By RYAN SHUMAKER
Columnist
After receiving a lot of positive feedback from my last opinion article regarding my near death experience on the cross walk, I set out these last few weeks to try and experience another life altering event that would lead to a funny little opinion article in this wonderful newspaper.
Unfortunately that did not happen.
Instead I’ve decided to use my time in the opinion section of this newspaper to do something almost unheard of when it comes to opinion pages, and that is I am actually going to attempt to be positive about something in regards to this university.
When I first decided that I was going to take my lacking golf talents up here to the Vegas of the Great Plains, otherwise known as Alvatraz, my buddies I created during my one year at Paris Junior College were flabbergasted.
They just couldn’t come to terms with the fact that I was going to attend school at a university 75 miles away from well, pretty much anything. At first even I was skeptical before signing that letter of intent to become a Ranger, but after that moment, I’ve had some of the best moments of my life.
Everyone I talk to always has something negative to say about this university and as I went through these last couple of weeks searching for another life altering event, I came to the conclusion that perhaps one of the biggest life changing events that will happen to me in my life has already happened, and that is becoming a Ranger.
Some of you may already be thinking to yourselves, “How in the world could this little dude possibly like it here. It’s cold, in the middle of nowhere, there’s nothing to do, and most importantly for crying out loud it’s Alva, Oklahoma.”
It’s simple in my mind.
I love Alva because of the memories I’ve made and the people I’ve made those memories with. Instead of complaining about how miserable Alva is, go out and experience college life to its fullest! Meet people, make bad decisions away from home and most important, cherish these times we are all experiencing because they won’t last forever.
So many people I meet are too caught up in wishing they were at a bigger university with more to do instead of worrying about making the most of their college experience. Instead of sending out that tweet wishing there was a Starbucks in Alva, get together with some friends and attempt to make whatever in the world they put in all those drinks that cost you an arm and a leg.
Instead of heading home the moment you walk out of your Friday class, make an attempt to hang around for the weekend and just see what happens. Who knows, you might even enjoy it.
Becoming a Ranger has been one of the best things to ever happen to me, and I encourage you all during this Valentine’s season to not just spend a full week’s paycheck on your boyfriend or girlfriend, but to also get out and meet some people and experience some things around Alva instead of just bashing it.
10 years down the road, I guarantee you that you will not want to tell your kids and wife about the boring nights you stayed in your room and how awful your college was. I’m a firm believer in making the best out of the situation, so go out and find stuff to do. Trust me, if you make th effort to go out and experience Alva you will not be disappointed.
Most of the people you hear bashing this sschool are the people that don’t give it a chance. Yes, it’s in the middle of nowhere, yes there’s not a giant supermall filled with overpriced shoe stores and pointless stands in the middle of the walkways.
Get out, be sociable, make memories and most of all, make sure you look both ways before crossing the street.