I 4 - Tuesday, December 3, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 9 .1 L1 1Jdiian &4 Lessons from taking a year off Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MELANIE KRUVELIS and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR ANDREW WEINER EDITOR IN CHIEF Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Abort the special interests Legislature should defer to voters on health insurance proposal proposal before the state legislature could effectively ban abor- tion coverage from health insurance plans. Right to Life of Mich- igan, a group that advocates for restrictions on abortion rights, has collected enough signatures to put the initiative in front of the legisla- ture which could be enacted without the approval of the governor or vot- ers. The proposal poses clear limitations to women's access to important family planning options, and the nature with which the issue has gone forward undermines the process. Lawmakers should avoid acting on the proposal and wait until the next election to allow voters to decide what n our society, we're expected to run a race - a race that will last from when we enter this world right down to the moment we leave it. To move forward, to be the best, to succeed, we're taught that we must look KATE to the future and always be LARAMIE thinking two steps ahead. The collegiate system epitomizes this reality. when you're a college student, you're constantly told that the decisions you make now will shape the future of your entire life - a frightening thought for anyone, particularly those with so little life experience. But my question is this: If we are forever thinking about the future, how can we find the time to figure out exactly what we want in life anyway? How can we run the race without taking a moment to stop and assess where we're going? Two semesters ago I was hit with this reality. I was a sopho- more full of ambition but running out of drive. I was tired of waking up and thinking about everything I needed to do tomorrow, never having the time to focus on today. I had to ask myself: Was the promise of an eventual degree really worth two-and-a-half more years of being exhausted and burnt out? Did I even have another option? I was nervous about leaving the University with only three semes- ters under my belt. After being in public education for nearly three- quarters of my life, I had no idea how to not be in school. But ironi- cally enough, this realization was enough to push me over the edge. It was time to try something new, and for me that meant leaving the Uni- versity and learning to run my life a little differently. I moved back home, found a job and got to work learning how to wake up every morning and live that day to the fullest, not worry- ing about what was going to happen tomorrow or next week. And as it turns out, living in the moment is something that just takes a little practice. Before I left Ann Arbor, I didn't know how to not think about tomorrow or how not to plan and worry and wonder about my future - the race that I was currently losing. After some time, things began caught up in the planning of tomor- row, we'll never be able to fully appreciate the world of today. For those of us who are privileged enough to attend a four-year uni- versity, we should all recognize that college is a choice. It's our decision to be here, and pushing through to finish in four years isn't worth it if we aren't gaining every- thing that could be gained if we took a moment to slow down. After a nine-month break from school, I felt like I knew what kind of future I wanted to work toward. I returned to the race, keeping in mind that the cliche, "the journey is more importantthan the destina- tion," is actually pretty true for me. Don't get me wrong - I'm not advo- cating for everyone to take time off school. For many, it may not be feasible or desired. But as exams are approaching and the pres- to slow down. I came to real- ize that I had been living in a bubble, a world of ambition and drive that leaves little room for exploration or self-reflection. It is often said that your twen- I h- aw and l s A state elections board approved Right to Life's proposal Monday because the organi- zation was able to collect 315,477 signatures. Now, Michigan's legislature can either review and vote on the proposal within the next 40 days or allowvoters to decide November 2014. Given that the number ofsignatures collected only represents 4 percent of the state's popu- lation, the process allowed the proposal to gain too much clout within the legislature, especially considering how controversial the proposal is. Last December, Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a similar bill, stating at the time that it "just went too far." Senate Democratic Lead- er Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) calls this proposal "one of the most misogynistic proposals I have ever seen." Michigan Right to Life has used the same method in the past to present their interests directly to the legislature. Three successful proposals, passed through the same process, created a ban on abortion coverage by Med- icaid for people receiving welfare benefits, a requirement for teenagers to receive parental consent for an abortion and a ban on partial- birth abortions. Former Rep. Bart Stupak, a Democrat from Michigan, Stupak proposed a similar amendment that would ban abortion coverage by plans in the Affordable Care Act and require people to buy separate policies. The proposal was not approved, but individ- ual states are starting to adopt similar regu- lations. Twenty-three states have already JACOB LIGHT I chosen to opt out of the federal requirement to include abortion coverage in their plans, and eight of the 23 states have extended the ban on abortion coverage to include both public and private plans. If this privately funded ban becomes law, then a woman would not be able to receive coverage for an abortion, even in cases of rape or incest, with the exception of a life- risking condition - conditions that led to Snyder rejecting the