True school spirit starts with students

"There’s nothing to do—it’s boring here.” And my favorite, “There’s no school spirit.”

In my few years on campus, I’ve heard it all. Students complain that RIT is simply not a fun place to be. They say there are limited entertainment options and that RIT has few social opportunities.

So I list the events that occurred during the past week, and I ask them if they attended any. They remain silent. They have no rebuttal.

The problem with these students is a lack of perspective. Thankfully, I had the pleasure of transferring here from Vanderbilt University, which frequently ranks high among America’s top universities. I can say, without a doubt, that RIT is as worthy of praise as these top schools. What RIT lacks in comparison to bigger schools, it replaces with a heart of gold and an unwavering spirit to please its students.

There is no reason to be bored at RIT. There are events occurring almost every day. There are pool tournaments, cinema showings, plays, various contests for prizes, comedy and music acts, poetry readings, wall-climbing events, hockey games, 160 unique clubs, Greek life, and the list goes on.

By putting even the most miniscule amount of effort into finding out what’s happening, we open up an immediate world of opportunities and entertainment. Go ahead, add “EventsatRIT” to your AIM list. It will take you about seven seconds to do it. Step one of becoming fully entertained on campus is complete. I bet you can figure out the rest.

While we are not always considered a big school, we certainly act like one. We’re often blessed with entertainers like the great comedian Dane Cook, and musical artists Ludacris and Kanye West, among other big-name acts who have performed here.

And we complain of boredom? Please!

While a school must entertain its students, its primary focus is academics. Any school can have strong curricula to drive students toward completing their degree. RIT is no exception, seeing as how it developed the first information technology curriculum in the nation in 1992, which it continuously fine-tunes and improves. What interests me is the underlying foundation behind this academic experience, the human quality that is its faculty and staff.

Never have I met such selfless people who try their very best to aid students, and my academic experience has been enhanced because of it. For example, Heather Roth is my academic advisor in the IT department. I have often asked her to write letters of support to send to my sponsors, usually to seek approval for my academic schedule. Not once have I sensed any hesitation on her part. Within 24 hours, my letters are either waiting in my mail folder or available for pick-up. No questions asked, and always with a smile.

I have made friendships with various professors, taking my academic experience to another level, something I rarely noticed with professors at Vanderbilt. I actually feel comfortable with most of my professors, and conversations with them outside class have always been entertaining and fruitful. Professors like Bogaard, Hartpence, Hill, Holden, Jenkins, Mazanec and Stella have changed my views about academia. They have earned my respect and have made my experience here more memorable.

RIT may not be for everyone, but when it comes to its efforts in entertaining students and the quality of the faculty and staff, it can’t be beat. Students should realize how lucky they are to attend this great school and learn to appreciate its many facets. Once this is accomplished, it’s only a matter of time before they start praising it.

“It’s exciting here.”

“There’s plenty to do.”

And my personal favorite, “School spirit starts with me.”

Shahab Al-Awadhi is a graduating information technology major from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This column presents opinions and ideas on issues relevant to higher education. We hope “Viewpoints” inspires discussion among the RIT community. To suggest an idea for the column, e-mail newsevents@rit.edu.