SPEECHLESS. As unusual as it is, I have yet to be able to coherently express the experience I have had this summer and how my life has changed. And thus, I am -- to some of my friends' delight -- pretty speechless. After spending five weeks in Capetown, South Africa, I was confident that I would be overflowing with cultural insights and unique anecdotes. Yet, here I am, pen poised and with nothing to write.
Words simply are not adequate to express the deeply personal experience an overseas missions trip provides. Not to mention that I still, somewhat selfishly, desire to keep a part of Africa for myself. But because my return to the United States was too soon for me to offer my last tidbits of "advice" before we kick off this new year, I will attempt to share one of the greatest realizations that my trip actualized -- the University is so not the end all, be all of our lives.
Perhaps you've heard this message before. Certainly, I do mean to be "preachy" in my reiteration of a very colloquial idea. Indeed, I am very proud to attend as prestigious an institution as the University. Each step I tread here is filled with the hope of leaving a legacy worth remembering. My presence at the University is predicated upon the hard work and determination of many people who came before me, and I hope to continue to blaze trails for those who will follow. Yet something I have noticed in my time here and have possibly been guilty of is the chronic tunnel vision that exists for many students.
If you allow it, the University can become an unrealistic bubble of life. Certainly, you've been accepted into the University, and that is an excellent accomplishment. However, if your life's meaning does not go beyond association with the University, then this message is especially for you. One of the most unfortunate things about the University is all of the resources that people fail to take advantage of, especially cultural resources. By failing to capitalize on all of the diverse opportunities and people at the University, you are lessening the value of your collegiate experience.
Unfortunately, we are not a realistic microcosm of the real world. Though I have humble roots, big dreams and an open mind, even I have fallen into the trap of believing my own version of American culture to be correct. Being away from this country, much less the University, has truly changed the way I look at the world and the problems we face nationally and globally. No one had ever really told me how important it was to simply go somewhere! It is only beneficial to get out of your comfort zone and see a place where your way is not the way things get done. Not everyone can afford the opportunity to be abroad, but look into the massive information the University has to offer on overseas study programs and semesters abroad. It will change your life. If not, there are other opportunities. If you're from the country, visit a city; get yourself off of the East Coast; spend some time visiting a different type of educational institution. Just do something. Please don't become content being exclusively with people who look like you, act like you and think like you. It's a big world, with much to learn outside of class.
As I enter my third year, I can almost tangibly feel that I am in the latter half of my University career. Now I am forced to put my declaration of being "pre-law" into action, thinking about tests and Kaplan classes and applications that seemed so far off when I was a first year. With that in mind, realize that your years here are precious. I am pleased with what I have accomplished first and second year, but there is so much more I wish to do. But in that, I know that there is so much more to life than my transcript or resume. The memories are wonderful, but life cannot be defined by a piece of paper. Please remember that. Once we leave, there is no more returning, and years down the road, when asked of my college memories, I want to have more to respond with than a list of extracurriculars.
Though it may seem that I am rambling about the University, I am truly doing my best to process my overseas experience and share it in a valuable way with my community. I realize that there is no way for me to fully describe my experience. I can only encourage all the members of this community to open their eyes and broaden their own experience. At the least, it is my responsibility to make an effort to challenge my peers, and I hope that somehow through this column, I have done just that.
(Amey Adkins' column appears Tuesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at aadkins@cavalierdaily.com.)
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