“I don’t care if you flunked all your classes last semester … this is a new year, and you have a clean slate,” said David Washington, College of Management assistant dean for undergraduate programs, standing at the front of the Nelson auditorium bright and early yesterday morning.
Washington began his first-day-of-the-semester-lecture (you know, course description, grades, attendance policy … all that good stuff) with a talk that kept my groggy mind not only awake, but captivated at 8:30 a.m.
“But you are the only one who is ultimately responsible for that slate,” he continued.
I think my fellow classmates shot me a few odd glances out of their peripheral vision when I scribbled that quote in the margin of my business management syllabus. But it’s the truth.
Little over a week into 2008, people have already broken their New Year’s resolutions.
The people who vowed to stop eating fast food are back to their daily Cookout trays, smokers have realized the difficulty of quitting cold turkey and have given in to their cravings and the elliptical machines at Carmichael have seen less flabby bodies this week.
It’s so early in the year, and people are already quitting. And yes, a year is a long time to completely deprive yourself of milkshakes and greasy cheeseburgers. Maybe if we lived on Mercury, where a year is a mere 88 Earth-days, it would be easier to keep these resolutions, but until scientists figure out how to protect us from the varying temperatures of -280 to 800 degrees, we’re stuck with 365 days.
Here’s a tip: make rational goals. If you want to lose weight, resolve to go to the gym at least three times a week instead of every single day. Things come up in our lives that mess up our daily routines, so it’s better to settle for something rational first. If you’re still meeting this goal after a few weeks, then increase it. Don’t resolve to never eat fast food; instead, say you’ll eat less.
Even if you were too hung over on January 1st to make New Year’s resolutions, it’s not too late to make new semester resolutions.
Your parents, your rich uncle, you, someone — is paying for you to be a part of this collegiate life. You do have a new slate to work with now. Even if you slept through all your classes the past couple days of class you’re probably not doomed for the rest of the semester.
Get organized. Get your school and study schedule set and figure out what else you have time for. A great new semester resolution is to be more involved.
There are plenty of clubs, intramural sports, Greek organizations and other groups right here on campus. Our university also does a great job fundraising for the community with the upcoming Krispy Kreme Challenge and Polar Plunge.
Life isn’t about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself. Another thing I got out of Professor Washington’s “motivational speech” is that college is both a privilege and an opportunity. It’s a chance to get a great degree and try new things. Make getting involved your new semester resolution. Start now. Carpe Diem.
How will you change for the better this semester. E-mail Jessie at viewpoint@technicianonline.com
