December 10, 2024
As many of you know, my father sent a weekly note similar to the “View from the Loge” to students during his 25+ years as the residential dean of Timothy Dwight College at Yale. Every year at about this time he offered his advice about final exams and papers. With his permission, and with light edits to make it fit SMPA, I am continuing his tradition.
Our term is coming to a close. I know you are working hard to finish.
Remember: You belong at SMPA. SMPA is difficult, but you will be fine. A demanding college takes getting used to. You will get used to it and even better you will discover resources within you that you do not know you have. Be optimistic! You have the good fortune to be surrounded by others who care about you.
I want to remind you, as I have before, that exams are a test of your knowledge and not a test of your identity and personal worth, although it is difficult to make those distinctions sometimes. Also, keep perspective if you can. The exam period is a difficult time, but it is a finite time. And even this difficult time is an opportunity to look after yourself and others -- a cheerful word, some encouragement, a cookie -- small things that can mean so much, small things from one human to another.
And while taking an exam or writing a paper, you might even have fun thinking, putting ideas together, calculating clearly, discovering themes, recalling with good effect, making connections coherently, making connections spontaneously, and finding you have personal resources you did not know you had. All of these are possible. Remember, you will be fine.
Best wishes as always during our final weeks together this term.
Dean Loge, with light edits from Director Loge