So I just got back from shooting this ‘Talk with the Dean’ to get more information out about the College of Natural Sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and if I do say so myself, IT WAS GREAT. Who knew that professors were once people? Let alone deans were once normal! For those who are from UT go to UT or hear about UT, I believe it will be out in some sort of newsletter around August 1st or during that month. Dean Laude had a very interesting story to tell that most students do not get to hear. We heard his personal story. I will not dish the details but I do have sayings that will give you the feel of the talk. Text in bold are broad blurbs that sum up his overarching theme for that particular story. Text in italics are rough quotations.
“I did research and I hated it!” “Awesome! What are you going to do now?”
“You want me to write a recommendation letter for you, but it appears you have a low chance of getting into medical school. Yes, the unspoken truth no one wants to hear.”
People are scared of professors…they ought not to be. It’s those who are just a little bit crazy and have the balls to say something that go somewhere
“I have found that the ones who fail early on in college are the more mature ones and the more grounded ones when compared to those who have come across a streak of perfection. It’s coming. The screw up is coming.”
Don’t just go through the motions for anything. If you weren’t cut out to do it, you will suck at it.
Students are also scared that not knowing what they are going to do will mean failure. It doesn’t. You just have to be more creative.
The struggle is getting up after falling, but that struggle tends to be the most beneficial time of your life.
It’s okay to experiment. Don’t be so close minded.
This only a minute amount of pretty good stuff Dean Laude mentioned since I am hot and tired from having only three hours of sleep. So I guess his overall conclusion was to have no plan, failing is okay if you get back up again, don’t do anything you don’t want, and don’t be scared to struggle for what you want. Keep a look out for the newsletter. If not, I don’t know. Google it or something. I am glad to hear that someone is opening their mind to just how much science can open doors in the most peculiar ways.