The Beacon

Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Opinion

Ben Chadwick

Ben Chadwick as Santa for December distribution of The Beacon

When I came to SMCC I didn't know anyone, I was afraid of all my teachers and I viewed this school as a place that people just show up to and leave. Basically I was a typical SMCC freshman. Upon this road, of not knowing what this school had to offer (if anything) or how to feel like this was actually my school and not just a place that holds classes, I looked into the Beacon. I've been a writer for the better bit of my life and figured that a school paper would be a good way to get involved and exercise my abilities. As it turns out, I was right.

Going around campus now I hear people complaining about certain things. People complain about classes or school activities. One day I heard someone say that the Beacon sucks, something to which I naturally took offense to. I thought of how we could make the Beacon better, how we could improve, what I could do to get more interest from people and then I realized that I didn't have to do anything. The Beacon is a school paper. It's not like we're a select few who were picked out of our classes because we can write or have something to talk about. We actively chose to join the paper. So that brings me back to the question; what would make the Beacon better? You.

If there is something that people don't like about the Beacon they shouldn't bitch and moan about what people are doing wrong or what there isn't enough of, they should do something. Join the Beacon. Write something to change it if you don't like what it is. Don't expect people to do everything that you want them to do without any effort. I jumped into it to get myself involved and that's exactly what I did. I've done countless stupid things to help the paper at my own expense (i.e. The Santa Clause outfit). So why can't you do something? Contribute, become a staff writer, become an editor. If there is something wrong, make it better instead of sitting and complaining about what's wrong.

By joining the paper I also started meeting a lot of people. I made friends here on campus that I would never have known otherwise. I get people who come up to me and say "hey, aren't you the beard guy?" or "I liked your review of (random movie name)?" and every time that happens it sparks up a conversation with someone. It was the first step in getting me involved with this school and making it more than buildings full of classrooms.

As you know already, SMCC is on a beautiful location, it's a great school, but it can still feel like that "old fashioned college" feeling is missing. Whether it's because you commute or because you feel there aren't a lot of things going on around campus that feeling still lingers on this campus, but who decides what makes this school what? Is it the administration or the state or just the campus in general? Once again, the answer is you. If you want this school to feel more like a traditional college then make it one. Create a club, join a study group, make common friends. It's not about your school doing this for you. I'm so sick of walking these halls and seeing faces of people who are just here to get a class done. Interact with the people around you. Make college fun instead of walking through mobs of blank faced students who are just going to class and leaving.

I've realized that there is no real excuse for this school not being like any other. We have a campus, we have sports, we have organizations and we've got a beach. How many community colleges can actually say that? Get off your ass, look around you and take advantage of the great opportunities that are right in front of you. This school is a tool for us students to use to make community college be the experience we want it to be. If we as students decide to actually make a difference here, this could easily be one of the best colleges in the state. So as a peer, student and a kid who wants to have fun with college, I sincerely hope this article has upset you, enough so that you will actually do something about it, even if all you do is write to us and tell us you hated my article, at least you did something instead of only coming to class and going home.

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