For the past semester, I've had the privilege of being a Cavalier Daily Life columnist. I call it a privilege because not everyone has the chance to write about pretty much whatever they want in the space of 120 lines in one of the most reputable college newspapers in the country with a print circulation of 10,000 and an extensive online readership.
The title in my byline is broad indeed, as it implies that I am free to write about ... life. With hardly any parameters and very little editorial intervention, the possibilities for column topics are endless. We all have our own styles when it comes to writing about "life," and some of us approach our columns from a certain angle or with some sort of recurring theme. My objective in writing this column has been to cast some sort of light on the college experience by sharing some of my observations about our situation as students here at the University. I've written about the paradox of routine, the joy of learning outside the classroom, the unreasonable expectations we sometimes have for ourselves, the Family Weekend tradition, the need to regain our souls after midterms and, most recently, the issue of the post-college "life plan." Essentially, what I've endeavored to do is offer you a bi-weekly reality check, or at least give you something to consider as you make your way to the Sudoku on the back page.
If you think about it (and I have, extensively), college is a crazy time -- both good crazy and bad crazy. It's like a suspended reality, a nebulous realm between adolescence and adulthood, a kind of "real world" simulation with training wheels. We're on the cusp of adulthood, yet we can't deny our lingering immaturity. Once we leave home and high school, the stakes suddenly become a little higher, the decisions a little more important, the consequences a little more enduring. Yes, college marks our last hurrah as carefree kids before we join the ranks of college-educated, self-sufficient, responsible adults. And as we make our way through this singular time in our lives, it's imperative that we not lose touch with the world that exists outside the college bubble.
As an undergraduate who got a taste of the "real world" by interning in New York last semester, I've reached the conclusion that, in college, the need to keep things real is vital. It's so easy to get caught up in the drama of college -- i.e. intolerable roommates, unduly harsh TAs, fraternity party mishaps, the "It's complicated" relationship status, etc. -- that we can lose sight of what really matters. Now, I'm certainly not about to elucidate that notion, because no one can tell you what's important in life and what's not; that's something we all have to decide for ourselves. But college can be a tumultuous time, and it's essential that we keep it all in perspective -- keep it real, if you will.
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, and my time away from the University certainly made me appreciate this place even more. I would also say that distance makes the mind grow more reflexive. My hiatus in New York was the best reality check for me, because it enabled me to reflect on the college experience without the benefit of hindsight and helped me figure out what's important to me. But in the interest of space and, well, your interest, I'll spare you the details.
While spending time away from the University by interning or studying abroad is a good reality check, it's certainly not the only way to do it. Just taking a few minutes to really think about things, especially when the bad craziness of college starts to trump the good, can help maintain a sense of perspective.
I don't like endings, or goodbyes for that matter. There's too much pressure to say just the right thing. How am I supposed to sign off here? Clichés are starting to creep into my head, so I'll just end by saying, good luck and be good -- and don't forget to check in with reality every now and then.
Lauren's column ran bi-weekly on Thursdays. She can be reached at pappa@cavalierdaily.com.
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