The Importance Of Student Apathy

Student Apathy is on the rise across the world. Most Students think of school and its events as “boring”, “dull”, or just certainly “not care about the issue.” Here at Silliman University, the student government and its organizations plan out events and activities throughout the school year. However, due to the lack of participation from its students, the student government has set up penalties and fees to try discourage students from their apathy. Even as big as an event like the Hibalag Fair week, students just didn't participate on their org booths. Students just stopped caring. Indeed, student apathy is a growing problem in college. However, I believe that the student government should not push events to solve the apathy problem. For one

According to Charles Tita, “Our students must be led to the understanding that thinking passionately and critically about ideas is the pathway to intellectual growth” (Tita, 2010) Why should we go to something we clearly don't care about? Or Why should we go to an event that is opposite of our own views? The reason why we should go to events is because its in our interest. Some teachers disagree, that we go to these events to grow an interest of the issues and show school spirit. However, this approach clearly has backfired and some students clearly grow an uncaring fashion to the issue. According to an interview with Mike Muir of the University of Maine, "We need to focus learning on higher-order thinking activities, address rigor and relevance, and do more place-based, project-based learning”(Cited in Moulton, 2008).This means that if the Student Government and its organizations make us go to events, then it should be something that we know that will be relevant to us or make us think higher about ourselves. Otherwise, all we be doing is wait for the attendance sheet to sign out for. Fees are also implemented so that we have an incentive to go to these events, or pay a fine. However, students nowadays will just pay it off or lie about it to their Organization leaders that they did go. According to various org leaders and officers, these fines are actually giving back to how much

At the end of the school year, the student government pushes the student body to vote on their next leaders for the next school year. They pass out flyers across campus, they print posters and post them on the walls, they print shirts and make wristbands of the elected parties, and even bother learning time in classrooms just so they can show their faces the the students and say what they're fighting for and to vote. However, just like actual elections of presidents and senate member, students stop caring to vote because they don't see any positive change in their society. Students want to see change, and those who are running for offices say they will give change. If students, however, see the same nonsense over and over again, and our officials are being elected because they are popular, or have a big fan/friend base, then why should we vote? There are even students, first-years especially, who just don't know if the Student Government is even working. According to Shayna Korol from Brandeis University, She asks“What power the Student Union holds and what falls within their sphere of influence to change?” (Cited from Tutuer, 2014). If the government shows what type of power they actually have within the university and towards the administration, then maybe students would care and see change may happen so they could have a better school year, or maybe at least get word that that the vending machines