Croft’s Comments

I want to preface the responses with a little personal message from myself to all of the readers who submitted responses: I’m pretty blown away with how many submissions we got. I am very glad to see that y’all like this advice column. Some of the submissions that I received are a bit too out of pocket to include in the paper, but rest assured, I loved all of them. If you feel like submitting some more off-the-wall stuff, do it. I got a kick out of them and loved reading them, even if I can’t include them in the paper.

I also appreciate all of the love that y’all sent my way regarding my “Late to the party article.” I am glad to see that all of you enjoyed it, and I may not respond to each and every submission that praised the article, but each of them meant the world to me. It feels very good to receive so much support on such a controversial article.

One more announcement, I had to alter some of the responses for grammatical reasons, so if part of your question is removed or altered, it is because there was a grammatical error. 

Also, if your question is not in this edition, keep an eye out for an online version, or wait until the next print. With so many responses, I am not sure they will all fit in the print version of this article. 

Visit this link for submissions.

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Q: Include games/puzzles/crosswords in the newspaper? And maybe they can be related to Alaska or college students, but might be too specific

A: We are working on it! We are trying to be more consistent with our crosswords, and we are actively brainstorming ideas for other games. If any of our readers have ideas, don’t hesitate to let us know!

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Q: How can I be better connected to campus life?

A: Talk to people. It sounds intimidating, but most people will tell you about all of the things that they are involved in around campus if you just ask. For other events on campus, there are plenty of flyers and posters for events hung up around the halls. It takes some time to read through all of the events, but there are some cool things going on around campus. If you are looking to get involved in events that are not put on by the college itself, start by saying hello to your neighbors, roommates and random people walking down the hall. Adventure lies beyond a simple “hello.” 

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Q: I want to be able to do nice things for my boyfriend, but I'm on a really tight budget. He's always doing so much for me, but I feel like I'm not able to reciprocate in turn. Help!

A: My best advice is that you show interest in the things he is interested in. It doesn’t cost anything to listen. Get him talking about something he really likes, and then show him that it means as much to you as it does to him. If he likes playing video games or hiking, try doing those things with him. Even if it seems daunting at first, everyone starts learning somewhere. 

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Q: I've been trying for months to get internships within my major, but they keep rejecting me even though I have a very long resume. Should I just give up and try something new, or should I stick with it and keep trying?

A: Keep trying. There is an internship out there that is perfect for you. There is a chance that it could be farther away than you want it to be, however, because Alaska is so isolated, but there is definitely something out there just waiting for you. You could try to cut down on your resume, removing some of the fluff and keeping the parts that are really important may help. You should include a cover letter and a portfolio of your work if it's applicable to the internship. Another thing that will give you a leg up in the current workforce is approaching jobs in person to apply. Most companies use some kind of software to sift through applicants, so you never actually get a chance because a machine said you weren’t qualified. Approaching a job and asking to apply in person is an easy way to get your foot — and your name — in the door, and in front of the people who will ultimately make the decision. Be persistent, and stick with it; you will find something. 

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Q: What would you recommend we do to bring Greek life back at UAA when we have no established FSL houses? Nationals for ASP has indicated that the fraternity is still likely a few years away from being able to purchase a permanent house. It seems like the MAC and Templewood are the best options currently unless people want to find rental houses off campus. P.S. I thought your “Late to the party” article was spot on.

A: People, honestly, the most important thing right now for FSL is people. COVID clearly destroyed a lot of the social life around campus, and that includes Greek life. The more people that get involved in FSL, the more likely it is that we will start seeing the potential for FSL housing. For now, we just have to make do until FSL can get the numbers that it had before the pandemic. And thank you — I appreciate the support!

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Q: What resources are available to alumni?

A: Well, that depends. What resources are you looking for? I could give you a general response and suggest that you contact UAA Alumni Relations at 907-786-1942 or seawolf.forever@alaska.edu. They would be able to help you find a lot of information. But if you are looking for some kind of specific alumni resource, I would have to research deeper to find niche groups and resources. 

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Q: Are there any routes to engage in activism at UAA? I find myself politically motivated yet I don’t know any outlets on campus that allow me to express that motivation.

A: While there is limited activism on campus, there are several different groups around town that you can get involved with and express yourself. Some of these examples include the Community Action Forum and Liberation Anchorage, or the Palestine Solidarity Initiative. For right-wing movements you can check out the Constitutional Party of Alaska, or Anchorage Young Republicans. As always with political movements, make sure you research them thoroughly before you decide to get involved with one. 

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Q: What is most important for prospective students to know about UAA?

A: There are a lot of things to know before coming to UAA. Primarily, this is a school that is still reeling from the effects of the pandemic. While you may have a beautiful view from your class, you may struggle to integrate socially. It is a work in progress — there are improvements being made every day, but you should definitely know that you will have to work toward making this the college experience you always dreamed of. This is a great place to learn and provides a conducive environment for education, but socially, it is a struggle at times. 