original bill. Instead, specific insurance riders would have to be purchased before pregnancy that cover abortion, meaning the added plan requires people to prepare for unplanned pregnan- cies and rape - an unreasonable request. These potential added fees would be a bar- rier to quality health care for low-income women and families, preventing them from gaining appropriate treatment as well as creating a financial penalty for victims. Considering the importance of this issue and the consequences it poses, the proposal should not go through the state's least demo- cratic mechanisms. Michigan should not allow special interest groups to dictate the fate of health-insurance plans. The legislature has the ability to push the proposal to the voters and should do so. Before voting, the legislature and people need to be aware of the harmful effects that approving the proposal can create. Ultimately, the fate of this issue shouldn't be relegated to four percent of the population. sure mounts at the end of ad been living in the semester, remember this: 'orld of ambition Taking a little drive that leaves time for your- self is just as ittle room for important as doing well in elf-reflection. your classes. Whether it's a walk in the Arb the best or a night out with friends, we all great can need to slow down just enough to m worry- appreciate what we have and where n in your we are. Tomorrow isn't here yet, ally sup- and as easy as it is to forget, today nd follow is all we really have. Might as well n't given a make the most of it. future is - Kate Laramie can be reached e always at laramiek@umich.edu. ties are supposed to be years of your life, but how they be if you spend the ing about what will happe thirties? How are we re posed to choose a career a our passions when we arer free moment to breathe? Thinking about the important, but if we'r EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan, Rima Fadlallah, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein, Melanie Kruvelis, Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts, Matthew Seligman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe AKIRA SEMBOMMATSU I A program that forgot its fans Let's build a better Michigan Four years, sometimes five, sometimes three. It's not a long time, but it's a time that we'll remember for the rest of our lives. Yet, when you arrive at the Big House on gradu- ation day, the question becomes: What did this time at the University of Michigan mean? What will you remember, and how will others remember you? Last April, the University of Michigan Board of Regents approved funding for reno- vations for the Michigan Unions and Rec- reation Sports Facilities. Building a Better Michigan was formed by student leaders to lead the call for renovations, a call that was carried forward and advocated through over- whelming support from the greater student body. The regents heard students' voices and approved a major overhaul of buildings cen- tral to student life at Michigan. But the buildings are not going to reno- vate themselves, and the work is just begin- ning. Starting this winter, the University will begin the first stage of its renovations on Mitchell Field and the Commons Cafe in Pierpont Commons. Meanwhile, the Univer- sity will choose architects and designers to implement the renovations. Now, more than ever, it's important to make students' voices heard to ensure that the multi-million dollar renovations reflect the needs and desires of a diverse cross-section of our student body. This is where Building a Better Michigan comes in. We are building a core of Michigan stu- dents who will be central in advocating stu- dents' interests in the renovation process. With upcoming focus groups and the ini- tial drafts of building updates starting next semester, we want to give students a venue to work with the University to guarantee that our tuition dollars are spent to satisfy our needs. Our core will work directly with University administrators to advise design- ers, planners, and architects and ensure the building renovations reflect the priorities of current and future students. The opportu- nityto make such a massive and long-lasting impact on the quintessential University of Michigan landmark will not be available to Michigan students again for decades - now is the time to leave your legacy. In the coming weeks, Building a Better Michigan will reach out to students of all ages, majors and interests to build a Core that will work with the University throughout the planning stages of the renovations. We need strong voices to direct the conversation and message outward to engage the larger stu- dent body on the dramatic changes we face in the coming years. Whether you are a Var- sity or Club athlete, or if you've walked by the Central Campus Recreation Building only once or twice, your input matters. Whether you're in the Union for meetings every day or you think of the Union only as a five-story Wendy's, your input matters. We want your stories - the good and the bad. Help us to identify areas of improve- ment, shortcomings, and structural flaws that can make the Michigan Unions and Rec- reation Sports Facilities more inclusive to all Michigan students. Your experiences will inform the conversation. Students interested in joining the Building a Better Michigan Core are invited to apply online or e-mail BBMcoreinterest@umich. edu. The Core will meet regularly through- out the winter semester to coordinate student engagement in the renovation project and craft a cohesive vision for the renovation proj- ects. We'll be holding our first student town- hall meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 6:30 p.m. to explain the status of the renovation project, and identify some of the overarching goals Michigan students hope to achieve through the Union and CCRB renovations. We're only given a short period of time to leave our legacy as Michigan students. With the overhaul of some of the University of Michigan's most celebrated hubs of stu- dent life fast approaching, we're presented an opportunity