Fielding support

Editorial: Love thy neighbor

Recently, questions regarding the state of town-gown relations have been thrust to the forefront of the collective consciousness of Bowdoin and Brunswick. Last week, the Orient ran a letter from one frustrated student, which sparked an all-time high number of online comments in response, from students at Bowdoin and members of the community alike. Earlier this week, the Times Record, the local daily paper, ran an article that painted a town-gown relationship strained by alcohol. Do we have a serious issue?

Editorial: Reviewing Course Reviews

The end of fall semester is a crossroads at Bowdoin. Before Thanksgiving Break, students pore over the catalogue and scour the Internet on sites like RateMyProfessors and BSG's Bowdoin College Course Reviews in an attempt to choose classes for the next semester. The limitations of these resources often leave us with no choice but to rely on the advice of that friend of a friend who took Bio 109 last year, or accept the few, extremist opinions we can find on the Internet.

Editorial

This piece represents the opinion of The Bowdoin Orient editorial board.

November 19, 2010

The men's soccer team is in uncharted territory. With a school-record 12 consecutive wins, a No. 6 national ranking, and a program-first NCAA tournament victory, this is the best squad Bowdoin has ever fielded. As for the field hockey team, Final Four appearances are quickly becoming business as usual. Thanks to Coach Nicky Pearson, the College boasts the premiere field hockey program in Division III, and we are ecstatic as the team pursues its third national crown in four years.

Despite the onslaught on work that accompanies the semester's end, students do not spend every waking moment studying. Why not substitute those hours spent procrastinating with a diversion that brings you closer to your peers and community? Prioritize your attendance at the soccer game tomorrow or—should they win—at the field hockey team's bus when they arrive back on campus late Sunday.

Going to a game doesn't just show your support for the team—it supports the team. Our athletes thrive off the physical presence of the crowd; student enthusiasm can help fuel the benefits of home-field advantage and propel us to victory. This weekend, the Polar Bears have earned the right to host NCAA soccer tournament matches—we should help them capitalize on this advantage.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself that you wouldn't be caught dead at a game. Our advice? Go anyway. Doing something a little out of character won't kill you; in fact, you just might like it. If you know Gibson Hall like the back of your hand but have never gone to a game, now is the time to head to the fields.

Likewise, if you have never seen an art opening or listened to the chamber choir, you are missing out on a huge part of Bowdoin. The liberal arts education that makes Bowdoin so attractive is about being exposed to people with different passions. Take chances and immerse yourself in something you haven't experienced before.

Even if we are not playing in the game, being there still provides us with the opportunity to be a part of this community. We are not going to be a part of a collegiate environment like this for long. In the short term, the value of attending a postseason match or semester-end art show might seem minimal. But as soon as we graduate, those and other similar opportunities will not be a five-minute walk away.

Many incredible resources would mean nothing without the people we share them with. Even in years when our teams have been less outstanding, Bowdoin athletics has always maintained a broad appeal. There are great people in the bleachers: students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni, community members. Go out and meet them, all while supporting our teams.

Let's go Bowdoin. See you out there.

The editorial represents the majority view of the Bowdoin Orient's editorial board, which comprises Claire Collery, Nick Daniels, Piper Grosswendt, Zoe Lescaze and Seth Walder.

Comments are permanently closed.