The conquest of happiness

By Jim W. Lai

The human mind reverbates from the shock of its emergence, from nature into human society. The terrors of the jungle still stalk our dreams and shape our interprersonal relations. Yet, the vibrations still persist of that dark night in the rainforest when instinct perceived, as if in a mirror its own shadowy reflection. In that moment, by some mysterious alchemy, the mind became aware of an enormous gulf separating its newfound solitariness from the external environment that sur- rounded it. It must have been a dreadful moment of silence, for it was filled with the recognition that it was the beginning of spring the time calling for the renewal of life and the communion of all living things.

Unfortunately, the heralding of spring also brings with it the guant spectre of final examinations, the

Canada Employment Centre on Campus Dear Students:

This is to advise that the Canada Employment Centre on Campus office will be officially closed from May 17-August. 17, 1986. Staff will be relocating to the main Canada Employment Centre at 85 Fitzroy Street and will be available to assist those graduates still seeking permanent employment. The Canada Em- ployment Centre for Students will be opening on April 14th from this same address on the third floor for students who are seeking summer employment.

I will be leaving my on-campus position here at UPEI at the same time. My replacement will be Mrs. Connie Egan. I will regret leaving the university since I enjoyed working at the university and the many friendships I have made here. Since returning in the fall of 1983, I have come to realize only too fully how competitive the labour market has become, even for university students! It was in-

APRIL 4, 1986

in Spring

beginning of an often desperate search for summer employment, and their attendant tortures. Even more depressing is the dread pos- sibility of being totally unable to see valued friends until the distant September has once again re- turned. Thus, spring brings upon us an intolerable melancholia and an unendurable senses of lone- liness.

So, is happiness still possible for students at UPEI in this sorrowful spring season? As calculus professors have taught us, unhappiness depends upon some type of disintegration, or lack of integration: there is a lack of ability to integrate within one- self and between oneself and society. As physics professors have taught us, an unhappy stu- dent comes to feel like a hard, separate entity like a billiard ball, which can have no relation with other such entities except that of

Letter(s)

deed a challenge and an opportu- nity to help students find jobs and identify the career options avail- able to them.

From my experience, many stu- dents find the job hunt terribly frightening and all too often more of a ‘‘hit and miss”’ affairs rather than a “‘hit and win’’ one. Many do not realize that obtaining a degree is not a guarantee to job success without some career plan- ning with it. As Richard Bolles has so aptly put it: “There is a lot riding one one’s job hunt. Not just making money, nor using one’s talents, nor one’s self- esteem. But the greater question of who you are, and why you are here, and what you have to con- tribute to making this world a better place.” You are really only doing it for yourself.

I wish you all success in the future. I hope to be seeing and working with many of veu again in the future.

Sincerely, David Dickie

collision.

Despite these formidable ob- stacles to happiness, it is not impossible nor unreasonable to expect to achieve happiness, particularly in the springtime. Traditionally, spring has been a season of new beginnings and flowering hopes. If somehow one is able to wade through the quagmire of final examinations successfully and find a tolerable job for the summer, then there is hope for happiness. Above all, the most important source of happiness is friendship. The person who receives affection is the person Who gives it. But it is futile to attempt to give it as a calculation, for it is not genuine and will not be felt to be so by the recipient. With this in mind, I hope that everyone will be able to embark upon her or his individual conquest of happiness — before spring is gone.

Public Service Announcement

The PEI Science Fair will be held at the University of Prince Edward Island Gymnasium on Friday, April 4th from 9 o’clock in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, Everyone is welcome to come and view 130 projects submitted by school students throughout the Island.

Re: Community of West Royalty Dr. Peter Meincke Award This award of $200 is available to a student graduating this year “‘who has excelled in the areas of community service”. Examples of this type of service might be: Big Brothers] Big Sisters PEI Literacy Council Minor sports 4-H Church Groups Political parties Application forms are available at the Registrar’s Office and must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, 18 April 1986.

THE

I WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT HOME WITHOUT IT !F

Next week will be the last issue of The Gem for the 1985/86 academic year. People who wish to make submissions for the news- | paper should do so no later than 3:00 p.m., this Monday.

NOTICE TO SENATE RE: Cancellation Of 4 April Meeting

At this point there are no agenda items for the 4 April Senate meeting so it is cancelled.

The next regular meeting will be ‘on Tuesday, 29 April primarily to deal with degree, and diploma candidates but also to discuss other items of business. Should a special meeting be necessary in the meantime, you will be notified.

SUMMER COURSES

Attention students interested in taking second year calculus (251 and 252), a minimum enrolment of 12 students is needed befor these courses will be offered If you are interested, a potential class list will be posted in the Memorial math lab (terminal room). Interested persons are pleased asked to sign before April 18th. Thank you.

‘age 4