Having enough time – Cece Sladovnik, Assistant Opinion Editor

Time is one of my greatest nemeses. Between balancing school, work, wellness and a social life, I used to feel like I never had enough time in my days. This semester I started making it a priority to plan out my weeks using my Calendar app, even logging menial things such as studying and working out. Through this practice I have been able to not only delegate my time better but also notice how much time I really have. I realized that I had been wasting so much of my time worrying about not having enough of it, rather than just using it. I discovered many pockets of my day that I could start taking advantage of, like in the morning after I work out and before my 9:30 a.m. classes start, or the period when a class gets canceled. By mapping out my schedule when the week starts to include everything I want to do, I have been able to realize that I actually do have enough time.  

Being a winter-hater – Mia Castro, Opinion Writer

Anyone who knows me knows I don’t like winter. In fact, I might even hate it. As a summer enthusiast, I’ve found that winter represents the complete antithesis of everything I love about the warmth and leisure of summertime. The persistent cold that doesn’t seem to end, the frigid wind blowing my hair into my eyes and onto my lip gloss, the sickness and germs that come with flu season, the slosh that always ruins my shoes, the horrid driving conditions, the hidden patches of black ice that threaten to take me out when walking down the mall, my grumpy demeanor that I can’t seem to shake, the academic rigor that bombards me after winter break. Need I say more? It’s all enough to make me dread this time of year every time it rolls around. 

This winter has been different, though. The other day, while trekking to my ethics night lecture, I began to realize that winter actually has a lot of aspects I really appreciate. The coziness of winter seems to draw people together in ways summer can’t. The holidays bring my family and friends together, when we are normally too busy. Christmas always brings me closer to my faith and culture. New Year’s reminds me to be thankful for what the year has brought me and inspires me to reflect on the areas I can grow in. I can’t forget to mention the beauty and calm that fresh snowfall brings to Omaha. Playing in the snow with my sister and my dog is always so fun. Plus, the Starbucks winter line-ups are always exciting to see. 

On this hike from Graves to Dowling, I realized I haven’t felt so negative this winter. In fact, I’ve felt an overwhelming sense of positivity and gratitude that I usually don’t have this time of year. Even from a summer enthusiast, winter isn’t so bad when you really look at it. 

Being over-disciplined – Ainsley Smith, Opinion Writer

There’s a moment in Alysa Liu’s gold medal-winning free skate that I cannot stop thinking about. It’s in the few seconds before her final sequence, when she smiles, bends down slightly in what looks like a genuine giggle and then continues as if she could do this forever. 

For most figure skaters, this kind of break would signal a mistake or distraction. For Liu, it’s almost impossible to catch — in large part because it’s part of her performance, not an intrusion on it. Joy and enthusiasm have defined Liu’s skating since she came out of retirement in 2024, and you can feel it when she’s on the ice. 

“She’s figured out how to compete without carrying the weight of it,” said one commentator. “That’s the secret every athlete wants to solve.” 

Liu’s return has been highly publicized and scrutinized by traditional figureheads of the sport. Her optimism, carefree attitude and rejection of skating’s strict emphasis on regiment and discipline have made her controversial. But for many people, including myself, Liu’s philosophy is inspiring. 

I’ve tried to beat myself down in hopes of becoming better: more productive, more social, more skilled. But after weeks of 5 a.m. alarms, dieting or hours in the library to no end, I would find myself less motivated than ever. It was impossible for me to be a disciplined person. 

The problem (which I believe Liu has identified) was my application of discipline as performance for others. Life as a monk was never true to myself nor my ambitions. Liu retired because figure skating was something she no longer enjoyed. Now, back and clearly better than ever, her victory emphasizes the value of earning a life you sincerely love. 

Discipline is perseverance through hardship, yes, but that perseverance must exist as a joy and an honor. What reward is there in something you can’t claim as yours? 

Owala water bottles – Juan Garcia Flores, Opinion Writer

As I walked across Creighton’s campus, a familiar metal bang pierced my ears. Either on my way to class or in it, that metal clash with the desks or the floor brought me all the way back to 2018-2019 as the Hydro Flask pandemic spread through our middle school lives. Imagine my shock when its reincarnation started popping up all over campus: the Owala water bottle. I swore to myself I would never fall for this trap of consumerism. I despised how mismatched the colors of the water bottle were, and how they were no different from the millions of other stainless steel thermal water bottles already in the market.  

