Ah, the college years. A time to discover new things, rediscover old things and find out that some things that you thought were true really aren’t. It’s a time to explore yourself in ways that you couldn’t — or simply didn’t in your earlier, formative years — and to break away from the outline of your parents’ track.
Like Pleasantville, you can leave (at least some of) the past behind, untethering yourself from its archaic stereotypes and the rhythmic grind of high school life. But after sloughing off the dead membrane of the past, you need to decide what your new self will be.
Fortunately, you find yourself at college: the intersection of countless avenues of potential self-redefinition.
Are you a drama buff, or wanted to write or act in a play in the past, but never had the chance? Check out the University Theatre’s Pocket Playhouse.
Are you a budding politician or just want to help influence changes in the University world around you? The Associated Students of the University of Oregon — your official student government — might be a good place to start.
Or if you just like staying physically active, continue or just try a sport with Club Sports or the Outdoor Program.
Indeed, the university scene is something of a microcosm of a larger society: It has its own culture, its own values — or more accurately, its own collection of individual values — and its own opportunities.
And the great part is that, even though it helps, you don’t have to be exceptionally great at any of the activities you try. In fact, you don’t even have to be good: All you have to do is get off your couch, turn off the television and find something you like on the EMU directory or at the Student Activities Resource center’s Web site: http://saro.uoregon.edu.
Sure, you could go through four or five years of college doing nothing but waking up on Monday, going to class, maybe going to work, coming home and slogging through your homework or zoning out, sleeping and mindlessly starting the whole loop again on Tuesday.
In fact, in many respects, learning about your major isn’t the most important part of college: it’s learning how to interact with the real world, and that includes real world people and real world challenges.
Check out the Emerald’s special Spotlight on Campus supplement in this issue for some of the countless ways to get involved, improve the community and improve yourself.
Ultimately, no one but you will pick how you spend your free time or choose the ways that you try to grow. Only you can define your college experience. Make the most of it every day.