By Mary Haffner (’15)
To start off this blog post right, I thought I’d write a few rhyming lines
Welcome my fellow Zags to this beautiful family, to the start of such great times
I’m sad I won’t personally meet you, since I’m old now, a recent grad
But it’s a pleasure to pass a few words along, and blabber about why GU is so rad
I know it can be overwhelming to start a completely new chapter in life
But you’re far from alone, and we are all here to support you, in joy and in strife
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of you, just how brightly you shine
To help guide you along, keep on reading below, and know that you’ll be more than fine
Ok, so now that I’m all rhymed out, my name is Mary Haffner and I was a member of the class of 2015. I was asked to write a little piece on what it means to Invest in YOUR Education. The truth is, I could have taken this a million different directions, but I thought the best way was to tell you my own truth about what it means to invest in Gonzaga, and how it feels to be invested. That feeling is one you’ll come to know. That, I can promise you.
The difference between Zags and other college students around the nation and the world hinges on one word above all others: Investment. Zags buy in. We don’t just dip our toes in the water of our four years; we dive in with no reservations. I always wondered why so many other basketball teams found it hard to play against Gonzaga at home in the Kennel. It wasn’t until I stood there in the Kennel, chanting “WE ARE GU” at a basketball game that I understood it. Conviction and true pride are intimidating.
Examples are everywhere if you look close enough. If you peak into a GUSR (Gonzaga University Specialized Recreation) practice, you can see it in how the volunteers work with their developmentally disabled adult buddies to put on a play for the campus. You can see it in the service immersion trips that GU students go on for Spring Break with Mission: Possible instead of laying on a beach somewhere. It’s seen when the professor scraps his or her plan for the day because they see the organic discussion, driven by students, to be just as valuable as their lecture. It really is everywhere.
To see a community built around the common belief that there are few things in life as sweet as being a Zag is actually quite impressive. You see, college students are VERY good at not knowing what the heck they’re dong half of the time (myself included). Some change majors, friend groups, or even personalities on a weekly or monthly basis. One thing, however, that seemed unshakable to me was the conviction we all have to being Zags.
It is our investment in Gonzaga that allows Gonzaga to so intentionally invest in us. It is because we give so freely that we are able to receive so abundantly, and that, I hope is the biggest take away. Invest. Don’t just do it for you, but do it for every Zag. When I say invest, I mean really invest, not just in the classroom, or your residence hall, or church, or at the gym. I mean everywhere.
When someone asks you to have a cup of coffee with them, do it. Even better, ask them. Don’t be afraid to have conversations that go beyond “where are you from?” and “do you have any siblings?” It will be worth it. Invest.
When someone tells you that you should sign up for a retreat and you’re not sure if it’s really your thing, do it. Retreats aren’t about your faith background. They’re about letting you step outside of yourself for a minute, to take a breath, and maybe meet some awesome people. You won’t regret it. Invest.
When the choice arises in a class between pursuing something easy but boring, versus difficult and interesting, choose interesting. Learning is most alive at the crossroads of passion and knowledge, so choose the path that will you lead you there. You’ll learn more and it will have actually mattered to you. Invest.
When a speaker comes to campus and you have to decide between leaving your cozy residence hall and pushing “watch next episode” on Netflix, shut your laptop and go. That episode will be there later, but the speaker won’t be. That presentation may just challenge you, or spark something in you that you forgot existed. You miss out on 100% of inspiration you aren’t exposed to. Invest.
These are but a few examples, I’m writing to fellow Zags, and I know you’re picking up on what I’m getting at. Your Gonzaga experience is intrinsically beautiful, but the beauty is amplified the more you invest. The more time you spend engaging both on campus, and in the greater Spokane community, the more memories you’ll make and the more your education will be worth to you. There’s a dollar sign next to the cost of tuition, but cost and worth are not the same thing. Make your experience priceless. Invest.