The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 20, Ed. 1, Tuesday, November 4, 1986 Page: 3 of 8
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the Abilene Christian University Library.
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The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
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Freshmen transfers
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Freshmen are the third loneliest people in the world according
to the July 7 iuc of the National On Campus Report.
A 20-year study at the University of Nebraska revealed that
almost no one is lonelier than college freshmen.
In fact) the report showed that except for alcoholics people
Jftith low incomes and single adolescent mothers college students
m general arc the loneliest people in our society
About 50 percent of ACU students suffer from loneliness; how-
ever it prevails in freshmen and transfer students said Dr. Steve
Allison director of psychological services.
Loneliness is a natural reaction to a new situation or a crisis
situation which certainly applies to college freshmen transfers
foreign students and out-of-state students said Dr. Michael
Lewis associate professor of communication and Bible.
Students feel out of place strange and odd said Lewis. These
feelings are the roots of loneliness.
; Paul Bedard freshman pre-law major from Dallas said he feels
lonely when he starts feeling sorry for himself.
IJeffery Todd Jones transfer sophomore finance major from
Durant Okla. said he feels lonely when he feels like nobody real-
ly knows him.
1 Many students are like Shelley Levy freshman elementary
; education major from Concord Calif. who said sometimes she
feels lonely not only when she is in her room alone but also when
' she is in a crowd and nobody makes an effort to introduce
himself.
Darren Duvall freshman pre-med major from Austin said he is
loneliest when he sees others together but hdocs not know anyone.
Lewis said most people are lonely when they feel uncomfort-
able with whom they are. They feel like they need protection
from others especially in crowds.
Many people are lonely in crowds simply because they remain
detached from others he said.
Chris Kreidel junior psychology major from Brazil said he
suffered worse as a freshman but he still feels left out when
everyone packs to go home.
Sometimes students go home because they have attachments
there; thus they feel comfortable in the surroundings said Lewis.
Levy said she thinks sometimes "people leave for the weekend
to get away because they are afraid of being lonely and possibly
having nothing to do."
Lewis said many students cannot distinguish between
loneliness and solitude which is being alone with nothing to do.
Many people are not comfortable being with themselves so
loneliness naturally results.
Jones said "When I'm lonely I have solitude; when I have soli-
tude I feel lonely."
Loneliness is a complex emotion said Lewis. People may expe-
rience alienation confusion helplessness and anger.
Duvall said he feels insecure and begins asking himself why
people do not like him.
Levy said when she is lonely she feels depressed and empty.
Some students cope well with loneliness and use it to learn
about themselves said Lewis.
However some do not know how to deal with it and turn to
alcohol sex drugs or otheiymethods of self abuse. He said others
allow themselves to be "used like a newspaper ... then cast
Story by
Leigh Marchbanks
Feature Art by
Kenneth Pybus
aside."
Lewis said he has talked to many students who are caught in a
world of pornography. "The stories are different but the
loneliness is the same."
Lonely people turn to the depressing empty world of "close-
ness for sale" he said.
"Loneliness is a journey to learn more about yourself and
God" said Lewis
The first step in dealing with loneliness is confronting its ex-
istence he soid.a person can then use his time alone to examine
and learn more about himself. He con learn how to be himself
and build closer relationships with others.
Lewis said he treasures his quiet time because it helps give him
purpose
ACU students may suffer less from loneliness than most col-
lege students said Lewis because ACU encourages student activ-
ities which may keep students too busy to be lonely. "But if
you're not careful you can become an activity junky" with little
time to think and pray he said.
Allison said the psychological services department can help
students develop skills to overcome loneliness.
If you are lonely "don't sit in your room. Be around people; do
something entertaining" said Levy. "I try to think about some-
one else instead of myself."
"Loneliness has no effect if you don't give up trying" said
Bedard "Look on the bright side. You won't even remember the
lonely part of college."
Good things can happen thitough lonelirts if students will
become aware of it and face it said Lewis.
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The Optimist (Abilene, Tex.), Vol. 74, No. 20, Ed. 1, Tuesday, November 4, 1986, newspaper, November 4, 1986; Abilene, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth92080/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 15, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.