May 02,1995
2
Campus Opinion
Editorial: Senior leaves with fond memories and regrets
by Melissa Massengill
When I was asked by Christina
Peoples if I would do the honor of
writing the senior editorial for the last
edition of the Herald, 1 asked her if she
could find someone else to do it. But
since I am the only senior who has
attended Meredith from start to finish,
I was doomed to do my duty and say
good-bye on behalf of all graduates of
1995. It’s not that 1 didn’t enjoy my
years at Meredith, it’sjustthatl thought
I could get by and get out of here
without thinking too hard about what
this school means to me because 1
knew I would get a little teary-eyed and
melancholy if I reflected too much.
But alas, I was doomed to think, reflert
and record some of the most beautiful
memories I will ever have.
As I sat down at the Mac to com
pose the farewell address, my mind
first wandered to why I chose this
college in the first place: the boyfriend.
I decided that Meredith was close
enough to travel home and back every
weekend to see him. Mistake number
one. The relationship didn’t last, and it
wasn’t until my junior year that 1 real
ized what opportunities Meredith
could offer me. So what did Meredith
College give me? Well, 1 can remember
two times in my life when I hated this
place. The first was as a freshman when
I discovered the horror of not being
able to have my boyfriend see my room
the entire academic year. 1 hated that
part of this college. The second was
when I started smoking at the end of
my freshman year and was effectively
banned from my room, the class build
ings and the cafeteria. I was the outcast
banished out into the cold, the humid
ity, the rain, the snow, the mosquitoes
the 95 degree heat. My hatred turned
darker. But remembering what my
mother always said, “Stupid is as stu
pid” no, no, no, wrong proverb! Here
it is; If you think long enough, you can
find a bright spot in the worst situa
tion. But finding that bright spot is just
half the solution. You must take that
bright spot cherish it, be thankful for
it, and learn from it. Well, after I stopped
moping around about the man thing, I
realized that having no men in the
dorms at Meredith College was one of
the best things to happen to me be
cause I got the chance to interact with
three of the strongest, warmest women
I have ever met: Holly Lennon, Mary
Beth Neace and Tricia Ayscue. When
1 stopped moping about the smoking
thing, I opened my eyes and discov
ered that being banished to the porch
of Joyner Hall was one of the most
enlightening experiences I have ever
had. I got the chance to introduce Pam
Bencke to Mexican Pizzas at Taco Bell,
discuss the major vowel shifts in Old
English and the joy and pain of child
birth from Patricia Barrett and Betsy
Stewart. Perhaps the most wonderful
part was listening to Dr. Frank Grubbs
(perhaps the last of the true Southern
gentlemen) tell me how he actually
met and talked with my favorite au
thor William Faulkner at the Univer
sity of Virginia years ago. This story
will remain with me always as a lesson
that if you truly listen, you will learn
things that will make a difference in
your life because everyone has their
own story to tell.
There are a few other things I
learned from the faculty at this institu
tion. I believe that 1 have had the
opportunity to learn from some of the
brightest and best professors who are
truly masters of their academic do
main here at Meredith. Dr. Sarah Gil
bert taught me to always remember
my audience. Dr. Louise Taylor taught
me to communicate my purpose
clearly. Dr. Janice Swab taught me to
revere my environment. Dr. Don
Spanton taught me how to effectively
reach my goals. Dr. Brent Pitts taught
me that no matter the language, some
things are universally known. Dr.
Rosalie Gates and Dr. Julia O’Brien
taught me to respect the mysteries and
myths of cultures different than mine.
Dr. John Creagh taught me to not take
myself too seriously and that sarcasm
is definitely an artform. Dr.JoGuglielmi
taught me the rhythm of calculus. Rod
Cockshutt taught me the power of the
written word and the preservation of
my integrity as a journalist. Dr. Robin
Colby taught me the excitement of
hitting paydirt in my research. Dr. Eloise
Grathwohl taught me to always re
member the old ways — the courage
and strength of the hero, the loy^ty of
men, the glory of battle, and the riches
ofsacrifice. Dr. GaryWalton taught me
that a B-t-f is NOT an A, and that
everything we find in this world is
connected someliow with everything
else out there. You just have to think in
as many different ways as you possibly
can to find those connertions. And Dr.
Betty Webb. For anyone to truly under
stand howmuch this woman has taught
me, I have to begin by telling a little
anecdote. The last few days of my
sophomore year I finally went to her
and told her that I had decided on a
major. This was after I had chosen and
discarded a biology, chemistry, reli
gion, mathematics, business and
French major. I was going to become
a paralegal, and I was excited about it.
After shrieking in horror at my deci
sion, Dr. Webb looked my squarely in
the eye and said, “Melissa Massengill,
you will NOT become a paralegal. You
are too bossy. ” So I became an English
major — the same major I had decided
on before I began college—and haven ’t
regretted that decision for a single
moment. Dr. Webb perhaps taught
me the greatest lessons of all: I had a
voice and must use it. Being bossy was
good. Standing up for what I believe in
was even better. But being strong
enough to change my beliefs if I found
it necessary was the best of all.
And as for regrets, I have three of
them. The first is that when I sit with
my class on the lawn of the amphithe
ater May 14, there will still be some
faces that I’ve never seen before, and
some names that I won’t know. The
second is that there will still be some
professors that I haven’t learned from,
and some classes that I didn’t have a
chance to take. The third is that I didn’t
become more involved with activities.
I kept saying that I would become
more involved next year, next year
and next year, and I never did. This last
year flew by with my missing Corn-
huskin’, STUNT, Derby Days, Greek
Week and the rest. But I was too busy
snapping pictures of football, basket
ball, soccer and baseball games, writ
ing stories, editing my work and laying
it all out forthe town of Garner to read
and think about each week since Au
gust. 1 was too busy struggling to
juggle a full-time job, credit hours,
projects, presentations and papers to
even notice the changing seasons. And
now it’s time to say good-bye. Before I
go, I want to urge underclassmen and
graduating seniors to do three things
forme: Reflectonwhatyou’velearned
here from teachers, friends, classes
and yourself. Talk to every single
woman in your class at least once be
fore you leave. Participate in every
thing you can while you still have time.
Now that I look back, 1 realize that
Meredith College has taught me how
to be a strong, articulate, intelligent
woman. But the biggest regret I have
about this school is that now, in just a
few days, I will be driving through
those front gates for the last time as a
Meredith (rollege .student. I will always
return as just an alumna. Meredith
College will always be a part of my life,
but it will never be as magnificent as it
is at this last moment when I am still a
student of the class of 1995.
Editor's Note: My time as editor has flown by so fast.
Granted, there have been many times when I have wanted
to tear out my hair and fling myself into a trash truck to
avoid going to that office and staring at that computer
again.
There have only been three reasons why I have been able
to stick with it: my fantastic staff, my love of journalism
and the Herald, and my desire to deliver information to the
campus in the best manner I know how.
I want to take this opportunity to say hats off to my crew of
dedicated journalists. These women aU exhibit the
necessary qualities to succeed in the news business: drive,
intelligence, and compassion. 'They deserve all the good
things that life will bring them because they will work hard
for them.
I also want to say welcome to the 1995-6 Editor-in-Chief
Clarky Lucas. She will do an excellent job next year. Please
give her your support.