Ask yourself what the most defining aspect of college is. Hundreds of images flood to mind, probably making a one-dimensional definition seems impossible. Perhaps the common thread binding all of us to this educational experience is change.

After exiting the cookie-cutter political ideology that pervaded throughout my high school, I came to the University of Wisconsin only to realize that many of the political beliefs I held so strongly were in contrast with my morals. Through classes, encounters with students of different backgrounds and workplace experiences, college, in my mind, has been defined by the change it has invoked in my political opinions.

With Rush Limbaugh's book on the third shelf of my family's living room bookcase, it is not surprising that I entered college with strong conservative Republican beliefs. My political expectations for college were about the same as if I were to jump into a tank of sharks. Verbal punches were waiting to be thrown at the first flaming liberal who would inevitably try to moderate my beliefs. Yet just more than a year later I find myself with completely altered political views and a more relaxed approach to learning about others' thoughts.

This liberalization of opinions is of great interest to conservative thinkers who believe the balance of political ideologies found in university classrooms has tipped too far to the left. It is no secret that the majority of UW faculty has liberal political views. This liberal majority can be overwhelming when in a small discussion group, perhaps causing students with conservative tendencies to be hesitant with their rebuttals.

Mandy Humenberger, a sophomore at UW who acknowledged her political bias at the start of her freshman year as "extremely conservative," likened some of her experiences in class discussions to walking on eggshells. "Even if you disagree with what a TA is saying, it seems pointless to engage in an argument when that person will be grading you in the end," Ms. Humenberger said. According to her, exposure to different political perspectives has helped accommodate her strong conservative views into a much more moderate political standing.

Though a minority in most classroom situations, conservatives have an outlet for their voices in student organizations. With the largest College Republicans group in the state, UW is far from designating conservatives as the official scapegoat. Conservatives have a voice on this campus through religious student interest groups and College Republicans.

The results of a college education are just as indefinite as attempts to pinpoint the most defining aspect of college. The phrase "What you see is what you get" has no place on a college campus. Rather, the phrase "You break it, you buy it" has a certain significance in relation to the university's effect on my political beliefs. College courses challenge theories once considered facts in high school. Whether the university's bias is in line with a student's particular opinions or not, a student ends up questioning his or her beliefs when met with opposing views.

For many, this clash of politics begins with a debate and ends with further polarization. But for me and for many other students, these disputes lead to uncertainty and moderation of opinions. "You break it," by disintegrating personal beliefs in an attempt to understand others' opinions. What "you buy" is an accommodation of your opinions that can often result in the alignment of your views closer to the majority's.

It would be unwise to judge all students seeking a college degree as flaming liberals, or to assume that the end product of a postsecondary education is an overall liberalization of political views. As I have quickly discovered, living on a college campus and taking courses at UW calls for a reconsideration of political views. Though our campus is dominantly liberal, student organizations certainly provide an outlet for conservative thought. We may all have different opinions on the most defining aspect of college, but no matter in what direction our energies are concentrated, we must consider change to benefit from our learning experiences.

Rachel Krystek ([email protected]) is a sophomore studying journalism.