To Truly "Get Ahead"

As the turn of the millennium rapidly approaches, many are following a trend encouraging immediate entrance into the professional world. At YU this includes packing maximum credit loads into each semester, well paying summer internships, and hours upon hours working on resumes in the placement office. All this in an attempt to 'get ahead in this fast-paced world.'

The question to raise here is simple: What on earth are we 'getting ahead' of? Why would anybody want to rush through college in order to thrust themselves into the rest of their life? Are we 'getting ahead' of our pathetic roommates who sleep all day and procrastinate all night? Are we 'getting ahead' of our own expectations of success? Are we thinking how proud our grandparents will be when they compare their grandchildren's salaries amongst themselves? Or maybe our parents have put a lot of money into our educations and we don't want to let them down.

It all makes a lot of sense, or so it would seem. If you are not something in this world, you are nothing. Therefore, get out and make something of yourself while you still can - right? Wrong.

Our parents have indeed invested a lot of money into our college educations, and with good intention, because we are the future of America and of the Jewish people. Without a college education, or a wining lottery ticket worth millions, it is nearly impossible to satisfy any of our life goals. It is certainly important to get the most out of an education. This way, we will indeed be able to 'get ahead'.

This past Thursday, an event concluded that will without a doubt affect this University for years to come. The YC Arts Festival took the uptown campus by storm for two weeks, and the results were simply extraordinary, to the point of spectacular. Those in attendance at any one of the festival's various events felt a tremendous sense of accomplishment from the individuals participating as well as a feeling of pride for the entire university.

Continuously, and religiously (no pun intended) Yeshiva University shows its unique excellence in Torah learning and achievement; however, times are few and unfortunately far between, when a Yeshiva University student is able to properly showcase their talents of secular culture in the proper environment, with the proper audience, and with the proper recognition. The Arts Festival gave our school a chance to prove itself momentarily elite in a secular sense, properly executing the concept of Torah U'Madda.

For the first time in my short tenure at this bizarre institution I have realized that 'getting ahead' is not only in the core requirements of graduation. 'Getting ahead' involves the complete college experience. Now for the second question: What is the complete college experience?

The complete college experience is not a theory that can concretely be defined. Rather, the complete college experience is an advanced concept allowing each individual student a potential for maximum overall gain. This overall gain refers not only to course work and dual majors, but to meaningful endeavors which benefit others - individuals, communities or the entire university.

Despite popular belief, Yeshiva University does offer a complete college experience. It is possible that the experience you find here is not exactly what you had expected to encounter, but it is a viable experience none the less. YU does indeed afford every student that enters its domain creative outlets to embrace. There is an outlet here for every student's efforts, for every student's creativity. While the Arts Festival is the quintessential proof of this creative escape, creativity does not start and stop with a two-week festival. There are many venerable activities on campus for one to express their talents. The list is long, and I do not favor any one activity over another. The point is if you search, you will find what you are looking for.

By participating in such activities, whether affiliated with this university or not, you will be able to partake in the full college experience. In fact, it is more than well worth it to push off the heavy course load, and even, Heaven forbid, a couple hours studying or learning a week to participate in such activities. Do not get sucked into the three and out theory of college. Three and out has never been a means for success in football and it doesn't seem to work with a college education either. Stay a while, join a club, take an interesting course that the school offers even if it isn't a graduation requirement. Take an extra art, history or creative writing course. There is a poli-sci with your name on it. Take a music course and pick up the clarinet you haven't touched since high school. Who knows, you might even enjoy it!

The Arts Festival was a tremendous success on all fronts these past two weeks. Let us not look at this as the culmination of efforts, but only the beginning, merely a stepping stone for other cultural outlets. This is only an indication of greater things to come. Those who have worked on the Arts Festival and other meaningful campus activities know what it takes to create something worthwhile, and know the feeling of inner satisfaction one receives upon completion of a worthwhile project.

Take this message to heart, and furthermore, take it easy. Relax a little. It will be worth it. Enjoy college. These are the best years of your life. Slow down and take part in those activities you have always wanted to. Don't worry. Truly embrace the college experience and you will most certainly manage to come out 'ahead.'