STAFF EDITORIAL — As young adults, we tend to associate acting independently with strength and maturity. For some reason, in our society, asking for help is a sign of weakness. We can see where our values lie in sayings such as “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps,” that success comes from hard work done independently. Because of ideologies such as this one, it’s easy to forget that it does, indeed, take a village.
Therefore, it becomes a harsh reality that we all need to learn to embrace at some point, and that we are all humans and will inevitably make mistakes.
And it is during these times where all of us could use an extra set of helping hands, ready to help catch us when we fall. It’s only a matter of time before we will be the person in need, so there’s no reason to hesitate to act when you notice it might be someone else.
The world would be a much more pleasant place if we valued the safety of others as much as we value our own safety.
There is nothing wrong with needing to ask for help, or being the person to step in and insist on being there for someone you can tell needs it. In today’s party culture there’s a lot of hype around drinking as much as you possibly can, and there are times where people let this get to their heads.
If you’re around someone who you believe needs help, or who you can tell cannot take care of themselves, don’t be afraid to step in. You could save them a lot of trouble down the road by taking a couple minutes out of your day to ensure their safety. Also- make the call to Campus Safety before they find you or your friend. This could save any write-ups from happening. Denison wants to protect those who seek out help and promote doing so.
Especially at Denison, it’s important to look out for others, whether it be at parties, during class or just there as a shoulder to lean on. College is a stressful time where it is important to take care of each other.
We can continue to make Denison a safe, comfortable community.