Hey! My name is Brian Rubin, and I am a graduating senior here, earning a dual degree in journalism and business administration. As I’ve been reflecting on my time at Webster University, I can truly say that I’m proud to be a Gorlok. Choosing Webster is one of the best decisions I‘ve ever made. With that being said, these are the 10 pieces of advice I would give to any student at Webster.
Get involved
When I first got here, I wanted to make sure college was going to be different from high school, and getting involved was the best way to do it. During Welcome Weekend my freshman year, I made sure to go to every event. It was by going to those events that I met my friend group that I spent most of my time with freshman year.
After classes started, I tried to figure out what student organizations I wanted to join. Some of the things that I’ve done in the last four years include being a part of the Student Government Association (SGA) as a senator for the School of Communications, the student organization liaison and comptroller. I’ve been on The Journal all four years, a peer mentor and orientation leader with First-Year Experience and Family Programs and participated in the WebsterLEADS program. Webster has more than 40 student organizations to pick from, so there’s bound to be something you’re interested in. If you don’t find a club that fits, it’s easy to create your own with help from SGA.
I’ve both started and joined student organizations during my time here, and it’s been the easiest way to make friends. I even met my best friend, Matthew Langston, through SGA.
When getting involved, it’s normal to attend a meeting, decide it’s not for you and move on. The point of student organizations is to find something you enjoy — not to add more stress to your plate! A full list of student organizations can be found on Involved@Webster.
Don’t overcommit yourself
One mistake I made while getting involved on campus was overcommitting myself. At one point, I was treasurer of four student organizations, a reporter for The Journal and SGA executive board member — all at the same time. I eventually dropped two treasurer positions, and by senior year, I focused only on The Journal and SGA.
The advice I now give to anyone feeling overwhelmed: classes come first. Once you have a handle on your classwork, try one club. If everything is going well, try adding another. But set limits. That’s a skill I’m still learning, even though I am graduating incredibly soon.
The final thing about overcommitment is I’ve learned there’s a reason the recommended credit load is 15 hours per semester.
Don’t take 21 credit hours
Dean of Students John Buck gives a presentation every August, highlighting the phrase ”15 to finish.” This means that if you take 15 credit hours for eight semesters, you will have enough credits to graduate — assuming you take the right classes.
Some students take 16 to 18 credit hours to fit in an extra class. I took 21 in spring 2024, against the advice of my mentors, parents and friends.
That semester was one of the most stressful of my college career. I was only halfway doing my work for both classes and extracurriculars. It took a toll on my physical and emotional health, and it dampened my social life. While I made it through, it’s an anecdote I now tell every time registration rolls around.
It’s OK to change your major
When I was a freshman, I was a declared accounting and sports communication dual-degree. I enjoyed my sports classes, but after a long talk with my adviser, I switched to journalism. It was a great decision and I’ve been extremely grateful for that advice.
The journalism professors I’ve had have been some of the most influential people I’ve met. I expanded my knowledge and wrote about everything from politics to major news events. I even interviewed Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez.
As for accounting, I enjoyed the professors, but found I wasn’t interested in the subject. I switched to finance, but found that wasn’t quite right either. Eventually, after more advising, I landed in business administration.
Your first friend group may not be your permanent friend group
I met one of my closest friends during a volunteering event my freshman year. She introduced me to some of her friends, and the seven of us became a group. We had dinner at Marletto’s every night and studied together in the library.
But large friend groups almost never remain functionable.
I’m never one to say get rid of your friends. But maybe don’t have large groups hanging out together all the time. Not having my “freshman friend group” sophomore year was an adjustment — but I met new people. Sophomore year, I met some of my favorite people and we are friends to this day. Now, graduating college, I hope they are in my life until the end. I wouldn’t have found these people if I kept the first group of friends I made. They were great, but they weren’t meant to be in my life forever. The people I’m friends with now are.
Find the people you trust
One of the most crucial things I’ve learned is to surround yourself with people you can trust on campus. I have been fortunate enough to find those people and they have made my college career so much more manageable. My bosses, my mentors, my professors and my current group of friends are people I truly trust.
You should also strive to be the person others can trust, too. There’s something meaningful about someone asking you for advice because they trust you.
Study abroad
This one may surprise people who knew me freshman and sophomore year. I was very against studying abroad. I didn’t want to leave home for a long period of time or pay for the trip. I also didn’t know if I would be able to take the classes I needed in a different country.
Then I was told about the faculty-led study abroad trips. Last May, I took advantage of Webster’s extensive study abroad opportunities and enrolled in a class on disability and the Holocaust. Being Jewish, I take every opportunity I can to learn about the tragedy that was the Holocaust. I knew a lot about the Jewish people that were killed, but I didn’t know as much about the people with disabilities that were killed.
We went to Berlin, Prague and Vienna for 10 days. That took care of not wanting to be gone for too long. The Study Abroad office offers scholarships that I applied for and received which helped with the financial worries about airfare.
I took the class online through the Webster Groves campus and we traveled to Europe after finals. I left the country for the first time in my life. It was one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life.
I saw landmarks I learned about in German classes and visited the Jewish Quarter in Prague. We learned on that trip that the Jewish Quarter wasn’t “supposed” to be here because it was taken over during World War II. However, instead of bombing the synagogues, it was used for storage. That became some of the oldest Jewish history I’ve ever seen.
For anyone who’s hesitant: go. It’s worth it. Webster’s Study Abroad team is excellent.
Find what makes you happy
One of the best parts of my Webster experience has been the sheer amount of unique opportunities I’ve had. If you’d told me that I’d be treasurer of a Disney Club or interviewing Wisconsin’s Supreme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley, I would’ve laughed. But now, I can say I’ve done those things because I found what made me happy.
College is the time to experiment and figure out what makes you happy. I love to sing, but I didn’t want to major in music. Instead, I joined the a cappella group that used to be here. I took choir classes for non-music majors and sang at Campus Activities’ First Friday events.
You don’t need to have your whole life figured out. But if you find what brings you joy, you might figure out what you want after graduation.
It’s OK not to be OK
A lot of what I’ve said so far has been a lot of butterflies, puppies and rainbows. But unfortunately, college isn’t all butterflies, puppies and rainbows.
I have had a multitude of instances where one thing led to another and I wasn’t OK. What got me through were the people who reassured me that things would get better and pointed out the positives. I was able to communicate some of my troubles to my professors and they helped me out. If the best you can do is one assignment, that’s OK — but you must, must, must communicate that with your professors.
Nobody is going to say that college is easy. And if they do, they’re lying. Don’t sell yourself short. It’s a big deal to earn a college degree.
Enjoy the time you have
Finally — and arguably the most cliché piece of advice — enjoy your time at Webster.
When I first got here, I thought I had all the time in the world. Now, four years later, I wish I had more time here.
The people, staff, professors and community at this school are unmatched. I never quite understood the phrase, “College will be some of the best times of your life.” Then, I got to Webster.
I know it may seem like graduation is far away. I know that some of you may not even be in college yet. But being a Gorlok and getting to be a part of something as special as Webster is something that I am never going to take for granted or forget.
There’s a quote from “The Office.” Andy Bernard says, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you actually leave them.”
Well, as a graduating Gorlok — I’m telling you:
You’re in the good old days.
Savor them.
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