We are facing a deficit of boredom. On a walk from Siegle Hall all the way to Lopata, the majority of students are preoccupied with some type of earbud or over-the-ear headphone activity. Music. Podcasts. Calls. When we’re not doing that, we’re doing homework, socializing, working, and participating in club activities.

What once was a universal form of connection has been replaced by an ideology of indifference. When did “not caring” stop meaning reckless inhibition and start meaning total disengagement? Dancing used to be synonymous with freedom. It was an inclusive act with cultural roots tied to engaging with the community. Dancing was for everybody.

With the current unbelievably rapid pace of development in AI technology, it is theoretically possible to go through your entire college experience without challenging yourself intellectually. However, if you choose to pursue education in this purely transactional fashion, you deny yourself the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for college to be a truly transformative experience.