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Q: Is Anchorage a city?

A: Anchorage is a small town that has the population of a city, while still acting like a small town. Everyone knows everyone and judges you based on which high school you went to. That is small town behavior right there. Yet, there is a population of just under 300,000 people. 

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Q: What are some under-discussed classist aspects of the college experience?

A: College is an inherently classist experience. Like it or not, just by attending school, you are participating in a classist structure. You have more privilege than most other people and yet there is still so much more above you. There are students who have their parents pay for literally everything, while other students struggle to find food to eat daily. College is like a tame version of the rest of society — it's the soft launch to your life — so it makes sense that the class structure mimics real life. 

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Q: I loved your most recent article about the social life on campus. I am a freshman, and after a few experiences — like when I witnessed what one could call a “failed attempt” at a party — I cannot feel anything other than disappointment and disbelief for how tragic the social life is on campus here at UAA. Did you hear about the new to-go box policy at the cafeteria? They are now charging a second swipe for a to-go box when getting a sit down dinner. Please write about this and get this changed. By the way, I have two girls I can hook you up with. Not kidding.

A: Thank you for the love on the article. Social life is making a resurgence, but it takes time to fix something that has been damaged like this has. Thankfully, people are finally making some noise about it, so the process of change can finally start. On the topic of your second statement: we will be sure to have a reporter look into this issue and see what we can find. Regarding your final comment: as funny as this is, I have never really been about hooking up. I am a classy kind of guy, they gotta take me out first. If they — or anyone — are interested in me then they should just say so. Life is so much better when everyone is straightforward. 

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Q: Late to the party, Tanner! I enjoyed reading your article, and I agree that UAA’s social scene is growing, albeit slowly. With the campus rules in place, people are hesitant to risk a “debilitating hangover” not just because of the headache, but because UPD and the RAs will give them another one. Your article made me think about what really gets people out of their dorms, and it’s usually free food or some form of entertainment. But if you want to dive deeper, I think what’s really missing isn’t booze, blondes, or brunch with sunglasses, it's school spirit. People need to bleed green and gold. That’s what will pull us together to party like we’re supposed to. Whether it’s UAA athletics beating Fairbanks or a campus wide sledding day, school spirit is the heart of it. So Tanner, use your writing to spark that spirit because trust me, people are reading.

A: I couldn’t agree more. The article — while making an argument in favor of party culture — was meant to highlight the issues this campus faces as a whole. One of the biggest issues that we face is an incredible lack of school spirit. This is something that one of my next articles will be highlighting. So, if you’re going to a hockey game or you’re breaking out the sleds this winter, make sure you let your neighbors know, and while you’re at it, let me know, because a campus-wide sledding day sounds like a blast. Also, thank you for your kind words and support on the article — they are heartwarming. 

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Q: Any tips on handling this time of year, with everything getting so dark? Seasonal depression is no joke, and being told to just “go to therapy and talk to friends” just makes it feel worse when you already are — I want to know what actually helps for somebody.

A: Happy lights, or any other kind of mood lighting can be a seriously good investment. Another thing is getting out of your room, which seems to be the most impossible thing to do. I promise, if you go out and move around — I know it's cold but try anyway — you will feel so much better. Going out of your way to do things helps a lot, and will help you feel more productive. Being exposed to the same scene every day, over and over again can seriously get you in an endless loop inside your own head. So get out of your room a bit and make sure that you still go to therapy and talk to friends too. All of these things add together for the solution, you can’t build a building by starting on the third floor. 

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Q: Do you have something you’re really into right now? A topic, tv show, movie, art form, color, job — what really has you passionate at the moment?

A: I gotta say, this question caught me off guard because I was not expecting anyone to want to know about me, so thank you for your interest! I am overwhelmingly passionate about changing social life on campus, but I think everyone knows about that by now. Other than that, I would say I’ve been pretty deep with my writing recently. Not just for the paper, but my personal writing has been benefiting from the last few weeks too. 

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Q: Why are so many courses in the fine arts building this semester? And, better yet, why don’t we have fine arts there? The school has suffered since cutting the theater program, and seeing the building but being so lifeless is upsetting.

A: I do not have the answer to your question right now, but I can tell you that this appears to be the case all over campus. It has always piqued my curiosity why our campus has specific buildings dedicated to certain fields, yet we still have courses for that field being held in other buildings. Like how there's been English courses held in Rasmuson, math courses in the SSB, humanities courses in the FAB, it is all very interesting, we will see if we can investigate and find out why. While I cannot speak on it personally, I will take your word for it that the school has suffered since cutting the theater department. I think it is an important aspect of any college, and it is a shame that our school does not have one anymore.