Foundations of Success: Code Shift

Who are you?

You may identify yourself as a parent, a student, a brother, a Muslim, an environmentalist, a teammate, a friend, an American, a gamer, a Latino, a Republican, a nurse, a veteran, and so on. Chances are, you have a number of different identities: some more prominent, some less; some that you were and some that you are and some that you want to be; some that you define for yourself and some that others define for you.

This leads us to the next question. How do you act when you are within a certain role or identity? Do you act the same when you are a parent as when you are a friend? Do you speak the same words when you are talking with your parents as when you are talking with your Army buddies? Do you dress the same when you go to work as when you go out on a date as when you go to church?

In many cases, the answer is probably not. You most likely act, speak, and dress differently when you are being a parent as compared to when you are being a friend. What is expected, or what is considered normal, most likely varies from one role to the next.  In other words, the code that guides how you speak and act and dress shifts when you transition from being a parent to being a friend.

College, just like a synagogue or a work place or a dance club, has its own code. There are certain expectations and beliefs about how you speak and how you act and how you dress, unwritten rules that define what is considered normal - just as you find in the military or in your family or in your neighborhood.

Of course, within any of these culture, you may choose to speak or act or dress differently than what is considered normal. Nevertheless, you need to be aware that many others are perceiving you and judging you based on the unwritten rules.

Now, when you talk differently as a nurse than as a friend, does that somehow make you less of a friend? No, you are just shifting code. When you act differently at college than you do in your family, are you pretending that you are someone you are not or abandoning your past? No, you are just exercising cultural awareness.

For example, if you follow college code while in your neighborhood, you may be perceived as a square, but if you follow college code while at college, you will be perceived as a responsible student. Alternatively, if you follow street code while in college, you may be perceived as disruptive, but if you follow street code while in your neighborhood, you may be perceived as strong. It all depends on the culture in which you are currently operating.

You do not need to follow college code, but if you do, you will face less judgment and bias and misunderstanding, and - in general - you will have an easier time collaborating, communicating, persuading, and gaining legitimacy with students, faculty, and staff.


 Some major aspects of college code:

- Always be on time and communicate with faculty and staff if you cannot attend.
- Take initiative and ask for help if you do not understand.
- Use proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling when communicating with faculty and staff.
- Resolve conflict through discussion and mediation (not argument or aggression).
- Value diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
- Think critically for yourself  (as opposed to looking for the "right" answer).