I used to bring books to sleepovers and birthday parties when I was younger, sometimes not to read, but to hold in case some social catastrophe happened, like a lucky charm hidden in my sleeping bag that I didn’t want to reveal. Sad, but true. If only 10-year-old me could see me now, cold-calling article contacts and interviewing strangers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still an introvert who prefers books and coffee over networking, but I’ve been able to shed the book to some extent and will keep trying.
Now I’m facing senior thesis milestones that are building up to talking to experts in the field who will hopefully become the center of my paper. It almost seems like the culmination of my time at Stevens will be packaged neatly into a paper and poster after numerous cold calls and emails — putting myself out there. This project has morphed from pure literature to exploratory interviews and community research. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the journalistic blueprint of this thesis, but at the same time, I couldn’t feel more nervous about starting. My advisor has hinted that I should let go of the end product, especially when pursuing a result that is vested in experiences and anecdotes. She’s right, and it’s scary. It’s daunting to not only tell others what you hope for, but then to take the first steps toward making it actionable. The prep work for this thesis has been permanently occupying a portion of my brain as it becomes the heart and soul of senior year. This challenge has been pushing me to academically show up for myself now more than ever.
In an attempt to build some interviewing momentum, I asked people around me—in a coffee shop, a bookstore, on the street, in class—what was the best piece of advice they’ve ever received. Here are a few responses:
“The best piece of advice that I’ve ever received is from my father, and it’s a point that he reiterates several times. It’s that everything has a limit, and I feel like that kind of instills a value of moderation and not taking things too far, which is very easy to do in society.”
- Bwè Kafe barista
“Live to the fullest, like it’s your first, last, and only day.”
- Bioethics professor
“Always work hard, no matter what. If you only work harder than the next person, that won’t get you anywhere.”
- Bagel on the Hudson cashier
“No opportunity or pursuit is ever wasted.”
- Symposium volunteer
“Trifecta: smart, funny, and cute. Does he have the trifecta?” and “Don’t be a nothingburger.”
- Symposium volunteer
“You have to take care of yourself first in order to be able to care for others.”
- Charge nurse at the hospital I work at
