With September starting in full force, it is just a matter of time before the flannels, beanies, and pumpkin spice returns into the "Fall Trends of 2016" lists. While we start to don our favorite boots, the world is constantly changing and being influenced with the decisions that we have the opportunity to make. Social media has made breaking news and "trending" topics so much more accessible to the public. So this fall, as we curl up in our favorite blanket, let's remember these trends for the fall of 2016.
1. Don't rape anyone. Ever. Under any circumstances.
This point should be self explanatory, but it seems like it is not because we have people like rapist Brock Turner serving the smallest sentence imaginable for raping a woman behind a dumpster. If you want to know what was longer than Brock Turner's sentence, another Odyssey creator covered that with "12 Things Longer Than Brock Turner's Served Sentence." The trend of Fall 2k16 should be not to rape anyone under any circumstances, whether you are drunk, high, sober, whatever. I'm sick of seeing Brock Turner's face so instead of ending this with a picture of his mug shot or a picture of him registering as a sex offender, I'm going to end this with a link to his victim's letter. We should show her words, not his face.
Link to letter is right here.
2. The bees still need love, too.
Save the bees. Save the bees. Please save the bees. If you watched the horrific movie titled The Bee Movie, you know what would happen if the bees stop pollinating flowers and crops. The biggest difference from the movie to real life is that if the bees stop pollinating, it's not because they are on strike, but because they are dead. Bees are pivotal for the growth of crops and flowers, most importantly crops. If bees die, the entire food cycle is messed with and food will become scarce. South Carolina recently had a slight issue with the care of bees. The government in one county, Dorchester County, decided to combat Zika virus mosquitos by using pesticides that would be sprayed from a plane to make sure they hit every part of the county. It was decided to spray the pesticides at night so they wouldn't kill any bees, but by "night" officials meant 6:30-8:30 am. The effect was the death of 2.5 million bees in the county. That would be as if the entire population of Nevada dropped dead in a day. Bees are already dying at an incredible rate, so they should not be forgotten in the chilly months ahead.
3. Harambe did not die for you to be an ass.
This was terrible event that happened in May. Let me repeat that. We have been making a joke of Harambe for three months. It was a horrible situation in which a child was able to climb into a silverback gorilla exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoo. The endangered gorilla was shot which led to an uproar on social media. Some people called for the Zoo to take responsibility and some called for the parents to take responsibility. Very quickly social media made Harambe a "meme." The Cincinnati Zoo has made several statements to stop with the memes because they are inappropriate and insensitive to the grieving zoo. Let's just stop this once and for all this fall.
4. VOTE. VOTE. VOTE.
It doesn't matter what kind of mess the election is, you should still vote on the local and state levels. Local and state elections can help you make a change right in your own backyard. We saw first hand what happened in the United Kingdom with the Brexit. Don't regret your decision to stay home. Voting should be the hottest new trend amongst young adults this fall.
5. Social media is a powerful tool.
The world is a remarkable place. Technology is a remarkable tool that we have in this remarkable place. We have access to a world of information and access to a world of opinions on all the information. Use this power for good instead of evil this autumn.
6. Pumpkin is awful.
Let's stop pumpkin everything this fall.
