“Waterloo - knowing my fate is to be with you.”
Well, now that I’ve quoted ABBA in the opening line of my column this week, I don’t know that there’s any more (or less) that I can do. However, this is Honor Scholar Weekend, that magical time of the year when a fresh-faced prospective swarm descends on campus for a pull at that magic brass ring.
And by “magic brass ring,” I mean a chance at lots of free money.
It’s a magical time for me, too, as there will be lots of readers who haven’t learned that a Patrick Smith byline is a sure sign to keep moving. I digress. When I was a prospective, Sean Gallagher, a long-gone Bachelor writer from the days of yore, gave some good advice. I keep returning to that advice, since I doubt that there has been a better set of maxims offered to freshmen-to-be.
However, various policies of the College and several sections of the United States Code prohibit me from reprinting his advice under my name. Therefore, I’ll try to keep the spirit of someone I’ve never met in mind as I garrulously distribute volumes of really helpful advice to prospective Wabash men. That’s right, loyal readers: I’m not talking to you this week. I’m talking to prospective Wabash men and their parents.
First, and foremost, get past the hype. Wabash College is not all things to all people. You’ll spend four years here, so you might as well decide whether or not you want to spend four years here. Ask tough questions. Challenge students, faculty, and other College officials. Ask the questions you want to know. The size of our endowment doesn’t matter one bit if you want to know how a Classics degree fits into your plans to be some sort of high-powered professional.
Second, figure out where you want to fit into Wabash College, if you decide to attend. Visit fraternities. With ten, you’ll find one or more where you think you’ll be a good fit. Greek life, especially at Wabash, has a lot to offer, and you might want to take advantage of the vibrant social life, community, and fellowship. If you think that the dorms are more your scene, visit a few. Look into the rooms; ask the guys there what life is like. Talk to club representatives and see what activities you want to explore. If you take some time now, you’ll have some background to start the semester.
Why would you take time, after being tested on all sorts of fun subjects, to get an in-depth picture of Wabash? You’ve read the viewbook, brochures, and you might have talked to alumni, admissions counselors, and students. Well, despite the angry looks I’ll be getting from admissions folk, I’ll say it like this: it is possible to make a mistake in coming to Wabash. Don’t get me wrong; Wabash is a great place that offers opportunities that you can’t find anywhere else. However, like I said, Wabash is not all things to all people.
Aside from the big pots of shiny free money, this weekend should be an opportunity to decide if Wabash is something for you. This place prizes critical thinking, so you should start early and do some critical thinking about Wabash. Come to this place for the right reasons. I hate to say it, and I’m half-expecting an angry e-mail or two from various quarters, but money is not the right reason to come to Wabash. After seeing this place in action, you’ll know if it’s for you, because you’ll realize that you could never go anywhere else.
You’ll realize that your fate is to come to Wabash. This is a special place, and you’ll realize that money and the chance to play collegiate sports aren’t anywhere near as important as the spirit, tradition, and verve of Wabash. However, you have to be on the right wavelength to see that. Otherwise, save yourself grief, trouble, and time – go where you’ll be happy. As my southern Indiana pediatrician likes to say, “Follow your happy.” Yeah, it’s advice for kids, but it is still good advice.
Now, since this is a very special column, really an after-school special by a self-impressed malcontent, parents and prospective students should read the following paragraph together.
Students: this is your decision. You’ll be able to ignore your parents from August 2007 to May 2011, so you might as well start now. Take their advice, weigh their arguments, but it’s you who have to sit in class, live on campus, and be a Wabash man. If you’re not that into the place, or can’t imagine life without it, that’s good enough. Parents: be there, but know that this is a life-directing decision. Let your son do his own thing. This will be the last major decision for a while that you’ll have much input over, but, as the man said, nothing gold can stay.
Of course, since my e-mail address is pretty much public consumption, I’ll say this to parents: like Congress, you might have the power of the purse. Therefore, you can ignore me at will, and do so if you don’t like the paragraph above. But, I’ll warrant that you know – somewhere – I’m not making this up out of whole cloth.
I sort of feel like the last crusader from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, but I still haven’t attained full and unfettered majority (March 25th, so happy birthday to me). Choose, prospective students, but choose wisely. You won’t turn into a skeleton if you don’t, but it might be just as uncomfortable. Get all your information, look at it critically, and you’ll make the right choice. Wabash is a great place, but me – or anyone else telling you – won’t make you see that. If you do, I suppose you’ll work to come here. If not, go to the place that makes you feel like Wabash makes her sons feel.