Editorial

Words of wisdom for the college-bound

Posted

In a sacred, thrilling, stress-filled, tear-stained yearly ritual, our area high school graduates are heading off to college, the next chapter in their journey to adulthood, the world of careers — the future. What better time to ask our readers, and a few prominent citizens, to offer incoming campus freshmen and women some advice?

“Own your journey. There’s no template for it. You’ll shape it. See everything as an opportunity to allow you to flourish. Don’t be defined by what you accomplished in high school. Embrace your fresh start.
“Don’t be afraid to be yourself. This will help you socially, and will go far in building your network. Have fun, and get involved. Join clubs, participate in campus events, and many doors will open for you.”
— Dr. Christine M. Riordan, president, Adelphi University


“College is hard. Don’t think that just because you were able to coast through high school, you can do the same thing here. It doesn’t work like that. You have to actually try.”
— Emma Cestare, Franklin Square


Don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t accomplish.”
— State Sen. Todd Kaminsky


“In his book ‘Outliers,’ Malcolm Gladwell explains how inordinately successful people perform at such high levels. One’s talents, when properly developed, can lead to success, but there’s an element of chance in everyone’s life, although I subscribe to the dictum that luck favors those who are prepared. The second essential step is opportunity, and that’s what colleges are about. The third key to success is hard work. There is no evading this requirement.”
— Dr. W. Hubert Keen, president, Nassau Community College

“Make friends. If you’re lucky, a few will still be in your life 40 years from now. Learn from the positive, genuine, nice people you meet. Be open to the constructive, helpful, broadening influence good people will have on you, but don’t let anyone eclipse the bright, hopeful light within you. Revel in your independence, but be ready for the realization that there’s no such thing.”
— John O’Connell, executive editor, Herald Community Newspapers


“Good, better, best. You never let it rest. Until your good is better, and your better best.”
— Tom Curtin, captain, Jones Beach Lifeguard Corps; high school teacher for 36 years


“Show up for class. Be prepared, and focus on the subject at hand. Get a part-time job. The more productive you are, the harder you’ll work and the more you’ll succeed.
— Michael McGinty, mayor, Island Park


“Enjoy the entire experience. Allow your professors to show you new ways of thinking. Be safe, and don’t overdo anything. You don’t have to make every party. Don’t worry so much about your future — you’re in college for four years to figure that out.”
— John Gotimer, Malverne


“Read your college newspaper, regularly. Take advantage of student discounts, from local shops and restaurants to big-box stores. Never, ever pay full price for textbooks. And get enough sleep, but not in the classroom.”
— Seth Bykofsky, The College Whisperer, West Hempstead


“Counter to the cliché, freshman year won’t be your last chance to reinvent yourself. Personal development is more than a decision to wear new sneakers or say hi more often. It’s a process. The person you introduce yourself as on that first day marks the beginning, not the end, of a newer you.”
— Carina Kohn, SUNY New Paltz junior


“This isn’t about you, kids. Your parents are experiencing extreme separation anxiety, and you must handle their feelings with great delicacy. When you talk to them on the phone, no matter what’s happening on the ground — psycho roommate, fire in the dorm — just tell them everything’s fine and you’ll see them at Thanksgiving.”
— Randi Kreiss, Herald columnist


“Don’t be too into talking about high school, don’t have your high school friends come visit the first semester, and don’t bring your yearbook. That’s weird. You’re in college now — no one’s impressed by how cool you were in high school. You meet a million new people who are generally way cooler than anyone you used to know.”
— Jon Centeno, Hicksville


“For most of us, college represents the time in our adult lives that we had the least amount of responsibilities and the greatest amount of free time. So my top recommendation is to have fun.”
— Gordon Tepper, communications director for the City of Long Beach; adjunct professor of communications, Hofstra University


“Find someone on your floor who has a car. That will pretty much solve all of your problems. Everyone’s always looking for a ride somewhere, and having a car means you’re not bound by whatever terrible shuttle service your school has.”
— Kim MacDonald, New Hyde Park High School alumna


“Above all, take care of yourself. Stress and worry are your enemies. Exercise always helps.”
— Dr. Sam L. Grogg, interim provost and executive vice president, Adelphi University