Ask Will White

When putting together presentations for the Government agencies, reviewing critical operations type documents, and executing a well.  Cut out distracting noise if I can and putting my phone away. Sometimes I even turn off Zoom or go work in small room.  If I really don’t want to do the work, then I sit down and take the time to focus or do some mediation first to calm the mind.

I wish I had spent more time learning financial planning, investing, index funds, and the power of compound interest.  I wish I could have finished my BA in History and taken more philosophy classes, but I had the job offer and felt I needed to take it.  I am really glad I have stayed in touch with my professors and such.  That was big and lead to the engagement program.

I kept in mind future Will or older Will and the end goal.  For example, if you party all night Saturday night will your Sunday self be happy with your Saturday self?  I knew 50-year-old Will would be happy that 20 something Will hunkered down and not only got good grades but also learned a lot.  It makes sense to deal with a few years of pain or discomfort in life if it leads to 40 years of a better life

Yes, but you have to be active in finding your groove while also staying open to improvements. It helped me to keep a structure for how I take notes, study, and put time aside for schoolwork. I was also open to tweaking those habits if needed during the semester once I knew what each class's expectations were.

Yes. My doubts were not about the path I chose but about whether or not I was capable. One of the key things that helped me overcome these doubts was the support I received from the Fall Bridge instructors and  others. Honestly, if the people you are around are not making you a happier, better person and helping you to improve, then don't be around them. I often tell myself, if you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room.

Towards the end of my time, one day I was walking and talking with April [Heaney, LeaRN Director] about the challenges being faced by the team at the time and things I found really helpful during my college career. After I was settled into my job, I stopped into the LeaRN office one day to catch up with April, and we came up with the idea to share my learnings in a more structured way.

It has helped me see a bath toward a goal. My personality type is that of a Master Planner, so I like to have a plan to work towards and, more importantly, see a pathway to success in that plan. But one has to manage expectations and know their limits.

First you need to know what it is you want to accomplish. Then believe you can do it. Once you have the “I can do it” the how to do it will follow. Build a plan and stick to it. I started creating a 10-year plan in college, and it helped me get to where I am now.  

The key was actually learning from them and the mistakes of others.  You make a mistake, recognize it, and address it so you don’t brush it off.  Also, talking to your professor. They can provide you with all the mistakes made by past students and how to avoid them.

Recognize it's happening before it gets bad and that comes from mindfulness. Sleep, physical activity, yoga, and meditation. Dedicate time to them like you do to study.

Daily exercise is a big one even if it’s just taking walks and not looking at your phone or using any electronics. Unplug if you will.  Getting enough sleep even if it means missing out on parties and going out. As above keep the end goal in mind.  I also set my class load up to keep the work balanced.  I tried to stay under 12hrs each semester if possible and I balanced hard classes with easy classes. I also tried to have an empty slot between classes that I used to reflect on the class and touch up my notes. It also left time to review for the next class.  Plan ahead and research how hard some classes are going to be and the effort they may require. Credit hours are not always a good indicator of workload.  One can also take hard classes in the summer. It’s a ton of work but takes some of the burden of the normal semesters.  Short afternoon naps were awesome.  If you blow a class really bad keep in mind you can always retake it. I took a few Fs and Cs and focused on the rest of my classes and then re-took the classes later with better timing and better instructors.  Each one turned into an A. But make sure you know the financial implications if you have money coming in that requires a certain GPA.  Never take an Incomplete if you can help it. That used to really hit your financial aid hard.

I did poorly in school. I did not feel like I was gaining anything by being there. I wanted to get a job and make money. Plus an opportunity presented itself for me to get my own apt and have a good job. It may not have happened if not for the job opportunity. 

I was exposed to some people living the kind of life I wanted to live and their skills/education is what allowed that. One was a geologist that worked rotations. Month-on-month off. It’s like being semi retired. The other was a master carpenter that also had a biology degree (teaches when work is slow).  He worked to make enough money to then take large chucks of time off. Time is the ultimate currency. I wanted more time to do the things I wanted to do. 

It helped me set and follow long term goals. Tasks that can take years to accomplish. It also helped a lot with my BS alarm and double checking the validity of information I am given. My history classes for example helped me understand time really is a wheel. That mistakes people make today can be avoided if you understand mistakes of the past. College really helped me learn about myself and that continues to pay dividends through life and career as challenges come up.