OPINIONS THE UNIVERSITY STAR
quote of the day “I’d go to Iraq, but there is no place for fat people to hide.”
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— Hays County Commissioner Russ Molenaar, Precinct 4, at a ceremony May 24 honoring outgoing Constable Ron Magill who resigned recently because of military duty.
Wednesday, June 1, 2005 - Page B-1
Opinions Contact — Joe Ruiz, staropinion@txstate.edu
THE MAIN POINT
Bike roundup takes unusual approach to theft prevention Register your bike to safeguard it from being stolen, or UPD will steal it from you. Huh? The logic is as circular as the wheel on which your Huffy rides. In case you didn’t know, the University Police Department kickstarted its annual campuswide bicycle roundup on May 23, removing any unregistered bicycles from campus, even if chained to a bike-rack railing. Or maybe you do know, after discovering your bicycle missing. The program — or the great bike heist, as some students might describe it — is described in an e-mail from the vice president of student affairs as “an effort to help beautify the property within the university community by removing unwanted bicycles from campus.” This justification begs the question, “Unwanted by whom?” The proclaimed purpose of bicycle registration on campus is not to reduce the number of bikes but to benefit bike owners by facilitating the return of stolen bikes. If that is the point, the program should be voluntary and not a basis to remove supposedly abandoned property. It seems a little silly that UPD would require students to participate in a program intended to prevent theft and discourage the perpetrators by threatening to take the bikes themselves. It also seems resources could be spent in better ways to beautify our campus, such as returning recently removed ashtrays to campus so smokers may dispose of their butts properly rather than littering. Cigarette butts are a major eyesore at Texas State, while there is no observable cluttering of campus by abandoned bikes. It is also strange that UPD is choosing the summer to enforce the registration. Perhaps during the school year, there would be an outcry should UPD cut through the chains on students’ bicycles and remove them without notifying the owners. Students who are not aware of the roundup may lose their bikes, thinking they were stolen. If a student’s bicycle is collected, he or she will have 90 days to recover it. But students who went home for the summer and forgot their bikes may never know what happened to their property when they return. Last year, UPD claimed 75 bicycles for auction, which is held in Waco. If the bike seizure is supposed to benefit the Texas State community, it would make much more sense to hold the auction in San Marcos, where students on a budget might be able to benefit from the seizures. Bicycle registration is an excellent idea, and students who care about their bikes should participate in it. It is free and only takes a few minutes to fill out the paperwork. The program goes beyond San Marcos borders since the information is stored in a database and can be passed on to other authorities if it is stolen in a different city. But however beneficial the program may be, it hardly seems appropriate to enforce an anti-bike-theft policy by commandeering students’ bikes. The Main Point is the opinion of the newspaper’s editorial board. Columns are the opinions of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full staff, Texas State University-San Marcos Student Media, the department of mass communication or Texas State University-San Marcos. Letters policy: E-mail letters to starletters@txstate.edu. Letters must be no longer than 300 words. No anonymous letters will be printed. We reserve the right to edit for grammar, spelling, space and libel. We reserve the right to refuse obscene, irrelevant and malicious letters. All e-mails must include the name and phone number of the letter writer. Students should also include their classifications and majors.
