Jeff
Randall
New game, new rules
Adaptation is key word when entering world of college
Hello. My name is Jeff Randall,
and I am a former Regents’ Scholar.
That’s right, I used to roam this
campus with the freedom that accom
panies a full-tuition scholarship and
did so proudly. I walked these
grounds with the reassurance that all
I needed was a 3.5 GPA and full-time
student status to keep that freedom.
I had cruised through high school
and earned the right to have my col
lege paid for. I had aced the tests,
done the homework and read the
books to get me here.
And then, after about a year, real
ity set in.
I discovered that college not only
wasn’t as easy as high school, but it
was far more time-consuming. I dis
covered that sometimes the best
classes you can take are the ones that
result in C’s rather than A’s. And I dis
covered that there was more to col
lege than books and lectures.
I’m not saying that maintaining a
high GPA is impossible, thousands of
people do that every year. I’m just
saying that for me college has
become less of a status symbol based
on grades and class rank, and more of
a proving grounds for what I can han
dle after I graduate.
And as a result of this philosophy,
my scholarship is now a thing of the
past.
I suppose I could place consider
able blame for this fall from grace on
the Daily Nebraskan, the paper
you’re reading right now. As a fresh
man news-editorial major, I wan
dered into its dungeon-like offices
with hope and fear, and I have ended
up spending the majority of my time
there ever since. Rather than bestow
ing the lion’s share of my free time on
studying, I spent most of it down
here, on real-life journalism. For one
thing, it paid better than studying (at
least in the short run). And it was
actually fun - most of the time. But I
also think that I’ve learned more
about what it takes to work at a daily
newspaper here than I would have in
any number of classes.
So I’m not too bitter. And I’m still
here, after all.
But the DN wasn’t the only thing
that hurt my scholarship standing.
The social aspects of college -
although less respected by your par
ents and prospective employers than
the academic ones - are as much a
part of these years as your major. That
doesn’t mean that the night before a
test should be spent at a movie the
ater or in an alcoholic haze, but you
should also be able to take some time
off to party, even on school nights.
And even if you do dedicate your
self to the relentless pursuit of stud
ies, nearly every student will face one
class that tests his/her will to survive
and immaculate GPA.
More often than not, these cours
es are requirements that students
would not have registered for unless
they had to, and are therefore seen as
trials rather than learning experi
ences.
But that’s not always the case.
Sometimes, you run into a high-level
class that you want to take, or a class
that you think you should take. And
even though irreparable GPA damage
is imminent, you tackle the beast in
the hopes of learning something use
ful - or at least interesting.
Well, good for you. Go for it.
College is supposed to be about
stretching your horizons and testing
your limits. Cruise through these
four (or five or six) years without
testing yourself in some way, and you
Please see RANDALL on 8
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