UCSD is every one of these things for me. But I didn’t always see that. When I was a freshman, I referred to our school as a complete and utter social black hole. Homesickness and the always impending danger of contracting Triton Eye certainly did not help. And I did nothing to change my situation. Oh how wrong I was.

One afternoon conversation with a Triton Alumni changed everything for me. I got a chance to have a fleeting conversation with the man who served as the A.S. President and who led the vote to approve the construction of Price Center. His one innocent question was, “How’s it working out for you?”

I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine a UCSD without the hub that is Price Center. I said as much to him in my answer to his question. I never caught the man’s name and never saw him again, but his words resounded inside of me. “Every person on this campus has a real voice, and if we want something changed on our own campus, we better embody that change and do something about it.” And that’s exactly what I did, plunging into positions of responsibility within student government, student organizations, fraternities, everything under the San Diego sun.

That’s when I realized how truly special UCSD is. We attend a world-class university that is only fifty years old. In that half-century, UCSD has produced more meaningful contributions to society than institutions twice its age. And every man and woman who has passed through has been a part of that.

It will only get better in the next fifty years. I’m sure of it. Imagine a campus connected by a thirty minute tram to downtown and by a ninety-minute bullet train to San Francisco. Imagine painting your body blue and gold for a Division I football game against a hated rival. Imagine running wild around a magnificent Greek Row. Just imagine.

All it takes to make this a reality is for Tritons to be involved. This letter is a call for Tritons to do exactly that. I challenge every Triton to join the student organizations that are the social lifeblood of our school. Participate in and even help establish Triton traditions. Be educated on new referendums and student government initiatives. Never be afraid to make new friends every single day. I did these things and I can honestly say I’ve had the time of my life here at UCSD. You can too. Best of luck Triton Nation. 

—Shawn Xu

Senior, Muir College