Newspapers / St. Andrews University Student … / Sept. 14, 1984, edition 1 / Page 2
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2 September 14, 1984 The Lance S. RAPS It is usually the case that at the beginning of Fall term our thoughts and attitudes towards ourselves and others are at their most objective point of view. We are easy too forgive others for trespasses and forget the minor irrita tions that accompany those initial “getting to know one another again days.” We recognize that the world is full of complexities, and in its interconnected ways the world cannot be fully-understood by our simplistic attempts to conform it to our individual views. Further more we might even admit to ourselves that we just possibly might not be able to find “the answer” to our problems during the com ing school year or for that matter during the remainder of our lives! But, it is amazing how quickly these attitudes change after those initial days of happiness. When the pressures of the final paper begin to increase and our date for the Luau or the Toga party has fallen through, we begin to lose sight of those complexities in our attitudes toward one another. We begin to forget the polite words which we had previously used to greet our roommate and suitemates dur ing those initial days. We begin to speak with our mouths before we think with our minds and out from our flippant tongues comes a whole host of slurs and cutting remarks, intentional or unintentional, which serve to erode the friendships we have worked so hard to build. So, after a few weeks we have come from admitting our simplicities of being happy within that admittance, to building up walls of complexity within ourselves which serve to separate and ostrasize each other from one another in the community. Now the problem which has arisen in this printed pro phecy does not lie with the individuals involved, nor does it lie with the world which surrounds us. It would be simple and easy for the individuals to make the claim that the world is getting more and more complex; when in reality we have forgotten that we agreed to commit ourselves to project after project until the hours of our days are limited. And it would be simple and easy for the world if personified to make the claim that it is not it who has made your life burdensome but, rather is you, the individual, the individual who has viewed it as simple and taken i ts> com plexities for granted. This has caused your problems. For me at least, it is a problem\at must involve not only the in teractions of the individuals and the world at large, but it must also involve that strange human quality we call con sciousness, which binds the two together. Nr>w our consciousness of others and the world at Fall term, is a strange quality within us. It seems to ebb and flow like the sea and it arises at our worst moment, but is also a part of our best memories. It appears during a walk around campus as we gaze at blooming flowers and the world explodes in its own beauty and magnitude before us. It occurs when we reach that peak in an athletic perfor mance and our world slows down as each second becomes a minute while we experience a multitude of sights, sounds, and thoughts in our areas of activity. This consciousness also occurs at 4:30 a.m. when we complete several sections of a term paper and the final paragraphs are before us. Our minds wonder with thoughts of how wonderfully in tricate our world is and how we are simply a small but, crucial part of it. This special quality gives us access to a key which may help us understand our problems of the vastly changing relationships. Notice I did not state that this quality would provide the key to solving the problem, but rather 1 said it would pro vide a key to understanding the problem. You see, I think those moments of consciousness come and go and it is one of our challenges in life to keep these moments around as long as possible, because it is usually in such moments that we enjoy and find peace in our lives the most. I know of no simple way to find or keep a permenant hold on them. They stay or leave because we allow them to. It takes a disciplined mind and hard work to maintain that opened view of the world for a long time. However, it most cer- * ■ tainly is worth the effort. I hope these words will serve to remind us in the next couple of weeks that when we begin to lose sight of not only ourselves at St. Andrews, but also of our friends and neighbors that we will strugle to regain the fresh and wonderful perspective which makes the world allowing us a new beginning. Drew Hayes Student Association President ^eCcomc '^acla 2t. t^nd/ieuis Students the in place wants you as its #1 shopper! New to our shop this year is The Boutique, featuring clothing and accessories. Our gift items are the most unique in town, and your student 10% discount is great incentive to shop with us. Visit our shop soon where you are always welcome! 10% student Discount 713 South Main Street M-F 10-5:30 Sat. 10-2 Ltl inleriors The Lance St. Andrews Presbyterian College Vol. XXIII September 14, 1984 No. 1 Editor Brigitte Tomasovic Sports Editor Ann Boone Photo Editor Chris Haycos Events Editor John Allman Layout Editor Lynn Okan Business Manager Dave Houck The opinions expressed on this page are not necessarily those of the Lance, college, or student body, but are of the signed individuals. The Lance welcomes and encourages responses to the material in this publication, but reserves the right of editorial freedom as governed by responsible journalism. n^r~s • -«
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