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Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

Chico State's independent student newspaper

The Orion

All content by Zachary Phillips
Kirk Coon, supervising ranger, smiles in anticipation before opening the long-lost time capsule left behind at the Bidwell Mansion. Photo credit: Veronica Hodur

Lost, found: Bidwell mystery box opened

Zachary Phillips
December 1, 2014
Community members flocked en masse to Bidwell Mansion on Saturday to witness the opening of an 89-year-old time capsule.
Illustration by Madison Holmes

‘In the closet’: A fate worse than death

Zachary Phillips
October 11, 2014
In honor of Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day.
Zachary Phillips Photo credit: Annie Paige

Dating woes of a homosexual

Zachary Phillips
September 17, 2014
The gay dating scene in Chico is disappointing, although never dull.

Providing pertinent professor feedback

Zachary Phillips
May 13, 2014
Unless the reader is unclear as to how education has functioned during the past 15 years of their life, comments like "Just do all of the assignments and pass the tests and you'll be fine" really don't help much.

Trading in kids for canines

Zachary Phillips
May 4, 2014
This baby-hating columnist is relishing the rising trend of choosing pets over parenthood.

Best tunes for torture

Zachary Phillips
May 1, 2014
These three songs would greatly aid the CIA in their interrogation efforts.

Powdered alcohol presents plenty of hazards

Zachary Phillips
April 29, 2014
When it comes to alcohol, don't fix what isn't broken.

Justifying online piracy

Zachary Phillips
April 24, 2014
Pre-download lies that make everything seem just fine.

Draw Your Professor is fun and flattering

Zachary Phillips
April 17, 2014
A new website allows students to capture their professors' good sides.

Vaccines are friends, not foes.

Zachary Phillips
April 16, 2014
America's anti-vaccine movement is based on folly.

Warrior-princesses aren’t just for girls

Zachary Phillips
April 10, 2014
Boys and girls can both look up to strong female leads for inspiration.

Religiosity strangles generosity

Zachary Phillips
April 8, 2014
The effects of a generation whose prejudice is disguised as faith.
Photograph by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia

Study Break: “Game of Thrones” season four premiere does not disappoint.

Zachary Phillips
April 8, 2014
Season four kicked off on Sunday night with enough drama, drinking and dragons to satisfy any fan.

Binge-watching TV is for smart people

Zachary Phillips
April 3, 2014
Active television enthusiasts deserve more credit for their work.
Zachary Phillips

Opposing inequality of objectification

Zachary Phillips
March 30, 2014
For whatever reason, the role of "sexy beach burger model" seems to be explicitly female.

When good nicknames go bad

Zachary Phillips
March 28, 2014
How to shake off an unflattering nickname.
Zachary Phillips

Reaping rewards of rallying roommates

Zachary Phillips
March 23, 2014
Having a full house during college is economical and entertaining.
Zachary Phillips

Contemplating definitions of coexistence

Zachary Phillips
March 15, 2014
Coexistence is more than a shiny sticker on an asshole's back bumper.

Tired of ‘stranger danger’ mentality

Zachary Phillips
March 12, 2014
My summer in India was a lesson on the kindness of strangers.

Government surveillance stranger than fiction.

Zachary Phillips
March 5, 2014
Recent news about webcam surveillance sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel.
Zachary Phillips

Six reasons for a six-state split

Zachary Phillips
March 1, 2014
Splitting California into six states could actually be a great idea.

Fighting temptation to speed towards success.

Zachary Phillips
February 27, 2014
Taking the time to explore interests in the working world makes for a better career.

Navigating the circus of cross-cultural conversation

Zachary Phillips
February 24, 2014
Be open-minded — don't let fear control conversations about diversity.
Zachary Phillips

Questioning common collegiate dreams

Zachary Phillips
February 20, 2014
How to interpret stress-induced dreams.

English’s strangest speech trends

Zachary Phillips
February 19, 2014
A brief overview of spoken English's recently developed quirks.

Focusing on personal growth in college

Zachary Phillips
February 17, 2014
In a system of education that teaches us that textbooks have all the answers, how does one develop their own identity?

A guy’s guide to experiencing “The Vagina Monologues.”

Zachary Phillips
February 13, 2014
Healthy tips and reminders for men who planning on braving the monologues.
Zachary Phillips

Combatting rape culture on campus

Zachary Phillips
February 11, 2014
Chico State needs to change the way it prevents sexual assault.

Chico dehumanizes homeless population

Zachary Phillips
February 4, 2014
The respect and compassion a fellow human deserves has become a storm of politics and debate in downtown Chico.

Slower speech for the sake of smart.

Zachary Phillips
January 30, 2014
Taking the time to formulate your thoughts and ideas will make you sound like a true intellect.
Zachary Phillips

A user-friendly guide to the WREC

Zachary Phillips
January 29, 2014
WREC workout tips for those who haven't quite reached the peak of athleticism.

A conversation about conservation

Zachary Phillips
January 23, 2014
Simple tips in preparation for this crazy drought.
Photo credit: Frances Mansour

Finding a major that suits your personality

Zachary Phillips
January 19, 2014
For those who are tired of "soul-searching" in general education classes, here's a cheat-sheet for finding a major that fits you.