(Awkwardly posing for a photo on my first day at Mizzou after at least ten trips up three flights of stairs with all of the heavy things- I should have picked a better helper than my mom)
I know I write a letters, but they are my fave, so they won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
To the New Class of Tigers,
First off, CONGRATULATIONS! You have just joined one of the greatest families EVER! And you may think that I am being facetious, but seriously, it's da bomb.
One of the first things you need to learn about college is that it is NOT high school, much to your disbelief. Many folks have a hard time leaving the popularity and misguided hierarchies behind (especially if they had found themselves in a favorable place among that hierarchy), so I am just advising that you begin wrestling with that demon as soon as your possibly can. When you get to college, the world as you know it flips on its head in the most nonchalant manner. I didn't even realize it until a few months ago when I was reminiscing on 2010 Jess. You'll understand with time that this place has made you a completely new person if you give it the chance to. Don't be that guy/gal saying, "wow, high school maaan, the freaking GLORY days." Just...no.
The second thing you need to learn is that ResHall life is the BEST. Never again in your life will you have a place where someone cleans your bathrooms and you get all the food you could ever want and you get to live next to a bunch of people you have never met before but become best friends with. You end up with some amazing stories. Embrace the Res-Life! There are always those people that are "too cool" for their hall, and trust me, no one thinks you're all that cool for skipping out on awesome opportunities (see first piece of advice).
This brings me to my final point: "college re-creation" is not a myth. I've seen so many folks brush off the importance of being who you want to be in college because it has become cliched. In all reality, you have this once-in-a-lifetime chance to start fresh and develop the person who you have always wanted to become. While I agree that this advice has been beat to its very core, it has been repeated so many times because it is the truth. In high school, I stood by the wayside. I hated being at school because all my fringy friends went to another school. I was the rebel that could care less about what was going on, and deep down I actually was interested in my school work and cello and all of the things that I was doing. I'm sure you've felt that pressure, however, to be that person that you all of a sudden fell into, even if you are wondering, "why the heck did I say that?" Well, young one, now is your chance to stop asking yourself that question. Embrace whatever YOU you would like to embrace! Thrive; don't just live! That is truly what makes it the best however many years of your life.
As you take your first steps on campus, begin your love/hate relationship with dining hall food, and learn the real value of sleep, exercise, and free time, remember to sit back every once in awhile and enjoy the view. My nostalgia might be kicking in, but it is unbelievable how quickly college flies by, so make sure to take advantage of every opportunity you are presented with. If there is an event, go. If there is professor you could see being a mentor, visit them right away. Even if something ends up being boring, irrelevant to your life, or not as beneficial as you were hoping, at least you went and learned what NOT to do. Work to make Mizzou your home each and every day (it won’t be too hard, I promise) and to make Mizzou and the community at large a better place to be. I hope you enjoy your 4…5…maybe 6 years at the most fabulous institution on Earth.
With Tiger Pride,
This One Old Chick
I know I write a letters, but they are my fave, so they won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
To the New Class of Tigers,
First off, CONGRATULATIONS! You have just joined one of the greatest families EVER! And you may think that I am being facetious, but seriously, it's da bomb.
One of the first things you need to learn about college is that it is NOT high school, much to your disbelief. Many folks have a hard time leaving the popularity and misguided hierarchies behind (especially if they had found themselves in a favorable place among that hierarchy), so I am just advising that you begin wrestling with that demon as soon as your possibly can. When you get to college, the world as you know it flips on its head in the most nonchalant manner. I didn't even realize it until a few months ago when I was reminiscing on 2010 Jess. You'll understand with time that this place has made you a completely new person if you give it the chance to. Don't be that guy/gal saying, "wow, high school maaan, the freaking GLORY days." Just...no.
The second thing you need to learn is that ResHall life is the BEST. Never again in your life will you have a place where someone cleans your bathrooms and you get all the food you could ever want and you get to live next to a bunch of people you have never met before but become best friends with. You end up with some amazing stories. Embrace the Res-Life! There are always those people that are "too cool" for their hall, and trust me, no one thinks you're all that cool for skipping out on awesome opportunities (see first piece of advice).
This brings me to my final point: "college re-creation" is not a myth. I've seen so many folks brush off the importance of being who you want to be in college because it has become cliched. In all reality, you have this once-in-a-lifetime chance to start fresh and develop the person who you have always wanted to become. While I agree that this advice has been beat to its very core, it has been repeated so many times because it is the truth. In high school, I stood by the wayside. I hated being at school because all my fringy friends went to another school. I was the rebel that could care less about what was going on, and deep down I actually was interested in my school work and cello and all of the things that I was doing. I'm sure you've felt that pressure, however, to be that person that you all of a sudden fell into, even if you are wondering, "why the heck did I say that?" Well, young one, now is your chance to stop asking yourself that question. Embrace whatever YOU you would like to embrace! Thrive; don't just live! That is truly what makes it the best however many years of your life.
As you take your first steps on campus, begin your love/hate relationship with dining hall food, and learn the real value of sleep, exercise, and free time, remember to sit back every once in awhile and enjoy the view. My nostalgia might be kicking in, but it is unbelievable how quickly college flies by, so make sure to take advantage of every opportunity you are presented with. If there is an event, go. If there is professor you could see being a mentor, visit them right away. Even if something ends up being boring, irrelevant to your life, or not as beneficial as you were hoping, at least you went and learned what NOT to do. Work to make Mizzou your home each and every day (it won’t be too hard, I promise) and to make Mizzou and the community at large a better place to be. I hope you enjoy your 4…5…maybe 6 years at the most fabulous institution on Earth.
With Tiger Pride,
This One Old Chick