Freshmen, welcome and calm down.
It’s just college; in a few weeks, you’ll hate it just like you hate everything else in life. College is kind of like a Chipotle burrito — it’s so amazing in theory, but once you near the end of it, you’re like, “bleh,” and kind of want your money back. Again though, WELCOME!
To the rest of you, somehow it has happened … again. A fresh start, a new opportunity, one more chance to recreate yourself and be a better person than you were last year. Maybe you’re content with who you are already, but I’m here to say you should not be content with who you are. College, like life, is about self-actualization. There’s hardly anything that’s static in life, besides maybe the cafeteria’s draconian stance on insisting that pizza be referred to as ‘Za or that naked baby near the Rock. Whether you’re an active participant or not, you’re either improving or you’re regressing in life, every day.
I realized this sometime this summer as the contents of a ham and cheese Hot Pocket slid completely out of their gluten enclosure and scalded the skin on my upper thigh.
I have one final year at Pepperdine before I graduate into a wonderful career as an ironic T-shirt folder at Urban Outfitters; I could not be more ecstatic. I realized this summer that if I wasn’t a little more proactive about my own personal growth, I might end up reliving my Hot Pocket nightmare on a loop, over and over again for my entire life — except I wouldn’t be spilling cheese on my thighs anymore, I would be spilling it on my PetSmart name badge.
So, I did what anyone would do and wrote up a quick guide to self-actualization. It’s a seven-part weekly checklist meant to shame myself into personal growth. Each part consists of a different set of point totals, all equaling 100 total points for each week. At the end of the week, I add up all my points and give myself a grade. Some of the categories are as follows:
Mind — in which I try to grow intellectually, since this is college. Tasks in this category include: read seven chapters of a novel, be an early riser or read up on five subjects you previously knew nothing about.
Relationships — in which I try not to be a terrible human being. Tasks in this category include: listen more than you talk, make others feel important — and do it sincerely — and write a heartfelt letter.
The other categories in the chart include Body, Soul, Career, Personal Management and Contributions. I write all of this to make one point: I hate the checklist. It’s a constant reminder of shortcomings and things to do. But the problem is it works.
This is the first week of another school year. There’s no better chance to recreate yourself and finally start off on the right foot for once. If you would like, you can download my full checklist online at pepperdine-graphic.com and track your own score or you can create one that’s specific to you. I honestly hope some of you do, and I’d be interested to hear your results.
David Foster Wallace said our “default setting” is selfishness, and I think he is unfortunately right. Maybe if we turn selfless living into a game, or competition, we might make this world a better place.
But I’ll settle for Pepperdine for now.
… And seriously, freshmen, calm down. Your excess energy and enthusiasm is about to send me into diabetic shock.
As published in the Aug. 26, 2013 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
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Follow Ben Holcomb on Twitter: @BenjaminHolcomb
