Cal Poly Orientation Kickoff 2021
Hey there Cal Poly,
I hope the pep talk has you feeling more comfortable and also more prepared for the challenges you will face this fall.
I also hope you remain
EXCITED enough to enjoy all of this,
NERVOUS enough to value it, and
CENTERED enough to savor it!
Below is a brief summary of the peptalk.
Thanks for requesting and reading this summary-I welcome any FEEDBACK, QUESTIONS, and/or CONCERNS you care to share.
Your pal,
Cal Pauly
Paul Wesselmann,
The Ripples Guy
http://TheRipplesGuy.com
6 Actions for Success in College & Life
(do you remember the hand gestures that go along with this?)
ASK ~ CONNECT ~ SAMPLE ~ RIPPLE ~ FOCUS ~ ENJOY
ASK
Ask questions, and ask for help. You are not the only one here who is nervous. Asking questions and asking for help will help you get less nervous more quickly!
CONNECT
Connect with as many people as possible as soon as possible who are as different as possible. When you want to feel comfortable in this world, surround yourself with people you know. When you want to grow, when you want to get something out of orientation, college, life…it is essential that you seek the challenge of stepping away from the people you know, move out of your comfort zone, and surround yourself with people you do NOT know, and people who are different than you. It’s challenging, and it’s worth it.
SAMPLE
Sample the buffet of activities available in college. Get involved, try new things even though it will be uncomfortable. Keep in mind: You cannot remain comfortable and grow into the best possible version of yourself. Some discomfort is required for success.
RIPPLE
Our small, daily decisions about school, work, and relationships have the biggest impact on our success. The same is true of your self care skills (how much you eat, move, and sleep).
FOCUS
Focus on what’s important, and what’s in front of you. Make the class you’re attending, the people you’re with, the task at hand, your top priority for that moment.
ENJOY
Make sure you savor every person, every class, everything you encounter because time flies! And seize opportunities to make someone’s day. It will improve yours, too.
And whether it’s starting college or any other big challenge or change, remember that WE GOT THIS as long as we come together and focus on:
CURIOUS MINDS
Moving away from overwhelm and fear by activating your capacity to GROW through hard stuff instead of just GOING through it. If you haven’t heard of fixed vs. growth mindset, this video is super helpful:
OPEN HEARTS
Extending gratitude, compassion, generosity, and love to yourself and those around you (even the people that are hard for you to like/love!)
CALM SPIRITS
finding and returning to your center
NURTURE HEALTH
Assessing your physical, mental, and spiritual health and taking necessary action to recover from illness and then pursue positive states of wellness and wellbeing.
THREE QUESTIONS that are useful any time you are going through CHALLENGES and/or CHANGES:
What is it time to let go of?
What will be important to hold on to?
What might be useful to look forward to?
CLOSING MESSAGE:
You are all are about to embark on an incredible adventure and your new student (and your parents) need your help to make the most of their journey. This transition will be one of the most difficult experiences in their lives, and it will be filled with fear, uncertainty, and constant change which can be difficult to manage. Do what you can to help them seek the right balance between the COMFORT of what they already know and the exciting new CHALLENGES that await them: the letting go, the holding on, and the looking forward. Be PATIENT, and BE KIND.
