The Orion

In support of a secular Christmas

Matt Murphy
December 18, 2014

Christmas may have begun as a religious holiday, but it is no more.

Chlamydia test rise warrants awareness

Matt Murphy
December 4, 2014

Chico State's lack of sex education requirement will catch up to it.

Consumerism corrupts holidays

Matt Murphy
November 25, 2014

Black Friday is no longer the sidekick to Turkey Day.

President Paul Zingg’s raise is a nonissue

Matt Murphy
November 18, 2014

I'm all for criticizing President Paul Zingg, but not for a 3 percent salary boost.

Sports fandom brings endless thrill

Matt Murphy
November 11, 2014

As a sports fan, fleeting moments of joy will always outweigh the suffering.

Safety walk is just public relations parade

Matt Murphy
November 1, 2014

The Moonlight Safety Walk does more for the university's image than it does for safety on campus.

Picture controversy is full of hypocrisy

Matt Murphy
October 28, 2014

For every critical comment The Orion received for running the graphic photo, they received another asking for it to be posted again.

Professionalism comes at a steep price

Matt Murphy
October 24, 2014

When did becoming an adult become changing your identity?

Teacher protest has deep roots of unrest

Matt Murphy
October 20, 2014

When the CSU system runs like a sweatshop, students and faculty get exploited.

Commitment scares me to death

Matt Murphy
October 20, 2014

Getting married young used to be common, but it's not my cup of tea.

Men shouldn’t suffer over sins of forefathers

Matt Murphy
October 14, 2014

Constantly apologizing for past men's transgressions gets tiresome.

Money management gets easier with age

Matt Murphy
October 8, 2014

So, I can't blow my bank account on pizza?

In defense of WREC ‘man cave’

Matt Murphy
October 7, 2014

Avoid the first floor of the WREC if you want, but it's as common as any other weight room.

NFL malcontents are nothing new

Matt Murphy
September 30, 2014

The league's misconduct isn't getting worse, America is just more aware.

Victim statements compromise courtrooms

Matt Murphy
September 23, 2014

There's a time to be emotional. The courtroom isn't one of them.

Turning 21 years old isn’t that important

Matt Murphy
September 18, 2014

Although buying alcohol is nice, the 18th birthday is a much bigger deal.

People place too much value in possessions

Matt Murphy
September 16, 2014

Buying the latest stuff feels great, but ultimately leaves me feeling empty.

Coping with adulthood is difficult

Matt Murphy
September 11, 2014

Life is just chores, and I've never been good at those.

Too much tech complicates classrooms

Matt Murphy
September 9, 2014

More isn't always better when it comes to technology in education.

Fear of missing out plagues students

Matt Murphy
September 3, 2014

The social media-induced phenomenon has crossed a dangerous line by affecting people's emotional states.

No shame in extra semesters

Matt Murphy
August 24, 2014

People should be less judgmental of those who need more time to graduate.

The price of cool in social media

Matt Murphy
May 12, 2014

Social media may be popular but its value isn't rooted in profits.

Pro teams provide a welcome distraction

Matt Murphy
May 5, 2014

The playoffs are the time of year we all live vicariously through our teams.

Old mindsets haunt modern progress

Matt Murphy
May 5, 2014

No matter how accepting this generation is, past generations are still discriminating.

Divestment vote might be meaningless

Matt Murphy
April 28, 2014

The victory of the vote to divest funds from fossil fuel companies may not produce desirable results, if any.

Sports stars get off easy

Matt Murphy
April 22, 2014

Society gives passes based on popularity and visibility.

Social media forgets tragedies too fast

Matt Murphy
April 22, 2014

The Orland bus crash quickly dominated social media before disappearing completely.

Everyday choices enable excess

Matt Murphy
April 18, 2014

The word 'or' is no longer a part of our vocabulary.

Flight 370 instills fear

Matt Murphy
April 14, 2014

This writer will be finding other modes of transportation.

Losing TV show friends

Matt Murphy
April 7, 2014

When a long-running TV show ends, it feels like you've lost friends.

Changing weather means changing clothes

Matt Murphy
April 4, 2014

Warm weather means shedding layers. Just do it tastefully.

Pathways put student priorities in peril

Matt Murphy
March 30, 2014

These past two years with the upper-division pathways should be considered a trial period that hasn't worked.

Why men hate ‘The Bachelor’

Matt Murphy
March 26, 2014

Reasons why "The Bachelor" is becoming a growing nuisance.

Financial aid leaves middle-class students behind

Matt Murphy
March 12, 2014

The middle class is left with rising tuition costs, without grants to pay for them.

Breaking the mid-semester slump

Matt Murphy
March 9, 2014

The weeks before spring break are just asking for students to slip up.

Genetically modified food damages diet

Matt Murphy
March 3, 2014

The risks posed by genetically modified organisms make organic food more appealing.

Complaints about short winter break are easily solvable

Matt Murphy
March 2, 2014

Moving all colleges to the same schedule would solve complaints about too short a break for intersession classes.

Getting money’s worth at grocery store

Matt Murphy
February 24, 2014

Everyone in college is cash strapped, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your health.

There is more to hipsters than haircuts

Matt Murphy
February 20, 2014

It's time to stop generalizing about who fits the hipster mold.

Chico’s reputation as a violent campus

Matt Murphy
February 16, 2014

Chico is quickly gaining a reputation as a violent place, but is it worse than any other school?

Smartphone users represent new face of addiction

Matt Murphy
February 13, 2014

Based on definition alone, we are all addicted to our smartphones.

Social media has changed the way we meet people

Matt Murphy
February 10, 2014

Instead of meeting people and then getting to know them, Facebook has made it so we do the opposite

Climbing costs keep students from exploring courses

Matt Murphy
February 9, 2014

Rising tuition rushes students to graduate without experimenting outside of their major.

Autocorrect saves time, causes problems

Matt Murphy
February 2, 2014

Autocorrect makes our lives easier, but is doing things the quicker way better?

How to enjoy the Superbowl without your team

Matt Murphy
February 1, 2014

A short guide to enjoying the Superbowl if your favorite team isn't playing.

Here’s to 70 degrees in January

Matt Murphy
January 27, 2014

It's unseasonably warm outside. No complaints here, but there are pros and cons to every situation.

School spirit cures sports team envy

Matt Murphy
January 26, 2014

Chico State does not have a football team, which causes many students to be jealous of other schools.

Correlating Chico’s cold front to better grades

Matt Murphy
January 24, 2014

As the new semester kicks off, take advantages of the differences between the starts of fall and spring.