Parting words from a former cynic
COMMENTARY
Issue date: 5/5/05 Section: Opinion/Editorial
- < prev Page 2 of 2
But as college students, we're supposed to be idealists who don't care about petty things like money. Isn't that what college is all about - idealism? I get a feeling that stereotype is dead, and I'm not just picking on Webster kids.
In fact, I think cynicism is a more accurate term for us college folk. As a whole, we're more likely to litter the campus with cigarette butts rather than sign a petition to save the koala bears, cute as those little guys may be.
That will be my main struggle after I leave college - to stave off cynicism. I'm going to try to roll my eyes a little less and try to recycle a little more, as though all those back issues of Elle can prevent a tree from getting cut down.
But even though we should all hold on to a little misplaced idealism, I think it's more important that we don't take ourselves too seriously. We should laugh at ourselves when we mess up. The administration and some student organizations could learn from this advice.
[Bring it full circle. You'll end up in a looney bin if you don't lighten up. Enter joke and congratulations here]
Well, that is the bulk of my graduation speech, and it wasn't even that obnoxious. I would probably do some impersonations, though, and use my old-timey news voice at least once.
I might also use my favorite quote by Knut Hamsun when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature: "No worse fate can befall a young man or woman than becoming prematurely entrenched in prudence and negation." Which means, you know, you're too young to be such a hard-ass.
And I would throw in some small personal anecdotes that reveal a larger life lesson, and remind everyone to always walk like they have somewhere important to go, look people in the eye while you're talking to them and, most importantly, never argue with an idiot - it's not worth it.
The speech would end with me saying how much I enjoyed my time at Webster and, more importantly, my time at The Journal.
I'd be telling the truth.
Lindsey Pilcher, a senior global journalism major, is moving on, though she isn't sure where she's going.
In fact, I think cynicism is a more accurate term for us college folk. As a whole, we're more likely to litter the campus with cigarette butts rather than sign a petition to save the koala bears, cute as those little guys may be.
That will be my main struggle after I leave college - to stave off cynicism. I'm going to try to roll my eyes a little less and try to recycle a little more, as though all those back issues of Elle can prevent a tree from getting cut down.
But even though we should all hold on to a little misplaced idealism, I think it's more important that we don't take ourselves too seriously. We should laugh at ourselves when we mess up. The administration and some student organizations could learn from this advice.
[Bring it full circle. You'll end up in a looney bin if you don't lighten up. Enter joke and congratulations here]
Well, that is the bulk of my graduation speech, and it wasn't even that obnoxious. I would probably do some impersonations, though, and use my old-timey news voice at least once.
I might also use my favorite quote by Knut Hamsun when he won the Nobel Prize for Literature: "No worse fate can befall a young man or woman than becoming prematurely entrenched in prudence and negation." Which means, you know, you're too young to be such a hard-ass.
And I would throw in some small personal anecdotes that reveal a larger life lesson, and remind everyone to always walk like they have somewhere important to go, look people in the eye while you're talking to them and, most importantly, never argue with an idiot - it's not worth it.
The speech would end with me saying how much I enjoyed my time at Webster and, more importantly, my time at The Journal.
I'd be telling the truth.
Lindsey Pilcher, a senior global journalism major, is moving on, though she isn't sure where she's going.
