In five days, I will do the unimaginable. I will accomplish the impossible, join the ranks of few and meet an enormous goal. I will have a $0 student bill balance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
With that taken care of, I’ll don the proverbial cap and gown and take my walk toward responsibility. With a symbolic handshake and a degree in my hand, I will celebrate my accomplishments of the last four and a half years and graduate.
As I walk to the podium, I’ll hear one resounding question through the emotion of the moment, the question that defines my college experience: “Why Nebraska?”
After years of inadequately answering this question, I’m dedicating my final Daily Nebraskan column to giving it the response it deserves.
Why Nebraska?
A naïve and self-entitled 18-year-old, I believed Georgia wasn’t good enough, wasn’t diverse enough and was squelching whom I wanted to become (a liberal, feminist, sexual politics columnist, apparently). So in all my intelligence, I chose a place smaller, less diverse and equally as conservative.
I justified flat land and an abundance of Catholicism with dreams of great football: in my Nebraska tenure, we’ve had two losing seasons and Georgia opened this season ranked number one. Damn the fates.
But as I reflect on the good times and the bad of my college experience, I can say with certainty that my stupidity worked in my favor: As much as I have discovered how unconditionally proud I am of where I come from, Nebraska was where I was supposed to be for college.
Why Nebraska?
Undoubtedly the best years of my life, college has also been stupid hard at times. Nebraska taught me to rise above circumstances to reach my goals.
A first-generation college student from a single-parent family, I got in over my head trying to pay for college, even with an academic scholarship that I worship, er, thank daily (it’s only a small shrine). I assumed loans came in Sam’s Club-sized packages – more than you need for the lowest rates. It’s higher education, an appropriate investment in our future leaders, right? That did not reflect in the thousands of dollars I owed on my first bill.
I did the unthinkable and I asked for help. I also worked three jobs. Whether I was a stubborn fool or independent to a fault, freshman year in Abel Hall was worth it.
Why Nebraska?
A handful of people at UNL have changed my life, helped me meet my goals and shown me that it’s OK to ask for help.
I am graduating in five days in a large part because Dean of Undergraduate Studies Rita Kean, faculty member Debra Mullen, Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid Craig Munier, English and Film Studies advisor Janet Jarvis and Director of Student Accounts Robert Clark believed in me. As a raised southern Baptist, I say to never underestimate the power of belief.
Personally, everything I’ve accomplished is a dedication to my mom, Donna Webb. Throughout college, she encouraged me when I couldn’t muster courage myself, helped put my life back together when I fell apart and raised money to help me continue on here. Loving me unconditionally helps, too.
Why Nebraska?
The Daily Nebraskan. I went into college as a pre-law student and promptly turned my life plan from one of money and prestige to one of words, bleeding heart issues and an absolutely, long-term empty bank account.
Throughout my collegiate writing career, I’ve worked to be a voice for women; for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally community; and for positive sexuality – dispelling taboos surrounding healthy sex lives and, specifically, female sexuality and pleasure.
In many ways, I have succeeded.
Over the past three years, thousands of people have read my columns. I’ve been rewarded for my work on local and national scenes, published everywhere from fellow college newspapers to cbsnews.com and Planned Parenthood newsletters. I’ve won a first-place national award, and I’ve stood amongst some of the nation’s best opinion writers as a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist shook my hand.
I’ve also failed.
At times, I have failed to accurately and appropriately represent my communities and myself, failed to achieve goals and failed to write the scariest columns of all – the vulnerable ones. Many times I chose rebellion and anger in my columns over logic and patience. Other times I hid behind statistics, quotes and numbers, when raw, honest and vulnerable self-disclosure would have been more effective.
I use my successes, my mistakes and even my failures as learning tools. Thank you to every person who has ever read my work, and especially to those who comment. And especially - to both of my fans, thank you for your loyalty. To those who despise what I do and how I do it, thank you for writing and dissecting, for calling me out when I’m factually wrong, when you think my arguments are weak, my logic fallible and/or my voice despicable. I write because you read and because you challenge me to be better.
Why Nebraska?
After four and a half years, $60,000 of debt, 63 football games, several dozen bone-throwing forearm bruises, hundreds of dollars in Nebraska sweatshirts and 10 pounds in Valentino’s pizza, I have superseded being a fan and student: I’m a member of Husker Nation. As I pack my bags and move to Los Angeles for an internship with Ms. Magazine, I know that I’ll likely never live in Nebraska again, but I’ll always be a Husker.
Why Nebraska?
Because there’s no damn place like Nebraska.
Cyndi Waite is a graduating senior film studies major. You can reach her at opinion@dailynebraskan.com.
WAITE: There is no place like Nebraska
Published: Monday, December 15, 2008
Updated: Monday, December 15, 2008
5 comments
Dave
RML, sometimes "edgy commentary" is really just trash.Your call.
Scooterschmit
I'm an NU alum, class of '03, and spent four years in L.A., enjoy...
R. M. L.
Cyndi, I have been reading the Daily Nebraskan for just the past five months as I recently became employed in downtown Lincoln. I am a Husker alumni from way back. Your candor and willingness to say what you think is very refreshing. Your articles have always made me reflect on my own conservative background, and for that I thank you. We wish you the best in the future. We'll miss your edgy commentary.
Edgar Pearlstein
Good luck in your new career. I hope you will occasionally send something in to the DN
cassie
amen
