Finding that Happy Medium: Using Your Time at Wabash
The primary resource required to succeed in campus activities is common sense. Common sense is, of course, one of the traits most lacking in college-age males. The following is a brief summary of knowledge gained from my experience thus far in Wabash College activities.
Find what you like and start devoting time and thought to it. I like the law, so I spend time in Student Senate, political science courses, and moot court. There are clubs for every interest imaginable (http://www3.wabash.edu/orgs/senate/Index/Recognized_Organizations.html), so find your activity, and work your way up to a leadership position. Do not get involved in ten clubs with a full class load, but two or three organizations should do the trick. Remember, you gain much more when you invest significant time and energy. As a Peer Advisor at Career Services, I can tell you that it’s not quantity, it’s quality. Build your schedule slowly and deliberately until you’re jumping higher hurdles than your peers at other schools.
In that vein, branch out! American physicist and bongo player extraordinaire Richard Feynman said, “If I can’t figure it out, then I go on to something else, but I don’t have to know an answer; I don’t feel frightened by not knowing things, by being lost in a mysterious universe…” Don’t be afraid of following fascinating rabbit trails. This fall, I’m doing an independent study on Habsburg art in Europe. I’m a Political Science major with very little knowledge of portrait painting or European royalty. Yet even from the preliminary research that I’ve done, many aspects of the study are informed by my current knowledge and experiences. I’m confident that the skills I gain, even in this seemingly irrelevant area, will more generally expand my analytical and research abilities.
To manage the chaos, turn in important papers on time, and handle, delegate, file or discard papers as they come. Speaking from experience, paperwork will start to pour in from every angle. Until that glorious day when you have a competent secretary, you absolutely must stay on top of the paper mountain. Regarding clubs, keep copies of what you submit to the Student Senate (.pdf files are preferable for your own archives), as well as a running total of your budget (I use M.S. Excel). Core officers should know the money spent and the money available—so updating club financial documents constantly will actually save time in the long run. The Student Senate Audit and Finance Committee sees thousands of dollars unspent every year because of simple clerical errors or dropped responsibilities—don’t add to the waste. Follow through with your budget request, and spend the money you are allocated. Be absolutely positive that you have the money you want to spend before you use it. You can check on the Senate website (http://www3.wabash.edu/orgs/senate/Index/Home.html) or email the treasurer to double-check. More than one student has paid the price for poor communication.
On the subject of communication: keep yourself deliberate, concise, and cordial. Oscar Wilde defines a gentleman as “one who never hurts anyone’s feelings unintentionally.” Emails are notorious for being misread, so take special care to communicate clearly. Handle anything serious by phone or, if you can make the time, in person. Negative impressions are far more difficult to undo, so be careful what you say. Spell check constantly. Good grammar is always in style.
“Laziness in doing stupid things can be a great virtue.”* This is Wabash, not the government. There are certain steps that you can (and should) skip—like utilizing Robert’s Rules of Order at lacrosse practice or ironing your socks. Learn to focus your time on meaningful activities instead of busywork. Keep a budget, but don’t color-code it. Present thorough reports, not obsessively compulsive plans. Communicate with club members; don’t breathe down their necks. Use your time like it is worth something and cut waste.
Budget responsibly. Just because you can does not mean you should. Use limited resources recognizing opportunity cost. For example, if your club eats pizza, and every other club eats pizza, then you are all excluding a larger National Act, more exciting trips for clubs, etc. While student senators are working against this tragedy of the commons, the real solution lies with a fiscally conservative student body. Spend other students’ money like it’s coming straight from the pockets of impoverished children.
“Plunge into the deep waters beyond your own comprehension, and I will help you to comprehend even as I do. Bewilderment is the true comprehension. Not to know where you are going is the true knowledge. My comprehension transcends yours.” (Martin Luther).
Luther is talking about Christian discipleship, but he certainly speaks more generally to learning from others’ experience. A liberal arts education is all about cross-application and connecting the dots yourself, but don’t forget to recognize and test your own limitations. Talk to people who have been in the position you are looking to fill or improve, and don’t kid yourself about the levels of complexity that you are facing. My own club involvement has been informed immensely through experienced individuals like Terri Fyffe and our venerated former editor-in-chief Cassias Austin Rovenstine ’10. Don’t burden these advisors by using them as a crutch or fail-safe, but let them show you the general lay of the campus activity battlefield.
“The next best thing to saying something good yourself, is to quote one.” With Emerson’s pithy advice, I’ll say that the most important piece of advice that I can offer you is to actively seek input from brilliant people. Look at successful alumni, organizations, or even pledge classes. Get advice, and start learning to draw your own conclusions. From Baker & Daniels (named for ’74 and ’75 Betas) to more proximate successes like Sons of Wabash, men have produced and continue to produce impressive results after their time in Crawfordsville. Find the remarkable people and learn from them.
Thank everyone for his help. No matter how much work you put in, you will fail without people supporting you in your leadership—be it voters, attendees, donors, or co-conspirators. Heartfelt gratitude makes everyone’s day brighter.
In summary, think hard, keep people close, and goals in mind. Thanks for reading.
Related posts:
