Making the Grade
Jake LaManna
Issue date: 8/20/05 Section: opinion
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Versus Magazine Online [Image based format]
Looking back on my freshman year from my lofty senior perch, there are several pieces of advice I wish had been provided me. Having accrued such knowledge and wisdom over the past three years, I'd like to share some of it with you via this magazine article.
First, and foremost, eat well. For some of you this will mean simply making sure there is food in your stomach. For others it will mean familiarizing themselves with the local supermarket geography in search of those perfect ingredients for that 0.001 carbohydrate three course meal, loaded with protein. Whomever you are, be wary of the following: an inappropriate diet can cause depression, reduced GPA, expanded waistline, and debilitated sex life. So eat! But eat things that are healthy which you also enjoy eating.
Major decisions lay in your future. Literally. An undergraduate career's sole focus is the major, and fulfilling the requirements for graduating with that perfect major; thus guaranteeing wealth, health, and mental satisfaction. NOT! I apologize for the early 90s throwback, but it couldn't fit more appropriately. A major is less like a perfectly cut tux or prom dress and more like a gradual discovery of personal style, usually drawing on many different clothing retailers. In attracting you here, Vanderbilt probably failed to emphasize one of its strongest points: an interdisciplinary approach to education. Unlike some schools, almost everything here is high caliber learning - there isn't really a single department that stands head and shoulders above the rest. This isn't due to massive mediocrity, but across the board excellence. Use this to your advantage! Branch out, find those courses that really light your fire, and find someone to help you craft an interdisciplinary major which focuses on augmenting your strengths by combining the multifaceted strengths Vanderbilt has to offer.