I consider myself truly blessed to be attending college. From the time I was old enough to understand what college was, I wanted to go to Mississippi State University. I went to football games, basketball camps and honor bands here at State throughout elementary, middle and high school.
I worked hard, earned scholarships and now I am a proud, full-time Bulldog. I feel that I have a big responsibility on my shoulders: I will be the first person in my family to earn a college degree.
With that being said, I have to say that I have been very disappointed in the actions of some of my fellow “scholars,” in the words of Dr. Carskadon.
Both my parents and I are working hard to make college happen for me, and I’d like to think that everyone at State understands how hard it is to put someone through college.
I can’t begin to imagine the horror in my parents’ faces if they saw me sitting in a lecture with my iPod blaring in my ears for the duration of the entire class.
Sadly, I have witnessed this in various classes of mine: students sitting in the back (or even the front — being discreet doesn’t seem to be an issue anymore), texting the entire time and listening to music while the professor lectures.
First, think about how disrespectful that is to the professor. Our professors did not go to school for half of their lives to teach their thoughtfully prepared lectures to a room of iPods and cell phones. Even if that professor is the biggest jerk on the face of the earth, he or she deserves respect. The reason we go to college, attend lectures and complete assignments is to better ourselves. However droll the subject may be, resorting to texting a friend or sending a Twitter message about “how boring this class is” is immature and disrespectful.
Secondly, it is very hard for me to focus in class when I can hear the music playing from the person sitting next to me, and I am sure I am not the only one.
If one does not have enough respect for oneself to pay attention in the lecture, at least be considerate to the surrounding classmates. Why would one bother coming to class if one is going to listen to music the entire time? If it’s for attendance, one should listen to the lecture — maybe one can learn something and not go into freak-out mode when one inevitably bombs a test.
Lastly, for the sake of your parents or the ones who love you enough to send you to college, pay attention in class, have some respect.
For those of you who think this is silly and want to do as you please, don’t bother coming to college and wasting your parents’ money and your own time.
Embrace the fact that we attend a fantastic school, and take advantage of the plethora of opportunities that are in front of us.
Mary Chase Breedlove is a sophomore majoring in communication. She can be contacted at [email protected].