To the new kids: welcome. 

To the old kids: welcome back.

What did you do this summer? Don’t say it out loud, because then you would look like you were talking to a newspaper, and that would just be silly. I guess we’ll have to catch up later.

Anyway, what you are currently reading is The Flor-Ala’s opinion section and, consequently, my first editorial piece of the school year. I’m not sure exactly what I’m doing, but they tell me editorials are where we students are able to share our opinions in the form of written words. 

That’s kind of cool – the idea that students have a venue to share opinions where it is guaranteed someone will listen.

Some of you may say, “Dude, you’re writing in a student newspaper, no one listens,” which is a valid opinion that I held for quite some time at UNA until I started writing for this and other publications in our community. 

The truth is people do read things like student newspapers, because they want to read things about themselves. Think about it: If I wrote this editorial piece about you, wouldn’t you be curious to see what I had written?

If you said yes, your honesty will get you far, kid. If you said no, stop lying. 

See, I’m right, aren’t I? You want to read about yourself. 

What a conceited bunch of creatures we humans are.

Well, I say, conceited, but is it really wrong to want to feel acknowledged? Is it wrong to think that the voice and perspective of an individual matters?

Honestly, I don’t think so. I think history, religion, politics, economics and whatever other category you use to measure ideas has proven time and time again that the individual is incredibly valuable and should be valued like completely unique pieces in a giant puzzle.

Similarly, I believe individuals are most valuable and valued within the context of a community.

Think of those psychological studies where baby monkeys that don’t have contact with another physical being get very sick and sometimes die, while the monkeys that have regular physical contact with a nurturing figure often grow up healthy and happy. Creatures need care – they need support – and they only get those things by being around other creatures.

So, what does this have to do with UNA? 

Everything.

Maybe it’s the size of the student body, maybe it’s the city of Florence or maybe even the lions, but this is a unique place – a place where people can be acknowledged and accepted and free to grow into whomever they are going to be.

Here we have a unique opportunity to make a name for ourselves in a community where individuals matter.

So, this year, I’m going to focus my journalism efforts on people – people like you. What do you guys like? What grinds your gears? Let’s get a dialogue going.

You’ve got a lot of people here at UNA who are in your corner and want to see you do well, so feel free to swing for the fences.

Whatever happens this year, rest assured that people are going to care, and that your story matters. Now, let’s make something of it.