Thursday, March 24, 2016

A Father's Advice to His Son at College

When my oldest son first went to Houghton College, I shared my wisdom of surviving college with him. Your actual mileage may vary

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #1:

It is not unusual to sit through the first day or two of class and think to yourself, "I don't have a clue as to what they're talking about." Rest assured, nobody else in the class does either (and that may include the teacher), but everything does ultimately make sense after the first week.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #2:

Treat college like a job. Spend 8 hours a day on class, homework, study, writing, reading, reading ahead, etc., spend the other 8 hours doing whatever you like to do, and spend 8 hours sleeping. Now there are times when you'll have to dedicate more than 8 hours a day to the college aspect of life (tests, finals, etc.), but on the whole, this is a good plan for success.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #3:

There are three types of people to avoid at college: The student who is there to please his/her parents, the student who is there because s/he had nothing better to do, the young lady there looking solely for her MRS. degree.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #4:

  1. An active social life.
  2. Good grades
  3. Sleep

Choose two. Welcome to college.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #5:

When you are as old as me with a metabolism that flows as fast as molasses on a freezing January morning, you can skip meals. Heck, I could probably skip weeks without ill effect. However, skipping breakfast at your age is a no-no. When I was at college I lived on quick meals and lots of Almond Crush soda. The result was some intriguing vitamin deficiencies. No fun at all.

Eat your Wheaties.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #6:

True story. I went to a STRICT Bible College and ended up having to take a linguistics class as I needed an elective and it was the only one available. Hated the class and there was some minimal friction between the teacher and myself over some disputed grades.

At the final, he walked into the class, took a huge rock, slammed it on the desk and said, "This is how hard this test is going to be."

I turned to the guy sitting next to me and said, "Hey, look. His heart fell out."

The teacher heard me and failed me on the spot.

Draw your own moral.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #7:

It is not unusual for college students to switch their majors and there is nothing wrong with that. It is sad to climb the ladder of life only to discover you have leaned it against the wrong wall. However, unless you can show me a detailed plan of effectiveness with a future, if you choose English, Communications, or Art, I will spend the rest of my life crying myself to sleep.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #8:

You will look back at your college years as the years you had the greatest freedom. Many people use that freedom to make friendships, travel, and learn. Others shipwreck themselves on self-defeating and self-destructive behaviors mistakenly thinking that liberty means license.

"Go for the gusto" is good theology for Christians as long as we understand what moral boundaries are.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #9:

Your deadliest enemy at college: Procrastination.

GET 'ER DONE!

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #10:

Remember when doing laundry that you should not combine a white load with a dark load or with a colored load. This seems very mundane until you realize how many freshmen are going through their first year with their tighty whities a pastel pink.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #11a:

Here is the only bad news about college: At college you are making new friends, learning new ideas, and seeing life in a new way. You are stretching your wings and you are learning what independence is. When you come home, you will have subtly changed which will cause a shock to friends and family who remember you as you were when you left. Psychologists call this "Reverse Culture Shock." Poets say, "You can never come home again."

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #11b:

Ignore the psychologists and the poets. Where your family is, there will always be home.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #12:

Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth. (Ecclesiastes 12:1a)

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #13:

It is easy at college to develop a lifestyle that can function out of balance in the unique atmosphere of university life. However, remember you have a long life after your four to six years and must balance all aspects of your life: spiritual, physical, relational, financial, emotional, mental, vocational, and there is probably one or two more I have forgotten.

A Father's Advice to His Son at College #14:

Caffeine can be an asset if it is used responsibly. However, do remember that those whom the gods destroy, they first addict to caffeine.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds like hood advice to me, though I never went to college. After six years of abuse by fellow students and teachers who didn't care if you set the school on fire so long as they got their coffee break, I wanted to throw up at the thought of 4-6 more years of that.

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