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daily nebraskan
Wednesday, november 28, 1979
u
Professional help offers solution to college pressures
Often it's a matter of priorities.
Often these priorities are foisted
upon the student by the parents.
It's a rather sad commentary on the
American drive to succeed that some
students choose , death over failure.
Failure can often be the greatest
teacher. Death doesnt teach any
thing, except possibly, the high value
of life.
One must have a sane, sensible
perspective in a world of high grade
point averages, long hours, high tui
tions, a high degree of academic
competition and a tight job market.
There is great pressure placed on
students in this situation and it
isn't surprising that some of them
crack under it.
The key to surviving the academic
jungle is the ability to sit back oo,
casionally despite the deadlines and'
pressures and take a calm, slow look
at the whole picture.-Often, when
totally involved in the frantic, day-to-day
battle called higher education,
it's hard to see the forest for the
trees. -
If, in order to sit back, it is neces
sary to seek professional help, there
is no shame in it. Everyone needs
help from time to time and there's
absolutely nothing wrong with
asking for it. Believe it or not, there
actually are people whose sole job'
is to help others.
A view of this kind of help, shared
by many, is that other people some
times need it but not you or me.
What we tend to forget is that we
all are you's and me's.
If you are in the throes of "My
God, there's only three weeks" finals
panic; if you're afraid Mom and Dad
will disown you, if you think that
open window in your tenth-floor
room looks more inviting than going
home for vacation, it's time to take
a breathcr-and perhaps get some
help.
Help rarely killed anyone. Lack
of it seems to be doing a pretty good
job. Psychologists tell us that college
and university students figure
prominently in suicide statistics.
Furthermore, they say, the time of
year is fast approaching when these
students make that fatal decision.
Rational people die for their flag,
their beliefs or ther loved ones. They
don't die for final examinations, high
GPAs or acceptance to grad school
So if the pressures are getting to you,
"stop," as the song says, "and smell
the roses," It's a safe bet that your
loved ones would much rather have
an "F" student than a dead one.
Editor's note: This editorial has
been reprinted, from the April 5,
1979 issue of the- Daily Nebraskan,
.It was written by former Daily. Ne
braskan editot Pete Mason,
Compulsive listing
season is upon us
Have you noticed? It's List Time again. Thanksgiving
vacation is a perfect starting point for a funny compulsion
in people to "make itemized reminders of things a
compulsion that will grow until the ultimate list is com-piled-Ncw
Year's Resolutions 1980.
Many listers (myself included) got their start by pack
ing suitcases to go to camp. Now, packing is a drag 1) it
takes concentration and 2) space is limited.
But by making a list first including everything (x pair
of underwear, stamps, soap, rubber bands), you could
concentrate hard while brainstorming with your paper and
pen, then simply follow instructions and gather all the
staff together without any more mental effort.
But wait-even before 4-h camp enabled me to perfect
my listing abilities, 1 was pretty good, from years of
pouring over Christmas catalogs. If you have,, access to
little kids at home, chances are that during Thanksgiving
you noticed a Sears Wish Book laid open to a certain page
and left in a strategic place-like over the telephone,
' Well-intended, but rather amateurish.
THE SMART KIDS realize that their families really do
want to give them presents that they want, so they sit
down and go page. by page through the toy section, copy,
ing order numbers, prices, and color preferences of every,
thing they like. What could be more helpful than that?
I think Christmas was designed for list-makers. One of
our earliest lessons was that Santa was "makin' a list, and
checkin' it twice. .
But enough about Christmas-after all, it's almost four
weeks away.
Did you accomplish everything on your list of Things.
To-Do-Over.Thanksgiving-Vacation? If not, and you
recognize yourself as a die-hard lister, you can look for
ward to a list of Thin gs-To -Do -Be fore -Dead week.
But be careful-when the pressure's on, putting every
thing down on paper can be a great motivator, or it can
convince you that a month-long drunk is the only way to
go. Not everyone should make lists.
