Editor,
This week marked the 200th birthday of Ohio University. This week and for the past few weeks there have been students wandering around this campus completely oblivious to the importance of Feb. 18, 2004.
I had mentioned in passing conversation during the last week about attending the birthday celebration, getting my free piece of birthday cake and going to the world premier of Turning Two Hundred. I was shocked at the questions some people ask me: What birthday celebration? What cake? and What concert? And to these people I pose just one question: Where have you been for the last year? because this event has been in the works for at least that long! Picking up The Post Wednesday morning didn't count as knowing about it either because you should have known long before that it was OU's 200th birthday.
All of the planning and the hard work of hundreds of people has finally culminated with the 200th birthday of OU. Everyone who attends school here got an e-mail from the office of President Glidden inviting them to the festivities. In the history of OU, it will only turn 200 once. This university will only have one bicentennial celebration. Not to mention this will probably be the only time they offer free cake to everyone on campus. How many of you took part in it or cared enough to take part in it? How many of you walked around campus unaware of all the things that were happening around you?
To those of you who took part in any way, shape or form, I commend you. To those of you who went on with your Wednesday like it was any other day, unaware that your university was turning 200, I challenge you to become more aware of your surroundings. Take part in the things that are going on around you, and if you don't actively participate, at least acknowledge the fact that something important is happening. A lot of your money goes into this university, so get the experience you deserve out of it, and take away everything you possibly can from it, even if all you remember is the free cake.
Someday 50 years from now are you going to be one of the alumni that can say I was a student at OU when we celebrated the bicentennial, or are you even going to remember there was one?
heidi.christensen@ohiou.edu
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