Today is my final day of college.
The University’s new marketing campaign, “Welcome to the NOW” didn’t make a lot of sense to me until recently. It occurred to me, months after looking at the slogan, that it’s simple: our lives are defined by the now and the then. There’s what you’re doing now, and what you did then. So profound.
Finally, it all makes sense.
My newfound knowledge in hand, I’m taking a page from my friend Jay Melder’s column and sharing some observations about life with you. And I’m welcoming you all to the now, my now. After all, you were all a major part of my then.
My now is a job search – I’m looking for a job, but then again so are several of the University’s top administrators.
My then is the four years I’ve spent on this beautiful campus, a place I will never forget.
My then was dominated by campus involvement. You could say I’m a recovering student leader. I’m one of those people on campus who really care and thought I could make a difference in just a few short years. But for those of you who didn’t get involved from day one – I don’t blame you at all.
The truth is, we’ve all got it right.
You can come to college and go to class, get a degree and still be successful in the future. Whether that’s in graduate school or as a stay-at-home dad.
Or you can do like I did and come to college and completely redefine your aspirations, ideals and even your life.
That’s what the then was for me.
I learned more in my extracurriculars around campus than I ever did in any classroom. I didn’t know this when I got here, but classes are not why I came to college. I wish I could do it all again. There’s not much I would change.
I learned the importance of community involvement – it’s something I can’t escape.
Students, my advice to you is to stay involved in your community, no matter where you go. At LSU you don’t have a title to be involved, but you can stay current on issues by just walking through Free Speech Plaza, talking with friends or even - gasp - reading the newspaper.
Not everyone has to be president of 800 clubs and have a four-page resume. That’s just why some of us come here. Leaders are made by the people they lead, and whether those people believe in what they’re doing. They’re not made by the titles they hold.
Being Greek is one way I chose to get involved – and it’s a choice I don’t regret. Say what you want about Greek life, but the campus would be missing a lot without us. There would also be thousands of students without a common community that helps define this campus.
Granted, I’m a little biased. But I’ve seen the Greek community make a change for the better in my four years.
The Greek community has built two Habitat for Humanity Houses in as many years - replacing our old, competitive Greek Week with a service project that everyone can participate in and help build relationships, not promote competition.
Then there are the fun things: Philanthropy and intramural sports. And how can you not love the banners that hang from the DEKE house? They’re the ultimate expression of free speech – especially when they’re making fun of The Daily Reveille.
Interestingly enough, a Greek led the Confederate flag protests last year – and single-handedly returned student activism to our campus.
I want to say thanks to my fraternity brothers, who aren’t your average group of fraternity guys. And then again, some of them are. And that’s OK.
I wouldn’t be where I am today had I not joined a fraternity. We had a brother who helped me get a job writing for The Daily Reveille, and the rest is history.
Those men are my brothers and friends; they were there to chide my liberal views and chant for me at Homecoming. It’s where I was in the beginning, and it’s where I’ll end my college career.
To this newspaper that sucked up so much of my time, corralled my social life and gave me the greatest experience of my life so far, there just weren’t enough hours in the day. For more than three years, The Daily Reveille has been my education and Hodges Hall has been my home.
To the campus-involvement junkies who make up a large chunk of my group of friends past and present: this column is for you. I think you did a pretty good job. I hope I did, too.
In the name of the now, and the then, evo devo.
 
Scott is a print journalism senior. Contact him at [email protected]