Student apathy, lack of commitment, alarming

Editorial

Elon students, wake up.

We are only in the fourth week of classes of spring semester, yet students are acting as though we’re approaching the end of the semester and the freedom of summer.

Surprise, we’re not. We’ve still got a long way to go.

It’s surprising to see how many students have already begun to skip classes and forget about homework, classic symptoms of spring fever.

Too bad it’s winter, not the end of spring.

Maybe people are feeling sluggish because of the unseasonably nice weather we’ve been having. Maybe the prospect of a random snow day is causing people to shirk their academic duties. Whatever the reason, it does not bode well for the rest of the semester.

Students need to remember their time at Elon is a lot shorter than they might realize, and making the most of that time does not include lounging around in the sun on the lawn outside of West residence hall or skipping a class at noon because you just can’t drag yourself out of bed.

If you can’t make it to class or get your work done now, in the last week of February, how are you going to concentrate in May, when the sun is shining and it’s a balmy 70 degrees outside every day?

Students’ apathy is spreading to other areas as well. Student organizations are struggling to find new members or retain their old members, and students seem less inclined to attend cultural events or honor commitments.

Perhaps it is lack of commitment that is so worrisome. Promising to do something then dropping the ball creates a ripple effect of panic and irritation. Student groups and other organizations depend on student involvment, and when students stop being involved or don’t do their part, the entire organization is thrown off.

What does this say about Elon students? Based on some students’ performances so far this semester, we do not seem too impressive. We seem, in a word, lazy. We seem as though we don’t care. And sadly, many of us don’t. If we did, there wouldn’t have been so many SGA candidates running unopposed, nor would The Pendulum and other organizations be in dire need of reporters and new members.

Save your apathy and laid-back demeanor for May. If you don’t, you’ll end up worrying and working yourself to death by April.

And where would the fun be in that?