Opinions

During a conversation in the office about past classes, I brought up that part of my sixth grade reading class was about birds. Then I brought up a few other things I learned and quickly discovered that there are quite a few subjects I was taught simply because my sixth grade reading and social studies teacher wanted to. So this letter goes out to him. In sixth grade, we were separated by reading scores and placed in reading classes. I was placed with my social studies teach

I love opinions. Opinions are a fundamental pillar of humanity. If we didn’t have opinions we’d more closely resemble bees. Most people don’t think alike and that’s a good thing, it allows more nuance and complexity when talking about a subject. However, there are multiple ways people can have, what I consider to be, a bad opinion. The first type of bad opinions are the ones that aren’t opinions. People can claim “In my opinion!” all they want, what they’re saying is objecti

As you read these words, I need you to picture me delivering them in my best Peter Griffin impersonation. Imagine me, pinching the bridge of my nose with my fingers, and letting out that long, exhausted sigh. You know what really grinds my gears? The state of men’s fashion in 2026. Most of you will probably think, “Who is he to talk about fashion? All he wears is white, grey, and khaki.” Lock me up for having an opinion then why don’t you. However, when I sit and daydream a

Dinner Time in Prison - One meal provided for inmates in prison. When people ask about prison life, the first question is always about the food. So, when asked to compare Bismarck State College food to my experience with prison food, I chuckled—it shouldn’t even be a comparison. But because some BSC students think they have it rough, I won’t hold back. Prepare your stomachs for a gastrointestinal showdown. Having spent over twenty years at maximum-security NDSP, I know inst

Dinner Time on Campus - One meal provided for students at Bismarck State College Food options at Bismarck StateCollege are limited in variety. Students and staff can choose between the marketplace to get cafeteria food or hit up the coffee shops to grab a quick bite. Outside of these two food sources, everything else is a trip off campus. How does BSC cafeteria food compare to the food served to the incarcerated people in prison? There are some good dishes served on campu

Illustration by Kayla Hilzendeger Students are sharing their thoughts on the latest season of “Dancing with the Stars,” from their favorite celebrity contestants to who they believe will be eliminated next. A recent student survey revealed a mix of viewing habits, standout performances and predictions for the rest of the competition. When it comes to watching the show, students do not always tune in consistently. 20% of respondents said they do not watch regularly, while 80

Obligatory Colleen Hoover Rant Publishing The Mystician every two weeks means I have to figure out something to write about in my letter. This can be difficult. This issue, it just happened I would be going to see “Verity” which means I get to discuss my dear, old friend, Colleen Hoover. “Verity” is a new movie that was just released in theatres and was adapted from Hoover’s popular novel of the same name. This is not a review, so I won’t be talking much about the book itse

Fantasy Football Fanatics - Zach Schmidkunz displaying his Fantasy Football Magazines. He grinned and said, "there is a reason I'm 0-4". The fall for most is when the weather starts to cool down, leaves start falling off the trees, school starts, and the summer is coming to an end, But for some, this is the most important, meaningful, and intense time of the year coming right at them. Fantasy football, where friendships go to die and mercy is the thing of the past. I’m just

Bro - Isaiah Johnson embodies "Brad" for photo. I swear, if I hear one more guy call his girlfriend “bro,” I’m going to lose my mind and bash my head into a brick wall. Look, I get it. It’s 2026, language evolves and times have changed. But surely we haven’t slid to the point where we address our girlfriends and wives exactly like our frat buddies, have we? Take Brad, for example. Overall, Brad is a decent college guy, but I can picture it perfectly: Brad picks up his girl

How many times have you heard someone say that they are a visual learner? Perhaps you are the person telling others of your need to engage your eyes to fully comprehend something. Now, you might have heard of the different learning styles: auditory, visual, and tactile. The theory behind these categories seems sound enough, and I think it is likely true that we gravitate toward one learning style over another. But when is the last time someone told you they are an auditory le

Digital safety has become one of the most pressing concerns for individuals who rely on phones and computers for communication, coursework and personal information. As cyber threats continue to evolve, the responsibility to stay protected extends across home, school and work environments. Professionals often repeat a familiar reminder: “Security is everyone’s job,” a phrase that underscores how essential awareness has become. Cyberattacks today are more sophisticated than ev

After watching ”Hadestown” on Prime Video, I can see why the musical has received so much attention. Being a former theater kid of 12 years, it was one of my most highly anticipated watches. Something that immediately caught my attention was the folk-jazz style of the music. The music style made the musical feel fresh and modern despite the ancient storyline. It gave the musical a different sound than what I normally expect from theater and made the story feel more unique. T

Information Gathered by Natalie Lawrence Illustration by Kayla Hilzendeger

A Shameless Plug and a Crochet Update Hello y’all. The two weeks since the last issue has been busy busy busy. Kayla, Kerstin, and I have worked plenty of hours putting together and publishing 88.4, which is now in your hands. October is gearing up to be an exciting month with The Content Creators Summit happening on Oct. 9. There will be professionals from the communication field and a special keynote speaker. And potentially a student-led class taught by Mystic Media. Al

For 23 years, my world has been defined by concrete walls, the jarring slam of iron gates, and the constant, cold reminder that my physical freedom is completely out of my hands. But throughout all these years of isolation from the world, the strongest bars I have ever faced aren’t the ones made of steel. My greatest battles have been during the darkest of nights where severe depression took hold. I have looked straight into the quiet, heavy whispers of suicidal thoughts at t

The Lindsay Clancy case has been growing more attention over social media and the news over the past few weeks. The case comes from originally a triple murder suicide attempt after a mother was charged with killing and strangling her three young children. But people online and students on campus have different opinions on the case. The case grew popular on social media because of the multiple inconsistencies in the case, but has also provided a reminder of how important men

Pet peeves are an interesting thing. Similar to phobias, something you simply can’t control, pet peeves just annoy you to the ends of the earth. Some can be considered more valid than others, but everyone has them. After listing off some of my pet peeves to my friends I’m slowly starting to think it might be a little high in demand. I won’t list off all my pet peeves but just a couple include; people who make having a girlfriend or boyfriend their whole personality, people w

The United States has more people in prison than any other country in the world. In fact, while the U.S. has roughly only 4-5% of the world’s population, it has more than 20% of the world’s incarcerated population. According to the Vera Institute of Justice, 95% of those people will one day return home to local communities. However, the sad fact is nearly two thirds of those people will end up back behind bars within three years. Yes, the good old “land of the free, and home

Call Me a Hooker In the multiple attempts of writing this letter, I think I have finally settled on what I want to talk about. Crocheting. About a year and a half ago, I took up crocheting. Which I have been told is a “grandma hobby.” I started with a dishcloth. Dishcloths are supposed to be square. I knew this, but mine ended as a triangle. I got better however and now I can make a square. Yay! I have realized that when I start a hobby, as I seem to do every other week,

Recently, the word permanence is one you might say has found permanence in my mind. I’ve been dedicating significant thought to the incredible reality that some things truly last forever. Humans from the dawn of time have been fascinated with thoughts of eternity. Countless books have been written and movies have been made dealing with themes of immortality. Just this morning, I read about Calypso’s tantalizing offer of eternal youth and vigor to Odysseus in “The Odyssey,” a