Teenage angst perseveres
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor I’m just another person out of the thousands of people who are closing out another chapter in their life. If I wrote a memoir about my experiences as an undergraduate, I think the title to this chapter would be “Teenage angst perseveres.” I’m a shell of the person I used to […]
OPINION: Stop paying lip service to inclusivity
This story is part of The Commonwealth Times’ special coverage in honor of its 50th anniversary. Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor As we reflect on the past 50 years as a student newspaper, I want to reflect on and critique the lack of inclusivity at this newspaper that holds a weird place in my heart. This newspaper […]
I am a journalist with an agenda
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor I was never supposed to be a reporter or a writer. I should be wearing a Dairy Queen uniform right now, secretly making blizzards for myself to take home and serving ice cream to people for eight hours every day. That was my dream career as a first grader. I held onto […]
You are not defined by your time in university
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor I’ll cut to the chase. In exactly 38 days, I walk across a stage in a room full of strangers and loved ones to receive my diploma. My career as an undergraduate will be over, and I’ll be thrust into the ether of chaos that comes with being 22 and having no […]
Horror hasn’t always loved black people but that’s changing
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor Preface: Fun drinking game for you legal kids — take a shot every time I say the word “horror” or “black!” Horror hasn’t always been the genre where black people are the prime stars and are shown love. As a horror movie fan myself, specifically of classic slasher films, my favorite movies […]
Freedom of speech isn’t an excuse to preach intolerance
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor “FAGS DOOM NATION” “GOD HATES PROUD SINNERS” “GOD MADE YOU MALE OR FEMALE. BE CONTENT AND OBEY HIM” This is the rhetoric us LGBTQ+ students were met with Monday morning. The infamous Westboro Baptist Church graced VCU’s campus with its lovely presence and even lovelier signs. Its members wanted to reach a […]
OPINION: 400 years ago they came in chains
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor This month marks 400 years since the first slaves were brought to North America. Kidnapped from their homes, forced onto boats, their destiny unknown — the arrival of these slaves to Virginia in 1619 left an imprint on our society forever. Some historians identify this as the beginning of slavery in […]
OPINION: Honest to God, knock me out, Ariana Grande isn’t a bisexual icon
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor Ariana Grande’s new music video for her song, “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored” is resurfacing discussions about queer-baiting in pop culture. Queer-baiting is a term used to describe queer representation being used in media to draw in an LGBTQ+ audience without fully committing to depicting romantic relationships between queer characters. […]
The accepted social norm of ‘ghosting’ doesn’t make it okay
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor “Hey!” *silence* “Want to grab a bite at Elephant Thai?” *silence* “Are you free tonight?” *silence* “Read 2 p.m.” *silence* Oof. We have all been on the receiving or giving end of these messages. It isn’t a new phenomenon, but the advancement of technology, the creation of smartphones and social media have […]
Queer black people are an integral part of black history
Brianna Scott, Opinions Editor I am black and I am queer. Those two identities are together, not separate. My queerness does not come second to my blackness. I felt for a long time that I had to put my blackness first and first only, that anything else fell second and wasn’t as important. When we talk […]