Put me in a box

By Maryann Dakkak

I am a registered Republican, I have been arrested in a protest, I am vegan, my roommate is a Delta Gamma and I don't drink. So put me in a box.

Humans throughout time have had the yearning to categorize everything, from animal kingdoms to socks to people. Categorizing inanimate or inhuman objects is fine in a way because they don't understand what we're doing to them. Boxing people on the other hand creates obstacles between us.

Groups on campus are the most often boxed. Take the off-campus Greek system, for example. According to that stereotype, Delta Gammas should be blond communication majors and Pikes should be sporty players and alcoholics. The stereotypes forget to include that some of the members are highly active in volunteer organizations like Santa Clara Community Action Program or take their philanthropy and work in school very seriously. Each group is often much more than their stereotype. There are some members that fit these stereotypes, but a lot of people in these groups don't belong in that box.

Or how about SCCAP? It seems like they'll protest anything these days, right? Yes, many of the activists on campus do volunteer through or work in SCCAP, but none of those protests were SCCAP sponsored, and there are people in and involved with SCCAP who do not take part or even agree with what some of the more active members do. And in actuality, those activists have been very consistent in their activities, choosing only two or three issues to take up a year, most of which are successful.

I can't stop you or even myself from making first judgements. Life would be chaotic if we didn't organize things around us. You can't stop making first impressions, but look for a second impression and more. Be open to being proven wrong. Humans have an amazing capacity to unfold their complexities and contradictions. Think about it - the more you get to know a person, the less they fit into any box. And on the flip side, don't feel that you have to fit into any special stereotype. It's hard to know that you might be the only one in your group/team/organization who thinks differently.

So start the year open and being true to yourself. That's my soapbox spiel for this week. Until next time, think outside the box.