Apollo Theater!

I had a great time yesterday at the Apollo Theater, thanks to my friend Agnieszka who interned there last year and got a bunch of discount tickets. The 9th floor (all 6 of us who are still at the dorms) made its way there via the M103 where a heated debate about being in Macaulay erupted. I'm not even exaggerating. There was yelling and finger pointing involved, to the point where other passengers inched away from us but still listening and we could tell because their faces were much too expressive for a simple bus ride. The debate basically revolved around the idea of entitlement.

It's true that being in Macaulay comes with perks such as fully paid tuition, Macbooks, free dorms, priority registration, personal advisors, and more opportunities which has created animosity between Hunter students and Macaulay students. Even that statement raised some eyebrows, because we all go to Hunter and there's really no need for that distinction. However, there's a reason that CUNY devised the Macaulay Honors Program: to change the mix of students that go to CUNY schools. And why did the CUNY system need this change? The commonly held belief that students who go to CUNY aren't as intelligent. However, that's really not true. There are some students who are really brilliant but somehow didn't get in or didn't know about the program or didn't think they could get in.

There's a lot of negativity in that statement and that seems to be the attitude the general public holds towards CUNY. Is it justified for Macaulay students to be given all these benefits to increase the standing of Hunter College, and on a grander scale, CUNY? Yes, because we would not have chosen to go to a public school if not for the perks of being in Macaulay. The qualifications for being in Macaulay aren't arbitrary. It's based on academic performance in high school that is predicted to continue, extracurriculars that demonstrate unique abilities, and individual attributes that indicate that desire to learn and grow. But no, because college is gaining knowledge, building character, and finding a passion which shouldn't be motivated by materialism. Besides, being in college is about being in a community that values pursuing academics because that is the reason people are there. Macaulay is a part of the CUNY system and shouldn't distance itself from the advantages it has to provide. Being in Macaulay shouldn't put you on a pedestal.

For some reason, that discussion was what stood out for me in spite of all the excitement and entertainment offerred by Apollo that night. That issue has come up a few times for me in English. Not all of the students are in Macaulay and there are looks when I take out my Macbook or say I live at the dorms. I don't think Macaulay students should be shamed for their achievements, but I also don't think Macaulay students should look down on Hunter students. We are all students. We are here to learn, not to judge or be judged. Let our accomplishments speak for themselves.


Note: I realize the title may be a tad bit misleading now...