Be Good. Be Orange.

Submitted by Lauren Spathas

On a college campus like Oregon State University you experience camaraderie that you may have never been a part of before.  Depending on who you are and how much you are willing to put into the experience and the notion of being “Orange” determines how much you will gain because like most things in life, you get back what you put in.  Passion for what you are doing, a proactive mindset and the support of the Orange community allows for endless possibilities if you open your mind to them.

. . . Yeah wouldn’t that be nice . . .

As students of a standardized system we are all along for the same ride on the factory conveyor belt that is the education system.  We are all being molded into the same type of learner – learning how to memorize answers rather than how to find them on our own.   When you choose a college to attend you are somewhat aware of the environment that you are coming into, that it is a unique community that you are becoming a part of and while it can be an exciting thing to feel like you are a part of something so much bigger than just you, it is important not to get lost in the crowd.

A classroom setting like all of us experienced with this Philosophy 205 class was one of the most engaging, collaborative and informational experiences I have had on campus.  I looked forward to going to this class and I know I wasn’t the only one.  It is refreshing to walk into a classroom knowing that the professor can’t wait to hear what we, the students, have to say rather than sitting us down making their words and opinions our only option for information.  It is much easier for students to thrive in this type of environment as it allows for us to be who we are and not get punished with a bad grade for having a “wrong” answer.  Life is not as black and white as we are sometimes led to believe in most of our experiences on campus and it is important to keep our imagination and creativity alive the best way we can.

It is a daunting experience trying to make your way through the crowd of thousands of people that you are essentially competing with in life.  Morals, values and decision-making skills are sometimes all we have to set us apart from those around us.   The happier you are with your own decisions, the less approval you need from others.  Being mindful of the notion of being “Orange” is still important as we work to achieve our own personal goals here on campus, but it should only define a small part of us.  It is important as a student here at Oregon State to lift your head up while you walk around campus and realize how many people are here to achieve something greater than themselves the best way that they can, and the best way that the system allows for and root for them while you shape yourself into the best person you can be.