A Call to Action

by Micaeli Rourke

Emerson College, this is a call to action.

Put away the blazers and break out the sweats. We are still in college.

In the three years that I’ve attended our decent institution, I have become more and more alarmed at the student body’s need to “professionalize.” Obviously,we attend a vocation-based liberal arts school, but I worry that our efforts seem to be focused more on advancement than actual education; on networking more than learning. I fear that we have thrown the term “liberal arts” to the wayside, as we fight tooth and nail to secure a job post-grad.

The four years that we spend on Emerson’s campus will be a period in our lives like none other. Never again will you be able to see your news editor at a basement party in Allston, and never again will you be able to mess up without serious repercussions. I think we should value these years as a time to absorb absolutely as much knowledge as possible, while creating relationships that will benefit us both personally and professionally. Stop spending so much time looking the part, and focus on actually learning something for learning’s sake, rather than “I have to.”

The basis of my argument is something I’ve felt since my freshman year. Here I was, a naive and enthusiastic 18-year old, new to this city and this microcosm of society that we call Emerson. I remember sitting in the window of the Emerson Cafe, people watching and thinking to myself, ‘Is that kid even in college? Why is he dressed like a lawyer?’ As I watched my classmates bustle past, iced coffee in hand, eyes dead set on their Blackberries, I couldn’t help but imagine what their rush was.

Where are you going that’s so important that you don’t even have the time to wipe that frown off your face?

I feel a large part of my contention lies in the typical dress of our school. Being a Broadcast Journalism major, I find myself in 8am classes with people dressed to the nines, as if they were actually going on air at a real news station. Don’t get me wrong, I dress for success, but not 24/7. Sometimes I feel better sporting my ripped jeans and tie-dye t-shirts, because it’s college and yes, I did wake up 10 minutes before my class started.

I think it’s easy to forget what other colleges are like, while in the rat race of our day to day lives. I always think that if I went to a state school, the student body might dress a bit differently, and be a bit more focused on having a blast in college, rather than creating a stunning resume. Of course, I’m not discrediting all that Emerson students achieve. I find our breed of students to be truly the most ambitious people I’ve ever rubbed elbows with. All I’m saying is, there is a delicate line between being driven, and being obsessed with self-advancement.

So the next time you don’t feel like primping before class, don’t bother! Wear your pajamas if you feel so inclined, just as long as you learn something from the class you attend. If you’re considering leaving the Quidditch to do major-related activities, pick up that broom and keep playing! College is a time not only to learn, but to play. So, I beg you Emerson, alleviate your stress-induced frowns, and remember that college is an experience to be lived, not to be perfected.