By Cecilia Salamone
Staff Writer
This year has been a very eventful one for the Denison community. Perhaps now, more than ever, our university is poised to see some major changes, with some of them already showing themselves. As we look back on our year, we may think of all of the controversy that has seemed to loom over our heads.
From the scandals of suspended fraternities to the uproar over the “Denison drinking problem” and vandalism on campus, I’d venture to say that many in our community are feeling frustrated or disillusioned, whether it’s with each other or with the administration.
However, we must remember that not all is wrong at our college on the hill. For starters, we’re lucky enough to be here. That is forgotten among our student body. We are lucky enough to attend an institution with stellar academics, amazing faculty, and a tremendous endowment. Most people in the “real world” will never have this chance, whether you realize it or not.
A major issue that I believe we have at Denison is that we forget the bigger picture. In a world where people live in poverty, where gun violence is causing senseless deaths every day, where politicians are spewing nonsense at each other and showing themselves to be more and more out of touch, we must remember that our problems – well, most of them could be pretty insignificant in the long run.
Don’t get me wrong. I love this school. Never have I regretted coming here. In fact, I’d say this was the best decision I ever made. There are opportunities I’ve had here that I wouldn’t have anywhere else, and I bet many of you feel the same way.
We have countless service-based organizations and extracurricular activities that promote good works and giving back, and this year, we’ve seen the successes of several of these groups, such as Relay for Life, Homelessness & Hunger, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. I believe in this university and I believe that we can all make a positive impact, no matter how small we may think it is.
I’m proud when I see Denisonians supporting each other at performances, athletic events, and campus events. I am proud when I see students helping each other. I am proud when I see students voicing their honest opinions in the Denisonian and the Bullsheet, whether I agree with them or not.
We can work together to solve our problems if we let everyone’s voices be heard, and we can help to solve problems around us if we are willing to see the bigger picture.