Make Winthrop the happiest place on earth

Anna DouglasBy Anna Douglas

I bet you’re a smart person. You’ve already made one smart decision - you came to Winthrop.

I thought about writing 500 words on networking and how to succeed in college, but I figured that there’s plenty of time for that later.

Right now, you’re just starting out.

So, I’ll offer you some “fun” advice that will be icing on the cake once you figure out what you want to major in and what pictures not to post on Facebook.

Make Winthrop your own personal Disneyworld.

Rock Hill may not be the flashiest city in America, but this campus can be the happiest place on earth if you take in everything it offers and are willing to give something back.

Disney may have us beat with its Animal Kingdom park, but our grounds crew is great at creating a jungle on campus with pine needles. If you don’t know what that means, just wait until you find yourself wading through pine needles in front of Kinard in the coming months.

We come close to Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon with Winthrop Lake, but I wouldn’t recommend getting in the water.

Winthrop gives Epcot a run for its money. Students from all over the world come to Winthrop - some for a semester, some for four years.

Thomson Cafeteria even tries to get in on the international mix periodically with speciality foods. Its “international” cuisine is usually less than impressive, but Fiesta Night isn’t bad.

You don’t have to go to Hollywood Studios to see a performance; plays in Johnson’s Black Box Theater and DSU events always provide quality entertainment.

Take a stroll down Main Street, USA aka Scholar’s Walk, and you will surely notice our brand spanking new Magic Kingdom attraction.

You can dine in the DiGiorgio Campus Castle. If you’re lucky, you may run into members of the royal administration.

The president’s office does feature a balcony, but I’m not sure you’ll be seeing Tinkerbell take flight from there anytime soon.

And if you think Woody from Toy Story is a good sheriff, wait until you see Campus Police in action. Every week we’ll run the antics of students and visitors in our police blotter, and you’ll see just how busy the men and women on the Winthrop force stay.

You may not appreciate the parking tickets they write, but all jokes aside, we have good cops.

Disney’s “It’s a Small World” ride is almost the perfect match for the culture at Winthrop; the Winthrop world is a relatively small one. You should find it very easy to get involved in organizations on campus and take part in meaningful class discussions.

The best advice I received as a freshman (I think Frank Ardaiolo said this) was to leave Winthrop a better place for me having been here.

It’s been a philosophy that has served me well, and I hope you will find some meaning in it as you make Winthrop your home away from home.

If you aim to make Winthrop the happiest place on earth and find small ways to better the community, you will have an unforgettable college experience.