Lately there’s been some controversy on campus pertaining to the slogan “Make Your Life Count” which was recently adopted by Gustavus as a part of an effort to reach out to more prospective students. Maybe you’ve already seen one of the billboards with that statement on it. When the phrase was first adopted a lot of current Gusties weren’t exactly sure if that phrase was the right one for our institution, myself included, as it seemed like we were blatantly telling people their lives didn’t count unless they went to Gustavus which is SO not true! No Gustie would ever want that idea to be associated with themselves and the school they go to so I’m taking this opportunity to say what those four words mean to me after I’ve thought a lot about them and why Gustavus chose them out of any others. First off everyone’s life counts, that should be a given, no life is more important or sacred than any others and we each have the power to do what we want with our lives and make what we wish of it. What I’ve found is in order to make yourself happy you need to do with your life what you think matters! What’s important to you? Art, science, helping people, rationalizing, commentating, making people laugh?? Whatever it is do it and make it a part of your life and Gustavus is an excellent place to be if you’re in the process of finding what that happens to be. Right now as a junior English major debating on a neuroscience minor there’s a lot I can do that will make me happy after I graduate: I could get a job right away, I could go to grad school or law school or take a year off and travel to France (seriously I really need to put my French speaking skills to good use!) there’s so many things and part of that is because I’m here at an institution staffed by professors and faculty and attended by students who sincerely care about one another and want to see each other succeed while at the same time doing good work themselves and doing what makes them happy. If they aren’t already there are plenty of hands on deck to help out whether you choose to go to the Center for Vocational Reflection, talk with a professor or academic adviser or maybe a student who’s been there and done that who has lots of good advice and experiences to share. I know that’s a lot of weight for four small words to carry, but trust me they make good on their word (or words?). Just do whatever it is that will make you happy and make you feel more certain about the fact that your life counts and if you choose to go to Gustavus as a part of your life’s journey, great, but if not that’s great too just live it up and live it happily and purposefully.