New Year’s resolutions for Black College students

Every January we like to indulge ourselves in making long lists of commitments that we feel can improve our lives in various areas. From breaking bad habits to losing extra pounds, we think we can change behaviors and habits that we have practiced for so long over night. It’s the end of January and many of those promises are figments of our imagination.
With the old year behind us and the first month of 2003 drawing to a close, I have devised a list of realistic goals that every black college student should strive for and successful attain. There is no catch, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars in gym fees and exercise equipment, and you won’t suffer from withdrawals. The only thing that is required is an opened mind, a desire to spend a little on something besides watching television, and the consciousness to know that you can make a difference in your life and the life of others.
1. Pick Up A Book. Remember back in elementary school when you competed to be the top reader in your class so that you could receive the coupon for a small order of french fries at McDonald’s or that bumper sticker for your parent’s car? It’s time for us to get back to the basics. Reading should go beyond the required reading material for a course. If you are strapped for cash, check out a book. Your African American Literature book, personally on of my favorite anthology of African American novels, poems, speeches, and plays, is filled with writers from different time periods and genres that encompasses so many aspects of our culture. Whether it’s an Omar Tyree novel or book of poetry by Def Poetry spoken word artists, it’s important that we continue to broaden our horizons and knowledge on different ideas.
2. Manage Your Finances. Deposit that $2,568.15 refund check (or whatever is left) into a savings account or mutual fund. As college students we don’t need that much to live on. I know that some people use this money to pay their rent or car note for the semester but let’s be real. After we have stood in line for over two hours in Seymour, another line at Bank One for at least 45 minutes, our next stop was the mall! It is time for us to become more conscious of our spending habits. We spend our money on frivolous things and by midterm we have turn to our parents and credit cards. By the way, disguising your voice and pretending that you’re not at home may work with bill collectors while you’re in college but when you enter the work force and try to buy big ticket items all of that will show up on a little thing known as a credit report.
3. Volunteer Beyond Volunteerism. Everyone knows that in order to graduate from SU, you must complete 60 hours of community service. That’s an excellent way to give back to the community and help those who are less fortunate but I am challenging you take it to another level. Continue to volunteer in the classrooms, community centers, and outreach programs. Let people know that you are not volunteering only in order to graduate. You never know how many lives you can change but taking our time to help others.
4. Slow Down! This concept takes on two vantagepoints. Living in such a fast past society, we rarely have the opportunity to take time to appreciate things around us. We are so busy trying to graduate and make money that we sometimes forget that this is suppose to be the best times of our lives. Become involved in campus activities. Take the time to socialize with others outside of your circle of friends. The second part of this concept is to STOP DRIVING SO FAST ON CAMPUS! Harding Boulevard, “the strip,” and other roads on campus are not racetracks. I’m scared to step off the sidewalk between Lottie and Bradford Halls in fear that I will be hit!
5. Be On Time. It might take a minute for some of us to de-program this concept in our brains but C.P. time is not a time zone and is not recognized in corporate America.
6. Turn Off BET. Black Entertainment Television has proved to the world that all we are good for is making people laugh and dance. They have removed from its lineup the most influential shows (Lead Story, BET Tonight with Ed Gordon, and Teen Summit) however, we can tune in to half naked females, “bling bling,” and ghetto fabulous entertainment 24/7. It’s true that for a long time BET was the only network that played Black programming but it’s a new day and age. We have to expect more out of the media outlets that are suppose to represent Black America. Ever tuned into “Holla!” Enough said.
7. Write A Letter To The Editor. If you want your voice and opinion to be heard by the entire world, write a letter to me. We publish over 8,000 copies each week and we are on the World Wide Web. The Southern DIGEST certainly brings to the forefront issues and topics that concern you and many times stir up debate. If you can get people talking and voicing their concerns on things that affect our university community, change will certainly come.
Here’s to a happy, safe, and prosperous New Year!