Not just another party

Do we as young black Americans take our lives serious enough? On impulse, we want to say, “Yes, of course. Why else would we be in college?”
Unfortunately, a degree is not a VIP pass to success.
Although college life is an excellent preparatory course for the world to come, it can also leave us with a terrible case of tunnel vision. We can lose sight of the fact that important things do happen over The Hump, and more importantly, we can lose sight of the fact that we won’t be in college forever.
Now it may seem that I’ve once again gone off on a tangent. But I haven’t this time; I promise. There’s one key factor tying all this gibberish together: Us. Generation X. The youngins. The spoiled, passive, lazy bunch of brats who’ve had everything handed to us. (That’s what our parents say behind our backs).
We, the future of Black America, have to prepare ourselves for the real world. And it is not as simple as passing a class.
We have to become knowledgeable. Watch the news. Know what’s going on around you. I bet the only thing we know right now is Anthrax and bin Laden, and I bet some think Anthrax is a drug and bin Laden’s first name is bin. Go buy a paper.
We have to become sociable. Respect in the streets will get you nowhere. Your peers are cool and all, but they got the same thing you got: Nothing. Get to know your professors, your administrators, campus leaders, professionals in your respective studies…anyone who can give you some kind of insight on what it is that you hope to do for the rest of you life. In short, it’s called networking.
We have to spend wisely. Ok, so what was more important, the new Jordans, or that book for a class in your major? Car insurance, or car stereo? If you can’t prioritize and budget now, how do you plan to hold on to enough money to pay off that loan later?
We have to keep in mind there’s life beyond college. We’re not just competing with our classmates; we’re up against some of the sharpest, toughest, and strongest in the world. We have to stay on our toes, because who’s to say WE can’t be the sharpest, toughest, and strongest?
This is the final phase of the easiest part of our lives. Have fun. Make friends. Embed some of the most incredible memories into the depths of your hearts and minds. But, please, do not lose sight of what you’re really here for.