KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-in-Chief

By the time I send The Metro’s second to last issue of the semester out to the printer, there will be 37 days left until graduation.
It’s hard to believe that the past four years have gone by so fast and my college experience will soon come to an end.
Looking back, I wonder if I accomplished all the goals I set for myself when I first entered college. Did I make the most of it? Should I have chosen a different major? Would I have done something different? Could I have had a better experience?
Shoulda, woulda, coulda…
If there is one thing I have learned, it is that you can’t drone about the past and what you “shoulda, woulda, coulda” done instead. Regardless of the mistakes and failures I faced (and trust me there were plenty), those experiences were just as important, if not more important, than the successes I have also had.
Not only do the failures and mishaps make you stronger as an individual, they prepare you for the future. I have found that it’s inevitable for people to have regrets or to think, “I wish I did that instead,” but it is important for people to understand those experiences make them who they are today.
I recently held a program where five men from the Market Street Mission’s “Rehab and Recovery” program shared their life stories and how they got to where they are today.
Starting from when they were even too young to drive, these men battled addictions that eventually led them to a meaningless life filled with drugs and alcohol. They bravely shared their testimonies and how they felt lost and hopeless when all they looked forward to was feeding their addiction for the day.
One of the men shared that his addiction led him to a life a crime that in return sent him to prison from age 29 to 41. “Not a single day of my 30s was spent as a free man,” he said.
Even though he spent over a decade in the confines of prison, those experiences made him who he is today. For him, and the other four men, their life of crime and drug addiction was a part of the journey that led them to their now successful lives.
Should he have made better decisions? Maybe. Would those better decisions have changed his life? Probably. Could he be the strong, independent person he is today without them? No.
Everyone has regrets or wishes they made better decisions, but regret, I think, is a useless emotion. I always say that “I wish I knew what I know now when I was younger,” but that also is a useless wish.
Life and time will move forward, whether you want it to or not, and people simply need to embrace the past and learn from their mistakes. Had the Market Street Mission men given up during their all-time low, they would have never experienced a life of love and happiness.
So, should I have done more with my college experience? Would it have been better? Could it have made a difference? These are questions I’m done asking. I realized that it truly does not matter, nor should it. My regrets, failures and successes alike have made me who I am today.
As I walk through my life journey, I believe it is important to keep looking ahead because the moment I look behind me is the moment I’ll trip and lose sight of what’s to come.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-in-Chief

On March 2, upon celebrating “Read Across America,” and Dr. Seuss’s birthday, I was reminded of my favorite quote by Dr. Seuss.
In the famous quote, he said, “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
There are many concepts a person can take away from such a simple, yet profound statement, but for me it runs deeper. When I was younger, I was painfully shy.
When I was headed to college and away from home for the first time, I did not know how I was going to be able to make it through, especially with community bathrooms and close-knit dorm living. My sister gave me advice that has stuck with me ever since and reminds me of Dr. Seuss’s quote. She told me that I shouldn’t be afraid of what anyone thinks because everyone is too concerned with themselves.
As I entered freshman year, I tried to live as though no one minded what I was doing because, like my sister said, they were thinking the same thing I was. The advice worked and I broke through my shell throughout the years.
Now, I am no longer shy and feel no reservations about the things I can accomplish. As I am growing emotionally, it seems the people watching my every move are increasing as well. I try to put them in the back of my mind and focus on myself, but living in a “fishbowl-type” atmosphere, as a leader on campus and as a resident assistant, I am constantly being judged and supervised.
I have nothing to hide in my academic and social life as a college student, but the idea of people caring about what I am doing is a new concept for me.
As I followed my sister’s advice and was growing out of my shyness, I tried to forget about certain people who will always judge and criticize others. Being supervised in both my academic and social life, I realized my sister’s advice can only be taken so far. Instead, I needed to lean toward Dr. Seuss’s philosophy. If someone does mind, and there will always be people who do, they don’t matter.
For this issue, I got a chance to look deeper into the story of two students who survived the Seton Hall fire in 2000. One part that stuck with me was the bravery and confidence the two men had after the fire. Despite being physically changed and scarred for the rest of their lives, they moved on and moved forward. It seems they were able to truly follow the Seuss philosophy. Their families, friends and anyone who truly matters do not mind.
This newspaper, particularly my editor’s column, has given me the opportunity to say what I feel. At first, I thought my ideas and opinions may be criticized or judged, but then I realized I shouldn’t censor myself because of that.
People are different and they need to express their opinions and be themselves. Without diversity, the world would be a very boring place.
When I run into people who do criticize or have judgmental opinions, I have learned to try and just brush them off. The way I think about it, and the way the Seton Hall students and Dr. Seuss think about it, is that those people simply don’t matter. They will not be the ones who stick around in your life and they will not provide the positive atmosphere people need.
Too often I am surrounded by people with negative attitudes, and what my friend likes to call “wet blankets.” What she means, I’ve gathered, is that certain people do not follow Seuss’s philosophy and have an attitude that weighs you down. If you are constantly around those “wet blankets,” their attitudes will eventually rub off on you. It’s inevitable that you will conform to the negativity.
I would consider myself a pretty optimistic person with a positive outlook on life, but in order to successfully continue that, I’ve realized I need surround myself with those who have similar outlooks.
It may seem overtly optimistic, but if the Grinch can change, I think everyone has a chance.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-in-Chief

