Collegiate Times

Mariah Jones/Collegiate Times

He said: Be involved, focus less on frivolous lifestyle

Last year, Virginia Tech students’ Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts were overrun with notifications about the Victoria’s Secret PINK Nation Collegiate Showdown.

We were locked in battle through several rounds with other notable universities, but were able to come together and win a free concert by Victoria’s Secret.

Throughout the process, I was shocked and slightly disappointed by the amount of people who got behind this contest. Not because it wasn’t enough people, or because people weren’t passionate about getting support — quite the opposite really. I was upset because of the vast amount of people who were passionate and were trying to rally others to the cause — a cause which frankly doesn’t matter.

We live in a society that’s “all about me.” The American Dream has been twisted and cliched into the self-serving, instant gratification monster that it is today. When we live like this, we miss out on the opportunity to help others and truly make a difference.

What we needed wasn’t Gym Class Heroes singing on the Drillfield. What we needed was a change of heart toward service and self-sacrifice. When you work towards having a spirit of compassion, you get to see the world as it really is: a broken place filled with beautiful, lost people, who need help.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that thus far I’ve sounded pretty high and righteous, pointing the finger at others and not seeing flaws in myself. I know it’s tough to serve, to put yourself in a humbling position, sacrificing time, money and resources. Thankfully, Tech is filled with loving service organizations that strive to facilitate students in helping those less fortunate.

A few groups in particular come to mind right away. Over the past few years, I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with Bryan Wynkoop, one of the most serving and passionate people I’ve ever met. He is a big part of putting on Relay for Life every year at Tech, and does a great job of making it fun and effective. Each year through Relay, Tech students raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to find the cure for cancer.

Students Helping Honduras is another great organization at our school. They work to raise money, send help to build orphanages in impoverished regions of Honduras, and serve as a light to kids down there who have frequently been unloved and forgotten.

So today, after having signed up for the Hanes Collegiate Showdown, and as you’re downloading Nickelback in order to get the sound of Gym Class Heroes from yesterday out of your ears, consider checking out a service organization and getting involved. Who knows, maybe it’ll be even more fulfilling than the free Victoria’s Secret concert you just experienced. Guess there’s only one way to find out.

Continue Reading: 12 Next » 

A version of this article appeared in the Sep 14 issue of the Collegiate Times.