10
asianweekly northwest
39 YEARS
OCTOBER 2 – OCTOBER 8, 2021
■ PUBLISHER’S BLOG Advice to college freshmen, then and now By Assunta Ng NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
No hurry
Photos by Assunta Ng
University of Washington history wall is displayed at the Suzzallo Library
A welcome banner hangs in the Red Square of the University of Washington
My grand nephew just enrolled as a freshman at the University of Washington (UW). Son, you picked the right place! However, you still have a million decisions to make, which can impact your life. I was a Husky decades ago. In retrospect, I could have
done the opposite thing in some of my college experiences. Like you, I wanted to graduate as soon as possible once I arrived at UW. “Tuition is expensive,” you said, “I want to graduate in three years.” Common sense says it’s wise to hurry up, graduate, and save money. As an international student, paying three times more than local students, I thought it was smart to get my degree quickly and to not be a financial burden to my family. Each quarter, I took a heavy load, 18 credits. My daily routine was to go to the library after class and after meals, with no exceptions. (Taking 12 credits was considered being a full-time student.) A former classmate took 12 credits every quarter. I called him a “lazy bum.” Another classmate took 20 credits (even though her family was one of the richest folks in Hong Kong), and our peers perceived her overload as “diligent.” She spent all her time studying and not playing! Did she enjoy her college days? You know the answer. I considered her a fool.
My advice to you, dear nephew: Take your time, enjoy your education. Your college journey is some of the most precious times. I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. I took 18 credits each quarter, but at what expense? By the end of my junior year, I had enough credits to graduate. Suddenly, I felt I was not ready to face the real world. I needed time to think about the next stage of my life. Fortunately, I already got a two-year scholarship, so I had the freedom to take classes that I enjoyed, including journalism, drama, and bowling. Yes, bowling. And I reduced the number of classes I took. Although I took seven credits for my last quarter at UW, I still had 18 credits more than the graduation requirement of 180 credits. The last two years of my college days were colorful, fun, and exciting. You take 15 credits—smart decision—which is about the right load.
Starbucks vs. library
Students wait in line at a Starbucks store inside the Suzzallo Library
While it’s commendable for students who work and see BLOG on 14
