Editor’s Note: This essay, by UNC-Chapel Hill student David J. Koon, inaugurates a Clarion Call special series, “If I Knew Then What I Know Now.” In the near future, the Pope Center will devote an entire new section of its Web site to providing alternative forms of information to prospective college students, ranging from hard data to the anecdotal experiences of some who have “been there.” This series of personal essays, extending over the next few weeks, will offer different perspectives and guidance for students and their parents. We look forward to the possibility of having our readers share their experiences as well.
Although I am still a year away from graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, my period of reflection has already begun. As I look back at my time as a college student, I can’t help but feel some pangs of regret. These aren’t especially painful regrets but represent an awareness that I could have taken actions, both academic and personal, that would have improved my college experience. Prospective students would be wise to learn from my mistakes so that their undergraduate years can be more fulfilling.
Like many attending Carolina, I graduated near the top of my high school class. Throughout high school, self-reliance was my key to success. I studied independently, avoided consulting classmates on the material and detested group projects. I have learned that once in college, this is a recipe for academic disaster. The high workload and challenging material make studying exclusively by oneself nearly impossible. Instead of suffering needlessly alone and feeling overwhelmed by the material, I should have joined a study group.
Study groups made up of fellow classmates can work wonders for learning and retaining the material and turn out to be an invaluable asset come exam time. Explicating concepts to others improves one’s own understanding and any uncertainty or missing notes can be supplemented by another group member.
In addition to improving one’s command of the subject, study groups also provide excellent social networking. Campus news and events are spread during a quick break from the Russian Revolution or the works of Emily Dickinson. The time and location of concerts, games, and even parties are shared before or after study group meetings. An older student who came to be my mentor, for example, met his wife in an English Lit study group his sophomore year while attending Chapel Hill. Admittedly, this is not the main purpose of the study group and while most people won’t meet their future spouse in one, it does provide a great way to be exposed to new people and new ideas while simultaneously learning the required material.
North Carolina’s university system is often referred to as the envy of the country. Part of this envy comes from the quality of UNC’s professors. To say the least, North Carolina professors are intelligent, educated, and motivated people who are experts in their fields. Their extensive study gives them a unique insight both in their specific expertise and in its relation to other fields. Until the past semester, I failed to take advantage of my professors and what they had to offer.
The first class of my freshman year was Economics 101, a 400-person class starting at 9 am. As a first-year student, I was intimidated by the size of the class and by my ignorance of the subject. Unlike high school where class size averaged 25, individual guidance from the professor during class time was not always a possibility. There were simply too many people trying to learn the material at a highly accelerated pace. However, I highly recommend that future students meet with their professors. Do not fear that the professor is too busy to meet with you. Professors are surprisingly accessible, particularly during their specified office hours, to answer questions, explain the material, or advise on academic or personal matters. In addition to receiving help with the material, meeting with professors may convince them of your genuine effort on coursework, occasionally resulting in fluid grading.
If this alone isn’t reason enough to meet professors frequently, professors too are outstanding sources information for furthering one’s academic career. By being more than just a face in the crowd, a student is privy to information on scholarships and grants. Additionally, students who have met frequently with their professors and have created relationships with them are more likely to receive a highly-valued letter of recommendation for graduate school, law school, or an employer when the time comes. These secondary assets present themselves only if the student makes the extra effort to meet frequently and meaningfully as an undergraduate.
My most acute regret is failing to study abroad as an undergraduate. As a student from a small textile town in North Carolina, learning about the world unbearably fails to compare with experiencing it on one’s own. I travelled to Europe for vacation for two weeks in high school and swore I would return as a college student but never did. I have tried blaming the cost of my education, the fear of falling behind on my academic schedule, or missing Carolina basketball, but the truth is that I didn’t have the courage to make the commitment. It is an opportunity that I unfortunately passed on and strongly urge that prospective students not.
Studying abroad not only allows one to visit historically significant sites, but responsibly infuses students with an acceptance of others’ attitudes, languages and cultures that is often required in today’s workforce. In an increasingly globalized world, major employers hire people from around the world. Studying abroad gives one an advantage in the professional world by allowing one’s experience abroad to improve proficiency and productivity. Studying abroad also inculcates students with respect and reverence for other people and societies, thereby making them less tolerant of injustices and trespasses of freedoms when they occur in regions throughout the world.
Like many incoming freshmen, advice from friends and family on achieving success during my time at college seemed incessant. However, ultimately it was up to me, as it is up to each student, to determine how and to what purpose college is to serve one’s life. Have the conviction and the courage to take full advantage of all that college has to offer so that your time there will be defined not by regret but by boldness and personal growth.