Raise your hand if you had a curfew when you lived with your parents. I
know I did. My parents were a little strict and I heard from all of my friends,
current college students and members of my graduating class, that when I
went to college I would be a force to be reckoned with because now I have
absolute freedom. I can wake up when I want, go to sleep when I want, eat
what I want, whenever I want it etc. We all have these freedoms. So what is
stopping us from going out and partying every single night and not coming
home until four in the morning? It is those crazy little things we call values. 

And if you’re like me, you took those values for granted when you lived at home
because your parents made those types of choices for you. And they were
supposed to. That was their job for eighteen years. They had to instill those
values in each of us and help us develop our own opinions and beliefs. It is
now our right and responsibility to be adults.  Believe me I am not anti-fun.
And there are all types of ways to have a good time.  But now we are the ones
who have to make the decisions about when to go home and study or when to
stay out.

The BGeXperience is all about helping us students recognize that the choices
we make in personal life and in academic life are going to reflect to others about
the way we have decided to live. Those choices are going to work for us or against
us in making friends, forming relationships and getting along with those around
us.

My values class is pretty fantastic. We have an interesting blend of people from all
different types of backgrounds. When we did the agree/disagree statements, there
was a lot of people who disagreed on a lot of things. But each of us respected each
other enough to listen to what the other was saying and not criticize or belittle their
beliefs or values. Each person in my class knew that everyone has a right to an opinion
and even if they disagree with that opinion, they still have the right to voice it. Considering
that everyone we meet is not going to have our same ideals, that is an amazing attitude
to have.

We are in college. We’re in college. I know I still can’t believe it. I feel as though
I am at a weekend retreat and my parents will be here later today to pick me up.
But that is not going to happen. For better or worse, we have embarked on a new
beginning. College is a place where we can make or break ourselves.

Let’s make ourselves into people we would be proud of in twenty years. A person
whose character and belief system is evident in the way they carry themselves, in
the friends they make. We are at BG not only to get good grades, get a degree and
ultimately find a career, but to also develop ourselves and to make sure our beliefs
are our own, that our ideals are not being forced on us but that we choose them.  I
will leave you with a bit of advice that I heard from everyone’s favorite principal, Mr.
Belding from Saved by the Bell. Dennis Haskins told the students to get involved and
to make a difference. Whether you join thousands of groups or are committed to one,
let your voice be heard. Because after all, we are in one of the few places in the world
where that voice will not be silenced.

        Written by Sara Johnson
       (presented at the 2006 BGeX Convocation)