Kennedy's Life Stories: What's college really worth?

Andy Hausted, 22, is spending the last few weeks at Southern Adventist University thinking about what he has learned in college.
Andy Hausted, 22, is spending the last few weeks at Southern Adventist University thinking about what he has learned in college.

Andy Hausted is plainly exhausted.

Cramming four years of college work into three will do that to you.

Hausted, a Northern California native and student at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, is counting down the days until his early May graduation.

photo Mark Kennedy

Just 22 years old, he is a chemistry major who already has been accepted to medical school in California. He plans to one day become a faith-focused physician with an eye toward mission work.

For now, though, he's concentrating on a strong finish in college: submitting class papers on deadline, passing his midterm exams and planning his summer as an intern at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

But there's a little bit of him - say, 2 percent - feeling wistful about the end of college. He says he will miss the intensity of his classes and hanging around students majoring in other subjects.

About a week ago, Hausted started a social media countdown. Every day between now and his college graduation, Hausted plans to post a tweet under the theme, "Things I've learned in college."

At a time when some people are questioning whether college is a good investment, Hausted is focusing on tabulating the life skills people acquire in college that don't show up in a GPA.

"As graduation was approaching, I started thinking, 'Hey, how can I close off this period of my life?" he explains.

On Feb. 23, Hausted sent out this tweet: "In 74 days I will graduate with a degree in chemistry. I will count down by posting, for each day, something I've learned in college." (To read his tweets search @saugrad16.)

Here are a few of his tweets so far, along with the stories behind these 140-character-or-less musings. Call them Andy's axioms.

- "College taught me that spectacular achievements are always preceded by unspectacular preparations."

Hausted says the post is a paraphrase of a quote from former NFL quarterback Roger Staubach.

He explains the sentiment, "Before you get that big test grade back, or before you get that acceptance letter from med school, before each moment of success, there is a lot of diligence behind the scene."

Hausted says some of his most vivid memories from college will be about sacrifice. He'll remember getting up at 4 a.m. to study for tests. He'll never forget taking 28 credit hours one semester, and grudgingly turning down invitations to spend time with friends because his studies beckoned.

In short, he learned how to sacrifice.

- "One of the biggest things college has taught me is the importance of a weekly rest day to connect with God and friends."

As a member of the Seventh-day Adventist faith, Hausted insisted on observing the Sabbath all through college. From sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday, he combined worship and rest. For a driven student, setting aside the books for 24 hours is a test of willpower.

Still, Hausted said that observing a weekly day of rest allowed him to push through during his busiest times.

"I'd go to church on Saturday, and after that I'd spend time in nature, going on hikes," he explained of his sabbath observances. "We get together with friends for lunch on Saturday. Everyone brings something to eat, and we talk about the week."

- "College has taught me that things don't always go as planned. That's life. It's how you deal with the setback that is defining."

You don't have a resume like Hausted's without a lot of meticulous planning. Graduating in three years, when most students take four years or more, is a logistical Rubik's cube. Still, people who are too regimented in their planning will always be knocked off stride eventually, he observes.

"You have a plan, and you're diligent, but things come up that throw a kink in your plans," Hausted explains. "You have an assignment, and the dates get moved. Or you've planned two hours for studying and you have to spend an hour on the phone because of a family emergency."

-"College has taught me stress can be good. Let it feed your productivity, but don't let it impede your ability to enjoy life."

The surest sign Hausted has learned valuable life lessons in college is this musing on balance. Most people don't come to terms with this until they reach mid-age or beyond.

Hausted explains his philosophy: "I have a desire to accomplish as much as I can in a short life, but I don't want to look back and say I got my work done but I didn't have time for my family, or God, or all the things that make life beautiful."

Give this young man a diploma. He's earned it.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.

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