Here's the thing about being a college student.
There is a serious disconnect between the open, thoughtful and educational environment we all experience in lecture halls and classrooms and the behind-the-scenes, dirty world we all slink back to when we finish packing up our books and leave Asbury, Julian or Meharry Hall.
This past Wednesday night renowned journalist, author and speaker Carl Bernstein - one half of the reporting duo that busted the Watergate scandal of the early '70s - spoke to students, faculty, administrators and community members in Meharry Hall as part of the university's Ubben lecture series. He talked about the state of journalism (not dead), the state of our congress (not good) and the possible solutions to creating a society that seeks news that is "the closest attainable version of the truth."
It was an honest, blunt and thought-provoking speech and we of the editorial board can say allowed us to leave East College in a state of heightened awareness and with a newfound motivation to be active voices and examples of change in our community.
But then of course, we all go back to our rooms and our couches and "hey, The Walking Dead is on" and all of the great lessons we learned from Mr. Bernstein lay dormant in the back of our minds.
That is the challenge about existing on a college campus like DePauw's. We constantly have great conversations about social change and environmental problems and push each other to think, but at the same time, we are also out to enjoy our college years.
There is a reason the Ubbens contribute so much to bring extraordinary minds to campus and it's not just to fill a building for a night. These speakers instill our university and our community with ideas we can learn from and apply to our lives.
The challenge, of course, is actually turning those ideas into action.
To everyone who attended the Ubben lecture Wednesday night, or even heard about it from someone who did, we urge you to continue to be aware of the words of Carl Bernstein. Continue to seek out truth, keep listening and sometimes put the "common good" over your own interests.
And for that matter, to be aware that while part of being a DePauw student means having a whole lot of fun, it's also about applying the knowledge we have gained from our experiences to our lives so we may enter the world in better form to change it.