2008 Woodie Awards
Where is our global citizenship?
Evey Lyras
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Opinions
As a member of an on-campus Greek organization, I can not separate myself from the organization to which I belong. I can not separate myself from it just as I can not separate myself from my affiliation with Rollins College, my home town, my race, my gender, or any other existing components. These influences in my life are a part of who I am and I a part of them.
As a student I am constantly trying to negate the common stereotypes associated with the school according to outsiders' opinions. It's curious how people can be so concerned with the way they are perceived
by others. Most of us fall victim to this mortal flaw.
As I awake each morning, I both dread and prepare myself for what T.S. Eliot refers to as the moment when "human voices wake us, and we drown."
I fear the opinions of outsiders, their pens, and their words. This fixation with the popular public opinion serves as my motivation for writing this piece.
Among the many adjectives commonly used to
describe a successful person, "competitive" is frequently cited, especially in today's society inundated with overpopulation and the existence of booming business super-conglomerates. A competitive nature seems almost necessary in order to succeed by conventional standards. In fact, it is commonly referred to as "healthy competition." But is there a point when competition starts getting malicious?
It seems to me that there is a rift in the social circles of Rollins College. I have experienced animosity between organizations, particularly Greek organizations, not only while walking to class or engaging in night life activities,
but also in print. I have seen peers in my organization, other organizations, and those unaffiliated lash out at one another motivated by petty reasons. These verbal attacks can only be described as jealousy issues-- for there are no legitimate grounds for their animosity.
Lately, professors have been heavily incorporating the Rollins College mission statement into their curricula. The concept of the production of "global citizens" is constantly a topic of discussion. A section of the mission statement that seems to be overlooked more often than not is the final sentence. It states that the school's principles "are: excellence, innovation, and community." As a current student at Rollins, I fail to see the fruition of the final principle.
As a student I am constantly trying to negate the common stereotypes associated with the school according to outsiders' opinions. It's curious how people can be so concerned with the way they are perceived
by others. Most of us fall victim to this mortal flaw.
As I awake each morning, I both dread and prepare myself for what T.S. Eliot refers to as the moment when "human voices wake us, and we drown."
I fear the opinions of outsiders, their pens, and their words. This fixation with the popular public opinion serves as my motivation for writing this piece.
Among the many adjectives commonly used to
describe a successful person, "competitive" is frequently cited, especially in today's society inundated with overpopulation and the existence of booming business super-conglomerates. A competitive nature seems almost necessary in order to succeed by conventional standards. In fact, it is commonly referred to as "healthy competition." But is there a point when competition starts getting malicious?
It seems to me that there is a rift in the social circles of Rollins College. I have experienced animosity between organizations, particularly Greek organizations, not only while walking to class or engaging in night life activities,
but also in print. I have seen peers in my organization, other organizations, and those unaffiliated lash out at one another motivated by petty reasons. These verbal attacks can only be described as jealousy issues-- for there are no legitimate grounds for their animosity.
Lately, professors have been heavily incorporating the Rollins College mission statement into their curricula. The concept of the production of "global citizens" is constantly a topic of discussion. A section of the mission statement that seems to be overlooked more often than not is the final sentence. It states that the school's principles "are: excellence, innovation, and community." As a current student at Rollins, I fail to see the fruition of the final principle.
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sara walker
posted 4/22/08 @ 2:12 PM EST
Words cannot express how proud I am of Evie. This problem needed to be addressed, and she did it eloquently.
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