Does media reflect society or does society reflect the media? It’s the timeless question that scholars, critics and media professionals often ask.
As both a member and consumer of the media, I understand that the question can never truly be answered. The media puts on what people want to see. So despite major disasters around the world, such as the Haiti earthquake, the news lately has been more focused on Tiger Woods’ apology.
I recently attended and reported on a Hot Topics event which focused on media coverage of major disasters. While there was a lot to talk about in terms of coverage, the focus shifted toward criticism of the media. Sure, some reporters do not adequately report through the use of fact checking and journalism ethics, but I would hope that a good news journalist would strive for that impossible perfection of accurate reporting.
I have heard many times before by my peers that the media does not have enough coverage of major news stories, such as the war or the Haiti earthquake. But when I ask them if they even watch or read the news, they most likely say no. “It’s too depressing,” I’ve heard, or “I don’t have time.”
They do, however, seem to have time to hear in full length Woods’ apology and even what other “experts” have to say about it.
During the Hot Topics event, one of the panelists mentioned that we, consumers of the media, need to celebrate the good reporting. Instead of debating on whether Woods’ apology was sincere or not, people should change the channel to something that actually matters.
I think a major reason for the decline in newspapers is that people care more about entertainment, and newspapers are not the first place most go to find it. Instead of reading an in-depth analysis of war efforts in The New York Times, many people my age are going to Yahoo News and end up reading a sensationalized headline that gets ripped off an AP or Times article anyway.
It’s no wonder newspapers are dying and major reputable news outlets are going to slowly disappear. Where will Yahoo News, and others like it, get their information if the information gatherers don’t survive? In the future, as news media shrinks and international bureaus close down, will consumers only have access to the pointless celebrity news because it’s most popular? 
I can’t imagine that it will ever get to that point, but it is important that we, as media consumers, don’t let it. Instead, we need to follow the panelist’s advice and celebrate the good reporting. We also can’t blame the media for showing the unimportant news, since that is what people want.
There needs to be a fair and balanced amount of news, and at the same time consumers need to be educated. If society is educated enough in the important matters, it is likely that the media will pay more attention to it. And while I don’t have an answer or a solution, I am hopeful that the media will continue striving for accurate stories that reflect what is truly important for society.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-in-Chief

