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Editor’s Note: This article contains reference to sexual assault.
When reading the news, we usually pick out the most interesting headline. Many times, these headlines are from all corners of the world — China, Ukraine, Russia, Brazil. These places are important in the grand scheme of international affairs, but to students, there usually isn’t any immediate impact.
We may skim articles that have the “wow factor” of newsworthiness then go back to our day and put that information to the side. However, news or current events that would really affect our day-to-day lives is relatively unknown.
It can be difficult to attempt to stay in the loop of Raleigh news due to the hustle of our growing campus and city, but those less dazzling headlines are what will truly impact our daily lives. While local news may not be the most gripping, it’s what affects us as students at NC State.
Personally, I can’t keep up with everything happening from local, state, national and international news — it would be a full time job. But when taking the time to look through decisions being made by our local officials, I tend to see how I fit into the story.
For example, local officials have made decisions about downtown policing and have found that there are rapid changes happening in our physical environment.
Recently, the Raleigh Police Department made the decision to hire extra, private help when patrolling downtown, particularly on weekend nights. As a person who goes downtown on the weekends from time to time, it worries me to think about the reasons behind this decision.
Many NC State students enjoy the University’s proximity to Raleigh’s nightlife and the false sense of security we feel being so close to the University. It’s easy to forget that Raleigh is a city just like any other, where safety issues can affect city residents as well as students.
Why isn’t this something more students are concerned about? From carjackings to sexual assaults, our campus isn’t a safe haven and neither is Raleigh.
Another example of local affairs impacting us is an environmental one. The City of Oaks is rapidly losing trees. Other cities in Wake County, including Morrisville, Apex, Garner and Wake Forest, have all reported a significant decrease in the amount of tree canopy.
This could be due to a number of factors, but the most obvious is the rapid suburbanization of the area. Loss of tree canopy leads to an increase in the temperature of Raleigh’s microclimate, a decrease in air quality and a decrease in the amount of wildlife that can be supported.
As students, this dramatic annual change in the number of trees leads to hotter days, longer warm seasons and more ozone in our air.
Being outside is a big part of our lives as students. From tailgating to walking to class, we are affected by the weather and these local changes in our environment are becoming more and more apparent.
As our seasons get hotter and we continue to lose trees, we will also be losing space.
The Carolina Hurricanes’ owner Tom Dundon has been given the green light to expand PNC arena. The expansion will include hundreds of thousands of square feet of retail, offices and entertainment facilities. The reasoning behind this decision is to update PNC’s facilities and the surrounding area to better meet the National Hockey League’s standards for stadiums.
For students, the ongoing construction on campus and around Raleigh can get exhausting. Having to reroute yourself when driving or going to class is a hassle. And, as an upperclassman, I will never be able to use the new facilities being built, as they will not open until after I graduate.
I’m sure the new buildings will bring business and be the top of the line when it comes to design and construction, but at what cost? Will students have to navigate construction when traveling to football games? Are students who live at The Station going to be burdened with noise and traffic?
So while we may be more interested in what is happening in Ukraine or what a big-name politician or celebrity did, these events do not impact our daily actions.
Our world is becoming more interconnected, for better or worse. However, the result is that we all focus too much on large scale topics. Global events can be more intriguing, and even may become relevant to us as issues intensify. But as students, we have no control over them.
Local issues, though smaller, affect our lives, and we have an opportunity to change them.