Please quit wasting studentstime
Dear Editor:
There are certain activities in life that bring satisfaction.Most of these activities are few and far in between.
Getting off of the campus and going to a party is an activitythat is enjoyed by many students. I am not too much of a partier ora drinker because of my Faith. I am busy most of the time, so Itake the opportunity to go out seriously. After five long days andnights of studying and working comes the time when I must get outand enjoy this thing called life. It is necessary that I spend timewith my friends, meet new people and see some beautiful women. Weall need these things to maintain a healthy balance. They are the”bare necessities” of life.
This past Friday night, or Saturday morning, I found myselfpreparing to go to the S.A.E. party. I made the pilgrimage to thebus loading zone only to find a mob. The congestion of peopleattempting to pressure their advance was an astonishing sight.
I made my way through the crowd and stood five feet from the busdoor for thirty minutes. The man checking each partygoer’sidentification had his work cut out for him.
The man could not allow things to flow smoothly. I am notplacing the blame on him, because what could he do? I did notunderstand why there was not another man at another bus to assistthis swamped one-man operation. The increased efficiency that wouldderive would greatly profit all the parties involved. Although dueto this one man operation, a human stampede formed and could not beinfluenced by anything other than a single mentality—me, me,me!
Being forced to sacrifice two hours on a Friday night is trulynothing short of an injustice. The success of the student dependson how well his or her life is balanced. The balance of eachstudent’s life is dependent on how effectively time is usedand allocated to allow the greatest bang with the least cost. Bywasting our weekend nights, and undoubtedly there will be morewasted, this body of students subjects itself to the dilapidationof our own interests. The machinations I saw were so Machiavellianthat it has rarely been my experience to encounter an activitywhich instigates such prevalent frustration.
I do not claim to know or understand all of the extraneouscircumstances governing the parameters which shaped this situation;however, I realize that many people went home unhappy, includingyours truly.
I challenge all of those who do possess authority in these kindsof matters to please be courteous and responsible, to pursueoptions which would better please us laymen. Friday nights shouldbe soothing not exasperating.
Russell Allsup
First-year
Financial consulting and history premajor
Assist victims and prevent domesticviolence
Dear Editor:
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and timefor a reminder that we should all use the simple solutionsavailable to us to prevent this complex problem.
Chances are a family member, a friend or a co-worker is a victimof domestic violence, whether you know it or not. These victimspass you in the halls at school, work with you, study with you orspend the holidays with you. Just consider these statistics beforeyou think domestic violence doesn’t affect you.
- The U.S. Department of Justice’s 2001 Report of ViolenceAgainst Women reports that 1 in 3 women will experience domestic orsexual violence in her lifetime.
- One out of four teenagers will experience abuse in his/herdating relationship by the age of 18, according to the U.S. Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention and the Commonwealth Fund Surveyfor the Health of Adolescent Girls in 1997.
This October, please take the time to explore the simplesolutions you, your family or your workplace can do to helperadicate domestic violence:
– Call for help.
If you think someone you know is being abused, contact theNational Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE or800-787-3224(TTY). If you have a Verizon Wireless phone, dial#HOPE. These toll and airtime free calls are routed to the NationalDomestic Violence Hotline.
– Get involved.
Donate to an organization. Donations such as ladies toiletriesand clothing and children’s books, toys and school suppliesare often welcome.
– Donate An Old Wireless Phone.
Donate a used wireless phone to Verizon Wireless’ HopeLineprogram to offer an added sense of security for victims. Your oldwireless phone can serve as a literal lifeline in emergencysituations. The HopeLine program puts wireless phones in the handsof victims and funds local domestic violence advocacy organizationsin the Central Texas area.
– Talk About It.
Domestic Violence isn’t an easy subject to discuss, and itis often perceived as a private matter between two people. Onlythrough open discussion will we be able to make steps toward endingdomestic violence.
I urge you to join us in this fight. Let’s work togetherto assist victims and prevent domestic violence.
Gary Riding
Region President
Verizon Wireless
Dallas, TX
