Sophia Koch

25 Apr 2018

Notes on travel: why it's worth the cost

I’m in favor of this movement. Travel is an important part of figuring out who you are, especially in your twenties when you’re transitioning between high-schooler and adult. It’s an important time to be pushing the limits of what you know, trying out new ways of living and meeting new people. Travel offers you an opportunity to do all that and to possibly find something better that you’d like to pursue.

18 Apr 2018

'Free range' kids learn independence, creativity

I think my generation has lost a lot of what my parents had during their childhood. Utah recently gained attention in the news for being the first state in the U.S. to pass laws protecting so-called “free-range parenting,” which basically redefines the term “neglect” so that reasonably-aged kids don’t get picked up by Child Protective Services when they’re caught walking home from the park alone.

04 Apr 2018

Clubs and initiatives have stumbled, but sustainability still lives at UWRF

In 2013, the Environmental Corps of Sustainability club was created for the purpose of pressuring the UWRF chancellor and board of directors to divest – or pull money and assets – from the fossil fuel industry. Last fall a new sustainable justice minor was launched on campus that exposes students to sustainability on a trans-disciplinary level.

04 Apr 2018

Travel feature: The House on the Rock is a place where mystery and magic thrive

I’ve taken several different angles in describing my recent trip to House on the Rock. Most commonly I tell people, “If a hoarder with an affinity for circuses and Victorian age decorations had enough money to make a museum, this would be the result.” Even that, though, is a gross oversimplification.

21 Mar 2018

Campus Bee Club seeks to revive membership, bring bees to campus

The UW-River Falls Bee Club was in decline when Morgan Waste began attending the university as a freshman in the biochemistry program this year. The students who made up the core of the club had recently either graduated or decided to step back, and the adviser for the club – Brad Mogen – had just retired. Enthusiasm and membership were down and the club had not been doing anything for a semester.

Waste, however, was determined that UWRF would have a bee club.

21 Mar 2018

Women in Hollywood are beginning to show what they're capable of

I recently rewatched one of my favorite movies – “Mad Max: Fury Road” – with a friend. I’ve probably seen the film two or three dozen times, but it’s always interesting to watch it with new people. It’s a very detailed and nuanced story, and everyone takes away something unique after watching it.

07 Mar 2018

Francis Johnson affected his community one story at a time

Francis Johnson died on Feb. 27 shortly after collapsing while riding his bike. It was early in the morning, and he was riding on Second Street near Locust Street. He was 70 years old. A memorial service was held on March 3, and ever since his death there has been an outpouring of sympathy from across the community. He was extraordinarily good at making connections, and many people have a story to tell about him.

28 Feb 2018

'Fullmetal Alchemist': when characters write their own stories

The book and corresponding TV series “Fullmetal Alchemist” is probably pretty much unknown to the general populace. However, among the overwhelmingly nerdy fan base for anime (Japanese cartoons), Fullmetal has a cult following and is often used to lure hapless non-nerds into anime culture.

Which then consumes them.

14 Feb 2018

Fire in Kleinpell Fine Arts building causes minimal damage

A small fire started in the north stairwell of the Kleinpell Fine Arts building on Tuesday according to a press release from University Communications.

13 Feb 2018

Research spotlight: How evolving studies can lead down unexpected paths

Sometimes projects turn out exactly how they were intended to from start to finish. The person running the project decides what they want to do or find out, goes about gathering materials and data and ultimately puts together a finished project that roughly matches the original goal.