I should have the First Flight online here in the next few days, but I wanted to post this one here for posterity.
Forget getting involved, how about taking charge?
After writing three of these columns now, I've run out of fresh material. I suppose that's why the sane folks limited their tenure with the newspaper the a two-year maximum. Instead, forget about being welcomed to UTM. How about getting down to business?
You have chosen a school more known for its bovine population than its academic merits. Furthermore, you've picked a state university system that ranks at or near the bottom of per-student funding ratios year after year. But you still chose wisely.
Freshman year is about trying out new-found freedoms. Want to smoke cigarettes? Smoke all you want (if your roommate doesn't care). Drinking? I'm sure with a little research you can find of-age friends to make a late night beer run. No, I don't condone it, but I'm not your parent.
If you find yourself bored in Martin, who says you have to stay in the dorm? Road trips are a great way to stave off the monotony of classes. Hungry at 2 a.m.? Call the local late night diners, or make a run to the gas station. There is no curfew. The entire 24 hours belong to you now.
You can go to class, or not. You can rush a greek organization, or proclaim from the mountain-tops that GDI's do it better.
You can date, or swear to celibacy. Find God, or deny his/her existence. There is nothing beyond the realm of possibility, and the freedom to express your religious beliefs, political views, sexuality and creativity has just broadened well beyond your high school years. Get ready for culture shock.
Then again, there is one thing that you simply must do if you have any intention of sticking around Martin beyond your freshman or sophomore year. Make friends. You need a support network.
Whether you find these friends in SGA, the Agronomy Club, one of the over 30 other student organizations, or simply down the hall, making friends is a must.
With the advent of MySpace and Facebook-type services, too much friend-making takes place in a virtual world Not to discredit this resource, but sometimes the best way to "get involved" is to pull a notice off a bulletin board and attend a meeting. You could browse the Internet from any location. Take advantage of living on a college campus.
I'm not going to break a recurring trend in "welcome freshmen" columns by omitting the most important detail. Write for your student newspaper. At the very least, read the damn thing.
The staff is comprised of a diverse group who heeded the warning to "get out, do something with your time in college." We're here to serve the campus; put us to work.
After all, it's your campus now.
Stephen Yeargin is the Executive Editor of The Pacer, the publisher of these twelve pages of vital information.