My Lessons Learned at Uni

My lessons learned from Uni…

1.    Always, always, be thankful.

Uni is a unique and tight-knit community full of students who are passionate and excel in their academics. Aka Uni is a little bubble full of “smart” students which can has its pros and cons. Ideally, being surrounded by students who are all passionate would motivate everyone around you. Isn’t it cool that you’re surrounded by students who do some pretty crazy stuff, whether it’s related to academics or not, and further, that you’re surrounded by a lot of really cool students who are passionate and kind? But sadly, sometimes instead of motivation, being in the same building with a student body whose average standardized test scores are much higher than the national average spurs on an atmosphere of competitiveness. That’s why it’s important to remember to be thankful, in all aspects of life, but within the context of Uni to appreciate how special the school is, and how cool everyone around you are as well. It’s easy to be negative and to try to bring people around you down, especially when you feel the pressure to shine yourself. Try to proud of your peers instead of being jealous. It’s hard, and trying is really all you can do, but it’s worth it.

2.      Be mindful of what you say.

I’m guilty of saying a lot of things that I don’t really mean. Maybe just for a laugh, or just because I think it’s the “right” thing to say. It also depends on what group of people that I talk to. For a long time, I just echoed back a lot of things that I heard, mainly because I was afraid of saying something “wrong”. But on the other side, I also joked a lot with my friends, said a lot of harmful stuff that I didn’t mean. It was like a guilty pleasure, making risqué jokes that was just harmless fun.

I think the key is being honest. Taking the leap by saying things that you truly believe can go a long way in shaping your worldview. People change, it happens, and people will eventually accept that. Further, the things that we choose to say make a difference in the way that people treat you and view you. Not everyone is out here to garner respect and popularity, but the effect every single person has on everyone else should be noted. Just think about that for a while.

3.      Don’t be afraid to venture.

If there’s anything that I’ve learned from my college admission grind is that there is nothing sadder than realizing how insincere I’ve been to myself. There are some extracurricular I’ve just flat out wasted my time on, and others that I wish I had started or explored sooner.

Just remember that while friends are great, you don’t have to be the same person as your friend. Explore your interests, find something that you absolutely love doing. If you find that thing, just go for it. Ask people around you for help. Go digging to find unique opportunities for yourself. And if you try something and don’t like it, that’s fantastic. Now you know that you don’t like that thing. High school is really hard and Uni is especially hard because it’s really easy to overwork yourself. But if you find something that you love and can incorporate that into your life along with your academics, it’s pretty awesome (and also what colleges look for, pro tips).