Last semester, I wrote an article called “Holds and Headaches.” In it, I mentioned some concerns that another student and I had about some confusing holds we had on our student accounts. As it goes with many articles, I didn’t expect much to happen.

But this time, it was different.

When I arrived back in Emporia and checked my mail – that is, my real mail – I found a very interesting letter. President Michael Shonrock read my article and wanted to inform me of the changes that were made in response. Specifically, students will now have the ability to enroll in classes even if they have a balance on their account, given that the balance is less than $100.

I was so happy with Shonrock’s response. It was not only effective, but also very quick. The whole situation was impressive, and I was really excited to have done something useful – something that sparked change. It’s change like this that makes this job seem not only worthwhile, but important.

I think it’s easy for people our age to feel impotent, to feel like our actions won’t have any effect on the world, or even our immediate environment. We send our hours of work – homework, essays and projects – into black holes. But opportunities for improvements are everywhere, and all kinds of things that hinder happiness are readily changeable.

I want to encourage anyone reading this to take a proactive approach to their problems. Don’t be afraid to speak up. Use The Bulletin as a tool if you can. It could truly be “the student’s voice” if more people used it as a means to share their opinions. All it takes is a letter sent to [email protected].

Don’t be afraid to apply these principles beyond school. Communication between coworkers, friends and employers/employees is vital. The majority of the year is still ahead of us, so let’s make 2013 an honest and communicative time for us all.

P.S. Thank you, President Shonrock. That was truly encouraging.