WELL, DO they actually do any good? It does seem
like the time spent compiling a list could be better spent
doing something constructive to really accomplish one of
those items.
So maybe I should have mentioned this sooner-list
makers must all have a generous share of procrastination
in us. As long as that little list is in front of us, we can say,
"Yeah, I know I have to get all that done. . . and I will."
Then, if time runs out, we can just make a new list, with
the leftovers at the top of the column.
Success all denends on the strenoth nf vnnr rfodr in
see every item there crossed out.
I can say with certainty, don't play with lists if you
don't want to become addicted. From childhood wishlists
and efforts to remember playing cards and cameras, I now
form mental or written lists for things to get done every
weekend, letters that should be written, things I need
from home, books I want to find time to read, favors I
said I'd do for people, questions to ask my boss, reasons
to stay in school, restaurants I want to try, topics to write
a column on, movies to see, ways to save money the
list goes on and on.
NEWS ITEM: SCIENTISTS HAVE FOUND
WHAT IS BELIEVED TO BE THE
OLDEST FOSSIL FOOTPRINTS
(y
'
On Nov. 16 the Board of Regents voted 4-3 to allow
political and ideological speakers to come to UNO and
UNL through expenditures of student fees (UPFF). The
significance of this occurrence should not be overlooked,
In February of 1978 the Board of Regents voted not to
allow political and ideological speakers to be financed by
student fees. This decision occurred as a result of a mas
sive letter campaign conducted by a small, but well
financed ultra-conservative group, who did not like having
speakers come to campus whose opinions disagreed with
their political beliefs. Their desire to get rid of student
fee" support for speakers was opposed in every way by the
majority, of students. ASUN and UPC began a massive
petition drive attaining over 5,000 signatures in support
of speakers. Students, faculty, administration and people
from the community spoke in favor of keeping student
fees for speakers.
However, the Board of Regents voted to cut off all
student fee support for political and ideological speakers.
Following this decision, ways to fund these types of
speakers were looked into. The All University Fund put
political and ideological speakers on their ballots and the
students selected Talks & Topics and the speaker program
to receive money for this cause. Chancellor .Young was a
great help in his advice and financial help for several
speakers. Valentino's gave us a large grant to help finance
a speakers program, Even all of this support wasn't
enough to maintain a high quality speakers program. Since
this past summer, students from both campuses have been
working on a way to convince the Board of Regents to
reverse their decision.
The Board's decision on the speaker policy I believe is
the most significant victory students have obtained to
date. Students will now be able to hear different political
viewpoints and philosophies which they would not other'
wise be .able to hear. The decision means that a small
special-interest group will not deprive us from hearing
viewpoints with which they disagree. Above all we now
know that the students of the University of Nebraska can
have an impact on the Board of Regents and the policies
affecting this University. ;
f Special thanks for this significant victory should go to
, Regents Schwartzkopf, Hanson, Koefoot, and Simmons
for listening and voting in favor of the new policy (Regent
Schwartzkpof has attended and supported many of our
'events and has . been especially supportive of Talks &
Topics and UPC); President Roskens for his words of
support during the regents' meeting; Chancellor Young
for his behind-the-scenes support which he has given in
the past year and a half; Regents Cuca and Kirk for their
hard support; and the Talks & Topics Committee who
kept political and ideological speakers coming to campus
nd maintained a strong speakers program since February
.The Regents should be applauded for taking this stance,
Not only is it of benefit for students; but it is also a plus
for the entire University, The significance of this
occurrence should neither be understated nor overrated,
We as students should be encouraged to know that
through hard work and cooperative efforts we can
influence and change the policies of the University of Ne
braska. I hope that students realize this and see that this
n Li cal PotentiaIIy be the first of ma.iy decisions
which benefit our education.
RockfordG, Yapp, HI
Chairman of Talks & Topics
University Program Council
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