Let me upgrade ya:

It doesn’t take rocket science to know that this building needs to be renovated ...

Interracial love?

Why rob myself of a beautiful relationship filled with the aspects I want and need because it could come from a man that is not black?
 

How about this? Rappers are b-----s

What started as a progressive tool aimed to help minorities was bought out by businesses who capitalized on it. They supplied aspiring rappers with a gimmick and continue to do so while the outspoken artists get censored and overlooked. When a young, insecure girl with no role model turns on the radio what she’ll hear is that her worth is determined by the size of her physical assets and how wide she can spread her legs.

Would you like fries with that?

"Nothing motivates you more than a job with  crappy pay, nonexistent incentives, and a time consuming schedule. But you need the money, whether it’s to put food in your mini fridge in your dorm room, or pay rent at your one bedroom apartment."

S#*% white people say

"The logic goes that because white people are so important, nothing important happens without white people — except of course, plotting against white people. This must be what they do at HBCUs."

Cupid, just shoot me

Let’s cheer for the cute, chubby kid with the mini wings on the Disney V-Day cards. It’s that wonderful time of the year where couples get to brag that they are couples and single people get the joyous reminder of being single. Not only this but guess what?

Natural hair is for everyone

Why is she going natural? Everyone isn’t made for that! Well that’s funny, because everyone is born with it. The aforementioned quote is one I’ve seen tweeted or have heard in casual conversations on numerous occasions.

Ink my whole body

Tattoos are now more a part of today’s society than ever before. Tattoos used to be the mark of bikers, hardened criminals and sailors.

Mo' guns, mo' problems

The year 2012 was certainly an eventful one that managed to be historic for better or worse, depending on your perspective.

Who is to blame for war?

Darkness and nighttime sounds. Pale fingers wrapped around a pistol grip. Combat boots crunch against the dirt, march into the village.

Jack needs his own pill

"As a woman I have plenty of options to choose from. I think men would be open to the concept of having this choice available to them ... will they be responsible enough to remember to take the pill?"

No skating on campus, why not?

After a couple months on campus, you've probably seen a handful of guys with skateboards cruising around. Maybe you’ve seen a flip trick or two. Skating is more than a hobby to me and my fellow skaters.

To weave or not to weave?

Synthetic. Yaki. Malaysian. Brazilian. Ocean wave.  French curl. Spanish wave. Classic straight.

Fusion. Sew-in. Quickweave.

Hair extensions, also known as weaves, have taken over the heads of women across America. Women of all races wear weaves. Weaves are worn for a variety of reasons.

It’s only entertainment!

"We gossip like “Real Housewives of Atlanta,” argue and fight like “The Bad Girls Club,” and counsel each other like “Mob Wives.”" 

The Housing “Crisis”

“The housing fee is non-refundable. It isn’t fair that NCCU allowed students to keep paying these fees and gave them false hope that they would have housing.”

OBGYN or Republican?

Why should any woman be chastised for making a decision so hard as to give birth or abort? Especially in the case of “NO means NO”?

A lady’s choice

"This new political system make laws that takes a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body away. It is just a step away from dictatorship."

Love.com

"People first used the Internet to look up information, send and receive emails, chatting, and instant messaging. Along the way came more capabilities came such as online dating."

Flying the aerie

"Initially NCCU wasn’t my first choice. After being here, I realized that NCCU was actually my best choice. I feel like I was able to hit the ground running once I got accepted to NCCU."

Groomed to be the best

 "Well at NCCU I was not broken down, I was molded, groomed and polished. Thanks to the English department I am able to construct and structure mentally stimulating and thought provoking stories."

They see you, Facebookers!

According to the Huffington Post, the National Labor Relations Board has granted employers permission to utilize Facebook to see if, outside of work,  employees really are the outstanding citizens they pose as at work.

The one that got away

The FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division have recently gotten involved in the investigation of this matter. Evidence continues to come in that proves Zimmerman committed a crime. The 911 tapes worked against Zimmerman once they became public.

Seeing good in a dark life

She was the first black woman to be on the cover of Seventeen Magazine. She also was the most awarded female of all time, according to "Guinness Book of World Records. "

The skinny on tight jeans

I can respect that all people have a right to express themselves through fashion. I support doing so. However, I cannot say I will accept the skinny jean fad as appropriate for a potential suitor.

Vote no on Amendment 1

"North Carolina has consistently opposed every major social justice movement. Our state was a member of the Confederacy, resisted the Civil Rights movement, and created obstacles for workers seeking to form unions."

What it means to me

"The purpose of Black History month began as a way to acknowledge African-American achievement but has been transformed to a repetitive process year after year."

Soaring out of NCCU

Eagle pride is not something you're born with—you earn it! You have to live in Baynes Hall or the other dorms to understand. Go to the caf on a daily basis and walk across this hilly campus. Understand why we love the Aggie-Eagle classic and why N.C. A&T is second to us.

