A few words of advice

By Chris Stamas

As my college career comes to a close, I find myself wanting to give back to Santa Clara as much as possible.

Since I know there isn't much time left to accomplish everything, I'm more involved than ever. The stress and lack of sleep are minor inconveniences in comparison to the opportunities I am able to capitalize on during my final quarter here.

It feels strange — as a senior, I look at the rest of the student body with an eye of experience and maturity.

Some things have lost their novelty, but watching my younger comrades experience college for the first time more than makes up for it.

This week I asked fellow seniors and recent graduates to give advice to the current freshman class.

I put together the following responses as my way of giving back:

­­"If you are taking three courses in a quarter or find yourself with a lot of free time, make sure to spend it wisely. Pursue something new, whether it's a hobby, intellectual interest or sport. The university atmosphere lends itself perfectly to the pursuit of personal interests."

"Study abroad. You'll learn things about yourself you never thought were possible."

"Don't ever feel like you have nothing to contribute. You have a vast knowledge of experiences—don't underestimate the value of them!"

"Get involved and take chances. I know students who graduated without getting involved and they all agree that is their number one regret."

"Get out of your comfort zone. I came from a public four-year  high school and found myself sitting in liturgies with Father Jack Treacy in 11th floor Swig my freshman year. I am neither Catholic nor very religious, but I found the experience to be awesome."

"Don't be shy. Many fellow students are in your same position not knowing others in a class, club or at a party. All it takes is a comment to break the ice and you might have found a new friend."

"Find yourself an on-campus job. You never know what sort of passion you might uncover for yourself."

"Don't be afraid to get a B, or a C. Sometimes you find that you actually learned quite a bit and college is, well, supposed to be pretty hard.Santa Clara University will challenge you, so prepare to raise your hand and actually answer a question from your professor. You have no permission to nod off anymore like in high school!"

I am aware that every student's college experience is different and that the aforementioned broad advice sometimes doesn't feel relevant.

The one similarity that everyone has in common, though, is the reason you are enrolled in a university: to receive a degree and hopefully to grow as a person in the process.

For most college students, it takes several years to take control of this pursuit.

But often times there is a turning point where classes and activities on campus gain meaning in the broader scope of your life.

I'll leave freshmen with this: The grades come second to how much can be taken away from a course. Stop looking at college activities as things you have to do and instead see things you want to do in order to grow and learn.

The earlier you can get to this point, the more you'll grow during your time at Santa Clara.

Chris Stamas is a senior political science major.