and private universities.This op-ed serves a vital purpose — to draw attention to the pressing issue of gun violence. It stands as a powerful demonstration of the collective concern shared by students across college campuses.Students are taught to love a country t...
The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: Time stopped for no one in 2023

And just like that, the 2023 season is coming to an end. The 12 chapters of existence that sculpt a year have unfolded and dissipated, leaving only the lingering echoes of memories in their wake. The ebb and flow of those swiftly fast yet painstakingly slow months always leaves me in a time paradox.In January, I was begging for time to speed up, hoping to escape my childhood bedroom and step back into adulthood. Yet, in March, I was begging for time to still, begging for time to slow down and ma...
The Daily Beacon •

Satire: You think housing is expensive? Not with my dad’s credit card!

The following content is satirical and fictional. Any resemblance to a student, staff or faculty member is coincidental.Picture this: I'm strolling through campus, my Chanel shades shielding my eyes from the Tennessee sun, when I see a stack of newspapers featuring a headline that ends in “housing crisis.” A couple of days before, I overheard some students griping about the cost of rent. They're all like, "It's just so expensive to live here!" while I'm just standing there, trying not to laugh....
The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: It’s pomping time in Tennessee

Homecoming is a special time when alumni return to their alma mater, and current students revel in the spirit of Rocky Top. It's an occasion for Volunteers from all corners of the world to journey back to their beloved Rocky Top and celebrate the rich history, cherished traditions and unwavering passion for UT.However, waving an orange and white pom-pom while cheering on the Vols can be quite a challenge when your fingers are aching from pomping one too many pomps.The Greek community takes Homec...
The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: Reflections of a 2024 senior

As another summer sets below the horizon and the Volunteer spirit infiltrates the air on Rocky Top, I find myself on the brink of a chapter that feels both exhilarating and surreal.I am eager to open the book and read this last chapter, but I know that once I open the book, the final chapter will inevitably end. So, in the meantime, I might as well go back and reread some old chapters.
It is hard to fathom how quickly time has flown by while looking back on the past two years — two years...
The Daily Beacon •

Opinion: Constructing the future

When deciding where to spend the next four years of my life after high school, my guidance counselor told me to take note of construction during college campus tours. As someone who values aesthetics, I thought this was an absurd thought.
Why would I want to attend a university constantly under construction with chaos and confusion in the air?As a rising senior in college, I look back on that initial skepticism with a mix of amusement and appreciation. The advice that once seemed bewilde...

Articles

Skillsets Online/Concise 5 •

Remembering How to Wonder: A Guide to Reclaiming Creativity

I remember being ten years old, lying in the grass, convinced that if I concentrated hard enough, I could hear the Earth spinning. I would spend hours staring at the sky, trying to imagine the vastness of space, the absolute absurdity of existence. I would write poems about things that didn’t make sense—what it must be like to be a cloud, whether or not trees have secrets, and why the number seven feels lucky.
Skillsets Online/Concise 5 •

The Joy of Learning Something New

A few months ago, in a fit of what I can only describe as a Pinterest-fueled delusion, I decided to learn how to crochet. I pictured something out of a Nancy Meyers movie—me, in an oversized sweater, effortlessly looping yarn into a perfect scarf, possibly sipping tea, becoming a more serene and capable version of myself. What actually happened was several nights of swearing at a tangled mess, producing something that looked less like a scarf and more like a textile-based cry for help.
starrdesign •

The Buttered Biscuit

When Anna and Sam Russell, founders of The Buttered Biscuit, set their sights on expanding beyond Northwest Arkansas, they knew they needed more than just additional locations—they needed a strategic transformation. Their vision was clear: refine the brand to its essence, create a seamless guest experience, and optimize back-of-house operations for efficiency and growth. To bring this vision to life, they partnered with us.
We initiated the project with an in-depth customer segmentation study, a...

Editorial

SCOOP Magazine •

It Comes in Waves

The ocean’s waves are performative to the human eye. They dance rhythmically across the surface of the water with grace and fluid force—ever in motion and always changing. I have watched wave after wave, mesmerized by their serene beauty but aware that soon there will be a crash.

Yet there is danger in the ocean, which with its impulsive behavior can change on the flip of a coin. This powerful force of nature has a will and personality of its own. The waters can be calm and serene—or wild and turbulent.
SCOOP Magazine •

SCOOP Magazine

Life strikes down bolts of chaos and pours the unknown. Life breaks our emotional dam and floods normality with change. Life tornadoes through our childhood and spits us out into adolescence. Yet we survive. We keep growing—no matter how painful the process.

When tasked with producing a magazine, we set out to conjure an all-encompassing topic that would define SCOOP 2023. After multiple discussions, we found that every idea we discussed could be captured by this year’s theme: “Growing Pains.”