Criticisms drown out the good things our students accomplish

On the Opinions Page, we have plenty of complaints.

Despite them all, we're still pretty lucky.

This is the last column I will write before I pack up my computer and my concert posters and drive home for the summer. That's it. And then I'm putting my brain away because I won't need it where I'm going. So before I do that, and before I lose the rest of my time to paper-writing and finals-taking, I wanted to take the opportunity to cover what I feel is right about this place.

1. We don't put up with much. The governor announces cuts in funding for education, and we announce we're marching to his office in protest. From one of the cheapest four-year universities in the state. It's not that our education wouldn't be worth 1,000 bucks more, it's the principle of the thing. Principles are good to have, good enough for the first spot on the list.

2. We do put up with each other. We don't have a bunch of people getting thrown through bar windows or even calling each other names. Cardinals and Cubs fans cohabitate in the same square mileage without strangling each other. That's quite an accomplishment right there. In a broader sense, we might argue with somebody we don't like, we might talk about people behind their backs, but for the most part, we don't tolerate intolerance. Not every place in the Midwest can say that.

3. We are smart, creative and talented. The Tom Thumb art exhibit earlier this year was incredible. Almost everything hanging up in Ophelia Parrish would fit in somewhere behind velvet ropes. I went to International Idol and was amazed by the drum-playing and salsa-dancing I thought only happened in movies. All I can do is sit around and make lists, but in the meantime the rest of you are making real art.

4. We're all unique, too, if that's not an oxymoron. I have a friend with a dollar sign shaved in the back of his head. Off-center. I think "unique" is a nice word for that. But you don't get bored if you're a people-watcher on campus at Truman. And I know that's kind of creepy, but it's still true.

5. Even though there's nothing to do, we make it. Ike Reilly at the Dukum. The Olympic Hopefuls at the Dukum. OK, anything at the Dukum. I can't drink there yet, but the concerts are usually good. People also have parties, and they don't always suck. They go on road trips and those are usually pretty memorable. There might not be a whole flurry of activity going on in Kirksville, but at least that's making people more resourceful in their planning.

Those certainly are not all the good points, but they're the kinds of things that complement academics. There are anal professors, there are stupid rules, and there are even classes we don't always enjoy or attend.

But there are a whole bunch of little things that make the drawbacks bearable. And I'm happy to say I've had my fair share of them, too.

Andrew Gant is a junior communication major from Montgomery City, Mo.