It’s safe to say that basically everything annoys me. From people dragging their feet on the floor, to men riding women’s bikes – it all sort of irritates me. But I’m not a big complainer (unless you want to talk about “The Artist” or “Tree of Life”) so I keep most of my annoyances to myself. Bu there is one thing that I have to get out there to you all. And it’s to leave freshman alone.
Now I don’t mean alone as in, don’t speak to them, don’t look at them, etc. But just let them be. They’re people, too. And you were one once, not too long ago. And I think this is something a lot of us forget. Especially sophomores.
For instance, last week I was training for my new job on campus. During our lunch break, an old resident of mine (I was an RA in the all freshman dorm for two years. She is only a sophomore) was complaining about the line outside of Johnson. She was rambling on and on about how “they” don’t know anything, and “they” are taking up so much space, etc. etc.
I couldn’t believe how annoyed I was. Not only was she perpetuating a silly stereotype, but she was also standing on that line only a year before. So I told her to leave them alone. And to remember that she was once a freshman, not so long ago.
She sort of just looked at me like I had eight heads, as people often do when you disagree with them.
But this is a problem that happens all across campuses everywhere. Freshman take on a stereotype they had no part in creating. Sure, they might not know where the big lecture hall is, or what services the library offers, or how to buy a parking pass. And yeah, they walk together in droves and back up sidewalks. But YOU did too! Don’t you remember those first couple weeks of just absolute chaos and anxiety? On top of all that, homesickness? Our peers are trying desperately to fit in and create themselves, as the rest of us continue to pigeon hole them. How is that fair?
So instead of poking fun at gaggles of kids walking down the street, or rolling eyes when someone asks us where Lanigan is, why not just help a brother/sister out? And put yourself back in that terrifying nightmare known as freshman year.
Let’s break the stereotype of upperclassmen and lowerclassmen, and stop being total a-holes to each other because our peers are a bit younger than us. You were once a total naïve little person too, and you probably still are. Hell, we’re college students. As a collective, we don’t really know anything. So let’s just embrace it and learn from each other. Help one another out if we need it. Give directions to that hidden bathroom in the Campus Center. And not huff and puff while doing it. Okay? Great. I’ll see you out there on the battlefield.