I have been a student at MSU for the last five years and I have learned a handful of valuable lessons.
The one lesson that I have yet to learn is how to motivate people to join clubs, to vote or to participate in anything student-related.
Besides going to class everyday, some students would never set foot on MSU’s campus.
So, somewhere along those lines the idea was brought up to have a freshman experience class to help orient students to campus life.
Those lessons would include time management, balancing your checkbook, safe sex and don’t drink alcohol.
Wait, time management, how to study and things like that were already-or at least should have been-taught to you before you got here.
There is a place for people to go between high school and college to learn this stuff-it’s called junior college.
Plus, how did you get out of high school and accepted to State unless you had good grades and a good ACT score?
All of that took you to at least know some time management and/or study skills.
I also question why you need to teach someone who has parents about balancing a checkbook, safe sex or alcohol.
Those should have been things your mom and dad discussed with you.
And if not them, then what about your favorite aunt or uncle, how about that older cousin or those people from the public school system that are supposed to teach you something.
Also, don’t all dorms have programs and floor meetings about all those things?
The thing is that no one attends the programs or people skip floor meetings.
Which leads me to wonder what will make them want to go to the class or even pay attention in them.
Plus, do the counseling service and other organizations offer different workshops and seminars on those same things?
Do the freshman attend those or do they even pay attention?
But, I think that the biggest thing that makes this a waste of time is the fact that I don’t think freshmen will voluntarily take a class three times a week for no credit.
I also don’t think that the Faculty Senate will approve the class getting counted toward a degree. I mean, which credit will it replace?
Maybe that fine arts class, maybe the math/science elective or maybe it will replace a free elective.
I can look at a transcript now and see MSU 1113-that’s what course number I see the class having-instead of voice and articulation or art appreciation.
If a student wants to be involved on campus, they will be involved.
If a student wants to be just a faceless number in the system, they will be a faceless number in the system.
Which brings me to one lesson I have learned in my time here at State. It is that you can’t make someone care about anything.
That old saying that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink is true.
So, trying to force a student to learn what year the school was founded or the fight song won’t make them anymore care than they want to.
Plus, I find that when a teacher teaches skills students have mastered, they tend to miss those days or sleep through the class.
Lastly, in the words of John Stossel-if you care to find out who he is, then you will look him up-give me a break.
Ryan Thurmond is a senior real estate and mortgage major.