I've had two different jobs since my sophomore year. More important, I realized having a job isn't social suicide, partly because I feel I have a balance of friends from work and friends from school.

My roommate is one of my best friends. I met her at my first job, and we now live together.

Finding a balance between work, school and time for the miscellaneous, be that socializing or studying, is crucial.

Shoes, purses and jewelry, oh my! Students of all ages are competing for an opportunity to showcase these items in a local boutique's window display competition, said the store's manager.Ruby, an accessory store in University Park Village, is offering Fort Worth-area students a chance fill four spots in a competition for $500 and an opportunity to work with the store's designer, Larry Leathers, said Jen Shults, manager at the University Park Village location.

The theme of the window is "Making an Entrance."

Nationally, about 20 percent to 25 percent of college women say they have been victims of attempted sexual assault, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.And that 25 percent isn't comprehensive. Only about 39 percent of all assaults are reported, the CDC estimates.

With this semester's investigations of reported on-campus and area sexual assaults, students should realize TCU is not immune to sexual violence. It can happen here, and there's a good chance it does.

When my special someone and I recently decided to take a break from our relationship, we said for the most part things wouldn't change. We would still talk to each other often and would still spend time with each other when we returned home during holidays. In fact, the only thing that would really change would be our official status - we would no longer consider each other "boyfriend" and "girlfriend." We would even change our relationship status on Facebook.

Opinion writers can't help but step on people's toes sometimes - crushing readers with strong views. For example, in my last article, I'd imagine I left a few mama's boys and daddy's girls longing to sit down for a home-cooked meal with their families. And I'm sure I annoyed students who haven't been home since the semester began with my ingratitude for seeing my family and the comfort of my own bed on a daily basis.

Despite rising tensions worldwide, there is no issue more important today than the Middle East conflict, said a counselor with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Ambassador Dennis Ross, counselor for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, has worked as a State Department specialist under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton and spoke about Middle East affairs Tuesday night to a crowd of about 400 in Ed Landreth Hall as part of the ninth annual Gates of Chai Lectureship in Contemporary Judaism.

Both cross country teams will be taking to the skies this weekend as they enter the Mountain West Conference Championship meet Saturday in Salt Lake City.The women's team is returning to action after their pre-nationals race in Terre Haute, Ind., while the men's team will be racing for the first time since the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree back in late September. The men's team has been paced by freshman Festus Kigen, and the women's team has been following the lead of senior Calandra Stewart.

Stewart finished 14th in the pre-nationals meet among 242 competitors.

Two of three former TCU student-athletes jailed Friday on sexual assault charges were released Tuesday after posting bail, according to jail records.Virgil Allen Taylor, 19, and Shannon Monroe Behling, 19, each posted $25,000 bail bonds and were released from Mansfield Jail at 2:25 p.m. Tuesday, according to jail records.

Taylor, Behling and Lorenzo Labell Jones, 20, have been charged with sexually assaulting a freshman female student in a dorm room in Moncrief Hall on Oct. 13, according to a police report.

The Frogs' defense has been showing new life after their win against Army on Saturday, said head coach Gary Patterson at the Coaches' Luncheon Tuesday.Patterson and senior offensive tackle Herb Taylor discussed Saturday's game as well as the upcoming Mountain West Conference match-up against the Wyoming Cowboys.

"The teams that run the ball the best are the teams that score the best in the red zone," Patterson said. "I think that gave a sense of urgency in our line."

With six remaining conference matches in the season, the volleyball team preserved its .500 Mountain West Conference record after one of its best performances of the year, said head coach Prentice Lewis.The weekend home contests with the Colorado State Rams and the Air Force Falcons left the Horned Frogs with a split in the standings.

Friday night featured a hard-luck loss to the Rams after the team dropped a one-game lead en route to a 3-1 loss in the match.

Platinum-selling country singer Dierks Bentley is covering a lot of ground in his ol' cowboy boots, but the singer looks to hang them up on his third record, "Long Trip Alone."Known for catchy tunes such as "What Was I Thinkin'" off his self-titled debut album and "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do" from his sophomore effort "Modern Day Drifter," Bentley follows in the footsteps of his partying forefathers Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr.

But could this Arizona rebel be settling down just a bit?

Dissatisfied students could have to make a quicker decision on grade appeals if a new academic process is accepted, university officials said.The proposed appeals process would limit the time frame to...