One day in Target, I came across the water bottle section. I saw a white Owala, and out of curiosity, I checked the price tag. “This thing is thirty dollars. Who would ever pay that much?” I said to myself. After getting all of my groceries, somehow the water bottle found its way into my cart, followed me to the checkout and I purchased it.  

The answer to my question is “I would.” I would pay thirty dollars for that generic thermal water bottle with mismatched colors. It actually keeps my water cold forever, it fits in my backpack without leaking and the built-in straw situation is weirdly perfect for walking to class without doing that awkward head-tilt sip. The handle makes it annoyingly easy to carry, which means I bring it everywhere, and I actually drink more water, which is unfortunately good for me. So yes, I still think thirty dollars is insane. But I also catch myself setting my new water bottle down gently, so it does not get scratched because I like it so much.  

Marching band as a sport – Elizabeth Graveline, Opinion Editor

Last week, I was having a debate with my roommates about bowling, marching band and what qualifies as a sport. I took the position that marching band is definitely not a sport. I was adamant that walking across a football field playing a flute could not be considered a sport. An art for sure, but not a sport. 

I googled the definition of “sport” and found that a sport is “an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment,” according to the Oxford Dictionary. My roommates assured me that marching bands fit these requirements. Their high school classmates in marching band went to competitions and often complained about the physical exertion involved. And most sources on Google define it as a sport too. I did not know that marching bands compete against other groups, similar to cheer competitions, or that it is as competitive, physically demanding and technical as it is. 

I realized that I have no personal experience with marching band, not even any secondhand experience. Marching bands are not commonplace where I grew up. I don’t believe I have ever seen one or known someone who was a part of one. Everything I believed about marching band comes from an uninformed judgement. So, I changed my mind about classifying marching band as a sport, and perhaps more importantly, I changed my mind about forming opinions on topics I know nothing about. 

How to measure growth – Tommy Carraux, Opinion Writer

I recently changed my mind about how I perceive or define growth in my life. In the past, I defined growth as measurable by physical results, like the limits of my body in the gym, how my résumé looks or my grades in school. But after some self-reflection, I realized I can’t truly measure my own growth based on standards I set compared to others. Instead, I changed my mindset about growth into one where I’m comparing myself only to my past self. Not merely by the same physical results, but how I’ve grown as a person in my values, beliefs and progress toward my personal goals. 

Reading ‘spicy’ romance – Ryan Beatty, Opinion Writer

I think most of you would agree with me when I say that Americans, as a whole, are reading fewer books. Our attention spans are shorter, media is presented through flashier, more succinct mediums and books just don’t always make the cut when competing with the pre-bedtime doom scroll. That idea is a sad one to me, and it’s why I’ve recently, albeit somewhat reluctantly, changed my mind surrounding a specific genre of literature. That genre is “spicy romance.”  

I used to be of the firm opinion that “spicy romance” did not count as true reading. I saw it as poorly written, surface-level garbage that often went without even a semi-decent plot. Sometimes that’s true, but I no longer believe it can be written off. My possibly pretentious literary tastes have led me to find favorites in intense novels like “The Brothers Karamazov” or “Les Misérables.” These are books with layers, depth, human complexities and intense philosophies. But I’ll be the first to admit those books took me months to read and they weren’t the easiest to casually pick up for a few pages before bed. Many times, “spicy” romance books are. So, if picking up a copy of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” or “Heated Rivalry” is what it takes to read, to explore expressions of our modern culture and to learn a few new vocabulary words, then I say get to the library! 

Making the bed everyday – Abbie Gallant, Opinion Writer

My 2026 New Year’s resolution this year was more of an experiment: make my bed every day and see what all the talk was about.  

For years, I had a seemingly foolproof philosophy that I would just be getting back into bed later that day, so making my bed every morning was pointless. Did I see a reason to wrestle with my comforter to get my sheets to look a bit less disheveled? Absolutely not. And anyway, I never had time to do it … my schedule was just too busy!  

But when January rolled around this year, I began listening to everyone who swore by the power of a made bed and decided to test it for myself. Now, three months in, I realize all those people might have been onto something. 

Turns out, I do have the 90 seconds it takes to pull my comforter up, fold my throw blanket and set my pillows in place. I may have turned to the “dark side,” but now I can’t start my day without doing it.  

Before, even if the rest of my room was tidy, an unmade bed made everything look unfinished. Now, a tidied bed gives my room a clean feeling that rumpled sheets simply can’t achieve. My space is clean, and my mindset is too. It’s amazing what one simple habit can do for your overall sense of well-being. In a life that often feels busy and unpredictable, at least one thing gets to begin neatly.