Animal Rights and Human Health

As a former vegetarian, I am completely on board with animal rights. The only reason I began eating meat again was because of health problems. Therefore, I understand the consumption of chicken and other meats for nutrients, but I don't see the point in slaying animals that will only lead to health risks. Why kill dolphins to eat when you are only subjecting yourself to unhealthy mercury levels, and thus producing the exact opposite of health benefits?
I understand that tradition is a big deal, particularly in Eastern countries. But this specific tradition should be minimized, so as not to risk the health of Japanese citizens. If there was a festival each year where people ate the dolphin meat, it would then not only be an isolated occurrence, but dolphin meat consumption, and therefore mercury consumption would decrease because citizens would not be eating it as much or as frequently.
We must also understand that these animals have feelings just as we humans do (yeah, I'm a hippie, I know). It might be a hard idea to grasp, but these animals live and feel and yes--they have emotions. Not only are these fishermen/hunters cruelly killing some of these animals, but they are also subjecting the survivors to emotional trauma. As Hana pointed out, when these animals are separated from their mother, for example, they can suffer from depression. This can often cause animals to lose weight, and eventually decrease the population size as a whole. So, not only are the hunters directly killing a species by spearing dolphins, but they are also indirectly killing a species by inducing emotional trauma.

Study Abroad

College is the perfect time to be able to travel, particularly at Furman. Furman-sponsored study away programs are covered by tuition, so why not travel for the cost you would be paying anyway?
Personally, I've never left the country, and that is exactly my motivation to do so. While I have my preferences (somewhere I can speak English and be okay, please...), I am willing to travel anywhere, because I want experiences outside of the United States.
I am aiming to study in Edinburgh, Scotland. This program is not only a chance to study away, but also an opportunity to have an internship in a foreign country. I would hope to intern either with a psychiatrist, or with the Scottish parliament, in order to compare US and Scottish mental health policies.
After college, when most former undergraduate students either venture into the work force or into graduate school, there is not as much of an opportunity to travel, particularly for people who plan on having a family.
College is full of so many opportunities that I believe all students should try to take advantage of. Possibly one of the biggest of these opportunities is the chance to leave the United States, learning not only your curriculum, but also the culture and lifestyle of other countries.

Sports and Money

Jack raised a very interesting point in his blog post, asking why athletes should be paid millions of dollars for their hobby, while others enjoy their hobby for no salary at all. Personally, I can (grudgingly) admit that I don't have an athletic bone in my body. I tried to play soccer in middle school, only to face a surgery as well as the more athletic boys on my team making fun of me. These two events led to me putting my cleats up for good. Not only will I never make millions kicking a ball around, but my parents paid for me to play as a child. Sure, this failed attempt at athleticism only left my parents with maybe seventy dollars wasted, but honestly, I think that's a much better option than being paid for a hobby.
If you love doing something, such as playing a sport, I don't think it's such a bad idea to have to pay to perform this hobby, even as a professional. This requires professionals to have another job in order to pay for their hobby. It also eliminates athletes who are only in it for the money, while keeping those who play out of passion, making for a much more meaningful game.
Though this has a huge potential to decrease the level of competition, this might be a good thing for our over-competitive country.
I will admit that this proposal has many gaps and potential disadvantages, such as the lack of sports scholarships that may allow students to get a better education than they would originally be able to afford. In this case, while it is important for students to be acknowledged for their talent as well as academic merit, those who rely wholly on sports scholarships, which may have lower academic standards, may not benefit from a more academically-heavy schools. These students may choose one school over another for monetary reasons, but be better off at another school that has lower academic standards.
This is only an idea, and as it stands, it would not work. But I do believe it is something to consider.