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College does not equal an education


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Arizona Daily Wildcat

Maria del Sagrario Ramirez


By Maria del Sagrario Ramirez
Arizona Daily Wildcat
August 29, 1997
Anyone can be a columnist for the paper. In fact, it's probably a fun job. Yet, I must admit, writing my first column was nerve racking. As I sat in front of the blank screen Wednesday afternoon, I was still wondering what the heck I was thinking when I decided to be a columnist this year for the Wildcat. But, as the words started coming, I remembered explaining to my kids that being Latina (a woman and of Latino descent) and a non-traditional student, this would be the perfect opportunity to add a little "color" to the paperÜ not that there isn't any already Üall while offering a new perspective to traditional campus dwellers.

Although the University of Arizona 1996-97 Fact Book has no official category or definition for a non-traditional student, one can assume a non-traditional student is someone who is a parent or who is married-which is sometimes the same thing; working more than 20 hours a week; and older than 23 years old. (Yes, all of these must apply in one way or another.)

As a single-parent and student, college life can get uncommonly interesting as I try to make it through school, hold down a more-than-likely-full-time job and raise a family.

For example, more than once last year, there was a fight about who had priority over the computer at home. Well, it is my computer. The kids and I finally settled on a sign up sheet. Or the times I was paged during class by the kids with a 9-1-1-only for medical emergencies-to ask me if we had any Band-Aids. Excuses can be more than inventive. All in all, this column by no means makes me an expert.

I'm just someone with enough huevos (eggs) to write about non-traditional college life, with a pinch of Latina flavor.

Actually, my editor wants specific perspectives, about politics and community issues. But I don't have time for politica (politics) and community issues, I told him. I have a family to raise, school to finish and a job to hold. You see, that means I try and teach my kids to be good practicing Catholics, even though I adamantly believe God is a woman and Jesus is a Black man; to obey the law with the understanding that not everything a police officer does is right; and finally, just because I'm a journalism major doesn't mean they should believe everything they hear on television and read in the newspaper. I believe in marriage, even though I'm divorced; I believe in the freedom to choose, even though I'm Catholic; and even though I am a college student, I believe there's life without college.

Which means that college does not always mean the right EDUCATION.

Take for example the Louisiana State University student who died last week of alcohol poisoning while celebrating his acceptance into a fraternity. On Wednesday's "Good Morning America," Dr. Bob De Loian from Denver and creator-and-writer-of-the movie "Animal House" Chris Miller were discussing the proposed banning of alcohol from all college campuses. (Isn't alcohol already banned from most campus-related events at LSU?)

Now, as a parent, specifically a mother, I would be the first to say ban it all! Everything that contains any bit of alcohol-from beer to acetone. But, as a college student, I say: These are the risks we take when we chose to leave the safe havens of our parents cradling arms. Yes, of course, a man died for God's sake! But one man does not the masses make, right? Once officials try banning this, they'll want to ban everything. Food has been known to cause "food poisoning," interior paint to cause "lead poisoning," computer games... "epileptic seizures." C'mon, young people come to college to learn about individual responsibility. Acceptance is the first "A" freshmen choose to earn.

Being responsible means knowing the price for lifelong acceptance. This includes knowing our own limitations, setting boundaries and knowing when situations are beyond our control.

"Do you really believe this stuff?" my mom asked me as I told her about my column while we ate breakfast and watched "Despierta America"-the Latin version of "Good Morning America" on Univision. She looked at me in horror and asked again, "Where did you learn all this from?" I smiled proudly and said: "College!"

Marâa del Sagrario Ramârez is a senior majoring in Mexican-American studies and journalism.


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