By Jason Glynn

Can you believe that we are 6 weeks into this semester already? Time flies when you’re having fun right? As college students, we can often find ourselves locked up in a room doing homework or studying for a test. However, that may not be the most effective method. As President Bush showed the world with the invasion of Iraq, the ‘go at it alone’ strategy often falters. Teamwork and interdependence is where it’s at. The motto of the Three Musketeers was, “unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno,” or, in English – all for one, one for all – there is a lot of truth to this saying.

It is scientifically proven that working together on problems is far more effective than doing it on your own. So if you’re struggling with a class, it might be best to come out of your shell and get help from others. Better yet, you can start a study group. You’ll be amazed at how someone else’s perspective on a situation or issue can open your eyes to deepen your understanding. This requires a new skill though, slightly more humble than what President Bush exuded.

Interdependence: this is a skill that they don’t teach much in school, yet it is an essential life skill that everyone must develop, unless you prefer to live an insular life, shackled up in a box. Do not confuse independence, which is what you’re taught while you’re young with interdependence. With interdependence, we become mutually reliant upon each other, this is essential for the success of all teams, organizations, and most people. We all share this Earth, and many of us in teams work towards a shared goal.

The path, or vision to achieve that goal may vary much like individuals do, but we still must put aside our differences and work together. At The Beacon, we are no different and surely not immune to this. We have a diverse staff, with diverse perspectives, visions, and equally diverse talents. This all lends itself to a stronger team, stronger than any one individual on the team. As Aristotle said, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” We have issues at times; personality conflicts, differing opinions, and sometimes these lead to mistakes, but what makes us stronger is when we work together to overcome these issues that arise.

So if you ever struggle in your team, studying, or social situations, just remember that at the end of the day it is teamwork and collaboration that move mountains and get things done.

Now onto some Beacon news. We are gearing up to cover Maine’s gubernatorial race and it’s fixing to be a good one! I have contacted the three big contenders: sitting Republican Governor Paul LePage, Democratic U.S. Congressman Mike Michaud, and Independent challenger Elliot Cutler. We will still strive to have non-bias coverage, and present to you all knowledge we require in a fair and balanced way. We will be reaching out to the greater SMCC community the closer we get to the fall. As of now, our hopes are to interview each candidate as part of our Beacon Speaks series, and this would require someone with some video skills. Cliffhangers and CNMS students this is to you!

Lastly but surely not least, we are always looking for more help with our publication. If you like to write, draw, take pictures, edit, format, design, or just want to be part of something bigger than any one individual then contact us. We are always looking for a sports writer, I’m sure there is someone out there that goes to the games often and is proud of our Seawolves, if that’s you, then please contact us.

Send all inquiries to us at mbeacon@smccme.edu and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/thebeacon.smcc