T .x -• RE:51 T STAFF EDITORIAL ELENA HERNANDEZ I ILLUSTRATOR Rest and relaxation shouldn’t be exclusive to breaks HOW WE SEE IT Elon students should allow themselves to find time for rest during the school year, not just on breaks from classes. Its no secret Elon University has a culture of overcommitment and overachievement. It’s too common for students to boast their involvements through laptop stickers and backpack buttons, coming to class bragging of their lack of sleep. It often seems that if yotl are not stressed, then you are not doing enough. While this culture may seem like one that will push Elon students to achieve greater success and go on to ■ do great things, in reality it is a toxic one that holds students back. Elons campus is constantly bustling with students chugging coffee on their way to class, spending hours in Belk Library or running from classes to work to meetings to classes without breaking for lunch or dinner. Elon students may be largely successful and talented, but more noticeably, they are exhausted. Students are putting so much energy and time into their organizations and classes that they are neglecting their own mental and physical health — the foundational aspect of their ability to grow and succeed in school. Elon students joke about getting the “ElOn plague” around midterms or falling asleep in classes, but they likely wouldn’t have these issues if they simply rested. With Fall Break coming up in a few days, many students are gearing up for extra time to sleep. They can be heard across campus saying, “I can’t wait for Fall Break,” or “I need Fall Break,” because at this point in the semester students have been going for so long that without a break they may breakdown. Fall Break comes at the midpoint of the semester because many students do need a break at this point, but they shouldn’t be working and wearing themselves thin to the point that they are so anxious for time off from classes because they need to rest. Breaks should be about spending time with the family members you haven’t seen in months or going on adventures with friends. Yes, breaks are also a time for relaxing and catching up on television shows, but we shouldn’t only allow ourselves time to rest during these breaks. Throughout the school year, students should not only try to include more time for rest and relaxation in their schedules, but also critically reflect on why they are involved in all the organizations or other commitments they have. The Elon culture of over-involvement is difficult to separate from, but it may be necessary in order to live a full and healthy life on campus. Involvements in different organizations are an important part of your professional development and resume building, but overworking yourself to the point that you’re unfocused or unable to study for classes will have the opposite effect. Taking time to yourself to rest and relax is vital to being fully-functioning. Mental, physical and emotional health should always take priority over trying to fit in with a culture that can be toxic to some students. David CamGron s spcGch asks, do wg havG a right to valuGS? Stephanie Ntim Columnist So far in college. I’ve learned it is impossible to view U.S. politics from only one perspective. Like the range of students at a liberal arts college, the combinations of viewpoints are endless. Notions of representation and freedoms become jumbled in rhetoric about identity politics in this era of globalization. We grapple daily with our differing interests, occupa tions and political affilia tions. These three, together, are derived from our self-im- p posed rules and values. When former prime min- . ister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron, spoke elo quently at Fall Convocation in a speech titled “Where Do We Go from Here?” he underlined the need to re make arguments over values. As an optimist, the British statesman upholds traditions of decency and respect. Flis speech was a reminder of the lack of unequivocal govern ment response in tackling recent atrocities such as the protests in Charlottesville, Virginia. Politics aside, Cameron conveyed that we cannot equate evil with good and that extremists have no place in a meritocracy. The United States and Great Britain share a unique history. Like siblings, they fought as children, and needed each other as adults. Even though the two are stilTtncredibly powerful, I urge that we recognize the diversity of democracies that make up our world. We may fight over religious differences and economic interests, but we can still coexist peacefully. Xameron called for “mod erate rational reasonable discourse” in tackling global issues such as infectious diseases and climate change. My personal opinions align closely with his, but I wish he defined what he meant by “our values.” The notion of value is enshrined in British and U.S. history, though value has not been accessible to everyone. Historically, our country’s values have been based on equality. The Declaration of Independence begins with u DESPITE THAT OUR NATION HAS MADE VALUES EOR THE COMMON GOOD OFALLJHEREARE STILL INACTIONS THAT IMPEDE THE PROGRESS OE MINORITY POPULATIONS. “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” This state- ment set a precedent for governing our country, but it has not always been pre served in the eyes of the law: The Three-fifths Compro mise to the U.S. constitution in 1787, for example, allowed states to count every five slaves as three free persons for both representation and taxation. This undermined the premise of the values of the declaration. Though it served as an in spiration for The Declaration of Independence, The Magna Carta maintains the line, “To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice, which undermined the role of the British in restricting freedoms through colonization. Both countries have made strident efforts to reverse earlier models of freedom to all people, but there are stiff residual effects up to today,:as we continue to fight for civil liberties extended to all segments of the U.S. population. In this century, I argue we should condemn crimes against humanity, and avoid generating crimes for hu manity. Despite that our na tion has made values for the common good of all, there are still inactions that impede the progress of minority populations. To reiterate points made in Cameron’s speech, we need governing institutions that will openly condemn extremist attacks against diversity, global exchange of ideas and aid to our neighboring countries. We should be allowed to have and act upon our own values that align with the rules of our democracy. As a community that praises global and civic engagement, we should promote open forums for discussion about our values. If we are to work together, we need to define common alities of values to strengthen our commitment to making this world a better place to live in. In spite of our dif ferent opinions and beliefs, there is hope that our de mocracies — extending froi^ 10 Downing Street to the White House — can promote standards of responsibility and care for all people.