The definition of "logic" in my pocket dictionary reads, "sound reasoning."
I bring this up, because lately, quite frankly, I have noticed an absence of logic. The vast majority of us, myself included more often than not, no longer use "sound reasoning."
Emotions, preferences and lack of sleep rob of us of our logic.
Upon realizing this, I started making a concentrated effort at using logic more often when making decisions.
But it wasn't enough. Illogical actions around me bred illogical decisions by me. Illogical decisions that could have been avoided.
During room picks for example, many people face a decision of two or three rooms that they did not initially want. A flaw can be found in each room's résumé. The pick should still be simple: Pick the room with the best flaw — for certainly, of multiple things, there is always a best.
Yet, undoubtedly, a rash room pick will be made, regretted only a few hours later and yet lived in for a full year.
The same logic can be applied to finding somewhere off-campus to live. Sign the lease on the house that meets the most of your needs, not the house that is simply nicest on first glance.
Late DART time? Well, first off, I'm sorry. Assuredly, you'll end up one class short and only a handful of college seminars available. Of the bad seminars, sign up for the one that you think you'll find most interesting, because, again, of multiple things, there is always one most interesting.
Only have time to sleep or to finish your paper? Determine which one you can go the longest without. If you slept in this morning, finish the paper. If the paper isn't due for another week, get some sleep. Not that difficult.
But, we are college students, and often enough, find ourselves short sleep with the paper due in two days. At that point, a point I encounter weekly, we must admit that these grades are not the defining aspects of our lives. Their effect on our future is minimal compared to the experience we gain working over the summer, or the lessons we learn with our friends on the weekends.
If anyone tries to argue that point with me, I am confident my sound reasoning will win, for it is simple — I will remember my hours as a teller, and my nights watching roommates worship the porcelain goddess. I will not remember my 12-page research papers.
So consider this my plea, for the betterment of us all, let us all resume the use of sound reasoning, at least four nights a week.
And I apologize if you found this Inside Column rather boring, cliché, redundant and mundane. I could not for the life of me come up with a topic that inspired me, besides the Yankees and Hideki Matsui. Believe me, I tried.
Fortunately, I don't foresee me writing another Inside Column until, oh, sometime around Spring Break next year.
Logically, I think that is best for everyone.
