On Wednesday I attended the first Becker/Rose cafe series of the year,  and had the opportunity to hear Professor Dan Schwartz talk about how to make the best used of our time at Cornell. He shared that time management, making plans, getting to know professors, and spending a little time each day for fun activities were all important to find and realize our career and personal goals. All of his points seemed to be valid, but there was a deeper question looming over the discussion: Why?

Why are we seeking a certain vocation above all else? Taking a step farther back, why do we make the choices we do, what is our motivation for doing anything? I think that it’s important to answer the universal question of “What am I made to do and how am I made to live?” before tackling the issue of how to maximize my career potential through my time at Cornell. Dan Schwartz seemed to make the assumption that, at this point in our lives, we see ourselves as students first. This is true for some, but not for everyone – at least, not for me.

Personally, my identity is in my Father-Son relationship with God by the grace of Jesus. This informs the decisions I make at the deepest level. Though I am a student, I’m not a student first. My question to others is: who are you at your core, and how do you choose to live based on that identity? Do you subscribe to the idea that, since you are at Cornell, you are a student first?