Sandeep Mazumder, college president

Having only recently joined the Berry community, I find myself in the unique position of speaking and writing about a college I am still getting to know. The reality is I have only been here a little longer than many of the first-year students. The chance to reflect here is both an honor and a humbling opportunity.

I researched Berry thoroughly and asked many questions during my interview process, but only now am I beginning to truly engage with campus life. I am eager to keep learning about this place, possibly get my hands dirty working a student job or two, and come to better understand what it means to “Be Berry.”

A thoughtful student wrote her final essay for a writing course as a letter to me last semester, referencing this particular phrase. She highlighted the many meaningful aspects of her time at Berry, but also posed a challenge to me, and to campus, to reconsider the meaning of “Be Berry” in this moment of transition.

In her experience and the experiences of others she quoted, to “Be Berry” is sometimes interpreted as encouraging students to stay busy, over-committed and often overwhelmed. “Berry Busy” was the term she used, challenging the college to think about ways to move from being “Berry Busy” to “Berry Balanced.”

Stepping into my new role, I find myself relating to many of you who have just arrived. Starting anything new can feel like living on fast forward until you find your rhythm. On the one hand, you want to embrace the full scope of college life, do all there is to do and build as many relationships as possible.

But on the other hand, this transition is likely the first time you are managing your daily routines, exploring new freedoms and living among peers who quickly feel like family. How should you, then, take advantage of all that a liberal arts college offers, not missing out on anything, while figuring out what it means to have balance?

I have a deeply held belief that balance begins with habit. The tiniest practices that take minutes become the framework of our days. And as college students, whether just starting out or nearing graduation, a new semester offers a fresh slate to pick a simple habit to put into practice.

Habits are said to be the invisible architecture of our lives. We are constantly shaped and reshaped by the things we choose to do repeatedly. Late-night scrolling becomes minutes, becomes hours, becomes sleep deprivation. Scheduling a day with no room to eat lunch or refuel leads to exhaustion. As many who come before me have said, “We become what we practice.”

College is full of practicing things —acquiring new academic skills, managing new job responsibilities and doing laundry on a regular schedule. You will practice showing up when it’s hard, sometimes when it’s exciting and sometimes when you are not sure what’s ahead. You will intentionally need to practice rest.

The beauty of practice is that it doesn’t require perfection, but rather consistency. Every day is a chance to try again. For new students in college, choosing a healthy habit to focus on might be as simple as being dedicated to waking up when your alarm goes off.

This semester, I challenge you to pick a simple habit or practice and be intentional. Rather than being “Berry Busy,” make a habit of investing in the quality of experiences over the quantity. Beware of falling into a default mode where you let the ups and downs of college life dictate your course rather than choosing it for yourself.

I’ve heard Martha Berry quoted saying, “Everybody must be headed somewhere,” and by choosing a few small habits, like a small rudder, you will begin to gain a sense of direction and purpose to your minutes and days. Think about the activities that you enjoy and the challenges that excite you. Choose wisely. Your time at Berry will be as rich in experience as you make it, and I can’t wait to have a front row seat in your Berry Journey.