Wait Chapel at Wake Forest University. Winston-Salem, NC
Published by Craig Corti on 5/18/2023
College students can be great mentors and we would be naïve to dismiss this fact.
Reflect for a moment on some stereotypical characteristics of an average college student. We could probably all agree that the average student is: highly caffeinated, a "wise beyond their years" smart aleck, impressionable, sleep deprived, creative, sociable, experimental, naïve, youthful, procrastinating, hard working, energetic, or overwhelmed kind of person.
With Artificial Intelligence (AI) and many other automation tools exploding into our everyday lives, it is all too easy to label a young student as someone who takes shortcuts or someone who just doesn't understand "how hard things used to be".
Raise your hand if you enjoyed hand writing your essays!
This sentiment might be valid. However, let's not forget who these young people are and what we can learn from them.
Let's explore some case examples, shall we?
Scenario #1: Research paper is due at 11:59pm sharp and the clock just struck 10:00PM
This is an all time classic scenario! To provide some additional context, this student has 8 out of 10 pages written and only 2 hours remaining. Will they make it on time?
Absolutely! A college student knows how to pull through when it really counts.
The deeper lesson we can learn here is that we have more time than we think we do.
Who cares if you are in the final hour? Who told you that you can't start a passion project? It's never too late. Sometimes you just need to put your head down and grind something out. Get comfortable with pressure, take a risk, and have an open/youthful mindset.
Scenario #2: There is a social gathering tonight AND a research paper is due at 11:59pm sharp
Folks, we have another all too common scenario on our hands. This is your classic tale of competing priorities.
This college student finds a way to socialize, come home to knock out the remainder of the research paper with 2 minutes to spare, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. Give them some credit, they really worked some wonders to accomplish this feat. The unfortunate reality is that not all students are successful with this balancing act. Some students miss the deadline.
This lesson is multi-faceted. Focus on balance, build relationships, and take ownership over the consequences of your own actions.
I've applied this lesson not too long ago. I was driving one Saturday afternoon to go for a quick overnight camping trip and as I stopped for fuel, I received a text from an unknown number. A person I had met roughly 2 weeks earlier invited me to a social gathering later that evening with a few mutual friends.
As I finished pumping gas into my car I made the split second decision to turn around and head back home. I socialized that night, made a few connections, and had a great time. Who knows, maybe I would have had even more fun camping?
The moral of the story is that I was actively mindful of having balance in my life that day and I took ownership over any feeling I had about my decision to cancel my camping trip last minute.
Scenario #3: It's Springtime and a college student is scrambling to land an internship. They lack industry experience, but they apply to the internship that truly excites them.
Let's call this student "scrambling Sam". It seems fitting.
Job seeking is particularly daunting for many young students as they become upperclassmen. They are often overly anxious and feel like their whole world depends on it.
This student in particular lets their curiosity take control while they submit the application.
Final lesson = Approach the unknown with energy and curiosity.
The unknown is scary. Find a healthy outlet to release stress, boost endorphins, and build a strong support network. Complement the work you do in this regard with a positive energy and a genuine curiosity to learn more about your daily actions.
Knowing the "why" behind your own thoughts and actions is a good place to start. If you are having difficulty being the source of your own positivity, try to at least be the source of positivity for your neighbor.
You may reap what you sow.
Craig, Old-Timer Mindset
College students can be great mentors and we would be naïve to dismiss this fact.
Reflect for a moment on some stereotypical characteristics of an average college student. We could probably all agree that the average student is: highly caffeinated, a "wise beyond their years" smart aleck, impressionable, sleep deprived, creative, sociable, experimental, naïve, youthful, procrastinating, hard working, energetic, or overwhelmed kind of person.
With Artificial Intelligence (AI) and many other automation tools exploding into our everyday lives, it is all too easy to label a young student as someone who takes shortcuts or someone who just doesn't understand "how hard things used to be".
Raise your hand if you enjoyed hand writing your essays!
This sentiment might be valid. However, let's not forget who these young people are and what we can learn from them.
Let's explore some case examples, shall we?
Scenario #1: Research paper is due at 11:59pm sharp and the clock just struck 10:00PM
This is an all time classic scenario! To provide some additional context, this student has 8 out of 10 pages written and only 2 hours remaining. Will they make it on time?
Absolutely! A college student knows how to pull through when it really counts.
The deeper lesson we can learn here is that we have more time than we think we do.
Who cares if you are in the final hour? Who told you that you can't start a passion project? It's never too late. Sometimes you just need to put your head down and grind something out. Get comfortable with pressure, take a risk, and have an open/youthful mindset.
Scenario #2: There is a social gathering tonight AND a research paper is due at 11:59pm sharp
Folks, we have another all too common scenario on our hands. This is your classic tale of competing priorities.
This college student finds a way to socialize, come home to knock out the remainder of the research paper with 2 minutes to spare, and get to bed at a reasonable hour. Give them some credit, they really worked some wonders to accomplish this feat. The unfortunate reality is that not all students are successful with this balancing act. Some students miss the deadline.
This lesson is multi-faceted. Focus on balance, build relationships, and take ownership over the consequences of your own actions.
I've applied this lesson not too long ago. I was driving one Saturday afternoon to go for a quick overnight camping trip and as I stopped for fuel, I received a text from an unknown number. A person I had met roughly 2 weeks earlier invited me to a social gathering later that evening with a few mutual friends.
As I finished pumping gas into my car I made the split second decision to turn around and head back home. I socialized that night, made a few connections, and had a great time. Who knows, maybe I would have had even more fun camping?
The moral of the story is that I was actively mindful of having balance in my life that day and I took ownership over any feeling I had about my decision to cancel my camping trip last minute.
Scenario #3: It's Springtime and a college student is scrambling to land an internship. They lack industry experience, but they apply to the internship that truly excites them.
Let's call this student "scrambling Sam". It seems fitting.
Job seeking is particularly daunting for many young students as they become upperclassmen. They are often overly anxious and feel like their whole world depends on it.
This student in particular lets their curiosity take control while they submit the application.
Final lesson = Approach the unknown with energy and curiosity.
The unknown is scary. Find a healthy outlet to release stress, boost endorphins, and build a strong support network. Complement the work you do in this regard with a positive energy and a genuine curiosity to learn more about your daily actions.
Knowing the "why" behind your own thoughts and actions is a good place to start. If you are having difficulty being the source of your own positivity, try to at least be the source of positivity for your neighbor.
You may reap what you sow.
Craig, Old-Timer Mindset
