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Thursday, May 10, 200 I - Page 8 COMMENTARY Staff Letter to the Editor: A-senior's perspective To whom it may concern: school recognized Greek parties have re- ingclass time. Editors-In-Chief What does Western Maryland College stricted the groups, driving them to conduct However, one week before the lab. a Claire E. Adams '02 mean to you? their parties behind closed doors. memo came around stating that students need Edward K. Schultheis '03 Forme, WMCisaplacethathaschanged Third, the freshmen. Never have I seen a to attend one of three times, all of which my life making me the person I am today: a bigger group of apathetic, helpless. leader- scheduled during the busiest parts of the day. News Editors better one than four years ago. The college less, slothful. uneducated, self-interested and Needless to say, 40 percent were unable to Staci George '03 is an extraordinary-place with many great disunited scrabble of dorm room gremlins. attend these mandatory cut and paste ses- elements; it is a place that changes lives. In many organizations, there is either a sions. beneath However, this facade, I believe Assistant News Editor I am not alone in saying there are problems complete absence of freshmen or a presence The most appalling aspect of the depart- freshmen. They didn't of a few incompetent Joan Faulkner '02 ment is the strict level of professionalism ex- at WMC as well. even have enough officers to run for the Stu- pected from students, reprimanding any stu- As a senior, and a leader of my class and dent Government. dent who does not fulfill it. This is coming Features Editor this campus, I have seen both the good and Freshman: WMC is a place to get in- from the most unprofessional organization Shauna Dominguez '02 bad of WMC. Unfortunately, many of the volved and make a difference, not to sit in on this campus. Kate Esposito '01 bad cases I learned about too late to fix or your room. An article printed paper earlier While writing this article my cynicism change. this year presented a criticism of class has lifted to some degree. and I must reflect Commentary Editor Those squalid elements of WMC do not workload from a freshman. that WMC is also a place with many great BI Shorb '02 overshadow the things that make the college I have one thing to say about all of this. qualities. shine, but here they are from the experience This is an academic community; if you don't We are all members of a small academic of a senior. want to be a part of it, then leave. You either and social community. Never before. have I Sports Editor Matthew Hurff '03 First, the college leadership society. The need to get involved 'Or stop wasting the seen a small group of individuals, both stu- Trumpeters, a self-serving popularity club space for someone who will. dents and faculty. with such a vested inter- for a select few, does in no way distinguish Finally, the Education Department. It has est in a single cause ...thecollege. This makes Assistant Sports Editor leaders on campus. been a model of hypocrisy for the past four WMC a unique community coming together Greg Lederer '03 The current members select those who years. Imust preface this section by making 10 solve problems and improve itself. Craig P. Johnson '03 will become their replacements simply based it clear that the top two or three who run this Having a strong academic base, the fac- on favoritism creating an elitist society. This department are free from these observations. ulty at WMC are concerned with their stu- Copy Editor would not be so debase if the organization The education department is the most dis- dents growing up into young professionals. Stacey Welch '04 actually did something other than hold a din- organized, poorly run, and unhelpful depart- The community aspect of the college is ner to recognize their leadership. ment on campus. Sending out a notice for a something that makes WMC a good place to Second. the college's policies towards meeting just the day before it. and expect- be when trying to find your path in life. Photographers Brad Widner '03 Greeks. The Greeks on campus have an ir- ing everyone to be there is ridiculous. Therefore, for the wisdom, patience, refutable name and have had the strangle- For example, Education 2240 has a me- faith, other virtues, friends, and memories I hold placed on them by the administration. dia lab that meets once. When the class first owe to WMC. I thank you for them. Distribution Manager College policy towards clubrooms and met students were told the lab would be dur- -Anonymous Zsanett Borsos '02 What does golf have to do with life? Staff Writers Ahh, golf. Is there no better way to spend Tammi Slater '03 your weekend then hitting around a little, I'm really not sure, but I think what I have Jackie Leazer '01 white dimpled ball with a club and trying to done is to put it all into perspective. So you get a 0 on a test or a paper. Catherine Strong '04 knock it into a tiny hole (hat you wish was remember that one bad grade doesn't Just ruin Jeremy Keil '02 two feet larger. I mean where else can you your chances of getting a decent grade in the Mike Wiles '03 spend four hours of your day and experi- class, you just have to work hard and make Megan Martin '01 ence so many emotions: satisfaction, anger, sure that it doesn't happen again. So you Dennis Lucey '0 I joy, depression, pride, and did I mention get into a fight with one of your best friends Matthew McGowan '04 anger? Where