Word on the street has it that the Up to Us competition here at Stockton has taken over the Stockton community. With tabling left and right, prizes and pizza, there is nothing you can lose when you find out what we’re all about. Up to Us for my team and I for this past month has become a part of our daily ritual: engaging in Twitter and Facebook, and letting our campaign on campus spread like wild fire. Every day’s goal is to come up with creative ideas on how to engage more students and attract enthusiasm.

Creating enthusiasm starts with collaborating with other organizations, and is one of the greatest parts of campaigning. Working with new people, merging ideas and creating awesome and engaging events is very rewarding. Although many students participate in varying organizations, showing students why the national debt crisis is important, regardless of their individual passions and organizational affiliation, is the very essence of this campaign. Connecting with students of all majors and backgrounds, and uniting for one important cause is not only essential but also very motivating. It is through these interactions and realizations that we are all in this together, that friendships and acquaintances have blossomed. In a world where interests and identities dominate our social groups, promoting a bi-partisan campaign is what truly has made this journey an exciting and successful one.

With a sixty-one percent commuter population, involving students can be a challenge. Taking one minute out of a busy student’s day is a challenge in itself. The best part is that these are challenges that we have humbly accepted regardless of the circumstances. When we ask our peers to take the pledge, we show them that we care. We show them that we care because the debt is not only ours, but also theirs. Without collective responsibility and burden of this national crisis, change will not come in due time.