Bleeding Orange and Maroon
It's Hokies, Hokies, Hokies everywhere. The summer has officially ended and Blacksburg is alive once again. Downtown bars like Sharkey's, Ogue Chi's, TOTS and the River Mill are making calls to get ready for the live atmosphere they are accustomed to. Students rush to the Bursar's Office to pay a bill, complain about a bill or-- for that lucky person--pick up a refund check. The gym at McComas Hall returns to its usual state -- so packed that you have to stand in line to use a weight machine. Then there is everyone's favorite crew, Parking Services, who would win a gold medal in shelling out the most tickets per hour if it ever became an Olympic event.
All of these familiar occurrences have me on edge. Not because I'm excited but because I wonder how the many relationships within this university will fare. I have been a student at Virginia Tech for six years--both graduate and undergraduate -- and each year I have been a witness to the many fall outs that occur in this community. This includes but is not limited to: conflicts between students, controversy between the university and its students, and disagreements between students and faculty. I've come to know a thing or two about this place: these dilemma are as familiar as our beloved maroon and orange and as inevitable as the university being open in the midst of 5 inches of snow.
As I log in to half.com to buy my text books--I learned this sophomore year--I sit and wonder what is going to happen this year. I think to myself, how long will it be before the next student finds them self as a victim of discrimination by a professor? What lucky professor will find their name in this very newspaper because of such incident? I sit on edge and wonder how much time will pass until there is a march or protest in the name of an injustice? How far will the university go this year to investigate hate crimes committed against an individual or diverse organization? Who will be the next faculty member who, although they may be an excellent teacher, is ousted because he or she failed to follow through on their research responsibilities?
Since I'm in reflection mode, I ponder whether or not the students, who claim to be adults, will ever catch wind of the disrespect they show their professors? How long will it be before these students realize that their professors know when students try to pull one over on them? Will students be honest with themselves and realize that their professors don't owe them anything? I'm biting my nails hoping to avoid the many stories I will hear from international TA's about how students talk down to them because of the way they speak? Then I ask myself, how many students this year will treat a faculty member of color as if he or she is not qualified to evaluate or correct them? When will be the next time I walk into a conversation between GA's frustrated about how students perform poorly all semester, send nasty e-mails, and even get their parents involved to figure out about why he or she doesn't have an A?
It is a shame. It is also a reality in which I have seen cycle throughout each year some way or another. So what now?
Once again, having experienced Tech for the amount of time, I return to my state of curiosity. I wonder what new ways will the university community unite. As I walk around campus and meet the new students and faculty, I wonder who will be the new voice to effect change in our community? Anticipation sets in as I wonder when will be the next time that we celebrate the numerous successes our community has experienced. Facutly-student relationships may not always be peachy, but I can not avoid the many ways in which students show appreciation towards them and vice versa.
Still, there is an even more important question that surmounts all the others. Standing in front of a mirror, I view my reflection and wonder what will I contribute to make this community what it should be?
These words are my opinion
My opinion is these words
I've given my opinion
So my opinion can be heard
All of these familiar occurrences have me on edge. Not because I'm excited but because I wonder how the many relationships within this university will fare. I have been a student at Virginia Tech for six years--both graduate and undergraduate -- and each year I have been a witness to the many fall outs that occur in this community. This includes but is not limited to: conflicts between students, controversy between the university and its students, and disagreements between students and faculty. I've come to know a thing or two about this place: these dilemma are as familiar as our beloved maroon and orange and as inevitable as the university being open in the midst of 5 inches of snow.
As I log in to half.com to buy my text books--I learned this sophomore year--I sit and wonder what is going to happen this year. I think to myself, how long will it be before the next student finds them self as a victim of discrimination by a professor? What lucky professor will find their name in this very newspaper because of such incident? I sit on edge and wonder how much time will pass until there is a march or protest in the name of an injustice? How far will the university go this year to investigate hate crimes committed against an individual or diverse organization? Who will be the next faculty member who, although they may be an excellent teacher, is ousted because he or she failed to follow through on their research responsibilities?
Since I'm in reflection mode, I ponder whether or not the students, who claim to be adults, will ever catch wind of the disrespect they show their professors? How long will it be before these students realize that their professors know when students try to pull one over on them? Will students be honest with themselves and realize that their professors don't owe them anything? I'm biting my nails hoping to avoid the many stories I will hear from international TA's about how students talk down to them because of the way they speak? Then I ask myself, how many students this year will treat a faculty member of color as if he or she is not qualified to evaluate or correct them? When will be the next time I walk into a conversation between GA's frustrated about how students perform poorly all semester, send nasty e-mails, and even get their parents involved to figure out about why he or she doesn't have an A?
It is a shame. It is also a reality in which I have seen cycle throughout each year some way or another. So what now?
Once again, having experienced Tech for the amount of time, I return to my state of curiosity. I wonder what new ways will the university community unite. As I walk around campus and meet the new students and faculty, I wonder who will be the new voice to effect change in our community? Anticipation sets in as I wonder when will be the next time that we celebrate the numerous successes our community has experienced. Facutly-student relationships may not always be peachy, but I can not avoid the many ways in which students show appreciation towards them and vice versa.
Still, there is an even more important question that surmounts all the others. Standing in front of a mirror, I view my reflection and wonder what will I contribute to make this community what it should be?
These words are my opinion
My opinion is these words
I've given my opinion
So my opinion can be heard
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