University Crusaders

  Portia Pedro   Pedro is a
fourth-year international development studies student and a member
of the African Student Union. You can contact her at [email protected].  
 

So I guess by now you first-years are probably sick of people
congratulating you on getting into UCLA. But just in case no one
has yet, CONGRATS! Many people would love the opportunity to be in
your place. Remember that, because it’ll come up again later
on.

Here is a little something to just give you a quick rundown (and
to give returning students a reminder) about where your fellow
Bruins are coming from.

Most first-years: They are probably ready to get this whole UCLA
thing started, wondering if they’re going to be able to cut
it in their classes and get their college 4.0 going; looking for
some cool peeps to kick it with; hoping their roommates are cooler
than they seemed when they first met them; and counting on that
hottie to sit next to them in lecture to ask them out.

Most returning students: They are probably wishing summer was
just a little bit longer, wondering if they’re going to be
able to cut their classes (because they’ve already gone to a
few back-to-school parties and 10 a.m. classes no longer seem
doable); expecting a little less drama with their friends this
year; wishing they could find an apartment and ditch their
roommates; and counting on there being some new first-year hotties
because that girl/guy from lecture last year turned out to be
whack.

Most fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year seniors (yes, they do
exist): They have one thing one their minds ““ GRADUATE!

But even with all these differences, we have one thing in
common: we all come here to get an education. Keep in mind that
this education is not automatically handed to us on a silver
platter just because we were fortunate enough to get accepted to
UCLA and have taken a few classes. We have to actively go out and
get it.

The most important part of our college experience cannot be
found by reading one book or by listening to a professor speak
(although those are both good places to start). We have to engage
ourselves in the stuff going on around us. Books and classes alone
are not enough without discussions after class that can make us
question a lot of things that we’ve always accepted as
fact.

College might be the only time in our lives that is supposed to
be completely dedicated to learning more about ourselves and the
world and critically analyzing it. What good is it to learn about
all of these issues, write a ton of papers and form personal
opinions if we don’t act on them?

I’m sure a lot of us are burnt out already from high
school, especially between getting the grades it took to get in
here, being on athletic teams, participating in student government,
and being active in clubs. The list goes on. By now, we must be
tired of being “leaders.” Instead, it might seem easier
to just get lost among the 35,000 students and let someone else do
stuff for a change. It’s tempting to just get by with the
bare minimum ““ taking the classes you need to graduate and
getting out.

But don’t be fooled.

This is not the best path to take. You only get as much out of
this school as you put in. We, as students, need to take
responsibility for the state of our campus and our communities. If
you don’t like something, try to change it. Don’t just
be a spectator. As many of us have figured out, learning by osmosis
does not work for classes, so why would it work for life?

As UCLA students, people are continuously making decisions that
affect our lives. Some of the people that are making these
decisions are the regents for the University of California system,
our chancellor and administrators, our elected officials, our
professors and voters state- and nation-wide. Decisions on
admissions policies, civil rights, curriculum, domestic
partnership, financial aid and many other important topics will
continue to be made whether or not we are a part of the process, so
it is crucial for our voices to be heard.

Remember earlier in this column when we went over how so many
people would love the opportunity to be in your place as a student
at UCLA? Well, this is where that comes into play.

It is important to understand that many people don’t have
the liberty to debate whether or not they feel like participating
in the decisions being made for them, because they can’t.
This happens for many reasons: the person could be working overtime
to support their family, they might not have citizenship in this
country yet, so they can’t even vote, and on and on. The
point is that we each can play a role in these decisions and this
is a privilege and a responsibility; it’s not as optional as
it might seem.

The next question is, “How?” Just keep your eyes
open and eventually something will stand out. Whether it’s a
flyer for an organization’s meeting that seems interesting, a
dope concert out in Westwood plaza, a speak out dialogue going on
in front of Kerckhoff Hall, or a viewpoint in the Daily Bruin
written by someone who works in the External Vice President’s
office for your student government (in 411 Kerckhoff Hall, drop by
any time), talk to someone to find out what it’s about and
see for yourself.

Just keep an open mind and remember that we are all shaped and
influenced by our personal experiences. While it’s easy to
criticize a person or organization and never engage them again;
it’s even harder to try and reach out and understand that
person’s background. Sadly, many people are too quick to
judge.

As a campus community, that is perhaps the greatest challenge
that we face: learning to understand each other’s experiences
and take true ownership of our campus.