Take advantage of the time you have at UD

By: Steve Maloney-Columnist, Senior

This is the last article I’ll ever write for Flyer News.

For three and a half years, I’ve been a part of either the sports or the opinions section, and it has been an incredible experience at THE University of Dayton.

After covering Flyer sports for three semesters, I had so much pent up anger about certain things that I needed to tell the world.

So, rather than going to the top of a mountain and yelling obscenities until my larynx exploded, I decided to save some time (and money) by choosing to write (vent) through the opinions section.

Over the last two years, I’ve written about everything from the 2012 Presidential election to how I believe UD bike cops have a hidden agenda. I’ve given advice and encouragement to students before finals week and about class registration.

I expressed my love for increases in community during warm Saturday afternoons in the Ghetto, despite posters around campus explicitly stating, “You Might Think You’re Building Community, But You’re Actually Violating the Alcohol Policy.”

I chose to take a more informal approach to my writing style when I first began penning my thoughts for Flyer News.

I tried to please readers out there with topics you either care about or that are so ridiculous you can’t not read it (i.e. fanny packs making a comeback, although ironically they might actually be). I just hope you were able to eventually understand my sarcastic sense of humor over time.

While I have your attention, I’d like to reflect on the best four years of my life and offer some advice to all you youngin’s who aren’t graduating this May.

Get out of the rut.

I can’t emphasize this enough. To me, the “rut” is being stuck in the typical weekly schedule that I found myself in for a long time.

This includes classes and homework from Monday to Friday (perhaps going out Wednesday and/or Thursday), going out Friday night, then Saturday day, then Saturday night, then doing homework (eventually) on Sunday, and then starting the process over again.

I’ve undoubtedly made many friends through the “rut,” but I found it to be limiting the full potential of my college experience.

It wasn’t until my junior year that I started exploring other interests.

I got involved with organizations within my major, I attended and led a retreat, I walked at Relay for Life, I worked multiple jobs on campus and I met a lot of great people throughout it all.

By no means am I judgmental of people who are in what I call the “rut.” If you truly feel happy, keep doing what you’re doing. But just have some insight on what you have done at UD.

Think ahead to five years from now. When you look back, make sure that you can say that you tried some new things, you stepped out of your comfort zone and that you’ve made some lifelong friends.

Perhaps most importantly, honestly ask yourself if you’ve grown as a person.

College is one of the few opportunities we have in life when we have the time and energy to be involved with multiple organizations across the spectrum of various interests.

Take advantage of this time. Create some memories you’ll never forget. I love UD and I’ve been proud to call it my home over the last four years.

I love talking about UD and how it has affected my life. So if you see me around campus and would like to chat, I’m more than open to it.

Thank you to everyone who has made me who I am, and cheers to the greatest place in the world.
Until next time Flyers, keep being you. You will be missed by this guy.