WITH THE beginning of the school year, many students are feeling ambushed again -- but this time, not by classes and tests. Rather, the beginning of a new academic calendar is characterized by student groups of every possible type, flavor and agenda competing heavily for the attentions -- CLAS 2000 and patronage -- of the student body, particularly the first years. Their recruiting pitch? Show your potential for "leadership;" along with "diversity," one of the most overused and poorly defined words in our community lexicon. It's time we dump this silly fascination with being a "leader."
For many organizations, it's hard to overestimate the time and effort spent preparing for that orgy of advertising and aggrandizement, the Student Activities Fair. There, student groups wheedle and beg for people to come out to their meetings, activities, even parties (a shrewd recruiting technique that works by implicitly offering free booze for those who come out). And this is all fair and good -- ideally, students will have the option of getting some idea of what each group is like, and will choose a few to join. For many (perhaps most) students, involvement in the right extracurricular activities is what completes their college experience.
But for others, the rallying call of the "right" activities isn't always answered merely out of a dedication to their ideals; indeed, it's sometimes never answered at all. Instead, the University community's obsession (along with that of our general society) with the vague notion of "leadership" serves to skew the choices and commitments students make. Whether it's joining a Student Council committee over a less-renowned issue advocacy group, or dedicating all of one's non-class hours to serving as a director for something or other in another club, students are constantly being fed the message that being "just another member" simply isn't good enough.
No doubt, leadership can be a great thing. But looking around the University, it's not hard to tell why so many people seem obsessed with it; virtually every fellowship, scholarship or admissions application you'll pick up will demand it, countless student groups and University offices are oriented around fostering it, and when StudCo elections pick up again, students will again be treated to the same old platitudes about candidates' credentials as leaders. "Leadership" has become an elastic buzzword (a la "diversity?") that students and organizations use to credential themselves. Given that most students who make it to the University were over achievers back in high school, maybe students' desperate attempts to show their leadership abilities can explain the ridiculous number of CIOs on Grounds (Student Council lists over 500). The University's atmosphere of noblesse and ridiculous fascination with "student self-governance" does nothing to alleviate the pressure to become a "student leader."
It's easy to lose much sense of perspective in college. After coming back from the summer, it's easy to see how living on and near Grounds has a telescoping effect -- things look and seem much bigger than they really are. However sad as it may seem, chances are no one will remember five years later who the officers of their club were; but nonetheless, individuals will remember accomplishments. And meaningful accomplishments require many fewer "leaders" than they do people willing to take on responsibility and work without much recognition. The old adage proves true: too many chefs ruin the soup. Just look at Student Council.
Of course, "leadership" is all fine and good, but far more important -- and much less rewarded on Grounds, let alone stressed -- are the virtues of labor and pride in one's individual efforts. It's a truism that the people who make all the difference are usually the unsung heroes, and the University is lucky to boast many of them. Leaders are not the ones who make First Year Move-In or Orientation, the Colonnade Ball, Lighting of the Lawn or the daily miracle (spectacle? Well, occasionally) that is The Cavalier Daily happen -- they're regular students who bear the grunt work willingly.
Perhaps if we as a society were more willing to recognize the efforts of those not in leadership positions as easily as those with an elected post, students would be more likely to follow their real interests in choosing activities. Goodness knows, the roller hockey club could use the membership boost.
(Blair Reeves's column appears Mondays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at breeves@cavalierdaily.com)
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