By Dara Adeeyo
It is reported that the University spent an estimated $3.5 million on everything related to the final presidential debate, and there’s no doubt that it showed. Security was tight, Debate ’08 paraphernalia was everywhere and the campus as a whole looked a little more clean. The coordinators put so much effort and time into the University’s Educate/Debate ’08 that it created an atmosphere filled with pride and excitement. And so I often wonder what campus will be like now that the presidential debate is over. I have a feeling that our campus’s atmosphere won’t be the same. Will public safety go back to their safe, but lackadaisical ways? Are the beautiful flowers suddenly going to die? Or will we all just suffer from washed-up presidential debate host syndrome? You know, where we don’t know what to do with ourselves now that our lives no longer revolve around the presidential debate? Yeah, that’s what I think about.
Right after the second debate and up until last night, the light shined bright on the University. We were like the girls from Flavor of Love-seasons one, two, AND three-trying to milk every bit of our 15 minutes of fame. The University wanted everyone and their mother to know what and where the University is and campus became a media circus of all the biggest news stations. If you wanted to get your face on TV, you darn well could have.
But now that the light doesn’t shine so brightly anymore, I’m afraid that our sense of pride will slowly wither. But now with the debate over, wouldn’t it just make sense to forget about all the great opportunities the University offers? Hmm, I think not. Or, wouldn’t it just make sense for you to sit in your room and blame the University for everything that’s going wrong in your academic life? Well, wrong again. I think we all need to slap ourselves in the face, wake up and realize that our school is amazing and that well, Hofstra University is kind of a big deal.
Now I know you’re all probably raising your eyebrows at that last sentence because you’re thinking, “What? Hofstra’s kind of a big deal? No way!” Sorry but, yes way! Students here have a tendency to excessively complain about the University, and though like every other school, it has its minor faults. Get over it. But that doesn’t mean that it’s not a great school. Being chosen to host the last presidential debate must mean that our school is, in the words of Tony the Tiger, grrreat!
And so my fellow classmates, this is my plea to all of you to not let the University become a washed-up presidential debate host. Let us keep up our spirit, roar with pride and show the rest of the country that, like I said before, we’re kind of a big deal.
Dara Adeeyo is a sophomore print journalism student. You may e-mail her at [email protected].