“We are all teachers here.”

I remember that this line really caught my eye the very first time I entered the Bertrand Library. This line perfectly defines the type of attitude that we, as a community of learning, should adopt. Life is but a great learning process, and college is the one place where this idea becomes the most relevant.

Too often have I heard someone say, “I’m better than everyone else” or “I’m inferior to everyone else” or phrases similar to that effect. The person thinking he or she is better than everyone else ends up dismissing everyone else’s ideas, while the one who feels inferior will never dare to speak up.

Education is not something that’s strictly defined. There are many different qualities that make every one of us unique. We have had experiences that define the way we do things and the way we view the world. It is important for us to realize this and keep in mind that there is always something we can learn from every single person.

The problem with a discriminatory attitude is that it is the opposite of the student attitude. Instead of seeing others as people we can learn from, those with discriminatory attitudes end up dismissing others’ ideas because of their gender, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. This is the exact opposite of what an institution concerned with learning should be encouraging.

The recent WVBU incident has left the University questioning what defines the campus community. Behaviors such as laughing at, expressing anger towards, or hating someone who is different are expected from children, not educated, young adults. Growing up is about not being a child anymore–realizing the importance of education and the value of learning. Growing up is about realizing that we all have differences, most often things that we have no control over. It is about realizing that learning is the essence of life, and a student attitude will take us a long way forward in the process.