As digital analyst Brian Solis once said, “Community is about doing something together that makes belonging matter.”

We are in a time where we are fussing and fighting with each other more than ever. We argue about topics such as gender roles, politics, COVID-19, pop culture and sexuality among a variety of others.

We all have our different beliefs, and that’s perfectly fine, as we should all strive to be unique individuals with unique contributions to our beautiful campus.

However, with these different beliefs, we need to be able to find the common ground where we can all relate and stand together in unity, and there are several ways to do that.

As students, we come to college mainly to earn our degrees and become productive citizens in our society. However, we all know that the journey to do so is incredibly difficult to the point where a lot of us do not make it to the final stop.

Times are hard, especially considering we are in a worldwide pandemic, so we need to encourage our peers as much as possible.

Take the time to get to know the people you share classrooms with. Work together, study together and earn better grades together as you navigate these courses. It feels so much better knowing you do not have to travel this journey alone.

Be respectful of everyone and their identities. Our generation is becoming more diverse in many ways, meaning we should be more tolerant towards those who are different from us.

Our campus should be a free zone for people to freely express themselves in ways that do not put others in danger.
We should continue to prioritize the safety of our campus, especially considering how it is open to the local community as well.

When news got out concerning allegations of chloroform poisoning on our campus, everyone came together and opened up a conversation on how well our police department does in keeping us safe and how we can continue to ensure that our students feel safer on campus.

This is the type of unity we need when tackling any other problem that takes place.

Above all, we should be a community where the air is filled with positivity. Being nice and respectful to each other takes no effort, even if it’s just a simple smile and wave.

When you are attending class, dining/lounging areas, campus or volunteering activities and sporting events, always be respectful, engaged and kind. Showing that you care about yourself, the community and those in it goes a long way in making our community a more positive place.

Community is about coming together to ensure the development and prosperity of those who inhabit it, and as members of the VSU community, we owe it to each other to put in the effort to keep our community going.

Considering that we are Blazers, this is the best time to bring light to our community in order to extinguish the darkness in these unprecedented, polarizing times.

This editorial reflects the general opinion of The Spectator staff.