{"id":12215,"date":"2022-10-05T12:42:45","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T16:42:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/?p=12215"},"modified":"2022-10-12T10:17:55","modified_gmt":"2022-10-12T14:17:55","slug":"five-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alumni.cornell.edu\/cornellians\/five-words\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does Cornell Mean to You\u2014In Five Words or Less?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Homecoming, we invited alumni and students to ponder that question. Beyond our wildest expectations, they delivered<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Beth Saulnier<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sum up your feelings about your alma mater\u2014in a mere five words or fewer. Sounds like an impossible task, right? Well \u2026 what if we bribed you with tote bags, pens, and candy?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Homecoming 2022 marked Cornellians\u2019<\/em> first-ever appearance at the beloved annual event<\/a>, held in and around Schoellkopf\u2014our publication having launched less than a year earlier, in October 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At our table within the fun-packed Fan Festival, we invited the happy hordes of alumni and current students to take up Sharpie and Post-It note, and ponder their Big Red experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"People
Revelers flocked to the Cornellians<\/em> booth. (No\u00ebl Heaney\/Cornell University)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We titled it \u201cCornell, on the One Hand: What Does Cornell Mean to You, in 5 Words or Less?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(And yes: we know that\u2019s not strictly grammatical\u2014but it\u2019s punchier.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once the willing scribes completed their oeuvres<\/em>, we added the notes to our display board\u2014which swiftly became a gloriously crammed, neon-hued paean to Cornellian spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Where<\/figure>
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Best years of my life!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My happy place.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something new every day.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone is welcome!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Passers-by beheld it\u2014and some of them even got a little choked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A chance to pursue passions!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"Peace<\/figure>
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Surprises of all types.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inspiration, aspiration, perspiration, excellence, family.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greatness in everything!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlocking your potential.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friendship, research, diversity<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Youth<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In total, more than 400 people participated in our thought exercise\u2014so many that we ran out of Post-Its<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(As for our signature tote bag, whose supplies ran dry far earlier: it became Homecoming\u2019s hottest\u2014and most practical\u2014accessory.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among those hundreds of entries, there were some common themes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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