If there is one thing I've learned at Duke, it is that people always misinterpret what one says in The Chronicle.
Throughout my columnist career, people have always written to me complaining about something I said when, in reality, I never said the thing that offended them. Even on the rare occasion they do complain about something I said, they usually take it out of context. I guess I should have realized that the previous column, and probably this one, would be no different.
Both the last column and this one are meant to express the duality of my final thoughts on Duke. I think something would be wrong if one left here with only really good or really bad feelings. Perhaps I am different in that I have strong feelings, both good and bad.
If there is one thing I like about Duke it is that it is young. It has only recently begun to attract students who live outside the state. Its "rise" in stature has been rapid, and as such there is much of "Old Duke" to be destroyed and rebuilt. This smashing of Old Duke began in 1993 with the ascension of Nannerl Keohane as president.
The president and her administration realize that there is much growing to do in the next few decades. They recognize our collective hunger for positive change and fuel it by being open-minded and flexible. By constantly seeking student input, the administration has shown that it is committed to bottom-up change. We do not do things here because "that's what was done 250 years ago." We do them because that is what we collectively think is best to do at this point in time.
Of course, sometimes they misstep. Sometimes the only input they get is from the Inter-Fraternity Council/Panhellenic Council/Duke Student Government tools (i.e. the leaders of those organizations and not necessarily the members themselves) and not from independents, but at least they are listening. I am happy that students have the opportunity to become a part of building something new, something better.
There are some good people here. Despite the preponderance of the aforementioned IFC/Panhel/DSG tools, there are some hard-working, decent people within the impenetrable three-foot walls. One of them, in fact, is running right below me. His name is Norm and you should read his column because he is cool. If you find these people, consider yourself lucky. Most of the important education I received here is from my friends. That is important to remember.
We have it good here. We have decent residential facilities, a beautiful campus and a basketball team that won the national title this year. Our degrees are keys to a better career and a better life. Students like to bitch a lot-I'm no different-but all in all, this is a better place than most schools.
My time as a columnist has not been bad. I've gotten a bunch of angry letters (including people who wished me dead), which I think is good. It means I'm doing something right; I'm making people think. I don't get much positive feedback (from people I don't know anyway). It is easier to write someone telling you hate him rather than telling him you like him. That leads me to one disappointing area: my lack of groupies. That would have been nice. Guess one can't have everything.
Probably the most important lesson I learned here is that one must seize every opportunity he can. Who knows what the future holds? It could all end tomorrow.
It has been an honor to address the Duke community for the last two years. I had a lot of fun writing STONE COLD. It was a blast to make people laugh every week. Giuliani's Corner was a great venue to express my opinions on campus life. For some reason, that was almost as much fun as writing lemur jokes. I am going to miss it. Maybe some of you will too.
I'd like to close with some words from Frank Sinatra's "My Way." They sum things up better than I can.
"For what is a man, what has he got?/If not himself, then he has not/To say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels/The record shows I took the blows and did it my way."
Dave Nigro is a Trinity senior.
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