Halloween has really got me thinking that life, at any stage, is about creating. As kids we are busy fashioning the perfect costumes; as we get older, it’s crafting the suspension of disbelief at a haunted house; and as college students, no matter what we decide is our perfect Halloween recipe, we’re making memories.
As I sit here, watching movies with the people I love, I can’t help but wonder: are we actually creating enough? Or are we just doing what’s needed to get by and maintain what’s already there? Do the realities of adulthood limit our willingness to try new things?
ASUNM is a strange balance between maintenance and creation. On any given year your student government is doing a lot of the same things as the year prior, because that’s what has worked habitually. But each administration runs on the promise of something different, something better.
Our administration is hoping we can deliver on that promise. We want to create more opportunities for students as they pursue their own dreams of invention.
Sometimes the financial burdens of an education can prevent people from having the freedom and flexibility to create. So, of the many things we’re working on this year, the latest is providing more financial aid to students.
In addition to having a record-breaking number of applicants for our fall semester scholarships, this spring semester we are happy to announce we are working to create four new $1,000 awards, bringing our total in the spring to potentially seven scholarships. These are still in the works, but our office is busy ironing out the criteria and details so they are ready to go.
If you have any ideas about what types of scholarships you would like to see on campus, let us know. We want to provide options to students who normally wouldn’t fall into the more stereotypical scholarship boxes. Tell us your story and let’s think of a creative way to reward our students together.
No matter what, try not to get stuck just filling shoes; shape your own every day. Always create, even if it’s as simple as drawing a Day of the Dead sketch to share with a loved one.
Alexandra Cervantes is the 2015-16 ASUNM vice president. She can be reached at asunmvp@unm.edu.
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