Page 10 • Thursday, September 8, 2005 OPINIONS The Pendulum
This weekly column will feature confessions of a Southern religious studies major. Each week, Jonathan will offer a light-hearted look at the
little things in life that can make a big difference.
IT'S THE THINGS...
lonathan Chapman
Columnist
8 a.m. Terror
Silence is golden" - Proverb
I have a question. Who is there to
talk to at 8 am?
My mother, I’m sure, would love to
hear from me, but I’m
not sure even she
would be too fond of a
pre-8 a.m. call and
chat. My roonimates
wouldn’t be too excited
to hear my chipper’
voice that early, and
even my best friends
Jonathan would laugh, hang up
Chapman go to sleep.
Every Tuesday and
Thursday, I walk from the Moseley
Center parking lot to my 8 a.m.
Christian history class in Alamance. It’s
not even 8 a.m. yet, and who do I get
stuck behind without fail?
You guessed it, someone yakking on a
telephone while walking to class—at 8
in the morning.
I’ve heard about Rolling Stones tick
ets, about group projects gone wrong,
too much reading, etc. But the one thing
that I want to hear, is the one thing that
I can’t get. Quiet. That’s what I want.
The day before classes began, I was
walking to Moseley from Powell with an
admissions counselor. We were attempt
ing to hold a conversation. Which even
tually became just a chat because of the
student in front of us practically includ
ed all of Elon in her phone conversation.
About halfway through our talk, I looked
at my traveling companion and said
“Welcome Back to Elon.”
Cell phones aren’t all bad. They pro
vide people with emergency help, mobil
ity and the ability to stay in touch with
people. In fact, my roommates and I
don’t even have a ground line in our
apartment. We use cell phones.
But here’s the secret. When you use
your cell phone before 8 a.m., it is no
longer a useful tool, but rather the spawn
of Satan. Well, maybe not the spawn
of Satan, but slightly demonic at least.
My point is, you go to Elon. We are
known for our hospitality (which I’m
sure you are thinking I just exhibited
by equating cell phones to Satan).
Truthfully, Elon is an amazingly kind
campus.
So, how about this? Instead of walk
ing across campus clamoring away on
a phone just because we feel slightly
awkward about walking alone, we put
away the cell phones and say “hey” to
someone who passes by. Let’s make
that what we are known for—not our
cell phone use.
Contact Jonathan Chapman
at opinions@elon.edu or 278-7247.
Life lessons from someone who knows
Men seem to carry more common
sense than women do in this society,
especially when it comes to college.
Julie Fogt
Columnist
I am currently a senior at Elon
University and as many of us upperclass
men are told each year the freshmen seem
to be getting smarter. Is this being book
smart mostly or do they come with com
mon sense also? We will all see soon
enough after the fraternities hold their first
house parties. Men seem to carry more
common sense than women do in this soci
ety, especially when it comes to the college
life. I admit 1 was not the smartest fresh
man going out for my first time at college
away from parents and answering to my
roommate who was a total hippy. I also
knew no-one else from my high school
would be going there with me, so it was a
new start completely.
Here is some advice ... have fun but be
careful. Around fall break there are cou
ples everywhere around campus. 1 wonder
how many couples are from random hook
ups dating back to the first two weeks of
school. What actu
ally constitutes a
hook-up though?
Common sense
would say it is a one
night stand (which is
not really a smart
idea). Some people
say it is okay and not a hook-up if you know
the person. Others are totally against them
and still others do not care and do it all the
time. This leaves yourself wide open, and if
you do it once have you lowered yourself to
do it again? What are your standards? We
all know and have lived the story of the
crazy roommate. You come back from class
and are locked out of your room and can
definitely tell what is going on inside. You
may also have the drunk roommate that
makes your room smell like alcohol all of
the time, or the roommate who constantly
blasts her music. How rude can you be?
Are yiiu this roommate? We all have these
actions inside of our mind, but it is whether
dr not you choose to pursue.
Many people seem to think hooking up
with someone or getting drunk is something
to boast about. This is seen in the addition
of the common words of ‘slutty’ and
‘pimpin’ being part of this generations’
vocabulary. Honestly to me the word hook
up is a nice way of putting in words an
experience that others will not be so nice
about.
And if it happens you cannot hide it in a
dorm of seven other girls, especially your
roommate. It’s your own life so have fun
but do use common sense. To the upper
classmen: show the freshmen a good time.
and try not to embarrass them too bad!
Contact lulie Fogt at opinionsS^ion.edu
or 278-7247.
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