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December 2, 1999
Opinions
yiewjfomt
We are almost there
Well, this is a bit disconcerting. One nainute Fm minding my own
business, monitoring finicky computers, delegating tasks to my staff*
cracking the whip and generally making sure that all things Pendultim are
running at a fairly good clip, when Whammo! It's all over.
Well, not quite. In theory, this “Last Viewpomt ” as it is customary
for the outgoing editor in chief to write on the occasion of his or her
departure from this fine bastion of journalism, does not mean the end of
me. For the first time we will be having a Winter Term paper* and it is my
distinct honor to helm the first Pendulum of the new millennium. That
issue will officially be my last. But, being a sucker for closure, I will be
writing a final coluinn in lieu of the Last Viewpoint. 1 started as a
columnist, that’s how lil end. But tradition is tradition, and here I am in
the grey box for the last time. And as it is also customaiy, I have to go
through the usual assortment of ruminations and enlightened discourse
on my tenure. Or thank people, whichever comes first.
First, thanks always to my staff. To my editors Alan Medeiros,
Chris Rash, Lisa McChristian, Tammy Tripp^ Travis Suber and Jeff
Sanders; to my managers Jenna Denton and Carolyn Lampiia and my
adviser Byung Lee, thank you for your constant commitment to this
newspaper and for your friendship. A specif thanks to my partner in
crime Emily MacDonnell for all of our adventures in search of the
ultimate journalistic high. Thanks also to editors past, especially Jeff
Wirick, Michelle Cater, Troy Adams, Julie Kocb, Andrew Brickey and
Sarah Voss. To my mentor and friend Chuck Buckley, what can I say?
Thanks doesn’t seem like nearly enough.
Thanks to media leaders BK, Leigh, Lesley and Jenfor being great
cross-hallers, great competition and great friends. Thanks especially to
the College Relations folks, the SGA, George Padgett, Brad Hamm,
everyone in the Student Life office and President Leo Lambert You've
had to put up with mMt5 from me than just about anyone but my staff and
my mother. Speaking of which, thwiks to my family for weathering my
destressing process during the breaks. I Jove you guysl And thank you
to everyone, and I mean everyone, who has EVER given me a quote,
answered a question, written for tliepaper, sent a letter to die editor or read
paper at all, even just the Horoscopes. You make my job worthwhile*
Keep it real, Elon. And thanks for always being newsworthy.
• Carrie A» Lancos Editor In Chief
Informing the Elon College Commmiity
Editor in Chief
Carrie Lancos
Senior Editor
Chuck Buckley
News Editor
Alan Medeiros
Opinions Editor
Chris Rash
Focus Editor
Tammy Tripp
A & E Editor
Lisa McChristian
Sports Editor
Travis Suber
Photo Editor
Emily MacDonnell
Business Manager
Jenna Denton
Office Manager
Carolyn Lampiia
Online Director
Jeff Sanders
Adviser
Byung Lee
Reporters
Reid Albright
Melissa Anderson
Kate Botty
Kellie Brielmaier
Patrick Collins
Kristen Conn
Samiha Khanna
Johannah Lawrence
Bill Monken
Tom Mullen
Annie Reilly
Jessica Rivelli
Jennifer Shelton
Bryan Skeen
Erica Stanley
Mike Trainor
Jason Tully
Jessica Vitak
Photographers
Greg Boger
Jessica Snow
Meredith Vesely
Matt Widerman
Columnists
Brie Bittenbender
Rich Blomquist
Cameron DeJong
Ethan' Pell
Advertising
Becky Robmson
Copy Editors
Elizabeth Butler
Christine Zon
The purpose of The
Pendulum shall be to inform
and entertain the Elon College
community. The Pendulum
shall be a forum where all
members of the college
community are able to express
their ideas and opinions.
Address all
correspondence to:
The Pendulum
7012 Campus Box
Elon College, N.C.
27244.
Phone: (336) 584-2331
Fax: (336) 584-2467
E-mail:
pendulum@elon.edu
Web page:
http;//www.elon.edu/
pendulum
Oh my sweet Lord!! The end
is nigh! Existence as we know it is
going to come to an end!
We even know what day it’s
going to happen! We’ve always
known, hell, we’ve been counting
down the days. It’s May 20, 2000!
Graduation!
For all you seniors the cozy
little bubble that we have grown up
in is suddenly going to pop, leaving
you graduates to fend for yourselves
in the harsh jungle of the real world.
Just run those words over your
tongue. “Real World” Brrr. It sends
shivers down my spine.
In just a few short months
we’ 11 all be kicked out of school and
we’ll be expected to go out and be a
“real” person.
What does it me to be a real
person? We are no longer under the
umbrella of our parents. When we
are shoved into the cold world of
independence, we are going to have
to deal with the fact that we are
ultimately responsible for ourselves.
The safety net has been removed.
We are going to have to find
ourselves a job that we can live
with, and a place that we can be
comfortable. We are going to start
to collect our “stuff” You know the
great hordes of things that follow us
through our life.
Another that we are going to
have to deal with is that the best
times of our lives are coming to a
close. The ultimate party train of
college is pulling into the last sta
tion.
All the friends that you have
now, in a few years there will only
be two dozen that you can remein-
ber, and a handful that
you still talk too.
The graduating
Chuck Buckley
The Pendulum
class, like so many be
fore it, is going to be scat
tered to the Four Comers
of the Earth, and there
they will have to start their lives
anew with a fresh circle of friends.
When you go, remember
these people, they are the ones that
you grew up with. These are the last
days of our childhood.
Supposedly the time we’ve
spent here is going to prepare us for
the harsh reality of the working
world.
The truth of the matter is this;
we are graduating our way into a
boatload of entry-level jobs. Our
starting salary is going to be joke,
and we’ll be happy with what ever
we get.
Change is never a good thing.
It is an inevitable, destructive force.
Things were always better in the
past. They would be great now if the
ugly head of change hadn’t shown
its face.
Unfortunately life is about
adaptation.
If life hands
you lemons,
make lem
onade.
If life
smashes the
glass of lem
onade out of
your hand
with a pool
cue, forget
the lemons
and move on.
Sure the best time of your life
was the way things used to be, but
sorry tough guy, they aren’t that
way anymore.
So you’ve got one of two
choices, sit in the comer and whine
about how life isn’t fair or you can
stand up and be a man.. .or woman.
Class of2000, if we keep our
chin up and our eyes open and re
member that as long as we’re are
alive, things are good, then we are
going to make it after all.
Deck the Halls
Christmas wreaths
adorn the windows of
Moseley Center. The
campus is decorated
in preparation for the
Annual Holiday
Lighting with
luminaries, hosted by
the Chaplain’s office,
which will be held
tonight.
The Moravian
Christmas Love Feast
and Candle Service,
another Elon holiday
tradition, will be held
Sunday, Dec. 5.
'