THE RIGHT ANGLE: Senioritis setting in - Opinions
Back near the beginning of last semester, I wrote acolumn about how badly I had senioritis. But now that I'm less than two months away from graduation, I realize that I could never have known how bad it would eventually get.
Senioritis, for those of you who are completely lost, is that state of mind that sets in the closer you get to graduation that causes you to just stop caring. It's that mindset of, "Ahh, who cares, I only have two months left anyway." There are varying levels of senioritis, and it can set in at different times. In fact, I'm fairly certain my roommate is starting to get it, and she's only a junior.
Senioritis takes away any motivation to do schoolwork, and we all know most college students don't have enough motivation to spare. It turns that late-night study session with your classmates into gossip hour, and even though you know you should be spending your time trying to find a good job for after graduation, you're much more concerned with finding an affordable beach house for after graduation.
Yes, I've fallen victim to every single one of these characteristics. But there's more at work here than just the promise of graduation and freedom. Senioritis weakens the system and leaves students more susceptible to Internet Axis of Evil: MySpace, Facebook, and blogs.
Now I have a MySpace page, but I basically stopped using it after I realized just how many insane people there were on that site. Facebook, well, I've decided that Facebook eats time, and literally. I mean, one minute I'm looking at a friend's photo album, and the next thing I know, it's five hours later, and I've gone through my entire friends list and coded how I knew everyone.
Yes, I think we can all agree that Facebook is evil, but a necessary one. After all, if I wasn't able to communicate with classmates through Facebook, I might be forced to use a phone or some other ancient form of communication. And where else can you befriend George W. Bush, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and Jesus Christ all at the same time?
Of course, I know I might spend too much time on Facebook, but it's nothing compared to the amount of time I spend reading and posting on blogs. I've had a blog of sorts ever since sophomore year when I started my Livejournal so I could have a place to rant about the exceedingly liberal writings of the Carolinian.
But my blogmania didn't really start until recently, when I switched my blog over to Blogspot. Blogspot, it turns out, is releasing my inner nerd. Not only am I posting and responding more frequently, I'm finally teaching myself basic HTML. Yeah, I know it's sad, and I've had people offer to help me, but I find teaching myself is so much more rewarding.
Aside from just being so much nicer than Livejournal, you can find a blog for pretty much every active UNCG student on Blogspot, or so it seems. And because you can give access to several posters all on one blog, it's perfect for student organizations, such as the College Republicans (uncgcr.blogspot.com) and the College Democrats (uncgcollegedems.org).
Okay, so yes it can be argued that the Internet is leading to the downfall of society, what with the fact that we can communicate with millions of people thousands of miles away and never have to leave our desk, all while completely losing the art of real conversation. At this point, I'm far too addicted to live without it. Also, my senioritis is telling me that I don't care.
Eh, I only have a little over a month left anyway...
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
It's Only College: I Realize This is Supposed to be Practice for the Real World, but There Comes a Time When You Must Draw a Line
THE RIGHT ANGLE: It's only college - Opinions
"You shouldn't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive." -- Ryan Reynolds as Van Wilder
I have to say, I never expected to begin one of my columns with a quote from a National Lampoon movie. But sometimes you find yourself in a stupid situation that can only be explained through a quote from a mindless college movie. That's where I'm at right now.
I've always been amazed by the number of college students who take themselves too seriously. For four years now, I've heard that silly statistic about how 60 percent of women meet their husbands as undergrads, and for four years, I've been urged by my fellow coeds to hurry up and find one. Now, I'm not sure what the real statistic is, as I've heard several different numbers from several different people, but numbers like that tend to send women into a panic. As a result, I've seen many desperate female college students spend more time trying to attract a mate than actually preparing for their own futures.
I'm not saying that doesn't work for some women, but if they're going to get terrified over that statistic, they should pay attention to the others. 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce. With that in mind, do you really want to spend your college years stressing out over some guy? I'm almost 22 and single, and the last thing on my mind is marriage. Don't take insignificant things too seriously this early on in your lives. Years in the future, you'll look back and realize how trivial it all is in comparison.
Recently, I've encountered another group of people who take themselves too seriously. After the last issue of the Carolinian, a certain Opinions columnist (ahem) was accused of "leaking" information about one of the SGA Vice-Presidential candidates. Because I repeatedly refused to "reveal my source", I've been constantly answering to student journalists trying to guess my source and my motives. I can't even tell you how many times I've been referred to as Judith Miller. And I really can't do anything but laugh about the situation.
We are in COLLEGE, people! I realize this is supposed to be practice for the real world, but there comes a time when you must draw a line. Everyone wants this to be such a bigger deal than it actually is. The truth of the matter is, the information I gave the Carolinian was public information which can be obtained by doing a simple Google search. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the equivalent of leaking the identity of a CIA agent. The identity of my "source" is unnecessary, and seeing as how the information was already public, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I don't even think it's possible to "leak" public information.
