Welcome Back to School, Texas Tech

Sunday morning Walmart was swamped with moms and dads picking up dorm fridges, toasters and other dorm supplies. Make no mistake, Texas Tech is back. If I may be so bold, I have a simple suggestion for all students. Don't be a statistic.

It seems like every year a Tech student dies in a crash or some other tragedy ends a life pretty young. That's just the big tragedies though. There are also a ton of other life changing events. Every year there are allegations of rape, unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (some that aren't cleared up with a simple shot).  Then there are those that get distracted from the real reasons they are here and simply get thrown out of college.

There is a certain arrogance that builds up around some college students (emphasis on some). You're in a small town that caters to you. Some find the locals stupid or backward compared to the cities they came from. This can often backfire because while you're in a town that appreciates you, we're also a town that knows that there are 30,000 more of you (and we get fresh ones every year).  So keep in mind, we're happy to babysit you while you're away from your parents, but it you act up, we're more than happy to send you home with a spanking.  You just have to remember that while you're being treated special, you really aren't that special.

So you have a situation that could be the best years of your life, but you have the fact that tragedies both big and small happen. Be careful and be smart. You are also the guest of a really great town that's happy to have you here, but will turn against you if you misbehave. If you just exercise a little judgement, it won't be you on the statistic list this year.

I hope you have some truly great years here in Lubbock. They will be what you make of them.