The 2020 rankings from U.S. News & World Report reported that for the second year in a row, Brooklyn College secured #1 among North Regional Universities for student ethnic diversity. Spanning over 130 countries, many of the 18,000 students enrolled at Brooklyn College are fluent in more than one language, elevating Brooklyn College to not just be a home for the host, but also for their culture.
“We are especially proud of our #1 ranking for campus ethnic diversity because it is a reflection of our mission to educate immigrants, first-generation college students, and others who represent the diversity of this great borough,” said BC President Michelle Anderson in one interview.
The enthusiasm President Anderson has is rightfully felt. The diversity in our campus is beneficial in that we are presented with an opportunity to explore the variety of cultures and ideologies that are often absent at other schools. That’s why when I hear whispers of how our school lacks a vibrant campus life, I can’t help but think some of the instigators to be those accustomed to things being handed to them in life.
Let us try to define what a vibrant campus life is. Is it public school events welcoming matriculating students? Bodies of young adults strewn across open spaces or playing catch during club hours? Competing with others to book a room in SUBO at a convenient time? Truth is, those examples are the realities of our campus life.
That’s why I believe that many people who perpetuate this misconception are those too lazy to take action. It almost seems like they expect every club and organization to constantly reach out to them every time, everywhere. It’s like the feeling of importance is so crucial to their identities that because they might be shy or disinterested, it’s the jobs of those who took actions to accommodate and cater to their needs. If that may be the case, maybe being an outlier from the campus life is appropriate. People whose laziness dictates their lives do not carry an overall good work ethic, nor possibly the drive to instill value in their work and themselves. It is likely that if they become a part of something bigger, laziness will drive them to let others do the work and then take part-ownership of it.
But that is just one segment of a whole and does not go to say that our campus life is perfect or that all lazy people are unproductive. There are possibilities where certain clubs or organizations just simply do not exist or communities too toxic to stay, so there is some validity in saying a vibrant campus life is lacking. My resolution would be to try and do further research in finding them, and if unsuccessful, create them. Most of our tuition money goes towards the abundance of administrators, so use them to your cause. Be a pioneer of something unheard of and enrichen your college career with it because if college is a place where people garner knowledge and experiences, being a founder of something or even taking part might be more captivating to employers than a 4.0 GPA.