“Probably the most dangerous thing about college education, at least in my own case, is that it enables my tendency to over- intellectualize stuff, to get lost in abstract arguments inside my head instead of simply paying attention to what's going on right in front of me. Paying attention to what's going on inside me. As I'm sure you guys know by now, it is extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive instead of getting hypnotized by the constant monologue inside your own head. Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal- arts cliché about “teaching you how to think” is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: “Learning how to think” really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed.” –David Foster Wallace, “This is Water”

Why did I read this? How can this be connected to Focused Inquiry? This, “learning how to think” is the most valuable lesson you will learn in college. In high school, students are often spoon-fed information and told “this is what to think about and this is how you should think about it. What college and this class will provide you with instead, is not just the content of what to think about, but also the process of how to critically engage and the tools you’ll need to integrate this into your life. Once you’ve mastered the process of critical inquiry, it will be up to you to choose how to apply it and what to think about.   As David Foster Wallace says, it’s hard to constantly stay alert. So here are some tips that I have found helpful in my experience to actively make the most of your classes and help you actively engage and critically think.

Do… Get to know your professors!!! Ask questions, any question, even if you think it’s dumb Pick Topics you are interested in to write about Find ways to connect class, writing, and academic experience to personal life and interests Find ways to make connections to other classes Ask for help if you need help- doesn’t just have to be the Professor Go to the writing center Peer Review Write notes in margins

Don’t… Pick a topic that you have no interest in, just because you think it’s what your professor would want “Borrow” your friend’s paper- it’s obvious Wait until the last minute for a paper. As we’ve discussed in class, the key to a good essay is a complex thesis, which will take you time to develop and explain well. Take where you are for granted. You worked hard to get here, now you have to work hard to stay here. Remember, no one is forcing you to be here!