opinions

OPINIONS WWW.OBUSIGNAL.COM | PAGE 7

Showing ‘Club Love’ authentically BY LANGLEY LEVERETT Staff Writer

No man is an island. As much as I’d like to hide behind my hermit facade, there is no denying that numbers bring strength to individuals.

Finding community isn’t always the most obvious route to take, nor the easiest task to keep, but the prize of a real relationship is invaluable. This prize is unmeasured and cannot be forged as easily as preconceived.

Genuine relationships require work. They take time. They operate only at full capacity. They require sincere, focused effort, not halfheartedness.

This is no easy thing to undertake — finding a place where you can truly belong — but it is worth the effort.

Most often, genuine community appears in different forms for different people. It brings different benefits. For some, it is resume points, reputation and prestige. For others, it’s about connection, inclusion and support.

There are numerous reasons that lead to involvement in social clubs, academic honor societies, athletics and other countless opportunities campus life has to offer, but the most important question remains: what are you hoping to have gained by the end of your experience?

Collegiate involvement is more than having a certain kind of “school spirit;” it is necessary to the development of character.

It sounds dramatic, but the evidence is overwhelmingly convincing. In a student life study completed by Ohio State University in 2015, statistics showed that 83% of students who were engaged in social and professional organizations felt emotionally connected to their peers and to the university. Out of this portion, 78% reported higher esteem and improved problem solving skills.

Now, to revert back to the previous question, I can’t supply an easy answer.

Intentions are not identical, but for the most part, students who interact with people and find honest and natural relationships thrive, both outwardly and inwardly.

Connecting with people who share similar values and passions allows for personal and communal growth. Problems are solved. Insecurities crumble. Empathy grows. It is in the midst of this growth that “club love” came into existence.

Ouachita provides many ways to find your niche, whether that’s in a social club or not. It’s ironic when people mention “club love,” because it seems so obvious that clubs across campus should love each other. That’s obvious and clear. The real challenge lurks beneath the surface: overcoming labels.

“Club love” is a concept that should reach beyond Greek letters. It is a phrase that is tossed around casually, especially during Tunes and Rush week. It’s tossed around, rather than carried as a precious gift. “Club love” should be extended to those walking in the hallways, sitting in the cafeteria, taking notes next to you in class; it should extend far beyond the reaches of an organization and stand for genuine respect for the individual.

No matter what colors or badges they’re wearing, no matter what Rush party they attend, no matter what club they pledge or don’t pledge to, “club love” should be worn and carried with care and precision.

“Club love” should be in every interaction. Not just at fun events or written in mass letters. It should be celebrated. It should be honored on all occasions.

We’re only human and we all have our days, but at the end of the night, are we actually engaging with those around us? Are we truly trying to make a difference? Are we being truthful to the adjectives that surround club pillars? Are we being truthful to the Word of God? I love my club. I love being in a club. I love being surrounded by people who have my best interests at heart.

Although sometimes club life is taxing, as any involvement can be, at the end of the night, there is something incredibly profound to be had when you realize the full extent of the words “inclusion” and “community.”

As last semester ensues,

love for Ouachita increases

BY ETHAN DIAL Editor-In-Chief

“Don’t wish it away.” This all too common phrase is something I’ve heard from family and friends all of my life in nearly every circumstance, but it hasn’t really impacted me much until now. Every senior I’ve ever encountered at Ouachita has imparted this same truth and it’s one that I’m finding to be more true as each day passes, drawing me closer to putting on that cap and gown.

Last semester, I was ready to graduate. I still didn’t have a plan for after school (and I still don’t), but that didn’t matter. The busyness and typically self-induced stress that came with over crowding my time caused me to long for a nineto-five, in which my schedule was set and my routine was pact.

However, now that this final semester here at Ouachita has begun, my thoughts are quite contrary.

It truly feels like I’m watching the final season of my favorite Netflix dramedy. Just like each beloved character you root for, I find myself inquiring about the plot line of each of my friends’ lives. I want to know what’s next for them and where they’ll go from here. I want to spend every moment I can with them and not miss a single quote. I root for “that couple,” the one I’ve shipped since freshman year,

and when they finally fulfill the “ring by spring” motto, I couldn’t be happier for them. I flash back to the first season before that villain was redeemed and that secret was revealed. I recreate the trips to Waffle House and the memorable CDAs. Everything, even the funniest moments seem to make me emotional, and in the end, despite the ever-present uncertainty, I can see it all coming together. I sense that in the last five minutes or so that the writers will perfectly tie up all the loose ends.

My problem while watching this last season of my final semester here at Ouachita is wanting to binge watch it. I keep wanting to fast forward to figure it all out and see if I’m right about this or that. I keep waiting for the answers to come and hit the “next episode” button at every single cliff hanger. Thus, my goal has now become to take it day by day. I don’t want to speed through it at all. Rather, I want to savor every single scene. I don’t just want to watch one clip after the other; I want to experience it. I just keep telling myself that when it’s all said and done, when the pictures have been taken and the diplomas distributed, that there’ll still be hope. Maybe, just maybe, a brand new spin-off will follow this incredible show I’ve watched for the last four years, and if fans demand it, we could even see a revival in 20 years or so.