"Oh the Places You'll Go" is a cliche graduation gift that has doubtlessly found its way into the collection of many recent high school graduates. The Dr. Seuss book does set an optimistic tone for the next chapter of the young students life. What it fails to emphasize, however, is that those fabulous places are kept behind a 6 foot wall of good ol' fashion bull crap. This is not to be confused with the hills and mountains students will need to climb to achieve their goals, because at the summit of those treks are beautiful views and a sense of accomplishment. What I am referring to is the annoying, tedious tasks and challenges that simply check a box that needs to be checked to appease some arbitrary or redundant requirement. The most positive feeling that comes from digging through the mud and jumping through the hoops is the relief that now that task is in the past. Jumping through hoops can be draining, frustrating, and annoying. But this article is here to tell you that hoop-jumping is necessary, and you need to get used to it.
Jumping through hoops is annoying, and they originate from annoying places. Take, for example, the paper (or whatever) students have to do when they study abroad. Typically, that paper originates from the meeting where a faculty member is making a case to a more "important" faculty member or administrator that they should be allowed to do this study abroad trip. The higher-up thinks it's a great idea, but needs to make sure that they can prove to their boss that the students are actually learning something and not headed off to Belize or Paris or Sydney or wherever for a glorified vacation. So, what if we have the kids write a short paper sharing what they learned and why the trip was valuable? This process becomes more intense the more money or reputation becomes involved. Most universities do not have money to just give away, so anytime the wallets open, expect some hoops to be jumped through. Larger personalities and reputations are also positively correlated with hoop-jumping. Stroking the right person's ego or taking the opportunity to show up a rival are common in academia, and often results in extra (seemingly pointless) work for lower-level faculty and students.
Does this explanation of the origin of the bull crap make it any less tedious? Heck no! But at least it might help you direct your annoyance and appreciate your faculty a bit more. Often, if students are jumping through hoops, it is because a faculty member went to bat for them and created a new opportunity. Think of some of these hoops as favors to faculty members. Your French teacher likely does not want you to have written this paper either (and they likely do not care to read it!). But it is a small price to pay for the opportunity to introduce their students to world class cuisine and art amid the cigarette smoke of Paris.
One piece of advice I can offer about jumping through hoops is this; you probably do not have to care that much. I try to be very realistic with my students and readers. As a college student, you are going to be inundated with stuff that matters. Your coursework matters. Intramurals and clubs matter. Does this completion-grade-at-best two page paper about your trip to Paris matter? In the sense that you need to do it for your and your French teacher's sakes, yes... but it doesn't have to be good. Don't pre-write. Don't spell check. Go to a coffee shop or the student union, pull out your laptop or other device, hammer the thing out, and ship it. Conjur the energy of Bill O'Reilly's famous "We'll do it live!” tantrum (here is a censored version) and slap that thing together. Do make sure whatever the work happens to be is good enough, as once you send the thing in you'll likely never want to see it again. But good enough is good enough.
Jumping through is annoying and gets old quickly. This article focused on having to do a short paper, hoop jumping has many forms (sometimes literally, there are lots of silly forms out there to be filled out). Regardless of the size or shape of your hoops and the wall of crap that needs to be dug through, the best thing students can do is come to terms with the fact they will just need to suck it up and do it. This does not make it less annoying, but the sooner you embrace and attack the arbitrary and tedious tasks that come with being a successful student, the sooner you can put them in the past.
