Honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

As we reflect on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, it is important to remember that Dr. King was a civil rights activist who fought continuously for racial equality and social justice. Dr. King condemned discrimination and segregation because of race, and he affirmed that the American dream belonged to all citizens and that everyone should have an equal opportunity to reach that dream.

Convocation Chapel 2020: Reasoned engagement with the world

By the end of this academic year, and certainly by the time students graduate, Ouachita intends to prepare them to be better – to be more skilled – in their reasoned engagement with the world. Dr. Sells addressed, "What is reasoned engagement with the world?" in Convocation Chapel on August 25.

Contagious compassion and joy: Silver linings in the storm of COVID-19

It sometimes takes a good rainstorm to better appreciate the sunshine. There I was sitting in my 11 o’clock class on a Tuesday morning, just like normal. My professor walks in and first thing out of his mouth is, “What do y’all think are the chances of Ouachita going online right now?” That was the first time I thought this virus would actually affect Ouachita.

One day at a time: How through-hiking the Appalachian Trail taught me to navigate the unpredictable

During my senior fall semester at Ouachita, I took a backpacking class with Shane Seaton, director of Ouachita RecLife. I also liked to hike quite a bit at Iron Mountain out by Lake DeGray, which is not far from Ouachita’s campus.

Top study spots on Ouachita's campus

Studying can sometimes be stressful and distracting, especially in the wrong study places. Since Ouachita has many places to choose from, there is a place for every student to feel comfortable and motivated to work.

Top 10 things to do in nature this fall

The days are getting shorter, temperatures are beginning to drop and the trees will soon be abundant with brilliant seasonal colors. You got that right, fall is on its way! The season of football, pumpkin-spice and spooky autumn nights. Don’t miss out on all the fun this season by enjoying these 10 activities to do in nature!

Overcommitted and overwhelmed

Involvement is good – scratch that – involvement is great, and one of my personal favorite things about Ouachita Baptist University. There is something out there for everyone! My mistake was taking that as, “I am the someone for everything.” Ha, nope.

How to survive the first day of freshman year

The first day of freshman year can be a scary thought. You are walking into a new place, with new people at your new home, and you have no clue how to take it all in. The best part of being a freshman is that everyone else in your class is right there with you, and the people who aren’t were there at one point. After talking to fellow students, I came up with a few tips to help you survive the first day of freshman year.

The struggle is real: How students facing hardship can find hope in Christian community

College at a small, residential school in the South is an experience that can live up to all the hype: days filled with your friends, studying subjects you are passionate about, new friendships, figuring out who you are and who you want to be. It can also be filled with hard seasons that don’t make it on the promo card.

Breaking the "cycle": Fighting human trafficking on a 1,700-mile bike ride

In the spring of 2018, I was training for a 50k. This is a roughly 31-mile run on mountainous trails. The week before this race, I went on a training run with a few friends. We started Friday evening, running well into the night. We were running on Lake Ouachita Vista Trail right outside of Hot Springs. After running 14 out of 20 miles, I found myself alone, in the dark, running down Hickory Nut Mountain.

How to improve your mental health, coping skills while in college

Everyone learns to cope, regardless of their situation in life, in ways that are healthy and unhealthy. For many young adults, college is a time when stress levels run high, sleep patterns are inconsistent and having one-too-many cups of coffee and stress eating – among other things – are common aids students use to keep themselves going. While this is often considered normal, the college years are a pivotal time for learning how to cope well in the adult world.

Rethinking student life: Virtual ideas to keep it social

If you think you’ve already done everything you could possibly do for fun using technology, here are a few suggestions you might not have tried yet.

Thinking of lasts and greats

Senior spring semester is known to be a time of lasts and greats. Last spring break trip, last spring fling, last trip to the lake, last sleepovers with all your friends and final goodbyes. This departure was inevitable. Due to spread of COVID-19 we had to say our goodbyes early. Yes, it is a disappointing time; however, there is much to learn in this season.

"Prepare me to leave": Prayers for Ouachita, my old friend

I’ve started this post a few times in my head now, and I just cannot seem to find the words. There is so much I feel as if I should say. I could talk about the people I came to know and love these past four years, my roommates, teachers, and friends.

From the "Ouachitonian": Claire Seale

Genuine. Redeemed. Transparent. These were words used to describe Claire Seale, a junior English major from Little Rock. And it was her story that spurred these precious words to describe her unique personality.

Intellectual and spiritual growth

At Ouachita, we have fun and don’t take ourselves too seriously. But we’re serious about intellectual and spiritual growth, and I want to spend a few moments introducing this year’s theme.

A prayer for wisdom in the back-to-school rush

As I write this, I’m looking through my newsfeed and seeing all the “first day of school” pictures. It wasn’t so long ago that I was posting these same photos. I love hearing the moms share how their kids responded to a new classroom, new friends, a new teacher and maybe even a new school. These transitions can cause our hearts to be anxious as we anticipate all the obstacles our child/children may encounter or needs they may have.

Best apps to use during your summer road trip

Road trips are the peak of summer adventures with your friends and loved ones. Lucky for you, I consider myself to be an expert of the open road. My road trips have lasted anywhere from two days to three weeks, and I’ve traveled from the west coast to the east coast all while compacted in a vehicle.

Braving the elements: Ouachita's freshman outdoor orientation combats first-year fears

Ouachita understands how critical it is to help freshman adapt to the new college lifestyle. So before moving in to campus, Ouachita hosts a five-day program called Freshman Outdoor Orientation Trip, or FOOT, for students to enjoy the nature Arkadelphia has to offer alongside their new peers. Hiking, rock climbing, tubing, volunteer work in the community, campfires, worship sessions and professor meet-and-greets are just a few of the activities that you can experience during FOOT.

Need a break? 8 spontaneous things you should do this spring

During the spring semester I always get a restless feeling. It never fails: the days are longer, and I am ready for summer because it feels like my days are filled with classes, work and the occasionally stressful extracurricular activity. I often find it very difficult to just relax.