If you’re reading this article, it’s because you’re visiting our lovely campus over the summer to become acquainted with the veritable cornucopia of educational wonder that is Binghamton University. I hope you picked up on my overly dry wit in that first sentence, because there’s a lot more of it to come.
So you’re out of high school. You’re coming here to learn, et cetera, et cetera — but most of all, you’re coming here to be independent. To make your own choices, to get through the day as best you can on your own terms. I know what lies ahead of you, and it’s wonderful, but there are pitfalls.
I can’t warn you about everything, and I certainly can’t give you all the advice I have in store, so I’m just going to concentrate on one thing. You’re going to have learn how to look at things with your own eyes.
This isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Everywhere around you, there’s somebody trying to make you look at things their way. Even I’m going to do it, especially if you see me around campus and get me talking about national politics. But when someone tells you what’s important, don’t take them at their word.
Where do you get your news? Probably online, if anywhere. So let’s go to CNN.com and see what they think you need to be concerned about. Hmm, OK, Adam Lambert has a crush on the winner of “American Idol.” And the guy from “Hell’s Kitchen” has attracted controversy again. And, of course, Donald Trump has fired Carrie Prejean from her title as Miss California. (You didn’t know Donald Trump owned the Miss USA pageant? Of course he does. He’s fucking Donald Trump.)
Meanwhile, Fox wants to make sure you know that a toddler has the same IQ as Stephen Hawking, ABC is keeping you updated on the persistence of hookers advertising on Craigslist, and MSNBC … well, I tried to go to their Web site but was struck temporarily blind by the sheer power of its liberality. It was too much even for me.
Point is, a lot of people with a lot of authority are going to tell you a shit-ton of things and expect you to believe them. Even BU — actually, especially BU. It’s your job not to take everything at face value.
You’ll hear a lot about how good the academic programs are here and how well the student body performs as a whole. You’ll get to see some well-furnished dorm rooms (they can be pretty swank), hear about our NCAA basketball team (Go Bearcats!) and find out about the carnival we have every year (yeah, it’s a big deal).
Some things you might not hear about: the advising office for Harpur College is pretty close to useless. The administration has left sensitive personal documents with Social Security numbers in insecure locations (unlocked dumpsters, the Lecture Hall Building) on no fewer than four occasions. You know, little things like that.
This is a nice place, and I like it here. I mean, Christ, I’m going to get a radio show this semester. How cool is that? But just because our public relations department says we’re the “Premiere Public University in the Northeast” doesn’t mean you can sit back and relax as though everything’s taken care of.
Be active. Find things out. If something makes you mad, make a stink about it. Solve problems you think are important. Become a real person.
It’s harder than you think.
Sound tough? Yeah. Sound wonderful and full of pitfalls? I think I warned you about that, didn’t I? But this is the most important thing we’ll do and we’ll all be doing it together.
Welcome to your life. Buckle up.