else can you experience all over a stupid thing. Remember that you two Michael Jenkinson '02 of this, and more, besides the golf course? have been great friends and that if you are . Jeff Grever '02 College, of course, truly friends, you can work through anything . Philip Vogt '01 It was a beautiful 'Saturday, only about So your significant other cheats on you or Cathy Pendorf '02 70 degrees, a far cry from the 90 degree day Edward K. Schultheis breaks up with you. Just think that you don't we had earlier in the week, and I was play- need that in your life and you can do better Marcus Helton '01 ing golf at the Wakefield Valley Golf Club it is your life. Golf is a game of ups and than someone who is that disrespectful. A with my father and my friend. Not only downs; a game of birdies, pars, and double person just has to put it all into perspective. was it a beautiful day for playing golf, it was bogeys. It is a cruel game where one day Don't just look at one single event, but look Adviser also a perfect day for just sitting around, you can shoot a 79 and then the very next at a whole course of events and use that to Terrv Dalton relaxing and just taking a load off before day shoot a 93 and have more balls in the draw strength. starting the final week of classes. water hazards then on the greens. Such is A person once told me to make a list of The Phoenix is published biweekly. Th "J'm sure there were a lot of people doing Finions expressed do not necessarily represen that same thing during this relatively cool life, and such is life in college, my 25 greatest accomplishments dealing and when- a In one instance, I was having you can be the leader of with ever trouble Iiliose of The Phoenix staff, the faculty, or the weekend. But on the golf course something your high school team. All-American, Alt- problem to go back to them and draw lactministratoo ofWMC. strange happened ... and I am not talking Division.All-whatever, and then the next day strength from them ... 1 recommend that for The paper welcomes free-lance submissions n Macintosh disks in most word processor for- about losing one of my precious NIKE golf you are just a lowly freshman trying to make everyone because sometimes people need a team. on the college Imms. The editors reserve the right to edit fo balls in the water, although that did ~appen a name for yourself a person can be the vale- In reminder of how good they actually are. another instance, lariry, length, and libel and to publish as space once. So whether you are on the golf course or After down on the pnnits. All submissions (excluding self-ad- scorecard marking a four in the golf cart dictorian of their high school their senior just dealing with your daily life,just remem- and while riding through year, then struggle their first year of ~sed diskettes) become the property of The with my father to hole number 11,1 realized college with a B or C average. ber to take everything in stride. Just because IPhoenu and cannot be returned. you bogeyed one hole doesn't mean you have that ...wow ...half of my college career has Yet another instance is one that involves to the next or just because you bomb one Please include a name and phone numbe already passed me by. What a shocker?!? my two friends who were roommates. They Spanish quiz doesn't mean you have to bomb or verification. Names will be withheld only by That is right, after this semester is over, got along well for awhile, but soon their ten- the next one. Look at everything in perspec- Ithe discretion of the Editors-in-Chief I will be ajunior. Whoa, what happened to dencies, rituals, and actions started to annoy tive. The Phoenix docs notdiscriminatc based on the first four semesters of my college life? each other, so they stopped being roommates. So when you find that you are having ge, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, Did I just blink and say "bye-bye" to my This is life ...Whenever you are set up for a trouble dealing with a situation like a tough ~onal origin, condition of handicap, or mari- freshman and sophomore years? Iguess so. fastball, life goes ahead and throws you a test, or dealing with a tricky situation, let me tal status. lt scares me that I only have two more years curve ball. let you in on a little advice my mom has been before I have to go out there and get a real So how do you deal with these curve balls giving me since I was a little kid. Before Mail to: The Phoenix job, which can't be possible. 1 remember, that life sends you? Well one thing I have any hard lest; my mom would always say to like it was yesterday, going to my first day learned over these two years in college is that me, even to this day in college, "Take a deep WMC, 2 College Hill at high school. I mean how could I have a person has to take everything in stride. I breath, say a prayer, and ycu'fl do fine." Westminster, MD 21 157 (410)751-8600 gotten here so fast? That is probably the know that I have been through a lot, espe- Thanks always for that mom, and I hope that FAX, (410) 857-2729 question most seniors are asking. cially this past year, and I have put my fam- others find it as comforting as I do. E-Mril, phoenix@wmdc.edu Golf is indeed a game of concentration ily and friends through hell sometimes (but and emotions, and college is the same, al- not always, I am not that bad). And how -Edward K. Schultheis is a sophomore though some would argue it is not a.game, have I come to deal with most of this stuff? communication major.