“Dizzying acceleration”

Thomas Friedman’s phrase “dizzying acceleration” well describes the demands of culture and career on today’s high school students. The competition for secure jobs starts with American youth, many of whom are routinely stressing about what their grades and activities have to say about their future prospects. The 2014 American Psychological Association study found that teens are more stressed-out than adults.

Friedman, Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and author, will speak at Cornell College Thursday, Nov. 17, about the “Big Trends Shaping the World Today: Economics, Technology, and Geopolitics,” and about his new book “Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations.” In his book, Friedman concludes that nations and individuals must learn to be fast (innovative and quick to adapt), fair (prepared to help the casualties of change), and slow (adept at shutting out the noise and accessing their deepest values).

As your students search for colleges, remind them to find campuses that will help them to achieve each of these goals. While a focus on job placement is important, opportunities to take it slow, connect with community, and practice self-care will be necessary for students to successfully complete their educations. Though the world around us has changed, our biology hasn’t, and college students must find environments that will allow them to take care of their emotional and physical health.

Fast, fair, and slow at Cornell
Cornell’s One Course At A Time teaches students to be fast—with each course lasting only 18 days, and the Berry Career Institute connects students to real world opportunities with internships, fellowships, and networking opportunities.

Fairness and slowness are learned through campus life and activities, like Friedman’s upcoming lecture, as well as interspiritual meditation led by the campus chaplain, events like pet therapy days, and the sustainable food initiatives and nutritional education offered by our food service, Bon Appétit.

With One Course At A Time, classes end at 3 p.m. each day for everyone, giving students time to focus on activities that make them happy and connect them to people with similar interests. Students work together to lead and participate in more than 60 student orgs like social dance, chess and games, [alliance] LGBT student organization, Cornell Financial group, and the KRNL radio station.

With an 11:1 faculty to student ratio, faculty at Cornell have the time to be just as attentive to their students’ wellness as they are to their preparedness. The faculty and administration at Cornell take the time to shape the campus culture to be more aware of fairness through diversity training opportunities, a liberal-arts-style focus on integrating the arts and humanities with the sciences, and constant dialogue between the students, staff, and faculty. Many faculty and staff on campus, including President Jonathan Brand, offer the opportunity for students to join them for meals in their homes or at the Hilltop Café.