To Be a Wabash Man: Five Words of Wisdom for the Class of 2014
Welcome, Class of 2014! At last, you have graduated, you are on your own, and you are ready for what some might say are the best four years of your life. You have chosen a College that is steeped in tradition, one that is known for turning young men into world leaders, and one that is dedicated to the task of equipping you to be all that you can be. You have chosen well.
This school offers challenges and opportunities like no other institution. Over four years here, you can do such things as: study abroad in a foreign country; conduct graduate-level research; get any number of internships/funding for internships; form a club/lead an initiative; run for office; manage the largest student government budget in Indiana; come under the individual tutelage of a faculty member; go on immersion trips; etc…. Wabash offers to you the entirety of its resources, both tangible and intangible, to assist you in your educational journey and to help you have the best time of your life!
Yet this place is also a difficult one, presenting you with some very unique challenges that are not always so enjoyable. There are no girls; there are no easy courses; there is no detail-oriented, mile-long list of “do’s and don’ts.” Instead, with the Gentleman’s Rule as your guide, you are given the keys to your education and are entrusted with the responsibility of being a gentlemen and a responsible citizen. That is an awesome task – both in that it is an “awesome” (excellent) opportunity to make your own decisions, and that it is an “awesome” (weighty) responsibility that you now must bear.
As you are by now finding out, it is both a privilege and a challenge to be a student at Wabash. But, these opportunities and challenges are meant to shape you so that you might reach your full potential as a man, so that you might know what you believe and why you believe it, and so that you might learn how to conduct yourself and to lead others with integrity and honor – in short, so that you can become a Wabash Man. Are you ready to begin?!
You have just been rung in and are preparing for a semester of studying, of going to football games, of pledging/getting used to life on your own, and of acclimating to college life all around. It is an exciting time! But, it is also a crucial time. The decisions you make now will impact you for the rest of your years here and, more broadly, for the rest of your life. A poor decision now with regard to academics, alcohol or other substances, sleep, or study habits (among other things), will have unintended consequences that will haunt you far longer than any intended benefits you might have received from them, and will, if you are not careful, develop into a bad habit that will cause you even more sorrow. Whether these will only restrict your options for the future or will cost you the opportunity to “ring out” of this hallowed place, the decisions you make and the habits that you develop now will determine your coming years. To put it bluntly, freshman year is a make or break year.
With this in mind, I hope that you will take to heart five words of wisdom gleaned by three years here at Dear Old Wabash – wisdom gained by trial and by error on my part, and by observation of fellow classmates gone before. I give you these not as pompous admonitions of a Senior, but as your brother in Wabash concerned that you take advantage of the opportunities you are provided here, and avoid the pitfalls that are the challenges of this place – that you might become a Wabash Man.
Be Humble: First things first, no one can learn if he is not willing to do so. You have heard the saying, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” So too you can come to Wabash and be led by professors in your studies, by administrators and coaches in your activities, and by upperclassmen in campus life, to all of the good things that this college has to offer; but, if you do not learn from what they say, you will not benefit from it. Scripture says that “Humility comes before honor” – i.e. that admitting ignorance, struggles (whether academic or personal), or failure is the first step to respect and integrity, and that approaching situations or disagreements with a humble attitude is the first step in the right direction. On the other hand, it also says that “Pride comes before destruction” – it is the first step down the road of unrest, disrespect, and if not failure, than a diminution of the good you can accomplish and the capacity you have to learn. So, bearing this in mind, be humble, be teachable, and be able to learn from your mistakes.
Be Thoughtful: If you could ask every student (and professor, no doubt) what one word of advice they could give you, it would most likely be this: THINK! Wabash is designed to help you think – to examine the world around you and question why it is the way it is, what makes it tick, and why you are who you are. By all means, do think critically, question why you believe what you believe, or why something is said to be true or untrue. But, that is not the only use for thinking. A Scripture that my mother always advised me with is this: “Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” – in other words, think before you speak, write, or do anything! Think before you post that picture on Facebook, before you say that insult, before you take that drink, before you react to that email. As professors will be sure to mention: think about what you are going to write before the day it is due! Plan ahead for test, papers, and assignments. As you learn how to think more critically, apply that to your study habits, to your academics, to your campus life.
Be Connected: It will not take you long to notice the caliber of men you are in the company of at Wabash. The students of Wabash College are what, in many ways, make it the respected institution that it is – these are men with the potential to do great things, to be great leaders, and to be great mentors and friends. Likewise, the men and women of the Faculty and Administration are invaluable to the educational experience Wabash offers, and will willingly share the next four years of their lives with you to build you more into the man you are to be. Seek these resources out! Hang around these quality men and women of the faculty, administration and students. Learn from them, and pay attention to them. Let them guide you and help you in your studies, in your personal matters, and in everyday life. “In the abundance of counselors,” the scripture says, “there is great reward.” Surround yourself with men and women of character, and they will be a great asset to you not just in your years here at Wabash but in the many to come. Be willing to do that yourself when it is your turn!
Be Involved: Given the size of this school, you would not expect there to be as much activity as there is. There are so many clubs, organizations, homecoming events and more to participate in that it is hard to keep track of all of them, much less decide which to be a part of or to not! But, by all means, do be a part! One of the greatest ways to learn how to be responsible is by taking on the responsibility of leadership and commitment. Academics must come first, but you will miss out greatly if you do not take advantage of the myriad opportunities this place provides to you to lead and be involved, whether in student government, in sports, in the Sphinx Club, or in recreational clubs. Likewise, be involved in class and travel opportunities. The liberal arts and the immersion trips offered by this school can add tools to your educational toolbox that can inform your worldview immensely. Take advantage of these opportunities to experience the world and the subjects that you never thought would interest you, and do not miss out on the chance to broaden the scope of your knowledge.
Be Zealous: Finally, take the advice of one of the most humble and caring men at this College – former Dean of Students and current Director of Athletics, Thomas Bambrey: “Care about what you do”. Put your whole heart into everything you do here, be it your studies, your fraternity, your club, Chapel Sing, or day-to-day life – care about what you do.
Godspeed, Class of 2014!
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