By George Mizelle/reporter
Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley came to NE Campus’ orientation bringing some common-sense advice.
“I’m not here to tell you anything you don’t already know,” said Hadley in the opening of her speech. “I just came here this morning to give you a few reminders.”
She presented You Are in the Driver’s Seat to kick off NE’s orientation series Achieve the Dream One Student at a Time.
“I wanted to be impressive today,” she said, “so I have my speech on my iPhone. Students have said to me, ‘You are in the dark ages around here with technology.’”
Money and effort have been applied to bring TCC’s technology levels up to modern times, Hadley said.
However, her main piece of advice was not about technology.
“Your biggest job,” she said, “is to stay focused.”
Hadley said students who typically get the best grades at TCC are those 25 and older.
“This is because they tend to be more focused than younger students,” she said.
Students, Hadley said, should learn to work hard.
“You must also look at your study efforts,” she said. “Get you a study buddy.”
Her next reminder was especially important, she said.
“You must control your emotions, especially anger,” she said.
Everyone gets emotional from time to time, Hadley said, but it is not necessary to let those emotions control how people deal with their situations.
Hadley’s last reminder was the need for a Plan B.
“Don’t go through life without one,” she said, “because you don’t know when your tornado is going to hit.”
By tornado, Hadley said she meant anything that might occur in one’s life that could wreak havoc.
“Design your life so that you feel good most of the time,” she said in closing.
Student Shawn Winters said he enjoyed Hadley’s speech.
“It was fun and had some really good advice,” he said.
Six students received door prizes that included a wireless printer and a $500 TCC scholarship. First-semester radiology technology student Miranda Martin won the scholarship.
“My hands are still shaking,” Martin said about winning the scholarship. “My husband was actually complaining that I was getting the kids up early so I could drop them off at school early and get to this, but it was all worth it.”
