By Kyle Peveto, Arts Editor

Column Schmolumn

“Chapel excuses are not given for minor illness or doctor’s appointment,” she told me over the phone. “But you can bring in a doctor’s note and see if they’ll excuse it later.”

I called the Chapel office to ask if I could be excused from Chapel because I went to the doctor. I have pink eye. You know, conjunctivitis.

That dreaded elementary school illness that could keep you home for three days but not painful enough to make you totally miserable.

My eyes are blurry and painful and I must keep telling people not to hug me or shake my hand because pink eye is so contagious.

Our subtle opinion editor follows me around the office with a bottle of Germ-X antibacterial lotion, disinfecting everything I touch.

Initially I was upset by the Chapel office not excusing me from Chapel, but I know people are looking for any excuse to skip our assembly.

If the Chapel office doesn’t excuse absences for minor illness or doctor’s appointment, then what does it excuse for? Life-threatening illness and emergency room visits?

In a busy college schedule, it seems like a sick student could get some relief by being excused from Chapel (since missing class means missing assignments and important notes).

Chapel is important. I enjoy Chapel and the fellowship and community it allows us to have, but teachers will often excuse absences for doctor appointments. So why can’t Chapel?

All I wanted was some compassion.

I skipped Chapel anyway, and I hope this column can excuse me from the absences. Y’all can check with Dr. Rector, I saw him Tuesday.