As my last editorial of my undergraduate career, I would like to use this space as an open letter to EMU.
My parents wanted me to come to EMU because it would be a good springboard for the rest of my life, a launching point, a solid foundation. EMU has followed through on those things to a certain point. As I stand at the edge and prepare to leap into the great beyond of life after undergrad, a springboard feels more fitting to the current state of things. I am ready to spring far away from here. I am ready to leave this place before it collapses around me into a heap of tantrums.
My dear EMU, you are in the middle of an identity crisis. You, the foundation for our futures, are just as unsteady as we are. Welcome to the club.
My first hope for you is that you find yourself, preferably before the heap of tantrums happens. Figure out who you are and what you want, and proclaim it boldly. The first step to connecting with the world is defining your place in it.
Secondly, ask for help if you are struggling. These are the things you tell us, about how to be mentally sound, how to reach out for our safety net when we need it. Let us return the favor. Listen to the cries of your students as you try to define your identity, for we are the largest part of you. We are attuned to the lifeblood of campus; we know where things hurt. Let us tell you about them, instead of assuming a bandaid will fix every source of pain.
Third, be honest. Parts of you are dying. Mainly, the arts. To keep up with your peers, you must cut off certain budding aspects of your personality and hone in on what matters. I get it. We are becoming a STEM-focused institution, using our science programs, education programs, and athletics as the three triune pillars on which everything else precariously balances. The rest will crumble away in due time. If that is what you want, EMU, if that is who you are, say so. Say so especially to the incoming class of first-years, who deserve even more than we do to know what you have to offer.
Fourth, be transparent. Be open. Actions speak louder than words. The only way to be transparent is to take a step back, observe your own actions, and align your words with what you are doing. Or, if you decide you do not like the message your actions speak, then change what you are doing to match what you want to say. Only then can you move forward in truth and honesty, ridden of the contradictions that make so many of us hopeful and disappointed all at once.
Finally, be bold. Good intentions always fall flat in the face of the truth. Half-way committing, with trembling hands and avoided eye contact and little placating nods, to multiple conflicting identities sends a message of insecurity. Boldly declaring your intentions is much better than saying one thing when you mean another, even it means you must be vulnerable. Being open, vulnerable, and humble is the best thing you can do when you are in the midst of crisis. It’s time you take the challenge.
These are my last wishes for you, EMU. I hope you can figure out what you want and who you are, and be open about these things with the rest of us. We are a part of you, too, and we deserve your transparency.
