BILL’S CORNER
December 2, 2013
The Honors Herald
D’S
Bill’s Corner
We are now near the end of this semester, and that was when I had to pay for a semester’s worth of procrastination. The novelty has worn off on many courses, and the work seems overwhelming. One of your rights as an Honors student is to have fun, but sometimes the fun isn’t apparent, sometimes college is a grind.
"This Broadway's got/It's got a lot of songs to sing If I knew the tunes I might join in I'll go my way alone, I’ll grow my own, my own seeds shall be sown in New York City Subway's no way for a good man to go down Rich man can ride and the hobo he can drown And I thank the Lord for the people I have found I thank the Lord for the people I have found” - Elton John, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters Recent performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmTcnpwcPtw Full lyrics/Studio version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OthHVnG9EKg )
Questions or Concerns about Honors? Email Bill at:
billoffutt@aol.com
There are two opposite pieces of advice I need to give as you launch yourself into these last weeks. First, when the grind seems to be overwhelming, that’s when you should draw on your fellow Honors students, and on me. If you need help in a course, ask someone in your class, or ask the List (yes, you can use the e-mail list to ask for help), ask me. More importantly, if you’d just like a break, take it with friends, take it with other Honors students, or just hang out in the Honors
College is not merely about competing for grades and jumping through hoops—it’s more about shared knowledge and shared experiences. And in the latter, I hope you can be thankful for the people you have found. lounge.
And second, to make it through the next weeks with success, find a place that you can be alone to work for long, uninterrupted periods of time. To do that, you must find a cave, a place where no one can find or disturb you for hours on end. You should disappear and go underground (metaphorically), where there is nothing to distract you. Turn off the cell phone, ignore the distractions on-line, ignore family, friends and temptations, and don’t schedule anything for 2, 3, 4 hours at a stretch. There are caves all around, but you must find one now. Your family, friends, significant others will still love you in two weeks; value yourself and your future by finding a cave to work in. And in this effort, you will ultimately not have to go your way alone.