Student Activities Blogs

Parker Eng

October: Stick Together

I am sure that this month has been especially difficult for members of the university and community. Losing Jasper Howard, a beloved student is one of the hardest things to overcome. We have experienced such a dynamic range of emotions that we have become especially sensitive toward others.

The Sunday after the incident I was shocked to hear that a student had passed away. I suppose it was because I had been on the other side of the Student Union the night that it happened, yet had not even known it. It is something people will remember. But we should remember what others remember about Jasper. In this way, people that didn’t know him can experience his friendship and his character. I was truly touched by the words of his teammates and Coach Edsall, and could feel my heart become heavy with grief, reminding me of what happened. And on the night of the vigil at Mirror Lake something felt special—it was a place and time where students, friends, and strangers were there for the same reason, for Jasper. Some might say it’s better to remember the good times, and they may be right. For me hearing those words and remembering the best of Jasper was enough to make me feel what his teammates and Coach Edsall felt. I felt that heavy, heartfelt, almost-going-to-cry feeling every time I heard announcements in class the following week. And I’m glad. Because even though I didn’t know him, I feel like I did.

Last Friday was the Day of Action. October 24th. Internationally it has been designated as an international day of climate action. ConnPirg and students rallied to raise awareness and recruit members in an effort to combat climate change. T-shirts were distributed with the logo 350 pointing to the left, which indicates the safe level of carbon dioxide in parts per million in the atmosphere. The current amount is 394. Check out the website at http://www.350.org An interesting and somewhat comforting article in the New York Times is called “We Can Do It”. Whenever I read the New York Times I always tend to be drawn toward the Opinion section, which is where this article comes from. Unlike the regular articles by staff writers, these short pieces offer a glimpse of what iconic world leaders are thinking. They offer suggestions, information, and most certainly opinions. I find them interesting because it is in a form where the everyday person with access to the Internet can read it. This particular article was written by Ban Ki-Moon, and is about the upcoming summit in Copenhagen this December. This date is especially important because of the urgency in which a conclusion needs to be reached. In the article, Moon calls the need for four things in order for the summit to be a success. He lists them as extraordinary effort by all countries, support for others where needed, financial backing, and finally, equality and trust. On the surface it may seem like it is any other article covering recent developments on climate change, however this one has a distinct purpose. It is a voice of encouragement to the world, that in all countries, this is a universal task that surpasses any other degree of separation between countries. It is the task of utilizing clean energy growth to save our world. And Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations thinks we can. This is an important time for our generation, and it is one in which we simply cannot stand on the sidelines and watch. In our lifetime, something is happening in which we can make a huge difference. The important thing to take away from this is that we are in a position to create change, whether we like it or not. Ban Ki-Moon is not just speaking to the politicians and world leaders. He is speaking to all of us. There is a reason we are “WE”.