Emily Harris
Staff Columnist
This semester, Washington College students seem to be taking advocacy and awareness campaigns to a whole new level. The most eye-catching event was a brave group of students wearing bras outside of their clothes, and then donating them to former sex slaves in the secondhand clothing industry in Mozambique. Needless to say, WC students know how to draw attention.
In the coming weeks, the College will witness what is arguably the largest awareness campaign on campus every year. Relay for Life is taking over campus and Facebook, and students from all different organizations are coming together to participate in the event. The penny jars in the dining hall greet students on their way to every meal and fundraising is in full swing.
So what does this mean for students who choose not to participate? Just as in any other awareness campaign or event, such as the LGBT rights campaign that is also underway, students may choose not to participate for personal reasons. However, when so many people are coming together on campus to support this goal, I can imagine there is some pressure to join. Particularly if you are already involved in a team or club that organizes a Relay for Life team, there is added pressure not only to participate for the sake of supporting the school, but also to represent your organization in a positive light.
The fact of the matter is, some people do have a lot emotionally invested in Relay for Life, and that is what makes the event successful. On the other hand, some students may not feel that this is the best way to bring about the change that the event is reaching for. Sophomore Sam Mason is one student who feels Relay may not be the most beneficial way to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
“I don’t participate in Relay because I believe there are better uses of manpower and time, and I also believe in supporting a cause whole heartedly rather than for one night. While the committee members do this, many of the participants don’t,” he said.
Even though this argument may not convince everyone that it is acceptable to miss the event, I don’t see a problem with abstaining from the campus craze that is Relay. While Relay draws support from the college community and brings everyone together, it requires a lot of work for what is ultimately a one night stand for many students.
This may add shock value when our school raises an outrageous sum of money in a 12 hour time period, but could it be more beneficial to have a more consistent fundraising effort throughout the year? A perfect example would be the breakfast sandwich fundraiser this past Sunday, which was a Relay for Life fundraiser. Rather than limiting these ideas to one event, they could become more regular occurrences. That’s the great thing about college students: we’re always hungry.
Some of the awareness campaigns that have been appearing on campus are memorable and effective, and while they are still demanding projects, they may take place over multiple days or weeks. I’ve begun to realize that the longer students are confronted with an issue, the longer they will remember it afterwards. A less aggressive approach on a more regular basis may, in the end, benefit both those who run the campaigns and those who are asked to participate. Students may feel less cornered or pressured, which is how they may feel when skipping a huge event like Relay for Life.
However students choose to raise awareness and money for a cause, there should never be an expectation for every single person to participate. I think it is important to acknowledge that participation in any cause or campaign is voluntary, and all we can offer each other is the support we are willing to give based on our personal beliefs and priorities.