Page:The Fraternity and the Undergraduate (1923).pdf/113

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Such plans almost always go astray. One of the best freshmen I know this year, and he is in reality a boy of only ordinary attainments, has made high grades and has found time besides for all sorts of recreations and pleasures, by always doing his college work first. If he is going out at night, he stays in during the afternoon and writes his theme or his French exercise, so that when he comes to the party he has nothing on his mind, he is not goaded with the thought that he must get up early in the morning to prepare a delayed lesson, but can give himself unreservedly to the pleasure at hand. He is one of the high men scholastically and he has Imd time for both athletic activity and social pleasure because he does his college work before he goes at anything else.

The gist of my sermon to the freshman so far is, plan your work, never put it all off until evening, otherwise you will grow dull and sleepy; attend every class exercise; learn concentration early in your course, and see that all assignments are kept up to date. Do your work before you give your time to pleasure. Such a course of action will raise your class standing ten or fifteen per cent and give you more time for sleep, exercise, and pleasure than you could possibly have if you go at your work in a hit and miss, haphazard way.