This summer has been crazy and we at The Pacer are glad to see everyone back on campus!
Once the semester starts, students on campus will have many opportunities to get involved. The first-day-back events include the Welcome Back lunch on the UC Patio at 11 a.m., the annual OrgSync fair in the Elam Center at 5 p.m. and Getting Involved 101 with Greek Life at 7 p.m.
The rest of the week continues with a football game on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m., intramural softball games and a soccer game Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.
While the start of this week is about finding your place on campus and getting involved, it is also a time of deep reflection. After the recent events at Charlottesville, it is important to remember to be respectful to others.
In Dr. DiPietro’s message to all UT campuses, he mentions how important it is to respect one another despite viewpoints and differences, with exception of violence and active hate,
“We (the campuses) have an opportunity to lead by example – to be voices civility and to champion messages that bring us together rather than divide us.”
No matter if you are a sorority girl, a foreign exchange student or a student involved with every club under the sun, everyone is equal and no one is on a higher pedestal than anyone else. This campus is a safe place for students to grow in a diverse environment and to learn how to be competent in real-world careers. There is no time to hate on this campus.
This semester will be important in many ways. For freshmen, this will be the semester to explore and go on the journey of self-discovery. For sophomores and juniors, this will be the time to move up and make connections to better your future. For seniors, this will be the moment where you project your full potential and find that perfect career or decide on graduate studies.
Whatever path you take, remember that when we get involved on campus together and respect each other, we come together into a community. We at The Pacer hope that this semester will be the glimmering hope that others are looking for in their lives.
Prayers for those in Texas in peril.