I begin to feel a tinge of excitement as I turn the key to begin the three-and-a-half-hour journey from Cleveland to Athens that I make at the beginning of every quarter. Although the ride is painfully dull, I can't help looking forward to returning to the place that has become like a second home to me.
Whether you love or hate it, you have to admit there is something different about Athens. Some would argue that it is the impressive natural surroundings that transform with every season that make Athens so special. Others would say it's the general laid-back attitude and the large-scale parties that set Athens apart. For me, it's the people that make Athens so extraordinary.
I remember visiting other Ohio colleges as a high school senior, and although some of them were very good schools, I disliked the cookie-cutter appearance of the students. When I toured OU, I immediately noticed that was not the case here.
As of last quarter, total enrollment at Ohio University was 20,501. Of the 16,717 undergraduate students 409 were international, and of the 3,338 graduate students, a staggering 1,019 were international students. That's nearly one-third. There were 1,694 multicultural students, and minority students made up over 8 percent of the population. These are numbers the university can proudly boast to prove we have a diverse community. But what do these numbers mean to you?
I think they are an expression of the probability of encountering interesting people on this campus, which is exactly what I intend to do in order to write this column. Every week I will base my column on events on campus that have to deal with issues of diversity. I hope to work with organizations that involve international students, minority students, multicultural students and LGBT students, as well different religious groups. I'll try to be as well rounded as possible, but it will be hard to cover every group in a 10-week quarter.
Now before you stop reading, let me assure you, this will not be an after-school special. I will not preach about tolerance and acceptance, and I will not, under any circumstances, quote We Are the World. Although tolerance and acceptance are important, for me diversity is not something to be tolerated. I think it is an opportunity to be taken advantage of. Some of the best experiences I've had have been when I was completely out of my element.
As a senior, it has taken me nearly four years to realize how much more there is to college than stressing constantly on weekdays to achieve good grades, and then drinking constantly on weekends to forget about the weekdays. There is so much more to Athens then the two places most well-balanced students seem to spend most of their time: the library and Red Brick. You can learn so much more than you can in any classroom just by talking to someone who has grown up with an experience different from your own. So take a chance. You don't need to go all out like me and attend every cultural event on campus; start small. Go to a free concert, attend a workshop or eat at an international dinner. You may be surprised to discover what you'll find off the beaten path.
4 Opinion