Among the students who want this to be so much more than it actually is was a WUAG reporter who had already decided what "really" happened. He went around the school interviewing students he thought were involved in a manner which can only be described as harassing, and attempted to prove his own story through very leading questions. I'm sure this is a good technique to use when you're involved in a real news story, like the Judith Miller case, but on a college campus you're not going to win any Pulitzers.
I try to not take myself too seriously. I'm the first one to make fun of myself, my columns, and my own beliefs, but even I found myself getting caught up in the campus drama. I let it interfere with my schoolwork, as I got stuck in a wave of non-stop interviews and meetings, trying voraciously to save my reputation. And then one night, a friend of mine told me, "You think this is bad? Wait until the New York Times is gunning for you."
In an instant, things were put into perspective for me. If I worry so much about what the college media says about me now, how am I ever going to make it in the real political world? That's when I realized how ridiculous it all is. I'm no Judith Miller, and this isn't going to ruin anyone's life. We are in college to learn about and prepare for the real world, and we can't let extracurricular drama control our lives.
So the next time you find yourself in a situation that seems to be taking over your life, try to put things in perspective. While boyfriend/girlfriend drama might seem like the most important thing in your life right now, when you're applying to grad school years in the future, you'll wish you hadn't let a stupid fight result in an F on that midterm. Chances are, these are the best years of your life, and you shouldn't waste them stressing over the little things. And so, I'll leave you with one more quote from Van Wilder: "Worrying is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere."
Write that down.
"You shouldn't take life too seriously. You'll never get out alive." -- Ryan Reynolds as Van Wilder
I have to say, I never expected to begin one of my columns with a quote from a National Lampoon movie. But sometimes you find yourself in a stupid situation that can only be explained through a quote from a mindless college movie. That's where I'm at right now.
I've always been amazed by the number of college students who take themselves too seriously. For four years now, I've heard that silly statistic about how 60 percent of women meet their husbands as undergrads, and for four years, I've been urged by my fellow coeds to hurry up and find one. Now, I'm not sure what the real statistic is, as I've heard several different numbers from several different people, but numbers like that tend to send women into a panic. As a result, I've seen many desperate female college students spend more time trying to attract a mate than actually preparing for their own futures.
I'm not saying that doesn't work for some women, but if they're going to get terrified over that statistic, they should pay attention to the others. 50 percent of all marriages end in divorce. With that in mind, do you really want to spend your college years stressing out over some guy? I'm almost 22 and single, and the last thing on my mind is marriage. Don't take insignificant things too seriously this early on in your lives. Years in the future, you'll look back and realize how trivial it all is in comparison.
Recently, I've encountered another group of people who take themselves too seriously. After the last issue of the Carolinian, a certain Opinions columnist (ahem) was accused of "leaking" information about one of the SGA Vice-Presidential candidates. Because I repeatedly refused to "reveal my source", I've been constantly answering to student journalists trying to guess my source and my motives. I can't even tell you how many times I've been referred to as Judith Miller. And I really can't do anything but laugh about the situation.
We are in COLLEGE, people! I realize this is supposed to be practice for the real world, but there comes a time when you must draw a line. Everyone wants this to be such a bigger deal than it actually is. The truth of the matter is, the information I gave the Carolinian was public information which can be obtained by doing a simple Google search. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the equivalent of leaking the identity of a CIA agent. The identity of my "source" is unnecessary, and seeing as how the information was already public, I don't see what all the fuss is about. I don't even think it's possible to "leak" public information.
Among the students who want this to be so much more than it actually is was a WUAG reporter who had already decided what "really" happened. He went around the school interviewing students he thought were involved in a manner which can only be described as harassing, and attempted to prove his own story through very leading questions. I'm sure this is a good technique to use when you're involved in a real news story, like the Judith Miller case, but on a college campus you're not going to win any Pulitzers.
I try to not take myself too seriously. I'm the first one to make fun of myself, my columns, and my own beliefs, but even I found myself getting caught up in the campus drama. I let it interfere with my schoolwork, as I got stuck in a wave of non-stop interviews and meetings, trying voraciously to save my reputation. And then one night, a friend of mine told me, "You think this is bad? Wait until the New York Times is gunning for you."
In an instant, things were put into perspective for me. If I worry so much about what the college media says about me now, how am I ever going to make it in the real political world? That's when I realized how ridiculous it all is. I'm no Judith Miller, and this isn't going to ruin anyone's life. We are in college to learn about and prepare for the real world, and we can't let extracurricular drama control our lives.
So the next time you find yourself in a situation that seems to be taking over your life, try to put things in perspective. While boyfriend/girlfriend drama might seem like the most important thing in your life right now, when you're applying to grad school years in the future, you'll wish you hadn't let a stupid fight result in an F on that midterm. Chances are, these are the best years of your life, and you shouldn't waste them stressing over the little things. And so, I'll leave you with one more quote from Van Wilder: "Worrying is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere."
Write that down.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
