Tonight I will attend a banquet for an incoming crop of college students: The new “knobs,” as they’re known here at The Citadel. These will be our newest Honors students, some very bright and most accomplished young men and women who hope to join the Long Grey Line of The Citadel’s proud alumni.
As Associate Director of our Honors Program, I interviewed many of these students. I fought for them. They’re here now, and I suspect that I will be asked to stand up and say something to them and to their parents tonight. Something meaningful.
So what can I say? How can I possibly put into words the journey they are about to face?
In short, how can I welcome them?
I don’t know yet, and that worries me a little.
On the plus side, though, I have no doubt that I heard a number of little welcoming riffs as an incoming freshman myself … and I don’t remember a single word of them.
So that takes the pressure off, no?