A letter from Aug 21, 2022

Dear Teguono, Currently, you want to be a computer science major. You want to build your own startup (whether crypto or something else) and you want to make a lot of money. At least that’s what you tell other people. Teguono, I hope that by the time you graduate, you’re working hard on something that you’re ACTUALLY passionate about; something that I can’t live without. I hope that through the relationships that I make at Vanderbilt, the tech and corporate world, and in various other organizations, I can not only further craft the definition of myself, but also to enjoy the music of life. What is it that you’re working towards? What is that “thing” that you seem to strive for at the end of the road? Stop! Free your mind and yourself, and enjoy the music of life as it is. Because the most important part is not the end of the song, but rather the beautiful processes of the song itself. Teguono, I hope that you’ve fully come to this realization and have put this into practice in all aspects of your life. And I hope that your definition of success is not limited. Hopefully, your definition of success is something that I would’ve never imagined it to be, something so specific, so “Teg.” Something that I was always meant to pursue in the first place. God, I hope that you keep future Teg in check, and I hope that he still keeps strong faith in you. Amen. The Freshman Ogheneteguono Okotete.