While abroad, cyberspace keeps you at home

By Lindsey Bosse /// Staff Writer

On the southern side of the equator, about three hours ahead of Portland, 11 Lewis & Clark students spend most of their school time in a little academy in downtown Cuenca, Ecuador. There are four computers with fairly slow Internet that the students are allowed to use in their off time. During one of the routine 30-minute breaks, I check my email only to find that Annalisa Peterson, Dean of Students, 3CE and Opportunities and Announcements have emailed her more than any of her friends or family. This is not to say that my mother and friends have not emailed me, because they have, but how are they supposed to keep up with the multiple, daily emails sent to me by the College?

Once upon a time I saw a need for all this communication—that time was when I was the Editor in Chief of the Piolog and therefore found great excitement in new cups at the Bon and the celebration of Dickens’ birthday. But now? When I’m trying to figure out all the different irregular verbs in Spanish and why there is only one species of bear in South America, I just really don’t care. Which makes me wonder, of all the kids who are working on their theses or trying to pay rent, eat and buy textbooks or who are mid-new-relationship, who actually does care? Opportunities and Announcements is nothing short of a novel, and while the information is useful and I’m sure there is cool information, I just can’t capacitate it—even when I do have the necessary half-hour it would take to read the whole thing. 

Plus, um, hi, I’m in Ecuador…I can’t really make it to Council Chamber by 5 next Monday. Shouldn’t there be a little notice on the email server that says I’m gone? 

I can only imagine the students other places with even slower Internet than our little school here in Ecuador. They probably have rare access to the Internet as it is, and then they have to sift through all these notifications of celebrations, big red, Bon cups and what have you, just to find the “Hey Sweetie” email from their parents. Annoying. Really, really annoying. We’re not there. We don’t have time or hard drive space for your emails—you should know this.  

Overall- what I have learned from this is that we get a hell of a lot of emails from LC on the reg, and only a small percent of the emails we receive actually pertain to all of us. There are really great solutions. Some are already used, such as placing the most important information of the email in the subject line (that way, you don’t even have to read the email), like “Interested in giving feedback about Growers Alliance CSA?” Love it. I know exactly what this email is going to say, what it wants from me and now I can either throw it away or save it to answer when I have more time. On the other hand, “3CE News: 2/10” is a little vague, and uninteresting. Had it said, “10 Reasons You Won’t Get Hired,” I would know if I needed it or not, and might even read it.

LC is an absolute hot spot for activity and information, we are lucky to be attending a school where the all information is so easily attainible, and I understand that email is a great way to send what you have to say to as many people as possible. However, we should all (myself included) try to be more efficient and more persuasive emailers. Lure your reader in and try to aim for the reader that cares. Seriously. It’s not enough to just send out mass emails in hope that someone will listen.