to make an impact on future generations of Michigan Wolverines. Build- ing a Better Michigan wants your voice to be heard. Join our Building a Better Michigan Core, and leave your legacy at the University of Michigan. Jacob Light is an LSA junior and co-chair of Building a Better Michigan. I don't care too much for ham- burgers. But, like most other good- doing folks, I do appreciate a good burger. There are few things better than chewing into a juicy, medium- rare beef patty between two sesame seed buns. Credit given where cred- it is due. I also don't care too much for col- lege football. Nonetheless, one of the main reasons for my attending the University was its storied foot- ball team. Just like a good burger, good college football is something worth appreciating, and Michigan football just sounded like the best of college football. The winged helmets, the Big House, Desmond striking the pose, the rivalry with Ohio State - it wasn't just college football. It was Michigan football. As a senior graduating in a few weeks, I'm thankful for the Univer- sity. The opportunity to compete every day with some pretty bright kids, a passion for the food indus- try, a fellowship grant to study abroad, relationships forged with both geniuses and goons alike - I couldn't have asked for much more from this University. With that said, Michigan football has been the single biggest disap- pointment about life in Ann Arbor. Of course, the losing sucks. The unfulfilled promises of Big Ten championships sting, sure. But what's worse is the way that our program continues to rip off its best consumers: the alumni, the locals and, most of all, the students. Again, I'm not going to stand here and pretend like I'm the big- gest, most passionate Michigan Football fan out there. I'm not. But some students - a lot of students - absolutely do live and die by the Team, the Team, the Team. Take my roommate, Alex. He's a third-generation Wolverine, and he doesn't hide it. Both of his parents have season tickets and have been taking him to Michigan Football games since he was in diapers. Leg- end has it some of his older family members, in order to stay mentally sane and keep their hearts healthy, now refuse to watch the games live. Rather, they record them, read the paper the next day and only watch if Michigan won. Following, Alex is well on his way, too. He can't watch enough YouTube clips of Fielding Yost doc- umentaries and players from the 70s that I've never heard of. "Hey, Sems, have you seen this clip of (insert Michigan legend) from the 1981 Rose Bowl?" After wins, Alex grabs all of us by the shoulders and starts belting out the alma mater. The Victors? The kid was probably practicing it in his mother's womb. During close games, he can't help but get cynical and pessimistic, always expecting the worst, like a guy convincing himself that it's OK that he's about to get dumped by the love of his life. Except the love of Alex's life has been dumping him for years. He just can't get enough. It's all he's ever known. No matter how many times she breaks his heart, he will contin- ue going to Michigan games. In 10 years, Alex will probably be coming with his kids as his parents did, sit- ting in the seats that he was given with his "seat licensing" donations to the program. This is the story for many Michigan students. All of this love for Michigan foot- ball, and what does it give back? A new general-admission policy with no grandfathering in of current upperclassmen. Weekly e-mails imploring students to arrive early to games so the student section looks good on TV. Endless in-game advertisements to purchase season tickets to other University sports. And above all, an annual, clock- work-like increase in ticket prices. This season, there's a $280 tab for a seven-game schedule. Compare that to Michigan State's season package, which goes for $150, or the $70 University of Alabama charges their students. As for Ohio State University, we finally have them beat: their student tickets are $252 for the season. And yet ... the die-hards still chase true love. I grew up in Boston. Back there, rabid Red Sox, Patriots, and other teams' sports fans live and die by their sports teams. But the dif- ference between Boston fans and Michigan fans is when the Red Sox started veering off their win- ning ways last year, fans stopped going to games. Some would call this simple economics: When the product stinks, demand should and will decrease. But Michigan fans haven't quit showing up. We con- tinue to drink the "Most Wins in College Football History," "127 All- Americans," "42 Big-Ten Titles" Kool-Aid even as we rush for negative 48 yards and get utterly steamrolled by cross-state "Little Brother" Michigan State. Now, I do think the Wolver- ines are on track to get better. Better recruits, great coaches and improving facilities yet again should mean that my buddy Alex will have more recent YouTube clips to watch and should be attending a Rose Bowl in the near future. But what if things don't get better? Why should students continue to pay five-star steak- house money for some day old spicy California rolls from your local supermarket? Would you pay another $280 tab for a full-course Pu Pu Platter of Appalachian State, Miami (not of Florida), Utah, Min- nesota, Penn State, Indiana and Maryland in 2014? Michigan football is overbought. It's past its expiration date. Like an Ann Arbor winter, it is served cold, dry and tasteless. So improve the product. Change the price. Better yet - do both. But until then, this once historic foot- ball franchise will just become yes- terday's leftovers. Akira Sembommatsu * is an Business senior. YEAH, WE'RE ON THE INTERNET. Keep up with columnists, read Daily editorials, view cartoons and join in the debate. Check out @michigandaily and Facebook.com/MichiganDaily to get updates on Daily opinion content throughout the day. THINK YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THESE FOOLS? Apply for a columnist position for The Michigan Daily. 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