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Show editorial Phone: 626-7121 -ditor in chief: Heather R. Stailings S-TOCK UP OH GOff&fc, &m flMC AUP fdwefc row w k I Now what do i do with my life? "So, now what am I going lo do vith my life?" It's the classic question of the 90s for students approaching the :nds of their curriculums and those rushed into making career changes n an unpredictable work force. Unfortunately, and far too often, there don't seem to be enough hours in ;he day to give this question the ierious contemplation it requires. At the end of every academic-year, it happens. Pressures from Dthers take their toll. Pre-setcur--iculums dictate our courses of study, while tuition assistance contracts or loans bind us to those requirements. Add to that the expectations of employers and the senses can be easily dulled to the point of apathy. It's not hard to lose a sense of your life's calling and theself-betterment you're pursuing when you don't know who you're trying to please. Then it becomes even easier to lose sight of what really fa- - -Li -' , John C.. . - ' "lrtc ir rrlri" II I )-ll II gives you a sense of fulfillment in this screwy world. In my late 20s I was forced to make a career change because of downsizing. Starting to re-train for a new career before that inevitable day affected rne was a wise decision and one I'm glad I made despite numerous obstacles. Now, post-graduate and closer to 40 than I am to 30, I've suffered from the burnout that affects all working students and still wonder how much control I have over my own life and career. Finances dictate the quality of life we enjoy, and so far I've been told the training in my new emphasis qualifies me for blue-collar wages for white collar work. (Roughly half the wage I made as a semi-skilled technician five years ago.) Graduate school is a logical next step, since the master's degree of today is what the bachelor's degree of 10 years ago was. Just what I wanted to hear, the prospect of putting my entire life on hold again for another couple years. Break out the GRE preparation texts, and take a few additional classes. On second thought, maybe a break of a few more months to get myself together before going that route may be what's needed. Thoreau took two years off when he lived at Walden Pond. The break worked for him, and I have to admit I'm intrigued by what he did and what he found out about himself without the influences of others to get in the way. He also thought college was one of the world's greatest money pits, but I tend to disagree. letter to the editor Sorority girls' 'cuteness' comes from inside 1 am writing in response to the letter to the editor in the May 14 idition of The Signpost. I think it ;s clear that Kerri Stephenson mis-jnderstood a quote in an article about Weber State University'sso--orities. As I read the line about "'cute" girls in Lambda Delta Sigma, I did not take it to mean physical beauty. I understood Amy Crew's description as a combination of personality, spirit and en-husiasm.As for Stephenson's opinion of :he "cliquish sororities" at WSU, I ihink it is very unfortunate that she has formed that opinion with very little knowledge to back her up. Perhaps she missed The Signpost articles about Greek Week and the valuable community service projects that the Greek system supports and participates in? Or maybe she does not fully understand the support that the Greeks give to WSU? Wherever the problem may lie, I do not believe that one misunderstood quote from a well-written article should form, or support, an entire avenue of thinking. Each sorority and fraternity at WSU has long histories and rich traditions that bind us to this school. I wonder how the alumni of my chapter would feel if they were given the chance to read Stephenson's depiction of Greek life at this school. Will they agree that some of the most important friendships of their lives were formed merely on superficial characteristics? Friends that they are still extremely close to this very day, some 20 or 30 years later? On behalf of my own sorority, as well as the entire Greek system at WSU, I must refute her statement that we do not know the true meaning of friendship. In the time that I have been at WSU, I have made numerous "true" friends. And yes Stephenson, they are based on our differences. We do learn from one another, and we are and always will be there for each other through both good and bad times. So perhaps Stephenson is actually correct. We sorority girls are all "cute," but I think that many people will agree with me when I say that our "cuteness" comes from the inside one hundred times more than it does the outside. Angie Welling WSU student Human touch lost with online courses In past viewpoints, I've talked about everything from Jesus being online to funerals being online to perhaps one day getting married online, and yet there is still one more issue to be discussed tnat nas me potential to impact Weber State University's studentbody in addition to online religion and death online classes. There have been a few online courses offered in the past at WSU, but in the fall of 1997 WSU online will have between six to 10 courses. According to Don E. Gardner, chief information officer at WSU, every university is coming up with online course offerings. One area of concern with taking online courses is the loss of interaction, which is usually something that is looked for ward to in a place of higher education. Yes, you can interact wmnpmmsk through discussion groups and by a two-way video, but where f J is the interaction found through the "college experience?" The college experience is not sitting at home facing a computer screen trying to understand a lecture without other student's face-to-face reactions and opinions. The college experience is learning how to relate with others and their differing opinions and beliefs; it's being taken away from your comfort zone (your home) and being placed in a learning environment. This learning is achieved by being on your own and socializing with students as well as professors. I agree online courses benefit single parents who can't drop everything to come up to the university for a class, but this benefit is a time-saving benefit, not exactly a "college experience" learning benefit. We as a society have the potential to lose the ability to achieve human closeness. We become so isolate and caught up in our busy, demanding lives that we forget how important human relations are through human touch and feelings. We need to be able to relate with people face to face, and what better way to learn that than through being vulnerable, on your own at a university campus. Students with online courses become so used to their TV-screen professor that they wouldn't know how to interact with this same professor face to face and in human form. What about WSU professor's open-door policy that this university is so known for? Most of my cherished memories are talking with a professor for hours about what direction to take in life. What if you're having a bad day,-are you going to cry and hug the TV? Most people attend college to better prepare themselves for a career in the "real world." A lot of the problems people experience in the real world stem from living sheltered lives and not being able to accept, relate and appreciate others. Society as a whole does not take the time to deal with confrontation and conflicts anymore, maybe this is why some students prefer to take online courses if they don't like w hat they hear, (hey can turn off the screen. by Heather R. Stailings. The Signpost editor in chief 2. Recipient of the UPA General Excellence award Editor in chief Managing editor News editor Campus affairs editor A&.E editor Sports editor Copy editor Features editor Graphics editor Photo editor Ad designer Production mngr. Advertising mngr. Online editor Secretary Adviser Publisher Signpost fax Heather R. Stailings Taylor S. Fielding Mellyn L. Cole Leona Christensen Melinda Taylor Brandon Rodak Tyler A. Holt Heather Wallentlne Broc Torter Chad Arnold Melissa Boothe Derrick Andersen Raymond Chow Colleen K. Hales Georgia Edwards Dr. Slieree oscphson Dr. Randy Scott 626-7121 626-7105 626-7105 626-7507 626-7507 626-7983 626-7105 626-7507 626-6358 626-6358 626-6358 626-6358 626-635 626-0358 626-7974 626-6164 626-6464 626-7401 Tlio Shjnxvt is puNisheci Monday. Wednesi lay and Friday dunng foil, winter, onci spring quarters. Subscription is $9 a quarter. n)oSi;f)fX).slsaslu1enlpullicaliori,wrillen,edilellandd(alkKlhyWetxr Slate University students Student lees lurid the printing ot this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessaiily endorsed by the university. Jho Scjnposf welcomes letters to the editor. Letteis must include name, ac tdiess, ti 'le ihone numbet. rolationshi to stall and the writer's signature. 'heSgr)posreseivesllieilglitloe(1itliirieasorsolsixiceiiidlitlaix1also reserveslhe right loretusolopilnt any letter Hnng letteis lottieedilerialoltice inUU26.ormailto: )c;.S,!i;)(Hs,WetxiSliitelJniversity.Oad(ri,UtaliR-l-llW 2I10. 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