Learn how to say “no.”
For the first event of Career Services’ Senior Series, 51 students said they would be there. Only 14 showed up.
Even with the guarantee of discounted drinks and a guest lecturer, nearly 40 students simply did not come, after RSVPing that they would, without explanation or warning, according to Student Affair Mentor Jenna Biggs, who organized the event.
Unfortunately, students bailing on their commitments is not unprecedented. Days fill up and schedules get crowded, forcing students to shuffle priorities and sometimes skip things they planned to commit to.
Hillsdale is full of ambitious, involved students who want to do it all. Saying “yes” is the easy thing to do, but it’s not always the right thing. There is value in learning to decline an offer.
The hectic, stressful college life is not an excuse to drop responsibilities. Pledging to do something and then failing to follow through is worse than simply declining in the first place.
If working a job is more valuable than running a club, don’t take a leadership position. If writing for a campus publication is more important than attending an event, don’t reserve a seat. If playing intramural sports is a better use of time than joining a Greek house, don’t sign up for recruitment.
Personal responsibility is not just about balancing a schedule; it’s about setting it up for success right from the get-go. College is a time to practice personal responsibility, and properly managing a schedule is part of that. Think carefully before taking on extra tasks, because an important part of growth is learning to commit, but not overextend.
