Neill Little
Editor in Chief
The light at the end of the tunnel is finally upon us: the end of the semester. Finals are just around the corner, the weather is turning beautiful and procrastination is in full effect.
I am, like most of you, in full scramble mode. Digging, scraping and begging for a few more extra credit assignments to get us to that grade that is within our grasp. We are so close, we can taste it!
But lost in the excitement of being so close to being done is the reflection of how much we have accomplished and learned this semester. I am one of those students who enters a semester with a goal and a regimen in place to set me up to succeed. And like every semester, it comes unraveled, and I end up in a tangled mess just trying to cross the finish line. Although it may not be pretty, it is when I learn the most about myself.
City College isn’t just a place to learn about arithmetic, science and English. City College is a place to learn who you are and how to succeed in life, as well. My last year as the editor in chief of the Express newspaper has taught me more than I ever thought I could retain in a year. I’d like to share my Top 5 learning experiences with you in hopes that I can impart some wisdom so you don’t make the same mistakes I did.
- Ask for help.
Trust me, I know this is difficult. I struggle with the mindset that asking for help shows weakness. But in fact, it’s the opposite. The ability to know yourself well enough to know to ask for help shows a much stronger recognition of yourself and your limitations. I have never met a teacher who didn’t want to help a student succeed. NEVER EVER. Every teacher I’ve had the pleasure of meeting on this campus has openly provided the help I needed. But this goes beyond teachers too. Give your classmates the opportunity to help you. And show them the same respect. If they need help, help them if you can.
- Effort is the real skill to be judged.
I know this sounds cliche… but it’s true. We are all here to learn. NONE of us knows what we are doing. We are all going to make mistakes — and probably more than once. I know in my case, I’m batting about .500 in terms of mistakes. (For those non-sports people, it means I make about as many mistakes as I do things correctly.) But that’s OK. That’s why we are here. We are here to learn from our mistakes. Being the child of two teachers, I have heard this sentiment many times growing up. Teachers and professors would much rather work with a student who is willing to try and make mistakes than just play it safe and do the minimal amount.
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- Get to know your professors.
Believe it or not, professors are people, too. They like to have a drink on their night off, they have pets, they enjoy going out with their friends. Who else does that sound like? Us! I know the age gap can seem difficult, but it’s really not. They are just like us. I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know two of the most influential people in my life while working on the newspaper. And like I mentioned before, they have gone above and beyond to help me more times than I can even count. And not just for school. They’ve helped me through the rigors of life inside and out of school. They have also inspired me. I let them in and let them get to know me, and they, in turn, learned how to get the best out of me. I can’t thank them enough for that. Give your professors the opportunity to influence your life and who knows where it will take you.
- Communicate!
I know, I’m starting to sound like a parent. So annoying. But you know what’s more annoying? They’re right. We all have a lot going on. Work, family, relationships, mental and physical health. We all can get wrapped up in our own little worlds. But guess what? The world doesn’t revolve around you. Or me. We all need each other to succeed in life, we can’t do it alone. But none of us can read minds. Let the people around you know what’s going on and follow through on your word.
- Remember to breathe.
Sometimes, you need a break. I like to think I can just put my head down and complete anything I put my mind to. That could not be farther from the truth. Life loves to throw you a curveball when you least expect it. When you get to a certain point, no more progress can be made. Working with your mind at 25 percent isn’t going to get you very far. But giving yourself a chance to breath, and take a break. Give yourself a chance to reset and get back on track. Never underestimate the power of a good nap.
These are just some of the lessons I’ve learned this semester. As much as I’d like to share more with you, that might defeat the purpose of the reason we are at City College. We are here to learn and these are my lessons. I’m sure the rest of you have many other lessons you’ve
learned that I still need to learn. An old Chinese proverb describes this best. “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.”
It has been a pleasure being your editor in chief on the Express newspaper and saccityexpress.com. I hope you enjoyed our newspapers as much as I enjoyed making them.
Catch you on the flip side.
Neill Little
