Dear New York Times, This is the Real Mizzou

Dear New York Times, This is the Real Mizzou

A response to the article that did not tell the whole truth about a great university
Megan Crabb
Megan Crabb Jul 19, 2017
148
views

On July 9th 2017, The New York Times released an article discussing how students are shunning the University of Missouri due to the events that transpired here in November of 2015.

This article discussed how enrollment has spiraled downward by 35% in the past two years, university employees are losing their jobs, and budget cuts are being made. The hardest hitting part of this article was the deep-seated notion that students are avoiding coming to Mizzou in fear of being targets of racism and bigotry.

I am here to tell you firsthand why choosing Mizzou is one of the best choices I have made and to shine light on the other side of the story: the side of actual student life at a great university.

The protests at Mizzou happened my senior year of high school. I had not yet chosen a university to attend, but Mizzou was one of my top choices. Watching the news, I was never concerned that Mizzou might not be the right choice for me but I can understand why it would factor into the decisions of others. Did it concern me that a portion of the student body was involved in such a negative and distasteful riot? Of course. But ultimately, I chose to attend due to the fantastic journalism school that Mizzou is known for and I have never regretted my decision.

I had many classmates in high school ask if the events that had happened at Mizzou factored into my decision to attend. Honestly, they did not. Writing off an entire university due to an unfortunate event that happened there is much like choosing a book based on its cover. You are only seeing a small portion of a large entity. If every student chose not to go to a university due to a negative incident that occurred there, every university would be in trouble. While Mizzou got a lot of media attention during these events, we often forget that the media preys on negative news because it sells (trust me, I'm a J-School student!). All around the country, the media tends to report on Greek life deaths from drinking or sports team scandals, but rarely the achievements of the student body that represent the greatest portion of a university. You don't often hear of the amazing things that go on here so I will be that voice.

My first week at Mizzou was an experience I will never forget. There were so many activities and seminars I had to attend, one of which was solely based on the events of November 2015. This seminar emphasized that Mizzou is one big inclusive family and after attending for a year, I can truly say that is correct. Not once did I witness racism firsthand or hear from anyone who encountered it. In fact, I felt more open to approaching my classmates with different backgrounds than myself and truly enjoyed making friends with those of different ethnic groups. While I myself am not a minority and do not want to speak for those who are, to me, Mizzou feels like the perfect place to build relationships with people of every color, background, sex, gender, etc. Mizzou tries hard to ensure that every student feels safe and like they have a place at this university.

The events of November 2015 are also not something that we consider taboo on our campus. I had many professors encourage discussions and debates based on these events and there never seemed to be any palpable tension during them. Students seemed genuinely concerned for each other's feelings of belonging and wellbeing at Mizzou. Why? Because we are all here for one reason: to get a good education from a great university. And Mizzou definitely does not disappoint in that aspect.

While this article in the Times does not put Mizzou in a positive light, it gives us the opportunity to fix ourselves for the future and prove that our campus is a safe and inviting place to get an education and build friendships. So, if you are considering coming to the best college in the Show Me state, let us SHOW YOU that we are a family that all take pride in being Tigers and we are determined to prove that our university is more than its past mistakes.

#WeAreOneMizzou



Cover Image Credit: Mizzou News
Megan Crabb
Megan Crabb Jul 19, 2017
At University of Missouri
At University of Missouri

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11 Thoughts Every UConn Husky Has When It Rains On Tuesdays

It's really quite odd how it happens honestly.

Colleen Daly
Colleen Daly Sep 18, 2018
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There's a running theory around the University of Connecticut that it always rains on Tuesdays.

I didn't believe it either until I got here and it in fact, always rains on Tuesdays. Maybe not full blown like recently (thanks mother nature), but it does. And when it does... we all suffer. We're all on the same page with how miserable it is so let me just share with you what goes on in the head of a waterlogged husky.

1. I should use my umbrella

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It'll keep be nice and dry.

2. Nope. Forget the umbrella. 

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I didn't want to use it anyway...

3. I should have taken the bus. 

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At least that would mean I wouldn't have to walk.

4. Wait. Where is the bus? 

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Never where it's supposed to be. Thanks UConn transit services. Did you know we all hate the new bus routes? Well now you do.

5. Is my laptop getting wet?

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My backpack isn't waterproof... what's happening in there??? Should I run???

6. Should I sue the school if my laptop gets water damage? 

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Surely it's their fault right?

7. This rain jacket is doing nothing. 

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I guess it's still good I have one though.

8. Do I bother wearing my hood? 

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Doesn't matter. Your hair is already wet.

9. Do I bother showering later? 

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Might as well have brought my body wash and shampoo with me.

10. WHY ARE YOU WEARING MOCCASINS?????

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Good because it's R A I N I N G.

11. Rain boots are a gift from god. 

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Splash in those puddles like Peppa Pig. It's the only joy you'll get that day.

The only thing that benefits from the rain is the grass. Good for you grass because the rest of us HATE it.

Colleen Daly
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How I Escaped My Hoarding Tendencies

I was once a hoarder.

Cindy Yeh
Cindy Yeh Sep 25, 2018
133
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Up until my third year of college, I kept everything. I had notes, homework, and tests from all of my classes starting in kindergarten, all the way until my college years. My walls were filled with photos, art, birthday and thank-you cards, plane and movie tickets, receipts, and even interesting shopping bags I'd collected over the years. Drawers were stuffed with random pieces of toys with which I felt strong emotional connections. I still kept clothes from elementary school that I certainly could not wear anymore, but for some reason felt that I needed to keep.

Despite being a hoarder, I was still quite organized. My room, usually messy, was relatively well-organized. However, during college, something for me changed. I was suddenly annoyed with all of the things I had kept over the years, and wanted a clean slate. I tore everything down from my walls, pulled out all the clothes in my closet, and decided to start over.

This whole adventure of me decluttering my room took three full days, dozens of trash bags full of items to donate, and so much excess emotional garbage. When I was finally finished, I felt so much emotional relief. While I really enjoyed sifting through every piece of paper that I had written, every exam I had taken, every toy and card that had been gifted to me, and all the clothes that no longer fit me, I was happy to finally be finished. My head hurt from the nostalgia, but I slept incredibly well that night.

Since then, I've learned how to live on a minimal amount of stuff. My room is usually tidy and I've found cleaning and organizing to be addicting and cathartic. I now keep only things with which I have strong emotional connections, like the bracelet my now-deceased grandmother gave me and the farewell letters written by my friends before I moved away for graduate school.

With fewer concrete memorabilia stowed away, I can cherish the memories that mean the most to me and focus on identifying the memories happening in the present that I want to remember forever.

Tidying up also helped me achieve a lot of my career goals in life. I don't think this success would have been possible if I had been disorganized and distracted by the past that cluttered my room.

With all of that said, I still have a long ways to go in terms of tidying my life. My work life is definitely not as organized as my home life. My desk and computer files are not organized in the best way, but I hope to implement my personal life philosophy into my work life in the future. My social and familial life are also quite disorganized. After moving to a new city, I found the initial socializing to be overwhelming and struggled to prioritize the people I wanted to spend time with. However, I am slowly working to improve this balance of my social and familial life.

While I am still on this journey, I wanted to share the impact that decluttering has had on my so far and hope that this would inspire you to identify things you can declutter in your own life.

Cindy Yeh
Cindy Yeh Sep 25, 2018
At University of Washington

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