{"id":431,"date":"2014-01-06T11:09:08","date_gmt":"2014-01-06T16:09:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/?p=431"},"modified":"2014-12-15T12:34:11","modified_gmt":"2014-12-15T17:34:11","slug":"an-interview-with-carpe-college-author-mike-metzler","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/?p=431","title":{"rendered":"An Interview with Carpe College! Author Mike Metzler"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"mike-office\"<\/a>Q:\u00a0 So, why does anyone need a book like this?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 Having worked with both high school and college students, I believe today\u2019s teens have a tougher time managing expectations, their own and others\u2019, than previous generations\u2026.at least when it comes to their academic and social lives.\u00a0 Combine the heightened pressure to succeed academically, the increased pace of learning, and the complexity of their social lives (including social media), and you realize it\u2019s tough terrain out there.\u00a0 Because college is such an important step for a young person, it helps to have a little assistance from a perspective in addition to your parents.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 Is there a theme that captures what this book is about?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 Yes, and it\u2019s in the title, Carpe College!<\/i>.\u00a0 Making the most of your college experience is about seizing opportunities inside and beyond the classroom. \u00a0I reference three \u2018gurus\u2019 in the book who set the table for everything else. \u00a0\u00a0Joseph Campbell implores us to \u2018follow your bliss.\u2019\u00a0 Thoreau said he wanted to \u2018live deep.\u2019 \u00a0And Mark Twain said he \u2018never let schooling get in the way of his education.\u2019\u00a0\u00a0 These are all great approaches to seizing the richness of the whole college experience.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 What are some of the key points you touch upon?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 First, I encourage students to take a tough look at themselves and ask whether certain aspects of their high school experience made them passive.\u00a0 If so, they need to leave that bad habit behind when they get to college.\u00a0 For example, did they tend to wait for the teacher to serve up an assignment and then \u2018jump through that hoop\u2019 without much thought or effort?\u00a0 Did they slide through senior year worrying more about prom than any academic passion?\u00a0 If so, then they may wish to rethink their mindset for college.\u00a0 There\u2019s so much to explore in college, you just can\u2019t sit back and wait for it to tap you on the shoulder like you may have done in high school.<\/p>\n

I tell students that a great way to shed such passivity is to become more ACTIVE<\/i> and INTENTIONAL<\/i> about the choices they make both in and out of the classroom.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 So, how does a student become more active and intentional?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 I offer a mantra in the book that can help mold a student\u2019s mindset in this regard: \u00a0\u2018Know thyself, have a plan, and assume no one else cares.\u2019\u00a0 <\/i>This approach encompasses all aspects of college life, from academics to everything else.\u00a0 You can know yourself in terms of how good you are at taking lecture notes or whether you make friends easily.\u00a0 You can have a plan for studying during the week and another for meeting people in your dorm.\u00a0 You can assume no one else cares whether you fail a test or whether you remembered to buy your ticket to the football game.\u00a0 Whatever it is, this mantra can be your guide to help control your own destiny.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 From a planning standpoint, where should students begin?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Carpe<\/a>A:<\/b>\u00a0 Actually a good way to begin is to forecast what you want in the end.\u00a0 I often ask first-year students what I call \u2018The June Question.\u2019\u00a0 I remind them that at the end of their first year, in June, they will be done with school, attending some sort of social gathering, and they will be asked, \u201cHey, how did your first year go?\u201d\u00a0 They agree that question will definitely be coming, and they should be prepared for it.\u00a0 \u201cWhat do you want to be able to say when that June Question comes?\u201d I ask.\u00a0 That\u2019s the beginning of the kind of reflection needed to identify their goals, to set their sites on those goals, and to develop strategies to achieve them.\u00a0 Again, whether it\u2019s getting on the dean\u2019s list or walking away from their first year with two really good friends, students can be reflective, active and intentional about getting there.\u00a0 (Of course, this forecasting approach can be applied to one\u2019s entire college career, too.)<\/p>\n

On a larger level, it\u2019s all about becoming a more reflective person.\u00a0 As students try to \u2018know themselves,\u2019 I realize they are young and emerging adults, and that they still have a lot to discover about who they are and who they will become.\u00a0 However, they can begin by periodically asking, \u201cWho am I, where am a going, why, and how?\u201d\u00a0 These are great questions to ask before heading off to school and during each break over your college career.\u00a0 It helps students think big about their aspirations and directions, and it helps them develop a framework for how they\u2019re doing in relation to what\u2019s important to them.\u00a0 (There are even some helpful worksheets in the book to guide this kind of thinking.)<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 But it\u2019s not always as smooth as you\u2019re laying out here.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 No, it is not.\u00a0 And I\u2019ve developed a memorable little strategy for that, too.\u00a0 I call it F3<\/sup>, which stands for Fix It, Forgive and Forge Ahead<\/i>.\u00a0 \u00a0As with the previous mantra, it can be applied to both your academic and non-academic life.\u00a0 Everyone needs to acknowledge that first-year students in a new and challenging environment with increased academic demands and more complicated social lives and living arrangements are going to make some mistakes.\u00a0 They just are!\u00a0 So, it\u2019s very important to recognize that these missteps are part of learning and development, and that it can be destructive if we dwell on them too much rather than turning them into something instructive.<\/p>\n

