Who is really sitting next to you and what is their problem?

Sometimes we don’t realize that the student or person sitting next to us may be struggling with family or relationship problems. They could be struggling to pay their tuition, balance school with work, family, friendships, a relationship or all of the above. So often people, myself included, are quick to judge and assume that the person who was rude or comes across as a jerk has a chip on their shoulder. Often not realizing that there could be something more going on in their life than what is seen when interacting with them.

I see this a lot as the Associated Students CareBank coordinator; which is a service that provides needy students at Fullerton College emergency assistance with transportation and food assistance. When I sit and talk with students on a one-on-one basis the real struggles they are facing are revealed. Many students who are struggling are those you least expect. They are the ones sitting in the front row or chatting with you before or after class, yet it is never known that they may not have had anything to eat all day or longer. That they have no idea if they will be able to afford a bus pass or fuel in their car to get to and from campus for the next class. Having been the A.S. CareBank coordinator for over a year now, I am amazed at the perseverance of so many of the students who attend Fullerton College. They inspire me and allow me to put my problems into perspective and think, maybe things are not as bad as I make them seem.

I would encourage everyone to reach out to that person who may be having a bad day with a simple smile or kind word. I know for me on a bad day hearing a kind word from a friend or even a stranger can make a big difference. It’s the small things we can all do to help make FC, and life in general, a better place. Get to know each other, even a professor you may have that is not the most pleasant. Spending a few extra minutes before or after class getting to know and talking with them can allow you to see things from their perspective. There is always a reason and cause for why people behave the way they do, although it may never be revealed, at least an attempt was made to try and understand it before just assuming they are jerks. I encourage all of us to get to know one another, at the very least those we interact with and see on a regular basis. Give it a try…what can it hurt?

Until next time!

Joey McIntosh

 "The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success" - David Sarnoff

Welcome New & Returning FC Students!!!

Hello to all of our new and returning Fullerton College students! My name is Joey McIntosh and I will be one of this semesters FC bloggers. I’ve been at Fullerton College since Fall 2010 and have been heavily involved with the Associated Students since I began attending FC. During my first year at Fullerton I became involved by becoming an A.S. Senator and continued through last year as your A.S. Vice President. I also served as a state level Senator from January through June for the Student Senate for California Community Colleges; which is similar to the Associated Student government here at FC, but they deal with issues on a statewide level. I will be continuing at the state level this year and focusing a majority of my time there so I can ensure all of the 2.6 million community college students are represented fairly and advocate on issues that will benefit all students. There are a lot of things happening locally and at the state level that could potentially change community colleges.

November will be a deciding factor on what changes community colleges will face, but also the UC’s and CSU’s. Why November? This is when voters will decide if they want to adopt Proposition 30, Governor Brown’s tax initiative, or not. If it fails the community college system will receive a $330 million mid-year budget cut, causing some colleges to close their doors completely. There are other serious issues that both the community colleges and students will be facing over this next year. But remember, as students we can make a difference to ensure education does not suffer during these tough economic times. I will elaborate more on these issues in future blogs.

As you can see I am passionate about ensuring students are aware of what is going on at all levels and understand the impact it can have on all of us and our educational goals. And spend a vast majority of my time staying up to date on local and state issues, as they are constantly changing. I wish everyone a great start of the Fall semester! And I encourage you to become involved in some way during your time here at FC, either through a club, student government, or a variety of other options. Good luck!

Until next time!

Joey McIntosh

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, and to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson