Digital Commons Network^™

Self Healing Begins With Loyalty To You, Matthew Scott

UCF Forum

As we near the end of 2021, we close the chapter to another year of struggle, challenges and disappointments. We also close the chapter on new achievements, cleared goals and celebrated hurdles. Soon, we will have another new year to consider resolutions, analyze past mistakes and raise the bar for personal objectives.

Going Fast And Taking It Slow, Seetha Raghavan

UCF Forum

Our quest for high speed travel, the kind that will one day have us zipping across continents in just a few hours, began almost immediately after the first powered flight, a little over a century ago. It started with better engines, accompanied by sleek and strong airframes, as designs eventually evolved to achieve a breakthrough in faster-than-sound or supersonic flight just over four decades later.

How I Say It With A Button, Richelle Joe

UCF Forum

I have worked in education for quite some time, and I am dedicated to using just about anything as an instructional tool. Current events, multimedia clips, song lyrics, memes — these are all ancillary materials that I will use to engage students and make content interesting and relevant. And I love a good object lesson; I once used a Slinky to explain hair textures to high school students in a multicultural class.

Baseball’S Name Changes Should Stop With The Cleveland Guardians, David Head

UCF Forum

With the baseball season winding down, the Cleveland Indians’ days are numbered—as the Indians, anyway. Starting next season, the ballclub will be known as the Cleveland Guardians, a reference to a set of nearly century-old iconic Guardians of Traffic statues along a bridge near the stadium that symbolize progress and transportation.

Is Anyone Else Living In A Children’S Book, Or Is It Just Me?, Bree Watson

UCF Forum

I was stuck.

Stuck at home with kids in quarantine and stuck on what to write for this column.

One Of Those Nights You Will Remember, Marc Daniels

UCF Forum

There’s no doubt Sept. 2, 2021, has become part of UCF’s history. It wasn’t just about the football team’s 21-point comeback to beat Boise State because it was so much more than a football game.

The Lesson I Didn’T Expect To Learn During The Pandemic, Ashley Turner

UCF Forum

I have always been someone that takes pride in how I look. Each morning before work, I make time to carefully do my hair, apply a little bit of makeup, and select an outfit that makes me feel amazing.

Our Parents Are Cooler Than Us, Narvin Chhay

UCF Forum

The other day I was out shopping, and I saw a family walking together, and for some odd reason I couldn’t help but notice how cool the father of the family looked. Sporting a pair of above-the-knee jean shorts, a retro looking T-shirt, and the signature white pair of new balance sneakers, he had everything he needed to fulfill the characteristics of “dad fashion.”

How Becoming A Professional Star Wars Sandtrooper Changed My Life, Peter W. Telep

UCF Forum

In a world shaken by political divisions and a still-raging pandemic, it’s hard to find solace and self-worth amid the chaos.

3 Lessons I Learned On The Way To Finding Passion Again In My Career, Matthew Scott

UCF Forum

The summer has come and gone.

2021 is flying by, even though it seems like the year had just begun. As the world is still uncertain on virtually every topic you could think of, I find myself clinging to the things I still love to do.

The Impact Of Innovation In The New Era Of Space Exploration, Seetha Raghavan

UCF Forum

Every once in a while, a confluence of discoveries, events and initiatives results in a breakthrough so significant that it propels the entire world to a higher level, redefining what is possible in so many different fields. This breakthrough is taking centerstage now, as the new era of space exploration — catalyzed by increasing launch access — dawns upon us. The surge of innovation that comes with this will create new opportunities and inspire the next generation of doers. When this happens, boundaries between scientific and social impact are blurred. Innovation leading to scientific discovery can benefit society in the …

Benefits Of Practicing Radical Gratitude, Jacquline Joe

UCF Forum

I decided to find a therapist in February last year. My decision to begin therapy resulted from the realization that I needed to engage in some grief work as the losses experienced during adolescence have taken on new meaning in adulthood.

Presidential Rankings Are A Game — Not History, David Head

UCF Forum

C-SPAN recently published its latest expert ranking of presidents from the best, Abraham Lincoln, to the worst, James Buchanan.

Coffee In The Age Of Covid, David Poissant

UCF Forum

There’s a coffeehouse not far from where I live in Oviedo. It’s a chain coffeehouse, so if you know America, you know the coffeehouse I mean.

