Youth is a wonderful and exciting time for many of us. The opportunities, knowledge and time seem never ending. We can eat what we want, drink what we want, act and talk how we want (bearing the consequences of course), but most importantly we can learn whatever we want when we want to.

We have the world at our fingertips and yet time and time again we let the ignorance and stubbornness of youth get in the way of experiencing the wonders that endless amount of knowledge can give.

Believe it or not, we do not know everything. This is the best time to be in that position because we are given the opportunity to make up for that lack of knowledge. We can learn what our elders know and we can obtain the wisdom that we crave we have if we just make the most of our college experience.

College is tough. I can vouch for that, and I am sure most of my peers can as well. It is easy to skip class because of being too tired and then to cram half a semester’s worth of material in on one night of studying. But why waste the time worrying about what you missed and wondering how much better you could have done?

Go to class. Not just because you or your parents dished out hundreds of dollars for the courses, but because there are people our age half way around the world who do not have the option of going to school and receiving an out-of-this-world education.

Imagine for a moment the overwhelming amount of what you can learn, things that you thought were never even possible.

Study for fifteen minutes one night and 20 minutes the next and before you know it you never have to cram the night before a big exam because you already know the material.

But do not just stop there. Get involved with a registered student organization or start one. Make a name for yourself on campus. Volunteer as much as you can because you can help make a difference.

Don’t let yourself live a sheltered life. For far too long we have left ourselves vulnerable to ridicule from older generations because we are “too lazy” or “incompetent” to make it in the real world.

Prove everyone wrong, including yourself, and make the most of this year. Just be sure to have a little fun along the way.

Analicia Haynes is a sophomore journalism major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or achaynes@eiu.edu.