The first year in college part 2
I received an email from a first-year student: “My parents like to read your blog and ask me to follow you and if needed, ask for advice. I do not have a question at this time but what advice would you give to first-year students?”
Answer: “You go to college to be educated. Being educated is NOT ONLY about acquiring knowledge BUT ALSO knowing yourself and maturing into responsible adults who can support your family and contribute to your society. As first-year students, you know that you only have a short time to prepare for your future so you should treat time as a precious thing and do not waste it. Today, as students, all of you are not different from others, but in the next five or ten years, there will be a significant difference. Some of you will graduate when others may not. Some of you will have a good job when others may be unemployed. Some of you may travel the world when other never leave home. What you do, what you learn in school will determine your future so DO NOT waste time.
There are many unnecessary activities that distract you from your studying and you need the self-discipline to avoid them. For example, many students spend a lot of time on Facebooks, Twitters, Snapchat, WeChat or computer games. These social media are addictive and waste precious time. Some even contain news and images that promote violence, sexual that could influence your mind and harm your spirit. It is better to read books, as many books as possible, to keep your mind open and broadening your knowledge. As students, you need to know what is happening in the world as well as your field of study. Since you are young, your mind is still fresh and you can learn more so college time is the best time to develop your mind and build your characters.
In every college, there are students who have no direction, no goals in learning but just “drifting” from one class to others as they do not know what to do with their lives. Many can exert bad influences on you if you are not careful. You should understand that college education is a major investment in financial, and time so you should managing your time and efforts accordingly. As you are learning the needed skills, you also develop your characters so you can mature into a more responsible person. After all, it is your life and your future and you are SOLELY responsible for it.
Traditional education encourages competition among students to select a few top students. That model is obsolete because today students must learn teamwork and collaboration skill to work with others. It is better to maintain your own progress rather than compare yourself with someone. Do not be arrogant but humble, it is the key to develop a better character. Do not waste time on gossip, criticize or judging others as everyone has their own perspectives. You need to treat everyone with kindness and understanding. After all, you never know who will be your boss or who will help you in the future.
Time in college has many ups and downs so do not disappoint for things that may not happen as you wish. Be courageous to maintain your own course and keep interested in your own learning. Things will come and go but your educational goals should remain the same. If you can follow this advice, you will do well.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
