Butler-centric ins and outs you need to know. Graphic by Piper Bailey.

Maybe you’re not as excited for the start of spring semester as the fall — it’s cold, boring and spring break feels a million miles away — but setting new goals for yourself keeps you accountable through these dreary months. 

You’ve heard of ins and outs for the year of 2026, here’s our take on ins and outs for spring semester. 

Ins 

REESE PARADOWSKI | OPINION EDITOR | rparadowski@butler.edu 

Answering emails in a timely manner

This goes for students and faculty alike —- it’s not that difficult to routinely check your email throughout the day and take a few moments to respond. Especially in this digital age where you can have the Outlook app on your phone with notifications on. Seriously, it’s like sending a text message — a skill that I know students have mastered. Being punctual with colleagues is a basic life skill that numerous people in the Butler community lack, and there’s really no excuse. 

MAKENNA CULVER | OPINION COLUMNIST | mculver1@butler.edu

Wearing proper winter attire

When it feels like 12 degrees outside, the idea of not wearing the proper attire is insanity. If there is snow on the ground you should have a coat on; if there is an insane wind chill you should have a coat on, end of story. There is no reason to get frostbite from walking to the HRC if you have a perfectly good coat in your dorm room. It doesn’t ruin your outfit, if anything, it enhances it. There is truly no reason to not have a coat on if you own one.

CHARLOTTE HARGROVE | OPINION COLUMNIST | chargrove@butler.edu 

Going on walks

Walking, whether around campus or otherwise, has been proven to have many benefits when it comes to mental and physical health. Walking is a great way to unwind after a long day or week, and doesn’t cost anything! Moving your body — especially in these colder months — can help regulate your heart rate, and aid in producing endorphins. Try going for a stroll this week, even if it’s cold.

Outs

ELIANA PRELLWITZ | OPINION COLUMNIST | eprellwitz@butler.edu 

Getting Starbucks Everyday 

The lines at Starbucks and the drinks filling the counter is outrageous. A little drink or a little snack is not vital to your ability to learn, and neither is the amount of drinks constantly being made. Not only is it unsustainable, it’s obnoxious. Treat yourself once in a while, but your flex dollars will be gone by week one based on all these drinks. Drink some water, sleep well, eat an apple and save your money this semester. 

AVA ROEMER | OPINION COLUMNIST | aaroemer@butler.edu 

Delaying picking up your package 

We all know the feeling of aggravating suspense when our Amazon package has arrived, but we can’t get to it because all the lockers are full. Picking up your package within, at least, the same day you receive the “your package has arrived” email needs to be a priority. No one wants to wait longer than they have to in order to get their package. It’s not only annoying, but unnecessary. I understand it may slip our minds, but perhaps setting an alarm on your phone to pick up the package right after you get out of class, or after you’re done eating, can help remind us. Acquiring your package from the locker promptly is just a little something each of us can do to make someone else’s day better. 

OLLIE FITZGERALD | ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR | ofitzgerald@butler.edu

South Campus Apartments

There is no need for maintenance to have to show up at an apartment over 40 times in one semester — especially one of the “renovated” ones. Nevermind the week that the smoke detectors were broken and went off, yelling “fire” for two hours straight — causing residents to need to call BUPD twice before emergency maintenance to show up. Even consider when the dryer completely broke, and it took over a week for anyone to show up to try to fix it. When they did, the repairman said it was the oldest dryer he had seen and that it needed to be replaced. After temporarily fixing it, the dryer started to smell like fire, and we were told a new one would come within the next week. Three weeks later, the new dryer was installed incorrectly and started sparking, and only fixed after the dryer installation people were sent by accident, when maintenance was specifically requested. For costing so much to live in, maybe the apartments should actually work.