"As Dumbledore advises Harry Potter in the movie The Sorcerer's Stone, 'It is the choices we make, Harry, that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.' "
Dear Students,
No one likes to fail. But failure is a part of life and how we deal with it impacts how successful we will be. I think back to my first physics class. It didn't go well, and after bombing 3 quizzes I (reluctantly) went to see the professor. He pointed out the study strategies I was using were not well-matched to the problem-solving goals of a physics course. He asked me to imagine what the final goal would be (passing an exam), and work backwards. What would I need to do to build up those skills over the weeks leading up to a midterm or final? In short, he asked me to learn from the process of failure, to not take it personally, and to ask for advice from those who know better. He emphasized learning the process from those who know better, not the answers. He even invited me to visit with him again to tell him how I was studying in future weeks. That conversation has lived with me 28 years later.
In fact, college is about failure. It is a place for you to try things out and, if failure happens, learn from it without the world ending. Didn't like that research lab? Great, time to try another area or another style of mentor. Didn't master that midterm? Great, time to think about strategies that seem to work for other students. We tend to think of college like we are on a linear path, the yellow brick road to the Wizard, and any deviation from the path will mean disaster. Instead, consider college as your learning the process of dusting yourself off when failure occurs and figuring out how not to encounter the same kind of failure in the future. That act of trying, failing, and moving on will teach you how to become who you are really meant to be. As Dumbledore advises Harry Potter in the movie The Sorcerer's Stone, “It is the choices we make, Harry, that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
Actually, the courage to pick yourself up and regroup will serve you even when things are going well. Some of the uneasiest moments in my life have been when things were going well (many publications, research grants coming in, etc.), and yet something was amiss. I didn't always have the words for it, but I was ready for a change. It was only when I could sit back and ask what I really valued that I realized I wanted to be doing something different or take on a new challenge or adventure.
Best of luck in the coming week,
—Dr. Kopp
PS: Each week I try to let you know of important deadlines, scholarship and academic opportunities, or events on campus. A list of events is available here. Some big items:
NATURAL SCIENCES WEEK IS HERE! This is a great week to find out about the college, explore majors, hear about careers, visit with college leadership, and of course lots of free food. Check out the full lineup here.
NOMINATE FACULTY FOR THE HOLLOWAY AWARD: Remember to nominate your favorite faculty in either Natural Sciences or Liberal arts by Nov: https://www.texasexes.org/form/holloway.asp.
COLLEGE TUITION AND BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Apply to be on the student advisory committee that advises us on student programs, services, and teaching. Fill out the form located here at this link by Oct 16.
CNS FAMILY DAY: I hope you and your family are coming to the CNS Family Day event, part of the Texas Parent's Family Weekend. Our event is Saturday, October 18th, 9am-12pm, at the Texas Memorial Museum. For questions, please contact Maggie Wilhite.
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