Welcome to my GWorld

Over the past few posts I've outlined what I think the purpose of going to college is. For the next few posts I'm going to explore the mental effects of being immersed in a campus environment.

For the uninitiated, GWorld is the name of the student ID cards that GW students depend on. They get us into residence halls and other buildings, and they also function as declining-balance vouchers (essentially, debit cards) for the GW-mandated meal plan.

Somewhere along the line, somebody in the University Administration thought the idea of calling the card "GWorld" would be clever, or something. But this choice was perfect in many other ways; GWorld is as real in the mind as it is in the hand. We live in GWorld-- it's a mental bubble that is integral to our educational experience, but outside of which we do occasionally need to look. Doing so lets us appreciate what we have and helps us get the most out of this college experience which is, ultimately, transitory.

Inside of GWorld, all is fun and games until somebody gets hit in the head with a hammer in the men's room. Outside GWorld, the world can be a harsh one. Our national discourse has jumped the shark, while violence, economic instability and poverty are spread throughout much of the world. Compared to our struggle against fundamentalism in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, and our attempts to cement our competitive advantage, the debate over whether the 22nd street parking garage should be torn down and replaced with a "Science and Engineering Complex" seems quaint. Inside GWorld, complaints about the quality of the service at the Gelman Starbucks seem to trump concerns about proper nutrition for thousands of DC residents.

This isn't to say that GWorld is worthless or a distortion of reality. On the contrary, the fact the college is so unlike the often ugly and difficult world outside gives it is uniqueness and its value. It lets us focus on learning (etc.) which can serve the world outside in real ways.

(Next Time: "Welcome to My GWorld II: Trapped in GWorld".)

Comments? Questions? Convictions? Let me know at ash1290@gwmail.gwu.edu.

Until the future,
Adam