It is here, officially. My last semester of my last year as an undergraduate. The other day, my dad asked me what did I get out of college now that I’m soon to graduate. Sure, I learned a lot about communication studies and journalism - that is, after all, what I went to school for. But I must admit, most of my learning and what I will take away with me when I graduate, did not come from the classroom.
While I love school and love to be involved on campus, my greatest learning achievement took place outside of the university bubble.
Over the break, I was forutnate enough to participate in SGA’s Alternative Winter Break to Costa Rica. The winter prior, a group of students and I studied for two weeks in Costa Rica, including a week in Manzanillo. Through that course, I gained such a strong connection with the locals and the community that when the opportunity to go back arose, I was eager and excited to jump at the chance.
When I studied down there in January of 2009, the group did a day of community service where we helped clean the local school. That day of service work was so inspirational that I knew I wanted to do more to make a difference in the village.
Being able to spend a week of my life helping a community, especially one that has grown so close to my heart, was an unbelievable opportunity that I will remember and cherish forever. Living in such a close-knit community where the people take nothing for granted and have such a positive attitude about life, has truly changed me.
The people of Manzanillo are hard to describe because the village is not like anywhere else. They live off the land and are grateful for everything life has to offer. They live by the motto “pura vida,” meaning “pure life,” which I strive to live by even while being back in the States. This simple motto shows their connection with the land and the community, while still being economically stable, healthy and happy.
Staying in a small village like Manzanillo really helps you appreciate what you have in your own life. It taught me not to take anything for granted and that you don’t need a lot to be happy. I think in the States people become overwhelmed and over-absorbed by the idea of wealth and success. To be able to see and be immersed in a culture so different from my own was somewhat of a self-revelation.
Many of my peers who are also soon to graduate seem to be most concerned about finding a job that will make a lot money and allow them to buy fancy things. While I  agree that it is important and necessary to be economically stable, I do not want it to be the driving force of my life. Being able to take a step back and learn to have an open-mind about a different lifestyle has changed my perspectives and helped me prioritize what is truly important in life.
Any service project will change a person only for the better. It is a great feeling to be able to give people something you have that they do not. To be able to actually go, give our creativity, supply the finances, and do the hard labor had a greater impact on the community and on the students than handing over money could have.
I know that the trip has changed my values and lifestyle, but I also hope our efforts motivate the children to go to school and continue their education. Being able to participate in such service projects have inspired me to put forth a greater effort in helping others, regardless of what career I end up going forward with. I find it amazing how much an individual can learn about him or herself by learning about the lives of others.
As I prepare to graduate, I feel that I know more about myself and what truly matters in life, not through what I have done for myself, but because of the effort I have put in to help others.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-In-Chief

As I woke up at 8 a.m. to sign up for classes on Monday, it occurred to me this would be my last time ever registering for undergraduate classes.

Four years ago, I remember being nervous and anxious about college and what the future held for me, and now as I enter my last semester, I am even more nervous and anxious about what’s next.
For me, it is the inevitable question: graduate school or straight to the workforce?

I recently attended the New York Women in Communications career conference, which encourages women to pursue their dreams to enter the media communications field.

As I sat in an audience filled with young adults, all striving for the same glamorous future, I listened to some of the most powerful women in the field as they gave tips on making it in this field.
As this industry struggles, along with all industries, I learned there is a push for creativity and new, young innovative ideas. As we enter the workforce, we can not let the recession stand in our way.

Time will move forward, whether you want it to or not, and if you are stuck focusing on unemployment or competition, you will never be able to advance. Instead, I learned you need to practice new ways of seeing. Be prepared for crazy accidents, and take advantage of the unexpected. Although crises are inevitable, I find that with crisis comes opportunity. One way is to take the struggling industries as an opportunity to form new, innovative models.

I also learned that it truly doesn’t matter what everyone else is doing. While the 2010 class prepares for graduation, some will have jobs right out of college and some will not. If you are focused on what everyone else is doing, you will miss your own opportunities. Everyone takes a different path. You need to look forward and push for the future, or look behind and learn from your past. If you look sideways at what everyone else is doing, you are going to miss what you need most: your own creative ideas.

At the NYWICI conference, and most other conferences, there is a push for networking.
Far too often I have heard that it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. I think that while networking is great, when your work is truly the best, it will speak for itself. If you are the best at what you do, it won’t matter who you know or who you don’t. That said, clearly it is still helpful to get your foot in the door. When interning or when you are just starting in the work field, you need to be pleasent and be someone people want to work with. Creating a good rapport with the industry’s leaders combined with excellent work will inevitably lead to success.

