Since 1949, the month of May has marked Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, instead of advocating for better mental health initiatives and care, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, is recklessly encouraging polarizing and damaging perspectives of life-saving resources.  During a mental health summit conducted by the Make America Healthy Again...

Editor’s note: This article contains mentions of sexual violence, domestic abuse, brutality and murder. App State Wellness and Prevention Services provides free mental health resources for students and can be reached at 828 262-3148. OASIS provides services and support to victims of domestic and sexual violence and can be reached at 828 262-5035. “Thelma & Louise” was released in theaters...

I remember walking into room 217 with my roommate for my first Graphics Desk meeting in 2022 as a timid sophomore. I sat in the back right corner with the other graphic artists. I looked around at the group, taking in the people I observed: the tall girl from my sculpture class, a boy I recognized from around Wey Hall, a boy I was going through the graphic design program with, and finally, my new graphics...

Like everyone else, I’ve always hated the feeling of regret. So when a close friend encouraged me to join the The Appalachian student-run newspaper, I figured, why not give it a try? At the start of my junior year, I pitched a story at my first Arts & Culture desk meeting. Quickly, I realized student-journalism was a place I could — without fear of judgement — talk about the one thing...

When I first arrived at my first full staff meeting for The Appalachian, I felt very out of place. It was in this tiny room in the student union (we have since upgraded), and the Editorial Board at the time started the meeting by running down each desk and what they did. My first News Desk meeting ran until 9:30 p.m. I remember walking home more excited than I had been since coming to App State.  I...

The funny thing about college is that most of the time, you don’t know what you want to do with your life when you enroll. I certainly didn’t imagine pursuing a career in journalism when I walked into room 217 of the Plemmons Student Union four years ago. And yet, here I am.  During my time here, I’ve learned a lot about journalism. I soon discovered the beauty of sitting down with a person...

When it comes to elections, Watauga County has room to grow. And App State students have a role to play.  As App State students begin thinking about finals, North Carolina counties like Watauga begin planning fall elections. But unlike most exams, helping Watauga County get ready to vote is easier than you think. It just requires a quick look back to the last midterm election in 2022. At...

Editor’s Note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is in need of assistance, call Wellness and Prevention Services at 828-262-3148 or the OASIS hotline at 828-262-5035.  Most sexual assaults on college campuses occur within the period between the beginning of classes in September and the end of Thanksgiving break in November. Colloquially, researchers...