It’S Time For Daunte Culpepper To Come Home, Marc Daniels

UCF Forum

Inside the Wayne Densch Sports Center — the home of UCF football — the hallways and team meeting room feature the names and pictures of former Knights who have gone on to play in the NFL. There you will find the likes of Brandon Marshall ’06, Blake Bortles, Latavius Murray ’12, Matt Prater, Shaquill ’16 and Shaquem ’16 Griffin, Asante Samuel ’13 and perhaps the greatest of them all — Daunte Culpepper.

The Pandemic Ruined My Social Skills, Ashley C. Turner

UCF Forum

I don’t know if you noticed, but we are back outside! The world is opening back up, and after over a year of being in the house, working from home, and attending Zoom celebrations and parties, I may not be the same person I used to be.

Learning As A Student In The Pandemic, Narvin Chhay

UCF Forum

I will start my senior year at the University of Central Florida this fall. It’s hard to think about where all the time went, and it really feels like it was just yesterday when I stepped on campus for the first time.

An Ode To The Ra, Bree Watson

UCF Forum

Along time ago in a residence hall not too far away, I stared at the blank, beige cinderblock walls and standard-issue furniture inside Lake Claire #56 and took a deep breath. “Responsibility!” I groaned, while shaking my head. “Responsibility! Sheesh!” I repeated this anxious mantra while my dad and I unpacked boxes of my belongings.

The Courage To Do The Right Thing, Matthew Scott

UCF Forum

What does courage look like? It’s a question that gets answered every day if you look closely. The simplest things we take for granted today took incredible courage to create.

Planning For Imperfection In A World Often Obsessed With Perfection, Seetha Raghavan

UCF Forum

As we usher out a new class of graduates ready to take on the world, graduation brings back my own memories from decades ago – the pure elation of achieving the only goal I had meticulously laid out for myself since I was 7: to become an engineer.

Recognizing The Therapeutic Value Of Baking During The Pandemic, Camille Dolan

UCF Forum

We are all returning to campus soon. There will be adjustments, of course, just like when we had to adjust to working from home.

Richie Grant’S Journey Is 1 To Salute, Marc Daniels

UCF Forum

He came to UCF rated as the 357th best wide receiver in the country. He left as a champion, a college graduate and the Knights’ highest selection of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Spain Deserves More Credit For American Independence, David Head

UCF Forum

The American Revolution is famous for the stirring words traditionally attributed to its patriots. There’s Patrick Henry’s “Give me liberty or give me death!” And Israel Putnam’s “Don’t fire ’til you see the whites of their eyes!” And Nathan Hale’s “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Getting To The Place Where Body Size Doesn’T Matter, Richelle Joe

UCF Forum

Humans have a weird fascination with body size. We associate body size with health status, emotional well-being, and self-esteem. We even ascribe worth to individuals based on how large or small their bodies are at any given moment in time.

Everything In This Life Is Connected, Narvin Chhay

UCF Forum

In Hamlet, William Shakespeare wrote: “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” His words resonate with me and I can see what he meant just by looking at my own college journey.

In Defense Of Doing Nothing, Bree Watson

UCF Forum

Are you always doing something? Always working, studying, reading, writing, clicking, typing, teaching, meeting, Zooming, cooking, cleaning, washing, wiping, folding, planning, prepping or just plain worrying?

Your Most Important Question Today May Be: Who Are You?, Matthew Scott

UCF Forum

Ring ring! Your alarm goes off and you wake up, a brand-new day beginning around the world.

When Flying Is Truly Out Of This World, Seetha Raghavan

UCF Forum

My fascination with flight — like that of many others — is simple: There is something about the way an aircraft dances gracefully with the wind to lift itself off the ground, seemingly defying the impossible, that has always intrigued me.

I Wish We Had Learned Better From Our Early Response To Hiv, Richelle Joe

UCF Forum

It is March, and one year ago we were unexpectedly ushered into a global pandemic that shut down our favorite stores and restaurants, disrupted our working and living routines, and affected our physical and mental health. The year 2020 was a time warp for me — simultaneously the longest and shortest year of my life, and a year that took me back in time.

Better Parenting Through Western Civ, David Head

UCF Forum

I enjoy teaching the history course Western Civilization because it has great tips for parenting. I have three children—ages 6, 4 and 21 months—and my wife and I face a problem common to the rulers of the ancient world’s great empires: how to maintain order among an unruly population when you are outnumbered.