As the conference came to an end, the panelists were asked to give some final words of advice. One, in particular, stuck with me. She said the key is to “decide what you want to be known for.”
I thought that was a perfect way to describe how your future should lay out. That is the hard part. If you can imagine what you want the next generation of young, innovative people to remember you by, the rest is simple strategic planning.

Take every point of engagement seriously and use every experience as an opportunity to learn. I do not think success is measured by profit, rather by experience and personal satisfaction. For me, the second I stop learning is when I am no longer successful.

So, as I prepare to graduate and enter a pivotal point in my career, I realize I need to take in every opportunity and make the most of it.

It does not matter what your friends do, what you wanted to do as a child or what your parents do. What matters is what you want to be known for and what you can make of every situation.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-In-Chief

“Obama comes to FDU.” No wait, “Obama rallies for Corzine at FDU.” Or should it be, “FDU holds Democratic rally”?

As I spent the weekend determining the appropriate headline for the Obama article, I questioned what would be the most creative, yet informative, non-sensationalized sentence for the front page.
It seemed too easy to grab people’s attention with, “FDU hosts Obama.” That is true, but it was not a FDU-sponsored event. What would students read?

Hundreds of students, from both the Metropolitan campus and College at Florham, flooded the crowded Rothman Center for the Corzine rally. Most, I imagine, went because they wanted to see President Obama but knew hardly anything about the gubernatorial race.

I’m thinking, students will read the Obama article for sure. They have to. He is probably the most influential speaker FDU has ever had.

Back to the headline. Do I mention the politics behind the event? It is doubtful the majority of students will want to read about, let alone know, what I’m talking about.

Before the rally, I asked students if they planned on voting. The majority had no opinions or did not know enough about the gubernatorial race to have an opinion.

I don’t think every student should closely follow the race, but I do think it is important for the future of New Jersey to have a valid opinion. If students know nothing about the race but what was said at the Corzine rally and what the president said, what sort of educated decision can be made?

I doubt many students will turn to credible sources to find their information if there are boring, informative headlines.

One reason I believe no students read a thing about politics is that, in some articles I have edited, Barack Obama’s name has been spelled wrong.

Too often have I heard that students only pick up The Metro if they are in it or their picture is in it. I question what is the point of spending all weekend laying out the paper with hard news if the audience doesn’t care?

So, as unfortunate as I think it is, I leave out the politics. Instead, I fill space with students’ pictures because that is what the students want.

KAYLA HASTRUP
Editor-In-Chief

For the month of October, the little gated community we all know and love as the College at Florham will have over 50 events open to students.

And after hours, days, sometimes weeks of planning events, the people in charge are ready to execute their hard work! The problem? No one comes. Or even better, a few people show up, but they leave feeling as though they wasted their time. (I have felt some of my own programs turned out this way in the past.)

I recently attended a leadership lecture titled “The Apathy Myth,” where Vice President and CEO of CAMPUSPEAK, T.J. Sullivan, attempted to break the myth that students aren’t apathetic, they just aren’t motivated.

Sullivan offered five ways to tap into things that motivate your peers. It’s simple – lure kids in with the five essentials to college fun: money, food, fun, sex and alcohol.

I can only imagine what a good turnout a program that offered all five would have. But I think if you offer enough of one thing, students will show. Case in point – I wonder how many people attended the Pep Rally last week just for the free sweatshirts.

Needless to say, I thought Sullivan had a good point. The entire college experience is truly what you make of it.

Next time people are complaining of being bored or not having anything to do, look out for the events you want, and go to them. Offer your opinion! I have found that sometimes the hardest part of picking events is simply choosing what to do. Give event planners ideas.

What is the use of complaining if you can’t offer solutions? Come up with your own solutions to your boring weekend and recruit people with common interests.

If you ask any of my friends, they can tell you I am the queen of flaking out. I’ve come up with a resolution. From now on, I am going to attempt to do everything I say I will. I invite everyone to join and to attend events. Who knows? You may have fun or learn something during your college experience. It sure beats going home to bug your parents – at least save that for when you move back home after graduation.