The doctors say that envy, malice, jealousy, produce a distinctly depressing effect upon the nervous system.  And some go so far as to say that if intense enough these states of mind actually poison the secretions.  Don’t, therefore, let these hyena passions abide with you.  Be generous.  Have faith.  Make mistakes or achieve success; fail or win; but do things.  Share the common lot.  Be hearty.  Be whole-souled.  Be a man.  Never doubt for a moment that

    “God’s in his heaven;
    All’s well with the world.”

This paper has been devoted to your mental and moral attitude toward your college and your college life, rather than to what particular things you will study there; for the way you look at your college and the life you lead there—­the spirit with which you enter upon these golden years—­is the main thing.  The studies themselves are the methods by which you apply that spirit and purpose.

But most young men with whom I have talked want to know what “courses” to take, what “studies” to specialize upon.  No general counsel can be given which will be very valuable to you upon this point.  But I will venture this:  Do not choose entirely by yourself what things you will study in college, or what “courses” you will “elect.”

You are so apt to pick the things that are easiest for you, and not the things that are best for you.  Even the strongest-willed men quite unconsciously select those things that will mean the least work.  You do not think you are selecting certain courses or studies for this reason, and perhaps you are not; but then, again, perhaps you are, and you cannot yourself determine that.

Therefore I suggest that you advise with four or five of the ablest and most successful men you know.  Let two of these be educators, and the others professional or business men.  Try to get them to interest themselves enough in you to take the time to think the whole subject over very carefully as applied to your particular case, and to take further time to talk it over thoroughly with you.  Then take the consensus of their opinion, unless your own view is decided, clear, and emphatic.

When you have such an opinion of your own, such a command coming from the sources of your own mentality, obey that, in choosing your studies and course, rather than the counsel of any other man or number of men.  Yes, obey that voice in making such a choice, and in making every choice throughout your whole life; for it is the voice of your real self—­that inward counselor which never fails those who are fortunate enough to have it.

Of course, what you study ought to be influenced by what you intend to do in life.  For example, the career of civil engineer requires a special kind of preparation.  So do the various occupations and professions.  But no matter what particular thing you intend to do through life, it is the belief of most men who have given this subject any thought that a young man ought to take a complete general college course, and supplement this by special preparation for the particular work to which he intends to devote his life.