Dear Kid,
I don't even know your name, and I can live the rest of my life and not know because I extremely dislike you. Chances are, you are probably a freshman who thinks that you know everything. But I hate to break it to you: you don't.
This past semester in class you have been terrible. Your naturally combative and disrespectful attitude is ridiculous. News flash: you shouldn't talk to professors or guest speakers like you have. Today you were especially mean to a guest speaker, which triggered me to write you this letter. I just wanted to inform you that if you expect to get anywhere in the world, you better start changing.
Here at college, and specifically Virginia Tech, we operate in this belief called tolerance. It's obviously a novel idea for you, so if you want to Google it to get the definition, now's your chance. I'll give you hint: some synonyms are patience, resilience and strength, and tolerance really should be applied to everything you do. Personally attacking people who think differently than you is not using tolerance — in case you were wondering.
I can't help but wonder what this school I love would be like without you and without people like you. Your attitude pushes down others instead of building them up, and on a larger scale that would be awful. You expect to get places by arguing and getting personal with people; you make people feel uncared for. What if I made you feel uncared for? Trust me, the thought has crossed my mind, but then I would be perpetuating your behavior and not stopping it where it starts — you. Virginia Tech is a place of love, and not for people who can't at least have an open mind to others.
I am lucky enough to know people who aren't like you. They accept both me and others on campus who are different. The fact of the matter is we are all different, and that will never make you better than me or anyone else. Virginia Tech is a community that has the potential to bring so much positive change in the world, and if you can't be a part of that, you should leave.
I think you need to learn how much kindness can change someone's whole life. Maybe you have never experienced kindness or maybe you think you deserve it from other people, but your view on it is way off base. Virginia Tech is kind; we make sure our research is kind; we open doors for each other; when it seems like something is wrong with someone, you go out of your way to help them.
You need to step up as a Hokie. Being a Hokie is so much more than your GPA or "popularity" if you want to call that a thing. It means tolerance, kindness, respect, open conversations, acceptance and loving everything about Blacksburg. Maybe more time will teach you not to be mean spirited, but if not, you sure have taught me how I don't want to live my life.
Remember our motto: Ut Prosim,
Tia
