Page g • Friday, August 23, 2002
The Pendulum
The Pendulum
Established 1974
Involvement is the key to
finding your niche at Elon
After two days of moving in and getting oriented, that whole “col
lege thing” is starting to set in. It may have been an intangible concept
before, but it’s starting to seem like it’s really going to happen. You’re
really here and your parents have really gone home. Believe it or not,
the decisions you have made in the last year just to get here have really
just begun.
People have been giving you college advice for months now—don’t
sign up for any 8 a.m. classes, don’t date people on your hall, wear flip-
tlops in the shower and avoid the dining halls at all costs.
But there’s one salient point that should rise above the rest—it’s not
where you go, but what you do when you get there.
Soon, the rest of Elon’s student body will arrive and the .sea of friend
ly faces will grow. Along with those faces come mottos, slogans and
Greek letters that help identify those people. Soon, you will decide
whether these mottos or letters will become part of your identity.
On Aug. 30, Elon’s brick paths will be lined with tables from more
than 140 organizations that thrive on this campus. The opportunities
will be overwhelming.
Elon is one of few institutions that genuinely function as a small
family. No matter how farfetched your ideas may seem, there is always
a campus leader, a suitemate, a professor or another faculty member
who will believe in your idea as much as you believe in it.
If you don’t know what you believe in, start dreaming. Just because
you weren’t a star quarterback does not mean you wouldn’t be the MVP
of one of Elon’s intramural teams. Just because you never tried making
a movie doesn’t mean you won’t love it. And if you can’t find the per
fect fit in your search to get involved, start your own club.
In an environment that nurtures creativity and leadership as much as
this one, you can make anything happen, and you should. And although
four years seems like a long time, it will fly by faster than anyone can
tell you. In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you
don’t stop and look around once in a while... you might miss it.
The Pendulum
Jennifer Guarlno, Editor-in-Chief
Crystal Allen and Katie Beaver,
Managing Editors
Erin Cunningham, News Editor
Eric Hall, Opinions Editor
Andl Petrlnl, A & E Editor
Lindsay Porter, Features Editor
Colin Donohue, Sports Editor
Tim Rosner, Photography Editor
Samlha Khanna, Chief Copy
Editor/Graphics Editor
Annette Randall, Business
Manager
Matt Ford, Online Editor
The Pendulum Is published each Thursday of the academic year. The
advertising and editorial copy deadline Is 5 p.m. the Monday before publi
cation. Letters to the editor and guest columns are welcome and should be
typed, double-spaced, signed and Include and telephone number for verifi
cation. Submissions are also accepted as Word documents on disk or by
e-mail. The Pendulum reserves the right to edit obscene or potentially
libelous material. Lengthy letters or columns may have to t>e trimmed to fit.
All submissions become the property of The Pendulum and will not lie
returned.
To reach The Pendulum at 233 Moseley Center, call 278-7247 or fax 278-
7246. Contact The Pendulum by e-mail at pendulum@ek>n.edu. Visit our
Web site at www.elon.edu/pendulum.
Each Individual is entitled to one free copy.
— Opinion
Allow the wave of change to carry
College is a time of self-discovery
Christian
Wiggins
The day has come and you
are finally here. Welcome to
college! You have carried over
stuffed boxes
into your resi
dence hall, dec
orated your
room with pic
tures of family
and friends, I
purchased]
over-priced
books, stood in
line for your
Phoenix Card and scouted out
the campus. The wave of
change has begun.
The waves of the ocean can
either knock you down or they
can carry you to a new destina
tion. How you respond to the
force determines your success.
You can fight the changes that
are happening around you and
struggle to keep your head
above water. But life will be
easier if you accept these
changes and use them to propel
you through challenges.
One of the trials you will
face is adapting to the academic
requirements of college. In high
school, you were expected to
learn what the teacher presented
in class. In college, your pro
fessors will expect you to take
an outline of materials present
ed in class and research your
own conclusions. Over your
college career, you should begin
to seek out information that is
important and interesting to
you. You have a unique oppor
tunity to take learning to the
next level and challenge your
self and those around you.
As you begin this process of
acquiring new knowledge in
your new environment, don’t
forget the people and experi
ences that have brought you
here. Thank your parents for
helping you move-in, but more
importantly for bringing you to
this point in your life. As you
transition to college life and
adulthood, you may begin to see
that your parents actually do
have some good advice. You
might even find that your par
ents are among your closest
friends. Grow in the relation
ship you share with the people
partially responsible for your
success.
No matter where your expe
riences take you within the next
few years, you will begin to
question and redefine the prin
ciples that guide your path. At
the beginning of my senior year,
I’ve found that the only con
stant in my life is the change
that my mind and spirit is expe
riencing.
Sometimes in the wave of
change we find our true direc
tion. Elon has helped me find
who I am and where I am going.
Over three years, I have moved
closer to being the person I
want to become. I became clos
er to my family, gained lifelong
friends, learned from my suc
cesses and failures and recog
nized more of the opportunities
life offers.
While you are laboring over
the decisions you have to make,
such as what classes to take,
where to spend your time or
what organizations to join, be
sure to slow down and enjoy the
moment. You only get to live
today once, so make the most of
it.
To make each day count, take
advantage of the little opportu
nities that present themselves.
Speak to the person sitting next
to you in class. Stop to talk to
your professor at College
Coffee. Remember peoples’
names, including the staff mem
ber who cleans your building.
Say hello when you pass others
on campus. Make a list of things
you would like to accomplish
while you are at Elon and then
do them.
Good luck and may you let
the wave of change guide you.
Christian Wiggins is a guest
columnist and SGA President.
Contact him regarding this col
umn atpendulum@elon.edu.
Lauded & Applauded
Inspected & Qejected
Wal-Mart
❖ The crowd at Wal-Mart
La Fiesta
❖ Harden
Cook Out milkshakes
❖ Downtown Burlington
West End Cinema
❖ West End Cinema is the only
0’Charley’s
theater
The Pendulum
❖ Colonial Mail
North Carolina weather
❖ Two sets of police: town and
Blockbuster
campus
Books-A-Million
❖ Big Lots f