So you’ve arrived on campus. You’ve got a charming roommate who likes to be drunk and/or naked in your impossibly tiny dorm room and you’re not quite sure where Heroy Hall is. But you’ve also got four years ahead of you and the possibilities to fill them are endless.
Mix in, meet people, party, have a good time, study occasionally, but most importantly, take a step back and assess the situation. It’s how you grow as a person. Don’t let any campus activities you become involved in consume you and smother you to the point where you can’t stop and think about it in a different light.
On a personal note, I placed myself in this situation unknowingly during my freshman year. I was young, impressionable — pretty much the definition of a freshman. It took me longer to figure out where to focus my energy, two years to be exact, but it was worth it. As the saying goes, the more you know about yourself the better person you become. But at first I didn’t have an opinion. I kind of wanted to do everything. Be in a sorority, but not really. Have a serious boyfriend, but not really. Have a wild spring break, but a relaxing one too. (I’m still planning for the wild one as I type this. Any suggestions?) What I found was that when making a decision there’s a price you pay, an opportunity cost (Thanks Prof. Frost), and some costs are much more costly than others. For example, the decision of going Greek or not, something on every freshman’s mind by now — excuse me — I mean first-year. I didn’t put a lot of thought in to my decision not to rush. And I would always question that decision. Hell, I sometimes do now. Except now its more like, “why didn’t I join a fraternity?” And then I remember that girls aren’t allowed to and I go on with my day. So, since I had no opinion, what I like to call “the plague of indecision,” I had a reason to explore anything I couldn’t make up my mind about. But ultimately, for me, my decisions came from the results of my curiosity. Some results, painful and sometimes shameful, helped me make decisions. I have to admit that most came from learning what I didn’t like, such as having a run in with the law or eating a spinach salad before pouring several shots of Bacardi 101 down my throat, with a chaser, of course. (I’m getting queasy just thinking about that night.)
So, I encourage everyone to explore college life at SMU, and if my experience hasn’t been convincing enough, here are two more reasons why you should explore. One: You’ll get more out of college than just a diploma and a class ring when you graduate. Two: You’ll just happen to be a curious person by nature, and have a burning desire to know what’s happening on campus. In that case, walk over to Hughes-Trigg, take the stairs (or the elevator) up to the third floor, hang a left around the vending machines and then stop and look up. If you see “Student Media Company” above the open double doors you’re at the right place. Once you’ve verified you’re in the right place, consider yourself as kicking off the start of the year, the right way. Whether you are opinionated, a sports buff, a fashion guru, a walking encyclopedia, or simply have to be in the know, we have a place for you at The Daily Campus. You are the eyes, the ears and part of the left hand of this campus, so without you my passion for journalism would not exist. So without further adieu, I’m taking this opportunity to extend my love of journalism and SMU and encouraging each of you to give this paper a voice. We are always looking for writers, photographers, copy editors, graphic designers and cartoonists, so drop in and apply.
Jessica Savage is the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Campus. She is a senior journalism major and business minor. Jessica can be reached at [email protected]