For example, let\u2019s say you get to college, enjoy your newfound freedom a bit too much, and fail your first midterm.\u00a0 You FIX IT<\/i> by learning to manage your time better, getting more serious and systematic about studying, and visiting your professor to discuss what went wrong on your exam.\u00a0 You can plan better by carving out more specific time each week for that particular course, using that time to review and rewrite notes from class, preview what\u2019s coming, and attend sessions with a study group from class.\u00a0 Then, you FORGIVE<\/i> yourself by recognizing that it\u2019s a significant transition in your life in a completely new setting with new rules.\u00a0 It\u2019s understandable that some stumbles will occur.\u00a0 In the end, you FORGE AHEAD<\/i> by recognizing that what\u2019s next is what matters, and you set about enacting your new plan.\u00a0 If you fix things by developing a more systematic plan with a more diligent approach, and you cut yourself a break, you can keep your eyes on the prize of successfully completing your first year (in the short-term) and attaining academic success over the long haul.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say you misstep on the social front.\u00a0 Maybe you have a bad encounter by drinking one too many beers, your roommate has to usher you home early, and you become rude and unkind to your dorm mates back on your floor.\u00a0 You can FIX IT by asking to hear all the gory details, apologizing individually to people, and throwing an impromptu pizza party in the lounge as a form of public apology.\u00a0 You could stay in for the next evening or, better yet, go out with the gang while staying sober, a great demonstration of your sincerity.\u00a0 You move forward and FORGIVE yourself by recognizing you\u2019re not the first person to experience beer bubbles on the brain and have it affect your behavior.\u00a0 You\u2019re only human, of course, but how you respond matters.\u00a0 If you do not change your behavior, it\u2019ll be tougher to forgive yourself in the future, and to have other forgive you, as well.\u00a0 Finally, you FORGE AHEAD by reflecting on what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future.\u00a0 If you continue to drink socially, find your limits, or don\u2019t even tempt your limits. \u00a0Find an alternative to drinking.\u00a0 If it helps, imagine what your outward behavior might look like from an adult\u2019s perspective (or in a Facebook photo).\u00a0 That ought to ensure you avoid future mishaps.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 Does this book offer anything for the non-traditional student?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 While most of the book is directed toward students who will live on campus at a four-year college, there are several sub-groups whose special circumstances are addressed.\u00a0 There are sections for commuter students and student athletes, and there is also a collection of time management weekly planning templates geared toward students with part-time jobs and other demands.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 Speaking of part-time jobs, does your book address financial aid?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 Indirectly, yes.\u00a0 The book acknowledges that most students need some sort of assistance to pay for college.\u00a0 When I address managing time for academics, social life, and other enrichment opportunities, I assume I am speaking to a student whose budget is tight.\u00a0 So, every suggestion is made with this consideration in mind.\u00a0 That\u2019s why I place so much emphasis on students being active and intentional with their choices.\u00a0 If their radar is up, they will find wonderfully rich opportunities at very little cost.<\/p>\n

Q:\u00a0 What\u2019s the most important thing you\u2019d like readers to remember?<\/strong><\/p>\n

A:<\/b>\u00a0 It\u2019s YOUR journey.\u00a0 Ask yourself who you are, where you want to go, and how you\u2019d like to get there.\u00a0 Graciously accept advice from everyone, but don\u2019t look left and right and wonder why you\u2019re not taking the path of your peers.\u00a0 Enjoy the path you\u2019re on and make the most of it.\u00a0 Carpe College!<\/p>\n

About Mike Metzler<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Q:\u00a0 So, why does anyone need a book like this? A:\u00a0 Having worked with both high school and college students, I believe today\u2019s teens have a tougher time managing expectations, their own and others\u2019, than previous generations\u2026.at least when it comes to their academic and social lives.\u00a0 Combine the heightened pressure to succeed academically, the increased pace of learning, and … Continue Reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=431"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":970,"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/431\/revisions\/970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=431"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=431"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=431"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}