We see it everyday. Students wander our campus thatseem to have little or no ambition. Better yet, students that do have some ideaof what they want out of life, but have no clue as to what will get them there.
This is something that has become painfully clear tome in recent days.
Many of us have no idea besides being in school, whatwill make the dreams we have dreamt our entire lives a reality.
Now it is no mystery that one of the primary goals ofcollege is to have students find their niche in life. The one thing that makesa student an individual stand out from the masses, allowing them to become aproductive member of society- whether it is an employee or an employer.
For many, it takes the minimum amount of time to findthemselves as individuals. Sadly though there are many that spend ample timefinding themselves here at Southern.
We have all seen it. Students that were here beforeyou got here and now that your end is rapidly approaching, they’re still herewith no end to their college career in sight.
I have personally seen many students like this. Nowthat graduation is just short of five weeks away, I look around I notice somany that were here before I was will remain here after my tenure is long over.
Let’s not misconstrue the message. I am not referringto those students that are here completing five and six-year majors nor thosethat have been handling their business and have taken time away to handle otherlife altering situations.
I am however, referring to those that you see sittingin the student union everyday. No books, paper, pen or even a book bag for thatmatter. At any given time this student can be spotted on campus with asmoothie, a party flyer and most of all, no intentions of going to class.
However, it is not fair to just dwell on thosestudents because they are noticed by everyone. There is a different studentthough that I will give a well-deserved mention. This student is not in theunion everyday and doesn’t always have a party flyer in hand and may even carrya book bag occasionally. This student is the one that has taken classes threeand four times and in many cases with the same professor. Dropping it eachsemester because they scheduled it at 8 a.m. but never went because it was aMonday, Wednesday or Friday class and they were in the club the night beforejamming until the wee hours of the morning.
Just giving all your money to Southern University. Itis a shame.
Yeah, university life is one that every studentshould enjoy, but there is a huge difference between enjoying being in collegeand prolonging your stay to avoid the real world. Sadly though this issomething that I believe that many students have no problem with.
The attitude seems to be as long I am in school andgood old Uncle Sam is footing the bill, I will enjoy the ride for as long as Ican. The problem with this attitude is that it festers and grows in Blackculture. Another example of this is the US welfare system. Think for a momentabout the Blacks that have the mentality that ” I ‘m jus’ gonna ride this freething out.”
The college system, in ways has the same effect onstudents-not just at Southern, but nationwide. Students see that there issomething free and they want to have it for as long as they can. This is wrongon some many levels that I wouldn’t have enough time or space to explain if TheDIGEST was printed as a book.
However, I will say this I have watched studentscompete, push and humiliate themselves in the name of a free t-shirt. Whilecollege for many have little to no up front cost-thanks to Sallie Mae.
Think about the trade off that you have between beingin college for five and six years in a four year major and the money the youspend trying to prolong the enjoyment of undergrad. Just like that free T-shirt, in most cases it isn’t worththe trouble.
So check yourself! Stop trying to enjoy yourself somuch and get out of college and do something with your life. Stop trying to geteverything for free and get out there in the real world and earn your keep.
This is not to tell you what to think, but ratherwhat to think about!
