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Being, Thinking, Doing: Success in College and Beyond by Mary Stewart

A Student Perspective

Graduating senior and DRS intern, Angel Zheng, shares her review of Being, Thinking, Doing: Success in College and Beyond by Mary Stewart.

As a college senior who is graduating in two weeks, I found that this textbook addressed so much of what I had learned and experienced on my own during my four years at FSU. As a textbook, it is very concise and comprehensive, and many of the referenced books are ones that I have personally read or have had recommended to me at some point in my life. I think this textbook would have prepared me for what to expect when I first set foot on campus as an anxious but enthusiastic first-year college student.

The first chapter immediately kicks off with helping students prepare and “set the stage” for what’s to come, and it is actually my favorite chapter. The organization tips featured here remind me of the Marie Kondo method, but they are very to the point and pretty specific to the college experience. I have personally learned and understood the value in organizing my possessions. For instance, I can talk about how I received a heartfelt letter from a friend two years ago and then immediately pull out that exact letter from one of my many drawers five seconds later, because I know exactly where I had stored it. This is not to mention the amount of time I saved through organizing my possessions; I rarely have to turn my entire apartment into the aftermath of a category 4 hurricane just to find that one apartment key. The emphasis on strong, basic habits in this chapter and throughout the rest of the textbook is, I think, one of the most useful and often overlooked lessons.

Something I wished I had known earlier in my college journey is discussed in Chapter 3, which talks about having a growth mindset. Most of the college classes I had taken didn’t mention this at all, which is why I think it’s so important for students to grasp this idea early on. I used to think that getting rejected from an internship, job position, or friend group meant that I wasn’t good enough. Why bother putting in the effort if I was going to get rejected anyway? It wasn’t until my senior year that I began to embrace the fact that my failures don’t define me and that I should still bravely pursue my goals. This mindset led to my being accepted to three internships within the span of a year as well as becoming a leading member of the Chinese American Student Organization on campus! The author takes a supportive approach to helping students understand that college is a time for development and that challenges can be a useful part of growth.

I appreciate the author’s awareness that sometimes the skills learned outside of the classroom are just as important as those learned in the classroom. Chapter 7 focuses on the importance of finding one’s own communities. This is something that college students really need to hear. I was an extremely shy introvert when I first started college, and although I have become more outgoing since then, I still regret not having “put myself out there” more often. Part of it was because I initially found several communities that I had trouble fitting into and always felt uncomfortable, without realizing that maybe that particular community wasn’t for me. The textbook provides valuable insight and even a customizable table to figure out how to select a community that supports who students are, and if a student is methodical like me, this is a great resource to make that search process easier.

All of the chapters provide relevant strategies for things such as reducing college expenses, essay writing skills, creative and critical thinking, collaborating with others, building communities, and even figuring out what major or minor to pursue. It’s similar to an all-purpose seasoning—a tool that makes any meal taste great—but for supporting personal growth as a college student rather than lunch and dinner. The various resources provided in each chapter—established books, TED Talks, online websites—definitely sparked my curiosity and interest to dive deeper into the topics. I’m sure that students will find them very helpful as they start applying a few (or all!) strategies to their everyday lives.

I believe that this textbook is a great guide for anyone entering college for the first time. The underlying goal of the textbook encourages students to do three things: understand themselves and what works for them (being), learn how to deal with problems/obstacles effectively (thinking), and maximize their reach toward their personal goals and aspirations (doing). These elements are what enabled me to bravely pursue a graduate program after graduation, and I believe these elements will give future students a head start on their journey of becoming the best possible version of themselves.

About Angel Zheng

Angel Zheng is an FSU undergraduate student double majoring in English and Media & Communication Studies. She plans to pursue her master’s education at the FSU Graduate School of Communication after graduation. During her free time, she likes to bake, sing karaoke with friends, and play pop songs on the piano.