Studenthood 2.0

Dear College Freshman,

Congratulations!  You’re at college!  You did it.  You’re really there.

Before we talk about studenthood at college, let’s recap some of your recent high school  accomplishments: You worked for years and conquered that seemingly-endless to-do list for the college-bound.  You took numerous advanced classes, which actually started in middle school.  Despite having hours of homework every night, you also joined clubs, made the team, played an instrument, volunteered in your community, and demonstrated leadership.  You took the SATs three times to maximize your super-score. You asked for letters of recommendation and wrote multiple essays outlining every hope and challenge you’ve ever had. Maybe you even had a part-time job. During all this, you slept occasionally and definitely forgot what boredom feels like.  I’m simultaneously impressed by you and exhausted for you.  I won’t be offended if you stop reading and take a quick nap; you’ve earned it and are probably still tired. But come back, because I have a heartening idea for your consideration.

The Next

Although I’m hoping some of your high school classes and activities were, in fact, enjoyable, let’s be honest; their collective purpose was largely outcome-oriented.  You did many of them so you could say, “I did that” on your college applications.  And that is okay.  The cumulative big picture was essential.  In order to win over those discerning admission counselors, you needed to play the game: be as impressive as possible for 4-5 years of your young life and then you’ll get to move on to the adventure of your choosing.  Though it’s now past, I have to say the weight of that undertaking is pretty heavy… perhaps only rivaled by the weight of your then backpack - both too much for any teenager to bear.  But, like most teenagers in America, you threw everything you had at getting to “the next”.  In this case, college.  And because of this, the joy of a particular class or club probably took a backseat to the need to build your brand.  I am not a part of the “powers that be”, but I am sorry all the same.  

The Now

But, grueling as it may have been, you did it.  You are now a card-carrying college freshman - your chosen “next”.  There are new friends, teachers who are now called professors, and an appreciation for what happens if you leave your laundry in the washer for too long.  But here’s the aforementioned good news…  As a college freshman, you can focus much more on the present.  The experience you are having today.  Right now, you don’t need to chronicle every last thing you join or achieve.  You can choose classes merely because you want to learn something and see where it takes you.  The point is the spark of discovery.  It’s the connection, the engagement, the exposure to new ideas and points of view.  These all come together to create the new most important thing: getting an experience-oriented education.  And all that joy that had to take a backseat in high school? It’s now sitting shotgun.

Studenthood 2.0

This new take on studenthood may not come naturally because, for years, you have practiced an outcome-oriented way of life. I am going somewhere and I need to exist in a continual state of preparation in order to get there. Okay, that idea does have some validity, and obviously college is preparing you for a career.  But for some of us, turning off the “I need to do everything” machine is tricky.  We may not have even realized there’s an off-switch.  But I’m here to recommend a change in perspective. You’ve earned the right to approach studenthood in a slightly new way. Take this time and enjoy learning about something completely new. Or dive deeper into something you already love. Arriving at your next “next” is a long way down the road (and will not require you to answer essay prompts that more resemble questions asked of Miss America* contestants). So find out what astrobiology is or try your hand at comedy writing. Now is the time.

Enjoy the ride,

_____________

*Yes, that pageant still exists.  In fact, Miss America 2026 was just crowned this week.