In The Work’s final chapter, Moore describes his book as “a reminder that at every stage of our lives we must make our time here on earth matter” (191). In less than a month you will enter High Point University to begin the next stage of your lives. Our discussion of The Work this summer has been the first step in preparing you for this new and exciting opportunity, and over the course of the year you will continue to engage our common experience theme of “just communities” in your classes and resident halls. Although you will be supported and guided throughout this journey, ultimately it is up to you how to best make your time here, and in the broader communities to which you belong, matter. The Work and the discussion it generated on this blog have given you some tools to help you begin this journey, and in this final blog post, faculty and staff from across campus offer you, the Class of 2019, words of advice on what matters in college and how to make the most of your first year at High Point University.
“Face the challenge. Take a bite out of it. Because that’s the only way growth will take place.” – Dr. Angela Bauer, Professor of Biology
“Read. Read anything and everything you can. I’m not only talking about the books assigned for classes (although you should definitely read these—and your syllabi—and refer to them often), but read a newspaper, read for pleasure, heck, read the back of a cereal box. Read as if your life depends on it, because in many ways it does. Reading exposes you to a world outside yourself, giving you the empathy and knowledge needed to successfully navigate the world.” – Dr. Jenn Brandt, Assistant Professor of English and Director of Women’s and Gender Studies
“What matters? Being vulnerable. Taking a risk. Trying new things. Meeting new people. Being willing to fail. Being open to the possibilities. A great video about Vulnerability is TED Talk by Brene Brown. Worth the watch: https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability?language=en.” – Dr. Christine Cugliari, Associate Professor of Nonprofit Management
“I wish that I would have been less afraid to try new things [in college]. My greatest regret from undergrad is not studying abroad. I didn’t go because I was too afraid of being so far away. College is about YOU. This is your experience, not your parents, not your friends – YOURS. Commit to yourself! It goes FAST. Appreciate every moment.” – Teri Cugliari, Director of Greek Life
“College is about stretching yourself, about challenging yourself, about forcing yourself out of your comfort zone, and that means you’re probably not going to get an A in everything.” – Dr. Briana Fiser, Assistant Professor of Physics
“Be courageous enough to change your plans, and that if you do, the worst thing that can happen is that you change them again.” – Dr. Jenny Fuselier, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
“In your first year of college I recommend joining 1-3 different social groups or student clubs. Try to join a group that is different from the groups you participated in high school. You will experience growth in your networks and in yourself by trying new things and meeting new people!” – Dr. Daniel Hall, Assistant Professor of Economics
“Embrace Sleep! So boring and yet every major study of Freshman life shows that lack of sleep leads to sickness, sadness, poor grades, and social disaster. I know: FOMO kills Sleep. Yet the bravest response is to occasionally wave it off and let your head hit the pillow instead. Go bold and go to bed!” – Dr. Nathan Hedman, Assistant Professor of English
“Hi Class of 2019, and welcome to the world of higher education, where nothing is like high school. I’ve written and deleted about a dozen bits of sage advice—they all sounded odd, and well, we haven’t yet met; plus, I’m betting the people who know and love you already gave you some version of what I’m trying to say. So let me just say: ‘Be yourself, recognizing that yourself will change every day.’” – Dr. Judy Isaksen, Associate Professor of Communication
“The thing to remember is that you made a life change and you’re coming to college now, so there is no reason to expect that you’re walking into 13th grade. This is not 13th grade—this is college. Things are going to be different. Social interaction is going to be different, food, classes, your teachers will be different, because they’re this quirky creature called a professor, so it’s not what you’re going to be used to.” – Dr. Tony Kemerly, Associate Professor of Exercise Science
“From now on, everything matters. You’re going to be building the kinds of skills, attitudes and approaches and so forth that you’re going to take into your life, including your professional life.” – Dr. Martin Kifer, Assistant Professor of Political Science
“Make sure that you always answer the question. Don’t answer the question you want to answer, answer the question you’ve been asked.” – Dr. Robert Moses, Assistant Professor of Religion
Welcome Home Class of 2019 – we can’t wait to meet you!
