Question: Imagine you are writing to a freshman who is considering following in your footsteps as an ESL tutor with Hispanic Studies and Sharpe this coming fall semester. She or he wants to know how you manage to do the freshman seminar, the tutoring, the 491 course and keep your sanity. How do you find time for all that plus your other courses?

Responses from Sharpe Scholars:

1) I told myself that when I came to college that I wouldn't get as involved as I was in high School. I lied. Since having come here, I've decided that I indeed could prove myself to everyone and "do it all" Now that this year is winding down and I've become reflective, I think I know what I would tell the new Sharpies: "You can't do it all." It's that simple. If you want to stay sane, prioritize and be happy with what you do, don't try to do everything, it won't work. That's the ONLY way to stay sane. Because no matter how much you think sleep is dispensable, it really isn't, and free time is KEY to succeeding. Over all, if you're a Sharpie, be happy with just being a Sharpie.

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2) Balance and a schedule. I do a lot of other activities alongside of Sharpe and school work, so I prioritise everything (and make this clear to coaches and clubs), so that way if I do have to miss something because of a meeting or because of an exam, report, homework, etc, I know that I can choose the more important of the activities. Anything that will affect my grade (including Sharpe) comes first, followed by crew, then clubs. Yeah, it would be upsetting to miss a JCA meeting, but I can always get the information later if I have something to do for Sharpe. Also, if I know, or am not sure, that I will have time to do something for a club, I don't sign up for it; I make what I can. Second, I plan everything out. I have a daily list of things to do everyday which includes the items that 'must' get done for classes and Sharpe (those things that influence my grade). If I can remove everything from that list by the end of the day, then I can go out and do other things, if I can not, I miss whatever it is I have in the evening to finish work. As far as retaining sanity, find at least one point in the day to exercise and release stress, and eat in the dining halls--that's social time. Kendo, because beating people over the head with a stick somehow helps me relieve stress.

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3) Scheduling is so important as well as deciding on the order of importance of things. I also agree that sanity is very hard to keep here. Also understanding service learning is so key. At William and Mary a lof of us are over-achiviers. We want to do everything and do it well. Sharpe has taught me that you can do anything you want to do. You just have to be willing to work with others and comprimise. You need to be a vital part of the group. You need to work but you also need to depend on others to do there share. I know sometimes it can be hard to work with others but there are so many things were skills that include group work are important. I don't want to give next year's Sharpies more work but I think 7 Habits is something they should read before they come into school and then again while they are here. I think it could really help them understand how you can be effective. And I think that in Sharpe that is our goal to be effective. Also some other tips about Sharpe for incoming frosh, enjoy living with the coolest people ever. Being in a place where you get to live and work with the same people is really neat. Find out what other Sharpe groups are doing and what they are going thourgh. Sharing your experinces with all is such a cool thing. And remember that Sharpe is about service learning, not just service and not just learning. It is about learning via doing. Most of all you should believe in yourself because you can do. Also talk to fellows because they are pretty darn awesome!

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4) I will admit that being an ESL tutor with the Sharpe Hispanic Studies program is not easy. However, it is certainly manageable, even with your other classes and group organizations. The only advice I have is to learn how to maximize your time wisely and to realize what your priorities are. Sharpe demands a serious commitment from its students- the freshman seminar, the tutoring and the 491 course. Nonetheless, as a selected scholar you have already undoubtedly proved to the program's professors that you have the leadership and determination to succeed. In your freshman year of college it is easy to want to join every club, take every class and have fun every night. However, if you hope to keep your sanity- and good grades- it is best to realize that you don't have time for everything. However, don't let this change your mind about Sharpe, because you have four years to make life at William and Mary your very own; and, at times it will be stressful and busy, but you won't regret it.

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5) The only difference between Sharpe and some other club is that you actually take a class to learn about the issue at hand and then practice your new knowledge through tutoring. Otherwise, in regards to time, it is not much different from a varsity sport or a club that runs on student commitment. In fact, outside of the classroom, Sharpe is completely run on student initiative. Where does Sharpe stand for you? Personally, I find that the more time I put into a project, the more enjoyable the results are. Everyone has a different way of working, studying, and volunteering. A novice Sharpie will master his way through the program just as he will the campus layout, just remember to have fun!

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6) I think that time management is key in college whether or not you are a Sharpe scholar. From my experience, it's not that you need to be working and studying and going crazy all the time. You just have to keep on top of things. The hard thing about college is that you can literally go through several weeks of classes without having a single assignment due but if you don't keep up with reading and reviewing you will fall too far behind to recover. I've found that getting into a regular study routine where you have a time each day that you get work done is the best for me. Sharpe adds the challenge of having many time commitments. There are several times during each week that you must be at a certain place at a certain time. It may seem like too much to do some weeks but most of the time you just have to be resposible and concious of how you use your time.