With 18 days left until I have my degree, it’s more apparent to me now than ever that being able to attend an institution of higher education has been a privilege, not a right. If I have to impart any wisdom in a column before I go, I hope this is it.

Every time a crime story in The Pacer named a student this year, I received a handful of e-mails blasting the integrity of the editorial board for running the name and offense, saying that the offender was “just” a college “kid,” and that “everyone does stupid things in college.”

While I hope that my successors turn their investigative abilities elsewhere, last time I checked anyone over the age of 18 is considered an adult and fully liable for his or her own actions.

Tell that “everyone does stupid things in college” stuff to those of your former high-school classmates who weren’t fortunate enough to attend college. Use your privilege as an excuse in front of people who have children to support already and a job they might lose if they did the same thing that, for you, only warranted a mug shot and a rehashing of a police report in a newspaper with limited circulation. It won’t hold water with them, either.

Enjoy your time here while it lasts, and do so responsibly. Unless you are very lucky, you will probably not be around people with such diverse backgrounds again.

Probably most importantly, remember that the staff of The Pacer can’t run what doesn’t make the police report – so if it does, man (or woman) up.