Stop complaining, get involved

Abby Gentry | Opinion Editor

People like to complain. I do not understand why, but we do. The problem with complaining is that you do not really have the right to if you are not actively trying to change it. Every day I feel like I hear someone complain about the lack of school spirit or things going on around campus. The thing is that most of these people probably are not looking very hard.

Due to a bizarre set of circumstances, the other day I found myself studying in the Women’s Center. I had never stepped foot in that room before but needed somewhere to go and figured I would give it a try. All of a sudden I noticed a group of people congregating around me preparing for some kind of activity. Confused about what was happening, I asked a woman sitting next to me what was going on. She explained that on the third Thursday of every month, a group gathers to discuss social and cultural issues happening within our society. She then invited me to stay and hang out and see what it was all about.

I spent the next hour sitting in a room with people I had never met joining in on their conversation. These were not my usual people and it felt obvious to me that I had never been there before. The thing is, no one told me that I needed to leave or that I was not welcome. I was accepted to join with open arms and was included in something different than my usual routine.

It frustrates me that no one knows about this stuff going on around campus, myself included. There are so many activities happening all the time but no one cares to search for them. This made me very aware that you have to take initiative to search for things to get involved with and throw yourself into. It’s there; you just may not be actively trying to seek it out. It is not fair or right to complain about the fact that there is nothing to do around campus if you are not trying to find it. It’s like complaining about the President when you had the chance to vote and stayed home (another issue for another day).

So, rather than getting stuck in your typical routine and ignore the flyers and emails, try something new for a change. You will most likely be forced to get out of your comfort zone but it will be good for you. Without putting yourself out there, you’ll never meet new people, learn what is going on, or have any new experiences.