Two New Beginnings

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence

Two roads diverged in a wood

And I took the one less traveled by

And that has made all the difference

Robert Frost

As the summer comes to its’ inevitable end, our minds invariably turn to more serious endeavors. Gone are the days of lying around the house for hours on end watching television until we drift off into a comatose state while eating a whole wheel of cheese. Indeed, the time has come for us to put down the Wii remote and return to academia. And at any point in our lives when one phase comes to an end as another begins, it would be wise to spend a certain amount of time in reflection; not so much where we’ve been, but where we’re going. Sure, there is always some value in considering the successes and failures of our past, but a much greater value can be found in the formulation of our future goals. How, and in what spirit will we confront the challenges of tomorrow?

To the incoming freshman:

You don’t need anyone else to tell you that the start of your college career can be a strange and trying time. However, I would encourage you to do two things in the coming weeks: Follow good advice, and be yourself. One of the first teammates I met when I went to college was nicknamed Mr. T. And yes, like Mr. T, he also “pitied the fool.” The very first time my roommate and I ate lunch with Mr. T, he advised us that the start of college was very similar to entering prison. He encouraged us to beat someone up in the first week in order gain respect. I would assert here that this was very poor advice. In your first week here, you will meet people who appear to have everything figured out. They don’t. Follow the advice and instructions of your parents, professors, coaches, and trusted friends.

Secondly, many incoming freshman feel that the start of college is a time to completely change who they are. Now, if you spent the majority of your high school career playing World of Warcraft and attending Star Wars conventions, then yes, this would be the perfect opportunity to change directions. Luckily, none of our freshmen fall under this category. (That we know of.) You’ve made it to one of the elite academic institutions in the nation while placing yourself among the 1% of college freshman who will be competing in intercollegiate athletics. Continue to be yourself; it’s served you well so far.

To the returning Panthers:

CARPE DIEM! Take control of your career! Have no regrets, and leave it all on the floor. Again, it’s not about your past at this point as much as it’s about your future. Meet the frontier of the remainder of your college career with courage and character. Commit now to finishing your time on the Hilltop without regret. To borrow a line from Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky, “Every passing moment is a chance to turn it all around.” In many respects, the man you become in college is the man you will be for the rest of your life. Do not choose the path of least resistance. Choose the road less traveled; this will make all the difference.

-Jonathan Vines