It takes way more than half a day to prepare a turkey fit for an average family—never mind the stuffing, the gravy, and all the fixings. It’s a good thing we’re not responsible for preparing Thanksgiving dinner for our families, since this break gives us an impossibly small window of time to get home. There are certain things in life that should not be rushed. That includes Thanksgiving dinner and Thanksgiving break.
While gravy is more often than not effective in salvaging the all but petrified remains of an overcooked bird, no amount of prayer or medicinal medaling may alleviate the suffering of salmonella poisoning induced by an undercooked one. A few more days would surely be the cure for what ails us during this holiday.
During this year’s New Student Orientation, first-years hustled through a packed schedule of info sessions, adviser meetings and the traditional bakery run. But the one event they didn’t attend was the Sex Signals discussion.
This small-group discussion, which in past years followed the Sex Signals performance, ensures that first-years put the performance in the context of Grinnell. Disappointingly, due to a combination of poor organization and confusing schedules, the discussions never happened this year. Student Affairs responded to student concerns by assuring that first-years would participate in an alternate discussion at some point during the semester.
It’s almost Thanksgiving break, and the discussions have yet to take place. First-years missed out on a unique opportunity to think about sex and sexuality at Grinnell. Sure, Sex Signals gets students laughing—but the best way to get us thinking is with a frank discussion. And those sexual misconduct policy pamphlets we got in our mailboxes aren’t an adequate substitute.
Student Affairs shouldn’t forget about its commitment. Discussions would have been easier to organize and better attended during the early weeks of the semester. Still, an honest discussion of sexual dynamics at Grinnell is one event that we would rather occur late than never.
Right now, you’re probably one of 1500 people reading a paper copy of the S&B. Last week, though, we launched a new website. The S&B was able to break news of national interest, but only because of a form of distribution beyond the confines of Grinnell College.
The internet and blogs are shifting the traditional media system of major newspapers and network television. Now, anyone can start a blog and report the news themselves. Digital media seem to be hitting today’s political culture particularly hard. The U.S. attorney firings scandal first gained momentum in blog culture before becoming a dominant political issue, and the democratic take over of Congress last year is partially credited to the ‘netroots.’
College newspapers like the S&B are among those who gained an advantage in the brave new world of blogs. Small news sources are no longer limited to distributing paper copies in their immediate vicinity. Posting newspapers online makes them accessible to students’ families and alumni, but also to a wider audience. Most of what you find in the S&B will be of little interest to those outside Grinnell, but digital journalism makes it possible for us to share relevant stories with a wider audience.
Some in the journalism industry worry that the growth of alternative news sources will destroy the traditional system—and with it, objective journalism. It is true that newspapers are hurting, as papers suffer from corporate conglomeration and staff cuts. And some blogs do post particularly spurious content. But we suggest that the rise of digital media doesn’t mean the end of objective reporting. As smaller media outlets find stories missed by the mainstream press, journalism could be on the road to a productive collaboration. But if you’re terribly attached to this paper copy in your hands, don’t worry—we are too.
