This is a column that has to be written. It has to be written in response to a challenge given by the professor who teaches Introduction to Human Evolution. For years, Professor Richard Smith’s final lecture has developed a reputation as a must-attend event. His is widely viewed as a must-take class. The reason I need to write this column is to highlight the importance of his final messages, “If you don’t try to create change, nobody else will” and “The only place real change will begin is at the university level.”
What are WU students doing to create change? After observing our activities during the last presidential election, Smith could only say, “Not a damn thing!” With passion and fervor, Smith told a crowded lecture hall how the future of our environment looks bleak, and if WU students don’t get fired up about this issue now, we only leave behind a larger problem for our children to fight.
The first step to achieve change, as Smith said, is to “truly believe in something, and eventually you will become angry.” I know there are hundreds of students who, after attending Professor Smith’s final lecture, were inspired to change the things in their own lives that made them angry. Unfortunately, inspiration without action is as worthless as the countless Student Life columns criticizing student apathy, crying for protests, and insulting opponents. We still form our opinions from “The Daily Show,” we would still rather play Beirut than protest, and your opponents still hate you.
The process of writing, however, showed me something. First of all, writing is a long and difficult process. Secondly, I was wishful in thinking I could magically change the priorities of the masses without first changing my own. In addition, I don’t know the extent of people’s backgrounds, and am therefore not in a position to criticize life choices others make. All I can do is write, do, and say; people may follow, people may not.
So how have I changed? Firstly, I was once bitter about many WU issues; but I became so bitter about being bitter, that I decided apathy was fine by me. Secondly, I began trying to live life following a quote by Lance Armstrong, winner of the last four Tour de France races. “Before cancer I was always worrying about what I was going to be doing five or six years down the road. That’s bull–. It’s a terrible way to live. When I was the sickest, I just decided, ‘I’m never going to waste another today thinking about tomorrow. This is it. Today is all I have.'”
To do this, I have taken a careful look about what I want to do with my life. I spend less time being concerned about school, and have spent more time doing non-required reading. I switched out of the business school and get to take West African dance classes instead. I have abandoned the pursuit of three grueling years of law school for an exciting career teaching children in outdoor education. I drink and play darts at Blue Hill on Tuesday nights. I have abandoned instant messenger so I could spend more time hearing people’s voices. I have made the 30-second walks to stay in touch with old friends. I also learned how to cook lasagna, pot roast and Jell-o pies, and life has continued to be better every day since.
I realize that at 21 years, I have a wide variety of issues that I am encountering in life, including educational, social, and personal. We all have things in our lives we would like to change. I began by speaking with professors, family, friends, WU health services, and mostly myself. I realized I had become too complacent with my life, and too proud of things I hadn’t accomplished.
My writing this column is only one mountain that I hope to climb in life. I will no longer be content with where I am, because there are too many places I want to be. Finally, I want to thank Professor Smith, for doing more than teaching me the cranial capacity of an Australophithecus robustus, but teaching me the greatest lesson of all. The time to do something is now!