Hey hey, Libras. During this week, celebrating my own birthday, I remember when our parents used to bring cupcakes for our classmates in grade school. There was a girl born the same day as me, in my class for as long as I can remember, whose mother made lemon cupcakes every single year. I don't know what we made. I hate lemon cupcakes now. Now, we wait as often as we can to celebrate someone's 21st, because what else matters in college. How many of you have accepted the 21-shot challenge?
But we go to class the next day, sometimes. I am going to class today, even though I would rather not, even though it's too fresh out and I'm too tired and I didn't make my bed so I could crawl back in it later. I know a lot of people cutting classes, I know a lot of people cutting out of parties early because of classes. Our eternal Emory balance. Library, black out. Cold in the morning, hot in the sun.
It's hot in the middle of the days here, and we like it, I think. People smile most on Cox Bridge, maybe. Taking breaks, Wonderful Wednesdays, lunchtime. We miss nap time from kindergarten but we make snack time between periods all the same... Quad sitting, Asbury wandering. We have a lot to celebrate, I think, even though I stand with those who take the time to criticize what's wrong here. Protests pushing the boundaries of campus, into Emory village, onto Clifton road, and people want to be heard. That's something to celebrate, isn't it?
I think that's a good thing. That we care. That we watch. Debate viewing parties (even the unofficial drunken versions, off campus, quietly, not so quietly, eternal Emory balance.) Voter registration initiatives. So more and more The Insighter has moved from weather wishes to a gentle glance at our dichotomous doings, here. We party plenty, but we care, too, about things that "matter" (and I do not under any circumstances want to be misunderstood as someone who thinks that celebration is not frankly vitally important,) and issues that make a difference.
I seethe socially, sometimes, and I know I'm not the only one, because people have spoken louder lately about what counts. Budget cuts, departmental concerns, debates, presidents, wars, occupations, local, national, global. So thank you, then. Thanks for playing with me, thanks for the birthday cupcakes. And thanks for caring, all of you who make your voices heard and talk about the things that count Thanks for caring, all of you who write letters and make comments and all of you who take the time to think. What is our Emory balance? We agree, we disagree. But we say so, too. I like that.
- By Chloe Olewitz
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