The Court Street Corner
Justin D. Meyer

[edited for space]

"Pepperidge Farm Remembers..." (c) Campbell Soup Company

As the academic year draws to a close, most of us find ourselves amidst numerous deadlines for projects, papers, exams and more. These are the times that really test the mettle of our time management skills and overall efficiency.

Nearly every major at Stevens has a serious work load that comes along with it. Add to the top of the pile RSO, club, Greek, and committee involvements, and pretty soon one has a set of commitments which requires shifting priorities from week to week in order to stay "on top of things". For many in positions of responsibility, this situation is acceptable, and certainly understood. It has also become expected, and is almost a part of the Stevens student culture … the few who are highly involved in campus are responsible for a disproportionate amount of the work, however I do not believe the ratio quite fits the "80-20" rule.

Any amount of over-commitment really places one in a position where they are forced to de-prioritize one or more commitments in favor of another. While this is common practice in our environment, out in "the real world" it does not go over well with a boss or supervisor. More students need to step back a little and take a good look at their overall schedule and see how well it fits with their goals.

From the perspective of a group leader, this culture adds subtle, unwritten-but necessary-requirements. After setting up meetings about one in four people will forget the commitment if a reminder is not provided: be it a group, job, or extra-curricular commitment.

A second factor which is both a function of commitment prioritization and the work ethic of an individual is dependability. I depend on others to keep their responsibilities to me a high enough priority such that I do not fall behind. Some of my most valuable team members are those who are consistently dependable. Just like insurance for peace of mind, they leave me with nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, this is a more of an innate quality than it is a characteristic that can be taught. The ability to complete work dependably is critical to the success of a team.

A case in point was mentioned in The Stute's Editorial last week. Over the past couple issues several regular contributors to The Stute, including yours truly, were overwhelmed by Senior Design, papers, exam preparation, jobs, and et cetera. While this is understandable, where does it leave the Managing Editor, the person responsible for making sure all assignments are completed? It leaves him up a creek without the expected submissions. Due to missed deadlines, the space must be filled, and this is often done with RSO boxes, public service announcements, and recruitment ads. Then The Stute receives letters to the editor lamenting that the paper "has gone down hill" or "is ridiculous," and so the cycle continues with no abatement in sight.

This all comes in to play during the transition from academia to the work place.

We break ties with many, if not all, commitments as we depart college and start our first job. We fill in the small spaces with essential tasks like domestics and et cetera. We proceed to add commitments where they may fit. There is no "de-prioritization" in a full-time job, only within it as directed by a supervisor. Should more students recognize this and choose more carefully which commitments to make, I believe the quality of work and life for many will improve. Change does start from within.