Passiveness brews a potion for oblivion

In college, students are no longer “big fish in a small pond.”

At the University of Miami, individuals are among thousands of talented undergraduates. There is no most popular class president, no most praised state champion and no one pretty prom queen anymore. Instead, there are many leaders, many high-caliber athletes and many pageant girls.

What used to be simple is now difficult, and not everything goes the way you wanted or planned. This feeling of averageness, overbearing pressures or whatever it could possibly be, can cause you to take one of two routes.

The first: Shrink to the competition and be eventually sucked into a tunnel of passiveness. The mountain on which you once stood tall is now obsolete because you no longer care.

The second route is different and more rewarding. You rise to the occasion and bring your passion to work. You continue to strive to be the best you can be, mostly because you care.

The “I don’t cares” that you hear in classrooms, dorm rooms and hallways brew a potion for oblivion.

Does one really want to be doused with this negativity?

Caring starts from within. Care about yourself in college. Don’t attend class just because you need the attendance grade, don’t strive to fit into the stereotypical status quo and don’t have disparate relationships with others.

Go to class to learn and become educated, harness your full potential and choose friends wisely while staying considerate and kind to those around you.

College is a time for challenge and it is up to all of us to face those challenges and overcome them. Many times, students will deviate from their daily routine, make a mistake or two and question themselves, but don’t give up.

No matter what obstacles come your way, push harder. You will find your way as long as you care.

Raymond La is a sophomore majoring in microbiology.