Over the past few months, there have been numerous racial incidents on college campuses across the country, such as death threats being made towards students of the black community at the University of Missouri and Greek life at UCLA being criticized for an allegedly racist social event. Racism is not a new problem, but as of late, it has been highlighted in the news and on social media quite frequently. Scroll through Facebook and you’ll see numerous articles and even videos on racist violence. Social media has made it much easier to share content, and therefore, learn about events you wouldn’t otherwise hear about.

This, in turn, has assisted in causing an air of “political correctness” among college campuses. It has become frowned upon and seemingly inappropriate to voice one’s opinion if it is not in line with that of the majority. Classroom discussions have become more tense, as students must be cautious of offending their peers. Recently, the president of an Oklahoma University, Dr. Everett Piper, has spoken up about this rising political correctness. He believes that students are ever-increasingly self-absorbed and narcissistic as they desire that their peers “believe like [they] believe.” Having an opinion on important matters is no longer allowable unless that opinion complies with the thoughts of others.

Consequently, real debate has been terminated. If a student does not feel welcome to speak up about his or her own beliefs, a great deal of learning has been thwarted. The purpose of college is to learn about the world around you and the people around you, to learn that life does not always go your way and not everything is about you. As Piper says, his university “is not a daycare,” but rather a place to learn and to grow.

I do think Piper is a bit strong in saying his university is not a “safe place,” but I agree with his sentiment. Students should feel comfortable on campus and not have to worry about their physical safety, such as at the University of Missouri, but it is important that students not be coddled. College is the first time that many people live on their own and experience the real world, and sadly, the real world is not all rainbows and sunshine. There is a lot about it that isn't too pretty, but you can’t pretend that it isn’t there. Students need to face the harsh realities of the world that they live in and be open to listening to the views of others without becoming immediately offended. College is a place to be challenged.

As a privileged white girl, I find it difficult to write about controversial topics, as I am always worried about offending others, but I find it necessary to voice my opinions. We should not have to worry about perfectly stating every little thing that comes out of out mouths in order to protect the feelings of others. You’re going to come across a lot of different people in life, many of whom will not have the same views as you, and that’s okay. Some people will never understand that their views are naive or ill thought-out, so why try to force them to? It is impossible to truly develop if students do not encounter opinions that make them think and make them act. Instead of victimizing themselves, students should learn to accept these different viewpoints and grow from them.