Three Lessons I Learned While in University
And how to apply them in your own life.
My two years of college experience have taught me many different lessons about who I am as a person, and who I want to be moving forward in my life. I learned a few basic lessons about myself, such as that I am a life-long learner and enjoy researching various topics. Also, that I have the ability to be out-going whenever I feel like it, but that I prefer to be quiet unless I need to speak and that simply being alone replenishes my energy. I have learned that a party lifestyle is not attractive to me in the long term and that it often proves to be detrimental in more areas than just a person’s physical health. I am thankful for these lessons, but these ideas hardly compare to the following three concepts that I have gathered from my bachelor’s experience in University.
Concept #1
It is ok to make a sacrifice.
Thinking back on my first two years of University, I realized that I had a constant fear of missing out (FOMO). I desired to be at every party, the last one to come home, the one to have the most fun at any event. Even though I did not project this feeling, I was increasingly aware of what people thought about me and I only wanted people to think that I was “cool”. I took very little care of myself in comparison to how treated myself when no one was around. When alone, I ate healthily, slept 8–9 hours each night, worked out daily, and studied because I enjoyed it and when I know people are watching I would change. Currently, in my last semester of University, I have learned that it is not only ok to make a sacrifice, but that you will need to make all sorts of sacrifices throughout your life to achieve what you want to achieve. I have incorporated a level of balance in my life now, meaning that if I need to be alone to take care of myself, I will… with no hesitation. Sometimes this means that I initially disappoint the people around me that want to have a good time, but once I explain why I make the decisions that I make, then they understand. The best way to implement this is to prioritize yourself first, by taking care of yourself, you will make better decisions that improve not only your life but the lives of those around you.
Concept #2
Empathy for others is key.
When making decisions involving others, you must always take into consideration how your actions will impact them. This was something that I missed when I first began prioritizing myself, I would forget to think about how my actions would impact others. I was still selfish but in a different way. What is the point in achieving great accomplishments in your life if you do not care about the people who helped you get there? The adjustment that I have made accordingly is considering how each decision I make will impact those closest to me. I still believe that taking care of yourself is the number one priority, but if you make these decisions with an added lense of empathy for others, then you will make even better choices that will grow yourself and those around you. Another step that I have chosen to take is to open up to those who have my best interest in mind. Being vulnerable to those closest to you gives an added depth of relationship that can only be achieved through trust and time spent together. In summation, think about others in your decision-making process, and do not be afraid to be vulnerable with your close friends and family.
Concept #3
Confidence will take you further.
You can be the most intelligent person in your class, but if you do not have the confidence to speak up during lectures or answer questions, what good will all of that knowledge do for you? One of the greatest lessons that I have learned was in a final round of interviews with a large investment bank. In the first of three rounds, I was bashful in my answers. However, the interviewer really dug into me and put me into a position to answer their question with complete confidence in my abilities. I took the position of complete confidence in myself and my abilities and the interviewers were pleased with my response and noted that I need to be absolutely confident in my abilities and experience. They were of the position that confidence in myself will take me further than being the smartest person in the room. After this experience, I learned that I must be absolutely confident and be willing to express that confidence. I am of the mindset that being confident in your skillset will directly lead to you accomplishing your goals and dreams.
Conclusion
I currently have around five weeks left for my undergraduate education, and I am hoping to glean some more information from my time at University. These takeaways are from my own personal experience, and I do not regret any decisions I have made in my life. I believe that every day we are given the opportunity to learn something new about ourselves and I intend to take advantage of this aspect of life. I am striving to continuously broaden my perspective and to grow as a person. Each of these concepts has given me more perspective on how to grow and I hope that you can take away value from my experience.
Think openly.
