Senior Student Shares Sentiments About Moving On
“Time flies when you’re having fun.” “These next four years will fly by.” “You’re going to miss this time of your life.” Have you ever been on the receiving end of these messages? I have on countless occasions, and each always sounded so cliché that I never bothered to truly accept the truth about them. Now that I am less than two months away from graduating college, I cringe at the thought of every moment that I took for granted.
Although I am offering the simple advice of cherishing each second of your college years, I do not want to write for the underclassmen. This article is for the seniors, the graduates of the class of 2013. If you are anything like me, May 22 could be marked down in your diary as the saddest day of your life.
In no way am I ready to graduate. Sure, I am pleased with my preparation for the professional world, and an opportunity for a job right out of college looks like a good possibility. So that is not the reason I’m not ready to graduate. Like all of the seniors here at Monmouth (or at least the majority of them), my seventeen years of schooling (including kindergarten) comes to an end. I went through a short-lived phase of sulking about all of the things that will disappear when I graduate.
Here are just a few of them: being in a classroom setting, sleeping in, procrastinating school work, having Christmas and spring break, staying out late on a Tuesday, running club meetings, having ample time for the gym, and living within a mile from all of my friends. All of these memories are irreplaceable. Although I do not wish to go back and redo any of them, I do wish I could have more time to enjoy them.
Traditional Journalism Gradually Fades into the Past as More News Moves to Online Outlets
Over the past several years, the journalism industry has seen many changes and these changes are proving to be large contributing factors to the gradual decline of traditional journalism.
The most evident change in journalism has been the drastic transition to digital media as technology gradually immerses itself into every aspect of our everyday lives. In recent years, more and more news outlets have made an effort to reach out to wider audiences through the use of technology.
“The big change in all news media has been the migration of content to digital distribution,” said Dr. Eleanor Novek, journalism professor.
Societal changes and the need for quicker news have also contributed to the changes in the industry. As more audiences turn their attention to digital outlets for news, traditional news outlets, particularly newspapers, have suffered. In this day and age, newspapers are no longer timely.
With the use of technology as a source of news, audiences are able to have their information at their disposal at any time of the day with the click of a few buttons, proving to be a desirable method of obtaining news. People today do not want to take the time to buy a newspaper and flip through pages of long articles in order to extract information about news which has already occurred.
Are Gender-Specific Facilities Fair?
I wouldn’t classify myself as a feminist, nor do I promote any radical gender reform, but I believe in gender equality. As I watched television the other day, a commercial came on for Lucille Roberts Women’s Fitness Center. I have never really given much thought to a gender-specific facility before but it got me wondering if promoting such facilities was in our country’s best interest. How can men and women be equal if we keep creating these places that separate us?
Lucille Roberts Women’s Fitness Center opened in 1970 by a woman named Lucille Roberts. Roberts’ goal by opening the facility was to provide women with a comfortable and affordable place to exercise and lose weight. According to the Lucille Roberts website, “…we are ladies only because we believe women should be comfortable working out. Our members can jump higher, squat lower and sweat without feeling self-conscious.”
Curves, another popular women’s -only gym is said to be “an overnight success, as it gave women a supportive and comfortable atmosphere in which to work out.” Today, Curves is the largest fitness franchise in the world with over 9,000 clubs in over 70 countries.
Personally, I like the idea of a women-only fitness center. I wouldn’t have to put any effort into the way I look when going to the gym, I wouldn’t be self-conscious about the way I run on the treadmill and I wouldn’t fret if I got a little sweaty. A women’s facility would cater to my needs and I see the reasoning behind them, but I feel uneasy when I think about the impact gender exclusive facilities have on our efforts to achieve gender equality.
“What are you doing for your spring break?” has been the most popular question in my classes I have heard over the past few weeks. As usual, there are the general responses of going to Florida, cruises, skiing, and, of course, visiting grandma and grandpa for the week.
However, among those exciting plans I heard in a surprisingly dreadful tone: “You guys are so lucky. I’m just going to be stuck at home again this year,” from one of my female peers.
Like several of my other classmates, I will also be spending my Spring Break this year homebound in North Jersey. While it would be nice to travel some place warm and sunny with consistent weather, I can attest that as a college student, my budget is currently kept on a tight leash making travel a low priority for now.
Still, to those of you who are staying home, you can still have just as much fun with a well-planned “Stay-cation” this year. You just have to see for yourself instead of moping around on Facebook looking at everybody else having fun.
If you are looking to do something fun over the break, try planning a day trip somewhere. As long as you have some type of transportation and an open mind, you can go anywhere and have a great time. It could be going to a museum in the city, the beach, or simply having a day in the park with your friends.
Something as simple as going out to dinner and a movie with friends can be a great way to shake your stay home blues, and if you are short on cash, have dinner and a movie at your house.
When I was in the first grade, I remember writing down all of the things I wanted to be when I grew up; an astronaut, a teacher, a mommy, a puppy. I wanted to be anything I found inspiring and fun.
As I grew older and realized that I could be anything but a puppy, I realized the many other things I wanted to be along with my original ideas; a lawyer, a doctor, and an actress.
As I reached high school, I thought I had my dreams limited down to what I wanted to study in college. I wanted to be a television broadcaster and work in New York City.
After my freshman year at MU, I switched majors and decided I wanted to study Public Relations. What do I want to be now? I couldn’t tell you.
I honestly wish I had a clear image of what I could see myself pursuing as a career. The truth is that I can see myself doing a lot. I still feel like the little girl who imagined flying to the moon in a space shuttle, teaching kids the alphabet and becoming a movie star.
Although those dreams have slightly changed to be more realistic and tailored to my current interests, I find myself constantly wondering the same question: “What do I want to be when I grow up?”