To the Editor:
During the 3+ years that I have been enrolled as a student at UNH, I have studied dead languages, gone ice climbing, found God, been locked into the beach at midnight, made a hammock, swum in the Mediterranean, seen Old Faithful geyser go off more times than I can count, floated down Firehole Canyon, vomited in the dining hall (on two separate occasions), almost failed a class, shared unspeakable secrets, been inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, been sexiled twice in one night, and traveled to a remote village in Siberia. All these are things that I would never have dreamed of doing, but have because I decided about four years ago to attend UNH. Yet, I have regrets, or at least I am worried enough that I will have regrets in a few months that I am writing this letter at two in the morning. I am concerned that I will never meet the goals that I set for myself after my very first semester at UNH.
That first semester, I experienced many things that freshmen face. I attended hockey games, I had roommate trouble, and I made friends. Yet, I also discovered that there were three things that I hadn't done, but really wanted to. So, I set a very reasonable list of goals. Number one: play in one broomball game; number two: go inside of T-Hall; number three: sled down Wagon Hill. Now anyone can tell you that these goals are very manageable and that is part of the reason why I chose them.
Unfortunately, these goals have become harder and harder for me to obtain over the years, mainly because of fear. I had the chance my freshman year to play on a broomball team; in fact there was a sign down my hall telling girls interested in playing to inquire. The problem was I didn't know the person, and I was too scared to ask. Now it appears that I may have lost my only opportunity. I have not heard of people looking for more broomball players since then. When I thought about starting a team this year I realized that I didn't have anyone else to be on my team and if I showed up to play the one game that I desired, I would have to forfeit due to lack of players.
Fear has also kept me from entering T-Hall. In fact, I climbed the steps before, but I just couldn't open the door without a reason to do so. I have stood outside of it to sing on multiple Wednesday nights and still I haven't gotten any closer to going inside. My third goal has also been well within my reach. Last winter, my mother and little brother came up to visit me and they went sledding on Wagon Hill, while I slept in the car. I had injured my tail bone sledding a few weeks previous, making sitting difficult, and I was also battling bronchitis. Once again I let fear, or maybe it was pain and illness, keep me from a goal that was right in front of me.
I am writing this letter for two reasons. The first is to ask for help from the UNH community, if you can let me play in one broomball game, or find a good reason for me to enter T-Hall, or want company while sledding down Wagon Hill, then please email me. The second reason is to encourage all the freshmen out there to make goals and have dreams and desires, but more importantly to go out and accomplish them. Don't wait until the last minute, go work on achieving them today!
Tanya Whippie Senior
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