Fall is upon us, and it’s time to make the transition from Summer to Fall. We must change our mindset from care-free back to studious. Change is all around us; new faces, new classes, and new Professors. Oh, and smoking is being restricted on campus. Both Brockton and Canton will be slowly making the transition to a smoke-free campus; with smoking only permitted in designated parking lots. You may be wondering how this happened; and why you were unaware these plans were in motion. Does anyone remember the smoking survey that was sent to your Massasoit email? Actually the better question is how many of you check your Massasoit email?
I’m one of the many students on campus that rarely use their Massasoit email address. I only really check it at the beginning of each semester. I know I am not alone; because only 636 students took the smoking survey. During the Fall of 2010, there were 8,053 students enrolled at Massasoit, that number being a combination of both the Canton and Brockton campuses. Now, let’s go back in time and pretend that it is the Fall of 2010. If the smoking survey had been conducted, and only 636 students took it; that means 7,417 student opinions would be unaccounted for.
This is such a debatable issue; and everyone is going to have different opinions. Here is mine: We are all at fault. The survey should have been offered in other forms besides in an email. Flyers should have been posted on bulletin boards, and an announcement should have been advertised on the many TV’s we have around campus. On the other hand, as students we have the responsibility to check our Massasoit email. There is no right or wrong here; there is just a glitch in communication. This is a disappointing scenario for me. I have been a regular smoker for about 10 years. I have quit more times than I can count. I have tried every available resource; except hypnosis because that freaks me out a little.
Smoking is something that I struggle with every single day. Plain and simple, smoking is an addiction. I know it’s unhealthy and I know it doesn’t smell good. I hear the lectures all the time. I am occasionally treated like a leper, and get dirty looks when people see me having a cigarette. I am not excusing my actions; but never judge someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. I am not happy about the upcoming smoking restriction; and am sure many of you will agree with me. At the same time, there are many of you who are happy with this decision. I truly wish that there could have been a compromise, so both smokers and nonsmokers could be satisfied. Perhaps certain areas on the campus, not in a parking lot, could be designated smoking areas.
Maybe if people smoking on campus had ever been reprimanded for lighting up near the doorways and entrances; these drastic measures would not have to be taken. Finally, to my fellow smokers, I’ll see you in the parking lot. I will gladly share my umbrella with any of you during the pouring rain; and during the freezing snow. Maybe the situation will change, and maybe it won’t. Until then, be kind to each other; because even though we are smokers and non-smokers; deep down we are all still the same.