Where’s the party at?
IntroDUCKtion is in full swing, and it seems this is the greatest question on everyone’s mind.
One person who works on trying to get new students interested and involved in various academic organizations told me this weekend that the freshmen she has worked with in the past weekends could care less about the great scholastic pursuits that lay before them on a college campus. They all want to know where the best parties are.
As “Animal House,” which was filmed on this college campus, would indicate, going to parties in college — where alcohol is a main theme — has become a way of life. Some people even get excited about the prospect of finally leaving their parents and not having to hide their party lifestyle when they get home.
Aside from the obvious fact that alcohol should not be a way of life, there are a few things about the real world that we all should understand.
If you’re under 21 years old, here’s a reality check for you: Underage drinking is still not something that the police will tolerate, and the growing number of MIPs that the Eugene Police Department is giving out should be proof enough that they mean business.
If you’re over 21 years old and you’re thinking that you can finally drink all you want without the fear of Big Brother watching you, step back for a minute and remember why you are here in the first place.
First and foremost, no questions asked, the word “college” should evoke a sense of education, not intoxication. College should be a place where we all eagerly come to learn. Take those scholastic opportunities seriously because this may be the only place in your life that you will be in the kind of environment where learning is not only encouraged, it thrives.
Now, this is not to say that you should isolate yourself entirely, cram your head in your books, get a pocket protector and completely miss out on the college experience. You will learn more about life in the years you spend here than five minutes in class could ever shake a stick at.
But remember to learn these lessons. Learn how to learn. Learn how to make friends who really care about you. Learn when to do what the administration tells you to do even if you don’t feel like doing it, and learn when to stand up to the system when you truly feel that things aren’t going in the right direction.
And, learn how to be responsible and know when you don’t have time to go to the party.
If you’re coming from a high school scene that you think was only the preseason to the college party playoffs — or you’ve already been drinking away the first two or three years of your college career — remember that there are consequences for your actions. Whether EPD fines you a couple hundred dollars or you don’t make it through college because classes and studying cramp your style, remember that there is a little thing in life called consequence. It will catch up to you.
Possibly one of the greatest lessons that can be learned in college is knowing when and how to make the right decision, not because you’ll get in trouble with Big Brother if you don’t but because we are all gifted people — blessed with the gift of a college education, which a vast majority of people in this country never receive — and we can make a difference if we just keep our acts together.