Iwould like to take this time to address a situation that affects the entire student body and the surrounding area/rest of the world. You guessed it — Smurfs 2. It doesn’t seem like this would be a universally applicable subject, but hear me out – it’s affecting a greater portion of the population, and we’ve got to take action.
It all began last week.
After a long day of classes, projects, assignments, I was ready to just chill out in my apartment. Low and behold, my suitemate was waiting to ambush me with her most current rant as soon as I walked in the door. When you don’t even have time to set down your keys before your suitemate starts in about flaws in an animated movie, you start to tune out/reevaluate your living situation. You wouldn’t think someone could have an entire rant about the movie of Smurfs 2, but she had gone so far as to narrow her rant to just the preview. Essentially her complaint was that creativity in America is clearly digressing because screenwriters use the word “Smurf” for every line, every joke and every idea rather than coming up with any compelling dialogue. This all seemed a bit ridiculous and over the top at the time, but in retrospection, I see she has a valid concern.
How often are we lazy and uncreative and just insert the word “Smurf” instead of putting in a little extra effort to make something worthwhile?
It’s a “taking the road less traveled” approach, to quote Robert Frost, or even more dear to my heart, Kid President. There are times I just want to take the easy way out, to do the minimum amount of work to get the grade or to be able to say that whatever I’m working on is finally finished. If you can relate to this, then I’m sure you will understand what I mean when I say “Smurf” is our scapegoat.
It may seem like a good idea at the time, but soon you realize its your senior year and all you have to show for it are sub-par projects and work that got the grade, but isn’t worth showing to anyone besides your roommate or your mom.
Recently I was called out in class to give the definition of the word “craftsmanship.” After turning slightly red and mumbling something about “got some skills” or some equally awful response – I looked it up. Craftsmanship literally means “one who practices a craft with great skill.” I’m not talking about crafts as in glue guns and popsicle sticks – although I am talking about Smurfs, so that could be a better alternative – I just mean that whatever you do – make it matter.
Countless teachers have stressed over the years the importance of making yourself “irreplaceable” in your field. While job security is a benefit to this practice, there’s something more valuable than a paycheck when you can take pride in your work and your skills.
It’s a biblical principle, really. So in lieu of all the assignments, projects, tests and whatever else is required of you this semester, give it your best and learn to take pride in you work. It’s going to be easy to slack off, and those who are making decent grades are in just as much danger.
So, do your best, strive for quality and don’t make a Smurf out of yourself this semester.
