Freshman year is a time for adjusting, meeting new people, and transitioning into adulthood. It is full of anxiety, fear, and panic, but it is also full of excitement, new friends, and many new experiences. I’m no expert yet, I’ve only been in school for 5 weeks, but I’ve already gone through so much that it feels like a lifetime ago I was living at home instead of at Transy. Here is just a glimpse of the few things I’ve learned in the past month:
1.You are not alone.
Coming into this year, I knew nobody. I was terrified of meeting people, and living on my own. The first thing I figured out is that you are NEVER alone. You’re surrounded by upperclassmen that have gone through what you’re going through, or by other freshman that are going through exactly the same thing as you. Since everyone is in the same boat, all you have to do is be yourself (as cliché as it sounds) and you’ll find people that you’ll instantly connect with. Meeting new people, and making these relationships has definitely been one of the most uplifting parts of being here, and learning that I am not in this alone.
2. Homesickness is real.
Although you will find your people, and college keeps you busy enough to distract you from anything related to your home, you will experience some form of homesickness in the first month. Whether you’re missing your friends, your family, or even your dog, everyone misses something, and that is alright. Missing something only makes you treasure it more when you have it. I’m from the middle of no where, so moving to Lexington was a big adjustment, and I find myself missing the open fields and beautiful sunsets every day, but being away from it makes it that much more special when I go home.
3. Time-Management is Key.
With all the clubs, classes, sports, friends, and other things that happen on a college campus, learning to manage time is beyond important. I haven’t even figured this out yet. I constantly realize that I have something to do every night or every morning, and even on the weekend, you never get a break. It feels like my life has been on full-blast since I got here August 12th, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s exhilarating getting to experience so many different things in such a short amount of time. It gets difficult, and sometimes I nap multiple times a day, but never knowing what to expect out of each week is one of my favorite parts about being here.
4. College is not as intimidating as your high school teachers made it out to be.
If you went to a school like mine, teachers always drilled it in your head that college was going to be the hardest experience of your life, that your professors would hate you unless you were a perfect student, and that your social life would be nonexistent. Now, I understand that those seem to be extreme circumstances, but when my teachers were telling me these things, I was petrified. Since being at Transy, though, I’ve quickly realized those are not the cases. Everyone is welcoming, and understanding that this is your first go about at college. They do have higher standards than what you’re used to in high school, and you definitely have to put forth more effort in homework and studying, but college is nothing to be intimidated by. You just need to make sure you’re prepared. Even if it’s something small like having high quality office supplies ready for your lectures and assignments, it could help you to put more effort into your work, especially as you’ll have everything you need to get going. Preparation during this transition is key. It’s obviously a major adjustment, but coming in scared does nothing but make the transition harder than it needs to be.
5. Even when you’re thrown into a foreign place, there is comfort in the community.
College can be a scary place. You feel like you’re all alone, you don’t have mom and dad there to take care of you, and life is way different than anything you could’ve imagined, but the good thing about it is that everyone is there for one common purpose. Here at Transy, it is clear to see that community is important to everyone. College is meant to feel like your home away from home, and what I’ve learned so far is that Transy is definitely one of the best places to be living on my own. It is full of people that are wanting me to succeed and become immersed in the community.
Kaepernick shouldn’t have to stand
There is the argument your grandpa likes to use at family dinners that professional athletes nowadays are only chasing the money and that there is no true loyalty in pro sports anymore. We’ll call this the “back in my day” argument, and okay, it does carry some weight, no matter how annoying it may be. Nowadays it is rare to see a Derek Jeter, a Kobe Bryant, or any other big name athlete stay with one team for their entire career like they used to. One will often hear the argument that sports are just too political in the modern era. Recently, if you have been following the National Football League, this argument has proven to be increasingly correct, but in a different sense of the word ‘political’ than the “back in my day” argument makes.
Throughout the entire NFL preseason and into week two of the regular season, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick has refused to stand for the playing of the national anthem during the pre-game ceremonies, and instead kneels silently. He does this in protest of recent cases of police brutality against African-Americans, and from the start has declared he means no disrespect to our military in his protest, but rather that he is using his platform as a professional athlete to shed light on important issues. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football, and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way,” he stated in a post-game interview earlier this year.
While initially he was alone in his protest, there has been a wave of what is being dubbed the ‘Kaepernick Effect’ sweeping high school, college and pro football. Many athletes have joined him in taking a knee during the anthem, and others such as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Marcus Peters are showing solidarity by raising their right fist as the anthem plays.
This has sparked much controversy as many Americans feel this protest is disrespectful to members of the military, past, present and future. Even at Kaepernick’s old high school in California, there is a lack of support for the pro QB. The current football team members have been standing tall during the playing of the anthem in stark contrast with Kaepernick. Other NFL teams, such as the Seattle Seahawks, have begun locking arms during the anthem before every game as a symbol of unity. There have been calls from fans to impose fines on Kaepernick and others who refuse to stand for the anthem, along with other forms of punishment such as suspensions.
I caught up with TU junior Brock Slater, who is actively involved in ROTC training and is planning a military career, who stated, “I 100% support his decision to sit during the national anthem since it is his first amendment right to do so. If (he were) forced to stand I believe it would be a suppression of his right to freedom of protest. I do however disagree with the reason he is kneeling.” He went on to state, “I think the issues that need to be addressed are the income inequality and cultures in these black communities and low income communities.” TU track standout Jordin Fender stated about Kaepernick, “I agree with him. I’m not going to stand and support a country that doesn’t stand and support me.”
While this issue continues to be controversial, perhaps it is important to remember that up until the year 2009, NFL players were not even on the field during the playing of the national anthem. They would remain in the locker room preparing for game time while the song played to the fans. However, a congressional report from 2015 revealed that the Department of Defense had paid NFL teams over $5 million dollars and the National Guard had paid the NFL upwards of $6 million dollars in the years 2011-2015 to stage on field patriotic demonstrations, such as service members being on the field during the national anthem, or symbolic flyovers of military jets over the stadium. This phenomenon has been called “paying for patriotism” and is important to keep in mind when discussing the Kaepernick controversy as this points to the argument that the NFL isn’t completely without fault.
Another thing to keep in mind are the memories of iconic athletes such as Kentucky native Muhammad Ali using his celebrity status to inspire social change. Is that not what made Ali so great? His philosophy on life and his unapologetic stance on racial issues that in part are what made him such a global icon. These political stances are woven into the fabric of sport, from Ali, to Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists at the 1968 Olympics. Regardless of what you think of Kaepernick taking a knee, at least we are having these important conversations. If we begin to censor which freedoms we support and protect and don’t allow those points of view we disagree with to be vocalized, then would that not dishonor the military and American ideals even more? Kaepernick has also announced that he plans to donate the first $1 million dollars he earns this season to charities that aid communities in need.
In a Twitter poll I put out in which I received 86 votes I asked whether or nor Kaepernick should stand for the national anthem, and 64% of people said he should. However, maybe this is not the question we need to be asking. Maybe the question we should ask is, should he have to? In my opinion, the answer is perfectly clear: absolutely not.