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Moderation is key to freshman survival Upon my initial but myself. If arrival at Texas I worked hard State, I recall beand produced ing appalled at the something of utter lack of clothgood quality, ing on the bodies then I might treat of many of the myself to a nice other girls to be in dinner with some BRYNN LEGGETT my class. Coming friends or pig out Star Columnist from a public high on a tasty piece of school, it was nothcake — and that’s ing I hadn’t seen enough. before, but I guess because Here are a few things I it was a magnet school, we wish I’d known before movdidn’t want to push the en- ing into my dorm. velope too far either. So, my 1) Only pack what will fit first impression of college in your car. A dorm room is was a bit of a culture shock, probably about half the size to say the least. of your bedroom at home, For those of you who may at best. You’ll need some already be feeling the begin- clothes, some books, your nings of a minor freak out computer and a TV if you along the lines of “Oh no! watch it. That’s it. Seriously. I don’t belong here at all! 2) You really don’t need all What have I gotten myself those shoes. I probably only into?!” — fear not. As I have wore about five different come to find out, college, pairs of shoes all year. Conalong with a lot of other solidation is the key. With unfamiliar situations in life, all the hills you’ll be climbis what you make of it. ing to and from class, you’ll I’m sure many of you have need comfortable, worn-in already gotten this pep talk sneakers and/or flip flops, a innumerable times, but al- pair of dancing shoes and a low me to reiterate that your pair of dress shoes. Anything college experience is entirely else is pretty much a waste of in your own hands. Believe it space. or not, you do have control 3) You’ll need basic office over whether or not you supplies, but don’t go overmake good grades or good board. When I packed up my friends and whether or not room to go home at the end you have a good time. I know of last semester, I found four that “good” is an entirely pairs of scissors. No joke. subjective term, but be sure While my roommates were to keep in mind that defining often borrowing my stapler that term is up to you — not or other easily forgotten your friends, your parents or items, be sure that you aren’t your significant other. turning into a shopaholic for One lesson that was tough school supplies. for me to get through my 4) Consolidate your toihead was that I will never be letries. About half of you are satisfied with how my moth- probably going to be using er reacts to my successes. No a community bath this year. matter how huge a feat I may This is all the more reason to have accomplished, when I narrow it down to the bare call her to deliver the news, necessities because you have there is always going to be to carry them with you down some kind of excuse why the hall. Something extra you she isn’t jumping up and are going to want, though, down and doing cartwheels that you may not already like I might have imagined have, is shower shoes. Even she would be doing. But it’s in a private bath, you can entirely okay. She’s a busy still be susceptible to fungus woman and her life wears like athlete’s foot. This is her out. I have come to ac- rarer in a private bath setcept that how proud I am of ting because maids clean the my accomplishments cannot tubs and sinks once a week be dependent on anyone (provided you clear them
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off before they come), but especially for those braving the community bath, be sure to keep your shoes on in the shower. 5) Budget your time wisely. Having a written out schedule for yourself may seem daunting and tedious but is needed, especially if you are going to have a job while in school. When you are going to study and when you are going to hang out with your friends needs to be carefully balanced. Figure out a system that works for you and stick to it. When finals roll around, you’ll be glad you aren’t running around like a chicken with your head cut off like many of your friends who didn’t stay organized during the semester. 6) Get involved and stay involved. Joining the newspaper staff was possibly one of the best choices I made all year. It gave me a group of friends and coworkers whom I could look up to (as I was one of the youngest staff members) and whom I could learn from. Surrounding yourself with mature, responsible people is a very important thing necessary for your personal growth and sanity. It’s OK to have a few friends who goof off a little, but be sure to balance the time spent with your slacker friends and the time spent with your study buddies. 7) Naps are good, but don’t waste the day. When you get to college, you may notice that you have a lot more time on your hands than you thought you would. But just because you have extra time, doesn’t mean sleeping is the best way to spend it. Doing your homework during the day frees you up to relax in the evening without stress. You’ll have more time to hang with your friends without worrying about the paper you need to write when you get home; plus, you’ll sleep better at night. Studies have proven that sleeping six to eight hours a night consistently makes you more alert and productive
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during the day. This means better study habits and better grades, which, in turn, means a little more freedom. Your parents will get off your back a bit if they see you can keep yourself accountable. 8) Communication is the key. Talk to your parents. I mean it. If you keep them posted once or twice a week on what you are up to, they are a lot less likely to worry and nag. The accountability created in keeping open communication with your family will also help you be more responsible for yourself. Keep in mind, though, that your parents are probably going to be a bit clingy at first. Remember that it is okay to create boundaries. College is a time to grow and learn about yourself. You need to do some soul searching — preferably without your mom whining about how the dog knocked over the trashcan again. The key here is balance. If you talk to your parents voluntarily about how school is going, they are more likely to give you the space you need. Just be patient. Balance, moderation and consolidation are keys to the success of your first year of college. Balance your time and your checkbook, and take responsibility for your actions and your life. Let your reasoning for taking care of your body, relationships and your future be dependent on you. Take the time to do things the way you know they should be done, rather than the easy way. Make the most of your time in college by soaking up every ounce of wisdom and knowledge from the important resources you are surrounded by so you won’t just be a waste of space and a burden to others. Be good for yourself and your fellow man, and you might be surprised how awesome the people who hang around with you will turn out to be (and how long they stick around)! Leggett is a mass communication sophomore. The University Star is the student newspaper of Texas State University-San Marcos published Tuesday through Thursday during the Fall and Spring semesters. It is distributed on campus and throughout San Marcos at 8 a.m. every other Wednesday of Summer I and II with a distribution of 6,000. Printing and distribution is by the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung. Copyright Month Date, 2005. All copy, photographs and graphics appearing in The University Star are the exclusive property of The University Star and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the editor in chief.