November 2014

Question:

Dear Abbot Pennings, 

Are you familiar with the term “hashtag”? If you had one, what would it be?

Austin Van Pay ‘17

Answer:

Oh my goodness me! This is quite a perplexing question for me to consider, granted that my time in office at St. Norbert saw nothing of the sort. The closest I would have come to encountering such a term would have been when enjoying corned beef hash at breakfast! 

According to my reliable old friend Webster, a hashtag is “a word or phrase preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text.” From what I have been able to gather in further research, hashtags are a method by which to join a common conversation within social media channels.  

Now that the definition is clear to my admittedly old-fashioned understanding, I believe there are several of these hashtags that may be of relevance to my person. Before I decide on one, I see fit to practice a little in my utilization of these useful appendages. 

Have you or any of my respective readers paid me a visit at #clubmulva? If not, I most certainly hope you will do so soon #getslonely #takeaselfiewithme. While you are here, do please be sure to examine the progress made on the Gehl-Mulva Science Center #amazing. Ruth’s Marketplace is certainly continuing to be a most popular eatery, bustling every day with staff and students. Check it out next time you are around our campus #schwarmaismyfav. (I think that last one is correctly expressed in the modern idiom?) All at our beloved institution enjoy meeting and greeting returning alumni with the utmost in #radicalhospitality. How lucky are those who get to call St. Norbert College their place of residence, including myself #grateful #greenknightpride. 

Now, to select one and only one hashtag from those that have been recommended to me, that is quite the chore! But I believe I can do no better than to select #askabbotrocks.  

Responses to “Ask the Abbot” questions are penned by St. Norbert College staff in the name of Abbot Bernard Pennings, O.Praem., who founded St. Norbert College in 1898.