On every move in-day and return from breaks, right before the goodbye hugs and “I love you” parting words, Bill Ebner, my dad, always gave me the same one sentence mandate: “Eat regularly, sleep regularly, and study to become a productive member of society." Dad always had a quirky, Yogi-Berra-appreciative sense of humor and was known for his handshakes that shook your whole body and made children laugh, but this one sentence offered to my brothers and me during our college years was delivered to us as a sincere, gentle reminder from a loving parent letting his children grow, and I knew it was no joke.
Here’s why dad’s practical wisdom works for all college students and how that advice plays out at Waynesburg University.
1.) Eat regularly. It is a lot easier to learn when you aren’t hungry and aren’t worried about how you are going to fit the next meal into your schedule.
Tip 1: Find out dining hall, Beehive, Chick-fil-a, and Starbucks hours. Look at your schedule and plan.
2.) Sleep regularly. Retaining information when exhausted is truly harder than you anticipate. Waynesburg has curfews for a reason -- observe them.
Tip 2: Establish a routine and include naps if needed.
3.) Study. Go to class, take notes, ask questions, review notes, talk about class content with classmates, do your homework, repeat.
Tip 3: Take full advantage of instructors’ office hours, the Writing Center and tutoring services schedules and walk-in support services that are free on campus.
4.) Become a productive member of society. God has blessed you so that you can be a blessing to those around you—try using your gifts at Waynesburg.
Tip 4: Join a club, group, or organization at Waynesburg; attend events on campus and/or serve others in the campus community.
Part of growing at Waynesburg involves establishing the basic elements for a joyful adult life— eating, sleeping, working, playing-- the other less tangible things like acquiring knowledge will be easier if you attend to those basics, more or less in that order. As you start the 2025-2026 school year, the excitement of new opportunities and new ideas and new struggles and new friendships can overshadow the basic, practical matters; so, consider this your gentle reminder that what starts as “seeds for success” at Waynesburg will only grow with practical nourishment.
