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I Student Body Vice President B R A Al u 0 t* h\doYC,ov1 IY ^ jhat can Isay? 1 have had an out Wl standing semester and term. ▼ V When I was campaigning, I told the student body that I would do every thing in my power to represent the stu dents of the University of South Car olina to the fullest. I have done just that. I am a resource students should utilize in attaining their own specific goals. I believe I, as well as Student Govern ment, have been a visible force and eas ily accessible to you, the student. I do want to comment on how proud I am of your student senate. There are 40 senators representing all the colleges on this campus. We have not had one meeting where less than 30 senators were present. They have taken the time out of their own busy schedules to take the initiative in developing and planning legislation and programs. They encom pass the power of student leadership. They have been professional, as sertive, and motivated. I plan to make sure this type of student representa j lion persists throughout the rest of the year.Programs such as the ‘Get Naked” clothing drive, block seating, SG online elections, SG’s updated homepage (www.sa.sc.edu/SGA/sg.htm), online syllabi, allocations of student activity fees, Safety Walk, and Campus Cleanup are projects that either have been, or will be, very successful. As for the future, on Dec. 31 the world might spontaneously explode and we won't have to worry about it anyway. However, 1 don't think that will happen. I plan to do more outreach programs to find out what you really want out of Stu dent Government. You see, this article really isn't anything about me. It's about you. What do you want? How do you feel? Is there a problem we can fix? Do you live in an environment that you are forced to deal with every day? Or do you wake up in the morning and tell yourself that today is another day, and that you are going to do the best you can to make the day as enjoyable and pro ductive as possible? 1 challenge every single student on this campus (all 27,000 of you) to do something with your life. What I have learned in the'three-and-a half years I’ve been here is that noth ing will be given to you. If you want it badly enough, you will get off the couch and study, go to work, get involved, clean your room, take a walk or call your pro fessor. I've seen too many students waste their college lives on doing nothing and then complain that everything sucks. It is easy to shift the blame. I've done it myself. But one day, I guarantee you because it happened to me, you will re alize a couple of things: These are ab solutely the best times of your life, you think that you have everything under control, and then you find out you have to do something with your life and make something of yourself. It's a crazy, but undeniable, concept. The beauty of it is that any one of you can make a difference. The question is, will you? Brandon speaks, USC listens by Kelly Haggerty The Gamecock In his own words, Brandon Anderson is just a normal, busy college student. He works 20 hours a week, takes 15 hours worth of classes, and manages to find time to study and see friends. How ever, Anderson is also the vice president of Student Government. An advertising senior, Anderson first took office last February and will com plete his term this February. He said he ran for office because he wanted to help students with their problems and be cause he had been involved with Fresh man Council for two years and enjoyed that experience. “1 told the student body that 1 was no different than anybody else who went to school here. From the time 1 wake up at eight o’clock in the morning un til the time I go to sleep at two in the morning, I have things to do. There’s no such thing as a day off, but 1 have made time out of my busy schedule to be there for the students,” Anderson said. “Anytime anybody has ever given me a call or come by my office, I’ve made that first priority out of anything. If I can help somebody, then that’s what I do. That’s what I love about it.” As vice president, Anderson pre sides over the 40-member student sen ate to keep the order of the meetings. Senate members pass legislation and bills and work on executive and financial codes. One of the projects Anderson would like to see completed this year is his own idea of cleaning the tunnel that goes un der Assembly Street. He would like to pressure-wash and repaint it. Anderson also mentioned the problems he has no ticed with lack of available parking spaces. “Parking is always a problem. If I could change that, I guarantee you I would,” he said. Other than that, Anderson said he has no major gripes about USC. How ever, he does not like the reputation SG has received. “In years past the stu dent body has had a negative outlook on1 Student Government, which is disap pointing. I ran to build good rapport with the student body. 1 want students to realize that we are their resource, not their enemy. Anybody’s voice can be heard. That’s what our purpose is,” An “Quote, Unquote” Every day is a holiday.