So this is the New Year

As the Collegian's former Opinion Page chief, nothing made me happier than getting dozens of letters to the editor. It didn't matter if they were bashing the Collegian, bashing fellow students, or bashing the administration. These letters are the students' voice in our newspaper, and I love it when the students take advantage of this option to let the rest of the university know what they're thinking.

As the Collegian's new Opinion Page editor, I have to say I'm a little disappointed by the lack of letters we've received so far. I know, I know, it's only a few days into the semester, but what used to be a river has dwindled to a trickle (I know, it's an awful analogy, but if you hate it, write in about it!)

Last semester you had a wealth of things to talk about. The infamous Jay Bundy incident started a wildfire of letters and even a simple, innocuous mention in the Arts section about the meaning of the Confederate flag created an outpouring of letters that we weren't expecting.

Sometimes it's amazing to witness what small things spark debate among the students here at Penn State. But that's the beauty of a college, and a college newspaper. So many differing viewpoints within a small rural Pennsylvania town can be broadcast to thousands through the newspaper, and subsequently, through our web site.

Last semester we got letters from Kentucky, Texas, California and even a few from overseas. Over winter break we even received a few letters from Iran. We get letters from prisoners, from working mothers, from concerned students. We get letters from all walks of life, but they all have one thing in common:

Each letter represents the voice, and opinion, of the person who wrote it.

So what do you have to say?