
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, May 24, 1994                   TAG: 9405250010
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HIDING OUT

THE SAYING goes that college prepares youth for the ``real world'' and the problems that come with it. Personally speaking, I have yet to meet a young person who feels secure when it's time to venture into adult society. For some, it is the enemy.

Originally, college may have meant concentrating on finding a lifelong career, but most collegiate souls who have crossed my path are concentrating on finding an identity.

We are the children of divorce, MTV and the gluttony of the '80s. We have been labeled Generation Xers, baby busters and slackers. Growing more disillusioned and impatient with adults has only added to a cynicism already within. We have decided to be selfish, and to work on fulfilling our own personal prophecies.

We are idealistic and think we know it all. But with problems such as AIDS, drugs, gang violence and suicide, we aim to survive our youth; therefore we turn inward and learn to depend solely on ourselves. It is not that we don't care about issues in our society, but perhaps that we care too much. In this respect, we are also realists, growing sad but accepting that our dreams for the Earth will never be realized. Many I have known would rather drop out of society than focus energy on reforming it.

Though I cannot help but generalize, I must say that we are all different. Some do have hope in the future and wish to prove critics wrong by accomplishing great feats. Some simply want to get a job and live their life. Others wish to bury themselves deep into a subculture; to belong to a group of peers and take on a Peter Pan attitude of never having to face the aging process. To many, adults are to be despised and made fun of.

Statistics show many young people voted in the last presidential election, which appears as a small sign of hope. But the reality is that President Clinton did a spot on MTV, America's corporate empire for youth, and tooted his horn on Arsenio's show. For some, he stood for ideals our generation blindly hopes for: equality, a cure for AIDS, rights for gays and abortion, peace and justice for all. We questioned the lingering quality of Clinton's promises, yet contradicted ourselves by hoping.

It is reaching the point where we would rather give up on the many and pay attention to the few.

College students these days are less prepared for society because we would like to look out for No. 1, and worry later - if we worry at all. We pursue happiness in a place where it is attainable - our hearts. In many ways, we are still children hiding from a cruel world.

CATHERINE PITTS

JUNIOR

VIRGINIA TECH

by CNB