This article is featured in the 2021 Commencement special issue.
The Dartmouth asked professors to provide the Class of 2021 their best life advice in just six short words. Providing a quote is simple enough, but condensing one’s sentiments into a succinct blurb proved to be a challenge, and some professors broke the rules. Nonetheless, The Dartmouth presents — approximately — six words of advice.
Spanish professor Rebecca Biron: Question everything, laugh and be kind.
Religion professor Randall Balmer: Don’t play it safe. Take chances.
Film professor Jeffrey Ruoff: “Everything changes and nothing stands still.” — Heraclitus
Film professor Mary Flanagan: Do not be afraid of no!
Film professor Jeffrey Ruoff (again): “Perfect is the enemy of good.” — Voltaire
Classics professor Margaret Graver: Find what you do well & do that.
Theater professor Daniel Kotlowitz: Compassion and kindness, the rest will follow.
German professor Petra McGillen: Read, travel, eat, laugh, rest. Repeat.
Computer science professor Thomas Cormen: Live your life with meaning.
Math professor Peter Doyle: Watch the doughnut, not the hole.
Government professor Charles Crabtree: Don't select on the dependent variable.
Anthropology professor Sienna Craig: Reciprocate. Practice compassion. Cultivate equanimity. Laugh.
Studio art professor Brenda Garand: There are no rules in art.
Sociology professor John Campbell: Life is short … have fun!
Classics professor Hakan Tell: Life is short; live well now.
French professor Scott Sanders: “What is Enlightenment? Using your own understanding.” — Kant
Art history professor Ada Cohen: Always keep art in your life.
Chemistry professor Jane Lipson: Absorb photons. Radiate generosity. Conserve heartbeats.
Spanish and Portuguese professor Jose del Pino: Experiment your life as a permanent discovery.
Anthropology and Russian professor Sergei Kan: Always be true to yourself.
Math professor Anne Gelb: Be robust and avoid ill-conditioning.
Physics and Astronomy professor Miles Blencowe: Always be a student at heart!
Psychology and Brain Sciences professor Jay Hull: Strive for work-life balance.
Earth Sciences professor Bob Hawley: Luck is where YOU find it.
Women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and history professor Leslie Butler: History has its eyes on you. (borrowed)
Film and media and African and African American studies professor Iyabo Kwayana: Let your passion contribute to humanity!
African and African American studies professor Marvin Chochotte: Enjoy life while pursuing your endeavors.
Women’s, gender, and sexuality studies professor Eng-Beng Lim: Always profess queer love and care.
African and African American Studies and religion and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies professor Robert Baum: Speak truth to power.
Geography and earth sciences professor Justin Mankin: Be civic-minded — acknowledge your agency.
Classics and linguistics professor Lindsay Whaley: It’s good to innovatively split infinitives.
Psychological and brain sciences professor Alireza Soltani: Make the world a wilder place.
Jewish studies professor Marc Caplan: Judaism is BIG, like everything else.
African and African American studies and sociology professor Trica Keaton: You are the light you seek!
Environmental studies professor Michael E. Cox: Don’t optimize for just one thing.
Geography professor Sujin Eom: Be strangers to yourselves, not others.
Cognitive science and psychological and brain sciences professor Jonathan Phillips: The deed is everything; the glory, nothing.
Psychological and brain sciences professor Jeremy Manning: Do good, have fun, seek happiness.
Women’s, gender, and sexuality studies professor Mingwei Huang: Think systemically, act collectively. Rest!
Government and quantitative social science professor Yusaku Horiuchi: Be global, be flexible, stay healthy!
Earth sciences professor Erich Osterberg: Let batter rest for delicious pancakes.
Government and medieval and Renaissance Studies professor James Murphy: Write your eulogy, then live it.
Film and media studies and women’s, gender, and sexuality studies professor Mary Desjardins: Don’t be afraid to change direction.
