Being in college is a once in a lifetime experience that comes with bundles of opportunities to learn new things and learn about oneself.

It is the perfect time to experiment, to meet new people and discover who you really are, what you are like and how you act.

And yet, I cannot begin to share the many, many times my peers have caused me such great, agonizing pain because of their lack of maturity, responsibility and common sense.

Not only is college a great opportunity to find your identity and where you fit in, it is also the best time to recognize your not-so-good side and improve your flaws.

Now, please do not start pointing at me screaming that I do not accept flaws or imperfections in a human or think everyone should be perfect.

I know perfectly well that perfection in the human race is impossible and everything Mary Poppins said about being practically perfect in every way is a lie.

The flaws I am referring to are the ones that make you look like an irresponsible and unreliable individual.

Those are the flaws that you can and should fix because they affect your reputation in the workforce or any job field for that matter.

Maybe I should clarify.

Think of a student joining one of the many registered student organizations on campus.

That student walks into the meeting and decides to pick up an assignment whether it is creating fliers or emailing people or whatever it is they do now.

Now, it is their first time doing something like this and suddenly they are not feeling too hot about the assignment because of a lack of confidence or just not wanting to do it after all.

So long story short, the student blows off the assignment, ignores all calls from other members and falls off the face of the Earth, never to be seen again.

Unfortunately, this scenario happens more often than not and the end result is not flattering for the person who was too afraid to let someone else know that they could not do the assignment.

But it does not stop with that particular scenario. There are hundreds of situations where people drop the ball and refuse to maintain communication with those in charge.

There are even people, students rather, who refuse to respect those in charge and that is the biggest crime.

Is it because you are afraid to tell the person you owe an explanation to that you did not do what you were supposed to do or is it because you were too lazy and lethargic to even try?

Whatever the case is, I want to urge that person whether they are in my class, walking down the street or grabbing a bite to eat, to finish what you started.

If you take up a responsibility or tell someone you are going to do something then just do it.

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