I've been a student now for over five years. Without tooting my own horn too much, I'm pretty successful. If you measured success with cheeseburgers, I would be in orbit around the earth right now. So, as the University year begins, I figure you could do with some of my tried and true steps to success—I assure you they are pure gold.
1. While you are at uni, your goal is to gather opinions. Think of them like little chicks that a mother hen gathers under her wings. They are yours to protect and definitely not to release into the world. Gather all of the opinions you can, and if someone challenges your opinions, state your own ones louder. Even if you agree with them, disagree.
2. Perhaps you've moved from a smaller town into a bigger city, now you will have those one or two weeks where you go back and visit old friends and family. Remember those opinions you collected? Now is the time to unleash them on your less-fortunate friends and family. Because you've matured so much in the last 3 weeks.
3. Walk as quickly as you can across the campus. If you can carry lots of books or a briefcase, that's even better. If people call out your name, ignore them. You are far too busy for frivolous dalliances now.
4. The more books you have, the smarter you are. If it's a heavy book, carry it anyway. Your reputation is on the line, and that book may be the keystone of your reputation.
5. Sit at the back of the class, interrupt the lecturer if he gets things wrong, or laugh at questions you have already answered in your head. Obviously the goal of Uni is to be as sure of yourself as you can, because you are always right.
6. Don't help other people in their study. That only shifts the bell curve in their favour and against yours. Your marks are a measure of your ability to be better than everyone else, not about how you relate to them.
7. You're a Christian? Great. But if things get busy, you can ditch the bible study, or your bible reading/prayer time… God will understand. There will be time for that when you work right? Also, don't get too involved in one group, keep your options open here and join all the groups. Don't stay at one church, they can't fill all your needs at once.
8. If you're flatting, leave post-it notes everywhere. Post-it notes are the new text messages. Don't actually deal with the problems face-to-face, you're too busy walking places quickly remember?
9. The girl whose leader of the student association, befriend her. Or the guy who is the best rugby player, befriend him, Find the important people around, make friends with them, buy them drinks and remember their names for later on. Who knows how they could help you out, or what you could put on your C.V.?
10. This last piece of advice is super important: Remember you're here to get a job. Get in. Orientate. Graduate. Prioritise your courses around this goal; don't spend time on things that won't help you in the job market.
So that's those ten pieces of advice. Obviously I am having a little trouble with the last one, but I am working on it. Remember what Jesus said: "I came so that they might have A's and A's to the full" (John chapter 10, verse10)
Mark: F
Teachers Comments: Lack of supporting evidence, and no consideration of other ideas about this, resulted in a very flawed piece. Also, you misquoted Jesus, "I came so that they might have life, and life to the full." (John chapter 10, verse10) Perhaps next time you should check your sources better.
Dale Wang's previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/dale-wang.html