Freeze your face

I have been to several on-campus assemblies for class assignments, out of my own interest, or to cover them for the Campus Echo. Almost every time I go, a rowdy group of students is using their phones or whispering.

Fitts bids adieu to NCCU

Maybe it was divine intervention or maybe even fate, because switching my major was the best decision I made for my educational and career path.

So long, peeps

At this point in my life I can't really complain about anything. I have worked hard and gained so much. These memories are forever lasting and the memories that I carry from college will be some of my greatest. I can finally scream, Momma, I made it.

Is college really the key?

Plenty of accomplished individuals make 10 time more than our parents and don't have college degrees. To name a few: Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Diddy, Jay-Z, Kanye West and many more.

Let’s try it the Star Trek way

Imagine a world in which a person can be treated for medical emergencies by walking into the hospital, being seen, released and not having to pay anything. Sounds good, doesn't it?  

Black men in the system

Only a few are able to record their past and sell millions of records. The media creation of what a black man could be is disrespectful to what a black man should be.

Who’s in the Illuminati?

If you're going to accuse someone of evil behavior and plots to destroy the world, you should back that accusation with undeniable evidence. But it happens all the time. Accusations are made, but no evidence is forthcoming. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood have been under scrutiny for years about their motives in the entertainment industry.

Jobs Act is the way to go

The [American Jobs] Act would create more jobs for those in construction and education, and help younger people find employment. The wonderful thing about this Act is that it doesn't add to the deficit.

What happened to hip hop?

Rappers defend themselves by claiming their lyrics are testimonies of the harsh realities of inner-city life by reflecting on urban gang rivalries, crimes, alcoholism, and drug abuse.

Why are we second class?

More than 174 years ago, Cheyney University in Pennsylvania, the first historically black college, was founded. It stands today. In 2011, 105 HBCUs are open. But are they needed? The resounding answer is yes!

Storms brew, damage lasts

To others, hurricanes are a reminder of the slaves' struggles; hurricanes often form off the coast of Africa and travel the Middle Passage, the route slave ships used to take.

Save it for the one you love

I think having a child is one of the most precious gifts from God, but having one too soon will make your life far more difficult.

Enough is enough

As a student at N.C. Central University, I have come to realization that some factors make a college a really good one, however one thing a college can do without is adding more stresses to students lives.

Adiós mis amigos!

I can still remember when former editor Carlton Koonce informed me I was being looked at as potential editor-in-chief. I was shocked. I didn't think I was capable of rising to the task.

Respect Our Women

His message seems to be: ‘Women, like Coca-Cola, can be consumed and disposed of, and are therefore, replaceable and worthless. Women can be objectified and reduced to their body parts, rather than valued for their intelligence, strength, and dignity.'

Is black beautiful? Or not?

The comment that people make that really upsets me is, "You're pretty for a dark-skinned girl."

Rep. Brandon: Operation 100%

"We talked about everything from high school graduation rates to discriminatory bans on

same-sex unions."

What is beau•ti•ful?

Beau•ti•ful [byoo-tuh-fuhl]:1.Having beauty; having qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction to see, hear, think about, etc.; delighting the senses or mind  2. Excellent of its kind. 3. Wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying. Beauty relates to your senses — you see beauty and you hear it.

Being the other woman

Over the past few months, the names of Alicia Keys and Fantasia Barrino have been tarnished. Mention one of their names and you'll hear: "OMG! Home wreckers." And, "I have lost all respect for them." And, "They are so stupid." And, "If it was me, I would not even be in that situation." Guess what, ladies and gents? You are not them, nor do you know every detail of the situation.

“S” on my chest

I'm tired of hearing the phrase, "I'm a strong black woman. I've never heard someone say, "I'm a strong white woman, or strong Latin woman." It's as if being a black woman means you have no breaking point. You are expected to be the independent, career-minded, classy, flashy woman who does not need any help.

Travel grant woes frustrate

Five-thousand dollars in 24 hours. Perhaps if I gyrated behind Beyoncé or hooked-up with super-star athletes, instead of investing in degrees, I could collect that sum. If my senior citizen parents hadn't financed my undergraduate education, taken care of my siblings and their babies, perhaps my parents could lend me the money.

Mosque mayhem mars us

Everyone old enough to remember can tell you exactly where they were on Sept. 11, 2001. I was living in Greenville, N.C., walking down 10th St. A young man, who lived across from me, ran up to me with a panicked look on his face. I do not recall his name, but I will never forget what he said.

Prissy vs. laid-back girls

A prissy girl and a laid-back girl are two totally different people. Prissy girls are more time consuming than laid-back girls. However, they are alike in a few ways. A prissy girl's nails have to be perfect. Her heels have to be clean and straight. Her skirt has to be neatly pressed. Her shirt has to be neatly tucked in.

Ghetto-phonics phenom

Now that Black History Month is over, can we continue in this all too sedentary vein of mediocrity? How should we comport ourselves in order to celebrate our rich heritage with dignity? How will history view this era of educated blacks? We hold a generation of potential leaders, but what will this legacy be 100 years from now?