OPINIONS
4/5/16 12:17pm
House Bill 2 restricts human rights
On March 3rd, Governor Pat McCrory signed a new state law that questions equality among all.
On March 3rd, Governor Pat McCrory signed a new state law that questions equality among all.
I recently reported on a speech about campus racism given by Lawrence Ross, author of “Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America’s Campuses.” It was a fairly routine assignment. I showed up in LaRose Digital Theatre with plenty of time to scope out some students to interview and a good seat for taking photos. It was only when I’d settled in that I realized this event was being attended, unlike most events at Elon University, by mostly African-American students and faculty. It was then that the discomfort settled in, along with the feeling that, however unwelcome that discomfort might be, it was absolutely necessary.
Having spent my last three years as a student here at Elon, I was sure for the longest time that nothing more about college living could faze me. Granted, the initial transition from living at home to a more independent lifestyle was difficult, but after so much time, I figured I was already well-accustomed to the various eccentricities of living in close quarters with hundreds of college students.
Last Monday, I was driving into Elon thinking about my first meeting of the morning, wondering about food for Shabbat dinner, and trying to remember a couple ideas for the Multi-Faith Spring Break trip, when I stopped at a red light.
Nowadays, not one commercial break goes by without featuring an ad for a weight-loss program, machine or miracle pill, so it’s hard not to think about your own eating and fitness habits while sitting on the couch watching TV.
Amid the stresses of being a college student is the overwhelming anxiety concerning life after college.
If you had asked me about a year ago for my opinions on America’s political climate, I might have scoffed and shook my head. While I’ve never been entirely apathetic when it comes to politics — there have always been prominent social issues that I have followed the political responses to — I could never bring myself to take an active interest.
Sunday, Jan. 31 concluded the chaotic and tumultuous week that is recruitment. When I first came to Elon, never would I have thought I would be a participant in Greek Life recruitment. But, as I got to know women in various organizations, I realized that all the stereotypes I had established in my mind were wrong. The girls involved in these organizations were nothing like I had seen in “House Bunny” or “Legally Blonde” (although I wouldn’t mind if there were some more people like Elle Woods in the world). Over the past week, I had some of the most amazing conversations with genuinely down-to-earth women on topics ranging from TV shows and the Franco brothers to how different cultures interact and communicate with each other.
I know what you’re thinking. If, after four months in a beautiful and foreign continent, these are my overarching sentiments, then I clearly did the whole study-abroad thing wrong or I didn’t try hard enough. It took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that I wasn’t having “the best time of my life” during an experience many college kids would describe as “the best times of their lives.” I experienced a lot of mental anguish simply over the fact that I wasn’t enjoying myself the way I hoped I would or the way I saw others enjoying themselves.
In response to the recent article, "Rankings, realities and varied experiences".
People go to every game ... only if the team is winning. The stands are packed ... only if it’s a game against a team from a big school. Carloads of students show up to cheer on their team ... only if it’s a tournament game. Sound familiar?
The university is sticking to its commitment to promoting on-campus diversity by nearly forcing students to attend these events, so it’s also up to the students to both take advantage of the opportunity and recognize the efforts Elon administration is making. The kinds of opportunities offered, though, limit what students can do and learn.
There’s a very real phenomenon called imposter syndrome, coined in 1978 by U.S. psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes. According to the New York Times, for them it meant a feeling of falseness “in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.” For me, it means constantly fearing that I’m not as intelligent as my grades and test scores say.
Fifteen years ago, my family moved from Caracas, Venezuela, to Cary, North Carolina. I am now 18 and have spent the entirety of my life navigating my way between two different cultures.
This is an exciting time to be in the field of college mental health. The work is challenging and deeply rewarding on many levels.
You never think it can happen to you. But when it does, it hurts.
The only way that we will be able to continue to preserve this richness, this gold that we call diversity, is by promoting a model that is inclusive for all, where the human being is a race by itself, entitled to own the same rights and different beliefs and perspectives of the world.
There's not a lot to say. Some of us knew Demitri Allison. Some of us didn’t. But we’re all mourning the loss of a member of our Elon University community.
The Presidential Task Force on Campus Social Climate and Out-of-Class Engagement is working toward making the Elon experience better for everyone here, but it can’t do it alone.
Editor’s note: This is a letter to the editor in response to the Nov. 11 article "
