Collegio Online

Issue date: 7/24/08 Section: Opinion

Eddie Penner

Media Credit: Illustration by Rebecca Bauman The future's so bright!

aving lived almost all of my life in Pittsburg, and paid relatively close attention to the university ever since I could read, I think of myself as a little bit of a PSU history buff - at least as much of one as a 21-year-old can be. It is with this in mind that I say with confidence that there has never been a better time to be a Pittsburg State University gorilla.
Several years of steady growth and record enrollments have caused one of PSU's biggest problems to be overcrowding of dorms, parking spaces and classroom seats, which is a far better problem to have than empty chairs, beds and parking lots. Also, in spite of recent state legislative sessions not increasing higher education funding at the same rate as the costs, PSU's administration has worked hard to maximize efficiency and find alternate funding sources to ensure that a college education can remain an affordable achievement.
All of PSU's intercollegiate athletics programs expect to be competitive on the conference and national level and most of our teams have been to the NCAA tournament in my time as a student at PSU. Plus, Carnie Smith Stadium has added a new audio/visual display system, once again reinforcing that PSU has some of, if not the, best athletic facilities in all of NCAA Division II.
With all this in mind, I have some advice for all PSU students. To those returning, enjoy what time you still have at PSU, whether it's one semester or three years. To those new to PSU, I would like to give a more detailed offering:
1. Spend some of your weekends in Pittsburg. As much fun as it is to spend $35 and two and a half hours driving home to get into an argument with your parents, watch a high school football game and hang out with kids anywhere from one to three years younger than you, days off spent in town can be valuable as well. The relationships you build in college are hardly developed in the classroom and only slightly more Monday through Thursday when everyone is scrambling to get assignments and readings done while trying to find a part-time job to pay for those expensive drives home. Friday through Sunday is key to meeting people and really getting the most out of your college experience.
2. Go to CLASS! Believe it or not, for the first time in your life you really do have a choice on this; however, for the prudent student, there is really no decision to be made. Getting good grades or even passing, can be made impossible by sleeping in, playing computer games or just not going. There is likely no stronger indicator of how much success you will have as a college student than your attendance and participation in the classroom.
3. If you have a problem, tell someone. This may be the easiest way to make your time at PSU as stress-free as possible. If you have a problem in the dorms, talk to your RA. If you have a problem in a class, talk to your instructor. If you have a scheduling problem, talk to your adviser. If you can't find anyone to talk to, come down to the SGA office. We're located in the basement of the Overman Student Center. One of our biggest tasks is listening to the concerns of the student body and doing our best to get those resolved. The vast majority of the issues that you'll face in college are just simple misunderstandings and can be resolved through a conversation.
The only other advice I have is for everyone again: Have fun and have a good fall!

Eddie Penner is president of the Student Government Association.

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