“Time is time. It’s the commodity you have in life.”

Professor Daniel R. Schwarz’s advice ranged from practical to philosophical. He identified key goals for each year of university such as becoming involved on campus during freshman year, carefully selecting an advisor during sophomore year, taking stimulating coursework outside one’s major during junior year, and planning for graduate school or to enter industry during senior year. While none of the ideas were particularly novel, it was valuable to hear them condensed into a single, direct talk.

I have observed at Cornell a divide between professors who have been teaching here a long time and the students who grew up in an entirely different, digital age. During his talk, Professor Schwarz espoused several traditional values such as the importance of strong public speaking skills and the value of keeping a daily journal. Given this, it was surprising to me that in addition to recommending every student study the humanities and economics, he also signaled out computer literacy as a vital skill in today’s world. This statement indicated to me that the classical paradigm for a well-rounded education is shifting. (New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s recent announcement corroborates this trend.)

Professor Schwarz summarized his talk by emphasizing the importance of resiliency, resourcefulness, and resolve during college and life afterward. These attributes are certainly essential during college when students are repeatedly faced with challenges they have never experienced before. But even more important than these three key values, I think Professor Schwarz’s talk rightfully pointed out that college is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and it is important to constantly reflect and evaluate whether one is spending his or her time in the best way possible.